News
CAC, Solidarity Sandy Springs works to bring joy to children this holiday season
More than 700 children still need help from the Sandy Springs and Dunwoody communities in the Community Assistance Center’s Hope for the Holidays program. And Solidarity Sandy Springs still needs donors to help 20 families in its Solidarity Secret Santa – Adopt a Family program. The CAC’s program connects sponsors with families in need. Sponsors visit CAC’s website to choose a family. From a list provided, sponsors purchase physical gifts for the children and deliver them unwrapped to the CAC Holiday
Sandy Springs adds miles of street paving with $1.27 million grant
An unexpected $1.27 million grant from the Georgia Department of Transportation will enable Sandy Springs to resurface sections of an additional 19 city streets. The Sandy Springs City Council approved a change order during its Nov. 18 meeting to a contract with East Coast Grading to add the resurfacing using Local Road Assistance (LRA) funds distributed by GDOT. Public Works Director Marty Martin said the LRA funds came after the council awarded a $6.5 million contract to the company in May. Read more
Sandy Springs mayoral candidates Paul and Carter discuss political endorsements, jabs.
Rough Draft hosted the public mayoral candidates’ forum on Zoom on Thursday, Nov. 20. A recording of the forum, and another between the City Council District 4 candidates, have been posted on YouTube. The campaign heated up when State Rep. Esther Feuer Panitch (D-Sandy Springs), posted an endorsement for Paul on social media. She said the city’s Jewish residents need a mayor who will specifically name specific threats and stand up for the Jewish community. In a reply to the endorsement post that
DeKalb County approves $78M ambulance contract to improve response times
DeKalb County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a new five-year contract with American Medical Response (AMR) for emergency ambulance services, a contract extension of nearly $78 million, during a Nov. 18 meeting. The new contract will increase unit hours to 600 per day, adding a number of other initiatives to improve response times, according to a release from DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson. The performance-based contract also calls for an increased number of ambulances in
Community Assistance Center opens Empowerment Center
The Community Assistance Center brought its career and adult education services together with the grand opening of its Empowerment Center on Nov. 13.Executive Director Francis K. Horton III said the Empowerment Center was the first project completed in its $18 million, three-year Compassion in Action capital campaign. CTJ Construction completed renovations of the second floor of the CAC’s building at 1130 Hightower Trail in Sandy Springs. Holder Construction donated all the furniture for the Empowerment
Rough Draft plans forums for Sandy Springs runoff election
Rough Draft Atlanta will present candidate forums leading up to the Sandy Springs mayoral and District 4 council runoff elections on Nov. 20. Sandy Springs voters are encouraged to participate by submitting questions by email and registering to watch the forums live through Rough Draft’s Sandy Springs election page. The Sandy Springs mayoral candidate forum will be on Thursday, Nov. 20, from 3 to 3:30 p.m., with Dontaye Carter facing Rusty Paul, the incumbent. The runoff is a repeat of the 2021
Dunwoody dedicates new veterans installation at Brook Run Park
Attendees braved 40-degree temperatures and brisk winds to dedicate a new veterans installation at Brook Run Park during an abbreviated ceremony on Nov. 11. The ceremony’s featured speaker was Captain Wayne Radloff, USN (Ret), a longtime Dunwoody resident who served more than 30 years of active duty as a Naval flight officer. Radloff kicked off his remarks by saying, “It’s cold, we’re in the shade, and my wife is already giving me the high sign [to wrap it up], but it’s an honor to be here this
Fulton County Schools honors Sandy Springs Education Force
Fulton County Schools named the Sandy Springs Education Force (SSEF) as its 2025 Legacy of Excellence Partner of the Year on Oct. 30. The award was made at a celebration for approximately 1,000 Fulton County Schools (FCS) teachers, professionals, partners, and guests at the Georgia International Convention Center. According to a press release, the award celebrates outstanding community partnerships that make a lasting difference for students and educators. “This year’s Legacy of Excellence Partner of
Metro Atlanta food banks brace for SNAP cuts. Here’s where to receive food assistance, or donate
On Nov. 1, nearly 1.4 million Georgia residents (12.6 percent of the population), including more than 908,000 children, are on track to lose SNAP and EBT benefits. As of publication, the Trump administration had not agreed on a plan to use federal reserves to keep the government assistance program going, despite a contingency fund of close to $6 billion. “Hunger should not be political,” Will Sellers, Executive Director of food insecurity nonprofit Wholesome Wave Georgia, told Rough Draft. “We urge our
Chamber names Dunwoody’s Sok as Woman of Distinction
The Greater Perimeter Chamber named Dunwoody businesswoman Lauren Sok as its Woman of Distinction for 2025 on Oct. 22. Sok, the owner of Functionize Health & Physical Therapy, was one of 15 nominees from Dunwoody and Sandy Springs. Other finalists for the award were Natalie DeLancey (honorable mention) of the City Springs Theatre Company, Jan Paul (second runner-up), a community activist, and Katie Prellwitz (first runner-up), of Leverage Communications. Monica Kaufman Pearson was
