New MARTA trains face testing and safety delays, inaugural ride postponed

Brookhaven Reporter 6/2 9:29A Rachel Spooner

The new fleet of MARTA rail cars was set to debut on June 4 with an inaugural “first ride,” but the ceremony has been postponed due to ongoing testing and safety checks. In an email to Rough Draft,...

Civic Roundtable launches Volunteer Sandy Springs to boost civic involvement

Sandy Springs Reporter 6/2 7:14A Rough Draft Staff

The Civic Roundtable is introducing the public to Volunteer Sandy Springs during Nonprofit Day on June 13 at the Sandy Springs Farmers Market.  The Sandy Springs Civic Roundtable s new community...

Atlanta City Council funds $8M trail to connect Westside Beltline and PATH Parkway

Buckhead Reporter 6/2 5:34A Logan C. Ritchie

The Atlanta City Council unanimously voted to fund an $8 million deal to build a .06-mile trail to connect the Westside Beltline Connector trail and the PATH Parkway trail, which runs through Georgia...

Volunteers work to beautify Downtown Atlanta ahead of FIFA World Cup

Buckhead Reporter 6/2 5:12A Rachel Spooner

Under overcast skies, around 600 volunteers from more than 20 companies came together on June 1 to beautify Downtown Atlanta ahead of the FIFA World Cup. Led by the Blank Family of Businesses in...

Melody Kelley leads effort to build Juneteenth tradition in Sandy Springs

Reporter Newspapers Brookhaven 6/1 9:21A Hayden Sumlin

Sandy Springs Council Member Melody Kelley, Ph.D., is on the ground in the Central Perimeter community, whether she’s teaching at Georgia State University’s Dunwoody campus or serving her...

Brookhaven City Council considers moving Cherry Blossom Festival to earlier date

Brookhaven Reporter 5/31 9:37A Cathy Cobbs

Brookhaven City Council heard a proposal to move its popular cherry blossom festival up a week in 2027 to align with an early Easter calendar. At the May 26 work session meeting, Brookhaven Events...

Book and mini print vending machines delight shoppers at Krog District

Buckhead Reporter 5/30 5:00A Rachel Spooner

The Krog District in Inman Park is welcoming unconventional small businesses into its retail and dining space thanks to a pair of unique vending machines. Kate Kiefer Lee, owner of soon-to-open Long...

Fare will be required to ride MARTA at all stations beginning May 30

Sandy Springs Reporter 5/29 5:00A Collin Kelley

MARTA will fully activate its new fare gates on Saturday, May 30, with riders required to pay the fare to ride trains from all stations. Payment had been suspended at some stations during the installation of the Better Breeze payment system, and...

Atlanta Streets Alive returns May 31 with West End to Grant Park route

Buckhead Reporter 5/29 4:37A Rough Draft Staff

Atlanta Streets Alive returns to West End and Grant Park on Sunday, May 31, with 3.5 miles of open streets, live music, and events. This month’s ASA takes place along Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard to Georgia Avenue, between Cherokee Avenue and...

Storyboard artist Mark Simon celebrates 40 years in TV and film

Buckhead Reporter 5/29 2:00A Sammie Purcell

Mark Simon got his first Hollywood job on a small 1987 sexploitation science fiction film called “Slave Girls from Beyond Infinity.” Decades later, he’s worked on everything from “The Walking Dead” to...

‘Two Women’ is a zany sex comedy about middle age malaise

Buckhead Reporter 5/29 12:30A Sammie Purcell

The art of the sex comedy has been lost in recent years, it seems – in America, at least. But this year, the French Canadians are bringing it back with a bullet.  “Two Women,” directed by Chloé...

‘Backrooms’ is disquieting, but runs into third act issues

Buckhead Reporter 5/29 12:00A Sammie Purcell

Have you ever seen something ostensibly normal – say, three shopping carts in the middle of an abandoned parking lot, or an empty, kitschy furniture store – and stared at it just a little too long?...

Sandy Springs City Council reviews balanced budget for 2027

Sandy Springs Reporter 5/28 6:53A Hayden Sumlin

Key points: • The Sandy Springs City Council will approve a proposed budget for fiscal year 2027, totaling $1.15 billion, after two public hearings in June. • Since its incorporation in 2005, Sandy...

This week at the Farmers Market

Buckhead Reporter 5/28 4:00A Sammie Purcell

Rough Draft Atlanta is partnering with Community Farmers Markets to let you know what’s in season at your local market. Each week, we’ll share a list of ingredients that are farm fresh, along with a...

May 28 Quick Bites: Women’s sports bar Jolene Jolene opens, Little Tart launching sandwich shop,...

Reporter Newspapers Brookhaven 5/28 12:30A Sarra Sedghi

In this week’s Quick Bites, get the scoop on a new patio bar coming to Poncey-Highland, a series of restaurant closures in East Cobb, and a long-awaited restaurant opening in South Downtown. There’s...