Brookhaven Reporter - January 2026

Brookhaven Reporter JANUARY 2026 ■ RoughDraft.news

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CONTENTS JANUARY 2026 EDITOR’S NOTE

4

BUCKHEAD APS School Closures Affordable Housing

6 6

BROOKHAVEN Resident Survey Short-term Housing Changes

8 8

DUNWOODY Seacrest Stadium Big Play, CVS Zaxby’s Zoning

10 11 11

SANDY SPRINGS Beloved Yoga Teacher Retires

12

TUCKER Tucker Bids Auman Farewell

13

REAL ESTATE 2026 Forecast

14

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Atlanta Film Winners

16

EDUCATION 20 Under 20 Paint Love Cellphone Use Regulations

18 30 32

AROUND ATLANTA PDK Deal Raises Concerns World Cup Schedule Linton Blackwell Shooting DeKalb Halts New Data Center

33 33 34 34

14

Atlanta Intown A

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Reporter Newspapers A

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Editorial

Published By

Cathy Cobbs Managing Editor, Reporter Newspapers

Rough Draft Atlanta

Collin Kelley Executive Editor

Keith Pepper Publisher keith@roughdraftatlanta.com

Beth McKibben Editor-in-Chief Sr. Editor Food & Dining

Neal Maziar Chief Revenue Officer neal@roughdraftatlanta.com

Sammie Purcell Associate Editor

Rico Figliolini Creative Director

Staff Writers

Steve Levene Founder

Katie Burkholder, Bob Pepalis, Logan C. Ritchie, Sarra Sedghi, Stephanie Toone

Circulation

Contributors

63,000 copies of Reporter Newspapers are delivered to homes in ZIP codes 30084, 30305, 30319, 30326, 30327, 30328, 30338, 30342 and 30350 and to businesses/retail locations.

Sarah Kallis, Isadora Pennington, Sherri Daye Scott, and Shandra Hill Smith

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ABOUT THE COVER Keren Clay, who has raised more than $250,000 for cancer research during her own personal battle, is one of our 20 Under 20 winners.

Meet all the honorees starting on page 18.

Photo supplied by the Clay family.

Honored as a newspaper of General Excellence

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JANUARY 2026

|3

MARTIN LUTHER

KING JR DAY

Dinner & Celebration Mon, Jan 19, 5 p.m.

Historic Lynwood Park 3360 Osborne Road $10 (Call 404-637-0542 for ticket information.)

BrookhavenGA.gov

Special Guests Live Performances Giveaways Dinner

Please join me for a special dinner on this MLK Day as we celebrate the very special history of the Lynwood Park neighborhood and the legacy of the Lynwood Trailblazers, those residents who attended the segregated Lynwood School, now the Lynwood Rec Center, and were among the first students to integrate the DeKalb County School System from right here in Lynwood Park

EDITOR'S NOTE Tomorrow’s heroes today

Keren Clay (Provided)

Welcome to our first Reporter Newspaper issue of 2026, which brings into sharp focus the EDITOR'S accomplishments NOTE of 40 young people in the community. Our 20-Under-20 recipients, which include CATHY COBBS students starting non-profits to address needs that they themselves have experienced, others who have raised funds to support research, along with young people who have put in their time and talents to assist others in need, share one thing in common: the foresight to take matters into their own hands to make a difference now.

It was difficult for Collin Kelley and me to cull down the list to just 20 winners and 20 runners-up, as these young people all had impressive resumes that merited more attention than a sentence or a few paragraphs. I encourage you, the readers, to do more than marvel at their accomplishments – if someone’s cause strikes a chord with you, support their efforts with your time, talent and if possible, funding.

I am particularly touched by Keren Clay’s story. The Lakeside senior has, throughout her seven-year cancer battle, raised close to $250,000 for pediatric cancer research, as well as speaking at a Congressional Caucus in Washington, D.C. “I’ve faced three different cancers, but each one has strengthened my ROUGHDRAFT.NEWS

determination to help others,” she said in our article. “I won’t stop fighting until kids get the treatments and futures they deserve.” As if having three types of cancer isn’t enough, she’s got enough in the tank to fight for others. And she’s just one of our honorees.

The rest of the January issue also includes lots of government, entertainment, and city news, as well as information that may impact your future. Real estate reporter Shandra Hill Smith has an encouraging story on the future of residential real estate through the eyes of industry experts. It includes great information about what potential buyers are looking for, and how sellers can meet those demands and get top dollar for their most valuable asset.

Sammie Purcell did a great job reporting on the winners of the Atlanta Film Critics Circle, which is on page 16.

Also, I loved Sherri Daye Scott’s story on page 32 on Paint Love’s Artist Cohort, which will allow six Atlanta artists to earn a trauma-informed education certificate after a year of training.

Finally, I was so honored that veteran yogi Elizabeth Nix Smith allowed me to write a story about her retirement from Peachtree Yoga Center (page 12), and the joyful impact she has had on thousands of students, present company included.

As always, thanks for your support for all of our efforts to bring the news to the community.

JANUARY 2026

|5

BUCKHEAD

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Atlanta Public Schools votes to close, repurpose schools

By WSBTV.com News Staff and Collin Kelley The Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously on Dec. 3 night to accept a plan that would repurpose 16 schools, including closing more than a dozen buildings.

The school district says since enrollment is down across the system, the APS Forward 2040 plan would save the district $25 million a year, according to a report from WSB-TV. Channel 2’s Courtney Francisco was at the standing-room-only meeting and heard passionate arguments from parents.

“It’s only going to make enrollment worse,” said Addison Clapp. “It’s only going to make education worse for our future communities.”

“You’re going to drive them into the charter schools, and you’re going to drive them to private schools. You’re going to drive them to homeschooling. Now, you’ve further divided a community. Now, you’ve closed a school. Property values have dropped. Because property values have dropped, gentrifiers will come in at an accelerated rate and purchase these homes,” Sherry Wilson predicted.

Douglas High School (File Photo)

Board members told the crowd before the vote, more money means more options for kids. Critics said they’ll keep organizing despite the decision.

“That is not good for anybody on any day of the week,” said Wilson.

The schools closing include: ■ Cleveland Elementary School ■ Continental Colony Elementary School ■ Dunbar Elementary School ■ Finch Elementary School ■ Frank L. Stanton Elementary School ■ Jackson Primary Elementary School ■ Perkerson Elementary School ■ Peyton Forest Elementary School ■ Scott Elementary School

■ Smith Intermediate Elementary School ■ Toomer Elementary School Annex ■ Usher Collier Elementary School ■ Douglas High School 9th Grade Building Students at those schools will move to other nearby schools. Maynard Jackson High School, Midtown High School and King Middle School will expand capacity.

The board now has to figure out what to do with vacant properties once the buildings close and students move to other schools. For example, they can lease them to developers, turn them into affordable

housing or convert them to community centers.

The board will also have to make decisions on rezoning neighborhoods.

Community forums will be held early next year as the redistricting process begins.

State Representative Bryce Berry (D-Atlanta) issued a statement calling the vote “disheartening.”

“APS has a tough job, and I know these school closure decisions aren’t made lightly.

Still, I worry about what this means for families — especially in Southwest Atlanta — who rely on neighborhood schools for stability, connection and community,” Berry said.

“For years, some state leaders have insisted that districts ‘do more with less,’ pushing them to shrink their budgets, while demands on classrooms keep growing,” Berry said. “That pressure doesn’t fall on abstract systems; it lands on real students, real educators and real neighborhoods now facing the loss of their local schools.”

Civic Center, Waterworks Village next steps in city’s affordable housing initiative bedroom apartments for senior lowincome residents.

The development – a partnership between Atlanta Housing, The Michaels Organization, Sophy Capital and Republic Properties – is expected to open in 2027.

The 19-acre Civic Center property will eventually contain 1,500 mixed-income apartments, retail.

Civic Center, Waterworks Village next steps in city’s affordable housing initiative (Courtesy of Atlanta Housing) offices, a hotel, and a supermarket,

By Collin Kelley according to a report from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held On Dec. 3, Mayor Andre Dickens Dec. 8 for a new senior affordable housing joined city leaders and partners to apartment complex on the site of the longmark the opening of the city’s third delayed redevelopment of the Boisfeuillet Rapid Housing Initiative project, The Jones Atlanta Civic Center site.

Waterworks Village, in Berkeley Park.

The revamp of the Civic Center site in Transforming an underutilized Atlanta Old Fourth Ward has been nearly a decade Watershed property off Northside Drive, in the making, but city officials said the the development features two multi-story groundbreaking is just the beginning of a modular buildings with approximately 100 $1 billion mixed-use development studio units (250 square feet each) and The $60-million six-story apartment four office spaces. building will include 148 affordable one-

6 JANUARY 2026

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BROOKHAVEN

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Survey shows Brookhaven citizens happy with services

By Cathy Cobbs A survey about Brookhaven citizens’ perception of the quality of life and services provided by the city show a marked improvement compared to 2023.

“Spoiler alert: we have some pretty good results here,” said Brookhaven City Manager Christian Sigman before the presentation.

The poll, conducted by the ETC Institute, which also surveyed citizens in 2023, concluded that residents are most satisfied with police services (88 percent), parks and recreation programs and facilities (80 percent), and maintenance of the city’s buildings and facilities (74 percent).

Robert Heacock, senior manager of

the ETC Institute, who presented before the council at its Dec. 2 work session, said the goal was to gather 400 surveys, which was met, with 401 responses. The surveys were mailed and posted online.

The results showed the highest rated quality-of-life items were: as a place to live/raise family (92 percent), overall quality of life (88 percent), and as a place to work (84 percent).

Brookhaven was rated significantly higher than the Southeast regional and U.S. averages in most categories of city services assessed, with numbers in the 80 percent range compared with 50 percent in the other two categories, the survey revealed.

Numbers compared to the 2023 poll showed citizens rated 62 of the

January 2026 Tuesday, Jan 5 City Council Swearing In Ceremony 4:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan 7 Planning Commission 7 p.m.

(5:30 p.m. work session)

1.

Tuesday, Jan 13 City Council 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan 14 Arts & Culture Commission 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan 21 Board of Appeals 7 p.m.

(5:30 p.m. work session) 8:00 a.m.

Saturday, Jan 24 City Council Advance 8:00 a.m.

Tuesday, Jan 27 City Council 6:30 p.m.

(4:30 p.m. work session) Jan 19 Martin Luther King Jr. Day City Offices Closed

MARTIN LUTHER

KING JR DAY Dinner & Celebration Mon, Jan 19, 5 p.m.

Historic Lynwood Park 3360 Osborne Road $10 (Call 404-637-0542 for ticket information) BrookhavenGA.gov

Stay Connected!

@BrookhavenGAGov

Updates & more info at BrookhavenGA.gov

8 JANUARY 2026

(Courtesy of City of Brookhaven)

78 services higher in the 2025 survey, Heacock said. The 16 categories that saw declines included the width of sidewalks (a decrease of 10 percent) and whether or not Brookhaven was a good place to open a business (a decline of eight percent).

The areas that citizens rated higher in the 2025 survey related to amenities at Lynwood Park (20 percent), the availability of information about city programs/services (18 percent), police safety education programs (17 percent), and the effectiveness of city communication with the public (17 percent).

Heacock complimented the city for taking action to address areas of concern

pointed out by respondents in the 2023 survey.

“After one survey, you can tell that the city manager and the staff took this to heart as well as your department heads,” Heacock said.

Areas where respondents spoke of their concerns about the city included break-ins, traffic violations, murder, and drug-related crime, the poll revealed.

Council members asked Heacock for feedback regarding the questions.

He suggested reducing the number of questions related to police service, along with refining questions further to discover more specific geographic concerns.

Brookhaven modifies language to short-term housing ordinance

By Cathy Cobbs The Brookhaven City Council at a short December meeting held a public hearing and later passed amendments to language regarding short-term rentals within the city.

The amended language defined a short-term rental host as a person or entity in valid legal possession of a short-term rental unit who rents units to guests either directly or indirectly, according to a staff memo regarding the changes.

In addition, the new language requires the short-term rental hosts to maintain records related to guest stays for two years following the end of the calendar year, including the date of each stay and the number of guests, the costs for each stay, including relevant taxes, and records related to their registration as short-term rental hosts with the city.

It also requires owners of short-term rental units to secure a permit in order to offer their services.

“We are making some amendments to ensure compliance,” City Attorney Jeremy Berry said. “I think we have had some

issues before. This will make sure those people who are serving as hosts comply [with the ordinance].

There were no comments for or against the ordinance at the Dec. 2 meeting. It was passed unanimously.

In other action, the council approved: ■ several items on the consent agenda that included meeting calendars for various commissions, the 2026 budget for the Brookhaven Convention and Visitors Bureau at $607,000, and the minutes of the Nov. 18 council meeting; ■ an additional services agreement with JMT for right-of-way acquisition for Ashford Dunwoody Rd. at Windsor Parkway intersection improvements of $11,250; ■ a resolution to approve $350,000 to establish a permanent Brookhaven Police Department Real-Time Operations Center; ■ a resolution authorizing the city to acquire temporary easements for site improvements and to complete the Ashford Dunwoody Road Multi-Use Path Project.

ROUGHDRAFT.NEWS

COUNTY CORNER HAPPY NEW YEAR, DISTRICT 2!

Wishing you and your family a joyful, healthy, and prosperous 2026.

CONGRATUL ATIONS TO OUR 2026 “20 UNDER 20”HONOREES! We’re proud to celebrate the outstanding young leaders from District 2 whose talent, service, and promise are shaping a brighter future for DeKalb County.Your hard work inspires us all—keep reaching higher!

M a r k Yo u r C a l e n d a r s !

Join us for the 2026 State of DeKalb Animals (SODA) Address and Luncheon on Wednesday, April 1, 2026, at the Brookhaven City Centre for an inspiring update on DeKalb County’s progress in animal services and shelter care.

Learn more at: www.michellelongspears.com/SODA or call 404-371-2863

ROUGHDRAFT.NEWS

JANUARY 2026

|9

DUNWOODY Subscribe to Cathy Cobbs on Dunwoody at RoughDraftAtlanta.com/newsletters.

DHS to name expanded stadium after Seacrest family

By Cathy Cobbs and Stephanie Toone One of Dunwoody’s most famous sons will be recognized in the naming of the Dunwoody High School’s soon-to-be expanded stadium.

At its Dec. 8 board meeting, DeKalb County Board of Education approved in a 5-2 vote the naming of the stadium after “Wheel of Fortune” host and Dunwoody native Ryan Seacrest. Diijon DaCosta and Tiffany Hogan voted against the measure.

The Seacrest Stadium will “recognize the contributions, achievements, and long-standing connection of Ryan

Seacrest to Dunwoody High School and the broader DeKalb community,” according to the resolution.

Bring it Home, a group of parents, DHS faculty, and community members, is in the midst of raising $1.5 million to expand its home field seating to 3,000 to enable varsity sports to be played onsite.

So far, fundraising has topped $350,000.

DHS Finance Academy teacher and committee member Steve Fortenberry said the additions to the stadium will allow the Wildcats to host GHSA varsity football, flag football, lacrosse, soccer, track, as well as graduations, pep rallies, and school-wide assemblies on the Dunwoody will rename its expanded stadium after Ryan Seacrest (Photo by Bring it Home Committee)

dunwoodyga.gov | 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Rd., Dunwoody GA 30338 | 678.382.6700

celebrating 10 years of giving back

Dunwoody Parks and Recreation joins the Dunwoody chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. for Dunwoody’s 10th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service

January 19

January Highlights

1 City Hall closed 6 Art Commission Meeting Committee 8 Sustainability Meeting New Year’s Day

City Hall | 7:30 a.m.

City Hall | 8 a.m.

Zoning Board of Appeals Meeting City Hall | 6 p.m.

Gardener Talk: 10 Master Fruit Trees in Georgia

Dunwoody Community Garden & Orchard 11 a.m.

12 City Council Meeting 13 Planning Commission Meeting 15 Development Authority Meeting 17 DHA Farmers Market City Hall | 6 p.m.

City Hall | 6 p.m.

City Hall | 5 p.m.

Season Opening Day Saturdays at Brook Run Park | 9 a.m. - noon

10 JANUARY 2026

17 History Alive

Donaldon-Bannister Farm 9:30 - 11 a.m.

Crafternoon

Spruill Center for the Arts | Noon - 4 p.m.

Game Night

Donaldson-Bannister Farm | 5 - 10 p.m.

Luther King, Jr., Day of 19 Martin Service Brook Run Park & Dunwoody Nature Center | 9 a.m.- noon

City Hall closed Mahjongg for 26 American Beginners

Spruill Center for the Arts | 9:30 a.m.

City Council Meeting City Hall | 6 p.m.

Stroll the exhibit of 12 sculptures by local and near-local artists at Wildcat Park 5435 Roberts Dr.

campus.

Right now, Dunwoody shares a home field with Chamblee High School, which often involves a shuffling act that often sees both football teams playing on the same night – one at 5:30 and the other later.

A letter submitted to the school board by the Bring It Home Committee said its goal “is to build a space that reflects the values of community, roots, legacy, and the importance of giving back.”

“With these ideals at the forefront, the Bring It Home committee unanimously agreed on the Seacrest name. The Seacrest family has long served as an inspiring example of dreams fulfilled through hard work, generosity, and a commitment to remembering where you come from,” the letter said. “They were especially moved

by Ryan and his family’s dedication to the community and hope to highlight that legacy through this facility. The Seacrest family’s impact resonates even more deeply with the recent passing of Gary Seacrest.”

According to a release from the Bring it Home Committee, Seacrest, while a student, auditioned for and earned the opportunity to host the school’s morning announcements.

“At just 16 years old, he transformed the daily announcements into a full morning broadcast show, beginning each day with an enthusiastic, ‘Good morning, Dunwoody!’” the release said.

“Ryan’s creativity and vision quickly earned him the reputation as ‘The Voice of Dunwoody.’ During his broadcasts, he regularly recognized students, teachers, and parents, celebrating their accomplishments and contributions to the school.”

Seacrest was also a member of the Dunwoody High School football team, which won the 1992 AAAA Regional Championship, the release said.

Since graduating, Ryan has become an Emmy-winning television host, radio personality, mega producer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He hosts and produces the #1 Los Angeles morning drive-time show for iHeartMedia’s 102.7 KIIS-FM, as well as the internationally syndicated “On Air with Ryan Seacrest” and “American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest.”

Last fall, he took the reins of “Wheel of Fortune” after the retirement of Pat Sajak, ushering in a new era of the longrunning syndicated game show. This year, Seacrest also began hosting season 6 of “Celebrity Wheel of Fortune.”

“Ryan Seacrest and his parents, Gary and Connie, worked steadfastly for more than 20 years with members of the community to help make this stadium a reality,” the release said. “The new Seacrest Stadium will give Dunwoody something it has never truly had — a home field worthy of its pride and tradition.”

DHS principal Tom Bass said he hopes the naming designation will provide momentum as the group works to reach its $1.5 million goal by early 2026.

“Twenty plus years of planning, organizing, and hard work came to fruition last night with the DCSD board vote to name our new facility SEACREST STADIUM in honor of Dunwoody’s most famous ‘son’ and his family,” Bass said. “Now we all can jump on board the Bring it Home Dunwoody campaign as we celebrate, beginning next year, a new era at DHS.”

ROUGHDRAFT.NEWS

Debut of Big Play, CVS to stay

By Cathy Cobbs The Mount Vernon Shopping Center had big news during the Dec. 8 week, with the entrance of a big tenant, and new life for a pharmacy that was supposed to be leaving.

The long-anticipated Big Play, a familyfriendly complex with bowling, laser tag, arcades, mini-golf, and a restaurant, held its grand opening on Dec. 11 at 5 p.m., according to an announcement by the company.

In related news, the CVS Pharmacy at the corner of Jett Ferry and Mt. Vernon roads will not close as previously thought, according to CVS officials.

“Our lease on the property was set to expire, however, after discussions with the property’s new landlord, we’ve entered into a new lease and will continue to serve patients and customers at our Dunwoody CVS store,” Roslyn Guarino, senior manager, corporate communications - external affairs of CVS told Rough Draft.

Longtime CVS customers had decried the store’s closing, saying the popular pharmacy is the only one conveniently located in the northern part of the city.

During Matt Weber’s What’s Up Dunwoody podcast, Valerie Inglesby of Big Play Atlanta revealed that the company had purchased the entire shopping center and renegotiated the CVS lease in early December.

“We’re excited to have them as one of our major anchors, along with a new major tenant Burn Boot Camp,” Inglesby said.

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Enhancements to the center include a repaved parking lot and the installation of security cameras, she said, which “will bring up the value of the surrounding real estate.”

Inglesby said Big Play is already taking reservations for private events, and that the calendar is filling up.

Big Play, which replaces a revolving door of failed grocery stores in the shopping center, is also occupying space that had housed Camelot Jewelers and O’Brian’s Tavern.

It will include a private party room, large televisions, and a full-service restaurant called Woody’s that will serve smash burgers, Philly cheesesteaks, chicken quesadillas, and salads.

After the Dec. 11th grand opening, Big Play will be open Sunday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight.

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Zaxby’s drive-through denied

By Cathy Cobbs The months-long chicken drive-though saga was put to “roost” on Dec. 15 when the Dunwoody City Council voted not to approve a Special Land Use Permit for an 18-car double-drive through at a proposed Zaxby’s restaurant at the Ashford Lane Rendering of proposed Zaxby’s (Photo by Zaxby’s) complex.

The council voted 4-3, conducted by A&R Engineering for Zaxby’s, with Rob Price, Joe Seconder, Stacey Harris, the service rates (order placement, and and Mayor Lynn Deutsch voting to deny payment/order pickup at the drive-through the application. Tom Lambert, Catherine windows, and the vehicle-entering rate), were Lautenbacher, and John Heneghan voted to obtained from a Zaxby’s restaurant located approve the application. at 2535 Briarcliff Rd NE, in Brookhaven.

The restaurant itself is an approved use, Observations were conducted during peak but the construction of a drive-through lanes hours from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and had to be approved with a SLUP. from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 29.

The modified plan for the site at 125 It showed that the average service rates Perimeter Center West, which formerly during the morning rush was about 44 housed a bank, reflected a smaller building seconds and the afternoon was 72 seconds. footprint – from its original 4,359 square City staff recommended approval of feet to 3,486 square feet, according to a staff the application with several stipulations, memo submitted with the application. including the construction of a raised Council Member Joe Seconder read sidewalk, an outdoor heated patio, a sign that a statement regarding resident concerns prevents car idling in the queue, and a rightabout the application, citing potential traffic turn-only exit from the area. congestion and his opinion that establishing The memo also noted that multiple a drive-through at the location would be residents had submitted letters of opposition against walkability initiatives. to the SLUP approval.

According to a queuing analysis ROUGHDRAFT.NEWS

JANUARY 2026

| 11

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Beloved Peachtree Yoga Center teacher retires after 30 years of guiding, training students

By Cathy Cobbs On Dec. 11, Elizabeth Nix Smith, who was one of the first instructors at Peachtree Yoga Center in Sandy Springs, wished her students “blessings and love – namaste” for the last time.

Smith, whose gentle self-deprecating humor and ability to make yoga a comfortable and accessible practice for all –no matter their skill level – said it’s time for her to make room for the future generation of teachers.

“I’m ready to step aside from teaching and let the new crop of instructors come through,” Smith said. “I’m stepping away from teaching, but not who I have become during these last 30 years.”

Graham Fowler, who founded PYC, said he met Smith when he was teaching at the Buckhead YMCA in 1996, which was the beginning of their decades-long friendship.

“She first attended my class at the YMCA instead of the tai chi class she was also considering,” Fowler said. “It was one of those small decisions that affect the trajectory of one’s life and, by extension, many lives.”

Fowler said his student “fit right in” with Atlanta Yoga Fellowship, an informal gathering of local yoga friends. From then on, Smith became an active participant in the group’s regular potluck dinners and weekend yoga retreats in the mountains and at the beach.

“From when we met, I adopted him, and

Graham Fowler and Elizabeth Nix Smith (Photo courtesy of Peachtree Yoga Center)

NOW THROUGH JAN 19 Skate to holiday music, warm up with hot cocoa, and make memories on our real ice rink, now through January 19! Adults $18; Kids (ages 2-9) $15. Admission includes skate rental. Online reservations recommended.

Get decked out for upcoming theme nights: JAN 7

Free Cocoa Night*

JAN 10 at 8 p.m.

Saturday Ice Fever

JAN 17 at 8 p.m.

Escape to Oasis

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he adopted me,” Smith said. “When I think about who I was when I walked into that first class, and what I am today, I am a totally different person.”

After Smith participated in Fowler’s first and second yoga teacher training courses at Fowler’s home, she began co-leading teacher training courses with him. The natural progression continued when Fowler decided it was time to open a brick-and-mortar location.

“By the time I opened Peachtree Yoga, Elizabeth was in on every part of it, including when we went on a road trip up east to check out other centers for design ideas,” he said.

“From the beginning, Elizabeth was there to co-lead teacher training courses at PYC, and to teach classes. Her success was part of how we survived and thrived in those early days.”

Smith said one of the things for which she is most grateful is Fowler’s constant presence and support during their three decades of friendship.

“He introduced me to my husband, and he married us, and when my mother died, he was at the funeral,” she said. “I can’t overstate the significance of Graham in my life.”

Fowler and her students said they loved Smith for her quirky humor and made-up words that perfectly described certain changes in posture.

“Elizabeth is not only an inspirational yoga teacher, she also expanded my vocabulary. In certain poses, Elizabeth would tell us to move our hips just a ‘snerch,’” said Susan Mitchell, who has taken classes with Smith for two decades. “While that’s not a precise unit of measurement, we knew exactly what to do.”

Smith joked that for years she believed that “snerch” was a real vocabulary word.

Ilona Moore, who owns Peachtree Yoga Center, said Smith “has served her community with a steadfast heart and a spirit shaped by compassion, civic duty, and unwavering kindness.”

“Her dedication to the path of yoga has touched countless lives, not only through her skill and wisdom, but through the way she

infuses every teaching with her love of poetry, her curiosity for the world, and her passion for travel,” Moore said.

Su Ellis, another longtime yoga practitioner, said Smith’s retirement is bittersweet for her and the entire yoga community.

“Elizabeth is unique in her teaching style in that she is always challenging you to refine the poses and breathe through the edge. Her sequences are smooth and original, never the same,” Ellis said. “She has taught me to have a light spirit, a sense of humor, and fun while practicing yoga.”

Moore said Smith’s long tenure at the studio has been “a guiding light—steady, soulful, and profoundly inspiring—and our community is richer because of everything she has poured into it.”

Smith said her retirement will allow her, her husband, and two cats to explore the United States in their recently purchased camper.

“We discovered fairly recently that we love traveling in a camper van,” she said.

“While we don’t know exactly where this is going to take us, we would love to explore the eastern seaboard and take a cross-country trip to Utah.”

She said she will miss sharing poetry from her favorite writers, which include Mary Oliver, David White, Rumi, and others, and being able to joke with her students, “where I usually get the most laughs.”

Mitchell said those qualities will be missed by her many devoted students.

“She is an exquisite teacher who takes her yoga, but never herself, very seriously,” Mitchell said. “I’ll miss her guidance, her poems, and her effervescent sense of humor.”

Smith recalled wise words from a longago teacher, which she took as inspiration throughout her training and teaching.

The greatest thing you can do as a yoga teacher is to inspire in someone else the love of yoga,” she said. “This is what I feel I’ve done, this is something that I’m perhaps proudest of.”

ROUGHDRAFT.NEWS

TUCKER Tucker bids farewell to its first mayor, Frank Auman

By Stephanie Toone Tucker’s final 2025 city council meeting served as an homage to Mayor Frank Auman, who will soon end his tenure as the city’s first mayor.

A reception, a proclamation granting Auman a key to the city, and several tributes were sprinkled through the evening’s traditional council meeting.

One such tribute came from Allyson Gevertz, DeKalb County Board of Education’s vice chair and District 4 representative, who recalled meeting Auman in 2015 when he was laying the groundwork for Tucker’s cityhood bid.

“I knew at the time that you were amazing and that the grassroots effort with Tucker was going to make Tucker the best city in DeKalb, the best city in Georgia, and you’ve done it,” she said. “I mean, your

District 1’s Virginia Rece was out of town during the Dec. 8 meeting.

The Greenway Connector will connect Hugh Howell Road to the South Fork Peachtree Greenway via Tucker Industrial Road and Bibb Boulevard. The project cost, including engineering design, rightof-way acquisition, utility relocation, and construction, is estimated at $6.5 million, which will be funded primarily via federal grants, with the city being responsible for 20 percent matching funds.

The design of the Tucker-Northlake Trail is nearing completion. Federal funding has been authorized to cover 80 percent of the $2 million for engineering and $9 million for right-of-way acquisition phase.

The multi-use trail will connect downtown Tucker to Northlake Mall.

While the total construction cost is estimated to total more than $20 million,

JANUARY HAPPENINGS

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held at Tucker City Hall, 1975 Lakeside Pkwy, Ste 350B, Tucker, GA 30084

JANUARY 1

Outgoing Tucker Mayor Frank Auman (File photo)

leadership, it’s been amazing…You have worked with six superintendents at DeKalb County Schools. You have been so patient with us.”

While presenting Auman with his supersized key to the city, District 1 Councilman Roger Orlando said he was inspired by Auman over the years to have the fortitude to represent the 37,000 citizens in the city.

“I would never be mayor unless I could be just like Frank,” Orlando said.

“The dedication, the time he puts in, the leadership, the collaboration of reaching out to all of his council members through the years. We didn’t always see eye-to-eye, usually we did…He’s a gracious mayor, insightful mayor, and quite the leader.”

In one of Auman’s last decisions as mayor, he and five Tucker City Council members approved moving forward with plans to fund and complete the Greenway Connector and the Tucker-Northlake Trail.

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staff has applied to the Atlanta Regional Commission to fund the first phase of construction. That portion will include trail routes from Second Street to Brockett Road.

Auman described decisions like the trail funding as one of the most rewarding parts of his job. Even as he moves beyond his mayoral role, Auman said his commitment to Tucker will not waver.

“When we build a trail, we get to go walk on it, right? When we pave the road, we get to go drive on it. When we build the Tucker Town Green, we get to run and jump on the moguls and take a picture in front of the tree,” Auman said. “It really is gratifying work…There’s no way, of course, that I did all of this myself. I’m privileged to lead, I’m privileged to have the trust of our council and so many of you in our community.”

Anne Lerner will be installed as the city’s second mayor in a ceremony on Jan. 12.

All City Buildings will be closed in observance of New Year’s Day

JANUARY 6, 7 P.M.

Zoning Board of Appeals

JANUARY 9, 7 P.M.

Winter Concert Series Emerald Empire Band Tucker Recreation Center (Reservations Required)

JANUARY 12 • 6 P.M.

Special Called Meeting for Swearing-In of New Mayor • 7 P.M. - Regular City Council Meeting

JANUARY 15, 7 P.M.

Planning Commission

JANUARY 19 • 9 A.M.-NOON

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service at Kelley Cofer Park • ALL DAY - All City Buildings closed in observance of the Birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

JANUARY 20, 7 P.M.

TKR 101 Tucker Recreation Center

JANUARY 26, 7 P.M. City Council Meeting

JANUARY 23, 7 P.M.

Winter Concert Series Way Back Band Tucker Recreation Center (Reservations Required)

t k tuckerga.gov JANUARY 2026

| 13

REAL ESTATE

2026 residential real estate forecast: Strong demand, limited inventory

A home on Knollwood Drive in Buckhead. (Courtesy Erin Yabroudy)

‘fill in the gaps.’ If you are considering selling in the near future, consulting an agent early to create a clear prep and pricing strategy is one of the smartest moves you can make.”

By Shandra Hill Smith Stable and healthy are what homebuyers can expect for Atlanta’s housing climate for 2026. Real estate professionals selling in areas such as Dunwoody, Buckhead, Brookhaven, Sandy Springs, and Tucker anticipate potentially limited inventory, but strong demand.

In this housing outlook for 2026, four professionals share their perspectives on what’s ahead for the new year.

Bill Rawlings

Erin Yabroudy “Overall, 2026 is shaping up to be a more balanced and stabilized housing market rather than a dramatic shift in either direction,” said Erin Yabroudy, a lead real estate agent with Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby’s International Realty. “We expect modest price growth nationally, with Atlanta’s core neighborhoods continuing to perform well, especially in Buckhead, Sandy Springs, and Brookhaven where location, schools, and lifestyle remain strong demand drivers.”

The 2026 market, Yabroudy added, will be most ideal “for prepared, financially stable buyers, especially those with strong pre-approvals, meaningful down payments, or cash. Buyers who can move decisively and understand their full cost of ownership are in the best position to negotiate well and secure the right property.

“It is critical for buyers to work with knowledgeable and hyper-focused local agents,” she continued. “Many sales are

14 JANUARY 2026

A Buckhead condo on the market. (Courtesy Bill Rawlings)

Erin Yabroudy

happening off market so it is a must to have an agent who is connected and in the know.”

Yabroudy gives credit to today’s buyers for being “more discerning and analytical.”

“They are digging into the total cost of ownership — taxes, insurance, utilities, landscaping, HOA fees — and paying close attention to the age and condition of major systems such as roofs, HVAC, and plumbing,” she said.

As for sellers, she said those in greater positions would be sellers “who price aggressively from the start and present a highly polished product.”

“Turnkey homes,” she added, “outperform those that require buyers to

The 2026 housing market, Rawlings, CEO and founder of Peachtree Town and Country, predicts, will be ideal for move-up buyers.

“With more inventory, slightly lower rates, and calmer competition, buyers who felt sidelined in recent years will finally have room to make thoughtful, strategic moves,” he said.

Rawlings sees mortgage rates easing slightly and home prices growing “at a healthy, sustainable pace.”

“It should feel like a more normal, confident market for both buyers and sellers,” he said.

He advises first-time homebuyers to “be prepared and decisive because improved inventory will create real opportunities.

For those looking to sell or relocate, focus on timing and presentation since well-positioned homes will

continue to command strong interest in 2026.”

Atlanta, Rawlings said, continues to outperform because “people want to live here, work here, and invest here. As the market normalizes in 2026, buyers and sellers will find more clarity, more choice, and more confidence in their decisions.”

Lindsay Levin In 2026, buyers will have more room to negotiate than in recent years, said Lindsay Levin, a senior real estate specialist with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Georgia Properties.

With that, she’s hopeful for one shift in particular.

“One of the biggest shifts I hope to see in 2026 is a slowdown in contract

Bill Rawlings

terminations,” said Levin. “In the ROUGHDRAFT.NEWS

Atlanta area, we are seeing at least 20 percent of contracts terminate, often due to inspection concerns or buyer remorse.”

“The structure of our contracts in Georgia plays a role. Unlike states such as North Carolina, where a buyer must pay the seller nonrefundable money to inspect a home, Georgia buyers can put a property under contract, inspect it, terminate, and walk away with their earnest money,” she said. “Their only cost is time and the inspection fee. That creates an environment where buyers

can treat the contract process as a lowrisk trial run. For sellers, this can be incredibly challenging.”

Sellers, she said, should expect to take care of “basic maintenance” and any potential issues that could be pointed out by an inspector. In addition, sellers might consider other preventative inspections, such as sewer line scoping and checking major systems.

Still, she advises buyers not to necessarily walk away from a property that needs some enhancements.

“A buyer who is willing to tolerate some level of updating is going to find the best opportunities in this market,” Levin said. “Homes that need cosmetic improvement are not selling as quickly, which means less competition and more room to negotiate. As long as the home does not have safety, health, structural or major system concerns, buyers should feel confident knowing they can update a bathroom, replace flooring or refresh finishes over time. The buyers who can look past dated choices and see longterm value are the ones who will win in 2026.”

Leigh Schiff

Lindsay Levin

Waiting for interest rates to drop could end up hurting instead of helping you, according to Leigh Schiff, a real estate advisor with Ansley Real Estate Christie’s International.

Leigh Schiff

“Buyers should leverage inventory now and not wait for interest rates to drop, as a subsequent rate drop will flood the market with more buyers and increase competition,” Schiff said. “It is more beneficial to secure a favorable price now and then plan to refinance if and when rates drop dramatically.”

Atlanta’s current real estate market, she noted, is facing some distinct challenges.

“For first-time buyers, high interest rates and affordability remain primary hurdles, as escalating home prices

continue to outpace local wage growth,” said Schiff. “This is further complicated by a critical lack of entry-level inventory, largely due to current homeowners being reluctant to sell and give up their low mortgage interest rates. Meanwhile, sellers face shifting market dynamics.

Buyers are now expecting “turnkey” properties, necessitating pre-listing investments in home improvements.

“Setting realistic expectations for sellers is also key; as the market cools, we are seeing fewer multiple-offer scenarios and greater buyer leverage, leading to increased price negotiability,” Schiff said.

Schiff also cautions about contract terminations. “Currently, one in five contracts falls apart during the due diligence period,” she said. “The main reasons cited for these terminations are home inspection/repair issues, financing contingencies, increased buyer leverage, and buyers simply changing their minds.”

She adds that when buyers have made up their minds to purchase, they should seek pre-approval, not just prequalification.

“To truly stand out when presenting an offer, aim for full loan approval.

This means your loan has been entirely underwritten by the lender, which allows you to remove the financing contingency, making your bid much stronger.”

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JANUARY 2026

| 15

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

‘One Battle After Another’ wins big with Atlanta Film Critics Circle

By Sammie Purcell The Atlanta Film Critics Circle (AFCC) named Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another” as the best film of 2025.

The AFCC, which was founded in 2017 and contains 39 voting members (including yours truly), also celebrated “One Battle After Another” in six other categories, including Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Breakthrough Performance. Many categories came down to a one-two battle between “One Battle After Another” and Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners.”

“2025 was another stellar year for film, including two horror sensations in ‘Sinners’ and ‘Weapons,’ Chloé Zhao’s heartbreaking excavation of the grief process in ‘Hamnet,’ and one of the strongest crops of international films in recent memory,” said AFCC advisory board member Kyle Pinion in a press release. “But it was Paul Thomas Anderson’s crafting of a

generational masterpiece in ‘One Battle After Another’ that ruled the day in AFCC voters’ ballots, and rightfully so. It’s the kind of film that will last.”

According to the release, this year’s races were uniquely competitive, with several categories coming down to just a few votes. Iranian director Leonardo DiCaprio in “One Battle After Jafar Panahi’s “It Was Just Another.” (Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.) an Accident” won Best Madigan took home the Best Supporting International Feature Actress award for her work in Zach Film, which was the closest category with Cregger’s ‘Weapons.” a margin of four points separating the top three films.

See the full list of winners below: In the acting categories, Leonardo DiCaprio and Benicio del Toro won Best Best Film: Lead Actor and Best Supporting Actor Top 10 Films Ranked: respectively for their performances in “One Battle After Another.” Jessie Buckley “One Battle After Another” won Best Lead Actress for her performance “Sinners” in Chloe Zhao’s “Hamnet,” and Amy “Weapons”

“Hamnet” “Marty Supreme” “It Was Just an Accident” “No Other Choice” “Sentimental Value” “Train Dreams” “The Secret Agent” Best Lead Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, “One Battle After Another” Runner Up: Michael B. Jordan, “Sinners” Best Lead Actress: Jessie Buckley, “Hamnet” Runner Up: Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” Best Supporting Actor: Benicio del Toro, “One Battle After Another” Runner Up: Sean Penn, “One Battle After Another” Best Supporting Actress: Amy Madigan, “Weapons” Runner Up: Teyana Taylor, “One Battle After Another” Best Ensemble Cast: “One Battle After Another” Runner Up: “Sinners” Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, “One Battle After Another” Runner Up: Ryan Coogler, “Sinners” Best Original Screenplay: “Sinners” Runner Up: “Weapons” Best Adapted Screenplay: “One Battle After Another” Runner Up: “Hamnet” Best Documentary: “The Perfect Neighbor” Runner Up: “The Alabama Solution” Best International Feature: “It Was Just an Accident” Runner Up: “No Other Choice” Best Animated Film: “KPop Demon Hunters” Runner Up: “Arco” Best Cinematography: “One Battle After Another” Runner Up: “Sinners” Best Original Score: “Sinners” Runner Up: “One Battle After Another”

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CHASE MIZELL c. 770.289.2780 o. 404.874.0300 chasemizell@atlantafinehomes.com C H A S E M I Z E L L .C O M ©2025 Sotheby’s International Realty® used with permission. Atlanta Fine Homes, LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each franchise is independently owned and operated. #1 Agent Volume, 2020, 2021 + 2023, Atlanta REALTORS® Association.

FOCUS ON EDUCATION A SPECIAL SECTION

R

ough Draft presents our 17th annual 20 Under 20 honorees for 2026. As in past years, we are in awe of these students’ abilities to excel academically while giving back to the community in such meaningful ways. Again, this year’s nominations were impressive with more than 100 entries received. From creating nonprofits and fundraising for cancer research and other worthy causes, this year’s honorees have gone above and beyond to bring positivity and leadership to the community.

While narrowing down this year’s honorees and runners-up was the toughest ever, we think these students will inspire and motivate you to give back to your communities.

– Collin Kelley and Cathy Cobbs

Max and Anselm Bell, 17 The Westminster Schools

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win brothers Max and Anselm Bell are leading a youth-driven movement to ensure that every child in Georgia with dyslexia has the right to read. Through the organization they founded, WriteToRead.org, they have become powerful advocates for literacy equity by raising awareness, influencing policy, and mobilizing students, parents, and teachers statewide.

WriteToRead.org also hosted an Atlanta screening of “Left Behind,” the award-winning documentary on the nation’s first public literacy academy. The nonprofit has presented at DyslexiaCon25 and sponsored DyslexiaDash25, the IDA-GA’s fundraiser for literacy.

Max also serves on the Alumni Board of The Schenck School and the Teen Board of the International Dyslexia Association of Georgia and interns at Dysolve, an AI-powered dyslexia remediation company. Anselm interns at Outlyer.Space, a startup developing a global spacecraft telemetry network selected for Stanford’s StartX accelerator. “As a dyslexic, I’ve learned to lean into and embrace challenges. Dyslexia means I learn differently, but that difference is my superpower because it pushes me to solve problems in new ways,” Max said. “Launching Write to Read is our version of a social impact startup—identifying a real problem, assembling a team, and making an impact that outlives a single project or class,” Anselm said.

Where love and learning meet.

The Lovett School develops students of honor, faith, and wisdom with the character and intellect to thrive in learning and in life. Our approach to educating the whole child emphasizes learning by doing and joyful learning.

Visit us on the Riverbank! Sign up for a tour at lovett.org/admission. Applications are due February 1.

The Lovett School | 4075 Paces Ferry Rd, N.W., Atlanta GA 30327 | P: (404) 262-3032

A

t his five-year-old checkup, Gira’s pediatrician discovered a vision problem in his left eye that led to a diagnosis of amblyopia (“lazy eye”) – a condition that, if left untreated, can cause permanent vision loss. Fortunately, early intervention and prescription eyeglasses corrected his sight, leaving him with a lasting appreciation for the gift of vision and sparking a lifelong commitment to vision health.

In ninth grade, Gira transformed that personal experience into purpose by founding Eyes Will Gira, 16 4 Everyone, a nonprofit dedicated to The Westminster Schools ensuring that all individuals, regardless of socioeconomic status, have access to eyeglasses and vision care. Since its inception, Gira has recruited and trained eight student chapter presidents representing eight schools or locations across the country, collected and donated more than 1,000 pairs of eyeglasses to the Georgia Lions Lighthouse Foundation – valued at more than $100,000 – and helped recycle more than 150 pounds of plastic and metal. "Ever since I got my first pair of eyeglasses at the age of five, I have known I wanted to help others see the way I see,” he said. “Giving back to others has helped me achieve this goal and shown me that each act, big or small, can change someone's life forever."

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eonard learned early how to navigate – and succeed – as a student with dyslexia.

When she realized how difficult it was to find information about accommodations, testing, and accessible services on college campuses, she decided to help students with similar needs.

Leonard developed a video series combining interviews with education accessibility experts and online tools to assess programs and navigate the transition to college. She pitched the idea to the International Dyslexia Association Kenzie Leonard, 16 Georgia Teen Board and then spent The Paideia School this summer writing, producing, and hosting the IDA College Q&A Interview YouTube series. As an invited panelist at DyslexicaCon 2025, Leonard translated her personal experience into systemic recommendations to an engaged national audience. “I’m still learning, but I’ve seen how much it matters when students feel understood and supported,” she said. “If I can help create even a small sense of clarity or confidence for someone else, that feels meaningful to me.”

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Where authentic Christian mission and academic excellence aren’t mutually exclusive

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P

romoff is a student leader whose programs and service have had a substantial impact across the greater Atlanta community and beyond. As a high school freshmen, she founded Future Warriors, mobilizing 70 high-school leaders to strengthen arts, academics, and athletics at North Atlanta High and Sutton Middle schools, impacting hundreds of students across Atlanta, and created 4 Green Futures, a fully student-run environmental education program operating across Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida that has planted hundreds of trees, removed invasive species, and engaged Julia Promoff, 17 more than 6,000 students. She revitalized North Atlanta High School her school’s defunct environmental club to nearly 100 members and founded Windows Magazine and Wire TV, serving as the school’s youngest editor-in-chief. “Change is possible when we work together as a community towards something greater than ourselves,” she said. “If you want to make a difference, don’t let your age stop you – all you need is a problem and the passion to fix it.”

Celebrating Future-Ready, Courageous Leaders

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Inquire today!

3K - Grade 12 aischool.org

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lexander has been contributing to his community at a local level since he was young enough to understand the importance of giving back. He created a fundraising website for Experience Camps, a national no-cost program for grieving children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver, which is administered through Camp Manitou. Alexander began volunteering with Friendship Circle of Atlanta in 2023, a nonprofit built on the Torah adage “Love your fellow as yourself.” Alexander also participated in the 2024-2025 Youth Leadership Sandy Springs program and Jaron Alexander, 18 has been volunteering with Creating Riverwood International Connected Communities since 2022. “I am honored to receive this award, and I will Charter High School stay dedicated to continuing to pursue my passion for serving my community. I strive to accomplish work that inspires others to think differently and dream bigger,” he said.

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hrough her 21st Century Leaders ambassadorship, Lang has engaged more than 20,000 high school students across Georgia, spearheading initiatives in leadership development, career exploration, and diversity and inclusion. Her Women in Technology ambassadorship has championed gender equity in STEM roles. As a United Nations Youth Delegate, she has collaborated with peers from more than 190 countries, representing the United States as one of four delegates. Lang aspires to advance clinical neurology and neuropsychology research while continuing her lifelong commitment to service through her own nonprofit, which will expand STEM access and mentorship opportunities for underserved youth. “Compromise for your dream, but never compromise on your dream,” she said.

22 JANUARY 2026

Hannah Lang, 18 Georgia State University

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he tennis doubles partners founded Serve First, an initiative to close the economic gap in the sport they’ve played most of their lives. Since their junior year at Lovett, the seniors have collected more than $22,000 in equipment to outfit fledgling tennis programs within Atlanta Public Schools. The co-captains felt compelled to do something after an opposing high Grayson Cooke, 17 and school team showed up to the Finn Graber, 16 courts without basic equipment two hours late because The Lovett School their bus broke down. When they learned that Benjamin E. Mays High School was interested in building a tennis program, they held an equipment drive and fundraising campaign and teamed up with Dick’s Sporting Goods and nonprofits Most Valuable Kids of Greater Atlanta, Field of Dreams Academy, and The Agape Tennis Foundation to provide gear and lessons. The duo is focused on expanding their reach to a third APS school. "It has been a true joy to help as many people as possible gain access to the sport I’ve loved for so many years,” Finn said. Grayson agreed, adding, “Although the physical impact of this ongoing project may be visible in the lives of others, there has been an equally impactful interpersonal shift.”

Providing an exceptional student experience focused on the pursuit of academic and personal excellence.

Learn more at

westminster.net/admissions 1424 West Paces Ferry Road, NW Atlanta, Georgia 30327

Love. Challenge. Lead. Change.

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he trio worked to raise funds for the Blood Cancer United organization. Their team, Team Curemakers, competed against 37 other Atlanta-based teams and received the title of Student Visionaries of the Year, which is given to the team that raises the most money and significantly impacts the lives of cancer patients and their families, as well as funding for further research. The team presented to numerous Fortune 500 companies, ultimately raising $283,138.

Because of the amount of money the three raised, they were able to direct a portion of the funds to a detailed type of blood cancer, specifically Acute Myeloid Leukemia. They were invited to New York City in order to learn more about the active research being done by blood cancer researchers around the United States.

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Isabelle Cheroff, 18 Tori McMillan, 18 Carter Rumph, 18 The Lovett School JANUARY 2026

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paceacademy.org/admissions

GLOBAL LEADERS, MADE IN ATLANTA

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aye helped guide Weber’s Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Student Visionaries team to raise $125,000 for cancer research, earned its Impact Award, and was then invited to the program’s leadership committee. With goals of becoming a health professional, she is part of Columbia University’s BrainSTORM cohort, designing a platform to identify pre-clinical Alzheimer’s symptoms.

She co-founded Weber’s first HOSA chapter, shadowed physicians at Piedmont’s Transplant Institute, and completed premed programs at Brown and Georgetown.

She is also the creator and host of “Low-key, Let’s Disagree,” a Gen-Z podcast about engaging across differences. An honors student and varsity tennis competitor, Jagger pairs initiative with follow-through, turning ideas into outcomes.

Jagger Kaye, 17 The Weber School

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lay was diagnosed at the age of 10 with stage four rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer in her right foot. She faced 18 months of chemo, a below-theknee amputation, and two full rounds of radiation. Following remission, in middle school, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a bone cancer in her right shoulder blade, resulting from the side effects of her radiation treatment. After a 12-month battle, she again achieved remission, but then developed acute myeloid leukemia. In June, she underwent a bone marrow transplant and has again achieved remission, although because of her weakened immune system, she has Keren Clay, 17 remained in Hospital Homebound for her senior year. Throughout her seven-year Lakeside High School battle, Clay raised close to $250,000 for pediatric cancer research, as well as speaking at a Congressional Caucus in Washington, D.C. She has volunteered and raised funds for Rally Foundation, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Swim Across America, and Camp Sunshine, totalling more than 3,000 hours. “I’ve faced three different cancers, but each one has strengthened my determination to help others,” she said. “I won’t stop fighting until kids get the treatments and futures they deserve.”

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Call 770.645.2673 or visit EatonAcademy.org 24 JANUARY 2026

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in leads a pioneering project to survey the microplastic pollution in Atlanta’s waterways. After securing a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund, Lin trained 20 high school and college students to collect water samples at sites along the Chattahoochee River and analyze them in a chemistry lab. Her team established the first database of microplastics in Atlanta’s natural waters and hosted a forum to share their findings publicly. She founded the First Step team when she was a freshman at North Atlanta High School with a clear vision: a future where people think about how to make the world a betAnnie Lin, 19 ter place, taking small, but concrete steps.

Georgia Tech Now the team has grown to more than 250 student members across 36 metro-Atlanta schools. Lin serves as one of the youngest board members at the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience Advisory Board.

“Youth should be at the center of community action because we will be the ones in charge as many social issues become more significant and relevant than ever,” she said.

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artin uses his skills as an amateur radio operator to serve the Atlanta community – and beyond.

When Hurricane Helene hit in 2024, Martin manned his ham radio overnight, assisting with wellness checks and connecting people in need. For his service, he received a letter of commendation from the American Radio Relay League/ The National Association for Amateur Radio. Martin is also a volunteer member of the Atlanta Amateur Radio Emergency Service chapter and helped revive the Atlanta ARES practice net, something he has run since he was licensed at age 14. For Benji Martin, 16 the last two years, he has deployed with Chamblee High School Atlanta ARES for the Peachtree Road Race and the Publix Atlanta Marathon. "My passion to help others comes from having experienced difficult situations and from watching others as they have struggled. I have seen that I have skills that are needed to help and encourage others so that no one ever feels alone or without help,” he said.

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embrillo is the founder of CPR For The Earth Inc., a nonprofit that organizes monthly cleanups in polluted communities around Atlanta. Since its creation, Membrillo and his team of more than 25 volunteers have collected more than 700 pounds of litter. He also partnered with the Tourette Association of America to organize a community 5K to raise funds for Tourette Syndrome research—a cause personal to him as someone diagnosed with TS at age five. He also volunteers with the Tim Tebow Foundation’s “A Night to Shine,” serving as a buddy to guests with disabilities, and Dunwoody United Methodist Church’s Backpack Buddies.

“Whether it’s through music, service, or advocacy, my goal has always been the same,” he said, “to use what I love to make a lasting difference in my community.”

Building a strong educational foundation for dyslexic students in grades K-6.

Visit www.schenck.org to learn more.

Oliver Membrillo, 16 Mount Vernon School

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long with her cousins, Singh co-founded a nonprofit called The Atl Seva Project, which invites peers and neighbors to participate in a monthly sandwich drive for Atlanta Mission’s My Sister’s House. In Punjabi, the language spoken by her father's side of the family, “seva” means selfless service. Singh has a standing annual summer tradition of working alongside elementary school teachers to set up their classrooms for the upcoming school year. Being of Mexican and Indian/ Punjabi heritage, she has a broad worldview and is informed by the traditions of all of these cultures. “Through my volunteering, I’ve made so many great connections and friendships that are so significant to me,” she said.

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Raya Singh, 16 North Atlanta High School

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ussell received a grant from Oglethorpe to organize a mealpacking event in collaboration with Operation Feed, which distributes meal kits to schools and provides emergency aid. The event raised awareness about food insecurity and empowered undergraduates to make an impact. Russell is a member of the Inclusive Excellence Committee at Oglethorpe, which discusses issues affecting students. She chose to take action to address food insecurity because she knows it affects many people, including students. Student volunteers at the meal-packing event left feeling inspired, empowered, and had fun while serving the Jourdan Russell, 19 greater Atlanta community.

Oglethorpe University Russell is also the fundraising chair for Mock Trial and a fellow with The King Center.

“Service is something I hope to continue promoting because its impact is transformational,” Russell said. “Empowering my classmates to use their skills to be civically engaged brings me tremendous joy.”

Where students pursue their passions and are challenged to reach their full potential.

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hung noticed that many of her peers were uncertain about their interests, future majors, and potential career paths during a mission trip last year, when she met a younger student who said they wanted to become a doctor, not because they were passionate about medicine, but simply because it was the only career they knew. In response, Chung founded Dream Messengers, a student-led nonprofit organization dedicated to helping students explore diverse career paths, discover their interests, and reduce the stress of planning their futures. She has published in two independent research journals: “Prediction of Jinah Chung, 17 Molecular Links Between Alzheimer’s and CSV Wesleyan School Disease” and “Image-Only Parkinson’s Screening from Scanned Spirals and Meanders: Tree-Based Ensembles as a Deployable Baseline.” This past summer, Chung attended Korea University, where she conducted lab experiments on Alzheimer’s disease in rats. "Knowing the struggle that the students go through when deciding their path, I wish to be a source of help by guiding them toward their dreams,” she said.

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ing is the founder and editor-inchief of AIS’ first literary magazine “Golden Feather” and has motivated students and faculty, as well as people across the U.S. and internationally, to engage in service to reach the goal of the Realize the Dream Foundation: 100 million hours of service by the 100th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

She chairs the Youth Council for the foundation, leading a coalition of 33 students who provide programming advice and create as well as lead service projects based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals within their communities. King is not just carrying the legacy of her grandfather, Dr. Martin Luther Yolanda King, 17 King Jr., but is clearly forging her own path. In Atlanta International School 2024, she authored a children’s book inspiring the next generation to similarly find their own path. "To me, community service is about love in action,” she said. “Service has the power to change everything – our communities, our perspectives, and even our own hearts."

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astro is a first-generation Mexican American student and co-founder/project lead of the VAYU climate initiative, an eco-friendly terracotta cooling system designed to reduce extreme heat in vulnerable environments. Castro has led the project from its early concept through community partnerships, funding, outreach, and public presentation. The project is now funded by the Atlanta Youth Climate Fund. In addition to VAYU, she has earned selective STEM enrichment experiences, including Georgia Tech’s Architectural and Aerospace Programs, the Bill Harrison Foundation studios, and NCWIT Luna Castro, 14 BridgeUp STEM. Castro’s long-term goal is North Springs High School to become a mechanical engineer, creating innovative environmental solutions that address climate change. "Being part of the VAYU team has strengthened my passion for sustainable engineering, and I hope to continue contributing to projects that address climate challenges together with others," she said.

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aised in Biarritz, France, a coastal town known for its biodiversity, Gabara's connection to conservation is personal. In Atlanta, she leads Marist’s Environmental Science Club, spearheads schoolwide recycling and composting efforts, and helped redesign the sophomore garden with native plants. She also volunteers with the Surfrider Foundation and regularly participates in local watershed cleanups. Gabara is pursuing advanced environmental and STEM studies through competitive programs at Harvard University, Duke University, Georgia Tech, the University of California, and more. Gabara’s Emma Gabara, 17 leadership extends into robotics, where she serves Marist School as president of Georgia FIRST Robotics. A national competitor with Marist’s FTC and FRC teams, she also developed STEM curriculum for the Reach for Excellence program. “My work matters because I want to help build pathways for students who don't yet see themselves in STEM. Creating access, supporting teams, and protecting the environment all connect back to the idea that everyone deserves a chance to make a difference,” she said.

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s the founders and leadership team of Midtown High School’s chapter of March for Our Lives, these young women have launched efforts in both the school and district to increase awareness of gun violence and advocate for state policy. In 202425, they established the organization in the wake of the shooting at Apalachee High School. Collaborating with administration, they organized a school-wide walkout and led the demonstration in our stadium, delivering moving speeches that they wrote together. More than 1,700 students and teachers attended their demonstration and wore black in support of the movement. Later that year, they organized phonebanking efforts to ensure those impacted by Hurricane Helene could access voting areas and reached more than 2,000 voters. In February, the group launched a districtwide pledge for safe firearm storage – creating a flyer for a pledge, working with the district to send it to parents across Atlanta Public Schools, and tabling at school open houses. In March, they led a student press conference at the Georgia Capitol to advocate for the passage of legislation concerning safe gun storage.

Avery Frank, 17 Mariam Darb, 16 Julia Barton, 17 Audrey Lyons, 17 Kate Krugman, 17 Midtown High School

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Devin May, 18

Jalen Hagens Jr., 16

Lauren Reed, 19

Ben Franklin Academy

Mount Vernon School

Georgia Tech

May was recognized for his help in the community with the Dr. C. Michael York Service Award.

A prolific artist, Hagens serves as a VOX ATL Youth Poet Laureate Ambassador and was featured in Jet magazine for his art installation on Black hairstyles.

Reed has written two books, including “Purpose Over Pressure,” which helps young scholars struggling with choosing a college major and career path.

Riverwood International Charter School

Julia Castro, 14

Lia Heard, 17

Among his many endeavors, Raj has raised thousands of dollars for Solidarity Sandy Springs and collected nearly 3,000 articles of clothing for people in need.

Atlanta International School

The Westminster Schools

Castro has been a volunteer at PAWS Atlanta for four years and features adoptable cats on her @cathousehunting IG account.

Heard knitted more than 200 beanies for MadHatter Knits, a nonprofit dedicated to supplying knit hats for premature babies, and guided fellow students in creating healthcare kits.

Ishann Raj, 16

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Peter Soulimiotis, 17 St. Pius X Soulimiotis was awarded the Congressional Award Silver Medal for his hundreds of hours of volunteer work impacting 23 Atlanta non profits, including Habitat for Humanity.

Miley Lev, 17 The Weber School At the Atlanta Wild Animal Rescue Rehabilitation Center, Lev provides handson medical care to animals and is also a longtime volunteer at Zoo Atlanta.

Reid Alexander, 16 Riverwood International Charter School At just eight years old, Alexander created Hannah’s Bake Sale to raise awareness and money for the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, totalling more than $53,000.

Lakshmi “Santoshi” Puttagunta, 18 Woodward Academy Puttagunta has devoted countless hours to health service organizations and serves as coexecutive director of the My Mind Matters organization to promote awareness around mental health.

Shaan Sancheti, 16 Wesleyan School Sancheti is the founder and president of the nonprofit Youth Advisory Council for REAL (realnonprofit.com), collecting tons of books and food for Africa.

Denzell Watkins, 18, and Margot Pritchard, 18 Greater Atlanta Christian School Friends and classmates, Watkins, who is GACS’ head prefect, and Pritchard have devoted hundreds of hours to various charities and causes at school and in the community.

Chandler Kirkland, 17, and Pat Rosenzweig, 16 The Paideia School & The Connections School of Atlanta The duo has been involved in a peer-topeer partnership between Paideia and Connections, where students connect around shared values of acceptance and inclusion of neurodiverse and neurotypical individuals.

JC Curry, 14 Acadame of the Oaks A member of numerous organizations, including Amnesty International, Curry is devoted to Trinity Table in Downtown Atlanta, which serves a hot lunch to those in need on Sundays.

Ava Grant, 16 Pace Academy Grant is the driving force behind Pace’s partnership with GlamourGals Foundation, a national organization that connects teens and senior citizens through conversation, companionship, and mini makeovers.

Shreya Sehgal, 17 Chamblee High School Sehgal developed an educational platform called Sideline Science to share knowledge about sports medicine, recovery, and mental health in athletics.

Sidon Afeworki, 17 Marist School Sidon co-founded Ahwatey United, a nonprofit dedicated to improving career readiness and community engagement for Eritrean youth in Georgia.

Tessa Stuart, 17 Pace Academy Stuart’s diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes motivated her to found T1DTogether.com, which connects newly diagnosed individuals with peers who can offer guidance and support.

Zaynab Farid, 17 The Lovett School Farid is the founder of the educational organization South Asian Alliance and The Give Back Coalition, a youth-led service organization.

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18 MONTHS – 8TH GRADE

Artists to earn trauma-informed education certificates

By Sherri Daye Scott

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Paint Love has selected six artists for its latest Artist Cohort — and for the first time, participants Six Atlanta artists to earn trauma-informed education certificate through Paint Love will earn a professional certificate in trauma-informed arts education upon completion of the yearlong program.

The Paint Love Artist Cohort, launched in 2022, supports artists working in schools and nonprofit settings across metro Atlanta. This year’s cohort was selected from more than 45 applicants. Each will participate in a yearlong program that requires 20 hours of teaching, 6 hours of youth mentoring and 15+ hours of professional development training and coaching to complete. A $2000 stipend is included.

Meet the 2026 Artist Cohort The six artists selected for Paint Love’s 2026 Artist Cohort work across disciplines ranging from visual art and animation to dance, pottery and interdisciplinary teaching.

The six Atlanta artists selected for the yearlong program will work with

youth and families across metro Atlanta through schools and nonprofit partners.

The cohort includes Meredith Eastburn, an artist and educator whose work centers on the expressive language of flowers; Michael (Quake) Edwards Jr. whose pastel, charcoal, and oil works blend nostalgic with bold visual technique; and Katie Hayes, an Atlanta-based artist and consultant whose practice draws on nature through pottery, basket weaving, and mixed media.

Also selected were Christina Hiroko Kelly, a dancer and choreographer trained at Kennesaw State University and abroad with Batsheva Dance Company; Mirth Mains, a self-taught interdisciplinary teaching artist working across visual art, theater, and broadcast media; and Mikael Trench, an animator, writer, and educator and the founder of TriClops Films, a stop-motion studio based in Atlanta.

According to Mandy Noa, program director at Paint Love, the selection process underscored not only artistic skill, but a strong sense of service.

“This year’s applicant pool was an

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incredible array of talent, making the selection process especially challenging,” Noa said. “What stood out most was not only the dedication to each artist’s craft, but the giving hearts ready to serve their community. We were deeply moved by their shared belief that art is a powerful tool for connection and healing.”

Serving children age three through Sixth Grade, Trinity School is Atlanta’s only elementary-only independent school and has cherished childhood while preparing students for the future since 1951.

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Why trauma-informed arts education matters The addition of formal certificates to the Artist Cohort program comes at a time when Paint Love has seen a shift in how institutions are approaching arts programming.

“The ongoing mental health crisis in schools and youth-serving nonprofits has made the need for trauma-informed creative practice more urgent than ever,” Noa said. “Paint Love’s work has evolved from supporting art teachers to receiving direct requests from school leadership and student support teams.”

Those requests, she said, often focus on building connection and resilience among students and families.

“It’s increasingly clear that the way we approach mental health must change — and art is a powerful vehicle for doing that work,” Noa said.

Past Artist Cohort participants have gone on to roles across metro Atlanta’s cultural and educational landscape, reflecting the program’s emphasis on leadership and applied experience.

“To date, Paint Love Artist Cohort

Applications are due January 16.

Continued on page 32

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Continued from page 31

What the certificate offers artists

graduates have gone on to meaningful professional roles at cultural institutions across Metro Atlanta, includingLos Niños Primero, the Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence, and Kate’s Club,” Paint Love Director of Philanthropy and Communication Robin Deutsch Edwards said.

For young people participating in Paint Love programming, the impact of the Artist Cohort is designed to be immediate and tangible. Cohort artists are required to develop and lead programming with Paint Love’s partners, offering students direct engagement with working creative professionals.

This year’s cohort also marks the first time participants will earn a professional Certificate in Trauma-Informed Arts Programs with Youth & Families after completing the program. The new certificate formalizes training Paint Love has been developing over several years.

“That means they’ll have an expertise, coupled with hands-on teaching experience, that they will take back out into the greater Atlanta community in whatever projects they pursue,” Noa said.

As the cohort begins its yearlong work, the program represents both an investment in artists and a response to the evolving needs of schools, nonprofits and young people across metro Atlanta.

(Photos courtesy of Paint Love)

Cellphone, technology use in school discussed

By Sarah Kallis | GPB State senators on the special committee studying the impacts of social media and artificial intelligence on children said they will file bipartisan legislation to regulate tech use in schools.

Senators on the committee said they will recommend extending the state’s cellphone ban to high school students, limiting the use of AI in schools to administrative tasks only, and strengthening recess and learning through play recommendations.

State Sen. Ed Setzler said the regulations would help parents.

“The best we have among us feel powerless in the face of the conditions that exist today in our culture,” he said. “To do nothing about that, to turn a blind eye to that, is to be derelict in our duties.”

State Sen. Sally Harrell, the co-chair of the committee, said that legislation will also include regulations around technology that makes video games addictive.

“They’re fighting a losing battle because

what these the products these children are using are so incredibly addictive that if you try to intervene as a parent it causes all kinds of issues between the child-parent relationship that can get quite painful,” she said.

Senators also discussed privacy laws around social media and AI. They’re recommending legislation to minimize how technology companies can use minors’ data, and prohibit them from using minors’ geolocation data.

Regulating AI chat bots was another top priority, senators said. They plan to recommend that minors be unable to access chatbots, and they want stronger privacy laws about using someone’s likeness in an AI chatbot.

Committee members also discussed an idea that would link children’s phones with their parents’ phones, requiring the child to get parental approval before opening an app.

Senators can introduce the legislation in January at the start of the legislative session.

The Senate Impact of Social Media and Artificial Intelligence on Children and Platform Privacy Protection committee released their findings on Dec. 10 (Photo by Sarah Kallis)

32 JANUARY 2026

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AROUND ATLANTA Residents feel betrayed by PDK extension deal

DeKalb County Commissioner Ted Terry held a town hall meeting on Dec. 9 about PDK Airport hangar expansion. (Photo by Logan C. Ritchie)

By Logan C. Ritchie DeKalb Commissioner Ted Terry held a town hall meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 9, to discuss a recently approved $45 million hangar expansion at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK), giving residents a chance to air their thoughts about the decision.

Held at Brookhaven City Centre, Terry reviewed the process that led the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners to approve Sky Harbour’s plan to build out eight hangars on the east side of PDK to hold 16 corporate jets under a 50-year ground lease. Sky Harbour was the only applicant to a request for proposal (RFP) issued by the county in 2023.

The county is following the PDK 2040 master plan, which calls for expansion. Residents have expressed their concerns about an increase in noise and environmental pollution.

The county estimates the contract over a 50-year period could bring in $576,607,163 in revenue: $211 million of which would go to DeKalb County, $230 million to the DeKalb school system, and $67 million to the City of Chamblee.

As of now, the Sky Harbour contract is still being hammered out by DeKalb’s Chief Procurement Officer Michelle Butler. Terry said the contract has not been made available to the commissioners, and he will make the details public as soon as he receives them.

“It’s very important to know what we’ve negotiated,” Terry said.

Larry Foster, a 48-year resident of unincorporated DeKalb County, said PDK is already the least safe airport in the country in terms of runway incursions. At 103 runway incursions, ROUGHDRAFT.NEWS

PDK is about seven times higher than other airports, Foster claimed.

“Approving the Sky Harbour contract will constitute the second-most damaging decision in the history of PDK Airport that impacts the health and wellbeing of the estimated one-tenth of DeKalb County’s residents who live within the approximately three- to four-mile radius of the airport,” he said.

Sky Harbour claims the number of repositioning flights will drop by 50 percent, therefore reducing noise and pollution. The company will report its findings quarterly to DeKalb.

“I want to know what happens when they fail the 50 percent reduction compliance test,” unincorporated DeKalb County resident Beth Schissel said.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) defines PDK as a general aviation airport, allowing a high volume of corporate/general aviation jet traffic, 10 flight schools, a robust helicopter community, and helicopter flight instruction.

Brookhaven resident Anna Martin said she’s spoken to all of her neighbors, and “no one wants more planes coming through.”

“So here we have a new hangar being built for rich, pompous CEO jerks to fly in because they don’t like to fly commercial. That’s the truth of it,” Martin said. “I’m wondering if my husband and I might have to move.”

Terry is proposing to the DeKalb commissioners a moratorium on all new hangar development until the PDK master plan is updated, and an FAA ban on night flights except for emergencies.

The PDK voluntary curfew encourages pilots to refrain from taking off or landing between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., yet Terry said one of his constituents emails him daily because she

has been awakened by an airplane.

“How do we reduce night flights? Can we ban them? Can we take that voluntary curfew and turn it into a permission structure where they have to get permission to fly at night?” Terry asked.

Terry encouraged participants to attend the Airport Advisory Board meetings and report noise violations.

A general grumbling came from the audience.

Foster said the reason people aren’t

calling in noise complaints is because “they know that it’s useless.” A woman in the audience shouted: “It’s a farce.”

Between the airport and the county, there are no ongoing annual general fund contributions to an environmental health and noise impact fund, Terry said.

However, once Sky Harbour is up and running, the county will set aside $1 million dollars each year for residents who are experiencing high decibel levels of noise, he said.

Jamie Dutro served on the Citizens Advisory Committee for the PDK master plan.

“We got sold down the river. We’re the ones who are going to suffer for it.

What good is it that you get cancer, but the county’s going to pay for it?” Dutro said.

Check out the finalized 2026 World Cup match schedule

File photo

By Sarra Sedghi On Dec. 5, FIFA held a televised drawing ceremony in Washington, D.C., that determined the 12 groups playing in the upcoming World Cup next year. It took another day, however, for FIFA to finalize the match schedule and determine which cities would host particular games.

Atlanta will host eight World Cup matches in 2026 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium: five group stage games, two knockout stage games, and a semifinal.

Teams in Groups A, C, H, and K were eligible to play in Atlanta during the group stage. While the lineup for Groups A and K has not been finalized due to qualifying match schedules, FIFA did include possible scenarios for the countries that may take those spots.

Atlanta will start off strong on June 15, with a match between Spain and Cape Verde. Nearly a week later, Spain will grace

Mercedes-Benz Stadium once again, facing off against Saudi Arabia.

On June 18, South Africa will play either Poland, Wales, or Finland, based on the results of the European Qualifier Playoffs in March.

Haiti and Morocco will play in Atlanta on June 21. Metro Atlanta’s Haitian population is the second-highest Caribbean community in the state, behind Jamaica.

On June 27, Uzbekistan will face either Congo, Jamaica, or New Caledonia based on the results of the Concacaf Qualifier Playoffs in March.

Atlanta will also host two knockout matches after that stage begins on June 28: a round of 32 match on July 1 and a round of 16 match on July 7. The city’s participation in World Cup gameplay culminates in a semifinal match on July 15.

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Community calls for police accountability after fatal shooting of Linton Blackwell

Linton Blackwell, right, was allegedly shot 17 times in the back by an off-duty Atlanta officer. (Photo courtesy of Erika Bouttry)

By Katie Burkholder During the Dec. 1 Atlanta City Council meeting, family and friends of Linton Blackwell spoke during public comment to demand accountability and answers nearly two months after his fatal shooting by an off-duty Atlanta Police officer.

Blackwell, known in Atlanta’s music community as B-Green, was shot by Gerald Walker on Oct. 11 outside of a Buckhead bar.

Timothy Coleman, Blackwell’s manager and friend, told 11 Alive that there was an altercation inside 5 Paces Inn before Blackwell was escorted out, but then Walker – who was working an extra job as security – “ensued, chased him down, and gunned him down.”

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation alleges that Walker observed Blackwell enter his car in the parking lot behind the bar, grab something resembling a firearm, and put it in his waistband at the small of his back. The GBI says the officer gave commands related to the gun before opening fire, but Coleman and Blackwell’s other loved ones argue that the 17 shots in his back are evidence that he “wasn’t a threat” since he was facing away from Walker.

Now, Blackwell’s friends and family are demanding a full release of body cam footage, the officer’s complaint and disciplinary history, clear communication with his family, and reform to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

While the Atlanta Police Department is conducting an internal investigation, Blackwell’s loved ones also insist on an

34 JANUARY 2026

independent investigation by an outside agency.

“If the shooting was justified, prove it,” Darius Blackwell, Linton’s cousin, said during public comment on Monday. “If it was not, be honest about it.”

Some speakers during the city council meeting demanded Walker be “locked up.” Others argued that Blackwell’s death is further evidence of Atlanta’s “police violence problem.”

“If somebody did to my dad or my mom or my brother what was done to Linton Blackwell, Alexia Christian, Jimmy Atchison, Jayvis Benjamin, Anthony Hill, Shali Tilson, Rayshard Brooks, Devon Anderson,” Maisie Thompson, a local artist, said, “I could light this city on fire and not feel a thing.”

Blackwell is survived by his 15-yearold twin daughters, Destiny and Dynasty.

Erika Bouttry, his daughters’ mother, alleged during public comment that Walker had a “violent history.” Records obtained by Capital B Atlanta show seven work rule violations filed against Walker. He is in a probationary period in connection to four active complaints, three of which relate to APD’s standard operating procedures around body cameras and one relating to standard arrest procedures.

“I’m here because my daughters deserve a city that acknowledges what happened to their father,” Bouttry said.

The GBI investigation is ongoing.

The case will be turned over to the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office once the agency completes its findings, which will then determine whether the case is presented to a grand jury.

DeKalb halts new data center construction for six months

By Stephanie Toone The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners voted on Dec. 16 to continue a pause on building new data centers in the county until June 2026, a decision prompted by community concerns about the public health and environmental impact of such centers.

The board unanimously approved a substitute motion introduced by District 7 Commissioner LaDena Bolton to extend a moratorium until June 23, 2026, blocking new licenses or permits for data centers until that date, according to Miranda Rupkey, district chief of staff for Super District 6.

By extending the moratorium, which was set to expire Tuesday, commissioners agreed to delay any new data center development while they consider possible regulations in unincorporated DeKalb County. Terry made a motion for a 12-month moratorium on the data centers to allow time for an independent environmental and public health study to be conducted. That motion failed by a 3-4 vote.

In a town hall last week, Terry heard several residents share their “crystalclear” fears about how building data centers within 500 feet of their homes could disrupt their neighborhoods and lead to long-term environmental issues.

In other communities across the country, data centers’ diesel generators have increased fossil-fuel generation, leading to impacts on utility bills, stormwater runoff, and their drinking water.

“Residents are worried about noise near homes, parks, and trails,” Terry said in the meeting. “They are worried about grid reliability and whether massive energy users will strain neighborhood power systems. And they are worried about equity — about whether communities that have historically hosted landfills and heavy industrial uses are once again being asked to absorb the impacts of yet another speculative development with adverse outcomes.”

There are no plans to fund an environmental study ahead of the ending date of the moratorium. Terry requested the longer extension in hopes that the fiscal year budget could allocate as much as $250,000 toward an independent study on future data centers’ impacts on environmental and public health.

“This investment would ensure the work is thorough, transparent, and insulated from developer influence,” Terry said. “A 12-month extension provides the runway to do this right.

It builds public trust. It protects the county, legally and ethically…This moratorium is not about avoiding decisions — it is about making better decisions.”

Commissioners will hold a public hearing on Jan. 27, 2026 to review the application of the Director of Planning and Sustainability to amend Chapter 27, which will establish a definition, regulatory guidelines, and development standards for data centers.

(File photo) ROUGHDRAFT.NEWS

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