Rough Draft Atlanta

11/21/2025

🍽️This week on Side Dish: Beth McKibben and Sarra Sedghi break down Usher’s lawsuit tied to a Buckhead restaurant that never opened.
Plus: two big ATL restaurant openings, a pizza–BBQ pop-up, and a full weekend of food festivals.
Hungry yet? 🤤
Subscribe to the Side Dish newsletter at the link in bio.

11/21/2025

DCSD schools achieve record gains in college and career readiness

DeKalb County School District (DCSD) students outperformed the national and state averages on the ACT, with an average composite score of 22.3, while Georgia students outperformed the national average for the ninth consecutive year....

Find out how DeKalb CCRPI results demonstrate progress in student growth, attendance, and college readiness measures.

11/21/2025

Is Giftflation Blowing Up Your Holiday Budget? Here’s How to Fight It.

Think about all of the people on your holiday gift list. Now, think about how much all those gifts are going to cost you. Are you starting to sweat a little bit? If gift shopping feels like a bigger financial burden this year, you’re not alone. A recent NerdWallet survey finds that holiday shoppers plan to spend $182 more than last year on presents, on average. Chalk it up to “giftflation.” What is giftflation? “Giftflation” refers to the rising cost of gift giving, fueled by inflation and the growing pressure to give....

Explore the concept of giftflation and its impact on holiday shopping costs. Learn how to manage your gift budget this year.

11/21/2025

Sandy Springs mayoral candidates Paul and Carter discuss political endorsements, jabs

Key Points:• Candidates for Sandy Springs mayor Rusty Paul and Dontaye Carter answered questions in a forum hosted by Rough Draft that can be viewed on YouTube.• Voters can vote early starting Saturday, Nov.22 that ends Wednesday, Nov. 26. Incumbent Rusty Paul and challenger Dontaye Carter took part in a candidates' forum sponsored by Rough Draft. (Photos provided by candidates) Rusty Paul and Dontaye Carter addressed social media exchanges that sparked controversy as they took part in a candidates’ forum sponsored by Rough Draft Atlanta on Nov. 20....

Mayoral candidates Rusty Paul and Dontaye Carter discuss issues, including development, housing, and community concerns.

11/21/2025

Atlanta airport expects more than 4 million travelers over Thanksgiving holiday period

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport said passenger projections for the Thanksgiving holiday travel period are expected to surpass four million from Nov. 20 to Dec. 2. It is forecast that Friday, Nov. 21, Sunday, Nov. 30, and Monday, Dec. 1, will be the peak travel days, according to a news release from the airport. Dec. 1, is expected to be the busiest, with over 375,000 passengers. ATL is advising passengers to arrive at the airport at least 2.5 hours before domestic flights and 3 hours before international departures. Airport officials urged flyers to check…...

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport said passenger projections for the Thanksgiving holiday travel period are expected to surpass four million from Nov. 20 to Dec. 2. It is forecast that Friday, Nov. 21, Sunday, Nov. 30, and Monday, Dec. 1, will be the peak travel days, according to a n...

11/21/2025

🦃 Thanksgiving smackdown

Friday for good Nov. 21 — Demolition is underway on Sparks Hall, a former Georgia State University classroom building. The demolition is part of the school’s plan to create a campus quad and expand the GSU Greenway, creating more connections to its various buildings and facilities in Downtown Atlanta. ☔ Showers and 73° today. More of the same Saturday, but the sun returns Sunday. 🗳️ You can watch the Sandy Springs Mayoral Runoff Forum hosted by Rough Draft on our YouTube channel. 🛩️ The DeKalb County Commission approved a…...

Demolition of Sparks Hall at Georgia State University begins as part of a campus quad expansion. Get the latest updates on Atlanta's news and events.

11/21/2025

Light Up the Season celebration at Piedmont Park on Nov. 23

The Piedmont Park Conservancy is inviting the community to kick off the holiday season at the inaugural Light Up the Season celebration in The Meadow at Piedmont Park on Sunday, Nov. 23, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The evening will feature the lighting of the Park’s Great Tree, Menorah, and Kinara, symbolizing unity, hope, and the shared spirit of the season. There will also be remarks from Rev. Natasha Reid Rice, Mindy Selig Shoulberg and Conservancy leadership, along with performances by electric violinist Michelle Winters and a ca****la group The Atlanta Graduates....

Join the Piedmont Park Conservancy for the inaugural Light Up the Season celebration, featuring tree lighting.

11/21/2025

Today's newsletter recap: Fri. Nov. 21

🎨Frida Kahlo's self-portrait sold for $54.7M at a New York auction

🔨 GSU’s Sparks Hall is coming down as the campus greenway expansion moves forward.

Which is the best Thanksgiving side-dish?
🦀 Crab dressing or corn pudding?
🥬 Greens or green bean casserole?
🍠 Sweet potato mash or macaroni pie?
Drop your favorite below! ⬇️

🎬 Read Sammie Purcell's review of "Wicked: For Good"

Subscribe to our free daily newsletter for the full stories , the link in bio!

11/21/2025

‘Wicked: For Good’ is ill-paced and ill-conceived

(L-R) Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande in "Wicked: For Good." (Photo by Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures) My last year’s review of “Wicked” began with the notion that the film would have been much better if someone didn’t make the decision to split act one and act two of the 2003 Broadway musical into two separate movies (apparently, this idea might have stemmed from Craig Mazin?). Now that the second film, “Wicked: For Good” (a roughly hour-long act stretched into a two-hour-and-17-minute movie), has come out, I feel I can firmly say that I think I was right....

“Wicked: For Good” has its moments, but for the most part the long-awaited sequel is ill-paced and ill-conceived.

11/21/2025

‘Train Dreams’ is a search for meaning in American expansion

Joel Edgerton in "Train Dreams." (Photo provided by BBP Train Dreams) There’s a pivotal scene in “Train Dreams” where a group of loggers gather to mourn a fellow worker who has been killed by a falling branch. The logger delivering the eulogy brings up the idea of retribution – that if you mess with the trees, they’ll mess with you right back. He’s trying to make sense of the death, of the many deaths in the 20th century logging industry that stem from random branches falling from the sky. But this man was different....

In “Train Dreams” the filmmakers take a story that could easily feel trite or overwrought and instead come up with something deeply humane.

11/21/2025

📣 Tell us your Birthright story

Happy Friendsgiving Nov. 20 (29 Heshvan 5786) 👋🏼 Hey there! Let's start with a couple of news items you may have missed. 👩🏽‍⚖️ A man accused of sending antisemitic mailings to Georgia Rep. Esther Panitch and Macon Rabbi Elizabeth Bahar has been convicted. 🖼️ A painting by Gustav Klimt which depicts a Jewish woman – and which the N***s stole after annexing Austria – sold for $236.36 million. ✈️ Have you been on Birthright Israel? We are collecting stories about Birthright as the organization gears up to celebrate its 25th anniversary....

Discover the latest news from Y'alla, including a Friendsgiving dinner, a painting sale, Birthright Israel stories, and more. Read now!

11/20/2025

Watch the Sandy Springs Runoff Election Candidate Forum we hosted this afternoon.

Recorded live on Nov. 20, 2025