Presented by Rally Built Homes

Hey, Druid Hills / North Decatur! This week: DeKalb commissioners are chewing over a $233.8 million contract to rebuild the Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant, plus fresh sidewalk and trail money headed our way, while over on North Decatur Road, Emory's CHOA Egleston site is quietly gearing up for demolition. Also on tap: Blue Donkey Coffee is filling the Atlanta Coffee Roasters void in Toco Hills, and there's a full week of events from a Fernbank dino talk to Blues Traveler at Chastain.

- News — Emory faces a federal research security audit even as it partners on free prostate cancer screenings, plus DeKalb's CEO tackles tough data center questions and West Nile turns up in an 8th mosquito trap.
- Business — A beloved 40-year Toco Hills coffee shop gets a worthy successor in Blue Donkey, and a displaced Tucker comic shop finally has a new home.
- Events — From Hamilton at the Fox to Vonzafest, Blues Traveler at Chastain, and a string of library storytimes and book sales, the calendar's packed through Labor Day.
- Government — Commissioners are debating a $233.8M water plant overhaul, new sidewalks and trail extensions, and a possible data center moratorium study, while the school board locks in stadium electrical upgrades.
- Construction — Egleston's demo prep is underway, Emory buildings are getting sprinkler and office updates, and a shopping center is about to get scaffolding for a facade refresh.

One more update: our new Downtown and Southwest Beltline editions are now live! As a reminder, you can always update your neighborhood selections here

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Report: DOD orders Emory University to conduct 'research security audit' or lose federal funding
The U.S. Department of Defense has instructed Emory University, along with 29 other institutions, to conduct a research security audit scrutinizing academic and financial ties to foreign entities of concern. Emory must complete the review and submit its findings or risk losing federal research funding.

Fulton County partners with Emory to provide free prostate cancer screenings to uninsured Atlanta-area men
Emory University's Winship Cancer Institute is teaming up with Fulton County leadership to offer free prostate cancer screenings to uninsured men across the metro area.

Q&A: DeKalb County CEO answers data center questions
DeKalb County officials addressed community concerns about the rapid expansion of commercial data centers, discussing policy approaches to balance tech infrastructure demands against power grid stability, water usage, and neighborhood zoning impacts.

DeKalb County sees 8th positive West Nile virus mosquito trap
DeKalb County health officials reported that an eighth mosquito collection trap tested positive for West Nile virus this season, prompting warnings for residents to eliminate standing water and use insect repellent.

Leadership DeKalb unveils executives, educators and elected officials in class of 2027
Leadership DeKalb announced its class of 2027, bringing together local executives, educators, and public officials for the program's next cohort.

BUSINESS

Blue Donkey Coffee to replace longtime Atlanta Coffee Roasters in Toco Hills — Blue Donkey Coffee is opening a new location in Toco Hills in the space vacated by Atlanta Coffee Roasters, which closed after more than four decades in business.

Tucker comic shop finds new home following departure from Northlake — Challenges, Games and Comics has secured a new location after being displaced from its space in the Northlake area.

EVENTS | Presented by

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Monday, August 31
- StoryWalk® at Mason Mill Park | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Story Time | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Friends of the Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library Book Sale | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- English as a Second Language (ESL) | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County

Tuesday, September 1
- Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library Book Discussion Group | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County

Wednesday, September 2
- Preschool Storytime | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Hamilton (Touring) | Fox Theatre - Atlanta

Thursday, September 3
- When Loving You Means Losing Me | Tall Tales Book Shop
- Dino Talk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Friday, September 4
- Fisheye | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Vonzafest 2026 | DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Atlanta - Northlake
- Friday Movies | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- THE TRIBY BROTHERS | Napoleon's Grill

Saturday, September 5
- Five Fours | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Blues Traveler | Chastain Park
- Atlanta Hip Hop Day Festival | Old Fourth Ward Park
- Meet a Ranger | Fernbank Museum of Natural History

Sunday, September 6
- Family Nature Walk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Pureheat Community Festival | Piedmont Park
- SHYRAN'S SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE LEGENDARY AWARDS SHOW & CONCERT | Londzell Performing Arts Theatre

Monday, September 7
- WRFG's 41st Annual Labor Day Blues BBQ | Park Tavern

GOVERNMENT

Note: our information comes from posted meetings documents (agendas and minutes when available) — latest source document hyperlinked to each meeting.

Past Week Roundup

DeKalb County School District Board of Education
The school board wrapped up its two-day retreat by approving a $1.34 million contract with Capital City Electrical Services to overhaul electrical systems at athletic stadiums and gymnasiums across the district, a move that should mean fewer outages and safer facilities at game time. Board members also got updates on E-SPLOST VI project funding and reviewed long-term financing options, including future bonds and Certificates of Participation, to pay for upcoming school construction. Leaders discussed a potential partnership with the Trust for Public Land to turn school grounds into community green space. Separately, the district's Policy Committee met to review nine draft and existing policies, including new rules on law enforcement interrogations in schools, student assignment guidelines, and artificial intelligence use in classrooms, though minutes for that meeting aren't posted yet, so no votes or outcomes are confirmed. The committee plans to pick the discussion back up on September 24.

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
Commissioners took up a packed agenda anchored by a proposed $233.8 million contract to rebuild the Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant, a major investment aimed at keeping the county's drinking water system reliable for years to come. As covered in today's news section, the board also considered requiring an independent health and environmental study before lifting the county's data center moratorium. The agenda included two big pedestrian projects, a $4.1 million design contract to extend the Michelle Obama Trail toward Flakes Mill Road and a $3.21 million design contract for 2.1 miles of new sidewalks along Flat Shoals Parkway. Commissioners also weighed a crackdown on car "drifting" and unauthorized camping, an overhaul of the county's noise ordinance, and a ban on retail pet stores selling dogs, cats, and rabbits sourced from breeding mills. Because minutes for this meeting haven't been published, it's not yet clear which of these items passed, failed, or got tabled.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
- Tobie Grant Park (593 Parkdale Drive) — A grant application through the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership for recreational improvements at the park is on the agenda.

Meetings This Week
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Planning Commission | Sep-01, 6:00 PM | key topics: Old Briarcliff Road townhomes rezoning, Memorial Drive commercial-to-residential conversion, Embry Hills placemaking strategy

CONSTRUCTION | Presented by

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Permits
- 1784 N Decatur Rd NE — Fire sprinkler renovations hit floors 4 and 5 of the Emory University North Decatur building. Expect some in-building disruption, but nothing that should spill onto the street.
- 1405 Clifton Rd NE — A temporary power permit for a job trailer signals demo work starting on CHOA Egleston. This is prep for bigger construction ahead, so watch for increased truck traffic near Clifton Road.
- 1365 Clifton Rd NE — Emory Clinic A is converting a first-floor lab into open office space. Interior work only, so don't expect noise or road impact.
- 1540 Ave Pl NE — Multiple permits (plumbing, HVAC, electrical) all tied to the same "approved with conditions" project. No new work proposed beyond what's already in place, this looks like paperwork catching up to existing conditions rather than new construction.
- 18 109 05 008 — A $370,000 permit for exterior improvements to an existing shopping center. Paint, EIFS removal, and facade work are all planned. If you shop at this center, expect scaffolding and some closed storefronts while crews finish the refresh.
- 3500 Peachtree Rd NE — A commercial alteration permit got filed here. Details are thin so far, but it's worth watching for follow-up news on what's changing.
- Memphis Dr — A new 3-story single family house is going up on lot 16, valued at $245,000. One more sign of the area's steady residential rebuild.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR 236 / LaVista Rd EB @ SR 155 / Clairmont Rd Left Turn Lane Extension — Crews are extending a left turn lane at this intersection on SR 236 / LaVista Rd.
- SR 236 / LaVista Rd & Shepherds Ln Signal Upgrade — This project upgrades the traffic signal where Shepherds Ln meets SR 236 / LaVista Rd.

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Until next week,
Druid Hills / North Decatur Busybody

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Disclaimer: We use advanced data retrieval and analysis techniques across hundreds of sources, and may be prone to occasional error. Independently verify information with a secondary source, and please let us know if we got anything wrong via the feedback form.