Edgewood / Kirkwood / East Lake: Forest Peeping and School Board Beef

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Good morning, Edgewood, Kirkwood, and East Lake! We're peeking into the Urban Forest and navigating some water main woes this week. Plus, we've got the tea on those Barnes & Noble permits.

- News — Between forest tours and water main breaks, we have some variety for you to read over your morning coffee.
- Events — From the Festival on Ponce to puppy improv, there's plenty on the calendar this week.
- Government — Big Brother is hitting the bus lanes with new cameras, but APS staff is getting a well-deserved "appreciation" bonus.
- Construction — Between Barnes & Noble permits and new roundabouts on Ponce, the orange cones are the new neighborhood decor.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Kirkwood Urban Forest featured on upcoming Tour of Homes (March 31, 2026) Kirkwood's favorite hidden gem is finally getting the red carpet treatment. The Urban Forest is a headliner for the upcoming Tour of Homes, which means it's time to spruce up those trails and get ready for "house-snooping" season. If you haven't visited this seven-acre slice of peace lately, consider this your nudge to go before the crowds arrive.

YMCA of Metro Atlanta honors more than 500 teens at annual event (April 02, 2026) Our East Lake superstars are winning at life. The YMCA just threw a massive celebration for over 500 local teens who are actually doing the hard work to lead and serve our community. It's a much-needed dose of wholesome news and a reminder that the kids of East Lake are, in fact, doing great things.

DeKalb County fixing 30-inch main break in Greater Decatur (April 03, 2026)
If your Sunday shower was more of a "sad trickle" situation, blame the 30-inch water main that decided to give up the ghost near Decatur. Crews have been working overtime to patch things up, but the ripple effect on water pressure definitely made its way to our neck of the woods over the weekend. Fingers crossed the only thing we have to worry about this week is the actual rain.

Registration open for 37th Annual DeKalb County Senior Olympics (April 05, 2026) Think you've got what it takes to bring home the gold? Registration just opened for the Senior Olympics, and it's open to anyone 50 or older who's ready to show off their athletic (or billiards) prowess. The games don't start until May, but the neighborhood bragging rights start as soon as you sign up.

EVENTS

Clear your calendar for the Spring Festival on Ponce at Olmsted Linear Park! This is the local favorite you've been waiting for, featuring art, sunshine, and the best neighborhood vibes to kick off the season.

Monday, April 06
- Outdoor Art Lab Spring Break Camp | Historic Oakland Cemetery
- Spring Break Safari Camp | Zoo Atlanta
- Spring Camp H2O April 6-10 | Georgia Aquarium
- Atlanta Run Club: Monday Night Runs | Ponce City Market
- Chuck Adams | Eddie's Attic

Tuesday, April 07
- $5 Beer + Taco + Trivia Tuesdays in Avondale | Wild Heaven Beer
- Spring Scavenger Hunt | Woodlands Garden
- Discover More: Documentary Series | Decatur Library
- Sound Of Music (Touring) | Fox Theatre - Atlanta

Wednesday, April 08
- ONE Transportation Committee Meeting | Our Neighborhood Edgewood
- Half-priced Pitchers | Wild Heaven Beer
- Salsa Nights @ Roaring Social – Live Latin Music by COT band in Decatur | Roaring Social
- Snarky Puppy | The Eastern
- Lunch & Learn: Georgia's State Historic Sites with Jennifer W. Dickey | Historic DeKalb Courthouse

Thursday, April 09
- Celebrating 55 Years of Storytelling: Agnes Scott Writers' Festival Returns | Agnes Scott College
- The Montvales and Blue Cactus at Eddie's Attic | Eddie's Attic
- Candlelight: Tribute to D'Angelo | The Chapel on Sycamore

Friday, April 10
- Fernbank After Dark: Booze & Botanicals | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Puppy Prov with Angels Among Us | Dad's Garage
- Candlelight: Best of Bridgerton on Strings | The Chapel on Sycamore
- Red Cross Blood Drive | Decatur Library
- Erin Nicole Henry "Generation Error" A Solo Exhibition | Cat Eye Creative Gallery

Saturday, April 11
- Atlanta Dogwood Festival | Piedmont Park
- Spring Festival on Ponce Returns to Olmsted Linear | Olmsted Linear Park
- Black Maternal Health Walk & Community Fair | Candler Park
- Front Paige Media's Book Fair | New Realm Brewing
- Field Medic at The Earl | The Earl

Sunday, April 12
- Atlanta Dogwood Festival | Piedmont Park
- Intro to Wild Edible Plants | Legacy Park
- Marissa Meyer and Tamara Moss - The Escape Game | Decatur Library
- The Travelin' McCourys | Eddie's Attic
- NFA Burger x BeetleCat Pop-Up | BeetleCat

GOVERNMENT

Note: it’s an unusually quiet week as many governing bodies take spring break; if you’re new here, you can see what this section usually looks like in prior issues

Past Week Roundup

Atlanta Public Schools

The Board of Education approved a wide-ranging set of initiatives at its latest meeting. On the facilities side, the board greenlit design-build contracts for renovations at five school campuses and authorized a full replacement of the district's Metropolitan Transportation System facility. These streamlined design-build agreements are intended to get crews on-site faster. The board also approved a 10-year lease agreement with a local youth soccer organization for field development and shared use at Howard Middle School — a partnership that brings structured programming and field improvements to the campus.

Student safety is getting a tech upgrade, as the board authorized a new district-wide camera system for the yellow bus fleet to monitor behavior and flag traffic violations near school zones. On the personnel side, the board approved a one-time "Appreciation Stipend" for all employees, a move specifically aimed at stabilizing the workforce and improving retention heading into the next school year.

Additional approvals included kitchen modernization projects at several campuses, HVAC upgrades to improve air quality and energy efficiency, and a shared parking agreement to ease congestion near one of the district's busier sites. For residents, these decisions point to a busy season of construction ahead and a concerted push to modernize the district's physical and logistical footprint.

CONSTRUCTION

Permits
- 1205 Caroline St NE — The paper trail for the new Barnes & Noble at the Edgewood Retail District is heating up! Plumbing, electrical, and fire sprinkler permits were all filed this week to get the space book-ready. We're one step closer to browsing the aisles with a latte in hand.
- Fairway Hill Dr — A serious $85K basement transformation is underway in East Lake. With new plumbing, HVAC, and cabinets on the list, someone is clearly winning the "home office" game. Expect some contractor vans lining the street for a bit.
- 2695 Hosea L Williams Dr SE — The commercial stretch in Kirkwood is staying cool. A permit was issued to swap out the AC and coils, ensuring whatever business is here doesn't break a sweat this summer.
- 285 Mayson Ave NE — A commercial remodel is getting a "glow up" with new lighting and outlets. It's a smaller electrical job, but we love to see the investment in our local storefronts.
- Neighborhood Wide — It's going to be a loud week for the local squirrels; 18 different arborist permits were filed for dead or hazardous tree removals across the area. Keep an ear out for the chainsaws!

Road Work

Under Construction
- I-20 Lighting Upgrades (DeKalb and Fulton Counties) — Say goodbye to those flickering orange lights. Crews are swapping in energy-efficient LEDs from Capitol Ave all the way down to Flat Shoals Road, so expect some night-time shoulder closures while they work on the poles and conduit.
- Glenwood Avenue / SR 260 Pedestrian Improvements (DeKalb County) — Walking across Glenwood just got a bit safer. Work is active to install those bright flashing beacons (RRFBs) at the intersections of Haas Ave, Eastside Ave, Brownwood Ave, and Joseph Ave. Keep an eye out for crews near the curbs.
- Moreland Avenue at Arkwright Place / SR 42 (Fulton County) — Heads up, Edgewood: the intersection at Arkwright is being turned into a "right-in/right-out" setup. They are constructing a median to stop all left turns here, which is definitely going to change your "shortcut" game when trying to get onto Moreland.
- I-20 Concrete Rehab (DeKalb and Fulton Counties) — This is the big one for your commute. Major resurfacing is happening from Hill Street in the city out to Columbia Drive. It's in the "active work" phase to fix those low-rated sections of the road, so be ready for lane shifts and a potentially bumpy ride through the construction zone.

Construction Work Program
- SR 154 / Memorial Drive Sidewalks — Walking to El Tesoro or the neighborhood Publix is about to get a lot smoother. New and rebuilt sidewalks are coming to Memorial Drive between Moreland Avenue and Candler Road. It's right on our doorstep, so get ready for some much-needed pedestrian upgrades.
- Atlanta Traffic Signal Enhancements - Phase II (DeKalb & Fulton Counties) — This project spans two counties and is all about making your commute less of a headache. They're upgrading signals and timing at intersections nearby to help traffic flow better and adding ADA ramps for better accessibility.
- DeKalb Avenue Railroad Crossing — One small step for safety, one giant leap for our sanity on DeKalb Ave. New railroad warning devices are being installed at the CSX crossing near the neighborhood border to keep things moving safely (well, as safely as DeKalb Ave allows).
- South McDonough St / Oakview Road Shared Use Path — For the bikers and walkers looking to zip between Kirkwood and Decatur, a new shared-use path is being planned from Hosea Williams Drive up to College Avenue. It's a key link that should make those cross-neighborhood treks much more pleasant.
- Atlanta Ave @ CSX & Adair Street Realignment — This is a major state-level project just over a mile away that aims to fix the notoriously awkward alignment where Atlanta Avenue meets Adair Street at the tracks. It's a big fix for a big bottleneck.
- SR 8 / Ponce De Leon Roundabouts — Heads up: roundabouts are coming to the Ponce corridor! One is planned for the intersection at East Lake Road and another at North Ponce/Parkwood. It'll definitely change the rhythm of your drive toward Decatur, so keep your head on a swivel.
- SR 8 / Ponce De Leon Drainage Improvements — More work is slated for Ponce near South Ponce and Ridgecrest to fix drainage issues. Hopefully, this means fewer "lakes" forming on the road during our classic Atlanta summer downpours.
- SR 42 / Moreland Avenue Lane Narrowing — There's a plan in the scoping phase to narrow the travel lanes on Moreland between Austin Avenue and DeKalb Avenue. The idea is to slow down the "Moreland speedway" energy and make the stretch safer for everyone.

Service Requests
- Potholes — Spotted at Warren St & Delano Dr, Moreland Ave NE, and Rogers St NE. Your suspension is on notice.
- Traffic Signal Repairs — Stay alert at the intersections of Hosea L Williams Dr & Howard St and Rogers St SE & Hosea Williams while they get these signals back in sync.
- Loose Metal Plate — Moreland Ave NE is currently hosting that classic Atlanta "clank-clank" soundtrack we all know and love.
- Illegal Dumping — There's an investigation underway on Macklone St NE. Let's keep the neighborhood a little classier than that, shall we?
- Litter Removal — Memorial Dr SE is getting some much-needed cleanup love along the right-of-way to keep our main drag looking sharp.