Emory / Druid Hills: Emory Has a New President

Hello, Emory and Druid Hills neighbors — big week. Emory University just named its next president, an insider pick who'll take over the neighborhood institution on September 1, and there's plenty to chew on about what that means locally. Meanwhile, if you have plans for June 6, you may want to check them twice: Summerfest, Drive-By Truckers, and a Decatur FC home match are all landing on the same day.

- News — Emory taps its next president, DeKalb makes history with a landmark primary result, and a three-month sewer project near Medlock Park is already underway.
- Business — Novo Cucina has (finally) opened for full service; head on over for a nice Italian dinner!
- Events — June 6 is the date to watch, with Summerfest, Drive-By Truckers at Decatur Square, and a Decatur FC match all colliding; plus, there’s a full week of book events, live music, and family programming leading up to it.
- Government — DeKalb commissioners are weighing millage rates, trash fee hikes, two new roundabouts, and a 214-unit subdivision, while school board meetings this week take up the FY2027 budget and a closely watched immigration safe-zone policy.
- Construction — A gut renovation on N. Decatur Rd, a brand-new restaurant buildout on Druid Hills Rd, and continued activity along the Clifton corridor headline a busy permits week; plus there are seven pothole complaints stacking up along Briarcliff Road.

Let's dive in.

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NEWS

Emory University selects Christopher L. Augostini as 22nd president
Emory's next chapter has a name: Christopher L. Augostini, the university's executive vice president and COO, has been tapped as its 22nd president, taking the helm on September 1. For Druid Hills and the broader Emory neighborhood, where the university functions as landlord, employer, and civic backbone all at once, the leadership transition is worth watching closely.

Japanese-American Candidate Makes History with Landslide Primary Win in DeKalb County
DeKalb County voters delivered a decisive verdict in the primary, sending a Japanese-American candidate to victory in what's being called a watershed moment for representation in the region.

Sewer Project Near Medlock Park Will Last Three Months
If you live near Medlock Park, plan accordingly: DeKalb County has kicked off a sewer rehabilitation project that will stretch through the summer, bringing lane closures and construction traffic to the area. It's the kind of unglamorous infrastructure work that’s sorely needed to fix an aging wastewater system.

Atlanta festivals, events and parties to check out during the FIFA World Cup
The World Cup is coming to Atlanta, and the city is not planning to be subtle about it. From street festivals to neighborhood watch parties, there's a full calendar of events taking shape, so if you haven't started planning, now's the time to get ahead of the crowds.

BUSINESS

Novo Cucina - opening - slightly older news from May 12th, but reporting it here for the first time: the long-awaited Novo Cucina location on Briarcliff is finally fully open for business! Head on over for what could be the finest Italian food in our neck of the woods.

EVENTS

Saturday's packed lineup is worth flagging: Virginia-Highland's Summerfest, the Drive-By Truckers at Decatur Square, and a Decatur FC home match all land on June 6, making it one of the busiest neighborhood days of the summer. Plan ahead for parking and crowds, especially around Decatur and Virginia-Highland.

Monday, June 1
- StoryWalk® at Mason Mill Park | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Story Time | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- CCMP 01 - Creative Camp (June 1-5): Comics & Characters | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
- TCC 01 - Teen Wheel Throwing | Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
- Books and Babies Storytime | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Light Bites & Garden Insights: Fire in the Andes | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- English as a Second Language (ESL) | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County

Tuesday, June 2
- Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library Book Discussion Group | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Summer Reading Kickoff-Journey to the Center of the Earth! | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Live Animal Encounter | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Tuesday Trivia @ Toco Hills | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- AUTHOR EVENT | Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé | THE HEIRS |With Channelle Desamours | Brave and Kind Books

Wednesday, June 3
- Katherine Arden- The Unicorn Hunters | Eagle Eye Book Shop
- Dino Talk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Preschool Storytime | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Volunteer Project | Woodlands Garden

Thursday, June 4
- Meet a Ranger | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Singing Workshop in the Pavilion – June | Woodlands Garden
- Amplify Decatur Music Festival | Downtown Decatur Square
- Cocktails in the Garden | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- To Love a Country: Dominic Erdozain with Patrick Allitt | Decatur Library

Friday, June 5
- Friday Movies | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Questionable at Best | Wild Heaven Toco Hills

Saturday, June 6
- Culturally Relevant Science | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Bishop & Mobley | Wild Heaven Toco Hills
- Atlanta Philharmonic Orchestra Presents: Games with Friends | North Decatur Presbyterian Church
- Drive-By Truckers | Decatur Square
- ☀️VHCA's Summerfest | Virginia Highland District Association
- Green Market | Piedmont Park
- Decatur FC VS. Nashville | Decatur High School

Sunday, June 7
- Family Nature Walk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Thirsty Neighbors | Wild Heaven Toco Hills

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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 Board of Commissioners

The Board has a packed week of scheduled action, with no minutes yet posted for any of its meetings — meaning all items below are on the agenda but may be deferred, withdrawn, or tabled before a final vote. At the May 26 regular meeting, commissioners are scheduled to adopt tentative 2026 millage rates — the critical first step in setting this year's property tax bills — while also considering fee increases for residential trash pickup and stormwater management, two costs that show up directly on homeowners' utility bills. Road safety is also on the table, with proposed roundabouts at the Ponce De Leon/East Lake Road intersection and at Clairmont Road and Rosecliff Drive; if approved, these would mark significant changes to two well-traveled corridors. The May 26 agenda also includes a $1.86 million contract for perimeter security fencing at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, a public hearing on extending a moratorium on new adult entertainment businesses, and a proposal to crack down on illegal scrap tire dumping by setting a $1-per-tire legal disposal fee. At the May 28 zoning meeting, the most consequential item is a D.R. Horton proposal to rezone land for a 214-unit single-family subdivision near Norris Lake — a major density increase if approved — alongside a QuikTrip proposal along Memorial Drive seeking permits for fuel pumps, a drive-through car wash, and alcohol sales. The zoning agenda also includes county-wide text amendments that would update rules for short-term rentals like Airbnbs and create a new "Repeated Nuisance" ordinance giving the county clearer tools to penalize properties that generate chronic complaints.

DeKalb County School District Board of Education

The DeKalb County School District held two committee meetings on May 28, with minutes now posted for both. The Audit Committee met to receive information — but take no formal votes — on two financial oversight items that matter directly to local taxpayers: an upcoming forensic audit of district finances, covering the auditing firm, scope, methodology, and timeline, and a corrective action update addressing past findings from the E-SPLOST audit, which governs how the county's education sales tax revenues are managed. Separately, the Policy Committee reviewed three policies that are still under consideration and have not yet gone to the full Board for a final vote. The most closely watched of these is a new draft policy — Policy JBCF — that would establish "Safe Zones" in schools and set clear protocols for how district staff should respond if federal immigration enforcement officials arrive on school grounds, a policy with direct implications for students and families across the district. The committee also reviewed proposed updates to how board committees are structured and how official board meetings are conducted. All three policies are expected to come before the full Board after a follow-up Policy Committee meeting scheduled for June 25.

Meetings This Week
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education (Called Meeting: E-SPLOST VII Presentation) — Monday, June 1, 2026 | J. David Williamson Board Room, Stone Mountain
The board is scheduled to receive a presentation on the E-SPLOST VII Resolution, the next round of the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax that funds school construction, technology, and facility upgrades across DeKalb County. No votes are expected at this called meeting.

- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education (Called Meeting: Budget & Millage Rate Hearings) — Monday, June 1, 2026 | J. David Williamson Board Room, Stone Mountain
The board will hold its first public budget presentation and first millage rate hearing, both with dedicated community input sessions. No budget adoption or millage rate is expected to be set at this session — this is the opening public forum ahead of those decisions.

- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Committee of the Whole — Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at 9:00 AM | 178 Sam's Street, Decatur (Multipurpose Room A1201)
A wide-ranging agenda includes proposed fee increases for stormwater utility service and countywide trash collection, a possible extension of the county's moratorium on new data centers, and roundabout proposals for two major corridors — SR 8/Ponce De Leon Ave. NE and SR 155/Clairmont Road at Rosecliff Drive. The board will also take up long-debated ordinances targeting chronic nuisance properties and vacant homes, a $325.5 million emergency water and sewer repair contract, and a resolution to establish a civilian oversight board for the county's "Digital Shield" surveillance infrastructure.

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

- 1784 N Decatur Rd NE — A full gut renovation is underway across multiple floors (ground through level 5), with demolition and MEP overhauls on each. Four separate permits filed simultaneously suggest this is a major, coordinated building transformation. Worth watching.
- 1525 Clifton Rd NE — The 5th and 6th floors of this building are being structurally prepped for a new medical clinic. Two permits filed in tandem for the adjacent floors — expect construction noise and contractor traffic on Clifton for a while.
- 1599 Clifton Rd NE — Interior suite renovation with new switchgear, lighting, mechanical connections, and outlets. A full electrical overhaul usually signals a significant tenant buildout.
- 1440 Clifton Rd NE — Electrical renovation on the 2nd floor, working within existing circuits. Routine, but part of a broader pattern of active buildout along the Clifton corridor.
- 1540 Ave Pl NE — Suite B260 is being occupied with no interior modifications. A tenant is moving into an already-built-out space — quick turnaround, low disruption.
- 3011 N Druid Hills Rd — A new restaurant is being built out from scratch, complete with kitchen equipment, floor drains, and ADA bathrooms. A $50K permitted new-build restaurant is the kind of thing that actually changes a block.

Beyond the headliners, the area logged 30 additional residential and minor permits, including 10 single-family projects, 7 business filings, and 6 arborist permits — the latter a quiet but consistent reminder that Druid Hills' tree canopy requires real upkeep.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR-236 Signal Upgrade at Shepherd's Lane (DeKalb County) — Signal work is underway at the SR-236/Shepherd's Lane intersection. Expect delays and signal irregularities as crews work through the upgrade.
- SR-236 Eastbound Left Turn Lane Extension at SR-155 (DeKalb County) — A left turn lane extension is being added to the SR-236 eastbound approach at SR-155 (Candler Road). Lane restrictions are likely during active work, so give yourself extra time through this intersection.

Pre-Construction

- North Druid Hills Road Shared-Use Path (SR 155 & SR 236 intersections) — GDOT plans to build a shared-use path along the south side of North Druid Hills Road and a 6-foot sidewalk along the north side, with improvements at both the Azalea Circle and SR 236 intersections. Good news for pedestrians and cyclists once this gets moving — for now, it's still in the funding and planning queue.
- SR 155/US 23 @ SR 236 Restriping — A lane restriping project is planned at the Clairmont Road and LaVista Road intersection. A relatively modest fix, but one that could meaningfully improve traffic flow at one of the area's more chaotic crossings.
- Ponce de Leon Ave Bridge Maintenance (SR 8/SR 10/US 23 over Lullwater Creek) — Structural maintenance is planned for the bridge carrying Ponce de Leon Avenue over Lullwater Creek. No construction timeline yet, but expect lane impacts when this one eventually starts.
- Ponce de Leon Ave Roundabouts (SR 8 at Eastlake & North Ponce/Parkwood) — Two roundabouts are proposed along the Ponce de Leon corridor, one at Eastlake Drive and one at the North Ponce/Parkwood intersection. Still pre-construction, but a significant change to how that stretch flows if it moves forward.
- North Druid Hills Road Bridge Corridor (CSX Crossing) — Work is planned along a 2,600-foot stretch of North Druid Hills Road between Spring Creek Drive and Willivee Drive, centered on the CSX railroad crossing. Details are still limited, but flag this one if that's part of your daily route.
- Scott Boulevard Complete Streets — A Complete Streets improvement plan is in the works for Scott Boulevard, though specifics on scope and timeline aren't yet available. Worth keeping an eye on for cyclists and walkers in the Toco Hills corridor.

Service Requests

Briarcliff Road is carrying a heavy load this week — seven pothole reports clustered along the corridor, including multiple overlapping complaints at the Briarcliff/St. Augustine Place intersection and the Briarcliff/Saint Charles Place crossing. Traffic signal issues were also flagged at Briarcliff & Chalmette Drive and along Clifton Road. On the maintenance front, litter removal was requested at Ponce de Leon & Springdale Road, and an overgrowth complaint at Durand & Decatur Road has already been resolved.