Emory / Druid Hills: Schools Leadership Vacuum, Roundabouts on Ponce, and Jazz Fest Weekend

PSA: we’ll be publishing on Tuesday next week, because Memorial Day.

Hey Emory and Druid Hills neighbors — it's a consequential week, and a couple of stories are worth your close attention. DeKalb County Schools just lost two leadership positions in the middle of its consolidation process, which is exactly the wrong moment for that kind of instability — and the county commission has a packed agenda that could reshape everything from your tax rate to how traffic flows on Ponce de Leon. Plus, the Atlanta Jazz Festival hits Piedmont Park Saturday, so there's at least one easy win on the calendar.

- News — DeKalb Schools' consolidation effort is now leaderless at a critical moment, the governor has made local elections nonpartisan, and a water main break on Clairmont Road caused real disruption late last week.
- Events — It's a big weekend, anchored by the free Atlanta Jazz Festival at Piedmont Park on Saturday and the DeKalb Symphony's Season 61 finale Tuesday night at First Baptist Church of Decatur.
- Government — The DeKalb Commission is weighing 2026 millage rates, new surveillance oversight rules, and a proposed roundabout at Ponce De Leon and East Lake Road — while the school board quietly approved $25 million in spending across two sessions last week.
- Construction — The Clifton Road corridor is seeing a wave of medical buildouts, a nearly $400K residential renovation is underway on Oxford Road, and two roundabouts are now in the pipeline along Ponce de Leon Avenue.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Hantavirus monitoring ends as patients discharged from Emory University Hospital
The two cruise ship passengers who had been under observation at Emory University Hospital for hantavirus have been discharged and are back home in Nebraska. Their release closes the book on what had been a closely watched public health episode — one that put Emory's infectious disease capabilities in the national spotlight, and reminded the rest of us how quickly a story can land right in our backyard.

Governor signs bill making DeKalb elections nonpartisan
Governor Kemp has signed legislation shifting a slate of DeKalb County elected positions to nonpartisan status — a structural change that will reshape how voters approach local races going forward. The idea is that your city council member's party affiliation matters less than whether they can actually fix the roads and keep the lights on.

Key DeKalb Schools leadership roles become vacant amid consolidation talks
Two significant positions in the DeKalb County School District have gone vacant — including the official leading the district's school closure and consolidation effort — at a moment when families are hungry for answers about boundary changes and which schools might be on the chopping block. Leadership turnover at exactly this juncture is not reassuring, and parents across the district will be watching closely to see who steps in and how quickly.

DeKalb Commission approves contract for new fire stations
The DeKalb County Commission has approved a contract to design and build several new fire stations across the county — a meaningful commitment to the kind of infrastructure that most residents only think about when they need it most. For Brookhaven and Chamblee neighborhoods, faster response times could be the tangible result of what might otherwise look like a routine budget vote.

Water Main Break on Clairmont Road Disrupts Decatur Traffic and Schools
A significant water main break on Clairmont Road snarled traffic and forced adjustments to school operations in the area late last week, hitting the Clairemont Avenue and Westchester Hills corridors particularly hard. Emergency repairs tied up one of northern Decatur's busier arteries, serving as yet another reminder that aging underground infrastructure doesn't announce itself before it fails.

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EVENTS

The Atlanta Jazz Festival returns to Piedmont Park this Saturday — one of the city's signature free events and a genuine neighborhood tradition that draws crowds from across Atlanta. If you're heading over (and you should be), plan ahead: parking will be tight and Ponce will feel it.

Monday, May 18
- Pat Byrne live at Intown Coffeehouse | Intown Coffeehouse
- StoryWalk® at Mason Mill Park | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Summer Reading Challenge Scavenger Hunt | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Andres Cepeda | Variety Playhouse
- Deep Relaxation: Sound Bath & Breathwork for Stress Relief | Liminal Space
- Weekday Winning: Mega Mondays | Wild Heaven Toco Hills

Tuesday, May 19
- DeKalb Symphony Orchestra Season 61 Finale | First Baptist Church of Decatur
- Demystifying Menopause Series | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Teacher and Librarian Appreciation Night | 2076 N Decatur Rd
- New Pornographers w/ Will Sheff | Variety Playhouse
- Truckin' Tuesdays | Legacy Park
- Tuesday Trivia @ Toco Hills | Wild Heaven Toco Hills

Wednesday, May 20
- An Evening of Conversation with Susan Ford Bales and Lisa McCubbin Hill | Glenn Memorial Sanctuary
- Drop-In Technology Support | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- The Overseer Class: A Manifesto -- Steven W. Thrasher in conversation with Donovan X. Ramsey | 184 S. Candler St.
- Hops: The Muleskinner & the King with J. D. Porter | 101 E Court Square

Thursday, May 21
- Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Discussion | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Cocktails in the Garden | Atlanta Botanical Garden
- Singing Workshop in the Pavilion – May | Woodlands Garden
- Meet the Brewers | Wild Heaven Toco Hills

Friday, May 22
- Laura Piper Lee, Julian Winters, Kate Dramis - Pot Shot | Eagle Eye Book Shop
- Friday Movies | Avis Williams Library - DeKalb County
- Candlelight: Back in Black (Tribute to AC/DC) | The Chapel on Sycamore
- Candlelight: Neo-Soul Favorites ft. Songs by Prince, Childish Gambino, & More | The Chapel on Sycamore

Saturday, May 23
- Atlanta Jazz Festival | Piedmont Park
- Memorial Day Run 5K/10K/13.1 ATLANTA | South Peachtree Creek Trail (Course Map will be emailed)
- Family Nature Walk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Live Animal Encounter | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Foraging as Ecological Care | Legacy Park
- A Shakespeare Happening Spring Series | Avondale Estates Business District
- Woodland Explorers | Woodlands Garden

Sunday, May 24
- Birds Georgia Forest Walk | Fernbank Museum of Natural History
- Live Animal Encounter | Fernbank Museum of Natural History

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 DeKalb County Board of Commissioners had two meetings this past week — a regular session on May 12 and a follow-up session on May 16 — though minutes have not yet been posted for either, so actual outcomes and votes remain unknown. The May 12 agenda was packed with consequential items, including a public hearing on county-wide regulations for data centers and a proposed resolution that would require health, environmental, and socioeconomic impact studies before new data center construction can begin — with a $15,000 grant to Science for Georgia to carry out that work. On the infrastructure front, the board was scheduled to consider a $26.58 million contract to build three new fire stations, a $32.37 million emergency expansion of the Snapfinger wastewater treatment facility, and an $8 million allocation to extend the South Peachtree Creek Trail from Medlock Park toward Lulah Hills. Quality-of-life items also featured prominently, including a proposed Water Customer Bill of Rights, a blasting safety ordinance to protect homeowners near construction, independent civilian oversight for the county's "Digital Shield" surveillance network, and an ordinance targeting chronic nuisance properties. Because no minutes are available for either meeting, readers should note that any or all of these items may have been tabled, deferred, or amended before a vote was taken.

DeKalb County School District Board of Education

The DeKalb County School Board met twice this week — on May 11 and May 15 — with minutes confirmed for both sessions. The bigger of the two was the May 11 regular meeting, where the board approved the FY2027 Tentative Budget and Tax Levy — the first formal step in setting next year's property tax rate for DeKalb homeowners — alongside more than $20 million in service contracts covering district-wide plumbing repairs ($7.5 million across eight vendors), tree trimming ($3.5 million), and bleacher replacements ($3 million) at athletic facilities throughout the county. The board also approved a $1 million public safety vehicle fleet, a $600,000 contract with Georgia Power to install EV charging stations at a North Decatur district site, a $500,000 student enrollment recovery initiative, and an update to the Student Assignment policy that governs how school zones and transfers are managed. At the shorter May 15 called session, the board approved a $3 million spending increase for supplemental custodial services across district facilities and a $2.5 million final-year renewal for district-wide landscaping — bringing the week's total school district spending authorizations to roughly $25 million.

Atlanta Public Schools Board of Education

The Atlanta Public Schools Policy Review Committee met on May 14, with minutes confirming the session's outcomes. The committee gave final approval to two updated policies: one formalizing how the district manages student academic counseling and career planning, and another tightening oversight of how district employees use purchasing cards — a fiscal accountability measure aimed at ensuring tax dollars are handled transparently. The committee also began a formal discussion on setting limits for student device and screen time during the school day, though that item did not come to a vote and will return at a future meeting. Separately, the committee received a status report on surplus district properties — land and buildings no longer in active use — which, while not triggering any sales authorization yet, often signals that properties could be moving toward disposition or redevelopment in the coming months.

Meetings This Week
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Committee of the Whole — May 21, 2026 at 9:00 AM. The board is scheduled to consider the county's 2026 millage rates alongside proposed fee increases for sanitation, stormwater, and courthouse parking; a resolution to establish independent civilian oversight of the county's "Digital Shield" surveillance network is also on the agenda. A proposed roundabout at Ponce De Leon Ave. NE at East Lake Road NE is among several infrastructure items up for consideration.

CONSTRUCTION

Permits

- 1525 Clifton Rd NE — Full interior demolition of an existing building's 6th floor to make way for a new medical clinic. This is the kind of gut renovation that signals long-term institutional investment along the Clifton corridor.
- 1365 Clifton Rd NE — Interior renovation of a 643 sq ft clinic suite, with plumbing work permitted. More medical buildout on the same corridor.
- 569 Asbury Cir NE — About 1,865 sq ft of interior tech lab space getting new flooring, two new doors, and updated classroom setup. Likely an Emory campus facility refresh.
- 1518 Clifton Rd NE — Antenna upgrades to an existing rooftop telecom facility. Routine, but worth knowing if you're sensitive to that kind of work overhead.
- 1075 Zonolite Rd — Multiple suites (1, 2, and 3) pulling permits simultaneously for ductwork, exhaust fans, and plumbing with new fixtures ($50K+ on the plumbing work alone). Something larger is coming together in this building — worth watching.
- Oxford Rd — Nearly $400K permitted for a full renovation: kitchen, powder room, laundry, upstairs bath, new roof, and siding replacement. One of the bigger residential jobs in the area this week.
- Burton Dr — $150K permitted for a main floor addition with finished basement.

Beyond these highlights, 25 additional residential permits were filed across the neighborhood, covering smaller alterations, plumbing, and tree work — totaling just under $96K.

Road Work

Under Construction
- SR-236 Signal Upgrade at Shepherd's Lane (DeKalb) — Signal work is underway at the SR-236/Shepherd's Lane intersection. Expect possible signal timing disruptions and short delays through the area.
- SR-236 Eastbound Left Turn Lane Extension at SR-155 (DeKalb) — A left turn lane is being extended on SR-236 eastbound at SR-155 (Candler Road). Active construction means lane restrictions are likely — budget extra time if this is part of your regular route.

Pre-Construction
- SR-155 / North Druid Hills Rd at Azalea Circle (DeKalb County) — A shared-use path is planned along the south side of North Druid Hills Road, plus a 6-foot sidewalk along the north side. Good news for pedestrians and cyclists in the area once this gets moving.
- SR-236 at North Druid Hills Road (DeKalb County) — Same package as above: shared-use path on the south side, sidewalk on the north. The corridor is getting a meaningful pedestrian infrastructure upgrade at this intersection.
- Scott Blvd Complete Streets Plan (DeKalb County) — A complete streets redesign is in the pipeline for Scott Boulevard, roughly 1.8 miles from the neighborhood core. Details on scope aren't public yet, but "complete streets" typically means bike lanes, sidewalk improvements, and safer pedestrian crossings.
- SR-8 / Ponce de Leon Ave at Lullwater Creek (DeKalb County) — Bridge maintenance is coming to the Ponce de Leon Avenue bridge over Lullwater Creek. No lane closures yet, but worth watching if Ponce is part of your daily route.
- SR-155 / US-23 at SR-236 (DeKalb County) — A restriping project is planned at this intersection. Minor work, but lane configurations could shift when it begins.
- SR-8 / Ponce de Leon Ave — Roundabouts at Eastlake and North Ponce (DeKalb County) — Two roundabouts are proposed along the Ponce corridor: one at SR-8 and Eastlake, another at SR-8 at North Ponce, West Parkwood, and East Parkwood. If you travel Ponce regularly, this will eventually reshape how traffic flows through both spots.
- North Druid Hills Road at CSX Crossing (DeKalb County) — Bridge and corridor work is planned along a 2,600-foot stretch of North Druid Hills Road between Spring Creek Drive and Willivee Drive. Still pre-construction, but this is a busy stretch worth keeping on your radar.

Utility Work

DeKalb County
- Orion Drive Sewer Improvement Project Begins May 13 — Sewer upgrade work got underway on Orion Drive on May 13. Expect construction activity and possible disruptions in the area.
- DeKalb Announces Memorial Day Residential Sanitation Collection Schedule — Trash and recycling pickup will run on an adjusted schedule around Memorial Day. Check the county's site to confirm your collection day.

Service Requests

Potholes — Reported on Oakdale Rd NE, Palafox Dr NE, and Argonne Way NE, with repairs in progress on all three.

Street Maintenance — A request is on the books for Coventry Rd in Decatur.

Overgrowth/Visibility — A right-of-way overgrowth issue at E Lake Rd NE and Ridgecrest Rd has been resolved.