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Hey, Memorial Drive Corridor! This week: a new vinyl listening lounge and café has opened at Atlanta Dairies, where the coffee rotates and the albums play all the way through. We're also tracking Mo Ivory's historic Fulton County win, DeKalb's big ESPLOST vote, and a full week of shows at The Earl and The Eastern.

- News — Mo Ivory's first interview as Fulton County's incoming chair leads the way, alongside DeKalb's 81 percent ESPLOST VII approval, the pandas' Zoo Atlanta debut, and an overnight crash on Memorial Drive near East Lake Golf Club.
- Business — Saint Nobody's, from Black Coffee ATL owner Carl North, is now open mornings in the former Cold Brew Bar space, with food, cocktails and evening hours planned to follow.
- Events — From Francis of Delirium and The Revivalists to Boots on the Beltline line dancing, Oakland Cemetery tours and a Middle Earth Market in East Atlanta Village.
- Government — Fulton approved $45.5 million to design a new 1,800-bed jail and abolished its Ethics Board, while DeKalb's Planning Commission weighed a Memorial Drive commercial-to-housing rezoning.
- Construction — A Grady urgent care is proposed at Memorial and Estoria, 30 townhomes are moving ahead on Hardee Street, and Georgia DOT crews keep working on Moreland Avenue and Memorial Drive pedestrian projects.

Let's dive in.

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Crash sends car into telephone pole in southeast Atlanta
A car struck a telephone pole at about 3:30 a.m. on Nov. 2 on Memorial Drive near the East Lake Golf Club. Atlanta News First saw two people carried from the scene in ambulances, and police had not confirmed whether anyone was injured.

Panda Diplomacy Plays Out at Zoo Atlanta
Giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang were set to meet the public at Zoo Atlanta on Nov. 6. Georgia Tech's Fei-Ling Wang discussed the history of panda diplomacy, including the 1999 agreement that brought Yang Yang and Lun Lun to Atlanta, where the pair produced seven cubs.

Making history, Mo Ivory outlines her vision for Fulton County in first post-election interview
Mo Ivory won the Nov. 3 general election for Fulton County Board of Commissioners chair with 75 percent of the vote, defeating Republican Eric Tatum. She said her first priority in January will be passing a budget, followed by fixing the jail, funding the courts, and building a hospital in South Fulton.

DeKalb County voters approve ESPLOST VII by wide margin
Voters approved the tax with 81.02 percent in favor, and collection runs from July 1, 2027, until 2032. It is expected to raise more than $925 million across three school districts, with about $825 million going to DeKalb County School District, an estimated $58.3 million to City Schools of Decatur, and an estimated $41.5 million to Atlanta Public Schools.

Lostintheletters hosts 13th annual Letters Festival Nov. 9-14
The six-day festival includes readings, workshops, and discussions at Lostintheletters, Gigi's, Lucille's, and The Marianna at Wrecking Bar Pub. Tickets are $16.34 for individual events and $81.88 for an all-access pass, and the festival also premieres its Video Nights series on Nov. 10.

BUSINESS

Saint Nobody's listening lounge and café opens at Atlanta Dairies — Saint Nobody's, a new café and vinyl listening lounge from Black Coffee ATL owner Carl North, has opened in the former Cold Brew Bar space at Atlanta Dairies, currently serving coffee and pastries in the mornings with rotating roasters, while a savory food menu, cocktails and evening hours are planned to arrive in stages.

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Monday, November 9
- Slow Food Atlanta Snail Trail 2026 | JenChan's
- Lake Drive with Pasadena and The Waymores | 529 Bar

Tuesday, November 10
- Magic Movement | Grant Park- Greenspace F
- CNIA Monthly Meeting | Cabbagetown Neighborhood Improvement Association
- Francis of Delirium | The EARL

Wednesday, November 11
- The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Show (18 and Over) | The Eastern
- Author Event with Megan Oliver | All The Tropes (Kirkwood)
- ONE Transportation Committee Meeting | Our Neighborhood Edgewood

Thursday, November 12
- Sleeping with Sirens w/ Rain City Drive | The Eastern
- Parker Smith | Buteco
- J Roddy Walston & The Automatic Band | The Earl
- The Regulars | 529 Bar

Friday, November 13
- The Revivalists | The Eastern
- The Friday Bike Bus! 🚲 | Our Neighborhood Edgewood
- Boots on the Beltline Dance | Terminal South/Switchman Hall
- Cory Branan | The Earl

Saturday, November 14
- Georgia State Panthers Football vs Georgia Southern Eagles Football | Georgia State Stadium
- Makers Market at Terminal South | Terminal South
- Willi Carlisle | The Earl
- Tai Chi in the Park | Our Neighborhood Edgewood
- Zumba/Hip Hop Cardio | Terminal South/Switchman Hall
- Epitaphs: The Immortality of Words | Oakland Cemetery
- Middle Earth Market: Fantastical Locally Made Creations! | East Atlanta Village Farmers Market
- Medium Build Presents The King of Having Fun on Tour | The Eastern
- Jeff Evans Porkestra | 529 Bar

Sunday, November 15
- The Jewish Grounds of Oakland | Oakland Cemetery
- We Are Scientists | The EARL
- KenTheMan: One Night Stan |18 & Over | The Eastern

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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 Committee of the Whole moved a long list of spending items toward the full board, including a $9.91 million contract to build the Luscious Sanders Recreation Center at Lithonia Park. It also advanced more than $1.4 million in Frontline Response contracts for a 400-bed emergency shelter and for warming and cooling centers during extreme weather. Commissioners pulled a separate $1.3 million request from the Affordable Housing Fund for vehicular homelessness, though a related resolution went to committee for more review. The committee also sent a $5.2 million water pipe contract to a review committee and set $1.75 million in affordable housing and land bank funding on the same path. The Planning Commission met that evening, and its agenda included a rezoning that would turn commercial land on Memorial Drive into medium-density housing with apartments and townhomes. It also listed a county-wide proposal to crack down on repeat nuisance properties and the adoption of a Comprehensive Housing Plan. Minutes aren't yet published for that meeting, so outcomes aren't confirmed, and a special called meeting the same morning had no posted documents.

Fulton County Board of Commissioners
Commissioners approved a $45.5 million contract with JusticeWorks JV to design a new 1,800-bed county jail. They also voted 5-1 to abolish the Board of Ethics, so independent hearing officers will now screen and decide ethics complaints. The board adopted the 2026 Fulton County School Board millage rate, which sets the school portion of your property tax bill. And it renewed the jail medical services contract with NaphCare for about $47 million, including prescription costs. Commissioner Dana Barrett's proposals to drop the 5% departmental budget caps and to push lawmakers to curb private equity takeovers of medical practices were both filed, which ends them. The board also approved a $9.59 million extension for senior and behavioral health transportation after holding it at two earlier meetings.

Atlanta City Council
At its full meeting, the council set the city's Fiscal Year 2027 property tax rates, including levies for the BeltLine and Stitch special service districts. It extended the moratorium on new self-storage facilities in Office-Institutional zones by 60 days past its January expiration. Members approved more than $63 million in water system work, including $25 million for citywide water line replacements. They denied a site plan amendment for a planned housing development and killed a 21-acre park-for-hire facility proposal. The council also sent a $15.6 million water repair contract extension back to the City Utilities Committee, and the Committee on Council held proposed changes to public comment and proclamation rules, though the full council approved its version of that ordinance. That committee also recommended Dr. Annette Hall for the Atlanta Human Relations Commission.

Atlanta Public Schools
The Board of Education gave first readings to four sets of attendance zone changes that would take effect in Fall 2027. They cover elementary, middle, and high schools across northwest, west, and south Atlanta, so check whether your child's school is on the list. Because these were first reads, no final vote happened, and you'll have time to review maps and weigh in before the board decides. The board also approved contracts for school buses and repairs, propane fuel, and student support services, along with temporary construction easements with the City of Atlanta. It also saw a first draft of its 2027 legislative priorities, which outlines what the district will ask state and local lawmakers to pursue.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

Atlanta City Council
- Monument Ave — Atlanta City Council approved a $1,000,000 budget transfer and contract amendment for stream stabilization and restoration along Monument Avenue.
- Faith Ave SE — Atlanta City Council approved the installation of traffic-calming devices along Faith Avenue SE between Glenwood Park Drive SE and Lewis Lane SE to curb speeding.

Meetings This Week
- Atlanta City Council — Transportation Committee | Nov-09, 10:00 AM | key topics: Moores Mill Road Bridge replacement study, pedestrian safety improvements, and traffic signal modernization
- Atlanta City Council — Zoning Committee | Nov-09, 11:00 AM | key topics: comprehensive zoning ordinance overhaul, new event center regulations, and mixed-use corridor rezonings
- Atlanta City Council — Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee | Nov-09, 1:00 PM | key topics: pending legal settlements, anonymous housing code complaint protections, and rehiring retired police personnel
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners | Nov-10, 9:00 AM | key topics: Gresham Road residential rezoning, construction of Luscious Sanders Recreation Center, and animal restraint regulations
- Atlanta City Council — City Utilities Committee | Nov-10, 10:00 AM | key topics: data center water use restrictions, commercial septic bans, and North Fork Peachtree Creek wastewater storage funding
- Atlanta City Council — Community Development/Human Services Committee | Nov-10, 1:30 PM | key topics: Fourth Avenue forest greenspace acquisition, Southside Park upgrades, and corridor land-use amendments
- Atlanta City Council — Finance/Executive Committee | Nov-10, 1:30 PM | key topics: Fire Station 31 construction contract, $204 million affordable housing bonds, and water lien penalties

CONSTRUCTION

Permits
- 724 Memorial Dr SE. New construction permit filed for Grady Estoria Urgent Care, a new business building on the corner of Memorial Drive and Estoria. The application is pending, and you'll see health care options grow along the corridor once it's built.
- Kirkwood Ave SE. New 8-unit condo building is ready to issue. It's a sprinklered residential building, and the permit is cleared for construction to start soon. Expect new neighbors and some construction noise.
- 1526 Hardee St NE. Land development permit accepted for 30 new townhouse buildings. Crews will remove the existing paving, concrete, and buildings first, so expect demolition noise before the townhomes go up.
- Crew St SW. New three-story duplex is under review. It includes a front porch, rear balconies, and attached garages.
- 374 Martin L King Jr Dr SE. Electric vehicle charging installation is under review. The work includes a 250-amp panel, several concrete pads, and six 60-amp breakers. It's a sign more charging is coming to your side of town.
- 1260 Glenwood Ave SE. Tenant fit-out is under review for an existing retail suite. The permit covers furniture, fixtures, and equipment only, so a new shop looks close to opening.
- 777 Memorial Dr SE. Commercial electrical permit filed for a new 100-amp, 42-circuit panel, a new transformer, 55 outlets, and new lighting. That's a full electrical refresh, and it points to a major interior buildout.

Road Work

Phase Advances (Past 7 Days)
- SR 166 at Lakewood Avenue turn lane — GDOT plans to change the angle of the right-turn lane from SR 166 onto Lakewood Avenue.

Under Construction
- Moreland Avenue at Arkwright Place — Crews are building a median on Moreland Avenue that limits Arkwright Place to right-in/right-out turns, so you won't be able to turn left or cross Moreland from Arkwright. A signalized pedestrian crossing is part of the project.
- I-20 lighting, Capitol Avenue to Flat Shoals Road — Crews are swapping the old sodium highway lights for LEDs along this stretch of I-20, and some poles and wiring may be replaced along the way.
- Moreland Avenue at United Avenue and Skyhaven Road — Crews are realigning Skyhaven Road so it lines up with United Avenue, and adding left-turn lanes in both directions on Moreland, along with pedestrian improvements and lighting.
- Memorial Drive pedestrian safety upgrades — Between Hill Street and Pearl Street, the project adds a mid-block pedestrian crossing, a right-in/right-out turn restriction and a restricted-crossing U-turn, where drivers turn right and then make a U-turn instead of crossing traffic.
- Moreland Avenue and SR 3 pedestrian beacons — Crews are installing pedestrian hybrid beacons, signals drivers must stop for when someone is crossing, at four spots on Moreland Avenue. Restricted-crossing U-turns with beacons are also going in at Moreland and Woodstock Road and at SR 3 and Camelot Parkway/Patton Road.

Service Requests
- Potholes: You'll find 10 reports, with four on Stovall St SE. Others cover United Ave SE, Memorial Dr SE, Glenwood Ave SE, and Berne St at Marion St, plus two more spots nearby.
- Traffic Signal Repairs: Five non-emergency reports came in for Cherokee Ave, Bill Kennedy Way SE at Faith Ave, Cherokee Ave SE, Fulton St, and Flat Shoals Ave SE at Glenwood Ave SE. Bill Kennedy Way at Faith Ave also drew an emergency Level 1 report, so that intersection saw the most signal trouble this week.
- Litter Removal: Reported on Moreland Ave SE and at Wyman St and Stanwood Ave.
- Graffiti Removal: Someone flagged tags at DeKalb Ave NE and Moreland Ave NE, and another on Caroline St NE.
- Sign Repair or Installation: One request covers the corner of Warren St and Trotti St.

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Until next week,
Memorial Drive Corridor 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.