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Five years in: Rough Draft, still in progress.

Five years in: Rough Draft, still in progress.

Five years in: Rough Draft, still in progress.

Five years in: Rough Draft, still in progress.

Five years in: Rough Draft, still in progress.

Five years in: Rough Draft, still in progress.

Five years in: Rough Draft, still in progress.

Today I chatted with Keith Pepper, the owner and publisher of Rough Draft Atlanta, the leading hyperlocal
media organization in metro Atlanta. @roughdraftatl

An Atlanta native with deep roots in the community, Keith acquired Rough Draft (Springs Publishing) a community newspaper publisher, in December 2020 and has transformed it into a digital-first media company that reaches almost one million readers a month across print, web, email, and social media.

He shares some of his go to spots in Atlanta and how media has been a part of his life since he was younger, watching the news with his family.

#podcast #roughdraftatl #holisticallyhealthyself

Poppy on Film | Jan. 2025
📷 @samanthagardella

👏 I'm pretty excited that the local newsletter we have built continues to grow.

@roughdraftatl (rebranded for today as "Ruff Draft" for Scenthound Tucker, get it?) is a morning email that's clever, curated, and concise.

The goal is to give you the news you need and the stories you crave, while also delivering results for our advertisers.

Today's issue includes news about the @dunwoody4thparade, the winners of the @atlantatrackclub @ajcnews #peachtreeroadrace, and the latest on important elections in the #unitedkingdom

Let me know if you're subscribed, and if you're not, message me or sign up at the Newsletters tab on Rough Draft Atlanta.

Thanks for supporting local media!

📸 @samanthagardella

At the depths of the pandemic, my neighbor, @pappyvanerika, was sick and I brought her a Cobb salad from @ticonderogaclub, arguably the best salad in Atlanta.

Two years later, she confessed that before that random act of kindness, she “assumed I was a divorced bro from the ‘burbs.” Last week, Erika invited me on her new, hip podcast, @cloverclubpod so she could make fun of me and expose my quirks for an hour.No, really, we got to talk about my life experiences and how they led me back to my hometown and into the local media business.

It was a fun conversation that took a bunch of twists I wasn’t expecting. I hope you enjoy it.Listen via the link in my bio.

Oh, Erika’s Grant Park gift shop, @hawkinsandclover also sells a fun wine decanter that I inspired. Use the code PEPPER to get a discount on a high school chemistry beaker that will look great on any home bar.

At the depths of the pandemic, my neighbor, @pappyvanerika, was sick and I brought her a Cobb salad from @ticonderogaclub, arguably the best salad in Atlanta.

Two years later, she confessed that before that random act of kindness, she “assumed I was a divorced bro from the ‘burbs.” Last week, Erika invited me on her new, hip podcast, @cloverclubpod so she could make fun of me and expose my quirks for an hour.No, really, we got to talk about my life experiences and how they led me back to my hometown and into the local media business.

It was a fun conversation that took a bunch of twists I wasn’t expecting. I hope you enjoy it.Listen via the link in my bio.

Oh, Erika’s Grant Park gift shop, @hawkinsandclover also sells a fun wine decanter that I inspired. Use the code PEPPER to get a discount on a high school chemistry beaker that will look great on any home bar.

At the depths of the pandemic, my neighbor, @pappyvanerika, was sick and I brought her a Cobb salad from @ticonderogaclub, arguably the best salad in Atlanta.

Two years later, she confessed that before that random act of kindness, she “assumed I was a divorced bro from the ‘burbs.” Last week, Erika invited me on her new, hip podcast, @cloverclubpod so she could make fun of me and expose my quirks for an hour.No, really, we got to talk about my life experiences and how they led me back to my hometown and into the local media business.

It was a fun conversation that took a bunch of twists I wasn’t expecting. I hope you enjoy it.Listen via the link in my bio.

Oh, Erika’s Grant Park gift shop, @hawkinsandclover also sells a fun wine decanter that I inspired. Use the code PEPPER to get a discount on a high school chemistry beaker that will look great on any home bar.

Repping @atlantainfluenceseverything on the inaugural @delta flight from ATL to TLV with @exploregeorgia, @helenahchc and @mikejordanatl.

🐶Thanks to my friends @ajcnews for giving Poppy her political press premiere in today’s “Morning Jolt” newsletter. Patricia Murphy and @gregbluestein write the essential tip sheet for Georgia politics.

📈Rough Draft hit a nice milestone on Friday as we passed 30k subscribers. Here’s part of a note I sent out this morning. If you don’t subscribe, please consider it. If you do, let me know what you think and how we can make it better. Read the whole email via the link in my bio.

📈Rough Draft hit a nice milestone on Friday as we passed 30k subscribers. Here’s part of a note I sent out this morning. If you don’t subscribe, please consider it. If you do, let me know what you think and how we can make it better. Read the whole email via the link in my bio.

📈Rough Draft hit a nice milestone on Friday as we passed 30k subscribers. Here’s part of a note I sent out this morning. If you don’t subscribe, please consider it. If you do, let me know what you think and how we can make it better. Read the whole email via the link in my bio.

📈Rough Draft hit a nice milestone on Friday as we passed 30k subscribers. Here’s part of a note I sent out this morning. If you don’t subscribe, please consider it. If you do, let me know what you think and how we can make it better. Read the whole email via the link in my bio.

📈Rough Draft hit a nice milestone on Friday as we passed 30k subscribers. Here’s part of a note I sent out this morning. If you don’t subscribe, please consider it. If you do, let me know what you think and how we can make it better. Read the whole email via the link in my bio.

How it started —> How it’s going. Happy Birthday, Poppy.

How it started —> How it’s going. Happy Birthday, Poppy.

💔 The first time I ran at Rockefeller State Park was 20-years ago when I was training for Boston. After my run, I went over to visit with Rob & Tara Schatzel, when @ryan_schatzel was a newborn.

I was wearing running tights (it was 🥶), and Tara (probably deservedly) relentlessly chided me about my attire over the next two decades 😂.

😢 Last week, Tara lost her long battle with cancer. I thought it would be a proper tribute to run these beautiful trails in her memory today.

I know Tara's image of me will always be in those tights, but my memory of her will be of her strength, courage, and sense of humor. Her legacy will shine bright in her beautiful family.

(💥Luckily for them, the boys got her looks, too.)

May her memory be a blessing to her family for many generations to come.

#fuckcancer

💔 The first time I ran at Rockefeller State Park was 20-years ago when I was training for Boston. After my run, I went over to visit with Rob & Tara Schatzel, when @ryan_schatzel was a newborn.

I was wearing running tights (it was 🥶), and Tara (probably deservedly) relentlessly chided me about my attire over the next two decades 😂.

😢 Last week, Tara lost her long battle with cancer. I thought it would be a proper tribute to run these beautiful trails in her memory today.

I know Tara's image of me will always be in those tights, but my memory of her will be of her strength, courage, and sense of humor. Her legacy will shine bright in her beautiful family.

(💥Luckily for them, the boys got her looks, too.)

May her memory be a blessing to her family for many generations to come.

#fuckcancer

Thanks to @lorigmedia and the whole crew @fox5atlanta for the nice mention today. Help support local journalism by subscribing to @roughdraftatl via the link in my bio.