Free-For-All Friday 10/30/09
October 30, 2009 | 9:46 amFeel free to use this post to ask questions and make comments about local issues not discussed here over the past week.
Comments are closed on Monday.
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I was watching a panhandler on the corner of WePo and Commerce, near Taco Mac. He was sitting in a wheelchair, holding a red cup. I was actually feeling sorry for the bearded fellow, not being able to get around and all. That was until he had to leave the wheelchair, to run after the red cup as it blew away in the wind.
You could have helped him by kicking the cup.
Or call the police so the panhandling law can be enforced
Does anyone have a clear understanding of the homestead exemption issue? In other words, will we be receiving another bill from Dekalb County to make up for the lack of homestead exemption in 2009?
I would recommend that you contact the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner at 404-298-4000 about county homestead exemption questions.
I just saw a handful of adults walking down Sycamore Street in full costume. A little pre-Halloween show. They were smiling and waving. If there had been music, it would’ve been a mini-parade. A lovely lady in a red polka dot Minnie Mouse outfit, a grown man in a big pink bunny costume. I love Decatur.
Hey DM, just wanted to say thank you for this blog. I like your style.
Thanks Prez! Much appreciated.
How fun would it be if we could make Decatur into a “Golf Cart” town???
My wife would freak out with glee — so count one household in.
Mmmmmmm, no. I’d much rather keep it a walk-friendly town. My sister used to live in Peachtree City, and believe me, so many of the golf-carters were just as (if not more) obnoxious & inconsiderate as a lot of car drivers. The biggest problem with it was that they were everywhere– on the streets, on their designated paths, on the sidewalks– I grew to dread visiting her (thankfully, she moved). I’ll never forget seeing this (very chubby) woman walking her dog whilst sitting in her golf cart.
Golf cart towns give me the creeps. Walk or ride a bike, people. Just because they’re electric doesn’t mean they’re good for the environment.
Besides, I don’t think we have the minimum number of Republicans required to make that happen…not to mention golf courses.
Hey everyone,
This is my first Halloween night in Decatur. Two questions:
1. How much candy should I buy* (house on Coventry Rd)?
2. What are the approximate hours the kiddies come by?
[*Trying to ensure at least 2 leftover bags for me.]
1. I’d want to be well-prepared in your neighborhood.
2. Once it starts getting dark until about 9:30-10:00. Turn out your porch lights and/or jack o’ lanterns when you’re done.
I have a friend on Coventry. She buys more candy every year, but has always run out. It seems that Coventry has an endless desire for candy.
We live on Ponce Court and get a decent stream of kids, but have never run out of candy. Last year some older kids showed up at 11:00 (excuse me, the porch light is OFF) and had the audacity to ask if they could have the rest of our candy because we didn’t need it anymore. They acted surprised when I told “NO” and furthermore wasn’t it a little late to still be trick-or-treating?
Hey Russ. Here is my take…
100 kids on Coventry is my estimate. They usually start coming by 6:30 and last until a little after 9:00 PM. Of course, the Saturday night might throw a curve at us.
Agree with the two above posters. Trick-or-treaters were oddly light in Ponce Heights last year, but usually it’s insanity. I especially like the kids bused in from other neighborhoods.
I’d say Mr. C’s estimate is probably pretty close. Buy an extra two bags just in case and if you run out, follow Unconcerned’s rules to the letter, otherwise you will feel the wrath of the candy mob.
Or those kids that are too old to be trick or treating, but they go anyways and dont dress up. Jerks.
Yeah, can’t stand those kids–I tell them to wait until the 1st and Walmart will have huge bags of candy for half price.
I’d suggest that if you get late trick or treaters, especially those not in costume, that you make them entertain you before you give them candy. Dancing, singing, rapping, whatever they can do. If they aren’t willing to entertain you then you have no obligation to give them candy. This is a nice way of letting them know they are too old. If they dress up, though, I find that quite entertaining.
Cool, thanks everyone.
[off to Publix...!]
One more thing,
It’s raining, turn on your lights. I can’t see your light grey Nissan Whatchyamacallit against the road very well.
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is my (one of my numerous) pet peeves!!!!!!!!!! I will flash brights and have now taking to trying to honk at people that don’t have their lights on when it is raining.
I’m not handing out candy, I’ll just give each of the little darlin’s a school board candidate brochure to take home to mommy and daddy.
The ones with really good costumes will get a shiny new sign.
Hope you’ve set aside a healthy budget for new windows, toilet paper cleanup, and car repainting.
LOL!!!
Seriously, though, we go through about 7-8 bags a night.
We go through several bags, too. Of course, most of them stay here and get eaten by the family.
Anyone know why Dekalb Avenue is the most policed street in America? I get hit by radar guns like 5 times a day. The motorcycle cop is a sure fire money maker for the city. The speed trap there is a bit overkill. My wife was pulled over the over day for doing TWO miles an hour over the speed limit. The officer gave her an official warning of her crimes, but no ticket after my wife,the New Yorker she is, called his bluff. Sure there are schools there so put cops with lights on Dekalb Ave. not cops with radar guns in my face 5 times a day.
Well, it’s pretty easy to avert any problems there. Just don’t speed my friend, and you will never need to be concerned about DeKalb Avenue again.
Even it it’s 2 miles an hour more than the speed limit, it’s still speeding.
B/c there are schools, and bicyclists, and moms with strollers, and joggers…. and what not there… I’m thrilled that there are also speed guns.
Huh…I’ve never been pulled over there, nor even seen many cops, and I drive it between DHS and L5P every day. I would suspect it is A) as you theorize, because of the schools, and B) because of the suicide lane.
I just wish they would repave the damn thing.
Except for the Georgia State Patrol, you can’t be ticketed unless you are clocked 10 mph over the limit. I think there are exceptions to marked school zones.
BTW, I assume you’re talking about DeKalb Ave in in Atlanta.
And, I agree with Fixit – if you’re not violating the law, you won’t be cited. Same thing goes for red light cameras.
also, if this is in a school zone during posted zone hours, there is NO tolerance for over the limit. Freakonomic needs to do 3 things
1. Read the drivers manual
2. Know where they are, DeKalb Ave is all in Atlanta, not in Decatur.
3. Understand that like Decatur Mom said, it’s going to be a bad day if you hit someone.
Assuming you are talking about West Howard, I say the Decatur Police are doing exactly what they should be doing and pulling over as many inconsiderate idiots on that stretch of road as they can. I walk my son to and from school several times a week and people absolutely FLY down that street. Slow the heck down, people!!! And at the Adair St. crosswalk, you are going to get an earful from me if you start inching up on me and my son as we cross. I am sick to death of people acting like the pedestrian crosswalk and crossing guards are huge inconveniences, and that the school zone speed limit doesn’t apply to them You hit a kid, and your life is RUINED. Is it really worth it to get where you are going thirty seconds faster? Every time I see flashing blue lights on that stretch (which is almost daily) I’m happy.
Here, here.
Maybe the police can start doing the same over in front of Winnona Park along Avery, Inman, Kirk, Mimosa, Bucher, gee, I guess every damn street in Decatur seems to have people driving without speed limits–and what’s really stupid is most of them are not cutting through–they live here.
What’s even more impressive on W Howard/Dekalb Ave than the police presence are those crossing guards. Those ladies aren’t messin’ around. I’m more intimidated by them than the officers.
Those ladies are awesome. They definitely have the most dangerous crossing in Decatur but they are fearless. They have nerves of steel. I have witnessed many near misses. I have to cross there often and appreciate them so much. I had to cross there one day after they were gone. 3 lanes of traffic stopped, one woman came flying at us and as I was pulling my 1st grader back out of her way she flicked me off and yelled at me that I was an idiot. Drivers really need to slow down and watch out for kids on Howard.
Talk back to cops all you want but cross… uh… the crossing guards and your life is forfeit.
Amnesty International is holding its Southern Regional Conference at the Holiday Inn on Clairemont this weekend.
http://www.amnestyusa.org/regional-conferences/south/page.do?id=1650029
Happy Halloween, Y’all!
General topic, not about the content of this thread: Why is it that in blog-world people are so very snarky? What happened to nice or nothing?
I’m snarky in real life as well!
Doesn’t that make you sort of depressed?
I think you might be projecting.
You are right! It makes ME depressed.
Perhaps it’s because we are all human beings–oh, and, naturally, we all think we’re better than everybody else.
On this day – 2 days before the election – I do wonder why Fred Boykin, who claims to be a Decatur businessman, actually operates his bike shop outside of the Decatur city limits.
I also wonder why Fred Boykin claims to be walk and bike friendly, and promotes the use of alternative transportation, but yet his store is in one of the most traffic choked, non walk/bike friendly intersections in the Decatur area, and the only possible way to get there for most of us is by car.
If Fred Boykin was really committed to the ideals he professes, then why isn’t his store in downtown Decatur, a much more walkable/bikeable area. Plus, it would help business in Decatur by filling up some of our empty retail space.
I guess Fred Boykin just doesn’t put his money where his mouth is.
Hey! I wonder who Pete’s not voting for!
… or purchasing a bicycle from!
Uhh, maybe because a group of us started the store while we were students at Emory and it was the closest location to the college that had any space? I was a Junior at the time – back in 1972.
Time stands still, right Fred. Is it still 1972?
It’s time for a change ….
Yeah… but it sure is nice that’s it’s next to Rainbow… I always get a kickin’ three bean salad there after I get some kid’s bike fixed. Of course, a couple of hours after, no one wants to be around me for some reason………..
Hmmmm…. maybe it would be better for my family life if he did move away from the easy access to three bean salad.
How about opening a mega bike store over at the Big H????? Maybe you and our friend at One Step at a Time could open a running/biking store… you could even name it after the Walk and Roll program maybe….
But then again, there’s those Mexican restaurants nearby… more beans…. not good.
One would need to be a LOTTERY WINNER to afford rent/purchase at Big H….or the BIG HOLE,as it has become.