Free-For-All Friday 3/9/12
Decatur Metro | March 9, 2012Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not yet discussed here over the past week.
Comments close on Monday.
Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not yet discussed here over the past week.
Comments close on Monday.
« Drainage Issues Require New Fencing Inside Adair Dog Park Morning Metro: A Secret Market in Downtown Atlanta, Eastwood in Va-Hi?, and Duany Thinks Twice About Walmart »
Anybody have recommendations for a handyman to put up a wooden fence and gate?
Will Sawyer is a fantastic handyman/carpenter with very reasonable rates. He did a job like this for my husband and I and it turned out beautifully. His cell is 828-450-6620.
Dale Jenks is an excellent handyman. I use him for everything around my house. His cell is 404-610-2349.
We also use Dale. He is skilled and does good work, his fees are reasonable, he is fast, and he is super nice. Of course, saying all this makes me feel like I’m giving away the biggest gravel lot secret ever.
Since there are over 600 CSD kids in Track Club I thought this would be another way to send out a reminder to our Track Club parents and the community to register today for the Tour deCatur.
Early registration for the Decatur Education Foundation’s Tour Decatur ends today at 5pm. The price increases after today’s deadline. If you miss today’s deadline you can still register online through 3/21 at the higher price.
Have a Happy Friday!
We just moved to Oakhurst and were wondering about all the rumors of the city passing a moratorium on demolishing houses. Does anybody know what is going on?
Rumors so far. And I kinda hope they stay that way cause we’re looking at popping the top of our house next year.
We’re thinking of moving to Oakhurst and I was googling information about it when I saw a piece on Decatur Metro about a crime caught on tape on Fayetteville road a few years back. Are break ins like that common or was it a fluke situation? Do you feel safe living in Oakhurst? Would you be swayed if you were living on a street that borders Decatur?
If it’s the video I’m thinking of, that was a few MONTHS back. Just before Christmas.
Others may have different viewpoints, but here is my take:
It was more of a fluke related to holidays. And I feel bad for the family that had the break in.
I/We feel very safe living in Oakhurst. That doesn’t mean we don’t lock our doors, but we’ve never had a problem in 10+ years. This includes living near some questionable housing that has since been demolished
A while back a commenter (Marty?) made a good point. Even though this is Decatur and we have a great, proactive police force, we are still surrounded by Atlanta and Dekalb county, so nothing is totally safe.
Move to Oakhurst. You won’t regret it. Find yourself a post WWII clapboard 2/1, tear it down, and have Arlene Dean and Renewal Design build you a nice big Praire Modern! Or take a look at some of the nice ones going up on Ansley.
http://blog.historian4hire.net/2012/03/05/new-decatur-subdivision/#more-4718
Are you serious? Nice ones going up on Ansley? What’s happening on Ansley is precisely the reason I just launched Rethink Oakhurst http://rethinkoakhurst.wordpress.com/ and why I’m trying to find support to get the the City Commission to enact a six-month moratorium on demolitions in Oakhurst to bring community stakeholders together to comprehensively explore what’s going on longterm and whether it’s really in the public interest or merely the private interest of the folks profiting from lax development controls. Every time I drive up Ansley and see the impending demolitions, this Blazing Saddles scene pops into my mind: http://youtu.be/9v0OLW3Qhc8
Just read your site, and I want to correct one of your basic assumptions. Builders are NOT determining our streetscapes. Homeowners, both current and future, are the force behind these tear downs. You clearly want to frame this argument as corporate, evil builders who care only about profit versus the powerless residents, and nothing could be further from the truth. People (your neighbors) are buying and moving into these houses by choice, and it is irrelevant if they tore it down themselves or bought a spec house.
I am a big fan of building things of appropriate scale to the neighborhood, and I am not crazy about some of the new large homes. But I will say these so called McMansions are funding our city.
The taxes on the homes that were torn down were a fraction of what the newly valued properties will be. I ran the numbers (using that spreadsheet someone posted on here a couple years ago) on a 100K house vs a 600k house with the normal homestead exemption and the decatur taxes were around $1500 vs $10K annually, not even including the dekalb taxes. Your new neighbors are funding the police, fire, schools, etc etc when they buy these monsters. The city needs the revenue. Not all a bad thing.
Actually, there’s a pretty solid argument to be made by projecting the lifespan of some of these buildings, demographic changes once the kiddies now in CSD age out, and what the actual social/environmental costs are and you could just as easily write that these new “monsters” as you call them are setting future Decatur residents up for an unrecoverable fall. At least the buildings that became vacant and that fell into repair in the 70s and 80s were much better constructed — not necessarily pretty in some cases — but used more durable materials and were easily rehabbed under HUD and City programs. The crap being built now is just going to follow the older homes into the landfills. Economic studies of new residential building shows that it is costlier to maintain these homes than their older, smaller predecessors. And if you want to talk energy and environment, as these things age, their systems (seals, mechanics, etc) will start to fail. You and others assume that the economic resources are going to remain constant and that all future owners will be able to afford to maintain, repair, and keep these buildings occupied. That’s a fallacy. Ask some folks in these homes about moisture problems they’re already experiencing. Ask EJ Sadler, who is a vocal apologist for the new building, what his opinions are of the materials being used and how builders fail to adequately shield critical elements from the elements before they are put in place in some of these new homes.
So kick the can down the road. Enjoy the short term perception that what you see is improvement. Ignore the social costs and keep telling yourself that anything is better than what you might think is bad now. From what I read in these posts and the invective being flung over on the Oakhurst list is that there is no commons in Decatur. Everyone’s self interest seems to trump the public interest. WTF?
Perhaps the public doesn’t agree with you about what is in it’s best interest.
Excellent point. But then again, they may not agree with you. And since I’m not hiding behind an anonymous screen name and I am trying to defend my positions in a public debate, I’m really not going to put much stock in your opinion. Sorry about that “DawgFan.”
David, your mind is made up and I doubt you put stock in anyone’s opinion. Here is he thing though: you use this forum to express your views and try to create support for your plans. My opinion on the topic is the antitheses of yours, so why can’t I express my opinion without it being completely discounted? You dont want a public debate, you want to lecture.
I and other make valid points counter to yours. You need to formulate a better response that your opinion is “professional”.
DF, you’re on a roll this week. Great response.
+1
David’s tactics and the way he pits neighbors against neighbors makes me ill – and is not what Oakhurst or Decatur is all about.
I guess I don’t follow your logic. You dislike the new construction because it will fail but the new stuff is replacing cheaply made and lived in hard and (imho) unattractive housing. All construction has a lifetime and I do not think many of us could afford to live in new homes that would meet your criteria. I live in a 50′s house that we painstakingly revitalized, actually reduced the heated living space. Am I cool in your book? What is the point you are trying to make? Should families of 4+ live in the tiny 1000sf homes? I’m not trying to be ugly here, just trying to understand your pov.
I can’t speak to others viewpoint but I share the concern about the larger homes in the neighborhoods and the generally lower quality of the materials. Inevitably, I’m making a judgment that as based on particular values that I have. But, the current state is not value neutral. Mortgage interest deductions and many of the restrictions in land use combine to encourage larger homes that cover more of the lot. Both of these are regulatory decisions that have this effect and I for one, think this particular arrangement of incentives is not desirable.
“the invective being flung over on the Oakhurst list” — Not even close. Keep stirring the pot over there, and you’ll eventually see what happens when Oakhurstians get cranked up and serious about flinging invective.
BTW, I totally understand why you’d be upset about the lighting over at the school. It seems WAY brighter than it needs to be, left on all night. Have you contacted CSD to see if something might be done to tone it down? That wouldn’t solve your unhappiness about the old school being torn down, but it might make life less miserable going forward.
Just read the Oakhurst Yahoo Group and OUCH- no wonder you feel snarky STG!! I’m a little nervous since we’re looking at one of the new homes that have come up in Oakhurst. Hoping people don’t mind that I might live in one of them.
The people you will want to connect with are not going to judge you about your choice of house. They will be interested in whether you are a kind and considerate neighbor, an engaged parent (if that applies), and can be counted on not to crank your lawn mower too early on weekend mornings. Hope you find a home here!
+1 Smalltowngirl
+1 Smalltowngirl
Don’t worry Aisha. The people in Oakhurst are, by in large, lovely. Just because one voice is the loudest does not make it the consensus.
The new homes are beautiful, wonderfully built, and you will love it more than one of those built in the early part of the last century. I’ve lived in both and would have torn down the old one in a heart beat if the lot had been wider and more accommodating.
I hope that most of these newly built homes have basic accessibility features in place — at least one zero-step entrance, 32″-wide doors, and a ground-floor bathroom that is preferably maneuverable by a wheelchair.
That’s one of the most important steps that homeowners can take to ensure that their houses are suitable for aging in place and are welcoming to friends, relatives, and neighbors with disabilities. Info about Visitability is available at http://www.concretechange.org. (Concrete Change is based nearby and provides fantastic awareness training, by the way.)
Wait a minute, David. I’ve followed your every word here and on the Oakhurst listserve. Your points, which may be valid, are hard to defend because of the attitude that you use to project them. Now you are chafed about the “invective” with which others are responding to you? May I point out that it was you, sir, that compared our new 5th Ave. school to, and I quote: “a Las Vegas whorehouse.” Is there context around that? Sure. Do I feel compelled to provide it? No; doesn’t matter. That language is the definition of invective, and yet, you are trying to pin it on others. As we say in Oakhurst with derision, “Brother, please.”
+1
Warren, I believe what I wrote was that it was lit up “like a Las Vegas whorehouse.” But now that you mention it, considering all of the architectural simulacra that defines Las Vegas, I’m really pleased with that comparison.
OK, David. That’s cool. But you can, understand, right, that when you choose those kinds of words, you may turn people off to your argument? That is, I might agree with you, but I’d never attach myself to “your side” because your words are too bombastic. That is, you have, in fact, inflamed a good number of people by turning this into an us vs. them thing. That any chance you may have had in actually engaging the community in a debate over the issues is going/has gone up in flames?
What I see is a great nice new school with lots of positive activity, kids and parents walking and biking to school and activities, people using the grounds and park next door. All this in the place of a dead zone place that was crumbling and decaying for the previous decade that I have lived here.
If you think this looks like a “Las Vegas Whorehouse” then you have a sick, warped mind, David.
Your comparison of our school’s outdoor lighting: very immature sounding.
I have left the school very late at night and want more lighting.
Also we have a bullying program you maybe interested in attending at our school.
What interests me is the seeming familiarity of so many residents as to what a well-lit Las Vegas whorehouse looks like.
In my experience, las vegas whore houses are quite dimly lit.
I am an old house person. That’s what attracted me to Decatur. IMO, construction materials for most (not all) new homes and new construction are crap. The houses may look nice at first, but begin deteriorating within a few years. Definitely NOT the quality of 1920′s – 1930′s construction – like the old house I live in and love.
I am much more concerned with the way people in Oakhurst treat one another than whether their house is old or new, large or small. I would rather live in a tent community where people treat one another with respect and act with civility than in a “nice” neighborhood where people are as judgmental and mean as they are on this and other local websites. It is sad that some people see their opinions as fact and do not recognize that others are equally entitled to their own opinions which deserve equal consideration and respect. I find it particularly ironic that most of the people who attack those with differing viewpoints are the same ones who purport to want more diversity in their neighborhood. As someone who has lived in Oakhurst for almost 20 years, I have seen respect, tolerance and friendliness decline, to be replaced with increased negativity, judgment and rudeness. I would much prefer to see people here talking about how to make Oakhurst—and Decatur—a place where people can live together and treat one another with respect and decency. That would make Oakhurst and Decatur truly unique and special.
+1 There will be no more discussion on this topic here unless it is constructive and folks remain respectful of their differing opinions. If that’s asking too much, I respectfully ask you go somewhere else.
Note to Aisha: this happens around here. It’s not you. Welcome to our weird little world.
Parker Cross, LOL thank you for saying that. I’ve been watching the thread thinking “umm. . . . SORRY didn’t know my question about crime in Oakhurst would lead to such a wide and varied response” I will say that everyone here sounds so engaged with their community and it just makes me want to move here all the more!!
Aisha, I can only say that my husband and I have enjoyed living here since we found Decatur, by accident and a good realtor, in 1988. We’ve enjoyed our home and made many good friends. Good luck with your search.
Sadly the builder we made an offer to turned out to be a touch shady, quite disheartened but better to know now rather than later. . . on the bright side having done my research and gone out to personally explore the area I can truly say I am completely charmed with Oakhurst and hope very much we’ll find something that works for us. Thanks for all the advice and feedback everyone.
TeeRuss nailed it: It’s not you. It’s us.
OK! Sorry DM! I provoked that thread with my response to Aisha’s original query. From now on, if I have beef with Mr. David’s positions , I’ll comment on his blog.
Please permit me one last note: I don’t think there was any bullying – no “get out of here”, no “you jackhole ” Just responses to the viewpoints and tone (really it’s the tone). I thought that was fair game. (No personal attacks, no profanity).
I have a bunch more to say, but couldn’t take the time while at work. Nothing attacking, just questioning, e.g., what evidence is there that the materials of these new houses are cheap?
Anyway. I think this calls for a truce at Trackside per JT’s idea for a meetup. Cheers.
“Anyway. I think this calls for a truce at Trackside per JT’s idea for a meetup. Cheers.”
NO.
This is third time in recent months that David has come on here and conducted himself exactly the same way. Even before that, his stop-ins were all David-centric. He’s never shown a bit of interest in getting to know the folks on here. It is NOT bygones time. Until David owns up that he’s gone way over the line, he’s not owed a damn thing by anyone.
Deanne, I thought David told me I ran him off last time and he wouldn’t be coming back. I kinda find it ironic, as some one who has lived in Decatur since, yikes, 1989, that he, who moved here a year or two ago, comes along and complains about how Decatur is SUPPOSED to be!
Wow. I assumed that David has lived here with decades, and he is just stuck in his ways and has tired of the change. I guess the community is just supposed to be frozen in time to the exact date when David decided it was where he wanted to live and graced us with his presence.
Not quite, Dawgfan. David is actually trying to reach back as far as 2007, years before his own arrival. He has somehow determined that he alone knows the real truth surrounding the community debate that occurred that year about a proposal to turn Oakhurst into a historic district. An interesting perspective, since those of us who were most deeply involved know there were and are many truths. It was a bitter dispute in which many reasonable people disagreed for many, many different reasons. Harsh things were said all around. And there has been much fence-mending since, as people moved on and grappled together with other issues and challenges. That’s how a small town works. I’ll fight you on an issue where we disagree, and work hard alongside you when we agree. I’m pretty sure we all expect the historic preservation issue in Oakhurst to re-emerge at some point, and I imagine that opinions will be as sharply divided as before. Personally, I also expect–hope, certainly–that next time we’ll make it beyond the “all or nothing” framework that stymied us before, and come up with a more sophisticated way of using historic preservation that enables us to preserve what helps us know and understand what and who came before us, without stifling the present or artificially contriving the future. We can do that in a walk, if we continue to abandon the old “us versus them” rubric and resolve to start fresh and work together. That’s what an authentic community does. Old buildings can serve merely to memorialize the community that used to be. Or they can also salute the community that is, and inspire the one to come. I don’t understand this effort to fan old ashes back into raging flames, but I don’t think it’s gaining much traction.
Nelliebelle-
Yes ma’am, he did. You’re forgetting the part where David — yet again– turned what should’ve been a reply into a post on his blog:
“Nelliebelle1197, Thank you for your comments. I won’t waste DM bandwidth with my response but if you are interested, I’ve posted it here: http://wp.me/p1bnGQ-1bC
I get what you’re saying. I’ll refrain from playing in DM’s sandbox in the future. It’s been an interesting visit. Bye y’all.”
http://www.decaturmetro.com/2012/02/10/free-for-all-friday-21012/#comments
Look out, papa bear just pulled the car over!
Thank you for your POV on this, much appreciated!
Be sure that if you do move to Oakhurst that you drink the Kool Aid and don’t go off message. Once you do, the good folks like STG, Chewy, DawgFan, Marty, and Warren will make sure that they beat you back into submission. Heck, you could find yourself afraid to speak up about civic issues that mean a lot to you because you’ve been bullied into submission. Or, like one of the folks who acted in what he thought was the community’s interest and spent many hours trying to get a historic district created, you could be bullied into moving out of the neighborhood altogether.
Although since none of these good folks use their real names here, it’s entirely possible that it’s just one person making all of these friendly comments. I think if you actually read anything I’ve written about Oakhurst and the people who live there, not the builders profiteering there, you’ll find that I’ve written quite a bit that’s positive.
Welcome to the neighborhood if you do move here. Draw your own conclusions about people and think a lot before drinking the Kool Aid.
I was going to make another snarky comment, but you actually kinda scare me dude. I do admire the inevitable feedback loop that you generate, though. Turn a valid, reasonable opinion into a frontal assault on your neighbors –> Be offended when they ignore your point and focus on your holier than thou sanctimony –> Call them out for their anonymity —> Play the martyr!
Well played, real David!
When you throw bombs, you should expect at least rocks to be thrown back.
Please stop feeding the troll.
There have been a number of thoughtful, well-spoken responses to David’s rantings today. David ignores them and chooses to spew more vitriol. He is not looking for discussion and he is not trying to persuade. David is just mad as hell and wants to throw a very public fit.
Enough already.
+100000000
can’t we just go back to talking about rain barrels and revolution doughnuts?
doughnuts, yea!
It’s very scary around here. Can’t imagine what people are thinking that let their kids play up and down teh street, push their baby strollers around at all hours, walk back and forth to the bars and cafes late at night. There are a few retired people I see taking walks in the afternoons, and I just don’t understand why they take the risk. When we call the police, it usually takes them AT LEAST two minutes to arrive, and sometimes as long as five. It can be terrifying to wait that long, with your house alarm going off all that time because you forgot the code and can’t call the alarm company ’cause you locked your cell phone in the car along with your keys. Not sure how much longer I can put up with it, myself.
I’d think and long and hard, if I were you.
Smalltown, I apologize that I caused offense. I didn’t intend for that at all in asking the question. I don’t know the area, we’re moving from a northern suburb and so just doing my research online and thought I’d ask because we do love Decatur and do intend to move here just wanted clarity. Again, sorry for offense caused.
Aisha, please don’t take it personally. I made the mistake of reading more of the nonsense currently circulating on the Oakhurst listserve before I’d had my coffee this morning, and then decided to declare today an Official Sarcasm Day. (It did strike me as unlikely that anyone who thinks Oakhurst is unsafe would proclaim it on a forum like this. They’d be more likely to keep quiet and try to sell their house and escape. If any such person exists.)
I’ve lived in Oakhurst for 12+ years. What I’m most diligent about is keeping my backyard locked up and my tool shed secure, to keep my gardening tools and bicycle from wandering away. I keep the house locked because I live alone. (When I had a large dog with a larger bark, I was less careful about locking the doors when at home during the day.) I am totally comfortable walking around the neighborhood at all hours, although much more alert and vigilant if late at night. My biggest gripe is too many people have moved in that don’t have experience living in a small town and have to be taught how to act: smile and greet everybody, whether you know them or not; pay attention and get up in your neighbors’ business, and don’t be offended when they get up in yours–that’s how we look out for each other.
Thanks! I lived in Duluth and even there I locked up after myself and we had break ins as well towards the end of my time there. I left Duluth for the main reason to shorten commute and more to have a nice friendly neighborhood where people know each other. I lived in my house in Duluth for eight years and left knowing only one neighbor. People just don’t want to engage. I’m super excited about the move to Oakhurst. As a Muslim family I also feel the friendliness and tolerance here to be very different from some of the things we experienced in Duluth.
If you make moderate effort to engage with your neighbors here and do even a little bit to get involved with the community — volunteer one Saturday morning, there’s always something going on — you will soon find yourself up to your ears in a friendly, welcoming community full of warmth and generosity and nosiness and petty politics and all the things that make up human society. If that’s what you are after, you’ll love it.
tsk. tsk. STG – uncharacteristically snarky. (And I’m a big fan of your comments).
Come on, Chewey, cut me some slack! I’m basically a very snarky, judge-y person. 99% of my public comments are heavily edited because I’d rather try getting my point across to the most people and avoid unnecessary offense and/or distraction. But it’s Friday. And isn’t it more entertaining when we all bust out of character now and then?
You’re right. It’s funny – a second read doesn’t come across nearly as crass. That’s the danger with comments, I guess. Hard to infer author’s intended tone. But I guess we’ve known that since days of email.
p.s. I’m still curious – did you end up boycotting halloween? (I’m guessing that you didn’t…)
So you pick today of all days–when I’ve already made it clear I’m feeling grumpy–to ask about that particular thing? Shame on you! Ask me again next fall. >;-)
Maybe DM should consider a new weekly topic, Snarky Sundays!
Yep, very snarky, and not funny. What a way to welcome a potential new neighbor. Jeez.
When I wrote it, I was feeling very snarky and was not trying at all to be funny. So I guess it worked out.
Small Town Girl, you mentioned a listserv for Oakhurst, is there a way to gain access to that? Or is that only once officially buys? I am renting in Downtown Decatur at the moment.
It’s a group on Yahoo!, I think it’s called OakhurstGA. If I’m not mistaken, anybody can read it, but you have to be a member in order to post a comment. It’s a useful tool for the neighborhood. In my cnosidered opinion, it’s not very useful for outsiders or newcomers looking to get a real sense of the community, because only a few slivers of our community life are actually reflected there. So take it with a grain of salt.
Also, while I realize being so snarky so early in the AM might have undermined me….my name is Small Town Gal, not Girl. As some longtime readers here may remember, the phrase “small town girl” usually gives me a Journey ear worm, which makes me even grumpier.
Damnit, I guess STG and I were the only ones who didn’t get the memo that today was International Humorless Sourpuss Day!
Seriously folks, come the freak on. First off, a little snark keeps the wheels greased around here. But second off, it wasn’t even freaking snark. It was funny. Jeez.
Whew, thank god I’ve got to go get some actual work done for a while. Let’s hope things are a little looser around here come happy hour!
tsk tsk is right ! How dare you try to be funny, STG! You really ought to leave that to the professionals
Ouch!
We’ve been in Oakhurst for a little over 3 years, and I was concerned about crime too as we live on a border street with Atlanta. We have had no issues. A lot of foot traffic but everyone seems to be friendly and we love our neighbors and neighborhood!! We do have an alarm system, sign in the yard and a loud dog. I’d say the crime is similar to any other in-town Atlanta neighborhood, BUT we do have wonderful police in Decatur…much better than Atlanta/DeKalb!!
We moved to Oakhurst from another part of Decatur a few months ago. Some time between when we had our inspection done and when we moved in, all our copper pipes were stolen. To make it an even more fun experience, when the water company turned the water on, whoever did it couldn’t be bothered to stand there for 30 seconds and check to see the meter spinning like crazy, and the crawlspace became a bathtub. $5,200 in repairs before we were even living in the house–all for $50 worth of copper.
One of the many things that bothers me about the theft of our pipes is that the thieves knew when they could do their dirty deed. Many folks have commented to me that it is likely that either they were observing our home or that a neighbor did it for them.
Take a look at a CrimeReports.com map and you’ll see that while this area has way less crime (and way WAY less violent crime) than surrounding towns, it is not immune to crime. I have a lot of confidence in our police force, though, and in enough neighbors caring; I feel safe enough here that we have chosen Oakhurst as the place to raise our children. It takes work, vigilance, and common sense to remain safe. I am not fool enough to think I can leave any doors unlocked or any valuables in my yard.
Hi Aisha…here’s a link you might be interested in. At last months’ Oakhurst Neighborhood Association meeting, the police chiefl gave a good update on crime in Decatur and Oakhurst for 2011 and actually compared it from 1996. It was pretty good news. You can read a bit more here: http://oakhurstga.org/?p=1062
I had a break-in a few months back — also during the holidays. Decatur uniformed officers were on site in five minutes after I called. Detective was there in 15 minutes, even though it was a Sunday night, took inventory and dusted for prints. Perps were in custody two days later, and three of the four remain in the slam. Some of the stolen stuff was recovered. The thorough police report ensured the insurance company covered the rest. Sure, just like anywhere, we have crime. But we have a superb little police force that keeps it in check.
Keep in mind that you are still living in Atlanta even if you are in a smaller neighborhood. Crime happens. But at least in this neighborhood if anything happens everyone knows about it in 2.5 seconds from the yahoo group or Decatur Metro. That is a positive because it means people care enough about each other to alert one another. This is an amazing community.
I know this is an oldie but I have heard a few different things….
What is the deal with the Decatur Diner. Are there new owners? Are they related to the old owners? Are the employees getting paid?
I saw they have posted a health score of 95 on their door.
Anyone know or been in recently?
The Patch just reported this morning a score of 79: http://decatur.patch.com/articles/shingaani-scores-90-on-health-inspection
I just remarked yesterday when stopped at the red light at Ponce and Church that NO ONE was there, sitting outside eating on such a great warm evening. Can’t believe they’re still hanging on. I ate there twice and that’s all I needed.
We had breakfast there for the first time last week. We had a great experience! Service was wonderful, food was good. Everything was clean and bright. I looked at the regular menu and will definitely be back to try more. I know this place seems to have been doomed from the start, which is why it took us so long to try it; however, I will go back!
My Shill Detector just went off.
Even if said in jest, I resent that! You may not like the place, but we had a good time. Many people love TDS and will stand in line for that marginal Mex food. I do not! To each his own.
We had dinner there a few weeks back. The food was tasty and the service very good.
I had this handle first!
I’m curious about the voter turnout in Decatur last week . . . what was the percentage and breakdown of votes . . .when I voted at First Baptist around 2pm I was only voter # 177. Any word on that?
http://decatur.patch.com/articles/romney-outpolled-gingrich-in-every-decatur-avondale-precinct
Flash Mob Frisbee – Sunday – 3:00 Renfroe field. Show up with a dark and a white t shirt and your frisbee.
Thanks MrFixIt. My son plans to give it another try this weekend. Hope there is good weather and a good turn out.
We will make a renewed effort this week to be there!
DM – the gift that keeps on giving.
My fridge stopped working properly this week so I googled “Decatur appliance repair” and an old DM thread on the topic from 2010 popped up on the second page of Google. I clicked the link, called one of the recommended companies and the problem was solved by the end of the day (and for a very fair price). The company was A-1 Appliance Rescue.
I’ve used that recommendation myself. Glad to have been of service!
A plug to run/walk Tour deCatur on Mar. 24. Early registration deadline is 5 p.m. TODAY. Proceeds benefit our community’s children and youth through the Decatur Education Foundation.
Details: http://www.tourdecatur.com
Thanks for the reminder! Always love this 5k.
How about a quick survey this AM?
I am one of those guys who occasionally rides a bike with a 2 yr old in a nice bike trailer. My wife says I should put a helmet on my daughter in the trailer. Helmet or no helmet?
In the interest of full disclosure:
1. I might ride on the sidewalk and/or not come to a complete stop every now and then
2. I will only share the results with her if you agree with my point of view…
Why would you NOT put a helmet on her?
In the interest of full disclosure:
1. It scares the bejesus out of me when I see little kids in these things so close to cars, and
2. Your wife WILL see this, trust me
I would only put a helmet on your daughter if she ever plans on using her brain. If she wants to be a Republican, don’t bother…
(it’s a joke, folks)
I know that we are supposed to try to keep it civil and avoid directly insulting people with whom we disagree ideologically but, what the hell, I LOLed at this!
definitely a helmet…
Chiming in as cyclist and driver. I dont particularly care for seeing parents toting children on bikes. From my experiences, knowing how close cars come to you, within an inch of my handlebars on dozens of occasions, and once having had someone throw something at me from a moving car, PLEASE put a helmet on your child. Most people are paying attention, but not all. One of my relatives was killed about 20 years ago, when a teen driver jumped the curb and wound up on the sidewalk where she was walking after her car broke down. Anyways, there’s no good reason all for your child not to be in a helmet on a bike. This and seeing women tying dog leashes to strollers are total pet peeves of mine. Is it worth the risk???
Absolutely she should wear a helmet. She is in a vehicle without sheets of metal surrounding her; a helmet could mean the difference between life and death–or worse.
At the risk of being obnoxious, I hope that you always wear a helmet, too. Too often I see parents riding with kids and only the kids are wearing helmets. This sets a bad example; when those kids are old enough, or when they are riding on their own, they will want to take off their helmets. I know a guy who was riding with a helmet but wearing it wrong (pushed back too far so that his forehead was exposed–a way I see too many kids wearing them) and he got sideswiped by a car and his forehead hit his handlebars. The injuries were like Jekyll and Hyde; he became this nasty, evil guy who had frequent seizures and had to take handfuls of meds every day.
A helmet. Please. Always.
Helmet!
Helmet = Happier spouse + Safer child? And costs you very little in money or effort?
I think you know the answer to this one already, Brad.
+1
Helmet!
Helmet. And please don’t ride your bike on the sidewalk.
Happy wet Friday to all! I’m looking for some info or feedback from anyone who has or had Virgin Mobile as a cell carrier– coverage in Atlanta, other areas, general impression, whatnot.
Thanks!
Virgin Mobile is on Sprint’s network. I have a Peel, mobile hotspot for an iPod Touch and experienced good service in metro ATL.
Thanks for the quick response, but are you on Sprint? I’ve discovered that while VM uses Sprint cell towers, a good thing, they don’t have the ability to roam– no agreements with other carriers. So if you leave a Sprint tower area without coming into proximity of another, apparently the phone/call dies until the next Sprint tower. So I’m really looking for VM customers . . .
I use the Peel throughout GA, AL, MS & TN. I have had no roaming issues only lack of coverage off the Interstate track. That said, my phone is on Verizonwireless for the coverage. Sprint (Virgin Mobile) does not cover these states like Verizon.
I’ve been using VM for about a year now and LOVE it. I’ve had very few issues with reception — any I’ve had were in areas that I’d had issues with when I was with TMobile (my last carrier). For reference, I live around Agnes Scott and work downtown, so those are the main areas I’m concerned with. I’ve also used it in drives back and forth to Tampa/St Pete and haven’t had any real issues.
VM’s customer service has also always been extremely helpful and prompt in my experience — I had a phone stolen last summer, and they immediately canceled my service and sent me a replacement free of charge within 3 days. This may not be an exciting thing to crow about in terms of cell phone replacement et al, but I tend to expect that phone companies will try to charge me just for the heck of it. Anyway, it has been a great experience and, honestly, I am so pleased with VM that I’d be hard-pressed to ever sign a cell phone contract again.
I’ve had VM for a year or so. Will try something else soon. Coverage moderately OK in the city — which is better than ATT was. But anywhere past the Perimeter, it dies. Also, the voicemail is quirky. I often get messages two days after they were left, and after that, they ghost back in as though new, even after they’ve been deleted. My son has MetroPCS — costs less, works better. But nothing holds a candle to Verizon, which I gave up because it was so expensive. You get what you pay for, I guess.
I know two people with VM who never have problems. One lives in Decatur and works downtown. Other lives OTP (first south of ATL and now north of ATL) and works downtown. Just get a good phone if you’re going to be on Andriod. The less nice phones don’t work as well.
Does anyone know if there are fox squirrels in and around Glenlake Park?
Are fox squirrels different from the usual squirrels around here?
Yes! Fox squirrels are amazing, and GA is within the range of the Eastern Fox Squirrel (although not sure which subspecies). But doubtful they are in Decatur, even with the trees. Unlike the Grey Squirrel, they are not a commensal species, so unlikely to be in any urban/suburban areas. They are mostly a squirrel of open woodlands or savannahs, like longleaf pine forest, are very interesting creatures, and quite striking.
http://www.swartzentrover.com/cotor/Photos/Hiking/squirrels/EasternFoxSquirrel.htm
Thanks Di-
From my house I can watch the canopy of the huge trees surrounding (the North end of) Glenlake. Several times I have watched a couple of squirrels chasing each other and they are huge! Of course I can’t say what size for sure, but the silhouettes are huge considering my vantage point and must be much larger than the squirrels I normally see.
Thanks again!
I’ve seen several in South Georgia. The first time I spotted one I couldn’t identify what it was (a little freaky), They are SO cool. Never have seen one in Atlanta.
Adorable carriage house apartment available on a nightly basis (very private). It is located in the heart of downtown Decatur. Fully furnished including linens, cable tv, full kitchen, bath, washer and dryer, parking.
I keep this apartment available for my out of town family and guests so it is truly a temporary space for anyone interested.
This is a perfect solution for Decatur’s charming albeit houses and lack of decent hotels for our out of town family and friends.
References required.
Please call (404)242-8062 for more information
$95/night 3 night stay minimum
Anybody planning to check out the Burlesque Festival at the Courtyard by Marriott?
http://www.southernfriedburlesquefest.com/
It’s billed as “More Fun Than Will Fit In A Bucket” !
Everybody knows that more than a bucketful is a waste.
hilarious.
also, it looks fun, but jeez are the ticket prices high
Just wanted to add another comment about the Diner. The present owner has nothing to do with original ownership. He stated he will be condensing menu. Glad to hear that! Have been numerous times and food has always been good. We live across the street and the Diner gets more business than it would appear.
Table tennis anyone?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/09/nyregion/marty-reisman-a-throwback-to-a-bolder-era-of-table-tennis.html?_r=1&nl=nyregion&emc=edit_ur_20120309
There used to be weekly table tennis at the Decatur Rec Center. Apparently, they might meet at Beacon Hill now. As a childhood champ, I have always wanted to take it up again, but haven’t yet.
http://beactivedecatur.wordpress.com/tag/decatur-recreation-center/
The City’s table tennis night is Tuesday from 8 till 10 at Ebster Gym, until the rec center’s renovation is complete.
We just moved here and are planning our first night out without the kids. We have asked our 14 year old neighbor to babysit for our 3 girls (8-11). What is the going rate for a babysitter in Decatur?
We have paid anywhere from $6-$10 per hour (for our two kids)
Our average cost usually was around that $8 middle ground. (5-6 years ago)
Hope that helps.
We pay ours $10/hr but we only have 1 child.
Not bad.
When I was babysitting, many, many year ago, I got $1/hr per kid.
When I started (in about 7th grade) I got 50 cents/hour to look after however many kids happened to be there. In high school I charged $1/hour and usually got a bonus if the parents stayed out too long past midnight. Never occurred to me to charge more for more kids. Had a couple of regular customers that liked to shut down the small-town country club on weekends. After the kids were asleep I could read, study, and watch SNL, In Concert, and The Midnight Special (none of which was a popular choice with my parents).
Korean Tacos anyone?
“We’ve heard a rumor from a couple of sources (one possibly drunk, but still) that the owners of Hankook Taqueria have signed a lease in the old Cakes & Ale location in Decatur.”
- http://clatl.com/blogs/omnivore/
That would be awesome. Hankook rocks!
Whaaaaa? This is awesome news. Add this to the rumor of Tasty China opening a location near Emory and confirmation of Little Red Hen Bakery opening up Revolution Doughnuts near Oakhurst, and this has been a truly tragic week for my waistline…
The only thing that would surprise me more at this point is a ramen-ya opening on the square.
Wait. What’s this about Revolution Doughnuts near Oakhurst?
Yesyesyesyesyes!!
From LRH’s website:
“we signed a lease on the space next to Ale Yeah! Craft Beer Market in look for us to open as Revolution Doughnuts in May.
Posted on 9 March 2012 | 6:46 am”
http://littleredhenbakeshop.com/whatsNew.html
HAPPY DANCE, HAPPY DANCE, HAPPY DANCE
What the hell….let’s build the dogs an overpass, and make the whole darned town a historic district, and whatever else anybody can think of, it’s all good…
DOUGHNUTS! YEA!
Yeah, we buy goodies from Maria at the Decatur Farmer’s Market just about every Saturday (when I die, fill my coffin with those peanut butter chocolate bars and pimento cheese scones) and she had told us a while back that this was coming, but we didn’t want to say anything until she was able to sign a lease, lest we screw it up for her. Supposedly she intends to give Sublime Doughnuts a run for their money.
I do know the original site they were looking at was on or right near the square (not sure exactly where), but the lease deal fell apart at the last minute. Glad she had a backup!
If you can make that happen, I will personally lead your campaign for mayor!
That AND Sugarmoon Bakeshop in Oakhurst. Wow…we’re really going to be tipping the scales!
Keith,
I will meet you at the doughnut shop. Then we can jog to Sugarmoon and head over to Kenny’s for beer on the sidewalk. That should be a good workout!
Sounds like a good plan to me.
For more places to get Hankook/Korean tacos and sesame fries — The Yumbii truck is appearing Wednesdays at the Stove Works on Krog, and will be at the Hunger Walk this Sunday.
Anyone know if the food trucks are still gathering on New Street on Thursday evenings? Yumbii was there some.
They are, but I don’t think Yumbii has been there for a month or two. It’s usually the W.O.W. truck (natch) plus one or two guest trucks. Suspect as we get further into spring/summer and people are more in the eating outside mindset we’ll see more people and more trucks.
Great news!
I am wondering why when we had crappy old Decatur wi-fi (that you could never connect to with your mobile device) there was a free option for a couple of hours, like when you were hanging out around the square or in line at TDS. Now that there is better wi-fi that I can connect to, there is no more short-term, free option?
anyone know where i can get some rain barrels or just used barrels that I can convert to rain barrels? trying to find something other than the $100 home depot ones, thanks
I’m wondering too. Hope you get some answers.
Try Atlanta Rain Barrels.
Round up several neighbors who also want to buy some, and see if you can negotiate a volume discount.
Wait until June and attend the Solarium Patio Party (annual fundraiser for the Community Center of South Decatur) and purchase at auction a one-of-a-kind, hand-painted rain barrel created by a local artist. Actually, I think one of the elementary schools auctioned decorated barrels last year, too.
stg…must have been typing as you were posting
great minds, we can’t help it!
if you can hold off until early june the solarium has their annual patio party and auctions off rain barrels designed by locals and artists…very cool..and a great way to support our neighborhood treasure (not to mention it is a great party!)… you could also check with the oakhurst community garden…i believe they do workshops on making your own or could point in the right direction of where to purchase one.
Craigslist has several folks who make them as a cottage industry. I got ours for $40 a couple years ago from a gentleman up in Marietta who makes them out of discarded plastic pickle barrels (choice of brick red or blue). Has served faithfully ever since.
We’ve got a few we’re planning on selling during the Winnona Park neighborhood yard sale. They are bright blue, but if that doesn’t bother you, make me an offer at
Even though I have seen Correct Med complimented multiple times on here and other blogs, I don’t feel it would be right if I didn’t mention the WONDERFUL service we received earlier this week from Dr. Goo, the nurses and the office staff. They must be doing something very right as we walked in an hour before closing and were met with compassion and plenty of patience for our screaming toddler, who as it turned out, had double ear infections. Yuck. We were immediately given proper pain meds and treatment, the office even fills some of its prescriptions right there. Its been a while since I have been surprised by good customer service so I am very happy to pass along the experience and recommend Dr. Goo and his staff!
Does anyone know why they put up a picket fence just outside the practice?
Am I just a crank or does anyone else find the tables put out by Ted’s Montana Grill and The Choolate Bar smack in the middle of the sidewalk annoying as hell to walk past? And are any of our local establishments enforcing our new sidewalk cafe smoking ban?
Actually, I’m a crank no matter what.
I don’t know about the smoking, but I agree about the Montana Grill & Chocolate Bar tables. I never know which way to go around them because either way I feel like I’m intruding on people’s lunch or dinner. And getting a stroller through there when I’m walking with my youngest kid? Forget it. We just cross the street to the other side.
They’re annoying even when they’re empty, especially if someone is coming in the other direction. Why can’t they move them closer to the building, the way they are at Ruby Tuesday’s and Thumbs Up?
All this chatter about the Tour DeCatur…I hope this plug is OK: I’m running it, and I’m on Team College Heights. I’m hoping to raise double my initial goal for my very first 5K (I’m on my way…). If you feel so inclined to donate, here you go: http://firstgiving.com/fundraiser/marlablair/2012 Thanks, neighbors!
I’ve had Virgin Mobile since Black Friday (fabulous sale on a fabulous phone…). I have nothing but good things to say about it and have had no problems with service in Decatur or pretty much anywhere else. (Knock on wood…I’ve probably jinxed us all now.)
…hmm, meant to have this nested in the actual proper thread but it doesn’t appear that it worked. Ah well, hope it helps someone. Love the new edit function, Mr. DM!
I found it, and it did! Every data point helps.
Anyone have any moving boxes you’d like to unload within the next hour or so? I need to pack up a bunch of stuff for a charity yet to be determined. (And on that note, I’d welcome suggestions about where to take gently used kids’ toys, grown-up clothes, and household odds and ends that are all in really good shape but haven’t been sorted or organized in any manner whatsoever.)
There’s a Salvation Army thrift store on E. College in Avondale.
There’s a St Vincent de Paul collection bin in the Saint Thomas More parking lot.
And there’s a Goodwill dropoff at North Dekalb Mall.
Second Life is a thrift store in Avondale that benefits homeless pets!
http://www.secondlifeatlanta.org/
You may leave them at the building on the left and back of United Methodist Children’s Home. They sell the items in their store and it benefits all if their charity work.
1. You can items at anytime.
2. The items sold help pay for all the wonderful work this organization does.
3. You are helping young people and families locally.
Hi all – it’s that time again!
Get Ready for the 5th Annual Pete the Cat 5K!
Oakhurst Cooperative Preschool (OCP) is proud to present the 5th Annual “Beat the Street for Little Feet” 5K race. It will be held in just five weeks on Saturday, April 14th at 8am at Coan Park. This family-centered, environmentally respectful event is aimed at attracting both competitive runners looking to set personal bests as well as casual runners and walkers. The event will be returning to the fast course inaugurated last year at the wonderful Coan Park in Atlanta’s Kirkwood and Edgewood neighborhoods.
Event Highlights: 5K with jogging stroller division, one mile race, and kids’ fun run. Prizes for overall first place men and women, and master’s men and women. Another Cool “Pete the Cat” race t-shirt for ALL racers with ORIGINAL ART designed by award-winning artist James Dean. Post-race awards ceremony, runners’ expo, and children’s party with activities and music.
To Register: http://www.active.com/running/atlanta-ga/ocp-beat-the-street-for-little-feet-5k—decatur-ga-2012
Please register by Sunday, April 1st to be guaranteed a Pete t-shirt on race day. Can’t make it to the race? No problem – just register as a phantom runner by Friday, April 12 and we will mail a t-shirt directly to you.
In keeping with OCP’s commitment to sustainability, we will continue to “green” our race by employing several initiatives such as offering only compostable drinking cups, and special efforts will be made to collect any compostable or recyclable waste generated by the event. We will also host a reuse-a-shoe drive in conjunction with the race. A special door prize will be awarded by raffle to one participant who makes an effort to be green on race day by bringing a pair of shoes to recycle or by using alternative transportation such as biking, walking, carpooling or taking MARTA. Thanks again for your support of Oakhurst Cooperative Preschool. We hope to see you at Beat the Street for Little Feet!
Start:
Saturday, April 14, 2012 @ 8:00 AM
Race Information:
5k: 8 am, 1 mile: 8:45, Fun Run: 9am
Address:
Coan Park
1520 Woodbine Ave., SE Atlanta, GA
Race registration pricing is as follows:
• 5K – $25
• 1 Mile Run – $20
• Kids’ Fun Run – $15
• Phantom Runners (t-shirt only) – $25
People of / driving in Decatur: (1) Please stop darting out and turning left at a green light in front of someone signaling to turn right. Jeez! (2) Please be ready to go when the light turns green. You’d think after sitting through several lights, you’d be eager to go when it is finally your / our turn.
While on the topic of traffic, is there anyone in COD gov’t that gets out and tries to navigate through Decatur to see how bad it is? And why narrow Commerce to one lane??? That makes it LESS likely people will use Commerce (Decatur 285) and, instead, opt to drive through town.
Jane, it’s tougher on cars but easier on pedestrians. It’s more human-scaled that way. And that is a stated goal of our community. So, I’m certain the COD gov’t does have a great sense of what it is like. And I’m certain the pendulum won’t be headed back toward the auto for quite a while, thankfully.
Isn’t the purpose of Commerce to be a bypass around the city? As long as the DeKalb Co Courthouse is there…traffic is going to be bad. I agree with Jane that narrowing lanes is going to cause traffic on other streets.
Commerce was “purposed” at a time when planners didn’t think about people, only the efficient movement of vehicles. Now we, and our city leaders, have a more nuanced approach, which takes into account the preference for pedestrianism. Their leadership in helping us change the shape of our public spaces to help achieve that goal is very welcome by many around these parts including me, Warren Buffett.
+1
That was its purpose at the time of its construction, but like a lot of small towns, Decatur discovered over time that bypass schemes are often better at killing a downtown than saving it. Not only do they provide an incentive for traffic to avoid the very businesses that rely on traffic for survival, they act as a sort of moat that discourages walking between neighborhoods and downtown.
It’s been a part of Decatur’s plans now for a while to increasingly humanize Commerce and to approach transportation in the city as an integrated network of streets rather than as a local/collector/arterial system. In a network, when traffic becomes intolerable on one route, there are always other routes providing alternate choices. That takes the burden off of any one street (such as Commerce) to be a high-traffic thoroughfare.
I can see how Decatur’s latest transportation choices might seem nonsensical and frustrating to people who are just trying to pass through. Glad Scott and Warren Buffett are here to explain the underlying rationale in clear and cordial terms.
So do you think this is why the red lights are so terribly long in Decatur? If people get frustrated enough by having to sit forever at the lights, they’ll eventually stop driving and start walking? I’m all for that… just not when the weather is lousy.
I think some of the signals are controlled by the county (or the state?). Steve…???
Decatur contracts with DeKalb County for traffic signals – that’s what part of your DeKalb tax money goes to. GDOT has control of where signals are and what they do on state designated roads, but DeKalb actually installs and maintains the signals. If you have a complaint about a traffic signal malfunction, timing, or whatever else, call DeKalb traffic engineering (770) 492-5200.
Yep, both (depending on whether the road is a state road or not). The only control Decatur has over signalization is asking “pretty please”.
That said, Decatur has gotten pretty good at asking that…witness the new pedestrian island on College Ave. in front of Agnes Scott. Not an easy feat to pull when it’s a GDOT road.
“People of / driving in Decatur: (1) Please stop darting out and turning left at a green light in front of someone signaling to turn right. Jeez!”
This bugs the crap out of me too, but I have to admit that I do this sometimes when sitting Westbound on College Ave. trying to turn left (South) onto Candler. Sorry!
Woo hoo! Just found out that we’re getting a plot at Oakhurst Community Garden! Also, I’ve been doing Decatur 101 which is fantastic. So happy to be living in a place that has such wonderful community engagement and involvement!
I wish that I’d known about Decatur 101 and done it when we first moved here instead of 7 years later, but it was still SO worth it!
+1 for Decatur 101. Amazing program and Public Works is way more interesting than it sounds. I was also a 7 year resident before I participating and it was still very informative. And the home baked cookies were a bonus.
We’re still on the waiting list for our garden plot. About how long did it take for you?
Any other Decaturites having issues with cell phones today? Mine is all messed up and won’t let me connect to T-Mobile’s network. Just curious if it was a wide spread thing or just my phone (which is only 2 months old. If it’s my phone I’m going to be mad.) I talked to T-mobile customer support online and they told me to call T-mobile’s support line, which slays me as my problem is that I can’t make or receive calls on my phone. It’s times like this that I am really rethinking getting rid of our landline.
Solar flares? Heard they were supposed to be large and possibly affect GPS, radios, etc. Might be the issue.
Hmm, could be. I kind of forgot about that. Weirdest thing though – I went out and walked around the square a little bit and suddenly it started working again. Hopefully it was just a fluke, but I think I’ll still take my phone to the T-Mobile store tomorrow and get it checked out.
I wonder if that’s why the pedestrian crosswalk signals along E. Ponce and Commerce were on the fritz late today. Boy, that’ll be a pain if they all have to be reset!
The new(ish) Pure gas station on Ponce got a shout out here a while back for good service. I want to repeat that and say that they were professional, responsive and did not try to fix the most expensive thing (which is what I thought the problem was), and instead figured out the actual problem and are fixing it for much less.
+1
I had the exact same experience last week. Pure is great!
Where is nelliebelle?
Traveling.
Yep! I am thousands of miles away from Decatur but have my trusty baby laptop and mobile internet! I can’t live without an occasional taste of Decatur snark, invective, beer, bakeries, diners and property values. Not to mention CSD and free Westchester baby!
I remember once being in a beachfront cottage on a remote Caribbean island arguing with DEM about the true sustainability of local food. It’s among my top 10 favorite DM memories.
Yes, I had real DM addiction problems then.
So you were addicted to yourself?
Alas, Free Westchester has been replaced by Free Walmart. It’s hard to stir up a good Westchester controversy anymore. If enrollment continues on the current trajectory, it’ll probably end up an elementary school again, probably a great one just like I hear the new Glenwood Elementary is. No one will even remember it’s 10 years of exile as an admin building and tacky parking lot.
Thank you to all the people who drive trucks in Oakhurst who pick up trash and recycling, and who clean the street. Everybody gave my two year old a smile and waved, and were safe and I felt like I was back in Iowa again.
And when you’re 2 year old is 4 or 5 years old in preK and/or kindergarten, the community workers will come the school for all the little ones to meet them. You’ll soon be waving to them all on the streets all over Decatur. We truly have some of the friendliest, warmest city workers ever. (I know there’s some exceptions that folks can point out but in general it’s true.)
Why do I keep getting moderated?!!
Lots of action on FFAF this weekend. Maybe a new subject would be good.
Have you heard about this show at Eddies, Tuesday nights in March, leading up to the world premier of Ghost Brothers of Darkland County at the Alliance?
Book by Stephen King, music by John Mellencamp, musical production by T Bone Burnette?
I’ll be there to see it this week, sounds intriguing.
And I posted this little thing about it.
http://visitdecaturga.wordpress.com/2012/03/10/ghost-brothers-of-darkland-county-i-love-a-raffle/
(Shameless self promotion, I know.)
I heard rumor of a supposed drug raid at Renfroe Middle School…anyone with first hand knowledge?
Does this happen often?
What us being done?
Intrepid onsite correspondents (students) report that it occurred on an eighth grade hallway and that lockers were searched. That’s the extent of the info so far, at least at my house.
Who would’ve thought that Pat Robertson’s calls for legal weed would have had such immediate and far reaching impact!
Is weed another name for pot???
Only if you are over 45… or under 25.
……as in Hey, Mom, I’m home from college. Um, what’s up with all the flower pots on the flat roof by little brother’s window? Oh, your brother’s growing bean plants. Aren’t they cute?
I hear the most popular controlled substance at Renfroe is Happy Crack. A mixture of Kool-aid and Sugar. There is a zero tolerance policy in place.
Students in my house report that all 8th grade lockers were searched. They also report that one specific 8th grade kid was in big trouble for having what they think was 4 ounces of pot.
Then we talked about it all for the millionth time. Lately I’ve been talking to them about the incense, bath salts, and spice — the synthetic stuff that apparently caused a teen death in Fayetteville last week.
http://www.ajc.com/news/chase-burnett-16-junior-1376659.html
http://www.decaturmetro.com/2012/03/02/emory-point-adds-four-more-retailers/
Is silence better than discord?
the page is available again
I see David’s “war” has now extended to trying to “out” Decatur Metro and its commenters on his blog.
He really knows how to make enemies out of allies, doesn’t he? Slash and burn, slash and burn.
Is this on the new blog he linked earlier? I tried to look at it today (rethinkoakhurst blog on wordpress) and now it won’t let me in. says the site is private and I need the owner’s permission to look at it. so much for free thinking there….
It is an especially low act that speaks volumes about David. Please don’t link to it.
Since this disagreement is being publicly posted on other sites and linked to on Decatur message boards, along with other information about me (spoiler alert!), I’ve decided to repost the entire back-and-forth in this FFAF so folks can make their own judgments.