So I’m sure you’ve all heard about Clayton County losing its accreditation yesterday?  Third time in the past 40 years, ring a bell?

Well, apparently the article written by the Associated Press originally had the story based in Decatur, GA.  See here.  Since then, many of the original postings have changed the lead of “Decatur, GA – ” to “Jonesboro, GA -“, but not before the popular blog “Hit & Run” used Decatur as an example for allowing parents to choose where their kids go to school.  (You know, since apparently we’re located in Clayton County!)

Now, we really can’t be that judgemental.  Even among Atlantans, it seems that everything from the city of Decatur to the southern DeKalb County line gets dumped into the “Decatur” bucket these days.  Soon alligator attacks in the Okefenokee Swamps will be attributed to “Decatur, GA”.

But I guess we just have to grin and bear it.

Finally!  A store sign in front of the old post office building indicates that it will be “Greene’s Fine Foods“.

The only other online info I can find on it is in the form of job postings like this one…

Looking for energetic and fun full and part time employees to work in a brand new retail Candy, Nut, and Gift store in Downtown Decatur. Please forward resume or send an email to [email protected]

I hope Tommy meant to write “greenefinefood”, because he’s missing the ‘s’ and the store’s website includes it.  If so, not my job apps are going to get thru.

Candy and gifts!  All the rumors seem to be true…though we had heard nothing about ‘fun’ previously. 😉

Welcome to the ‘hood of neighbors, Greene’s!

…thanks mostly to Sonny and his threatened repeal of the Homestead Tax Relief Grant, which accounts for $700,000 of the missing funds.

So where’d the other money go?  Well, apparently the state made a calculation mistake, which coupled with a 2% cut from a QBE (Quality Basic Education) formula, accounts for another $212,000.

Anyone else see a common thread here?  The state can’t balance its budget (resulting in killing the HTRG – though Sonny would argue otherwise) + they have a tendency to make some big ol’ calculation errors? Sounds to me like the state could benefit from a little elementary school math lesson…or at least a middle school beat-down.

But enough of my rambling. Read the full explanation and implications from Superintendent Phyllis Edwards (supplied by InDecatur) after the jump. Read the rest of this entry »

Join in on the best-named 5k in Atlanta!

The Oakhurst Cooperative Preschool’s second-annual Beat the Street for Little Feet 5k and Fun Run will take off from the starting line in Oakhurst’s Harmony Park on September 13th from at 9a.  The event runs until 1p, with a post-race children’s festival (to help wear out the kids one can only assume!).

Everyone that pre-registers by Sept 1st also gets a Pete the Cat race t-shirt (shown above).  Click here to see all registration fees, event details and awards info.  Or if you think that background info is totally over-rated, click here to go straight to the registation page.

Carl points out that Decatur’s CodeRED Weather Warning System is already up and running and that folks which have already opted in to the service received a call on Tuesday morning when DeKalb was under the tornado watch.

The CodeRED Weather Warning works much like the city’s relatively new CodeRED Emergency Notification System, calling residents when there’s an event to report.  However, unlike the Emergency Notification system, you must opt in to the Weather Warning system to receive a call.

Here are the details, straight off the city’s website…

Subscribers receive warning messages any time severe weather threatens the City of Decatur/DeKalb County area.  The CodeRED Weather Warning will not call everyone on the list, only the immediately affected areas. The information is based on instant satellite feeds and latitude/longitude coordinates and uses new polygon warning methodologies thus eliminating many false alarms associated with prior notification methods.

The City of Decatur does not initiate the call-outs – it is done automatically via the proactive Weather Warning system upon notification by the National Weather Service (NWS).

So, if you’re interested in avoiding tornados and other weather hazards, click here to register.

Over on Creative Loafing, Jennifer Zyman (of Blissful Glutton fame) gives a loving shout out to Decatur’s Las Brasas.

This chicken shack may be tiny and have limited seating, but it has big heart. It is owned and operated by a family originally from Lima, Peru, that is as friendly as it is skilled in the kitchen. The chicken is slow-cooked with charcoal that imparts a delightfully smoky flavor to the already flavorful deep brown skin and moist flesh.

I’m shamed to admit that we’ve yet to try out this little chicken hut next to Feast on E Howard, even though I keep hearing such great things.  And its not like there aren’t countless opportunities on evenings when we don’t want to cook!

The Decatur Book Festival is looking to attract 75,000 attendees this year.  That’s at least 15,000 more than last year.

So far the weather is cooperating, though it will be hot again (low 90s).