UPDATE 4: Many of the comments below are must-read/must-click.  Also, the AJC now reporting this…

As many as 30 or more teens approached the entrance to Decatur High School around 3 p.m. Thursday, while students were in class, police said. A bus driver who didn’t recognize any of the young people as students there, called the school resource officer who called Decatur police.

So I guess that means Maria’s note below should be read as “outside on the DHS campus” and not “off the DHS campus.”

UPDATE 3: Sounds like whatever happened, it didn’t happen at either school.  Maria Lewis just sent out this note to residents:

For the safety of our students, on Thursday afternoon, Decatur High School and Renfroe Middle School were both placed on lockdown in response to a situation that took place outside of the DHS campus. No CSD students were involved or harmed in this incident. At this time all of our students have been safely released under the advisement of the Decatur Police Department.

UPDATE 2: Lockdown is over. Irishlass reports in the comments that police have suspects in custody.

UPDATE 1: The AJC has the details.  No one is hurt.  Police suspect several students are armed.  And then this “[Maria] Lewis said there was a situation outside the school, but she could not release any details.”

Scott writes in…

There’s been a news copter hovering over the high school for like a half hour and my wife just drove by and said there’s a bunch of cops out front.

There are also reports of the choppers on Twitter.

What’s up?

I’ve heard two reports of pedicabs already roaming the streets of Decatur.

Neil ran into the owner this morning writes in with a couple details.

He two pedicabs and will be at the Music Festivals and all. He also wants to set up tours and such. For questions or a picture, call Michael at 920-371-2227 or go to his website. [not a lot of specific Decatur info on the website yet]

Anyone been on one yet?  Or better yet…have a pic?

Only a year-ago, carrying and eating these two things on MARTA would have been inconceivable.  (I guess its still inconceivable to consume and digest a gun.)

Ten months ago, it seemed entirely odd that you could do one but not the other, as brilliantly illustrated by Andisheh in his definitive CL article…

“So I just want to be clear,” I asked MARTA police Chief Wanda Dunham. “If I had a turkey sandwich in one hand and a gun in the other hand, MARTA police would ticket me for the turkey sandwich?”

“If you’re eating it,” she replied. “Only if you’re eating it.”

Genius!  Evidenced by the fact that I still remembered the quote 10 months later.

But fear not sweet Andy.  Let these ironies plague you no more!

With the signage of a recent bill, MARTA now has the authorization to sell food and drinks in their stations, thereby resolving this irony that has hounded you like a cat-loving dog for far too long.

Ah, sweet relief.

Kelly sends in a press release noting that Renewal Design Build’s renovation projects at 224 Barry Street recently won a Decatur design award.

May 7, 2009 – This year, Decatur’s Historic Preservation Commission presented the annual Decatur Design Awards on May 3rd at the Old Decatur Courthouse. These awards recognize projects that preserve, enhance and contribute to the historic character of the City. Recipients were given a certificate signed by Mayor Bill Floyd, as well as an honorary plaque. And, this year, one of the awards for Best Addition went to Renewal Design-Build.

The judging commissioners thought the scale of the winning project – a major two story addition – was very compatible to the adjacent properties, and that incorporating sustainable materials also added a great deal of value. According to Regina Brewer, the awards’ organizer, “They also felt you could discern that the addition was new, and that it did not create a false sense of history.”

Once a small home in disrepair, this completely remodeled home is now a Tudor style cottage with double the square footage. And, the homeowner of the winning project couldn’t be more pleased. “My home is beautiful; it’s my dream come true,” says Dr. Dallin Randolph.

The Renewal team is humbled by such an award. “It is such an honor to be recognized by the City to whom we owe so much of our success,” says Renewal CEO, Peter Michelson. “Our goal is to continually contribute to the beauty and character of Decatur.”

You can check out a few Before & After pics from the project over at Renewal’s website.

We first learned about Mary Jane Mahan’s “Love at the Pub” at the 2007 Beer Festival.

The former BSP waitress was compiling a definitive collection of Brick Store stories and was planning on releasing them to the world in one compact, celebratory package (called a “book”)  Note to self:  You know you have a successful pub, when someone writes a book about it.

Though it seems that the collection and writing process took longer than first believed – we’ve heard many updates and rumors over the years – it sounds like the wait is finally over!  Amy writes in and lets us know that the book is finally at the publisher.  I’m still waiting on an official release date (the book’s website says “June 09″), but in the meantime we might as well drink!

Also from Amy…

Public Beer Recital–Show your spirit for American craft brewers by reciting the Declaration of Beer Independence with Pub-goers at The Brick Store Pub, the place that started metro Atlanta’s craft beer wave.

Saturday 16 May 2009 4:30 PM

The Brick Store Pub’s upstairs Belgian Bar

The reading is spearheaded by local author and former BSP waitress Mary Jane Mahan who will read an excerpt from her upcoming book Love at the Pub: Craftsmanship, Conversation, and Community at the Brick Store Pub. This historical account celebrates BSP as a nationally ranked beer bar (Rate Beer #5 bar 2009, Forbes top ten 2008, BeerAdvocate #2 bar 2008) as well as the Pub community