DHS teacher Chris Billingsley documents the strange goings-on during homecoming this week at the high school and reports…

Decatur High School will be celebrating homecoming throughout the week. Today was tacky day (the pics make it appear to be more of a wacky day but who’s to say). Here is the schedule for the rest of the week: Tuesday- Twins Day, Wednesday-Pajama Day, Thursday-Wild West Day, Friday-Blue Gold Day. Floats for Friday’s parade will be build this week, either at school or at homes around town. One of the big events (for me at least) is Wednesday when more than 30 former teachers and administrators from the 60s and 70s will eat breakfast in the cafeteria and later tour the new facilities. Bob and Jane Reinhart, Dr. Vee Simmons and many others are planning on being here.

The big day is Friday with a pep rally in the new gym, the parade at 5:00, and the game against Avondale at 7:30. Its going to be an exciting week!

Days after the Grange announced its changing its name because of ridiculous threats from The National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, “law-abiding Decatur resident” Lain Shakespeare blog-vents his severe irritation with Decatur over at the Dirty South Beer Club for the city’s “mallternative” marketing campaign, which he believes was stolen from the true “MALTernative”: Mike’s Hard Lemonade.

Amen.  This flagrant identity theft has gotten way out of hand.  I mean, has no one else noticed that the city stole their name from this blog!?

Allison Adams sends in this press release announcing three new endorsements for Patti Garrett’s District 2 city commission campaign.

October 20, 2009 – Decatur, GA – As Decatur’s election season heats up, increasing numbers of residents are gaining opportunity to meet, consider and choose their candidates. As they do, city commissioner candidate Patti Garrett is proud to confirm endorsements from three former Oakhurst Neighborhood Association (ONA) officers, including two presidents.

Speaking of her many hours spent working on ONA activities, former president Patrick Putnam summarized, “When I served as the President of the Oakhurst Neighborhood Association, Patti Garrett was one of our most active and involved volunteers. She regularly attended and contributed ideas during the ONA Meetings and volunteered to assist with virtually every event that the ONA sponsored. As I am certain that her proven dedication will continue on the City Commission, I am pleased to support Patti Garrett for City Commissioner.”

Brian McGonegal, who has also led the ONA, agrees. “I had the privilege to work with Patti on numerous events,” he said. “I have never seen anyone so committed to the community in which she lives. She and her husband Gary have an unbridled appreciation and enthusiasm for the Oakhurst/City of Decatur community. Patti is a role model for any community and would be an ideal candidate for City Commissioner.”

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Rebecca sends in all the info for this year’s “Beat the Street For Little Feet” 5k run event, which raises funds for Oakhurst Cooperative Preschool.

Feet of all sizes are welcome! Join Oakhurst Cooperative Preschool families for a Saturday morning of running and fun on October 31, 2009 at 9AM in Candler Park. The race will include not only a 5K with special jog stroller division, but also a 1-mile race for younger participants, and a “fun run” for our community’s youngest runners. Stick around for the FREE post-race Children’s Festival with live children’s music, a costume contest, face painting, food, and loads of festivities for the kids.

And for all you “Pete the Cat” fans, award-winning local artist James Dean has created another one-of-a-kind race T-shirt for the event. This year, Pete and kittens are in costume! To check out the new T-shirt design and to register for the race, visit our website, www.oakhurstcoop.com. You also can register at www.active.com or at the Big Peach Running Company in downtown Decatur.

Not a runner, but love Pete the Cat? Sign up to be a ghost runner and still get your t-shirt. Check us out at: www.oakhurstcoop.com for more information.

The very latest among Forbes’ overwhelming flood of city rankers is this surprise “win” for Atlanta:  “Most-Recession-Proof City for Retirees”! Their reasoning?

“Our list, compiled by crunching seven sets of statistics from sunny days to median home price, reveals that Atlanta has many trends working in its favor–low cost of living, plenty of sun and housing that is affordable and projected to rise in value over the next five years.”

Of course, once you can no longer operate a vehicle it’s near impossible to obtain groceries or anything else in most parts of this city, but hey, getting your daily dose of Vitamin D is important too.