Free-For-All Friday 1/15/10
Decatur Metro | January 15, 2010 | 9:03 amIt’s Friday. It’s Free. It’s For All.
Use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not already discussed during the past week.
Comments close on Monday.
It’s Friday. It’s Free. It’s For All.
Use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not already discussed during the past week.
Comments close on Monday.
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Maybe one of our local “leaders” can put a stop to the insanity that is the intersection of Clairemont and N. Druid Hills. I spent another 15 minutes trying to get through the intersection again last night, at 7 pm no less. An intersection with a strip mall on each of its 4 corners is bad enough, but what’s done is done on that score. At least remedy the two traffic lights within 30 yards of one another on N. Druid Hills. It’s insane, especially when the main purpose of one of them appears to be getting people in and out of a McDonald’s drive through. The traffic patterns in that area are so bad that I plan to simply avoid it at all costs going forward.
The traffic light on N. Decatur also gets people in and out of the lot at Kinko’s (which is a whole nightmare of its own). I agree, the whole thing is a mess. No matter which direction you’re coming from or what your destination(s), it’s a monumental hassle. Sometimes it’s easier–and safer–to leave Publix headed east on N. Decatur Rd. and use Superior to get back over to Scott, than to try going south on Clairmont.
Yes, the “extra stoplight” on North Decatur Road west of its intersection with Clairmont also serves the Fedex and Eagle Eye Book Store line of shops. There are also two east-side openings to/from this lot onto Clairmont, but one is limited because it is a one-way traffic lane on the east side of Fedex and the other one is so close to the stoplight that it is usually not useful for either entering or exiting the lot. So the entrance from North Decatur Road serves as an entrance/exit lane for this shopping strip, not just McDonald’s on the SW corner of the intersection. If you take Marta or the Emory buses, you can utilize these shops without any traffic or parking hassles whatsoever. )
I believe you mean North Decatur and Clairmont. And I agree it is a horrible intersection.
D’oh. You are correct.
INDEED! My commute from work is 6 miles and should take about 15-20 minutes. But this intersection can add 10-15 to my drive. WHAT A MESS!
It’s outside of the City limits, so take your issues to DeKalb County.
I want to know when someone is gonna do something about all the problems.
I thought that was someone else’s job. I have been so busy
I keep trying but you all just won’t think the way I do and do what I say! It’s so-o-o-o-o-o frustrating.
Does anyone know if Mac McGee’s is open for lunch?
They open at 4
wondering if anyone knows what all you can recycle at YDFM? I have some books and magazines from moving at work I was going to recycle rather than throw away, and I can’t remember if they have book and magazines recycling sections there?
Thanks. It would be waste to throw away, and little too much for my home recycling.
They recycle magazines but not books. There are book drop-off stations in parking lots all over town and yet i can’t seem to recall precisely where one is at the moment. I think there used to be one in the Big Kroger parking lot. Maybe that was clothing. Hopefully someone else here will know.
there’s one at the Kroger at Edgewood.
If you have books you don’t want, you can donate them– here’s one place that’s a worthy cause:
http://www.booksforafrica.org/books-computers/donate-books.html. You can drop them off at their Smyrna warehouse, or you could call and ask if they have a closer drop-off location. I just hate the thought of a book going to waste by being thrown away!
thanks for the input! the books are mostly old (2-3 years old) PDRs (physician desk references), so they aren’t things that book stores would want for pleasure reading… though looking at the Books for Africa link, that might be a great use of these, since a few years-old information would be better than what they likely have in some places. Thanks for the link!
You can also donate books to any library, they have book sales that raise funds
Please do donate your books to the library. If you’ve got paperbacks or current bestsellers in good condition, we can put them in the collection for your neighbors to check out. If we can’t use a book ourselves, the Friends groups can sell it and use the money to benefit your local branch.
BUT – even our wonderful Friends can’t sell old PDRs, Reader’s Digest Condensed Books, ancient National Geographics or your 20-year-old college textbooks. It’s my understanding that those books can be recycled in the mixed paper bins as long as they don’t have stickers or plastic covers on them.
We were in Mac McGee’s last weekend and I believe the waitress said they would be opening for lunch next month.
TGIFFAF
Are there any good service opportunities on Monday in the Decatur area for MLK Jr Day? How about activities?
Here you are, Roo:
http://www.decaturga.com/community_mlkworkday.aspx
Individuals and groups are welcome to volunteer for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Service Project, which will be ongoing Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Volunteers do house maintenance and repair for senior citizens in need around Decatur, including yard work. No skills are required (but if you have skills, they can use them!), there are morning and afternoon shifts on Saturday and Monday and an afternoon shift on Sunday. All volunteers are invited back for a cookout on Monday at end of day, at the Solarium I think. Contact Lee Ann Harvey at Volunteer Decatur, or 678-553-6548.
I think we posted the same thing, stg…great minds think alike!
indeed!
Thanks! I should have looked there. I helped out with Season of Giving and had a great time.
Does anyone have an experience with the noise ordinance with regards to barking dogs? Is this a city or county function? Someone in my neighborhood has a dog that barks and howls pretty much non-stop from inside the house while the owners are gone, which seems to be most of the day. I don’t know the owners, so I’m debating on whether to approach them, but in the meantime was curious about how enforcement is handled.
decatur mom – I, too, am finding my quality of life diminished by a barking dog that lives o behind my house. It’s very difficult to know how to approach neighbors who you don’t know and who seem to be insensitive to the noise of their own pet, and the impact that barking has on others. And those yips and yaps can penetrate walls of houses, so I don’t think you’re over the top at all.
It’s a city rule. As such, believe it or not, you’re supposed to call the police.
I had this problem a couple years ago and sent an email to Decatur Police. Two days later, a Dekalb County animal control officer showed up at my door. The problem was resolved immediately.
Before you involve the police or other authorities, it would be far more neighborly to politely but firmly approach the owner directly. As the owner of a (formerly) chronic barker, I wasn’t the least offended when a neighbor let me know there was a problem. We purchased an electronic bark-stop collar and the problem disappeared immediately (as long as we remember to put the collar on the pooch).
If you ask nicely and don’t get resolution, you’re well within your rights to go to the law. But frankly, I would have been pretty pissed off if a policeman had appeared at my door without the neighbor having even called me first. Bad form.
Guess I should have added more detail. We put a polite note in their mailbox, because they did not answer their door and their phone number was unlisted. When the barking (which was due to a dog being out all night and wanting to be let in) did not cease, that was when I contacted DPD.
So we did try the good-neighbor thing first.
decatur mom – the ordinance website is http://library6.municode.com/default-test/home.htm?infobase=12110&doc_action=whatsnew. Also, I posted the two codes that might be most applicable, one from the Animals section of the code and the other from the Noise portion of the code. At any rate, I think that you are going a little over the top considering the dog is inside all day. I would feel differently if they left their dog outside all day, but come on.
Sec. 14-32. Certain animals deemed public nuisance.
Any animal which:
(1) Is found at large in violation of sections 14-2, 14-33, and 14-34, as set out in this section;
(2) Is a dangerous animal, as defined by this chapter;
(3) Produces, because of the quantity, manner, or method in which such animals are domesticated or maintained, unsanitary conditions in the city;
(4) Attacks passersby or passing vehicles;
(5) Makes or causes frequent or long-continued noise which disturbs the comfort or repose of any person in the vicinity; and/or
(6) Is inimical to the public health, welfare, or safety according to the rules and regulations promulgated by the county board of health, which rules and regulations are incorporated in this section and made a part of this section as if fully set out in this article;
(7) Is unlicensed (unregistered) in violation of the Dekalb County Code of Ordinances section 5-12;
(8) Is trained, owned, or harbored for the purpose, primarily or in part, of dogfighting;
(9) Is dangerous, as defined, and is not restrained or confined, as provided in section 14-34.
is hereby declared to be a public nuisance. Any person who knowingly keeps, owns, harbors, or acts as custodian of an animal constituting such nuisance shall be guilty of an unlawful act and, upon conviction, shall be punished as provided in section 1-12.
(Code 1967, § 5-19; Ord. No. O-99-19, § 3, 12-20-99)
Noise Ordinance
(4) Animals. The owning, possessing or harboring of any animal which frequently, or for continued duration, howls, barks, meows, squawks or makes other sound which creates excessive and unnecessary noise across a residential or commercial real property line or within a noise sensitive area. For the purposes of this subsection the term “barking dog” shall mean a dog that barks, bays, cries, howls or makes any other noise continuously and/or incessantly for a period of ten minutes, or barks intermittently for one-half hour or more to the disturbance of any person at any time of day or night, regardless of whether the dog is physically situated in or upon private property; provided, however, that a dog shall not be deemed a barking dog if, at the time the dog is barking or making any other noise, a person is trespassing or threatening to trespass upon property in or upon which the dog is situated.
This dog is clearly in violation of the ordinance, and the noise crosses several property lines. I can hear it inside my house with the windows closed, so I don’t think I am “over the top”. I work from home part of the day, and it is a nuisance.
Gosh. I can dig how frustrating it would be to hear this while you’re trying to work, but honestly– the owners should be made aware of it, instead of having their neighbors silently fume about it until it comes to a head. If the dog is in such distress as to howl and bark for prolonged periods of time (dogs can and do experience separation anxiety, which makes them behave the way you’re describing), its owners definitely need to do something for their pet. Your best initial tack would probably be not to confront them to notify them that they’re in violation of the noise ordinance, but to express concern that their dog seems very distressed, and explain what you hear. If they’re apprised of the situation and don’t do anything, then report them. I feel sorry for this poor pooch– it must be desperate for companioship during the day, if it’s carrying on so.
This is right on. Bringing down the hammer is never the first line of defense if neighborly relations are of importance to you.
A while back we got a new puppy who turned out to be pretty yappy in the backyard. It was all times when he was out during the day and never more than 5 or 10 minutes before we brought him back in, so I didn’t think twice about it. However, it turns out a fenceline neighbor who works odd hours was often looking to do some sleeping around the same times.
Could have incited fuming and passive aggressive maneuvers galore but, instead, they let us know their predicament directly and asked if we could make a few minor adjustments. No problem. Got ourselves a bark collar and problem solved. (I know people have different opinions on bark collars but the point is not *how* we solved the problem. Only that we were able to do so amicably by operating in neighborly ways.)
All of this said, a lot of people these days are just poised waiting to be offended, so tread lightly.
My neighbor has kids that are laughing and screeching all day from inside their house…that’s annoying too…and another neighbor has their music on from inside their house…and tv that I can hear!
come on…people’s intolerance amazes me.
but if you must make a deal out of it…go to the owner first…not the police…geez.
Went to lunch today near Depeaux and watched a Fedex freight truck park right on the PATH beside the restaurant. Why do these folks think its ok to block a pedestrian and bike path (not to mention sidewalk) but not the road? It’s actually illegal in Georgia – in the city of Atlanta its a $100 fine.
http://peds.org/take_action/sidewalk_parking/
It’s odd that I also see Comcast, AT&T, AGL, and a number of other company’s that you would think know better do this.
(BTW, check out the mock parking ticket on the PEDS website. Good idea)
Call Decatur PD 404-373-6551. They’ll come and ticket. Of course, the offender might be gone by the time they get there, but my experience is they usually are able to respond within 10 minutes or so to a parking violation unless there’s something more serious going on elsewhere.
You mean there might be something more serious going on than a parking violation by a UPS truck taking 5 minutes to drop off a package?
I’m simply telling how to address the problem. The Decatur Police write parking citations outside of the immediate downtown area and that was what I was relating.
My absolute pet peeve are contractors parking on the sidewalk at a construction site. And it’s always the contractor, never the construction workers.
Can we arrange to have all schools show the “Pants on the Ground” audition video? It is time to move on to some fad in clothing that doesn’t involve booty shots. How about shirts that go all the way to the ground? Other suggestions? HAPPY FRIDAY
Dude’s from Atlanta; maybe we can get live performances
Gen. Platt was HIGH-larious on AI! GO, my Old School Brotha!
Thank you for helping me keep up…i was completely mystified by some FB comments this morning (not an AI fan), but now feel up to date (as much as I ever do). That was entertaining!
I was surprised that Neil Young sang this but it’s pretty damn funny:
http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/blogs/2010/01/neil-young-sings-pants-on-the-ground/
Does anyone know anything about the white Owl Transporation vans picking up and dropping off at the Decatur MARTA station? I see them almost daily and tend to get stuck behind them frequently.
i’m quite certain these are VA hospital shuttle vans that bring employees & patients to the main hospital on clairmont rd from the off site parking in decatur. they have several different companies, but i’ve seen the OWL vans on that route lately.
just wanted to thank those who previously had suggestions of contacts to repair the multiple outed street lights on commerce between the high school football field & w. howard. i reported it to GA power, & after much back & forth regarding the address since there technically are no residences, etc on that side of the street…i am happy to see that they’re working again! hopefully the apartments & condos across commerce aren’t cursing the fact that there are lights there now. but, i know it will certainly be MUCH safer for pedestrians walking on the sidewalks, crossing the streets & waiting at the marta stop….and safer even for those who park their cars on commerce. i feel like i actually accomplished something!
Does anyone know what is up with the house on 521 Clairemont? It seems to go under contract and then its back on the market every couple of weeks. I’m guessing it continuously fails the inspection in a major way each time…
I’m not interested in purchasing it, but I’ve been very curious as to what the deal is with this house for a very long time.
Friends of ours looked at that house! Tax records indicate it’s bank owned (or by the financial institution that foreclosed on it– just assumed it was a bank). I haven’t seen it go under contract for a while, and it probably won’t, unless they just drop the price so low that it can be had for a song. There’s a huge oak with branches hanging so low over the house that the tree’s practically growing into it. Plus, it needs a lot of work, and looks like it would be a money pit. That, combined with the fact that it’s right on one of the busiest sections of Clairemont, is probably enough to keep it on the market.
Thanks Cubalibre! Yes, it seems like a poor location and a money pit as you put it…It was under contract again at the end of December but now its back on the market…
does anybody else think the “snowflakes” are actually quilt squares?
Not until you pointed it out…but since you did, I can totally see them all in a quilt! A great big, wildly-patterned quilt with myriad squares, no two alike! Just like all of us.
yes, I have often thought this! perhaps my family’s farm roots/eye showing…
I have always thought they were square quilts until someone called them snowflakes. It is all in the eye of the beholder
I love maps. What’s your favorite Decatur map?
My favorite is the one that we created ourselves. Check out:
http://www.openstreetmap.org
Our neighbors, at least the “map geeky” ones, have done a great job putting local knowledge in this global, wikipedia style map. You can add to it too.
Is your street trashy?
We are looking for a good place to pick up trash within the City limits. We have 2-3 kids who want to do MLK service and we figured picking up trash was something they could handle without us just pretending that they are being helpful (ie. “way to go son, you raked up four whole leaves!”). It can’t be a super-busy street because we’ll have a toddler in tow. Thanks!
Along the PATH, from the Citgo to the Dairy Queen is a great one. Safe, but also lots of opportunities for kids to see the cumulative results of careless littering. I’ve used it as a teaching tool myself.
Thanks Scott! Great idea. In the summer that stretch has good blackberry picking. . .
A plug for Las Brasas — Peruvian style rotisserie chicken, homemade tortilla chips and avocado dip. Cheap, fresh eats. Super-friendly family run business. It’s the little red shack across from the Depeaux, next to Feast. Take out and delivery. A little Decatur gem.
Everything is good at Las Brasas.
Agree that this is a true gem. Perfect when one wants a high quality, authentic dinner to go. Even the flan, which can be so weak in many Mexican restaurants, is truly great. My kids love the sweet potato fries.
Not to mention that they revived (and utilize every inch of) one of the more interesting buildings in the city!
This same “plug” is floating around the Oakhurst listserv. Good on the Las Brassas for pushing goo old fashioned word of mouth!
Anyone here read, House of Leaves?
I’m in the middle of it and want some other opinions on it.
Seems like a very unlikely update of Finnegans Wake, which is an odd thing in itself.
Speaking of plugs, old books and reading:
I love http://www.paperbackswap.com
I currently have posted 40 books and have traded another 40 or so. It is really easy if you just up a postage account with the club. You can trade hardbacks, paperbacks and audiobooks. You can set up a wish list for titles, even those not yet on the shelves as long as you have the title and author!
Thank you so much for this! I have longed for something like this for years but never knew it existed. I’m as much motivated by not wanting to waste some of the beautiful books I have but that I can’t store in my space-limited intown home as I am by a desire to get reasonably priced books. I have often left already-read paperbacks in lobbies, motel rooms, poolside, etc. in the desperate hope that someone with similar tastes would enjoy them. When I donate them to the Salvation Army etc., I’m never sure that they are actually recirculated to someone who would appreciate them.
It’s actually pretty fun! And you can mail for about $3 for a hardback- here’s a tip- wrap the book in cling wrap, then just print out the paperback swap postage wrappers on regular old printer paper- cheap, easy and safe!
The “Together for Life” march will take place this Friday at 11:30 in downtown Atlanta. The march will coincide with the 37th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision to legalize abortion throughout the United States. Since Decatur seems to be the epicenter of the anti-war movement, it only seems natural that we would send a large group to support an end to the war against the unborn. I plan to be there with a sign that says, “The City of Decatur Supports Life”.
This will be a wonderful way to end our weeklong celebration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King’s life. More information can be found at http://www.grtl.org/eventschedule.asp
Please join me this Friday for this worthy endeavor.