From an Emory news release…

Renowned author Margaret Atwood will deliver the 2010 Richard Ellmann Lectures in Modern Literature at Emory University Oct. 24-26. The events are free and open to the public.

Among her many notable works are the novels “The Handmaid’s Tale” (1985), “The Robber Bride” (1993), “The Blind Assassin” (2000), and “Oryx and Crake” (2003) and most recently “The Year of the Flood” (2009). In addition to her novels, she is the author of short fiction such as “Moral Disorder and Other Stories” (2006), more than a dozen books of poetry, six children’s books, and works of non-fiction and edited anthologies. Beyond her distinguished literary oeuvre, Atwood also is widely noted as a campaigner for the environment and theorist of Canadian identity and culture.

Her many awards make Atwood one of the most celebrated authors of our time. She is a winner of the Booker Prize (shortlisted five times), twice a winner of the Governor General’s Award, a winner of the Arthur C. Clark Award, as well as the recipient of numerous other honors.

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The Orange Bucket Brigade is on the loose! From DHS teacher Chris Billingsley…

Students from the 9th grade and Close Up Club worked at the Glenn Creek Nature Preserve last Saturday. They did a great job building new trails and removing invasive plants. A dedicated group of students worked hard from 9:00 until 12:00. Students were able to work with two of the leaders who helped create the preserve, Dr. Doug Oster and Mr. Neil Norton. Both individuals shared stories about the creation and the benefits of the preserve. A good time was had by all. Enjoy the pics.

PS- Two of the fourteen students that hope to attend the trip to Washington, D.C. trip during the week of April 11 are struggling to raise enough money for the final payment. Both students and their parents have raised more than $1,000 each but need help reaching the final amount of $1,695.00. Please consider making a donation to help these students reach their goal. You can respond sender (cbillingsley@csdecatur.net) for more information. Thank You.

The AJC reports that DeKalb County’s State Senator, David Adelman, has chosen the Old DeKalb County Courthouse in Decatur for his swearing in as the U.S. Ambassador to Singapore

Adelman was confirmed by the U.S. Senate late last week after being nominated by President Obama.  The ambassador plans to be settling into his new Singapore embassy home in the next few weeks.

Area residents looking to fill Adelman’s vacant State Senate seat are already lining up.  Yard signs for Decatur resident Tom Stubbs and Candler Park resident Jason Carter are already popping up along residential streets in the area.  Libertarian David Montane also recently launched a campaign for the seat.

UPDATE: It’s fate!  City Manager Peggy Merriss responds to a DM inquiry on the Dunwoody HOST ruling…

I’m actually in HOST hearing right now. [City Attorney] Bryan Downs has mentioned it so hopefully it helps.

From a GA Supreme Court Press Release…

Note: This isn’t the HOST lawsuit that Decatur and three other DeKalb cities brought against DeKalb.  However, I’m currently trying to determine how this ruling might affect HOST distribution to DeKalb’s other cities, who have been fighting for 10 years for their fair share of Homestead Option Sales and Use Tax.

DEKALB COUNTY V. PERDUE ET AL. (S09A2016)

The Georgia Supreme Court has upheld as constitutional a 2007 amendment to the Homestead Option and Sales Use Tax Act (HOST). The amendment opened the door for the newly created City of Dunwoody to start receiving HOST money, sparking a lawsuit by DeKalb County against Gov. Sonny Perdue and the state Revenue Commissioner, challenging the amendment as unconstitutional.

But in today’s unanimous opinion, Chief Justice Carol Hunstein writes that the amendment “is not unconstitutional or illegal for any of the reasons set forth by appellant.”

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