Your random Decatur history tidbit of the day…

Photo submitted by James

Thomas Wheatley’s got the goods.  And I don’t just mean that in a slightly uncomfortable way.

Creative Loafing’s resident transit-psycho has obtained a 2007 analysis done for MARTA (PDF), which details all of the potential financial problems that would need to be overcome if Metro Atlanta’s Rapid Transportation Authority was ever dissolved and merged into a larger regional transportation infrastructure – as has been recently suggested by Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd and a majority of Fulton County mayors.

Among the higher hurdles that would have to be cleared:

• Any “entity” that acquired MARTA would be required to pay in full or defease (aka annul) all $1.9 billion of MARTA’s bonds and $400 million in sales tax revenue “commercial paper” notes.
• If MARTA still has withstanding “lease back” transactions on any of its railcars – Wheatley thinks that most of these have since been “unraveled” – a merger would trigger a default under the lease agreements and MARTA would be forced to give up the railcars “or require a significant termination payment”.
• If MARTA ceases to exist, the existing 1-cent sales tax in Fulton and DeKalb would also cease to exist.

Wheatley believes with an insane amount of “lawyering”, all of these issues could probably be overcome.  However, this just goes to show you, none of this is going to be EASY.

Remember a post from a while back that referenced the Burundi Farmers who started a farm project on a parcel on New Street in Decatur?

Well it’s comin’ on harvest time in the South, and you know what that means.  It’s festival time!

Buy your tickets HERE for the October 23rd “Our Community Farm Project” Harvest Festival and Picnic and head over to the New Street urban farm “for a celebration, featuring Burundi and regional African cuisine, restaurant-sponsored side dishes, and a ceremonial roasting of an animal. The event will also feature farm tours, a farm stand, music performed by refugee artists, locally created crafts, a lucky numbers auction, face painting, henna, and a children’s garden activity.”

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 after October 20th.  Children tickets are $10 a pop.  The farm is located at 121 Sams St, next to Avondale MARTA Station.  More info on tickets and the “Our Community Farm Project” can be found HERE.

If you can’t make the event, but would still like to support these farmers in our community, there’s currently a wish list of items you can donate on their website.  The list currently includes: 5 gallon buckets, compost thermometer probe, hanging scale, chain link fencing, bales of hay, organic fertilizer, shovels, hoes, pitchforks or other garden tools.

Thanks to Andisheh for the event info!

From the Decatur Education Foundation…

We’re just a few weeks from one of the greatest Decatur events of the year — and one that goes a long way to helping our community’s children and youth.

It’s the 8th annual Decatur Low Country Boil, Oct. 14, 6:30 p.m. at the Solarium in Oakhurst, and everyone in the community is invited! Round up your friends and neighbors to enjoy fantastic food by Badda Bing … rockin’ music by The Dammages … first-rate beer from Victory Brewing Co. … and delicious wine from Banfi.

Tickets are $50 ($35 for City Schools of Decatur employees), and all proceeds benefit the Decatur Education Foundation. Buy your tickets at www.decaturlowcountryboil.com or mail a check to: DEF, 315 W. Ponce de Leon Avenue, Suite 770, Decatur, 30030.

This is the most important fundraising event for the Decatur Education Foundation — and it’s a night to remember!

A anonymous tipster alerts us to an interesting new restaurant opening soon in the old Jin Jin Chinese Restaurant at 614 Church Street in Decatur.

Josh Kramer is aiming for a November opening for Burnt Fork BBQ, which will feature “International Barbecue”, which means things like “Mexican barbacoa, Cuban sandwiches, tacos inspired by the cuisines of Korea,Viet Nam, Cuba, and the traditional USA types.”, according to the tipster.

Also of note: “Best news for busy families: he’s keeping the drive-through feature.”, says the tipster.

The restaurant takes it’s name from Burnt Fork Creek, which prior to 1960s was dammed up by Mason Mill Park and supplied drinking water to the city of Decatur.  According to the Burnt Fork Creek Watershed Alliance, the dam was blown up and the reservoir drained in the 1960s.

Man, I love a good restaurant/history post!

Photo courtesy of the Burnt Fork Creek Watershed Alliance website

A paparazzi sends in this image inside the Alston Campus Center at Agnes Scott College, which is hosting filming of Hallmark’s “The Lost Valentine” with Jennifer Love-Hewitt today.

Another eyewitness tells me that both Betty White and Jennifer Love Hewitt are on campus today, contrary to prior reports that only Ms. Love-Hewitt would be on campus.