The AJC’s John Kessler reports that Drew Belline – “longtime chef” at Floataway Cafe – will take the helm at Ford Fry’s recently announced, but yet-to-be-named Decatur restaurant, which will take over the Eurasia Bistro space along East Ponce in the coming months.

As we previously reported, the restaurant will be “Italian-inspired”, but Kessler gives us some context, stating that Fry “cites San Fransico’s A16 as inspiration.”

Hot diggity!

I’m quite excited to announce this morning that Decatur Metro and the Decatur Education Foundation have teamed up in a first-ever “Tools to Success” campaign that looks to provide selected Decatur High School graduates with their own laptop computers to help them achieve their potential at the post-secondary school level.

First a little back-story.

No surprise that this great idea actually came from DM readers and commenters.  Back in early October, a number of commenters here openly expressed a desire to use their recently announced $70 tax credit from the city to somehow help Decatur’s student population.  From that back-and-forth on DM, I initiated a conversation with the Decatur Education Foundation’s Executive Director Gail Rothman, who offered up some excellent suggestions of how we could team up to target a specific unmet need among our city’s student population.

From the start, the DEF’s laptop initiative jumped out at us both as the perfect collaborative opportunity.

The campaign’s goal is to give out as many laptops as can be purchased to DHS graduates coming from low-income households with plans for college or other post-secondary school.  Students will be selected by the “Tools to Success” committee – which will include reps from DEF, CSD and the community – after completing an application that asks how a laptop would help them achieve their goals.  I have agreed to be on-hand to represent the program when the laptops are given out at the annual DHS Scholarship Dinner.

But what fun is a campaign without a challenge, right?  So here it is.  In this inaugural year, we are challenging the Decatur community to purchase 5 laptops.  And DM will get things rolling by purchasing the first laptop in its entirety.

Read the rest of this entry »

Thankfully it sounds like the encounter was more due to poor planning on the burglars part than pure brashness.  Still frightening.

From the AJC…

Burglary suspects forced their way through a window and into an Avondale Estates home Sunday morning. But the crime was interrupted when they realized residents were in the home, police said.

In a panic, the suspects got out of the DeKalb County home, but didn’t get very far. Officers arrived at the Kensington Road home just before 8 a.m. and began searching for suspects.

Shannon writes in that at around 11pm on Friday night two “fearless” coyotes stared down her car at 129 Upland Drive in Decatur.

They DO exist!  (Did I just quote an M&Ms commercial in a coyote post?)

Old Decatur Courthouse, Decatur GA (photo courtesy of David)

From The Decatur Minute…

‘Tis the season, Decatur!  Breakfast with Santa tickets are now on sale at Decatur CD and here.

Breakfast with Santa
December 18 • 8-10 a.m.
Holiday Inn Select Decatur Conference Center

Tickets are $12 for adults and $7 for children under 12. Only 450 tickets are available on a first come, first served basis. Your ticket includes a buffet breakfast, fun entertainment, and a picture with the man himself, Santa!

So what are you waiting for?! Get your tickets before they sell out!

Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local and/or community issues not discussed here in the past week.

Comments close on Monday.

—————————————-

This week’s Free-For-All Friday is brought to you by: Kick in the Fit, offering a free month of boot camp (morning or evening) to one Decatur Metro reader.  www.kickinthefit.com

To enter, just send an email with the subject line “Decatur Metro Giveaway” to [email protected]   Make sure to include your name and address in the email.  Kick in the Fit will pick the winner at random on Monday morning.