If you’re a frequent shopper at the Emory Commons Publix, you may have noticed some minor renovations in the space over the last few months.  Well, apparently you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.  DecaturMomof3 writes in…

Not sure if this is enough news to post, but the Emory Publix is closing tonight at 7 and will reopen tomorrow morning as a “brand new Publix” according to my cashier today. They have about 200 employees staying to work overnight to do inventory and improve the store.

Count me in as officially intrigued.  What will this brand-new Publix offer and look like??

GeorgiaBankRobbery.com has released this photo of the suspect being sought in last week’s afternoon robbery of Decatur First Bank.

The suspect is described on the site as a black male, “5’6 – 5’9, slim build, 160 lbs, possible black matted dreads hair style, possibly mustache, dark complected, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, light colored blue jeans.”

The “narrative” on the site details the events of the robbery this way…”The robber entered the bank and approached the teller counter. He handed the teller a note. After receiving the money he fled on foot.”  No weapon was shown.

If you recognize or see this individual, contact Decatur PD 404 373-6551 or the FBI at 404 679-9000.

h/t: Patch

The City of Decatur finally unveiled its “to-do” list for the next 10 years last night at a Open House at the Holiday Inn Conference Center.  The list is still in draft format, which means that resident input can still help modify and refine goals, but ultimately much of this list will end up as the city’s specific mission over the next 10 years.

That’s pretty darn important.

So while you’re obviously welcome to flip through the entire list of “tasks” HERE right now, I’m going to try to give a bit more exposure to the specific tasks proposed in the plan by featuring one goal and its associated tasks, once a day, until we’ve gotten through them all.

So, let’s just start from the beginning, shall we?

Goal 1: Retain and enhance the character of existing commercial districts and expand it to new districts

Walkable, human-scaled commercial districts in Downtown and Oakhurst are a hallmark of Decatur today. In the coming decade, as these areas grow and evolve, and as new commercial areas at east Decatur Station and the east lake Marta station emerge, they must do so in a manner that preserves and replicates their best aspects. this means ensuring that development occurs in a way that reinforces and expands the lively, pedestrian-friendly development patterns that make these places special, while respecting their context.

Task 1a: Refine citywide commercial design standards.

Design standards should  be refined to support quality commercial and mixed-use growth. these should recognize the unique character and scale of Decatur’s neighborhoods, and avoid one-size-fits-all approaches.  Updated standards for utility burial, architectural design, and parking should be explored as part of these refinements.

Task 1B: Adopt new sign ordinance requirements to encourage more compatible signage in commercial districts.

Task 1C: Update the Downtown Decatur Special Pedestrian area guidelines and expand the downtown streetscape program.

Read the rest of this entry »

Today is a big day Decatur.  You’ve got a whole new look!

Don’t worry, no one replaced all the sidewalks with brick pavers and erected a bunch of “Olde Timey” streetlights…you’ve got a new website!

Gone is the cartoonish map welcome page and the poorly sorted wealth of information!  In addition to an updated look, the website is now better sorted and includes many new features like an online calendar, a host of RSS feeds, and a brand-new Decatur Tourism website: VisitDecaturGA.com.

From Linda Harris’ press release…

A highlight of the Tourism website is the “Go Local” section that features Six Word Story and Itinerary vides of various Decatur residents and business owners spotlighting where they take visitors and guests and describing Decatur in just six words.  The Tourism site also features Decatur’s newest blog – Visit Decatur GA.com with guest bloggers posting about events and happenings in and around the City of Decatur.

(Many of the “six word stories” created by DM readers are featured on the city’s new tourism website)

This is a long-time coming, so don’t waste another second.  Head on over and check it out!