Free-For-All Friday 2/18/11
Decatur Metro | February 18, 2011Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not mentioned here over the past week.
Comments close Monday.
Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not mentioned here over the past week.
Comments close Monday.
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The kids are out of school and I’m coming off a 24-hour work event – time to visit the Decatur Diner!
Is it open yet? I haven’t heard.
We went to the Decatur Diner last night – it was packed! We had the little one so we did not want to wait. But the food coming out looked yummy. So happy they are busy and people are interested! We will try again at the weekend. We ended up at Mac McGee’s. Love that place. So cozy and the food is great. The servers are so nice. The door was open and there was great music playing. A beer and a burger and we were all happy!
We were at Decatur Diner last night. The food was good and service was friendly. The portions are huge as everyone has already mentioned. One minor complaint, diners are known to be family friendly joints, but there was no changing table in the bathroom. But they are still new so maybe they will correct this oversight shortly.
“One minor complaint, diners are known to be family friendly joints… ”
they are??
I was there last night as well and ate outside to enjoy the fantastic weather. There were a few glitches (they didn’t initially have waitstaff assigned to the patio & several of us got the wrong thing) but the food was good and they were definitely trying. I think it will be an excellent addition to downtown Decatur dining!
Looking for an entertainment lawyer – – TV and Film.
Call me. Mark. 678-336-7260.
To the vociferous pooch. It seems like you are quiet, content and enjoying being inside today. This is a nice change for me, as I am sure it is for you as this was not the case yesterday with your incessant barking. While I hear you quite clearly, your owners don’t or they would let you in.
What neighborhood?
Would wonder if this refers to one of our little darlings, but they’re inside dogs and only in the yard for 10 – 20 minutes at a time, and then only in the morning before work and in the evenings. But they frequently use those brief excursions to get in all the barking they can…
Best place for an oil change on a saturday?
Your own garage. I just paid $400 to have my oil pan replaced because the local oil change place that I went to for eight years stripped the threads on the plug so badly that my mechanic couldn’t even tap a new plug. Lesson learned.
I haven’t named the place, since I don’t know the legal repercussions of doing so.
Yeah, you could be sued for libel. One reason the Clark Howard show doesn’t allow callers to name names on consumer complaints.
Yeah, but a defense to libel is truth….
Provable truth. What you think to be true and what you can prove are two different things.
Not sure of their Sat. hours, but we are in love with Quantum Mechanics, which we discovered on this site a year or two ago (when the Decatur Goodyear was being called out for yet another in a long string of customer service scandals). We’ve had numerous oil changes and more substantial services there and I’ve never trusted a mechanic more nor been happier with their work. Reasonable pricing too.
I second the Quantum Mechanics recommendation! They are great and never try to upsell anything. So glad we found them.
Quantum Mechanics only works on Foreign. Used to use Mr. Hahn (the Gas n Gulp), now a scene of yellow tape. Any suggestions for American cars?
I was planning on the Goodyear.
suggestion for future Vs.: circulator shuttle vs. bicycle facilities
Any recommendations on lawn service for aeration/ seeding or installing zoysa this summer?
I recommend Shedric at 678-469-7540.
He has been handling my lawn (and several others over here on Coventry/Woodlawn) for several years. Great service…
Can anyone share the story behind the Marble Hill Sunday School plot in Decatur Cemetery? My daughter and her friends are intrigued. I’ve googled, but can only find others asking the same question – no answers.
That is an often asked question and there are several people researching it in several directions. Perhaps some answers soon.
There sure were a lot (20+) of white vans with random #s on placards in the window driving south on Drexel yesterday evening. I was out running and kept thinking I was having deja vu because I was sure I passed the same van over and over. Any idea if this was part of the movie production? There is also a base camp set up for something at the church near Avellino’s and Isabella’s on W. College. And recycling!
(Going with Rob^2 these days after I noticed another Rob berated in the Marta poster thread last week–not me!)
There’s also a base camp set up in the parking lot of First Christian Church (across from the Post Office).
There’s something going on down Emerson Avenue (off Adair St.) that looks like it might be movie filming.
Disney movie.
Wife and I tried Decatur Diner for breakfast today and am sorry to say we were disappointed. The waitress was downright rude, the Greek omelet barely had any feta cheese, and the hash browns are like mashed potatoes. I even prefer Evans’ Greek omelet. But my favorite breakfast place remains Thumbs Up.
I work from home but sometimes need to escape to somewhere outside of the house to work. I am still looking for a place in Decatur that provides a nice place to work, has good food and any beverage other than coffee. Can anyone recommend a place that is has wifi with electric outlet access? Thanks!
New Orleans Snowball Cafe across from the Keller Williams Building on Ponce
The Snowball cafe is GREATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
seriosuly. the snoballs are great and they have awesome turkey chili. and free wifi!
the wife and I try to hit it up at least once a week if not more.
This place isn’t open yet but it looks promising.
http://www.beanworkplaycafe.com/
Moonmommy, if you’re looking for something semi-official, try 151 Locust in Avondale Estates. It’s a friendly little co-working space. My tiny officeless company joined after we found out how hard it was to find space in Decatur coffee shops! A day pass is $7, or they have different packages you can try. http://151locust.com/?page_id=4
No wifi at Decatur Diner?
We need to recover files from a possibly defunct PC (monitor definitely kapuut). Any suggestions as to affordable, quality and trustworthy place I can get this done?
Data Savers, LLC (find them on the web)
Located in my office park, near Mercer Univ.
I haven’t used them personally, but a good friend who works in IT uses them and was very happy with their services.
I have used Data Savers LLC in the past and would highly recommend them. I will warn you that they are not cheap – $400 + but friends in the IT industry tell me that is on par with what everyone charges. Also – you will want to have a device for them to copy the data onto. They offer external drives for purchase, but they were pricey. I had a lot—so I bought a 500g drive at Best buy for half the price of what DS wanted to charge for the same size drive.
I too have used Data Savers (unfortunately) more than once and I highly recommend them.
Alan Thornton of Decatur Computer Help has helped us out. He is right here in Decatur. 404-492-6031
Agreed, Alan went above and beyond rescuing my PC from a stupid virus. He also works on Macs. He is super friendly and faster than most! I would definitely use him again.
I third this recommendation and he’s a CSD dad as well!
Sounds like maybe you need to invest in an online backup service – you could pay for it for 8 years for what it might cost you to recover your data. Sorry, I’m preaching after the fact, but I’ve been using one for over 2 years and, although I haven’t had a crash, I have been able to recover some files that were deleted in error.
This is a regular routine for me. Either get a new PC (or rebuild with your existing case, etc) from Delta Computers (Tilly Mill next to Home Depot in Doraville).
Then install your old hard drive as a second drive and copy the files over. You’ll spend $500, but get a spankin’ new Win7 computer. They make it easy.
This assumes the current drive is not fried (unlikely).
Does anyone know what’s going into Spencer’s old place tire place on Howard — up the hill from Feast? There’s a notice outside that there was a meeting of the Historical Commission about the building earlier this week. It’s the same place that almost had a ceramics company move in.
Went to Decatur Diner last night with some friends, and it was definitely packed. There was a 20 minute wait, which was fine, and totally worth it in the end. The five of us ordered a variety of items and loved them all. Portions were huge, which was not a problem, as there are plenty of leftovers today. I had a reuben, which was DELICIOUS, and would recommend it highly. Our server was busy, but attentive and super friendly. We are already planning to go back tomorrow morning for breakfast! For those few of you who may have had an unpleasant experience, I urge you to try it again!
Any recommendations for a chiropractor?
Pat Gibson next door to Dancing Goats is great!
Totally second the recommendation of Dr. Pat! Love her!
I’ve been to Dr. Pat, but prefer Dr. Sandy at Sandy Chiropractic on Church Street.
I too recommend Dr. Pat! Changed my life!
I love Lotus of Life by the high school.
Also interested. Would like to find a practitioner who’s not going to insist that I come in 3 times a week or similar.
Dr. Sandy (www.sandychiro.com) would definitely not do that. You only come in when it’s necessary. I’ve been to one before where they had me coming in twice a week for 3 years!!
Great thanks! I just don’t have the time or money for that sort of thing– although I’m sure it would make my back feel great.
Liliana at Lotus of Life. She’s amazing and has worked miracles on my daughter as well.
David Beatty, Advanced Chiropractic, out Clairmont next to the IGA. Worth the short drive. I don’t see him often but am always glad when I do!
404-636-6500
Dr. Lynn Young of Candler Chiropractic.
To quit smoking or ESP?
Dr. Kerri Kramer at Little Five Points Chiro (above Abbadabba’s). She’s awesome, and a very kid-friendly office. My kids think it’s a special treat for them when I go.
Anyone know what’s going into the old Wiggle space? It seems to have a new coat of exterior paint and I saw some things inside.
Deana Levine Photography
http://www.deanalevine.com/index2.php
The site automatically plays music so turn your speakers down or off before you click.
What happened at the Citgo?
http://decatur.patch.com/articles/marta-officer-injured-in-collision-in-decatur
Hmmm. Seems to be two different accounts of the same incident…
That wouldn’t be surprising.
Someone should check out Bale Foclorico at Several Dancers Core this weekend (http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=ieztwlcab&v=001XMg27mzAweqsyzjqF49USkL33pjsBR4RtS_KHB_xYGJvKEhJZKk4edb01YjgfMe4yqt4ZP6sljVZ6zkVUnZeZ_VOyYvkzQ7y21riYZFZ12Q68YtmvX3kHw%3D%3D). They re als performing at the Rialto. They are the real deal and sadly I am out of town this weekend
Marshall,
I asked that you dial it back and refrain from personal attacks, however your most recent comment – which never posted – continued along this path. From here on out, all of your comments will go to moderation before posting.
Please take your personal grievances with individuals elsewhere.
Looks like Marshall will have to add a statement to his signatures like that other commenter (Davo?) that says something like “proudly moderated since 2011.”
I wonder who his target was this time…
Dang. I’m on this site all the time yet always miss the juicy parts.
Ditto!
Wow.
Despite the heavy handed moderation, I still want to thank the parents who started the Farm to School program.
I think it is a great program and hate that a very prominent person in the Decatur schools decided to publicly ridicule them after Michelle Obama came to town and spoke about them.
If you wish to protect that individual, DM, that is your choice. But he’s the one who decided to stick his neck out publicly about it.
Actually, it wasn’t my choice. It was certainly my choice to create and uphold the comment policy, however if I’m following my long-standing rules, it’s no choice at all. It’s just the way things work around here. And just so we’re clear, it wasn’t because you criticized this person’s positions that got you moderated, it was the mocking, intentional misspelling that you included. (And of course, your previous comment on the subject, that was clearly against the policy.)
I’m not sure if I’d call the criticism “ridicule”, but regardless, no public organization should be immune from criticism. If there was a post-Michelle Obama comment – and I’m not sure I saw one – it sorta sucks that he rained on their parade, but still, we should respect each other enough to stick to the topic at hand and stay away from the personal attacks. I’m a big fan of Farm to School and have supported them since day one in most ways I can with this site. I don’t agree with the criticism against them, but I stand by the comment policy of this site. It has rarely steered me wrong.
Just saw sandhill cranes flying north over Hidden Cove Park! Thought they were geese at first, but the sound they make is very distinctive. Spring must be on its way.
i saw tulips this week!! so refreshing to know winter’s days are numbered…
I feel ya, chica! Our daffodils are coming up. Seeing their little green fingers reaching out of the earth towards the sky is something I look forward to every year…
correction…they were daffodils…i was so darn happy i’m mixin’ up my flowers
love those sand hill cranes! surely, it must be spring soon — by the way, isn’t Daylight Saving Time in two weeks?
DST begins on March 13th.
I just noticed that the Dekalb Medical ad is sporting a new lady that loves her new knee as much as the scary lady did!
Which is curious, given she was in for a Total Hip Replacement.
I guess she limped over to her lawyer and sued for malpractice.
LOL! You guys are out of control.
Maybe the new knee feels so good that she hasn’t noticed the glitch in not replacing her hip joint. I am thinking that Andy (in SK’s FIRESTARTER) gave her a “push”… Hey, don’t knock it, it seemed to work for him just fine every time!
Had a delicious dinner at the Decatur Diner with the family !
Free Tree Planting
The DHS Close Up Club will be happy to plant trees for Decatur area homeowners on
Saturday, February 26, from 1:00 to 5:00. These trees are provided by Trees Atlanta and
Nalley Infinity on Church Street. This is a free service for Decatur area homeowners.
Donations to help pay for our April trip to Washington, D.C. will be gladly accepted.
Contact Mr. Chris Billingsley, DHS Close Up sponsor, for more information or to sign up.
I just need to vent about the article in the AJC which says that SPLOST can’t go through if Atlanta City pulls out. Decatur City Schools was quoted as saying that they don’t have plans for the SPLOST money; however, it is my understanding that they have already pre-spent the SPLOST money to pay for the 4/5. Misquote? Misinformation? Or something else?
Good question. I can’t remember if it was SPLOST or some kind of other financing. Garrett Goebel? We need you!
I seem to remember the 5A funding was based on SPLOST money for many years to come as well. This question begs for an informed answer….
Ok, if Garrett’s out of town on winter break…Rob? Rob Pope? Current School Board members? Does anyone understand the financing? I preferred trailers, I mean learning cottages, or even..gasp…using part or all of Westchester over insolvency no matter where the 4/5 was going to be placed–Renfroe, Westchester, Beacon Hill, Fifth Avenue, DeVry whereever. But we’ve got a huge rapidly developing building right now where Fifth Avenue Elementary used to stand and it’s way too late to hear that funding might be compromised.
Karass,
As I understand it, the building of the new 4/5 was funded by selling the land to a third party and agreeing to pay them back the millions over a period of time (25 years, I think). Therefore, SPLOST money was not specifically used, although I think it could be used to pay back the loan that isn’t called a loan since a school system is not supposed to go into debt. However, if we are depending on just SPLOST $ and they dry up, the money still has to be paid back. Therefore, taxes would go up or other costs would have to be slashed to pay the mortgage that is not really a mortgage. (The funding mechanism has a real name in financial terms, but it is not coming to me right now). I have not heard an update from CSD lately on this issue. Garrett might be more up to date or Thomas VS may be able to state this in a more coherent manner.
Thanks. Hopefully we’ll hear soon whether there’s a change in the financial situation. I was worried from the beginning about the cost of building in the middle of the largest recession since WWII but the response I seemed to get from all was along the lines of “They have their ways…” or “It’s a good time to borrow money….” or “Construction costs are low since everyone is hungry for work…” We seemed to be able to do a radical addition and renovation to the high school, major addition (gym) to the middle school, and recent additions to Clairemont and Winnona Park all since the 2004 reconfiguration. Somehow operating budgets can be tight down to the last parapro or sports team but construction seems do-able. So I have allowed myself to trust that folks know what they are doing financially and I hope my trust is not misplaced. I tend to be cautious about change in general, but I’m REALLY cautious about fiscal risks.
I’ll check with CSD, but from what I can gather from notes, SPLOST money is being currently being used to pay for construction and other costs associated with 5th Ave. Here’s the SPLOST part of the financial report from December…
Facilities
The year to date capital expenditures from the December report are $3,158,400. The Renfroe infrastructure project shows $845,500 for construction and professional services. The Career Academy shows $855,100 for professional services, construction, equipment, and travel. The Fifth Avenue project shows $965,400 for professional services and construction. There has been $40,600 spent on Fourth Avenue for land improvement. The College Heights long term liability shows two of four payments on the December report. The interest payment for the SPLOST GO Bond debt was paid in July. The November report included the first Build America Bonds interest payment of $288,500 of the fiscal year for the COPS debt.
So as Rob said, it seems like if SPLOST disappeared we’d just have to redirect funding to cover portions of 5th Ave.
Can anyone recommend a gutter cleaning service?
ERIC PURDUE 404-294-4465 has done a great job on our gutters twice now for a really, really low price compared to what the last guy was charging us. He even fixed some minor roof damage from a branch and didn’t want any extra money. No upselling and obviously cares a lot about pleasing his customers. Only downside is that he stays busy so you may have to wait a week or two for a visit. But he has great follow-through after just one phone call.
DSM Construction painted our home in Belvedere Park and cleaned gutters. Not sure if they do gutters only but its worth a call. They did a great job painting our home. We were really happy!
http://dsmconstruct.com/
Does anyone know of a place that sells (or preferably delivers) pine straw is semi-large quantities for cheaper than buying it at Lowe’s/Home Depot?
Yes I do but I can’t find my notes. Google “Pine Straw” and the area of town you live in and you’ll find a bunch of place that sell pine straw.
I was hoping for more discussion of the future annexation plans. My neighborhood’s school is slated to be closed; many parents and homeowners might be more willing to join Decatur for its stable school system.
But then we’d have to open Westchester, I mean build another elementary school.
BTW, there seems to be tons of tuition kids at Renfroe and DHS these days. As long as the schools have room, it seems like a great option if you live nearby but your local middle or high school doesn’t work for you.
On a specific plan? Medlock Ele?
More Decatur Diner feedback: We liked our dinners earlier in the week, overgenerous that they were. Went there just for desserts this afternoon and sampled all three ordered. I wasn’t impressed with the chocolate chip cookie, eclair, or oreo cheesecake although I can’t complain about the enormous portion sizes. Kids might like them but I found the desserts ordinary and bland. However, that’s pretty classic for diner desserts. I think I’ll stick to the main courses.
It was beyond pleasant to sit out on the patio today in the beautiful weather. Good people-watching.
Will the city of Decatur pick up old furniture to take to the dump (with or without an additional fee)? We have a squirrel-ravaged loveseat that needs to go to its great reward… And it won’t fit in either of our cars.
Call the sanitation folks and tell them. You may actually be able to make this request online – I haven’t looked to see.
It looks like it’s covered by the annual fee:
http://www.decaturga.com/index.aspx?page=492
Thanks!!
Can anyone recommend a landscape designer to help with plans for our front and backyard? We have a small yard and already have someone to plant and do the hardscape. This would be a great job for a student in landscaping.
Tim Wolfe Design. He’s a Decatur resident. Great guy. Great vision.
http://www.timwolfedesign.com/index.html
Went to Decatur Diner and was really unimpressed. The milkshake sizes were pretty small for $4 (not that I exactly NEED more milkshake) and the food was gross to okay. I got the spankopita which didn’t taste much better than microwave dinner spankopita, but didn’t taste bad. The potatoes were atomic yellow and so vinegary they were inedible after a few bites – and I REALLY like vinegar. My plate also came with a tomatoey-rice-spinach-not sure what else dish, which had a mushy texture and absolutely no taste. I had a few bites of the coleslaw from my friend’s plate and it was the only thing I’d go so far as to call good.The service was also awful and everything seemed very disorganized. I definitely won’t be back.
Seems like there are mixed reviews of the Decatur Diner. I went there the other night and had a wonderful experience. The food was great, and I was fine with the large portions, it’s lunch the next day! Our server was excellent, even with the place being packed, she was extremely attentive. I will go back again!