Free-For-All Friday 4/8/11
Decatur Metro | April 8, 2011Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not discussed over the past week.
Comments close Monday.
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This week’s FFAF is brought to you by Little Shop of Stories…
Kevin Henkes is Coming! Wow!! – Monday, April 11th | 7 p.m.
Kevin Henkes, the author/illustrator of many of our very favorite picture books is coming to Little Shop!!! His books include the Caldecott Medal winner Kitten’s First Full Moon, A Good Day, and Lily’s Purple Plastic Purse. His newest fantastic book is Little White Rabbit. We’re really honored (and, yes, more than just a little bit thrilled) that Kevin is coming to Decatur.
Ridley Pearson is Coming! – Thursday, April 14th | 7 p.m.
He’s teamed with Dave Barry to write Science Fair and the great Peter and the Starcatchers series. He has his own Steel Trapp and Never Land series. And now Power Play, the fourth book in his Kingdom Keepers series is coming out. These incredibly popular adventure books take place inside Disney World, which already make them pretty cool. This should be a great event. Just look at his photo!
Ridley not only writes, he rocks! He plays bass for The Rock Bottom Remainders with fellow big-time authors like Dave Barry, Stephen King, Amy Tan, Scott Turow, Mitch Albom, and Maya Angelou!!!
On this evening, Ridley has amazingly agreed to perform with The Georgia Slush Pile!!! We’ll open his presentation with a song or two. If you prefer to save your sanity, you may want to arrive at about 7:10 p.m. If you have an ample sense of humor, arrive early!
Latest from Decaturish
In recent days, our town has become filthy. There’s yellow dust EVERYWHERE. Mayor Floyd needs to get out there with a Swiffer or a Dyson or something and FIX THIS MESS. Where is the leadership?!?!!?!?
Oh, and when I walk the dogs, I find tiny animals rappelling from trees. Some people like to call them inchworms, but I prefer the more alarmist name GREEN MICRO NINJAS. They land on my shirt. Ick. What if they land on my baby, Mayor Floyd? THINK OF THE CHILDREN!
At least you didn’t say “First”
Andisheh -I don’t even know you, but you crack me up.
Looking for a Dentist recommendation close to downtown Decatur or Druid Hills. I’m sure this question has been asked in previous Free For All Fridays but, frankly, I’m too lazy to look back through previous posts. So, my kind Decaturites, please advise. And I guess I should add the dentist recommendation is for ME, a person in her twenties, not for children… if that makes a difference.
Big fan of Dr. Goettl on Cliff VAlley WAy off Briarcliff about a half mile from N. Druid Hills.
Dr. Hastings! I’ve recommended him to many, and they always seem pleased – I know I have been!
http://www.drmarkhastings.com/
Dr. Winter is wonderful, kind, gentle and the choice of a dentist friend.
I highly recommend Thomas Price on Commerce Ave.
http://www.thomasjpricedds.com/
Many years ago he salvaged my teeth from a Nanston group hack job and my family have been loyal and very satisfied patients since. Everyone we have recommended to him has thanked us.
Dr. Price is a special gift to Decatur. I met up with him shortly after he moved into his Decatur location, and he has been terrific. He is what I would call a “master” of his science and trade.
DM, I’m sure you’ve heard this before, but having a tool to search previous FFAF comments would be extremely useful. I’m sure it’s tricky to implement, otherwise it would have already been done.
Don’t have a dentist rec, but if that toothache needs a root canal, Dr. Pafford with Pafford Endodontics in downtown Decatur is awesome!
I recommend Ben Jerigan in the old Wachovia building at 315 West Ponce. Telephone: (404) 378-1466.
+1 for Dr. Jernigan
+2 and like, a bazillion of my friends who go to Dr. Jernigan. He really is great.
Re LSOS events: I love Lily! Kevin Henkes channeled my daughter into that character!
The 2010 strategic plan gives me pause with respect to Commerce Drive. It’s a facility that caters to cars, diverting autos from the town center. I don’t want to bike on Commerce; I don’t want to walk on it. Looking backward, this separated devotion to cars may appear a poor choice, but, looking forward, I’d prefer to focus improvements for walking and biking on all other streets first.
The Community Transportation Plan recommends creating complete streets along streets such as Commerce Drive — diagram caption
Streetscape upgrades and a road diet along Commerce Drive. — bullet under CTP, also in 2007 CTP recap.
Design the ring road (Commerce Dr.) for through traffic — 1982 Town Center Plan recap.
I like that Commerce steers cars away from the main drag, but it definitely needs traffic calming at its curves.
Would also love to see more emphasis on increasing awareness at pedestrian crosswalks everywhere– and soon, please! Signs and paint & reflectors are useful reminders! Adding the Traffic Ops telephone number for reporting malfunctions alongside the crosswalk instructions would be very helpful. It’d be super terrific to have the wonderful PALS & Public Works employees test & report crosswalk issues as they’re out making their rounds!
The very nice folks at Dekalb Traffic Ops: (404)297-3947
I think the cemetary wall is used as the current traffic calming plan.
And we have a winner!
Is there a place where Decatur Moms look for nannies? Like an online Decatur forum or something? My fiance is a full time nanny in the Highlands, but they may not need her anymore in the near future. It would be great if she could find someone in the neighborhood to work for.
Check out the Decatur Mama Yahoo Group.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/decaturmama/
Tomorrow is Paws for the Cause from 10 to 2 on the Square!!!
http://www.animalactionrescue.org/pawsforthecause.htm
It says that low-cost vaccinations will be available. That’s great! Do you know which ones and for how much?
I checked their facebook page and it does not specify which vaccines.
I still miss Crescent Moon.
Is Thumbs Up so different?
We often ate dinner at Crescent Moon, which Thumb’s Up doesn’t offer.
Us too-dinner! Something for everyone (and tasty).
i miss it too.
there’s always ruby tuesday.
(sigh. kidding, of course.)
I miss Marshall and Rebeccab! Hope they’ve just been busy and aren’t locked away in a dungeon somewhere!
Hey Deanne! Just lurkin… We haven’t had any spicy DG like topics, that get everyone all in a tizzy lately! Going back to my dungeon now…
Yay! Glad you’re back!
Naw, looks like the DG’s been accepted for what it is: a handy, not posh, addition. (Or else folks get that they’ll look bad carrying on about it with the Oakhurst Market coming too.) Now, the parking lot…
Any firsthand experience about the Decatur real estate recently? We’re moving and will likely be selling our house or renting it out for a few years–but not sure if renting it out is worth the hassle. So sad to be leaving Decatur and our lovely little home! But I’m sure I’ll continue to read DM, even from the West Coast.
I manage a rental property, and there is a hassle factor that can me mitigated if you find the right tenant. However, you will still need to have somebody nearby who can deal with maintenance issues. Contact me if you want other advice. My email: dloupe@ict-ils-edu
Rentals within Decatur rent fairly quickly, I think.
My aunt is relocating to Decatur in the next month. She’d be a very reliable tenant! If you think you’d be renting, please let me know. My email is .
Slow day . . . Is it because all the families are on spring break? Being a non-parent, I’m not even sure if it is spring break.
No kidding.. it’s 4 pm and not even 30 posts! Spring break was my guess, too, but those words haven’t meant anything to me since college.
Site traffic usually takes a hit during school breaks. But this week it’s been abnormally high considering. That might just be due to the storm and growler news though.
Flood plain, Westchester, School Board, Dollar General, noisy uncontrolled children, cute owls, mothers with strollers blocking intersections, preK lottery, learning cottages, gentrification of Oakhurst, zombies, growlers, Book Festival, more government intervention, green anything, beer.
One of those ought to get the discussion going.
This isn’t a City of Decatur question, but does anyone know what’s going on across the street from the QuikTrip near N. Dekalb Mall? Several houses were torn down next to the old map & globe store, but the trees were left standing and it looks like they’ve planted fresh grass.
Sorry, I meant for that to be a new post and not a reply to anything.
Maybe the county tore those houses down? They were right at the entrance to Little Creek Farm, the county’s horse center.
Word from the Medlock Area Neighborhood Association, who has worked hard to figure out what is going on there, is that the developer has leveled the houses but has no immediate plans to proceed with any work. At one time, they were apparently working on an elder residence of some variety.
I still remember the look of amazement and pity when my then 9 year son was on spring break and I told him I did not get spring break. I still kid him about that even though he is now 17. I tell him to be sure to enjoy it now.
Sorry to any federal employees out there who may be getting furloughed. It must be really difficult to not know if you’re going to work next week and when you’re going to get paid next. Hang in there!
My husband thanks you. Sadly he still has to report and not get paid.
How is that legal?
I’m assuming he’s active duty then
No but he’s considered critical in his position. But that’s irrelevant now.
Does anyone know of someone who does psychic readings in decatur? I googled it but I would rather have a referral!
Shouldn’t the psychic be looking for you?
Now that’s funny right there.
Dear Friends and Fans,
Due to crashing e-mail systems and falling trees this reminder comes at the last minute. Hope you can join us for our final concerts of the season!
Liz Frazer
Just Voices & The Morningside Singers
“A Cappella Traditions”
Music for
Unaccompanied Voices
From the Middle Ages to Vocal Jazz
Sunday, April 10
3:00 p.m.
Holy Trinity Episcopal Church
515 E. Ponce de Leon Ave.
Decatur GA
30030
Tuesday, April 12
7:30 p.m.
Central Congregational Church
2676 Clairmont Road NE
Atlanta GA
30329
Adults $10, Students $5
(404) 875-3266
Hi, everyone. I’m a soon-to-be mom, and was wondering if anyone knows anything about a couple of pediatricians I’m looking into. We have Kaiser HMO insurance and are limited to the Kaiser offices, which leaves us very few choices in the way of pediatricians in our area. One doctor’s name is Dr. Sharon Lehman, whose office is in the Kaiser Crescent Center location (near Northlake Mall), and the other doctorwe’re interested in works at the downtown Decatur office. His name is Dr. James Gauthier. Does anyone have experience with either of these pediatricians? Thanks!
Hi Teach! I’m Teach. Would you consider a name variation?
I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating. I don’t worry about running into this duplicate name issue in Decatur.
Actually, I don’t either!
Teach #1, We’ve been taking our three kids to Dr Lehman since they were babies (first one was in 2004). I think she’s a great Dr. and we’ve never had any negative experiences at the Crescent Center location. We’ve also seen Dr. Sudman at Crescent Center, who I also like a lot. We have been to the downtown Decatur loction before. I love the location, but it’s sometimes harder to make appointments there for the kids (I think the Dr. is only there a few mornings a week).
Tax return arrived just in time for the post-winter fur coat sales. Always try to support our local merchants, but there don’t appear to be many, if any, options. Anyone know of a local furrier or men’s clothier that carries quality men’s fur coats? Looking for full-length mink, duster cut, and would consider humanely-raised so long as it’s competitively priced with standard mink. Also would consider full-length fox, if a uniform and dark shade. Any shops in Decatur fit the bill? Would consider slumming it in Avondale if no Decatur options.
“would consider humanely-raised so long as it’s competitively priced with standard mink.”
So humanely raised, is secondary to budget concerns?
It’s hard to know where anything comes from, but some furriers do it better than others. And the ones who do it poorly, are horrendous (skinning animals alive). It’s worth doing a little research on. Maybe an American furrier?
I would assume once you a buy a fur, you would have it have it for the rest of your life. Wouldn’t you rather spend a little more, on just this one occasion, to know exactly what you were buying?
I really don’t feel like anyone has the right to tell people what they should wear or buy, but it’s just something to consider…
“I really don’t feel like anyone has the right to tell people what they should wear or buy…”
But, really, ya just did! C’mon, this is Decatur, you’re allowed to openly criticize anything as long as it’s from a leftist, ITP perspective. Embrace that right…
LOL@ the Winnona Park Stud’s masterful stirring of the hornet’s nest. The Winnona Park Stud’s absence has been noted, and his return noted with glee.
Yes, it was well played. I admit, I did not even see the original post before responding to rebeccab. I stand by my evaluation, however!
Ah man, I totally just walked into that! I almost thought it was a joke, but he was so specific “full-length fox, if a uniform and dark shade.” That should have been the give away! Am I allowed to blame getting old for not picking up on that? Good one WPS!
Just trying to get this “free for all” to live up to its name. Winnona Park Stud is perfectly content with his rabbit fur jacket and ear muffs.
Winnona Park Stud not referring to Winnona Park Stud was the tip- even he couldn’t go that far! (Glad to see Winnona Park Stud back too- he always makes me giggle!)
Teach, I can totally pick another name- no worries. Thanks Decaturmomof3 for easing my worries. Just wanted another recommendation to know I was on the right track!
@teach–I have been very happy with Kaiser for my kids. All the pediatricians at Crescent are good. Singleton is my favorite.
What the hell is up with $5 parking @ the old Big H tonight? looks like homemade signs and some caution tape. where’s the cash go and who can authorize that? gads, I hate the idea of pay parking (unless it’s for charity) in Oakhurst. we walk, but geez, really?
Nobody has to authorize it – it’s private property.
Are we so sure of that Steve?
Didn’t the City pass a law recently requiring new standards for parking lots requiring certain signage for pay parking lots in the City (See Sec 98 of the code)
Decatur Code provides for some minimum landscape standards for surface parking lots in the City as well. (Sec 86-131)
Don’t you have to have a basic business license to operate an off street parking facility?
Clearly, Bruce can prohibit people from parking in his lot if he so chooses, but once he starts charging for parking, I believe he must operate with a license a meet certain standards.
The property owner authorized it.
Oops, there goes his one small piece of community goodwill.
I wonder what spurred it?
I’ve heard that Bruce is pissed off that Oakhurst Market is going in next door and has no parking and that customers will use his lot instead and he is trying to charge Oakhurst Market a ridiculous amount of money to use its parking. So this is Bruce’s way of saying that he can do it if he wanted to.
Interesting.. It’s kinda strange if Oakhurst Market didn’t have its parking plan locked up before getting approval to set up shop. Are you sure this isn’t a done deal?
Sign is on the building. Permit on the door. Construction going on inside.
But the reality is that if a “parking plan” were required of Oakhurst businesses, none of them would be allowed to operate. UJoint currently has 0 parking spaces.
Note that “parking plan” is not synonymous with “off-street parking,” though. The U-Joint’s plan, rightfully so, is that there’s literally hundreds of on-street spaces within a couple blocks, so removing table space to accommodate a couple cars on principle would basically be meaningless.
One thing that may factor into the Market’s plan. Last I heard, the streetscape project slated for the Village actually increases on-street spaces over the number available now. So, even if Bruce continues to charge, I can’t imagine he’ll have all that many takers. It’s just not that scarce a commodity if people are willing to walk a short distance.
People love parking lots. (Maybe- like me- they are bad at parallel parking!) Seems like Bruce is doomed to the villain role if he ever needs to enforce usage.
( Disappointed that the pastor of the new church coming in isn’t above the fray.)
Isn’t the small building with Oakhurst Market and One Step at a Time owned by Bruce Cohen and leased to these 2 businesses?
A little open record research with taxes and incorporation answered my question. Small building with market and sports owned by G & E LAND LLC (principle Marshall Kent – business man involved in other thriving Oakhurst businesses). Large strip center and lot with continued vacancy and unsuccessful businesses owned by ABS Family Investments LLLP (principle Bruce Cohen). The disgruntled theory has merit.
@Joe, maybe old fashion cash flow?
yeah–he should let everyone insult him and leave trash in his lot for free.
No he shouldn’t allow people to park and trash his lot for free.
Bruce has owned that property for, what, 10 years now? He should have reached some sort agreement with the Oakhurst businesses and/or city years ago about the parking situation in the Oakhurst business district a long time ago. He certainly has the right to charge for parking, or prohibit people from parking there at all, if he wishes. But for the last 10 years he hasn’t done much of anything to that end.
Instead, out of spite that someone is opening a grocery store nearby, on a whim he decides to start charging people $5 to park there on Friday night. Can’t wait to see if he charges on Thursday’s Jazz Night. That should be fun. Another good PR move Bruce. [edited: no personal attacks]
Yeah, I didn’t mean someone else had to authorize, obviously the owner could choose to make it a pay lot, it just looked thrown together and wondered.
Does anyone have any experience with ailing holly bushes? Some of our mature holly hedges have started to lose their leaves, which turn yellow with brown spots before falling off. Once the leaves fall, the whole plant dies. Anyone know if there is a “holly whisperer” we can call? Or have any brilliant solution? I’d hate to lose the whole hedge, which has probably been there since the house was built.
I would clip off a typical ailing branch and take it to Pikes. They have gardening consultants that can probably help you.
anyone been to the new sandwich shop beside YDFM? erberts and gerberts i think?