Only time will tell whether my initial, casual observation that it was a good sign for transportation sales tax advocates that the AJC had to go all the way to Fayette County to find some intense opposition to Atlanta’s pending Transportation Sales Tax initiative.

But this new AJC poll would support the claim that I am clairvoyant.  Here’s a selection of the AJC/WSB’s latest poll findings broken up into bullets by me…

• Overall, the poll shows 51 percent of metro voters would vote for the referendum if it were held today. An additional 13 percent were undecided.
• In Cobb and Gwinnett counties alone, at least 48 percent were in support, with an additional 10 percent undecided.
• Overwhelmingly, 91 percent of voters said it was important to address the region’s transportation problems to improve its quality of life and economic future.
• Additionally, 67 percent said the region’s traffic congestion is deteriorating their quality of life.
• And 82 percent said it was important to do more to encourage everyone to commute to work by bus or train.

Sort of interesting that 82% of respondents want more done to encourage transit, but only 51% would vote for the referendum.  I’m not suggesting there aren’t valid reasons to support transit but not the tax, but, let’s be honest, you’ve gotta be a pretty well-educated transit junkie to make that argument.  So what’s that 31point gap all about?  Folks who want people other than themselves encouraged to take transit, but just verbally at no cost to tax payers?

And in case you’re wondering about the accuracy or details of the poll, it included 625 registered metro voters and has a 4% margin of error.

Decatur District 1 voters interested in school-related issues, you’ll want to block off time on Sunday, October 9th to attend this event!  Deanne sends in all the pertinent info…

• When: Sunday, October 9^th, 1:30-3:30 (Doors open at 1:15pm)
• Where: The Church at Decatur Heights, 735 Sycamore Drive

Featuring:

• Candidate Peg Bumgardner http://electpegbumgardner.blogspot.com/
• Candidate Garrett Goebel http://garrettgoebel.org/index.html
• Moderator Geoff Koski, community voice and United States Government and Politics teacher

The Church at Decatur Heights and The Decatur Heights Neighborhood Association are pleased to host this exciting opportunity to hear from Peg Bumgardner and Garrett Goebel, candidates for the District 1 School Board seat on the November 8, 2011 ballot. Geoff Koski, highly regarded community voice and teacher of United States Government and Politics at Decatur High School, will lead what is sure to be an informative discussion on the future of our City of Decatur Schools. A Meet & Greet with light refreshments will follow. All interested citizens are invited to attend!

UPDATE: TNT has updated their post to say that Dunkin’ is out, but Chipolte still plans to open in the space and there’s “another concept was waiting in the wind [wings?] and is lease negotiations as we speak…”

Tomorrow’s News Today reports that both Dunkin’ Donuts and Chipotle will soon be opening in the old Druid Hills Bookstore space along Oxford Road in Emory Village.  The location is even MORE prime nowadays thanks to the new Barnes &Noble student book store across the street.

In case you’re not familiar with the area, here’s the location on Google Maps.  (However, note that the street view is a bit dated.  Where you see trees across the street is now a giant B&N/Starbucks/Student Center.)

• Olive Groves Making a Comeback in Georgia [Wash Post]
• A History of Oakhurst’s “Castle” [Dateline: Decatur]
• DeKalb Holding Transportation Sales Tax Mtg in Decatur Wednesday [AJC]
• DHS Students’ Artwork on Display at Woodruff Arts Center [Patch]
• Fast Food Cheaper? “That is just plain wrong.” – Mark Bittman [NYT]

Photo courtesy of Georgia Oliver Growers’ Association