Ever since the Morse family handed over 7.2 acres of land over to the Decatur Preservation Alliance in 2002, the endgame for what would soon be called “Woodlands Garden” was to become it’s own independent entity.   This year, that goal became a reality.

According to a note from DPA Board Chair Stephan Swicegood, Woodlands Garden was granted non-profit status and on September 30th the Decatur Preservation Alliance transfered title of the Woodlands property to Woodlands Garden of Decatur, Inc.

Asked about the future of the DPA, Mr. Swicegood told DM…

DPA will live on. For many years now, we have produced (with help) the MLK Service Project that happens around the MLK holiday each January. DPA is the legal and financial entity responsible for the event. With Woodlands on their own, we’re excited about being able to put more time and resources into making MLK an even more successful event.

…our plan going forward is to operate as an all-volunteer organization, which means the maximum amount of our financial resources can go to those we are serving through the MLK project.

For those new to Decatur, the DPA was created back in 2001 to help save the old Decatur Depot from demolition.  (In fact, I just found their old “Help Us Restore the Decatur Depot” website if you’re looking for a blast from the past)  With help from city staff, the org raised over $100,000 to move the Depot just a few feet away from the railroad tracks and took possession of the building from CSX.

One of the main reasons we’ve heard that the City of Decatur has hesitated to jump to the cutting edge of the food truck craze in the past year is the potential impact on existing brick-and-mortar restaurants and other food businesses already set up in the city.  So, I suppose it’s little surprise that in Atlanta, where food trucking has become easier recently thanks to the lifting of some restrictions, there’s been a bit of backlash from local restauranteurs.

The AJC reports this morning…

But in some cases, the trucks have brought controversy along with gelato, tamales, Venezuelan corn cakes and char-grilled hot dogs. They have lower overhead than restaurants and — some restaurateurs suspect — tenuous allegiances to particular neighborhoods and their existing businesses. In a tough restaurant market, is that an unfair advantage?

“My main issue is, how are they helping the community?” said Coggin, who noted that his restaurant is hit up for charitable donations every week and wonders if food trucks are also asked. “Are they just making a buck and leaving? It’s like poaching.”

The “Art Stroll” in Castleberry Hill became the focus of the food truck debate earlier this year when the trucks got a special exemption from Atlanta to park in a public area.

And while I’ve come down on both sides of this argument in our time discussing it, the more I read about it and see real examples of its impact, the more respectful I am of the complexity of the situation.

Dave over at inDecatur posted two videos, which together show a good portion of the forum between school board candidates Peg Bumgardner and Garrett Goebel at the Church of Decatur Heights on Sunday afternoon.

Bumgardner-Goebel debate for CSD School Board 10/9/2011 Pt 1 of 2 from Dave Kell on Vimeo.

Part II after the jump.

Read the rest of this entry »

From the City of Decatur’s website…

Don’t throw away that old cell phone, camera or PC component! Save it and recycle it on Saturday, October 29th, 2011 at Decatur’s Electronics Recycling event. This semi-annual event has been hugely successful at diverting electronic equipment from landfills, where they may contaminate soil and water.

The event takes place Saturday, October 29th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Decatur High School Parking lot, on the corner of N. McDonough St. and W. Howard Avenue. Electronics dropped off that day will be sorted and disassembled into raw materials or cleaned for re use.

TV’s will be recycled for a minimal fee of $10 cash only per TV set with exact change. There is no charge to recycle other items. Any metro area resident can participate. Early drop offs are not possible.

• For additional information call:
• Sean Woodson
• Solid Waste Superintendent
• 678-898-8562

And a change from last time, Styrofoam will not be accepted at Electronics Recycling Day this time around.  For more info on this and a list of acceptable recycling items, CLICK HERE.

• Reflecting on Atlanta’s “Sipping Scene” [Thristy South]
• Breast Cancer Walk coming through Decatur on Oct 21st [Patti Garrett]
• Was Denzel at Whole Food Briarcliff? [Patch]
• Savannah ranks as Top 5 downtown by Livability.com [ABC]
• A cute op-ed on fly-fishing with your wife by a guy with Decatur grandkids [Baxter Bulletin]
• As recently as 1979 a first-grader could…[free range kids]