From the Atlanta Business Chronicle…

The Georgia House of Representatives Wednesday defeated a constitutional amendment aimed at allowing the state to create charter schools.

While 110 lawmakers supported the proposal and 62 voted against it, the measure failed to gain the two-thirds majority needed to approve constitutional amendments.

As many of you are aware, CSD adamantly opposed the amendment, which would have overridden a State Supreme Court decision last year which ruled the State Charter School commission was unconstitutional.  Many metro Atlanta school systems opposed the commission because it was granted the authority to single-handedly create local charter schools – and thus divert per-student funding – without any consent from local populations.

Thanks to Steve for forwarding!

Regina Brewer sends in this one-of-a-kind press release for us!.

The Decatur Old House Fair or as some like to call it “Why did I buy this money pit and will these people tell me how to fix stuff?” event

Yep, it’s spring, when a young man or woman’s thoughts turn to “what color should I paint our house?” or “I’m not going another summer without insulating this place” or better yet “I am not sharing a bathroom with my three boys any longer! I need an architect and a contractor!”

It’s time for the Decatur Old House Fair on Saturday, February 18th at the NEW Courtyard by Marriott! That’s right, you too can wonder around from seminar to seminar trying to listen to really smart people tell you how to do cool stuff to your old house. What kind of cool stuff? Fixing those wood windows that are currently painted shut and have tub and tile caulk for glazing (oh, wait, those were my windows!). How about learning how to research the history and style of your house and find out if Leila Ross Wilburn designed it. died in it, walked by it, or maybe she ignored it entirely, but you love it anyway. Hate your weed filled yard with bald patches and three half dead Nandina’s as “landscaping”?

Read the rest of this entry »

• Report on the CSD enrollment tightrope; Westchester mentioned as “choice school” again [Champion]
• Decatur Beer Festival donated over $49,000 last year [Patch]
• If created, new DeKalb city would be called Ashford, not Brookhaven [AJC]
• Another good reason to bake your own bread, or buy locally! [AJC]
• Rader criticizes redistricting process during budget talk [Patch]
• Georgia’s new oil barons – olive oil that is [Garden & Gun]
• Beerbikes inspire Dutch bicycle school bus [FastCoExist]