Free-For-All Friday 9/14/12
Decatur Metro | September 14, 2012Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not discussed here over the past week.
Comments close on Monday.
Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not discussed here over the past week.
Comments close on Monday.
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Good morning!
I am looking for a seamstress / dressmaker in Decatur. I need someone to reconstruct a dress. Someone who only does alterations may not be adequate.
Thanks!
I wonder if the staff at Whipstitch can help you. They don’t do alterations, but they might point you in the right directions. They’re all very good sewists themselves.
Anyone know what the GBI activity was near Glennwood and Forkner this week?
Glennwood, Glenndale. Never mind, now we all know. How incredibly sad.
I still see folks running the new stop sign at Commerce and Robin on a daily basis.
Station a cop there for a week to establish the new stop sign’s existence in people’s minds and make the city a little money.
On a related note, now that it’s done, I really like the changes to that Western stretch of commerce south of Trinity. Nice place to bike (and hooks up to the Trinity bike lanes), and less of a freeway feel.
Well they need to put some large warning sign or something. I have been traveling that stretch for 12 years, and I blew through it the first time. Just didn’t think anything of it. I know now though. I don’t think giving people tickets is the way to go as I think most people running just don’t realize a sign has been put there. It’s an unnesessary sign anyway in my opinion.
Not sure why that is a surprise. At least 50% of drivers run the all way stop at Forkner / Glendale drivers run the red light at Church & Forkner/Medlock at an alarming rate.
There needs to be a Stop sign on both sides of the street, going both directions. And they should put some temporary flashing lights up, maybe even a few barrels around for a while. The task is to get attention — we all drive around seeing what we expect to see, especially in territory we’ve been traversing routinely for years.
And I think a little extra effort to write tickets will help — anybody who gets a ticket will certainly slow down and stop from then on, which will have an incremental effect on how traffic flows.
Definitely needs to be something more attention-grabbing, at least temporarily until people are used to it being there. I almost blew right through it at least the first two times I traveled through it. Still not as bad as the stop sign on East Lake at 2nd. Took me about 3 months and many brake slams to get my brain trained to slow and stop there
Or we could all just pay attention!
Hate that stop sign.
For anybody biking up Commerce (along the new bike lanes) who wants to make a left on Robin to get to the Ebster fields or the other facilities around there, the stop sign helps a lot. (I recently went that way with my son, age 8, and without the changes to the road I wouldn’t have felt comfortable having him bike that route.) It probably also makes it easier for residents of the public housing to walk across to the high school. I don’t think people should be zipping along on that stretch of road anyway, and the delay imposed by the stop sign is pretty minimal IMHO.
How did the new residential facility across from the stadium get named The Oliver House?
Henry Oliver was a prominent local resident/businessman in the Beacon Hill community back around the turn of the 19th century. As such, most of the western loop of what is now “Commerce Ave” was once named Oliver Street. Back in the early 1980s, the city changed the street name to Commerce Drive, promising Mr. Oliver a statue for his sacrifice. He never got his statue and instead got a room named after him at the Decatur Conference Center. :-/ Most of this is on the Wayfinding sign in the area. http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM2EJE
In addition to the Oliver House name, there was talk a couple of years back of renaming Commerce Drive from Trinity to Howard “Oliver Street”, but I haven’t heard word of it since. I believe one of the issues with going even farther north of Trinity would be the address changes it would require the County to make, since their main offices are there.
Named for Henry Oliver, an African American business owner and resident who was honored in 1902 with a local street named for him. In 1983, the street name was changed to Commerce Drive .
Hi there,
I am looking to interview adult patients with chronic conditions and/or their caregivers to improve care management experience for my client Care Team Connect (http://www.careteamconnect.com/). The interview would last about an hour.
If you know of anyone- patient or caregiver, please send them this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/interview_screener or have them email me @
If they qualify, they will be paid $50 for their time.
Thank you.
Erica
The Marriage of Figaro
It is Figaro and Susanna’s wedding day. But the Count is attempting to seduce the bride, and Figaro must repay a loan or be forced to marry another woman. Hilarity ensues as mistaken identities and surprise plot twists whirl through a day that the bridal couple will never forget! Based on the play that was banned in France! Meet The Cast
Friday, Sept. 14, 2012, 8:00 p.m. Cole Auditorium,
Georgia Perimeter College (Clarkston campus)
555 N. Indian Creek Dr., Clarkston, GA 30021 678-891-3556
Purchase Tickets for Friday 9/14/2012
Pre-performance lecture: Carter Joseph (Opera 101 and Evening at Emory) will present a pre-performance lecture on “The Marriage of Figaro” one hour before curtain.
Sunday, Sept. 16, 2012, 3:00 p.m. Cole Auditorium,
Georgia Perimeter College (Clarkston campus)
555 N. Indian Creek Dr., Clarkston, GA 30021 678-891-3556
Purchase Tickets for Sunday 9/16/2012
Pre-performance lecture: Carter Joseph (Opera 101 and Evening at Emory) will present a pre-performance lecture on “The Marriage of Figaro” one hour before curtain.
Ticket prices:
General admission $23
Seniors $20
Groups of 10 or more $10 per
Students $10; GPC Faculty/Students $5
Cobb County reported back with a billion dollar plan for a bus corridor with 14+ “stations” and this gem: grade separation of 12 intersections on Cobb Parkway.
What is “enhanced premium transit service?” Apparently it’s 15 buses, 6,000+ parking spaces, and the prospect of driving from mansion to hobby farm with fewer stoplights. With that in mind, a belated thanks to those who voted against the T-SPLOST.
http://dot.cobbcountyga.gov/connectcobbLPA.htm
Cobb Co. Commissioner Bob Ott called it “a pipe dream.”
http://www.mdjonline.com/view/full_story/20120067/article–1-1B-bus-proposal-called-%E2%80%98pipe-dream%E2%80%99
Big event just south of Decatur starts this coming week: The PGA Tour Coca-Cola Championship / Fedex Cup finale will be played at East Lake starting Thursday (practice rounds start Monday).
Any idea whether or not there are bike racks set up for it? I love going, but hate parking downtown and taking the darn bus. I didnt go for 2 days I had tix last year cause I was too damn lazy to deal with the parking situation…
Every year we’ve gone we’ve been able to park for free on the street about 3 blocks from the front gate. No trouble at all. Of course, if you’re too worried about parking and want to give away the tix, well rest assured that there is NO bike parking and you should probably just give them away to a neighbor
I was going to say something similar — it’s only about a 20 minute walk from Mojo Pizza or McCoy Park…
Please come and park in East Lake! It’s free and an easy walk.
One big caveat though: please don’t block any driveways!!
We rode our bikes there a few years ago and there were NO bike racks. We had to talk to security and finally talked them into letting us chain them to the fence inside the entrance.
Thanks for the tips yall. Maybe I’ll just lock the bike to Ira’s front porch. J_T, if I come across extra tix, i’ll let you know.
And I think you even know where I live if you do!
I’m a huge fan of the Living Walls art that’s sprouted up around Atlanta. In particular, the art that adorns the underpasses along Dekalb has made my otherwise drab morning drive to my studio in Inman Park, much more positive.
When I first moved into Oakhurst way back in the 20th century, I spearheaded an effort to get a mural painted on the underpass at Eastlake, but was told CSX Railways was disinclined to permit such a thing. Other permissions, including MARTA and COD may have also been required. The project stalled and sputtered, and eventually I lost interest.
I’m wondering what would be required to get the ball rolling again? Hugh, Peggy, or anyone else at COD or in the know, please share any thoughts.
Would love to have the gateway into our neighborhood beautified.
Maybe this deserves its own post?
Brian Kemp has ordered the GA State Archives closed to the public. Here is a link to the AJC article that contains more information on this ill-advised decision by the Secretary of State: http://www.ajc.com/news/ap/education/ga-to-cut-archives-access-lay-off-state-workers/nR9zX/
Also, there is now a change.org petition to Governor Deal to keep the State Archives open to the public.
https://www.change.org/petitions/the-governor-of-ga-leave-our-state-archives-open-to-the-public
But in return for cutting services, we the taxpayers are getting some really good corporate welfare tax breaks allowing all kinds of low wage, no benefits, jobs to be created. Once again Georgia leads the way.
Oh, you silver-lining types are all alike!
Great Team Decatur turnout for the KP race last night. A lot of local eateries hooked us up with an excellent spread (thankfully no CFA). I can only remember Marlay, Big Burrito, & NOLA Snoball Café. If anyone else can fill in, I’d be much obliged.
I’m looking for a place that does furniture repair and reupholstery. I have four nice dining room chairs – not antiques – that need some work. I thought there was a place that did this sort of thing in Avondale at one time, but googling didn’t turn anything up.
Thanks!
We just had a dining room chair repaired by Ed Weed in Tucker.
I will second that recommendation for Mr. Weed.
Glad you enjoyed it Al. The businesses that donated food and/or beverages were UJoint, Private Bak of Decatur, Publix, FleetFeet, Los Loros, The Marlay, Raging Burrito, NO Snow Caone, Decatur Package Store, Carolyn Train LLC, Einstein Bagels and Decatur Active LIving. Yum- it was all so good!
Who donated the spinach salad with chicken? That chicken was quite tasty! Thanks to all who donated!
OK, you Zenni fans: what do you do when the fit needs adjusting?
Good question…I bought a 20 dollar pair of glasses and they lasted 3 years. They never needed adjustment though. You could probably just go to a local eye doc for adjustment but might have to pay.
Ordered 2 pairs, carefully checking sizes info on current pair and paying attention to all size info & guidelines at website. Neither pair fits — one too small, one too large. Local optician will probably adjust for me, I just hate asking, after buying el cheapo goods online. Even adjusted, they aren’t going to fit very well.
Target Optical has adjusted glasses for me and repaired a lens that came out of the frames. While I had not purchased my glasses there, they didn’t seem to mind. I did buy my next pair from them though.
Sometimes Clark Howard forgets that sometimes you get what you pay for.
Yes, I’ve had the cheap glasses break on me. I’ve done minor adjustments on the glasses myself. However, I do think that the trouble I have had is more than offset by the several hundred dollars price difference in the online glasses VS the optician. I tend to buy from another online retailer, though, and I have had them repair or replace broken stuff. I do wish the price difference wasn’t so dramatic. But if I can pay about a hundred dollars for the photogray, no line bifocal that I need versus several hundred more, I’m gonna figure out how to tweak the frames a little bit so they fit.
IMNSHO, Zenni glasses are ok for emergency backups, but not for a primary pair.
That’s pretty much what I’ve concluded (and can’t honestly say it’s unexpected).
Multi-family yard sale tomorrow 7am-3pm at 3190 Valaire Drive 30033. LOTS of baby stuff, art stuff, etc. Details here:
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/gms/3271828474.html
I know this is not Decatur proper….but I am asking anyway. Thursday afternoon at the intersection of Dekalb Industrial and Scott Blvd, between Air Plus and a closed car dealership, there was a major set up of a large variety of stuff. There were people in the lot moving the things around and a spray painted sign stating “nothing is 4 sale”. Does anybody know what the heck this was or is all about?
Gatree,
It’s a group called Area 51 that just got back from Burning Man in California. They store their bus over there and are clearing out/cleaning up to get ready for another burn.
That makes alot of sense. I get to retire in 2 years…Burning Man is on my bucket list.
If you would like to prep for Burning Man, I highly recommend a trip to Doo-Nanny in Seale, Alabama at the end of March. It’s a small deal and it’s great fun. http://www.doo-nanny.com has the details.
Anyone know when the Rec Center renovations are scheduled to complete? It seems like that project is taking a really long time, and there doesn’t appear to be a very large crew working on-site.
January or February 2013. That has always been the schedule.
I think you can find a furniture repair person at one of the booths at Kudzu Antique Market.
Anyone out there who can fix my washer?
Can’t fix it but love ur name:)
Jerry Jenkins is excellent and reasonable.
678-492-8311
Another big shout out for the corporate hacks running Taco Mac. We avoid the Mac because the food is terrible and they don’t clean their beer lines, but we had out-of-town guests that wanted to watch the Florida-Tennessee game. Of the plethora of TVs in the place there were only a few with THE 6:00 college game on, and, right before half time, they switched them to the FAU-UGA game, despite a large group of UF and UT fans present, buying food and booze. Complaints to both managers were met with the usual corporate, “MY boss says this is how it is…” not to mention the comment from the manager, “do you like everything about YOUR job?” There is no reason–TVs or not–to ever go to Taco Mac.
Big Tex and Trackside. Both have better food than Taco Mac and will go out of their way to make sure you can see whatever game you are looking for. I usually go to Trackside but, like you, had out-of town guests and wanted to stay closer to the square. They got there before us and found a clusterfu*k at Taco Mac. Ended up at Big Tex in front of a big tv showing the Fla/UT game. Polished off a few dozen wings and several $6 pitchers of PBR and even had an unexpected Pine Street Market poblano pepper sausage thrown into the mix. So yeah, you are correct that there’s no reason to ever go to Taco Mac…
Could I bring my teenager and his friends to Trackside?
Unfortunately it’s 21 and over only. For many people, it’s where they go to get away from their teenagers and their friends
They might make an exception earlier in the day but I wouldn’t count on it.
Don’t forget about the Square Pub and McGowan’s in the category of “much better places to watch a game than Taco Mac”.
Even thought it’s outside “City of Decatur”, Famous Pub in Toco Hills is also a great option with many tvs and it’s now non-smoking.
Nothing like having to beg them to put on the Braves game on one of the TVs above the banner that says “BE AT TACO MAC – YOUR OFFICIAL ATLANTA BRAVES HEADQUARTERS”
I had a similar experience last year and was told that Taco Mac has some sort of rule that so many TVs (most of them) MUST show the UGA game. I tried to argue the logic in that when you have a lot of paying customers wanting another game, but it was to no avail. I’m glad to find out there are so many other options since most of the time, I want to see a game being played outside of the South (yep, they exist).
I’m glad to know that I can continue my personal ban on the downtown Decatur Taco Mac. 3 or 4 years ago I went there one day in June when the Braves were playing the Mets. There were VERY few people in the place and my friend and I sat at a table in the bar area. We were within earshot of the bartender who was being extremely rude to a guy sitting at the bar who wanted the Braves on one of the TVs centrally located above the bar.
After a while I had enough and asked the bartender to go get his manager. I explained to the manager what I’d witnessed and that I too was there to try and see the ATLANTA BRAVES play. Said manager, without any knowledge of the situation other than what I told him, said that he was sure his bartender was doing everything he could to accommodate “everyone.” I replied something to the effect of “well the both of you have done everything you can to assure that I’ll never patronize your establishment again.” And I haven’t.
+1 – they have gotten worse with every visit. My Labor day visit was my last.
RALPH at Decatur Wifi ROCKS!!! Not only was he out working on the wifi pole after 6:30 on Friday night, but being the great guy that he is, he took care of the two pesky overhead eyesores on Sycamore Dr. near Forkner! And fought off angry bees to do it! And drew applause from happy neighbors for his efforts! Big thanks again, Ralph! :0)