From the German Dept at DHS…

Guten Tag! The German department at Decatur High School is excited to offer you a fantastic opportunity for holiday shopping for you AND your children. Leave your children with our qualified-babysitting students at DHS from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Saturday, December 7th while you have a Bummel around town. You can get a head start on your gift purchasing, begin your gift wrapping or house decorating, or just enjoy a few hours to yourself. You could also choose to stroll through Clairemont Elementary’s Marketplace (http://www.decaturholidaymarketplace.com/).
Your children will take part in some German holiday experiences such as German songs, crafts, movies, and Fussball outside (weather permitting). We will also offer a Kids’ Holiday Shop, where your children can shop for gifts for you on their own (with help from our friendly student elves, of course). All proceeds will go to support our students as we begin our inaugural German exchange to Bavaria in June.

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Late last week, Asst. City Manager Lyn Menne posted this message on The Decatur Minute blog...

OK, we agree, the new holiday decorations don’t measure up to our standards. Rather than looking like swags, they look like upside down trees and they just don’t work on the street lamps. Many of our holiday wreaths date back to 1996 and were starting to look shabby. We thought it would be a good idea to trade them out for something different and replace the oldest wreaths with an updated design. Boy were we wrong! So, when you mess up, admit it, take responsibility and fix it. The good news is that our old wreaths are still in storage. Our decorating company will begin switching them out but it may take a week as they fit us into their installation schedule. The “experiments” will be traded in for new wreaths next season and we will put this down as a lesson learned. In the meantime, just tell your friends that they are festive arrows pointing you in the direction of great shopping and wonderful food and have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

As of this morning, most of the “arrow” decorations are already down and replaced with the older, wreaths.

OK, so I’ve posted these DPD notes out of order.  Here’s the introduction note of their plan to send out weekly tips this holiday season.

It is customary for every police department to provide a reminder of safety tips for the holiday season as criminals unfortunately take advantage of us being distracted by our merriment and also have more opportunities to steal because of all of the new goods we are buying, making, giving, receiving and transporting.  The holidays are also a time for more parties & gatherings, more travel & traffic and more pressure to get a million things done which can be stressful and undermine the very spirit of the season.

Instead of blasting you with a one-time long list of warnings and “do-nots” the week of Thanksgiving, we are going to send out weekly tips, by topic, so you will have a chance to digest the information.  Most of us know the basics but we can all use reminders as we get caught up in the hustle and bustle.  We want everyone to have an enjoyable and safe holiday season through awareness rather than paranoia.  Make safety a habit and not a headache.  If there is a specific topic you would like to see covered, please contact Sgt. Jennifer Ross at  or [email protected] .

Personal Safety While Shopping

• Be alert and aware! It’s easy to be distracted by the crowds, selecting the right gift, being preoccupied with holiday activities.
•  Keep shopping bags, valuables, purses, and wallets close to you. Keep purses or bags closed.
•  Avoid overloading yourself with packages. It is important to have clear visibility and freedom of motion.
•  Beware of strangers approaching you for any reason and watch out for friendly strangers. They may ask a question or offer to assist you with your bags to distract you or put you in a compromising situation.  At this time of year, “con-artists” may try various methods of distracting you with the intention of taking your money or belongings.
• Stay alert while you are walking to your car. Talking or texting on your phone or digging in your purse for your keys while walking is a distraction and makes you an easy target.

Superior Ave, Decatur GA (pic submitted by Heather)

Feel free to use this post to make comments and ask questions about local issues not yet discussed here over the past week.

Comments close on Monday.

Decaturish reports that word from Monday’s City Commission meeting is that new sidewalks, lighting and trees should finally be added to the Oakhurst Business District in Spring or Early Summer next year, according to Deputy City Manager Hugh Saxon.

Federal funding approvals have held up this process for the past seven years or so.

Map of proposed changes to the streetscape courtesy of Decaturish.

Michael sends along this announcement…

The Community is Invited to the Decatur Bulldog Basketball Community Night on Friday, November 22

The Decatur High School Basketball Coaches invite the community to the third annual Decatur Bulldog Basketball Community Night at the Decatur High School Gymnasium this Friday night, November 22, at 6 PM.

• This is a free, fun-filled event celebrating the beginning of the high school basketball season.
• Come meet the 2013-2014 Decatur High Girls’ and Boys’ Basketball players and coaches.
• Watch Decatur High students play their teachers in the annual Student-Faculty game.
• Watch faculty from the different schools battle each other in the Schools Skills Competition.
• Win game jerseys, tickets and other prizes in competitions for all ages.

Bring your family; bring your friends. If you’ve never seen the new Decatur High Gym, that alone is worth the trip! Join the fun this Friday night at the Decatur High Gym, 310 N. McDonough Street.