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.
April 24, 2015 Free-For-All Friday 4/24/15 (137)
April 17, 2015 Free-For-All Friday 4/17/15 (79)
May 30, 2014 Free-For-All Friday 5/30/14 (152)
greg wiseman
Larkspur
tiptoe
Retired Teacher
Bruce
Robert Butera
dave
Safety-Fast
Marty
Always Sober
Tom Stubbs
sfmaster
AJC Attempts to Explain the “e” in Clairemont Avenue
Woo hoo! I’m first. Happy Friday to all.
Need recommendations for a good handyman that is not booked until Thanksgiving for the following:
• Minor fence repair
• Minor gutter repair
• Clean debris off roof
• Replace a screen panel on a porch
• Install motion sensitive lights
Thanks
Keath Your Handyman is fantastic. Reliable, timely, and a pleasure to do business with. (404) 274-1689.
Anyone have a recommendation regarding purchase/installation of wood fencing? Thanks!
First Fence of GA http://www.1stfence.com did a great job for us back in the Fall.
First Fence of GA did a great job for us last Fall. Google “1st Fence”.
Tickets on sale for Decatur BBQ Blues & Bluegrass Festival
https://www.xorbia.com/e/rk/decatur-bbq-blues-bluegrass-2014
We’ve got our own local issues but let’s all take a moment and be thankful, shall we, that we don’t live here:
http://www.newser.com/story/188732/city-shuts-down-boys-free-library-on-his-front-lawn.html
Protectin’ property values. Sure. Maybe in 1950.
“Officials in the Kansas City suburb of Leawood say they had no choice but to order the Collins family to remove their “little free library” after getting two complaints, reports KMBC-TV.”
Further proof that some people will complain about anything.
“Protectin’ property values. Sure. Maybe in 1950.”
In what world do little free libraries not ADD to property values? I’d like to steer clear of it.
The world where creativity is considered threatening. And HOAs are installed to protect residents from acts of whimsy. It ain’t pretty.
But it’s not a HOA that’s doing this, it’s the city. A good reminder that seemingly well-intentioned local laws can be badly misused by nosy neighbors with the urge to control what goes on in others’ yards. This incident brings to mind reports of cities forcing people to take down tree houses for the slightest code infractions and local officials shutting down lemonade stands over “public health” concerns.
True. It’s the municipality in this case, which adds to its idiocy. I was just responding to brianc’s question about places to avoid which, to me, is any place where the residents are making their own rules and regulating this kind of thing intentionally, with the belief that it makes for a better place to live.
Gotcha and agreed.
I was just responding to brianc’s question about places to avoid which, to me, is any place where the residents are making their own rules and regulating this kind of thing intentionally, with the belief that it makes for a better place to live
Why would you not support a community choosing how the community is run? Who the hell else should? An HOA can be just as arbitrary as a muni government. And….wait for it….if you don’t want to live there, don’t. And do you think you don’t support government measures to protect the value of your property in Decatur? Like, oh, I don’t know, a historic preservation board?
I think you’re reading more into my comment than is actually there. What’s not evident is that I’m probably the biggest proponent of home rule there is. I believe the bulk of regulations that affect local life should be determined in the smallest possible increments and that communities should be free to establish the rules that reflect, in a context sensitive way, the goals and desires of those most impacted.
My point to brianc was not that it’s problematic that they’ve established rules for their community. He was asking about places to avoid and my recommendation would be to avoid places like those I detailed: Places that claim to be enacting rules that protect property values, yet fly in the face of everything we know about building community and desirability.
So, yes. I absolutely believe places should have the freedom to regulate themselves in accordance with their own context and values. But I also believe that the particular values they’ve codified are archaic and inconsistent with what creates successful neighborhoods in our current age.
All that was meant to be inferred from my comment was a wish to avoid places that seek conformity and homogeneous appearances.
If I had a dollar for every reason I had to be thankful that I didn’t live in Kansas, I’d have a lot of dollars.
I spent last week in PA and read a few different stories in the local newspapers about school districts with massive budget deficits… cutting programs and teachers, etc. Then you read stories like this one in Kansas and it makes me so grateful to be living in Decatur. It’s not perfect of course but it’s pretty great.
Summer Solstice Yoga practice on the Square tomorrow at 9 am- all levels are welcome, it is free and will be a great way to welcome in the summer. Offered by Decatur Active Living. Bring a mat and join us.
Thanks, that’s great to know! I can’t make it tomorrow, but I was wondering if there will be another gathering this summer?
Probably not- mabye we can do it for the Winter solstice, although it might be chilly
Equinox?
Kitchen appliance trade?
I have a super old school “blender” similar to the Hamilton Beach Drinkmaster if you want to Google. It is old, it is not fancy, however you put milk and ice cream in it, it blends.I can email a pic.
I would like to trade this for either a food dehydrator, or a kitchen scale. I don’t care if they are old, or even kind of crusty. I’d just like to try the items to see if I’ll like them before I purchase.
Any takers?
If no one wants the trade, I’d be willing to buy your dehydrator for ten whole dollars!
Email me: b e e n t h e r e r a n t h a t @gmail.com
Good afternoon,
I have a Harvest Maid Preserve Food Dehydrator Model FD-101 that I would love to sell for $10.00.I have had it for a good while, but it is in new condition. There are 4 stacking trays and a booklet on How to Dry Foods.
Please let me know if you are interested.
Thanks
Dale
Can someone please recommend a piano tuner?
Ed Hendricks has been tuning pianos for us since 2000. He’s wonderful. You can reach him by email at
[email protected]
So when does Walmart construction start tearing down Suburban Plaza? Family Dollar says they are closing at the end of June. But they are in the part that is not supposed to be demolished. Is Hancock Fabrics closing too? What’s the story?
The MANA website seems to have the most official information and directly talks to the developers.
medlockpark.org
Demolition is supposed to start in the summer…so today till ???
Is Decatur planning anything to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War Battle of Atlanta aftermath in Decatur? Several places around the city were the site of encampments or skirmishes. Maybe a lecture or a tour or some costumed re-enactors?
You might check with the DeKalb History Center.
Any word on whether or not the renovations at Big Kroger will include changes to the flow of traffic in the lot? Practically every time I go there I get cut off by people driving across the spaces, etc.
Completely with you on this one, Wacky. I drive extra carefully in that lot, because there’s always some numbnuts cutting across the lanes and driving too quickly. I also get honked at for actually stopping at the stop sign at the end of the lane.
I don’t know whose pot of asphalt needs to fill these potholes but at Scott Blvd and Clairmont there is a trench forming across several lanes.