Decaturish is reporting this morning that a CSX train operator who hit a MARTA bus stuck on the tracks back in May 2013 has filed a lawsuit seeking $1 million in damages.

The lawsuit argues that the steep grade of the intersection was a known safety hazard, noting that a collision occurred at that intersection 3 months prior to the MARTA bus accident.

CSX, the City of Decatur, MARTA and GDOT are all listed as defendants in the suit, which is posted in full on Decaturish.

City Manager Peggy Merriss told Decaturish, ““The litigation should have no effect on the North McDonough Streetscapes project or the South Candler/South McDonough/Howard railroad crossing project either,”.

Improving that intersection has long been a goal of Decatur’s 2008 Transportation Plan.  The city held a public input meeting on improvements back in 2013, however getting design approval from the Georgia Department of Transportation usually takes years and there haven’t been any public statements about the status of this project lately.

Photo of 2013 incident courtesy of Lee

Jackson Street @ Edgewood Ave, Atlanta GA (pic submitted by Robert)

• Legislature may act on DeKalb ethics reform measures in next session [AJC]
• Photo: Watkins Building on East Ponce circa 1930 [Next Stop…Decatur]
• Palookaville to drop corndog on New Year’s Eve [AJC]
• Don’t hold your breath on Beltline’s Eastside extension [Curbed]
• Driving is actually less energy-efficient than flying [CityLab]

Beltline photo courtesy of mikehipp via Flickr

Did you do your patriotic duty and go see “The Interview” on Christmas Day?  Find yourself going through a late 1940’s film noir phase earlier this year?  Caved to the critics and went and saw Richard Linklater’s Boyhood?  Finally watched the Godfather?

They all qualify!

What were your favorite films of 2014?

Emily writes in with this question…

Are there any New Years Eve celebrations planned in the downtown Decatur?

Here are a few options I’ve run across.  Please add to the list in the comments below!

Dance Hall Decatur

Wednesday, December 31, 8:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m.

Historic DeKalb Courthouse

101 E. Court Sq., Decatur, GA 30030

$25/$35 per ticket (discount for members). Check your membership status by emailing [email protected] . Reduced ticket price for guests under 21 only, please!

Ring in the New Year and dance the night away! Come out and dance with us as a professional DJ plays hits from the 1970s to the present. Reservations are available at our offices or online through PayPal and include appetizers, festive party favors, and two drink tickets.  Additional drink tickets available at the event.

Festive dress is encouraged.  Represent your favorite musical style or decade if you like, or just show up prepared to dance!

Downtown Decatur Crawl followed by Peach Drop at Underground

Want to get around on NYE?  Creative Loafing suggests the following Decatur-focused agenda…

Read the rest of this entry »

Sheepish, which has been open the past 6 years and moved into its current spot at 308 West Ponce in 2013 is closing its doors after December 31st.  Carrie passes along this announcement to DM…

Dear friends,

It is with great sadness that I would like to let you know that after six wonderful years, Sheepish is closing. This has not been an easy decision for me, but I feel like it is time to move on to other adventures. Please come and visit us during this last week of the year. Everything in the shop is on sale! We’d love to hear your stories of what the shop has meant to you (and send you home with some yarn).

In this computer age where everything you want is available with a click of your finger, I would like to encourage you to please keep patronizing other local yarn stores. Buying yarn is such a tactile experience–the touch, the color, and even the smell are all wonderful. Whenever you can, go buy your yarn in person. Small shops need your support now more than ever. If you’re not familiar with the other area yarn shops, ask us and we’ll be glad to help you locate them.

Stacy and I will be sending out information about how to get in touch with us after the shop closes. Although our last official day is December 31st, we’ll still be around for the first week of January or so, packing and getting rid of stuff. This has been such a wonderful journey and we will miss the shop and our sense of community very much. We are talking about trying to organize future Knit Nites so that we can get together with our customers on occasion. Our Facebook page will remain active to let you know when and where that will be happening.

Love to all & best wishes for the new year!
Carrie

All the best to Carrie and the whole Sheepish family!

• Decatur City Manager says “tweaks” to annexation plan are possible [Decaturish]
• Decatur holds first diversity meeting [AJC]
• Downtown Decatur trees to receive holiday pruning [AJC]
• Creative Loafing’s Year in Photos [CL]
• Sweet & Savory: Exploring the Rise of Atlanta’s Korean Bakeries [Atlanta Magazine]
• Little College Guidance: 500 High School Students per Counsellor nationwide [NYT]