Decatur’s Director of Active Living, Greg White, sends along details of a new exhibit coming to the Decatur Library in February as part of Black History Month that’s in honor of his mother Mrs. Lillian W. White.

All during the month of February, the Decatur Library will exhibit the private collection of owls of Mrs. Lillian W. White (March 24, 1932-May 8, 2011), former librarian of the Durham County Library System and one of the first professionally-trained, African-American librarians in the state of North Carolina. Mrs. White is the mother of Greg D. White, Director of the City of Decatur’s Active Living Division. On February 2, 2014, 3:00 p.m., Mr. White and his sister, Sharon White will host a brief discussion about their mother and her passion for owls.  The discussion will be followed by a reception and tour of the exhibit.

Greg tells us that his mother was a “huge owl collector” and that he is sharing 167 of his mother’s owls with the Decatur community.

Linda sends along this announcement…

The Friends of the Decatur Library will host a book sale on February 8, 2014, from 9 am to 3 pm on the lower level of the Decatur Library.  Thousands of gently used fiction, nonfiction and children’s books, as well as DVDs and CDs, will be offered for sale at low prices starting at $.50.  Only cash or checks will be accepted.  Dealers must scan at tables. 

All proceeds benefit the programs and collections of the Decatur Library.  Admission is free.  Donations of gently used books are always welcome at the library front desk. 

215 Sycamore Street, Decatur, GA 30030

This sounds kinda awesome.  From the Georgia Center for the Book…

Join us this for a family-friendly version of a book talk, and learnabout the geology of Georgia with author Dr. Bill Witherspoon and Dr. Pamela Gore. The Roadside Geology of Georgia is a fascinating and useful guidebook for all Georgians with an interest in the Peach State’s varied terrain. In 35 detailed and densely illustrated road guides, Pamela and Bill examine Georgia’s fascinating geology and reveal the stories that lie beneath the surface. From its shifting barrier islands along the coast to the sandstone ridges in its northwest corner, to the white whaleback of granite called Stone Mountain, this detailed volume with its engaging prose and 250-plus color photos, maps, and figures takes you beyond the rocks to unearth the billion-year history of the Empire State of the South.

Feel free to bring the entire family, and a rock or two from the yard, to this delightful presentation and we will learn more about the geology of our State, and the rocks that you bring with you! Rock ID clinic begins at 6:30 p.m. Presentation starts at 7:00 p.m.

We will have copies of book available for you to purchase and have signed by our guests courtesy of our friends at Eagle Eye Book Shop.

Here’s the official statement from Deputy Police Chief Keith Lee…

On August 30, 2012 at approximately 4:37pm, Decatur Police responded to the Decatur Library and Decatur Marta station due to a fight in progress/child molestation call where a parent and bystanders had tried to detain a child molestation suspect who fled the library to the Decatur Marta station. Library security and several bystanders pursued the suspect to the Decatur Marta Station and guided police officers arriving in the area. Marta Police and Decatur Police pursued the suspect who jumped down into the tracks and continued to flee into the tunnel. Decatur, Marta and Dekalb K9 officers actively searched the tunnel and covered possible exit points until the suspect was located and taken into custody.

Investigation revealed the suspect exposed his genitalia to a male child and then touched the child with his exposed genitalia. The suspect, 19-year-old Johnta Mackenzie Baker, was charged with child molestation and obstruction of a law enforcement officer. Additional charges are pending on behalf of Marta Police. This incident was resolved quickly not only due to the tireless determination and cooperation of officers from three police departments but because of the commendable efforts of a parent, a security officer and concerned citizens.

Now that it has been verified that a child was a victim in this crime, posts related to this incident have been closed to comment.

Read the update in this case HERE.

Many folks are asking about police activity around Decatur Square and the Decatur Library yesterday afternoon.

Around 4:30pm yesterday, there was an indecent exposure incident at the Decatur Library, which led to a “lengthy foot chase”, according to Decatur Police.  Eyewitnesses at the library report that some people in library chased the suspect down Sycamore Street, and when they came back empty-handed, reported that the suspect had run into the MARTA station.   According to Deputy Police Chief Keith Lee the suspect is now in custody.

Some have reported that the suspect ran into the MARTA tunnels to escape.  Still trying to confirm/deny that piece of info.  Stay tuned.

Photo of Decatur Police outside MARTA tunnel courtesy of dw

When I first met Stacia Brown years ago, when she was a graduate student in religion, the main thing that struck me was her ability to think about many, many different things at once—ethics, faith, literature, history, social justice, body image, you name it—and somehow make them all make sense together.

So it stands to reason that the best outlet for her creative energies would be a historical novel—one that draws on her training and research in religion and history.

Stacia, who has graduate degrees from Emory in religion and historical theology and now works at the university, is giving an author talk and reading tonight from that novel, her first, titled Accidents of Providence, at the Decatur Library. The event, which starts at 7:15, is sponsored by the Georgia Center for the Book and Charis Bookstore.

If you like highly literate and incredibly well researched historical fiction with a suspenseful tale of a courageous woman (and I do—think Geraldine Brooks!), then you need to discover Accidents of Providence.  It tells the story of Rachel Lockyer, an ordinary tradeswoman in seventeenth-century London during the civil wars, who is condemned to death for allegedly murdering her infant born out of wedlock. But throughout her trial, she remains deliberately evasive about what she did or did not do. Rachel is an original, sharp-witted, and rebellious main character. She was drawn, Stacia has said, out of the challenge of imagining the inner life of a working-class woman of that era—a task doomed to failure, she had been assured, because women of that time did not have inner lives.

It’s a juicy, provocative story—and Stacia adds that it is also a love story, a story of women’s relationships, and a story of the telling and keeping of secrets. And it’s getting lots of praise in high places. Kirkus Reviews gave it a starred review with this endorsement: “A heart-poundingly vivid, intellectually provocative account. . . . a romping good read that is character-driven yet intellectually provocative on issues of law, religion and morality—historical fiction at its best.” And this from Library Journal: “This is the best kind of historical fiction—a combination of love story and murder mystery, with a sprinkling of intriguing historical snippets and wonderful writing.” Even Oprah’s magazine has called it “proof that a historical novel can be educational and entertaining, and nothing like homework.”

Stacia has a website with more information at www.staciabrown.com/. Or come meet her tonight and pick up a copy of Accidents of Providence!

Remember the mom who was arrested for being “boisterous” at the Decatur Library after after being asked to leave because her toddler was being to loud?

Well according to the AJC, Donetta Foster is willing to risk jail time to take the case to court.  She’s giving a press conference today at 3p to explain why, apparently.

In related news, I’m pretty sure Ms. Foster also went on Dr. Phil about this story, because a couple weeks back their people were bugging me to use the DM logo for a segment (even though my post was just a summation of a WSB article).

Thanks to the MANY folks who forwarded me this article!