Zak writes in about a cool event he’s organized for his senior project, which will take place at McKoy Park this Tuesday…

Kid’s Night at Mckoy Park

Attention kindergarten through third grade baseball players. You are invited to come to Mckoy Park on Tuesday, February 24^th at 5 pm for Decatur High School baseball’s Kid’s Night before the varsity baseball team’s game against Dutchtown. Kids will run the bases, throw on the field, stand on the field during the national anthem, and get a treat from the snack bar. Also, there will be a free baseball clinic for kids the following Sunday, March 1^st from 2-4 pm. This will be limited to the first 25 kids. Please reserve a spot to the clinic by emailing me at [email protected] . Remember to wear your baseball clothes, and bring your gear.

Here is a link to this season’s baseball games

http://dhs.csdecatur.net/athletics/baseball

Photo courtesy of Be Active Decatur

From the Be Active Decatur blog…

The softball and baseball fields at Decatur’s McKoy and Oakhurst Parks will get new lighting systems, with construction expected to start Oct.1 and take about three months. Deputy City Manager Hugh Saxon said the new lights will be 15 percent more efficient and spread far less glare to surrounding neighborhoods. The system will be installed by Daveco Electrical of Boynton Beach, Florida, which constructed lights for the Florida Marlins stadium and the Boston Red Sox spring training facility. The current McKoy and Oakhurst lights are more than 50 years old.

Another tidbit from the September Decatur Focus…

Yes, you read that correctly. Thanks to our creative Active Living staff, Glenlake Park and McKoy Park will soon have new playground equipment designed for adults. This equipment offers fun, outdoor exercise options, proving that park fitness equipment isn’t just for kids. The department plans to add this type of equipment to other city parks in the future as part of our annual playground maintenance and replacement budget.

The Active Living staff has expanded the “Walk There Decatur” campaign with new signs located at key activity centers around the city listing the walking distances and number of steps to other activities in the city. It’s just one more way to get people to try walking to the post office from the square or to consider walking from downtown to Oakhurst.

Angie writes in…

We live near McKoy Park, and this cat showed up a few days ago. She’s being taken care of, but we’d like to find her owner.

Black/brown long-haired with tan feet.

Chief Booker writes to DM and the community-at-large…

I am writing to our community today to share with you information in regards to our investigation into the carjacking/robbery that occurred on July 28, 2009. I wrote in my initial comment to the blog a few weeks ago that I hoped to be able to report the apprehension of the two individuals that were responsible. Your police department’s criminal investigations division has been working diligently in attempts to determine who committed this crime and I am proud to report the following:

The Decatur Police Department announces the arrest of one suspect in the recent carjacking incident on Adams Street. On Tuesday, August 19, 2009 members of the Decatur Police Department Criminal Investigation Division arrested 20 year old Kevias Jackson. Jackson was charged with Hijacking of a Motor Vehicle. An arrest warrant was obtained for a second individual, 18 year old Sharrod Willis. Both Willis and Jackson are residents of unincorporated DeKalb County. We are actively attempting to locate the second individual as we speak.

Like I reported before, our department at all levels takes crimes of this nature very seriously and I have to say that I am proud of the work the investigators have put forth to make this happen. It was just good old fashioned police work. Carjackings are very difficult to solve but our investigators helped to clear this case in a relatively short time.

Thanks for allowing me to post.

Chief Booker

Decatur Police Department

Juanchella Francis just released this Decatur Police Alert…

On Tuesday, July 28, 2009 at approximately 11:10 AM the Decatur Police Department was notified of an armed robbery which had just occurred. The victim stated she was stopped at the intersection of Spring Street and Adams Street when her vehicle was blocked in by a white sedan (make and model unknown). One of the two occupants of the vehicle approached her and produced a handgun. The suspect demanded she exit the vehicle. The victim complied and the male entered the victim’s vehicle and drove away. Both suspects drove southbound on Adams Street towards West Pharr Road.

The victim’s vehicle is described as a dark green 1998 Honda Accord bearing GA license plate AGL1211.

The suspects are described as follows:

SUSPECT #1  – Gender: Male Race: African-American Age: Early 20’s Hairstyle: Braided Clothing: White t-shirt & Jeans

SUSPECT #2 – Gender: Male Race: African-American Age: Early 20’s Hairstyle: Short Clothing: Jeans

Anyone having information about this crime is asked to contact the Decatur Police Department at (404) 373-6551. If the victim’s vehicle is observed the Decatur Police Department request you contact 911. Do not approach the occupants as they are reportedly armed.

11alive followed Atlanta attorney and children’s advocate Don Keenan to Decatur’s McKoy Park where he found a bunch of “safety hazards” including “chipped paint, small fall zones around swings, inadequate padding, debris and S-hooks on swings with gaps that can catch children’s clothing.”

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