Drove by this construction the other day.  Looks like quite the muddy undertaking!  From The Decatur Minute…

A temporary road closure to facilitate Sanitary Sewer System improvements on Superior Avenue is expected to begin on Monday, November 30th and weather permitting, will last approximately three (3) weeks.

Be advised that Superior Avenue between Scott Boulevard and Willow Lane will be closed to thru traffic. Access will also be limited to local traffic from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The County is alerting residents that detours will be in effect, and heavy equipment and construction noise may be noticeable. However, County crews will work diligently to minimize the duration of the construction period and road closure. Patience is appreciated while the improvements are made.

Please call the Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) information line at 1-800-986-1108 with any questions or concerns.

You may recall that this project is to replace a 14″ waterline that runs along the street.  Learn more about it HERE!

So what if Amercian Express has stopped offering card members a credit for Small Business Saturday?  Decatur still has plans to throw down this weekend.

This weekend on Decatur Square, the city will supplement your local shopping with a tent offering the following goodies (according to The Decatur Minute)…

• Free gift wrap (on any locally purchased items)
• Hot chocolate, candy and other goodies
• A chance to win a City of Decatur basket (with gifts from all over town)
• A visit from Santa (Saturday only)
• To turn in your receipts – spend $200 at local shops in Decatur during the month of November and get a $20 gift card to a local restaurant
• Holiday music and other festive things

Also, if you want to peruse local gifts ideas from the comfort of your easy chair, check out the city’s series of #30daysofshopping posts, highlighting holiday offerings at local Decatur businesses.

Bread Cat photo courtesy of The Decatur Minute

From the Decatur Minute…

Lifelong Decatur Presents: City Schools of Decatur Bond Referendum Information Session

You are invited to attend an information session on the upcoming City Schools of Decatur bond referendum on Thursday, October 15, 6:30pm at Decatur Recreation Center, 231 Sycamore Street.

City Schools of Decatur board members and staff will be in available to answer questions. Find out more about the proposed school construction projects, so you can make an informed decision when you vote.

This meeting is presented by  For more information about the bond, visit the City Schools of Decatur website at http://csdecatur.net. For more information about Lifelong Decatur and the board, contact [email protected] or 678-553-6548.

From The Decatur Minute…

The Decatur City Commission supports the prayer vigil in honor and remembrance of Charleston victims

As a community, Decatur mourns with Charleston and the rest of the nation for the loss of nine lives to senseless, racially motivated violence. This Saturday, June 27, there will be a prayer vigil on the Decatur square to remember and honor the victims of the shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston. The program will begin at 8:06 p.m. at the community bandstand.

The Decatur City Commission thanks Create Community 4 Decatur, a group of people from multiple faiths, multiple cultures and multiple paths, for organizing the vigil. Regretfully, city commissioners will be out of town for a previously scheduled meeting in Savannah. We will, however, be there in spirit, and we encourage everyone who feels so moved to participate.

Decatur is a city that wants to make Dr. King’s vision of the Beloved Community a lived reality where “Racism and all forms of discrimination, bigotry and prejudice [are] replaced by an all-inclusive spirit of sisterhood and brotherhood.” This is why the Leadership Circle, a group of volunteers, has been working for the past year to create a process for Better Together, a citizen-led, government supported effort to build deeper connection, understanding and mutual respect among the Decatur community. Better Together launches its first of many open-to-everyone discussions at the end of August that will culminate in the creation of a tangible Community Action Plan. We will take this tragedy in Charleston and mourn for it, learn from it, and commit to being better people because of it, speaking out against racism and working to be a community that is welcoming and equitable for all.

The Decatur Minute reports that the sheep are returning to the cemetery next Monday, June 29th to eat some more Japanese hops and kudze “on the steep slope between Section 14 and the creek at the Decatur Cemetery”.  They state that they will likely be there – chomping away – for 7-10 days.

The Minute also provided this word of caution…

While walkers, joggers and other visitors to the cemetery are welcome to observe the sheep at work, please keep your dogs on leashes at all times and a safe distance from the sheep (the guard dogs will let you know if you are too close) and remind small children and overly curious adults not to touch the electrified fence (it won’t feel good).

This look like great fun!

The Decatur Minute notes that DeKalb County will soon be starting a “waterline replacement project” on Superior Avenue, which extends from Huron Street in Decatur up to Park Lane, north of North Decatur Road in DeKalb County.

The project is projected to be finished by November.  The Minute says that the best place to get updates on the project is www.dekalbconsentdecree.com.

Here’s the full bulletin from DeKalb that was posted on the Decatur Minute…

• Project Bulletin
• June 12, 2015
• Superior Avenue Waterline Replacement
• Contract No. 15-902970
• CIP No. 82

Superior Avenue Waterline Replacement Project  

The DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management’s Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Division is scheduled to begin construction on the Superior Avenue Waterline Replacement project. The project is slated to start the week of June 9, 2015, and is expected to last approximately nine months. Initial activities will be comprised of site preparation, and will include the installation of silt fence in the construction area.

This work is being performed as a part of the County’s Waterline Replacement Program to replace undersized waterlines with new, adequately sized pipes that will improve water pressure, reliability and water quality in the area. The project is also being implemented to upgrade aging infrastructure, as well as address issues related to reoccurring waterline breaks and leaks in the community. Not making these improvements would result in continued water service disruptions to businesses and residents located in the area.

Construction activities will occur between 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday thru Friday on Superior Avenue between Park Lane and Huron Street. The first phase will originate at Park Lane and terminate at North Decatur Road. The project will involve lane closures; periodic service interruptions; construction crews working in close proximity to homes; and steel road plates deployed in the roadway at the end of each construction day.

County contractors have been directed to ensure permanent access to your property/business during construction, as well as provide sufficient notification of any service interruptions. The steel road plates will also be sealed and edged to Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) standards to reduce vehicle impacts. Lastly, we ask for your assistance in minimizing inconveniences by not parking your automobile(s) on the street during construction hours.

The County would like to thank you in advance for your patience as we work diligently to complete this essential project. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding the details presented in this bulletin, please feel free to contact the CIP public outreach team at 1-800-986-1108 or email [email protected] .

Residential Decaturites who need lots of internet speed and won’t flinch at a $100+ price tag certainly aren’t lacking for options anymore.

Without much warning, AT&T just launched a Google Fiber and Comcast gigabit competitor.  Here’s a press release posted on The Decatur Minute…

The AT&T GigaPower network provides customers access to the fastest Internet available from AT&T, featuring speeds up to 1 gigabit per second. Ultra-fast Internet improves the customer experience for consumers and small businesses using the network to connect to the cloud, videoconferencing, online gaming or for other services.

Consumers in eligible areas can choose from a variety of plans. AT&T offers single, double and triple play bundles, so customers can select a combination of services to fit their needs. The packages below include waivers of equipment, installation and activation fees.

• U-verse High Speed Internet Premier: Internet speeds up to 1Gbps starting as low as $120 a month, or speeds at 100Mbps as low as $90 a month, with a one year price guarantee.
• U-verse High Speed Internet Premier + TV: Internet speeds up to 1Gbps and qualifying TV service starting as low as $150 a month, or speeds at 100Mbps and qualifying TV service as low as $120 a month, with a one year price guarantee.
• U-verse High Speed Internet Premier + TV + Voice: Internet speeds up to 1Gbps with qualifying TV service and Unlimited U-verse Voice starting as low as $180 a month, or speeds at 100Mbps with qualifying TV service and Unlimited U-verse Voice as low as $150 a month, with a two year price guarantee.

The City of Decatur is thrilled to be one of the first cities in Georgia that will get connected to AT&T GigaPower,” said Peggy Merriss, City Manager, City of Decatur.  Our entire community looks forward to a future with incredibly fast internet speeds, and new opportunities for economic development, engagement, and education.”

For more information, or to check availability, please visit www.att.com/shop/u-verse/gigapower.html