News
September 2006
News & Notes Menu:
Break-in's / Community Meeting - September 20th
BIG Mtg.- Traffic Calming, Sidewalks & PATH, Schedule UPDATED
WorkDay(s) at Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve
Recycling Day at DeKalb Farmer's Market
Safety and Self-Defense Seminar
Final Bike South Group Ride of 2006
Free Outdoor Movie Night at Medlock Elementary - Sat. nite
DEKALB ANNOUNCES NEW WATER RESTRICTIONS
Public Works Department Update - Sidewalks
Neighborhood Crime Update
Clairmont Height Crime Update
Meeting on Traffic Calming, Sidewalks & PATH
Recycling Day at DeKalb Farmer's Market
Emergency Red Cross Blood Drives
Dog Poop Disgrace
Mr. Woo, Owner of Party Time Beer & Wine Store on North Druid Hills Murdered in Robbery
Community Meeting Notice - September 20th
Residents of Medlock, N Druid Woods & Clairmont Heights Communities are invited to attend the upcoming scheduled meeting that will be held at:
6:30 PM, Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Laurel Ridge Elementary School
1215 Balsam Drive, Decatur, Ga. 30033
This Community Meeting has been organized to address concerns of:
Residential Burglaries
Entering Autos/Thefts from Vehicles
We are inviting those who reside in the area to attend this meeting to obtain information directly from the DeKalb County Police Department. We are asking that questions are limited to the aforementioned incidents. Representatives from department, including Detectives and Officers are scheduled to attend.
J.A. Hightower
Public Education Specialist
DeKalb Police - Center Precinct
404-294-2184 office
jahighto@co.dekalb.ga.us
Break-In's - Updated
In the space of 3 days, we received reports of persons unknown breaking in through back doors/windows of homes between 8am & 4:30pm of weekdays. The homes were ransacked and basically anything that would be easy to pawn was taken, that included mostly electronics and jewelry. One house was on Harrington, down near the nature preserve, one on Willivee, near N. Druid Hills Rd. and one was on a sidestreet a couple of blocks down N. Druid Hills towards N. DeKalb Mall. All indications are that these are professionals, who have scoped out the neighborhood and know who goes to work and who stays home.
The best defense is to stay alert to all strangers in the neighborhood, and tell neighbors when you will be having workmen on your premises. If you see strange "workers" at a house, call 911. DON'T BE SHY. The police want to stop these folks as much as we do and are more than willing to put out the effort. If strange solicitors are walking your street or anybody else who looks like they could be casing houses for victims, CALL 911.
Another burglary occurred this morning between 4:30-5:00 am at the corner of North Druid Hills Rd. and North Druid Woods Ct. at the Chiropractors. The wooden fence was damaged, the back door broken into and items were stolen.
BIG Meeting on Traffic Calming, Sidewalks & PATH, Oh My !!!
There will be a neighborhood-wide meeting to discuss 4 specific items of interest to our community. An agenda is listed below so that if you are only interested in one item, you can show up at that time.
North Decatur Presbyterian Church (on corner of Scott Blvd. and N.
Decatur)
September 9th
3 PM 6 PM
On the Agenda:
- County proposed North Superior Traffic Calming Plan and Street
- Resident Discussion
- PATH Foundation plans in Clairmont Heights
- New Emory Shuttle running in the neighborhood
3:00 ~ 3:50 - proposed traffic calming plan for North Superior
3:50 ~ 4:00 - traffic calming folks move down hall to side room to
finish discussion
4:00 ~ 4:50 - Bond Funded Sidewalks on Desmond
4:50 ~ 5:00 - Sidewalk folks move down hall to side room to finish
discussion
5:00 ~ 5:50 - PATH
5:50 ~ 6:00 - PATH folks move down hall to side room to finish
discussion
6:00 ~ ?? - Emory Shuttle News
Workday(s) at Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve
www.cshepherdpreserve.org
CLYDE SHEPHERD NATURE PRESERVE
VOLUNTEER DAY
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2006
9 AM TO 1 PM
mulch trails, remove privet and ivy, plant native plants
weed flower beds, mow and edge
Help us prepare for the Annual Harvest Festival to be held on
October 28th
3:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
www.cshepherdpreserve.org
Sorry for the late notice, but here's a list of future work days...Please put them on your calendar and plan to come down and help keep this wonderful neighborhood asset looking fine...
- September 9 - Volunteer Day 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
- October 7 - Volunteer Day (Hands on Atlanta Day)
- October 28 - Harvest Festival 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM
- November 4 - Volunteer Day 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
- December 2 - Volunteer Day 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Recycling Day at DeKalb Farmer's Market
Sep 16, 2006
On Saturday, Sept. 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. DeKalb Farmers Market
and DeKalb County Extension Service will sponsor the eighth
annual "Recycling Day at the Market". Anyone may bring one or
more "recyclables" (newspaper, cans, etc.) to this free event and
receive a gift of a wire compost bin or a nursery plant while they
last. The event is held on the grounds of the DeKalb Farmers Market
at 3000 Ponce De Leon Ave., Decatur, GA.
Master Gardeners and volunteers from environmental organizations will man display tables to show Vegetable Gardening, Native Plant Gardening and Xeriscaping, Backyard Composting, Soil Preparation, Water Conservation, Backyard Habitats and more!
Children can make a take-home craft made from recyclables. Worm- Farms will show kids and fishermen as well as gardeners the composting cycle.
Extension Service Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer gardeners' questions and give advice on the care and use of those free nursery plants.
DeKalb Farmers Market accepts the following items for recycling: No. 1 and 2 plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars, newspapers, magazines, phone books, junk mail, white copier/printer paper, aluminum and steel cans, and corrugated cardboard.
For more information please call: Agent Gary Peiffer at DeKalb
Extension Service @ 404-298-4080
or email grpeiffe@co.dekalb.ga.us.
Safety and Self-Defense Seminar
September 10, 2006 - 5:30 p.m.
Thanks to an increasingly popular suggestion from our guests, Big Peach Running Co. is pleased to team up with Get Fit Atlanta for our first-ever Safety & Self-Defense (for the Active Outdoor Enthusiast!) Seminar. In addition to minimizing the risk to walkers, runners and cyclists associated with vehicular traffic, decreased daylight hours and training alone, we'll cover the basics of defending yourself (should it ever be necessary). Our practical segment, featuring Eric Sepeda, Certified Self-Defense Instructor from Krav Maga National Training Center, will give attendees the opportunity to learn and practice self-defense techniques employed by military and law enforcement. Just as important, he will also cover how to avoid attracting attackers and how to avoid putting yourself in potentially harmful situations.
Just like with all of our seminars and clinics, this evening is free
and open to everyone. Here's what you need to know to attend:
Date: Sunday, September 10th
Time: 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Location: BPRC-Atlanta (3881 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, GA 30319)
Snacks and refreshments will be provided. Everyone who pre-
registers will get a special gift from Big Peach Running Co. and Get
Fit Atlanta. To learn more about Get Fit Atlanta, visit www.getfit-
atlanta.com. For more information on Mr. Sepeda, log onto
a href="http://www.kravmagacanton.com">www.kravmagacanton.com.
Final Bike South Group Ride for 2006
Our next Bicycle South shop ride to Stone Mountain will be Sunday Sept. 17th and we leave from the shop at 10 AM. It's about 18 miles out to the mountain and back (add another 7 or so if you do the loop around the mountain) and we do two "versions". You have a choice - ride on the road at a slightly faster pace or join Fred and his family for the slower option on the PATH trail. Please invite your friends and family to join us! The ride isn't all that long, BUT it is too long for kids on bikes with 20 inch wheels (or smaller). They might be perfectly fit, but the wheel size is just too small for them to keep up and we don't want to frustrate the kids (or the parents). We'll have free refreshments after the ride including Brian's famous Spinach Dip and Fred's excellent Texas Black Bean "Caviar". Both get rave reviews and Brian has promised to give out his secret recipe if we have over 50 riders! You'll want the Black Bean recipe as well. This will be our FINAL RIDE of the season so please come out for a great finish - we won't host a Stone Mountain ride again until March 2007.
Free Outdoor Movie Night at Medlock Elementary - Sat., Sept. 9
Medlock Elementary is hosting a FREE outdoor movie night for the entire Decatur community this Saturday, September 9th. The evening will kick off at 7:00 pm with face painting, a karaoke singalong, and a hot dog cookout (food will be available for a reasonable charge). Then at 8:00 we'll be showing the movie "Peter Pan" (FREE!) on a big outdoor screen. Grab your lawn chairs and blankets, load up the kids, and join us on the Medlock Elementary playground for an evening under the stars!
Right after the neighborhood meeting, head down to the other end of Medlock for a free movie !!!
Questions? E-mail Paige Stanfield at stanfield.group@att.net
DEKALB ANNOUNCES NEW WATER RESTRICTIONS
Sep 12, 2006
DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer Vernon Jones announces new
water restrictions for DeKalb County residents. The restrictions
coincide with the state regulations for a level one drought
declaration and will be enforced beginning at 12:01 a.m., Wednesday,
September 13, 2006.
The regulations for DeKalb citizens are as follows:
Odd-numbered addresses may water only on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, from midnight to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to midnight.
Even-numbered addresses and unnumbered addresses may water only Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, from midnight to 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to midnight.
The Board of Natural Resources adopted Rules for Outdoor Water Use, Chapter 391-3-30 in May 2004. Under the rules, Georgians are required to follow schedules for outdoor water use during both non-drought periods and during periods of declared drought. The rules are consistent with Section 4 (Drought Responses) of the Georgia Drought Management Plan, which the Board adopted in 2003.
For more information, please visit www.dekalbwatersewer.com or www.gaepd.org.
Public Works Department Update for 9/8/2006
Sep 8, 2006
Construction Projects:
Several more of the Transportation Bond-funded sidewalks were completed in the last few weeks:
District2:
Dresden Drive, from Thompson Road to Apple Valley Road, on the south
side
The following Bond sidewalk projects are in progress:
McClendon Drive, east side, from Tanner Drive to Lindmore Drive; is 99% complete, with some final restoration work/sodding to complete.
Oak Grove, east side, from LaVista Road to Woodleaf Lane; is about 10% complete; the project should be completed by September 22, 2006.
Jody Lane, east side, from LaVista Road to Holly Drive; is about 3% complete (primarily water meter relocations and preliminary grading work).
The sidewalk contractors have been given Notices to Proceed for:
Briarlake Road, south side, from Briarcliff Road to Lakeside High School; to be completed by November 9, 2006.
The general contractor for the $23 million project to reconstruct the interchange at Lawrenceville Highway and I-285, CW Matthews Construction Company, should start soon. They are doing some construction staking and should be underway with clearing and grading. GDOT held some additional meetings with affected property owners to address their concerns about how the construction process will impact their businesses. This project includes complete interchange replacement, as well as re-alignment of Montreal Road at Lawrenceville Highway, and is a two and a half year contract, to be completed by December 31, 2008.
Buford Highway sidewalks and safety improvements, from Shallowford Terrace in Chamblee to I-285 in Doraville, are 77% complete; the contractor is complete with most of the sidewalks, the landscaping (although much of it died during the heat/dry weeks and will have to be replaced), and the street lighting. The majority of work remaining includes the pedestrian medians/refuge islands. The contractor has been given a time extension by GDOT to March 1, 2007, so the site may not see significant activity until the pedestrian crossing work starts, and then the landscaping is replaced.
CMES, Inc. has started construction on the intersection improvement project at Ponce de Leon Avenue and Hambrick. The contract completion date is May 31, 2007.
The remaining major projects on schedule to bid in 2006 or early 2007:
Ponce de Leon Avenue at McLendon; turn lane construction and signal upgrades to improve traffic safety and efficiency; all the necessary rights-of-way have been acquired by the County. The McLendon project has slipped to a November 2006 letting due to some outstanding issues that GDOT is resolving with the CSX Railroad.
The Roads & Drainage storm water crews are complete with 45 of the 3rd Quarter "Top 50" list of high-priority drainage repairs, and there are still 3 weeks left in the Quarter, so congratulations to Nancy Smith, Ken Perry and their crews for continuing to deliver high quality repairs in a short turnaround. Some of the major projects completed in the last month included an emergency pipe replacement project on Clifton Road near the Fernbank Science Center, where they installed a new 21-inch storm pipe (the drainage work is complete and the asphalt crew will put a final topping on the street as soon as their schedule allows). Some of the current work in progress includes extension of a new storm system on Tobey Road (75% complete) and installation of a pipe liner on Ragley Hall Road (60% complete).
Phase 3, Unit 1 construction at Seminole Landfill is about 83% complete, but the wet weather this last month has slowed the contractor, Morgan Construction, somewhat. The storm drains for the site are complete; excavation is proceeding for storm water Pond 12; and the cell subgrade certification has been approved. The clay liner placement is complete; as soon as EPD signs off on the liner placement, the rest of the composite liner will proceed. The contractor has hauled in over 168,000 tons of sand. Groundwater and methane system installation is underway. The project is on schedule for completion by March 2007.
The Methane Gas to Electricity project at the Landfill is about 30% complete. The engines and main equipment have been installed, and the construction of the steel building for the facility is proceeding. The engines will begin producing electricity in October 2006.
Environmental Quality
The Sanitation Division's subscription curbside recycling program now
has over 10,103 households participating, and has diverted more than
2374 tons of recylable material from the Landfill.
There is a Rivers Alive cleanup scheduled for the South River on October 7. Keep DeKalb Beautiful, the Greenspace program, and Public Works staff have been involved in planning for this annual event. Also coming up soon, Keep DeKalb Beautiful's bi-annual Electronics Recycling Day will be on October 28, with drop off sites at Memorial Drive annex, and at Brook Run Park.
Neighborhood Crime Update
There have been several burglaries in the neighborhood recently. Here is a crime update covering the months of June, July and August for our watch area, Shamrock Plaza and North Dekalb Mall. Click Here to read the PDF
Clairmont Height Crime Update
The Clairmont Hts. Civic Assoc., across the street from our neighborhood, has had a rash of crime in their neighborhood (break-ins, stolen cars, etc.):
From the CHCA Newsletter:
It's been a while since any bad-guys have targeted our neighborhood, but it would seem that we are on their radar once again. As you have hopefully read in my emails, we have a middle-aged who is not above considering a quick grab from a car and someone(s) who are willing to break into a house in the middle of the day.
Let's work together and get these folks arrested or so uncomfortable they leave. If you see ANYBODY in the neighborhood that you are in the slightest suspicious about, CALL 911....We are being hit, and we've gotta get the cops involved.
Bear in mind that this is a holiday weekend, and a lot of folks will be out of town, so let neighbors know if you'll be gone and make sure to keep eyes open to watch for trouble...And let's remember to keep all valuables out of our cars or at least out of sight and keep those car doors locked...
Meeting on Traffic Calming, Sidewalks & PATH
There will be a meeting to discuss 4 specific items of interest to our community. An agenda is listed below so that if you are only interested in one item, you can show up at that time.
North Decatur Presbyterian Church (on corner of Scott Blvd. & N.
Decatur)
September 9th
3 PM 6 PM
On the Agenda:
-County proposed North Superior Traffic Calming Plan and Street
Resident Discussion
-PATH Foundation plans in Clairmont Heights
-Bond Funded Sidewalk program on Desmond from Clairmont to Willivee
-New Emory Shuttle running in the neighborhood
3:00 ~ 3:50 - proposed traffic calming plan for North Superior
3:50 ~ 4:00 - traffic calming folks move down hall to side room to
finish discussion
4:00 ~ 4:50 - PATH
4:50 ~ 5:00 - PATH folks move down hall to side room to finish
discussion
5:00 ~ 5:50 - Bond Funded Sidewalks on Desmond
5:50 ~ 6:00 - Sidewalk folks move down hall to side room to finish
discussion
6:00 ~ ?? - Emory Shuttle News
Please come out and hear the facts and not the rumors..
Recycling Day at DeKalb Farmer's Market
Sep 16, 2006
On Saturday, Sept. 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. DeKalb Farmers Market
and DeKalb County Extension Service will sponsor the eighth
annual "Recycling Day at the Market". Anyone may bring one or
more "recyclables" (newspaper, cans, etc.) to this free event and
receive a gift of a wire compost bin or a nursery plant while they
last. The event is held on the grounds of the DeKalb Farmers Market
at 3000 Ponce De Leon Ave., Decatur, GA.
Master Gardeners and volunteers from environmental organizations will man display tables to show Vegetable Gardening, Native Plant Gardening and Xeriscaping, Backyard Composting, Soil Preparation, Water Conservation, Backyard Habitats and more!
Children can make a take-home craft made from recyclables. Worm- Farms will show kids and fishermen as well as gardeners the composting cycle.
Extension Service Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer gardeners' questions and give advice on the care and use of those free nursery plants.
DeKalb Farmers Market accepts the following items for recycling: No. 1 and 2 plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars, newspapers, magazines, phone books, junk mail, white copier/printer paper, aluminum and steel cans, and corrugated cardboard.
For more information please call: Agent Gary Peiffer at DeKalb Extension Service @ 404-298-4080 or email: grpeiffe@co.dekalb.ga.us.
Emergency Red Cross Blood Drives
Many American Red Cross Blood Services Regions have issued appeals for emergency donations in their communities in recent weeks. Still, a critical blood shortage and an urgent need for more donations remain. You can help by attending the American Red Cross
September 1-11, 2006 at American Red Cross Donor Centers: Albany, Alpharetta, Athens, Camp Creek, Cobb, Columbus, Duluth, Gainesville, Macon, Monroe Drive, Sandy Springs, Savannah, South Metro, and Valdosta
September 2-4, 2006 ONLY at the following Malls: Arbor Place Mall, Gwinnett Place Mall, Northlake Mall, The Mall of Georgia, Town Center at Cobb, and The Mall at Stonecrest To make an appointment or for more information, call 1-800-GIVE- LIFE, visit: www.givelife.org or contact your Blood Drive Coordinator today!
Dog Poop Disgrace
I have received email after email from residents complaining about piles of dog feces in their yards. Apparently, when it's hot, some dog owners don't think they have to be civilized humans or obey the law.
LET ME BE PERFECTLY CLEAR: It is not only ILLEGAL per DeKalb County Statute to leave your dog's waste out in the street or in someone's yard, it's downright DISGUSTING. One of the responsibilities of owning a pet in this county is that you must clean up after that pet.
Aside from the rudeness and unfairness of leaving your dog's feces in someone else's yard, there is a serious health problem caused by the feces getting into stormwater systems and barefoot people/children (Summer in Atlanta is hot, REMEMBER !?!) getting infections and parasites from stepping in the mess.
So either carry bags when you walk and clean up after your pet or get rid of the animal...Please be Responsible.
Mr. Woo, Owner of Party Time Beer & Wine Store on North Druid Hills Murdered in Robbery
Major AJC feature story on Mr. Woo, beaten to death during a robbery attempt, who sold wine and beer to Laurel Ridge and surrounding neighborhoods, was a special man, and beloved here...no leads on the culprit at this time. Excerpts below:
Slain immigrant was 'testament to making it here'
By JANE O. HANSEN
Published on: 07/30/06
Click Here to read the story.