News
February 2006
News & Notes Menu:
• Burglary attempt on Pangborn
• Medlock Community Garden
• DeKalb County Transportation Plan - sidewalks & bike lanes vs wider intersections
• DeKalb Legislative Delegation Town Hall Meeting
• Feb 16 - SEWER MAIN UPGRADE NEAR BURNT FORK CREEK
• Wilson Woods Garden Club - March 7th
• Decatur's Spring Electronics Recycling Day, Mar. 25
• Burglaries along LaVista Corridor
• Georgia Native Plant Society Garden Tour
• Vandalism at Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve
• Share The Road license plates/Bike Safety Classes available
• Local Civic Association May Dissolve
• Laurel Ridge Wine Tasting Society
Burglary attempt on Pangborn
The owner of a house on Pangborn Road between Springbrook and Frazier received a call on Wednesday morning from his home security company. They informed him they detected an intrusion and would be contacting the police. The owner arrived home in approximately 20 minutes. The police were already there and had checked the house. The burglar had fled. A policeman told him they had arrived within a few minutes of being contacted since there "has been a rash of burlaries in the area and he was on patrol."
The burglar broke the window on the kitchen door in the carport area. When he discoverd the deadbolt was not one that could be unlocked by hand, he went to the window next to the door and removed the storm window. He then broke the latch on the main window and entered the house, and that is when the burglar alarm's motion detector detected him and sounded the alarm.
The owner's email stated, "Fortunately it appears that the alarm scared him off and he did not take anything (as far as I can tell). I ended up going to Home Depot with a friend to get material to repair both the door and window. Everything is patched up now. You may want to talk to your neighbors about other break-ins in the area."
Helen Sessions, Neighborhood Watch Coordinator
Country Squire Community
Medlock Park Community Garden
(Medlock Park is the closest county park to our neighborhood)
A group of Medlock area neighbors is planning a community garden at Medlock Park.
Discussions have included the feasibility of raised bed planting at the park, becoming members of the Atlanta Community Gardens Coalition and the Plant a Row for the Hungry (PAR.)
We need to get started on this soon! We will be meeting March 8th at 7pm in front of the pool at Medlock Park.
For more information, please contact: Brandy Clark, 404-325-1181.
DeKalb County Transportation Plan Hearings
Ed. Note: We all realize that there are major problems with transportation in DeKalb, and we all have different opinions as to how to fix them. The last version of this plan shown to neighborhood reps. was comprised mostly of intersection widenings as opposed to bike lanes and sidewalks etc. If you want to express your opinion on what our tax dollars should be spent on, this will be your last set of meetings to speak out at.
DECATUR - DeKalb County is finalizing its comprehensive transportation plan, the result of a two-year study targeted for completion in June 2006. Through technical analysis and consultation with stakeholders and the general public, the County and its consultant team have developed a program of improvements to address current and future needs for all modes of transportation including highways, public transit, bicycle/pedestrian facilities, and freight movement over the next thirty years. The recommended program, which includes over 800 projects, totaling more than $6 billion over a thirty year period, will be presented to the public at a series of public open house meetings to be held at the following locations:
ALL MEETINGS ARE 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Thursday, March 2, 2006
Central Quadrant (2)
Manuel Maloof Auditorium
1300 Commerce Drive
Decatur, GA
404-371-2155
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
North Quadrant (1)
Briarwood Recreation Center
2355 Briarwood Way
Atlanta, GA
404-679-5911
This will be the final opportunity for local citizens to review and comment on the long range transportation plan and its recommendations before a draft plan is presented to the Board of Commissioners for review and approval. Contact the County's, Deputy Director Strategic Planning, Arthur Duncan, 404-371-2150; email: afduncan@co.dekalb.ga.us, or Janide Sidifall, Day Wilburn Associates, Inc., 404-249-7550; email: jsidifall@daywilburn.com or visit the County website: http://www.co.dekalb.ga.us/ctp.
DeKalb Legislative Delegation Town Hall Meeting
FYI: THIS IS AN IMPORTANT TOWN HALL, CONSIDERING THE INCORPORATION VS. INCORPORATION DEBATE.
http://www.godekalb.com/article.php?story=20060210122547176
The DeKalb County Legislative Delegation has announced a date and time change for its annual public hearing. It will be now be on Thursday, February 23, at 7:00 p.m. in the Maloof Auditorium of the DeKalb County Government Building, 1300 Commerce Drive in Downtown Decatur. It was previously announced for Feb. 15, at 6:00 p.m. at the Decatur Library.
Rep. Mike Jacobs (D-80) said he will be discussing his efforts to reform the DeKalb County Government. Attendees will also have the opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas on any state or local issue, including education, transportation, health care, and property taxes.
Feb 16 - SEWER MAIN UPGRADE NEAR BURNT FORK CREEK
Decatur – DeKalb County Water and Sewer Department will begin work on Friday, February 17, 2006 to repair and upgrade a sewer main and pipes near Burnt Fork Creek at Ponderosa Circle. A community meeting will be held prior to the start of the work:
Thursday, February 16, 2006, 7:00 P.M.
Shamrock Middle School - Gymnasium
3100 Mount Olive Drive
Decatur, GA 30033
The project will increase the capacity of the main to prevent Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) issues, thereby protecting our environment and our residents. The increased capacity will come from the replacement of an existing eighteen (18) inch sewer pipe with a twenty-four (24) inch sewer pipe. DeKalb Water and Sewer Department has contracted with Reynolds Inliner/Superior Pipeline Services to replace the existing pipes through what is known as a pipe bursting procedure. The community members that are directly impacted by this project have been contacted by DeKalb County and Reynolds Inliner about the repairs. Commissioner Gale Walldorff, in conjunction with the Water and Sewer Department, has planned a community meeting to answer questions or address concerns.
Contact the County's, Water and Sewer Department Compliance Division Supervisor, Claude E. Cole,770-724-1490; email: cecole@co.dekalb.ga.us, or the Construction Inspector Jim Marks,770-621-7233; email: jmarks@co.dekalb.ga.us or visit the County website: http://www.dekalbwatersewer.com.
Wilson Woods Garden Club
Join the Wilson Woods Garden Club. Meets the first Tuesday of each month.
Next meeting March 7 - Identifying Minerals. For information call: Sharon Hough 404-471-1491 or Nancy Whitten 404-636-1835.
Decatur's Spring Electronics Recycling Day, Mar. 25
Saturday, March 25 is Decatur's Spring Electronics Recycling Day
Last October Decatur held its first electronics recycling day and was it successful! More than 275 cars came to the parking lot at Decatur High School to drop off many tons of electronics equipment that would otherwise have gone into the landfill. It worked so well that Decatur will do a Spring Electronics Recycling Day, Saturday, March 25 in the Decatur High parkinglot from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Electronics dropped off that day will be sorted and broken down into their raw materials and sent to recyclers for reuse. Valuable landfill spacewill be saved.
The event is sponsored by the City of Decatur, Decatur High School, Atlanta Recycling Solutions, the Waste Management Advisory Board and Dreamsan. The Decatur High School parking lot is at the corner of N. McDonough Street and W. Howard Avenue.
Burglaries along LaVista Corridor
Provided by Crime Awareness Unit of the DeKalb Police Department
2 February 2006
"Burglaries" in the Briarcliff Rd-Clairmont Rd-LaVista Rd-Nalley Cir.
Area
In the recent months there have been a number of burglaries reported
in this area. The Detectives have been diligently working on each
incident reported and have a description on two (2) suspects:
1. 1) White male, 6'2", 170-180 lbs., thin build, brown hair, age:
mid 40's
2. 2) Black male, 5'8", 150-160 lbs, thin build, black hair, age: mid
40's
Both subjects are possible drug users and may be dressed in unclean clothing, possibly occupying a 1997 Green Nissan 2-door pick-up truck, Ga. Wildlife tag # WL49V8
If these suspects are seen in your community, please contact the
Police by dialing 911 as soon as possible. Ways to possibly avoid
becoming a victim:
1. • Secure you home to the best of your ability; do not leave doors
or windows open or unlocked when not at the residence
2.• Lock you vehicle parked in your driveway or under carport at all
times
3. • Use outside lighting to increase the visibility around your home
by installing outdoor lighting, such as motion sensor lights
4. • Call 911 for any suspicious persons or vehicles in your
community
5. • Communicate with your neighbors on suspicious activity seen
*** Remember if you don't inform the Police, the Police don't know what's happening in your neighborhood. ***
Georgia Native Plant Society Garden Tour
The Georgia Native Plant Society is seeking sites for the Annual Spring Garden tour. It is not necessary that the yard or garden be exclusively native plants, just a willingness to share your beauty and accomplishments with other fun loving gardeners!!
Please contact Carol Hayes for more info.
404-320-9187
cehayes@bellsouth.net
Vandalism at Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve
In the wake of recent vandalism in the nature preserve, the board of CSNP has decided to close the preserve at sunset and ask anyone there after dark to leave. We regret having to do this because we have numerous visitors that enjoy the moonlight on the deck. This decision is all the more important because of vandalism and breakins in the neighborhood in general. We will be patrolling the preserve in the evenings somewhat but also need our neighbors and supporters to call us if you see anything suspicious. My number is (404) 580- 3917.
We will be posting signs at the preserve announcing the sunset closing.
Thanks,
Dave Butler
http://www.cshepherdpreserve.org
Share The Road license plates/Bike Safety Classes available
Georgia SHARE THE ROAD specialty license plate Don't miss your chance to promote bicycling and help fund bicyclist and motorist safety programs!
Beginning on Tuesday, January 3, county tag offices across the state will begin accepting applications for the Georgia SHARE THE ROAD specialty license plate.
You can apply either in-person or by-mail. For information on how to apply, please see Georgia Bikes! website http://www.georgiabikes.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=80 or the Georgia Dept of Motor Vehicles http://www.dmvs.ga.gov/motor/plates/plate.asp?ptitle=RD
The DMV must receive at least 1000 applications for the tags by December 31, 2007, otherwise they will not be manufactured. The manufacturing is $25 (which would be refunded in the event 1000 orders are not placed by 12/31/07). All of the $25.00 fees charged for the issuance of these plates, shall be utilized, subject to the general appropriation process, by the Governor's Highway Safety Program to improve bicycle and motorist safety through education and awareness efforts.
Do you feel safe riding in Atlanta traffic?
Atlanta Bicycle Campaign has the spring 2006 Effective Cycling classes on their website at www.atlantabike.org. Just click on "Bike Classes" to see the list. Classes are $30. Call 404-881-1112 or email atlantabikeclass@mindspring.com to register or for more details.
Local Civic Association May Dissolve
Please, everyone should read the opening page of this website: http://www.ndhra.org/
This is a nearby neighborhood that may be forced to dissolve its civic association. I hope this doesn't happen to CHCA, but if we don't heed their warnings, it could happen. Volunteer now !!!!
We need fresh thoughts and fresh bodies. Please reply if you are at all interested and willing to help share the load.
Laurel Ridge Wine Tasting Society
Hello everyone, my name is Brandon Thompson. My fiance, Kathryn, and I moved into Laurel Hill Drive in May of 2005. We have been a part of numerous wine tasting societies in our day and have found that they are a great way to get to know people and to interact with your neighbors. Therefore we were wondering if there is any interest in starting such a group in Laurel Ridge. We could take turns hosting it at different homes (Kathryn and I would be more than happy to host the first one at our home), and we could have one each month so that we have a regular way of keeping up with everyone in the neighborhood. We could really do whatever everyone wants to do, but what we have done in the past is pick a particular type of wine for each month (like Italian Reds) and then everyone brings a bottle of that month's wine (spending around $10-15 on a given bottle), and then we can all sample everyone's type if we so choose. It's a great way to meet your neighbors and to develop yourself into a wine snob. It's a win-win!!! Anyways this is something I would love to do, and if there is enough interest I will be more than happy to organize the group. Anyone who is interested can write me back at btdecatur@yahoo.com. I look forward to seeing everyone soon!!!
Very truly yours,
Brandon Thompson
Tenatively planned to have the first event on first Saturday in March