Posted in Community, emergency management on April 1, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Today may be April Fools’ Day but this is no joke…Tomorrow is the first Wednesday of April so we’ll be testing the tornado outdoor warning sirens at 5:00 p.m. The test should last approximately one minute. Should the weather become inclement, the test will be postponed until Thursday, 3 April 2014.
If you have questions or want more information about the siren system, check out the Siren page on the City’s website or contact Police Lt. Barry Woodward at 404-373-6551.
Posted in Art & Culture, Community on April 1, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
If you’ve walked along Ponce de Leon Avenue near Salon Red and Starbucks in the last two days, you might have noticed this:
The Decatur Downtown Development Authority commissioned artist Jason Smith of Smithworks to design and build fencing for the row of garbage bins that line the sidewalk. Now it’s much more pleasant to walk along that portion of the sidewalk.
Jason also designed the ironwork covering the MARTA vent located between the bandstand and the old courthouse.
Posted in Archives & History, Community on April 1, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
When you stroll through the stalls of books or enjoy readings from the authors during the nationally celebrated Decatur Book Festival, imagine a time when libraries and access to books were limited or even censored. We are fortunate the times have changed. Resources are widely available and freedom of expression is valued and protected. In the early 1930’s, when the country was reeling from the 1929 stock market crash and people were struggling to put food on their plates, the Decatur Public Library was in its beginning stages limited by laws and resources.
Although Georgia’s Municipal Library Law was enacted in 1901, it wasn’t until the 1930’s that the state tax laws allowed for towns and counties to contract for library services across governmental lines. Most local libraries were housed in buildings with other civic or commercial functions.
Decatur’s first public library formed in 1907 in Lithonia. In February 1911, the Decatur Library was continued from the good will of a few citizens of the county. (Atlanta Georgian and News, February 4, 1911, Digital Library of Georgia). Some years later the Decatur Public Library was housed in the Decatur Bank & Trust Building, then upstairs inside City Hall and staffed with the best intentions of bringing reading accessibility to the community. Decatur’s present library, located on Sycamore St and designed by Edwards & Sayward Architects was opened in 1950.
Library collections were often contracted out by a commercial company. The Dixie Lending Library was a family business that contracted for library resources to Atlanta and Decatur libraries. Dixie Lending Library was considered a commercial rental library and was a subsidiary of the Fiction Lover’s Library, operating in the District of Columbia area around 1923. The Dixie Lending Library served Georgia, Alabama, and Pennsylvania. The document images below are samples of the early days. These records reveal some of the limitations of the selection process:
In 1935 the Georgia Library Commission adopted several objectives, set forth a plan and by 1936 seven trained librarians working with the WPA were dispersed around Georgia serving as area or district supervisors. Even by 1944 public library service was available to less than half of the population and most existing library services had limited trained personnel and book resources. President Kennedy began the real push for reforming and upgrading the nation’s libraries introducing the Library & Services Construction Act in 1963. President Johnson signed the LSCA into law July 1966. It was at that point that public libraries across the country began to gain ground.
How far things have come! Decatur has hosted the nationally recognized and increasingly popular Book Festival for the past 8 years. A historic screen snapshot on the WayBack Machine in the Internet Archive: 2006 AJC Decatur Book Festival web page, shows just how popular the festival has become over time. Well known authors, poets and emerging authors all flock to the AJC Decatur Book Festival each year in ever increasing numbers and it has become one of the South’s celebrated venues wrapping up the summer. It’s always a celebration of ideas and the freedom of expression.
Posted in Community, tagged Active Living, cardio, cardio tennis, demo, fitness, Glen lake, glenlake, tennis on March 27, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Glenlake Tennis Center is offering a NEW Cardio Tennis class taught by Head Tennis Pro Nia Willis.
Cardio Tennis is a high energy fitness activity that combines the best features of the sport of tennis with cardiovascular exercise, delivering the ultimate full body, calorie burning aerobic workout. Low compression tennis balls are used along with music, high energy and fun! Adults of all levels are welcome and no tennis experience is necessary.
FREE demo classes on Monday, March 31st at 8:30 a.m. and at 8 p.m.
Classes start April 15 and last for six weeks. $75 for City of Decatur residents, $100 non-residents. Registration is open now at Glenlake Tennis Center.
Call 404-377-7231 or email nia.willis@decaturga.com to sign up for the FREE demos on March 31 or for more information.
Posted in Community, Events, tagged City of Decatur, DBA, Decatur Business Association, Decatur Marriott, Jim Baskett, Mayor Baskett, Mayor Jim Baskett, State of the City on March 25, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Posted in Community on March 24, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Mickey Baskett has just done a great blog post over at VisitDecaturGa (did you know we had a blog especially for visitors?). In it she describes in detail the 4 Decatur restaurants and chefs nominated as James Beard Award semi-finalists including:
Outstanding Bar Program – Kimball House
Oustanding Restauranteur – Ford Fry from No. 246 (& others) and Mike Klank & Eddie Hernandez from Taqueria del Sol
Best Chef/Southeast – Billy Allin of Cakes & Ale
Decatur is on a restaurant roll with our top notch restaurants, food, & chefs all over the city. We launched our Decatur Restaurant-Tour recently with videos of six Decatur restaurants and the next six are set to be launched soon. So check out Mickey’s post and Decatur Restaurant-Tour and enjoy all Decatur has to offer as we (hopefully) move into spring!
Posted in Community, tagged aging, ARC, atlanta regional commission, baby boomers, Kathryn Lawler, Lee Ann Harvey, lifelong communities, Monica Pearson, PBA 30, public television, retirees, retirement on March 24, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Decatur’s Lifelong Community Coordinator Lee Ann Harvey shares the following:
Decatur’s Lifelong Community Advisory Board is excited to pass along information about the Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) “Living Beyond Expectations” campaign. A 30-minute video of a PBA 30 (PBS) broadcast that aired last week is available here. This is a wonderful way to learn about a Lifelong Community and how it makes us a better community by helping residents age successfully in the city that they love. The broadcast features Kathryn Lawler, Manager of Aging and Health Resources, Atlanta Regional Commission, and Monica Pearson, retired news anchor, WSB-TV. Find out how the bubble of Baby Boomers reaching 65 and their increased life expectancy will affect how you and the community cope with living beyond expectations and how to prepare for it.
This broadcast kicks of the ARC’s efforts to bring together people of all ages in order to plan for the future. PBA 30 will continue to spotlight this effort by broadcasting a series of positive aging vignettes over the next six months.
The City of Decatur’s Lifelong Community Advisory Board
Posted in Community, Events on March 24, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
Get out your calendar and circle these dates…
Tuesday, March 25
The Global Village Chorus. The Global Village Chorus, directed by Elise Witt, Anna Swaray and Sara Hodge, is made up of students from the Global Village Project, a school in Decatur, Georgia for teenage refugee girls from Afghanistan, Burma, Congo, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Iraq and the Central African Republic. Funding provided by the Friends of the Decatur Library. 7:00 p.m.—8:00 p.m. Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore Street, Decatur 30030. 404.370.3070
Tuesday, April 8
Gladius. In an era when expertise and originality are often overlooked in lieu of fleeting flash and flare, Gladius defines innovation as a composer and mastery as an instrumentalist. Inspired by the great classical composers (Vivaldi), Spanish flamenco legends (Paco De Lucia) and melodic metal masers (Marty Friedman and Jason Becker), Gladius is perpetually pushing the boundaries of his Baroque-Ethnic-Metal fusion. Funding provided by the Friends of the Decatur Library. 7:00 p.m.—8:00 p.m. Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore Street, Decatur 30030. 404.370.3070
Tuesday, May 13
Atlanta Chinese Dance Company (ACDC). Celebrate Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month with the electrifying Atlanta Chinese Dance Company (ACDC) as they perform traditional dances, as well as Kung Fu and Ribbon Dance demonstrations. 7:00 p.m.—7:50 p.m. Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore Street, Decatur 30030. 404.370.3070
Posted in Community, Events on March 20, 2014 | 1 Comment »
The Kids’ Used Clothes (& Stuff) Sale is one of the most popular sales for children’s used clothing and accessories in the Atlanta area. Shoppers enjoy tremendous bargains on a huge selection of high-quality second-hand items for newborns through teens.
Every spring and fall since 1993, hundreds of buyers and sellers participate in this co-op sale, which makes children’s outfits, toys and equipment truly affordable. A portion of the proceeds go to our host church, which uses the money to support programs and services that benefit children and families in our community.
We have every imaginable article of children’s clothing — including uniforms, jackets, T-shirts, fancy outfits, and costumes — plus an enormous selection of toys and accessories galore, from sports equipment and educational items to games and dolls to infant and baby equipment like strollers, high chairs, cribs and swings.
Decatur First United Methodist Church
300 E. Ponce de Leon Ave
Decatur, GA 30030
(Look for the signs!)
Sale Hours: Friday, March 21 9:00am-3:00pm and Saturday, March 22 9:00am-1:00pm
MORE INFO HERE
Posted in Community on March 20, 2014 | Leave a Comment »
We are challenging Decatur residents and businesses to take the Earth Hour pledge to switch off their lights from 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm on Saturday, March 29.
Started in 2004 by the World Wildlife Fund, Earth Hour is a global grass-roots movement encouraging individuals, businesses and governments around the world to celebrate their commitment to the planet by switching off their lights for one designated hour. Learn more at the Earth Hour website.
