The Decatur Education Foundation invites all girls (ages 8 and older) and adults to an interactive evening with Rachel Simmons on Monday, October 11 from 7 – 8:30 p.m. at the Decatur High School Performing Arts Center, 310 N. McDonough Street.

Rachel is a best-selling author and co-founder of the Girls Leadership Institute.  She will lead a fun, interactive back-to-school workshop on getting the most out of friendships and staying true to yourself.  Rachel teaches girls powerful strategies to express themselves with authencity and confidence, deal with friend drama effectively, and make healthy decisions in relationships.  Adults will learn tools to support girls on the journey.

Tickets are $18 per adult/child pair and include a copy of The Curse of the Good Girl, Rachel’s newest book.  Tickets are available A Capella Books or by calling 404-681-5128.

The Education Foundation says, “Bring lots of questions and stay for the book signing.”

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IT’S LAUNCH DAY!!

The Kilowatt Crackdown launches today, Oct. 1st and runs through November 30th. The Decatur neighborhood that reduces its electricity use during October and November by the highest percentage over this same time period last year will win an eco-friendly block party  for everyone who participated.  This program is brought to you by the City of Decatur and the Environmental Sustainability Board.

Neighborhoods must sign up at least 10 people to participate. In addition to the block party, each participant receives points redeemable for rewards from local merchants as well as from national brands and chains.

Here’s a progress report of how many folks have signed up so far.

Participants Signed Up as Of 10-1-10

College Heights = 2
Decatur Heights =  10
Downtown Decatur = 0
Great Lakes = 16
Lennox Place = 5
MAK = 2
Oakhurst = 11
Ponce de Leon Court = 8
Village Walk = 2
Westchester = 1
Winnona Park = 6

TOTAL = 63

No worries if you haven’t signed up yet.  Participants can sign up at any time during the challenge, however, their energy savings won’t count toward their neighborhood’s progress before their sign up date.

Here’s how to sign up:

1. Visit www.earthaid.net/Decatur
2. Select your neighborhood.  (Not sure which neighborhood to choose, click HERE for a map. Please note that two new neighborhoods have been created which are not on the map: Ponce de Leon Court and Village Walk.)
3. Sign up for the free service using your Georgia Power online username and password. You will automatically be joined with the neighborhood group you selected.*

*If you’re not registered for a Georgia Power online account, visit www.georgiapower.com to register. You will need your account number, access code, and a valid email address.

Visit www.decaturkilowattcrackdown.com for more information.  Now lets Get Crackin’ Decatur!

If you have any questions, please contact:

Lena Stevens
Resource Conservation Coordinator
City of Decatur
lena.stevens@decaturga.com
404-370-4102

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Bet they didn'tpull a permit!

 That’s right everyone!  Homeowner’s Night returns to City Hall on Tuesday, October 5th from 6-8 p.m.  What?  You don’t know about this night?  It’s your chance as the happy (or unhappy) homeowner to come meet with the Planning Director, Building Code Official, Permit and Zoning Tech and the Preservation Planner and talk about your house.  We’ll talk to you about your ideas for an addition or remodeling, we’ll talk to you about the lap pool you desperately want (but likely won’t use), we’ll talk to you about pretty much anything related to your house.  It’s also an opportunity to pull a permit after hours (your contractor will be so jealous!) or just try to find out what the city’s laws and policies are regarding doing construction on your house.  This is your night!

So come to Decatur City Hall on Tuesday, October 5th from 6-8 and be enlightened and be happy!  For questions or restaurant recommendations, contact Nathan Soldat at nathan.soldat@decaturga.com.

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The Seen Gallery invites you to their New Artist Showcase on Saturday, Sept. 25 from 7 – 10 p.m.  They are showcasing work by artists who have joined the gallery over the last year including Susan Proctor, Gail Vogels, Melissa O’Shields and Laurence Bridges-Wood, John Madajewski, Wes Jones and limited edition prints by Michael Whelen.

Below is a bowl made by John Madajewski, who is a Decatur resident and also the Senior Engineer for the City of Decatur.  John turns bowls in his spare time and often uses wood that has been cut down in Decatur.  This bowl is made from a box elder that used to stand at 532 Westchester Drive, one of the 4 houses in the floodplain that were removed recently using a FEMA grant.  The red, according to John, is from a beetle that gets into the wood.

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This just in from the Decatur Arts Alliance and Flux Projects…

Images of a running zebra will flash across the Decatur streetscape on Friday evening, September 24.  After making its journey through Decatur, the zebra image will be projected on the front of the Decatur Court building at 315 W. Ponce de Leon Ave. for 30-45 minutes on Friday night.

Click here to see a sample of how a tiger image interacts with buildings, pedestrians, and traffic on a similar project. 

The artistic installment, Lima Lives!, honors and celebrates the life and spirit of Lima, the zebra that escaped from Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus last winter and made a mad dash through downtown Atlanta.  For nearly an hour, this courageous animal managed to break free of his circus routine and run wild in the streets of Atlanta.  Riffing on the excitement of multiple sightings of him that day, Lima Lives! will roam Atlanta at night.

The project premieres in Decatur and features nightly projections around Atlanta culminating October 1 in Castleberry.  Lima Lives! is presented by Flux Projects, a non-profit arts organization that commissions and presents temporary public art projects for large audiences beyond the walls of traditional arts venues.

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Want to learn something?  Well, on Tuesday, September 21 head to Decatur for two fun learning opportunities.

Walt Drake is working on a history of Decatur from 1900-1999

First, learn about the history of Decatur from noted Decatur resident Walt Drake during the DeKalb History Center’s Lunch & Learn Lecture Series.  Hear highlights Decatur’s founding in 1823 through the present.  His lecture includes profiles of notable leaders and commentary on the redevelopment and renewal of Decatur during the past 40 years.

The Lunch & Learn will be held at the Old Courthouse on the Square, second floor from 12 noon – 1 p.m.  Bring your lunch and enjoy!

That evening you can join City Schools of Decatur students and staff as they offer a fun and informative evening to showcase their World Languages program.  The City Schools of Decatur offers the only articulated district-wide K-12 World Language program in Georgia.

World Languages in CSD include Spanish in kindergarten through 3rd grade, International Baccalaureate Language B Spanish in grades 4 – 8, and French, German, Latin and Spanish in grades 9 – 12.  John Valentine, Georgia Department of Education Program Specialist for Foreign Language and International Education, will discuss how World Languages instruction has evolved with the new Georgia Performance Standards.  He will also highlight how CSD is implementing a paradigm shift in World Language and International Education.

To round out the evening CSD students will show-off their language skills.  The event will be held in the Decatur High School Performing Arts Center, 310 N. McDonough Street, from 7 – 8:30 p.m. 

The DHS Performing Arts Center Stage

Tuesday offers the opportunity to learn in Decatur and, hey, it’s free!

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In August the Georgia Center for the Book released its inaugural “25 Books All Young Georgians Should Read” list.  In keeping with Decatur treating authors like rock stars, it was fitting that the release of the list included a community party with many of the authors and illustrators on hand.

Who compiled the list?  Writers, educators, librarians, and media representatives on the Center’s advisory council.  The list represents a first-time compilation of some of the best children’s literature by Georgia writers and artists.  Many of the authors and illustrators on the list will participate in free public readings throughout Georgia libraries and schools over the next two years.

The list includes seven picture books for pre-schoolers; one for youngsters between kindergarten and 3rd grade; one graphic novel for grades 4 and up; 10 books for middle readers in grades 4-8; and six books for young adults grades 7 and up.

The authors on the list have won dozens of significant state and national honors and many of them appeared at the recent AJC Decatur Book Festival.  Several of them are personal favorites of mine including Carmen Deedy (14 Cows for America), Eric Litwin & James Dean (Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes), and Terra McVoy (Pure).  I can’t wait to grab my grandson(s) and read some of the others with intriguing titles like The Monster Who Did My Math (Danny Schnitzlein & Bill Mayer).

Georgia Center for the Book Executive Director Bill Starr envisions more lists in future years and plans are to release new lists at least every three years, like they do with their adult lists.  The Georgia Center for the Book is Georgia’s chartered representative of the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and is hosted by the DeKalb County Public Library right here in downtown Decatur.

Pictured are the author/illustrator rock stars!

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The Kilowatt Crackdown: Neighborhood Challenge Launches October 1st!

The Kilowatt Crackdown: Neighborhood Challenge is launching on October 1^st, 2010.  This is one of those rare opportunities to do something good for yourself, something good for your neighborhood and something good for the planet.

The premise is simple, the City of Decatur neighborhood that reduces its electricity use during October and November by the highest percentage over this same time period as last year will win an eco friendly block party for everyone that participated. Neighborhoods must get at least 10 people signed up in order to participate.

In addition to the fabulous block party, participants who reduce their energy usage will get points redeemable for rewards from local merchants as well as national brands and chains.

Visit www.decaturkilowattcrackdown.com for more information and to learn how to sign up.

This program is brought to you by the Decatur Environmental Sustainability Board and EarthAid.   Please contact Lena Stevens, Resource Conservation Coordinator with any questions or concerns; lena.stevens@decaturga.com or 404-370-4102.

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