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This Week in Decatur: Sept. 25-Oct. 1

September 26, 2016 by Catherine

This is a weekly blog post that lists all of the events and sales going on around town. It will be updated daily. If you would like to add an event, email Catherine.lee@decaturga.com.

Wednesday, Sept. 28
• Blue Sky Concerts, noon-1 p.m.
• Decatur Farmers Market, 4-7 p.m

Thursday, Sept. 29
• Oakhurst Jazz Nights, 7-9 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 1
• Decatur Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Row. Tone. Om. on the Square, 9 a.m.-11 a.m.
• Decatur Makers Faire, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Decatur Presbyterian Church Blessing of the Animals, 10:30 a.m.
• Downtown Decatur Food Tours, 11 a.m.
• Brick Store Pub Oktoberfest, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Madison Avenue Soapbox Derby, noon-5 p.m.
• Square Pub’s 6th Annual Chile Roast, noon-9 p.m.
• Woodland Gardens: Fairies in the Garden, 2-4:30 p.m.

 

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On The Same Page Returns

September 23, 2016 by Linda

Ivan

On the Same Page is a city-wide reading initiative whose goal is to foster a community of readers by bringing families together around the same book.  It is coordinated by Little Shop of Stories working in conjunction with the AJC Decatur Book Festival, the Decatur Education Foundation and the Decatur Rotary Club.

Each year On the Same Page selects a book for local children and their families to read and unveils the choice at the AJC Decatur Book Festival.  The 2016 book is The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate.  The book is a Newbury winner and a #1 New York Times bestseller and is inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla named Ivan.  Having spent 27 years in a shopping mall, Ivan has grown accustomed to his life and hardly ever thinks about his past in the jungle.  Ivan occupies himself with television, painting, and his friends Stella (an elephant) and Bob (a dog).  But then he meets Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, and he is forced to see their home and his art through new eyes.

Families are encouraged to read the book and Little Shop has organized a variety of special events throughout the fall culminating in a visit from the author in November.  In addition, the One and Only Ivan will take the stage at Synchronicity Theatre in February for a special stage adaptation by James E. Grote where Ivan and his friends will leap off the page and onto the stage.

Special events include a Writing Workshop (Sept. 18), a NightCrawler Overnight at Zoo Atlanta (Sept. 24-25), an On the Same Page Day at Zoo Atlanta (Oct. 9), the On the Same Page Book Club (Oct. 14), a Synchronicity Acting Workshop (Oct. 15), The One and Only Ivan Party (Oct. 20), Volunteer Day at the Zoo (Oct. 22), Decatur Day of Reading (Oct. 24), and the celebration with the author (Nov. 11).

For details about specific events, how to register, and information about On the Same Page and Little Shop of Stories click here.

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Only Two Days Away: Storefront Saturday

September 22, 2016 by Catherine

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Come get your (local) shop on this Saturday, Sept. 24, noon-5 p.m. for this year’s second Storefront Saturday. Shop at participating businesses and enjoy raffles, prizes, pop-ups, snacks, specials, and oh-so-much more when you Keep It Indie-Catur at this special shopping event.

Raffle #1: Make a purchase at a Storefront Saturday shop, bring your receipt to the tent on the square, and enter to win. Enter up to 18 times with receipts from each of the participating stores.

New! Raffle #2: Win a Weekend in Decatur! Pick up a Storefront Saturday card at one of the participating shops or the tent on the square on Saturday, visit all 18 shops, have the card stamped at each, and bring it to the tent on the square by 5 p.m. on Saturday. Enter to win an overnight stay at the Courtyard Marriott and two gift cards to local restaurants.

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Links to participating shops: Aimee Jewelry and Fine Art Gallery | Boutique Karma | Coco + Mischa | The Great Frame Up | Greene’s Fine Foods | Homegrown | Little Shop of Stories | Natural Body | Pure Barre | Splash of Olive | Sq/Ft | Squash Blossom | Treehouse Kid & Craft | Trinity Mercantile & Design | Vivid Boutique | Wild Oats and Billy Goats | Worthmore Jewelers

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Lanes Shift on North McDonough Street

September 22, 2016 by Renae

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The details

BRTU Construction is installing new lane markings, traffic control barricades, and fencing to temporarily shift all vehicle traffic to two lanes on the east side of North McDonough Street. On-street parking will be eliminated during construction as well.

The North McDonough Streetscape Improvements include reducing North McDonough to 2 vehicle lanes, wider sidewalks, and a 2-way “cycle track” on the west side of the street, along with traditional streetscape improvements and on-street parking. The project will also feature “green infrastructure” improvements to improve storm water quality.
How to manage

To obtain updates on this and other construction projects in downtown Decatur, sign up for the Extreme Makeover: Downtown Decatur Edition

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Street Milling, Repair & Resurfacing Work Set to Begin

September 21, 2016 by Renae

City construction activities are scheduled to start September 26, 2016 (Weather permitting)

Work will be performed on the following streets:

  1. Swanton Way from Commerce Drive to the MARTA loop
  2. Chelsea Drive from Coventry Road to Kathryn Avenue
  3. Olympic Place from West College Avenue to the dead end
  4. Midway Road from South Candler Street to the City Limits

The City’s contractor, H.E.H. Paving, Inc., will be performing all of the required work to mill, patch, resurface and replace street humps with speed tables on these streets and will provide notifications on each street 3 days in advance of the start of construction. ALL VEHICLES MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE STREET DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS, 7AM to 6PM, WHEN WORK IS PERFORMED.  Vehicles parked on the street during the posted times are subject to towing.  PLEASE WATCH FOR THE NOTIFICATION ON YOUR STREET.  Two-Way traffic and access to driveways will be maintained during construction. PLEASE CONTACT THE DESIGN, ENVIRONMENT AND CONSTRUCTION DIVISION @ (678) 553-6529 and ask for Jennings Bell for further details, if necessary.

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Decatur Wins Savvy For Better Together Initiative

September 20, 2016 by Linda

Better Together logo

Decatur won two national awards from the City-County Communications & Marketing Association (3CMA) for the Better Together Initiative which resulted in the Better Together Community Action Plan for Equity, Inclusion, and Engagement.

Decatur won a Savvy (1st place) for Community Visioning and an Award of Excellence (3rd place) for Citizen Engagement.  Judges noted that the effort was impressive for a community of any size – a well developed and executed process from start to finish that resulted in a very comprehensive action plan.

The Savvy Awards recognize outstanding local government achievements in communications, public-sector marketing and citizen-government relationships.  More than 700 entries in 38 categories were received and judges from across the United States reviewed every entry.  There were 68 first-place Savvy Awards, 67 second-place Silver Circle Awards, and 68 third-place Awards of Excellence presented.

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This Week in Decatur: Sept. 18-24

September 20, 2016 by Catherine

This is a weekly blog post that lists all of the events and sales going on around town. It will be updated daily. If you would like to add an event, email Catherine.lee@decaturga.com.

Wednesday, Sept. 21
• Blue Sky Concerts, noon-1 p.m.
• Decatur Farmers Market, 4-7 p.m

Thursday, Sept. 22
• Oakhurst Jazz Nights, 7 p.m
• Grillin’ and Chillin’, 6:30- 10 p.m.

• Decatur Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Storefront Saturday, noon-5 p.m.
• Yea! Festival, Harmony Park, noon-4 p.m.
• Concerts on the Square, 7-9:30 p.m.

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Work Starts on the North McDonough Streetscape and Railroad Crossing Improvements

September 20, 2016 by Renae

The details

McDonough GearWork is beginning to crank up on the North McDonough Streetscape Improvement and the Railroad Crossing Improvements at McDonough and Candler. The City Commissioners have awarded a contract for the work to BRTU Construction of Forest Park. The total budget for the work is about $5.5 million, a little over two-thirds of which is from federal grants through the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Georgia Department of Transportation.

The North McDonough Streetscape Improvements include reducing North McDonough to 2 vehicle lanes, wider sidewalks, and a 2-way “cycle track” on the west side of the street, along with traditional streetscape improvements and on-street parking. The project will also feature “green infrastructure” improvements to improve storm water quality.

The Railroad Crossing Improvements address pedestrian accessibility and safety around and across the two CSX crossings at the intersections of College Avenue and Howard Avenue with Candler Street and McDonough Street. The work provides gentler slopes on the north side of both crossings resulting in an accessible path for persons in wheelchairs as well as a safer route for pedestrians and bicyclists located outside the railroad crossing gates. New traffic signals allowing protected left turns on all legs of the 2 crossings are to be installed as well.

 

The impact

BRTU is starting preliminary construction activities, including posting warning signs, “potholing” the construction zone to locate underground utilities, and setting out construction barricades and barrels. Pedestrians will generally be limited to sidewalks on one side of the street. Vehicle traffic will be limited to 2 lanes and on-street parking will be eliminated for most of the project.

 

How to manage

This is a complicated construction project that promises to be messy, noisy and inconvenient. It will require patience. But the payoff will be an attractive pedestrian and bicycle-oriented main street that is safer and more environmentally sustainable. The work is expected to take 12-18 months.

To obtain updates on this and other construction projects in downtown Decatur, sign up for the Extreme Makeover: Downtown Decatur Edition email list.

Got questions? Direct them here.

McDonough Rendering

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Recycle Decatur! Recycling Education Expo

September 12, 2016 by Renae

 

e5-recyling-event-social-graphic-THURSDAY

Join us Thursday, September 15 on the Decatur Square between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. for Recycle Decatur!- the city’s first recycle education expo. Participants will receive updated information on the city’s recycling program, meet members of the Environmental Sustainability Board, become familiar with organizations that accept hard to recycle items, learn what can be recycled during Decatur’s electronic recycling fall event, and enter a chance to win a prize.

Recycling is very important and a vital part of the community’s sustainability efforts. To learn more about recycling in the City of Decatur, visit the city’s website at decaturga.com/residents/recycling. To learn more about Recycle Decatur or to be a part of the event, contact Amy Hall at amy.hall@decaturga.com.

*No recycled materials will be accepted during this event*

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9-11 Remembrance Events in Decatur

September 10, 2016 by Renae

Decatur Fire and Rescue Stair Climb

To honor the 343 fallen firefighters, the fire department will host an event where they will ascend the Station One training tower 35 times on September 11th, 2016- the climbing will commence at 9:59 am.  They are inviting the community to climb as many or as few of the 35 times as you can.

Visit decaturfirehouse.com/2016/09/01/911-15th-anniversary-memorial-event/ire and Rescue for more information.

9-11 Interfaith Gathering

On Sunday, September 11, 2016, bring a favorite, simple dish to share, a lawn chair, and an open mind and heart to the interfaith gathering to recognize the 15th anniversary of 911.  The event will start at 3:00 PM with a pot-luck and an interfaith service that will focus on Remember, Reconcile, and Relate right after.

The event will take place at the Ebster Pavillion, located near downtown Decatur at 404 W. Trinity, nestled in between the Decatur Police Station, City Schools of Decatur central office, and the Ebster Recreation Center.

 

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