Posted in Community, tagged #cityofdecatur, #cityofdecaturga, City of Decatur, city of decatur ga, decatur public works, Temporary Lane Closed in Decatur, Temporary Road Closure in Decatur on August 27, 2020 | Leave a Comment »
Beginning Thursday, August 27, the southbound lane of Commerce Drive will be closed between West Trinity Place and West Howard Avenue. Southbound traffic on Commerce will be detoured to North McDonough Street during the closure.
The lane closure is expected to be in place for 4 to 6 weeks and is necessary to allow completion of the Allen Wilson Terrace Drainage Improvements. Delays should be expected during this time. To view traffic patterns and for more information, visit Decatur Makeover.
Posted in Community, tagged #cityofdecaturga, City of Decatur, city of decatur ga, GGAPC, Great Georgia Pollinator Census, Happening in Decatur GA on August 21, 2020 | Leave a Comment »
The 2nd Annual Great Georgia Pollinator Census happens this Friday and Saturday, August 21 and 22, and YOU can be a part of it. Participating is fun and easy, and only takes 15 minutes. Simply pick a pollinator plant, observe it for 15 minutes, and count the number of pollinating insects which visit it, recording your observations on a counting sheet (downloadable sheets are available here). When you’re finished, upload your data to the GGAPC website.
Don’t worry if you can’t tell a honey bee from a bumble bee! GGAPC’s available Insect Counting and Identification Guide gives detailed instructions on counting and photo examples for classification, which is helpful, since there are more than 500 bee species in Georgia. Your insect observations get categorized into one of eight categories:
Still not sure how to count? Here’s a link to quick video primer on how the Great Georgia Pollinator Census works: https://vimeo.com/444310448
Last year, during the inaugural count, some 4,500 participants documented more than 131,000 insect sightings, and more than 100 events related to the project took place around the state. This year’s count may look a bit different with social distancing recommendations in place, but organizers are encouraging participants to plan on counting pollinators at home, whether solo or with their families.
The event is the brainchild of the UGA Extension Service. The data you collect will provide pollinator researchers at UGA with vital information that will help them better understand pollinator populations around our state.
Posted in Community, tagged #2020Census, #CensusRapidResponseNLC, #EveryOneCounts, City of Decatur, city of decatur ga, Happening in Decatur on August 20, 2020 | Leave a Comment »
Today (August 20) is the final day to participate in the Commissioner’s Census Tract Challenge. If you have not responded to the 2020 Census yet, you still have time to help your census tract increase its response rate. The census tract with the greatest increase in response rate for the period of July 20 through August 20 will be eligible to receive a t-shirt or other swag.
Want to check on your tract’s progress? Then check out the City’s GIS portal called Decatur OneMap and add the “Census” layer to the map. As of Wednesday, Tract 226.02 was in the lead but there is still time for the others to catch up or pass Tract 226.02.
Even if you cannot respond by today, you have until September 30th to be counted.
Responding to the 2020 Census is simple and quick. It will only take about 10 minutes of your time. Use a computer, smartphone or tablet and go to My 2020 Census to complete your form. Or you may call 844-330-2020. Several languages are available. Count everyone in your household. By completing the 2020 Census you will help determine how Decatur will grow and thrive over the next ten years.
Posted in Community, Events, tagged #cityofdecatur, #cityofdecaturga, #DecaturGA, Anti-Racism Speaker Series, Better Together Advisory Board, City of Decatur, city of decatur ga, community engagement, Decatur Better Together, Decatur GA, Dr. Catherine Meeks, Jane Elliot on August 18, 2020 | 4 Comments »
The Better Together Advisory Board and the City of Decatur announces an Anti-Racism Speaker Series designed to generate awareness of equity concerns in the city and to hold the city and community accountable for meeting established goals and implementing policies to achieve the aspiration of being an inclusive, equitable and just city.
The Speaker Series seeks to mine the knowledge and wisdom of numerous thought leaders to challenge and inspire our community to take actionable steps to instill anti-racism throughout our norms and practices. Join us next Thursday, August 27 at noon as we kick off the series with internationally known teacher, lecturer, and diversity trainer, Jane Elliot. Register here for this session and visit decaturga.com/speakerseries for upcoming speakers.
Posted in Community, tagged #cityofdecaturga, #DecaturGA, Black Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter Mural, City of Decatur, city of decatur ga, community engagement, Decatur Black Lives Matter Mural, Decatur City Commission, Decatur GA, enagaing decatur on August 13, 2020 | 3 Comments »
Earlier this month, the Decatur City Commission approved an artistic painting of ‘Black Lives Matter’ on North McDonough Street. Three Black artists have committed to developing designs, one artist per word, and to oversee the painting by community members. The artists are: George F. Baker III, Petie Parker, and Sharanda Wilburn.
The painting is scheduled to occur Saturday, August 22 on North McDonough between Trinity Place and Howard Avenue. We’re inviting the community to sign up for volunteer shifts to paint each letter here.
The number of volunteers per shift will be limited and there will be strict safety protocols in place including requirements for physical distancing of non-household members, mask use and disinfecting of supplies.
Posted in Community, tagged #2020Census, #CensusRapidResponseNLC, #EveryOneCounts, City of Decatur, city of decatur ga, Happening in Decatur, Happening in Decatur GA on August 11, 2020 | Leave a Comment »
If you have not responded to the 2020 Census yet, you may receive a visit from a Census taker. Here’s how to identify a Census taker:
An official Census taker will never ask for: your Social Security number, bank account of credit card numbers, anything on behalf of a political party or for money or donation.
If you would like to avoid an in-person visit, take the Census by phone at 844-330-2020 or online.
Posted in Community, tagged #2020Census, #CensusRapidResponseNLC, #EveryOneCounts, City of Decatur, city of decatur ga, Happening in Decatur, Happening in Decatur GA on August 7, 2020 | Leave a Comment »
As of August 4th, the City’s self-response response rate to the 2020 Census has increased to 72%. We are now ranked 14th in the State, a drop of 5 spots since April. Our goal as a community is to reach 90%.
Responding to the Census is critical to the City (as well as DeKalb County and the State of Georgia) because the results help determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding flow into the community every year for the next ten years.
In the next few weeks, you may see Census workers out and about in the City, trying to connect with households that have yet to respond. If you are not interested in receiving a visit from a Census employee, take 10 minutes or so to complete & mail back the paper form you received in March, enter your information online at https://my2020census.gov/ or call the Census hotline at 844-330-2020.
And as the Census Bureau just announced that it will be ending the self-response process as well as its field data collection process on September 30, 2020 instead of on October 31, 2020, it’s now more important than ever to send in your information because Every. One. Counts.
Posted in Community, Transportation, tagged City of Decatur, city of decatur ga, Decatur Makeover, Happening in Decatur, Happening in Decatur GA, Paving in Decatur, Paving in Decatur GA on August 6, 2020 | Leave a Comment »
Circumstances permitting, the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) will begin resurfacing Scott Boulevard this week. The work is one part of a larger paving project along State Route 8 (SR8) from the Gwinnett County line to Moreland Avenue in Atlanta. The Decatur segment of the project includes milling, re-surfacing and re-striping of Scott Boulevard. Milling and paving is expected to take 6-8 weeks, depending on the weather.
Work is planned for nights between 8 pm and 6 am, starting on Sunday evenings and extending through Thursday. No work is planned for Fridays unless there are weather delays during the week. Scott Boulevard will remain open during the work but there will be lane closures and traffic delays should be expected. For updates on this project and others, visit decaturmakeover.com.
Posted in Community, tagged #cityofdecatur, #cityofdecaturga, #DecaturGA, Better Together Advisory Board, City of Decatur, city of decatur ga, community engagement, Decatur Better Together, Decatur GA, enagaing decatur on August 5, 2020 | Leave a Comment »
We are at a moment in time when numerous conversations around racial injustice in our nation and in our community are happening. Many have acknowledged this is a time for listening, while others have focused on the need for action. Toward both of those ends, the Better Together Advisory Board is soliciting feedback from the Decatur community to better inform city officials about what is needed to improve racial equity in Decatur. We would appreciate if you would answer the survey questions and complete the demographic information.
The deadline to submit feedback is Monday, Aug. 31 at 5 p.m. https://www.opentownhall.com/portals/49/Issue_9218
Posted in Community, tagged City of Decatur, city of decatur ga, DeKalb County, DeKalb County Board of Health, West Nile Advisory, West Nile Advisory Decatur GA, West Nile Advisory in DeKalb County on August 4, 2020 | Leave a Comment »
The following information comes from the DeKalb County Board of Health:
The DeKalb County Board of Health has trapped West Nile virus positive mosquitoes at 3 locations in the county – Brookhaven, Chamblee and the Redan area of unincorporated DeKalb County.
Due to COVID-19, the Board of Health will not perform its usual door-to-door canvas of the affected areas. Larvacide application in low-lying areas and storm drains around the positive trap areas has already taken place, due to the high number of mosquitoes already collected from the traps.
To date this year, there have been no human cases of West Nile virus infection confirmed in DeKalb County.
According to the CDC, no data or scientific evidence suggests that COVID-19 or other similar coronaviruses are spread by mosquitoes.
To reduce the spread of West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne diseases, the Board of Health conducts a comprehensive mosquito control program. Throughout the county, technicians routinely trap mosquitoes that are tested for viruses. They also work with residents to eliminate infestations. Measures include placing larvicide in areas with standing water, like in storm drains. This keeps young mosquitoes from becoming flying, biting adults.
The Board of Health advises people to take the following precautions:
For more information about the West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne illnesses, contact the DeKalb County Board of Health’s Environmental Health division at (404) 508-7900 or visit the DeKalb County Board of Health’s website.
