Medlock Schools Children's Garden Saved from the Bulldozer

Sharon reports...

The DeKalb County School System grounds crew appeared at the school on Thursday. It looked like they were just trimming the crepe myrtles, although they were a bit extreme.

Friday they were back and when Kaye Smith drove by she noticed they were bulldozing trees. Trees that had been planted as memorials; trees that the Medlock kids had planted for the victims of the Oklahoma city bombings. She "engaged in conversation" with the crew then she started calling folks. She was able to get a supervisor to come down to the school and as more neighbors arrived, the supervisor called his boss and it was finally agreed that the Children's Garden would not be bulldozed.

The community will be allowed to maintain the children's garden as well as maintain the plantings along the front of the building.The school Board grounds crew will still mow and maintain the trees.

We will be setting up a group to maintain the gardens in association with the Medlock Park Community Garden. An initial meeting for planning will be announced soon.

- - - -

This is yet another reminder of why we must continue to contact the DCSS Board and let them know that

- Medlock Neighbors want to DISCUSS how the property is to be used and maintained (vs. react to the alarming appearance of bulldozers!)

- Medlock Neighbors do not want a cell tower in our midsts, as outlined in the online petition.

Contact your elected DCSS Board members as follows:


ramona_tyson@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
thomas_bowen@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
H_Paul_Womack@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
sarah_copelin-wood@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
jay_cunningham@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
donna_edler@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
nancy_jester@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
don_mcchesney@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
pam_speaks@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us
eugene_p_walker@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us

LOST now FOUND: Golden Retriever

Golden retriever has been reunited with family. Happy!

Kitten found @ Medlock Park

Hi, we found a small gray and white kitten over at Medlock Park tonight. He was undernourished so we took him home. Can you post a note on the neighborhood site to see if anyone is missing a kitten?

If you are missing a kitten or know someone who is missing a small gray and white kitten, you may respond to medlockassoc @gmail.com or email me at camppj@aol.com.

Cycling: 3 Foot Safe Passing Bill

Great news for MANA cyclists and bike lovers across Georgia:

From Bicycle South's e-newsletter:

It's Official! 3 Foot Safe Passing Bill Became The Law On July 1st!
Georgia Bikes! and other bicycle advocacy groups were successful this past Georgia Legislative Sesson in getting a Safe Passing Law that requires motorists to maintain at least 3 feet of distance when passing cyclists. Previously, drivers were only required to keep "a safe distance."

Visit the Georgia Bikes! website for more information, but here is a summary of what the Better Bicycling Bill (HB 101) covers:

- Motor vehicles must provide at least three feet of safe passing distance when overtaking a bicyclist

- Cyclists may move to the center of the lane, i.e. take the lane, when surface obstructions, hazards or debris make traveling to the right unsafe

- Cyclists must travel in the direction of traffic while using a designated bicycle lane*

- Bicyclists have the right of way in a designated bicycle lane

- Designated bicycle lanes must be built according to recognized national design standards

* While the new law only specifies that cyclists in bike lanes must travel in the same direction as traffic, bicycles, as vehicles, must abide by all normal vehicular laws. Wrong way travel in any traffic lane is unlawful and unsafe.

The following image illustrates the kind of elbow room the new law protects:  

Photo courtesy of the GA Bikes! website

LOST DOG: Pine Glen Area [July 6]

A lady stopped by our house earlier with a dog she had found. He looks familiar but we have no idea who he might belong to. He only has a black collar on with no tag. Please spread the word and forward to any other list serves for our surrounding neighborhoods.

You can contact Lindsay if you have any information on where he belongs.
864-354-0226

Thanks
Brittany Sanders

Mason Mill Park & Decatur Waterworks updates

The CHCA website has, again, awesome updates and photos of progress being made on the South Peachtree Creek trail and on the Mason Mill waterworks.

Our neighborhood has enviable access to walking trails and parks. Below is a map that highlights MANA-accessible greenspace. I added the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve since it didn't show on GoogleMaps.

Highlighted in reddish/maroon is the actual trail that is now very close to connecting Medlock and Mason Mill parks. The W marks the location of the Mason Mill waterworks.

Phase I: rebuilding the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve shed [July 10]

Dear Supporters of the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve,

On the night of Sunday, June 26th, the shed at the Preserve was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. The entire contents of the shed and materials around the shed are a complete loss. You can see a video of the fire at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QcQrqZn-HE. If you are on Facebook, you can see a picture of what remains of the shed at http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2169653918031&set=o.45415782994&type=1&theater.

Although some surrounding trees were scorched, we hope that there is not lasting damage. We are beginning to make plans to rebuild the shed and get new tools so that we can continue to maintain the Preserve for education and enjoyment of neighbors and visitors.

So, in the spirit of a barn raising, please join us on Sunday, July 10 at 2pm for a shed-clearing party. We will work on clearing the debris from the shed into the dumpster that has been delivered to the site. Please bring work gloves and any tools that you think you might need. Then, starting at 5pm, we invite everyone for a picnic at the Preserve. Bring your lawn chairs and your picnic and join us in making a new start. We will be collecting donations toward the cost of replacing the shed and the tools. Once we have a new shed in place, we will also be looking for donations of new or lightly used tools.

If you can’t make it to the shed clearing party, but would still like to support rebuilding the shed and replacing the tools, you can make your tax-deductible donation to the Preserve online at http://www.cshepherdpreserve.org/membership.php.

Thanks again for your support of the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve, especially during this time, and we look forward to seeing you on July 10.

Chris Beck
President, Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve

---

What was left after the fire... 

If it could burn or melt, it did. Once the new shed is built, please consider donating new or lightly used tools. 

The fire left scorch marks on nearby trees. There was also damage to foliage above but as Chris said, the trees hopefully will recover.