North Decatur Presbyterian recognized for environmental stewardship

For excellence in worship and education, North Decatur Presbyterian Church in Decatur won the Light Award at the Sixth Annual GIPPY Awards.  

North Decatur Presbyterian Church took a systematic approach to worship and education in 2011. As a result, Creation care became a part of the rhythm and practice of the congregation. For each season, North Decatur Presbyterian encouraged spiritual growth opportunities and took concrete steps to reduce their ecological footprint. . . .

Read all about it here.

Dog found -- East St. in Decatur

Spring cleaning, anyone? Yard sales & recycling coming up... [March 10 and on]

Time for a little spring cleaning and sprucing up? Mark your calendar because...

SALES (Saturday, March 10) 

1. Estate Sale to benefit Angels Among Us Pet Rescue and Second Life Animal Rescue Thrift Store. Saturday March 10
9am and 4pm
846 Gaylemont Circle

2. Multi-home garage sale
Saturday March 10 
8am sharp (no early birds!)
@ corner of Suzanne and Eastway

3. Children's consignment sale
March 9 (9am-4pm) & 10 (9am-2pm). Shop for clothes, toys, books and everything you need for your child / teenager. Sizes are newborn thru junior size clothes.
Location: Decatur First United Methodist at 300 E Ponce De Leon Avenue, Decatur, GA

RECYCLING OPPORTUNITIES

Electronics recycling @ City of Decatur [March 17]

Styrofoam recycling & paper shredding @ City of Decatur [March 31]

Electronics recycling @ DeKalb County [year-round]

Mobile phone recycling @ DeKalb County [year-round]

Styrofoam and Paint Disposal, Electronics Recycling & Paper Shredding by City of Atlanta [every 2nd Saturday]

And don't forget this awesome list that Jean Cohen put together last fall for the MANA yard sale, which lists locations where you can drop off donations and recyclables year-round.

Daylight Savings cometh [March 11]

For most Americans, daylight saving time 2012 will begin 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 11, when most states will spring forward an hour. Time will fall back to standard time again on Sunday, November 4, 2012, when daylight saving time ends...

National Geographic explains this wretched custom here.

Resource for local teens

Local Teens Get Grounded
Source: Clifton Community Partnership Update/Spring 2012 

The opening of a new teen center plans to provide a safe haven for local youths to come together through laughter, enrichment and service. 

“Get Grounded is the place to be for sixth to twelfth graders,” says Angie Waddell, co-founder and executive director of Get Grounded. “We offer a number of different enrichment programs and workshops designed for participants to explore something new and unique.”
Located just off North Decatur Road at 1944 Ridgewood Drive, the teen center will offer programs for youths that promote positive peer connection and interaction; promote teen health through proper nutrition and physical and emotional exercise; and training for specific trade that will impart knowledge and/or develop skills among other things. . . . the teen center will evolve into a facility that offers an art studio, community outreach, game room, lounge, music studio, performance theatre, recording studio, study room and yoga. 

Read the rest of the article here or visit the Get Grounded website.

Sunday alcohol sales vote, DeKalb County (oh, and Super Tuesday) [Mar 6]

Update: Unincorporated DeKalb voted YES, now we wait for the County to announce the effective date (AJC says: May 1).

As to the primary, it went this way [with 96% of precincts reporting]: Newt Gingrich (43%) Mitt Romney (26%), Rick Santorum (26%) and Ron Paul (6%) with other candidates in the ballot getting ~1% each.

Original post:

A quick reminder that tuesday is "Super Tuesday" of presidential primary fame. We are also having a special election on whether DeKalb County should allow Sunday alcohol sales.

As a reminder, Georgia's is an open primary and the voter may request a ballot for any party. The alcohol sales vote appears in all ballots, as seen in the samples below; click either sample to enlarge.

If voted at Medlock Elementary you will more than likely now vote at North Decatur Presbyterian Church (611 Medlock Road), for the year 2011. A new polling place will be permanently assigned and announced after the redistricting decisions are made, in time for the 2012 elections.

Golden Retriever FOUND (City of Decatur)