Coyote info session [Jan 29]

CHCA has information on a meeting that will discuss issues relating to urban coyotes. The activity is being coordinated by the Druid Hills Civic Association.

Visit the CHCA website for the details.

Flu shots 2013

For an interactive version of this image, visit the http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/

DeKalb County Board of Health's website has information about the flu and where you may secure immunizations:

Flu vaccinations are available on a walk-in basis Monday through Friday between
8:15 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the following DeKalb County Board of Health locations:
Clifton Springs Health Center, 3110 Clifton Springs Road, Decatur, 404-244-2200.
East DeKalb Health Center, 2277 S. Stone Mountain-Lithonia Road, Lithonia, 770-484-2600. 

North DeKalb Health Center, 3807 Clairmont Road, NE , Chamblee, 770-454-1144. 

T.O.VinsonHealthCenter,440 Winn Way,Decatur, 404-294-3762. 

Refugee Health Services, Richardson Health Center, 445 Winn Way,Decatur, 404-294-3818. 

The DeKalb County Board of Health’s fees are:
Flu vaccination: $20
Fluzone high dose: $40

For additional information on the flu, visit the CDC's seasonal influenza website.

Shopping malls in the 21st century

Atlantic Cities has an interesting article on the future of shopping malls. With the ever-growing presence of online shopping, what does the future hold for the brick and mortar store?

This declining retailer health is directly impacting malls and shopping centers in the form of very high vacancy rates and sluggish rents—exactly what you’d expect to see where supply exceeds demand. Both factors deteriorated quickly during the economic crisis of 2008-09, but they’ve shown virtually no improvement since in spite of improved economic conditions. The recession was the catalyst, but competition from online retailers can only be the continued driver. The mall business isn’t very healthy either.  ...Continue reading @ Atlantic Cities...

 A not-so-cheery real estate investor characterizes the surplus of vacant space as not so much a "overbuilt" but rather "underdemolished." The source of that quote also adds some history about shopping malls:

Many of the earliest malls were buildings connected by pedestrian walkways and common areas, similar to today’s lifestyle center. Many malls began to turn inward in the 1960s and ‘70s, with the typical suburban mall composed of department stores and smaller shops connected by a roof, essentially forming an air-conditioned cave... Continue reading @ Costar...

The Costar website has several other articles about revitalizing or reinventing shopping areas that are not thriving

• Can This Mall Be Saved? Elements Needed for a Turnaround Include Lower Debt, Deep Pockets, 
• When Retail Won't Work: Alternative Uses for Converting Former Ghost Malls Back Into Income-Producing Property

Food for thought, as we mull the future of nearby shopping areas.

Intergenerational Dialogue on Civil and Human Rights Discussion [Jan 26]

For immediate release:   January 3, 2012
For more information:    Nancy Bent, 404-373-8746 x8135, nancy.bent@friendsschoolatlanta.org
 
The Friends School of Atlanta to Host Ambassador Andrew Young,    
Senator Jason Carter and Others for a Panel Discussion on Civil Rights Today

On Saturday, January 26, 2013, The Friends School of Atlanta (FSA) will welcome Ambassador Andrew Young, Senator Jason Carter and others to participate in an intergenerational dialogue on civil and human rights. The event, to be held on FSA’s campus in Decatur, is the third annual Beloved Community Dialogue presented by the school.  

Founded in 1991, The Friends School of Atlanta remains the only Quaker school in Georgia. Every day at FSA, the faculty and staff strive to instill those values in its students deemed essential for building the all-inclusive Beloved Community envisioned by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., where differences are embraced as strengths, not feared, and every single person is respected as an individual of infinite worth. Like Dr. King, Quakers believe that through empathy and respect for others and personal integrity, connections can be made that can resolve even the fiercest disputes between nations, religions, cultures or individuals. In the words of one of FSA’s middle school students, “Being bullied isn’t the hardest part. The hard part is having to work through the issues with the other guy.” FSA’s Beloved Community Dialogue seeks to illuminate current civil and human rights issues so that we all are inspired to do the challenging work to resolve differences with “the other guy.”
 
As the work to build Beloved Community in our society moves forward, FSA seeks to make a critical contribution by instilling the Quaker values of equality, integrity and community in its students and by hosting these dialogues that are designed to educate and ultimately uplift us all as we realize our individual and collective capacities for peace making and community building.
The Beloved Community Dialogue will be held at the FSA campus at 862 Columbia Drive in Decatur and is open to the public. General admission is $10 per ticket. Premium tickets are $100 each and include invitation to a reception with the esteemed panelists. The invitation-only reception begins at 5:00 pm, and the panel discussion will take place from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm. For more information about the event and purchasing tickets, please visit the FSA website at www.friendsschoolatlanta.org or contact Nancy Bent, Director of Advancement: 404-373-8746 x8135; nancy.bent@friendsschoolatlanta.org.

The Friends School of Atlanta, offering a pre-K – 8th grade program, has a mission to provide challenging academics in a diverse environment, drawing on the Quaker values of a simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality and stewardship to empower students to go out into the world with conscience, conviction and compassion.
For more information about the school and admissions, visit www.friendsschoolatlanta.org or contact Waman French, Head of School: 404-373-8746 x8136; waman.french@friendsschoolatlanta.org.

Schools Update

As previously noted, the DeKalb County Board of Education (BOE) has been summoned by the Georgia Department of Education to discuss SACS's recent decision to place the school system on probation. Recent Georgia law allows the DOE to make recommendations that could result in Governor Deal replacing BOE members.

As we wait for the results of the DOE meeting (scheduled for Jan 17), please visits these links that MANA education liaison Tanya Myers has gathered for us:

• Two current BOE members, who had in the past been vocal in pointing out irregularities in the Board's functioning, are currently blogging about their experiences:

Don McChesney's blog: http://blog.donfordekalb.com/
Denese Jester's blog: http://whatsupwiththat.nancyjester.com/

• Parents for DeKalb Schools has a Facebook page where you can join the discussion.

• School choice is scheduled to happen much earlier this year.  Per this flyer, open enrollment opens on January 14 and closes on February 1, 2013 (in previous years, enrollment happened in March).

Per the DeKalb School System's website (note: catalog not yet updated for academic year 2013-2014), 

Parents in DeKalb County have the opportunity to make choices regarding their children's public school education. The DeKalb County School District offers a variety of school choice programs to students currently enrolled in public schools, private schools, and home schools. Because there are several programs serving students in grades prekindergarten through twelve, a school choice programs catalog is available to assist in selecting a program that meets the needs of your child(ren). The programs are designed to address interests such as math, science, technology, performing arts, environmental studies, engineering, career explorations, world languages, and advanced studies.

School choice applications will be completed online at http://eportal.dekalb.k12.ga.us/. Parents need to create a login/password to access the website:

• The International Community School at Medlock is a public charter school that accepts new students K-5 via a lottery system; the lottery deadline is in early March. For additional information, see the ICS admissions page.

• The Hess Academy is a new private school at 611 Medlock Road. They will host a series of open houses in the near future; see their admissions page for additional information about their curriculum, tuition, etc.

DeKalb School System: discussions on proposed openings and closures

The AJC reports that DCSD is holding a series of meetings to discuss proposed school closure and opening plans.

Under the upcoming events tag, the DCSD website lists a series of School Organization Plan Community Meetings as follows. Unless otherwise noted, meetings run from 6-7:30pm

January 8, 2013 at Nair High

January 10, 2013 at Miller Grove High

January 15, 2013 at Tucker High

January 16, 2013 at  Dunwoody High

January 17, 2013 at AIC Auditorium (1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard · Stone Mountain, GA  30083)

January 22, 2013
8am: System-Wide Administrators Meeting
AIC Auditorium (1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard · Stone Mountain, GA  30083)

Monty Python takes on annexation

"Hello. Can we have your liver?" 

"But... I'm using it, eh."

Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, via youtube

Mary Swint at CrossRoadNews has a thorough report on City of Decatur's annexation plan per the December 3, 2012 commissioners meeting:

"Decatur City Manager Peggy Merriss estimates that revenue from the targeted areas would be about $825,000, with real estate taxes accounting for $533,000 of the total. She said the city would incur more than $404,000 in additional costs for police, storm water and street lights. . . . Merriss said the city has not asked any legislators to sponsor the annexation. She said it might take more than one legislative session to get it done. Continue reading @ CrossRoadNews"

Per City of Decatur's website, a view of the disputed northern territories...

Annexation targets in green. Map via

City of Decatur.  Click to enlarge.

 Same map, overlaid on Google map.
City of Decatur appears in blue,
annexation targets in green. 

Click here for a closer look at these annexation areas.

Elsewhere, Decatur Patch's Ralph Ellis has an interview with outgoing Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd,  and one of the questions addresses the annexation vote:

"Do you think this annexation that was recently approved will ever become a reality? 

"Do you think it's all
for the good 
of the country?"

"Well I wouldn't know, madam. 

We are just, uh, doing our jobs, 

you know."
                                                                 Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, via youtube

I think it’s got a good chance at some point in time, maybe not this year. I think it's inevitable that even DeKalb County at some point will realize that it’s better for those community hubs to be part of the city of Decatur than they are in DeKalb County. If you ask the county commissioners and the CEO realistically can they can control those hubs better than we can, the answer is they can’t do it. We can.  . . . Continue reading @ Patch"

If, like John Cleese, you experience mixed feelings at these words, sign the anti-annexation petition at CHCA.