Iced

Someone went out there last night and outlined everything in ice crystals...

Apple blossom

Savory

Cabbage

Forecast says: still winter!

10-day forecast via Intellicast.com

Redux on Jan. 17 DCSS / GA BOE meeting

from Tanya Myers, MANA education liaison:

In what has been described as a "marathon hearing", the DeKalb County Board of Education met with the State Board of Education on Monday afternoon to discuss the findings in the SACs report that placed the county on probationary status. The County board had sought a reprieve until April to register significant progress on the action points described in the report. However, the state board seemed to find the system sufficiently distressed to warrant attention before that date and will review progress in 30 days with the option to vote on removal of DeKalb Board of Education members at that time. Meanwhile, the DeKalb school board has yet to elect a chair and vice-chair, having deferred that decision at their January meeting.

More info available at:

DeKalb board members defend themselves against accusations that could unseat them [AJC]

Can the DeKalb school board reinvent itself in 30 days? [AJC]

Parents for DeKalb County Schools live-twitted the meeting

State Board of Education to webcast meeting with DeKalb BOE meeting [Jan 17]

State Representative Scott Holcomb's website reports that the meeting will be webcast. The meeting starts at 1pm and you can tune in at http://www.gadoe.org/External-Affairs-and-Policy/State-Board-of-Education/Pages/Live-Webcasts.aspx.

Note that the GA DOE website states you will need Real Player to tune in...

Click to go to GA DOE website.

As to why the DeKalb BOE faces the GA DOE, see

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/dekalb-school-board-tries-to-hang-on-to-jobs/nTy33/

http://www.medlockpark.org/2013/01/ga-doe-summons-dekalb-co-school-board.html

http://www.medlockpark.org/2012/12/sacs-finds-little-evidence-of-boards.html

Minor flooding watch for DeKalb County creeks

There is a flood watch in effect for DeKalb County through 7:00 PM EST, Thu., Jan 17, 2013:

SOILS ARE WET IN NORTH GEORGIA DUE TO RECENT RAINFALL. THIS WILL HELP IN PRODUCING RUNOFF AS THE RAINFALL AMOUNTS CONTINUE TO ACCUMULATE THROUGH LATE TONIGHT. MOSTLY MINOR FLOODING OF SMALLER CREEKS... STREAMS... AND LOW LYING FLOOD PRONE AREAS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH SOME MODERATE FLOODING IN LOCALIZED AREAS. . . . A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON CURRENT FORECASTS.

Apologies for the all caps.... the National Weather Service always types like that.

MLK Service Project @ Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve [Jan 21]

Monday, January 21
9am - noon
2590 Pine Bluff Dr., Decatur GA 30033  map

Here's a chance for a service project very close to home at the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve! Please come help remove dead privet from Pine Bluff and drag it to the street to be chipped, clear some ivy from trees in that area, and mulch trails. There will be some tools for volunteers to use but if you have them, bring your own gloves and maybe some loppers.

Redux of cityhood forum

Jonathan Cribbs at Decatur Patch has a report on the January 8 meeting on DeKalb County's cityhood movements. So far, the discussion seems defined by uncertainty and vagueness with a sprinkling of animal references. One speaker claimed to not "have a dog in this fight"; another explained that support for the establishment of Dunwoody was directly linked to former DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones's being "such an ass." Read it all at DeKalb Leaders Offer Conflicting Views at Cityhood Forum.

ADDENDUM:
Extensive notes of the meeting Q&A available at CHCA.

Castaway

Creekside, a castaway is improvising,