Believe... in books

No set opening date yet but it's on their website!

Cosmic line-up: 5 planets for the price of 1

from http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/sciencefair/2016/01/18/planets-morning-sky-january-february/78962134/

If you are up at the crack o' dawn over the next several weeks, face south to watch Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn line up (but not in that order) for your personal enjoyment. If you miss them, there will be another show, evenings, next August 13-19.

According to USA Today, the last time this happened was in 2005. So, not a once in a lifetime happening but also not something you see every day!

Red-Winged Blackbird crossing

better quality, longer video available here.

Sunday double-luck... first, to catch a massive flock of red-winged blackbirds as it crossed Scott Blvd and again as it flew over Harrington Road heading to towards the Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve (which is having a clean-up day tomorrow Jan 18). 3+ minutes of fly-bys and blackbird chatter... priceless.

Coming soon: connection between Ira B. Melton & Mason Mill Parks

via Commissioner Jeff Rader

Greetings:

Work will soon begin on the path linking Ira B. Melton to Mason Mill Park.  You may have already noticed the stakes for the portion that Ed Castro Landscapes will be improving.  Please note, this passage will be cleared with construction fencing to a wider width of about 10 to 14 feet just to allow for materials to be brought to the creek’s crossing.  Once complete, the path will only be 6 feet wide.  Additionally, the path will be constructed of a pervious composite material to ensure that the sediments in the flood plain don’t become mucky, making the trail impassible.  Also of note are three sections of the trail which will be improved with wooden crossings of drainage swales, again to prevent degradation of the forest floor.  We hope you enjoy these improvements.

See you out on the trail!

Jeff Rader, Commissioner
District 2, DeKalb County
www.commissionerrader.com
404-371-2863

Notes from Friends of Medlock Park meeting

notes prepared by Casey Bodreau and Lisa Crowder

Friends of Medlock Park

Notes from January Meeting

Saturday, January 9, 2016 - 9:00a

Attendees:

Chris Foster (DHYS President), Tex Blair (DHYS Operations), Casey Boudreau (MANA), Kaye Smith (Medlock Community Garden), Lisa Crowder, Jenna Zargon, Diana Flowers

1.         DHYS - DHYS is the "Friends of Medlock Park" group of record with DeKalb county's Department of Parks and Recreation.  Currently, DeKalb County Parks & Rec maintains very little of the park (primarily the grass outside the park and the pool) while DHYS (which is a volunteer-run organization) maintains the ball fields and related structures (batting cages, storage buildings, clubhouse), and most of the grass inside the park.

a.         DHYS role is to manage Medlock Park baseball/sports program

b.         Friends of Medlock Park should focus on all other common spaces in the park (except for pool)

2.         Recent park land survey

a.         DHYS commissioned the survey to mark park boundaries & update maps to guide plans for future improvements

3.         DHYS is starting capital campaign to raise money for:

a.         Re-paving and re-striping existing parking areas to allow for maximum capacity usage within these existing parking areas (N=75-80).  Because the park is in a floodplain, there are many requirements regarding surfacing.  Parking is a perennial issue for DHYS and the neighborhood.

i.          Discussed ideas for paving options

ii.          Not currently planning to address issues of water run off (to improve drainage)

b.         Reinforcing pathways to fields 2 & 3 to allow for greater accessibility (many grandparents, etc. come to see games and have difficulty accessing these fields)

i.          Discussed substrate options

ii.          Also looking to improve drainage on old stream bed near playground

c.         Improve the playground - the playground is used by both DHYS and the neighborhood and is an obvious focus for improvement

d.         Lisa asked if "Friends" could have separate fundraising campaign from "DHYS" with separate account to raise $ for non-baseball improvements, such as the playground

i.          Chris Foster will investigate

4.         Lisa Crowder reviewed results from her online survey (https://showing247.wufoo.com/forms/medlock-park-survey/).  The purpose of the survey is to determine who is using the park, how they are using it, whether they are satisfied with the park as it is and if not how they would like to change it, and whether they are willing to help in the process of improving the park.

a.         140+ responses so far

i.          Results available online at:  https://showing247.wufoo.com/reports/medlock-park-survey-report/

(a)        94 female respondents - 48 male respondents

(b)        Approximately half of respondents are DHYS participants

(c)        Most respondents aged 30-49

(d)        Many respondents willing to volunteer (largest number willing to volunteer for creek clean-up but significant number also willing to volunteer for park maintenance, playground committee, building committee and more

(e)        3/4s of respondents willing to make donation to park improvements

(f)         Majority of park respondents live in Medlock or in 30033

(g)        Approximately 1/3 of respondents use the park more than once a week

(h)        Single biggest amenity used by respondents is The PATH (85%); 59% playground; 52% greenspace; 42% baseball fields; 40% creek

(i)         Of respondents who report they use the creek, nearly 80% say they would participate in a creek clean-up

(j)         Many respondents left comments of ideas for improving the park

b.         Friends of Medlock Park Facebook group has been created as a way to better communicate with the community, and currently has 40 members (it is a "Closed" group that people may join at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/friendsofmedlockpark/)

5.         Casey reviewed status of Scott lots masterplan - (The Scott lots are sites of former homes along Scott Circle that were bought out by the county using FEMA money because of persistent flooding.  The lots were adjacent to Medlock Park and are now under the control of DeKalb Parks & Recreation.)

a.         Met with County Commissioner Jeff Rader on 11/23 – he is supportive of neighborhood effort to improve Scott lots (further details from this meeting previously shared)

b.         Master plan was submitted to and accepted by Parks Dept

c.         Next steps

i.          apply for grants & otherwise raise money

ii.         recruit help to implement, in phases

6.         Tex asked about plan for South Peachtree Creek PATH to connect to Druid Hills Middle School – no one else was aware

7.         Should DHYS and Friends group be separate entities?

a.         Chris not sure DHYS wants to do this, thinks better to work together

b.         Some think could improve relations between neighborhood & DHYS

c.         Group agreed best to continue to have stand-alone Friends meetings (like this meeting) rather than having the Friends meeting be part of a DHYS board meeting (as has been the case in recent history)

i.          Need to harness the energy of both communities

ii.          DHYS happy to help with fundraising (DHYS is 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization) & willing to match funds for non-baseball improvements

iii.         Try to get Parks & Rec official (Paige Singer ?) to attend future FOMP meeting for better sense of what county can/will do for park

8.         What are the priorities as far as non-baseball activities?

a.         Playground

i.          Fix surface

ii.          Add shade

iii.         Upgrade structures

(a)        Action Points

•           Identify landscape architect/designer/playground designer to help figure out what can do

•           Set up working group to provide input (Lisa will coordinate)

•           Identify and review grant opportunities

b.         Scott lots

i.          Organize cleanup of current space (debris; undesirable plantings; etc.) – tentatively in Mar 2016 (prior to significant Spring growing season)

ii.          Action point:  Casey to contact Dave Butler for assistance

iii.         Identify and review grant opportunities

c.         Creek

i.          Based on survey responses, many people use the creek and would like to see it cleaned up and better maintained

ii.          Lots of mud & sand get washed out during rain, hard to clean up (may be coming from Horse Park) - Tex to contact Paige at Parks & Rec

iii.         Ideas to pursue further

(a)        Better maintain creekside trail

•           Maybe enhance surfacing along the creek to make it less treacherous? Cannot interfere with flood drainage.

•           Action point:  Lisa to contact South Fork Conservancy & Keep DeKalb Beautiful for help

•           Action point:  Identify landscape architect with appropriate expertise who can assist with project

•           Action point: Organize cleanup (potentially piggyback with Scott lots clean-up in March 2016)

(b)        More plantings (trees help soak up water)

9.         Next meeting:  Sat 2/13 at 9a in park clubhouse meeting room

Consensus was that we need greater participation from the community.  DHYS is a volunteer organization that has a lot on its plate with running the sports program and keeping the baseball parts of the park in shape.  If neighbors want park improvements they need to get involved both in the organizational efforts and by contributing time, skills and money.  Parks & Rec has no money for improvements and relies on DHYS for almost all maintenance to the park.  DHYS will try to match neighborhood donations.  We need to find outside funding sources, and we need more people to participate in planning.

Additional issues discussed:

1.         Lights are sometimes not turned off when fields are vacated, Tex to remind users to not leave lights on all night as are on 12 hour timer & costs $65/hour to run

2.         MANA to send info out by email to increase reach of information

Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve work day [Jan 18]

Join us for our annual MLK Volunteer Day at the Preserve on Monday, January 18 from 1-3pm!

Help us mulch trails, finish painting the observation deck, and repair boardwalks after recent flooding.

Please bring work gloves, yard tools, and a wheel barrow, if you can.

If you want to join the "privet patrol," please bring loppers or pruners.

New Year Pet Adoptions

LIFELINE ANIMAL PROJECT INVITES YOU TO CELEBRATE A HEALTHIER NEW YEAR BY ADOPTING A PET FOR ONLY $16 DURING JANUARY!
Special Adoption Rate Applies to All Dogs over 25 lbs. and all Cats

ATLANTA, GA -- (December 31, 2015)  LifeLine Animal Project, the nonprofit which has pledged to have its county shelters obtain historical no-kill levels by the end of 2016, invites you to keep your New Year’s resolution to be healthier by adopting a new pet for only $16!  During the month of January, adopters may choose any dog over 25 lbs. or any cat for only $16, including the pet’s spay/neuter, microchip and vaccines – a $250 value!

According to LifeLine Animal Project CEO Rebecca Guinn, everyone wins when a pet is adopted.  “When you adopt a pet, you’ll be giving yourself the gift of better health,” she says.  “According to The American Heart Association, people who own pets have a reduced risk for heart disease, visit the doctor less and live longer than people who don’t.”

All of LifeLine’s shelters are participating in the $16 adoption promotion, including:  DeKalb County Animal Services (DCAS), Fulton County Animal Services (FCAS), LifeLine’s Dog House & Kitty Motel and LifeLine’s Cat Adoption Center.

Whatever your needs, likes or limitations, there is a pet (or two) available right now that is perfect for your household. To view animals available for adoption, for adoption rates, or for the shelters’ addresses and phone numbers, please visit www.dekalbanimalservices.com, www.fultonanimalservices.com or www.lifelineanimal.org.

About LifeLine Animal Project
Founded in 2002, LifeLine Animal Project is Atlanta’s leading nonprofit organization providing lifesaving solutions to end the killing of healthy and treatable animals in county shelters, promote animal welfare and prevent pet overpopulation. As the managing organization for DeKalb County Animal Services and Fulton County Animal Services, Lifeline has dramatically increased adoption rates by 98 percent.  The organization also operates two low-cost spay/neuter clinics, which have performed 85,000 surgeries to date.  Other outreach efforts include its Catlanta trap-neuter-return program, the first and largest in metro Atlanta, for stray and feral cats.  For more information, please visit www.lifelineanimal.org.