inDECATUR

Decatur Zine

The editor of inDECATUR experienced medical problems beginning in November 2010. He's made a significant recovery, and is about 3/4 of the way back to good health. inDECATUR, the oldest active general blog about Decatur, is starting to have some new posts, though nowhere close to the average of six a day at its peak.

Dave Kell is moving toward other avenues of online publishing, including Facebook, Twitter, and the Decatur Zine (published daily, typically by 10am - subscribe to be notified by e-mail when it's out).

The Decatur Zine is automatically formatted and published daily, with summaries and links to articles, photos, and videos posted or linked by over 350 people who are either residents of incorporated or extended Decatur (within 2.5 miles of the historic courthouse), or have some affiliation with Decatur (because the work, shop, or dine/socialize in Decatur, or they once lived in Decatur, or something along those lines).  As you can imagine, if you know Decatur, they have a wide variety of interests. Just click on the links for those of interest to you, and ignore the rest.

You can also follow DaveKell on Twitter. [If your Twitter profile mentions you live in Decatur or are interested in it, you'll be added to my decatur-ga list and your posts will show up in future Decatur Zine issues.]

You can also keep up with what's going on in Decatur by following several other fine blogs, e.g. Decatur Metro, Decatur-Avondale Estates Patch, and the official City of Decatur blogs, e.g. The Decatur Minute and Be Active Decatur.  [Things have changed since I first started blogging about Decatur.]

Greater Decatur

A new site called "Greater Decatur" has emerged to be the organ for a "Greater Decatur" organization.

The URL is http://www.greaterdecaturga.com.

The first posts have to do with the planned Walmart SuperCenter at Suburban Plaza.

11/2/2011 meeting to discuss Mini Wal*mart at Suburban Plaza

Rumors about this possibility have been circulating for some time, and surveyors have been spotted on the property. Now, the neighbors want to discuss how desirable/undesirable it is from their perspective.  Since it is so close to Decatur, City of Decatur residents also have an interest.

Decatur Metro has more info, including the sketch from Selig. Some stores on the NW of the mall would be razed to provide an even bigger area for Wal*Mart than shown in the graphic below. The store would occupy almost all the area, with underground parkng.

My question is why would Wal*Mart want to open another store so close to the big one they opened at the old Avondale Mall, only a couple of miles away? I also thought Wal*Mart had phased out smaller stores.

Ver batim from an e-mail from Fred Boykin, City of Decatur Commissioner:

 

"There is a proposal to redevelop Suburban Plaza (N. Decatur Rd & Scott Blvd.) and this proposal includes a Wal-Mart at that intersection. The Medlock Area Neighborhood Association is holding a community meeting to discuss the redevelopment at the N. Decatur Presbyterian Church on Wednesday, Nov. 2nd at 7 PM. I have attached a flyer for the event but not sure if your group list will accept it. I do not know much more about the meeting at this time. The Medlock folks have asked me to contact nearby Decatur folks in case you’d like to attend, but they’ve cautioned me that the space is not that large and it might be helpful if neighborhoods sent representatives to gather information and then report back to your neighborhood e-list. I am contacting the Decatur Heights neighborhood folks as well."

 

Trackside Tavern is hosting an adult Halloween party

If you prefer a venue where curse words are welcome and curtain hangers are not, the Trackside Tavern (on E. College, across the tracks from the old Depot) is your place in Decatur.  While some o the customers may act immature, nobody under 21 is allowed in anytime (which makes me wonder why the urinal is mounted so low -- either they're hoping for height challenged adult customers, laws require it, or one other reason I'll not type). Since it's been rebuilt, it's lost its dive image, but the late night and early morning crowd is working hard to recreate it (if somebody would just stop painting over the gross graffiti on the restroom walls!).

Sunday night and early Monday (Halloween) morning, the Track (as we regulars call it) will be throwing a party and costume contest. Awards (to be determined, but likely involving house cash and other things) will be announced at 1AM. The party will go on until 3AM. 

Even if you've never been in the old or new Track, and regardless of your gender, sexual preference, race, religion, sports team, or political persuasion; your welcome to join us and you will be warmly received (as long as your behavior stays somewhere within tolerable limits).

Financial details on the failure of DFB

The bank was in far more trouble than any of us (outside those affiliated with it and their confidents) knew.

See this report.

Decatur First Bank fails

Bad news. Our only locally owned bank has failed. But, if you have an account there, don't worry. Your money is safe.

Carl tweeted that he saw a GBI guard there earlier today.

Fidelity Bank Acquires Assets and Deposits of Decatur First Bank From FDIC

ATLANTA, Oct. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fidelity Bank, a subsidiary of Fidelity Southern Corporation (NASDAQ: LION) announced it entered into a purchase and assumption agreement with the FDIC to assume substantially all loans and approximately $175 million in deposits of Decatur First Bank. Decatur First Bank operated as Decatur First Bank in Decatur, as Bank of Morgan County in Madison, and as Lake Oconee Community Bank at Lake Oconee. Fidelity Bank purchased both insured and uninsured deposits and therefore all Decatur First Bank depositor accounts will be honored in full. All former Decatur First Bank locations will open as normal on Saturday, October 22, and Monday, October 24, at their regular times and Decatur First Bank customers will continue to be able to conduct banking business, including accessing their money by writing checks and using ATM or debit cards. All outstanding checks will be processed as usual, and customers can continue using their Decatur First checks. Customers may use any Fidelity Bank ATM free of charge.

http://www.finanznachrichten.de/21711667

DFB had been on the FDIC's troubled bank list for some time, but I was always assured that was just an overabundance of caution. 

Here's the official FDIC information release: http://fdic.gov/bank/individual/failed/decatur.html

Here's a independent report from earlier this year: http://bit.ly/DFBrept

More #DecaturGA beer fest photos tonight

Audio of the Bumgardner-Goebel school board candidate debate

This is the audio of the hour long debate, for those who cannot view the videos in the previous two posts for technical reasons, or just prefer only audio:

20111009SchBdDebate

You can link directly to this post with: http://bit.ly/PBvGGdebateAudio  

Video of Bumgardner-Goebel debate (Part 2 of 2)

Part 1 (embedded in the previous post) including Vicki Tuttle's welcome to the debate and introduction of moderator Geoff Koski, the opening and closing statements, answers to a question posed by Daniel G, a Senior at DHS, the closing statements, and limited coverage of the meet and greet following the debate in the Community Room of the Church at Decatur Heights.

Part 2, which is 43 minutes long, includes the rest of the formal debate. [Please note that Vicki Tuttle's name should be spelled with two t's and Geoff is a community voice, not activist.]

If you are a citizen of Decatur, please register to vote if you are not already and vote on Election Day on 11/8 or early. The members of the School Board impacts the lives of all citizens, and especially parents of school age children attending CSD schools (for obvious reasons) and property owners (since 60% of our taxes go to CSD, and the School Board sets the millage rate for that portion of the taxes).

Video of Bumgardner-Goebel debate (Part 1 of 2)

Peg Bumgardner and Garrett Goebel debated and met with attendees at The Church at Decatur Heights on Sunday, 10/9/2011. The candidates are running to represent District 1 on the City of Decatur School Board. [The election is Tuesday, 11/8. Registered voters can vote early now.] Deanne Thomas of the Decatur Heights Neighborhood organized the event. Vicki Tuttle coordinated for the Church. Geoff Koski, DHS teacher and community voice, moderated. The debate was one hour long, followed by a one hour meet and greet. . This part 1 of 2 is 22 minutes long. It includes Vicki's introduction, the opening and closing statements of both candidates, and a few shots and clips from the meet and greet in the Social Hall.

Part 2, which is 43 minutes long, includes the rest of the debate.  It's embedded in the following post.

You can watch the embed, but it's best watched at the Vimeo site at http://vimeo.com/30363127. Anyone is welcome to link to it or embed it. I only ask that you attribute it to Dave Kell and nDECATUR.com.

School bd debate abt to start at 735 Sycamore Dr _ OK to come late

Bitterroots at Oakhurst Arts & Music Festval

Lower skating at #SkaterAid in #DecaturGA

SkaterAid! In #DecaturGA

Earl & Daisy at @TracksideDecGA in Mayberry / #DecaturGA

SkaterAid Sunday. Good times. Good art. Good cause.