inDECATUR

Planning Commission approves land use/rezoning for old DeVry campus.

In Decatur, the Planning Commission approves the land use designation and zoning of perspective annexation properties before the City Commission votes to accept the annexation request.

Last evening, the Planning Commission watched a presentation by HGOR [of a conceptual plan [which was covered in a 6/25/09 inDECATUR post -- complete with maps and plans], then approved the requested land use classification and mixed use zoning, with some minor conditions. [See the official meeting summary for details.]

Only a handful of citizens remained after the lengthy RMS Gym discussion. There were no strong objections.

A resident of Sycamore Station expressed safety concerns with having parallel parking in front of the storefronts on Winn Way.

One neighbor asked if it would increase pedestrian traffic on Pinehurst. The planner said he hoped so, as he hoped those living in Sycamore Ridge, Decatur Heights, and Sycamore Station would view this as a sub-hub of Decatur (similar to Oakhurst). He did note the entrance was offset from Pinehurst to discourage auto traffic on Pinehurst.

Earlier in the evening, City manager Peggy Merriss made a presentation to the School Board (see earlier post), which has established a special session for 7/27. It is expected to send an opinion letter to the Ciy.

The next step in the annexation process is a hearing during the City Commission meeting on 8/3.

Bear in mind: DeVry has not yet sold the property. The ultimate owner and/or developer may have other plans, but whatever they are, they'll have to comply with the land use designation and zoning, unless either is changed (which doesn't seem likely) -- assuming the property is annexed, which seems very likely.

Conflict between Faith and Reason

Russell Shorto
Tue., Oct. 21, 7:15 p.m.

The author of The Island at the Center of the World discusses his new story, Descartes' Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason.

Decatur Library
215 Sycamore St., Decatur, GA
404-370-3070

www.georgiacenterforthebook.org

CL

Deep subject
         

Leslie Walker Williams at Wordsmiths

Leslie Walker Williams        

Tue., Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m.

Williams discusses and signs her Peter Taylor Prize-winning novel, The Prudent Mariner, a searing exploration of the legacies of complicity and violence, silence and regret, and the unforeseeable ways the past shapes and impinges upon the present.

                                 

Wordsmiths Books
545 N. McDonough St., Decatur (Decatur/Oakhurst), GA
404-378-7166
www.wordsmithsbooks.com

CL

Support your local bookstores, even if it costs a bit more.
         

Greasy driver to speak and sign at Wordsmiths 10/7/08

Greg Melville had an ambitious plan: to drive across the country from Vermont to California in a 1985 Mercedes diesel station wagon fueled only by used fryer grease. He'd be walking in the footsteps — or, perhaps, driving in the tire treads — of H. Nelson Jackson, the first man to drive across the United States in an automobile in 1903. Gas stations weren't an option for Jackson, and they wouldn't be for Melville, either. Jackson's trip took 63 days; Melville planned to do it in eight.

Greasy Rider: Two Dudes, One Fry-Oil-Powered Car, and a Cross-Country Search for a Greener Future documents the journey Melville and his mechanically inclined friend, Iggy, took in that greased-up wagon.

On the way, they visited several facilities focused on advancing sustainable fuel sources, including the American Coalition for Ethanol and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and a slew of restaurants in hopes of scoring some used vegetable oil. "The ideal supplier uses nonhydrogenated oil, like canola or soybean, in its fryers, as opposed to grease from animal fat or hydrogenated oil, which both congeal at higher temperatures," says Melville in the book. "Asian and Mexican restaurants are considered the best sources because they hardly ever fry meats; and they tend to change their oil frequently."

Melville reads from and signs his book Tues., Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m., at Wordsmiths Books, 545 N. McDonough St., Decatur. 404-378-7166. www.wordsmithsbooks.com. Used vegetable oil donations are encouraged.

Grandson revives "Madeline"

From the nibs of his ink pen to the spirit of his rhyme on the very first page, John Bemelmans Marciano has tried to stay true to a grandfather he never met in putting out the first all new "Madeline" adventure in nearly 50 years.

The 38-year-old Marciano, who lives in Brooklyn and spent years studying the drawing technique of his grandfather, Ludwig Bemelmans, for his "Madeline and the Cats of Rome."

Marciano is busy signing books for "Madeline" fans. Over the summer, he rode with the mayor of Decatur, Ga., in an all-Madeline children's costume parade that kicked off the town's book festival.

LI | AP

Ian McNulty shares first-hand Katrina experiences

Author IAN MCNULTY mixes humor and pathos in his observations of the harrowing initial months after a historic hurricane in A Season of Night: New Orleans Life After Katrina (University Press of Mississippi). McNulty became a regular food contributor for alternative newsweekly Gambit Weekly after the storm, and wrote passionately about the city's defiant attempts at recovery – which matched his own.

McNulty takes the reader through the darkened streets, the flooded-out neighborhoods and piles of debris as well as the seminal seasonal and festival markings (Halloween, Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest) that helped renew the city's spirit. He spent much of the time chronicling his adventures while holed up in the second floor of his flooded Mid-City house, often without electricity.

Considering the close call that was Hurricane Gustav, McNulty's Atlanta appearance Thurs., SEPT. 11, couldn't be better timed. Free. 7:30 p.m. Wordsmiths Books, 545 N. McDonough St., Decatur. 404-378-7166. www.wordsmithsbooks.com.

TLS | Creative Loafing

Coincidentally, a lady at the Corner Pub last night had strong opinions about Katrina and how authorities handled it. She was also upset that citizens were held back from returning to their homes after Gustav.
 

Sex every night for a married couple?

Charla Muller surprised her husband with a gift of sex — every day for an entire year. “365 Nights” is now a book.

Muller, 41, talked about the experience and the memoir Thursday at Wordsmiths Books in Decatur.

OK, so it was not quite every night:

"We averaged 26 to 28 days a month. … Intimacy every day is not a long-term sustainable model. But neither is intimacy hardly ever. So [these days] we’ve landed somewhere in between."

HO | AJC | 9/4/2008

Wonder what the average days/year is for married couples, after the first year?  Will have to look that up tonight.

Most creative use of technology in the DBF booths

The Sauers picked up a couple of fans at Home Depot. They use 18V rechargeable battery packs, which can also be used with an assotment of tools.  Each battery lasts about 4 hours, after which you can switch to another.

Sorry, but this blogger is an engineer by nature and training, and is thus interested in such things. He also likes being as comfortable as possible in a given situation.

See thumbnails of every booth which was still active at 5PM Sunday at FLCKR.

Blogs review the Decatur Book Festival

Here are excerpts from few reports already filed:

The Decatur Book Festival was great. Festivals are one of things that make Atlanta a fantastic place to live. There is always food, stage events, music and the occasional street performer. Speaking of which, we were able to enjoy a wonderful performance by Grupo Maculele Atlanta, a capoiera troupe.

La Bella Media

I gave them hugs all weekend long, but I want to publicly give thanks once again to all the people who make the Decatur Book Festival the amazing event it is: Tom Bell and Daren Wang of the DBF; Diane Capriola, Dave Shallenberger and the rest of the staff at Little Shop of Stories ...

Elizabeth O. Dulemba

My daughter Hannah and I made our 3rd annual trek to the Decatur Book festival yesterday - what a great time, I just wish I could have gone on Saturday!

Library Stew

The old courthouse in Decatur is nice inside, but not terribly ornate. Aside from the marble walls and stairs, and a spiffy exterior, it is just another old building. [Pfht!] It is a reminder that Dekalb used to be a mostly rural county, rather than the neighbor of World Marketing Headquarters.

Chamblee54

Jacque and I unloaded everything in the extreme heat Friday evening, and then arrived at the book festival site by 6:45 AM Saturday morning. The heat was horrendous, but we managed to have a rather attractive booth when we were finished.

Vivian's Site

For my work, I got a Decatur Book Festival t-shirt and a free Chick-Fil-A sandwich.

The main panel that I was interested in attending at the festival was the one called “Young Ones To Watch” featuring John Scalzi, Cherie Priest, Tobias Buckell and Kevin J. Anderson. I was interested in attending because I got free ebooks written by all of these authors, except Kevin J. Anderson, through the Tor.com promotion.

Laramee Kidd

I spent my entire day at the Decatur Book Festival, the largest independent book festival in the nation.  Fantastic time. 

A Wee Blither

I liked Decatur a lot and had a great time at the festival, which was well run and author friendly. In Georgia they eat biscuits with gravy for breakfast. Who knew!

Sarah Prineas

 

If you have (or see) a review of the DBF on a blog, please link to it.

If you don't have a blog, please comment with your impressions.
 

Most mobile vendor rig for 2008 Decatur Book Festival

The most mobile rig this blogger spotted during the 2008 Decatur Book Festival was this corn dog trailer:

The owners  (the gentleman in the orangish shirt and presumably his wife working inside) said they bought it on e-Bay, and one coudl find similar ones there. They didn't seem too excited about their Sunday sales.