The City of Pine Lake is applying for a $10,000 grant for an urban agriculture project on Rockbridge Rd.
The orchard project may get assistance from the Atlanta Regional Commission and the non-profit Food Well Alliance if the city receives the grant, Mayor Melanie Hammet said at an Oct. 29 Pine Lake City Council meeting.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Next step awaited on county ethics board
A group that successfully urged DeKalb County voters to reject a proposed revamp of the county's ethics board says it will soon announce its next step.
The DeKalb Citizens Advocacy Council urged people to vote against the measure that was on the Nov. 5 ballot, saying it would have gutted the board's independence. "The Ethics Board would be under the control of the same politicians whose conduct is subject to oversight by the ethics board," the group said.
The DeKalb Citizens Advocacy Council urged people to vote against the measure that was on the Nov. 5 ballot, saying it would have gutted the board's independence. "The Ethics Board would be under the control of the same politicians whose conduct is subject to oversight by the ethics board," the group said.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
Two Stone Mountain city council members voted out of office
Two of three incumbents on the Stone Mountain City Council were defeated in a Nov. 5 municipal election.
Gina Stroud Cox, a special education teacher, and Clint Monroe, a financial analyst, ousted incumbents and were elected to the council. Chakira Johnson, a civil engineer who was first elected to the council in 2007, was elected to another four-year term.
In unofficial but complete results from the county election office:
Gina Stroud Cox, a special education teacher, and Clint Monroe, a financial analyst, ousted incumbents and were elected to the council. Chakira Johnson, a civil engineer who was first elected to the council in 2007, was elected to another four-year term.
In unofficial but complete results from the county election office:
Friday, November 1, 2019
Closed Kroger will not become new charter school
Instead, the Community Academy for Architecture and Design says it will be located in the Village Square shopping center at Memorial Drive and Hambrick Rd.
The school had announced plans to open on Memorial Dr. in the fall of 2019. It now says it will open in the fall of 2020.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Roundabout proposed in south DeKalb
The Georgia Department of Transportation is planning to put a multi-lane roundabout at the intersection of Snapfinger Rd. and Panola Rd. at the DeKalb-Henry county line.
The DOT has approved the location and design of the project, which will replace an existing temporary signal.
The reconstructed intersection will take up about a half a mile on Snapfinger Rd. and one-fifth of a mile on Panola Rd.
The DOT has approved the location and design of the project, which will replace an existing temporary signal.
The reconstructed intersection will take up about a half a mile on Snapfinger Rd. and one-fifth of a mile on Panola Rd.
Memorial Drive outdoor merchandise decision appealed
A merchant wants to use two parking spaces at the southeast corner of Memorial Dr and H. Hairston Rd. "to display outdoor merchandise." This is at 6007 Memorial Dr., the corner with the Exxon gas station-convenience store and the Angie's Place restaurant.
The DeKalb County Department of Planning & Sustainability has not yet posted the application made by Sabir Muhammad, who is appealing an administrative decision.
There will be a public hearing on his appeal before the DeKalb County Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 2 p.m. at the Maloof Building in downtown Decatur.
The DeKalb County Department of Planning & Sustainability has not yet posted the application made by Sabir Muhammad, who is appealing an administrative decision.
There will be a public hearing on his appeal before the DeKalb County Zoning Board of Appeals on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 2 p.m. at the Maloof Building in downtown Decatur.
Sunday, October 6, 2019
PRISM meeting to discuss November ethics referendum
A proposal on the November ballot to make changes in the way ethics complaints are handled in DeKalb County will be the subject of the next meeting of PRISM (Pride Rings In Stone Mountain).
The meeting will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. this Thursday, October 10, in Fellowship Hall, St. Timothy United Methodist Church, 5365 Memorial Dr., Stone Mountain.
The meeting will feature three citizens who are concerned about Senate Bill 7, a measure passed during the 2019 General Assembly that would make changes to the DeKalb County Board of Ethics, if approved by voters. Mary Hinkel, Joel Edwards and Roslyn Allison will discuss the bill at Thursday evening's meeting.
Hinkel chairs a group of concerned citizens called the DeKalb Citizens Advocacy Council, which is warning voters that the measure on the November ballot "guts the ethics board."
"SB7 strips authority from the ethics administrator to conduct preliminary investigations of or file complaints based upon personal observation or anonymous claims via the hotline, or to report suspected criminal violations to state or federal law enforcement agencies," the group says.
A PDF of the legislation, which Gov. Brian Kemp allowed to become law without his signature, can be found at http://bit.ly/2MhQsyC .
The DeKalb County ethics board has not met for more than one year because of a successful court challenge to the board's composition.
For voters in unincorporated DeKalb, the ethics referendum will be the only item on the November ballot. Voter turnout is expected to be higher in cities having elections for municipal offices.
PRISM's Oct. 10 forum will be one of the few opportunities to learn about and ask questions about the ethics law. We invite you to learn about this proposal so that you can make an informed decision when you vote on Nov. 5.
The meeting will take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. this Thursday, October 10, in Fellowship Hall, St. Timothy United Methodist Church, 5365 Memorial Dr., Stone Mountain.
The meeting will feature three citizens who are concerned about Senate Bill 7, a measure passed during the 2019 General Assembly that would make changes to the DeKalb County Board of Ethics, if approved by voters. Mary Hinkel, Joel Edwards and Roslyn Allison will discuss the bill at Thursday evening's meeting.
Hinkel chairs a group of concerned citizens called the DeKalb Citizens Advocacy Council, which is warning voters that the measure on the November ballot "guts the ethics board."
"SB7 strips authority from the ethics administrator to conduct preliminary investigations of or file complaints based upon personal observation or anonymous claims via the hotline, or to report suspected criminal violations to state or federal law enforcement agencies," the group says.
A PDF of the legislation, which Gov. Brian Kemp allowed to become law without his signature, can be found at http://bit.ly/2MhQsyC .
The DeKalb County ethics board has not met for more than one year because of a successful court challenge to the board's composition.
For voters in unincorporated DeKalb, the ethics referendum will be the only item on the November ballot. Voter turnout is expected to be higher in cities having elections for municipal offices.
PRISM's Oct. 10 forum will be one of the few opportunities to learn about and ask questions about the ethics law. We invite you to learn about this proposal so that you can make an informed decision when you vote on Nov. 5.
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
DeKalb Commissioners extend ambulance contract -- again
DeKalb County commissioners reluctantly voted Tuesday to again extend the county's ambulance service agreement with American Medical Response for another three months.
The current agreement, which covers emergency ambulance services and billing and collection, was to have ended at the end of this month. The extension means the agreement will be in place through the end of the year.
The vote was 6-1-0, with Commissioner Nancy Jester voting against the extension
"I'm very frustrated. It seems like it's gone on forever," Jester said. "No one's happy about this extension and I'm certainly very frustrated."
Interim DeKalb County Attorney Vivian Ernstes said legal and other matters could not be resolved in time to avoid the extension. While the legal issue was not identified during commission's vote, Commissioner Jester was able to obtain an acknowledgement from Ernstes that it arose "within the last month."
The current agreement, which covers emergency ambulance services and billing and collection, was to have ended at the end of this month. The extension means the agreement will be in place through the end of the year.
The vote was 6-1-0, with Commissioner Nancy Jester voting against the extension
"I'm very frustrated. It seems like it's gone on forever," Jester said. "No one's happy about this extension and I'm certainly very frustrated."
Interim DeKalb County Attorney Vivian Ernstes said legal and other matters could not be resolved in time to avoid the extension. While the legal issue was not identified during commission's vote, Commissioner Jester was able to obtain an acknowledgement from Ernstes that it arose "within the last month."
Stone Mountain proposes name change of street named after Klan leader
After originally planning to rename only one block, the city of Stone Mountain is now proposing to rename the entire four-block length of a street currently named for the white supremacist who was the city's mayor from 1946 to 1949.
Venable Street, in the heart of the city's historically black Shermantown neighborhood, is named after James Venable, who founded and was the Imperial Wizard of the National Knights of the Klan from 1963 to 1987. His Ku Klux Klan faction often marched through Shermantown as it held rallies every year on the top of Stone Mountain and on nearby land his family owned. Venable's family owned Stone Mountain and its granite quarry when work on the mountain carving began in 1923. Venable died in 1993 at age 92.
CBS46 News Atlanta (WGCL-TV) interviewed some of Shermantown's residents about the change, including William Woodson Morris, 91.
Venable Street, in the heart of the city's historically black Shermantown neighborhood, is named after James Venable, who founded and was the Imperial Wizard of the National Knights of the Klan from 1963 to 1987. His Ku Klux Klan faction often marched through Shermantown as it held rallies every year on the top of Stone Mountain and on nearby land his family owned. Venable's family owned Stone Mountain and its granite quarry when work on the mountain carving began in 1923. Venable died in 1993 at age 92.
CBS46 News Atlanta (WGCL-TV) interviewed some of Shermantown's residents about the change, including William Woodson Morris, 91.
Monday, September 23, 2019
Zoning decision expected Tuesday on another fast food restaurant for Memorial Dr.
DeKalb County Commissioners are scheduled to vote this coming Tuesday evening on a request to put a fast-food restaurant in the parking lot of the Citadel Shopping Center at the corner of College Ave. and Memorial Dr., across the street from the Original House of Pancakes.
The proposed drive-through Popeye's would be replace the vehicle emissions inspection station currently located in the parking lot at 5100 Memorial Dr., which serves Office Depot and other businesses.
The proposed site plan is for a 2,400-square-foot building with a drive-through window. The developer proposes 18 parking spaces, including two handicapped spaces that would be connected by a new sidewalk to the sidewalk along Memorial Dr.
The county's Department of Planning & Sustainability is recommending approval of the application. The county's Planning Commission voted 7-2 in favor of the proposal during its Sept. 10 meeting. The District 4 Community Council had earlier voted in favor of the proposal.
The proposed drive-through Popeye's would be replace the vehicle emissions inspection station currently located in the parking lot at 5100 Memorial Dr., which serves Office Depot and other businesses.
The county's Department of Planning & Sustainability is recommending approval of the application. The county's Planning Commission voted 7-2 in favor of the proposal during its Sept. 10 meeting. The District 4 Community Council had earlier voted in favor of the proposal.
Thursday, September 19, 2019
DeKalb County sets new annual record for sewage spills
This year, 2019, is a record year for sewer spills in DeKalb County.
There had been 184 spills in the county as of Sept. 1, 2019, according to a table accompanying a news story in the latest print edition of The Champion newspaper, the county's legal organ. At least three other spills have occured since then:
- There was a "major" spill of 18,840 gallons on Robert Nash Court in Tucker on Sept. 3. A blockage sent sewage into Lake Prestwick.
- There was a "major" spill of 217,800 gallons of wasterwater on Sept. 6 at 984 S. Indian Creek Dr. in Stone Mountain. Sewage flowed into Snapfinger Creek because of a structural defect in a 30-foot creek crossing, a county notice said.
- Four days later, on Sept. 10, there was a "minor" spill of 1,900 gallons of sewage on Carson Valley Dr. in Tucker.
Even though 2019 has more than three months to go, the total so far this year of 187 spills surpasses the total for the entire year of 2017, when 186 spills occurred. At the current rate, DeKalb County will have had 240 sewage spills by year end.
There had been 184 spills in the county as of Sept. 1, 2019, according to a table accompanying a news story in the latest print edition of The Champion newspaper, the county's legal organ. At least three other spills have occured since then:
- There was a "major" spill of 18,840 gallons on Robert Nash Court in Tucker on Sept. 3. A blockage sent sewage into Lake Prestwick.
- There was a "major" spill of 217,800 gallons of wasterwater on Sept. 6 at 984 S. Indian Creek Dr. in Stone Mountain. Sewage flowed into Snapfinger Creek because of a structural defect in a 30-foot creek crossing, a county notice said.
- Four days later, on Sept. 10, there was a "minor" spill of 1,900 gallons of sewage on Carson Valley Dr. in Tucker.
 |
| Champion table of annual sewage spills through Sept. 1 |
DeKalb Commissioners to discuss budget, MARTA and voting at Friday legislative retreat
The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners will hold a legislative retreat on Friday in the Maloof Auditorium in Decatur.
Among the items to be discussed:
- Budget and policy priorities for the 2020 Fiscal Year, including preliminary department budget targets
- Legislation in the 2020 General Assembly, including a report on this year's legislative session and identifying priorities for next year.
- Discussion of the latest amendment to the agreement between MARTA and local governments, including DeKalb County.
- Discussion of concerns about voter registration and voting, including ballot access.
The meeting is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Retreats are informational in nature and are less formal than regular commission meetings. They are usually held every three months and do not include a period for public comments.
Among the items to be discussed:
- Budget and policy priorities for the 2020 Fiscal Year, including preliminary department budget targets
- Legislation in the 2020 General Assembly, including a report on this year's legislative session and identifying priorities for next year.
- Discussion of the latest amendment to the agreement between MARTA and local governments, including DeKalb County.
- Discussion of concerns about voter registration and voting, including ballot access.
The meeting is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Retreats are informational in nature and are less formal than regular commission meetings. They are usually held every three months and do not include a period for public comments.
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
DeKalb CEO Thurmond "exploring" U.S. Senate candidacy - reports
DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond says he is "exploring his options" regarding two U.S. Senate seats that will be up for election next year, the Associated Press reports.
Thurmond was a Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in 2010, losing to incumbent Republican Johnny Isakson by a 58 to 39 percent margin. Isakson announced last month that he is retiring from the Senate at the end of this year for health reasons.
An Atlanta Journal-Constitution article also lists Thurmond as among those "weighing whether to compete for Isakson's seat."
Thurmond was a Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in 2010, losing to incumbent Republican Johnny Isakson by a 58 to 39 percent margin. Isakson announced last month that he is retiring from the Senate at the end of this year for health reasons.
An Atlanta Journal-Constitution article also lists Thurmond as among those "weighing whether to compete for Isakson's seat."
MARTA mulling development at Kensington Station
A developer has made an unsolicited proposal to MARTA for a Transit Oriented Development at Kensington Station at Mountain Drive and Memorial Drive, MARTA General Manager and CEO Jeffrey Parker told county commissioners on Tuesday.
Parker revealed the proposal at a Committee Of The Whole meeting of the Board of Commissioners. He said it is being reviewed by staff, which will make a recommendation to him. The MARTA board would then pass a resolution to issue a Request For Proposals.
Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson expressed concern about this process. "It sounds as if you would literally create an RFP if you like the proposal," she said. "To me that raises a little bit of a concern and a red flag."
She also noted that she and several other commissioners were not informed of the proposal earlier.
Parker revealed the proposal at a Committee Of The Whole meeting of the Board of Commissioners. He said it is being reviewed by staff, which will make a recommendation to him. The MARTA board would then pass a resolution to issue a Request For Proposals.
Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson expressed concern about this process. "It sounds as if you would literally create an RFP if you like the proposal," she said. "To me that raises a little bit of a concern and a red flag."
She also noted that she and several other commissioners were not informed of the proposal earlier.
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Machines with personal voter data stolen from Atlanta precinct
The Associated Press reports two machines that hold detailed information about voters, including names, addresses, dates of birth, and driver's license numbers were stolen from an Atlanta polling place on Monday night. The machines, used to check in voters, were taken from the Grove Park Recreation Center, a voting site for a special election for a seat on the Atlanta Board Of Education
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