Focus april2015 final

InsIde: Kids Activity BooK

Clear zoneFocuscity of decatur

Official PublicatiOn Of the city Of Decatur, GeOrGia

april 2015 Volume 25 • Number 8

16 DBA NEWs 3 City

NEWs 17 DEcatur EVENts12 BusiNEss

NEWs 22 school NEWs 23 arouND

toWN

ebster recreation center Opensfeatured at Dba february Meeting

Mayor Emerita Elizabeth Wilson used the occa-sion of the DBa Febru-

ary Black history Month meeting to lead a tour of the new Ebster recreation center, part of the al-most-complete Beacon Municipal center. Ebster stands on the site of the former trinity high school, the african-american school be-fore Decatur high was integrated in the 1960s. When construction is finished, every building and the courtyard of the Beacon Municipal center will feature free exhibits about Decatur’s historic african-amer-ican Beacon community. these exhibits were developed with the input of many who grew up there in the middle of the 20th cen-tury, including Wilson. an official grand opening of the Beacon Municipal center will be held this spring.

see more photos of the recreation center and the history exhibits inside on pages 9 and 10

Focuscity of decatur

2 | Decatur Focus • aPril 2015

Soak up the SunNow that warmer weather is here and the event season will soon be in full swing, here are some things to keep in mind as you enjoy the great outdoors in Decatur.

Sidewalk DiningThere’s nothing better than digging into a meal while sitting outside at one of Decatur’s many restaurants, and we want to keep it that way. Tables located on the public sidewalk are non-smoking. Signs are posted around the square as a

reminder and it is the restaurant’s responsibil-ity to make sure the sidewalk is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers.

lawn careWe continue to maintain the lawn on the south side of the square. It was completely overhauled

in 2012 and since then we’ve encouraged passive use of the area to help keep the grass thick and healthy. That means festivals do not stake tents on the lawn, instead allowing for more grass-friendly activities like having a picnic, playing catch, and dancing during the Concerts on the Square.

Walking your DogIf you bring your dog to the square or to other public areas, remember to keep him or her leashed at all times. Also, make sure to take Fido with you to Deca-tur’s newest pet store, Furry Tails Pet Shop, 228 E. Ponce de Leon Ave. Located in a storefront at the Renaissance building, Furry Tails offers food, supplements, and supplies for dogs and cats.

Outdoor Public artSidewalk Saturdays start up again this month so keep an eye out for street per-formers scattered around town on the weekends. Also look for Decatur’s Secret Doors. Twenty artists have created and hand-painted tiny doors and placed them near local businesses. For more information, stop by the Visitors Center.

coming this fallThe Decatur Arts Alliance will host an outdoor art gallery. The call for artists will be released shortly. If you are an artist and interested in participating, see page 3 for more details or visit decaturartsalliance.org for an application.

Design and layout: lampe-Farley.com

The Decatur Focus is a joint publication of the City of Decatur, the Decatur Downtown Development Authority and the Decatur Business Association. It is a newsletter intended to provide announcements and information related to events, activities, and businesses in the City of Decatur. The purpose of the newsletter is to promote the city and encourage the exchange of information among residents, business owners and the school system. Letters to the editor, editorials or other opinion pieces are not published. All press releases, announcements and other information received for publication are subject to edit-ing. Information found in the Focus is also posted on Decatur’s official website at decaturga.com. The deadline for submitting articles, announcements or advertis-ing is the first day of the month preceding publication. Contact: Editor, Decatur Focus, P.O. Box 220, Decatur, GA 30031, 404-371-8386; fax 404-371-1593; email: [email protected].

Decatur city cOMMiSSiOn

Jim Baskett ...................................................MayorKecia cunningham ...............Mayor Pro temFred Boykin ................................commissionerscott Drake .................................commissionerPatti Garrett ................................commissioner

Decatur DOWntOWn DeVelOPMent authOrity

boardchris sciarrone, chair

linda curryJohn Drake

Bill Floydscott Kentnertony leungFisher Paty

Decatur buSineSS

aSSOciatiOntim Martin ............................................. PresidentKyle Williams ........................................treasurerFloyd smith ........................................... secretaryMarc Brennan ............................ Past President

Clear zone

focus on Downtown

Development

information for the fOcuS should be submitted by mail to Editor, Decatur Focus, P.o. Box 220, Decatur, Ga 30031, by fax to 404-371-1593, or by email to [email protected].

City News

school resource officer Matthew Damico was invited to a local kinder-gartner’s birthday party. he talked to the kids about what it is like being a Decatur police officer and let them inspect his patrol car.

No Misbehaving at this Birthday Party

World economic forum names lubell a 2015 young Global leader

Decatur resident David Lubell, founder and ex-ecutive director of Welcoming America, has been chosen as a 2015 Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. He was selected

from thousands of leaders for this prestigious program.The Forum of Young Global Leaders is a community

made up of outstanding next-generation leaders who have dedicated their time and talent to helping make the world a better place. Leaders hail from around the world and from all sectors of society, including private, public, and civil society.

Lubell is one of 186 honorees from 63 countries in the 2015 class. Notable leaders from this year’s class include Thomas Farley, president of the New York Stock Exchange; Ivanka Trump, vice-president of development and acquisi-tions at the Trump Organization; Mitzi Miller, editor-in-chief of Ebony maga-zine; and Yancey Strickler, CEO of Kickstarter.

Lubell said, “I am thrilled and humbled to be named a 2015 Young Global Leader. This nomination is not just an honor for Welcoming America but for all who are working in ground-breaking ways to build more welcoming com-munities for immigrants and all residents.” Welcoming America reports that one of every eight Americans is an immigrant.

Young Global Leaders are granted access to a peer network, world-class meetings, and opportunities to contribute to initiatives and projects of the Young Global Leaders and the World Economic Forum.

needed: sculptors for decatur Artwaycalling all sculpture artists! submit your works to be considered for the Decatur artway, an outdoor gallery planned for downtown and oakhurst.

Phase 1 begins this year with five sculptures placed in locations around downtown Decatur. in 2016 Phase 2 will expand to oakhurst with five more sculptures. the works will be selected by a jury, and each winning artist receives a $2,000 sti-pend. Each piece will be exhibited for two years.

the project is funded by grants and the city of Decatur Public art Fund, established in 2012 and administered by the Decatur arts alliance. all piec-es will be available for sale, and a portion of the proceeds will go to continue the program.

in addition, the Decatur arts alliance is issu-ing a call for artists to create three bicycle racks and three benches to be placed in harmony Park during streetscape construction. this project is funded by the Decatur craft Beer Festival.

For application materials or more information, visit decaturartsalliance.org.

aPril 2015 • Decatur Focus | 3

City News


Decatur’s Smart911 now Providing Weather alerts

Prepare an emergency kit with enough food, water and other supplies to last at least 72 hours.

Create and discuss an emergency plan with your family. By planning in advance, you can determine how you and your family members will get to a safe place; how you plan to contact one another; and how you will reunite.

Stay informed by signing up for local weather and emergency alerts. You can also receive up to date information by following local public safety agencies on Facebook and Twitter.

Sign up and create a Safety Pro�le at www.smart911.com to give 9-1-1 call takers and �rst responders valuable information about your household to be better protected in an emergency. This information can save valuable seconds or even minutes during an emergency.

Severe Weather Preparedness Checklist:

Sign Up For Free

Are You Prepared If Severe Weather Strikes?

Stay tuned in When the Power is Out

stay informed during a power outage with Outage Alerts. When a power outage occurs, Georgia Power can notify you by text, email, or phone with the cause of the outage and an estimated restoration time. This new service allows you to set up alerts for up to five people per address, and even set up “Do Not Disturb”

times when you prefer not to be notified. To get started, visit georgiapower.com/storm. Downed Power linesThe Decatur Fire Department follows certain protocols when there is a downed power line. Firefighters tape off the area surrounding the power line and try to keep residents away from the area. You should never walk into taped-off areas. The fire department ensures that it is indeed a power line and not a cable or phone line and will call Georgia Power if it is a power line that needs repair. Firefighters wait onsite until Georgia Power repairs the line and the area is deemed safe.

Power lines are dangerous because the electricity can travel great distances even when the line is on the ground. Please stay away from areas where the fire department is work-ing. If you need information, ask the firefighter to come to you, or call 404-373-5092 to find out more.

14 • Decatur Emergency Services • decaturga.com/emergencyservices

The devastating natural disasters along the Gulf Coast in 2005 spurred changes in the way Decatur maintainsitstrees.ThroughtheurbanandcommunityforestryGrantprogram,thecitycompleteditsfirst Community Forest management Plan in 2011.

Tree maintenance

A damaged or downed tree can cause significant property dam-age, serious injury, and/or the loss of utility services for days. Thus far, our enhanced tree maintenance program has been very suc-cessful. We have seen a marked improvement in the health of city trees and a significant reduction in damage from unhealthy trees. In addition, the tree inventory of city owned trees also allows us to assess trees and prioritize maintenance requirements.

How should a resident deal with a tree that has dead limbs, is dying, or is dead? Proactive maintenance of trees on private property is the first step. Homeowners should have the trees on their property assessed for health and risks by a certified arborist. This action allows the homeowner to plan for tree maintenance before storms occur.

What should a resident do after a storm?Once a storm passes, be patient! Remember that first respond-ers will be attending to medical emergencies and priority tree removal will go to clearing major roads. Report downed power lines and help your neighbor if any tree poses an immediate

danger. Call 9-1-1 to have someone from the Fire Department respond and assess the immediate safety concerns. Walk around your yard to identify hazard trees, pick-up brush and locate stag-ing areas for chipping or mulching. Once these tasks are done, the next question is whether the tree is located on public or private property. If the tree is on private property, then it is the responsibility of the property owner.

Remember, recovery is not just about cleaning up the debris. Homeowners should visually monitor trees throughout their community after a storm and they should contact their certified arborist six months to a year after the storm to reevaluate their trees. If a tree does need to be removed, homeowners should refer to the City of Decatur’s new Tree Canopy Conservation Or-dinance for tree removal permitting requirements. The plan can be found online at decaturga.com/index.aspx?page=722.

If a tree of concern is on public property or on someone else’s property, contact the city’s Landscape Infrastructure Coordina-tor in the Design, Environment and Construction Division, 678-553-6527, during normal business hours or call the Public Works Department at all other times, 404-377-5571.

Emergency Management 2014.indd 14 10/20/14 6:59 PM

Decatur has transitioned to an enhanced Smart911 system to make communication between residents and public safety

agencies easier and more convenient. In addition to providing household details to 9-1-1 dispatchers on emergency calls, Smart911 now allows you to opt in to re-ceive emergency and general notifications from the city.

This Smart911 option replaces the Co-deRed emergency and weather notifica-tions. Since Decatur is no longer using the CodeRed system, all CodeRed users who wish to continue to receive emergency alerts from the city should create a private and secure safety profile at smart911.com. If you are already registered with a safety profile at smart911.com, simply log into your account to opt in to the new enhanced features.

Residents can visit smart911.com to sign up and create a free safety profile for their households, providing information such as the names and photos of family members, health conditions, medications, pets in the home, vehicle details, and emer-gency contacts. All profile information is voluntary and each household can deter-mine what details are important to include. If a person already has an account, he or she can log in to update preferences and will be prompted to opt in for emergency and general notifications.

Smart911 is a national service. Because a safety profile can be tied to a mobile number, if a person dials 9-1-1 in any com-munity across the United States that uses Smart911, his or her profile will be avail-able to dispatchers to aid in emergency response. In Georgia, Smart911 is available in Alpharetta, Atlanta, Chamblee, Decatur, Dunwoody, DeKalb County, John’s Creek, Milton, and Sandy Springs. Users are re-minded to update or confirm their house-hold profile information every six months

to ensure dispatchers and emergency man-agement officials have access to current and accurate information during an emergency response.

Smart911 has been adopted in 38 states and more than 1,000 municipalities. It has been credited with positively impacting emergency situations and saving lives across the U.S., including a missing child case in Arkansas, a heart attack victim in Tennessee, and a man trapped in a house fire in Michigan.

Fallen tree on avery street in Winnona Park

City News


the city of Decatur offers Neighborhood clean up Days once a year to help residents to dis-pose of bulky items that would not normally be placed in Pay-as-You-throw bags. Each street in

the city is assigned to one saturday each spring. For the full 2015 Neighborhood clean up schedule visit

decaturga.com/neighborhoodcleanup or telephone sean Woodson at Decatur Public Works, 404-377-5571.

instructions Place all items to be collected at the curb no later than 7:30 a.m. collections run until 3:30 p.m.

acceptable items• Yard trimmings• Building materials (that are not from the work of private

contractors)• tires• Furniture• appliances (not containing Freon)• trash that would not normally be placed in Pay-as-

You-throw bags

the city will not collect these:• liquids• Dirt• Bricks• Blocks• stone, rocks, or concrete• Motor vehicle batteries or parts

the Schedule by neighborhoodoakhurst Neighborhood No. 2 – saturday, april 4oakhurst Neighborhood No. 3 – saturday, april 11oakhurst Neighborhood No. 4 – saturday, april 18Winnona Park Neighborhood – saturday, april 25MaK Neighborhood – saturday, May 2college heights Neighborhood – saturday, May 9Westchester Neighborhood – saturday, May 16Decatur heights Neighborhood No. 1 – saturday, May 30Decatur heights Neighborhood No. 2 – saturday, June 6Great lakes – saturday, June 13lenox Place – saturday, June 20

reminderDecatur now accepts bulky items like furniture and ap-pliances as part of regular sanitation pickup all year. there is no additional cost for this except a $50 collection fee for items containing Freon.

better tOGetherbuilding Our capacity to thrive

Decatur is no longer the sleepy, deeply rooted little town it once was, where everyone invariably knew everyone else. With a broader mix of newcomers and long-time residents, it’s now on us to build the

next generation of connections and mutual trust that will power us through the coming decades.

that goal is embodied in Principle B – encourage a diverse and engaged community – from Decatur’s 10-year 2010 strategic Plan. couple that with some recent challenges that have called our community commitment into question, and it’s clear we need to get started.

Better together is a community-led effort to do just that, in partnership with the city’s government, institutions and various nonprofits. offering multiple opportunities to partici-pate over the course of the year, the process will explore our strengths and weaknesses and culminate in a tangible com-munity action Plan.

Better together gets rolling in May but you can learn more and meet the neighbors leading the charge now at decaturnext.com. stay tuned.

Get that Junk Outta your basement!

2015 Shopping,

Dining & Services Guide is

herePick up a copy at the Decatur Visitors cen-

ter, one of Decatur’s shops or restaurants, or

at city hall. the guide provides a map and contact information for every storefront

business in the city of Decatur. the Visitors

center can provide bulk copies for visiting

groups. For information call 678-615-0915 or

email [email protected].

City News


spring is a great time to get outdoors and dig in the dirt. if you have a calling to make a difference in the landscape join the Friends of Decatur cemetery and “Garden among the Graves.” Each tuesday from 9 a.m. until noon (weather permitting) Jim toney, master gardener, leads volunteers in beautifying the old section of Decatur’s historic cemetery. Volunteers can expect to plant and weed among the graves of some of Decatur’s most notable citizens.

Bring tools, gloves, sunscreen, and a water bottle (a hat or visor is also a good idea) and meet near the gazebo off com-merce Drive. this is an ideal project for dwellers of Decatur’s many condos who long for a little dirt under their fingernails. For more information contact Jim toney, [email protected] or 770-985-9580.

habitat for humanity-DeKalb’s first homeowner is first to Pay Off Mortgage

Decatur resident Margaret Sanford arrived at the Habitat for Human-ity-DeKalb office in February to make her final mortgage payment

on a house she moved into 25 years ago. She now owns her Oakhurst home free and clear.

Twenty-five years ago, Margaret and Terry Sanford could only dream about owning their own home. During the late-1980s, Oakhurst Baptist Church owned a piece of property be-hind the church and planned to develop it as a parking lot. The City of Decatur declined this proposal. Oakhurst subsequently presented plans to build a shelter/halfway house on the property, and this proposal was also rejected. The church was only permitted to build a single-family home on the piece of land.

As a result, in 1988, with the help of Les-lie Withers, Oakhurst Church member and founding board member for Habitat for Humanity-DeKalb, former DeKalb County CEO Manuel Maloof, and DeKalb County Community Development Director Chris Morris, the Habitat for Humanity DeKalb County affiliate was formed and the first-ever DeKalb Habitat home was built on the vacant property behind Oakhurst Baptist Church. The home was sold to Margaret and Terry Sanford on May 1, 1990, and was the first mortgage for newly incorporated Habitat for Humanity-DeKalb.

Terry Sanford passed away in 2004 but he

and his wife Margaret enjoyed many years to-gether watching their four children grow and play in a home they could call their own.

Habitat for Humanity-DeKalb is a county affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a world leader in addressing the issues of poverty housing. The mission of Habitat for

Humanity-DeKalb is to bring people together to build homes, communities, and hope. The DeKalb organization has provided affordable housing for more than 75 local families and 55 families internationally since its incor-poration in 1988. For more information call 770-270-6813 or visit dekalbhabitat.org.

Margaret sanford (second from left) with habitat-DeKalb Executive Director Bob Boyd (left) and other staff on the day after she made her final mortgage payment.

WANted: voluNteer

ceMetery GArdeNers

City News


the third Friday Bike rides, sponsored by Decatur active living, begin rolling again on Friday, april 17. this year rides will begin from the Decatur recreation center, 231 sycamore st. all levels of riders are welcome for this slow-paced five- to six-mile ride through Decatur. No riders will be left behind! afterwards, riders will quench their thirst at one of Decatur’s watering holes.

Be at the recreation center and ready to ride at 6:30 p.m. helmets and lights are required. Parking is available in the lot behind the Decatur library, next door to the recreation cen-ter. For more information on cycling in Decatur, visitdecaturga.com/biking or contact [email protected].

neighborhood alliance Meets at ebster recreation center

the Decatur Neighborhood Alliance will meet on Wednesday, April 22, 6:30 p.m., at Ebster Recreation Center, 420 W. Trinity Place. Come see this newly reno-

vated jewel in the Beacon Municipal Center.Representatives from Decatur neighborhood

associations, condominium associations, block associations, and anyone interested in starting a neighborhood group are invited to attend. Call 678-553-6548 or email [email protected] to confirm your attendance or to update your neigh-borhood’s association listing on decaturga.com.

national creation care conference in Decatur april 24 and 25

Decatur First United Methodist Church will host the National Creation Care Conference, “Environmental Resurrection: Let Justice Roll Down Like Waters.” The conference will feature national and local lead-

ers discussing challenges and solutions for environmental justice communities. Matthew Tejada (pictured at right), EPA Environ-mental Justice director, and Dr. Ellen Ott-Marshall of Emory will highlight the event.

Also on tap are tours of environmental justice sites, sustainabili-ty projects, and a worship service celebrating the environment that is open to the public. A Youth Climate Conference for teens will take place concurrently.

Local environmental leaders speaking include the Reverend Dr. Gerald Durley, George Bandy of Interface and chair of the US Green Building Council, Nataki Osborne-Jelks of the Westside Atlanta Watershed Alliance and MaKara Rumley of GreenLaw. For more information visit umccreationcare.org.

third Friday Bike rides

Begin April 17


City News

School News


arbor Day Foundation President Dan lambe and Georgia Forestry commission Director rob-ert Farris congratulate india Woodson, city of Decatur’s landscape infrastructure coordinator, for helping Decatur become a tree city usa community. Decatur was honored during the 2015 state arbor Day celebration at Wesleyan college for being one of Georgia’s tree city usa communities for 27 years. For more information about Georgia’s trees and services of the Georgia Forestry commission, visit gatrees.org.

Dba Seeks thomas O. Davis Public Servant award nominations

Do you know a public servant who goes far beyond his or her job to strengthen the community, serve as a role model, and contribute to Decatur on an ongoing basis? If so, please nominate him or her for the 13th annual Thomas O. Davis Public Servant Award.

The Decatur Business Association established the award in memory of Thomas O. Davis, the city’s attorney from 1968 until his death in 2000. It is given every year to a public servant who inspires others and exemplifies honesty, integrity and professionalism in the performance of his or her duties.

To submit a nomination, send a written statement explaining why the nominee should receive the award to [email protected] or to P.O. Box 220, Decatur, GA 30031 by March 28. Nominations may also be dropped off at the Community and Economic Development Office on the second floor of City Hall, 509 N. McDonough St. For more information, call 678-553-6548.

Governor appoints Decatur resident to State board Decatur resident Baoky N. Vu has been appointed by Gover-nor Deal to the board of the Technical Col-lege System of Geor-gia. Vu is currently vice president of Vet-Connexx, a veteran-owned and veteran-employed small busi-ness providing customer care solutions to the telecommunications, financial service, and health care industries.

Vu currently serves as vice chair of the DeKalb County Board of Voter Registra-tion and Elections. He also serves as a board member of Visiting Nurse Health System and a member of the board of vis-itors of Georgia State University’s Hon-ors College. He is a former presidential commission appointee under President George W. Bush. Vu earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgia Tech and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Georgetown University. He and his wife, Anh Le, have two children.

Eula Malone, 2014 recipient, with city Manager Peggy Merriss and susan Ben-nett, daughter of thomas o. Davis.

City News


the Electric avenue lobby features an exhibit focusing on Decatur’s trinity high school.

Mayor Emerita Elizabeth Wilson leads a guest through the exhibit in the West trinity Place lobby, which includes a 1950s-era map of the african-american Beacon community and its landmarks.

Elizabeth Wilson shared her own recollections, bringing the exhibit to life for visitors.

Beacon History exhibit Open at ebster Recreation Center

streamers in the stairwells feature the names of the Beacon community streets

that were lost to urban renewal in the 1960s.

the gymnasium doors, from the outside, show a pho-to of the old herring street high school and, at left, the old gymnasium (where the new one stands now).

City News


First look: decatur’s new ebster Recreation Center

this multipurpose area can be divided into three rooms using

built-in folding partitions.

the common area adjacent to the downstairs meeting rooms features a curved wall, storage cubbies, and built-in circular benches.

the gymnasium has six back-boards, bleacher seating for 250, and lots of natural light.

the downstairs reception area

City News


commissioner Patti Garrett, along with india Woodson and the Public Works crew led by Gerry Knotts, plant a tree in the Decatur cemetery on Georgia arbor Day. While National ar-bor Day is in april, in Georgia it is too warm to plant trees. in 1941, the General assembly set the third Friday in February as the day of our state ar-bor Day.

arbor Day at Decatur cemetery

cSD administrators Get active at the ebster Gym

City Schools of Decatur administrative staff played basketball recently at the Ebster gym to “be active” during lunch. Fifteen administrators took part, ei-ther shooting hoops or enthusiastically cheering from the sidelines. Decatur Active Living’s Portia Langley played DJ, and used the gym’s surround

sound system to play Kurtis Blow’s “Basketball,” the Harlem Globetrotters’ theme song, “Sweet Georgia Brown,” and Eddy Grant’s “Electric Avenue,” unofficial theme song for CSD administrators, whose offices have an Electric Avenue address.

Business & Nonprof it News


above: souper Jenny Decatur staff hard at work during a Grilled cheese Night in February. Every thursday evening Jenny’s staff serve up delicious premium grilled cheese sandwiches and turn the proceeds over to a deserving Decatur-area nonprofit group. on this thursday, proceeds went to the DeKalb library Foundation.

left: regina Frigola of the Decatur library with hearts showing the names of people who donated funds to the Decatur library in sup-port of love Your library month. these funds will support the library’s lit-eracy outreach initiatives.

Photos by Arthur Ratliff

Summer camps with Ms. Sylvia

Join Ms. Sylvia and Friends at 120 Syca-more Place Gallery to draw, paint, col-lage, cartoon, sculpt, handbuild with clay, do printmaking, and more. Learn about

historical and contemporary artists and develop your own gifts. We incorporate poetry and music, storytelling and nature to inspire creative abili-ties. We take walking field trips weekly.Weekly camps are 9 a.m.-noon for ages 4-11. Camps with Wanda Rose Stewart and Mr. Da-mon are 1-4 p.m. for ages 8-14.

Morning camps are $135 for a four- or five-day week, $95 for a three-day week, $75 for a two-day week and $40 for one day a week. Afternoon camps are $135 for a four- or five-day week, $95 for a three-day week, $75 for a two-day week and $40 for one day a week. No substitutions.

Both camps are available 9 a.m.-4 p.m. for ages 8-11. Extended lunch is offered noon-1 p.m. at Fellini’s for $15/day, or bring your own lunch.

themesMay 25-27 chihuly botanicals

June 1-5 Picasso and Matisse Paris tea Party

June 8-12 romare bearden Paints to Jazz and So Do i

June 15-19 frida Kahlo and Diego rivera in their Mexican Garden

June 22-26 finster fun with hammer and nails

June 29-July 1 Keith haring cartoons

July 8-10 Georgia O’Keeffe and the Desert rose

July 13-18 artchitects and architecture

July 20-24 Warhol and lichtenstein Go POP

July 27-31 cindy Sherman: costumes and Photo Shoots

aug. 3-5 chagall’s fiddler on the roof

Wanda Rose Stewart’s Creatures Crafts and Cartoons will expand the themes, 1-4 p.m., inte-grating 3D sewing, puppetry arts, and sculptures with drawing and comics. Damon Young’s Pup-petry Theatre compliments the visual arts. To register, visit decaturartclasses.com.

Email [email protected] or call 404-660-9967 for more information.

Seen A

round T

own

Decatur library eDitiOn



Pure barre Decatur Opens early april

Ashley Goot and Katy Bayless Gibson, co-owners of Pure Barre Virginia-Highland, are opening a new studio in Decatur at 415

Church St. The new location is the latest Pure Barre, the largest network of barre studios in the U.S., with headquarters in Spartan-burg, S.C.

The new studio offers a new client pre-opening special, for a limited time: $99 for five weeks of un-limited classes, available online now at pure-barre.com/ga-decatur. Call 404-883-3882 for more information.

The Pure Barre workout has grown in popularity since 2001, with more than 285 studios across the country. The 55-minute

‘Ovations’ concert SeriesFirst Baptist Church Decatur • 308 Clairemont Ave.Beginning this spring a new ministry at FBCD – Ovations – will partner with universities and regional talent in Atlanta to bring gifted musicians to Decatur. The free concerts will take place in the church sanctuary.

April 25 • 7 p.m. – Soprano Shala Whitehead in ConcertShala Whitehead is completing her graduate studies at Georgia State University. Her operatic roles in-clude Mimi in La Bohème and Ann Putnam in The Crucible. In May 2014, she was the soloist for the “Music of African-American Composers” concert. She was guest soloist in the “Go Light Your World” Christmas concert for AIDS and one of the soprano soloists in a tribute concert honoring Verdi’s 200th birthday with the Musica Sacra Atlanta. In 2005, she premiered the original opera LaRoche in Atlanta with the Ameri-Color Opera.

May 30 • 7 p.m. – Brazilian Tenor Cleyton Pulzi and Pianist Steven MorrisPulzi and Morris will perform Robert Schumann’s Dichterliebe and Brazilian art songs.

Vivid Boutique’s 3rd Annual ‘Saturday Soirees in Spring’

Celebrate the season with Vivid Boutique, 133 E. Court Square, during the month of April with “Saturday Soirees in Spring.” Beginning Saturday, April 4, and each Satur-day in April, 5-8 p.m, toast the vernal equinox with Floyd

and Michael at their gift, home décor and accessories store with a glass of wine.

Every soiree will feature one of the store’s local artists presenting their latest collections just in time for wedding, commencement, Eas-ter, Administrative Professionals Day and Mother’s Day gift buying. A highlight of the annual event is a weekly “register to win” drawing which presents a piece of that week’s artist’s work to the lucky winner.

For more information call 404-371-5181.

april Deals at aimee JewelryAimee Jewelry and Gallery, 335 West Ponce de Leon Ave., is offering a reduction in prices for select jewelry and ceramics during the month of April. The store is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. For more information call 404-371-0099.

barre-based workout utilizes small, isomet-ric movements to target hips, thighs, seat, abdominals and arms. Each section of the workout is followed by stretching. The work-out is low-impact and designed to work for

people of all shapes, sizes and fitness levels. Pure Barre Decatur will also sell fitness

retail, including items by ALO, Beyond Yoga, Emi Jay, Knotty, Lily & Laura and BRK, as well as Pure Barre branded Splits 59 apparel.

Katy Bayless Gibson and ashley Goot


Yasmine Belk shows off the lED throwie she created

when visiting Decatur Makers. throwies are

decorative (or useful) portable lights.

‘how Did you Make that?!’

chris Goode shows how a 1960s-era transistor radio can be fash-ioned into a guitar amplifier. the amplifier here is a replica of one built by John Deacon, bass player for the rock group Queen.

local maker rob Butera demonstrates a theremin, an electronic musical instrument – in this case, built around the arduino computing platform.

students from Decatur’s renfroe Middle school were introduced to oscilloscopes, 3-D printing, and a host of other tech-nologies during a visit to Decatur Makers.

a makerspace for adults as well as kids, Decatur Makers (decaturmakers.org) opens this spring at 605 W. Ponce de leon ave., across from the Decatur Post office.



connecting communities Walk benefits refugee Girls’ educationSaturday, April 18 • 10 a.m.Day-of registration begins at 9 a.m.Clarkston Community Center, 3701 College Ave. in clarkston

on the third annual Connecting Communities Walk, participants will walk the 4.5 miles from Clarkston to Decatur on the PATH Trail. Everyone is invited to par-ticipate. The walk benefits the Global Village Project,

a school for refugee girls. Most GVP students live in Clarkston and many other refugees are resettled here when they first arrive in the United States.

Global Village Project is an accredited, tuition-free, nonprofit pri-vate middle school for refugee teenage girls. Many GVP students have had limited formal education before they arrive in the United States.

Visit connectingcommunitieswalk2015.zohosites.com to regster for the walk. The registration fee is $15 for students and $25 for ev-eryone else. All participants receive a T-shirt. All funds raised support the Global Village Project. For more information call 404-371-0107 or visit globalvillageproject.org.


WAlK to coNNect


connecting communities Walk benefits refugee Girls’ educationSaturday, April 18 • 10 a.m.Day-of registration begins at 9 a.m.Clarkston Community Center, 3701 College Ave. in clarkston

on the third annual Connecting Communities Walk, participants will walk the 4.5 miles from Clarkston to Decatur on the PATH Trail. Everyone is invited to par-ticipate. The walk benefits the Global Village Project,

a school for refugee girls. Most GVP students live in Clarkston and many other refugees are resettled here when they first arrive in the United States.

Global Village Project is an accredited, tuition-free, nonprofit pri-vate middle school for refugee teenage girls. Many GVP students have had limited formal education before they arrive in the United States.

Visit connectingcommunitieswalk2015.zohosites.com to regster for the walk. The registration fee is $15 for students and $25 for ev-eryone else. All participants receive a T-shirt. All funds raised support the Global Village Project. For more information call 404-371-0107 or visit globalvillageproject.org.


wyldecenter.org/decatur-earth-day-festival

SundayApril 19 from 1 to 4 pmRain or Shine Oakhurst Garden, 435 Oakview Rd. in Decatur

FR E E !

FUN FOR EVERYONE!Live music and performances

Environmental info booths • Arts and craftsCostume contest • Scavenger hunts • Prizes

Refreshments for sale

Bands!MoRhythm • Scene of the Crime

Reptiles!

Yoga!at Sugar Creek Garden • 11 am

Bring your own mat415 East Lake Dr.

Parade! Walk or roll! Lineup • 12:30 pm

at Harmony Park Bike Ride!Meet at Harmony Park • 11 am

Helmets required! Bring your own bike.

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Focus April 2015.indd 15 3/23/15 6:53 PM

DBA News


super special April Meeting reminderall Decatur residents and businesspeople are invited to join the Decatur Business association on Tuesday, April 28, for a salute to the thousands of volunteers who donate their time and energy to making Decatur a fun, vibrant, welcoming, and safe place for visitors and residents alike.

WhAt a Salute to Decatur’s Volunteers

Who Presented by Decatur business association, Decatur Development authority, Decatur arts alliance, Decatur book festival, and Decatur craft beer festival

WheN Tuesday, April 28, 5:30-7 p.m.

Where the community bandstand on the Square

thANKs to universal Joint for providing hot dogs, veggie dogs, and other handheld treats

shoW soMe love For decAtur’s voluNteers!

Decatur events


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Come Home to the Best in Senior Living

Clairmont Oaks celebrates 40 Years of providing Affordable Senior Housing in the City of Decatur. Join us in our celebration on Saturday May 9, 2015 for our Family Fun Day. It’s a day of Fun, Food and

Entertainment for the entire family! Support our Super Silent Auction Fundraiser to benefit our

resident programming. To visit our community and to learn more about becoming a resident please contact us:

Clairmont Oaks Phone: 404.378.8887 441 Clairemont Ave. Facsimile: 404.378.8969 Decatur, Georgia 30030-1855

www.clairmontoaks.org

Follow us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/clairmontoaks

A Ministry of First Baptist Church Decatur

Decatur farm to School Spring Dine OutWednesday, April 15 • 5-9 p.m.Sponsored by the Wylde centerDine in or take out from any par-ticipating restaurant during this event and a portion of your pur-chase will go towards Decatur Farm to school and the city schools of Decatur’s healthy eating initiatives. You can also purchase raffle tickets at the restaurants for prizes. Participating restaurants include:

Brick Store PubCakes & AleFarm BurgerLawrence’s CafeLeon’s Full ServiceMakanMojo Pizza ’n PubOakhurst MarketRaging Burrito

Sapori di NapoliSeven HensSteinbeck’s Ale HouseTwain’s Brewpub & BilliardsThe Iberian PigThe ImperialUniversal JointWahoo! Grill

Decatur events


Saint Francis Veterinary Specialists of Decatur is pleased to announce the

opening of our new 24-hour veterinary emergency center.

625 Dekalb Industrial Way, 30033www.sfvs.com 404-924-2000

AEXURDNLM 10-Apr-2013 15:34

it takes a Village to raise a bookstore little Shop’s 10-year anniversary Party Saturday, May 2 • all dayLittle Shop of Stories turns 10 years old this summer. To celebrate, the shop is hosting an all-day party on the square and in the store with events, readings, crafts, a pop-up shop with My Parents’ Basement comics, and much more. The event will be a thank-you to the Decatur community, recognizing that it takes a village to raise a bookstore and that Little Shop wouldn’t be possible without the support of its customers.

independent bookstore Day May 2Independent Bookstore Day is Saturday, May 2, at more than 400 bookstores nationwide. Come out and celebrate indie bookstores and the communities that make them possible, including Decatur’s own Little Shop of Stories. Book lovers of all ages can purchase unique, literary themed items including limited edition novellas and artwork. For more information go to littleshopofstories.com.

nelligan School of traditional Music Presents folk Music Summer camp June 1-5 for ages 5-9 June 8-12 for ages 9-13 • 10 a.m.-3 p.m. cost: $290, includes materials. $145 deposit reserves spot. Before- and after-care available upon request. Kids will sing, listen, play percussion, and dance to live fiddle music every day and enjoy performances on banjo, accordion, guitar, and ukelele. Exploration and experiment time with instruments will be included and kids will be given some individual guidance. Music from many cultures will be celebrated with an emphasis on Americana and Celtic traditions. Basic folk dances will be taught. Everyone will deco-rate and customize a washboard to use for jamming and to take home.

Campers may include experienced players who can bring their own instruments and will be given an opportunity to perform and learn folk tunes that they can play with campers and staff. Fun, movement, singing, joy, experimenting with instruments and some fresh air play-time are the focus of the week, all at the comfortable and convenient location of the Friends School of Atlanta in Decatur.

For more information visit nelliganschool.com or call Moira Nelligan, 404-441-7848.

Decatur events


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PaWS for the causeSaturday, April 18, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Glenlake Park 1121 church St.freePAWS For The Cause, spon-sored by the DeKalb District Attorney’s Office, promotes animal cruelty awareness, pet adoption, animal rescue, pet health, and education. Come celebrate our canine companions! Attendees can meet pet-specific vendors with the latest pet products and find out about low-cost micro-chipping and vac-cines as well as dog train-ing by Jill G. There will also be a doggie fashion show, pet performances, and live entertainment.

atlanta MandolinsTuesday, April 28 • 7-8 p.m. Decatur library215 Sycamore St.Atlanta Mandolins, established in 1994, is made up of mandolinists, guitarists, and bassists who have joined together to form the performing unit of the Atlanta Mandolin Society. Under the direction of conductor Robb Smith, the musicians perform selections that range from turn-of-the-century rags and marches to classical, Latin, Irish, jazz, Brazilian, ethnic, and season-al compositions. Funding is provided by Friends of the Decatur Library. For information call 404-370-3070.

Decatur events


Emilie Markert.Experience.Knowledge.Patience.Results.

318 Church StreetDecatur, GA 30030.

404-235-8900C: 404.915.8222

[email protected]

Condo?Cottage? Castle?

Markert HelpsMake It Happen!

danceDanceDance! Saturday, May 2 • 5-10 p.m. • East Howard Avenue this immersive performance event is designed to spark the implementation of the Decatur Eco-arts District. through a partnership with Zoetic Dance Ensemble, the Decatur De-velopment authority and the Decatur arts alliance, the open spaces and vacant buildings on East howard avenue (between trinity Place and the ice house lofts) will be transformed into a free participatory dance experience for all ages. For more in-formation go to zoeticdance.org or contact amanda thomp-son at [email protected].

Decatur events


Drahos Works on exhibit at arts alliance Gallery

sightings, on display through the end of the month at the Decatur Arts Alliance Gallery/Decatur Vistors Center, is a collection of mixed-media works by artist Terry Drahos,

who divides her time between rural Nova Scotia and Atlanta. This series chronicles 13 years of travel be-tween these two places – capturing split-second ob-servations taken from car windows, walks, and mo-ments at home. Drahos applies an abstract approach along with formal design principles to photo-transfer and oil painting methods to create her works.

Drahos is an active member of the Nova Scotia arts community, serving on the board of directors of Visual Arts Nova Scotia, as a chairperson of the Alliance of Kings Artists, and as the founder and director of the Uncommon Common Art Project. Drahos has exhib-ited nationally, and is the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including an Industry Growth Grant from Nova Scotia Tourism, Culture and Heritage.

The gallery at 113 Clairemont Ave. is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Visit terryhavlisdrahos.com to learn more.

Maya Anderson [email protected]

Celebrating 35 YearsLet us make your Decatur dreams come true.

www.adamsrealtors.com404-688-1222

Anne Morris [email protected]

Kelly B. Walsh [email protected]

Anne Smith [email protected]

artist terry Drahos, left, discusses her work with Decatur arts alliance Executive Director angie Macon.

School News


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Seen Around the Schools

the fog didn’t stop these young walkers from the Decatur housing authority apartments from walking to school on Georgia Walk and roll to school Day in March.

Around town

Decatur Focus • aPril 2015 | 23

assistant city Manager andrea arnold spoke with third graders at Winnona Park Elementary about the city’s budget.

three years ago, Nathan Nobis’s daughter,

saige, was in kindergarten at oakhurst

Elementary. her painting was chosen to be

hung in the children’s hospital at scottish rite.

it took a while, but the dedicated dad worked

with hospital staff to find his daughter’s

painting hanging in a patient room. here she is

pictured with her art.

Kathleen and ron Everett of the Decatur school of

Ballet chatted with cheryl Burnette, assistant director

at Decatur active living, during the February

DBa meeting at Ebster recreation center.


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