Dunwoody News Tidbits- Veterans Day and everything else I could find of interest.

To commemorate Veterans’ Day, here are some overjoyed "children" greeting their returning soldiers. These reunion videos—for me, at least—shed a tiny beam of light on how emotionally draining being a military family can be. They’ll also make you want a dog.  Click here and then find a soldier to thank for his or her service.

Correction to a post from yesterday, the State Legislators are coming to Chamblee United Methodist on Thursday evening not DUMC.

Here is some video of Dunwoody Village Parkway which was closed mid-day on Tuesday due to flooding.


The JCC is hosting the 18th Annual Book Festival November 10 - 22 with lots of great authors but unfortunately Batgirl and Aerosmith video vixen Alicia Silverstone was forced to cancel.  Seriously, the lineup is impressive, check it out.

Get gross at the Dunwoody Nature Center this Saturday, at 10 a.m. Prepare to get in touch with your yucky side as you go on a "scat" hunt. Discover the grosser side of those cute and charming butterflies. Come prepared to get a little dirty!

Dunwoody Community Council discusses a SLUP (Special Land Use Permit) application on Thursday for some site improvements at All Saints Catholic Church.

City of Dunwoody Sustainability Commission Meeting happens early Thursday morning and would welcome interested members of the community to join them.

The Dunwoody Crown Plaza Ravinia is the first and only Green Globe - certified hotel in the State as documented by Sustainable Pattie Baker.

Dunwoody High School Football Wildcats enter the first round of the playoffs at home (Chamblee @ 7 pm?) on Friday against the Elbert County Blue Devils.

DHS PTSO and School Council will hold an informational meeting on Monday, November 16th at 6:00 pm in the Cafeteria regarding the school schedule options for the 2010-2011 school year. The speaker will be Ms. Stacey Stepney, DCSS Director of High Schools.

Attention Peachtree 8th grade students & parents - Dunwoody High School is having an open house for prospective students this coming Sunday from 2 - 4.

Watch the video of Phillippe Cousteau, conservationist, educator and Animal Planet's Chief Ocean Correspondent visit to Dunwoody Elementary.

Brian, a Dunwoody resident with too much time on his hands created these two humorous video clips featuring the City Council; Country Style & Disco Style which I figured I would share.  Enjoy, because we the council got a kick out of laughing at ourselves.

Video of the Nov 9th Dunwoody City Council Meeting

Click the photo above for video of Monday's night City Council meeting. 

So far my trial of putting live meeting video to the web has been a success though I know the number of live viewers are rather small, but then again we haven't discussed anything really controversial either.  To watch the council meetings live the web address will never change, therefore please bookmark it, it is...  http://www.ustream.tv/channel/dunwoodycc

 Agenda for Monday Night

• Ordinance to amend Chapter 27: Zoning: Pre-submittal meetings.  Deferred for 1 meeting
  
  
• Resolution to enter into a Cooperation Agreement with the PCID. Approved
  
  
• Appointment of Mario Miles to PCID Board.  Approved
  
  
• Ordinance to amend Chapter 21: Signs §12: Non-Residential Zoning District Sign Regulation. 12 story change approved - last second change deferred back to Community Council.
  
  
• Resolution for Dunwoody Village Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) Application.  Approved
  

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Dunwoody Kidnapping Victim describes his 15 hour ordeal. Rewards available for information.

Newsclip 

Dunwoody Kidnapping Victim describes his 15 hour ordeal. Rewards are being offered for the arrest and conviction of the offenders. Incident happened at the Broadstone of Dunwoody apartment complex on North Peachtree Road which is currently operated by Gables Residential.

Dunwoody to look at the chicken issue again - much stricter than Roswell proposal.

I believe the Dunwoody City Council will be discussing Back Yard chickens again on Monday, November 16th. The proposed ordinance would allow eight chickens (no roosters) and the birds would need to be caged and housed appropriately. The proposed Dunwoody ordinance can be found here and it is much more strict that the proposed Roswell chicken ordinance described in the story above.

On Monday the USA Today had an article on back yard chickens with Andy Schneider "the Chicken Whisperer" being quoted.  It should be a lively discussion.

Correction: State Legislators come to Chamblee United Methodist on Thursday evening.

Rep. Mike Jacobs put out a press release regarding a Thursday evening Legislative Town Hall Meeting. He didn't name names of who will be attending but I am sure it will be informative.

• All of the senators and representatives who represent portions of DeKalb County will be hosting a public hearing this Thursday, November 12, at 7:00 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of Chamblee United Methodist Church, 4147 Chamblee Dunwoody Road.  All topics are “on the table” for discussion.
  

Come see Dan, Fran, Mike & Jill as well as possibly Stephanie, Mary Margaret, Michelle, David, Ron and a list of others answer your questions. 

Help your fellow Dunwoody residents, please bring a toy to Monday Nights City Council Meeting.

Dunwoody Police Department

1st Annual Christmas for Kids

Dear Dunwoody Community,

Since April 1, 2009 my colleagues and I have been overwhelmed and amazed by the support that the citizens of Dunwoody have given us. The continuous show of appreciation is truly a blessing and goes a long way.  So much has been accomplished since April 1^st and it could not have been done without the support of our great community.

This holiday season, we’d like to reach out and join forces with our citizens, businesses, and officers alike to make this Christmas a memorable one for the many children of Dunwoody who are less fortunate.

Like most communities, the City of Dunwoody has some children who will not be able to have a special Christmas because their families can’t afford it.  Most of these children live on the east side of Dunwoody in four apartment communities. Many of these children love Dunwoody police officers and like you, express their appreciation every chance they get. Nothing warms the heart of a Dunwoody officer more than when those children run out and meet the officers on patrol just to say hello or take a peek inside a cruiser. Many of these same children will surely have a tough Christmas because of the state of the Nation’s economy and this, my friends, is not acceptable.

Our plan is to sponsor as many needy children as we can who reside within the city limits of Dunwoody. We hope to collect at least one gift for each pre-registered child. Registration will begin immediately after sufficient community support is gathered and commitments are made. On a chosen day prior to Christmas Day, we will invite the children (along with Santa Claus, who happens to love this idea and has already committed his support) to an ideal location for a party. The Christmas for Kids party will consist of refreshments and all the other merriments that will surely put a smile on a child’s face. We hope that all our supporters can also attend and share in the joyful festivities.

Here is what we need:

• New, unwrapped gifts of all types, for all ages from infants to early teens.  Toys will probably be the most ideal and best received; especially by the little ones.
  
  
  WE CANNOT ACCEPT CASH, CHECKS, OR GIFT CARDS
  
  
  

• Volunteers for collecting and wrapping gifts, and for organizing the party.
• Refreshments, decorations, and lots of Christmas gift wrap and tape!
• A nice clean outfit for Santa as his is old and needs to be replaced.

Registration will be administered primarily by and through Dunwoody officers who regularly encounter these families and their children.  Considering that this event is a first, there may be adjustments made along the way, but Dunwoody police officers are experts at making things happen in a short period of time.

This will surely be an event worthwhile for everyone involved and one that these children won’t soon forget!

If you or your organization can help, please contact Officer Fidel Espinoza at fidel.espinoza@dunwoodyga.gov or our Chief’s Executive Assistant, Liz Stell at liz.stell@dunwoodyga.gov or 678/382-6906.

Thank you in advance.                Officer F. Espinoza

Video of the newly installed Dunwoody Speed Tables on Village Creek Drive.

Councilwoman Adrian Bonser informed me that the City had installed the new traffic calming devices (speed tables), on Village Creek Drive, just off Womack. This morning I watched about six cars go by and as the video below shows, several of them were going pretty fast but most did slow to cross over the device. Video.

Dunwoody Football lost in a close game but don't forget the pancakes on Sat Morning.

 
My son Riley and I attended the big game Friday night and we really enjoyed not only the football action but also the half time shows. Dunwoody put on a typical marching band routine and it was good but St. Pius's rock band musical extravanganza with electric guitars and a full rock band accompaniment played a little Jetro Tull, Frank Zappa, Michael Jackson and ended it with KISS' Rock and Roll All Night. I should have whipped out the video camera, but didn't think of it at the time.  It was pretty cool.

Tomorrow morning it's pancake time at Dunwoody HS.

Dunwoody Wildcat Football Pancake Breakfast

Saturday, November 7, 2009

8:00 A.M. - 11:30 A.M.

Dunwoody High School Cafeteria

All You can Eat Pancakes for $6.00 Coffee, Juice, Milk and Bacon will be served, Kids under 5 eat FREE. All Proceeds will be used to support the Dunwoody High School Football Team
You can purchase your tickets at the door on November 7, 2009 or purchase your tickets in advance from any DHS Football Player.

Dunwoody City Council Agenda for Monday Nov 9th

 Monday, November 9th
Dunwoody City Hall
41 Perimeter Center East
Dunwoody, GA 30346
7:00 p.m. - Watch Live

Agenda

• Ordinance to amend Chapter 27: Zoning: Pre-submittal meetings.
  
  
• Resolution to enter into a Cooperation Agreement with the PCID.
  
  
• Appointment of Mario Miles to PCID Board.
  
  
• Ordinance to amend Chapter 21: Signs §12: Non-Residential Zoning District Sign Regulation.
  
  
• Resolution for Dunwoody Village Livable Centers Initiative (LCI) Application.