H. Stockton, Dunwoody Park Place welcomes Coach Mark Richt on Saturday, May 2nd from 11 - 1

http://www.hstockton.com

M & M Summer Soccer Camps for ages 4 to 15 are being offered at Keswick Park

Dunwoody North's Mike Mey is again offering M&M Soccer Camp for rising soccer stars ages 4 to 15. Keswick Park, June 1 - 6 & July 27 - 31.

Coaches Mike Mey of Olgethorpe University and Dunwoody High School and Mike Fleming of Dunwoody High School offer two summer sessions to children ages 4-15. This is a half day camp running from 8:30am – 12:30pm with early drop off availability at 8am. The cost is $80 per child.

Application available here for ages 4 - 12.
Application here for ages 10 - 15.

For more information call Mike Mey at 404-403-2274 or Mike Fleming at 770-294-6590 or e-mail at ameyzing@comcast.net

Decatur Green Fest & local Farmers Markets

Decatur Green Fest

The third annual Decatur Green Fest, presented by Bonterra Vineyards and hosted by the Dogwood Alliance, will be held on Saturday, May 2 from 3 p.m. until 9:30 p.m on the Decatur Square. The event kicks off the annual Concert on the Square series presented by Wachovia, and features a day of "earth friendly" family fun and music.

In addition to music, the event promises a taste of local and organic food and sampling of Equal Exchange fair-trade items. Terrapin Beer Company, an event partner, and Bonterra Vineyards will be providing their tasty beverages. And for the first time, there will be an exhibition of artists working with recycled materials. Several green building professionals and other green educators will be present. The Decatur Cool City Coalition will lead a "Teaching Tour of Green Buildings" from 1-6 p.m.

Local Farmers Markets


The City of Dunwoody will be voting on May 11th for a zoning change to allow farmers markets to operate at city places of worship but other farmers markets opening this weekend are:

Peachtree Road Farmers Market: Saturdays 8:30 until Noon located at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Buckhead, 2744 Peachtree Road

Decatur Organic Farmers Market will be open Wednesdays from 4 to 7p.m., at the corner of Commerce and Church. The market is only accepting organic or sustainable farmers and organic or sustainable food producers at this time.

Green Market at Piedmont Park: open Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. 12th Street gate entrance, Piedmont Park, Atlanta

Marietta Square Farmers Market: open Saturdays 9 a.m.to noon. Marietta Square.

Suwanee Farmers Market: open Saturdays 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Town Center Park, 370 Buford Highway, Suwanee.

Morningside Market: Saturdays, 7:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. 1393 N. Highland Ave, Atlanta GA 30306

One final item...

The ajc has a nice article on communities who are fighting to open farmers markets and the produce which is currently in season at those markets.

Town Hall Meeting with State Legislators Dan Weber & Mike Jacobs

Please join State Senator Dan Weber and State Representative Mike Jacobs for a town hall meeting recapping the 2009 legislative session this evening, Thursday, April 30, at 7:00 p.m. in Lupton Auditorium in the main building of Oglethorpe University, 4484 Peachtree Road.

Summer Day Camp for Little Kids (ages 2 1/2 to 6)

If you are looking for a unique, affordable and convenient summer experience for your younger child please consider a week or two at the Montessori School of Dunwoody Summer Camp.

Week 1: June 1 - June 5 Science Week (1)
Week 2: June 8 - June 12 Science Week (2) (more science)
Week 3: June 15 - June 19 Cooking Camp (1)
Week 4: June 22 – June 26 Cooking Camp (2) (more cooking)
Week 5: June 29 - July 3 Bug Week
Week 6: July 7 – July 10 Under the Sea (1)
Week 7: July 13 - July 17 Under the Sea (2) (more Under the Sea)
Week 8: July 20 - July 24 Mammals

Along with the above topics we will also be doing the following:
Art and crafts relating to the above weekly topics.
Making Lemonade and fresh fruit Smoothies.
Making Ice Cream Sundaes.
Indoor cooperative games and outdoor gardening.
Music and Movement activities.

Time 8:30 to 12:30. Bring your own lunch.
Cost $160 per week. Registration deadline is May 1st
All summer camp fee’s are due by May 13th.This will reserve your child’s place.
Fee’s are non refundable. * We reserve the right to cancel a session.

Do driver feedback speed limit signs impact speed compliance? We will find out on Thursday.

Radarsign Demonstration and Media Event

Thursday April 30 @ 11:30 am

Chesnut Charter Elementary School
(south parking lot)
4576 N. Peachtree Rd.,
Dunwoody, GA 30338

A driver feedback sign has been temporarily installed in front of Chesnut Charter Elementary. It is a speed reduction demonstration project coordinated by PEDS, metro Atlanta's pedestrian advocacy organization, in partnership with the City of Dunwoody and the Governor's Office of Highway Safety.

If you are concerned about the speeding problem on N. Peachtree Rd or other locations within Dunwoody, I would like to invite you to attend our media event on April 30 at 11:30 AM at Chesnut where you can learn of this new technology, speak to City officials and the news media.

Speeding in school zones and neighborhoods is a serious and pervasive problem. Speed humps, one of the cheapest traffic calming devices, are also the crudest and most controversial. Most jurisdictions prohibit them on collector streets, where speeding cut-through traffic is rampant. Driver feedback signs are effective and affordable and are being used in more and more metro Atlanta jurisdictions.

Hit at 20 mph, only 5% of pedestrians are killed.
Hit at 30 mph, 45% of pedestrians are killed.
Hit at 40 mph, 90% of pedestrians are killed.

A little extra speed makes a big impact. Metro Atlanta drivers hit 4 pedestrians every day, injuring about 1,500 per year and killing nearly 80.

QUESTIONS? Contact Michael Orta, PEDS Director of Community Education at 404-522-3747 or collaborate@peds.org.

Dr. Crawford Lewis to speak at Peachtree Charter Middle School on May 6th @ 9 am

Dr. Crawford Lewis – School Year Wrap-Up
Dunwoody, Chamblee, Cross Keys Parents Council

Wed May 6th at 9 a.m.
Peachtree Charter Middle School
4664 North Peachtree Road
Atlanta. Georgia 30338
678-676-7702

There are lots of interesting topics that Dr. Lewis could discuss but I will be very interested in knowing if the new Dunwoody Elementary School is scheduled to open on time with all of the rain that we have been having and when will the transportation plan for the Dunwoody schools be released?

Dunwoody City Council Audio - April 27, 2009

Agenda

Audio 1 - Start of meeting though consent agenda.

Audio 2 - Business Tax (Passed - No tax records & no late penalty until June 1.)
Bike Ride Proceeds - 130 Riders & $3,000.00

Audio 3 - Intro to Public Hearing on Farmers Market

Audio 4 - Public Hearing on Farmers Market
Vote on May 11 meeting.

Audio 5 - Volunteer Committee (info) & Chap 14 (first read)

Audio 6 - Water Leaks (first read) & Car Washes (failed)

Audio 7 - Records Management System (deferred)

Audio 8 - Appointment of Sustainability Commission (deferred)

Audio 9 - Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee (defered)

Free Iceberg, Ice Cream Treat at Carvel, Thursday 3 - 7 pm

Free Iceberg on Thursday 3 - 7

Carvel Ice Cream
2458 Jet Ferry Road
Dunwoody, GA 30338
(770) 396-0555

Camp Superstars daycamp offered at Brook Run for just $55.00 per week.

camp_superstar_2009.pdf

Registration is taking place at:

Lynwood Recreation Center
3360 Osborne Road
Atlanta 30319
(404) 303-2100

Who's going to the prom with Sarah? Awesome Dunwoody Prom Promo

Prom Promotion Video

Dunwoody High School, Academy of Mass Communications looks like it has some talented students with their latest release being a stop motion video promotion for the prom. The video is nicely done and the music background works though for some reason I keep thinking of Peter Gabrial's, Sledgehammer.

I guess I just watched a little too much MTV in the 80's.

Agenda for Dunwoody City Council - Monday April 27 at 7:00 pm

Monday April 27, 2009
7:00 p.m.
Dunwoody United Methodist Church
1548 Mt. Vernon Road, 30338

Agenda

Proclamation: “Building Safety Week”

Stormwater Utility Fees and Credits.

Stormwater Utility Fund Budget.

Chapter 14 Land Development and Environmental Protection, Article 2: Environmental Control. (reverting back to original DeKalb County Stream buffer requirements)

Chapter 15: Business Occupation Tax, Licenses, and Regulation. (Proof of tax return.)

Presentation of proceeds from the Bicycle Ride Around Dunwoody (BRAD) by the Dunwoody Preservation Trust.

PUBLIC HEARING
Chapter 27: Zoning - An amendment to the text of the Zoning Ordinance, specifically Section 1.17 Definitions; Section 4-36 Places of Worship, Convents, Monasteries, Temporary Religious Meetings, General Requirements; and Section 4-50 Temporary Outdoor Sales, Seasonal.
- Presentation and Recommendation by Public Works & Public Comments (Vote next week.)

Chapter 25 Water, Sewers, and Sewage Disposal. (Requirement to fix water leaks.)

Resolution to petition State EPD to amend its water restrictions in the State of Georgia. (car wash restrictions)

Award of Records Management System Contract. (Police RMS System)

Appointment of the Sustainability Commission.

Appointment of Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee.

EXECUTIVE SESSION for the purposes of legal, real estate, and personnel discussions.

St. Patrick's Episcopal Church slated for Farmers Market - Public Hearing Monday at Dunwoody Council Meeting.

The five-year-old Spruill Greenmarket needs to be relocated due to construction at its previous location. The City was asked to help identify a location for the market one morning a week, May through November. People suggested possible locations, but many were parking lots that could not be closed off to traffic easily or had other hazards. Also, the parking lots don't have access to bathrooms, shade, water, electricity, etc.

St. Patrick's Episcopal Church, 4755 North Peachtree Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338 stepped forward and offered Greenmarket its location on N. Peachtree Road across the street from Brook Run to use its property. On the proposed day of the market (Wednesday), St. Patrick's hosts a food bank in the afternoon, to which farmers and customers could conveniently donate food; therefore the market would be beneficial to both facilities.

Everything sounds good for the location though this matter raises a number of technical zoning details that the Council will have to weigh when deciding the matter. This initial zoning vote will also be the first time the residents have a chance to catch a glimpse into each Council members long term zoning philosophy.

The matter being placed in front of the Council affects all places of worship and may have unintended consequences throughout the city, because of this there is a Public Hearing scheduled for Monday nights City Council meeting at Dunwoody United Methodist Church at 7 pm.

Since the matter does not advertise the fact that all places of worship are eligible for the Farmers Market, but only St. Patrick's Church is immediately slated for the facility, I want to make sure the immediate neighbors are aware of the situation and would like to hear specifically from those residents living close to St. Patrick's.

I have already received quite a bit of feedback from the community on this matter but if you feel strongly one way or the other, I encourage you to either contact me directly, comment to this blog or attend Monday night's council meeting. Thanks.

John Heneghan
Dunwoody City Council
Member at Large
John.Heneghan@Dunwoodyga.gov

Biking makes sense therefore planning and infrastructure improvements should follow.

My boys and I participated in the 7 mile Bike Ride Around Dunwoody presented by the Dunwoody Preservation Trust and the proceeds from the ride were donated to the City and held in a special fund that will be used to designate bike lanes here in the City of Dunwoody.

With a little planning and wise infrastructure improvements the City of Dunwoody could be a much improved walkable and bikeable community which could connect us to our neighboring cities and the world beyond. The City of Dunwoody is still in its infancy but long term goals are being set and now we also need to be planning on how these goals will be fulfilled.

The U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Mr. Ray LaHood has made bicycle transportation a priority and he details on his blog the financial backing that this administration is putting towards the issue. The City of Dunwoody has already put forward a $500,000 grant application with Kingsley Elementary on the related issue of Safe Routes to Schools and will be exploring the issue of Complete Streets in the coming months as part of our Comprehensive Planning Process which will assist us in applying for bicycle related infrastructure improvements.

Ray LaHood blog entry...

Bicycling was one of the earliest beneficiaries of stimulus funding, with portions of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act explicitly devoted to bicycling, and this department has been very active in getting that funding out the door. States must spend 3 percent of their allocation on the Transportation Enhancements program, which is a primary source of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure funding. The remainder of the “highway” money also creates an opportunity to build complete streets. All of the highway funding is flexible, and bicycle and pedestrian projects are eligible. The 3 percent in Transportation Enhancements is a floor not a ceiling. 30 percent of a state’s allocation is sub-allocated to urbanized areas, where commuting by bicycle is most likely.

$3.1 billion is provided for the Energy Efficiency and Block Grant Program, which provides formula funding to cities, counties, and states to undertake a range of energy efficiency activities. One eligible use of funding is for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. $1 billion is provided for the Community Development Block Grants program, which provides formula funding to cities and counties that meet certain criteria to undertake community improvement activities. One eligible use of funding is for bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure.

Safety and connectivity are also large goals of the biking community therefore I am happy to promote the following two items.

• Georgia Bike Sense: A Guide for Cyclists and Motorists Safety

The Guide is intended to teach cyclists and motorists how to safely and legally share the road. It provides guidance on technique, rules of the road, trail etiquette, safety and also contains a listing of local, state and national bicycle resources.

To receive a booklet in the mail, please e-mail bikeped@dot.ga.gov, or call the State Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator at (404) 631-1778. Due to budget constraints, the Department requires that you arrange to pick up large quantities of the guides at one of our depositories around the state. http://www.dot.state.ga.us/travelingingeorgia/bikepedestrian/Pages/Safety.aspx

• Connecting Dunwoody to Roswell with a bridge

Proposed Bicycle/Pedestrian Bridge at Morgan Falls
Public Meeting: Thursday, April 30, 2009
7 - 9 PM Chattahoochee Nature Center, 9135 Willeo Road, Roswell

Dunwoody Convention & Visitors Bureau Forum - Audio

I was unable to make the 2 pm meeting yesterday (I actually have a paying job during the day that needs my attention.) but I volunteered to process and post the audio for all to hear. Enjoy.

04222009_DCVB_DunChamber.mp3

Is Dunwoody flirting with disaster and other neighborhood tidbits.

With the amount of unknowns that the Dunwoody City Council is dealing with in setting a budget, some might say that we are flirting with disaster but my gut tells me that our City Manager Warren Hutmacher and his skilled staff will bring us very close to our financial targets. None the less, we the City Council have always taken a very conservative view in our financial planning and are questioning all discrepancies.

If Ms. Shari O'Halloran the Owner of Mudcatz Bayou Bar & Grill has her way, the Pavillion in Dunwoody will be a major music venue with a stage, dance floor and capacity to hold between 300 and 400 people with one of the possible first acts being Molly Hatchet. (Shari, please save me two seats up front.) Link to News Story.

I missed the first Dunwoody Elementary School PTO meeting on Monday (because of a four hour city council meeting) where the election of the PTO officers were taking place. I believe congratulations are in order to the proposed board whom I am guessing is now the newly elected board. Since my boys will be attending this school for the next four years, I look forward to working with Co-Presidents Peggy Stecker & Kevin Cameron, VP's Marian Sheffield & Paige Ratonyi, Secretary Kim Fobas, Treasurer Kim Mc George & Financial Secretary Richard Starks.

Someone was looking Dunwoody Maps, try here and then here.

Dunwoody / North Atlanta Tweetup on Wed April 29 from 6 - 10pm at Cafe Intermezzo 4505 Ashford-Dunwoody Road Dunwoody, GA. Sponsored by Atlanta Business Radio & the North Atlanta Tweeters. Unfortunately @dunwoodynorth has a son's baseball game and will not be in attendance.

I had the pleasure of using the services of Dunwoody Personal Computers for a little computer assistance and I highly recommend Adam, he's great and does fast efficient work. 404-702-3726.

For a website that is based on transparency, I tip my hat to a relatively new site that is doing great investigative work, http://www.atlantaunfiltered.com. The recent story on Terrell Bolton is top notch investigating and now the story has been picked by the AJC, WSB TV and the DeKalb Officers site.

Last chance to join the Dunwoody North swim team on Thurs. Info here.

Brook Run Dog Park Work Day - Saturday from 9 - 11. Link.

I was just notified that the Dunwoody PD responded to a 3 car vehicle accident and the writer of the e-mail stated that it took less than 4 minutes to have two cars on scene. Outstanding !!

Audio from Monday's four hour city council work session. Agenda

04202009_audio1.mp3 Start, Sustainability & Farmer's Market

04202009_audio2.mp3 Single Stream Recycling

• Republic Services Presentation
  
• ABC News piece on Republic Services
  

04202009_audio3.mp3 Comprehensive Plan

04202009_audio4.mp3 Impact Fees

04202009_audio5.mp3 Boyken Update

04202009_audio6.mp3 Water Leaks on Private Property

04202009_audio7.mp3 Stream Buffer, Retaining Walls, Signs

04202009_audio8.mp3 DeKalb County Water Restrictions - Car Wash

04202009_audio9.mp3 March Financial Report

04202009_audio10.mp3 Storm Water Fees & Credits

04202009_audio11.mp3  Business Tax - Income Returns

DeKalb County Senior Olympics - deadline extended until Friday

Registration Form - I was asured that that the deadline has been extended.

Purpose: To provide adults 50 and older an opportunity to participate in program that:

- Encourages more physical activities
- Promotes healthier lifestyles
- Promotes health and wellness
- Provides a unique opportunity for socialization through competitive activities.

AGE

Participants must turn 50 years old by September 26, 2009. Events are divided into men and women divisions and age groups where appropriate. Birth date must be included for this reason.

AWARDS

First Place (1st) –Gold Medal; Second Place (2nd) - Silver Medal; Third Place (3rd) -Bronze medal

DeKalb County Senior Olympic committee reserves the right to combine age groups or to cancel any event due to insufficient registration, inclement weather and unusual or extenuating circumstances.

REGISTRATION AND FEES
• A $10.00 registration fee must accompany the completed application form.
• Registration for participants outside of DeKalb County will be an additional $10.00.
• Registration includes a Souvenir shirt and goody bag.

Mail registration form with payment to:
DeKalb County Parks and Recreation Department
Attn: Jackie Swain, Senior Olympics
1300 Commerce Drive Suite 200
Decatur, Georgia 30030

Checks should be made payable to: DeKalb County Parks and Recreation
For additional information call Jackie Swain, Senior Olympics at 404-371-2990 or jdswain@co.dekalb.ga.us.

Schedule

May 4
10:00 am, Opening Ceremony, Panthersville Stadium 2817 Clifton Springs Rd., Decatur 30034

May 4
12 noon, Track and Field, Panthersville Stadium 2817 Clifton Springs Rd., Decatur 30034

May 5
10:00 am, Health Fair, Mason Mill Recreation Center, 1340-B McConnell Drive, Decatur 30030

May 6
11:00 am, Swimming, Beulah Baptist Family Life Center, 2340 Clifton Spring Road, Decatur 30034

May 6
11:00 am, 3 on 3 Basketball Free Throw, Beulah Baptist Family Life Center, 2340 Clifton Spring Road Decatur 30034

May 7
10:00 am, Dominoes & Checkers, Bruce Street Senior Center 2484 Bruce Street Lithonia 30058

May 7
11:00 am, Horseshoes, Bruce Street Senior Center 2484 Bruce Street Lithonia 30058

May 7
11:00 am, Billiards Jay's Place, 4808 Redan Road, Stone Mountain 30088

May 8
1:00 pm, Mah Jong Life Enrichment Center, 1340-A McConnell Drive, Decatur 30030

May 9
10:00 am, Tennis Singles, Sugar Creek Golf & Tennis Center, 2706 Bouldercrest Road Atlanta 30316

May 9
10:00 am, Golf (Shot Gun Format), Mystery Valley Golf Course, 6904 Shadow Rock Drive Lithonia 30058

May 9
10:00 am, Clock Golf, Mystery Valley Golf Course 6904 Shadow Rock Drive, Lithonia 30058

May 11
6:30 pm, Table Tennis Tournament (Singles), Tucker Recreation Center 4898 LaVista Road, Tucker 30084

May 11
9:30 am, Talent Show, Porter Stanford III Performing Arts & Community Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur 30034

May 12
10:00 am, Water Volleyball, Lou Walker Senior Center 2538 Panola Road, Lithonia 30038

May 12
10:00 am, Bridge Tournament, Tucker Recreation Center 4898 LaVista Road, Tucker 30084

May 12
1:00 pm, Bowling, Suburban Lanes 2619 N Decatur Road, Decatur 30030

May 13
10:00 am, Canasta, Mason Mill Recreation Center, 1340-B McConnell Drive, Decatur 30030

May 13
1:00 pm, Wheelchair Bowling, Atlanta Fun Center 1741 Mountain Ind. Blvd., Stone Mountain 30083

May 14
6:30 pm, Table Tennis (Doubles), Tucker Recreation Center 4898 LaVista Road, Tucker 30084

May 14
10:00 am, Line Dancing Workshop & Team Competition, Decatur Recreation Center 231 Sycamore Street, Decatur 30030

May 15
10:00 am, Closing Ceremony TBA

Dunwoody Convention and Visitors’ Bureau - Forum Wednesday @ 2 p.m.

From the Crier & the Chamber

A public forum will be held Wednesday to discuss the details of establishing a Convention and Visitors’ Bureau for Dunwoody. This forum is will be held from 2-4 p.m., in the auditorium of the Terraces South office building at 115 Perimeter Center Place NE, Dunwoody, Georgia.

The city of Dunwoody collects a 5 percent tax from area hotels. According to state law, 2 percent of the tax revenue must be spent to promote tourism, conventions and trade shows and other tourism-related purposes. The Dunwoody City Council must now determine what approach the city will take to ensure that these funds will provide a positive economic impact. This is a community forum to discuss the direction of how we will move forward with the next step in building Dunwoody’s foundation,” said Lindsay Ballow, Community Affairs Chair of the Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce and an organizer of the event.

City of Dunwoody Work Session Agenda - April 20, 2009

Monday, April 20 2009 at 7 p.m.
Dunwoody United Methodist Church
1548 Mt. Vernon Rd, 30338

Agenda

• Sustainability Commission Appointments.
  
  
• Presentation on Single Stream Recycling.
  
  
• Comprehensive Plan Kick-Off Presentation.
  
  
• Boyken Status Report.
  
  
• Discussion of Code Amendment to address Water Leaks – Chapter 25 Water, Sewers and Sewage Disposal.
  
  
• Discussion of Chapter 14: Land Development and Environmental Protection, Article 2: Environmental Control.
  
  
• Discussion of Retaining Walls.
  
  
• Discussion of Sign Code Amendment.
  
  
• Discussion of Impact Fees.
  
  
• Discussion of DeKalb County Water Restrictions.
  
  
• March Financial Report.
  
  
• Resolution establishing Stormwater Utility Fees and Credits.
  
  
• FIRST READ: Ordinance to establish a Stormwater Utility Fund Budget
  
  
• FIRST READ: Ordinance to amend Chapter 15: Business Occupation Tax, Licenses, and Regulation

Executive Session for the purposes of legal, real estate, and personnel discussions.

2009 Lemonade Days Ride Coupon

Brook Run Park
4470 N. Peachtree Road, 30038

Print your own $5.00 off coupon for unlimited carnival rides at Lemonade Days in Dunwoody, please print one for each person. Great entertainment value for the entire family.

Ride Hours
Friday 5 - 11 pm
Saturday 10 am - 11 pm
Sunday Noon - 6 pm

Full Schedule of Events

Georgia Aquarium’s newest round of deals.

• The Me & Mommy deal is back. On Mondays through Fridays until May 22, 2009, you can buy a Me & Mommy ticket pass (available online only) for $25. The Me & Mommy pass includes admission for one adult and up to four children ages 5 & under, as well as parking. It’s $5 more than the last time they offered it, but since parking alone is $10, it’s still a good deal.
  
  
• The social media ticket deals are back, too; this time, they’re $20 each, and they’re good through the end of the year. The Georgia Aquarium has posted a link on their Myspace, Facebook, and Twitter page, but you can get to it through this link. You must purchase tickets before May 22, 2009.
  
  
• This isn’t a new deal, but it’s a good one: After 3:00 p.m. on Sundays through Fridays, college students with valid ID can get into the Georgia Aquarium for $13.

The Georgia Aquarium is located at 225 Baker Street, Atlanta. 404-581-4000

H/T to Jennifer at Atlanta on the Cheap who finds the great deals.

Dunwoody Crime Stats on CrimeReports.com

I was reading the Discussion Board on the City of Dunwoody website when I noticed that someone pointed out that the Dunwoody crime stats are now listed on the CrimeReports.com website. I haven't had the chance to discuss this matter with Chief Grogan but the stats look official to me except that I couldn't find the reported kidnapping. This may just be a test run of the service which may not be the final tool selected but it does show that someone at the police department is working on the issue.

The Crime Report tool maps each reported incident for a specified time period as well as graphs the totals. Below are the overall stats for the April 1 - 15 time period.

Number of Crimes by Type.

Percentage of Crime by Type.

Dunwoody High School Artists featured at Dogwood Festival.

Meredith Barret, Andrew Lyman, Hiromi Morita

Three Dunwoody High School art students have had artwork chosen to be displayed in the Atlanta High School Art Exhibition at the Dogwood Festival this year taking place April 17-19, 2009. 189 works of art out of 440 submissions will be exhibited including the 14 award winners

Congratulations to Andrew Lyman, sophomore. His acrylic painting, “Portrait of Eugenia” won the 8th place award. His favorite media are Graphite, Acrylic, and Ink. He is also the Art Director for the Dunwoody High School Yearbook.

Hiromi Morita, senior AP Art student will show her “Mythical Creatures” artwork which features Prisma Marker, her concentration. This is her second showing at the Dogwood Festival. She also received an award from the Dunwoody Women’s Club for her “Still Life” drawing.

Meredith Barret, senior AP Art student will show her watercolor painting “Swirled Fish”. Watercolor is her concentration.

Congratulations to these talented students.

Dunwoody Elementary named and Speeding Traffic concerns.

During the public comment of the Dunwoody City Council, Councilwoman Adrian Bonser announced that the new 4th & 5th Grade Elementary School on Womack will be named Dunwoody Elementary, the colors will be Light & Dark Blue and the team mascot will be the Tigers.

The meeting was rather dry except for the traffic calming issue whereby the affected community stood in unison at the meeting demanding that the council take action thereby allowing the residents to vote on the matter. Speeding cut through traffic was the big issue with the residents knowing that the problem will get worse come August with the new school opening. The matter passed unanimously by the council and after the horror stories I heard from the residents, I believe I know a new stretch of sidewalk that was added to my wish list of future improvements.

Speeding, Speeding Tickets, Speed Detection were big issues tonight and I would like to ask that everyone please be mindful of their driving habits.

http://www.youtube.com

Below is the audio from the meeting. Agenda

04132009_1.mp3 Start of meeting

04132009_2.mp3 Land development Chap 14 minor cleanup

04132009_3.mp3 Village Creek Traffic Calming

04132009_4.mp3 Probation - Car Wash - End.

Ride of Silence - in honor of those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways.

Since the BRAD (Bike Ride Around Dunwoody) happening this Saturday is in honor of Jim Benson, a Dunwoody man killed riding a bike, I wanted to promote the Ride of Silence happening on Wednesday May 20th at Piedmont Park.

Maigh Houilhan over at Metroblogging Atlanta is heading up the effort and more information can be found here & here.

DATE: May 20, 2009
TIME: 7:00 pm
WHERE: Hundreds of locations world wide - In Atlanta meet at Piedmont Park - corner of 10th and Charles Allen.

Distance: 5k Notes: Riders will meet just inside the Piedmont Park gate at 10th and Charles Allen between 6:30 and 6:45. A few words will be said and we'll begin our ride promptly at 7 pm.

All levels of riders welcome: beach combers to carbon fiber fixies.

Free Ice Cream on Wednesday at Maggie Moos, Georgetown Shopping Center

Tax day special found by Atlanta on the Cheap

The Shoppes of Georgetown
4468 Chamblee Dunwoody Road
Dunwoody, GA 30338
770-454-9866

I also heard a rumor that Zamba Funland (also at Georgetown Shopping Center) is free until June? Sounds like a good way to sugar them kiddies up and then wear them out.

Here's to us, and those like us, and there aren't that many!

John & Kristin Heneghan

Thirteen years ago I was blessed to marry the prettiest, most vivacious, blond flight attendant that United Airlines had to offer. Lucky for me the introverted, workaholic that I am, I was able to find a woman who is my polar opposite in many ways but because of our differences we complement each other very well.

Happy Anniversary Kristin, I love you very much and thanks for bringing so much joy into my life.

Public Hearing on Monday for Traffic Calming in Village Mill

With the new elementary school opening in August, this measure gives the neighborhood options and as this is our first traffic calming hearing, I am very interested in hearing opinions from all the residents affected.

Public Hearing Documents

The City of Dunwoody, GA will be conducting a Public Hearing on Monday, April 13, 2009 at 7 pm to consider accepting the attached plan and initiating the final petition process for Traffic Calming in Land Lot 361 of the 18th District on Village Creek Drive between Womack Road and Olde Village Lane.

The residents of Village Mill Subdivision have been working with DeKalb County for over eight years to address the excessive speed of vehicles traveling through the neighborhood. DeKalb County performed a traffic study in 2005 that confirmed that speeding does exist on Village Creek Drive between Womack Road and Olde Village Lane. The 85th percentile speed of 39 mph on a road posted at 25 mph, meets the criteria for traffic calming measures which is generally accepted to be 11 mph or more over the posted speed.

The initiator(s) from the neighborhood met with the DeKalb County design engineer for this affected area to discuss alternate methods of traffic calming available to them and to review the proposed plans. DeKalb County held a Public Meeting with the neighborhood in April 2008 and worked with the residents to develop the attached plan to install six (6) Speed Tables on Village Creek Drive. The initiator(s) took this plan back to their neighborhood and they conveyed to the staff that they are in support of the attached proposed design and with moving forward to the final petition process. This plan was presented to the DeKalb Board of Commissioners for acceptance and the initiation of the final petition process in October 2008, but the BOC tabled the action due to the pending incorporation of the City of Dunwoody.

The initiator(s) have requested that the City pick up and continue the process with this neighborhood at the point in the process they were with DeKalb on December 1, 2008 when the City was incorporated. This Public Hearing has been advertised and appropriate signs have been posted notifying residents in the area. If the plan is accepted by the City Council, the initiator(s) will have 90 days to acquire 65% valid “yes” signatures from the 46 affected property owners in the affected area on Village Creek Drive and Village Creek Court.

Walking Wednesday in support of Safe Route to Schools was a tremendous success at Kingsley Elementary.

Kingsley's first Walking Wednesday was a tremendous success!

More than 100 students participated in Kingsley's inaugural walk to school event on April 1st, joined by over 50 parents, Kingsley Principal Karen Graham, City Councilman John Heneghan, Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan and several members of the Dunwoody Police Department. It was a wonderful sight to see the walkers form a mini-parade as they steadily marched down N. Peachtree Road on their way to school.

Mother Nature must have appreciated our efforts, providing dry and pleasant conditions for our walk. Early morning showers stopped shortly before our walkers gathered together, with the rain resuming just after we arrived to school.

Our police escort was a great help, slowing down some early morning commuters and providing safe passage across Mt. Vernon Hwy. and N. Peachtree Rd.

Kingsley will continue its Walking Wednesday program this year, with walks scheduled for this Wednesday and 5/13. I hope that Kingsley's success will inspire other Dunwoody schools to establish similar programs, and that children walking to school will soon be a common sight on Dunwoody.

Doraville Community Gardening Presentation, Monday April 13 at 7 p.m.

Residents of our neighboring City of Doraville are interested in starting a community garden and they are meeting Monday night at City Hall to discuss options with Mr. Bobby Wilson of the DeKalb County Extension. If you are interested in this subject, please feel free to attend.

Tonight - Monday April 13th
7 p.m.
Doraville City Hall
3725 Park Avenue
Doraville, Georgia 30340

H/T to Joseph at Dorablog

Dunwoody City Council Meeting Agenda for Monday April 13

Monday, April 13 2009 at 7 p.m.
Dunwoody United Methodist Church
1548 Mt. Vernon Rd, 30338

Agenda

• Proclamation: “Arbor Day”
• “Comcast Cares Day” – Andy Macke
• Introduction of Court Clerk
• Approval of Meeting Minutes from March 16, 2009
• Approval of Meeting Minutes from March 23, 2009

• PUBLIC HEARING
  Chapter 14, Article 2 Development and Environmental Code
  Presentation and Recommendation by Community Development

• PUBLIC HEARING
  Village Creek Drive Traffic Calming
  Presentation and Recommendation by Public Works
  ACTION ITEM: Accept the plan and start the 90-day petition process for traffic calming measures in Land Lot 361 of the 18th District on Village Creek Drive between Womack Road and Olde Village Lane.

• Recommendation for Award of Probation Services Contract.

• Resolution of intent to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program.

• Resolution amending Alcohol License Fees.

• EXECUTIVE SESSION - legal, real estate, and personnel discussions.

I made a promise for Dunwoody Crime Stats & Maps and we will deliver.

Where are the Crime Stats?

The Dunwoody Police Department is up and running and a records management system will be selected very soon and once that happens the City will be looking for the best solution to post city crime information online. I have heard a complaint (just one) that we (the City) have not made this a priority as we moved away from the DeKalb County Police but I wanted to reassure you that it is most definitely a priority that I and other members of the Council feel very strongly about.

The reason I bring this up is because the AJC has a nice article on crime statistics that I thought was worth reading and I just wanted to reassure the the Dunwoody citizens that we will be bringing forward an electronic, no cost solution to publicize general crime statistics.

AJC - Obtaining crime information can be a challenge

My blog is getting a little press and earning me big bucks.

My little neighborhood blog is featured on the front page of the DeKalb Champion Newspaper and it also received the quarterly contributor award from the Community Radar website. I never intended for my little blog to make me rich nor bring me personal recognition but I guess it is nice to be recognized for submitting quality items of interest. Even if it is just for sharing information on low cost Georgia Aquarium tickets that a Dunwoody reader was able to take advantage of, I was just glad I could just pass the information along.

Champion Newspaper Article by Jonathan Cribbs

"You could say John Heneghan’s city council campaign began when he started Heneghan’s Dunwoody Blog. The site, hosted on Blogger, launched in 2005 with the headline: “DHA – Dunwoody Mom and Dad Crowned.” It was a simple piece of community news lifted from The Dunwoody Crier, the local paper. (It was my Wife Kristin who was named Dunwoody Mom of the Year.)

Cut to March 2009. Heneghan sits on the City of Dunwoody’s newly created city council, representing Post 6. He won more than 4,000 votes, more than 60 percent of the vote in the city’s first elections in September. And he did it bypassing a good number of tried-and-true campaigning methods, including campaign signs and advertising."

Community Radar - Awards Cash for quality blogging.

"This time around the most popular item published was the work of a community leader familiar to many of you. John Heneghan has long made a difference for his own neighborhood using the power of blogging. As a leader in the newly formed city of Dunwoody, John has continued to use the awesome power of the Web to promote civic awareness among his constituents.

This is the type of information sharing Community Radar is tailored to support and amplify through its one-of-a -kind civic information network. Join me in thanking John for his contributions to our community and in offering appreciation to all contributors to our site."

I was awarded $50.00 from Mr. Kim Gokce of Community Radar and will be donating the prize money to the Susan B. Koman Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk taking place October 23 - 25, 2009. Thank you Kim for the honor of the award and I would also like to thank you for offering a website where community members can post & read local items of interest on a daily basis; I read it every day.

Dunwoody’s Natasha Lebowitz turns delivering meals into a cherished family affair with Project Open Hand.

H.M. Cauley for the AJC

As a working mom, Dunwoody’s Natasha Lebowitz wanted the time she spent with her 3-year-old to be meaningful and precious. That meant ruling out another Saturday morning play date or sports activity. “I just didn’t want to sign us up for another gym class,” said Lebowitz. “I wanted to do something meaningful that we could do together.”

Lebowitz found the perfect combination of mommy-time and meaningful activity: delivering meals to homebound elderly and ailing clients of Open Hand, a nonprofit that prepares and distributes food packages to 17 North Georgia counties. That was five years ago, and two more children later, Lebowitz is still showing up each Saturday with food for needy folks around Atlanta.

“At first, people —- even my husband, Errol —- thought I was crazy, dragging this little boy with me,” said Lebowitz. “But people loved seeing this darling little boy, and he liked seeing all the people every week. When I became pregnant with my second, my husband became my driver and he loved it, too. He even took over my route while I was home with the baby.”

Two years ago, Lebowitz quit her day job as a buyer with Macy’s to raise her family: David, now 7; Paulina, 5; and Sammy, 3. And she turned the Saturday morning meal delivery into a family affair. “We’ve just never stopped since we started,” said Lebowitz. “Sometimes we even take some of the kids’ school friends along. It’s a nice experience for everyone involved and it’s good family time.”

The family starts out by heading to Midtown, where they load their white Toyota Sequoia with meals for 10 Open Hand clients. They’ve occasionally handled deliveries for as many as 20 people in one morning. Their main service area is in the Buford Highway-Clairmont Road area, where they encounter a wide range of ages and situations.

“A lot of the people we see are just elderly, but we also see some young guys,” said Lebowitz. “Most of them are on special diets because of diabetes or renal problems. At one time, we saw a young mother who had four kids. That was a real eye-opener for my children to see that not everyone has video games and all the things they have at home.”

The best part of the day comes when the kids and the clients interact, said Lebowitz. “Some of them really take time with my kids. One family of Russian immigrants, the husband plays chess with my son. At one time, we had two buildings where there were many Russian Jewish immigrants and, being Jewish, that was a good connection for us.”

The weekly outing can take as long as three hours, Lebowitz said. “But I figure, what else would we be doing then? Watching TV and lazing around the house? My children know that if we don’t do this, there are going to be a lot of people who may not get a good lunch that day. Some people have even said we shouldn’t do it because it’s Shabbat [the Jewish day of rest], but helping out in the community is the right thing to do. And it’s a really easy thing that can mean a lot for everyone.”

4 fun facts about … Natasha Lebowitz

1. She is the captain of an ALTA tennis team.

2. In addition to Open Hand, she volunteers weekly at Greenfield Hebrew Academy, where all three of her children are enrolled.

3. After graduating from Indiana University, she headed east to start a career with Macy’s, where she met her husband in a Long Island branch store.

4. She runs the Dunwoody Club Forest Turning Leaves Book Club.

Dunwoody Beer Festival - May 16th is sure to be a sell out, support Camp Twin Lakes.

Saturday, May 16, 2009
2:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Perimeter Mall
4400 Ashford-Dunwoody Rd.
Dunwoody, GA 30346

In its eighth year, the Dunwoody Beer Festival hosts a combination of over 150 beers, malt beverages, and liquors from countries all over the world. The party runs from 2 pm to 7 pm. Your admission includes great live entertainment and souvenir pint glass and all the beer you can safely consume. One great party for one great cause. All proceeds benefit Camp Twin Lakes, where young spirits soar. Free Dunwoody Beer Festival t-shirt to the first 2,000 people that enter! 21 and up. No refunds.

Get your tickets Now.

Bike Ride Around Dunwoody - register the entire family today for Saturday Event.

Can you imagine seeing this sign posted on Dunwoody Streets?

Sign up today.

On 18th, 2009 Dunwoody Preservation Trust (DPT) will sponsor the first annual Bike Ride Around Dunwoody (BRAD) for individual riders and families who want to support making Dunwoody a more bike-friendly place. Profits from this low-cost event will be donated to the City of Dunwoody and held in a special fund that will be used to designate bike lanes here in the City. We do this in honor of Jim Benson, who was a long-time Dunwoody resident who lost his life recently in a biking accident in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

The schedule for the event is as follows:

9:00 AM: Bicycle Safety Training Class, conducted by Performance Bicycle.

9:30 AM: Comments about Jim Benson from family and friends. Jim grew up in Dunwoody, and attended Dunwoody High School and the University of Georgia where he was a member of the Swim Team. This first BRAD is conducted in his memory.

10:00 AM: The Bike Ride begins. The course will exit the back gate of Brook Run onto Peeler Road (left), proceed on to Chamblee Dunwoody Road (right), Vermack Road (right). Pass by Dunwoody High School. Proceed to Mt. Vernon Road (left) to Dunwoody Village where the route will go left onto Chamblee Dunwoody Road. Then a left onto Womack, to Village Mill (right) to Peeler Road (left) to North Peachtree Road (right) to the front entrance of Brook Run. The riders will be met there by the Peachtree Middle School marching band, who will escort the riders down the main street of Brook Run to the carnival area. The entire route is approximately 7 miles.

We will also have a shorter route that will exit the park at Peeler Road and proceed to Village Mill and return to the park. This route will be approximately 2 miles.

Before and after the ride, we will have representatives from Performance Bicycle on-site to help with minor bicycle issues, pump up tires, etc, etc.

Please click on the following link to register for the event. We are asking for $10 per rider to cover the cost of a commemorative Lemonade Days t-shirt and the donation to bike lanes in Dunwoody, $15 if you register on the day of the ride. If you'd like to donate more, please indicate as such in the entry form. Any additional amounts donated will go directly to the special fund. We are also raffling 2 bicycles that have been generously donated by REI and Performance Bicycles. One is a children's bike, and one is an adult model. A $5 donation will purchase 5 chances to win your choice of bikes, and all proceeds from this raffle will go to the special bike lane fund.

This event is generously sponsored by Portis Building & Interiors. Sam & Molly Portis are dedicated members of our community who actively support the concept of making Dunwoody more bike-friendly. We thank them for their support.