EACA Newsletter for February 7, 2011

The Ethics Commission of the Board of Education of the Atlanta Independent School System will conduct a meeting, February 3rd at 7pm, to determine whether to initiate an investigation on an alleged ethics violation by a board member.

Center for Learning and Leadership auditorium, 130 Trinity Ave, Atlanta, Georgia 30303.

Sopo Bicycle Coop

Our mission...is to create equitable access to cycling by providing affordable bicycle maintenance, services and education.

Our shop...provides a central forum for sharing equipment, materials, and expertise, and facilitates affordable, practical, hands-on support for cyclists of all ages and skill levels.

Today is going to be an exciting night! Come to the shop at 7pm for our Bike Maintenance 101 class on Headsets and Bottom Brackets. Facilitated by the fabulous Jason Deck, this class will teach you all you need to know to keep your bike rolling. Bring your own bike or work on one of ours. (Suggested donation $0-$10.) Then ride with us to Javalords for a bike themed movie! Make new friends, and have an awesome time!

UPCOMING FEBRUARY EVENTS:

Monday 2/7 Bike maintenance 101 @ Sopo 7PM

Monday 2/7 Bike-in movie leaves from Sopo at 8PM, rides to Javaloards

Monday 2/14 Volunteer Night @ Sopo 7-10 PM (for those who have completed Vol. Orientation)

Monday 2/21 Monthly Meeting @ WonderRoot (982 Memorial Drive.) 7-8PM

Friday 2/25 Critical Mass meet @ Woodruff Park downtown 6:30PM

Sunday 2/27 Women's Bike Clinic @ Sopo 2PM

Monday 2/28 Volunteer Orientation @ Sopo 7PM

Maximizing Your 2010 Taxes

For more information about Living Waters Bible Church and to register please visit www.livingwatersbc.org.

Kingfisher Academy Open House

Kingfisher Academy, the only secular, independent private school serving all the Southeast Neighborhoods is having open houses for enrollment on Wednesdays in February from 9-6. Interested parties should call for an appointment at 404-667-6951.

We serve families with children ages 3 to 8th grade, and we have a new space to show off at 158 Moreland Avenue. We're entering our 13th year and have always been honored to serve this side of Atlanta with a family friendly, affordable option for private schooling. Our children come from everywhere, and we celebrate the variety of families with which we work.

Montessori In Town Open Houses

Montessori In Town, serving East Atlanta and other intown neighborhoods, is now enrolling for Primary and Elementary Programs. Open Houses will be held at both campuses as follows: Thursday, February 17, 6:30 - 8:00 pm, at the Glen Castle Campus, 750 Glenwood Avenue SE as well as Sunday, March 20, 2:00 - 4:00 pm, at the Poncey-Highland Campus, 1085 Ponce de Leon Ave NE.

RSVP to 404-784-1038 or nikki@montessoriintown.com.

Montessori is a sensorially-based, concrete, "hands-on" approach to learning that leads the child to self-discovery. Learn more at www.montessoriintown.com

Oakhurst Garden's Chicks in the City

On the wings of Oakhurst Garden's wildly popular "Chicks in the City" classes comes the full day of urban poultry-keeping. On February 26 the second annual Chicks in the City Symposium offers attendees a full plate of essentials on backyard chickens. Taught by local experts, the five sessions highlight how-to's from coop design to breeds and from chicken first aid to getting started with backyard poultry. Returning again this year and broadcasting live for his radio show, Andy Schneider, The Chicken Whisperer will participate in the Symposium.

With urban farming on the rise, and as concerns about how food is made increase, this timely full day of workshops will engage and enlighten both the committed "locavore" and the merely curious alike. New topics this year are chickens as food, predator proofing your coop and first aid. This year we will also have a silent auction to familiarize you with the best local chicken care products.

The Chicks in the City Symposium runs from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30pm on Saturday, February 26 and will be held at the Decatur Recreation Center, 231 Sycamore St., Decatur, 30030. Cost is $65. Oakhurst Garden members and City of Decatur residents pay just $50. Pre-registration is requested and limited to the first 100 registrants. Register at www. Oakhurstgarden.org

The Porch Press

The Porch Press wants to make sure that everyone in East Atlanta is receiving their publication. Anyone living inside the city limits in East Atlanta not receiving the paper should call Genie Strickland at 404-373-3130. Please leave your street address as well as a name and number in case we have to call you back. Information can be emailed to Genie as well.

Burgess-Peterson Academy Visiting Teachers Program

Burgess-Peterson Academy (BPA) is seeking an East Atlanta family who is willing to serve as host for a visiting instructor who will be teaching Mandarin at BPA starting in March. BPA is participating in the Atlanta Confucius Institute Visiting Teachers Program. The program provides visiting teachers an American family to live with as well as the ability to learn the American culture for one calender year. Participating families must be located within walking or bicycling distance from the school. This is a great opportunity to share East Atlanta hospitality with an engaged young teacher and, in exchange, have an opportunity to learn first-hand about Chinese culture. Host families must be able to provide a private bedroom for their guest, but are not required to have children at BPA or in Atlanta Public Schools. Contact Principal Robin Robbins for more information at rcrobbins@atlanta.k12.ga.us .

Neighbor in Need, Working for East Atlanta

As reported in the newsletter last week Neighbor in Need was able to to help make emergency home repairs for two East Atlanta residents in the month of January.

This week we would like to specifically thank the Village Church of East Atlanta for their very generous donation last week because without the combined efforts of the whole community this wonderful program could not exist. If you appreciate neighbors helping neighbors, please consider making a donation to Neighbor in Need.

Get Fit, Relax and Party at Brownwood Park

Brownwood Recreation Center now offers two ways for folks to stay fit and healthy. The center has pilates and yoga classes running four days a week.

Instructors from popular urban boot camp FitWit are leading the pilates and yoga classes. Pilates are offered on Tuesdays and Thursday (7:15 pm to 8:15pm); contact Lane at trainmelane@yahoo.com for class details. Yoga is offered on Wednesdays (7:15pm to 8:15pm) and Saturdays (9:00 am to 10:15am); contact Amy at amyleiran@aol.com. Both classes cost $8 to $10 per class.

Brownwood Recreation Center is also available for community use for a variety of parties, classes, and meetings. All it takes is a phone call or email to Lisa Marie Welch, Brownwood facility manager. If you or a group would like to have an event - or series of events at the rec center, check the calendar at www.eastatlantakids.org, then contact Lisa Marie or 404-624-0747.

The rec center has been managed by EAKC with the support of EACA, East Atlanta Beer Fest and other sponsors and partners since the city closed the center in 2008

Friday Food for Firefighters

Since early November 2010, your neighbors have provided a home-cooked meal for firefighters at Station 13 every Friday night. We're calling it Friday Food for Firefighters, or FFF, since we love acronyms. If you would like to provide a meal for four to six firefighters some Friday, please check out the web-based scheduler:

Password: friday
Click "Edit"
Sign up for a date with your name and meal
Click "save this version"

If you have questions, please contact Beth-Ann Buitekant, who is overseeing the schedule. Beth has lived in East Atlanta since 1984. Having suffered from losing her home to a fire many years ago she would often think about the firefighters working there. After supplying treats at various times, she realized she wanted to do more with this program being the result.

Please consider getting involved because the more people signed up the less effort it will take on any one person. Neighbors have already signed up through February! So, if you have the ability to provide food one Friday evening on occasion please sign up. Meals should be delivered between 5:00 and 5:30 pm, and the firefighters have requested no pork products. This new program is an easy way to literally serve your community.

East Atlanta Security Patrol Update

Another week of minimal crime for the period Jan 23-29. Two burglaries and two larcenies were reported for the week. Please see the crime report below.

Fantastic news, with yet another major arrest on Sunday evening January 23rd in East Atlanta, as Sidney Harris, 51, was arrested while attempting to steal an A/C unit in the 700 block of Maynard Terrace. A second man, Warren Jackson, 45, was identified as a suspect. We're checking to see if Mr. Jackson has been picked up yet. They were using a stolen Silverado, which should add to the charges against these men.

To learn more about the East Atlanta Security Patrol, view updated news and notes or to enroll, visit the EASP website. There is a 50% discount for longtime residents and those 65+. To qualify, you must have lived at the same address for 20 years or be over age 65. We also have a 20% discount for members of an APD-sanctioned Neighborhood Watch. Please contact us if you're interested in setting up a Neighborhood Watch on your street.

If you have additional questions, please direct them to easp610@gmail.com, or call EACA Public Safety Chair Myron Polster at 404-954-1568.

EACA Public Safety - Weekly Crime Report

The weekly crime reports for weeks 2-5 are below:

The significant arrests report for weeks 2-5 are below:

Week 5
Week 4
Week 3
Week 2 - No report filed

January Crime Report

January Trends

Upcoming Area Meeting

Atlanta City Council

Meetings: 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month (02.07), 1:00 pm

City Hall, 55 Trinity Ave SW

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners

Meetings: 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month (02.08), 9:00 am

Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Dr, Decatur

East Atlanta Community Association, (EACA)

Meetings: 2nd Tuesday of the month (02.08), 7pm

Branan Towers, 1200 Glenwood Ave., SE

South Atlantans for Neighborhood Development, Inc. (SAND) Meetings: 2nd Thursday of the month (02.10); 7:30pm Beulah Heights University Student Center, 892 Berne Street

Branan Towers Bingo

3rd Tuesday of the month (02.15), 6pm

Branan Towers, 1200 Glenwood Ave., SE

Burgess-Peterson Academy PTA Meeting

February 15, 6pm

480 Clifton Street., SE

Grant Park Neighborhood Association
Meetings: 3rd Tuesday of the month (02.15), 7:30pm
Zoo Atlanta - ARC Building - Ford Conservation Room
800 Cherokee Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30315

EACA Membership