Please Support Holy Redeemer 3rd Grade Service Project "Backpacks for Foster Children"

This is going to be one of those rare times I focus on my children in the DWG blog.  :-)

My eldest daughter, Maggie is in the 3rd grade at Holy Redeemer Catholic School in Johns Creek, GA.  Every class at HR has a community service project and the 3rd grade supports the Foster Care Support Foundation in Roswell (www.fostercares.org).  FCSF visited with the 3rd grade classes to talk about their services and the children who need them.  They went into detail about what kind of family situations cause a child to go into foster care and what their lives are like.  They learned that foster children often feel forgotten and value simple things they own and can carry with them when they are picked up and transported to a home on short notice.

FCSF has requested new backpacks, socks, and underwear.  That sounds really basic but these are items that children don't think to grab when they're being taken to a foster home.  A backpack that is theirs and theirs alone makes the process easier.

All of the 3rd grade students are raising money to make the purchases and we are now in the final week.  I am asking, if you are so inclined, to please donate to the cause using the secure PayPal button below.  This donation gateway will be open until 12 noon EDT on Saturday, April 18.  All monies donated at this time will be taken to purchase the items to be contributed to FCSF the following week during school.

As an added incentive (and as a lesson for my daughter in the role of corporate sponsorship in charity fundraising) SDOC Publishing Internet Solutions will match all contributions made, dollar for dollar up to $1,000.  If you include your name and address, Maggie will send you a personal letter of thanks with a description of what your contribution made possible.   I'll also follow up on the blog with how the donations are spent.  There will be no overhead/administrative costs - all donations will go to purchasing items to support children in foster care.

Thank you in advance for your support.

UPDATE:  The donation period is now closed.  Thank you to all of our donors.  Please stay tuned for a project update on Monday, 4/20.

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ABOUT THE FOSTER CARE SUPPORT FOUNDATION

Foster Care Support Foundation is a volunteer driven 501(c)3 non profit.  We collect new and like-new clothing, toys, and infant equipment to give free to Georgia's at-risk youth.

There are thousands of children in foster care and most of them are being cared for on half of what it costs for a child's daily care.  The rest must come from the foster parents' own finances or the child may go without.  We are here to help change the face of the forgotten child.

Foster Care Support Foundation receives no government funding and relies solely on donations from our communities, businesses, private citizens, faith-based and civic organizations for their support.  Located at 115 Mansell Pl in Roswell GA, this program serves thousands of children throughout the State of Georgia each year.

CONTACT

Phone  770-641-9591  or 404-729-3374
Email:  info@fostercares.org
Web:  www.fostercares.org

OPERATING HOURS
Tuesday through Saturday 10 am - 2 pm

DISTRIBUTION CENTER
115 Mansell Place
Roswell, GA  30076

MAILING ADDRESS
Foster Care Support Foundation
3334 Trails End Roadd
Roswell, GA  30075

ON FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/fostercares.org

Food Truck Thursdays - April 9

Brook Run Park
5 PM til Dark

(ignore the time in the graphic, a fix in progress)

Sponsor

The Dunwoody Crier

Musical Entertainment

John Lawson, singer, songwriter

Adult Beverages

Moondog Growlers

Dinner Vendors

Bento Bus

Fry Guy 

The Pup Truck

One Love Jerk Grill

Yumbii

Spiedie Zone

Pressed For Time

Mobile Marlay

Dessert Vendors

King Of Pops

Daddy O's Irish Ice Cream

Next week, Thursday, April 16 enjoy Lemonade Days in the Park and their food vendors. Dunwoody Food Truck Thursdays will be back April 23 and every Thursday through October.

Talkin' Trash Too

DeKalb County has finalized their plans to convert all garbage pickup to one day per week for all items - trash, recycling, and yard debris.

Here's the bottom line

• The issue was cost:  delivering pickup service without raising taxes/fees.  
• Workman's comp costs are reportedly down, along with on the job injuries due to the new mechanical "dumpers" on the backs of the trucks and the new county-issued trash cans.
• No one is getting laid off or fired; workforce reduction is via attrition
• Sanitation is promoting additional recycling for their benefit as well as the global "green" initiatives;  recycling materials is not a cash cow for the department but it does reduce trips to the landfill that will reportedly keep it open for another 70 years.

That's the party line coming from County government.

This is the business card of Tony McBride who visited the March DHA meeting to talk about the transition.  Helluva nice guy and faced all kinds of questions head-on.  Councilman Terry Nall brought up difficulties he heard from his constituents.  Trucks too early or too late.  Items not getting picked up at all.  Difficulty maneuvering the new cans.  He's heard it all, and I imagine so has the rest of City Council.  Tony said in this meeting that if a resident has any kind of difficulty with their collection, or they need assistance to give his office a call and he will see to it that it gets worked out.  Numerous anecdotes have come out about residents on steep lots who cannot get the cans up and down safely, residents who are disabled and can't move them at all.  Tony's contact is above:  give him a chance to help fix the problems.

Now for the up-close-and-personal perspective on this new normal.

With one-day pickup, that means more trucks are on the road on that particular day, all at the same time.  I see the new process on my front porch with PJ waiting for his school bus.  Keep in mind our subdivision's streets are very narrow:  3 passenger cars wide, at best.  No sidewalks. Two cul-de-sacs, one on a steep hill.  It's spring so neighbors have their contractors lining up their vehicles to begin work.  Carpools are coming and going for school and work.  In the midst of this activity around 8:30-ish, the first garbage truck comes down the street.  Closely followed by the SECOND truck.  So two garbage trucks are do-si-do-ing around each other and the other vehicles in the neighborhood to make their pickups.  Here's the photo if you don't believe me:

Then in the midst of all this maneuvering, PJ's school bus shows up and joins in the dance.

I'm filing this under "new normal" because I can imagine Tony looking at the vehicle and route scheduling and saying "Welcome to my world."  To the credit of all the drivers involved, nothing was bumped, scratched, run over, scattered, or left behind.  They even picked up my old garbage can and carted it off as trash itself  when I flagged them down - complete with bed hair, pajamas and slippers.

Next concern is not so funny.

We all know that home business owners have to go several extra miles to prove that they are good neighbors even though there are extremely few complaints filed against them.  Homeowners are assessed $265 per year for trash pickup.  However, homeowners with a home business permit in good standing, are assessed $400 per year.  I confronted Tony with this fact and he just acknowledged it as a matter of course.  Even though Dunwoody requires home business owners of all kinds to ensure that their homes remain residential in nature, even though there is no change in zoning designation, the very fact that a home business permit exists is enough for DeKalb County to override Dunwoody's zoning and permitting process and classify the property as "commercial".   It has nothing to do with the amount of trash being produced or the zoning designation of the residence.   Hence the additional fee is tantamount to a fine for working from home.

Both Commissioner Jester and State Senator Millar heard this presentation and both agreed that home business owners in Dunwoody and across the County are being unfairly penalized by this fine. I don't intend to bother with Dunwoody City Council on this iissue.  Three of them are openly hostile to home business owners and they're perfectly happy to see them get screwed.  But it still presents a problem for Dunwoody government:  additional arbitrary fines may be enough of an incentive to not seek business licensing.  And many of the other regulations are easy to ignore for residents who are already conscientious of their neighbors.

Hopefully Commissioner Jester can take some action to eliminate this penalty.

Bottom line - no fooling - Sanitation is one of the few departments that DeKalb gets right.  The truck crews are heroes to the little boys on the street that love the big trucks and machinery.  They do a backbreaking job that is essential to living in our neighborhoods and most of us couldn't do it ourselves.  Most of all, I have never met an employee of this department that wasn't a lady or a gentleman.  Especially the guys who posed in the picture at the top of this post.

"STOP BREAKING THE LAW, @$$HOLE!!!"

I can't believe this was broadcast on April Fool's Day.

Police say just when you start to think people would know better than to show up at the police department with dope and a gun, something like this happens.


Atlanta News, Weather, Traffic, and Sports | FOX 5

April Fool's Day Came Early

Bravo, Crier!  

For a second there I was flashing back to my alma mater's student paper, the Daily Free Press which became the Daily Fact Repress on April 1.

Although I think the exclamation point is an improvement over the asterisk....

Dunwoody Food Truck Thursday is Back for 2015

Food Truck Thursday kicks off THIS THURSDAY, April 2, 5 PM until Dark and runs through October 29 at Brook Run Park.

The 2015 Inaugural Lineup

Sponsor: The Dunwoody Crier

Musical Entertainment: Kara Claudy

More Activities: Atlanta Braves batting cage and freebies on the music field

Adult Beverages: Moondog Growlers

Dinner Vendors

Blaxican Food Truck

Tasting Maine

Incrediball Falafel

MIX’d UP

Nectar  

Gotta have it  

Pressed for Time

WOW! Food Truck  

Dessert Vendors

King of Pops  

Tracy's Tasties

Chay J's New Orleans Candies 

Dunwoody Theatre - time to include this tradition in our planning

When my first daughter was just a tyke in a stroller, we took her to Lemonade Days at Brook Run.  Just past the flea market of artisans was a puppet show (and welcome air conditioning) in the Brook Run Theatre.  It was the first and last time we visited there.

In recent days, Danny and Queenie Ross have regenerated the on-again/off-again discussion about the fate of the old theatre and they have put their money where their mouths are.

Danny's opinion piece from The Crier

From the column:

It is now time to address another major need: A facility to support the performing arts. Our mindset needs to change to thinking of art, not as entertainment, not of education, but of economic development. For certain it is a key ingredient to the fabric of a world-class community that we strive to be. The income level of our citizens together with the educational level dictates that this should happen. In the future, new corporations will look elsewhere if Dunwoody does not offer its workers this important quotient in the equation of quality of life.

Below is an email I sent to John Heneghan back in July 2010, when this blog was just the "SDOC Publishing professional blog", about a year before I started adding municipal commentary and it became the "Dunwoody Working Girl".  Emphases added by me for this post.

John--

If you're seriously interested in input on Brook Run, here's mine:

The park has become the defacto fairground for the city, first with Lemonade Days, now with the Music Festival and who knows what else will come in the future. In addition, most parks are uber-structured: this little plot is for little kids, that little plot is for tennis, etc etc etc. What Dunwoody *doesn't* have is a general common. (Think Piedmont park.) A place where people can just be, walk with a stroller, sit down with a book, or throw a ball or frisbee around on a whim. IMHO, you'll get a lot more people using the park from different walks of life if there is one area that is not strictly regulated in terms of purpose.

I would also make sure for current and future events at the park that water and places set aside for porta-potties are planned for. I heard some whispers during Lemonade Days that there was a big conflict (or some conflict, not sure how big) over whether the fair could access the water that the Community Garden uses for their crops. Best to avoid that, make sure the infrastructure (read: water) can handle the events already there and not bother the Garden with those needs.

While on that subject, the largest parcel of land (where the main hospital used to stand) is All. The. Way. In. The. Back. Plus, has anyone ever seen the lead/asbestos ablation reports from the County when the hospital was torn down? If so, are they credible? (Yes, that's a serious question.) If it's a place to "just play" or do whatever, the City is going to have to promote the hell out of it - . (Paging the Chamber and CVB......)

Is there any way to increase accessibility to those areas? 100 acres is a lot of land to only have one entrance/exit. Is it possible to build a secondary entrance on the "back" side (and again, promote the hell out of it). Add more sidewalks (one of your favorite causes!) to encourage people to walk there, etc. Another drive-in entrance w/ some parking? More bike racks? If I saw those there (esp the drive in and parking - I'm not putting 3 little tots on a bike or a segway, no matter how much you and other enthusiasts push it. ) I'd use that open area more myself.

The remaining buildings that were offices/dorms from the old hospital: use 'em or lose 'em. If they can be rehabilitated in a cost-effective manner then do so. Buildings that appear to be generally unused regardless of their condition are just waiting for delinquents to cause trouble. If you're keeping the buildings, I say expand their use. How about an annex or alternative to the DeKalb Cultural Center? There's smoother access and more parking than the old Dunwoody Elementary location. I'm involved with an organization that meets at the central location and getting a parking space is a royal PITA. Plus if I have to have the stroller with me I can't jack it up a long flight of concrete stairs. The wheelchair (and stroller) accessibility at the current cultural center is a big, fat joke.

How about using the auditorium (again if it's going to be kept) for more community events - like HA meetings, candidate forums, an alternative to the City Hall location for council meetings. (You want more people attending, right? How about bringing a meeting out of the Perimeter once in a while? Would that be so bad?) I could also see the Chamber holding a meeting there if it was spruced up. All of the above could generate some modest revenue as well.

Technically it can even be an alternative location for the Stage Door Players but you'd have issues with visability versus their current location. I wouldn't expect that thought to go very far, but it's worth throwing out there.  (New Note:  little did I know that SDP had been working this angle for a while.)

This is all if the buildings can be renovated for less than the cost of new construction. If that's not the case, demolish them, and fast. Use the land for something else. Like a general picnic area with tables and grills under the shade. You don't see many of those around and the DNDC doesn't count.

With the land that we have at that one big park you can do all of this, and there would STILL be room for the dog park AND the community garden to expand. And that's just Brook Run - some of these options could be incorporated (scaled to the size of the land) in other Dunwoody parks too.

ADD

I'm proud to support the Stage Door Players and other arts productions when our family has the means.  I remember learning from Robert how SDP is operating on less than a shoestring and I think they deserve better.  As Danny noted in his proposals, there are many arts groups that need a place to call home.  Plus, we need the type of meeting space for organizations that has currently been wasted.  The meeting spaces in the two former classrooms at the North DeKalb Cultural Center would be funny if they weren't so uncomfortable and inadequate.  I speak from a lot of experience with three organizations that meet there.  It's a nightmare to reserve any space and an emotional drag to host anything there because of the condition and parking.

Whether the building can be saved or not, you have a foot print and floor plan that can be used for this purpose.  There is no law saying that such a center MUST be combined with a City Hall.  Just because Sandy Springs is taking that route doesn't mean that Dunwoody has to be the "me too" kid on the block.  You've got the space.  You've got the parking capacity (between the park itself and PCMS).  You've got the collective memory of a theatre there.  The concept isn't broken, there's no need to fix it.  It also does not have to be evaluated or planned to the exclusion of other city needs.

Bravo to Danny and Queenie for putting verbs in the sentences and money where it needs to be so Dunwoody can finally take some kind of action on these facilities.

INTRODUCING: Timberhood Consulting, LLC

SDOC's latest launch is a classic story that could only be Dunwoody.  Two local businesses who make waves on a large scale also work together locally.  Dunwoody has a growing number of local entrepreneurs.  25% of all business licenses are issued to home-based businesses and many of those have a national or  international reach.   These entrepreneurs are regular fixtures in the community too.   It was great to work with Bryan after attending Mass and school carpools for years.

Timberhood Consulting LLC provides engineering design and consulting all around Atlanta.  If you have spent any time downtown, especially around Georgia State or Georgia Tech, you've seen their work.

Bryan's previous site was all in Adobe Flash(R).  It was the state of the art several years ago but today it was impossible to keep updated and invisible on mobile devices.  Bryan's site needed to match his logo and branding, and be easy to update by posting articles related to each area of expertise.

The result is this WordPress based website with an array of slideshows.  The front page is an assortment of images.  Each specialty page contains a slideshow of a brief article and image related to current projects.  Best of all, new content can be added to any of these slideshows through a single interface making it fast and easy to add the latest news.  

The slideshows are also connected to Twitter:  they are automatically posted to that social network when a new article is published.

And - as always:  the site is responsive and is just as readable on your smartphone as on a large screen.

Take a look at a Dunwoody neighbor's portfolio at www.timberhood.com.  

INTRODUCING: Commissioner Nancy Jester | www.nancyjester.com

www.nancyjester.com

Nancy won her runoff election in December and that's when the work really began.  After building and running the campaign website, Nancy asked me to stay on build her Commissioner's site as well.

After the usual discussions, examining samples, listing content needs, I was assigned to design the interface, then hand it off to the technical staff (Hi Stan!) to make final edits and implement the content.

This is not a stereotypical open source CMS site like WordPress.  This interface was custom-built, line by line and item by item to unique specifications.  AND - as always, all of the elements have to be responsive.

I'll be around for tech support where it's needed but Nancy's staff is going to handle it from here.  Thanks so much to the campaign and to the Commissioner's staff for allowing me a place in this project.

Dunwoody Water Main and Street Rebuilding Begins TODAY

...and may God have mercy on our souls.

From the City of Dunwoody website:

These crucial infrastructure improvements present the city with an opportunity to make much needed road surface and pedestrian improvements along the Mount Vernon Road corridor. Subsequent to the installation of the new water main, the city will resurface this entire section of Mount Vernon Road and also construct new sidewalks on the south side of Mount Vernon Road between Dunwoody Village Parkway and Vernon Oaks Drive.

In an effort to streamline the sequencing of these improvements, the City of Dunwoody will coordinate with the county and the contractor to perform these tasks.

Initial project construction will begin the week of March 16, 2015 and work is expected to be complete within seven to nine months.

Sayonara, Dunwoody Green Market

Via email this afternoon:

The DunwoodyGreenMarket has officially closed and will not re open in 2015.
Over the last 10 years, we have been asked to relocate the market five times for various reasons to other locations within the city. With each move, we lost a portion of our customer base and without that weekly customer support; the market loses its viability.
We believe the Wednesday market has run its course in Dunwoody and no longer makes good business sense to continue.
For those of you that have supported us through the years, we truly appreciate your business and hope that you will continue to buy good, local food and other fine products from us at other metro markets.
Through the years, we have all forged good friendships within the community and it will be missed.
Listed below are a few vendors that asked to be listed for future contact.
Heirloom Gardens
Heirloomgardens@Windstream.netwww.Heirloom-Gardens.org
Cuisine by Lisa Rochon
rochonent@yahoo.com.
Fry Farm
Fryfarm.ga@gmail.comwww.fry-farm.com
Alta Cucina
acoppola@altacucinaitalia.com
Natural Almond
www.georgiagrinders.comwww.naturalmond.com
Indigo Bath and Body
www.indigosoaps.comIndigo on Facebook
Heritage Farms
www.heritage-farm.nethutchinsfamilyfarm@gmail.com

I never feel good about watching a local business close.  But the days of this enterprise were numbered from the start and they did not have to be.

What lessons did we learn from the Green Market?

1)  "Squatting" is not a viable strategy when location is critical to customer retention.
The Green Market never had a space to call its own and I'm not sure how hard they tried to find one.
Check out the commentary from THREE YEARS AGO.

2)  Tangled knots of contradictory regulations by your friends on Dunwoody City Council do not substitute for 1) above.  
Lynn Deutsch and John Heneghan are famous for their support of anything having to do with livestock ownership and their own vision of "farming".  In a city council meeting of October 2013, they adamantly stripped any leniency in home business licensing in the code rewrite to restrict "commercial activity".  Then, in the same meeting, only a few minutes later, Deutsch advocated for a special clause in the new code to allow for "farmers' markets" to set up without permits or any restrictions in church parking lots - which are in residential areas.  In short, she advocated for commercial activity in residential areas for her personal interests, right after condemning the very same activity for anyone else.
Here's the original blog post.  The videos referenced and linked in it have conveniently disappeared.  However my memory of the event has not and will play a big part in how the voting members of my household approach Election Day.
(The official video from City Hall is working, even if you're not using Internet Explorer)

Can Dunwoody do any better for "open fair" type markets?

Yes, and I have long believed we should.  Pick out a location that can be designated for a community market.  Or assist a landlord in providing a space.  My original idea about the Ace Hardware Sprouts Market won't work today but other spaces may be available.  Make sure that the zoning in place will support the activity without forcing any of its advocates to blatantly contradict themselves.  Depending upon who or what enterprise wants to make use of that space and the fees for doing so, we may just come up with that peaceful, eclectic community that some of our local personalities long for.

EMV Cards are on the way - is your business ready?

EMV cards are the next step in credit card security.  Instead of storing account data in a magnetic strip that can be swiped and copied, the data is stored in an electronic chip that encrypts the data uniquely every single time a transaction is made.  No more stories on the news about how a minimum-wage employee sneaked in a skimming device and stole customer data.  Ditto for ATMs and gas pumps.

Article from Forbes, reposted to LinkedIn - EMV Shift will change liability rules for fraud

Overview from BankRate.com

But the method to use these cards in transactions requires a completely different type of card reader to read the chip.  Whether you run a permanent storefront, e-commerce shop online, or are a mobile microbusiness (think food trucks and festivals) YOU are affected and will need to make some changes soon.

Is your payment processor ready?

Square.com:  If you have been to Food Truck Thursdays, you've seen and engaged in the payment processor Square.
EMV Overview from Square

Square devices capable of reading EMV cards are shipping this spring.  Sign up for updates at the link above.  Pre orders of EMV-capable scanners are available for a small fee.

PayPal Here:  Their initial rollout to compete with Square was a tangled cluster and I don't know anyone who uses this variation of PayPal.  But if you do, know that numerous searches have turned up empty for EMV technology.  Methinks the EMV migration will be just as problematic as the initial swipe device rollout.

Intuit/QuickBooks:  Intuit, the producers of Quicken and Quickbooks are promoting Point of Sale (POS) devices that are EMV ready.  If you are using Quickbooks for your sales, check them out now.

For those of you who are strictly e-commerce focused, there won't be much to change.  There will still be card numbers, security codes, and expiration dates that can be entered in your checkout software.

October 2015 is the drop-dead date for the conversion to EMV cards so start planning now!

Include Your Social Media Accounts in Your Final Arrangements

Talking about writing a will has to be one of the top ten most uncomfortable conversations.  But any family that has had to settle an estate will tell you the effort will make the process easier on the survivors.

Social media networks now have procedures in place to close or otherwise address the status of your accounts after your passing.  Some people find comfort in reviewing old posts and photos by their loved one;  others are just creeped out.

For both LinkedIn and Twitter, a next of kin or executor can contact the admin desk and make a request.

LinkedIn:  Deceased LinkedIn Member - Removing Profile
There is a form at the link to fill out and the information they require is:

• The member's name
• The URL to their LinkedIn profile
• Your relationship to them
• Member's email address
• Date they passed away
• Link to obituary
• Company they most recently worked at

Profiles will be completely removed and not preserved

Twitter:  Contacting Twitter about a deceased user or media concerning a deceased family member

The information required to deactivate the account is basically the same as LinkedIn.  However, Twitter also requires that the person reporting the death provide a copy of their legal ID.  AND - all information has to be sent via US Mail to an address listed at the above link.  The process takes a while.

Facebook has taken a proactive approach.  Every member is now permitted to designate a Legacy Contact, who can perform some management tasks after your passing.  They won't be able to post as you, but they can change pictures, decide to download your photos, etc.  

Article from PC World on the new feature

Step by step instructions from Facebook to add a Legacy Contact

Best of all, you don't have to jump through a ton of extra hoops to have an account managed for a deceased person.  The Memorialization Request is simple and just requires a single proof (online obituary, etc) to show the person has actually died.  Once that is confirmed, the Legacy Contact can take over the account per the deceased owner's request.  (More about Memorialized Accounts on Facebook.)

Take a few moments and make future plans for your social media.  It will make the details easier on your survivors.

Help Dunwoody Apartment Residents Displaced by Fire

UPDATE:  Thanks to an enormous outpouring of support, the Dunwoody Glen office is filled to overflowing with contributions.  No more assistance is needed at this time.

The fire at Dunwoody Glen apartments on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard damaged 10 apartments and displaced 30 residents.  True to form, other Dunwoodians are banding together with the apartment managers to help provide for their immediate needs.

The following Facebook post was just made by Councilman Terry Nall.  There are all kinds of ways to assist and all of the needs can be met if everybody picks one.

DROP-OFF InformationAll donations are being collected at Saint Luke’s Presbyterian Church (1978 Mount Vernon Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338).  Donations will be accepted beginning this Sunday February 1, 2015 from 8:30-3:30 and throughout the week during regular church office hours Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Post by Terry Nall for Dunwoody.

Google Fiber Redux: Read the Fine Print and Watch For Details

Google Fiber coming to 9 metro Atlanta cities
(but not Dunwoody)

Almost a year ago I posted some questions about Google Fiber's service that no one outside of the hardcore tech community was asking.  Many elected officials (eg, Kasim Reed) and others closer to home are going gaga over the idea of internet connections that seem to be as fast as thought.  But technology has a price and it is never Utopia.

First - here is the original post:   Google Fiber: Is anyone reading the fine print?

Second - why are our elected officials (in Dunwoody as well as other cities) not asking the questions I raised in the post?

My opinion about Dunwoody's omission from the plan still stands:  it's not a setback.  Google's decision plants our city squarely in the catbird seat.  Kasim Reed and other local mayors want to rush headlong into new technology, no questions asked.  I say, let 'em.  Let them take all the risks, endure the complaints, stumble across the problems, and work their way out of it.  Dunwoody can sit back, feet comfortably elevated, enjoying a cool beverage, and taking notes about what works well and what doesn't.  Dunwoody can learn about the quality of Google Fiber services and logistics without having to make an irrevocable commitment.

Before writing my original post in the above link, I researched the Internet for days.  I found terms of service after some serious digging.

But my Google search was almost silent about real-life customer experience and satisfaction (or lack of) with the service.

That lack of information alone should speak volumes.

I found *one* article describing a homeowner's real-life experience w/ Google Fiber installation and usage:
Basking in the Glow of Google Fiber: A Hands-On Experience With Gigabit Internet

So we have one anecdote filled with pros and cons.  But it was from 18 months ago with no updates.  I'm glad Dunwoody can wait and see if that experience is repeated closer to home before we have to decide if the experience is worth the work to bring the service to our own homes.

Opportunity Knocking: How Will the GSU/GPC Merger Affect Dunwoody?

A few days ago, Fran Millar posted on his Facebook page a news article about Georgia State University absorbing Georgia Perimeter College.  He posted in his comment that he thought the merger was a good idea.  Fiscally, it is, at least for GPC.  There financial troubles are no secret to anyone, including their own student body.

But when there is a hint of any institution expanding in Dunwoody, the first criticism is always about traffic and that was my immediate response to Fran.

Historically, GPC's leadership hasn't given any indication they care for a second how they impact the through traffic or communities around Dunwoody so it's natural to assume the worst.

Then I read the news articles and press releases

Reporter Newspaper

AJC

Q&A with Georgia State Prez

Q&A with Board of Regents

That last one is the most interesting.  Here's Question #3

Will any campuses be closed? 

The consolidation implementation team will be assessing the needs and infrastructure of the new consolidated institution. The consolidation team’s final report to the Board will include a recommendation about campus structure and locations.

Way back when Dunwoody was researching its populace for ideas on branding  the community surveys or "wish lists" had numerous segments of the population wishing they could close the Dunwoody GPC campus.  Our city government cannot take that initiative:  GPC is a state institution (see above re:  not giving a damn what we think) and they're going to pack students in their land like sardines, dammit, and who cares if all the classes let out at once and immobilize the streets?

But there's a new head honcho in charge of the GPC campuses.  There's a chance for a fresh start.  Dunwoody's mysterious "Town and Gown" committee has a chance to improve this campus' interaction with the community.

If the above quote from the Regents' Q&A is to be believed at face value, there's even a chance that GSU won't need that campus anymore and there's even a chance - however slight - they would want to dispose of it.

So my initial reaction to Fran's post may not necessarily be the most accurate.  There's a possibility that the new GSU will fail to care any more than the smaller GPC did and continue to pack its campus with increasing enrollment and traffic.  But there's also a possibility that GSU's leadership may be more willing to compromise with Dunwoody about activities on that campus.  There's even a possibility that the poll respondents from 2011 will get their wish and the location will close.

So now is the time for Dunwoody's officials, especially the Town and Gown committee to get on the stick and get a meeting with GSU's leadership and consolidation team.  Now is the time to make serious decisions about what Dunwoody wants for that campus - no more shoot-from-the-lip wish lists.  Real decisions made on real analysis of potential outcomes of each scenario, both positive and negative.  (FWIW, there would be no impact on Dunwoody's tax base:  the campus is state land and therefore not taxed.)  If Dunwoody wants activities adjusted to lessen congestion, or if they want the campus closed (and made available to a city that has civic needs of its own and has an eye toward its own school district....) then that outreach from City Hall to GSU needs to start yesterday.

Happy 2015, Dunwoody!

May it also be healthy and prosperous for you and yours.

(Yes, I'm working today.  Hi Nancy, Stan, Bryan, Rik, Kathy, Spud-man, Armann, and Katie!)

Keep Your Gifts Safe This Season

News story from Channel 46:  don't leave your gift boxes by the curb, waiting and soaking until the next garbage day.  Especially if they housed electronics.  Nothing says "come steal from me!" like a cardboard box advertising a giant flat-screen TV or game system.

Someone had a great idea:  take the boxes to the dumpsters outside the Dunwoody Library.

DUNWOODY, GA (CBS46) -
Sanitation crews are busy picking up trash the day after Christmas.
Residents have tons of trash to get rid of, including wrapping paper and gift boxes. The Dunwoody Police Department posted crime prevention tips on its Facebook page telling people not to leave empty boxes of gifts by the curb because that will let burglars know what you have inside.
"We're asking if people have holiday gifts this year, especially expensive electronics like televisions, computers, Xbox, PlayStations, that if they have the empty boxes, do not leave them out by the trash can," officer Tim Fecht said.
They encourage people to be aware of their surroundings.
"Try not to expose your house, and not to be too flashy about items you've been receiving," Fecht said.
Police recommend that people break down boxes. Then, put them in black garbage bags, or take them to their local recycling containers.
Several people stopped by the Dunwoody Library to put boxes in the dumpsters the day after Christmas.
Copyright 2014 WGCL-TV (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.

Read more: http://www.cbs46.com/story/27712566/dunwoody-police-offer-post-holiday-crime-prevention-tips#ixzz3NEhJpKdh

SDOC Never Closes. Neither do our clients.

“Power couple” Stan Jester, left, and his wife Nancy meet at their kitchen table.

The Jesters joke they soon will offer DeKalb taxpayers “one-stop shopping.”

“It’s one-stop shopping for people who want to complain [about county taxes or school problems],” Nancy Jester said. “You just call a Jester.”

Read the full article at the Dunwoody Reporter.

```````````````````````````````````

Small business owners and other local establishments (politicos?) in Dunwoody always have a part of their mind on work.  Nancy's new site as Commissioner is on the holiday to-do list in my house.  (Yes, it too involves a kitchen table when my office gets claustrophobic.)  Other local Dunwoody-area businesses are on the docket as well and will be launched in early 2015.

And with that, the Duncans start getting ready for the childrens Mass at All Saints.  Merry Christmas, everybody!  I'll probably be at my desk the day after tomorrow!

Early Christmas Present?

Post by SDOC Publishing Internet Solutions.

Counting Down Work for 2014...

...and all of the holidays leading up through the New Year!

So like all of the other small business owners out there, New Year's Eve is like a magical finish line where, whatever you complete or not, it's a relief.  All of my ecommerce clients are humming along and for once Groupon didn't give me any trouble on those installs.

Today, I'm reaching out to my clients via phone to line up project stopping points and get the 2015 work schedule in order.  Starting with the Annual Holy Redeemer 3rd Grade Nativity Pageant tomorrow morning, this house will be in full-scale Christmas mode.  SDOC is still open ("we never close") but most work will be to address urgent questions only.

I'm thrilled that SDOC's clientele has seen such success in 2014:  from improved sales in the brick-and-mortar stores, to increased online sales and outreach, to a winning political campaign.

I'm looking forward to continuing these working relationships into the new year and forging new ones along the way.

To all of our community, from my family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, a Heri za Kwanzaa, and Merry Solstice and Yule.  Most of all a happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous 2015 for all!

Adrienne
(with Pat Sr, Maggie, Michelle, and Patrick Jr)

(Opportunity knocking for next year:  decorate this display for Christmas/Hanukkah.  Make it coincide with Light Up Dunwoody at the Farm House.)

NANCY WINS!!

Heneghan’s Dunwoody Blog: Today is Election Day - Nancy Jester is the clear ...

Heneghan’s Dunwoody Blog: Today is Election Day - Nancy Jester is the clear ...: Nancy Jester Several months ago there was a candidate forum where I said there were serious contenders with great backgrounds running ...

Nancy Jester is the clear choice in the Heneghan Duncan household and if you have doubts, please watch the video below in John's post. The polls close at 7 pm.

#Nancy4DeKalb

Happy Birthday Dunwoody

Posted to YouTube by Danny Ross.

 


Every day I see an argument or a conflict, or someone just acting like a tool in real life or on social media, I still thank God every day that we can work out our problems OURSELVES, without being at the mercy of a committee in another city that doesn't care.

Cyber Monday

Post by SDOC Publishing Internet Solutions.

Countdown to Small Business Saturday

The final edits have been made and our e-commerce installs are humming along. If you're a local business you're gearing up to do battle with the larger stores for the holiday season.

 SDOC has been an early supporter of Small Business Saturday and Independent We Stand. I'm not against large industries, per se, because they all started out as mom-and-pop operations. But those current mom-and-pops deserve some attention too. That goes for your cafes and other dining establishments you may need when it's time to take a break from shopping!

 80% of Dunwoody's business licenses are issued to companies with fewer than 10 employees. It's easy to support your neighbors and your quality of life this season so see what treasures you can find right in your own backyard.

Business owners - I received a package of materials from American Express to help promote your participation this weekend.  Visit the SDOC Facebook page below and let me set you up with some cool stuff for your customers!

Post by SDOC Publishing Internet Solutions.

Roll With the Changes

Dunwoody Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting, November 18.

It's OK for there to be change.  In some ways, it's its own constant.

I'm used to it with this group.  Starting from the back room of the Crier, to the old Rail Hand House, to Bill Grant's office, to - [censored pending official announcement].

Every year brought a new website theme.  With new features.  Sometimes an all-new back end.  And a branding initiative that landed in my lap with the directive to make this look good without offending anybody and by the way, it's not being received well by the public, so do the best you can.  Joy.

I'm always excited by the new challenges, parameters, personnel, and even frustrations.  There are some Negative Nellies out there who won't be satisfied until Dunwoody is as unhappy as they are.  I'm all for the positive, forward motion from last night and the quality of life we can all enjoy in the future!

Veterans Day 2014

I saw this post from Independent We Stand and immediately thought of Dunwoody's own Picayune Toys. Get a jump on your holiday shopping right here in town!

Celebrate Neighborhood Toy Store Day on November 8

A Woman For All Seasons

In midterm elections like this, especially in local races, every vote counts.

EVERY.    VOTE.  

Every vote can make a difference in an election.  That means yes, it does matter whether or not you go to the polls today.  No one is predicting a landslide in any of the races, so the decisions are not already made.  God knows no one wants a runoff and another month-and-a-half of robocalls and political ads that intrude on the holidays.

There don't have to be runoffs if everyone registered takes ten minutes to cast their ballots.

I'm heading to the poll myself as soon as I get my last child on the school bus.

That's the general PSA part of the post.

VOTE NANCY JESTER FOR DEKALB DISTRICT 1

There aren't too many people for whom I lend support 100% - not even some friends who I respect in day to day life.  Nancy has earned that support from me and my family for two simple reasons:

1)  She tells the truth.

2)  She's willing to tell the truth even if she has to stand alone and take the slings and arrows while others scurry for cover.

There are too few of these public officials left.  We need every one that we can get.  North DeKalb does not need a representative whose experience was gained via the favor of a now convicted felon.  North DeKalb does not need a representative who can't decide what party he is allied with.  North DeKalb does not need a representative who cannot control his behaviour and spends more time dealing with lawsuits and restraining orders than issues in office.  North DeKalb does not need a representative whose world view is 50 years out of date.

That leaves one option.  If everyone votes for the best candidate, there doesn't have to be a runoff.

What are you doing on Halloween?

Here's the latest info on Briers North Halloween.

Updates:  Parking WILL be available at Crossroads Church of Dunwoody (formerly North Peachtree Baptist) at the intersection of Tilly Mill and Peeler.  Please contribute a donation for the opportunity, they're raising funds for their Academy.

UPDATE:  A sign appeared yesterday on the parking lot indicating they are open for Briers North parking and they are charging $3 per car.  Still a pretty huge bargain!  Pay it forward with a 5-spot.

While on the subject of parking, some residents near Briers North set out barriers or traffic cones.  Please respect them and don't park there if they ask you not to.  With that said, get your space early.  Some of our visitors start scoping out spaces as early as 3 PM.

If you enjoy the festivities, donations will be gratefully accepted by the halloween organizers.  These donations do NOT go to the homeowners:  they are designated specifically for the cost of Dunwoody PD officers and safety equipment (lights, signage, etc) for the entrance.

If you REALLY like what you see, keep in mind this community is around 364 other days of the year.  There will be one home coming on the market soon so keep your eyes peeled and jump at the chance.  Another house is under contract right now and homes don't become available very frequently.

Finally, be prepared to meet some regional neighbors you don't see every day.  These last words I posted a couple of years ago but they've become fresh as I come off the costume parade at Coralwood last week:

With Halloween upon us, please keep in mind, a lot of little people will be visiting your home.

Be accepting. 

The child who is grabbing more than one piece of candy may have poor fine motor skills. 

 The child who takes forever to pick out one piece of candy may have motor planning issues. 

 The child who does not say "trick-or-treat" or "thank you" may be non-verbal. 

 The child who looks disappointed when they see your bowl may have an allergy. 

 The child who isn't wearing a costume at all might have a sensory issue (SPD) or autism.

Be nice. Be patient. It's EVERYONE'S Halloween.

Welcome, Business Radio X Listeners!

Hi everyone and I hope you enjoyed the show this morning.  Don't forget to visit SDOC's main website at www.sdocpublishing.com.

If you weren't able to listen live, you can hear the recap any time here.

I talked a lot about the best practices in creating and using your business website and the Dunwoody Chamber website.

Dunwoody Chamber Members:  your first step in leveraging your Chamber membership to your advantage is to complete your member profile so customers can find you in the business directory.  The directory and the rest of the website are optimized for the best search engine results possible, so the more information you have, the better your search ranking, and the more likely you are to have customers come visit you!

You can create a detailed "about" section (think of this as your "elevator pitch"), link to your social media and website, generate a Google map to your business and post directions, and even add photos or video.

Chamber Member Login  or hit the red "open lock" icon on the front page at www.dunwoodycommerce.org.

Don't forget, the Dunwoody Chamber website is mobile and makes a great smartphone/tablet app if you're searching for Dunwoody services on the go!
---------------------------------------------------------------

I also got a lot of questions from friends and followers on social media about Search Engine Optimization.

Google, Yahoo, and Bing will not tell you the details of their algorithms.  Those are trade secrets.  But they will tell you how to make the most of their search engine standards so your website will get as much visibility as possible.

First things first:  Google's Official SEO Best Practices Guide (PDF)  The principles here apply to all search engines, great and small, so settle in and build your foundation here.  This guide includes some of the most fundamental basics of SEO - meta tags in the header of your pages, "alt" tags that embed text with your images, and descriptive titles for each page.

Next, remember to get your business listed in local search engine-based directories.  Search engines try to customize search results that are physically close to the visitor.  Your website is more likely to appear if it is categorized as a local or regional resource.

Google Local (requires free creation of a Google+ page, also helpful for search engine rankings)

Yahoo Small Business for local listings.  (Customizing your listing for search engine rankings is free, but a paid directory submission service is available.)

Bing Places for Business (Same idea as Google and Yahoo but owned by Microsoft.  Requires a free Microsoft account)

Finally, MOBILE MATTERS!  Your website has to be comfortable to read on even smaller smartphones.  Websites that are not easily usable on smartphones or tablets will be penalized in their search engine rankings.  Talk with your webmaster about the best way to accomplish this for your website.

If you are using an open source content management system, there are some add-on functions that can help guide you in your optimization

WordPress - Yoast SEO

Joomla - iJoomla SEO

Drupal - MetaTag, Drupal SEO Checklist

Many thanks to everyone at Business Radio X for having me as a guest.  I hope the information I gave helped my fellow Dunwoody and regional business owners out there.

SDOC is on the air at Business Radio X

Listen in online tomorrow, Monday, October 13 at 10 AM EST.  I'll be a guest on the Dunwoody Chamber Special Edition of High Velocity Radio on Business Radio X.

Listen live here at 10 AM on October 13.

Dunwoody High School Celebrates Everyone - Again!

From Channel 11.


 Dunwoody High School celebrated their homecoming with the crowning of the King and Queen.
You may recognize the Queen from her appearance in Channel 11's coverage of the Wildcat'fe story about the business run by the special needs class out of Dunwoody High.

Teenagers in high school have their priorities straight:  there's a place for everyone in their school and they all need each other.

Where else in Dunwoody can we apply this ideal?

Business Experience Includes Everyone at Dunwoody HS

DUNWOODY, Ga. -- Every Tuesday morning atDunwoody High School, there's a line outside Kerry Brown's classroom, which doubles as a unique cafe.

It's named for the school's mascot, and it's run by students with mild intellectual disabilities, like autism and down syndrome.

From Channel 11 this morning:

DeKalb County Commission Forum - Dunwoody Homeowners

DeKalb County Commission Forum - Dunwoody Homeowners Association
(link to YouTube)

Video by John Heneghan - (next time turn on embedding - you'll get more video views that way)

Lots of talk about experience.  Not much talk about how it was gained, from many of the candidates.


Food for thought:  when someone talks about their experience at the county level - say, on county boards and such - stop and think "Who appointed them to the county post?"  If a candidate was appointed by a commissioner that was forced to resign before being indicted by the Feds, then electing them would not be getting rid of the previous administration's corruption, now would it?

70 + cats removed from Dunwoody home

Another animal hoarding in Dunwoody makes the news.  The 11:00 PM report indicated the home is on Atcheson Lane, on the west side of Dunwoody near Dunwoody Baptist Church and the Branches subdivision.

Investigators say the conditions inside that home were so bad, animal control officers needed hazmat suits to enter.

From news reports around the zoning rewrite ratification 1 year ago this month:

The disagreement over what should be an allowable number of pets took flight after city consultant Kirk Bishop of Duncan Associates said city staff members were recommending a limit of 10 “companion animals” per household, raising the allowable number from the existing limit of three.

But Councilwoman Lynn Deutsch thought picking any number could create problems.

“I think we need to take this number out of here,” she said. “I don’t think we need to tell people they can have 10 dogs. I think we need to regulate the nuisances.”

Complete article from the Dunwoody Reporter, October 15, 2013

Zoning:  More Truth, More Consequences  (October 28, 2013)

But wait - there's more!  The homeowners are REPEAT OFFENDERS from 2012, according to the AJC.

Still think that "no limits" on animals is a good idea?  A health hazard has to bring out law enforcement to acknowledge when there's a problem?

I'll take "unintended consequences" for 1000, Alex.  

Halloween in Dunwoody - Game ON!

If you're going to let your community go to hell in a handbasket, do it in style!

Dunwoody has a new outlet of Spirit Halloween, now open in Perimeter Expo Center (Best Buy, Marshalls, Old Navy, etc)

If you're going to come visit us in Briers North on October 31, bring your A-game.  This isn't your Grandmother's Halloween!

More video.  (You can't make this stuff up!)

Opportunity Knocking - a unique twist on Dunwoody sidewalks and park paths?

The product demonstrated was invented and patented in the UK originally for airport runways.  Then it was expanded for use on pedestrian walkways.

Get this - it glows in the dark!

If it is as cost and time effective as is promoted here and not a PITA to maintain, (and is available in the US)  how cool would this be for all of the bike and walking paths being installed and upgraded around Dunwoody?






StarPath press release

Blog Post from Slate