Presented By Green Box Homes

Hey, Decatur! This week: the Decatur Book Festival dropped its 2026 lineup with more than 80 authors headed downtown, and DeKalb is launching a cow-focused public art project (yes, seriously). Meanwhile, DeKalb commissioners are staring down a $233.8 million contract to overhaul the Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant, and a $6 million mixed-use permit just cleared for 750 Commerce St.

- News — The Book Festival lineup is stacked, Decatur High is putting seniors on a path to real estate licenses, and that East Lake/Parkwood intersection fix is happening.
- Events — Full week of shows at Eddie's Attic, and there's wine tasting, bluegrass boardgames, and a soul jazz ensemble to fill out your week.
- Government — DeKalb's Committee of the Whole agenda is loaded with a $233.8M water plant deal and trail expansions, while Decatur closed the books on a strong fiscal year and picked up an international GIS award.
- Construction — A $6M mixed-use permit landed downtown, I-285 resurfacing continues near Snapfinger, and seven traffic signal complaints are piling up around Commerce and W Ponce de Leon.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

Decatur Book Festival announces 2026 festival lineup with more than 80 authors
The 21st annual Decatur Book Festival will take place October 2–3 in downtown Decatur, featuring more than 80 authors across genres from literary fiction to graphic novels. The free event will span several venues, including the new Decatur Square Stage.

New Decatur High School program puts students on a path to real estate careers
Decatur High School is partnering with local broker Olivia J. Price to launch Georgia's first high school work-based learning real estate program starting in the 2026-27 academic year. Participating seniors will gain hands-on industry experience, earn academic credits, and can graduate with a state real estate salesperson license.

East Lake, Parkwood intersection improvements finally coming
Long-anticipated upgrades are moving forward at the intersection of East Lake and Parkwood. The project targets improved traffic flow, pedestrian accessibility, and intersection safety for nearby residents and commuters.

Decatur middle school classes resume after HVAC issues
Students at Decatur Middle School returned to in-person learning after temporary air conditioning outages forced a brief switch to virtual classes. District maintenance teams completed repairs to restore normal building operations.

DeKalb launches 'The Cows Are Coming' public art project
DeKalb County is launching a countywide public art campaign honoring its history as the "Dairy Capital of Georgia." The initiative will place decorated, life-sized fiberglass cow sculptures in communities throughout the county.

Scottdale Day celebrates decades of community pride
Residents in Scottdale gathered to celebrate Scottdale Day, honoring the historic mill town's heritage and community milestones. The event featured neighborhood festivities, local history showcases, and family activities.

EVENTS | Presented by

Peace of Mind Recycling is your one stop shop for a convenient and affordable way to make sure your recyclables actually get… recycled! With Atlanta's city recycling services your guess is as good as ours in regards to what actually gets recycled. We document where we take your glass, metal, electronics & everything else so you can rest assured it's going to the good place 100% of the time.

Tuesday, August 25
- THE JABARI G. WALKER SOUL JAZZ ENSEMBLE | Roaring Social Decatur
- Pepper Davis: Good Times Tour: Eddie's Attic | Eddie's Attic

Wednesday, August 26
- Rae Carson - Monster Monarch Maiden! | Little Shop of Stories
- Telander | Eddie's Attic
- Wine Tasting | The Reading Room
- LILAC WINE | Roaring Social Decatur

Thursday, August 27
- Kodac Harrison's Last Thursday of Words & Song | Wild Heaven Beer
- Trout Fishing in America | Eddie's Attic
- Getting Off To A Good Start: Supporting Your Child's Emotional and Social Well-Being | Decatur High School Learning Commons (Media Center)
- Singing Workshop in the Pavilion – August | Woodlands Garden
- BBQ, Bluegrass & Boardgames Night at Waller's Coffee Shop | Waller's Coffee Shop

Friday, August 28
- Red Cross Blood Drive | Decatur Library
- Pajama Storytime with Katrina Moore - Schooltime Grumps! | Little Shop of Stories
- Kenny Whitmire | Eddie's Attic
- Trout Fishing in America | Eddie's Attic
- THE. MADAME VEGA | Roaring Social Decatur
- Velvet Starlight | Waller's Coffee Shop

Saturday, August 29
- “The Dog Stars” Movie/Book Discussion | Three Taverns Brewery
- Monolord with Khemmis | Wild Heaven Beer
- Golden Boy book signing and launch party | Little Shop of Stories
- Paths to Publication: SCBWI Kidlit Panel 2026 | Decatur Library
- Side A: Andres Sosa Performs Soda Stereo's Comfort Y Musica Para Volar | Eddie's Attic
- KAKURE: An Irezumi Night | Sole Play
- Side B: Andres Sosa Performs Soda Stereo's Hits & + | Eddie's Attic
- Resonate | A Breathwork & Sound Healing Journey | Atlanta Friends Meeting
- Kick Up Your Boots for History and Silent Auction | 101 E Court Square
- THE DECADES BAND | Roaring Social Decatur

Sunday, August 30
- Volunteer Fair | First Baptist Church of Decatur
- Watercolor Class | Woodlands Garden
- Effervescent Cocktail Class | Iberian Pig (Decatur)
- Sarah Potenza | Eddie's Attic
- Student Cello Concert | Waller's Coffee Shop

GOVERNMENT

Note: our information comes from posted meetings documents (agendas and minutes when available) — latest source document hyperlinked to each meeting.

Past Week Roundup

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners
Minutes aren't posted yet for the Committee of the Whole meeting, but the agenda shows a huge slate of infrastructure spending up for consideration, including a $233.8 million contract to overhaul the Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant and nearly $18.2 million more for ongoing water and sewer repairs countywide. Commissioners also had major pedestrian projects on the table, including $3.2 million for new sidewalks and a protected crossing on Flat Shoals Parkway and a $4.1 million design contract to extend the Michelle Obama Trail. On the policy side, the agenda included proposed ordinances on noise regulation, restrictions on street "drifting" and public camping, new blasting safety rules, and a requirement for an independent environmental study before lifting the county's data center moratorium. Parks funding requests covered grant applications for several county parks and up to $800,000 for tennis and golf upgrades at Sugar Creek. Separately, the Board's Special Called Meeting that same day was almost entirely procedural, with commissioners voting only to enter and exit executive session and review upcoming agendas, so no public votes on spending or policy came out of that session.

City of Decatur
The Decatur City Commission approved a retail beer and wine license transfer for longtime shop Ale Yeah! under new ownership, keeping the 15-year-old business running under its new owner, Matthew Hiers. Finance Director Russ Madison reported the city closed out fiscal year 2025-26 in a favorable position overall, even as rising insurance and IT costs pushed Administrative Services spending higher. The city also picked up international recognition, earning an ESRI Special Achievement in GIS award as one of only 18 local governments honored worldwide this year. Separately, the city's Historic Preservation Commission took up a Certificate of Appropriateness request for exterior window and door changes on Clairemont Avenue and opened public comment on a possible historic designation for Decatur Cemetery, though minutes on those outcomes aren't out yet.

City Schools of Decatur Board of Education
The board held a retreat covering governance and ethics training, mandatory charter system training, and a review of student performance data across GMAS, AP, and IB testing along with school climate ratings. The board also scheduled a presentation on archaeological study findings, though no further details on the site or next steps were documented. No formal votes or policy actions came out of this session since it functioned as a training and information retreat rather than a voting meeting. At a separate, related meeting, Decatur High School's School Leadership Team planned to discuss the 2026-27 budget, the School Improvement Plan, and programs like the Career Academy, but no minutes were filed, so there's nothing concrete to report on outcomes yet.

Notable Neighborhood Mentions

City of Decatur
- Ale Yeah! (906 W College Ave) — The Decatur City Commission unanimously approved a retail beer and wine package license transfer for Ale Yeah! following an ownership change.
- Great Lakes Neighborhood — City staff announced an upcoming public input meeting scheduled to discuss local stormwater improvements for the neighborhood.

Meetings This Week
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Board of Commissioners | Aug-25, 9:00 AM | key topics: $233.8M Scott Candler Water Treatment Plant overhaul, trail and sidewalk expansions, data center moratorium study requirements, and noise and drifting ordinances
- City of Avondale Estates — Board of Mayor and Commissioners Regular | Aug-26 | key topics: Downtown Avondale multi-modal project agreement, Stratford Road stormwater easement, 2026 budget amendments, and decentralized wastewater bans
- City of Avondale Estates — Board of Mayor and Commissioners | Aug-26 | key topics: golf cart crossing on South Avondale, construction staging easement at 102 Olive Street, and Flock Security camera program review
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education | Aug-26 | key topics: school law enforcement interrogation policies, student assignment rules, AI guidelines, and literacy program goals
- DeKalb County School District — Board of Education | Aug-27 | key topics: districtwide stadium and gymnasium electrical contract, E-SPLOST VI funding status, and public financing roadmaps

CONSTRUCTION

Permits
- 750 Commerce St — $6 million mixed-use building permit closed out. That's a major new development landing right in the heart of downtown, and it'll bring new retail or residential space (or both) once it's done.
- McKinnon Dr — $300K new single-family home construction, with outdoor work involved. Expect some noise and equipment on this block for a while.
- Columbia Dr — $279,237 permit for a plumbing system renovation and expansion tied to a single-family home. Not outdoor work, but a big-ticket job for a residential property.
- 124 N Avondale Rd — Permit filed for a restaurant's grease trap review under DeKalb Watershed rules. No new construction here, just plumbing compliance work tied to the space.
- 1486 Scott Blvd, Ste 200 — Commercial HVAC swap, a like-for-like 10-ton unit change out. Routine equipment maintenance, nothing that should disrupt the area.
- 154 Olive St — Business permit closed out, commercial. Details are thin, but it points to some activity at this address worth keeping an eye on.

Road Work

Under Construction
- Kensington MARTA Station Transit Access & Mobility, Phase I (DeKalb County) — Crews are building out transit access and mobility upgrades around the Kensington MARTA station.
- I-285 from Snapfinger Road to SR 8 — GDOT is resurfacing this stretch of I-285 to fix a low pavement condition score. The work includes concrete rehab along the corridor.

Service Requests
- Traffic Signal Issues — Reported at Commerce Dr & W Howard Ave (2 reports), 211-219 W Ponce de Leon Ave, W Ponce de Leon Ave & Commerce Dr, W Ponce de Leon Ave, 1591-1599 Commerce Dr, and one other location. That's seven signal complaints in a single week, all still marked acknowledged.
- Sidewalk Maintenance — Crews have seven requests to work through on S Columbia Dr, Clarion Ave, Garden Ln, Upland Rd, Commerce Dr, and two other spots. Two are already closed out.
- Street Sign Issues — Five reports cover Commerce Dr & W Howard Ave (2), W Howard Ave, 2018-2136 W Howard Ave, and Chief Matthews Rd.
- Missed Sanitation Collection — Residents on 640-650 Kirk Rd, S Candler St, Hilldale Dr, Adair St, and Church St all reported skipped pickups this week.
- Code Violations — Flagged at Greenwood Cir, Ridgeland Ave, E Ponce de Leon Ave, and 100-202 Upland Rd. Two remain open, two are acknowledged.
- Street Maintenance — Reports came in for Clairemont Ave, 900-998 3rd Ave, 167-199 Merrill Ave, and Glendale Ave & Mount Vernon Dr. Three are still being worked, one's closed.
- Tree Maintenance — Needed at Decatur Cemetery (229 Bell St), Pattillo Way, and Nelson Ferry Rd & Woodlawn Ave. Two of these are still open.
- Potholes — Called in on Mimosa Dr, Scott Blvd, and E Ponce de Leon Ave. The Mimosa Dr report has already been closed.
- Graffiti — Reported on W Howard Ave and at Oakhurst Park.
- Vegetation Maintenance — One report on W Howard Ave, acknowledged.
- City Parks and Greenspace Maintenance — A Westchester Dr request has already been closed.
- City Facilities Maintenance — A Norris St report from earlier in the week is also closed.

Want to sponsor us? Submit here

Want to alter your neighborhood selections? Submit here

Want to promote an event? Submit here

Until next week,
Decatur Busybody

Disclaimer: We use advanced data retrieval and analysis techniques across hundreds of sources, and may be prone to occasional error. Independently verify information with a secondary source, and please let us know if we got anything wrong via the feedback form.