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Hey Decatur! Been a festive mood around here lately. The newly renovated Decatur Square got its Fourth of July debut and then kept the energy going with World Cup watch parties packing restaurants and sidewalks all week long. But while the celebrations roll on, there are some quieter stories worth your attention, including millage rate votes in Decatur and Avondale Estates that will show up on property taxes.

- News — The renovated Decatur Square had its first big fireworks moment, U.S. World Cup wins turned downtown into a block party, and two Atlanta authors are heading to Eagle Eye Book Shop on July 8.
- Business — Pink Tiger Fabrics and Yarn is now open in Avondale Estates, giving crafters a new local home base worth checking out.
- Events — Polly Holliday headlines WatchFest at Decatur Square on Thursday, and the week is stacked with trivia nights, open mics, and author events at Little Shop of Stories.
- Government — Millage rate votes in both Decatur and Avondale Estates are still unsettled in the public record, and DeKalb County takes up its own tax and fee increases — plus a pet shop ban and data center zoning — at Tuesday's commission meeting.
- Construction — A $200K interior remodel filed on Church Street leads the permits, Kensington MARTA access work continues nearby, and five missed trash pickups were reported across the area.

Let's dive in.

NEWS

July 4 fireworks light up recently renovated Decatur Square
The newly renovated Decatur Square got its first big Fourth of July moment this weekend, with fireworks lighting up the freshly updated space for crowds of neighbors and visitors. If you missed it, you missed a milestone. The renovation has clearly given the city a venue worth showing off.

Annual July 4 parade rolls through city of Avondale Estates
Avondale Estates kept its Independence Day tradition alive with the annual parade rolling through the city this weekend. ICYMI, there’s some pictures in the link!

Decatur Watchfest erupts over U.S.A. World Cup victory
Downtown Decatur turned into a full-on block party after the U.S. Men's National Team punched through with a thrilling World Cup knock-outs win, drawing huge crowds to the city's ongoing WatchFest. Fans from all over the area packed the square to watch together, and the energy delivered. This World Cup run is giving the city something genuinely special to rally around.

Decatur Square businesses thrive during 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup and WatchFest
The World Cup buzz isn't just good for the soul. It's good for business. Restaurants and shops around Decatur Square are seeing a real surge in foot traffic as watch parties bring crowds downtown week after week, and local merchants are welcoming every bit of it.

Atlanta author duo returns with "Perfect Life," out July 7
Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores are back with their second novel, "Perfect Life," and you can catch them in person at Eagle Eye Book Shop on July 8. The event is a great excuse to support both a local bookstore and two Atlanta authors making a real run at it. Pick up a copy and go say hello.

BUSINESS

Pink Tiger Fabrics and Yarn - opening - If you sew, knit, or just love a good fabric shop, there's a new spot worth your time. Pink Tiger Fabrics and Yarn is open in Avondale Estates, giving the area a dedicated local source for supplies and a place to connect with fellow crafters.

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EVENTS | Presented by

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Monday, July 6
- DJ EU: Decatur Square Watch Party | Decatur Square
- Eddie's Attic Songwriters Open Mic Night | Eddie’s Attic
- Monday Night Team Trivia at 8pm. | Twain's
- Tai Chi/Qigong Midlevel Practice | Legacy Park
- Young Adult Braves Game | First Baptist Church of Decatur
- What's Your Favorite Fox Theatre Memory? | Decatur Library

Tuesday, July 7
- $5 Beer Trivia Tuesdays in Avondale | Wild Heaven Beer
- Moore Chapel Gardeners Volunteer Day | Legacy Park
- Discover More: Documentary Series | Decatur Library

Wednesday, July 8
- Monthly Sapphic Writing Group | 184 S. Candler St.

Thursday, July 9
- Polly Holliday @ Decatur WatchFest 26 | Decatur Square
- Boozy Bingo | The Reading Room
- Amy Ray Band (Rescheduled from 3/8) | Eddie's Attic
- Introduction to Citizen Science with iNaturalist | Woodlands Garden
- Singing Workshop in the Pavilion – July | Woodlands Garden
- Ice Creamology! | First Baptist Church of Decatur
- Pub Theology Night | First Baptist Church of Decatur
- Sustainable Landscaping Volunteer Day | Legacy Park

Friday, July 10
- Candlelight: Tribute to Thom Yorke | The Chapel on Sycamore
- Mister John's Music Acoustic Open Mic Night | 6 Olive St

Saturday, July 11
- BLACK GIRL BOOK FAIR | 722 West College Avenue
- Back to School Bash | Ebster Recreation Center
- Aisha Saeed in conversation with Shelly Anand | The Wedding Week | Georgia Center for the Book at DCPL
- Preeti Chhibber - House of Harkness (A Scarlet Witch Graphic Novel) | Little Shop of Stories
- Herbs: From Garden to Kitchen | 435 Oakview Dr
- Shoots & Sprouts Family Activity Day | 435 Oakview Dr
- Ask Anything Tarot Reading w/ Megan 7/11 | Odd Bird Loft
- The Corn Tippers + Milkweed | Waller's Coffee Shop
- Legacy Park Beautification | Legacy Park

Sunday, July 12
- Music in the Garden with The Mojo Organ Trio | 435 Oakview Dr
- Watercolor Class | Woodlands Garden
- Sophie Gault | Eddie's Attic

Monday, July 13
- Monday FUNday - Half-Priced Cocktails | Wild Heaven Beer

GOVERNMENT

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

Past Week Roundup

City Schools of Decatur Board of Education

The City Schools of Decatur board held two meetings on June 29, one a public millage hearing and the other a special called meeting scheduled to finalize the school district's FY27 millage rate, which directly affects the school tax portion of your property tax bill. No minutes posted, so we’ll have to wait to see the verdict on this one. If you're a homeowner in Decatur, this is worth watching: the millage rate determines how much you'll pay in school taxes, and the approved figure should appear once complete minutes are published.

City of Avondale Estates Board of Mayor and Commissioners

Avondale Estates held its third and final public hearing on a proposed 2026 millage rate of 9.55 on June 30, with a vote to officially adopt the rate scheduled immediately after. Because only the agenda is available, keep in mind the vote may have been deferred or the rate adjusted before adoption. Beyond the property tax question, the board was also set to vote on 2026 residential sanitation fees and stormwater utility fees, both of which show up directly on homeowner bills. A purchase of five new in-car police radios was also on the agenda to keep patrol communications current. Final outcomes for all of these items will be confirmed once minutes are posted.

Meetings This Week
- Avondale Estates Historic Preservation Commission — Regular Meeting | Jul-06 | key topics: garage expansion & home addition at 83 Dartmouth Ave (returning after April deferral), window & door replacements at 54 Clarendon Ave, new double-door entryway at 4 Lakeview Place
- City of Decatur — Active Transportation Committee | Jul-06
- City of Decatur — Better Together Advisory Board | Jul-07 | key topics: editorial calendar planning, work group progress reports, community announcements
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Committee of the Whole | Jul-07, 9:00 AM
- DeKalb County Board of Commissioners — Regular Meeting | Jul-07, 9:00 AM | key topics: 2026 property tax millage rate public hearing, proposed stormwater & sanitation fee increases, countywide ban on pet shop sales of dogs/cats/rabbits, data center moratorium extension & zoning restrictions
- DeKalb County Planning Commission — Regular Meeting | Jul-07, 6:00 PM | key topics: industrial-to-residential rezoning on Henrico Road, townhomes proposed near Mercer University (3003 Chamblee-Tucker Rd), new package store SLUP at 5395 Covington Hwy, Greater Hidden Hills Overlay text amendment

CONSTRUCTION | Presented by

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Permits

2947 E Ponce de Leon Ave, Ste 100 — New channel letter signage permitted. A business is getting its name on the wall, so keep an eye out for a new arrival along the East Ponce corridor.

523 Church St — $200K interior remodel filed for an existing building in Downtown Decatur. That's a serious investment, and it signals someone is betting on this space in a big way.

Beyond those two, the rest of the week was quiet on the commercial side. Thirteen residential and minor permits came through, covering single-family home work, a couple of restaurant permits, and one apartment project, totaling around $87K in estimated value. Nothing dramatic, but the steady drumbeat of smaller projects keeps the area humming.

Road Work

Under Construction
- Kensington MARTA Station Transit Access & Mobility (DeKalb County) Crews are working to improve transit access and mobility around Kensington MARTA Station, about 1.7 miles from Decatur. If you use that station or drive near it, expect some disruption around the area.
- I-285 Concrete Rehab, Snapfinger Road to SR-8 (DeKalb County) GDOT is resurfacing this stretch of I-285/SR-407 to bring the pavement up to standard, about 2.3 miles out. If this corridor is part of your regular commute, give yourself extra time until work wraps up.

Service Requests

Nineteen service requests came in across the area over the past week. Here's what's been reported.

- Missed Sanitation Collection — Five pickups were skipped on 3rd Ave, McKoy St, 5th Ave, Forkner Dr, and Knob Hills Cir.
- Street Maintenance — Issues reported on the 300 block of Hampton Ln, Pope Cir, and Woodlawn Ave.
- Sidewalk Maintenance — Problems flagged on Garden Ln and Lamont Dr.
- City Facilities Maintenance — Requests filed for S McDonough St and Avery St.
- Pothole — One reported on Madison Ave.
- Traffic Signal Issue — Flagged at the 134-200 block of E Lake Dr.
- Street Sign — A sign issue reported on Kirk Rd.
- Code Violations — One complaint filed on Nelson Ferry Rd.
- City Parks and Greenspace Maintenance — A request was submitted for Rev. Roy Moss Sr. Garden.
- Animal Complaints (Deceased) — One report on Fairpark Ln.
- General — One open request on Church St, filed July 4th.

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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.