🌱 Junior Police Academy + Book Festival + School Board Updates

Hi all. I'm back with your fresh edition of the Decatur-Avondale Estates Daily. Keep reading for everything you need to know about what's happening in town.

First, today's weather:

A stray morning thundershower. High: 88 Low: 68.

Here are the top three stories today in Decatur-Avondale Estates:

1. Decatur Police will host a Junior Police Academy program this fall. Children 11 to 14 years old are invited to take one of 13 available spots for Decatur Police's annual fall Junior Police Academy. The program educates about the functions and duties of the police department during City Schools of Decatur’s Fall Break, from Sept. 19 to Sept. 23. City residents and City Schools of Decatur students receive preference when signing up; the program is first-come, first-serve. (Decaturish.com)
2. The Decatur Book Festival just announced its keynote speaker. Pete Souza, former Chief White House photographer during the Obama and Reagan administrations and New York Times bestselling author of “Obama: An Intimate Portrait,” will be the keynote speaker at the 17th annual Decatur Book Festival on Sept. 30. Souza’s appearance is the official kick-off for the festival and completely free, funded by a grant from the Georgia Council for the Arts. Reserve your tickets through Eventbrite starting Aug. 29. (The Atlanta Journal Constitution)
3. The DeKalb County school board's outgoing CFO presented a financial corrective action plan to the board. On Aug. 10, at the DeKalb Board of Education’s regular meeting, the outgoing Chief Financial Officer Charles Burbridge presented a financial corrective action plan for the district. The plan includes a timeline to convert to the district’s new financial management system and a scheduled cut-off of the legacy system in March 2023. (Decaturish.com)

Today in Decatur-Avondale Estates:

• Curated Book Bundles - DeKalb County Public Library (All Day)
• Jewelry with Gin - DeKalb County Public Library (12:00 PM)
• Georgia Cares: Medicare Information Seminar - DeKalb County Public Library (2:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• PepsiCo just broke ground on a plant that will create 136 jobs in DeKalb County! The groundbreaking on Wednesday marked the brand’s $260 million investment in the expansion of its Stone Mountain manufacturing facility in the City of Tucker. (Wellroot Family Services via Facebook)
• The City of Decatur is seeking resident input. MARTA needs thoughts on the Clifton Corridor Transit Initiative, analyzing multiple alternatives for high-capacity transit service between Lindbergh Center station and either Avondale or Decatur rail station. (City of Decatur GA- Government via Facebook)
• Join Avondale Estates staff and representatives from Pond Engineering at an open house next Tuesday to review concept designs for improvements to Laredo Drive. The goal is to make the road more pedestrian-friendly and to connect to the PATH Foundation's Stone Mountain Trail. (Avondale Estates Website)

Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow morning with another update.

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a senior writer with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.