Email: Ralph.ellis@patch.com
Phone: 404-234-8734
Hometown: Waynesville, N.C.
Birthday: July 31
Bio: Ralph Ellis is a veteran journalist who has lived in Decatur since 2007. He serves on the homeowner’s association board for the 335 West Ponce condo building in downtown Decatur.
Ralph has extensive experience as a writer and editor for newspapers in the Southeast. A graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he joined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 1990. He reported on a variety of subjects, such as a couple coming to grips with their son’s homosexuality, the high cost of local elections in North Fulton County, and a man who started a Kenyan orphanage for children with AIDS in honor of his late wife.
Ralph is married to Susan Puckett, the former food editor at the AJC.
He has three grown children, Robert, David and Julia.
When he’s not working, Ralph likes to walk, swim, read, and play with his greyhound, Laney. Ralph belongs to the Atlanta Writers Club and has written a mystery novel (unpublished) and is working on a second novel.
Ralph's Beliefs At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for you to inject your beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that your beliefs are on the record will cause you to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.
Politics
I have moderate Democratic leanings, but I’ve voted for some Republicans.
Religion
I was raised a Methodist and am now a member of Kairos Church in Grant Park, which is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church.
Local Hot-Button Issues
People in Decatur and Avondale Estates care deeply about quality of life issues, and that starts with the local school systems. Both towns have become magnets in recent years for couples with young children, so the emphasis on education will only increase.
Other issues people care about: Dogs, backyard farming, food and drink.
The purpose of the Lifelong Communities survey is to help Avondale Estates prepare for an older population by determining the community's needs and priorities.
The Decatur High civic club pitched in Saturday for the MLK Service Project.
Ben Callner, a 2007 graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, directed “Goat 4 Sale,” one of five video ads entered in the Doritos Super Bowl Commercial Contest.
The shooting reportedly occurred after police pursued a suspect, who wrecked his vehicle. The man got out of his vehicle and struggled with the officer, who shot the man, authorities said.
Thousands of runners will pass through the city on March 17.
A Doritos-loving goat terrorizes its owner in this video ad directed by Ben Callner with Decatur-based PoGo Pictures. The video will run during the Super Bowl if enough people vote for it.
If you want to know more about City of Decatur government, sign up for these classes.
You can also learn about health cooking and enjoy the Southern Order of Storytellers.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. in Avondale Estates City Hall
The City Schools of Decatur recently posted some open positions.
For as little as $3,200, you can honor a person or organization with a new water fountain in Decatur.
The Decatur restaurant had scored a 70 during a Dec. 5 health inspection.
The annual event will be held at the Courtyard Marriott.
The election would be held March 19 to fill the District 1 commission seat vacated by Bill Floyd.
The employees said they left the GMC truck running with the doors unlocked.
After 65 years on East College Avenue, the animal hospital will relocate to 235 Dekalb Industrial Way.
The shop on East Ponce closed last October.
Readers also clicked on articles about real estate, break-ins at Decatur businesses, an interview with the new Decatur mayor and job openings.
The website CrimeReports showed the auto break-ins occurred Jan. 4-15.
Decatur police are also investigating the theft of a guitar from an East Ponce home, food and a laptop from a Cambridge Avenue residence.