City residents get a role in proposed traffic program

A proposal from Council member Lance Rhodes - Ward B:

The City of East Point recognizes the value of public participation when responding to quality of life issues surrounding neighborhood traffic.

The intent of this policy is to provide a uniform methodology to address and mitigate unacceptable traffic conditions occurring within our community. Communication, cooperation and involvement in fostering resident consensus in the identification of traffic related issues and their resolution is an integral component of these policies.

There are proposed petition requirements if neighbors ask for traffic control measures:

 For installation of stop signs and intersection controls, 90% of residents (one resident per address) in a two block radius before the stop sign or intersection controls and two bocks after the stop sign or intersection controls must sign the petition or ¼ mile before the stop sign or intersection controls and ¼ mile after the stop sign or intersection controls (which ever provides the largest number of signatures).

 For installation or removal of no parking signs, 100% of residents who park on the street must sign the petition. This will include no parking signs with specific days and or times for no parking.

For installation of speed humps, all residents within 50 feet of the device must agree to the installation. 90% of residents (one resident per address) in a two block radius before the device and two bocks after the device must sign the petition or ¼ mile before the device and ¼ mile after the device (which ever provides the largest number of signatures).

City of East Point Neighborhood Participation Traffic Calming Controlpolicy

New hours for public library branches in Tri-Cities

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Fulton county leaders cut the hours of Atlanta-Fulton County Library system as part of their solution to deal with a multimillion dollar budget shortfall. (Here's the AJC story.) Libraries are closed two days a week at the three library branches in the Tri-Cities area. The new hours began in mid-February. To see the hours of operation for all the libraries, please click here.

East Point Branch
2757 Main St., East Point 30344
404.762.4842

• Monday 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.


• Tuesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Wednesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Thursday Closed


• Friday Closed


• Saturday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.


• Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Hapeville Branch
525 King Arnold St., Hapeville 30354
404.762.4065

• Monday 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.


• Tuesday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Wednesday Closed


• Thursday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Friday Closed


• Saturday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

College Park Branch
3647 Main St., College Park 30337
404.762.4060

• Monday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Tuesday 12 p.m. – 8 p.m.


• Wednesday Closed


• Thursday 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.


• Friday Closed


• Saturday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

East Point nonprofit wants to train pet owners before having to rescue animals

EAST Point Susan Laskey first rescued a dog when she was just a youngster. Then came Fritzy, a schnauzer, and Scamp, a mutt, not to mention a turtle Timothy and Chester the hamster.

 

Post by Laskey's Lucky Ones & Volunteers.

 

From her passion animals, she created a organization to rescue dogs and cats, and educate owners in East Point and the south Fulton County. She started the Georgia nonprofit in July 2013.

"The discarded pet population is off the charts in these areas," she said in an email.

Laskey’s Lucky Ones & Volunteers (LLOV) is an all-volunteer group in Georgia dedicated to pet rescue and community outreach. Our mission is to provide education, resources and services to existing pet owners within the community, and to rescue and place displaced, neglected and abused dogs and cats in permanent homes. We provide foster care, basic training and socialization, healthcare, spay/neuter services, resources, and education for our foster and adoptive parents, as well as for pet owners within our communities. LLOV serves animals of all breeds within the metro-Atlanta area, with a focus on underserved areas of South Fulton and adjacent counties. Our animals have been rescued from (or have been prevented from going to) high-kill shelters and live in foster homes awaiting their forever families. LLOV also facilitates and promotes reducing the number of feral cats and kittens throuh the humane practice of TNR (trap-neuter-return).

She outlined three of the nonprofit's goals:

• Prevent 75% of dogs found in our target areas from going and/or staying in animal control. The target area is around East Point area because, well, that’s where I and most of the board members and volunteers live.


• Develop a solid community outreach program that reduces the number of unaltered, unvaccinated, chained and/or uncared for dogs.


• Partner with Walker’s Room to create a program for homeless people who have dogs,  currently working on a food, blanket and jackets program

"Believe it or not, homeless people are very good dog owners. They always share their food, they sleep with their pet, and care for them, often before they care for themselves. We want to help people become and stay responsible pet owners. Sometimes it’s just a matter of providing information and resources," she said.

To help out this community organization, LLOV has a wish list with Amazon.  Click here. Or you can make a donation through PayPal. There's an active Facebook page, with close to 600 Likes. Check out the website too.

A few special events are scheduled for the spring,

• Dog wash in March at Intown Healthy Hound in Grant Park


• Wine tasting scheduled for April.

Said Laskey:

The way I see it, rescue isn’t limited to me picking up a dog, rehabilitating it and finding it a forever home, which is a great task in and of itself. Rescue is getting and keeping an owned dog off a chain; making sure an owned dog always has food for his belly, water and a warm place to sleep; it’s helping owned dogs stay healthy and happy. I didn’t choose to get into rescue. No one chooses rescue. It chooses you, and if you try to ignore it, it will know louder and you will never be happy until you throw open the door and embrace it for the change you can make.

 

 

 

 

Weather Storm updates

I'll post ice storm updates here.
Also, check Twitter: @jphub.

Click on  "Weather Storm Updates" to see the blog updates.

Here's a list of reported power outages, as of 8:30 a.m.

POWER OUTAGES

1. Camp Creek Market Place and in the area of Washington Road and Mt. Olive Road.

2. Lakemount Substation Area: The streets affected are Washington Road North, Redwine Road, Grant Way, Ale Circle, Arlington Road, Mt Olive Road.

East Point fire houses open to anyone in need

Mayor Jannquell Peters posted this notice on her Facebook page:

OFFICIAL STATEMENT REGARDING SHELTERS: Each of the City of East Point Fire Department stations are Safe Houses available to the public during any emergency. In the case of Winter Storm 2014, the stations are available as shelters as well as warming stations. We have hired extra people to have one person remain at the fire station in case the company has to go out on an alarm. - Fire Station #1 to be staffed and used as a fourth Safe House/Shelter.

Here are the addresses and phone numbers;

Station #1 - 2757 East Point Street

Station #2 - 3171 Norman Berry Drive
404-559-6419

Station #3 - 3800 North Commerce
404-559-6422

Station #4 - 2222 Ben Hill Road
404-559-6424

Jannquell Peters
mayor@eastpointcity.org

HS principal updates community on teen shooting in East Point

The principal of Tri-Cities HS, Dan Sims, took to Facebook to inform the community about a shooting that happened off-campus, but still close to the school.

Jefferson Park Family. Sorry for the late notice. Just keeping you informed. This went home today to our parents:

Tri-Cities parents, this is Principal Dan Sims. This afternoon, we learned that one of our students was shot in the leg by an acquaintance during an altercation. This occurred off campus and after school hours. I wanted you to be aware since it happened not far from our school property lines. The student is expected to be OK, the parent has already been notified, and the suspect has been identified. Police are handling the situation swiftly. The suspect is not one of our students and the argument had nothing to do with our school. I wanted to share this with you since you will see it on the news or hear rumors.[mappress mapid="82"]

Here's the story from the AJC:

East Point police were searching Friday night for the man accused of shooting a teenager in the leg.

The suspect, whose name was not released, is accused of shooting Andrew Burnett in the thigh near the intersection of Norman Berry Drive and North Martin Street, according to Lt. Cliff Chandler.

Burnett, 17, a Tri-Cities High School student, was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, Chandler said.

Investigators believe Burnett and two other students had been involved in an altercation during the day, Chandler said.

The argument continued after school, when a female student allegedly called a relative to come to the area, police said. That relative, believed to be a former Tri-Cities student, is accused of shooting Burnett, Chandler said.

“Multiple individuals are expected to face multiple charges,” Chandler said.

 

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Give a little love to Mother Nature Saturday

East Point hosts one of the largest white oaks in the state where volunteers are going to give a little TLC to the Connally Nature Preserve this weekend. It's pretty impressive to stand in the shadow of 'Hank Aaron." ( And since it's little used park, there's a map at the bottom of this post to show you how to get there.)

White Oaks (Creative Commons photo.)

 Trees Atlanta is partnering with Upper Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, the City of East Point, and the Georgia Chapter of the Sierra Club to remove invasives and replant natives along the streambanks at the 30-acre Connally Nature Park.

The workday will be on Saturday, Feb. 8th, from 9am to 1pm. The goal is to removing invasives like English ivy and Chinese privet, and replanting native riparian shrubs and trees.

Connally Nature Park is home to many the big white oaks there, which are some of the biggest in the state; the park is home to one of the largest white oaks, named the Hank Aaron Tree, as well as a population of endangered pink lady slipper orchids.

 The park was going to be turned into a school at one point, and Trees Atlanta got involved to stop that development and preserve the park.

For more information about the project, how you can volunteer, and where to sign up, contact Juliet Cohen at jcohen@chattahoochee.org or by phone at (404) 352-9828 x. 13. You can also sign up through the event calendar on Trees Atlanta’s website or here http://treesatlanta.org/volunteer/sign-up/.

 

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East Point neighbors help motorists

A little before 1 p.m. Wednesday, nearby Ga Rt 166 was still a mess, nearly 24 hours after flurries began.

Auction to help charter school in TriCities

• Updated at bottom of page:

UPDATE:
East Point snow/ice removal priorities:

• Washington Road


• Irene Kidd Parkway


• Cleveland Avenue.


• Bobby Brown Parkway


• Norman Berry Drive


• Headland Drive


• Dodson Drive


• Delowe Drive


• Semmes Street


• Ben Hill Road (North)


• North Commerce Drive


• Bridges/Overpasses


• Residential Streets

from Councilman Lance Rhodes

Winter storm watch for Tuesday reaches to Atlanta area

[caption id="attachment_6863" align="aligncenter" width="614"] Snowstorm, 2011 ( Photo credit: @jasonriedy)[/caption]

 

Weather folks at the National Weather Service issued this winter storm warning, which includes snow and sleet:

Winter Storm Watch

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PEACHTREE CITY GA
1101 AM EST MON JAN 27 2014

GAZ025-027-031>039-041>062-066>076-078>084-089>096-102>107-280015-
/O.CON.KFFC.WS.A.0002.140128T1500Z-140129T1800Z/
JACKSON-MADISON-PAULDING-COBB-NORTH FULTON-GWINNETT-BARROW-CLARKE-
OCONEE-OGLETHORPE-WILKES-HARALSON-CARROLL-DOUGLAS-SOUTH FULTON-
DEKALB-ROCKDALE-WALTON-NEWTON-MORGAN-GREENE-TALIAFERRO-HEARD-
COWETA-FAYETTE-CLAYTON-SPALDING-HENRY-BUTTS-JASPER-PUTNAM-HANCOCK-
WARREN-TROUP-MERIWETHER-PIKE-UPSON-LAMAR-MONROE-JONES-BALDWIN-
WASHINGTON-GLASCOCK-JEFFERSON-HARRIS-TALBOT-TAYLOR-CRAWFORD-BIBB-
TWIGGS-WILKINSON-MUSCOGEE-CHATTAHOOCHEE-MARION-SCHLEY-MACON-PEACH-
HOUSTON-BLECKLEY-STEWART-WEBSTER-SUMTER-DOOLY-CRISP-PULASKI-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MARIETTA...ATLANTA...LAWRENCEVILLE...
ATHENS...CARROLLTON...DOUGLASVILLE...EAST POINT...DECATUR...
CONYERS...COVINGTON...NEWNAN...PEACHTREE CITY...GRIFFIN...
MILLEDGEVILLE...MACON...COLUMBUS...WARNER ROBINS...LUMPKIN...
AMERICUS...CORDELE
1101 AM EST MON JAN 27 2014

...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING
THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...

* LOCATIONS...ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM HARALSON TO NORTH
  FULTON TO MADISON COUNTY.

* HAZARD TYPES...SNOW AND SLEET.

* ACCUMULATIONS...1/2 INCH TO 2 INCHES.

* TIMING...SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN AS EARLY AS MID MORNING
  TUESDAY AND LAST INTO TUESDAY NIGHT.

* IMPACTS...SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROADS WILL MAKE TRAVEL
  DIFFICULT OR IMPOSSIBLE TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY. ICE
  ACCUMULATION ON TREES AND POWER LINES MAY DOWN LARGE LIMBS AND
  CAUSE POWER OUTAGES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW...SLEET...OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

NOW IS THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THIS WINTER STORM. BE SURE TO BUY
NON PERISHABLE FOODS. MAKE CONTINGENCY PLANS IF YOU PLAN ON
TRAVELING DURING THIS PERIOD. IF YOU CAN CHANGE YOUR TRAVEL...DO
SO BEFORE THE EVENT STARTS. NOW IS THE TIME TO PLAN...DO NOT WAIT
FOR THE WARNING!

New East Point businesses and city park spotlighted

There's a city park with white oaks approaching 300 years old.

Read the downtown East Point newsletter to learn about the history of community activists who saved the Connally Nature Park.

Also, learn more about the new businesses locating downtown:

• Computers Plus, Inc., 1707 Washington Road, 404-768-1338, Sales & Repair


• State Farm Agency-Traci McCrory, 1526 East Forrest Ave., Suite 250, 678-539-8623


• Joshua’s Closet, 1676 Thompson Ave., 404-600-6523, Community Outreach Organization


• Atlanta Paintball, 2485 Main St., www.atlanta-paintball.com, 404-855-1311


• Jasmine NiKol Beauty Boutique, 2781 Main Street., 404-801-HAIR

East Point Newsletter January 2014

East Point city council contact information

Here is information to keep nearby when you need to contact your elected city leaders, on everything from city policy and potholes to city fees. (Tip of the hat to Councilman Lance Rhodes for sharing this information.)

 

Connect with us on social media or an old-school email newsletter.

You are welcome to keep up to date with the Jefferson Park Hub.

You can find us:

Twitter: @jphub

Facebook: facebook.com/jeffersonparkhub

And there is a new email system. Fingers crossed. Please sign up below.  (If you are one of the 60 who have signed up in the past, your email was transferred already.)

 

Subscribe to The Jefferson Park Hub mailing list

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Opportunities in East Point to give back and serve

The country this weekend remembers Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King. Can there be a better way to honor him then serving the community?

Here are two opportunities, that came via  the Jefferson Park Neighbors Assoc:

• The South Fulton Business Coalition, teamed with Councilpersons Karen Rene and Alexander Gothard are sponsoring a cleanup of the East Point exits on Langford Parkway.  Interested parties are encouraged to attend on Saturday January 18th from 8:30 AM until 1:00 PM. Cleanup work will be done on the Delowe Drive entrance and exit ramps and the Stanton Road entrance and exit ramps and vacant lots near the gas stations.   The concentration will be on litter removal, illegal signage removal and clearing walkways of debris. Organizers ask that participants dress warmly with outdoor work clothes and bring a pair of gloves.  For more information contact director@southfultonbusiness.com .

--

• Reverend Steven Fujimoto is sponsoring another Hinokishin day on Sunday January 19th, As you may recall, Hinokishin is a Japanese word that translates loosely to "giving back."  In this case it means picking up litter on the Jefferson Park streets.  The initiative commences as 1 PM from the Fujimoto's house on Jefferson between Blount and Sylvan Terrace (not sure the exact address...)to Tri Cities high school.  Reverend Steven asks that I tell neighbors about the event, and he asks if folks have the time and strength available, come out to participate in a wonderful outing that benefits our community.  Six visiting members of the New York Tenrikyo Mission will also be participating in the cleanup event.

Please click here to view a map for directions.

Arctic air dropping the temperature

credit: National Weather Service

You can also see the cold air from the Wind Map.

Voters in the mood for a new slate of city leaders

EAST POINT  - The dust is settling after the city election.

Four incumbents ran. None of them won.

Mayor Earnestine Pittman Jannquall Peters

Ward A Sharonda Hubbard  Sharon Shropshire

Ward C Marcell Reed Nanette Saucier

Ward D J. Slaughter-Gibbons Dina H. Ingraham

 

Hubbard, a one-term incumbent, sent out this news release:

Good Evening,

Please allow me to thank each and every one of you that voted for me and supported my campaign this year. I have often said that having the opportunity to represent you on Council has been both humbling and one of the greatest honors of my life. Over the past four years I have come in contact with exceptional citizens in our Great City, many of whom I now proudly call friends.

I have always put my faith and trust in God and look forward to continuing my journey in life and living according to his plan. I will always look back on my tenure on Council with pride and warm thoughts knowing I did my best to represent the interests of East Point's citizens.

I congratulate all of East Point's newly elected Council Members and Mayor and wish them the best. I, along with you, seek the success of every member of Council, as the success of East Point depends on it. I remain ever optimistic that East Point will continue to move forward and will reach its full potential in the coming years.

Thank you and God bless!

Councilwoman Sharonda Hubbard

And from the outgoing mayor, Pittman

THE ELECTION THAT MONEY DID NOT BUY!!!
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!

Although the voters’ turnout was low it was more than enough to end an eight year stranglehold on the Council and the City. The residents swept out all the incumbents including me and I am very happy! Now is the time to end the campaigning and talking about the misdeeds of those who will no longer be on the Council after December 31, 2013. It is time for a new beginning for the residents, the Council and the City. What can we expect from the new Council?

Before anyone attempts to answer that question, we should let the Council of 2014 know that they have the support of the residents as well as the support of the former Council Members who can still serve the City that we love by leaving the newly elected Mayor and Council Members alone unless they seek us out. I do know that the Council of 2014 is faced with a challenging Budget and financial woes that will require a lot of time and effort as well as assimilating a lot of information in order to make the best informed decisions.

I am not going to discuss the 2014 Budget tonight because I do not want to put a damper on one of the best election results in the forty years that I have lived in the City. Again, congratulations to all the newly elected Members of the East Point City Council. I pray that your tenure will be successful and rewarding to you and the City. God bless all of you!
EAST POINT CITY COUNCIL OF 2014
Mayor-Elect----------------------- Janquelle Peters
Ward A at-Large- Elect— Sharon Shropshire
Ward B at-Large- Elect-------------- Karen Rene
Ward C at-Large Elect -------- Nanette Soucier
Ward D at-Large Elect--- Dena Holiday-Ingram
To the residents of the City of East Point, I want to thank you again for the privilege of serving you for the past ten years. Now I bid you Happy Holidays and on December 31, 2013, a fond and prosperous farewell!

Sincerely,
Earnestine D. Pittman
Mayor of the City of East Point, GA

Voters overwhelmingly choose Peters as East Point mayor, along with two new council members

East Point Election Results

Awaiting official election results.

 

Help turn those campaign signs to art

Tired of looking at campaign signs? Wondering what to do with those campaign signs you posted in your lawn?  Well, the East Point Preservation Alliance has a message for people:

Attention candidates and residents: We want your used campaign signs!! The East Point Preservation Alliance will be accepting any and all campaign signs (with permission) that are otherwise headed for the landfill. The EPPA will be painting over whatever image is presently on the sign, and using Banksy style stencils to turn the signs into an advocacy campaign to help the EPPA save East Point's historic buildings, and return them to practical use by the people of East Point, for whom they were built. Help us to get a little more use out of each sign before it heads off into the abyss. We greatly appreciate any help we can get.

What is a Banksy style stencil you ask? Like this: