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Vol. 20 Newsletter of the Mt. Paran-Northside Citizens Association, Inc. March 2003

Beer bottles, paint buckets, styrofoam crating, Taco Bellbags, Quick Trip 64-ounce plastic drink cups, napkins,Discount Paintn, DJ Services, Affordable HealthInsurance, MrCabinetMaker.comthis is what we seeinstead of greenspace along our citys highways and

streets. Atlanta seems to advertise that it doesnt care whatit looks like.

Fortunately, Mayor Franklin cares. Her Trash Troopersinitiative will spend $452,000 to clean up the citys litter.And good citizens, like Mary Lib Lester, care. Mary Lib, a46-year homeowner on Garmon Road, fills two grocerybags twice monthly with litter she collects on her walksalong Garmon Road. Weekly, others of us remove com-mercial signs nailed to utility poles. But some of theseposters have become so tenacious and downright brazenthat they repost their signs as soon as theyre removedand so high that that my hard-toothed rake cant claw themdown. Ive even called the companies advertising in ourneighborhood-- mostly numbers, by the wayandtold them that they are in violation of City Ordinance 16-28 A .010 prohibiting general advertising signs any-where but on the property being advertised. The police saythey are powerless to enforce this ordinance unless theyactually witness the sign-posting.

The same is true of enforcing the state litter law, HB 1343(Georgia Clean Communities Act of 2002). If law enforce-ment authorities dont catch someone littering, they cantenforce.

So, what can we do? We must accept the responsibility forkeeping our neighborhood clean. Litter begets litter, andillegal signage multiplies itself. I know its a clich, but wereally do have to act locally if we profess to think globally.We should remove our Lost Dog, Found Kitty, andGarage Sale signs after animals are found or retrieved,and estate sales are over. We need to take ownership of thestreets our homes face and side. Ideally, we all need to fol-low the example of Mary Lib.

We are most fortunate to have our powerful Citizens Asso-

ciation. Through email, Brenda Smith keeps us apprised ofissues affecting our quality of life, and she has organizedmonthly gatherings to make our new neighbors feel wel-come. Lynne Moscow, our long-tenured tour de force liai-son with the city, does more than any of us know to ensurethe integrity of our neighborhood. For decades SandraAdair has been our Neighborhood Planning Unit represen-

tative, steadfastly averting intrusions on our zoning andlocal ordinances. Shel Schlegman has led the just cause ofsustaining tree canopy in our neighborhood and city. Dr.Paul Lavietes has served as our neighborhood associationtreasurer, a prodigious job that he has handled expertly andquietly for years because he, like all members of our board,is committed to our welfare. And, mind you, these are allvolunteerpositions.

How do we show appreciation for what this committedleadership does for us? How do we show that we careabout our community, our city, our planet? We, at the veryleast, should rid our community of visible pollution.

Mary Louise Floyd

Signs illegally posted in our neighborhood over a two-week period.

Litter and Illegal Signs: Atlantas Visible Pollution

By Mary Louise Floyd

President, Mount Paran Woods Garden Club

The

CITIZENS REVIEW

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Neighborhood Briefs

Shop the Tuxedo Flea Market March 20-22The Tuxedo Center Neighborhood Parent Teacher Or-ganization (NPTO) is sponsoring its Fifth Annual TuxedoTreasures Flea Market to benefit the students attendingthe North Metro Program. Bargains abound! Books, toys,sports equipment and all kinds of other treasures will beoffered at incredible prices. Proceeds from the Flea Mar-kets have funded music therapy, musical instruments andart programs which are essential creative outlets for these

special needs children. In addition playground equip-ment, library books and reading curriculum materialshave also been funded.The Flea Market Preview Sale opens Thursday, March20 from 4:00-7pm. Admission is $20. Regular sale hours,with no admission fee, are Friday, March 21, 3:00-7pmand Saturday, March 22 from 8:00am-3pm.

Summer Camps 2003SciTrek is pleased to announce that it hasdeveloped new and exciting camp ses-

sions for 2003. This summer, SciTrek will beoffering three different camps (SciTrek Day

Camp, Lockheed Martin Aviation Camp,and Challenger Space Camp) that providechildren ages 4-13 an opportunity to explore

the wonders of science and technology. All of our ses-sions provide hands-on entertaining science, math, andtechnology activities, creative play, and fun exploration.

Campers can learn more and register online atwww.scitrek.org or by mailing the registration form toSciTrek Summer Camps, PO Box 54248, Atlanta, GA30308 or faxing it to ( Registration formscan be downloaded from our site, picked up at our Ad-missions Counter, or mailed to you if you call ( -

New Tax Relief Program for Eligible SeniorsEffective January 1, 2003, City of Atlanta and FultonCounty homeowners who are 65 years of age or olderand have annual net income of $39,000 or less can applyfor a new property tax exemption. The new exemptionallows eligible property owners to freeze the value oftheir residential property based on the previous yearsvalue. The previous years value will remain the currentand future property value as long as the eligible seniorcitizen occupies the residence.

For additional information regarding this exemption andother Tax Relief Programs, you may contact the Board ofAssessors Homestead Division at

City of Atlanta Water/Sewer Rate Increases

(Rates to be adjusted in three phases)

Water Sewer

2002 $1.70 Per CCF $3.93 Per CCF2003 $1.75 Per CCF $4.45 Per CCF2004 $1.80 Per CCF $5.03 Per CCF

CCF=hundred cubic feet

Mt. Paran-Northside Association MembershipIts not too late to join the 487 Associationmembers and receive your 2003 MembershipDirectory (mailing soon). For $25 you willreceive a useful neighborhood directory andalso help support the Associations efforts tokeep neighbors informed of issues important to our qual-ity of life and upcoming events.

A membership form is included in this newsletter. Tojoin, send the completed form, with your $25 check, toMt. Paran-Northside Citizens Association, and mail toDebbie Goot, Membership Vice President, 4380 HarrisTrail, Atlanta, GA 30327. Be sure to include your emailaddress to receive important messages.

Chastain Park Pool Swim Team Forming NowThe North Atlanta Swim Association (NASA) is gearingup for the summer 2003 season. The nonprofit organiza-tions mission is to develop, promote, and encourage thegrowth of aquatic sports and safety for the benefit ofcommunities. "We are proud to announce the formationof the Chastain Park Swim Team for the 2003 swim sea-son. In addition, we will soon announce plans for our'Learn to Swim' program, said Jim King, Chairman ofNASA. Short and long term plans are in the works forChastain Park Pool which include new deck space,fences, pool furniture, concessions, nature trails andmore. You can see the initial artists rendering and manyother details on the website www.NorthAtlantaSwim.org.

Keep Neighbors Safe, Report Burned-out BulbsDriving at night and notice street lamps out in ourneighborhood? These burned-out bulbs are maintained byGeorgia Power and will be replaced quickly when re-

ported. Note the closest street address and report them toGeorgia Power by calling 1-888-891-0938 and choose3 on the menu options. Even in this age of cell phones,no one wants to be stranded, or have one of their lovedones stranded, in an unlit area with car trouble.

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The Mt. Paran-Northside Citizens Association produces this public safety report for the benefit of

our neighborhood. If you see suspicious activity, or are the victim of a crime, call 911 and then reportthe details for this newsletter to our Security Patrol ( ) or Jo Ann Rau ( ).

March 2003

Security Patrol ActivityDuring the three month period of October through January,Officers Doug Cole and Jim Hendrix

Security Patrol Information

The Mt. Paran Security Patrol isa neighborhood-funded patrolstaffed by retired Atlanta policeofficers. The officers patrol ourneighborhood and the RandallMill Civic Association neighbor-hood Monday through Friday and

additional weekend hours as crimepatterns dictate. To date, there are360 patrol members, of which 28live in the Randall Mill Civic As-sociation area.

The patrol checks doors and win-dows daily while you are out oftown and picks up newspapers.The fee to join the patrol is $200/year and covers the time period

from January 1 to December31.The fee for new residents willbe pro-rated. Subscribers receivea mailbox decal, telephone stick-ers and access to the security hot-line as well as daily surveillanceof your house and property.

For information on joining or to

meet the patrol officers, call

Be sure to leave a

message during off-duty hoursand either Officer Cole or Offi-

cer Hendrix will call you back.

Logged 5816 miles patrolling our neighborhood Made 1682 house checks for traveling subscribers Responded to 41 alarm calls and 2 break-ins

Investigated 22 suspicious persons or autos Investigated 6 incidents of larceny Investigated 3 incident of vandalism Found 2 open doors

October: Two unlocked vehicles were entered on Bucking-ham Circle between late night and early morning hours.Among items taken were a ladies purse and new clothes allleft in unlocked cars. Break-in on Garmon Road through abroken window. A hired worker stole a 9 MM pistol andwas later arrested in Cobb County.

November: Mailbox damaged on Buckingham Circle. Suspi-cious white male and female seen in back yard on RegencyRoad. When confronted by homeowner they claimed to belooking for a cat and left abruptly. Around 5:30AM, threeyoung black males, armed with a shotgun, entered an opendoor on Broadland Road. After duct taping two victims, theperpetrators took an ATM card, cash and cell phones.

December: Power meter removed from rear of house onHarris Trail. Someone tried but failed to gain entry to thehouse. Broken window at rear of another house on Harris

Trail. Alarm scared perpetrator off and house was not en-tered. Attempted larceny from vehicle on Conway Valley.Black male subject found in car by owner of the vehicle.

January: Three vehicles broken into the weekend of the10th. One on Paran Pines and two on Sentinel Post. Arrestmade and some items recovered. Mailbox vandalism on sev-eral neighborhood streets. Rifle found on Harris Trail byhomeowner. Unoccupied house for sale entered.

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The Crime Report

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Helpful Hints for Your

Alarm System

The City of Atlanta Police Departmentresponds to all alarm calls receivedfrom any alarm monitoring service. Ifyour monitoring company initiates an

alarm call to your business or residencein the City of Atlanta, then the AtlantaPolice Department will investigate thenature of the call. If damage is found,or if someone is arrested on your prop-erty during the commission of a crime,then a police report will be completedat no charge to you. But if no obviousdamage or forced entry is found by theinvestigating officer, then the City ofAtlanta Police Department will chargeyou the following fee schedule: The

first 3 false alarm calls per year, nocharge. The 4th false alarm call is$50.00. The 5th false alarm call is$75.00. The 6th, and subsequent falsealarm call, is $100.00. A series of falsealarms could cost several

While you probably cannot entirely prevent becoming a victim of identity theft, yocan minimize your risk. By managing your personal information wisely, cautiouslyand with an awareness of the issue, you can help guard against identity theft.

Before you reveal any personal identifying information, find out how it will be useand whether it will be shared with others. Ask if you have a choice about the use oyour information: can you choose to have it kept confidential?

Do not give out personal information on the phone, through the mail or over theInternet unless you have initiated the contact or know with whom you are dealingIdentity thieves may pose as representatives of banks, Internet service providers aneven government agencies to get you to reveal your Social Security numbermothers maiden name, financial account numbers and other identifying information. Legitimate organizations with which you do business have the informationthey need and will not ask you for it.

Give your Social Security number only when absolutely necessary. Ask to use othetypes of identifiers when possible.

Put passwords on your credit card, bank and phone accounts. Avoid using easilavailable information like your mothers maiden name, your birth date, the last foudigits of your Social Security number, your phone number, or a series ofconsecutive numbers.

Minimize the identification information and the number of cards you carry wityou. Do not carry your Social Security card in your wallet and do not list your Social Security card number of your drivers license or checks. Carry only the credicards you really need.

Guard your mail from theft. Deposit outgoing mail in post office collection boxes oat your local post office. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox after it has beendelivered. If you are planning to be away from home and cannot pick up your mailcall the US Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777 to request a vacation hold. The PostaService will hold your mail at your local post office until you can pick it up.

Pay attention to your billing cycles. Follow up with creditors if your bills do noarrive on time. A missing credit card bill could mean an identity thief has taken oveyour credit card account and changed your billing address to cover his or her tracks

Keep items with personal information in a safe place. To thwart an identity thiewho may pick through your trash or recycling bins to capture your personal information, tear or shred your charge receipts, copies of credit applications, insuranceforms, physician statements that you are discarding, expired charge cards and credioffers that you get in the mail.

Be cautious about where you leave personal information in your home, especially iyou have roommates, employ outside help or are having service work done in youhome.

Find out who has access to your personal information at work and verify that threcords are kept in a secure location.

Order a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reportingagencies every year. Make sure it is accurate, current and includes only those ac-tivities you have authorized or are aware of. Georgia law allows you to receive twofree credit reports each year from each credit reporting agency.

: Tips for Staying SafeStop Identity Theft Network

Minimize Risk of

Becoming Victim of Identity Theft

Wind and thunder

someone shaking an exterior door

knob a house pet roaming aroundinside the house a house cleaningservice person (maid, etc) without analarm code a sub-contractor doingwork on your house a homeownerwho has forgotten their alarm code employees reporting to work with-

out an alarm code a friend visitingyour home with a key and no alarmcode malfunctioning or improp-erly set alarm systems.

Teen Curfew

R e -

minder

The City of Atlanta

has a curfew for teen-agers age 17 and under:Weekdays teens are not allowed out

What causes a False

Alarm?

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Mem- bershipForm

Date___________________________

Name(s)________________________________________________________List names the way you would like them to appear in the directory

Address_________________________________________________________

Phone:_______________________Email_______________________________

Please make your $25 check payable to Mt. Paran-Northside Citizens Association andmail with this form to: Debbie Goot, 4380 Harris Trail, Atlanta, GA 30327.

Mt. Paran-Northside Citizens Association

Date_____________________________

Name ______________________________________________________________

Address____________________________________________________________

Home phone___________________________Work_________________________

Mobile____________________Email_____________________________________

Emergency Contact #1: Emergency Contact #2:

Name___________________________ Name____________________________

Daytime phone____________________ Daytime phone

Evening phone_______ Evening phone

Please make your $200 check payable toMt. Paran Security Patroland mail withthis form to: Maryanne Mooney, 4030 Randall Mill Road, NW, Atlanta, Georgia

Mt. Paran Security Patrol Application

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Passover Pecan and Dried Fruit

Matzo Pudding

2 cups matzo farfel4 large eggs, separated6 tablespoons unsalted butter1/2 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream1 teaspoon vanilla1/3 cup diced raisins1/3 cup diced apricotsCinnamonFreshly grated nutmeg1 cup chopped walnuts2/3 cup apricot preserves

Preheat the oven to 375 de-grees. Soak matzo farfel in cold water for a few minutes.Drain well and transfer to a large bowl.

In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks, butter, all but 2tablespoons of the sugar, sour cream and the vanilla.In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the whites until theyform soft peaks. Add the remaining sugar and beat tofirm peaks. Fold the whites into the yolk mixture and foldinto the farfel. In a buttered shallow baking dish layer thefarfel, walnuts, jam and raisins and apricots. Sprinklewith chopped nuts and cinnamon, if desired, and bake for25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly golden.Yield: 4-6 servings,Difficulty: EasyPrep Time: 15 minutes, Cook Time: 40 minutes

March Gardening TipsBy PIKE FAMILY NURSERIES

Natural Dyes for Easter Eggs Recipe courtesy of Food Network Kitchens

Red:2 pounds beets, peeled, dicedYellow/tan:1 pound onion skinsYellow/orange:1 1/2 cup (1.9 ounce) jar turmeric

Purple:2 small heads red cabbage, slicedWarm brown:1 (6-cup) pot of strong coffeeDistilled white vinegar

For all but the coffee color, in a 5quart saucepan add 1 vegetable or ingredient. Add 4quarts water, bring to a boil and cook for 1/2 hour oruntil the color is very dark. Allow to cool to roomtemperature and strain out vegetables. Add 1/4 cupdistilled white vinegar and then add hard boiled eggsto each color. Refrigerate overnight. For the coffee

color: brew the coffee. Allow to cool to room tem-perature. Add 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar, add hardboiled eggs, refrigerate overnight.Yield: each color will color 1 dozen eggs

In the event of an

early spring cold

snap, it is not un-usual for spring

blooming plants andtrees to suffer minorcold damage. Al-though the bloomscan't be salvaged,healthy plants willreplace the injuredleaves as the growingseason progresses.

Apply crabgrass preventer to your lawn before mid-March. Crabgrass preventers put a barrier on the soil thatprevents crabgrass and certain other weed seed from germi-

nating. Don't wait too long, this product will do little or nogood once crabgrass has sprouted.

Control weeds that have already sprouted, like Chick-weed, Dandelions and Henbit, with a post-emergent weedkiller. Check the label to make sure that the chemical usedin the product is safe for your type of grass.

Aerate your lawn and planting areas to increase waterpenetration and air circulation in the soil. The response willbe improved plant growth.

Test the pH of your soil. Our clay soil tends to have anacidic pH level. Lime is used to reduce the soil's acidity.

Apply 40 pounds of lime per 1000 square feet to reduce theacidity by one-half point.

Feed Fescue lawns with Atlanta Turf Special 31-3-10 fertil-izer. Wait to fertilize dormant turf grasses, such as Bermudaor Zoysia until April when they are at least 50% green.

Overseed Fescue lawns. 25 pounds of seed will cover 5000square feet. Do not apply a crabgrass preventer if you sowgrass seed in the spring. Not only does it prevent crabgrassseed from germinating, it can prevent your grass seed fromgerminating too.

Fertilize shrubs and trees with a 16-4-8 or 12-6-6 fertilizer,

according to package directions. Do not fertilize springflowering plants or trees, like azaleas, camellias and dog-woods, until they finish blooming.

Plant trees, shrubs and perennials. Planting now will givethe plants time to establish their root systems before sum-mer's heat arrives.

Freshen the mulch in your planting areas. Mulches, likepine straw or bark nuggets help to control weed growth bypreventing the rays of the sun from reaching the weed seeds.They also help to reduce evaporation and conserve moisturein the soil.

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Contact each of the three major credit reporting

agencies and request that a fraud alert be placedin your credit file.Equifax, PO Box 742050, Atlanta, Ga. 30374-0250, (800) 525-6285.Experian, PO Box 1017, Allen, Texas, 755013(888) 397-3742.

Trans Union, PO Box 6790, Fullerton, Calif. 92634, (800) 680-7289.

Contact the Governors Office of Consumer Affairs, the chief inves-tigative agency for consumer fraud in Georgia.

Governors Office of Consumer Affairs, (404) 651-8600 or(800) 869-1123 or www.ganet.org/gaoca

Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the national clearing-house for consumer fraud information. At the FTC or Equifax Websites, download the universal fraud affidavit, fill it out and submit itto applicable creditors.

The Federal Trade Commission, (877) ID-THEFT or emailwww.consumer.gov/idtheftor, Equifax www.equifax.com.

Depending on the nature of the fraud, you should contact:

Social Security Administration if your Social Security number hasbeen used in an unauthorized manner, call theFraud Hotline (800) 269-0721.

Georgia Department of Motor Vehicles if amotor vehicle is involved call (404) 362-6002.

Local Post Office and United States PostalInspection Service if mail is involved.

Federal Bureau of Investigation if fraudulentactivity extends across state lines.

United States Secret Service if counterfeit checks are involvedcall (404) 331-6111

: What You Need to Know and Do

An identity thief can strike even if you have been very

careful about keeping your personal information to

yourself. If you suspect that your personal information

has been hijacked and misappropriated to commitfraud or theft, take action immediately, and keep a re-

cord of your conversations and correspondence.

STOP

IDENTITYTHEFT

IN GEORGIA

If You Are a Victim of Identity Theft

If you believe you are a victim of identity theft,contact the police and make a report.

Neighbors Warned

About ScamsPolice Say Group Targets

Affluent Neighborhood

Authorities are warning residenabout a group of young people goindoor-to-door asking for money. Tgroup uses high-pressure sales tactiand lies in efforts to con residents oof money. They say they are raisinmoney for everything from volleybteams, to childrens charities, to hopitals; but in reality, they are part of

group called Ultimate Power Sales United Family Circulation, a foprofit company based in GeorgHigh-pressure sales tactics often iclude statements that they live in tneighborhood and are children neighbors. They are very practicand often hit between 30 to 1houses a day. Residents are advisto ask anyone soliciting to producelicense and documentation. Legi

mate organizations have phone numbers and literature.

Officers Cole and Hendrix remin

us that Springtime is upon us an

the scam artists will be out in oneighborhoods. Do not let them in

your homes or give them cash

checks. Call 911 and the SecurPatrol immediately.

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Reminders from Officers Cole and Hendrex

Know who your workers are before giving themthe run of your house.

Once again, everyone is reminded NOT to placeoutgoing mail in your mailbox. Checks to paybills were stolen from a mailbox on Conway Val-

ley recently. The bank informed the resident thather account had been raided by mailbox thieveswho wash these checks and use the original sig-nature to write in their own amounts.

As a result of an increase in nighttimecrimes, be careful not to leave walletsor purses in plain view when youcome home for the day. Criminals are casinghouses and police have made numerous arrests inthese crimes but still remind you to set the alarmwhen you come home for the evening.

Do not leave personal belongs in your vehicles.Be sure to lock your vehicles whether or not youhave a garage door.

Remember, if you are a subscriber, call the Patrolbefore leaving town, so that your doors and win-dows will be checked daily while away. We donot pick up mail, but we do, however, pick upyour newspapers.

We thank everyone for your input and for report-

ing suspicious activity in the neighborhood. Thisinformation helps the police to determine the typeof criminal activity and neighborhood patterns.

Crime Increase in the Northside Parkway CorridorThere have been several incidents of serious crime in the

late night hours in the parking lots of fast food restau-rants. All are related to drug activity and police tell usthat easy access to I-75 makes this area a target. Themost recent was a drug bust gone bad in the Steak 'nShake parking lot around 12:30am. Police found themurder victim's car full of crack cocaine. These activi-ties remind us to be extra cautious at night around OKCafe, McDonald's, Chick Fil A, Steak 'n Shake and TacoBell. It's also a good idea to avoid the ATM's in thatarea after dark. As a result of the increased activity, po-lice surveillance in that area has increased.

New Neighborhood Traffic Patrol Unit

Zone 2 has a new traffic unit consisting of six officersand a sergeant. Their cars dont look like police carsalthough Traffic Enforcement is printed on them. Theunit goes into neighborhoods with lasers where speedingactivity has been reported, especially around schools.Recently, they wrote 100 tickets in the Morningsideneighborhood, of which 30% were residents of the area.You can report traffic problems (speeding, etc.) directlyby sending email to:zonetwo@atlantapd.org

Just When You Think the Cruising is Over

College Spring Break takes place April 11-14.

Police arent sure what to expect but depending onthe situation, you may want to stay clear of Buck-head during those dates.

Security Patrol Activity: Protect Yourself and Your Neighborhood

Message from Zone 2 Commander Major JP Spillane

We have noticed the increase in overnight car break-ins,

car thefts and burglaries in your area of the City. Pleasebe sure to tell everyone to set their alarms when they getin for the night. Also ensure garage doors are closed andthe cars are locked. If vehicles have an alarm, be sure toturn it on. One tactic these criminals are using is to lookinto homes at night, particularly the kitchen or entrancearea and see if they can see a purse, wallet or car keys onthe counter. If they do, they will break into the houseand take these items, sometimes driving away in yourcar. If you see a suspicious person or vehicle in yourneighborhood during the night (or any other time), call

911 immediately. We are looking every night for thesecriminals and you should see an increase in overnightpolice activity.

Police Caught a Suspect Riding a Bike

Be cautious of anyone staking out your home or yourneighbors. Even if it is someone riding a bicycle roundand round the neighborhood. Call 911 and ask the policeto check it out. They will, and arrests have been made.

And, always call

911 first, then

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The Way it Was on the Corner of

Northside and Mount Paran

Normans Service Station,4480 Northside Drive, Beechwood 5 -9954

By KAREN SWIMContributors DANA SCAVO and AL GOODGAME

Underneath a giant, pine-costumed cell tower, the CountryStore still allows a glimpse of this areas rich pasta past ripewith dairy farms and nurseries, gold mines and whiskey stills, aone-room schoolhouse and our country store. The transforma-tion of this once rural neighborhood into an enclave of exclu-sive homes, churches and schools is not complete and perhapsnever will be. Yet, what unearths with all this change is an out-pouring of clues and memories of the way it was.

This constant change can be seen everywhere including theCountry Store. In 1958, Normans Service Station leased thebuilding and opened for business. Normans was more countrythan its successor. The building was comprised of two con-

nected homes; two roofs, two foundations and two structuralsupports. The floors were part dirt and part worn linoleum.With glasses framing aged faces, John and Willie Norman al-ways greeted their customers upon enteringas did the blendedsmells of mold and mildew, stale cigarette smoke and ripe pro-duce. Elena Moravec who attended Tuxedo elementary (nowTuxedo Center) remembers Normans as a delightful dumpcrowded with shelf after shelf of dusty merchandise, jars ofpickled pigs feet, baskets of produce, snack foods and a rack offried pork rinds. Elena and several grammar school studentswould stop by Normans on their walk home from school toblow 15 on Cokes, candy and ice cream. Gasoline was sold atthis service station from two pumps of Pure Oil (regular and

super). With little storage for gasoline, the prices were kepthigh guaranteeing those desperate few would be assured of get-ting enough gas to make it down the hill.

After John Normans death in 1970, Willie Norman gave uptheir lease. The new managers changed the name to the Coun-try Store and remodeled, giving it its current rustic look. Dur-ing the next thirty plus years, the stores management changedseveral times yet the store continued to decline. Last year how-ever, under a long-term lease, the Country Store has been givennew life. The new managers, Josh and Vince Kenny are work-ing diligently with the civic association to upgrade and beautifythe property. The Kennys are determined to do what no othersto date have donethey want to make the store more of an up-

dated community store catering to the residents rather thansomewhere to stop out of sheerdesperation.

So, change continues and the way it was becomes but a merereference in an ongoing cycle. In subsequent newsletters, wewill continue to explore the way it was in our neighborhood.And, perhaps, as we remodel our homes or completely rebuild,we may uncover something foreign to this period of timeanabandoned water well, leg irons from a prison farm, a Civil Warrelic or even gold!

Editors NotePlease send your recollections about life in theneighborhood to: Editor, P.O. Box 724153, Atlanta, GA 31139.

TREE CANOPIED PARK TOBEAUTIFY NEIGHBORHOOD

Would you like to see the West Conway-Broadland pocket-parktransformed into a lush showcase of year-round color, display-ing its beauty from every vantage point? You will.

A 15-foot white oak will command the slightly elevated centerof the triangle. Descending in height from this anchor tree,

other trees and shrubs will color the park seasonally. In thespring, native dogwoods will blossom white, and azaleas, pink;in the summer, crape myrtles in clusters of three at each of thetriangles points will bloom in pink-purple and white; in the latesummer, chaste trees will cool the island with their gray-greenleaves and clusters of violet blossoms; in the fall, tupelo/blackgum trees will turn brilliant red; and in the winter, Chinesewitch hazels will bloom in sunshine-yellow. A low, stacked-stone retaining wall will add hardscape appeal to the design aswell as shore up 45 cubic yards of enriched planting soil. Theirrigation system must be completely redesigned.

Mount Paran Woods Garden Club will begin the initial phasesof this landscape plan as soon as the City issues the prerequisite

permit. The total cost of the project is estimated to be $17,000.With budgeted funds and additional contributions from mem-bers, only the first stages of the plan can be accomplished beforeMay, the end of spring planting season for our climate. Theplan could be fully implemented this spring, however, if we hadthe funding. Otherwise, the project will be done incrementallyover several years. The Garden Club welcomes contributionswhich are tax-deductible per the Garden Clubs 501 (C)3 chari-table organization status. Checks can be made to Mt. ParanWoods Garden Club and mailed to Treasurer Debbie Leet at 775Kinloch Street, Atlanta 30327. The garden club will provide alldonors with appropriate documentation of their tax-deductibledonations.

This pocket park is one of three in our community maintainedby the garden club at a cost of $6000 annually. A May 2002thunderstorm that destroyed a 25-year-old Bradford Pear, andtwo flanking plum trees, created the need to replant this park.Several years earlier a large white oak on the Broadland pointhad succumbed to disease and age. Last summer members usedthe full-sun to Plant-a-Row-for-the-Hungry and donated its yieldto the Atlanta Food Bank. However, the need for trees in ourcommunity is obvious. For this reason and the aesthetics ofdesign and color, the garden club focused on a varied assortmentof shade-giving species.

Jo Ann Rau

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MT. PARAN-NORTHSIDE CITIZENS ASSOCIATION, INC.P.O. BOX 724153 ATLANTA, GEORGIA 31139

OFFICERSPresident/Brenda SmithVice President/Communications/Jo Ann Rau

Vice President/Membership/Debbie GootVice President/Security/Maryanne MooneySecretary/Jean SmithTreasurer/Jim Carter

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sandra Adair, Cory Charles, Angelia Evert, Al Goodgame,Greg Lyles, Dick Perkins, Alan Leet, Pamela Tremayne, ClausHalle, Dana Scavo, Glenn Sturm, Karen Swim, Marci Vincent,Richard Wilson.

EX-OFFICIO (PAST PRESIDENTS)

Lynne Moscow, Sheldon Schlegman, Robert Hurst, EdwardFloyd, John R. Martin (d), Robert Miller, H. Clay Moore, Jr.,J. Martin Turbidy

Editor: Lynne Moscow

Design & Typeset: Jo Ann Rau

WEB SITE

www.neighborhoodlink.com/atlanta/mountparan

Pre-SortedFirst Class Mail

U.S. PostagePAID

Atlanta, GAPermit No. 3207

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Association Newsletter and Crime Report Inside

Garden Clubs Plans for Pocket-Park

Mount Paran Garden Club members have sought the advice ofCal Cormier, with Atlanta City Parks, and Tom Harvey, withAtlanta Botanical Gardens. The final plan was designed, andwill be supervised, by Ryan Henderson of Associated Environ-mental Landscape. This plan is available for your review fromgarden club members who are directly involved with this pro-ject: Louise McDermott, Roberta Foley, Janie Merrill, PatDaly, Olivia Evans, Susan Smith, Cheryl Beckham, JeannieBell, Sanford Dickinson, Karen Sturm, Ruth Anthony, DebbieLeet, Angi Evert, and Mary Louise Floyd.

Continued from Previous Page

Rau

Celebrating a Great Neighbor

Board Member Lavietes Moves

Longtime Mt. Paran-Northside resident,Paul Lavietes, has served as associationtreasurer since 1998. He has kept thebooks, paid the bills, balanced the bankaccounts, invested our dollars, filed annualreports, and made all those deposits.Pauls commitment to our association, andactivism over the many years, has helpedto make our neighborhood a better place. He and Marilynare moving outside of our boundaries and we wish them

much happiness and peace in their new home.editors note: We are grateful to Cave Road resident JimCarter for assumimg the job as association treasurer.

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Got a great idea for our next Neighborhood get-together? Dont keep it to yourself. SocialChairman Marci Vincent is looking for a fewgood ideas. Contact her at ( or

And dont miss the fun!