Friends of East Atlanta Library is hosting Santa Claus at the library, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. today, Dec. 8. Donations will buy children's books. Santa will read a few books and listen to Christmas lists. Bring your own camera.

It's December, so it's supposed to be cold, or at least chilly, right? But Sunday saw unusually warm temperatures in Atlanta. The thermometer crossed to 70-degree mark, making it a nice day for a stroll through Constitution Lakes in South DeKalb County, just off Moreland Avenue. The warm spell is expected to last for several more days, with today's temperature to hit a high of 74 degrees.

The Atlanta Police Department is proud to announce the graduation of Class No. 225. The grandation ceremony, held in the Atlanta City Council Chambers in Atlanta City Hall on Nov. 27, followed 22 weeks of rigorous training at the Atlanta Police Academy, along with field training with veteran officers. The training consisted of classroom courses in Constitutional law,local and state laws, APD policy and procedure, hands-on defensive tactics, arrest techniques and daily physical fitness. Class No. 225 consists of 26 men and 3 women. They will be dispatched throughout APD's six zones and various…

Neighborhood Planning Unit-M, which represents the interests of the Old Fourth Ward, the SweetAuburn District, Downtown and Castleberry Hill, held its officer elections  Monday, Nov. 26, at its monthly meeting. The newly elected assume their posts next year. Among the elected: W. Forrest Coley, chairman; Fiona Sites-Bowen, vice-chairwoman, and Matthew W. Garbett, assistant secretary.

The Thanksgiving Day weekend marks the official start of the holidays. One of the customs of the season is the decoration of homes. So we've seen lots of interesting decorations go up and we expect to see some more spring up in the next few days. This one of a reclining Frosty the Snowman on Glenwood Avenue in Ormewood Park caught our attention, as it reminded us of the Temple of the Reclining Buddha in Bangkok, Thailand. Are there any decorated houses or interesting holiday-themed decked out homes that have caught your attention around the neighborhood? Upload them here to our gallery.

by Marilyn Pearlman Grant Park-based Nicholas House held its monthly Open Door Tour recently. Former Atlanta Falcon’s cheerleader Shay Latte of Inman Park and best-selling financial author Ornella Grosz were so impressed and taken with the programs and families, that they whole-heartedly joined the family of Nicholas House Volunteers. The two ladies, accompanied by veteran volunteers Grant Park's Dahna Chandler and myself, took an in-depth tour of the facility. We met the staff, families in residence and learned all about the different programs and resources available for families in need. …

The Candler Park Neighborhood Organization elected its 2013 board members at its November meeting Nov. 19. The 2013 board members are: President: Steve Cardwell Vice-President: David Radlmann Environmental Officer: Tate Wust Recording Secretary: Bonnie Palter Membership Officer: Lexa King Treasurer: Peter Bluestone Zoning Officer: Misca Uppelschoten Public Safety Officer: Jimmy Bligh Special Projects Officer: Mark Clement Communications Officer: Kate Sandhaus

Customers of Barnes & Noble in the bookseller's store at the Edgwood Retail District on Saturday, were fêted to a musical treat. The children's chorus of the Museum School of Avondale Estates sang for customers, perforrming a series of musical seletions under the guidance of Kathryn Bane.

With the election over, our friends at the Elder Tree House in East Atlanta Village posted this clever and humorous sign outside the eatery's entrance. It's not Republicans or Democrats we need to fear, it's the aliens. We would add that with all the ghost sightings of which we've been told in various parts of the Village, need to fear close encounters with the spiritual kind, too. — Péralte Paul

After months of campaigning, it's decision day. East Lake reminds us that it's time to get out there and vote. In Georgia, polls are open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Any voter who is waiting in line to vote at 7:00 PM will be allowed to vote. Here, from the Georiga Secretary of State's website is what you need to know: Voting on Election Day When you arrive at your polling place, you will complete a voter's certificate which asks for your name and residence address. You will then present the certificate and proper identification to the poll officials who will verify that you are a registered …

Po the panda cub turns two on Saturday, Nov. 3, with a festive finale for the giant panda birthday season at Zoo Atlanta. Not to be outdone by the elaborate birthday extravaganzas presented to other members of his family earlier this fall, Po’s human caregivers are already planning an ice cake fit for a celebrity toddler. Po still lives with his mother, Lun Lun, although he is light-years removed from the furless, featherweight newborn who entered the world with a lusty squeal in the wee hours of Nov. 3, 2010. He now weighs over 100 pounds and dines primarily on bamoo. Bamboo will more than …

The Atlanta Falcons aren't the only undefeated carnivores this football season. The Wolves of the Atlanta Neighborhood Charter School in Ormewood Park also are undefeated with a record of 8-0. Go Wolves!

This giant dragon keeps watch over Brownwood Park (and spooks a dog or two). It is part of the ongoing DrugaNacht: Seven Nights in the Dark Forest performances in the park. DrugaNacht tells the story of Vasilisa - a lovely maiden from Eastern European folktales of yore - who seeks the gift of fire from Baba Yaga, a devil witch conversant in the forgotten languages of the Underworld. The performances, which run through Nov. 3 cost $10 to $12 with proceeds going to fund programs of the East Atlanta Community Association. For ticketing and showtime information please visit www.druganacht.…

East Atlanta's Midway Pub celebrated Atlanta Beer Week by opening some the rarer brews it had been collecting for the past year. On Monday, owner Carsten Green and general manager Gil Henry Durant had tastings with customers, pouring some of Green's favorites which included: Founders CBS 2011 Founders KBS 2011 Founders Curmudgeon’s Better Half Sierra Nevada/Russian River Brux 3 Floyds/Mikkeller Boogoop On Tuesday, Oct. 23, the bar hosts another 5 p.m. tasting that features a special Red Hare cask created by Trent Walker. That will be followed b y the  3rd annual Terrapin/Green’s/ Midway cask …

by Mary Fiorello The L5 Project beer is the Wrecking Bar's first collaboration with our friend and neighbor, Nick Rutherford, owner of the Porter Beer Bar.   Historically, this would be called a Baltic Porter, which was the Baltic states' version of an Imperial Stout. More than 1,000 pounds of eight different malts went into eight barrels of this beer, including 16 percent rye. It has complex malt notes of biscuits, toffee, chocolate and dark fruits. The hop bitterness is low with just enough to balance. And fairly dangerous at 8.7 percent alcohol by volume. The Porter will begin selling the …

by Mary Fiorello October 20-27 is Atlanta Beer Week so we at the Wrecking Bar are excited to collaborate with other local beer lovers. Last night, Nick Purdy of Wild Heaven Beer and the Wrecking Bar's Bob Sandage tapped a keg of their collaboration called "Wrecking Heaven." This a smoked Polish wheat style, using about 90 percent Oak Smoked Wheat malt from Weyermann. About 4.5 percent alcohol by volume, it was a style that mostly died out around the turn of the 20th century, but has been revived in the last decade. This is a collaboration to promote Georgia brewers and the Georgia Craft …

by Cindi Kurczewski Students at Drew Charter School in East Lake created an “impromptu sculpture” that sprung up at Drew Oct' 18 and will only be in place through the school’s fall festival on Saturday. This was part of a “site sculpture workshop” led by Young Audiences teaching-artist Jeff Mather for fourth grade students. The children were asked to create a quick temporary sculpture to inspire their imagination for the possibility for a more permanent installation on campus. While working on the temporary sculpture, students learned how to use tools successfully and design on the fly in a …

by Patch Staff To celebrate Georgia's Pre-K program and its 20th Anniversary, First Lady Sandra Deal and State Representative Stacey Abrams visited the Frazer Center on Oct. 2, 2012. All over Georgia, the focus was on the tens of thousands of the state's youngest children in recognition of the important work they are doing to prepare for school success. Oct. 1st through the 5th is the state’s second official year of Pre-K Week, sponsored by Voices for Georgia’s Children (www.georgiavoices.com) and its Pre-K Week partners. Deal and Abrams are two of nearly 140 officials who visited some of the…

Last week, North American Properties held a groundbreaking ceremony for its $35 million BOHO apartment complex project in Old Fourth Ward. A big draw, the company said, was istoric Fourth Ward Park and the Atlanta BeltLine. The company made a $10,000 donation to the Historic Fourth Ward Park Conservancy at the groundbreaking to help further its mission of advocating for and helping to preserve the greenspace.

by Patch Staff The Cartoon Network celebrated its 20th birthday on Oct. 1 with a fun-filled, over-sized party at its Midtown Atlanta headquarters. To commemorate the event, the network commissioned renowned cake artist Karen Portaleo, the lead cake decorator at the Highland Bakery in Old Fourth Ward, to create an unforgettable cake. What she whipped up was a cake that: was 4.5 feet tall was able to serve 1,500 people took Portaleo a full nine days to complete the cake needed 140 pounds of icing 87.5 pounds of sugar 80.5 pounds of flour 302 eggs 42 pounds of butter whose interior was yellow …