CrossRoadsNews, April 29, 2017 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

COMMUNITY

SCENE

Earth Day celebration

Purpose-driven putting

Spring Valley residents and county officials gathered on April 22 to spruce up around the neighborhood’s entrance. 3

Golfers can help the South DeKalb Rotary Club raise funds to support kids at the group’s annual golf tournament on June 2. 6

Put Litter in Its Place Let’s Do Our Part to Keep DeKalb Beautiful

EAST ATLANTA • DECATUR • STONE MOUNTAIN • LITHONIA • AVONDALE ESTATES • CLARKSTON • ELLENWOOD • PINE LAKE • REDAN • SCOTTDALE • TUCKER

April 29, 2017

Volume 22, Number 53

www.crossroadsnews.com

DeKalb cleaning sewer lines for the first time in 50 years By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

The contract is to cover sewer replacement, pipe bursting, sewer lining, point repairs, manhole interior coating or lining, manhole height adjustment, manhole frame and cover adjustment or replacement, connection sealing and manhole replacement. The work is expected to take two years to complete. CEO Michael Thurmond said the cleaning of the sewer lines will allow the county to recapture capacity and potentially reduce costs. “This is a significant moment for the taxpayers and residents of this county because our government is working to address capacity issues in our sewer system and reduce sanitary sewer overflows,” Thurmond said. Once a sewer is cleaned, the county will collect flow

DeKalb’s major sewer lines are being cleaned for the first time in more than 50 years. The Board of Commissioners unanimously approved two contracts totaling $35.45 million on April 11 to get the long overdue job done. The $7.2 million cleaning contract awarded to Atlanta-based Compliance Envirosystems will remove tree roots and buildup of fats, oils and grease and other trash and debris that clog sewer lines. The county has more than 5,000 miles of water and wastewater pipes. Commissioners also awarded $28.25 million to Brown and Caldwell to rebuild a gravity sewer system and reduce frequent sewage spills at 19 locations in Decatur and Avondale Estates. Please see CONTRACTS, page 2

Buildup of FOG – fats, oils and grease – clogs sewer lines and accounts for a significant number of sanitary sewer overflows and reduced capacity countywide.

Burlington opening store near Stonecrest mall New city also luring Bojangles’ and Fletcher’s By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

By fall, shoppers from DeKalb and neighboring counties won’t have to travel far to shop at a Burlington store. The national off-price retailer, formerly known as Burlington Coat Factory, is opening a Stonecrest store in the Turner Hill MarketPlace Shopping Center across from the Mall at Stonecrest. It is taking the 45,775-square-foot space vacated by Best Buy, which left late spring 2016, and bringing 50 to 100 jobs to the area. Tom Kingsbury, Burlington Stores president, CEO and chairman, said Thursday the company is looking forward to being part of the community. “We are thrilled to open a new Burlington in the Lithonia community, bringing even more jobs to the neighborhood and providing local residents with a valued shopping experience,” Kingsbury said. This week, work crews were dismantling the building’s old facade and doing interior construction. One said they will be done in nine to 10 weeks. Burlington’s Stonecrest store will join the chain’s 596 stores in 45 States and Puerto Rico, including DeKalb County stores at North DeKalb Mall on Lawrenceville Highway and on Buford Highway in Doraville. Reema Ghani, RCG Ventures property manager for Turner Hill MarketPlace, said Burlington’s signed lease has an August 2017 opening date. In Turner Hill MarketPlace, located at 2940 Turner Hill Road, Burlington will join anchors Toys “R” Us and Bed Bath & Beyond. The company says the store will feature ladies’ apparel, accessories, menswear, family footwear, children’s clothing, a Baby Depot with a broad assortment of furniture and accessories for baby, home décor and gifts, and

Photos By Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Burlington and Bojangles’, which are both coming to Turner Hill Road near the Mall at Stonecrest, will bring 120 to 200 jobs to the new city of Stonecrest when they open in three to six months. Above right, a crew dismantles the old Best Buy facade.

a large selection of coats at up to 65 percent opened at the mall this spring. off other retailers’ prices every day. Round One, a 50,000-square-foot, Japanese-owned bowling and entertainment More new businesses coming complex, opened across from the former Burlington is the latest new business to AMC Cinemas on March 3. open in the new city of Stonecrest. It will join H&M’s 21,000-square-foot family clothRound One Entertainment and H&M, which ing store opened on the mall’s upper level

on March 16. Bojangles’ franchise owner Leighton Hull is finally clearing the land for his new Stonecrest restaurant, which will be built next to Rite Aid on Turner Hill Road, and home-grown Fletcher’s Restaurant at the Gallery at South DeKalb is expanding to Stonecrest. Its second location is going into the old Crab City location at 3025 Turner Hill Road, near Olive Gardens. restaurant. Fletcher Penn, the restaurant’s owner, said he hopes to be open his 4,625-squarefoot Stonecrest restaurant by mid-May. “We plan on keeping both of them open,” he said Thursday. Hull says that once construction starts, it will take 90 days to open the 3,800-squarefoot Bojangles’. It will join his first store at 2695 Panola Road, which opened on Sept. 14, 2014. The store will employ 70 to 100 full- and part-time workers.

Community

CrossRoadsNews

April 29, 2017

“Water customers are urged to continue complying with the state-mandated restrictions.”

Stonecrest hosting public appreciation, ceremonial inauguration By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

The new city of Stonecrest’s five council members and mayor are hosting a “Public Appreciation & Ceremonial Inauguration” ceremony on May 1 at the Mall at Stonecrest. The 7-to-9 p.m. event will take place on a stage near Sears on the mall’s lower level. Four of the five council members – Jimmy Clanton Jr., Jazzmin Cobble, Diane Adoma and George Turner – and Mayor Jason Lary took the oath of office in private ceremonies. Clanton, Cobble and Lary, who were elected on March 21, took the oath of office on March 27. Adoma and Turner, who were elected in the April 18 runoff, were sworn into office in a private ceremony at the Allen Entrepreneurial Institute Conference Center on Evans Mill Road on April 24. DeKalb Associate State Court Judge Ronald Ramsey, who swore all five of them into office, is expected to do the public honors as well. District 2 elected Councilman Rob Turner, who is out of town but is expected to attend Monday’s inauguration festivities.

Stonecrest City Council members Diane Adoma and George Turner take the oath of office in a private April 24 ceremony. With Adoma are her son and grandson, James and Kingsley Augustus. With Turner is his wife, Pat. They will be part of a May 1 public inauguration at the Mall at Stonecrest.

It will be the first time that all five elected council members and mayor will be together since the runoff. During the ceremony, the council will recognize members of the Governor’s Commission on Stonecrest, community council and volunteers who worked while they were campaigning for election. Voters approved the new 29-square-mile

Drought status bans car washing Despite recent April showers, DeKalb County is still under a Level 2 drought status, and the county is reminding businesses and residents that state-mandated water restrictions prohibit the outdoor washing of vehicles, including charity car washes. DeKalb Watershed Management says that commercial car washes that are connected to the sanitary sewer or that use recycled

water are the only ones excused from the restrictions. It says metro Atlanta’s and DeKalb’s drought status is still severe because Lake Lanier, DeKalb’s water source, has not recovered. “Water customers are urged to continue complying with the state-mandated restrictions,” the April 18 statement said.

city of 50,000 residents last November. The City Council will begin meeting on May 8. Lary said Thursday that they are hoping to meet in the auditorium of the Stonecrest Library on Klondike Road but are awaiting confirmation. The Stonecrest Commission, appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal, wrapped up its business on April 21.

Chairman Joel Thibodeaux said the commission will hand off its reports and recommendations from seven committees to the council at its first meeting. The reports and recommendations are on Economic Development, Code Enforcement & Beautification, Parks & Recreation, Planning & Zoning, Education, Public Safety, and City Operations.

Aging sewer lines prone to breaks CONTRACTS,

from page

data to develop a wastewater stream model that will be used to determine trunk sewer pipe sizes for existing and future growth. DeKalb’s aging sewer lines are prone to breaks and overflows and the county is in the midst of a $1.35 billion federally mandated consent degree to repair and upgrade its sewer lines and capacity. Countywide, fats, oils and grease account for a significant number of sanitary sewer overflows and reduced sewer capacity. Ted Rhinehart, the county’s deputy chief operating officer for infrastructure, says the county can’t do it alone. “With 60 percent of sanitary sewer overflows in DeKalb County caused by fats, oils and grease being poured down sink drains, residents and businesses also play an important partnership role with DeKalb County,” he said. The county also is addressing its sewer capacity issues with a systemwide assessment of the wastewater collection system to identify deficiencies and with ongoing smoke

Contractors will remove tree roots, FOG and other debris that clog sewer lines.

testing that has identified problems such as illicit connections, failed private sewer laterals and missing clean-out covers. The county says the removal of these extraneous sources of stormwater will help to reduce the overloading of DeKalb’s sewer system that can result in sanitary sewer overflows.

April 29, 2017

Community

CrossRoadsNews

“We love to work with communities who want to make their area better and put some attractiveness in their area.”

MARTA Fresh Market opening at four metro transit stations MARTA patrons will be able to catch the train and shop for fruits and veggies at four stations in metro Atlanta starting May 2. The transit system is hosting a 2:30 p.m. ribbon cutting on Tuesday at its newest Fresh Market at the West End station. The market will join fresh produce kiosks offering affordable and locally grown produce at the College Park, H.E. Holmes and Five Points stations over the past two years. The markets will open for business through May 25 and the final one will close on Dec. 1. Keith Parker, MARTA’s general manager and CEO, said the transit system realizes that all communities don’t have adequate access to fresh and affordable produce. “For us, the Fresh MARTA Market is an opportunity to help bridge that gap while promoting healthy meal choices,” he said. The Fresh Markets are helping to plug a food gap identified by a 2014 Feeding America’s Hunger in America study, which found that more than 300,000 residents within MARTA’s service area lack reliable access to sufficient quantities of affordable, nutritious food. The Fresh MARTA Markets are managed in partnership with the Community Farmers Market, the Atlanta Community

MARTA GM/CEO Keith Parker says the Fresh Market offers access to fresh, affordable produce and promotes healthy meal choices.

Days of operation Fresh MARTA Markets open daily 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.: n West End – Tuesdays, May 2-Nov. 29 n H.E. Holmes – Wednesdays, May 24-Nov. 29 n College Park – Thursdays, May 25Nov. 30 n Five Points – Fridays, May 12-Dec. 1

Food Bank/Food Oasis-Atlanta, South West Atlanta Growers Cooperative, and Organix Matters. They accept cash, credit or debit cards or EBT. This year, the Atlanta Community Food Bank will conduct screenings for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and the Childcare and Parent Services program, or CAPS, which offers child care subsidies to some of Georgia’s most disad-

vantaged families. Applications will be available at the West End, H.E. Holmes and Five Points stations. Shoppers also can use Georgia Fresh for Less, formerly SNAP 2-for-1. Under that program, every dollar spent at the market becomes $2 in goods for shoppers. Sara Berney, Wholesome Wave Georgia’s executive director, said the program helps families stretch their dollars. “Simply put, you can get twice as much at

the farmer’s market with Georgia Fresh for Less,” she said. “We match SNAP and EBT – dollar for dollar – at participating farmer’s markets, so consumers pay less for fresh, local food that is higher quality and more nutritious.” Customers also will find new “fresh value” stands, which offer a variety of prepared items, including salads, breads, baked goods and additional products grown and sourced locally. “These additional vendors provide onthe-go, healthy options for our MARTA customers,” Parker said.

Spring Valley embraces challenge of keeping Columbia Drive beautiful By Angelina T. Velasquez

A trash can is not supposed to last 30 years, but that is how long members of the Spring Valley Civic Association in Decatur kept theirs. Over the three decades that it stood at the entrance of their subdivision on Columbia Drive, the weathered and worn 20-gallon trash can served the community well. Marvin Toliver, a 43year Spring Valley resident, estimates that they must have collected a few tons of litter in the can. “It would look a lot different with no place to put the trash,” Toliver said this week. Not far from the trash Marvin Toliver can is a MARTA bus stop, which Toliver said greatly contributes to people leaving trash behind. The Spring Valley receptacle’s presence was also a silent encouragement to passersby to put litter there instead of dropping it in the street, which many often did. But it was time to retire the old thing. On April 1, the nonprofit Keep DeKalb Beautiful donated a new brown metal trash can to the community, and on Earth Day, celebrated around the world on April 22, the community and county officials came together to pose with the trash can and to spruce up – trim hedges and pick up litter – the neighborhood’s front entrance. Toliver said the gift of the trash can is part of Spring Valley’s commitment that its residents will keep the Columbia Drive corridor clean and beautiful in support of DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond’s efforts to clean up the county.

District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson joined Spring Valley residents and Keep DeKalb Beautiful volunteers to spruce up the entrance on Earth Day.

Angelina T. Velasquez / CrossRoadsNews

Other Earth Day events included cleanups along Snapfinger Woods Drive, the Countyline Parade Route and Candler Road and the removal of privets from Briarlake Forest and the induction of Briarlake Forest and Hidden Acres into the Old Growth Forest Network. Toliver, a retired MARTA Community Affairs manager, said the trash can does not seem like a big deal, but for Spring Valley, it holds more value than meets the eye. “It shows that we want to keep our community clean and beautiful,” he said. Spring Valley, a 1960s subdivision with more than 200 homes, plans to use the trash can, which mimics the look of wood planks and complements the community’s aesthetics, for the next 50 years. One of its entrances is located near two convenience stores and gas stations, which pose pedestrian littering issues for the community. “People end up dropping trash inadvertently and it winds up here,” said Toliver, who often carries gloves with him on his walks so that he can pick up trash along the way.

In honor of Earth Day, Keep DeKalb Beautiful donated 24 large trash bags, 24 sets of hand gloves and three trash pickup hand sticks and its volunteers assisted in the cleanup, helped trim hedges, and planted decorative plants. Gordon Burkette, KDB director, said they love community-based groups and Spring Valley residents are doing better than most.

“We love to work with communities who want to make their area better and put some attractiveness in their area that is not there now,” he said. “They are committed and they don’t take no for an answer.” District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson, who represents the area, said he appreciates Spring Valley taking the initiative for caring for its neighborhood. Angela Strange and Alicia Ayers, who both volunteered, were impressed with Spring Valley residents’ commitment. “It’s remarkable how much these people care about the community,” Strange said. “Everyone really contributes to keeping the area clean.” “The residents have shown that they value and take pride in their community,” Ayers said. Toliver is hoping residents and local businesses continue to do their part in keeping the corridor trash-free. “When an area looks trashy, you bring trash,” he said. “It looks unkempt, violence and crime creep in because it looks like you don’t care. We want to avoid all of that.”

Youth

2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker General Manager Curtis Parker Assistant Editor Brenda Yarbrough Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Angelina Velasquez Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Multimedia Editor Sharif Williams CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoadsNews, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor those of any advertisers. The concept, design and content of CrossRoadsNews are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher.

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April 29, 2017

“Volunteers gain useful experience and take pride in knowing that they have helped improve the life of a child.”

Chapel Hill boys sprint to state championship win By Angelina T. Velasquez

Chapel Hill Middle boys 4x100meter relay team ran a 45.46-second winning race in the State Track Championship on April 22 to take fifth place overall at Parkview High School in Lilburn. Members of the all eighth-grade team – Lorenzo Lee, Anjuan Ross, Mateen Smith and Terrence Reid – are the reigning DeKalb Track Champions. More than 60 schools competed in the April 20-22 championship. Star athlete Lorenzo Lee ran anchor, surpassing the competition to the finish line. In March, he also broke the county’s record in the long-distance 1600-sprint medley during semifinals and was named DeKalb’s Most Valuable Player. Chapel Hill coach Bob Mullen says Lorenzo is coachable and willing to learn. Even a hairline fracture to his left ankle could not stop him. “He was out for two weeks because of the fracture, but he came back this past week and did what he had to do,” said Mullen, who was

Chapel Hill Middle School eighth-graders Terrence Reid (from left), Mateen Smith, Anjuan Ross and Lorenzo Lee are the reigning DeKalb Track Champions.

named Coach of the Year. With a season of accolades and injuries, the team is ecstatic over its win. Mullen said he is especially proud of the boys because it was the first time many of them had

run together. “They did a great job as a team in coming out and being prepared to compete against schools in the county and state,” he said. “We only had three returning students from

last year.” In total, the team set seven school records this season, including the 400- and 800-meter dash, long jump, and 800-meter sprint medley.

Three DeKalb high schools make best in U.S. list By Angelina T. Velasquez

Three DeKalb schools are among the nation’s best high schools. DeKalb School of the Arts , Chamblee Charter High and DeKalb Early College Academy made U.S. News and World Report Magazine’s 2017 list of Top Schools in America ranking no. 2, 14, and 81 in Georgia respectively. Nationally, DSA ranked 89 and Chamblee, 433. More than 6,500 high schools were ranked by the

magazine. Superintendent R. Stephen Green says he is proud to have three schools recognized among thousands of others. Stephen Green “Our three recognized campuses are wonderful examples of how the DeKalb County School District continues to raise the bar on achievement and build trust in the community,”

Green said. Students at DeKalb School of the Arts are earning production credits while earning a diploma. The school located at 1192 Clarendon Ave. houses students beginning at eighth grade. Chamblee Charter at 3688 Chamblee Dunwoody Road boasts a charter and magnet program. It is one of the county’s oldest schools with an establishment of 1917. Established in 2006, DECA, at 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd., has a student body of nearly 400

students. In 2013, the school earned the highest College and Career Ready Performance score in the state with a 99 percent. Schools ranked in the top 500 by U.S. News and World Report are awarded a gold designation based on college readiness. Schools with a silver designation have a lower college readiness than gold schools, and bronze schools are recognized for performing well on state assessments. To view the full list, visit www. usnews.com.

Volunteers needed to review cases for foster kids By Angelina T. Velasquez

Residents and professionals with a passion to help children are needed to volunteer with the DeKalb Judicial Citizen Review Program. More than 300 volunteers are needed to help review juvenile cases for children in foster care. DeKalb has 869 children in foster care. The panel, which has 135 vol-

unteers, reviews more than 75 cases monthly. The next training session is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 25-26. Program director Olivia Rudder-Wilson says volunteers will have the opportunity to improve the lives of children. Individuals must go through a 15-hour training held over two days. The training, which covers mediation, legislation, the panel review process and program guide-

lines, is led by a member of the Council of Juvenile Court Judges. Successful volunteers will be sworn in by a local Juvenile or Superior Court judge and become officers of the court. Each panel of three to five volunteers meets once a month at the DeKalb Juvenile Court building on Memorial Drive in Decatur. Volunteers work to give each child a permanent residence and are responsible for submitting find-

ings to the judge and determining other reunification options. Rudder-Wilson said participation in the panel program benefits not only children and families. “Volunteers gain useful experience and take pride in knowing that they have helped improve the life of a child,” she said. For more information, visit www.dekalbjuvenilecourt.org, email oawilson@dekalbcountyga. gov or call 404-294-2738.

Lithonia foundation educates youth on police brutality By Angelina T. Velasquez

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In March 2004 when Donna Carter lost her 14-year-old son, Sylvester James Bristol Jr., in a crash precipitated by a police chase, she was devastated. Donna Carter The crash in Gonzales, La., took her son, whom she described as a bright and ambitious boy who always wanted to help others. “He had dreams of one day joining the Army so that he could defend his country,” Carter recalled

on April 22. To commemorate his life, Carter launched Jay Jay’s Wrongful Death Legacy Foundation Inc. to help families seeking justice for their children who were wrongfully killed. At its 13th annual Bullying, Suicide, and Police Brutality Awareness Festival in Lithonia on April 22, participants got tips to prevent them from becoming a statistic, played tug of war and jumping sack games, and engaged in other fun activities. There was also live entertainment. Carter, who lives in Lithonia, said the nonprofit provides families with resources such as attorneys,

support groups and anything else they may need. When she was fighting for justice for her son, Carter said she wished she had more access to resources. These days, she spends a lot of time talking with mothers grieving the loss of a child. “I give them words of encouragement and we just help one another do whatever it is we must do to get through,” she said. The foundation works to increase awareness about bullying, police brutality and suicide, which Carter says go hand in hand and are major issues facing African American children today. Saturday’s event, held on her

son’s birthday, also celebrated his life. Bristol would have been 28. Lithonia’s mayor, Deborah Jackson, who attended the event, expressed the need for a good relationship between police and the community. “They are our first line of defense when it comes to safety and we want to be able to work with them and to trust them,” she said. Carter says the connection between community and police makes her teachings on respect vital. “I wasn’t able to save my son, but I may be saving someone else’s child,” she said. “I want them to know how to do what is right when it comes to the police.”

April 29, 2017

Wellness

CrossRoadsNews

“Opioids were responsible for over 33,000 deaths in 2015 – this alarming statistic is unacceptable.”

Opioid prevention summit tackles epidemic Georgia getting Policy-makers, health care professionals and other stakeholders will discuss challenges and strategies on how to approach the opioid epidemic at a summit on May 4 at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center in Decatur. District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson is hosting the 8 a.m.-to-2 p.m. program in partLarry Johnson nership with the health care benefits company Aetna, the National Association of Counties, Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority, Morehouse School of Medicine, DeKalb County government, and the nonprofit STAND Inc. The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention describes opioids as a class

of drugs used to reduce pain. Prescription opioids include oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine and methadone. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid pain reliever. Illegally made and distributed fentanyl has been on the rise in several states. Heroin is an illegal opioid. Heroin use has increased across the U.S. among men and women, most age groups, and all income levels, the CDC says. In a statement before the Georgia Senate Opioid Abuse Study Committee in November, U.S. Attorney John A. Horn said five years ago, Georgia’s illicit opioid market skyrocketed with overdose deaths from prescription drugs exceeding the combined overdose deaths from cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. Horn said DeKalb County had only nine heroin overdose deaths in 2013 and jumped

to 27 in the first 11 months of 2015, with 21 of those involving fentanyl. Prescription Opioid and Heroin Epidemic Awareness Week, observed in September, is an initiative by former President Barack Obama, who urged Congress to allocate $1.1 billion for treatment to counteract the epidemic. “Politics of Pain: A Decade of Opioid Lobbying,” a joint investigation by the Associated Press and the Center for Public Integrity, found that in 2015, about 227 million opioid prescriptions were issued in the U.S. while opioid sales were $9.6 billion. About 356,000 Americans died due to drug overdoses between 2006 and 2014. Most were connected to prescription painkillers and heroin. The center is at 3181 Rainbow Drive. Visit http://bit.do/stop-opioids.

YMCAs offering free activities on Healthy Kids Day Children and adults can play games and learn about Y programs on Healthy Kids Day on May 6 at 17 metro YMCAs. The free event takes place 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and no registration or purchase is necessary. Participating YMCA sites include Decatur, 1100 Clairemont Ave. in Decatur; East Lake, 1765 Memorial Drive S.E. in At-

lanta; South DeKalb, 2565 Snapfinger Road in Decatur; and Wade Walker Park, 5605 Rockbridge Road in Stone Mountain. Activities include kids fun runs and swim relay (on dry land), family yoga and Zumba, and Y program demos. There also will be kids obstacle courses, snack wars, inflatables and bounce houses, healthy refreshments, scav-

enger hunt and face painting, and community partners and exhibitors offering family health and safety information. Participants who become a Y member at the event will receive a special membership offer. For more information, visit www. ymcaatlanta.org/healthy-kids-day.

Rates of new diagnosed diabetes cases in kids on rise Rates of new diagnosed cases of type 1 and type 2 diabetes are increasing among children and teens in the United States, a new CDC report shows, and the fastest rise was seen among racial/ethnic minority groups. In the U.S., 29.1 million people are living with diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes, and about 208,000 people younger than 20 are living with diagnosed diabetes. The report, Incidence Trends of Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Among Youths, 20022012, published April 12 in the New England Journal of Medicine, is the first to estimate trends in new diagnosed cases in youth from the five major racial/ethnic groups in the U.S.: non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanics, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, and Native Americans. The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth study,

funded by the CDC and the National Institutes of Health, found that from 2002 to 2012, the rate of new diagnosed cases of type 1 diabetes in youth increased by 1.8 percent each year. During the same period, the rate of G. Imperatore new diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes increased even more quickly, at 4.8 percent. The study included 11,244 kids and youth ages 0-19 with type 1 diabetes and 2,846 youth ages 10-19 with type 2. Dr. Giuseppina Imperatore, epidemiologist in CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, said early onset greatly impacts quality of life.

“Because of the early age of onset and longer duration, youth are at risk for developing diabetes-related complications at a younger age,” she said. “This profoundly lessens their quality of life, shortens Barbara Linder their life expectancy, and increases health care costs.” Dr. Barbara Linder, senior adviser at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, said the findings raise many questions. “We need to understand why the increase in rates of diabetes development varies so greatly and is so concentrated in specific racial and ethnic groups.”

$11.7 million to fight opioid crisis

Georgia will receive $11,782,710 in HHS funding to fight the growing opioid crisis. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will administer grants totaling $485 million to all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and six U.S. territories. The funding, the first of two rounds provided for in the 21st Century Cures Act, will be provided through the State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grants administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. It will support prevention, treatment, and recovery services depending on the needs of recipients. States and territories were awarded funds based on rates of overdose deaths and unmet need for opioid addiction treatment. Every day, 91 Americans die from an opioid-related overdose, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. In a letter to governors, HHS Secretary Tom Price said the public health crisis was among the top three departmental priorities. “Opioids were responsible for over 33,000 deaths in 2015 – this alarming statistic is unacceptable to me,” Price said in an April 20 statement. Tom Price “We cannot continue to lose our nation’s citizens to addiction. Through a sustained focus on people, patients, and partnerships, I am confident that together we can turn the tide on this public health crisis.” He said President Trump recently announced the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis, which is tasked with studying the scope and effectiveness of the federal response to the crisis and providing recommendations to Trump for improving it. To combat the ongoing crisis, HHS has prioritized five specific strategies: strengthening public health surveillance, advancing the practice of pain management, improving access to treatment and recovery services, targeting availability and distribution of overdose-reversing drugs, and supporting cutting-edge research. Visit www.hhs.gov.

CrossRoadsNews

Scene

April 29, 2017

Immigrant stonecutters brought soccer over when they arrived in Georgia during the 1880s and 1890s.

Explore soccer roots in 19th century DeKalb Architectural historian Patrick Sullivan will discuss metro Atlanta’s soccer roots in 19th century DeKalb at the May 16 Lunch and Learn at the DeKalb History Center. The free program takes place noon to 1 p.m. in the Superior Courtroom on the second floor of the Historic DeKalb Courthouse. Participants can bring their lunch. Sullivan, who has been with New South Patrick Sullivan Associates since 2007 and serves as a historian, architectural historian, and GIS specialist, has been investigating the history of soccer in Atlanta as a personal research project over the past two years. He will present “The Best in This Section: Lithonia, the DeKalb Granite Industry, and Metro Atlanta’s Early Soccer History.” Professional soccer marked its return to Atlanta in March 2017 with the inaugural season of the Atlanta United Football Club. While soccer is often viewed as relatively new sport in the United States, and the South in particular, the history of the game in metro Atlanta extends back almost 130 years and has its local origins in DeKalb County’s granite quarry industry. Immigrant English, Scottish, and Welsh stonecutters brought soccer over when they arrived in Georgia during the 1880s and 1890s. Teams and players representing Lithonia and Stone Mountain later emerged as stalwarts of the sport when organized league play began in Atlanta in 1908 and continued off and on through the late 1920s. The Lunch and Learn presentation will explore the largely forgotten history of soccer in Atlanta and DeKalb County during the early 20th century, examine the sport’s strong ties with the Lithonia branch of the Paving Cutters’ Union, and highlight some of the prominent individuals who promoted and played the game here. The historic courthouse is at 101 E. Court Square in Decatur. For more information, visit www.dekalbhistory.org.

The South DeKalb Rotary Club’s fifth annual golf tournament takes place June 2 at the Mystery Valley Golf Club in Lithonia.

Golfers can help Rotary Club do good Golfers can tee off at Mystery Valley Golf Club on June 2 and help the South DeKalb Rotary Club raise funds to support kids across south DeKalb County. The fifth annual golf tournament takes place 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. It’s $100 for individual golfers and $400 for a team of four. Businesses and individuals can sponsor a hole for $125. The cost for a team and a hole sponsor is $500. Other sponsorship opportunities include Closest to the Pin and Longest Drive and

Beverage Cart, Breakfast and Lunch sponsors. All proceeds benefit the club’s service projects, which include the Stephenson High Robotics program in Stone Mountain, a reading program at Chapel Hill Elementary in Decatur, and the after-school program at Lucious Sanders Recreation Center in Lithonia. Mystery Valley Golf Club is at 6094 Shadow Rock Drive in Lithonia. For more information, call Ceasar Gaiter at 678-472-4412.

Adoma to share GED story at Rainbow Park Newly elected Stonecrest City Council member Diane Adoma will share her GED success story on May 4 at Rainbow Park Baptist’s end-ofthe-year GED Awards Breakfast. It begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall at the Decatur church and is free and open to the public. Participants Diane Adoma in its GED program will be recognized for their dedication and commitment. Adoma, a businesswoman who won the District 5 seat in the April 18 runoff in the new city of Stonecrest, will talk about how she went from a GED to a Ph.D. Rainbow Park has provided free GED classes for more than eight years and continues to focus on education and literacy in the community. The church is at 2941 Columbia Drive. For more information about the breakfast or how to participate in the GED program, call 404-288-1910.

Older Americans Month targeting wellness, housing

DeKalb County is celebrating its baby boomers and seniors with an array of activities focused on wellness, housing, entertainment and more for Older Americans Month: Age Out Loud! in May. The DeKalb Public Library; Office of Senior Affairs; Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs; Lou Walker Senior Center; Central Senior Center; and Decatur Active Living have collaborated and planned a month of programs and activities for DeKalb’s seniors. On April 25, DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond and the Board of Commissioners acknowledged the observance with a proclamation presentation at the Maloof Auditorium. The celebration begins in earnest on May 1 at 10 a.m. with the kickoff and Senior Olympics Opening Ceremony at Exchange Park, 2771 Columbia Drive in Decatur. Upcoming events include: n May 3 – Fall Prevention Awareness Forum, 10 a.m., Lou Walker Center, 2538 Panola Road in Lithonia. n May 4 – Musical Extravaganza, 10 a.m., South DeKalb Senior Center, 1931 Candler Road in Decatur. n May 5 – Veronika Jackson/Acoustic Folk Music, 10:30 a.m., North DeKalb Senior Center, 3393 Malone Drive in Chamblee. n May 10 – Dancing Is Good for the Heart, 9:30 a.m., DeKalb Atlanta Senior Center, 25 Warren St. S.E. in Atlanta.

Representatives from DeKalb senior centers attend the April 25 Board of Commissioners meeting for the Older Americans Month proclamation.

n May 10 – Picnic in a Park, 10 a.m., McKoy Park, 1000 Adams St. in Decatur. n May 11 – Senior Information and Panel Discussion, 12:15 p.m., Central DeKalb Senior Center, 1346 McConnell Drive in Decatur. n May 12 – Fun Fitness Day, 9 a.m., Lithonia Senior Center, 2484 Bruce St. in Lithonia. For more information, including DeKalb Senior Olympics competitions, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/oam2017. of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Legal Notices 04/08, 04/15, 04/22, 04/29

Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM3608-3 Jarrett Morris PLAINTIFF VS Debra Bridges DEFENDANT To: Debra Bridges 1401 Donald Lee Hollowell Pkwy., Apt. 006 Atlanta, GA 30318 By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Mar. 24, 2017. You are hereby notified that on Mar. 22, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Jarrett DeWitt Morris, 1986 Twin Falls Rd., Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Mar. 24, 2017. Witness the Honorable Clarence F.

Seeliger; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 30th day of Mar., 2017 04/08, 04/15, 04/22, 04/29

Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name of ADULT in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM3523-8 David Jr. Walker filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Mar. 22, 2017 to change name from: David Jr. Walker to David Walker. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Mar. 14, 2017 04/01, 04/08, 04/15, 04/29

Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name of ADULT in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM3621-1

Joseph Evans filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Mar. 22, 2017 to change name from: Joseph Evans to Joe Evans. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Mar. 20, 2017 04/15, 04/22, 04/29, 05/06

Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name of ADULT in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4104-4 Lakita Opeal Wright filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Dec. 16th, 2016 to change name from: Lakita Opeal Wright to Lakita Opeal Inman. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Dec. 16, 2016 04/22, 04/29, 05/06, 05/13

Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court

of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4047 Brinda Bariffe PLAINTIFF VS Ronald B. Barrus DEFENDANT To: By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 12, 2017. You are hereby notified that on Mar. 30, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Brinda Bariffe, 5357 Medena Way, Lithonia, GA 30038. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 12, 2017. Witness the Honorable Asha F. Jackson; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 13th day of Apr., 2017 04/22, 04/29, 05/06, 05/13

Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4125-1 Catilya Cobb PLAINTIFF VS Urah Outler DEFENDANT To: By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 14, 2017. You are hereby notified that on Apr. 06, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Catilya Cobb, 2809 Misty Water Dr., #7, Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 17, 2017. Witness the Honorable Courtney L. Johnson; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 17th day of Apr., 2017 04/22, 04/29, 05/06, 05/13

Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM3066-7 Saudi Wells PLAINTIFF VS Tomika Wells DEFENDANT To: 6427 Wellington Chase Ct. Decatur, GA 30058 By ORDER of the Court service for

service by publication dated Apr. 11, 2017. You are hereby notified that on Apr. 03, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Saudi Wells, 1993 Marco Dr., Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 17, 2017. Witness the Honorable Daniel M. Coursey, Jr.; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 11th day of Apr., 2017 04/22, 04/29, 05/06, 05/13

Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM2750-2 Janelle Cotton PLAINTIFF VS Keith McCloud DEFENDANT To: By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 12, 2017. You are hereby notified that on Feb. 28, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Declaration of Custody of Mackinsey McCloud. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Janelle Cotton, 1953 Manhattan Pkwy., Decatur, GA 30035. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 17, 2017. Witness the Honorable Asha F. Jackson; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 13th day of Apr., 2017

CrossRoadsNews

April 29, 2017

Finance

“It is critically important that we provide companies who locate or expand in Georgia access to a reliable work force.”

GA jobless rate hits all-time low since start of Great Recession Georgia’s unemployment rate declined to 5.1 percent in March, the lowest the rate has been since December 2007, the beginning of the Great Recession. The seasonally adjusted rate was down two-tenths of a percentage point from 5.3 percent in February. In March 2016, the rate was 5.5 percent. The U.S. unemployment rate is 4.5 percent. Mark Butler State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler credited job growth for Georgia’s rate decline. “The rate dropped as we saw more than

19,000 people become employed and Georgia employers continued to create jobs,” Butler said in an April 20 statement. “While the monthly job growth was stronger than our three-year average for March, our overthe-year job growth of 131,000 is the best for this period since 2000.” In DeKalb County, there were 1,725 initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits in March, down 59 from 1,784 in February for an over-the-month decline of 3.3 percent. In March 2016, there were 1,916 claims for an over-the-year decline of 191 or 10 percent. Statewide, the number of initial UI claims, a measure of new layoffs, rose by 712,

or 2.9 percent, to 25,019 in March. Most of the increase was due to temporary claims filed in manufacturing. Over the year, claims were down by 2,963, or 10.6 percent, from 27,982 in March 2016, with administrative and support services and manufacturing and construction accounting for most of the decline. The number of employed workers increased by 19,093 as the labor force grew by 9,627 to 5,020,332. The labor force consists of employed residents and those who are unemployed and actively looking for jobs. There were 9,500 new jobs in March, representing a 0.2 percent growth rate, which increased the total job count to 4,466,100.

The growth outpaced the average Februaryto-March increase of 9,300 for the previous three years. Most of the gains were in construction, 4,700; professional and business services, 2,600; trade, transportation and warehousing, 1,800; information services, 1,400; leisure and hospitality, 1,200; financial activities, 900; and education and health services, 600. The job gains were offset somewhat by losses in government, 1,800; other services, such as repair and maintenance, 1,000; and manufacturing, 800. Over the year, 131,000 jobs were added, a 3 percent growth rate from March 2016. Employgeorgia.com showed 85,055 new job postings statewide for March.

Refunds available in timeshare case Skilled trade grants, scholarships Timeshare owners who purchased services from marketer Fractional Property Services may be eligible to seek restitution. The Georgia Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Unit, on behalf of the state of Georgia, has reached an agreement with FPS and owners Matthew Delatorre and Joshua A. Wright. FPS offered to market vacation properties for consumers to rent their timeshares. Consumers said the business claimed to have a renter for their timeshare but required the consumer to pay an upfront fee. They said the business failed to rent or sell their timeshare as agreed and refused to refund the paid fee. On March 31, FPS, Delatorre and Wright entered into a consent judgment and injunction in which they have agreed to cease

operations and to pay $118,429 in restitution to consumers who purchased services and $305,000 in fees and penalties. To be eligible for restitution: n Your contract with FPS must have been entered between Aug. 1, 2014, and March 31, 2017. n The claim must be based upon a complaint that FPS did not provide or perform services as represented or promised by FPS. n You must have suffered a verifiable out-ofpocket (monetary) loss. To be considered for a refund, complete a claim form and submit it no later than Dec. 31, 2018. The form is available at http:// consumer.ga.gov/uploads/pdf/FPS_Claim_ Form.pdf. For more information, visit http:// ocp.ga.gov or call 404-463-1014.

Georgia’s skilled trade education initiative formerly known as Go Build Georgia has been rebranded as Trade Five. The programs award a $500 grant to Georgia high schools that seek financial support for the enhancement of their skilled trade education efforts and a $1,000 scholarship each year to graduating high school seniors who will attend a Technical College System of Georgia institution to study a skilled trade-related program. The programs are funded by the Trade Five Foundation Board, a private entity of employers and industry leaders who support the mission behind skilled trade education in Georgia. Pat Wilson, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Devel-

opment, called the work force one of the state’s greatest economic development assets. “It is critically important that we provide companies who locate or expand in Georgia access to a reliable work force,” Pat Wilson Wilson said in a March 24 statement. “Our Trade Five initiative educates future workers about in-demand skilled trade careers and supplies employers with a young, talented work force to meet their business needs.” The initiative was launched in 2012 by Gov. Nathan Deal. For more information, visit GeorgiaTradeFive.com.

LEGAL

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