CrossRoadsNews, January 21, 2017 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

COMMUNITY

Day of Service amplified

SPECIAL SECTION ity PG ommun C Wellness takes center stage

Thousands of volunteers spent Jan. 16 helping others to honor the spirit of Dr. Mar tin Luther King Jr. and his call to service. A4

CrossRoads News’ 12th annual Health and Well ness Expo brings health care provid ers and other resources to the Mall at Stonecrest. Inside

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Let’s Keep DeKalb Peachy Clean

Please Don’t Litter Our Streets and Highways

Join us at rest at Stonec the Mall e Main Stag Sears vel near Lower Le

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

January 21, 2017

Volume 22, Number 39

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Thousands to march for equal rights in downtown Atlanta By Rosie Manins

About 10,000 women, men and children of all ages, races, religions and cultures are expected to march in solidarity through downtown Atlanta on Jan. 21. The diverse group of community members, local leaders and organization representatives is united in concern about the lack and degradation of social justice and rights for all marginalized people in the United States. The Atlanta March for Social Justice and Women is one of hundreds being held simultaneously in Washington and cities across the nation on the day after the inauguration of

President-elect Donald Trump. Organizers say it’s not an anti-Trump event, but that the issues they are marching for are not supported by Trump. The main march in Washington is expected to attract more than 200,000 people, including an estimated 6,000 to 10,000 from Georgia. Janel Green, a co-organizer for the Atlanta march, says it is an inclusive event for all. “It’s really a call to action, bringing together the diverse members of our community to develop a plan and mobilize to do meaningful work for equal rights and social justice in our community,” she said Jan. 18 at

a news conference in downtown Atlanta. Green said she is overwhelmed by the support shown for the local march, which she hopes could comprise as many as 20,000 people. “The weather is looking a little iffy, but this event will happen rain or shine,” she said. Participants are asked to gather before 1 p.m. at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights at 100 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd. N.W. in downtown Atlanta. There they will hear from key leaders from across Georgia during an hourlong program before the march starts in earnest. Protesters will walk 1.7 miles through

downtown Atlanta to the Georgia State Capitol at 206 Washington St. S.W., where they will be addressed by more elected officials, leaders and representatives of supporting organizations, and concerned citizens. Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and U.S. Hank Johnson Rep. Hank Johnson of Georgia’s 4th Congressional District are due to speak. March organizers also have invited curPlease see MARCH, page A2

Thurmond plans to unify county to move it ahead ‘We need each other’ to bridge divide in DeKalb

“This old north-south, blackwhite, us-versus-them foolishness is obsolete. And I as your CEO totally and completely reject it.” Michael Thurmond, DeKalb chief executive officer

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

DeKalb’s new CEO Michael Thurmond took the oath of office on Jan. 13 and invoked a new day in the county. “We will not allow the past to define us, or prohibit us,” he told a packed Maloof Auditorium at the honorary swearing-in ceremony of county elected officials. “We will learn from our mistakes but we are not going to dwell on them.” Thurmond, who won the office in landslide primary and general elections last year, takes the reins of county government after a tumultuous four years riddled with scandals. Thurmond said the enemy wants us stuck in the past and not focused on the future but declared that we will bridge this divide and build bridges of cooperation. “I tell you this, if we come together. If we work together, there are no limitations to what we can accomplish,” he said. Over four days of celebrations that included a reception, ecumenical prayer breakfast and a benefit gala, Thurmond repeated the theme of cooperation that he promised will define his administration. He also struck the chord during the 4th Congressional District’s Day of Resistance in Clarkston on Jan. 15, when he said that turning DeKalb County around is not a one-man job. “I need your help,” he told the racially diverse crowd gathered at the Clarkston Community Center. “There are people who don’t want us working together. There are people who want the north side to fight against the south side. There are people who want black folk to fight against white folk. They want the Christian against the Muslim and the Jews. But let me tell you something, right has no color.” At his inauguration, the new CEO told

DeKalb County Photo

the audience that “we need each other.” “We need black. We need white. We need north. We need south,” he said. “We need rich, we need poor and we will transform this county, the state and our nation.”

Change focus and direction Thurmond, who celebrated the start of his administration in the week that the nation celebrated the birthday of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., quoted King’s “Drum Major for Justice” speech, which he said laid out the pathway to greatness. “Dr. King said ‘anybody can be great because everybody can serve,’” Thurmond said. “Everybody in DeKalb County can be somebody because you can serve. … All you need is a heart full of grace and soul generated by love.” Making the case for a unified county, Thurmond, who was DeKalb School superintendent between 2013 and 2015, said that the county’s African-American population is declining and the white population is static. “When I left the School District, 26 percent of students came from homes where English is spoken as a second language,” he

said. “This old north-south, black-white, usversus-them foolishness is obsolete. And I as your CEO totally and completely reject it.” Thurmond told his audience not to listen to what the racists and the Klansmen say. “The people who do most of the damage,” he said. “The thing that causes most of the hurt is when the good folk fall silent.” Thurmond promised to turn Stone Mountain, which has been a symbol of racism and division, into a symbol of hope and opportunity. He said Robert E. Lee did not carve his own profile on the mountain and any anger should be with the people who are appropriating those symbols and turning them into symbols of hate and divisiveness, “so white folks and black folks and Asian and Hispanic folks in DeKalb County and Georgia won’t work together.” When we stop working together, Thurmond said, the water bill gets all crazy and messed up, potholes can’t get filled, and crack dealers take over whole communities. He promised to change the focus and direction of DeKalb County, which is one of the most diverse counties in America.

“If we can prove to America that we can work together, that we can build bridges to Clarkston and Doraville, and Dunwoody,” he said. “If we can build bridges to Lithonia and Stonecrest. If we can build bridges across the racial and economic and social divide, we will show how America can rise above all the things that separate us.”

‘They saw Americans’ Thurmond said that we need to see ourselves the way our enemies see us. When terrorists flew commercial planes into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001, Thurmond said they did not alert any group to leave and be saved. “Those terrorists had one goal and one mission and that was to kill Americans,” he said. “They didn’t care whether the Americans were black or white or brown, or Republicans or Democrats. They saw us as we ought to see us. They saw Americans,” he said to a standing ovation. “If our enemies can see us as one, why in God’s name can’t we see ourselves as one.”

Community

CrossRoadsNews

January 21, 2017

“America is bigger than Donald Trump. Freedom is a constant struggle – it must be defended and fought for.”

United Methodist Children’s Home to sell historic campus By Rosie Manins

The historic 77-acre Decatur campus of the United Methodist Children’s Home is being sold by the home’s board of trustees, to the dismay of many former residents and neighbors. The board, made up of 24 trustees, seven emeritus members and four ex-officio members, voted on Jan. 17 to sell the 144-year-old campus at 500 S. Columbia Drive. It opened in 1873 to help children orphaned by the Civil War and currently houses about 80 foster children and young adults, who aged out of foster care, and adults who care for them. The campus value is listed as $4.2 million on the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s website and is subject to annual taxes of $3,360. It has an OI – office institution – zoning classification. The board expects the property to sell for millions of dollars and plans to use some of the money to expand services under a new operating model. UMCH Vice President of Development John Cerniglia said they have received dozens of unsolicited inquiries from developers. “We are expecting a minimum of $35 million from the sale,” he said. “You are not going to find a 77-acre comparable inside the Perimeter.” As yet, there is no specific buyer or plan for the property. In a Jan. 17 statement, the nonprofit said that the decision will unlock the capital needed to reach more children and families in crisis. “Sample estimates indicate funds from

Rosie Manins / CrossRoadsNews

The oldest buildings on the campus are a chapel and a stone cottage built in 1906. John Cerniglia, vice president of development, said it is possible the chapel could be saved.

the sale will help to greatly expand local, community-based ministries in towns and cities across North Georgia, in partnership with many more churches,” it said. Many of the home’s alumni, who lived at the South Columbia Drive campus as children and teenagers, are devastated by the board’s decision. “I’m very, very sad,” said former UMCH resident and staff member Debora Burger. She lived at the home in the mid-1960s and early 1970s, and with other alumni, she rallied community support to save the campus, holding a public meeting and starting a petition on Jan. 13. Burger, like most opponents of the sale, is afraid a 600-home subdivision will be developed on the site.

MARTA proposing bus route changes MARTA patrons and other interested parties can attend a Jan. 26 public hearing in Decatur on proposed bus service modifications coming this spring. The community exchange begins at 6 p.m., followed by the hearing at 7 at the Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive. The MARTA board also is holding hearings on Jan. 23 at the Fulton County Assembly Hall, 141 Pryor St. S.W. in Atlanta, and Jan. 24 in the Clayton County Commission chambers, 112 Smith St. in Jonesboro, on the proposed bus routing and/or adjustments and new service for April 15. Affected are: Route 3, Martin Luther King Jr. Drive/Auburn Avenue; Route 5, Piedmont Road/Sandy Springs; Route 56, Adamsville/ Collier Heights; Route 66, Lynhurst Drive/ Barge Road Park & Ride; Route 68, Donnelly/ Beecher; Route 71, Cascade; Route 73, Fulton Industrial Boulevard;

Route 94, Northside Drive; Route 165, Fairburn Road/Barge Road Park and Ride; Route 170, Brownlee Road/Peyton; Route 865, Boulder Park Drive; and Route 195, Forest Parkway/Roosevelt Highway. For Mobility, the transit system proposes to adjust complementary ADA service to reflect the modified route alignments to comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. Residents unable to attend the hearings may provide comments by leaving a message at 404-848-5299; writing to MARTA’s Office of External Affairs, 2424 Piedmont Road N.E. in Atlanta; completing an online Comment Card at www.itsmarta.com; or faxing comments no later than Feb. 2 to 404-848-4179. All route information, a video presentation and comment forms are available at www.itsmarta.com.

“I don’t live there anymore but to me that’s not a proper use of that property.” She said alumni and other stakeholders were shown renderings for that kind of residential development at a meeting organized by the board in December 2016. Now alumni at least want to see the home’s Debora Burger heritage acknowledged. “I hope that there can be some historic recognition of the property and some of the natural resources of the campus can be saved,” Burger said on Jan. 19. At that time, the petition to save the campus had almost 400 signatures.

The oldest buildings on-site are a chapel and a stone cottage built in 1906. It is believed that some of the trees on the campus could be 200 years old, and the home’s founder, the Rev. Dr. Jesse Boring, is buried in front of the main administration building. UMCH President and CEO Hal Jones said that along with the decision to sell, the board voted to preserve part of the campus because of its historic significance. Now members have to figure out how they will do that and at what cost. “As we look to the future with our residents, alumni, staff, neighbors and others in the community, there are, no doubt, a lot of questions that still need to be answered,” Jones said in a Jan. 17 press release. “The board’s vote was just one step on a journey forward, and we will continue working collaboratively with all of those who have embraced our mission and have partnered with us in accomplishing it,” he said. Cerniglia said the board is prepared to put restrictions on the sale in order to ensure the campus has a legacy. It is possible the chapel could be saved, but he said that is just one of many options yet to be fully explored. “We don’t know today what this means exactly because there are so many factors involved,” Cerniglia told CrossRoadsNews on Jan. 18. “We are committed to something being here for a long time.” He said alumni have provided a short list of suggestions that they think are quite reasonable. For a longer version of this story, visit www.crossroadsnews.com.

Applications open for park program Friends of the Park groups in unincorporated DeKalb County who need help creating a master plan have until Feb. 15 to apply for Park Pride’s Park Visioning Program for 2017. The program provides registered Friends access to a professional landscape architect who, with the help of community residents, will create a park master plan

that can be used to guide park development, raise funds, and serve as a foundation for a park that meets the needs of the community. Two groups will be selected to receive, at no charge, the services of Park Pride’s Visioning Department for a five- to 10-month community engagement and design process. The application is available at http:// parkpride.org.

Stonecrest Commission meeting Jan. 26 Stakeholders can hear updates and offer comments at a Jan. 26 public meeting of the Governor’s Commission on the City of Stonecrest. The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. at the DeKalb Medical Center at Hillandale, Radiation Oncology Building auditorium, 2745 DeKalb Medical Parkway in

Stonecrest. Residents who wish to make comments should arrive early and sign in. The purpose is to update the public on various issues, adopt resolutions, initiate activities of the Stonecrest Community Committee, and conduct other related business. For more information, contact Shawn Jones at sj6media@gmail.com.

Protest to address widespread concern caused by Trump’s campaign MARCH,

from page

rent Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal to participate. They say the march is more than just a stab at the incoming Republican government, although it addresses widespread concern caused by Trump’s campaign. Those involved in the event say Trump’s divisive, misogynist and racist comments have inflamed a desire among citizens across the nation to fight back and protect equal rights for people of all colors, sexual orientation, religions and cultures. “With this election cycle we have heard disparaging statements about women, Muslims, people with disabilities and more. We stand together against divisive rhetoric and we are here to protect and advocate for the rights of all Americans, so we continue to move forward and not back,” Green said. Amanda Hill-Attkisson, Georgia Equality deputy director who plans to attend the

Washington march, said Georgia’s shame was that it was one of only three states, along with Alabama and Mississippi, without a civil rights law. She told reporters at the news conference that her organization will be lobbying for that to change this year. “This election has ripped the scab off a festering wound in America, filled with infection,” she said. “That wound that we have been putting a Band-Aid on for years shows that we cannot deny that racism, misogyny and homophobia are illnesses that we need to deal with.” Georgia NAACP President Francys Johnson said his organization is proud to support the Francys Johnson march. “Trump thinks everything is about him because he’s a narcissist, but this isn’t about him, this is about us. America is bigger than

Donald Trump. Freedom is a constant struggle – it must be defended and fought for.” The Atlanta march has attracted more than 55 partners and will feature representatives from over 29 community organizations such as social service agencies, nonprofits, and social justice groups. They include Asian Americans Advancing Justice, Compassionate Atlanta, SOJOURN – Southern Jewish Resource Network for Gender & Sexual Diversity, ACLU of Georgia, Lost and Found Youth, the Georgia chapters of Mocha Moms and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, Feminist Women’s Health Center, and One Billion Rising Atlanta. Police officers from the city of Atlanta and the Capitol as well as other first responders will provide security at the legally permitted march. Participants are advised to wear comfortable shoes and come prepared with wet weather clothing, snacks and drinks. State Sen. Vincent Fort, who also spoke at the news conference, said it is imperative

that people begin a movement of resistance to fight back against “mean-spiritedness.” He is especially concerned about Trump’s plans to overthrow the Affordable Care Act. “In this state, we have 2 million people who go without health care and Vincent Fort now we are confronted with the reality that 20 million people may lose health care. That’s not right,” he said. Kwajelyn Jackson, the Feminist Women’s Health Center community education and advocacy director, said the march is not a “single issue struggle” because we don’t live single issue lives. “In 2017, there’s far too much at stake for us to take an exclusionary approach to social justice. We invite everyone to join us to resist hate and oppression and to protect rights and access and to renew hope and solidarity.”

January 21, 2017

Community

CrossRoadsNews

“For the past five years, DeKalb has conducted an annual count to identify the scope of homelessness … and any additional resources required.”

Thurmond proposes $1.3 billion operating budget for 2017 By Rosie Manins

DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond’s proposed 2017 budget is the same $1.3 billion as the 2016 budget. There is no tax increase, but Thurmond said fee or tax increases cannot be completely ruled out. “Revenue enhancements will be considered only when other alternatives have been completely eliminated and when the Michael Thurmond public benefit can be directly tied to the increase,” he said in his Jan. 17 transmittal letter to the DeKalb Board of Commissioners. The budget proposal includes some infrastructure investments, funding for park maintenance, funding for pay increases approved last year, and some new positions

for police and fire rescue personnel as well as body cameras: n $17.2 million to fully fund the pay raises approved last year. n $2.1 million to fund 20 additional police positions and 36 more fire rescue personnel and $600,000 for police body cameras. n $4 million to fund road resurfacing efforts. n $5.4 million to fund the second phase of the Tobie Grant Intergenerational Center, $400,000 for Ellenwood Park and $100,000 for the Lou Walker Senior Center. n $1.4 million to start payments on bonds for the new animal services facility. n $983,000 to contribute toward overdue park maintenance. Thurmond, who took office Jan. 1, said the budget provides a framework for strengthening the government’s fiscal condition, improving public safety, annualizing

the fiscal year 2016 pay and compensation increases, and funding various infrastructure and capital improvements. Thurmond said the preliminary budget will provide additional time for his new administration to more thoroughly review the county’s current operations and fiscal condition. “During the coming weeks, the administration will engage the citizens of DeKalb and the Board of Commissioners to further define, refine and establish our priority of needs,” he said. “The administration believes that this more inclusive approach will expedite the adoption of the FY17 budget.” The BOC is legally required to approve the budget by its final meeting on Feb. 28. Before it votes, Thurmond said he will submit funding proposals to address inaccurate water billing; residential and commercial blight; and unemployment, which he called

“three chronic issues that are negatively impacting the quality of life in DeKalb.” “We will inform the Board of Commissioners and the public of the results of our internal evaluations and analysis of current and past efforts,” he said. Thurmond said his administration is committed to “fostering a spirit of transparency and cooperation as we work to restore trust and pride in our government.” “A new day and a new fiscal year have arrived in DeKalb,” he told the BOC. “Together we will embrace fiscal prudence, invest in appropriate priorities, and champion the best interests of the citizens and residents of DeKalb.” Public hearings into the budget will be held on Feb. 14 and Feb. 28. Thurmond said additional public hearings and town halls on the budget will be announced separately.

Decide DeKalb boasts $440 million in capital investments, 4,800 jobs in 2016 Decide DeKalb worked to attract and retain $440 million in announced capital investments and 4,800 jobs in 2016, the development authority says. Its president, Ray Gilley, said success is measured by outcomes. “Over the course of 2016, the authority successfully closed and landed 17 exciting projects that are bringing resourc- Ray Gilley es and jobs to DeKalb,” he said in a Jan. 12 statement. “We look forward to working with our local and state leaders as well as the international business community in promoting DeKalb as a vibrant, prosperous and ideal location for business development.” Ongoing collaboration with community stakeholders helped launch the DeKalb Thrives initiative, which focuses on implementing economic development recommendations for tourism, transportation, entrepreneurship, marketing and real estate development. Decide DeKalb board Chair Tyrone Rachal said the initiative “serves as a road

map to enhance the business climate and landscape in our county.” In 2016, the authority established the DeKalb Film, Music and Digital Entertainment Commission to help support Georgia’s flourishing production industry. Andrew Greenberg, commission chair and Decide DeKalb board member, said DeKalb is wellpositioned to benefit from the boom. The authority also helped to facilitate business development for both large and small companies as well as nonprofits. The Task Force for Global Health, the second-largest nonprofit in the country, purchased a larger building in Decatur, the Clark Harrison Building, to expand its headquarters. The new purchase will enable the international organization to create 85 new jobs. And one of the region’s leading medical facilities, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, announced a $126 million expansion project that will enhance patient access and services while creating an estimated 143 new jobs. “DeKalb County is an ideal location for businesses to relocate and expand because of our highly skilled work force, unrivaled access to major highways, proximity to the

Volunteers needed for homeless count DeKalb County will be counting its homeless population on Jan. 26 and it needs volunteers to help it with the biennial census of homelessness in the county. The Community Development Department is looking for 80 people to sign up for the street count and survey. The count, which lasts overnight, begins at 9 p.m. on Jan. 26. In case of bad weather, the count will move to Jan. 30. Anyone can volunteer – those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and have a signed permission slip. To register, visit www.2017dekalbcounty homelesscount.eventbrite.com. Allen Mitchell, director of Community Development, said each community is required to conduct “a biennial point-in-time

homeless count” by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “For the past five years, DeKalb has conducted an annual count in order to identify the scope of homelessness, document the impact of actions to address homelessness and identify any additional resources that are required,” Mitchell said in a Jan. 17 statement. The county’s homeless count has been trending downward. Last year, it counted 473, down from 684 in 2015 and 841 in 2014. Volunteers will meet at their designated deployment locations for training and enumeration team assignments. For more information, contact Josie Parker, project manager, at 404-704-2958.

WorkSource recruiting bus operators MARTA bus operator recruitment will take place every Wednesday until further notice at WorkSource DeKalb in Decatur. Testing sessions are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 774 Jordan Lane, Building 4, and interested job seekers must register in advance for testing at workreadyga.org. WorkSource DeKalb and MARTA have partnered to conduct pre-employment assessments of bus operations and transit systems personnel. A MARTA representative will administer assessments of the bus operations test to

recruit bus operators. The two-hour bus operations visual test gauges customer service skills and basic bus operation knowledge. In addition, the test is used to identify mechanical reasoning and spatial perception. Bus operator duties include helping disabled passengers, announcing major stops and transfer points, and transporting passengers safely from one stop to another. For more information, visit www.worksourcedekalb.org or contact Jacklyn Lavender at jlavender@dekalbcountyga.gov or 404-687-3400.

world’s busiest airport and incomparable access to world-class entertainment,” Gilley said. South DeKalb also was home to major economic development activity in 2016, the authority said. Home Chef, a meal kit delivery service, invested in a 140,000-squarefoot assembling, packaging and distribution center in Lithonia. The new Home Chef location is expected to create 1,200 new jobs by 2020. Pat Vihtelic, Home Chef founder and CEO, said the company is undergoing tremendous growth and is excited to expand its distribution footprint. “The culture of collaboration makes Georgia the ideal location for us today and

tomorrow,” Vihtelic said. “We’re confident that DeKalb has the skilled work force necessary for us to achieve our ambitious growth goals.” In 2017, the development authority is seeking to build upon ongoing initiatives such as the WE DeKalb – Workforce Enhancement – housing incentive program and Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund program. “Over the course of this past year, we have made tremendous strides and achieved great success,” Gilley said. “Decide DeKalb looks forward to another year of attracting and expanding businesses to every corner of our great county.” For more information, visit www.decidedekalb.com or call 404-687-2730.

METROPOLITAN ATLANTA RAPID TRANSIT AUTHORITY

Notice of Public Hearings

Notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority will hold public hearings for the purpose of considering the

Proposed Bus Service Modifications for April 15, 2017 Proposed routing and/or adjustments and new service for the following bus routes: Route 3: Martin Luther King Jr. Drive/Auburn Avenue; Route 5: Piedmont Road/Sandy Springs; Route 56: Adamsville/Collier Heights; Route 66: Lynhurst Drive / Barge Road Park & Ride; Route 68: Donnelly/Beecher; Route 71: Cascade; Route 73: Fulton Industrial Blvd.; Route 94: Northside Drive; Route 165: Fairburn Road/Barge Road Park & Ride; Route 170: Brownlee Road/Peyton; Route 865: Boulder Park Drive; Route 195: Forest Parkway/Roosevelt Highway.

Mobility: Adjust complementary ADA service to reflect the modified route alignments to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. All route information, a video presentation and comment forms are available at www.itsmarta.com

Monday, Jan. 23 Fulton County Assembly Hall 141 Pryor St., SW Atlanta 30303

Community Exchange: 6-7 P.M.

HEARING: 7 P.M.

Riding MARTA: Bus Routes 32, 49, 55, 74, and 186.

Tuesday, Jan. 24 Clayton County Commission Chambers 112 Smith Street, Jonesboro, GA 30236

Community Exchange: 6-7 P.M.

HEARING: 7 P.M. Riding MARTA: Route 193.

Thursday, Jan. 26 Maloof Auditorium

1300 Commerce Dr., Decatur 30030

Community Exchange: 6-7 P.M.

HEARING: 7 P.M.

Riding MARTA: Walk one block west of Decatur Rail Station

Copies of the proposed Bus Service Modifications will also be available for public viewing at MARTA’s Headquarters Office of External Affairs, 2424 Piedmont Road, N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30324 during regular business hours, Mon-Fri 8:30 am to 5 pm. For formats (FREE of charge) in accordance with the ADA and Limited English Proficiency regulations contact, (404) 848-4037. For those patrons requiring further accommodations, information can be obtained by calling the Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 404 848-5665. In addition, a sign language interpreter will be available at all hearings. If you cannot attend the hearings and want to provide comments you may: (1) leave a message at (404) 848-5299; (2) write to MARTA’s Office of External Affairs, 2424 Piedmont Road, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30324-3330; (3) complete an online Comment Card at www.itsmarta.com; (4) or fax your comments no later than February 2, 2017 to (404) 848-4179. All citizens of the City of Atlanta and the counties of Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton and Gwinnett whose interests are affected by the subjects to be considered at these hearings are hereby notified and invited to appear at said times and places and present such evidence, comment or objection as their interests require. Keith T. Parker, AICP, General Manager/CEO

CrossRoadsNews

Community

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 Writer Jennifer Ffrench Parker Editorial Intern Rosie Manins Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Multimedia Editor Sharif Williams CrossRoadsNe ws 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. Advertisements are published upon the representation that the advertiser is authorized to publish the submitted material. The advertiser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless from and against any loss or expenses resulting from any disputes or legal claims based upon the contents or subject matter of such advertisements, including claims of suits for libel, violation of privacy, plagiarism and copyright infringement. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement.

January 21, 2017

“It’s basically giving back and helping those in need who can’t get out there.”

Volunteers put service into action in South DeKalb By Rosie Manins

The spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is alive in DeKalb, where thousands of volunteers spent Jan. 16 helping others within and beyond the county. Dozens of nonprofits, schools, churches, fraternities and businesses hosted service projects on the 32nd annual federal holiday that honors his birthday and his legacy. King famously said everybody can be great because anybody can serve, and in continuation of his legacy, adults, youth, corporate and business employees, church members, and small-business owners served in DeKalb’s many neighborhoods this year. They cleaned yards, churches and community buildings; fixed houses; delivered meals; fed and clothed the homeless; and even packaged medical supplies and equipRosie Manins / CrossRoadsNews ment bound for developing countries. At the nonprofit MedShare International, 300 volunteers worked their way through hundreds of boxes of Others like Greenforest Community donated medical supplies and equipment, sorting and packing items to ship to underserved countries. Baptist Church members prayed with the sick and shut-in, delivered cards to law en- got roofers, electricians, plumbers and other forcement officers, and shared peanut butter tradesmen involved. A lot of the houses have and jelly sandwiches with refugee children not had good maintenance for many, many in Clarkston. years,” Mitchell said. Jan. 15 marked the 88th anniversary Grateful homeowners are quick to dole of King’s birth in Atlanta. He was born in out hugs and thanks. 1929. “They are so sweet,” he said. “They really As hundreds of people gathered along appreciate it. They are all over 62 and they sidewalks in Lithonia, Conyers, McDonough don’t have the skills or money to do the work and the city of Atlanta to watch Monday’s themselves.” MLK parades, yards were being raked of It wasn’t just the elderly being looked fallen leaves in Decatur’s historic Oakhurst after. Volunteers were fed by members of neighborhood. the Girl Scouts Decatur Service Unit, who About 40 properties owned and occupied made and distributed 500 lunches in handJennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews by senior citizens were cleaned and repaired decorated brown paper bags. Southwest DeKalb High students clear the median along by hundreds of volunteers mobilized for a The city of Decatur service project, like Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur. city of Decatur service project. many others, extended throughout the MLK Youth at Ten-year-old Sims Elementary School holiday weekend with volunteer shifts also First Afrikan student Talia Anderson of Conyers was on Jan. 14 and Jan. 15. Presbyterian happy to help out by raking leaves in the About 300 people worked for free Church in backyard of a Maxwell Street home. throughout the long weekend at Decatur Stonecrest team “I like that we are actually cleaning peo- nonprofit MedShare International, sorting up to remove ple’s yards to help them because they have a and packing medical supplies and equipment bamboo stalks lot of leaves and stuff,” Talia said. “They can for underserved countries. during a King Day be in their homes and enjoy today and we can MedShare volunteer program manager cleanup at the help them out so they won’t have to do a lot Alvaro McRae said the volunteers worked church. of things on this day, so they can relax and their way through hundreds of boxes of listen to things that comfort them.” donated bandages, plasters, wrist and ankle Talia was among a volunteer group from supports, surgical collars, and other supthe Hillcrest Church of Christ led by Deacon plies. Greg White, who is also the director of the It meant the charity organization could city of Decatur’s Active Living Department. get those products to needy patients in de“We’ve been doing this for 20 years,” veloping countries faster, he said. White said. “We did over 400 boxes on Monday His 17-year-old daughter, Jewel White, morning alone. One container holds about a senior at Decatur High School, also was 1,000 boxes, and if we can send one container raking leaves. She has been doing King Day early, that makes a huge impact.” service projects since elementary school. Groups volunteering at the nonprofit on Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews “It’s basically giving back and helping Clifton Springs Road included those from those in need who can’t get out there them- the United Parcel Service, Oglethorpe UniVolunteers of all ages helped selves and do it,” Jewel said. “It feels like we’re versity and Kaiser Permanente. out elderly serving a purpose. I can do it so I might as Another MLK service project saw 250 homeowners well.” homeless people in downtown Atlanta fed in the historic From the operation’s headquarters at the and clothed by the Howey Hudson Lowe Oakhurst Solarium on West Hill Street in Decatur, Foundation on Jan. 14. neighborhood by MLK service project chair D ubb e d Op eration raking yards and Paul Mitchell and his team Deep Freeze, the project repairing homes. of organizers delegated jobs was appreciated by the to groups of volunteers and many homeless men and made sure everything ran women who were given smoothly. hot homemade chicken Mitchell said in some and vegetable soup, snacks, cases, shoddy bathrooms water, clothing, basic essenhad been completely ripped The Howey Hudson Lowe tials, and blankets. Foundation fed and clothed 250 out and replaced. Other King Day service Other less complex tasks, homeless people on Jan. 14. projects in and around such as cleaning gutters, are just as appreci- south DeKalb County involved volunteers ated by the senior residents, he said. from the First Afrikan Presbyterian Church “We do a little bit of everything from in Stonecrest, Morehouse College and Hosea Rosie Manins / CrossRoadsNews cleaning yards to painting houses, and we’ve Helps.

Circulation Audited By

index to advertisers Coast Dental Services Inc..............................A6 DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court....................A6 Fabric Joint, LLC............................................A7 Johnson Hopewell Coleman LLC..................A7 Law Office of Trichelle Griggs Simmons.......A7 MARTA..........................................................A3 Marten Transport..........................................A7 Top Class Tutoring, LLC.................................A7

Tuskegee Alumni Association.......................A7 Atlanta Gastroenterology..............................B4 Children’s Healthcare at Hughes Spalding....B5 Clear Captions............................................. B10 Commissioner Larry Johnson.......................B11 DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court...................B11 DeKalb Convention & Visitor’s Bureau.......... B7 DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office......................B4

DeKalb County Watershed Management......B8 DeKalb Medical.............................................B8 Georgia Piedmont Technical College.......... B12 Lou Walker Senior Center.............................B9 NeXX Water, Inc............................................ B7 Oakhurst Medical Centers Inc....................... B3 PNC Bank.....................................................B11

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January 21, 2017

Youth

CrossRoadsNews

Members must be volunteers who can dedicate at least two hours to monthly meetings, generally in the evenings.

E-SPLOST Advisory Committee need volunteers to serve DeKalb residents are needed to serve on a 12-member E-SPLOST Advisory Committee for the DeKalb School District. Online applications will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. Feb. 10 at http://www. dekalbschoolsga.org/e-splost-advisorycommittee. The committee provides citizen review

of the voter-approved SPLOST project list. Qualified candidates must be citizens who reside within the boundaries of the district, may not be members of the Board of Education or employees of the district, and may not have any economic interest in any of the district’s projects. Experience in accounting, architecture,

auditing, construction, engineering, finance, k-12 education, legal, planning, project management and/or real estate is desired. Members must be volunteers who can dedicate at least two hours to monthly meetings, generally in the evenings. Members must pass a background check and sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Voters overwhelmingly approved the district’s one-penny Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax in May 2016. The new E-SPLOST, which is expected to generate $500 million, will fund new facilities and additions, technology, transportation, and safety and security improvements. Visit www.dekalbschoolsga.org/e-splost.

Students’ artwork gracing 2017 Watershed calendar

Joshua D. Smith created a peaceful outdoor prayer area at New Covenant in Lithonia.

Arabia Mountain senior attains Eagle Scout rank Arabia Mountain High senior Joshua D. Smith has earned the rank of Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America’s highest award. Joshua will be recognized in an Eagle Scout Court of Honor presentation on Feb. 11 at New Covenant Christian Ministries in Lithonia. He attained the rank after earning 21 merit badges and completing his Eagle Scout Service Project. The project required him to plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project that benefited a religious institution, school or the community. His project created a peaceful outdoor prayer area at New Covenant called the “NCCM Prayer and Praise Point.” Joshua, 18, a member of Troop 155 chartered to New Covenant, is among 5 percent of all Boy Scouts who ever achieve Eagle Scout rank. He is the son of Cedric and LaVonne Smith of Decatur and a leader in Scouting and the community. Joshua served as senior patrol leader, assistant senior patrol leader, chaplain aide, scribe, and historian in his troop. At Arabia Mountain High in Lithonia, he is on the A/B honor roll, a member of the Future Business Leaders of America and a swim team manager. He is in the Work-Based Learning Program and has completed the Culinary Arts Pathway. Troop 155’s Scoutmaster Steve Joseph, who is also an Eagle Scout, said he was very proud of Joshua, his first Eagle Scout. “The road to attaining the Eagle Scout rank is very challenging, and Joshua never gave up on his dream of completing this process,” Joseph said. “This is the start of great things to come for Joshua, and he will be able to take the foundation of his Scouting values and apply them to all areas of his life.” Joshua joins other prominent Americans who have attained the rank, including former President Gerald Ford, astronaut Neil Armstrong, filmmaker Steven Spielberg, and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. In 2015, 696 Atlanta area Scouts earned the Eagle Scout rank. In doing so, these Scouts contributed about 114,814 hours of service to improving schools, parks, churches and communities through their Eagle Scout projects alone.

The artwork of 12 elementary school students has been selected as winners in the DeKalb Department of Watershed Management’s 2017 Art Calendar Contest. The students participated in an awards ceremony in their honor during the Jan. 10 Board of Commissioners meeting and were congratulated by DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond. The contest serves to promote awareness of the importance of water conservation for a healthy way of life and future sustainability. The theme for this year’s contest is “Your Water – To Know It Is to Love It.” The student artists selected for the calendar: n January – Adonia Henderson, fifth grade, Ivy Preparatory Academy. n February – Arely Contreras Castaneda, fourth grade, Oakcliff Theme School. n March – Haben Issac, third grade, Robert Shaw Traditional Theme School. n April – Brook Yigzaw, third grade, Robert Shaw Traditional Theme School. n May – Riyaane Mohammed, second grade, Robert Shaw Traditional Theme DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond and the Board of Commissioners on Jan. 10 recognized the 12 students whose artwork was selected for the Department of Watershed Management calendar. School. n June/cover – Nyssa Talukder, fourth grade, Oakcliff Theme School. n July – Lindsay Goldstein, first grade, Austin Elementary. n August – Audrey Fritchie, first grade, Austin Elementary. n September – Estrella Cruz, fifth grade, Midvale Elementary. n October – Kyra Wood, fourth grade, Oakcliff Theme School. n November – Scarlett Ryan, first grade, Austin Elementary. n December – Lauren Williams, fourth grade, Wadsworth Magnet School. All DeKalb County elementary schools, public and private, were invited to participate in the annual calendar contest.

Register now for STEM Adventures Students 5 to 18 can register for the third annual BioLogue STEM Adventures at Exchange Park Recreation Center in Decatur. The program is free and registration is available at https://www.eventbrite. com/e/biologue-stem-adventures-2017registration-30639336079. At the March 25 event, which takes place 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., kids, tweens and teens will have an opportunity to explore a variety of STEM hands-on workshops, including 3-D printing, genetics, anatomy and physiology, robotics, food science, stitching, forensic botany, microscopy, and drones. There also will be a research-based STEM Fair for Girls for sixth to 12th grades in which they will compete for prizes and receive feedback from STEM experts. The goal is to stimulate interest in STEM careers and prepare youth to compete globally. Scientist Gladys DelanceyBolding is the organizer. For more information, visit BioLogueprogram.com.

CrossRoadsNews

Scene

January 21, 2017

Library Director Rosemary M. Magee said students and scholars will find Eugene Patterson’s journey “one of truth and inspiration.”

Author to address Tuskegee alumni

Motivational speaker and consultant Larry Jemison Jr. keynotes the Jan. 28 special membership meeting of the DeKalb County Tuskegee Alumni Club. It begins at noon in the Omega World Center, 1951 Snapfinger Parkway in Decatur. Jemison, a Tuskegee University Larry Jemison alumnus, is author of “How to Make It in a World That Wasn’t Made for You” and “How to Make It: Guide to Getting a Great Job in Any Economy.” For more information, email mildredltaylor@msn.com or call 678-592-1162.

Dyson to expound on crisis in race relations Author Michael Eric Dyson will discuss “Tears We Cannot Stop: A Sermon to White America” about the crisis in race relations on Jan. 26 at the Carter Library and Museum in Atlanta. The book talk and signing, which is free and open to the public, will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Cecil B. Day Chapel. As the country grapples with racist division at a level not seen since the 1960s, Dyson’s latest book, a provocative and deeply personal call for

change, could not be more timely. He argues that if we are to make real racial progress, we must face difficult truths, including being honest about how black grievance has been ignored, dismissed or discounted. Dyson is also a radio host and a professor of sociology at Georgetown University. The library is at 441 Freedom Parkway. For more information, visit www.jimmycarterlibrary. Michael E. Dyson gov or call 404-865-7100.

‘Black Identity, Diverse Faiths’ to be explored

Clark Atlanta University professor Stephanie Evans will moderate the “Black Identity and Diverse Faiths” panel discussion on Jan. 28 at the Stonecrest Library. The program, part of the Doris K. Wells Heritage Festival, takes place 2 to 3 p.m. African-American practitioners of a variety of faiths will discuss the intersection of black cultural identity and religion. Evans, professor and chair of the Department of African American Studies, Africana Women’s Studies, and History at Clark Atlanta, is author of two books Stephanie Evans about empowerment education: “Black Passports: Travel Memoirs as a Tool for Youth Empowerment” and “Black Women in the Ivory Tower, 1850-1954: An Intellectual History.” She is founder of the W.E.B. Du Bois Legacy Project at the university. The library is at 3123 Klondike Road in Stonecrest. For more information, visit www.dekalblibrary.org or call 770-482-3828.

Student activism focus of ‘Start Something’ The exhibit at the Atlanta University Center library documents the Atlanta Student Movement and its efforts to desegregate stores and public facilities.

The history and legacy of African-American college student activists in the 1960s is documented in “Start Something: Activism and the Atlanta Student Movement” on display at the Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library. The exhibit, which has been extended through May 22, is free and open to the public. Three students from Morehouse College – Lonnie King, Joseph Pierce and Julian Bond – rallied students from Morehouse, Atlanta University, Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University), the Interdenominational Theological Center, and Morris Brown and Spelman colleges in organized, nonviolent protests to end legalized segregation practices in Atlanta, forcing merchants and government officials to desegregate stores and public facilities. The exhibit, which also recognizes the founding of The Atlanta Inquirer in 1960 as a news outlet voicing the concerns of the African-American community, ties the student-led civil rights protests of the 1960s with today’s youth-led protests, such as #AUCShutItDown, #ItsBiggerThanYou and the Black Lives Matter movement. The library is at 111 James P. Brawley Drive S.W. in Atlanta. For more information, visit http://research.auctr. edu/AtlantaStudentMovement or call 404-978-2003.

Image From the Gene Patterson Papers, Rose Library at Emory University

Eugene Patterson is shown with Ralph McGill (left) at The Atlanta Constitution in 1960, the year he succeeded McGill as editor.

Civil rights journalist’s papers at Emory library The papers of Southern civil rights journalist Eugene Patterson have been acquired by the Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library at Emory University. Patterson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, editor of the Atlanta Constitution and the Washington Post, and a significant voice for civil rights in the 1960s, died in 2013 at age 89. His papers include correspondence, photos, subject files and six large scrapbooks filled with his daily columns. As editor of the Constitution, he received widespread national attention for his column “A Flower for the Graves,” about the Birmingham church bombing that killed four young girls on Sept. 15, 1963. The column, published the next day, was so moving that Patterson was invited to read it aloud that night on the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the year Patterson was writing the columns that won him the 1967 Pulitzer Prize for editorial columns. Hank Klibanoff, professor of practice in Emory’s English and creative writing program who teaches a course on Georgia civil rights cold cases, said the collection covers “rich moments in history.” Klibanoff, co-author of “The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation,” in-

terviewed Patterson for his book and was instrumental in bringing the papers to Emory from the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Fla., where Patterson served as board chairman for 10 years. Library Director Rosemary M. Magee said students and scholars will find his journey “one of truth and inspiration.” Patterson became executive editor and columnist for the morning Constitution and afternoon Atlanta Journal papers in 1956. He became known for his columns in support of the civil rights movement and opposed to the violence against it. His 1966 columns that won the Pulitzer focused on a range of subjects, including the ouster of Julian Bond from the Georgia House of Representatives (which Patterson opposed) and the explosive racial conflicts in the Summerhill section of Atlanta. He served as vice chair of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission from 1964-1968. He worked under Constitution editor and well-known Southern journalist Ralph McGill, from whom Patterson took over the editor position in 1960 when McGill became publisher, and the two were close friends. Although the Patterson papers are unprocessed, the collection is available on request. For more information, visit http://rose.library.emory.edu.

Legal Notices

12/31, 01/07, 01/14, 01/21

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM11769-3++ Tceeola Smith filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Nov. 03, 2016 to change name from: Tceeola Marquita Smith to Iceeola Marquita Livingston. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed.

Dated: Nov. 03, 2016

12/31, 01/07, 01/14, 01/21

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM12294-3++ Noelani Reynoso-Carrasco Plaintiff Vs. Nicholas Davis Defendant To: Nicholas Davis 2821 Zane Gray Dr.

Atlanta, GA 30316 By ORDER of the Court for service by publication dated Nov. 28, 2016, you are hereby notified that on Nov. 23, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court and to service upon the plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Noelani Reynoso-Carrasco, 3539 Robins Landing Way, Apt. 8, Decatur, GA. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days Nov. 28, 2016. Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 16th day of Dec., 2016

CrossRoadsNews

January 21, 2017

People

“She held the party together. When people had scattered to all the four corners, she … started bringing elected officials back into the game.”

Bishop Eddie Long to be celebrated at Jan. 25 homegoing to our Heavenly Father as he proBishop Eddie Long, who grew claimed that cancer would not kill New Birth Missionary Baptist his faith nor his spirit,” a Jan. 15 Church from a congregation of 300 statement from the church said. on Snapfinger Road in Decatur to The service takes place at 11 25,000 with global reach, will be a.m. Long will lie in state from 8 celebrated at a Jan. 25 homegoing a.m. service in Lithonia. Visitation will be held on Jan. Long, 63, died on Jan. 15 after 24 between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. at what the church called “a gallant the church. private fight with an aggressive form Eddie Long Long, who became New Birth’s senior of cancer.” “As a man of God with unyielding faith, pastor in 1987, was a charismatic and conBishop Long maintained his commitment troversial pastor.

Membership in his megachurch declined in the wake of four young men accusing him in 2010 of using his pastoral influence to seduce them into sexual relations with him. Long denied any wrongdoing and settled out of court with the men in May 2011. He was never charged with a crime. After gaunt images of him surfaced on the internet in August 2016, Long played down a report that he was hospitalized with a “grave illness” and said that he was recovering from a health challenge that “I trust God to deliver me from.”

In the Jan. 15 statement from the church, Elder Vanessa Long, his wife of 27 years, said she was confident through her belief in God that Long is now resting in a better place. “Although his transition leaves a void for those of us who loved him dearly, we can celebrate and be happy for him, knowing he’s at peace,” she said. Long also is survived by four children, Eric, Edward, Jared and Taylor, and three grandchildren. New Birth Missionary Baptist Church is at 6400 Woodrow Road in Lithonia.

Democrat Sandra Austin remembered as ultimate party insider Dec. 3, 1948 – Jan. 13, 2017 By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Longtime DeKalb County Democratic Party Chairwoman Sandra Austin is being remembered this week as the glue that held the party together over the good times and bad. Austin, 68, a DeKalb Democrat for more than 25 years, died unexpectedly on Jan. 13 at her Decatur home. Barbara Campbell, the party’s first vice chair, said Austin was truly a Sandra Austin blessing. “Her years of service to this party will long be remembered,” Campbell said, noting that Austin’s recent re-election to party chair a few weeks ago “demonstrated her resolve to serve and her commitment to work on actualizing the beliefs of the Democratic Party.” State Rep. Howard Mosby, who called Austin his political mother, said Austin was the consummate insider.

“She was what you would call a puppet master,” he said. “She ran the thing from behind the scenes, and she directed us as elected officials. She directed party officials in certain directions to make sure that DeKalb County’s interests were taken care of.” Austin, who taught for 35 years and continued as a substitute teacher after retirement, began as a party committee member under the late DeKalb CEO Manuel Maloof and worked her way to the Democrats’ county chair after serving as House District chair and first vice chair. She also served as the state party vice president. Democrats say she was the ultimate party faithful who attended every Democratic National Convention since San Francisco in 1984. They say her faithfulness to the party is only surpassed by her love and faithfulness to her family and that she was so dedicated to helping raise her grandchildren, she attended every soccer game with her grandson, Kendal, and hung out at Noah Ark Animal Farm with her granddaughters, Kenadi, Alyssa and Angela.

Austin was also a youth adviser for the DeKalb NAACP for 10 years and a State NAACP adviser for eight years. Mosby, who was first elected to office in 2002, said Austin was heavily involved when he came on the political scene. He said she became his political mother. “She would guide me,” said Mosby, who represents House District 83. “She would chastise me. She would encourage me. She would give me advice. I could always lean on her.” In DeKalb party politics, Mosby said Austin was a glue. “She held the party together,” he said. “When people had scattered to all the four corners, she held that thing together and actually started bringing the elected officials back into the game. I just appreciated her so much for that.” Leona Perry, who had worked alongside Austin for 17 years, said she is going to miss their late-night talks while Austin caught up on all the emails she got as party chair. Perry said late night was when Austin had time after looking after her family and grandkids.

“She would call and say, ‘Hey lady, what you doing,’ and we would say to each other did you get this email or that email.” The two also took turns driving each other to district conferences and meetings in Macon or Augusta, and they had their spots where they stop and shop. “I am going to miss those times,” Perry said. Austin’s daughter, Kendra Austin, said her mother was a leader everywhere she went and that she fostered many children. “She always opened her home to anybody who needed help,” she said. “People gravitated to her.” Austin also is survived by her husband of 48 years, Kenny; a son, Kenneth; and his wife, Lillian. Her homegoing service takes place Jan. 21 at noon at Antioch AME Church in Stone Mountain, where she had been a member and usher for at least two decades. The church is at 765 S. Hairston Road. A public viewing was set for Jan. 20 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home, 4347 Flat Shoals Parkway in Decatur.

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CrossRoadsNews

January 21, 2017

www.crossroadsnews.com

Spotlight on Vitality

Join us at the Mall at Stonecrest Main Stage Lower Level near Sears

Section B

CrossRoadsNews

Wellness Expo

January 21, 2017

African Americans are disproportionately affected by high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Participants can get moving on their 2017 health and fitness goals on Jan. 28 at the 12th annual expo that takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest.

2346 Candler Road Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007

www.CrossRoadsNews.com editor@CrossRoadsNews.com The Health & Wellness Special Section is a publication of CrossRoadsNews, Atlanta’s award-winning weekly newspaper.

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Graphics Editor Curtis Parker Reporter Jennifer Ffrench Parker Editorial Intern Rosie Manins Copy Editor Brenda Yarbrough 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 © 2017 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

12th annual event offers help with goals The new year is here, offering all of us the opportunity to turn over a new leaf, make a new start or just try something different in our quest for a healthy and happy life. Atop most people’s list is the desire to lose weight and be active, and health experts agree that those are attainable goals if we start with small steps and remember that if we fall down, we get up and try again. In DeKalb and nationally, African Americans are disproportionately affected by high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. On Jan. 28, as it has for the past 12 years, the annual CrossRoadsNews Health and Wellness Expo has gathered health care providers and county resources in one place to

offer information, demos and ideas to help us take better care of our health this year or to encourage us to start. The expo, staged with the sponsorship of Children’s Healthcare at Hughes Spalding and in partnership with DeKalb 100 Black Women, takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest. Exhibitors include DeKalb Medical; Oakhurst Medical Centers; Atlanta Gastroenterology; Georgia Piedmont Technical College; NeXX Water Inc.; PNC Bank; Clear Caption; and DeKalb County Board of Health, Clerk of Superior Court, Sheriff, Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, and Department Watershed Management. They will have lots of information about how you can

stay active, healthy and safe in 2017. Exercise motivator Rae Rae Clark will kick off the expo with movement routines. Door-to-Door Fitness will demonstrate easy steps to wellness, and a host of performers – the Lou Walker Dancers, the Hip Hop Nanas, and the incomparable Beulah Boys – will show how easy it is to keep moving with dance. Life Chef Asata Reid will demonstrate how easy and tasty it is to add more vegetables to your diet. There will be health screenings, last-minute sign-ups for the Healthcare Marketplace and lots of encouragement to help you have a healthy new year. The mall is at I-20 and Turner Hill Road in Stonecrest.

12th Annual Health & Wellness Expo Grand Prize Entry Form Visit at least 15 of these exhibitors* at the Mall at Stonecrest and enter to win a Spectacular Gift Basket, compliments of the Mall at Stonecrest. Drawing takes place at 4:45 p.m on Jan. 28, 2017 at the Main Stage in front of Sears on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest.

_____ 100 Black Women

_____ DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court - Debra DeBerry

_____ Georgia Piedmont Technical College

_____ Arabia Mountain Alliance

_____ DeK. Comm. Larry Johnson Let’s Move! DeKalb

_____ Lou Walker Senior Center

_____ Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates

_____ DeKalb Convention & Visitor’s Bureau

_____ NeXX Water Inc.

_____ Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

_____ DeKalb Department of Watershed Management

_____ Oakhurst Medical Centers Inc.

_____ Clear Captions _____ CrossRoadsNews _____ DeKalb Board of Health

_____ DeKalb Medical _____ DeKalb Sheriff’s Office - Jeffrey Mann _____ DeKalb Solicitor General’s Office – Donna Coleman-Stribling

_____ PNC Bank _____ Stoneview Injury & Wellness

Name ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City _____________________________________________ Email_______________________________________________________________________ Home phone _________________________________________________ Cell ___________________________________________________________

* Eligible entries must be validated by at least 15 exhibitors and must include your complete name, address, email address and telephone number. Employees and immediate family members of CrossRoadsNews and the Mall at Stonecrest are not eligible to win. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. You MUST be present to win.

CrossRoadsNews

January 21, 2017

Wellness Expo

More than 20 exhibitors will showcase their goods and services.

12th Annual Health & Wellness Expo Program Jan. 28, 2017 • Noon to 5 p.m. • The Main Stage in front of Sears Lower Level, The Mall at Stonecrest

Noon

Warm up with Rae Rae “Exercise Motivator” Clark

12:45 p.m.

Door-to-Door Fitness Demo

1:p.m.

Antonio “The Chozen 1” Hinton

1:15 p.m.

Nicole Lee, 100 Black Women of DeKalb

1:30 p.m.

Lou Walker Senior Center Tai Chi Group

2 p.m.

Healthy Food Demo with Life Chef Asata Reid

2:30 p.m.

The Hip Hop Nanas

2:45 p.m.

Ballroom Dancers Ken Wilson & Diane Gilliard

3: p.m.

Lou Walker Dance Troupe

3:15 p.m.

Conservatory of Dance

3:30 p.m.

Grace Dance Group

4 p.m.

The Beulah Boys

4:30 p.m.

Crowd Line Dancing

4:45

Grand Prize Drawing

5 p.m.

Expo Ends

Antonio “The Chozen 1” Hinton Rae Rae Clark

Ken Wilson & Diane Gilliard

Chef Asata

Conservatory of Dance & Fine Arts

Lou Walker Senior Center Tai Chi Group

Lou Walker Dance Troupe

The Hip Hop Nanas

The Beulah Boys

Wellness Expo

CrossRoadsNews

January 21, 2017

“We really want to instill in people the importance of prevention and staying healthy.”

Free blood pressure checks and last-minute ACA enrollment By Rosie Manins

Expo-goers can get free health screenings for hypertension and last-minute help enrolling in the Healthcare Marketplace at the 12th annual Health & Wellness Expo on Jan. 28 at the Mall at Stonecrest. Stone Mountain-based Oakhurst Medical Centers nurses will offer blood pressure checks and their trained navigators will help uninsured adults enroll for health care coverage. Jan. 31 is the deadline for open enrollment under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. DeKalb Medical will offer blood pressure screenings and other basic health checks. Dr. Carmen Echols, a DeKalb Medical primary care physician, will field questions from 1 to 3 p.m. She specializes in diabetes and hypertenCarmen Echols sion management and will answer queries about those issues as well as other general health concerns. The expo takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the mall’s lower level. Beth Jansa, DeKalb Medical community outreach manager, said a team of volunteers will be checking expo-goers’ blood pressure at the DeKalb Medical booth. “In that five-hour time span, we are usually able to accommodate 30 to 40 people,” she said. In the many years DeKalb Medical has been conducting free public blood pressure checks, staff members have identified several extreme cases, including one woman at last year’s Seniors/Baby Boomer Expo. “Every once in a while we determine that someone probably needs to go to the

DeKalb Medical will offer a fitness prize wheel to encourage physical activity and a sugar shocker station that provides visual evidence of the amount of sugar in many common drinks.

emergency room to be looked at because they could be at risk of having a heart attack or stroke,” Jansa said. “It’s a reminder for people to spend some time taking care of themselves.” Common causes of high blood pressure include obesity, an unbalanced diet, lack of exercise and lack of sleep. Jansa and other volunteers will be strongly encouraging people to find primary care physicians they can go to regularly for services such as flu shots and blood and cholesterol checks. They will have physician booklets

available listing doctors in the area. Visitors to the DeKalb Medical booth also can compete for prizes at its fitness prize wheel and stop by a sugar shocker station. People who spin the fitness wheel will be rewarded with small prizes for completing easy exercises they can repeat at home. “We really want to instill in people the importance of prevention and staying healthy,” Jansa said. “They are all easy exercises – things like jumping jacks and hula hoping – that people of any age can do during a commercial break while watching

television.” At the sugar shocker station, people can learn how much sugar is in common drinks and physically measure it out in teaspoons. Every 4 grams of sugar equates to 1 teaspoon, and many popular drinks contain at least 6 teaspoons of sugar per serving. “Measuring it out like that really drives it home,” Jansa said. “We are not preaching you shouldn’t have any of those sugary drinks – it’s just about choices and having greater recognition of what’s in our food and drink.”

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January 21, 2017

CrossRoadsNews

With equipment sized just for them, they can soar to recovery.

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Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding is owned by the Fulton-Dekalb Hospital Authority and managed by HSOC Inc., an affiliate of Children’s.

CrossRoadsNews

If not controlled, high blood pressure can lead to heart and kidney disease, stroke and blindness.

January 21, 2017

H ealth & W e

DASH your way to a healthier you in 2017 with a sensible By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a common and dangerous condition that disproportionately affects African Americans for a range of hereditary, cultural and lifestyle reasons. National data suggest that about 33 percent of U.S. adults have hypertension and another 31 percent have pre-hypertension, meaning that without intervention and lifestyle changes, they too will have high blood pressure. Among African Americans, more than 40 percent of men and women are afflicted with hypertension, and high blood pressure also develops earlier in life and is usually more severe. The risk factors of hypertension include increased age, excessive weight, a family history of high blood pressure, having diabetes, inactivity, a diet high in salt and fat, low intake of potassium, and smoking. African Americans rank high on those risk factors. High blood pressure, which has no warning signs or symptoms, is often called the silent killer because many people do not know they have it. The only way to know if you have it is to measure your blood pressure. A high reading – 140/90 mmHg or more – means the pressure of the blood in your blood vessels is higher than it should be. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries, which carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body. It normally rises and falls throughout the day. But if it stays high for a long time, it makes your heart work too hard, hardens the walls of your arteries, and can cause your brain to hemorrhage or your kidneys to function poorly or not at all. If not controlled, high blood pressure can lead to heart and kidney disease, stroke and blindness. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says the DASH – Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension – eating plan is the best way to prevent and control high blood pressure. The heart-healthy way to eat, developed in 2010, is rich in lower-calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetables, which easily support weight loss. The institute recommends these steps to prevent or lower high blood pressure: n Follow a healthy eating plan like DASH, which includes foods that are lower in sodium. n Maintain a healthy weight. n Be active, even moderately, for at least two hours and 30 minutes per week. n Avoid alcoholic beverages, and if you must, imbibe in moderation. n If you have high blood pressure, take your medication as prescribed by your doctor. The DASH eating plan requires no special foods and has no hard-to-follow recipes. It is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, seeds and nuts. It is lower in saturated fats, trans fat and cholesterol and rich in nutrients – potassium, magnesium, calcium, protein, and fiber – associated with lowering blood pressure.

High blood pressure disproportionately affects African Americans – more than 40 percent of men and women are afflicted, and the only way to know if you blood pressure. Consistently follow your treatment plan if you are diagnosed with hypertension.

Know your number Blood pressure readings have two numbers. The top number, or systolic blood pressure, represents the force of blood through your blood vessels during your heartbeat. n 119 or below is the normal systolic blood pressure. n 120-139 is pre-hypertension. n 140 and greater is high blood pressure for people younger than 60. n 150 is high blood pressure for people ages 60 and over. The bottom number, or diastolic blood pressure, represents the force of blood through your blood vessels between heartbeats, while your heart is resting. n 79 or below is normal diastolic blood pressure. n 80-89 is pre-hypertension. n 90 and greater is high blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure tends to rise as you get older. Diastolic blood pressure may decrease as you get older.

It contains less sodium, sweets, added sugars, beverages containing sugar, fats, and red meats, which are all part of the typical American diet. The DASH eating plan simply calls for

a certain number of daily servings from various food groups based on the number of calories you are allowed each day. Calorie intake depends on your age and your activity level.

Intervention and lifestyle changes are needed to preven hypertension from developing high blood pressure. Kno

Follow these tips:

n Choose and prepare foods with less sodium

and salt.

January 21, 2017

CrossRoadsNews

ellness E xpo e eating plan to prevent and control high blood pressure The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan requires no special foods and no hard-to-follow recipes.

Help treatment plan work Follow these steps to make your Blood Pressure Treatment Plan work: n Check your blood pressure as often as recommended by your doctor. n Follow your treatment plan consistently. Let your doctor know right away if you have problems with part of the plan. Your doctor may refer you to other health care professionals who can help. n See your doctor as often as requested. Bring your blood pressure records to show your doctor how well the plan is working. n Ask your doctor or pharmacist for information about medication side effects. Know when to call your doctor if there is a problem. Choose and prepare foods with less sodium, and don’t bring the salt shaker to the table. Gradually add more servings of fruits and vegetables to your diet.

have it is to measure your

Find an exercise routine or fun activity like dancing and get moving. Be physically active – walking and swimming will help you shed pounds. Two to five hours of activity a week is the goal.

nt adults with preow your number.

n Don’t bring the salt shaker to the table. Instead, table. n Read food labels to check the amount of try herbs, spices, lemon juice, vinegar, wine, and n Avoid or reduce processed foods, which sodium and select foods that contain 5 per-

salt-free seasoning blends in cooking and at the are laden with sodium.

cent or less of the Daily Value of sodium.

Foods – baked goods, certain cereals, soy sauce, and some antacids – with 20 percent or more Daily Value of sodium are considered high. Years of habit are hard to break, so make the change gradually and give your palate the chance to adjust.

Start with these tips n Add a serving of vegetables at lunch one day and dinner the next, and add fruit at one meal or as a snack. n Increase your use of fat-free and low-fat milk products to three servings a day. n If you usually eat large portions of meats, cut back over a couple of days, by half or a third at each meal. n Limit lean meats to 6 ounces a day – 3 ounces a meal, which is about the size of a deck of cards. n Include two or more vegetarian-style, or meatless, meals each week. n Increase servings of vegetables, brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, and cooked dry beans. n Try casseroles and stir-fry dishes, which have less meat and more vegetables, grains, and dry beans. n For snacks and desserts, use fruits or other foods – unsalted rice cakes, nuts or seeds; raisins; graham crackers; fat-free, low-fat, or frozen yogurt; popcorn with no salt or butter added; or raw vegetables – that are low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugar, and calories. n Use fresh, frozen, or low-sodium canned vegetables and fruits. n Be physically active – walking and swimming will help you shed pounds. Two to five hours of activity a week is the goal. Start with a 15-minute walk and gradually increase the amount of time you are active. Even short periods of at least 10 minutes each are beneficial. n Quit smoking. Tobacco smoke can make blood pressure rise. It can directly damage your heart and blood vessels. Talk to your doctor about ways to quit. For more information, visit http://www. nhlbi.nih.gov. For delicious heart-healthy recipes, visit https://healthyeating.nhlbi. nih.gov.

Wellness Expo

CrossRoadsNews

January 21, 2017

About 40 percent of African Americans have high blood pressure – yet 14 percent of adults 60 and older don’t know they have it.

Fight heart disease with Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans. Every year, nearly one of every three deaths in the United States is from cardiovascular disease. Protect yourself and fight heart disease with the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7.

Regular physical activity can lower blood pressure, keep body weight under control and help lower “bad” cholesterol as well as build strength and stamina.

Get active You don’t have to join a gym or run in a 5K. Start small by incorporating physical activity into your daily routine more and more. Along with gaining strength and stamina, regular physical activity can lower blood pressure, keep body weight under control and lower your LDL or “bad” cholesterol. Regular physical activity also is associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes, reduced depression, improved bone density, and improved sleep quality for adults. It’s easy to start. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park at the farthest end of the parking lot or use your lunch break to take a quick walk. For a healthy heart, aim for at least 2½ hours of moderate physical activity weekly. Control cholesterol Cholesterol, a waxy substance in the bloodstream and in the cells of our body, plays an important role in keeping us healthy. There are two types of cholesterol – the “good” kind, HDL, and the “bad” kind, LDL. High levels of bad cholesterol can clog your arteries, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke. Good cholesterol cleans out the bad cholesterol from the arteries. Build good cholesterol with regular physical activity, limit saturated fat by reducing red meats, choosing low-fat dairy, healthier fats such as olive and certain vegetable oils, and

File

avoiding trans fats. For some people, diet and lifestyle changes alone aren’t enough. Your doctor may prescribe cholesterol-lowering medication to keep your cholesterol levels in check.

and cholesterol. Follow the DASH eating plan that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other healthy choices. Look for heart-healthy foods stamped with the American Heart Association’s Heart-Check mark.

have high blood pressure – yet about 14 percent of adults 60 years and older don’t even know they have it. That’s because high blood pressure, “the silent killer,” has no symptoms. Keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range starts with eating a hearthealthy diet. Other important factors are

Eat better Eating the right foods can help you con- Manage blood pressure trol your weight, blood pressure, blood sugar About 40 percent of African Americans Please see SIMPLE 7, next page

Georgia's Drought Isn't Over Outdoor watering is not allowed between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. every day. Choose efficient appliances with the EPA WaterSense label. Fix leaks inside and outside the home. Department of Watershed Management www.dekalbwatershed.com

January 21, 2017

Wellness Expo

CrossRoadsNews

Going smoke-free can help reduce risk of heart disease and stroke, but also cancer and chronic lung disease.

Lifestyle changes may help lower risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke

File

The DASH eating plan includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and other healthy choices. Eating right, controlling your weight, exercising and taking prescribed medication can minimize the impact of diabetes. File

(such as high blood pressure), maintaining a weight loss of 3 percent-5 percent of body exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight can produce clinically meaningful weight, limiting salt and alcohol, and taking results. Greater weight loss can produce even greater results on blood pressure, cholesterol medication prescribed by your doctor. levels, and blood sugar. Maintain a healthy weight Overweight and obesity are risk factors Reduce blood sugar Diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovasfor cardiovascular disease. In the U.S., 69 percent of adults are either overweight or cular disease. Heart disease death rates obese. Higher body mass index, BMI, is as- among adults with diabetes are two to four sociated with higher risk of type 2 diabetes, times higher than adults without diabetes. and obesity is a strong predictor of sleep dis- You can minimize the impact of diabetes ordered breathing. For overweight or obese on your body – and even prevent or delay adults with other cardiovascular risk factors the onset of diabetes – by eating right, conSIMPLE 7,

from previous page

trolling your weight, exercising and taking medication prescribed your doctor. In some cases, lifestyle changes result in less need for medication.

Stop smoking It’s time to kick the habit. Going smokefree can help reduce risk of heart disease and stroke, but also cancer and chronic lung disease. The payoff is almost immediate. Quit smoking and you’ll lower your excess risk of developing heart disease and stroke within only a few years. For more information, visit www.heart. org/HEARTORG/HealthyLiving.

What is BMI?

Body mass index, or BMI, is a measure of body fat based on height and weight of adult men and women. If your BMI is ... You are ... Below 18.5 ..................... Underweight 18.5-24.9 ....................... Normal 25-29.9 ......................... Overweight 30 and above ................ Obese Calculate your BMI at www.nhlbi.nih. gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/ bmicalc.htm.

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Wellness Expo

CrossRoadsNews

January 21, 2017

“Dancing is all about movement. It is great exercise. It’s easy on the joints, and most of all, it’s fun.”

Lou Walker Dance Troupe

Hip Hop Nanas

Conservatory of Dance

Performers to teach, wow and entertain expo audience Tai Chi practitioners from the Lou Walker Senior Center will showcase the ancient Chinese martial art.

Door-to-Door Fitness

The 2017 Health and Wellness Expo stage will come alive with dances, miming, fitness and health food demonstrations, and lots more dancing. Jennifer Parker, CrossRoadsNews editor and publisher, said there can’t ever be too much dancing at a health and wellness expo. “Dancing is all about movement,” she said. “It is great exercise. It’s easy on the joints, and most of all, it’s fun.” The expo takes place noon to 5 p.m. on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest. All performances and demonstrations take place at the main stage located near Sears. Exercise motivator Rae Rae Clark will kick off the health and wellness celebration at noon. Door-to-Door Fitness Master Trainer Elfreda Smith and her crew will demonstrate some easy exercise routines at 12:45 p.m., and at 1:30 p.m., the Lou Walker Senior Center tai chi practitioners will showcase the

The crowdpleasing Beulah Boys will light up the stage with their signature line dance moves.

Decatur-based Grace Dance Group joins the lineup with Detroit-style ballroom dancing.

ancient noncompetitive Chinese martial art known for both its defense techniques and stress-relieving health benefits. Performers include Hip Hop Nanas at

2:30 p.m., ballroom dancers Ken Wilson and Diane Gilliard at 2:45 p.m., Lou Walker Dance Troupe at 3 p.m., and expo favorite the Beulah Boys at 4 p.m. This year, Decatur-based Grace Dance Group has joined the lineup with its Detroitstyle ballroom dancing. It will be onstage at 3:30 p.m. Jaye Taylor, owner of the 7-year-old School of Grace where the troupe is based, said their style of ballroom dancing is very different from what most think ballroom dancing should be. “The audience will be wowed,” she said.

Mime extraordinaire Antonio “the Chozen 1” Hinton will mesmerize the audience with his emotional performance at 1 p.m., and the award-winning Conservatory of Dance will showcase modern dance at 3:15 p.m. After their lively performance, the Beulah Boys, who always bring the house down, will lure the audience onto their feet to step with them. The Mall at Stonecrest is at Turner Hill Road and I-20. For more information, call 404-284-1888.

January 21, 2017

Wellness Expo

CrossRoadsNews

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“This year, let us focus inward and strengthen ourselves at our core level. … the world needs us to show up and make a difference.”

New year, new view: Resolve to focus on mindset, attitude By Asata Reid

One in three Americans makes some sort of resolution toward self-improvement every January. But a week into the new year, about 75 percent of those people are still on track. Studies also show six months later, only 46 percent – less than half – are still on target. This year, instead of resolving to “fix” behaviors, habits and activities that are “broken” or “damaged” or “not enough,” let’s focus on our mindset and attitudes. Your mental dominates the physical, as has been proved time and again by worldclass athletes and new-age gurus, mantras and vision boards, and books and films like “The Secret.” Yet working on our mental landscape can be hard work, often unguided, and rife with setbacks. So it’s no wonder we focus on building biceps and trimming inches – things we can see and touch – versus taming the wilderness of our thought processes and perceptions. Working on the unseen and intangible real estate upon which our beliefs and motivations are built can lead to a lot of introspection and kick up a lot of emotional dust, so this work isn’t for the faint of heart. However, garnering control over our thoughts and emotions is one sure way to bolster our intentions and set ourselves on the fast track to goal attainment. Most of us have days that do not differ tremendously from another, much like “Groundhog Day.” We navigate on autopilot through many of our hours and interactions with our attention divided among many stimuli like the talking heads on the news, the apps on our phone, the music on the radio or the ever-present “To Do List,” which is constantly dragging us into the future. This lack of presence, or absence of nowness, causes remorse for the past and what could have or should have been as well as anxiety and worry over the future and things

Life Chef Asata Reid will demonstrate an easy and tasty recipe at 2 p.m. Jan. 28 on the Main Stage at the Mall at Stonecrest.

that have yet to happen. Instead of running on autopilot and letting our thoughts drift, we can harness our thoughts and focus that energy and concentration into what’s happening right now – in this present moment, when we are breathing and being and can give ourselves fully to this experience. n What can we do to enhance this very mo-

ment by contributing our thoughts, actions and intentions? n How can we open new doors, create new possibilities and new opportunities by fully engaging with those we interact with and our environment? n What have we been overlooking, passing by and dismissing while running on autopilot? By simply becoming aware of our thoughts and harnessing their tendency to drift, we reorient ourselves in the captain’s chair of our lives. We are the rein masters even when our thoughts and feelings are chomping at the bit. Thoughts and words have tremendous power to create and shape our reality and our destinations, so when left unchecked we leave that power unchaperoned without intent and clear purpose. Then we wonder, “How did this happen? This wasn’t what I wanted. I can’t achieve my goal. Something must be wrong with me.” There is nothing wrong with you. You have simply left your creative power and ability unchecked without guidelines, intention or purpose. Harnessing this creative power will allow you to direct your will with focus, and the more you do it, the better you get. Like a sculptor who uses increasingly finer tools to carve the nooks and crannies of a masterpiece, you will begin to hone your thoughts and harness your emotions to design the landscape your life. We all have an inner critic, but if yours is preventing you from taking action, you have handed your power over to a phantom of your inner fears. Being courageous is doing something despite the fear, and while your inner critic serves the purpose of keeping you safe, providing discernment and protecting you from harm, if given too much credence and

authority, this inner voice will stifle your dreams, stunt your growth and keep you from taking even the measured risks necessary for expansion and success. One way to loosen the choke-hold of your inner critic is to listen from a place of compassion. When the fear, anger and criticism arise, hold those thoughts apart from you and with love say, “I hear you. I know you are looking out for me. But I can handle this.” And let it go. That’s it. Let it go. The critic will continue to criticize (that’s what critics do), but you have acknowledged it and offered appreciation. Now go after your dreams! Rewrite the script that it is running in your head – the script that says, “This always happens” or “I’m never going to …” or “Here we go again.” Stop expecting the same results, and stop speaking the same results into being. It takes time, and practice, but when you think differently, you take different actions and get different results. We all have a script running in our head, but the successful among us also realize they have the power to change the scripts, the setting and even the actors in this play of life. As a popular Facebook meme says: “If you don’t like where you are, move. You are not a tree.” This can be taken literally or it can be applied in other ways. This year, let us focus inward and strengthen ourselves at our core level so that we have the resolve, power and focus to impact the outer world, improve our communities and protect what matters most. Now, more than ever, the world needs us to show up and make a difference. Life Chef Asata Reid is making the world a healthier place, one plate at a time. She will be demonstrating an easy and tasty recipe on Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. from the Health & Wellness Expo Main Stage at the Mall at Stonecrest.

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CrossRoadsNews

January 21, 2017

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