CrossRoadsNews, June 10, 2017 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

MINISTRY

FINANCE

Faith in matrimony

Bargain shoppers rejoice!

For the second year in a row, a Lithonia church has picked up the tab for members who want to get married. 6

Macy’s will open its first Backstage outlet store in DeKalb County on June 17 at its Mall at Stonecrest store. 8

Let’s Keep DeKalb Peachy Clean Please Don’t Litter Our Streets and Highways

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

June 10, 2017

Volume 23, Number 6

www.crossroadsnews.com

School Board holding hearings into property tax increase By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

DeKalb homeowners won’t be getting a millage rollback from the DeKalb School Board this year. Instead, the Board of Education said June 1 that its tentative $1.1 billion general funds budget will require a millage rate higher than the rollback millage rate. “The DeKalb County Board of Education today announces its intention to increase the property taxes it will levy this year by 5.06 percentage points over the rollback millage rate,” the board said on its website. Under state law, the board is required to announce its intention to raise taxes and hold hearings to allow the public an opportunity to express opinions. It will hold three public hearings – on June 12 at 6:15 p.m. and at 11:30 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. on June 27.

The School Board accounts for 54.4 percent of a DeKalb County property owner’s tax bill. Its current millage rate, in effect since 2013, is 23.38 mills. Although it is proposing to keep it, taxpayers will end up paying more if the value of their home changes. For example, if your home was valued at $125,000 in 2016, your gross taxes were $1,169. With homestead exemption, it was $876.75. If the assessed value of your home increases this year to $150,000, Sheri Boritz, the DeKalb Tax Commissioner’s director of property tax, says you will pay $1,402.80 in gross taxes, an increase of $233.80. With homestead exemption, you will pay $1,110.55, an increase of $233.80. Dr. Mike Bell, the School District’s finance director, said the county’s projected property tax digest growth is 6.75 percent – covering both reassessments and new construction

– and is projected to bring in an additional $29.8 million for the district. “These funds will be used to cover numerous future [FY 2018] General Fund expenses such as prior year approved pay raises, state-mandated TRS retirement contribution increases, state-mandated health increases and others to be finally approved,” he said. The board must approve the budget by June 27. The board’s 2016 budget was $962.7 million without a property tax hike. It was up $70.2 million, or 7.9 percent, from the fiscal 2016 budget of $892.5 million. The last time the board millage rate changed was in 2012 when the values of the county’s 227,694 properties declined $3 billion, or 6 percent, going to $44.2 billion from $47.2 billion in 2011. When the total digest of taxable property is prepared, state law requires a rollback mill-

Three public hearings The Board of Education is hosting three public hearings for input from citizens – on June 12 at 6:15 p.m. and on June 27 at 11:30 a.m. and 6:15 p.m. The hearings will be held in the J. David Williamson Board Room, 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd., Stone Mountain. To speak at one of the public hearings, email your name and contact information to Margaret_Francois@ dekalbschoolsga.org.

age rate be computed to produce the same total revenue on the current year’s digest that last year’s millage rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred.

Waiting list growing for Lithonia apartments Interest in city piqued since building began

Granite Crossing general superintendent Mike Giemont, left, discusses plans with two crew members on June 2.

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

As the 75-unit Granite Crossing Apartments complex rises from the ground in downtown Lithonia, interest is building in the project that is transforming the look of the tiny city. Already, the $10 million affordable housing project has a waiting list of 169 applicants even though it cannot begin to accept applications until 120 days from completion. Mayor Deborah Jackson said prospective residents are sharing in the excitement by lining up to wait for the opportunity to apply for the one-, two- and three-bedroom rent-controlled apart- Deborah Jackson ment units scheduled for completion in December. “The project is changing not only the look of the downtown area but also its potential,” Jackson said June 5. “It is a visible demonstration that something positive is happening in the city.” Granite Crossing, which is being built on city-owned property, is a public-private partnership between the city of Lithonia and Wendover Housing Partners LLC. Both broke ground on the construction last November – 13 years after the project was first visualized. Jackson said that back in 2003 when the community talked about some of the changes it wanted to see in the city, residents and city leaders had no idea it would take this long for something to happen. “But with perseverance and determination,

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

it has finally come to fruition,” she said. “The project is scheduled to be completed with families moving in by Christmas this year.” This week, the site was a bevy of activity with crews framing the third floor of the building and grading the land for the installation of roads and driveways. Gary Brink, Wendover Housing Partners construction manager, said recent heavy rains set construction back about two weeks but they are still on target for the December opening. “I am supposed to be finished by Dec. 15,” Brink said Monday. Until then, people who express interest in renting the apartments are put on a waiting list, but they will be referred to the

online application process when it is ready in September. To qualify for the units, applicants will undergo a background and credit check. Eligible applicants must meet federal income guidelines and their annual rent cannot exceed 30 percent of their household incomes. Individuals can make $23,000, and a family of six, up to $47,520. Based on 2015 federal income guidelines, monthly rents will range from about $498 for individuals to $800 for a family of six. Any adjustment in the guidelines will be made before actual rents are released next year. To make way for Granite Crossing, which faces Max Cleland Boulevard, the city demolished its old 80,000-square-foot

former city hall building that adjoined the Lithonia Plaza. Residents had hoped for a mixed-use development in the heart of the downtown, and Jackson says that even though Granite Crossing only has a residential component, the city will still have a mixeduse commercial area since there are businesses on Main Street as well as in the remaining portion of the Lithonia Plaza. The best part is that apartment construction has helped spark what Jackson calls “new interest in Lithonia.” “It has attracted about five new businesses to Main Street and the existing businesses Please see LITHONIA, page 2

CrossRoadsNews

Community

June 10, 2017

Lithonia woman gets life for beating husband to death

By Angelina T. Velasquez

der, felony murder and aggravated assault on May 26. It was her second trial for the Pamela Ballin has been sentenced to life murder. in prison for bludgeoning her husband of 25 Ballin was originally convicted in 2014 years to death four days after and sentenced to life in prison Christmas in December 2009. by DeKalb Superior Court DeKalb Superior Court Judge Mark Anthony Scott. Judge Gail C. Flake sentenced She was granted a new trial in her on June 6 to life in prison 2016 after her defense lawyer with the chance of parole for challenged the testimony of a killing Derrick Ballin Sr. state expert. Authorities believe he was Before Flake handed down planning to divorce her for Ballin’s sentence, her husband’s alleged infidelity, and Pamela daughter, Rochelle Ballin, who Ballin killed him for his $1.2 did not attend the sentencing, million life insurance policy. expressed sorrow and emptiOn the night of the murder, Pamela Ballin in file photo ness at the loss of her father. Ballin, now 56, called police “My heart aches more now to the couple’s Lithonia home claiming she than it did eight years ago,” said Rochelle heard intruders in the house as she hid in the Ballin, 32, in a letter read by a relative to bedroom closet. Her 53-year-old husband the court. was found bludgeoned, bloodied and barely “Please punish her to the fullest extent conscious near the front door. of the law.” He later died at the hospital. Flake, who called the murder “brutal An autopsy showed he was beaten in the and calculated,” said she was surprised the head a dozen times with a decorative statue state did not seek a life sentence without the that lay next to his body. chance of parole for Pamela Ballin. Ballin, handcuffed and wearing an orange “This case does justify life without pajumpsuit, a white long-sleeved thermal shirt role,” she said. and black-framed eyeglasses, showed no Ballin is currently in Pulaski State Prison emotions at her sentence. in Hawkinsville. She will be credited for time A DeKalb jury found her guilty of mur- already served.

Decatur stop for touring CNG vehicle DeKalb residents can see a compressed natural gas vehicle on its second annual “From Sea-to-Shining-Sea” tour across the United States. The CNG vehicle will make a stop on June 12 at DeKalb County’s compressed natural gas station in Decatur. The 11 a.m. stop is the only one in Georgia. The 3,143-mile cross-country compressed natural gas vehicle tour sponsored by NGVAmerica kicked off on June 5 in Long Beach, Calif. It is making stops in 18 cities over two weeks before ending in Washington, D.C. The national tour’s mission is to inform

and educate the American public on the benefits of natural gas vehicles or NGVs, to demonstrate the viability and vibrancy of the domestic NGV market, and to show that NGVs can travel across the nation using a broad network of natural gas fueling stations. At the DeKalb stop, residents will hear from county environmental representatives and learn about the natural gas vehicles used in the tour. The compressed natural gas station is at 3720 Leroy Scott Drive. For more information, visit www.ngvamerica.org/2017rally.

Complex transforming city’s look LITHONIA,

from page

have experienced increased foot traffic,” she said. Granite Crossing is being built with federal housing tax credits from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs. In November 2015, it was one of 33 projects statewide awarded $25.8 million in housing tax credits to construct or rehabilitate affordable rental housing properties for working families, seniors and people with disabilities. Granite Crossing is the newest construction in the city since the 80-unit Terraces

at Parkview apartments were built in 2009. Its one-bedroom/one-bathroom units will be 760 square feet. Two-bedroom/twobathroom units will be 1,069 square feet, and three-bedroom/two-bathroom units, 1,153-square-feet. The units will feature walk-in closets, washers and dryers, and kitchens with islands. Community amenities include a clubhouse with a fitness area, an activity room for an after-school program, a computer room, outdoor grill and a splash pool. For more information, visit www.granitecrossingapts.com.

June 10, 2017

Community

CrossRoadsNews

“I remain committed to releasing these funds for their original intended purpose.”

Hairston Park getting a makeover Abrams launches bid for governor By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Bradshaw, who says he is on a mission to distribute all of the disHairston Park will be getting a trict’s remaining park bonds funds, face-lift in the wake of a $142,000 made the Hairston Park allocation allocation from District 4 DeKalb after a tour of nine of the 23 parks Commissioner Steve Bradshaw. in District 4 in May. It is part of $334,000 in parks Jan Costello, president of the bonds funds that Bradshaw has alGreater Hidden Hills Commulocated since he took office in Janunity Development Corp., called the ary. He also has allocated $150,000 Steve Bradshaw funding for Hairston Park “a terrific to John Homestead parks and investment.” She said it will help raise the $42,000 to Hamilton Recreation Center. area’s quality of life and economic profile. The money from the district’s share of the “This 33-acre park is a jewel and central 2001 and 2005 parks bonds funds will pay for to thousands of families in the area,” Cospark improvements and development. tello said. “The proposed new pavilion and In the most recent allocation, made May playground will be popular features. Other 22, Bradshaw says he wholeheartedly sup- additions, such as adding a water fountain, ports the goals of the Friends of Hairston more seating, and landscaping, will make the Park to enhance the amenities with a new park inviting and safe.” playground, gazebo, benches and more. With Bradshaw, his staff and Friends of Parks this expenditure, District 4 has about $2.3 groups also visited Cedar, Washington, Stonmillion left in its parks bonds funds. eview, Tobie Grant, Hidden Acres, Brookside, In 2001 and 2005, voters approved a total Redan Greenspace, and Oak Creek parks. of $230 million in bond referendums for park “I remain committed to releasing these improvements. The money was distributed to funds for their original intended purpose, all seven commission districts to improve the which is to bring parks to a level of quality parks located within their boundaries. that DeKalb residents can safely enjoy.”

Donations sought for fire victims The nonprofit Brighter DeKalb Foundation is raising funds to help 11 DeKalb Community Service Board clients who lost all of their belongings in a June 3 fire at its Brookhaven residential housing facility. The apartment complex, where DeKalb CSB leases units for many clients enrolled in its Mental Health Residential Program, was razed. Clients lost their belongings, including furniture, clothing and personal items. Dr. Joseph Bona, DeKalb CSB CEO, said

recovery and rebuilding can take some time, but temporary housing has been secured for all the displaced clients. “This Fire Relief Fund will directly assist the victims with their immediate needs as they rebuild their lives and work toward their longer term recovery goals.” Donate to Residential Program Fire Relief Fund at http://dekcsb.org/fire or to Brighter DeKalb Foundation, Attn: Fire Relief Fund, 445 Winn Way, Decatur, GA 30030.

She is an Avondale High graduate Atlanta lawmaker and House and has worked in government, Minority Leader Stacey Abrams nonprofit and business sectors. formally announced on June 3 She said Georgians want leadher bid for governor of Georgia ers who will guarantee an excellent in 2018. education for their children and a Abrams, who represents path to economic security for their House District 89, says she is runfamilies and understand that we ning because “we must build a need smart solutions to the unique future for our state where people Stacey Abrams challenges in every community. can succeed, not just survive.” In 2010, she became the first woman to “I am ready to be a governor who knows that Georgia’s potential is boundless lead either party in the General Assembly if we commit to imagining a bolder future and the first African American to lead in the House. She kicked off a statewide tour in for ourselves,” she said. Abrams, a Yale Law School graduate, Albany on June 3 and will host a free comwas first elected in 2006 representing a munity forum on June 11 at Miller Bros. Rib district that included portions of DeKalb. Shack in Dalton. Visit staceyabrams.com.

CrossRoadsNews

Scene

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

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

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June 10, 2017

“We really want to discuss bringing the MARTA rail down I-20 and what that process may look like.”

DeKalb Juneteenth event to bring community together By Angelina T. Velasquez

Residents can mark emancipation on June 17 at the inaugural DeKalb NAACP Juneteenth Celebration in Decatur. The free event of workshops and discussions takes place 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center on Rainbow Drive. Teresa Hardy, the branch presi-

wanted to do when I became president,” said Hardy, who was elected in July 2016. Participants can expect good discussions, food, musical entertainment and a good time. “We’re hoping for 500 people to attend,” Hardy said. The workshops and group disTeresa Hardy cussions will center on affordable health resources, cityhood, MARNAACP. “It was one of the first things I TA rail coming to south DeKalb dent, said the celebration, which is marking the 152nd anniversary of the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, is a good fit for the DeKalb

County and housing. “We really want to discuss bringing the MARTA rail down I-20 and what that process may look like,” she said. Hardy plans to inform residents of ways to get involved with the local NAACP chapter and what the chapter is doing. The center is at 3181 Rainbow Drive. For more information, visit www.dekalbganaacp.org.

Free Juneteenth program at AHC Father’s Day events Theatrical perforthis Meet the Past musecelebrate dads’ roles mances, storytelling, a um theater performance, lecture and book signJackson and Nicey are in children’s lives ing, and a genealogical preparing for their fu-

research presentation highlight the Atlanta History Center’s free Juneteenth family program on June 17-18 comK. Sims-Alvarado memorating the end of slavery in the U.S. Guests at the annual gathering will explore themes of freedom and family history. There will be performances of three original Meet the Past productions on both days. The program Addae Moon includes: n “Atlanta and the Civil Rights Movement, 1944-1968,” lecture and book signing by Karcheik Sims-Alvarado at 11 a.m. on June 17. From seeking power through the ballot to making calls for Black Power, Atlanta has been at the epicenter of social change. The pictorial book honors the faces, the voices, the strategists, and the photographers of the movement. For nearly 20 years, SimsAlvarado has sought to document and teach the African American odyssey. n “Tracing History” with Emma Davis Hamilton at 2 p.m. on June 17. Hamilton, past president of the Metro Atlanta Chapter of the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, will present a detailed 90-minute program designed to help participants work with the important records of the Freedman’s Savings Bank. The Washington, D.C., institution was created after the Civil War to assist newly emancipated slaves and black soldiers. Its records contain valuable genealogical information. n “Freedom: Jubilee and Uncertainty.” In

ture as newly liberated citizens by planning their wedding. On the eve of this momentous occasion, Nicey’s estranged Emma Hamilton sister, Ginny, returns with plans of her own. Afterward, visit with the performers as they shed light on the complex history of enslavement and the Reconstruction era. n “Clay: Palm to Earth” by Atlanta History Center playwright Addae Mama Koku Moon, an adjunct faculty member in the Clark Atlanta University Department of Speech Communications and Theater Arts. The performance dramatizes the story of noted South Carolina potter Dave Drake. Born enslaved in 1801, Drake – who came to be known as Dave the Potter – was taught to turn large clay pots and learned to read and write. After the performance, view two major Dave the Potter works on display in the museum exhibition “Shaping Traditions: Folk Arts in a Changing South.” n “The Order of Freedom.” Moon’s work explores the impact of the issuance of General Order No. 3 by Gen. Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865 – Juneteenth – and the challenges faced by Cora and James Lewis as they begin their journey to citizenship. n Mama Koku’s stories. Mama Koku, aka writer and educator Donna Kokumo Buie, shares stories from freedom, through slavery, to sweet freedom again. The center is at 130 W. Paces Ferry Road – www.AtlantaHistoryCenter.com/family.

Residents can show their support for fathers in DeKalb County at “Fatherhood: A Celebration” on June 17 at the Redan Recreation Center in Lithonia. The Georgia Department of Human Services is host for the free 10 a.m.-to-2 p.m. event, which will provide parents with an opportunity to celebrate the roles fathers play in a child’s life while also learning about unique resources available to unemployed or underemployed fathers with child support orders. The event is designed for the whole family and will have free food, giveaway items, live entertainment, a bounce house, face-painting and other kid-friendly activities. There also will be a job fair and information sessions on the department’s Fatherhood Program, which helps fathers who are unemployed or underemployed get the skills they need to find jobs paying above minimum wage so they can meet their child support obligations. Father’s Day is June 18. The rec center is at 1839 Phillips Road. For more information, visit https://dhs.georgia.gov.

I Am a Father 5K Run/Walk The third annual I Am a Father 5K Run/Walk Atlanta on June 17 at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts and Community Center will benefit local youth and families. In 2016, more than 800 participants celebrated fatherhood, family and fitness. The event, which will start at 8:30 a.m., includes a Tot Trot. Individuals and teams can sign up at www.iamafather5k.org/atlanta-race or www. raceentry.com/race-reviews/i-am-a-father-5k-raceatlanta. Registration and packet pickup will begin at 6:30 a.m. The 5K starts near the traffic light in the Porter Sanford parking lot, and the course runs through scenic neighborhoods and ends back at the center. The Tot Trot for ages 5 and under will begin near the sound stage immediately following the 5K race and trotters can waddle or crawl to the finish line in Rainbow Park. The morning includes the signature warm-up with Stepp Stewart, live entertainment from local artists, vendors, and free health screenings. Proceeds from the 5K will benefit organizations that have structured programs for developing youth with a focus on strengthening the family unit. Two organizations have been selected for 2017, Let Us Make Man and the Leadership Academy of the DeKalb Chapter of the 100 Black Men of America. The community center is at 3181 Rainbow Drive in Decatur. For more information, visit www. iamafather5k.org or contact David Manuel at info@ iamafather5k.org. Father’s Day Craft Children 5 to 12 can make a Father’s Day craft for their dads on June 13 at the Stonecrest Library. The program, which begins at 1 p.m., is open to the first 20 participants. Groups of five or more should call the branch for an appointment. Tickets for the Build a Better World program will be available one hour prior to the start of the event. Funding is provided by the Friends of the Stonecrest Library. The branch is at 3123 Klondike Road in Stonecrest. For more information, call 770-4823828.

June 10, 2017

. k c a b . t h g i f CrossRoadsNews

y l r a e e t vo

STARTING MAY 3 0 DEK ALB COUNT Y

FULTON COUNT Y

LO CAT I O N S

LOC ATIONS

North DeKalb Senior Center

East Roswell Branch Library

3393 Malone Drive, Chamblee, GA 30341

2301 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell, GA 30076

DeKalb County Voter Registration and Election Ofﬁce

North Fulton Service Center

4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300 Decatur, GA 30032

7741 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs, GA 30350 (Room 232)

Dunwoody United Methodist Church

Milton Library

1548 Mt. Vernon Road, Dunwoody, GA 30338

855 Mayﬁeld Road, Milton, GA 30009

North DeKalb – Tucker Recreation Center

Robert F. Ocee Library

4898 LaVista Road, Tucker, GA 30084

5090 Abbotts Bridge Road, Johns Creek, GA 30005

Briarwood Recreation Center

Roswell Branch Library

2235 Briarwood Way NE, Brookhaven, GA 30319

115 Norcross Street, Roswell, GA 30075

HOURS (A LL D EK A LB CO U N T Y LO C AT I O N S )

Alpharetta Library

TUESDAY, May 30 � FRIDAY, June 2

8 am – 6 pm

MONDAY, June 5 � FRIDAY, June 9

8 am – 6 pm

SATURDAY, June 10

9 am – 4 pm

MONDAY, June 12 � FRIDAY, June 16

8 am – 6 pm

COBB COUNT Y LO CAT I O N S & H O UR S East Cobb County Government Service Center 4400 Lower Roswell Road, Marietta, GA 30068

SATURDAY, June 10

9 am – 4 pm

MONDAY, June 12 � FRIDAY, June 16

9 am – 6 pm

10 Park Plaza, Alpharetta, GA 30009

H O UR S ( A L L F U LTO N C OU NT Y LOC ATIONS) TUESDAY, May 30 � FRIDAY, June 16

8:30 am – 7 pm

MONDAY�SATURDAY ONLY • NO SUNDAY EARLY VOTING

Cobb County Board of Elections and Registration 736 Whitlock Avenue, Marietta, GA 30064

TUESDAY, May 30 � FRIDAY, June 2

8 am – 5 pm

MONDAY, June 5 � FRIDAY, June 9

8 am – 5 pm

SATURDAY, June 10

9 am – 4 pm

MONDAY, June 12 � FRIDAY, June 16

8 am – 5 pm

DCCC.ORG/GEORGIA�VOTES�EARLY PAID FOR BY DCCC. WWW.DCCC.ORG. NOT AUTHORIZED BY ANY CANDIDATE OR CANDIDATE’S COMMITTEE. DERIVATIVE OF GAGE SKIDMORE PHOTO: FLICKR.COM/PHOTOS/GAGESKIDMORE/24949307320. CREATIVECOMMONS.ORG/LICENSES/BY�SA/2.0/.

Ministry

CrossRoadsNews

June 10, 2017

“You can’t just tell people to get married. … Let’s do something to show them that we really support them.”

Family Enrichment at the Ray Church gifts wedding to couple Ray of Hope’s family-oriented Wake Up and Dream On takes place June 12-14 at the Decatur church. The Family Enrichment Week program, which is free and open to the public, begins at 5:30 nightly with dinner in the Family Life Center. Programming is from 7 to 9 p.m. To register, visit www.rayofhope.org. There will be Bible study/class, fitness, and arts and crafts each night for every age category from Nursery to School Age to Teen/ Youth to Adult. There are specific teachers for each age level. Each night concludes with a worship service with all groups. The church is at 2778 Snapfinger Road. For more information, call 770-696-5100.

Maker Fun Factory Infants to adults can take part in the June 19-23 Vacation Bible School at Crossroads Presbyterian Church in Stone Mountain. Maker Fun Factory: Created by God, Built for a Purpose begins at 7 each night. To register, visit www.crossroads-pc.com or stop by the church from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There are classes for nursery (0-3), pre-k 4 and kindergarten, first through fifth grades, middle school, high school, and adults. Kids will participate in Bible-learning activities, sing songs, play teamwork-building games, experience Bible adventures, and test “Sciency-Fun Gizmos” to take home. Each day ends with a Funshop Finale. They will join a mission effort to support the Stone Mountain Food Pantry.

The church is at 5587 Redan Road. For more information, call 770-469-9069.

Cave Quest Vacation Bible School at Atlanta Belvedere Seventh-day Adventist Church in Decatur takes place June 18-23. Cave Quest: Following Jesus, the Light of the World begins at 6 p.m. each day in Becker Gym. There will be crafts, experiments, music, adventure, and games. The church is at 3567 Covington Highway. Visit http://atlantabelvedere22. adventistchurchconnect.org or call 404299-1359. Vacation Bible Study Saint Philip AME’s Vacation Bible Study gets underway June 19-23 at the Atlanta church. Classes begin at 9 a.m. To register, visit www.saintphilip.org or stop by the receptionist’s desk in the Family Life and Administration Center. The church is at 240 Candler Road. S.E. Call 404-371-0749. School Daze Specialized classes for nursery/preschool to adults are available at Berean Christian Church’s June 19-21 Vacation Bible School in Stone Mountain. School Daze takes place at 7 nightly. To register, visit www.BereanChristianChurch.org. The church is at 2201 Young Road. Call 770-593-4421.

By Tekia Parks

Michael Whitner and Lateefah Green have been together five years and have four children between them, but though the couple had wanted to marry, they were never able to. With Green’s 16-year-old son, Isaiah, attending school in Pennsylvania and the constant struggle of making ends meet, Whitner, 28, and Green, 35, never seemed able to make it to the altar. But on June 3, the Lithonia couple tied the knot at Antioch-Lithonia Missionary Baptist Church in Stonecrest – and it didn’t cost them a dime. The wedding ceremony, held in the sanctuary, was free of charge to them. It was the second consecutive year that Antioch-Lithonia had offered members the opportunity to marry at no cost to them. Last year, Pastor James C. Ward married four couples in a mass June wedding ceremony. This year’s ceremony could have been another mass wedding, but only Whitner and Green signed up for it. Ward said the church has been offering the free weddings to encourage righteous living in the church. He said nothing is wrong with being single but that as a church, they stress marriage. “Marriage represents Christ in the church,” Ward said. “My thing is if you’re going to say something, put some meat behind it. You can’t just tell people to get married. You can say anything from the pulpit. Let’s do something to show them that we really support them.” Green has three sons – Isaiah; Jeremiah, 10; and Noah, 8 – and she and Whitner had Lykia, 21 months, together. Whitner plans to adopt Jeremiah and Noah because he doesn’t believe in stepsons. “He’s like, they’re mine,” his wife said. He is not adopting Isaiah because his father is active in his life.

Pastor James C. Ward officiates at Michael Whitner and Lateefah Green’s June 3 wedding.

Before Ward pronounced them man and wife, Whitner and Green were required to go through one hour of free marriage counseling offered by Ward to prepare them for matrimony. Their pastor said the counseling covered a range of topics. “We go through budgeting, we go through gender differences,” he said. “At some point, your mom and dad [are] going to be old. When they get old, is it a problem that they come live with you? Do you want kids? How many kids do you want?” The couple emerged with flying colors. “He didn’t see no problem with us,” Whitner said. On their wedding day, Green wore a traditional white gown with a train. Noah was the ring bearer and Lykia was the flower girl. About 35 church and family members attended the intimate ceremony. Karen Hill, a church member and 15-year wedding planner, donated her services decorating the church because she has “a passion for weddings, events and hospitality.” The church also offered the couple a free reception, but Whitner and Green chose to have theirs elsewhere. Whitner is surprising his new wife with an out-of-own honeymoon.

FAPC screening ‘I Am Not Your Negro’ The provocative film “I Am Not Your Negro” will be screened June 17 at First Afrikan Presbyterian’s Movies in the Garden Night. The free outdoor movie night, hosted by the church’s Creation Care Ministry, starts at 7 p.m. Moviegoers are encouraged to bring chairs, blankets and refreshments. The critically acclaimed “I Am Not Your Negro,” billed as one of the best movies you will see, is directed by Raoul Peck and narrated by actor Samuel L. Jackson. The 2016 film,

nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 89th Academy Awards, is based on James Baldwin’s unfinished manuscript, “Remember This House.” It explores the history of racism in the United States through Baldwin’s reminiscences of civil rights leaders Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. as well as his personal observations. First Afrikan’s free movie night takes place every third Saturday June to September. The church is 5197 Salem Road in Stonecrest.

CrossRoadsNews

June 10, 2017

Youth

“I want to be able to guide young minds like myself down the right path, in music and in life.” A seven-year Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs grant will be used to boost college readiness for students at 12 DeKalb schools.

GEAR UP to help middle schoolers prepare for college Middle school students from 12 DeKalb Schools will get extra help to prepare them for college with a GEAR UP grant awarded to Georgia State University’s Perimeter College. The seven-year Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs grant will be used to boost college readiness for students at Cedar Grove, Chapel Hill, Lithonia, Mary McLeod Bethune, McNair, Miller Grove, Redan, Salem and Stone Mountain middle schools and DeKalb Alternative School, DeKalb PATH Academy Charter School and the International Student Center. The GSU Perimeter College GEAR UP program will follow the students from seventh grade through their first year of college, providing supportive services to help

them receive their high school diploma and prepare for post-secondary education and for careers. The grant was announced during a special ceremony on May 17 on the university’s Clarkston campus attended by Vasanne Tinsley, DeKalb deputy superintendent. “We’re pleased we’re in this partnership and super-excited to start with our students in the seventh grade and walk with them through to college,” Tinsley said. GEAR UP differs from other federal precollege programs because it requires in-kind commitment from local community partners. Its goals are to increase participants’ academic performance and preparation for postsecondary education; increase the high school graduation rate and enrollment of participants in a post-secondary institution;

and increase participants’ and their families’ knowledge of post-secondary education options, preparation and financing. Thinking about college as early as seventh grade is part of the GEAR UP Georgia’s mission. Dawn Cooper, University System of Georgia assistant vice chancellor of college access initiatives, said the program seeks to help students be successful. “Most of the jobs in the future will require some sort of post-secondary education,” Cooper said. “We don’t want to wait until your senior year to share the importance of college. I want you guys to challenge yourselves.” The college will host an all-school kickoff of the program in the fall. For more information, visit www.dekalbschoolsga.org.

Bradford Scholar to study music education at GSU McNair High graduate Samuel Davis has been awarded the fourth annual Bradford Family Scholarship. Samuel, who is headed to Georgia State University to major in music education, received the $1,000 scholarship May 21 at McNair’s Pre-commencement/Honors Program. He said a main focus for the future is to

become “a proficient educator of music.” “I want to be able to guide young minds like myself down the right path, in music and in life,” Samuel said. “I want to be suited with the best education to be able to provide for my students.” Applicants for the scholarship must have a 3.0 GPA or higher and write a 250-word

essay that explains why the applicant believes he or she has earned the award and the impact it will have on the successful completion of their post-secondary education. The scholarship is the brainchild of Eddie Bradford Jr., McNair Class of 1999; his brother, Eric Bradford, Class of 2001; and their parents, Jacklyn and Eddie Bradford Sr.

Legal Notices 05/27, 06/03, 06/10, 06/17

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM5509 Jennifer M. Morgan filed a petition on May 16, 2017 in the DeKalb County Superior Court to change name from: Jennifer M. Morgan to Jennifer Marie Honeycutt. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Mar. 08, 2017 05/27, 06/03, 06/10, 06/17

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM5506-10 Tommie Louis Benford filed a petition on May 16, 2017 in the DeKalb County Superior Court to change name from: Tommie Louis Benford to Tommy Lewis Benford. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: May 15, 2017 05/27, 06/03, 06/10, 06/17

Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court

of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4577-5 Judith P. Butler-Richey PLAINTIFF VS Nathaniel B. Richey, Sr. DEFENDANT To: By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated May 04, 2017. You are hereby notified that on Apr. 12, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Judith P. Butler-Richey, 1748 Clifton Way, SE, Atl., GA 30316. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of May 04, 2017. Witness the Honorable Gregory A. Adams; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 10th day of May, 2017 05/27, 06/03, 06/10, 06/17