COMMUNITY
SCENE
Slice of time revealed
Summer fun in the sun
On May 12, Marbut Elementary Theme School teachers, staff, parents and students gathered to unearth time capsules buried in 1996. 4
DeKalb County’s official swim season kicks off Memorial Day Weekend. Select pools will remain open on weekends through Labor Day. 7
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
Copyright © 2017 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
May 27, 2017
Volume 23, Number 4
www.crossroadsnews.com
Mann suspends himself for ‘conduct unbecoming’ By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
While he is challenging Gov. Nathan Deal’s panel reviewing indecency charges against him, DeKalb Sheriff Jeffrey Mann has suspended himself for a week for “conduct unbecoming.” The “self-imposed” suspension starts May 27, incorporating the Memorial Day holiday, and ends on June 4. Mann said he will donate the equivalent of one week’s pay to a charity or charities to be determined in the very near future. The sheriff ’s action comes in the wake of his May 6 arrest on indecency and obstruction charges in Atlanta after he allegedly
“Being in law enforcement, I know we are called to be model citizens and to remain “I am disciplining myself for ‘conduct unbecoming,’ mindful of keeping the public trust,” he said. specifically the provision defined as ‘engaging in “As such, I cannot ask my employees to abide conduct on or off duty which has a tendency to destroy by a code of conduct unless I am willing to public respect for the employee and/or the DKSO and/ subject myself to it as well. In fact, I must be held to an even higher standard than my or destroy confidence in the operations of the county employees as it relates to our Code of Conservice is conduct unbecoming and is prohibited.’ ” duct policy and schedule of penalties. As a DeKalb Sheriff Jeffrey L. Mann dedicated public servant for nearly 25 years, I know the importance of serving with integexposed himself to an Atlanta police officer “was sent to agency employees only as an rity. It is for this reason that I am imposing in a section of Piedmont Park “known for internal memorandum from Sheriff Mann,” upon myself discipline under our Code.” the sheriff said that each day he asks employsexual encounters after dark.” The memo went on to say: In the May 24 memorandum, which ees to perform in public and in private at the sheriff spokeswoman Cynthia Williams said highest professional standards. Please see SHERIFF, page 2
First Afrikan pantry serves 7,500 in first year ‘Food scarcity, insecurity’ issue in South DeKalb
Clients at First Afrikan Community Development Corp.’s pantry “shop” for food. The pantry operates in association with the Atlanta Community Food Bank.
By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
A year ago when First Afrikan Community Development Corp. launched its food pantry, little did anyone know how deep and broad hunger was in south DeKalb County. In a quick few months, the Wednesday pantry went from serving 20 people a week to serving 150. In the past 12 months, 7,500 people have received 249,476 pounds of food from the pantry at First Afrikan Presbyterian Church on Salem Road in Stonecrest. Angela Brown, the CDC’s executive director, said they were surprised by the need. “We had no idea the need was so great,” she said. “We are in a suburban area – we are not on a bus route. We just didn’t expect it. We dress Angela Brown up our poor so well, we didn’t know they were there.” Brown said the vast majority of their clients drive cars, some own homes, many work, and some are seniors. “They are not the typical food pantry client, but food scarcity and food insecurity is still a factor of their lives,” she said. “These are families with children going to bed with not enough to eat.” Pantry clients have to provide proof of income. Many are recommended by United Way, and they come from Lithonia, Stonecrest, Decatur and Stone Mountain. Some come from neighboring southwest Atlanta, Douglasville and even Covington. Brown said you can’t understand the need until you hear a grandmother yell for joy when she gets a pack of bacon for her
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
‘Parking Lot Pantry’
n May 31 n 11 a.m. until the last pre-boxed food is given away n First Afrikan Presbyterian Church, 5197 Salem Road in Stonecrest
grandchildren. The client-choice pantry allows recipients to “shop” for the groceries and fresh vegetables and fruits that they want. “We have quality food,” she said. “Organic food, and lots of meat.” Food recipients have to provide identification and complete an eligibility form. The FACDC Pantry, which opened May 4, 2016, operates in association with the Atlanta Community Food Bank. It is one of 13 in Stonecrest. Ron Burns, the Atlanta Community
Food Bank’s director of partner relations, said that so far this year, the food bank has distributed more than 7.4 million pounds of food in DeKalb County through 92 partner pantries. The bulk of the pantries – 85 percent – are operated by churches like First Afrikan. For all of 2016, the food bank distributed 7.9 million pounds. Burns said the FACDC and other church groups are doing great work in the community to help serve more people in need. “They have taken on the challenge to help reduce food insecurity in DeKalb County, and for that we are very grateful,” he said. “They are true champions in the fight to end hunger.”
Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta, and links uninsured poor people to health insurance through Kaiser Permanente’s Bridge Program. Brown says the pantry and its 40 dedicated volunteers also serve 75 to 100 hot meals on Wednesday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. “The meal is available to whosoever turns up,” she said. Nearly 80 percent of pantry volunteers are members of First Afrikan. The rest come from ACFB and the community. The Rev. Mark Ogunwale Lomax, the church’s pastor, said the pantry and other community outreach are a way for the More community outreach congregation to live out Mark Lomax In addition to distributing groceries, the Gospel. the FACDC also serves a hot meal once a week, connects disadvantaged people to the Please see FIRST AFRIKAN, page 2
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Community
CrossRoadsNews
May 27, 2017
“We have homeowners who fought to stay in their homes and have little left over for food. We have the working poor who need a helping hand.”
Clients also get help with medical/dental services, home furnishings FIRST AFRIKAN,
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“Jesus calls us to care for the poor, the naked, the oppressed, the hungry, the widowed, the orphaned and the immigrant,” he said. “This helps us to live what we say we believe in. It’s tangible evidence of our faith.” The FACDC’s “Making a House a Home” program, operated in conjunction with the Furniture Bank of Metro Atlanta, helps individuals and families furnish their homes with everything from beds to knives and forks. Brown said they have served clients fleeing domestic violence, seniors, students, young moms and dads, and people with HIV/AIDS. It has been so popular, the CDC is carrying a backlog of 100 requests for assistance. Brown said it will hire a paid summer intern to help process applications. Eligible clients for the Furniture Bank must be 125 percent below the federal poverty income guidelines, making about $300 to $400 a month.
to three applicants a week and now doubles that, processing as many applications as the Salvation Army, which is metro Atlanta’s largest processing agency. During its first year, the CDC also connected more than 200 clients to medical and dental services up to two years through Kaiser Permanente’s Bridge Program. At the start, Brown said they thought they would connect 30 clients with medical services but ended up exceeding their expectations. To celebrate the food pantry’s first anniversary, the CDC is hosting a “Parking Lot Pantry” on May 31 in First Afrikan Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews Presbyterian Church’s parking lot, 5197 Salem Road. To celebrate the pantry’s first anniversary, Pre-boxed food will be available from 11 First Afrikan Community Development Corp. is a.m. until it runs out. hosting a “Parking Lot Pantry” on May 31. “Anyone who needs food can come by The CDC verifies applicants’ income be- and get a box,” Brown said. “No questions fore they are invited to the Furniture Bank asked.” Starting this fall, Brown said the CDC is to pick out what they need. Brown said the program started with two looking to offer financial planning and home
ownership seminars, especially for women. She said they will be partnering with Forbes Insurance to offer the program to help women make better choices. Brown said one of the biggest discoveries this past year is the number of grandparents they have seen coming for help to raise grandchildren. “There are a lot of grandparents standing in the gap,” she said. As she looks back at the pantry’s successful first year, Brown said First Afrikan Church is not just in the community but is a part of it. “Prior to 2008, DeKalb County was one of the richest counties for African Americans. The assumption was that this side of town didn’t need food services as others did,” she said. “Now we are able to be honest and tell the truth. We have homeowners who fought to stay in their homes and have little left over for food. We have the working poor who need a helping hand.”
Mann: Self-imposed discipline doesn’t ‘suggest or imply guilt’ SHERIFF,
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“I am disciplining myself for ‘conduct unbecoming,’ specifically the provision defined as ‘engaging in conduct on or off duty which has a tendency to destroy public respect for the employee and/or the DKSO and/or destroy confidence in the operations of the county service is conduct unbecoming and is prohibited.’” Mann said his self-imposed discipline “should not be construed to suggest or imply guilt of the Atlanta municipal ordinance
charges alleged.” “I will continue to vigorously defend myself as it relates to the charges,” he said. “However, the mere fact of placing myself in a position to be arrested is sufficient reason for this self-imposed discipline. I cannot, in good faith, fail to take responsibility for the negative and unwanted criticism brought to this great agency and the county, and I apologize to each of you. You deserve a leader who takes responsibility for his actions.” Mann said that “while the schedule of penalty for this infraction (first instance)
is written counseling, in my case, I am imposing the maximum time of one week’s suspension.” He also told employees in the memo that he is “committed to remaining your Sheriff and restoring your trust in me.” Williams, who emailed the content of the memo to CrossRoadsNews after it was leaked to the media Wednesday, said there would be no comment on the memo. She did not respond to questions about the DeKalb Sheriff ’s Office disciplinary process for employees charged with conduct unbecoming, but the DeKalb Sheriff ’s website shows that its Office of Professional Standards conducts investigations and inspections of personnel and facilities and “strives to create an environment of order, truth, caring and concern wherein each employee and the public can feel confident that all matters dealing with employee investigations will be handled in a professional, effective, and efficient manner.” “The DeKalb County Sheriff ’s Office takes allegations of employee misconduct very seriously,” the policy states. “Employees found guilty of misconduct are subject to disciplinary sanctions, which include official reprimand, suspension from duties, or termination of employment.” It said that the Office of Professional Standards’ primary objectives are “protec-
tion of the public, the agency and employees; removal of unfit personnel; and correction of procedural problems.” It was unclear at press time Thursday whether the Office of Professional Standards had heard and ruled on the sheriff ’s conduct. Meanwhile, Mann’s attorney Noah Pines has been challenging the review panel, named by Deal, under the law that governs the state’s sheriffs. The statute authorizes the governor to appoint a panel made up of the attorney general and two sheriffs to investigate the conduct of sheriffs. In a May 16 executive order, Deal appointed Attorney General Chris Carr, Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown and Peach County Sheriff Terry Deese to investigate the charges against Mann for “alleged misconduct in office, or alleged incapacity of the sheriff to perform the functions of his office.” The panel must make a report of its investigation to Deal within 30 days or by June 15. Pines claims that Mann is not facing criminal charges and was arrested for violating a city of Atlanta ordinance. He has reportedly sent several letters to the governor challenging the appointment of the review panel.
CrossRoadsNews
May 27, 2017
Community
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Items lost on buses are dropped off to the Lost and Found center every Tuesday and Thursday.
Stonecrest District 2 first town hall
Renovated digs for MARTA Lost and Found
Stonecrest City Councilman Rob Turner is hosting his first District 2 town hall meeting on June 1 at the Lou Walker Senior Center. The “Listen and Learn” meeting takes place 6 to 8 p.m. Turner said the Rob Turner meeting will focus on “building our new culture” together. The center is at 2538 Panola Road. For more information, email rturner@ stonecrestga.gov or call 404-275-1096.
MARTA commuters who lose stuff on the transit system’s buses and trains now have a central place to search for them. The newly renovated Reduced Fare and Lost and Found offices opened May 17 at the Five Points station in Atlanta. Items left behind on MARTA buses and trains run the gamut from keys and watches to cellphones, backpacks, toys, books and binders, articles of clothing, and even bicycles. In the two weeks since its opening, more than 500 lost items have found a home at the offices at 30 Alabama St. On any given day, up to 40 people search for lost belongings. Jessica Guinn, MARTA’s Lost and Found coordinator, said some commuters Angelina T. Velasquez / CrossRoadsNews are more prone to leaving stuff behind. MARTA’s newly renovated Reduced Fare and Lost and Found offices opened May 17 at the Five “Most of our items come from the Points station in Atlanta. Up to 40 people search for lost belongings on any given day. MARTA buses,” she said. Items lost on buses are dropped off to the Lost and Found center every Tuesday and Thursday. Items left on trains take three to five days to get to the Lost and Found office. Once they arrive, Guinn said items are categorized and stored by type. Customers hunting for lost items can inquire in person, by phone, or online. About 30 people a week are reunited with their belongings, Guinn said.
Johnson hosts townhall, movie DeKalb District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson is hosting a June 8 town hall meeting on the upcoming penny Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax at Rainbow Park in Decatur. The meeting, Johnson’s 15th annual Town Hall Meeting and Movie on the Lawn, begins at 6:30 p.m. and will include Chief Operating Officer Zac Williams and other Larry Johnson county officials. The referendum for the SPLOST, approved by state legislators during the 2017 session, will be on the November 2017 ballot. If approved by voters, the new tax will take DeKalb’s sales tax to 8 percent. The bulk of the funds raised, expected to be more than $500 million, will be spent on road surfacing and repairs. A new police training facility and park improvements are planned for the rest. The town hall also will cover economic and infrastructural empowerment and business loans. Rainbow Park is at 3181 Rainbow Drive, next to the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center. For more information, call 404-371-2425. Cobble District 3 town hall Ja z z m i n C o b b l e , Stonecrest’s District 3 councilwoman, is hosting her first town hall meeting on June 8 at Ousley United Methodist Church. She has invited state Reps. Doreen Carter and Vernon Jones and DeKalb Jazzmin Cobble District 5 Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson to attend. Refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m., and the meeting starts at 7. The church is at 3261 Panola Road. For more information, contact jcobble@ stonecrestga.gov or 404-644-9805.
By Angelina T. Velasquez
Reduced Fare more user-friendly The renovated Reduced Fare office, housed at the same address, includes a larger waiting area space, expanded seating capacity and prominent signage to enhance customers’ experience. Keith Parker, MARTA GM/CEO, said the upgrades now adequately accommodate senior riders and customers with disabilities. “This brighter, userfriendly facility is outfitted with an all-new HVAC system, security system as well as indi- Keith Parker vidual privacy window service,” he said. Eligible senior citizens, people with disabilities, and Medicare cardholders can apply for reduced fare Breeze cards at the Five Points station and the MARTA headquarters at Lindbergh. MARTA Accessibility Committee members helped with planning for the renovation. MAC Chair Roderick Parker is pleased with the finished project. “From the increased lighting for the visually impaired to additional seating for the disabled, it is pleasing to see that the MARTA team put extra care into the small details,” he said. Visit www.itsmarta.com.
CrossRoadsNews
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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 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.
May 27, 2017
“You are getting access to agents from University of Georgia, you are getting information, you are getting recipes.”
‘Fresh on DeK’ wheeling in fruits and vegetables By Tekia Parks
Fresh fruits and vegetables are on their way again to neighborhoods across South DeKalb with the seasonal kickoff of the DeKalb Mobile Farmers Market. On June 6, the retrofitted school bus, chock-full of collards, tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, oranges and a host of other fresh foods, will be at the Clifton Springs Health Center in Decatur, the Lou Walker Senior Center, and Tadda’s Fitness Center in Stonecrest. The annual “Fresh on DeK” farmers market, offering affordable, regionally grown fresh fruits and vegetables, will make 10 weekly stops on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays through the last week in September. It also makes stops at other locations in Decatur and at multiple locations in Lithonia and Stone Mountain. Shoppers also can get recipes and taste testings. Community groups can invite the market to make stops at their events. The market, which is funded by a three-year national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Reach Grant, is in its third year of operation. It is a joint project of DeKalb Extension and the DeKalb Board
dekalbmobilemarket.com or call 404-298-4080.
Consumers can find fresh produce, recipes and taste testings at DeKalb Mobile Farmers Market stops in South DeKalb and other locations.
of Health to promote healthy eating and physical activity to help reduce health disparities among residents. Many low-income neighborhoods often lack access to fresh, competitively priced food, and the mobile market makes the food accessible. It accepts EBT (SNAP benefits), credit cards, checks and cash. The 2017 Fresh on DeK market kicked off with a half-price sale and festivities on May 20 in the parking
lot of the DeKalb Extension Office on Memorial Drive. Rebecca Hardeman, the mobile farmers market’s administrative support manager, says it offers more than just shopping. “Fresh on DeK is educationally based, so you are getting access to agents from University of Georgia, you are getting information, you are getting recipes.” For a full list of Fresh on DeK Mobile Farmers Market stops and other information, visit www.
Lithonia Farmers Market The city of Lithonia’s third annual Farmers Market kicks off June 4 on Main Street. The market, which continues through Sept. 17, will be held every Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. except on July 2. A range of locally grown fruits and vegetables will be available. There also will be food demos and family fun. Georgia Fresh for Less, a program of Wholesome Wave Georgia, doubles the spending of lowincome families at participating farmers markets. It matches up to $50 SNAP/ EBT dollar for dollar, so SNAP/EBT shoppers who spend $10 get $20 worth of fresh local food. Since its launch in 2009, the program that supports local farmers has spent more than $1.8 million to encourage low-income families to shop at local farmers markets, like the Lithonia market and Fresh on DeK, and make healthy, nourishing food choices. The Lithonia Farmers Market is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Reach Grant. For more information, email farmers.market@lithoniacity.org.
Marbut Elementary unearths time capsules from 1996 By Tekia Parks
On Aug. 23, 1996, when Marbut Elementary Theme School held its grand opening in Lithonia, the explosion of Trans World Airlines Flight 800 over the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, N.Y., dominated the headlines, and the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta had just wrapped up two weeks before. As part of the grand opening festivities, the school on Marbut Road buried three time capsules – one each for kindergarten and firstgraders, second- and third-graders, and one for fourth- through sixthgraders. The clear plastic bins were laden with letters from the students describing what they wanted to be when they grow up, the day’s AJC newspaper with the headline “Proof of explosive on TWA reportedly found in wreckage,” a 1996 Summer Olympics pin, and a floppy disk that was all the rage at the time for storing computer data. There also were a photograph of Mrs. Hedrick’s first-grade class and a Ronald McDonald Happy Meal toy, among other things. On May 12 as the school celebrated its 20th anniversary, former teachers, current teachers, staff, parents and students gathered at the school to unearth the time capsules that were buried next to its flagpole. Gail Daniel and school nutritionists Lateefah Burton and Betty
Circulation Audited By
A Polaroid photo of Mrs. Hedrick’s first-grade class was among items found in time capsules unearthed at Marbut Elementary Theme School for its 20th anniversary celebration.
Tekia Parks / CrossRoadsNews
Banks, who were present at the grand opening and still work at the school, were in the crowd. Daniel was a classroom teacher in 1996 and is now the school’s data clerk for testing. As the time capsules were being retrieved, she said that she has enjoyed her years at the school and stays there because of its consistency. “I enjoy coming to work,” she said. “They try to stay on track with the theme school concept. I believe in parent involvement and it has worked so far.” The 20th anniversary celebra-
tion was nine months late because school officials said they wanted to wait until the end of the school year. Marty Guilford, a teacher and organizer of the time capsule ceremony, said the plan was always to dig up the time capsules 20 years later. Bridgette Allen, who was Marbut’s principal from 2012 until the end of April, returned for the ceremony. She said the school where she spent five years of her career continues to be a big influence in her life.
“Marbut Elementary is the gift that keeps on giving,” she said. “It is still the core of everything I do.” Allen said the school has yielded top scholars over the past 20 years, including 2017 Southwest DeKalb Magnet valedictorian Taylor Lamb and Miller Grove salutatorian Daniel Harris. Taylor said this week that she has fond memories of her time at Marbut Theme School. “I made lifelong friends there,” she said. Daniel, who plans a pro baseball career after college, said Marbut helped carve a path for the future. “My time there was great and it set me on track to be the person I am today,” he said. André Benito Mountain, Marbut’s new principal who started actively April 17, says he is thankful for the school’s legacy. After 20 years and nine months underground, the bins were caked in mud and moisture had seeped inside them, damaging the newspaper and caking the floppy disk and toys in dirt. The Polaroid photo of Mrs. Hedrick’s class fared well underground. She and her 18 students decked out in their gold and blue uniforms were still smiling in the photo. Daniel, who had helped bury the capsules in 1996, said they will clean the contents of the capsules carefully and put them on display for the students to see.
index to advertisers All Type Fence................................................ 11 Atlanta/Decatur Carnival................................. 7 Brooks & Assoc............................................... 2 Chapel Hill Orthodontics.................................9 DeKalb Community Development.................. 2 DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court........ 10 Executive Realty & Development, LLC........... 11
Georgia Piedmont Technical College..............9 Greenforest Community Baptist Church..........6 JAS (Joseph A. Smith).................................... 11 Johnson Hopewell Coleman LLC................... 11 Jon Ossoff for Congress.................................. 3 King Safety & Security, Inc............................. 11 Law Office of Trichelle Griggs Simmons........ 11
Macy’s............................................................12 MARTA............................................................ 3 Power of Christ International Ministries..........6 Success Communications Group/Emory........ 11 TELCorp Worldwide Travel............................ 11 Wells Fargo..................................................... 4 Wright Vision Care.......................................... 3
Best Buy Co. Inc......................................Inserts Holistic Health Management Inc.............Inserts Rite Aid...................................................Inserts Walgreens...............................................Inserts Walmart..................................................Inserts Greenforest Community Church............ Online City of Lithonia......................................... Email
May 27, 2017
Community
CrossRoadsNews
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“Many students, especially African American students, struggle with college standardized admission tests.”
Nine underperforming elementary schools lose principals
Nine DeKalb County elementary schools will have new principals in the fall. The schools – Dresden, Flat Rock, International Student Center, Oak View, Panola Way, Rock Chapel, Shadow Rock, Stoneview, and Snapfinger – lost their principals at the end of the school year in the wake of a School-Based Leadership Reorganization process that identified schools missing the mark in five key areas. The principals of the underperforming schools are being reassigned based on these five indicators: n The principal has served more than three years before July 1, 2013.
n The school’s College and Career Ready Performance Index score was less than 60 in 2016. n The school’s average CCRPI score for 2014-2016 is less than the 2014 score (the school has lower test scores than the first measurement year). n The school did not outperform the “Beating the Odds” designation. n The school did not exit the state’s “focus” or “primary” designation from 2014 to 2016. DeKalb School Superintendent R. Stephen Green said that leadership at the school level is often the most significant factor in a school’s ability to raise the bar on achieve-
ment. “We have the supports in place for schools to do better,” he said. “Now with this new measurement tool, we will ensure more effective leaders at every campus.” Green said that oftentimes, turnover is a byproduct of turnaround. “This component of the system provides a Stephen Green safeguard to ensure schools avoid stagnant achievement levels,” he said. The DeKalb School District says it will
Adoma launching Youth ACT Prep Boot Camp High school students who need a little help succeeding on standardized tests can attend a Youth ACT Prep Boot Camp on June 1 at the Salem-Panola Library in Stonecrest. The event, hosted by Stonecrest City Councilwoman Diane Daniels Adoma, will help students graduate with a high school diploma or a GED. It takes place 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Adoma, who repre- Diane Adoma sents Council District 5, says a high school diploma or GED is a critical first step for students to have greater options and opportunities in life. “Many students, especially African American students, struggle with college
standardized admission tests such as the ACT or SAT,” she said. “We therefore have a situation where we have students with a high GPA of 3.5 or better, but low scores on the ACT and thus are unable to get into the college or university of their choice.” Adoma said low scores on college standardized admission tests also can cause students to miss out on academic and meritbased scholarships, resulting in massive amounts of student loan debt. “I don’t want to see this happen when we can help prepare them to compete both locally and globally,” she said. Adoma said she has invited representatives from the DeKalb County School District to the inaugural ACT Prep Boot Camp, as well as District 5 School Board member Vickie Turner, Arabia Mountain High School
leadership and the PTSA Executive Committee, and the Parent Council to work with her. The boot camp is being held in partnership with Henry Cotton, newly elected mayor of Bastrop, La., and the founding president of Sage Group America, and Dr. Reagan Flowers, who was recognized by former President Barack Obama for developing one of the best STEM programs in the nation. Salem-Panola Library is at 5137 Salem Road. Space is limited and registration is required by emailing dianeforstonecrest@ gmail.com or calling Deborah Young at 470-223-6039. For more information, visit www. latech.edu/students/multicultural-affairs/ activities.php.
seek replacement principals for the schools from a pool of high-performing assistant principals and traditional applicants and through its leadership training program. The displaced principals will be reassigned within the district or will have the ability to apply for other non-principal positions. The School District said the SBLR process was developed by its leadership to act as an annual tool, developed locally, to measure and compel underperforming schools to best utilize support tools and resources to make steps toward increased achievement.
Libraries offering summer meals Children using a dozen DeKalb County library branches will get lunch from the Summer Food Program this year. The DeKalb Public Library System says it has partnered with Rock of Salvation Ministries to provide free, nutritional lunches through the Bright From the Start/Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning Summer Food Program. The participating branches are Flat Shoals, Scott Candler and Wesley ChapelWilliam C. Brown in Decatur; Gresham in Atlanta; Hairston Crossing, Redan-Trotti and Stone Mountain-Sue Kellogg in Stone Mountain; Lithonia-Davidson in the city of Lithonia; Salem-Panola and Stonecrest in the city of Stonecrest; Clarkston in the city of Clarkston; and Chamblee in Chamblee.
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Ministry
CrossRoadsNews
May 27, 2017
Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter, commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles.
Berean celebrating senior pastor Cookout, festival cap 30th anniversary Members of Berean Christian Church will honor their senior pastor and church founder, Dr. Kerwin B. Lee, for his 35 years of preaching and 25 years of pastoring on June 3-4. Services begin at noon on Saturday and at 7:15 and 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on Sunday with special guest preachers. Lee and worshippers held an organizational meeting in November Kerwin Lee 1995 at Oakhurst Elementary in Decatur and their first worship service was held in December at Carl G. Renfroe Middle School, also in Decatur.
The Stone Mountain church has grown from 200 worshippers to more than 7,000 active members. In 2006, Lee established a second church location in Snellville. Berean has a third location in Stockbridge. Berean is derived from the name of the city of Berea in Macedonia where the Apostle Paul established a church on his second missionary journey. Lee is also founder of A Word for the Times ministries and author of “Winning the Battle Over Negative Emotions.” He has a TV and internet ministry. The Stone Mountain church is at 2201 Young Road. For more information, visit www.bereanchristianchurch.org or call 770-593-4421.
Lithonia on Oct. 1. Victory for the World Church is In 1994, Victory Church relorounding out its 30th anniversary cated to its current 25-acre campus celebration with a May 27 Cookout in Stone Mountain. & Community Festival on its Stone Its ministries include counselMountain campus. ing services, after-school tutoring, The noon to 6 p.m. event highGED classes, athletic leagues, youth lights education and young adults. mentoring programs, a food and The church started on March 15, clothing bank, a Business Connec1987 at the Holiday Inn on Snapfinger Woods Drive in Decatur under Kenneth Samuel tion & Finance Ministry, Victory the leadership of the organizing pastor, Ken- Summer Camp, and free HIV/AIDS testing and care. neth L. Samuel. The church is at 1170 N. Hairston Road. The congregation met through the summer in the cafeteria of Chapel Hill For cookout tickets and more information, Elementary in Decatur before moving to a email adminassistant@victoryfortheworld. seven-acre site at 4925 Browns Mill Road in org or call 678-476-6000.
Ray of Hope launches Project Backpack School’s out but the needs of disadvantaged kids remain and the Ray of Hope Christian Church is launching its Project Backpack: Back to School Drive on June 4. The Decatur-based church is accept-
ing donations of new backpacks filled with school supplies through July 23. The Ray is at 2778 Snapfinger Road. For more information, visit www.rayofhope.org or call 770-696-5100, Ext. 209.
Concert of Prayers at Greenforest Members of the Prayer Ministry will host the fourth annual Concert of Prayers on June 2 at Greenforest Community Baptist Church in Decatur. The event, which begins at 7 p.m. in the main sanctuary, brings together metro congregations to usher in Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter, is June 4 and commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. Worshippers will celebrate “The Year of Growth Through Kingdom Victories” at the service of prayer and praise that seeks mercy
for those in need of healing, the lost, the oppressed, families, churches, communities and the nation. On June 3, the Greenforest Family & Friends Cookout & Fellowship takes place noon to 4 p.m. Members, family, friends, the unchurched, and the unsaved are invited to fellowship to help Greenforest “Build a Biblical Community of Loving Relationships.” The church is at 3250 Rainbow Drive in Decatur. For more information, visit www. greenforest.org or call 404-486-1120.
Pentecost Celebration at New Birth Worshippers are asked to dress in white for the Feast of Pentecost Celebration on June 4 at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. The services begin at 9:30 a.m. Pentecost is celebrated on the 50th day after Passover, commemorating the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. The Feast of Pentecost was honored by bringing First Fruits into the Temple. The Resurrected Christ celebrated Passover with his disciples and told them of the promise of the Holy Spirit. Fifty days after giving himself as the Passover Lamb, the
promise was fulfilled and Christ’s followers were all filled with the power of the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room. Catholics celebrate Pentecost as the birth of the Christian Church. Pentecost is historically and symbolically related to the Jewish harvest festival of Shavuot, which commemorates God giving the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai 50 days after the Exodus. The church is at 6400 Woodrow Road in Lithonia. For more information, visit www. newbirth.org or call 770-696-9600.
May 27, 2017
Scene
CrossRoadsNews
“We want to help families spend more quality time and to get these kids back outside.” DeKalb County pools open May 27. Swim season runs Memorial Day Weekend through July 30. Select pools will remain open on weekends through Labor Day.
DeKalb’s swim season opens
Time to suit up for hot fun in the sun – n Gresham Park, 3113 Gresham Road in Memorial Day Weekend kicks off DeKalb Atlanta – 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. County’s official swim season with pools Tuesday through Saturday. opening on May 27. n Kittredge Park, 2535 N. The season runs through Pool safety tips, Druid Hills Road in Atlanta – 1 page 8 July 30. Select pools will remain to 6 p.m. Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. open on weekends through LaTuesday through Saturday. bor Day Weekend, Sept. 4. n Lithonia Park, 2501 Park Drive in Lithonia The Department of Recreation, Parks – 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Cultural Affairs also offers aquatics through Saturday. programs, including swim lessons and water n Tobie Grant Park, 644 Parkdale Road in aerobics. Scottdale – 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, noon to 6 For a splash when the mercury climbs, p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. nine pools and aquatic facilities will be open n Kelly Cofer Park, 4259 N. Park Drive in for this year’s swim season. Locations and Tucker – 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday; noon to 6 p.m. hours of operation: Monday, Wednesday through Saturday. n Browns Mill Aquatic Facility, 4929 Browns n Midway Park, 3181 Midway Road in DeMill Road in Lithonia – 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. catur – 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday; noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 1 to 7 p.m. Sun- Monday, Wednesday through Saturday. day. n Medlock Park, 874 Gaylemont Circle in n Exchange Splash Pad, 2771 Columbia Decatur – 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday; noon to 6 p.m. Drive in Decatur – 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Monday, Wednesday through Saturday. For more information, visit www.dekalbWednesday through Saturday; noon to 7 p.m. countyga.gov/parks or call 770-414-2113. Sunday and Tuesday.
Caribbean focus of Heritage Month The DeKalb Public Library’s inaugural Caribbean American Heritage Month celebration kicks off June 7 at the Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library. The first event will be panel discussion on immigration and assimilation. There will be dishes for sampling, and the opening of an exhibit by M. Foderingham photographer Arthur Ratliff depicting Caribbean culture in Atlanta. The program starts at 4 p.m. Participant can meet Ratliff, whose photo exhibit runs through June 30 at the branch. The celebration is organized by Wesley Chapel Branch Manager Monica Fodering-
ham, who plans to make it an annual event. “The Caribbean is more than one island, one language, one culture,” she said. “It is a diverse region with English, Spanish, French and Dutch-speaking countries, and the people are black, white, Indian, Chinese, Lebanese and Aboriginal. Foderingham said the region is sun, sea and sand, but so much more. “The Caribbean Film Festival, the Caribbean Spelling Bee, the Anansi Storytelling Festival and other programs for Caribbean American Heritage Month provide a window into the multifaceted, multidimensional world that approximately 4 million immigrants to the United States call home.,” she said. Visit dekalblibrary.org/events/.
Ode to African-American music The legacy of black music and its impact on the music industry will take center stage in June for African-American Music Appreciation Month: A Celebration of Black Music at the Stonecrest Library. The live performances by local artists of various musical genres and styles are sponsored by the Friends of Scott Candler Library.
Patrons of all ages can attend the June 3 program that features jazz. It takes place 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Classical music is featured June 10, followed by R&B and hip-hop on June 17 and gospel on June 24. The library is at 3123 Klondike Road in Stonecrest. For more information, visit www. dekalblibrary.org or call 770-482-3828.
National Trails Day youth hike Youth 13 to 17 can join the South River Watershed Alliance and Panola Mountain State Park for a hike to explore the South River’s riparian (riverside), floodplain, and aquatic ecology on June 3 in celebration of National Trails Day. The program takes place 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To register, email southriverwatershedalliance@gmail.com or call Jackie at 404-285-3756. Space is limited to the first 15 participants. Teens also can take part in a river float
7
and cleanup and learn more about the plants and animals that inhabit the South River corridor. Discovering the South River Land/Water Trail Stewardship: National Trails Day is made possible in part by funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Georgia Power. The park is at 2620 Highway 155 S.W. in Stockbridge. For more information, including registration fee, visit www.southriverga. org and click on Events.
The nonprofit Team BLUE is hosting free tennis lessons at the Rainbow Creek community on Tuesdays and Saturdays throughout the summer. Coach Amani Mitchell is the instructor.
Free tennis lessons for families By Angelina T. Velasquez
Families looking for activities to do together can take free tennis lessons at the Rainbow Creek community throughout the summer months. The free lessons are hosted by the nonprofit Team BLUE and will take place every Tuesday and Saturday. Coach Amani Mitchell has been playing tennis for 16 years and will teach the hourlong lessons. “We want to help families spend more quality time and to get these kids back outside,” Mitchell said. He began offering free family lessons in April and will continue throughout September. “It’s the only sport three generations can play and really enjoy one another,” says Mitchell, who often plays with his 64-year-old mother, Joyce, and 15-year-old daughter Joyah. In 2000, Mitchell began playing tennis to try something new but quickly fell in love with the sport.
“Once I realized how competitive it was, I really began to love it and the way the competitiveness felt,” says the former basketball aficionado. Throughout his years coaching tennis, he has found the sport to still be widely overlooked despite the success of Venus and Serena Williams. “These kids still view the sport as a stereotypical non-African American sport.” Through free lessons and Team BLUE mentorship, he hopes to change their perspective. “My goal is to show a student a sport they may be really good at but would not have played otherwise.” As a result of his efforts, Mitchell has seen five of his mentees obtain tennis scholarships to Fort Valley State University, Georgia Perimeter College and Tuskegee University. He says students learn leadership and to believe in themselves. “Tennis is the vehicle to help learn their leadership potential,” Mitchell said. To sign up for free lessons, visit www. teamblue.usta.com.
CrossRoadsNews
8
Wellness
May 27, 2017
“Protect yourself from getting sick by not swallowing the water in which you swim.”
New hepatitis C cases nearly triple in 5 years
The number of new hepatitis C virus infections reported to the CDC has nearly tripled in five years, reaching a 15-year high. Because hepatitis C has few symptoms, nearly half of people living with the virus don’t know they are infected and most new infections go undiagnosed. Limited surveillance resources have led to underreporting, meaning the annual number of cases reported to the CDC – 850 in 2010 and 2,436 in 2015 – does not reflect the true scale of the epidemic. CDC estimates about 34,000 new infections actually occurred in the U.S. in 2015. Hepatitis C kills more Americans than any other infectious disease reported to the CDC. The data released May 11 indicate that nearly 20,000 Americans died from hepatitis C-related causes in 2015, and the majority of deaths were people ages 55 and older. More testing is needed, said Dr. Jonathan Mermin, director of the CDC’s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. “By testing, curing, and preventing Jonathan Mermin hepatitis C, we can protect generations of Americans from needless suffering and death,” Mermin said. “We must reach the hardest-hit communities with a range of prevention and treatment services that can diagnose people with hepatitis C and link them to treatment.” New infections are increasing most rapidly among young people, with the highest overall number among 20- to 29-year-olds. This is primarily a result of increasing injection drug use associated with America’s growing opioid epidemic, the CDC said. However, the majority – three-quarters – of the 3.5 million Americans already living with hepatitis C are baby boomers born from 1945 to 1965. Baby boomers are six times more likely to be infected than those in other age groups and are at much greater risk of death from the virus. Other recent CDC studies indicate that hepatitis C infections are growing among women of childbearing age – putting the youngest generation of Americans at risk. Treatment not only cures the vast majority of people living with the virus but also prevents transmission to their partners and children. While new medicines can now cure infections in as little as two to three months, many people in need of treatment are still not able to get it. Dr. John Ward, director of the CDC’s Division of Viral Hepatitis, said stopping hepatitis C will eliminate an enormous disease and economic burden for all Americans. “We have a cure for John Ward this disease and the tools to prevent new infections,” Ward said. “Now we need a substantial, focused, and concerted national effort to implement the National Viral Hepatitis Action Plan and make effective prevention tools and curative treatment available to Americans in need.” For more information, visit www.cdc. gov/nchhstp/newsroom.
The Cryptosporidium parasite can spread when people swallow something that has come into contact with the feces (poop) of a sick person, such as pool water contaminated with diarrhea, the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
Crypto outbreaks linked to pools on the rise By Angelina T. Velasquez
if sick with diarrhea,” said Michele Hlavsa, chief of the CDC Healthy Before dipping in, swimmers Swimming Program. should be aware of the potential The parasite can be spread when parasites at their local swimming people consume something that has pools and water playgrounds that come into contact with the feces of cause illness. a sick person such as pool water. Outbreaks of a parasitic infec“Protect yourself from getting tion caused by Cryptosporidium, sick by not swallowing the water in often referred to as Crypto, are Michele Hlavsa which you swim,” Hlavsa said. linked to swimming pools and increasingly In 2016, there were at least 32 outbreaks reported to the Centers for Disease Control caused by Crypto reported to the CDC, twice and Prevention. The CDC says swimmers as many as in 2014. Crypto is the most comneed to be mindful of their behavior and mon cause of diarrheal illness and outbreaks. those around them as they enjoy activities at The parasite thrives in swimming pools and pools and water recreation facilities. leisure water establishments because it can “To help protect your family and friends survive for 10 days in properly treated water from Crypto and other diarrhea-causing and does not die easily by use of chlorine. germs, do not swim or let your kids swim Swallowing just one mouthful of contam-
inated water can leave a person sick for up to three weeks with watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, or vomiting and can lead to dehydration.
Steps to stay safe n Don’t swim or let your kids swim if sick with diarrhea. n Don’t swallow the water in which you swim. n Rinse off in the shower before getting in the water to help remove any germs on your body that could contaminate the water. n Take kids on bathroom breaks often, and check diapers in a diaper-changing area and not right next to the pool. For more information and other safe swimming tips, visit www.cdc.gov/healthywater/swimming.
Strong4Family expo to focus on Black men’s health By Angelina T. Velasquez
Grandfathers, dads and sons will learn to make life cycle changes to better influence the health of generations to come at the second annual Strong4Family Men’s Health and Wellness Fair on June 3. The free fair will be held at the Georgia Piedmont Technical College Conference Center, 495 N. Indian Creek Drive in Clarkston, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. More than 200 men are expected to attend. This year’s theme – “Navigating the Road to Wellness: From Boyhood to Manhood and Fatherhood” – is heavily targeted toward the millennial generation of young men.
“This gives us an opportunity to reach out to a specific population, being men, who don’t usually get as much health attention,” said Dr. S. Elizabeth Ford, district health director and CEO of the DeKalb County Board of Health. Topics will focus on fatherhood, HIV/AIDS awareness, chronic diseases and mental wellness. Typically when young Elizabeth Ford males reach the age of 18, they become lost in the health care system, whereas their female counterparts still have routine checkups past pediatric care. It can be 10 years before a man goes to the doctor
again – in some cases they may have developed a chronic disease such as heart issues – making it difficult to properly end the life cycle of health care avoidance. There will be health screenings, wellness presentations, fitness and cooking demos, seminars on chronic disease management, and a Kidz Zone. Attendees will learn the importance of health care continuity throughout life’s phases. Men’s Health Month is celebrated across the country in June with screenings, health fairs, media appearances, and other health education and outreach activities. For more information, contact Leonardo Stroud at leonardo.stroud@dph.ga.gov or 404-294-3746.
Toiletry donation drive to benefit homeless vets Georgia’s homeless veterans will benefit from the sixth annual Stand Up for Stand Down toiletry drive that kicks off May 29, Memorial Day. The drive, which runs through Aug. 11, collects much-needed toiletry and personal care items to fill “comfort bags” for veterans who attend Stand Down events throughout North and Central Georgia. It is sponsored by the Georgia District Pilot International Clubs and Georgia Cancer Specialists, affiliated with Northside Hospital Cancer Institute. “Stand down” is a military term that refers
to the time when troops are brought back from the battlefield for rest and recuperation. Each year, Stand Down events across the country provide health care and other services to help thousands of homeless veterans get back on their feet. The 2016 drive collected more than 10,000 pounds of toiletry items to fill more than 2,000 comfort bags for homeless vets in Georgia. Travel/sample-size toiletry and personal care items are needed, including toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, hand sanitizer, combs/brushes, body wash/soap,
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shampoo and conditioner, lotion, and feminine products. Donations can be dropped off at any of the 26 Georgia Cancer Specialists locations in Georgia, including at 5700 Hillandale Drive, Building 200, Suite 250, in Lithonia (770-981-5431), and at the Stemmer Building, 2712 Lawrenceville Highway in Decatur (770-496-5555). For a complete list of locations, visit www.gacancer.com. For more information about the drive or to volunteer sorting, visit www.facebook.com/SU4SD or call 770-8645347.
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CrossRoadsNews
May 27, 2017
Youth
9
“Our parents are great, but we still need the community to know we are here and to help with fundraising.” Platinum Elite members Mary Ashley O’loane, Leah Sims, India Jackson and Jalah Falcher are shown with coaches Fred Davis, Erica Starks and Tiffany Hines.
Angelina T. Velasquez / CrossRoadsNews
Dancers in national competition By Angelina T. Velasquez
The dancing divas of the Platinum Elite dance team at DeKalb Early College Academy will be showcasing their twirls, high kicks and seemingly never-ending flips at the DeKalb Educators Conference on June 1 at Lithonia High School before heading to the July Fourth week Showstoppers Nationals in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The team of six – seniors Leah Sims and Jalah Falcher, sophomore India Jackson, junior Mary Ashley O’loane, and Leilani Everette and Serenity Long, who are 2017 graduates – slayed the March 30-April 2 Showstoppers Regional competition in College Park by taking home nine first-place trophies and medals. At the educators conference and nationals, Leah and Mary Ashley will perform solos, and the team will compete in two dances. India said they are looking forward to the challenges. “I really enjoyed Showstoppers because we got to stay there for three days and watch the other teams perform while meeting new people,” she said. Their coaches, Fred Davis, Erica Starks and Tiffany Hines, were ecstatic about the team’s performances. “We started out kind of rough this season,” said Davis, who has coached the team for four years. “We didn’t place in our first couple of competitions so we were definitely happy to walk away from Showstoppers with nine wins.” Platinum Elite received first place for group lyrical dance and hip-hop routine; Leah, Serenity, Mary Ashley and Jalah each placed first with solo routines; and Leilani and Leah also won first overall and for their
individual divisions. Leah, who has danced with the team all four years of high school, said members inspire each other. “We push one another to do our best,” she said. In one season, the team can have up to 25 performances with up to seven routines. The coaches are no stranger to conflicts over creative differences. “It can be challenging because Erica may feel she has the perfect song for a lyrical solo and it won’t work with what I have in mind for the routine,” Davis said. But they learn to compromise. “A lot of times we’ll ask Tiffany to be our tiebreaker,” said Starks with a laugh. During the school year, Platinum Elite practices four days a week but often go longer in the summer. Hines, who also does the team’s hair and makeup for competition, said the girls work hard. “It really pays off,” she said. Garnering community support for the team has been challenging, but Starks said parents stepped up to the plate this year. “Our parents are great, but we still need the community to know we are here and to help with fundraising,” she said. To support the team, the coaches say they often put their stipends back into the team. They also are committed to do whatever it takes to keep the team competition-ready. “We’ve taken them to Alabama State for dance workshops and really try to expose them to professional dancers,” said Hines, a 2016 DeKalb Early College Academy graduate. For more information, visit www.deca. dekalb.k12.ga.us.
Keep it going with reading program Patrons of all ages – babies, children, teens and grown-ups – can get in on the DeKalb Public Library’s Summer Reading Program that begins on May 27 with the theme “Build a Better World.” To sign up, visit any branch or http:// dekalblibrary.org/kids/srp. Teens can sign up at http://dekalblibrary.org/teens/srp/ signup.php. There will be literacy activities, prizes, and raffles for tickets to metro cultural and amusement venues. Patrons can participate in the Atlanta Braves Home Run Readers and the Atlanta Hawks CheckIt-Out Reading Challenge. Through the Get Georgia Reading campaign, students have unlimited access to free e-books 24 hours a day every day through Aug. 31 – visit http://dekalblibrary.org/images/
dcpl/myOn_summer_2017_flyer.pdf to get started. Programs will launch on May 31 at 10 a.m. at the Stonecrest Library and 2 p.m. at the Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library and on June 3 at 10 a.m. at the Decatur Library. The kickoff includes a performance by comic and juggler Ron Anglin, crafts, and photo ops with the library’s mascot, Dog in the Woods. Patrons can help celebrate One Year of 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten and the Summer Reading Program kickoff on May 30 at 10 a.m. at the Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library and on June 3 at 10 a.m. at the Redan-Trotti Library. All branches will be closed May 28 and May 29 in observance of Memorial Day. Visit www.dekalblibrary.org.
STEM summer series for kids 6-12 Kids 6 to 12 can attend STEM-NightOut, a summer science series starting June 9 at Grace Church for All Nations at 650 Rowland Road in Stone Mountain. The series, sponsored by TPS Public Relations in cooperation with the church, features three events – “Chemistry Is Cool” on June 9, “Physics Is Fun” on July 7, and “Biology Is Brainy” on July 28. All events
take place 6 to 9 p.m., and the cost for each session is $30 per student. To register, visit https://theprowritersstudio.com. Sessions will be facilitated by science teachers. Hands-on activities include making plastics and “slime,” using LEGOs to make bridges, and examining bacteria under a microscope. For more information, contact Deanna Cauthen at 404-510-4634.
Challenge for young fashion designers Budding designers can sign up for the Unconventional Clothing Challenge at Stonecrest Library beginning June 1. The contest for tweens and youth 12 to 18 is open to the first 20 participants. Applications are available at all branches and are due June 13. Students can show
off their design skills, and clothing must be made using unconventional materials. The challenge in the Build a Better World series takes place June 19 from 2 to 3 p.m. The library is at 3123 Klondike Road in Stonecrest. For more information, visit www. dekalblibrary.org or call 770-482-3828.
CrossRoadsNews
10
Finance
May 27, 2017
“We operate our own stores and donation centers, which directly fund Goodwill job training programs and employment services.”
Career Expo giving vets priority Donations to Goodwill create jobs Military veterans will have priority admittance at the Faith Center’s second annual Career Expo on June 8 in Tucker. The expo takes place 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 4600 N. Royal Atlanta Drive and is free and open to the public. The Faith Center is hosting the event in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Labor’s North Metro-DeKalb Career Center Veterans Unit and Goodwill of North Georgia. Job seekers interested in attending should access employgeorgia.com to create an account and resume. They also can upload a resume to the site. Having an Employ Georgia account and resume will expedite the process of meeting with employers. Attendees are asked to bring resumes, paper and writing instruments.
Employers scheduled to attend include Americold Logistics, Amerigroup Community Care, Avon Products, Badger Daylighting, Brenau University, Computer Generated Solutions, Concept Software and Services, Department of Juvenile Justice, Dynamic Security Inc., ETC Services, Express Employment Professionals, Family Dollar, Primerica Financial Services, Rescare Residential Services, Sage Hospitality, Securamerica LLC, Spectrum/ Charter Communication, Volt Workforce Solutions, Western & Southern Life, and Wipro. For more information or for employers’ reservations, contact Kenneth D. Dinkins at kenneth.dinkins@gdol.ga.gov or 678- 284-5751 or Goodwill of North Georgia at 404-728-8605.
Residents who donated gently used household goods to Goodwill of North Georgia helped put 23,000 people to work this year. The nonprofit says revenues generated by donations support its 13 career centers and job training and placement services in industries ranging from logistics to retail. Before heading to Goodwill to donate, here are dos and don’ts to keep in mind: n Don’t wait to donate. Find the nearest donation center at goodwillng.org/locations. n Do your homework. Not all thrift stores are charities, and some for-profit companies solicit donations under the name of charities while giving them little or none of the proceeds. “We operate our own stores and donation centers, which directly fund Goodwill job training programs and employment services right here in North
Georgia,” says Summer Dunham, director of public relations for Goodwill. “If consumers can’t clearly see how their donations benefit the community, they might want to think twice [about] donating to that organization.” n Do double-check. “Give Summer Dunham each item a good check before adding it to the donations pile, and if you’re packing up items for someone else, be sure they’ve removed anything they intended to hang on to,” Dunham said. n Don’t forget your receipt. Donations made to Goodwill are tax-deductible. For more information, visit http://goodwillng.org.
CHANGE Name of ADULT in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
05/06, 05/13, 05/20, 05/27
Legal Notices
Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name of ADULT in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4655-3 Nancy Verdell Thompson filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court to change name from: Nancy Verdell Thompson to Angela Nancy Thompson. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Apr. 13, 2017 05/06, 05/13, 05/20, 05/27
Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name of ADULT in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4439-7 Sonyia Vannette Hill filed a petition on Apr. 17, 2017 in the DeKalb County Superior Court to change name from: Sonyia Vannette Hill to Sonyia Vannette Lenon-Thompson. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Apr. 13, 2017 05/06, 05/13, 05/20, 05/27
Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name of ADULT in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4472 Kathy Sanford filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Mar. 23, 2017 to change name from: Kathy Sanford to Kathy Heard. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Mar. 23, 2017 05/06, 05/13, 05/20, 05/27
Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4460-7 Niya T. Watts PLAINTIFF VS Daren Brown DEFENDANT To: By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 17, 2017. You are hereby notified that on Apr. 17, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce without minor children. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose
name and address is: Niya Watts, 4522 Snapfinger Woods Dr., #114, Decatur, GA 30035. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 17, 2017. Witness the Honorable Daniel M. Coursey, Jr.; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 17th day of Apr., 2017 05/06, 05/13, 05/20, 05/27
Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM3036-6 Aretha Williams PLAINTIFF VS Tracy Wellons DEFENDANT To: By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 18, 2017. You are hereby notified that on Mar. 08, 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: Aretha Williams, 2408 Ayesbury Loop, Apt. 180, Decatur, GA 30034. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 18, 2017. Witness the Honorable J.P. Boulee, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 21st day of Apr., 2017 05/06, 05/13, 05/20, 05/27
Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4228-10 Leslie Christian PLAINTIFF VS David Powers DEFENDANT To: By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 19, 2017. You are hereby notified that on Apr. 10, 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: Angela Riccett, Atlanta Legal Aid Society, 246 Sycamore St., Ste. 120, Decatur, GA 30030. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 21, 2017. Witness the Honorable Tangela M. Barrie.; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 21st day of Apr., 2017 05/06, 05/13, 05/20, 05/27
Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4383-10 Alicia Hughley-Williams
PLAINTIFF VS Joshua Jameel Williams DEFENDANT To: Joshua Williams 2908 Stilesboro Ridgeway Kennesaw, GA 30152 By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 25, 2017. You are hereby notified that on Apr. 13, 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: Alicia Hughley-Williams, 4593 Busswood Ave., Stone Mountain, GA 30083. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 25, 2017. Witness the Honorable Tangela M. Barrie.; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 25th day of Apr., 2017 05/06, 05/13, 05/20, 05/27
Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4437-5 Marcia V. Miller PLAINTIFF VS Curtis O. Miller DEFENDANT To: By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 24, 2017. You are hereby notified that on Apr. 17, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce without minor children. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Sarah T. Austin, 246 Sycamore St., Ste. 120, Decatur, GA 30030. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 24, 2017. Witness the Honorable Gregory A. Adams; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 24th day of Apr., 2017 05/13, 05/20, 05/27, 06/03
Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name of ADULT in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4812-3 Kelah Sheniece Palmer filed a petition on Apr. 14, 2017 in the DeKalb County Superior Court to change name from: Kelah Sheniece Palmer to Kaleb Shayne Palmer. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: May 03, 2017 05/13, 05/20, 05/27, 06/03
Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name of ADULT in the Superior Court
of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4944-4 John Henry Bryant filed a petition on May 02, 2017 in the DeKalb County Superior Court to change name from: John Henry Bryant to John Henry Rice. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Apr. 27, 2017 05/13, 05/20, 05/27, 06/03
Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4723-4 Kevin Labad PLAINTIFF VS Donnamarie Shelhorne Labad DEFENDANT To: By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated May 02, 2017. You are hereby notified that on Apr. 17, 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: Kevin Labad, 222 Season Parkway, Norcross, GA 30093. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 21, 2017. Witness the Honorable Gail C. Flake; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 4th day of May, 2017 05/13, 05/20, 05/27, 06/03
Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM1450-3 Bianca Singh PLAINTIFF VS Gurmeet Singh DEFENDANT To: Curmeet Singh 1422 Druid Valley Dr., NE, Apt. D Atlanta, GA 30329 By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Jan. 24, 2017. You are hereby notified that on Jan. 19, 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: Bianca Singh 1422 Druid Valley Dr., Apt. D, Atlanta, GA 30329. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of May 02, 2017. Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 2th day of May, 2017 05/27, 06/03, 06/10, 06/17
Notice of Petition to
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
Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM4616-6 Maria R. Vega PLAINTIFF VS Willie Ray Jackson DEFENDANT To: Unknown By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated May 02, 2017. You are hereby notified that on Apr. 06, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Maria R. Vega, 7102 Bruce Court, Lithonia, GA 30058. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of May 02, 2017. Witness the Honorable J. P. Boulee; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.
This the 10th day of May, 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: 17FM5242-9 Kenneth Howard PLAINTIFF VS Lauren Howard DEFENDANT To: By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated May 15, 2017. You are hereby notified that on May 05, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce without minor children. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Kenneth Howard, 751 N. Indian Creek Drive, #314, Clarkston, GA 30021. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of May 15, 2017. Witness the Honorable Mark Anthony Scott; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 15th day of May, 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: 17FM5107-1 Shya Taylor PLAINTIFF VS Joshua Winfert DEFENDANT To: 3537 Homeward Trl. Ellenwood, GA 30294 By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated May 12, 2017. You are hereby notified that on May 05, 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: Shya Taylor, 3537 Homeward Trl., Ellenwood, GA 30294. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of May 16, 2017. Witness the Honorable Courtney L. Johnson; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 16th day of May, 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: 17FM5154-7 Khalif S. James PLAINTIFF VS Crystal L. James DEFENDANT To: By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated May 15, 2017. You are hereby notified that on May 01, 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: Khalif S. James, 3079 Kerr Dr., Decatur, GA 30034. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of May 15, 2017. Witness the Honorable Daniel M. Coursey, Jr.; Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 15th day of May, 2017
CrossRoadsNews
May 27, 2017
People
11
“The Veterans History Project” was established by Congress to collect, preserve and make accessible personal accounts of U.S. war veterans.
Honor for vets featured in documentary
Acting manager, clerk appointed
DeKalb residents Hank Thomas and Valerie Green are among six 4th Congressional District military veterans who will be honored on June 2 by U.S. Rep. Henry “Hank” Johnson at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Stonecrest. Johnson is recognizing the veterans as part of his Extending the Legacy Celebration marking the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The celebration takes place 1 to 2:30 p.m. Thomas, who was a Freedom Rider during the 1960s civil rights movement, was drafted into the Vietnam War in 1963. He returned three years later after being injured during an enemy ambush. Thomas was a college student in 1961 when he joined 400 black and white Americans to ride buses, sitting side by side, through the segregated South. Green was stationed in Germany from 1980 to 1983 during peacetime. The other honorees are Vietnam veterans Walter Bentley and Isaac Pippen from Newton County, World War II veteran William Cunningham from Gwinnett County, and Desert Storm veteran Ramona Hall of Rockdale County. All six are featured in the documentary “The Veterans History Project,” established by Congress to collect, preserve and make accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans from World War I to the Iraq War so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war. Congress created the project, supported by former U.S. senator and Lithonia native son Max Cleland, in 2000. During the event, Johnson also will highlight the contributions of all members of the armed forces and military advances in technology, science, and medicine during the Vietnam War as well as recognize his 2017 nominees for the U.S. service academies. DeKalb resident Hank Thomas, a Vietnam veteran and a Freedom Rider during The Lou Walker Senior Center is at 2538 Panola the 1960s civil rights movement, is among six veterans who will be honored on Road. June 2 by U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson at the Lou Walker Senior Center.
The city of Stonecrest has appointed Michael Harris as acting city manager and Brenda James as acting city clerk. Both are employees of CH2M, the management firm the City Council voted for at its May 15 meeting to handle city business. City Attorney Thompson Kurrie Jr. is now Michael Harris negotiating the terms of contract with CH2M. The council, which has been meeting at the Stonecrest Library on Klondike Road in the new city, also is exploring options for permanent council offices. The Governor’s Com- Brenda James mission on Stonecrest recommended three locations – the Mall at Stonecrest on Turner Hill Road, the DeKalb Medical Oncology Center on Hillandale Drive, and the Strayer University Building in the Stonecrest Center near Turner Hill. Commercial real estate brokers T. Dallas Smith & Co. is negotiating leasing terms for the city. Robert Scott, the firm’s executive vice president, said they are seeking the most cost-effective proposal for the city. The council’s next meeting is May 31 at 5 p.m. at Stonecrest Library, 3123 Klondike Road in Stonecrest.
By Angelina T. Velasquez
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May 27, 2017
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