CrossRoadsNews, September 1, 2012 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

COMMUNITY

SCENE

DeKalb County will demolish a deteriorated apartment complex on North Decatur Road to make way for a park. 3

Rare unpublished poems and children’s books by beloved poet Lucille Clifton (third from left) are on exhibit at Emory University. 9

New life for decrepit site

Poet’s works on display

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

September 1, 2012

Volume 18, Number 18

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Doctors prescribe books and reading aloud to kids Doctors and nurses at Decatur Pediatric Group are sending families home with more than well checkups. Parents and their children are going home from the doctor’s office with free books and a very important prescription – “Read aloud to your children.” The Pediatric Group is one of seven programs in the 4th Congressional District that are participating in Reach Out and Read, a national initiative that partners with doctors to prescribe books and encourage families to read together. Between their 6-month checkup and age 5, children get a home library of 10 books before they start kindergarten, and their parents are being encouraged to read aloud

U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson reads “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” to children at Decatur Pediatric Group’s Clarkston office on Aug. 28.

to them. To support the program, which has broad bipartisan backing in Congress, 4th District Rep. Hank Johnson read “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” by Eileen Christelow to 10 bright-eyed children at Decatur Pediatric’s Clarkston office on Aug. 28. Johnson said that offering the opportunity to read to kids at the point of a pediatric visit is a tremendous idea. “This should spread across the country as we implement the Affordable Care Act,” he said. Reach Out and Read serves children at 52 locations across Georgia and reaches more Please see READ, page 2

School bus drivers ready to rumble Bus driver Mary Powell complains about pay cuts at the Aug. 27 meeting called by Watchdog Organizing Reforming Coalition.

Pay cuts, working conditions among concerns cited By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

DeKalb Schools bus driver Gloria Powell was about to board her bus at 6:30 a.m. on April 30 in the East Campus parking lot when an intruder already on the darkened bus startled her. “There was this man sitting up looking at me,” Powell said. “I don’t know what he was doing on the bus.” In her rush to get off the bus, Powell, who had her left hip replaced in June and her right hip replaced in September last year, injured herself. “My right leg went out from under me,” she said. “I would have fallen if some bus drivers hadn’t caught me.” She said the pain in her groin was excruciating. She sat at home for two days before getting to see the workers compensation doctor that Thursday. When Powell turned in her time sheet with 10 hours and five minutes for the Monday and Thursday that week, she said her supervisor, Juanita Gray, put a line through it and reduced her hours to the one hour and five minutes that she spent in the parking lot that morning. She said she was paid for the rest of her hours with her sick days. “I don’t think that is fair,” said Powell, a 13-year bus operator who drives students to and from Allgood Elementary, Freedom Middle and Clarkston High schools. Powell also was surprised that her supervisor changed her time sheet instead of talking to her and requesting that she make the change. On Aug. 27, Powell and 350 other bus drivers, cafeteria workers and custodians packed a large meeting room at the Sanford Center in Decatur to talk about a litany of grievances with the DeKalb School District.

Photos by Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

About 350 bus drivers, cafeteria workers and custodians packed the Sanford Center in Decatur to complain about pay, safety and other issues.

During the meeting called by the Watchdog Organizing Reforming Coalition, a community activist group, the school employees complained about poor working conditions, pay cuts, tampering with their time sheets, safety issues, elimination of bus monitors from buses transporting special needs children, overcrowded buses, poor communi-

“I am so moved that in short order we can come together and listen to and hear your concerns,” she said, promising to take them back to her colleagues on the board. Johnson said that before he retired from the school district, he was a deputy superintendent in charge of transportation. “I am here to assist and improve student achievement, and bus drivers, teachers, custodians and cafeteria workers are part of that delivery system,” he said. “I pledge to work with you.” DeKalb School District employees are represented by the Organization of DeKalb Educators, an affiliate of the Georgia Association of Educators and teachers union the National Education Association. Because Georgia is a right-to-work state, school employees cannot have collective bargaining agreements, but ODE’s president, David Schutten, said ODE negotiates on behalf of its members because of the relationship it has built with the school district.

cation, lack of allowance for drivers with special needs, and threats of privatization from the district. School Board member Donna Edler and District 6 board member-elect Melvin Johnson were in attendance. Edler said she was impressed with the Please see BUS DRIVERS, page 8 large turnout.

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Community

“They were given kilowatt devices to measure how much energy they were using. Students unplugged all devices for three weeks.”

‘Stay in SHAPE’ for students

Students can win tickets to an Atlanta Falcons football game by entering a song, video or written words about how they stay fit in the “Stay in SHAPE” contest. The deadline for students in kindergarten to 12th grade to enter is Sept. 10. The contest is part of Gov. Nathan Deal’s Georgia SHAPE initiative, a statewide program that merges governmental, philanthropic, academic and business com-

New head for KP charity program

munities to address the childhood obesity epidemic. Winners will join Deal on the field before the Atlanta Falcons’ Sept. 30 game against the Carolina Panthers and will receive two tickets to the game along with a new Polar Active fitness watch. Entries should be e-mailed to contest@ GeorgiaSHAPE.org. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaSHAPE.org/contest.

School wins energy competition Champion Middle School will get a $500 check at its Sept. 6 PTSA meeting for winning the national Biggest Loser Energy Competition. During the contest last April, the Stone Mountain school shed 3,693 pounds of CO2 by reducing it electricity usage, which they decreased by 2,736 kilowatts, the most of any middle school in the contest. More than 100 schools nationwide entered the contest sponsored by the Alliance for Climate Education. During the contest, the school’s 600

September 1, 2012

students, teachers and administrators saved the school $275.53 on its electric bill. Amber Nave, an ACE educator, said students and teachers had to reduce their school’s energy use by turning down the lights and turning off televisions and computers. “They were given kilowatt devices to measure how much energy they were using,” she said. “The students unplugged all devices for three weeks.” Nave said the school can use the $500 for a “go green” or sustainability project.

Madelyn R. Adams is Kaiser Permanente of Georgia’s new director of community benefit. She succeeds Evonne Yancey, who retired from the nonprofit health care organization in July after 25 years of service. Adams will oversee Kaiser’s multimilliondollar community benefit program, which includes Madelyn Adams charitable contributions, community health initiatives, safety net partnerships, and educational theater program. She also will manage Kaiser’s charitable health coverage and care

Mentoring program seeks girls Ninth- and 10th-grade girls can now apply for the Decatur/DeKalb Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women’s Legacy Program, a youth leadership mentoring program. The eight-month program, which be-

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program and other efforts to improve access to care and reduce health care disparities in metro Atlanta. Before joining Kaiser Permanente of Georgia, she was executive director of the Atlanta-based East Lake Foundation, where she led a team of staff, volunteers and partner organizations in transforming a public housing project into a successful, mixedincome community. Adams holds a B.A. from Duke University and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania. She also spent 10 years at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and was its vice president of administration and diversity when she left.

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gins in October, enhances self-esteem and personal motivation among young AfricanAmerican women and inspires them to assume a wide range of leadership roles in politics, civic affairs, business, entrepreneurship, education, health and medicine, religion, and international affairs. Applicants and their parents must attend a mandatory pre-application meeting on Sept. 10 at DeKalb Medical-Hillandale’s Administration Meeting Room in Lithonia at 6:30 p.m. Eligible applicants must live in DeKalb County or attend a high school in the county and must commit to participate in the program until her senior year of high school. DeKalb Medical-Hillandale is at 2801 DeKalb Medical Parkway. For more information, call Kia Toodle at 678-385-1365.

Cross country youth program Kids ages 5 to 14 who love to run have until Sept. 8 to register for the Youth Cross Country program. The program, which will be held at all DeKalb County recreation centers, is designed to instill in kids a passion for running and give them an outlet to grow. It will include four track meets, which will be held on Oct. 6, 13, 20 and 27 at a charge of $30 per participant. Payments can be made by cashier’s check or money order to the recreation center of your choice. Practice dates and times will be determined by recreation centers. Participants must present birth certificates at the time of registration. For more information, contact Al Sheppard at 404-371-6270.

Children get home library of 10 books READ,

from page

than 96,208 infants, toddlers and preschoolers annually. Nationwide, more than 28,000 medical providers participate in the reading program. Earl Martin Phalen, Reach Out and Read chief executive officer, said research shows that if you intervene in the first five years of life and partner with parents, you can dramatically improve the early literacy skills of a child, putting them on the track for success in school and in life. “Childhood development experts tell us that the most important thing that parents can do to prepare their children to succeed in school is to read aloud to them every day,” he said. For more information, visit www.reach outandread.org.

CrossRoadsNews

September 1, 2012

Community

“This is the seventh year of this initiative and we are seeing more and more people making walking a part of their daily routine.”

DeKalb Walks Derelict building to give way to county park registering for Sept. 8 event

Teen gets 10 years in cousin’s fatal shooting Becker accepted the negotiated plea Seventeen-year-old Charlie deal and sentenced Oliver to serve Oliver will spend the next 10 years every day of the 10-year sentence. of his life in prison after pleading The judge also ordered him to guilty to shooting and killing his complete his GED in prison. 8-year-old cousin. Solomon, a rising secondOliver shot Solomon Zellner grader at Fairington Elementary with a 9 mm handgun in July 2011 School, was shot at the Salem Glen while the two were at their Lithonia Road home where he and Oliver home. Charlie Oliver lived. His mother and Oliver’s aunt, He claimed the shooting was accidental and refused to plead guilty to felony Angela Ramos, was in the house at the time murder and aggravated assault on Aug. 13 at of shooting but in a different room. Ruth McMullen, Oliver’s defense attora pre-trial hearing. On Aug. 27, he pleaded guilty to the lesser ney, tried to have him convicted as a first offender, but Deputy Chief Assistant District charge of involuntary manslaughter. DeKalb Superior Court Judge Cynthia J. Attorney Darius Pattillo told the judge that

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Decatur residents Robert and Pam Champion, whose son, Robert, died after a hazing ritual at FAMU, are the “grand walkers” for DeKalb Walks … for the Health of It on Sept. 8 at Exchange Park. The annual walk encourages residents to be more active by walking in county parks. This year it also is focusing on violence prevention. The Champions’ son, who was a drum major, was a graduate of Southwest DeKalb High. He died in November. More than a dozen people have been charged in the case. District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson launched DeKalb Walks Initiative in 2005 in response to a Status of Health Report that showed that South DeKalb residents suffered from a high incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack and stroke. “This is the seventh year of this initiative and we are seeing more and more people making walking a part of their daily routine,” Johnson said, adding that this year’s walk also is focusing on the prevention of violence, a serious public health problem. Johnson has a background in public health. Registration for DeKalb Walks, which is free and open to the public, begins at 8:30 a.m. and the walk starts at 9. Cash prizes ranging from $25 to $250 will be awarded to the group with the most team members participating and to individuals through drawings. Exchange Park is at 2771 Columbia Drive in Decatur. For more information or to pre-register, call 404-371-2425.

A blighted apartment complex on North Decatur Road will give way to a park soon. DeKalb County government acquired the 7.5acre site for $247,000 by paying off back taxes on the abandoned property. The previous owner’s redevelopment project failed during the collapse of the real estate market and the abandoned property deteriorated beyond repair. The funds to acquire the property, which has frontage on Rockbridge Road, came from Commission District 6 reserve funds. Commissioner Kathie Gannon, who represents the district, called the price “a relative bargain.” “In the near future we will have stabilized this community and added a recreation amenity for the citizens of central DeKalb County and District 6,” she said. Gannon said the county will use federal Neighborhood Stabilization Funds to demolish the buildings and haul away the debris and that the county’s Recreation and Parks Department will engage the surrounding neighborhood in plans for the property. The apartment complex on North Decatur Road was a victim of the real estate bust.

Oliver was acting recklessly with the gun, pointing it “inches away” from his young cousin’s head. “We do believe it was an accidental discharge,” Pattillo said. “We don’t believe Mr. Oliver intended to kill his cousin; however the gross recklessness and conscious disregard of human life really makes the state feel that this is not the type of case that warrants first-offender treatment.” Ramos told the judge that she still cares for Oliver but is still working on forgiving him. “It’s hard, but he’s a child,” she said. “I don’t want to see him lose his whole life, but he still needs to pay the consequence.”

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September 1, 2012

“We also became more aware of how important it is to nurture and care for the democratic process.”

Lithonia mayor called to GMA council Election director Lithonia Mayor Deborah Jackson guidance and input to GMA’s legislative has been appointed to the Georgia Mustaff during the legislative session. nicipal Association’s Legislative Policy GMA Executive Director Lamar Council. Norton said Jackson has extensive The council is responsible for proknowledge of both municipal issues and posing the association’s legislative platthe legislative process, “making her an form and engaging city officials in the outstanding candidate for the Legislative legislative process year-round. Policy Council.” The Legislative Policy Council, a “The leadership she provides will be Deborah Jackson grass-roots lobbying effort, is the focal an asset to cities in her area of the state point of the association’s legislative policy effort. throughout the legislative process,” he said. It combines the efforts and input of GMA’s six The Atlanta-based nonprofit provides legislastanding policy committees with its district out- tive advocacy, educational, employee benefit and reach program. In addition, the council provides consulting services to 515 member cities.

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PTA stalwart gets White House honor

Advertising Sales Kathy E. Warner

Georgia PTA District 11 Director Deirdre Pierce was among 12 parents honored by the White House as “Champions of Change” last month. Pierce, who was president of the DeKalb PTA Council from 2004-2008, was singled out for the time and effort she puts into supporting children’s education. She was one of 150 PTA leaders from 41 states, the Deirdre Pierce District of Columbia, and U.S. military bases overseas who received a daylong briefing at the White House on Aug. 10. PTA comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders. As part of the daylong program, 12 parents

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were recognized as “Champions of Change.” The awardees shared their stories with administration officials and PTA members across the country. In a blog post on the White House Web site, Pierce wrote that it wasn’t until she became an adult, graduated from college, began working, had children of her own and began volunteering in neighborhood schools that she fully realized the plight of children. “Rather than turn a blind eye, I chose to get personally involved and try to make a difference,” she wrote. “Volunteering led to even more involvement in PTA, then to substitute teaching.” The Champions program was created to honor ordinary Americans doing great work in their communities. Each week, a different sector is highlighted and groups of Champions are recognized.

Hall of Fame for retired DeKalb teacher Retired DeKalb teacher Zehline Davis is now a member of the West Virginia All Black School Sports and Academic Hall of Fame. Davis, a retired elementary school teacher, was recognized for academic achievements and awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award during the Aug. 3-5 induction festivities at the Charleston Marriott Hotel and Zehline Davis Resort in Charleston. The Lifetime Achievement Award is the highest honor and the most prestigious award given by Hall of Fame board. Before retiring in May 2009, she taught for 10

Quick Read

years at DeKalb’s Hambrick Elementary in Stone Mountain and before that in Springfield, Mass., and in Fulton County. Davis said she was honored to be recognized and credited the colleagues she worked with. “This award is based on everything I learned from those teachers,” she said. Davis was nominated for the award by Garnet High, where she graduated in 1955. Her induction will be featured in the Dunbar School Dr. A.J. Major Historical Education Museum’s “All Black Schools” documentary in Charleston. The Hall of Fame researches and preserves the history of black education in West Virginia prior to the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education case that desegregated U.S. education.

gets high national certification DeKalb County elections director Maxine Daniels is now a Certified Elections/Registration Administrator, the highest professional certification for election officials nationally. The designation was awarded to her on Aug. 17 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel in Boston. She was one of 57 people who received the Maxine Daniels designation. The CERA designation is achieved only through a multiyear course of study conducted by the Election Center’s Professional Education Program and completion of 12 core courses taught by the Master of Public Administration faculty at Auburn University in Alabama. The intent of the program is to promote and preserve public trust in the democratic process. R. Doug Lewis, the Election Center’s director, said 734 election officials now have the designation. Nationally, there are 21,000 elections and voter registration officials. “This is an outstanding accomplishment,” he said. Daniels, who has worked for the DeKalb Election office since 2001, said it was one of the most challenging education programs she ever participated in. “We covered the law and ethical considerations in how to better serve the public,” she said. “We also became more aware of how important it is to nurture and care for the democratic process.” DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis applauded and congratulated Daniels on her achievement. “Maxine Daniels regularly goes above and beyond the call of duty to ensure the highest degree of professionalism and efficiency in the operation of DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections,” Ellis said. Daniels said it’s her great honor to ensure that the public’s will is accurately reflected in the elections. “My role is to dignify all potential voters and to remove as many barriers as possible to participation in the democratic process.”

Doctors prescribe books and reading aloud to kids 1

Mentoring program seeks girls

Doctors and nurses at Decatur Pediatric Group are sending families home with more than well checkups.

Ninth- and 10th-grade girls can apply for the Decatur/DeKalb Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women’s Legacy Program, a youth mentoring program.

Moreland Avenue is getting a makeover. The DeKalb Board of Commissioners approved a $187,450 contract to landscape the median to south of Cedar Grove Road.

Teen gets 10 years in cousin’s fatal shooting

Prolific poet’s life, work on display in Emory exhibit 9

School bus drivers ready to rumble

DeKalb Schools bus driver Gloria Powell was about to board her bus at 6:30 a.m. on April 30 in the East Campus parking lot when an intruder already on the darkened bus startled her.

School wins energy competition

Champion Middle School will get a $500 check at its Sept. 6 PTSA meeting for winning the national Biggest Loser Energy Competition. Circulation Audited By

Makeover for Moreland Avenue

Seventeen-year-old Charlie Oliver will spend the next 10 years of his life in prison after pleading guilty to shooting and killing his 8-year-old cousin.

Fans of poet Lucille Clifton can see rare unpublished poems and some of her earliest children’s books at an exhibit of her work at Emory University.

Labor of Love for unemployed

Keep DeKalb Beautiful open house 9

Thousands of unemployed and underemployed metro Atlantans are expected to attend Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless’ second annual Labor of Love.

Residents passionate about the upkeep of their neighborhoods can attend a Keep DeKalb Beautiful open house on Sept. 11 in Decatur.

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CrossRoadsNews

September 1, 2012

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Finance

“One thing we know for certain is that most people want the opportunity to be gainfully employed and successful in their lives.”

Labor of Love for unemployed Thousands of unemployed and underemployed metro Atlantans are expected to attend Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless’ second annual Labor of Love on Sept. 3. The Labor Day event, which provides food for the needy and job readiness training, takes place at Aaron’s Amphitheater at Lakewood in Atlanta from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It takes place in partnership with the Georgia Afemo Omilami Department of Labor and Convoy of Hope. Afemo Omilami, HFTH’s chief operating officer, said Labor of Love is designed to support, encourage and honor everyday workers who are the country’s backbone. “One thing we know for certain is that

most people want the opportunity to be gainfully employed and successful in their lives,” Omilami said in an Aug. 24 statement. Job counselors from the Department of Labor’s North Metro Center will offer resume writing and interviewing tips. They also will advise attendees on how to complete job applications and the best ways to dress successfully for an interview. Convoy of Hope, a faith-based nonprofit, will give bags of groceries to at least 1,500 families. Its goal is to provide help and hope to people in need. Georgia’s unemployment rate is 9 percent, exceeding the national average, which is 8.2 percent. For more information, call Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless at 404755-3353.

Makeover for Moreland Avenue Moreland Avenue is getting a makeover. The DeKalb Board of Commissioners approved a $187,450 contract to Ed Castro Landscape Inc. on Aug. 28 to landscape the median between Bailey Street to south of Cedar Grove Road. The company will add new ground cover and plant shrubbery along the route, which is also State Route 42. Commissioner Larry Johnson, whose

District 3 includes the area, said he is committed to its revitalization efforts. “Moreland Avenue is a gateway into DeKalb from neighboring counties and we should do all we can to make this area inviting and attractive to businesses and investors,” he said after the vote. Moreland Avenue is home to many industrially zoned properties and businesses adjacent to residential communities.

National nod for businesswoman DeKalb County businesswoman Denise DeBurst Gines has been named a 2013 Top Ten Business Woman of the Year by the American Business Women’s Association. DeBurst Gines, president of the ABWA’s Hidden Hills chapter, is the owner of Lasting Legacies LLC, a video autobiography production company that creates family legacies through video and family genealogy photo books for anyone from any com- D. DeBurst Gines munity. For the past six years, she has been a producer/interviewer for the HistoryMakers, the nation’s largest African-American oral history archive. DeBurst Gines said she is humbled to be recognized. “I just do what I do best and love what I do both professionally and personally,” she said. She said ABWA gives her a platform and a

September 1, 2012

sisterhood, which encourages her to strive to more than she imagined she could do. The ABWA’s Top Ten Business Women is a national program that honors 10 outstanding members for achieving excellence in career, education and community involvement. DeBurst Gines is the Hidden Hills Chapter’s 2012 Woman of the Years as well as the 2012 Woman of Year for the Atlanta Area Council of ABWA. She is also a former board member of the Atlanta Urban League Guild and is a trained volunteer HIV/AIDS prevention counselor who administers HIV tests and conducts seminars on women and HIV/AIDS during community awareness programs with AID Atlanta. René Street, ABWA executive director, said it is a privilege to recognize outstanding women. For more information, visit www .abwa.org.

Come experience Stone Mountain’s Best-Kept Secret for chef inspired Caribbean-Fusion cuisine, Specialty Cocktails and Extensive Wine List

Health care talk for Stonecrest group “Health Care Reform – How Does It Impact Your Business?” will be discussed at the Sept. 12 meeting of the Stonecrest Business Alliance. The meeting takes place from 8:30 to 10 a.m. at Fairfield Inn & Suites near the Mall at Stonecrest in Lithonia. Panelists include state Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick; Sabrina Scott, a practice administrator and hearing officer for the Department of Community Health; insurance representatives; and Dr. Al Scott, president and CEO of DeKalb Women’s Specialists. Greg Mosely, an employee benefits broker and counselor with W.S. Pharr & Co., and Fred Bland, president of Bland and Associ-

ates Inc. also will make presentations. A continental breakfast will be served. The nonprofit alliance is made up of business owners, landowners, residents and other stakeholders. It is working on a creating a Community Improvement District to push for growth and development. In February, the Stonecrest area received a $100,000 Livable Centers Initiative grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission to study a growth strategy for a live-work-play community anchored by the 1.3 million square-foot Mall at Stonecrest. For more information and to register for the meeting, visit www.stonecrestbusiness alliance.com or R.S.V.P. at 404-368-7033.

SBA webinars focus on disasters A series of free webinars in September may help business owners prepare for and rebound quickly from any kind of disaster. The U.S. Small Business Administration and Agility Recovery are hosting the preparedness planning series in collaboration with FEMA’s Ready Campaign as part of National Preparedness Month. SBA says it wants to help business owners take charge of the well-being of their companies, the safety of employees, and the sustenance of local economies by being prepared to rebound quickly from catastrophes. This summer, millions of businesses across the country were forced to close their doors in the aftermath of power outages, approaching wildfires, and flooding caused

by tropical storms. The webinars will be held Wednesdays at 2 p.m., followed by Q&A sessions: n Sept. 5 – “10 Steps to Prepare Any Organization for Disaster” with an introduction from James Rivera, associate administrator for SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance. n Sept. 12 – “Protecting Your Organization by Preparing Your Employees.” n Sept. 19 – “Utilization of Social Media During a Crisis.” n Sept. 26 – “Surviving a Crisis, Large or Small: Real Life Lessons Learned.” Business owners who recovered from disasters will discuss proactive emergency planning. To register, visit www2.agilityrecovery .com/npm.

New faces at DeKalb Chamber The DeKalb Chamber of Commerce has new managers for marketing and publication and administration and special projects. Noelle Lloyd is the new marketing and public relations manager, while Noelle Lloyd Bianca Mallory is the administration/special projects manager. They replace longtime employees Kim Davis-Mitchell and Janniece Leonard, who left the chamber after nine years in early August as part of a reorganization. Leonardo McClarty, the chamber’s president, said Lloyd and Mallory bring new ideas and insights that will help the chamber improve its offerings to members. Lloyd, who has worked with Fox Chicago News, the Chicago White Sox and Loyola University Medical Center’s Credit Union, began work Aug. 27. She is responsible for managing outreach and communication, media relations and social media strategy.

Mallory’s diverse background includes serving as a paralegal and executive assistant and project manager for a technology and gaming company. She is pursuing a bachelor’s in paralegal studies from Kaplan University. Bianca Mallory McClarty said the departures and arrivals will help the chamber address the complex issues of the future both within the membership and the DeKalb County community. He said that it is common and natural to question change. “Let me reassure you that your chamber is doing fine,” he wrote in an e-mail to members. “We enter the second half of the year ahead of our budgeted plan. After much discussion at the board of director level, it was determined that … we must restructure. This decision was undoubtedly difficult and taxing, yet it is one that we believe will position us for future growth.”

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Thank you for your continued interest in the MARTA I-20 East Transit Initiative! With significant stakeholder and public input, the study has identified a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for transit improvements in the I-20 East Corridor: an extension of the existing MARTA rail line from the Indian Creek Station to the Mall at Stonecrest, and new Bus Rapid Transit service along I-20 between downtown Atlanta and Wesley Chapel Road. As the project moves into environmental studies, the public is invited to attend one of the upcoming Public Scoping Meetings to learn about the LPA, and discuss any environmental or community concerns in the study area. If you are unable to attend any of the meetings advertised, please provide your written comments to Janide Sidifall, Office of Transit Systems Planning, MARTA, 2424 Piedmont Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30324-3330, by October 15, 2012. For more information or to submit comments online at the project website, visit: http://www.itsmarta.com/120-east-corr.aspx.

Monday, September 10 6-7 PM: Open House 7-8 PM: Presentation & Q/A Trees Atlanta 225 Chester Avenue Atlanta, GA 30316 Tuesday, September 11 6-7 PM: Open House 7-8 PM: Presentation & Q/A Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center 3181 Rainbow Drive Decatur, GA 30034 Thursday, September 13 6-7 PM: Open House 7-8 PM: Presentation & Q/A Lou Walker Senior Center 2538 Panola Road Lithonia, GA 30058

CrossRoadsNews

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CrossRoadsNews

Schools

September 1, 2012

“Why are they constantly getting raises and we are getting deductions? “How come they deserve raises and we don’t.”

School Board chairman urges workers to document complaints BUS DRIVERS,

from page

ODE represents 3,500 DeKalb School System employees, including teachers, paraprofessionals, custodians, bus drivers, secretaries, cafeteria workers and administrators. It is Georgia’s largest teachers organization. Members pay $600 a year to join and their dues are collected by the school district through payroll deductions. Joel Edwards, one of the organizers of Monday’s meeting, said the WORC invited Schutten to the meeting but that he declined to attend. “He said it was a trap,” Edwards told the meeting. “How can it be a trap if all his members are here. He Joel Edwards must be scared of something.” Schutten said Edwards only told part of their conversation. He said he had never met Edwards and Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews didn’t know who he was and asked to meet Schoolbus driver Gloria Powell talks about having her time sheet changed after she hurt herself with him ahead of Monday’s meeting. running from an intruder on her bus that was parked overnight on a lot on Memorial Drive. Schutten said Edwards refused. “How can I meet with someone I know said. “It’s not just the bus drivers.” “There is a lot of frustration because of nothing about?” Schutten said. Mary Powell, a 15-year bus driver, also the severe budget situation facing the disrushed to her feet. trict,” he said. ‘There is a lot of frustration’ “They are going to cut our money same “It’s been causing problems. This situaGloria Acker, who has been driving a like they did to our insurance,” she said. tion has been years in the making. Nobody is DeKalb Schools bus for 23 years, got up at “Everybody is fed up. We need a union being insensitive. There is a limited amount the meeting to say she heard that the bus tonight.” of dollars to go around.” drivers are going to get a 6.5 percent pay cut The room erupted in cheers. School Board Chairman Eugene Walker on Sept. 13. Richard Johnson, who has been driving a said that the district has procedures for “Why are they constantly getting raises school bus for five years, said School Board handling grievances and that the bus drivers and we are getting deductions?” she asked. members and the superintendent also should need to use them. “How come they deserve raises and we share the burdens. “They have to be documented,” he said. don’t.” “If they care about the kids, why don’t “If anybody is messing with their time cards, She said that the district doesn’t tell driv- they take a pay cut, too,” he said. they have to report it. That is against the ers what is happening. law.” “They post everything on the Web site Serious communication problem Walker said that everybody is taking a hit and a lot of us are not Internet-savvy,” she Schutten said that the ODE is aware of because of the financial problems facing the said. some of the issues facing the bus drivers and district but that talk of a 6.5 percent pay cut The bus drivers also said they haven’t that they met with school district transpor- for bus drivers is just not true. received a pay raise in seven years and now tation director Daniel Drake on Aug. 23 to “They have a reduction from 180 days have to pay 100 percent for their health and discuss some payroll issues and to request to 178 days,” he said. “That’s a 1.1 percent dental insurance.They also said that they that drivers be given updated handbooks decrease in pay.” heard that School Superintendent Cheryl outlining all policies and procedures. Walker said the disaffection shows that Atkinson had received a bonus. He said that last year ODE had com- the district has a serious communication As part of its austerity measures to bal- plaints about time sheet tampering but that problem with its employees, which it needs ance its $760 million 2012-2013 budget, the he hasn’t had any complaints from members to fix. district eliminated health and dental insur- about that this school year. He said he understands that the lowestance subsidies for all employees. Schutten said ODE represents about 300 paid workers would be the hardest hit by the Schutten said bus drivers, like teachers of the district’s nearly 900 school bus drivers cuts in pay and benefits. and administrators, now have to pay $51.59 who pay dues. “That is why I fought the health insur– $35.47 for health insurance and $16.02 for Schutten said he wasn’t surprised to hear ance cuts so hard,” he said. “I regret that dental – monthly. that more than 320 people attended the they have to pay for health and dental, but “Everybody has to pay that amount,” he WORC meeting. we have some tremendous hits at the local levels. We are not singling out transportation workers. The intent is not to do them harm. Everybody is being impacted.”

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Treatment of workers To questions from the audience about how to form a union “tomorrow,” Edwards said he didn’t want to talk about forming a union at that meeting. He said that they were researching ODE’s role and how to proceed and that another meeting would be called later. Edwards said the school district does not treat bus drivers right. “They call bus operators, mechanics,

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cafeteria workers and custodians the lower echelon,” he said. “But you are just as important and they got to treat you fairly.” Edwards told the meeting that he understands that DeKalb County is in a financial crisis, but it can’t mistreat employees. “They can’t scratch out your time sheets,” he said. “That’s a wage and hour dispute.” Edwards, who said he retired from MARTA after 28 years, said he got involved because a school bus driver called him to say he was removed from driving because of mental issues. “Come to find out that this individual who removed him was not a doctor and there had been no medical evaluation,” Edwards said. “This man was Bus Driver for the Year and had been working for nine years. They had padded his record with ‘he said, she said.’” Edwards said the man, whom he did not identify, got his job back. Edwards said he was mentored by late civil rights activists James Orange and Hosea Williams and that workers rights and civil rights go hand in hand. “DeKalb County jumped on animal rights, but your problems are put on the back burner,” he said. He told the workers to stand tall and protect their co-workers “whether they like them or not” and to document everything, especially issues of safety. “If you walk around with their backs bent, somebody will ride you,” he said. “No one can ride you if you stand up.” William Pringle, another WORC community advocate who retired from MARTA after 30 years, told the crowd that God has already given them victory but that they also have to get involved on their own behalf. “How many of you William Pringle go to the School Board meeting where they are making the decisions that affect you?” he asked. “If you come and ask me for my vote, I am going to hold you accountable.” Pringle said he is advocating for the children and told the crowd that they will get their union if they get on one accord. “The first person our children see in the mornings is the bus driver,” he said. “You have got to start locking hands. You can’t be afraid.” Annette Davis Jackson, who calls herself an education community advocate, said Georgia is a right-to-work state. “Can we change that?” she asked. “Yes,” the crowd roared Annette Jackson back. After the meeting, Schutten said a number of cafeteria workers and custodians called him to say that they didn’t want to be a part of what the WORC was doing. “We have had a flurry of requests for application forms,” he said.

CrossRoadsNews

September 1, 2012

Scene

The evening’s music will pay homage to the jazz legends from the 1930s to 2000s with live bands, vocals and swing dancing.

Prolific poet’s life and work on display in Emory exhibit Fans of poet Lucille Clifton can see rare unpublished poems and some of her earliest children’s books at an exhibit of her work at Emory University. “Come celebrate with me: The Work of Lucille Clifton” is now on show in the Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library Gallery on Level 10 of the Robert W. Woodruff Library. Clifton, who was born in 1936 and died in 2010, was a prolific and widely respected poet whose work emphasizes endurance and strength through adversity, focusing particularly on African-American experience and family life. She won the prestigious Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize in 2007. The Emory exhibit, which opened Aug. 28, features poems she wrote in the 1950s to her last in 2010; limited edition books and previously unseen childhood photographs; and her 2000 National Book Award. It coincides with the release of “The Col-

Lucille Clifton, who died in 2010, wrote about the African-American experience and family life.

lected Poems of Lucille Clifton 1965-2010,” co-edited by Kevin Young, a poet, Emory professor of English and creative writing, and curator of the MARBL literary collections and the Raymond Danowski Poetry Library. The book contains more than 700 pages of Clifton’s poems, including 62 unpublished poems – 27 from her early years of writing, 35 from her later years until her death two years ago. A smaller companion exhibit of

Clifton’s children’s books called “She Sang So Sweet: Lucille Clifton’s Children’s Literature,” will run in the Corridor Gallery of Woodruff Library, near the main entrance on Level 2, beginning in mid-September. Clifton, whose first book of poetry was published in 1969, is best known for her distinctive lowercase style and poems such as “homage to my hips” and “won’t you celebrate with me.” Her powerful, pared-down poems describe her experience as an African-American woman in the 20th century, some told simply yet profoundly, others with earthy humor. The Buffalo, N.Y., native became wellknown through appearances on television shows such as “Nightline” and Bill Moyers’ “The Power of the Word.” Her writing has been published in more than 100 poetry anthologies. The Robert W. Woodruff Library is at 540 Asbury Circle in Atlanta. For more information, visit www.news.emory.edu.

homage to my hips By Lucille Clifton these hips are big hips they need space to move around in. they don’t fit into little petty places. these hips are free hips. they don’t like to be held back. these hips have never been enslaved, they go where they want to go they do what they want to do. these hips are mighty hips. these hips are magic hips. i have known them to put a spell on a man and spin him like a top! “homage to my hips” from Good Woman. Copyright © 1987 by Lucille Clifton.

Stompin’ at Savoy tickets on sale Ex-USDA official to sign book Major, singer Lionel Tickets and sponJones, Melvin Miller sor opportunities are and Jazz Collective now available for the band, line dancers, the annual “Stompin’ at Beulah Boys, and the the Savoy” at the HolSensational Divas. iday Inn Perimeter The foundation will Atlanta. award 2012 trailblazer The event that enawards to Gwen Keyes courages patrons to Fleming, Environmendress up in Roaring tal Protection Agency ’20s outfits takes place Region 4 administrator; Nov. 10. Tickets are Willie A. Watkins of $55 and proceeds benWillie Watkins Funeral efit projects of Howey Home; and Green PasHudson Lowe Fountures Christian Church dation. senior pastor Collette L. The fund-raiser is Gunby. in its eighth year. The Holiday Inn The foundation Stompin’ at the Savoy revelers go all out Perimeter Atlanta is works to help home- with their Roaring ’20s costumes. at 4386 Chamblee Dunwoody Road in Atless people attain self-sufficiency. The evening’s music will pay homage to lanta. For more information and to purchase the jazz legends from the 1930s to 2000s with tickets, visit www.howeyhudsonlowe.org or live bands, vocals and swing dancing. Performers include jazz violinist Delores call Brenda Jackson at 770-808-0114.

Keep DeKalb Beautiful open house Residents passionate about the upkeep of their neighborhoods can attend a Keep DeKalb Beautiful open house on Sept. 11 in Decatur. The nonprofit is seeking highly motivated, environmentally conscious individuals to volunteer, work on committees and become board members and help keep the county beautiful. Keep DeKalb Beautiful connects people and businesses with resources that promote

sustainability. It focuses on litter prevention, waste reduction/recycling, beautification and other community improvement projects. The one-hour open house takes place at DeKalb Transfer Station, Sanitation Division, at 3720 Leroy Scott Drive. It starts at 5:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served. R.S.V.P. is required by Sept. 7. For more information or to R.S.V.P., e-mail kdb@ dekalbcountyga.gov or call 404-371-2654.

Classes begin September 10 ONLINE in DeKalb, Gwinnett and Henry Counties. Visit WWW.MWENOW.COM or call 770-972-0091 for complete details.

MINISTRY WITH EXCELLENCE

MWE SCHOOL OF MINISTRY ATTN: TEACHERS, PREACHERS, LEADERS AND CHURCH MEMBERS

Former USDA official Shirley Sherrod will discuss and sign copies of her new book, “The Courage to Hope,” on Sept. 5 at the Central Library of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library in Atlanta. Sherrod is the former director of rural development in Georgia for the U.S. DepartShirley Sherrod ment of Agriculture. She was forced to resign in July 2010 over allegations of racism after an edited video posted online showed her saying that she

had given minimal support to a white farmer who sought her help. In the unedited version of the video, Sherrod was talking about how she had learned to help everyone, regardless of their race. Her firing and her subsequent refusal to return to the USDA after formal apologies sparked much controversy. Copies of “The Courage to Hope” will be on sale at the 6:30 p.m. program. The Central Library of the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library is at 1 Margaret Mitchell Square in Atlanta. For more information, call 404-7301906.

Celebrate Life!

Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts

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Memorial Planting

Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts’ Peace Garden 5616 Memorial Drive Stone Mountain, GA 30083

September 8, 2012 10am

Plant Your Plant…

In Memory of Your Loved One This year’s planting features live performances and local vendors including Pac’s Kids, Jewelry Designs by Valerie, self-help author Emma Walker of Depression No More, and many more! For vendor opportunities or more information visit www.tasf.org , email vwcambridge@tasf.org, or call 404.298.4222 M-Sat. 12pm-5pm.

No previous gardening experience is necessary. Certiﬁed Master Gardeners will be on-site.

CrossRoadsNews

September 1, 2012

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CrossRoadsNews

September 1, 2012

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279 Candler Road Atlanta, GA 30317

FOR RENT / LEASE

YOUTH SERVICES

Furnished Office Suites For Rent from $350

★ High visibility from I-20. Minutes from The Mall at Stonecrest. ★ Ideal Office location for Lawyers, Accounting Firms, Real Estate Companies, Insurance Agencies, Auto Brokers, Architects, Engineers, Business/Life Style Consultants and other Corporate (for profit and not for profit) Executive Office Use.

SALE ENDS SEPTEMBER 30, 2012

Parents, are you looki program for your child ag – Teen Reach is for you. Our program is desig child’s skills in a variety o spiritual, social, cultural, health. Space is limi Call Kathy at and Nall at 770-482-5333, or e triteens13@yahoo.com. 404-284-1888 to find out how. Meets bi-monthly on in a friendly and caring a shops are conducted by Recommended for teen a heavy schedule of e

• Monitored Entry From 9-5 • 24/7 Key Card Access

For Information, contact James Burroughs jamesburroughs@burroughslaw.com • 770-484-4044 / 678-938-2281

(near Memorial Drive)

Free Fabric with Upholstery

THIS SIZE AD FOR ONLY

6440 Old Hillandale Drive, Lithonia

• Free Wi-Fi • Free Parking • On Site Property Manager

John Is Back!

✓ Dress Fabric ✓ Designer Fabric ✓ Upholstery Fabric ✓ Drapery Fabric

DLE

WANTED

YOUTH SERVICES

“Mount up with wings as eagles!”

100!

CrossRoadsNews

DEKALB COUNTY’S

, It s the

September 1, 2012

ONLY DEALER! FORD LINCOLN

A Division of Malcolm Cunningham Ford

Only At

YOUR FIRST, LAST AND ONLY STOP! WE NOW RENT

EXTENDED THROUGH LABOR DAY

THE TRUCKS ARE OUT, THE TAILGATES ARE OPEN

AND THE GRILLS ARE ON!

30%

OFF MSRP

On EVERY New F-150 And On EVERY New Focus 3 ! 3 XLT In Stock! B 1 A , C nt cou Dis = m a h h ing Cas unn koff m C 00 Kic l o c l Ma - $10 000 ate - $7 y Reb 3 ,63 tor $36 Fac RP 00 MS - $35

C 25 50 1 F 012 2 0 0 NEW A ON ,5 1 $1 8 8 ,8 E! 5 $ 1 FOCUS S 2 201 W E 0 AN N 0 O $ 62 E SALCE I R P

REW

BUY WITH

678.502.2005

NEED CREDIT?

0 DOWN! WE CAN HELP!!!

Example: 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300, STK#A3008. Buy for 72 months at 3.75% APR with $0 down is $379 per month. Plus tax, tag and title with approved credit.

2001 FORD

2004 FORD

MUSTANG GT

EXPLORER LIMITED

STK#A3001A

Leather, Sunroof, STK#A3015

3995

9995

2011 NISSAN

PRICES START

UNDER

5000

Example: 2004 Cadillac DTS, STK#A3010A. Sale Price $3995.

2005 MERCEDES-BENZ

C230 KOMPRESSOR

STK#A3066A

10,995

2010 TOYOTA

2007 FORD

EDGE

SENTRA

COROLLA

Super Gas Saver, Stylish, STK#A3053

Super Gas Saver, Nice & Clean, STK#A1995

OFF RP MS

816

12 TK#

T’S THA

12,995

2 To Choose $ From Starting At

cou Dis am ash = h g C in unn koff m C Kic lcol $1000 a M 86 e $32 bat 4 - ory Re 7 1 , t $22 Fac RP 00 MS - $20

E SALCE I PR

2007 CHRYSLER 300

T’S THA VER O

ALL NEW

2012 FORD

FIESTA SE

MPG HWY *

MSRP $19,404 - $3516 Malcolm Cunningham Discount - $1000 Factory Rebate - $1000 Kickoff Cash =

FREE BBQ! FRI. & SAT. NOON-5PM

ALL NEW

16,888 $ 7800

13,888

That’s Over

STK#124021

ALL NEW

2013 FORD

MUSTANG

FUSION SE

2012 FORD MSRP $24,764 - $3376 Malcolm Cunningham Discount - $3500 Factory Rebate - $1000 Kickoff Cash = Sale Price

ALL NEW

2013 FORD

MSRP $29,284 - $4396 Malcolm Cunningham Discount - $1000 Factory Rebate - $1000 Kickoff Cash =

EXPLORER

MSRP $31,529 - $3641 Malcolm Cunningham Discount - $1000 Factory Rebate - $1000 Kickoff Cash =

22,888

25,888

STK#133015

ALL NEW

FLEX

2012 FORD MSRP $35,769 - $3381 Malcolm Cunningham Discount - $4500 Factory Rebate - $1000 Kickoff Cash = Sale Price

26,888 $ 8800

That’s Over

STK#126716

Off MSRP!

STK#121142

Off MSRP!

STK#137030

ALL NEW

EXPEDITION

2012 FORD MSRP $47,139 - $5251 Malcolm Cunningham Discount - $5000 Factory Rebate - $1000 Kickoff Cash = Sale Price

35,888 $ 11,200

That’s Over

STK#125007

Off MSRP!

Plus tax, tag, and title with approved credit. Includes all factory rebates. *Based on 2012 EPA Estimates. See dealer for complete details. Expires 9/3/2012.

www.MalcolmCunninghamFord.com

2002 FORD THUNDERBIRD CONVERTIBLE $ Hard Top included and more, STK#A2024 ......... 16,995 2010 DODGE CHARGER

17,995 $ A Must See Clean, Luxury at its best! STK#A2080 18,995 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ C300 $ Leather, Sunroof, Sport Pkg, STK#A3006, 2 to choose from starting at 19,995 2008 INFINITI G37 $ Sunroof, Leather, NAV, CD and more, STK#A3024. 19,995 2007 BMW 530i $ Leather, Sunroof, Sporty, STK#A2093 ............... 20,995 2010 ACURA TSX $ Loaded, NAV, Sunroof, Leather & more, STK#A3013 20,999 2008 LEXUS RX 350 $ Great Luxury SUV, STK#A2092 ......................... 22,995 2008 LEXUS ES 350 $ STK#A3026 ...................................................... 21,995 2009 LINCOLN MKS $ THX Pkg, NAV, Backup Camera, Sunroof, Leather, STK#A3050 .. 21,995 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK350 $ Leather, Sunroof, STK#A3046 .......................... 22,995 2009 LEXUS ES 350 $ Leather, Sunroof, P/W, P/L and more, STK#A2072 23,595 2009 BMW 328i $ Sport Pkg, Leather, Sunroof, Luxury & Performance, STK#A3020 23,995 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ E350 $ Luxury, Luxury, Luxury, Loaded, Sport Pkg, STK#A3007 24,995 All Power, Upgraded Wheels, STK#A3072 ...........

2008 CADILLAC CTS

PLUS MANY, MANY MORE!

Prices plus tax, tag, and title. All offers with approved credit. *Offers expire 9/3/2012.

HEADLIGHT LENS CLEANING

OIL CHANGE FILTER AND TIRE ROTATION

29.95 $29.95

• Like new again • Lights brighter & clearer • Makes car look newer

Valid only at Malcolm Cunningham Auto Gallery. Must present coupon at time of write-up. Taxes and hazardous waste fees extra. Cannot be combined with other offers or promotions. Not retroactive. See dealership for full details. Expires 9/3/2012.

Up to 5qt. regular oil

(7 70) 987-9000

5675 Peachtree Industrial Blvd

770.621.0200

STK#A3034

13,995

I-20, Exit Wesley Chapel To Snapfinger Woods Drive

A Division of Malcolm Cunningham Ford

Sales Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-8pm • Closed Sunday

www. MalcolmCunninghamAutoGallery .com

4C (10.5”) × 16” 34741-MCAQ (9-1) Crossroads FC (gc)

124

# STK

THE TIME TO BUY IS NOW

8995 2004 ACURA TL $ STK#A3008A ......................................................... 9995 2005 TOYOTA SEQUOIA $ Leather, Sunroof, 4X4 STK#A3041 ........................ 9995 2006 HONDA ACCORD COUPE LX $ Low Miles, STK#A2051A ................................... 10,995 2008 KIA OPTIMA $ STK#A3045 ...................................................... 10,995 2006 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA $ Leather, Sunroof STK#A3044 ........................... 13,995 2009 HONDA CIVIC COUPE $ Sporty and a Great Gas Saver, STK#A2041........ 13,995 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E500 $ STK#C4291....................................................... 13,995 2009 TOYOTA CAMRY LE $ Loads of family fun!! STK#A2031 ...................... 14,555 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ E500 $ STK#A3001A, 2 to choose from starting at ........ 14,995 2004 CADILLAC CTS $ Ride in Style Every Day, Low Miles, STK#A2096. 14,995 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ C280 $ Leather, Sunroof, STK#A2097 ........................... 15,995 2009 HONDA ACCORD EX-L $ Loaded, Sunroof, Leather, Like new, STK#A2026 . 15,995 2011 NISSAN ALTIMA $ STK#A3058 ...................................................... 15,995 2008 HONDA ACCORD EX-L $ Leather, Sunroof and more!! STK#A2066 .......... 16,495 STK#A3057A ........................................................

OFF RP MS 1 76

12,995