Brookhaven Reporter www.ReporterNewspapers.net
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All aboard?
The plan man
How to ease traffic woes COMMENTARY 12
‘Afraid to death’ Students talk desegregation
JAN. 8 — JAN. 21, 2016 • VOL. 8 — NO. 1
COMMUNITY 13
My dad’s the new mayor!
COMMUNITY 5
Ernst helps kill Skyland bonds; DeKalb school system may buy building BY JOHN RUCH
johnruch@reporternewspapers,net
New Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst made his first big political move before even taking office, playing a key role in the City Council’s surprise killing of the Skyland Center purchase deal on Dec. 23. Meanwhile, it appears the building may be slipping from the city’s reach to become a new DeKalb County school. Before Ernst was sworn in as mayor on Jan. 4, the council met in a hastily called session and pulled the plug on a $3.3 million bond issuance for the 2600 Skyland Drive building. The council reversed its earlier position with a 3-1 re-vote, a dramatic turnaround from its unanimous approval of the deal just eight days earlier. A key factor was Ernst privately telling council members and former Mayor Rebecca Chase Williams that he would vote down the final bond contract when he took office, Williams said. “I had made some of my feelings known,” Ernst said in a recent interview. “My feel-
PHOTOS BY PHIL MOSIER
Above, from left, Judge Mike Jacobs swears in the new mayor of Brookhaven, John Ernst, right, with an assist from wife Monica Ernst, center. Right, Monica Ernst watches over the proceedings with son Evan, 3, on her lap, accompanied by son Jack, 5, far right, and family friend Avery Clockadale, 7, center.
SEE SKYLAND, PAGE 2
Expect political ‘nonsense’ in 2016 Legislature BY JOE EARLE
joeearle@reporternewspapers.net
Rep. Scott Holcomb says it’s simple. With a presidential primary scheduled for Georgia in March, “there’s likely to be a lot of nonsense” during the coming session of the state General Assembly, the DeKalb Democrat says. Political posturing is “already out there,” Holcomb said. His prediction for the 2016 Legislature? “I think it’s going to be a year not terribly impressive in terms of legislative accomplishment,” he said. “The shadow of the presidential primary is going to weigh heavily on the Gold Dome. You’re just going to see a lot of nonsense.” Still, state lawmakers are bound to do something during the 40 days they meet and debate the state’s business, even if it’s only to approve a state budget. And as legislators prepared for the start of the 2016 Georgia General Assembly,
set to start Jan. 11, there was plenty of new legislation being talked up. Local lawmakers said they expect to spend much of the session arguing over hot-button statewide issues such as gambling, the state budget, funding for education and merit pay for teachers. “I think it’s going to make for an interesting year,” Rep. Beth Beskin (R-Buckhead) said. “I really think education is going to be one of the big ones this year.” The proposal to allow casino gambling in Georgia “will be taken seriously,” Rep. Joe Wilkinson (R-Sandy Springs) said, but he and several other local lawmakers seemed unwilling to predict that it would pass this year. “I don’t see that happening in this session, particularly in an election SEE LAWMAKERS, PAGE 7
For this winter edition of our semiannual Education Guide, Reporter Newspapers introduces its first “20 Under 20,” a special feature adapted from our sister publication Atlanta INtown. Meet this group of extraordinary young people who are working to improve their communities. The section begins on page 15.