CrossRoadsNews, April 21, 2018 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

COMMUNITY

WELLNESS

Backing up Beyonce

Time to dump old drugs

Southwest DeKalb High alumni were playing in the band behind Queen Bey in her historic performance at Coachella. 4

Expired, unneeded or unwanted prescription medicine can be dropped off at six locations across DeKalb on April 28. 5

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

April 21, 2018

Volume 23, Number 51

Remake on the Lake

www.crossroadsnews.com

GPTC President Simama fired over ‘financial concerns’

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Jabari Simama and four others have been implicated over financial aid irregularities.

By Rosie Manins

In late February, Bates told county officials that he counted eight large and 40something small dead fish around the lake. Orthelus “T” Perdue, coordinator of DeKalb Watershed Management’s Engineering and Construction Management, which handled the restocking project, said the five fish species cost $1,500. He said the baby fish need time to grow. “You want to give them a chance to mate and develop,” Perdue said.

Dr. Jabari Simama, who led Georgia Piedmont Technical College for six years, has been removed from office because of financial aid irregularities at the college. The Technical College System of Georgia relieved Simama of his position on April 11 and immediately placed him on administrative leave. Immediately after the action, Mark D’Alessio, college system spokesman, said that TCSG’s Commissioner Matt Arthur removed Simama and suspended four others due to “big financial concerns” at the college. “We’ve decided that we are going to make a change in leadership there,” D’Alessio told The Covington News on April 12. Simama’s last official day of employment is May 11. He became GPTC’s president in 2012. The four college employees, who are suspended with pay, include Irvin Clark, vice president of economic development and dean of the college’s Newton County campus in Covington.

Please see LAKE, page 2

Please see SIMAMA, page 2

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Three-year-old Joel Rembert and his grandfather Steve Rembert help Greg Grimes (right) release fish into Clarkson Lake’s Crystal Pond on April 18.

Clarkston pond gets 1,600 new fish after sewage spill By Tekia L. Parks

In about two to three years, residents will be able to fish again in Clarkston Lake’s Crystal Pond. That’s how long it will take for 1,600 black crappie, bluegills, largemouth bass, red breast sunfish, and green sunfish to grow after DeKalb County restocked the lake on April 18. The replenishment comes two months after a 5,300-gallon sewage spill on Feb. 18 killed the fish in the pond. DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond, who

ordered the new fish from Little Rock, Ark., joined residents, Clarkston Mayor Ted Terry, City Manager Keith Barker, Clarkston Lake Committee chairperson Cathy Burroughs, other city officials, and Clarkston Shores Association for Wednesday’s “Official Fish Re-stocking Ceremony.” Anstey Bates, who lives directly behind the pond on Cleavemark Drive, was happy that Thurmond fulfilled his promise to restock the lake. “This is a wonderful example of community responsibility,” he said Wednesday.

Community

CrossRoadsNews

April 21, 2018

“We don’t need to pay someone half a million dollars, and if we’re giving away money, I’m at the front of that line.”

Stonecrest leaders fighting over how to manage SPLOST plan By Rosie Manins

City of Stonecrest staff and council members are battling over how the city’s estimated $47 million in SPLOST money will be managed, and by whom. The one-cent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax took effect April 1, but agreement was far off this week despite an April 16 council meeting that went past 1 a.m. Stonecrest, which formed in January 2017, is one of 12 municipalities that will get a portion of the six-year SPLOST that voters overwhelmingly approved in the November 2017 general election. The tax is projected to generate more than $630 million for DeKalb; based on its 2016 population of 53,000, Stonecrest’s share is around $47.7 million. Because it is the county’s largest city, Stonecrest is getting the largest share of SPLOST, second only to the county’s $388

million share for unincorporated areas. Without SPLOST, Stonecrest’s annual budget is just over $6 million. The city’s leaders are fighting over whether to manage SPLOST in-house or contract the project out, and the conflict is causing delay. Michael Harris, Stonecrest city manager, admitted at an April 11 special-called council work session that the city is behind schedule on developing and implementing a SPLOST plan. “Our impetus right now is to get started with the public input portion because quite frankly we are behind the eight-ball,” he said. At the April 16 council meeting, several motions on SPLOST failed because council members and Mayor Jason Lary could not reach a consensus. Lary, Harris and assistant city manager Plez Joyner want to undertake some of the SPLOST project management

in-house rather than pay Atlanta-based Grice Consulting Group to do the work. Grice, which has managed living and transportation plans for various metro Atlanta cities and counties including DeKa- Jason Lary lb, prepared a $4.4 million plan to manage Stonecrest’s SPLOST. Lary said Grice has been paid $40,000 from the Stonecrest general fund for preSPLOST preparation work. He said he does not support spending more money for work that can be done by city staff. “Half a million dollars for a transportation plan? No ma’am, no ma’am,” Lary said at the April 16 meeting. “We can pave a mile of Stonecrest roads for half a million dollars.” The mayor said a digital analysis of the

condition of Stonecrest’s roads can be undertaken instead for $50,000. “We don’t need to pay someone half a million dollars, and if we’re giving away money, I’m at the front of that line,” he said. Lary said that city staff should do the work that they can do “because this is protecting the actual tax dollar of the citizens.” The city’s in-house SPLOST plan, presented by Joyner at the April 11 work session, does not have everyone’s support. At the April 16 meeting, council members Diane Adoma, Rob Turner and Jazzmin Cobble voted to execute a SPLOST project management contract with Grice based on its $4.4 million proposal. That motion – opposed by Lary, George Turner and Jimmy Clanton – failed. At the work session, George Turner had voiced his preference for seeking professional guidance on managing SPLOST.

Friend arrested in shooting death Atlanta woman gets 15 years for of Redan High School student running over and killing friend Nicholas Glasco was shot Glasco in the chest at Dean Dunkley’s home on Old Friar Tuck Road in Stone Mountain. Family members said the teens had been friends for years.

Emily Cameron died after being run over after a dinner and drinks date with Tracy Mitchell.

By Rosie Manins By Tekia L. Parks

Redan High School student Dean Dunkley has been arrested in the death of fellow student and friend Nicholas Glasco. Glasco, 18, was shot and killed on April 14 at Dean Dunkley Dunkley’s home on Old Friar Tuck Road in Stone Mountain. Police spokesman Lt. Lonzy D. Robertson said Dunkley, also 18, was at the crime scene when police arrived and was taken in for

questioning by the homicide unit. He allegedly shot Glasco in the chest around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. The family said the teens had been friends for years. Dunkley was charged with murder and is in the DeKalb County Jail. Glasco, who would have turned 19 next week, was a senior at Redan High. He was set to graduate in May. His grandmother told WSB-TV that he was a kind boy. “He was mannered when around his family,” she said. “He never went out and hung out in the streets. He was a homebody.”

A dinner and drinks date between friends, which ended in fatality when one ran over the other, has resulted in a 15-year prison sentence for an Atlanta woman. Tracy Renee Mitchell, 47, was sentenced April 12 following her conviction earlier in the week on charges of homicide by vehicle in the first degree, hit-and-run, and reckless driving. On Nov. 11, 2015, Mitchell, who appeared to be drunk, left a restaurant after midnight with photographer friend Emily Cameron. The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office said Mitchell, who owned Bad Dog Taqueria in Emory Village at the time, re-

fused a restaurant manager’s offer of a ridesharing service and instead drove herself and Cameron home. At around 1:30 a.m., Mitchell turned onto Arizona Avenue near the Arizona Lofts in Candler Park, where Cameron lived. As Cameron, 33, exited the vehicle, Mitchell suddenly accelerated in Tracy R. Mitchell reverse, throwing her from the car. Mitchell ran over Cameron’s body after striking a vehicle parked in the street. “When the defendant’s car came to rest, she exited the car, stood over her friend’s lifeless body, returned to the driver’s seat, and fled the scene,” the DeKalb DA’s office said April 16. Surveillance cameras captured footage of the incident. Cameron died at the scene and Mitchell, with an attorney at her side, surrendered to authorities later the next day. During the trial, Mitchell blamed a vehicle defect for the sudden acceleration and resulting crash, but testimony from the vehicle’s manufacturer refuted that claim. DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Daniel Coursey sentenced Mitchell to 15 years in prison. The case was prosecuted by senior assistant district attorney Josh Geller with assistance from assistant district attorney Jep Bendinger and district attorney investigator Terri Jackson. Detective Tom Gleason of the Atlanta Police Department led the initial investigation.

Crystal Pond restocked after fish kill State audits reveal issues at GPTC LAKE,

from page

Robert Winfrey, who lives on Norman Road and is an avid fisherman, made sure that DeKalb Watershed Management cleaned up the dead fish in the pond after the spill. He was there for the restocking ceremony and said he is thankful for the hard work put into cleaning up the lake. “We couldn’t have cleaned this place up without the help day after day,” he said. The sewage spill was caused by grease, disposable diapers and wipes that blocked an 8-inch sewer main and precipitated the overflow from a manhole near the lake. The county said the remediation and restoration efforts were completed in 28 days and that it is focused on completing additional assessments and repairs to prevent future spills. At Wednesday’s restocking event, Thurmond apologized to the residents for any

SIMAMA,

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

A fishing supply employee holds some of the 1,600 fish that were released on April 18.

inconvenience they may have suffered after the spill. He said the lake is better than ever after the restoration. “I think we have a cleaner, purer, more populated pond than we had to begin with,” Thurmond said. For more information, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/watershed-management/ fats-oils-and-grease-fog.

from page

TCSG oversees the state’s 22 technical colleges. GPTC, which is headquartered in Clarkston, has 8,000 students enrolled in credit programs and more than 9,000 in adult education and continuing education classes spanning more than 120 occupations. The college, which has more than 260 full-time and about 660 part-time faculty and staff, also operates nine centers of learning in DeKalb, Newton, Rockdale and Morgan counties. Its 50,000-square-foot South DeKalb campus opened in August 2015 on Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur. Simama, a former Atlanta City Council member, was former DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis’ chief of staff from 2009 to 2012. He also did a brief stint as DeKalb County’s deputy chief operating officer of develop-

ment. During his GPTC tenure he was credited with embracing innovative ideas to train and retrain workers. D’Alessio said there are no plans yet for replacing Simama. Ivan Allen, president Jabari Simama of Central Georgia Technical College in Warner Robins, will lead an assessment team to oversee Georgia Piedmont until a new president is put in place. D’Alessio said there’s no reason for students on financial aid to worry at this time. After state audits revealed issues at GPTC, the U.S. Department of Education reportedly put the college on heightened cash monitoring status in March, requiring additional oversight of the college’s finances.

April 21, 2018

Community

CrossRoadsNews

“Continuing the strike does hurt them, certainly so, if they want to be employed by DeKalb County Schools.”

DeKalb school bus drivers’ sickout causes disruptions By Rosie Manins

DeKalb school bus drivers who called in sick on April 19 disrupted school operations in their fight for better pay, retirement plans and working conditions. On the first day of a planned three-day sickout, 383 or 42 percent of DeKalb School District’s 908 bus drivers did not report to work causing delays of up to an hour for students to get to class. The drivers said they will also call in sick on April 20 and 23. Each school day, 66,500 students ride 1,084 district buses to and from 180 schools and district centers. School Superintendent Dr. R. Stephen Green said the drivers who participated in Thursday’s sickout put students in harm’s way and would face punishment. “To those who opted not to come to work toR. Stephen Green day, you have willingly put our students in harm’s way,” he said at a news conference just before noon. “This is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.” Green said extra drivers were called in, and that the delays would be reduced Thursday afternoon for the ride home from school.

Rosie Manins/CrossRoadsNews

DeKalb School buses sat idle on April 19 after 383 of the district’s 908 bus drivers called in sick to press their demands for better pay, retirement benefits and working conditions.

He said drivers who called in sick must provide a doctor’s note and those without would face penalties ranging from reprimand to termination. “Continuing the strike does hurt them, certainly so, if they want to be employed by DeKalb County Schools,” he said. Green said it is illegal in Georgia for any public employee to “promote, encourage, or participate in any strike.” Bus driver and union representative Sheila Bennett did not respond to a request for comment Thursday, but she told media

on April 18 that drivers are “sick and tired” of their demands being ignored. The Organization of DeKalb Educators, which provides representation, support, training and lobbying for the county’s education staff, said it had no comment on the sickout. Green said parents who are worried about their children not being picked up or dropped off at school bus stops on time Thursday, Friday and Monday should take them to and from school. There will be no consequences for children who are absent from class as a result of

the bus drivers’ sickout. Green told reporters he did not know how many DeKalb students were absent from school on April 19, but that anecdotally there were more absences than normal. The district is administering testing this week, and because of the bus drivers’ sickout, Green said some morning tests were rescheduled from Thursday morning to afternoon. To minimize the impact of the sickout, DeKalb Schools called in substitutes and bus drivers from City Schools of Decatur and used DeKalb school district staff to fill in for the absent drivers. A third-party vendor has also been contacted and may provide additional drivers if needed. Green said all of the district’s 899 bus routes will be serviced, but that delays can be expected as the sickout was scheduled to continue on Friday and Monday. Green said the school district is looking into its compensation rates for all staff – not just bus drivers. He said there are no recent projections of what a pay raise for bus drivers would cost the district. He said the district received reports that some drivers and transportation employees were being threatened, harassed and bullied to join the sickout. Per board policy, he said that behavior will not be tolerated and that, following an investigation, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken.

April 24 is the last day to register to vote in the May 22 elections DeKalb residents who are not registered to vote must do so by April 24 if they want to participate in the May 22 primary and nonpartisan elections. Eligible adults must be U.S. citizens, at least 17½ years old, not serving a sentence

for conviction of a felony, and have not been found mentally incompetent by a judge. They must be 18 years old by Nov. 4. Residents with a valid Georgia driver’s license or ID card issued by Georgia Department of Driver Services can register at local

library branches; at https://registertovote. sos.ga.gov/GAOLVR/welcome.do#no-backbutton; by downloading the “GA Votes” smartphone app, or by completing a postagepaid voter registration application and mailing it to the DeKalb Elections Office, 4380

Memorial Drive in Decatur. People who register to vote knowing they lack the qualifications required by law, or give false information, will be guilty of a felony. For more information, visit www. dekalbvotes.com or call 404-298-4020.

CrossRoadsNews

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

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Tekia L. Parks Editorial Intern Rosie Manins Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Multimedia Editor Sharif Williams

CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoadsNews, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor those of any advertisers. The concept, design and content of CrossRoadsNews are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. Advertisements are published upon the representation that the advertiser is authorized to publish the submitted material. The advertiser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless from and against any loss or expenses resulting from any disputes or legal claims based upon the contents or subject matter of such advertisements, including claims of suits for libel, violation of privacy, plagiarism and copyright infringement. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement.

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April 21, 2018

The performance was historic because Beyonce is the first black woman to headline the legendary music festival.

Southwest DeKalb alumni back up Beyonce at Coachella By Tekia L. Parks

When Beyonce took to the Coachella stage and blew up social media with her HBCU-themed performance on April 14, some of the band members behind her were DeKalb County grown. Joining Queen Bey’s historic performance was a drumline of talented HBCU alumni including Southwest DeKalb grads Dasmyn Grigsby, Pop Price, Rashaad Horne, Wayne Westley, M Jarmal Terry, and Kadeem Chambers. The performance was historic because Beyonce is the first black woman to headline the legendary music festival. Drumline members hailed from the likes of Florida A&M University, Tennesse State University, Alabama State University, Prairie View A&M University, Hampton University, North Carolina A&T State University, Norfolk State University, Bethune-Cookman University, University of Georgia, and Kennesaw State University. The arranger behind the music was Don P. Roberts, DeKalb School

Beyonce performed an HBCU-themed set during Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., on April 14.

Watchara Phomicinda / SCNG

District’s music coordinator and former Southwest DeKalb High School music and band director. The bold beats and high-energy show, which was live streamed on YouTube, gave the worldwide audience a taste of a true HBCU football experience, and drew one of the largest audiences in the California festival’s history. It attracted more than 41 million live views, becoming the most viewed music festival on YouTube. The drumline, clothed in the gold uniform reminiscent of Decatur-based Southwest DeKalb High School’s Marching Panthers, will perform with Beyonce again on April 21 for Coachella’s second

weekend. Roberts, who chaired Southwest DeKalb High School’s Music Department and was director of bands from 1990 to 1996, is used to big stages. Under his leadership, Southwest DeKalb in 1996 became the first primarily African-American high school band to perform at the Georgia Music Educators Association Convention and the only U.S. band to perform in the Opening Ceremony of 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. In 2003, Roberts was executive band consultant for the Twentieth Century Fox hit movie “Drumline,” starring Nick Cannon. The

movie’s fictitious Atlanta A&T University band was based on the SWD Marching Panthers and dozens of its members were extras in the movie. The movie even coopted the Panthers’ gold and navy uniform. Roberts trained the actors, wrote the precision drills, and rehearsed the band for “Drumline,” which received national and international praise. Roberts, who has served as the music coordinator of the DeKalb County School District since 1996, supervises approximately 150 music directors, 19 high schools, 19 middle schools, and 88 elementary schools in the county.

April 21, 2018

Wellness

CrossRoadsNews

“Together, parents and schools can help children form healthy habits that will last a lifetime.”

Take-Back Day set for expired, unwanted prescription drugs

By Rosie Manins

People can properly dispose of expired, unneeded or unwanted prescription medicine at six locations across DeKalb County on April 28. The DeKalb County Board of Health is joining forces with the DeKalb County Police Department to provide six drivethrough and drop-off locations for the 15th National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day, run by S. Elizabeth Ford the U.S. Department of Justice’s Drug Enforcement Administration. DeKalb County District Health Director S. Elizabeth Ford said the health and police departments share a common goal of keep-

Six locations in DeKalb are participating in the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day on April 28.

ing excess prescription drugs out of our community. “Prescription drug misuse, including opioid abuse and overdoses, has created a public health crisis that our community must address with great urgency,” she said

Sign up open for free mammograms Women who are under-insured can sign up for free or low-cost mammograms on May 15 at the Clarkston Library. The library is hosting a breast health informative program from noon to 2 p.m. Adults with questions or concerns about breast lumps, breast pain or nipple discharge can receive answers from a professional and get diagnostic breast care services.

A representative from the Avon Community Education and Outreach Initiative, in partnership with the Susan G. Komen organization, will answer questions about breast health and demonstrate the best way to perform a breast self-examination. The library is at 951 N. Indian Creek Drive. For more information, call 404-5087175.

Parents advocate for students’ health Parents from three DeKalb elementary schools are on a mission to ensure the health of their kids during school hours. They are working to implement school wellness policies and action plans on things like nutrition and physical activity, designed to promote student wellness at Columbia and Toney Elementary schools in Decatur and at Stoneview Elementary in Stonecrest. The parents are part of the Parent Health Ambassador program, developed by the DeKalb Board of Health program and DeKalb County School District’s Office of Family Engagement. It is funded by a Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The program’s goal is to increase parental involvement in physical activity and nutrition needs in schools. Each of the schools selected two parents

to serve as peer master trainers in January. In February and March, the ambassadors received training on four key objectives: understanding the school environment, becoming an agent for change, planning for action, and healthy school, healthy kids. DeKalb District Health Director Dr. S. Elizabeth Ford said parents can also advocate for their children’s health. “They can work with teachers and administration to ensure that schools are encouraging physical activity and good nutrition,” she said. “Together, parents and schools can help children form healthy habits that will last a lifetime.” Anika Norwood, a REACH health promotion specialist, said the new policies will take effect in next fiscal school year. “Ideally, our goal is for the school to develop and implement a school action plan by the end of the FY19 school year,” she said.

GSU to lead nursing home project Residents of Georgia’s 374 nursing homes are set to benefit from a three-year, $1.6 million project to improve services, training and development in the sector. The money awarded to the Gerontology Institute at Georgia State University by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Georgia State Survey Agency will

fund the “Building Resources for Delivering Person-Centered Care in Georgia Nursing Homes” project. The training and development project will include the creation of a program to improve the quality of life of nursing home residents, and in particular those living with dementia.

People can drop off prescription medicine between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the following locations in DeKalb County: n Clifton Springs Health Center, 3110 Clifton Springs Road, Suite D, Decatur. n East DeKalb Health Center, 2277 S. Stone Mountain-Lithonia Road, Lithonia. n North Central Police Precinct, 1960 West Exchange Place, Tucker. n North DeKalb Health Center, 3807 Clairemont Road N.E., Chamblee. n Richardson Health Center, 445 Winn Way, Decatur. n Tucker Police Precinct, 4451 Lawrenceville Highway, Tucker.

April 9. Police Chief James Conroy said the opioid crisis is one of the greatest health and public safety threats facing the community. More than two million Americans suffered from a substance use disorder in 2015

alone. “Properly disposing of old and unneeded medication is a key factor in addressing this crisis,” Conroy said April 9. “Please participate in our drug take-back day to help make our community safer.”

Deadline looms for scholarships DeKalb high school seniors who aspire for a career in the medical field can apply for DeKalb Medical’s Dr. Gulshan S. Harjee Scholarship through April 30. Scholarships of $500 to $3,000 will be awarded to students seeking to become patient care techs, nurses, healthcare social workers, pharmacy techs and physicians. Eligible students include graduating seniors and those who have already been accepted into an accredited college and university who are facing financial hardships. The scholarship is named for wellknown metro Atlanta internist Dr. Gulshan Harjee, who grew up in Tanzania and dreamed of becoming a physician, de-

spite the fact that her native country lacked accessible healthcare. “This scholarship has a message of thank you to society for lifting me up in my trials and travails,” Harjee said. Harjee provides for the scholarships but donations are also are welcome. She said that DeKalb County has a large immigrant and refugee population. “I hope this scholarship can make an impact on this community, perhaps allowing one of the young people to fulfill the dream they never thought was possible,” Harjee said. To donate or apply for the Dr. Gulshan S. Harjee Scholarship, visit www.dekalbmedicalfoundation.org.

Ministry

CrossRoadsNews

April 21, 2018

“We challenge other communities of faith to join the movement, as we work together to improve health outcomes in DeKalb County.”

Churches expand access to programs in fight against obesity

DeKalb residents can now practice Zumba, weight train, play basketball and indoor soccer, and join walking groups at six churches across DeKalb County. The churches, in Atlanta, Decatur, Lithonia and Clarkston, are part of a shareduse agreement with the DeKalb Board of Health. They are offering low- or no-cost fitness classes and open gym hours to the public. The DeKalb Board of Health’s 2015 Status of Health Report shows that 38 percent of DeKalb County adults are overweight or obese, both precursors to other chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease. The churches, ranging from Baptist to AME denominations, are opening their doors to help youth and adults become more “We challenge other communities of faith active in the fight against chronic disease. District Health Director S. Elizabeth Ford to join the movement, as we work together to said the initiative is another great example of improve health outcomes in DeKalb County,” making access to physical activity resources she said. The low to no-cost programs are funded easier for residents in DeKalb.

Five choirs for ‘Sunday Night Live’

Six churches have entered a shared-use agreement with the DeKalb Board of Health to encourage more youth and adults to become more active in the fight against chronic disease.

by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant. The churches will open their recreational facilities to members and non-members. Participating churches include: n Saint Philip Community Development Corp., 240 Candler Road S.E., Atlanta. 404371-0749 n K.D. Moore Community Development Inc., 4007 Church St., Clarkston. 404-292-5686 n The Beulah Community Family Life Center, 2340 Clifton Springs Road, Decatur. 678553-6039

n The Bridge at Austin, 1989 Austin Drive, Decatur. 770-713-5315 n Stronghold Christian Church, 724 Rock Chapel Road, Lithonia. 770-322-9010 n Tabernacle of Refuge Ministries Inc., 6954 Braswell St., Lithonia. 770-484-3498 For a complete list of facilities and hours of operation, visit https://www.dekalbhealth. net/office-of-chronic-disease-prevention/ picture-yourself-healthy/. For more information on shared-use agreements and other DeKalb Board of Health wellness initiatives, e-mail dekalb. ocdp@dph.ga.gov or call 404-508-7847.

Credit, wealth seminar at the Ray Adults struggling with debt and poor credit scores can register now for the May 6 Credit & Wealth Building Seminar at the Ray of Hope Church in Decatur. During the free 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. seminar, participants will get tips on cleaning up

their credit and learn ways to move from being a borrower to a lender. Register at www.rayofhope.org. The Ray of Hope Church is at 2778 Snapfinger Road in Decatur. For more information call 770-696-5100.

Fairfield Baptist to install new pastor Greenforest’s Celestial Choir will be joined by four others at the gospel concert presented by the church’s Music Ministry.

Five choirs will perform at “Sunday Night Live,” April 29 at 4 p.m. at Greenforest Community Baptist Church in Decatur. The choir concert, presented by Greenforest Music Ministry, will feature the church’s Celestial Choir. There will also be performances by St.

Phillips AME Choir, the Rose of Sharon Choir, Kenny “Maestro” Lowe, and the Greenforest Praise Team. Greenforest Baptist Church is at 3250 Rainbow Drive. For more information, visit www. greenforest.org.

The Rev. Melvin Brooks will be installed as Fairfield Baptist Church’s new pastor on April 22. Brooks, who has been a pastor for 37 years and an evangelist for more than 30 years, will be installed at 3 p.m. He is only the sixth Melvin Brooks pastor of the 133-year-old church. He succeeds the Rev. Michael Benton, who served from 1977 to 2017.

Brooks, who was born in the Mississippi Delta, was the founder and pastor of the Center of Love Baptist Church in Chicago for 20 years before relocating to Buffalo, N.Y., to pastor Cedar Grove Baptist Church. He is a father, grandfather, and has been married to Dorise Brooks for 36 years. Fairfield Baptist Church is at 6133 Redan Road in Lithonia. For more information, visit www. fairfieldbaptistchurch.org/ or call 770-4827660.

CrossRoadsNews

April 21, 2018

Legal Notices Mae Adams to Eula Lea Adams. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Mar. 01, 2018

04/07, 04/14, 4/21, 4/28

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

04/21, 04/28, 05/05, 05/12

Notice of Petition in the Superior Court

Civil Action Case Number: 18PA1131-8 Darlane Williams filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Apr. 02, 2018 to change name from: Darlane Williams to Darlene Ramirez. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Mar. 21, 2018

of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 18FM3791 Tiffany Henderson PLAINTIFF VS Jermond Henderson DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Jermond Henderson 4988 Wedgewood Place Lithonia, GA 30058 By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 16, 2018. You are hereby notified that Mar. 16, 2018, 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 Tiffany Henderson, 2416 Piering Drive, Lithonia, GA 30038.

04/07, 04/14, 4/21, 4/28

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

Civil Action Case Number: 18FM3705-2 Eula Mae Adams filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Mar. 01, 2018 to change name from: Eula

Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 16, 2018. Witness the Honorable Daniel Coursey, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 16th day of April 04/21, 04/28, 05/05, 05/12

Notice of Petition in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 18FM1598-10 Faye Smith PLAINTIFF VS Ricky Smith DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 13, 2018. You are hereby notified that Jan. 26, 2018, 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: Faye Smith, 4900 Central Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30083. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 13, 2018. Witness the Honorable Tangela M. Barrie, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 13th day of April 04/21, 04/28, 05/05, 05/12

Notice of Petition

in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 18FM4140-3 Andre Askew PLAINTIFF VS Quaterrious Askew DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Quaterrious Askew 3719 Central Drive Stone Mountain, GA 30083 By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 13, 2018. You are hereby notified that Apr. 13, 2018, 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: Andre Askew, 1244 Weston Drive, Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 13, 2018. Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 16th day of April

7 PLAINTIFF VS Jethro Kis Senat DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Jethro Kis Senat By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 17, 2018. You are hereby notified that Jun. 28, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Custody Order.

You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Deborah A. Johnson, 246 Sycamore St., Site 120, Decatur, GA 30030. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 17, 2018. Witness the Honorable Gregory A. Adams, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 18th day of April

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

Civil Action Case Number: 16FM7152-5 Daniele Simone Telfer

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April 21, 2018