CrossRoadsNews, April 30, 2016

COMMUNITY

KUDOS AWARD

Eyesore being addressed

Above and beyond

Brannon Hill Condominiums residents will begin cleaning up to avoid a government takeover of the trash-strewn complex. 3

Volunteer Tom Smith, a recipient of Cross­Roads­News’ 2016 Community Kudos Awards, is making a lasting impression at the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area. 6,7

Put Litter in Its Place Let’s Do Our Part to Keep DeKalb Beautiful

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

Copyright © 2016 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

April 30, 2016

Volume 22, Number 1

www.crossroadsnews.com

Forum no-shows called a disservice Aggrieved

homeowners turn to Deal

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

“I am doing direct touch,” she said. “I am being very selective about how we spend our time and money.”

Barnes Sutton, who is seeking re-election to her third four-year term on the Board of ComS. Barnes Sutton missioners, said she will attend meet-and-greets if she doesn’t have a conflict and is hosting her own commission

More than a dozen homeowners who say they have suffered damage to their homes from blasting at the Snapfinger Wastewater Treatment Plant have turned to Gov. Nathan Deal for help.

In an April 19 letter to Deal, the homeowners asked the governor to “expose the wrong treatment to the homeowners that was caused by the fiasco concerning the DeKalb County Watershed Management Project.”

The letter, written

by Deanna Fleming, one of the aggrieved homeowners, said the county is offering less than what is needed to repair the damage to their homes or has not Deanna Fleming responded at all.

“We are not asking to be compensated for the pain and suffering that we have had to endure for over two years,” the letter said. “We just want to live comfortably and enjoy our homes without the anxiety and bureaucracy DeKalb County is inflicting on us.”

The DeKalb Board of Commissioners approved $350,000 to settle 123 claims arising from Phase 1 blasting for the $187.8 million wastewater treatment plant expansion.

In an April 2 front-page story in CrossRoadsNews, press secretary Burke Brennan said that only seven claims were still outstanding.

Fleming told Deal that was a lie.

“We have approximately 18 people that have not been compensated for their damages,” she said.

The homeowners’ claims date back to Dec. 20, 2013, which was the county’s first deadline for filing claims.

Contacted about the discrepancy in the number of outstanding claims and supplied with names of 14 families on Tuesday, Brennan said he would “look into

Please see FORUMS, page 2

Please see BLASTING, page 3

Photos by Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Sheriff’s candidates Ted Golden (seated, from left), Michael Williams, and Kyle Jones attended the Peace Baptist Church forum on March 25.

Absences glaring in sheriff, tax, county commissioners races

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Voters showing up at candidate forums for the May 24 primary and nonpartisan election season have been hard pressed to hear from all candidates in some of the highprofile seats up for grabs.

Dr. Lisa Flournoy has been to three forums and said she has yet to meet all of the candidates who were scheduled.

“I know they have busy schedules,” she said, “but I think anyone who wants to represent us should always be available.”

Candidates for DeKalb sheriff and the hotly contested DeKalb Commission District 4 and Super District 6 races have yet to meet on a stage to discuss the issues or take questions from moderators. The three candidates for tax commissioner – Irvin Johnson, Susannah Scott and Stan Watson – have only been on the same stage together once, even though there have been 16 events.

In the race for DeKalb sheriff, incumbent Jeffrey Mann has skipped two forums so far, leaving challengers Ted Golden, Kyle Jones, Geraldine Champion and Michael Williams to go at it without him.

Interim Tax Commissioner Irvin Johnson and Susannah Scott (above); Commission District 4 hopefuls Steve Bradshaw, Lance Hammonds.

In the fight for the District 4 Commission seat, incumbent Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton has not attended any of the forums hosted by civic associations and other groups, and in the District 6 Commission race, Warren Mosby, who is challenging incumbent Commissioner Kathie Gannon, has not attended any forums.

Both Barnes Sutton and Mosby say their absences are deliberate.

Barnes Sutton said April 27 that she has decided this election not to attend any forums and instead focus on “speaking to the people directly.”

Re-Elect President Obama’s Nominee Dax Lopez

2

Elections

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April 30, 2016

“I think voters have right to find out what we think.

We should be willing to be vetted by the public.”

Candidates cite conflicts, deliberate absences for no-shows FORUMS,

from page

1

meetings where the voters can have access to her.

“I am very accessible,” she said.

Mosby said he has been invited to three District 6 forums but has not attended any.

“Forums are not a good use of my time,” he said. “There is a lot of political maneuvering and posturing at these forums, They are populated by political operatives whose minds are already made up.”

Instead, Mosby, a longtime political consultant who is seeking his first elected office, said he is concentrating on door-to-door canvassing and mailings.

Gannon, who is seeking her third fouryear term on the BOC, said Mosby’s absence is good for her.

“I get to answer more questions.”

But she adds that it is disrespectful to the voters when candidates are no-shows.

“How will the voters learn about the issues if candidates don’t come to forums?” she said. “I don’t even know what his take is on any issue.”

Mann, who was elected sheriff in July 2014, said he has not attended two forums he was invited to because of conflicts.

“There haven’t been many sheriff forums,” he said. “I had conflicts on those dates. One of them Jeffrey Mann I had already committed to a HOA [homeowners association] and I had something else going on on the other date.”

Watson, former Super District 7 commissioner and state legislator, has only shown up for a March 25 forum at Peace Baptist Church in Decatur. He said he has been absent from

Super District 6 Commissioner Kathie Gannon (left) is seeking a third term, and Warren Mosby (above) is challenging her.

the other forums because he was out of town or had previously scheduled events.

Watson said he feels no disadvantage when he can’t take the same questions as his opponents at candidate forums.

“I am a veteran politician,” he said April 27. “I have 18 years of service.

I have a great legacy of service. I have been state Stan Watson legislator and a county commissioner. What do I need to prove?”

He said people can say whatever they like about his absences, but it is the voters who will decide who wins the office.

“I am going to do what I have to do,” he said. “Win or lose, I’m going to keep being Stan Watson.”

But some voters who go to forums to help make up their minds say they are disappointed when some candidates don’t show up.

Flournoy, who lives in Lithonia, attended

her third forum on April 24 in Clarkston in hopes of hearing from Watson, who she says seems to have left his other elected positions with “a cloud over his head.” She wants to hear directly from him.

“I have been to three forums where he was supposed to be and he hasn’t shown up,” Flournoy said. “I am left thinking that he has something to hide.”

The April 24 forum at the Clarkston Community Center targeted candidates for CEO, tax commissioner and DeKalb Commission districts 4 and 6. It was co-sponsored

by Clarkston Councilwoman Beverly Burks, the DeKalb NAACP and the Asian Americans Advancing Justice.

The only race for which all the candidates showed up was for DeKalb CEO. Mike Thurmond, Connie Stokes and Joe Bembry, who are vying in the Democratic primary, were all onstage together – for the first time.

For the other three races, Watson, Barnes Sutton and Mosby were absent, leaving Johnson and Scott, Steve Bradshaw and Lance

Hammonds, and Gannon to take questions from the moderators and the audience.

Scott, who has years of volunteer service with the DeKalb League of Women Voters and is making her first run for elected office, said Watson’s absence doesn’t surprise her, but it is still disappointing.

“I think voters have the right to interview us and find out what we think,” she said.

“We should be willing to be vetted by the public.”

While there haven’t been a lot of forums for sheriff, challengers Golden, Jones and Williams have been showing up at other forums to meet voters.

Golden said Mann’s absence is noticeable.

“I think he is avoiding contact with us.”

Golden said Mann is banking on the voters not informing themselves about federal indictments and lawsuits about civil rights violations filed against the Sheriff ’s Office on Mann’s watch.

“He is hoping that the voters will just show up at polls and vote for the incumbent,” Golden said.

Jones said Mann’s absences are a disservice to the voters.

“He doesn’t want to answer questions and be accountable for his action and the action of the agency,” he said.

Specifically, Jones says Mann is dodging questions about the treatment of the employees and inmates.

Kim Ault, who lives in Clarkston and attended Sunday’s forum, said she would have loved to hear from all the candidates scheduled.

“I am the kind of person who likes to see and hear where they are coming from. I like to talk to them one on one. That’s important to me.”

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April 30, 2016

Community

CrossRoadsNews

3

“We are really feeling the blasting that is going on now. It is really shaking our houses … now more blasting will surely cause more damages.”

Brannon Hill residents to clean up to avert county takeover Brannon Hill Condominiums residents will begin cleaning up their trash-strewn complex in Clarkston on May 7 to stave off a government takeover.

DeKalb Superior Court Judge Gail Flake signed an April 28 consent order declaring the condo’s common areas a public nuisance and allowing the homeowners association to address dirty areas and dangerous conditions.

DeKalb County sued the condo association in January over the deplorable conditions at the complex.

It wanted the complex declared a public nuisance to clear the way for the county to use its resources to remove mountains of debris, eradicate rodents, and cut overgrowth from the complex common areas.

Brannon Hill Condos, built in 1973, is now an infamous crime-ridden community that has more than 100 separate property Hill Road near Memorial Drive in unincorowners. Open-air drug dealing, gang war- porated Clarkston.

About 162 of its 369 units – average size fare, arson, squatting, and killings are commonplace at the complex at 6524 Brannon of 1,440 square feet – have been damaged by

DeKalb sued owners of Brannon Hill Condos in Clarkston over blighted conditions.

Judge declare community a “public nuisance” on April 28.

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

fire, and more than 70 others are unoccupied.

Many of the owners have abandoned their units and cannot be found, leaving the condominium association without the funds to

clean up the complex and make repairs.

Code violations in the community range from peeling sidings, rotten wood, broken windows, decrepit balconies, structural instability, exposed outlets and wires, holes in the roofs and walls, missing doors, bullet holes, unsecured units, unlicensed vehicles, and burned-down buildings.

Assistant County Attorney Bennett Bryan told the court on Thursday that they would like to allow the homeowners association to do its own cleanup.

“They’ve shown a willingness to do so,” Bryan said.

“We’ve very encouraged by the efforts that have been taken.”

The May 7 cleanup will target litter strewn across parking lots, and the association plans to fence around four burnt-out buildings to block access to them.

It takes place 10 a.m. to noon at 1000 Old Hampton Drive in Clarkston.

For more information, visit https://georgiapeace.org or call 404-378-5424.

Homeowners also asking congressman for help with damage claims BLASTING,

from page

1

these.” He provided no further information by press time Thursday.

The Snapfinger Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion is the largest of $1.35 billion in water and sewer improvements under a Consent Degree between DeKalb County and the Environmental Protection Agency, DeKalb residents and businesses are funding the upgrades with increases in water and sewer rates that went up 16 percent in 2011 and another 22 percent each in 2012,

2013 and 2014. The expansion is expected to increase the Decatur wastewater treatment plant to 54 million gallons a day from the current 36 million gallons a day.

The project, which began in 2012, is now more than a year behind schedule.

In their letter to Deal, which was copied to U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, the homeowners said they just want to have their homes fixed.

“We believe if this problem had happened in north DeKalb County, it would have long ago been resolved,” the letter said.

The homeowners say the county has given them the runaround and that even though District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson promised them at a Feb. 16 community meeting that there would be no more blasting until the homeowners with outstanding claims were “made whole,” the blasting resumed on April 4.

“We are really feeling the blasting that is going on now,” the letter said. “It is really shaking our houses … now more blasting will surely cause more damages. We really need your help.”

Fleming said they received an automatic reply from both Deal’s and Johnson’s offices on April 19 saying the letter was received.

Deal spokeswoman Alyssa Botts did not respond to messages about what, if anything, Deal could do by press time Thursday, Richard Phelan, a spokesman for Johnson’s office, said that if there is a federal component to the homeowners’ claims, they look forward to working with them.

“We will see if there is any way we can help them to resolve the issues,” Phelan said.

4

Finance

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

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Assistant Editor Brenda Yarbrough Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Ken Watts Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Graphic Design Curtis Parker 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.

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CrossRoadsNews

April 30, 2016

“These workshops give DeKalb residents an opportunity to brush up on skills they may not have used in a while.”

SBA Week recognizes impact of small businesses SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet travels to Atlanta on May 3 for a National Small Business Week event at Georgia Tech.

This year’s theme is “Dream Big, Start Small.”

The 10 a.m.-to-2 p.m. event will be held at Tech’s Research Institute Conference M. Contreras-Sweet Center at 250 14th St. Space is limited – register at https://www. eventbrite.com/e/national-smallbusiness-week-atlanta-event-registration-24597942107.

SBA Deputy Administrator Doug Kramer and small-business experts will discuss starting or growing a business.

Participants will learn what Doug Kramer small firms can anticipate in the future, what small-business sectors will be the best performers, and business trends.

After the general session, there will be workshops on ideation to commercialization, small-business opportunities in the entertainment industry, and exporting opportunities.

Series of free training webinars May 2-5

National Small Business Week co-sponsors are hosting a series of training webinars on May 2-5.

They are free of charge, but registration space is limited to a first-come, first-served basis. To register, visit www.sba.gov/nsbw and click on Webinars: n May 2 – Taking the Mystery out of Voluntary Benefits, 1 p.m.

Learn about voluntary benefits, the potential advantages they can offer your business, and common myths and misconceptions.

Get tips, tools and tactics you can use to better manage benefits costs, attract and retain employees, and protect your employees’ financial futures. n May 2 – The Decline of Magstripe Cards – and What That Means for Your Business, 3 p.m.

New security measures, a decline in the use of traditional magstripe cards, the switch to EMV chip cards, and emerging technologies like contactless payments are forcing a monumental shift in the way people pay.

Join Square Inc.’s head of Business Intelligence Owen Britton Jennings and head of Seller Education Erin Renzas, who will break down all of the major changes in payments and what you need to do to ensure you’re ahead of the curve. n May 3 – Cloud, Mobile, and Social: Great Apps and Services That Will Grow Your Business, 3 p.m.

Small-business experts Gene Marks and Ramon Ray discuss the latest trends, tips, and services to help you grow, manage, and increase your profits. n May 4 – Access to Capital and Business Loans: Best Practices, 4 p.m.

Sam’s Club has teamed up with Small Business Majority’s Rhea Aguinaldo to help entrepreneurs and small-business owners bring finance into focus for long-term success.

Participants will learn background on the small-business loan market and providers as well as how to identify the right type of financial product for the business need. n May 5 – Tips for Getting Your Business Financially Fit, 3 p.m.

Understanding the fiscal condition of your business is critical when managing daily duties, planning for the long term and making consequential decisions.

Join Intuit QuickBooks in this interactive webinar, where you’ll learn practical, actionable tips for improving the financial fitness of your small business.

The event also can be viewed live at www.sba.gov/nsbw.

Contreras-Sweet will start the week in Washington, where she will recognize and award outstanding small-business owners from around the country. Recognition

and educational events in SBA’s 10 regions and 68 districts will be held throughout the week.

Every year since 1963, the U.S. Small Business Administration highlights the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small-business

owners, and others from across the nation.

More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the United States each year.

Free workshops at DeKalb Workforce Development Residents seeking jobs or a career change can refine their skills at DeKalb Workforce Development’s Work Readiness Workshops in May. The workshops are held at the DWD building, 774 Jordan Lane, Building 4, in Decatur, and are offered free of charge.

Since the program’s inception, more than 2,000 residents have attended the workshops.

DeKalb interim CEO Lee May announced the schedule on April 25.

“With the ever-changing world

of technology, these workshops give DeKalb residents an opportunity to brush up on skills they may not have used in a while and also helps Lee May those that may not be familiar with the latest technology,” May said.

Upcoming workshops: n Resume writing – 10 a.m.-noon Mondays and Thursdays. n Personal branding – 10 a.m.-

Workshops and career fair Job seekers can attend job readiness workshops in advance of a career and resource fair on May 5 at Beulah Community Life Center.

The workshops will be conducted as a part of the services provided to attendees prior to the Helping You Reach Your Maximum Potential in 2016 Career and Resource Fair presented by Beulah Missionary Baptist Church in collaboration with the Beulah Business Network, the Georgia Department of Labor, and DeKalb County government.

The church is conducting the workshops in-house. For dates and times, contact Jenice Brinkley, Career and Resource chair, Beulah Business Network, at jenicebbnetwork@gmail.com.

The fair takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the center, 2340 Clifton Springs Road in Decatur.

Attire is business casual and participants should bring resumes and writing instruments.

For more information, visit www.dol.georgia.gov.

noon Tuesdays. n Marketing – 10 a.m.-noon Wednesdays. n Job search branding – 1-3 p.m.

Wednesdays. n Basic computer – 10 a.m.-noon Mondays and Tuesdays. n Word I and II – 10 a.m.-noon Mondays and Wednesdays. n PowerPoint – 10 a.m.-noon Wednesdays. n Excel – 10 a.m.-noon Wednesdays and 1-3 p.m. Thursdays.

For more information, visit workdev.dekalbcountyga.gov or call 404-687-3400.

Free classes also are offered at:

n Cyber Center, Wesley Chapel

Church Administrative Building, Room 101, 2828 Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur. Call 404-2897011. n Goodwill of North Georgia – Decatur Career Center, 1295 Columbia Drive in Decatur. Call 404-728-8605. n Goodwill of North Georgia – Northeast Plaza Shopping Center, 3337 Buford Highway in Atlanta.

Call 678-891-0235.

Visit www.dekalblibrary.org for DeKalb Public Library classes.

Job fair at House of Hope Military veterans will have priority admittance to a Hiring Event Job Fair on May 10 at the Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church in Decatur.

The 10 a.m.-to-2 p.m. event is free and open to the public.

The church is host in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Labor North Metro Career Center Veterans Unit, Hartfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and South DeKalb Career Center of Goodwill.

Job seekers interested in attending should access employgeorgia. com to create an account or resume or upload a resume once an account is created. Having an account/ resume in Employ Georgia will expedite the process at the event.

Greater Travelers Rest/House of Hope Atlanta is at 4650 Flat Shoals Parkway. For more information or for employers reservations, call 404-243-9336 or contact Kenneth Dinkins at kenneth.dinkins@gdol. ga.gov or 404-486-8008.

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April 30, 2016

Community

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“It helped me work toward a positive frame of mind and know when to walk away from a situation.”

South DeKalb cinema reopens Jobs needed for ex-offenders The 12-screen cinema at the Gallery at South DeKalb in Decatur is now open for business again.

Florida-based Satellite Cinemas reopened the 42,000square-foot theater on April 22 after investing nearly $1 million into installing a 3-D auditorium, digital projection, high-quality sound and new carpets.

It also features in-auditorium dining, concessions, and stadium seating.

Alejandro Sarasino, SatelJennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews lite Cinemas CEO, said the Satellite Cinemas CEO Alejandro Sarasino stands beside a enhancements will increase the new digital projector at the Gallery of South DeKalb cinemas. visual experience for guests.

“We visited and found a The theater, which opened in 2006, closed beautiful theater that we made even better,” in December 2014. he said. “We hope the community agrees.”

Satellite Cinemas has a family-friendly Tene Gallemore, the mall’s general man- admittance policy that restricts unaccompaager, said the improvements will make the nied youth from the theater after 5 p.m. on theater the entertainment destination for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. the community.

Gallemore said that the mall fully sup“The central location of the mall makes ports Satellite’s commitment to offer movour theater the perfect place to see the latest iegoers a family-friendly experience that movies and upcoming summer blockbust- encourages families to come to see movies ers,” she said. together.

Satellite Cinemas, a family-owned busiSatellite Cinemas South DeKalb is at 2801 ness that started in Satellite Beach, shows Candler Road. first-run movies.

For more information, visit www.satelSarasino said the Gallery at South DeKalb lite-cinemas.com. location is the company’s first in Georgia but that they are currently working on two other locations in the state.

“We take over second generation and bring back movies to small and mediumsized cinemas that are closed and bring back movies to communities that no longer have it,” he said.

Graduates of DeKalb’s Anti-Recidivism Court told community and business leaders that the DeKalb district attorney’s office yearlong second chance program has steered them away from crime and toward employment.

Darreous R., 23, who was arrested and convicted on burglary charges in DeKalb when he was 19, graduated from Anti-Recidivism Court in April 2015.

He said on April 13 that he has been work- Darreous R. ing at a Waffle House in Atlanta since he graduated.

“I had a chance to sit down and think about what I did and make up my mind not to do it anymore,” Darreous told the audience of about 70 people. “I’m grateful for the chance I got and the people in the program who’ve had my back.”

DeKalb DA Robert James created the program in 2011 as an alternative to jail sentences. He invited business owners to the “Jobs Not Jail: A Call to Action” breakfast meeting at the old DeKalb County Courthouse in Decatur to appeal for jobs for ex-offenders who have successfully completed the program.

Anti-Recidivism Court requires participants ages 17 to 25 to report for probation, perform community service, abide

Baby boomers and seniors can meet and question candidates for DeKalb CEO and district attorney at a May 5 forum at Salem Bible Church in Lithonia.

DeKalb for Seniors Inc. is hosting the 2-to-3:30 p.m. event, which will be moderated by political analyst and commentator Bill Crane.

Decatur businessman Joe Bembry, former DeKalb Commissioner Connie Stokes and former School Superintendent Michael Thurmond are vying for the Democratic nomination for CEO in the May 24 primary. The winner will face Republican Jack Lovelace, who has no GOP opposition, in November.

DeKalb Solicitor General Sherry Boston is challenging District Attorney Robert James for the Democratic nomination for DA. The church is at 5460 Hillandale Drive.

For more information, call 678-982-9805.

Equalization Board relocates The Board of Equalization is now located in the Manuel J. Maloof Annex in downtown Decatur.

The board relocated to new digs in the facility at 1300 Commerce Drive on April 28.

Debra DeBerry, DeKalb’s clerk of Superior Court who manages the board, says limited parking is available at the location and in the county’s West Trinity Place Parking Deck for $6.

All hearings scheduled on and after April 28 will be heard in the new location.

The board hears appeals of property tax matters. For more information, call 404687-3876.

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CEO, DA forum for older voters

by curfew and electronic monitoring, abide by and attend behavior modification classes, undergo random drug testing, and report to monthly compliance hearings. If they finish the training, the court dismisses all charges against them and the criminal offense is wiped from his or her record.

James said only about 40 percent successfully complete Anti-Recidivism Court.

“It is a tough program,” James said. “They have to bring the desire to change, not because they might get caught and go to jail for a criminal offense, but because it is wrong.”

Anaia J., 25, who graduated in October 2015, has applied for law school.

“I had to change the way I thought,” said Anaia J., who declined to disclose her offense but said the program transformed her. “It helped me work toward a positive frame of mind and know when to walk away from a situation.”

Business owners apAnaia J. plauded the grads.

However, James said they really need the support of companies that are willing to employ them.

“I can preach to them all day long but if we aren’t willing to bring them into our offices … we don’t really have a chance” to turn them around, he said.

James said he plans to hire two grads for paid internships in his office beginning this summer.

IND . BL VD

By Ken Watts

WESLEY CHAPEL RD

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6

Community Kudos

CrossRoadsNews

April 30, 2016

“He discovered the secret discovered it at Arabia by b

Tom Smith’s mark at Davidson-Arabia Mountain

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Thirteen years into his retirement, Tom Smith got a call from Mary Terry, then ranger at the DavidsonArabia Mountain Nature Preserve.

Terry was mostly going it alone at the nature preserve on Klondike Road in Lithonia and someone told her that Smith, a U.S. Forest Service engineer, had retired in 1987 after 30 years and would be the perfect volunteer.

The year was 2000, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Smith, who had been managing the United Methodist Church’s Softball League as a volunteer, gave it up for the 400 million-year-old Arabia Mountain and the nature preserve’s more than 2,500 wooded acres.

“You can’t just sit “I have a good pension around doing nothfrom the Forest Service. I ing,” Smith said. “I am grateful for it. I should thought it was a great do something worthwhile place to spend my to benefit the public.” retirement years.”

– Thomas Smith, He was no stranger Arabia Nature Preserve volunteer to the granite mountain.

He and his wife, Killian, had settled in South DeKalb in 1971 when the Forest Service brought him to Atlanta. From their perch on a quiet street off Boring Road, they raised three children who all graduated from Southwest DeKalb High, and they left when white flight set in.

An avid hiker, Smith found a home on the mountain, which had been donated to DeKalb County by the Davidson family in 1971.

Retired Park Ranger Tyrone Burkette said the mountain got a hold of Smith.

“He discovered the secret of staying young,” Burkette said, “and he discovered it at Arabia by being involved and active out there.”

For 20 years, the county had done little with the mountain and people up to no good had felt compelled to leave their mark with unsightly graffiti.

Tom Smith found a solution for the graffiti that marred Arabia Mountain – he camouflaging it with paint that mimics the color tones of the rock.

center.

“Sometimes I had to mix dirt in with the paint,” he said. “I did as best as I could to mimic the color of the rocks and fungus that grows on them.”

It worked.

When he was done, Smith posted notices at all entry points to the park warning that police Graffiti removal from park would be called on anyone caught “The graffiti was unsightly,” he defacing the rocks. said. “It was all over the mountain.

Editor’s Note: Next week the “Since then, we have had Some of it was real vulgar. It crestory of how Kevin Chapman Jr. five or six pieces of graffiti and ated a bad impression of the place. jump-started the beautification we get rid of it immediately,” he I heard women visitors say they of Wesley Chapel Road. said. “Once they realized that we didn’t feel safe being around it.”

The county tried to sandblast the vulgarity away, wouldn’t tolerate it, they stopped.”

Today, visitors to the park, which is part of the but that was scarring the rock. federally protected Arabia Mountain National Smith came up with a solution.

Heritage Area, can enjoy the mountain the way God “I thought, ‘Why don’t we camouflage it with intended. paint that mimics the color tones of the rock,’” he Smith says removing the graffiti from the park said. was the best thing he did.

And he did. Smith worked with the paint coun“I am proud of that,” he said. “It’s the best, most ter at Home Depot to come up with paint.

In summer 2003, he spent three months of pains- important thing that I did. It made the area attractive enough so people could hike and enjoy Arabia taking labor to cover all the graffiti on the north Mountain. If we still had the graffiti out there, you peak – then called “graffiti mountain” – and on wouldn’t get the traffic we have now.” the south peak and on the east side of the preserve

The graffiti was extensive. At left top, a section of rock covered with graffiti. Bottom left, the section camouflaged with paint. Smith posted notices at all entry points to the park warning that police would be called on anyone caught defacing the rocks.

Volunteer Tom Smith, 84, a retired U.S. Forest S repaired nature trails. His wife, Killian, who retire

In his 16 years volunteering at the nature preserve, Smith, who is 84, has marked the boundaries of the 2,500-acre park, built three ponds, got rid of all the kudzu around the parking lot, repaired trails eroded by use

CrossRoadsNews

April 30, 2016

7

t of staying young, and he being involved and active.”

n Nature Preserve will have impact for the ages steps in just shows how considerate he is about the comfort of visitors. What a gift to have him.”

Smith also created and manages the nature preserve and heritage area’s geocaching program. He built it from four geocaches in 2003 to 56 today.

Mera Cardenas, heritage area executive director, says that through the geocaching program, Smith’s reach is global.

“Just last week we had some visitors from Germany.”

In just one month, Astrove said one of Smith’s geocaches had 30 Mera Cardenas logs.

“Geocachers are hungry for these experiences,” he said. “Tom makes it educational.”

Cardenas said Smith has a depth and breadth of “He works to make sure knowledge built up over a that people can continue to lifetime of protecting and benefit from the heritage sharing natural spaces, and area. … He sees the wonder he willingly shares it. of the natural world and he “He works to make sure wants you to experience it that people can continue to and find your way.” benefit from the heritage – Mera Cardenas, executive director, area,” she said. “He is the Arabia Mountain National best hire I never had to Heritage Area make. ” Cardenas said Smith does not just want things to be pretty.

“For him, it’s what is the most responsible way to achieve this without harming the land,” Cardenas said.

Service engineer, marked the boundaries of the 2,500-acre park, built three ponds, cleared kudzu, and built and ed from Decatur Schools, is also a volunteer at Arabia Mountain.

Smith is shown building steps at the park.

He sometimes spends six days a week at Arabia Mountain and cares about the experience visitors will have at the park.

and water runoff, and built six miles of new sustainable nature trails.

“I had the engineering knowledge,” he said. “I used my technical knowledge. In the U.S. Forest Service I was

in engineer management. We built water and sewer systems, visitors centers, and designed and constructed roads.”

‘What a gift to have him’ Once a year, he also leads a tour of ruins in the park, showing off the walls of the building that housed the quarry’s then state-of-the-art mill and quarry offices.

Robert Astrove, the park’s current ranger, said Smith is regularly consistent and he does not sit around.

“He didn’t sit in an office and mark the boundaries. He walked all 10 miles of property lines carrying a Robert Astrove blade.”

Astrove said Smith is the park’s most important volunteer.

“He is the surveyor, the engineer and principal trail designer. He is out there with a swing blade or an ax cutting back brush.”

Astrove said Smith cares about the experience that visitors will have when they visit the park and has built stairs where the grade was a little steep for comfortable walking.

“He is a real master,” Astrove said. “He comes out to the land and studies it. The fact that he puts

Finds awe and wonder in nature People who know Smith fall easily under his spell.

They use words like dedicated, caring, consistent, invaluable, and patient to describe him. And they all are amazed by his energy and capacity to give.

Cardenas said he still finds wonder and awe in the world.

“He sees the wonder of the natural world and he wants you to experience it and find your way,” she said.

Astrove says Smith sometimes spends six days a week at the park. In 2003 when Killian Smith retired from Decatur Schools, she quickly realized that if she wanted to see her husband of 64 years, she had to follow him to the park.

In 2004, she too became a volunteer, answering the phones and creating scrapbooks of newspaper and magazine articles about the park.

Tom Smith never wanted to be a volunteer extraordinaire. It just turned out that way, and all that volunteering does his body good too.

“It is one of the best things I did for my health,” he said.

But seriously, why spend so much time volunteering at one place?

“I get the satisfaction of doing something worthwhile to benefit the American public. I have a good pension from the Forest Service. I am grateful for it. I should do something worthwhile to benefit the public.”

CrossRoadsNews

8

Wellness

April 30, 2016

“[The vigil] reinforces that together we can be powerful advocates for the rights of individuals who suffer from mental illness.”

Lou Walker Center lands ‘Green Machine’ to grow veggies The Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia is the first senior center in the United States to receive the Acopia Harvest Hydroponic “Green Machine,” which will serve its nutrition and gardening program.

The Green Machine is a system that uses specialized nutrients, water, and lights to grow a variety of organic or traditional leafy vegetables with multiple and continuous production year-round. This can take place regardless of outside climate conditions and even extends the daily growing periods, when appropriate, by utilizing both daylight and artificial light.

The device occupies as little as four square feet of space, and a double-level machine can yield up to 64 plants year-round.

It was officially unveiled and dedicated at the center on April 22, Earth Day. Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May praised the center “for continuing to promote DeKalb County as a clean, green, safe and thriving community.”

LWSC Director Bettye Davis said the center is delighted to be a part of the partnership and the inaugural senior center in

Lou Walker Senior Center staff and members are shown with their “Green Machine”; Amy Chauvin, Acopia Harvest director; and Dr. Gerald Austin, president and founder of NIEST.

the United States to receive the hydroponic system so that members can continue to learn new skills.

“Our gardening and nutrition club [members] are looking forward to producing their first crop of 32 leafy vegetables in only 28 days, year-round,” Davis said.

The donation is part of the “We Have a Dream” program developed by Irving A. Backman, philanthropist and entrepreneur for the advancement of earth-friendly technologies; the National Institute for Environmental Sustainability and Training; and Acopia Harvest. To mark the four-year

Candlelight vigil for mental health Residents with a mental health condition and their caregivers will be honored at NAMI DeKalb’s Candlelight Vigil on May 6 at the Decatur Square Bandstand.

The vigil begins at 7 p.m. with Dr. Joseph Bona as honorary chair.

Bona is CEO of the DeKalb Community Service Board and an adjunct clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry Joseph Bona and Behavioral Science at the Emory University School of Medicine.

This year’s event is held in conjunction with National Mental Health Month and is designed to raise awareness about the impact of mental illness in the community.

It includes live music, street theater performances, informational booths featuring local mental health service providers, and a program honoring friends and loved ones with a mental health condition as well as

their caregivers. Attendees are encouraged to wear green to demonstrate their commitment to ending the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Bona said he was humbled to serve as honorary chair.

“The vigil reminds us that while we have made some progress in ‘bringing light’ against the stigma of mental illness, there is still much work to be done. It also reinforces that together we can be powerful advocates for the rights of individuals who suffer from mental illness,” he said.

NAMI DeKalb and DeKalb CSB share goals of improving the quality of life for those affected by mental illness. The agencies have partnered for more than two decades.

Cynthia Moorer, co-president of NAMI DeKalb, an affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, called Bona “a fierce advocate for those living with mental health conditions.”

For more information, visit http:// namidekalb.com and www.dekcsb.org.

Educating & Empowering the Community

T HE 2016 F AMILY & B ACK TO S CHOOL E XPO July 23, 2016 at the Mall at Stonecrest Noon - 5 p.m.

Exhibitors • Screenings Entertainment

0 5,00 le p o pe ded n atte 015 2 the pos Ex

countdown to Earth Day’s 50th anniversary in 2020, the partnership selected the Lou Walker Center to join more than 1 billion “Green Champions” in celebration of Earth Day. The event included a special rain barrel demonstration by Michael O’Shield of DeKalb Watershed Management, an innovative way to recycle plastic bags, a special presentation by the LWSC Toastmasters Club, DeKalb’s Green Focus by DeKalb Sanitation Department, an on-site electric car demo, and a recycling sign-up program.

In the past, the Lou Walker group has grown more than 10,000 pounds of food, which it donated to a local food bank. The Garden Club is a one-of-a-kind senior program that promotes good nutrition and farm-to-table food production.

The Lou Walker Senior Center at 2538 Panola Road is a 40,000-square-foot multipurpose facility for active senior adults age 55 and older, focused on healthy lifestyles and the interests of today’s active older adults. For more information, visit http:// louwalkercenter.com.

DeKalb Medical, Oakhurst Medical Centers, Rite Aid, the DeKalb Board of Health and other groups will offer free health screenings, giveaways and information at the May 5 Adult and Senior Health Fair.

DeKalb salutes older Americans DeKalb kicks off Older Americans Month with a proclamation by the Board of Commissioners, the opening ceremony for the May 2-26 Senior Olympic Games, and a health fair at the South DeKalb Senior Center in Decatur.

The theme for the annual observance is “Blaze a Trail.” DeKalb commissioners issued their proclamation on April 26 at

Expos

The 2016

E &Baby Boomer X P O SENIORS

October 15, 2016 • Noon - 5 p.m. at the Mall at Stonecrest Join us for Health Screenings, Food & Fitness Demos, and Performances.

Limited number of sponsorships available.

Call 404-284-1888 to confirm your participation.

the Maloof Building in Decatur.

President Obama signed the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2016 into law on April 19, reaffirming the nation’s commitment to the health and well-being of older adults. U.S. Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee said the law “underpins a promise to preserve the right to live independently, with dignity, making everyday decisions according to our individual preferences and goals across our lifespan.”

Greenlee said more than 77 million people will be over the age of 60 in a few short years, and more than 34 million people – mostly family and friends – will be supporting a loved one who is over 60.

DeKalb’s Olympic-style sports festival, now in its 30th year, promotes healthy living for seniors and takes place at venues around the county. The registration deadline is April 30 – visit http://bit.ly/1MHS1TF or any library branch or rec center to register.

The opening ceremony begins at 10 a.m. on May 2 at Mason Mill, Lower Field, 1340 McConnell Drive in Decatur. Call 404-3712711 for more information.

The “Adult and Senior Health Fair: Targeting Your Emotional, Financial and Physical Health” will be held 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on May 5 at the South DeKalb Senior Center.

Participants can meet representatives from DeKalb Medical Center, Oakhurst Medical Centers, Center for the Visually Impaired, Rite Aid, Avon Foundation, Center for Medicaid and Medicare, Wells Fargo, Diabetes Association of Atlanta, DeKalb Board of Health, East Metro Wellness Center, and Emory Women’s Health Center and get free health screenings and giveaways.

There will be 30-minute sessions on natural and alternative health, self-massage, understanding medications and possible drug interactions, and finding the right doctor. It is sponsored by DeKalb Public Library and DeKalb Office of Senior Affairs.

The library is celebrating Older Americans Month with special programs – visit dekalblibrary.org/events/?series=49.

April 30, 2016

Youth

MBK Summit at Miller Grove Families can access special workshops to help their students succeed at the second annual My Brother’s Keeper Summit DeKalb on May 7 at Miller Grove High in Lithonia.

DeKalb Schools, which accepted President Barack Obama’s MBK Community Challenge, is hosting the 9 a.m.-to-3 p.m. event. Partners include DeKalb government, 100 Black Men of DeKalb, and V-103/WAOK CBS Tommy Ford Broadcasting.

Guests and speakers are Superintendent R. Stephen Green; “Martin” actor and motivational speaker Tommy Ford; 100 Black Men America; and Emmy-winning poet Hank Stewart, president of the Stewart FoundaHank Stewart tion, which focuses on youth leadership development.

MBK is Obama’s initiative to build support to tackle the opportunity gaps for boys and young men of color and to ensure that all young people reach their full potential.

In September 2014, he announced the MBK Challenge and charged communities to develop an action plan centered on six goals that reflect the unique needs and challenges facing each community (www.whitehouse. gov/my-brothers-keeper).

Breakfast, lunch and free child care will be provided. There will be one bus per school at the middle and high schools.

Workshops for students include Dress for Success, Healthy Teen Relationships, Violence Prevention, and Goal Setting.

Workshops for parents include Supporting Your Children’s Education, Raising Males of Color, Family Dynamics, Positive Behavior Intervention, and Bullying Prevention.

Miller Grove is at 2645 DeKalb Medical Parkway. To register, visit www.dekalb.k12. ga.us/www/news-and-events/calendar and click on link or text @mbkdekalb to 81010.

Chess tournament for k-12 players Young chess players can compete in the 21st annual Beau Hardeman Memorial Open K-12 Scholastic Chess Tournament on May 14 at the Gresham Park Recreation Center in Atlanta.

Register at www.ULC2010.org – there will be no on-site registration. Round 1 of the 5 Round USCF Rated SS Game 30/d5 will begin at 10 a.m. Prizes will be awarded for top 3 primary, elementary, middle and high school. Other special awards will be announced at site.

The tournament is presented by the nonprofit Unconditional Love for Children Inc. The rec center is at 3113 Gresham Road S.E. For more information, contact organizer Barry Gray at bgray71376@gmail.com.

College planning seminar in Lithonia

Students and their parents can attend a college planning workshop on May 5 at Lithonia City Hall.

The 6-to-8 p.m. program will cover saving and college readiness. The Financial Fitness Workshop Series is presented in collaboration with Community Outreach for Financial Education.

To R.S.V.P. and for more information, contact Shanelle Holder, VISTA community liaison, at shanelle.holder@lithoniacity.org or 770-482-8136.

City Hall is at 6920 Main St.

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“Every year, it warms my heart how such a diverse and talented group of students compete in this annual event.”

Green fills final two senior leadership posts DeKalb Superintendent R. Stephen Green has completed his senior staff with the appointment of Dr. Lisa Lynne Martin as chief academic and accountability officer and Chezia A. Calloway as executive director for exceptional education.

Martin assumes her post on June 1, and Calloway joins the district on Aug. 22.

“After several months of a national search, we have filled the final senior leadership positions with two outstanding educators,” Green said in an April 20 statement. “The leadership is now in place for us to return rigor, relevancy, and relationships to the classroom where the work to prepare our students for college and careers gets done.”

Martin has held teaching and school

she managed special education programs. She had oversight and approval responsibilities for general education, special ed and residential programs for the Maryland State Department of Education.

Other senior leadership positions recently filled by Green: Dr. Leo Brown, chief officer, huR. Stephen Green Chezia Calloway Lisa Martin man capital management; Eileen leadership positions in school systems in Houston-Stewart, chief communications Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida over and community relations officer; Jennifer Hackemeyer, chief legal officer; Dr. Vasanne more than 20 years in education.

Calloway, a doctoral candidate in organi- Tinsley, deputy superintendent, student supzational leadership, has more than 20 years of port and intervention; Manomay Malathip, experience in education, including assistant executive director, student advancement; and director of student services for the Ministry Laura Stowell, director of charter schools, of Education in St. David’s, Bermuda, where school governance and flexibility.

Four win scholarships in Congressional Arts Contest

First runner-up Jose Gomez and Anthony Johnson of the Art Institute of Atlanta.

Grand prize winner Demetria Coffee and U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson.

Arabia Mountain High senior Toni Hodges earned a $3,500 scholarship to the Art Institute of Atlanta in the 2016 Congressional Arts Competition.

Toni was third runner-up for her work “The Moon’s View.”

U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson awarded four college scholarships worth a total of $35,000 on April 23 at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia.

The grand prize winner was Demetria Coffee, a Newton County High junior, who won a $12,000 scholarship to the Savannah College of Art & Design for her work “Depression.”

She will travel to Washington in June to see her art displayed in the Capitol, where it will hang with other award winners from around the country for a year.

She also won two round-trip airline tickets from Southwest Airlines for the National Recognition Ceremony.

First runner-up was Jose Gomez, a senior from Meadowcreek High in Gwinnett County. He won a $12,000 scholarship to the Art Institute of Atlanta for his work “Equality.” His work will be displayed in Johnson’s district office for a year.

Second runner-up was Terrell Reese, a senior from Meadowcreek, for his work “Lost Ones.” He earned a $7,500 scholarship to the Art Institute of Atlanta.

Since 2007, Johnson has awarded more than $315,000 in arts scholarships to 4th District students.

“Every year, it warms my heart how such a diverse and talented group of students compete in this annual event,” Johnson said. “Again this year, we see the vision and artistry of Fourth District students on full display.”

He and his staff wore purple in honor of musical legend Prince, who died on April 21.

Second runner-up Terrell Reese, a Meadowcreek High senior, and Anthony Johnson.

“We all have a stroke of genius inside us,” Johnson told the students. “Your genius is on display today. Just like Prince, we all must tap into our God-given talents and not be afraid to display them to the world.”

More than 19 high school students from DeKalb, Gwinnett and Newton counties

Third runner-up Toni Hodges of Arabia Mountain High.

submitted artwork competing for the four college scholarships.

The Chapel Hill Middle School Symphonic Ensemble performed at the reception.

Band director Natalie Brown was recognized

by Johnson for her hard work and dedication to developing middle school artists.

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10

Scene

April 30, 2016

“A Singular Woman” offers an unprecedented look into the life and character of Stanley Ann Dunham, mother of the 44th president.

Make memories with mom in Georgia’s parks, historic sites If your mom loves spending time with family in the great outdoors, consider a visit to Georgia’s State Parks and Historic Sites on her special day.

Mother’s Day is May 8, and here are five ideas for an outing with Mother Nature.

Discover a Hidden Gem Think your mom has seen it all? Discover something new through the Hidden Gems series offered by state parks. In honor of the park system’s 85th anniversary this year, rangers are revealing their favorite littleknown places. Show mom the ancient Red Cedar at Elijah Clark State Park near Augusta or the abandoned moonshine truck at Ami- Canyon State Park in northwest Georgia ofcalola Falls. Find a Hidden Gem near you at fers a five-mile hike with a naturalist along www.GeorgiaStateParks.org/HiddenGems. the canyon rim. If your family includes four-legged members, plan to attend the Take a walk in the woods Paws on the Falls dog hike at High Falls Birds, blooms and butterflies are sure State Park near Jackson. A calendar of more to make mom happy when you sign up for events is listed at www.GeorgiaStateParks. a guided nature hike on May 8. Cloudland org/events.

Sign up for a guided five-mile nature hike on May 8 along the canyon rim at Cloudland Canyon State Park in Walker County in northwest Georgia.

Go ‘glamping’ Adventurous moms will get a kick out of “glamping” – or glamour camping – in a yurt.

Several state parks rent yurts, a cross between a tent and a cabin. Mom will sleep cozy inside and Dad can fire up the grill outside. Reserve yurts, cabins or campsites at www.GeorgiaStateParks.org/reservations.

Picnic in the park Give your mother a day off from cooking by packing a picnic basket with her favorite goodies. All state parks have picnic tables with beautiful views of forests, lakes or mountains. Larger families can reserve openair shelters or enclosed group shelters for an all-day potluck. Find a picnic spot near you at www.GeorgiaStateParks.org/map.

Gift cards and passes If you can’t resist wrapping up a present, consider a gift card, annual ParkPass or membership to Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites. Gift cards can be used on cabins, yurts, retail items, kayak rental, bike rental, golf green fees, historic site admission, and many other outdoor activities.

Annual passes provide free parking, and Friends membership provides an annual pass and additional discounts. Find details at www.GeorgiaStateParks.org and www.

FriendsofGaStateParks.org.

Gresham Library patrons will discuss biography of Obama’s mother Book club members will discuss “A Singular Woman: The Untold Story of Barack Obama’s Mother” by Janny Scott on May 2 at the Gresham Library.

The discussion gets under way at 7 p.m.

In the New York Times best-seller, Scott offers an unprecedented look into the life and character of Stanley Ann Dunham (1942-1995), mother of the 44th president.

Dunham, an American anthropologist who specialized in economic anthropology and rural development, broke many of the rules of her time.

Obama has written extensively about

his father but credited his mother for “what is best in me.” Little was known about the fiercely independent, spirited woman who helped raise the man who became the first biracial president of the United States.

Scott was a reporter for the New York Times from 1994 to 2009, when she left to write “A Singular Woman,” originally published in May 2011. She was a member of the Times reporting team that won the 2000 Pulitzer Prize for national reporting.

The library is at 2418 Gresham Road N.E. in Atlanta. For more information, call 404-244-4374.

President Barack Obama credits his mother, American anthropologist Stanley Ann Dunham, for “what is best in me.”

DeKalb County Sheriff Office

Jeffrey L. Mann, Sheriff 4415 Memorial Drive • Decatur, GA 30032

Legal Notices 04/09, 04/16, 04/23, 04/30

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16CV3228-6++ Eugene Cross Plaintiff Vs. Clara Evon Lee Cross Defendant To: Clara Evon Lee Cross

By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Mar. 22, 2016 you are hereby notified that on Feb. 29, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Eugene Cross, 740 Panola Rd., Ellenwood, GA 30294. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Mar. 22, 2016.

Witness the Honorable J.P. Boulee, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 23rd day of Mar., 2016 04/16, 04/23, 04/30, 05/07

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV9505-2++ Taisa Te’aira Harvey Plaintiff Vs. Demetrious Harvey Defendant To: Demetrious Harvey 120 Prison Farm Rd. Valdosta, GA 31601

By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Apr. 05, 2016 you are hereby notified that on Sept. 15,

2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Taisa Te’aira Harvey, 3618 Pepperdine Ct., Decatur, GA 30034.

Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 05, 2016.

Witness the Honorable Ashe F. Jackson, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 7th day of Apr., 2016 04/09, 04/16, 04/23, 4/30

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16CV3719-9++ Janice E. Clark filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Mar. 22, 2016 to change name from: Janice E. Clark to Janice E. Smith. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed.

Dated: Mar. 15, 2016 Name: Janice E. Clark (Smith) 1315 Mill Lake Cir. Stone Mountain, GA 30088 404 454-0011 04/16, 04/23, 4/30, 05/07

Notice of Petition to Change Name of Child(ren) in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++16CV4238-7++ Getachew Gebre Argaw filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Apr. 04, 2016 to change name(s) of the

following minor child(ren) from: Ezana Getachew Argaw to Ezana Getachew Gebre. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within the time prescribed In OCGA 19-12-1(f)(2) and (3).

Dated: Mar. 30, 2016 Name: Getachew Gebre Argaw 1281 Brockett Rd., Apt. 23C Clarkston, GA 30021 (404) 988-8710 04/23, 4/30, 05/07, 05/14

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16CV4506-4++ Fabian Blue filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Apr. 12, 2016 to change name from: Fabian Blue to Kal-elle Jagger. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition for Name Change was filed.

Witness the Honorable Gail C. Flake, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 14th day of Apr., 2016 04/23, 4/30, 05/07, 05/14

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16CV4457-3++ Fanny A. De Leon Velasquez Plaintiff Vs. Isaac D. Torres Sauceda Defendant You are hereby notified that the abovestyled action seeking Plaintiff for Divorce was filed suit against you in said court on Apr. 13, 2016 and that by reason

of an Order for Services Summons by Publication entered by the court on Apr. 18, 2016, you are hereby commanded and required to file with the Clerk said court, and serve upon Sarah T. Austin, Plaintiff’s attorney, whose address is: Atlanta Legal Aid Society, 246 Sycamore Street, Suite 120, Decatur, Georgia, 30030, an answer to the Petition within sixty (60) days of the Order for Service

by Publication.

Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 18th day of Apr., 2016

Sex Offender

Donald Dixon 4923 Autumn Circle Stn Mtn, GA 30088 Charge of Criminal Sexual Conduct Convicted on 10/31/1984

Sex Offender

Sex Offender

Ronnie Head 58 Lannon Ave., Atlanta, GA 30317 Charge of Sex Assault Convicted on 7/13/2013

Larry Smith 3612 Treehills Pkwy., Stn Mtn, GA 30088 Charge of Sexual Battery Convicted on 6/4/2008

Sex Offender

Sex Offender

Sex Offender

Sex Offender

04/23, 4/30, 05/07, 05/14

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16CV4486-9++ Shewaye K. Kiffay Plaintiff Vs. Halemarim Kassa Defendant To: Halemarim Kassa Ethiopia, Shire Endselasie Kebede 03 By order of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 18, 2016, You are hereby notified that on Apr. 12, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Petition of Custody.

You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and serve upon plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Donald M. Coleman, 246 Sycamore Street, Suite 120, Decatur, Georgia, 30030. Answer in writing with in sixty (6) days of Apr. 18, 2016..

Witness the Honorable Mark Anthony Scott, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 18th day of Apr., 2016

LeBrandon Jones Stanley Smith 2051 Flat Shoals Rd., P-7 5535 Hugh Howell Rd., William Fisher Atlanta, GA 30316 Sec B, 4508 South River Cove, Charge of Child Stn Mtn, GA 30087 Ellenwood, GA 30294 Molestation Charge of Child Charge of Sexual Assault Convicted on 12/13/2005 Molestation With Force Convicted on 10/14/2015 Convicted on 3/8/2007

Sex Offender

Sex Offender

Lowell Moore Tyrone Windham William Gorman 620 HeathMoor Place, 2050 Scarbrough Trail, E., 3258 N Embry Circle, Decatur, GA 30032 Stn Mtn, GA 30088 Atlanta, GA 30341 Charge of Child Charge of Federal/Military Charge of Sexual Battery Against Child Molestation Sex Crime Conviction Under 16 YOA Convicted on 3/25/1994 Convicted on 9/22/2008 Convicted on 3/11/2016 The DeKalb Sex Offenders List is published by the DeKalb County Sheriff Office. For more information call the Sex Offender Unit at 404-298-8130.

CrossRoadsNews

April 30, 2016

Scene

11

“The park has something for everybody. It is family-focused, peaceful and serene. We’re hoping the community will take ownership.”

Kaiser Permanente, Park Pride and Friends of Chapel Hill Park volunteers construct an outdoor classroom for an EarthShare challenge.

South DeKalb Rotarians Beverly Pyne (from left), Willie Hinton, Jennifer Parker, Al Lockhart, Claudia Lawson, President Jennifer Friday, President-elect Ceasar Gaithers, Patricia Seals, Donica Kennon, Irvin Johnson and Bill Murrain pose with awards won by the club last weekend.

South DeKalb Rotarians nab 4 awards

Though a small club of just 15 members, the Rotary Club of South DeKalb won four awards at the April 21-23 Rotary District 6900 Convention on Hilton Head Island. The club partners with Meadowview Elementary

and supports the basketball program at Lucious Sanders Rec Center in Lithonia and robotics programs at Stephenson High and Miller Grove Middle schools. It also is collecting pencils for children in Senegal.

Libraries help kids celebrate mom Preschoolers and grade-school kids can celebrate their moms with activities at DeKalb Public Library branches starting May 4.

Mother’s Day Storytime takes place at the Stonecrest Library from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. on May 4. There will be stories, fingerplays, rhymes, songs and a celebration of mom for kids 3 to 5 years old.

On May 6 at Stonecrest, kids 5 to 12 can make a gift for their moms. The arts and crafts program begins at 3 p.m.

Both programs are open to the first 20 participants, and groups of five or more should call the branch for an appointment.

Funding is provided by the Friends group.

The library is at 3123 Klondike Road in Lithonia. Call 770-482-3828.

Get Crafty!

Kids can Get Crafty! for mom on May 5 at the Gresham Library in Atlanta. Supplies will be provided for a fun and easy Mother’s Day craft from 3 to 4 p.m. for kids ages 5 to 12. The program is open to the first 10 participants.

The library is at 2418 Gresham Road N.E. Call 404-244-4374.

Mother’s Day Craft On May 7, children 5 to 12 can craft a gift to give to that special someone for Mother’s Day at the Redan-Trotti Library in Lithonia. The program begins at 3 p.m. and is open to the first 15 participants.

The library is at 1569 Wellborn Road.

Call 770-482-3821.

Park Pride

Park needs vendors, volunteers Volunteers and vendors are needed for the Friends of Chapel Hill Park Community Yard Sale fundraiser on May 13-14.

The sale takes place noon-6 p.m. May 13 and 10 a.m.-6 p.m. May 14, and there will be on-site registration. Proceeds benefit the final phase of capital improvements at the park, 3985 LeHigh Blvd. in Decatur.

Friends organizer Linda Cotton Taylor said the group is raising funds for a fishing pier to be completed by January 2017. The yard sale is the first of several planned fundraisers, including a “Give a Dollar” campaign.

She said she will be going “door to door, street to street” with a jar in May within a five-mile radius of the park to raise funds.

The Friends group also is seeking corporate sponsors.

On April 2, an outdoor classroom, butterfly garden, erosion control and trash re-

moval projects were completed at the park by Kaiser Permanente, Park Pride, and Friends volunteers for the EarthShare of Georgia Corporate Green Day Challenge.

The 33-acre park has a multi-use field and court, basketball and tennis courts, picnic area, lake and walking trails. The county and the Friends group have made recent upgrades, including new restrooms, 10 exercise stations, and kiosks.

Cotton Taylor, a DeKalb resident since 1982, called the park “a hidden gem.”

“The park has something for everybody,” she said. “It is family-focused, peaceful and serene. We’re hoping the community will take ownership of the park.”

Make tax-deductible donations to Friends of Chapel Hill Park at http://tiny.cc\ parkpride. To volunteer, email juneybug@ gmail.com. For vending, call 404-786-5464.

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4/21/16 10:53 AM