Kudos ...
Come on now ...
Send us your nominees
... to the Legacy at Eastwyck apart ment community for extensive land scaping upgrades along the street and at the main entrance on Can dler Road.
... at first glance, you’re inclined to criticize those who ignored this garbage bin on Rainbow Drive until you realize the bin itself is filled to overflowing.
Welcome to “Kudos & Come On Now,” the CrossRoads News initiative that highlights the people, businesses or groups who are going the extra mile to make our communities look better, as well as those who aren’t doing nearly enough. When you see examples at either extreme, tweet a photo and the location to us @CRNews_DeKalb or post it to facebook.com/crossroadsnews with #KudosDeKalb or #ComeOnDeKalb. For more examples of Kudos & Come On Now, visit crossroadsnews.com/kudos.
EAST ATLANTA • DECATUR • STONE MOUNTAIN • LITHONIA • AVONDALE ESTATES • CLARKSTON • ELLENWOOD • PINE LAKE • REDAN • SCOTTDALE • TUCKER
Copyright © 2015 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
August 8, 2015
Volume 21, Number 15
www.crossroadsnews.com
May’s investigator says DeKalb is ‘rotten to the core’ By Ken Watts
DeKalb County government “is rotten to the core,” says Mike Bowers, the investigator hired by interim CEO Lee May to root out corruption. In a two-and-a-halfpage letter hand-delivered to May on Aug. 5, Bowers Mike Bowers described what his team found as “stunning.” “The DeKalb County government we have found is rotten to the core,” the letter over the signatures of Bowers and Richard L.
Hyde said. “The misconduct starts at the top and has infected every department we have looked at.” May hired Bowers on March 18 and gave him $500,000 and 120 days to conduct a sweeping investigation of county government and “remove Lee May the stench of corruption.” On that timetable, Bowers was expected to report to May on Aug. 1. In a statement Wednesday shortly after the letter became public, May said he “wholeheartedly disagrees” with Bowers’ opinion
that DeKalb County is rotten to the core. “The overwhelming majority of DeKalb County employees are honest, decent, hardworking, and committed to public service,” May said. May said he tapped Bowers to do the comprehensive review of county government operations to identify corruption, fraud, criminal activity, conflicts of interest, or abuse because he was “aware of the underlying issues mentioned in Mr. Bowers’ letter.” “The 120 days has come and gone, and it appears the only thing we have to show for it is a two-page letter full of salacious – but vague – innuendo,” he said. Bowers, a former Georgia attorney gen-
eral, said that his team conducted scores of interviews and looked at several hundred thousand documents, including more than 50,000 individual P-card transactions. Bowers said the abuse ranged from petty to absurd and included the purchase of “a cruise to the Bahamas for an employee, a flower arrangement, a Christmas tree, a live guitar player and a dry-cleaning bill for a judge’s robe.” He said taxpayer funds were routinely used to buy “liquor, catered meals, candy, popcorn and pretzels filled with peanut butter for elected officials, department heads Please see BOWERS, page 3
DeKalb schools get back to ‘rigor, relevance’ Dr. R. Stephen Green, DeKalb Schools new superintendent, greets a student at Hambrick Elementary in Stone Mountain in June. He will visit seven schools Aug. 10.
New leadership, focus at start of new school year By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
On Aug. 10 when the bell rings in DeKalb schools, it will herald more than a new school year. It also will herald new leadership at the district and what new School Superintendent R. Stephen Green calls a “laser-like” focus on instruction and quality of learning that take place in the classrooms. Green, who arrived in the district on July 1, said now that the other distractions – governance, legal and financial issues – are out of the way, it falls to him to take the district to the next level. He likened the pass-off between himself and his predecessor, Superintendent Michael Thurmond, to the two of them running a relay race. “He ran track. I ran track,” he said. “He ran the third leg of the relay and I am the anchor. We made a good exchange. And now I am coming to bring it home. I am bringing it to the finish line. We are going to put DeKalb back on the map where it needs to be. We are going to bring it back.” On the first day of school, 6,400 teachers and principals will welcome a projected 102,000 students to 137 schools and centers districtwide. Green will visit seven schools on Monday – one each in every district. He starts the day at 7:15 a.m. in District 2 at Hawthorne Elementary in Atlanta. From there he goes to Cross Keys High in Chamblee in District 1; Cedar Grove Middle in Decatur in District 3; Peachcrest Elementary in Atlanta in District 7; Chapel Hill Middle in Decatur in District 5; and Stone Mountain High in District 6. He finishes up at 12:30 p.m. at Tucker High in District 4. In a July 16 interview with CrossRoads News, Green said his administration is
Special to CrossRoadsNews
“We are going to ratchet up the rigor in our curriculum. We need to make sure that our curriculum is relevant to the 21st-century learning that our students expect and need.” opening “a new door of opportunity” as the district continues its resurgence to prominence. When he worked for the College Board in 1995-2003, Green said he used to come to DeKalb when it was a prominent district, and he said it can be returned to that position. “We have had our challenges and we have been backstage long enough,” he said. “We need to step to the front of the stage and take
our rightful position on the regional and national stage. This begins that process.” To do that, Green said everyone – families, students, teachers, administrators – needs to be in synchronism. “We can’t afford to miss a beat, miss a step,” he said. At DeKalb Commissioner Stan Watson’s Aug. 1 Community Cabinet meeting, Green told about 150 community leaders and residents that he has some internal house to clean in areas where the district needs to serve its children properly and where things are not going right. “I can’t talk about all that because I will break all kinds of laws,” he said. “All I ask you to do is partner with me. You are going to hear about changes. You are going to hear
about some modifications going on, and as those changes and modifications take place, people are going to get upset. For us, they want things to stay the way it was, but we can’t get to the next level staying the way we are.”
Parents as first teachers Green told CrossRoadsNews that parents are the first teachers and he plans to build off that. “I don’t think the journey can be made successfully without parent engagement, parent participation, and parent involvement,” he said. “Parental engagement, participation and involvement are all different but with all Please see SUPERINTENDENT, page 2
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CrossRoadsNews
Community
August 8, 2015
“The goal for me will be to get into classrooms and witness instruction and witness the caliber and the focus.”
Walmart filling 300 new positions at Suburban Plaza supercenter Job hunters can vie for more than 300 positions on Aug. 12-14 for the new Walmart Supercenter under construction at Suburban Plaza in Decatur. Walmart is hosting the Job Fair/Hiring Event at DeKalb Workforce Development offices at 774 Jordan Lane to fill the positions at
the new 149,876-square-foot store, scheduled to open in March 2016. DWD is in Building 4 and the job fair takes place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Walmart store No. 3118, located at 2549 N. Decatur Road, will have 40,000 square feet dedicated to groceries.
It needs cashiers, floor sales associates, backroom associates and department supervisors/managers. Specialty positions include pharmacists/ pharmacy technicians; meat, deli and produce specialists; and cake decorators/bakery specialists.
Interested individuals can apply online at http://careers.walmart.com and register at DWD/www.dekalbworkforce.org. Auxiliary aids and services are available to individuals with disabilities. Adults who are hearing impaired can call 1-800-255-0135 for assistance.
Overcrowding, curriculum, instruction top Green’s priorities SUPERINTENDENT,
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three, we have the greatest opportunity for success.” Green comes to DeKalb County from the Kansas City School District, where he was hailed as a transformational leader. He said that part of his organizational training calls for him to look at organizations like people, and that they, like people, have bad times and suffer low self-esteem but still have to be resilient and forge forward. “People have periods when things are not going well,” he said. “It’s not that you don’t face adversity. It is how you face adversity and how you rebound. … We have gone through challenges. Now we are in a rebound and resurgence and resiliency phase.” As the new school year gets under way, Green said he wants teachers and principals to understand that the district is ready to step into a new era focused on academic achievement. “We want to get back to the business of rigor, relevance and relationship,” he said. “We are going to ratchet up the rigor in our curriculum. We need to make sure that our curriculum is relevant to the 21st-century learning that our students expect and need, and that we rebuild the relationship, not just with students, but with families, where it is not as wholesome as it should be.” In light of the struggles of the past three or four years, Green said the district needs to recalibrate and refocus its priority around student, college and career readiness. “That is our biggest responsibility,” he said. “That was a significant charge by this community, by taxpayers and stakeholders. So we need to get back to that. We are going to re-anchor and refocus our work around students and their experiences, and we are going to broaden and deepen our curriculum.” School administrators, including principals, can expect to read Mike Schmoker’s book – “Results Now.” It’s a favorite of Green who likes Schmoker’s emphasis on setting aside the buffers that get in the way of teaching success. “It will be required reading for the Cabinet and all principals,” he said. Green’s 90-day Transition Plan is heavily devoted to curriculum and instruction, which he says play to his strengths and will account for 75 percent to 80 percent of his focus.
Superintendent R. Stephen Green says he and his Cabinet will make unannounced visits to classrooms on a regular basis.
misalignment with the standards. In curriculum, instruction and assessment, Green said the district has to be vigilant about almost every moment of the school day. “Every year you have to review and revamp,” he said. “If you don’t, just like your tires on your car get out of alignment, you have wobbling and wriggling, and you get off the road.”
He said both he and his nine-member Cabinet will be out in classrooms on a regular basis. He said his visits will be unannounced. “The goal for me will be to get into classrooms and witness instruction and witness the caliber and the focus,” he said. “So I might be sneaking in some back doors.” Within the first two weeks of his arrival in the district, Green created a Curriculum, Institution, Assessment and Accountability task force, which he calls CIAA Square. He said the task force – co-chaired by regional superintendents Dr. Triscilla Weaver and Trenton Arnold and Dr. Kelly Wright, an outside consultant and former teacher – comprises talented staff who know curriculum and instruction. It started with seven members, but he said it is growing. “We are going to engage in a pretty heavy-duty exhaustive curricula audit and try to look at what we have that can still be, for want of a better term, salvaged and will be part of our work going forward.” Green said it’s not his intention to throw everything out but that he will be looking at the component pieces that need to remain, for gaps in sequencing, and where there is
Overcrowding, academic challenges Green said that stepping into DeKalb’s superintendent chair feels very familiar. “I felt like I belong,” he said. From his visits to the district in May and June when he was the lone finalist for the $300,000-a-year job, Green saw plenty to make up his mind about what some of his first order of business will be. Overcrowding and the proliferation of portable classrooms at Cross Keys High rank at the top of his priority list. He said that stakeholders who spoke to him in the spring had not exaggerated the situation. “I saw plenty of portable classrooms,” he said. “I think we need to do everything we can to reduce that number over the course of the next several years to relieve the overcrowding conditions there.” On the district’s southside, Green said he visited McNair, Lithonia and MLK Jr. high schools on a driving tour with Thurmond in June and that he is very interested in addressing academic challenges there. In May when the 2015 graduating class took flight, schools in south DeKalb County dominated the list of 964 seniors who left the district without high school diplomas. MLK Jr. High in Lithonia topped the list with 188 or 57.5 percent of its senior class not getting diplomas on graduation day. At McNair and Lithonia high schools, 15.7 percent and 11.8 percent of their 2015 class did not get diplomas. Going forward, Green said that he expects 100 percent of students to leave the district, not only with high school diplomas but with a career path or a college path. “I don’t just want them to end with a diploma,” he said. “I don’t want them wandering around the streets trying to determine what they are going to do. They need to have a plan and they need to be supported in making that plan work.”
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October 17, 2015 • Noon - 5 p.m. at the Mall at Stonecrest
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August 8, 2015
Community
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CrossRoadsNews
“We don’t want to do our homework. If there weren’t things to hide, it would be in the open.”
Commissioners approve soccer deal without public input By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
The DeKalb Board of Commissioners approved the Atlanta United professional soccer deal with a vote of 4-3 on Aug. 4. Four of the five commissioners who represent south DeKalb County voted in favor of the Memorandum of Understanding to grant billionaire Arthur Blank use of 41 acres of county land near Memorial Drive and I-285 for his professional soccer team’s corporate headquarters, a 3,500-seat stadium, three soccer practice fields, and a training facility. Blank will invest $30 million. With the land, demolition, clearing and sodding, relocation expenses, and lease payment, DeKalb County government and taxpayers will chip in $12 million to $14 million. The Memorandum of Understanding was silent on the cost to relocate 19 county facilities with 174 employees. Under the agreement, Blank will have use of the property for 30 years tax-free, pay no permitting fees, and get $7 million for office space that will be used by the DeKalb Parks & Recreation Department. Districts 3, 4, 5 and 7 Commissioners Larry Johnson, Sharon Barnes Sutton, Mereda Davis Johnson and Stan Watson supported the MOU. Commissioner Kathie Gannon, whose District 6 includes portions of South DeKalb, joined the districts 2 and 1 Commissioners Jeff Rader and Nancy Jester in opposing the deal. The commissioners Kathie Gannon who supported the deal gave no reason for their support. Those opposing it said the deal gave away too much and wasn’t a good one for
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
George Chidi (from left), Harmel Codi and Joe Arrington were among DeKalb residents standing in protest on Aug. 4 to a DeKalb Board of Commissioners vote to deny public comment.
the county. Gannon said the “behind-closed-door deal” should be slowed down and that the BOC needs to do its fiduciary duty. She said there are no good jobs that will come to DeKalb residents and that Blank will get $3,500 in state tax credits for every job he creates. “We could do so much better,” she said. Gannon said that 10 years after the Cool Ray Fields opened in Gwinnett County, they are still waiting for “economic development.” “We don’t want to do our homework,” she said. “If there weren’t things to hide, it
would be in the open.” Rader, a self-described soccer fan, said the sport is uniquely suited to DeKalb and its international community but that while Marietta, the other finalist for the Atlanta United package, offered Blank five years of free rent and no cash, DeKalb put everything on the table. “Our deal is six times better than Marietta,” Rader said. “This was a David and Goliath situation and Goliath won.” Interim CEO Lee May said the Memorial Drive corridor has not seen a dollar of development in two decades. “No one can argue with that,” he said.
“If the private sector was interested in the Memorial Drive area, it would have happened by now. So yes, we are putting cash on the table in order to realize the development of this area.” May said there is ScripLee May ture that says where your treasure is, your heart will be there also. “We are putting our money where our mouth is,” he said. “Yes you can say you believe in the redevelopment of this area, but where is the money? That’s what we are talking about today.” May said landing the deal was all about timing and that Atlanta United needs to be in place by January 2016 to be ready for the Major League Soccer season that starts in 2017. He said the agreement was less about having a sports facility and more about having a financial investment in a corridor that sorely needs it. “We are putting $7 million that we know will yield a minimum of $30 million of investment in this corridor,” May said. “That’s fact. It’s in your Memorandum of Understanding. It’s in there. So this is a good deal for DeKalb County as a whole.” May said he had to be aggressive to land the deal and that the financial incentive is more heavily focused on the front end but that he is not backing away from that. Before the vote, Rader, Gannon and Jester tried to get the board to hear public comment on the deal, but the motion was defeated to a shout of “Hail Russian” from Steve Billey of Clarkston and groans from some members of the audience who stood up in support of opening up the discussion.
Identities of those suspected of misconduct to be included in final report BOWERS,
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and staff members.” The county’s own internal auditors have reported the improper spending over the years, yet Bowers said the abuse has continued. He said that the waste and fraud is not limited to P-card use. His other examples include: n County officials issuing sole-source contract despite there being many other qualified vendors available to perform the same work, at a much lower cost to the county. n A high-level official wrecked a countyowned vehicle, causing substantial damage, and then failed to follow proper procedures for reporting the accident. n The county paid the impound fee for another county-owned vehicle after the employee was arrested for DUI. “Several department heads over the past five years have overspent their budgets and no action has been taken to correct this illegal conduct,” he said. While the employee charged with DUI resigned rather than face disciplinary action,
Bowers said the man was rehired within days of entering a guilty plea in court, “with no apparent disciplinary action taken.” May suspended most use of P-cards in June after Bowers found widespread illegal use of them. He said Wednesday that Bowers told him that a detailed report will be issued in three weeks and will provide a road map to reduce the county’s risk exposure to waste, fraud and abuse. In March, Bowers said all attorneys will bill the county a flat rate of $400 per hour. Investigator Hyde will make $300 per hour, and paralegals will be paid $150 hourly. County invoice records show that Bowers has billed the county $455,746 for work performed in March, April and May. On July 21, the DeKalb Board of Commissioners declined to fund $500,000 in the midyear budget for the investigation. In his letter Wednesday, Bowers said that the amount of money that the investigation has and will cost “is minimal compared to what widespread government corruption has cost DeKalb County and our state in terms of standing, reputation and image.”
Before Bowers’ investigation got under way in the spring, two county elected officials were already indicted on financial and other improprieties. Former DeKalb District 1 Commissioner Elaine Boyer and suspended CEO Burrell Ellis are serving prison sentences for corruption. Boyer was found guilty of misusing her P-card and swindling more than $90,000 from taxpayers. Ellis is serving 18 months for attempted extortion and perjury. Bowers said that he is not identifying employees or officials who may be guilty of
crimes or other misconduct until he publishes the final report. He also complained that not all employees were cooperative with his investigation. “While most folks have been helpful, some department heads have flatly ignored Open Records Act requests from you and your office to provide full document with regard to P-card transaction logs that are required to be kept at each work site,” he wrote. “They have also ignored Open Records Act requests that we have filed and today are in violation of state law.”
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Schools 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 Circulation Manager Alexandria LeKae Ford 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. 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 advertisments, including claims of suits for libel, violation of privacy, plagiarism and copyright infringement. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement.
CrossRoadsNews
August 8, 2015
“This approach minimizes disruptions to the school administrators, staff and students.”
New Peachcrest Elementary to welcome students It will be new-school smell for about 900 students at the $20 million Peachcrest Elementary in Decatur on Aug. 10. The sprawling new Peachcrest Elementary, which is absorbing students from the old Knollwood and Midway elementary schools, will be the only new school opening for the first day of the 2015-2016 school year. It will be followed on Nov. 30 by the new $20 million Fernbank Elementary, which is under construction at 157 Heaton Park Drive in Atlanta. The two new schools are among seven elementary schools that will be built under the Special Local Option Sales Tax IV program. Districtwide, there are more than 60 active construction projects totaling nearly $187 million under way. They all are funded by the $475 million SPLOST IV, approved by voters in 2012. The remaining five schools – Gresham/Clifton, Pleasantdale, Rockbridge, Smoke Rise and Austin – will be completed in the 2016, 2017 and 2018 school years. Peachcrest, Fernbank and the other five elementary schools are all being built to the same prototype. Their beautiful brick buildings, all about 128,000 square feet in size, are filled with big windows that let in a lot of light. All of the buildings will accommodate about 900 students. The schools also have 3,250-square-foot media centers; art and music classrooms; computer, science and discovery labs; and special needs classrooms. They also boast a 5,640-squarefoot cafeteria and gyms that are 4,700 square feet in size. On Aug. 6, an army of work crews was putting the finishing touches to the new Peachcrest Elementary to have it ready for students and Superintendent R. Stephen Green, who has a 10:30 a.m. news conference planned there
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Crews were racing the clock Thursday to finish the sprawling new Peachcrest Elementary in time for the first day of school on Aug. 10. The 128,000-square-foot school will house 900 students. Superintendent R. Stephen Green will visit the school Monday, which is absorbing students from the old Knollwood and Midway elementary schools.
on Monday. While their new school is being completed, Fernbank’s students have been housed temporarily at Avondale Middle School in Avondale Estates since fall 2013 when the old facility, built in 1957, was demolished.
Redan High Redan High in Stone Moun- Quinn Hudson tain is getting a $21 million makeover that will be completed next August, just in time for the start of the 2016-2017 school year. The project includes a two-story addition with 24 instructional units and major renovation of the main building.
Free back-to-school fest on Aug. 9 Single Moms Incorporating Love, Encouragement and Support is hosting a free Back-toSchool Jamboree on Aug. 9 at the Midway Recreation Center. The 2-to-6 p.m. event will include a health fair, live music, A new bus lane and a resurfaced, restructured front parking lot to improve site flow have been completed as well as improvements to the kitchen and commons area. Quinn Hudson, DeKalb Schools spokesman, said the construction is being done in phases to take advantage of the times when the campus is not occupied and/or breaks during the school year.
games, free haircuts, food, and giveaways of book bags and school supplies. The rec center is at 3181 Midway Road in Decatur. For more information, email smiles. singlemoms@gmail.com. “This approach minimizes disruptions to the school administrators, staff and students during the school year and maximizes the productivity of the construction company,” he said. The first three phases also included improvements to the baseball fields. Scheduled improvements for the 2016 season are the hitting facility and field lighting.
Healthy sleep schedule a must on back-to-school list Parents can help their children develop a healthy sleep schedule as they prepare for a new school year. School-age children are about to experience a dramatic shift in schedules, which can potentially lead to sleep problems. According to the National Sleep Foundation, kids need nine to 11 hours of sleep each night, and teens need eight to 10 hours. However, most parents say their children don’t get enough, and one-quarter indicated their kids should be getting a full hour more per night to be at their best. Lack of sleep can contribute to issues such as impaired performance in school and behavioral or emotional problems. It also can exacerbate health concerns such as obesity and ADHD. Dr. Mark Kishel, a senior clinical
Kids need nine to 11 hours of sleep each night, and teens need eight to 10. Most parents say their children don’t get enough sleep, the National Sleep Foundation says.
officer for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Georgia and a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, offers these tips to help ease your children into a new sleep pattern: n Gradually re-establish school schedules. If your kids have gotten used to going to bed and waking up later, use the end of summer break
to get into a school-day rhythm. Start enforcing new bedtimes. n Develop a consistent bedtime routine. Maintain a regular bedtime and develop a routine of calming activities in the hours before bed. Avoid TV, Web surfing, video games, physical activities and sugary foods or drinks before
bedtime. n Keep it quiet once they’re in bed. Dim the lights in the house and stick to relaxing, quiet activities. n Maintain a balanced schedule. At the beginning of the school year, it’s exciting to see all the great activities and opportunities available to your children, but be careful not to overcommit. Evening activities and homework are commonly cited reasons for a lack of sleep, especially among teens. n Be on the lookout for medical conditions that interfere with sleep. There are a number of sleep disorders that can affect children. Common signs of sleep deprivation include difficulty waking up in the morning, taking excessive naps, acting overly emotional, hyperactivity, or having trouble with concentration. Consult your doctor if you think there is a problem.
Circulation Audited By index to advertisers DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court......................6 Fabric Joint, LLC.............................................. 7 Georgia Piedmont Technical College.............. 3 Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home........ 2 Henry Mitchell, CPA, PC.................................. 7
Johnson Hopewell Coleman LLC................... 7 Life Solutions For Health, LLC......................... 7 Macy’s............................................................. 8 Marten Transport............................................ 7
Norsouth Development Co. of GA, LLC..........Wright 7 Vision Care.......................................... 2 Ousley United Methodist Church (2)..............Best 7 Buy Co. Inc......................................Inserts Patricia E. White Book-A-Trip Travel...............Holistic 7 Health Management Inc.............Inserts Quenon Smith................................................Walgreens. 7 ..............................................Inserts
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CrossRoadsNews
August 8, 2015
Schools
“We believe that achievement can’t happen without interaction of parents. We’ve got resources … the missing piece is parents.”
New principals at 23 elementary, middle and high schools Twenty-three DeKalb County schools are starting the 2015-2016 school year with new or reassigned principals. Rochelle Lowery, Chamblee High’s principal, has been reassigned to Leadership Development in the district’s Administration and Instructional Complex.
13 schools have new principals Lori Bolds, principal of Harriet Tubman Elementary in Fulton County, becomes principal of Montgomery Elementary. Keisha Sims, assistant principal at Sequoyah Middle, becomes principal of Margaret Harris Comprehensive School. Jose DeJesus, a principal in Kissimmee, Fla., is the new principal of Chamblee Middle, while Norman Sauce, principal at Johns Creek Elementary in Fulton, becomes Chamblee High’s new principal. Vanessa Bines-Truitt, assistant principal at Woodward Elementary, is now principal
Myron Broome
Tiffany Brown
Vanessa Jones
of Brockett Elementary. Rochelle Patillo, assistant principal at Henderson Middle, is the school’s new principal, and Deborah Satterfield, assistant principal at Fernbank Elementary, becomes principal of Midvale Elementary. Janice Boger, Redan High’s assistant principal, is the school’s new principal. Dawn Blackwell, assistant principal at Bethune Middle, is Bob Mathis Elementary’s new principal. Tiffany Brown, assistant principal at Hen-
Debra Phillips
derson Middle, is now principal of Browns Mill Elementary, while Walter Burke, assistant principal at Princeton Elementary, becomes Fairington Elementary
principal. Myron Broome, Towers High assistant principal, is now principal of Bethune Middle, and Vanessa Jones, assistant principal at Rowland Elementary, becomes its principal.
10 have reassigned principals Lynda Maubougne, principal at Brockett Elementary, has been reassigned to Oak Grove Elementary as principal, and Kyia Clark, Princeton Elementary’s principal, be-
comes principal at Stone Mill Elementary. Angela Hairston, who was principal at Stone Mountain Elementary, is now principal of Princeton Elementary, and Corey Davidson, principal at Freedom Middle, has been reassigned as principal of Stone Mountain Elementary. Marchell Boston, principal of Stone Mill Elementary, moves to Freedom Middle as principal. Debra Phillips, Chapel Hill Middle principal, has been reassigned as principal of Lithonia Middle, and Lisa McGhee, principal at Lithonia Middle, is now Chapel Hill Middle’s principal. Sheila Nelloms, Knollwood Elementary principal, becomes principal of Peachcrest Elementary; Susan Freeman, Flat Shoals Elementary principal, is now principal at Meadowview Elementary; and Laconduas Freeman, Midway Elementary principal, is Flat Shoals Elementary’s principal.
Merit pay for 1,830 DeKalb teachers More than 1,800 DeKalb School District teachers received merit pay awards up to $2,500 from the federal Race to the Top program. The district distributed the awards during the week of July 20 to 1,830 teachers who were identified as the top 20 percent of teachers in the 2014-2015 school year using measurements from the Georgia Department of Education. The amount awarded to the top 10 percent was $2,500, and merit pay awards of $869.75 were given to the second tier of teachers in the next highest 10 percent. Throughout the five years of the grant,
including 2014-2015, the process that determined the top 20 percent has been explained to principals and teacher leaders, the district said. Teachers were given the opportunity to ask questions about the process through principals, teacher leaders or directly to the District Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Periodic updates were posted on the teacher electronic message board (NewsFlash) throughout the school year. In addition, faculty meetings, principal training, teacher evaluation, principal orientation with teachers, principal meetings, and central office meetings were held. Visit www.dekalb.k12.ga.us.
Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews
Student achievement, parental involvement and safety issues topped the agenda at a “Parents Boot Camp” pep rally at Lithonia High as kids prepare to head back to school on Aug. 10.
Parents, students get new year pointers By Ken Watts
Parents and students preparing for the Aug. 10 start of the new school year picked up tips on staying safe and becoming involved in their education at an Aug. 1 “Parents Boot Camp” and pep rally at Lithonia High School. Speakers included School Superintendent R. Stephen Green, other educators, School Board members, and law enforcement officers. At the event sponsored by the DeKalb NAACP, educators spoke about student achievement and parental involvement. Green urged parents to use all of the district’s resources to closely monitor their children’s progress throughout the school year. District 5 and 7 School Board members Vickie Turner and Joyce Morley urged parents to stay engaged with teachers and set goals for their children. Sp eaking bluntly, Turner said it’s time for Vickie Turner parents “to step up” and work to get the best education for their kids. “Dare your kids to do better,” she said. The agenda featured workshops to help parents detect when drugs have been brought into the house and when their children are being bullied at school and on the rights of parents in the School District. DeKalb NAACP Vice President Lance Hammonds said improvements have been made Lance Hammonds but that the district still lacks consistent parental involvement. “We believe that achievement can’t hap-
enrolling now Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews
DeKalb Police Maj. K.D. Johnson (left) and DeKalb Schools Police Chief Donald Smith offer insights on student safety at the pep rally.
pen without interaction of parents,” he said. “We’ve got all those resources at the School District, but the missing piece is parents or guardians.” DeKalb Police South Precinct Commander K.D. Johnson and DeKalb Schools Police Chief Donald Smith shared tips for a safe encounter with police during traffic stops. Noting the rash of incidents nationally with African-American males and the police, Johnson asked how many in the audience had had a bad experience with a police officer. About half of the audience of 150 people raised their hands. About the same number responded when Johnson asked how many had good interaction with officers. Johnson said that during traffic stops and other interaction with the police, a lot depends on how individuals react when they are stopped. “It’s best not to get into an argument with the officer and risk escalating the situation,” he said. “Save your argument for court and keep your hands in plain sight. If you have video, use it.”
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6
CrossRoadsNews
Finance
August 8, 2015
“One of the planks of our economic development strategic plan was to improve our business climate.”
DeKalb makes permitting process more ‘business-friendly’ By Ken Watts
Companies are finding it much easier to open for business in DeKalb because of a speedier permitting process for new construction, interim CEO Lee May and two highranking county officials said on Aug. 3. DeKalb’s permitting has been criticized for years as slow, complicated and a hindrance to business growth. Lee May But about 92 percent of commercial applications now get reviewed within 10 days, clearing the way for building permits to be issued, said May, Deputy Chief Operating Officer Luz Borrero and Andrew
Baker, director of planning and development, during a news conference in Decatur. “One of the planks of our economic development strategic plan was to improve our business climate,” May said. The county established the Expedited Commercial Plan Review Program in May 2014. Under the new system, peer reviews are conducted by certified engineers and architects who are hired by developers to check their construction documents for code compliance, Borrero said. “It’s a way for us to outsource services and maintain a 10-day turnaround when customers opt for utilizing commercial peer reviews,” Borrero said. “So we are relying on the commercial peer reviewers to do that indepth, detailed work that otherwise our own plan review staff would have to do.”
May said the overall average wait is about eight days. The county issued a 60-page manual on July 29 that gives developers an overview of the revised permitting system. “It clearly outlines the requirements so there’s transparency and everyone knows what they’re expected to submit and that helps speed the review process,” Baker said. General contractor Tina Rodriguez of PDH Construction said at the news conference that the revised permitting was a great help for three of her Tina Rodriguez clients who had to relocate their dental office. Part of her plan for the new office construc-
Legal Notices 07/18, 07/25, 08/01, 08/08
Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV7091-4++ Pendall Carroll Plaintiff Vs. Charise Carroll Defendant To: Charise Carroll By Order of the Court for service by publication dated July 07, 2015 you are hereby notified that on July 02, 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: Pendall L. Carroll, 4165 Emerald North Drive, Decatur, GA 30035. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of July 07, 2015. Witness the Honorable Gail C. Flake, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 8th day of July, 2015 07/18, 07/25, 08/01, 08/08
Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV6991-2++ LeTricia C. Williams Plaintiff Vs.
Allante A. Anderson Defendant To: By Order of the Court for service by publication dated July 10, 2015 you are hereby notified that on July 02, 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: 3771 Leyanne Ct, Decatur, GA 30034. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of July 10, 2015. Witness the Honorable Asha F. Jackson, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 10th day of July, 2015 07/18, 07/25, 08/01, 08/08
Notice OF PUBLICATION
tion was approved in a day. “It has been extremely successful for my clients,” Rodriguez said. “They are helping their customers.” Patti Wallis of Permit Solutions, a consulting service, called the revised permitting less painful. “There are processes put in place and I know Patti Wallis exactly what you are looking for and what you expect from me,” Wallis said. “As I become more experienced with the peer review, I am getting my permits in 10 days. It’s working. You’re on the right track to becoming a business-friendly county.” Copies of the Development Manual are available at http://planningdekalb.net.
address is: 1414 D Post Oak Drive, Clarkston, GA 30021; (570) 974-5211. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of July 10, 2015. Witness the Honorable Courtney L. Johnson, Judge of the DeKalb Supe rior Court. This the 13th day of July, 2015
Witness the Honorable Asha F. Jackson, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 16th day of July, 2015
08/01, 08/08, 08/15, 08/22
Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV7162-2++ Shandar L. Smith Plaintiff Vs. Jason D. Smith Defendant To: Jason D. Smith 3560 Emerald Pointe Circle College Park, GA 30037 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated July 15, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Jul. 09, 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: Shandar L. Smith, 3841 Kensington Rd., Apt. E44, Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of July 15, 2015. Witness the Honorable Asha F. Jackson, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 16th day of July, 2015
Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV6994-1++ Chanelle Jones Plaintiff Vs. Jonathan Jones Defendant To: By Order of the Court for service by publication dated July 10, 2015 you are hereby notified that on June 30, 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
Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV7163-2++ Kizuwanda Boyd Plaintiff Vs. Dwayne A. Hawkins Defendant To: By Order of the Court for service by publication dated July 15, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Jul. 09, 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: Kizuwanda Boyd, 2844 Valley Ridge Drive, Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of July 15, 2015.
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Reader Notice As a service to you – our valued readers – we offer the following information: This newspaper will never knowingly ac cept any advertisement that is illegal or considered fraudulent. If you have questions or doubts about any ads on these pages, we advise that before responding or sending money ahead of time, you check with the Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Line and/or the Better Business Bureau. They may have records or documented complaints that will serve to caution you about doing business with those advertisers. Also be advised that some phone numbers published in these ads may require an extra charge. In all cases of questionable value, such as promises or guaranteed income from work-at-home programs, money to loan, etc., if it sounds too good to be true – it may in fact be exactly that. This newspaper cannot be held responsible for any negative consequences that occur as a result of you doing business with any advertisers. Thank you.
7
CrossRoadsNews
August 8, 2015
People
“Reaching working women who are often struggling to raise children … and also care for aging parents is both a passion and personal.”
Elisa shares spotlight with Obama at Conference on Aging Tucker resident Vickie Elisa introduced President Barack Obama at the 2015 White House Conference on Aging held in the East Wing and televised to millions of Americans via watch parties and live streams. Her remarks focused on the difficulty many American women encounter trying to achieve economic security when faced with real-life issues such as limited employment, lack of pensions, caregiving or debt caused by divorce, domestic violence or medical bills. “Reaching working women who are often struggling to raise children, keep food on the table and who also care for aging parents is both a passion and personal,” Elisa said. “I understand the economic challenges women often face but also understand that it’s not impossible to improve your financial future.” The divorced single mother knows about struggling with huge debt, domestic violence and medical bills, surviving through humor and faith. Elisa, an expert in public health policy development, media literacy and strategic planning, was a panel member on Planning for Financial Security at Every Age hosted by
Vickie Elisa, a panelist at the 2015 White House Conference on Aging, speaks with President Barack Obama. She introduced him at the July 13 conference.
Labor Secretary Thomas Perez at the July 13 conference. She has served as the 19-year volunteer board president of the nonprofit Mothers Voices, Georgia Inc. and as a community financial educator. MV-GA (www.mvgeorgia.org) collaborates with the Women’s Institute for a Secure Retirement in Washington to help women become community advocates and educators in their homes and communities
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MARKETPLACE RATES Place your MarketPlace line ad here – up to 20 words for $25. Additional words are $3 per block of five words (maximum 45 words). Boxed Ads (with up to 3 lines bold headline): $35 plus cost of the classified ad. Send ad copy with check or credit card information and contact phone number (if different from ad) to MarketPlace, CrossRoadsNews, 2346 Candler Road, Decatur, GA 30032, or e-mail to marketplace@crossroadsnews.com. Our deadlines are at noon on the Friday one week prior to publication, unless otherwise noted.
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NorSouth Development in cooperation with the Housing Development Corp. of DeKalb is currently accepting statements of qualification for the following professionals for the Village at Mills Creek Master Development, Reserve at Mills Creek and Mills Creek Crossing. Project will be located in Scottdale, DeKalb County. • Graphic design • Videography • Marketing and branding Contracts are expected to be awarded within the next 90 days. NorSouth is committed to subcontracting with MBE, WBE and Section 3 businesses. This project is covered under the requirements of Section 3 of the HUD Act of 1968. Businesses operated by Section 3 residents and businesses from the DeKalb County area are encouraged to apply. To find out if you are a Section 3 resident or business please visit http://tinyurl.com/nbsunev. Section 3 qualifying businesses and MBE/WBE will be given a bid scoring preference per Federal, State and local requirements. To apply please complete a Bidders Statement of Qualifications form at www.norsouthdevelopment.com. Please reference in your email the project you are applying for. Questions may be directed to vendors@norsouth.com.
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The Rev McCallister Hollins, Senior Pastor 3261 Panola Road, Lithonia, GA 30038 • 770-981-0180
3372 MEMORIAL DRIVE SE DECATUR, GA 30032 ERE BELVED
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Ousley United Methodist Church Men
We invite you to participate in our Women’s Day celebration by purchasing advertisement space in our souvenir program bulletin. Ad prices are as follows*:
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Please join us for our annual Women’s Day celebration that will be held on Sunday, August 16, 2015 during our 10:00 a.m. worship service. Our speaker will be Ms. Yvette Kim Richards, National United Methodist Women’s President.
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for economic security and improved health outcomes. Her workshop, Smart Women and Money, has reached sororities, faith-based organizations, social service agencies, and women groups both nationally and globally. Elisa is a 2013 Community Leader on Senior Issues, White House Engagement; a member of the Hispanic Health Coalition and Senior Connections Inc. Advisory Board; 2010 commissioner of planning for DeKalb County government; and a 2007 graduate of Leadership DeKalb. She was the 2000 White House Georgia producer for former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton on What Every Woman Needs to Know About Retirement and has won Addy, Telly and Emmy awards for media health education campaigns. She is a member of Mount Zion AME in Decatur. In a year that marks the 50th anniversary of Medicare, Medicaid and the Older Americans Act as well as the 80th anniversary of Social Security, the conference provided an opportunity to recognize the importance of the programs, highlight new actions to support Americans as they age, and focus on the role that technology can play in the lives of older Americans. Visit www.whitehouseconferenceonaging.gov.
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8
CrossRoadsNews
August 8, 2015
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