CrossRoadsNews, August 15, 2009 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

COMMUNITY

WELLNESS

Janet Pierce is one of 81 DeKalb residents who help fight crime their neighborhoods in the DeKalb Police Department’s Volunteers In Patrol program. A2

Researchers are looking for adults and youths to take part in clinical trials to test the effectiveness of vaccines against the H1N1 virus. A6

Thousands turned out for Congressman Hank Johnson’s forum on health care, but it did not become the raucous free-forall like so many others. A7

Neighborhood vigilance

Seeking volunteers

August 15, 2009

Civil discourse

www.crossroadsnews.com

Volume 15, Number 15

Cash for Clunkers rebates luring lots of buyers By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Local car dealers are having their best month for new car sales in a year and a half. The shot in the arm comes from the federal CARS (Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save) Act or “Cash for Clunkers” voucher program which is giving consumers – who trade in gas-guzzling automobiles – $3,500 to $4,500 towards the purchase of new fuel efficient vehicles. Last week, US House and Senate approved a $2 billion extension of the popular program that had ran out of funds within week’s of its launch. The extension is expected to prolong the program through Labor Day. Qualified gas-guzzling vehicles must get 18 or less miles to the gallon. Eligible new passenger cars must get at least 22 miles per gallon. There are different milage requirement for trucks. The program was to offer rebates for the purchase of a million new car or truck purchases but it quickly ran out of money last week. The “Cash of Clunkers” pro-

“They are getting in a new car with a safe payment,” he said. “We see people getting their grandkids out of clunkers and into safe cars.” Chrysler is also offering factory incentives on select models equal to the Cash for Clunkers rebate. Ford said consumers are getting as much as $9,000 toward models like PT Cruisers, Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Journeys.

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Darryl Ford, owner of Stone Mountain Dodge Chrysler Jeep, stands with some of the 30 gas-guzzling vans, SUVs and pickups that customers have traded in at his dealership for vouchers on more fuel-efficient models.

gram extension couldn’t have come at a better time for Stone Mountain Chrysler Jeep Dodge and Malcolm Cunningham Ford and Mazda dealerships in Decatur and Lithonia. In the first three weeks of the program that began July 24, Darryl Ford, owner of the Stone Mountain

Big boost in sales Between Malcolm Cunningham’s two dealerships, the 37 cars that were traded made July his best month in a year and a half. “It has increased sales tremendously,” he said. “We are nearly out of new cars but we have a few trucks left.” This week, Cunningham had five Fusions and six Focus vehicles still on his lot. He says he is talking to Ford daily. “They had slowed inventory down because of the economy but dealers still have a good inventory so if we don’t have something we can get it from another dealer,” he said. The dramatic bump in sales caught car dealers off guard. Be-

“We are selling 10 to 12 cars a week,” Ford said Wednesday. “It’s just amazing. People are coming in with everything you can imagine – vans, cars and truck – and leaving dealership, said he traded 30 new with fuel efficient vehicles.” Among his trade ins, a rusted cars among its three brands and will have its best month for new car out 1994 van with a trade-in value of $50 without the program. sales in a year. Please see CLUNKERS, page A5 READY TO DITCH YOUR CLUNKER? SEE OUR SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE

Travelers Rest pastor sees God’s hand in purchase of Chapel Hill Harvester Pastor E. Dewey Smith Jr. in from the former Cathedral of the Holy Spirit included in the $17.6 million purchase of the Chapel Hill Harvester Church’s campus.

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

It was 1989, when he was a student at Morehouse School of Religion, Pastor E. Dewey Smith, Jr., drove out to Flat Shoals Parkway to look at the huge cathedral that Chapel Hill Harvester Church was building in Decatur. “They were having prayers here on the grounds,” Smith, 39, recalled this week. “I came out of curiosity.” On that visit, the young theology student joined with the workers in prayer before heading back to Atlanta. Smith said he was impressed with the great vision and dedicated that resulted in such a huge building. The Cathedral that brought thousands to south DeKalb county opened in 1991. In its heyday, 10,000 people worshipped there before a series of sex scandals depleted its congregation. Twenty years later, Smith is the pastor of Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church in Decatur and he is standing in the parking lot of the 55-acre campus on Aug. 12, days after his church had bought the former Chapel Hill Harvester campus for $17.6 million. The irony is not lost on Smith. “I never imagined myself here – not in a million years,” he said. “Certainly, not at 39 years old, and not in a recession when banks are not lending money.” Add to the mix the fact that their current

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

location, now on the market for $8 million, hasn’t yet sold. “It’s the grace and favor of God,” he said, “That’s all I can say. Everything fell into line.” Al Davis, chairman of the church’ board of directors, said acquiring the property at nearly $7 million below the asking price shows that God is in control. “It’s from God,” he said. “Otherwise, it doesn’t make sense.” Church members also credit the purchase of the Chapel Hill Harvester Church campus, which was on the market for $24.5 million,

tipurpose space; and ample parking. Danny Edwards, a 37-year church member, said the acquisition is overwhelming. “It’s hard for me to express,” he said Wednesday. “My little heart’s so happy I have to pinch myself.” Edwards, who is also the church’s chief operating officer and clerk, calls Smith a phenomenal teacher and preacher with a “very strong head for business.” “He has a warm heart,” he said. “He is a very compassionate person. He cares for people and that draws people to him.” Davis, who is also church deacon, said he never imagined the church would grow to 6,000. When he joined in 1976, the church was on Tilson Road and had 300 to 400 members. When Smith was picked for pastor, Davis said he knew the church would grow. “I was blown away by his knowledge of the scriptures and his personality,” he said. “He has a personality that bridges the gap, whether you are young or old.” For Smith’s first sermon as the pastor, Greater Travelers’ 1,500-seat sanctuary was full – something Davis said he not seen outside of special occasions. He said it stayed full. “It kept growing,” said Davis, a retired auditor who is chairman of the church’s

and their church’s recent dramatic growth, to the leadership of Smith, who has been their pastor for five years and seven months. When Smith succeeded H.F. Shepherd, the church’s pastor for 47 years, in January 2004, the church had 600 active members. Today, it has 6,000. The 55-acre campus acquired this week includes a 7,000-seat sanctuary; an 1,800-seat multi-purpose auditorium; two fellowship halls, including one that seats 1,100; 46 classrooms; 60 private offices; a welcome center; a gymnasium with a basketball court; a storage and maintenance building; a variety of mul- Please see TRAVELERS, page A9

CrossRoadsNews

Community

August 15, 2009

“They love where they live. They would rather move crime out rather than relocate themselves.”

LIHEAP grants to help eligible seniors, homebound with cooling costs Senior citizens, home-bound individuals and families experiencing personal financial crises can get help this month to offset the high cost of summer cooling bills. The Partnership for Community Action (PCA), a Clarkston-based

nonprofit agency, will be disbursing one-time $350 cooling assistance grants from the 2009 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to eligible adults. The funds come from the Georgia Department of Human Resources.

Qualified applicants, who must meet 200 percent of poverty income guidelines, must provide their most recent home electric bill, picture ID, and proof of income for all household members for the last 30 days.

If their income is irregular, the proof must cover 90 days. Applicants must also provide Social Security cards or some other legal proof and proof of age for all household members who are 65 years and older. Senior citizens with

a life-threatening medical condition must also provide a statement from their doctor on letterhead, dated within the past 30 days. For more information or to apply, call 404-929-2451 or 404929-2452.

VIP program lets neighbors become eyes, ears of police By McKenzie Jackson

All Janet Pierce wants is a safe neighborhood. So for two hours a week, she hops in her car and drives slowly around her Toney Valley subdivision on the lookout for anything that might be out of the ordinary or illegal. Pierce, a registered nurse who has lived in the Decatur neighborhood since 1988, said she wants her subdivision to be a safe place. “I’m looking for people that look out of place,” she said. “I’m looking for open doors on houses. I’m looking for folks walking down the street carrying laptops, lawn equipment and stuff like that. And then I look for congregation of folks too.” Pierce, who is also the coordinator of the Toney Valley Neighborhood Watch, is one of 81 DeKalb residents making up the DeKalb Police Department’s Volunteers In Patrol (VIP) program. The non-confrontational neighborhood program allows citizens to patrol their own neighborhoods to deter crime, improve quality of life and report suspicious activity to the police’s Interactive Community Policing (ICP) officers or 911. Former DeKalb Police Chief Terrell Bolton launched the program, which is similar to the old Community Oriented Police (C.O.P.) program, in December. VIP members work with police at their local precincts. Pierce is one of 15 VIP members at the South Precinct, located up the road from her subdivision. The East Precinct has 19 VIPs, 10 at the Center Precinct, 20 at the Tucker Precinct and 17 at the North Precinct. Pierce is the lone Toney Valley resident in the program. Other VIPs operate in neighborhoods like Parkview, Belvedere, Glenwood Downs, White Oak, Waldrop Station, Spring Valley and Rolling Ridge. Sheila O’Rear, the South Precinct’s public education specialist, said VIP program participants like being the eyes and ears of the police department and play an important role in helping decrease crime in their communities. “They love where they live,” she said. “They would rather move crime out rather than relocate themselves.” VIP participants must be at least 21 years old, submit to a background check, take a four-hour training course, and do police ridea-longs. Before heading out on patrol, VIPs inform their assigned ICP officer. Pierce works closely with K.D. Tyson, one of seven South Precinct ICP officers, and always calls before she heads out to cruise her 500-home communities at 15 miles an hour. Before she heads out, she puts on a hat and reflective vest, with

Photos by McKenzie Jackson/ CrossRoadsNews

Janet Pierce, one of 81 DeKalb residents in the DeKalb Police Department’s Volunteers In Patrol (VIP) program, checks a mailbox obscured by overgrown shrubs at a vacant house in her Toney Valley subdivision.

“I still have to keep an eye on it because it has a ‘For Sale’ sign with 11 bedrooms, but we don’t have any 11-bedroom houses in Toney Valley so that shows the owner is still trying to sell it as a boarding house.” Janet Pierce, VIP member

From left, VIP member Janet Pierce, police officer K.D. Tyson and public education specialist Sheila O’Rear discuss the VIP program.

VIP written on them. She also puts a magnetic VIP sign on the hood of her four-door Saturn before leaving her driveway. Pierce said that an extra set of eyes on the street looking for crimes is needed in all communities and especially Toney Valley, which sits off Candler Road.

She said crime in the aging neighborhood is on decline from the highs of the 1990s, but that pockets of criminal activities still exist. During a recent Tuesday patrol, Pierce drove up and down Toney Valley Drive, Miriam Lane, Holly Hill Drive, and Valley Ridge Drive

pointing out to a visitor homes that have been used for drug houses and illegal auto repair. She knows the houses frequented by prostitutes, and where a group of sex offenders used to live. She also knows which streets are “hot” and which are crime-free. Whenever arrests are made in the neighborhood, Pierce gets an email. “There are pockets in this neighborhood where crime happens,” she said. “A lot of people really don’t travel around the neighborhood, so they really wouldn’t know.” On her rides, she also makes a note of the houses where the grass is overgrown, a violation of county code. Pierce said that she called the Sheriff ’s Office when she found the house full of men on the state’s sex offender list. “They said they have to live someplace and that it is a boarding house with locked doors on the inside,” she said. “So, I called that in to code enforcement. The house is boarded up now. I still have to keep an eye on it because it has a ‘For Sale’ sign with 11 bedrooms, but we don’t have any 11-bedroom houses in Toney Valley so that shows the owner is still trying to sell it as a boarding house.” Tyson, a seven-year DeKalb County Police officer, said he receives calls from Pierce frequently about suspicious activity in Toney

Valley. “She is concerned about abandoned cars on the side of the street; she calls me for suspicious people all the time,” he said. “When she calls we are there.” Tyson said it is good that Pierce is a frequent caller “She calls me to keep me updated,” he said. “I like the fact that she calls me. I like interacting with the community.” In March, a call from Pierce resulted in the April 23 arrest of Toney Valley resident Justin Agoda, who was selling drugs from an abandoned house in the neighborhood. Pierce said a concerned neighbor told her about the house and she reported it to Tyson. “Sometimes neighbors will tell me things, but they won’t call the police,” she said. Neighbors’ reaction to Pierce has been both positive and negative. Some residents like the crime updates she gives at community meetings, but a few months ago, someone left feces on her porch. “At least they didn’t smear it,” she said. “People that are doing things that are unlawful don’t want attention brought on the neighborhood.” For Pierce, living in a safe neighborhood is paramount. “People shouldn’t be afraid,” she said. To become a VIP in your neighborhood or for more information, call 770-724-7550.

Community

CrossRoadsNews

August 15, 2009

“If there are any other women out there who have seen him, been possibly approached by him detectives want to know that information.”

Police seek information DeKalb shakes up police high command in string of sexual assaults By McKenzie Jackson

By McKenzie Jackson

A sex predator continues to attack women around MARTA bus stops on Rainbow Drive, Wesley Chapel Road and Snapfinger Drive in Decatur. Police say since April, a muscularbuilt black man in his 30s has attacked four unaccompanied women at MARTA bus stops within a five-mile radius of each other in Decatur. The most recent attack, on a 19-year-old female, took place on July 28 on Rainbow Drive. A man fitting the same description raped a 26-year-old woman on June 4 on Snapfinger Road. On April 28, the man attacked a 24-year-old woman at a bus stop near the intersection of Wesley Chapel Road and Riverwood Circle. The first attack, on a 34-year-old woman at a bus stop on Glenwood Road, occurred on April 13. DeKalb police spokeswoman Mekka Parish said investigators believe the same assailant is responsible for all of the attacks. “What has our detectives concerned at this point is that they feel the suspect is getting more aggressive,” she said. This week, DeKalb police released a new composite sketch of the suspect, described as a muscular, light-complexioned black male,between 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 10 inches, with short black hair and brown eyes. They say the 30- to 35-year-old man tips the scale at 220 to 230 pounds and has been clean-shaven or wears a light mustache. The sketch released in April did not depict the suspect as lightskinned. The June 4 attacked occurred at 12:35 a.m. The victim was walking near a bus stop when the man grabbed her and raped her on the side of the roadway at 3907 Rainbow Drive. The teen attacked on July 28 was at a bus stop in the 2000 block of Snapfinger Road at 10:45 p.m. He forced her to perform a sexual act on him behind an abandoned home. Parish said the assaults, committed on heavily traveled corridors, were brazen. “That is why there is an increased concern by our detectives to find this individual and get him off the street,” she said. During the April attacks, the suspect attempted to push the women into a van but they both escaped unharmed. Parish said detectives believe the suspect was forced to change methods because of the media coverage of his April attacks. “Those incidents in April were during the daylight hours,” she said. “These recent two incidents were in the evening hours.” Parish said the man has also switched vehicles. Recent victims say he is driving a family sedan that is white in color and could be an Infiniti, Mazda or Lexus. In the earlier attacks, the assailant used either a knife or paint scrapper to order women into his van. In the two recent attacks, Par-

ish said he did not brandish a weapon, but used force. Parish said the victims described the man as very strong and said they couldn’t break away from him once he grabbed them. “Our detectives believe this individual is familiar with the area and either lived in the vicinity of the area or in the area,” she said. She said investigators want to hear from other women who might have been attacked. “If there are any other women out there who have seen him, been possibly approached by him detectives want to know that information,” she said. While the rapist is on the loose, Parish said they are encouraging women not walk alone at night. “If all possible, walk with a buddy or someone you trust to and from your destination,” she said. Investigators will be at an Aug. 17 community that DeKalb District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson is hosting at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts & Community Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. Crime Stoppers is offering an undisclosed award for information on the case. The information can be provided anonymously at 404-577-8477. People with information can contact police at 770-724-7710.

DeKalb County has reorganized its top-heavy police hierarchy in a department-wide shake-up that officials say will increase accountability, eliminate bureaucracy and improve crime-fighting and community policing efforts. The 56-officer shake-up, announced Wednesday, goes into effect Aug. 22. It includes the promotion or reassignment of 26 lieutenants, 14 captains, seven sergeants, four master police officers, three majors and the retirement of one assistant chief. The reorganization reduced the number of assistant chief positions from five to three, but it increased the number of deputy chiefs from three to five. William Miller, the county’s public safety director, said in an Aug. 12 statement that the reorganization streamlines the department to better serve the community. “Our changes announced today are designed to facilitate a greater deployment of more police officers in the streets, to improve the overall management of the department, and to foster greater morale and overall performance of our officers,” he said. “In making these changes, we will improve our efficiencies and increase our level of police service to the residents of DeKalb.” The promotions include moving Captain F. J. Kliesrath from second-in-command at the Tucker precinct to assistant chief in the Field Operations Bureau; and Captain D.A. Holmes from the East Precinct commander to assistant chief in the department’s Investigations and Support Services Bureau. According to an Aug. 22 police

William Miller

K. R. Harrell

personnel order, Assistant Chief R.M. Rancifer is retiring effective Oct. 31. Former South Precinct commanders Captains W.D. Jagoe and L.A. Gassner have been promoted to deputy chief. Jagoe is assigned to the Field Operations Bureau/ Uniform Division District I and Gassner, to Field Operations Bureau/Special Operations Division. The other deputy chief promotions are Maj. A.W. Lane-Woodard to the Investigations and Support Services Bureau/Criminal Investigations Division, and Capt. D.L. Loos, to the Investigations and Support Services Bureau/Support Services Division. Deputy chief K. R. Harrell, a former assistant chier, is assigned to the Field Operations Bureau/Uniform Division/District II. The personnel order says two former assistant chiefs and two deputy chiefs are changing positions. Assistant chief K.A. Anderson, who was head of the Investigations Bureau, is now a major in the division. Acting chief J.E. Helms, who was head of support services, is now a major assigned to the Investigation and Support Service Bureau/ Support Services. Deputy chief G. Horner, who used to be head the Uniform Division, is now a captain in the Investigation and Support

W.D. Jagoe

L.A. Gassner

Services Bureau/Criminal Investigations Division/Crimes Against Property. Deputy chief M.A. Waddleton, who was over the District 2 Uniform Division, is now a captain assigned to Field Operations Bureau/Uniform Division/District 2 /South Precinct. D.R. Bush, who was deputy chief of Internal Affairs, was not mentioned in the statement and was not listed on the personnel order. The reorganization received mixed reviews on DeKalb Police blog. One anonymous blogger expressed no surprise at “who get shafted.” “A little shocked that people with badge numbers over 200 are being promoted to Lt. We’ll see what happens next.” Another said a lot of good changes were made. “Everyone who got demoted should do some serious soul searching,” the blogger wrote. DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis said he is pleased with the changes that have been made. “It is our responsibility to ensure that veteran officers within the department are placed into roles that will allow citizens of DeKalb to receive all of the knowledge, expertise and other benefits that they possess,” he said.

Forum

CrossRoadsNews

August 15, 2009

It is puzzling to me that our “traditional” leaders are silent on this subject and never critical of those who perpetrate black-on-black crime.

Racist cops at core of African American distrust of police 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker General Manager Curtis Parker Staff Writer McKenzie Jackson Advertising Sales Cynthia Blackshear

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I want to reply to Mr. Robert Miles’ column in [the Aug. 8, 2009] CrossRoadsNews. I was born and bred in the rural Deep South. Apparently Mr. Miles was not. One of the first things that any African American learns here is that the white cops are not to be trusted. I was told of how AfricanAmericans were beaten, killed, and raped by the white cops. All of the cops (deputy sheriffs) were white, fat and bullies. What I learned from parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, etc., was reaffirmed by teachers, coaches, ministers, friends, and classmates. We all had the same experiences. Watching how Bull Connor used dogs on black women in Birmingham only reaffirmed what we already knew; the same for the march in Selma, Ala. Since my experiences don’t lie and every other African American

From the murder of Mrs. Kathryn Johnston, a 92-year-old black lady on Neal Street in northwest Atlanta, to the murder of Sean Bell on his wedding day in New York, many cops have trouble getting it right. has had the same run-in with certain racist cops, may I ask what Mr. Miles is talking about? I have seen African-Americans arrested, charged, tried and convicted on trumped-up charges. In particular, I am aware of the case of a Mr. Jerry Banks in Stockbridge, who found the bodies of two whites and ended up being framed for their murders. Only by the grace of God and the integrity of others was Mr. Banks freed. Yet it was too late to keep his family intact. This has been repeated time after time after time. Every day another black is found to be innocent. If you can’t get it right, then don’t arrest anybody.

safety of individuals and people’s properties over the protection of big corporate entities. The big corporations are insured anyway. Let the crooked insurance companies pay out money to replace the loot the guys stole from the banks What we want is to feel safe in our homes and as we travel the road. Hubert Jenkins, a former police chief in Atlanta, said in his autobiography that all cops had to be members of the Ku Klux Klan! That should let you know who is on your side, Mr. Miles. Just as my grandfather said trust no Klansmen, trust no white cops. Yes, I know things have changed, but not enough. When I travel in all-white areas you still get pulled over and questioned. We will handle black-on-black crime when I can jog through a lilywhite neighborhood without being questioned and harassed.

From the murder of Mrs. Kathryn Johnston, a 92-year-old black lady on Neal Street in northwest Atlanta, to the murder of Sean Bell on his wedding day in New York, many cops have trouble getting it right. If you are not sure, then don’t arrest somebody just to satisfy the racist white politicians who run this country. The cops need to put traffic tickets on the back burner. They are Johnny-on-the-spot to write tickets for seatbelts, but when we call to report burglaries they are late. My daughter and my son-in-law had a burglary in their Lithonia home, and it took an hour for a policeman to arrive. Thomas Anthony Jones lives in The police need to put the Stone Mountain.

Forum writer was on point about black-on-black crime « Viola Davis wrote on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 8:11 AM »

Comments from CrossRoadsNews.com

I read every article Bob Miles writes because I value his opinion and appreciate his “in your face” for our women to make smarter truth. decisions when it comes to deciding who they have children with. « B. Smith wrote on Wednesday, Children who are born without Aug. 12 at 11:10 PM » the loving and financial support of Mr. Bob, you did an excellent their fathers are more likely to live job with your straight talk. I have in poverty, more likely to drop out come to believe that our so-called of school, and commit crimes. black leaders have a vested interNo, it’s not about “blaming the ested in not holding blacks indi- victim.” It’s about empowering vidually accountable for much of them to say, you have a choice to our predicament. make good decisions about your Most of our problems emanate life and your love ones. from the breakdown of the black Let’s be an advocate for our family and that is where the solu- children. Why can’t every black tions lie. It’s time for our black child be afforded the opportunity men to step up and be fathers both to have loving and caring father financially and emotionally to the and mother? We can’t blame the children that they have. It’s time “white man” for this. It’s not the

role of the white man to take over our responsibilities to do what we must do as parents. Just remember the motive of those so-called black leaders. They make millions of dollars talking about how America is not as good as its promise – with books, appearing on talk shows, teaching at universities, shaking down corporations through bribery for their personal gains, having corporate sponsored gab fests where everyone tries to out-talk, over talk and outwit each other for the almighty dollar. We are the only minority group with such leaders and yet we remain at the bottom socially and financially. If we each did every thing that we could to make our families, our neighbors and our communities better, these so-called leaders

Quick Read

would lose their ability to profit off the very people they claim to care about. « James E. Young wrote on Friday, Aug. 7 at 1:55 PM »

I could not agree more. This has been a big elephant in the room for as long as I remember. It is puzzling to me that our “traditional” leaders are silent on this subject and never critical of those who perpetrate black-onblack crime. When Bill Cosby broached the subject, he was criticized by the leadership. When Barack Obama broached the subject, Jessie Jackson threatened to “cut his balls off for talking down to black folk.” We should be mad as hell and not willing to take it anymore. Come on, people!

VIP neighbors become eyes, Volunteers needed to test Schools to retool under ears of police A2 swine flu vaccines A6 improvement plan All Janet Pierce wants is a safe neighborhood. So for two hours a week, she drives around her subdivision on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary or illegal.

Emory University researchers working on a swine flu vaccine need youths and adults to sign up as vaccination volunteers in one of three clinical trials.

The DeKalb County School System will use the America’s Choice comprehensive school reformer program at 40 of its elementary, middle and high schools that have been inconsistent in meeting AYP standards.

DeKalb shakes up police high Campaign seeks to raise flu command A3 awareness A6 Mentoring program now enrolling DeKalb County has reorganized its topInformation about the seasonal and heavy police hierarchy in a shake-up that officials say will increase accountability, eliminate bureaucracy and improve crimefighting and community policing efforts.

swine flu or novel HINI virus is now available from the Georgia Department of Community Health’s “Roll Up Your Sleeve” campaign.

DeKalb ninth- and 10th-grade girls who want to improve their leadership skills can apply for the 100 Black Women Decatur/ DeKalb’s next Legacy Program.

Town hall offered civil debate Lithonia Chamber to meet A5 on health care reform A7 Change allows use of religious headgear in court A9 Business owners can find out about finanMore than 2,000 people showed up to cial options at the Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce’s annual Financial Forum on Aug. 19 at the Fairfield Inn & Suites at the Mall at Stonecrest in Lithonia.

speak, listen and make their views known at the Aug. 10 Health Care Town Hall meeting hosted by 4th District Congressman Hank Johnson.

People who cover their heads for religious or medical reasons can now wear headgear to court. Georgia courts adopted the new policy on July 22.

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CrossRoadsNews

August 15, 2009

Finance

“Maybe if they had given every household $50,000 instead of giving that $600 M ASTER billion stimulus to the banks, the economy would be doing better.” S TYLIST

EULLA

Auto issues top list of consumer gripes Georgia’s consumers are getting raw deals on auto repair, gas, used and new cars and debt collection, a survey of top 10 consumer complaints for 2008 found. Joe Doyle, administrator of the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs, said Georgia consumer complaints match the national list with the exception of complaints about price gouging/overcharging/ gas shortage. Georgia’s OCA was one of 34 consumer protection authorities that participated in the survey, conducted by the Consumer Federation of America, National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators, and North American Consumer Protection Investigators. Debt collection topped the list of the fastest growing complaints,

in Georgia and nationwide. n The top 10 consumer complaints nationwide for 2008 are: 1. Auto: Misrepresentations in advertising or sales of new and used cars, lemons, faulty repairs, leasing and towing disputes. 2. Home Improvement/Construction: Shoddy work, failure to start or complete the job. 3. Credit/Debt Collection: Billing and fee disputes, mortgage-related fraud, credit repair, debt settlement, predatory lending, illegal or abusive collection tactics. 4. Utilities: Service problems, billing disputes with phone, cable, satellite, Internet, electric and gas. 5. Retail Sales: False advertising, defective merchandise, problems with rebates, coupons, gift cards and gift certificates, nondelivery,

illegitimate going-out-of-business sales, deceptive comparative pricing. 6. Services: Misrepresentations, shoddy work, failure to have required licenses, failure to perform. 7. Household Goods: Major appliances and furniture, problems with nondelivery, misrepresentations, faulty repairs. 8. Landlord/Tenant: Unhealthy or unsafe conditions, failure to make repairs or provide promised amenities, deposit and rent disputes, illegal eviction tactics. 9. (tie) Internet Sales: Misrepresentations, nondeliver y in online purchases; Home Solicitations: Misrepresentations, nondelivery in door-todoor, telemarketing and mail solicitations, do-not-call violations.

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Clunkers program boosts new vehicle sales

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Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

The “Cash for Clunkers” program helped make July the best month in a year-and-a-half at Malcolm Cunningham’s two dealerships in Decatur and Lithonia.

CLUNKERS,

from

cause of the economic recession and slow sales, many had downsized their inventory. Ford said traffic had slowed to a crawl at his dealership but increased 50 percent because of the “Cash for Clunkers” program. Cunningham said he is no economist, but the program proves that giving consumers the incentive will get them spending. “Maybe if they had given every household $50,000 instead of giving that $600 billion stimulus to the banks, the economy would be doing better,” he said. “Just look what the

Cash for Clunkers has done.” Ford said his Stone Mounain dealership is awaiting delivery of new cars and is doing a lot of locating models from other Chrysler dealerships for customers. Both dealerships still had the clunkers on their lots awaiting payment from the government to send them to salvage yards for recycling. Ford said the program has been a godsend. “It has inspired consumer confidence,” he said. “Before people weren’t coming in to this level and it has brought in more of the people who can buy.”

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Berean Community Center, 2400 Young Road, Stone Mountain Deadline for vendor registration: August 28, 2009 (Space is limited) All vendors will have a free ad for 30 days at the Hidden Hills Website: HiddenHillsLink.org For more information: 770-323-9399

CrossRoadsNews

Wellness

August 15, 2009

“It is important that Georgians arm themselves with knowledge and take action to avoid getting or spreading the seasonal flu and novel H1N1 flu viruses.”

Volunteers needed to test vaccines against swine flu virus Emory University researchers working on a swine flu vaccine need youths and adults to sign up as vaccination volunteers in one of three clinical trials. The vaccine is being developed to combat the H1N1 flu, which killed 300 people in the United States. The World Health Organization classified the flu outbreak a pandemic and health experts expect it to reappear during the next flu season. Eight Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units (VTEUs), supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health began the first nine-week trial of anti-H1N1 medicines on 125 to 200 people on Aug. 10 at the Emory Vaccine Center’s Hope Clinic, 603 Church St., Decatur. Nine-week pediatric clinical trials will begin on Aug. 18 at Emory-Children’s Center, 2015 Uppergate Drive, Atlanta and the adjuvant trial, also nine weeks, will begin the week of Aug. 23 at the Hope Clinic.

Researchers need adult and youth volunteers to receive H1N1 vaccines during clinical trials.

The trials are being conducted in a compressed timeframe because of the possible fall resurgence of pandemic H1N1 flu infections that may coincide with the circulation of seasonal flu strains in the Northern Hemisphere. The trials are expected to yield information that will allow the NIH to quickly evaluate the new vaccines to determine whether they are safe and effective in inducing protective immune responses.

The results will help determine how to begin a fall 2009 pandemic flu vaccination program. During the trials, participants will receive two H1N1 vaccinations concurrent with, before, or after, the seasonal flu shot. The vaccination phase of the first trial will continue until Tuesday, but volunteers will return several times over the course of nine weeks to receive additional

vaccinations and blood work. Volunteers are paid $50 per visit to the clinic. Emory spokeswoman Holy Korschun said researchers are still looking for volunteers ages 65 and older. “They were hoping to have a lot more,” she said. Pediatric clinical trials on children and teenagers ages 6 months to 18 years old will begin Wednesday at the Emory Children’s Center on Emory University’s campus. During the adjuvant trial, VTEU physicians will use an additional substance with the vaccine to see whether it gives the medicine a boost. Emory began signing up several hundred interested volunteers at the end of July and has been screening the volunteers to make sure they fit certain criteria. For more information about the Emory flu clinical trials, email vaccine@emory.edu or call 1-877424-4673 for the adult and senior studies or 404-727-4044 for the pediatric studies.

Walk Georgia enters 4th leg Family members, friends, coworkers and associates have from Aug. 23 to Sept. 8 sign up for the fourth session of the Walk Georgia program. The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service’s eight-week course is scheduled to run from Sept. 6 to Oct. 31. The program is designed to increase individuals’ physical activity in a fun, community-oriented way to get healthier and more physically fit. Each session of the free program features hundreds of Walk Georgia teams statewide who record the amount of time they are physically active each day on Walk Georgia.com. At the end of the program, UGA Cooperative Extension officials will add up the physical activity for each person and tell him or her the average amount of time they are physically active each day. The last session featured 49 DeKalb County residents on five teams. In April, Jessica Hill, the director of the DeKalb County Exten-

sion office, said WalkGeorgia. com was organized to help people get fit, develop healthy habits for physical activity and get their bodies moving. She said healthy activities include dancing, walking, jogging, lifting weights, gardening or playing sports or biking. “In looking at health rates, obesity and stuff like that, the Walk Georgia task force decided that this program would be a good way to get people to move,” she said. “We just want people to partner with us, move more and live more.” Hill says the program does not set goals for participants or hold them to a set number of hours. To keep participants motivated, Walk Georgia sends out weekly newsletters with information on physical activity and healthy foods to eat. It also lists Walk Georgia’s top performers. Previous participants in the program do not need to reregister. For more information or registration, visit www.walkgeorgia. com or www.ugaextension.com, or call 404-298-4080.

Campaign seeks to raise flu awareness Information about the seasonal and swine flu or novel HINI virus is now available from the Georgia Department of Community Health’s “Roll Up Your Sleeve” campaign. The grassroots campaign, which launched Aug. 13, will educate Georgians about the seasonal flu and novel H1N1 virus and encourage adults in high-risk groups to get vaccinated. The campaign launch was timed for August, which is observed a s “ Na t i o n a l Immunization Awareness Month.” Dr. Rhonda Medows, DCH Commissioner, said the novel H1N1 virus Rhonda Medows cont inues to create questions and concerns in communities across Georgia. “While the current data indicates that the severity of the illness caused by the novel H1N1 virus is not increasing, it is important that Georgians arm themselves with knowledge and take action to avoid getting or spreading the seasonal flu and novel H1N1 flu viruses.” Seventy-four people across the state have been hospitalized with swine flu and three people have died between April 24 and Aug. 12. The “Roll Up Your Sleeve” initiative includes the distribution of educational brochures, public service announcements and promotional posters with vaccination sites through DCH’s 18 health districts, and the use of social networking Internet sites. DCH recently launched a Twitter page, www.twitter.com/GADCH. During the campaign, people are urged to learn how to prevent the spread of the flu viruses and to understand the steps to take if they have symptoms. “We are confident that a collaborative and unified education campaign that is state-led and district-centric will benefit every community,” Medows said. For more information, visit www.dch.georgia.gov or call 404656-4507.

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Nearly 60 children were asked to “open wide” for the recent Summer Smiles events at the DeKalb Board of Health’s Clifton Springs and Kirkwood health centers. The kids received free protective varnishes and sealants. Varnishes are applied on all surfaces of all teeth for children , one years and older. For children ages 5 and older, sealants create a barrier on the back teeth’s chewing surfaces. The clinics also offered oral health education and giveaways of books, dental products and samples. The Board of Health’s Dental Health Program focuses on reducing the high rate of dental disease. Nationally, tooth decay remains one of the most common childhood diseases and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The DeKalb Board of health offered free sealants to children ages 5 and older.

says that more than 51 million school hours are lost each year due to dental-related illness. Tooth decay is five times more common than asthma and seven

times more common than hay fever. Untreated cavities can cause pain and poor appearance, which greatly affect a child’s quality of life as well as lead to absences from school. For more information about the Board of Health’s dental services, call the nearest dental clinic: n South DeKalb/Clifton Springs Health Center, 3110 Clifton Springs Road, Decatur. 404-244-4410. n East DeKalb Health Center, 2277 S. Stone Mountain-Lithonia Road, Lithonia. 770-484-2623. n DeKalb Atlanta / Kirkwood, 30 Warren St., Atlanta. 404-370-4640 n Central DeKalb/T. O. Vinson Health Center, 440 Winn Way, Decatur. 404-508-7890. n North DeKalb Health Center, 3807 Clairmont Road, Chamblee. 770-454-1144, ext. 4341.

CrossRoadsNews

August 15, 2009

www.crossroadsnews.com

An incentive plan that gives car buyers cash for scrapping gas-guzzlers and buying higher-mileage models sounds like a great idea. What’s not to like?

If you’re thinkKelley Blue Book, ing about cashing in the Irvine, Calif., Miles for Money on your clunker, you automotive firm, Your clunker credit depends better move quick. surveyed new-car on how much of an mpg That cash might shoppers about improvement you make with die out before your their views of the your new ride: clunker. so-called “Cash 4 to 9 mpg = $3,500 The “Cash for for Clunkers” bill. 10+ mpg = $4,500 Clunkers” program, The finding? A which began July 27, small but signifiCatch-22 blew through its first cant segment of New vehicles must have a $1 billion allotment U.S. buyers indiin less than a week, combined fuel-economy cated they would, sparking Congress rating of at least 22 mpg to indeed, buy a new to provide $2 bilbe eligible for the program. car sooner if the lion in new funding plan were enactHere’s how to calculate: before breaking for ed. Combined fuel economy = its August recess. The However, the (City mpg x .55) + (Highway newly infused money c o n sumer rempg x .45) is available immedisponse has been ately. any thing but The Deadline T he Clunkers small, as the proNov. 1, 2009 pro g r a m , k n ow n gram is already formally as the Car on its second Allowance Rebate round of fundSystem or CARS, is government pro- ing – which it would be safe to assume gram that helps consumers buy or lease gets utilized before the program’s Nov. a more environmentally friendly car 1 deadline. or truck when trading in a less fuelefficient model – aka, a clunker. (The Getting With program was signed into law in June the Program as part of The Consumer Assistance to Under the program, any car or Recycle and Save Act of 2009.) light truck with combined EPA fuel Before the program’s kickoff, economy of 18 mpg or less would

qualify as a “clunker.” Owners of such vehicles willing to take part would receive a government credit worth $3,500 toward a new vehicle that gets at least 4 mpg more than the old vehicle. The credit would boost to $4,500 for owners who turned in their clunker and bought a new vehicle that achieves 10 or more mpg than their previous ride. That credit amounts to as much as onethird off on some of the least expensive, higher mileage sub-compacts – and that’s before any manufacturer’s incentives and dealer discounts. To further appeal to buyers, their so-called clunkers would have to be worth less than $3,500 if they planned to buy new vehicles getting 4 to 9 mpg more than their old car, and less than $4,500 if they planned to buy new vehicles garnering a 10-mpg-or-more improvement in fuel economy. At values higher than those thresholds, owners could gain more cash by selling their older guzzlers outright. Another detail is that the trade-in car or truck must be less than 25 years old – to the month. To find our your car’s age, check the safety standard certification label often found on the edge or frame of the driver’s door. If you’ve got more than one clunker, you’re out of luck: Only one credit can be given to one single person.

Out With the Old

Section B

Interested in trading in your gas-guzzling beater for a brand-new, fuel-efficient beauty? Some 250,000 vehicles now on the road qualify as inefficient – so-called “clunkers” – and thus are eligible for $3,500 to $4,500 when owners trade them in for a new, more fuel-efficient car as part of the “Cash for Clunkers” program, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. When the original $1 billion Congress appropriated for the program was snapped up just days after the July 27 launch, legislators frisked the seats for emergency funding. The House and Senate quickly passed through $2 billion in new funding – available now – so interested buyers should be prepared to move quickly, given the popularity of the clunker trade-in plan. But not every old vehicle makes the grade. Read up on the details before heading to your local dealer: Is your ride old enough? For a trade-in to be eligible, it must less than 25 years old – and not a single month older. Check inside the driver’s side door for the year and month your vehicle was manufactured.

The Clunkers program is pretty simple – trade in an old car and get a credit on your new-car purchase – but there are a few caveats about the freshoff-the-lot vehicle. First and foremost, it must be a new See Clunkerati, page B2 car, not a used one. Also, the new ride must have a combined fuel-economy rating of 22 mpg. To calculate the combined rating, add 55 percent of the city rating with 45 percent of the highway rating. Top 10 models The program is not for American researched for cars only – both domestic and foreign ‘Cash for Clunkers’ rides are eligible. The new car also trade-in value cannot have a price tag higher than 1. Ford F-Series $45,000. 2. Ford Explorer If you’re not ready to buy, you can put the credit toward the lease of a new 3. Chevrolet C/K/Silverado car, as long as the lease period is at least 4. Jeep Grand Cherokee five years. 5. Dodge Ram The program stipulates that the 6. Chevrolet Blazer old cars – the clunkers – be crushed or 7. Jeep Cherokee shredded to prevent them from being resold or used elsewhere in the U.S. as 8. Dodge Grand Caravan a vehicle. Those doing the demolition 9. Dodge Dakota are allowed to sell parts of the car, save 10. Ford Ranger for the engine and drive train. Source: Site visitor activity Lastly, your dealer must be regisat the Autobytel “Cash for tered to participate in the program, so Clunkers” tool in its first verify that the program is in effect. month © CTW Features

Take my ride ... please!

Extreme

CrossRoadsNews

August 15, 2009

efficiency Trading in? Take mpg to the max with some of the 2009 model year’s top fuel-efficient rides

Mini-compact Cars:

You can’t trade your clunker in for just any car. It needs to have a combined 22 mpg fuel-economy rating. It can’t exceed $45,000. And oh, yeah, it must be new. With that in mind, here’s a look at some “Cash for Clunkers”-eligible ride across 10 automotive categories:

The top spot for fuel efficiency among miniscule models is the Mini Cooper, which is rated at 28/37 and 25/34 mpg for the manual and automatic gearbox, respectively. Its 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine is peppy enough to make it fun to drive and a hatchback design keeps it surprisingly practical. The next spot in efficiency is the Volkswagen New Beetle at 20/28 mpg, with an automatic or manual, and is another peppy and functional choice with its 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine. This category is otherwise filled with sports cars like the Porsche 911.

Compact Cars: Even though these cars are larger than those in the compact categories – and are actually roomy enough to carry adults in the back seat – it’s where buyers have seen some big mileage increases, largely as a result of advanced engine technology. Honda’s Civic Hybrid is top rated at 40/41 mpg, with Volkswagen’s Jetta TDI coming in second; the Jetta comes powered by a clean-burning turbodiesel engine and gets 30/41 mpg with a manual and 29/40 mpg with a clutchless manual transmission that works like an automatic.

Midsize Station Wagons: In this 2009 category, buyers will find their the first options to obtain a third-row seat, even if it’s sized only for kids. The Kia Rondo gets 20/27 mpg with its 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and standard automatic gearbox. Next up is Saab’s SportCombi, which obtains 18/27 mpg with a manual and 17/27 mpg with the automatic. The Saab only seats five but has a turbocharged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine and can be quite fun to drive for a wagon.

Sub-compact Cars: This category is filled with a mix of tiny hatchbacks and otherwise brawling sports cars that qualify by virtue of their claustrophobic interiors. Toyota’s Yaris with its 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine takes the top mileage spot at 29/35 mpg with an automatic transmission and 29/36 with a manual. Not far behind is the Mini Clubman, which is equally practical although it is pricier. Powered by a reasonably entertaining 1.6-liter fourcylinder engine, the Clubman is rated at 25/34 with an automatic and 28/37 with a manual.

Midsize Cars: As the most popular passenger car category in America, midsize models get a lot of attention and effort from manufacturers. The mileage champion of this arena also holds the record across all segments: Toyota’s 48/45 mpg Prius hybrid. Hybrids are unusual in often getting lower economy during highway driving than in the city, and tend to see real-world numbers that are lower than the EPA’s ratings. A traditional gas-powered model, Nissan’s Versa, holds the second spot among midsize cars (most people would mistake it for a compact, but it’s so classified because of its relatively voluminous interior); it gets 26/31 mpg with a manual, 27/33 mpg with an automatic.

Two-Seat Cars: These are the smallest vehicles on the road. The Smart fortwo takes top honors primarily by virtue of being the only one that is actually engineered to be an economy car. Both the fortwo coupe and convertible are rated at 33-city/41-highway mpg with an automatic transmission. Either way, this is a tiny, claustrophobic car that’s happier around town than it is on high-speed American freeways, where it will struggle with its 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine. All other two-seaters currently on the market are sports cars that are engineered for more spritely acceleration (and include some of the worst gas guzzlers on the road, like the 10 mpg Lamborghini Murcielago). Among them, Mazda’s MX-5 convertible takes the top spot. While final 2009 numbers were not yet posted at this writing for the MX-5, the 2008 MX-5 was rated at a fairly frugal 22/27. With a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine and true sports car underpinnings, driving an MX-5 can easily be among most enjoyable ways to be fuel-efficient.

Large Cars: A brand that lagged behind just a few years ago is now at the top of the mileage charts. Hyundai’s Sonata takes first prize with a 22/32 mpg rating with an automatic transmission, losing 1 highway mpg when equipped with a manual. Either way, acceleration is quite good from its 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine. Honda’s popular Accord has a similar powertrain configuration, getting 22/31 and 21/30 mpg, manual and automatic, respectively.

Sport Utility Vehicles:

Small Station Wagons: Just as the sedan version took honors for compact cars, VW’s Jetta SportWagen TDI comes in No. 1 here, with its turbodiesel engine that’s rated at 30/41 and 29/40 mpg with traditional or clutchless manual transmissions, respectively. Honda’s Fit, with its peppy 1.5-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine, comes in next with 28/35 mpg with an automatic transmission and 27/33 mpg with the standard manual.

Is your car really a clunker? The combined city/highway mileage of your vehicle must be 18 mpg or less. Get the Continued from B1 mileage figure for your vehicle online at www. Conked-out clunkers need not fueleconomy.gov. The EPA sets the standard. As a result of a closer review of mileage ratings apply The vehicle you’re trading in must be in of 30,000 models, on July 29 the EPA disqualidrivable condition – don’t think about towing fied 78 models that previously appeared to be it to the dealer. And you must prove that it’s covered by the program and added 86. been registered and insured in your name for a year. The goal of the program is to get gas- What’s it worth to you? Check the Kelley Blue Book value of your guzzlers off the road, so the focus is on vehicles old vehicle online at www.kbb.com, or check that are in use.

With SUVs, size matters, in that smaller models tend to get considerably better fuel economy that larger ones. The economy champ here is the same essential vehicle that’s shared by three brands. The Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda Tribute Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid differ mostly in styling, but all share a 34/31 mpg rating with their standard automatic transmission. The second place title goes to a pair of Jeeps that share the same drivetrain but differ quite a bit in terms of their styling. The Jeep Compass and Patriot both get 23/28 mpg with from their 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a manual transmission. Those wanting an automatic, can choose the same engine at 21/25 mpg or get a smaller 2.0-liter powerplant that nets 23/27 mpg.

Minivans: The Mazda5 is often called a microminivan, but with 22/28 mpg with standard manual transmission and 21/27 mpg with optional automatic, it’s the thriftiest six-passenger vehicle.

with a local dealer. It may be worth more than the rebate amount. Keep in mind that the value of cash for your particular clunker is the difference between what the government plan would allow you and what you’d ordinarily get for your car.

cover a down payment or to reduce the purchase price of the new vehicle you buy. The dealer actually will disable your vehicle and turn it in for a federal scrapping voucher.

Think MPGs The size of your rebate depends on the fuel

Cash does not exchange hands economy of the replacement car you choose. “Cash for Clunkers” is a catchy but mislead- The biggest benefit –$4,500 – goes to buyers ing name. The tax-funded voucher does not whose new vehicle is rated 10 miles per gallon come to you in the form of folding green. or better than their old one. The voucher amount represents the trade© CTW Features in value for your old car. So, it can be used to

CrossRoadsNews

August 15, 2009

So you’re ready to cash in your clunker? Follow this checklist to be sure you’re ready to roll 1. what to bring to the dealer n One-year proof of insurance If your insurance card does not cover the entire year preceding the trade in, you will need other proof of insurance. Contact your insurance company to get evidence of one year’s worth of insurance. The form must include – at a minimum – the insurance company, policy number, vehicle identification number, start and end date of insurance (showing at least 1 year). n Proof of registration going back at

least one year n ‘Clear’ title This means the title must be free of any liens or other encumbrances. If you have liens, you need to get these cleared b efore going to the dealer. This may include evidence on the face of the title showing no lien; that the title has been cleared (signed and stamped accordingly), or with an attached lien release from the lien holder. n The vehicle manufacture date found on the driver’s side door/ jamb is less than 25 years old – not a month more – when you trade it in.

2. Missing documents? For proof of insurance: Call your insurance provider.

For registration certificates: Contact your DMV. The name on the registration must be the same as the name on the title and the same as the purchaser of the new vehicle. To clear your title: You must pay off outstanding loans and receive either a newly issued title that is free or all liens or have the lien release document from the lien holder (signed and stamped accordingly), or your title signed and stamped accordingly (showing it is clear).

3. Once you are at the dealer you will be asked to certify to the following under penalty of law. The above documents will provide proof to the dealer to assist in this certification process. n The trade-in is in drivable condition. n You are the registered owner and have been for at least the last year. n The trade-in has been continuously insured for the last year. n The trade-in is titled in your name and has been for the last year. n You have not previously participated in the CARS program. © CTW Features

‘Cash for Clunkers’ 101 URLs and Other Useful Info n Beware of “Cash for Clunkers” Web sites that seek personal information or direct you to register in advance for the program. There is no need to preregister for the program, according to NHTSA. n Car Allowance Rebate System http://www.cars.gov n CARS hotline: 866.CAR.7891 n National Highway Traffic Safety Administration http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov

Several automakers have established ‘clunker’ sites: n www.cashforclunkers.ford. com nwww.gm.com/ cashforclunkers n http://automobiles.honda. com/cashforclunkers/ n www.toyota.com/ cashforclunkers n www.chrysler.com/en/ incentives/programs/gov_ cash/

CrossRoadsNews

August 15, 2009

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CrossRoadsNews

August 15, 2009

Wellness

“We were here o have an open, respectful dialogue and I think we achieve that tonight.”

Health care town hall offered civil discussion on national reform debate More than 2,000 people showed up to speak, listen and make their views known at the Aug. 10 Health Care Town hall hosted by 4th District Congressman Hank Johnson. The meeting at Georgia Perimeter College bucked the national trend of raucous meetings, and only three men were escorted from the room for heckling. Only 500 people made it into the main hall and another 1,500 watched the discussion by closedcircuit video feed into the college’s gymnasium. Johnson, who supports comprehensive reform of health insurance system, said nearly 20 percent of Georgians lack health insurance because they can’t afford it and that medical bills play a role in 62 percent of bankruptcies, while insurance corporations and their CEOs have made obscene profits. “The profits of the 10 largest publicly traded health insurance companies rose $12.9 billion in 2007, a 428 percent increase from 2000,” he said. “In 2007, the average CEO from one of these companies got paid $11.9 million per year. It is easy to see why costs for medical care go up. They are profiting while you are suffering.” He said the health care bill in the House would cap out-of-pocket spending, expand Medicaid and improve prescription drug coverage while virtually eliminating the Part D doughnut hole, provide low-income working families with credits to make health insurance affordable, and improve the implementa-

tion exchange and create a market for small employers and individuals to choose from a wide variety of public and private policies. Supporters and opponents of health care reform spoke, pushing their views for and against the reforms. Kathie McClure, a mother of two sick children, said she pays $3,000 a month in insurance premiums. “I am here today to ask you Congressman Johnson, to work for health care reform that will protect consumers from health insurance companies, that will prevent insurance companies from denying coverage to those with pre-existing

conditions, and to prohibit insurance from charging higher premiums to those who have pre-existing conditions.” She also urged him to preserve a public option to make premiums more affordable. Debra Greenwood, owner of health care nursing company, said soaring health care costs prevent her from offering good health insurance to her employees. Congress has a Sept. 12 deadline to pass health care reform. Afterwards Johnson said the meeting went extremely well. “We were here to have an open, respectful dialogue and I think we achieved that tonight,” he said.

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More than 2,000 people lined up for the Aug. 10 Health Care Town Hall hosted by Congressman Hank Johnson. Above, some in the audience showed their agreement with a speaker’s comments.

School

CrossRoadsNews

August 15, 2009

“We are strengthening our curriculum, but we’re also strengthening our students who will come through our program here.”

GPC grad Schools to retool under improvement plan County School Sysearns Cooke temThewillDeKalb America’s Choice schools use the America’s Choice comprehensive school reformer 40 DeKalb elementary, middle and high schools are getting America’s scholarship program at 40 of its elementary, Choice Programming for the 2009-2010 school year. Georgia Perimeter College 2009 graduate Victoria White is going to Emory University this fall as a Jack Kent Cooke scholar. The prestigious scholarship will pay up to $90,000 towards White’s bachelor’s degree. She plans to Victoria White pursue a degree in English and public policy. The annual scholarship is awarded by the Lansdowne, Va.based Jack Kent Cooke Foundation to the nation’s top performing two-year college students to encourage them to continue their education. The scholarship gives students $30,000 a year for three years. White said getting the scholarship has motivated her to look at her future in a different way. “I’ve always wanted to go to Emory,” she said. “This scholarship will make going to Emory financially possible.” White, who left GPC with a 4.0 GPA, was one of only 30 students selected this year out of 450 applicants. She is the sixth GPC student to win the scholarship since 2002.

middle and high schools that have been inconsistent in meeting AYP standards. The research-based, instructional improvement program, developed by the Washington, D.C.-based America’s Choice organization, seeks to increase student performance and close achievement gaps by addressing low student achievement in literacy and mathematics. Most the targeted schools are in south DeKalb County. Dr. Wanda Gilliard, the school system’s associate superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, said the district is very excited about America’s Choice because it will connect teaching and learning and will improve student achievement. “We are strengthening our curriculum, but we’re also strengthening our students who will come through our program here in DeKalb County School System,” she said. This year’s America’s Choice partnership is the school system’s second run with the research-based tool. In 2001, it was implemented in select schools, but discontinued because of budget constraints. The 40 schools chosen for the first-year implementation during the 20092010 school year that kicked off Aug. 10, were picked because of

lementary Schools Middle Schools E High Schools Chapel Hill Avondale Avondale Clifton Bethune Cedar Grove Columbia Cedar Grove Clarkston Dunaire Chapel Hill Columbia Flat Shoals Columbia Cross Keys Gresham Park Freedom DeKalb Early College McNair DLA Lithonia Lithonia Meadowview McNair McNair Oak View Miller Grove Miller Grove Panola Way Redan Martin Luther King, Jr. Peachcrest Salem Redan Sky Haven Sequoyah Stone Mountain Stone Mill Stone Mountain Towers Stoneview

inconsistent AYP results. Under the program, the school’s principal becomes the instructional leader and creates a literacy and mathematicsrich culture by reviewing available data with stakeholders, diagnosing school and student needs, and setting targets for achievement. The program will work to enhance the state-mandated Georgia Performance Standards curriculum by providing accelerated programs so that elementary students are equipped to handle high school work and high school students are college-ready or work-ready. The selected elementary schools will be in the America’s Choice Intensive Design program and the middle and high schools will get the

Rigor and Readiness program. Both programs target students who are not performing at grade level and exposes them to a higher level of critical thinking with focused programming to accelerate learning in one school year. Focused programming includes small group settings, technology integration such as interactive whiteboard use and in-person tutoring. Elements of the America’s Choice design include ongoing professional development for teachers, administrators, parent liaisons and all stakeholders to ensure success in providing student with the skills, knowledge and support necessary for all to achieve at high levels.

Mentoring program now enrolling DeKalb ninth- and 10th-grade girls who want to improve their leadership skills can apply for the 100 Black Women Decatur/ DeKalb’s next Legacy Program. The eight-month program, which begins in September, is designed to establish an enhanced sense of self-esteem and personal motivation among young African-American women, to inspire them to develop the necessary skills to to take leadership roles in politics, civic affairs, business, entrepreneurship, education, health and medicine, religion, and international affairs. Participants are paired with members of the chapter, who mentor them. The Legacy Program will meet at DeVry University’s Decatur campus every third Saturday. Eligible applicants must live in DeKalb County or attend a high school in DeKalb County. They must also commit to participate in the program until their senior year of high school. Interested parents and students must attend a mandatory pre-application meeting on Aug. 18 in the meeting room at the Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library, 2861 Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call Kia Toodle at 678-385-1365.

Medical Explorers to hold kickoff meeting African-American and other minority high school students interested in careers in medicine, biomedical science, and allied health can attend a Sept. 9 kick-off meeting for the Medical Post Explorers program at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. The nine-month program exposes minority high school students to jobs in the medical field. During the 6 p.m. kick-off meeting, Kelly Lewis, a representative from California-based student loan service company EDFUND, will discuss how to find college money during a recession, college scholarships and loans available for students and parents. Interested students will also get a program application and submit a one-page es-

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say about their career aspirations. Since its inception in 1991, the program has featured thousands of metro Atlanta high school students. It is a collaborative effort between Morehouse School of Medicine and the Boy Scouts of America. Participants meet every other Wednesday from mid-September to May at 6 p.m. in the first-year classroom of the Hugh Gloster building at the Morehouse School of Medicine. Doctors and healthcare professionals will speak to participants and lead classroom activities or hands-on laboratory projects.

Morehouse School of Medicine students will assist students during the lab experiments and serve as mentors. Members of the MedPost program can also enroll in the annual Biomedical Symposium, the National Youth Leadership Forum and the Morehouse School of Medicine SAT prep program. Program admission is $25. Morehouse School of Medicine’s Hugh Gloster building is at 720 Westview Drive in southwest Atlanta. For more information, contact Alex Adams at aadams@ msm.edu or call 404-752-1914.

Seminar on college financing Parents of college-bound seniors, sophomores and juniors can find out how to pay for college at a free seminar on Aug 16 at Georgia Tech. The three- hour seminar, hosted by The Princeton Review, starts at 2 p.m. in the Ferst Center for the Arts. Rob Franek, a nationally recognized expert on college admissions and author of the Princeton Review’s Best 371 Colleges, and ad-

missions officers from Georgia Tech will show how to find, get into, and pay for the best matched college for each student’s interests and skills, as well as strategies for increasing eligibility for scholarships, grants and financial aid. The Ferst Center for the Arts is at 349 Ferst Drive NW in Atlanta. For reservations or more information, visit PrincetonReview.com or call 1-800-2REVIEW (273-8439).

CrossRoadsNews

August 15, 2009

Ministry

“I didn’t know how it would work, but I knew it would. I knew God would not bring me here to fail.”

Policy change allows wearing of religious headgear into courtrooms People who cover their heads for religious or medical reasons can now wear headgear to court. Georgia courts adopted the new policy on headgear with an unanimous vote from the Judicial Council of Georgia – the Georgia court’s policy-making body – on July 22. The ruling comes in the wake of the December 2008 arrest of Lisa Valentine, who refused to remove her hijab, a headscarf worn by Muslim women, in the courtroom of Douglasville Municipal Court Judge Keith Rollins. If Valentine removed the headscarf it would have been a violation of her faith, but Rollins found her

in contempt of court and ordered her to serve 10 days in jail. The Judicial Council’s new ruling seeks to balance a court’s legitimate security concerns with a person’s right to practice his or her faith in a public place. Under the new policy, if a security officer wants to conduct a search, the person has the option of having the inspection performed in a private area by an officer of the same gender. The individual is allowed to put his or her own head covering back on after the inspection is complete. Other types of head coverings are still prohibited in courtrooms

in Georgia. The Valentine incident prompted formal complaints from the U.S. Department of Justice, the AntiDefamation League, Council on American-Islamic Relations, and American Civil Liberties Union. Valentine testified before the Supreme Court of Georgia Committee on Access and Fairness in the Courts on June 12. Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Carol Hunstein, who chairs the Judicial Council, said if Valentine was a nun, no one would have required her to remove her headgear. “I think this is a good rule,” she said, “and I think it’s clear.”

Georgia’s courts will no longer require that a person remove head coverings that are worn for religious or medical reasons.

Church to hold Purchase promotes faster growth rather than waiting to build some meetings would not bring me here had a great structure in place when they were talking about TRAVELERS, A1 he arrived, and that the congregato fail.” but didn’t have space, was at Travelers Rest board of directors. “We had to alluring. Andrea Smith, his tion allowed him to be himself. from

It’s musical chairs at Chapel Hill Harvester Church. Starting Sept. 2, Pastor D.E. Paulk and members of Chapel Hill Harvester will hold some meetings at the old Greater Travelers Rest Church, at 600 H.F. Shepherd Drive in Decatur. D.E. Paulk The church will have Wednesday Night Service there until the property is sold. Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church bought the Chapel Hill Harvester campus for $17.6 million on April 10, displacing Chapel Hill Harvester, whose membership is now less than 1,000. Paulk is leading the scandal-ridden church that was once headed by his father and uncle, Bishops Earl and Don Paulk. The church, which once had 10,000 members, now has fewer than 1,000 members. Greater Travelers Rest is moving to the Flat Shoals Parkway campus and will hold its first service there on Aug. 30 at 10 a.m. E. Dewey Smith, the church’s pastor, said Paulk will use their 1,500-seat sanctuary until they find new owners. The church is listed for $8 million. He said Chapel Hill Harvester will meet at a different location on Sundays. D.E. Paulk did not return a phone call before press time. In 2007, Paulk discovered that he was son of his uncle, the late Bishop Earl Paulk, who died in March. – Jennifer Ffrench Parker

retool.” In February 2005, they went to two Sunday services and were using classrooms and video screens to accommodate an overflow crowd. In 2007, they bought 14 acres behind the church with plans to expand. In March 2008, they added a third service at 12:15 p.m., and still people were turned away.

History of growth So last November, when Chapel Hill Harvester came calling in search of a buyer, Smith and church leaders figured it would take much longer to build than to buy a well-appointed campus. Davis said the prospect of being able to do all the things

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Pastor Julius A. Edmondson Sr.

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wife of 14 years, said “We had not one vashe went along with the cant closet left,” he said. pay cut and the move to “We could move a lot Atlanta because she felt it faster.” was God ordained. Greater Travelers Rest “I know God speaks is only the second church Andrea Smith to him and if he said God that Smith has led. He spent 13 years at his first, Beulah- told him, then it’s all right with me,” land Bible Church in Macon. It she said. The couple grew up in Macon had 48 members when he started there as a 19-year-old pastor. When and have known each other since he left in December 2003, it had they were 4 years old. Both are children of pastors. Her father is 4,000. Even though he took a 50 per- now deceased, but Eddie D. Smith cent pay cut to come to the smaller Sr. is pastor of Macedonia Baptist Greater Travelers Rest church, Church in Macon. The Smiths have two sons, Smith said he felt it was a call from Kylen, 3, and Kamari, 8. God. Smith said he has been able “I knew it was my assignment,” he said. “I never wavered about it. to grow the church because of its I didn’t know how it would work, excellent past leadership. He said but I knew it would. I knew God Shepherd, who died in May 2006,

“They embraced me for who I am,” he said. This week’s announcement of the $17.6 million purchase brought the church a lot of attention, including calls from television and radio stations and a newspaper interview and photo shoot. “I hope it’s not something I have to get used to,” Smith said Wednesday. On Aug. 30, the church will have its first service in the 7,000seat cathedral at 10 a.m. With the larger accommodations, Smith says they are returning to a single Sunday service. A monthlong dedication planned for November will kick off on Oct. 31 with a motorcade from the old location at 600 H.F. Shepherd Drive to the new home.

A10

CrossRoadsNews

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Timeshares

Miscellaneous

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Reader Notice As a service to you – our valued readers – we offer the following information: This newspaper will never knowingly accept 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.

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When You Miss CrossRoadsNews, You Miss News You Can Use! Call 404-284-1888 for Subscription Rates & Information

A11

CrossRoadsNews

August 15, 2009

LEGAL NOTICE IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF RICHMOND COUNTY STATE OF GEORGIA CIVIL ACTION FILE NUMBER: 2008-RCD-0075

Marketplace Business Opportunities

HOME SERVICES

As seen on tv! This is a Real Program Work from Home Earn $200-$2000 per month 24-hour recorded info: 618-355-7461

Your Neighborhood Handyman! Plumbing and Electrical repairs, painting, carpentry, flooring, roofing, exterior work also. Call Chris (404) 992-3663.

Commercial Property Covington hwy/ I-285. North Center: Full service professional office building offering suites from 281 s.f to 2680 s.f. Premier location minutes from I-285 and I-20. Contact Wakelia Harris: (770) 912-1703.

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NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS The Wilson Academy admits the students of any race, color, national origin, and ethnic origin to all the rights, programs, privileges, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

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LOANS & MORTGAGES

IN RE: Petition Of: Willie H. Edwards, Jr. And Alice Edwards, To Adopt Raquel Sasha Edwards, DOB: May 19, 1993. TO: RONALD WHITE, the alleged Biological Father of RAQUEL SASHA EDWARDS. Pursuant to O.C.G.A.19-8-12, and other pertinent laws, you are advised that you will lose all rights to this child, and you will neither receive notice of, nor be entitled to object to the custody and adoption of the child, unless, within thirty (30) days of your receipt of this notice, you file an Answer to this Petition pursuant to O.C.G.A. 19-7-22, and give notice in writing of the filing of such Petition to this Court and to the attorney listed below. You must prosecute the action to Final Judgment. You are further advised that if you intend to object to this Petition, you must file an Answer to the within thirty (30) days in the Superior Court of Richmond County, Georgia. You are urged to immediately retain legal counsel to assist you in this matter. You are HEREBY NOTIFIED to appear and show cause before the Honorable David J. Roper, Judge Superior Court of Richmond County, State of Georgia, on the 25th day of September, 2009. at 10:45 a.m. at the Richmond County Municipal Building, 530 Greene Street, Augusta, Georgia as to why the prayers stated in the Petitioner’s Petition for Adoption should not be granted. Dated this 20th day of May, 2009.

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Elaine C. Johnson Clerk Of Superior Court Richmond County, Georgia Helen W. Yu Attorney for Petitioners