CrossRoadsNews, December 2, 2017

COMMUNITY

HOLIDAY

Tales of culture and lore

‘Dear Santa’ with a twist

Storyteller and puppeteer Akbar Imhotep will share cultural tales on Dec. 9 at the SalemPanola Library in Lithonia. 4

Macy’s 10th annual “Believe” letter campaign is underway at South DeKalb, Stonecrest and other stores through Christmas Eve. 6

Let’s Keep DeKalb Peachy Clean Please Don’t Litter Our Streets and Highways

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

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December 2, 2017

Volume 23, Number 31

www.crossroadsnews.com

Cleveland Road Sidewalk project nearing completion

Residents will soon be able to walk more safely on Cleveland Road in Lithonia.

DeKalb District 5 Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson says new sidewalks, costing $250,000, will be built along a .58-mile stretch of Cleveland between Rock Springs Road and Highway 155.

Cleveland Road will also be repaved.

“The investment that the county has made in repaving Cleveland Road and installing sidewalks will bring an added value for the residents who live Mereda Johnson in this community,” Johnson said.

The county appropriated the funds for the improvements last fall.

Construction began on Sept. 25 and is scheduled for completion on Dec. 22. The work also includes building retaining walls.

Johnson said the sidewalks will allow pedestrians to walk in comfort along the road. A ribbon cutting will take place early next year.

For more information call 404-371-2159.

New sidewalks, costing $250,000, on Cleveland Road in Lithonia will stretch from Rock Springs Road and Highway 155.

Sharif Williams / CrossRoadsNews

Mobile job bus helps DeKalb residents find work Hi-tech resource center changing job-seekers’ lives

Jeron Hunt of Lithonia works on her resume inside the WorkSource Mobile Lab. The full-service vehicle travels around the county, most often to public libraries, to assist people who are looking for work.

By Lyle V. Harris

The sooner Jeron Hunt of Lithonia finds her next job, the better. The holidays are here and the 36-year-old former Walmart employee is looking to pay bills, buy gifts for her family and get ready for the New Year.

Despite the challenge of searching for work without the benefit of a car, computer or internet access at home, Hunt was not deterred from her job search recently during a chilly, rainy day.

Hunt was sitting comfortably in a trickedout RV stationed in the parking lot of her apartment complex. With R&B playing softly in the background, Hunt’s gaze was glued to the computer while polishing her résumé and emailing potential employers in hopes of landing a transportation or sales job.

“This is exactly what I needed because it’s so cold outside and this is so comfortable and convenient,” said Hunt, 36. “I can’t think of a better way of looking for a job on a day like today.”

Like thousands of other local residents also looking for work, Hunt was utilizing the county’s WorkSource DeKalb Mobile Career Lab, aka the “Job Mobile.” The full-service vehicle is equipped with 13 computers at woodpaneled workstations, high-speed internet, printers, a whiteboard for presentations and a large screen TV. The vehicle is fully ADA accessible and has a wheelchair lift.

The four-wheeled, hi-tech resource center is travelling across the county, mostly stopping at public libraries, to help residents looking for work. The colorful vehicle recently made a daylong jaunt to the Hills at Fairington, the apartment complex where Hunt lives.

Tim Dates was staffing the WorkSource vehicle. He explained its main focus is helping residents craft or update their résumés, apply for unemployment benefits, identify

Lyle V. Harris / CrossRoadsNews

job prospects and get certifications for skilled job programs offered by Georgia Piedmont Technical College and Georgia State University/Perimeter College.

The mobile unit’s offerings are free for individuals, and it is available to private businesses to use for recruiting, pre-employment screening, interviewing and training.

“We’re trying to find every avenue to help people in DeKalb County get back into the workforce,” Dates said. “This is just one of them.”

Tanya Davenport, 48, an IT specialist, took a buyout from her previous employer several years ago in order to take care of

her sister who was battling cancer. With her sibling thankfully on the road to recovery, Davenport is now job-hunting for the first time in 30 years.

“I haven’t done this since I first started working,” Davenport said. “It’s much harder than it used to be and I’m just trying to figure out what opportunities are out there for me.” Davenport picked up several job listings posted on the wall during her visit, hoping to find gainful employment within the next few weeks that will match her skillset and provide a sustainable income for her and her 13-year-old daughter.

“I’ve filled out applications but I haven’t

had a face-to-face interview yet,” she said. “I know it’s just a matter of time.”

For Davenport and others with a strong employment history, the future looks promising as the job market continues showing signs of improvement. In September, DeKalb County’s unemployment rate was 4.2 percent compared to 5.5 percent at the same time last year, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. DeKalb is faring slightly better than the statewide unemployment rate of 4.5 percent; the national rate is also at 4.2 percent.

Please see JOBS BUS, page 2

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Community

CrossRoadsNews

“Instructions and voice prompts in English or Spanish make the SSTs as easy to use as an ATM.”

Self-service tag renewal kiosk opening in Lithonia Kroger Starting Dec. 7, South DeKalb residents will be able to renew their vehicle tags at a new self-service DMV kiosk in the Kroger at 6678 Covington Highway in Lithonia.

When DeKalb Tax Commissioner Irvin Johnson cuts the ribbon on the kiosk at 10 a.m., it will join two other kiosks in Kroger grocery stores in the county.

The new kiosk will allow taxpayers to scan their Georgia driver’s license or enter their vehicle’s registration and follow the Irvin Johnson touch-screen prompts to renew up to 10 vehicle registrations in as little as one minute.

Johnson introduced the first self-service kiosk in April 2016 in association with Kroger, the Georgia Department of Revenue and Intellectual Technology Inc. He says the kiosks allow customers to

access service when offices are closed and tag renewal customers can save time because they don’t have to wait in line with taxpayers who have more complicated issues.

The others are in Kroger stores at 2875 North Decatur Road in Decatur, and at 3559 Chamblee Tucker Road. Like all Georgia MVD self-service kiosks, the new kiosk will accept payment by credit or debit cards for a fee. Johnson said the kiosks save the county money because they take less space and fewer staff and are easy to use.

“Instructions and voice prompts in English or Spanish make the SSTs as easy to use as an ATM,” he said.

The kiosks are available during normal store hours from 6 a.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Saturday.

For more information, visit dekalbtax. org. For a list of all kiosks in participating Georgia counties, visit http://dor.georgia. gov/mvd-self-service-centers.

Library seeking residents’ input Residents can help the DeKalb County Public Library develop its five-year strategic plans to meet the community’s changing needs by participating in a survey at https:// www.surveymonkey.com/r/DeKalbCommunitySurvey.

The survey, developed by Saint Paul, Minn.-based Library Strategies Consulting Group, is available through Dec. 9 and takes about 10 minutes to complete.

Library Director Alison Weissinger says residents’ perspectives are important to the

December 2, 2017

library system, and it greatly appreciates responses and comments.

“Survey results are one important component that will help create the strategic plan for library service over the next three to five years,” she said. All survey responses will go directly to the consulting group.

“All individual responses are confidential, and no survey responses will be connected to particular individuals in the aggregate reports provided to the library,” Weissinger said.

Study tour to Ghana seeks applicants School and college teachers and students can apply now for a five-week study tour of Ghana, West Africa, through the nonprofit American Institute for Resource and Human Development.

Eligible applicants are K-12 teachers, college/university faculty and students.

Seventeen participants will be picked for the 2018 tour, which takes place June 15-July 20. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. on Feb. 16. Selected applicants will be notified in writing by March 23.

Dr. Fredoline Anunobi, the American Institute for Resource and Human Development executive director, said the study group will be based at the University of Ghana in Accra and will take organized trips to various part of the country.

“They will receive lectures on African area studies (history, culture, geography, religion, economics, politics, education, philosophy, Akan language, women and gender studies,” he said. “The purpose of this project in Ghana is to enable the participants to develop curriculum materials for use in their respective classrooms.”

Anunobi said participants will have the chance to stay with “adopted” families and have personal contact with people.

“These activities will generate teaching aids, such as photographs, slides, and recordings of music, arts and crafts, textbooks, and instructional videos,” Anunobi said. “Thus, the overall purpose of the seminar is to gather first-hand knowledge, experience, and other teaching aids for an improved and richer school curriculum that is multicultural in dimension.”

The Tucker-based institute received a Fulbright Hayes grant from the U.S. Department of Education to conduct the study tour of Ghana.

Selected participants will pay $1,000 or about 10 percent of the costs of room, board and economy round-trip airfare from Atlanta to Ghana, which is located along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. The Department of Education grant covers 70 percent of the costs, and the institute, 20 percent.

Leo Erskine, an Atlanta public school teacher who was a 2017 fellow to Tanzania, said that the immersion re-defined his understanding and knowledge of Africa.

“All too often we fall victim to the negative stereotypes of Africa portrayed on television, print or social media,” he said. “Because of Fulbright, I have been able to study Kiswahili at the University of Dar es Salaam, learn about the Indian Ocean trade route as it has related to east Africa historically, and tour a spice farm created by maroons and maintained by their descendants.”

Erskine says he now speaks of the contributions of Africa, and incorporates examples from Africa in his lesson plans.

“It is my intention, when teachable moments present themselves, to use examples about Africa in the classroom to provide a model for what it is I want students to learn,” he said.

Eligible applicants must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident: have a college degree or be a current undergraduate/graduate student; have a commitment to African studies/ international education; have a minimum of one-year experience as a teacher or administrator in social sciences, humanities, education, business and other related fields; and present evidence of good health and proof of travel insurance.

To apply, visit www.american-resource. org and download the application. For more information, contact Dr. Fredoline Anunobi at fredoline@att.net or 678-313-3090.

RV helps with employment search JOBS BUS,

from page

1

DeKalb’s WorkSource program is linked to statewide economic development efforts under the Georgia Department of Labor. The Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) also manages a similar program for people who live, work or have been laid off in Cherokee, Clayton, Douglas, Fayette, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties.

During the last two years, an ARC study found the fastest growing job categories are hospitality/tourism, transportation, healthcare/nursing and customer service.

That could be good news for Ogechi

Ekeogu, 26, who stopped by the WorkSource mobile facility hoping to find a customer service job paying at least $15 an hour. A college student, Ekeogu has been supporting herself as a driver for Uber and Lyft but is hoping for a more consistent paycheck.

“I like working for myself but sometimes it’s slow,” Ekeogu said. “I’m glad I came today because I found out about some jobs that I didn’t know about. I’m going to follow up and I know I’m going to find something because I’m a good catch.”

For more information about the WorkSource Mobile Resource Center, call 404709-4090 or 404-687-3400.

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December 2, 2017

Community

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“There will pictures and categories that will make it easy for the participants to understand.”

Symposium on climate change at Salem-Panola Residents, others for clean air and South De­ clean water on Kalb families behalf of comcan weigh in munities facing on the climate e nv i r o n m e n change debate tal hazards in at a Dec. 2 “Clithe Southeast. mate Change Georgia, North Symposium/ Carolina, South Exhibit” at the Christina Fuller Yomi Noibi Lou Zeller Carolina, VirSalem-Panola ginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Alabama and Library in Lithonia.

Citizens for a Healthy and Safe Environ- Mississippi.

Noibi has more than 30 years experiment (CHASE), which grew out of the fight to stop the construction of a biomass incin- ence in academia and social justice, and Eco erator in Lithonia, is hosting the 11 a.m. to Action promotes a safe and healthy envi3 p.m. symposium. It is bringing together ronment by helping Georgia communities expert speakers Lou Zeller, executive director organize to address environmental health of Glendale, N.C-based Blue Ridge Envi- hazards and to strengthen and facilitate ronmental Defense League; Dr. Yomi Noibi, community engagement to prevent harm executive director of Atlanta-based nonprofit and resolve hazards.

Fuller has more than 15 years of experiEco Action; and Dr. Christina H. Fuller, a Georgia State University School of Public ence as an environmental engineer, advocate Health assistant professor of Environmental and researcher and has worked as an engineer for Tetra Tech Inc. in Chicago and for Health, to discuss the issue.

Zeller leads the Blue Ridge Environmen- the grassroots New York City Environmental tal Defense League which works on solid Justice Alliance.

She currently does academic research waste and recycling issues and advocates

on topics ranging from urban and environmental health, air quality, and communityengaged research to heart disease.

Nine-year-old Zaiah Shepherd, a Georgia Connections Academy third-grader who is passionate about educating children and adults about climate change, will share a child’s perspective on the issue.

Renee Cail, CHASE’s president, said people should come to the symposium to learn about the devastating effects of climate change.

“They will be exposed to speakers who have completed extensive research on climate change and the variables associated with it,” she said. “They will learn about the negative effects of the Atlantic pipeline and the nuclear Plant Vogtle in Augusta, Ga.” Cail said the exhibit will show concrete examples of various aspects of climate change.

“There will pictures and categories that will make it easy for the participants to understand,” she said.

The library is at 5137 Salem Road in Lithonia. For more information, email chasement2@gmail.com or call 678-796-8927.

Georgia WIC program public comment period open The annual pubic comment period into Georgia Department of Public Health’s (DPH) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is now underway through Dec. 31.

During the period, which opened Dec. 1, Georgians can comment on the program and identify opportunities to improve the federally funded program’s services.

Georgia WIC promotes healthy and positive food choices by providing participants with nutrition education and food selections based on their nutrient content, availability and cost. WIC food packages, which are aligned with the American Academy of Pediatrics Dietary Guidelines, can include infant formulas and medical foods, milk, cheese, eggs, fruits, vegetables, juice, whole grain

foods, fish, peanut butter, soy products and beans. Statewide there are more than 1,400 authorized food retailers who participate in the Georgia WIC program.

Comments and suggestions can be made at wic.ga.gov. Click on the public comment link located on the Georgia WIC home page. For more information, call 1-800228-9173.

can give input on TOD plan for I-20

DeKalb residents and business owners can give input on the I-20 East Transit Oriented Development Strategic Plan being created by MARTA and DeKalb County.

The plan will develop a blueprint for transit-oriented development (TOD) at proposed station sites along the I-20 East corridor between the Indian Creek MARTA station and the Mall at Stonecrest.

TOD is a type of community development that can include a mix of housing, office, retail and other amenities integrated into a walkable neighborhood and centered around quality public transportation.

Residents, employees and stakeholders along the corridor can visit https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/I-20EastTODCommunity to comment and offer opinions about the goals and priorities for the strategic plan.

Business owners can access a separate survey at https://www.surveymonkey. com/r/I-20EastTODBusiness. Participants who submit their names and email addresses at the end of the surveys will be entered into a drawing for a 30-day MARTA Breeze pass.

The I-20 Strategic Plan, funded by a $2 million grant from the Federal Transit Authority with contributions from MARTA and DeKalb County, kicked off in the summer of 2017. It is expected to be completed in late 2018 and will result in short-, mid-, and long-term recommendations . Some policy changes will happen very quickly, while longer term implementation may take 10 to 20 years to reach full build out.

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

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

CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoads­News, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings.

The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor those of any advertisers.

The concept, design and content of CrossRoads­News are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher.

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We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement.

December 2, 2017

“Energy companies often deny responsibility for the disproportionate impact of polluting facilities on lower-income communities.”

African Americans more exposed to toxins, study finds

By Rosie Manins

African Americans are disproportionately at risk from airborne pollutants caused by oil and natural gas development, according to a new study.

The study, titled “Fumes Across the Fence-Line: The Health Impacts of Air Pollution from Oil and Gas Facilities on African American Communities,” finds that such communities face specific health risks from pollutants because their homes are so close to oil and natural gas development facilities.

Dr. Doris Browne, president of the National Medical Association, which supported the study, said the trend is only increasing.

“Our membership is seeing far too many patients in communities of Doris Browne color suffering from these diseases and it is our goal to fight to reverse this dangerous trend,” Browne said.

Fumes Across the Fence-Line is coauthored by the Clean Air Task Force and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Its key findings show that more than a million African Americans live within a half-mile of oil and natural gas facilities, and are exposed to an elevated risk of cancer from toxic emissions. The study also shows that oil refineries exist, or are being built close to more than 6.7 million African Americans, disproportionately exposing them to toxic and hazardous emissions like benzene, sulfur dioxide, and formaldehyde.

Kathy Egland, who chairs the NAACP’s Environmental and Climate Justice Com-

mittee Board, said companies often ignore the issue.

“Energy companies often deny responsibility for the disproportionate impact of polluting facilities on lower-income communities and communities of color,” she said.

Kathy Egland In many cases, Egland says companies claim that facilities were built first and communities developed around them, but that studies show that industrial polluting facilities and sites have frequently been built in transitional neighborhoods, where residents are predominantly lowincome people of color.

“Polluting facilities also reduce nearby property values, making them more affordable areas to live in for people who do not have the means to live elsewhere,” she said.

The largest African American populations living in areas with cancer risk that exceeds the EPA’s level of concern are found in Texas and Louisiana, where close to 900,000 individuals are impacted.

Houston and Dallas are home to some of the largest African American populations at risk of childhood asthma attacks from ozone smog from oil and gas facilities. Since pollutants can drift for hundreds or even thousands of miles before forming ozone smog, African American communities as far as Chicago, Washington, D.C., and New York City also face thousands of childhood asthma attacks each year from oil and gas pollution.

Fumes Across the Fence-Line also found that Texas, Ohio and California have the largest share of African Americans living

Black women sought for study on women raised by single mothers African American women raised in single-mom homes can participate in a dissertation study on healthy marriages.

Salome Rowe, a Capella University doctoral study researcher from south DeKalb County, is seeking participants for her dissertation that is seeking to learn how black women raised in single-parent homes describe healthy marriages.

Participants must be female between the ages of 25 and 65, heterosexual, and raised in the U.S. or American-owned territory from age 10 or younger, in a household headed by a single mother. They must never have

bonded with their biological father or any surrogate father figure, and currently in a healthy marriage for at least five years.

Rowe says she will meet face-to-face with participants via Skype, iPhone Face-time, or Google Hangout.

Interviews will last 30 minutes, and will be recorded and transcribed for study. Participants will be identified by a code name to protect their privacy.

Participants will sign an informed consent form and receive a $50 gift card.

For more information, contact Salome Rowe at ybonie@bellsouth.net.

within the half-mile-threat zone, closely followed by Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma.

Lesley Fleischman, a CATF research analyst who co-authored the study, says air pollution from the oil and gas industry occurs at every stage, from wellhead to consumer, with dangerous effects on communities nationwide.

“However, we’ve found that fence-line communities, including many African Americans, are suffering especially serious health consequences as a result of these emissions,” she said.

In 2016, the EPA moved toward finalizing strong standards for methane and ozone smog-forming volatile organic compounds, covering new and modified oil and gas facilities. Advocates of the proposed standards say that would help clean up other pollutants, including air toxins like benzene, formaldehyde and sulfur dioxide. The EPA is also trying to address 1.2 million uncontrolled sources of methane and other airborne pollutants, but President Donald Trump and his administration are fighting the changes, which has led to challenges in courts across the country.

Sarah Uhl, the CATF’s program director of ShortLived Climate Pollutants, says sensible standards cannot simply be washed away to the benefit of the oil and gas industry.

The full report is available at www.naacp.org.

Author Boyd named to Library trustees Acclaimed author, scholar and journalist Valerie Boyd has joined the DeKalb County Library Board of Trustees.

The DeKalb Board of Commissioners approved Boyd’s appointment at its Nov. 14 meeting.

The Board of Trustees formulate policy, administer funds, and govern library service to the community.

B oyd is the author of “Wrapped in Rainbows: The Valerie Boyd Life of Zora Neale Hurston,” which is considered the definitive biography of Hurston. Published in 2003, the book earned the Georgia Author of the Year Award in nonfiction and the American Library Association Notable Book Award. The Georgia Center for the Book named it one of the “25 Books That All Georgians Should Read,” and the Southern Book Critics Circle honored it with the 2003 Southern Book Award for best nonfiction of the year.

Boyd, who received Gov. Nathan Deal’s Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities in October, is currently editing Gathering Blossoms Under Fire: the Journals of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker. The book, which is scheduled for publication in 2018, is a collection of Walker’s personal journals spanning more than 50 years.

Boyd says she is happy for the appointment and is eager to serve the county in that role.

“As an inquisitive child growing up in a workingclass family in Atlanta, I saw the public library as a magical place where I had free access to amazing books that opened up new worlds to me,” Boyd said. “It was at the public library that I first encountered writers like James Baldwin and Alice Walker — writers whose work is still so important to me today. I still consider the library a magical, vibrant place.”

Akbar Imhotep to tell tales at library Circulation Audited By

Storyteller and puppeteer Akbar Imhotep will share cultural tales on Dec. 9 at the Salem-Panola Library, but there is room for only 36 participants.

Imhotep’s appearance at 1 p.m. is part of the DeKalb Library System’s Doris K. Wells Heritage Festival taking place at various library branches throughout December.

Friends of the Salem-Panola Library will sponsor a reception Akbar Imhotep following the performance.

The library is at 5137 Salem Road in Lithonia.

For more information, call 770-987-6900.

December 2, 2017

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This Is Us available on XFINITY Stream app

The best scene of all The best action, comedy, and drama happen when screens are down, devices are off and you’re tuned in to the ones you love. This holiday, connect with each other because with the X1 DVR, you can record up to six shows at once. Plus, enjoy instant access to the most free TV shows and movies with XFINITY On Demand — you’ll never miss a thing. Also, with XFINITY xFi, you get the speed, coverage, and control you need.

XFINITY will change the way you celebrate the holidays.

Restrictions apply. Not available in all areas. XFINITY On Demand requires XFINITY TV service. XFINITY xFi is available to XFINITY Internet service customers with a compatible XFINITY gateway. Does not apply to WiFi hotspots. © 2017 Comcast. All rights reserved.

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December 2, 2017

“We ask everyone to join us in making wishes come true. Please visit Macy’s South DeKalb and write a quick letter to Santa.”

Macy’s ‘Dear Santa’ letter-writing campaign helps grant wishes Kids can share their heart’s desires with Santa in Macy’s 10th annual “Believe” campaign underway at Macy’s South DeKalb, Stonecrest and other stores through Dec. 24.

Parents can take their children to the store to write “Dear Santa” letters listing what they want for Christmas.

For every letter it receives, Macy’s will donate $1 to Make-A-Wish® up to $1 million.

On National Believe Day, being celebrated on Dec. 8, Macy’s ups the ante to $2 for every letter received.

Terry Young, Macy’s South DeKalb manager, said that the Believe campaign station and red Santa Mailbox is in the kids department on the store’s lower level, and that they inspire children of all ages to write their letters to Santa.

“We ask everyone to join us in making wishes come true,” Young said. “Please visit Macy’s South DeKalb and write a quick let-

During Macy’s annual “Believe” campaign, underway in stores through Dec. 24, kids can write letters to Santa and deposit them in the red Santa Mailbox.

ter to Santa.”

Teachers can also pick up the Dear Santa stationery from the store or download it at https://social-preprod.fds.com/social/ believe/ and have their classes write letters and drop them off in the store’s Santa mailbox.

Since 2003, Macy’s has donated $100

million to Make-A-Wish foundation, which doctors. has impacted more than 2.4 million people Macy’s is at the Gallery at South DeKalb, including wish kids and their families, vol- 2801 Candler Road in Decatur. For more unteers, community groups, nurses, and information, call 678-592-7331.

FODAC’s Santa hosts breakfast FODAC founder Ed Butchart is Santa and

Lithonia’s tree lighting after ideas exchange Hot coca, cookies and Santa Dee are Dee lighting the tree.

Before the tree lighting event, residents on tap for the city of Lithonia’s annual Tree Lighting and Holiday Celebration on can share their big ideas for Kelly Park, located at the corner of Max CleDec. 3. land Boulevard, beginning at 4 The yuletide festivities take place 5:30 p.m. Jackson says the city is p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Kelly Park after working with Park Pride to the Lithonia Park Visioning Public identify community desires Meeting at City Hall which starts for the park with the goal at 4 p.m. of identifying the resources Miller Grove High School’s Jazz to make it happen.

Orchestra will perform holiday For more informusic. mation, contact Mayor Deborah arika.miller@ Jackson said the lithoniacity. ceremony will org or 770culminate 8136. with Santa

WSB chief meteorologist Glenn Burns

will emcee “Breakfast With Santa” on Dec. 9.

Kids can eat with Santa and help a good cause at the Friends of Disabled Adults and Children Too! annual Breakfast With Santa at the Marriott Evergreen Conference Resort in Stone Mountain Park on Dec. 9.

Ed Butchart, FODAC’s founder and a professional Santa for more than 20 years, will again be the event’s Santa.

The Stone Mountain nonprofit grew out of Butchart’s garage in the mid-1980s where he collected and refurbished wheelchairs and other medical equipment and distributed to people who needed them. He and his wife, Anne, incorporated it in 1986.

WSB chief meteorologist Glenn Burns is back again as emcee for the 10 a.m. to noon event. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for children ages 6 to 11. Children 5 years and younger are free with adult admission.

The festivities include a gourmet breakfast buffet, free park admission, an allattractions pass for the park for each person (a $25 value), a toy for each child, and an opportunity to meet with Santa and his favorite elves.

All proceeds benefit the FODAC, which has provided more than $10 million in equipment and services to the mobility-impaired children and adults in 46 states and 65 countries around the world.

Doors open at 9:30 a.m.

The Evergreen Marriott Conference Center is at 4021 Lakeview Drive in Stone Mountain Park.

For more information, call 770-4919014. For tickets, visit www.fodac.org/ breakfast?utm_source=nov+21-17&utm_ campaign=11-21-17&utm_medium=email.

Put safety first in holiday decorating Christmas lights twinkling, fireplace roaring, fireworks bursting. On my, it must be the holiday season.

With its requisite festivities and celebrations come increased risks of fires, but we don’t have to be victims if we follow these safety tips from Allstate insurance agent Cessaly Hutchison when decorating our homes for the holidays and celebrating festivities: n When purchasing a tree, check it for freshness. A dry tree is highly flammable. Use this test: Hold a branch about six inches from the tip, and pull your hand toward the tip, allowing the branch to slip through your fingers. If the tree is fresh, very few green needles will come off. Also, lift the tree off the ground and tap the trunk on the ground. Again, very few needles should fall off. n Before placing the tree in a stand designed not to tip over, cut about six inches off the trunk of the tree and soak the base in a bucket of water overnight. n The tree stand should be designed to hold plenty of water and should be checked daily. n Do not place the tree or natural garland near a fireplace, furnace vents, television or other heat sources. n Consider having a live tree with a root ball, which can be replanted after the holidays. A live tree is less flammable than a cut tree, but still requires watering. n Buy lights labeled by a recognized testing laboratory and check annually for frayed or damaged cords. On Christmas trees, use

Test a live tree for dryness before you buy it.

small lights that stay cool to the touch or LED lights, which also save energy. n For outside decorations, use only outdoor lights. Never use indoor lights outside. n Don’t overload electrical outlets with multiple plug adaptors or power taps. Use caution with extension cords and make sure they are placed where they won’t trip anyone.

Avoid running extension cords under carpets or rugs. n Make sure candles are a safe distance from the tree, curtains, furniture, and other flammable objects. Use large base candles or protect candles in a globe. Don’t leave candles unattended. Keep children and pets away from lit candles.

Hutchison, who is with Glen Brown Allstate in Decatur, says it is also important to remain vigilant by reporting arson to the Georgia Arson Control hotline at 1-800-2825804. Anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of an arsonist is eligible for a reward of up to $10,000.

For more information visit www.georgiaarsoncontrol.org.

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December 2, 2017

Legal Notices

12/02, 12/09, 12/16, 12/23

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM9874 Brianna A. Mitchell PLAINTIFF VS Aomori M. Mitchell, and Michael Chad Halman, DEFENDANTS NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Michael Chad Halman 2550 Shady Lane, Apt. #3B Waycross, GA 31503-9216 You are hereby notified that the abovestyled action seeking Divorce and Other Relief was filed against you in said court on September 19, 2017, and that by reason of an Order for Service of Summons by Publication entered by the court on Sept 08, 2017, you are hereby commanded and required to file with the clerk of said court and serve upon Mara Block, Plaintiff’s attorney, whose address is Atlanta Legal Aid Society, 246 Sycamore Street, Suite 120, Decatur, GA 30030, an answer in writing to the Petition within sixty (60) days of the Order for Servicce by Publication.

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

This the 19th day of Oct., 2017 12/02, 12/09, 12/16, 12/23

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM10929-3 Santrena L. Fultz PLAINTIFF VS Douglas R. Fultz DEFENDANT TO: Douglas R. Fultz 10429 Prince Dr. St. Louis, MO 63136

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Nov. 7, 2017. You are hereby notified that Oct. 18, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff

filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Santrena Fultz, 1391 Post Oak Drive, Apt. G., Clarkston, GA 30021.

Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Nov. 07, 2017.

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

This the 8th day of Nov., 2017 12/02, 12/09, 12/16, 12/23

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM10618-3 Brian Etheridge PLAINTIFF VS Theresa Hearn Etheridge DEFENDANT TO: Theresa Hearn Etheridge 2807 Misty Water Dr., Apt. 30 Decatur, GA 30032

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Nov. 7, 2017.

You are hereby notified that Oct. 08, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Brian Etheridge, 1851 Camellia Dr., Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Nov. 07, 2017.

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

This the 8th day of Nov., 2017 12/02, 12/09, 12/16, 12/23

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM7004-5 Jacqueline McLendon PLAINTIFF VS Joshua McLendon DEFENDANT TO: Joshua McLendon

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Nov. 06, 2017. You are hereby notified that Oct. 18, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Jacqueline McLendon, 2805 Misty Waters Dr., Apt. #2, Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Nov. 07, 2017.

Witness the Honorable Gregory A. Adams, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 7th day of Nov., 2017 12/02, 12/09, 12/16, 12/23

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM10421-7 Hanh Kieu Pham PLAINTIFF VS Hung Tran DEFENDANT TO: Hung Tran 3921 Norman Rd. Stone Mountain, GA 30083

DEFENDANT TO: Antonio Terrell Pierce 2687 Hwy 701, North Conway, SC 29526

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Oct. 26, 2017. You are hereby notified that Oct. 12, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Marleen Denise Pierce, 7060 Ravenwood Lane, GA 30038.

Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Nov. 02, 2017.

Witness the Honorable Courtney L. Johnson, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 2nd day of Nov., 2017 12/02, 12/09, 12/16, 12/23

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM11072 Victoria Hayes PLAINTIFF VS Elray Booker DEFENDANT TO: Elray Booker

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Nov. 01, 2017. You are hereby notified that Oct. 16, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Victoria Hayes, 3855 Brookview Point, Decatur, GA 30034.

Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Nov. 01, 2017.

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

This the 6th day of Nov., 2017 12/02, 12/09, 12/16, 12/23

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM10768-1 Marleen Denise Pierce PLAINTIFF VS Antonio Terrell Pierce

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM6647-10 Laventress Hammond PLAINTIFF VS Cecorie A. Hammond DEFENDANT TO: Cecorie A. Hammond

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Oct. 25, 2017. You are hereby notified that Jun. 16, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Laventress Hammond, 5591 Regency Forest Ct., Lithonia, GA 30038.

Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Oct. 30, 2017.

Witness the Honorable Tangela M. Barrie, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 30th day of Oct., 2017 12/02, 12/09, 12/16, 12/23

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

12/02, 12/09, 12/16, 12/23

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

You are hereby notified that the abovestyled action seeking Divorce, Custody and Child Support was filed against you in said court on Oct. 03, 2017, and that by reason of an Order for Service of Summons by Publication entered by the court on Nov 08, 2017, you are hereby commanded and required to file with the clerk of said court and serve upon Mara Block, Plaintiff’s attorney, whose address is Atlanta Legal Aid Society, 246 Sycamore Street, Suite 120, Decatur, GA 30030, an answer in writing to the Petition within sixty (60) days of the Order for Servicce by Publication.

Witness the Honorable Daniel M. Coursey, Jr., Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 8th day of Nov., 2017 12/02, 12/09, 12/16, 12/23

Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name(s) of MINOR CHILD(REN) in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM10022-3 La’Shante Esty filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Sept.

22, 2017 to change the name(s) of the following child(ren) from: Mercy Winter Esty to: Mercy Winter Forman.

Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within the time prescribed in OCGA 19-12-1(f)(2) and (3).

Dated: Jul. 12, 2017 12/02, 12/09, 12/16, 12/23

Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name(s) of MINOR CHILD(REN) in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM10021-3 La’Shante Esty filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Sept.

22, 2017 to change the name(s) of the following child(ren) from: Taylor Emerson Esty to: Taylor Emerson Castell Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within the time prescribed in OCGA 19-12-1(f)(2) and (3).

Dated: Jul. 12, 2017

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM11984 Petitioner in the above-captioned case filed a Petition to Change Name of Adult in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Nov. 21, 2017, to change her name from: Valorie Jeanette Coleman to Valerie Jeanette Wiggs. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and to file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed.

Respectfully submitted this 21st day of November, 2017 12/02, 12/09, 12/16, 12/23

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM11973-7 Walter Andrew Hamric filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on November 21st, 2017 to change the name from: Walter Andrew Hamric to Lupa Marlene Brandt. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed.

Dated: November 15, 2017 12/02, 12/09, 12/16, 12/23

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM9862 Angie Blasingame PLAINTIFF VS Travis Morris DEFENDANT TO: Travis Morris 1232 Kipling St., SE Atlanta, GA 30315

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Sept. 27, 2017. You are hereby notified that Sept.

18, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Angie Blasingame, 102 Hillside Village Dr., Apt. 102, Atlanta, GA 30317.

Witness the Honorable Tangela M. Barrie, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 21st day of Nov., 2017

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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Free Turkeys! DeKalb County National Pan Hellenic Council hosting a “giveaway” Dec. 2nd; 10am-2pm or until gone; Browns Mill Elem; 4863 Browns Mill Rd., Lithonia

Public Notice

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CrossRoadsNews

8

December 2, 2017

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11/21/17 2:55 PM