CrossRoadsNews, December 10, 2016

COMMUNITY

SCENE

Another dollar store

Humor for the holidays

An 8,320square-foot Family Dollar is going up on the former site of a blighted car wash on Rainbow Drive. 3

Tyler Perry’s iconic character descends on a small rural town in “A Madea Christmas” screening Dec. 13 at the Flat Shoals Library. 6

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

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

Copyright © 2016 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

December 10, 2016

Volume 22, Number 33

www.crossroadsnews.com

Gregory Adams wins DeKalb Super District 7 seat in runoff

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

“I look forward to working well with every member of the board and with the cities of DeKalb County,” he said.

In a Dec. 7 email thanking supporters, Adams said he is ready to get to work and hopes the citizens of DeKalb will work with him and hold him accountable during his time in office.

“I intend to work for and serve the people of DeKalb County with honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability,” he said.

District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson, who supported Adams’ candidacy and was among well-wishers at the victory party, said Adams’ presence will improve the board.

Gregory Adams and supporters celebrate his Dec. 6 runoff victory over former state Rep. Randal Mangham for the DeKalb Super District 7 seat.

Gregory Adams, an Emory police officer, won the Dec. 6 runoff for the DeKalb Board of Commissioners’ Super District 7 seat.

Adams got 3,539 or 52.24 percent of the vote in the special election to finish the two years left on Stan Watson’s term.

Former state Rep. Randal Mangham got 3,236 or 47.76 percent.

Only 6,670 or 3.2 percent of the district’s 212,390 voters cast ballots in the race.

Nearly a third, or 1,221, of the votes were cast early between Nov. 28 and Dec. 2.

Celebrating his victory at Marlow’s Tavern in Tucker on Tuesday night, Adams said Please see RUNOFF, page 2 he was ecstatic.

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

Stonecrest election date coming next week City organizer Jason Lary plans run for mayor

Governor picking transition team for newest city

By Ken Watts

Residents interested in running for office in the new city of Stonecrest will find out next week when qualifying for mayor and city council will begin.

The DeKalb Board of Voter Registration and Elections will vote on Dec. 12 on the qualifying period and election date.

It is expected to schedule qualifying for Jan. 9-11 and election day on March 23. The qualifying fee for mayor is $600 and $450 for city council candidates.

Senate Bill 208, passed by the Georgia Legislature in the spring, calls for the 50,000population city to be up and running by April 1.

Jason Lary, a city organizer and chairman of the Stonecrest Yes committee, says he will run for mayor.

He announced his intention on Nov. 30, the day after a rally to celebrate voters’ approval of the city Jason Lary on Nov. 8.

“People told me they preferred new blood and didn’t want a recycled politician for the city’s first mayor,” Lary said.

As of press time Thursday, no other candidate had announced for mayor.

Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May denied rumors that he was considering running when he leaves office on Dec. 31.

“I get asked that question five times a day,” he said Thursday with a laugh. “I don’t know where that is coming from. I George Turner haven’t discussed this with anyone and more importantly, I don’t even live within the

By Ken Watts

District 4 covers the neighborhoods bordered on the north and east by Rock Springs and Evans Mill roads and by Snapfinger Road along the western and southern edges.

Turner, president of the Hunters Run II Homeowners Association, said he’ll make an official announcement soon but is already focused on quality of life and economic development issues.

Five South DeKalb residents who worked for the passage of the referendum establishing the city of Stonecrest have been nominated by state legislators to serve on a commission that will shape the formation of the new city.

The nominees are Joel Thibodeaux, Vaughn Irons, Shawn Jones, Al Franklin and Robert Burroughs.

Thibodeaux was treasurer of the Stonecrest Yes committee that waged the successful campaign to win voter approval for the 50,000-population city.

Irons is founder and CEO of APD Solutions and a former chairman of the DeKalb Development Authority. Jones is an IT professional, Franklin is a former Lithonia city councilman, and Burroughs is a wellknown DeKalb real estate attorney.

Gov. Nathan Deal is expected to announce the five-member commission any day now. People serving on the commission are “ineligible to run for election to a city post.”

Under state law, the Nathan Deal commission will “facilitate the provision of municipal services and facilities, the collection of taxes and fees, and the negotiation of intergovernmental agreements in preparation of the establishment of the new municipality.”

But its members “will not have the ability to enter into any binding agreements, to expend public funds, or to incur any liability on

Please see STONECREST, page 4

Please see TRANSITION, page 4

The 50,000-population city of Stonecrest will have five city council districts. Potential candidates George Turner and Diane Adoma are considering runs for districts 4 and 5.

boundaries of the city.”

The new city will have five council districts.

Through Thursday, two potential candidates – George Turner and Diane Adoma – said they were considering runs for districts 4 and 5, reDiane Adoma spectively.

No candidates have yet stepped forward for districts 1, 2 and 3.

2

People

CrossRoadsNews

December 10, 2016

“Mike [Thurmond] has an excellent reputation. He is a great leader who has faced huge challenges and come out victorious.”

Joint swearing-in for Boston, Coleman-Stribling DeKalb Chamber Sherry Boston and 2011, was unopposed for Donna Coleman-Stridistrict attorney on Nov. bling will take the oath 8. She unseated Robert of office on Dec. 19 for James in the Democratic DeKalb district attorprimary in May. ney and DeKalb soliciColeman-Stribling is tor general, respectively, the deputy chief assistant in a joint swearingdistrict attorney assigned in ceremony at Saint to the Crimes Against Philip AME Church in Sherry Boston (left) and Donna Children Unit. She won Coleman-Stribling will be sworn in at Atlanta. the Democratic primary Saint Philip AME in Atlanta.

Boston, who has in May and was unopbeen the county’s solicitor general since posed in the Nov. 8 general election. She will

replace Boston in the solicitor’s office.

Boston will be sworn into office by the Honorable Herbert Phipps, the newly retired presiding judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals. Georgia Supreme Court Justice Robert Benham will administer the oath of office to Coleman-Stribling.

The ceremony starts at 3 p.m.

Boston and Coleman-Stribling’s fouryear terms of office begin Jan. 1.

Saint Philip AME Church is at 240 Candler Road, at the intersection with Memorial Drive.

Assistant county attorney leading Thurmond’s transition

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Incoming DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond is three weeks away from taking the reins of county government, and La’Keitha Daniels Carlos, whom he has tapped to lead his transition, is hard at work.

“Mrs. Carlos is uniquely qualified and well-prepared to lead my transition team as La’Keitha Carlos we begin the process of restoring faith in our government and addressing critical needs throughout DeKalb County,” Thurmond said. “I am confident that she will be a strong asset during our transition to a new administration.”

Carlos, whom Thurmond named his transition team executive on Nov. 21, is busy gathering reports from the county’s 40 department heads, identifying key vacancies, and determining critical issues to help Thurmond get the lay of the land before he assumes office.

“I am working with the current administration to facilitate a smooth transition,” she said Dec. 6. “I am spending a lot of time learning about each department, what their challenges are, and how the new CEO can effect change.”

Through Dec. 7, Carlos, who was assistant county attorney before her appointment, had identified 10 key vacancies or positions with interim managers that will require immediate attention from Thurmond.

Among them, finance and deputy finance director; deputy chief operating officer of

Infrastructure Procurement; Parks and Recreation, Sanitation, Human Services, Fleet Maintenance and Public Works directors; and chief communications officer.

Carlos said that her goal is to help Thurmond to identify priorities and urgent issues.

“I want to be give him a bird’s-eye of what to expect on day one,” she said.

Carlos joined the county’s Law Department in 2015. Before that, she operated her own law firm in the areas of criminal, employment, contracts and business litigation, and city management.

She said she was shocked as everyone else when she was picked for the job.

“Mike has an excellent reputation,” she said. “He is a great leader who has faced huge challenges and come out victorious. I am honored to have been selected.”

Chapel Hill’s Cotten Taylor wins Cox Conserves Hero Award Linda Cotten Taylor, who leads the nonprofit Friends of Chapel Hill Park, has been named Atlanta’s 2016 Cox Conserves Hero and won a $10,000 award to help build a floating fishing pier into the lake at the park.

Cotten Taylor says park maintenance and L. Cotten Taylor improvement is everyone’s duty, not just a few individuals.

She brought this belief to life by securing funding to make improvements at Chapel Hill Park that include a playground fishing pier, fitness stations and signage. As the park’s lead fundraiser, she facilitates volunteer cleanups and works with the DeKalb Parks Department on

security issues.

She called winning the Cox Conserves Hero Award “overwhelming.”

“It’s an awesome feeling,” she said.

“People voted from as far away as Guam and Afghanistan.”

Cotten Taylor said it was the first time she was at a loss for words.

“I was speechless,” she said. “Words cannot express my appreciation for the people who supported the initiative.”

Two finalists, Chris Beck, also of DeKalb County, and Pauline Drake received $5,000 each for their nonprofits, Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve and Friends of Jennie Drake Park, respectively.

The Cox Conserves Heroes, created through the partnership of Cox Enterprises and the Trust for Public Land, recognizes local environmental volunteers who are creat-

ing, preserving or enhancing outdoor spaces and makes donations to local nonprofits on their behalf.

In recent months, Cotten Taylor has been aggressively raising funds to build the floating fishing pier.

“We have a wonderful park, a healing park,” she said. “It’s so serene.”

She said the award has brought them within reach of their fundraising goal of $100,000. They are about $10,000 shy and will be holding fundraisers before the Jan. 16 ground-breaking ceremony for the pier.

Friends of Chapel Hill Park also is accepting donations at http://parkpride.org/ get-involved/donate. Click on “Can I give money to a specific park or project?” and follow the prompt.

For more information, visit CoxConservesHeroes.com.

to celebrate new GDOT Board chair Robert L. Brown Jr. of Decatur will be recognized for his recent appointment as chair of the State Transportation Board at a special DeKalb Chamber Business-AfterHours reception on Dec. 15 in Decatur.

Brown, who was se- Robert L. Brown lected on Aug. 18, has served on the board since 2005 and represents Georgia’s 4th Congressional District.

The reception begins at 5:30 p.m. at Parker’s on Ponce, 116 E. Ponce de Leon Ave. For registration, visit www.dekalbchamber. org or call 404-378-8000.

Brown, president and CEO of architectural and construction management firm R.L. Brown and Associates Inc., is a past chair of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, the Fulton-DeKalb Hospital Authority, the Georgia Partnership for Excellence in Education, and the Georgia State Board of Corrections. He replaces Emily Dunn of Blue Ridge, the State Transportation Board’s first female chair.

For more information, visit www.dekalbchamber.org.

District 7 covers half of DeKalb RUNOFF,

from page

1

”He has the ability to communicate with the grass roots and grass tops,” he said.

Adams is taking the seat that has been vacant since March when Watson resigned to run for tax commissioner.

In a field of nine candidates, Adams with 26 percent of the vote and Mangham with 16 percent were the top vote-getters in the Nov. 8 special election, landing them in the runoff election.

Adams is expected to take the oath of office on Dec. 12, after the DeKalb Voter Registration and Elections Board certifies the results.

Super District 7, which covers half of the county, has 350,000 residents from Doraville to South DeKalb.

Ken Watts contributed to this report.

December 10, 2016

Community

CrossRoadsNews

3

“The grounds will be landscaped with sod and trees and will improve the appearance of this section of Rainbow Drive.”

Turner Hill Road to close 4 days for railroad repairs

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

The new 8,320-square-foot Family Dollar store is replacing a blighted carwash at 2924 Rainbow Drive near Candler Road in Decatur.

Family Dollar under construction on Rainbow Drive

By Ken Watts

Family Dollar is continuing its march across South DeKalb with a new store under construction on Rainbow Drive in Decatur.

The free-standing 8,320-square-foot store is going up on the site of a blighted carwash at 2924 Rainbow near Candler Road.

Construction supervisor Matthew Mullis of Athens-based Remm Construction Co. said the new store will be a big improvement on what was there before.

Matthew Mullis “The grounds around the store will be landscaped with new sod and trees and will improve the appearance of

this section of Rainbow Drive,” he said.

Because the site was already zoned C-1 commercial, owner Mitchell Business Property didn’t have to get approval from the DeKalb Board of Commissioners.

The store will be in front of the Rainbow Village shopping plaza that is anchored by the Fresh Valu Supermarket and has a Dollar Express store.

The strip shopping center had a Family Dollar that opened in 2013, but when Dollar Tree Corp. acquired Family Dollar for $10 billion in February 2014, it sold the store in the plaza to Sycamore Properties, which changed the name to Dollar Express.

Managers at Dollar Express said their store will stay open when the new Family Dollar store opens.

The location is one of more than 28 Fam-

ily Dollar stores in South DeKalb, most of which have opened in the past five years.

DeKalb Commissioner Larry Johnson, whose District 3 includes both stores, says he has pushed for more retail diversity in South DeKalb for years but that business is demand-driven.

“Sometimes you have to go with a solution that may not be everything you wanted,” he said. “The Family Dollar store may help attract other business.”

Edwinett Murphy, president of the Churchill Downs Homeowners Association off Rainbow Drive, says dollar stores fill a niche.

“South DeKalb has a large, growing senior population,” she said. “Many of them prefer to shop close to home and depend on the lower prices.”

DeKalb Library restoring some hours, staff cut in 2011 Seventeen DeKalb Public Library branches will open for more hours beginning Jan. 3 because of a budget increase.

The library system is adding 111 operating hours a week in the new year in the wake of a midyear budget increase of $490,733.

The funding is allowing the system to restore weekend and evening hours that were cut at many branches in 2011 because of budget shortfalls.

Library Director Alison Weissinger, the time when all the hours cut in 2011 can who thanked interim CEO Lee May and the be restored.”

For branches with new operating hours, Board of Commissioners for approving the increase, said the system will now be able to visit www.dekalblibrary.org. hire enough staff to restore the hours.

“This allows us to better serve the community by providing more convenience and flexibility for patrons who visit our facilities,” she said in a Dec. 1 statement. “We look forward to working with the county toward

Turner Hill Road/SR 124 will be closed at the railroad crossing near the I-20 ramp for four days to facilitate repairs by Norfolk Southern Corp.

The Georgia Department of Transportation says the closure is scheduled for 6 a.m. Dec. 12 until 9 p.m. Dec. 15.

Traffic will be detoured onto Highway 278/Covington Highway and will turn north onto Lithonia Industrial Boulevard, ending at Turner Hill Road/SR 124.

Norfolk Southern’s railroad maintenance operation and the road closure will take place weather permitting and subject to change.

GDOT is urging motorists to follow the message boards at the closing points on Turner Hill Road/SR 124 and signs along the detour routes and to slow down, pay attention, and be mindful of workers in construction zones.

It says construction work zones are hazardous for workers and for the public and that most victims in work zone crashes are drivers or passengers.

“Obey the rules in work zones,” GDOT said. “Pay attention, slow down, and watch for workers.

“And always expect the unexpected. It can make the difference between life and death.”

For more information, visit www.dot. ga.gov.

Construction set for damaged River Road bridge Construction will begin Dec. 19 on the River Road bridge over Conley Creek that was severely damaged during a traffic accident earlier this year.

The construction will continue through Jan. 31.

DeKalb County says that during an inspection, the Georgia Department of Transportation determined that the rehabilitation is necessary to ensure the safety of motorists.

It has hired an engineering firm to design and repair the bridge.

During the construction period, a section of River Road will close for safety reasons.

Detours will be posted to give motorists alternate routes.

For more information, contact Terrance Simpkins, senior staff engineer, at 404-294-2040.

CrossRoadsNews

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Community

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 Assistant Editor Brenda Yarbrough Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Ken Watts 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.

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December 10, 2016

“I had to lay off 13 employees three weeks before Christmas.

It was the hardest thing I ever had to do.”

Supreme Court reinstates Burrell Ellis’ law license

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Suspended DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis can practice law in Georgia again.

The Georgia Supreme Court unanimously reinstated his law license Dec. 8.

The order comes eight days after the justices Burrell Ellis reversed Ellis’ convictions on attempted extortion and perjury charges for alleged attempts to “shake down” a county contractor for campaign contributions.

The court suspended Ellis’ law license on Oct. 5, 2015, pending the termination of his appeal of his felony convictions.

“Thus, it is hereby ordered that W. Burrell Ellis Jr. be reinstated to the practice of law in the State of Georgia. Reinstated. All the Justices concur,” the order said.

Ellis, who was in his second four-year term as DeKalb CEO, was suspended from the office after he was indicted on corruption charges in June 2013. His first trial ended in a mistrial in October 2014, but on his second trial, he was found guilty of one count of perjury and one count of attempt to commit theft by extortion.

On July 1, 2015, DeKalb Superior Court Judge Courtney Johnson sentenced him to five years in prison to serve 18 months. He served eight months before he was released from Coastal State Prison near Savannah on March 1, 2016.

Upon his conviction, Ellis lost

his $153,000 annual salary and he remained suspended from office without pay while he was appealing it. His term of office ends Dec. 31. It was unclear at press time Thursday whether he is entitled to back pay for the time of his suspension.

The corruption charges against Ellis stemmed from his alleged attempts to shake down county contractor Power and Energy Services of Austell for a $2,500 campaign contribution to his 2012 re-election campaign. He also was found guilty of making false statements to a special purpose grand jury.

In vacating Ellis’ conviction, the Supreme Court found that “the trial judge made a harmful error in allowing a Special Purpose Grand Juror to testify at Ellis’ trial.” It said the trial court also “committed reversible error” by prohibiting Ellis

from presenting any evidence of his interactions with several other vendors who were not named in the indictment.

At trial, the defense wanted to call several other vendors to testify that there was no retribution from the county or Ellis for not contributing to his campaign. The court concluded that the evidence should have been admitted because “the state opened the door to the admission of this evidence.”

The court said it will be up to the district attorney whether to retry him, but Robert James, the district attorney who prosecuted Ellis, lost his bid for re-election.

Incoming District Attorney Sherry Boston said last week that “it would be inappropriate” for her to comment prior to Jan. 1, when she takes office.

Sulton Pediatric closes after 28 years in South DeKalb

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Sulton Pediatric Group, which has cared for more than 12,000 South DeKalb kids for 28 years, has closed and Dr. Jacqueline Sulton has retired from private practice.

The practice, based on Hillandale Drive near DeKalb Medical’s Hillandale campus, abruptly ceased operation on Dec. 6 after a DeKalb County marshal attempted to evict it for six months of unpaid rent.

Francis Sulton, the practice’s manager, said the eviction culminated years of financial struggles to keep serving patients as Medicare reimbursement plummeted 30 percent since 2011 and landlord Hillandale Partners LLC refused to continue working with them.

“We went from making profits of $18,000 a month to making $600 to $900 a month,” he said.

Since 2009, patient load for Sulton Pediatric, once South DeKalb’s largest pediatric practice, increased from 33 percent Medicaid to 85 percent as the mid-2000s recession and the foreclosure crisis gripped families across South DeKalb.

“People started losing their jobs,” he said. “We ain’t never turned anybody away.”

But with revenues declining, the practice was often unable to pay its rent. Sulton said that they had been slow to pay in the past because Medicare payments are not always timely.

“But we always paid our bills,” he said.

Facing eviction, Sulton said that he had his toughest job on Dec. 5.

“I had to lay off 13 employees three weeks before Christmas,” he said. “It was the hardest thing I ever had to do.”

Some of those employees had been with the practice for 16 years.

Jacqueline Sulton opened Sulton Pediatric in 1988 on Candler Road after working for the nonprofit Oakhurst Medical. Through last week, she was seeing 85 to 100 patients a day, many of them the grandchildren of some of her first patients.

Frank Sulton, an engineer, joined the practice in 1994 as manager when it became the first to

move into the first DeKalb Medical building on the campus that would become home to South DeKalb’s first hospital. He said the practice signed its lease with Hillandale Partners in 1998 when it relocated to the 5700 Hillandale Drive office building.

George Miller, principal of Hillandale Partners, said Dec. 7 that the DeKalb marshal was present on Tuesday but did not evict the practice.

“Nothing happened yesterday,” he said. “They are choosing to leave because they haven’t paid the rent in six months.”

Miller said he did not put the practice’s equipment, vaccines and medical records outside because of the weather and because he did not want to impact patients.

“If they followed through with our agreement, they had 30 days to relocate,” Miller said. “We had hoped that we would not have to go down that route.”

Miller said they will reschedule the marshal if the practice does not vacate the building.

Sulton said Tuesday that they

closed the practice and are referring patients to other area pediatricians.

He said he hates that their life’s work ended this way.

“I don’t care about me,” he said.

“Jacqui has done a helluva job serving this community.”

On Wednesday, a recorded message on the practice’s phone advised patients and other callers that Dr. Sulton had retired from private practice and the office has closed.

Trina Morrison-Jones, posting on the practice’s Facebook page Tuesday, said she found out about Dr. Sulton’s retirement after hours of trying to get an appointment for her son.

“I could have been gone to the ER for this,” Morrison-Jones wrote.

“I really wish they would have told me earlier and not hours later when I called back after no return phone call. But hopefully the other doctors there will keep the practice open.”

Another mother, Sherie Harris, lamented the lack of notification.

“No warning, letters, or anything,” she wrote. “Hope all is well with Dr. Sulton, but on the other hand VERY unprofessional!”

Potential council candidates push economic development STONECREST,

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“First, we should launch a cleanup to get rid of litter and possibly sweep the streets to improve the area’s appearance,” Turner said.

“We can make a statement right away by peeling back the layers so people can see the beauty of this area. Then, as quickly as possible, the city of Stonecrest should deliver on its promise of economic development.”

Fresh from an unsuccessful run for DeKalb Commission Super District 7, businesswoman Adoma said she is talking with supporters about seeking the District 5 council seat. It is bordered by I-20 to the north, Evans Mill Road on the west, Browns Mill Road on the south,

and Woodrow and Rockland roads to the east. She said the district covers much of the area she would have represented on the BOC. Adoma, who owns two H&R Block tax preparation businesses,

believes too that Stonecrest has a time-sensitive window of opportunity to attract quality new development. She promises to be a strong advocate for economic development.

“We have some of the highest per capita income in the metro area and we shouldn’t have to drive miles across town to find a Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s type business,” she said.

Commission to help shape Stonecrest city TRANSITION,

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behalf of the new municipality.”

Stonecrest Yes Chairman Jason Lary said Deal will be pleased with the recommendations.

“I feel good about the nominees,” Lary said Nov. 30. “And the governor can have confidence in them as well, since they were picked by legislators from South

DeKalb.”

Anyone else interested in applying can submit applications or recommendations to appointments@ georgia.gov.

Deal is required to name the commission under state law OCGA 36-1-8, which lays out the procedure for unincorporated communities making the transition to new cities.

He said the commission will play a vital role before residents hold elections for the new city’s leaders.

“As we continue to work with the General Assembly to form these commissions, we seek the assistance and leadership of individuals in these areas to help guide residents and facilitate the new cityhood process,” he said.

index to advertisers Comcast.......................................................... 8 DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court......................6 Johnson Hopewell Coleman LLC.................... 7 Marten Transport............................................ 7

Miller Grove High School Marching Band...... 7 Ousley United Methodist Church.................... 3 Terrific Thursdays............................................ 3

Urban Motorsports of Ga. (4)......................... 7 Veritas Medical Center.................................... 7 Wright Vision Care.......................................... 2

Best Buy Co. Inc......................................Inserts Rite Aid...................................................Inserts Walgreens...............................................Inserts

CrossRoadsNews

December 10, 2016

Wellness

5

“Making the decision to stop driving, limiting the amount of driving, or changing the way one drives does not have to mean losing independence.”

Lawyer Bob Wilson tapped to lead DeKalb Medical health system

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

DeKalb lawyer Bob Wilson is the new CEO of the DeKalb Regional Health System, which does business as DeKalb Medical.

Wilson, a founding partner of the Decatur law firm Wilson, Morton & Downs LLC, was tapped last week to lead the nonprofit hospital system following the resignation Bob Wilson of John A. Shelton, the layoff of 60 people, and the elimination of 80 vacant positions in recent weeks in the wake of declining revenues.

DeKalb Medical said Nov. 30 that Wilson assumed the new role as acting president and

CEO immediately.

Cheryl Iverson, the system’s vice president of marketing, communications and corporate health, said Wilson has committed to the position until June 2017.

“He has not shut his law practice,” she said. “He has moved around cases to other attorneys.”

Wilson, who served three terms as DeKalb district attorney between 1981 and 1992, recently received the prestigious Georgia Hospital Heroes Award by the Georgia Hospital Association and is a longtime supporter of the health system that operates three medical centers in Lithonia and Decatur. He has served on its board of directors as vice chairman, chaired the DeKalb Medical Foundation Board for 14 years, and is chairman of its quality committee.

During his chairmanship, the foundation board raised millions of dollars for health programs and hospital improvements, including the recent update of the Comprehensive Breast Center and the expansion of the Cancer Center’s Radiation Therapy program.

Shelton, who spent 12 years and three months at DeKalb Medical in two separate stints, could not be reached for comment.

He was the system’s executive vice president and chief operating officer until March 2011.

He returned to DeKalb Medical as president and CEO in December 2011.

Addressing the staff cuts and downsizing of positions, Iverson said DeKalb Medical, which is on a July fiscal year, missed financial targets in 2015 and set targets for revenue improvements in 2016.

Program tackles challenges facing older drivers While driving means independence for many seniors, older drivers and their families need to take time to talk about individual challenges and limitations, the Georgia Department of Public Health says.

The goal is to help older drivers live life to the fullest by keeping them active, healthy and safe in their communities, DPH says.

Despite being more likely to wear a seat belt, drivers ages 65 and older in Georgia have the highest fatality crash rate of any age group. As individuals grow older, vision, memory, strength, flexibility, and reaction time tend to decline, contributing to higher risk of crash. In addition, medications and health conditions can affect driving ability. Increased physical frailty creates a greater risk of death in a crash.

Elizabeth Head, DPH older driver program coordinator, said there are transportation alternatives for seniors.

“Making the decision to stop driving, limiting the amount of driving, or changing the way one drives does not have to mean losing independence,” she said on Dec. 5 as the nation observed Older Driver Safety Awareness Week. “There are transportation options to help older adults maintain mobility while keeping them safe.”

DPH has partnered with other public and private organizations to create the Older Driver Safety Program.

Funded by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the program uses a public health approach to develop collaborative relationships to provide ongoing education about safe driving skills, certified driver safety courses, driving assessments and alternative forms of transportation.

Prevention strategies that maintain the safety of older drivers benefit everyone, DPH says.

For more information on alternative transportation solutions, visit https://dph.georgia.gov/older-driverssafety-program and www.agewiseconnection.com.

“We didn’t hit them and we are regrouping and looking at how we can improve revenues,” she said Dec. 7.

For the staff cuts and position eliminations, Iverson said they stayed away from bedside and patient care, opting instead to cut administrative and managerial positions across the entire system.

“We are still filling nursing vacancies,” she said, noting that there is a nationwide shortage of nurses.

The health system, founded in DeKalb in 1961, operates DeKalb Medical at North Decatur, DeKalb Medical at Hillandale, and DeKalb Medical Long Term Acute Care Hospital at downtown Decatur. It also operates DeKalb Medical Physicians Group with 115 providers in more than 50 locations in DeKalb and Gwinnett counties.

Clarkston Library hosting Marketplace enrollment help As the Dec. 15 deadline looms for Health Insurance Marketplace enrollment for Jan. 1 coverage, residents who need help enrolling can get assistance at the Clarkston Library each Thursday in December.

Licensed navigators from the Georgia Refugee Health and Mental Health will answer questions and register applicants 18 and older for insurance under the Affordable Care Act. The programs take place 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 15, 22, and 29.

Dec. 15 is the last day to enroll in or change plans for coverage to start Jan. 1.

Jan. 31 is the last day to enroll in or change a 2017 health plan.

After that date, enrollment and plan changes are only available for applicants qualifying for a Special Enrollment Period. For more information, visit www.healthcare.gov.

The library is at 951 N. Indian Creek Drive in Clarkston. Visit www.dekalblibrary.org or call 404-508-7175.

CrossRoadsNews

6

Scene

December 10, 2016

The greatest need is for gifts for youth at Turning Point Home for Kids in Decatur. Clothing is always their main challenge.

Holiday hilarity rules in ‘A Madea Christmas’

Adult patrons can get a holly jolly dose of yuletide madness at a screening of “A Madea Christmas” on Dec. 13 at the Flat Shoals Library.

Show time is 5:30 p.m. for the PG-13 comedy-drama released in 2013. No registration is required.

Tyler Perry’s Madea returns to the big screen with this Lionsgate film about a trip to the country during the holiday season based on his stage play.

Madea dispenses her unique form of holiday spirit on a small rural town when she’s coaxed into helping a friend pay her daughter a surprise visit. As the town prepares for its annual Christmas Carnival, new secrets are revealed and old relationships are tested.

The cast includes Anna Maria Horsford, Chad Michael Murray and Tika Sumpter with Perry reprising his wild and wacky Madea persona.

The library is at 4022 Flat Shoals Parkway in Decatur. For more Tyler Perry’s wild and wacky matriarch returns for “A Madea Christmas,” information, call 404-244-4370. which screens Dec. 13 at the Flat Shoals Library in Decatur.

Kwanzaa Cafe and an array of cultural celebrations The Doris K. Wells Heritage Festival and Embrace Our World series continue with Kwanzaa Cafe on Dec. 13 at the Scott Candler Library, 1917 Candler Road in Decatur.

It begins at 6:45 p.m. and is family-friendly. Cultural heritage is celebrated through song, poetry and the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Visit www.dekalblibrary.org.

The one-woman play starts at 2 p.m.; it includes songs of praise and poetry highlighting AfricanAmerican heritage.

Spice it up Advertising professional Gauri Misra-Deshpande will present Peek G. Misra-Deshpande Theatrical performance Playwright, director, producer and Into My Kitchen Drawer on Dec. 16 at the actress Shamica Murray brings A Taste of Decatur Library. It begins at 6:15 p.m. for Cultural Theatre to Scott Candler Library adult patrons.

Misra-Deshpande, a “global native,” was on Dec. 17.

11/19, 11/26, 12/03, 12/10

Legal Notices

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM10799-6++ Rena S. Laney Plaintiff Vs. Ashley D. Laney Defendant To: 354 Marigna Ave. Scottdale, GA 30038

By ORDER of the Court for service by publication dated Oct. 20, 2016, you are hereby notified that on Oct. 03, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce with minor children. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court and to service upon the plaintiff’s attorney whose address is: Rena Shauntreia Laney, 4965 Thompson Mill Rd., Lithonia, GA 30038.

Answer in writing within sixty (60) days Nov. 04, 2016.

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

This the 4th day of Nov., 2016 11/19, 11/26, 12/03, 12/10

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM11083-10++ Latoya Jones Plaintiff Vs. Anthony Scott, Jr. Defendant To: Anthony Scott, Jr. 2942 Ember Dr. Decatur, GA 30032

By ORDER of the Court for service by publication dated Nov. 08, 2016, you are hereby notified that on Oct. 19, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court and to service upon the plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Latoya Jones, 6108 Hillvale Rd., Lithonia, GA 30058. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days Nov. 08, 2016.

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

This the 09th day of Nov., 2016 11/26, 12/03, 12/10, 12/17

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM11806-6++ Edward Williams Plaintiff Vs. Cheryl Williams Defendant To:

By ORDER of the Court for service by publication dated Nov. 07, 2016, you are hereby notified that on Nov. 07, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court and to service upon the plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Edward Williams, 1956 Pagett Dr., Austell, GA 30166. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days Nov. 10, 2016.

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

This the 10th day of Nov., 2016 12/03, 12/10, 12/17, 12/24

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM11575-3++ Deontray Smith Plaintiff Vs. Oneida Smith Defendant To: Oneida Smith 2235 Mt. Zion Parkway Morrow, GA 30260

By ORDER of the Court for service by publication dated Nov. 17, 2016, you are hereby notified that on Nov. 02, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court and to service upon the plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Deontry

Smith, 1577 Linksview Chase, Stone Mountain, GA 30088. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days Nov. 17, 2016.

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

This the 17th day of Nov., 2016 12/03, 12/10, 12/17, 12/24

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM10018-3++ Sheryl E. Paige Plaintiff Vs. Bobby L. Billings Defendant To: Bobby L. Billings 473 Sherwood Circle Stone Mountain, GA 30087

By ORDER of the Court for service by publication dated Nov. 17, 2016, you are hereby notified that on Sept. 20, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court and to service upon the plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Sheryl E. Paige, 1189 Eastview Rd., Conyers, GA 30017. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days Nov. 17, 2016.

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

This the 17th day of Nov., 2016 12/10, 12/17, 12/24, 01/07

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM12378-1++ Ashley Nicole Taylor filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Nov. 18, 2016 to change name from: Ashley Nicole Taylor to Andrezej Nicholas Taylor. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed.

Dated: Nov. 17, 2016

born in Mumbai, India, and now lives in the U.S. Her cooking is a potpourri based in ayurveda and family recipes.

She will share the contents of her spice drawer and give a demo of an appetizer and drink favored for chilly weather in Mumbai.

The library is at 215 Sycamore St.

Sweet swap Tasty Traditions: Cookie & Dessert Exchange is at 11 a.m. Dec. 17 at Scott Candler Library. Registered patrons share their family’s traditional cookie or dessert recipes and sample those of other participants.

12/03, 12/10, 12/17, 12/24

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM11985-1++ Juan Deante Robinson Plaintiff Vs. Trekina Nicole Dixon Defendant To:

By ORDER of the Court for service by publication dated Nov. 18, 2016, you are hereby notified that on Nov. 15, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court and to service upon the plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Juan Deante Robinson, 11806 Hastings Bridge Rd., P.O. Box 730, Lovejoy, GA 30230. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days Nov. 18, 2016.

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

This the 22nd day of Nov., 2016

Tree of Love donors needed About 70 teens still need gifts for District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson’s 18th annual Tree of Love finale on Dec. 17 at the Gallery at South DeKalb in Decatur.

The greatest need is for gifts for youth at Turning Point Home for Kids in Decatur. Clothing is always their main challenge – the state allots $200 a year for clothes and shoes per child.

Donors are needed to provide them with a wallet or purse containing a gift card to purchase clothes along with a handwritten Christmas card bearing words of encouragement. For the names of teens who still need gifts, contact Tiffany Turner, administrative coordinator, at taturner@ dekalbcountyga.gov or 404-371-2425.

Gift drop-off dates are Dec. 14 noon to 3 p.m. at the Maloof Building, 1300 Commerce Drive, Fifth Floor, in Decatur and Dec. 17 from 10 a.m. to noon at the South DeKalb mall, 2801 Candler Road.

The finale begins at noon Dec. 17 at the mall. Scheduled performers include the MLK Jr. High ROTC, Mission Agape, McClendon’s School of Dance, Atlanta Bomb Squad, Atlanta Pilgrim Flash Mob, Lou Walker Line Dancers, the MARTA Choir, and Stepp Stewart.

Turner said the campaign started off with 600 children needing gifts and got “an amazing community response.” For volunteer opportunities, call 404-371-2425.

DeKalb County Sheriff Office

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

Sex Offender

Kawika Brewster 3791 Kingswood Drive Decatur, GA 30034 Charge of Child Molestation Convicted on 7/7/2008

Sex Offender

Sex Offender

Sex Offender

Sex Offender

Reginald Green Jerry D. Perry 2942 Vining Ridge Terrace 3252 Allison Circle Decatur, GA 30034 Decatur, GA 30034 Charge of Charge of Sexual ExploiStatutory Rape tation of Children Convicted on 12/6/2004 Convicted on 8/27/2010

12/10, 12/17, 12/24, 01/07

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM12298-3++ Noelani Reynoso-Carrasco Plaintiff Vs. Nicholas Davis Defendant To: Nicholas Davis 2821 Zane Gray Dr. Atlanta, GA 30316

By ORDER of the Court for service by publication dated Nov. 29, 2016, you are hereby notified that on Nov. 23, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Name Change. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court and to service upon the plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Noelani Reynoso-Carrasco, 3539 Robins Landing Way, Apt. 8, Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days Nov. 18, 2016.

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

This the 30th day of Nov., 2016

Sex Offender

Lee Dawson 2101 Hudson Lane Decatur, GA 30035 Charge of Child Molestation Convicted on 5/29/1998

Sex Offender

Norris Evans Sr. 5066 Rockbridge Road Stone Mountain, GA 30088 Charge of Rape Convicted on 2/5/1997

Larry Little Javier Sanders 1572 Hardee Street, 3455 Spring Valley Road Apt. 2D Decatur, GA 30032 Atlanta, GA 30307 Charge of Sexual Assault Charge of Statutory Rape of a Child 2nd Convicted on 6/28/1996 Convicted on 8/24/2005

Sex Offender

Orlando Matthews 1556 Thomas Road Decatur, GA 30032 Charge of Aggravated Sodomy Convicted on 1/28/1987

The DeKalb Sex Offenders List is published by the DeKalb County Sheriff Office. For more information call the Sex Offender Unit at 404-298-8130.

CrossRoadsNews

December 10, 2016

Finance

If you get a call or message and you’re still in doubt, contact Microsoft’s Answer Desk directly at 1-800-426-9400.

Consumers warned against Tech support scam Georgia consumers are being warned about a new twist on a technical support scam in which people pose as representatives from Microsoft.

State Attorney General Chris Carr says the scammers are taking the scheme a step further this time: The scammer calls the consumer, posing as a Microsoft representative, to tell them something is wrong with their computer but fixable through a payment of a few hundred dollars and obtains personal account information Chris Carr to charge the victim’s credit card (sometimes repeatedly) for its “computer repair.”

The scam artist then calls back a few weeks later saying, “Unfortunately, the attempted repair was unsuccessful.” As a courtesy, the scammer offers to refund the amount the consumer paid and asks the consumer to provide bank information to deposit the money directly into their account. The scammer then “mistakenly” sends $3,000 instead of $300 to the account and asks the

7

consumer to wire back the $2,700 overpayment.

Because the money was transferred right into the consumer’s account, the scheme creates a false sense of safety, and the consumer wires the excess funds right back. It isn’t until later that the consumer, now victim, finds out where the $3,000 payment came from in the first place – their own credit card from the original phone call that was used to get a $3,000 cash advance.

Carr offers these tips to avoid such scams: n Microsoft will never call you for this reason. So if you get such a phone call, hang up immediately. n If you get a call or message and you’re still in doubt, you should contact Microsoft’s Answer Desk directly at 1-800-426-9400. n Never give financial or personal information to a caller, regardless of who they claim to be. n Don’t click on pop-up windows – they may download malware onto your computer. Do not call toll-free numbers that appear on pop-up windows.

For more information, visit http://ocp.ga.gov/scamsand-tips/tech-support-scams.

Jobs Bus, work readiness workshops coming up Job seekers can attend free WorkSource DeKalb work readiness workshops or use the Jobs Bus during stops in December.

The schedule for the workshops, offered at 774 Jordan Lane, Building 4, in Decatur: Resume Writing, 10 a.m.-noon Mondays and Thursdays (closed Dec. 26); Personal Branding, 10 a.m.-noon Tuesdays; Marketing, 10 a.m.-noon Wednesdays; and Job Search Branding, 1-3 p.m. Wednesdays and 10 a.m.-noon Thursdays.

At the Jobs Bus, low-income residents 16 to 24 can get help applying for the DeKalb year-round internship program. Stops take place 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and include: n Dec. 12 – Covington Library, 3500 Covington Highway in Decatur. n Dec. 13 – DeKalb Access and Resource Center, 949 N. Hairston Road in Stone Mountain. Also on Dec. 27. n Dec. 14 – Redan-Trotti Library, 1569 Wellborn Road in Lithonia. n Dec. 15 – Clarkston Library, 951 N. Indian Creek Drive in Clarkston.

Visit www.worksourcedekalb.org or call 404-687-3400.

Put CrossRoadsNews to Work for You!

Call 404-284-1888 for Advertising Rates & Information

Marketplace 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.

ATTORNEYS

EDUCATION/TRAINING

Medical

HELP WANTED

A Class Act DUI (#10310) & Defensive Driving School, Inc. (#2262); On Call: 770-256-8685; Weekday/Weekend/Evening Classes; Enroll Online: www. aclassactdui.com. Marta Access

FOR SALE Liquidation Business for Sale; Business is still operating in Conyers area; looking for buyout; serious buyers only need apply; 770-374-8657

motorsports

motorsports

motorsports

heading here

JHC

Johnson Hopewell Coleman, LLC “EXPERIENCED LAWYERS, EXPERIENCED MINDS”

Personal Injury & Workers Comp • Family Law/Divorce/Custody • Wills/Probate/Trusts Bankruptcy • Criminal Defense • Corporate & Business Law • Immigration Law

4153 Flat Shoals Parkway | Bldg C Suite 322 | Decatur, GA 30034

P:404.289.2244 F:404.289.2888 www.bjhlawyers.com

EVENTS

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CrossRoadsNews

December 10, 2016

T:16”

The best gift is always right in front of you Family is always the best entertainment. So this holiday, take time to connect with the ones you love, and know that with thousands of TV shows and hit movies available on XFINITY On Demand, you’ll never miss a thing.

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