CrossRoadsNews, December 17, 2011

HOLIDAY

HOLIDAY

YOUTH

About 600 toys were distributed to nearly 90 children at the second annual Christmas Extravaganza in Decatur. 6

“Granny Goodman’s Christmas” was such a hit that the South DeKalb Senior Center will stage an encore on Dec. 22. 9

The Tucker Tigers brought home their second football state title in four years with their 22-7 win over ­Love­joy in the Georgia Dome. 12

Season of smiles

Senior center thespians

Repeat performance

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

Copyright © 2011 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

December 17, 2011

Volume 17, Number 33

www.crossroadsnews.com

No tax increase in DeKalb CEO’s 2012 budget proposal

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis, flanked by Chief Financial Officer Joel Gottlieb (left) and Chief Operating Officer Richard Stogner, proposed a $547.3 million budget for 2012.

program and housing initiatives. But the budget represents $119.3 million cuts in departmental requests.

Ellis said he asked departments to operate at the same level they did this year and that the budget reflects his administration’s ongoing efforts to restructure government, reduce spending, and bring about innovation in light of the lingering economic downturn.

“The administration also understands the hardship the recession has placed on the county’s working families and public employees who have been called upon to shoulder a significant burden due to rising costs and budget cuts,” he said.

DeKalb voters can heave a sigh of relief.

There is no tax increase proposed in DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis’ 2012 budget, but a number of increased fees for services are coming if the Board of Commissioners and the DeKalb Legislative Delegation approve them.

Ellis’ proposed $547.3 million budget, which was transmitted to the commissioners on Dec. 15, is up 1.2 percent from the 2011 budget of $450.9 million.

It has no layoffs and is restoring all county holidays and ending all furloughs for employees, lowering health care costs for county employees, and implementing the county’s One DeKalb Works job stimulus Please see BUDGET, Page 4

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Unwelcomed Attention

DeKalb Schools suspends bands countywide

By Carla Parker

DeKalb School Systems’ announcement Wednesday that it has suspended all marching band activities following complaints about inappropriate behavior at one school has parents up in arms.

Parents called the action – which comes in the wake of the possible hazing death of Florida A&M University student and Southwest DeKalb High alumni Robert Champion, and the implication of three other DeKalb Schools graduates in another hazing incident at the university – a public relations stunt.

Elizabeth Stanley, a former DeKalb band booster parent, asked what will be accomplished by shutting down the program after band activities ended in November and when school will be on Christmas break.

“I think the action is well-intentioned but it has no power,” she said. “The marching band season ended in November. The administrative offices are going to be closed and schools are going to be closed. What are they going to accomplish?”

School system spokesman Walter Woods said that during the suspension, the system will be investigating “possible inappropriate activities” among the bands in the county.

“We have documented evidence of inappropriate activity that took place over the summer,” Woods said. “We started looking into it and the more we learned, the more we wanted to know.”

At a Dec. 15 meeting of Southwest DeKalb Band Booster parents at Pesos Mexican Cantina in Decatur, parents accused the district of bad timing and raised concerns about the impact the suspension could have their children’s chances of getting college scholarships.

DeKalb Schools’ suspension of band activities such as concerts and performances, came after football season (far left) had ended, but bands will still be allowed to participate in the annual Martin Luther King Jr. parade in Stone Mountain in January.

CrossRoadsNews File Photos

Romecia Cook, whose daughter Candice Cox is a senior clarinet player at Southwest DeKalb, said the FAMU hazing is unfortunate, but that she doesn’t want it to affect her daughter’s chances of getting college scholarships.

“When [college band directors] see Southwest DeKalb on that application, that’s a red flag to them and I don’t want that on my child,” she said.

Cook also said the media and the public need to stop tying Southwest DeKalb’s band to FAMU’s band.

“I don’t condone hazing but at the same time, yes they were students of Southwest DeKalb and of DeKalb County, but Southwest DeKalb does not have anything to do with what happen to those students,” she said.

DeKalb Schools has a long history with FAMU. Many of the system’s band directors and assistant directors are alumni of the university, and many DeKalb high school

graduates go on to attend FAMU and play for the Marching 100.

Last year, FAMU graduates were in leadership positions with marching bands and music programs at eight DeKalb high, middle and elementary schools – Southwest DeKalb, Martin Luther King Jr., Stephenson High and Middle, Avondale and Stone Mountain – and managed the Stephenson and Southwest DeKalb elementary school clusters. The district’s music coordinator, Don Roberts, is also a FAMU alumnus.

The countywide suspension came two days after the three students were arrested and charged with hazing Hunter.

Tallahassee police arrested Sean Hobson, 23, Aaron Golson, 19, and James Harris, 22, on Dec. 12 for allegedly beating the 18-yearold freshman.

Tallahassee police said that in hazing ceremonies on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, the three struck Hunter’s legs with their fists, spatulas, bookbinders and metal rulers to initiate her into the “Red Dawg Order,” a band clique for students who come from Georgia.

Hunter told police that days later the pain became unbearable. She went to the hospital and discovered that her thigh bone was broken and that she had blood clots in her legs.

Authorities said Harris, a Redan High School graduate, helped plan the hazing at his apartment. Hobson, a 2007 Southwest DeKalb graduate, and Golson, a Druid Hills High

Alumni linked Three weeks before Champion’s death, Bria Hunter, another Southwest DeKalb High alumni and current FAMU band member, said she was hazed at an offcampus apartment by three fellow DeKalb School district alumni and FAMU band members. One of the band members also graduated from Southwest DeKalb.

Please see BANDS, page 2

2

CrossRoadsNews

Community

December 17, 2011

“I want us to remember the former glory of the city, but I want us to look for a greater glory than we have ever experienced before.”

Newest members of Lithonia City Council sworn into office

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Newly elected Lithonia City Council members Pat Miller and Tracey-Ann Williams are finally on the job.

The women, who were elected in a Nov. 8 special election, were sworn into office by the city’s Associate Judge Cooper Morris on Dec. 15.

They thanked the voters for putting their trust in them.

Miller said she wanted to make voters proud of her.

“I want to serve you well,” she told dozens of Lithonia residents and family members, adding that she had spent some time looking at the Book of Nehemiah in the Bible, which she said is about rebuilding a city.

She said a leader came to a biblical city and united the people.

“They worked together with one purpose and one goal,” she said. “Families work together, and neighborhoods work together, and they were able to do things that were never done before, ever.”

Miller said that’s what she wants for Lithonia. “I want us to remember the former glory of the city, but I want us to look for a

Associate Judge Cooper Morris swears in Tracey-Ann Williams (at left) and Pat Miller with help from Justin Williams and Larry Miller.

greater glory than we have ever experienced before,” she said. “That’s what I am committed to and I hope you will be committed with me and we can do this together.”

Williams said she too wants to work with residents to make the city a greater place.

“I look forward to seeing all of you at all of our meetings, all of our workshops so that we can build the city that we all want,”

she said.

They took seats vacated by Deborah Jackson, who was elected mayor in the general election, also held on Nov. 8, and Al T. Franklin, who also quit his seat midterm to run for mayor.

Both seats on the five-member council have been vacant since August.

Miller and Williams were originally

scheduled to be sworn in on Nov. 14, when questions from the U.S. Justice Department stopped the ceremony. The Justice Department questioned the procedures for conducting the special election, but it cleared the election on Dec. 1.

The new council members’ first official duty will be the City Council work session on Dec. 19.

Disqualified write-in candidate in Lithonia election may drop lawsuit

By Donna Williams Lewis For CrossRoadsNews

A lawsuit seeking to overturn the results of the Nov. 8 Lithonia City Council election may be dropped by Drucilla Woods, who was disqualified as a write-in candidate.

Election results show that all of the 92 write-in votes in the election were not cast for Woods and that she came in third among the three candidates for two City Council seats.

The seats went to the two highest votegetters.

The election office had disqualified

Woods, saying that she did not publish notification of her candidacy in a timely manner in the Champion newspaper, the county’s legal organ.

It certified Darold Honoré, a former Lithonia mayor, as the winner Drucilla Woods in the race.

An Open Records request for the election’s votes shows that Honoré got more votes than Woods.

Woods filed suit Nov. 21 in DeKalb County Superior Court against the city of

Lithonia and Honoré alleging misconduct by election officials and claiming that they erred in disqualifying her.

Marcia Glenn Hunter, Woods’ sister and campaign manager, said Wednesday that in light of the new information, the suit may be withdrawn.

“If Darold Honoré won, that’s fine. We don’t have a problem with that,” Hunter said.

“But we’re looking at the fairness of it.”

Hunter said Woods was only required to file the notice of her candidacy in a local newspaper in general circulation, which she says she did, by the deadline.

In the race to replace council members

Doreen Carter and Kathleen de Cocq, funeral director Shameka Reynolds got 182 votes and Honoré, 89 votes. Ninety-two write-in votes were cast, and since Woods was the lone write-in candidate, it was thought the votes were for her.

Maxine Daniels, the county’s director of Voter Registration and Elections, said that the write-in votes were not counted because of Woods’ decertification.

The transcript shows that at least five of the write-in votes went to other candidates.

In addition, many voters had trouble spelling Woods’ name, writing it in as everything from “Pruscilla Woods” to “Drucla Wood.”

Son indicted in Parents plan to petition district to lift suspension

triple slayings

Eugene Quatron McCoy, who police say stabbed his mother, sister and brother to death in April, has been indicted by a DeKalb County grand jury in the slayings.

McCoy, 21, who reportedly had a troubled childhood, was charged with three counts of felony murder and aggravated assault in the death of his 45-year-old Eugene McCoy mother, Shelia Irons; 11-year-old stepbrother Zion McPherson; and 8-year-old stepsister Chastity McPherson. Sister Candice McCoy, 17, survived the attack.

Investigators said an argument between McCoy and his mother on April 3 led to the slayings. DeKalb Sheriff’s records show that McCoy lived with his family in their Lithonia home even though there was a restraining order prohibiting him from being in contact with them.

Court records show a history of family violence. Before his arrest in the triple slayings, McCoy was arrested six times, including twice for allegedly violating protective orders brought by his family. The arrests date back to 2007 and include burglary, disorderly conduct, battery and criminal trespass. He was ordered last December to undergo a mental health evaluation and told to have no contact with his mother.

He also was ordered to attend 12 anger management classes.

McCoy remains in the DeKalb County Jail without bond.

BANDS,

from page

1

School graduate, were also charged with hazing and battery.

Lawyers for the defendants said at a Dec. 13 hearing in Tallahassee that they will fight the charges. Hunter’s attorney, B.J. Bernstein, announced on Dec. 13 that she will file a lawsuit against the university.

Since reporting the incident to the band director Julian White, Hunter said she has been harassed and is leaving the university and forfeiting her $82,000 scholarship.

Bernstein said students often keep quiet about hazing to keep their scholarships.

“For any person who is subject to hazing, this is a big reason they do not come forward,” she said.

At the Dec. 14 press briefing, Woods would not say where the inappropriate activity took place but he said they are investigating all high schools.

About 50 band parents showed up at the Southwest DeKalb High Band Booster Club meeting. They wanted to know why the district made its decision after marching band season ended and while many DeKalb band directors were attending a conference in Chicago.

Keith Sailor, the band booster president, said DeKalb school district’s timing was no coincidence.

“They broke the story two days before Christmas break and we all know Keith Sailor how that works,” Sailor said. “At Christmas break all the phone lines and all the schools go dead. There is no contact most of the time and we come back in

About 50 SWD Band Booster parents attended a meeting about the district’s suspension of marching bands countywide. They say suspension harmful to students seeking scholarships.

January and everyone has calmed down and forgot about it and that’s how it works.”

Woods said that it is coincidental that the suspension comes at the end of the season.

“We could have done this in October,” he said. “We could have done this in September.

As it turns out the timeline just happens to be now.”

Marching band activities countywide, except for the Jan. 15 Martin Luther King Day parade in Stone Mountain, will be suspended pending the outcome of the investigation, which Woods said could take 60 or more days.

In wake of Champion’s death on Nov. 19, Woods said a letter was sent to all principals and band directors reminding them of the county’s zero tolerance policy against harassment.

At Thursday’s meeting, the Southwest DeKalb band booster parents said they will start a petition to get the bands back in ac-

tion.

Band students and alumni have been voicing their displeasure about the suspensions on social media sites like FaceBook and Twitter and after Thursday’s meeting.

Charis Hunner, a 2010 Martin Luther King Jr. High School graduate who participated on the band’s dance team, said the decision was too brash.

“They should do an investigation without suspending the bands,” Hunner said. “You have a lot of band students depending on band events to earn band scholarships to college. This decision is going to affect them.”

Tory Nelson, a Southwest DeKalb junior percussionist said the school system is depriving students of music.

“A lot of the kids from Southwest, and any other school, all they want to do is play music,” he said. “That’s all what the kids are really trying to do and they’re taking that away from us.”

3

CrossRoadsNews

December 17, 2011

Community

“It’s just hard losing a child in that way. … I don’t want anybody else to go through the things that I’ve had to go through. It’s

Mothers plead for ‘no phone zone’ pledge Input sought

By Carla Parker

A mother whose teenage son was killed on a sidewalk by a driver who was texting is calling on motorists to declare their cars a “no phone zone.”

Cynthia Williams said it’s time for people to act responsibly. Her 17-year-old son, Christopher, was killed in 2006.

“We’re asking you to pull over to place a call, pull over to text, or wait till you get to your destination,” Williams said Wednesday at a news conference in Decatur.

Williams founded Love From Afar after her son’s death to bring attention to distracted driving. She said 600,000 people are affected by car crashes and 3,000 die a year.

The board member for the Georgia Public Safety Commission is joining the National Transportation Safety Board in calling for a national ban on texting and distracted driving.

The news conference at the Bozeman Davis Law Firm was supported by Parents Against Distracted Driving, GPSC Chair Samuel Verniero, and attorneys Robert Bozeman and Mawuli Mel Davis. They called for a statewide pledge for a no phone zone.

State law prohibits texting while driving. The group wants all Georgians to stop texting and talking while driving.

Lakesha Green, whose 16-year-old son, Antonious Bishop, and two friends died in August after they were struck by a vehicle driven by 48-yearold Priscilla Johnson in Lakesha Green Stockbridge, was also at the news conference.

Police said Johnson, who lives in Lithonia, was talking on her cell phone and had

Local nonprofit needs volunteers Students and adults who want to volunteer with Young People Matter of Atlanta can attend an orientation and recruitment on Dec. 17 in Stone Mountain.

From noon to 5 p.m., the nonprofit will provide details on areas available for volunteers to help kids who come to the organization for a safe place.

In September, YPM received $540,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to operate an emergency youth shelter in Stone Mountain.

It is the first emergency youth shelter in the 4th Congressional District where young people can receive help 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Young People Matter is one of a few groups statewide that serve runaways and homeless children.

Simone Joye, YPM’s founder and executive director, said the Open Hearts Shelter will serve Simone Joye children ages 10 to 18 in DeKalb, Rockdale and Newton counties.

“It is estimated on any given night there may be 2,500 kids under the age of 18 living on the streets in metro Atlanta, and they are hidden in plain view,” Joye said.

High school students also can join to volunteer for community service hours.

Students can assist with office clerical work, the Facebook page and outreach.

Young People Matter was founded in 2007 by concerned citizens. Its mission is to develop, implement and provide programs that have a positive impact on young people 10 to 24 years old and their families who live in metro Atlanta.

The orientation will be held at Open Hearts Youth Shelter, 411 Rays Road. To R.S.V.P., e-mail pfortney@ypmatlanta.org.

Cynthia Williams, whose son was killed by a driver who was texting, is joining the National Transportation Safety Board in calling for a national ban

taken anti-depressants. She is facing charges in connection with the accident.

Green, an Army soldier, said she never thought she would have to bury her son. “It’s just hard losing a child in that way. I didn’t

get to say goodbye.”

She said she wants people to realize that some things can wait. “I don’t want anybody else to go through the things that I’ve had to go through. It’s devastating.”

Open For Christmas & New Years!

Residents who live near Bouldercrest and Moreland roads can give their take on the southwest DeKalb overlay district at a kickoff meeting on Dec. 19.

DeKalb County Planning Department staff and GreenRock Partners are seeking comments on design issues such as landscaping, architectural design, screening, exterior lighting and signage.

The overlay focuses on minimum standards that will contribute to the overall character of the area. Its goal is to promote freedom in design while establishing a baseline for design compatibility along the Bouldercrest-Moreland study area.

The 6:30-to-8 p.m. meeting will be held at Bold Beginnings Church, 3220 Bouldercrest Road in Ellenwood.

For more information, contact Madolyn V. J. Spann at 404-371-6283 or e-mail mspann@dekalbcountyga.gov.

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4

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CrossRoadsNews

December 17, 2011

“I am not comfortable with the current millage rate and would like to see it go down.”

Banker elected chairman of MARTA board Two DeKalb representatives are taking leadership roles on the 2012 MARTA board.

Frederick Daniels Jr., a banker, was elected Dec. 12 as chairman of the board, and Harold Buckley, a South DeKalb Realtor, is the board’s treasurer.

Officers are elected to one-year

terms.

Daniels is executive vice president and chief credit officer of Citizens Trust Bank.

He was previously the board’s treasurer.

Fulton County’s Barbara Babbit Kaufman will keep her position as vice chair, and Juanita Jones Abernathy of Atlanta will keep her position as secretary.

Daniels said he is humbled and honored to be selected by his fellow board members.

“We are entering a critical time period in our existence, and we are committed to moving MARTA forward,” he said.

The nine-member MARTA board sets policy for the transit authority.

Fred Daniels Jr.

Hikes in Recorders Court fees, hotel/motel tax sought BUDGET,

from page

1

To balance the budget, Ellis assumes that the DeKalb delegation to the General Assembly will approve an 8 percent hike in the county’s hotel/motel tax and increase the fees charged by Recorders Court.

It also assumes that the county will outsource services in up to 32 areas of county government.

The increased Recorders Court fees would raise $2 million, and the hotel/motel tax increase would net $1 million to support the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center and other “eligible purposes.”

Ellis’ recommendations also include $22.5 million for reserves and 80 percent of HOST revenues, which are expected to total $96 million, for homestead exemption tax relief for qualified homeowners.

Over the past three years as it grapples with the effects of foreclosures and declining property values and sales tax revenues, the county has reduced its budget by $124 million from a high of $601.4 million in 2009.

Ellis said Thursday that over that period, property values have declined 20 percent. This year, they went down 13 percent countywide and 18 percent in unincorporated DeKalb.

Ellis said his budget assumes another 5 percent decline in property values for 2012.

The county’s tax-funded work force is also down 900 to 5,034 authorized positions. Another 1,100 employees are funded by enterprise funds for water and sanitation.

Richard Stogner, the county’s chief operating officer and executive assistant, said that 430 of the authorized positions are vacant and that most of them are in public safety – police, fire, courts and sheriff ’s offices.

Requests to fill vacant positions will continue to require justification and final approval from the CEO’s office.

Ellis said his recommended budget emphasizes the highest level of service delivery at the lowest cost to county citizens and stakeholders.

By law, commissioners must adopt the 2012 budget by March 1 next year.

Outsourcing, Sunday sales Joel Gottlieb, the county’s chief financial officer, said that the services recommended for outsourcing will yield revenue savings but that the amount of savings and the impact on the county work force were not known at this time.

“Some of the effort we will employ in 2012 is specifically to increase revenues where appropriate,” he said. “None tax, none propertytax related, business licenses being one of them.”

Gottlieb said that an outside firm was brought on to identify unregistered businesses in unincorporated parts of the county and collect fees from them.

He said also that revenue estimates for the budget do not include revenues from the March 6 Sunday alcohol sales referendum.

If approved, Gottlieb said Sun-

Quick Read

Newest members of Lithonia City Council sworn in 2

day sales would start in May but that they have no way of knowing what the change will yield in sales.

Based on the overwhelming support for Sunday sales in the Nov. 8 city elections, Ellis said they anticipate that the referendum will pass in incorporated areas.

“But we don’t know what those numbers are going to mean,” he said, “but it can only be good for the budget because of the way we have done the budget.”

Because the board and its staff were included in the development of the budget, Ellis said he is anticipating a good discussion with the commissioners and hope it will be adopted on time.

“I think we have done a good job of responding to the board’s concerns and we are hoping that the board will see that this is a conservative budget that allows us to live within our means but at the same time meet our essential needs of our citizens,” he said.

But District 5 Commissioner Lee May, who chairs the Budget Committee, told WSB-TV that the CEO had not discussed the budget with him.

By press time Thursday evening, he had scheduled a town hall meeting at Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church in Decatur to discuss the budget.

“Commissioner May will present a general overview of the budget, ensuring to highlight significant cuts and increases in spending along with providing a clear explanation on what that could mean to county services and

Toys bring joy to needy kids 6

Newly elected Lithonia City Council members Pat Miller and Tracey-Ann Williams are finally on the job.

Sounds of laughter and cheer were aplenty as nearly 90 children received toys from the Christmas Extravaganza on Dec. 10 at the Maloof Auditorium in Decatur.

Mothers plead for ‘no phone zone’ pledge 3

Leadership DeKalb marks 25 years

A mother whose teenage son was killed on a sidewalk by a driver who was texting is calling on motorists to declare their cars a “no phone zone.”

Jobless rate dips to 9.9 percent

5

Georgia’s jobless rate dipped to 9.9 percent in November, down three-tenths of a percentage point, the largest one-month decline in 34 years.

8

Leadership DeKalb is 25 years old, and more than 200 metro graduates, friends and supporters celebrated at a Dec. 8 Silver Anniversary Reunion at the Druid Hills Golf Club.

Seasoned cast shines in drama troupe

9

When Louise Gipson first joined the South DeKalb Senior Center on Candler Road five years ago, there wasn’t enough to keep her busy. So she left.

the public’s tax dollars,” the e-mail from his office said.

Only two commissioners, Jeff Rader from District 2 and Kathie Gannon of District 6, attended the CEO budget presentation.

Rader said that he had hoped to see a reduction in the millage rate.

“The first priority that we articulated was no tax increase,” he said.

“So at least they got that right.

Now, if we could reduce the millage rate, even at a marginal level, directional indicators are very important. I am not comfortable with the current millage rate and would like to see it go down.”

Gannon said she doesn’t think this budget will be as problematic as the last but that there is room to tweak it.

“There are a lot of little things in this budget that need to be weeded out,” she said. “I am not just saying the CEO put them in. It’s a shared responsibility to say how are we going to deal with these smaller issues with small amounts of money.

How much golf services should we provide? How much arts programs should we provide. What costs should we put into those programs.

Those are things we need to look at and find ways to outsource.”

Gannon said the list of services to be outsourced could grow. She said that there have been talks about vehicle maintenance and facilities management but that outsourcing will take a lot of study.

“It sounds easy to say outsource but it is going to take a lot of evaluation,” she said.

Counting carbs part of controlling diabetes

11

If you have a sweet tooth, finding healthy desserts might seem like a problem – but there are solutions.

Tucker Tigers claim 2nd AAAA state championship 12 The undefeated Tucker Tigers football team brought home its second AAAA state championship trophy in four years after beating Lovejoy High in the Georgia Dome.

Churches celebrating with drama, re-enactments 13 Area churches are celebrating Christmas with special programs and events throughout December, including a live Nativity and candlelight worship services.

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CrossRoadsNews

December 17, 2011

Finance

“State and local governments have cut 22,500 jobs … while the private sector has gained 2,600 jobs.”

Mail rush expected on Dec. 20 Library offers computer class The U.S. Postal Service is bracing for the year’s busiest day on Dec. 20, which is the last day to send First-Class Mail to reach its destination by Christmas Eve. The Postal Service says that more than 589 million cards, letters and packages are expected to be mailed Tuesday, compared to 551 million pieces on an average day.

After Dec. 20, the Postal Service recommends using Priority Mail, a two-day service to most of the country.

For the ultimate procrastinator who has not mailed by Dec. 22, the Postal Service recommends using Express Mail, a guaranteed overnight service.

Express Mail can be sent as late as Christmas Eve at most post offices for guaranteed delivery on Christmas Day. To ensure that your gifts and greetings arrive on time and intact, the Postal Service

recommends: n Use complete addresses on cards, letters and packages, including apartment numbers and suite numbers. n Use directionals, such as N.E. and N.W., and designations such as St., Ave. and Blvd. – and always include the ZIP code. If you’re unsure of the ZIP code, go to www .usps.com. n When sending packages, use a sturdy container designed for shipping, cushion the contents to prevent movement during transit, include a return address inside the package, and seal it, using a tape designed for shipping.

The Postal Service expects to deliver 16.5 billion cards, letters and packages from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve. For more information, visit www.usps .com.

Jobless rate dips to 9.9 percent Georgia’s jobless rate dipped to 9.9 percent in November, down three-tenths of a percentage point, the largest one-month decline in 34 years.

State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said Dec. 15 that the rate dropped because there was an increase of 22,400 jobs statewide.

He said that not all of the growth was tied to Mark Butler holiday hiring.

“We had the best November since 2007 for retail hiring, while seeing gains in the financial and business sectors,” Butler said.

“These two sectors have been hit very hard by the recession. This is encouraging news.”

Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 9.9 percent in November from 10.2 percent in October. The jobless rate was 10.4 percent in November a year ago.

The number of jobs increased six-tenths of a percentage point to 3,838,700 from 3,816,300 in October. In addition to retail, financial and businesses services, there were more jobs in education and health care. Despite the fact that Georgia has 19,900 fewer jobs than in November of last year, Butler says there is an interesting fact among the new statistics.

“State and local governments have cut 22,500 jobs over the last year, while the private sector has gained 2,600 jobs,” Butler said.

“I think it’s evidence that our state and local

leadership is being sensitive to the taxpayer and trying to make government live within its means.”

The private sector growth is primarily in manufacturing and the service-related industries.

The number of metro Atlanta jobs decreased 13,100, or 0.6 percent, to 2,258,700 in November 2011 from 2,271,800 in November 2010.

In DeKalb County, the number of firsttime claims for unemployment insurance benefits dropped to 3,436, down 121, or 3.4 percent, from 3,557 in October. There was an over-the-year decrease of 312, or 8.3 percent, from 3,748 in November 2010.

Statewide, the number of initial claims for UI benefits rose to 57,573, up 1,708, or 3.1 percent, from 55,865 in October. Most of the increase was due to temporary layoffs in several industries, including manufacturing, wholesale trade and services. However, there was an over-the-year decrease of 10,141 initial claims, or 15 percent, from 67,714 filed in November of last year.

The number of long-term unemployed workers decreased 10,400 to 248,900 from October to November, representing a 1.3 percent decrease from November of last year. The long-term unemployed account for 53.2 percent of Georgia’s 467,722 jobless workers.

November is the 52nd consecutive month Georgia has exceeded the national unemployment rate, which is currently 8.6 percent.

Job seekers and residents who want to improve their Internet skills can attend a Search Engine Basics computer class on Dec. 19 at the Decatur Library.

Advance registration is urged for the session, which takes place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Space is limited to 10 participants – call 404-370-8450, Ext. 2259, to register.

Participants will learn to use search engines and create simple search strategies.

Mouse and typing skills are required. The library is at 215 Sycamore St. in Decatur.

Free classes also are held outside the library. Sites include: n Cyber Center. Wesley Chapel Church Administrative Building, Room 101, 2828 Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur. Call 404289-7011. n Goodwill of North Georgia-Decatur Career Center, 1295 Columbia Drive in Decatur.

Call 404-728-8605. n Goodwill of North Georgia-Northeast Plaza Shopping Center, 3337 Buford Highway in Atlanta. Call 678-891-0235.

Car donation is tax-deductible Taxpayers still have time to get a lastminute tax deduction for 2011 and help a good cause by donating an unwanted vehicle to Cars4Charities.

The nonprofit car donation center says that a vehicle donated by Dec. 31 will qualify for a year-end tax deduction of at least $500 on itemized federal taxes.

Cars4Charities will handle the entire

process from start to finish. It says it will turn unwanted vehicles into cash and send the entire net proceeds to the charity you select from its long list. The vehicle does not have to run or be in good condition, and it will be picked up free of charge. Cars4Charities will provide all the necessary paperwork.

Donation can be made at www.cars4char ities.org or call 1-866-448-3487.

Sponsor-a-Highway to clear litter Georgia highways will soon be cleaner because of a private-public partnership to remove litter.

The Georgia Department of Transportation announced Dec. 12 that it is launching Sponsor-a-Highway, an innovative opportunity partnering local businesses and organizations with a national firm to remove litter from Georgia highways.

The program, which is of no cost to taxpayers, is kicking off in Atlanta and will expand statewide.

Under the initiative, businesses like Zoo Atlanta, Tanger Outlets Mall and

Hennessy Lexus Atlanta can contract with Adopt-a-Highway Maintenance Corp., based in Santa Ana, Calif., for monthly litter removal from designated sections of state roadways.

Zoo Atlanta sponsors litter removal by the company at two I-285 locations, near Riverside Parkway on the Inner Loop and near Cascade Road on the Outer Loop.

Commissioner Keith Golden said DOT is proud to be the first Southeastern state to institute the Sponsor-a-Highway concept.

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

DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis reminds you to dispose of FOG properly!

TM

FOG (Fats, Oils, and Grease)

For All Your Legal, Accounting and Tax Services

FOG enters plumbing through garbage disposals, sinks and toilets. It coats the inside of plumbing pipes and also empties into DeKalb County's sewer system.

Here are three simple guidelines to help keep FOG out of our pipes and sewers:

1

Under One Roof!

Do not pour fats, oils, or grease down the drain or the toilet. Pour it into a sealable container, allow it to cool and throw it in the trash.

“There Is No Better Time to Plan Your Legal & Tax Strategies”

Scrape plates and cookware before washing. Do not throw food scraps of any kind down the drain. Instead, place them in waste containers or garbage bags.

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Law Office of E. Noreen Banks-Ware, P.C.

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The damages caused by fats, oils, and grease in the sewer system are costly to repair. Over time, they increase the costs of our water and sewer services.

Attorney

Salem Panola Library

Ware Professional Building

Wipe excess FOG from all plates, pots, pans, utensils, and surfaces before washing. Throw greasy paper towels away.

Plumbing and sanitary sewer systems are simply not designed to handle the FOG that accumulates in pipes. When it gets into the pips and hardens, blockages occur and cause sewage to backup and overflow out of manholes or into homes. This is expensive for you, and for the County.

E. Noreen Banks-Ware

Accountant/CEO

3

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3636 Panola Road • Lithonia, GA 30038 (Across from the Salem Crossing Shopping Center)

6

CrossRoadsNews

Holiday

“I’m so happy to see people from everywhere come in to help these families. It just brings me tears.”

Children and their families received toys and other gifts and were treated to hot meals and storytelling at the Dec. 10 Christmas Extravaganza in Decatur.

Carla Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Toys bring joy to needy kids

By Carla Parker

Sounds of laughter and cheer were aplenty as nearly 90 children received toys from the Christmas Extravaganza on Dec. 10 at the Maloof Auditorium in Decatur.

The family of Rasanna Duboes of Decatur was one of 20 blessed with gifts.

Duboes said she was pleased to see the expressions on the faces of her six children.

“It makes me happy to see them smile.”

The annual event co-hosted by Gratitude With Attitude, the Infusion Inc., and Right From the Start Medicaid Outreach Project was in its second year.

The groups bought about 600 toys and treated the kids and their families to storytelling, hot meals and other gifts.

Parents received information about health insurance from Peach State Health Plan and Amerigroup, dental information from Kool Smiles, and holiday fire safety tips from the DeKalb Fire Department.

Erica Humphries, who lives in Atlanta,

December 17, 2011

said she was very thankful for the toys that her four children received. “This event helped us out a lot,” she said.

Humphries was there with her mother, Annette. She said she has been unemployed and times have been hard.

“I’m trying to work toward starting my own catering business, but it’s hard to find the funds without a job,” she said. “If I can find someone to help me out, I’ll be very appreciative and then I’ll be able to give back like they are doing here.”

Connie Wallace, founder of Decaturbased Gratitude With Attitude, which serves the homeless and underserved, said some families were selected from the Columbia High Thanksgiving Dinner. Others were referred by Right From the Start.

The groups got help from Commissioner Larry Johnson, the Holiday Inn, Home Depot and other organizations.

“I’m so happy to see people from everywhere come in to help these families,” Wallace said. “It just brings me tears.”

‘Dream Big’ at Lithonia Walmart Young Atlanta singers Key Swag, Cymia Telleria, the Sh’boss Boys and DJ Kidd Koby Roc will perform Saturday at the Fairington Road Walmart in Lithonia.

The “Dream Big” The Sh’boss Boys and Key Swag will perform at Walmart on Dec. 17. holiday celebration for tweens, teens and Robinson of “The Tempta“in-betweens” will tions,” “The Five Heartbeats” take place Dec. 17 at and BET. 2 p.m.

During the event, DreamIt will mark the Kids will showcase its new Oldebut performance ive Miracle formula hair care of the new Dreamcollection for children.

Kids single “Dream Part of the proceeds will Big” by Noelle Rob- Cymia Telleria benefit the “Dream Big” DJ Kidd Koby Roc inson, daughter of DreamKids youth initiative. For supermodel Cynthia Bailey of “The Real more information, visit http://dreamkidsholi Housewives of Atlanta” and actor Leon daycelebration.eventbrite.com.

‘Touch of Red & White’ to raise toys R&B singer Howard Hewett will headline Commissioner Stan Watson’s annual “Touch of Red & White” Christmas Celebration on Dec. 18 at the Community Achievement Center in Decatur.

Kiss 104’s Sasha the Howard Hewett Diva is mistress of ceremony for the 8 p.m.-to-midnight event.

The annual celebration raises toys for children who attend the YMCA Academy of South DeKalb. Admission is a new unwrapped toy or a donation of $25 payable

to the DeKalb Legislative Community Cabinet.

Hewett is a former lead vocalist of Shalamar.

When the group broke up in the mid-1980s, he went on to pursue a solo career.

His recordings include “I Commit to Love,” an Sasha the Diva urban album that yielded R&B hits “I’m for Real” and “Stay,” and “Howard Hewett Christmas.”

The center is at 4522 Flat Shoals Parkway.

To R.S.V.P., e-mail goteamwatson@gmail .com.

7

CrossRoadsNews

December 17, 2011

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8

CrossRoadsNews

Holiday

December 17, 2011

“I firmly believe that the most important thing an adult can do is help a child.”

Old and new movies at the library

Sarah Fountain, Leadership DeKalb executive director, speaks at its Silver Anniversary Reunion.

Leadership DeKalb marks 25 years Leadership DeKalb is 25 years old, and more than 200 metro graduates, friends and supporters celebrated at a Dec. 8 Silver Anniversary Reunion at the Druid Hills Golf Club.

The impact of the nonprofit leadership training organization is far-reaching.

Since its founding in 1986, it has graduated more than 1,000 leaders, including DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis, newly elected Lithonia Mayor Deborah Jackson, DeKalb Solicitor-General Sherry Boston, former DeKalb District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming, and DeKalb Superior Court Judge Gregory Adams.

Its graduates have helped transform the DeKalb County juvenile justice system, established the DeKalb School System’s International Baccalaureate Program and Youth Leadership DeKalb, and positively shaped DeKalb County.

Arnie Silverman, Leadership DeKalb board chairman, said that the group’s history is rich and its commitment to the community is unyielding.

“Tomorrow represents the opportunity for us to continue this commitment and to improve the lives of those living in our community now and in the future,” said Silverman, who is president of Silverman Construction Project Management.

As part of the celebrations, graduates can contribute photographs and personal stories to a Virtual Time Capsule by emailing DeKalbTimeCapsule@gmail.com.

The deadline for submissions is Jan. 31.

The names of graduates making submissions will be entered into a random drawing on March 30, 2012, for a $100 gift card to Best Buy. For more information, visit www.lead ershipdekalb.org.

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Movie buffs can see new and classic films at DeKalb County branch libraries.

Marvel comic book hero “Thor” will be screened on Dec. 17 at the Salem-Panola Library; Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye in “White Christmas” will be shown on Dec. 20 at the Decatur Library; and on Dec. 23, “Scrooged” with Bull Murray will be screened at the Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library.

The blockbuster adventure film “Thor,” rated PG-13, will be screened from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Salem-Panola Library “White Christmas,” starring Bing Crosby (left) and Danny in Lithonia. The film, which Kaye, will be screened at the Decatur Library on Dec. 20. depicts the epic adventure of arrogant warrior Thor, played by Chris Hem- entertainer, Bob Wallace. played by Crosby, sworth of “Star Trek,” was released in May. the other a would-be entertainer, Phil Davis, When he is banished to Earth from As- played by Kaye. It begins on Christmas Eve gard, Thor is pursued by an invasion force 1944 somewhere in Europe. After the war, sent to destroy him. Natalie Portman of they make it big in nightclubs and on radio “The Black Swan” and Anthony Hopkins of and Broadway.

“Beowulf ” also star in the film critics called The Decatur Library is at 215 Sycamore “thrilling, entertaining and cool.”

St. in downtown Decatur. For more informaSalem-Panola Library is at 5137 Salem tion, call 404-370-3070.

Road. For more information, call 770-9876900.

‘Scrooged’ twists classic tale Bill Murray’s “Scrooged” is a modern-day Nostalgic ‘White Christmas’ remake of the Victorian-era story.

On Dec. 20, “White Christmas” will be This adaptation, rated PG-13, was rescreened at 10 a.m. at the Decatur Library leased in 1988. It is a hilarious, if twisted as part of the Golden Classic Film series for version of Charles Dickens’ Ebenezer Scrooge those 55 and older. in “A Christmas Carol.”

“White Christmas,” released in 1954, stars Murray plays a conceited, cynical TV Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. It features the programming executive who becomes even songs of Irving Berlin, including the titular more coldhearted and cruel. He and the “White Christmas.” It grossed $12 million all-star supporting cast do not disappoint. and was the top moneymaking movie of “Scrooged” will be screened at 1:30 p.m.

1954.

The Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library The film tells the story of two World War is at 1282 McConnell Drive in Decatur. For II Army buddies, one a former Broadway more information, call 404-679-4404.

Barnes Sutton receives Y honor DeKalb Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton is the 2011 Tom Wilson Impact Award recipient from the South DeKalb Family YMCA. Barnes Sutton, who represents District 4, was presented with the award at the Y’s Dec. 3 “Expanding the Footprint” gala and dinner at the Georgia Piedmont Technical College conference center in Clarkston. The gala was attended by more than 200 patrons.

The award, named for Lady Attack soccer program founder Tom Wilson, recognizes significant contributions to the development of youth in DeKalb County.

Barnes Sutton said she is honored to be

recognized for the work she does on behalf of youth.

“I’ll continue striving to uplift the young people in our communities,” she said. “I firmly believe that the most important thing an adult can do is help a Sharon Barnes Sutton child.”

Winston Myers, South DeKalb Y’s executive director, said the YMCA has been enriched by Barnes Sutton’s support of the Wade Walker Family YMCA project and her leadership in founding the DeKalb County Youth Leadership Academy.

“On behalf of all the teenagers and seniors, members and volunteers that we serve, we offer our sincere thanks,” he said.

Hubbard performs

holiday classics

Jimmy Hubbard, an accomplished pianist, composer and songwriter, is back for the Friends of Decatur Library’s concert series on Dec. 20.

Hubbard, who is a well-known “man of talent” in the Decatur area, will perform holiday classics with a touch of jazz during the free 7 p.m. concert.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The library is at 215 Sycamore St. in downtown Decatur. For more information, call 404-370-3070.

December 17, 2011

Holiday

9

CrossRoadsNews

“The room was packed. Now everyone is saying, ‘See you in Hollywood.’”

Seasoned cast shines in Golden Years’ Drama Troupe

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

When Louise Gipson first joined the South DeKalb Senior Center on Candler Road five years ago, there wasn’t enough to keep her busy. So she left.

But about three months ago she returned, shortly before Dr. Vanessa Adams joined the center as a volunteer intent on getting the seniors interested in acting and drama.

In October, when Adams asked seniors to join Vanessa Adams a new drama troupe, Gipson was one of the first to jump in.

On Dec. 9 when the 15-member Golden Years Drama Troupe performed “Granny Goodman’s Christmas” at a dinner and theater evening at the center, Gipson played three parts: the cobbler, the tailor and the neighbor who helped Granny clean up the apartment after it was trashed by a vagrant.

The play ended on a feel-good note after Granny’s kindness to the man who wrecked her apartment and threatened her.

Did we say that Gipson also was the production’s announcer? Well, she was jumping in and out of costumes during the hour-anda-half production.

The play was a hit. So was the turkey and dressing dinner prepared by seniors with donations from a number of area businesses.

“The room was packed,” Gipson said.

“Friends, family and members of the center.

We had to bring in extra chairs.”

For a $10 ticket, everyone got a fourcourse meal and a stellar performance.

“Now everyone is saying, ‘See you in Hollywood,’” Gipson said.

Adams, who considers her work at the

center a ministry, said she has been producing plays for years in her hometown of Chicago. She relocated to Atlanta in May after her 58-year-old sister, Jamilia, died suddenly from a heart attack.

“I needed to get away,” she said. “She had all these plans. Life is short. I decided that I am not going to plan. I am going to do.”

On Dec. 23, the Golden Years Drama Troupe will stage its second production, “Choices,” written by Adams. It also plans a production for Black History Month in February.

Gipson said that this time when Adams asked for volunteers, lots of hands went up at the center, which serves elderly men and women from Decatur.

“Now that they know how good it turned out, more people want to be part of it,” said Gipson, who retired in 1995 after 30 years with Southern Bell, and again in 2005 after running a Laundromat on Moreland Avenue for 10 years with her husband, Otis.

Joyce Alvis in white shawl, plays Granny and Otis Gipson (red hat) is the vagabond in the feelIn this production, she will not have to good play “Granny Goodman’s Christmas” performed by the Golden Years Drama Troupe. play four roles.

Louise Gipson, Adams said that part of the proceeds (standing second from the production will go toward defrayfrom left), is an ing the cost of the cruise to either Jamaica eager member of or the Bahamas the seniors will be taking the Golden Years next year.

Drama Troupe.

Adams, whose parents Amos Saines, 88, She played and wife Annie, 83, still live in Chicago, said three parts in that if she were home, she would be around the troupe’s first her parents. drama production She says she enjoys working with seon Dec. 9. niors.

“I tell them they are old,” she said. “I tell them they are matured, that they are seasoned.”

The South DeKalb Senior Center is at 1931 Candler Road in Decatur. For tickets and more information, call 404-284-4865.

Photos by Lexington James

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CrossRoadsNews

Wellness

December 17, 2011

“Burglars can case your home by simply scanning your Twitter feed and monitoring your Facebook status for any signs you’re away.”

Health Corp seeks applicants Medical students and doctors, nurses, dentists, and other health care providers who plan to or are practicing in underserved communities can apply for the National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment Program, which helps them pay down their educational debt while earning a competitive Rebecca Spitzgo salary.

Corps Director Rebecca Spitzgo said in a Dec. 13 statement that the 2012 application cycle for the loan repayment program, strengthened by the Affordable Care Act, is now open at http://nhsc.hrsa.gov.

Access to primary care services remains

a major challenge for residents of many communities in the United States, Spitzgo said.

Twenty-one percent of residents, or one in five people, live in a primary care shortage area, which means that entire families – from infants to grandparents – must travel far distances to receive health care, can’t find a provider, or simply go without.

With more than 10,000 clinicians working at one of 17,000 National Health Service Corps-approved health care sites in urban and rural communities, Spitzgo said the program helps train Americans to provide primary care services to about 10 million people – regardless of where they live or their ability to pay.

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Use restraint on social media Tweeting and posting your holiday activities and travels on social media gives everyone, including crooks, information that compromises your home security.

That’s the word from auto and home insurer Mercury Insurance Group.

Joanna Moore, senior vice president and chief claims officer, called social media a definite factor in many burglaries.

“Instead of watch- Joanna Moore ing for mail to accumulate outside your residence, burglars can case your home by simply scanning your Twitter feed and monitoring your Facebook status for any signs you’re away,” Moore said. “And it’s only getting easier with new features like Facebook Places, which allows users to divulge their exact location by simply checking in.”

The FBI says that nearly 400,000 burglaries are committed nationwide in November

and December. Mercury Insurance, which has agents in Georgia, says that family homes are targeted most frequently.

Studies show that 70 percent of burglars are amateurs simply looking for an easy target, and that 65 percent of the time the offender isn’t a stranger.

Moore said social media users risk tipping off burglars to their home’s vulnerability by tweeting, updating, posting or checking in during holiday travels.

“There’s nothing more convenient for robbers than when their victims are away for an extended period of time,” She said. “And you never know whose hands into which your information is falling.”

Moore suggests using social media to your advantage, updating postings to give the impression that your family’s home. Also, resist the urge to upload photos on your vacation.

And shut off your home computer to thwart hackers. For more information, visit www .mercuryinsurance.com/insurance-products /insurance-tips.html.

December 17, 2011

Wellness

11

CrossRoadsNews

“It’s important to eat carbohydrates throughout the day for energy and nutrients that your body needs.”

Counting carbs part of controlling diabetes Eating the right diet is key to controlling Type 2 diabetes, and counting carbohydrates is part of the equation, experts say.

Dr. Chris Iliades, a medical correspondent for EverydayHealth.com, said that counting carbs and understanding the glycemic index are important. Along with exercise, these methods can help diabetics plan their diet and manage their blood sugar.

A healthy diet consists of a balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. However, Iliades said, people with Type 2 diabetes need to watch carbohydrates most carefully.

Lanah J. Brennan, a nutrition expert and certified diabetes educator, said any food that contains carbohydrates is converted into sugar, which increases blood glucose level.

In people with Type 2 diabetes, the body’s Lanah J. Brennan insulin doesn’t properly move sugar out of the blood and into cells to be used as energy.

For this reason, Brennan said that eating too many carbs can raise the amount of sugar in their bloodstream and lead to complications.

“It’s important to eat carbohydrates throughout the day for energy and nutrients that your body needs,” she said.

The key is to consume starches, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, beans and sweets in limited amounts at each meal and snack.

Counting carbs is the best way to monitor your carb intake and keep sugar from building up in the blood.

Carb counting is important for anyone with diabetes but also can be used by anyone trying to control their weight.

Iliades said that Type 2 diabetics need to work with their dietitian or diabetes educator

The key is to consume starches, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, beans and sweets in limited amounts at each meal and snack, diabetes experts say.

they exercise, and the medications they are taking.

The glycemic index is another method that can help diabetics plan their diet, experts say. It is a measurement of how much a particular carbohydrate-containing food raises your blood sugar. By choosing lower glycemic-index foods, you may be able to avoid spikes in your blood sugar.

Research shows that the type of carbohydrates is important for people with Type 2 diabetes, but the total amount of carbs has a bigger impact on blood sugar. That means you should use the glycemic index for finetuning your diet, but not as a substitute for carb counting.

Ask your dietitian or diabetes educator to determine the right amount of carbohy- for a chart of high and low glycemic foods to go along with your carb counting chart. drates for their diet.

For more information, visit Everyday Individuals’ carb-counting number will depend on their age, weight, how much Health.com.

Carbs and the glycemic index Here are some tips to manage carbohydrates and the glycemic index: n Most people with Type 2 diabetes should stick to eating about 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrates per meal. n For foods that have nutrition labels, add up the grams of carbohydrates per serving and stick to the serving size. If you eat more than one serving, you’ll have to take this into account. n For foods without nutrition labels, estimate the amount of carbohydrates by using a food chart. For example, one small piece of fresh fruit has about 15 grams of carbohydrates. n Remember carb counting for beverages. Fruit juices and alcoholic beverages add lots of carbs. n Ask your dietitian or diabetes educator for a chart of high and low glycemic foods to go along with your carb counting chart. You also can find these charts online.

Here are some basics on the glycemic index: n Foods with a high glycemic index have numbers between 70 and 100, and they tend to raise blood sugar more than lower glycemic-index foods. n Foods under 50 are considered low glycemic-index foods and will raise blood sugar less.

Low glycemic foods include dried beans, legumes, non-starchy vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

High glycemic indexes can be found in foods that are highly processed like baked goods, white bread, white pasta and white rice.

Incorporate healthy desserts in diet If you have a sweet tooth, finding healthy desserts might seem like a problem – but there are solutions.

“Most desserts are full of sugar and can rack up your carbohydrate allowance in one small serving,” says diabetes educator Lanah J. Brennan. “The extra carbohydrates and fats that we consume when eating desserts can elevate your blood glucose and hinder your weight-loss attempts.”

By picking the right kind of dessert foods and limiting your portions, you can satisfy your sweet tooth and still keep your blood sugar under control. The key is to keep track of your carbohydrates and incorporate healthy desserts as one part of your overall diet plan.

“All foods that contain carbohydrates, including starches like breads and cereals, fruits, vegetables and milk, can affect blood sugar, not just desserts,” Brennan said.

She said the best way to incorporate a dessert into your day is to have it within an hour of your meal.

“You can subtract main-meal carbs to make room for some dessert carbs. For example, have a three-ounce portion of lean meat and fill half your plate with nonstarchy vegetables like green beans or summer squash. Subtract the carbohydrates you would’ve gotten from rice, pasta or potatoes and replace those carbs with a small dessert.”

Tips on choosing the best dessert: n Start with fruit. Include plenty of fruits in your healthy desserts to help reach the recommended two to four servings per day. n Choose dairy wisely. Include low-fat or

non-fat dairy products in your desserts to help stay within the recommended two to three servings per day. n Exercise portion control. Always go for small portions or ask for extra spoons and share desserts with others. n Consider sugarfree desserts. Artificial sweeteners like Splenda (sucralose), Truvia (a sweetener made from leaves of the stevia plant), and several others contain no sugar, and most don’t affect blood sugar levels.

Brennan warns that labeling can be deceptive on sugar-free desserts.

If you’re shopping for sugar-free desserts, ignore the words on the front of the box and check the label on the back, she said.

“Beware of some ‘sugar-free’ desserts that may still contain plenty of carbohydrates and calories.”

Brennan said portion control is critical.

“Try individually wrapped ice cream treats with less than 30 grams of carbohydrates in place of ice cream that you have to serve yourself. Or put half of a banana on a Popsicle stick, dip it in dark chocolate, and freeze it on wax paper. Meringue cookies can also be a good low-carb, low-fat option.”

Other healthy desserts include: n Chocolate-drizzled peanut butter cake (193 calories and 23 grams of carbohydrates) n Apple crisp parfait (149 calories and 35 grams of carb) n Mango-ginger sorbet (110 calories and 29 grams of carb) n Crispy oatmeal-raisin cookies (98 calories and 17 grams of carb) The recipes can be found t , www.diabetes .org/food-and-fitness/food/recipes.

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12

Youth

CrossRoadsNews

December 17, 2011

“Some of these children had been in foster care for so long that they had given up on ever going home.“

Tucker Tigers claim second AAAA state championship trophy

By Carla Parker

The undefeated Tucker Tigers football team brought home its second AAAA state championship trophy in four years after beating Lovejoy High School 22-7 in the Georgia Dome on Dec. 9.

Tucker, which is ranked No. 1 in offense in Class AAAA, went toe-to-toe with Lovejoy’s No. 1-ranked defense, but the Tigers had the better defense that night. The Tigers dominated the Wildcats’ offense, holding them to just 22 yards in the first half after Tucker took a 15-0 lead.

In the Wildcats’ first three possessions, the Tucker defense held them to seven yards on seven plays. After going up 22-0 in the third quarter, Lovejoy spoiled the shutout with 7:44 to play as quarterback Alejandro Benefield threw a touchdown pass to receiver Arshad Jackson.

Tucker head coach Franklin Stephens was not surprised about how well his defense played.

“I’ve said all along that we play defense year,” he said. “A lot of people kind of wrote at Tucker,” Stephens said. “We pride our- us off, saying we’re rebuilding and may be selves on defense winning championships. a mediocre team, but these guys didn’t give … I think our kids just played unbelievably tonight defensively.”

The Tigers finished with six tackles for a loss totaling a minus-16 yards and one sack for another six yards loss. They also came One hundred of the top high school away with two interceptions while giving up football players from East and West just 199 yards of offense. The Tigers offense DeKalb will battle it out at the fifth annual rushed for 259 yards, which was led by senior DeKalb County Football Coaches Associarunning back Jordan Landry with 83 yards tion All-Star Football game on Dec. 17. and a touchdown.

The 2 p.m. game will be held at James Stephens said this championship is a little R. Hallford Stadium in Clarkston. sweeter than the 2008 championship because Players from the 19 DeKalb schools, of the circumstances they faced this year.

Marist and St. Pius are split into two 50“We had a lot of inexperienced seniors man squads for the game. coming back after we lost 20 starters last

Tucker Tigers’ Josh Dawson and Michael Young celebrate their 22-7 win over Lovejoy High at the Georgia Dome on Dec. 9. The state title is the 12th for DeKalb Schools.

Junior quarterback and defensive back Jawaan Williams said winning a state championship was something the team worked on since the offseason.

“It’s unbelievable to know that we left a legacy at Tucker High School,” he said. “First team ever to go 15-0 and get that state championship. I feel blessed.”

Tucker’s championship is the 12th state title for the DeKalb County School System. in to it. They came to work day in and day Tucker finished 15-0 for the first time ever, out and they reaped the fruits of their labor joining Dunwoody High School’s 1993 Class AAAA state champion team. tonight.”

Coaches’ all-star game pits East vs. West The East team holds a 3-1 advantage in the series, having won the past two meetings 20-16 in 2009 and 13-0 in 2010. The West’s lone victory came in 2008 with a 14-7 win while the East won the inaugural game 2113 in 2007.

Redan’s head football coach Clint Lawrence is heading up the West coaching staff while Columbia’s Mario Allen leads the East team’s staff in the game.

The West schools include Arabia Mountain, Cedar Grove, Chamblee, Cross Keys, Dunwoody, Lakeside, Martin Luther King Jr., Marist, Redan and St. Pius. The East schools include Clarkston, Columbia, Druid Hills, Lithonia, McNair, Miller Grove, Stephenson, Stone Mountain, Southwest DeKalb, Towers and Tucker.

James R. Hallford Stadium is at 3789 Memorial College Ave.

Foster kids reunited with families 16 statement. “Their families had Hundreds of foster children who almost given up, too.” had been in state custody for more The Youth Villages Georgia than two years have been reunited Three-Year Report shows 70 perwith their families or relatives. cent of the children were sucGeorgia agreed specifically to cessfully reunited with family or help these children as part of the relatives and were able to go home settlement of the Kenny A. v. Perdue from foster care. At a six-month class-action suit in 2005. follow-up, 92 percent were in Youth Villages is one of the Kate Cantrell school or had graduated and 84 agencies that is partnering with the Division of Family and Children Services percent remained crime-free.

The organization will continue tracking to provide services to these children and their families. Since 2008, Youth Villages has the children for two years to determine their helped more than 429 children and youth long-term outcomes.

Along with children identified in the lawthrough its intensive in-home services program. The majority of these children were in suit, Youth Villages also has helped kids with legal issues through services from the Degroups identified in the lawsuit.

Kate Cantrell, director of Youth Villages’ partment of Juvenile Justice. Children in that programs in Georgia, said some long-term program are helped with intensive in-home services or the Youth Villages-Inner Harbour foster children had given up hope.

“Some of these children had been in residential campus in Douglasville.

For more information, visit www.youth foster care for so long that they had given up on ever going home,” Cantrell said in a Nov. villages.org/ga.

Rec centers to hold winter day camp Kids ages 5 to 12 can spend their holiday break at Winter Break Day Camp at their local recreation center.

The camps will be held Dec. 19-23 and 27-30 from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

At least five kids must register for the camp to be held.

The cost is $30 per week and participants must provide their own lunch and snack.

Payments can be made by cashier’s check or money order to the recreation center of your choice.

For more information, call LaShanda Davis at 404-371-3643.

Find Local Goods & Services

www.eastmetromarket.com

December 17, 2011

Ministry

CrossRoadsNews

13

Oakhurst Baptist’s Christmas Eve Vespers program is a quiet service of Scripture, carols and Communion.

Solid Rock AME Zion’s 12th annual live Nativity (far left) is this weekend at the church in Lithonia. Saint Philip AME’s Mass Choir will perform at its Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship Service.

Churches celebrating season with drama, song, re-enactments Area churches are celebrating Christmas with special programs and events throughout December, including a live Nativity and candlelight worship services.

Families and individuals can view the reenactment of famous scenes from Jesus’ birth at Solid Rock AME Zion Church’s 12th annual live Nativity this weekend in Lithonia.

The free, drive-through event, from 7 to 9 p.m. on Dec. 16 and 17, features church members dressed in period clothing and the church’s mass choir.

Thousands have viewed the live Nativity since its launch in 1999.

Solid Rock Church is at 4065 Snapfinger Road. For more information, call 770-9813303.

Candlelight Worship Service Saint Philip AME is holding a Christmas Eve Candlelight Worship Service on Dec. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the sanctuary.

The Rev. Dr. William D. Watley, senior pastor, will bring the message.

The Saint Philip Mass Choir will per-

Drive in Decatur. form.

For more information, call 404-486The church is at 240 Candler Road S.E., at the corner of Candler and Memorial Drive 1120. in Atlanta.

For more information, call 404-371- Christmas Eve services To accommodate more worshippers, 0749.

Rock of Ages Lutheran Church in Stone Mountain is holding special Christmas Eve Annual Christmas Program Greenforest Community Baptist Church services in the sanctuary from 5 to 6:45 p.m. has special holiday worship services through and from 11 to 11:55 p.m. on Dec. 24.

The church is at 5135 Memorial Drive.

New Year’s Day. On Dec. 18, the children and youth of the For more information, call 404-292-7888. church will present the Annual Christmas Advent and Epiphany Program at 9:30 a.m.

Oakhurst Baptist Church in Decatur A Candlelight Worship Service on Christmas Eve begins at 6 p.m., and the church will will celebrate the birth of the Christ child hold one worship service on Christmas Day through Epiphany Sunday on Jan. 8.

On Dec. 18, the fourth Sunday in Advent, at 10:45 a.m.

Two Watch Night Worship Services will a musical program at 10:50 a.m. kicks off usher in the new year – at 6:30 and at 10:45 worship services, followed by a Christmas party with Georgia Chin Baptist Church p.m.

On New Year’s Day, Greenforest will have featuring refreshments, fellowship and a Live Fulfillment Hour (Sunday school) at 10 a.m., Nativity scene.

The Christmas Eve Vespers program, followed by a worship service at 11.

The church is located at 3250 Rainbow which takes place at 6 p.m. on Dec. 24,

Christmas play and toy giveaway

Niata Key

A free performance of the play “The Gift of Love” at Gospel of Faith Worship Center in Decatur on Dec. 24 offers a thoughtprovoking, nontraditional take on the spirit of Christmas.

The event, which begins at 8 p.m., includes a toy giveaway for children.

The drama by playwright and actress Niata Key (aka Anita Burns) is presented by Divine Vision, the drama ministry led by Key at Gospel of Faith.

Gospel of Faith Worship Center is at 3015 Rainbow Drive, Building 3012. For more information, visit www.gospeloffaithwc.org or call 404-484-5419.

Toys for Tots issues call for help The need for toys this year is overwhelming Toys for Tots, and the organization has issued a call for help.

Cherrie Carney, a local coordinator, said more than 820,000 toys have been requested by 1,450 agencies, and the demand cannot be met because of inadequate supply.

She said their warehouse is very low on playthings, and toys are needed for boys and girls of all ages.

“If we can’t increase our supply, we will

not be able to service all agencies due to the toy shortage and will need to advise them to seek other avenues for fulfilling their toy needs,” she said.

Atlanta Toys for Tots is a local affiliate of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program.

Carney said new, unwrapped toys can be dropped off at area Publix supermarkets. For more information, to donate or to volunteer, visit www.atlantatoysfortots.com.

is a quiet service of Scripture, carols and Communion concluding with a circle of candlelight.

It is designed to include children.

Christmas Day and New Year’s Day worship services begin at 10:50 a.m.

On Jan. 8, the Epiphany Sunday service, which starts at 10:50 a.m., concludes with the annual “Breaking Up Christmas” dance.

Oakhurst Baptist Church is at 222 East Lake Drive in Decatur. For more information, visit www.oakhurstbaptist.org or call 404-378-3677.

Christmas Worship Experience At Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church in Decatur, the Christmas Worship Experience on Dec. 25 will be presented at “An Hour of Power” services at 8 and 10 a.m. in the cathedral.

Congregants can wear casual attire.

Greater Travelers Rest is at 4650 Flat Shoals Parkway. For more information, visit www.greatertravelersrest.org or call 404-243-9336.

14

CrossRoadsNews

December 17, 2011

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Reader Notice As a service to you – our valued readers – we offer the following information: This newspaper will never knowingly accept any advertisement that is illegal or considered fraudulent. If you have questions or doubts about any ads on these pages, we advise that before responding or sending money ahead of time, you check with the Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Line and/or the Better Business Bureau. They may have records or documented complaints that will serve to caution you about doing business with those advertisers. Also be advised that some phone numbers published in these ads may require an extra charge. In all cases of questionable value, such as promises or guaranteed income from work-at-home programs, money to loan, etc., if it sounds too good to be true –­ it may in fact be exactly that.

This newspaper cannot be held responsible for any negative consequences that occur as a result of you doing business with any advertisers. Thank you.

15

CrossRoadsNews

December 17, 2011

miscellaneous

Marketplace

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CrossRoadsNews

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December 17, 2011