CrossRoadsNews, December 28, 2013 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

COMMUNITY

2013 UPDATE

Tobie Grant moves to begin

Haitian enclave thrives

The annual census of metro Atlanta’s homeless population shows that DeKalb’s numbers went up in 2013, bucking a national trend lower. 2

About 600 Scottdale residents will be relocated as the 50-year-old public housing complex is demolished. 5

Nearly 200 people turned out for the 16th anniversary of the Haitian community at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church last month. 10

Homelessness up in DeKalb

PEOPLE

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

December 28, 2013

Volume 19, Number 35

www.crossroadsnews.com

Judge Eleanor Ross nominated for U.S. District Court By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

DeKalb State Court Judge Eleanor Ross might be moving to the federal bench. Ross, whose legal career spans 18 years, was one of four Georgia judges and attorneys named by President Barack Obama on Dec. 19 to fill vacancies in the Northern District. They were among eight nominees offered by the president to serve on U.S. District Courts in Georgia, Massachusetts, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and Arizona. The Georgia nominees – including Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Michael P. Boggs; attorney Mark Howard Cohen, a litigation partner in the Atlanta firm of Troutman

Sanders LLP; and attorney Leigh Martin May, a partner at the Atlanta office of Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer LLP – will fill three seats that have been vacant in the Northern District since January and one vacant since February Eleanor Ross 2009. The president said he is honored to put forward “these highly qualified candidates for the federal bench.” “They will be distinguished public servants and valuable additions to the United States District Courts,” he said in a White

House news release. Ross, who lives in Lithonia, began her legal career as an assistant district attorney in Tarrant County, Texas, in 1995. She was appointed to the DeKalb State Court in 2011 by Gov. Nathan Deal to fill a vacancy created by the forced resignation of Judge Barbara Mobley from the bench. She was the only African-American on the State Court bench and was up for election in 2014. Before that, Ross spent 15 years as a prosecutor at both the federal and state levels. Between 2007 and 2011, Ross was executive assistant district attorney in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, and between 2002 and 2005, she was an assistant

U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Georgia. Ross also served four years, from 1998 to 2002, as senior assistant district attorney in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office and 1997 to 1998 as a DeKalb County assistant solicitor general. As a prosecutor, her high-profile cases include the 2008 conviction of Chiman Rai, the Indian businessman who had his daughter-in-law murdered because she was African-American, and the 2010 conviction of Devonni Benton for firing the stray shot that killed Spelman College sophomore Jasmine Lynn as she walked across an Atlanta Please see JUDGES, page 4

Six already in line to run for DeKalb sheriff Former CEO Vernon Jones among the pack By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Former DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones and five others are already in line to succeed DeKalb County Sheriff Thomas Brown. Four of the five men and a woman – DeKalb Sheriff ’s Office Deputy Chief Jeffrey Mann, retired DeKalb Sheriff ’s Deputy Dale Bernard Collins, DeKalb Police Sgt. Romaldo Tony Hughes, Atlanta Police Sgt. Melvin Mitchell, and former Georgia Piedmont Technical College Assistant Police Chief Melody Maddox – have filed paperwork to seek the office that Brown will vacate in March when he qualifies for the 4th Congressional District race. After months of rumors about a possible run, Jones confirmed Dec. 24 that he will seek the office of Sheriff. In an email answering queries, Jones said he an announcement will be made after the beginning of the year. “I’m certainly encouraged by the request from citizens as well as the law enforcement community that that I considers a run for Sheriff of DeKalb County,” he said. “I know DeKalb and DeKalb knows me. Having been the county’s chief executive officer and top administrator, I have the experience in managing DeKalb’s largest police department. So becoming DeKalb’s Sheriff is a natural fit.” Brown, who has been sheriff for 12 years and ran unopposed twice, announced his candidacy in October for the Fourth District seat held by Hank Johnson. When he qualifies for the race, he will have to resign. Because there are more than two years left on his four-year term, a special election will be held for a sheriff to finish his term. The special election is expected to be held May 20 alongside the Democratic and Republican primaries.

Dale Collins

Tony Hughes

Vernon Jones

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

Melody Maddox

Jeffrey Mann

Melvin Mitchell

Jones, who was DeKalb’s CEO from 2001 to 2008, is a former state representative. Since leaving county government, he has made unsuccessful runs for the US Senate and House of Representative. He said that Tuesday that crime has become a major issue in the county. “The rise of home invasions, the safety of seniors and the welfare of children are issues that must be addressed,” he said. “ Citizens know if there is a crack house in there neighborhood, calling 911 may put them on hold. But calling Sheriff Vernon Jones will get it “shut down.” In March when Brown qualifies for the congressional race, Mann will become interim sheriff until the special election is held. He is a former assistant County Attorney. He joined the Sheriff ’s Office in 2001 when Brown hired him as his director of labor relations and legal affairs. In 2004, Brown appointed him his chief deputy, which is the second in command. Mann said Monday that he will run for sheriff because he has been in the office for 12 years, helped improve morale and credibility, and helped it earn Triple Crown accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, the American Correctional Association and the National Commission on Correctional

Thomas Brown, who has been DeKalb Sheriff for 12 years, announced in October that he is seeking the Fourth Congresstional District seat that includes DeKalb County.

Healthcare. He said less than 40 of the nation’s 3,000 sheriff offices nationwide have all three accreditations. “I like the work we have done here,” Mann said. “I like the fiscal restraint we have exercised and the professionalism that we have returned to the office. We have done a good job. I have done a good job and I am prepared to continue doing a good job here.” Over the past nine years, he said the Sheriff ’s Office has returned a total of $4 million to the county’s treasury.

‘I think I can stabilize the jail’ Collins, who is assistant training coordinator at MARTA, retired from the DeKalb Sheriff ’s Office in 2010 after 28 years. During his time with the office, he says he worked in all areas of the jail. “I trained 75 percent of the sheriff deputies there,” he said. Collins, who lives in Conley, said he also supervised the DeKalb County Courthouse for 14 years. He says he is seeking the office because he can do a great job. “I think I can stabilize the jail,” he said. “I am not saying that present leadership is not doing a good job, but I talk to people and the camaraderie is not what it used to. There is

a disconnection with their superiors. I stand for fairness and doing the right job.”

Varied law enforcement career Hughes, who has more than 18 years of law enforcement experience, is a former DeKalb Sheriff ’s detention officer. He says he is running to make the Sheriff ’s Office more efficient and effective. He began his career in November 1993 as a detention officer with the DeKalb Sheriff ’s Office and move to the DeKalb Police Department in June 1994 where he has worked as a detective and shift supervisor. Hughes also has supervised the Homeland Security Division’s Gang Unit and worked in the Office of the Police Chief in the Police Accreditation Unit. Hughes, a lifelong DeKalb resident, lives in Stone Mountain. He is the former owner/ operator of the Wesley Chapel Road Chickfil-A restaurant. ‘A very aggressive crime fighter’ Mitchell, a 30-year Atlanta Police officer, originally filed his declaration to run for sheriff in 2016 before Brown announced that he would challenge Johnson in 2014. “I thought he was going to be sheriff until Please see sheriff race, page 4

Community

CrossRoadsNews

December 28, 2013

“We’re just able to give local agencies enough aid to extend their existing programs year to year.”

Homeless census shows progress, but problems persist By Ken Watts

In 2013, DeKalb County’s homeless population was 705, an increase of 179 from two years earlier. The county’s growth bucked the national and state trend of declining homelessness. The homeless census, conducted by 100 volunteers the night of Jan. 28, found more people without homes even while the numbers of people living on the streets, in shelters and in transitional housing in the Tri-J area – DeKalb and Fulton counties and the city of Atlanta – declined to 6,664 from 6,838 in 2011. Melvia Richards, housing programs manager for the DeKalb Community Development Department, which oversees homeless programs for the county, said improved gathering techniques may be a factor in the higher totals in 2013. She also attributes the increase in DeKalb’s homeless numbers to lingering unemployment and higher proportionate numbers of at-risk groups such as veterans and homeless families. The January census was the sixth since 2003. It peaked at 7,019 at the height of the recession in 2009. This year, DeKalb’s portion of the total Tri-J area homeless rose to 11 percent from 8 percent in 2011. Statewide, Georgia’s homeless totals also are down to 16,971 in 2013 from 19,836 in 2010, the year the Obama administration launched a strategic plan to reduce homelessness across the nation. Nationally, the census found 610,042 homeless people on Jan. 28, down from 636,017 in 2010. In its 2013 annual Assessment Report to Congress, Housing and Urban Development said that there is “significant and measurable

Sisters Cylinthia and Camille Fitchett lived outside the entrance of the former Candler McAfee Library before civil rights activists and a good Samaritan found housing for them.

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

Homeless population in 2013 DeKalb ........................................ 705 Metro ...................................... 6,664 Georgia . ................................. 16,971 United States . ...................... 610,042

progress to reduce the scale of long-term or ‘chronic’ homelessness as well as homelessness experienced by veterans and families.” It urged Congress not to cut federal funding for homeless programs. HUD spokesman Brian Sullivan said on Dec. 23 that with the budget situation, there is not enough money to create new programs.

“We’re just able to give local agencies enough aid to extend their existing programs year to year,” he said. Uncertain federal help means private funding will be critical. Atlanta, where homeless numbers are falling, received a $3.3 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies on May 27 to create an innovation team at City Hall under the control of Mayor Kasim Reed. The team has created a voluntary registry to link the homeless with appropriate available services and resources. The group is focused first on homeless veterans. The city also has created a new nonprofit that will raise funds from public and private sources to help the homeless. Richards said DeKalb officials also are

focused on veterans and homeless families. “We’ll be taking a closer look at those groups in the coming year,” she said. “The Veterans Administration will fund another census on Jan. 27 and a survey on the same night to answer questions about them.” Richards said the information will be used to develop strategies aimed not just at removing the homeless from the streets and shelters, but also stabilizing their lives once they’re placed in housing. She said that the county is looking for volunteers for the January homeless veterans census. Experience is not necessary. For more information, call Dr. Josie Parker at the Pathways Community Network at 404-639-9933.

CrossRoadsNews

December 28, 2013

Community

“I introduced them to people who needed help. It was never anything that I did for myself.”

Lithonia accountant sentenced on money-laundering charges By Jennifer Ffrench-Parker

Longtime Lithonia accountant Matthew Ware is fighting a six-year sentence to federal prison for conspiracy to launder money. Ware, 57, was sentenced Oct. 29 by U.S. District Judge Richard W. Story after a jury convicted him in January. His sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. Ware’s trial and conviction is connected to Matthew Ware the case of husband-and-wife team Jiles and Shannon Johnson and their closed KC Pit BBQ Restaurant in Sandy Springs. He is one of 14 people from across metro Atlanta, and from cities in Pennslyvania and California who received sentences ranging from three years probation to 15 years in prison in a large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering organization. Ware, owner of Padgett’s Business Services in Lithonia, was the couple’s accountant. He was convicted of accepting bags

with $10,000 in cash from Jiles Johnson and getting his other accounting clients to write checks to Johnson and his businesses. U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said court documents show a coordinated distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine imported from Mexico and transported from California to Kansas City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.; and the laundering of millions of dollars in drug proceeds in Georgia. Yates said the organization coordinated its efforts through the KC Pit BBQ Restaurant, which the Johnsons opened in 2003, with the assistance of other businesses and professionals. Yates said that when the cash volume increased, Ware connected Johnson to another client, financial planner Jacques Degaule, to assist with the laundering. “Businesses and professionals who use legitimate organizations to filter laundered drug proceeds denigrate legitimate earnings while destroying the jobs of those who work in those businesses,” Yates said. “Illegal drugs lure many into that lifestyle with offers of big money, easily made. In the end, what really

Christmas tree recycling underway Residents can recycle their used Christmas trees through Jan.18 at Keep DeKalb Beautiful’s annual “Bring One for the Chipper” Treecycling. Natural trees can be left at curbside on regular collection day for recycling and yard trimmings for pickup by county Sanitation or they can be dropped at the Seminole Road Landfill at 4203 Clevemont Road, Ellenwood, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Trees more than seven feet tall must be cut in half before pickup. Residents are also are urged to remove Christmas lights and ornaments from trees. Trees that cannot be cut down to 4-feet or less can be taken directly to the Seminole Landfill. The recycled trees will be turned into chipped mulch or compost. DeKalb Sanitation provides the resulting compost free to the public at four locations. DeKalb County residents can pick up compost year round at Seminole Landfill and the following locations: n Northern Avenue and Memorial Drive, 4380 Memorial Drive, next to the Tax Commissioner’s Office. Weekdays, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. n East Transfer Station, 1750 Rogers Lake

Recycled trees will be turned into chipped mulch or compost.

Road, Lithonia. Weekdays, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. n Keep DeKalb Beautiful recycles about 10,000 trees each year. Statewide, more than 200,000 trees were recycled in 2012 and used in places from flower beds to fish habitats. For more information, or to volunteer for KDB’s beautification efforts, contact kdb@ dekalbcountyga.gov or 404-371-2654.

Cele 21 Ye brating ar Comm s in the unity

happens is lives are destroyed, businesses close, and the dealers go to jail.” Ware, who is president of the DeKalb 100 Black men, said Dec. 26 that he didn’t know that the Johnsons were trafficking drugs. “I just thought he was doing well,” he said. “His restaurant was doing $3 million a year and close to 70 percent of it was cash sales.” Ware said the cash that Johnson gave to him was for short-term loans to people. “He loaned money to people doing concerts and they repaid him,” he said. Ware said prosecutors said that he should have known what Johnson was doing. “I didn’t hang around him so how would I know?” he said. Ware was the only defendant to go to trial because he did not accept a plea deal. “The bottom line is that there is no money deposited in our accounts,” he said. “I introduced them to people who needed help. It was never anything that I did for myself.” The press releave announcing the convictions said that in 2003, Jiles, a commercial truck driver, and Shannon Johnson were the owners of the KC Pit BBQ Restaurant, and that to supplement his restaurant income, Jiles Johnson began driving kilograms of cocaine from California to Philadelphia on behalf of Mark Walker, a Philadelphia cocaine distributor with access to street-level dealers, including his brother Sidney Walker, Ronald Martin, Lloyd Ellis and others. Johnson also supplied cocaine to Kansas City and Washington D.C. The statement said that as Johnson and Walker generated cash from cocaine sales, they purchased real estate in Georgia through Linda Tong, a local real estate broker. Tong made “structured” deposits of over $500,000 into bank accounts.

“Structuring” occurs when a person breaks down over $10,000 in cash into smaller deposits, each under $10,000 to avoid the filing of a Currency Transaction Report (CTR) by a financial institution. The Johnsons invested over $3 million in real estate holdings, including an 80-acre motorcycle racetrack in Twiggs County. “The Johnsons used these laundered funds to underwrite their investments and their restaurant’s operations,” the press release said. Jiles Delwin Johnson, 47, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. His wife, Shannon Johnson, 46, got three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Tong, 68, was sentenced to three years of probation with the special condition of 10 months home detention. Prosecutors say the organization unraveled in 2010 when Thallas Amie, Lavern Simon and Jiles Johnson attempted to deliver 35 kilograms of cocaine to Philadelphia. “The cocaine was intercepted by law enforcement which ultimately led to the organization’s dismantlement,” it said. Harry S. Sommers, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division, said all of the defendants in the case deserve the sentences handed down. “Several of these individuals masked themselves as legitimate businessmen, while everyone lined their pockets with excessive profits gained from drug trafficking,” Sommers said. “These sentences should serve as a clear reminder to those business operators who facilitate fraud and money laundering schemes, that while you think you may be flying under the radar, you are not. It’s just a matter of time before you get caught and brought to justice.”

CrossRoadsNews

Community

December 28, 2013

“We are urging the president to remember that these nominees will be there long after he is retired.”

Black leaders angry over nominees for federal bench 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

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President Barack Obama’s nomination of just one African American – DeKalb State Court Judge Eleanor Ross – for the federal bench on Dec. 19 has angered many of his staunchest supporters from Georgia. Civil rights luminaries like Fifth District congressman Rep. John Lewis, the Rev. Joseph Lowery and Rev. C.T. Vivian were joined by Fourth District congressman Hank Johnson and David Scott, who represents the 13th congressional district and a long list of AfricanAmerican civil rights groups and legal associations that are angry and disappointed the group of eight nominees included a lone African American. Among the groups protesting the President’s nominees are the Rainbow Push Coalition, the Georgia Association of Black Women Attorneys, the Georgia Alliance of African American Attorneys, DeKalb Lawyers Association, the New Rock Legal Society, The Gate City Bar Associaiton, the Atlanta and Georgia Chapters of the NAACP, The Coalition for the People’s Agenda, and the SCLC. Four of the nominees, Ross, Georgia Court of Appeals Judge Michael P. Boggs; attorney Mark Howard Cohen, a litigation partner in the Atlanta firm of Troutman Sanders LLP; and attorney Leigh Martin May, a partner at the Atlanta office of Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer LLP are from the Northern District of Georgia. At a Dec. 22 press conference in Atlanta, the group said the president’s nominees lack diversity and Cohen argued in favor of Georgia’s Voter ID law, which aims to suppress black voting power; and that Boggs voted to keep the Confederate battle flag emblem on the state flag when he was a state representative. Cohen and Boggs could not be reached for comment. Lowery said somebody made a tragic mistake and that the president must undo it. “We’ve come too far, marched too long, prayed too hard, wept too bitterly, bled too profusely and died

John Lewis

Hank Johnson

too young to let anybody turn back the clock on our progress to a just society,” Lowery said. “It is insulting to come into Georgia in 2013 and bring a slate of nominees that is so unrepresentative of the state.” Lowery who delivered the prayer at Obama’s first inauguration and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Honor by the the President. Johnson said there is no question that Georgia needs more diversity in the federal courts. “My constituents are disappointed that more hasn’t been done to bring greater diversity to our state’s federal bench,” he said. “More than 30 percent of Georgia residents are African-American. Yet of 18 District Court seats, only two are held by African-Americans, one of whom is preparing to retire. Surely Georgia can do better.” Johnson said that his constituents should be hearing reports of a slate of candidates that includes not just one, but two or three or four nominees that will bring diversity to the courts. “In 2013, achieving a representative judiciary should be commonplace, not something to fight over or restrict,” he said. Lewis said that Cohen fought for Georgia’s voter ID laws that seek to suppresses minority voting. “Mr. President, the lives of the people of this state hang in the balance,” he said. “We question whether this is the kind of legacy you want to leave in the state of Georgia.” Lewis, who was has a Presidential Medal of Honor from Obama, said that if the nominations go forward, he plans to testify against Boggs and Cohen before the Senate Judiciary committee. Since the first African-American, Horace Ward, was appointed to the federal bench in 1979,

Joseph Lowery

David Scott

Lowery said that there has been a total of three blacks nominated and that they expected better from the nation’s first African American president.. “That’s not fair. That’s not judicial. That’s not democratic,” he told CNN on Dec. 23. Lowery said he recognized that someone in the president’s administration gave him the list and he acted on it. He called on the President to reconsider the appointments and give a slate of people who are representative of Georgia, particularly the Northern District, where most African-Americans are located. “They only gave us one, and for a long time we had none,” he said. “We are urging the president to remember that these nominees will be there long after he is retired, and we need to make sure they represent the Georgia, they do represent.” The White House supplied statistics that show that 18 percent of Obama’s confirmed judges have been African American, compared

with 8 percent for George W. Bush and 16 percent for Bill Clinton. Under the Constitution, a state’s senators propose nominees to the federal bench for their state to the President Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, both Republicans, negotiated the list of nominees with the White House. They said Monday that they stood by them. “As senators, we take our constitutional duty to advise and consent very seriously,” the two said in a statement. “We are pleased to see the process of filling federal judicial nominations in Georgia move forward.” The men said that the White House has been diligent and cooperative throughout the process. “This is a well-qualified group of nominees,” they said. “We look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate as we go through the confirmation process.” Protesters say that White House selection process was “selective, secretive and exclusionary” and that input from Georgia’s black, Democratic congressional representatives was ignored. Scott, a Democrat, said they have to lay the blame where it is. “This is an African-American president,” he said. “This voter suppression is targeted to AfricanAmerican people. I hope the

Ross worked on APS probe Judge

nominee from page

University Center campus in 2009. Ross also worked the cases that sent eight members of the International Robbing Crew and 10 members of the Nine Trey Bloods street gang to prison. She assisted former Attorney General Mike Bowers, former DeKalb District Attorney Bob Wilson, and Investigator Richard L. Hyde in their 2011 probe into the Atlanta Public Schools test scores cheating scandal. Ross, who is married to attorney

Brian Ross, received her J.D. in 1994 from the University of Houston Law Center and her B.A. from American University in 1989. Her husband is in private practice in Covington. They have two girls. The other four nominees are Tanya S. Chutkan for the District of Columbia; Judge M. Hannah Lauck for the Eastern District of Virginia; Judge Leo T. Sorokin for the District of Massachusetts; and Judge James Alan Soto for the District of Arizona. The nominations now go to the U.S. Senate for consideration.

Maddox is the lone woman among the early contenders XXXXXX,

from page

Sheriff ’s Office. “I consider myself a person of integrity that could bring new ideas to the office,” said Mitchell, who lives in Lithonia. “I am a very aggressive crime fighter and I will pursue every person that is wanted, especially violent offenders, and bring them back to face charges.”

2016,” he said. “But I will definitely move forward full-speed ahead next year.” Mitchell retired from the Atlanta Police Department in 2010 and returned on a contract to be an aide to Chief George Turner. He says he is a visionary leader and will be good for the DeKalb 2nd woman to seek office

Maddox, a 16-year law enforcement officer, said she quit her position GPTC in November to run for sheriff. “I want to be the change that the county needs,” she said Monday. “DeKalb is in the news for negative things because the leaders haven’t worked together for positive change.” She says she wants to work with

other law enforcement departments, including school resource officers, the marshal’s department and the police department, to help stop the division of the county into cities. Maddox lives in Decatur. She is only the second woman to seek the office. If she is elected, she would be the county’s first female sheriff and only one of three in the state.

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“We will track and continue to work with our Tobie Grant Manor families with supportive social services and Housing Choice Voucher compliance.”

Tobie Grant Manor residents to begin relocating in January By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Starting in January, about 600 residents of Tobie Grant Manor will be relocated as the DeKalb Housing Authority prepares to demolish the more than 50-year-old Scottdale public housing complex to make way for a $34 million development of rent-assisted and market-rate apartments and single-family homes for families and seniors. Paula Gwynn Grant, the authority’s director of communications and community development, said on Dec. 17 that relocation will take three months to complete. “Once residents are relocated by approximately the end of March, we plan on beginning demolition in late spring 2014 and construction will begin in late summer 2014 of both our new senior apartments and family apartments [approximately 300 units total].” The housing authority announced the project in April as it was preparing to apply to the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for low-income tax credits under the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s $26 billion Rental Assistance Demonstration program to renovate public housing nationwide. RAD provides 20-year, Section 8 contracts to public-private partnerships to lock in rent assistance payments, with yearly percentage increases. With the program, officials expect to transform traditional public housing into sustaining mixed-income communities similar to what was done in East Lake and the former Johnson Ferry East public housing complex. Tobie Grant Manor’s 104 brick buildings were built in the 1960s. It sits on 55 acres in Scottdale, 40 of which were donated to the county by Tobie Grant, whose parents were slaves. The Scottdale resident and AfricanAmerican philanthropist gained fame as a noted psychic and built her fortune as a

Norris Reid has lived at Tobie Grant Manor for 21 years. In April, he said he hoped to move to the new community that will replace it.

Photos By Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

shrewd businesswoman. She died at age 96 in 1968 after donating the land “for the betterment of blacks in Scottdale,” then a neglected and segregated community. The complex of duplexes and apartments includes 200 one- to five-bedroom units. It is one of 266 public housing units and 514 multifamily housing units operated by the DeKalb Housing Authority countywide. The housing authority is partnering with private Atlanta developer NorSouth Development to demolish the aging buildings and build 452 new housing units, 180 senior apartment units, 200 multifamily units, and 72 town homes on the 46 acres of the property that are developable. The Tobie Grant Manor application for $769,696 in tax credit funding, made in June, was not among those the Depart-

Judge’s husband dies in car accident By Ken Watts

A funeral service is set for Dec. 29 at Emory University’s Marcus Hillel Center for Robert Myles, the husband of DeKalb State Court Judge Janis Gordon. Myles was killed in a car crash in Costa Rica on Dec. 22 that also injured Gordon and her daughter Eva, according to sources in the legal community. Gordon and Myles were celebrating their sixth anniversary in the Janis Gordon Central America country, where her daughter lives. Myles was cremated and his remains flown back to Atlanta Thursday. The 11 a.m. funeral service will be followed by “Shiva,” the Jewish period of mourning, on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the couple’s Decatur home. There will be a short prayer service each night beginning at 6 p.m. The Marcus Hillel Center is at 735 Gatewood Road in Atlanta. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Zoo Atlanta in Myles memory. Burial will be at Arlington Memorial Park 201 Mt Vernon Hwy, NW in Sandy Springs 30328.

ment of Community Affairs approved in November. The project will be built with a mix of conventional financing, tax-exempt bonds, and low-income tax credits, and while it awaits word from the state, Grant, no relation to Tobie Grant, said the authority is proceeding with the project. She said the authority’s Board of Commissioners approved issuing $15 million in tax-exempt multifamily revenue bonds to finance the acquisition and construction of the new development that will replace Tobie Grant Manor apartments. The residents will be given Section 8 vouchers, which Grant said allows them to live anywhere in the state or country, and

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Clarkston updating sign ordinance The city of Clarkston is planning to update its sign ordinance, and it is seeking residents, business owners and sign industry professionals for a stakeholder committee that will play a significant role in the process. City Manager Keith Barker introduced the plan at the Dec. 17 City Council work session. He said the city’s sign ordinance has been area Keith Barker of concern for some time and the city wants to ensure more uniformly sized and located business signs. “In recent months, City Council has granted variances to multiple businesses regarding the size of the signs they’ve desired, particularly wall-mounted signs,” Barker said. “This has been due mostly to two distinct provisions within the ordinance: one that dictates a maximum letter

size of 4 inches for wall signs, and another that limits stand-alone businesses to either one wall-mounted sign or one free-standing ground sign.” The city is setting up a team to review best practices in other cities and solicit input from residents and business owners as it develops the new law. A vote will be scheduled next year on the update ordinance. Planning and Development Manager Jason Gaines said he believes that amending the ordinance is the right thing to do. “The sign ordinance should reflect a balance of needs and desires of both area businesses and community residents,” he said. “The process we’ve proposed will allow us to fuse our professional expertise with valuable input from area citizens, businesses and sign industry experts.” City staff is seeking candidates for the project stakeholder committee. Inquiries should be submitted by Jan. 17 to jgaines@ cityofclarkston.com.

relocation expenses of $100 to $2,325 as stipulated by HUD’s Uniform Relocation Assistance Act. The amount that residents get is based on their unit size and whether or not they choose to use the housing authority to physically move their things to their new home or if they use a professional moving company. Grant said the housing authority will inspect the home they want to move to. “We are with them every step of this process,” she said. “Then, per HUD requirement, we will track and continue to work with our Tobie Grant Manor families with supportive social services and Housing Choice Voucher compliance for the next 60 months.”

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December 28, 2013

“If we get a negative result from CVI we’ll go back to the drawing board to figure out how to turn it into a positive outcome. It would not stop us.”

Two more proposed cities get nod, Stonecrest word due Jan. 6 By Ken Watts

Studies say 3 proposed cities viable

Three of four proposed new DeKalb cities now have word that they are feasible. Organizers of cities in Briarcliff and Tucker announced Dec. 16 & 17 that the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government found their proposed cities viable. They join the city of Lakeside which got its nod from the Carl Vinson Institute on Nov. 22. The city of Stonecrest, which also ordered a Carl Vinson Institute study, expects its results by Jan. 6. Allen Venet, president of City of Briarcliff Initiatives, said the Carl Vinson Institute study “has confirmed what so many in central DeKalb already knew, that Briarcliff is positioned to be the most sensible city for central DeKalb.” “Our proposed city has a strong blend of residential, commercial and industrial areas,” he said. “Our map is smart and does not abandon neighborhoods.” The proposed city of Briarcliff would cover 29.77 square miles stretching east to west between Interstates 85 and 285 and north and south from Spaghetti Junction to College Avenue. It would have a population of more than 93,000. On Dec. 21, Tucker organizers held a community celebration after the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University told them that Tucker cityhood is a viable option. It would cover just over 25 square miles bounded by Henderson Mill and Montreal Roads on the west, East Ponce de Leon on the south and just north of I 85 to the north. The Gwinnett county line runs along the Tucker’s

City of Lakeside

City of Tucker

City of Briarcliff

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

Residents of unincorporated Lithonia whose neighborhoods would be included in a proposed City of Stonecrest listen to the proposal at Stonecrest Library July 8, 2013.

eastern border. It would have a population of 55,700. Though they been declared feasible, the three proposed cities have boundary issues with each other. Briarcliff ’s borders overlap with Lakeside’s in the LaVista Road area, including Northlake Mall. The proposed city of Lakside city would have a population of about 63,000 and cover about 20 square miles, bounded by North Druid Hills Road to the south, I-85 to the west, and the Embry Hills community to the

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northeast. Both Tucker and Lakeside claim Embry Hills. Jason Lary, the Stonecrest City Alliance president, said Dec. 23 that their proposal has “a 50-50 chance” of winning approval from the Carl Vinson Institute. He acknowledged that the central DeKalb neighborhoods have more housing and value than than the proposed Stonecrest city. The Georgia General Assembly is expected to consider all feasible cityhood plans in its next session starting Jan. 13.

If the legislature approves the proposals, affected residents could vote in referendum by summer 2014. The proposed city of Stonecrest covers about 38 square miles with a population of around 80,000. It include the neighborhoods surrounding the Panola, Evans Mill and Turner Hill Road exits along Interstate-20 and would include the Mall at Stonecrest. Lary said it doesn’t have the economic clout of the central DeKalb cities but has one key advantage. “All of those plans are fighting over Northlake Mall because their boundaries Jason Lary overlap,” he said. “We’re the only ones with clearly defined unchallenged territory.” Lary says the Alliance feels good about its proposal and is glad it did it. “If we get a negative result from CVI we’ll go back to the drawing board to figure out how to turn it into a positive outcome,” he said. “It would not stop us.”

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2851 Candler Road Decatur, GA 30034

404-244-8787

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(In front of Bank of America /behind Big Bear)

December 28, 2013

Community

CrossRoadsNews

“I really and sincerely feel that this young man has tried to emulate and show the people what is in the best interest of the county.”

May and Thurmond get high marks for steadying county By Jennifer Ffrench-Parker

After a year of harsh headlines about corruption, flight of top leaders, and other turmoil in county government and school system, community leaders and residents are crediting interim CEO Lee May, new School Superintendent Michael Thurmond, and the appointed DeKalb School Board with helping to calm the waters. But most everyone is anxious to put behind them the school district’s accreditation probation; the raids on the home and offices of DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis and his indictment on 15 counts of corruption; the removal of six elected DeKalb School Board members, the indictments of police officers, doctors and business leaders; and jail sentences for the school district’s former chief operating officer Pat Reid and former school Superintendent Crawford Lewis. Gil Turman, president of the South DeKalb Neighborhoods Coalition, said that at one point it felt like the county was falling apart. “It was just a mess,” he remembered this week. “It was very hurt- Gil Turman ful.” At one point in July, both county government and the Board of Education were being operated by an interim CEO; an interim school superintendent; and an appointed school board. But now residents say they can see light at the end of the tunnel and they give thumbsup to May, the District 5 county commissioner who became interim CEO because he was presiding officer of the Board of Commissioners when Ellis was removed from office. The county organization act provides for the presiding officer to fill in if something happens to the CEO. When May took the office, he promised he would make his time count. Many say he is making good on that promise. David George, a 25-year county resident and president of the newly formed South DeKalb Improvement Association, remembers having reservations about David George May’s capabilities. “I felt that he was not up to the task because of his youth and inexperience,” George recalled Dec. 24. “I felt he did not have enough experience in running a county.” Now George says May has overcome that perception with his willingness to meet and listen to residents. “I am feeling a bit more confident of his leadership,” he said. “I feel that he is trying to reach out and fix the problems in South DeKalb. I feel that he is trying to understand what the citizens want. I feel that he is stepping up to the plate.” Turman said he also had misgivings

Interim CEO Lee May has received high marks for his willingness to meet with residents all over the county on a range of topics.

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

about May when he took the helm. “He was one of the newest commissioners and the youngest one,” he said. “I wondered whether his inexperience would allow him to win the respect of his colleagues and people across the county.” For Turman, May has dispelled those reservations. “I think he is doing the things that a true leader would and getting the input from the people and he is going all over the county,” Turman said. “He is not meeting in the living room or basement of a handful of people. He is meeting with all the people.” Turman likes the fact that May brought the CEO office back to the Maloof building, in the same building as the BOC. “I say that was a smart move,” he said. Turman also likes that May has opened a conversation about the county’s CEO-led form of government; and that he has proposed a budget, without a tax increase, that allocates funding for street sweepers, upkeep of the county’s public rights of way and the creation of gateways, and money for code enforcement officers. “We had been asking for code enforcement officers for years,” Turman said. “I really and sincerely feel that this young man has tried to emulate and show the people what is in the best interest of the county.”

Kudos for Thurmond Thurmond, who has been steering the school district toward regaining full accreditation from Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, also gets high marks. Dr. Melvin Johnson, who was newly elected to the school board when six members were removed, calls Thurmond a great communicator. “He has been able to Michael Thurmond understand the political dynamics as well as how to work with the board in a collaborative way that brings

about positive results,” said Johnson, the board’s chairman. With Thurmond at the helm, George said the school district seems headed in the right direction. Turman called Thurmond “a good man,” who is trying to put in place an administrative process that will serve the district well for years to come, and he credits the appointed school board with helping to calm the waters. But he worries about the effects of all the negativity the school district has been through. “What kind of damage does it do to the children and their parents?” Turman asked. “How will they feel secure about their kids going to good schools?”

He blames moves by the city of Dunwoody to launch its own school system on the upheavals in the district. “The sooner we are able to pull ourselves together and get the accreditation and move forward, the more confidence parents will have,” he said. The leaders also want to see reforms in the county’s Roads & Drainage Department, and a more responsive Sanitation Department, and they praised the county’s ability to hold on to Police Chief Cedric Alexander, and its impending hiring of a fire chief. George said the county is now about 65 percent stable. “We are heading in the right direction,” he said. “2014 going to be a better year.”

CrossRoadsNews

Schools

December 28, 2013

“We hope to move in by the end of January, depending on how quickly we can get furniture moved in and make sure the computer wiring is okay,”

Expansion nearly complete at two South DeKalb schools By Ken Watts

Students at Martin Luther King Jr. and Miller Grove High will get welcome relief from overcrowded conditions in January and construction is on track for occupancy by July at Southwest DeKalb High. The three construction projects costing $42.8 million are part of the DeKalb School System’s SPLOST IV expansion and improvement project. That’s down $7.4 million from last summer’s projected total construction cost of $50.2 million. Deputy SPLOST IV Program Director John Wright said the district was able to save money several ways. “At MLK we needed to make roof repairs but it was under warranty which saved us $1.5 million,” Wright said. “We also had lower bids than expected from contractors on certain construction items and efficiencies in the building process at MLK and Miller Grove that added up to big savings.” County building inspectors are set to do a final walk through on Jan. 8 at MLK’s gigantic $11 million addition. Kerby Bullard, principal of the Lithonia school, hopes to get a certificate of occupancy after the inspectors check for safety and code compliance. Ribbon cutting is scheduled for Jan. 21, the day after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Photos By Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews The school is the only one in Georgia The new two-story, $4 million classroom building (far end) at Miller Grove High School includes seven classrooms, a new drama room, and an named for the late civil rights leader. “We hope to move in by the end of January, depending on how quickly we can get furniture moved in and make sure the computer wiring is okay,” Bullard said. The two-story, 76,728-square-foot building has already dramatically changed the look of the campus. The school on Snapfinger Road contains 31 new classrooms and a science and IT room along with a ninthgrade academy that includes drama and chorus rooms and a cafeteria. Students and parents are excited about the new space. PTSA president Evelyn Cunningham said the expansion will banish trailers from the campus. “At one point we had 40 to 50 trailers,” she said in July. “A lot of students, mostly ninth- County building inspectors are set to do a final walk through at Martin Project managers says finishing touches on Southwest DeKalb High’s graders, have had to take classes in trailers Luther King Jr. High’s $11 million addition on Jan. 8. 83,816-square-foot Fine Arts Center will be completed by September. since the school was built in 2007.”

Rain posed challenges Miller Grove High students are getting a two-story classroom building costing $4 million. It will include seven classrooms, a new drama room, and an office area. A techscience-food lab will be renovated. John Wright, deputy SPLOST IV program director, said it should be ready to open by Jan. 31. “It could open sooner depending on final walk through and inspection, but that’s the date we gave Principal Matthew Priester,” he said Dec. 23. At Southwest DeKalb High, the construction of an 83,816-square-foot Fine Arts Center, and heating, air conditioning and fire sprinkler renovations is costing $27.2 million. The school has been awaiting the expansion and renovations since 2004. The new wing will house a 640-seat auditorium and a two-story block with 31 instructional classrooms, including

Expansions at South DeKalb schools

$42.8 million worth of construction is nearing completion at three high schools in Decatur and Lithonia. School MLK Jr.

Project description 2-story, 76,728 sq. ft. building with 31 classrooms

Miller Grove

2-story classroom building with new drama room and office area

SW DeKalb

83,816 sq. ft. Fine Arts Center Sept. 2014 2-story classroom block, amphitheater, HVAC & fire sprinkler renovation

computer, math and science labs; special education rooms; chorus, drama and band rooms to accommodate 300 students; and an amphitheater. It cost $27.2 to complete the project – $16 million for construction and $7 million to equip and furnish. Project managers say they hope to have the building ready for oc-

Completion date January 2014 Jan. 31, 2014

Cost $11.6 million $4 million $27.2 million

cupancy by July with finishing touches on the complex completed by September 2014. Construction on all three projects was challenged with heavy rains all summer and into the fall. Wright said it caused some delays but wasn’t significant. “We were able to make up the time for

Hiring event seeks teacher substitutes Job seekers with at least one year of experience working in a child care or early learning setting can participate in a substitute teacher hiring event on Jan. 7 at the Goodwill Career Center in Atlanta. The session will take place from 10 a.m. to noon. Phoenix Staffing Solutions is seeking substitute teachers for positions that span metro Atlanta counties, including Clayton. Candidates must have at least one year previous experience working in child care or early education and they must have a high school diploma or GED. Successful candidates must be willing to enroll in and complete a CDA training program, attend ongoing training, and maintain a professional demeanor as well as pass a drug screen/ background check. The Goodwill Career Center is at 3337 Buford Highway N.E. For more information, visit www. dol.state.ga.us.

CrossRoadsNews

December 28, 2013

Finance

Nearly half of the data breaches that Verizon recorded in 2012 took place in companies with less than 1,000 employees.

Data breach at Target highlights need to focus on cyber security As big banks and credit card companies scramble to protect consumers after a massive data breach at retail giant Target, smallbusiness owners also should be concerned about cybersecurity. Between Nov. 27 and Dec. 15, cyber thieves made off with data from 40 million credit and debit card accounts of people who shopped at Target’s 1,800 stores in the United States and 124 in Canada. As stolen data flood the underground black market, at least three class-action lawsuits have been filed. The U.S. Small Business Administration says cyber threats are an issue for everyone, and small businesses are becoming more common targets for such threats and crimes because they often have fewer preventive or responsive resources. It offers some of the essentials in “What is cybersecurity?” its latest online training course. With the help of technology and best practices, cybersecurity is the effort to protect computers, programs, networks and

data from attack and damage.

Why is cybersecurity important? Consider all the information you have that needs to be secure – personal information for employees, partner information, sensitive information for customers/clients, and sensitive business information. It’s essential to do your part to keep these details safe and out of the hands of those who could use your data to compromise you, your employees and your small business. CNN reports that nearly half of the data breaches that Verizon recorded in 2012 took place in companies with less than 1,000 employees. A Symantec report showed that 31 percent of all attacks in 2012 happened to businesses that had less than 250 employees, and another Symantec report showed cyber attacks were up 81 percent in 2011.

denial-of-service attacks and malicious code and viruses. Website tampering can take many forms, including defacing your site, hacking your system and compromising Web pages to allow invisible code that will try to download spyware onto your device. Data theft also can come in various forms, and the problems depend on what kind of data is stolen. Examples include theft of computer files; theft of laptops, computers and devices; interception of emails; and identity theft. A denial-of-service attack happens on a computer or Web site and locks the computer and/or crashes the system, resulting in stopped or slowed work flow. Malicious code and viruses are sent over the Internet and aim to find and send your files, find and delete critical data, or lock your computer or system. They can hide in programs or documents and make copies of themselves – all without your knowledge.

tion in your business is to establish comprehensive security policies – and keep them up-to-date. Make sure your employees know and adhere to your policies and best practices for Internet, email and the desktop.

Tips to keep in mind: n Don’t respond to popup windows telling you to download drives. n Don’t allow Web sites to install software on your device. n Don’t reply to unsolicited emails. n Use screen locks and shut off your computer at the end of the day. Ensure that your computer hardware and software are updated regularly. Change passwords periodically and use firewalls to protect your systems. You also should back up your data on a regular basis so that if anything is compromised, you have a copy. To learn more about how to help make Common cyber threats and crimes your business more cyber secure, check out There’s a broad range of information the self-paced online training course “Cysecurity threats. Some of the most com- What can I do? bersecurity for Small Businesses” at www. mon include Web site tampering, data theft, The first step to protecting the informa- sba.gov.

Tax and financial planning now can help avoid surprises at filing time Small-business owners can get the new year off to a good start by focusing on tax and financial planning. Barbara Weltman, an attorney, author and guest blogger for the U.S. Small Business Administration, offers five actions to take for 2014: n Revisit your recordkeeping practices. Records are vital for both business and tax purposes. They let you know whether or not you’re profitable and provide key information to help you take business actions, such as adjusting prices, cutting expenses, or raising money. In order to take all the deductions and credits to which your business is entitled in 2014, you’ll need good books and records. Often business owners fail to pay attention to this detail until it’s too late and the IRS is

questioning write-offs claimed on a return. Check IRS Publication 583 for details on recordkeeping rules for tax purposes. Consider using apps that can help with recordkeeping, such as those for capturing receipts for travel and entertainment expenses. n Note your odometer on Jan. 1. If you use your personal vehicle for business, you can deduct the cost of business driving only if you have the records to back this up. Again, consider using an app for tracking mileage. Some are free; others entail a modest fee. n Review your business plan. Your business plan should include projections for sales and expenses in the coming year. If you haven’t yet updated these for 2014, do so now. The projections aren’t carved in stone, but they serve as a very use-

Legal Notices 12/28, 01/4, 01/11, 01/18

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action # ++13CV12402-8++ Marquitta Wuesteward Plaintiff Vs. John A. Wuesteward Defendant By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated December 16, 2013 you are hereby notified that on December 5, 2013 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for: Divorce You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is Marquitta Wuesteward 5203 Shawn Lane Stone Mountain, Ga 30088. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, December 16, 2013 Witness the Honorable Linda Hunter Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 16th day of December, 2013. 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action # ++13CV11714-7++ Richard McClendon Plaintiff Vs. Ilean Whitten Defendant TO: Ilean Whitten 554 Wynbrooke Pkwy

Stone Mountain, Ga 30087 By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated November 20, 2013 you are hereby notified that on November 14, 2013 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for: Divorce You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is Richard McClendon 3294 Covington Dr. #A Decatur, Ga 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, November 20, 2013. Witness the Honorable Daniel M. Coursey Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 20th day of November, 2013. 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28

Notice of Petition to Change Name of Adult in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 13CV11929-3++ Leatrice Simpson filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on November 19, 2013 to change the name from: Leatrice SImpson to Leatrice Gates. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the petition was filed. Dated: November 19, 2013 Leatrice Gates Petitioner, Pro se 3691 Bouldercrest Rd #G Ellenwood, GA 30294

(404)-246-7478 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28

Notice of Petition to Change Name of Adult in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 13CV12187-9++ Gary L. Carithers filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on November 27, 2013 to change the name from: Gary L. Carithers to Ashley Shaelani Carithers. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the petition was filed. Dated: November 12, 2013 Ashley Shaelani Carithers 3703 Lake Ridge Lane Dunwoody, Ga 30338 (404)839-6543 12/14, 12/21, 12/28, 01/4/14

Notice of Petition to Change Name of Minor in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 13CV12456-9++ Tracey Astin filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on December 9, 2013 to change the name(s) if the following minor children(s): Terri Amanda Harris to Terri Amanda Astin. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30

ful benchmark against which to measure your results. It’s a good idea to check projections monthly so you can make adjustments as needed in a timely manner. SBA tools can help you create a business plan. n Fix your withholding/estimated taxes. If you work for your corporation, make sure that withholding for 2014 will cover your projected tax obligations. Be sure to take into account the 0.9 percent additional Medicare tax on taxable compensation over a threshold amount that depends on your filing status (e.g., $200,000 for singles, $250,000 for joint filers) as well as the 3.8 percent Medicare tax on net investment income. If you’re self-employed, your estimated taxes will have to cover roughly what you expect to owe for the year, including the addi-

days after the petition was filed. Dated: November 26, 2013 Tracey Astin Petitioner, Pro se 3666 Stanford Cir Decatur, Ga 30034 (404)-241-2440 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action # ++13CV10016-10++ Cleveland Alford Plaintiff Vs. Errica Alford Defendant TO: Errica Alford 524 Borton St LaGrange, GA 30241 By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated December 5,2013 you are hereby notified that on November 21, 2013 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for: Divorce You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is Cleveland Alford 2117 Sugar Creek Close Atlanta, Ga 30316. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, December 5, 2013. Witness the Honorable Tangela Barrie Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 5th day of December, 2013. 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action # ++13CV12226-10++ Carolyn Idleburg

tional Medicare taxes if you’re a high-income taxpayer and self-employment taxes. The IRS offers guidance on withholding and estimated taxes in Publication 505. The 2014 version should be available early in 2014. n Plan to work closely with your tax and financial advisers. Make it a New Year’s resolution to stay in touch regularly with these professionals. Weltman, who is the author of “J.K. Lasser’s Small Business Taxes” and “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Starting a HomeBased Business,” says the economy and taxes are continually changing and that small businesses should make it their top resolution to stay informed about new developments that can affect your business and impact your actions throughout the year.

Plaintiff Vs. Donald Idleburg Defendant TO: Donald Idleburg 6395 Redan Overlook Lithonia, Ga 30058 By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated December 5,2013 you are hereby notified that on November 24, 2013 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for: Divorce You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is Carolyn Idleburg P.O Box 1136 Lithonia, Ga 30058.Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, December 5, 2013. Witness the Honorable Tangela Barrie Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 5th day of December, 2013. 12/7, 12/14, 12/21, 12/28

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action # ++13CV10309-7++ Tamika McFarland Plaintiff Vs. Seneca McFarland Defendant TO: 4964 Central Dr. Apt B Stone Mountain, Ga 30083 By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated December 9,2013 you are hereby notified that on October 23,2013 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for: Divorce You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is 4900 Central Dr. Apt 154 Stone Mountain, Ga 30083.Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, December 9, 2013. Witness the Honorable Daniel M. Coursey Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 9th day of December, 2013.

12/28, 01/4, 01/11, 01/18

Notice of Petition to Change Name of Minor in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 13CV12645-10++ Mohammed Hassan filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on December 19, 2013 to change the name(s) if the following minor children(s): Attib Mohmmad Hassan to Attib Mohammed Adam . Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the petition was filed. Dated: December 5, 2013 Mohammed Hassan Petitioner, Pro se 1000 Montreal Rd Apt 16-A Clarkston, Ga 30021 (404)-914-3321 12/28, 01/4,01/11,01/18

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action # ++13CV12392-2++ Kishar Hurston Plaintiff Vs. Barrigan Ramey Defendant TO: Barrigan Ramey By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated December 20, 2013 you are hereby notified that on November 21, 2013 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for: Compliant for Divorce with Minor Children You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is Kishar Hurston 1500 North Decatur Road #10 Atlanta, Ga 30306 .Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, December 20, 2013. Witness the Honorable Asha Jackson Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

CrossRoadsNews

People

December 28, 2013

“The parish embraced us – they embraced our culture, whatever event we had, they’d come and support us and vice versa.”

Haitian parishioners flourish at Saints Peter and Paul Church By Ken Watts

For the 16th anniversary of the Haitian community at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church last month, nearly 200 people turned out for a concert that rocked the gymnasium with hymns of faith in Creole. The choir sang “Alelouya Granmet la renmen nou vre” (“Hallelujah the Lord Truly Loves Us”) and “C’est si bon de louer son nom” (“It Is Good to Praise His Name”) in a gym decked out in flags of the world. The Youth Group danced and Kris Laroche and Herly Jacques sang “Atire Moi a Toi” (“Draw Me Close to You”) to the enthusiastic and appreciative crowd that rose easily and repeatedly to its feet as co-hosts Jeannine Purvis and Dominique Goda moved the program along in English and Creole. Afterward, everyone shared a sumptuous buffet of savory Caribbean cuisine. Other metro Atlanta parishes have Haitian enclaves, including St. John the Evangelist in Hapeville, St. Lawrence Church in Lawrenceville and St. Brigid in Johns Creek, but Saints Peter and Paul’s community is believed to be the oldest, dating back to 1997. Alberta Therlonges, a parishioner for several years, said the boundaries of the community extend far beyond DeKalb. “We love it here,” she said. “People come from different ZIP codes, from Fairburn, Gwinnett and Alberta Therlonges Douglas counties, and Acworth and Marietta in Cobb.” An exact count of Haitian church members is difficult because most are not registered in the parish, but 150 to 200 attend Mass regularly at the Decatur church, growing steadily from a handful of curious immigrants in the late 1990s. Therlonges, who studies nursing at Bauder College, said they’re comfortable. “We feel like we’re a family here at Saints Peter and Paul. It wasn’t always that way, but the parish embraced us – they embraced our culture, whatever event we had, they’d come and support us and vice versa.” Roman Catholicism in the impoverished nation of Haiti dates back to 1511 when Spanish missionaries evangelized Hispaniola, which it shares with the Dominican Repub-

The choir sings hymns of faith in Creole at a concert at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in November. Part of the proceeds will benefit the parish capital campaign.

Photos By Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

The gym was decked out in flags of the world for the concert at the church, which attracts Haitian immigrants from Fulton, Cobb, Douglas and Gwinnett counties.

lic. In 1983, the Haitian church, at the urging of Pope John Paul II, became a rallying point for reform efforts against the repressive Duvalier regime and other social ills. Haitian immigrants to the Atlanta area brought a sense of activism with them. In 2010, the community at Saints Peter and Paul was at the forefront of local relief efforts for victims of the earthquake that dev-

astated Haiti where many still had relatives. Their relationship with the parish is evolving. Therlonges said they keep their culture and hold a Haitian Mass on Sunday. “But for big religious events like Christmas and other feast days, we join the rest of the parish and have services in English and Creole with the larger church community.” Haitians also are rapidly entering the gen-

eral flow of parish life, proud that they’re able to help Saints Peter and Paul financially. The church is nearing the end of a fouryear effort to retire the $1.5 million cost of building its new entrance and narthex reception area. Everyone has chipped in to pay off the debt, including the church’s liturgical dance troupe, the Youth Group. Shelsie Jeudy, a Redan High sophomore who danced with troupe at the Nov. 9 concert, said they are happy to help. “We’ll be donating part of the proceeds from this concert to the parish capital campaign,” said Shelsie, who along with dance mates Fanergela and Fadlyna Jean-Francois was born in the United States. She said the concert reasserts cultural pride. “We’re Haitian-Americans and that makes us feel connected with two worlds,” she said. “We’re proud of both.” Fanergela and Fadlyna said the concert reminds Haitians of their heritage. “Through this event, people see that we show our love for God just like everybody else,” Fadlyna said. “We just we do it in our own way.”

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CrossRoadsNews

December 28, 2013

Scene

Watch Night took on great significance for African Americans on Dec. 31, 1862.

Churches mark history in Watch Night services VFW Auxiliary Area churches are holding worship services or traditional Watch Night Services on Dec. 31 to usher in the new year. Watch Night took on great significance for African Americans on Dec. 31, 1862, as they, abolitionists and others awaited word on the Emancipation Proclamation taking effect. President Abraham Lincoln issued the proclamation in September 1862, and it became effective on Jan. 1, freeing the slaves in all territories still at war with the Union. Many black congregations now gather on New Year’s Eve to pray the old year out and the new year in. n At First Afrikan Presbyterian in Lithonia, the church’s annual “Umoja Karamu” Watch Night service begins at 10:45 p.m. During the narrated service that includes dance and spoken word, ministers will preach semonettes and worshippers will display colors to symbolize stages in the struggle from enslavement, to emancipation, through the freedom movement and into the future. The Rev. Dr. Mark Lomax will deliver the message just before midnight. The church is at 5197 Salem Road. For more information, call 770-981-2601. n Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church will hold services at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Dec. 31. The church is at 1879-1921 Glenwood Ave. S.E. in Atlanta. For more information, visit www.

Watch Night commemorates the day that the Emancipation Proclamation took effect in 1863.

pineygrovebapt.org or call 404-377-0561. n Ousley United Methodist Church’s service gets under way at 10:30 p.m. The church is at 3261 Panola Road in Lithonia. For more information, call 770-981-0180. n Berean Christian Church in Stone Mountain will hold three New Year’s Eve Worship Services, at noon, 6:30 and 10 p.m. The church is at 2201 Young Road. For more information, visit www.bereanchristianchurch.org or call 770-593-4421.

n Watch Night Service at The Ray of Hope Christian Church starts at 10 p.m. and includes worship, dance, praise and celebration. “The Ray” is at 2778 Snapfinger Road in Decatur. For more information, visit www. rayofhope.org or call 770-696-5700. n Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church, House of Hope Atlanta, is offering two services, at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. The church is at 4650 Flat Shoals Parkway in Decatur. For more information, call 404-243-9336. n New Birth Missionary Baptist also is holding two services on Dec. 31, at 6 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. New Birth is at 6400 Woodrow Road in Lithonia. For more information, visit www. newbirth.org or call 770-696-9600. n Antioch-Lithonia Missionary Baptist Church will hold its Watch Night Service at 10 p.m. The church is at 2152 Rock Chapel Road in Lithonia. For more information, visit www. antiochlithonia.org or call 770-482-1277. n There will be services throughout the day on New Year’s Eve at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Stone Mountain. Daily Mass begins at 8:30 a.m., Vigil for Holy Day starts at 4 p.m., Holy Hour is at 11 p.m., followed by Midnight Mass. Corpus Christi is at 600 Mountain View Drive. For more information, visit www.corpuschristicc.org or call 770-469-0395.

hosting New Year’s Eve Ball

Revelers can ring in 2014 at a black-tie New Year’s Eve Ball fundraiser in Lithonia sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary to the VFW Post 4706. The formal affair takes place from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Dec. 31 at the Rose Garden Event Estate and includes dancing, party favors, door prizes, hors d’oeuvres, and a champagne toast and hot breakfast buffet at midnight. Music will be provided by DJ Soulful Sam, and there will be a cash bar. Tickets are $25 to $45 and are available by emailing ladyaux4706@ gmail.com. The Decatur-based Ladies Auxiliary, also known as the Belvedere Auxiliary 4706, was founded in 1960 along with the service men and women who formed the VFW. The Rose Garden Event Estate is at 7316 Covington Highway. For more information, visit ladyaux4706. webs.com.

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CrossRoadsNews

December 28, 2013

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12/19/13 9:50 AM