COMMUNITY
YOUTH
New entry sign
Books and a buzz cut
Residents of Toney Valley community unveiled a new sign at the entrance of the subdivision off Candler Road in Decatur. 4
A DeKalb Public Library initiative has placed books in a Scottdale barbershop for young boys to read while waiting their turn. 6
Let’s Keep DeKalb Peachy Clean Please Don’t Litter Our Streets and Highways
EAST ATLANTA • DECATUR • STONE MOUNTAIN • LITHONIA • AVONDALE ESTATES • CLARKSTON • ELLENWOOD • PINE LAKE • REDAN • SCOTTDALE • TUCKER • STONECREST
Copyright © 2017 CrossroadsNews, iNC.
December 30, 2017
Volume 23, Number 35
www.crossroadsnews.com
Eagle Scout candidate fills 300 duffle bags for foster kids By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
ries of kids showing up at foster homes, carrying their meager belonging in trash bags. He wanted to change the narrative. The Eagle Scout quest requires Reece to have earned 21 merit badges, and to plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project that benefits a religious institution, school or the community. He has 45 merit badges and is a member of the Order of the Arrow, scouting’s National Honor Society. He also has completed National Youth Leadership Training for Boy Scouts and serves on NYLT staff as well. Reece, 14, settled on a project to provide
Reece Huffman (left) and other Scouts from Troop 501 unload some of the 300 duffle bags that Reece made for children in foster care in DeKalb County to complete his Eagle Scout project.
Reece Huffman was on a quest to achieve Eagle Scout – Boy Scouts of America’s highest honor – when he thought, why not make a difference in the lives of kids who could really do with love in their lives. So Reece, a ninth-grader at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, decided to create care bags for foster kids for his Eagle Scout Service Project. “I was adopted at birth and I wanted to give back,” he said. “A lot of time kids in foster care don’t have their own stuff. They don’t have a lot. I just wanted to help them.” Like many people, Reece had heard sto- Please see EAGLE, page 2
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
South DeKalb’s young artists making their mark Edgy lyricists putting county on the map
Young rappers with ties to South DeKalb – clockwise from top left The Coolismac, Yani Mo, “Jace” of Two-9, and Gwen Bunn – are putting an “Eastside” vibe into their music, with popular street names in their lyrics and videos shot at readily recognizable venues like the Decatur MARTA station, Stone Mountain and Redan Park.
By Lyle V. Harris
For the talented lyricists, spoken word and rap artists hailing from South DeKalb, “The Eastside” is much more than just a place they call home – it’s a musical state of mind. A handful of headlining artists with ties to South DeKalb - including Childish Gambino a.k.a. Donald Glover (Stone Mountain) and Future a.k.a, Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn (CoDonald Glover lumbia High School alum) – have already become household names, signed recording deals, or have been featured on major concert tours. But there are countless others who are steadily grinding their way to stardom, one mixtape and download N. D. Wilburn at a time. Glover’s Emmy-winning TV show “Atlanta,” on the FX network, has raised the city’s profile as an epicenter for urban culture, especially hip-hop. Just beyond the city limits, South DeKalb’s suburbs spawned a thriving, creative ecosystem long ago that’s growing deeper and more diverse. The evolving scene is spanning generations, crossing genres and defying stereotypes. Aided by digital technology and bolstered by social media, these mostly millennial, independent African-American artists/ entrepreneurs are amassing thousands of loyal fans while building their brands and reinforcing their community’s reputation as a musical proving ground. In their verses and videos – that some
may consider offensive or crude – these artists show their hometown love by proudly name-checking familiar haunts, hangouts and legendary landmarks like Decatur, Redan Park, Covington Highway and other
venues that most South DeKalb residents would easily recognize – a time-honored practice called “‘repping the hood.” CrossRoadsNews spoke with several of these working artists who were born, raised
or educated on “the Eastside” about how their experiences influence their lives and impacts their music. Please see MUSIC, page 5
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People
December 30, 2017
“All parties involved should be commended for their investigative skills and determination in the apprehension of a repeat felony suspect.”
Atlanta news Stone Mountain CID recognizes ‘Officers of the Year’ anchor Amanda Davis dies after massive stroke October 17, 1955 - December 27, 2017
From left, DeKalb Officer Donald Warney, Major G.A. Padrick, Officer Jose de Lima Villafan, DeKalb Commissioners Steve Bradshaw and Gregory Adams, and Stone Mountain CID President Emory Morsberger.
DeKalb County Police Officers Donald Warney and Jose de Lima Villafan are the Stone Mountain Community Improvement District’s “Officers of the Year.” The CID recognized the two earlier this month for being instrumental in the arrest of a man suspected in a series of business burglaries. The suspect, who was filmed break-
ing in and carrying off stolen equipment on security cameras at one of the businesses, faces five felony charges of burglary. He was arrested at an area motel during the officers’ routine patrol of the area. DeKalb Police Sgt. A.T. Shover praised the officers for locating the suspect. “All parties involved should be com-
mended for their investigative skills and determination in the apprehension of a repeat felony suspect before he was able to commit another burglary,” Shover said. The CID says it continues to experience historically low rates for criminal incidents because of the work of DeKalb County Police and CID-supported public safety patrols.
Parts of East Ponce to close in Clarkston starting Jan. 3 Amanda Davis was on Atlanta television for 30 years at WSB, WAGA-TV and CBS46.
Veteran Atlanta news anchor Amanda Davis died Dec. 27, one day after she suffered a massive stroke. She was 62. Davis, an Emmy award-winning journalist, suffered the stroke at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport while waiting to board a flight to San Antonio to attend a family member’s funeral. CBS46, where she has been a morning anchor since January, said her family is asking for privacy at this difficult time. “Amanda’s friends and colleagues at CBS46 are praying for her family,” the station said. Davis, who battled alcoholism, was a news anchor in Atlanta for more than 30 years. She joined CBS46 in January after 26 years at Fox5/WAGA-TV, where she helped launch “Good Day Atlanta” in 1992 and “Wednesday’s Child” in 1997. She started at WAGA in 1986 and retired in 2013 following a DUI-related arrest. On Thursday, colleagues, friends and Atlanta leaders remembered her as a consummate professional and gracious lady who triumphed over her illness to help others. Davis CBS46 co-worker Julie Smith said their “hearts are so heavy.” “Talk about someone who falls, gets back up stronger and appreciates every moment,” she tweeted. “There is such an empty space in this studio and in this community today.” Congressman John Lewis said Davis “voice will be deeply missed.” “We have lost a caring sensitive friend and journalist,” Lewis said. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed tweeted that Davis will “be truly missed.” “Saddened to hear about the sudden passing of Atlanta news icon Amanda Davis,” he said. Davis, who landed her first reporting job in Charlotte, N.C., after college, also did stints at Satellite News Channel in Washington, D.C., and in Stamford, Conn., before returning to Atlanta in 1984, where she graduated magna cum laude from Clark-Atlanta University, for a two-year stint with WSB-TV. Davis is survived by her daughter Melora Rivera, a screen writer who lives in Hollywood, and her mother, Mary Davis, who lives in Texas. Mourners can pay their respects from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Jan. 2 at the Gregory B. Levett Funeral Home in Decatur.
Starting Jan. 3, portions of East Ponce de Leon Avenue, between Interstate 285 and Market Street in the city of Clarkston, will be closed intermittently from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to accommodate ongoing construction of the Clarkston Streetscape Water Main Relocation Project. The project, which has been underway since September, will continue through April. It is replacing nearly 8,000 feet of water main pipes, and single-lane closures will be in effect for its duration. Motorists and MARTA passengers who use East Ponce de Leon between I-285 and Market Street are urged to use alternate routes or plan for extra commuting time. Lane closure signs will be in the area alerting motorists to the construction work and local traffic restrictions. For more information, visit www.dekalbwatershed.com, email projectinfo@dekalbcountyga.gov or call 1-800-986-1108.
East Ponce de Leon Avenue will be closed intermittently between Interstate 285 and Market Street to accommodate construction of the Clarkston Streetscape Water Main Relocation Project.
Service project required for Boy Scouts’ highest honor EAGLE,
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duffle bags loaded with comfort things that kids need – socks, shirts, hats, blanket, toothbrushes, toothpaste and other toiletries, stuffed animals, flip flops, and Bibles. He said he was determined to have a Bible in every bag to help provide encouragement to the children. “That’s my faith,” said Reece, who is a member of North Metro First Baptist Church. “I wanted them to know that things will get better, that things will be fine.” On Dec. 21, with help from his Troop 501 which meets at McKendree United Methodist Church in Lawrenceville, Reece delivered 300 duffle bags laden with supplies for foster kids to the DeKalb County Division of Family & Children Services Office in Decatur. The haul was so impressive, it took Reece and his fellow Scouts more than 20 minutes to unload the bags from the rented U-Haul truck. If approved for the Eagle Scout Court of Honor next spring, Reece will join an elite few: 5 percent of all Boy Scouts ever achieve Eagle Scout rank, among them prominent American leaders like former President Gerald Ford, astronaut Neil Armstrong, filmmaker Steven Spielberg, and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Last year, 1,586 young men made Eagle Scout in Georgia. They were among 55,186 scouts nationwide who earned the rank in 2016. Since 1912, when the first 23 Eagle Scouts
Troop 501 scouts help stuff duffle bags for Reece Huffman’s Eagle Scout Service project.
were awarded, 2,429,979 young men have become Eagle Scouts and contributed millions of hours of volunteer service to improving schools, parks, churches and communities through their Eagle Scout projects alone. The Eagle Scouts board approved Reece’s project at the end of August and he set about garnering support to make it a reality. With help from the likes of the University of Georgia, the Atlanta Falcons, the Gwinnett Braves, REI and Elite Sports, and a host of individuals, Reece raised $1,800 in cash and about $60,000 in donated items for the bags. Reece, who has been a Scout since age 6, said he used the funds to purchase the canvas duffle bags – blue for boys and pink for girls – in which he packed the goodies for foster kids.
Melissa Huffman, Reece’s mother, said he set up shop in their garage for four months, storing and sorting supplies, and loading the bags. “We had to park outside,” she said. Deborah Burrus, Melissa Huffman director of the DeKalb DFCS office, said Reece’s gift is the largest single gift the office has received. “We have never had anybody who have done this,” Burrus said. She was so impressed that someone so young saw a need and decided to act. “He recognized the need and he did something for the less fortunate,” she said. “This will definitely help.” Across Georgia, Burrus said there are more than 350 children, mostly teens, including 25 in DeKalb County, in search of forever families. Trent Huffman, who is Troop 501 Committee Chairman and Reece’s father, said that 80 boys have made Eagle Scouts since the troop launched in 1996. He said Reece’s project is the first of its kind. “Most have been building projects,” he said. “They have built bridges, improved trails, that sort of things.” He said it was great to see his son and his friends working diligently on his project. “He gave up his Xbox to do this,” Trent Huffman said.
December 30, 2017
Community
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CrossRoadsNews
“Our provider agencies deliver extremely important services to address the diverse needs of individuals and families in DeKalb County.”
46 nonprofits to share $767,407 in 2018 Human Services grants
Forty-six local nonprofits will share $767,407.63 in grants from DeKalb County’s Department of Human Services for 2018. The grants, which ranged from $20,555.67 to $13,949.88, were approved by the DeKalb Board of Commissioners on Dec. 12. Recipients include I Care Inc., which received $20,555.67; New Life Community Ministries, which received $20,131.42; The Atlanta Community Food Bank, which got $15,993.03; and Salvation Army of Metro Atlanta and Families First Inc., each of which received $14,060.92. Damon Scott, Department of Human Services director, said the 46 provider agencies will help them extend the department’s reach. “Our provider agencies deliver extremely important and critical services to address the diverse needs of individuals and families in
DeKalb County,” Scott said. The bulk of the funding grants – $617,407.63 – came from the county’s general fund. The remaining $150,000 came from the Victims Assistance Fund, which is supported by the collection of court fees. The county’s Human Services Grant Program provides supplemental funding to nonprofit organizations serving the community. Their service areas include youth development/ education, family welfare, crisis intervention and prevention for women and children, senior services and supports for individuals with disabilities. To be eligible for grants, agencies must use at least half of the awarded amount for programming. For more information, contact Lisa Thomas, Human Services grant coordinator, at 404-270-1180.
Curbside pickup of Christmas trees DeKalb County Sanitation will pick up at curbside trees up to seven feet in height during residents’ regularly scheduled sanitation service days and recycle them into mulch.
Human Services Grants provide supplemental funding for agencies Organization Name Grant Amount Day League (2 grants) $28,990.47 I Care Inc. $20,555.67 Literacy Action Inc. $20,288.55 New Life Community Ministries Inc. $20,131.42 Travelers Aid of Metropolitan Atlanta $20,131.42 Decatur Cooperative Ministry Inc. $19,707.18 Ga. Radio Reading Service $19,502.91 Physicians’ Care Clinic $19,502.91 Ga. Community Support & Solutions $19,298.64 Men Stopping Violence $19,235.79 Friends of Disabled Adults & Children $19,141.52 Latin American Association $19,141.52 St. Jude’s Recovery Center Inc. $19,031.53 Senior Connections Inc. $18,874.40 Foundation of Wesley Woods $18,450.15 Essence of Hope Inc. $18,245.89 Metro Atlanta Recovery Residence $17,664.51 Atlanta Community Food Bank $15,993.03 Lutheran Services of Georgia Inc. $15,582.18 VOX Teen Communications $15,471.14 Atlanta Legal Aid Society Inc. $15,435.10 Center for Pan Asian Americans $15,435.10 Jewish Family & Career Services $15,435.10
Clarkston mayor, council taking oath
Ted Terry
DeKalb residents can put their live Christmas tree at the curb for free pickup by DeKalb Sanitation Division through Jan. 12. The county says trees up to seven feet in height will be collected during residents’ regularly scheduled sanitation service days and recycled into mulch. All decorations must be removed from the trees.
Trees that are taller than seven feet must be cut into smaller pieces or may be taken to Seminole Road Landfill at 4203 Clevemont Road in Ellenwood. Residents can also pay a fee for DeKalb Sanitation’s special collection unit to pick up their oversized tree. For more information, visit www.dekalbsanitation.com or call 404-294-2900.
Organization Name Grant Amount Auditory-Verbal Center Inc. $15,326.78 21st Century Leaders Inc. $15,282.37 Lekotek of Georgia $15,282.37 Georgia Center for Child Advocacy $15,132.76 Raksha $15,001.31 Safe Haven $15,001.31 Communities In Schools of Atlanta $14,949.24 Caminar Latino $14,869.87 Scottdale Early Learning Inc. $14,804.89 International Women’s House $14,698.98 New American Pathways $14,660.54 Salvation Army Metro Atlanta $14,660.54 The Elaine Clark Center $14,616.12 Frazier Center $14,549.50 CHRIS 180 Inc. $14,471.77 Ga. Campaign for Adolescent Power $14,471.77 Positive Growth Inc. $14,360.73 Innovative Solutions for Disadvantaged $14,327.42 Georgia Agape Inc. $14,249.69 Big Brothers/Big Sisters $14,216.38 Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta $14,216.38 Families First Inc. $14,060.90 Reach for Excellence Inc. $13,949.88 TOTAL $767,407.63
Yterenickia Bell
Clarkston Mayor Ted Terry, City Council members Jamie Carroll and Ahmed Hassan, and political newcomer Yterenickia Bell will take the oath of office for new four-year terms at the council’s Jan. 3 meeting. The inauguration and swearing-in ceremony takes place 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Clarkston Community Center’s Angora Hall, 3701 College Ave. Terry, who is beginning his second term as mayor, said a short council meet-
Jamie Carroll
Ahmed Hassan
ing will take place at 6:30 p.m., followed by a program with food and entertainment. Terry, Hassan and Carroll won new terms in the Nov. 7 election. Andrea Cervone, who won the special election to replace former council member Beverly Burks, was sworn in on Dec. 5. Burks resigned the seat to run for mayor. When Terry and Carroll, both 34, Cervone, 28, and Bell, 29, take the oath, the Clarkston council will be dominated for the first time by millennials.
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CrossRoadsNews
Community 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007
December 30, 2017
The new sign was purchased with a mini grant from the Columbia Alliance Sustainable Neighborhood Initiative.
Toney Valley subdivision installs new entrance sign Residents of Toney Valley unveiled their new burgundyand-white entrance sign at the intersection of Toney Drive and Candler Road on Dec. 13.
www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com
Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Multimedia Editor Sharif Williams Front Office Manager Catherine Guy
CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoadsNews, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor those of any advertisers. The concept, design and content of CrossRoadsNews are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher.
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Toney Valley subdivision on Candler Road now has a new subdivision entrance sign. The 1950s community of brick ranches and split-level homes selling for $150,000 and above, unveiled the burgundy-and-white
entrance sign on Dec. 13. The new sign was purchased with a mini grant from the Columbia Alliance Sustainable Neighborhood Initiative (CASNI), which is part of DeKalb Sustainable Neighborhoods Initiative (DSNI), supported by DeKalb County and
Emory University’s Center for Community Partnerships. The unveiling of the sign, at the intersection of Toney Drive and Candler Road, coincided with the community’s inaugural lighting of the Toney Christmas Tree.
Drivers convicted of reckless driving headed to prison James Benford and Melanie Putnam are going to prison – for 30 years and 12 months, respectively – for causing the death of three small children in April 2015 in a high-speed accident. Jurors returned guilty verdicts on Dec. 11 against Benford, 45, for vehicular homicide and reckless driving. Putnam, 30, was found guilty of reckless driving. Three-year-old Lauren Coleman and her brothers Jordan, 4, and Jaylen, 6, were killed on April 12, 2015 at the intersection of Moreland James Benford Melanie Putnam Avenue and Constitution Road. Cazhara Lovett, the children’s mother, was ger side by Benford’s vehicle, which was going driving them home from a birthday party when 83 miles an hour. when her vehicle was struck on the rear passenThe force of the crash pushed Lovett’s car
into the next lane, causing a collision with Putnam’s vehicle, which was traveling at a speed of at least 81 miles per hour when she struck Lovett’s car, an expert witness testified. The posted speed limit at the intersection, characterized as a “blind hill,” was 45 miles per hour. Jordan and Lauren,who was ejected from the vehicle, were killed instantly. Jaylen died a few days later in the hospital. The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Teresa Stolze with assistance from Senior ADA Heather Waters and DA Investigator Terri Jackson. Detective B. Hawkins of the DeKalb Police Department led the initial investigation.
Show Your PRIDE, South DeKalb! Don’t Litter Mow, Trim & Paint Clean to the Curb
Circulation Audited By A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE FROM CROSSROADSNEWS
December 30, 2017
Scene
CrossRoadsNews
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“I love just about everything she releases. I just loved it so much that I learned it and made a cover.”
Edgy young artists putting South DeKalb on the map MUSIC,
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Name: Ayana Moore, a.k.a. “Yani Mo” Age: 26 Genre/Style: Rap and Spoken Word Career Highlight: Released “The Moment,” her debut album in July 2017 ‘Repping the ‘hood’: “Homegrown” video showcases the Redan Park Recreation Center on South Deshon Road Eastside Influences: I grew up in Lithonia on South Deshon Road and I’ve always loved music. I got into rapping in middle school in sixth or seventh grade. A friend who was a year older than me was into rapping and we’d spend summers making music and started a kiddie rap group. When I went to Georgia Southern University, we started Random Acts of Poetry. We had people from all over campus sit in a circle in my dorm and do their poetry. We kept getting more and more rappers coming out and it made me think I wanted to do that again and I fell back in love with rap while I was still doing spoken word. I was pretty sheltered growing up so I wasn’t really in the city much and I didn’t realize how many people were doing what I was doing. The first song I did and a released a video for was called “Homegrown.” Even though I’ve done three projects now, “The Moment” is my debut and I’m letting people know where I’m from and what I’m about. I’m very proud of that.” Kelli Amirah, who has been following Yani Mo since 2014 when she was a student at Southwest DeKalb High School in Decatur, calls her “an amazing lyricist.” “I love just about everything she releases,” said Amirah, who recites Yani Mo’s poem “Danger” from her first mixtape, Red Walls, at www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFJZRBrAQ9Y. “I just loved it so much that I learned it and made a cover.”
Name: Thaddius Callaway, a.k.a. “The Coolismac” of WDNG CRSHRS Age: 28 Genre/Style: Rap Career highlight: Set to release follow up to CRSH Files Vol. 1, EP in January 2018 with Quentin Miller. Repping the ‘hood: “Do it for Decatur” video shot at Decatur MARTA station and around south DeKalb. Eastside Influences: I grew up on Covington Highway near Redan Road and I can tell you South DeKalb, and Decatur in general, is a breeding ground for greatness. It’s not a crab-barrel mentality where people were trying to drag you down. I felt like everybody was very supportive of what I was trying to do. We were more authentic than other places. My favorite group coming out the Eastside was YoungBloodZ, they had twang on their slang. Other people didn’t even know what they were saying. It was a whole different language. You go 30 minutes south or west of here and they talk and rap different. On the Eastside, we were players and we thought we had game and we wasn’t faking it. So don’t say you got a Rolex, if you don’t. It’s about being authentic. South DeKalb basically taught me how to handle myself as a man as an artist and as an individual. But here’s no blueprint on how to make it. You just need to figure it out.”
Name: Gwen Bunn Age: 25 Genre/Style: “Eclectic” Career Highlight: Recently released “Safe Travels,” her critically acclaimed album. Repping the ‘hood: Unreleased rap track titled “Decatur,” she’s keeping it under wraps (at least for now). Musical Influences: “My family moved to DeKalb County when I was three years old, from New Jersey. I liked to listen to rap, which is one of my first loves. I thought I was going to be a rapper. I always liked the lingo, the cadences and how the beat of the music ties into rap. But now, as an artist, I’m real eclectic and unorthodox, that’s my vibe; I don’t want rap to be my focus. But I have friends who really care about the art who are not just about making money and making a hit but who care about the Eastside. We’re making noise quietly right now but we’re doing some great music.”
Name: Jason Harris, a.k.a. “Jace” of Two-9 Age: 28 Genre/Style: Rap Career Highlight: Set to release album “Before It Gets Worse” on February 9, 2018. ‘Repping the ‘hood: Shot “Zonin’” video with Ceej of Retro Su$hi at Stone Mountain Park. Eastside Influences: “My family lived on Panola Road and the music scene on the Eastside was lawless when I was coming up. It wasn’t sanctioned by the school so kids were doing whatever they wanted and it was grimy because we didn’t really know what we were doing and making it up as we went along. “The music was very in-your-face and vulgar at times but it was cultivated by the idea that we were doing it by ourselves and we could say anything we wanted. We were a suburb outside the city so it felt like it was its own little world and was very self-contained. Collectively it was a part of our life, we all went to South DeKalb Mall and Golden Glide [skating rink] and it was something we always identified with. “Kids from other places didn’t know that life. You wanted to prove you were from here and were frequenting the same parties and the same places. If you performed in little teen clubs you had to be able to talk about the same things that your audience identified with and I loved that. Back then I had a drive and desire to get people to respond to my work and I still do.”
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youth
December 30, 2017
“DeKalb County Public Library is using the influence of the barbershop to encourage young black boys to read more.”
Support group Books for boys in barbershop get rave reviews “They can read aloud or quietly to themfor kids dealing selves while waiting to get in the barber’s chair or while getting a haircut,” she said. “We are with cancer also encouraging adults in the shop to read to The DeKalb Public Library, in partnership with the nonprofit program Barbershop Books, installed a rack of books for young customers at ITNOJ Barbershop in Scottdale on Dec. 16.
DeKalb Medical
Members get to tour the hospital for a better insight into the treatments involved.
Kids with family members undergoing cancer treatment at DeKalb Medical can join the Tree House Gang’s new session beginning in January. The support group for children ages five to 18 offers children an opportunity to talk, learn, and share their experiences about a parent, grandparent or other family member with cancer. They also get encouragement, education and hope for the future. Members get to tour the hospital’s facilities so that they better understand the treatments being offered their family members. Rose McKeever, the Cancer Center Nurse Navigator and Tree House Gang coordinator, says that many alumni of the program return to work with current members. Several go on to work in the healthcare field because of their positive experience with the support group. Over the holidays, Tree House Gang kids design and illustrate greeting cards to raise funds and create awareness for the group. Proceeds help fund outings and educational activities for participants. For information on the January session or to purchase Tree House Gang greeting cards, call 404-501-3739 or visit http:// www.dekalbmedical.org/our-services/ cancer-care/Support-Services/supportgroups/the-tree-house-gang.
Boys who get a haircut at ITNOJ Barbershop in Scottdale can now pick a book while waiting for their turn in the chair. The DeKalb Public Library said it installed a rack of books at ITNOJ on Dec. 16 in partnership with the nonprofit program Barbershop Books, because barbershops are important cultural places for AfricanAmerican boys, who also learn life lessons from the men in this male-centered space. “Now DeKalb County Public Library is using the influence of the barbershop to
encourage young black boys to read more,” the library said in a statement. The book rack is targeting boys ages 4 to 8 years old, but Teresa Totten, the Library’s Programming and Services coordinator, said the program has been so well-received that ITNOJ owner Todd Cofield has asked for books for older preteen boys as well. Totten says that making the books accessible in barbershops will encourage children to choose a book and read.
the little ones.” With the program’s success at ITNOJ, Totten said the library now plans to add three more barbershop locations by the end of January. The barbershop is at 485 Glendale Road. For more information or to get a book rack in your barbershop, call Janet Florence at 404508-7190, ext. 2224.
Poet headlining creative event at Hairston Library
Author to discuss fantasy series for youth Holly Black, the New York Times bestselling author of contemporary fantasy novels, will discuss “The Cruel Prince” on Jan. 3 at the Decatur Library. “The Cruel Prince” is the first book
Computer classes offered at Wesley Chapel Library Adults and children of all ages can get tech savvy with the computer series “Mouse, Computer and Keyboard Basics” starting Jan. 3 at the Wesley ChapelWilliam C. Brown Library. The one-hour class starts at 9 a.m. Participants will learn the basic parts of a computer, basic terminology and how to use a mouse. Prior computer experience is not needed, but ability to type is helpful. The library is at 2861 Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur. To register, call the 404-286-6980.
in Black’s new Young Adult fantasy series. It tells the story of a mortal girl who finds herself caught in a web of intrigue at the royal faerie court. The two-hour discussion starts at 7p.m. Holly Black Black also authored “Tithe: A Modern Faerie Tale” and the #1 New York Times bestselling “Spiderwick” series. She has been a finalist for the Mythopoeic Award and the Eisner Award, and she is a recipient of the Andre Norton Award. The library is at 215 Sycamore St. in downtown Decatur. For more information, call 404-3703070.
Activities for kids and teens on Jan. 8 Kids and teens ages 3 to 18 can hear a story and hang out at the Wesley ChapelWilliam C. Brown Library on Jan. 8. Half-hour story time for ages 3 to 6 starts at 10 a.m. There will be stories, rhymes, and songs. From 4 to 6 p.m., teens 13 to 18 can hang out with the Anime Club. Teen Hang Outs on Jan. 15 will offer “Cool Arts and Crafts,” and on July 22, it will be “Comic Book Movies.” The library is at 2861 Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur.
Gwen Russell Green has hosted the “Creative Collaboration” for 25 years.
Poet Gwen Russell Green is hosting “The Best of the Creative Collaboration in the Southeast: A Retrospective” on Jan, 6 at the Hairston Crossing Library. Green, who has hosted the event for 25 years, will perform some of her poetry. The celebration of creativity in South DeKalb will include writers, musicians, dancers, visual artists and photographers. The 3 to 5 p.m. event culminates with an open mic. The library is at 4911 Redan Road in Stone Mountain. For more information, call 404-508-7170.
Crafts, games and other fun stuff at Holiday Hang Out Before the holidays are over, kids and adults can drop by the Salem-Panola Library on Jan. 2 and 3 for Holiday Hang Out. Patrons can make a quick craft, fill out a holiday-themed crossword, play a holiday game or take a selfie at the photo booth. Holiday Hang Out, which takes place 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., is funded the Friends of the Salem-Panola Library. The library is at 5137 Salem Road in Lithonia. Call 770.987.6900.
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December 30, 2017
State of Georgia
Legal Notices 12/09, 12/16, 12/23, 12/30
12/09, 12/16, 12/23, 12/30
NOtice Of PetitiON iN the SuPeriOr cOurt
NOtice Of PetitiON iN the SuPeriOr cOurt
of DeKalb county State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM12056-8 Christie C. Cosby PLAINTIFF VS Kenyatta D. Cosby DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Kenyatta D. Cosby By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Nov. 29, 2017. You are hereby notified that Nov. 27, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Christie C. Cosby, 2740 Tilson Rd., Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Nov. 29, 2017. Witness the Honorable Linda W. Hunter, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 30th day of Nov., 2017
of DeKalb county State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM7183-5 Laree Danner PLAINTIFF VS Taneisha Allen DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Taneisha Allen 5400 Memorial Dr., Unite 3-C Stone Mountain, GA 30083 By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Oct. 31, 2017; You are hereby notified that on Jun. 30, 2017, The above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for: Modification of Custody and Visitation. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Laree Danner, 722 Gatehouse Dr., Apt. D, Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Nov. 29, 2017.
Witness the Honorable Gregory A. Adams, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Cour. This the 29th day of Nov., 2017 12/09, 12/16, 12/23, 12/30
NOtice Of PetitiON iN the SuPeriOr cOurt of DeKalb county State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM11925-7 Kourtney Stephens PLAINTIFF VS Quentin Barkley DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Quentin Barkley By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Nov. 30, 2017. You are hereby notified that Nov. 20, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Kourtney Antionette Stephens, 4960 River Overlook Way, Lithonia, GA 30038.
Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Nov. 29, 2017. Witness the Honorable Daniel M. Coursey, Jr., Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 30th day of Nov., 2017 12/23, 12/30, 01/06, 1/13
NOtice Of PetitiON tO chANGe NAme Of ADuLt L Lt in the Superior court of DeKalb county State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM12320 Jonia Bromell filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Dec. 06, 2017 to change the name from: Jonia Bromell to Jenia Lalindus Cater. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: November 29, 2017 12/23, 12/30, 01/06, 01/13
NOtice Of PetitiON iN the SuPeriOr cOurt of DeKalb county
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM11933-6 Sherry Kiel PLAINTIFF VS Roger A. Kiel DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Roger A. Kiel 1010 16th Street San Francisco, CA 94107 By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Dec. 8th, 2017; you are hereby notified that on the 20th day of Nov., 2017, Sherry Kiel – Pro Se filed suit against you for Willful Desertion.. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiff’s Sherry Kiel – Pro Se an Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of of the first date of publication. Witness the Honorable J.P. Boulee, Judge of this Superior Court. This the 8th day of Dec., 2017 12/23, 12/30, 01/06, 01/13
NOtice Of PetitiON iN the SuPeriOr cOurt of DeKalb county State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM11293-6 Angela Greaves PLAINTIFF VS Rodney Greaves DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Rodney Greaves 1443 Janmar Drive Decatur, GA 30032 By ORDER of the Court service for
service by publication dated Dec. 14, 2017. You are hereby notified that Oct. 16, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Angela Greaves, 1443 Janmar Drive, Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Dec. 14, 2017. Witness the Honorable J.P. Boulee, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 18th day of Dec., 2017 12/23, 12/30, 01/06, 01/13
NOtice Of PetitiON iN the SuPeriOr cOurt of DeKalb county State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: 17FM10913-6 Quovadas Foster PLAINTIFF VS Javana Baker DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Javana Baker 82 Treeview Lane Decatur, GA 30058 By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Dec. 4, 2017. You are hereby notified that Oct. 17, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Quovadas Foster, 35 Oakbrook Ct., Covington, GA 30016. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Dec. 4, 2017. Witness the Honorable J.P. Boulee, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 13th day of Dec., 2017
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CrossRoadsNews
December 30, 2017