CrossRoadsNews, February 1, 2014 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

COMMUNITY

WELLNESS

SCENE

DeKalb school officials will cut the ribbons on Martin Luther King, Jr. High School’s $11 million expansion on Feb. 4. 2

The Surgeon General says one in 13 children under age 18 will die prematurely from smokingrelated diseases if current trends continue. 7

Fans of owls can learn more about the feathered creatures at an exhibit running throughout February at the Decatur Library. 10

Ribbon cutting set

Risky behavior

Eyes on the rise

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

February 1, 2014

Volume 19, Number 40

www.crossroadsnews.com

House delegation considering pause on cityhood By Ken Watts

DeKalb Interim CEO Lee May and Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton lobbies state representatives for a one-year moratorium on new cities in DeKalb County.

revenues for capital improvments such as sidewalks streets,” he said. “Right now that works out to about $20 million for capital improvements such as sidewalks and streets. But under current rules Dunwoody and Brookhaven get most of that money and we’re left with about $6 million to pay for sidewalks and pot hole repairs on county roads.” State Rep. Howard Mosby, who chairs the DeKalb House Delegation, said it wants to help clarify the issues surrounding incorporation but is under the gun because of this year’s early primary elections.

DeKalb’s House delegation is considering a one year moratorium on cityhood initiatives to give residents, leaders and stakeholders a chance to assess the impact of incorporation on the county. Interim CEO Lee May asked the delegation to write a resolution calling for a oneyear pause in cityhood efforts at the delegation’s Jan 27 meeting at the capitol. May called the current process that allows areas to incorporate detrimental to the county on revenues and expenditures. “For example, the HOST 1 percent sales tax allows us to use up to 20 percent of the Please see XXXXXX, page 2

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

Metro Atlanta crippled by 2-inch snowstorm Traffic was at a standstill on I-285 southbound near Columbia Drive on Wednesday morning. The road was covered by snow and ice.

Neighbors help; officials talk of lessons learned By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Metro Atlanta was looking forward to this weekend’s warm-up into the 60s to help it dig out from under the Jan. 28 snowstorm that paralyzed the city and stranded thousands of motorists and 18-wheelers on interstates for nearly 24 hours. On Thursday, trapped motorists who abandoned their vehicles on the interstates on Tuesday and Wednesday were being encouraged to retrieve them without penalty. DeKalb County government said it had reached out to tow companies operating in the county to waive towing fees for stranded drivers who picked up their vehicles by midnight Friday. “The five companies the county has established partnerships with include Cymil, Brown and Brown, South DeKalb, Statewide and S&W,” DeKalb Police spokeswoman Mekka Parish said in a statement. “Drivers that incurred storm-related towing fees during this period can contact the DeKalb County Police Department’s Permit Office at 404297-3934 to file for a reimbursement.” The storm that dumped 2 inches of snow on the area Tuesday brought metro Atlanta to a standstill through Thursday. By DeKalb County Government reopened on Friday, DeKalb Schools remained closed giving students their third day away from classes. The storm stranded some children at their schools overnight Tuesday, and after up to 16 hours marooned in their vehicles on the interstates and highways, many motorists just abandoned them and walked in search of help. Schools, government, business and commerce ground to a halt Wednesday and Thursday as Gov. Nathan Deal, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, and DeKalb interim CEO

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

More snowstorm photos, page 5 Lee May called on residents to stay home and off the frozen roads. Frigid temperatures turned the 2 inches of snow that fell Tuesday into ice and kept the interstates slick and hazardous. The city of Atlanta reported 791 accidents and no deaths. In DeKalb County, there were 367 accidents. DeKalb Chief Operating Officer Cedric Alexander, said 105 of the accidents had injuries, but no fatalities. He said DeKalb 911 fielded more than 10,600 calls through noon on Thursday. There were 7,800 calls were to 911. and 2,800 were non-emergency calls. Alexander said Highway 78 was the most problematic for the county.

“People left their cars in the middle of the road,” he said. “They just walked away.” By 2 p.m. Thursday, the highway was clear again. “We had problems on I-285, some parts of I20 and on I-85, but 78 was our toughest,” he said. Alexander praised the 300 to 500 police and fire crews who worked long Cedric Alexander hours assisting stranded students, and motorists with medical and other issues. “We were prepared for it,” Alexander said. “Everybody worked together and did a superb job. ” To reach stranded motorists, some officers had to walk. After a 12-hourt shift Tuesday night, special operations Officer T.M.

White and Sergeant A.D. Williams walked half a mile up Highway 78 to help a stranded motorist, and Officer L.O. Niemann rescued a postal worker stranded 12 hours in her mail truck on Highway 78. At the South Precinct in Decatur, Officer Jason Spruills rode his 10-speed bicycle from his home in Little Five Points to get to work Tuesday night. Alexander said these are just a few of the examples of officers going above and beyond. “It went well,” he said Thursday, “We are grateful for that, but the most important thing is that people are safe and nobody was hurt or killed.” In the midst of the snowstorm on Tuesday, Amy Wilson Anderson and her husband, Please see SNOW, page 5

Community

CrossRoadsNews

February 1, 2014

“I really believe that the future of our county lies on the foundation of dialogue.”

Ribbon-cutting for MLK High’s $11m expansion set for Feb. 4 By Ken Watts

Martin Luther King Jr. High’s new classroom building dramatically changes the look of the campus.

DeKalb school officials will cut the ribbons on Martin Luther King, Jr. High School’s $11 million expansion on Feb. 4. The two-story, 31-classroom building addition will banish trailers from the Lithonia school, which was built in 2001. The 76,728-square-foot facility, with science and IT room, and a ninth-grade academy with drama and chorus rooms, has already dramatically changed the look of the campus. The grand opening was resheduled from Jan. 29 because of Tuesday’s snowstorm that closed schools and paralyzed metro Atlanta’s government and business operations. The school, named for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., is the only one in Georgia named for the slain civil rights icon. The MLK expansion is one of three underway in South DeKalb, totalling $42.8 million. Miller Grove and Southwest DeKalb High schools are also undergoing expansions and will be completed The MLK ribbon-cutting takes place at 10 a.m. The school is at 3991 Snapfinger Road in Lithonia.

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

Legislative committee could prepare over the summer for 2015 cityhood, from page

Mosby said the session is on a fast track because state primaries are on May 20 this year, as opposed to the usual July schedule. He said many lawmakers want to wrap up legislative business quickly so they can campaign for re-election. “First, we’ll check the status of the three current cityhood bills with House Speaker David Ralston to assess their chances of passing in the 2014 General Assembly,” Mosby said. “We’d like to write a resolution to form a broad-based committee including cityhood advocates, the Speaker, Lieutenant Governor, Chairman of the DeKalb School Board and other community leaders.” Mosby said the committee would break down into study groups to examine not just

the impact of cityhood, but also annexation of new parcels by existing cities and whether DeKalb should keep its CEO form of government. “The committee could do it’s work over the summer and generate a report before the beginning of the 2015 General Assembly and that would give everybody a chance to participate and give us a comprehensive idea of how to proceed,” he said. Cityhood fever has been sweeping the county since 2008 when the city of Dunwoody incorporated. It was followed in 2012 by the city of Brookhaven. Now three more proposed cities – Lakeside, Briarcliff and Tucker – are seeking referendums that would allow residents in those areas to to vote on cityhood. A Carl Vinson Institute of Government

study deemed the proposed city of Stonecrest not feasible because it would not generate enough revenue to cover its expenses. May said neighborhoods that want to incorporate have a right to do so. State Sen. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody), who sponsored the Lakeside cityhood bill, said the negative economic impact of incorporation on DeKalb has been exaggerated. “After I pay my Dunwoody city taxes, 85 percent of my tax dollar goes to the county including funds for the schools,” he said. Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton, who represents District 4, told the delegation the issues of cityhood are wide ranging and a comprehensive study is needed. “All of our citizens who are outside the areas that are being annexed are being affected by these decisions but they don’t have a voice

and that’s not fair to them,” she said. State Rep. Ernest “Coach” Williams expressed concerns about the delivery of county services to new cities. “How do we bill and for how long,?” Williams asked. May said it depends on what’s being provided. “For example, if it’s an emergency police or fire call, we show up and work out the billing later,” May said. His plan for a one year moratorium depends heavily on getting all sides, including cityhood advocates, to the table. “I really believe that the future of our county lies on the foundation of dialogue. It’s something we need to learn from the past where we’ve had a dynamic side saying ‘yes, yes, yes,’ and the other side saying ‘no,no, no,’

February 1, 2014

Community

CrossRoadsNews

“I saw them and just couldn’t drive on without helping.”

County drive seeks donations for food bank

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

Pine Lake police officer Belinda Poarch offers helping hands and a ride home to Joyce Wardlaw Wednesday on snowy Evans Mill Road.

Snow brings out compassion for strangers By Ken Watts

South DeKalb commuters lucky enough to get past the gridlock on the interstates when the snow and ice storm hit Jan. 28 had to brave ice slick hills on the final leg of their journey home. Their stories and countless acts of kindness between strangers were typical throughout the metro area this week as metro Atlantans coped with the ice storm that dumped two inches of snow on the area and paralyzed the city for three days. By nightfall Tuesday, abandoned cars, trucks and SUVs were piled up along Salem Road and Evans Mill Road in Lithonia after drivers found it impossible to make it up steep inclines. With temperatures in the low teens Wednesday morning, driving remained treacherous and abandoned cars still littered the roadsides. MARTA supervisor Pete Green tried to coax his GMC pickup truck up a hill on Salem between Panola Road and Evans Mill that was coated with a glass-like sheet of ice. Green nearly made it to the top before losing traction and sliding backward. After several

attempts, he backed off and planned to try again later. “I feel bad because some of my co-workers have been there since Tuesday morning,” he said. Joyce Wardlaw and her daughter Sharmah Wardlaw came within a mile of their neighborhood off Evans Mill Wednesday morning before their Ford Focus slid nose first into a roadside ditch on Salem. They were not injured but Joyce was having diabetic complications. “We were stuck on the downtown connector since Tuesday afternoon, couldn’t move,” Sharmah Wardlaw said. “We didn’t have any food or water for hours.” After skidding off the road, Joyce Wardlaw was beginning to have diabetic complications. An AMR ambulance team, which was called to the scene, quickly responded and treated her symptoms. But the Wardlaws were still faced with trekking up ice slick hills for the last couple of miles to their home. Fate and timing were on their side as Pine lake police officer Belinda Poarch, who happened to be passing by, offered the stranded

pair a ride. “I saw them and just couldn’t drive on without helping,” Poarch said. She drove them rest of the way home. A resident wedged a tree branch under Poarch’s front tires to keep her car from skidding into the ambulance. On Evans Mill between Salem and Browns Mill Road, car owners were returning for the vehicles they were forced abandon the night before. Qu Atkinson and Madison Weiss were able to get back on the road after trying for hours. “Some people in the neighborhood heard us and stuck scraps of wood and tree branches under our back tires,” Weiss said. “We got enough traction to make it out of the ditch.”

DeKalb residents can contribute canned and noperishable foods to help replenish the shelves at the Atlanta Community Food Bank through Feb. 14. The food drive is sponsored by DeKalb Commissioner Kathie Gannon, Solicitor-General Sherry Boston and Clerk of Superior Court Debra DeBerry. Food collection barKathie Gannon rels will be placed in DeKalb County government office buildings. Among the most needed items are canned tuna, peanut butter, fruit juices, canned vegetables and paper products. Gannon said they are just trying to help hurting Sherry Boston families. “We are asking all DeKalb employees and citizens to donate food for DeKalb families in need,” she said. Boston said the food bank’s pantry shelves are looking bare this time of year after the holidays. Debra DeBerry Hunger remains a persistent problem in metro Atlanta. Roughly 17 percent of the households and 28 percent of children served by the Atlanta Community Food Bank do not always know where their next meal is coming from. DeBerry said no one in DeKalb should go hungry in this day and age. “No one should have to choose between paying the rent, paying for their prescriptions or paying for food,” she said. Gannon, who represents Super District 6, said she has seen the generosity of DeKalb employees and knows they will help by donating food. In 2013, the food drive collected more than a ton of food for the food bank. Food collection barrels will be at the Maloof Center,1300 Commerce Drive; the DeKalb Courthouse, 556 McDonough St.; the Clark Harrison Building, 330 W. Ponce de Leon; and The Tax Commissioner’s Office, 4380 Memorial Drive. For more information, contact Davis Fox at dfox@co.dekalb.ga.us or 404-371-6353.

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Week of Prayers set for Clarkston Clarkston’s church leaders, missions teams, prayer groups, and residents will be praying 24/7 for their city Feb. 4-9. The “Week of Prayer” on kicks off at 6 p.m. on Feb. 4 in a ministry apartment at 4133 Church St., 19-D, in the English Oaks Apartments complex. A closing celebration is set for Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. Global Frontier Missions, which is organizing the prayer week, said the recent election of a new mayor and the city’s first former refugee to office, and increasing incidents of crime persuaded them to pray. Malaika Wells, an organizing committee member and minister, said the week of prayer gives them the opportunity to lift their voices together to seek God’s blessings, help, direction, strength and wisdom.

“We need this,” Wells said. “There is a loving and vibrant community of believers in Clarkston who all care very much about the well-being of the city and the people in it. In 1 Corinthians 12, the Bible speaks of there being one body with many parts. That’s us – that’s what this is! It’s a gathering of the body for the glory of God.” The event is open to the public, and individuals and groups from churches, ministries, youth groups, nonprofits, and local businesses are encouraged to commit to pray for an hour or more between midnight and 11:59 p.m. on any day within the five-day period. Registration is available at www.247prayer.com/signup/5eeb54. For more information, email prayforclarkston@gmail.com or call Ellie Morse

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Forum

February 1, 2014

There are always alternatives. Let’s explore them before agreeing to a system that’s going to raise our taxes and create greater disparity.

Everyone will pay if cities create own school districts 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Graphic Design Curtis Parker Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Ken Watts Copy Editor Brenda Yarbrough Advertising Sales Kathy E. Warner Billing Clerk Charmyne Montfort Circulation Manager Jami Ffrench-Parker

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A resident of South DeKalb recently informed me of HR 486, a bill being considered in the state legislature that would permit an amendment to the Georgia state constitution allowing new municipalities to create their own school system. In Georgia, new municipalities still have to participate in their county school system so here in DeKalb County (population of 707,000) we have one School Superintendent. What are the implications of changing that system? I only have to look to where I grew up to see a full-blown example. I hail from Nassau County, NY, a relatively affluent county in the U.S. with a population of 1.349 million in 2012, roughly twice the population of DeKalb County. In Nassau County, townships are able to create their own school system. As a result, Nassau County has a whopping 56 superintendents. The highest compensation package comes in at one of the highest in the nation, $541,454, the lowest at $232,059, and the average at $309,448. Most of these highly paid superintendents oversee districts averaging 5,500 students. Guess who’s paying those superintendents’ salaries? That’s right. The taxpayer. Consequently, Long Island has one of the highest tax bases in the United States. To compare, given that DeKalb has half the population of Nassau County, it would be as if DeKalb County had 28 superintendents each being paid $309,448. Taxpayers would have to come up with $8,664,544. But there’s more to the story

“Sixty years ago, we celebrated the Brown v Board of Education decision against “separate but unequal” school systems. Today, after celebrating and marching in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade, I am beginning to wonder if indeed we might be marching backward.” Dr. Kathryn Rice

than that. There are compelling similarities in Long Island and Atlanta’s makeup that give us an idea of what to expect if we were to approve such legislation. Both areas have high levels of segregation – racially, economically and educationally. Long Island, composed of Nassau and Suffolk counties, is the third most racially segregated region in America. Likewise, Atlanta in 1980 had the highest Black-White segregation levels in the south and in 2012 it had the highest ranking of any major city in income inequity. As cities in Nassau County formed, more affluent White areas appropriated valuable commercial property; e.g., Garden City enfolded Roosevelt Field within their boundaries as Dunwoody enfolded Perimeter Mall. Finally, of the schools where the needs are highest (fewer resources and opportunities), 76 percent of the student population is Black or Hispanic/Latino. Following is what Nassau County looks like now and what DeKalb County could look like in a short number of years. In Nassau County, high need areas (dominated by Black and Latino students) have the lowest school spending per

Quick Read

pupil ($8,000 more on children in wealthier areas); higher teacherstudent ratios; half the number of computers; a lower percentage of teachers with Master’s level degrees; and fewer Advanced Placement courses, new textbooks, or specialized courses. Unsurprisingly, student performance is lower. What’s also interesting is that the Erase Racism [www.eraseracismny.org/our-work/education) report found that the gap in scholastic achievement between lowincome and high-income students “gets wider as students move from elementary school to middle school to high school.” If HR486 is enacted, we can expect the following results: n Higher taxes will be enacted to support more superintendents. Expect your taxes to go up regardless of where you live in DeKalb County if we allow separate school systems. n There will be more of a tax burden on residents in areas with less of a commercial base. Residents in South DeKalb, which has a lower commercial base than the northern portion of the county, will have to tax themselves more to raise the same amount of money. n Lower-income areas can expect

lower educational achievement. Lower income areas have many if not all the disparities in spending, resources, teachers, etc. mentioned above. This usually leads to lower student performance with the gap widening as the student gets older. n Ultimately, the ability to create separate school systems will lead to greater inequity. Expect the disparity between North and South DeKalb to become larger if HR486 is approved. I understand people’s desires to protect property, assets, and children. Yet, there are always alternatives. Let’s explore them before agreeing to a system that’s going to raise our taxes and create greater disparity. Sixty years ago, we celebrated the Brown v Board of Education decision against “separate but unequal” school systems. Today, after celebrating and marching in the Martin Luther King Jr. parade, I am beginning to wonder if indeed we might be marching backward.

References These references were used in this article: www.newsday.com/ long-island/education/salariesand-compensation-of-li-schoolsuperintendents-1.2935428. www.eraseracismny.org/ourwork/education ERASE_Racism-long-islanddistrict-facts.pdf www.bizjournals.com/bizjournals/on-numbers/scott-thomas/2012/07/atlanta-has-worstincome-inequality.html?page=all Dr. Kathryn Rice lives in Stone Mountain. She is a founding member of the South DeKalb Improvement Association.

House delegation considering pause on cityhood 1

County drive seeks donations for food bank 3

Initiatives to help employers hire and keep workers 9

DeKalb’s House delegation is considering a one year moratorium on cityhood initiatives to give residents, leaders and stakeholders a chance to assess the impact of incorporation on the county.

DeKalb residents can contribute canned and noperishable foods to help replenish the shelves at the Atlanta Community Food Bank through Feb. 14.

Three workforce initiatives that will making it easier for DeKalb businesses to put long-term unemployed workers back to work and boost the skills of existing employees are seeking applicants.

Metro Atlanta crippled by 2-inch snowstorm

CDC offers strategies to reduce sodium in menus

Health departments and restaurants that want to work together to offer healthier choices for consumers to lower their sodium intake can find strategies in the CDC report “From Menu to Mouth: Opportunities for Sodium Reduction in Restaurants.”

Exhibit touts late librarian’s passion for owls 10 Fans of the mysterious all-seeing, allhearing owl can learn more about the feathered creatures at “Owls, the Symbol of Wisdom and Knowledge” throughout February at the Decatur Library.

index to advertisers Abbott’s Hair Studio....................................... 11 Affordable Health Care.................................. 11 Candler Pharmacy.......................................... 7 DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court......................9 DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office........................9

Fabric Joint LLC.............................................. 11 Georgia Military College................................. 3 Henry Mitchell, CPA....................................... 11 Johnny Harris CPA......................................... 11 LAK Enterprises, Inc....................................... 11

LR Robinson, LLC........................................... 11 Macy’s............................................................12 PICR Clinic..................................................... 11 The Law Office of Melissa J. Sawyers............. 11 Best Buy Co. Inc......................................Inserts

Walgreens................................................. Inserts Walmart.................................................... Inserts Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home..Online Saint Philip AME Church...........................Online

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CrossRoadsNews

February 1, 2014

Community

“I am the governor. The buck stops with me. I accept responsibilities.” A mishap on I-285 near the Columbia Drive overpass snarled southbound traffic Wednesday morning. The backup behind the accident stretched at least as far as Glenwood Road.

A sheet of ice, clearly visible on Salem Road between Panola and Evans Mill roads, made travel difficult for residents.

A snowcapped mailbox captures the beauty of Tuesday’s snowfall for those not stuck in traffic.

A DeKalb Roads and Drainage truck spreads a sand/salt mix on the Columbia Drive bridge over I-285.

Frustrated motorists abandoned cars on impassable roads SNOW,

from page

Nick, gave birth at 5:20 p.m. to a baby girl by the side of I-285. Stuck in traffic and unable to complete the 15-minute drive to the hospital, Nick Anderson got help from a 911 operator and Sandy Springs Police Capt. Steve Rose, while their 4-year-old and 2-year-old daughters Caroline and Annabeth cuddled under a blanket in the car’s back seat. They named their third daughter Grace Elizabeth. Across the frozen metro area, neighbors rallied around neighbors and strangers, providing water, food, restrooms and a place for people who could not get home Tuesday night to crash. On Jan. 29, the county opened fire stations as warming stations for residents who needed it, and DeKalb Sheriff Thomas Brown opened the county jail’s employee dining room to county emergency workers and county employees who couldn’t get home because of the storm. Brown said that Trinity Food Service, which prepares meals for prisoners and jail employees, kept the kitchen open to offer hot beverages and meals to GDOT employees, the Hero Units and State Patrol who were working to clear the interstate. It also offered a place to crash for county employees who had to work double shifts or couldn’t get home because of the storm. Brown said they served more than 550 meals on Wednesday. “We knew that those employees who had worked the day before had worked a double shift and wouldn’t get relieved because other

Stranded motorists faced icy conditions on Evans Mill Road (above), where emergency workers David Singleton and Christy Purcell (right) had to wait for help after their ambulance got stuck.

employees could get in,” he said. “It was important that they had a place to nourish themselves.” On Wednesday, Deal ordered the National Guard to offer assistance to stranded motorists and help clear the interstate. Troops distributed blankets and 200 cases of military-style MREs – meals ready to eat – to drivers along I-20. From the Columbia Drive overpass on Wednesday, snarled traffic stretched as far as the eyes could see. Through midday Thursday, traffic was still moving slowly on I-75, I-285 and I-20 because of icy patches. Meteorologists were predicting a warmup into 60s by Saturday. When it began snowing in metro Atlanta at about 11 a.m. on Jan. 28, state officials said

they expected a light dusting of snow. When schools began announcing early closings and businesses and the state offices closed early, thousands of commuters spilled onto the interstates, and with 18-wheel tractor-trailers jackknifing on the slippery road surfaces, gridlock built up quickly on I-85, I-75, I-285, and Ga. 400 among others. Despite an early start preparing priority routes and bridges, dozens of DeKalb roads were closed at various times by a coating of ice. On Tuesday as the flurries began, Peggy Allen, DeKalb Roads and Drainage director, said crews had been mobilizing since early Monday after the first forecasts of wintry weather. She said the county’s eight spreader trucks targeted priority areas such as hospi-

CrossRoadsNews Photos By Curtis Parker and Ken Watts

tals, police and fire rescue stations early. “And we’re focusing on bridges and overpasses, where ice can form quickly, and then the major roads,” she said. Deal said the state has lessons to learn from the gridlock, which was reminiscent of the 2011 snowstorm that shut down the city and I-285 for four days. “They are hard lessons,” he said at a Jan. 29 news conference. In hindsight, Deal said they could have acted earlier. Reed said crews began treating roadways at 9 a.m. Tuesday and were hampered by the traffic on the interstates once the snow started falling. He said that there are more than a million people in the city every day and when the snow started it was like someone blew a whistle and everyone left at the same time. “We made a mistake by not staggering when people should leave,” he said. “So I will take responsibility for that. And lessons learned, I know people want to know that we are learning from this, please remind them that we are definitely better than 2011 and faster. “But if we had to do this again, we would have said, ‘schools, you go first; private-sector businesses you go second; and government goes last.’ “And so I think that would have helped and we should have been clearer on our need to access the roads.” On Thursday Deal apologised for the late response to the storm. “I am the governor,” he said. “The buck stops with me. I accept responsibilities.”

Wellness

CrossRoadsNews

February 1, 2014

Visitors were treated to fitness and food demonstrations, health screenings, and vital wellness information at the annual expo on the mall’s lower level.

Scenes from the 2014 CrossRoadsNews Health & Wellness Expo

The audience gets into the act during a demonstration by fitness trainer Jody Smith at the ninth annual CrossRoadsNews Health & Wellness Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest on Jan. 25.

Elfreda Smith (right) brought along some energetic kids to demonstrate her commitment to Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign to reduce childhood obesity.

DeKalb Solicitor-General Sherry Boston (right) talks with a visitor about her office’s initiative to get people to commit to building healthy, non-abusive relationships.

Life chef Asata Reid (left) whipped up a tasty green smoothie rich in antioxidants. Full Body Rejuvenation (above) was one of several organizations offering free diabetes and blood pressure screening. At right, CrossRoadsNews publisher Jennifer Parker presents the grand prize Rejuvenating Spa basket from the Mall at Stonecrest to Bonnie Staples of Decatur.

CrossRoadsNews Photos By Curtis Parker

February 1, 2014

Wellness

CrossRoadsNews

“Of all forms of tobacco, cigarettes are the most deadly – and cause medical and financial burdens for millions of Americans.”

Smoking puts 5.6 million U.S. kids at risk of premature death One out of every 13 children under age 18 will die prematurely from smoking-related diseases unless current smoking rates drop, a new Surgeon General’s report says. “The Health Consequences of Smoking – 50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General” estimates that about 5.6 million American children alive today are at risk. Although youth smoking rates declined by half between 1997 and 2011, each day another 3,200 children under age 18 smoke their first cigarette, and another 2,100 youth and young adults become daily smokers. Every adult who dies prematurely from smoking is replaced by two youth and young adult smokers. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the department is asking Americans to join a sustained effort to make the next generation a tobacco-free generation. “This is not something Kathleen Sebelius the federal government can do alone,” Sebelius said. “We need to partner with the business community, local elected officials, schools and universities, the medical community, the faith community, and committed citizens in communities across the country to make the next generation tobacco-free.” Over the past 50 years, more than 20 million Americans have died from smoking. The new report concludes that cigarette smoking kills nearly half a million Americans a year, with an additional 16 million suffering from smoking-related conditions. It puts the price tag of smoking in this country at more than $289 billion a year in direct medical care and other economic costs. “The Health Consequences of Smoking”

The Surgeon General’s report says that each day, another 3,200 children under age 18 smoke their first cigarette, and another 2,100 youth and young adults become daily smokers.

comes a half century after the historic 1964 Surgeon General’s report, which concluded that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer. Since that time, smoking has been identified as a cause of serious diseases of nearly all the body’s organs. Today, scientists add diabetes, colorectal and liver cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, erectile dysfunction, age-related macular degeneration, and other conditions to the list of diseases that cigarette smoking causes. In addition, the report concludes that secondhand smoke exposure is now known to cause strokes in nonsmokers. Acting Surgeon General Boris Lushniak said smokers today have a greater risk of de-

veloping lung cancer than they did when the first report was released in 1964 even though they smoke fewer cigarettes. “How cigarettes are made and the chemicals they contain have changed over the years, and some of those changes may be a factor in higher lung cancer risks,” Lushniak said. “Of all forms of tobacco, cigarettes are the most deadly – and cause medical and financial burdens for millions of Americans.” Twenty years ago, male smokers were about twice as likely as female smokers to die early from smoking-related disease. The new report finds that women are now dying at rates as high as men from many of these diseases, including lung cancer, chronic

obstructive pulmonary disease, and heart disease. In fact, death from COPD is now greater in women than in men. The report concludes that the tobacco industry started and sustained this epidemic using aggressive marketing strategies to deliberately mislead the public about the harms of smoking. The evidence in the report emphasizes the need to accelerate and sustain successful tobacco control efforts that have been underway for decades. HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Howard K. Koh said that tobacco control efforts over the past 50 years have saved 8 million lives but the job is far from over. “This report provides the impetus to accelerate public health and clinical strategies to drop overall smoking rates to less than 10 percent in the next decade,” Koh said. “Our nation is now at a crossroads, and we must choose to end the tobacco epidemic once and for all.” The Obama administration’s ongoing efforts include enactment of the landmark Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which gives the Food and Drug Administration regulatory authority over tobacco products; significant expansion of tobacco cessation coverage through the Affordable Care Act to help encourage and support quitting; new ACA investments in tobacco prevention campaigns like the “Tips From Former Smokers” campaign to raise awareness of the long-term health effects of smoking and encourage quitting; and increases in the cost of cigarettes resulting from the federal excise tax increase in the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act. Visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/library /reports/50-years-of-progress/index.html for the full report. For free help quitting smoking, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or visit www .smokefree.gov or www.cdc.gov/tips.

CDC offers strategies for restaurants to reduce sodium in menu items pare food and the ingredients they Health departments and restauchoose to use, healthier options rants that want to work together to become routine for customers,” offer healthier choices for consumers he said. “The bottom line is that to lower their sodium intake can find it’s both possible and lifesaving strategies in the CDC report “From to reduce sodium, and this can be Menu to Mouth: Opportunities for done by reducing, replacing and Sodium Reduction in Restaurants” reformulating.” in the Jan. 23 issue of its journal, The report outlines several Preventing Chronic Disease. Tom Frieden ways health departments and Too much sodium can cause high blood pressure, one of the leading restaurants have worked together to offer lower-sodium choices. Among them: causes of heart disease and stroke. Americans eat out at fast-food or dine-in n Health department dietitians help restaurants four or five times a week. restaurants analyze the sodium content of On average, foods from fast-food restau- their foods and recommend lower-sodium rants contain 1,848 milligrams of sodium ingredients. per 1,000 calories, and foods from dine-in n Restaurants clearly post nutrition inrestaurants contain 2,090 mg of sodium per formation, including sodium content, at the 1,000 calories. order counter and on menus or offer lowerThe U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend sodium items at lower cost. daily sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg. n Health departments and restaurants Dr. Tom Frieden, the Centers for Dis- explain to food service staff why lower soease Control and Prevention director, says dium foods are healthier and how to prepare reducing sodium in restaurant foods is an them. opportunity for choice. “From Menu to Mouth” also features “When restaurants rethink how they pre- examples of sodium reduction successes.

Grant to fund kids’ dental clinics Children in low-income families will get preventive services, fillings and extractions at 14 free dental clinics hosted by the DeKalb Board of Health. The clinics will be funded by a $10,000 grant from the Delta Dental Community Care Foundation. Most will be at the Kirkwood Health Center with some to be held at the Vinson Health Center. Eligible children must come from families that meet the federal poverty guidelines, be are uninsured or underinsured, and have

no ability to pay for dental care. The Delta Dental Community Care Foundation’s mission is to improve access to dental care for the underserved. The funding was announced on Jan. 23. For more information, call Kirkwood Dental Services, 30 Warren St. S.E. in Atlanta, at 404-370-4640 or Vinson Dental Services, 440 Winn Way in Decatur, at 404508-7982. For information on all DeKalb Board of Health’s services, visit www.dekalbhealth.net or call 404-294-3700.

In Philadelphia, the health department worked with 206 restaurants to create the “Philadelphia Healthy Chinese Take-out Initiative.” After evaluating menus for sodium content, participating restaurants began choosing lower sodium ingredients and creating lower sodium recipes. After nine months, analyses of two popular dishes offered by 20 of the restaurants showed sodium was reduced by 20 percent. Frieden said the story in Philadelphia shows what can be done.

“It’s not about giving up the food you love, but providing lower sodium options that taste great,” he said. To learn more about sodium and how it affects health, visit www.cdc.gov/salt. Reducing sodium is one way that Million Hearts, a national public-private initiative to prevent a million heart attacks and strokes by 2017, is working with communities to keep people healthier and less likely to need health care. For more information, visit www.millionhearts.hhs.gov.

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Black History

CrossRoadsNews

February 1, 2014

“We will feature the work of world-renowned authors and artists like Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Radcliffe Bailey, and Natasha Trethewey.” The book is a loving tribute to Ebenezer Baptist Church, a beacon of racial pride and social consciousness since 1886. The author talk is set for Feb. 5 at Decatur Library.

Author to discuss iconic Ebenezer Longtime church member Benjamin C. Ridgeway will discuss “Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church” on Feb. 5 at the Decatur Library. The author talk, part of Black History Month and the Georgia Center for the Book’s Festival of Writers series, gets under way at 7:15 p.m. The book is a loving tribute to a church that has been a beacon of racial pride and social consciousness since it was founded in 1886. Ridgeway, an educator and Ebenezer member for more than 30 years, has collected the images in the book from the church archives, longtime members, and other sources. The images illustrate an environment out of which many leaders in both the religious and political worlds have come, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who co-pastored the church with his father. The library is at 215 Sycamore St. in downtown Decatur. For more information, visit www.dekalblibrary. org or call 404-370-3070.

‘Beyond the Color Line’ film at library Moviegoers can follow the journeys of acclaimed scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. in “America Beyond the Color Line” on Feb. 5 at the Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library. The screening starts at 6 p.m. In “America Beyond the Color Line,” Gates travels the length and breadth of the United States to take the temperature of modern black America. He explores four very different parts of the country – the East Coast, the Deep Henry Gates South, inner-city Chicago, and Hollywood. Funding for the screening, part of the Black History Month Series, is provided by the Friends of the Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library. The library is at 2861 Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur. For more information, visit www.dekalb library.org or call 404-286-6980.

‘Greensboro Four’ kicks off Cyclorama’s 150th anniversary events Joseph McNeil (from left), Franklin McCain, Billy Smith and Clarence Henderson sit in protest at the whites-only lunch counter at Woolworth’s on Feb. 2, 1960.

“February One: The Story of the Greensboro Four” will be screened Feb. 6 as part of the Atlanta Cyclorama’s 150th anniversary celebration. The 7 p.m. screening is among a free series of one-hour documentaries that will be presented in partnership with Urban Film Review. After each film, historian and educator Nasir Muhammad will lead the audience in a facilitated dialogue. “February One: The Story of the Greensboro Four” tells the story of the four North Carolina college freshmen who ate lunch at Woolworth’s in 1960 and sparked a revolution. The Atlanta Cyclorama’s commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Atlanta also includes art exhibits, lectures, dance, and theatrical productions. Camille Russell Love, director of the city of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs, said the Cyclorama & Civil War Museum will host numerous activities on-site and around the city all year long. “We will feature the work of world-renowned authors and artists like Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Radcliffe Bailey, Germaine Ingram, Charles McNair, Opera Ebony and Natasha Trethewey. From robust conversations about those who fought and those who stayed home, acknowledgment of the Jewish contribution, the journey to freedom, and the history of celebrations following the Emancipation Proclamation, we’ll present events for families, students, book clubs, teachers, historians and art lovers,” she said. The Atlanta Cyclorama & Civil War Museum is at 800 Cherokee Ave. S.E. For more information, visit www.atlantacyclorama.org.

Civil rights activist James Horton, who was injured on the Edmund Pettus Bridge during protests in 1965, will display black history artifacts at North DeKalb Mall through Feb. 28.

‘Black Cultural Expo’ at North DeKalb Mall James Horton and “The Sights and Sounds Black Cultural Expo” Museum are back at the North DeKalb Mall through Feb. 28. The exhibit presents more than 8,000 artifacts that chronologically display the historical passage of black Americans from their roots to present-day America. Horton, who was injured on the Edmund Pettis Bridge in Selma during Civil Rights protests in 1965, is himself a piece of walking history. He also travels to schools, churches and the occasional family reunion to share some of his collection of black history memorabilia.

The free exhibit is housed at a store space in the Macy’s wing of the mall. It also features meet-and-greet sessions with storytellers, local authors and historical leaders and activities such as Wheel of Knowledge, Black History Quiz, and Who I Am Computer Game. Free tours are available daily. To schedule group tours, call 404-966-2137 or 404-454-1462. North DeKalb Mall is at 2050 Lawrenceville Highway in Decatur. For more information, visit www.northdekalbmall.com or call 404-320-7960.

‘Without Mercy’ author to talk about race, crime Former AJC editor David Beasley will read and sign copies of his book, “Without Mercy: The Stunning True Story of Race, Crime, and Corruption in the Deep South” on Feb. 11, at the Carter Presidential Library & Museum Theater. The reading/book signing takes place at 7 p.m. The book explores the Dec. 9, 1938, execution of six black men in 81 minutes in the electric chair at Georgia’s Tattnall Prison. A seventh man, who was white, was pardoned by Gov. E.D. Rivers, underscoring the major role played by race in deterDavid Beasley mining who lived and who died. The executions were a record for the state that still stands today. The new Tattnall prison, built with funds from FDR’s New Deal, as well as the fact that the men were tried and executed, rather than lynched, were thought to be a sign of progress at the time. But while the black men were arrested, convicted, sentenced and executed in as little as six weeks, Gov. Rivers pardoned white killers and criminals, allowed the Ku Klux Klan to infiltrate his administration and bankrupted the state. Beasley, who is the co-author of “Inside Coca-Cola,” effectively juxtaposes the lives of the black men who were executed with white men who were not. Critics say his vivid and harrowing account ultimately puts capital punishment itself on trial. The Carter Center is at 441 Freedom Parkway in Atlanta. For more information, call 404-865-7100 or visit www. jimmycarterlibrary.gov.

CrossRoadsNews

February 1, 2014

Finance

“Communicating a key message to staff, clients and business partners in a timely and accurate manner is essential when a disaster strikes.”

Initiatives to help employers hire and keep workers on the job Three workforce initiatives that will making it easier for DeKalb businesses to put long-term unemployed workers back to work and boost the skills of existing employees are seeking applicants. Details about the DeKalb’s Learn & Earn On-the-Job Training Initiative; The Incumbent Worker Training Initiative; and the The Workforce Innovation Grant Work Experience Initiative will be unveiled at 9 a.m. at a Feb. 11 Business Breakfast Forum at the DeKalb Worforce Development offices. Interested employers have until 5 p.m. on Feb. 7 to register at http://tinyurl.com/ mfr5w34. The initiatives, which were announced on Jan. 27 by DeKalb interim CEO Lee May, are designed to spur hiring, retain employees, and re-employ long-term unemployed workers. . The initiatives are funded through the

U.S. Department of Labor’s Workforce Investment Act and Workforce Innovation Fund. The programs are: n DeKalb’s Learn & Earn On-the-Job Training Initiative Qualified employers will get a subsidy/ reimbursement of up to 50 percent of the OJT employee’s wages. The subsidy covers the costs of training for up to a 90-day period. Employers must agree to hire eligible individuals, provide them with skills training over a specific period of time, and pay wages at the same rates as similarly situated employees. The initiative minimizes the upfront costs of training and supervision for new employees and ensures training is aligned with the actual skill requirements of the job. Employers also realize immediate gains in productivity as workers learn on the job.

Workers benefit from employment and the immediate gain of income they will receive during the training process. Interested employers should contact Diontrise Blake at 404-371-2592 for more information. n The Incumbent Worker Training Initiative Existing businesses will get funding for skills-upgrade training for existing full-time employees to help them retain employees and stay competitive. The initiative is designed to avert layoffs and possible business closings. Businesses may use a public or private training provider or may use an approved inhouse training provider based on the nature of the training. Interested employers should contact Varonia Walker at 404-371-6288. n The Workforce Innovation Grant Work Experience Initiative

SDBA dishing out scholarships and awards The South DeKalb Business Association will hand out scholarships and recognize members and community leaders at its annual Scholarship/Appreciation Breakfast on Feb. 7. The scholarships will go to Georgia Piedmont Technical College students. The recognition Alisha Thomas and awards will go businesses that have risen above the odds and at the same time shared their resources to positively impact SDBA’s constituents. State Rep. Alisha Morgan Thomas, who represents House District 39, will deliver the keynote address. Sen. Gloria Butler and Tommy Dortch, president of TWD Inc., are also expected to speak. Gospel DJ Reggie Gay will be master of cer-

Gloria Butler

Tommy Dortch

Reggie Gay

emonies. The event was rescheduled from Jan. 30 because of the Jan.28 snow storm that paralyzed metro-Atlanta and closed government, businesses, schools and colleges. It takes place 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Georgia Piedmont Technical College Conference Center, 495 N. Indian Creek Road in Clarkston. For more information, call 770-879-6703.

Employers get wage subsidies for up to six months to offer work experience to people who have been unemployed for one year or longer. They work directly with Manpower to identify qualified candidates for open positions. The goal is to provide current work experience to the long-term unemployed and increase their chance of landing jobs. Interested employers should contact Varonia Walker at 404-371-6288. Eligible employers must be established businesses and demonstrate financial viability. They and participants will be screened by DeKalb Workforce Development. The above initiatives are subject to funds availability and in accordance to WIA guidelines. DeKalb Workforce Development is at 774 Jordan Lane, Building 4, in Decatur.

SBA webinar on social media Small business owners can get social media strategies for handling crisis communications a free SBA webinar, “Social Media and Disaster Recovery,” on Feb. 11. The U.S. Small Business Administration says organizations are relying more and more on social media to get ahead of and dispel misinformation that can lead to a tarnished reputation and even failure of the company. “Communicating a key message to staff, clients and business partners in a timely and accurate manner is essential when a disaster strikes,” it says. The 2-to-3 p.m. webinar will offer tips on creating a crisis communications plan using social media. It is co-hosted by Agility Recovery. The discussion will include effective uses of various social media channels, simple first steps toward building a crisis communications plan, and best practices based on recent disasters. A question-and-answer session follows the presentation. Space is limited. Register at https://www1.gotomeeting.com/ register/574641720. Visit www.preparemybusiness.org for previous webinars and to download helpful disaster preparedness checklists.

Barrie Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 8th day of January, 2014. 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15

Legal Notices 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15

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

Civil Action # ++14CV1171-3++ Edith Meeks Plaintiff Vs. Richard Meeks Defendant 248 Quincy Place Canton , Ga 30114 By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated January 15, 2014 you are hereby notified that on January 7, 2014 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 Edith Meeks 1303 Constitution Rd SE Atlanta, Ga 30316. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, January 15, 2014 Witness the Honorable Clarence Seeliger Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 15th day of January, 2014. 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV1295-2++ Bianca Lynn Hudson filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on January 14, 2014 to change the name

from: Bianca Lynn Hudson to Hudson Lynn Marr. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the petition was filed. Dated: January 10, 2014 Bianca Lynn Hudson Petitioner, Pro se 3261 Pinehill Dr Decatur, Ga 30032 (404)-633-3668 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15

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

Civil Action # ++13CV12860-3++ Eric Tchamako Plaintiff Vs. Angela Francis Defendant TO: Angela Francis 4370 Northwest 22nd Ave Opa Locka, FL 33054 By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated January 15, 2014 you are hereby notified that on December 20, 2013 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for: Compliant 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 Eric Tchamako 2916 Clairmont Road, Atlanta, Ga 30329 .Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, January 15, 2014. Witness the Honorable Clarience Seeliger Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

01/11, 01/18, 01/25, 02/1

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION 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 Teaondra C. Johnson Coleman 635 Brookridge Ave Atlanta, Ga 30340. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, January 8,2014 Witness the Honorable Tangela M.

In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action # ++13CV11846-2++ Melissa Knox Plaintiff Vs. Gregory Knox Defendant By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated January 6,2014 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 Melissa Knox 2235 Plaster Rd, NE, Apt 29 Atlanta, Ga 30345. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, January 6,2014 Witness the Honorable Desiree Sutton Peasler Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 6th day of January, 2014.

In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action # ++14CV1165-3++ Leontyne Scott Plaintiff Vs. Anthony Jackson Defendant

By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated January 15,2014 you are hereby notified that on January 7, 2014 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 is553 Wynbrooke Pkwy, Stone Mountain Ga, 30087. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, January 15, 2014 Witness the Honorable Clarence Seeliger Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 15th day of January, 2014.

DeKalb County Sheriff

4415 Memorial Drive • Decatur, GA 30032

Sex Offender

Trong Dao 2413 Beverly Hills Dr., Apt. D, Atlanta, GA 30341 Charge of Lewd and Lascivious Act Child Convicted on 6/1/2007

Sex Offender

Joseph Ford 1756 Weekirk Road Decatur, GA. 30316 Charge of Statutory Rape Convicted on 3/21/2005

Sex Offender

Julian Marshall 2349 Newgate Dr. Decatur, GA 30032 Charge of Child Molestation Convicted on 1/9/2008

01/11, 01/18, 01/25, 02/1

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

Civil Action # ++13CV9686-10++ Teaondra C. Johnson Coleman Plaintiff Vs. Alvin Louis Coleman Defendant By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated January 8,2014 you are hereby notified that on September 16, 2013 the above-named Plaintiff filed

Sex Offender

Dennis Chamberlain 416 Orchards Walk Stone Mountain, GA. 30087 Charge of Sex Assault Convicted on 6/6/2005

Sex Offender

Timothy Jones 4077 River Road Ellenwood, GA 30294 Charge of Rape Convicted on 6/28/1999

Sex Offender

Kevin Slaughter 173 Glenhollow Dr. Apt. 4 Decatur, GA 30034 Charge of Statutory Rape Convicted on 2/2/1999

Sex Offender

Tobias Stanford 4080 Crossvale Road Lithonia, GA 30038 Charge of Aggravated Child Molestation Convicted on 11/18/2002

PLACE YOUR LEGAL AD HERE! Call

404-284-1888 for information.

CrossRoadsNews

Scene

February 1, 2014

Quindlen, who won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1992, has written fiction, nonfiction, self-help and children’s books.

Exhibit touts late librarian’s passion for owls Fans of the mysterious all-seeing, all-hearing owl can learn more about the feathered creatures at “Owls, the Symbol of Wisdom and Knowledge” throughout February at the Decatur Library. The exhibit is part of the private collection of the late librarian Lillian W. White. White, who died May 8, 2011 at the age of 79, was the mother of Greg White, director of the city of DeLillian White catur’s Active Living Division. She was one of the first professionally trained, African-American librarians in the state of North Carolina. At her retirement in 1996, White was branch head manager overseeing the operations of all branch libraries in Durham. On Feb. 2, White and his sister, Sharon White, will host a brief discussion

“Owls, the Symbol of Wisdom and Knowledge” is on show at the Decatur Library throughout February.

about their mother and her passion for owls. The discussion at 3 p.m. will be followed by a reception and tour of the exhibit, part of the Black History Month

Series. The library is at 215 Sycamore St. in downtown Decatur. For more information, visit www.dekalblibrary.org or call 404-370-3070.

‘Resettled’ tracks refugee family to Clarkston home A refugee family’s journey from Somalia to Clarkston is chronicled in “Resettled,” an exhibit at the Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library through Feb. 27. The exhibit is a long-term personal project on refugee resettlement by Bryan Meltz, senior photography coordinator at Emory University. It has been recognized by Review Santa Fe, the International Photography Awards and American Photo Images of the Year. A finalist for the FotoVisura grant for outstanding personal photography project, it was also featured on NPR. “Resettled” is part of Let’s Talk About It: Muslim Journeys, a scholar-led reading and discussion program designed to foster opportunities for informed community conversations about the histories, faith, and cultures of Muslims around the world and within the United States. The series has been made possible through a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities in cooperation with the American Library Association. . The library is at 5234 LaVista Road. For more information, visit www.dekalblibrary.org or call 770-270-8234.

Famed journalist and author to discuss her funny tale

Treats, music at Fairy Tale Tea

Fans of acclaimed journalist and author Anna Quindlen can visit with her on Feb. 3 at the Carter Library and Museum in Atlanta. Quindlen will read from “Still Life With Bread Crumbs” at 7 p.m. in the theater. The book is a deeply moving and often very funny tale of unexpected love and a stunningly crafted journey into the life of a woman, her heart, her mind, her days, as she discovers that life is a story with many levels, a story that is longer and more exciting than she ever imagined. Quindlen, whose New York Times column “Public and Private” won the

Characters from beloved storybooks will come to life at the Fairy Tale Tea on Feb. 9 at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center in Atlanta. The 1-to-3 p.m. tea for fathers and daughters and grandparents and grand kids features delicious treats and music while visiting with fairy tale characters like Cinderella, Puss n Boots, and Rapunzel. Tickets are by advance reservation only. All proceeds support the Callanwolde Dance Ensemble. The center is at 980 Briarcliff Road N.E. For ticket price and more information, visit www.callanwolde.org or call 404-872-5338.

Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 1992, has written fiction, nonfiction, self-help and children’s books. Three of her five best-selling novels have been made into movies: “One True Thing,” “Black and Blue” and “Blessings.” “Thinking Out Loud,” a collection of her “Public and Private” columns, was also a best-seller. She currently writes the Last Word column for Newsweek magazine. Tickets are available at www.acappellabooks.com. The library and museum is at 441 Freedom Parkway. For more information, visit www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov or call 404-865-7100.

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Reader Notice As a service to you – our valued readers – we offer the following information: This newspaper will never knowingly accept any advertisement that is illegal or considered fraudulent. If you have questions or doubts about any ads on these pages, we advise that before responding or sending money ahead of time, you check with the Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Line and/or the Better Business Bureau. They may have records or documented complaints that will serve to caution you about doing business with those advertisers. Also be advised that some phone numbers published in these ads may require an extra charge. In all cases of questionable value, such as promises or guaranteed income from work-at-home programs, money to loan, etc., if it sounds too good to be true – it may in fact be exactly that. This newspaper cannot be held responsible for any negative consequences that occur as a result of you doing business with any advertisers. Thank you.

CrossRoadsNews

February 1, 2014

Call 404-284-1888 for Advertising Rates & Information

Your Source for Neighborhood News Finance

Marketplace BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY and PARTNERSHIP Business Opportunity for Business Partners who recently received GEORGIA LIFE producer license. Contact Grace Smith anngsmith1@gmail.com.

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or Les

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CrossRoadsNews

February 1, 2014

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1/21/14 12:44 PM