CrossRoadsNews, February 3, 2018 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

COMMUNITY

WELLNESS

District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson launched his campaign for a fifth term in the office he has held since 2002. 2

Entertainment, information and lifesaving screenings were dispensed at the 13th annual Health and Wellness Expo on Jan. 27. 7

Ready for round 5

Expo delivers the goods

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

February 3, 2018

Volume 23, Number 40

www.crossroadsnews.com

Grady Hospital battling flu with mobile emergency room By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

“New initiatives were added to expand quality care and prevent the unnecessary spread of the flu,” it said in a statement. Grady said the Carolinas Med-1 Mobile Emergency Department is the only state-ofthe-art medical trailer complex available in the United States. It has a two-bed operating room and up to 14 extra beds. Georgia is one of 49 states with high levels of flu activity. In metro Atlanta, nearly 700 people have been hospitalized with the flu. So far, the virus has killed at least 37 in Georgia, state health officials said Wednesday.

Grady’s Carolinas Med-1 Mobile Emergency Department has a two-bed operating room and up to 14 extra beds. It is the only state-ofthe-art medical trailer complex available in the United States.

Within a few hours of opening a mobile emergency department on Jan. 30, Grady Memorial Hospital had seen 33 patients with the flu. The hospital, which serves residents of DeKalb and Fulton counties, opened the mobile unit outside its regular emergency room to cope with an unprecedented influx of patients suffering from influenza A, or H3N2. Grady said like other hospitals across the region and nation, it is experiencing high patient volumes this flu season, which runs from Oct. 1, 2017 through May 19, 2018. Please see GRADY, page 4

Grady Hospital

A year later, Atlanta Sports City facing delays Timelines change as project dates go by with no activity

A partially detached banner hangs at the headquarters for Atlanta Sports City in the former Kohl’s space at the Mall at Stonecrest.

By Lyle V. Harris

The parking lot is empty and the doors are locked tight. An oversized banner bearing the words, “Atlanta Sports City” hangs outside the project’s darkened headquarters at Stonecrest Mall, but it’s partly detached and a loose corner flaps in the breeze. Except for a few cars and an occasional MARTA bus driving along Mall Parkway, the swath of vacant land proposed as the site of the $200 million, 200-acre sports-andentertainment complex announced a year ago on Feb. 22 is quiet as a prairie. There are neither surveyors taking measurements on the site nor any construction workers in hard hats moving dirt or handling heavy equipment. It has been a year this month since the project’s boosters announced ambitious plans to transform the sagging retail corridor in the city of Stonecrest into a major regional sports attraction with new athletic fields, a covered stadium and a host of upscale stores and restaurants. Despite a splashy media blitz and community fanfare last February, several key project deadlines have already been missed and developers have yet to apply for the essential permits or submit to mandatory reviews by local agencies that are required before work can begin. For example: n Groundbreaking for the project was scheduled for late last year but hasn’t yet occurred. n Likewise, plans to build out ASC’s offices on the upper level of the former Kohl’s department store at the mall are still on the drawing board. n The centerpiece of the facility – a covered, 5,000-seat stadium – was originally scheduled to be open for tournament play in spring 2018, a target date that seems increasingly

Lyle V. Harris / CrossRoadsNews

unlikely. CrossRoadsNews made numerous attempts to speak with Vaughn Irons, CEO and founder of APD Solutions, which is working with Atlanta Sports Connection LLC to develop the project. Neither Irons, the project’s self-described “Master Developer,” nor his ASC partners, Zeric Foster and Patrick Henderson, returned calls to explain project delays. Craig Delasin, CEO of Urban Retail Properties, which owns the Mall of Stonecrest and surrounding parcels, also did not respond to several interview requests. Tee Foxx, an ASC spokeswoman, initially declined to answer specific questions. But in a statement emailed later, Foxx insisted there was “no delay” in the project schedule and pointed out that developers had met with Stonecrest City officials on Wednesday. “At present, we are collaboratively finalizing slightly new timelines with the city’s

planning and zoning departments as it relates to the necessary and proper permitting,” Foxx said. “Once that new timeline is established, we can be more specific on what’s included in that phase.” The statement added that subsequent plans to expand the project have also altered the timeline. A Jan. 31 press release from the city of Stonecrest said that installation of some of the multi-sport turf fields would begin “around March 15.” It included a quote from developer Irons saying that tournaments at the facility were already slated for July, but offered no specifics. In a text message Thursday, Irons denied rumors that Patrick Henderson had left the project. “He and Zeric are absolutely still partners in the sports complex project,” Irons said. “We’ve been in meetings together most of the

day. In fact, Patrick just left the office a little while ago heading to Minneapolis representing us at the Super Bowl events.” Since the project’s announcement, the only completed transaction has been the purchase of the 45,000-square-foot Kohl’s building on Oct. 5, 2017 for $2.5 million. Given other bureaucratic hoops that lie ahead, however, even the project’s revised timetable may prove difficult for its developers to meet. Based on the project’s massive size and scale, it’s likely subject to review by the Atlanta Regional Commission as a Development of Regional Impact (DRI). All such mega-projects in the 10-county Atlanta region must first be assessed by the ARC for “…potential impacts on transportation infrastructure and operations, natural resources, public facilities, surrounding land, Please see PROJECT, page 4

CrossRoadsNews

Community

February 3, 2018

“The choice for governor is more than a vote for an individual. It is a vote for a new day.”

D.A. Sherry Boston supporting Stacey Evans for governor By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

DeKalb District Attorney Sherry Boston has thrown her support behind Stacey Evans for governor of Georgia. At a Jan. 31 press conference in front of the historic DeKalb Courthouse, Boston said she will chair the statewide Women for Stacey Evans campaign. “I am proud to stand here with my friend, fellow mother, fellow public servant and the future Democratic nominee and next governor of Georgia, Stacey Evans,” she said. Evans, an attorney and state representative, is one of two candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for Georgia governor. Stacey Abrams, also an attorney and a state representative, is seeking the nomination as well. Boston said women are the foundation of Georgia’s electorate and that in just under 280 days, they will make a decision that will impact the state for the next decade. “The choice for governor is more than a vote for an individual,” Boston said. “It is a vote for a new day. It is a vote for families. It is a vote for freedom. It is a vote for hope.” To naysayers, Boston said they don’t know Stacey Evans. She said she knows both women seeking the Democratic nomination, but is choosing the candidate who is running to bring hope to Georgia. “I stand with Stacey Evans because she is an inclusive leader who will bring all sides

DeKalb District Attorney Sherry Boston said she is able to look beyond race in supporting Stacey Evans for the Democratic nomination for governor of Georgia.

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

together,” Boston said. “As an African-American woman, I am able to look beyond race and focus on the candidate who has been intentional about extending opportunities and deliberate about ensuring that Georgia works for everyone.” Evans says she is seeking the office to bring hope and opportunity to all of Georgia’s families.

“We can do better for women who are fighting to get into careers and get into the middle class,” she said. “We are fighting for hope that hard work will lead to a good job that pays a fair living wage and that the playing field is level for anyone who wants to start or grow.” She said the state must demand that women are treated fairly.

“We must demand equal pay for equal work,” Evans said. “Paid leave must be available. Affordable childcare needs to be a reality for families, and all Georgians should be protected against sexual harassment in the workplace.” The Democratic primary is July 2. Qualifying for the 2018 elections is April 24-30. The general election will be Nov. 6.

Johnson kicks off run for 5th term Judge Coursey retiring on Dec. 31 DeKalb Superior Court Judge Daniel Coursey is leaving the bench after 36 years. Coursey, who was first elected in 1982, says he is retiring at the end of his current term on Dec. 31 and will not seek a 10th term. He is the longest-serving Superior Court Judge in the Stone Mountain Daniel Coursey Judicial Circuit. Over his tenure, Coursey, who prided himself on memorizing all the names of his jurors, presided over numerous high-profile cases including corruption among DeKab elected officials. Coursey was president of the Council of

Superior Court Judges of Georgia, served as chief of DeKalb Superior Court judges, and chaired the Judicial Section of the Atlanta Bar Association. In a Jan. 23 statement, he thanked the people of DeKalb County for allowing him to be one of their Superior Court judges for the majority of his adult life. Coursey, who is one of 10 judges on the DeKalb Superior Court bench, said that has enjoyed meeting the thousands who have served as jurors in his courtroom. A graduate of Emory University and the University of Georgia Law School, he was admitted to the bar in 1966. In retirement, Coursey said he plans to spend more time with his wife Heidi and their dog, Max.

Two announce runs for Coursey’s seat Tekia Parks / CrossRoadsNews

DeKalb Commissioner Larry Johnson poses for photos with supporters at the Jan. 25 kickoff for his re-election campaign for a fifth term of office. He was first elected in 2002.

By Tekia Parks

DeKalb District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson is seeking a fifth term. Johnson, who is in his 16th year in office, kicked off his re-election campaign on Jan. 25 with more than 60 supporters. Betty Dixon, a longtime supporter, was among the people posing for photos with Johnson and each other over music, food and sweet treats at My Coffee Shop on Memorial Drive. She said she is optimistic about a fifth go-round for the commissioner. “He’s always looking out,” Dixon said. “Every time you turn around you see him doing something for someone in the community. Why would you not want to vote for him?” Johnson, who is an advocate for small business owners, said he chose to officially

kick off his re-election campaign at a business. “We have to make sure we honor and support our small businesses and that’s why we’re here tonight,” he said. Johnson was first elected to the DeKalb Board of Commissioners in 2002. He has been unopposed for all his re-election bids. The primary is July 2. Qualifying for the 2018 elections is April 24-30. The general election is Nov. 6. So far there is no announced opposition for the District 3 seat. If elected for a fifth term, Johnson says he wants to keep his district and the county beautiful. “The litter has got to go,” he said. “We got to be more aggressive with our approach and it starts with the pre-k levels. I call that intergenerational.”

Reach More of the People Who Matter the Most – Your Customers! Call 404-284-1888 for Advertising Rates & Circulation Information

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Attorneys Tunde Akinyele and LaTish Dear Jackson will run for the DeKalb Superior Court seat being vacated by Judge Daniel Coursey. Coursey’s Jan. 25 announcement that he is retiring Dec. 31 and won’t seek a 10th term of office, Tunde Akinyele has sparked a lot of interest in the open seat on the bench. Akinyele and Jackson are the first to throw their hats in the ring. Akinyele, who is both a judge and a defense attorney, said Jan. 30 that he will file his declaration of intent to collect campaign donations this week. He is currently chief judge of Lithonia Municipal Court and is in private practice in the Decatur-based Akinyele Law Firm. Akinyele, 51, was a DeKalb County prosecutor from 2000 to 2013. He spent two years in the DeKalb Solicitor’s Office and 10 years in the DeKalb District Attorney’s Office. He was a senior assistant district attorney when he left the D.A.’s office in 2013 to go into private practice. This is Akinyele’s second run for a judgeship. He was a candidate for DeKalb State

Court Judge Edward Carriere Jr.’s seat in 2010 but the election was canceled when the judge took early retirement. Akinyele has also made four shortlists for appointment to the DeKalb State Court by Georgia governors. He said that his vast experience on both sides of the bench equips him L. Dear Jackson to be a Superior Court Judge. “I have had an extensive bench and jury trial experience as a prosecutor, a defense lawyer, and have presided over a significant number of bench and jury trials as a judge,” he said. “I have handled every type of criminal case, from traffic tickets to homicide cases.” Jackson is a former DeKalb Recorders Court traffic judge and an associate of Thomas Kennedy Sampson & Tompkins LLP, the oldest minority-owned law firm in Georgia. During her tenure at Recorders Court, Jackson presided over traffic offenses, misdemeanors and county ordinances. For more than a decade, she has served as a judge in local courts including the cities of Stone Mountain, Lithonia and East Point. She also serves by designation in the DeKalb State and Superior Courts.

CrossRoadsNews

February 3, 2018

Community

“What I saw in the courtroom was a complete mockery of justice. People get more time for weed, petty theft, stuff like that.”

‘Happy birthday to you...’

20 years for mom in hot car baby death

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

John Evans (left), former president of the DeKalb chapter of the NAACP and CEO of Operation LEAD, is all smiles as friends, family and supporters sing to him at a party celebrating his 85th birthday on Jan. 28 at the Sights and Sounds Black Culture Museum at North DeKalb Mall.

Residents can meet new safety director Residents can meet DeKalb County’s new Deputy Chief Operating Officer of Public Safety Joseph H. Lumpkin at a public meet and greet at the Maloof Auditorium on Feb. 3 in Decatur. During the two-hour Joseph Lumpkin event, sponsored by the DeKalb NAACP, the DeKalb Pastors Alliance Inc. and the Civic Association Network, residents can chat with Lumpkin, who took office on Jan. 28, and get answers about their

public safety questions and concerns. The meeting takes place 10 a.m. to noon. When CEO Michael Thurmond announced Lumpkin’s selection in December, he called him a man with a stellar leadership record in law enforcement. Lumpkin, who has more than 40 years’ experience in law enforcement, will be responsible for police, fire rescue, animal control, emergency management, 911 and medical examiner services. He will oversee 1,600 employees and a $201 million budget. The Maloof Auditorium is at 1300 Commerce Drive in downtown Decatur.

Louis Williams and his daughter Skylar. He says the 20-year sentence given to the child’s mother is not long enough.

By Tekia Parks

Dijanelle Fowler, whose baby died in her hot car in June 2017, is going to prison for 15 years. After than, she will serve 5 years probation. Fowler was sentenced Jan. 31 by De Kalb Superior Court Judge Linda Hunter after she pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree, cruelty to children in the second degree, and concealing the death of another. Fowler, 25, left her 13-month-old baby Skylar in her car outside the Mahogany Hair Studio in Tucker for more than six hours on June 15, 2017. Investigators said the temperature in the car rose to 129 degrees that day. Fowler has been in the DeKalb County Jail without bond since July 17, 2017.

Police say Dijanelle Fowler left 13-monthold Skylar in a car for six hours while getting her hair done.

Dalia Racine, DeKalb Deputy Chief ADA, said Fowler told the hairdresser braiding her hair that there was no rush and to “take your time.” District Attorney Sherry Boston, who sought a 40-year sentence for Fowler, said she was disheartened by the sentence. “This family deserved more,” she said. “Dijanelle Fowler made a conscious decision that day which cost an innocent child her life. We believe our recommendation was appropriately aligned with the facts and circumstances of this case.” Louis Williams, the baby’s father, was not satisfied with her sentencing either. “What I saw in the courtroom was a complete mockery of justice,” he said after the sentencing. “People get more time for weed, petty theft, stuff like that. I think it’s ridiculous, and unfair.”

CrossRoadsNews

Community 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007

February 3, 2018

“There’s no taxpayer money at risk here. If they can’t get it off the ground, it just won’t get built and taxpayers won’t be on the hook for it.”

Atlanta Sports City developers mum on delays On Oct. 20, 2017, Atlanta Sports City Master Developer Vaughn Irons took citizens on a tour of the former Kohl’s building at the Mall at Stonecrest, which he purchased Oct. 5 for $2.5 million.

www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Tekia L. Parks Editorial Intern Rosie Manins Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Multimedia Editor Sharif Williams

CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoadsNews, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings. 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. Advertisements are published upon the representation that the advertiser is authorized to publish the submitted material. The advertiser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless from and against any loss or expenses resulting from any disputes or legal claims based upon the contents or subject matter of such advertisements, including claims of suits for libel, violation of privacy, plagiarism and copyright infringement. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement.

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

PROJECT,

from page

economic development and housing,” according the agency’s website. The 14-step DRI review process can take months to complete. An ARC spokesman said the agency is aware of the project but had not been contacted by the developers or the city of Stonecrest to initiate its mandatory review process. Under the DRI guidelines, Stonecrest officials still retain their right to approve the project, regardless of the ARC’s findings. But Ed Williams, a longtime South DeKalb resident, has been openly skeptical of the project and is especially curious about how the project is being financed. “Developers are always promising you a great deal but major sports stadiums always wind up costing taxpayers money,” Williams said. “Look what happened up in Cobb County

with the Braves stadium. I’m afraid that’s what’s going to happen to us at Atlanta Sports City.” Irons and his partners have been tightlipped about the project’s funding from the outset, stating that money was coming from private sources. That’s partly true. At least $160 million in financing for the project will be provided by private activity bonds issued last year by the Joint Development Authority of DeKalb County, Newton County and Gwinnett County. The little-known, tricounty authority was chartered in 2006 under the Board of Regents, which oversees the University System of Georgia. The tax-exempt bonds issued by the JDA are backed by future revenues generated by each project. Since its inception, the JDA has issued millions of dollars in bonds for parking lots, dorms and athletic fields that were built at

community colleges and technical schools in all three counties the authority covers. Flemmie Pitts, one of three board members from Newton County who sits on the development authority board, confirmed that project developers offered assurances in a meeting last November that construction would be started by January 2018. Regardless of any setbacks or delays, Pitts maintained strong support for the project and said local taxpayers have nothing to fear. “There’s no taxpayer money at risk here,” Pitts said. “If they can’t get it off the ground, it just won’t get built and taxpayers won’t be on the hook for it.” Pitts said the project is a great idea. “I think we need more projects like it, especially in mostly black areas where we don’t have enough economic development and educational opportunities,” he said.

Health officials say flu shot can limit severity of symptoms

Sharif Williams / CrossRoadsNews

Grady has implemented flu treatment initiatives that include temporarily limiting hospital visitors under the age of 14 and restricting adult visitors who show signs of being sick, and it has posted signs asking visitors not to enter the hospital if they feel ill.

GRADY,

Circulation Audited By

from page

State epidemiologist Dr. Cherie Drenzek said 25 of the deaths were people 65 years old and older, and that 84 percent were adults over 50. She said that only one child – a 15-year-old girl – between the ages of 12 and 18 has died. Drenzek and state Public Health Commissioner J. Patrick O’Neal say it’s not too late to get a flu shot because there still several more weeks of flu season to go. O’Neal said that the best protection against

the flu is a flu shot. “Even when it doesn’t prevent it, we have information that it modifies the severity of it,” he said. Grady Hospital said its additional flu treatment initiatives implemented this week include temporarily limiting hospital visitors under the age of 14 and restricting adult visitors who show signs of being sick, such as coughing, sneezing and runny noses. The hospital has posted signs asking visitors not to enter the hospital if they feel ill. It has

hand sanitizer lotion at all main entrances. The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children, senior citizens, caregivers and others at risks for the flu get vaccinated annually to prevent seasonal flu. Covering coughs and washing hands frequently can help stop the spread of germs and prevent respiratory illnesses like the flu. The CDC also recommends staying home when sick and avoiding close contact with people who are ill.

CrossRoadsNews

February 3, 2018

Floyd Norman Award winning animator

Phil lamarr veteran voice over artist

Ruth E. Carter costume designer

Behind the Mask

This month, XŜnity introduces you to some of the elite men and women making our heroes super. From illustrators and studio execs, to costume designers and more. Just say, “Black History Month” into your X1 Voice Remote to hear their stories and see their work at Black Film & TV on XŜnity On Demand, where Black History is always on.

Black History

CrossRoadsNews

February 3, 2018

The Feb. 13 program, which begins at 11 a.m., is part of the DeKalb History Center’s 10th annual Black History Month Celebration.

Trailblazers to talk civil rights legacy at DeKalb History Center A panel of trailblazing African-Americans will discuss DeKalb’ County’s civil rights legacy on Feb. 13 at the DeKalb History Center in Decatur. Marcia Glenn Hunter, the first AfricanAmerican female mayor of Lithonia; Elizabeth Wilson, the first African-American mayor of Decatur; and Deborah Tatum, a descendant of Austin Callaway, a 16-year-old black boy who was shot and killed by a lynch mob in LaGrange, Ga., in 1940, will participate in “The Rural Civil Rights: Voices Across Georgia and DeKalb Inspiring Dialogue on Race and Truth.” Callaway’s murder gained international attention after current LaGrange Police Chief Louis Dekmar issued a public apology to the family in January 2017. “I sincerely regret and denounce the role our Police Department played in Austin’s lynching, both through our action and our inaction,” Dekmar told a crowd at a tradi-

Marcia Glenn Hunter

Deborah Tatum

tionally African-American church. “And for that, I’m profoundly sorry. It should never have happened.” It was considered by many, the first public apology of its kind by a white police chief for a lynching. The Feb. 13 program, which begins at 11 a.m., is part of the DeKalb History Center’s 10th annual Black History Month Cel-

Elizabeth Wilson

ebration and will pay homage to DeKalb County and its role in racial injustice. For example, Stone Mountain, the birthplace of the modern Ku Klux Klan, figured prominently in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech delivered on Aug. 28, 1963, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

In the speech, King said: “And I say to you today my friends, let freedom ring. From the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire, let freedom ring. From the mighty mountains of New York, let freedom ring. From the mighty Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snow capped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California! But not only there; let freedom ring from the Stone Mountain of Georgia!” Tickets for the event are $30 for History Center members and $40 for visitors. Lunch is included in the price. The DeKalb History Center is at 101 E. Court Square in downtown Decatur. For more information, contact Melissia Howard at howard@dekalbhistory.org or 404-373-1088, ext. 20.

Athletes feted at Breaking Barriers event LWSC honors Africa Americans in wars

Chris Poss - Swish Appeal

Atlanta Dream coach Nicki Collen (above) and Tommie Smith (right) will be celebrated.

Three African American athletes who used sports as a platform to speak out against injustice will be celebrated Feb. 6 at the Nation Center For Civil and Human Rights Atlanta. 1968 Olympians Tom- Melvin Pender mie Smith and Mel Pender, and Atlanta Dream coach Nicki Collen are expected to participate in the “Breaking Barriers: Winter Olympics Reception” from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., which will celebrate the Feb. 8 opening of the 2018 Winter Olympics which place in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Feb. 9-25. Smith, a track and field gold medalist, became famous for his black power salute during the 1968 Olympics medal ceremony in Mexico City, where he won first place and broke the record in the men’s 200 meter

Please Don’t Litter Our Streets and Highways

AP Photo

dash. Smith raised his fist to protest to civil rights injustices in America at the height of African Americans’ struggles for voting, civil and human rights. Pender, who won a gold medal in the 4×100 meter relay at the same Olympics, also earned a Bronze Star in Vietnam and was head track coach at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Collen was named head coach of the Atlanta Dream basketball team on Oct. 30, 2017. She comes to Atlanta from the Connecticut Sun, where in two seasons, she compiled an impressive 21-13 record and finished with the fourth-best regular season record in the WNBA, earning the franchise’s first postseason appearance since 2012. Tickets for the “Breaking Barriers: Winter Olympics Reception” are $10, and include access to all of the center’s galleries, light bites and access to a cash bar.

Lou Walker Senior Center members will showcase handcrafted art and stage a war re-enactment as part of their Black History Month celebrations throughout February. The 2018 theme, “African-Americans in Times of War,” celebrates the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I in 1918. Projects will explore the complex meanings and implications of the international struggle and its aftermath, highlighting the evolution of African-Americans who have served the U.S. in war. Upcoming events include: n Feb. 6 at 2:30 p.m.; “Times of War,” presented by the African-American History Class. n Feb. 8 at 2:30 p.m.: “Dave the Potter,” presented by the Pottery Class. Special programs hosted by LWSC arts

classes include: n Feb. 14 at 2:30 p.m.: “The African-American Women’s Involvement in Times of War,” presented by the Theater Arts Class. n Feb. 20 at 2:30 p.m.: “The History of the U.S. Armed Forces,” presented by the Performing Arts Class. n Feb. 26 at 2:30 p.m.: “Fighting for Freedom, Equality & Honor in Every U.S. War,” presented by the Drama Club. Throughout the month, LWSC classes will also display special exhibitions. Among them: n Feb. 12-23: Crochet Expo, presented by the Crochet by Numbers Class. n Feb. 26-28, Pottery Expo, presented by the Pottery Class. The Lou Walker Senior Center is at 2538 Panola Road in Lithonia.

‘Marshall’ movie to be screened

Marshall later became “Marshall,” the 2017 the first African-American biographical film about Supreme Court justice in Thurgood Marshall’s work 1961 when President John with the NAACP Legal DeF. Kennedy nominated him fense and Education Fund, for the court. will be screened Feb. 9 at Focused on one of the the Scott Candler Library. first cases in Marshall’s caDuring his 25 years reer, the film also stars Josh (1936 to 1961) with the civil Gad, Kate Hudson, Dan rights organization, MarStevens, Sterling K. Brown, shall travelled the country and James Cromwell. challenging unfair laws that “Marshall” was nomitargeted African Amerinated for Best Original cans. Song for “Stand Up for The movie is set in Something” at the 90th 1940, when Marshall is Academy Awards. an NAACP lawyer travelIt is one of four movies ling the country defend- “Marshall” will be shown at the about African-Americans ing black people who are Scott Candler Library on Jan. 9. wrongly accused of crimes because of racial who impacted history that will be screened every Friday in February at the Scott Candler prejudice. In the movie, he is sent to Bridgeport, library in Decatur. The others are “All Eyez on Me” on Feb. Conn., to defend Joseph Spell, a chauffeur accused of rape by his white employer, El- 2, “Loving” on Feb. 16, and “42” on Feb. 23. All screenings start at 1 p.m. eanor Strubing. Complimentary popcorn will be provided “Marshall,” which is directed by Reginald Hudlin and written by Michael and Jacob by the Friends of Scott-Candler Library. The library is at 1917 Candler Road in Koskoff, stars Chadwick Boseman, a Howard Decatur. University alumni like Marshall.

CrossRoadsNews

February 3, 2018

Wellness

More than 5,000 people attended the 2018 Health and Wellness Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest.

Annual expo delivers on health and wellness

Visitors to the 13th annual Health and Wellness Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest were treated to a wealth of information from wellness exhibitors such as Atlanta Gastroenterology and other fitness and leisure providers.

Angela Walton of the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance (left) shares info with a visitor.

Expo emcee Jan Martin (with mic) led audience participants and dance team members in a group dance as the expo wound to a close.

Commissioner Larry Johnson’s table provided information about the county and his “Let’s Move” fitness campaigns. Tai chi instructor Hertencer Sheppard (left) brought her mentor, 92-year-old Dr. Adelina San Juan, to the stage to show that age is not an impediment to participation.

Life Chef Asata Reid whipped up a beet salad that was healthy and flavorful. Oakhurst Medical Centers (far left) gave blood pressure and blood sugar screenings. Grand prize winners were Catherine McTier (middle photo) and Yolette Bonhomme (right photo, center) who won the trip provided by Debbie Hines Brown (left).

Ballroom dancers Dianne Gilliard and Ken Wilson waltzed into audience members’ hearts with their graceful performance. Photos by Curtis Parker & Jennifer Ffrench Parker / Page Design by Sharif Williams

CrossRoadsNews

February 3, 2018

Legal Notices Chudhari Malcome PLAINTIFF VS Charles Allen DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Charles Allen By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Jan. 02, 2018. You are hereby notified that Dec.

01/13, 01/20, 01/27, 02/03

Notice of Petition in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM12559

14, 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: Chaudhari Malcome, 2174 O’hara Pl., SE, Atlanta, GA 30315. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Jan. 02, 2018. Witness the Honorable J.P. Boulee,

Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 4th day of Jan., 2018 01/13, 01/20, 01/27, 02/03

Notice of Petition in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM10437 Donna Joyce Vinson PLAINTIFF VS Charles Edward Battle DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Charles Edward Battle 953 Glynn Oaks Dr. Clarkston, GA 30021 By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Jan. 04, 2018. You are hereby notified that Oct. 04, 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: Donna Joyce Vinson, 953 Glynn Oaks Drive, Clarkston, GA 30021. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Jan. 04, 2018. Witness the Honorable J.P. Boulee,

Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 4th day of Jan., 2018 01/13, 01/20, 01/27, 02/03

Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name(s) of MINOR CHILD(REN) in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 18FM1587-9 Janica Drayton filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Jan. 24., 2018 to change the name(s) of the following child(ren) from: Kerri Janet Austin-Drayton to Kerri Janet Drayton. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within the time prescribed in OCGA 19-12-1(f)(2) and (3). Dated: Jan. 24, 2018

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Sewing Machine Operator P/T ﬂex hours Wesley Chapel area Call 404-286-2100 between 2pm4pm for appointment Mount Welcome Baptist Church is seeking an experienced, responsible & reliable custodian. Please submit resumes to alton. sneed@gmail.com.

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JHC

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

3372 MEMORIAL DRIVE SE DECATUR, GA 30032 ERE BELVED

LER

ALSTON DRIVE SE

GLENWOOD ROAD

PLAZA

FREE

FABRIC WITH UPHOLSTERY

OFFER EXPIRES 03/31/14 EXPIRES 02/28/18

WE HAVE MOVED TO A BIGGER AND BETTER LOCATION! ADDRESS : 3372 MEMORIAL DRIVE DECATUR, GA 30032 PHONE : (404) 284-1543 r (404) 966-8320 HOURS : MONDAY - SATURDAY 10AM - 6PM E-MAIL : FABRICJOINT@GMAIL.COM WEBSITE : FABRICJOINT.COM Personal Injury & Workers Comp • Family Law/Divorce/Custody • Wills/Probate/Trusts Bankruptcy • Criminal Defense • Corporate & Business Law • Immigration Law

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

P:404.289.2244 F:404.289.2888 www.bjhlawyers.com

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