CrossRoadsNews, February 7, 2009 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

PEOPLE

WELLNESS

SPORTS

Newcomer Tangela Barrie (left) embraces 18-year veteran Linda Warren Hunter after she took the oath of office to become the second Africanwoman on DeKalb’s Superior Court. 4

Deborah Perrymond (right) of Lithonia was among thousands who got free screenings and other info at Saturday’s Health and Wellness Expo. 9

Now that they have a new location to call home, members of the Focus First Boxing Club can turn their attention back to what matters most: the ring. 12

Sisters on the bench

Information galore

February 7, 2009

A place to punch

Volume 14, Number 41

www.crossroadsnews.com

Canceled meeting with CEO spurs flurry of activity By McKenzie Jackson

When DeKalb Police Chief Terrell Bolton canceled his first “sitdown” meeting with CEO Burrell Ellis on Monday, it set off a number of actions. Late that evening, Ellis issued his first executive order, requiring his approval of all personnel changes in the Public Safety Department – police, fire and rescue, and the medical examiner’s office. Then on Tuesday morning, he issued a statement that Bolton “was on leave until further notice” and named assistant chief Karen Anderson, a 20-year police veteran, as acting chief. Ellis also announced that Keisha R. Williams, the police department’s assistant director of community policing, “is on requested leave until further notice.” Together, the quick succession of events fueled speculation that there is a rift between the new CEO and Bolton. At a Feb. 3 press conference dominated by questions about Bolton, Ellis declined to answer questions about any strained relations between him and the police chief. “I am not going to comment on whether he has been cooperative,” he said. “You can draw your own conclusions about that through what has taken place and what has been reported through the transition period up until now. I’m the CEO of the county and he is the chief of police and that is our relationship.” Meanwhile, Bolton told various Atlanta media this week that he was

Relations between DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis (right) and Police Chief Terrell Bolton seemed strained this week when Bolton cancelled their first sitdown meeting on Feb. 2.

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

in Dallas – where his family still lives – to see his longtime doctor. He said he was hospitalized Saturday through Monday when he was diagnosed with diabetes. Bolton also said he will be back at work on Feb. 9. Observers have long suspected that relations are strained between Ellis and Bolton, who was hired by former CEO Vernon Jones. When he took office, Ellis declined Bolton’s offer of a security detail and opted instead to have sheriff ’s deputies protect him. Rank-and-file police officers have also been vocal in their calls for Bolton to resign, and for Ellis to terminate him if he doesn’t. “In the interest for what is best for the citizens of DeKalb County

Corey M. Edwards / CrossRoadsNews

and members of the police department, Terrell Bolton should tender his resignation immediately,” said a Feb. 3 posting on their website, http://dekalbofficersspeak.blogspot.com. “It is time to move on so we can start the healing process from the damage he has caused to this once proud police department and the citizens of DeKalb County.” Ellis’ executive order – which will last for 60 days until April 2 – was not unexpected. He announced his intention to issue it on Jan. 30 during a speech at the graduation ceremony for the 86th class of the DeKalb Police Academy, attended by Bolton. He told the graduates and officers at the ceremony that they

are here to protect and serve the citizens of DeKalb. “I am here to protect and serve you,” he said. After his announcement, Bolton said the department would work with Ellis but issued a warning. “We will work with the CEO through that order and all the other things that I know he has in store for us, but make no mistake: We have chain of command and rules you have to adhere to,” he said. At Tuesday’s press conference, Ellis said Williams was on leave at her own request, and that he hasn’t taken away any of Bolton’s power. He said he just wants his administration to review personnel moves. “We haven’t said that he can’t

do those personnel actions, we just say allow us to review and approve them,” he said. Ellis has placed public safety as the top priority of his administration. His transition team that studied DeKalb government prior to his taking office, identified a pattern of reassignments in the police department that were not adequately explained or justified. “There have been numerous reassignments of high-ranking DeKalb police officers to assignments that appear totally unsuited to the rank and experience of these officers,” said the transition report, which was released on Dec. 19. At a Dec. 2 community meeting in Decatur, residents served by the South Precinct expressed dissatisfaction with frequent personnel changes and complained about a “revolving door” in top command at the precinct. Ellis says he wants to have an open-door policy with police officers and employees of the police department. “We want them to be able to come in and talk to us and as a result of that they have got to feel that they can come and talk to us without any fear of retaliation,” he said. Ellis said he would not go into details about any form of officer retaliation. “I have some concerns about public safety in DeKalb County and I began to address those concerns, but I’m not going to talk about any employee or personnel issue until I’ve had the chance to talk to them,” he said.

South DeKalb players net nearly $2 million in football scholarships By McKenzie Jackson

Colleges from Arizona to Florida came calling on DeKalb County schools on Wednesday and at the end of the day – known famously as “National Signing Day” – 86 football players had signed more than $2 millions in scholarships for next year. South DeKalb-based high schools dominated the college picks – nabbing 71 of the spots. Schools like Avondale, Tucker, Decatur, Cedar Grove, Columbia, Lithonia, McNair, Miller Grove, Stephenson, Stone Mountain and Southwest DeKalb all had players sign to play at 52 football programs across the country. Avondale head coach Michael Carson said DeKalb’s large talent pool always brings in college

coaches. “In DeKalb County, we probably play some of the best football in the state of Georgia,” he said. “We have teams consistently loaded with athletes.” Stephenson linebacker Tobias Williams was among of four of the school’s athletes who signed letters of intent with colleges Wednesday. His $22,012 scholarship with Jackson State made his father, Lawrence, very happy. The elder Williams said if he had to pay for Tobias to go to college, he would be looking at a bill

Avondale High School football players (from left) Deonta McDowell, William Brown and Courtney Brantley sign letters of intent to college football programs on Nov. 4.

between $50,000 or $60,000 over four years. “Now all he has to do is keep his grades up,” he said. “You always gotta remember until you get out of college, student comes before athlete.” Stephenson head coach Ron Gartrell said signing day is always

a pleasure. “It’s good to have these parents not having to go in their p o c ke t s ,” h e said. In the last 11 years, Gartell has had more than 100 players sign full athletic scholarships with almost every major football program in the Southeast. “We are talking about millions of dollars,” he said. McNair’s quarterback, Zaquan Lawrence, will be playing at Tusculum College in Tennessee on a full scholarship. “My mom didn’t graduate from high school, so she was very,

very happy,” he said. “And my stepdad said he is glad that I’m doing something with my life and not being like my father, who is not in my life.” After enduring a tough 1-9 season, Avondale High defensive lineman Deonta McDowell was understandably concerned about his college prospects. But he got a $20,548 scholarship to BethuneCookman College in Daytona Beach, Fla. “At first I wasn’t sure if I would get any looks, but I remember one of my coaches told me that it doesn’t matter if you go 0-10,” he said. “College scouts will still be there to look at me; and they came.” Visit www.crossroadsnews.com for the complete list of Signing Day Scholarships.

CrossRoadsNews

February 7, 2009

Community

CrossRoadsNews

I’m going to do everything I can to make sure we don’t lose another young child under those circumstances.”

Family, school community mourning loss of vibrant second-grader By Corey M. Edwards

The family of Kameron Dunmore will hold a memorial service for the 7-year-old Princeton Elementary second-grader on Feb. 7. At the 11 a.m. service at Beulah Baptist Church in Decatur, each of Kameron’s classmates will give a single yellow rose – representing peace Kameron – to the family. Juanita Letcher, the school’s principal, said Wednesday they will plant a tree in his memory in front of the school and erect a stone bench engraved with his name. She said they have also collected money from the teachers at the school and neighbors in the community to help his family cover funeral expenses. Kameron, who was a gifted student, was killed Feb. 2 when a SUV, driven by Shirley Ogilvie, ran over him in the crosswalk in front of his Lithonia school. Police spokeswoman Mekka Parish said a school crossing guard was present and holding up a handheld stop sign when Ogilvie hit Kameron. Ogilvie, 40, who was taking her own child to another school, was hospitalized for observation the morning of the accident. She faces charges ranging from vehicular homicide to failure to yield for a

Corey M. Edwards / CrossRoadsNews

A roadside memorial marks the intersection where Kameron Dunmore was killed on his way to school.

pedestrian crosswalk. Kameron is the second DeKalb County student to be hit by motor vehicles in the last three weeks and since the school system eliminated

door-to-door transportation for 5,000 magnet and choice student on Jan. 6. Parish said he is the first student in the county’s history to be killed

at a school crosswalk. last year who were asking Kristian Selles, a stufor a traffic light to be put dent at Chamblee Charter back at the intersection, High School, was injured but nothing was done. Jan. 13 in a hit-and-run acDeKalb Chief Execucident on River Mist Cove tive Officer Burrell Ellis in Ellenwood. She was on said at a Feb. 3 press her way to take a MARTA conference said he “didn’t bus to the DeKalb Shuttle Juanita Letcher know if a light was there Stop at Oak View Elemenor not,” or why it was tary School to get the school bus to replaced. her school. Ellis said he promised KamShe is still hospitalized at Grady eron’s grandmother that a traffic Memorial Hospital with head inju- study will be done to determine ries and a fractured pelvis. whether a light is needed at the The driver, Virgil Devoe Harvey, intersection. who left the accident scene, turned Marion James, who lives on himself into police on Jan. 14. Har- Carriage Trace near South Deshon vey, 48, of Decatur was released on Road since 1998, said the school $2,000 bond on Jan. 17. should have never been built in Adrienne Burnett, who taught this area. Kameron for the past two years “This street has always been a in first and second grade, said fast street,” James said. “I think they Wednesday that she will always just picked a bad place to build a remember him as an energetic, fun school.” child. She said he was leader whom Ellis, whose son and daughter, many students followed. twins Burrell III and Victoria, are “The kids in the class were very 4 years old, said hearing the news close to Kameron because he was a of Kameron’s death was one of the trendsetter,” she said. “One day last most painful things he’s experiyear when Kameron came to school enced. he had a mohawk and all the kids “I’m going to do everything were so excited. The next week, half I can to make sure we don’t lose the boys came in with the same another young child under those exact haircut as Kameron.” circumstances in DeKalb County,” Burnette said it’s been hard he said. passing by the two makeshift meGrief counselors have been at morials started by mourners on the school since Monday to provide both sides of the crosswalk. support for the students and staff. Letcher, the school’s principal, Beulah Baptist Church is at confirmed Wednesday that she met 2340 Clifton Springs Road in Liwith several parents and neighbors thonia.

CrossRoadsNews

People

February 7, 2009

“Andy is a fair and conscientious professional, who is accurate and works hard to make sure the small details are right.”

Barrie is county’s 2nd black female Superior Court judge 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker General Manager Curtis Parker Staff Writers Corey M. Edwards McKenzie Jackson Advertising Sales Cynthia Blackshear Graphic Designer Sharif Ffrench CrossRoadsNews is published every Thursday 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 CrossRoadsN ews are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher.

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Judge Tangela Barrie is helped into her robe by her husband, Dr. Mahmoud Barrie, and Judge Mark Scott after taking the oath of office on Jan. 8.

For the last five weeks, DeKalb Superior Court has had two female African-American judges – a county first. Judge Tangela Barrie joined the bench on Jan. 8, becoming only the second black woman to sit on that bench in the county. She joins Judge Linda Warren Hunter, who is starting her 18th year on the Superior Court bench after winning re-election in November. Barrie, a former DeKalb assistant district attorney, succeeds Judge Anne Workman, who retired at the end of December. She took the oath of office from U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven, who serves in Florida. Scriven became Barrie’s mentor in 1997 when she served as her judicial law clerk after graduating from Stetson University College of Law. At 35, Barrie is the youngest judge on the DeKalb Superior Court bench. During the ceremony, Judge Mark Anthony Scott presented her with her robe and Hunter gave her a gavel.

Literature teacher adds author to resume

Local journalist on congressman’s staff

High school literature teacher Dr. Brenda Engram Salter will be on television on Feb. 9, but she won’t be talking about her 12th-grade British Lit class at Southwest DeKalb High School. Instead Salter, who also chairs the school’s English Department, will be taking about prayer when she appears as the featured guest on WATC-57’s “AtlantaLive” program between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Salter, a licensed clinical pastoral counselor and founding pastor of Restoration International Ministries in Decatur, will be discussing her how-to book, “The Worship Tithe,” published in December. In the book, the self-proclaimed “prayer warrior” offers readers the prescription for true worship in a 24-minute time span. “Being in church all of my life, I observed that [we as worshipers] do not worship consistently,” she said. “I just felt led by the Holy Spirit to share my experience and encourage others to spend more one-on-one time consistently in the presence of the Lord.” Salter said she hopes the book will help reshape the way people look at worship. The book is available at major book stores and at Amazon.com. For more information, visit www.theworshiptithe.com.

Journalist Andy Phelan has joined Congressman Hank Johnson’s office as communications director. Phelan, who was a reporter for the Champion in Decatur for three and a half years, will be based in the Fourth District’s Tucker office. In a Jan. 29 statement, Johnson said Phelan will focus both on his legislative work in Wash- Andy Phelan ington, D.C., and his deep commitment to his local community. “Andy is a fair and conscientious professional, who is accurate and works hard to make sure the small details are right,” said Johnson. “He treats people with fairness and balance, and I expect him to be a valuable member of our team moving forward.” Before he joined the Champion, Phelan was a web producer for The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C., weekend editor for The Sumter Item in Sumter, S.C., and web designer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Quick Read Family, school mourning loss STDs on the rise among of vibrant second-grader 3 DeKalb men and women The family of Kameron Dunmore will hold a memorial service for the 7-year-old Princeton Elementary second-grader on Feb. 7.

Chlamydia among young adult men is on the rise in DeKalb. In 2007, the sexually transmitted disease rose 25 percent among men to 1,183 – the highest level in 10 years.

Music lovers can hear everything from Mozart to Duke Ellington when the Southwest DeKalb High School Orchestra performs at Ray of Hope Christian Church.

Thousands of East Metro residents descended on the Mall at Stonecrest for the fourth annual Health and Wellness Expo.

punching bags, another jumped rope in front of a mirror, while still another received instructions from a trainer inside the ring.

Trying to understand in wake of apparent homicide 5 Thousands visit Stonecrest for Boxing club members refocus in new space to train 12 When Stephanie Thornton got a frantic information, screenings 9 While four boxers worked at separate early morning phone call from a relative on Jan. 15, telling her to turn her television, she knew the worst had happened to her niece and goddaughter, Brittany Sharnay Wells.

Four seek vacant seats on Lithonia City Council

DeKalb celebrating centennial Southwest DeKalb continues 5 of national NAACP 10 to dominate AP exam 13

Four candidates are seeking two open seats on the Lithonia City Council in the March 17 special elections.

The NAACP is turning 100 years old on Feb. 12, and the DeKalb chapter will be joining 1,700 chapters nationwide in the celebrations.

Air Jamaica to end service to Atlanta 6 Exhibit to look at history of Tuskegee Airmen Starting Feb. 26, Air Jamaica will no Circulation Audited By

School orchestra in concert at 8 the Ray 11

longer fly to Atlanta. Cost-cutting measures announced by the national airline of Jamaica also included elimination of services to Los Angeles and Miami and to Grand Cayman.

SWD students continued their dominance of AP U.S. History this week, becoming the public school with the largest number of black students to score of 3 or higher.

Group seeks to get fathers 10 more involved 13

African-American and military history lovers can view some of the history of the Tuskegee Airmen at an exhibit at the Gwinnett Veterans Memorial Museum

For Oak View PTA president Corey Wilson, being a father has its perks – the hugs and smiles he gets in his Decatur home, and playing catch with his sons.

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Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey...............11 Stacy M. Cameron, Attorney at Law................. 6 The Gallery at South DeKalb.............................7 Wal- Mart..........................................................2

CrossRoadsNews

February 7, 2009

Community

“I turned on the television and I saw the dumpster and without even knowing, I knew she was in there.”

Teenager’s family trying to understand in wake of apparent homicide By McKenzie Jackson

When Stephanie Thornton got a frantic early morning phone call from a relative on Jan. 15, telling her to turn her television, she knew the worst had happened to her niece and goddaughter, Brittany Sharnay Wells. “I turned on the television and I saw the dumpster and without even knowing, I knew she was in there,” Thornton said last week. “Everything in my gut told me it was her.” Clarkston police found Brittany dead in the trash bin outside an apartment complex on Smith Street. Police believe the 17-yearold Clarkston High 11th-grader

A 14-year-old, whose name is being withheld because of his age, has been charged with concealing Brittany’s death. Because of the trial to come, Clarkston Police Chief Tony Scipio said he could not say why Cade allegedly killed Brittany. “We are certain we have the Brittany Wells Stephanie Thornton responsible parties,” he said. Brittany’s family and friends was choked to death by her 17-yearburied her on Jan. 23 at Resthaven old boyfriend, Shannon Cade, on Garden of Memory in Decatur after Jan. 14. Police believe that Brittany a funeral service earlier in the day went to Cade’s apartment willingly at Mt. Patmost Baptist Church in that night, but was then held there Decatur. After the funeral, Thornton said against her will. Cade was arrested on murder charges on Jan. 16 and that the family did not know that is being held without bond in the Brittany was involved with Cade. “We had no idea,” she said. “We DeKalb County Jail.

had family dinners once a month, so if you didn’t come to the family dinner then you clearly wasn’t like a boyfriend or anything.” The wake featured a picture slideshow of Brittany, some of her poetry writings and schoolwork. Thornton said that Brittany’s death was a tragedy. “She was so vibrant,” she said. “She was quiet, but when you got to know her she was a very, very fun-loving kid.” Brittany’s teachers, principal and friends described her as a girl with a bright future ahead of her. Stephanie Felton, her business and computer technology teacher, said that Brittany was sweet and ambitious.

“She was always ready to get something done, she was always all over it,” said Felton, who talked to Brittany on a daily basis at school. “She was so perky and full of life.” Felton, who runs Clarkston High’s Future Business Leaders of America club, said Brittany was a member of the group. “She was always trying to get me to take them on different field trips to learn different things,” she said. Scipio, whose department helped pay for Brittany’s funeral, also said the incident is a tragedy. “You have a 17-year-old victim, then you have a 17-year-old and 14-year-old perpetrator,” he said. “In actuality you haven’t lost one life, you’ve lost three lives.”

Four seek Lithonia council seats PRISM meeting to focus on zoning rules Four candidates are seeking two open seats on the Lithonia City Council in the March 17 special elections. When quali- Rick Dodd fying closed Feb. 4, Rick Dodd, Al Franklin, Deborah Jackson and Tabitha Wingo had thrown their hats in the ring. They are competing to finish the unexpired terms of former council members Tonya Peterson and Linda Pruett, who both had one year left on their terms. Peterson is the city’s mayor and Pruett left the council.

Deborah Jackson

Tabitha Wingo

Dodd, who is self employed, has run for the council before. Franklin is an advertising account executive. Jackson, an attorney, ran recently for mayor in the Nov. 18 special election. Wingo is a tax examiner. The two garnering the most votes will join Doreen Carter, Kathleen deCocq and Marcus Lloyd on the council.

DeKalb residents can learn ist Church is at 5365 Memorial Arrington at 404-292-0541 or state more about zoning ordinances Drive in Stone Mountain. Rep. Michele Henson at 404-296For more information, call Joe 1442. at PRISM’s Feb. 22 meeting at St. Timothy United Methodist Church in Stone Mountain. During the 7 p.m. meeting, zoning ordinance consultants will present a zoning overview of DeKalb County, which is currently being transformed from a suburban county to a more urban metro county. Residents will be able to make comments, share information and give input on the zoning regulations that will shape DeKalb for the next 10 to 20 years. Local News. Loyal Readers. We Deliver! Admission is free. Call 404-284-1888 for Advertising Rates & Information St. Timothy United Method-

Finance

CrossRoadsNews

February 7, 2009

“These decisions were not arrived at easily. We must become a lean and efficient airline to survive these difficult times.”

Air Jamaica to end service to Atlanta By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Starting Feb. 26, Air Jamaica will no longer fly to Atlanta. Cost-cutting measures announced by the national airline of Jamaica also included elimination of services to Los Angeles and Miami and to Grand Cayman. The airline is also discontinuing service between Jamaica and Barbados and Grenada. With the cuts, the 40-year-old airline, famous for its champagne flights and gourmet meals, will downsize from 15 airplanes to nine. More than 650 employees, including 20 in Atlanta, will lose their jobs. President and CEO Bruce R. Nobles said the cuts are designed to quickly stem the substantial cash losses at the airline and position it on a path to financial stability. “These decisions were not arrived at easily,” Noble said. “We must become a lean and efficient airline to survive these difficult times.”

Air Jamaica’s Michelle Reed (left) was a frequent supporter of events in metro Atlanta.

At its height, Air Jamaica had daily flights to nine Caribbean islands and 11 U.S. and Canadian cities. It began flying to Atlanta on Dec. 15, 1983, but got competition when Delta began flying to Kingston and Montego Bay in spring 2006.

Standing up for rights of poor

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Poor people and their advocates will descend on the Georgia Capitol on Feb. 11 and 12 for the 29th annual Poor People’s Day. The event is sponsored by the Georgia Citizens Coalition on Hunger’s “Up and Out of Poverty Now” Coalition, and the Atlanta Taskforce for the Homeless. This year’s theme is “The Peoples’ Bailout: The Change We Want to See!” The two-day event starts with Education Day on Feb. 11 at the Georgia Citizens Coalition on Hunger, 9 Gammon Ave. in Atlan-

ta. Participants will seek solutions on issues like housing foreclosures and homelessness, livable wages, healthcare coverage, and privatization of state agencies. On Feb. 12, Action Day, the People’s Caravan will depart at 10:30 a.m. from the Atlanta Taskforce for the Homeless, 477 Peachtree St., for a rally and press conference at Central Presbyterian Church, 201 Washington St. S.W., across from the Capitol steps. For more information visit www.ga-hungercoalition.org or call 404-622-7778.

During its service in Atlanta, Air Jamaica supported a host of community events, including CrossRoadsNews’ annual Health & Wellness Expo. A part of its farewell, Air Jamaica has been offering $59 fares from Atlanta to Jamaica, good for travel through Feb. 23. Air Jamaica will continue to fly from Jamaica to New York (JFK), Chicago (O’Hare), Baltimore, Philadelphia, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, and from New York to Barbados and Grenada. Service between Jamaica and Toronto, Curacao, Nassau, and Havana will also continue. Jamaica’s government, which owns the airline, has been talking to investors in attempts to privatize it in time for a March 2009 deadline. It believes the downsizing will enhance the airline’s attractiveness to investors and speed up the privatization process. For more information, visit www.airjamaicatransaction.org/.

Business tips available Aspiring business owners can pick up tips at the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center’s “Starting Your Own Business” workshop on Feb. 10. Registration is $69 for the 6 p.m.-9 p.m. event, which will include discussions, a detailed business start-up workbook, and handouts. The center is at 2296 Henderson Mill Road, Suite 105, Atlanta. To register, call Barbara Johnson at 770-414-3110.

Wellness

CrossRoadsNews

February 7, 2009

“You cannot fully engage the issue of poverty or acadmic underachievement without addressing teen pregnancy.”

STDs on the rise among DeKalb young men and women Chlamydia among young adult men is on the rise in DeKalb. In 2007, the sexually transmitted disease rose 25 percent among men to 1,183 – the highest level in 10 years. The DeKalb Board of Health, which collects statistics on sexually transmitted diseases, said that even though the disease rose among men 13 to 29 years old, the chlamydia rate among women in the same age group was almost three times that of men. In 2007, there were 3,187 cases of chlamydia among women ages 13 to 29. Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the United States. It is easily spread because it often causes no symptoms and may be unknowingly passed to sexual partners. In fact, about 75 percent of infections in women and 50 percent in men are without symptoms. The local statistics support findings of an annual national report by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released Jan. 13. The report, Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance 2007, showed that there were more than 1.1 million chlamydia cases in 2007, up from about one million in 2006, making it the largest number of cases ever reported to the CDC for any condition. Of those cases, the chlamydia rate among women was almost three times that of men – 543.6 cases per 100,000 women, compared to 190 cases per 100,000 men.

Symptoms of chlamydia

Chlamydia is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the United States.

Dr. John M. Douglas Jr., director of CDC’s Division of STD Prevention, said the report is a clear indication of the disproportionate burden women continue to bear from STDs. “The widespread occurrence of these diseases should serve as a stark reminder that STDs remain a serious health threat in the United States, especially for women,” he said. The rise in the chlamydia rate among women also poses a persistent threat to fertility in the United States. Left untreated, up to 40 percent of chlamydia infections in women can result in pelvic inflam-

It is not easy to tell if you are infected with chlamydia since symptoms are usually not apparent. But when they do occur, they are usually noticeable within one to three weeks of contact and can include the following: Symptoms in women n Abnormal vaginal discharge that may have an odor. n Bleeding between periods n Painful periods n Abdominal pain with fever n Pain when having sex n Itching or burning in or around the vagina. n Pain when urinating Symptoms in men n Small amounts of clear or cloudy discharge from the tip of the penis. n Painful urination n Burning and itching around the opening of the penis n Pain and swelling around the testicles

matory disease – a condition that causes as many as 50,000 women to become infertile each year. Untreated cases can also cause ectopic pregnancy, chronic pelvic pain and other serious health problems. The 2007 STD surveillance report also showed ongoing racial disparities in the three most common STDs. While African Americans make up 12 percent of the nation’s population, in 2007 they accounted for 70 percent of reported gonorrhea cases and almost half of all chlamydia and syphilis cases, 48 percent and 46 percent respectively. African-American women ages

15 to 19 years old accounted for the highest rates of chlamydia (9,646.7 per 100,000 population) and gonorrhea (2,955.7 per 100,000 population) of any group. Douglas said most, if not all, of these diseases can be prevented if efforts are intensified to reach these communities with screening and treatment services. “Testing and the knowledge of infection is a critical first step toward reducing the continued consequences of these diseases,” he said. The 2007 STD report is at www. cdc.gov/std/stats07. For more information, call at 404-294-3700.

Group to address domestic violence in the black church Domestic violence can be devastating, especially when the person you to turn to does not know how to help you. To help train church leaders on how to help their members, the Black Church and Domestic Violence Institute is hosting a threeday “This Far By Faith” conference at the Embassy Suites Atlanta Galleria in Buckhead, Feb. 13-15. The forum began as a way for

the national nonprofit training and technical assistance organization to teach community leaders, advocates and practitioners how to address domestic and sexual violence against women of faith. The conference’s goals are to develop ethical strategies for addressing violence against women of faith; identify compatible partnerships between secular and faithbased organizations; and lay the

groundwork for strategic plans for faith-based initiatives. It includes film screenings, roundtable discussions and technology demonstrations. Sessions will address the multilayered issues of serving women in the context of the black church and cultural traditions and the violence against women’s movement. Dr. Marian Meyers, an associate professor of communications

at Georgia State University, will illustrate how the church can help to reshape media coverage of violence against women. There will be a panel discussion on issues of faith, gender, sexuality and race in the context of violence against women on college campuses. The Embassy Suites Atlanta Galleria is at 2815 Akers Mill Road. For more information, call 770909-0715.

Rise in teen births comes on heels of 14-year decline By Corey M. Edwards

Teens births are on the rise again in Georgia and nationally. Between 2005 and 2006, teen mothers across the country gave birth to 2,212 babies, a 4.6 percent increase. Even though Georgia’s increase was 3 percent, the state was one of 26 reporting a significant increase in teen birth rates. Georgia now ranks 10th highest in the nation in births among 15- to 19-year-olds. Only three states and the District of Columbia showed a significant decrease. The rise in teen birth rates comes after 14 consecutive years of decline, which may have caused resources, funding and, more importantly, attention to be diverted to more pressing issues. Kim Nolte, vice president of programs and training at Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (G-CAPP), said she hopes President Barack Obama and his new Health and Human Services Secretary will make teen

Between 2005 and 2006, teen mothers gave birth to 2,212 babies, a 4.6 percent increase.

pregnancy a priority. “You cannot fully engage the issue of poverty or academic underachievement without addressing teen pregnancy,” she said. G-CAPP’s officials are planning to intensify efforts to spotlight the importance of focusing on teen pregnancy. For the past 10 years, the group has promoted statewide public policy initiatives like the Doula Project, Second-Chance Home

Network and Carrera Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program, which seek to support healthy children, youth and families. With austerity measures facing the state and budget cuts threatened everywhere, Joel Alvarado, G-CAPP’s policy director, said it would be very detrimental for policies and programs that have helped thousands of teens across the state to get cut just to balance

the budget. He said that they are fighting to ensure that programs stay at a level that won’t undermine the progress already made. “We’re opposing the budget cuts that might close a number of teen centers that have been a light in the desert for us in the fight against teen pregnancy,” Alvarado said. Michele Ozumba, the group’s president and CEO, said that to reverse the current growth trend, the pendulum must now swing to the side of empowerment, opportunity and education. “Our youth Michele Ozumba deserve a chance to succeed and prosper,” she said. “They will only do so if we provide them with the tools necessary to make good decisions not only for themselves, but for the community as a whole.” For more information, visit www.gcapp.org.

Stress may be factor in overeating The stress over the economy could be making you fat or fatter. Yes, in times of extreme stress and emotional anxiety, many of us find comfort in the fridge and the pantry. Experts at the Lerner Research Institute at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio say that approximately 75 percent of overeating is caused by stress. Alice Schuler, a DeKalb Medical registered dietitian, says food has an addictive quality. “It releases hormones that promote a sensation of feeling really good,” she said. “Sometimes we use food to distract us, but it can quickly become a negative.” So as economic insecurity and stress grows, overeating increases, which contributes to the obesity epidemic sweeping the country. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says more than 300,000 Americans die each year from health complications associated with obesity, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cancer and heart disease and stroke. In Georgia, more than 29 percent of the population is 30 or more pounds overweight. To help curtail the effects of stress eating, DeKalb Commissioner Connie Stokes and acting district health director Dr. Leslie Richmond focused on chronic diseases associated with overeating at their Jan. 16 “New Year, New You” health forum at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia. Richmond says it’s a matter of improving your health through nutrition and physical activity. “By making real lifestyle changes such as increasing your physical activity, quitting smoking and eating more healthy foods, many African Americans can reduce their chances for getting cancer, diabetes and heart disease,” she said. The good news is that there are many ways to deal with stress eating and obesity. One of the first steps to getting your weight under control is finding a safe, nutritional way of eating. DeKalb Medical’s Schuler says that you first have to redefine your relationship with food. To assure success at changing your eating habits, she suggests making an appointment with a registered dietitian who uses behavior modification. Programs that can change the way you look at food include OPTIFAST, a stimuli-narrowing dietary intervention that uses behavior therapy and reduced food consumption to decrease appetite. It is available at the Spa at Stonecrest. DeKalb Medical also offers an Obesity Support Group that meets in the Stubbs Auditorium third Mondays and Wednesdays and fourth Monday at 7:30 p.m. At each forum, participants share their stories with overeating. For more information, call Dr. Alice Schuler at 678-5825975.

February 7, 2009

CrossRoadsNews

2009 Health & Wellness Expo Thousands visit Stonecrest for information, screenings

DeKalb Medical nurse Marilyn O’Brien (left) takes a blood sugar reading for Paulette Hall of Decatur during the fourth annual Health and Wellness Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest’s lower level.

East Metro residents descended on the Mall at Stonecrest Saturday for the fourth annual Health and Wellness Expo. More than 40 exhibitors – representing hospitals, community health centers, physicians, dentists and other health care professionals, health insurers and training institutes and government agencies – offered free screenings, demonstrations, seminars and other information on topics such as diabetes, uterine fibroids and heart disease during the noon to 5 p.m. event. The Health & Wellness Expo is of four expos sponsored this year by CrossRoadsNews and the Mall at Stonecrest. The others are Summer Camps on March 28, Small Business Expo on April 25, and the Adoption Expo on Aug. 15.

Visitors to the mall got health information from people like DeKalb Medical’s Dr. Timothy Milner (above left), as well as exercise demonstrations from groups like the Humana-sponsored SilverSneakers program. Above right, an audience member works out along with the stage demonstration.

More scenes from the 2009 Health & Wellness Expo www.crossroadsnews.com/pages/ news_multimedia. Grand prize winner Barbara Kenton (left photo, in middle) and her sister Patricia Lewis (in cap) pose with (from left) Expo co-emcee Pamela Holmes, CrossRoadsNews publisher Jennifer Parker and coemcee Heather King. In right photo, audience members give the stage their undivided attention.

CrossRoadsNews photos by Jennifer Ffrench Parker, McKenzie Jackson and Curtis Parker

CrossRoadsNews

Black History Month

February 7, 2009

“Although we’ve done a lot, we haven’t finished the job yet. There is still more to be done.”

DeKalb NAACP celebrating centennial of national civil rights group The NAACP is turning 100 years old on Feb. 12, and the DeKalb chapter will be joining 1,700 chapters nationwide in the celebrations. DeKalb’s “Centennial Celebration” takes place at 7 p.m. at Saint Philip AME Church in Atlanta. Historian, archivist, author and pastor, the Rev. Herman “Skip” Mason will deliver the keynote address on the celebration’s theme, “Freedom Fighters for a New Century.” Students from the DeKalb County Academy of the Arts will perform during the free event.

Yvonne Hawks

“Skip” Mason

Founded Feb. 12, 1909, by five blacks and three whites to promote equality and fight for the rights of all minorities, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has been at the

forefront of the nation’s battle for civil and human rights. The DeKalb branch was formed in 1955 at the Lily Hill Zepora Roberts Baptist Church in downtown Decatur by Charles E. Price, then executive secretary of the state NAACP. To avoid the attention of groups opposed to civil rights for blacks, the chapter called itself the DeKalb

Citizens Committee. It launched the largest voter registration project in DeKalb County by registering more than 4, 000 voters. Zepora Roberts, a DeKalb NAACP member since 1979, said she believes in everything that the NAACP has done since its inception. “They have been there to fight our battles and to open up new doors that we are now reaping the benefits of,” she said. “Although we’ve done a lot, we haven’t finished the job yet. There is still more to be done.”

Yvonne Hawks, the DeKalb NAACP’s new president, said that the chapter has accomplished a lot in its history. “We want to branch out and make sure all of DeKalb County has the opportunity to join in with us any of our initiatives involving, education, political action, youth works committee,” said Hawks, who has been a member since 1997. Admission is free. Saint Philip AME Church is at 240 Candler Road in Atlanta. For more information, call 404-2418006.

Auburn Avenue Research Library exhibit looks into life of Civil Rights icon By Corey M. Edwards

On the morning of March 7, 1975 at the foot of a relatively unknown bridge in Selma, Ala., Hosea Williams became both a man of the moment and a man of the people. Affectionately known as the “battering ram” of the Civil Rights Movement, Williams stood on the brink of history with fellow activist John Lewis at the Edmund Pettus Bridge. In the annals of U.S. and Civil Rights history, that day became known as Bloody Sunday for the ruthless beatings of unarmed people marching for the right to vote. It led to the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The role of Williams – who described himself as “unbossed and unbought,” in the Civil Rights Movement alongside Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – is chronicled in “Voice of the Crusader: The Life and Work of the Reverend Hosea L. Williams,” on display at the Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History through Feb. 15. The exhibit, which opened Nov. 16, tells story of Williams’ colorful life fighting the

power structure in an array of photographs and documents from his private collection. The fearless and blunt Williams was jailed more than 125 times for championing civil rights. Williams, who was a DeKalb County Commissioner in the 1980s, founded the nonprofit Hosea Feed The Hungry and Homeless organization, now run by his daughter Elisabeth Omilami and her husband, Afemo.

Williams died Nov. 16, 2000, at age 74. Voice of the Crusader not only depicts an emotional side of Williams’ struggle at a pivotal time of change for America, but also gives viewers a glimpse into the strategic contributions of the foot soldiers of the Civil Rights Movement. DeeDee Williams, the Hosea Williams Foundation’s media director, said many younger people imay not know a lot about Hosea Williams because he doesn’t get as

much acknowledgement in the history books as other members of the Civil Rights Movement. “Rev. Williams was a behind-the-scenes man as far as the Civil Rights Movement is concerned, so this exhibit shows you the important role the foot soldiers played,” she said. APEX archivist Kerrie Cotton Williams said the exhibit, which took more than three years to complete, will give viewers a better understanding of activists within the movement – particularly the ones who came out of Atlanta. “You will definitely learn a lot about [Mr. Williams] as a civil rights leader, but also as a chemist and reverend,” she said. “He was a really brilliant person and I think people will be able to get some sense of that from the collection.” The exhibit, which is free, is supported by grants from the Georgia Humanities Council and the Atlanta-Fulton County Library System. The Auburn Avenue Research Library is at 101 Auburn Ave. in downtown Atlanta. For information, call 404-730-4001.

Exhibit looks Noted humanitarians to get NAACP award Movie shows Nobel Peace Prize winner honored to share the award with power of love, at Tuskegee Al Gore and Dr. Wangari Muta Gore. Maathai, presiding officer of the “I am especially honored to friendship Airmen Economic Social and Cultural be receiving this award from the African-American and military history lovers can view some of the history of the Tuskegee Airmen at an exhibit on display at the Gwinnett Veterans Memorial Museum in Lawrenceville. The exhibit, which runs through April, includes artifacts, documents and personal memorabilia from the pioneering African-American pilots who were members of the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. They were the first black pilots in the U.S. military. The free exhibit is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. The Gwinnett Veterans Memorial Museum is at 185 Crogan St., Room 118, in the Old Gwinnett Courthouse in Lawrenceville. For more information or to schedule a tour, call 770-985-0901 or visit www.vetmemorialmuseum.tripod. com.

Council of the African Union, will be picking up the NAACP Chairman’s Award on Feb. 12 during the live broadcast of the 40th NAACP Image Awards on Fox TV. The show will be broadcast from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Calif at 8 p.m. NAACP Board Chairman Julian Bond is bestowing the award on the two in recognition of their special achievements and distinguished public service. Gore, who was U.S. vice president under Bill Clinton, lost the 2000 presidential election George W. Bush. He won the Nobel Peace prize in 2007 for promoting positive environmental change. Maathai, a Goodwill Ambassador to the Congo Basin Forest Ecosystem and a 2004 Nobel Peace Prize winner. Bond said he is very proud of the two for their substantial efforts

Al Gore

Wangari Maathai

in environmental awareness, sustainable development and peace. “Their courageous and historic accomplishments have benefited not only current but future generations, and they clearly reflect the values that we have so valiantly fought for over the past century,” he said. Gore said the NAACP has served as a beacon, advancing civil rights for the benefit of all Americans. “I am so honored to be a part of this historic centennial celebration,” he said. “The Image Awards are made all the more special because I am joined by my friend and colleague, Dr. Wangari Maathai.” Maathai said she is deeply

NAACP, an organization that has been working tirelessly for the dignity and humanity of ethnic minorities, focusing especially on social and economic equality,” she said. “The election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America is a testament to your mission.” Clayona Brown, the Image Awards chairperson, said the NAACP marks a historic milestone on February 12, 2009. “For 100 years to the day, the NAACP has fought to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of all citizens,” she said. Brown said the Image Awards and other events offers the opportunity to looks back and forward at the organization’s accomplishments. For more information, visit www.naacpimageawards.net.

“Perfect Harmony,” a movie about how friendship and a love of music can overcome racial prejudice, will be screened Feb. 14 at the Flat Shoals Library. The 1991 movie, which is set in South Carolina in the 1950s, features a choirmaster trying to reduce prejudice and hostility of some of the students in his choir. His efforts helped a black boy and a white boy learn more about each other through music. It is directed by Will McKenzie and stars Justin Whalin, Eugene Byrd, Peter Scholari and Darren McGavin. The 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. screening is in celebration of Black History Month. Admission is free. The Flat Shoals Library is at 4022 Flat Shoals Parkway in Decatur. For more information, call 404-244-4370.

CrossRoadsNews

February 7, 2009

Scene

“What we have been doing is trying to find other ways to get money.”

School’s orchestra in concert at the Ray

Tuba player seeks help

Music lovers can hear everything from Mozart to Duke Ellington when the Southwest DeKalb High School Orchestra performs an hourlong concert Feb. 15 at Ray of Hope Christian Church. Thirty student musicians will play a range of music from David O’Fallon’s “Gaelic Overture” and Vivaldi’s “Winter” to Duke Ellington’s “It Don’t Mean a Thing if You Ain’t Got That Swing” and Timaland and One Republic’s “Apologize.” The concert starts at 4 p.m. There is no admission charge but donations will be solicited. Nita Mason, president of the orchestra’s booster club, said the sour U.S. economy is also affecting the orchestra members’ ability to buy uniforms and go to competitions. She some students have lost jobs and many are unable to pay dues and the cost of trips. “We understand that,” she said. “What we have been trying to do is find other ways to get money.” She said the orchestra already missed a competition in Florida this school year, because they did

Kadeem Chambers has been a tuba player for two years with the Southwest DeKalb Marching Panther Band. Over the years he has been on many band trips with the help of his mother, who is raising him and his three siblings on a salary of fast food restaurant employee. But this year, the 14-year-old two-time All-State band member might not be able to make it to the National Bands of America Festival in Indianapolis, Ind., on March 19-21 unless he finds a benefactor. The trip costs $660 and his mother, Anitra Chambers, just can’t find the funds for the trip this year, and for his band dues and dues to the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony where he is a member. “I would enjoy going and playing with some of the top people in the nation,” he said. “My mom wants me to go on this trip because she thinks that if I go on this trip a bunch of colleges and universities will be looking.” Anitra Chambers said that

Members of the Southwest DeKalb Jazz Quintet, with director Melanie Driver (center), performed for Nigerian Women Association of Georgia in December.

not have enough money to go. Mason, whose daughter Lea Mason plays violin, said that the funds raised at the concert will go toward buying uniforms to wear during their performances. “They are an orchestra and they need to be dressed like an orchestra,” she said. “I think that will help their solidarity and their self-esteem, because they will look like the way they play.” Orchestra director Melanie

Driver said she also hopes to raise enough money to start a scholarship fund to pay for lessons and master classes for some students. “We won first place in the last two competitions we entered,” she said. “Some need private lessons because they really aspire to be music majors.” Ray of Hope Christian Church is at 2778 Snapfinger Road in Decatur. For more information, call Nita Mason at 404-286-5354.

Valentine’s Day brunch has tropical flavor Couples can enjoy a romantic island-flavored meal on Feb. 14 at the Georgia Caribbean American Coalition’s Valentine’s Day BrunchCaribbean Style at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Decatur.

The 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. meal will be held in the church’s Tisdale Hall. The menu includes jerk chicken, cheesecake and macaroni and cheese. Admission is $20 for adults, $10 for youth.

Holy Trinity Epsicopal Church is at 515 East Ponce De Leon Ave. in Decatur. For more information, visit www.gacaribbeanamericanheritage.org or call Anthony Grant at 404-484-1659.

Steve Harvey to sign book at Stonecrest Actor and comedian Steve Harvey will sign copies of his new book, “Act Like A Lady, Think Like a Man” at the Borders Books and Music at the Mall of Stoncrest in Lithonia on February 9. The host of the “Steve Harvey Morning Show” which airs in Atlanta on WAMJ Steve Harvey 102.5 FM, has been stand-up comedian for more than 20 years but has now added relationship expert and author to his moniker. He penned the book whose full title is “Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man. What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy and Commitment,” with the help of relationship advice expert

Denene Millner. Harvey says it grew out of an important truth he discovered during daily on-air conversations with his female listeners: Women just don’t get men, no matter how hard they try. He said they need someone – like him – to set them straight so they can finally have relationships that work, whether they’re out there dating, in a long-term relationship or even married. In the book, Harvey provides women with the ultimate playbook for dealing with men on their terms, on their turf and in their own way. He encourages every woman who truly wants a solid relationship to forget everything she thinks she knows about men, and explains that most men are simple, driven by who they are, what they do and how much they earn. He says that

until they are secure in those areas, they most likely won’t be looking for any deep involvements. “But once they are ready to get serious, men express their love with the “three p’s” – profess, provide and protect,” he said, adding that they require support, loyalty and intimacy from women in return. Harvey also writes that women must set standards from the get-go, and he suggests coming up with a Top 10 list of requirements and then spelling them out since men aren’t programmed to guess at these things on their own. Admission is free. The Mall at Stonecrest is off I-20 at Turner Hill Road in Lithonia, Georgia. For more information about the Mall at Stonecrest, visit www. mallatstonecrest.com or call 678526-9880.

Kadeem Chambers needs help to pay for trips to band competitions.

because of economic struggles, a lot of parents in the band have not yet paid half of their children’s band dues. “It’s hard. It is just really hard,” she said last week. “You don’t want to stop the kids from going on these trips, but it’s hard. Everything they do have costs. I have four kids so it’s like I’m doing this for you, but I still have the other three I have to look after.” For more information, call Anitra Chambers at 770-3220846.

CrossRoadsNews

Sports scoreboard BOYS BASKETBALL Jan. 30 Columbia 69, Clarkston 35 Miller Grove 80, SWD 63 Stn Mtn 65, Lithonia 47 Jan. 31 Centennial 74, Tucker 62

GIRLS BASKETBALL Jan. 30 Newton 51, Stephenson 44 M.L. King 50, Greenbrier 35 Chamblee 44, Cedar Grove 31

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Mfon Udofia, guard Miller Grove Udofia, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound guard committed to Georgia Tech, scored 22 points in the Wolverines’ win over Southwest DeKalb on Jan. 30. Udofia is averaging 26.3 points, 3.6 steals and 6.9 assists a contest.

BOYS BASKETBALL Feb. 10 Towers at Columbia, 5:30 p.m. Tucker at SWD, 7 p.m. Stone Mtn. at Miller Grove, 7 p.m. Feb. 13 Dunwoody at Columbia, 7 p.m. Tucker at Miller Grove 7 p.m.

GIRLS BASKETBALL Feb. 10 Redan at Stephenson, 5:30 p.m. Decatur at Buford, 6 p.m. Feb. 13 M.L. King at Union Grove, 6 p.m. Blessed Trinity at Decatur, 5:30 p.m. Cedar Grove at Towers, 5:30 p.m.

GAME OF THE WEEK Redan at Stephenson (girls) The last time these two teams played, Redan beat Stephenson, the AAAAA defending champions, 86-42.

WORTH NOTHING County rebounding leader Kinley Branch of Stone Mountain has had seven games this season in which he has pulled down 17 or more rebounds and four games where he had more than 20 boards.

February 7, 2009

“It’s great. I finally can train and I’m looking forward to becoming the world’s greatest legend.”

Boxing club members refocus in new space to train By McKenzie Jackson

While four boxers worked at separate punching bags, another jumped rope in front of a mirror, while still another received instructions from a trainer inside the ring. All of this while an iPod hooked up to speakers blasted Three 6 Mafia’s classic rap song “Sippin’ On Some Sizzurp” throughout the gym. Yes, the boxers of Focus First Boxing and Fitness are finally home. The boxing club, formerly known as the Center Court Boxing Club, moved into their new gym home in January after going four months without a place to practice their hooks and jabs. Their new home is at 6924 Main St. in downtown Lithonia, in the Wayfield Foods shopping center. Right now the main room of their facility consists of a boxing ring, four punching bags and other boxing equipment scattered throughout the room, and of course fighters who are training on a nightly basis. Devon Goins, an amateur boxer for two years, said it is home. “It’s great,” he said. “I finally can train and I’m looking forward to becoming the world’s greatest legend. I’m looking forward to winning nationals, Golden Glove Nationals, U.S. Nationals and I’m looking forward to being nominated to go to the worlds; that is what this new gym does.” The boxers, who are led by Coach Al Brown, trained anywhere that they could after an increase in rental fees led to their departure from Center Court Spots and Fitness in Stone Mountain in September.

Professional boxer KeAndre Leatherwood, one of the newest members of Focus First Boxing and Fitness, is seen here warming up before strapping on boxing gloves. Leatherwood’s career is being managed by Focus First operators Al Brown and Francis Darden.

Photos by McKenzie Jackson / CrossRoadsNews

Boxing trainer Carilius Reece (left) instructs 16-year-old boxer DeAndre Smith on fighting technique. Smith, a Southwest DeKalb student has been boxing for several years.

Brown, a boxing coach of over 20 years, had the group of boxers training in parks, high school athletic fields and at other boxing clubs around the metro area before he partnered with Francis Darden to finance the move to Lithonia. Goins, 19, said the boxers stayed with Brown, a member of the Georgia Boxing Hall of Fame, because he is the best boxing coach around.

“When we go to these other gyms we destroy those guys,” he said. Along with Darden, who has been involved in boxing for a year, trainers Akbar Walton and Carilius Reece are also working with the group in their new gym. Professional boxer Jamar Saunders, who fought in his fourth professional boxing match on Feb.

Columbia players honored for season play By McKenzie Jackson

Columbia High School football players Nathaniel Anthony, Brian Holloway and Toavon Sheats will be honored at the 100% Wrong Club’s annual High School Awards Breakfast on Feb. 7. The three players are being honored by 100% Wrong, a 75-year-old organization that honors players from historically black colleges and universities and high school players for their accomplishments during the football season. They are among 35 high school football players from metro Atlanta who will be honored during the 9 a.m. event at the Westin AtlantaAirport Hotel in College Park. The college players will be honored during an event later in the evening. Warren Dixon, awards chair of the 100% Wrong Club, said the high school players will be given awards, one will be named high school player of the year, and two will receive $1,000 scholarships. Dixon said the breakfast will be followed by a mentoring session featuring the players, high school coaches and football coaches from historically black colleges taking part in a discussion about what happens after high school. “Everybody is not going to play professional football, so they need

Columbia’s Brian Holloway (left) and Nathaniel Anthony are among high school and college players who will be honored by the 100% Wrong Club.

to know what comes next,” he said. “Our main focus is to make the kids aware that there is life after football.” Franklin Hill, president of 100% Wrong, said that Atlanta Falcons players Jonathan Babineaux and Chauncey Davis will speak at the event, along with some college football players. “At the end of that four-year college term we want you to have that degree,” he said. “The athletes bring their perspective of what they’ve been up against trying to balance their education and time on the field.” The event’s hosts will be Gil Tyree, Ken Hutchinson and Hal Lamar. During the 2008 football season, Anthony, a senior running back, who has signed with Georgia

State, ran for 1,315 yards and 11 touchdowns in ten games. He averaged 131.5 rushing yards a contest and had the highest rushing game of any county player last season when he ran for 313 yards and two touchdowns against Druid Hills. Holloway, another senior running back featured heavily in the Columbia offense, ran for 975 yards and seven touchdowns last year. He averaged 97.5 yards a game and had his highest rushing game last season against Clarkston, when he racked up 178 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries. The Howard Universit ybound Sheats, a senior, 6-foot-4, 235-pound offensive and defensive lineman for the Eagles, had 25 total tackles on defense last season, while on offense he was a key blocker.

6, also trains at the gym under Brown. He said having their own gym means the boxers don’t have to worry about someone telling them when they can come and go. Saunders added that the opening of the club has attracted attention from passersby who are walking around in the shopping center. “Guys and girls come by, poke their head in and talk to us,” he said. “They just try to see how they can get involved.” Darden said he and Brown want First Focus Boxing and Fitness to be a place where youth can be constructive and not just hanging around on the street. “I’m just trying to give back,” he said. For more information and membership prices, call 678-7689178.

Youth pick up baseball tips at camp Youth baseball players ages 6 to 14 from across metro Atlanta picked up playing tips from five current and former Major League Baseball coaches and players during the two-day Tom Gordon Winter Baseball Camp at the Batter’s Box in Decatur. The Jerry Clark Foundation – created by Island Def Jam vice president Jerry Clark to give back to the community through athletics and academics – organized the Jan. 24-25 camp. More than 150 boys practiced their diamond skills with camp headliner and three-time All-Star Tom Gordon of the 2008 World Champion Philadelphia Phillies; Los Angeles Dodgers June 2008 draft pick Devaris Strange-Gordon; Los Angeles Angels 2007 draft pick and minor league baseball player Baron Short; former Atlanta Braves star Brian Jordan; and Philadelphia Phillies player Jeff Keys. The camp included instruction in pitching, fielding and hitting, as well as strength and conditioning training, and a surprise motivational speech from rapper Young Joc.

Youth

CrossRoadsNews

February 7, 2009

“There’s a direct connection between lack of parental involvement and poor school achievement.”

Southwest DeKalb High continues to dominate AP U.S. History exam By Corey M. Edwards

Southwest DeKalb students continued their dominance of AP U.S. History this week, becoming the public school with the largest number of African-American students in the class of 2008 to score 3 or higher on the test. The College Board, which administers the Advance Placement examination, recognized the Decatur school among 16 nationally for helping African-American and/ or Latino students to succeed in Advanced Placement classes. On the 2008 U.S. History ex-

amination, 53 of the 77 Southwest DeKalb High students who took the test had scores of 3 to 5. In its announcement Wednesday, the College Board said the school had the largest number of African-American students of any public school in America taking and scoring well on the test. It was the only Georgia school to make that list. John Prince, Southwest DeKalb’s principal, said the success of the AP program comes from a culture of excellence he and his staff have built at the school. “Students know that if they

come to Southwe s t D e Ka l b they are going to be successful,” Prince said. “We have teachers here who are extremely dedicated to making sure that our John Prince students are going to be successful.” Gaston Caperton, the College Board’s president, said educators, administrators and policymakers should be proud of the achievements produced by the school’s

sustained commitment to helping students gain access to and achieve success in AP courses and exams. “Each year sees more students from diverse backgrounds accomplishing success in AP, but we can’t afford to let ourselves believe equity has been achieved until the demographics of successful AP participation and performance are identical to the demographics of the overall student population,” he said. This is not the first time that Southwest DeKalb has achieved this distinction. For two consecutive years in 2005 and 2006, it led the nation with the highest number

Group seeks to get fathers more involved

Simone Williams’ speech and rendition of a Maya Angelou poem helped her win the Miss Greenforest crown.

More than 20 fathers and other influential men attended the first meeting of Fathers Being Involved.

By Corey M. Edwards

For Oak View PTA president Corey Wilson, being a father has its perks. There are the hugs and smiles he gets when he walks t h ro u g h t h e door of his Decatur home, and playing catch with his sons, Blake and Tyler, Corey Wilson in the yard. But with fatherhood also comes responsibility. That’s why Wilson created a new PTA group – Fathers Being Involved (FBI) – to help fathers like him master the art of fatherhood. At the group’s first meeting on Jan. 28, Wilson challenged more than 20 fathers and influential men with ties to the Decatur school to be more visible and help the teachers do their part. “Men are the main missing ingredient in our South DeKalb schools,” he said. “The women are doing their part as best they can, but it’s hard for a lot of the male students not to see a male presence in the school.” Wilson has been a part of the Oak View PTA for the past three years while his sons matriculate through the school. He said it’s

frustrating for him to walk into the parent meetings and see little or no involvement from the fathers. “When we have our meetings, most of the people that are there are women,” he said. “If you go to the school, out of the 60 or more professionals working there, two or three might be men.” Dr. Ralph Simpson, the DeKalb School System’s area assistant superintendent, who was a featured speaker at the meeting, said more parental involvement, especially from men, would greatly help strength the academic achievement of the schools on the south end of the district. “There’s a direct connection between lack of parental involvement and poor school achievement,” Simpson said. “If they know that you’re not involved and you’re not going to hold them accountable, then what is it that you expect them to do.... What gets monitored gets done.” DeKalb School Board member Jay Cunningham and County Commissioner Larry Johnson also spoke at the meeting. “Fatherhood is a two-way street,” said Johnson, whose District 3 includes the school. “I hope the men here can find a project [in the school] to wrap their arms around.” One of the first projects on FBI’s to-do list is an all-male run

PTA meeting at the school on Feb. 10. Wilson says he wants to have enough men participate in the meeting – passing out the agenda, greeting guests and serving drinks – so the women at the school will not have to lift a finger. He also wants the FBI men to get together for a school beautification day and an “all-male invasion day” where fathers would walk the halls and stop into classrooms to check on the students. To help support these initiatives, the Oak View PTA has set up community fundraisers centering on parental involvement. Every fourth Thursday monthly, the PTA hosts a “Bring a Parent to Dinner” night at the Piccadilly in the Gallery at South DeKalb. Children eat at a reduced rate and Piccadilly donates $1 from every meal sold to the Oak View PTA. Theron Woodward, whose son, Jonathan, is an Oak View fifthgrader, said programs like these will help parents open up to their children and listen to them. “Sometimes we need to hear from our children more than they need to hear us dictate to them,” he said.

of African-American students to pass the AP U.S. History exam and earned a Georgia Senate Resolution for the accomplishment. In 2006, 34 Southwest DeKalb High School students got scores of three to five, up from 27 in 2006. This year, 242 students are enrolled in AP courses in chemistry, biology, physics, calculus, English, French, government, U.S. history, world history, economics, statistics and psychology. Prince said he encourages his students to take part in the rigorous AP courses because it leads to success at the next level.

Greenforest Academy junior nabs 2009 title and crown Sixteen-year-old Simone Jahnaé Williams is the 2009 Miss Greenforest at Greenforest/McCalep Christian Academic Center in Decatur. Simone, a junior, was the only underclassman to compete in the contest, which is in its fourth year. She outdid three other candidates to take the title and crown at the school’s Jan. 7 Homecoming Pageant. Simone’s speech on why she should be Miss Greenforest and her rendition of Maya Angelou’s poem “Phenomenal Woman” in the talent portion of the competition helped her nab the crown. She also captured the majority of

student votes from the school’s middle and high school grades. Simone has attended Greenforest since she was 2 years old. An honor roll student, Simone is a participant in Duke University’s Talent Identification Program (TIP). Simone is also an All-American Scholars inductee, a member of the Senior BETA Club and National Honor Society, treasurer of the Student Government Association and a published poet. When she’s not making the honor roll or achieving perfect attendance, Simone is a varsity cheerleader and basketball player. She also runs track.