CrossRoadsNews, February 28, 2015

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

WELLNESS

The 54-mile Selma-to-Montgomery March for voting rights in 1965 will be repeated on March 8-13 to mark the event’s 50th anniversary. 3

A candlelight vigil, motorcade of hearses and emotional pleas marked a “Stop the Violence” program at Greater Travelers Rest. 5

Parents are encouraged to talk with their preteens and teens about immunization during Georgia Preteen Vaccine Awareness Week. 7

Famous steps retraced

Rally to end violence

Info can save lives

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

Copyright © 2015 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

February 28, 2015

Volume 20, Number 44

www.crossroadsnews.com

Proposed city of Greenhaven passes feasibility test

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

“We consider the results of the report to be a validation of our belief that we have a viable area that can now begin to focus on economic development within its boundaries,” Rice said. “To see that amount of excess revenue blew our minds. It gives us wiggle room. We’re very excited.”

The Vinson Institute at the University Kathryn Rice of Georgia conducted the study of fiscal feasibility for a proposed city of South DeKalb paid for by the CCCSD and state Rep. Rahn Mayo.

The study sought to determine whether the services to be provided by the proposed city along with the necessary administrative apparatus can be adequately funded by the revenues that would be available.

It is second South DeKalb city to get the nod from the

The proposed city of Greenhaven in South DeKalb is viable, a study done by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government finds.

The report released Feb. 26 by the Concerned Citizens for Cityhood in South DeKalb says that based on 2013 revenues collected in unincorporated DeKalb and projections for franchise fees, the Homestead Option Sales Tax, and the Community Development Block Grant, the proposed city would generate revenues of $45,611,418 and have expenses of $18,434,437, meaning revenues would exceed expenses by $27,176,981.

The proposed 126.2-square-mile city is seeking to provide three services – planning and zoning, code enforcement, and parks and recreation. It plans to purchase the other services from DeKalb County government.

Dr. Kathryn Rice, the group’s chair, said the group is tremendously excited to get the results.

Please see GREENHAVEN, page 2

The proposed 126.2-square-mile South DeKalb city abuts Rockdale, Fulton, Clayton and Henry counties.

Flat Shoals interchange work gets under way $34.8 million project to take two years

The Flat Shoals Parkway overpass bridge will be replaced as part of the interchange improvements.

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Work has finally started on the Flat Shoals Parkway/I-285 project that will create a new diamond interchange and improve traffic and pedestrian flow.

Crews began clearing trees along the interstate a couple of weeks ago on the project that is scheduled for completion by October 2017.

Ira Witherspoon, acting area engineer for the Georgia Department of Transportation in DeKalb County, said pre-inspection and preliminary vibration monitoring on parcels adjoining the project have been under way since January.

He said that demolition of sidewalks along Flat Shoals Parkway will get under way within the first month.

The $34.8 million project covers 3.5 miles along Flat Shoals Parkway between Panthersville Road and the Sonic Drive-In at 3900 Flat Shoals.

The reconstruction of the interchange includes the construction of two bridges – a new I-285 overpass bridge along Flat Shoals Parkway/State Road 155 and a new Panthersville Road Bridge over I-285.

The Flat Shoals overpass bridge will provide two through lanes in each direction, bike lanes on both sides, and dual left-turn lanes from Flat Shoals Parkway northbound and southbound onto I-285 eastbound and westbound.

The interstate exit ramps will be widened to provide dual left-turn and dual right-turn lanes onto Flat Shoals Parkway.

Walls will be constructed under the PanThe interstate entrance ramps will be thersville Road Bridge at I-285 to allow the widened to provide three lanes at their in- ramps to be extended under the bridge. tersections with Flat Shoals Parkway and will Sound barriers will be constructed along taper down to one lane toward I-285.

I-285 where warranted.

PhotosbyJenniferFfrenchParker/CrossRoadsNews

Crews are clearing trees along I-285 to make way for road more lanes on exit and entrance ramps to and from Flat Shoals Parkway.

Atlanta-based Pittman Construction Co. was awarded the contract in November, part of more than $111 million that the Department of Transportation awarded for four infrastructure improvement projects in

metro Atlanta and North Georgia.

When the project was first unveiled to residents in April 2008, construction was scheduled to begin in 2014.

Witherspoon said when construction is in full swing, there will be traffic interruptions that will be channeled through the DeKalb County traffic center so motorists can be notified.

The Flat Shoals/I-285 interchange is the second major interchange to be improved in South DeKalb.

GDOT completed its $30.9 billion I-20 Collector-Distributor Lane project at the I-20/I-285 interchange in June 2013.

The 4.7-mile project overhauled the congested interchange by separating merging I-285 traffic from I-20 eastbound throughtraffic to make it safer for motorists exiting at Wesley Chapel Road, made ramp improvements between Columbia Drive and Panola Road, and installed sound barriers along the length of the project.

2

CrossRoadsNews

Community

February 28, 2015

“My best friend and life partner was stolen from me without any warning.”

Former DeKalb zoning official pleads guilty to bribery charge

By Ken Watts

Jeremy Clark, a former member of the DeKalb County Zoning Board of Appeals, pleaded guilty on Feb. 19 to a federal charge of accepting a $3,500 bribe in exchange for his zoning vote in favor of letting a nightclub operate later hours.

A U.S. grand jury in Atlanta indicted Clark on Feb. 10 on one count Jeremy Clark of “converting to personal use property of another,” U.S. District Court records show.

Clark, who served on the Zoning Board of Appeals for four years, entered his guilty plea at a hearing in U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May’s court in downtown Atlanta. He

will be sentenced on April 30.

Clark is facing up to 20 years in prison.

His attorney, Gary Spencer, said he’s hoping for a sentence significantly less than that because of Clark’s cooperation with prosecutors.

Clark, who left the Zoning Board of Appeals in 2013, admitted meeting with the owner of a Tucker nightclub before a zoning vote in November 2012.

Federal prosecutors have not named the club owner.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Davis said at the hearing that the club was trying to provide late-night dancing without obtaining a special permit.

In November 2008, the Board of Commissioners passed a zoning ordinance that regulated the placement and operation of late-night establishments and nightclubs.

As a general matter, the ordinance mandated that new businesses must obtain a Special Land Use Permit if they wanted to operate either as a late-night establishment or as a nightclub.

Davis said that Clark and the club owner had an agreement that Clark “would be rewarded” if the Zoning Board of Appeals granted permission for the later hours.

The board approved the club’s request and Clark was paid $2,000 in cash and received a $1,500 donation to a charity with which he was involved.

Clark must repay the $3,500 as a federal fine, according to the terms of his plea agreement.

Acting U.S. Attorney John Horn said it took only $3,500 to subvert the purpose of the DeKalb zoning ordinance that was to regulate the operation of late-night night-

clubs.

“This case demonstrates how a corrupt public official can sell out the legitimate interests of the communities and citizens he serves, solely for his own profit,” Horn said.

“DeKalb County citizens deserved better.”

DeKalb interim CEO Lee May appointed Clark in 2009 while he was District 5 commissioner.

In a Feb. 13 statement, May said he was deeply disturbed and saddened about the allegations and that Clark no longer has any association whatsoever with DeKalb County.

“Situations such as this are what compelled me to give the DeKalb Board of Ethics the resources and tools to serve the residents of DeKalb County, and why I signed an executive order in June 2014 to define ethics rules for county employees,” he said.

Convicted Craigslist killers sentenced to life without parole

By Ken Watts

out any warning,” she said. “I know that this sentence will not bring my husband Centevious Stepp-McCommons of back. My heart hurts.”

Craigslist offers these safety measures at www.

Atlanta and Malik Deshawn Rice of CovProsecutor Bill Clark asked Becker craigslist.org/about/safety. ington will spend the rest of their lives in to consider releasing the two when they When meeting someone for the first time, please prison after both were convicted in the reached midlife because they were just remember to: Craigslist-related murder of a grandfather 18 at the time of the murder, but Becker n Insist on a public meeting place like a cafe. on Aug. 19, 2013. gave them the maximum, tacking on an n Do not meet in a secluded place, or invite strangers The two lured Clarence Gardenhire extra 35 years to Stepp-McCommons’ life Clarence Gardenhire into your home. of Tallahassee, Fla., and his son, Jamar term and 55 years to Rice’s. Becker said Perry, to an abandoned house in southeast Stepp-McCommons she handed down the tough sentences because of a lack of n Be especially careful when buying/selling high value Atlanta in DeKalb with a fake ad featuring remorse from the two defendants. items. an iPhone for sale. Stepp-McCommons, Stepp-McCommons and Rice were convicted of felony n Tell a friend or family member where you’re going.

20, fired several shots during an attempted murder, possession of a firearm during commission of a n Take your cell phone along. robbery, critically wounding Gardenhire felony, criminal attempt to commit a felony and two counts who later died at a local hospital. n Consider having a friend accompany you. of aggravated assault.

A DeKalb jury found the men guilty of James said the case is a tragic reminder to be cautious n Trust your instincts. setting up a bogus Craigslist ad and killing about responding to online ads.

Gardenhire, who was in Atlanta for the “There have been a number of Craigslist incidents birth of his ninth grandchild. culated plot to lure innocent victims to a designated, unsafe throughout the Greater Atlanta area that have resulted in DeKalb Superior Court Judge Cynthia Malik Rice area with a goal to rob them upon arrival.” deaths,” James said. “I want to strongly caution those utilizBecker sentenced Stepp-McCommons and Rice, 19, to life During the sentence hearing, the victim’s widow, Joan ing Craigslist and any online site where communication with without the chance of parole on Feb. 18.

Gardenhire, gave a tearful victim impact statement. total strangers to be mindful of the potential dangers when District Attorney Robert James called the crime “a cal“My best friend and life partner was stolen from me with- dealing with various online platforms.”

Put safety first

Jordan gets 25 years in prison for shooting Atlanta Police officer

By Ken Watts

Jermarcus Jordan is going to jail for 25 years for shooting an Atlanta Police officer in 2013.

Jordan, 24, pleaded guilty at his pretrial hearing on Jan. 14.

He was facing sev- Jermarcus Jordan eral charges including criminal attempt to commit a felony, aggravated assault on a peace officer, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, criminal damage to property and possession of a firearm by a

convicted felon.

DeKalb Superior Court Judge Gregory A. Adams sentenced him to serve 15 years of the 25-year sentence behind bars for the shooting.

Officer Christopher L. Smith was ambushed on Nov. 9, 2013, as he worked an offduty weekend security job at the Edgewood Court Apartment complex on Hardee Street near Little Five Points. Smith was shot in the head and the blasts damaged his pickup.

Police arrested Jordan on Dec. 24, 2013, after posting a $5,000 reward for information in the case.

Prosecutors believe that Jordan was angry

to see a police officer in an area where he had been selling drugs.

Smith recovered from his wounds and is back on duty with Atlanta Police. He was in court for Jordan’s hearing, DeKalb District Attorney Robert James said Smith “is truly lucky to be alive after this violent attack.”

Investigators say Jordan was positively identified by multiple witnesses and tested positive for gunshot residue on his hands.

At the hearing, Jordan’s mother, Jermandia Jordan, pleaded for lenience.

“He’s been in trouble before but has been a different person since the birth of his

3-year-old son,” she told the court.

His sister, Tina Johnson, called him a “really good guy.”

“He was helpful to me, his son and his cousins,” she said. “He was getting ready to go back to school to study graphic design.

He’s a talented artist.”

Chief Assistant DA Nicole Golden and Deputy Chief Assistant DA Roderick Wilkerson prosecuted the case. Wilkerson had sought a 30-year sentence with 20 years to serve in custody. The defense asked for 20 years to serve 10.

While they didn’t get what they wanted, James said they respect the court’s ruling.

Boyer’s husband pleads guilty on fraud charge

Feb. 28 meeting on charter

By Ken Watts

GREENHAVEN,

John Boyer, husband of former DeKalb District 1 Commissioner Elaine Boyer, admitted in federal court on Feb. 24 that he helped his wife defraud DeKalb taxpayers out of $83,000.

John Boyer, 62, was charged with conspiring to commit mail fraud. He pleaded guilty in U.S. District Judge Orrinda Evans’ courtroom in Atlanta to a federal charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 6.

Elaine Boyer, who represented the affluent district in North DeKalb for 22 years, resigned on Aug. 23, 2014, and pleaded guilty to mail fraud conspiracy and wire fraud charges on Sept. 3. She is scheduled to be sentenced on March 4 in Evans’ court.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Feb. 24 that in 2009, the Boyers were experiencing financial difficulties and John Boyer devised a scheme to obtain money from

DeKalb County involving a family friend who posed as a “political consultant” and kicked back portions of the money he was paid to the Boyers.

“John Boyer exploited his wife’s position as a DeKalb County commissioner to steal thousands of dollars in county funds,” acting U.S. Attorney John Horn said. “The Boyers’ scheme put taxpayer money in their pockets – and left the citizens of DeKalb County with the tab.”

Criminal information filed by federal prosecutors says false invoices were submitted to Elaine Boyer’s office from September 2009 to November 2011 for services from the adviser but those services were never done.

The Boyers used the invoices to authorize payments to the adviser and mailed about 35 checks for about $83,000 for the bogus consulting services.

The “adviser” then kicked $58,000 back to a checking account controlled by the Boyers.

from page

1

Vinson Institute.

The smaller proposed city of Stonecrest with a population 50,000 and 29 square miles, got the nod on Feb. 13.

The Greenhaven city abuts Rockdale, Fulton, Clayton, Henry and Gwinnett counties, and borders of the cities of Atlanta, Decatur and Avondale Estates, Stone Mountain, Clarkston, and Pine Lake.

Based on 2010 population statistics, Greenhaven would account for 57.5 percent of the population of unincorporated DeKalb County, have median household income of $41,418, and a poverty rate of 18.2 percent.

The CCCSD, which launched its cityhood movement in June 2014, is hosting a Feb. 28 community meeting at Columbia High to discuss its proposed charter that will be part of a bill to be introduced to the state Legislature.

The meeting starts at 1 p.m.

The school is at 2106 Columbia Drive in Decatur.

The full report is available at GreenhavenGA.blogspot.com.

3

CrossRoadsNews

February 28, 2015

Community

“We expect this to be the biggest march that we have ever had. SCLC is heading this effort just as we have headed it every time.”

Unified march to commemorate Selma’s 50th anniversary Civil rights leaders and activists are reenacting the 54-mile Selma-to-Montgomery March for voting and civil rights March 8-13 in Alabama.

The event will mark the 50th anniversary of the 1965 watershed event that led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act that protected the right to vote for African-Americans.

The march is the subject of the acclaimed 2014 movie “Selma.”

SCLC President Charles Steele said the march begins in Selma on March 8 with the commemoration of Bloody Sunday and concludes on March 13 with an 11 a.m. event on the steps of the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery.

Steele, SCLC board Chair Bernard Lafayette, Alabama Sen. Hank Sanders (D-Selma) and other civil rights leaders outlined the march at a Feb. 20 news conference at the Alabama State House.

Sanders said it’s important to re-enact the full march this year on the 50th anniversary.

“Every year for 40-plus years, we have commemorated ‘Bloody Sunday,’ which is sacred and the lifeblood of all events surrounding the Bridge Crossing Jubilee and the Selma-to-Montgomery March,” he said. “But every five years, we have also re-enacted the full Selma-to-Montgomery March, just as we will do next month.”

Lafayette said the march is also a recommitment to voting rights.

“We expect this to be the biggest march that we have ever had,” he said. “SCLC is heading this effort just as we have headed it every time and will be co-sponsored by many other organizations, including the National Voting Rights Museum, the Bridge Crossing Jubilee, SOS [Save OurSelves Movement for Justice and Democracy] and others. Sen.

Marchers will re-enact the 1965 Selmato-Montgomery March on March 8 to 13 in Alabama.

Hank Sanders and Rep. Alvin Holmes are also serving as co-chairs.”

Sanders said the right to vote is being challenged at every turn.

“From voter photo ID [modern-day poll tax], proof of citizenship to register [modern-day literacy test] and reduction in voting and voter registration days to the Shelby County v. Holder decision gutting the 1965 Voting Rights Act and more, Americans are losing the right to vote, which so many people sacrificed their lives and blood to secure,” he said.

Rep. Thad McClammy (D-Montgomery) said the march is known all over the world.

“It is a symbol for voting rights struggles everywhere. It is important that we re-enact this march as we rededicate ourselves to protecting voting rights.”

Holmes invited people to participate in mass just as they did 50 years ago.

“We are still fighting for voting rights,” he said.

Steele said a large delegation of members of Congress will come to Selma this year.

“We hope that this will inspire each of them to be fully committed to restoring the Voting Rights Act in full,” he said. “Complete restoration of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, including full implementation of Section 5, is vital to protecting the right to vote, and we hope that every member of Congress in attendance will support and push for this to happen,” Steele said.

The Bridge Crossing Jubilee Inc., the local group that has been commemorating the march for more than four decades, and the Faith & Politics Institute, a Washingtonbased group that had organized competing marches in Selma and Montgomery on the weekend commemorating the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, have agreed to participate in a single march in Selma, according to the National Newspaper Publishers Association.

The Faith & Politics Institute, which fo-

Bus pilgrimage from West End to Selma Parents, mentors, other activists and youth can participate in the Voter Empowerment Collaborative’s bus pilgrimage to Selma, Ala., for the March 8 commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the historic march.

The collaborative will retrace the steps of the march from Brown Chapel AME Church to the Edmund Pettus Bridge.

The bus leaves Atlanta at 6 a.m. and returns at 9 p.m. The pickup/drop-off point will be the Mall West End parking lot at 850 Oak St. in southwest Atlanta.

The theme is “It’s a Family Affair.”

For cost and other information, call Jessica M. Jarrett at 404-581-0061.

cuses on bringing people together to reflect on spiritual values and hold conversations across racial, religious, ideological and party lines, had announced plans to hold a march led by President Barack Obama in Selma on Saturday, the day before the big march, and a separate march and rally on Sunday in Montgomery that would have competed directly with the annual bridge-crossing ceremonies.

Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), who was brutally beaten on Bloody Sunday, is closely affiliated with the institute.

Activities leading up to the march include a play about Jimmie Lee Jackson, whose death was the impetus for the Selma-Montgomery March. Visit www.selmajubilee.com for a list of events.

$MILLIONS RECOVERED Family Reunion Capital of the South

FREE Family Reunion Planning

Workshop & Showcase

Auto - Truck Accidents . Slip & Fall

Call us anytime for FREE advice

404-297-9933 “WE DON’T GET PAID UNTIL YOU DO!”

Saturday, March 14, 2015 1939 Snapfinger Road, Decatur, GA 30035

Service Centric Academy

THE LAW OFFICES OF

JASON & BRADLEY

Next Class: Thursday, March 5, 2015

Seating is Limited!

Call (770) 492-5000 to Pre-Register

AtlantasDeKalb.com

ANYTIME

24/7

Hillcrest Church of Christ

Discover DeKalb offers FREE Customer Service Training for Hospitality Industry Professionals.

Classes are held at the Discover DeKalb Conference Room.

1957 Lakeside Pkwy, Suite 510, Tucker, Georgia 30084

CALL US

Former Military Attorneys (JAG)

If you can’t come to us, we come to you. www.JasonandBradley.com

4

Forum 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Ken Watts Graphic Design Curtis Parker Assistant Editor Brenda Yarbrough Advertising Sales Kathy E. Warner Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Circulation Manager Jami Ffrench-Parker 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 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.

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 advertisments, including claims of suits for libel, violation of privacy, plagiarism and copyright infringement.

We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement.

CrossRoadsNews

February 28, 2015

“Some states have laws that require the cities to make up for the lost revenues of the county.”

Issue of cityhood rooted in fear, mismanagement

By Joe Bembry

I prefer staying on the sidelines – however, my outrage on the issue of cityhood has put me out front.

The issue of cityhood is rooted in fear, mismanagement, distrust, thefts, lack of management, lack of abilities, and lack of skills.

There are those who seek to capitalize on present circumstances to create themselves a position of mayor or council person and a big-shot job without considering the destructive impact of their actions or giving a second thought to destroying our beautiful bedroom county. With the proper elected choices, DeKalb, home of the GBI, CDC, VA Hospital, Emory Hospital and university, and DeKalb Peachtree Airport, could be one of the world’s finest dream counties.

I campaigned as a candidate with Burrell Ellis for DeKalb CEO. He talked a good game without having a bold game plan for the county and with a deaf ear to oth-

“Our next election is a year and a half away. Let’s clean house when it comes to elected officials, especially the ones who support the issue of cityhood.”

Joe Bembry

ers who offered help. That deaf-ear mentality, and actions like removing the CEO’s office away from the Maloof Building where the commissioners are located, has created the seeds and fertilizer to create dozens of cities in DeKalb.

I am calling on commissioners and the DeKalb Delegation to resolve the root issue of the cityhood movement. I am asking for a major outcry on the part of citizens to stop the cityhood movement.

Let’s boycott all businesses that support the creation of new cities for 10 years. Let’s defeat any elected officials who support the creation of new cities in our county.

The only thing we have to fear

in DeKalb is fear itself as it relates to creating new cities.

Our concentrations and unified efforts need to be on issues like crime. We need to be concentrating on man-on-man shooting, violentfree conflict resolutions, home invasions, shootings and burglary, Internet fraud, robbery, catalytic converter theft, plumbing theft, metal theft, school budget thefts, school building and bus vandalism, graveyard theft, automotive hijacking and thefts, crash and grab or smash and grabs, and thefts in the county budget by employees, officials and contractors.

We need to encourage new businesses to locate in DeKalb,

which would provide new jobs. We need to protect and secure current businesses. We need to address the cause of the high number of vacant businesses in the county’s black community.

I believe those vacancies are directly related to crime. We need to address the issue of the powerful and well-connected who are involved in fraud and exploitation.

We need to address the issue of proper management for our county employees and concentrate on retaining experienced employees.

Our next election is a year and a half away. Let’s start right now to prepare to take corrective action on all issues before us. Let’s clean house when it comes to elected officials, especially the ones who support the issue of cityhood.

Any elected official who supports cityhood is not concerned about your future. Rather, their concern is securing their own future.

Joe Bembry lives in Decatur.

DeKalb needs leadership on formation of new cities

By Ed Williams

The new South DeKalb city as proposed by the Concerned Citizens for Cityhood in South DeKalb would be smaller in land size than the city of Atlanta and would include approximately 294,398 residents. It would be approximately 90 percent African-American.

It would be largest city in DeKalb by far, and it would be the second-largest city in the state of Georgia.

Population growth and urbanization have created the need for some changes. The annexation laws should be made stricter, alternative forms of quasi-governmental communities should be considered, private residential associations communities and special districts could also be alternatives to cityhood.

The CCCSD sales pitch for cityhood and its main rationale is economic development along with protecting assets.

How is the CCCSD defining economic development? Is it tax reduction? How will it achieve the economic development that it is portraying in their vision? The elephant in the room that some people want to ignore is that business investments tend not to be significant in areas that have a population of color over 65 percent.

Slow down movement New municipalities can impact taxes, school districts, land use, growth control, environmental regulations, elected representation and public utility services.

New municipalities can lead to fragmentation and competition for financial resources among local governments.

The need to slow down will allow the county to better plan for the possibilities of new cities and the

“The process of forming cities should require a petition before an organization with opportunities for residents to speak on the issues.”

Ed Williams

implications to county tax base.

The process of forming cities should require a petition before an organization with opportunities for residents to speak on the issues. A person or organization should not be able to just initiate a process such as the CCCSD has done.

This organization is acting or claiming to act on behalf of the citizens of South DeKalb.

The organization was formed last June 2014 and we as citizens do not know who is behind it or who is financially supporting it.

By its very nature, it is acting as a political organization as it is advocating the creation of a new government entity. As such, all its records should be opened for review.

Unanswered questions The largest cities in DeKalb are Brookhaven and Dunwoody. Both already had significant economic development in their communities prior to becoming cities.

The CCCSD wants the citizens of South DeKalb to believe that creating the city will create economic development, the reverse of what has happened in North DeKalb.

There are a lot of unanswered questions that citizens in South DeKalb do not know about in terms of the form of government the new proposed city will have or how the districts will be represented on the council.

What kind of mayor or city manager will this new proposed city have? Will the city council be strong? What kind ethics review

will be in the charter? This is important, otherwise all we will be doing is moving the chairs around the room, and the same corruptions will occur in the city as have occurred in the county. In fact, it might be worse.

There should be a way for South DeKalb citizens to opt out of the new city if they do not want to be a part of it.

More community input I have not seen where the community and the businesses have been included in the discussion and buy into the concept of this mega city.

We do not know if the neighborhood units or community leaders are in support of the cityhood concept. Do they want to be in a smaller city or to remain a part of the county? I have yet to see one elected leader or prominent business leader or any economic expert support the effort beyond members of the CCCSD. Although the CCCSD has reportedly had over 146 meetings, the attendance at its meetings has been small, and many of attendees have been its board members. I am certain less than 1 percent of the affected population even knows anything about the effort.

There are over 12 neighborhoods/communities – Belvedere, Candler-McAfee, Collinsville, East Lake Terrace, Ellenwood, Gresham Park, Panthersville, Pittsburg, Redan, Snapfinger, Soapstone Ridge, and South Decatur – that would

be affected.

Shotgun cities appearing CCCSD thinks that it is making a gumbo soup. It is proposing to just take a lot of neighborhoods and lump them together and call it a city.

Residents are being told that we will have to pay more taxes if we do not form a city. I think citizens would be better served if the CCCSD would file a court case against the county and the other cities about the tax liabilities and pension obligations that are not being shared by all the property owners of the county.

How a new city such as the city of Dunwoody or Brookhaven not be equally responsible for pension and bonds that were already obligated prior to their cityhood makes no sense.

It would be equally appropriate if our political leaders ask state legislators to amend the annexations and consolidation laws to prohibit hostile takeovers without the consent of the governed. Some states have laws that require the cities to make up for the lost revenues of the county. This is what the CCCSD is alarmed about, and rightly so.

It seems that shotgun cities are appearing all over DeKalb County.

Who will pay the county bills once all the local communities become cities? Will the county file bankruptcy and then North DeKalb merge with Milton?

What is the master plan?

I would suggest that the state Legislature stop this cityhood movement in the county. The county needs leadership on this issue.

Citizens should not remain silent on this issue. We need leadership from the state Legislature.

Where are the community organizations on this issue?

Ed Williams lives in Decatur.

Circulation Audited By index to advertisers Chapel Hill Orthodontics................................. 7 DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court......................9 DeKalb Convention & Visitor’s Bureau............ 3 Jason & Bradley, LLC Attorney at Law............. 3

Johnson Hopewell Coleman LLC.................. 11 LR Robinson, LLC............................................ 8 Patricia E. White Book-A-Trip Travel.............. 11 Quenon Smith............................................... 11

Tax Roadmap................................................. 11 The Atrium...................................................... 8 The Davis Bozeman Law Firm, P.C................. 11 Wright Vision Care.......................................... 7

Best Buy Co. Inc......................................Inserts Walgreens...............................................Inserts Walmart..................................................Inserts

February 28, 2015

Community

5

CrossRoadsNews

“We’re tired of more funerals than graduations and we’re tired of more guns on the street than we have children.”

Public sessions on East Metro CID Funeral service for Lauren Jones Commercial property owners, business owners, community leaders and stakeholders in the East Metro DeKalb CID boundaries can get information about the East Metro Community Improvement District at a series of public meetings beginning March 3.

East Metro CID board members are hosting five Community Listening Sessions every Tuesday in March in key areas within the CID: n March 3 – Stonecrest Library, 6 p.m., 3123 Klondike Road in Lithonia. n March 10 – Community Achievement Center, 7:30 a.m., 4255 Flat Shoals Parkway in Decatur. n March 17 – Salem-Panola Library, 6 p.m., 5137 Salem Road in Lithonia. n March 24 – Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library, 6 p.m., 2861 Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur. n March 31 – Covington Library, 6 p.m.,

3500 Covington Highway in Decatur.

The March 10 session takes place at the end of the CID board of directors meeting, which is held second Tuesdays monthly.

EMCID administrator Nicole McGhee Hall said the listening sessions are designed to hear from CID members and prospective members.

“We want to promote a greater understanding of the CID’s efforts so we can experience greater growth and accomplish significant enhancements in the district,” she said.

The CID, which formed in May 2014, has 205 property owners, representing 405 parcels. Its 2014 tax revenues are about $175,000. It is working to grow its membership and increase revenues to leverage funding for projects.

For more information, visit www. eastmetrocid.com.

Lauren Jones, the Southwest DeKalb High graduate who died suddenly last week at the University of Oregon, will be remembered at a Feb. 28 home-going service in Decatur.

The service takes place at 1 p.m. at Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church in Decatur.

Jones, 18, was a gymnast at Oregon. She graduated from Southwest DeKalb in May 2014. She Lauren Jones died of meningococcemia on Feb. 17 just hours after she began feeling ill and paramedics were called to her dorm.

She was on Oregon’s national champion acrobatics and tumbling team.

A gofundme page has been set up at www. gofundme.com/mwa5tw to help pay for Jones’ funeral and other expenses.

Jones was an elite athlete who also played tennis and performed in the band at Southwest DeKalb, where she starred in gymnastics and competitive cheerleading.

She was attending Oregon on a full athletic scholarship.

Family and friends held a candlelight vigil Saturday in Lauren’s on memory at Cheertyme All-Stars of Georgia in Decatur.

The Register-Guard in Eugene, Ore., reported that Jones was the fourth confirmed case of the bacterial infection that spreads through exposure to respiratory and throat secretions.

People who live in close proximity, as in dorms, are susceptible to contracting the disease.

The University of Oregon plans to offer vaccinations to protect all of its students against meningococcemia and related diseases, the Register-Guard said.

Parade of hearses drives home ‘Stop the Violence’ message

By Ken Watts

Pedestrians did double takes when a 25-hearse motorcade rolled past them on Flat Shoals Parkway on Feb. 22 en route to Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church where members of the Georgia funeral industry joined families of victims in a rally against deadly gun violence.

Participants in the emotional threehour “Stop the Violence” program in the House of Hope complex said they wanted to raise awareness of the devastating effect that black-on-black crime is having on the African-American community.

The Rev. G. Vincent Lewis, the church’s pastor of the Social Justice Ministry, said the goal was to dramatize the indiscriminate violence that’s taking place in metro Atlanta.

“We want to empower the people to realize that G. Vincent Lewis there are more of them than those who have been perpetrating the crimes and that the people can solve this problem,” he said.

Dr. Carol Williams, executive director of the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, said too many of the victims are teens and younger.

“We find ourselves hopeless and without words when we have to bury so many of our children day after day,” she said. “It’s a trend we have to stop.”

The rally of 150 people offered support to families victimized by violent crime.

Cassaundra Pierce of Stone Mountain described in heart-wrenching detail how her sister, Vanessa “Honey” Morgan, 18, was shot to death on Oct. 23, 2012, as she walked in on a home invasion at a friend’s apartment in the Hampton Village complex on Tree Mountain Parkway.

Tears flowed freely she recounted the crime.

Police are looking for three to six men who were armed with handguns and shotguns in the attack. The case is unsolved more than two years later and the family has increased a reward to $13,000 from $10,000, hoping that someone will come forward with information that leads to an arrest.

Pierce – surrounded by her three children and mother Flora Malone and holding a photo collage of Honey – spoke of the family’s frustration knowing that her sister’s killers are still at large.

“Vanessa was a very, very important piece of our lives and for the community not to speak up is devastating,” she said, voice trembling.

“She didn’t have a chance to have kids.

She didn’t have a chance to get married. She didn’t have a chance to have her own apartment or anything, and that kills us as these

A 25-hearse motorcade preceded a “Stop the Violence” rally at Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church on Flat Shoals Parkway in Decatur on Feb. 22.

Cassaundra Pierce of Stone Mountain gave an emotional account of how her sister, Vanessa “Honey” Morgan, was shot to death when she walked in on a home invasion.

Photos By Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

monsters are still walking the streets and not caring.”

She said her family draws comfort from Sunday’s grass-roots effort to stem the tide of youth violence.

“This rally is very important,” Pierce said.

“The community should teach their young ones to speak up and care about lives other than their own.”

Stephanie Stone of Atlanta lost her 14year-old son, Paul Sampleton Jr., on Dec. 19, 2012, when they lived in Grayson.

She said the teen was accosted by three people at her home after school.

“He was bound and gagged and my home was robbed,” she said. “Paul was shot in the head three times. We need to bring these kids together to make them understand the importance of loving one another and understand that it’s not worth it to take someone’s

life and going to prison for the rest of your life over material things.”

Mary Pat Hector, the 17-year-old youth director of the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, said the African-American community has failed her generation by being reactive rather than proactive on youth crime.

She called on residents to join the social justice movement’s prevention efforts.

“We’re tired of more victims than answers,” she said to applause. “We’re tired of more funerals than graduations and we’re tired of more guns on the street than we have children.”

State Rep. Rahn Mayo (D-Decatur) said youth crime is a reflection of self-hatred.

“If you don’t believe in yourself and if you don’t understand your self-worth, then why would you value the life of someone

else,” he asked.

Mayo encouraged rally participants to help create positive outlets for youth in sports, the arts and academics.

Other elected officials included DeKalb Commissioners Larry Johnson and Stan Watson and Lithonia Mayor Deborah Jackson, who awarded certificates of recognition to organizers.

Dr. Elizabeth Ford, DeKalb’s district health director, said that in DeKalb County, homicide is the second leading cause of accidental death in residents 19 years and younger.

In 2010, she said 8 percent of DeKalb high school students said they were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property in the past year, 18 percent were in a physical fight, 13 percent were bullied, and 52 percent reported gang activity at their school.

Ford said current data show violence among African-American youth is a public health crisis.

“These are our children, our grandchildren, our nieces, and our neighbors,” she said. “These numbers are significant and they are troubling.”

Despite high-profile crimes, DeKalb Police said that last year, violent crime went down by 4 percent and property crimes down by more than 15 percent.

Lewis, the House of Hope’s pastor, said he hopes the Stop the Violence rally is a first step toward a communitywide effort involving parents, schools, churches, educators and health institutions.

“It’s a solvable problem, but it’s going to take a broad-based coalition coming together on projects that are innovative and inclusive,” he said.

6

Wellness

CrossRoadsNews

February 28, 2015

“We are fighting pop culture messaging and advertisers who falsely promote these products as youthful, popular and harmless.”

Weight-loss challenge benefits Decatur education nonprofit Forty-seven competitors are vying for the title of Decatur’s Biggest Loser in the third annual weight-loss challenge.

The contest presented by CertaPro Painters and Pinnacle Fitness Center benefits the nonprofit Decatur Education Foundation that supports academic and extracurricular activities for students. The seven-week program promotes healthy habits.

Grand prize winners in the men’s and women’s categories each receive $250 in cash, one month of unlimited group fitness classes, an introductory massage from Attista’s Bodywork, and a $400 CertaPro Painters of Atlanta gift certificate for painting services.

Second- and third-place winners also receive prize packages.

The contest kicked off on Feb. 7 with a weigh-in at Pinnacle Fitness in Decatur.

David Nash, owner/operator of the center, said many of this year’s participants are gung-ho about the challenge and some have lost 10 pounds in two and a half weeks.

“The focus is on nutrition, exercise and motivation,” Nash said on Feb. 24.

He said the program teaches healthy disciplines – eating well, exercising, drinking a lot of water.

Jeremy Rhett, owner of CertaPro Painters of Atlanta, said the program encourages a

Ross Palumbo and Carla Ziscook are among winners of the 2014 Decatur’s Biggest Loser competition. Forty-seven people are vying for 2015 titles.

healthier lifestyle.

“The reason I like being a part of the Decatur Biggest Loser is because we get to see people make lifestyle transformations,” Rhett said. “David’s approach is not a quick-fix

Ross Palumbo and Lindsey Struck diet – his program helps people reach their goals with changes that can be sustainable claimed the grand prizes in 2014. Carla Ziscook was a second-place finisher. throughout their lifetimes.”

For more information, visit www.pinWinners will be announced in late naclefitnesscenter.com.

March.

Tobacco products, e-cigarettes harmful to health, teeth of young teens Parents and caregivers can help identify health conditions prompted by tobacco or ecigarette use in their children by paying close attention to symptoms such as bleeding, tender gums, oral pain and mouth infections, state health experts say.

Dentists can detect potential chronic diseases and make an educated prediction about health behaviors, particularly tobacco use.

Carol Smith, director of Oral Health in the Office of Community Health Carol Smith at the Georgia Department of Public Health, said use of tobacco products and e-cigarettes poses health risks.

“We know nicotine and tobacco products

contribute to oral cancer, teeth staining, irritation of salivary glands, periodontal attachment loss and other oral problems,” Smith said on Feb. 20. “Oral health professionals don’t want young teens to initiate tobacco use or tobacco-related products. We are all concerned that teens are being misled to use cigarettes and electronic cigarette or e-cigarettes, which are harmful to their teeth and increase health risks.”

The DPH is encouraging parents to be proactive in support of National Children’s Dental Health Month coordinated by the American Dental Association.

E-cigarettes, also known as smokeless cigarettes or e-cigs, contain a small, batterypowered heater that changes liquid nicotine into a mist, or vapor, that the user inhales.

Smith is concerned that as teens engage

with social media and peers, they’re often misled about the detrimental health effects of e-cigarettes. The products contain chemicals that are deadly and destroy healthy teeth.

E-cigarette users are most at risk for chemical poisoning, which often involves exposure to liquid nicotine in the devices.

Poisoning can occur by ingestion, inhalation or absorption through skin or eyes. In recent years, the Georgia Poison Control Center reported a sharp increase in the number of young children drinking liquid nicotine.

Children are drawn to the bright-colored packaging and liquid nicotine flavors like cherry, chocolate and bubble gum. Consuming even tiny amounts can cause vomiting, seizures or death. The most common adverse health effects mentioned in e-cigarette calls to the Poison Control Center were vomiting,

nausea and eye irritation. Tobacco causes bad breath and yellow teeth and inhibits salivary glands from functioning properly, which can cause dry mouth and tooth decay.

“These are serious health problems to encounter early in life and teens are susceptible to the same adult issues when they use cigarettes and e-cigarettes,” Smith said. “We hope that we can educate Georgia youth and their parents that it’s never a good idea to use tobacco products. We are fighting pop culture messaging and advertisers who falsely promote these products as youthful, popular and harmless.”

Support, resources and counseling services are available through the Georgia Tobacco Quitline at 1-877-270-STOP. If a child drinks any liquid nicotine, call 911 or the Georgia Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.

February 28, 2015

Wellness

7

CrossRoadsNews

“It is important to share our knowledge and lessons learned to dispel myths and eliminate unnecessary panic.”

Woman needs kidney, seeks a living donor Gladys Briggins of Lithonia is among about 1,000 Piedmont Healthcare patients waiting for a kidney transplant.

Br ig g ins , 6 7 , a mother of three who has six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, battled breast cancer in 2006.

“Through trust and Gladys Briggins faith and prayer, I was able to beat it,” she said.

Two years ago, Briggins said her doctor told her that she had a bad kidney. She is now in need of a living kidney donor. Family members are not a match.

African-Americans are the largest group of minorities in need of an organ transplant, according to organdonor.gov.

They have higher rates of diabetes and high blood pressure than Caucasians, increasing the risk of organ failure.

Nationally, about 100,000 people need kidney transplants, said Leanne Whitehead, a transplant coordinator at Piedmont Healthcare.

Briggins, who has been on the waiting list for two years, said her kidney function is at 16 percent and she is not on dialysis.

If her kidney function drops to 12 percent, she will be placed on dialysis.

She attended the 10th annual CrossRoadsNews Health & Wellness Expo in January at the Mall at Stonecrest and asked for help to get her story out to the public.

Briggins was formerly employed at a print and mail company in Norcross.

To help, call Whitehead at 404-6054605.

For more information about living donation, visit piedmonttransplant.org/ livingdonor, paireddonation.org, and unos.org/docs/living_donation_kidneypaired.pdf.

Georgia Preteen Vaccine Awareness Week, Feb. 22-28, serves as a reminder for parents and caregivers to talk with youth about immunization.

Immunization protects social, mobile youth Vaccines are the best defense against preventable and sometimes deadly contagious diseases, and Georgia Preteen Vaccine Awareness Week serves as a reminder for parents to talk with their preteens and teens about immunization.

The Georgia Department of Public Health established the Feb. 22-28 observance to provide an opportunity to raise awareness through schools, health care providers and the media regarding preteen immunizations, particularly the state’s new pertussis and meningococcal requirements for incoming seventh-grade students.

Sheila Lovett, acting director for the DPH Immunization Office, said tweens and teens are on the move.

“Our preteens and teens are branching out. They go to overnight camps, attend parties and play team sports – they are becoming increasingly social,” Lovett said on Feb. 23. “While these are all fun parts of being a teenager, they can also increase their risk for contracting potentially life-threatening diseases.”

She said parents and caregivers can help their children grow and protect their health and those around them with immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Vaccines help avoid expensive therapies and hospitalization needed to treat infectious diseases like influenza and meningitis, the DPH says. Immunizations also reduce absences from school and after-school activities

and decrease the spread of illness at home, at school and in the community.

The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following vaccines for preteens and teens: n Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (Tdap). n Influenza (flu). n Human papillomavirus (HPV) – three doses. n Meningococcal disease (MCV4).

Health centers across DeKalb County provide preteen vaccinations recommended by the DPH and those required for public schools. To find a DeKalb health center, visit http://www.dekalbhealth.net/healthcenters.

Emory’s free online course offers overview of evolving Ebola epidemic Emory University is offering a free online overview course on the evolving Ebola epidemic, including disease, prevention, management and treatment, response, ethical considerations, communications and a post-Ebola global health Carlos Del Rio landscape.

The six-week course is available via Coursera – an online, educational platform that offers free professional development courses – on March 31 through May 11.

“Ebola: An Evolving Epidemic” takes a broad look at the West African Ebola epidemic that led headlines in 2014. Since the

outset of the epidemic, the disease claimed nearly 5,000 lives in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

A small number of cases were treated in the United States, with four patients successfully treated by the Emory University HospiDabney Evans tal staff.

Dr. Carlos Del Rio is course co-director with Dabney Evans, both with the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory.

“We are really excited about the course and truly believe that it will be a terrific aid to the education of a broad audience on this topic,” Del Rio said in a Feb. 18 statement.

“Because we have made such tremendous

strides in our Ebola research, it is important to share our knowledge and lessons learned in order to dispel myths and eliminate unnecessary panic. This Coursera course is a great way to accomplish this task.”

The course is intended for a general audience. Some public health and/or medical background is helpful but not mandatory.

Sign up at https://www.coursera.org/course/ ebola.

Chapel Hill Orthodontics

Let us Make Your Smile More Beautiful

• 50% Off Clear Braces and 24K Gold Braces • Treatment for Children, Teens & Adults

We Offer No Interest Low Payment Plans

We Now Offer Clear Image® Aligners for People Who Prefer Not To Wear Traditional Braces!

$250

OFF

Clear Image® Aligners

Call Today To Schedule Your Free Consultation!

Dr. Allise M. Calloway 4919 Flat Shoals Parkway, Suite 210

(678) 418-3000

Please Visit our Website for More Information: chapelhillortho.com

Special Discounts For All of Our Heroes: Including Educators, EMTs, Firefighters, Health Care Workers, Law Enforcement, Military, and Parcel Workers

8

CrossRoadsNews

Scene

February 28, 2015

“They become the motivators and role models for other singers in choirs just like theirs.”

Doctors, lawyers take it to court for charity Doctors and lawyers are trading lab coats and business suits for athletic wear to compete in the March 7 Jawbones vs. Sawbones basketball tourney to benefit people with traumatic brain injury.

The fundraiser, which is in its fourth year, begins at 6 p.m. in the gym at Decatur High School.

The event is a fundraiser for Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse in Stone Mountain.

Monies raised will be used for scholarships for members and prospective members who need financial assistance to participate in the programs offered by the Clubhouse.

The family-friendly evening includes a silent auction, live music and food.

The Sawbones team of physicians will attempt to even the 2-1 score against the Jawbones team of attorneys.

A longtime Side by Side member, Deputy Cynthia Hall, will be honored.

Hall was injured in the line of duty during the Fulton County Courthouse shootings in March 2005 that left a judge, a sheriff ’s deputy and a court reporter dead.

A federal agent also was Cynthia Hall killed in the rampage by Brian Nichols, who was being tried on a rape charge. Nichols received the maximum sentence for more than 50 counts, from murder to carjacking,

Photo Courtesy of Side by Side Clubhouse

Jawbones vs. Sawbones on March 7 benefits the Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse.

in 2008.

Next month, Hall, who was 51 at the time of the shootings, celebrates her 10th postinjury anniversary, all of the progress she’s made and the community that’s supported her along the way.

Other members of Side by Side also will share their stories of tragedy and triumph.

The Clubhouse, founded in 1999, is Georgia’s only nonprofit that provides lifelong support to people with TBI.

GFWC Stone Mountain Woman’s Club and the GFWC Lilburn Woman’s Club help sponsor, plan and execute the tournament twhich is supported by a range of businesses and organizations.

Decatur High School is at 310 N. McDonough St. in Decatur.

For tickets and more information, visit www.sidebysideclubhouse.org or contact Marian Dickson at marian@sidebysideclubhouse.org or 770-469-9355.

Novelist tackles will to survive in ‘In Wilderness’ Novelist Diane Thomas shares a suspenseful and literary love story, “In Wilderness,” on March 2 at the Decatur Library.

Thomas’ talk begins at 7:15 p.m.

“In Wilderness” is a daring and original novel about the fierce need for companionship and the enduring will to survive. Suffused Diane Thomas with a sense of character and atmosphere, Thomas’ intimate voice creates a depiction of the transformative power of love, how we grieve and hope, and the perilous ways in which we heed and test our hearts.

Thomas is the author of the critically acclaimed novel “The Year the Music Changed.” A longtime resident of Atlanta and the Georgia mountains and part-time resident of the Florida Panhandle, she now lives in New Mexico. The talk is part of the Georgia Center for the Book’s Festival of Writers.

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

Panel examines black, Jewish ties Mother at heart of Cohen memoir A panel of Jewish Americans and AfricanAmericans will examine collaborations for social justice on March 7 at the Decatur Library.

“The Rise and Collaboration for Justice: The African-American and Daniel Black Jewish-American Struggle” begins at 1 p.m. It is sponsored by One Region Atlanta.

Jewish and black communities in the United States have a long history of cooperation – from speaking out for civil rights legislation in New York state to end discrimination in public accommodations in 1913 to marching hand in hand during the 1960s

civil rights movement.

Panel members are Sherry Frank, Atlanta Black-Jewish Coalition; Dr. Daniel Black, an author and professor of African-American Studies at Clark Atlanta University and Morehouse ColHank Klibanoff lege; and Hank Klibanoff, journalist, Emory University professor and 2007 Pulitzer Prize winner for History for “The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation” written with Gene Roberts.

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

Award-winning New York Times columnist Roger Cohen discusses the memoir of his extended family, “The Girl From Human Street,” on March 5 at the Decatur Library.

His talk, part of the Georgia Center for the Book’s Festival of Writers, starts at 7:15 p.m.

Cohen turns a compassionate, discerning Roger Cohen eye on the legacy of his forebears. As he follows them across continents and decades, mapping individual lives that diverge and intertwine, patterns of struggle and resilience, heritage and evolving loyalties (religious, ethnic, na-

tional) converge into a portrait of cultural identity in the modern age.

It starts in Lithuania with his great-grandparents – and then the moving begins.

At the heart of the memoir is the relationship between Cohen and his mother, June, that “girl.” Tortured by upheavals in her life yet stoic in her struggle, she embodies her son’s complex inheritance. The title refers to the actual street where she once lived.

Cohen’s chronicle of the quest for belonging across generations contributes an important chapter to the ongoing narrative of Jewish life.

The library is at 215 Sycamore St. in downtown Decatur. For more information, visit www.dekalblibrary.org or call 404-3703070.

Spivey Hall Children’s Choir performs at choral directors conference The Spivey Hall Children’s Choir at Clayton State University performed at the national conference of the American Choral Directors Association on Feb. 23-26 in Salt Lake City.

The choir was among 45 from around the world taking the stage at Abravanel Hall and the Salt Lake City Tabernacle, more famously known as the Mormon Tabernacle and home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

The Spivey Hall Children’s Choir, which includes about nine DeKalb residents, presented its 30-minute recital on Feb. 25.

Martha Shaw, founding director, called it “a great honor” to sing for the national conference.

“I have great respect for my colleagues, and being asked to sing for them is a responsibility that I feel very deeply,” Shaw said. “We are given the opportunity to give back to those who spend their entire lives giving their music to others.”

The Spivey Hall Children’s Choir at Clayton State University was among 45 choirs performing at the American Choral Directors Association conference in Salt Lake City.

Emmy Williams, chair of the ACDA Southern Division Children’s Choir Repertoire and Standards Committee, said the appearance will broaden the horizons of metro Atlanta choir members.

“This is not only an opportunity for the singers to travel and experience another region of the country, but to be a part of something so much bigger than their normal choir organization,” Williams said. “Plus, they become the motivators and role models for other singers in choirs just like theirs.”

Every two years, hundreds of choirs from around the world submit audition recordings to perform for the nonprofit association’s national conference.

The Spivey Hall Children’s Choir was one of only 45 choirs who made the final cut.

Its program comprises three choirs and draws from 17 metro Atlanta counties, including DeKalb. For more information, visit www.spiveyhallchildrenschoir.org.

“IT’S A HOUSE PARTY AWAY FROM HOME” JMSA Signature Events Presents

FLASHBACK FRIDAYS @ The Atrium Friday February 20th

Featuring The Mixologist DJ Charlie Mason

DOORS OPEN @ 9PM

$10 ADVANCE TICKETS @ WWW.JMSHOATS.COM THE LARGEST THROWBACK MUSIC & CARD GAME/TOURNAMENT PARTY $10 ADVANCE TICKETS TO BE ENTERED INTO A MONTHLY RAFFLE • $3 UNTIL THE WELL RUNS DRY $3 •

5479 Memorial Dr. • Stn Mtn, GA 30083 • (404) 610-2819 (678) 898-0714

LR Robinson, LLC • Business Tax Preparation • Individual Tax Preparation • Tax Problems • Small Business Accounting

Drop-Off Service and Saturday Appts Available

2179 Northlake Parkway, Suite 119 • Tucker, GA 30084 678-476-0512 • www.lrrobinsoncpa.com

Lisa Robinson, CPA

9

CrossRoadsNews

February 28, 2015

Finance

“When you start to think about something you don’t like about the village, I challenge you to think about what you love about living here.”

Initiative promotes living, working in village Stone Mountain has launched a #­ VillageStrong campaign to promote the benefits of living and working in the community in response to a fire at the Westgate Shopping Plaza in October.

More than 70 people attended the Downtown Development Authority’s annual kickoff event at Silver Hill Manor on Feb. 5 to reflect on 2014 accomplishments and announce plans for 2015.

The #VillageStrong initiative grew out of an idea conceived by DDA board member Chakira Johnson after the shopping center fire.

Chakira Johnson “The community was hurt by the destruction that closed six businesses in one swoop,” Johnson said. “We need a rallying cry. And we needed to focus on the good stuff.”

Nearly 20 dogs were rescued in the Oct. 24 fire that started in a restaurant in the strip mall on North Main Street, but two dogs being boarded at the Pets in Paradise pet spa died. No injuries were reported.

A pledge has been created for residents and businesses to sign, and T-shirts are available for the campaign. The pledge begins: “I pledge to love Stone Mountain Village and be a positive voice for our community.”

DDA Executive Director Mechel McKinley urged stakeholders to redirect their thinking.

“We all want to see the village grow and be successful, but sometimes it is easier to focus on the negative. So when you start to think about Mechel McKinley something you don’t like about the village, I challenge you to think about what you love about living here,” McKinley said. “This is a great place to live and work. We have a beautiful natural resource in our backyard.

We have the ability to enjoy the resources of living near a major metropolitan area but still have a hometown feel that you can’t get in other places in Atlanta.”

Mary Beth Reed, DDA chair, said 2014 was a year of many changes.

“We completed the merger of the DDA,

Main Street Stone Mountain and the Stone Mountain Visitors Center,” Reed said. “We celebrated our 175th anniversary and opened five new businesses in the village.”

Pam DeLoach and Beth Snead were recogMary Beth Reed nized as the 2014 Volunteers of the Year and presented with certificates and gift baskets.

2015 also will feature a new Granite Grasshopper Festival on April 18, the return of the weekly Farmers Market in the spring, a community-based business grant program, a new City Cemetery tour in partnership with the Stone Mountain Historical Society, and the continuation of the Façade Grant program.

The DDA promotes current businesses and encourages future growth and development while enhancing the historic character of the city using the Main Street approach.

For more information, visit www.stonemountainvillage.com or email mmckinley@ stonemountaincity.org.

Chamber seeks Educator of the Year nominees Family members, friends or associates can nominate a woman in education for the Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce Educator of the Year.

GLCC will celebrate women who have made significant contributions to the lives of children in the field of education in March for Women’s History Month.

The nominee can be a current or former educator in DeKalb County. The winner will be honored at GLCC’s Third Wednesday Lunch on March 18 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at This Is It! restaurant in Lithonia.

Email the name of the nominee to contactus@greaterlithoniachamber.com

by March 6. Send your name and contact number along with the contact number of the person you are nominating. Include a brief description of her accomplishments and why she should be honored.

For more information, visit www. greaterlithoniachamber.com.

March 6 deadline for SBA Emerging Leaders

Secretary of state issues alert on potential scam Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp is reissuing an alert to corporations that his office has received more complaints about solicitations sent from a firm called “Georgia Council for Corporations.”

The firm offers to complete corporate meeting minutes on behalf of Georgia corporations for a fee of $125. Georgia corporations are not required by law to file corporate minutes with the secretary of state’s Corporations Division.

“Georgia’s corporations should be cautious regarding any suspicious solicitation, and practice their due diligence to prevent corporate fraud and identity theft,” Kemp said in a Feb. 18 statement. Brian Kemp The solicitation contains language from Georgia Code sections and a disclaimer stating, “Georgia Council for Corporations is not a government agency and does not have or contract with any government agency to provide this service. This does not fulfill the Georgia annual report filing requirement.”

Some corporate officers have been confused by the officiallooking documents.

Any official statement or request from the secretary of state will clearly indicate its origin by displaying the State Seal and the name of Secretary of State Brian Kemp.

Corporate customers with questions can call the Corporations Division Call Center at 404-656-2817.

Small-business executives in DeKalb and 10 other metro counties can enroll in the SBA’s free Emerging Leaders training program to help take their companies to the next level.

Formal Expressions of Interest to participate must be received by midnight on March 6, and classes begin on April 6. Business executives interested in participating should complete the online registration form at www.interise.org/sbaemergingleaders.

The Emerging Leaders advanced training series is open to the president, managing partner, CEO, chief financial officer or chief operating officer of small businesses that are located in Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale counties; have been in active operation at least three years; have generated for the past three years an average annual revenue of at least $400,000 not to exceed $10 million; and have at least one employee besides the owner or owners.

The program is an intensive training initiative to accelerate high-potential small businesses’ growth in urban areas. The comprehensive curriculum provides tools to catapult participating companies to the next level and help them emerge as growing, self-sustaining businesses in their community.

Over seven months, participants are required to take part in 60 to 80 hours of classroom instruc-

tion, generally two three-hour sessions per month. The method used is primarily instructor-facilitated discussion of the training curriculum. Outside subject matter experts are included as guest speakers to bring a “real world” perspective. Additionally, class participants meet and work in smaller CEO Peer Mentoring Groups for an additional 15 to 20 hours during the training period.

Topics include business and leadership assessment, financing and access to capital, marketing and sales, business development resources, and growth action plan.

To graduate, participants must not have more than two unexcused absences from classroom or CEO Peer Mentoring Group sessions. They also must prepare and give a 15-minute presentation at the last class session on a three-year strategic growth plan for their business developed from their learning experience before a panel of business and economic development experts.

Up to 15 small businesses will be accepted for the 2015 training program. It is only for established business owners and is not for start-ups or people who are thinking about starting a business.

In metro Atlanta, the initiative is supported by a coalition of local economic and business development entities.

For more information, contact Dorothy Atkins at 404-331-0100, Ext. 305, or Charlotte Johnson at 404331-0100, Ext. 405.

in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Legal Notices 02/07, 02/14, 02/21, 02/28

Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV1599-9++ Tracie R. Marte Plaintiff Vs. Jose L. Marte Defendant To: Jose L. Marte

By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Jan. 28, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Jan. 22, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Tracie Marte, 1217 Friendly Heights Blvd., Decatur, GA 30035.

Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Jan. 28, 2015.

Witness the Honorable Mark Anthony

Scott, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 28th day of January 2015 02/07, 02/14, 02/21, 02/28

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV1687-3++ Cemetra Chantrell Brooks-Torregano filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Jan. 20, 2015 to change the name from: Cemetra Chantrell Brooks-Torregano to Cemetra Chantrell Brooks. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed.

Dated: Jan. 20, 2015 Cemetra Brooks Torregano Petitioner, Pro se 1123 Princeton Park Drive Lithonia, GA 30058

404-975-8082 02/07, 02/14, 02/21, 02/28

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV1666-3++ Tiffany McKay filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Jan. 21, 2015 to change the name of the following minor child(ren) from Corkney Michale Partridge, Jr. to: Christain Micah Partridge. 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. 21, 2015 Tiffany McKay Petitioner, Pro se 305 Summerwood Drive Clarkston, GA 30021 706-659-5955

02/21, 02/28, 03/07, 03/14

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV2223-4++ Henry Lee Harrison filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Feb. 12, 2015 to change the name from: Henry Lee Harrison to Henry Lee Bonner. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed.

Dated: Feb. 12, 2015 Henry Lee Harrison Petitioner, Pro se 2035 Memorial Drive, Apt. 604 Atlanta, GA 30317 678-851-5309 02/21, 02/28, 03/07, 03/14

Notice of Petition to Change Name of Adult

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV2192-8++ Marcus Alexander Cooper filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Dec. 17, 2014 to change the name from: Marcus Alexander Cooper to Lamar Leslie Brown. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed.

Dated: Dec. 17, 2014 Marcus A. Cooper Petitioner, Pro se 3765 Wetherburn Dr. Clarkston, GA 30021 404-860-1105 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, 03/21

Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV1592-08++ Sandra M. Howard Plaintiff Vs. Charles A. Howard Defendant To: Charles A. Howard

By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Feb. 12, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Jan. 22, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the

Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Lindsey Siegel, 246 Sycamore St., #120, Decatur, GA 30030. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Jan. 12, 2015.

Witness the Honorable Linda W. Hunter, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 19th day of February, 2015 02/28, 03/07, 03/14, 03/21

Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV1825-2++ Marcella Salter Plaintiff Vs. Larry Salter, Jr. Defendant To: Larry Salter, Jr. 2810 Lawrenceville Hwy., Rm. 134 Tucker, GA 30043

By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Feb. 17, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Feb. 13, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Marcella Salter, 3046 Highland Park Lane, Lithonia, GA 30038. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Feb. 17, 2015.

Witness the Honorable Asha F. Jackson, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 18th day of February, 2015

10

CrossRoadsNews

Youth

February 28, 2015

“Our goal does not solely depend on how many cookies sold or how much money earned. … There’s a lot more to this cookie business.”

Fairington Elementary gets gifts from DOE employees

By Ken Watts

Students and faculty members at firedamaged Fairington Elementary received donations of school supplies from state School Superintendent Richard Woods and Department of Education workers on Feb. 20.

Woods visited the school on Philip Brantley Drive in Lithonia with DeKalb Superintendent Michael Thurmond and state board member Lisa Kinnemore as the shipment arrived and excited Fairington children turned out to greet them.

An arson fire on Jan. 17 gutted teacher Margaret Veira-Allen’s kindergarten classroom, destroyed supplies and caused $722,000 in smoke and water damage throughout the building.

The fire broke out on a Saturday afternoon over the ML King Day holiday and there were no injuries, but students were forced to relocate to Miller Grove High Jan. 19-26 while work crews restored their school.

Woods said that when he heard about the fire, he asked Department of Education

State School Superintendent Richard Woods and students at Fairington Elementary in Lithonia look through supplies donated to the school by Department of Education employees.

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

employees to donate whatever school supplies they could.

Workers responded, digging into their own pockets to pay for notebooks, crayons, pens and pencils, loose-leaf paper and binders, blankets, and hand sanitizer.

“We loaded up those supplies and deliv-

ered them to these awesome kindergarten students and their teacher, who have pushed ahead with learning in spite of losing their classroom and supplies,” Woods said.

Veira-Allen and her class are due to move back into their classroom in a few weeks.

Woods said he was impressed by the stu-

dents’ resilience as they told him what they had lost in the fire.

“They told me about pencil cases and packs of crayons – all items that, as you know, are chosen with such care at this age. Later, each of those students got to sit down with me and open up the boxes and pick a special item to replace what they’d lost. In that moment, I was so grateful for the Georgia employees and everyone else who has come through for these children.”

It was the second community donation of supplies at Fairington in less than a month.

Members of the Dunwoody PTO and faculty from Centennial Arts Academy in Gainesville brought boxes filled with classroom materials on Jan. 30.

Authorities are still looking for the person who set the fire.

Police say surveillance cameras picked up the image of a suspect on school grounds around the time the fire broke out, but no one had been arrested at press time.

A $10,000 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the case.

Middle schoolers face off for STEM Wars at Arabia Mountain High Ten middle school teams will face off in the inaugural STEM Wars Competition & Showcase on Feb. 28 at Arabia Mountain High in Lithonia.

The 9 a.m.-to-4 p.m. event presented

by Teens T.U.R.N. U.P. is free, and check-in begins at 8 a.m. Teams represent Champion Theme, Chapel Hill, Columbia, D.A.T.E., Freedom, Lithonia, Miller Grove, Redan and Salem middle schools and Leadership Prep Academy.

Students will compete in a science, engineering and technology challenge that includes a math component. Engineering teachers at Arabia will be judges and the top three schools will be awarded trophies. Participating students will receive bronze, silver or gold medals.

The competition was developed by Jalen Bobbitt, an 11th-grade student in the Engineering Energy Systems Pathway at Arabia and vice president of TTU, which he

co-founded in the summer of 2013 to address the dropout rate in DeKalb County. Its mission is to educate, empower and encourage students to complete their high school education. The mission ties into the purpose of the competition: to expose middle school students to fun, educational STEM-related activities and to show them how these activities translate into careers.

More than 20 professionals have volunteered to help with the event, including an

accountant, civil engineer, lab technician, business analyst, math coordinator, peritoneal dialysis nurse, dentist, pharmacist, Web designer, technical trainer, chemistry professor, and quality control specialist.

Among sponsors are Baxter, Arabia Mountain High PTSA, Sam’s Club, SLG Media and Bella Lane Designs Inc. The high school is at 6610 Browns Mill Road. For more information, visit http:// arabiaptsa.org or call 770-875-0213.

Clothing drive, fashion show to benefit homeless girls Scrapbook class Sporty Girls athletes are accepting school girls from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at at the library donations of new and gently used ath- Garb Shoetique in Smyrna. letic clothing at NTRC Tax Service in Lithonia for their first community service project to benefit homeless girls.

The nonprofit, which encourages minority girls to become active in nontraditional sports, also is accepting applications for its Camp Elite sports camp in June. The deadline to apply is March 13.

In partnership with Love Beyond Walls, the girls in the Sporty Saturday program and founder Rashan Ali Smith will host a March 7 “Pop Up Clothing Drive and Fashion Show” to benefit homeless middle school and high

Items needed are athletic rubbersoled shoes; athletic tops, tees and tanks; sports bras; sweat shirts and pants; socks; and gym shorts.

Donations will be accepted prior to the event at NTRC Tax Service at 3054 Panola Road.

Girl ages 10 to 17, interested in swimming, soccer, tennis or golf can apply for the weeklongovernight Camp Elite that features sports instruction, workshops and discussions.

There is space for 40 participants Applications are available at www. sportygirlsinc.org.

Donations of athletic wear can be dropped off at NTRC Tax Service in Lithonia for the nonprofit Sporty Girls.

Kids and adults can learn to make scrapbooks Saturdays from March 14 to April 25 at the Redan-Trotti Library.

The 10:30 a.m. to noon class will cover types of materials to use, how to organize a scrapbook and much more.

Participants should bring their scrapbook and the items they want to put in it. The instructor will help them create a meaningful book of memories.

Call or stop by the branch to register.

The library is at 1569 Wellborn Road, Lithonia.

For more information, call 770-4823821.

Troop 1210 ready to beat 2014 sales as Girl Scout Cookies return Girl Scout Cookie lovers can find their favorites and two new flavors at sales booths popping up around South DeKalb this month.

The new flavors are gluten-free Toffee-tastic and RahRah Raisins.

The 16 members of Troop 1210, which meets at Greenforest Community Baptist Church in Decatur, and other troops will operate booths at locations such as the Gallery at South DeKalb and area Walmart and Kroger stores.

In 2014, Troop 1210 sold about 6,600 boxes with the help of cookie manager Renicka Jones. Cookies cost $4 a box, except for Toffee-tastic, which are $6 a box.

Troop co-leader Kenzie R. Burks said the girls collectively raised $23,100 in 2014 by selling to family, friends, neighbors and church members and at booth sales. The troop’s sales goal for 2015 is to beat last year’s total.

“Not including booth sales, the girls have already sold 4,150 boxes during pre-sale,” Burks said on Feb. 11. “Our troop’s goal does not solely depend on how many cookies are sold or how much money is earned. There is a lot more to this cookie business.”

She said the ultimate goal is to ensure that the girls learn five skills from the cookie sales – “goal-setting, decision-making, money management, people skills and business ethics,

Girl Scout Troop 1210 and co-leaders Kenzie R. Burks (left) and Candie Harling visit Savannah in June 2014.

all of which are important for success and leadership.”

Burks, a banking officer with Atlantic Capital Bank, said Troop 1210 has been around at least 20 years. She said proceeds from cookie sales benefit the Girls Scouts of Greater Atlanta to help fund educational programs, camping and other activities to help girls become strong women and community leaders.

“The troop proceeds were used for camping, ceremonies,

events and a trip to where it all began – historical Savannah, the birthplace of the Girl Scout founder, Juliette Gordon Low,” Burks said. “The girls also contributed to the 163,000 boxes of cookies that were given to the Smiles4Military program, which sends donated cookies to the U.S. military troops at home and abroad.”

Burks said she and her sister, Sonya, were Scouts while growing up in DeKalb County and they loved it. She still has her sash.

“I became a parent volunteer when my daughter, Kendle, joined Girl Scouts as a second-grade Brownie at the age of 8,” she said.

Kendle is now a ninth-grade Senior Girl Scout, and Burks’ older daughter, Kirsten, is an 11th-grade Juliette Girl Scout.

The girls, former students at Greenforest McCalep, attend Eagles Landing Christian Academy in Henry County.

“I had no idea how rewarding, exciting and fun it would be to volunteer with an organization that is dedicated to girl power,” Burks said. “Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.

It is so cool to see girls grow into wonderful ladies, and I plan to volunteer for a long time.”

For local cookie sales booths, visit www.GirlScoutsATL. org/Cookies and enter your ZIP code.

11

CrossRoadsNews

February 28, 2015

SAVE! Ask About SAME DAY Installation! CALL Now! 800-2781401

One-order, one-invoice, multi-newspaper placement service!

Protect Your Home - ADT Authorized Dealer: Burglary, Fire, and Emergency Alerts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! CALL TODAY, INSTALLED TOMORROW! 888-858-9457 (M-F 9am-9pm ET)

Reach more than 15 million households served by over 1,020 suburban and community newspapers around North America and Canada. 25-word ad starts at $240 weekly.

Discount Contact Rates Available.

For more information, call 888-486-2466.

Autos CASH FOR CARS! Any Make, Model or Year. We Pay MORE! Running or Not. Sell Your Car or Truck TODAY. Free Towing!

Instant Offer: 1-888-545-8647 AUTO INSURANCE STARTING AT $25/ MONTH! Call 877-9299397 CARS/TRUCKS WANTED! Top $$$$$ PAID! Running or Not, All Makes!. Free Towing! We’re Local! 7 Days/Week. Call 1-800959-8518 WANTED: 190SL, 230SL, 280SL, Mercedes or other pre-1972 Foreign Sportscar or Convertible.

Porsche, Jaguar, Ferrari, etc.

ANY CONDITION! FAIR OFFERS! Mike 520-977-1110.

Business Opportunity AVON- Earn extra income with a new career! Sell from home, work,, online. $15 startup. For information call: 888-423-1792 (M-F 9-7 & Sat 9-1 Central)

Education & Training AIRLINE CAREERS Start Here - Get hands on training as FAA

certified Technician fixing jets.

Financial aid if qualified. Call for free information Aviation Institute of Maintenance 1-877-818-0783 www.FixJets.com

Employment Opportunities HELP WANTED!! Make up to $1000 A Week Mailing Brochures From Home! Helping Home Workers since 2001! Genuine Opportunity! NO Experience Required! www.needmailers.com VOID IN WI

Financial/ Insurance PROBLEMS with the IRS or State Taxes? Settle for a fraction of what you owe! Free face to face consultations with offices in your area. Call 855-970-2032 GET CASH NOW for your Annuity or Structured Settlement. Top Dollars Paid. Fast, No Hassle Service! 877-693-0934 (M-F 9:35am-7pm ET) FREE Medicare Quotes! Get Covered and Save! Explore Top Medicare Supplement Insurance Plans For Free! It’s Open Enrollment, So Call Now! 877-243-4705 SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY

BENEFITS. Unable to work?

Denied benefits? We Can Help!

WIN or Pay Nothing! Contact Bill Gordon & Associates at 1-800706-8742 to start your application today!

Sell your structured settlement or annuity payments for CASH NOW. You don’t have to wait for your future payments any longer!

Call 1-800-283-3601

Health & Fitness Canada Drug Center is your choice for safe and affordable medications. Our licensed Canadian mail order pharmacy will provide you with savings of up to 90% on all your medication needs. Call today 1-800-4188975, for $10.00 off your first prescription and free shipping.

Wheelchair and Scooter Repair.

Medicare Accepted. Fast Friendly Service. BBB Rated.

Loaners Available. CALL 1-800450-7709 Got Knee Pain? Back Pain?

Shoulder Pain? Get a painrelieving brace -little or NO cost to you. Medicare Patients Call Health Hotline Now! 1- 800-900-

5406

day! Call Now! 855-752-8550

Home Improvement

Miscellaneous

All Things Basementy! Basement Systems Inc. Call us for all of your basement needs!

Waterproofing, Finishing, Structural Repairs, Humidity and Mold Control FREE ESTIMATES! Call 1-800-998-5574

Advertise your product or service nationwide or by region in over 7 million households in North America’s best suburbs! Place your classified ad in over 570 suburban newspapers just like this one. Call Classified Avenue at 888-486-2466

Misc. For Sale Get The Big Deal from DirecTV! Act Now- $19.99/mo. Free 3-Months of HBO, starz, SHOWTIME & CINEMAX FREE GENIE HD/DVR Upgrade! 2014 NFL Sunday Ticket Included with Select Packages. New Customers Only IV Support Holdings LLCAn authorized DirecTV Dealer Some exclusions apply - Call for details 1-800-897-4169 Acorn Stairlifts. The AFFORDABLE solution to your stairs! **Limited time -$250 Off Your Stairlift Purchase!** Buy Direct & SAVE. Please call 1-800304-4489 for FREE DVD and brochure.

Get CABLE TV, INTERNET & PHONE with FREE HD Equipment and install for under $3 a

DISH TV Retailer. Starting at $19.99/month (for 12 mos.) & High Speed Internet starting at $14.95/month (where available.)

FREE $50 WALMART GIFT CARD & 3 FREE issues of YOUR FAVORITE MAGAZINES! To claim this free offer, Call 855954-3224 FREE BAHAMA CRUISE. 3 days/2 nights from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Pay only $59 port charge! Upgrades available! Call Now! 877-916-3235 FREE GOLD IRA KIT. With the demise of the dollar now is the time to invest in gold. AAA Rated! For free consultation: 1-866-683-5664

Reader Notice As a service to you – our valued readers – we offer the following information: This newspaper will never knowingly accept any advertisement that is illegal or considered fraudulent. If you have questions or doubts about any ads on these pages, we advise that before responding or sending money ahead of time, you check with the Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Line and/or the Better Business Bureau. They may have records or documented complaints that will serve to caution you about doing business with those advertisers. Also be advised that some phone numbers published in these ads may require an extra charge. In all cases of questionable value, such as promises or guaranteed income from work-at-home programs, money to loan, etc., if it sounds too good to be true –­ it may in fact be exactly that.

This newspaper cannot be held responsible for any negative consequences that occur as a result of you doing business with any advertisers. Thank you.

travel

EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR AT SEA on the Luxurious

Marketplace BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES

LEGAL NOTICES

“Ladies! Be your own boss! My company is looking for sharp women who want to own their own business, be their own boss, have freedom and flexibility - all while earning a top income. You deserve more! Get started today!

Call 404-829-4268. Ad code CR1504.

Notice -- Articles of Incorporation: to incorporate Yeshua Kingdom Church and Temples, Inc. have been delivered to the Secretary of State. The registration office of the corporation is 385 Patterson Ave., Atlanta, Georgia 30316.

Registered agent at address is Henry Anderson.

MARKETPLACE RATES Place your MarketPlace line ad here – up to 20 words for $25. Additional words are $3 per block of five words (maximum 45 words). Boxed Ads (with up to 3 lines bold headline): $35 plus cost of the classified ad. Send ad copy with check or credit card information and contact phone number (if different from ad) to MarketPlace, CrossRoadsNews, 2346 Candler Road, Decatur, GA 30032, or e-mail to marketplace@crossroadsnews.com. Our deadlines are at noon on the Friday one week prior to publication, unless otherwise noted.

attorneys

Oasis of the Seas®

By Royal Caribbean

Nov. 14-21, 2015

financial

insurance

Tax Problems?

Dental Benefits Including Dentures Available!

Want a CPA or Tax Attorney to handle your case?

Call

TAX ROADMAP

We Navigate Solutions for You!

855-829-7623 taxroadmapusa.com

“Beyond Success: My Amazing Journey to Significance” With Dr. Betty Glover Palmer

TO BOOK YOUR CRUISE

Special Gov’t Program Available for those with Medicare and Medicaid or Those with Medicare And Extra Help For Details, CALL FOR

FREE REPORT, 24 HRS 800-704-3307

Patricia E. White, Travel Consultant

Book-A-Trip/ATC M (678) 595-7543 pat@bookatriptravel.com

Johnson Hopewell Coleman, LLC

FOR SEMINAR INFO

Dr. Betty Glover Palmer B.G. Palmer Training & Coaching M (404) 309-4305 bgpalmer@bellsouth.com

subscriptions Order online at www.crossroadsnews.com/subscribe

Don’t Miss An Issue.

attorneys

JHC

Call today and “Let’s Book-ATrip!”

■ Get CrossRoadsNews

every week.

be Subscriy!

Toda

“EXPERIENCED LAWYERS, EXPERIENCED MINDS”

■ End the inconvenience of

empty newspaper stands.

■ Support CrossRoadsNews,

we’re always working for you.

Yes, I want CrossRoadsNews in the mail.

Choose your desired subscription length and Save up to 30% : * All prices plus tax.

❑ 13 weeks - $25 - $1.92/week* ❑ 26 weeks - $45 - $1.73/week* ❑ 52 weeks - $70 - $1.34/week* Name ____________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________ City _________________________State _________________Zip ____________ Phone ________________________ E-mail ______________________________ I prefer to pay by credit card: ❍ Visa ❍ MC ❍ AmEx ❍ Discover

Card no. ______________________________ Expiration date ____________ Billing Address (if different from above)

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

Street _____________________________________________________________________

City _________________________State _________________Zip ____________ Please mail to CrossRoadsNews, 2346 Candler Road, Decatur, GA 30032.

Your Source for Neighborhood News

(PHOTOCOPIES OK )

Call 404-284-1888 for Advertising Rates & Information

12

CrossRoadsNews

Celebrating

February 28, 2015

years

of Service to the Community

Join Us for an Elegant Evening of Celebration, Recognition & Entertainment

Saturday, April 25, 2015 7:00 p.m. – Midnight The Grand Peachtree Ballroom The Ramada Plaza Atlanta Downtown 450 Capitol Avenue S.E. Atlanta, GA 30312 ★ Black Tie ★

‘Making A Difference Award’ Recipients

Oakhurst Medical Centers David George Community Advocate SDIA Immediate Past President

Providing Affordable Health Care

John Evans

Community Advocate DeKalb NAACP President

To Reserve Your Seat, visit http://conta.cc/1CdF34D, or call 404-284-1888 ★ Sponsor Packages Available ★ Call 404-284-1888 for Information.

A portion of proceeds will benefit the CrossRoadsNews Foundation Scholarship Program

Local • Thorough • Insightful