CrossRoadsNews, January 10, 2015 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

COMMUNITY

CELEBRATING KING

The 17-member DeKalb Government Operations Task Force has offered 10 recommendations to ensure a brighter future for the county. 3

District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson promises to make things happen for DeKalb County as he begins his fourth term. 4

Presentations, panel discussions and more are scheduled as metro Atlanta residents remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 8, 9

Recommendations for change

‘Better than I got it’

Parade, more on tap

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

January 10, 2015

Volume 20, Number 37

www.crossroadsnews.com

Georgia State, Georgia Perimeter College becoming one By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Georgia Perimeter College was founded in 1964 as DeKalb College for citizens of DeKalb by the DeKalb Board of Education. It joined the University System of Georgia in 1986.

mission on Colleges is expected to approve the plan by the end of this year, followed by Board of Regents approval of the new institution in early 2016. Huckaby said the merger will improve stuHank Huckaby dent success. “Combining these attributes with Georgia Perimeter College’s leadership in providing access to students across the metro area presents a major opportunity to improve

Georgia State University and Georgia Perimeter College are consolidating to form a new institution to be named Georgia State University. The Board of Regents approved the proposal for the consolidation from Chancellor Hank Huckaby on Jan. 6. The target date for full integration of the two institutions is January 2016. For students, the consolidated institution will roll out in fall 2016. Georgia State President Mark Becker will serve as the president of the consolidated university and the board of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Com- Please see MERGER, page 2

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

National coalition taking on police brutality Former U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney says too many young black men are not surviving their encounters with the police as Atlanta attorney Tiffany Roberts of Lawyers United for a New Atlanta looks on.

Plans to register voters, reframe discussion By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Former U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney is co-chairing a national coalition of grassroots groups, activists, attorneys, churches, entertainers and politicians to fight police brutality. McKinney and co-chair Dhoruba BinWahad, a former Black Panther leader, kicked off the National Coalition to Combat Police Terrorism on Jan. 5 at a news conference at the DavisBozeman Law Firm in Decatur. They said they are heading a civic effort to rein in militarized policDhoruba Bin-Wahad ing across the country, especially as it relates to the black community, and plan to transform community policing; register disenfranchised voters, particularly among the homeless and prison populations; and demand that officers who police African-American communities live in those communities. They hope to have an impact before the 2016 general election. The group will host a town hall meeting on Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Franklin Auditorium on the Interdenominational Theological Center campus in Atlanta. Holding a copy of the book “Stolen Lives – Killed by Law Enforcement,” which documents the photos and stories of AfricanAmericans killed by police across the country, McKinney said too many young people are not surviving their encounters with police. She said the new coalition is against a particular type of policing. “It’s not against policing in general,” she said. “But it’s certainly against those who use excessive force. It’s against those who use the opportunity they have to protect the com-

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

“We are not the bad guys. We are here for the people. We are here with our compassion as well as our brains and experience to try to say, ‘Enough is enough.’” Cynthia McKinney, co-chair National Coalition to Combat Police Terrorism

munity to terrorize the community.” McKinney, who represented the 4th Congressional District for a total of 12 years, said she has seen young black men sprawled up against walls in California during police raids. She told a white reporter who raised a question, “That is terrorism and if you were

subjected to it, you would say it’s terrorism too, so this is a reality that some people experience on a daily basis.” She also said that when her late father, Billy McKinney, was an Atlanta police officer, he had to watch white officers handcuff black men to telephone poles and beat them. “My father would come home angry because yet another black man was handcuffed to the telephone pole and beaten with their nightsticks,” she said. “My father had to witness that day in and day out. As a black police officer who was unwanted on the force, he had to swallow that. Eventually he couldn’t swallow it anymore. You could say, he couldn’t breathe.” She said her father, who was one of the Atlanta Police Department’s first black police

officers in 1947, came to understand that the only way to change the system was to become a policy-maker. After leaving the police force, Billy McKinney, who died in July 2010, was elected state representative in 1970 and served for 30 years. Those standing at the podium included Atlanta attorney Tiffany Roberts of Lawyers United for a New Atlanta, a newly formed think tank and activist group representing protesters; Derrick Rice, senior pastor of Sankofa United Methodist Church; Michael Coleman of Saving Our Selves; and rapper and deejay Mike Flow. Bin-Wahad did not offer any other names of coalition members, but he said groups in Please see COALITION, page 4

CrossRoadsNews

Community

January 10, 2015

“The consolidation presents an opportunity to create a modern, urban university that balances the needs for access.”

May’s State of the County address coming up Jan. 22 DeKalb interim CEO Lee May will present his outlook for the county for 2015 and review 2014 at two separate State of the County addresses to business owners and residents on Jan. 22. The first, a two-hour paid luncheon hosted by the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce and the Council for Quality Growth, takes place at 11 a.m. at the Thalia N. Carlos Hellenic Community Center in Atlanta. At 7 p.m. that same day, he will speak at a free event at the Maloof Auditorium.

Chamber members paid $50 and visitors $75 to attend its 2015 State of the County Business Luncheon. The member-based DeKalb Chamber of Commerce is a 76-year-old business group that recommends and provides resources through its partnerships and affiliations. The 30-year-old Council for Quality Growth works to ensure continued growth and economic success through advocacy, information and educa-

tion of its members. To register, visit www.councilforqualitygrowth. org. The Thalia N. Carlos Hellenic Community Center is at 2500 Clairmont Road N.E. May’s 2015 State of the County address is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and registration is not required. The Manuel Maloof Auditorium is at 1300 ComLee May merce Drive in downtown Decatur.

Layoffs, other cuts likely as colleges consolidate MERGER,

from page

student success,” he said in the announcement posted on the college’s Web site. Becker said consolidating the two institutions will expand access, apply best-practice programs and reinvest savings into academics for the benefit of students, and ensure a 21st-century structure that provides the most effective system of institu- Mark Becker tions offering the proper range of degrees, services and opportunities for students and faculty. “The Georgia State and Georgia Perimeter consolidation presents an opportunity to create a modern, urban university that balances the needs for access,” he said. Becker said he did not know at this time if any campuses will be closed or how much will be saved by the consolidation but that there will likely be layoffs. Until details are worked out, it is not possible to know how many or which ones.

“Certain administrative functions will be combined, resulting in the need for fewer positions over time,” he said. Becker said an implementation team with representatives – faculty, staff, student and administration – from both institutions will soon form to work out the many details associated with consolidating the two schools. That team also will be responsible for submitting the required documents for accreditation. Becker said that reducing administrative costs and functions is a goal of consolidating institutions. “But it will not be a quick process,” he said. “It is anticipated it will take at least 12 to 18 months to implement the consolidation of the individual institutions and to properly calculate savings attained by the action. Savings will occur from decreased administrative costs and increased service efficiencies. Savings will then be reinvested for academic and instructional needs for students.” Georgia State University, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2013, is the second-largest university in the University System of Georgia. The Atlanta-based down-

town research university has a national reputation for graduating students from diverse backgrounds. Georgia Perimeter College, which has five campuses – Decatur, Clarkston, Dunwoody, Alpharetta and Newton County, plus the University System’s largest online program – was founded in 1964 as DeKalb College for the citizens of DeKalb County by the DeKalb Board of Education. At its 50th anniversary celebration in September 2014, members of its first graduating class in 1966 were recognized. The college went from being the first and only public two-year college in the state controlled by a local school district to joining the University System of Georgia in 1986. In 1997, the USG Board of Regents changed its name to Georgia Perimeter College to reflect its expanding mission and its service throughout metro Atlanta. The GPC moniker became official in fall 1998. The college serves more than 21,000 students and has helped more than 350,000 students toward their dream of earning a college degree.

It is the top associate degree-granting institution in Georgia. The consolidation comes in the wake of financial issues at the college that surfaced in April 2012 and attracted the attention of SACS. In December 2012, the accrediting institution issued a warning to Georgia Perimeter over the lack of financial controls and a $25 million budget shortfall was identified. More than 282 employees were laid off, operating supply and other costs cut, and then-President Anthony Tricoli, who had been at GPC since October 2006, stepped down as president on May 7, 2012. The college promised that it would completely resolve its financial issues within 12 months. In 2011, the Board of Regents also approved principles of consolidation to enable colleges to consolidate where it made sense for students’ education, avoid duplication of academic programs, and streamline administrative services, among others. Becker said the consolidation will be transparent and that a Web site will be created to keep campuses informed and the consolidation committee chair, when named, will be the lead contact.

Saturday Jan. 31, 2015 Noon - 5 p.m.

In Partnership with

Lower Level, The Mall at Stonecrest

Live Healthy & Prosper! When CrossRoadsNews presented the first Health & Wellness Expo in 2006, it immediately became the biggest celebration of health and wellness in East Metro Atlanta and has attracted more than 6,000 people annually to the Mall at Stonecrest. During the 10th anniversary celebration, we will once again provide information, health screenings and other resources to empower residents to eat healthy, be more active, and know their health status. We will also recognize the exhibitors, sponsors, performers and other supporters who have helped us carry the message of wellness to our community for the last decade.

More than 6,000 attended the 2014 Expo

Limited Exhibitor Opportunities available on a first-come, first-served basis.To reserve your space, call 404-284-1888 or email kathy@crossroadsnews.com

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Community

CrossRoadsNews

January 10, 2015

“We are indebted to the members of the [DeKalb Government Operations Task Force] for their tireless dedication to this cause.”

Operations Task Force recommends 10 reforms for DeKalb By Ken Watts

After meeting for five months, the DeKalb Government Operations Task Force has 10 recommendations to ensure a brighter future for the county. Among them, the 17-member task force has recommended a Department of Internal Audit, a review of the DeKalb Organizational Act, and more autonomy for the Board of Ethics. Its recommendations will go to the General Assembly for proposed action during the 2015 session that begins Jan. 12. The task force, which included six state legislators – Sens. Gloria Butler, Fran Millar and Elena Parent and Reps. Billy Mitchell, Karla Drenner and Mike Jacobs – is seeking a referendum for a penny Special Options Sales Tax and changes to the county’s Organizational Act. Interim CEO Lee May, who created the task force in March 2014 to study the impact of annexation on the county, the effectiveness of the current governance structure, and the distribution of Homestead Option Sales Tax and other matters, praised the process that brought together key stakeholders from across the county. He said members reached a consensus on many issues that affect government that will continue the journey of reform and restore the public’s trust. “We are indebted to the members of the task force for their tireless dedication to this cause,” May said. Task Force recommendations: n That the DeKalb County delegation to the General Assembly establish and staff a Charter Review Commission of citizens nominated by established businesses and civic interest groups to review the county’s Organizational Act and complete its work

Task force members met for five months and have recommended a number of legislative reforms.

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

DeKalb Operations Task Force members n Commissioner Jeff Rader n Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton n District 7 Commissioner Stan Watson n State Sen. Gloria Butler n State Sen. Fran Millar n State Rep. Karla Drenner n State Rep. Billy Mitchell

within 18 months. n That the Code of Ethics within the Organizational Act be amended to include the appointment of Ethics Board members by outside organizations, elimination of the board’s ability to remove elected officials, and grant it the authority to impose stiff fines and penalties and hire its own staff. n That the Board of Commissioners establish an independent Department of Internal Audit to conduct performance audits to measure the effectiveness, economy and ef-

n State Rep. Mike Jacobs n State Sen. Elena Parent n David L. Sjoquist, GSU professor n Former Decatur Mayor Bill Floyd n General Counsel Jim Grubiak n DeKalb Medical CEO John Shelton n DeKalb School Board member Jim

McMahan n DeKalb Development Authority Chairman Vaughn Irons n Clayton County Community Development Director Patrick Ejike n Community Affairs Specialist April Atkins

ficiency of the various departments, offices, boards, agencies and programs of the county government on a continual basis. n That the Board of Commissioners adopt a purchasing policy – based on the interim CEO’s revised policy – for all county departments, offices and agencies subject to the BOC’s jurisdiction and a veto by the CEO. n That a special property tax levy be imposed in a special service district encompassing unincorporated DeKalb to fund the current unfunded actuarial accrued pension liability

and that the county employ an independent actuary to determine the magnitude of the unfunded liability caused by the creation of the cities of Dunwoody and Brookhaven. n That the current structure of the Homestead Option Sales Tax be applied to all homestead properties in the county. Currently, HOST is only applied to homes in unincorporated DeKalb. In addition, that the county should propose to the General Assembly a penny Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax subject to referendum.

Start your 2015 with...

State

of the county 2015

January 22 Doors open at 6:00p.m. Program starts at 7:00p.m. Maloof Auditorium 1300 Commerce Drive Decatur, GA 3

Interim CEO Lee May will present to citizens, businesses, and other community stakeholders a review of 2014 and his outlook for 2015 during the State of the County Address. The recipient of this invitation is entitled to complementary admission to this event.

Join us for spirit-filled worship, powerful teaching, and impactful preaching experience. Sunday worship services: ......7:45am & 10:45am Fulfillment Hour: ........................................ 9:30am (Sunday School for all ages!) Youth Church ........................................... 10:45am Children's Chapel .................................... 10:45am (2nd & 4th Sundays)

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

Greenforest Community Baptist Church Rev. Dennis W. Mitchell, Senior Pastor 3250 Rainbow Drive • Decatur, GA 30034 www.greenforest.org • (404) 486-1120

CrossRoadsNews

Community 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.

January 10, 2015

“We need all hands on deck. Everybody needs to be at the table. Everybody can serve.”

Larry Johnson gung-ho to serve fourth term By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson took the oath of office for his fourth term on Jan. 5, promising to make things happen for the county. Johnson said he is elated that the District 3 residents picked him for another four years. “The South DeKalb community is a thriving place to live, work and play because of advancements we’ve worked together to create,” he said. “I look forward to continuing this great work and continually showing District 3 residents results they can see.” After taking the oath from DeKalb State Court Judge Johnny Panos before a standing- roomonly crowd at the Gallery at South DeKalb, Johnson sat down onstage for a question-and-answer session with Rashad Richey. He said that economic development and transportation are the main areas to build on and that he will work to set policies that will ensure that things happen for the county. He said public-private partnership and technology are key to moving the county forward. “DeKalb’s best days are ahead of us,” he said. “The best things we have going for us are our cultural diversity and our human capital.” Johnson, who is the Board of Commissioners’ presiding officer, told Richey that the citizens can make a difference by joining the PTA. “You may not have kids but you are still paying taxes,” he said. He also encouraged citizens to get involved in their neighborhood associations and to attend town hall “We need all hands on deck,” be at the table. Everybody can serve. meetings. Johnson said. “Everybody needs to We have to put our hands to the

Commissioner Larry Johnson takes the oath of office Jan. 5 from State Court Judge Johnny Panos at a swearing-in ceremony at the Gallery at South DeKalb.

plow and make things happen.” Johnson, who grew up on the Southside of Chicago, said he keeps humble because as a young man he got out of his poor neighborhood and because he has a strong family and a wife, Dr. Tanisha Johnson, who believed in him when nobody else did. “It’s good to have a good helpmate and a good partner,” he said to applause. Johnson, who has been unopposed for all his re-election campaigns, said the mark of a good leader is how many more leaders he creates. He said he has worked to create leaders in his district. “This is the people’s seat,” he said. “I want to leave it better than I got it.”

Town hall meeting on ‘police terrorism’ set for Jan. 26 COALITION,

from page

New York, Chicago, San Francisco and other cities that have been protesting the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and Eric Garner in New York City are part of the coalition. He said that while 20,000 police officers mourn the two officers who unfortunately were killed in New York and the president sent Vice President Joe Biden to deliver the eulogy, there has been no national day of mourning or outpouring of grief for the countless numbers of young black men gunned down in the streets by police officers. He said the coalition will use all available means to dismantle the system that is inherently racist. Bin-Wahad, who is 70, said he was beat up by police when he was 12 and they’re still beating up black men. Responding to an 11-Alive reporter’s question about whether the group’s name – National Coalition to Combat Police Terrorism – could be seen as incendiary, Bin-Wahad said they are not here to determine

other people’s agenda or tell them how to think. “We don’t represent the politics of the Garner family,” he said. “We don’t represent the politics of the Brown family. They are in grief. They lost their child and launched a movement. They are not our political leaders. “This coalition says what it is – to combat police terrorism because the police are terrorizing us and have been terrorizing us for 400 years now. They are the descendants of the ‘paddy rollers’ from New York. Remember them? They are the descendants of Ku Klux Klan. They are the descendants of the militias that used to go hunt slaves and run them down. That’s who police our community. “We have no obligation to tone down our rhetoric. Who do we have an obligation to? CNN? To you? To white folks? Do we have an obligation as victims of white supremacy in this country to reform white supremacy? Do we have an obligation to make you feel better about yourself? No.” Asked if there are any police

officers out there who are doing a good job and if this kind of rhetoric endangers them, Bin-Wahad said they are endangered already. “We know there are black police officers who are terrified of their colleagues. We know there are black police officers who can’t police properly because of white supremacy in their organization. Talk to the average black cop and he will tell you that when he is off duty and has to wear his gun, he is terrified that a white cop will kill him because he thinks he is Kalonji Changa another Negro with a gun.” Kalonji Changa, the coalition’s national coordinator and founder of the FTP Movement, said NCCPT is “the people’s coalition” and not one of the same old coalitions people are used to. “We are not taking money from corporations to be quiet,” he said. “We are not having back-door meetings with the mayor and all

these other type folks who really don’t care about us until it is time to fix their image. We are inviting the people to get involved. We are inviting the press to get involved and be on the right side of history. At this stage of the game, there is no neutral.” Changa said police in New York proved they are at war when they turned their backs on their own mayor. “They have no care or concerns for everyday people, and we do,” he said. “Make sure you are on the right side of history or get caught up on the wrong side.” McKinney said the 11-Alive reporter’s questions were trying to turn the coalition into “the bad guys.” “We are not the bad guys,” she said. “We are here for the people. We are here with our compassion as well as our brains and experience to try to say, ‘Enough is enough.’” View the full press conference at http://rashaentertainment. com/former-congresswoman-cochairs-coalition-to-combat-policeterrorism/#more-67373.

Circulation Audited By index to advertisers Best Friends Animal Society............................9 Bobby L. Scott & Associates........................... 11 DeKalb Academy of Technology..................... 5 DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court.................... 10 DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office...................... 10 DeKalb County State of the County................. 3

DeKalb Medical............................................... 7 Fabric Joint, LLC............................................. 11 Georgia Perimeter College.............................6 Greenforest Community Baptist Church.......... 3 Johnny Harris CPA......................................... 11 Johnson Hopewell Coleman LLC.................. 11

Johnson’s Antiques & Flea Market................ 11 Macy’s............................................................12 Quenon Smith............................................... 11 Smiles for Less............................................... 11 Tax Roadmap................................................. 11

Wright Vision Care..........................................9 Best Buy Co. Inc......................................Inserts Holistic Health Management Inc.............Inserts Walgreen’s..............................................Inserts Walmart..................................................Inserts

CrossRoadsNews

January 10, 2015

Community

“I proposed Senate Bill 10 as a means to quickly and efficiently fill vacant seats to ensure that citizens… have responsive representation.”

Ramsey pre-files bill in Senate to remedy District 5 vacancy State Sen. Ronald Ramsey (DLithonia) has pre-filed Senate Bill 10 to streamline the process of filling vacant elected seats created by the suspension of a public official. If successful, the law would allow the governor to authorize temporary replacements after 180 days. Ramsey, who represents the 43rd Senate District, lives in Lithonia in Commission District 5. He said that

he and the district’s 140,000 residents deserve and expect to have representation. The seat on the DeKalb Board of Commissioners has been vacant since July 16, 2013, when Gov. Nathan Deal appointed Commissioner Lee May interim DeKalb CEO after the suspension of CEO Burrell Ellis, who was indicted on corruption charges. “Sadly, we remain without a voice due to certain elected officials’ political

agenda over the needs of our citizens,” Ramsey said. “I proposed Senate Bill 10 as a means to quickly and efficiently fill vacant seats to ensure that citizens will always have responsible and responsive representation.” Senate Bill 10 will allow the governing authority or executive officer of a county to nominate no more than three qualified nominees and vote to fill the vacancy. If the vote is not held within 30

days of the nomination, the authority does not approve a nominee, or if the vacancy has existed for more than 180 days, the governor will have the authority to select a temporary replacement from the nominee list. The 153rd Legislative Session begins on Jan. 12. For more information, email ronald.ramsey@senate.ga.gov or call Ronald Ramsey 404-463-2598.

Rader lobbying for presiding officer post Boyer to be sentenced on Feb. 4 in fraud case By Ken Watts

District 2 Commissioner Jeff Rader is making a play for presiding officer of the DeKalb Board of Commissioners. Rader, who has been on the board since 2006, announced Jan. 6 that he is running for the position that sets the agenda for BOC meetings. The presiding officer is elected by fellow commissioners at its first meeting of the new year. The BOC has failed to seat George Turner as the interim District 5 commissioner to replace Lee May, who is serving as interim CEO. With that seat vacant, Jeff Rader Rader stands his best chance of winning the position, currently held by District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson. The board’s next meeting is scheduled for Jan. 13. Rader sent a letter to each commissioner outlining his platform and requesting their support. The platform includes: n Hire an internal auditor as outlined in the Organizational Act and the Code of Ordinances. n Allow each BOC committee to elect its own leadership and assign responsibility for reviewing contracts to all

committees, based on subject matter, to take advantage of each commissioner’s expertise. n Rebuild the BOC staff that has been decimated by resignations and unfilled positions. n Review Rules of Procedures by which the commission operates. n Make correspondence to the BOC through the presiding officer available to all BOC members and the public to increase transparency. n Implement collaborative decision-making on central budget expenditures and staff leadership with regular operations reports by staff to the BOC. “Now is the time to renew our capabilities to serve the public interest,” Rader said in his letter. “I am committed to these goals and have given much thought on how best to engage each member of the board in its renaissance. If you give me your support as presiding officer, I will respond to your vote of confidence by involving every member of the BOC in its governance, and as a result help you to better serve your constituents and stakeholders in your district and throughout DeKalb County.” If elected, it will be his first time serving in the position.

Former DeKalb County Commissioner Elaine Boyer will be sentenced on Feb. 4 for bilking taxpayers out of more than $90,000. Bob Page, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta, said U.S. District Judge Orinda Evans will sentence her in her courtroom in the Richard B. Russell Federal Building in downtown Atlanta. Boyer, who represented District 1 in North DeKalb for 22 years, resigned on Aug. 23, 2014, and pleaded guilty to mail Elaine Boyer fraud conspiracy and wire fraud charges on Sept. 3. She was originally scheduled to be sentenced in December, but it was postponed for undisclosed reasons. Boyer faces up to two years in federal prison for funneling more than $78,000 to an evangelist posing as a legislative consultant. He kicked about $58,000 to her. She also admitted running up more than $15,000 in personal purchases on her county Visa card for ski vacations and other personal expenses.

DEKALB ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGY & ENVIRONMENT ELEMENTARY & MIDDLE CHARTER SCHOOL

“Learning with Relationships, Relevance and Rigor!”

Dates for accepting New Student Applications for the 2015-16 school year:

Early Kindergarten Enrollment Only

Open Enrollment K- 8th

Jan. 12 – 22 7:30 am - 2:00pm Mondays - Thursdays

Jan. 8 – Feb. 26, 7:30am - 2:00pm Mondays - Thursdays

February 19th is the last day for application submission. For more information or to download an application, please visit us at www.dekalbacademy.org

Lottery Dates Kindergarten - 5th: February 26 • 9:00 a.m. Notification date: March 12 Middle School: March 19th • 9:00 a.m. Notification date: March 26 School Tours at 7:30 a.m. 2nd and 3rd Fridays of the month until April 10th.

DeKalb Academy of Technology & Environment Charter Schools • 1492 Kelton Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30083

CrossRoadsNews

Youth

January 10, 2015

“I Stan Jester, being a citizen of DeKalb County and being an employee of DeKalb County School System … do solemnly swear. …”

Jester refuses school district background check By Ken Watts

recited before a packed boardroom that “I, Stan Jester, being a citizen Newly elected DeKalb School of DeKalb County and being Board member Stan Jester is refusing an employee of DeKalb County to submit to a fingerprint and backSchool System and the recipient of ground check the district requires of public funds for services rendered board members, employees and volunas such employee, do hereby solteers as a safety measure for students emnly swear and affirm that I will and personnel. support the Constitution of the Jester, who represents District 1 United States and the Constitution in North DeKalb, says he has sent to of Georgia. board Chair Melvin Johnson a finger“I do further swear that I will print and background check done by truly and faithfully discharge all the DeKalb County Police Department the duties required of me by law as but will not submit to the one cona member of the Board of Educaducted by the school district. tion of DeKalb County to the best “It would be a conflict of interest Stan Jester takes oath as employee but says rules don’t of my ability.” for me as a board member to submit apply to him. His son, Jake holds Bible while Jaxon looks on. It was the same oath delivered to a background check by the school to his six colleagues. district which I was elected to oversee,” Jester GBI tells us that’s not the same as having the “He raised his hand and affirmed the information officially processed and filed oath,” Johnson said. told CrossRoadsNews on Jan. 7. Jester said he has three children in DeKalb with our security personnel,” Johnson said. Jester raised the possibility that somepublic schools and is as sensitive to safety “School district employees, including board one in the district called the media in an members, have been submitting to district attempt to bully him into compliance. matters as any parent. Jester posted the results of his police background checks since at least the early “Why are reporters calling me about background check at stanjester.com and 1990s as a safety measure for our students this?” he asked. called on other board members to post their and personnel.” Johnson said no one in his office called Jester said he researched the policy and the media and that he doesn’t know of results online for all to see. Johnson said on Jan. 8 he was surprised found that DeKalb BOE policy and Georgia anyone else who did. law OCGA 20-2-51 enacted in 2011 explicitly when Jester informed him of his decision. “This is a personnel matter and we’d Johnson said that he sent a letter to Jester state that BOE members are not employees. like to get it resolved as soon as possible But Johnson said Jester like the other six to everyone’s satisfaction so that we don’t on Thursday asking him to have the police board members took the oath of office on get distracted from critically important send his fingerprint data to the school disJan. 5 swearing that he is an employee. trict’s security department. issues such as regaining full accreditation Jester, who was sworn in by Georgia and finding our next superintendent,” “I know he has posted the police report online and sent it to me personally but the Supreme Court Justice David E. Nahmias, Johnson said.

Chance for students to win trip to Japan Students ages 10 and 11 can become “Junior Ambassadors” and attend the 27th Annual Asian-Pacific Children’s Convention taking place July 9-22 in Fukuoka, Japan. The all-expense-paid trip is funded by the nonprofit Japan-America Society of Georgia. Applicants must write an essay about why they would make a good Junior Ambassador and representative of Georgia and submit a drawing that represents the convention’s theme “We Are the Bridge: We Connect Dreams Around the World.” The application also requires a confidential letter of recommendation from a teacher or another unrelated adult and a completed application form. The deadline to apply is Feb. 4. Four students – two boys and two girls – from Georgia will join more than 300 other Junior Ambassadors from around the world for two weeks of culture and language exchange, home stays, sightseeing, and sporting events. Eligibility requirements and applications are available at www.apcc.gr.jp or www. jasgeorgia.org. The competition is open to children born between Sept. 1, 2003, and Aug. 31, 2004. The Japan-America Society of Georgia, founded in 1980, promotes mutual understanding of the people of Japan and Georgia. For more information, contact Yoshi Domoto or Maki Murahashi at 404-842-1400.

Livvy’s Love run, Congressional Black Caucus scholarships available walk on Jan. 17 ]High school and college students from the 4th District can begin applying for the 2015 Congressional Black Caucus Foundation General Mills Health and CBCF Spouses scholarships. Scholarship amounts start at $2,500. U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson is encouraging eligible students to apply. The General Mills scholarship seeks to increase the number of minority students pursuing degrees in medicine, engineering, technology, nutrition and other healthrelated professions. Scholarships are awarded to undergraduate or graduate degree-seeking

students at an accredited college or university or a current high school senior preparing to become a full-time undergraduate student. Applications are due by Feb. 28. For more information or to apply, visit cbcfinc.org/cbcs-cheerios or contact Peggy Stenzel at 507-931-1682. To contact the CBCF, call 202-263-2800 or e-mail scholarships@cbcfinc.org.

deadline is May 1. For more information, visit https://cbcfinc.academicworks.com/ opportunities/185. The CBC Spouses Visual Arts Scholarship is for students pursuing a major that will lead to a career in visual arts. The deadline to apply is May 1. The CBC Spouses Education Scholarship is for students who intend to pursue full-time undergraduate, graduate or docPerforming and visual arts toral degrees. The deadline is May 22. The CBC Spouses Heineken USA PerFor more information, visit cbcfinc. forming Arts Scholarship is for students org/what-we-do/leadership-institute/ pursuing a career in the performing arts. The scholarships.html.

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Hip-hop exercise class taking place at library Kids and their parents can add hip-hop to their exercise routine at a Jan. 17 beginner class at Salem-Panola Library in Lithonia. Trainer Brian Jones will lead the noonto-1:15 p.m. Family Hip-Hop Fitness Class for patrons 7 years old and up. It is open to the first 24 participants, and no registration is required. Sneakers, comfortable clothes and water to stay hydrated are required. The library is at 5137 Salem Road. For more information, call 770-987-6900.

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Runners and walkers can participate in the fourth annual Livvy’s Love Fun Run/ Walk on Jan. 17 at Stone Mountain Park. The event kicks off at 8 a.m. with a 5K and 8K option, Zumba, and Kidz Ultimate Challenge. Participant checkin and on-site registration begins at 7. Funds raised benefit youth development and scholarships. Livvy’s Love Fun Run/ Walk honors the memory Olivia Hayes of Olivia Nicole Hayes, a 10-year-old girl who died after a school bus accident in August 2008. Her parents, Norman and Nikki Hayes, founded the nonprofit Livvy’s Love Inc. to cope with their loss and benefit the things loved by their daughter. To date, the Tucker nonprofit has donated more than $20,000 toward education, extracurricular activities and community involvement for underprivileged youth. Registration fees at www.eventbrite. com/e/livvys-love-fun-runwalk-tickets-13698882727 range from $20 to $40 based on event. Children up to 6 years old can participate in the Tot Trot for free. Registration includes a Livvy’s Love Run/Walk T-shirt and one free raffle ticket for prizes. For more information, visit http://livvysloveinc.org.

12/16/14 1:38 PM

January 10, 2015

Wellness

CrossRoadsNews

Try not to spend too much time outdoors unless you have to do so and remember to eat warm or hot foods.

Prepare your home for cold weather, bundle up to keep warm Three weeks in, winter visited subfreezing temperatures on metro Atlanta, prompting the DeKalb Emergency Management Agency to open warming centers at fire stations, libraries and recreation centers for residents in need during this week’s cold spell. Temperatures plummeted to 10 degrees on Jan. 8 and with wind chill felt like zero. Health officials encouraged adults and children to bundle up against the frigid weather to avoid the dangers of exposure to extreme cold. Here are tips for dressing for cold weather: n Layer, layer, layer. Thermal underwear, easily purchased at big box and discount stores, is a good way to start. n Wear long socks or leg warmers in addition to socks or leggings you normally wear. n Put away lightweight, cotton clothing for heavier wool, leather or good quality synthetic fabric sweaters and jackets. If you wear a cotton jacket, layer clothing underneath and on top. Invest in a long winter coat. n Don’t forget the accessories for your extremities – hats, ear warmers, gloves and scarves. Try wearing thin gloves under warmer ones. n When roads and sidewalks are icy, wear shoes that provide grip in slippery conditions. n In addition to dressing warmly, try not to spend too much time outdoors unless you have to do so and remember to eat warm or hot foods. Extreme cold weather is the perfect time to enjoy soups, noodles and hot beverages like tea and hot chocolate. These foods will help maintain your strength by keeping your body warm inside. The DEMA offers these tips for cold weather

County residents can sign up for DeKalb’s high-speed emergency notification system, CodeRED, which has the ability to quickly deliver time-sensitive messages via voice, email, and text to targeted areas of the county during emergency situations. To sign up for CodeRED, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov. For more information, call DEMA at 770-270-0413.

Locate your master water valve before a freeze. If a pipe bursts, this valve turns it off. Don’t try to thaw frozen pipes using a torch with an open flame.

preparedness: n Exercise safety and use proper ventilation when using alternative heat sources, such as fireplaces and electric heaters. n Do not use an oven to heat your house. Do not bring grills, generators, kerosene heaters, and other outside heating devices inside to heat your home, as they emit poisonous carbon monoxide. n If you have no heat, close off unneeded rooms, stuff towels in cracks under doors, and cover windows at night. n Keep pets inside and ensure their food and water are not frozen. n Disconnect and drain outdoor hoses. Detaching the hose allows water to drain from the pipe. Otherwise, a hard freeze can burst either the faucet or the pipe. n Insulate pipes or faucets in unheated areas. If you have pipelines in an unheated garage or cold crawl space under the house, wrap the water pipes before

Protect plants in containers and landscaping When the forecast calls for freezing temperatures overnight, remember to protect coldsensitive plants in landscaping, garden beds and containers. University of Georgia experts recommend protecting plants in containers either by placing them inside a protective structure (house, garage, greenhouse or shed) or by placing a protective covering over them. Container plants are especially susceptible to cold weather – their roots are more exposed because they are above ground. Plants with roots that are damaged by the cold may not show immediate signs of damage. The plants will show signs of stress when temperatures rise and the demand for water from the roots is greater. Tips for protecting plants from cold weather: n Push together container plants that are left outside and mulch or cover them to decrease heat loss from the sides of the containers. Wrap the bases of the containers in plastic, burlap or blankets to reduce heat loss. n Plants growing close to the ground are usually protected by heat radiating from the soil. Tall, more open plants do not receive as much radiating heat and are not as protected from the cold. Mulching helps reduce heat loss of the soil, thus minimizing temperature fluctuations. Protecting the roots of tender perennials also may be beneficial for them to survive the cold and come back in the spring. n Covering your plants with sheets, blankets or cardboard boxes helps protect them from low temperature injury. UGA specialists do not recommend using plastic sheeting – the plant can heat up rapidly as temperatures rise and be damaged. Remove the cover and provide ventilation during the day to allow the release of the heat that is trapped by solar radiation. You can build a frame from PVC or similar material to keep the cover from coming in contact with the plant and possibly breaking leaves and stems. For more information, visit http://extension. uga.edu.

temperatures plummet. n Find the house master water shutoff valve. It may be near the water heater or the washing machine. More likely, it’s where the water line comes into your house from the street. If a pipe bursts anywhere in the house, this valve turns it off. If your pipes freeze overnight and you have to leave before the plumber comes, turn off the master valve. This will prevent flooding if water thaws and your pipes have burst. n Leave a pencil lead-thin stream of water flowing from a bathroom faucet during the worst of a cold spell. Running water has a lesser chance of freezing. n If a pipe freezes and you don’t want to call a plumber, do not try to thaw it using a torch with an open flame. This is a fire hazard, and it also could melt pipe solder or burst the pipe. The safest tool is a hair dryer with a low heat setting. Wave the warm air back and forth along the pipe, not on one spot.

Stock pantry for power outages How would you prepare your food during a power outage? Many people quickly learn how dependent they are on their stoves and microwaves when the lights go out. You don’t have to go hungry – just be prepared. University of Georgia experts recommend storing the following food items in preparation for winter power failures: n Canned meats. Ham, chicken and turkey are available. Look for them on the same grocery aisle as canned tuna in most stores. n Hard cheeses. Hard cheddar, Swiss, provolone or mozzarella can be kept even without refrigeration for several hours before they lose quality. And don’t forget the crackers. n Fruits. Fresh, canned or dried, fruits are healthful and do not have to be cooked. n Vegetables. Fresh veggies are nutritious and do not require cooking. n Peanut butter and jelly. Buy gadgets that make powerless cooking work, like a hand-operated can opener. For more information, visit http://extension.uga.edu.

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Celebrating King

CrossRoadsNews

“On April 9, 1968, a farm wagon, drawn by mules, carried his coffin from Ebenezer Baptist Church to Morehouse College.”

King Center hosts events fit for kids Metro Atlanta students can take an active part in the King Holiday Celebration from Jan. 13 to Jan. 15 at the King Center. Students attending k-12 schools have been invited to “Choose Nonviolence! No Other Way! Students With King” at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the Freedom Hall Auditorium. The King Center’s 29th celebration commemorates the 86th birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights icon who was born on Jan. 15, 1929. The program includes interactive dialogue between students and King family members as well as those who knew and worked with King and his wife, Coretta Scott King. Also on Jan. 15, students invited from k-12 metro Atlanta schools will attend a birthday celebration and party beginning at 11 a.m. in the Freedom Hall Atrium. For more information, visit www. thekingcenter.org.

Community talk on race relations Metro residents can join in the discussion about historic and present-day race relations on Jan. 10 at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. “A Beloved Community Talk – The Race Factor: The Truth, the Lies and the Myths” takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Assembly Room. Ebenezer Baptist is at 101 Jackson St. Other scheduled events include “Millennials Leading With Courage” on Jan. 15 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Fire Station No. 6 at the corner of Auburn Avenue and Boulevard in the King Historic District and the State of Georgia Martin Luther King Jr. Advisory Council Program on Jan. 16 at 10 a.m. at the State Capitol. For more information, visit www. thekingcenter.org.

January 10, 2015

Volunteers plant trees at SouthView Cemetery in Atlanta on King Day 2014. The cemetery was the original burial site for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Tree plantings at South-View Cemetery honor King Seventeen-year-old pastor, singer and author Jared Sawyer is seeking young people to join him in planting trees in the South-View Cemetery in Atlanta in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. on Jan 19. Jared Sawyer Trees Atlanta and Hands On Atlanta are sponsoring the Day of Service on the national King Day holiday. South-View Cemetery at 1990 Jonesboro Road S.E. was the original burial site for King. Founded in 1886 by nine former slaves

barred from the whites-only graveyards, it is the oldest African-American not-for-profit corporation in the United States and is the final resting place for more than 70,000 African-Americans and others buried there regardless of race or religion. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tenn., by James Earl Ray. He was 39 years old. On April 9, 1968, a farm wagon drawn by mules carried his coffin 3 1/2 miles from Ebenezer Baptist Church to Morehouse College. More than 100,000 people lined the way. From there, his coffin was transported by hearse to South-View Cemetery. In 1977,

his body was relocated to the King Center by his widow, Coretta Scott King, who founded the center to honor him. King’s parents, Martin Luther King Sr. and Alberta King, who died on Nov. 11, 1984, and June 30, 1974, respectively, are buried at South-View. The tree plantings take place from 9 a.m. to noon. Young people ages 12 to 20 can register to participate through Jan. 18 by calling 706461-2456 or emailing info@jaredsawyerjr. com. For more information, contact Jyrekis Collins at jyrekis@jaredsawyerjr.com or 706461-2456.

Thurmond to address King celebration Lithonia cleaning up DeKalb Schools Superintendent Michael Thurmond will deliver the keynote address at DeKalb County government’s 31st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration on Jan. 16 at the Maloof Auditorium in downtown Decatur. The theme for the free, 90-minute program, which begins at 11:30 a.m., is “Embracing Cultural Diversity Through Empowerment and Education.” The employee-planned tribute honors King’s life and legacy. Maloof Auditorium is at 1300 Commerce Drive. For more informaMichael Thurmond tion, visit www.onedekalb.com.

on King Holiday

Volunteers are needed for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day Family Community Cleanup on Jan. 19 in Lithonia. The two-hour cleanup, which is in its second year, begins at 10 a.m. at Lithonia City Hall, 6920 Main St. It is presented by Keep DeKalb Beautiful and the city of Lithonia. For more information, visit keepdekalbbeautiful.org.

January 10, 2015

Celebrating King

CrossRoadsNews

“There is no statute of limitations for remedying an injustice in the High Moral Court of History.”

DeKalb NAACP seeks marchers for annual King Parade Marching bands, groups and individuals can register through Jan. 14 for the 13th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade taking place on Jan. 19.

Groups and individuals who want to participate in the DeKalb NAACP’s 13th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and Rally can register through Jan. 14. The parade and rally take place on Jan. 19, starting at 12:30 p.m. from the parking lot of Green Pastures Christian Ministries on Flat Shoals Parkway in Decatur. It will terminate at MLK Jr. High School on Martin Luther King Parkway/Highway 155 in Lithonia. Faith-based, ethnic and community organizations; schools and colleges; political leaders; youth groups; military organizations; alumni associations; sororities and fraternities; and other fraternal organizations and service clubs are encouraged to participate. Marching bands also are urged to sign up. There are no fees to participate in the parade and rally. Marchers are asked to display signs commemorating King. Grand marshals for the parade will be former NBA player Reggie Johnson of the 1983 World Champions Philadelphia 76ers and WSB-TV news reporter Tom Jones. For more information, contact Sarah CopelinWood, parade/rally chair, at schoolsandcommunity@ yahoo.com.

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

‘Friendship 9’ for King observance Several members of the “Friendship 9” – student activists jailed in the 1960s for nonviolent protests – will appear at the King Center on Jan. 11 as part of its 47th King Holiday observance. Some members of the Friendship 9 – David Williamson Jr., James Wells, Willie McCleod, W.T. “Dub” Massey, Clarence Henry Graham, John Gaines, Thomas Gaither, Mack Workman and Robert McCullough – will take part in a discussion T. Ortega Gaines / Charlotte Observer and book signing from 2:45 to Members of the Friendship 9 include David Boone (from 6 p.m. left), Clarence Graham, James Wells, Willie McCleod and The event, “Leading With William “Dub” Massey with author Kimberly P. Johnson. Courage: The ‘Friendship 9’ and She brought evidence of the unjust laws ‘Radical King,’” also features author Kimberly Johnson, Dr. Cornel West, Dr. Bernice used against the Friendship 9 to the attention A. King, and extended King family members. of 16th Circuit Solicitor Kevin Brackett, who has filed a motion in South Carolina’s 16th It is open to the public. The Friendship 9, a group of students Circuit Court to vacate their convictions. Brackett said that King was correct when who attended Friendship Junior College in Rock Hill, S.C., during the height of the he said in 1965 that “the arc of the moral unimodern civil rights movement, were arrested verse is long, but it bends toward justice.” Dr. Bernice King, CEO of the King Center on Jan. 31, 1961, and convicted of trespassing for sitting at an all-white lunch counter and youngest daughter of the Nobel laureat McCrory’s Variety Store in Rock Hill’s ate and Coretta Scott King, said her father’s teachings “are still relevant 47 years after his downtown district. Though the sit-in movement started a assassination because they compel mankind year earlier in Greensboro, N.C., the Friend- to confront injustice wherever it exists.” “There is no statute of limitations for ship 9 were among the first students to refuse to pay bail after being sentenced to 30 days of remedying an injustice in the High Moral hard labor. Now 53 years later, their sentences Court of History. Like my father, I believe are being vacated because of Johnson’s in- that the eloquent poet, James Russell Lowell, was correct when he wrote that ‘Truth forever volvement with the King Center. As part of her work with the King on the scaffold, wrong forever on the throne, Center’s Nonviolence Opportunity Watch yet that scaffold sways the future,’” said King, Encounter, a Summer Experience, Johnson a lawyer and an ordained minister. The King Center is at 449 Auburn Ave. was exposed to King’s philosophy on unjust laws after reading his “Letter From the Bir- N.E. in Atlanta. For more information, visit www.thekingcenter.org. mingham Jail.”

Bill Clinton

Christine K. Farris

Aidan Hornaday

Harris Rosen

Bernard Tyson

Clinton to get King Center award Former President Bill Clinton will receive one of the King Center’s highest honors at the 2015 Salute to Greatness Awards Dinner on Jan. 17 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Atlanta. The event gets under way at 7 p.m. in the Centennial Ballroom, 265 Peachtree St. N.E. Clinton will be recognized for his work with the Clinton Foundation, including his bipartisan efforts with the Clinton Global Initiative. The Salute to Greatness Award is presented to individuals and groups in recognition of efforts toward building Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Beloved Community. It was established and awarded for the first time in 1983 by Coretta Scott King. King Center CEO Bernice A. King said the awards dinner is the center’s primary fundraiser and “provides an opportunity

for the King Center to recognize an individual and a corporation that reflect excellence in leadership and a commitment to social responsibility in the spirit of my father.” Health care provider Kaiser Permanente and its chair and CEO, Bernard J. Tyson, also will be honored. Dr. Christine King Farris, 87, the civil rights leader’s surviving sibling, will receive the King Center Distinguished Legacy of Service Award. Coretta Scott King A.N.G.E.L. Award honorees are Harris Rosen, president of Rosen Hotels & Resorts and founder of the Tangelo Park Program, a Central Florida education initiative, and teen activist and harmonica player Aidan Thomas Hornaday, founder of Aidan Cares, who encourages people of all ages to give to charities. For sponsorships and tickets, visit www. thekingcenter.org or call 404-526-8911.

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CrossRoadsNews

Legal Notices 12/20, 12/27, 1/03, 1/10

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV6846-4++ Sylette McAfee Plaintiff Vs. Demontre Stinson Defendant To: Demontre Stinson 2375 Wesley Chapel Rd.

Decatur, GA 30034 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Dec. 09, 2014 you are hereby notified that on Jul. 08, 2014, 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: Wylette McAfee, 1859 Winthrop Drive, SE, Atlanta, GA 30316. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Dec. 09, 2014. Witness the Honorable Gail C. Flake, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 10th day of Dec., 2014

12/20, 12/27, 1/03, 1/10

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV11595-7++ Desiree Ramos Plaintiff Vs. Ramon Ramos Contreras Defendant To: By Order of the Court for service by

People

Dear named to panel of Judicial Council publication dated Dec. 10, 2014 you are hereby notified that on Dec. 05, 2014, 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: 1323 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA 30309. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Dec. 10, 2014. Witness the Honorable Daniel M. Coursey, Jr., Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 10th day of Dec., 2014

DeKalb County Sheriff Office

Jeffrey L. Mann, Sheriff 4415 Memorial Drive • Decatur, GA 30032

Sex Offender

Kendall Beaman 950 Fells Ridge Court Stone Mtn., GA 30083 Charge of Sexual Exploitation of Children Convicted on 5/13/2013

Sex Offender

Iglasias Grier 5255 Biffle Downs Road Stone Mtn, GA 30088 Charge of Sexual Exploitation of Children Convicted on 5/14/2012

Sex Offender

Allen Horton 2050 Peachtree Industrial Court Atlanta, GA 30341 Charge of Sexual Battery Against Child Under 16 YOA.

Sex Offender

Reginald Miller 7080 Brecken Place Lithonia, GA 30058 Charge of Sexual Battery Against Child Under 16 YOA Convicted on 7/7/2014

Sex Offender

Keith Richey 6201 Waldrop Place Decatur, GA Charge of Rape Convicted on 8/8/1987

Sex Offender

Michael Westbrook 2530 Peachwood Circle NE, Apt 2 Atlanta, GA 30345 Charge of Kidnapping Convicted on 11/3/1997

The DeKalb Sex Offenders List is published by the DeKalb County Sheriff Office. For more information call the Sex Offender Unit at 404-298-8130.

DeKalb Recorders Court Judge LaTisha G. Dear has been appointed to the Access, Fairness and Public Trust and Confidence Committee of the Judicial Council of Georgia. Patrise M. Perkins-Hooker, president of the State Bar of Georgia, applauded the appointment. “All Georgians will benefit from the service of Judge Dear as the committee seeks to fulfill its objective to improve the public’s trust by focusing on access and fairness through the elimination LaTisha Dear of systemic barriers related to gender, race, ethnicity, disability and language,” Perkins-Hooker said in a Jan. 5 letter to the editor. Dear is a former DeKalb assistant solicitor general. She has served as a pro hac vice judge for DeKalb Recorders Court since August 2007, hearing cases involving state and local traffic violations, misdemeanor shoplifting, underage drinking, possession of marijuana cases, and county ordinance violations in unincorporated DeKalb. She also presides over arraignment, bench trial calendars, probation revocation hearings and rule nisi hearings. Dear also serves as an associate judge for the city of Stone Mountain and is the owner and managing partner of the Law Offices of LaTisha Dear. The Access, Fairness and Public Trust and Confidence Committee is co-chaired by Justices Robert Benham and Carol Hunstein of the Supreme Court of Georgia. Perkins-Hooker said Dear’s acceptance of the post is evidence of her continued dedication to serving the public and the justice system. “We wish her well in this new capacity of statewide leadership,” she said.

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

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CrossRoadsNews

January 10, 2015

People

“James was one of the good guys who tried to make a difference. He was sensitive to the people he served.”

James E. Dean, DeKalb’s first black state legislator, remembered James E. Dean March 14, 1944 – Dec. 18, 2014 James E. Dean, DeKalb County’s first black state legislator, died at his Atlanta home on Dec. 18. He was 70. Dean, who served in the Legislature from 1968 to 1975, was the youngest member of the Legislature when he was first elected. He was succeeded in the Legislature by his neighbor and fellow human rights activist, the Rev. Hosea Williams. Dean’s brother, Douglas, also was inspired to run and subsequently served several terms in the Legislature. Dr. Eugene P. Walker, a former state senator and former DeKalb School Board chair, called Dean “an exemplary representative.” “James was one of the good guys who

tried to make a difference,” Walker said. “He was sensitive to the people he served.” In 1974, Dean was chosen one of five Outstanding Young Men by the Atlanta Jaycees and was listed in “Who’s Who James Dean in American Politics” for making significant community contributions and for providing distinguished public service. Dean also was a noted social worker, educator and fundraiser. As a former director of Alumni Affairs at Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University), he traveled the nation promoting the contributions of historically black colleges and universities, highlighting the educational

value of HBCUs. He raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the education of AfricanAmerican students. He was an Equal Employment Opportunity officer with the Georgia Department of Transportation and ensured that blacks were given fair opportunity to win high-dollar construction contracts and compete for executive employment opportunities. Dean, born March 14, 1944, to Steve and Dorothy (Cox) Dean Sr., grew up in Summerhill, just blocks away from today’s Turner Field. He was the eighth of 12 children. Dean graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Clark in 1966 and a Master of Social Work from Atlanta University in 1968. Among the enacted legislation that Dean

wrote and co-wrote were the Black History House Bill 400 that called for all citizens to be represented in public schools’ history and civic texts. Up to that point, black people were systematically excluded from any reference other than as slaves. House Bill 1158, partially written by Dean, required eye, ear and teeth examinations for all children entering public schools in Georgia. Friendship Baptist Church at Providence Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta hosted his funeral on Dec. 27. Dean is survived by his wife and high school and college sweetheart, Vyvyan Coleman Dean; daughters Sonya Dean Walston (Gery) and Monica Dean Hamilton (Jason); and a host of grandchildren and other relatives.

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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.

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CrossRoadsNews

January 10, 2015

“You cannot find this education anywhere else.” We are now accepting applications for the Spring 2O15 Workshop at Macy’s! We invite all minority and women-owned businesses to apply for The Workshop at Macy’s! You’ll gain insight from seasoned Macy’s pros and Macy’s partners, and get the tools you need to succeed and sustain growth in the retail industry. Apply today at macysinc.com/workshop PicTured: Amber Lee-Forrester, Kane & couture. Past participant of The Workshop at Macy’s.

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