CrossRoadsNews, January 13, 2018

COMMUNITY

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Walmart closing 4-year-old Neigborhood Market in Lithonia

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Supermarket. When Walmart demolished the old building and built the new store, residents and nearby businesses had high hopes for a revitalization of the center.

When it is shuttered on Jan. 30, the Neighborhood Market will be the second Walmart-owned business to close in the new city of Stonecrest, and the third grocery store targeted for closure in South DeKalb.

Walmart Stores Inc. abruptly closed its Sam’s Club on Turner Hill Road on Jan. 11, without any notification to members or the community.

Publix plans to close its store at Coving-

Four years and two months after it opened, the Walmart Neighborhood Market on Covington Highway in Lithonia will close on Jan. 30.

Signs posted since Jan. 5 at the store in the Covington Square shopping center notify customers to shop instead at the company’s super centers on Fairington Road and Mall Parkway.

The 42,362-square-foot neighborhood market, which was Walmart’s version of a grocery store, opened on Nov. 13, 2013, in a space left vacant when Big Lots relocated.

Years before that, it had been an Ingles Please see MARKET, page A3

The Walmart Neighborhood Market in the Covington Square shopping center, which opened on Nov. 13, 2013, will close on Jan. 30.

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Stonecrest Sam’s Club closed abruptly Jan. 11 Staff, shoppers get no warning or explanation

A security guard (at right) turns away would-be shoppers at the Sam’s Club at Stonecrest. One disappointed customer said the store was limiting entry to people with prescriptions or orders to pick up.

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

South DeKalb County reeled this week from the abrupt closure of the Stonecrest Sam’s Club on Thursday, and notification that the Walmart Neighborhood Market at Covington Highway and Panola Road is closing Jan. 30.

Members attempting to shop at the Sam’s Club at 2994 Turner Hill Road were turned away by a security guard who informed them that the location was permanently closed effective Jan. 11.

There were no posted signs Thursday about the closing of the 133,840-square-foot club which opened for business on Aug. 7, 2003.

Both Sam’s Club and the Walmart Neighborhood Market are owned by Arkansasbased Walmart Stores Inc. Late Thursday, after numerous calls from elected officials and club members, Walmart Stores said in a press release that it closed 63 clubs around the country.

“The company will convert up to 12 of the impacted clubs to eCommerce fulfillment centers in a move that will speed delivery of online orders, with the balance of the facilities closing over the next few weeks,” it said.

The first of the converted eCommerce fulfillment centers will be located in Memphis, Tenn., the statement said. Philip Keene, corporate communications director for Walmart’s Northeast/Southeast/Mid-Atlantic Divisions, said he did not know if the Lithonia location would be one of them.

John Furner, Sam’s Club president and CEO, said the action was taken after a thorough performance review.

“Transforming our business means managing our real estate portfolio and Walmart needs a strong fleet of Sam’s Clubs that are fit for the future,” he said.

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

With Thursday’s action, the company said Sam’s Club will have 597 clubs. Together, Walmart and Sam’s Club operate more than 5,400 locations nationwide.

Keene said late Thursday that the Lithonia store closed because it did not meet financial performance reviews.

He said that it is the only store in Georgia that closed.

Walmart did not provide a list of the stores that closed but Businessinsider.com compiled a list of closed stores in Louisiana, Tennessee, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Washington, and invited readers from other cities and states to tell them of closings in their areas.

Keene said the closure was abrupt because “there is no good clean way to exit a store.”

In Lithonia and across the states where stores closed, employees learned that their store would be closing when they showed

up for work. Some found the store’s doors locked and a notice announcing the closure.

Keene said the 200 associates at the Turner Hill store will be paid double their hourly rate for two weeks. After that, he said they will be paid for up 60 days if they have not relocated to another store.

He said club members who have prescriptions at the store will be contacted through Jan. 26 to have them transferred to another location. He did not immediately know what will happen with customers who are waiting on photo service.

On Thursday, people blasted Walmart on Twitter for not notifying employees or club members that the clubs were closing.

“Wow! How #unethical to close stores without having the #respext and #integrity to speak to your #employees prior to closing #SamsClub. Glad I choose #Costco,” one tweeter posted.

Callers to the Turner Hill Road club’s phone number were directed to the company’s website to find other store locations.

The store was also removed from samsclub.com. Customers were being referred to clubs on Mountain Industrial Boulevard in Tucker and on Clairmont Road in Atlanta.

Courtney Willis, who shops at the Lithonia club two to three times a month, said she was speechless when she heard the store had closed.

“We were blindsided,” she said. “It’s like someone sucker-punched you.”

Willis said her sister was in the store Wednesday night and said there was no indication the store was closing.

“There wasn’t a lot of stuff in the store but she said employees told her they were waiting on deliveries,” she said.

Harvey Dixon, another club member Please see CLOSED, page A2

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Community

CrossRoadsNews

January 13, 2018

“Your action based on the above reports meet the elements of ‘sexual battery,’ under the Georgia criminal code.”

Turners’ community Bethune principal resigns before termination hearing ner. His actions were corroborated by Myron Broome, who was removed Stewart said in a Jan. 10 email. exchange kicks off Jan. 13 as principal of Mary McLeod Bethune Broome was removed from Bethune several school district colleagues who Vickie and Rob Turner’s monthly community breakfast discussing issues affecting the county kicks off Jan. 13 at Ray of Hope Church.

Vickie Turner, who represents District 5 on the DeKalb School Board, and Rob Turner, the Stonecrest City Council representative for District 2, say the “The Cultural Exchange,” which will be held second Saturdays monthly, starts at 9 a.m.

It is free to attend and is open to the public.

There will be updates from DeKalb Senate and House Delegations, DeKalb County, DeKalb County Schools and Stonecrest/District 2.

Ray of Hope is at 2728 Snapfinger Road in Decatur. For more information or to be a volunteer or meeting sponsor, email thedekalbexchange@gmail.com.

Middle School in October, has resigned from the DeKalb County School District.

Broome, who had been Bethune’s principal since 2015, was facing a termination hearing on Jan. 12 when he resigned.

Myron Broome “I have just learned that there will be no hearing tomorrow. Mr. Broome has tendered his resignation with the district,” School District spokeswoman Eileen Houston-

Middle on Oct. 19 and placed on paid administrative leave pending an investigation into an alleged serious misconduct that took place while he was attending an Oct. 15, 2017, Statewide Instructional Leadership Conference in Macon.

A Dec. 6 notice of termination hearing shows that he was facing charges that he “intentionally and inappropriately” touched a female colleague multiple times in the Marriott Conference Center hotel lounge and that he was intoxicated, drinking alcohol and yelling in an unprofessional man-

witnessed them.

“Your action based on the above reports meet the elements of ‘sexual battery,’ under the Georgia criminal code,” the school district outlined in the notice, obtained under the Open Records Law. The district acted quickly in October when the husband of the employee who was groped brought the allegations to the attention of School Superintendent Dr. R. Stephen Green.

Broome was an educator for 18 years. He was with DeKalb Schools for 14 of them.

‘We got absolutely zero notification’ The Stonecrest Sam’s Club was the first of two major investments that Walmart Stores Inc. made in South DeKalb when the store opened in 2003.

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who lives off Highway 124 in Lithonia, said he too was shocked at the sudden closure of the Turner Hill Road location. He said an employee told him that they found out Thursday when they showed up at work.

“She said they got a letter this morning,” Dixon said.

DeKalb County and city of Stonecrest officials also found out about the store’s departure when citizens began calling them Thursday morning.

District 5 Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson, who represents Stonecrest, said a Walmart official told her that the decision to close the store was made on Wednesday.

“It’s their business and they can do what they want,” Davis said, “but no one gave the community any notification. This community doesn’t deserve that.”

Johnson said she told the official that this could be a marketing nightmare for them.

“I hope they are not just doing this in minority communities,” she said.

Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary said he found out when Davis Johnson called him Thursday.

“We got absolutely zero notification,” he said. “How do you close a place this size and nobody gets notified, and why Stonecrest?

This place is busy all day long.”

Lary said that he had 20 calls into Walmart, including to the company’s president.

When an official returned his call, Lary said he would not say whether store revenue was the issue. With the impending closure of the Walmart Neighborhood Market, Lary said “that makes two closures in our footprint in a week.”

“What’s happening here?” he asked.

“Why us? That is what I am trying to find

out. This is why we continue to focus on economic development.”

Faye Coffield, a longtime Stonecrest resident, said the Sam’s Club seemed to be doing well.

“That Sam’s Cub was one of the biggest draws over there,” Coffield said. “ I go there two, three times a week. I got my contact lens there. People have photos being printed there. They should have given the community notice.”

Both Coffield and Willis worried about the impact on their city.

Coffield said Sam’s Club’s departure is going to have a devastating blow on the Mall at Stonecrest and the city.

“That’s a big business to lose,” she said, naming a number of vacant spaces like the former hhgregg location and others. “It looks like a decline in business. It’s a mess.”

Donald Bieler, the Mall at Stonecrest’s marketing director, declined to comment.

Willis, who lives off Hillandale Drive, said she is going to miss the 10-minute drive to the Turner Hill Road location. She said that Sam’s Club’s departure is going to have a major impact.

“This is a major retailer leaving right when they are trying to do all those things with the Atlanta Sports City,” she said. Willis said she has no desire to drive 20 to 30 minutes to Mountain Industrial Boulevard to continue patronizing Sam’s Club.

“I may have to get a BJ’s membership,” she said.

A customer service representative on the company’s membership phone line on Thursday offered to refund a member’s fees if she wanted to terminate her membership.

“I can give you a check or an e-card,” she said. “I am not authorized to say anything else.”

January 13, 2018

Community

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“I am very disappointed. It’s the closest one to me and it was real convenient.”

Lithonia Industrial overpass spanning I-20 to close for four weeks

A photo from GDOT’s website shows a gap in the pavement of the bridge between Evans Mill Road and Lithonia Industrial Boulevard.

The crossover bridge spanning I-20 between Lithonia Industrial Boulevard and Evans Mill Road will close for “bridge rehabilitation” from Jan. 15 through Feb. 12.

According to a datasheet from GDOT’s website, the bridge, which links the east- and

westbound service roads along I-20 from Lithonia Industrial to Evans Mill, was built in 2004. The datasheet shows a “total improvement cost” of $1.2 million, including a “bridge improvement cost” of $840,000 and a “road improvement cost” of $84,000.

The concrete bridge spanning I-20 between Evans Mill Road and Lithonia Industrial Boulevard shows signs of vehicular impact.

Sean Pringle of the Georgia Department of Transportation said the bridge will be closed for four weeks, but he didn’t have specifics on the project’s scope.

According to the datasheet, the bridge is inspected every 24 months, and was last

inspected on March 23, 2016.

A photo on the same page shows a crack in the bridge pavement, and another shows evidence of vehicle contact that left tire marks and chipped the bridge’s concrete railing overlooking I-20.

Walmart closing comes on heels of two other supermarkets nearby A spokesman said the Neighborhood Market’s pharmacy will be open through Jan. 23, and the entire is scheduled to close by Jan. 30.

Signs posted in the Walmart Neighborhood Market announce the store’s closing date and direct shoppers to its supercenters nearby.

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ton Highway and South Hairston Road in March, and Kroger closed its store at South Hairston and Redan roads in Stone Mountain in October.

Deborah Brown, who goes to a gym across the street three to four times a week, said she shops regularly at the Covington Square Neighborhood Market at 6152 Covington Highway.

“It’s real convenient for me,” she said. “I am real sad to hear it’s closing. It saves me gas and everything.”

Latrice Smith, who also shops often at the store, was surprised to hear it was closing.

“Seriously,” she said. “It ain’t been here that long.”

Smith said she is going to miss the store.

“It’s convenient when I get off work,” said Smith, who lives off Browns Mill Road and drives by the store daily to her job in Stone Mountain. “It’s ideal for grocery shopping.

You can get in and out quickly.”

Walmart spokesman Phillip Keene said Jan. 10 that the decision to close the Lithonia store was made after a careful and thoughtful review process.

“The decision to close our Lithonia store is not an easy one, but, as a company, we are committed to continuing our growth and investment in Georgia,” he said.

Keene, who is corporate communications

director for Walmart’s Northeast/Southeast/ Mid-Atlantic Divisions, said that at this time, they plan to close the store to the public by Tuesday, Jan. 30.

“The pharmacy will be open to customers through Jan. 23,” he said. “Our pharmacy staff will work with customers to transfer prescriptions to another convenient location as soon as possible.”

Keene said the 100 sales associates who work at the store will be transferred to other nearby Walmart stores.

“We operate more than 200 Walmart stores and Sam’s Clubs in Georgia,” he said.

“Over the last year we have created new jobs and invested millions across the state by opening three stores, remodeling 18 locations, expanding Online Grocery Pick-Up to 30 stores, launching Pickup Tower in two markets, and opening two new training academies for Georgia associates.”

Richard Bandy, who has lived in the area for 10 years, said he shops a lot at the market.

“I am very disappointed,” he said. “It’s the closest one to me and it was real convenient.”

Keene said they are grateful to the customers who have given Walmart the privilege of serving them at the Lithonia location.

“We look forward to continuing to serve them at other area locations and online at walmart.com,” he said.

CrossRoadsNews

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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 Tekia L. Parks Editorial Intern Rosie Manins Front Office Manager Catherine Guy

January 13, 2018

“It is our collective responsibility to lift up other members of community in need, especially our youth.”

MARTA hearings into proposed bus route changes

MARTA riders can attend three public hearings Jan. 16-18 to discuss modification to 25 bus routes.

The Jan. 16 meeting will be at the Decatur Recreation Center, 231 Sycamore St. in Decatur. The Jan. 17 meeting takes place at the Fulton County Government Center,141 Pryor St. in Atlanta, and the Jan. 18 meeting will be at the Clayton County Library, 865 Battle Creek Road in Jonesboro.

MARTA representatives will be present for a community exchange session at 6 p.m.

The public hearings begin at 7 p.m.

MARTA regularly evaluates

bus route performance including scheduling, on-time performance, ridership, and safety. Modifications were recommended based on feedback received from customers and the authority’s service analysis.

Approved changes will go into effect on April 14, 2018.

The proposed changes will be made to: n Route 1: Marietta Blvd./Joseph E. Lowery Blvd. n Route 3: Martin Luther King Jr. Dr./Auburn Ave.. n Route 12: Howell Mill Rd./Cumberland. n Route 14: 14th St./Blandtown. n Route 26: Perry Blvd./North Ave..

n Route 37: Defoors Ferry Rd.. town. n Route 50: Donald Lee Hollowell n Route 180: Fairburn/Palmetto.

Pkwy.. n Route 181: Washington Rd./ n Route 51: Joseph E. Boone Fairburn.

Blvd.. n Route 189: Flat Shoals Rd./Scon Route 58: Atlanta Industrial/ field Rd..

Hollywood Rd.. n Route 191: Riverdale/ATL Intern Route 60: Hightower Rd./Moores national Terminal.

Mill. n Route 813 (formerly Route 13): n Route 66: Lynhurst/Greenbriar. Atlanta Student Movement Blvd.. n Route 68: Donnelly Ave./Pey- n Route 850: Carroll Heights/Fair-

ton. n Route 82: Camp Creek Pkwy./ Welcome All Rd.. n Route 84: Washington Rd./Camp Creek Marketplace. n Route 93: Headland Dr./Princeton Lakes. n Route 153: H.E. Holmes/Brown-

Multimedia Editor Sharif Williams

Advertisements are published upon the representation that the advertiser is authorized to publish the submitted material.

The advertiser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless from and against any loss or expenses resulting from any disputes or legal claims based upon the contents or subject matter of such advertisements, including claims of suits for libel, violation of privacy, plagiarism and copyright infringement.

We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement.

Collier Heights.

n Route 856 (formerly Route 56):

Baker Hills/ Wilson Mill Meadows. n Route 867 (formerly Route 67): Harland Terrace/Dixie Hills

Applications to host Fresh on DeK stop now open

CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoads­News, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings.

The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor those of any advertisers.

The concept, design and content of CrossRoads­News are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher.

burn Heights.

n Route 853 (formerly Route 53):

The Angel Wings Initiative launched by State Court Judge Ronald Ramsey (center) assists homeless students.

Angel Wings Initiative helped 50 students Fifty homeless DeKalb County students got $2,500 worth of gift cards to help them enjoy the recent holidays, compliments of DeKalb State Court Judge Ronald Ramsey’s second annual “Angel Wings” initiative.

Each student received a $50 gift card donated by McDonald’s franchise owners John and Shiroleen Hurt, who operate 15 McDonald’s in DeKalb County.

Ramsey said it was the second year that the Hurts supported the initiative. In 2016, they gave $50 gift cards to 25 homeless students.

Ramsey, a former DeKalb County School District chief legal officer, said he fully understands the needs of students and their

families who struggle with economic stability and often live in extended stay, or other transitional housing.

“It is our collective responsibility to lift up other members of community in need, especially our youth who with help and support can choose the right path and be productive and positive citizens and future leaders, instead of choosing a path of crime and violence,” he said. Ramsey said he hopes that the effort will continue to grow each year and that he is grateful to the Hurts who share his heart for the community.

Ramsey, Shiroleen Hurt and DeKalb School Board member Vickie Turner coordinated the pro-

gram with the help of Monomay Malathip, executive director of the Division of Student Support and Intervention.

At a Dec. 16 breakfast event catered by Clarkston High School culinary students, Malathip mobilized the district’s Student Advisory Council to gather a room full of toys, toiletries and food items for the homeless families.

During the event, Hurt told the culinary students about annual scholarship opportunities provided by the McDonald’s Corporation.

Ramsey said he is grateful for the collaboration because the school cannot live apart from the community.

Communities, businesses and other organizations can apply now to be a DeKalb Mobile Farmers Market’s Fresh on DeK stop in 2018.

DeKalb County Cooperative Extension says proposed locations must also have a street-level parking area that is highly visible and large enough to safely park a 60-foot bus and offer ease for customers to access and park without hazard. Applicants must also provide a liaison to organize the site.

The deadline to apply is Feb. 1.

The mobile farmers market, which is a program of DeKalb County Extension with support from the DeKalb County Board of Health, launched in May 2015. It is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides fresh fruits and vegetables at affordable price and raises awareness about the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption for healthy living.

The market, which starts in the spring, makes visits around the county each week for 16 weeks.

To apply to be a Fresh on DeK stop, visit www.freshondek.com and click “2018 Season Application.”

For more information, visit freshondek@dekalbcountyga.gov, www.freshondek.com or call 404298-4080.

Show Your PRIDE, South DeKalb!  Don’t Litter  Mow, Trim & Paint  Clean to the Curb

Circulation Audited By

A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE FROM CROSSROADSNEWS

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January 13, 2018

Wellness

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The American Cancer Society says that about 12,820 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in 2018

Free pap smears, mammograms

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The flu continues its march across the country, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control has now classified it an epidemic.

There have been 41,000 confirmed cases nationwide through Dec. 27. Widespread activity was reported by 46 states, including Georgia.

Flu shots are recommended for everyone 6 months and older. People with chronic illness, the elderly, pregnant women, and children are especially at risk.

For more information, visit www.cdc. gov/flu.

Reach More of the People Who Matter the Most – Your Customers!

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n Abnormal vaginal bleeding n Unusual vaginal discharge n Pain during intercourse n Pelvic pain n Discomfort while urinating n Heavier and longer menstrual periods n Unexplained weight loss n Constant fatigue n Leg pain For more information, visit https:// www.cdc.gov/cancer/cervical/index.htm

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Decatur Active Living is offering new and revised adult programs for 2018.

Walk Fit Decatur!, Trips for Seniors and a newly revised Lunch and Learn program kicks off this month.

Walk Fit Decatur meets second Saturdays monthly in front of the Decatur Recreation Center for a 2.5 – 3 mile walk. Participants should wear comfortable shoes and bring a water bottle.

Each walk is co-led by a Decatur Professional who will discuss various topics with the group.

The first Trip for Seniors starts Jan. 16.

The group will tour The King Center to celebrate MLK Day tandvisit Sweet Auburn Market for a tasty treat. It is limited to the first 14 people who register at sara.holmes@ decaturga.com or 678-553-6559.

The Lunch and Learn program, revised for 2018, includes lunch provided by Decatur Active Living. It meets Jan. 26 at 11:30 AM. Participant must register and pay a $5 fee.

Lunch will only be provided for those who register.

For more information, visit www.decaturga.com/activeliving or beactivedecatur. com.

10 warning signs of cervical cancer

Turner Hill Rd

Adult programs offered at Decatur Active Living

contraceptives, genetics, smoking, poor immunity, multiple pregnancies and first pregnancy at a young age. Cervical cancer often shows no symptoms in its early stages, manifesting after it has spread to the bladder, liver, intestines or lungs.

The free women’s health screenings are available to women in DeKalb and Fulton counties who do not have health insurance.

A free pap smear is available to women 20 years and older. Free mammograms are available to women who are 40 years and older.

Pre-registration is required.

The Good Samaritan Health Center is at 1015 Donald Lee Hollowell Pkwy NW in Atlanta.

To register and for more information contact info@goodsamaritan.org or call 404-523-6571.

Turner Hill Rd

Women can get free pap smears and mammograms at The Good Samaritan Health Center in Atlanta throughout January, which is National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.

The Georgia Department of Public Health is providing the free screenings through its Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention program because each year thousands of women are diagnosed with cervical cancer/HPV. Cervical Health Awareness Month reminds women to protect themselves from the highly preventable disease of cervical cancer and to get screened.

The American Cancer Society says that about 12,820 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in 2018, and that about 4,210 women will die from cervical cancer, one of the most common cancers affecting U.S. women.

The human papillomavirus or HPV causes roughly 99 percent of all cervical cancer. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control says HPV is a common virus that is passed from one person to another during sex and that at least half of sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their lives, but few women will get cervical cancer.

Dr. Sharon Bent-Harley of the Fulton DeKalb Hospital Authority says cervical cancer can be prevented by vaccinating children against HPV, and by women getting early and routine cervical cancer screenings beginning at age 21.

All women are at risk for cervical cancer, but it occurs most often in women over age 30. Risk factors include unsafe sex, multiple sex partners, being overweight, use of oral

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CrossRoadsNews

January 13, 2018

“You have to have the right spirit. This ain’t about you, this is about others.”

Students get civil rights lesson from a King and a Freedom Rider

By Tekia L. Parks

Hundreds of students from 11 metro Atlanta middle schools got a lesson on Jan. 11 about the role Coretta Scott King played in ensuring that the life and legacy of her husband and civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would not be forgotten.

They also heard from a living Freedom rider.

Bernice King, King’s youngest daughter, told the students that her mother had a great impact on her father’s legacy.

“Martin Luther King Jr. would not be who he was if it were not for Coretta Scott King,” she told them.

King was speaking to the students at the King Center’s Celebrate Difference Gathering held as part of its annual King Week observances at Ebenezer Baptist Church.

She and Hank Thomas, one of the last living Freedom Riders, spoke to the diverse body of students that included Hispanic, black, white, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim students.

The students from DeKalb Preparatory School, Atlanta Jewish Academy, Conyers Middle School, Coretta Scott King Young Women’s Leadership Academy, DAR-UNNOOR Academy, Fellowship Christian School, Floyd Middle School, The B.E.S.T Academy, and The Lovett School Woodward Academy also explored the six principles of nonviolence and how to use them for social change.

In talk-back sessions, the students asked King how she felt about feminism, activism and their role in social change.

King told them that she likes that young people are marching but she said that prepa-

Freedom Rider Hank Thomas (left) told the students that despite 22 arrests and threats on his life, that he would “probably, without hesitation, do it all over again.”

Bernice King, youngest daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., talked to students from 11 metro Atlanta middle schools about her mother’s role in shaping and preserving King’s legacy.

ration is important.

“The problem now is they are showing up for protests but they are not prepared,” she said.

She said that 1960s civil rights activists took training classes on how to protest and how to handle all possible situations they might face.

“When you saw demonstrations and protest, they were prepared,” she said.

To overcome discrimination and injustice, King told the students that they have to love the person who hates them.

“You have to have the right spirit,” she said, “This ain’t about you, this is about

others.”

King told the students to stand in their truth.

“Let’s not let the negative emotion take over and the protest becomes counterproductive,” she said.

Thomas, one of the original 13 freedom riders who on May 4, 1961, traveled in integrated buses across the South to protest racial segregation, told the students that he was arrested 22 times, escaped death at the hands of Ku Klux Klan members, and was sent to prison for sitting in the front of a bus.

“I knew that to stand up, it was a price to pay. I was willing to pay that price,” he said.

“I would probably, without hesitation, do it all over again.”

Touching briefly on President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan, Thomas said America is already great.

“We don’t need to make it great again,” he said. “We made it great a long time ago.”

Thomas applauded Hispanics’ advocacy for the dreamers – people brought to the United States as children who are now being targeted by Trump for deportation. But he had one wish.

“One thing that I would like to see is more unity between Hispanics and blacks,” he said.

Free admission to Atlanta History Center programs on King Day Families can participate in the Atlanta History Center’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day Program free of cost on Jan. 15.

The center is offering free admission to the museum in Buckhead and to Margaret Mitchell House in Midtown in honor of Dr. King’s birthday. The museum’s “The Dream Lives” special program takes place 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

It includes a screening and conversation about the documentary “A Trek to the River’s Edge” at 1 and 3 p.m., hourly freedom ride simulations from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and hands-on crafts.

“A Trek to the River’s Edge” tells the story

of the 1960s Atlanta Student Movement and outlines the strategy, planning and support from the larger community that was striving to overcome the oppression of segregation.

Filmmaker Althea Brown and 1960s student leaders of the group Committee on Appeal for Human Rights will discuss period after the screenings.

Students and adults can also glimpse what it takes to be a civil rights movement Freedom Fighter in an interactive theatrical simulation. They will get to test their courage by traveling into the Deep South on a Freedom Ride with CORE -- Congress of Racial Equality -- representatives and help

challenge new laws banning segregation on interstate buses.

They can also join a paperboy in 1906 as he educates new recruits on the “tricks of the trade” while highlighting the challenges he encountered as a witness to the Atlanta Race Riot that year, and meet activist Connie Curry in the exhibition’s diner-styled space as she trains a new group of student volunteers for the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and explores her journey in the struggle for civil rights.

Finally, museum visitors can encounter Rosalyn Walton of the Atlanta Nine, a group of trailblazing students who integrated At-

lanta schools, as she is being interviewed by a reporter.

Film screenings include “The Big March” (Newsreel, 1963) and “March on Washington” (1963) from the DVD “Martin Luther King: ‘I Have a Dream’,” and newsreel footage from the March on Washington, the Aug. 28, 1963, rally that was a key moment in the civil rights movement and culminated in Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

The Atlanta History Center is at 130 West Paces Ferry Road N.W. in Atlanta.

For more information, visit www.atlantahistorycenter.com/programs/martin-lutherking-jr.-day-1.

“Come on and be a part of the vision” First Afrikan Church is an Afrocentric Christian Ministry that empowers women, men, youth and children to move from membership to leadership in the church, community and the world.

Praise & Devotion Worship Service Sundays at 10 a.m.

Join us for Bible Study Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

5197 Salem Road Lithonia, GA 30038

770-981-2601 “We are building far beyond our years.”

Rev. Dr. Mark A. Lomax

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January 13, 2018

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Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name of ADULT in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM12320 Jonia Bromell filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Dec. 06, 2017 to change the name from: Jonia Bromell to Jenia Lalindus Cater. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed.

Dated: November 29, 2017 12/23, 12/30, 01/06, 01/13

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM11933-6 Sherry Kiel PLAINTIFF VS Roger A. Kiel DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION

TO: Roger A. Kiel 1010 16th Street San Francisco, CA 94107

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Dec. 8th, 2017; you are hereby notified that on the 20th day of Nov., 2017, Sherry Kiel – Pro Se filed suit against you for Willful Desertion. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiff’s Sherry Kiel – Pro Se an Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of of the first date of publication.

Witness the Honorable J.P. Boulee, Judge of this Superior Court.

This the 8th day of Dec., 2017

1443 Janmar Drive Decatur, GA 30032

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Dec. 14, 2017.

You are hereby notified that Oct. 16, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Angela Greaves, 1443 Janmar Drive, Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Dec. 14, 2017.

Witness the Honorable J.P. Boulee, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 18th day of Dec., 2017

12/23, 12/30, 01/06, 01/13

12/23, 12/30, 01/06, 01/13

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM11293-6 Angela Greaves PLAINTIFF VS Rodney Greaves DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Rodney Greaves

Notice of Petition in the Superior Court

TO: Javana Baker 82 Treeview Lane Decatur, GA 30058

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Dec. 4, 2017.

You are hereby notified that Oct. 17, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Quovadas Foster, 35 Oakbrook Ct., Covington, GA 30016. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Dec. 4, 2017.

Witness the Honorable J.P. Boulee, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 13th day of Dec., 2017 01/06, 01/13, 01/20, 01/27

Notice of Petition in the Superior Court

of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM10913-6 Quovadas Foster PLAINTIFF VS Javana Baker DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION

of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM10913-6 Brandy Christina Chavis PLAINTIFF VS Lawrence Charles Chavis, Jr. DEFENDANT

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NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Lawrence Charles Chavis, Jr. 7750 Pipers Ln., #103 San Antonio, TX 78251

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Dec. 27, 2017. You are hereby notified that Dec. 18, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Brandy Chavis, 3234 Bunny Lane, Decatur, GA 30034. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Dec. 4, 2017.

Witness the Honorable Daniel M. Coursey, Jr., Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 27th day of Dec., 2017 01/13, 01/20, 01/27, 02/03

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM12559 Chudhari Malcome PLAINTIFF VS Charles Allen DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Charles Allen

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Jan. 02, 2018. You are hereby notified that Dec. 14, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Chaudhari Malcome, 2174 O’hara Pl., SE, Atlanta, GA 30315.

Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Jan. 02, 2018.

Public Notice

Witness the Honorable J.P. Boulee, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

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

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM10437 Donna Joyce Vinson PLAINTIFF VS Charles Edward Battle DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Charles Edward Battle 953 Glynn Oaks Dr. Clarkston, GA 30021

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Jan. 04, 2018. You are hereby notified that Oct. 04, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Donna Joyce Vinson, 953 Glynn Oaks Drive, Clarkston, GA 30021 Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Jan. 04, 2018.

Witness the Honorable J.P. Boulee, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 4th day of Jan., 2018

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Celebrating Dr. King Copyright © 2018 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

January 13, 2018

www.crossroadsnews.com

Section B

Remembrances befitting a King

Parades, service projects and performances mark holiday All over DeKalb and metro Atlanta, residents young and old, of all races and religions, will gather on streets, in schools and parks, and in places of worship to remember and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and legacy.

In the following pages, we look at some of the parades, church services and service projects where people can join the national celebration.

IN THIS SECTION

Ultimate tribute to legacy

Marching to remember

In service to humanity

Bernice King will deliver the keynote speech at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Ecumenical Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church. B2

People in Lithonia, Conyers, McDonough and the city of Atlanta will parade on Monday to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. B3

Residents young and old will spread out on Jan. 15 to complete projects in celebration of Dr. King’s commitment to serve. B6, B7

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King Holiday

January 13, 2018

The ecumenical service is considered the spiritual hallmark of the King Holiday Observance.

2346 Candler Road Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007

www.CrossRoadsNews.com editor@CrossRoadsNews.com

The Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Special Section is a publication of CrossRoadsNews, Atlanta’s award-winning weekly newspaper.

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Graphic Design Sharif Ffrench-Williams Reporter Jennifer Ffrench Parker Tekia L. Parks Editorial Intern Rosie Manins

CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoadsNews, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor those of any advertisers.

The concept, design and content of CrossRoadsNews are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without . the written permission of the publisher © 2017 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reprinted without written permission of the publisher.

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David Yongi Cho

Deborah Bartlett

Casey Cagle

Keisha L. Bottoms

Javier Palomarez

Robert Wright Lee

Dr. Bernice King to keynote ecumenical service Dr. Bernice King, CEO of the King Center and the youngest daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., will be the keynote speaker at the Jan. 15 annual ecumenical commemorative service honoring her father.

King, who like her father is a minister, will speak at the service in the Ebenezer Baptist Church’s Horizon Sanctuary. She was 5 years old when her father, 39, was assassinated on April 4, 1968.

The ecumenical service, which is in its 33rd year, is considered the spiritual hallmark of the King Holiday Bernice King Observance. It takes place 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Ecumenical Commemorative Service takes place annually on the national holiday created to honor King, in the church where he was baptized as a child, and where he served as co-pastor with his father.

It engages members of various religious traditions as well as state, national and international governments.

This year’s international greetings will come from Pastor David Yongi Cho of Yoido Full Gospel Church–Assemblies of God in South Korea, and Dr. Deborah Bartlett, GEMS radio CEO, journalist and author from Nassau, Bahamas. Other speakers will include Georgia’s Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.

Tributes will be given by filmmaker, activist and musician Bree Newsome; U.S. Hispanic Chamber president and CEO Javier Palomarez; minister and Gen. Robert E. Lee descendant the Rev. Robert Wright Lee; and Ginger Howard, Georgia’s Republican National Committeewoman.

The free service will commemorate King’s 89th birthday and is occurring this year on his actual birthday, which coincides with the 2018 National King Holiday. It is open to the public, but seating is limited.

The Horizon Sanctuary at Ebenezer Baptist Church is at 101 Jackson St. N.E.

Celebrate the Dreamer On Jan. 15, the nation will observe the 32nd Martin Luther King Jr. Day with volunteer work, parades and speeches.

The national holiday celebrates the 89th birthday of King, who was born on Jan. 15, 1929.

The Baptist minister led the 1960s civil rights movement that opposed segregation and fought for voting and civil rights for AfricanAmericans.

King, who grew up on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta, was assassinated at age 39 on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tenn.

Martin Luther King Day, observed the third Monday in January, was first cele-brated in 1986. It was officially observed in all 50 states for the first time in 2000.

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January 13, 2018

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Fourth District Congressman Hank Johnson will be grand marshal for the inaugural MLK Day Celebration to Olde Town Conyers.

The DeKalb NAACP’s annual parade kicks off at noon from Green Pastures Christian Church on Flat Shoals Parkway and will terminate in a rally at Martin Luther King Jr. High School.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day parades will take in Lithonia, Conyers, McDonough, and the city of Atlanta.

Area marchers to remember Dr. King in annual parades In a year when the National King Holiday occurs on Dr. Martin Luther King’s actual birthday, thousands will march in remembrance of the civil right’s life and legacy.

The 2018 King Holiday on Jan. 15 is the 34th national observance. This year also marks the 50th anniversary of King’s assassination on April 4, 1968.

Martin Luther King Jr. parades will take place in Lithonia, Conyers, McDonough and the city of Atlanta.

Families, individuals, elected officials, high school marching bands and a host of civil rights, community, civic, social, fraternal, religious and other groups and organizations will march in memory of the late civil rights leader who fought for voting and human rights for African Americans and the beloved community for the nation.

The DeKalb NAACP’s 16th annual parade and rally kicks off at noon from Green Pastures Christian Church on Flat Shoals Parkway with high school marching bands, elected officials and dozens of groups and organizations. The parade will terminate at Martin Luther King, Jr. High School for a rally.

The theme is “Remembering the Dream, Honoring the Dreamer.” Green Pastures Pastor Collette Gunby will serve as the parade’s grand marshal.

Marchers will gather at 10 a.m. in the church’s parking lot. They will make a right on Highway 155 and proceed to King’s high school namesake.

King parade to Olde Town Conyers In Rockdale County, an inaugural MLK Day Celebration to Olde Town Conyers starts at 10 a.m.

More than 100 groups, including fraternities, sororities, marching bands from Rockdale, Heritage and Salem high schools, the Rockdale County NAACP, and elected officials will march. Fourth District Congressman Hank Johnson will be the parade’s grand marshal.

The mile-long parade, organized by the Rockdale County Think Tank, will commence at noon from Rockdale County High School at 1174 Bulldog Circle N.E. Josie Dean, the Think Tank’s executive director, said the parade is supported by the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners, Conyers City Council, Rockdale School system, Rockdale County Sheriff ’s Department, and Conyers Police.

After the parade, an MLK program with singing and performances will take place in the county auditorium at 103 Main St. Twenty awards will be handed out to organizations and individuals who have defended Dr. King’s legacy.

Dean said newly retired Conyers Mayor Randy Mills, the NCNW, Iflat Walker, Gerald Rose and Muddessar Ahmad will be recognized.

The NCNW is getting the Organization of the Year Award. Walker will get the John Evans Activist Award; Rose, the Community Service award; and Ahmad, the Rockdale County Good Samaritan Award.

For more information, email rockdalecountythinktank@gmail.com or call 770369-1507.

Atlanta parade at 1:45 p.m.

In the city of Atlanta, marchers will gather at 1:15 p.m. at the intersection of Peachtree and Baker streets for the 2018 Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Commemorative March and Rally. It kicks off at 1:45 p.m. after the annual King Day Service at Ebenezer Baptist Church. Marchers will make a left on Auburn Avenue and head to The King Center for the rally.

Four mayors in Henry parade In Henry County, a parade of mayors will serve as grand marshals for the county’s eighth annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade and Peace March on Jan. 15.

The mayors of Hampton, Locust Grove, McDonough and Stockbridge – Steve Hutchison, Robert Price, Billy Copeland and Anthony S. For – are expected to participate.

Paraders will line up at 9 a.m. and the parade will kick off at 10 a.m. at the Henry County Performing Arts Center on Lemon Street in McDonough.

A King Day Celebration featuring attorney Gerald Griggs will take place at 11 a.m., at the performing arts center. Griggs is chairman of the Georgia NAACP Criminal Justice Committee and a vice president of the Atlanta NAACP.

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King Holiday

CrossRoadsNews

January 13, 2018

Simmons started the Hate Won’t Win Movement to create a more culturally cohesive society that appreciates and celebrates differences.

King Center saluting six for channeling his activist ideals

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

The six recipients of the 2018 King Center’s Salute to Greatness Awards include two politicians, an activist for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s beloved community, a renowned author and educator, a food manufacturer and a volunteer organization shaping today’s youth.

The awardees are U.S. Sen. Corey Booker; Hate Won’t Win Movement founder Alana Simmons; educator and author Dr. Robert Green; San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz; and organizations Chobani and the Boys & Girls Club of America.

All six will be celebrated at the gala, the King Center’s premier fundraising initiative.

Each year, during its King Week celebrations of the civil rights leader, the Center recognizes national and international individuals and corporations that exemplify excellence in leadership and commitment to social responsibility in the spirit of Dr. King. The Salute to Greatness Gala takes place 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Jan. 13 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Atlanta.

On Jan. 15, Dr. King’s 89th birthday, the nation will commemorate his life and legacy with a day of service projects.

Advocate for justice reform Booker, who has represented New Jersey in the Senate since October 2013, is the gala’s Individual Honoree.

He is a Rhodes Scholar, lawyer, and former Newark city councilman and mayor.

In the Senate, Booker is seen as an innovative and bi-partisan problem solver, and has emerged as a national leader in the Congressional push for common sense criminal

Corey Booker

Alana Simmons

justice reform. He advocates for front-end sentencing reforms, pushes for the banning of juvenile solitary confinement in federal facilities, and has spearheaded legislation to make the hiring process fairer for the formerly incarcerated.

He has also partnered with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to create economic proposals ranging from increased small business investment to apprenticeship programs to help foster greater economic mobility and opportunity for Americans.

Hate Won’t Win Simmons, the CEO and founder of the Hate Won’t Win Movement, is the recipient of the Coretta Scott King A.N.G.E.L Youth Award, which recognizes a young person ages 12 to 29 who exemplifies exceptional leadership in areas of peace, social justice and nonviolent social change.

Simmons, 26, founded HATE Won’t Win after white supremacist Dylann Roof shot and killed her grandfather, the Rev. Daniel L. Simmons Sr., the church’s pastor and seven other parishioners in the June 17, 2015, massacre at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C.

Robert Green

Carmen Yulin Cruz

She rose to national prominence after President Barack Obama tweeted a picture promoting her “hatewontwin” campaign that encourages people to show acts of love and kindness to those who differ from themselves and to post their acts of kindness on social media.

Simmons’ website says she started the Hate Won’t Win Movement to create a more culturally cohesive society that appreciates and celebrates differences instead of allowing them to divide us. The movement’s nine initiatives focus on awareness, healing and equity, and honoring victims of hate crimes.

Green, an author, educator, civil rights activist, and Michigan State University dean and professor emeritus, is getting the Christine King Farris Legacy of Service Award, which recognizes an individual with a lifelong history of service and values based on King’s leadership and philosophy of nonviolence.

He is a nationally known scholar, an expert on education, urban development and issues related to diversity, and organizer of school reform initiatives. Green is the author of 10 books on a range of subjects including expectations in education, student achievement, black male achievement, education equity, and poverty and race.

Green worked for Dr. King as the education director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Cruz, who has been mayor of San Juan since November 2012, slammed the U.S. government’s response to Hurricane Maria’s devastation of Puerto Rico on Sept. 20, 1917.

She will receive the gala’s Special Recognition Award for Humanitarian Leadership.

Nine days after the hurricane, Cruz made an emotional plea for help at a Sept.

29 press conference and accused President Donald Trump and his administration of “inefficiency.”

“I am begging you. Begging anyone that can hear us to save us from dying,” she said. “If anybody out there is listening, we

Hamdi Ulukaya

James L. Clark

are dying. And you are killing us with the inefficiency.”

Cruz is a former member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives.

Organizations honored Greek yogurt maker Chobani is the Salute to Greatness Gala’s Corporate Honoree. The company’s Turkish-born founder and CEO Hamdi Ulukaya will receive the award.

Ulukaya launched Chobani in 2005 after stumbling on a for-sale classified ad for a yogurt plant recently closed by Kraft. The company’s website says he perfected the recipe for Chobani yogurt on the belief that everyone, regardless of income or location, deserve access to delicious, high-quality yogurt. Eighteen months later, the company’s first yogurts went on the market and within two years, Chobani was America’s #1 yogurt.

Today the company also sells dips and drinks and it is one of the U.S.’s largest snack companies.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America is getting the A.N.G.E.L Youth Organization Award. President and CEO James L. Clark will accept the award.

BGCA, made up of a network of 4,300 clubs, serve nearly 4 million youths annually in all 50 states, in large cities and small towns, in public housing and on Native lands, and on U.S. military installations across the globe. More than 50,000 professional staff members operate the clubs, which are supported by more than 285,000 board and program volunteers.

Under Clark’s leadership, BGCA has introduced innovative programming like state-of-the-art STEM initiatives and Brain Gain, a program to combat summer learning loss.

In a 2015 national survey, 73 percent of low-income boys and girls ages 12 to 17 who attend clubs regularly say they earn mostly As and Bs, compared with 69 percent of lowincome youth nationally.

New Bethel youth to celebrate in song, dance and spoken word performances

New Bethel AME youth will celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 14.

New Bethel AME Church’s YPD “The Chosen Generation” will celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in song, dance and spoken word on Jan. 14 at the church’s 2018 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, themed “Black Excellence – The Dream Lives.”

Carol McNeil, New Bethel’s Publicity

Committee chair, said the event, which starts at 11 a.m., will honor King’s life and legacy.

The free community event is sponsored annually by New Bethel’s Lay Organization.

The church is at 8350 Rockbridge Road in Lithonia.

For more information visit www.cbtwatl. org/ or call 770-484-3350.

January 13, 2018

CrossRoadsNews

MACYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S JOINS

THE WORLD

IN HONORING

THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

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Volunteers are encouraged to bring hammers, saws, drills, rakes, clippers and other yard work implements.

January 13, 2018

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Home repairs for seniors among King Day service projects

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Say that I tried to love and serve humanityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Volunteers with the nonprofit Community Center for South Decatur (CCSD), in partnership with the city of Decatur. will make minor home repairs in the Oakhurst neighborhood on Jan, 13-15.

Hundreds of skilled carpenters, painters, plumbers, landscapers, gardeners and others who just want to help out will be doing minor repairs on the homes of seniors over the Jan. 13-15 King Holiday weekend.

The MLK Service Project, which is in its 16th year, is sponsored by the nonprofit Community Center for South Decatur (CCSD) in partnership with the city of Decatur. It is supported by grants and private financial and in-kind donations.

Volunteers will work on the homes of senior citizens in Oakhurst, making repairs on roofs, gutters, doors and floors and doing yard work that elderly homeowners have been unable to do themselves or afford.

Lee Ann Harvey, the projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s volunteer

coordinator, says that each year more than 1,100 volunteers work on the project.

Volunteers will work in shifts from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 13; 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 14; and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Jan. 15. They are asked to select the shift they will work when they sign up. At the end of the final shift on Jan. 15, all volunteers will be celebrated at a cookout at 5 p.m.

Organizers say that a limited number of tools and work gloves will be available, but volunteers are encouraged to bring hammers, saws, drills, and other tools; rakes, clippers and other yard work implements, and because tools look alike, they should be marked for identification purposes.

To make the project more environmen-

â&#x20AC;&#x153;If any of you are around when I have to meet my day, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want a long funeral.

And if you get somebody to deliver the eulogy, tell them not to talk too long.

And every now and then I wonder what I want them to say. Tell them not to mention that I have a Nobel Peace Prize â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t important.

Tell them not to mention that I have three or four hundred other awards â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not important. Tell them not to Martin Luther King Jr. mention where I went to school.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like somebody to mention that day that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to give his life serving others.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like for somebody to say that day that Martin Luther King Jr. tried to love somebody.

I want you to say that day that I tried to be right on the war question.

I want you to be able to say that day that I did try to feed the hungry.

And I want you to be able to say that day that I did try in my life to clothe those who were naked.

I want you to say on that day that I did try in my life to visit those who were in prison.

I want you to say that I tried to love and serve humanity.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Feb. 4, 1968, Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta

Martin Luther King Day service projects run the gamut from leaf and litter cleanups (left and above) to home repairs for seniors and lowincome residents.

tally friendly, volunteers are also encouraged bring reusable water bottles.

Volunteers younger than 18 must have a parent or guardian sign a release form and bring it with them to the project.

Each day, volunteers will meet at least a half-hour before shiftsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; start at the Solarium, 321 W. Hill St. in the Oakhurst section of

Decatur.

To volunteer to make home repairs, do yard work, help with logistics, or assist the food committee, contact Lee Ann Harvey at 770-652-8593 or leeann.harvey@decaturga. com.

To register and for more information, visit www.decaturga.com/mlk.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let anything stand in your way In the spirit of greatness, we salute those who refuse to let adversity deter them from their dreams. $BOEMFS 3PBE t %FDBUVS (" t XXX DSPTTSPBETOFXT DPN

January 13, 2018

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The cemetery is the final resting place for more than 70,000 African-Americans.

GSU students to perform service projects in DeKalb, Atlanta

Hundreds Georgia State University students will paint, clean, and garden in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on his 89th birthday on Jan. 15.

The students will participate in King Day service projects in Stone Mountain, Decatur and Atlanta as part of GSU’s Civic Engagement Program.

Projects in DeKalb County start at 8:30 a.m. at the Rock of Ages Lutheran Church, 5135 Memorial Drive in Stone Mountain.

At 10 a.m., students will help with garden maintenance at the GSU’s Decatur campus community garden and at the Native Plant Botanical Garden at 3251 Panthersville Road in Decatur.

Students will also do ML King Service Projects in Atlanta. They will work with the Westside Volunteer Corps on the Salvation Army’s Bellwood Boys & Girls Club Revitalization at 777 Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway N.W., and will sort donated school supplies at Booker T. Washington High School, 45 Whitehouse Drive S.W. At the Boys & Girls Club, students will join other volunteers in painting, building furniture, mulching plants and undertaking Georgia State students will participate in service projects such as plant maintenance at other outdoor beautification. the Decatur campus community garden and at the Native Plant Botanical Garden.

The Westside Corps is collecting socks, Donated items will be distributed to it https://www.amazon.com/registry/ Students can still sign up to volunteer. For underwear, pencils, crayons, markers, composition books and other school supplies schools in the Washington High School wishlist/2CRIR2QMFZJMR/ref=cm_sw_r_ more information, e-mail civivengagement@ Cluster. For a list of needed items, vis- cp_ep_ws_FfhfAb1T7RFY5 gsu.edu or visit service.gsu.edu. through Jan. 15.

Trees and flowers to be planted at King’s 1st burial site Kirkwood More than 60 volunteers are expected Neighbors to plant trees, bulbs and other flowers at South-View Cemetery on Martin Luther cleaning Clay King Jr. Day on Jan. 15.

The 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. service project, sponsored by the South-View Cemetery Cemetery Association, Trees Atlanta and HandsOn Atlanta, will take place in the children’s burial areas.

South-View Cemetery, at 1990 Jonesboro Road S.E. in Atlanta, was the original burial site of civil rights icon the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. before his body was relocated to a crypt at the King Center on Auburn Avenue.

Volunteers for the service project will include members of Decatur-based Greenforest Baptist Church.

The cemetery of more than 100 acres was founded in 1886 by nine former slaves who were barred from whites-only graveyards.

The South-View Cemetery Association is the oldest African-American not-forprofit corporation in the United States.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was buried at SouthView Cemetery in April 1968, before his body was relocated to its current resting place at the King Center on Auburn Avenue.

The cemetery is the final resting place for more than 70,000 African-Americans, and others buried there regardless of race or religion.

King was originally interred there on April 9, 1968. In 1977, his remains were 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., who died on Nov. 11, 1984, and Alberta King, who died June 30, 1974, are buried at

South-View.

The service project, which will be held on the 34th anniversary of the National Martin Luther King Holiday, is celebrating King’s life and legacy.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Volunteer opportunities are still available for those 18 years and older. Kids younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

For more information or to volunteer, visit http://southviewcemetery.com/ or call 404-622-5393.

More than two dozen volunteers will rake leaves and pick up in trash at the historic Clay Cemetery in Atlanta on Jan. 15.

The service project, which is sponsored

by Kirkwood Neighbors Organization, takes place 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The cemetery, which dates to the 1800s, was integrated in the 1950s, long before Kirkwood’s schools.

Children as young as 10 years old can volunteer in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose 89th birthday and the 2018 National King Holiday will be Jan. 15.

Clay Cemetery is at 31 Clifton St. N.E., Atlanta 30317. For more information, visit https://www.historic-kirkwood.org/ or https://claycemetery.org/

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January 13, 2018