CrossRoadsNews, January 22, 2011 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

COMMUNITY

Fenced no more

EXPO 2011

Spotlight on Health & Wellness

EAST METRO’S BEST

Residents who were riled by the chain-link fence around the former Wachovia Bank building on Wesley Chapel Road can rest easy. It’s gone. A2

Thousands are expected for the sixth annual CrossRoadsNews Health & Wellness Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest on Jan. 29. We take a look at the expo. Section B

There’s still time to nominate your favorites in the 2011 Best of East Metro People’s Choice Awards. You’ll find the nomination form at www.crossroadsnews .com. But hurry – nominations close on Jan. 31.

January 22, 2011

Time’s running out

www.crossroadsnews.com

Volume 16, Number 39

New libraries collect dust, waiting for funding No money to hire staff for stocked Stonecrest branch By Donna Williams Lewis

Right now in south DeKalb County, 61,000 square feet of new and expanded library spaces – completed at a cost of $16.6 million – are sitting empty for want of money to open them. The brand-new $7.7 million Stonecrest branch at Klondike Road and Hayden Quarry Road, completed and furnished since last September; the $4.5 million expanded Salem-Panola branch on Panola Road in Lithonia; and the $4.4 million expanded Hairston Crossing branch on Redan Road in Stone Mountain sit idly waiting for staff and patrons, even as taxpayers are paying on the bonds that built them. Funding for the three library branches comes from a $230 million bond referendum approved by county residents in 2005 for improvements in transportation, parks and greenspace, and libraries. The library’s $54.5 million portion is paying for the construction of three new libraries for underserved populations, expansions of four existing libraries, and the replacement of five library facilities. But while the bond funds pay to build the libraries, the County Rosemarie Pickett Commission must fund the staffing for them. So far, it has not allocated funds for staffing and the branches are gathering dust – hulking, tangible testaments to DeKalb’s budget woes. The well-stocked Stonecrest branch is the white elephant in plain sight of everyone who drives by and a point of frustration for residents who lobbied for it and participated in public information meetings to get it built. “I get mad every time I go by there,” said community activist Rosemarie Pickett of the Klondike Area Civic Association. “We’ve got an elementary school and a high school on the other end of Klondike and yet we can’t use the library. We just need the library finished.” DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis referred to the quagmire in his Jan. 6 State of the County address about county belttightening. “Many of these cuts have been quite painful, Alison Weissinger such as when we have been unable to pay county employees for a Memorial Day or Fourth of July holiday, or when we have not been able to open a new, fully stocked, state-of-the-art library because

Photos by Carla Parker / CrossRoadsNews

The Stonecrest Library, built and furnished at a cost of $7.7 million, has been ready since September 2010. It is still closed to the public because the DeKalb Library System has no funding for the 14 full-time equivalent positions needed to operate it seven days a week.

Hairston Crossing Library

Salem-Panola Library

n Total budget: $4.5 million n Construction completed: November 2010 n Needs 11.5 full-time equivalent positions to open n Projected opening: February 2011 This branch on Redan Road has grown from 4,000 square feet to 18,000 square feet. It has a 100-seat meeting room and a 12-seat conference room. Patrons will have access to 38 computers, up from the 13 computers of the past.

n Total budget: $4.4 million n Construction completed: November 2010 n Needs 11.5 full-time equivalent positions to open n Projected opening: March 2011 This branch on Panola Road in Lithonia has grown from 4,000 square feet to 18,000 square feet. It has a 100-seat meeting room, a 12-seat conference room and plans for 38 computers for public use.

Note: The construction budget amounts listed do not include the cost of building fixtures, furnishings, equipment and books.

we are understaffed,” he said. Alison Weissinger, the library system’s acting director, said finishing touches were halted on the Stonecrest branch when funding for staff failed to materialize last September. “We’ve been very disappointed,” Weissinger said. “The coffers at the county are just so

tight right now.” The library system says it needs 25.5 fulltime positions to open the three branches seven days a week. The Stonecrest branch needs 14 of those positions to operate it 58 hours weekly. The system currently has 238 employees, but library spokeswoman Janet Florence says

full funding would be 289 positions. “We have to hold 40 positions vacant because of the budget shortfall,” she said. If the library gets the $627,000 for staffing in Ellis’ proposed $563.3 million budget, Weissinger said the Stonecrest branch could Please see LIBRARIES, page A4

CrossRoadsNews

January 22, 2011

Community

Parents of High School Seniors - DeKalb County School System

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Miss This Opportunity! The Office of School Improvement and the DCBlazers Youth Organization Present

College Financial Aid Workshop - Session II The FAFSA Form

Carla Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Important Information

The chain link fence (below) around the old Wachovia Building on Wesley Chapel Road was gone this week.

Your FAFSA form (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) will be completed by the end of this worksession. Parents and their HS senior students will be able to participate only if they have gone to the website www.pin.ed.gov to apply for a Pin number so that the application can be electronically signed. It is absolutely necessary that this Pin number be obtained, at minimum, one week prior to the date of the work session. Parents (and students if applicable) must also bring their 2010 tax return and 2010 W2 form or their 2009 tax return and their 2010 W2 form.

Saturday, February 12, 2011 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. DeKalb County School System The Administrative & Instructional Complex â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Room 201 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd Stone Mountain GA 30083 RSVP to

Anderia Russell at the Office of School Improvement 678-676-0312 or The DC Blazers at 770-322-5273

Check this website for a sneak peek at the FAFSA Form http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/fotw1112/pdf/fafsaws12c.pdf

Jennfier Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Fence on Wesley Chapel comes down The 6-foot chain-link fence that has marred the appearance of Wesley Chapel Road for more than four months is down. Property owner Creed Pannell Jr. removed the fence this week from around the former Wachovia Bank building at the corner of Wesley Chapel Road and Snapfinger Woods Drive. Pannell erected the fence in September shortly after hosting an Aug. 5 ribbon cutting for the opening of his nonprofit Business Development Initiative. At the time, he said that he erected the fence to protect the property from abuse and that he planned to build a wrought-iron

fence later. But residents have bombarded the county with complaints about the fence that is in violation of the Wesley Chapel Overlay District ordinance that prohibits fences along the business corridor. Wachovia, which is now owned by Wells Fargo, donated the building to Pannell, who lives in Stockbridge. He created the nonprofit to receive the building but has not started any programs there. When he announced the gift last summer, he said it would expose middle and high school students to the world of entrepreneurship.

January 22, 2011

Community

CrossRoadsNews

“EPA gives the state and the county too much control over the task of protecting the community from further spills. That approach hasn’t worked for decades.”

Groups urge stronger consent decree between EPA, DeKalb Six community organizations are urging a stronger consent decree between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and DeKalb County. In comments filed Jan. 19 by GreenLaw attorneys on their behalf, the groups – the South DeKalb Neighborhoods Coalition, South River Watershed Alliance, Miners Creek Circle Civic Association, DeKalb Soil and Water Conservation District, Metropolitan Atlanta Urban Watershed Institute, and Newly Organized Citizens Requesting Aquifer Protection – called the decree “duplicative of existing requirements” and said it “fails to require specific performance goals for completion of remedial actions” and “relies heavily on contentions from the county and

does not require adequate supervision.” DeKalb operates more than 2,600 miles of sewer pipes, and more than 50 percent of them are 25 to 50 years old. In 2006, it reported 256 sanitary spills. DeKalb signed the consent decree with EPA and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Environmental Protection Division on Dec. 13. Among other things, it mandates $700 million of repairs to the county’s sewer system to reduce spills and overflows and requires the county to pay a civil penalty of $453,000 and $600,000 to clean up segments of the South River, South Fork Peachtree Creek, and Snapfinger Creek. The improvements, fines and penalty were levied for

Chief assistants reunite with old bosses DeKalb District Attorney Chief Assistant Javoyne Hicks White is headed to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to join her former boss and friend Gwen Keyes Fleming, and former acting Solicitor-GenJ. Hicks White eral Nicole Marchand will reunite with her former boss Robert James, who is now district attorney. Hicks White, who was Keyes Fleming’s chief assistant for five and a half years, will become her new chief of staff and help her manage the EPA Region 4’s priorities and day-to-day operations. Keyes Fleming left the district attorney’s office in September, when she was picked by President Barack Obama to become Region 4 administrator.

Hicks White began her new assignment on Jan. 18. “I am very excited to have this opportunity to work at EPA and to help the regional office implement its critical mission of protecting public Nicole Marchand health and the environment,” Hicks White said. Marchand, who replaced James when he resigned as solicitor-general to seek the district attorney’s office last year, will become James’ chief assistant district attorney. She was James’ chief assistant when he was solicitor-general and he tapped her to replace him while awaiting Gov. Sonny Perdue’s appointment to the office. Perdue appointed lawyer and Municipal Court Judge Sherry Boston to fill the seat.

fouling the state’s waters in violation of the Federal Clean Water Act and the Georgia Water Quality Control Act. In their comments, the groups point out a number of serious omissions in the decree, which they say weaken its effectiveness as a tool to enforce compliance with environmental protections that DeKalb has neglected over many years. GreenLaw’s attorney David Deganian said the consent decree does not go far enough to ensure that the goal of eliminating sewer spills is met in a reasonable time frame. “EPA gives the state and the county too much control over the task of protecting the community from further spills. That approach hasn’t worked for decades, why would

it work now? EPA needs to take over direct supervision of the necessary upgrades.” Gil Turman, South DeKalb Neighborhoods Coalition president, said citizens want greater accountability and transparency in the process. “Citizens need to know how their government is managing the expenditure Gil Turman of the $1.4 billion we will pay via increased water and sewer rates over the next five years,” he said. The groups’ comments are part of the public comments on the consent decree required by law before final approval.

Please Join Us for the...

Tom Scott Memorial Garden Fundraiser

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Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2011 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. Parker's on Ponce

116 East Ponce De Leon Avenue Decatur, GA 30030-2526 RSVP: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1137563483 Phone: 404-241-9899

Community

CrossRoadsNews

January 22, 2011

During a September library card sign-up campaign, the system issued 7,700, including 4,400 to new card holders.

Budget meetings offer resident chance to comment 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker General Manager Curtis Parker Staff Writer Carla Parker Advertising Sales Patricia Walthour

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

Homeowners, property owners and other residents can comment on DeKalb’s proposed $563.3 million budget at meetings on Jan. 27 and Feb. 3 and 10. The meetings are being hosted by District 4 Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton to offer residents the opportunity to voice their opinion on the budget that is $86 million lower than the 2009 budget

and includes a 2.32 mill tax increase. The county is anticipating tax revenue falling another $12.8 million. In his Jan. 6 State of the County address, CEO Burrell Ellis said that while revenues are falling, operating costs have increased more than $39 million to meet legally mandated expenses. The Jan. 27 meeting is at the Art Sta-

Marked growth of patrons during money crunch LIBRARIES,

from

Stonecrest Library

open by this summer. The proposed 2011 budget, which is loaded with cuts and a property tax hike of 2.32 mills, slashes nearly $20 million from the 2010 budget of $582.7 million. Library officials have requested 13 full-time positions, including four professional librarians, for Stonecrest. The final budget must be approved by the Board of Commissioners at its Feb. 22 meeting. Because of the reallocation of staff from the closure of the Briar cliff branch and the delayed opening of the Stonecrest branch, Florence said the system has enough employees to open the Hairston Crossing and Salem-Panola branches. Commissioner Lee May, whose District 5 is home to all three branches, blames the economy for the opening delays. He said this week that it is now time to move the libraries forward. “They were kind of sacrificed in the [current] budget to provide relief in other areas,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the Stonecrest Library being open this year.” The money crunch comes at a time of marked growth among library users. During a September library card sign-up campaign, the system issued 7,700, including 4,400 to new card holders, a 21 percent increase over the number of new cards issued in September 2009.

n Total budget: $7.7 million n Completed September 2010 n Needs 14 full-time equivalent positions to open n Projected opening: Spring or summer 2011 The 25,000-square-foot facility at the intersection of Klondike Road and Hayden Quarry Road contains a 175-seat auditorium, a 65-seat meeting room, connections for 42 public access computers and a “library café” with snack vending machines. Photos by Carla Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Scott Candler Library

Ellenwood Library

n Construction budget: $5.3 million n Groundbreaking: Dec. 17, 2010 n Projected opening: Spring 2012 This planned 12,000-square-foot branch is going up at 1917 Candler Road, near Northview Avenue. It is replacing the branch that has been at Candler/McAfee roads for 47 years. It will be part of a mixed-use development that will include a new senior center and senior housing.

n Projected groundbreaking: March or April 2011 n Projected opening: Sometime in 2012 This new 12,000-squarefoot library will be located at the corner of River Road and Linecrest Road.

In North DeKalb … Replacement or expanded branches have already opened in the Toco Hills, Northlake, Embry Hills and Tucker areas. Two other libraries, a replacement for Brookhaven and the new Northeast Plaza branch, are in early planning stages. The Northeast Plaza facility will be a storefront library. The bond referendum also funds the replacement of the Library Processing Center and an access upgrade at the Redan-Trotti branch. Note: The construction budget amounts listed do not include the cost of building fixtures, furnishings, equipment and books.

index to advertisers Bobby L. Scott & Associates..........................A7 Browns Mill Civic Athletic Assoc....................A7 DeKalb Convention & Visitor’s Bureau..........A2 DeKalb County School System......................A2 East Lake Crossing........................................A4 Felicia V. Anderson CPA LLC........................A5 Gibbs Garage................................................A6 Hands On Business.......................................A7 Henry Mitchell, CPA, PC................................A7 Jacqueline Scott............................................A3

Kiddy Kompany............................................A7 Laurencin’s Home Services...........................A6 MARTA..........................................................A5 Mystery Valley Golf Club...............................A4 Rapid Weight Loss Solution..........................A6 Sarah Fabrics Inc...........................................A7 SCI Dignity Memorial....................................A5 The Law Office of B.A. Thomas....................A6 The Spa at Stonecrest...................................A6 Tuskegee Graduates & Friends.....................A6

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Wells Fargo...................................................A3 Section B Atlanta Gastroenterology..............................B8 Chick-fil-A (Inside the Mall at Stonecrest)....B11 Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta................. B12 Congressman Hank Johnson.......................B11 DeKalb District Attorney’s Office................. B10 Dr. Craig B. Williams, DDS............................B8 Full Body Loving Care Chiropractic...............B8 Georgia Medical Care Foundation................B4

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January 22, 2011

Finance

CrossRoadsNews

“Sustained improvement will come only when employers begin adding jobs and increase hiring.”

AARP Tax-Aide offers free help with returns Starting Feb. 1, seniors and low-income taxpayers can get free help filing their taxes before the April 15 deadline from AARP Tax-Aide. Helen Lowenthal, AARP’s district coordinator in DeKalb County, said tax help will be available through April 18 and that tax filers do not have to be a member of AARP or a retiree to use Helen Lowenthal the service. “Tax law can often be confusing. AARP Tax-Aide volunteers can make the process of filling out tax returns a whole lot easier.” AARP Tax-Aide volunteers are trained in cooperation with the Internal Revenue Service, and they offer help with personal income tax returns at various metro sites.

Last year, 2,500 people were helped in DeKalb. They were among more than 41,000 helped by 860 volunteers in Georgia. Filers should bring the current year’s tax forms and preparation booklet, a copy of last year’s income tax return(s), W-2 forms from each employer, and unemployment compensation statements. They also should bring SSA-1099 forms if they were paid Social Security benefits, all 1099 forms, dependent care provider information, and all forms indicating federal income tax paid. Receipts and canceled checks are needed if itemizing deductions. Also required are Social Security cards or other official documentation for the taxpayer and all dependents. AARP Tax-Aide sites include: n Bethesda Cathedral/Austin Drive Senior Campus, 1989 Austin Drive, Decatur; 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday; 404-534-3322.

Jobless rate rises to 10.2 percent Georgia’s jobless rate crept up to 10.2 percent in December from 10 percent in November, topping the national rate for the 39th consecutive month. Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said the increase in unemployment and job loss in December is continued evidence that Georgia’s job market is fragile. “Sustained improvement will come only when employers begin adding jobs and increase hiring,” he said. “In the coming months, we will work closely with Georgia’s employers, private and public sector economic developers, and the General Assembly to spur existing business expansion and to attract new industry to our state.” Butler said the seasonally adjusted rate rose to 10.2 percent, up two-tenths of a percentage point from a revised 10 percent in November. In December 2009, the unemployment rate was 10.3 percent. The national rate is 9.4 percent. In December, the number of payroll jobs decreased 21,800, or six-tenths of a percentage point, to 3,827,200 from 3,849,000 in November. Most came in construction, leisure

and hospitality, public schools, professional and business services, and wholesale trade. The number of jobs remains 7,800, or two-tenths of a percentage point, fewer than in December 2009, when there were 3,835,000 payroll jobs. There were 259,200 long-term unemployed Georgians, those out of work for 27 weeks or longer. This represents an increase of 7,000, or 2.8 percent, from 252,200 in November and an increase of 91,000, or 54.1 percent, from 168,200 in December 2009. They account for 54.1 percent of Georgia’s 478,833 jobless workers. In DeKalb County, 4,221 people filed initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits, an increase of 473, or 12.6 percent, from 3,748 in November. There was an overthe-year decrease of 1,169 claims, or 21.7 percent, from 5,390 in December 2009. Across the state, 75,635 laid-off workers filed initial claims for UI benefits, an increase of 7,921, or 11.7 percent, from 67,714 in November. There was an over-the-year decrease of 25,261 claims from 100,896 in December 2009.

Butler is new labor commissioner son counties, for eight years. Georgia’s new labor commisA Republican, Butler received sioner is now on the job. 55.2 percent of the vote, defeating Mark Butler, who was elected Democrat Darryl Hicks, who got to office in November, was sworn 41.1 percent, and Libertarian Will in on Jan. 10. He succeeds Michael Costa, who received 3.7 percent of Thurmond, who served three terms the 2,535,162 votes cast. and left the position last year to run An Auburn University graduate for U.S. Senate. with a degree in public administraButler, 40, is the state’s ninth Mark Butler tion, Butler has worked with his labor commissioner, overseeing a department with an annual budget of $450 family’s small business in Carrollton as a million. He represented Georgia House Dis- real estate appraiser. He is the father of two trict 18, which comprises Carroll and Haral- children – daughter Sydney and son Blake.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Funeral Facts Dwayne Green Tara Garden Chapel

n Fairfield Baptist Church, 6133 Redan

Road, Lithonia; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 770-482-7660. n Stone Mountain-Sue Kellogg Library, 952 Leon St., Stone Mountain; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday; 770-413-2020. n Clarkston Library, 951 N. Indian Creek Drive, Clarkston; noon to 4 p.m. MondayTuesday; 404-508-7175. n Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore St., Decatur; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 404-370-3070. n Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library, 1282 McConnell Drive, Decatur; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday and Friday; 404-679-4404. n Northlake-Barbara Loar Library, 3772 LaVista Road, Tucker; 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday and Thursday; 404-679-4408. For more information or to locate an AARP Tax-Aide site near you, call 1-888-2277669 or visit www.aarp.org/taxaide.

Job fair set for Lithonia Job seekers can get help with their resumes and meet up to 30 potential employers at a Feb. 3 job fair at the Lucious Sanders Recreation Center in Lithonia. The event, which is hosted by DeKalb County and the Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce, takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Job hunters should come dressed for success and bring lots of resumes. The Lucious Sanders Recreation Center is at 2484 Bruce St. For more information, contact Marquita Coleman Mack at mscoleman5 @gmail.com or 678-905-3464.

Q. I have discussed my funeral wishes with my spouse. Is there anything else I need to do? A. Though it is important to discuss your funeral wishes with your family members, you should enlist the help of a funeral director so you can !"#$% &'()*"+% ",,"-.$!$-/01% 2$% &,% she will know the myriad of questions that need to be addressed when planning a funeral, as well as essential information that should be kept with your plan. You also may not be aware of your many options until you consult with a funeral professional. The good news is that most providers will meet with you for free to discuss and register your plan. Our funeral home also offers a Personal Planning Guide, crafted from years of experience, to make it easier for you to make a plan. Once you have all of this information written down, you should document your plan with a funeral home. That means the funeral directors will have access to your arrangements, and the instructions will be clear, whenever they are needed. Your grieving family will not need to be burdened with making sudden arrangements or decisions, and there will be no confusion about what you may have wanted. Dwayne Green has over 20 years experience in the funeral industry and is a licensed funeral director associated with Tara Garden Chapel, a member of the Dignity Memorial® network serving the Atlanta South community. He frequently offers funeralrelated advice and counseling to area families. For information or to ask a question, contact Dwayne at 770-471-7171.

METROPOLITAN ATLANTA RAPID TRANSIT AUTHORITY

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS JANUARY 24, 2011 Notice is hereby given that the Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) will hold public hearings for the purpose of considering

Proposed Bus Service Modifications for April 23, 2011 Proposed routing and or adjustments for the following bus routes: Route 42 – Pryor Road/McDaniel Street: Alternate weekday trips until 7:00 pm to restore service along Amal Drive, Bond Drive and Ashwood Avenue. Route 56 – Adamsville/Collier Heights: Alternate trips to restore weekday peak hour service to Waits Drive, Alex Drive, Alex Way and Tarragon Way. Route 120 – East Ponce de Leon Avenue/Tucker: Modify route to operate from Avondale Station via E. Ponce de Leon Avenue to Tucker. Route 121 – Stone Mountain/ Memorial Drive: Modify service to reflect all trips operating via North Hairston Road, E. Ponce de Leon Avenue, Main Street, W. Mountain Street and Memorial Drive terminating at Goldsmith Park & Ride Lot. Service along Memorial

Drive between North Hairston Road and Goldsmith Park & Ride Lot will continue to be provided by the Route 119. Route 125 – Clarkston/Northlake: Reroute from Kensington Station to Avondale Station along North Decatur Road and Winn Way to relieve congestion and improve bus movement in and around Kensington Station. Service would no longer be provided along Northern Avenue between North Decatur Road and Rockbridge Road. Route 126 – Northlake/Chamblee: Provide more service along the Chamblee Tucker Road to Henderson Mill Road segment and reduce the frequency of service along the Flowers Road South and Mercer University segments from alternating trips to selective trips only to reflect current service demand on weekdays only.

Monday, January 24 at either location: 2424 Piedmont Road NE, Atlanta, 30324

MARTA HEADQUARTERS 7:00 P.M.

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Riding MARTA: 1 block east of Decatur Station.

Copies of the proposed bus service modifications will also be available at MARTA’s Office of External Affairs, 2424 Piedmont Road, N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30324 during regular business hours, Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

vide comments you may: (1) leave a message at (404) 8485299; (2) write to MARTA’s Office of External Affairs, 2424 Piedmont Road, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30324-3330; (3) complete an online Comment Card at www.itsmarta.com; (4) or fax your For formats (FREE of charge) in accordance with the ADA comments no later than January 31, 2011 to (404) 848-4179. and Limited English Proficiency regulations contact (404) 848All citizens of the City of Atlanta and the counties of 4037. For those patrons requiring further accommodations, Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton and Gwinnett whose interests are affectinformation can be obtained by calling the Telephone Device for ed by the subjects to be considered at these hearings are herethe Deaf (TDD) at 404 848-5665. by notified and invited to appear at said times and places and In addition, a sign language interpreter will be available at present such evidence, comment or objection as their interests all hearings. If you cannot attend the hearings and want to pro- require. Beverly A. Scott, Ph.D. General Manager/CEO

CrossRoadsNews

January 22, 2011

health / Beauty

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events/seminars

health/wellness

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The DeKalb County Tuskegee Alumni Club (DCTA) will meet Saturday Jan. 22, 2011 at 1 p.m. in Suite 25A at the Everest Institute, 2460 Wesley Chapel Road, Decatur, Georgia 30035. All Tuskegee graduates and friends are asked to attend. Call Nathan at 404-735-6176 for all the details.

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Freshne

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Interst ate and comm local motor ute this weekenthrough south ists will find their DeKalb Startin d. I-20 Count Georgia g at 9 p.m. y nightm east Weeke arish nd work ongoin Department on Friday, Motor g weathe wraps Colum I-20 resurfa of Transportatio r permit up at 5 to access ists traveli bia Drive, cing a.m. on ting, ng eastbo either It will contin Monday. and Evansproject will n said that und also north I-285 north cut off access or southb on I-20 Mill and close ramps the (Exit ue east on who wish I-20; Turner ound at The 68), and Thom and south. from I-20 eastbo Hill roads. return exit at Wesley I-285 should resurfa westbo will be as Parker, DOT’s cing und lanes Evans significant Mill and will contin und on Chapel Road to I-20 “We ue delays area engine Turner The Hill roads.for two miles to I-285. sible,” would ask the throughout er, said that I-20 and eastbound entran he betwee public this corrid there themselvessaid. “And n Hill will the eastbound ce ramp to extra timeif they must avoid the area or. outsid be closed througexit ramp from Evans The $28.6 drive if and be e lane under hout the from I-20 to Mill to millio of I-20 extrem through it, posThe resurfa way betwee Turner weeken I-20 betweesince June n resurfacing ely careful.” allow and weeken cing projec n the two interchd, as will The projec n Colum 18. It is resurfaproject has ds until t will contin It will anges. the bia been tempe be cing t Drive has comm ute difficu snarled traffic and Turner9.8 miles of weeknights completed in ratures get ue on weeknights lt for residen and made Hill Road. continuouslyfrom 9 p.m. the spring too cool to the weeken ts and on Mond from Fridayuntil 5 a.m. . Work hourspave. interst ay. ate travele d night at and on weekenare For more inform 9 p.m. rs. org. until 5 ds ation, a.m. call 511 or visit www.5 11ga.

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Get time. ready South DeKalb. After It’s cleanu spaces, years of litter p Board DeKalb CEO and neglect of Comm of Burrel Great DeKal l Ellis public issione and the b Cleanu rs have launch The ed the DeKalb effort kicks offp. Comm Flat Shoals unity Oct. 9 at 7a.m. at the Parkway Achievement The county Center in , on every weeken says the Decatur. d throug cleanups will “As be held proper part of a comm h Oct. 31. ty values itted effort Great DeKal throug 2010 b Cleanu hout the to stabilize uninco 30, county , the ed DeKalp will addres October not beenrporat in a statemmaintained,” b County s areas of that have g have the ent. “The the CEO’s the existin cleanu of office said maxim worst affecte p is designshe said. care um m,” ed sitd areas level ofproble volvem to impac are still by ent we t on the ands in policin and investm encour “Here aging withthethous the future g and maintaent of the in- that ting comm osures that .” ining these unity done of forecl The ion, said from g can be areas sociat kept heels of Great DeKal b Cleanu nothin.” in a Sept. fact was page article about Turman, pres25 CrossR p comes nts. reside on the the South was not that docum neglec oadsN Gil ted duals “Tha t t of of ews front borented ident longst s and indivi tion how it was presenwho south DeKalbsidewalks and lb Neigh ht anding DeKa Count ry unity group said Pace, er cial corrid implementa too thoug y, includmedians across Regist numb to us,” ors Comm ng the said he deal with the ing its ed a apgs In its Aug. and most ion, not comm y awaitinew Foreclosure attend travell help hearin Coalit does eagerl ed rties b’s was to erthat it publi c ordinance spotlighted an 28 issue, hoods ncearterie s. of DeKal this week 15,500 prope ve of newsp overgr thethe the lyHill Road to help out ownordina tionleadin about eager atmenta than media aper also portio – its effecti than found Stonec more g to was the more Oct. 27 withrest. It was the entrance on Turner Road. ns of the ply to of and ng its imple before deal s The d to the Mall cut days median s. county orhoobeganhome es owner27 to awaiti foreclosed on Wesley later. to ’s take Sanita osed the going South her neighb tion Depar only requir Chape was cleanup on t forecl this date. after Oct. Crews president DeKalb Neighb l ugly 50 vacan thought The lawforeclosed county. tment situati walk on cleared the Oct. 2. Gil orhoods footba “We of the the rties kudzu ll game Turman was Coalition on these on. I saw people prope them with presid ent od Asnewsp Flat Shoals Parkw -cover was streets on Saturd r aper’s picking .” ay picture ed side- out pleasantly surpris ay morni his way to He borho Sept. 25 registe up trash a Pace, up trash ng when a hold. said it was Brend Terrace Neigh ed to Wesley along portiofront page, andd on the ton along Wesley a beauti On Oct. he Highw Chape see people fanned Chape ful thing picked Turma 9, East Lake l Road ay pickin l Road. ns of Flat Shoals to be- munity service county emplo n said “I and Covin organi Crews g remov yees and worke also mulchand some saw trucks,” up trash. g- plan zation of that he is workin e of-way illegally postedrs will docum comto ensure residents ed fines, looked like he said. “I prison to put g with an shrubs s, cut back saw is better trying that signs on ent and to do somethers workin people, mainta going forwar in place overgr the , pick up g off their CEO spokesined. d, the countya the roadw ing to beauti litter and own weedsrightay for man lowing fy this that cleanup sanitat place debris and day. Department’ effor was Burke Brenn ion pickup near The Qualit s schedu part of the an said Great the folled cleanu Sanitation DeKalb y of Life Impro p. vemen Cleanu t (QOL) p (GDC / ) Team will

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a 154-fo Lincoln facing to erect is the A plan tower on er Roadwho say it Candl nts s in rty on cell phone prope from reside their home Home opposition close to major be located too county codes. owns the g at would of existin LLC, whichproperty violation J Holdings al Home b County Three DeKal ln Funer mmure Linco Road, wants the teleco zoned 5.1-ac er ce for distan a residentiallyrequired 2321 Candl e the the to reducns tower from feet from the 10-foot 85 nicatio to 70 and to waive rty prope also wants It allow 200 feet. buffer to ape landsc the tower. will it to buildJackson, who her Judy from tower back, see the window and n y Court kitche why on Ousle yard is a reasonbuffer said there y set the the count t resifeet. of the at 200 is to protec health ved, both will ger the “It vely they she said. ce is appro en, negati nts, endan bile say tors. childr and encourdents,” reside varian opera and T-Mo If the challenged en and grandvalues, es from the g the apcell phone rty rty owner e of prope the Zon- our childr prope er famili to more accompanyin 73 e Green to t our and to young 1 letter ce, Lanni lease space tment gh Thursday, the impac flight of plans Depar In a Sept. the varian T-Mobile for ing age the opmentAppeals. Throu n oppos its tower rty on for LLC said of plicati a petitio the Devel South providers on the prope Board adthat e the reducing their ing nts had signed T-Mobile t will tower. two otherusers and in d outsid other of the this projec physically reside say that locate of three y to uction isions put the tower lease groun constr believe that of alread subdiv ly to them. a total intends to fenced-in area “We the health se Valley ce will literala detriment construction sed owner affect propo be e the the purpo e, distan they said versely ards and ly oppos T-Mobileproviders. county that ard,” reliabl ing/ backy backy ss e safe, coverthe wirele “We strong in our county’s Plann e told e, Green is to providand in-car a tower to the facility in-building Second Avenu of such 5 letter d by of this an Oct. rrupte bounded and I-20.Toney in uninte e Road r and the area age in Road, McAfe y Mano Ousle er Candl residents of But

Over 30 Years Experience Member: AICPA & GSCPA

For Appointment Call (770) 638-1200 Office (770) 638-1201 Fax E-Mail bls55@aol.com Bobby L. Scott, CEO

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CrossRoadsNews

January 22, 2011

Health & Wellness Expo - Jan. 29, 2011 January 22, 2011

www.crossroadsnews.com

Section B

Putting The Fun In Fit

Fitness training takes center in the Fitness FaceOff competition during the 2011 Health & Wellness Expo Noon to 5 p.m. on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest n Free Health Screenings

n Dancers

n Fitness Demonstrations

n Elected Officials

n Musical Performances

n Door Prizes

n Information Presentations by Doctors

CrossRoadsNews

January 22, 2011

Health & Wellness Expo

Expo offers new twist – a fitness trainer challenge 2346 Candler Road Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

The Health and Wellness Expo Special Section is a publication of CrossRoadsNews Inc., East Metro Atlanta’s award-winning weekly newspaper. Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Graphics Editor Curtis Parker Reporters Carla Parker Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Circulation Audited By

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Fitness motivator Rae Rae Clark (left) will moderate the 2011 Fitness FaceOff. The winner will be determined by a panel of celebrity judges.

The 2011 CrossRoadsNews Health & Wellness Expo will be kicking off Jan. 29 at the Mall at Stonecrest with a lot of excitement around getting fit and healthy for the new year. Title sponsors for the expo, which is in its sixth year, are Children’s Health Care of Atlanta at Hughes Spalding, Kaiser Permanente and 100 Black Women of DeKalb-Decatur. New this year is the Fitness FaceOff Contest featuring fitness instructors and personal trainers showing the moves and music they use to motivate their clients to get fit and stay that way. Seven contestants will vie for the Fitness FaceOff Trophy and a grand prize of a table at the April 23 Best of East Metro/Small Busi-

ness Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest. A panel of celebrity judges will select a winner. For a look at this year’s competitors, see pages B6-B7. More than two dozen exhibitors, including hospitals, health centers, physicians, dentists and other health care professionals, health insurers, training institutes and government agencies, will discuss health issues and offer resources on some of the health issues that plague our community. Expo goers will have their pick of free screenings for diabetes, hypertension, scoliosis, and HIV/AIDS. There also will be performances and demonstrations from the Main Stage in front of Macy’s. Jennifer Parker, editor and publisher of

CrossRoadsNews, says the Health & Wellness Expo is one of four community expos that the newspaper sponsors annually at the 1.3 million-square-foot Lithonia mall. The others are the Summer Camp Expo in March, the Small Business Expo in April, and the Family & Adoption Expo in August. Parker says the Health & Wellness Expo is East Metro Atlanta’s largest gathering in celebration of health and wellness. Since its launch in 2006, the Health & Wellness Expo has attracted up to 10,000 people to the mall every January. “It is a great place for people to educate themselves about health issues and become motivated to take better care of themselves,” Parker said.

2011 Health & Wellness Expo Exhibitors and Grand Prize Entry Form Visit at least 15 of these exhibitors* at the Mall at Stonecrest and enter to win a Grand Prize at the 2011 Health & Wellness Expo. Drawing takes place on Jan. 29, 2011, at 4:45 p.m. at the Main Stage in front of Macy’s on the lower level of the Mall at Stonecrest.

5 100 Black Women Decatur-DeKalb Chapter, Inc 5 American Red Cross 5 Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates 5 Be Fitness For Women 5 Chick-fil-A (Inside the Mall of Stonecrest) 5 Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta 5 CrossRoadsNews 5 Dr. Craig B. Williams, DDS 5 Congressman Hank Johnson’s Office

5 DeKalb Community Service Board 5 DeKalb District Attorney’s Office 5 Full Body Loving Care Chiropractic 5 Georgia Medical Care Foundation 5 Injury 2 Wellness Center 5 Kaiser Permanente 5 Life Chef Asata Reed 5 Metro Foot & Ankle Center 5 Nappy Hair Shop

5 Oakhurst Medical Centers, Inc. 5 Omni Tech Institute 5 Optimal Health Chiropractic Wellness Center 5 Premier Women’s Healthcare & Aesthetics 5 Rae Rae Clark, Fitness Motivator 5 Rotary of South DeKalb 5 STAND Inc 5 Wellcare 5 Wonderland Garden WOW Factor

Name ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ City _____________________________________________ E-mail_______________________________________________________________________ Home phone _________________________________________________ Cell ___________________________________________________________ * Eligible entries must have the numbers of at least 15 exhibitors, your complete name, address, e-mail address and telephone number. Employees and immediate family members of CrossRoadsNews, the Mall at Stonecrest and US Virgin Islands Tourist Board are excluded from winning. Prize is for hotel stay only. You must be at least 18 years old to enter. You MUST be present to win.

CrossRoadsNews

January 22, 2011

Health & Wellness Expo 2011 Health & Wellness Expo Program Highlights Jan. 29, 2011 • Noon to 5 p.m. • The Main Stage in front of Macy’s Lower Level, The Mall at Stonecrest

11 a.m. Musical Interlude with Simply*Kool

1 p.m.

Fitness FaceOff Competition

2:20 p.m. Top Notch Dance Krew

Noon

Pamela Holmes, Emcee

Expo Kickoff/Warmup Exercises with Rae Rae & The Eagle Essences Dance Troupe 3: p.m.

Diabetic Food Demo with Life Chef Asata Reid

4. p.m. Beulah Boys 12:30 p.m. Greetings: Congressman Hank Johnson, 4th District

5 p.m. Grand Prize Drawing

Healing our community one home at a time

Call us to schedule an appointment today. Walk-in visits are welcome. Stone Mountain Location:

770 Village Square Drive Stone Mountain, GA 30083

404-298-8998 Decatur Location:

1760 Candler Road Decatur, GA 30032

404-286-2215 www.oak hurstmedical.org

CrossRoadsNews

Health & Wellness Expo

January 22, 2011

Life chef will offer food demonstration, tips for diabetics By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

When Life Chef Asata Reid meets newly diagnosed diabetics, she says: “Congratulations.” Not the reaction most people expect. “They usually look a little shocked,” Reid admits. But she is not just saying that to be flippant. “When you first get the diagnosis, you are bummed out,” she said. “But the diabetic diet is the ideal diet. It’s eating good food. Complex carbs, whole grain, legumes and lots of fresh vegetables. What could be wrong with that?” Reid, who teaches people to eat to fit their lifestyle, will be doing a food demonstration for diabetics at 3 p.m. at the Jan. 29, 2011, Health & Wellness Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest. Nationally, 23.6 million children and adults, or 7.8 percent of the population, have diabetes. Of that number, 3.7 million or 14.7 percent of African-Americans 20 years or older have diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes. Reid’s food demonstration will be at the Main Stage in front of Macy’s on the mall’s lower level. She will discuss how diabetics can take control of their foods by experimenting with new flavors, new ingredients, and new herbs and spices. For diabetics, Reid said the key is eating in moderation and watching food combinations. “It is just correcting poor diet,” she said. “Your doctor didn’t say you can’t eat pie. He just said you can’t eat a whole pie. You have to pay attention to how you eat.” Reid said it becomes very important for

For diabetics, the key is eating in moderation and watching food combinations, Asata Reid says. “You have to pay attention to how you eat.”

people with diabetes to read labels. “There is a lot of hidden sugar in food,” she said. “It is a preservative. So now you have to cook for yourself. When you cook for yourself you can control your numbers.” She said you also have to embrace new cooking techniques. “Steaming, sauteing, roasting, baking and grilling are all low-fat or fat-free cooking methods,” she said. To help everyone with healthier cooking habits, Reid has developed a line of four bold herbs and spices that will be available at Sevananda and Irwin Street Market in February. Her Flamenco Spice blend captures the flavors of Spain with smoked paprika, lemon, garlic and onions, and a touch of cayenne for heat. Her Desert Rose Spice Blend brings the

savory essence of North Africa with Zaatar, sesame, thyme and sumac; her Hummingbird Spice Blend elevates vegetables and beans to new flavor heights with toasted Szechuan peppercorns, onion and parsley; and her Carnelian Spice Blend offers the complex nuances of a homemade curry with ingredients that are individually toasted and ground. “These all-natural blends can be used as a salt substitute, seasoning, spice rub or marinade for your vegetables, beans, meats, soups and sauces,” she said. “They contain no salt, sugar or preservatives and will add big flavor to your healthy lifestyle.” While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to diabetes, Reid said new diabetics shouldn’t panic. “Your life is about to improve,” she said. “You are about to embark on a diet that we all should be eating.”

Salsa adds pizazz to chicken or fish Chef Asata Reid offers this salsa to accompany grilled salmon or chicken:

Grilled Pineapple Mango Salsa 1 pineapple, peeled and sliced 2 mangoes, peeled and sliced 2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 2 large vine-ripened tomatoes, diced 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced 1 bunch scallions, chopped 1 bunch cilantro, chopped juice from 2 limes salt and pepper

Toss pineapple and mango slices with balsamic vinegar and cook on grill or griddle 3 minutes on each side. Set aside to cool, then cut into medium dice. Combine the tomatoes, jalapeno, scallions and cilantro with the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Toss in the grilled fruit, chill and stir prior to serving with grilled meats, fish or tortilla chips.

Living Well with Diabetes... FREE diabetes self-management education classes for eligible African-American and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries

Call 888-313-9355 to register. Take control of your diabetes now!

Paid for by GMCF under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

January 22, 2011

Health Expo

CrossRoadsNews

Rae Rae Clark, Atlanta’s “Fitness Motivator,” will debut “Rae Rae’s Sassy Classy Hustle” at the expo on Jan. 29 at the Mall at Stonecrest.

Fitness guru to debut workout After 24 years of motivating people to fitness, Rae Rae Clark is committing one of her energetic fitness routines to video. But before she does that, Atlanta’s “Fitness Motivator” will unveil “Rae Rae’s Sassy Classy Hustle” at the Jan. 29, 2011, Health & Wellness Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest. Clark says she will premiere the “Hustle” to warm up crowds for the expo’s kickoff at noon at the Main Stage in front of Macy’s on the mall’s lower level. She will be joined by the Eagle Essence Dance Troupe from Atlanta’s Whitefoord Elementary School. Clark said the five-minute upbeat cardio workout focuses on the tummy, waist, thighs and the buns. “I created the ‘Hustle’ because women always want their midriff area worked on.

People like to dance. You can always put on some good music and get people moving.” Clark said her “Hustle” supports first lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign and her cardio commitment campaign that kicked off in 2004 to reach churches, schools, health fairs and warm-up walks. Clark, who has worked at Bally’s Total Fitness, the YMCA and various senior centers, said her “Hustle” video will help her goal to reach a billion people with her fitness message over the next decade. “When I celebrated my 23rd year in February last year, I had reached a million people,” she said. “The purpose of the ‘Hustle’ is to take me to the next 10 years. When I started 23 years ago, I said I would do it for 32 years. This will help me get there.”

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CrossRoadsNews

“People are becoming more aware and more conscious of what they eat and how they move.”

January 22, 2011

Health & W

‘Everybody deserves to be in shape’ Trainers bringing their best moves Wesley Franklin, who became a fitness trainer after a dramatic weight loss, often uses himself as an example to motivate clients. Over the years, he has lost 135 pounds.

Eleven years ago Wesley Franklin was big man. And that is putting it kindly. Then 19 years old, he was packing 350 pounds on his 5-foot-11-inch frame. “Yes,” he said, “I had a big muffin top over my pants waist.” Franklin was lucky. With youth on his side, he didn’t yet have any health issues but because he had been overweight all his life, he didn’t know what it felt like not to be fat. “My doctor kept telling me that I would be better off if I was smaller,” he said. In the summer of 1999, he finally listened and headed to Bally’s gym. He hasn’t looked back. Over the years, Franklin lost 135 pounds, the equivalent weight of another person. “I saw my body shape change,” he said. He went from a size 52 and shopping at the big and tall store to a size 32 and can now buy his clothes at department stores. “That was one of the pluses of losing weight,” he said. “I can now go to the mall and buy off the rack. I can shop at the Gap.”

Franklin, who now tips the scale at 215 pounds, made Bally’s Total Fitness his home. The change in him was so dramatic, his fitness instructor talked him into becoming a trainer. He started teaching class there when he hit 280 pounds. He is now a fitness trainer and personal trainer, and he also warms up big groups like the Kaiser Permanente annual 10K Walk/Run at Turner Field. Franklin says that fitness is a growing market. “People are definitely more interested in being fit.” While he is not a nutritionist, Franklin says that he encourages his clients to drink lots of water and eat smaller portions six times a day. “I tell them to be smart [about] what they put in their bodies,” he said. “Eating properly is important.” When he is teaching class, Franklin said that he often uses himself as an example that success is possible, “Everybody wasn’t meant to be skinny, but everybody deserves to be in shape.”

Athlete spins way into new calling Marshah St. Louis says spin cycling is so popular because it’s music-based and doesn’t put strain on your knees. “I use music to create the mood and the workout.”

In high school, Marshah St. Louis was very athletic and competed in long jump and hurdles. And after high school, she competed on the amateur circuit. After college, she moved to New York City and taught step. Then she took a spin class and loved it. “It has no impact on my knee and it was fun,” she said. Spin is done on a weighted flywheel bike, created by professional cyclist Johnny G to keep him off the roads and fit in winter. She got certified and became a spin instructor in 2003. She has been lead spin instructor at New Birth’s Samson’s Health & Fitness Center since June 2008. St. Louis said the cycling is done to music and simulates bumps, hills and straightaways. “We have bikes with 24 gears. We can climb really huge hills or go over small bumps.” As the trainer, who also is riding with groups that range in age from 18 to 70 years, St. Louis varies the music to fit the terrain. She slows it down going over the hills and speeds it up going downhill. “I use music to create the mood and the workout.”

Over the course of a week, spin classes focus on strength training and endurance so that riders get to use different parts of their bodies. “You can burn 500 to 600 calories per hour,” she said. “I had a woman drop 88 pounds over eight months of training four to five times a week.” St. Louis said spin cycling is so popular because it’s music-based and because it doesn’t put strain on your knees. “It’s used by triathletes and athletes recovering from knee surgery and by regular people who just want to get fit.” St. Louis said she is finding more interest in fitness because of the obesity epidemic. “This is the first generation where 10-year-olds are not expected to outlive their parents.” In Atlanta, where everyone drives everywhere, St. Louis said that people have to work harder at staying fit. “It’s not natural here,” she said. “When I lived in New York, people walked. Here you don’t as much. Here you have to make a point of doing things.”

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Here’s the word from the people in the know. Getting and staying fit can be fun and definitely more healthy for you. If there is any doubt about the truth of this statement, you must come to the Jan. 29, 2011, Health & Wellness Expo from noon to 5 p.m. at the Mall at Stonecrest for the 2011 Fitness FaceOff Competition. During the contest, which starts at 1 p.m., seven of metro Atlanta’s leading fitness instructors and personal trainers and their crews will

demonstrate just how much fun working out can be. Stepping up to the stage will be Wesley Franklin of Bally’s Total Fitness; Tiffany Maddox, owner of Body Goddess Fitness; Carla Fields of Carla Fields Fitness Buffs; Elfreda Cherry Smith, owner of Door-to-Door Fitness; Elgin Key, owner of Elgin Fitness; Marshah St. Louis of Samson’s Health & Fitness Center; and Melvin Cruver of the Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center Tunnel Crew Line Dancers. They will step, strut, dance and stretch to music.

Exercise, nutrition help change course In Elfreda Cherry Smith’s family, she is the first in three generations of women to live to see her grandchildren. Her mother, who died at age 45, never saw Cherry Smith’s family, and her grandmother never knew her. Cherry Smith said the women on her mother’s side of the family died from breast cancer. “I am an advocate of everything to prevent breast cancer,” she said. “I am an advocate of eating right and exercising.” On her mother’s death, Cherry Smith made a lifestyle change that led to her becoming a fitness instructor in 1997. She teaches 15 classes a week at the YMCA, Just Wellness and at a number of corporate fitness centers. She also goes door to door to do personal training, from which the name of her company – Door-to-Door Fitness LLC – comes. “In most of my classes, I am usually the oldest person in the room,” said Cherry Smith. The only exception was when she worked at the Lou Walker Center where she had clients as old as 93 taking her chair exercise class. Cherry Smith, who hasn’t eaten meat since 1975 and chicken and turkey since Sept. 11, 2001, says she is seeing new interest in fitness from baby boomers in search of heathier lifestyles. “They are realizing that their parents may have eaten differently than they did and moved more,” she said. “People are becoming more aware and more conscious of what they eat and how they move.”

Elfreda Cherry Smith, 57, teaches 15 classes a we everything to prevent breast cancer. I am an advoc

Cherry Smith said that eating cake is fine, but not three or four pieces a day. “Make it a treat, not a meal,” she said. Cherry Smith said that people also need to work out three to four times a week. “Just do something,” she said. “Move, even if it’s just to go for a walk.” Each week, she interacts with 100 people in her fitness classes. She says she always makes sure her clients know that their fitness

Personal success evolves into stud When it came to fitness training, Carla Fields took to it like ducks to water. She began taking classes in 1990 while doing research for her husband, David, who was opening a mega hair styling and fitness center in Lithonia. As her body got toned and fit, she fell in love with training. “I like to sweat,” she said. “I like feeling sore. I love the workout.” She also loved what it did to her then 30-year-old body. Three months after her first fitness class, Fields, who was an accountant working in corporate America, was competing in bodybuilding contests and winning trophies. When women wanted to look like her, she referred them to her trainer until her husband suggested that she become certified, which she did in October 1991. Today, Fields runs her own training studio, Carla Fields Fitness Inc. in Decatur. There, she offers one-on-one and group personal training, nutrition and fat loss. She also travels to do fitness seminars for corporations like Coca-Cola and Essence Music Festival and has done health expos for TD Jakes and Ray of Hope. Now that she is 50 years old, Fields says she no longer competes in body-building contests but that she stays fit year-round.

Carla Fields plays up the fun in fitness. “Push yourself. Feel good about it,” she says.

“I do what I do because I like it,” she said. “It’s fun to exercise. That’s what I am going for – fun.”

January 22, 2011

Wellness Expo

CrossRoadsNews

“We have people who have lost over 60 pounds. We do it for our health. We do it for fun.”

line dancers shedding pounds in a fun way to Fitness FaceOff EPA’s Every week day at lunchtime, up to 40 And you will move right along with them. These contestants are no strangers to the weight issues that plague most of us and a majority of Americans. Some have battled obesity and found new figures and new lives. Now they have made it their mission to help others find fitness religion. At the end of the competition, a panel of celebrity judges will pick the 2011 Fitness FaceOff Champion, who also will win the grand prize – a complimentary table at the April 19 Best of East Metro/Small Business Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest. Here are their stories.

e of family history

employees of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency can be found in a tunnel leading to the old Rich’s store in downtown Atlanta, line-dancing to country and western, hiphop or other music they find on YouTube. As they step in unison to the beat, the men and women are confident of two things – it’s fun and they are burning calories. Melvin Cruver, a 25-year EPA analyst who helps train the group, said the line-dancing class, aptly named the SNAFC – Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center – Tunnel Crew Line Dancers, is changing lives at the EPA. “We have people who have lost over 60 pounds,” he said. “We do it for our health. We do it for fun.” The lunchtime dance class, which began in October 2009, was started by employees and supported by Cruver’s boss, Lou Ann Gross. He called her the real motivator behind the class that is regularly attended by 100 of the agency’s employees, ages 25 to 70. Cruver said the EPA has a fitness center but that employees just wanted a place without restrictions where they could dance. They got so good, they have performed at the Georgia Department of Labor and at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Jonesboro, where Cruver’s daughter, Shelley Williams, is choir director.

The SNAFC Tunnel Crew Line Dancers will perform at Mount Pleasant Baptist Church’s Super Bowl Party. The Environmental Protection Agency workers dance in a downtown tunnel at lunch.

After the group’s performance, Cruver was asked to start a group at the church. The SNAFC Tunnel Crew Line Dancers also will be dancing at Mount Pleasant’s Super Bowl Party on Feb. 6. Cruver, who is one of the group’s instructors, said that before the class started, he did very little exercising and had high blood pressure. “My doctor kept telling me I needed to get my numbers down,” he said. After a year, he is 20 pounds lighter and

his blood pressure is down. He also has had to alter his pants waist to make them fit. “I still have a little potbelly but I think I am the most sexy individual you ever laid eyes on,” he said with a chuckle, “and I am confident too.” Cruver said the line-dancing class is popular because people like to dance and it’s a fun way to stay fit. “I love to dance,” he said. “It’s the best thing that happened to me.”

Key: ‘Everybody can do something’

eek at various fitness venues. “I am an advocate of cate of eating right and exercising.”

goals are attainable. “I always tell them that they can do it,” she said. “Yes, you can.” For her family, Cherry Smith has made enormous strides. Now 57 years old, she has already outlived her mother. Best of all, she has lived to see her grandchildren. “I have four,” she said. “They are 10, 7, 2, and 1 year old.”

dio to help others She teaches her clients to sculpt and tone all of their muscle groups. “I put together a routine that is so much fun, you don’t even know you are hitting those muscle groups,” she said. She also creates a meal plan for her clients because muscles need protein. “I don’t do diets,” she said. “I teach people to read labels and to know what body fat is.” In addition to personal training, Fields teaches aerobics, weight lifting, kickboxing and fitness boot camp. When people decide to embrace fitness, Fields said it is important to identify their goals. “And have fun,” she said, “Go with the flow. Push yourself. Feel good about it.” Fields said the growing emphasis on health and wellness is here to stay. “People want to feel good and they are turning to health,” she said. Still, Fields said she is not seeing much action. “We are seeing more advertisement and more talk about health and wellness, but I am not seeing people take action,” she said. To encourage action, Fields said community and church expos are important. “We have to take screenings to people,” she said. “We have to make it a lot easier for people to get access.”

Elgin Key is only 32 years old, but he has spent nearly half of his life teaching fitness to others. “Everybody can do something,” he said. “No matter who you are, you can start somewhere and benefit from working out.” Key, owner of Elgin Fitness, teaches classes and seminars all over metro Atlanta. In the course of a week, he teaches more than 200 people, ages 14 to 63 years, at places like the East Lake YMCA, Emory University, Urban Body Fitness, and Before and After Fitness in Lithonia. When he was in the third grade, he was hit by a car and almost died. The scar on the left side of his forehead is a constant reminder of that close call. “I know that my life was spared for a reason,” he said. “I view life as the precious gift it is.” Key, who graduated from Southwest DeKalb

High School in 1996, went on to Morehouse College, where he studied child development, but fitness kept calling him. In 1996, he helped choreograph the Olympics’ Opening Ceremony in Atlanta. These days he teaches kickboxing, step, boot camp, body shop, chisel and step survival at various gyms and Y’s. In 2008, Key put music to movement and created a cardio, core and strength-training DVD, “Everybody Can Do Something.” It’s sold on elginkeyfitness.com and buyers have come from as far away as the West Coast. In his classes, he is sometimes therapist as well as personal trainer. “My clients feel comfortable sharing with me all the stresses and personal issues they have going on in their lives,” he said. “Being in good Elgin Key is sometimes therapist as well physical shape is about both your body and your as personal trainer. He says clients feel comfortable sharing personal issues. mind being healthy.”

Photo shocked trainer into getting in shape Even though she was a fitness instructor, MadTiffany Maddox knows that people come into dox said she was headed down the same road. the gym for different reasons. “I was the kind of instructor who showed “Girls in their 20s are preparing for dates,” the exercise and walked around the class,” she she said. “People in the their 30s are maintaining. said. “I was giving out the medicine but I wasn’t Those in their 40s want to look 30 and those in taking it.” their 60s want to not take so much medication Then she saw a photograph of herself. and be able to move around.” “I looked at this picture and I was appalled,” In her 21 years as a fitness instructor and pershe said. “I had no idea that I was that big besonal trainer, Maddox, owner of Body Goddess cause when I looked in the mirror, I saw what I Fitness, has seen it all, and through it all she has wanted.” been a champion and supporter of adults and Maddox, who is 5 feet 10 inches tall, said she children who want to live a healthier lifestyle. weighed 240 pounds at the time. Maddox, who lives in Decatur, has spent the She said she stopped cold turkey that Father’s past three years teaching kickboxing, water aeroDay in 2004. bics and step yoga at Beulah Baptist Community “I stopped frying foods,” she said. “I worked Center. out twice a day. I did kickboxing, steps aerobics. Each week, 200 people, 18 to 70 years old, I stopped using plates and used saucers. It was come through her classes at the center. She also hard but I was adamant that I was going to lose teaches at the Lady’s Only Total Fitness Gym and the weight.” is a volunteer aerobics instructor at Narvie J. HarIt took a year but Maddox dumped 72 pounds. ris Theme School in Decatur, where her daughter, Tiffany Maddox got moving after Today she weighs 168 pounds and is a size 8. Morgan, is in the fourth grade and son Jaylyn is seeing a photo of herself in 2004, “I felt incredible,” she said. “I could walk with in the fifth grade. when she weighed 240 pounds. ease. My breathing wasn’t labored. I got new Maddox is passionate about regular exercise and proper eating habits because a mere seven years ago, she was clothes. That was the best part.” Maddox teaches people of all ages, including a woman in her 70s size 18. “Everyone in my family – my parents, grandparents, siblings, who had two hip and a knee replacement. “She is doing step aerobics,” Maddox said. “She doesn’t feel she uncles, aunts – are overweight,” she said. “Everyone has diabetes, is too old to exercise.” high blood pressure, cancer and hypertension.”

CrossRoadsNews

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January 22, 2011

FaceOff judges are health nuts Personal trainer and national health spokeswoman Andrea Riggs, DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson, and fitness buff and Nappy Hair Kitchen creator Pamela Holmes will pick the Fitness FaceOff Champions during CrossRoadsNews’ Jan. 29, 2011, Health & Wellness Expo at the Mall Andrea Riggs Larry Johnson Pamela Holmes at Stonecrest. Riggs, a personal trainer for 15 years, is Walk for the Health of It event at Arabia founder of Body Beautiful, a wellness com- Mountain to encourage county workers to pany that helps women achieve better health be more active. through lifestyle, nutrition and fitness. Holmes, an avid exerciser, is founder of In 2009, Riggs launched the “Get Body the Nappy Hair Kitchen, a line of shampoo, Beautiful” campaign, the state’s largest conditioners and hair cream for natural African-American women’s fitness program African-American hair. with more than 15,000 participants. The Fitness FaceOff competition starts at Johnson, who is on his third term repre- 1 p.m. at the Main Stage in front of Macy’s senting District 3, is the presiding officer of on the mall’s lower level. the Board of Commissioners. A big health The champion will win a trophy and an advocate and health care employee in Ful- Exhibitor table at the April 23 Best of East ton County, he hosts the annual four-mile Metro/Small Business Expo at Stonecrest.

January 22, 2011

CrossRoadsNews

Health & Wellness Expo

Lots of free health screenings will be available at Expo The diabetes test is taken from blood drawn from a finger prick and assesses your blood sugar to determine if you have pre-diabetes or diabetes.

Early diagnosis of most health problems can usually lead to a good outcome, but many African-Americans don’t find out about their illnesses until the disease is in its late stages and more difficult to treat. At the CrossRoadsNews Health & Wellness Expo on Jan. 29, a number of health organizations will offer free screenings for diabetes, diabetic foot infections or athlete’s foot, hypertension or high blood pressure, HIV/AIDS, and scoliosis. Visit these exhibitors for free screenings:

Diabetes The diabetes test is taken from blood drawn from a finger prick. It assesses your blood sugar to determine if you have prediabetes or diabetes. If the results register a glucose level higher than 200 mg/dL and are accompanied by classic symptoms of unexplained weight loss, fatigue, and increased thirst and urination, then the doctor will suspect diabetes mellitus and will request a fasting blood glucose level test to confirm the results. Diabetic foot infections During a diabetic foot infections or athlete’s foot test, the foot is checked for severe swelling and/or deformity. Doctors also will check for long, thick or ingrown toenails or foot or ankle muscle weakness. High blood pressure Hypertension or high blood pressure is called the “silent killer” because about a third of the people with it do not know they have it. High blood pressure is easy to diagnose. You have hypertension if your blood pressure is more than 140/90.

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Free screenings at the Health & Wellness Expo Diabetic HyperExhibitor Diabetes Foot Infections tension HIV/AIDS Scoliosis Rotary Club of South DeKalb x Oakhurst Medical Centers x x STAND Inc. x Full Body Chiropractic x Metro Foot and Ankle Center x

Because high blood pressure has no symptoms, it’s important to have blood pressure measured by a nurse, physician or another knowledgeable person (including yourself).

HIV/AIDS The test for HIV/AIDS can be taken with blood or with the non-invasive OraQuick Advance Rapid HIV Test, done from a swab of the mucous membrane in the mouth. Results are available in 12 minutes. From a private physician, the cost of an HIV test is $100.

Scoliosis Scoliosis is a medical condition in which a person’s spine is curved from side to side. To screen for it, you must be in a relaxed The test includes the forward-bending test, a simple test in which a person bends forstate, preferably in a sitting position. Allow half an hour to have passed since ward at the waist, arms hanging loosely and your last cup of tea, exercise or stressful palms touching, and the examiner looks for unevenness in the back or ribs. situation.

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CrossRoadsNews

January 22, 2011

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Diabetes Awareness and Prevention Program Visit the Rotary Club’s table for Free Diabetes Screening* at the Jan. 29, 2011 Health & Wellness Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest Everyone receiving a Free Diabetes Screening will enter a Prize Drawing for an Apple IPod. People with abnormal glucose levels will receive a complimentary Glucometer* to take home. The Rotary Diabetes Awareness and Prevention Program is co-sponsored by Southeastern Primary Care Consortium, Inc./Atlanta AHEC, and Liberty Medical. * Diabetes Screenings & Glucometers Available While Supplies Last.

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January 22, 2011

CrossRoadsNews

Health & Wellness Expo

What do Thomas Brown, Larry Johnson and Gwen Keyes Fleming all have in common?B11

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Red Cross touts disaster preparedness By Carla Parker

March marks the beginning of active tornado season in Georgia, and residents should have a plan in case a tornado hits close to home. At the Jan. 29 Health & Wellness Expo at the Mall at Stonecrest, the American Red Cross will provide materials and answer questions on how to prepare for disasters ranging from a house fire to natural disasters. Karl Hoerz, the Red Cross community outreach director, said they are preparing people to cope when hurricanes, tornados or flooding hits the area. “It is important that people have some type of plan in place in case of a natural disaster,” he said. Hoerz said families should have an emergency kit with things they will need. “Food and water are the main things you would need,” he said. “But you should also have copies of identification and copies of prescriptions if you’re on medication, because those items are hard to find when a house is destroyed.” In case of a tornado, Hoerz said family members should know where to go. “Identify a safe place to go,” he said. “Everyone in a family must know what to do.” During a storm, families often lose electricity and that

is why Hoerz says it is important to have a weather radio to stay updated on weather changes. At the expo, which takes place from noon to 5 p.m. on the mall’s lower level, the Red Cross also will give out information on house fire prevention. In metro Atlanta, firefighters respond to house fires at least once a day. Hoerz said it is important that people educate themselves on ways to prevent house fires. “Most house fires are caused from bad wiring in the house, cooking with grease or burning candles,” he said. “People can prevent fires by just being cautious in what they’re doing.” The cold weather and winter conditions often bring an increase in home fires as many people use alternate heating sources such as space heaters, fireplaces, or coal or wood stoves to stay warm. Hoerz said people must be very careful when using space heaters during winter. “Leaving a space heater unattended can cause a fire,” Hoerz said. “Always turn them off when you leave a room.” One message that Hoerz wants to leave with expo goers is that people can always count on the Red Cross to take care of them during emergencies. “You don’t have to worry about having a roof over your head or food in your bellies,” he said. “We’ll take care of that.”

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Readers Choice Awards 2010 Best of East Metro Reader’s Choice Awards.

Have You Nominated Your Favorites? Hurry. The Nomination Period Closes on January 31. Visit www.crossroadsnews.com and follow the links for Best of East Metro. Voting Begins Feb. 1

“Specialty Care For The Foot & Ankle In Atlanta And Surrounding Areas” Limb Salvage Pediatrics Fracture/Sprain Bunion Correction Arthroplasty

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CrossRoadsNews

January 22, 2011

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

We have a new hospital close to you. Experienced doctors specially trained to care for children and teens. Children’s at Hughes Spalding is located at 35 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE. – Emergency Department • Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to treat children and young adults from birth to age 18. – Primary Care and After-Hours Care for checkups, immunizations, sports physicals and sick visits • Open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Also from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday. We also offer the following specialty services:* – Asthma – Endocrinology, including diabetes services – Sickle cell disease and other blood disorders – Autism and behavioral disorders Parking next to hospital. www.choa.org/hughesspalding Call 404-785-9850 for appointments. *Requires pediatrician referral