FORUM
COMMUNITY
Nontraditional approach
Lincoln’s closest aides
Dozens of groups and local officials marched in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday on Jan. 20, but it was very difficult to find King in the parade. 4
The Atlanta Regional Commission is testing “pop-up” meetings to engage more people in discussions of its $59 billion transportation plan. 8
Historian Joshua Zeitz will discuss “Lincoln’s Boys,” about the president’s biographers and their fight to preserve his legacy. 10
Where’s Dr. King?
SCENE
EAST ATLANTA • DECATUR • STONE MOUNTAIN • LITHONIA • AVONDALE ESTATES • CLARKSTON • ELLENWOOD • PINE LAKE • REDAN • SCOTTDALE • TUCKER
Copyright © 2014 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
January 25, 2014
www.crossroadsnews.com
Volume 19, Number 39
SACS takes DeKalb Schools off probation status By Ken Watts
After a year and four days on accreditation probation, the DeKalb School System’s accrediting agency SACS has placed it on “accredited warned” status. Mark Elgart, president and CEO of AdvancED, the parent company of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, told a packed Jan. 21 School Board meeting that after reviewing the district’s progress, it is now just a couple of notches below full accreditation. “This district has come a long way in a very short time, and frankly we were surprised that you’ve made so much progress so
quickly,” Elgart said. An ecstatic School Superintendent Michael Thurmond said the “stain of probation” has been eradicated from the district. “The decision to upgrade the district’s accreditation status provides a Michael Thurmond sense of pride and relief to our internal and external stakeholders,” he said after the announcement. The SACS report said that the district has fulfilled eight of 11 required actions and noted the following improvements:
system. n The School Board has made substantial n Programs have been put in place to stabi-
efforts to ensure that its actions reflect the will of the members and approved policies and laws. n The school system has implemented policies that separate board duties from those of the administrative staff. n The district has taken significant steps to restore public confidence in its handling of the its budget. n The board has developed policies to strengthen the district’s governance. n The school system continues to make progress in establishing a chain of command for communications throughout the
lize the school system and restore confidence among stakeholders. n The district has created comprehensive and systemic processes to guide its operation. n The school system has used the accreditation process to develop the foundation of more effective management. Claiming that there was significant and irrefutable evidence that the district was in a state of conflict and chaos, SACS placed the school district on accreditation probation Please see SACS, page 5
DA denies claims of wrongdoing in Ellis case
DeKalb District Attorney Robert James testified on Jan. 23 that he did not target suspended CEO Burrell Ellis. Ellis, who has filed motions seeking to quash his indictments in the corruption case, says James illegally taped him and has withheld the recordings from his defense team. The hearing was scheduled to continue on Friday.
Suspended CEO alleges ‘gross abuses of power’ and illegal taping By Ken Watts
DeKalb District Attorney Robert James was forced to testify at a Jan. 23 hearing into motions accusing him of a political vendetta against suspended CEO Burrell Ellis. Ellis filed the motions seeking to quash his indictments on corruption and other charges or to disqualify James’ office and appoint a special prosecutor. During nearly two hours of testimony, James strongly denied allegations of wrongdoing in the indictment of Ellis. “I started hearing evidence of the CEO shaking people down on tape, threatening vendors – things of that nature – and did my job,” he said. Prosecutors asked Superior Court Judge Courtney Johnson to exempt James from testifying, but Johnson denied the request. James strongly denied targeting Ellis. “It’s evil to use that authority,” James said. “It’s wrong to use that authority in a vindic-
tive fashion. It’s abhorrent.” Ellis was re-indicted on Jan. 16 on 14 felonies, including extortion, theft, coercion, bribery and perjury. He was first indicted on 15 counts on June 18, 2013, and removed from office by Gov. Nathan Deal on July 16. He is receiving his full $150,000-a-year salary pending the outcome of his trial. Ellis’ motions, filed Jan. 9, accuse James of “numerous gross abuses of power and individual rights” and “unrestrained witch hunt” and said he illegally taped him and has withheld the recordings from his defense team. The standing-room-only crowd in the courtroom included Ellis supporters wearing red “I support Burrell Ellis” buttons. His wife, Phillipa, and his mother, Roberta, sat behind him in the front row. Craig Gillen, Ellis’ lead attorney, also called former Chief Assistant DA Don Geary and John Melvin, who once headed the DA’s public integrity unit and the DeKalb cor-
ruption probe. Geary, now chief assistant district attorney in Cobb County, testified that James showed him a video recording of Ellis taken during the investigation that led to the indictment of Ellis. After seeing the video, Geary said he told James his office had committed two felonies because both the video and the audio of Ellis’ conversation were captured illegally. James said Geary never told him he was committing a felony. “If Don had told me that, I’d have said, ‘Oh, my God.’ … I would have stopped the process and had a conversation.” Under questioning from Assistant DA Anna Cross, James said his relationship with Geary was strained in the months before he resigned in December 2012. Asked why he left the DA’s office, Geary paused for a long moment. “Because I didn’t want to be arrested,” he said.
James said he suspected Geary of leaking information on the Ellis case to Channel 2, which was waiting outside Ellis’ home the day investigators raided it on Jan. 7, 2013. “I had some concerns,” James said. “I absolutely did. … By the end of his tenure, Don and I didn’t have much of a relationship at all.” Melvin, who also resigned from the DA’s office in December 2012 and now also works in Cobb, said he never saw any secretly recorded videos of Ellis but that Geary talked about a video he’d just seen and said he thought “Robert had committed a felony.” Melvin disagreed with Geary’s testimony that James directed investigators to focus on Ellis. He said the evidence against Ellis turned prosecutors’ attention toward him. James said both Geary and Melvin denied having anything to do with leaks from his office, but when they left the leaks stopped. The hearing was scheduled to continue on Friday.
2
CrossRoadsNews
Community
January 25, 2014
“I think it’s time for Georgia’s leaders to follow in Dr. King’s footsteps and take action too.”
Deal pledges support for memorial to King at State Capitol By Ken Watts
On the national holiday honoring native son Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Jan. 20, Gov. Nathan Deal pledged his support to finding an appropriate way to honor King at the Georgia State Capitol building. “I think it’s time for Georgia’s leaders to follow in Dr. King’s footsteps and take action too,” he said during a speech at the annual King Celebration at Ebenezer Baptist Church on Auburn Avenue in Atlanta. “Not many states can boast a native son who Martin L. King Jr. has merited a national holiday. But we Georgians can. Dr. King lived during a time when the law required discrimination against some of our citizens. That’s why, working with the General Assembly in this 2014 session, I’m committed to finding an appropriate way to honor Dr. King on Capitol Hill.” It was Deal’s first public response to calls by civil rights activists for the state to erect a King statue in the space formerly occupied by a monument of Georgia segregationist Tom Watson. King grew up a few blocks from Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he served as co-pastor with his father, Martin Luther King Sr. Deal said the civil rights icon was a man of God and a man of action. “He inspired a nation through both his words and his walk while donning the garments of nonviolence and justice in place of a weapon,” he said. “As we celebrate his legacy, we must admire the audacity of a man who risked and ultimately lost his life because he would rather sacrifice it than sacrifice his dream.” State Rep. Tyrone Brooks of Atlanta, who is leading the charge to honor King at the Capitol, introduced HB 707, a King statue bill, without fanfare on Dec. 12. He is the only signer. “We take the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for granted, and I think we should recognize him on the grounds of the Capitol, in the city where he was born just five blocks away,” Brooks said. Brooks said any site along the Washington Street side of the Capitol would be appropriate. On Jan. 17, former SCLC President Joseph Lowery and other civil rights leaders recommended a spot directly in front of the Capitol’s west entrance facing Washington Street.
A color guard and cadets from Martin Luther King Jr. High participate in the parade along Flat Shoals Parkway and MLK Jr. Parkway.
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
King is now honored at the Capitol with a portrait that has hung in various locations on the second floor. Former Gov. Jimmy Carter brought the first King portrait to the Capitol in 1973. Throughout his hometown and across the nation, residents found ways Monday to honor King’s memory by observing the King holiday as a day of service. Volunteers fanned out into the community to clean and spruce up schools, nursing homes and other facilities. Students, parents and staff planted flowers and trimmed weeds around shrubbery at Fairington Elementary School in Lithonia. The volunteers also mopped the hallways and the cafeteria. Jeffrey Jenkins, the school’s principal, said that its newly elected PTSA noticed that the building was not in beautiful condition. “So I said, ‘Why don’t we take MLK Day as an opportunity to clean up the building,’” he said. “Instead of the kids being off, they could come back and help us beautify the campus.” About 25 students and their parents volunteered to help. Members of the South DeKalb Improve-
All Your Legal, Accounting & Tax Services “There Is No Better Time to Plan Your Legal & Tax Strategies”
Law Office of E. Noreen Banks-Ware, P.C.
Specializing in:
(770) 593-9849 • Small Business Monthly Accounting Family Law (Divorces,Child • Personal and Business Taxes Support Modications, Custody), (Electronic Filing) • Business Consulting: Payroll Service, Business Law (Incorporations, LLC, Business Litigation Defense), Business Plans & Audit Service) (770) 593-9848
Wills, Probate, Estates, Personal Injury
E. Noreen Banks-Ware Attorney
Salem Panola Library
Ware Professional Building
completely themselves because of their brain injury, and now this is a way that they can give back,” she said. On the state highway designated as Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway in 2012, the DeKalb NAACP led hundreds of adults, children and high school marching bands on its 12th annual King Day Parade. It was the second year that the parade, formerly held in Stone Mountain Village, marched on its new route to a rally to Martin Luther King Jr. High School, the only Georgia high school named for King. Spectators applauded Ronald E. McNair Marching Mustangs, Stone Mountain Marching Pirates, the Towers Marching Titans, and MLK Jr. Marching Lions high school bands; the Drills of Hope Drum Corps from Charlotte, N.C.; fraternities, sororities and churches; the Red Hatters; community service organizations; and politicians seeking local and federal offices in the May 20 primary who also turned out in force. Vonda Fielder who lives off Kelley Chapel Road was among the spectators who lined portions of the two-mile route. “I missed it last year,” she said. “So I made sure I got up out of bed this time, got the kids out here and enjoyed it. We are looking to seeing it again next year.” Some spectators said they’re hoping to see a longer parade with more band participation in 2015.
Clarkston to receive $80K LCI grant
Under One Roof! Padgett Business Services
ment Association and the Wesley Chapel Curb Appeal Task Force also pitched in on the landscape work. They spread mulch around plants while Jenkins used a shovel to scrape thick mud, weeds and pine straw away from curbs. Jenkins, who has been principal and assistant principal in DeKalb for 12 years, three at Fairington, said the school will continue to improve the campus with community help throughout the rest of the school year. Ten clients of the Side by Side Brain Injury Clubhouse in Stone Mountain spent the day trimming shrubs and sprucing up the grounds of West View Personal Care Home in Decatur. Side by Side helps clubhouse members who are disabled by debilitating head injuries. Executive Director Cindy Johnson said staff and clients wanted to remember King by reaching out to others who are in need. “We knew that this personal care home serves people who are often indigent and they don’t have the caretakers that they would like to keep their place looking beautiful,” she said. “So we decided to help make this look better for them.” Johnson said clubhouse members have learned compassion and an appreciation of King’s principles from their own experience. “Everybody who comes to the clubhouse has at one time needed to be taken care of
3636 Panola Road • Lithonia, GA 30038 (Across from the Salem Crossing Shopping Center)
Clarkston has landed an $80,000 Livable Centers Initiative grant to update its revitalization plan. It was one of 11 metro communities selected by the Atlanta Regional Commission to receive LCI funding for fiscal year 2014. City Manager Keith Barker said on Jan. 15 that the city will update its 2004 plan to upgrade downtown Clarkston and create an attractive live-work-play environment. He said that changes in the economy and real estate market have made it necessary to update the content of the original plan in a manner that fits today’s market and provides a realistic opportunity for successful implementation. Over the past year, Clarkston has been working with the Urban Land Institute’s Technical Assistance Panel program, which provided expertise on economic viability and sustainability. It also got $3.7 million in congressional earmark funds in 2013 to build a major streetscape enhancement project that will
cover a large portion of the city. “Now, we are in a great position to take full advantage the LCI Supplemental Study funds we have been awarded by using the TAP report as a ‘launch pad’ to reshape Clarkston’s vision for its future,” Barker said. Newly elected Mayor Ted Terry commended Barker and the city staff for their work to position Clarkston for success. “Prior to taking office, I knew that they were doing a lot that had not been done in Clarkston previously,” he said. “Now, as mayor, I have an opportunity to see it firsthand.” The LCI program, now in its 16th year, has helped many cities in the Atlanta region reduce traffic congestion and improve air Matthew Ware quality regionwide. Accountant/CEO The kickoff for the Clarkston LCI plan update has not been set. Updated information will be available at www.clarkstonga. gov.
January 25, 2014
Community
3
CrossRoadsNews
“Today, we begin a new chapter of DeKalb’s history. Today, we continue to ensure we are good stewards of the public trust.”
District 5 residents seek County Commission representation By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews
Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton (left) and resident Gina Mangham tell legislators about the lack of full representation for District 5 when Commissioner Lee May was appointed interim CEO.
a special election, or whether there is an appointment, we need to find to find a way that is legal, viable and makes sense to make sure that the citizens of District 5 are represented on the commission, so we can move forward in the best way possible.” Sen. Fran Millar asked the board’s interim presiding officer, Sharon Barnes Sutton, if the county has received a legal opinion on the status of the District 5 seat. “Yes, there have been many legal opinions,” she said. “But as you go down the scenarios, there isn’t law to support any of those requests. So at this point we are waiting for an answer. We have reached out to several
May outlines priorities in first ‘State of the County’ address By Ken Watts
Interim CEO Lee May is optimistic about DeKalb County, and public safety and economic development are at the top of his priority list for the county’s renaissance. In his first “State of the County” address, May, who was sworn into office on July 16 to replace suspended CEO Burrell Ellis, told business and community leaders at the Emory Conference Center Lee May and residents at the Porter Sanford III Center in Decatur on Jan. 23 that working together will be key. “We will rebuild the walls of DeKalb County, and we will do it together,” he said. May said the “walls” are the county’s various resources and quality of life issues. “The wall of education in our county has become vulnerable to the enemy of mediocrity and failure,” May said. “The wall of safety and security has become vulnerable to the vagabonds of lawlessness and disruption. The wall of prosperity is being threatened by high rates of unemployment and hopelessness. The wall of beauty and cleanliness of our county is being threatened by the enemy of litter and abandoned and overgrown properties. The wall of ethics and integrity is being threatened by the accusations of corruption and dishonesty.” May cited his promotion of Police Chief Cedric Alexander in December to deputy chief operating officer of Public Safety and the Jan. 13 hiring of Darnell Fullum as DeKalb fire chief as moves that will help stabilize public safety.
He said sworn police officers received a 3 percent one-time bonus in December – the first pay increase in six years for many of the department’s employees. In his proposed 2014 budget, he has recommended the reinstatement of promotional pay increases for Police and Fire & Rescue, and he said the county is committed to hiring 160 new police officers and 100 firefighters every year for the next three years. “That is 480 new front-line police officers and 300 firefighters over a three-year period,” May said. “This will move us in the right direction and will get us on the right track.” To spur economic development, May said the permitting and business licensing process will be restructured with updated technology to make it easier for businesses to open or expand. For the first time in recent history, he said the county is developing an economic development strategic plan to map out how DeKalb will achieve its goals. To promote attractive communities and commercial areas, the county has launched Operation Fresh Start with Keep DeKalb Beautiful and Code Enforcement working to improve the look and feel of the county’s main corridors and roadways. The initiative will mow and landscape some main corridors, crack down on code violations, remove illegal signs, and increase the number of code compliance officers. May said he also is committed to reorganizing the operations of government to ensure a leaner and more efficient government, improve customer service and funding for the Board of Ethics. “Today, we begin a new chapter of De Kalb’s story. Today, we continue to ensure we are good stewards of the public trust.”
different legal bodies to give us an answer.” Pressed by Millar to be specific, Barnes Sutton said they had counsel from the county’s attorneys and have reached out to several law firms, other elected officials and the state Attorney General’s Office. “When you start looking at the scenarios, there isn’t law to support any of the remedies,” Barnes Sutton said. “And it’s all based on the type of vacancies that is there.” She said the county’s organization act addresses vacancies but not a suspension and there was not an answer from the attorney general indicating that he had the ability to do anything about it.
Free Family Reunion Planning
Workshop & Showcase
Saturday - February 22, 2014
Atlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort 4021 Lakeview Dr, Stone Mountain, GA 30083 DeKalb Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Reunion Specialist will teach you everything you need to know to plan the perfect Family Reunion from 9 a.m. to Noon. T-Shirts, Attractions and Tour Info will be available at the Vendor Showcase from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. Seating is Limited!
Call (770) 492-5016 to Pre-Register
DeKalb Convention & Visitors Bureau
VisitAtlantasDeKalbCounty.com
After six months without representation on the DeKalb Board of Commissioners, residents of District 5 have called on Gov. Nathan Deal and the DeKalb Delegation for relief. The district lost full representation on the board on July 16, 2013, when Commissioner Lee May was appointed interim CEO by Deal. May’s departure from the board leaves it with six voting commissioners instead of seven. Gina Mangham, a 20-year resident of the district, told the delegation at a Jan. 22 meeting at the Maloof Auditorium that District 5 is unrepresented. “Lee May cannot vote for District 5,” she said. “He is now the CEO and I understand the interim situation, but if in fact an interim situation, then we must have an interim commissioner for District 5.” Each resident in the county also is represented by a super district commissioner. With May’s departure from the board, the 145,000 District 5 residents now only have Super District 7 Commissioner Stan Watson, who represents half of the county. Mangham asked the senators and state representatives at the meeting to look into the district’s plight to see how its residents can be represented. May is serving as interim CEO because CEO Burrell Ellis has been indicted on 14 counts of extortion, theft, coercion, bribery and perjury and is awaiting trial. “No one knows what the outcome is going to be,” Mangham said, “but in the meantime, life doesn’t stop for the rest of our citizens. The goal should be, not so much what we do legally, or whether there is
“So this is a case of first impression for everyone in the state,” asked Sen. Ronald Ramsey. Mangham, who is an attorney, said the better question is, Is there law to support a district not being represented on the commission? “We shouldn’t be looking for ways to support what we have already done,” she said. “We need to look for ways to make sure that every citizen on the DeKalb County Commission is represented.” State Rep. Mike Jacobs said that the law that allowed the governor to suspend an elected official does not contemplate what happens if that replacement is drawn from another elected position. “It strikes me that we potentially need to ad- Mike Jacobs dress this issue through in general law,” he said. “I think it’s probably something we all ought to talk about – what the exact mechanism for that will be. The bottom line is, if someone is taken out of a current elected position and put into another, the law has to speak to that issue. And it sounds like the law does not speak to that issue at all. We clearly need to make the law speak to that issue. And I certainly hear you loud and clear on that.” Ramsey thanked Mangham for bringing the matter to the delegation’s attention and promised to research it. In a Jan. 9 letter to Deal, Stonecrest Alliance President Jason Lary wrote that there should be no community capable of surviving without representation. “We are requesting to have a special election to begin the restoration of correcting our own problems,” he said.
4
Forum 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com
Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Graphic Design Curtis Parker Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Ken Watts Copy Editor Brenda Yarbrough Advertising Sales Kathy E. Warner Billing Clerk Charmyne Montfort Circulation Manager Jami Ffrench-Parker
CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoadsNews, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor those of any advertisers. The concept, design and content of 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.
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.
L CA LO ODS! GO
AL ! LOC ICES RV SE
www.eastmetromarket.com
CrossRoadsNews
January 25, 2014
“Many of the people offering themselves for sheriff, School Board and Congress paraded with multiple election signs.”
Parade for King should promote King’s ideals As I See It Jennifer Parker
This past week, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was very prominent in our minds as we marked his 85th birthday. As a community and a country, we took time to celebrate the ideals for which the civil rights icon fought and ultimately died. Not many counties have parades for King, and I have been particularly proud to live in DeKalb County where the NAACP has sponsored a parade in his honor for 12 years. For most of those years, I have walked in and photographed those parades, first in Stone Mountain, where it was held until 2012 when the NAACP relocated it to Snapfinger Road when that portion of State Highway 155 was designated Martin Luther King Parkway. Quite fittingly, the parade now culminates in a rally at the MLK Jr. High School, still the only high school in Georgia named in honor of the black preacher from Atlanta who defied and challenged a nation about its racist ways, spurned violence, and helped win civil rights for its former enslaved people. Attendance at the parade ebbs and flows each year and is largest during the big election years for governor and U.S. president, when political candidates are seeking election and re-election to local, state and federal offices. This year, it was big as ever. There are open seats for sheriff and the School Board and the contested 4th Congressional District seat, and everybody who plans to run for office was out waving their multiple placards. Predictably, the elected officials who are not up for re-election this year were mostly absent. Dozens of other civic, community and fraternal groups also came out to march in honor of King’s birthday. But as always, it
Photos By Jennifer Parker / CrossRoadsNews
was very difficult to find King in the parade. This year, like most, it was like trying to find Waldo. It was so bad that several motorists waiting in long lines on Highway 155 for the marchers to go by could be heard asking the reason for parade. Considering that King was one of the 20th century’s greatest orators and is imminently quotable, it is disappointing that the groups, and the political candidates who flood the parade during election years, can’t bother to dedicate even one of their numerous banners and placards promoting themselves to any of the ideals that King espoused. In fact, had it not been for King and those brave foot soldiers of the civil rights movement, we might not even have the right to
vote, much less the right to run for elected office. During the two-mile parade from the parking lot of Green Pastures Christian Church on Flat Shoals Parkway to MLK Jr. High School, many of the people offering themselves for sheriff, School Board and Congress paraded with multiple election signs, but none – nada – had anything to say of the man the parade was honoring. I am not calling any names because this is not about making examples of anyone, but the only four signs I found with King on them were held by DeKalb Commissioner Larry Johnson’s entourage and mounted on the pickup carrying state Rep. Earnest “Coach” Williams and different photos carried by U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson and two students from DeKalb Early College Academy.
A few signs of King: DECA students (clockwise from left), U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, state Rep. Earnest “Coach” Williams’ pickup, and Commissioner Larry Johnson’s entourage.
We can do better. So with the next King holiday a full 12 months away, there is plenty of time to start thinking of ways to honor King at the 13th annual DeKalb NAACP Parade & Rally. For inspiration, I have listed below 10 of King’s memorable quotes. Perhaps the politicians, churches, schools, fraternities, sororities and community, masonic and other groups might put one on a banner and march with it next year and the year after that. But don’t be limited by these suggestions. Think of the ways in which “the drum major for justice” has impacted your life and honor him. The point is to make the parade about King. Jennifer Parker is the editor and publisher of CrossRoadsNews.
Quotable King n Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. n I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of – “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” April 16, 1963 former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. n We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. – “I Have a Dream” speech, Aug. 28, 1963 – Speech in St. Louis on March 22, 1964 n If a man hasn’t discovered something he will die for, he isn’t fit to live. n The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments – Speech in Detroit on June 23, 1963 of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. n I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation – “Strength to Love” (1963) where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. n We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful – “I Have a Dream” speech, Aug. 28, 1963 words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. n It may be true that the law cannot make a man love me, but it can – “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” April 16, 1963 keep him from lynching me, and I think that’s pretty important. – Quoted in The Wall Street Journal, Nov. 13, 1962 n Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. n Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, we are free at last. – “I Have a Dream” speech, Aug. 28, 1963 – “Letter From Birmingham Jail,” April 16, 1963
Circulation Audited By index to advertisers Abbott’s Hair Studio....................................... 11 Affordable Health Care.................................. 11 Bobby L. Scott & Associates........................... 11 DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court......................9 DeKalb Convention & Visitor’s Bureau............ 3
DeKalb Co. Solicitor-General Sherry Boston... 5 LR Robinson, LLC........................................... 11 Macy’s............................................................12 Multi Care Rehab Center................................. 7 New Creations Fitness.................................... 11
Optiworld Medical and Vision Center............. 7 Padgett Business Services............................... 2 PICR Clinic..................................................... 11 Wright Vision Care.......................................... 7
Best Buy Inc............................................Inserts Holistic Health Management Inc.............Inserts Walgreen’s..............................................Inserts Wal-Mart.................................................Inserts
January 25, 2014
Community
5
CrossRoadsNews
“This community needs to pay close attention to who it elects to the Board of Education. That’s the wild card.”
EPA seeking applicants for environmental justice project funding Community-based organizations that want to address environmental justice and public health concerns in their neighborhoods have until Feb. 18 to apply for EPA awards of up to $120,000. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is seeking applicants for a total of $1.2 million in Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving cooperative agreements to be awarded in 2014. Cooperative agreements will be awarded to local organizations in collaboration with other stakeholders such as state and local governments, industry, academia, and non-governmental organiza-
tions. One award will be made per region in amounts of up to $120,000 for a two-year project period. Applicants must be incorporated nonprofits or tribal organizations located within the same state, territory, commonwealth, or tribe in which the proposed project is located. Successful applications must demonstrate measurable environmental and/or public health results. Interested applicants are invited to participate in conference calls in January and February with the EPA to address questions about the solicitation. The Collaborative Problem-Solving
program is designed to help communities understand and address exposure to multiple environmental harms and risks. It requires recipients to use the EPA’s model as part of their projects. The model is a systematic approach toward developing proactive, strategic, and visionary approaches to address environmental justice issues and achieve community health and sustainability. Previous cooperative agreements in the Southeast have supported projects to help revitalize a community in Spartanburg, S.C.; facilitated discussions between hog farmers and the swine industry and local communi-
ties in North Carolina impacted by poor water and air quality; and built the capacity of four EJ organizations in South Carolina to help them address the environmental and social justice concerns in their communities. For the Environmental Justice Collaborative Problem-Solving 2014 Request for Proposals, visit www.epa.gov/environmen taljustice/resources/publications/grants /ej-cps-rfp-2014.pdf. For more information about EJ activities in the Southeast, visit www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice /grants/ej-cps-grants.html and www.epa.gov /region4/ej/index.html.
Regaining full accreditation will take close to two years, agency’s CEO says SACS,
from page
1
on Dec. 17, 2012, for governance, financial and student performance issues and placed the state’s third-largest school district a step away from losing its accreditation. That action followed SACS placing the district on “accredited on advisement status” in March 2012. At the time, the SACS report pointed out that the district has a nearly $1 billion budget but began the school year with a growing $25 million deficit and that some students began the 2012 school year without textbooks because $25 million earmarked for textbooks was used elsewhere. It also said that most students lack access to computers and the Internet. Thurmond told members of the DeKalb Delegation at a Jan. 22 public hearing at the Maloof Auditorium that the deficit has been eliminated and that the district finished the past fiscal year with $10 million in surplus. In December, the district announced that all its classrooms are now 100 percent wireless, providing unprecedented access to information for students. “No longer must students take turns in a computer lab or rely solely on hard-wired technology,” Thurmond said in December. “With this achievement, technology-based learning becomes part of the everyday classroom experience, broadening communication and learning across classrooms and schools for all of our students, teachers and administrators.” The new “accredited warned” status from SACS comes after a December visit by the agency’s inspection team. It will return in six months for another review of the district. To regain full accreditation, DeKalb will have to show it has sustained its improvement and is fulfilling the remaining actions.
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Dr. Mark Elgart (left) outlines DeKalb County Schools’ progress and remaining concerns before announcing that the system was being taken off its probationary status.
Elgart said regaining full accreditation will not be a quick process and realistically will take close to two years. “A lot happened to lead to this point and it’s just not going to be fixed overnight,” he said. “The system is on the right pathway, but you’re looking at another couple of years.” Gov. Nathan Deal, who replaced six of nine board members in 2013 after the accreditation crisis, spoke at the board meeting and praised his appointees for their work. “You have shown my Nathan Deal actions and my confidence in you to be wellplaced,” he said. South DeKalb activists, employee representatives and others in the overflow crowd at the meeting were encouraged.
David Schutten, president of the Organization of DeKalb Educators, said it’s great news for the school district. “I’m happy that we’re off probation, but I was expecting us to be where we started, on advisement status or better,” he said. Viola Davis of the Unhappy Taxpayer & Voter organization said great changes and sacrifices were made along with great improvements. “So we have a long way to go and we don’t need to stop,” she said. DeKalb NAACP President John Evans said the Viola Davis job is far from finished. “We’ve got some more work to do. We all wanted to see full accreditation restored, but the time that we had to get to this point was short. So I think everything that they’ve
accomplished so far is pretty significant.” Thurmond, a former state labor commissioner, attorney and college professor who was tapped in February 2013 to help steer the district back to full accreditation, said his goal was to get the district off probation. “There was a real question as to whether we could retain accreditation at all,” he said after the meeting. “Now, coming off probation, the future of the district is back in the hands of the voters of DeKalb County.” State legislators have reduced the size of the board to seven seats from nine and all seats are up for election this year. Jesse Cunningham, one of the removed School Board members, has already said he is running to regain his seat. Elgart said the 2014 board elections will be critical to whether the district continues to move toward full accreditation. “This community needs to pay close attention to who it elects to the Board of Education for DeKalb schools,” he said. “That’s the wild card in this. That’s a deep concern to us, but it’s the community’s opportunity and responsibility to elect the right people to serve in this capacity.” Schutten said that is a major point. “The community really needs to vet the people who are running to make sure they’re going to continue the work that’s been started,” he said. To achieve full accreditation, Elgart said, the system needs to show “demonstrative improvement in what is happening in the classroom and ultimately improvement in the achievement levels of students.” Dr. Melvin Johnson, board chair, acknowledged the work that remains. “We are only on the 50-yard line,” he said after Elgart’s remarks. “We want to score a touchdown. And that touchdown will be student achievement and full accreditation.”
Healthy Relationships Make a Safer DeKalb Abusive relAtionships don’t just hAppen to Adults. One in three young people experiences some form of dating abuse. February is Teen Dating Violence Prevention and Awareness Month.
join me on jAnuAry 25, 2014 12 noon to 5 p.m. At stonecrest mAll and take the pledge to stop teen dating violence.
Sherry Boston DeKalb County Solicitor-General www.dekalbsolicitorgeneral.org 404.371.2201 follow us on facebook and twitter
6
CrossRoadsNews
January 25, 2014
7
CrossRoadsNews
January 25, 2014
Wellness
“My desire is to reach out and educate people that kids are not getting high. This is an oil that is placed in their food.”
Push for legalization of medical marijuana gaining support By Brenda Camp Yarbrough
The family of 12-year-old Victoria Elizabeth Williams and others across Georgia are pushing for the legalization of medical marijuana to treat severe seizure disorders and other illnesses in children. The movement is gaining support, and Georgia House Speaker David Ralston (RBlue Ridge) says he’s open to the idea of legalizing medical marijuana. State Sen. Joshua McKoon (R-Columbus) has proposed the creation of a study committee so that the medical community and proponents as well as lawmakers can weigh in on the issue. Both legislators are attorneys. Victoria, who has miJoshua McKoon tochondrial disease, has suffered from chronic seizures since 2002. Students at Loganville Middle School, the city of Clarkston, CrossRoadsNews readers, and visitors and fans of Victoria’s Facebook page are among donors who helped the family raise funding for her service dog, Choco, her constant companion. The family has used medications, diet and other therapies to control Victoria’s seizures and none has worked. Her mother, Clarkston Police Officer Corey Lowe Williams, known as Officer Lowe, is a proponent of legalization of medical marijuana, but she is not sure if it will help Victoria. “My desire is to reach out and educate people that kids are not getting high,” Lowe said. “This is an oil that is placed in their food. We need doctors and our pastors on board.” Lowe said it looks like Georgia advocates have lots of support from the House leader. Some Georgia families are pulling up stakes and relocating to Colorado and other states where their children can receive the cannabis oil. So far, 20 states and the District of Columbia allow medical marijuana. McKoon’s Senate Resolution 756 seeks to
Victoria Elizabeth Williams, 12, shown with Choco, suffers from chronic seizures. Her mother is among proponents of legalizing medical marijuana.
create the Senate Prescription of Medicinal Marijuana for Serious Medical Conditions Study Committee to determine whether it would be appropriate to enact a new law or change current law for prescriptive use. The resolution says that there has been “significant scientific and medical studies, reports, clinical trials, and other analyses regarding the use of marijuana for prescriptive medicinal purposes.” It states technology “has significantly advanced and produced certain control methods and scientific guarantees regarding medicinal uses that have not previously existed.” It also says that there are “indicia that such use may be beneficial for the parents and treating physicians of children with serious medical needs.” Americans for Safe Access, which has an action group in Georgia, and Americans
Mental Health First Aid course Registration is under way for a Jan. 28 Mental Health First Aid course offered by the DeKalb Community Service Board. The class takes place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Bohan Auditorium at the Richardson Health Center. The cost is $60 per person and includes a manual. Space is limited to 30 participants and pre-registration is required. Mental Health First Aid, which will be taught by Holly Pounders, is a highly interactive public education course coordinated by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare and taught across the country. The training teaches participants how to identify, understand, and respond to individuals experiencing signs of mental illness and substance use disorders. Partici-
pants who complete the eight-hour training receive certification as a Mental Health First Aider. Participants will learn about the prevalence of mental illnesses in the United States and their emotional and economic cost; the potential warning signs and risk factors for depression, anxiety disorders, trauma, psychotic disorders, eating disorders and substance use; a five-step action plan to help an individual in crisis connect to professional care; and resources available to help someone with a mental health problem. Richardson Health Center is at 445 Winn Way in Decatur. For more information or to register, visit www.dekcsb.org or contact Michelle Potter at info@dekcsb.org or call 404-508-7875.
OPTI WORLD MEDICAL & VISION CENTER Services Include: • Comprehensive Eye Exam (KIDS WELCOME) • Pre and Post Operative (Lasik, Cataract, Diabetes) • Advanced Diagnostic Procedure (Glaucoma, Dry Eyes, Diabetes) • Designer and Affordable Frames • Contact Lens Exam and Fitting • Google - “Optiworld” • Sport Vision Services, Safety/Industrial Glasses
We Accept Medicaid / Medicare & Other Plans BRING IN THIS AD FOR 20% DISCOUNT OFFER EXPIRES DEC. 28, 2013
WALK-INS WELCOME AND SAME DAY APPOINTMENTS
9:30am-6pm (Mon - Fri) • 10am-2pm (Saturdays) Every Saturday!!
2851 Candler Road Decatur, GA 30034
404-244-8787
Located Outside South DeKalb Mall
(In front of Bank of America /behind Big Bear)
for Safe Access Foundation are working to ensure safe and legal access to marijuana for therapeutic uses and research. ASA works with a grass-roots base of more than 50,000 members to bring about change using public education and direct advocacy at the local, state, and federal level. The foundation trains and educates patients, advocates, health care professionals and other stakeholders and also provides
direct legal support. The ASA Georgia Action Group has a focus on pediatric uses of medical cannabis. For more information, contact Aaron Klepinger at aklepinger.asa@gmail.com or visit safeaccessnow.org. For more information on the Georgia movement for legalization, visit the Paws for a Princess page at www.facebook.com/pages /Paws-for-a-Princess/209884319028630.
8
Community
CrossRoadsNews
January 25, 2014
“ I wanted to come in and learn more. I’m always interested to hear about improvements to our infrastructure.”
Transportation ‘pop-up’ meetings engage in a new way By Ken Watts
The curiosity of strangers transformed a vacant former restaurant space into a bustling Saturday afternoon hangout for a couple of hours on Jan. 11. Over the years, the storefront at 515 N. McDonough St. has housed a sandwich cafe, bookstore and ice cream shop across the street from the DeKalb Courthouse and less than a block away from Decatur’s historic old courthouse. Days earlier, social media and email spread word that the Atlanta Regional Commission would host an unusual “pop-up” meeting there to discuss updates to its $59 billion Regional Transportation Plan – a blueprint to sustain metro Atlanta’s livability and prosperity through 2040. In its announcement of its pop-up meeting, ARC said it was the first test-run of an idea it got from residents in its community engagement survey last summer. “In that survey, more than 2,000 of you said you wanted more local choices, different ways to engage and online options,” it said. “You said you wanted informal connections, innovation and, dare we say it, fun.” On the day of the meeting, the storefront’s windows were plastered with signs that read: “You Are Here.” By midafternoon the place was packed with more than 100 people, including those who got the message and many others who were passing by and wandered in to see what the commotion was about. Brian Houston, a Decatur resident and support tech with Apple Computers, was just walking down the street when he saw the signs. “I wanted to come in Brian Houston and learn more,” he said. “I’m always interested to hear about improvements to our infrastructure, so this is great.” Houston was one of the few visitors from South DeKalb where residents have been pushing for MARTA rail expansion for more than 30 years. The walls of the room were covered with ARC’s transportation maps, and charts highlighted problem areas and proposed
ARC senior principal planner Kofi Wahisi listens to visitor Jack Staver’s concerns about traffic bottlenecks along the I-75 corridor at ARC’s pop-up meeting on Jan. 11 in Decatur.
Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews
improvements to regional roads, interstates and transit. People who had just been picking out produce at the farmer’s market found themselves suddenly engrossed in talk of traffic flow and rapid transit options. The charts explained draft recommendations in the ARC’s long-range plan, including transit expansion, road widening and maintenance, transit maintenance, bicyclepedestrian paths, and other options. The regional plan contains both shortand long-term transportation strategies to improve mobility in the Atlanta area. John Orr, ARC’s manager of transportation access and mobility, was happy with the turnout. “We wanted to try different ways to reach people and find out their transportation needs,” he said. “With the traditional public meeting, we’ve had mixed success getting the people to come out. So we wanted to do some other things and so far it’s been a success.” Orr said early feedback indicates that participants appreciated the nontraditional approach and that the pop-up event attracted many people who might not have attended
a formal meeting. “We need public input because every part of the region has different transportation needs,” he said. “One section may need rail expansion, another may need bike paths. But it all has to fit together in a balanced regional system.” Orr said most visitors seemed to like the setting and ARC planners will evaluate the meeting. He said they will most likely use the same approach to attract interest in other metro neighborhoods. South DeKalb activist Joel Edwards, who attended the pop-up session, called the meeting format interesting but said transit ideas need to be on a fast track. “It was very informational for the people who Joel Edwards attended, but we can’t wait 40 to 50 years for change,” said Edwards, a vice president of the Kings Ridge Homeowners Association in Decatur. “We need solutions within five to 10 years and the emphasis should be on
a metrowide rapid rail system to ease traffic congestion on the roads.” Amy Johnson of the Oakland City neighborhood in Atlanta’s West End said that with crowd energy flowing about, she found it a bit challenging to get information from the charts. “Perhaps I don’t know enough about it to get what I need,” Johnson said. “I probably won’t do this type of meeting again. But I’ll stay engaged in the regional transportation issue because my community is trying to revitalize itself and bring in new energy and development.” ARC members circulated in the crowd to answer questions and offer details about the proposed projects. District 2 Commissioner Jeff Rader said the informal setting seemed to catch most visitors in a receptive mood. “Many of the people walking in here are saying, ‘Oh, what’s going on here? I hadn’t really been thinking about these issues.’ So No. 1, you achieve the goal of actually informing people, and No. 2, you get feedback from users of the system that you might not be able to reach otherwise.”
9
CrossRoadsNews
January 25, 2014
Finance
“The late January opening gives us enough time to get things right with our programming, testing and systems validation.”
2014 tax filing season is 10 days short; e-file, the way to go Taxpayers will have to wait until Jan. 31 to file 2013 tax returns due to delays caused by the 16-day federal government shutdown in October. The Internal Revenue Service plans to open the 2014 filing season on Jan. 31 and encourages taxpayers to use e-file or Free File as the fastest way to receive refunds. It is expected to process nearly 150 million tax returns. The new opening date for individuals to file their 2013 tax returns will allow the IRS adequate time to program and test its tax processing systems. The annual process for updating IRS systems saw significant delays in October after the federal government shutdown crippled operations for 16 days. About 90 percent of IRS operations were closed during the government shutdown, which came at the peak period for 2014 tax-filing preparations. It changed the IRS tax season opening date from Jan. 21 to Jan. 31. Acting IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said the agency’s teams have been working hard throughout the fall to prepare for the upcoming tax season. “The late January opening gives us enough time to get things right with our programming, testing and
systems validation,” Werfel said. “It’s a complex process, and our bottom-line goal is to provide a smooth filing and refund process for the nation’s taxpayers.” Many software companies are expected to begin accepting tax returns in early January and hold those returns until the IRS systems open on Jan. 31. The IRS cautioned that it will not process any tax returns before Jan. 31, so there is no advantage to filing on paper before the opening date. Taxpayers will receive their tax refunds much faster by using e-file or Free File with the direct deposit option. Visit www.irs.gov/Filing for more information. The April 15 tax deadline is set by statute and will remain in place. However, the IRS reminds taxpayers that anyone can request an automatic six-month extension to file their tax return. The request is easily done with Form 4868, which can be filed electronically or on paper. IRS systems, applications and databases must be updated annually to reflect tax law updates, business process changes and programming updates in time for the start of the filing season. For more information, visit www.irs.gov.
New guide at IRS.gov features tax changes, tips A new comprehensive guide available on IRS.gov can help taxpayers get the most out of tax benefits and get a jump on preparing their 2013 federal returns. Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax, features details on taking advantage of a wide range of tax-saving opportunities, such as the American Opportunity Tax Credit for parents and college students and the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit for low- and moderate-income workers. It also features a rundown on tax changes for 2013, including information on revised tax rates and new limits on various tax benefits for some taxpayers. The 292-page guide provides thousands of interactive links to help taxpayers quickly get answers to their questions.
Publication 17 has been published annually by the IRS since the 1940s and has been available on the IRS Web site since 1996. As in prior years, it is packed with basic tax-filing information and tips on what income to report and how to report it, figuring capital gains and losses, claiming dependents, choosing the standard deduction vs. itemizing deductions, and using IRAs to save for retirement. Besides Publication 17, IRS.gov offers other resources. Many 2013 forms are already posted, and updated versions of other forms, instructions and publications are being posted almost every day. Forms already available include Form 1040 and short Forms 1040A and 1040EZ.
Legal Notices 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15
NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action # ++14CV1171-3++ Edith Meeks Plaintiff Vs. Richard Meeks Defendant 248 Quincy Place Canton , Ga 30114 By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated January 15, 2014 you are hereby notified that on January 7, 2014 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 plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is Edith Meeks 1303
Constitution Rd SE Atlanta, Ga 30316. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, January 15, 2014 Witness the Honorable Clarence Seeliger Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 15th day of January, 2014. 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15
Notice of Petition to Change Name of Adult in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV1295-2++ Bianca Lynn Hudson filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on January 14, 2014 to change the name from: Bianca Lynn Hudson to Hudson Lynn Marr. Any interested party has
the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the petition was filed. Dated: January 10, 2014 Bianca Lynn Hudson Petitioner, Pro se 3261 Pinehill Dr Decatur, Ga 30032 (404)-633-3668 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15
NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action # ++13CV12860-3++ Eric Tchamako Plaintiff Vs. Angela Francis Defendant TO: Angela Francis
Scamsters ready to rip off taxpayers The IRS is warning taxpayers not to fall victim to tax scams. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, the IRS says. It is encouraging citizens who know of a tax fraud to report it by completing and sending Form 3949-A, Information Referral, to Internal Revenue Service, Fresno, CA 93888. The form is available at www.irs.gov or by calling 1-800829-3676 to order by mail. Here are some other tips: n “Truth About Frivolous Tax Arguments” – The IRS will process more than 150 million tax returns this year, and it says that if someone tells you that you don’t have to pay taxes, you should check out “Truth About Frivolous Tax Arguments” on IRS.gov that addresses some of the more common false “legal” arguments made by people who oppose federal tax laws. Each contention is briefly explained, followed by a discussion of the legal authority that rejects the contention. The second section deals with frivolous arguments encountered in collection-due process cases. The final section illustrates penalties imposed on those pursuing frivolous cases. n Use of IRS name or logo – The IRS has issued several consumer warnings about the fraudulent use of the IRS name or logo by scamsters trying to gain access to consumers’ financial information to steal their identity and assets. Scamsters will use the regular mail, telephone, fax or email to set up their victims. When identity theft takes place over the Internet (email), it is called phishing. The IRS does not initiate taxpayer communications through email. Unsolicited email claiming to be from the IRS, or from an IRS-related component such as EFTPS, should be reported to phishing@irs.gov. Additionally, clicking on attachments to or links within an unsolicited email claiming to come from the IRS may download a malicious virus onto your computer. Consumers also may report instances of IRS-related phishing attempts and fraud to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1-800-366-4484.
4370 Northwest 22nd Ave Opa Locka, FL 33054 By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated January 15, 2014 you are hereby notified that on December 20, 2013 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for: Compliant for Divorce You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is Eric Tchamako 2916 Clairmont Road, Atlanta, Ga 30329 .Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, January 15, 2014. Witness the Honorable Clarience Seeliger Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. 01/11, 01/18, 01/25, 02/1
NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action # ++13CV11846-2++ Melissa Knox Plaintiff Vs.
Gregory Knox Defendant By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated January 6,2014 you are hereby notified that on November 21, 2013 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 plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is Melissa Knox 2235 Plaster Rd, NE, Apt 29 Atlanta, Ga 30345. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, January 6,2014 Witness the Honorable Desiree Sutton Peasler Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 6th day of January, 2014. 01/11, 01/18, 01/25, 02/1
NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action # ++13CV9686-10++ Teaondra C. Johnson Coleman Plaintiff Vs. Alvin Louis Coleman Defendant By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated January 8,2014 you are hereby notified that on September 16, 2013 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 plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is Teaondra C. Johnson Coleman 635 Brookridge Ave Atlanta, Ga 30340. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, January 8,2014 Witness the Honorable Tangela M. Barrie Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 8th day of January, 2014. 1/25, 2/1, 2/8, 2/15
NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action # ++14CV1165-3++ Leontyne Scott Plaintiff Vs. Anthony Jackson Defendant By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated January 15,2014 you are hereby notified that on January 7, 2014 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 plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is553 Wynbrooke Pkwy, Stone Mountain Ga, 30087. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, January 15, 2014 Witness the Honorable Clarence Seeliger Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 15th day of January, 2014.
Ne ws Update s in your inbox... & special offers from our Community Partners
• This Week In CrossRoadsNews • Breaking News Updates • Deals, Coupons, & Specials • Birthday Specials . . . and more
Sign up today! • w w w.crossroadsne ws.com/signup
10
CrossRoadsNews
Scene
January 25, 2014
Hungrytown’s music has been featured on several TV shows, including the Independent Film Channel’s hit series “Portlandia.”
Historian takes on Lincoln biographers version of history Historian Joshua Zeitz will draw upon the facts and the spin on Feb. 4 when he discusses “Lincoln’s Boys: John Hay, John Nicolay, and the War for Lincoln’s Image,” his new book about President Abraham Lincoln’s biographers, at the Decatur Library. The talk takes place from 7:15 to 9 p.m. as part of the Georgia Center for the Book’s Festival of Joshua Zeitz Writers. In their biography of Lincoln, Nicolay and Hay, who served as Lincoln’s private secretary and assistant private secretary and were his closest aides and confidants, fought to establish his heroic legacy and to preserve a narrative that saw slavery – not states’ rights – as the sole cause of the Civil War. The two enjoyed more access, witnessed more history, and knew Lincoln better than anyone outside his immediate family and were the gatekeepers of the Lincoln legacy.
John Hay and John Nicolay were President Abraham Lincoln’s closest aides and confidants. Joshua Zeitz’s book draws on letters, diaries and memoirs.
In “Lincoln’s Boys,” which will be published Feb. 4, Zeitz shows the image of Lincoln as a humble man with uncommon intellect who rose from obscurity to become a storied wartime leader and emancipator is very much the creation of Nicolay and Hay. Drawing on letters, diaries and memoirs, “Lincoln’s Boys” is part political drama and part coming-of-age tale – a fascinating story of friendship, politics, war, and the contest over history and remembrance. Zeitz has taught American history and politics at Cambridge, Harvard, and Princeton universities. He is the author of several books on American political and social history and has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, the New Republic, the Atlantic, Dissent, and Mother Jones. He has appeared as a commentator on two PBS documentaries: “Boomer Century” and Ken Burns’ “Prohibition.” The library is at 215 Sycamore St. in Decatur. For more information,visitwww. dekalblibrary.org or call 404-370-3070.
Hungrytown concert at Decatur Library Early plot on Lincoln unfolds Married duo Hungrytown will perform folk and Americana music on Jan. 28 at the Decatur Library. The one-hour family concert, funded by the Friends of the Decatur Library, gets under way at 7 p.m. Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson, who tour full time, released two highly acclaimed CDs that have received much airplay on folk and Americana stations worldwide. Hall and Anderson’s adventures have taken them throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, and New Zealand. Their songs have been performed by many other artists, including Nashville songwriting legend David Olney and bluegrass veterans the Virginia Ramblers. Hungrytown’s music also has been featured on several TV shows, including the Independent Film Channel’s hit series “Portlandia.” The library is at 215 Sycamore St. in downtown Decatur. For more information,visit www.dekalblibrary.org or call 404-370-3070.
New York Times best-selling author Daniel Stashower will discuss the history narrative “The Hour of Peril” on Jan. 28 at the Carter Library & Museum theater. The reading and book signing event, which is free and open to the public, takes place at 7 p.m. Stashower, the two-time Edgar Award-winning author of “The Beautiful Cigar Girl,” uncovers the riveting true story of the “Baltimore Plot,” an audacious conspiracy to assassinate Abraham Lincoln in 1861. “The Hour of Peril: The Secret Plot to Murder Lincoln Before the Civil War” draws on his lifelong interest in crime history and crime fiction to tell the Daniel Stashower story of the assassination attempt and the life of the man assigned to the case: America’s first “private eye,” Allan Pinkerton. Once a professional magician, Stashower, who holds a B.A. from Northwestern University and a Master of Fine Arts from Columbia University, wears hats both as a narrative historian and as a novelist. He has an Anthony Award for best critical work and two Agatha Awards for best nonfiction. The Jimmy Carter Library & Museum is at 441 Freedom Parkway in Atlanta. For more information, visitwww.jimmycarterlibrary.gov or call 404-865-7100.
One-order, one-invoice, multi-newspaper placement service!
Reach more than 15 million households served by over 1,020 suburban and community newspapers around North America and Canada. 25-word ad starts at $240 weekly. Discount Contact Rates Available. For more information, call 404-284-1888 Autos CASH FOR CARS! Any Make, Model or Year. We Pay MORE! Running or Not. Sell Your Car or Truck TODAY. Free Towing! Instant Offer: 1-888-545-8647 CARS/TRUCKS WANTED! Top $$$$$ PAID! Running or Not, All Makes!. Free Towing! We’re Local! 7 Days/Week. Call 1-800959-8518 DONATE YOUR CAR - Give hope to breast cancer families. Tax Deductible. Free Next-Day Towing. $1000 Grocery/Restaurant Coupons. Call 7 days/week United Breast Cancer Foundation 800-728-0801.
Business Opportunity Make Up To $2,000.00+ Per Week! New Credit Card Ready Drink-Snack Vending Machines. Minimum $4K to $40K+ Investment Required. Locations Available. BBB Accredited Business. (800) 962-9189 **ATTENTION: JOB SEEKERS! ** MAKE MONEY! Mailing Postcards! www.PostcardsToWealth. com NOW ACCEPTING! ZNZ
Referral Agents! $20-$60/ Hour! www.FreeJobPosition. com HOME WORKERS! Make Money Using Your PC! www. SuperCashDaily.com Earn Big Paychecks Paid Every Friday! www.LegitCashJobs.com Anti-Aging Business Goldmine! #1 Baby Boomer Market in US. Prime Turn-key locations available. $12K(min. Invest)=$50K+ Yearly! Call today: 888-900-8276 24/7
Education & Training AIRLINES ARE HIRING - Train for hands on Aviation Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified - Job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 877-8180783
Employment Opportunities HELP WANTED! MAKE $1000 A WEEK mailing brochures from home! Helping Home-Workers since 2001. No experience required. Start Immediately! www. mailingnetwork.net
Financial GET FREE OF CREDIT CARD DEBT NOW! Cut payments by
up to half. Stop creditors from calling. 877-858-1386
888-440-4001
Guaranteed Income For Your Retirement Avoid market risk & get guaranteed income in retirement! CALL for FREE copy of our SAFE MONEY GUIDE Plus Annuity Quotes from A-Rated companies! 800-669-5471
Appliance Repair - We fix It no matter who you bought it from! 800-934-5107
Health & Fitness
One call, does it all! Fast and Reliable Plumbing Repairs. Call 1- 800-796-9218
Canada Drug Center is your choice for safe and affordable medications. Our licensed Canadian mail order pharmacy will provide you with savings of up to 90% on all your medication needs. Call today 1-800-4188975, for $10.00 off your first prescription and free shipping. Medical Alert for Seniors - 24/7 monitoring. FREE Equipment. FREE Shipping. Nationwide Service. $29.95/Month CALL Medical Guardian Today 866992-7236 CASH for unexpired DIABETIC TEST STRIPS! Free Shipping, Friendly Service, BEST prices and 24hr payment! Call today 877 588 8500 or visit www. TestStripSearch.com Espanol
Home Improvement
One call, does it all! Fast and Reliable Electrical Repairs and Installations. Call 1-800-908-8502
All Things Basementy! Basement Systems Inc. Call us for all of your basement needs! Waterproofing ? Finishing ? Structural Repairs ? Humidity and Mold Control FREE ESTIMATES! Call 1-888-698-8150
Items Wanted *OLD ROLEX & PATEK PHILIPPE WATCHES WANTED!** Daytona, Sub Mariner, etc. TOP CASH PAID! 1-800-4010440 *OLD GUITARS WANTED!** Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’Angelico, Stromberg, and Gibson Mandolins/Banjos. 1920’s
thru 1980’s. TOP CASH PAID! 1-800-401-0440\
Misc. For Sale DirecTV - Over 140 channels only $29.99 a month. Call Now! Triple savings! $636.00 in Savings, Free upgrade to Genie & 2013 NFL Sunday ticket free!! Start saving today! 1-800-279-3018 *REDUCE YOUR CABLE BILL!* Get a 4-Room All-Digital Satellite system installed for FREE and programming starting at $19.99/ mo. FREE HD/DVR upgrade for new callers. CALL NOW!! 877388-8575
KILL ROACHES! Buy Harris Roach Tablets. Eliminate BugsGuaranteed. No Mess, Odorless, Long Lasting. Available at Ace Hardware & The Home Depot.
Miscellaneous My Computer Works Computer problems? Viruses, spyware, email, printer issues, bad internet connections - FIX IT NOW! Professional, U.S.-based technicians. $25 off service. Call for immediate help. 1-866-998-0037 Advertise your product or service nationwide or by region in up to 12 million households in North America’s best suburbs! Place your classified ad in over 750 suburban newspapers just like this one. Call Classified Avenue at 888-486-2466 or go to www. classifiedavenue.net DISH TV Retailer. Starting at $19.99/month (for 12 mos.) & High Speed Internet starting at $14.95/ month (where available.) SAVE! Ask About SAME DAY Installation! CALL Now! 1-877-992-1237
Reader Notice As a service to you – our valued readers – we offer the following information: This newspaper will never knowingly accept any advertisement that is illegal or considered fraudulent. If you have questions or doubts about any ads on these pages, we advise that before responding or sending money ahead of time, you check with the Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Line and/or the Better Business Bureau. They may have records or documented complaints that will serve to caution you about doing business with those advertisers. Also be advised that some phone numbers published in these ads may require an extra charge. In all cases of questionable value, such as promises or guaranteed income from work-at-home programs, money to loan, etc., if it sounds too good to be true – it may in fact be exactly that. This newspaper cannot be held responsible for any negative consequences that occur as a result of you doing business with any advertisers. Thank you.
11
CrossRoadsNews
January 25, 2014
Scene
“I have seen him put on an impromptu show for guests, using the hats as costumes. He has kept a whole party in stitches.”
Hats from Dr. Seuss’ secret stash on display ‘Casino Royale’ eled outside his home. It is in honor The iconic red-and-white striped hat of the 75th anniversary of his second from Dr. Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat” and book, “The 500 Hats of Bartholomew the red felt cap with a white feather from Cubbins.” “The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins” Geisel was born in 1904 and died in are coming to Atlanta. 1991. In his artwork as in his personal They are among two dozen never-belife, he saw hats as transformational. fore-seen hats from the private collection The first recorded mention of the of Dr. Seuss that will be on display Feb. collection came from his sister, Marnie. 1 to Feb. 16 at the Ann Jackson Gallery She reported in the Springfield Unionin Roswell. Prints and sculpture from News on Nov. 28, 1937, that he had the author’s art collection also will be on another “peculiar hobby” – collecting display. hats of every description: “Why, he Bill Dreyer, world-renowned Dr. Seuss must have several hundred and he is curator, will unveil the hat collection and using them as the foundation of his talk about the art and life of Theodor Seuss next book. I have seen him put on an Geisel at 7 p.m. during the 5-to-9 p.m. impromptu show for guests, using the opening event at the gallery. hats as costumes. He has kept a whole The hats are from the 150-hat collection of the bestselling children’s author The exhibit at the Ann Jackson Gallery includes hats party in stitches just by making up a play with kitchen knives and spoons and illustrator. Between 1937 and 1990, from Geisel’s 150-hat collection. for the actors.” Geisel wrote 44 children’s books and The Ann Jackson Gallery is at 932 made “midnight paintings” for his own encouraged to wear Seussian hats. Throughout his lifetime, Geisel secreted Canton St. For more information, visit edification. The Atlanta stop is one of 16 the touring away his hat collection and paintings. The www.annjacksongallery.com or call 770exhibit is making nationwide. Visitors are exhibit is the first time his hats have trav- 993-4783.
to benefit DESA
Casino-style games and live jazz will spice up the DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts’ Feb. 1 silent auction fundraiser. The second annual “Casino Royale” benefit event takes place at 6 p.m. in the Victory Room at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia. There will be food, cocktails and dancing. The silent auction includes sporting event tickets, a gentlemen’s ultimate grooming experience, skin care products, high-end artwork, jewelry, spa treatments, and business signs. Jazz band Neshama will provide live entertainment, and celebrity and local leadership appearances will include interim DeKalb CEO Lee May. Tickets are $15 per person, and proceeds support student achievement at DESA, a k-7 arts magnet program. The Lou Walker Senior Center is at 2538 Panola Road. For tickets and more information, email fundraisingDESA@gmail.com.
MARKETPLACE RATES
Marketplace BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES Avon Rep Needed. Start your own business today. Earn up to 50% on your sales. Call Sandy Smith at 678-642-6690 BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY and PARTNERSHIP Business Opportunity for Business Partners who recently received GEORGIA LIFE producer license. Contact Grace Smith anngsmith1@gmail.com.
EDUCATION/TRAINING C & R Cosmetology Prep Consultants (youtube) 404-493-8771 What you should know before enrolling in Beauty School? Questions? Recruiters won’t answer? State Board Exam made easy (passing rate 100%) Tutoring Now Is The Time to Improve Your Education and Start A New Career - More Info. www. Jeveretteacademy.com -Call 678-389-8362
Road Stone Mountain, Ga 30088. (678)-662-5035
FOR RENT/LEASE Fully Furnish Room in Ellenwood For Rent. Directly on Marta Bus Line. Cable, TV and Internet in Room. GREAT PRICE! Call: 404207-9865 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath,2 story home with living room, dining room, eat in kitchen, two car garage in a small subdivision in Lithonia, appliances included. 1150/month. Call Jim 770-331-3641 or email duggerje@airproducts.com
Full Brick 4 Bedroom 2.5 bath house for rent .Includes: family room, kitchen, dinning room, living room and 2 car garage. Rent: 1,000 and Deposit: 1,000
HAIR CARE/SALON NAZILOCKS Certified Consultant Specializing In Sisterlocks Sisterlocks Sisterlocks! Call today for your Free consultation: 770725-0024 Tucker / Watkinsville Holiday Special!
Place your MarketPlace line ad here – up to 20 words for $25. Additional words are $3 per block of five words (maximum 45 words). Boxed Ads (with up to 3 lines bold headline): $35 plus cost of the classified ad. Send ad copy with check or credit card information and contact phone number (if different from ad) to MarketPlace, CrossRoadsNews, 2346 Candler Road, Decatur, GA 30032, or e-mail to marketplace@crossroadsnews.com. Our deadlines are at noon on the Friday one week prior to publication, unless otherwise noted. Every Night! Late model Equipment Arriving Weekly for SE Regional, OTR & 7 on 7 off Home Every Weekend! Great Pay & Benefits. Call: 1-855-673-2305 Drivers: DEDICATED. Regional & OTR. Start up to $.44/mi + Excellent Benefits. 401K + Bonuses. Excellent Hometime! CDL-A 6mos. exp. 877-704-3773
Drivers: Now hiring! Class “A” CDL Drivers for Short Haul-Home
Drivers: Make $63,000.00 yr or more, $2,500.00 Driver Referral Bonus & $1,200.00 Orientation Completion Bonus! CDL-A OTR Exp. Req. Call Now: 1-877-725-8241
fitness
insurance
opportunities
GET FIT NOW WITH CERTIFIED MASTER PERSONAL TRAINER IMAN
Affordable Health Care
Abbott's Hair Studio Established 1999
770.843.2933
BOOTH RENTAL Looking for a pleasant & professional atmosphere for you and your clients?
404.783.4797
Call Ann 404.272.6302
elly Lose B Sale n DVD o W! NO
FINANCIAL HELP Twan L. Leonard CPA. Accounting & Tax Services,Tax Preparation/Planning, Accounting Services, Audit Assistance & Payroll Services. 945 South Hairston
• Weight Loss • Toning • Strength Training • Nutrition & Detox Holiday & Group Specials • Low Rates • Private gym • Over 22 yrs of Experience
Call Today (770) 882-4541
HELP WANTED
(Obama Care) Confused? Need an agent to enroll at no cost! Call Barbara or Les
attorneys
Financial
• Business Tax Preparation • Individual Tax Preparation • Tax Problems • Small Business Accounting
LR Robinson, LLC Lisa Robinson, CPA
315 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Ste. 600 Decatur, GA 30030
678-476-0512 • www.lrrobinsoncpa.com
Your Source for Neighborhood News
Call 404-284-1888 for Advertising Rates & Information
Financial
BOBBY L. SCOTT, CPA LLC CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT Accounting • Taxes • Business Consultation Individuals • Corporations • Non-Profits IRS Representation
1316 Rockbridge Road, Suite L Stone Mountain, Ga. 30087 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
medical research INTRODUCING
A CLINICAL RESEARCH STUDY for people experiencing
CONSTIPATION due to prescription
PAIN MEDICATIONS YOU MAY WANT TO SIT DOWN FOR THIS
TO LEARN MORE, SPEAK WITH A MEMBER OF OUR STUDY TEAM
PICR CLINIC Nine Dunwoody Park, Suite 126 • Atlanta, GA 30338 770-986-3885 • picr@picrclinic.com • www.picrclinic.com
12
CrossRoadsNews
January 25, 2014
one
day sale saTurday, January 25 sHop 9am-9pm (iT’s a sale Too big To FiT in a day!) also sHop Today, January 24 From 1oam-9pm hourS may vary by Store
one day sale
deals oF THe day specially selecTed iTems priced so low you don’T need a savings pass! available all day, boTH days! 1oam-1pm Fri & 9am-1pm saT
doorbusTers geT Here early, wHile THey lasT or, eXTra savings Friday 1oam-1pm and saTurday 9am-1pm savings pass discounts do not apply to doorbusters or deals of the day.
WOW! $1O Off
ALL SALE & CLEARANCE APPAREL ANd SELECt homE itEmS! cannot be used on doorbusters or deals of tHe daY
1o off
$
Your purcHase of $25 or More. Valid fri, 1/24 10aM-1pM or sat, 1/25/14 9aM-1pM. liMit one per custoMer.
Also excludes: Everyday Values (EDV), specials, super buys, furniture, mattresses, floor coverings, rugs, electrics/electronics, cosmetics/fragrances, athletic shoes for him, her & kids, gift cards, jewelry trunk shows, previous purchases, special orders, selected licensed depts., special purchases, services and macys.com. Cannot be combined with any savings pass/coupon, extra discount or credit offer, except opening a new Macy’s account. Dollar savings are allocated as discounts off each eligible item, as shown on receipt. When you return an item, you forfeit the savings allocated to that item. This coupon has no cash value & may not be redeemed for cash, used to purchase gift cards or applied as payment or credit to your account. Purchase must be $25 or more, exclusive of tax & delivery fees.
WOW! $2O Off
ALL SALE & CLEARANCE APPAREL ANd SELECt homE itEmS!
cannot be used on doorbusters or deals of tHe daY
2o off
$
Your purcHase of $50 or More. Valid fri, 1/24 10aM-1pM or sat, 1/25/14 9aM-1pM. liMit one per custoMer.
Also excludes: Everyday Values (EDV), specials, super buys, furniture, mattresses, floor coverings, rugs, electrics/electronics, cosmetics/fragrances, athletic shoes for him, her & kids, gift cards, jewelry trunk shows, previous purchases, special orders, selected licensed depts., special purchases, services and macys.com. Cannot be combined with any savings pass/coupon, extra discount or credit offer, except opening a new Macy’s account. Dollar savings are allocated as discounts off each eligible item, as shown on receipt. When you return an item, you forfeit the savings allocated to that item. This coupon has no cash value & may not be redeemed for cash, used to purchase gift cards or applied as payment or credit to your account. Purchase must be $50 or more, exclusive of tax & delivery fees.
Free ShippinG at macyS.com with $99 online purchaSe. no promo code needed; excluSionS apply.
OPEN A MACY’S ACCOUNT FOR EXTRA 20% SAVINGS THE FIRST 2 DAYS, UP TO $100, WITH MORE REWARDS TO COME. Macy’s credit card is available subject to credit approval; new account savings valid the day your account is opened and the next day; excludes services, selected licensed departments, gift cards, restaurants, gourmet food & wine. The new account savings are limited to a total of $100; application must qualify for immediate approval to receive extra savings; employees not eligible. N3120195E.indd 1
1/17/14 9:30 AM