CrossRoadsNews, January 30, 2016 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

SCENE

YOUTH

Comfort level improving

Health care careers explored

Work crews have begun installation on a new HVAC unit at the Lucious Sanders Recreation Center in Lithonia. 3

Eight Cedar Grove High students took part in the Reach One Each One Youth Medical Mentoring Program. 7

Don’t Trash DeKalb

A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE FROM CROSSROADSNEWS

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

January 30, 2016

Volume 21, Number 40

www.crossroadsnews.com

County suing Brannon Hill Condominiums over blight By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Brannon Hill Condominiums, which has more than 100 separate property owners, was built in 1973. About 162 of its 369 units – average size of 1,440 square feet – have been damaged by fire, and more than 70 others are unoccupied. Many of the owners have abandoned their units and cannot be found, leaving the condominium association without the funds to clean up the complex and make repairs. It is now a crime-ridden community wellknown by police and county officials. Open-air drug dealing, gang warfare, arson, squatting, and killings are commonplace

The Brannon Hill Condominiums complex in unincorporated Clarkston is overrun with debris, and many buildings are damaged by fire, dilapidated or abandoned.

DeKalb County is suing the owners of Brannon Hill Condominiums in Clarkston to make changes at the trash-ridden complex that is home to about 100 people. The Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the filing of a lawsuit at its Jan. 26 meeting. It is asking DeKalb Superior Court to declare the complex “a public nuisance.” The lawsuit seeks to clear the way for the county to use its resources to remove mountains of debris, eradicate rodents, and cut overgrowth from the complex common areas. Please see COMPLEX, page 2

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

Low pay depleting police, firefighter ranks Both DeKalb forces seek wage, merit increases

Officer A.R. Williams speaks at a Jan. 21 meeting on police pay and attrition with interim CEO Lee May that was hosted by the South Precinct in Decatur.

By Ken Watts

DeKalb Police and Fire Rescue workers are up in arms about the continued lack of cost-of-living and merit increases, including in interim CEO Lee May’s proposed 2016 budget. Both forces say low pay is decimating their ranks as officers and firefighters leave the county in droves to take better-paying positions with other metro departments. The last time both police officers and Fire Rescue workers received a raise was in 2008. Eight years later, officers who joined the force are still making the same starting pay of $36,800. On top of that, they say that in 2010, the county cut raises for promoted officers from 10 percent to 5 percent. On Jan. 21, a group of 70 DeKalb officers from precincts across the county gave May an earful at a meeting hosted by South Precinct commander K.D. Johnson at the precinct in Decatur. The officers, who crowded into the community room, told May K.D. Johnson that low pay has created a talent drain that has left the county with a dwindling force to fight rising crime. They asked May for an 8 percent acrossthe-board pay increase in the midyear budget so that officers would get 1 percent for every year they have gone without a merit raise. After the meeting, Johnson told CrossRoadsNews that the high level of attrition is alarming. The department has 808 sworn officers but prefers a force of at least 1,000. Johnson said that in 2015, the department lost about 100 officers who took betterpaying jobs with other metro departments

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

or just left policing. “Even if we got 200 recruits today, it would take a year to get them trained and ready for the streets,” Johnson said. At the meeting, Officer Danny Lacoste told May that giving them back the 5 percent merit pay that was taken away retroactively would be a step in the right direction. “We’re not asking for anything out of the ordinary,” Lacoste said. “I see the county trying to do a lot of good things. But when you have officers leaving and you want to keep them here, you do nothing to really help them.” He told May that he was upset when the county offered multimillionaire Arthur Blank $17 million last year to build a soccer practice field and office complex at Memorial Drive and I-285 for his new Atlanta United Football Club while officers got no pay raises. Lt. Consuela Howard, who joined the

department 19 years ago, said officers who have not been on the force as long as she has are suffering. “I’m worried about the younger officers with families who’ve been here for 10 years who came in making $36,000 or $37,000 and they’re still Consuela Howard making the same amount,” she said. May said that in 2013, the county launched a $1.9 million effort that included a 3 percent cost-of-living police pay raise, the hiring of 150 officers and 100 firefighters a year for three years, and giving 100 frontline officers squad cars to take home to help bolster the department. Several officers said the take-home cars are a good benefit, but they said the 2013 cost-of-living raise was immediately eaten up by increased paycheck deductions for higher

pension and health insurance benefits. May said he recognizes the need to pay police and firefighters more and that his 2013 initiatives fell short. “It didn’t have the effect I thought it would in helping us retain [officers],” he said. “Hindsight being 20/20, we should have put more emphasis on the pay on the front end to keep the officers Lee May and then begin to institute hiring.” On the aborted Memorial Drive soccer complex, May said the project might have helped police by reducing crime. “The only reason I was looking to do that was to get business activity going along the Memorial Drive corridor that has been a Please see PUBLIC SAFETY, page 2

CrossRoadsNews

Community

January 30, 2016

“If we are successful in our endeavors here, the same strategy can be applied to other areas.”

DeKalb County fills five long vacant leadership positions DeKalb County has filled five vacant positions, including police chief and directors of Watershed Management and Community Development. Interim CEO Lee May said the appointments come after some extended trial periods and a few national searches. “We are solidifying the leadership in several key departments,” he said in a Jan. 25 statement. “I know that their leadership and vision will continue to catapult DeKalb to even higher heights.” The appointments: n James Conroy has been named police chief after serving two years as interim police chief. He has 24 years with the DeKalb Police Department that included stints in the Uniform Division, Homicide, and Sex Crimes units in the Criminal Investigations

Patrick Bailey

James Conroy

Mario Evans

Division. He is a former commander of the North Precinct, Youth and Sex Crimes Section, Crime Analysis and Research Section, Information Services Division, and E911 director, and was assistant chief over the Support Services Division. n Patrick Bailey has been appointed as director of the Medical Examiner’s Office after 20 years of service in various roles, beginning as

Allen Mitchell

Scott Towler

forensic investigator, forensic manager, chief investigator and interim director. Bailey also served in the Police Department as a detective and Internal Affairs investigator. n Allen Mitchell is the county’s new director of Community Development, succeeding Chris Morris who retired. He served nine months as the department’s interim director and had been its assistant director for 11

years before that. n Scott A. Towler, P.E., who joined the county in October, is the new director of the Department of Watershed Management. He is responsible for management of the system, directing the provision of water and wastewater treatment within the county. Towler has more than 25 years of industry experience and previously served as interim chief operations officer for the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority as a contract employee through Veolia North America’s Peer Performance Solutions Group. n Mario Evans has been promoted to director of DeKalb Peachtree Airport after serving in an interim capacity since April 2015. He spent 16 years at PDK, starting as the airport noise/environmental officer. He was promoted to assistant airport director in 2010.

Judge Seeliger donates $15,000 to three nonprofit lawyer groups By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

He said he donated to the nonprofit groups because of the great work they do to The DeKalb Lawyers further the legal profession and help citizens Association is one of who can’t afford legal representation. three legal groups that “I really applaud them,” Seeliger said on got $5,000 each from Jan. 26. “They really do good work.” DeKalb Superior Court In 2014, Seeliger, who was first elected to Judge Clarence Seeliger the DeKalb State Court bench in 1980 and to this month. the Superior Court bench in 1985, donated Seeliger, who has been $10,000 each to the three groups. on the DeKalb bench Last year, the DLA, the predominantly for more than 34 years, Clarence Seeliger black lawyers group, awarded a scholarship mailed the checks totaling $15,000 to DLA, in Seeliger’s name with the funds. Attorney DeKalb Volunteer Lawyers Association, and Deborah Jackson, who heads DLA’s ComAtlanta Legal Aid last week. munity & Education Fund, said the newest

donation will go to the scholarship again. Jackson said Seeliger challenged members at the DLA’s 2015 Scholarship Breakfast that he would give another $5,000 if DLA members matched it. She said most of the funds were raised before the breakfast ended. On Jan. 28, she said that DLA welcomes Seeliger’s donation, which will fund another scholarship in his name for a law school student. Jackson said Seeliger represents the high standards and quality that we want in our judicial system. “It will be an inspiration to young lawyers who receive a scholarship in his name,” she

said. In a Jan. 15 Facebook posting, DeKalb Volunteer Lawyers Association President Denise VanLanduyt called Seeliger “a kind and generous man who is a champion of access to justice in the county.” She said Seeliger’s newest donation will help the nonprofit group that serves the civil legal needs of low-income DeKalb residents and is expanding representation for victims of domestic violence. “It is a vital organization for the county and is in need of benefactors, supporters and champions like Judge Seeliger,” VanLanduyt said.

May awaiting pay study to do police and firefighters increase right PUBLIC SAFETY,

from page

major challenge for you,” May told officers. Lt. Richard Winbush, an 18-year member of the force, said crime and loss of business are tied together in a vicious cycle. “Safety is one major reason people and businesses leave,” he said. “Wouldn’t it make sense to secure safety first by stabilizing the police salaries which would bring in more good officers, which would bring in more businesses and residents to work at those businesses?” May agreed with Winbush but said it will take more than putting additional officers on the street to reduce crimes committed by teens and young adults and that he and other community and political leaders will help lead the conversation on how to solve that. “We have a social reality in certain pockets of DeKalb,” he said. “You don’t have the

family structures or the resources that you used to have and we in government will have to help lead the conversation on how to solve that, but I think the issue right now is making sure you all have what you need to succeed and I think the highest priority is your pay.” May said he wants to make sure he’s “doing the pay increase right” and wants to wait for the results of an independent Pay in Class study for direction on how best to implement the raises. He expects the study to be completed by the end of April.

Fire Rescue lost 371 firefighters Fire Department Capt. Tom Burrell, who was not at May’s meeting with the police officers, said the salary concerns of DeKalb’s 620 sworn firefighters parallel those of police officers. Burrell, who is secretary of the International Association of Firefighters Local

1492, said that since 2011, DeKalb Fire Rescue has lost 371 firefighters and that 160 of those were sworn firefighters who got better offers elsewhere. He said the union is calling for an immediate raise not based on the pay Tom Burrell study. “Other fire agencies in cities and counties around metro Atlanta have been reinvesting in their employees in the last few years,” Burrell said. “We haven’t gotten a merit pay increase since 2008.” He said former DeKalb firefighters have gone to work for nearly 30 public safety agencies. “They get excellent training and experience here and then they take that taxpayerfunded training and experience and move

along, and without question it’s a monetary issue for the vast majority of those people.” Burrell said Henry and Clayton counties, which used to be “steppingstones” to jobs in DeKalb, are now paying their starting firefighters 10 percent to 15 percent more than DeKalb pays its personnel. He said he wants May to honor the commitment that he made in 2013 to restore the full 10 percent promotional raise the county cut for financial reasons in 2010. “These are employees who have taken on more responsibility and may have missed one or two full raises as they promoted up,” Burrell said, adding that the restoration of the pay raise would be a “fair start” and an “easy sell” because it’s a targeted increase and not an across-the-board cost-of-living increase. “I think it would close that back door and slow down some of our attrition,” Burrell said.

County also targeting Brannon Hill Condos trash and pests COMPLEX,

from page

at the complex at 6524 Brannon Hill Road near Memorial Drive in unincorporated Clarkston. Code violations range from peeling sidings, rotten wood, broken windows, decrepit balconies, structural instability, exposed outlets and wires, holes in the roofs and walls, missing doors, bullet holes, unsecured units, unlicensed vehicles, and burned-down buildings. Because it is privately owned, county officials cannot go into units unless invited. As problems mounted in the early 2000s, owners and renters who could moved away and the complex has been left mostly with immigrants, primarily from the East African country of Somalia, who live there because

the units were affordable and close to the nearby city of Clarkston’s refugee community. The county said that it was unable to rectify the situation without suing because the condominiums are privately owned and code violations exist on private property. District 4 Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton, who convened a working group to address the problem in December 2014, applauded the move. “This lawsuit gives us Sharon B. Sutton the legal authority we need to get to work,” she said after the vote.

Barnes Sutton said that reaching a consensus on the issue required vision and the cooperative commitment of many individuals working toward a common purpose. District 7 Commissioner Stan Watson, who also represents the area, said that once the courts give the green light, the county can make some significant improvements to the health and well-being of this community very rapidly. “If we are successful in our endeavors here, the same strategy can be applied to other areas of the county where we have community blight issues,” Watson said. While cleanup of the debris is important, District 6 Commissioner Kathie Gannon said the county also needs to address the standing remnants of burned and dilapidated build-

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ings that are uninhabitable. “As we move forward, we need to address the buildings and the relocation of residents who want to find other housing alternatives,” Gannon said. The lawsuit is asking Superior Court to declare the condominium’s common areas a public nuisance and to give the county the authority to abate conditions by removing trash like rubbish, commercial debris, laundry waste, garbage in standing water, tire piles and other waste conducive to attracting mosquitoes, rats and flies. The county also wants to cut and clear overgrowth and take steps to control the spread of rats, feral cats, insects and other harmful animals. The suit also is seeking reimbursement from the condo association.

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CrossRoadsNews

January 30, 2016

Community

“It will be good to have a comfortable place for sports and activities after such a long time without.”

Water drive for Flint residents

DeKalb residents can donate bottled water through Feb. 1 to help residents of Flint, Mich. DeKalb Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson and Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church are collecting water to send to the residents whose water supply was contaminated by lead from the Flint River. Donations can be made at the church’s H.F. Shepherd Multiplex Atrium, 4650 Flat Shoals Parkway in Decatur, and on Jan. 31 at the Outreach Center, which will be open until 3 p.m. on Sunday. Church members will load the truck at 6 p.m. on Feb. 1. In a Jan. 27 email to constituents, Johnson, who represents District 5, said she was saddened to learn of the water crisis in Flint but knows that citizens hold dear a sense of community, especially in times of crisis. “As Americans, we take pride in our ability to come together as neighbors and work toward a common good in our respective communities,” she said. “Although Michigan is not one of our neighboring states, I am proud to join with the House of Hope in a water drive.” For more information, contact Devon Ward at 404-243-9336, Ext. 2240.

Full program for Stan’s meeting DeKalb Solicitor General Sherry Boston, Sheriff Jeffrey Mann and Elections Director Maxine Daniels will speak Feb. 6 at Commissioner Stan Watson’s Community Breakfast Meeting at Southwest DeKalb High in Decatur. The meeting, which takes place 9 to 11 a.m. in the cafeteria, also will include performances by the Chapel Hill Elementary Choir, Vanessa Bonner and Brandon Gray, and retired YMCA Chief Operating Officer Eston Hood will be recognized. Participants are asked to bring cases of bottled water to donate to the people of Flint, Mich., who had been drinking leadcontaminated water from the Flint River. Watson, the Georgia Chapter of the NFL Players Association and Georgia Pro Players are holding the collection drive. Southwest DeKalb High is at 2863 Kelley Chapel Road. For more information, contact Kelly Cato at 404-371-7031.

A new HVAC unit was delivered to Lucious Sanders Recreation Center on Jan. 28. Crews expect to have it up and running in two weeks.

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

New HVAC unit for Lucious Sanders Center By Ken Watts

DeKalb County crews began installing a new HVAC unit at the Lucious Sanders Recreation Center on Jan. 28. The center at 2484 Bruce St. in the city of Lithonia has been without heat since December 2014. It was built in the 1960s and has never had air conditioning. The new HVAC unit was delivered on Thursday and technicians began immediately dismantling the old system to make room for the new. Contractors with Galgon HVAC of Atlanta and subcontractors from A and B Sheet Metal of Forest Park were scheduled to begin installing the new heating and air conditioning system on Jan. 29. Marcus Byams, the center’s new manager, said the new system will be welcomed. “It will be good to have Marcus Byams a comfortable place for sports and activities after such a long time without,” said Byams,

who arrived at the center in December. Parents and kids have complained that the building, which serves up to 150 children with after-school, cheerleading and basketball programs, was often colder inside than it was outside. Despite practicing in frigid temperatures in January and February 2015, all the center’s basketball teams – 8 years and under to 18 years and under – walked away with the 2015 county championship in all age groups. But because the center had no heat, the center could not host any of the championship playoff games. DeKalb Commissioners Mereda Davis

Johnson and Stan Watson, who represent the area, allocated $220,000 from their 2001 Parks Bond Funds in November to replace the heating system. Workers said Thursday that it could take up to two weeks to complete installation, but Byams said it’s a comfort just knowing that the new system is on-site. Once the building has heat, Byams said the center will have more options for use. “Not only will the kids be safer and more comfortable with proper heat, we will be able to rent out the space for parties and special events in the neighborhood.”

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT (SSSP Shepherd Drive Decatur, LLC) D/B/A SIMPLY SELF STORAGE LOCATED AT (2804 HF Shepherd Drive) INTENDS TO SELL OR OTHERWISE DISPOSE OF THE PERSONAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED BELOW TO ENFORCE A LIEN IMPOSED ON SAID PROPERTY UNDER THE GEORGIA LAW 10-4-213. THE PUBLIC SALE OR OTHER DISPOSITION OF THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY WILL TAKE PLACE (UNLESS OTHERWISE WITHDRAWN) VIA AN ON-LINE AUCTION AT WWW.STORAGETREASURES.COM ON (February 22, 2016) BEGINNING AT APPROXIMATELY (10:00am) AND CONCLUDING ON (February 27, 2016) AT APPROXIMATELY (10:00am). THIS PUBLIC SALE WILL RESULT IN THE GOODS BEING SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. CERTAIN TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. Unit # Name

Contents

C100 A. Renee Price-Sherman Misc Items C104 Raymond Davis Misc Items C209B Veronica Williams Misc Items

Unit # Name

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C221B Chayna Freeman C268 William Dennis C313 Ramone Jackson

Misc Items Misc Items Misc Items

D3BL D05D D05E

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Lorenzo Thompson Misc Items Terry Alexander Misc Items Terry Alexander Misc Items

Finance

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

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Assistant Editor Brenda Yarbrough Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Ken Watts Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Graphic Design Curtis 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.

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January 30, 2016

“Tax time can be stressful, but Free File makes step-by-step help accessible to everyone making $62,000 or less.”

GDOT hosting outreach session on new projects to-1 p.m. session Contractors and small-business at the District owners can learn about upcoming 7 Office, 5025 and current maintenance projects New Peachtree in DeKalb, Fulton, Cobb, Clayton, Road in ChamRockdale and Douglas counties blee. at GDOT’s 2015 Transportation Kathy Zahul, Funding Act and Disadvantaged Metro District Business Enterprise outreach sesengineer, said sion on Feb. 3. Kathy Zahul contractors are The Georgia Department of Transportation’s Metro Atlanta needed for the many transportation District is host for the 11 a.m.- projects.

“Contractors and small-business owners who attend this session will learn more about our procurement process and the type of maintenance and construction projects planned for District 7,” Zahul said in a Jan. 25 statement. “The district will need help from contractors to deliver much-needed projects throughout metro Atlanta. Motorists who travel in our district can expect major improvements

to the interstates and state routes because of the available funds from the Transportation Funding Act of 2015.” Registration is available at https://events.r20.constantcontact. com/register/eventReg?llr=6forsu hab&oeidk=a07ec5gkxnhd75aef7 3&oseq=. For more information, contact Anthony Miles at amiles@ mhm-cpa.com or 404-631-1273 or Nykita Hurt at 770-986-1787.

Designers sought for Southern fashion style showcase Fashion designers who have a deep connection to the South and want to showcase modern Southern style can apply through March 31 for Belk’s fourth annual Southern Designer Showcase. Along with a cash prize, winners will have their clothes and accessories sold at select Belk stores and on belk.com in spring 2017. Charlotte, N.C.-based Belk is seeking Southern designers of women’s apparel, men’s apparel, kid’s apparel, shoes and women’s accessories to add to its existing collection of brands.

Designers can visit belk.com/ southerndesigner to submit their applications through March 31. They must be 18 or older and currently live in the South or have a strong connection to the region. A panel of senior Belk executives in Merchandising, Marketing and Fashion Direction will select finalists by April 20 and invite them to present their designs at Belk headquarters on May 19. Winners will be notified after their presentations. Winning collections may be featured in upcoming advertising campaigns.

Cynthia Washburn-Nester, vice president of trend merchandising and fashion direction, said Belk is looking for designers “who truly understand modern Southern style and can make it come to life in their designs.” “ We a r e proud that every C. Washburn-Nester year our Southern Designer Showcase gives a new group of emerging fashion designers the opportunity

to design collections that our Belk customers can embrace,” she said in a Jan. 26 statement. Belk’s president and chief merchandising officer, David Zant, said Belk is excited to see what this year’s applicants have to offer. David Zant The private department store company has 296 stores in 16 Southern states. Visit www.belk.com.

Ga. unemployment rate dips to 5.5 percent in December Georgia’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in December was 5.5 percent, down one-tenth of a percentage point from 5.6 percent in November. The rate was 6.6 percent in December 2014. Metro Atlanta’s jobless rate was 4.9 percent, unchanged from a revised 4.9 percent in November. In DeKalb County, there were 2,262 first claims for unemployment insurance benefits in December, up 281 or 14.2 percent from 1,981 in November. In December 2014, there were 2,825 initial claims for an over-the-year decrease of 563 or 19.9 percent. State Labor Commissioner

Mark Butler said the state jobless rate dropped to its lowest level in nearly seven years. “While we saw a net increase of 3,300 jobs in December, our private sector employers actually added 6,000 jobs, but cuts, primarily in government, offset some of that gain,” Butler said on Jan. 21. The number of jobs increased in December to 4,317,600, up by 0.1 percent, from 4,314,300 in November. Much of the job growth came in professional and business services, 5,000; other services, 2,100; and construction, 1,900. Job losses came in government, financial activities, trade, transportation and warehousing and leisure

and hospitality. The number of jobs rose by 91,100, or 2.2 percent, compared with 1.9 percent for the U.S. growth rate. Most of the over-the-year growth came in professional and business services, 27,300; trade, transportation and warehousing, 17,500; leisure and hospitality, 13,000; education and health services, 12,900; construction, 8,100; manufacturing, 6,800; government, 5,800; and financial activities, 2,200. The number of initial UI claims, a measure of new layoffs, rose by 14,136, or 41.9 percent, to 47,909 in December. Most of the rise was due to an increase in temporary

claims filed in textile manufacturing and administrative and support services, which includes temporary employment agencies. Over the year, the number of claims was down by 9,601, or 16.7 percent, from 57,510 filed in December 2014. The decrease came mostly in accommodations and food services, administrative and support services, manufacturing and construction. In December, the state labor force increased by 14,446 to 4,764,702. Job seekers and employers can use GDOL’s online job listing service, Employgeorgia.com, where 65,320 jobs throughout the state were posted in December.

Free File offers more options for taxpayers this season The Internal Revenue Service and Free File Alliance have launched Free File with many changes and updates for 2016, including more free state tax return options and easier Form W-2 imports. For 2016, there are 13 brandname tax software providers making their federal tax return products available for free. Taxpayers whose adjusted gross income was $62,000 or less during 2015 are eligible for at least one, if not more, of the 13 tax software products. The income limitation is $2,000 higher than last year. The tax filing season officially began on Jan. 19. People will have several extra days to file their tax returns this year. Taxpayers have until April 18 to file their 2015 tax returns

and pay any tax due because of the Emancipation Day holiday in Washington, D.C., falling on April 15. Taxpayers in Maine and Massachusetts will have until April 19 because of Patriot’s Day observances on April 18. For taxpayers who earned more than $62,000, there’s Free File Fillable Forms, the electronic version of IRS paper forms. I R S C om missioner John A. Koskinen said filers don’t have to be an expert on taxes to use the software. “Fre e F i l e John Koskinen software can help walk you through the steps and help you get it right,” Koskinen said. “For 13 years, this

partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance has helped taxpayers. The real winner in this partnership has been the nation’s taxpayers.” Tim Hugo, executive director of the alliance, said the industry’s most innovative and secure tax software is being ofTim Hugo fered at no cost to 70 percent of American taxpayers. “Tax time can be stressful, but Free File makes step-by-step help accessible to everyone making $62,000 or less,” Hugo said. “IRS. gov/FreeFile is the one place where taxpayers can choose from a variety of industry-leading tax software

options in order to prepare and e-file their federal tax returns at absolutely no cost.” Free File is available only at IRS. gov/FreeFile. Since 2003, more than 46 million people have used Free File, saving nearly $1.4 billion based on a conservative $30 fee estimate. The Free File Alliance and its members also are participants in the Security Summit Initiative to provide additional identity theft safeguards for tax filing and for the Security Awareness campaign – Taxes. Security. Together. – that encourages taxpayers to take steps to better protect their data. More than 70 percent of all taxpayers – 100 million people – are eligible for the software products. Free File also can help taxpayers with the new health care requirements. Visit www.irs.gov.

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CrossRoadsNews

January 30, 2016

Wellness

“This partnership is another great way for us to make being active easier for our residents, particularly during winter.”

Biomarkers discovery may influence drug design, cancer care GSU researchers have discovered biomarkers that may influence drug design and alternative treatments for cancer. This is the key finding in a study led by researchers from Georgia State University in collaboration with the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine and published in the journal Oncotarget. The spread of cancer cells from the initial site of occurrence to other secondary tissues is called metastasis and contributes to poor or limited response of cancer cells to treatments, which results in death. For example, cancer cells initially in the lungs can begin to spread to other organs, including the brain and liver.

Gynecologic cancer typically originates from female reproductive organs and includes endometrial and ovarian cancer. Survival rates are typically very poor, with limited response to existing therapies. A major reason is late diagnoses, by which time cancer cells have spread to secondary sites. Imoh Okon, assistant professor of research in Imoh Okon the Center for Molecular and Translational Medicine at GSU and lead author on the study, said the aim was to search for gene targets or biomarkers

“that provide meaningful information on the tendency of cancer cells to spread to secondary sites.” “In this study, we found that enhanced neuropilin-1 and NEDD9 levels in endometrial and lung cancer positively correlated with metastasis, while liver kinase B1 inhibited the migration of cancer cells,” Okon said in a Jan. 21 statement. Researchers obtained more than a hundred clinical endometrial cancer specimens and matching serum and analyzed specimens for gene targets that positively or negatively correlated with metastatic potential of the tumors. Data were translated to reflect the patient’s age at diagnosis, disease stage, grade

and histology. “Our research provides strong translational potential with respect to biomarkers that play critical roles in the development of endometrial/lung tumors,” Okon said. “The ability to identify, characterize and validate gene targets that strongly associate or correlate with disease development or metastasis will facilitate early detection and appropriate treatments to tackle the disease at an early stage or before metastasis occurs.” Their next steps will involve expansion of the biomarkers to other cancers, especially breast cancer. The overall goal will be to test potential biomarker function or development of new drugs that target identified genes.

Three churches offering free gym time Grady settles deaf man’s claim Three South DeKalb churches – Stronghold Christian, Memorial Drive Presbyterian and Bethesda Cathedral – are opening their indoor exercise facilities to the public for free classes and gym times in partnership with the DeKalb Board of Health. In DeKalb, more than 30 percent of adults and 15 percent of high school students are overweight. Creating access in communities with limited facilities may help reduce these numbers. Dr. S. Elizabeth Ford, district health director, encourages residents to be active. “This partnership is yet another great way for us to make being active easier for our residents, particularly during the winter,” Ford said. Lithonia’s Stronghold ChrisS. Elizabeth Ford tian kicked off its “Fit 4 Life” program on Jan. 16 with a Zumba class. Classes take place every Saturday at 10 a.m. There are two levels, one for seniors and one that’s more rigorous. The gym and weight room will be open to the public Monday-Thursday from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Dr. Sherry Gaither, co-pastor at Stronghold, 724 Rock Chapel Road, is excited about the new initiative. She believes these kinds of partnerships can reduce chronic diseases and improve lives. “I want people to have good quality of life. Both of my grandmothers died in their 80s, but they were both in poor health and died in nursing homes. No one should expect Sherry Gaither to retire and spend their days going from one doctor to another.” For more information, call 770- 322-9010. Memorial Drive Presbyterian, at 5140 Memorial Drive in Stone Mountain, is finalizing its plans. A number of activities will be offered. Visit www.mdpc.atlpcusa.org or call 404-292-8212. Bethesda, 1989 Austin Drive in Decatur, will open doors to its exercise facilities soon. Visit bethesdacathedral.org or call 404-289-3751. The program is funded by the CDC’s Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health initiative – visit www.dekalbhealth.net.

A deaf patient who was treated in Grady Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Care Center will be awarded $5,000 as the hospital agrees to resolve alleged violations of Title III of the Americans With Disabilities Act by failing to ensure effective communication. U.S. Attorney John Horn said it can be “a terrifying experience” when a deaf patient or caregiver is unable to understand what’s happening during a medical visit or procedure and can adversely affect the quality of care. “I am encouraged that Grady has demonstrated an ongoing commitment to ensure that people who are deaf or hard of hearing have equal access to quality medical care,” Horn said in a Jan. 19 statement. His office initiated the investigation after receiving a complaint alleging that Grady failed to provide appropriate auxiliary aids and services when necessary. The complainant,

Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Sandra Caddell-Carter, 110 S. Columbia Dr., #112, Decatur, GA 30030. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Dec. 21, 2015 Witness the Honorable Mark Anthony Scott, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 22nd day of Dec., 2015

Legal Notices 01/23, 01/30, 02/06, 02/13

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV12295-6++ Theophilus Collins Plaintiff Vs. Aliza Antoinette Applewhite Defendant To: Aliza Antoinette Applewhite 206 Summerwind Drive Jonesboro, GA 30236 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Dec. 15, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Dec. 10, 2015, Theophilus Collins filed suit against you for Abandoment. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon Plaintiff’s Theophilus Collins - Pro Se an answer in writing within sixty (60) days of the first date of publication. Witness the Honorable J.P. Boulee, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 15th day of Dec., 2015 01/23, 01/30, 02/06, 02/13

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV10071-6++ Christopher Lowe Plaintiff Vs. Felicia D. Lowe Defendant To: By Order of the Court for service by

publication dated Dec. 17, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Dec. 14, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Christopher Lowe, 2499 Mellville Ave., Dec., GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Dec. 17, 2015. Witness the Honorable J.P. Boulee, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 31st day of Dec., 2015 01/23, 01/30, 02/06, 02/13

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV12352-3++ Kaerell Gregg-Johnson Plaintiff Vs. Khadijah Gregg-Johnson Defendant To: Khadijah Gregg-Johnson By Order of the Court for service by publication dated 6th day of Jan., 2016 you are hereby notified that on 16th day of Dec.16, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Kaerell Gregg-Johnson, 2352 Boulder Springs Drive, Ellenwood, GA 30294 an answer in writing within sixty (60) days of the first publication of notice. Witness the HonorableClarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This 6th day of Jan., 2016 01/23, 01/30, 02/06, 02/13

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV12529-3++ Karen Lynn Whitenburg Plaintiff Vs. Darrell Keith Whitenburg Defendant To: Darrell Keith Whitenburg 5620 Crystal Hill Stone Mountain, GA 30088 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Jan. 06, 2016 you are hereby notified that on Dec. 18, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Karen Whitenburg, 5620 Crystal Hill, Stone Mountain, GA 30088. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of the first publication of notice. Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 6th day of Jan., 2016 01/23, 01/30, 02/06, 02/13

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV12474-3++ Angela M. Obi Plaintiff

who is deaf and relies on American Sign Language as his primary means of communication, was treated in the Emergency Care Center at Grady after falling from a ladder. He said that he was in a lot of pain during his six-hour stay and did not understand most of what was being communicated because he was not provided a sign language interpreter or other auxiliary aid or service. In addition to paying $5,000, Grady agreed to ensure effective communication to patients and caregivers who are deaf and hard of hearing. It also agreed to provide mandatory in-service training to all Emergency Care personnel and provide reports to the U.S. Attorney’s Office regarding its compliance. The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities by health care professionals. The agreement is part of the Justice Department’s Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative – www.ada.gov/usao-agreements.htm.

01/23, 01/30, 02/06, 02/13

Notice OF PUBLICATION

Vs. Joseph L. Obi Defendant To: Joseph L. Obi 54 30th Ave. Columbus, GA 31903 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Dec. 21, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Dec. 11, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Angela M. Obi, P.O. Box 362198, Decatur, GA 30036. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Dec. 21, 2015 Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 22nd day of Dec., 2015 01/23, 01/30, 02/06, 02/13

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV9567-9++ Sandra Caddell-Carter Plaintiff Vs. Derrick Anthony Carter, Sr. Defendant To: Derrick A. Carter, Sr. 4179 Sequoia Pkwy Snellville, GA 30039 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Dec. 21, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Sept. 16, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the

in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++16CV1191-3++ Lisa E. Ray Ramey Plaintiff Vs. Anthony Ramey Defendant To: 2036 Miriam Lane Decatur, GA 30032 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Jan. 11, 2016 you are hereby notified that on Jan. 06, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Lisa E. Ray Ramey, 1408 Stonegate Court, Stone Mountain, GA 30083. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Jan. 11, 2016. Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 11th day of Jan., 2016. 01/23, 01/30, 02/06, 02/13

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 16CV1137-10++ C.J. Roberson Pitts filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Jan. 05, 2016 to change name from: C. J. Roberson Pitts to C.J. Roberts. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Dec. 22, 2015

Name: C.J. Roberts 4521 Snapfinger Woods Dr. Decatur, GA 30035 (678) 755-3122 01/23, 01/30, 02/06, 02/13

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 16CV1112-3++ Latoya Nolan filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court to change name(s) of the following minor child(ren) from: Laya Ilys Nolan-Martin to Laya Ilys Martin. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Dec. 23, 2015 Name: Latoya Nolan 6724 Browns Mill Ferry Dr. Lithonia, GA 30038 (678) 670-3740 01/30, 02/06, 02/13, 02/20

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV12815-10++ Lastosha Shelton Plaintiff Vs. Dwayne Shelton Defendant To: By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Jan. 14, 2016 you are hereby notified that on Dec. 30, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Latosha Shelton, 2190 Raven Circle, Lithonia, GA 30058. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Jan. 14, 2016. Witness the Honorable Tangela M. Barrie, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 19th day of Jan., 2016.

CrossRoadsNews

Scene

January 30, 2016

The Rosewood atrocity went officially unrecorded and had become a bizarre secret by the time it was unearthed in 1982.

‘Go Red With Macy’s’ for heart health awareness, sweet deals Macy’s South DeKalb customers can take advantage of deep discounts while raising heart health awareness at “Go Red With Macy’s” on Feb. 3-8. Terry Young, Macy’s store manager at the Gallery at South DeKalb at Terry Young 2801 Candler Road in Decatur, said customers can save up to 25 percent when they wear red or purchase a Red Dress pin for $3 to benefit Go Red for Women.

Macy’s will donate 100 percent of all Red Dress pin sales to Go Red for Women, benefiting the local American Heart Association affiliate, Young said on Jan. 25. For the 11th year, Macy’s is supporting the AHA’s national movement that provides women with knowledge and tools to take positive action to reduce their risks of heart disease and stroke and protect their health. February is American Heart Month. During the Go Red with Macy’s event Feb. 3-8, shoppers can wear red or purchase the official 2016 Red Dress pin to receive special discounts – 25 percent discount on

most purchases storewide and 15 percent off fine and fashion jewelry, sale and clearance watches, and select home items. Exclusions and restrictions apply. National Wear Red Day is Feb. 5, and to celebrate, Macy’s is offering customers three red dresses by Kensie, Thalia and Calvin Klein with 10 percent of the purchase price benefiting the campaign. They will be available in store and on macys.com/GoRed. Macy’s also is offering exclusive Ideology active wear in support of Go Red for Women to stay active and healthy. The collection includes select bras, socks, tank tops, graphic

T-shirts and crop pants (available in select plus sizes) with 10 percent of the purchase price benefiting the cause. Since 2004, Macy’s has been a national founding sponsor of the campaign. Through the movement, the color red and the red dress have become linked with the ability all women have to improve their heart health and live stronger, longer lives. Together with associates and customers, Macy’s has helped to raise more than $55 million, which has funded vital research and education efforts credited with saving hundreds of thousands of women’s lives.

Race, class in romance Journalist to lecture 1912 lynching examined GSU professor and award-winning author John Holman will speak at the Decatur Library on Feb. 2 as part of the Georgia Center for the Book’s Festival of Writers. The talk begins at 7:15 p.m. In his new collection of linked short stories, “Triangle Ray,” Holman explores issues of race and class from the vantage point of one man’s romantic misadventures. John Holman The stories are linked by the character of Ray Fielding, introduced first as a young black man coming of age in the 1980s and infatuated with his schoolmate, Marie. Against the wishes of their families, the two marry just out of high school, but the marriage falls apart within a few years. Twenty years later, he is unmarried and still searching for a lasting romance. Through his interactions, Ray explores the motives behind the ways we retell our stories and how we ignore or embrace the future that is already taking shape in the present. Holman, a recipient of the prestigious Whiting Writers Award, teaches English and creative writing at Georgia State University at Atlanta and lives in Decatur. He is author of “Squabble and Other Stories” and the novel “Luminous Mysteries,” chosen as one of the 25 Books All Georgians Should Read by the Georgia Center for the Book. His fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, Oxford American, Mississippi Review, Fiction, and Terminus. The library is at 215 Sycamore St. in Decatur.

on Rosewood riots

Investigative journalist Gary Moore, who first publicized the 1923 destruction of the rural African-American community of Rosewood, Fla., will speak at the Carter Library and Museum on Feb. 3. The lecture/book signing begins at 7 p.m. in the theater and is free and open to the public. The Rosewood atrocity, an act of mob violence on Jan. 1-7, 1923, went officially unrecorded and had become a bizarre secret by the time it was unearthed in 1982 by Moore, who publicized it first in the St. Petersburg Times, where he was on staff, then took it to “60 Minutes,” where he served as background reporter on a TV segment airing in 1983. Tracing the previously uninterviewed survivors, witnesses and other informants, Moore has become acknowledged as a Rosewood authority. He is author of the definitive “Rosewood: The Full Story.” Moore received the William Allen White Award for excellence in regional magazine journalism. The library is at 441 Freedom Parkway in Atlanta. Visit www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov.

Veteran journalist and author Karen Branan discusses the 1912 lynching of four black people by a white mob in Georgia on Feb. 8 at the Decatur Library. She is the great-granddaughter of the Harris County sheriff whose duty was to protect them. The talk, part of the Georgia Center for the Book’s Festival of Writers, begins at 7:15 p.m. Branan’s “The Family Tree,” a true story of Karen Branan privilege and power, anger and atonement, takes readers back in time to the Civil War, demonstrating how plantation politics and the Lost Cause movement set the stage for the fiery racial dynamics of the 20th century. It delves into the prevalence of mob rule, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and the role of miscegenation in a cycle of bigotry. Branan spent nearly 20 years researching the story and learned a shocking truth: She is related not only to the sheriff, but also to one of the four – Dusky Crutchfield, Eugene Harrington, Burrell Hardaway and Johnie Moore – who were murdered. Branan has written for newspapers, magazines, stage, and television for almost 50 years. Her work has appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Star Tribune (Minneapolis); in Life, Mother Jones, Ms., Ladies’ Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, Today’s Health, Learning and Parents; and on PBS, CBS, ABC, CBC, BBC, and CNN. The library is at 215 Sycamore St. in Decatur. For more information, call 404-370-3070.

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CrossRoadsNews

January 30, 2016

Youth

“This program is an investment, and the physicians provide a service from their heart and care about the success of the students.”

Miller Grove’s Gilbert is named McDonald’s All-American By Ken Watts

tionwide. They will be on opposing teams in the 39th Annual McDonald’s All-American Game on March 30 with Gilbert on the West squad and Simmons on the East. The event will be televised on ESPN at 8 p.m. Thirty-seven Georgia boys players have been named to the prestigious McDonald’s All-American Team since it started in 1970. Gilbert is the fifth from DeKalb, joining Dion Glover, Cedar Grove/Georgia Tech 1997; Chris Singleton, Dunwoody/Florida State, 2008; William “Shaq” Goodwin, Southwest DeKalb/Memphis, 2012; and Tony Parker, Miller Grove/UCLA, 2012. Gilbert’s selection makes Miller Grove the only school from DeKalb to have two McDonald’s All-Americans. The other McDonald’s All-American came on the girls’ side in 2006 as Porsha Phillips, Redan/Georgia, became the first and only DeKalb girl selected. Phillips is the sister of Cincinnati Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips, a three-time Major League Baseball All-Star.

Alterique Gilbert, a senior guard at Miller Grove High in Lithonia, is the latest basketball phenom from DeKalb to be named to the McDonald’s All-American Team. Gilbert is the sixth player from DeKalb to receive the coveted honor. The McDonald’s selection followed within days of Gilbert being named a Jordan Brand All-American on Jan. 15, and he became just the second DeKalb player to be named to both All-American teams, joining former Miller Grove star Tony Parker who is currently playing at UCLA. McDonald’s representatives formally announced Gilbert on Jan. 25 at a ceremony in the school gym. He will play in the All-Star game in Chicago on March 30. “Looking forward to competing against everyone. Everybody who is going to be there Miller Grove High senior guard Alterique Gilbert, is pretty good. I’m just looking forward to showcasing my skills,” Gilbert said, crediting shown with McDonald’s franchise owner John head coach Sharman White and his teamHurd, attends Jan. 25 ceremony in the gym.

mates for helping to get him to this point. Gilbert, who has signed to play with the University of Connecticut, is averaging 20.5 points per game this season to lead the Wolverines in scoring and has 1,882 career points to move past Parker’s 1,723 into second place on the Miller Grove career points list and fourth overall in DeKalb behind former Miller Grove and Georgia Tech standout Mfon Udofia’s 2,419. He also is averaging 5 rebounds, 4 steals and 5.9 assists per game this season. His career averages are 15.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 4.2 steals. “Alterique is the epitome of a student athlete in the way he handles himself on and off the court, in school and in the community,” White said. “It is an honor and pleasure to coach him. He has the best outlook and approach to life in general and to playing the game of basketball.” Gilbert joins St. Francis’ Kobi Simmons as the only two McDonald’s selections from the state this season out of 750 nominees na-

Contest promotes Summer Meals

Cedar Grove students earn ‘coats’

Students, classes and clubs can help create a campaign concept to promote the 2016 Summer Meals Program in Georgia. The deadline for entry submission is Feb. 14. The Georgia Department of Education’s School Nutrition Program is hosting the contest with the goal of building awareness of the program and giving students the opportunity to build their portfolio in marketing, writing, photography, graphic design and other disciplines. Entrants can submit full campaigns, a single campaign element, or several campaign elements. More information, including rules and entry form, is available at SummerMeals.GaDOE.org. The Summer Meals Program provides free, nutritious meals for children up to age 18 at sites throughout the state during the summer. Entrants are asked to create a campaign that is geared toward students, communicating the importance of the

Eight Cedar Grove High Healthcare Science students earned “white coats” in the 2015-2016 Reach One Each One Youth Medical Mentoring Program. The 10-week course, offered by Grady Health System, Morehouse School of Medicine and Emory School of Medicine, took place during the fall semester. ROEO exposes students to issues and careers in the health care field. During the program, Ashiah Roan, Lauren Williams, Jalia Prayor, Tionne Jacobs, Ashley Eugene, Gabriel Pierre, Kyra Vaughan and Ladesha Jenkins Healthcare Science students at Cedar Grove High were placed in various departments receive their first “white coat” at the ROEO Program. around Grady, including emergency through the ROEO program have a 93 permedicine, internal medicine, neuroscicent chance of studying science in college. ence and obstetrics-gynecology. “This program is an investment, and the They also received a $100 EE stock bond from Dr. Derrick J. Beech, senior associate physicians provide a service from their heart and care about the success of the students as dean at Morehouse School of Medicine. Cedar Grove instructor Trinesia Strozier mentorship continues after the program,” said studies have shown that students who go she said.

program and building awareness among their peers. State School Superintendent Richard Woods said the program is critical “because students often rely on the meals they’re served during the school day, then summer Richard Woods begins and those meals are gone.” “It’s unacceptable to us for any child to go hungry,” Woods said in a Jan. 20 statement. “As we work to promote the 2016 program, we want to provide an opportunity that integrates with the curriculum and allows our creative, talented students to gain experience and build their portfolios. The resulting campaign will be by students, for students – and will, we think, help us better reach students in need of summer meals.” The winning entry will be used to promote this year’s Summer Meals Program campaign and featured on GaDOE.org.

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CrossRoadsNews

January 30, 2016