CrossRoadsNews, July 5, 2014 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

WELLNESS

SCENE

Life-affirming play

Fresh veggies and more

Georgia is among states with the most lightning deaths and injuries. Here are steps to lower your risk of being hit. 7

After her son nearly died in a drug-related shooting, author Vanessa Morgan of Stone Mountain wrote a play about parent-child relationships. 8

First Afrikan Church in Lithonia is hosting its annual “Healthy Food, Healthy Living and a Healthy Community” festival on July 12. 9

Lightning’s deadly strike

SCENE

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

July 5, 2014

Volume 20, Number 10

www.crossroadsnews.com

Stonecrest group wants out of mega East Metro CID By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

From left, James Clausell, Fred Daniels, Trichelle Simmons, Nathan Richardson, and Robert Ragsdale, were elected to the East Metro CID Board on June 20.

disingenuous about the process and has lied to the people,” Dowdy said. “They didn’t listen to dissent. They did not hear our concerns. It’s a failure in the making.” Dowdy said they don’t understand the county’s rush to create the mega CID. “Why are they ramming it through,” he said. “Why the rush to get it Wesley Dowdy done so fast even when they didn’t get the majority of commercial property owners?”

Stonecrest area businesses and commercial property owners are opposed to the East Metro CID that voted in its first board of directors on June 20, and they say they won’t be a part of it. Wesley Dowdy, chairman of the Stonecrest Business Alliance Inc., said the mega CID, which stretches 39 square miles from Gresham Road to Stonecrest along I-20, is ill-conceived, improperly created, too large, did not get the support county leaders anticipated, and won’t serve property owners’ interests. “We believe county government has been Please see ALLIANCE, page 3

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Blasting at wastewater plant damages homes Residents report collapsed floors, sinkholes, more By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Deanna Fleming thought she was in an earthquake when a huge blast rocked her Lehigh Boulevard home in June 2013. The blastings at the DeKalb Snapfinger Wastewater Plant caused her deck to separate from her house and other damage.

Deanna Fleming was in her kitchen on June 10, 2013, when her three-bedroom, twostory home began to shake violently. Fleming, 72, who had lived in California for eight years, said she immediately knew what it was. “I thought it was a 6.7 earthquake,” she said. “There was a hard jolt and the house started to shake.” Calls to her neighbor across the street soon set her straight. The shaking that separated the deck from her Lehigh Boulevard home, left her solarium hanging without a floor, and caused a series of sinkholes in her back yard was the result of blasting being done by county contractor Desmear Systems Inc. She was not the only one who was afJennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews fected. Homeowners in her Chapel Hill neighborhood and in the Riverbend subdivision along Dogwood Farms Road also county’s creeks and the South River. A large puddle of water from complain about cracked walls, ceilings and When the expansion is completed, the broken pipes driveways; decks, stairs and steps that have plant will be able to process 54 million galstands in front of lons of waste water a day. separated from their homes; and sinkholes Denise DeBurst in the yards. Work began on the expansion in July Gines’ home on They all say the damage, which the 2012. The blasting started in spring 2013 Dogwood Farms county has acknowledged with settlement but was halted on Sept. 20, 2013. Phase 2 Road. offers to some homeowners, was caused by was scheduled to start late spring 2014, but the $755 million expansion to the Snapfinger hasn’t started. Wastewater Plant located on 140 acres off Scope of project Flakes Mill Road. On May 30, 2012, Tucker-based Desmear The plant is about a mile from the Systems, which is now in litigation with the residents who have suffered damage to their county, signed a $7.6 million contract to property. clear, grade and blast rock in the area desThe expansion of the Snapfinger Wasteignated for the new waste-water treatment water Plant is one of the largest in DeKalb’s plant. $1.35 billion Capital Improvement Program The Snapfinger plant, which was built in 1983. Since then, population growth has It had 240 days to complete the work with that is making improvements to the county’s water and waste-water system. There are 82 in 1963 with a capacity of 2 million gallons undermined its ability to keep up and there a day, was expanded to 36 million gallons are regular sewer overflows and spills into the Please see BLASTS, page 5 other CIP projects.

CrossRoadsNews

2014 Family &

Back to School in partnership with....

DeKalb County Solicitor-General Sherry Boston

July 5, 2014

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Lower Level, The Mall at Stonecrest Exhibitors

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CrossRoadsNews

July 5, 2014

Community

“They did not listen to dissent. They did not hear our concerns. It’s a failure in the making.”

Two voter forums set for July 15 Voters can learn more about the candidates in the July 22 runoff at two forums in Decatur and Lithonia on July 15. The six DeKalb School Board candidates seeking the districts 3, 4 and 5 seats will appear at a Collaborative Forum hosted by the DeKalb NAACP, the DeKalb County Council of PTAs, DeKalb Seniors Inc., the Organization of DeKalb Educators, the DeKalb Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women, and CrossRoadsNews from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Gallery at South DeKalb. The forum takes place on the stage near the DeKalb Tax Commissioner’s Office. The mall is at 2801 Candler Road in Decatur. From there, the School Board candidates will join DeKalb sheriff and state school superintendent candidates at a Voter Empowerment Collaborative’s forum at First Afrikan Presbyterian Church in Lithonia at 5197 Salem Road.

Copper thieves hit libraries again

It takes place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. In the District 3 School Board race, incumbent Michael Erwin is facing businessman Atticus LeBlanc. For the District 4 seat, incumbents Karen Carter and Jim McMahan are facing off because of redistricting. In District 5, incumbent Thad Mayfield is facing private school founder Vickie Turner. In the race for sheriff, incumbent Jeff Mann is facing former DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones for the office. State school superintendent candidates in the Democratic runoff are state Rep. Alisha Thomas Morgan and former Decatur City Schools School Board Chair Valarie D. Wilson. Republican candidates are Michael L. “Mike” Buck and Richard L. Wood. Early voting, which started June 30, is under way weekdays 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the DeKalb Elections Office, 4380 Memorial Drive in Decatur, through July 18.

Days before the Redan-Trotti Library was to reopen after theft of copper tubing from its air conditioning units closed it for over a month, thieves struck again on June 26. Hari Karikaran, DeKalb’s director of Facilities Management, said workers had just completed the repairs to the units when the thieves came overnight and took the copper tubing again. “I am very mad about this,” Karikaran said. “I have got to keep these libraries open.” The library in Lithonia was first hit on May 30. It was the second library to be attacked twice since the string of copper thefts began May 8. The Wesley ChapelWilliam C. Brown Library, which was hit on May 21, reopened on June 17 and was vandalized again two days later on June 19. Eight other buildings, including the Flat Shoals Library and the Community Achievement Center in Decatur and the Redan Recreation Center in Lithonia, all county buildings, also were vandalized by the copper thieves. Copper tubing also was stolen from air conditioning units at a number of area churches, including Hillcrest Church of Christ and Green Pastures Christian Church in Decatur and Antioch AME Church in Stone Mountain. DeKalb Police believe most of the thefts are the work of one or two individuals who have been recorded on security videos. Police have yet to catch them.

Implemented CID much smaller than proposed, yielding less revenue ALLIANCE,

from page

The CID created May 13 by the DeKalb Board of Commissioners is Phase 1 of the mega CID first announced in March. It is a shadow of the original proposal. In the original proposal, organizers said that for it to fly, they needed 636 property owners to sign on. They got 203. Instead of 1,250 commercial properties yielding annual revenues of up to $2.4 million, it has 400 parcels with assessed value of $146 million. To push ahead despite the lukewarm reception, the county now says the mega CID will be implemented in phases. In a Community Improvement District, commercial property owners tax themselves 2 to 5 mills annually to improve infrastructure, transportation, public safety and beautification. With those funds, the CID can often leverage up to 10 times more in funding from local, state and federal governments. Based on the 2013 tax digest, the consent-

ing members’ properties will yield the CID revenues of $176,047 at a 3 mill rate and $293,413 if set 5 mill rate. In contrast, when the Stonecrest Alliance was pursuing its own CID in August 2013, the area’s assessed value – including the 1.3 million-square-foot Mall at Stonecrest – was $182.8 million with projected revenues of $365,758 at 5 mills. Without the mall, the area’s assessed value was $130.9 million with projected revenues of $261,938, just slightly less than the much larger East Metro CID’s projected first-year revenues. Both Stonecrest and Wesley Chapel property owners were pursuing individual CIDs before the county incorporated them into the all-encompassing East Metro CID. The property owners who signed up for the East Metro CID are sprinkled across the 39 square miles. Dowdy said it does not make sense to have a CID with so few owners spread out over such a wide area. “It’s not a contiguous area,” he said. “One of the main reasons for a CID is to provide

security. You cannot have adequate security to cover 39 miles.” At a June 20 caucus, 20 property owners elected QuikTrip’s Nathan Richardson, Citizens Trust Bank’s Fred Daniels, Kaiser Permanente’s Robert Ragsdale, attorney Trichelle Simmons, and Decatur CPA James Clausell to the board. The board elected Daniels as its chairman and had to decide on the millage rate to be advertised in the legal organ to meet a July 8 tax commissioner’s deadline. The board voted to advertise a 3 mill rate and to meet on July 8 at 7:30 a.m. to vote. Dowdy, a partner at Duke Hospitality, which owns the Hyatt Place and Fairfield Inn & Suites, a small retail strip center, and vacant land at the Turner Hill Road exit, says Stonecrest area commercial property owners made their concerns known to the CID’s formation board headed by Doreen Carter and to interim CEO Lee May and were ignored. At the May 27 DeKalb Board of Com-

missioners meeting, Dowdy told commissioners that they and interim CEO Lee May appointed “yes men and yes women” to the CID formation board, and its chairperson Doreen Carter then hired ex-felon Michael Hightower to lead the effort to sign up property owners. “They did not take their responsibility seriously and they did not think about the mega CID critically so that it could be successful,” he said. Dowdy also pointed out that Carter does not own any commercial property in DeKalb County and had “no stake in the game.” Last week in the wake of the new CID board election, Dowdy said Stonecrest property owners favor individual Community Improvement Districts for each area with their own boards. He said the East Metro CID that is being created by the county will do more harm to South DeKalb. “It is going to fundamentally hurt our businesses,” he said. “We are not going to take this sitting down.”

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 Cherie Esteves Billing Clerk Kelli Ffrench-Parker 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.

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“Whatever their politics, economic status or ethnic backgrounds, people really care about their kids’ education.”

“I have spent 12 years as a legislator fighting for Georgia’s children. I understand public policy and how to work with lawmakers to meet the needs of all Georgians. I am the only candidate (including the Republicans) who has the experience in the legislature.”

“As State School Superintendent, I will work with students, parents and teachers to develop a meaningful public schools funding formula. I will work with those same allies to examine curriculums to be certain our children can compete in a global economy upon graduation.”

Alisha Thomas Morgan

Valarie Wilson

Bridge the gap between Decatur’s success can be education, opportunities replicated across Georgia I am running for state school superintendent because I have a sense of urgency to dramatically improve our education system. I’m a proud mom of a second-grader in Cobb County Public Schools, and this is personal to me. All of Georgia’s children deserve a quality education, and I have the skills, relationships and experience to get the job done. I will work tirelessly to support our system and I will stop any effort to dismantle or privatize a system that has served many of our students well. There are a number of key programs that can improve our education system. However, my primary focus will be on supporting effective teachers. Teachers spend countless hours with our children, opening their minds to learning, discovery and achievement. Our children represent our hopes and dreams for the future, and they deserve the best education that we can give them. Teachers play a significant role in how we deliver a good education to students. Outside of the home, teachers are the difference between a student achieving or failing. I am a staunch supporter of Georgia’s teachers and we need to do more for them. While I have the commitment to deliver a dramatically improved education system for Georgia, I also have the experience, relationships and skills to implement sustainable solutions that help all of Georgia’s children succeed. I have spent 12 years as a legislator fighting for Georgia’s children. I understand public policy and how to work with lawmakers to meet the needs of all Georgians. I am the only candidate (including the Republicans) who has the experience

in the Legislature. I have a track record of passing laws and working with the state department and state board to implement laws at the local level. In order to be successful, this experience is critical. I understand how critical it is to bridge the gap between our education system and the jobs and opportunities that our students will compete for in the future. The jobs of both today and tomorrow value education more than ever. Without a dramatic change of course, Georgia’s students will struggle to compete for college and careers. I won’t allow that to happen. I also have a great deal of experience managing education programs. I currently serve as an adviser to the U.S. Department of Education. I successfully passed legislation to keep our most effective teachers in classrooms, and I have supported efforts to protect after-school programs. While my opponent cut millions of dollars from the budget of the City Schools of Decatur that eliminated vital after-school and foreign language programs, I fought against budget cuts to school districts. Georgia’s children need a superintendent who will invest in their future, not one who will pull back funding for essential programs. I am a proud Democrat who will implement and support educational programs that help all of our children. Our students, parents, educators and community members deserve a state school superintendent who has the courage to put them first.

Quick Read

Reach into our communities and you’ll find parents, students and educators working together to improve their schools. Despite enormous obstacles – often put in their path by Georgia legislators – these passionate people have made real strides on behalf of our children. I have spent the last 20 years trying to make a difference in public education. I served for 12 years on the City Schools of Decatur School Board. For seven of those years, I chaired the board and was later appointed to a statewide position by the governor. I’m privileged to have played a role in one of our state’s most notable education success stories. Decatur City Schools have enjoyed a remarkable turnaround. But that’s not where we began. When I joined the board in 2002, our student population had shrunk to 2,100. Seven elementary schools were draining operating funds away from our middle and high schools. Morale was low. Decatur’s reforms didn’t come easily. But they didn’t require a magic formula either. We concentrated on the basics. We had one thing going for us: Whatever their politics, economic status or ethnic backgrounds, people really care about their kids’ education. Georgia’s contribution to operating our schools has dropped dramatically. Legislators – including my opponent in the Democratic runoff – voted to cut education spending. Despite the state cuts, many schools have managed to hold the line on property tax rates. But many other systems were forced to take such drastic steps as furloughing and shortening school years. This is not acceptable.

Education reform isn’t a slamdunk. It’s complicated. What works for a large suburban system like Gwinnett may not work in poor rural systems, like the one I attended as a child in southeast Georgia. The core principles of effective change are universal. It requires treating students, parents and teachers with respect. It demands thoughtful, steady, independentminded leadership – with a deep commitment to education. That kind of leadership is desperately needed. I believe the problems that existed in Decatur – and our turnaround success – can be modeled across the state. Georgia has been shortchanging its children for too long. As state school superintendent, I will work with students, parents and teachers to develop a meaningful public schools funding formula. I will work with those same allies to examine curriculums to be certain our children can compete in a global economy upon graduation. I will work with Georgia’s Legislature to dig into their district funding so they can make the best possible policy decisions on education that would reduce class size, improve teaching outcomes and student achievement. I believe that we must welcome parents to the table and treat educators with respect. We must be open to new ideas but stick to the core principle that children come first. We can convene the community in an honest search for solutions. I’d like to have the opportunity to bring about meaningful change for our public schools – for our children and for our families. I hope you will partner with me to do that.

Stonecrest group wants out of Thieves hit libraries again 3 Precautions can help reduce mega East Metro CID 1 Days before the Redan Trotti Library was the odds of lightning strike 7 Stonecrest area businesses and commercial property owners are opposed to the East Metro CID and they say they won’t be a part of it.

Blasting at wastewater plant damages homes 1 Deanna Fleming was in her kitchen on June 10, 2013, when her three-bedroom, two-story home began to shake violently.

Two voter forums set Circulation Audited By

July 5, 2014

Voters can learn more about the candidates in the July 22 runoff at two forums in Decatur and Lithonia on July 15.

to reopen after theft of copper closed it for over a month, thieves struck again.

Influx of students nudges jobless rate up

Metro Atlanta’s unemployment rate climbed to 7.3 percent in May as new graduates and students out for the summer flooded the job market.

Eligibility for mortgage help extended 6 Struggling homeowners still may qualify for mortgage assistance from HomeSafe Georgia.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers precautions to take to lower your risk of being hit by lightning.

Jazz concert at Callanwolde 8 Blues jazz artist Diane Durrett is bringing her soulful vocals to Callanwolde’s Jazz on the Lawn on July 11.

Fresh produce, culture at First Afrikan festival 9 Fans of fresh produce from the farm and handmade cultural items will find plenty of both at the 2014 First Afrikan Community Festival on July 12 in Lithonia.

index to advertisers Cade-Hill Insurance Agency Inc - State Farm.11 Candler Pharmacy.......................................... 7 Dee Knows Phones........................................ 11 DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court......................9 Earth Canvas Painting.................................... 11

Fabric Joint, LLC............................................. 11 Friends of Thad Mayfield................................ 5 Georgia Health Services Network................... 7 Georgia Piedmont Technical College.............. 7 Higher Calling Ministries................................ 11

Johnson Hopewell Coleman LLC.................. 11 Norman Davis............................................... 11 Quenon Smith............................................... 11 Savannah State University............................... 5 The Dazzling Gems Majorette / Drill Team.... 11

The Law Office of B.A. Thomas..................... 11 Vanessa Morgan, Author................................ 8 Wells Fargo..................................................... 3 Best Buy Co. Inc......................................Inserts Walmart..................................................Inserts

July 5, 2014

Community

CrossRoadsNews

“What if I sign this and my house decides to shift left or right. What happens then?”

County settles claims with some residents, others left in dark BLASTS,

from page

a penalty of $1,000 a day for each day after that, that the work remained incomplete. The homeowners in Dogwood Farms, Riverbend and other subdivisions along Dogwood Farms Road said the blasting took place three to four times a week between May and September 2013. Most of them were not notified about the blasting. They said the June 10 blast was the biggest one. “Water was just spewing everywhere,” Fleming said. “My pipes were broken, my neighbor next door, that one across the street, up the street and done the street.” DeKalb County won’t confirm anything about the blasts, but its Web site said that claims for Phase 1 damages had to be filed by Dec. 20, 2013, with a turnaround time of 45 to 60 days from filing to resolution. Among frequently asked questions posted on its Web site, Watershed Management said that there is no appeals process for homeowners. Pauline A. Andrea, DeKalb Watershed Management’s communications and public relations manager, said they were unable to say how many homeowners were affected, the cost of the property damage, the number of settlements and outstanding claims. “Due to ongoing negotiations with Snapfinger Phase I blasting claimants and the Desmear issue being in the pre-litigation phase at this time, we are unable to provide you with responses to questions 1-10 at this time,” she said in a June 27 email. Residents provided CrossRoadsNews with a list of 18 homeowners affected by the blasts. Some received settlement letters from the county with a May 30 acceptance deadline. Some have taken the offers, others have not, and some like Fleming say they have not received any offers. Watershed Management’s Web site said that only homeowners within 1,000 feet of the blast were notified because blasting was to be controlled within 750 feet. It said geological studies have been conducted and more studies are under way. It said that Desmear Systems has a bond. “The insurance policy will be pursued until the job closes out,” it said.

Standing water Denise DeBurst Gines travels a lot for her job as an interviewer for the History Makers and wasn’t home on June 10 for the big jolt, but a year later, a large puddle of water stands in front of her home. “The frogs think it’s a pond,” she said. “They Denise Gines make so much noise at night it is difficult to sleep.” Now with summer’s hot weather, she also is worried about the water becoming a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Inside the garageshe converted into a library, the concrete floor has ruptured into large cracks and she has some broken windows. Gines said the water is still standing in

Anita Metts had to shore up the deck to her Dogwood Farms Road home after tremors caused by county blastings regularly shook her house last year. She also had cracks and sloping floors.

her front yard because she doesn’t have the $1,400 to $1,600 plumbers tell her it would cost to replace the pipes. Her water bill also has escalated from about $90 every two months to $890 last month. “At first I didn’t understand why,” she said. “It must have been leaking underground before it came to the surface.” Gines said the water started showing up in her front yard about October. By December, she ruined two pairs of shoes when she got stuck in the muddy grass around her front steps. Now she carries her good shoes to her car. “I don’t even like to go outside anymore,” she said. To get to her front door, visitors have to give a wide berth and pick their way gingerly through the wet muddy grass. The county sent an adjuster to her home days before last Christmas, but an offer didn’t come until May. Gines said she signed to accept the $4,777 knowing that she will not be able to sue or get any more. She has yet to receive the check. Tasha Metts, whose two-story home at 3837 Dogwood Farms Road shows cracked bricks from the ground up at her garage door, is one of the few who received a letter early last year notifying her that there would be blasts in the area. She said she was told that every thousandth homeowner was notified. At her parents’ home, a half-mile up the street, their deck left the wall, their ceiling cracked, and their once-level living room floor now slopes right after the June 10, 2013, blast. Her mother, Anita Metts, dropped a water bottle on the floor to demonstrate. “See, it just rolls down the slope,” she said. “It didn’t used to be like that. We have to be careful how we walk on it now.” Metts, 57, said she and her husband, Richard, 60, built their two-story home in 1987 from the ground up, raised their four children there, and have kept it up over the years. They did a major remodeling in 2006. She too thought it was an earthquake when the June 10, 2013, blasting shook her house and water spewed into her yard from a broken underground water main. “My father-in-law’s photo fell off the wall and cracked,” she said. Metts said she is now concerned about the structural integrity of her home. “Is my house safe,” she said. “I don’t plan

Thank you for your vote May 20th and your commitment to nd in the success of our children. Please vote again on July 22nd the runoff to make sure that we continue to move forward.

on going anywhere soon. But now I don’t know if my house is safe anymore.” The Metts family hired a contractor to reattach their deck to their house and add an extra support beam. On May 20, the county offered her a settlement of $871.80. Metts did not accept it by the May 30 deadline. She said she wants a structural engineer to look at her house and make sure it is still sound. “What if I sign this and my house decides to shift left or right,” she said. “What happens then?” Fleming, who complained to the county on June 17, 2013, said she hasn’t heard anything and was not among the homeowners who got settlement letters. Maurice Cooper, who lives on Bucknell Drive, and Jesse Etheridge, who lives on Prentise Drive, both got settlement letters. Neither of them responded. Cooper, who has lived in his house for 30 years, has a cracked driveway and cracks

in his walkway, walls and ceiling. He said his offer from the county was $1,900. “I have one estimate for a little over $3,000,” he said. “They are not even close to that. Now they are telling us that they are getting ready for Phase 2 blasting.” Cooper, a retired middle and high school teacher, said he is upset over the whole process. “Nobody told us there was going to be blasting,” he said. “If this was Cobb or Gwinnett County, someone would have said something. Anywhere else, this would not have even been a problem.” Etheridge said the stairway to his basement moved about two feet from the wall and there are cracks in his hallway and the walls of his kitchen and bedroom. He has not accepted the $3,600 offer from the county. He said he didn’t know there was blasting going on in the area. “I feel like the process is flawed,” he said. “When I first felt the seismic vibrations, I contacted the county and no one could tell me nothing. They referred me to the fire marshal. I called and left several messages and no one responded.” Etheridge, a retired customer service manager, said calls to the office of District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson, who represents the area, also were not returned. “It doesn’t make me feel good about the county responding to its citizens,” he said. At a Nov. 21, 2013, presentation to the community, which is posted on www.dekalbwatershed.com/PDF/2013_10_01_snapfinger_project_update.pdf, the county said its communication initiatives included regular meetings with community block captains and door hangers distributed to homeowners within 3,000 feet of the project.

Finance Influx of students nudges jobless rate up Metro Atlanta’s unemployment rate climbed to 7.3 percent in May as new graduates and students on summer break flooded the job market. It was 6.5 percent in April and 8 percent a year ago. In DeKalb County, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits was 2,432, up 120 or 5.2 percent from 2,312 in April. In May 2013, it was 3,634. The metro Atlanta jobless rate increase was seasonal as new graduates entered the labor force looking for full-time work, while other students searched for part-time summer jobs. The labor force rose by 24,421, up to 2,752,814 in May from 2,728,393 in April. Local area unemployment data are not seasonally adjusted. Georgia labor market data are available at www. employgeorgia.com.

2014 Apex Award seeks business nominations Business owners who run exemplary small companies and other enterprises can be nominated now through July 18 for the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce’s 2014 Apex Small Business & Champion of the Year Awards. Winners will be recognized for their hard work, revenue growth, business development and contributions to the community. Categories include businesses with revenue of $1 million to $5 million, $5 million to $10 million, and $10 million to $20 million; Emerging Business of the Year; Youth Initiative Award; Community Workforce Award; and Small Business Advocacy Award. The awards program takes place Aug. 20. For rules, qualifications and nomination forms, visit dekalbchamber.org. All nominees must submit a completed application packet by July 18. For more information, contact Noelle Lloyd at nlloyd@ dekalbchamber.org or 404-378-8000, Ext. 224.

CrossRoadsNews

July 5, 2014

“Helping homeowners avoid foreclosure and remain in their homes is important to families and communities.”

Eligibility for mortgage help extended Struggling homeowners still may qualify for mortgage assistance from HomeSafe Georgia. U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson says the eligibility requirements have been expanded from 18 to 24 months for homeowners who are unemploye d or underemployed Hank Johnson through no fault of their own, and those who have suffered a medical hardship, a death in the family or a military hardship also can qualify for assistance. Johnson said his office is working with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, which runs HomeSafe Georgia, to get the word out about the program in the 4th District, which includes parts of DeKalb County. HomeSafe provides temporary assistance to homeowners who are able and willing to work but have suffered

a substantial income loss due to involuntary unemployment or underemployment. In 2011, Georgia received $340 million from President Barack Obama’s “Hardest Hit Fund,” which operates as HomeSafe in Georgia, to help unemployed homeowners avoid foreclosures. Johnson said that since 2011, nearly 1,000 homeowners in the 4th District have been approved for HomeSafe Georgia. They received $18.3 million in relief, more than any other congressional district in Georgia. Since 2009, Johnson’s office has helped more than 1,700 residents deal with pending foreclosures of their homes. Foreclosures across metro Atlanta are at their lowest level since 2002. Carmen Chubb, Department of Community Affairs deputy commissioner for housing, said communities benefit from the program as well as

54 in new Leadership DeKalb class Fifty-four established and emerging leaders are participating in Leadership DeKalb’s Class of 2015, which starts in August. During the 10-month program, members will participate in full-day program sessions, community service projects, and police ride-alongs. They will have a half-day session on “Integrity & Ethics” and a combination of History Day with BLOOM, an arts and culture initiative. They will graduate on June 15, 2015. The class includes corporate and nonprofit CEOs and managers, community organizers, county and university officials, and attorneys from across the county. For more information, visit www.leadershipdekalb.org or contact EmilyYang@leadershipdekalb.org or 404-373-2491.

homeowners. “Helping homeowners avoid foreclosure and remain in their homes is important to families and communities,” she said. “By expanding the pool of eligible applicants Carmen Chubb and continuing to work closely with mortgage servicers, our goal is to help even more Georgia citizens avoid foreclosure.” Johnson said he wants everyone, regardless of their situation, to understand how to save their home from foreclosure. “Don’t give up,” he said. “See this process through. We want everyone to have access to the help they need to stay in their homes.” For more information, visit hankjohnson.house.gov or homesafegeorgia. com.

Stonecrest group seeks answers from county The Stonecrest Business Alliance is hosting a public meeting on July 9 to get answers from the county on a number of issues and concerns. Wesley Dowdy, alliance president, says that Doug Stoner, managing director of the DeKalb Development Authority, will speak to the group. Members are seeking answers about the roadway conditions at Evans Mill, exit beautification and a Stonecrest police substation. The meeting starts at 9 a.m. at the Fairfield Inn & Suites at 7850 Stonecrest Square in Lithonia.

CrossRoadsNews

July 5, 2014

Wellness

“People often wait far too long to head to safety when a storm is approaching, and that puts them in a dangerous and potentially deadly situation.”

Precautions can help reduce the odds of fatal lightning strike Georgia is among the top 10 states with the most lightning deaths and injuries, and the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers precautions to take to lower your risk of being hit. Lightning is one of the leading causes of weather-related fatalities. Even though the odds of being struck by lightning are 1 in 500,000, some factors can put you at greater risk. People who work outside or are engaged in outdoor recreational activities are at greater risk of being hit. Regional and seasonal differences also can affect your risk of being injured by lightning. June, July, and August are the peak months for lightning activity and outdoor summer activities across the United States. As a result, a National Weather Service study of lightning deaths since 2006 found that more than 70 percent occurred during these months, with Saturdays and Sundays having slightly more deaths than other days of the week. The consequences of lightning strikes are serious. Nationally, it caused an average of 35 deaths per year between 2003 and 2012. Georgia, which had 17 deaths in that period, is ranked No. 5. Florida, with more than 2,000 lightning injuries over the past 50 years, is considered the “lightning capital” of the country. The other states with the most lightning deaths and injuries are Alabama, Colorado, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The National Weather Service, operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, says that 64 percent of lightning deaths since 2006 occurred while people were participating in leisure activities. Fishing topped the list at 26 deaths, followed

Most of the fatal lightning incidents between 2006 and 2013 occurred in July; nearly twothirds – 64 percent – of the lightning fatalities occurred during leisure activities.

by camping with 15 deaths; boating, 14; soccer, 12; and golf, eight. Others were struck while participating in a number of other leisure activities like enjoying the beach, swimming, walking and running, riding recreational vehicles, and picnicking or relaxing in their yard. Between 2006 and 2012, 82 percent of people killed by lightning were male. John Jensenius, the National Weather Service’s lightning safety specialist, says that when people think of lightning deaths, they usually think of golf. “While every outdoor activity is dangerous when a thunderstorm is John Jensenius in the area, outdoor activities other than golf lead to more lightning deaths,” he said. “NOAA has made a concerted effort to raise lightning awareness in the golf community since we began the campaign in 2001, and we believe our outreach has made a huge difference since lightning-related deaths on golf

courses have decreased by 75 percent.” Jensenius said the large number of lightning deaths while fishing, camping and boating may occur because these activities require extra time to get to a safe place. “People often wait far too long to head to safety when a storm is approaching, and that puts them in a dangerous and potentially deadly situation,” he said. Prior to the lightning safety campaign, lightning killed an average of 73 people each year in the United States. Since the National Weather Service launched the campaign, the average has dropped to 37. Here are some tips to protect yourself outdoors when lightning is close by: n If the weather forecast calls for thunderstorms, postpone your trip or activity. n When thunder roars, go indoors. Find a safe, enclosed shelter. n The main lightning safety guide is the 30-30 rule. After you see lightning, start counting to 30. If you hear thunder before you reach 30, go indoors. Suspend activities for at least 30 minutes after the last clap of thunder.

TRANSIT MANAGEMENT

n If no shelter is available, crouch low, with as little of your body touching the ground as possible. Lightning causes electric currents along the top of the ground that can be deadly over 100 feet away. n Stay away from concrete floors or walls. Lightning can travel through any metal wires or bars in concrete walls or flooring. Being indoors does not automatically protect you from lightning. In fact, about one-third of lightning-strike injuries occur indoors. Here are some safety precautions to take indoors: n Avoid water during a thunderstorm. Lightning can travel through plumbing. n Avoid electronic equipment of all types. Lightning can travel through electrical systems and radio and television reception systems. n Avoid corded phones. However, cordless or cellular phones are safe to use during a storm. n Avoid concrete floors and walls. For more information, visit www.cdc. gov/features/lightning-safety/index.html.

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CrossRoadsNews

Scene

July 5, 2014

“Children must understand there are consequences for bad behavior and the sooner they learn that, the better off they will be.”

Near tragedy inspires mother to write life-affirming play By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Vanessa Morgan, a Stone Mountain author, poet and playwright, was driving home from the hairdresser on March 6, 2009, when her phone rang. At the other end of the call was a social worker from Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. “She told me my son Malik had been shot and I was to come to the hos- Vanessa Morgan pital as soon as possible,” she said. A shocked Morgan headed to the hospital with lots of questions. There she learned that he was shot about 3 p.m. at the Chevron station at the corner of Redan and South Hairston roads in Stone Mountain, about six miles from their home on Stephenson Road. The shooting was drug-related. “I knew he was hanging around with the wrong people but I was in denial,” she said. “I didn’t want to believe that he was doing that.” Malik, then 23, was shot twice in the abdomen. His mother said one of the bullets ricocheted through his body and destroyed one of his kidneys and damaged the other as well as other internal organs and his spine. “He was in surgery for five hours,” she recalled. “He was in a medically induced coma for three weeks. It was horrible.” Malik survived but is paralyzed from the waist down. He now uses a wheelchair. Morgan said it was a big wake-up call for her family, and she was left wondering how did this happen to her son who grew up in the suburbs in a middle-class neighborhood with two parents in the home. “I thought my son was exempt from a life of crime living in a nice neighborhood, but I was wrong,” she said. “After much discussion with Malik, I realized something. As parents we have to keep a close eye on our children. The outside world sometimes has more influence on our kids than we do. We have to get to know the people our kids hang around and their parents. And most importantly, we have to see our kids for who they are and not who we want them to be.” After the shooting, she began telling parents to ask an adult, teacher, family friend or someone they trust and who spends time with their child to give them a “reality check” on them. “What do you think about my child?” she asked. “Is she/he a good person? The

Vanessa Morgan (right) offers directions to the cast during rehearsal for “Finding My Happiness,” a two-act play coming to the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center July 25-26. Her son, Malik, [in wheelchair] inspired the play and acts in it.

answer may not be what you want but at least it will be a starting point for any necessary changes. “Like some African-American young men, he had hopes of becoming a rapper and started hustling [selling drugs] to support himself,” she said. “I know a lot of the popular rappers have supported themselves selling drugs until they get a record deal. So many of our young men have followed this pattern and are attracted to a ‘gangster lifestyle’ because it looks glamorous from the outside. But the reality is the lifestyle has some really intricate consequences. Some people escape unharmed while others die, go to jail, or sustain irreversible injuries both physically and mentally.” Morgan said that her son began going astray while in high school. “He was out of school a lot but the school wasn’t notifying me,” she said. “I only found out at the end of the semester.” After the shooting, Morgan began talking to other mothers and parents about keeping tabs on their kids and always knowing where they are. She said the pain of the shooting was too much for her to express verbally, so she

Vanessa Morgan Presents

Finding My Happiness

A Play in Two Acts

Prepare for an emotional rollercoaster ride as the actors deal with real life situations in the search to find their happiness. In the end love conquers all. Come out and spend the evening with us and happiness will find you!

July 25 & 26

Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center 3181 Rainbow Drive • Decatur, GA 30034

Tickets are $15 and must be purchased in advance. Tickets available at www.vanessalmorgan.com

started writing. “It was therapeutic for me,” she said. She penned three books – “I Go Hard,” which tells about her family’s journey after Malik was shot; “DazeD,” a collection of poems and short stories; and “Mothers-Sisters/ Daughters-Friends,” about eight women and their friendship. “Finding My Happiness,” a two-act stage play based on “I Go Hard” and “MothersSisters/Daughters-Friends,” will be staged at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center in Decatur on July 25 and 26. Malik, a poet and rapper, is now 28. He is playing himself and will perform “Thankyou Jesus,” a Christian rap he co-wrote with his mother. In the first act, songstress Valda Poole Harrison will sing the play’s theme song, “Finding My Happiness,” written by Morgan. The cast of 18 confronts many of the issues facing young people and their families. It includes Morgan’s friends and relatives and has been rehearsing since January, The play tells the story of a young man who sells drugs and has a criminal record, struggling to find his way in the world, and the choice he makes after encountering Malik

in a wheelchair and hears his story. Morgan says the play will take the audience on an emotional roller-coaster ride as the cast deals with real-life situations in their search for happiness. She said parents want the best for their children and when there is a pattern of bad behavior, it must be acknowledged and dealt with. “Children must understand there are consequences for bad behavior and the sooner they learn that, the better off they will be,” she said. “The penal system has no tolerance for people who break the law. Taking up for them when they get in trouble especially at school is only setting them up. Parents can save their children if they balance love with discipline.” When she shared her story with parents, Morgan found out that it was unique. With “Finding My Happiness” she hopes to share it with many more parents and young people. Tickets are $15 each and available at www.vanessalmorgan.com. Tickets will not be sold at the door. The Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center is at 3181 Rainbow Drive in Decatur.

Jazz set at Callanwolde lawn concert Blues jazz artist Diane Durrett is bringing her soulful vocals to Callanwolde’s Jazz on the Lawn on July 11. Music lovers can get comfortable with a blanket and a picnic for the 7:30to-9:30 p.m. concert under the stars. Durrett, who has opened shows for Tina Turner, Faith Hill and Delbert McClinton and has sung with Sting and the Indigo Girls, brings a blend of raw soulful vocals, passionate tones and strong original songs to the stage. In case of rain, the concert will move into Callanwolde’s indoor courtyard. Callanwolde is at 980 Briarcliff Road N.E. in Atlanta. Parking is free. For tickets and more information, visit http://callanwolde.org or call Diane Durrett has opened shows for Tina Turner, Faith Hill and Delbert McClinton and has sung with Sting and the Indigo Girls. 404-872-5338.

CrossRoadsNews

July 5, 2014

Scene

There will be nutritious food, garden/trail tours, health screenings, demonstrations and performances. Farm-grown fresh produce and other goods will be available at First Afrikan Church’s annual “Healthy Food, Healthy Living and a Healthy Community” festival.

Maya Angelou’s works to be read at Decatur library The heart-stirring work of the late poet laureate Maya Angelou will be read on July 15 in “The Horizon Leans Forward: A Maya Angelou Tribute” at the Decatur Library. Local poets and writers will read poems and passages from Angelou’s work starting at 7:15 p.m. The performance, presented by Poetry Atlanta and Charis Books and More, is free and open to the public. Angelou died May 28 at her home in Winston-Salem, N.C., at age 86. The program is part of the Georgia Center for the Book’s Festival of Writers. The library is at 215 Sycamore St. in downtown Decatur. For more information, visit www.dekalblibrary.org or call 404-370-3070.

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Fresh produce, culture at First Afrikan festival Fans of fresh produce from the farm and handmade cultural items will find plenty of both at the 2014 First Afrikan Community Festival on July 12 in Lithonia. The “Healthy Food, Healthy Living and a Healthy Community” festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the church campus. There will be nutritious food, garden/trail tours, health screenings, demonstrations and performances.

Legal Notices 6/14,6/21, 6/28, 7/5

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV5631-7++ Princetta Sumner filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on May 30, 2014, to change the name from: Princetta Edward to Princetta Sumner. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after he Petition was filed. Dated: May 30, 2014 Princetta Sumner Petitioner, Pro se 2670 Kelley Chapel Rd Decatur, Ga 30034 (404) 444-6120 6/14. 6/21, 6/28, 7/5

Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County

State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV3591-3++ Hopic S. Long Plaintiff Vs. Kelia D. Willis Defendant By Order of the Court for service by publication dated May 30, 2014 you are hereby notified that on April 1, 2014 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Legitimization. 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: Hopic S. Long, 3766 Memorial Drive, Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of May 30, 2014. Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 2nd day of June, 2014 6/14. 6/21, 6/28, 7/5

Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court

of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV5697-4++ Benita Wynn Plaintiff Vs. Nicolas Ngom Defendant 3641 Berry Parkway, Apt 12-B Kennesaw, GA 30249 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated June 4, 2014 you are hereby notified that on _____2014 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Benita Wynn, 2051 Flat Shoals Rd SE, Apt O-10, Atlanta, GA. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of June 4, 2014 Witness the Honorable Gail C. Flake, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 2nd day of June, 2014 ,6/21, 6/28, 7/5, 7/12

Notice of Petition to

The church’s Tamba Issa Dancers will perform and there will be an Afrocentric fashion show, a Children’s Village, storytelling, puppet show, yoga and Zumba as well as live performances by Mauseki Scales & the Common Ground Collective featuring Akua Taylor, Tina H. Baze, and the Calabash Alley Masqueraders. Bring lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy the concert. Sponsors include BrownTown Marketing,

Change Name of Adult in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV5631-7++ Yasima Smith filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on June 17, 2014, to change the name from: Yasima Smith to Yasima Anderson. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after he Petition was filed. Dated: June 17, 2014 Yasima Smith Petitioner, Pro se 1491 Kilmuir Way Stone Mountain, Ga 30083 (404) 246-9761 6/28, 7/5, 7/12, 7/19

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV5518-3++ Quianna Baynes-Vann Plaintiff

Publix, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Kaiser Permanente, and Sweet Potato Café. For vending space and sponsorships, contact Claudette Tolson at 773-593-6673 or ayodeleshaihi@yahoo.com or Mawakana White at 770-940-1830. First Afrikan Church is at 5197 Salem Road. For more information, visit http:// firstafrikanchurch.org or call 770-9812601.

Vs. Tyrence Vann Defendant 4415 Memorial Dr. Decatur, GA 30032 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated June 18, 2014 you are hereby notified that on June 6, 2014 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is2447 McAlpine Terrace Unit A, East Point, GA 30344. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of June 18, 2014 Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 19th day of June, 2014 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV6027-9++ Kimberly Renee Hayes Plaintiff Vs. Orrin Michael Skeete Defendant 54 Le Parc Fontaine, Bldg 15 Lithonia, GA 30038 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated June 26, 2014 you are hereby notified that on June 24, 2014 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce without minor children. 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 100 Leslie Oaks Drive, Bldg 2301, Lithonia, GA 30058. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of June 26, 2014 Witness the Honorable Mark Anthony Scott, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 25th day of June, 2014 7/5, 7/12, 7/19, 7/26

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV5945-9++ Shannon DeJesus Plaintiff Vs. Jose DeJesus Defendant 1774 Lexington Ave New York, NY 10029 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated June 26, 2014 you are hereby notified that on June 12, 2014 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is Shannon DeJesus, 3381 Dogwood Pass, Lithonia, GA 30038. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of June 26, 2014 Witness the Honorable Mark Anthony Scott, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 26th day of June, 2014

CrossRoadsNews

Youth

July 5, 2014

“United States Achievement Academy students should be congratulated and appreciated for their dedication to excellence and achievement.”

$3 million grant to help improve school leadership DeKalb Schools TV The DeKalb School District has a $3 million grant from the Wallace Foundation to help improve the instructional leadership skills of its principal supervisors and regional superintendents. The grant, announced June 24, is intended to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools with the provision of more effective instructional support to school-level leaders. It is part of Wallace’s new five-year, $30 million national Principal Supervisor Initiative involving urban school

districts across the country that is helping to shift the focus from bureaucratic compliance to principals’ performance. In DeKalb, the grant will help finance the cost of instructional training and increasing the number of regional superintendents to reduce the number of principals they supervise. DeKalb currently has five regional superintendents and each oversees an average of 27 principals. Decentralizing authority, redirecting funding from the central office to the school-

house, and redefining the role of regional superintendents are key components of DeKalb Superintendent Michael Thurmond’s plan to improve academic growth and achievement. Thurmond said it will be “a gamechanger” for the school system. “We are honored to have been selected by the Wallace Foundation to participate in this ground-breaking initiative,” he said. For more information, visit www. dekalb.k12.ga.us.

Marbut student earns national science recognition Justin Whitening of Stone Mountain, who attends Marbut Elementary Traditional Theme School, is a United States Achievement Academy student of excellence in science. Justin, the son of Victor and Jacqueline Whitening, was nominated by his teacher, Lisa Suber. His name will appear in the academy’s official yearbook, which is published nationally. Dr. George Stevens, founder of the academy, said the recognition is prestigious. “Recognizing and supporting our youth is more im-

portant than ever before in America’s history,” Stevens said. “Certainly, United States Achievement Academy students should be congratulated and appreciated for their dedication to excellence and achievement.” The academy recognizes students upon the exclusive recommendation of teachers, coaches, counselors, and other qualified sponsors. Selection qualifications include academic performance, leadership qualities, attitude and cooperative spirit. It has recognized outstanding students and faculty for Justin Whitening more than 30 years.

on mobile devices

DeKalb Schools’ PDS-TV24 has gone mobile and is now available 24 hours a day on an Android or iOS device. PDS-TV24 programming – including live programs such as Board of Education meetings – can be viewed on tablets or cell phones anywhere there is an Internet connection, the district announced on June 2. The upgrade offers greater convenience as well as greater quality than the previous Web streaming solution, the district said. PDS-TV24 is an educational access channel operated by the DeKalb School District. Its purpose is to educate and inform audiences about the students, programs and services of the district and to provide enhanced learning opportunities for students and staff. The district serves nearly 100,000 students and 137 schools and centers and has more than 13,400 employees. Students and parents speak more than 140 languages and represent over 160 nations. For more information about PDSTV24 programming, visit www.dekalb. k12.ga.us.

McNair grad gets Bradford scholarship Felicia Jenkins of McNair High is going to Gordon State College in Barnesville this fall with a $1,000 Bradford Family Scholarship. She was awarded the inaugural scholarship in May and plans to major in biology and become a doctor. Jacklyn Bradford said the scholarship went to Jenkins because she had worked hard in high school and exemplified leadership and commitment to the community. Bradford said her sons, Eddie Bradford Jr. and Eric Bradford, who both graduated from McNair High with honors, funded the schol-

From left: Kim Jenkins, Felicia’s father; Felicia Jenkins; Lauryn Seegars, college Adviser, Georgia College Advising Corps; Jacklyn Bradford of “The Bradford Family Scholarship” Fund, and McNair High School Principal Loukisha Walker.

arship to give back to their alma mater. Eddie, who graduated from McNair in 1999, is a certified public accountant. Eric, a member of the school’s 2001 class, is a senior programmer analyst with Bastion Technologies, a contractor for NASA in Huntsville, Ala. Bradford Scholars must have a 3.0 GPA or higher and write a 250-word essay explaining how the scholarship will help them have a successful college career. For more information, call Jackie Bradford at 770-314-6906.

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

CrossRoadsNews

July 5, 2014

People

“When [Rocky] started barking the subject would just get down on the ground and we’d take him into custody.”

K-9 Officer Rocky remembered by partner for stellar service By Ken Watts

Sgt. Rodger Lacy and K-9 Officer Rocky were partners for four years. The dog died June 2.

Sgt. Rodger Lacy is as tough as they come. But the six-year member of the DeKalb Sheriff ’s Office gets choked up when he talks about Rocky, his partner and canine friend of four years. Rocky, a 7-year-old Belgian Malinois, was euthanized on June 2 after painful complications from a heart murmur, enlarged prostate and hernia. Lacy said he will miss him. “His loyalty was unmatched.” he said on June 30. “Rocky loved his job and liked people, but he was absolutely aggressive. He didn’t like anybody messing with me or him, so he was a great protector and he was even that way with my wife and my kids.” Lacy and Rocky began working together in 2009 when they were paired for eight weeks of narcotics detection at the Kasseburg Canine Training Center near Huntsville, it wasPlease joinsuspects us in extending our condolences to the best,” he said. “And he was easy to get to surrender. Ala. The highly trained canine law officer “He neverJ.E.S. had to bite anybody and neverR. Lacy Team Sergeant Rocky was similar in appearance to a caused any injury because he knew when and could sniff out drugs anywhere and inon the passing of his longtime friend and partner German shepherd but slimmer. His breed is when not to go into action,” he said. “When timidate crime suspects into surrendering known for its alert, watchful and intensely he started barking, the subject would just without a struggle. DeKalb Sheriff’s K-9 “Rocky” protective nature. They did several Operation Street Sweeps, get downCounty on the ground and we’d take himOfficer For the next four years, he and Lacy were into custody.” an anti-prostitution sting, and assisted on inseparable. With Rocky at his side, Lacy said narcotics searches with the U.S. Marshals Rocky was Lacy’s third canineServices partner. Funeral

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Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Lacy said they also helped on drug sweeps at the DeKalb Jail. Instead of boarding Rocky in a kennel, Lacy took him to his McDonough home every day after work. The tough police dog quickly bonded with his wife, Tarje, and their four children ages 1 to 17. When Rocky died, Lacy’s kids took it hard. “But they saw how he was suffering and they know that he’s in a better place,” he said. The Sheriff ’s Office paid tribute to K-9 Officer Rocky on July 2 in a public memorial service at Oak Rest Pet Gardens in Bethlehem, Ga., where he is buried. Lacy said he thought about cremating Rocky and burying his ashes at his home. “But after talking it over at the office, we decided to hold the service because Rocky touched so many lives,” he said. As he grieves over his loss, Lacy said he hasn’t yet decided whether he’ll accept a new K-9 partner or opt for reassignment. “That’s up to the Sheriff ’s Office whether they want to move forward with getting a new dog,” he said. “But this hit me so hard I’m not sure if I want to go through that

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