CrossRoadsNews, July 7, 2012 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

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

July 7, 2012

Volume 18, Number 10 www.crossroadsnews.com

1,194 seniors fail to graduate vote 2012

T-SPLOST foes

see campaign

funds dry up By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Jami Ffrench-Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Graduation rates at Towers High School, which failed to graduate 101 of its 240 seniors in 2012, have been on the decline. Countywide, 1,194 seniors in the class of 2012 did not get high school diplomas. Nearly half of them will be back in the fall to repeat their senior year.

One in five DeKalb seniors didn’t get diploma By Jennifer Ffrench Parker and Carla Parker

For DeKalb County Schools’ Class of 2012, more than 1,190 seniors – or one in five – did not graduate. Among the school district’s 27 high schools, only two – DeKalb Early College Academy and DeKalb School of the Arts – graduated all of their students in the senior class. For the rest, 10 schools logged 50 to 206 seniors who got certificates of attendance or will be returning to school in the fall to repeat the senior year. The others had fewer than 50 students who failed to get high school diplomas. School Board members Jay Cunningham, Donna Edler and Dr. Eugene Walker expressed surprise when they learned of

WELLNESS

Expanding services Oakhurst Medical Centers is building a new health center on Memorial Drive to help expand services to DeKalb’s uninsured and underserved. 7

“I want all of our youngsters to graduate and go on to college or go into the world of work prepared.” Dr. Eugene Walker

Walker, who is the board’s chairman, said he was disappointed at the news. “I want all of our youngsters to graduate and go on to college or go into the world of work prepared,” he said. “I am a strong supporter of them graduating with high school diplomas, not certificate of attendance.” The graduation numbers obtained from the school district by CrossRoadsNews show that of 5,932 seniors in its 2012 class, 4,738 received diplomas. In 2011, the district had 5,104 graduates. Among the 1,194 seniors who failed to graduate this year, 423 got certificates of attendance. The remaining 771 seniors were retained. School district spokeswoman Joye Burton

the numbers from CrossRoadsNews last week. They all said they were unaware of the numbers until a reporter called them. “That’s not good at all,” said Cunningham, admitting that he was caught off guard. “We have not been given those numbers yet.” “I am stunned,” Edler said Monday. “I am appalled and I find it unacceptable.” Please see CLASS, page 2

YOUTH

Budding entrepreneurs Brothers Michael and Matthew Jocelyn want a new computer, so they opened a lemonade stand in their neighborhood to help pay for one. 9

Candidates on the July 31 ballot who oppose the penny sales tax for transportation are finding it hard to raise money from businesses that normally stuff campaign coffers. Many candidates said this week that campaign contributions from the business community have all but frozen up. Days before early voting starts on July 9, many candidates said the loss of needed funds to purchase campaign signs, mailers and advertising is the chilling effect from their opposition to the controversial 1-cent Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum that is also on the ballot. The T-SPLOST is seeking to raise $8.5 billion in the 10-county Atlanta region to fund 157 road and transit projects. It will add a second penny tax to the one that DeKalb and Fulton counties have been paying to help fund MARTA for 40 years. Through 2009, the two counties had contributed $7.5 billion to the public transit system. A growing number of DeKalb residents oppose the new tax because south DeKalb County does not get a long-promised I-20 rail line to the Stonecrest area. Last week, candidates hobbled by the dearth of campaign contributions were cutting back on their Please see REFERENDUM, page 5

More changes to serve you better Starting with this week’s issue, Cross RoadsNews returns to a more modular design and will no longer be folded. This new open format allows us to offer you, our readers, a quick glimpse of our most important stories on the cover and inside the newspaper. The open design also allows us to better package preprints from our advertisers, whose business helps us to continue to provide you with a weekly newspaper that is full of news you can use. You can join our national and regional advertisers by putting your preprints in front of our 104,000 readers. To offer feedback on the change, e-mail Jennifer Parker at editor@crossroadsnews .com or call 404-284-1888.

CrossRoadsNews

July 7, 2012

C School Board chairman to look into graduation numbers principal for two and a half years, was O replaced in January by interim principal 2012 senior class at DeKalb County schools JoAnn Williams-West. they will either attend summer school M said One in five, or 1,194 DeKalb Schools seniors, did not graduate this year. Edler thinks the new principal, Donor repeat the 12th grade in the fall. Of the district’s 5,932 seniors, 79.9 percent or 4,738 earned diplomas. The others evin Hoskins, has the leadership skills While the district has been battling got certificates of attendance or will return in the fall to repeat the school year. M budget that will help the school move forward cuts and the indictments of former High School Seniors Graduated Didn’t Graduate and improve. Hoskins was principal in the Superintendent Crawford Lewis Arabia Mountain 268 255 13 U School Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System in and COO Patricia Reid on racketeering Cedar Grove 224 178 46 Charlotte, N.C. other charges, graduation rates have Chamblee 338 324 14 Lakeside High, which had the district’s N and been on a slow decline. The Georgia DeClarkston 169 123 46 largest senior class of 421, graduated 371 partment of Education’s Web site shows Columbia 259 201 58 of its 2012 class. Dunwoody High came in the district’s graduation rate plumI that Cross Keys 164 123 41 second with 331 graduates, and Chamblee meted from 79.2 percent in 2009 and 2010 DeK. Alternative Night 6 0 6 Charter High with 324 had the district’s 58.7 percent in 2011. This year, it’s 79.9 T topercent. DeK.Alternative 9 0 9 third largest graduating class. DeK.Early College Acad. 34 34 0 Lakeside and Dunwoody both had 50 Elizabeth Andrews High in Stone DeK.School of the Arts 55 55 0 students each who did not get high school Y Mountain topped the list with 206 seniors Destiny Achievers Acad. 42 22 20 diplomas. Chamblee had 14 who did not CLASS,

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failing to graduate. Only 57 seniors, or 21.7 percent of its 2012 class of 263, got diplomas. A low graduation rate is nothing new at the nontraditional high school that serves a range of students – from those seeking to make up courses for graduation, to dropouts seeking a high school diploma to pregnant and married students and those seeking to go to college. Last year, only 21.1 percent of its seniors graduated. In 2010, it was 45.5 percent, and in 2009, only 40.8 percent of seniors made the grade. Next in line was Towers High, which failed to graduate 101 of its 240 seniors, and Druid Hills High with 72 and Miller Grove High with 70 seniors who did not earn high school diplomas. At Southwest DeKalb High, 64 seniors in the class of 380 failed to get high school diplomas. At Redan High in Stone Mountain, 60 seniors from its class of 297 did

Druid Hills Dunwoody Elizabeth Andrews Gateway to College Lakeside Lithonia M.L. King Jr. Margaret Harris Compreh McNair, Ronald E. Miller Grove Redan Southwest DeKalb Stephenson Stone Mountain Towers Tucker Total

366 381 263 28 421 266 316 7 149 318 297 380 352 231 240 349 5932

not make the grade. The Department of Education’s site shows that graduation rates have been on the decline at Towers over the past

Community. Fairness. Justice.

294 331 57 6 371 203 272 0 116 248 237 316 307 221 139 305 4738

72 50 206 22 50 63 44 7 33 70 60 64 45 10 101 44 1194

three years. Last year, only 43.9 percent of the school’s seniors graduated, down from 69.5 percent in 2010, and 72.9 percent in 2009. Edler’s District 7 includes Clarkston, Columbia, Redan and Donna Edler Towers high schools. She blames Towers’ low graduation rate on the revolving door of leadership at the Decatur school. Counting the musical chairs this year, Towers has had five principals in five years. “We’ve had a void of leadership there for some time,” Edler said. “We have a lot of challenges to address at Towers, but I think the most appropriate thing is to get leadership there.” This fall, the school will have its third principal in a year. Ken Baker, who was

earn graduation diplomas. Among the South DeKalb-based schools, Southwest DeKalb High led with 316 graduates, followed by Stephenson with 307, and Tucker with 305 graduates. Cunningham said he is ant icipat ing changes going forward because the district will switch to the end-ofterm test instead of the high school graduation Jay Cunningham test and will be putting new emphasis on ninth-graders. “The biggest thing holding back our seniors is the graduation test,” he said. Starting in the fall, Cunningham said that the district will be putting a number of strategies in place to reach and track ninth-graders. “We are going to monitor them and reach out to their parents,” Cunningham said. “We are going to focus on ninthgraders so we can help them before it’s too late.” Edler said she believes the rates will improve because Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson and her staff have put a new curriculum in place. “We haven’t had a focused curriculum here before that looked at where students are and where they should be,” she said. “The new curriculum focuses on remediation and acceleration. It will challenge the students.” Walker said that he will look at the graduation numbers and dissect them to see what is happening. “It is something that I have to look into. This is something we can target and work to improve.”

Workshop to offer farming insights

www.daxfordekalb.com

Beginning and minority farmers and ranchers as well as those interested in careers in agriculture can attend the Multicultural Sustainable Agriculture and Leadership Conference on July 12 in Norcross. The free conference takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Cultural Arts and Community Center. Advance registration is required and lunch will be provided. The sessions will offer an introduction to the agricultural resources available to multicultural producers in Georgia. Participants will learn how to improve their operations by utilizing federal, state and local programs. The session on U.S. Department of Agriculture resources covers programs and eligibility, micro-irrigation, wells, high tunnel houses, pasture management, fencing, and forestry and risk management.

Topics also include Georgia’s urban agricultural programs, organic farming, economics and finance as well as zoning, Extension Service updates, farmers markets and accessibility, and conservation programs. District conservationist Jerome Brown said they have a wide array of confirmed speakers from the USDA, the U.S. Forest Service, Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission and UGA’s Cooperative Extension, among others. A panel of local multicultural small farmers and ranchers will be the luncheon speakers. Visit www.tiny.cc/LBdf2b to register by the July 10 deadline. The Cultural Arts and Community Center is at 10 College St. in Norcross. For more information, call 678-376-9518 or 770-963-9288.

Suspect in death of teen arrested Marcus Ventress, who was wanted in the murder of a Decatur teen is now behind bars. The DeKalb’s Sheriff ’s Office Fugitive Squad and the US Marshal’s Special Task Force captured Ventress, 28, in Columbus, GA Marcus Ventress on July 2. Ventress had been on the run since he was declared a suspect in the May 26 murder of Ryan Guider. The teen’s June 7 funeral at the Victory for the World Church in Stone Mountain was marred by gunfire. During the melee, Carlos Henderson Jr., 19, a friend of Ventress, and

School forum set for July 10 DeKalb residents can meet the candidates for School Board Districts 2, 4, 6 and 8 at a July 10 forum in Atlanta. The free forum is hosted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Maureen Downey, author of the daily blog “Get Schooled.” The candidate meet and greet will start at 6 p.m. followed by the forum at 6:30 p.m. The forum will be at Westwood College, 2309 Parklake Drive, NE, in Atlanta. For more information, visit www.dekalbchamber.org/ event.asp?id=846.

CrossRoadsNews

July 7, 2012

28-year-old Delmetrius Heard shot and killed each other in the church’s parking lot. Investigators at first though Ventress was involved in the church shooting but later said that he wasn’t at the scene. Investigators tracked him to 7100 Cross Tie Drive, apartment 2 in Columbus, where he was arrested without incident at 8:30 pm. Police say Ventress killed Guider in retaliation for burglarizing his home and allegedly stealing jewelry, cash and drugs; and punching his mother. Ventress will be charged with Guider’s murder and aggravated assault for allegedly shooting into an apartment on May 25 in the 5800 block of Treecrest Parkway where he thought Guider lived.

Rockdale think tank to protest T-SPLOST DeKalb residents can join the Rockdale County Think Tank and others to protest the Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum on July 10 in Conyers. The 9-to-10 a.m. protest is organized by the Rockdale Think Tank, the South Rockdale Civic Association president Don Myers, DeKalb NAACP president John Evans, and Unhappy Taxpayers and Voters president Viola Davis. Think Tank foulder and president Josie Dean, said she is encouraging all citizens in the 10-county Metro areas who will vote on the July 31 penny sales tax referendum to vote “no.” “We are tired of being lied to and tired of allowing outside forces to dictate to us how we should spend our money,” Dean said. “Come stand with us as we fight for the future of the 10 counties that will suffer if this vote passes.” The protest will take place at 901 Main Street in Conyers. For more information, contact Josie Dean at josiedean5979@yahoo.com or 770-369-1507.

Church rapist gets two life C sentences plus 115 years O his action.” M She looked straight at the judge The Stone Mountain church and spoke in a strong voice. M rapist is going to prison for the rest “My life was impacted unforgetof his life. tably,” she said. John Russell Carver, Her attacker was about 6 U who brutally beat and feet away on the other side raped a church leader of the courtroom. She never N in February 2011, will looked at him. serve two consecutive life Carver looked down I sentences plus 115 years once and stared straight behind bars. ahead. T Carver pleaded guilty A few sniffles could be on June 29 and DeKalb heard from among the 15 to Y Superior Court Judge Asha Jack- 20 church members in the courtroom By Carla Parker

John R. Carver

son sentenced him on 10 of the 12 counts including rape, armed robbery, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, false imprisonment, burglary and possession of a knife during commission of a felony. Carver had been in and out of prison since 1987. The 53-year-old woman was working alone at St. Timothy United Methodist Church on Memorial Drive on Feb. 26, 2011, when she answered a knock on the door. Carver pushed his way in and attacked her. The church leader, whose name is being withheld, told the judge before the sentencing that she wanted her attacker removed from society. “The only way to assure this is to continue his incarceration,” she said. “There are consequences for

to support her. The victim told the judge that she is continuing therapy. “I pray that God’s healing and grace will be constant in the lives of all of us impacted by these events.” DeKalb District Attorney Robert James said Carver put a knife to the woman’s throat and strangled her until she passed out, then raped her. She suffered permanent hearing loss in one ear and fractures to her face. Carver was identified as the suspect after a positive DNA hit by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. He was in the Fulton County Jail on unrelated charges when he was arrested for the rape on March 7, 2011. James called the attack an “extremely violent and vicious act.” “Hopefully this guilty plea will bring resolve for both the victim of this crime and the community affected by this monstrous act,” he said.

C O M M U N I T Y

CrossRoadsNews

July 7, 2012

DeKalb residents scramble to beat the heat The Browns Mill Aquatic Center has been a popular destination for residents sseeking to beat the record hot temperatures.

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 Carla Parker Jennifer Ffrench Parker Advertising Sales Kathy E. Warner

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By Carla Parker

Heat-challenged adults and kids sought out pools, water parks and air-conditioned buildings to make it through metro Atlanta’s hottest weekend ever last week. Temperatures soared into triple digits on June 30 and July 1, setting and tying a new heat record at 106 degrees. Meteorologists say both days were the hottest days ever in the state of Georgia, at least since they started keeping records in 1878. The new mark breaks the previous record of 105, set in July 1980. Smart DeKalb residents also drank plenty of water. Jean Hendricks of Decatur said she had never seen the temperature this high before. “It was hotter here than in South Georgia,” said Hendricks, who is originally from Albany. Her daughter, Kim Weston, was raised in California and said she never experienced heat like that before. “I’ve been staying inside,” Weston said. Hendricks was at the Browns Mill Aquatic Center with her grandchildren on

July 2 when the mercury hit a high of 99 degrees. The National Weather Service says the heat wave will continue into the 90s through July 9. A heat wave has gripped the nation with temperatures hitting 100 in many cities. Hendricks said she and the kids have been doing everything they can to stay cool. “During the day the kids are playing in the sprinklers, sucking on Popsicles, playing with water guns, and drinking lots and lots of water,” she said. “We’ve also been wearing light clothing.” Heat is the No. 1 weather-related killer in the United States, resulting in hundreds of fatalities each year. The Weather Service says that on average, excessive heat claims more lives each year than floods, lightning, tornadoes and hurricanes combined. The Georgia Department of Public Health is cautioning residents to avoid strenuous outdoor activities and prolonged exposure to the sun. “We are sounding the alarm now and we’re sounding it loudly,” said Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald, the state’s Public Health commissioner. Poor air quality makes the outdoor en-

vironment even more hazardous, especially for small children and the elderly, as well as those who work outdoors or those suffering from certain medical conditions. On July 1, metro Atlanta’s air quality had dropped back to Code Red after being so poor on June 30 that it shot up to Code Purple, which is considered unhealthy levels. DPH said residents must follow safety guidelines throughout periods of extreme heat. The guidelines include:  Stay indoors, in air-conditioned buildings and avoid direct sunlight.  Never leave a child or person in a parked vehicle – not even for a moment.  Limit outdoor activity when the sun is most dangerous from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Bathe in cool water to reduce body temperature.  Drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol or liquids containing caffeine or sugar.  Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.  Check on at-risk friends, family and neighbors at least twice a day. For more information, visit www.health. state.ga.us or call 770-270-0413 or 404294-3700.

Three seek seats on electric co-op board of directors Cheryl Mathis, Ab Roesel, All three candidates share a and Kaye Shipley have qualified platform calling for more transto run against incumbent board parency to EMC decisions, an members at the Snapping Shoals independent review of a proposed Electric Membership Cooperacoal-fired power plant, and protective elections on July 26. tion from rate increases--especially Mathis is a retired business for low and fixed-income families. development expert, neighborMathis said she wants a future hood activist and member of Cheryl Mathis with “abundant, cheap and clean St. Mathew Missionary Baptist energy” for children. Church in Covington; Shipley is a business”I’ve been paying my bill to Snapping woman with experience in the Chemical and Shoals for over 18 years now and would love Healthcare industry; and Roesel is a retired to see an EMC that is more responsive to teacher and former army pilot with experi- its members and forward-looking in their ence in the electrical contracting industry. energy planning,” Mathis said. The election for the utility’s board of The candidacy filings come several directors is July 26 at the Horse Park in months after an election at Cobb EMC that Conyers. Voting begins at 8:30 am and runs saw the entire board replaced by candidates till 11:15 am. seeking a more democratic and transparent Snapping Shoals EMC customers can management at the EMC. also vote via a proxy form. The utility serves Shipley said she wants a transparent some customers in Lithonia. process when it comes to energy decisions

and their predicted costs. “As a board member I’d work to make sure any Snapping Shoals family or business could have answers to these questions and more,” she said. The new board at Cobb EMC voted in February to stop payments and break ties to a proposed coal-fired power plant in Washington County. A report by Georgia Watch, a consumer watchdog, found that the plant could increase electric bills by over $208 a year. Roesel said he’ll take a hard look at the EMC’s energy decisions and what they would mean for rates. “When a consumer watchdog organization finds that the energy decisions your EMC is making could lead to a 16% rate hike you’d expect some serious answers from your EMC Board,” he said. “Instead of an independent analysis proving the need for Plant Washington we’ve gotten the run around.”

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July 7, 2012

Vocal opposition to transportation tax hurts war chests REFERENDUM,

from page

plans and scrambling to pay for mailers to voters in their districts. Edmond Richardson, who is challenging District 6 Commissioner Kathie Gannon, has been vocal in his opposition to the T-SPLOST. He said that promised monies have simply dried up for his campaign. “They tell me that because of my stance on the T-SPLOST and where I stand, they cannot support my candidacy,” he said. “They have told me and other people the same thing, that they can’t support us and that we are messing up our political future by not supporting this sales tax.”

‘There is some truth to it’ The complaint is a recurring theme among elected officials seeking re-election and candidates running for office, who oppose the T-SPLOST because of the absence of the I-20 rail line to Stonecrest. They say contributions from the business community – especially lawyers, engineering firms, architectural firms and the like, who have been reliable contributors in the past – have literally dried up. Supporters of the referendum say it will bring or retain 200,000 jobs to the region and $19 billion in income and offer a 4-to1 return on investment over 30 years. Opponents argue that it’s unfair for DeKalb to pay two pennies and not get I-20 rail to Stonecrest. Regional leaders did not initially earmark any funds for the 1-20 rail, but after an outcry from community leaders, they added $225 million to build five park-and-ride bus stations that MARTA says can be transformed into rail stops in the future. DeKalb Chamber President Leonardo McClarty said that the chamber hasn’t been telling members what to do but that it did pass a resolution in March supporting the T-SPLOST. He said that there have been conversations at meetings, networking events and dinners about the business community’s supLeonardo McClarty port of candidates. “There is some truth to it,” he said. “What it comes down to is, you have to put money in and support the candidates that support you. We didn’t tell our members you shouldn’t support candidates, but I know for sure it has come up.” McClarty said the chamber members will do what is good for their businesses. If the T-SPLOST passes, the private sector will benefit from billions of dollars in contracts for everything from design and construction of the roads to the purchase of buses and trains, among others. Jeff Dickerson, spokesman for the Citizens for Transportation Mobility, which is spending $8 million to persuade voters to approve the referendum, said Thursday that he wasn’t aware of any concerted effort not to fund candidates who are opposed to the referendum. But he said he made the decision not to place any advertising in CrossRoadsNews because of questions posed by Editor Jennifer Parker at a June 11 T-SPLOST forum co-hosted by the newspaper at the Porter Sanford Center. “The nature of the questioning was very stilted and biased,” he said. “There was no balance, and no challenging questions were posed to those against. When

“They tell me that because of my stance on the T-SPLOST and where I stand, they cannot support my candidacy. They have told me and other people the same thing, that they can’t support us and that we are messing up our political future by not supporting this sales tax.” Edmond Richardson, candidate for DeKalb County Commission

we have had unmovable opposition from the media, we do not advertise with them. We have limited resources and I made a unilateral decision not to. We have not advertised with media where it wasn’t going to make a difference.”

Resistance from business sector At a July 2 T-SPLOST forum hosted by Atlantans Building Leadership for Empowerment at First Afrikan Presbyterian Church in Lithonia, DeKalb Commissioner Larry Johnson pointed out that the DeKalb Board of Commissioners voted on Nov. 18, 2008, to continue the MARTA penny sales tax for 40 more years with the provision that “the tax included a fixed-guideway transit extension for the I-20 East Corridor extending from MARTA’s Garnett or West End stations Larry Johnson … to an area in the vicinity of the Mall at Stonecrest in DeKalb County.” Johnson said that DeKalb gave up a $30 million road project on Flat Shoals Road to get the $225 million for the five parkand-ride stops. “It’s all about bringing economic reciprocity to our community,” Johnson said. “It’s all about us staying strong to make sure that a community that has been promised something get what is promised to them.” Johnson, who represents Commission District 3, said that DeKalb’s growing opposition to the T-SPLOST is about good public policy – not politics. “Good public policy will allow you to grow an area that is a true job center that has been left out,” he said. “Every job center that has been created in the metropolitan region, their leaders have made a concerted effort to grow those areas. South DeKalb, it’s our time to grow our area.”

Lee May, who is seeking re-election to Commission District 5, said he began his fund-raising more than a year ago and has done well, but that he, too, has encountered resistance from people who had been supporters in the past. “I have had some people in the business community who are upset with me,” he said this week. “They have not given or are giving smaller amounts. I have also heard that I am hurting my long-term political future by not supporting the tax.” May said he is confident that he is on the right side of this issue. “I refuse to sell out the people of DeKalb County,” he said. “I Lee May know that the people spending $8 million to pass $8.5 billion have a vested stake. DeKalb County has a vested stake as well and we are not receiving any direct benefits from it.” Gina Mangham, who is one of three candidates seeking to unseat May, also is opposed to the T-SPLOST referendum without the I-20 rail to Stonecrest. “Does the word blackball mean anything,” Mangham said. “It would be easier to raise funds if I could support the TSPLOST. If you are against it, they are not giving. It’s like you are being slapped for not playing by the rules.” Mangham said she doesn’t think that it is fair that they are being penalized for taking a stand, but she says she is on the right side of the sales tax issue. “The voters are with me,” she said. “When I meet people, they tell me they are not voting for it either.” State Rep. Pam Stephenson, who is running for re-election, said she was threatened in 2008 when she opposed the Transportation Investment Act that spawned this election’s T-SPLOST refer-

endum. “I am still here,” she said. “I am a DeKalb County resident. I am not one of those people who are thinking of moving. Most people know that I care about the people.” Stephenson, who says she has not held a formal fund-raiser since 2004, said that while funds are not flowing in from the business community, she is doing all right by the voters. “People just sent me money,” she said. “It may be $10 or $25. At the forum at First Afrikan Church, a woman came up and pressed $25 in my hand with a note. On it she wrote, ‘Thanks for standing up for us.’ I am going to keep that note forever. It doesn’t take a lot of money to stay free. It just takes a little courage.” District 4 Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton, who is opposed to the TSPLOST without the I-20 rail project, said she has not been asking for money from the business community and hasn’t heard the refrain directly but has heard from others who have been told that. “I think it’s deplorable that when you as an elected official are voting in the best interest of your constituents, you should be penalized,” she said. Barnes Sutton said that a lot of her supporters are not businesses that would benefit financially from the T-SPLOST, but they don’t want her to support it. “There hasn’t been a money tie-in,’ she said. “They haven’t brought me a check, but they don’t want me to support it. They want the I-20 rail. Let’s go back to the drawing board and do it right.” Steve Bradshaw, one of two candidates challenging Barnes Sutton, said raising money is tough in the current economy. He said he first came out in support of the T-SPLOST but is now re-evaluating his position. “I was for it but now I am thinking it over,” he said. “I have been to a few forums and learned a little more about it.” Bradshaw also said that his constituents are adamantly against the tax. But for now, he said nobody has used it as a leverage to give him money or deny him money. “I think the most push-back is the from the economy,” he said. “People are saying they just don’t have the funds.”

C O M M U N I T Y

CrossRoadsNews

July 7, 2012

Tech workshop to focus Work readiness F on mobile applications series to help

I N A N C E

Extended unemployment benefits to end after July 7

prepare for jobs

DeKalb residents interested in information technology can attend a July 12 forum on mobile applications at the Exchange Park Intergenerational Center in Decatur. District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson is hosting “How to Build an Application” from 10 to 11:15 a.m. It is a follow-up to the Microsoft Technology Forum held earlier this year. The mobile application marketplace is expected to reach $25 billion Larry Johnson by 2015, says World Mobile Applications Market, a U.S.-based market research firm. This would be an increase from $6.8 billion in 2012. Johnson said the projection confirms that technology offers everyone an opportunity to participate in the industry. “The goal of these forums is to provide residents of DeKalb access to information about these opportunities,” he said. “Who knows, we may have the next Steve Jobs in our midst.” The center is at 2771 Columbia Drive. For more information and to reserve a seat, e-mail larryjohnson@ dekalbcountyga.gov or call 404-371-2425.

A Work Readiness Workshops series is under way this month for jobless adults and those who are underemployed. DeKalb Workforce Development is hosting the series to provide work readiness tips and services to help adults secure employment. Sessions include: n Resume Writing from 10 a.m. to noon on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays and from 2 to 4 p.m. on Fridays. n Interviewing Techniques from 2 to 4 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays. n Personal Branding & Marketing: Part I from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays. n Personal Branding & Marketing: Part II from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays. n Networking from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. DeKalb Workforce Development is at 320 Church St. in Decatur. For dates, time and more information, visit www.co.dekalb.ga.us or www. dekalbworkforce.org.

Jobless Georgians getting federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation in Georgia will lose the extended benefits after July 7. EUC was established in 2008 to aid the long-term unemployed. The Georgia Department of Labor announced on July 3 that the state will “trigger off ” EUC’s Tier 4 unemployment insurance program because the state’s jobless rate has declined in the past three months. Georgia’s jobless rate was 9 percent in March but declined to 8.9 percent in April and May. Federal law mandates that a state in which EUC is provided must have a three-month seasonally adjusted unemployment average of 9 percent to remain “on” in Tier 4. The past three months dropped Georgia’s three-month average below 9 percent. As a result of triggering off, the week ending July 7 will be the last week EUC claimants can exhaust Tier 3 benefits and establish Tier 4 eligibility. However, under provisions of the phase-out, claimants who establish Tier 4 by July 8 will be eligible to receive the remainder of Tier 4 either until benefits are exhausted or the EUC program ends on Dec. 29, 2012. For more information, visit www.dol.state.ga.us.

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Stick with ample emergency fund Dear Dave, My husband and I are in pretty good shape financially. We make about $250,000 a year with about $50,000 in the bank and no debt, and we’ve set aside money for our children’s college funds. Currently, we owe $70,000 on our home. I want to use $40,000 of our savings to pay down the house then rebuild our emergency fund. My husband disagrees. What do you think? – Kelly Dear Kelly, You’re right about one thing. You guys are in really good shape financially, partly because of planning and wise choices. The problem I see is this: What if you have an emergency but no emergency fund? You’re living on an income of a quarter million dollars a year, and that’s fantastic, too. But I don’t like the idea of you sitting there with just $10,000 in savings. In your world, $10,000 isn’t much at all. Baby Step 3 of my plan says that you set aside three to six months of household expenses. You guys could cheat a little bit, down to the three month side of things, but I still don’t think $10,000 will cover three months of expenses in your household. In my opinion, $10,000 is too low. But to be honest, $50,000 is probably a little much. I’d look at a number somewhere in the $20,000 to $30,000 range for an emergency fund. Then you could throw the remaining cash at the house. I mean, let’s face it. If you did that, with your income, you could roll up your sleeves and pay off the house by Christmas! –Dave

July 7, 2012

CrossRoadsNews

Oakhurst Medical to build new larger facility By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Oakhurst Medical Centers will build a new health center and administration complex on Memorial Drive to help expand its service to DeKalb’s uninsured and underserved. The federally qualified health center, which has provided medical services to residents lacking health insurance since 1981, will finance the expansion with a $5 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration. Jeffrey Taylor, Oakhurst CEO, said the capital development grant will fund a new, 27,000-square-foot facility that will double the size of its existing 13,500-square-foot facility on Village Drive in Stone Mountain. “This is the biggest expansion for Oakhurst for the last 31 years,” Taylor said. “It expands on our strong commitment to serve the underserved in DeKalb County.” The new facility will be built at 5582 Memorial Drive in Stone Mountain, near the Tupac Shakur Performing Arts Center. Oakhurst will demolish the existing building on the property to build the new accommodations. Taylor said the new facility should open by fall 2013 and it will help Oakhurst increase capacity 50 percent to 75 percent within the next two years. “This will improve access to health care and reduce emergency room visits,” he said. Oakhurst also operates health centers on Candler Road and at Covington and Memorial Drive in Decatur. It provides

Dr. Shaveanda Queen examines a patient during annual back-to-school screenings at Oakhurst Medical Centers, which has provided services to residents lacking health insurance since 1981.

family medicine, pediatrics and ob/gyn services to more than 14,000 adults and children annually. A fourth center is scheduled to open in Conyers in the fall. With the larger Stone Mountain facility and the opening of the Conyers health center, Taylor says Oakhurst will be serving 20,000 clients annually by 2015. Its staff of 15 full- and part-time doctors and nurses is expected to double by that time. Oakhurst is one of 171 community health centers that received $728 million for 398 renovation and building projects from the Affordable Care Act in May. The grants will help build and expand health centers, create jobs, and expand access to an additional 860,000 patients. Oakhurst is one of only two centers in Georgia to get a grant this year. The 2010 Census shows that the five

central and south DeKalb ZIP codes – in Stone Mountain, Tucker and Clarkston – targeted by Oakhurst for the grant have 62,000 residents lacking health insurance coverage. Nationally, the grants will extend access to health care to an additional 860,000 patients. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who announced the grants, said that “President Obama’s health care law is strengthening community health centers.” “For many Americans, community health centers are the major source of care that ranges from prevention to treatment of chronic diseases. This investment will expand our ability to provide high-quality care to millions of people while supporting good paying jobs in communities across the country.”

Documentary W on weight to be screened E L at Sanford L The four-part HBO documentary “The Weight of the Nation” will be N screened July 9 at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center in Decatur as E part of the DeKalb Board of Health’s ongoing efforts to combat obesity in S the county. The screening starts at 7 p.m. and will be followed by a comprehensive S discussion and Q&A session. Participants will receive tips and materials for managing a healthy lifestyle. Among DeKalb adults, 35 percent are overweight and 24 percent are obese. Blacks are significantly more likely to be overweight or obese than whites, the 2010 Status of Health in DeKalb Report shows. A risk factor for diabetes is being overweight or obese. “The Weight of the Nation: Confronting America’s Obesity Epidemic” took three years to make. It features case studies and interviews with leading experts and individuals and families struggling with obesity. The screening will be preceded by a reception at 6 p.m. Space is limited and registration is required at www.OneDeKalb.com. The center is at 3181 Rainbow Drive.

CrossRoadsNews A farmers market and Caribbean festival at First Afrikan Church in Lithonia features music, drawings and kids activities.

S C E N E

Fresh food at Caribbean fest

Local farmers, cultural and food vendors, and fresh produce from First Afrikan Presbyterian Church’s community garden will be featured at the Taste of the Caribbean on July 14 at the church in Lithonia. The farmers market and Caribbean festival, presented in partnership with DeKalb County, takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

There will be music, fresh fried fish, Caribbean food, activities for kids, and drawings for prizes. DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis will make a special announcement. First Afrikan is at 5197 Salem Road. For more information, e-mail fapc@ firstafrikanchurch.org or call 770-9812601.

NBAF awards honor teen artists Aspiring young filmmakers, animators, screenwriters, composers and spoken word artists will be honored at the NBAF’s First Glance Teen Art Awards Show on July 15 at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center at Morehouse College in Atlanta. The red carpet event sponsored by Turner Broadcasting System Inc. takes place from 3 to 5 p.m. Talented artists 13 to 18 submitted their best work to the National Black Arts Festival in five competition categories –

digital/media arts, film, script writing, spoken word, and music composition. Winners will receive up to $500 in cash and prizes and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with professional filmmakers. Admission is free, but pre-registration is required. The Ray Charles Center is at 900 West End Ave. For more information or to register to reserve a seat, visit NBAF. org or call 678-453-8199.

July 7, 2012

Golf tourney benefits Y programs Four-member teams can tee off on July 19 in the South DeKalb Family YMCA Golf Tournament at the Heritage Golf Course in Tucker. The 18-hole tournament, which is in its third year, benefits the Y’s annual giving campaign and funds scholarships for people in need as well as member services, day camp, child care, youth sports, aquatics, and other related programs for children,

families and active older adults. Check-in begins at 7:45 a.m. and the tourney starts at 9. A lunch on the course will be held at 2 p.m. Prizes include longest drive and $10,000 hole-in-one. Golfers will get a T-shirt and Y golf balls. Heritage Golf Course is at 4445 Britt Road. For more information, including sponsorships, visit www.ymcaatlanta.org or call 770-987-3500.

Learn digital photography basics Shutterbugs can pick up valuable tips at “Picture It @ Your Library With Arthur Ratliff – Beginning Photography” on July 14 at the Decatur Library. Ratliff, a Decatur businessman and photographer, will guide beginning photographers through the basic steps of using a digital point-and-shoot camera. Some of the topics covered include parts of the camera, composing your shots, organizing and sharing your photos, and Facebook and Flickr. The session begins at 2 p.m. No experience is required and participants should bring their own camera. Decatur Library is at 215 Sycamore St. in downtown Decatur. For more information, Arthur Ratliff will instruct beginning photographers at the July 14 session. call 404-370-3070.

Poetry, cool jazz at Callanwolde Poetry and music lovers can participate in open mic night and enjoy Jazz on the Lawn concerts at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center this month. Amateur and professional poets can share their work on July 11 as the center celebrates the art and performance of poetry in the Callawolde Library. The program begins at 8 p.m. and the first 10 poets to call and sign up at 404-872-5338, Ext. 228, will read for five minutes. Tickets are $5 at the door. Students with ID, seniors and members pay $3. The Jazz on the Lawn concert series with WABE-FM 90.1 showcases a lineup of classic and contemporary jazz, swing, fusion, Latin and blues under the stars on

the Callanwolde estate. Jazz fans can bring a blanket and a picnic. On July 13, vocalist Vinnie Knight will perform with Bernard Linnette Interactive at 7:30 p.m. Faith – An Eclectic Blend will heat up the night on July 27. Songwriter and jazz vocalist Faith Carmichael leads the fivepiece band known simply as Faith. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Concerts move to the indoor Courtyard if it rains. Parking is free and on-site. Tickets are $10-$20 at http://callanwolde finearts.ticketleap.com or at the door. Callanwolde Fine Arts Center is at 980 Briarcliff Road N.E. in Atlanta. For more information, visit www.callanwolde.org or call 404-872-5338.

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CrossRoadsNews

July 7, 2012

Enterprising brothers sell lemonade to raise funds By Carla Parker

Michael Jocelyn, 8, and Matthew, 5, sell lemonade, cookies, candy and cold water from their M&M’s Lemonade stand in the Hidden Lake subdivision in Decatur.

Eight-year-old Michael Jocelyn and his brother, Matthew, 5, really want a computer. To help pay for it, the brothers created M&M’s Lemonade, their own lemonade stand named for themselves. Michael, a rising third-grader at Lithonia Adventist Academy, and Matthew, who will start kindergarten at the private school, have been selling freshly squeezed lemonade since a couple of weeks before school ended. The weather proved to be quite a bonanza for them, sending them customers, From 3 to 4 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m., the boys also sell Country Time brand lemonade and cookies to their neighbors in the Hidden Lake subdivision in Decatur. Their grandfather, Michael Jackman, built the lemonade stand, and their aunt, Meliscia Jackman, helped them make the cookies and lemonade, and they stay close by while they are conducting business. A 6-ounce cup of ice-cold lemonade goes for 50 cents, and a homemade chocolate chip cookie is 25 cents. Customers also can buy candy for 5 cents and a cup of ice-cold water for 50 cents. Their mother, Sabrina, said that if they don’t raise enough for the computer, they will use their earnings to buy school supplies. Jocelyn said her sons serve 20 to 30 people per day. “So far they have made $120 and that’s not enough to get a computer,” she said. “So, my husband and I will have to buy the computer and they’ll use the money for school supplies.” Most of their customers are neighbors who watched the boys grow up. Their mother said because their customers tend be older, they had to change up the menu a little. “They started selling sugar-free cookies too and the neighbors were happy about that,” she said. With the temperatures being in the high 90s and sometimes reaching 100 degrees, the boys drink plenty of water and eat Popsicles to stay cool. Jocelyn said they enjoyed selling lemonade in the beginning, but their opinions changed last week when the temperature broke the 105-degree mark. “It was hard work for them,” Jocelyn said while laughing. “But overall they are having fun.”

Carla Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Olympian going for more gold Southwest DeKalb High alumnus and gold medalist Angelo Taylor will be heading to London for his fourth appearance in the Olympics on July 27-Aug. 12. Taylor, 33, nabbed a spot on the 2012 Olympic team after finishing second in the 400-meter hurdles at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials in Eugene, Ore., on July 1. He finished with a time of 48.57 seconds. He will go for his third gold in the 400 hurdles, which would make him the first person to do so in the event – surpassing Edwin Moses (1976, 1984) and Glenn Davis (1956, 1960). Taylor won gold in the 400 hurdles at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, and the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He also won a gold medal with the 4x400m relay team in the 2008 Olympics. Taylor is No. 4 in the world and No. 2 in the United States this year Angelo Taylor, a Southwest DeKalb High alumnus, is seeking his third in the 400 hurdles with a best of 48.71 seconds. gold medal in the 400 hurdles.

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Final hearing on plan to raise millage rate DeKalb parents and property owners can have their final say on the DeKalb School System’s proposed millage rate increase on July 9. The DeKalb School Board is hosting its final hearings at noon and at 5 p.m. in the school district’s Administrative and Instructional Complex, 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd. in Stone Mountain. The School Board voted 5-4 on June 21 to raise taxes for the first time in 10 years. Board members are considering a 1-mill rate increase that will cost the owner of a $100,000 home an extra $27.50 more a year. The vote will take place at the board meeting that starts at 6 p.m. If approved, the millage increase would raise $14.8 million in revenues for the school district.

Face lift for gym, field Meadowview Elementary students will see a newly renovated basketball court, gym, and playing field when they return to school in August from the summer break. The Atlanta school and Play Action Sports, Dance and Fitness Studio LLC were scheduled to host a ground-breaking ceremony and a Red and White Flag Football Scrimmage on July 6 to celebrate the establishment of physical activity opportunities and revitalization of the school’s basketball court, gym, and playing field. DeKalb Schools has partnered with the Play Action Sports, the DeKalb Board of Health’s Strategic Alliance for Health program, and the McNair community to upgrade the Meadowview Elementary facilities. The surrounding McNair community also will benefit from the sports partnership that will resurface the school’s basketball court, replace goals, revitalize the playing field, and add protective wall padding in the gym. Stone Mountain-based Play Action Sports also will be providing a variety of sports and exercise classes to the community through this partnership.

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