WELLNESS
SCENE
YOUTH
Help is a mere text message away for new moms and moms to be with text4baby, a program that is helping fight infant mortality. 7
As we celebrate the nation’s 234th birthday, leave the fireworks to the pros and keep yourself, the kids and the pets free of injuries. 8
Temperatures are soaring and hot autos and kids are a deadly mix. That’s why the Board of Health is reminding parents to never leave their kids alone inside a car. 9
Text for help
Copyright © 2010 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
Happy Fourth of July
July 3, 2010
Kids and cars
Volume 16, Number 10
www.crossroadsnews.com
Sparks fly at first forum attended by all Democrats Connie Stokes, Vernon Jones and Congressman Hank Johnson at the June 26 forum hosted by the Rockdale Democratic Party in Conyers.
Carla Parker / CrossRoadsNews
By Carla Parker
is where do my opponents work?” Stokes is the DeKalb County District 7 commissioner, but Jones, the former DeKalb County CEO, who has been out of office since Dec. 31, 2008, is unemployed and has been campaigning full time. Johnson told the audience of 100 people at the JP Carr Center that he has been in Washington taking care of the residents of District 4. “Everyone knows my record and what I have done,” he said. “You may disagree, you may agree, but the record is clear. The other candidates will tell you what they’re going to do, but you can look at my record and see what I have done. There is a big difference.”
All three Democrats running for the 4th Congressional District seat in the July 20 primary finally sat down at the same table for debate last Saturday. Incumbent Hank Johnson made his first appearance at a June 26 candidate forum and took his seat next to challengers Vernon Jones and Connie Stokes at the Rockdale County Democratic Party forum in Conyers. And he met the criticisms about his elusiveness head-on in his opening remarks. “Recent reports have been, ‘Where is Hank Johnson? Where is he and is he sick?’” he said. “You can’t be at two places at one time, right? See, I’ve been up in D.C. working for you. And I think the big question is, Please see DEMOCRATS, page 5
DeKalb honors boy’s life with anti-gunfire campaign By Carla Parker
Holiday revelers who like to celebrate the Fourth of July with gunfire are being asked to stick to just fireworks this year. The request comes from county officials and a grieving mother seeking to honor the memory of a small boy who was shot to death by a stray bullet on New Year’s Eve night while sitting on a church pew. Four-year-old Marquel Peters of Lithonia died in the early hours of Jan. 1 after a 44-caliber bullet barreled through the roof of the Church of God of Prophecy in Decatur and pierced his skull during a Watch Marquel Peters Night service. The shooter, whom investigators believe was a New Year’s reveler, was never identified. At a June 28 news conference, Marquel’s mother, Nathalee Peters, joined DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis, Public Safety Director William Miller and other county officials to launch “Marquel’s Pledge: Stop Celebratory Gunfire” – a campaign to discourage people from shooting guns to celebrate holidays. Ellis, the father of 5-year-old boy and girl twins, said he is still saddened by Marquel’s senseless and tragic death. “But I am also proud that in honor of his life, we are making a commitment to end celebratory gunfire in our county,” he said. As part of the campaign, Miller said the county is discouraging the sales of bullets leading up holidays and working to educate residents about the dangers of firing guns into the air, and it will work with state lawmakers to create stiffer penalties for people who do it. In DeKalb, shooting guns to celebrate the holiday – especially July Fourth and New Year’s Eve – is quite common. On July 3, 2009, Miller said the DeKalb
CEO Burrell Ellis, with Nathalee Peters at his side, announces campaign to end celebratory gunfire. Commissioner Jeff Rader is at right.
Carla Parker / CrossRoadsNews
“I encourage all citizens to tell everyone what happened to Marquel and urge them to join with us and stop celebrating with guns.” William Miller DeKalb Public Safety Director
Police Department received 127 calls about celebratory gunfire. On the night Marquel was killed, the department received 212 calls. Miller said those calls probably just scratched the surface of what actually took place. “Sadly, I’m convinced that there were many other incidents like this than what was reported, but what has probably happened is
that people have gotten use to it or desensitized,” Miller said. To kick off the campaign, DeKalb County is asking ammunition dealers to refrain from selling bullets on the days leading up July Fourth, New Year’s Eve, and other holidays. It also is working with citizens, neighborhood groups, community organizations, churches and businesses to educate their neighbors and family members about the dangers of celebratory gunfire and to refrain from the dangerous practice. So far, seven businesses have taken Marquel’s Pledge and have agreed to limit or not sell ammunition July 1- 4. Moreland Pawn Shop in Atlanta and LG Guns in Chamblee committed to not selling
ammunition between July 1 and July 4. Candler Road Pawn Shop in Decatur, the Gun Store in Doraville, Palmer Tactical in Tucker, Tucker Gun in Tucker, and Lithonia Pawn in Conyers have committed to selective ammunition sales. In Georgia, anyone involved in celebratory gunfire faces charges of reckless conduct or discharging a firearm, which are both misdemeanors and carry a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a $1,000 fine. During the news conference, Ellis, Miller, Peters and others signed the pledge not to fire guns to celebrate the holidays. Miller said that as a young man, he used to shoot guns in celebration but stopped because “it didn’t feel right.” Please see MARQUEL, page 4