WELLNESS
BACK TO SCHOOL
BACK TO SCHOOL
With summer’s heat beating down upon us, health officials remind us to drink plenty of water and be on the lookout signs a loved one may be suffering from heatrelated illness. A9
All over the East Metro, parents and students are preparing for school by getting immunizations, buying clothes and stocking up on school supplies. See valuable tips in our Back-to-School guide. Section B.
Back to school season offers an opportunity to teach kids how healthy foods like fruits and vegetables can be tasty, too. B6
Drink up in hot weather
Copyright © 2010 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
Summer break winding down
July 24, 2010
Healthy meals aplenty
Volume 16, Number 13
www.crossroadsnews.com
Decisive Frolicking in the polluted South River wins for Johnson, Watson “The stream is polluted. Being in the water could make you sick.”
By Jennifer Ffrench Parker and Carla Parker
coming to the river from as far away as Henry County. DeKalb District Five Commissioner Lee May said Thursday he would see what can be done to discourage access to the river. “I didn’t know all that was going on,” he said. “That’s a public safety issue.” On July 16, there were families from Lithonia and Decatur, as well as a group of young people from Stockbridge armed with big tubes for floating down the white waters rushing over huge boulders in the river. All were oblivious to the condition of the river – considered one of Georgia’s nastiest because of combined sewer overflows from
Congressman Hank Johnson will take on Republican challenger Liz Carter in the fall, and former state Rep. Stan Watson will take the Super District 7 seat on the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners in January. Both candidates won convincingly in the July 20 primary. Johnson beat back challenges from former DeKalb CEO Vernon Hank Johnson Jones and Commissioner Connie Stokes with 55.2 percent of the vote. Jones got 26.4 percent, and Stokes received 18.4 percent. Carter won 54.9 percent of the Republican vote, followed by Larry Gause with 25.3 Stan Watson percent, Victor Armendariz with 10.1 percent, and Cory Ruth with 9.7 percent. Surrounded by more than 200 jubilant Fourth District supporters, Johnson said he will continue to represent them with integrity. “I will continue to do what’s right,” he said. “I am not done fighting yet, not by a long shot. I am going to keep fighting for what’s right even when it is not popular. I am going to keep working with our great president, President Obama, to move this country forward. My record is clear. It’s clean and it’s strong and I am going to continue to run proudly on my record. I am going to keep on fighting and I am going to keep on winning and I am going to deliver for the people of the 4th District.” Stokes told her disappointed supporters to cheer up. “Don’t act like anyone died,” she told them. “It’s all good. Somebody has to lose. It’s a part of the process and I clearly understand the process.” Jones, who called to congratulate Johnson, said he is not done in politics but that it’s too early to tell what his next move will be. “The final chapter certainly hasn’t been written for Vernon Jones,” he said. Watson, who was favored to win the seat, said he is going to start attending
Please see SOUTH RIVER, page A9
Please see PRIMARY, page A2
Photos by Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
A small boy submerges himself in the waters of the South River, oblivious to the high levels of fecal coliform bacteria that live in the river, which is downstream from two DeKalb County and two city of Atlanta sewage treatment plants. Fecal coliform can cause stomach illnesses.
No signs warn revelers of dangers in water By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
Families and children who have been frolicking in the South River at Panola and Snapfinger roads are bathing and playing in one of the state’s most contaminated rivers. In the three weeks since the newly constructed 2.4-mile South River leg of the Arabia Mountain Trail opened, hundreds of adults and kids have been sliding, tubing and bathing in the waters that are downstream from DeKalb County’s Snapfinger Wastewater Treatment Plant and the city of Atlanta’s South River and Intrenchment waste water treatment plants. On Friday evenings, the sandy banks of the river come alive with families lighting up grills and playing music while their children wade in water that is contaminated with fecal coliform and PCBs. Susan Salter, who manages the state’s Impaired Waters list for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, said Tuesday that all 14 miles of the South River that run through DeKalb County are “impaired” and full of fecal coliform and PCBs. “Fecal coliform is a bacteria that lives in the intestines of human and other warmblooded mammals like dogs and birds,” she said. “Its presence is an indication that there is fecal contamination in the water. The stream is polluted. Being in the water could make you sick.” Gordon Cargle, a DeKalb Board of Health Environmental Health Department
Families, including a woman with a small baby, gather on the sandy bank while others romp in the South River at Panola Road near the Snapfinger Road bridge.
program manager, said people who bathe in water contaminated with fecal coliform are at risk for a number of bacteria and viruses that cause diarrhea and stomach illnesses. Cargle said the list includes E. coli, giardia, shigella, norovirus and crypto. “They resemble food-borne illnesses and people often think they have eaten something bad, but it is actually the water they have been bathing in,” he said. Crowds of adults, teens and children began flocking to the site after the parking area for the South River Trail opened on the banks of the river late last month. With no signs warning them not to bathe and fish in the river – and the inviting sound of water beckoning them – people have been
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CrossRoadsNews
Community
July 24, 2010
“I’ve been on the tax commissioner website trying to find the owners of the property in our community, and I couldn’t do it. The information is vague.”
Residents support crackdown on owners of foreclosed property By Carla Parker
A DeKalb ordinance to hold owners of foreclosed properties accountable for their upkeep has a lot of support from residents. At a July 19 public hearing hosted by DeKalb Super District 7 Commissioner Connie Stokes, residents from across the county lined up to speak in favor of the legislation sponsored by Stokes. Brenda Pace, president of the East Lake Terrace Neighborhood Association, said the law is long overdue and should also include rental properties. “Those landlords are missing,” she said. “I know because I did the rental property research in my area. These are homeowners who are renting these properties out and creating this problem.” The proposed ordinance is limited to foreclosed and abandoned properties. If approved, it would hold the owner of the deed liable for maintain the property. They would be required to register the property with the county and maintain the property or face fines. Property owners would be fined $1,000 per day, per property if they did not register. Calvin Sims, a Stone Mountain resident, said that he is in support of the ordinance because of problems he has faced trying to locate information on the owners of the foreclosed or abandoned properties in his subdivision on Redan road. “I’ve been on the tax commissioner website trying to find the owners of the property in our community, and I couldn’t
Brenda Pace, president of East Lake Terrace Neighborhood Association, and other speakers line up to express their frustration trying to track down and deal with owners who allow foreclosed properties in their neighborhood to deteriorate.
do it,” he said. “The information is vague.” Stokes said foreclosure is a major problem in the county and code enforcement is the number one complaint from residents living near abandoned properties. The county’s mid-year report for 2010 shows 1,961,894 foreclosures, filings, and default notices; an eight percent increase in total property from this time last year.
Georgia ranks eight in the nation in foreclosures and DeKalb County ranks among the top three counties with the highest rate of foreclosures. RealtyTrac, which track foreclosures nationally, said the county currently has 13,903 foreclosed properties. Stokes said those homes remain vacant for months, sometimes years. “This is really a serious situation,” she
said. “From decreased value, we have increased homelessness and crime, and decreased quality of life. So, foreclosure affects everyone.” The BOC is set to vote on the Foreclosure Registry Ordinance at its July 27 meeting. For more information or to share your opinion, visit www.conniestokes.org or call 404-371-3053.
House 94 candidates in runoff PRIMARY,
from page
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Board of Commissioners meetings immediately. “But we are also going to continue to meet with our community to see what things they want and to make sure that we take care of them,” he said. Watson, who served in the state Legislature for 10 years and left his seat in 2008 to run for DeKalb CEO, said two years ago that he did not know where he would go. “We ran a clean race,” he said Tuesday night surrounded by about 50 supporters. “This is your victory, the people’s victory.” In the House District 94 seat vacated by Randal Mangham, attorney Dar’shun Kendrick and Rhonda Peek will face each
other in the Aug. 10 runoff. Kendrick got 35.9 percent of the vote to Peek’s 27.4 percent. Attorney Sherri Washington came in third with 22.9 percent and Andrew Bostic got 13.8 percent. Incumbent state Reps. Billy Mitchell and Earnest “Coach “ Williams held onto their seats. Mitchell retained his District 88 seat with 72.92 percent of the vote to challenger Simone Joye’s 27.08 percent. Williams kept his District 89 seat with 63.98 percent of the vote over his challenger, the Rev. Kenneth Samuel, who got 36 percent of the vote. In DeKalb, voter turnout was light with only 23.28 percent, or 80,755, of the county’s 346,900 registered voters casting Hank Johnson celebrates with supporters following his primary victory over former CEO Vernon Jones and County Commissioner Connie Stokes on July 20. ballots.
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stood on the side of these working Jobless Georgians who lost families today,” he said. their unemployment benefits could Late Thursday, Georgia Labor start getting checks again as early Commissioner Michael Thurmond as July 30. said the checks will start flowing Congress approved a six-month again as soon the President signs extension of emergency jobless the law. Thurmond said eligible benefits for the long-term unemindividuals will be those who had ployed Thursday. The Senate passed remaining weeks of benefits when the measure on Wednesday. President Barack Obama said Michael Thurmond the law expired on June 2. “Claimants who have exhausted all weeks he will sign the law that will revive a program that provides up to 99 weeks of income of eligibility will not benefit from the new support to those who have exhausted state legislation,” he said. Fourth District Congressman Hank benefits. It will restore aid to 2.5 million people who lost the benefits when the pro- Johnson, who voted for the measure, said gram expired June 2. Republicans, including helping unemployed workers is not just the both Georgia Senators Saxby Chambliss and right thing to do for people, but it helps spur Johnny Isakson, opposed the measure, and the economy. “Republicans are eager to give held it up in the Senate for seven weeks. Dur- the wealthiest Americans a tax break to the ing that time, 7,000 jobless Georgians a week tune of $700 billion and not pay for the cuts, but they are unwilling to afford the same lost their benefits. In a statement, Obama said that Ameri- benefit for working Americans,” he said. DeKalb’s unemployment rate was 10.5 cans who are working day and night to get back on their feet and support their families percent in June. Thurmond said those who may be in these tough economic times deserve more than obstruction and partisan game-playing eligible for the benefit extension, should that happens too often here in Washington. monitor www.dol.state.ga.us for up-to-date “I thank the members of the Senate who information.
July 24, 2010
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CrossRoadsNews
July 24, 2010
“When I got attacked, Billy came to my defense, and he was punished for doing so.”
Billy McKinney taught me how to live, love, cry Former state Rep. Billy McKinney (second from right), father of former 4th District U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney (right), died July 15 after a long battle with cancer.
Editor’s Note: Here are excerpts from former 4th District U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney’s speech at the funeral of her father, former state Rep. Billy McKinney. Thank you all for being here with us today to honor my father and to “help” all of us who knew and loved him manage our collective grief. It’s funny how I never believed that it would come to this. You all know that Billy was larger than life. He was honest, smart, street-wise, pensive, yet playful. That’s why I can say without a doubt that Billy taught me how to live…. Much to my father’s chagrin, there are so many people in our community who pass their days just marking time instead of making a difference. Billy knew that it was within our capacity to materially change our conditions, if we would only do what is required, and somehow, he transmitted that faith in our fellow human beings to me and taught me to be free. My father also taught me how to love. Through this journey with my father, I’ve learned to appreciate the African and Asian views of love – that its touch is so deep to our core as human beings, that it is unquantifiable, it is undefinable, and it is what helps to give us core and value and depth and meaning – when we find it. ...
Came to my defense I learned to love my community because every action in my father’s being showed me how to do that. I learned to love humanity because I saw my father grow in his own attitudes and admit that he was wrong about gays and apologize to them in 1996 when he saw their dedication to me after I was forced into a bruising legal battle to remain in Congress, and it was only the white gay community in Atlanta that would cross the racial “Maginot” line that is Candler Road out in Decatur and come into my campaign headquarters and fold letters and stuff envelopes and answer phones
and do whatever was necessary to help me win re-election in a vastly redrawn district.... My father loved people. He sacrificed too much in the way of personal wants and his family sacrificed, too, because his focus wasn’t on only us, it was on his beloved community too. ... But he has been unfairly smeared by special interests in this town who want to preserve their interests at the expense of yours. And my father was not about to sacrifice your interests. In my father, you had a protector and I know you all know that. And so, when the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and other aspects of the pro-Israel lobby in this country, including their supporters right here in Georgia, targeted me for defeat, my father came to my rescue by telling the truth. I was targeted by the pro-Israel lobby because I dared to question the Bush administration about what happened on Sept. 11, 2001, and because I have the audacity to believe that no group of people, including Palestinians who are the Semitic people in this discussion, by the way, should suffer as blacks in the United States have suffered. Billy McKinney called them out and let you know the truth about what was going on and who was doing it in the midst of intentionally created confusion and campaign chaos. That chaos included acts of political sabotage, including both
Quick Read
my father and I being abandoned by some of our closest personal and political friends. The attack on us was total. And the battle was for your mind so that you would lose respect for someone unafraid of speaking truth to power. My father came to my defense because I rightly questioned how George Bush could “win” an election in which he lost the vote; why Africa’s resources enriched economies in Europe, the United States, and Israel while Africa remained broke and broken. What I was doing went to the core of the existing power configuration in this country and I began to expose its method of finance. After all, I was sent to Washington to represent you. When I got attacked, Billy came to my defense, and he was punished for doing so.
‘It’s all good’ Every bad word you read or hear in the special interest press about either one of us, just know that the powerful individuals who operate in the shadows of power, pulling the strings of your elected officials, the U.S. military, government contracts – they all want to keep things in your life exactly as they are now, and Billy McKinney understood fully that we need change, but that we are not going to get the deep, structural kind of change we need – we can’t get it on the cheap. Billy McKinney made the kind of principled sacrifices that allow
us to sleep better at night. Lord, what are we going to do now? Billy McKinney was all about love. And Billy McKinney loved Leola. During his illness, he would just sit and stare at my mother. And she would ask him what he’s looking at. And he would say, “I’m admiring how beautiful you are.” Billy and Leola were the definition of love. And in these last months, they have shown me how devoid my life is of that kind of undefinable, unquantifiable love. In that regard, I have a lot of introspection to do. Billy McKinney also taught me how to cry. Over these past few months, I didn’t know my body could create so many tears. I have never in my life known this kind of sadness. But Billy taught me to understand that even at the depth of my grief, I must never forget the grief of others: that mothers are crying all over the world because of U.S. policy. My father was such a strong black man. It would make me cry just to watch him endure his illness with such grace and dignity. He never complained. No matter how much discomfort my father was in, his universal response was “It’s all good.” And one day at the hospital he was so uncomfortable, he was really uncomfortable, but I heard him say aloud to himself, “It’s gonna be all right, anyway.” One day he wanted the nurse to reposition him. He was getting his medicine in a way that prevented him from being moved, but he was uncomfortable. So he begged the nurse to please reposition him. Then, as the nurse was about to leave the room, Billy turned to me and asked, “Did she give in?” Billy McKinney taught me how to live and how to love, how to cry and how to die. My father, Billy McKinney, was a hell of a man. On behalf of the family, I’d like to thank all of you for the love you gave my father during his life and the support you give to us now.
Residents support crackdown on foreclosed properties A2
Authors to discuss newest books A8
Loss of tax holiday may thin out shoppers B3
A DeKalb ordinance to hold owners of foreclosed properties accountable for their upkeep has a lot of support.
Metro Atlanta authors Pearl Cleage and Joyce Ann Whitlock will talk about their new books at DeKalb Public Library programs on July 27 and 28.
Families who rely on the annual back-toschool tax holiday to shop for school clothes and supplies for their children won’t have it this year.
DA receives award of distinction
Interim school superintendent hoping for fresh start B5
Foreclosure seminar offering free help for homeowners A6 Homeowners facing foreclosure can get free help to save their homes at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis hotel in Atlanta.
Workshop to teach worker eligibility rules A6 Small-business owners can get information on federal regulations at a July 27 employer compliance assistance forum hosted by the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center.
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DeKalb District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming has received the Leah Ward Sears Award of Distinction.
Choice, magnet students will get buses at shuttle stops B2 About 5,800 DeKalb Choice and Magnet students will get transportation from shuttle stops to their schools when the new school year starts.
When the school bell rings on the new school year, it will mark the start of Ramona Tyson’s sixth month on the job as interim superintendent – but who is counting?
Preparation key to successful start of school year B7 Got back-to-school jitters? Parents and students can banish them with a few smart tips and lots of preparation.
index to advertisers
Circulation Audited By Andre Cleveland State Farm Agent..............A11 Best Clinical Research...................................A8 CitiBank.........................................................A6 Cruise Planners.............................................A8 DeKalb Medical Center.................................A7 DoMaro Uniform Services............................A11 Holiday Inn - Doraville.................................A11 Jasmine Barber & Beauty Salon...................A11
Joyce Smith...................................................A8 Klippers Barber Shop, Inc............................A11 KO Tax & Financial Services.........................A11 LaHair Café..................................................A11 Law Office of Trichelle Griggs Simmons......A11 Macy’s...........................................................A5 Making Home Affordable.gov......................A3 Malcom Cunningham Auto Gallery............ A12
New Life Baptist Church................................A9 Padgett Business Services.............................A2 The Law Office of B.A. Thomas...................A11 The Samuel Group.......................................A11 The Samuel Group.......................................A11 SECTION B BaSix Knowledge Academy..........................B6 Decatur Pediatric Group, P.A........................B6
DeKalb County Schools.................................B4 DeKalb Technical College............................. B7 Mystery Valley Golf Club............................... B7 North DeKalb Mall........................................B5 North Georgia Orthodontics......................... B3 Oakhurst Medical Centers Inc.......................B4 Still Waters Youth Sinfo-Nia..........................B5
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CrossRoadsNews
July 24, 2010
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7/16/10 3:34:59 PM
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Finance
CrossRoadsNews
July 24, 2010
“The pace of properties entering foreclosure slowed as lenders pre-empted or delayed foreclosure proceedings on delinquent properties.”
Foreclosure seminar offering free help for homeowners Workshop By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
Homeowners facing foreclosure can get free help to save their homes on July 30 and 31 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis hotel in Atlanta. The two-day “Help for Home owners Community Event” is hosted by U.S. Reps. Hank Johnson, John Lewis and David Scott to enable homeowners to meet one-on-one with their mortgage lenders or HUD-approved housing counselors and to find out if they qualify for the Obama administration’s Making Home Affordable Program or other options from their lenders. The workshop comes as Realty Trac Inc., a foreclosure listing service that tracks foreclosures nationally, said on July 15 that nearly 528,000 homes were taken over by lenders in the first six months of this year. The Irvine, Calif.-based service said that more than 1 million American households are likely to lose their homes to foreclosure this year, up from the 900,000 homes that were repossessed in 2009. Georgia, which had 81,008 homes going into foreclosure over the first six months of this year, ranks eighth nationally among states with the most foreclosures, and Fulton and DeKalb counties lead the state with the highest number of foreclosures. In June, 12,037 new foreclosures were filed in the state. DeKalb accounted for 1,181 of those new listings, with Decatur, Lithonia and
Stone Mountain accounting for the bulk of them – 810. RealtyTrac, which also tracks notices for defaults, home auctions and home repossessions, said about 1.65 million homeowners, or nearly one in 78 U.S. homes, received a foreclosure-related warning between January and June this year. In June, foreclosure filings were reported on 313,841 U.S. properties, down nearly 3 percent from May, and a decrease of nearly 7 percent from June 2009. James J. Saccacio, RealtyTrac’s chief executive officer, said the second quarter was a tale of two trends. “The pace of properties entering foreclosure slowed as lenders pre-empted or delayed foreJames Saccacio closure proceedings on delinquent properties with more aggressive short sale and loan modification initiatives,” he said. “Meanwhile, the pace of properties completing the foreclosure process through bank repossession quickened as lenders cleared out a backlog of distressed inventory delayed by foreclosure prevention efforts in 2009.” He said the midyear numbers put us on pace to exceed 3 million properties with foreclosure filings by the end of the year, and more than 1 million bank repossessions. Nationally, there are more than 7.3 million home loans in some
June foreclosures There were 1,181 new foreclosure filings in DeKalb County in June. There were 1,182 foreclosed homes that sold at an average price of $190,156.
City
Decatur Lithonia Stone Mountain Atlanta-in-DeKalb Ellenwood Tucker Clarkston Avondale Estates Scottdale Pine Lake Source: RealtyTrac
New filings 279 266 265 186 115 50 12 3 3 2
stage of delinquency, and mortgage watchers are expecting a new wave of foreclosures in the second half of the year, especially if the unemployment rate remains high, mortgage-assistance programs fail, and the economy doesn’t improve fast enough to lift home sales. On average, it takes about 15 months for a home loan to go from being 30 days late to the property being foreclosed and sold. The Making Home Affordable Program, the Obama administration’s $75 billion foreclosure prevention effort, offers T:10” opportunities for homeowners to modify their mortgage to make monthly payments more affordable. Since its launch, 1.2 million borrowers have enrolled in the
“For every family that you keep in their house, you’re not just helping that one family, you’re helping the block, the neighborhood, the whole community.” Hala Farid Deputy Director Citi Office of Homeownership Preservation
© 2010 Citibank, N.A., Member FDIC. Citi and Citi with Arc Design are registered service marks of Citigroup Inc.
mortgage modification program and about 27 percent have received permanent loan modifications and are making payments on time. The program’s makinghome affordable.gov Web site warns struggling homeowners to beware of anyone asking them to pay a fee in exchange for a counseling service or modification of a delinquent loan. It says that scam artists often target homeowners who are struggling to meet their mortgage commitment or anxious to sell their homes. The “Help for Homeowners Community Event” takes place 1 to 7:30 p.m. on July 30 and 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 31. Homeowners should bring their monthly mortgage statement; information about all mortgages on their homes; two recent pay stubs; documentation of income they receive from other sources or most recent quarterly profit and loss statement if they are self-employed; two recent bank statements; account balances and monthly payments for credit cards and other debts; and estimates of other monthly expenditures such as utilities, insurance and medical bills. The hotel is at 265 Peachtree Center Ave. Valet parking is also available at the discounted rate of $9. The MARTA stop is Peachtree Center station on the North line. For more information, visit makinghomeaffordable.gov or hopenow.com or call 1-888-995HOPE (4673).
to teach worker eligibility rules
Small-business owners can get information on federal regulations at a July 27 employer compliance assistance forum hosted by the DeKalb office of the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center. The free seminar – from 10 a.m. to noon – will provide upto-date information for current and prospective employers and show them how to verify the employment eligibility of newly hired employees and comply with the law. All U.S. employers must verify the eligibility and identity of employees by completing Employment Eligibility Verification forms for all employees, including U.S. citizens. The Verification Department of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is presenting the seminar, which will explain how to use: n Form I‑9, Employment Eligibility Verification; n E-Verify, an Internet-based system using Form I-9 information to determine eligibility; and n Federal Acquisition Regulation, verification for federal contractors and subcontractors. The seminar will take place at 2296 Henderson Mill Road, Suite 105, in Atlanta. Pre-registration is required at www.sbdc.uga.edu. For more information, call Barbara Johnson at 770-414-3110.
If you need help staying in your home, visit the upcoming two-day HopeNow event in Atlanta: Friday, July 30 1:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 31 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Atlanta Marriott Marquis 265 Peachtree Center Avenue Atlanta, GA 30303
Or contact:: Citi’s Office of Homeownership Preservation (866) 915-9417 mortgagehelp@citi.com HopeNow 888-995-HOPE (4673) www.HopeNow.com And if you think you may be the victim of a loan modification scam, please call 1-888-995-HOPE (4673) or www.preventloanscams.org/report_a_scam
July 24, 2010
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CrossRoadsNews
Scene
July 24, 2010
“It’s our way of honoring the big role that everyday individuals play in making our community better.”
Award to honor beacons for youth Authors to discuss newest books zation’s CEO, said that every Co-workers, neighbors, family day, Big Brothers Big Sisters of and friends can nominate commuMetro Atlanta encounters and nity activists and volunteers who works with unsung heroes – have made a difference in the lives men and women who go the of area youth for “Atlanta’s Biggest extra mile to ensure the best for Role Models.” local youth. The recognition will be given “As part of our 50th anniby Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro versary celebration and Legacy Atlanta, which is seeking to identify individuals who have dedicated J. McKenzie-Crayton event, we are proud to launch their time and energy to help metro At- ‘Atlanta’s Biggest Role Model,’ ” she said. lanta’s young people. It is taking nominations “It’s our way of honoring the big role that everyday individuals play in making our through Aug. 6. The youth mentoring organization, community better.” The local affiliate of the national orwhich is celebrating 50 years of community impact in Atlanta, will honor selected indi- ganization mentors youth throughout 12 viduals at its annual Legacy Awards Gala on metro counties: Cherokee, Cobb, Paulding, Douglas, Fulton, Gwinnett, DeKalb, ClaySept. 11. This is the first time community-nom- ton, Fayette, Henry, Butts and Rockdale. It inated individuals will be recognized at the serves more than 3,200 children annually, ages 6 to 18, in a one-to-one, professionally Legacy Awards. The program will honor everyday people supported relationship with a screened and who meet the following criteria: motivate specially trained mentor. Over the years, the demand for its metro youth to achieve a better life; serve as a positive example; offer friendship and services has outpaced donor resources and the number of male volunteers in its support; and length of service. Nominees do not have to be affiliated system. In honor of its 50-year milestone, with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Nominations Big Brothers Big Sisters is waging a major must be sent to biggestrolemodel@bbbsatl campaign to engage more volunteers and .org with a description that details the indi- supporters with the goal of reducing the vidual’s commitment to youth and volunteer number of children on its waiting list. activities. Two individuals will be selected For more information or to nominate an individual or volunteer, visit www.bbbsatl based on the outlined criteria. Janice McKenzie-Crayton, the organi- .org or call 404-601-7000.
in Decatur. For information, call Metro Atlanta authors Pearl 404-370-8450, Ext. 2225, or visit Cleage and Joyce Ann Whitlock georgiacenterforthebook.org or will talk about their new books at dekalblibrary.org. DeKalb Public Library programs Whitlock, a native of Decatur, on July 27 and 28. also known as Joyce Peacock, will Cleage’s new novel, “Till You debut her new book, “Julie the Hear From Me,” offers a scathing Dreamer,” at the Doraville Library look at the new “post-Obama” polion July 28. A true story written tics and black culture. It is centered for tweens, it is about a young girl around an outspoken civil rights Pearl Cleage legend, the Rev. Horace Dunbar, whose un- growing up in the South whose dream is expected and politically incorrect comments to become a nurse. Her journey is riddled may have damaged his daughter’s hopes for with hurdles and challenges. However, her triumphant determination and zeal will a place in the new administration. Cleage writes with authority and power encourage and inspire others to pursue their and pulls no punches as she tells the story, own dreams. Whitlock’s talk begins at 6:30 p.m. at filled with the heroes and villains of today’s the Doraville Library, 3748 Central Ave., political scene. Her discussion starts at 7:15 p.m. on July Doraville. For more information, call 77027 at the Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore St. 936-3852.
DA receives award of distinction African-American, first woman and DeKalb District Attorney Gwen the youngest person ever elected as Keyes Fleming has received the Leah both solicitor-general and district Ward Sears Award of Distinction. attorney in DeKalb County. The Georgia Association of The award is named for Ward Black Women Attorneys bestowed Sears, a former Georgia Supreme the award at its July 17 annual gala Court justice and its first Africanand auction at Atlanta’s Ritz-CarlAmerican chief justice. ton, which benefits its scholarships, The Georgia Association of mentoring programs and pro bono G. Keyes Fleming Black Women Attorneys was foundlegal services. Keyes Fleming has been DeKalb’s district ed in 1981 and is a voluntary bar organization attorney since November 2004. Before that that focuses on women and children’s issues she was DeKalb’s solicitor-general from and increasing black female representation January 1999. She made history as the first in the judiciary and in public offices.
Library gatherings focus on creativity resources for job seekers. Open Labs are firstcome, first-served. Space is limited. For more information, call 404-508-7180. Computer and Internet Basics, designed for those with no computer experience, will be offered 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on July 29 at the Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore St. Learn the components of the computer and explore Internet searching. Call 404-370-8450, Ext. 2259, to register. Late arrivals may lose their spaces to walk-ins. Groups of five or more should call the branch for an appointment. The class will be held in the library’s Computer classes ground floor meeting room. For more inComputer classes are being offered at formation, call 404-370-3070. local library branches. Open Lab for Job Seekers will be held Creative writers meet July 26 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the CovAspiring writers can share their work ington Library, 3500 Covington Highway in and network at the Creative Writing Group Decatur. The computer lab is set up so that from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on July 27 at the patrons can have expanded time to conduct Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library. job searches, fill out online job applications, The group meets every other month on the update resumes using Word 2007 or Optimal fourth Tuesday except for holidays. Resume, and improve work skills with online The William C. Brown Library is at 2861 tutorials. Library staff will be on hand to Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur. For more answer basic questions about the library’s information, call 404-286-6980. Library patrons can learn to crochet, take computer classes and share creative writing tips at local branches. Crocheting classes for all skill levels will be offered at the Gresham Library on July 24 and Aug. 7 and 21. The library is supplying materials, but participants can bring their own materials as well. Registration is not required for the noon-to-2 p.m. class. The library is at 2418 Gresham Road in Atlanta. For more information, call 404244-4374.
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Wellness
A9
CrossRoadsNews
July 24, 2010
“Based on what I know about that river, that alarms me. That river is filled with fecal coliform and nothing has been done to clean it up.”
High temperatures raise potential for heat-related illnesses With temperatures soaring into the 90s, the heat is on and so is the need to stay cool and avoid heatrelated illnesses. Signs include nausea, dizziness, flushed or pale skin, heavy sweating and headache. Move a victim to a cool place, give them cool water, and apply ice packs or cool, wet cloths to the skin. If the victim has a temperature above 103 degrees; has red, hot and dry skin; has a rapid, strong pulse; is confused, dizzy or has a throbbing headache; refuses water; vomits; or loses consciousness, call 911
immediately. Sports and other outdoor activities can take a toll on children, so watch them carefully. Offer them plenty of cool water to drink before, during and after sports activities. If a child is showing any of the symptoms, move him to a cool area and give him water. If a child passes out or has a temperature above 105 degrees, call 911 immediately. To prevent heat-related symptoms, avoid outdoor activity during the hottest hours of the day. Create a buddy system so that if one person begins to suffer from the heat,
the buddy can quickly get help. Here are some tips from the DeKalb Board of Health: n Dress for the heat. Wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Wear a hat or use an umbrella. n Drink plenty of water. Do not wait until you are thirsty. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate the body. n Eat small meals and eat often. Avoid high-protein foods, which increase body heat. n Avoid strenuous activity. If you must be very active, do it during
the coolest part of the day, between 4 and 7 a.m. n Stay indoors and out of the sun. If air conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor, which may be coolest. n Be a good neighbor. During heat waves, check on elderly residents and those who do not have air conditioning. n If you must be outdoors, wear sunglasses and apply sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher). Even people of color need to use sunscreen. For more information, visit Offer children plenty of cool water to www.dekalbhealth.net. drink before, during and after sports.
Tests consistently find high levels of bacteria, toxic chemicals SOUTH RIVER,
from
A1
the city of Atlanta, sewage spills and private dumping. The South River has been on the federal and state government lists of impaired waterways for years. The Georgia EPD has consistently found high levels of fecal coliform, E. coli and other bacteria in water samples taken from the river at Snapfinger and Panola roads. Salter said the portion of the river between Atlanta and Flakes Mill Road also has polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, which get into the tissue of fish and if consumed in large quantities can be very harmful to humans. PCBs belong to a broad family of toxic man-made organic chemicals known as chlorinated hydrocarbons. They were used in hundreds of industrial and commercial applications, including electrical, heat transfer and hydraulic equipment; as plasticizers in paints, plastics, and rubber products; and in pigments, dyes and carbonless copy paper before they were banned in 1979. Today PCBs can still be released into the environment from poorly maintained hazardous waste sites, illegal or improper dumping; leaks or releases from electrical transformers; and disposal of PCBcontaining products into municipal or other landfills not designed to handle hazardous waste. Once in the environment, PCBs do not readily break down and may remain for long periods of time cycling between air, water and soil.
River not for swimming Jeremy Smith, a unit manager in EPD’s Watershed Planning and Monitoring Program, said the South River is not for recreational use. “Our official stance is that you shouldn’t go swimming in the river,” he said. Longtime residents remember a sign on the property discouraging recreational use of the river, but Tisha Washington of DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis’ office said Thursday that she inquired and no one at the county “is familiar with a sign being in that location.” “However, while inquiring about this matter, we were informed that signs are going to be installed along the park property along South River at the PATH trail-head to warn the public that access to the river from the county property is prohibited,” she said. “The property was acquired for completion of that section of the South River Bike
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Children frolicking in the South River are exposed to fecal coliform, E. coli and other bacteria as well as polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs.
Path trail. For safety and liability reasons, we do not want the public to use the park as if it is a beach. At any particular time, there could be sharps or debris in the river, and we do not have lifeguards on duty.” Washington e-mailed back on Thursday to say that signs will be ready by Monday and will be installed early next week. Donald Murray, an elected supervisor of DeKalb County Soil & Water Conservation District, which educates the public about federal and state Clean Water laws and oversees enforcement of erosion controls on construction sites, was surprised to hear that the South River is now a hot weekend recreation spot. “Based on what I know about that river, that alarms me,” he said Tuesday. “That river is filled with fecal coliform and nothing has been done to clean it up that I know of.” Murray, a longtime South DeKalb resident, said he would not go into South River. “I would not let my children or anybody I know go into that water,” he said. “Nothing has been done to remedy that situation. I don’t think people should be bathing in that water.” Ed McBrayer, executive director of the PATH Foundation, which has installed 20 miles of paved trails in south DeKalb and Rockdale counties, said the South River, like most urban rivers, is not pristine. He said he didn’t know why the county has not posted a sign at the river warning of its condition. “It’s not my call,” he said.
Numerous spills weekly Outdoor enthusiasts are hoping that the opening of the trail along the river will encourage its cleanup. In 2006, the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance sponsored
river enthusiast Richard Grove to kayak the South River’s 58.5-mile journey through DeKalb and five counties to the Gulf of Mexico. He found the river awash in sewage, trash and beauty. During his trip, Grove said the river flowed under tree canopies and among beautiful rock outcroppings, but because it is so nasty, nobody gets in and plays. “There are no boat piers,” he said. “People whose houses backed up to the river have no access or
trails to the river. I would like to get them to clean the river up so people can use it.” Kelly Jordan, the alliance’s chairman, said at the time that Grove’s trip would help bring more public awareness to the extraordinary beauty of the South River and that it could be a catalyst for the river becoming a scenic waterway. In the wake of Grove’s trip, the PATH Foundation assembled public and private funds and purchased 3.6 miles of rights of way along the river for the newest leg of the Arabia Mountain trail. Now the opening of the trail has exposed the river to people who are eager to enjoy it but lack knowledge of its history and polluted condition. Jordan said Tuesday that the immediate popularity of the South River Trail dramatizes the appeal of the South River. “Because this trail runs along the river, people get to see a river that was hidden,” Jordan said. “I think the trail running along the river increases awareness and appreciation for and interest in the river, which hopefully someday can be a recreation amenity itself.” Every week, the county reports
numerous sewer spills into the creeks that empty into the South River. For example, on June 28, a major spill sent 142,500 gallons into the Doolittle Creek on Flat Shoals Road that feeds into the South River. Almost weekly there are spills of thousands of gallons of sewage into Shoal Creek, Conley Creek, Cobb Creek, Intrenchment Creek, Snapfinger Creek, Stephenson Creek and others – all ending up in the South River. Both county-owned sewer treatment plans also release treated and – when there are spills – untreated water into the river. A planned $755 million expansion of the 140-acre Snapfinger Waste Treatment Plant in Decatur and the 690-acre Pole Bridge Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant in Lithonia will help prevent sewer spills into the river, but those plans have been delayed because of funding issues. The city of Atlanta is building a $112 million South River Tunnel to help dramatically lower the number of sewer overflows into the South River. The 14-foot-diameter tunnel is scheduled for completion by July 2011.
A10
CrossRoadsNews
July 24, 2010
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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.
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A11
CrossRoadsNews
July 24, 2010
MARKETPLACE RATES Place your MarketPlace line ad here – up to 20 words for $25. Additional words are $3 per block of five words (maximum 45 words). Boxed Ads (with up to 3 lines bold headline): $35 plus cost of the classified ad. Send ad copy with check or credit card information and contact phone number (if different from ad) to MarketPlace, CrossRoadsNews, 2346 Candler Road, Decatur, GA 30032, or e-mail to marketplace@crossroadsnews.com. Our deadlines are at noon on the Friday one week prior to publication, unless otherwise noted.
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A12
CrossRoadsNews
July 24, 2010
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