Kudos ...
Come on now ...
Send us your nominees
... to DeKalb County for sending out a work crew to maintain new landscaping at the I-20 eastbound ramp to Turner Hill Road in Lithonia.
... to DeKalb County for allowing weeds and debris to take over the pedestrian crosswalk installed on Candler Road near Memorial Drive only five years ago.
Welcome to “Kudos & Come On Now,” a new initiative where we shine the spotlight on the people, businesses or groups who are going the extra mile to make our communities look better and on those who aren’t doing nearly enough. When you see examples at either extreme, tweet a photo and the location to us @CRNews_DeKalb or post it to facebook.com/crossroadsnews with #KudosDeKalb or #ComeOnDeKalb. For more examples of Kudos & Come On Now, visit crossroadsnews.com/kudos.
EAST ATLANTA • DECATUR • STONE MOUNTAIN • LITHONIA • AVONDALE ESTATES • CLARKSTON • ELLENWOOD • PINE LAKE • REDAN • SCOTTDALE • TUCKER
Copyright © 2015 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
June 6, 2015
Volume 21, Number 6
www.crossroadsnews.com
May recommends property tax cut in midyear budget By Ken Watts
the county’s first tax decrease since 2004. May says the economy is moving at a DeKalb interim CEO pretty exciting pace. Lee May has proposed “Our fiscal house is in order and the the county’s first property taxpayers of DeKalb are getting a tax break,” tax cut in 11 years in his he said. “We are in this position as a result of midyear budget recomcontrolling our spending, living by conservamendations to the Board tive budget principles in addition to betterof Commissioners. He bethan-expected market conditions.” gins a series of eight town The BOC must vote on midyear adjusthall meetings on June 8 to ments to the county’s $1.27 billion 2015 Lee May hear from residents. budget by July 14. On June 2, May proposed reducing the The town hall meetings take place property tax rate to 20.81 mills, down from countywide through July 23. the current 21.21 mills. The first meeting kicks off at 6:30 p.m. If approved, the 0.4 mills tax cut would be June 8 at the Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library on
LaVista Road in Tucker. South DeKalb gets its turn on June 30 at the Stonecrest Library, 3123 Klondike Road in Lithonia, and on July 9 at the South Precinct, 2842 H.F. Shepherd Drive in Decatur. May’s recommendations slightly increase the 2015 budget to $1.33 billion or about 4.7 percent overall. He proposes an increase in the budgetary reserve, body cameras for police officers, and an increase in funding for firefighters and sheriff ’s deputies. May said that the county’s economic recovery is under way and has had a positive impact on the tax digest. “We are in a great position to fund our
critical needs in addition to offering relief to the taxpayers of DeKalb County,” he said. The BOC approved May’s 1.27 billion budget in February. It projected a 3.6 percent countywide growth rate, 3 percent rate in incorporated areas, and an end-of-year fund surplus of $34.7 million. With only $12.8 million more in expenditures, May said new tax digest figures and proposed adjustment to the millage rates will produce $36.6 million more in revenues. He said this creates a new projected yearend reserve of $57.5 million. “Our reserves are now in much better Please see BUDGET, page 6
Candler Road Senior Center completion ‘close’ DeKalb County won’t commit to opening date By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
Repairs are coming along on the longawaited Candler Road Senior Center in Decatur, but DeKalb County still will not commit to an opening date. After many missed completion dates, Aaron Worthy Sr., the county’s project manager, would only say it is close. “We are 92 [percent] to 95 percent complete,” he said on June 4. “We are close.” Plumbing and construction crews were busy at the $5 million center at 1931 Candler Road on Thursday. They were Aaron Worthy Sr. boxing in a back-flow preventer and pouring concrete for a trash bin pad. This week, crews completed installing an underground irrigation system to water vegetables and fruit. But a fire lane is still to be constructed, flooring to be laid, and there is still leveling and floor cracks to be filled with bonding materials. Contractor PCI, which was building the center, defaulted on the project in August 2014. Conyers-based Asurety Construction Services was brought in by the bonding company to complete the stalled project. Worthy’s company, Stockbridge-based BuffCove LLC, was hired by the county to manage the completion process. He said they are working diligently to make all the fixes and complete new items, like the irrigation system, that were added to the project’s scope. Worthy said a lot of the issues have been resolved. Fixes include demolishing and rebuilding walkways and ramps for the dis-
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Crews boxed in a back-flow preventer, poured concrete for a trash bin pad, and installed an underground irrigation system at the Candler Road site.
abled to make them ADA-compliant. Some of the issues highlighted by seniors who toured the building in November 2014 also have been fixed. Worthy said high-low water fountains were installed, a vegetable garden added, and a circular outdoor patio built. He said seniors will not get a door at the front of the building, but the county has the option to do it later if it wants. Instead, Worthy said the walkway was relocated closer to the building to provide easy
access to the gardens and front patios. All of the furniture for the center has been delivered. “They are in storage waiting to be brought in,” Worthy said. When BuffCove came on board on Aug. 26, 2014, Worthy said the project was 72 percent to 80 percent complete. He said Thursday that many hardscape and utility issues have now been resolved. Because the center is the first new construction in the new Candler Road Overlay
District, he said it will have 8-foot ornamental fencing, which will not be installed in time for the grand opening. Worthy said completing the project has taken time because of the legal issues surrounding the contractor’s default. Construction resumed in March. “We have done a lot in three months,” Worthy said. The administrative wing of the building Please see CENTER, page 5
2
Election
CrossRoadsNews
June 6, 2015
“We hope to engage District 5 residents and help them make a well-informed decision.”
District 5 hopefuls to field questions at forum New polling Forums this week include: Monday, June 8, 7-8:30 p.m. Community Achievement Center 4522 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur Tuesday, June 9, 7 p.m. Stonecrest Library 3123 Klondike Road, Lithonia Hosted by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Stone-Mountain Lithonia Chapter
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
DeKalb Commission District 5 candidates attend a June 3 forum at Stonecrest Library in Lithonia. The special election takes place on June 16 to fill the seat vacated by Lee May.
Voters who are undecided about which of the 10 candidates they should pick in the District 5 special election can attend a June 11 forum at DeKalb Medical in Lithonia. The 10 candidates vying for the office – pastor and Police Officer Gregory Adams, child advocate Harmel Codi, businessman Jerome Edmondson, school librarian Gwen Russell Green, businessman Vaughn Irons, attorneys Mereda Davis Johnson and Gina Mangham, economic development consultant Dr. Kathryn Rice, technology consultant Kenneth Saunders III, and retired MARTA manager George Turner – will take questions. CrossRoadsNews Editor and Publisher Jennifer Parker will moderate the 7-to-8:30 p.m. forum co-hosted by a coalition of groups representing women, teachers, parents and community leaders. The sponsors are Junior League of DeKalb County, Parent Councils United,
Wednesday, June 10, 8:30 a.m. Fairfield Inn and Suites Hotel-Stonecrest 7850 Stonecrest Square, Lithonia Hosted by the Stonecrest Business Alliance Thursday, June 11, 7-8:30 p.m. DeKalb Medical Center at Hillandale Theatre 2745 DeKalb Medical Parkway, Lithonia Hosted by Junior League of DeKalb County, Parent Councils United, South DeKalb Improvement Association and Leadership DeKalb
South DeKalb Improvement Association, and Leadership DeKalb. The forum takes place at DeKalb Medical at Hillandale, 2745 DeKalb Medical Parkway. District 5, which has 140,000 residents, has been without a commissioner since July Saturday, June 13, 10 a.m.-noon 13, 2013, when former Commissioner Lee District 5 Candidate Community Forum May was appointed interim CEO to fill in for & Political Mixer suspended CEO Burrell Ellis, who is facing This is It! Banquet Hall trial on corruption charges. 2853 Panola Road, Lithonia May recently resigned the seat, clearing Hosted by the DeKalb NAACP the way for the election. For more information, visit www. Ken Taylor, the SDIA vice chairman, said dekalbvotes.com or call 404-298-4020. it is great that voters are getting to elect a commissioner to represent them. “Through this forum, we hope to engage District 5 residents and help them make a well-informed decision on the future of DeKalb’s leadership,” he said. The forum is free and open to the public. For more information, email info@leaderIn-person early voting is under way shipdekalb.org or call 404-373-2491. through Friday, June 12, for the District 5 special election. Voters can cast ballots weekdays at the Registration & Elections Office, 4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300, in Decatur. The polls are open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ten candidates – pastor and Police Officer Gregory Adams, child advocate Harmel Codi, businessman Jerome Edmondson, school librarian Gwen Russell Green, businessman Vaughn Irons, attorneys Mereda Davis
place for city of Lithonia voters Some District 5 voters headed to the June 16 special election will have a new voting precinct. The DeKalb Elections Office said this week that the Lithonia precinct has been relocated for the June 16 election and all future elections. It has been moved from Lithonia Middle School to Lithonia City Hall, 6920 Main St. in Lithonia. The change was made at the request of the city of Lithonia to improve parking for voters, the Elections Office said. For the House District 80 special election on July 14, the Montgomery precinct will be relocated from Cross and Crown Lutheran Church to Montgomery Elementary School, 3995 Ashford Dunwoody Road in Atlanta. The Elections Office said the church building changed ownership and is no longer available as a polling site. The new Montgomery Elementary School polling location will be in effect for the special election to fill the House District 80 vacancy created when former state Rep. Mike Jacobs was appointed a DeKalb State Court judge and for all subsequent elections. For more information, call 404-2984020 or visit www.dekalbvotes.com.
District 5 early voting under way Johnson and Gina Mangham, economic development consultant Dr. Kathryn Rice, technology consultant Kenneth Saunders III and retired MARTA manager George Turner – are vying to replace Lee May. There is no voting on weekends or at satellite locations. On election day, June 16, all regular polling places in District 5 will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and voters can cast ballots at assigned precincts. For more information, visit www.dekalbvotes.com or call 404-298-4020.
Three eyeing CEO, District 4 races Candidates are already lining up for the 2016 CEO and DeKalb Commission District 4 races. Calvin Sims of Stone Mountain says he has formed an exploratory committee to consider a run for CEO in 2016. Steve Bradshaw of Clarkston and Lance Hammonds of Stone Calvin Sims Mountain say they will run for the District 4 seat held by Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton. Sims, who has been a candidate for CEO and District 4 commissioner, said the county needs a new, fresh set of eyes and a new vision. “I will focus on effective and ethical government, fiscal excellence, business/ economic development, job growth and transportation,” said Sims, a 30-year county resident. Bradshaw, who finished second in the 2012 District 4 race, said he will make another bid for the seat because many of the issues – lack of accountability, questionable ethics and the lack of business development – that Steve Bradshaw prompted him to run in 2012 still remain.
“In some cases, these issues have only gotten worse,” he said. “Recent headlines make this crystal clear. Now, I think that people are fed up and finally ready for real, meaningful change. Of course, the only way they are going to get change is by voting for new political leadership. I represent just that.” He is a 22-year county resident who has military, private sector and university teaching experience. He is also a former federal government contractor. Bradshaw says he is active in the community and has served on the boards of numerous nonprofit groups, including the Clarkston Community Center, the Giving Tree, and PRISM. Ha m m o n d s , w h o is active in the DeKalb NAACP, has more than 30 years experience in sales and account management. He is a 31-year DeKalb resident. “I will bring honest leadership with the courLance Hammonds age to act to the table and will fight to put families first,” he said. Hammonds’ community service also includes stints with the DeKalb County PTA Council, committee chair for DeKalb United Negro College Fund, and the DeKalb Public Safety and Judicial Facilities Authority. He launched his campaign on June 10 at Arizona’s on Turner Hill Road in Lithonia.
Community
3
CrossRoadsNews
June 6, 2015
District Attorney Robert James dropped two counts of coercion and two counts of theft, leaving nine felony charges.
Jury selection under way Jacobs sworn in as State Court judge for Ellis’ second trial By Ken Watts
Lawyers were expected to pick a jury on Friday to hear the corruption charges against suspended DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis. This will be the second time that Ellis, who was suspended from office with pay in July 2013, will be tried. By midweek, defense lawyers and prosecutors had whittled the pool of 120 potential jurors down to 44 qualified jurors. They said they would seat the jury of 12 and four alternates on Friday. Opening arguments in the case are scheduled to begin on June 9. For his second trial, Ellis is facing four fewer charges. On May 25, DeKalb District Attorney Robert James Burrell Ellis dropped two counts of coercion and two counts of theft, leaving nine felony charges of extortion, bribery and perjury against Ellis. Ellis’ first trial last year took nearly seven weeks but ended in a hung jury on Oct. 21. He faces jail time if convicted on any of the charges. Prosecutors said Ellis strong-armed county contractors for contributions to his 2012 re-election campaign in exchange for continued business with the county. Ellis has pleaded not guilty to all charges. The courtroom interviews before DeKalb Superior Court Judge Courtney Johnson are aimed at weeding out bias and determining whether jury candidates can be impartial during the trial and whether they have financial or child care hardships that might make it impossible for them to serve. Several of the candidates interviewed on June 1 said that they had formed opinions about the case and about Ellis and were immediately struck from the jury pool. Lawyers also asked the candidates how they felt about “quid pro quo” or giving something to get something. Both sides also wanted to know whether jurors had ever had problems with the justice system or had family members who were crime victims or law enforcement officers. Several potential jurors answered yes to the questions but said they would have no problem being impartial in the Ellis trial. Defense attorney Craig Gillen asked one man, identified as Juror 13, whether he thought it was OK for a public official to call and solicit donations. “No. I don’t think that’s right,” the man answered. However, he said he could put aside his feelings if selected to serve on the jury.
Former state Rep. Mike Jacobs is DeKalb’s newest State Court judge. Jacobs took the oath of office on June 4 from Gov. Nathan Deal, who appointed him to replace former State Court Judge Eleanor Ross when she became a U.S. district judge in Mike Jacobs the Northern Division. Deal administered the oath to Jacobs during a ceremony in the Georgia House Chambers at the State Capitol. Deal also appointed attorney Jean-Paul “JP” Boulee to replace DeKalb Superior Court Judge Cynthia J. Becker, who resigned. Jacobs and Boulee were selected from a short list of eight finalists picked by the Judicial Nominating Commission from 72 nominees. Jacobs, who had a solo law practice in Sandy Springs, represented House District 80 in Brookhaven. He was elected to the Georgia House
in 2005 and was in his sixth term. He first took office in January 2005 as a Democrat but switched parties. Jacobs championed Brookhaven’s incorporation as a city in 2012. He has a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and a law degree from the University of Georgia School of Law. He and his wife, Evan, live in Brookhaven and have three children. Boulee, who was a partner with Jones Day in Atlanta, was a captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He has a bachelor’s degree in politics from Washington & Lee University and a law degree from the University of Georgia Jean-Paul Boulee School of Law. He and his wife, Julianne, live in Decatur and have two children. Boulee’s swearing-in date was not available at press time on Thursday.
Kevin Ross files suit against DeKalb DA Kevin Ross has filed an 11-count lawsuit in DeKalb State Court against DeKalb District Attorney Robert James, former DeKalb Chief Investigator Clay Nix, Paul Champion, Jeffrey Walker, and Dion Allen. In the complaint, Ross, a friend, trusted adviser and former campaign manager of suspended DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis, details violations of his Fourth Amendment and First Kevin Ross Amendment rights, which he said arise from a false wiretap application and false search warrant affidavit submitted by James and Nix. In January 2013, when investigators raided El-
lis’ county offices and his Stone Mountain home, they also searched Ross’ Northside Parkway offices, Kevin Ross Public Affairs Group. Ross contends in his suit that James’ criminal investigation was initiated only after Champion, Walker and Allen conspired to present “a completely made-up and false document” to James and that James then failed to conduct any credible investigation into the truthfulness of this document. Ross said that at the time Champion presented the false document to James, Champion was being sued (and is still being sued) by DeKalb County for fraud, theft and racketeering to recover millions of dollars and that he had been publicly identified as the focus of a grand jury investigation.
$MILLIONS RECOVERED Auto - Truck Accidents . Slip & Fall
Call us anytime for FREE advice
404-297-9933 “WE DON’T GET PAID UNTIL YOU DO!”
CALL US
ANYTIME
24/7 THE LAW OFFICES OF
JASON & BRADLEY Former Military Attorneys (JAG)
If you can’t come to us, we come to you. www.JasonandBradley.com
4
Forum 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com
Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Ken Watts Graphic Design Curtis Parker Assistant Editor Brenda Yarbrough Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Circulation Manager Jami Ffrench-Parker
CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoadsNews, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor those of any advertisers. The concept, design and content of CrossRoadsNews are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher. Advertisements are published upon the representation that the advertiser is authorized to publish the submitted material. The advertiser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless from and against any loss or expenses resulting from any disputes or legal claims based upon the contents or subject matter of such advertisments, including claims of suits for libel, violation of privacy, plagiarism and copyright infringement. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement.
CrossRoadsNews
June 6, 2015
“Numbers like this numb. We know the reality. But we seem in denial.”
SBA expanding small-business lending options By Cassius Butts
There’s a hunger among entrepreneurs to find financing to get their business off the ground or to take the next big step in their expansion plan. Across the country, thousands of small businesses are searching for term loans, equipment financing, lines of credit, invoice financing, and real estate loans to help them hire employees and grow. But often it is difficult to find the time to seek that lucky break. This is where technology steps in. Online matchmaking services pairing lenders with prospective borrowers comprise a multibilliondollar industry. Perhaps you’ve seen the TV commercial in which a creditworthy home buyer goes online and is delighted to find banks competing to finance her house. Small-business lending is the next frontier for these matchmaking services. Using the power of the Internet, commercial lenders are finding creditworthy small-business borrowers, while entrepreneurs are finding loan officers who are ready
“While a positive ‘hit’ won’t ensure entrepreneurs will receive a loan, it will put them on a fast track because they will have been pre-screened. If LINC doesn’t produce an immediate match, entrepreneurs will be directed to their local SBA adviser for additional assistance with their loan application.” Cassius Butts
to sit down and talk. The U.S. Small Business Administration not only supports this concept, we are actively implementing it. Recently, SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet announced a new SBA initiative called LINC – Leveraging Information and Networks to Access Capital. Our matchmaking service will help entrepreneurs get a viable date with a lender. We spent months surveying our lending partners to discern what information they need before they’re ready to receive a loan pitch. Based on those talks, we’ve developed a simple online form with 21 questions that takes minutes to
fill out. Once completed, the form is blasted out to participating SBA lenders in an applicant’s county as well as financial institutions with a statewide or national reach. While a positive “hit” won’t ensure entrepreneurs will receive a loan, it will put them on a fast track because they will have been prescreened. If LINC doesn’t produce an immediate match, entrepreneurs will be directed to their local SBA adviser for additional assistance with their loan application. LINC is expanding smallbusiness lending options beyond someone’s local bank. Technology can help them get their foot in the door on their merits at one of many
commercial lenders. SBA is committed to becoming as innovative as the small businesses we serve. The SBA is connecting smallbusiness owners with nonprofit lenders that offer free financial advice and specialize in microlending, smaller loans (our Community Advantage program), and real estate financing (our 504 loan program). We have also added more traditional banks that offer an even wider array of financial products into LINC. In the longer term, we also believe LINC could be modified to facilitate government contracting by connecting eligible small businesses with procurement officers, prime contractors, and federal buyers. The future is upon us, and the SBA is proud to be leading the way. To learn more about LINC or to begin your small-business matchmaking process, please visit www. sba.gov/tools/linc. Cassius Butts is the Atlanta regional administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Blacks and Latinos bear the brunt of economic recession They teach our children, drive our buses, clean our streets and deliver our mail. They staff the government and make it run. Their public-sector jobs are at the heart of the middle class, particularly for African-Americans and Latinos. And they are in steep decline. One of five African-American adults works in government employment. This is a higher percentage than either white Americans or Latinos. It isn’t surprising. Freed of segregation, African-Americans came into our cities just as manufacturing jobs – the traditional pathway to the middle class – were headed abroad. Government employment offered secure jobs, decent pay and benefits, a chance to buy a home and lift your family. Women also flocked to public service jobs, which offered greater professional and managerial opportunities. But in 2008 when the economy collapsed, state budgets were savaged. Tax revenues plummeted; spending needs soared. Deep cutbacks in regular programs followed. No one will be surprised to learn that African-Americans lost jobs at a higher rate than whites, often because of seniority. Now, in the sixth year of the recovery, the economy has inched back, unemployment is down. But employment in the public sector hasn’t bounced back. The new jobs being created pay less and offer less security than the jobs that were lost.
But employment in the public sector hasn’t bounced back. The new jobs being created pay less and offer less security than the jobs that were lost. And this has devastating effects on the African-American middle class, the very people who have worked hard, played by the rules, and sought to get ahead.
An Opinion Jesse Jackson Sr.
And this has devastating effects on the African-American middle class, the very people who have worked hard, played by the rules, and sought to get ahead. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that since 2007, there are 1.8 million missing jobs in the public sector. Moreover, across the country, conservative Republican governors have assaulted unions and sought to curb collective bargaining, erase teacher tenure, and dramatically cut pensions and other benefits. The loss of jobs and cutback on wages exacerbated the housing collapse. We’ve learned that banks and other predators targeted black neighborhoods like Prince Georges County in Maryland. They marketed shoddy mortgages, leaving those with good credit paying
higher rates than they could have and those with no credit betting it all on the assumption that housing prices would never fall. Many report on the decline of the middle class, which has fallen backward over the last decade in both median income and wealth. More than eight of 10 Americans, according to a Pew Poll, now report that it is harder to maintain their standard of living than it was 10 years ago. And African-Americans and Latinos got hit the hardest. The race gap has widened, not narrowed, in this century. The New York Times reports that 50 percent of AfricanAmericans now are low-income households, along with 43 percent of Latinos – a category that has been growing since 2000. In Illinois, the nonprofit Corporation for Enterprise Development reports that more than one in three households suffers a “persistent state of financial insecurity.” Again, African-Americans, Latinos and single women with children fare worse. Numbers like this numb. We
know the reality. But we seem in denial. When Baltimore blows up, the spotlight is put on the police and their practices, as it should be. But police forces across the country are ordered to keep order in communities racked with unemployment, homelessness, drugs, guns, collapsing schools, impoverished families and crushed hopes. The best-trained, more empathetic police officers in the country would have a hard time fulfilling that mission. This country cannot stay in denial. We have to have a bold plan to rebuild high poverty neighborhoods from Chicago’s South Side to Appalachia’s valleys. Across the country we have work to do – from rebuilding 100-year-old water systems to creating the rapid transit that will connect people to jobs to moving to clean energy – and we have an entire generation of young people desperate for work. We have corporations stashing trillions abroad to avoid paying their fair share of taxes. Billionaire hedge fund operators pay a lower tax rate than their secretaries. We need to rebuild America and put people to work. The cost of losing another generation to despair will be far greater than the cost of investing in them on the front side of life. The Rev. Jesse Jackson is the founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition. Visit www.rainbowpush. org.
index to advertisers Chick-fil-A /Turner Hill Road........................... 5 DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court......................9 DeKalb County School District........................ 3 DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office........................9 DeKalb Medical............................................... 7 Fabric Joint, LLC............................................. 11
Georgia Perimeter College.............................6 Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home........6 Henry Mitchell, CPA, PC................................. 11 Jason & Bradley, LLC Attorney at Law............. 3 Johnson Hopewell Coleman LLC................... 11 Law Office of Trichelle Griggs Simmons........ 11
Little Tots Academy........................................ 11 Preferred Home Repair................................. 11 Quenon Smith............................................... 11 The Davis Bozeman Law Firm, P.C................. 11 The Gallery at South DeKalb..........................12 The Samuel Group......................................... 11
The Teacher’s Lawyer, LLC............................. 11 Vaughn Irons for DeKalb................................ 2 Best Buy Co. Inc......................................Inserts Walgreens...............................................Inserts Michael L. Hickman Salsa Dance........... Online
Circulation Audited By
Put CrossRoadsNews to Work for You! Call 404-284-1888 for Advertising Rates & Information
June 6, 2015
Community
5
CrossRoadsNews
“She is still liable for the balance and we will still pursue her for collection.” A June 2 auction at Cake Cafe brought in $6,898.71 which will reduce Ardra Tippett’s $76,000 sales tax debt to state. Revenue agents say she still owes the state $69,101.29.
Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Revenue agents auction Cake Cafe’s contents By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
The Georgia Department of Revenue auctioned the contents of the Cake Cafe on Candler Road on June 2 and recouped a fraction of the $76,000 in sales taxes the agency says business owner Ardra Tippett owed the state. Gary Brantley, the department’s Atlanta regional manager, said it Ardra Tippett collected $6,898.71 from the auction of baking equipment, coolers, baking pans, cookie sheets, popcorn ma-
chine, and a couple of pop-up tents. “She is still liable for the balance and we will still pursue her for collection,” Brantley said. Tippett had been in business since 2009 and had built a thriving business catering to celebrities, brides, and cake and popcorn lovers. Agents say she charged Cake Cafe customers state sales tax in 2013 and 2014 but did not remit the funds to the Department of Revenue as required by law. Revenue agents arrested Tippett on April 15 on charges of tax fraud. She is charged with operating a business without a state tax license, unlawful conversion of state funds, and theft by conversion.
Brantley said she is no longer in custody and that she has not yet worked out any arrangements to pay. “There are lots of options open to her,” Brantley said. “She could come in and pay the balance in full or she could draw up a payment agreement.” The state says shutting down a business is a last resort and that it had tried for more than a year to bring Tippett into compliance. Tippett was renting the building at 368 Candler Road. After Tuesday’s auction, Brantley said the keys were turned over to the landlord and the location is once again available for rent.
Candler Road seniors displaced for nearly 3 years CENTER,
from page
1
is now complete. Worthy showed a visitor the painted walls and the new flooring that has been installed. New steps and a ramp for the disabled now connect the senior center to the Scott Candler Library next door. Activity rooms for quilting and billiards also are complete and the finishing touches are under way on the pottery room. In the multipurpose room that will seat 200 people, ceiling-high columns are being sanded and re-stained. Worthy said he understands the angst of seniors who have been displaced for nearly three years. “I can assure them that pretty soon they will be able to use the center,” he said. “They are really close to coming into the center.” DeKalb County demolished the old Candler Road Senior Center in 2012. It broke ground on the new center on Nov. 12, 2012, and officials promised it would open by November 2013. It was one of three $5 million senior centers that got under way in South, Central and North DeKalb in November 2012. Only the Central DeKalb Senior Center, which opened on Feb. 2 in Mason Mill Park, has been completed. The Malone Drive Senior Center at 3393 Malone Drive in Chamblee is also incomplete. Since 2012, the county has been busing the Candler Senior Center’s 150 seniors to Hamilton Senior Center in Scottdale. When the new center opens, it will accommodate 500 seniors. It already has a waiting list of 365.
6
CrossRoadsNews
Community
June 6, 2015
“It appears to lower taxes and increase revenues while maintaining current services. That’s a good thing.”
School Board fires Champion Middle teacher in student sex case By Ken Watts
Champion Theme Middle School teacher Quentin Wright has been fired from DeKalb County Schools for allowing some of his students to have sex in a storage closet in his classroom. The DeKalb School Board voted unanimously 6-0 on June 1 to terminate him. School Board member Dr. Michael Erwin left before the vote because of illness in the family. A three-member district tribunal recommended the termination on May 29 after hearing testimony from witnesses about Wright, a basketball coach who taught math
and science at the Stone Mountain school. Wright, 25, admitted allowing students to have sex in his classroom. Tribunal members Wilson Gosier, Mark Schick and Alexander Russell recommended that his termination take Quentin Wright effect on May 29. He was removed from the classroom on May 18 when the allegations surfaced. DeKalb Schools Public Safety investigators charged him on May 18 with four counts of contributing to the delinquency of
a minor based on a parent’s complaint that Wright sent “inappropriate text messages” to her 14-year-old son. The messages show Wright had arranged for the teen to use a storage closet in his classroom for sex with a female student. Evidence presented to the tribunal showed that between May 14-15, he made arrangements for students to have sex and to take precautions to avoid detection. The tribunal found that Wright was communicating with the student at 10:47 p.m. on May 14 and at 6 a.m. on May 15. “Mr. Wright also attempted telephone calls as late as 11:02 p.m. on May 14 and as early as approximately 6 a.m. on May 15,”
it said. Michael Walker, the district’s executive legal counsel, told the tribunal that at least four students used the closet for sexual activity and as many as 10 students knew about it. Walker said that in one instance, two students were in the closet for more than 90 minutes while Wright was in his classroom. Wright offered to resign on May 19, but Superintendent Michael Thurmond refused his resignation. The tribunal’s investigation was shared with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission, which could strip Wright of his license to teach in Georgia. Wright, who was booked into the DeKalb Jail on May 19, is free on $16,000 bond.
More Public Safety funding sought BUDGET,
from page
1
shape than they were just a few years ago,” May said. “We have made good on our promise to take steps to restore our rainy day fund and then some. Now it’s time to make good on our promise to cut our tax rate.” DeKalb Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton, who chairs the BOC’s Finance and Budget Committee, said she hasn’t had a chance to study the proposal in detail but likes what she’s seen so far. “On the surface, it appears to lower taxes and increase revenues while maintaining current services,” said Barnes Sutton, the District 4 commissioner. “That’s a good thing.”
Other highlights of the plan: n $3 million for stormwater project backlogs with private contractors. n $1.5 million to Fire & Rescue to retain 22 firefighter positions that would have been lost to attrition. n $1.1 million to the Sheriff ’s Office to preserve current staffing levels.
n $1 million to the Police Department to purchase body cameras. n $994,000 to the Parks Department to restore previous budgetary reductions. n $695,000 to Information Technology for expenses associated with relocating from the Calloway Building and migrating from the email archive system. n $571,000 to the new Traffic Court division of State Court to improve service levels. n $450,000 to Superior Court for court reporter services and juror expenses for prominent cases occurring later in the year. n $400,000 to DeKalb Library for library materials. n $208,000 to the district attorney to restore previous budget adjustments (salaries). n $103,000 to the Solicitor General’s Office to expand prosecutorial efforts. n $26,000 to Cooperative Extension for staff to assist with the new Mobile Farmer’s Market.
Town hall meetings DeKalb interim CEO Lee May is hosting eight town hall meetings countywide to discuss his midyear budget recommendations. n June 8, 6:30-8 p.m. Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library 5234 LaVista Road Tucker
Complete the mission. Earn your degree online.
n June 10, 7-8:30 p.m. Dunwoody City Hall 41 Perimeter East Dunwoody
visit gpc.edu/militaryoutreach
n June 22, 7-8:30 p.m. Brookhaven City Hall 4362 Peachtree Road Brookhaven n June 25, 6:30-8 p.m. Central DeKalb Senior Center 1346 McConnell Drive Decatur
Shatryce Hill GPC Student Marine Corps Veteran
n June 30, 6:30-8 p.m. Stonecrest Library 3123 Klondike Road Lithonia n July 9, 6:30-8 p.m. Derwin Brown Memorial South Precinct 2842 H.F. Shepherd Drive Decatur n July 21, 6:30-8 p.m. Mainstreet Clubhouse 5001 Mainstreet Park Drive Stone Mountain n July 23, 6:30-8 p.m. East Lake YMCA East Lake Boulevard Atlanta
A BETTER WAY FORWARD
15-05-342_Crossroads_ NewsMOC_Ad_Marines.indd 1
Put CrossRoadsNews to Work for You!
5/29/15 2:07 PM
Call 404-284-1888 for Advertising Rates & Information
June 6, 2015
Wellness
7
CrossRoadsNews
“It’s as if we are telling our seniors: ‘You can either have food on the table or the lifesaving drugs – you can’t have both.’ ”
Bipartisan bill seeks to lower drug costs for chronically ill seniors
Constituents can walk and talk with Super District 6 Commissioner Kathie Gannon on June 16 at Bouldercrest Park. A certified health fitness specialist will be available to discuss health topics.
Gannon to visit Bouldercrest Park Residents can bend the ear of Commissioner Kathie Gannon on June 16 at Bouldercrest Park while getting in some fresh air and exercise on the half-mile trail. Gannon’s walk begins at 6 p.m. Bring water and wear sun protection. The commissioner, who represents Super District 6, is encouraging constituents to get out and explore their DeKalb County parks. “I’m going to be at Bouldercrest Park walking the half-mile loop and I invite people to come walk with me. It will be a great way to hear from the public while getting some exercise,” Gannon said. “This is a beautiful park that would benefit from a Friends of Parks group. Come out and show
Kittredge gets grant to advance student health Kittredge Magnet and the International Community School are among 21 schools in Georgia sharing $99,000 in grant funding to advance student health. The awards from the Department of Public Health and Georgia Shape, the Governor’s Childhood Obesity Initiative, will be used to implement strategies to improve school nutrition and physical activity for elementary, middle and high school students. Grantees have access to technical assistance, staff training and peer learning opportunities from experts throughout their grant period for the 2015-2016 school year. Georgia is ranked 17th in the nation for obesity among children and adolescents. Research studies have shown a direct link between positive academic performance and physically active students. Previous grantees have used the funding to implement classroom-based physical activity breaks as well as expose kids to new fruits and vegetables through taste testing. Public Health Commissioner Brenda Fitzgerald said the funding can have lasting impact. “These grants will go a long way toward improving childhood fitness and nutrition,” Fitzgerald said Brenda Fitzgerald on June 1. “We must teach our children the importance of physical activity and the benefits of healthy eating, lessons they hopefully will carry with them throughout their lives.” For more information on school-based physical activity and grant opportunities, visit www.GeorgiaShape.org.
your interest.” Walkers can talk with Gannon about DeKalb or talk to staffer Michelle Walldorff, a certified health fitness specialist, about health-related topics. The park is at 4184 Bouldercrest Park Road in Ellenwood. For more information, email mmwalldorff@dekalbcountyga.gov or call 404-371-4909.
U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson and a bipartisan group of lawmakers have introduced legislation to allow Medicare Part D beneficiaries to request lower co-pays for high-cost specialty drugs used to treat chronic illnesses. The proposal, the Part D Beneficiary Appeals Fairness Act, is spearheaded by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Susan Collins (RMaine) in the Senate and Johnson (D-Ga.) Hank Johnson and Rep. David McKinley (R-W.Va.) in the House. The legislation was filed in response to the rapid rise of tiered prescription benefit plans that shift high-cost medications to a specialty category that requires Medicare Part D beneficiaries to pay a larger share of the drug’s cost. Johnson, whose 4th District includes portions of DeKalb County, said the high cost places a burden on seniors. “Expecting chronically ill seniors – most of whom are on a low, fixed income – to pay thousands of dollars of treatment for specialty drugs monthly is unrealistic and unfair,” he said on June 3. “It’s as if we are telling our seniors: ‘You can either have food on the table or the lifesaving drugs –
you can’t have both.’” Nelson said that patients whose drugs are on the specialty tier are already struggling to make ends meet to afford complex care needs. Insurers use the tiers to differentiate among generic, brand name and “non-preferred” brand name drugs. For medications costing more than $600, many insurers place those drugs on a specialty tier that requires patients to pay from 25 percent to 33 percent or more of the drug’s total cost rather than a flat co-payment rate. Currently, Medicare Part D beneficiaries are prohibited from seeking exemptions from their plans that could lower their cost-share for specialty drugs – a basic right beneficiaries have throughout the rest of the program, the lawmakers say. For many seniors on a fixed income, lifesaving drugs for illnesses ranging from cancer to rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis can cost upward of $1,700 per month. Seniors who can’t afford the medication report that they often go without treatment. Dozens of organizations support the bill, including AARP, Specialty Tiers Coalition of Georgia and the National Council on Aging. For more information, visit hankjohnson. house.gov/sites/hankjohnson.house.gov/ files/documents/Part_D_2015.pdf.
Doc Talks Upcoming Seminars at DeKalb Medical Men’s Health Panel Thursday, June 18, 2015 6:30–8:00 p.m. DeKalb Medical at Hillandale Community Room June is Men’s Health Month! Recognizing and preventing men’s health problems is not just a man’s issue. Because of its impact on wives, mothers, daughters, and sisters, men’s health is truly a family issue. Men and their loved ones are invited to join us at one of our Men’s Health Panels to heighten the awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection of disease among men and boys. Panelists will address the importance of annual check-ups, solutions to joint pain, heart health and healthy sleep. DeKalb Medical encourages men and boys to seek regular medical advice and early treatment for disease and injury. What you can do: Wear blue to show your support, schedule an annual exam with your primary care physician, attend one of our informational doctor talks. Our event include a complimentary blood pressure screening and BMI assessment at 6 p.m.
For a referral to a DeKalb Medical physician or to reserve your space for these free seminars, please call 770.415.2383. Light refreshments will be served. Parking is free. www.dekalbmedical.org
dekalbmedical
8
CrossRoadsNews
Youth
June 6, 2015
“We want parents to be confident that their children are receiving the best possible quality of care.”
DeKalb to boost child care quality
Stackhouse helps Stanford win NCAA golf title
DeKalb County has partnered with the nonprofit Quality Care for Children to help its early child care programs achieve Quality Rated status. The county has 33 programs that have received a Quality Rated designation and seeks to increase the number to 100 programs by the end of 2015 with QCC’s help. Atlanta-based QCC works to improve accessibility and quality of care in child care programs across Georgia. In 2013, Quality Rated, Georgia’s system to assess, improve and communicate the level of quality in early education programs, was introduced to help child care providers maintain quality in their programs and help parents easily recognize higher-quality providers. DeKalb interim CEO Lee May said the county is committed to providing a better start for its youngest residents by giving parents more choices for excellent child care and early learning. “In DeKalb County, as in much of the United States, more and more children are in the care of someone other than their parents for the majority of the day,” May said in a May 22 statement. “We want parents to be confident that their children are receiving the best possible quality of care while they are working so they can do their jobs.” He said the county wants all its children to have the same advantages of a quality learning experience whatever their race or economic status. “Having all of DeKalb’s child care programs Quality Rated will help us achieve both of these goals,” May said. Pam Tatum, CEO and president of QCC, said early child care programs play an important role in childhood development and school readiness. “What we know is that children come from the womb ready to learn, and that by the time they are 5 years old, more than 90 percent of their brain is already developed,” Tatum said. “This makes the care they receive Pam Tatum from parents and child care providers that much more important as this care has lasting impact on later learning and behavior.” DeKalb partnered with QCC to create and implement a plan that will help promote the importance of becoming Quality Rated to providers as well as recruit them to participate and provide technical support during the lengthy rating process. DeKalb also is providing extra financial support and initiatives to aid the providers in their application process and as they meet specific goals. QCC will kick off its work with DeKalb with a goal of reaching 100 Quality Rated providers by the end of the year and 200 by the end of 2016. Providers can call QCC at 404-479-2000 for more information or to sign up.
Stanford University junior Mariah Stackhouse of Riverdale rallied to beat Hayley Davis in 19 holes to give the school its first NCAA women’s golf title, 3-2 over Baylor, on May 27 in the match-play final. Stackhouse, a former DecaturSouthside DeKalb Optimist Club junior golfer, won when Davis’ 3-foot par putt missed to the right on the par-4 10th hole at the Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla. The 2012 North Clayton High grad, named to Glamour’s Top 10 College Women of 2015 in April, was the Optimist Club’s Junior of the Year in 2004 and won the Sportsmanship Award in the 2001 DeKalb Junior Classic. Two holes down after losing the par4 16th, she won the par-5 17th with a two-putt birdie and took the par-4 18th with a 15-foot birdie putt. “I actually thought a lot about it last night,” Stackhouse told AP after the win. “It felt kind of silly, but I envisioned some kind of crazy finish with me having to hit huge shots. I knew I was going
Mariah Stackhouse, a former DecaturSouthside DeKalb Optimist Club junior golfer, helped Stanford capture its first NCAA women’s golf title.
to be down and I was going to have to do something crazy to come back.” Casey Danielson and Shannon Aubert also won matches for Stanford in the event that switched to the matchplay format for the team title this year. Stackhouse, the youngest PGA Georgia Women’s Champion in 2009, started playing golf at age 2 and tournament play at 6. Optimist Club President Jerome Brown and Abraham Walker,
chair of its Junior Golf Program, have followed her career. Brown watched her NCAA victory on television. “I thought it was fantastic,” Brown said. “It was a great display of will to win and talent.” Walker said the club is very proud. “Our program was concerned with building character and supporting the growth and development of young people,” he said.
Redan High principal retires after 30-year career Gregory Goodwin is retiring as principal of Redan High in Stone Mountain, but not from the community he has been a part of for his whole career. “I’ll still be around, and if they need me to do whatever, I’ll help out when needed,” he said on June 2. “Redan will always be a Gregory Goodwin part of me.” His career has spanned 30 years, and over the decades he has seen the area change from mostly white to black. “I think that I’ve seen the county change tremendously. It didn’t matter what the color – I always wanted to make sure the children realized their potential,” said Goodwin, who was selected as Principal of the Year for the DeKalb School District’s Region III in
2012-2013. “My obligation was to help children, and I think I did that.” He is one of the longest-serving principals in the south side of DeKalb, completing his ninth year. During his tenure, Redan had the fifth-highest graduation rate in the district, and he led the school through transition to Title 1 status. Its marching band has been recognized twice as National Band of the Year. Goodwin started out as a teacher at Miller Grove Middle, moved to Redan to teach social studies and coach baseball, then became assistant principal for six years before being named principal. In 2012, he received the Horace Tate Leadership Award from Emory’s Educational Studies Department. As a coach, more athletes from his baseball program received athletic scholarships than any other school in DeKalb. He said about 25 signed pro-
fessional contracts. Goodwin, a scout for the Dodgers, was selected for the Georgia Dugout Club Hall of Fame. He lives in Snellville with his wife of 31 years, Cynthia. They have two grown daughters, Brooke and Lyndsay. He attended Booker T. Washington High in Tulsa, Okla., and Tennessee State University, where he received a Bachelor of Science in political science and a master’s in public administration. He said he has had help on his “outstanding journey” – teachers, assistant coaches and principals – “ordinary people doing extraordinary things.” “Educators are trying to make a difference in children’s lives. It is so worthy – we do a lot of good for children.” Goodwin hasn’t made up his mind about his next step. He’ll continue as a scout for the Dodgers and has a couple of options, but he’s in no hurry. “I want to rest for a while,” he said.
Sign up now for... ple peo the 0 0 5,0 nded ly & atte Fami chool 4 201 k-to-S o Bac Exp
Educating & Empowering the Community July 25, 2015 • Noon - 5 p.m. at the Mall at Stonecrest Exhibitors • Screenings • Entertainment Limited number of exhibitor slots available.
Call 404-284-1888 to reserve your space.
June 6, 2015
Finance
“If someone calls unexpectedly claiming to be from the IRS with aggressive threats if you don’t pay immediately, it’s a scam artist calling.”
DeKalb gets Fitch Ratings’ top scoring for short-term notes DeKalb County has received the top rating for short-term notes from Fitch Ratings. The credit rating agency has assigned the “F1+” rating to DeKalb’s $74.5 million Tax Anticipation Notes. The “F1+” is the highest rating available for the category. The May 22 announcement follows the recent statement by Moody’s Investors Services that it has assigned an MIG 1, the highest rating available, for the same notes. Fitch Ratings summarizes its decision: “The ‘F1+’ rating assigned to the TANs corresponds to the long-term rating on the county’s GO bonds. The TAN rating also
considers the satisfactory projected coverage on the repayment date and sufficient levels of borrowable funds.” DeKalb interim CEO Lee May said the Fitch Ratings announcement following on the heels of a similar announcement from Moody’s “is a testament to the financial sustainability of DeKalb Lee May County government.” “Our interest rates will be as low as possible and that is responsible stewardship of taxpayers’ money,” he said.
Grant program for small business Small-business owners in Stone Mountain can apply for grants up to $1,000 to give their enterprises a little lift. The new grant program, BOOST Stone Mountain, is funded by local “investors” who want to see small businesses thrive in the village. The first round of applications will be accepted through July 1 and awarded on July 31. Investors contribute a minimum of $200 a year with a commitment to remain part of the BOOST Stone Mountain group for two years. Mary Beth Reed, chair of the Downtown Development Authority, which created the grant program, said even a little aid helps. “This is a financial commitment that directly impacts a small-business owner,” Reed
said. “As a small-business owner myself, I know how much every little bit can make a difference.” Business owners can apply for grants quarterly. Grants are available for many purposes, such as signage, equipment, Mary Beth Reed marketing or advertising needs, and interior or exterior renovations. Funds are not to be used for day-to-day operating expenses. Grants will be made for amounts between $100 and $1,000. BOOST Stone Mountain forms are available at www.stonemountaincity.org. Interested investors should contact Mechel McKinley at mmckinley@stonemountaincity.org.
Tax scam calls on IRS ‘Dirty Dozen’ Scammers are calling taxpayers with a bogus message from the Internal Revenue Service that threatens legal action if immediate payment is not made over the telephone. The IRS says phone scams continue to be a serious threat and remain on its “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams for 2015. One South DeKalb resident received a phone call on May 26 that left the following voice-mail message: “Hello. We have been trying to reach you. This call is official and final notice from the IRS – the Internal Revenue Service. “The reason of this call is to inform you that the IRS is filing a lawsuit against you. To get more information about this case file, please call immediately on our department number – 202-621-0694.” After calling the number, the resident was advised by “Agent Eric Wilson” to make an immediate payment over the phone on that day to avoid the IRS seizing her car, house and bank account because of a code violation. The so-called agent said that if the IRS proved to be in error, the taxpayer could visit the local IRS office to get her money back. He said no paperwork had been mailed because documents related to the case are “sensitive.” The IRS says aggressive and threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating agents remain near the top of the annual Dirty Dozen list. Scam artists threaten police arrest, deportation, license revocation and other actions. IRS Commissioner John Koskinen reminds taxpayers to guard against all sorts of con games. “If someone calls unexpectedly claiming to be from the IRS with aggressive threats if you don’t pay immediately, it’s a scam artist calling,” Koskinen said. “The first IRS contact with taxpayers is usually through the mail. Taxpayers have rights, and this is not how
9
CrossRoadsNews
we do business.” Scammers prey on the most vulnerable people, such as the elderly, newly arrived immigrants and those whose first language is not English. “These criminals try to scare and shock you into providing personal financial information on the spot while you are off guard,” Koskinen said. “Don’t be taken in and don’t engage these people over the phone.” The Treasury Inspec- John Koskinen tor General for Tax Administration has received reports of about 290,000 contacts since October 2013 and has become aware of nearly 3,000 victims who have collectively paid over $14 million as a result of the scam. The IRS will never: n Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill. n Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe. n Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card. n Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone. n Threaten to bring in local police or other law enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying. If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call 1-800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you with a payment issue. The IRS does not use email, text messages or any social media to discuss a personal tax issue involving bills or refunds. For more information, visit www.irs.gov and type “scam” in the search box.
Legal Notices Barrie, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 6th day of May, 2015.
05/16, 05/23, 05/30, 06/06
Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
05/16, 05/23, 05/30, 06/06
Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV11660.10++ Jamilah S. Porter Plaintiff Vs. Lorenzo A. Porter Defendant To: 2051 Flat Shoals Rd., SE, Q-8 Atlanta, GA 30316 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated May 05, 2015 you are hereby notified that on December 08,2014, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Jamilah S. Porter, 9047 Raven Drive, Atlanta, GA 30238. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of May 05, 2015. Witness the Honorable Tangela M.
Notice OF PUBLICATION
of May 05, 2015. Witness the Honorable Gail C. Flake, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 6th day of May, 2015. 05/16, 05/23, 05/30, 06/06
Notice of Petition to Change Name of CHILD
in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: Jalisha Jackson Plaintiff Vs. David Jackson Defendant To: By Order of the Court for service by publication dated May 06, 2015 you are hereby notified that on May 05, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Jalisha Jackson, 1638 Church St., Apt. 123, Decatur, GA 30033. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days
in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV4945-1++ Johnnie Denise Dunson filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on May 1, 2015 to change child’s from: Ralphel Lilmon Simpson to: Ralphel La’Mon Barnes. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Apr. 30, 2015 Johnnie Denise Dunson Petitioner, Pro se 3490 Riverview Chase Dr. Ellenwood, GA 30291 678- 598-4892
DeKalb County Sheriff Office
Jeffrey L. Mann, Sheriff 4415 Memorial Drive • Decatur, GA 30032
Sex Offender
Sex Offender
Roderick Gray Homeless Atlanta, GA 30341 Charge of Sexual Battery Convicted on 10/17/2011
Giorgio Mann 4893 Memorial Drive Stn. Mtn., GA 30083 Charge of Statutory Rape Convicted on 4/27/2015
Sex Offender
Sex Offender
Alexander Hebert 4180 Riverbank Court Decatur, GA 30034 Charge of Promoting Prostitution Convicted on 6/19/201
Jacar Martin 3992 Ambrose Court Ellenwood, GA 30294 Charge of Electronic Solicitation of a Child Convicted on 8/18/2014
Sex Offender
Sex Offender
Trenton Howard 2211 Holly Hill Drive Decatur, GA 30032 Charge of Child Molestation Convicted on 12/9/1996
Sex Offender
Terrell Ledbetter 1900 Glenfair Road Decatur, GA 30035 Charge of Sex Assault Convicted on 11/1/1992
Gerald Miller 450 Navarre Drive Stn. Mtn., GA 30087 Charge of Rape Convicted on 12/14/1992
Sex Offender
John Peniston 4902 Treehills Pkwy Stn. Mtn., GA 30088 Charge of Child Molestation Convicted on 11/4/2004
Sex Offender
Carlos Ponce 3476 Oak Run Drive Lithonia, GA 30038 Charge of Enticing a Child for Indecent Purposes Convicted on 11/10/2003
Bobby Smith 3912 Memorial College Avenue, Apt 6 Clarkston, GA 30021 Charge of Sexual Battery Convicted on 4/6/2007
Sex Offender
Donald Smith 2341 Cherokee Valley Circle Lithonia, GA 30058 Charge of Child Molestation Convicted on 1/6/2006
Sex Offender
Stephen Robert 1809 Concept Drive Lithonia, GA 30038 Charge of Child Molestation Convicted on 6/24/2013
Sex Offender
Jesse Murden 4482 Thurgood Estates Drive Ellenwood, GA 30294 Charge of Child Molestation Convicted on 9/19/1999
Sex Offender
Sex Offender
Johnny Sims 515 Chevelle Lane Decatur, GA 30030 Charge of Child Molestation Convicted on 10/20/2008
Sex Offender
Alex Williams 3391 Columbia Trace Decatur, GA 30032 Charge of Sexual Battery Convicted on 5/10/2010 The DeKalb Sex Offenders List is published by the DeKalb County Sheriff Office. For more information call the Sex Offender Unit at 404-298-8130.
10
CrossRoadsNews
Scene
June 6, 2015
The first Clarence Seeliger Judicial Award went to Carolyn Lee, a third-year law student at the University of Georgia.
DLA honors Judge Seeliger with plaque, poem Look-alike dads, DeKalb Superior Court Judge Clarence Seeliger was honored with a plaque and poem written specially for him at the DeKalb Lawyers Association’s 27th annual Scholarship Breakfast on May 30. Seeliger, who has been on the DeKalb bench for 35 years, was honored for his generosity and support of the 30-year-old organization and its scholarship program that benefits African-American law students. In 2014, he donated $11,000 to the DLA Foundation to establish scholarships for minority law students. It was the single largest donation to the group, which established the Clarence Seeliger Judicial Award, a $1,000 annual scholarship. The first one went to Carolyn Lee, a third-year law student at the University of Georgia. After he was recognized, Seeliger, who was first elected to the DeKalb State Court bench in 1980 and to Superior Court in 1985, announced that he plans to seek another term. He also pledged another $5,000
kids can compete
Posing with Judge Clarence Seeliger are DLA President Mawuli Davis (from left), attorneys and DLA co-founders Genet Hopewell and Mereda Davis Johnson, and poet Eric Hubbard.
to DLA if it could raise a matching $5,000 at the breakfast. Individuals and law firms immediately pledged $5,500 for a total of $10,500 raised for scholarships. DLA presented its Donald Lee Hollowell Legacy Award to Chelsea Freeman, a rising
second-year student at Northwestern University School of Law, and President Award to Travis Foreman, a third-year John Marshall Law School student. For more scholarship recipients, visit www.crossroadsnews.com.
Dads and their spitting-image offspring can register on June 13 for the annual FatherChild Look-alike Contest at the Gallery at South DeKalb. Registeration takes place from noon to 2 p.m. at the mall’s Center Court. Competitors must bring a nonreturnable photo and an application, available at www.galleryatsouthdekalb.com, and at the Management Office. Registration is required for participation. The contest takes place at noon on June 20 on the Macy’s Stage with host Ryan Cameron. First prize is a Disney World vacation. Second prize is a Hilton Head Island, S.C., vacation, and third prize is a merchant gift pack. The mall is at 2801 Candler Road in Decatur. For more information, visit www.galleryatsouthdekalb.com.
Dads can swag Grand opening on June 13 for Exchange Spray Park County will cut the ribbon and option for safe, summer fun,” Johnson at ‘Oh, My Child!’ hostDeKalb a grand opening on June 13 for the Ex- said. Fathers will show off their swag at the June 21 performance of “Oh, My Child!” stage play at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center in Decatur. Some will receive New Next Generation trophies as “Atlanta’s best swagger” at the 4 p.m. Father’s Day event. Registration is required at www.newnextgenpro.com or 1-877-408-9194. Production company founder Rosie McGee is writer, director and producer of the play about a small group of people who hide many dark secrets. The center is at 3181 Rainbow Drive.
change Spray Park on Columbia Drive. The park, which is free to use, opened for business Memorial Day. It offers kids, big and small, another place to cool down this summer. DeKalb Commissioner Larry Johnson is hosting a 10 a.m. ribbon cutting at the park located at the Exchange Intergenerational Recreation Center in Decatur. The aquatics park is a first for Commission District 3, represented by Johnson. He said he is elated for the residents of South DeKalb. “The Exchange Spray Park is an excellent
It is the second spray park in South DeKalb, joining the Browns Mill Splash Park on Browns Mill Road in Lithonia. At the Exchange Spray Park, residents can cool down Sundays and Tuesdays from noon to 7 p.m. It will open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. the rest of the week. Children 12 years and younger must be accompanied at all times by an adult chaperon. Bathing suits and swim trunks are required. Other types of clothing will not be tolerated. The Exchange Recreation Center is at Exchange Spray Park on Columbia Drive in 2771 Columbia Drive. Decatur is free to use. Swimwear is required.
One-order, one-invoice, multi-newspaper placement service!
Reach more than 15 million households served by over 1,020 suburban and community newspapers around North America and Canada. 25-word ad starts at $240 weekly. Discount Contact Rates Available. For more information, call 888-486-2466. Autos CASH FOR CARS! Any Make, Model or Year. We Pay MORE! Running or Not. Sell Your Car or Truck TODAY. Free Towing! Instant Offer: 1-888-545-8647 AUTO INSURANCE STARTING AT $25/ MONTH! Call 877-929-9397 You could save over $500 off your auto insurance. It only takes a few minutes. Save 10% by adding property to quote. Call Now! 1-888-498-5313
Business Opportunity AVON- Earn extra income with a new career! Sell from home, work,, online. $15 startup. For information call: 888-423-1792 (M-F 9-7 & Sat 9-1 Central) $23.75 Per Hour! Company Needs Help Processing Simple Worksheets. Easy Work, Flexible Hours. www.24PerHour.com
Education & Training AIRLINE CAREERS Start Here - Get hands on training as FAA certified Technician fixing jets. Financial aid if qualified. Call for free information Aviation Institute of Maintenance 1-877-818-0783 www.FixJets.com You can be career-ready in as little as 3 months for a rewarding new career in the growing healthcare, technology, or administration industries. The U.S. Depart-
ment of Labor expects millions of new jobs in these fields! Get started today: CareerStep.com/ startnow.
Employment Opportunities HELP WANTED!! Make up to $1000 A Week Mailing Brochures From Home! Helping Home Workers since 2001! Genuine Opportunity! NO Experience Required! www.needmailers.com VOID IN WI
Call 1-800-283-3601 Call now to secure a super low rate on your Mortgage. Don’t wait for Rates to increase. Act Now! Call 1-888-859-9539
Health & Fitness
GET HELP NOW! One Button Senior Medical Alert. Falls, Fires & Emergencies happen. 24/7 Protection. Only $14.99/mo. Call NOW 888-772-9801
Home Improvement
Save 10%-60% at the dentist with :DentalPlans.com. Call 844671-7061 promo code IMP10. Buy your plan NOW, get 10% off and 1 free month! Call now!! 844-671-7061
All Things Basementy! Basement Systems Inc. Call us for all of your basement needs! Waterproofing, Finishing, Structural Repairs, Humidity and Mold Control FREE ESTIMATES! Call 1-800-998-5574
PROBLEMS with the IRS or State Taxes? Settle for a fraction of what you owe! Free face to face consultations with offices in your area. Call 855-970-2032
Wheelchair and Scooter Repair. Medicare Accepted. Fast Friendly Service. BBB Rated. Loaners Available. CALL 1-800450-7709
Find the Right Carpet, Flooring & Window Treatments. Ask about our 50% off specials & our Low Price Guarantee. Offer Expires Soon. Call now 1-888-906-1887
GET CASH NOW for your Annuity or Structured Settlement. Top Dollars Paid. Fast, No Hassle Service! 877-693-0934 (M-F 9:35am-7pm ET)
Got Knee Pain? Back Pain? Shoulder Pain? Get a painrelieving brace -little or NO cost to you. Medicare Patients Call Health Hotline Now! 1- 800-9005406
Misc. For Sale
Financial/ Insurance
SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS. Unable to work? Denied benefits? We Can Help! WIN or Pay Nothing! Contact Bill Gordon & Associates at 1-800706-8742 to start your application today! Are you in trouble with the IRS? Owe 10k or more in taxes? Call US Tax Shield 800-507-0674 Sell your structured settlement or annuity payments for CASH NOW. You don’t have to wait for your future payments any longer!
Health Insurance is required. You might be paying too much. It’s time to stop wasting money. Get great coverage for less. Call today 1-888-753-3642 Canada Drug Center is your choice for safe and affordable medications. Our licensed Canadian mail order pharmacy will provide you with savings of up to 90% on all your medication needs. Call today 1-800-4188975, for $10.00 off your first prescription and free shipping.
Acorn Stairlifts. The AFFORDABLE solution to your stairs! **Limited time -$250 Off Your Stairlift Purchase!** Buy Direct & SAVE. Please call 1-800304-4489 for FREE DVD and brochure. Get CABLE TV, INTERNET & PHONE with FREE HD Equipment and install for under $3 a day! Call Now! 855-752-8550 Get The Big Deal from DirecTV! Act Now- $19.99/mo. Free 3-Months of HBO, starz, SHOWTIME & CINEMAX FREE GENIE HD/DVR Upgrade! 2014 NFL Sunday Ticket Included with Select Packages. New Customers Only IV Support Holdings LLC-
An authorized DirecTV Dealer Some exclusions apply - Call for details 1-800-897-4169 KILL BED BUGS! Buy Harris Bed Bug killer Complete Treatment Program/Kit. Harris Mattress Covers add Extra Protection! Available: ACE Hardware. Buy Online: homedepot.com KILL ROACHES! Buy Harris Roach Tablets. Eliminate BugsGuaranteed. No Mess, Odorless, Long Lasting. Available at Ace Hardware & The Home Depot
Miscellaneous Advertise your product or service nationwide or by region in over 7 million households in North America’s best suburbs! Place your classified ad in over 570
suburban newspapers just like this one. Call Classified Avenue at 888-486-2466 Dish Network - Get MORE for LESS! Starting $19.99/month (for 12 months.) PLUS Bundle & SAVE (Fast Internet for $15 more/month.) 800-278-1401 Protect Your Home - ADT Authorized Dealer: Burglary, Fire, and Emergency Alerts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! CALL TODAY, INSTALLED TOMORROW! 888-858-9457 (M-F 9am-9pm ET) FREE $50 WALMART GIFT CARD & 3 FREE issues of YOUR FAVORITE MAGAZINES! To claim this free offer, Call 855954-3224 FREE BAHAMA CRUISE. 3 days/2 nights from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Pay only $59 port charge! Upgrades available! Call Now! 877-916-3235 FREE GOLD IRA KIT. With the demise of the dollar now is the time to invest in gold. AAA Rated! For free consultation: 1-866-683-5664
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.
11
CrossRoadsNews
June 6, 2015
People
“Everybody had a better time when he was around. When he left, he was running and jumping.”
Jeremiah’s Journey to honor Stone Mountain boy, help others Jeremiah Truesdale Dec. 13, 2008 – May 27, 2015 By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
Six-year-old Jeremiah Truesdale, who put up a valiant fight to live, died on May 27. Kay Truesdale, his mother, said Jeremiah collapsed at his Stone Mountain home and died at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston. On Oct. 30, 2013, after a miraculous recovery from a massive stroke, then 4-year-old Jeremiah was picked by Children’s Healthcare to be the first child to ride the Macy’s Pink Pig at Lenox Square. His mother said Wednesday that she believes Jeremiah accepted God’s will for his life and stayed around long enough to prepare her. “He said to me, ‘Lord, if you are not going to heal me, please let me sleep,’” she said. Truesdale said Jeremiah also encouraged her to start a foundation, which he named Jeremiah’s Journey, to help the families of sick children like him. “He told me, ‘Mommy, you got to do it,’”
born after four miscarriages, would have died then if doctors were not immediately available. The stroke left him unable to walk, speak or move his arms. Because of his can-do attitude, Jeremiah learned to walk and talk again and regained use of his arms. During his rehabilitation at Scottish Rite Critical Intake Rehabilitation, his therapists said he inspired and encouraged the other children undergoing therapy. “Everybody had a better time when he was around,” his physical therapist Heather Markley said. “When he left, he was running and jumping.” Jeremiah is also survived by his father, Benny; big sister Destiny; and little brother Joshua. His home-going service will be 11 a.m. on Jeremiah Truesdale, with sister Destiny, parents Benny and Kay, and brother Joshua, was picked June 6 at Liberty Temple, 6400 Rockbridge by Children’s Healthcare to be the first child to ride Macy’s Pink Pig at Lenox Square in 2013. Road in Stone Mountain. it cannot pump blood normally. she said. In lieu of flowers, his mother is asking for In May 2013, he suffered a massive stroke donations to help start the Jeremiah’s JourJeremiah first fell ill in August 2011 when he was 2 1/2. He was diagnosed days later while hospitalized at Children’s Healthcare ney foundation. For more information or to with restrictive cardiomyopathy – a disease at Egleston. donate, contact Kay Truesdale at kaytrue1@ Truesdale believes her “miracle baby,” hotmail.com or 678-480-0126. that weakens the muscles of the heart so that
Put CrossRoadsNews to Work for You! Call 404-284-1888 for Advertising Rates & Information
Marketplace LESSONS SEWING LESSONS - Learn a life-changing skill; adults and children; www.sewwithray.weebly. com; or call Ms. Ray - 404-2961912
FOR RENT/LEASE Need peace and quiet in a clean, comfortable, furnished studio apt? I-20/285; free utilities & more Perfect for single, mature occupant. Ask about 1/2 off one month’_s rent; 404-288-0411
HELP WANTED Seeking individual with his/her own vehicle to pick up equipment in Braselton, GA and deliver to
destinations in DeKalb County. Liability insurance & valid driver’s license w/ no prior criminal record required. Drug testing is mandatory - Contact Tom Madden at 678-963-2062 Residential Instructors/Houseparent Needed: Direct Care FT, PT and hourly positions available in Decatur and Lithonia. HS diploma required. If interested, please call 404- 748-9530 ext 102. Drivers, CDL-A: Home EVERY Weekend! ALL Loaded/Empty Miles Paid! Dedicated Southeast! Or Walk Away Lease, No Money Down. 1-855-321-4565
financial
Thinking of selling your home? Call The Fixitman and Make it Ready-To-Sell!
School Law Attorney Representing Teachers
The Law Office of B.A. Thomas, LLC 404-525-6902 www.TheTeachersLawyer.com
attorneys
Something Broken?
MUSIC LESSONS
TOURS
Love Divine Music Conservatory award-winning school teaches: piano, organ, voice, band and strings. Call Dr. Sue Hampton at 404-244-7420.
Casino Trips Weekly to Creek Casino; $45.00 for park n ride; free play or food, games; $55.00 for Decatur ONLY “door-to-door” service; prices for reserved seats; call 404-288-8381.
I can help! 229.995.2198
Loans for Churches, Restaurants, Day Care Centers, Multi Family Properties, Office Buildings and other commercial properties. Purchases or refinancing. All credit considered. Closings as quick as 7 days.
fixitman@sonic.net satisfying customers since 2003
PREFERRED HOME REPAIR
404-870-9070
Electrical • Plumbing • Drywall Carpentry • Kitchen • Bath Painting • Handyman 5-Star Reviews on Yelp.com
financial
medical benefits
Call Kelvin or Lillie
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.
attorneys
attorneys
home services
education Serving Ages 6 wks to Age 13
www.thesamuelgroupinc.com
TAX PROBLEMS RESOLUTION
$0 COPAY
TO TALK TO A DOCTOR FROM THE CONVENIENCE OF YOUR HOME!
• IRS Audit Representation • Unfiled Taxes • Installment Agreement • Tax liens or levies • Penalty Abatement • Payroll problems • Tax Related Identity Fraud • Offer in Compromise
70% of all doctor visits can be handled over the phone, saving you time and money. Great program for the entire family, and that kid away at college. For Details, CALL FOR
FREE REPORT, 24 HRS 800-704-3307
Call Henry K. Mitchell, CPA
Family Owned Quality Child Care Facility 25+ Years Experience 18+ Years in the community 6am-6pm Monday-Friday 2650 McAfee Rd Decatur 30032
(404) 534-9969
Lucy T. Andrews, Exec. Dir.
678-663-6229
fabrics / upholstery
F
FABRIC
DISCOUNT FABRICS & UPHOLSTERY
attorneys
JHC
Johnson Hopewell Coleman, LLC “EXPERIENCED LAWYERS, EXPERIENCED MINDS”
3372 MEMORIAL DRIVE SE DECATUR, GA 30032 ERE BELVED
ND
CA
ALSTON DRIVE SE
LER AD
RO
GLENWOOD ROAD
Personal Injury & Workers Comp • Family Law/Divorce/Custody • Wills/Probate/Trusts Bankruptcy • Criminal Defense • Corporate & Business Law • Immigration Law
4153 Flat Shoals Parkway | Bldg C Suite 322 | Decatur, GA 30034
P:404.289.2244 F:404.289.2888 www.jhclawyers.com
PLAZA
FREE
FABRIC WITH UPHOLSTERY
OFFER OFFER EXPIRES EXPIRES03/31/14 6/30/15
WE HAVE MOVED TO A BIGGER AND BETTER LOCATION! ADDRESS : 3372 MEMORIAL DRIVE DECATUR, GA 30032 PHONE : (404) 284-1543 • (404) 966-8320 HOURS : MONDAY - SATURDAY 10AM - 6PM E-MAIL : FABRICJOINT@GMAIL.COM WEBSITE : FABRICJOINT.COM
12
CrossRoadsNews
June 6, 2015