CrossRoadsNews, June 7, 2014 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

COMMUNITY

WELLNESS

YOUTH

A meeting to discuss DeKalb County’s plan to purchase the South DeKalb YMCA for $4.5 million drew opponents and proponents alike. 3

Summer’s on the horizon, and safety officials have launched “Where’s Baby? Look Before You Lock” to prevent heat-related deaths. 5

A Lithonia woman says her son is the second victim of a so-called “knockout game” attack at Salem Middle School. 10

Controversial use of funds

Watching out for baby

Another attack reported

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

June 7, 2014

Volume 20, Number 6

www.crossroadsnews.com

Vacant property owners must register or face fines By Ken Watts

Creekwood Hills Community Association President Johnny Cole, who spoke at the June 4 news conference, said enforcement of the ordinance will help improve the look of neighborhoods.

on Quail Court in the Columbia Meadows subdivision in Decatur, interim CEO Lee May said the new law is different from the foreclosure registry that went into effect on July 1, 2012. “A property can be vacant without being in foreclosure,” May said. “Until now, we didn’t have a strategy to hold the owners’ feet to the fire in these kinds of vacancy cases.” Property owners will pay $100 to register their property with the county. Interim Police Chief James Conroy said a blighted, abandoned house is a haven where crime can breed and grow.

Owners of more than 10,000 vacant residential properties in DeKalb County now have to secure them and register them with the county or face thousands of dollars in fines starting in July. The county’s vacant registry ordinance, signed into law in December, went into effect on June 1. Owners have 30 days to register their properties. On July 1, county code enforcement officers will start issuing citations to violators, summoning them to DeKalb Recorders Court to face a judge. At a news conference staged in front of an unsecured vacant single-family house Please see BLIGHT, page 3

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

Long recovery for man shot by burglars Retired Army Lt. Col. Amos King is recovering from a gunshot wound to his right leg. King was shot on May 3 when he interrupted a burglary in Stone Mountain.

Process server interrupted crime in progress By Ken Watts

May 3 was just a normal working day for Amos King, a self-employed process server. The retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and former Greenforest Academy high school basketball coach and history teacher had divorce papers to serve at a house on Post Road Pass in Stone Mountain, not too far from the home where he has lived for 23 years. King knocked on the door of the nice two-story, wood-frame house and stood waiting for an answer. Unknown to him, a burglary was in progress at the home. “A guy came around from behind the house with a gun, his face covered by a bandana,” King said. “He pointed the gun at me and told me to open the door. I told him I didn’t live there and was just delivering some papers. “About then, another guy came around from behind the house with a gun and stepped up to the porch. The first guy said, ‘I’ll shoot you,’ and slapped me upside the head with his pistol.” King jumped over a front porch railing to escape his attackers. The first assailant fired a single shot, hitting King in the right leg. The bullet ripped through the back of his right knee and a major vein before exiting out the side of his leg. DeKalb Police said King interrupted two or three burglars who had stacked up stolen electronics inside the front door. Surveillance video shows the suspects’ car speeding away from the scene. Investigators are working the case but have made no arrests. Bleeding profusely, King dragged himself to the driveway and yelled for help. A month later, he is still hospitalized at Grady Memorial Hospital. “When I came in here, I had lost a lot

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

of blood,” he said on June 2, his heavily bandaged leg poking out from under the bedcovers. “They didn’t think they could save my leg.” At the sound of the gunshot on May 3, a woman next door dialed 911. The neighbor said the 911 operator advised her not to get involved. King, 52, said that’s when his military training kicked in. He ripped off his shirt, intending to use it to stop the bleeding. “I didn’t panic,” he said. “I made a tourniquet and the lady’s son came and helped me tie it.” But he could feel himself going in and out of consciousness. “The last thing I remember was yelling out, ‘Jesus, please don’t let me die here alone,’ ” he said.

Nineteen units of blood and six surgeries later, he still has his leg but faces months of physical therapy and a long recovery. “Grady has done a tremendous job in saving my leg,” he said Monday, his voice tense with pain but steady. King was scheduled to start physical therapy this week. He said he is angry about what happened to him but glad to be alive. “This did not happen in a bad neighborhood,” he said. “These were nice houses.” King hopes his story will help motivate the community to find ways to stop violent crime. “I just wanted to bring attention to that [Stone Mountain] neighborhood and let people know that these types of things are taking place,” he said. “If I hadn’t come forward, a lot of people might have never even

known that it happened.” King, a father of five, retired from the U.S. Army twice, the first time in 1993. He taught at Greenforest from 1995 to 2000 when he left to start his process-serving business. The Army reactivated him in 2004 to help deploy troops and equipment to the Iran and Afghanistan wars. He retired for good in 2011. He is hopeful he will regain full use of his right leg. “The swelling has gone down,” he said. “The doctors think I’ll be able to walk as soon as I recover some strength in my leg. That’ll be a blessing.” Will he return to his process-server job? “That’s the million-dollar question,” King said. “I don’t know. Every day I’ve been thinking about that.”

Community

CrossRoadsNews

June 7, 2014

“Help us get these monsters off the street. They killed my grandbaby. Your baby might be next.”

Two suspects charged in shooting death of 9-month-old By Ken Watts

Two men accused in the shooting death of 9-month-old Kendarius Edwards Jr. are behind bars. DeKalb Police said Thursday that Devin Thomas, 18, and Marco Watson, 36, were arrested for the baby’s death and for shooting his grandmother, Tracy Smith; his mother, Tanika Smith; and her best friend in a Kendarius Edwards home invasion on May 10 on Lani Farm Road in Stone Mountain. Tanika Smith, wearing a bandage on her left cheek and black patch over her right eye, spoke to WSB-TV after the suspects’ first appearance Thursday before a DeKalb County judge. She said she is really grateful to the police for the arrest.

“They told me when I was in the hospital that they [would] find my baby’s killers and they have,” she said. Her mother said the arrests were “a big ol’ relief.” “It’s just a burden off my family,” Tracy Smith Devin Thomas said. “Help us get these monsters off the street. They killed my grandbaby. Your baby might be next.” At a news conference about the arrests, Public Safety Director Cedric Alexander said the two men are charged with murder and three counts of aggravated assault. “At this point, we know these two were there,” he said. Alexander declined to say which suspect allegedly fired the fatal shot. “Detectives traced leads, working around

the clock nonstop to find justice in the death of the young child and also the women who suffered wounds trying to protect the baby that night,” he said. Alexander said the investigation is still open Marco Watson and detectives don’t know whether anyone else was involved. Watson was in jail charged with a probation violation and Thomas was locked up on a charge of making a false statement. The death of the baby was part of a string of fatal shootings that started on May 3 after a brawl at a house party at the Mountain Lake Apartments on North Hairston Road in Stone Mountain. Michael Phillips, 29, was killed in that incident. A week later, 19-year-old Alexis Malone, believed to be a witness in the Phillips shoot-

ing, was found shot to death at a park on Agape Way in Decatur. Alexander said investigators have reason to believe that Thomas may have been a friend of Malone’s and the May 10 home invasion a retaliation for her death. Two suspects have been charged in Malone’s death. A coalition of DeKalb pastors offered a $7,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the baby’s death, but Alexander said the reward did not lead to the charges against Watson and Thomas. Investigators are still seeking information from the public. Alexander said they’re being careful with information so as not to divulge specific details that led them to the suspects. “We want to make sure we get any and all who had anything to do with the planning and execution of this attack, the horrific death of this child and the injury of those women that night,” he said.

Lithonia offers amnesty on tickets Boyfriend indicted in toddler’s death More than 1,200 people with outstanding citations and warrants for traffic, property and criminal violations can settle their tickets with the city of Lithonia without penalty from June 9 to Sept. 12. During the amnesty period, the Lithonia Municipal Court is waiving the fees for Failure to Appear Municipal Warrants and citations. Police Chief Eddie Eddie Moody Moody said that there are 362 outstanding warrants and 849 outstanding citations. The court is waiving the $470 fee for ar-

rest warrants and the $160 fee for failure to appear in court. Amnesty from fees is rare in the small city. Its last amnesty program was in 2009. The city says that failure to take advantage of the amnesty period could result in arrest. Outstanding warrants and citations can be settled with cash or money order at the Lithonia Police Department, 6980 Main St. in Lithonia. Payments will be accepted Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon except on July 5. For more information and exact payment amount, call 770-482-8747.

Nicholas Clarence Wade, who He was shot after pulling a allegedly struck an 18-monthsawed-off shotgun and pointing it old toddler in the abdomen and at deputies. killed him, was indicted by a Wade, who is not the toddler’s DeKalb grand jury on June 3. father, was dating the child’s mothHe is accused of striking er, Jillian Belk. Keon Belk in the abdomen “with DeKalb District Attorney Robert an object” on Feb. 3, causing James said the indictment outlines severe liver damage that led to Nicholas Wade a senseless and brutal attack on an the child’s death. innocent and defenseless child. Wade, 22, faces felony charges of malice “It is truly a tragedy anytime a child loses murder, murder, cruelty to children, aggra- his life in this manner,” he said. vated assault and aggravated battery. Wade’s arraignment date has not been Sheriff ’s deputies took him into cus- set. tody on Feb. 5 after a standoff at New Birth Assistant District Attorney Lee Williams Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia. will serve as lead prosecutor.

June 7, 2014

Community

CrossRoadsNews

“The neighbors have done all they can do, but without the law behind us, it didn’t help a lot.”

Applications now open for District 5 Commission seat By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Residents of Lithonia, Decatur and Stone Mountain who live in DeKalb Commission District 5 can now apply to be interim commissioner. The county began advertising this week in CrossRoadsNews and other local newspapers for applicants to represent the district of 145,000 residents that was left without a commissioner when Gov. Nathan Deal appointed Lee May interim CEO on July 16, 2013. The deadline to apply is July 3.

May said Tuesday that he will appoint a three-member panel to review all applicants and narrow the field to two qualified candidates. He will submit one of those names to the Board of Commissioners for the appointment. Eligible candidates must live in the district for at least 12 months prior to the appointment, be at least 21 years of age, and must not be barred by any disqualification under the law. They must have “thorough knowledge of the DeKalb County Government, federal, state and local law, including but not limited

to the DeKalb County Code and Code of Ethics is preferred. Strong communication skills, oral and written, and experience in public service is also preferred,” the ad says. The DeKalb Board of Commissioners will make the temporary appointment from the pool of applicants. The appointee will serve until CEO Burrell Ellis’ suspension is terminated or the need for him or her ends, whichever is earlier. The Georgia Legislature passed SB 367 on March 20 to provide representation for the district after Deal tapped May, the district’s commissioner, to be interim CEO.

Deal removed Ellis from office on July 16, 2013, after he was indicted on theft and racketeering charges for allegedly shaking down county vendors for campaign donations. While serving, the interim commissioner will receive the $38,374-a-year salary paid to commissioners. Interested candidates should email a cover letter and resume to district5@dekalb countyga.gov by July 3, 2014. Ellis’ trial is scheduled to start Sept. 8. If he is exonerated, he will return to the CEO’s office and May will return to the District 5 seat.

Proposed agreement with YMCA brings out friends, foes By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

DeKalb commissioners are set to vote June 10 on a controversial public-private parnership that calls for the county to use $4.95 million of green space funds to purchase the South DeKalb YMCA and lease it back to the YMCA for $1 a year for 50 years. Under the plan, the county will buy the 18 acres on which the South DeKalb Y sits with $4 million of countywide acquisition money from the 2001 and 2006 Parks Bond Funds. Districts 3 and 7 Commissioners Larry Johnson and Stan Watson, who represent the area, are putting in the balance from their district’s green space allocations from the 2001 Bond Fund. Watson is chipping in $651,842; and Johnson, $307,250. Their $959,092 contributions exhaust all the land acquisition money for their districts. E s to n Ho o d , t h e YMCA of Metropolitan Atlanta’s chief operating officer, said the YMCA will use the $4.95 million to expand and renovate the South DeKalb YMCA Eston Hood to offer more services to youth, teens, adults and seniors. At June 4 public information sessions cohosted by Johnson and Watson at the Maloof Auditorium , residents for and against the agreement weighed in on the proposal. Supporters point to the YMCA’s long

history of caring for “You just need to get four votes and let us the community’s go on about our business,” he said. children. Opponents Alvin Dollar said his 40-year-old children said it was a sweet grew up at the South DeKalb Y. deal for the YMCA “I can’t see why my community would and improper use of not support the partnership.” he said. “I the county’s Parks want you to give my public dollars to this Bond Funds. project.” John Leak, a 44George Sharp, who has been a South year Decatur resiDeKalb Y member since 1975, urged comdent, questioned the missioners to support the issue. process that kept the “I think the commissioners can leave a county’s own Parks legacy by approving this,” he said. Bond Funds adviHood said that partnering with the sory committee in county is a win-win for the community Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews the dark. Leak, who and that by the end of the year, the Y will John Leak, a Long-time DeKalb resident, says the proposals , needs serves on the com- another look to make sure the tay-payers interests are protected. award $2.5 million in scholarships to DeKalb mittee, said he and households.. other members found out about the pur- make sure the taxpayers’ interest is being Hood will make another presentation chase in a CrossRoadsNews’ April 12, 2014 represented.” on the project at Watson’s June 7 CommuDeKalb NAACP President John Evans nity Cabinet Meeting at Chapel Hill Middle front-page article. He said he visited the Wade Walker said that the YMCA is like “mother and apple School. It starts at 9 a.m. The school is at YMCA, built in 2012 with $18 million of pie,” and that he supports it. 3535 Dogwood Farms Road in Decatur. county funds, and was told that he could not enter if he wasn’t a member. “I just wanted to walk on the indoor track,” Leak said. “But I was told by the young lady at the desk that ‘this is the Y’s building and you have to be a member to come in here.’” Leak said the county will get just $500 over the 50-year lease, but that the YMCA’s financial disclosures show that it is flush with cash. Fresh • Healthy • Delicious “Why can’t the Y stroke the check,” he asked. “Why depend on Uncle DeKalb? This thing needs another look. We are unequally yoked in this thing. Send this deal back and

Father's Day $ Special ! ! !

Registry can stabilize neighborhoods BLIGHT,

from page

“Left unmanaged, vacant properties do attract crime,” Conroy said. “We can stop it in the early stages and prevent it from getting worse.” The ordinance seeks to crack down on owners who abandon vacant and unsightly residential properties in neighborhoods. Police say they’ve found evidence that squatters, criminals and drug users have used the Quail Court house. The house’s garage door is badly damaged. Marcus Kellum, Code Enforcement director, said it looks like somebody backed into it and knocked out the door frame. “After that, it was easy to kick down the garage door and get in. Inside, the walls are damaged, we found drug paraphernalia, and all the copper wiring’s been stripped.” Outside, the front yard is overgrown with weeds and littered with liquor bottles. District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson, who represents the area, said a house in that condition is a nightmare. “When you see blight like this, you have to make sure you eradicate it,” he said. The Vacant Property Registry Ordinance requires owners to register their vacant building with the county for a fee of $100 and designate a local property agent to manage it.

Owners who skirt the law are subject to fines of up to $1,000 per violation. May said the fines are in addition to other penalties assessed for improperly maintained properties that violate county codes. Tonza Clark, the Foreclosure Registry manager who also is managing the vacant property registry, said South DeKalb is plagued with vacant properties. “I can’t give you an exact figure right now on how many of the 10,000 are in South DeKalb, but I can tell you the majority are.” Residents said the ordinance will help improve home values and quality of life. Joyce Henry, who lives in Columbia Meadows, said the community really needed enforcement. “The neighbors have done all they can do, but without the law behind us, it didn’t help a lot,” she said. Johnny Cole, president of nearby Creek wood Hills Community Association, said enforcement of the ordinance will go a long way in improving the look of neighborhoods. “The community and our leaders are coming on strong and when they get together, things work,” he said. Kellum said the vacant registry is a tool to help stabilize neighborhoods. “We can change the face of DeKalb County and improve the neighborhoods.”

10% OFF

3455 Memorial Drive • Decatur, GA 30032 404-288-8806

Seniors 60+, Military, Police, College Students (Show ID) Dine In Only

Open 7 Days a Week

Monday - Thursday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Friday: 11 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. Saturday: 11:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. Sunday: 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.

3455 Memorial Drive • Decatur, GA

$1.50 OFF

ADULT LUNCH BUFFET

3455 Memorial Drive • Decatur, GA

$2.00 OFF DINNER BUFFET

with Purchase of a Drink

Adults only. Maximum 4 adults per coupon. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discounts. Not valid with kids price. Not valid on holidays or Father’s Day. Expires 6/30/14.

3455 Memorial Drive • Decatur, GA

LUNCH OR DINNER

with Purchase of $30 or more

Dine in Only.

15% OFF

with Purchase of a Drink Dine in Only.

Adults only. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discounts. Not valid with kids price. Not valid on holidays or Father’s Day. Expires 6/30/14.

Dine in Only.

$5.00 OFF Dine in Only.

Adults only. Cannot be combined with any other offer or discounts. Not valid on holidays or Father’s Day. Expires 6/30/14.

Forum

CrossRoadsNews

June 7, 2014

“With the largest amount of available land, South DeKalb can be the new frontier for development in metro Atlanta.”

Right leaders could lead to economic transformation 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Graphic Design Curtis Parker Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Ken Watts Copy Editor Brenda Yarbrough Advertising Sales Kathy E. Warner Cherie Esteves 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.

L CA ! LO RCH A SE

L ITA NG! G I D ETI RK MA

www.crndigital.com

Second of a two-part series

“New leadership must know how to foster economic development, manage a city, and put the interests of the people first rather than personal need and ambition.”

Last week, Dr. Kathryn Rice reasoned that a city of South DeKalb would be a worthy rival to the city of Atlanta. This week, she identifies the ZIP codes that would make up the City of South DeKalb and proposes a leadership structure for success.

Dr. Kathryn Rice

A CEO or mayor is a decisionmaker. He/she can bring together If we create the City of South important personnel, promote a DeKalb, won’t we be isolating our city, and make decisions. In my selves from the rest of the county? opinion, South DeKalb will need a Will this be considered divisive? strong leader, like a mayor. Rather than looking at this as What’s the biggest value/ isolating yourself, think of this strength of forming a city of South as strategically positioning South DeKalb? DeKalb to join the rest of the region In my opinion, the biggest in effectively competing for assets opportunity facing the new City and quality of life. As part of a county, commis- of South DeKalb is the ability to sioners have to represent the citi- foster economic development. Like zens of both unincorporated areas a beast in the jungle going after its and cities because they get taxes prey, a similar mind-set needs to from both sets of constituents (al- exist in our leadership to transform an area that is behind the power beit at different levels). But mayors represent only the curve. Make no mistake – it can interests of their constituents. Hav- be done! If Ningguo City in China – a ing a mayor would help in different ways but none more so than in remote area in the mountains of China that initially had little transeconomic development. portation, few natural resources for How can we improve our eco manufacturing and little commerce nomic development if we haven’t – could transform itself into a top producing city in its region, now done so thus far? With the largest amount of known as the Ningguo Miracle, available land, South DeKalb can be then with the right leadership, the new frontier for development in South DeKalb can do the same. The new City of South DeKalb metro Atlanta. When we select a police chief, would have an abundance of assets we seek someone who has experi- such as proximity to a premier city ence in safety. When we select a (Atlanta), proximity to the busiest superintendent, we seek someone airport in the world, all the major who has experience in education. transportation highways, a large Let’s search for and select some- number of professionals, Stone one who has knowledge or experi- Mountain, proximity to the Centers ence in economic development and for Disease Control and Prevention, management. And this is where I access to a college and university promote having a CEO or mayor. system, and so forth. Can’t we become the South A city manager cannot go abroad and make a decision. He/she has to DeKalb Miracle? On top of that, leave the final decision to a group South DeKalb will soon become home to one of the most powerful of seven people.

Quick Read

makes the city interesting rather than homogenous. About 10-20 years ago, many people thought cities were dead. But now that the baby boomer generation has raised its kids, they want to be back to where they can find museums, restaurants, banks, walkable areas and diversity.

CIDs in the region – another proven tool for promoting economic Would the City of South De development. Kalb have enough assets to incor porate? What’s potentially the biggest A study would have to be done weakness of forming a city of which would determine whether a South DeKalb? city of South DeKalb is sustainable. Leadership. If good leaders are My guess is that they will find the not selected, then the new city will new City of South DeKalb a susnot realize its potential and the is- tainable proposition. sues that exist now will become isoIn summary, the benefits of lated and probably exacerbated. forming a new city of South DeKalb New leadership must know how are that: to foster economic development, n In one move, we form a large city manage a city, and put the interests that has the potential to compete of the people first rather than per- with any area for investment, jobs, sonal need and ambition. businesses and wealth. n South DeKalb won’t wait to let What are you proposing as the everyone cherry-pick the valuable boundaries of South DeKalb? Is resources while we sit back and this so large that it won’t work? watch. I am proposing the following n South DeKalb has the largest 15 ZIP codes. amount of land available for development in inner metro Atlanta 1. 30002 6. 30038 11. 30087 and can become a strong second 2. 30021 7. 30058 12. 30088 to Atlanta. 3. 30032 8. 30072 13. 30288 n The new CID will be an effective 4. 30034 9. 30079 14. 30294 tool which the city can leverage and 5. 30035 10. 30083 15. 30316 vice versa, leading to a win-win. n South DeKalb will have a mayor The boundaries were drawn to who looks out for the interests of include unincorporated Clarkston, South DeKalb. whose population is a valuable yet For this to be successful, resiuntapped asset. dents bear the responsibility of The large size of South DeKalb educating themselves and electing is what allows the proposition of good, qualified leaders. Let’s take cityhood to be viable at a time when control of our lives and destiny. smaller cities in South DeKalb Consider a new alternative – the could not sustain themselves. How- City of South DeKalb. ever, the biggest reason for this large Visit the SDIA Economic Dearea is that diversity is good. velopment blog at www.improveDiversity attracts people be- dekalb.blogspot.com to post your cause it fosters culture and the comments. arts; it gives options for people of Dr. Kathryn Rice is a resident of all socio-economic levels; and it Stone Mountain.

Vacant property owners must register or face fines 1

Applications now open for District 5 Commission seat 3

Copper vandals cause two library branches to close 9

Owners of more than 10,000 vacant residential properties in DeKalb County now have to secure them and register them with the county or face thousands of dollars in fines starting in July.

Residents of Lithonia, Decatur and Stone Mountain who live in Commission District 5 can now apply to be interim commissioner.

The Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown and Redan-Trotti libraries are shuttered indefinitely because of vandalism.

Proposed YMCA agreement brings out friends, foes 3

Authors to discuss story of a ‘Lost Boy’ 9

Two men accused in the shooting death of 9-month-old Kendarius Edwards Jr. are behind bars.

DeKalb commissioners are set to vote June 10 on a controversial public-private parnership that calls for the county to use $4.95 million of green space funds to purchase the South DeKalb YMCA.

Co-authors Estelle Ford-Williamson and Majok Marier will discuss “Seed of South Sudan: Memoir of a ‘Lost Boy’ Refugee” at First Baptist Church Decatur and at the Clarkston Library next week.

Lithonia offers amnesty on citations, warrants 2

Planning, diligence help ensure safe road trips

Second Salem Middle student injured in random attack 10

More than 1,200 people with outstanding citations and warrants for traffic, property and criminal violations can settle their tickets with the city of Lithonia without penalty from June 9 to Sept. 12.

Summer is the season for road trips, but before you load up and head out, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is urging drivers to take the proper precautions before and while on the roadways.

Two suspects charged in death of 9-month-old

Circulation Audited By

A second family has come forward with a report of student violence at Salem Middle School in Lithonia. Niger Hoffman says her son, a sixth-grader, was assaulted by two eighth-graders on May 21.

index to advertisers Candler Pharmacy.......................................... 5 DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court..................... 11 Earth Canvas Painting.....................................9 Emory Asthma Clinical Research Program..... 5 Extreme Dinosaurs..........................................9 F.I.E.R.C.E. Dance Team................................. 11

Fabric Joint, LLC............................................. 11 Flaming Grill & Supreme Buffet...................... 3 Ga Health Services Network............................ 5 Glaxo SmithKline...................................... 6,7,8 Johnson Hopewell Coleman LLC.................. 11 New Creations Fitness.................................... 11

Norman Davis............................................... 11 Real Men Cook...............................................9 Team Blue Tennis.......................................... 11 The Law Office of B.A. Thomas..................... 11 Wesley Chapel Child Care.............................. 11

Best Buy Co. Inc......................................Inserts Dish Network..........................................Inserts Walgreen’s..............................................Inserts Walmart..................................................Inserts Gregory B. Levett & Sons...................... Online

CrossRoadsNews

June 7, 2014

Wellness

Now through Labor Day, the number of vehicles on the nation’s highways jump dramatically as families take to the road for vacations and extended trips.”

Planning, diligence help ensure safe summer road trips Summer is the season for road trips, but before you load up the family and head out, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is urging drivers to take the proper precautions before and while on the roadways. Now through Labor Day, the number of vehicles on the nation’s highways jumps dramatically as families take to the road for vacations and extended trips. While these excursions can start off as a happy occasion, the NHTSA says that too often, they can result in tragedy due to negligence and failure to properly execute the necessary steps to ensure safe travel. Prevention and planning are much easier than dealing with the consequences of a breakdown, or worse yet, a highway crash, the agency says. To help avoid fatalities on the roadways, the NHTSA offers these recommendations for safe travel:

With proper precautions, family road trips can stay happy from start to finish.

n Buckle up – every trip, every time.

Everybody aboard must agree to wear their seat belts every time they are riding or driving in your vehicle. Wearing a seat belt also is the best defense against a drunk

paired-driving crash. Be responsible – don’t drink and drive. If you plan to drink, choose a sober designated driver before going out. n Check your tire’s air pressure, tread wear and spare. The NHTSA recently launched its TireWise campaign to provide consumers and retailers with essential information about choosing and caring for tires. Proper tire maintenance is especially important if traveling by 15-passenger van. n Keep children safe in and around your vehicle. Make sure car seats and booster seats are properly installed and that any children riding with you are in the car seat or booster seat best suited to protect them. There are driving-related crash. other dangers to children in and around cars, n Don’t drive after drinking. Drunk-driving deaths spike during the including hyperthermia, or heatstroke, from holidays, and every 51 minutes, someone being left unattended in a hot vehicle. Visit www.safercar.gov. in the United States dies in an alcohol-im-

Campaign raises awareness of the risks of leaving kids in hot cars With summer fast approaching and temperatures on the rise, it doesn’t take long for a child left unattended in a parked car to die of heatstroke. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched a national radio and Internet campaign, “Where’s Baby? Look Before You Lock,” to raise awareness among parents, caregivers, and grandparents. It says that data from the San Francisco State University Department of Geosciences show a disturbing trend – in 2013, at least 44 children in the United States lost their lives after being left in unattended motor vehicles. An unknown number of others were moderately to severely injured. The average number of U.S. child heatstroke fatalities per year since 1998 is 38. There have already been two such deaths reported this year. Because of their tiny bodies, it doesn’t take much to lose a child to heatstroke. Children’s bodies in particular overheat easily, and infants and kids under 4 years old are at the greatest risk for heat-related illness.

When outside temperatures are in the low 80s, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach deadly levels in only 10 minutes, even with a window rolled down 2 inches. Death and injuries from heatstroke often occur after a child gets into an unlocked vehicle to play without a parent or caregiver’s knowledge. Other incidents can occur when a parent or caregiver who is not used to transporting a child as part of their daily routine inadvertently forgets a sleeping infant in a rear-facing seat in the back of the vehicle. In a new study by Safe Kids Worldwide, 14 percent of parents say they have left a child alone inside a parked vehicle despite the risk of heatstroke. Based on the U.S. population, that number is projected to be nearly 2 million parents transporting more than 3.3 million children who say they have intentionally left their infants, toddlers, and kindergarten children alone in a parked vehicle. For parents of kids 3 years and younger, the percentage increases to 23 percent. Dads are almost three times more likely

than moms to leave a child alone in a parked car – 23 percent compared with 8 percent. Small children are particularly at risk because their bodies heat up three to five times faster than an adult’s. Kids die when their body temperature reaches 107 degrees. “Where’s Baby? Look Before You Lock” offers these precautions: n Never leave a child unattended in a vehicle – even if the windows are partially open or the engine is running and the air conditioning is on. n Make a habit of looking in the vehicle – front and back – before locking the door and walking away. n Ask the child care provider to call if the

child doesn’t show up for care as expected. n Do things that serve as a reminder that a child is in the vehicle, such as placing a purse or briefcase in the back seat that you have to get before leaving the vehicle, or write a note or place a stuffed animal in the driver’s view to indicate a child is in the car seat. n Teach children that a vehicle is not a play area and store keys out of a child’s reach. n If you see a child in a hot vehicle, call 911 or the local emergency number. n A child in heat distress should be removed from the vehicle immediately and rapidly cooled. For more information, visit www.Safer Car.gov/heatstroke.

Film explores addiction and recovery A free screening of the documentary “The Anonymous People” and a panel discussion will offer insights on addiction and the emerging public recovery movement on June 12 at the Richardson Health Center. The screening, which begins at 6 p.m. in Bohan Auditorium, is presented by the DeKalb Community Service Board and the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse. Filmmaker Greg Williams explores the stories of 23.5 million Americans in longterm recovery and the emerging public recovery movement that will transform how

alcohol and other drug problems are dealt with in U.S. communities. Addiction recovery advocates have come out of the shadows in an effort to end discrimination and move toward recovery-based solutions. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion and question-and-answer period. It is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Register at http://dekcsb.org /the-anonymous-people. The Richardson Health Center is at 445 Winn Way in Decatur. Contact Michelle Potter at 404-508-7875 for more information.

Does your child have Asthma? Take part in a Clinical Research Study! Consider joining a research study at Emory University / Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta to improve asthma treatments for African Americans/Blacks. To participate in this study, you must: • Be 5-21 years old • Have at least one grandparent of African descent

Qualified participants will receive: • Asthma medications • Pulmonary evaluation • Compensation for time and travel

NOW OPEN CANDLER PHARMACY Free Delivery • • • • • •

Free Prescription Pick Up

Flu-Shots Most Insurance Plans Accepted Diabetic Supplies & Education Vitamin & Supplies Check Out $1 Department Greeting Cards, Candies & Snacks

678-705-5283

For more info, contact:

Jennifer Dodds

jcdodds@emory.edu 404-727-5176

Alice Bruce

alice.bruce@emory.edu 404-712-1773

Shaneka Douglas sdougl5@emory.edu 404-727-7687

1769 Candler Road • Decatur, GA 30032 Mon-Fri. 9am-6pm • Sat. 9am-2pm • Sun. Closed

CrossRoadsNews

Ad removed from online edition at advertiserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s request

June 7, 2014

CrossRoadsNews

Ad removed from online edition at advertiserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s request

CrossRoadsNews

Ad removed from online edition at advertiserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s request

June 7, 2014

CrossRoadsNews

June 7, 2014

Scene

“It’s really disappointing that for a small amount of money, they would cause so much damage.”

Copper vandals cause two library branches to close indefinitely This week, patrons of the Wesley Chapel Library saw signs apologizing for the closure of the library, whose HVAC units were rendered useless by vandals who stole copper tubing from them.

branch’s HVAC came in at $50,000 and the RedanThe Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown and Trotti branch’s at more than $40,000. She said Redan-Trotti libraries are shuttered indefinitely DeKalb County crews are working to repair the because of vandalism. units that were gutted of their copper tubing. Thieves stole the copper from the HVAC units “It’s really disappointing that for a small at both branches, forcing them to close as temperaamount of money, they would cause so much tures soared into the high 80s this week. damage,” she said. The Wesley Chapel branch was hit first on May The library kicked off its Vacation Reading 21 and the Redan-Trotti Library on May 29. Signs posted on the Wesley Chapel doors this Alison Weissinger Program last week with lots of events for children and Weissinger said the vandalism couldn’t have week inform patrons that the building does not happened at a worse time. have air conditioning because of vandalism. The staff from both branches have been assigned to “We are currently working on the situation,” the large nearby branches and community meetings have been resign said. “We apologize for the inconvenience.” Alison Weissinger, DeKalb Library director, said Thurs- scheduled. Weissinger said book pickups from the Wesley Chapel day that they are working to have both libraries reopen by Library have been moved to the Flat Shoals branch and those June 13. She said that estimates to replace the Wesley Chapel from Redan-Trotti to the Hairston Crossing Library.

Authors to discuss story of a ‘Lost Boy’ Plight of fatherless sons on film Co-authors Estelle Ford-Williamson and Majok Marier will discuss “Seed of South Sudan: Memoir of a ‘Lost Boy’ Refugee” at First Baptist Church Decatur and at the Clarkston Library next week. The book chronicles Marier’s struggle as a child to survive during the civil war that orphaned thousands of children and sent them on an odyssey across the African desert between 1983 and 1987. Majok Marier The talk takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. on June 12 at First Baptist and from 3 to 4 p.m. on June 14 at the Clarkston Library. Marier, from the Agar Dinka tribe, was 7 when war came to his southern Sudan village. It killed 2 million people and displaced 80 percent of the South Sudanese population. Tens of thousands of boys like Marier

fled from the Sudanese Army, which wanted to kill them. They survived on grass, grains, and help from villagers along the way. Marier walked nearly a thousand miles to a refugee camp in Ethiopia. He and 3,800 boys were brought to the United States in 2001 while the civil war still raged. Now a plumber’s apprentice in Atlanta, Marier is working for improvements in South Sudan villages. Ford-Williamson, a former UPI reporter, has published two anthologies of recollections of the civil rights era. She also is the author of “Abbeville Farewell: A Novel of Early Atlanta and North Georgia.” She writes and teaches in Atlanta. First Baptist Church is at 308 Clairemont Ave. in Decatur. The Clarkston Library is at 951 N. Indian Creek Drive in Clarkston. Visit dekalblibrary. org for more information.

“Spit’in Anger: Venom of a Fatherless Son,” a ground-breaking documentary on the social ills of fatherlessness, will be screened on June 12 at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. The hourlong documentary, released in 2014, addresses the underlying issue of anger in young black males as a result of not having a nurturing relationship with their fathers. The 5:30 p.m. screening takes place in the auditorium, followed by a questionand-answer session with filmmaker Kenneth Braswell. Tickets are available at www.spit-inangeratl.eventbrite.com. About 82.3 percent of African-American children born since 1990 live in a home without their biological fathers before their 18th birthday.

The raw narrative captured by Braswell, who grew up without his father, and expert interviews with Dr. Jeffery Shears, Dr. Jeffery Gardere, Terrie Williams, Iyanla Vanzant, Judge Mablean Ephriam, and Gary Sheffield reveal anger as a consequence and raise awareness about father absence. The Morehouse School of Medicine is at 720 Westview Drive S.W. Visit www .spitinanger.com for more information.

REAL MEN COOK for charity

Lots of talk about beers in Decatur

CLASSES FOR AGES 4 TO ADULT

Earth Canvas Painting Need an art studio for your next occasion? WE FURNISH THE ART SUPPLIES; YOU BRING YOUR REFRESHMENTS AND BEVERAGES.

Atlanta C.

Boyle, co-host of beer dinners and a craft beer enthusiast, is webmaster for BeerGuruATL and AtlantaBeerBook. She produces a local pub’s newsletter and is adding beerfocused jewelry line to her handcrafted jewelry business. Smith, an obsessive researcher, has been dubbed “the beer guru.” He has studied artisanal beer for two decades and has sampled brews across the United States and Europe. The library is at 215 Sycamore St. For more information, call 404-370-3070.

25th Annual Celebration

Beer aficionados can delve into the metro area’s rich brewing culture at a June 11 talk with “Atlanta Beer” authors Mary O. Boyle and Ron Smith at the Decatur Library. The talk, part of the June Festival of Writers, starts at 7:15 p.m. “Atlanta Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the Hub of the South” follows brewing history from the city’s first brewery in the 1850s to its Saloon Row and the parched days of local and national Prohibition, to the present-day popularity of craft brews.

RE AL

A ME N C H

Charity Partners Tickets online at REAL MEN CHARITIES,INC. FROM THE SOUL OF

FATHERHOOD

TICKETANNEX.COM

Father’s Day June 15, 2014 3-6pm GRAND OPENING JUNE 14, 2014 12pm-5pm

Special Events • Birthday Parties • Family Gatherings • School Field Trips • Bridal Showers Summer Camps • Girls Night Out • Date Night • Corporate Team Building

Georgia World Congress Center 285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW Atlanta, Georgia 30303 FOR MORE INFORMATION: REALMENCOOKATL@YAHOO.COM

Real Men Cook - Atlanta

www.realmencook.com/Atlanta.html

@RMCATL

Open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday

Call 770-771-9749 to reserve an art session!

4810 Flat Shoals Parkway • Decatur, GA 30034 • www.earthcanvaspainting.com • Earthcanvaspainting@gmail.com

Dino– ROARS!

See them move! Hear them roar! Atlantic Station – 265 18th Street Level 2 Escalator 5 Atlanta, GA Tel: 404–496-4274 dinosaursatlanta.com

Stomping into Atlantic Station

First time EVER in the US!

CrossRoadsNews

Youth

June 7, 2014

“I don’t think that the School Board or the schools have anything in place that is addressing the fact that these kids are seeking to deliberately hurt someone with this knockout game.”

Second Salem Middle School student injured in random attack Two students were attacked separately, two months apart, while waiting to board school buses at the Lithonia school.

By Ken Watts

A second family has come forward with a report of student violence at Salem Middle School in Lithonia. Niger Hoffman, a rental property manager who lives in Lithonia, said May 28 that her son, sixthgrader Khaire Abdul-Latif, Niger Hoffman was assaulted by two eighth-graders on May 21, two days before the end of the school year, while waiting for the bus at school. Hoffman said her son was just waiting for the bus when he was attacked. “Khaire was randomly chosen by these thugs to be ‘knocked out’ with a sucker punch by one of them,” she said. “Then a slap to his face from a second kid. He didn’t strike back or anything.” Hoffman said her son’s nose immediately started bleeding. She said he was able to identify the boy who slapped him but was unsure about the one who punched him. The attack, called a “knockout game,” occurs when pranksters sneak up on unsuspecting victims and punch them in the face or head. On March 14, sixth-grader Justice Ferguson was badly injured at Salem Middle in a similar attack. His grandparents, Rhonda and Odis Ferguson, said he suffered a concussion and swelling on the brain when four boys came up behind him and punched him hard in the left eye. The Fergusons picketed the school for several weeks to protest the attack and what they called a failure of the administration to crack down on violent behavior. Hoffman said the unprovoked attack on her son alarmed her. “He’s a mild-mannered kid and never had a problem with anyone there before,” she said. Salem Middle school administrators later

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

identified the boy who threw the punch, but on May 29, school principal Shelia JohnsonReese had no comment. Hoffman said she and Khaire’s father, Ali Abdul-Latif, met with an assistant principal and a resource officer at the school the next morning. “I was disappointed in the very nonchalant comments made by the school officials in general, but especially in regards to the rumors that the kids had gang affiliations and the fact that there were no teachers present on the ramp at the time my son was assaulted.” Hoffman said she will press criminal charges against her son’s attackers. In the Ferguson case, the school district held a hearing for the four boys accused in

the attack but has refused to say if or what action was taken against the students. Responding to a CrossRoadsNews’ Open Records Request for the results of the hearing, not the names of the students, district spokesman Quinn Hudson said state privacy laws prohibits the district from saying what was done. “Our Legal Affairs Department notified me that there is nothing more that I can tell you about that case because it involves minor students,” he said on June 5. Rhonda Ferguson said it took her family several weeks to get information on the final disposition of their case. She said a district official finally told her that at least three of the accused boys will not be back at Salem Middle next year.

“I know three of them got transferred to alternative schools,” she said on May 28. “One of them will be back at Salem.” Hoffman is hoping for similar disciplinary action and stronger efforts from the school administrators to stop the violence. “I don’t think that the School Board or the schools have anything in place that is addressing the fact that these kids are seeking to deliberately hurt someone with this knockout game,” she said. “This is something that should be taken much more seriously than it is.” Quinn said the two students who attacked Hoffman’s son were identified as 9th graders from Martin Luther King Jr. High School. He said both have been suspended into the next school year. cians. $25 off service. Call for immediate help. 1-800-681-3250

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 404-284-1888 Adoption ADOPT Loving married couple longs to adopt newborn. We promise a lifetime of unconditional love, opportunities, security. Expenses Paid. Please call Tricia/ Don anytime: 1-800-348-1748

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 CARS/TRUCKS WANTED! Top $$$$$ PAID! Running or Not, All Makes!. Free Towing! We’re Local! 7 Days/Week. Call 1-800959-8518

Business Opportunity Make Up To $2,000.00+ Per Week! New Credit Card Ready Drink-Snack Vending Machines. Minimum $4K to $40K+ Investment Required. Locations Available. BBB Accredited Business. (800) 962-9189 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)

Education & Training AIRLINE JOBS Start Here-Get

Trained as FAA certified Aviation Technician. Financial aid for qualified students. Housing and job placement assistance. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance 844-210-3935

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 GREAT MONEY FROM HOME! With our FREE Mailer Program. Live Operators On Duty Now 1-800-707-1810 ex 601 or visit www.pacificbrochures.com

Financial Guaranteed Income For Your Retirement Avoid market risk & get guaranteed income in retirement! CALL for FREE copy of our SAFE MONEY GUIDE Plus Annuity Quotes from A-Rated companies! 800-669-5471 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 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)

Health & Fitness 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. CASH for unexpired DIABETIC TEST STRIPS and STOP SMOKING ITEMS! Free Shipping, Friendly Service, BEST prices and 24hr payment! Call today 877 588 8500 or visit www. TestStripSearch.com Espanol 888-440-4001 Medical Guardian - Top-rated medical alarm and 24/7 medical alert monitoring. For a limited time, get free equipment, no activation fees, no commitment, a 2nd waterproof alert button for free and more - only $29.95 per month. 800-617-2809

Home Improvement Appliance Repair - We fix It no matter who you bought it from! 800-934-5107 One call, does it all! Fast and Reliable Electrical Repairs and

Installations. Call 1-800-908-8502 One call, does it all! Fast and Reliable Plumbing Repairs. Call 1- 800-796-9218 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 1-888-698-8150

Items Wanted TOP CA$H PAID FOR OLD ROLEX, PATEK PHILIPPE & CARTIER WATCHES! DAYTONA, SUBMARINER, GMT-MASTER, EXPLORER, MILGAUSS, DAY DATE, etc. 1-800-401-0440 TOP CASH PAID FOR OLD GUITARS! 1920’s thru 1980’s. Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’Angelico, Stromberg, and Gibson Mandolins/Banjos. 1-800-401-0440 CARS/TRUCKS WANTED! Top $$$$$ PAID! Running or Not, All Makes!. Free Towing! We’re Local! 7 Days/Week. Call 1-800959-8518

Misc. For Sale Get a complete Satellite System installed at NO COST! FREE HD/

DVR Upgrade. As low as $19.99/ mo. Call for details 877-388-8575 KILL ROACHES! Buy Harris Roach Tablets. Eliminate BugsGuaranteed. No Mess, Odorless, Long Lasting. Available at Ace Hardware & The Home Depot. KILL BED BUGS & THEIR EGGS! Buy Harris Bed Bug Killer Complete Treatment Program or Kit. Available: Hardware Stores, Buy Online: homedepot.com

Miscellaneous My Computer Works. Computer problems? Viruses, spyware, email, printer issues, bad internet connections - FIX IT NOW! Professional, U.S.-based techni-

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 TV Retailer. Starting at $19.99/month (for 12 mos.) & High Speed Internet starting at $14.95/month (where available.) SAVE! Ask About SAME DAY Installation! CALL Now! 800-2781401 DirectTV - 2 Year Savings Event! Over 140 channels only $29.99 a month. Only DirecTV gives you 2 YEARS of savings and a FREE Genie upgrade! Call 1-800-2793018 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)

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

CrossRoadsNews

June 7, 2014

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: Serina Taylor Avant 831 Martin Ct SE Atlanta, Ga 30315. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of May 12, 2014.

Legal Notices 5/17, 5/24,6/7,6/14

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV4861-9++ Willie B. Lovelace filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on May 8, 2014 to change the name from: Willie B. Lovelace to Willie B. Harris, Jr. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the petition was filed.

Dated: May 5, 2014 Willie B. Harris aka Willie B. Lovelace 1533 Van Epps St Atlanta, Ga 30316 (404) 622-1183 5/17,5/24,5/31,6/7

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV4935-2++ Dora Goldman filed a petition in the

Leslie Hill Thomas Petitioner, Pro se 2035 W. Flatshoals Terrace Decatur, Ga 30034 (404) 243-1908 6/7,6/14, 6/21, 6/28

Notice of Petition to Change Name of Minor Child

Witness the Honorable Mark Anthony Scott, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 12th day of May, 2014

DeKalb County Superior Court on May 8, 2104 to change the name from: Dora Goldman to Thelma D. Steele. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the petition was filed. Dated: May 8, 2014 Dora Goldman Petitioner, Pro se 4309 Sherwood Oaks Drive Decatur, Ga 30034 (770)- 593-2308

of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV4862-9++ Serina Taylor Avant Petitioner Vs. Wayne Avant Defendant Wayne Avant 5226 Golfcrest Circle Stone Mountain, Ga 30083

5/17,5/24, 5/31,6/7as

By Order of the Court for service by publication dated May 12, 2014 you are hereby notified that on March 8, 2014 the

Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court

5/24, 5/31, 6/7, 6/14

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV5126-1++ Leslie Hill Thomas filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on May 6, 2104 to change the name from: Leslie Hill Thomas to Lexie Lee Jackson Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the petition was filed. Dated: March 31, 2014

in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV5628-7++ Melissa Hamilton filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on May 29, 2014 to change the name of the following minor child from: Che’lynn Malea Cunningham to Che’lynn Malea Hamilton. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the petition was filed. Dated: May 29, 2014 Melissa Hamilton 5009 Galleon Xing Decatur, GA 30035 (310)462-4627

MARKETPLACE RATES

Marketplace

ADVERTISING NAZILOCKS Certified Consultant Specializing In Sisterlocks Sisterlocks Sisterlocks Call today for your Free consultation: 770725-0024 Tucker / Watkinsville Holiday Special!

Drivers: Local/ Regional/ OTR. Excellent Pay/ Benefit Package. Great Pay/ Consistent Miles. Daily/ Weekly/ Bi- Weekly Hometime. CDL-A 1yrs OTR exp. Req 855-842-8489

Drivers: New Openings! Great Pay, Benefits, Home Weekly! Running Southeast. 1yr CDL-A & Flatbed Exp. Req. Estenson Logistics. Apply: www.goelc.com 1-866-336- 9642

Drivers: Pam Transport! Company Drivers & Owner Operators Wanted! No Touch Freight, 90% Drop & Hook, dedicated opportunities available. Call 855-891-0354 Also seeking Recent Grads. Call Lavonna 877440-7890 Apply Online: www. pamjobs.com

attorneys

education/training

School Law Attorney Representing Teachers

Team Blue Tennis

HELP WANTED

The Law Office of B.A. Thomas, LLC 404-525-6902 www.TheTeachersLawyer.com

SUMMER SPECIAL 10 lessons for $100 ($50 savings)

Rainbow Creek Subdivision 2624 Rainbow Creek Dr. Decatur 770-597-1066 www.teambluetennis.com

financial

HOME SERVICES

New Carpet $200.00 per room (includes carpet, padding & installation). Carpet cleaning 5 rooms $100.00 (Free pre-treat & deodorizing). Visit our showroom inside 285 Flea Market. Blue Bubble Home Services, www. bluebubbleservices.com. 404286-3945.

Swimming in Debt? Eliminate that debt!

Free no-obligation analysis shows you how. Schedule Your Free Life-Transforming Analysis Today! Call

education/training FREE SUMMER PROGRAM FOR UPRISING KINDERGARTENERS

Female Personal Trainer.Org

We are offering a six-week program that will prepare you academically for kindergarten at:

Wesley Chapel Child Care Center

2642 Old Wesley Chapel Road • Decatur, GA

(770) 882-4541

(404) 284-3983 The program will last from June 2nd – July 11th Monday-Friday • 8am – 2pm.

For Better Results

FABRIC

DISCOUNT FABRICS & UPHOLSTERY

opportunities 3372 MEMORIAL DRIVE SE DECATUR, GA 30032 ERE BELVED

LER

CA RO AD

Call 404-284-1888 today for rates & information.

Johnson Hopewell Coleman, LLC “EXPERIENCED LAWYERS, EXPERIENCED MINDS”

GLENWOOD ROAD

PLAZA

Bankruptcy • Personal Injury & Workers Comp • Family Law/Divorce/Custody Wills/Probate/Trusts • Criminal Defense • Corporate & Business Law

4153 Flat Shoals Parkway | Bldg C Suite 322 | Decatur, GA 30034

P:404.289.2244 F:404.289.2888 www.bjhlawyers.com

public notice Candidate Sought for Temporary Appointment to Commission District 5 of DeKalb County The Governing Authority of DeKalb County seeks a qualified candidate for temporary appointment to serve as Commissioner representing District 5 on the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners (the “Candidate”). The Commission primarily functions as a seven (7) member board that is a policy-making or rule-making body.

fabrics / upholstery

ALSTON DRIVE SE

JHC

fitness

education/training

If This Was Your Ad, Someone Would Be Seeing It Now!

legal

1-888-473-7775, ext. 1

Attention all uprising kindergarteners who did not enroll in Pre-K during the 2013-2014 school year and Uprising kindergarteners who enrolled in Pre-K later in the 2013-2014 school year:

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.

FREE

FABRIC WITH UPHOLSTERY

OFFER OFFER EXPIRES EXPIRES03/31/14 6/30/14

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

Your Source for Neighborhood News

The Commission holds regular meetings on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month and regularly holds additional meetings on a weekly basis. The Candidate must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age, a citizen of this state, qualified and eligible to vote and a resident of the geographic area encompassed by District 5 at the time of application for appointment. The Candidate must have been a resident of DeKalb County for at least twelve (12) months prior to appointment and must remain a resident of the geographic area encompassed by District 5 while serving. The Candidate must be eligible for the office and not barred by any disqualification under the law. The term of service for the Candidate will commence upon selection by the Governing Authority and continue until Chief Executive Officer Burrell Ellis’s suspension is terminated or the need for the Candidate ends, whichever is earlier. The Candidate shall receive compensation for the term of service at the normal salary rate of an elected commissioner. Thorough knowledge of the DeKalb County Government, federal, state and local law, including but not limited to the DeKalb County Code and Code of Ethics is preferred. Strong communication skills, oral and written, and experience in public service is also preferred. Please email your cover letter and resume to district5@ dekalbcountyga.gov by July 3, 2014.

Call 404-284-1888 for Advertising Rates & Information

CrossRoadsNews

June 7, 2014