COMMUNITY
WELLNESS
Legal fight over superstore
Plowed and ready
A grassroots community group has filed a lawsuit seeking to block a Walmart planned for Suburban Plaza in Decatur. 5
Community plots assigned to gardeners at the North DeKalb Mall Community Garden have been tilled and are ready for planting. 8
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Copyright © 2013 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
March 23, 2013
Volume 18, Number 47
www.crossroadsnews.com
New School Board removes district as plaintiffs in lawsuit By Ken Watts
In its first actions, DeKalb’s new School Board voted to end the district’s status as plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Georgia law 20-2-73. The law, passed in 2011, authorized Gov. Nathan Deal’s suspension of the board’s six longest-serving members on Feb. 25. The board, which includes six replacement members appointed by Deal on March 13, voted unanimously to terminate its participation in the suit, which cost the district $139,221.48 between January and March. for breaching its contract with the removed Thad Mayfield, who took the District members. The school district’s attorney told 9 seat that was held by Dr. Eugene Walker, him no. asked whether the county could be sued In addition to voting on March 20 to exit
At its March 20 meeting, DeKalb’s new School Board also voted to freeze hiring and spending on discretionary expenses until the end of the year. Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews
the suit, the board froze hiring and spending purchases. The biggest task for the newcomers is on discretionary expenses until the end of the year. The freeze does not include positions at the school level and instructional Please see SCHOOLS, page 3
On Threshold of New Home Program helps single mother find stability for family By Ken Watts
Sharon Cabey could not hold back a cry of delight on March 20 when the door to her beautiful two-story, five-bedroom house in Lithonia swung open for her. The home on Piedmont Pointe Drive, off Pleasant Hill Road, offers her family the stability it has lacked in the past six years. “My children and I Sharon Cabey are excited about moving in and enjoying our new home,” said Cabey, who was scheduled to close on the house on March 22. “I am looking forward to living in a nice and safe environment.” The $143,000 house features a large kitchen, formal dining room, office, living room and dining room and family room downstairs, and a cavernous master suite. The single mother of three survived a long trek from the brink of despair to reach that happy moment.
Double tragedy in 2007 Rewind to 2007. Cabey and her children were driving from Florida to Atlanta on I-95 when a car crash claimed the life of one of her twin daughters. Four days later, Cabey’s husband, Keith, was killed in a car accident while en route to their daughter’s funeral. Immediately following that double tragedy, Cabey moved to Stone Mountain to be near her parents. For the next four years during the height of the housing bust, she rented several homes, all of which went into foreclosure, forcing the family to move repeatedly and causing them to lose thousands
Cabey’s purchase of the home was made possible through assistance from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
Photos by Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews
Sharon Cabey opens the door of her new home in the Piedmont Pointe subdivision in Lithonia.
of dollars in deposit money. “It was not easy for me, but I knew that with my faith in God I could overcome all obstacles,” she said Wednesday. “So I moved forward and decided I wanted to purchase a home.” Cabey and real estate agent Jewel Culton looked at several houses and signed contracts, but the deals fell through. Her luck began to turn in 2012 when she found the house on Piedmont Pointe. But more importantly, she qualified for assistance that made the purchase possible. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, helps qualified low- and middle-income buyers like Cabey make down payments on foreclosed or abandoned homes and it sends millions of dollars in grants to DeKalb and other counties across the United States who administer the funds on the local level.
NSP, which began in 2008 under the Bush administration and was later funded under President Barack Obama, stabilizes neighborhoods hit hard by foreclosures and abandoned houses that lead to crime and blight.
DeKalb Commissioner Stan Watson said that APD Solutions has been in the forefront in community development around the country. “They’ve been an important cog in the wheel here in DeKalb helping to stabilize Hidden Hills and other neighborhoods,” said Watson, who represents Super District 7. District 5 Commissioner Lee May, who represents Piedmont Pointe with Watson, said it takes unique partnerships to create desirable communities. “Through this economy over the past five or six years, we know that people have been struggling to maintain their homes and we know that the foreclosure issue has skyrocketed,” he said. DeKalb County, which is ranked second in foreclosures in the state behind Gwinnett County, had 958 foreclosures through February. Gwinnett had 1,058 foreclosures so far this year. Still the DeKalb number represents a sharp drop from February 2012 when it had 1,483 foreclosures. The county ended 2012 with 14,713 homes in default. “So DeKalb has stemmed the rate of foreclosures through these efforts and we worked with the state Legislature to create the county’s foreclosure registry to track and rehab the number of foreclosures that are owned by banks,” Watson said.
Neighborhood restoration In 2010, builders caught in the housing bubble and credit crunch that followed walked away from the Piedmont Pointe subdivision before finishing it. Some of the houses had been completed, others were partially built. The completed homes needed to be rehabbed after sitting vacant for three years. In June 2011, DeKalb County found a partner in Atlanta-based APD Solutions. It works with DeKalb Housing and Community Development to restore communities throughout the county using the federal funds from NSP. Please see HOME, page 3
2
CrossRoadsNews
Community
March 23, 2013
“Judge Seeliger continues to blaze a trail for equal justice and has been a strong voice in the fight against domestic violence.”
Pioneering judge honored for decades of service to bar, county DeKalb Superior Court Judge Clarence Judge Clarence F. Seeliger, who has been on the county Seeliger is shown bench for 33 years, was honored with the with Rebecca DeKalb Bar Association’s Pioneer Award on Crumrine (from March 7. left), Robin Frazer Clark and Denise He was recognized for decades of service VanLanduyt. and leadership to the DeKalb County bench, bar, and public at the bar association dinner at the Emory Conference Center Hotel. The Emory University Law School graduate is the only attorney ever to defeat a sitting judge in the county. As a young lawyer in practice for all of three years, Seeliger challenged DeKalb State Court Judge J. Oscar Mitchell, who gained infamy for sending Martin Luther King Jr. to Reidsville State Prison for four months of hard labor for violating probation for a $25 traffic ticket. Seeliger said he decided to challenge the 21-year-old woman who was the first person county’s Democrats or even the DeKalb Bar entrenched 30-year incumbent after Mitchell charged with welfare fraud in Georgia. Association, he unseated Mitchell. hurled racial epithets at one of his clients, a Once in office, Seeliger set about to diIn 1980, without the backing of the
versify the courtroom, from which Mitchell had flown the Confederate flag and doled out “redneck justice.” He hired Nes Thomas as his bailiff, making him the first African-American to work for the DeKalb County state courts. Seeliger also banished the Confederate battle flag from his courtroom, precipitating a deluge of calls and even death threats. Four years later in 1984, he ran for an open spot on the Superior Court bench and has been there ever since. He ran unopposed in 2012 for his eighth four-year term. DeKalb Bar President Denise VanLanduyt said Seeliger is still working hard. “Judge Seeliger continues to blaze a trail for equal justice and has been a strong voice in the fight against domestic violence,” she said. “As a judge, he has served on or spearheaded several important committees and commissions.”
Stacey Abrams hosting town hall Officer jailed in inmate sex case Abrams, who received a JFK House Minority Leader Stacey public service award in 2012, is the Abrams will talk about the politifirst woman to lead either party in cal climate in the community on the Georgia General Assembly. March 30 at Greater Piney Grove The 10 a.m.-to-noon town Baptist Church in Atlanta. hall meeting is co-hosted by the Abrams represents House Grove’s CDC and the Social Action District 89, which includes the Commission. It takes place in the communities of Candler Park, Montez Jones Dining Hall. Columbia, Druid Hills, East Stacey Abrams The church is at 1879 GlenLake, Highland Park, Kelley Lake, Kirkwood, Lake Claire, Oakhurst, South wood Ave. S.E. For more information, visit www.piney DeKalb, Toney Valley, Tilson and East grovebapt.org or call 404-377-0561. Atlanta in DeKalb. Do you or someone you know have a child that has been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, Conduct Disorder or Oppositional Deeant Disorder and are between the ages of 7-14?
items Mitchell was to provide. The DeKalb Detention Officer Zel inmate acknowledged that he was Tirrell Mitchell of Atlanta was arnot forced to participate. rested by DeKalb Sheriff ’s Office The incident was discovered by investigators on Thursday and a third inmate who reported it to charged with sexual assault on a an officer. The officer moved the person in custody, public indecency report up his chain of command and violation of oath of office. and an investigation was initiated. Investigators from the Office of Jail records show the offense date Professional Standards said MitchZel Tirrell Mitchell as Nov. 8, 2012. ell, 42, allegedly performed inapSheriff ’s spokesman Sgt. Adrion Bell said propriate sexual acts with a male inmate. The acts were allegedly performed in Mitchell had been with the department since exchange for food and other contraband March 2011. He was fired and is in jail.
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3
CrossRoadsNews
March 23, 2013
Community
“It’s just a great opportunity for me to become a homeowner and have a stable environment for my children.”
High court gets two questions ‘A great opportunity’ for family By Ken Watts
The debate over whether Gov. Nathan Deal had the authority to remove six DeKalb School Board members is now before the Georgia Supreme Court. But it could be six months before the high court issues a ruling on whether the removals are constitutional. State law 20-2-73, enacted in 2011, gave the governor the power to suspend and remove local school board officials. The order from U.S. District Judge Richard Story that reduced the months-long controversy to two questions for the state Supreme Court’s consideration was released to the media on March 18. It says: “Does law O.C.G.A. 20-2-73 violate the Georgia constitutional doctrine that each school system be under the management and control of a board of education and that members shall be elected as provided by law? “And does the potential removal of school board members, as provided O.C.G.A. 20-273, exceed the authority of the Georgia General Assembly to enact general laws regarding local boards of education?” Supreme Court spokeswoman Jane Hansen said Monday that “the questions have just been docketed in our court.” Attorneys for the School Board and the state can decide to argue the case before the court or wait for the justices to consider the questions in private conference. On the authority of state law 20-2-73, Deal on March 13 named six new members to the DeKalb School Board to replace the longest-serving board members, whom he suspended on Feb. 25. Their removals were precipitated by the Southern Association of Colleges and
HOME,
Schools placing the school district on accreditation probation on Dec. 17. SACS cited a long history of governance, ethical and financial problems in its report. The board members who lost their jobs are Sarah Copelin-Wood, District 3; Jesse “Jay” Cunningham, District 5; Donna Edler, District 7; Nancy Jester, District 1; Dr. Pam Speaks, District 8; and Dr. Eugene Walker, District 9. Jester resigned before her replacement was named. Three newly elected members – Dr. Melvin Johnson, District 6; Jim McMahan, District 4; and Marshall Orson, District 2 – joined the board in January and were not suspended. The suspended School Board members filed suit asking the judge to block the suspensions while the issue of constitutionality was cleared up. Story declined but said it would be appropriate for the Georgia Supreme Court to consider the lingering questions about the state law. A ruling against the law would put the ousted members back in their jobs. A ruling against them might end their claim to office. Members are allowed under the law to apply to the governor for reinstatement, but that process could take months. Also, Deal said during his announcement of his appointments that he prefers “fresh faces” on the job solving the School Board crisis and saving accreditation. Lawyers for the suspended board members have 20 days to file a brief with the Supreme Court. The governor and Georgia Board of Education have 40 days.
New board’s first meeting, p. 1
from page
1
APD Solutions has finished rehabbing six new homes in Piedmont Pointe that meet the requirements of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, according to a company release. And it is planning to build as many as 15 new homes over the next 12 to 18 months. Vaughn Irons, APD Solutions’ chief executive officer, said working in DeKalb is a good fit for him. “We are pleased to lead efforts in restoring communities throughout Vaughn Irons the country, and especially in DeKalb because I live in this county,” said Irons, who lives in Lithonia. Cabey, a full-time student, got a $25,000 award from DeKalb’s NSP fund for a down payment that made her purchase possible. She qualified for a mortgage using one
of the DeKalb NSP’s preferred lenders. She’ll use retirement income from her job at a foster care agency and monthly disability payments to cover the mortgage. Her income can’t exceed $86,150 for her family of four. The purchase price cannot exceed $160,000. And she had to complete an eight-hour home buyer education course from a HUD-approved counseling agency. Cabey says she is looking forward to her new home’s abundant space, including the downstairs office that could be converted to a bedroom for her special needs daughter who has Angelman syndrome, a neuro-genetic disorder. “It’s just a great opportunity for me to become a homeowner and have a stable environment for my children,” she said. “That’s what’s most important to me right now. It’s not easy. You have to be persistent in the process, but this program works.” For more information, call 404-9213131.
New board polite, businesslike SCHOOLS,
from page
1
preserving the district’s accreditation. The district’s chief strategy officer, Ramona Tyson, told the board that administrators will send a progress report to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools on May 1 describing its efforts to clear up deficiencies cited by the accrediting agency. SACS placed the district on accreditation probation on Dec. 17, precipitating removal of the old board members. It will make a final decision on accreditation by Dec. 31.
Most votes taken at the meeting were unanimous and board members were polite and businesslike. Though some parents attending the meeting preferred to withhold judgment, others seemed to appreciate the cooperative atmosphere. Joel Edwards, a South DeKalb resident, said he thought the board members gave an excellent presentation. “It was different from what I’ve experienced here before,” he said. “I think we as taxpayers of this county are going to be OK moving forward.”
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At the South DeKalb Family YMCA we are offering a Traditional Camp with an exciting new theme each week. There will be indoor and outdoor activities, including an indoor swimming pool, arts & crafts, sports, games, learning, field trips, and making new friends.
Ages 5 years -12 years old When May 28th – August 2nd Mon.-Fri. 6:30 am – 6:30 pm We also have Leaders In Training (L.I.T.) Camp for teens ages 13-16. The leaders in training program is designed to teach teens character and leadership skills.
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Our Wade Walker Park Family YMCA and Bransby Outdoor YMCA will offer a Traditional and Specialty Camp experience through a variety of themes each week. There will be over 50 activities including swimming in the indoor and outdoor pools, arts & crafts, outdoor sports, horseback riding lessons, and much more fun & excitement ALL SUMMER LONG.
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Forum 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 Jessica Smith Ken Watts Copy Editor Brenda Yarbrough Advertising Sales Kathy E. Warner 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.
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CrossRoadsNews
March 23, 2013
As an openly gay man, Bayard Rustin was attacked by everyone – congressmen and activists, black and white.
Will appointed leadership solve our problem? By Viola Davis, RN, BSN
It is no secret that we are strong supporters of local control. As taxpayers and voters, we have rights under the Constitution to have elected representation. DeKalb County has a responsibility to remove bad leadership through the process of recall. We attempted to collect names of people who wanted to maintain local control and have elected representation. We collected names on a petition and placed the petition online. However, the number of people that wanted Gov. Nathan Deal to remove the DeKalb School Board outnumbered the people who wanted to use the process of recall. Many citizens said that the process of recall was “hard and confusing.” Did we think about how “hard” it is for teachers and school staff to work for five to eight years without a raise and decreased benefits? Did
“Why have elections when a legislative process called emergency management will remove the elected representation and replace the politician with an appointed representative.” Viola Davis
we consider how “hard” it is for the students to try and learn in classrooms with increased size and decreased staff support? Did we consider how “hard” it is for a family to live without their loved ones that died overseas on foreign land to secure our rights under the Constitution? Deal may set a new standard of leadership for conservative states. We are not speaking about the constitutional form of elected representation and leadership, but a “backdoor” form of leadership called Emergency Manager. What are Emergency Managers?
One need only look at Detroit to get the picture. Why have elections when a legislative process called emergency management will remove the elected representation and replace the politician with an appointed representative. This leads to the question: Will the appointed leadership solve our problem? We never thought that serving our country to defend the Constitution would lead to a day that our leadership would be “appointed.” If bad leadership must be removed, we must use the process under the Constitution to take such
action. Every taxpayer and voter in DeKalb must demand the recall laws be updated to include an “atwill” provision and that the process be simplified. DeKalb has paid a heavy price with Deal being its first “Emergency Manager.” If we are not careful, the practice will spread to remove every elected official within our county government. Remember, we are the testing site of the South for “Emergency Managers.” View the video below if you do not understand: What is an Emergency Manager? www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4EaxRolGXA; www.youtube.com/ w a t c h ? v = n l WA M 3 0 1 x d o ; www.youtube.com/ watch?v=a3gcCbIwPdM. Viola Davis is co-founder of the Unhappy Taxpayer and Voter Organization. She lives in Stone Mountain. Her RNwhocares blog appears at www.crossroadsnews .com/pages/blogs.
‘Bayard Rustin: An Unsung Hero for Equality’ By Benjamin Todd Jealous and Chad Griffin
A decade before Rosa Parks’ arrest for refusing to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Ala., bus, police dragged Bayard Rustin off a bus in Tennessee for the same act of protest. When pressed about why he was resisting segregation, Rustin gestured to a young white boy seated at the front of Benjamin Jealous the bus. “If I sit in the back,” Rustin said, “I am depriving that child of the knowledge that there is injustice here, which I believe is his right Chad Griffin to know.” Bayard Rustin, an often unsung hero of the civil rights movement, spent his entire life exposing injustice in our nation. Even before he served as lead organizer of the 1963 March on Washington where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. declared his dream, Rustin was labeled a Communist and a radical by the government. When he traveled to the segregated South during the first-ever Freedom Rides, he experienced a barrage of racial slurs and violence.
www.eastmetromarket.com
The contributions and legacy of Bayard Rustin (right, shown with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.) have been marginalized because he was openly gay.
But in America, in the 1950s and ’60s, no label stuck to Bayard Rustin quite like “homosexual.” As an openly gay man, Rustin was attacked by everyone – congressmen and activists, black and white – simply for living openly. Yet at a time when few others would, Rustin proudly wore that label. To Bayard Rustin, fighting for his equality as a black man, while leaving his identity as a gay man unspoken, would have been an unthinkable betrayal. It was his firm belief that silence about either identity meant he accepted the system of discrimination that allowed hatred about both to persist. Long before it was easy or safe,
Rustin was motivated to live openly. He could have hidden the fact that he was gay. When confronted about it, he could have lied – that’s what everyone did in those days. But Bayard Rustin was exceptional. He lived openly because to do otherwise would be a missed opportunity in exposing the injustice and intolerance he, along with other members of the LGBT community, experienced. Despite a lifetime lived in service to justice and nonviolence, Rustin’s legacy was marginalized by his sexuality. His 1987 New York Times obituary demonstrated the evasive language about LGBT people that was all too common in
the media just a few short years ago. The obituary skirted the topic of his being gay and referred to his longtime partner by euphemism only. Even today, his name is not nearly as well-known as the other greats of the civil rights movement. We should not forget trailblazers like Rustin. Out of dedication to his life and legacy, let us uplift the stories of LGBT African-Americans who felt and still feel the burdens of discrimination – those whose very lives illustrate the insistent fact that the fight to treat all people equally is both this country’s greatest accomplishment and its greatest unfinished obligation. Today, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the nation’s oldest civil rights organization, and the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization, are proud to work together toward equality. And we’re proud that President Barack Obama used his second inaugural address to link the civil rights movement and the LGBT equality movement. … But long before a president like Barack Obama was even possible, Bayard Rustin was preaching an equal future. We shouldn’t forget his sacrifice, and the greatest tribute to his legacy would be to finish his work. Benjamin Todd Jealous is the president and CEO of the NAACP, and Chad Griffin is president of the Human Rights Campaign.
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CrossRoadsNews
March 23, 2013
Community
Opponents say DeKalb is seeking a quick fix for its financial woes, anticipating a healthy flow of tax revenue from the project.
Protesters sue county to block Walmart at Suburban Plaza By Ken Watts
About 50 opponents of a Walmart planned for Suburban Plaza on North Decatur Road rallied outside the DeKalb County Courthouse on March 18 to announce a lawsuit aimed at blocking the project. Demonstrators carried picket signs reading “Stop Walmart” and “Walmart is not the answer.” Residents living in the surrounding neighborhoods have been campaigning for a year against the development that they say would add to already dangerous traffic conditions in the block bounded by North Decatur, Scott Boulevard, Medlock Road and Church Street and adjacent to Barton Way and Blackmon Road. Louise Runyon, cochair of the grass-roots group Good Growth DeKalb, told the rally that the location is not a good choice for a Walmart. She said the intersection is located between four maLouise Runyon jor hospitals and already presents a major obstacle to emergency traffic. “At Suburban Plaza, where six streets come together and cross each other at the gateway to the city of Decatur, is the biggest, most challenged intersection in DeKalb County,” Runyon said. Good Growth DeKalb filed suit against DeKalb on March 15, contending that the county violated its own ordinances by granting a building permit for the Walmart Supercenter. The suit comes in the wake of the group’s failure to get the Zoning Board of Appeals to reverse the January decision. The panel voted 5-0 on Feb. 13 to uphold the decision for Selig Enterprises, owner of Suburban Plaza, to have a Walmart at the location. After the vote, Walmart spokesman Bill Wertz said they are delighted partners with Selig Enterprises in the retail redevelopment that he said will be very positive for the community. “Walmart is looking forward to adding 300 new jobs and millions of dollars in new tax revenue to the county by being part of this project,” Wertz said in a Feb. 13 statement. “We are also excited about offering the community another option for fresh, affordable food and other merchandise.” DeKalb spokesman Burke Brennan declined to speak about the suit. “We can’t comment on matters of pend-
Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews
Demonstrators rally at the DeKalb County Courthouse on March 18 to protest a Walmart planned for Suburban Plaza. Foes cite dangerous traffic conditions in the North Decatur Road area.
ing litigation,” he said. Selig Enterprises said it made every effort to abide by the county’s zoning rules. “We followed all county requirements for drainage, tree protection and traffic, so it’s no surprise that the permit was upheld,” Scott Selig, the company’s vice president, said in a Feb. 15 letter to the Medlock Area Neighborhood Association, the largest adjoining neighborhood to Suburban Plaza. But Good Growth DeKalb said it was deprived of a chance to pursue another avenue of appeal. “County law says if you are appealing a building permit – which we did in January – you must direct that appeal to the Technical Board of Appeals,” Runyon said at the rally. “The trouble is, the Technical Board of Appeals doesn’t exist. So we’re asking the county to create the board as set forth in its code and send our building permit appeal to be heard by the TBA as soon as it’s constituted and functioning.” Runyon said there have been many close calls at North Decatur and Scott Boulevard. “You take your life in your hands trying to cross this intersection on foot or on a bicycle,” she said. “You can wait 15 minutes trying to get out of your neighborhood at rush hour or when school lets out.” The Medlock community has two elementary schools. Runyon said that last fall there was an
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accident involving a car carrying four students. “Luckily the kids were not hurt, but the car was totaled,” she said. Good Growth DeKalb claims the neighborhood was picked partly for its traffic flow. “Walmart wants to be at our big intersection exactly because of how busy and congested it already is,” Runyon said. “They seek to profit off our traffic woes and add to them.” She said a supercenter would make the intersection much worse than it already is and that semi-truck traffic will run along tiny Medlock Road, which is not a designated truck route. Runyon said that would violate
the county’s own truck routing ordinances. But Selig said the traffic claims are misleading. “Their traffic hazard projections are based on opinion, not study,” he said. “Our trucks will only use the portion of Medlock Road outside our building as an exit for 25 feet to turn right on North Decatur Road, which is a truck route. We will not be sending truck traffic through the Medlock neighborhood.” Selig said the redevelopment project will be beneficial to the neighborhood. “We will add only about 34,000 square feet to the property that’s already there creating the Walmart Supercenter and an underground parking deck at the site. “The development would total 335,000 square feet and the plaza is zoned for 800,000,” Selig said. He said the project will include about one-and-a-half acres of new green space as part of the complex, adding an attractive feature to the neighborhood landscape. “We believe there is no validity to the points raised in the lawsuit,” he said. Good Growth DeKalb, which claims a membership of 300, says it has collected more than 4,000 signatures on petitions against the project and more than 700 yard signs have been put up in the surrounding neighborhoods. Opponents say DeKalb is seeking a quick fix for its financial woes, anticipating a healthy flow of tax revenue from the Walmart project. “We believe that the county is ignoring the positive example of the city of Decatur with its commitment to local and small business,” Runyon said. “A Walmart Supercenter will tax an already overburdened infrastructure in an untenable way.” The county has until April 15 to respond to the suit.
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Easter
CrossRoadsNews
March 23, 2013
The seven sermonettes preached by seven ministers explore the last sayings spoken by Jesus from the cross.
Holy Week and Easter Sunday services abound Holy Week observances at area churches will begin with Palm Sunday services on March 24 and culminate with Easter Sunday worship services on March 31. Saint Philip AME Church in Atlanta is holding its Maundy Thursday Service on March 28. Dr. Carolyn Knight of Smyrna-based Can Do Ministries Inc. will bring the message commemorating the Last Supper at 7 p.m. in the church sanctuary. On Good Friday, the church will host a Seven Last Words service featuring guest speakers who will share the last phrases Jesus spoke before his death on the cross. Bishop Eric Lee of Springfield Baptist Church in Conyers; the Rev. Charles Maxell of Breakthrough Fellowship in Smyrna; Dr. Kenneth Marcus of Turner Chapel AME in Marietta; Dr. Cynthia Hale of Ray of Hope Church in Decatur; Bishop Dale Bronner of Word of Faith Family Worship Cathedral in Austell; Dr. Patrick Clayborn of St. John AME in Huntsville, Ala.; and Saint Philip’s pastor, Dr. William Watley, will bring the last words in seven individual sermons. The March 29 service starts at noon. A fish dinner follows the service. Easter Sunday services on March 31 take place at 6, 7:30 and 11 a.m. Saint Philip AME is at 240 Candler Road. For more information, visit www.saintphilip. org, or call 404-371-0749.
‘Women at the Cross’ liturgy First Afrikan Presbyterian Church in Lithonia will observe Holy Wednesday with a “Women at the Cross” artistic liturgy on March 27 at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta. The evening of drama, art, dance and music begins at 7:30 in the ITC chapel, 700 Martin Luther King Drive S.W. On March 29, the church will observe Good Friday with a Seven Last Words service at 7 p.m. in Lithonia. The service will feature seven sermonettes preached by seven ministers that will explore the last sayings – “Father, forgive them”; “Today you will be with me”; “Woman, this is your son”; “My God, my God”; “I thirst”; “It is finished”; and “Into thy hands” – spoken by Jesus from the cross.
Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews
Traditional Holy Week observances at area churches include Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Resurrection Services.
The church’s pastor, the Rev. Mark Lomax, will deliver the Resurrection Sunday sermon on March 31. The service starts at 10 a.m. First Afrikan is at 5197 Salem Road. For more information, visit www.first afrikanchurch.org or call 770-981-2601.
promptly at noon. An Easter Musical will delight worshippers at the 9:30 a.m. service on Easter Sunday, and at 11:45 a.m. children and youth will recite speeches during a traditional Easter program. Early birds can worship at 7:15 a.m. There is no 6 a.m. Sonrise Service this year. Greater Piney Grove is at 1879 Glenwood Greater Piney Grove observances Ave. S.E. in Atlanta. For more information, Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church be- visit www.pineygrovebapt.org. gins its Holy Week observances with Maundy Thursday services on March 28 and Good ‘Equally Yoked’ play at the Ray Friday services on March 29. The Ray of Hope Christian Church On March 30, an Easter Extravaganza Parable Players will present the Easter play will feature food, fun and fellowship for kids “Equally Yoked: For Better or Worse, For of all ages. The event takes place at DeKalb Richer or Poorer, In Sickness and Health” Memorial Park, across from the church, from on March 24 during Palm Sunday service noon to 3 p.m. The Easter Egg Hunt kicks off at 10 a.m.
At 10:30, the Children’s Church will hold an annual egg hunt on the grounds of the Christian Education building. Kids ages 4 to 12 can participate in games and search for treat-filled eggs. The event features prizes and money, but children are asked to bring their own basket. Good Friday services begin at 7 p.m. on March 29 in the chapel sanctuary, and the week culminates with Easter Sunday services on March 31. Pastor Cynthia Hale will deliver the sermon at 7:30 and 10 a.m. After the 7:30 service, members and visitors will end the Lenten fast with breakfast in the Family Life Center. The Ray is at 2778 Snapfinger Road in Decatur. For more information, call 770-6965100 or visit www.rayofhope.org.
Annual Easter egg hunts offer the thrill of the chase for treats Peter Cottontail will be hopping all over DeKalb lawns, leaving behind colorful eggs filled with treats for kids on the prowl. Kids of all ages can search for treats during the annual “Eggstravaganza” at the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center on March 30. The Easter Egg Hunt kicks off at 10 a.m., featuring thousands of candy-filled eggs and three golden prize eggs. There will be games and prizes and a chance to meet the Easter Bunny. Baked goods will be on sale and there will be arts and crafts. Kids will hunt for eggs by age groups. Newborns to age 3 will hunt at 11:15 a.m., ages 4 to 6 at 11:30 a.m., and ages 7 and up at 11:45 a.m. Tickets are free for adults, but kids up to 12 years old pay $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Tickets are available at ticketleap.com. All proceeds benefit the Callanwolde Dance Program. Parking is free for early arrivals. Shuttle service begins at 9:30 a.m. at Emory University’s Briarcliff campus, 1256 Briarcliff Road, a half-mile north of Callanwolde. No on-site parking will be available. The event will be canceled in case of rain. For more information, visit www.callanwolde.org or call 404-872-5338. sion of Public Safety, Radio One’s Praise 102.5, and the NFL Players Association for the event that will offer face painting, Games, egg hunt at Wade Walker Park moon bounces, games and Easter treats. Kids up to 10 years old can search for eggs on March 30 Kids 3 years and younger will hunt for eggs at 2:30 p.m. during the ninth annual “Easter Egg-stravaganza” hosted Those 5 to 7 years old will hunt for eggs at 3:15 p.m., and by DeKalb Commissioner Stan Watson and state Rep. Billy 8- to 10-year-olds will have their turn at 4 p.m. Mitchell. The fun and games last until 5 p.m. The egg hunt, which begins at 2 p.m., draws 400 to 500 There is no cost to attend, but children must bring their kids to Wade Walker Park. own baskets. The two officials have joined forces with the DeKalb DiviWade Walker Park is at 5585 Rockbridge Road in Stone
Babies through tweens will hunt for Easter eggs, play games and other fun activities, and compete for prizes at annual holiday events throughout DeKalb County next week.
Mountain. For more information, contact Kellie LaJoie at 404-371-3681 or klajoie@dekalbcountyga.gov.
Fun on the Decatur Square Infants and kids through the fifth grade can bring their baskets for the annual “Easter Egg Hunt on the Square” on March 30 in downtown Decatur. The event, sponsored by the Decatur Business Association, begins at 10:30 a.m. at Decatur First Baptist Church, 308 Clairemont Ave. For more information, visit www.decaturdba.com.
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Wellness
“By teaching students CPR, we can add thousands of lifesavers to our communities.” Senate Bill 212 will require local boards of education operating a school with grades nine through 12 to provide CPR and defibrillator instruction.
High schoolers to get CPR training Starting with the 2013-2014 school year, Georgia high school students may graduate with skills to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and to operate an automated external defibrillator. Senate Bill 212 passed the Georgia House 140-21 on March 20 and the Senate on March 5 by a vote of 44-6. Sen. Jeff Mullis (R– Chickamauga), who sponsored the bill, said the skills can be farreaching. “The first few moments of a medical emergency are the most critical, and knowing Jeff Mullis how to administer CPR and use an AED can truly save a life,” he said after Senate passage. “With just a short investment of time, today’s students will become tomorrow’s lifesavers equipped with essential lifesaving skills.” Co-sponsors include DeKalb Delegation members Gloria Butler (D-Stone Mountain) and Fran Millar (R-Atlanta). The bill was supported by the American Heart Association, which says that nearly 360,000 sudden cardiac arrests occur an-
nually outside of a hospital setting and that survival rates can double or even triple with immediate and effective bystander CPR. Julie M. Howell, grass-roots director of the association’s Greater Southeast affiliate, called passage of the legislation “great news from the Capitol.” “Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the U.S. – but when ordinary people, not just doctors and EMTs, are equipped with the skills to perform CPR, the survival rate can double, or even triple,” Howell said Thursday. “By teaching students CPR, we can add thousands of lifesavers to our communities.” SB 212 would require local boards of education operating a school with grades nine through 12 to provide instruction in CPR and AED use as part of health or physical education courses. Hands-on practice is a required component. Time involvement is as short as 30 minutes, and instruction can be provided through video or local partnerships with EMS, fire departments or hospitals. The coursework and program must be one developed by the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross or another nationally recognized program based on current emergency cardiovascular standards.
N. DeKalb Mall garden plots ready Hobby gardeners who are itching to get their fingers in the dirt can get growing now in the North DeKalb Mall Community Garden. Taylor Dozier, mall general manager, says the 30 plots assigned to gardeners have been tilled in and the soil amended. He said the garden, located off Orion Drive, is acquiring more tools, hoses, materials and supplies needed for a “wash station” for a Food Handling Safety Class
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with Global Growers in late April. Dozier said everyone who wishes to sell produce at the mall or at markets must attend the April class. The community garden includes 250-square-foot community plots and 1,000to 1,500-square-foot market plots. North DeKalb Mall is at 2050 Lawrenceville Highway in Decatur. For more information, contact Taylor Dozier at taylor@ northdekalbmall.com or 404-320-7960.
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Marrow drive at Ousley UMC In sickle cell patients, the red Prospective bone marrow doblood cells that carry oxygen nors can attend a Be the Match throughout the body become hard drive on March 24 at Ousley United and sticky and look like a C-shaped Methodist Church in Lithonia that farm tool called a “sickle.” is seeking a possible match for The sickle cells die early, caus12-year-old Valaria Fenderson of ing a constant shortage of red Mableton and others. blood cells. Also, when they travel The five-hour marrow drive, cothrough small blood vessels, they sponsored by the national Centers Valaria Fenderson get stuck and clog the blood flow. for Disease Control and Prevention, gets under way at noon in the Fellowship This can cause pain and other serious problems such infection, acute chest syndrome Hall. Thousands of patients depend on the Be and stroke. Valaria’s best hope for a cure is a willing the Match registry, created by the National Marrow Donor Program, to find a donor for marrow donor whose HLA (human leukopeople with leukemia, lymphoma and other cyte antigen) tissue-type matches her own. A cheek swab from prospective donors is life-threatening diseases. Valaria was born with sickle cell anemia, all it takes to potentially match a patient. The campaign also is raising funds. Evan inherited red blood cell disorder, and has undergone extensive treatments all her ery $100 raised helps add a member to the life. She is an only child and does not have a registry (www.bethematchfoundation.org/ goto/valaria). matching donor in her family. Ousley United Methodist is at 3261 PanoSickle cell disease affects people of many racial and ethnic groups. In the United States, la Road. For more information, to join, give one in 400 African-American newborns has or volunteer, contact Rod Gunn at rgunn@ nmdp.org or 770-330-1590. the disease.
Spin classes now at Wellness Center Spin classes are now available six days a week at the Wellness Center at DeKalb Medical in Decatur. Indoor cycling, commonly called spinning, has increased in popularity as it offers a motivating workout adaptable to a person’s fitness level. Classes are led by a professional who takes spinners through exercise routines, set to music, on specially designed stationary bikes. Benefits include increased energy, cardiovas- The Wellness Center at DeKalb Medical offers one-hour spin cular fitness and lower body classes six days a week at the North Decatur Road campus. strength. The Wellness Center’s one-hour classes calories and fat. are offered at various times starting at 6 The Wellness Center’s one-week free pass a.m. can be used to check out the new cardio Its 4:30 p.m. class on Thursday, “Ultimate equipment, free weights and weight maSpin Challenge,” is recommended for spin- chines, pool, and locker rooms. ners with experience or those who seek a The Wellness Center is in the 2665 Profaster and more intense workout. fessional Building of the DeKalb Medical Spinning is set at the user’s pace, but the North Decatur campus, 2701 North Decatur cardiovascular benefits are greater as the Road in Decatur. For more information, call speed and resistance increase, burning off 404-501-2222.
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CrossRoadsNews
March 23, 2013
Youth
“I’ll be honest with you. I want all our children to get a good education, don’t you?”
Everyone must pitch in to restore school district By Ken Watts
After a chaotic six weeks on the job, DeKalb interim School Superintendent Michael Thurmond says everyone in the county needs to own the problems facing the school district and work to help put it back on firm footing. “I looked over the edge into the abyss, and you and I do not want our children, we don’t want our county, you don’t want your property going over into the abyss,” he told a group of 200 residents at a March 2 Michael Thurmond meeting in South DeKalb. “You just do not want it.” Thurmond, who took office on Feb. 11, has been meeting with community groups from Dunwoody to Decatur, and he says that losing accreditation would have a billiondollar impact on every piece of property and every property owner in DeKalb. “It cannot happen,” he told the group at Commissioner Stan Watson’s Community Cabinet at Chapel Hill Middle School. “It’s
beyond comprehension that we’re even at a point where it might happen.” Alpharetta-based Southern Association of Colleges and Schools placed the district on accreditation probation on Dec. 17 after a scathing report that blasted the School Board for “dysfunctional governance, nepotism, intimidation of staff and school administrators.” Accreditation probation is one step away from loss of accreditation. Thurmond was tapped by the DeKalb School Board that was removed from office by Gov. Nathan Deal on Feb. 25. Thurmond, a former state labor commissioner and candidate for the U.S. Senate, said the 99,000 students and their parents are the district’s primary stakeholders, but the whole battle is about the county’s economic destiny. He said the probation crisis amounts to a local version of the “fiscal cliff,” and that everybody – “me, you and everybody else” – needs to own the school system’s problems. “Then we need to step back from the edge,” he said. His advice to residents: Put aside anger over longtime school problems and find coldly logical ways to correct the problems raised by SACS.
“I don’t care about how adamant you are or how adamant I may be about issues or about individuals. We cannot go there.” Thurmond said he and the new board, which held its first board meeting on March 20, will call for an end to factionalism that gets in the way of building a better school district for the whole county. “We’re gonna have to have a school district that moves beyond ‘my school,’ ‘my neighborhood,’ ‘my district,’ north versus south, east versus west, black folks, white folks, Asians, whatever,” he said. “I’ll be honest with you. I want all our children to get a good education, don’t you?” The room broke into applause. Thurmond asked members of the audience to raise their hands if they were educated in DeKalb County. About 10 people did. “That’s why you just can’t be concerned about the school in your neighborhood,” he told them. “Your children will not just grow up and live here. Matter of fact, they’re more mobile than we are. So you have to be concerned about every child, not just in DeKalb County, but all over Georgia. That’s what I call enlightened self-interest. Enlightened self-interest tells me I have to be interested
in your child’s education.” During a Q-and-A period, a woman said it was “good to see so many people starting to get involved in the school crisis.” Thurmond said we have to try to re-establish a positive relationship among parents, teachers and schools. “The untapped resource is the parents,” he said. “My father was the greatest influence on my education. He was a Georgia sharecropper who sharecropped cotton all day and worked at the poultry plant at night on the graveyard shift. And between the cotton fields and the poultry plant my father would sit there with me in the evening and help me do my homework.” He was in middle school when his mother told him his father couldn’t read or write. “All those years in math and science he tutored me, a man who could not read or write,” he said. “I was a grown man married with children before I figured it out. He couldn’t read and he couldn’t write but he was ‘present.’ We need you to be present in a positive way at PTA and parent-teacher conferences. I tell you that’s gonna make all the difference. The school system’s gonna survive. We just need a little help from you.”
Adults ready to listen to ‘Teens Talk Back’ at DeKalb Lawyers event By Jessica Smith
DeKalb County teens can let adults know what’s really on their minds at the March 30 “Teens Talk Back” at the Exchange Park Recreation Center in Decatur. The forum, hosted by the DeKalb Lawyers Association, Commissioner Larry Johnson and mentoring project Preparing Innovative Leaders of Tomorrow, kicks off at 8:30 a.m. It will offer high school students ages 14 to 18 opportunities to discuss stereotypes and legal situations that teens can find themselves in. It includes a panel discussion with prosecutors and youth advocates and opportunities to network with attorneys. DLA President Dionne McGee said the adults are prepared to listen to youth. “So many times there are thought-provoking programs with good intentions, but what you end up with are professional people preaching to children instead of there being an interactive discussion,” she said. McGee said they want to hear from teens and offer advice and resources to help them make a positive impact on their schools and communities. Parents are also invited. The break-out sessions are “Could You
Be Trayvon Martin?” and “Don’t Get Caught Up.” Trayvon, a Florida teen, was shot to death on Feb. 26, 2011, three weeks after his 17th birthday. He was accosted by Neighborhood Watch volunteer George Zimmerman Dionne McGee because he was wearing a hoodie and was killed in a scuffle between them. Trayvon’s death sparked a national debate on racism and stereotypes. McGee said that whether or not you agree with the way a lot of young people dress and the influence of hip-hop culture, many factors can get them caught up in situations that they don’t deserve to be in. The Decatur attorney said DLA wants to address stereotypes and give teens a lesson on the criminal justice system. “A lot of people don’t understand why Mr. Zimmerman hasn’t been brought to justice yet,” she said. “We want to explain the process of how the case is going through the courts on a level they understand.” “Don’t Get Caught Up” will focus on the legal ramifications of statutory rape. Teens
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will participate in role-playing activities and discuss possible outcomes of compromising situations. McGee said the incidence of older teens having sex with a minor, whether they know their age or not, is on the rise. “Something happens and then dad or mom calls the police, and then they’re charged with statutory rape even though she was a willing participant,” she said.
Panelists are Ebony Phillips, community prosecutor with the DeKalb District Attorney’s Office; Sherrell Anderson with Teens What’s the Rush; Jay Bailey of Operation HOPE Atlanta; and Gregory Adams with the D.R.I.L.L. Youth Mentoring Program. Exchange Park is at 2771 Columbia Drive. R.S.V.P. is required – contact 404-549-4701 or info@dekalblawyersassociation.org.
Furthering your education takes courage. Be Fearless. Kavya Manyapu
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TUTORIAL SERVICES Cosmetology State Board Examination Tutoring for the Written and Practical. Very High Success Rate. 404-493-8771.
Yard Care & Landscaping Let CKB Lawn Maintenance take care of your lawn this season. All professional equipment. All professional service. Satisfaction guaranteed. Discounts for seniors. Call today for your free estimate: 404-839-7122
Walk In Clinics
Tuesdays 2:30-5:30 & Friday 8:30-12:30 No Appointment Needed • General Health Assessment • Personalized Exercise and Diet program tailored to your needs and life style • B12 and/or Fat-burning Lipo injections • Prescription for Appetite Suppressants if medically indicated
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KENDRICK FAMILY PRACTICE 5900 Hillandale Drive Suite 300 • Lithonia, Ga 30058 • 770-987-2155
TEEN CLUB
SHOE REPAIR
FOOTWEAR CLINIC
for rent
AN INTERNATIONAL FRANCHISE HEEL QUIK! INC.
Expert Shoe & Boot Repairs
THE ULTIMATE TEEN NIGHT LIFE EXPERIENCE HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
SPECIAL $250
GET VIP FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY!
Celebrate your birthday in our VIP Party Room
BOOK TODAY!! (678) 820-9389
2800 Candler Road • Suite 73 • Decatur, GA 30034
home services
(inside South DeKalb Mall)
10% OFF w/this ad
ARTHUR’S CONTRACTING
404-241-9267
FREE SHINE w/service
2728 Wesley Chapel Rd • Decatur,GA 30034 theatlantagroove@gmail.com
SALONS / HAIR CARE
• Handyman Services • Plumbing - Water Line Repair & Fixture Installation • Unclog & Repair Sewer and Drain • Concrete Driveways • Wood & Chainlink Fence
Call Arthur 404-838-6541
help wanted
spas / salons
AUCTIONS
DINING / RESTAURANTS
fabrics / upholstery
Soul Discount Fabrics & Upholstery
John Is Back!
Open Mon-Sat 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 404-963-6485 • 404-966-8320 ✓ Dress Fabric ✓ Designer Fabric ✓ Upholstery Fabric ✓ Drapery Fabric
NOW TWO LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU BETTER!
AD R RO
DLE
CAN
ALSTON DRIVE SE
GLENWOOD ROAD
279 Candler Road Atlanta, GA 30317 (near Memorial Drive)
FREE FABRIC with
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ON LLT
ROA
PBE
CAM
DELOWE DRIVE
MEMORIAL DRIVE SE
Upholstery OFFER EXPIRES MARCH 31, 2013
2052 Cambellton Road Suite B
Atlanta, GA 30311
When You Miss CrossRoadsNews, You Miss News You Can Use! Call 404-284-1888 for Subscription Rates & Information
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CrossRoadsNews
March 23, 2013
Exhibitors: AAA Auto Club South Camp C Square City of Decatur Active Living Community Resource Solutions Cornerstone Leadership Academy Craig B. Williams DDS DeKalb Co Board of Health Excellent Montessori Girls with Gusto Moja Dance Studio New Life Christian Academy of Achievers Phusion Performing Arts Alliance Still Waters Youth Sinfo-Nia The Academy of Scholars The Sunshine House Tupac Shakur Center YMCA Academies of South DeKalb