CrossRoadsNews, March 28, 2015

COMMUNITY

WELLNESS

EASTER

Former Judge Cynthia Becker faces judicial misconduct charges stemming from her handling of the DeKalb School System’s corruption case. 2

Health officials warn that Easter chicks and other types of live poultry pose risks for salmonella or other ills. 7

Easter Sunrise Service atop Stone Mountain has twice the significance for Norbert Lanford, whose grandmother started the tradition. 8

Conduct under investigation

Cute but risky

Time worth remembering

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

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March 28, 2015

www.crossroadsnews.com

Volume 20, Number 48

District attorney objects to Bowers’ corruption probe

By Ken Watts

DeKalb District Attorney Robert James wants interim CEO Lee May to halt Mike Bowers’ law firm’s wide-ranging investigation of corruption in county departments.

James was out of state on March 18 when May announced that he had hired the former state attorney general and his Atlanta law firm of Balch & Bingham as special investigators to conduct the probe. James told CrossRoadsNews that he met with May on March 23 to express his concerns about loopholes in the arrangement that could help wrongdoers escape prosecution.

“The executive order allows employees

“The executive order allows employees to confess crimes and not face disciplinary actions from the county or legal actions from my office or any prosecution office or agency.”

“We will work amicably and cooperatively with all prosecutorial agencies. My primary concern, however, is for integrity of our government.…

We must be proactive.”

District Attorney Robert James

Interim CEO Lee May

to confess crimes and not face disciplinary actions from the county or legal actions from my office or any prosecution office or agency,” James said in an email statement on March 24.

James believes a major legal challenge

stems from rights identified in a 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Garrity v. New Jersey U.S. 493. In that case, the court found that the 14th Amendment prohibits government agencies from using the threat of termination to compel its employees to give potentially

incriminating statements to investigators and then use their statements to support subsequent criminal prosecution.

“Essentially Garrity would prohibit us Please see PROBE, page 5

Gateway beautification project reaches Candler Road County crew prepping for landscaping

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

A year after DeKalb County broke ground on its $1.2 million Gateway/Interchange Beautification project, cleanup has finally started on the I-20/Candler Road ramps.

County crews began clearing dead trees and shrubs and removing trash along the ramps on March 10 to clear the way for contractor Artscape Landscaping to begin planting shrubs and flowering plants.

Keep DeKalb Beautiful Director Gordon Burkette said they also are treating the area to kill weeds and give the grass the opportunity to fill in and flourish.

“We are cleaning up and prepping it for instalGordon Burkette lation,” he said.

Burkette said Artscape will install shrubs and plants when the $7.1 million water main installation project under way on Candler Road since April 2013 is complete.

The interchange in Decatur was one of seven along I-20, I-285, I-85 and U.S. 78 included in the Gateway/Interchange Beautification program that county officials kicked off on March 14, 2014.

The program also is beautifying interchanges at Turner Hill Road and I-20; Bouldercrest and I-285; Memorial Drive and I-285; Mountain Industrial and U.S. 78; LaVista Road and I-85; and North Druid Hills and I-85.

Contracts were awarded to four companies – Artscape Landscaping, 3 Macks Lawn Service, MJ Lawn Service, and Georgia Green – to plant, water and maintain the plants for two years.

Artscape, which is based in Conyers, won

Jennifer Parker / CrossRoadsNews

DeKalb County crews began cleaning up the I-20 West exit ramp to Candler Road on March 10 in preparation for a Gateway/Beautification project that has been in the works for a year. The Candller Road project is one of seven county-financed interchange beautification projects.

the contracts to beautify the interchanges at Candler Road/I-20; Bouldercrest and I-285; and Mountain Industrial and U.S. 78.

Andy Taylor, Artscape’s CEO, did not return telephone calls by press time Thursday.

The Candler Road project is one of two that did not start in 2014. It was delayed

because the planting season was over by the time Artscape had completed plantings for its two other projects.

Design and logistic issues have indefinitely delayed the North Druid Hills/I-85 Interchange project.

The Turner Hill/I-20 project was not completed or maintained to contract speci-

fication, and in September 2014, the county terminated contractor 3 Macks Lawn Service.

Keep DeKalb Beautiful has been cutting the grass and maintaining the plantings that were done.

Burkette said they plan to complete the landscaping as well.

2

CrossRoadsNews

Community

March 28, 2015

“The impact that Lewis’ testimony may have had on the jury’s evaluation of the evidence is not the proper inquiry under the general grounds.”

Ga. Court of Appeals reverses ruling to release Reid, Pope

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

DeKalb Superior Court Judge Cynthia Becker’s release of Patricia Reid and her exhusband, architect Tony Pope, from prison has been reversed by the Georgia Court of Appeals.

In a March 18 order, the court vacated Becker’s Oct. 27, 2014, order granting a new trial for the former DeKalb School Board chief operating officer and Pope to whom she channeled contracts when they were married.

Reid was serving a 15-year prison sentence, and Pope, owner of A. Vincent Pope Construction and a School District contractor, an eight-year prison sentence for racketeering in the DeKalb School System’s construction program. They had served nearly a year when they were released on Dec. 3, 2014.

Judge William Ray II, writing for the panel, said that even though Becker didn’t believe the testimony of Reid’s co-defendant and former boss, Crawford Lewis, she did not fully weigh Lewis’ testimony against the remaining evidence before granting a new trial to Reid.

Ray wrote that while the trial court exercised its discretion to assess the credibility of at least one witness, it otherwise failed to properly fulfill its affirmative statutory duty to independently weigh the trial evidence.

“This conclusion is evidenced by the fact that the judge ordered a new trial based upon her ability to “presume that [Lewis’ untruthful testimony] did not impact the jury’s verdict. But the impact that Lewis’ testimony may have had on the jury’s evaluation of the evidence is not the proper inquiry under the general grounds,” he wrote. “Rather, after assessing Lewis’ credibility and identifying the

Patricia Reid (left) and Tony Pope were all smiles on Dec. 3 as they left the DeKalb County Jail after being released from prison.

offending testimony, it was incumbent upon the trial court to then examine and weigh the remaining evidence and independently consider whether the jury’s verdict was contrary to [the] evidence and the principles of justice and equity, or was ‘decidedly and strongly against the weight of the evidence.’”

The panel remanded Reid’s case to the trial court for further consideration of Reid’s motion for new trial.

It also reversed Becker’s order granting a new trial to Pope, stating that she lacked authority over that matter.

Reid, Pope and Lewis, the former DeKalb Schools superintendent, were convicted of conspiracy and theft in July 2013 for allegedly manipulating school construction contracts for personal gain.

Lewis pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor

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obstruction charge in October 2013 in exchange for his testimony against Reid and Pope, who were convicted of racketeering in November 2013. Reid also was convicted of theft.

Reid was found guilty of funneling $1.4 million in contracts to Pope, whom she was married to while she was running the School District’s construction program.

Both Reid and Pope, who were serving their time at different state prisons, had wide smiles as they walked out of the DeKalb County Jail on Dec. 3.

Reid was released on a $75,000 bond, and Pope, on a $50,000 bond.

On their release from prison, both professed their innocence.

“It has already been proven more than once and I look forward to doing it again,”

Reid said, adding that it was great to be free.

“When I heard about the judge’s ruling, I fell to my knees and thanked God,” she said outside the jail.

Pope said he was happy to be “breathing fresh air” and was glad for the opportunity to fight again.

Lewis’ plea agreement with the DeKalb District Attorney’s Office called for a 12month sentence of probation. But Becker rejected the deal and sentenced Lewis to a year in prison.

At the December 2013 sentencing, Becker said that Lewis deserved to be jailed and sentenced him to a year in prison for his part in signing off on a scheme in which Reid allegedly funneled School District work to Pope totaling more than $2.3 million.

Retired judge faces six ethics counts in DeKalb Schools case

By Ken Watts

Former DeKalb Superior Court Judge Cynthia Becker is being brought up on six ethics charges before the Georgia Supreme Court for her handling of the 2013 DeKalb Schools corruption case.

The state Judicial Qualifications Commission on March 23 filed six counts against Becker on charges she violated the Code of Judicial Conduct. The JQC is the Cynthia Becker state agency that investigates and prosecutes wayward judges.

That case resulted in the convictions of former school system COO Pat Reid and her ex-husband, architect Tony Pope, for conspiring to fix school construction contracts for personal gain.

Former Superintendent Crawford Lewis, who was a co-defendant in the case, took a plea deal in which he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor obstruction charge in exchange for his testimony against Reid and Pope and probation.

Becker rejected Lewis’ plea deal and sentenced all three to prison time.

She resigned Feb. 23 and left the DeKalb bench.

In the corruption case that ended on Nov. 22, 2013, the jury found that Reid steered more than $1.4 million in school contracts to Pope while he was her husband.

Reid got 15 years in prison, and Pope, 13 years.

Becker also sentenced Lewis to 12 months in prison, saying he made false statements in his testimony.

Lewis successfully appealed his sentence

to the Georgia Court of Appeals on Oct. 24, 2014. The court ruled that Becker should have honored the district attorney’s deal allowing Lewis to be free on probation.

Becker responded by ordering new trials for Reid and Pope, saying their convictions were based on false testimony from Lewis.

They were released from prison on Dec. 3, but on March 18, the state Court of Appeals overturned Becker’s order granting new trials for Reid and Pope.

It was unclear this week if or when the bond freeing them from prison would be revoked.

In its filing with the Georgia Supreme Court, the Judicial Qualifications Commission charged Becker with: n Failing to honor the plea agreement between Lewis and the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office. n Making false or misleading statements to the commission about whether she knew if Lewis or his attorneys had sought bond. n Engaging in improper ex parte communications with attorneys for Reid and Pope. n Making public comments in a political forum about the Lewis case in violation of the judicial code of conduct.

The other two charges stemmed from Becker’s actions while serving as the court’s November/December grand jury term judge.

The JQC charged Becker with refusing to perform her duty to charge the jurors and accept the return of new indictments in open court.

Even though Becker stepped down from the bench, the JQC said she is still subject to the judicial code because the complaint was filed within a year of her time as a judge.

Becker said this week that she had not seen the JQC’s filing and had no comment on its contents.

3

CrossRoadsNews

March 28, 2015

Community

“I had been with the county a long time and I just wanted to retire. That’s it plain and simple.�

Morris Williams says abrupt departure is retirement, nothing more

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Morris Williams’ sudden departure from DeKalb County government on March 24 caught interim CEO Lee May’s administration by surprise, but Williams told Cross­Roads­ News on Wednesday that he had been planning it for months. “I had been thinking about it since I turned 50 last August,� he said.

Williams retired from his deputy chief operating Morris Williams officer for infrastructure position that oversees the county’s Watershed Management Department and the county’s $1.3 billion Comprehensive Infrastructure Plan and all county facilities with a three-sentence letter to May dated March 23. “Please accept this notice of my retirement effective March 24, 2015,� he wrote. “My last day of work will be today, March 24, 2015. I would like to thank the citizens of DeKalb for the opportunity to serve them

for the past 17 years.�

On March 25, Williams told Cross­Roads­ News that he just made up his mind. “I just retired,� he said. “I had been with the county a long time and I just wanted to retire. That’s it plain and simple.�

Williams said everything in his department is laid out and in order. “Somebody could walk in and take over,� he said. “Everything is prepared for them.�

Williams arrived at the county in 1997 when Liane Levetan was CEO. During his more than 17 years there, he worked with the Vernon Jones and May administrations.

During suspended CEO Burrell Ellis’ administration, Williams was chief of staff of the DeKalb Board of Commissioners and did not work directly for Ellis.

In the Jones administration, he was assistant county administrator, the No. 2 man after Richard Stogner. When May was appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal in July 2013, he tapped him two months later for his No. 2 position and allowed him to serve for a time as both the BOC’s chief of staff and deputy COO, a role Williams said he played for 10

Chris Morris retiring after 38 years

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Chris Morris, whose hands have been involved in DeKalb’s economic development for nearly four decades, is retiring.

In a March 24 letter to DeKalb Deputy COO for Development Luz Borrero, Morris said her retirement after 38 years will be effective April 30. “I am grateful to have been part of a team that has served the citizens of DeKalb County, business Chris Morris partners and stakeholders for approximately 38 years,� she wrote. “Additionally, it has been a privilege working with dedicated employees throughout departments in the county and especially employees of the Human and Community Development Department.�

This is not the first time that Morris, who has directed the county’s Community Development Department since 1979, has tried to retire.

The department’s mission is to develop viable urban communities, and over her 38 years with the county, Morris managed about $9 million annually from the federal Community Development Block Grant Program, the HOME Program, the Emergency Shelter Grants Program, and other funds received

by DeKalb County to improve housing and living conditions of low to moderate income people.

She also had responsibilities for implementing the county’s $18.5 million Neighborhood Stabilization grant program authorized under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008.

Morris is the second high-level county administrator to retire this week and the third in a month.

Watershed Management Department Director James Chansler, who has been the director less than two years, turned his resignation in February. He was appointed in July 2013.

County press secretary Burke Brennan said that it was a mere coincidence that both resignation letters were tendered on the same day.

He said that after 38 years with the county, Morris has reached a point in the pension program when she can earn almost as much money by not working as she can working.

Over her long career, Morris has received numerous community awards from the likes of Leadership DeKalb, the DeKalb NACCP, the Howey Hudson Lowe Foundation and DeKalb Habitat for Humanity.

Morris did not return calls about her retirement plans before press time Thursday.

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seniors that the county was working hard to complete the South DeKalb Senior Center on Candler Road that has been stalled for nearly three years.

He said Wednesday that he didn’t leave to take another job and hasn’t yet figured out what his next chapter will be, but that he has a 9-year-old daughter he has to provide for. “I am just changing direction,� he said. “I want to go in a different direction.�

County press secretary Burke Brennan said that Chief Operating Officer Zac Williams will assume Williams’ duties and responsibilities until May can find his replacement.

May taking forum to city of Lithonia Residents can offer input on interim CEO Lee May’s 2015 priorities for DeKalb County on March 31 at Lithonia City Hall.

The meeting, which was rescheduled from Feb. 26 because of bad weather, takes place from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

It’s part of a series of community meetings May has held throughout DeKalb to outline his ideas for solving the county’s issues and get feedback from the public.

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years during the Levetan and Jones administrations before the BOC established separate offices from the administration.

At the time, Williams took over for Ted Rhinehart, the county’s former COO of infrastructure who retired abruptly in April 2013, a month after Watershed Management Director Joe Basistas’ resignation took effect on March 8.

On Wednesday, Williams said that nobody made a big deal when Rhinehart, Basistas and others left the county abruptly.

Just last week, Williams, who is from South Georgia and is known around the county for his folksy ways, was reassuring

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CrossRoadsNews

Community 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Ken Watts Graphic Design Curtis Parker Assistant Editor Brenda Yarbrough Advertising Sales Kathy E. Warner Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Circulation Manager Jami Ffrench-Parker CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoads­News, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings.

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March 28, 2015

“The board member handbook indicates board members are to represent the interests of the entire district.”

Orson facing questions about annexation emails

By Ken Watts

DeKalb School Board District 2 member Marshall Orson is facing reprimands or public censure from fellow board members for possible violation of board policy after allegedly encouraging the annexation of the Druid Hills neighborhood into the city of Atlanta, which would hurt the School District.

School Board Chairman Melvin Johnson said on March 19 that the board will investigate the allegations made by stakeholders and included in a March 18 CBS 46 television news report.

He called the allegations important and serious and if true would be a violation of board policies.

“The board member handbook indicates board members are to represent the interests of the entire district, not just a group of voters,” Johnson said. “Possible reprimands for violating policy could include a written notice, an order to complete professional development courses and a public censure.”

In the television report, state Rep. Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates) called for an investigation of Orson after a constituent gave her copies of emails obtained from Orson’s personal account through an open records request.

Meetings with advocates The Orson emails to state Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver (D-Decatur) and Atlanta City Councilman Alex Wan, among others, could be interpreted as showing Orson backing Atlanta’s efforts to annex a swath of North-Central DeKalb into the city.

The proposed annexation includes Emory University, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Fernbank Science Center, Druid Hills High School, and several feeder schools.

Orson’s children attend Druid

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

DeKalb District 2 School Board member Marshall Orson has been accused of helping Druid Hills annexation efforts to the detriment of the district.

Hills Middle School and Fernbank Elementary.

“When I read these emails, I was surprised by the fact that a member of the DeKalb County School Board appears to be in support of decimating DeKalb County Schools,” Drenner said.

Orson’s messages reveal that the second-term board member has met multiple times with annexation advocates to discuss the planning of the annexation effort, even organizing at least one meeting.

DeKalb Strong, an organization that opposes Atlanta annexation efforts, posted the emails at http:// dekalbstrong.com.

In an email sent to annexation supporters Wan, Anne H. Wallace and Matt Westmorland on Nov. 13, 2014, Orson writes about positive feedback from the Clairmont Heights neighborhood to the Druid Hills Civic Association preliminary report on the effects of annexation:

“See you all Wednesday,” he wrote. “DHCA – I read your preliminary report. It was well-done and a fair representation of the results. Annexation would not be a slam dunk. However, starting at over 50 percent is not bad at this juncture. If annexation is to occur, it will be the result of building a compelling case for its adoption and turning people out to vote if the Legislature provides such an opportunity.”

In another email, Orson writes to Wan and Oliver: “As we all have discussed at various times, a key to a successful annexation push will be to keep school attendance zones intact, particularly Fernbank and Briar Vista.”

TV report ‘misleading’ News of the emails prompted some DeKalb residents to call on Orson to step down.

“It’s a clear breach of ethics,” Bill Joy of Decatur said.

In the CBS report, Orson said his emails are being misinterpreted and it’s his responsibility as a public official to gather information from as many people as possible.

“The CBS Channel 46 report was misleading and incomplete, based on a small number of emails read with no context,” Orson said in a March 20 statement. “The full record shows that I have actively engaged with stakeholders on both sides of the annexation issue, including a constituent who has since become a leader within DeKalb Strong, offering to collaborate on a strategy that prioritizes cohesion of schools. As a DeKalb School Board member, my responsibility is to the entire School District.”

Orson said as annexation and incorporation conversations have grown in intensity, he recognized that such possibilities necessitated planning for a process that would provide order in the event changes occurred and no matter what the formal shift in local government.

“I have always and will continue to look for solutions that minimize a disruption in school services and avoid a reduction in access by, and opportunity for, all our students, including the possibility of joint operation of schools between APS and DCSD under an intergovernmental agreement,” he said. “We must prioritize an outcome that keeps our school communities intact and the focus on excellence across the district, while actively planning for all possible scenarios.”

Johnson said the board has the option of discussing the matter in executive session instead of in an open forum at its meeting on April 1, but no decision had been made at press time Thursday. The board meets at 7:30 p.m. at the Freeman Administrative and Instructional Complex, 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd. in Stone Mountain.

Conditional support voiced for school takeover law

By Ken Watts

DeKalb Superintendent Michael Thurmond surprised critics of Gov. Nathan Deal’s plan to take over failing schools when he voiced qualified support for the idea at a meetings with the Legislative Black Caucus and the DeKalb Delegation at the State Capitol on March 24.

Deal’s bill, SB 133, which was approved by the House on March 25, gives the state new powers to take over persistently underperforming schools. It passed the House 121-47. The Senate passed the bill 38-17 on March 5.

The law creates a statewide “Opportunity School District” with the power to fire principals, transfer teachers and change what students are learning at failing schools.

Lawmakers still have to work out differences between the House and Senate versions before it can be sent to the governor to be signed into law.

House Democrats opposed

Circulation Audited By

DeKalb School Superintendent Michael Thurmond addressed the DeKalb House delegation in Atlanta on March 23.

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

the measure, but Thurmond said Deal’s plan offers an opportunity to help students at under-performing schools.

He said the law has focused attention on disadvantaged underperforming students.

“I for one will not defend what are failing schools,” Thurmond told the caucus. “And I do not think anyone else in this room should either. There are failing schools. It’s just a fact.”

Thurmond said his School District has ample data showing that many struggling schools are steadily improving and he thinks the governor and his supporters need to change how schools are defined as failing.

In DeKalb, 25 of the district’s 137 schools meet the bill’s definition, meaning they have scored less than 60 on the state’s College and Career Readiness Performance Index for three years in a row between

2012 and 2014.

The CCRPI, adopted in 2010, is Georgia’s statewide accountability system that measures the progress of students, teachers, administrators and school districts.

Thurmond said the state should take into consideration that most of the distressed DeKalb schools are rapidly improving.

“If you look at the data, you’ll find that 23 of those 25 schools have shown significant improvement and growth over the last two years,” he said. “I’ve said consistently that an improving and growing school is not a failing one. And our only responsibility is to grow those students so that over a period of time they’re able to catch up.”

Columbia and Toney elementary schools in Decatur have shown no sign of progress, which qualifies them among the law’s “failing” school. Thurmond told the caucus that he had no problem with those two schools’ eligibility for Deal’s program.

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CrossRoadsNews

March 28, 2015

Community

“We can no longer sit on the sidelines waiting on outside entities to conduct independent and private investigations.”

Stonecrest city passes Senate, heads to House

Boyer sentenced to 14 months in federal prison

By Ken Watts

The proposed city of Stonecrest passed the Georgia Senate on March 24 and is now headed to the House.

If it succeeds there, voters in the projected 50,000-population city could get to vote in a referendum in November.

Senate Bill 208 passed by a vote of 45-1.

State Sen. Ron Ramsey (D-Lithonia), who introduced the Stonecrest bill on March 5, said he is hoping the House will vote before the session ends on April 2.

Jason Lary, president of the Stonecrest City Alliance, was happy the bill made it

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Former DeKalb Commissioner Elaine Boyer will serve 14 months in federal prison for swindling DeKalb taxpayers out of more than $90,000.

U.S. District Judge Orinda Evans sentenced Boyer on March 20 in the Richard B. Russell Federal Building in downtown Atlanta.

Boyer, who represented Commission District 1 in North DeKalb for 22 Elaine Boyer years, resigned on Aug. 23, 2014, and pleaded guilty to mail fraud conspiracy and wire fraud charges on Sept. 3, 2014, for funneling more than $78,000 to an evangelist posing as a legislative consultant.

The consultant kicked about $58,000 back to her.

Boyer also admitted running up more than $15,000 in personal purchases on her county Visa card for ski vacations and other personal expenses.

Her husband, John Boyer, who helped her mastermind the scheme, will be sentenced May 6. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit mail fraud on Feb. 27.

out of the Senate.

“This feels like Christmas,” he said on March 24.

The Stonecrest bill is one of four cityhood bills wending their way through the Legislature and one of two in South DeKalb.

House Bill 613, which is seeking to create the proposed city of Greenhaven, was stuck in the House Governmental Affairs Committee at press time Thursday.

Greenhaven, with a proposed population of 300,000, is seeking to incorporate most of unincorporated South DeKalb into Georgia’s second-largest city. The excluded areas are in the proposed city of Stonecrest. State Rep. Pam Stephenson (D-Decatur) introduced the

bill in the House on March 3.

Bills for the proposed cities of LaVista Hills and Tucker also advanced. House Bill 520 for a city of LaVista Hills with 67,000 people passed 38-5. House Bill 515 for the proposed city of Tucker with 33,000 people was approved 41-1.

If successful, Stonecrest would cover 29 square miles along the Panola, Evans Mill and Turner Hill road exits in South DeKalb.

The LaVista Hills and Tucker bills passed the House on March 11, but the Senate State and Local Government Operations Committee shifted the city’s borders, putting about 2,000 Tucker residents in LaVista Hills, angering a lot of Tucker residents.

Recorders Court settles ACLU suit over jail time for fees The American Civil Liberties Union and DeKalb County reached a settlement in a federal suit alleging improper jailing of people for inability to pay traffic fines.

The suit was filed in January on behalf of Kevin Thompson, a teen who was jailed in DeKalb because he couldn’t afford to pay court fines and probation fees stemming from a traffic ticket. The ACLU contended his constitutional rights to counsel and an indigency hearing were violated.

Thompson said he was jailed for five days because he could not afford to pay $838 in traffic fines and fees despite the

fact that he tried to make payments.

The case, Thompson v. DeKalb County, was filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta.

ACLU attorney Nusrat Choudhury said the settlement includes policy changes.

“Being poor is not a crime,” Choudhury said in a March 19 statement. “These measures will help ensure that people’s freedom will not rest on their ability to pay traffic fines and fees they cannot afford.”

Chief Judge Nelly Withers of DeKalb Recorders Court said the court had been working on a new plan prior to the federal suit.

Under the settlement, DeKalb and the

other defendants denied liability but provided a monetary payment to Thompson and his legal counsel, and Withers agreed to take measures to protect the rights of people who cannot afford to make fine and fee payments required as a condition of probation for traffic and other misdemeanor offenses.

Measures include adoption of a “bench card” that provides judges instructions to avoid sending people to jail because they owe court fines and are unable to pay. It also instructs them on how to protect the right to counsel in probation revocation proceedings.

DA cites legal snares that outside investigation could put in play PROBE,

from page

1

“My primary concern, however, is for the integrity of our government.”

May said he will consult with County Attorney O.V. Brantley and Bowers “to protect the integrity of any criminal probes and investigations to the best of our ability.”

“We can no longer sit on the sidelines waiting on outside entities to conduct independent and private investigations,” he said.

“We must be proactive to deal with the issues and needs of our county now.”

Bowers said he doesn’t believe Garrity will be a concern in his investigation and that his team will turn over any evidence of criminal activity to the DA’s office.

Matthew Billips, a labor and employment lawyer with Billips & Benjamin, said that compelling cooperation with an internal investigation is perfectly legal.

“However, if a public employee answers under threat of termination, those answers or information obtained as a result cannot

from utilizing any statements or derived evidence in prosecution because the employees are obligated to participate in this investigative probe,” James said Tuesday. “It also sets up a clear immunity deal that leaves potential criminals gainfully employed by the county.

I don’t see how that solves public corruption or unethical behavior.”

May’s March 18 executive order says that any county official or employee under the direction of the CEO must answer the special investigators’ questions. Refusal to do so “may be cause for disciplinary action, up to and including removal from office or employment or other appropriate penalty,” the order states.

May said on March 25 that James has made him aware of his concerns.

“We will work amicably and cooperatively with all prosecutorial agencies,” he said.

thereafter be used in a criminal prosecution of that employee,” he said.

James said that a 2010 Supreme Court of Georgia decision relying on Garrity moved the needle a little further toward protecting employees, creating a subjective belief standard.

In State v. Thompson, 288 Ga. 165, the high court upheld a DeKalb Superior Court judge’s decision to suppress statements from an internal affairs investigation made by a police officer who was later indicted in the slaying of a suspect.

The trial court and high court both found that, even though the officer wasn’t directly threatened with termination if he didn’t cooperate with the investigation, the officer “subjectively believed he would lose his job” based on his understanding of his department’s employee manual and that his “subjective belief was objectively reasonable.”

James said he suggested to May a possible

PUBLIC NOTICE The Housing Authority of DeKalb County (HADC)

way around the legal snares.

“I have recommended that Balch & Bingham’s role be redefined to only include a forensic audit of county spending and invoicing practices,” James said. “Taxpayers already fund my office to review corruption and other criminal cases. To date, ICEO May has not brought any concerns of specific instances of corruption to my office for review.”

Based on May’s executive order, the Bowers investigation will last at least 120 days.

May did not set a cost cap but will pay Balch & Bingham $400 per hour for any work done by Bowers and other attorneys from his firm. The firm will receive $300 per hour for work done by investigator Richard Hyde, a former law enforcement agent who also investigates judges for the Judicial Qualifications Commission.

Paralegals’ time will be billed at $150 an hour.

Q

Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List Opening

OPENS: April 28, 2015 CLOSES: April 30, 2015

1999 Hwy 138 Conyers, GA 30013 (770) 285-6673

4347 Flat Shoals Pkwy Decatur, GA 30034 (404) 241-5656

351 North Clarendon Ave Scottdale, GA 30079 (404) 294-5500

201 Morningside Drive Buford, GA 30518 (770) 945-9999

\

APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED ONLINE ONLY www.dekalbhousing.org Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations because of a disability, language translation, or communication in an alternative format may call the HADC’S Waiting List Hotline at 404-270-2590 between 8am and 5pm, April 28-30, 2015.

Frequently Asked Questions and Internet Access Sites are listed on the HADC’s website.

914 Scenic Highway Lawrenceville, GA 30045 (770) 338-5558

6

Finance

CrossRoadsNews

March 28, 2015

“Our over-the-year job growth was the most we’ve had since the height of the Atlanta Summer Olympics in July 1996.”

Airport Job Fair has 500 positions Corporate filing deadline is April 1 More than 30 of Hartsfield-Jackson’s top employers will be hiring for over 500 positions at the Airport Community Job Fair on March 30 at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park.

The free event takes place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

All registration time periods are booked – walk-ins will be accepted.

Positions include aircraft cleaning assistant, baggage handler, food service, cosmetology, sales associate, skilled trades, spa concierge, warehouse attendant, wheelchair attendant, host, IT/video technician, customer service, and CDL driver – “P” endorsement.

Applicants must be able to pass a 10year federal background check and dress in proper business attire – attendees wearing unacceptable attire will not be allowed to participate.

Bring 10 or more copies of your resume.

Many companies will interview potential candidates on the spot.

There is a fee for on-site parking and space is limited. MARTA patrons can connect to the free Hartsfield-Jackson SkyTrain and exit at the Gateway/GICC station.

The center is at 2000 Convention Center Concourse off Camp Creek Parkway.

For more information, visit http://goo.gl/ oCQcFo and www.atlanta-airport.com.

Corporations, limited liability companies and limited partnerships have until April 1 to file annual registrations with the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office and pay the renewal fee.

Business entities that fail to renew by the deadline will be charged a $25 late filing penalty fee and risk being administratively dissolved.

The office is experiencing extremely high volume due to the approaching deadline and the best time to renew online is 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. or weekends when servers experience lower volume.

Customers are encouraged to provide at least one valid email address with their

filing to receive future renewal notices and notifications related to their filing.

They can file hard copy annual registrations with a check or money order by mail to P.O. Box 23038, Columbus, GA 31902.

In-person filing is available at the Secretary of State’s Corporations Division in Atlanta, the Professional Licensing Boards Division in Macon, and the agency’s South Georgia Office in Tifton. No cash is accepted for payment of renewal or registration fees.

The office conducts elections, the registration of corporations, and the regulation of securities and professional license holders.

For more information, visit http://sos. ga.gov.

Clarkston Police creates ‘Craigslist Safety Zone’ in its parking lot, court lobby The Clarkston Police Department has implemented a “Craigslist Safety Zone” geared toward making transactions arranged online safer.

The Police Department is offering use of its parking lot and Court Services Lobby to conduct transactions from sites such as Craigslist. Residents can conduct business in a well-lit parking lot or in the lobby with an officer present. The office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday for use of the Court Services Lobby.

Upon request, police officers can check the serial number or VIN number of the

items being sold to see whether they are stolen prior to completion of the transaction.

Craigslist.org offers these tips for avoiding scams and frauds: n Deal locally so you can meet the people in person. n Never wire funds via Western Union, Money Gram or any other wire service. n Know that fake cashier’s checks and money orders are common. Banks will cash them and hold you responsible for the money. n Craigslist provides no “buyer protection” or “seller certification.” n Never give out your financial informa-

tion.

cafe.

n Avoid deals involving shipping or escrow n Do not meet in a secluded place or invite

services. n Only a scammer will “guarantee” your transaction. n Never rent housing without seeing it first. Never purchase expensive items sight unseen. n Never submit to a credit check or background check for a job or house listed on Craigslist until you have met the interviewer or landlord in person.

During Craigslist merchandise sales: n Insist on a public meeting place like a

strangers into your home. n Be especially careful when buying/selling high-value items. n Tell a friend or family member where you’re going to meet someone you contacted through Craigslist. n Take your cellphone along with you. n Consider having a friend accompany you during Craigslist purchases. n Trust your instincts.

For more information, visit http://www. clarkstonga.gov.

Record job growth in February lowered state unemployment A record job count lowered Georgia’s unemployment rate to 6.3 percent in February, its lowest level since July 2008, when it was also 6.3 percent.

The rate was down one-tenth of a percentage point from 6.4 percent in January. In February 2014, the rate was 7.3 percent.

The U.S. rate is 5.5 percent.

In DeKalb County, the number of initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits was 1,966 in February, down 1,015 or 34 percent, from 2,981 in January. The number was 2,345 in February 2014 for an over-the-year decline of 379 or 16.2 percent.

State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler

said Georgia hit a historical high for jobs in February, which helped push the jobless rate down.

“Our over-the-year job growth was the most we’ve had since the height of the Atlanta Summer Olympics in July 1996,” Mark Butler Butler said on March 19.

The state had 4,245,800 seasonally adjusted jobs in February, an increase of 25,400, or 0.6 percent, from 4,220,400 in January. The growth came in wholesale and retail trade, 6,600; leisure and hospitality, 6,300; educa-

tion and health services, 4,200; professional and business services, 3,600; construction, 2,800; state and local government, 2,600; and information services, 2,000.

There were small losses in some other sectors.

Georgia also had strong over-the-year job growth.

“Our employers added 157,400 jobs since last February,” Butler said. “That represents a strong 3.8 percent growth rate, which was more than one-and-half times the national rate.”

The national job growth rate for the same period was 2.4 percent.

Every job sector grew over the year, with four sectors experiencing a 4 percent or more growth rate.

They were trade, transportation and warehousing with 37,000 new jobs, or 4.3 percent; leisure and hospitality, 29,900, or 7.1 percent; professional and business services, 29,400 or 4.9 percent; education and health services, 21,500, or 4.2 percent. Construction grew by 6,000, or 3.9 percent.

The number of initial UI claims declined by 48.8 percent to 29,291 in February, down from 57,194 in January.

Claims were down by 11,031, or 27.4 percent, from 40,322 in February 2014.

March 28, 2015

Wellness

7

CrossRoadsNews

“Individuals with weak immune systems, children younger than 5 and elderly people should take extreme precaution.”

Pet Easter chicks pose risk of salmonella Those cute Easter chicks, ducklings and other types of live poultry being purchased as family pets pose risks for contracting salmonella or other illnesses.

The Georgia Department of Public Health and the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Outbreak Response and Prevention branch urge caution when selecting the birds as pets.

Chicks, ducklings, geese, turkeys and other live poultry can be a source of human salmonella infections despite appearing to be healthy and clean. Salmonella germs are shed in their droppings and can easily contaminate their bodies and anything in areas where the birds live and roam.

Hope Dishman, outbreak coordinator of DPH’s Acute Disease Epidemiology Section, said certain groups are at higher risk.

“Individuals with weak immune systems, children younger than 5 years of age and elderly people should take extreme precaution when handling or touching chicks, ducklings or other live poultry,” Dishman said. “Although they look cute and cuddly, it’s important to avoid the temptation of snuggling or kissing the birds, touching your mouth while handling them, or eating and drinking around live poultry.”

The easiest way to avoiding getting sick is washing your hands after handling livestock and limiting your exposure to these animals, especially in areas where you live, she said.

“It may be tempting to allow livestock in the house, but we advise against having them in the home, particularly in bathrooms or areas where food or drink is prepared, served or stored such as kitchens and patios,” Dishman said.

Salmonella is considered an enteric disease, or a disease that affects the intestines.

When salmonella germs enter the human body, they can cause sickness, diarrhea, vom-

Chicks, ducklings, geese, turkeys and other live poultry can be a source of human salmonella infections despite appearing to be healthy and clean. Germs are shed in their droppings.

iting and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection. In severe cases, salmonella bacteria can even be life-threatening.

Over the past decade, DPH’s Acute Disease Epidemiology Section has documented 22 outbreaks of enteric disease associated with live animal transmission. Of those, 11 were associated with live poultry and included 39 hospitalizations due to salmonella infections.

To prevent enteric illnesses associated with animal contact: n Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water after touching or petting animals or touching their environments, especially before eating or putting hands in the mouth. n Supervise young children around animals

while hand washing. n Children under 5 should not have contact with reptiles and amphibians and their cages or tanks. n Pet owners should carefully clean an animal’s tank or cage and surrounding areas and be sure to wash their hands after changing the bedding or feeding the animal. n People should not eat, drink or prepare food while touching animals or their environments. n If soap and water are not readily available, use hand sanitizer until you can wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

For more information, visit http:// dph.georgia.gov and http://www.cdc.gov/ zoonotic/gi/index.html.

DeKalb CSB part of schizophrenia screening project The DeKalb Community Service Board is participating in the National Council for Behavioral Health’s 2015 Early Onset Schizophrenia Community of Practice, an effort aimed at providing early screening and ongoing treatment for at-risk youth and young adults.

The project takes place March through October.

Dr. Joseph Bona, chief medical officer of DeKalb CSB, said the public nonprofit is excited to be recognized for Early Episode Psychosis treatment.

“We applaud the Na- Joseph Bona tional Council’s approach to supporting local excellence in the diagnosis and treatment of youth and young adults at risk for early onset schizophrenia,” Bona said on March 25.

DeKalb CSB was selected as one of 10 participating organizations out of nearly 60 applicants. COP participants will develop a strategic plan that includes community

resources that can be utilized as a point of screening and/or referral for screening, clinical best practices for the target population, potential funding sources, and recommended practices needed to best serve the population and their families.

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe and disabling mental disorder characterized by deficits in thought processes, perceptions, and emotional responsiveness. It affects nearly 1 percent of Americans. Emerging evidence strongly suggests that early recognition and treatment can positively alter the natural course of the illness and potentially provide full recovery.

“We are especially excited to bring this specialty care to the citizens of DeKalb County,” Bona said.

The project will support and broaden DeKalb CSB’s Prevention and Early Intervention Program, a surveillance and monitoring program that strives to reduce the duration of untreated psychosis in youth. It identifies youth at ultra-high risk of developing

schizophrenia before they experience their first psychotic break.

Rachel Weissman, team lead, said the program “is imperative to stop individuals from being permanently disabled for the rest of their lives.”

The DeKalb CSB provides a wide range of evidence-based behavioral health and developmental disability services. It serves more than 10,000 children, adolescents and adults annually. Visit www.dekcsb.org.

ACA enrollment to fight tax bite ends April 30 Individuals and families who owe a fee on their taxes for not having health coverage in 2014 and don’t yet have coverage for 2015 may still be able to get insured for this year.

The Special Enrollment Period runs through April 30. Health Insurance Marketplace open enrollment ended on Feb. 15.

In 2015, the fee for not having coverage increases to $325 per person or 2 percent of the household income, whichever is higher. The fee generally applies if you can afford to have coverage but choose to remain uninsured – although you may not have to pay the fee if you qualify for an exemption.

If you don’t have coverage for the remainder of 2015, you’ll risk having to pay the fee again next year for the portion of the year you don’t have coverage.

The Marketplace is providing individuals and families who are subject to the fee when they file their 2014 taxes with one last chance to get covered for 2015.

In order to take advantage of the Special Enrollment Period, you must meet all of the following requirements: n You didn’t know that the health care law required you and your household to have health coverage until after Feb. 15, 2015, or you didn’t understand how that requirement would affect you or your family. n You owe the fee for not having coverage for one or more months in 2014. n You aren’t already enrolled in 2015 qualifying coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace or outside the Marketplace.

If all of these apply to you, you’re eligible for the Special Enrollment Period that allows you to enroll in a 2015 plan.

You also may be able to get lower costs on monthly premiums.

Eight out of 10 people can find coverage for $100 or less a month with tax credits through the Marketplace.

To get started, visit HealthCare.gov or contact the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 to start enrollment over the phone.

If you owe a fee for not having coverage in 2014 but are already enrolled in a 2015 Marketplace plan, you can’t use the Special Enrollment Period to switch plans.

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8

CrossRoadsNews

Easter

March 28, 2015

“I believe Granny Lu saw every sunrise as a testimony to a living and loving God who warms our hearts.”

‘Seven Last Words’ service on Good Friday First Afrikan Presbyterian will observe its annual “Seven Last Words” Good Friday Worship on April 3.

The program begins at 7 p.m. The service also reflects on the Black Lives Matter campaign.

Dr. Itihari Toure, an elder at the Lithonia church, said the Seven Last Words of Jesus are traditionally the content for the ser- Itihari Toure mons preached during a Good Friday Service in the Black Church in America. Good or Holy Friday is a first-century church ritual commemorating the “death” of Jesus.

“It is a time of reverence, a time in which followers of the way actually recall the process that ‘silenced’ God’s example of justice, compassion and concern – Yeshua [Jesus] our Afrikan Messiah,” Toure said.

“This ritual requires us as Christ conscious believers to participate in the muting reality of the crucifixion.”

She said the crucifixion of Jesus illustrates how innocent lives are unjustly taken as a means of intimidation and as a devaluing of the gift of life – a gift from God. “Our tradition here at First Afrikan Church has been to participate in a liturgy that authentically connects the reality of Afrikan people whose lives are continually muted and devalued with the same reasons Yeshua’s life on earth was muted,” she said.

“An unjust system of intimidation, fear and reckless disregard for God’s gift to all of humanity always results in the death of the innocent.”

The service offers reflection on a 21st century issue, police killings of unarmed black youth and men.

The liturgy will engage attendees through

testimony, music, imagery and dance.

“In this service we will hear testimony through sermonic proclamation and through songs; we will be led to move our bodies into the place of devalued life [die-in]; and we will leave the sanctuary in silence taking with us a stone to symbolize the tomb,” she said.

“This service will help us to acknowledge and honor our feelings of loss, grief and even anger so that the eternal source, the Creator who resides within each one of us, can do the work of resurrection.”

It will use Afrikan dancing and drumming, black sacred music featuring rhythms from throughout the African-American and Afro-Caribbean diaspora, and a diversity of voices.

The church is at 5197 Salem Road in Lithonia. For more information, visit www. firstafrikanchurch.org, email fapc@firstafrikanchurch.org or call 770-981-2601.

Women’s worship service at ITC Women at the Cross 2015, a worship arts service of recovery and restoration, takes place on April 1 at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta.

It begins at 7 p.m. in the ITC Chapel and recognizes the art of Charles Bibbs.

The theme is “Dispossession Is Our Work - Not Our Identity,” reminding all that there are forces that marginalize women, youth and children. The story will be told in four movements: Remembering, Resistance, Recovery and Restoration.

The Sankofa Center at ITC, Wisdom Center at Spelman College, Sankofa UCC, First Afrikan Church and the Office of BWCS are hosts for the program.

The chapel is at 700 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. For more information, call 770-981-2601 or 404-527-7729.

Easter egg hunts offer fun, treats, prizes for the little ones Kids can get their Easter baskets ready for egg hunts and holiday activities throughout South DeKalb.

Wade Walker Park Family YMCA hosts its annual Easter egg hunt, “Eggapalooza,” for children 12 and under on April 4.

The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with egg hunts at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. There will be games, arts and crafts, and fun for the whole family.

It is free and open to the public.

The Y is at 5605 Rockbridge Road in Stone Mountain. For more information, visit www.ymcaatlanta.org or call 678-578-1224.

Games, music at VFW Post 4706 On April 4, VFW Post 4706 in Decatur is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt for community children.

The two-hour program begins at 2 p.m. and includes games, music and snacks.

The post is at 5362 Covington Highway.

For more information, email belvedere4706@ gmail.com.

Prizes at Flat Shoals Park The Community Achievement Center’s annual Easter Egg Hunt Extravaganza at

Flat Shoals Park in Decatur also takes place on April 4.

The noon-to-2 p.m. event features prizes, face painting, a moonwalk and other activities.

The center is at 4522 Flat Shoals Parkway.

For more information, visit www.cacdekalb. org or call 404-214-7400.

Super District 7 Eggstravaganza On April 5, kids ages 3 to 10 can participate in an afternoon of snacks, music and fun at the 11th annual DeKalb Super District 7 Easter Eggstravaganza at Wade Walker Park in Stone Mountain.

Commissioner Stan Watson and state Rep. Billy Mitchell are presenting the threehour event that begins at 2 p.m. with registration.

Easter egg hunts start at 2:30 p.m. beginning with the youngest age group.

Fitz Roy will offer kids caricatures.

The rain alternate site is the Wade Walker YMCA at 5585 Rockbridge Road.

Wade Walker Park is at 5584 Rockbridge Road. For more information, email stanwatson@dekalbcountyga.gov or call 404Youngsters can fill their baskets at Eggapalooza at the Wade Walker Park Y and other venues.

371-3681.

Stone Mountain Easter Sunrise Service is a family affair Easter morning atop Stone Mountain holds fond memories for Norbert Lanford, grandson of the originator of the Easter Sunrise Service.

Lanford, who married Donna L. Wiggins on Easter 2008 on the mountain before the Sunrise Service, will participate in the 71st annual observance on April 5.

The service begins at 7 a.m.

In 1944, Lucile Lanford of Stone Mountain United Methodist Church led the church’s youth on an Easter Sunday morning hike to the top of the mountain to worship and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. A tradition was born and now features simultaneous services on both the mountaintop and the lawn at the base of the mountain.

Each year, thousands make the pilgrimage to the top by hiking or riding the scenic sky lift. Others find their way to the lawn.

Both services will be signed for the hearing impaired.

Lanford said his grandmother, “Granny Lu,” was a deeply religious woman.

“I am not sure why she started the service except that her faith was truly incredible. I know she planned the original services and lined up the speakers and special music each year in the beginning of the tradition. She invited the youth at other churches to join in climbing and celebrating the sunrise and Son-rise.”

He said she was widowed early in life and raised four kids by teaching piano from home and going to area churches to teach private lessons.

“I believe Granny Lu saw every sunrise as a testimony to a living and loving God who warms our hearts and can bring incredible joy to those who believe and worship him,” Lanford said.

He said the Sunrise Service immediately became a United Methodist district youth event that included churches in

Norbert Lanford and Donna L. Wiggins were married atop Stone Mountain in a pre-dawn service on a chilly Easter Sunday 2008. Lanford’s grandmother, Lucile Lanford, started the Easter Sunrise Service in 1944.

Lithonia, Decatur, Tucker and surrounding areas.

His mother, Mary J. Lanford of Dahlonega who grew up in Stone Mountain, will attend this year’s service.

“Mom was one of the original attendees,” he said. “My father and his brothers were other original attendees.”

He said his wife was excited to be a part of the tradition.

They are celebrating their seventh anniversary on Easter.

Lanford has joined the Stone Mountain Sunrise Association, a group of ecumenical Christian church volunteers

committed to continuing the holiday tradition.

In 2014, high winds that caused the sky lift to halt operation for a while could not dampen the spirit of almost 5,000 people huddled in blankets and jackets awaiting the first peek of the sun as they shared music, Scripture, the Gospel message and the fellowship of worshipers and sunrise observers.

Stone Mountain Park is off U.S. 78 East, Exit 8. For more information, call 770-491-1424 or 404-401-4396.

9

CrossRoadsNews

March 28, 2015

Scene

Share your favorite book, poem or story from one of the honorees and bring a bag lunch to the April 4 read-in.

Wesley Chapel Drop Everything and Read-In honors five writers Readers and storytellers of all ages can join the Wesley Chapel Book Club and Imani Literacy Group for a read-in on April 4 at the library that pays tribute to five African-American writers.

The 10:30 a.m.-to-2 p.m. D.E.A.R.In – Drop Everything and Read-In – honors Maya Angelou, J. California Cooper, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes and Walter Dean Myers.

Angelou, who died in 2014 at 86, was a poet, dancer, actress, singer and author of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”

Cooper, who wrote 17 plays and was Black Playwright of the Year in 1978, also died in 2014. She was 82.

Hurston, a folklorist and anthropologist who died in 1960 at 69, is best known for her 1937 novel “Their Eyes

Were Watching God.” Hughes, a leader of the Harlem Renaissance, was a poet, social activist, novelist, playwright and columnist. He died in 1967 at 65.

Myers, who died in 2014 at 76, wrote more than 100 books for children of all ages, including two Newbery Honor Books and six Coretta Scott King Award/Honor-winning

Legal Notices

03/28, 04/04, 04/11, 04/18

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

Civil Action Case Number: 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, 03/28

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV5160-10++ Ayo Alvin Ayerni, Jr. filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on May 15, 2014 to change the name from: Ayo Alvin Ayerni, Jr. to Alvin John Ayerni. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed.

Dated: Feb. 6, 2015 Ayo Alvin Ayerni, Jr. Petitioner, Pro se 6775 Winterberry Ridge Dr. Stone Mountain, GA 30087 678-938-9472 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, 03/28

Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV1894-3++ Lucelyn JaMette Fennell Plaintiff Vs. Saheed Reginald Mustapha Defendant To: Saheed Reginald Mustapha 224 N. Third Ave. Saginaw, MI 98607

By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Jan. 06, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Jan. 22, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Lucelyn JaMette Fennell, 3004 Del Monico Dr., GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Jan. 06, 2015.

Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 9th day of February, 2015 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, 03/28

Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV2547-4++ April Mitchell Plaintiff Vs. Carlos Mitchell Defendant To: Carlos Mitchell

By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Jan. 27, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Jan. 19, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: 743 Tarkingon Rd., S., Stone Mountain, GA 30088. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Jan. 27, 2015.

Witness the Honorable Gail C. Flake, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 2nd day of March, 2015 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, 03/28

Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court

of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV10170-10++ Mario Perkins Plaintiff Vs. Rukaiyah Culbreath Defendant To:

By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Jan. 24, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Oct. 27, 2014 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff whose name and address is: Mario Perkins #1108958, P.O. Box 466, Alamo GA 30411. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Jan. 24, 2015.

Witness the Honorable Tangela M. Barrie, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 26th day of February, 2015 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, 03/28

Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV2190-2++ Jeanetta Moffett Plaintiff Vs. Jesse Moffett Defendant To: Jesse Edward Moffett

By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Mar. 02, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Feb. 24, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Jeanetta Moffett, 4715 Fellsridge Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30085. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Mar. 02, 2015.

Witness the Honorable Asha F. Jackson, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 4th day of March, 2015 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, 03/28

Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV2204-3++ Barbara Annette Milon Plaintiff Vs. Johnny Bernard Dorsey Defendant To: Johnny Bernard Dorsey 657 Magnolia St., NW Atlanat, GA 30314

By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Feb. 27, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Jan. 12, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Barbara A. Milon, 3100 Lumby Dr., #628, Decatur, GA 30034. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of February, 27, 2015.

Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 4th day of March, 2015

03/07, 03/14, 03/21, 03/28

books.

Share your favorite book, poem or story from one of the honorees and bring a bag lunch – beverages will be provided. Funding is provided by the Friends of the Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library.

The library is at 2861 Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur. For more inforMaya Angelou mation, call 404-286-6980.

++ 15CV3264-4++ Jennifer Young filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Mar. 13, 2015 to change child’s from: Female Isiaha Damond Kaigler to Isaiah Damond Kaigler. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the

Petition was filed.

Dated: Mar. 13, 2015 Jennifer Young Petitioner, Pro se 5012 Chupp Way Circle Lithonia, GA 30038 770-912-6419

Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV2544-3++ Princess Gibson Plaintiff Vs. Kermit Gibson Defendant To: Kermit Gibson

By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Feb. 26, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Feb. 19, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Princess Gibson, 1586 Line Street, Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Feb. 26, 2015.

Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 4th day of March, 2015

DeKalb County Sheriff Office

Jeffrey L. Mann, Sheriff 4415 Memorial Drive • Decatur, GA 30032

Sex Offender

Richard Brown II 3959 Central Drive Clarkston, GA 30021 Charge of Carnal Knowledge of Child 13 YOA. Convicted on 8/25/1992

Sex Offender

Lescarles Gadson 5300 Snapfinger Park Drive #232 Decatur, GA 30035 Charge of Statutory Rape.

Convicted on 5/5/1992

Sex Offender

George Owen 450 Clubhouse Drive Pinelake, GA 30072 Charge of Aggravated Child Molestation.

Convicted on 2/12/2003

Sex Offender

William Sanders 2560 Raindrop Court Decatur, GA 30032 Charge of Sexual Assault.

Convicted on 6/15/2010

03/28, 04/04/ 04/11, 04/18

Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV2870-10++ Sabrina Wade Plaintiff Vs. Fabian Chisholm Defendant To: Fabian Chisholm 4061 Cress Way Run Decatur, GA 30034

By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Mar. 19, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Mar. 06, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Sabrina Wade, 2748 Vining Ridge Terrace, Decatur, GA 30034.

Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Mar. 19, 2015.

Witness the Honorable Tangela M. Barrie, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 20th day of March, 2015 03/07, 03/14, 03/21, 03/28

Notice of Petition to Change Name of Adult

Sex Offender

Robert Castleberry 2671 Aquamist Drive Decatur, GA 30034 Charge of Child Molestation.

Convicted on 11/22/2002

Sex Offender

Mark Harvey 200 Bouldercrest Rd SE, Apt H-5 Atlanta, GA 30316 Charge of Touching of a Child or Mentally Defective Incapacitated or physically helpless person for lustful purposes.

Convicted on 10/12/1998

Orlando Patterson 3403 Memorial Drive Decatur, GA 30032 Charge of Child Molestation.

Convicted on 12/12/1995

Sex Offender

Sex Offender

Gregory Chaney 4386 Reins Ridge #2 Stone Mountain, GA 30083 Charge of Child Molestation.

Convicted on 10/28/1999

Sex Offender

Sex Offender

Spencer Jenkins 4815 Buford Highway Chamblee, GA 30341 Charge of Federal Sex Crime.

Convicted on 4/13/2012

Nathaniel Rodgers 2860 Lynda Place Decatur, GA 30032 Charge of Aggravated Child Molestation.

Convicted on 3/11/2005

Sex Offender

John Shaw Homeless Decatur, GA 30030 Charge of Child Molestation.

Convicted on 9/27/2001

Sex Offender

Sean Wilmot 4969 Central Drive M-222 Stn Mtn, GA 30083 Charge of Rape.

Convicted on 5/2/2005

in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV2670-10++ Female Drakeford filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Feb. 27, 2015 to change the name from: Female Drakeford to Keysha Drakeford. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed.

Dated: Nov. 06, 2014 Keysha Drakeford.

Petitioner, Pro se 1823 Broadway Street Decatur, GA 30035 770-557-6717

Sex Offender

Garrath Devaughn 4275 Northeast Expressway Doraville, GA 30340 Charge of Sexual Imposition.

Convicted o3/14/2014

Sex Offender

Sex Offender

Dana Kilgo 3318 Woodstock Road Atlanta, GA 30316 Charge of Lewd and Lascivious Act on a Child.

Convicted on 10/11/1994

Wiley Robinson 700 Abberley Way, Apt 4 Stn Mtn, GA 30083 Charge of Sex Abuse 1st Degree contact by forceable compulsion.

Convicted on 11/23/1993

Sex Offender

Rasheem Wilson 3820 Brockett Trail Clarkston, GA 30021 Charge of Sex Offense 2nd Degree Minor.

Convicted on 3/9/1999

The DeKalb Sex Offenders List is published by the DeKalb County Sheriff Office. For more information call the Sex Offender Unit at 404-298-8130.

10

CrossRoadsNews

Youth

March 28, 2015

“My eyes opened to a new world of excitement and things to discover. I gained new skills, knowledge and values.”

23 DeKalb high GPTC Adult Ed student wins EAGLE Award schools top rated Justin Walters of Lithonia is the stateAll 23 high schools in the DeKalb School District received the highest approval rating from the Georgia Accrediting Commission.

The schools met 100 percent of GAC’s standards and received the designation “Accredited with Quality,” its highest rating.

Each school will receive a certificate of designation, which is to be updated annually.

DeKalb Superintendent Michael Thurmond called the designation validating.

“The GAC assessment was extensive and affirms the great work that is being done in our high schools,” he said on March 18. “The scholarship and academic achievements of our students have been Michael Thurmond validated.”

GAC conducted a five-month evaluation that began in September 2014. Consultants visited each school, interviewed principals, reviewed evidence, and evaluated each school based on four major standards – organization, personnel, finances, and programs of study. Each school’s physical plant was assessed for operational usefulness and safety.

The district submitted a master application for all 23 high schools in November 2014. Site visits by the GAC consultants were conducted in January 2015, and the commission notified the DeKalb Board of Education of the final decision in March.

The application for GAC accreditation was approved by the School Board in spring 2014 as part of a dual accreditation strategy.

The district also is “Accredited on Advisement” by AdvancED/SACS, one notch from unconditional accreditation.

School Board Chair Melvin Johnson said the district is making significant progress that the board will continue to leverage.

“Thanks to the tireless efforts of parents, teachers, principals, and support staff, the DeKalb County School District is making great strides inside and outside the classroom,” Johnson said.

wide 2015 EAGLE Award winner for outstanding achievement in the state’s Adult Education program.

Walters, 28, who enrolled in Georgia Piedmont Technical College’s Adult Education program in January 2014, received his GED in July.

He was selected by the Technical College System of Georgia for the Exceptional Adult Georgian in Literacy Education Award and was honored at a ceremony on March 18 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Atlanta.

Technical College System Commissioner Gretchen Corbin and Assistant Commissioner for Adult Education Beverly Smith made the award presentation.

In addition to a trophy, Walters received an iPad and a new car.

He said that participating in Adult Education has shown him what is possible.

“My eyes opened to a new world of excitement and things to discover,” Walters said. “I gained new skills, knowledge and values, and I made some amazing friends.”

After getting his GED credential, Walters enrolled at GPTC where he is now studying Early Childhood Care & Education.

Walters, who was nominated by in-

Justin Walters, flanked by Technical College System Commissioner Gretchen Corbin and Georgia Piedmont President Jabari Simama, holds EAGLE Award. He also received an iPad and a car.

structor April Greene, wants to become a teacher and says he is determined to be the first male in his family to graduate from college.

“I consider myself to be an ambassador for Adult Ed, and I will continue to encourage others to take advantage of opportunities that are available through Adult Education,” he said.

GPTC President Jabari Simama said Walters’ story epitomizes how technical colleges can play a major role in transforming lives.

“He is an example of the American dream and he will be an excellent ambassador for the Adult Basic Education program,” he said.

The EAGLE Award, which is in its 22nd year, acknowledges the outstanding accomplishments of Georgians who enroll in the Technical College System’s Adult Education programs to earn their high school equivalency diploma.

For more information, visit https://tcsg. edu and www.gptc.edu.

Pilot project helps parents get kids ready to read DeKalb Public Library is one of 11 public library systems in the state selected to conduct a special federally funded early literacy pilot project aimed at young children.

Every Child Ready to Read focuses on children from birth to 4 years. Through special workshops, parents learn to use simple practices – talking, singing, playing, reading and even writing with their children – to get their kids ready to read.

The library is conducting 15 work-

shops beginning in March and continuing through summer 2015.

Teresa Totten, library project administrator, said the main goal is to better educate parents and caregivers about what they can do to support and prepare children through reading activities.

“The idea is that if parents and caregivers can learn more about the importance of early literacy and how to nurture pre-reading skills at home, the impact of early literacy programs at libraries will be much greater,”

Totten said.

A Preschool Storytime workshop, open to the first 20 participants, takes place from 11 to 11:30 a.m. on March 31 at Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore St. in Decatur (404-370-3070).

For groups of five or more, call the branch for an appointment.

The programs will be evaluated by the Georgia Public Library Service. Visit http:// dekalblibrary.org/events/?series=100 or check the Spring Schedule of Programs for Children and Teens at local branches.

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Reader Notice As a service to you – our valued readers – we offer the following information: This newspaper will never knowingly accept any advertisement that is illegal or considered fraudulent. If you have questions or doubts about any ads on these pages, we advise that before responding or sending money ahead of time, you check with the Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud Line and/or the Better Business Bureau. They may have records or documented complaints that will serve to caution you about doing business with those advertisers.

Also be advised that some phone numbers published in these ads may require an extra charge. In all cases of questionable value, such as promises or guaranteed income from work-at-home programs, money to loan, etc., if it sounds too good to be true ­– it may in fact be exactly that.

This newspaper cannot be held responsible for any negative consequences that occur as a result of you doing business with any advertisers. Thank you.

11

CrossRoadsNews

March 28, 2015

People

“The children keep me young and the senior citizens give me wisdom to live by each day.”

Elzora Baker, one of DeKalb’s oldest, dies at 104 S.C. State inducts Sept. 4, 1910 – March 22, 2015 Elzora S. Baker, one of DeKalb County’s oldest residents, died March 22 at age 104.

Her funeral service will be March 28 at noon at Union Missionary Baptist, 2470 Bruce St. in Lithonia, where she was a member for 81 years. Viewing was scheduled for noon to 8 p.m. on March 27 at Tri-Cities Funeral Home, 6861 Main St. in Lithonia.

Baker was born to Henry and Jossie Sworn on Sept. 4, 1910, in Lithonia. She was baptized on Aug. 22, 1925, at Fairfield Baptist Church in Redan before moving her membership to Union Missionary in 1934.

She attended school in Redan, where her seventhgrade teacher, Lula Crew, stressed the importance of education. She graduated in 1923 and married Jack Baker in December 1933 and had four children.

Baker was a domestic worker for the Garraders, Elzora Baker who owned a service station in Lithonia, and for Sandy and Jean Davidson, optometrist.

She later took a job distributing clothes at the Lucious Sanders Center.

In 1979, she became Communion direc-

basketball player

tor at Union Missionary and retired from the position in October 2010. Once a month, she joined mission members for their trip to Traditions Health and Rehabilitation Center, where she prayed for the residents until her health no longer permitted.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; a sister, Lula Mae Morton; and brother, Leroy Sworn.

Surviving are three daughters, Mary Felton, Allean McMullen and Janice (Gilbert) Monroe; a son, J.B. (Mary) Baker; a sisterin-law, Lille Bell Carr; and a brother-in-law, nine grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, and 17 great-great-grandchildren.

Longtime Stone Mountain resident Sonya Summers has been inducted into the South Carolina State University 2014 Athletics Hall of Fame.

She was recognized as a player on its winning 1983 Women’s Basketball Team. She played a major role in the team winning 22 games and a Mid-Eastern Athletics Conference Tournament title. Sonya Summers In 1983, the school earned the conference’s bid and became the first MEAC team, men’s or women’s, to advance to the second-round game in the NCAA Division I tournament. Playing the first round against LaSalle University, Summers’ team made NCAA basketball history by having only four turnovers in a playoff game.

The team recognized Summers as “the Spiritual Coach” because of her dedication and team spirit. During her four years at SCSU, her team won three MEAC regularseason titles and two MEAC Tournament Championship titles.

Summers played varsity basketball at West Fulton High and is a 23-year U.S. Postal Service employee.

Toastmasters novice wins state humor speech title Sharron Saleem Martin of Decatur is Georgia’s Toastmasters Humorous Speech Champion.

Martin, a retired Decatur Housing Authority property manager, is a member of Toastmasters of Saint Philip AME Sharron Martin Church. She nailed the state title last December with her speech “I Still Got It Going On.” Martin had been in the club for about six

months when she won the contest.

“I wanted to do a speech people in my age group, 55 and older, could relate to.”

She was surprised at her win because she had only joined Toastmasters in April 2014.

“I was learning the process and was fearful of the other contestants that knew what it takes to be a winner,” she said.

Martin, who joined Toastmasters to enhance her speaking skills, said she wasn’t afraid to speak in front of a crowd but needed to know how to present her speeches using the correct English.

“I want my speeches to have a lasting impression,” she said.

She represented District 14, which has 119 clubs in Georgia, including in DeKalb, Gwinnett and Rockdale counties. Contestants from more than 100 clubs participated.

Martin, now a contract worker, is a community activist.

“I love to volunteer wherever my hands are needed. I love working with children and senior citizens. The children keep me young and the senior citizens give me wisdom to live by each day.”

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12

CrossRoadsNews

March 28, 2015

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N5020258F.indd 1

3/13/15 10:34 AM