CrossRoadsNews, May 3, 2014 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

COMMUNITY

YOUTH

PEOPLE

DeKalb County’s most recent Police Academy class held their graduation on April 25, though they’ve been on the job since February. A2

“The Bridge!” a variety talk show starring DeKalb teens, premieres May 10 on channel PDSTV24. A8

Nearly 70 years after serving, Harry Rock received recognition as a surviving member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen. A9

Overdue celebration

Teen variety show

Historic recognition

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

May 3, 2014

Volume 20, Number 1

www.crossroadsnews.com

INSIDE

Rhetoric heats up as election day nears

“I haven’t seen any meaningful legislation from our congressman since 2007. If a congressman from Seattle, Wash., writes a bill with someone else and he gets 275 to sign on to the bill, that is not the same thing as sitting at the table and crafting some legislation that is designed to move America forward and getting that bill passed.”

Early voting is under way, and the gloves are coming off as local candidates enter the homestretch in high-profile races, including the 4th Congressional District and seats on the DeKalb County School Board. See our Special Election Section for in-depth interviews with Tom Brown (left) and Hank Johnson, as well as coverage of other election topics.

SECTION B

“I have proposed 62 legislative solutions, six of which were passed by the Senate and signed by the president. They were enacted into law, in other words. So to be able to achieve that legislative record that apparently my opponent was unaware of it is notable. A little research would have told my opponent that.”

King’s statue to rise at the Georgia Capitol Deal signs bill to make tribute to icon a reality By Ken Watts

A statue of civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. could rise on the grounds of the Georgia Capitol by the celebration of his 86th birthday on Jan. 19, 2015. Gov. Nathan Deal signed into law HB 1080 on April 29 surrounded by state Rep. Tyrone Brooks (D-Atlanta), the law’s sponsor; King’s daughter the Rev. Bernice King and son Martin King III; and SCLC leaders. Deal said the legislation goes beyond words of praise by placing a physical monument at the Capitol “to commemorate this great Georgian’s legacy for many years to come.” “He fought against prejudice and for equality, and he did so peacefully,” Deal said. “He spoke eloquently and acted courageously. Every year in January we honor Dr. King, who inspired our nation with his dream of hope, justice and human rights.” Bernice King, who is president of the King Center, said she was honored by the signing and the monument. “For the state of Georgia to finally give him this kind of honor,” she said. “It is well overdue and yet commendable and exciting.”

Gov. Nathan Deal signs bill for a statue of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Georgia Capitol grounds as the Rev. Bernice King, Martin King III and SCLC leaders look on.

King will be the only African-American statue’s design and fundraising efforts. Brooks said the price tag and exact site so far honored with a memorial on the Capitol grounds. The privately funded project will haven’t been determined, but one possible be led by the Georgia Capitol Arts Standards location is beginning to emerge. The King memorial will be part of a Commission, which will undertake the

major $17 million facelift to create a “front door” to the Capitol on Washington Street. The projects are the start of renewal of Please see TRIBUTE, page 4

Paid for by Tom Brown for Congress Treasurer George Coletti

CrossRoadsNews

Community

May 3, 2014

“Our job is to serve you. You’re not here to serve us. You’re here to serve the community.”

Academy graduates get ceremony delayed by winter storms By Ken Watts

DeKalb’s 97th Police Academy class stood proudly before their families and veteran colleagues at their graduation ceremony in Decatur on April 25, ready to serve and protect. But this class is different - they’ve been on the job for three months. The 19 new officers were originally scheduled to graduate on Feb. 14, interim Chief James Conroy said. “That was the week of our second ice storm of the year, so we were forced to activate them early,” explained Conroy, who spoke at the graduation in the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center. “Since they had completed all the state-mandated training, we put them out as security in warming centers and shelters for the citizens. On graduation day, the roads were still a little icy so we didn’t want to endanger the lives of their families and loved ones so we just did a badge presentation at the academy.” The grads survived 26 weeks of rigorous cadet training, including instruction in state and federal law, county ordinances, patrol techniques and arrest procedures. The officers also underwent eight weeks of field

The 19 new officers were originally scheduled to graduate on Feb. 14. Their ceremony was held on April 25.

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

training with veteran officers. Their full graduation ceremony included remarks from Conroy and Deputy Chief Operating Officer Cedric Alexander and interim DeKalb CEO Lee May and awards to several officers for meritorious services. “You have the support of this entire police staff. Our job is to serve you. You’re not here to serve us. You’re here to serve the

community,” Alexander said. May said despite DeKalb’s turbulent recent history and continuing challenges, the public expects the new officers to maintain focus on their mission. “You will have to stay strong and stay grounded in the work that you have been called to do,” May said. Twelve veteran officers received depart-

mental awards, including Sgt. Nicole Hines and Detective J.C. Hobbs, who were wounded in the line of duty in separate incidents. Hines was hit in the ankle by friendly fire on Feb. 7 while responding to a burglary call at Salem Road and Cape Cod Lane in Lithonia. Hobbs was wounded in the leg in 2013 while serving a warrant with U.S. marshals. Both received the Meritorious Service Award. Conroy urged the graduates to look to positive role models for inspiration and strive for honesty and integrity. “If it’s not right, do not do it. If it’s not true, do not say it,” he said. The grads said their brief exposure to actual duty has given them a better appreciation for advice from their elders and helped their confidence. “Now that we’ve been out on the road, we have a real good feel for what the job is and that’s a rewarding feeling at the end of the day,” said Officer Adrian Lancaster. “We know what they’re talking about and where they’re coming from, especially after seeing the awards ceremony,” said Wayne Akins, who won the firearms award for having the highest average shooting score in the class.

Fallen DeKalb officer remembered in Memorial Wall ceremony By Ken Watts

A tearful Diane Blue, mother of the late DeKalb Police Officer Ivorie Klusmann, peeled back a strip of blue tape and unveiled her son’s name on a law enforcement memorial during an emotional ceremony at Police Headquarters in Tucker. One by one, a sister, two brothers and a godsister fought back tears as they ran their fingers over Klusmann’s name. “Life goes on and he’s always … always going to be in our hearts and he will be missed,” Blue said. “We’re just gonna stay strong together. God’s gonna keep us together. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t Diane Blue have gotten this far.” About 100 law officers and recruits joined family members on April 23 to salute the memory of Klusmann, who died while responding to a call on Aug. 10, 2013. Klusmann’s name is now listed among 678 fallen officers whose names cover the Moving Georgia Law Enforcement Memorial Wall, a mobile exhibit sponsored by the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club that toured the state April 25-26. The club is made up of current and former police officers. Kennesaw Police Detective Edward Christian, who is president of the Blue Knights Georgia Chapter VII, said the group will use money raised by the tour to send the Klus-

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

Interim Police Chief James Conroy joins family members at a memorial tribute for the late DeKalb Officer Ivorie Klusmann.

mann family to visit the National Law Officers Memorial Ceremony in Washington on May 15. Klusmann, an officer with the East Precinct in Lithonia, was killed in the early morning hours of Aug. 10 in a singlevehicle crash while responding to a call to back up another officer. He had been involved in a pursuit earlier in the evening that had been called off in compliance with the department’s

pursuit policy, but another officer requested backup after spotting a vehicle matching the wanted vehicle’s description. Klusmann was responding to that call when he lost control of his patrol car and struck a tree near the intersection of DeKalb Medical Parkway and Heritage Park Trail in Lithonia. Four hundred people attended Klusmann’s funeral at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia. Police said Gregory Harvey Jr. sparked the incident by taking off from Klusmann during a traffic stop. Harvey later turned himself in at his home in Stone Mountain. He’s in jail without bond awaiting trial on charges of murder, reckless driving and driving a stolen car. Christian said the Blue Knights are focused on the families of fallen officers. “We feel very strongly that these fallen men and women should be remembered and that we should help their families,” Christian said. Klusmann had been with the DeKalb County Police Department for only 10 months. He left behind a wife and two children. Interim DeKalb Police Chief James Conroy said Klusmann’s contribution to the well-being of the community exceeded his short tenure. “His legacy will live on as a hero who gave his life in the service of the citizens of DeKalb County,” Conroy said. “Each of us owes a great debt to Officer Klusmann and the 677 other names that appear on this memorial.”

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CrossRoadsNews

May 3, 2014

Community

“One is enough. I don’t need two husbands. I don’t need two McDonald’s.”

Residents vow to fight second McDonald’s on Wesley Chapel By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

South DeKalb residents opposed to a second McDonald’s restaurant on Wesley Chapel Road will head to the DeKalb Planning Commission meeting on May 6 to make their views known. More than 40 homeowners association presidents and residents showed up at an April 23 community open house hosted by McDonald’s to tell the community that one restaurant on the Wesley Chapel corridor is not enough. The company said no one came to a similar meeting it hosted on March 4. The company’s store near the I-20 East ramp has been on Wesley Chapel Road for more than 30 years. Now McDonald’s is seeking a Special Land Use Permit to build a $2.5 million restaurant with drive-through windows half a mile up the street, on an outparcel in the Kroger shopping center. The 4,218-square-foot restaurant is planned for the site of a former Hardee’s restaurant at 2739 Wesley Chapel Road. Laura Wilson, McDonald’s area real estate manager, said the company is keeping the existing restaurant and will spend $1 million to renovate and update it. She said the company wanted to raze that building and build a new one, but the property’s long-term future is uncertain because of a proposed MARTA rail line coming down I-20. “We are preparing for the future when that McDonald’s no longer exists,” she said. “We don’t know when it will happen, but when it does, we will lose the property.” She said the new restaurant, which will be on the other side of the interstate, will serve residents who will cross it and make a U-turn. The former Hardee’s building on that site was demolished in January.

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Laura Wilson (white slacks), McDonald’s area real estate manager, addressed residents’ concerns about the need for a second McDonald’s on Wesley Chapel Road at I-20.

Residents said the community doesn’t need two McDonald’s within a half-mile of each other, and they don’t want it operating round-the-clock. They also expressed concerns about lighting and security for the property and whether McDonald’s would improve the traffic from the property. Wilson said there will be enhanced lighting and that she had already notified the company that the community wants increased security. “It will be above what we consider to be standard,” she said. Wilson pointed out that Kroger is open 24 hours a day and that the proposed RaceTrac convenience store nearby also would open 24 hours.

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“So we are not the only 24-hour option,” she said. “We are not going to be the lone island of 24 hours.” Marvin Hill, who lives in the Waldrop Hills community in Decatur, said Flat Shoals Parkway does not have a McDonald’s. “You would be better served to have it down there,” he said. Elizabeth Marshall, who lives in the Rivermist subdivision, said she would be OK with the restaurant if the other one was going to go away. Sheryl Thomas, who is president of the Emerald Estates homeowners association, said McDonald’s can’t guarantee that the other restaurant will go away. “One is enough,” she said. “I don’t need

two husbands. I don’t need two McDonald’s.” Thomas pointed out that somebody was recently shot at Scores, a sports bar that would be a neighbor of the proposed McDonald’s.Wilson said that the Scores is going to go away and improvements will be made to the shopping center. “We are not putting a new restaurant there and leaving the shopping center the way it is,” she said. “As a consideration for us partnering with the shopping center owner, Kroger will be doing a $2.5 million upgrade to their store. We are requiring the shopping center owner to upgrade the center. We are bringing improvements and we also bring jobs to the community.” Wilson said McDonald’s doesn’t just sell hamburgers. “We don’t just come in,” she said. “We support schools and lots of other things.” Charles Hill, whose father operates a nearby eye care practice, said residents can take action if McDonald’s continues to ignore them. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to put that McDonald’s there,” he said. “I will fight it. I will organize other young people to fight it.” Norma Washington, a member of the Community Council, said the area needs a sit-down restaurant. “We don’t need this hamburger joint,” she said. “We have too much of the wrong type of traffic after hours.” The District 3 Community Council voted April 16 to recommend a full-cycle deferral of the application. The Planning Commission meets May 6 at 6:30 at the Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive in Decatur. The Board of Commissioners is scheduled to hear the application on May 27.

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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 Graphic Design Curtis Parker Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Ken Watts Copy Editor Brenda Yarbrough Advertising Sales Kathy E. Warner Cherie Esteves Billing Clerk Charmyne Montfort Circulation Manager Jami Ffrench-Parker CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoadsNews, Inc. We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor those of any advertisers. The concept, design and content of CrossRoadsNews are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the written permission of the publisher.

Advertisements are published upon the representation that the advertiser is authorized to publish the submitted material. The advertiser agrees to indemnify and hold harmless from and against any loss or expenses resulting from any disputes or legal claims based upon the contents or subject matter of such advertisments, including claims of suits for libel, violation of privacy, plagiarism and copyright infringement. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement.

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May 3, 2014

“Hopefully, today’s sentence will help the family find closure in knowing that Jason Bryant will never be a free man again.”

Teen gets prison in assault Man guilty of murder He was later apprehended by Quiantae Destin Collins DeKalb police officers. Her will spend the next decade stolen check was in his pocket and a half behind bars after when he was arrested. pleading guilty in a brutal DeKalb District Attorney home invasion, robbery and Robert James said Collins assault on an elderly Lithonia will have more than a decade woman in 2013. behind bars to think about his DeKalb Superior Court brutal and senseless attack on Judge Mark Scott on April 29 sentenced Collins to spend 15 Quiantae Collins an innocent senior citizen. “Our office works tirelessly to comof a 20-year sentence behind bars. Collins, who is now 18, knocked bat crimes and scams against seniors on the victim’s door on Sept. 17, 2013, in DeKalb County. Hopefully this senand asked to borrow detergent for his tence sends a resounding message to grandmother. When she opened the those who seek to prey on vulnerable door, he choked her and knocked her to adults.” He reminds seniors and their loved the floor, then hit and kicked her several times in the chest. He stole a check from ones to be mindful that people target her checkbook and stole her vehicle. them for crimes and scams.,

Jason Bryant is going to prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of his wife and her best friend in 2012 after she told him she was divorcing him. DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Asha Jackson sentenced Bryant, 28, on April 30 after he was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and terroristic threats. He was found guilty for the March 7, 2012, shooting death of his wife, Angelena Bryant, who was heading to obtain a temporary protective order against her husband. Her close friend Trina Nwoke, who was with her, also was killed. DeKalb District Attorney Robert James said that domestic violence is often characterized by bruises and black eyes. “But more often than not, we see cases where a victim dies at the hands of a person they may have been married to or dated,” he said. “Hopefully, today’s sentence will help the family find closure in knowing that Jason Bryant will never be a free man again.”

HUD grants help the homeless DeKalb County-area groups are receiving more than $3.2 million from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to fight homelessness. Jerusalem House received $215,000, Project Open Arms got $450,000, and Caring Works received more than $600,000 to provide housing and support services for the homeless and their families. U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson’s 4th Congressional office announced the funding on April 22. “We must do more to help citizens get back on their feet,” he said. The grants are part of more than nearly $1.6 billion to renew support for 7,100 local homeless housing and service programs across the country. Georgia-based organizations received $32 million under the

program. The grants from HUD’s Continuum of Care Program ensure the local projects remain operating in the coming year, providing critically needed housing and support services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness. “Whether it’s helping to rapidly rehouse families with young children or finding a permanent home for an individual with serious health conditions, HUD is working with our local partners to end homelessness as we know it,” HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said. To view a complete list of all the state and local homeless projects awarded funding, visit https://www.onecpd.info/onecpd/ assets/File/2013-georgia-coc-grants .pdf.

Tucker Day turns 60 Tucker Day will mark its Diamond Jubilee on May 10 with a fun-filled outdoor festival featuring live entertainment, arts and crafts, food, and kids activities, and vendor applications are now being accepted. Families, businesses, vendors, and artists will get together in downtown Tucker and enjoy the festivities that start at 9 a.m. and last until 5 p.m. The nonprofit Tucker MainStreet Alliance is hosting the Diamond Jubilee. The festival started out on the town’s Main Street 60 years ago. Three stages will feature live entertainment, arts and crafts vendors will show off their wares, and food stalls will dish out culinary delights. There will be plenty of activities for children sponsored by the Tucker Business Association. Main Street will close to traffic at 6 p.m. on May 9 but businesses will remain open. No parking will be available on Main Street from Railroad Avenue to LaVista Road. Visit www.tuckerday.com.

Sponsors push for 2015 deadline to unveil King statue TRIBUTE,

from page

Capitol Hill. Crews are expected to soon start demolishing a 60-year-old parking deck across from the Capitol to create Liberty Plaza, a public area with green space and enough real estate to hold rallies of more than 3,000 people, and work already has begun on renovating the Great Depression-era Department of Transportation building at the corner of Capitol Square and Capitol Avenue. Brooks said they are trying hard to make that 2015 deadline to un-

veil the statue. “If not then, we certainly hope to have it built before King Day 2016.” When Brooks filed the bill on Dec. 12, 2013, he wasn’t sure what to expect, but it sailed through the House and Tyrone Brooks Senate with strong Democratic and GOP support. Martin King III said April 27 was his late mother’s birthday and

she would have thought it a great birthday present. “My hope is that someday, of course, Mom would be beside Dad since she, herself, made a phenomenal contribution – much further along in terms of years because she lived much longer than Dad.” “Rep. Joe Wilkinson [R-Sandy Springs] who co-sponsored the bill with me suggested that the statue of King be placed on the side of the Capitol facing MLK Boulevard,” Brooks said. “Wilkinson said on that side, the Dr. King statue ‘could point toward Auburn Avenue, site of his

church, Ebenezer Baptist, his birth home and the headquarters of the organization that he founded, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.’ I thought that was a great idea.” Brooks said Thursday that the enormity of the accomplishment hasn’t sunk in yet. “I was overwhelmed with emotion about the governor’s statement and finally seeing the way cleared for a monument to one of the greatest leaders to ever walk the face of the earth. Dr. King is admired around the world, but this is his hometown.”

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CrossRoadsNews

May 3, 2014

Wellness

“Thanks to the VFC program, children in our country are no longer at significant risk from diseases that once killed thousands each year.”

Keep kids current on immunizations The CDC recommends that people of all ages keep up-todate with their vaccinations. It says 13 outbreaks of measles have been reported this year.

Millions of children have been spared from many diseases as a national immunization program marks 20 years, but recent measles outbreaks underscore the importance of sustaining high vaccination coverage, the CDC says. The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that vaccinations will prevent more than 21 million hospitalizations and 732,000 deaths among children born in the past 20 years. Despite the U.S. immunization program’s success, according to CDC officials, 129 people in the United States have been reported to have measles this year in 13 outbreaks, as of April 18. In 1994, the Vaccines for Children program was launched in direct response to a measles resurgence in the United States that caused tens of thousands of cases and more than 100 deaths despite the availability of a measles vaccine since 1963. The VFC program provides vaccines to children whose parents or caregivers might otherwise be unable to afford them. This year’s 20th anniversary is occurring during an increase in measles cases. In 2013, 189 Americans had measles. In 2011, 220 were reported as having measles – the highest number of annual cases since 1996. “Thanks to the VFC program, children in our country are no longer at significant risk from diseases that once killed thousands each year,” CDC Director Tom Frieden said in an April 24 statement. “Current outbreaks of measles in the U.S. serve as a reminder that these diseases are only a plane ride away. Borders can’t stop measles, but vaccination can.” The CDC reports that 34 people, among the 129 cases this year, brought

measles into the United States after being infected in other countries. Though not direct imports, most of the remaining cases are known to be linked to importations. Most people who reported having measles in 2014 were not vaccinated or did not know their vaccination status. Because measles is a highly contagious disease, it can spread quickly among unvaccinated people. The CDC recommends people of all ages keep up-to-date with their vaccinations. It recommends two doses of MMR – measles, mumps, and rubella – vaccine for everyone starting at age 12 months. Infants 6 through 11 months old should receive one dose of MMR vaccine before international travel. For children born during the VFC era, the U.S. immunization program continues to pay enormous benefits. According to analysis by the CDC, hospitalizations avoided and lives

Self-defense class designed for seniors

Free screenings at health fair in Oliver House

Seniors 55 and older can learn the basics of self-defense at an informational program on May 8 at the Flat Shoals Library as part of Older Americans Month. The session takes place from 2 to 3 p.m. Shijo Lawrence Johnson will demonstrate basic self-defense moves that anyone can use to fend off an attacker. Funding is provided by the Friends of the Flat Shoals Library. Call or visit the branch to register. The library is at 4022 Flat Shoals Parkway in Decatur. For more information or to register, call 404-244-4370.

Residents 18 and older can get free screenings at a collaborative health fair on May 6 at the Oliver House in Decatur. Representatives from the Diabetes Association of Atlanta, American Heart Association, DeKalb Medical, Emory University and others will talk about services and offer free health screenings at the 10 a.m.-2 p.m. event, Get Fit @ Your Library. The health fair is sponsored by Atlanta Fulton Public Library, DeKalb County Public Library and the Decatur Housing Authority. Oliver House is at 1450 Commerce Drive. For more information, call 404-508-7190, Ext. 2257.

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

saved through vaccination will save nearly $295 billion in direct costs and $1.38 trillion in total societal costs. Visit http://www.cdc.gov/features/ vfcprogram. National Infant Immunization Week, which runs through May 3, brings together communities across the country in raising awareness about the importance immunization. Visit www. cdc.gov/vaccines. However, not all diseases that threaten U.S. borders can be prevented today by vaccines and require different strategies to protect Americans. “The health security of the United States is only as strong as the health security of all nations around the world,” Frieden said. “We are all connected by the food we eat, the water we drink, and air we breathe. Stopping outbreaks where they start is the most effective and least costly way to prevent disease and save lives at home and abroad – and it’s the right thing to do.”

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HHS report: Nation’s health is improving The nation is making progress in disease prevention and health promotion, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says. America’s health is improving in more than half of the critical measures that are known to have major influence in reducing preventable disease and death, according to a new report from HHS. Healthy People 2020 represents the nation’s current 10-year goals and objectives for health promotion and disease prevention. Twenty-six specific measures – in categories such as access to care, maternal and child health, tobacco use, nutrition and physical activity – were identified as highpriority health issues. These Leading Health Indicators, if addressed appropriately, have the potential to significantly reduce major influences or threats on the public’s health that cause illness and death. Dr. Howard Koh, assistant secretary for health, said the Leading Health Indicators are intended to motivate action to improve the health of the whole population. “Today’s LHI Progress Report shows that we are doing just that,” Koh said in an April statement. Koh also notes that with full imple- Howard Koh mentation of the Affordable Care Act, the nation could expect to see more improvement across these indicators. There are 14 health indicators that have either been met or are improving in this first third of the decade, including: n Fewer adults smoking cigarettes. n Fewer children exposed to secondhand smoke. n More adults meeting physical activity targets. n Fewer adolescents using alcohol or illicit drugs. While progress has been made across several indicators, the report highlights areas where further work is needed. There are 11 indicators that have not shown significant improvement at this point in the decade and one indicator where only baseline data are available. Visit www.healthypeople.gov/2020/LHI/default.aspx.

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CrossRoadsNews

Scene

May 3, 2014

“This festival is a fantastic opportunity to see what teens can create when given the challenge and resources.”

Book tackles love, culture Author Portia Tewogbade will be in the spotlight on May 10 at the Stonecrest Library in Lithonia. She will talk about her debut novel, “During a Dry Season,” from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The story of love, betrayal, corruption, and cultural conflict provides a rare look into how women live in a society where they are considered the property of their husbands. “During a Dry Season” weaves the vivid sights and sounds of urban Nigeria into a complicated Portia Tewogbade story of a poor Brooklyn girl’s life in her wealthy husband’s country. When her troublesome mother-in-law arrives on the first winds of Nigeria’s dry season, Garnett Adewale’s hopes for happiness are blown away. In a culture that demands respect for elders, she is powerless against the old woman, who hates her because she is an American with a womb that is “as barren as a brick.” The talk is funded by the Friends of the Stonecrest Library. The library is at 3123 Klondike Road in Lithonia. For more information, visit www.dekalblibrary.org or call 770-482-3828.

Chamber music at Stonecrest Library Music lovers of all ages can enjoy an Atlanta Symphony Orchestra performance on May 6 at the Stonecrest Library. The one-hour program, part of the Symphony in Your Neighborhood Series, gets under way at 7 p.m. ASO is bringing free chamber music performances by ASO musicians to De Kalb Public Library branches. The casual concerts provide audience members with the opportunity to learn about the music being performed as well as interact with ASO musicians. The library is at 3123 Klondike Road in Lithonia. For more information, visit www.dekalb library.org or call 770-482-3828.

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Dantia Mullins and Idalis Forte won first place in the 2013 contest at the Gallery at South DeKalb. Register by May 3 at the Decatur mall.

Voices & Vibes Festival showcases teens More than 40 teens, including over a dozen from DeKalb County and Decatur city schools, are finalists in the May 10 Voices & Vibes Festival at the Woodruff Arts Center in Atlanta. The free festival begins at 2 p.m. and includes an afternoon of workshops and interactive art challenges. It is a collaborative effort between Wells Fargo and the Alliance Theatre, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the High Museum of Art, and Young Audiences. More than 150 teens from eight counties auditioned for the 40 slots. They represent 12 high schools and one university. Teens will demonstrate their skills ranging from spoken word to singing and dance to musical performances during the showcase in the finale of the festival, which celebrates teens engaged in the Atlanta artistic community. Kaitlin Gress, Wells Fargo ArtsVibe Teen Program

coordinator, said organizers are eager to see what the festival will bring. “This festival is a fantastic opportunity to see what teens can create when given the challenge and resources to collaboratively express themselves through the arts,” Gress said. Mark Kent, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra vice president for Education and Community Engagement, said the showcase helps young people find their voice through the arts and express that voice to the broader community. The day’s activities culminate with teen performers beginning at 7 p.m. The Woodruff Arts Center is at 1280 Peachtree St. N.E. For more information and a list of performers, visit http://artsvibe.com and http://artsvibe.com/performers.

Mother-child look-alike contestants can sign up Mothers and their look-alike offspring will be vying for the prizes and bragging rights on May 10 at the Gallery at South DeKalb. But to compete in the annual event held in recognition of Mother’s Day, the pairs must register by May 3 at the Decatur mall. Registration gets under way from noon to 2 p.m. in the Center Court. Contestants must bring an application and a photograph that will not be returned. Applications are available online at www. galleryatsouthdekalb.com and at the Management Office. Three winners will be selected from the 20 finalists. Kiss 104.1’s Sasha the Diva will host the May 10 event on the stage near Macy’s. The mall is at 2801 Candler Road. For more information, visit www.galleryatsouthdekalb.com or call 404-241-2431.

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CrossRoadsNews

Youth

May 3, 2014

“Watching ‘The Bridge!’ should open up discussion at the dinner table and allow parents to engage in conversation with their [kids].”

‘The Bridge!’ teen variety show premieres May 10 “The Bridge!” a new teen entertainment and variety talk show, premieres May 10 on educational access channel PDS-TV24. The series, produced by DeKalb School District high school students, airs at 8 p.m. and will be available for viewing on the DeKalb Schools YouTube channel. It features a teen perspective and is aimed at young people ages 13-25. The group forum discusses topics ranging from video gaming and college choices to fashion tips and budgeting finances. There are also interviews with celebrity guests and community leaders as well as student performances, including singing, rapping, spoken word, ballet and other dance. DeKalb Schools Superintendent Michael Thurmond said the students have done an amazing job and he is excited that the district can provide them with programming that gives them a voice. “The show is fun, informative, educational and entertaining,” Thurmond said in an April 28 statement. “Watching ‘The

Astronomy Day at Fernbank Science Center

DeKalb School District high school students are producing “The Bridge!” for PDS-TV24.

Bridge!’ should open up some discussion at the dinner table and allow parents to engage in conversation with their children. I hope all of DeKalb County tunes in to watch the show.” The district expects “The Bridge!” to

motivate teens to discuss everyday issues affecting their lives, peers and future, providing them with a voice to bridge the gap between effective education and pathways to success. For more information, visit www.dekalb. k12.ga.us.

Free, fun STEM Festival

Box Tops schools honored

Stone Mountain High School Cluster kids who are interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics can attend the May 9 STEM Festival that will feature interactive lessons and science activities. The free festival, which will be held annually, takes place from 4 to 8 p.m. It includes a flight simulator, an electric car, vex robotics, math activities, dragster racing, bridge and airplane building, and underwater robotics. Stone Mountain High is at 4555 Central Drive. For more information, visit http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us.

The DeKalb Academy of Technology & the Environment is Box Tops “Top Earning School” for the 2013-2014 school year. The Stone Mountain school picked up the award for earning $2,700 from General Mills on April 26 at a Box Tops for Education ceremony at the Buckhead Club in Atlanta. It was among a number of selected schools and coordinators recognized for their outstanding performance during the school year. Since 1996, the Box Tops for Education program has helped schools across the United States earn cash for the things they need by clipping 10 cents Box Tops from hundreds of products. Visit www. boxtops4education.com for more information.

Stargazers of all ages can participate in Fernbank Science Center’s National Astronomy Day celebration on May 10. The 11 a.m.-to-3 p.m. event features informational literature, family activities, a chance to win a telescope, and an array of planetarium shows and is open to the public. Cal Tech seismology professor Dr. Jean Paul Ampuero will talk about “Earth’s Cocktail Party: Deciphering the Physics of Earthquakes With Networks of SeisJean P. Ampuero mic Arrays” at 1 p.m. He will survey recent developments on the use of seismic arrays to provide unprecedented imaging of the development, process, and effects of earthquakes. His talk will focus on implications for our knowledge of how our planet and others work. His lecture takes place in the Jim Cherry Memorial Planetarium and is free to attend with regular admission to other planetarium shows. The schedule includes The Sky Tonight at 11 a.m.; One World, One Sky at noon; Molecularium at 2 p.m.; and Mars Quest at 3 p.m. Fernbank Science Center is at 156 Heaton Park Drive in Atlanta. Visit http:// fsc.fernbank.edu/astronomyday.htm, contact Dr. Ed Albin at ed.albin@fernbank. edu, or call 678-874-7102.

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CrossRoadsNews

May 3, 2014

People

“He was a man who never gave up, never gave in, who kept the faith and kept his eye on the prize.”

Decatur’s Rock honored for service with Tuskegee Airmen By Ken Watts

Nearly 70 years after his military service ended, Harry Rock received recognition as a surviving member of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, a decorated all-black squadron of World War II pilots when U.S. Armed Forces were strictly segregated. Fifth District congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis honored the 90-year-old Decatur resident on April 18 with a Congressional Certificate of Recognition and an American flag that once flew over the U.S. Capitol. The ceremony at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center was sponsored by the DeKalb Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Essien PR agency and the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. An audience of about 70 people applauded and cheered as Rock arrived on stage in his wheelchair, stopping next to a huge red and silver model of the P-51 Mustang fighter plane that the Tuskegee Airmen flew on combat missions in Europe and North Africa. Lewis praised Rock as a defender of freedom at home and abroad. “Between 1943 and 1945 he stood to help liberate the people of Europe,” Lewis said. “He was a man who never gave up, never gave in, who kept the faith and kept his eye on the prize.” Rock, who has been in fragile health, did not speak but he gave a subtle smile as Lewis spoke and made the presentation. The ceremony was an emotional experience for Rock’s family because he waited more than five decades before publicly identifying himself as an Airman. Rock’s grandson Kamal Carter said his grandfather is a quiet, unassuming man who never sought credit for himself and taught his grandchildren to play chess and golf. “We knew that my grandfather was a Tuskegee Airman but he never really talked that much about his experiences,” Carter said. “He was angry about the way they were treated, about the racism that they faced at that time and his treatment as an airman and he was bitter. It took him years, until he was 88, to let that go and open up about his experience.”

Rep. John Lewis (left) honored 90-year-old Harry Rock with a Congressional Certificate of Recognition and an American flag that once flew over the U.S. Capitol. Holding the items is Rock’s grandson, Kamal Carter.

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

A New York native, Rock enrolled in what was then Tuskegee Institute in Alabama where he majored in physics. He enlisted in the Army in 1943 as a foot soldier serving in Europe as a medic, quartermaster and ward attendant. Rock returned to Tuskegee in 1945 to enroll in flight training with the Tuskegee Airmen. He scored the highest in his class on the exam for entrance into the pilot’s program, which he successfully completed, becoming a full-fledged member of the squadron. But the war in Europe ended on May 8, 1945, before Rock could fly a combat mission. Rock’s service contributions as an original Tuskegee Airman were verified in 2012 by Tuskegee Airmen Inc. and the Department of the Army. A chance encounter that year with other Airmen at a Sam’s Club event catapulted Rock into public attention. He was honored at several community events in 2013, including the Atlanta Braves Heritage Weekend.

Public relations agency owner Arit Essien pushed for the recognition ceremony at the Porter Sanford Center with the help of the DeKalb SCLC. She had met Rock at the Sam’s Club event and got to know him. “I got a phone call from his caregiver on New Year’s Eve 2013 and she told me that Harry had turned 90 that day,” Essien said at the ceremony. “So I stepped up efforts to get Congressman Lewis to make a presentation.” Kamal Carter said his grandfather’s greatest legacy is his family. Rock’s grandchildren have graduated from the University of Florida, Hampton University, Xavier, Tufts and Case Western Reserve University. They have distinguished themselves in the fields of education, medicine, the military, business and air traffic control. “He taught us to be renaissance men and women,” said Carter, a business adviser for athletes and entertainers. “So I feel like he’s proud to pass the torch on to us.”

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

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CrossRoadsNews

Finance

May 3, 2014

The rate declined because metro Atlanta employers created more jobs and laid off fewer workers, the Georgia Department of Labor reported.

Hoops for Health job/health fair set Military veterans will have priority admittance at the third annual Hoops for Health Career Expo/ Health Fair at New Life Church & Community Center in Decatur. The May 7 event, which is free and open to the public, offers career resources as well as health screenings. It takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Participants should bring copies of their resume and dress appropriately. Co-hosts are the DeKalb/Rockdale Employer Committee, Goodwill of North Georgia Decatur Career Center and the Georgia Department of Labor’s DeKalb Career Center Veterans Unit. DeKalb Medical will conduct blood pressure screenings, and the Diabetes Association will

Deltas holding May 8 job fair

provide glucose screenings. Employers scheduled to attend include AARP Foundation Senior Employment, FBI, Gwinnett Police Department, Ritz-Carlton Hotels of Atlanta, Home Depot, Pepsico, Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation and the USDA Forest Service. Educational institutions include Brenau University, the University of Phoenix, and Georgia Piedmont Technical College. The event kicks off the Hoops for Health Charity Basketball Tournament. The New Life Community Center is at 3592 Flat Shoals Road. For more information or for employers reservations, contact Kenneth Dinkins at kenneth.dinkins@gdol.ga.gov or 404-298-5248.

Business forum offers resources for veterans Veterans can gain insights about financing, franchising and other topics at a free Business and Financial Growth Forum for U.S. Veterans at Georgia Perimeter College in Clarkston. The May 7 forum takes place from 8:30 to 11 a.m. in Building CN-220, Room 222. It is hosted by the DeKalb Chamber, the Georgia District Office of the Small Business Administration, the Small Business Development Center, and Cornerstone Bank.

Program topics include financing for U.S. veterans and available programs including the 7(a) loan initiative. The Small Business Development Center will discuss its programs to provide smallbusiness assistance and resources. Cornerstone Bank will discuss FRANVET, a franchise program for veterans. Georgia Perimeter is at 555 N. Indian Creek Drive. Contact Katerina Taylor at ktaylor@dekalb chamber.org or 404-378-8000, Ext. 225.

Job seekers can attend the fourth annual Delta Career and Resource Hiring Event on May 8 at the Exchange Recreation Center in Decatur. The 10 a.m.-1 p.m. event is presented by the Decatur Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. in collaboration with DeKalb

Metro jobless rate dips to 6.8% Metro Atlanta’s jobless rate declined to 6.8 percent in March on the strength of job creation and fewer layoffs. The March rate was down onetenth of a percentage point from 6.9 percent in February. The rate was 8 percent in March a year ago. The rate dipped because metro employers created more jobs and laid off fewer workers, the state Department of Labor reported on April 24. The number of jobs increased to 2,427,100 in March, up by 17,500, or 0.7 percent, from 2,409,600 in February. Most of the job gains came

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in leisure and hospitality, 6,200; professional and business services, 5,900; trade, transportation and warehousing, 3,700; construction, 900; government, 800; and information services, 700. Over the year, the number of jobs increased by 51,500, or a 2.2 percent increase, from 2,375,600 jobs in March 2013. There were 13,982 new claims for unemployment insurance filed in March, a drop of 3,915, or 21.9 percent, from 17,897 in February. There were 17,222 claims filed in March 2013. Local data are not seasonally adjusted. Visit www.employgeorgia.com.

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May 3, 2014

Legal Notices 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV3731-6++ Dexter Williams Lamar II Plaintiff Vs. Kerri Suzanne Gunter 4010 Allenwood Way Tucker, Ga 30084 Defendant By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated April 8, 2014 you are hereby notified that on April 3, 2014 Dexter Williams 5099 W. Mountain Street, Stone Mountain, Ga 30083 filed suit against you for: Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is Dexter Williams 5099 W. Mountain Street, Stone Mountain, Ga 30083. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of the first date of publication. Witness the Honorable Cynthia J. Becker. Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 9th day of April, 2014

4/12, 4/19, 4/26 5/3

NOTICE OF Publication In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action # ++14CV3495-6++ Yuliana Garcia Silva Plaintiff Vs. Jose Jovier Arevalo Defendant 2737 Shallowford Road Atlanta, Ga 30341 By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated April 4, 2014 you are hereby notified that on March 26, 2014 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for: Petition for Declaration of Custody. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is Donald M. Coleman Atlanta Legal Aid Soc. 246 Sycamore St, Suite 120 Decatur, Ga 30030. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, April 4, 2014 Witness the Honorable Cynthia J. Becker Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 8th day of April, 2014. 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10

Notice of PUBLICATION

5/3,5/10,5/17,5/24

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV4311-1++ Vivan Denise Smith aka Vivan Denise Clark filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on April 22, 2104 to change the name from: Vivan Denise Smith to Vivan Denise Clark. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the petition was filed. Dated: April 22, 2014 Vivan Denise Smith Petitioner, Pro se 5492 Sigman St Stone Mountain, Ga 30083 (404) 592-8614 4/12, 4/19, 4/26 5/3

NOTICE OF PUBLICATION In the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action # ++14CV3401-3++ Tyree D. McIntyre Plaintiff Vs. Kenya M. Miller Defendant 87 Oak Lake Stone Mountain, Ga 30083 By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated April 7, 2014 you are hereby notified that on March 26, 2014 the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for: Legitimation You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is Tyree McIntyre 3713 Water Ford Place Clarkston, Ga. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of, April 7, 2014 Witness the Honorable Clarence Seeliger Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 7th day of April, 2014.

in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV3280-2++ Kimberly N. Bynes Plaintiff Vs. Kenneth G. Bynes 2988 E. 149th Street Euclid, Ohio 44123 Defendant By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated April 10, 2014 you are hereby notified that on March 27, 2014 the above name filed suit against you for: Compliant for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is Kimbery Bynes 6503 East Briar Drive Lithonia, Ga 30058. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of April 10, 2014. Witness the Honorable Ashe F. Jackson. Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 16th day of April, 2014 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV3942-7++ Katie Rebecca Nix filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on April 10, 2014 to change the name from: Katie Rebecca Nix to Sebastian Beckham Nix. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the petition was filed. Dated: April 4, 2014 Katie Rebecca Nix Petitioner, Pro se 2811Glenwood Ave Atlanta, Ga 30317 (404) 514-6723

4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV3986-4++ Larny E. Warren Plaintiff Vs. Candace L. Warren 1606 Cicila Drive Columbus, Ga 31907 Defendant By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated April 15, 2014 you are hereby notified that on April 11, 2014 the above name filed suit against you for: Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is 633 Windchase Pl. Lithonia, Ga 30058. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of April 15, 2014. Witness the Honorable Gail C. Flake. Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 16th day of April, 2014 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV4204-3++ Kelly Ne Veil Johnson filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on April 17, 2014 to change the name from: Kelly Ne Veil Johnson to Kelly NeVelle Johnson. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the petition was filed. Dated: April 17, 2014 Joseph Kaufmann Attorney for Petitioner 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/10

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV3937-3++ Sterling D. Penix filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on April 7, 2014 to change the name from: Sterling D. Penix to Sterling Deon Humphrey. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the petition was filed. Dated: April 47, 2014 Sterling D. Penix Petitioner, Pro se 100 Leslie Darks Drive #8302 Lithonia, Ga 30058 5/3, 5/10,5/17,5/24

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV3617-3++ Kim Terry Plaintiff Vs. Chidi Enyobi 4420 Dallisct Stone Mountain, GA 30083

Defendant By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated April 21, 2014 you are hereby notified that on April 2, 2014 the above name filed suit against you for: Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is 6906 Shadow Ridge Ln Stone Mountain, Ga 30087. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of April 21, 2014. Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger. Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 22th day of April, 2014 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, 5/17

Notice of Petition to Change Name(S) OF MINOR CHILD(REN) in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV3699-8++ Princess Holder filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on March 26, 2014 to change the name(s) of the following minor children from: Kennedi Holder to Kennedi Fracois from Kinsely Holder to Kinsely Francois. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within the time prescribed in OCGA§§19-12-1(f) (2) and (3). Dated: March 26, 2014 Princess Holder Petitioner, Pro se 7226 Wheeler Trl Lithonia, Ga 30058 (678)-254-8440 5/3, 5/10,5/17,5/24

Notice of PUBLICATION

to change the name from: Velda Glennece Perrin to Velda Glennece Day. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within 30 days after the petition was filed. Dated: April 24, 2014 Velda Glennece Perrin Petitioner, Pro se 2838 Cordite Loop Snellville, Ga 30039 (404) 797-1294

sixty (60) days of April 24, 2014. Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court, Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit. This the 24th day of April, 2014

5/3, 5/10,5/17,5/24

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 13CV9647-2-6++ Stacey Brown Plaintiff Vs. Donald Kemp 3800 Flat Shoals Pkwy Decatur, Ga 30034 Defendant By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated April 23, 2014 you are hereby notified that on September 13, 2013, the above named Plaintiff filed suit against you for: Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is Stacey Brown P.O Box 16183 Atlanta, Ga 30321. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of April 23, 2014. Witness the Honorable Asha F.Jackson. Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 29th day of April, 2014

Notice

in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV2760-3++ Traylyn J. Smith Petitioner Vs. Ajah B. Bryant Respondent By Order of the Court for service by publication dated April 24, 2014 you are hereby notified that on March 7, 2014 Traylyn J. Smith filed suit against you for Legitimation and custody. You are required to file with the clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Petitioner’s attorney, Lindsey M. Siegel, Atlanta Legal Aid Society, 246 Sycamore Street, Suite 120, Decatur, Georgia 30030-3434, an answer in writing within

5/3, 5/10,5/17,5/24

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

DeKalb County Sheriff Office

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

Sex Offender

Fletcher Brown 1221 Richard Road, Decatur, GA 30032 Charge of Sexual Abuse 1st Degree Convicted on 10/11/1993

Hadi Issah 4815 Buford Hwy, Chamblee, GA 30341 Charge of Sexual Exploitation of Children Convicted on 1/4/2013

Otis Millsap 723 Post Road Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30088 Charge of Rape Convicted on 3/19/2002

Sex Offender

in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV3738-3++ Gloria Harris Plaintiff Vs. Olvsevn Fakoya 3310 Gisborne Road Atlanta, Ga 30319 Defendant By Order of the Court service for service by publication dated April 21, 2014 you are hereby notified that on April 7, 2014 the above name filed suit against you for: Compliant for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the plaintiffís attorney whose name and address is 2912 Aspen Wood Atlanta, Ga 30360. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of April 21, 2014. Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger. Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 22th day of April, 2014

Joshua Griffin 3261 Bobolink Drive, Decatur, GA 30032 Charge of Child Molestation Convicted on 4/10/2014

David Jenkins 6424 Abercorn Ave., Atlanta, GA 30346 Charge of Cruelty to Children Convicted on 4/14/2014

Derrick Neither 1602 Line Circle Apt 1, Decatur, GA 30032 Charge of Sexual Assault Convicted on 10/10/2001

Sex Offender

5/3,5/10,5/17,5/24

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 14CV4438-3++ Velda Glennece Perrin aka Velda Glennece Perrin filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on April 24, 2104

Michael Hurst 4967 Sheila Lane, Stone Mountain, GA 30083 Charge of Assault 3rd Degree with Sexual Motivation Convicted on 4/16/2010

Stacey Knight 4815 Buford Hwy, Chamblee, GA 30341 Charge of Child Molestation Convicted on 4/16/2013

Liem Nguyen 1177 Hunter Glen Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30083 Charge of Rape/Incest Convicted on 10/1/2004

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May 3, 2014

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Critical decisions for now and November

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Election activity is hitting high gear with the May 20 Democratic and Republican primaries, nonpartisan and special elections right around the corner. Early voting is under way at select locations, while candidates in local, state and national races are sharing their messages with voters by attending forums and meet-and-greets, and posting signs all over the county. In this Special Election Guide, we look at the high-profile contest for the 4th Congressional District seat and other races.

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

2014 Elections By the Numbers

455,716

1,577

number of School Board candidates

number of registered voters in DeKalb

number of areas Clarkston seeks to annex

voters casting early ballots through April 30

number of candidates for DeKalb sheriff

number of candidates seeking the 4th Congressional District seat

Vote

CrossRoadsNews

May 3, 2014

These candidates are in contested races on DeKalb County ballots. Candidates who are running unopposed are not listed.

2014

Guide to primary, nonpartisan and special elections These candidates are in contested races on the DeKalb County ballots in the May 20, 2014, Democratic and Republican primary elections. This information includes the office they are seeking, the salary for the office, party affiliation, age and occupation. Candidates who are running unopposed are not listed.

(D) = Democrat (R) = Republican (I) = Incumbent

“East Metro Atlanta’s Weekly Newspaper” 2346 Candler Road Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

The 2014 Guide to the Elections is a publication of CrossRoadsNews Inc., East Metro Atlanta’s award-winning weekly newspaper. Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Reporters Jennifer Ffrench Parker Ken Watts Copy Editor Brenda Yarbrough Graphics Editor Curtis Parker © 2014 CrossRoadsNews, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reprinted without written permission of the publisher.

U.S. House of Representatives Salary: $174,000

4th District Thomas E. “Tom” Brown (D) Henry C. “Hank” Johnson Jr. (D) (I) U.S. Senate

Salary: $174,000

Democrat O. “Steen” Miles (D) M. Michelle Nunn (D) Branko “Rad” Radulovacki (D) Todd Anthony Robinson (D) Republican Paul Collins Broun (R) Arthur A. “Art” Gardner (R) J.P. “Phil” Gingrey (R) Derrick E. Grayson (R) Karen C. Handel (R) J.H. “Jack” Kingston (R) David A. Perdue (R) Governor

Salary: $139,339

John D. Barge (R) J. Nathan Deal (R)(I) David E. Pennington III (R)

Georgia Senate Salary: $17,700

40th District - Democrat Tamara Y. Johnson (D) Benedict I. Truman II (D) 40th District - Republican Richard D. “Dick” Anderson (R) Francis R. “Fran” Millar (R) (I) 42nd District Elena C. Parent (D) R. Kyle Williams (D) 44th District Gail P. Davenport (D) (I) Marcus Eugene Davis (D) 55th District Gloria S. Butler (D) (I) Mark Anthony Williams (D) 79th District James Bradley “Brad” Goodchild (R) Thomas K. “Tom” Taylor (R) (I) 80th District Catherine S. Bernard (R) Michael J. “Mike” Jacobs (R)(I) Georgia House Salary: $17,700

Secretary of State Salary: $123,636

Gerald B. Beckum (D) Doreen Carter (D)

Commissioner of Insurance Salary: $120,394

Keith G. Heard (D) Elizabeth N. “Liz” Johnson (D)

Public Service Commissioner Salary: $116,452 (To Succeed Lauren McDonald)

Douglas T. Kidd (R) Charles C. “Craig” Lutz (R) Lauren W. “Bubba” McDonald (R)(I)

State School Superintendent Salary: $123,270

Democrat Tarnisha L. Dent (D) Marion Spencer “Denise” Freeman (D) Jurita Forehand Mays (D) Alisha Thomas Morgan (D) R. “Rita” Robinzine (D) Valarie D. Wilson (D) Republican Mary Kay Bacallao (R) Ashley D. Bell (R) Michael L. “Mike” Buck (R) Sharyl H. Dawes (R) Allen Bowles Fort (R) Nancy T. Jester (R) T. Fitz Johnson (R) Kira G. Willis (R) Richard L. Woods (R)

86th District Jacqueline L. Adams (D) Michele Henson (D) (I) 87th District Ivy J. Green (D) Earnest L. “Coach” Williams (D) (I) 91st District Diane D. Adoma (D) D. “Dee” Dawkins-Haigler (D) (I) Special Election for Sheriff

Salary: $114,040 (To Fill the Unexpired Term of Thomas Brown, Resigned)

Dale Bernard Collins (D) Ted Golden (D) R. “Tony” Hughes (D) Vernon Jones (D) Melody Maddox (D) Jeff Mann (D) (I) Melvin Mitchell (D) LaSalle Smith Sr. (D)

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners Salary: $38,374

Super District 7 Gregory Adams (D) Stan Watson (D) (I) Democratic Party Questions

n Should Georgia raise the state

minimum wage above the current $5.15 an hour? n Should Georgians’ federal tax dollars be returned to Georgia to fund Medicaid expansion and relieve the indigent care burden on our hospitals?

n Should the Constitution of Georgia be amended to create an independent ethics commission, not tied to the Governor’s office, legislature, or other elected office, to more effectively police potential ethics violations by elected officials? n Should the Constitution of Georgia be amended to make the education budget Georgia’s first funding priority?

Nonpartisan General Election DeKalb County Board of Education Salary: $18,500

District 2 Don McChesney Marshall Orson (I) District 3 Jerrie D. Bason Michael A. Erwin (I) Jarrod Jordan Atticus LeBlanc Willie R. Mosley Jr. District 4 Karen Carter (I) Jim McMahan (I) John Oselette Ella “Coach Smith” Smith District 5 Pia “Chaz Afzal” Bhatti Jesse “Jay” Cunningham R. Alexander Fitzhugh Thad Mayfield (I) Vickie B. Turner District 6 Bridgeman Bolger Melvin Johnson (I) District 7 Kim Ault Lee V. Dukes Joyce Morley (I) City of Clarkston Special Election Goods Freeport Tax Exemptions Shall the City of Clarkston be authorized to enact a Freeport Exemption to exempt goods in the process of being manufactured from taxation? Inventory Freeport Tax Exemptions Shall the City of Clarkston be authorized to enact a Freeport Exemption to exempt inventory of finished manufactured goods still held in the possession of the original manufacturer from taxation? Finished Freeport Tax Exemptions Shall the City of Clarkston be authorized to enact a Freeport Exemption to exempt finished manufactured goods destined for distribution out of state from taxation? Level 2 Freeport Tax Exemptions Shall the City of Clarkston be authorized to enact a Freeport Exemption to exempt retail business inventory from taxation?

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Kalb e D f o 31% rs went vote ls in 2012 ol to the p

63% of C readers rossRoadsNew r s in localegularly vote ' election s.

May 3, 2014

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CrossRoadsNews

“We should take this voting opportunity seriously because we as a people are paying taxes and we need to be careful who we put in office.”

2014 Early voting gets under way with brisk activity at polls By Ken Watts

Through Wednesday, 1,577 voters had cast early ballots for the May 20 elections in DeKalb, including absentee ballots. Three advance polling precincts opened April 28 for the general primary and nonpartisan and special elections. About a third, or 559 people, voted on the first day. DeKalb has 455,716 registered voters. Of that number, 386,711 are classified as active because they cast ballots in the past two elections. Maxine Daniels, DeKalb election supervisor, said they are expecting a turnout of 20 percent to 30 percent. “That’s usually what we get in the midterm elections,” she said. Advance voting polls are in Decatur and Tucker. They open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays through May 16. Saturday, May 10, is the only weekend day that polls will be open. Monday’s early voters said they cast early ballots “to get it done” and to “avoid election day lines.” Eddie Davis Jr. of Decatur was among the first wave at the elections office on Memorial Drive in Decatur. He said he was happy to vote in the hotly contested special election for sheriff. He said he picked former DeKalb CEO Vernon Gloria Harris Jones, one of seven candidates challenging incumbent Jeffrey Mann. “We got so much crime we need somebody to address it and reduce the number of repeat offenders,” he said moments after casting his ballot. There are also races for U.S. House and Senate, governor, other statewide offices, and the DeKalb School Board and County Commission. Gloria Harris of Decatur, who also voted Monday, said that whether residents come out early or not, every eligible voter should participate. “We should take this voting opportunity seriously because we as a people are paying taxes and we need to be careful who we put in office,” she said. The three advance precincts are DeKalb Voter Registration & Elections Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews Office, 4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 330; Community Achievement Center, 4522 Flat Shoals Parkway; and Tucker Recreation Center, 4898 LaVista Road. Voters cast their ballots at the main elections office on Memorial Drive. Three advance polling precincts opened on April 28 in DeKalb. Three more early voting locations will open on May 12. Visit http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/voter/VoterInformation.html.

Voters to decide on annexation to Clarkston By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Residents in two areas adjoining the city of Clarkston will get to vote on May 20 on whether to join the city of 6,000 people. The city is seeking voter approval for two separate annexations within ZIP code 30021 that include areas along Brockett, Ponce de Leon and North Decatur roads. If both measures pass, Clarkston will add another 7,500 residents, more than doubling its population, and two industrial parks and a commercial area. City Manager Keith Barker said the new areas would expand and diversify the city’s tax base. “We are 1.1 square miles and heavily residential with very little Keith Barker commercial and industrial businesses,” he said. “We need to grow our tax base.” For the annexation vote, Area 1 includes 231 voters in portions of Indian Creek Elementary and Robert Shaw Elementary precincts. Area 2 includes 2,122 voters in parts of Idlewood Elementary and Jolly Elementary precincts. The DeKalb Election Office said the annexation vote will take place in the four affected precincts in unincorporated DeKalb. The legislation designates two separate annexation areas and the voters’ decisions on annexation are independent of each other. Maxine Daniels, DeKalb election supervisor, said because of the timing of the bill’s approval, the referendum will be conducted separately and apart from the general primary election. “Eligible voters have been contacted by mail explaining the requirements and provided a special application for absentee ballot if they choose that method of voting.” Clarkston also is seeking four “Freeport Tax” exemptions for goods, inventory, retail business inventory, and for manufactured goods destined for distribution out of state.

PAID FOR BY JEFF MANN FOR SHERIFF

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CrossRoadsNews

May 3, 2014

“I want to be at the table discussing how legislation needs to be crafted to move this nation forward.”

2014

Brown sets sights on another milestone – a seat in Congress By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

By his own admission, Tom Brown is a man who maps his life in 10-year increments. As a young whippersnapper in the Atlanta Fire Department, he had his eyes set on being fire chief by age 40. He made it at age 32 in DeKalb County in 1985. Four years later he was public safety director, and in 2000 he was appointed sheriff when former Sheriff Sidney Dorsey was arrested for orchestrating the murder of Derwin Brown, his elected replacement. After three unopposed terms as sheriff, Brown now has his eyes set on another milestone – a seat in Congress. On May 20, he is hoping to unseat fourterm U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson. In a wideranging interview on April 25, Brown, 62, said he thought a long time about running for Congress. “I am a public servant at heart,” he said. “I am offering myself as someone who has proven leadership, who has shown that they can put together a budget, manage a budget, that can put together new programs, eliminate programs that are not working, that has been able to work within the resources that we have, and to be able to go to Washington and look for resources when there were none back home to keep things operating.” Brown says he wants to be an initiator of change, and not somebody who is merely just waiting for change to happen. “I want to be at the table discussing how legislation needs to be crafted to move this nation forward,” he said, “not waiting for others to do it.” In 2000, Brown said he contemplated running for DeKalb CEO but couldn’t convince then-wife Yolanda about what his family would do if he didn’t win. She wanted to know his Plan B. “At the time my daughter was in middle school and my son was in elementary school,” he said. “In politics, you don’t have a Plan B. So I didn’t get in the race.” In 2010, when Vernon Jones and Connie Stokes challenged Johnson, Brown said he seriously considered entering the race but didn’t for personal reasons. Now divorced and a grandfather, he is going all out for the 4th Congressional District seat that includes portions of DeKalb, Rockdale, Newton and Gwinnett counties. “I love this country and I love this district and I am not happy with the direction that this Congress is taking America, which is nowhere,” he said. In 2013, Brown said, the 535-member Congress passed only 58 bills that went to President Obama for signing. “Most of them were to name post offices after individuals,” he said. “It’s a do-nothing Congress.”

District needs to be front, center Brown says the 4th District needs a strong voice in Congress that reflects the district’s demographic. “The type of people that make up this district, their income level, their educational level, their position in Fortune 500 companies, their positions in owning their own businesses, those voices are loud,” he said.

Supporters surround former DeKalb Sheriff Tom Brown as he announces his candidacy for the 4th Congressional District on Oct. 23, 2013, in Decatur.

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

“I love this country and I love this district and I am not happy with the direction that this Congress is taking America, which is nowhere.” Thomas Brown

“Those voices are clear. And the voice in Washington needs to be as loud and clear to make some things happen.” As a Democratic stronghold, Brown said the 4th District needs to be more front and center in Democratic politics. “You can’t get any bluer in the state of Georgia,” he said. “If you are going to that strong, you have to be at the forefront initiating change and initiating legislation.” At the 2012 Democratic Convention in Charlotte, N.C., Brown said Johnson’s voice was silent. “Our congresman did not have a speaking role,” he said. “A lot of people in the Georgia delegation were struck by that. I was a delegate and if I am not mistaken, every single African-American congressman had a role at the convention. I saw an awful lot of them coming through the podium when prime-time television wasn’t going on.” With all of Johnson’s connections to President Obama, Brown said that the 4th District has little to show for it. And he said the incumbent congressman doesn’t get to count bringing home Georgia’s share of the federal budget and that he shouldn’t count staff salary and time doing constituent service as part of what he brought home to the district. “I beg to differ on his analogy of millions of dollars that he has brought home to the district. At one time I heard around $21 million and I heard a figure of over $100 million and I will challenge him to itemize what is it that he has brought home.” When he was sheriff and his budget shrank, Brown said he went to Washington

Serving You Since 2002 Re-Elect

Earnest “Coach” Williams State Representative District 87 THE PEOPLE’S SEAT • Advocate for Educators, Students & School Employees • Support for Georgia Crime Victims Emergency Fund • Sponsor of Quality Basic Education Act and bill of rights for teaches.

P. O. Box 436 • Avondale Estates, GA 30002 www.votecoach89.com • (770) 593.8467 teacherpost89@yahoo.com Paid for by The Committee to Re-Elect Earnest “Coach” Williams

to find alternative resources. “I found grants myself to improve the infrastructure of the jail,” he said. “I looked for monies to continue mental health treatment for the inmates in the jail, to continue the GED program for the inmates. That’s money that I found in Washington, myself. If I can do that, then the congressional office can look at the needs of the district and they can look into the different areas of the federal government, where all of this money is out there for someone to ask for it, and then start bringing some of that money back home to the district. That’s not happening and that is one of the things I want to try to make happen.”

Incumbent’s record questioned Brown questioned Johnson’s legislative record in Congress. “I haven’t seen any meaningful legislation from our congressman since 2007,” he said. “If a congressman from Seattle, Wash., writes a bill with someone else and he gets 275 to sign onto the bill, that is not the same thing as sitting at the table and crafting some legislation that is designed to move America forward and getting that bill passed.” The former sheriff said Johnson’s actions have not been matching his words and that if he is elected, he will be transparent. “I am not going to tell you that I have a problem with one thing and go up there and vote another way thinking you are not going to hear about my vote,” he said. Specifically, Brown recalled a 2013 visit Johnson made to Commissioner Stan Watson’s monthly meeting. “He held up his cell phone and told us that he was fighting to keep the federal government from reading our emails and listening to our telephone conversations,” Brown said. “But when it came time to vote to keep that in place with the NSA, he voted for it. John Lewis voted against it, but he voted for it. So he said one thing to his constituents but he voted another way.”

Brown also questioned Johnson’s vote took to return $90 million to the defense budget to buy tanks that were susceptible to damage from IEDs. “The president didn’t want the tanks. The generals didn’t want the tanks, yet he voted to put the tanks back in the budget for $90 million,” Brown said. “And why, because the four major defense contractors that built those tanks contributed $51,500 to his campaign coffers.” Brown said the tanks are being built in Ohio, so there is no benefit to the 4th District. “That $90 million could have been better spent at the VA Hospital on Claremont Road to help soldiers hurt in wars they fought for their country,” he said.

Fundamentally different approach Brown said that he is a true and blue Democrat despite Johnson’s attempt to paint him otherwise. “Hank has accused me of taking Republican money, but the retired DeKalb County schoolteacher is not a Republican, nor is the barber that has contributed $150 to my campaign,” he said. “Most of my money is Democratic money. Some of my money is Republican money. The vast majority of Republican money that I have received from personal checks live in the district so they have a right to weigh in on who they want to be their Congress person.” When his contributions are compared with Johnson’s 2006 disclosures, Brown said the same Republicans are listed. “He didn’t have a problem with it then.” On national politics, Brown acknowledged that there is no difference between him and Johnson, but he said their approach to the district work is fundamentally different. “I am much more visible, much more active,” he said. “I am much more engaged.” For more highlights of our conversation with former Sheriff Thomas Brown, visit www .crossroadsnews.com.

Vote

CrossRoadsNews

May 3, 2014

“The framers of the Constitution thought it was important that people be able to take their civil dispute to court.”

2014

Johnson stands on record, champions two ‘signature’ bills By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

In his almost eight years in Congress, Hank Johnson says he has stood tall for the 4th District, supporting President Barack Obama on key economic and health initiatives and stumping for the 1965 Voting Rights Act when it was being challenged in the U.S. Supreme Court. In 2012, he made history when no challengers stepped forward. This time, he faces the well-liked former DeKalb Sheriff Tom Brown. With no Republican challenger in November, the winner of the May 20 Democratic primary takes the seat. Johnson says he stands on his record and that he wants to return to the U.S. House for a fifth term to steer through two pieces of “important” legislation – his Arbitration Fairness Act and his Vote Amendment Act – that he has been working on since 2007 when he first got to Congress. During the 2010 election cycle, he was undergoing experimental treatment for hepatitis C but is healthy again. Johnson said that his fourth round of treatment cleared him of the virus in January 2013. “I am officially cured of hepatitis C,” he said during an April 22 interview. “I am clearheaded, sharp and with seniority.” Johnson’s Arbitration Fairness Act seeks to offer protection to consumers and employees who are forced into signing away their rights to resolve disputes in court. His Vote Amendment Act seeks to incorporate more transparency and accountability for electronic voting machines. Despite strong opposition from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and manufacturers of electronic voting machines, he says he is passionate about the “signature” bills. But both have yet to get hearings in committees, and support has fluctuated with the fortunes of Democrats in the House. Johnson says they are among 62 pieces of legislation he has filed since arriving in 2007. “You will find only one renaming of a post office among them,” he said. “My opponent says that I have not passed any ‘meaningful legislation’ since arriving in Congress. A little research would have shown otherwise.” Johnson said the major difference between him and Brown is that he has a record of public service in the legislative arena, and Brown – whose 28-year public service career as a firefighter, fire chief, public safety director and sheriff – has none. “I passed my first piece of legislation on the DeKalb County Commission within eight months of being there,” said the former District 5 commissioner. “When I was elected to Congress, I had five years and three months on the County Commission. I had established a record of legislative ability. There is a difference in being a legislator and running a jail.” His first legislation was a predatory lending law that was the nation’s second, after North Carolina. With his seniority in the House, Johnson says he stands a chance of chairing a subcommittee of the powerful Judiciary Committee should the Democrats retake control of the House in November. As a trained lawyer and a former magistrate judge, he said his skill set has the kind of breadth that Brown lacks.

Legislative record U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson has sponsored 62 bills. These six were signed into law:

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson is seeking his fifth term. With no GOP challenger in November, the winner of the May 20 Democratic primary takes the seat.

. “When I was elected to Congress, I had five years and three months on the County Commission. I had established a record of legislative ability. There is a difference in being a legislator and running a jail.” Hank Johnson

Six bills Johnson sponsored were passed by the Senate and signed by the president. “They were enacted into law,” he said. “Six out of 62 is nearly 10 percent, which is a pretty good record.” Johnson points out that the GOP gained a majority in the House in 2010 and is not supportive of Democrats’ legislative agendas. “So to be able to achieve that legislative record that apparently my opponent was unaware of, it is notable,” he said. Responding to charges from Brown that he voted to put $90 million into the defense budget for Army tanks that neither Obama nor the Pentagon wanted because tank manufacturers donated $51,000 to his campaign coffers, Johnson says he “strongly” supports the M-1 tank program because it is a proven platform that is essential to land forces. “My job isn’t just to rubber-stamp the requests I get from generals,” he said on April 29. “It’s also to think critically about what our national security requires. I am an experienced member of the Armed Services Committee and qualified to come to conclusions independent of what the Pentagon tells me they want. If the folks who make these tanks decided to support me because I have championed the program, that’s their prerogative. But that’s certainly not my motivation for supporting the tank program.” He said the $90 million was one small part of the $1.1 trillion omnibus bill. “It was not about the M-1 or any other specific program,” he said. “It was about keeping the government open. I guess my opponent is saying he would have voted to shut down the government.” To Brown’s charges that he tells constitu-

ents that he is fighting the National Security Agency’s eavesdropping on their telephone calls and reading their emails but votes for it in Washington, Johnson said he has not. “I have never voted to allow the NSA to listen to phone calls or read domestic to domestic emails of U.S. citizens without a warrant,” he said, adding that the program has nothing to do with listening to calls or reading emails. “It’s about call records. As a former law enforcement official, Tom should understand the distinction.” Johnson said his Mobile Workforce State Income Tax Simplification Act of 2013, or H.R. 1129, also has a good chance to becoming law. The act would decrease the tax burden on thousands of workers in Georgia by establishing a uniform law to ensure that the correct amount of tax is withheld and paid to the states without the undue burden on workers who travel to other states for their jobs. It is receiving a hearing next week. As the top Democrat on the Judiciary Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law Subcommittee exercising oversight of the Comcast-Time Warner merger, Johnson has made it a priority to close the digital divide by ensuring that low-income communities have access to high-speed broadband at an affordable cost. He said his Arbitration Fairness and Vote Amendment acts are worth sticking with. Arbitration Fairness is based on the Seventh Amendment, which provides for a jury trial to settle disputes involving $20 or more. “The framers of the Constitution thought it was important that people be able to take their civil dispute to court and have a jury of their peers decide who wins and who loses,” he said. Johnson said the U.S. Supreme Court has chipped away at the right to a jury trial. “If every place you go to put your mother in a nursing home and the nursing home agreements all require that you agree that you’re gonna arbitrate all disputes,” he said. “If you are gonna buy a car, if you want to build a house, if you want to purchase a cell phone and have cell phone service. If you go

 Choose any school in the county for your child  Complete Transparency of school district expenses  Donation of Salary to Churches & Charities in DeKalb serving Children

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n H.R. 5330 – To amend the Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform Act of 2004 to extend the operation of such act, and for other purposes. n H.R. 368 – The Removal Clarification Act of 2011. n H.R. 1626 – The Statutory TimePeriods Technical Amendments Act of 2009. n H.R. 3546 – To authorize the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program at fiscal year 2006 levels through 2012. n H.R. 2675 – The Antitrust Criminal Penalty Enhancement and Reform Act of 2004 Extension Act. n H.R. 4203 - To designate the facility of the U.S. Postal Service located at 3035 Stone Mountain St. in Lithonia as the “Spec. Jamaal RaShard Addison Post Office Building.”

to get a job. So, if every place you turn for goods and services and there is embedded in those contracts a forced arbitration clause, then the effect is that consumers are deprived of that Seventh Amendment right.”

Electronic voting machines With the advent of electronic voting machines in the electoral process, Johnson said voters and candidates are at the whim of proprietary software. “As it stands now, one does not have a right to a meaningful recount with the electronic voting machines,” he said. “The only thing you can do is retabulate what the machines tabulated in the first place.” He proposed the Vote Amendment Act in 2010 to provide for the source code of the machines be deposited with an appropriate federal agency. Johnson says that there is now no procedure, protocol or federal best practices for storing, maintaining and updating electronic voting systems. If he returns to Congress, he said he will continue to work on the five big issues – jobs and economy, equal pay for equal work, raising the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour, comprehensive immigration, and tax reforms – that are facing his district and the country. He said comprehensive tax reform is the most important of the lot. “It means having a tax code that requires everyone to pay their fair share. Right now the tax code is riddled with loopholes that no longer make any economic sense for the nation.” He said his work is not done. “As I go along, I am still thinking of legislative solutions to problems that impact working people and poor people in this country. I am still thinking of things that can create better circumstances for those folks.” For more highlights of our conversation with U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, visit www .crossroadsnews.com.

Vote

CrossRoadsNews

May 3, 2014

“By helping voters make well-informed choices, we are working to ensure that the youth of DeKalb County have a quality education.”

2014

The “It’s for Them, DeKalb” voter education project is hosting candidate forums around the county in addition to its Web site featuring video interviews, questionnaires and other information.

On May 20th,

Elect LaSalle Smith, Sr. Sheriff of DeKalb County

• Career in Law Enforcement including service with the FBI, GBI, and 30 exemplary years with the Atlanta Police Department • President & CEO of Georgia Security Professionals, an agency that specializes in Security Officer Certification and Training. • Member, Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police • Church Pastor, Teacher and Musician

Learn more at www.lasallesmithforsheriff.com PO Box 362181 • Decatur, Georgia 30036 • 470.226.7017 • 770.837.0387 Paid For By The Committee to Elect LaSalle Smith for DeKalb County Sheriff

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

School Board slate on Web

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Vote to Re-Elect

Democrat Michele Henson State House District 86

May 20th

“Doing the Right Thing for the Right Reasons” For 24 years Michele Henson has worked with schools, churches, community organizations and public officials at all levels of government to make DeKalb County a better place for you to live and work. Her PROVEN record of PERFORMANCE and SERVICE makes Michele an effective voice for her constituents in our community, in DeKalb County, and in the Legislature.

To volunteer or to talk with Michele: michelehenson@earthlink.net 404-296-1442 REMEMBER EARLY VOTING BEGINS APRIL 28

Paid for by the Committee to Re-elect Michele Henson

Voters can find information about candidates running for the DeKalb School Board at www.itsforthemdekalb.org. The Web site, which went live April 22, is part of the “It’s for Them, DeKalb” voter education project, funded with a $25,000 grant to Leadership DeKalb by the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta. It features video interviews with all 22 candidates seeking seven seats on the DeKalb Board of Education. Questionnaires completed by the candidates with information about their background and issues facing the school district also are posted on the site. The project includes two candidate forums and voting information. Organizers also are running advertisements encouraging voters to go to the polls during the April 28-to-May 16 advance voting period and on election day on May 20. Ron Alston, chairman of Leadership DeKalb, said the School Board election is one of the most important this year. “At the end of the day, youth matters most,” Alston said. “By helping voters make well-informed choices on future leadership, we are working to ensure that the youth of

DeKalb County have a quality education.” Alston said the group appreciates the opportunity to work with the Community Foundation, which connects donors, nonprofits and community leaders to strengthen the Atlanta region. Interest is high in the School Board election because of the issues with district’s accreditation. Last year, Gov. Nathan Deal removed six of the board’s nine members in the wake of SACS placing the district on probation for governance and other issues. He appointed replacement board members to fill their seats. Five of the appointed members are running for election. Jay Cunningham, who was removed from District 5, is the only removed board member who is seeking reelection to the board. The voter education project’s partners include the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, DeKalb Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Junior League of DeKalb County, Parents Council United and South DeKalb Improvement Association. For more information, contact Leadership DeKalb at info@leadershipdekalb.org or 404-373-2491.

Campaigning on county property banned Now that early voting is under way, campaigning on all DeKalb County property is prohibited. In a March 2014 letter to candidates in the May 20 primary, nonpartisan and special elections, DeKalb Election Director Maxine Daniels informed them that campaigning will not be allowed on any county property including the Memorial Drive complex. She said the ban extends even beyond the 150-foot limitation required by the

election code and has been instituted as a safety precaution to protect voters as well as campaigners. “Any posted signs will be promptly removed, pursuant to OCGA § 16-7-58, and individuals campaigning on county property will be asked to leave,” Daniels wrote. Early voting, which began April 28, is under way through May 16. For more information, visit http://web.co.dekalb.ga.us/ Voter/CurrentElectionInfo.html.

CrossRoadsNews

May 3, 2014

Vote

2014

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Voters can compare and contrast candidates at forums like this one for the School Board 5th District held at Southwest DeKalb High on April 28.

Meet candidates, hear their views Candidate forums are great places to meet candidates and get a feel for their views and the kind of representatives they could make. Below are some upcoming forums and meet-and-greets. To add yours to the list, email editor@crossroadsnews.com.

May 3 n Sheriff Candidate Forum Candidates for the May 20 special election for DeKalb sheriff are expected at a candidate forum taking place during DeKalb Commissioner Stan Watson’s Community Cabinet starting at 9 a.m. The monthly first Saturday meeting takes place at Chapel Hill Middle School, 3535 Dogwood Farms Road in Decatur. For more information, contact Kelly Lajoie at klajoie @dekalbcountyga.gov or 404-371-3681. n Voter Empowerment Rally Voters can meet and greet candidates in the May 20 primary, special and nonpartisan races at a “Get the Scoop” Voter Empowerment Rally from noon to 2 p.m. hosted by DeKalb Women in NAACP. The event takes place in Bruster’s Ice Cream parking lot, 4790 Flat Shoals Parkway in Decatur. The first 100 people who sign an “iPledge 2 Vote” banner will get a free scoop of ice cream. For more information, email Teresa Hardy at ageetah@ymail.com. May 6 n Senate District 42 Forum Former state Rep. Elena Parent, a nonprofit executive, and attorney Kyle Williams face off at 7 p.m. in a forum hosted by DeKalb Young Democrats in Agnes Scott

College’s Rebekah Scott Hall. The two are vying in the May 20 Democratic primary to replace Sen. Jason Carter, who is running for governor. AJC columnist Jim Galloway is moderating. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Space is limited and reservations are required. R.S.V.P. at http://senate42forum.brownpapertickets. com. The college is at 141 East College Ave. in Decatur. For more information, contact Maggie Paynich at dekalbyoungdems@gmail. com or 404-804-6405.

May 8 n 2014 Candidates Forum Decatur and Stone Mountain-Lithonia Alumnae Chapters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. host candidates seeking office for Congress, state school superintendent, state Senate, and House of Representatives. It takes place at 6 p.m. at the Community Achievement Center, 4522 Flat Shoals Parkway in Decatur. n Political Forum Candidates for Congress, governor, Georgia Senate, state school superintendent and secretary of state, and DeKalb sheriff and Board of County Commissioners will take questions from the media and the audience starting at 6 p.m. The event, hosted by the Right Choices Pastor’s Coalition of DeKalb County, takes place at New Life Church, 3592 Flat Shoals Road in Decatur. For more information, call 770-322-6262. To list your forum here, email complete information to editor@crossroadsnews.com.

V te

Advance voting runs through May 16. To find your voting location and more information on the Board of Education candidates, visit www.itsforthemdekalb.org.

Vote

CrossRoadsNews

May 3, 2014

“This [charter cluster issue] is so clearly a black-white issue. Woe be upon us if we allow it to happen.”

2014

District 5 School Board hopefuls clash over charter clusters By Ken Watts

Incumbent District 5 DeKalb School Board member Thad Mayfield drew heat at a Southwest DeKalb High PTSA candidate forum on April 28 over a report that North DeKalb Republicans are counting on the support of a “gentleman from South DeKalb” to help them win board approval of a proposed seven-school Druid Hills Charter Cluster that was rejected in 2013. “Is the gentleman sitting at this table and is it OK for candidates and board members to promise their votes before hearing all the sides of the issue,” asked forum moderator and CrossRoadsNews Editor and Publisher Jennifer Parker. In March, Sen. Fran Millar (R-Dunwoody) told a meeting updating his constituents on legislative initiative aimed at the Mayfield admitted that he was the DeKalb School District that: “gentleman” referred to by Millar because of “We know we will have three votes in his vote last year supporting the Druid Hills favor of the cluster and another gentleman cluster that was rejected in a 5-to-4 vote by from South DeKalb is also running. If he the School Board. wins, we’ll have a 4-3 majority which will give Mayfield said he had seen a video of the a chance for the cluster to form.” meeting and heard Millar’s comment. Mayfield, who was appointed by Gov. Na“It was more a representative boasting to than Deal to the School Board in 2013, is the his constituents about what he had done,” District 5 incumbent. He is being challenged Mayfield said. by private school operator Vickie Turner, He said that he never made promises to insurance salesman and PTA President R. Al- Millar or anyone else about how he will vote exander Fitzhugh, and former School Board in the future. member Jesse “Jay” Cunningham, who was “What we have is a situation where a removed from the board by Deal. Pia Bhatti, politician is speculating about how I might the fourth challenger, was absent. vote,” he said. “There was only one South Twenty candidates are seeking the seven DeKalb man on the board who voted for the seats on the School Board that was reduced cluster and that’s me and I gave my reason. from nine seats. Districts 3 and 5 attracted We needed a prototype [to see if it works]. the most candidates – five each. But now really that is a moot point because The April 28 forum at Southwest DeKalb the superintendent wants the whole district High was co-hosted by the South Lithonia to convert to a charter system.” HJ_Newspaper_10.5 x 8-FINAL_042214:Layout 1He 4/22/14 4:01 PM quick Pageto1 jump on Neighborhood Coalition. challengers were

Vickie Turner (from left), Thad Mayfield, R. Alexander Fitzhugh, and Jesse “Jay” Cunningham participate in an April 28 forum. Pia Bhatti did not attend.

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

the issue. Turner said it’s simple for her. “I can’t be bought,” said the founder and director of the Augustine Preparatory Academy in Decatur. “It’s time we stop selling out for a bowl of beans. This [charter cluster issue] is so clearly a black-white issue. Woe be upon us if we allow it to happen.” Cunningham said he urged Mayfield not to vote for the cluster petition. “I would not have voted for the Druid Hills cluster,” said Cunningham, who was among five board members removed by Deal after SACS placed the district on probation for governance and other issues. “The cluster idea would have given a free pass to Dunwoody, Tucker, Chamblee, Briarcliff to do the same and would have taken $40 million out of the school system at a time when we can’t afford it.” Fitzhugh said it was just a bad time for that idea, which would have weakened schools at this end of the county.

“It would have taken money out of the system at a time when South DeKalb housing values and property tax revenues are low, creating school funding disparities,” said Fitzhugh, an insurance salesman. On April 1, Superintendent Michael Thurmond recommended to the board that the entire system become a charter district to give local school principals the authority to make changes at their schools through exemptions or “waivers” approved by the district and to allow for the full range of flexibility, autonomy and innovation across all the district’s schools. The board will vote on Thurmond’s proposal at its May 5 meeting. May 1 was the deadline for Georgia schools to notify the state if they will seek charter status, stick with the status quo or adopt a middle ground with elements of both. If approved by the state Department of Education, DeKalb would convert to a charter system for the 2015-2016 school year. On other issues, all four candidates said they would support a raise for DeKalb teachers who haven’t had a pay hike in eight years. But they differed about how to reduce DeKalb’s pupil-teacher ratio, which can be as large as 30-to-1 and may have an adverse effect on student performance. Fitzhugh said the school district, which has a budget of more than $1 billion, doesn’t have a funding issue. “What it has is an allocation issue,” he said. “The system has allocation issues that gobble up money, leading to reductions in teaching staff, and larger class sizes.” The candidates urged the audience to stay engaged with the electoral process and vote. Visit www.crossroadsnews.com for more on the forum.

HANK2014! �

ENDORSED BY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

Rep. John Lewis: “We need Hank’s leadership...his vision...his commitment. We need his dedica�on now more than ever before. He will always do the right thing. I know where this young man stands. I know his heart. He will never, ever let the people of this district down”. –– Rep. John Lewis Hank delivers for Georgia’s veterans, seniors and families – with more than $32 million in cons�tuent services.

Hank delivers for the Fourth District with more than $250 million for teachers and schools, public safety, roads, bridges and transporta�on.

Hank was named by Georgia Trend magazine as one of the 100 Most Inﬂuen�al Georgians.

Hank takes care of home ﬁrst by helping the Hank delivers for homeowners in Georgia, Hank delivers on the House Judiciary and Armed people of the Fourth Congressional District with helping more than 1,700 prevent foreclosure and Services commi�ees, and is known as a champion large and small issues aﬀec�ng our daily lives. keep their homes. of consumers, workers and the middle class.

Hank’s growing seniority in Congress posi�ons him strategically to be even more eﬀec�ve for us – and for all of Georgia.

E N DOR SED BY PRESID EN BARACK T OBAMA

Let’s deliver Hank back to Washington on May 20 so he can continue working on our behalf. HankForCongress.com 404-447-7475 Paid for by the Commi�ee to Re-Elect Henry “Hank“ Johnson for Congress.