CrossRoadsNews, May 5, 2018

WELLNESS

YOUTH

More than 600 walkers raised about $350,000 during the Relay for Life on April 27 at Hallford Stadium. 4

Free health screenings and other crucial information will be available at the Browns Mill Health Fair and Spring Fest on May 19. 6

Steps against cancer

Free screenings and more

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

Copyright © 2018 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

May 5, 2018

Volume 24, Number 1

www.crossroadsnews.com

Simama says he is retiring, may sue for libel, slander

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Former GPTC President Dr. Jabari Simama says he is retiring from the Technical College System of Georgia on May 11 and is considering suing Commissioner Matt Arthur and Ivan Allen for slander and libel in the wake of his sudden removal from office.

Allen, who is president of Central Georgia Technical College in Warner Robins, is leading the team conducting an assessment of the situation at Georgia Piedmont Technical College, which is based in Clarkston with campuses in Rockdale, Newton and Morgan counties.

Simama, who led GPTC from 2012 to

April 11, 2018, said he is concerned about the “character and reputation assassination campaign” launched against him.

“They have smeared and maligned my reputation,” he said May 2. “They have made it impossible for me to find other employment.” Simama, 67, said his good name is all that he has.

“I spent 40 years building it,” he said.

“And in the twilight of my career, when I should be riding off into the sunset, this is what they did.”

Simama said he has consulted with four attorneys and is weighing his options.

He was placed on administrative leave with pay through May 11.

TCSG spokeman Mark D’Alessio said at the time that Arthur removed Simama and suspended four others due to “big financial concerns” at the college.

“We’ve decided that we are going to make a change in leadership there,” D’Alessio said.

Asked for response to Simama’s slander and libel claims, he said on May 3 that “we have not been served any legal actions.”

Technical college presidents serve at the pleasure of the commissioner, who is appointed by the governor, and have no employment contracts.

Simama said Arthur and corporate counPlease see GPTC, page 3

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Columbia Elementary celebrates Healthy Kids Week Weeklong program focuses on staying active, eating right

About 400 Columbia Elementary students from all grade levels participated in activities like hula hoops and musical chairs to encourage them to be active and stay healthy.

By Rosie Manins

Given the opportunity, kids will jump rope and hula-hoop to their hearts’ content, and that’s what they got to do on May 1 at Columbia Elementary School in Decatur.

In celebration of the sixth annual Every Kid Healthy Week, about 400 Columbia Elementary students from all grade levels participated in activities designed to encourage them to be active and stay healthy.

The initiative, funded by Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) and its sponsor Aldi, is observed nationally during the last week in April.

Columbia Elementary is one of more than 600 schools nationwide, and one of only three in Georgia, to receive $1,000 grants from Action for Healthy Kids for the 20172018 school year.

On Tuesday, a dozen AFHK and Aldi volunteers and school staff took the children, divided into four groups, through half-hour activity sessions between 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. in the school’s gym.

The students also played musical chairs and sampled two healthy food options. The

Rosie Manins / CrossRoadsNews

yogurt parfait with blueberries was a hit. The coconut water, not so much.

Braisley Elder-Weems, the school’s parent liaison, said it was good to see the children trying new things.

“It’s a really fantastic event and the kids are loving it,” Elder-Weems said.

This is Columbia Elementary’s first year getting funding from AFHK, which launched Every Kid Healthy Week in 2013.

Grants also went to Toney Elementary in Decatur and Worth County Middle School in Sylvester, Ga. They can be used to purchase student equipment and create programs that

combine physical activity and nutrition.

Columbia Elementary, which bought physical education gear with its grant, also received an additional $1,000 from AFHK to run its Every Kid Healthy Week program Please see HEALTHY, page 3

2

Community

CrossRoadsNews

May 5, 2018

“When I heard this, I was thinking these guys are subhuman.”

Gang members found guilty in 2014 murders of two young women

By Rosie Manins

Two gang members who beat and shot two young women to death before going to a club to party four years ago are finally going to pay for the crime.

A DeKalb County jury found Demetre “Flame” Mason and Frankland “Bad News” Henderson, who are members of the 9 Trey Bloods gang, guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, violation of the street gang terrorism and prevention act, and weapons offenses.

Mason, 24, and Henderson, 25, were found guilty April 26 in the May 19, 2014, double homicides that occurred outside the Walden Pond townhomes off Snapfinger Road in Decatur.

They and a third gang member, Michael “Slim” Jenkins, will be sentenced at a later date by DeKalb Superior Court Judge Linda Hunter.

The DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office said the victims, 20-year-old Shaniqua Camacho and 21-year-old Sonia Williams, were killed because they offended Mason and Henderson’s gang boss.

The women, who had accompanied the two men earlier that day to a nearby home, got into a verbal argument with other gang members.

Williams, who was dating Mason at the time, allegedly called gang boss Malcolm “Dot” Brown by a derogatory name.

An enraged Brown allegedly ordered

20-year-old Shaniqua Camacho (left) and 21-year-old Sonia Williams were killed after getting into an argument with gang members.

Williams and Camacho dead, even though Camacho did not know any of the gang members and was only there as Williams’ friend.

Mason, Henderson and other gang members beat the two women, who fled on foot.

They and Jenkins chased the women in a car around 4 a.m.

The DA’s Office said April 26 that after locating the victims inside the parking lot of an apartment complex, “Henderson and Mason exited the vehicle and fired multiple shots, fatally wounding the women.”

A resident of Walden Pond on Shellbark Road, who was leaving for work, found the women’s bodies shortly after 6 a.m. After an investigation, police arrested Mason on May 30, 2014, and Henderson on June 10.

Jenkins, 24, was also arrested June 10, 2014. He was convicted of aggravated assault and violation of the street gang terrorism and prevention act for his role in the crime.

At trial, Camacho’s father Miguel said he was unnerved to hear testimony about how the gang members acted after the murders.

Mason vomited and cried while Henderson bragged. They both then went to a club.

“When I heard this, I was thinking these guys are subhuman,” Camacho, who lives in Savannah, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on April 26.

Mason, Henderson and Jenkins will be sentenced at a later date by DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Linda Hunter.

Brown, who was arrested on July 11, 2014, for his alleged involvement in the double homicide, will be prosecuted separately.

His trial date has not yet been set.

The case against Mason, Henderson and

Demetre Mason

Frankland Henderson

Michael Jenkins

Malcolm Brown

Jenkins was prosecuted by senior assistant district attorneys Buffy Thomas and Dwayne Brown, with assistance from DA investigator Waine Pinckney.

Detective M.S. McLendon of the DeKalb County Police Department led the initial investigation.

Citizens Police Academy accepting applicants for free 10-week training DeKalb residents can sign up through May 11 for the 2018 Citizen Police Academy.

The 10-week academy, from June 21 to Aug. 23, is hosted by DeKalb County Police Department. It offers residents an inside perspective on law enforcement, and is free to attend.

Eligible participants must be at least 21 years old, consent to a background check, and have no prior felony convictions.

Participants attend training Thursdays from 6 p.m to 8 p.m. at the county’s Police Training Facility, 2484 Bruce St. in Lithonia.

During the sessions, personnel from various department units – patrol officers, detectives and crime prevention – will teach participants about the complexities and operational structure of their departments.

Citizens also will take courses similar to those that police recruits have to pass to become officers and participate in simulated situations that officers face every day on the job.

Applications are available at all DeKalb Police precincts or by e-mailing Patricia Williams at phwilliams@dekalbcountyga. gov or 770-724-0336.

Clarkston gets $40K for park access

By Rosie Manins

Clarkston is one of just 12 cities nationwide to receive funding to ensure as many residents as possible live within a 10-minute walk of a public park.

Clarkston, which has a population of about Ted Terry 13,000 people, received $40,000 from the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) to explore the feasibility of providing a system of walking trails along Peachtree Creek to expand and connect existing green space.

At present, about 71 percent of Clarkston residents live within a 10-minute walk of a public park. Mayor Ted Terry wants to increase that number.

“Clarkston is focused on creating a park system that can be a welcoming and compassionate environment for all residents and visitors wherein each open space can become a venue where individuals from all nations, religions and races can congregate,” Terry said April 27.

The NRPA allocated a total of $480,000 on April 26 to a dozen cities, each of which participates in the organization’s 10-Minute Walk Campaign, launched in 2017 in association with the Trust for Public Land and the Urban Land Institute.

The money is to support city planning efforts to increase access to high quality

public parks.

The other cities to get grants are Anchorage, Alaska; Austin, Texas; Orlando, Florida; El Cajon, California; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Lewisville, Texas; New Rochelle, New York; Camden, New Jersey; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Rochester, New York; and Tukwila, Washington.

Almost 200 mayors across America have joined the 10-Minute Walk Campaign.

“We believe everyone deserves a great park,” said Barbara Tulipane, NRPA president and CEO. “That’s why we’re proud to help lead this effort, providing cities with the tools and resources necessary to make the 10-minute walk goal a reality.”

Studies show that high-quality parks provide a wide range of benefits to urban residents and cities, including physical and mental health benefits associated with physical activity and interaction with nature.

Economic benefits come from revitalized neighborhoods and businesses, community relations are strengthened when residents join forces to improve their surroundings, and the environment benefits from dedicated green space.

George Dusenbury, executive director of TPL Georgia, is keen to see park access improve in DeKalb County.

“We are excited to collaborate with the Clarkston community to develop and implement a park planning strategy that provides park access to each of their residents,” he said.

May 5, 2018

Community

CrossRoadsNews

3

Through 2030, traffic congestion is expected to grow along the corridor by about 64 percent, with a projected 26 percent increase in population.

Residents eager for transit improvements along I-20 East

By Rosie Manins

Residents participating in the new I-20 East Transit Oriented Development Strategic Plan say they want improvements – sooner than later.

About 100 people who live around six potential transit-oriented development sites told planners at an April 26 meeting that they want some of the improvements they see in Atlanta implemented in DeKalb.

LeRoy Sampson, who lives a couple of miles from the Indian Creek MARTA station in Stone Mountain, said the area desperately needs transit-oriented development, which typically includes a mix of housing, office, retail and other amenities including walking paths and green space.

“I would like to see some of the sorts of things you see around Atlantic Station,” he told planners. “I know it’s a different

development along the I-20 East corridor.

Both have contributed to a $2 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to complete the plan.

Through 2030, traffic congestion is expected to grow along the I-20 East corridor by about 64 percent, with a projected 26 percent increase in population and 46 percent growth in employment. By then, peak hour travel times along the corridor will also be 16 minutes longer than the existing 50 to 66 minutes, and the trip to downtown is expected to exceed an hour.

Residents viewed maps of the planned development sites during the 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. meeting at the Lou Walker Senior Center on Panola Road in Lithonia.

Rosie Manins/CrossRoadsNews For more information about the I-20 East Transit Oriented Development Strateeconomic status, but right now [the Indian getting on the train and nothing else.”

Creek station] is kind of desolate and really DeKalb County is partnering with MAR- gic Plan, visit www.itsmarta.com/i20-eastoriented towards people just parking and TA to pave the way for more transit-oriented corridor-overview.aspx.

Audra Rojek (left) of consultancy firm WSP guides residents through proposed transit-oriented development along the I-20 East corridor at a public meeting at the Lou Walker Senior Center on April 26.

Simama questions motives, says issues raised were being addressed GPTC,

from page

1

sel came to his Clarkston office on April 11 and took his keys.

“There was no meetings or anything,” he said. “I was surprised. My staff was surprised.

Everybody was surprised.”

Simama said he has had no meetings with anyone since. He said he has communicated to the system’s Human Resources department that he will retire effective May 11.

“After the system disrespected me in this way, the ability to return and be an effective leader is compromised beyond the point where it can be repaired,” he said. “They have lied against me. They have used exaggerations. They have turned faculty, staff and our board against me.”

Simama said a “serious injustice has been perpetrated” against him. “I am just trying to get my mind around it,” he said.

In the wake of a federal financial aid audit in November, the U.S. Department of Education placed GPTC on “heightened cash monitoring status” in March, requiring additional oversight of its finances. Simama said the audit highlighted a number of issues that the college –which was made aware of them in March – was working through.

He said there is no missing money.

“These are not that kinds of problems,” he said. “These are accounting errors, dates missing, communication issues, missing information from student records, things like that.”

Just over half or about 3,500 of the college’s students get financial aid.

Simama said if a student’s records do not list the last day he or she attended class, it is flagged as a violation during the audit.

“An instructor might have forgotten to record the information,” he said. “We have 700 instructors. The president does not re-

cord students’ attendance in class.”

A nine-page report by the Georgia Department of Audits and Accounts, released April 21, highlighted several errors GPTC officials made in processing student aid.

It identified issues with disbursements of student loans, and incorrect calculation of refunds from Pell Grants and federal student loans for students who withdrew early. It also found that some students were incorrectly told to refund more money than required to Student Financial Assistance programs.

The errors amounted to about $93,000 for the period from July 2016 to June 2017, but the auditors said it could reach $1.7 million.

GPTC Financial Aid Director Shawn Thomas attributed the problems to turnover within the Student Financial Aid Office and inadequate policies and procedures, and said policies and procedures have been put in place to prevent the errors in the future.

As president of the college, Simama said he has responsibility for the entire college, but that there are layers of management – vice presidents, directors, registrars and deans – between him.

“The financial aid director doesn’t report to the president,” he said.

Simama said the narrative that the college overspent its budget every year “is just crazy,” and that the $5.4 million cash infusion that TCSG puts in to stabilize the college’s budget had been going on before he got there because GPTC operates in a high-cost urban county.

“They are just pushing that narrative,” he said. “They are just trying to find a way to remove me from the presidency.”

Simama said GPTC was on track to resolve the issues by June.

The AJC, which said it obtained and reviewed college records, court records,

Program focuses on activity, nutrition HEALTHY,

from page

1

on May 1.

Grace Per r y, t he AFHK coordinator for Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama, nominated Columbia Elementary for the extra $1,000 grant so that it could host a “deluxe” Every Kid Healthy Grace Perry Week event.

Only five to 10 schools nationwide received the extra funding, she said. Columbia Elementary was the only recipient In Georgia.

Perry said the extra grant is very special.

“Columbia Elementary had their program planned out already and the extra

money meant they could make it even better for the children,” she said.

Raymond Stanley, Columbia’s principal, said the school was very fortunate to receive the funding and support to run healthy kids programs and buy new sports gear.

“The kids are having a great time with it and enjoying themselves,” he said. “I think it’s a great thing, a great opportunity for our students to get involved.”

Stanley said nutrition and physical activity make a huge difference in children’s lives, particularly while they are at school learning.

“Childhood obesity is still an issue in our community and these programs bring attention to that,” he said. “We’ll continue to preach the importance of healthy snacks and activity, and to have initiatives like this to bring awareness to it.”

Simama’s personnel file, and communicated with him and other college officials to get a clearer picture of what went wrong, reported on May 1 that the documentation it examined “shows a troubling series of financial and management failures” at the college.

Among them: The school’s rainy day fund declined from about $4.4 million from fiscal year 2014 to about $700,000 in fiscal 2017, the lowest total of TCSG’s 22 colleges, and that the college’s net position, about $10.5 million, is also the lowest in the system.

Simama said that during his tenure GPTC, which has an enrollment of 6,000 to 6,500, improved enrollment, student retention and graduation rates.

He also implemented a number of innovative programs to attract nontraditional students, as well as decentralized the campuses in DeKalb and in Newton County.

Since Arthur became commissioner, Simama said he began getting calls that Lt. Gov. Casey Cagel’s office was receiving complaints about GPTC’s German apprenticeship program. He said TSCG’s own investigation found no merit to those complaints.

“It found that the program is operating well and the business community was satisfied with it,” he said.

Simama said that Arthur’s action, which he calls heavy-handed, has interrupted the good work underway at GPTC.

4

Wellness

CrossRoadsNews

May 5, 2018

“Our mission is very simple. It’s to save lives, to celebrate lives and to lead the fight for a world without cancer.

Cancer survivors, supporters celebrate life, raise money 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Staff Writer Jennifer Ffrench Parker Editorial Intern Rosie Manins Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Multimedia Editor Sharif Williams

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 advertisements, including claims of suits for libel, violation of privacy, plagiarism and copyright infringement.

We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement.

By Rosie Manins

Decked out in their Africa-themed garb, a dozen members of Mount Welcome Missionary Baptist Church walked dozens of laps in Clarkston in honor of two of their own who recently died from cancer.

The members, who named their group the Cancer Kings and Queens, were among 60 teams who walked for six hours between 6 p.m. and midnight on April 27 in the annual DeKalb County Relay for Life event at James R. Hallford Stadium.

Among the more than 600 walkers were 150 cancer survivors. Together, they raised about $350,000 for cancer research, patient programs and education.

The Kings and Queens members said they were also walking for the thousands in the community living with cancer, and for themselves, in celebration of making it another year.

Rhonda Printup, who started the church-based group four years ago, around the time she was diagnosed with cancer, said about 40 of the Decatur church’s 350-plus member congregation are either cancer survivors or Rhonda Printup patients.

Printup’s cousin, Walter “Ricky” Patton, was one of the group’s members who died in the last month. The other was Dwayne Yarbrough, 61, who died April 19.

Ollie Watkins, another member of the group, died Oct. 15, 2017, aged 76.

Now cancer-free, Printup said the camaraderie and support among the Kings and Queens is life-changing.

“The best thing is just seeing the bond that we have set up with one another after all that we’ve gone through, and just fellowship and knowing that you made it another year,” she said.

Throughout the six-hour relay, at least three Kings and Queens members were on the track at all times, laughing and telling stories to keep themselves moving.

Mary Hill, a member, participated for the third consecutive year. She was diagnosed with cancer in 2009, and has been cancer-free for five years.

“I had a lot of support when I was going through and I just like to support the event,” said Hill, who lives in Decatur. “You meet so many different people that have been through, and some that are going through.”

The DeKalb Relay For Life, in its 26th year, included a special survivors’ reception dinner on the stadium field where participants shared stories and jokes over cookies and cake.

After a dance warm-up, the cancer survivors walked the first lap of the relay to the

Cancer survivors kickstart the 26th annual DeKalb County Relay For Life at the James R. Hallford Stadium in Clarkston on April 27.

Rosie Manins/CrossRoadsNews

Rosie Manins/CrossRoadsNews

The Queens and Kings of the Mount Welcome Missionary Baptist Church in Decatur, all cancer survivors, participate in the 26th annual DeKalb County Relay For Life at the James R. Hallford Stadium in Clarkston on April 27.

cheers and applause of other participants and supporters.

American Cancer Society CEO Gary Reedy, himself a cancer survivor, was in the group.

Reedy, who had surgery just over 18 months ago to remove a melanoma from his forehead, said Relay For Life is an Gary Reedy extremely meaningful and emotional part of the cancer journey for people in communities worldwide.

“Our mission is very simple,” Reedy, who lives in North Druid Hills, told the crowd.

“It’s to save lives, to celebrate lives and to lead the fight for a world without cancer. There are more people today who are surviving cancer than are dying from it, and with what’s going on right now in the research arena, there is never a better time to be fighting this fight.”

Annually, Relay For Life generates $8.4

Former caregiver on Alzheimer’s Breast health event at library for women without insurance Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions.

Circulation Audited By

Since 2003

million in Georgia alone. In DeKalb, annual fundraising is inching toward half a million.

Atlanta-based American Cancer Society invests the money raised at relay events into cancer research, improved patient access to care, support programs and initiatives, and community education.

This year DeKalb County School District became a partner organization with hundreds of students and their families taking charge of fundraising in their communities.

Reedy said the school district’s participation is critical to the relay’s success and is a win-win, also benefiting the students.

“It’s a great leadership development opportunity for the kids, as far as forming teams and raising money and meeting deadlines, and it teaches them the importance early on of giving back and paying it forward,” he said.

Relay For Life has been going 33 years and comprises more than 5,000 annual community events in more than 20 countries. Statewide, there are 62 relays.

Rena Cozart, executive director of the American Cancer Society’s Southeast region, which includes Georgia, said one of the biggest problems in the state is a lack of access to care.

“We’ve individuals who have been diagnosed with cancers of different kinds and don’t have access to transportation to get to chemo- Rena Cozart therapy or don’t have lodging if they have to come a long way and be treated somewhere like Emory,” she said. “That’s where the focus for us is, access to the best treatment.”

Cozart said the largest Relay For Life event in the United States, and the world, is Gwinnett County’s, which annually involves 10,000 people and raises almost $2 million.

She said relays are a huge part of the cancer society’s community engagement, and are almost entirely volunteer-driven.

“All of the dollars are raised by the kids and the families and it’s just a really powerful expression of how important this is for the community,” Cozart said.

Families can learn about the stages and symptoms of Alzheimer’s on May 14 at the Redan-Trotti Library.

Educator and minister Patricia A. BoydWilson will share her knowledge of the disease from noon to 1:30 p.m.

Alzheimer’s, which most often occurs in people 65 years and older, is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions.

Boyd-Wilson, who lost her motherin-law to the disease and was a primary caregiver for years, will provide resources for caregiving and levels of care.

Participants can ask questions and discuss their experiences and concerns.

The library is at 1569 Wellborn Road in Lithonia.

To register or for information, call 770-482-3821.

Women who lack health insurance or are underinsured can sign up for free and low-cost mammograms at the Clarkston Library on May 15.

Appointments will be taken during a breast health informative program being hosted by the library from noon to 2 p.m.

Women with questions or concerns about breast lumps, breast pain or nipple discharge can receive answers from a diagnostic breast care services professional.

A representative from the Avon Community Education and Outreach Initiative will answer questions and discuss breast health, and will demonstrate the proper way to do a self-breast exam.

The library is at 951 N. Indian Creek Drive in Clarkston. For more information, call 404-508-7175.

May 5, 2018

Scene

CrossRoadsNews

5

“Great music along with a message that hits home with a piece of history. You can’t beat it.”

‘Gospel Healed My Heart’ on stage at the Lithonia Amphitheater

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Gospel lovers can satisfy their cravings and treat their moms at the same time on May 12 with the stage play “Gospel Healed My Heart” at the Lithonia Amphitheater.

The production, which is part of Blake Vision Entertainment’s Tribute Series, tells the story of gospel through the eyes of a family packing up the possessions of their late grandmother.

Writer and director Lateefa Mosley says that while the journey is painful, the memories are priceless.

“As their memories drift backward they learn about their grandmother’s sacrifice through song - through gospel music,” she said.

The stage play, which transports audiences through some of their favorite gospel music, takes place 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., rain or shine.

On May 18, as part of its community giveback program, Blake Vision Entertainment is hosting a special show with discounted tickets for seniors 55 years and older. It takes place 10 a.m. to noon at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center in Decatur.

“Gospel Healed My Heart” features some of the genre’s rising stars including lead singers Jacarda Smith and Briana Young, DeAndré Griggs, Valerie Lambo and Bernette Sherman; some are homegrown right here in east metro Atlanta.

Smith, who is from Lithonia, plays Faith, a strong mother forced to lean on God to navigate through the most difficult times in her life. A single mother herself, Smith

Cast mbmbers of “Gospel Healed My Heart” runs through a table read in preparation for their May 12 performance.

says that every person in the audience will see themselves or someone they know in one of the production’s characters.

“Great music along with a message that hits home with a piece of history,” she said. “You can’t Jacarda Smith beat it.”

Young, who hails from Athens, says she shares a lot of similarities with her character, Justice.

“She struggles with her identity, which is something I’ve experienced because of my Puerto Rican and African-American background,” Young said. “Justice is relatable for any person who has ever felt isolated or

Marcella Hayes Muhammad’s innovative artistic style was inspired by a visit to the Picasso Museum in her teens.

Muhammad’s artwork is inaugural exhibit at Atlanta Mayor’s Gallery The vibrant abstract art of Marcella Hayes Muhammad is on display through May 31 at the newly launched Mayor’s Gallery at Atlanta City Hall.

Muhammad, who lives in Decatur, was selected as the inaugural artist for the gallery.

“The Jazz of Art,” a 13-piece collection of her musical artwork, is on display through the May 31 Jazz Festival.

The colorful exhibit of original oils on canvas, which began April 2, was extended for another month. It hangs at the entry to the mayor’s executive suites, allowing visiting officials, dignitaries and citizens to experience a welcoming and diverse example of art and culture in Atlanta.

The Mayor’s Gallery at City Hall promotes and exhibits the works of accomplished Atlanta-based artists and helps emerging and underrepresented Atlanta art professionals receive major recognition for their artwork.

Muhammad, 75, said she is honored to be invited to showcase her signature art.

“It is so rewarding to see people enjoy my work and to receive such positive reviews,” she said.

The Musical Collection, which showcases Muhammad’s original art style that she calls Plastic Space, explores the historical origins of instruments from Africa to current instruments around the world. A few pieces of The Mask Collection, which explore positive and celebratory masks from cultures aground the world, are included.

The daughter of a Tuskegee Airman, Muhammad was born in Tuskegee, Ala. She grew up traveling the world including visiting the Picasso Museum in Paris as a teenager.

She said that visit impacted her later artwork and inspired her to develop Plastic Space. The figurative art style is known for its vibrant colors, intricate detail and unique perspective.

Instead of dissecting the subject into visual planes as in Picasso’s cubism, Muhammad goes beyond flat linear planes and explores the curvature of light around an object from a three-dimensional perspective.

After a career as a teacher, Muhammad retired and moved to metro Atlanta, where she operates an art business, MARUVA DQ, at www.maruvadq.com.

alone.”

Griggs, who plays Justice’s brother Zack, is making his acting debut.

He says Zack represents the younger generation who may not know much about music history, especially that of Briana Young African-American music, and its influence on today’s music.

“I’m excited to be making my acting debut in the Atlanta area with Blake Vision Entertainment,” says Griggs, who is from LaGrange. “I’ve felt welcomed ever since the first meeting and glad to be back in my element and working with people who share the same passion.”

Lambo, who plays young Ellen, Faith’s 16year-old daughter, says she relishes the opportunity to portray a sharecropper who is dreaming of a better life.

“I can see myself in parts of young Ellen,” Valerie Lambo said Lambo, who is from Conyers. “And I hope you can catch a glimpse of yourself as well.”

She said that audiences should support the show not only for its old-school music and poetry, but also to support and uplift local actors in their own backyard.

Sherman plays Elise, the daughter of young Ellen/Grandma E and mother of Justice and Zack, and says the role resonates for her.

“The role feels close to home for me in what it means to be black ‘enough’ and how we are sometimes our harshest judges, limiting how we can work together based on whether someone is enough by another person’s terms,” said Sherman, who is from Mableton.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the May 12 show. A pre-show theatrical experience with gifts and giveaways starts at 7:30 p.m., and the play kicks off at 8 p.m.

Online purchase of VIP and general admission tickets ends at 10 a.m. on May 12. Use code crossroads for a 10 percent discount. After that tickets must be purchased at the venue, 2515 Park Drive in the city of Lithonia.

For more information, visit www.blakevision.com or call 404-453-0872.

Acclaimed author to headline book fair Nationally acclaimed best-selling author and filmmaker Travis Hunter will headline the inaugural book fair of the Friends of Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture & History on May 12.

The free event includes book vendors, storytellers, workshops on writing, marketing and publishing a book, facepainting and food and fun. It takes place noon to 6 p.m.

Hunter, a DeKalb County resident, is the author of “Married But Still Looking,”

“Trouble Man,” “A One Woman Man,” “Something to Die For,” “A Family Sin,” “Dark Child,” “Momma’s a Virgin,” and many more.

He will share his compelling story at 4 p.m.

The library and culTravis Hunter tural center is at 101 Auburn Ave. in downtown Atlanta. For more information, contact Carla Morrison at 404-319-2130.

CrossRoadsNews

6

Youth

May 5, 2018

“You don’t have to be a certain age to have things named in your honor. You can start building your legacy right now.”

Recycling at GMCA honors former student

Emergency and service vehicles will be available for exploration on May 19 at the health fair and spring festival at Browns Mill Recreation Center.

By Tekia L. Parks

Free screenings, more at Browns Mill festival

Free health screenings and information from local health care providers will be available at the Browns Mill Health Fair and Spring Fest on May 19.

The 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. event is sponsored by the Browns Mill Recreation Center & Booster Club. It will include live entertainment, exercise demonstrations, exploration of emergency and service vehicles, and locals vendors.

It is free to attend.

The Browns Mill Recreation Center is at 5101 Browns Mill Road in Lithonia.

For more information, email Eric Handy at ehandy5@ yahoo.com.

Students at Greenforest-McCalep Christian Academy are helping save the earth while honoring the memory of their late alum, Erica Lanier.

The students have blue recycling bins in all of the school’s 25 classrooms as part of a Recycling Program launched on April 13.

The program – conceived by Erica’s parents, Ericson and Glenene Lanier, comes nine months after the tragic death of their daughter at age 21.

Erica Lanier, who was passionate about life and environmental advocacy, was an education major at Spelman Col- Erica Lanier lege when she was killed on July 26, 2017, in a one-car accident on Marietta Street in downtown Atlanta. Her best friend, who was driving the car, was charged with DUI and vehicular homicide.

Erica attended Greenforest-McCalep Academy from pre-K to high school, and was a standout scholar and a former Miss Greenforest.

The Laniers partnered with the academy and DeKalb County Sanitation Division to launch the Greenforest Recycling Program, which was their daughter’s dream.

At the launch, family, friends, church members and

DeKalb County officials celebrated Erica’s vision, and a proclamation from DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond proclaimed April 13, 2018, as Erica Lanier Recycling Program Day in DeKalb County.

District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson, who presented the proclamation to the Lanier family, told academy students that they too can make an impact like Erica did.

“You don’t have to be a certain age to have things named in your honor,” Johnson said. “You can start building your legacy right now and Erica did that.”

Erica also was the founder of the nonprofit Gifted Girls of Grace, which cultivates and enriches the lives of teenage girls through sisterhood, culture, etiquette, and self-empowering activities.

Her parents said that in the last years of her life, she became interested in recycling and began researching pollution caused by waste and how to reduce it.

Because of Erica, her parents say they now recycle at home and don’t use disposable plates made of foam.

Glenene Lanier said she believes Erica would be delighted with their efforts to keep her legacy alive.

“I know that she’s smiling down on us,” she said, wiping tears from her eyes.

State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 18FM4140-3 Andre Askew PLAINTIFF VS Quaterrious Askew DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Quaterrious Askew 3719 Central Drive Stone Mountain, GA 30083

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 13, 2018. You are hereby notified that Apr. 13, 2018, 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 Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Andre Askew, 1244 Weston Drive, Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 13, 2018.

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

This the 16th day of April

Legal Notices 04/21, 04/28, 05/05, 05/12

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

Civil Action Case Number: 18FM3791 Tiffany Henderson PLAINTIFF VS Jermond Henderson DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Jermond Henderson 4988 Wedgewood Place Lithonia, GA 30058

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 16, 2018. You are hereby notified that Mar. 16, 2018, 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 Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is Tiffany Henderson, 2416 Piering Drive, Lithonia, GA 30038.

Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 16, 2018.

Witness the Honorable Daniel Coursey, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 16th day of April

in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 18FM1598-10 Faye Smith PLAINTIFF VS Ricky Smith DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO:

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 13, 2018. You are hereby notified that Jan. 26, 2018, the above-named Plaintiff

04/21, 04/28, 05/05, 05/12

Notice of Petition

filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Faye Smith, 4900 Central Drive, Stone Mountain, GA 30083.

Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 13, 2018.

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

This the 13th day of April 04/21, 04/28, 05/05, 05/12

Notice of Petition in the Superior Court

04/21, 04/28, 05/05, 05/12

Notice of PUBLICATION

of DeKalb County

in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 16FM7152-5 Daniele Simone Telfer PLAINTIFF VS Jethro Kis Senat DEFENDANT NOTICE OF PUBLICATION TO: Jethro Kis Senat

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Apr. 17, 2018. You are hereby notified that Jun. 28, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Custody Order. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Deborah A. Johnson, 246 Sycamore St., Site 120, Decatur, GA 30030. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Apr. 17, 2018.

Witness the Honorable Gregory A. Adams, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 18th day of April

DeKalb County Sheriff Office

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

Sex Offender

Carlton Baker 1973 Corners Circle, Lithonia, GA 30058 Charge of Aggravated Child Molestation Convicted 05 29 2009

Sex Offender

Charles Williams 3904 Durham Park Rd., Stone Mountain, GA 30083 Charge of Sexual Battery Convicted 12 21 2017

Sex Offender

Darryl Woodley 6394 Alford Circle, Lithonia, GA 30058 Charges of Rape and Incest Convicted 06 19 2000

Sex Offender

Michael Goodwin 1819 Mountain Industrial Blvd., Room 247, Tucker, GA 30084 Charge of Possession of Child Pornography Convicted 05 20 2014

Sex Offender

Elijah Joseph 2054 Pintail Cove, Lithonia GA 30058 Charge of Sexual Misconduct Convicted 07 29 2015

Sex Offender

Richard Cervantes 2050 Peachtree Industrial Ct., Room 315, Chamblee, GA 30340 Charge Computer Pornography Convicted 12 21 2017

Sex Offender

James McLaury 1973 Corners Circle, Lithonia, GA 30058 Charge of Sexual Assault of Person Under 14 Convicted 07 15 1996

Sex Offender

Stephen Williams 6103 Marbut Rd., Lithonia, GA 30058 Charge of Taking Indecent Liberties with Minor Convicted 03 12 2018

Sex Offender

Marcus Feldman 1507 Dillard Rd., Stone Mountain, GA 30088 Charge of False Imprisonment Convicted 06 25 2003

Sex Offender

Timothy Wilson 2602 Brittany Park Cove, Ellenwood GA 30294 Charge of Sexual Battery Convicted 03 16 2009

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

Sex Offender

Melvin Wilson 1324 Friendly Heights Blvd., Decatur, GA 30035 Charge of Sexual Battery Convicted 03 14 2018

CrossRoadsNews

May 5, 2018

Youth

7

“It literally opens doors, and gives me the confidence I need to push and challenge myself even further.”

Stephenson grad wins prestigious Jack Kent Cook scholarship

By Tekia L. Parks

Stephenson High School alum Amadou Bah has won the prestigious national Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.

Bah, a 2015 Stephenson graduate, is studying engineering at George State University where his 4.0 GPA has landed him on the President’s List in fall 2016, and in spring and fall 2017.

Bah, who attends GSU’s two-year Perimeter College, is one of 47 scholars nationwide – and the only one from Georgia – selected for the 2018 scholarship, which provides up to $40,000 a year for up to three years to community college students seeking to complete their studies for a bachelor’s degree at four-year colleges or universities.

Bah’s JKCF scholarship will pay education expenses including tuition, room and board, books and other fees at a four-year college of his choice for the next two to three years.

Bah, 21, said it offers him a lot of options.

“It literally opens doors, and gives me the confidence I need to push and challenge myself even further,” he said.

Bah is awaiting responses from Carnegie Mellon, MIT and Georgia Tech.

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation scholars are selected based on academic ability, persistence, leadership, and service to others.

Amadou Bah has won a Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship, which provides up to $40,000 for up to three years to community college students seeking to complete their studies for a bachelor’s degree.

They must have a GPA of 3.92 and median adjusted gross annual income of $5,000.

The oldest of four siblings, Bah says the scholarship will ease the financial burden on his family, which has two other kids in college. He said the scholarship frees him up to focus completely on his education.

“My parents have supported me greatly throughout my academic journey, sharing my worries,” he said. “It makes me happy

that this will provide them with a peace of mind.”

To win the scholarship, Bah wrote five essay topics – explaining his experience at a community college, naming a way in which he has contributed to the community, his favorite subject, something interesting that he doesn’t usually talk about, and something important going on in the world right now.

He said that taking AP classes at Stephenson helped mold him into to the scholar he has become.

Bah credits his 11th/12th grade counselor, Lolita Richards-Baker, and AP math teacher Thomas Birney with helping guide him through his last two years at the school and in choosing his college.

“They told me what to do and how to challenge yourself,” he said.

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CrossRoadsNews

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