CrossRoadsNews, November 21, 2015 by CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

Kudos ...

Come on now ...

... to the DeKalb Police South Precinct and Keep DeKalb Beautiful for organizing volunteers and residents to clean up Ember Drive in Decatur on Nov. 14.

Words cannot adequately describe the person responsible for dumping televisions and other household trash along Snapfinger Road near the South River.

Litter Makes Us All Look Bad JOIN US IN THE EFFORT TO KEEP OUR STREETS CLEAN A PUBLIC SERVICE MESSAGE FROM CROSSROADSNEWS

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

November 21, 2015

Volume 21, Number 30

www.crossroadsnews.com

Charter Commission proposed to study DeKalb government By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

A Joint Charter Commission to study DeKalb’s CEO form of government has been proposed and will come before the Board of Commissioners at its Dec. 15 meeting. Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton, who represents District 4, proposed the resolution at the board’s Nov. 17 meeting and made a motion to defer discussion. The resolution calls for a 10-member Joint Charter Commission to review the county’s governance structure, examine the pros and cons of the CEO and other forms of government, and report its findings to the DeKalb Senate and House delegations “no later than Dec. 1, 2016.”

Barnes Sutton said she is pushing for a study group to provide a good equitable document for the county. “I wouldn’t want changes to a knee-jerk reaction,” she said. “I want it to be done right. I wanted to try to make this an equitable process.” The Charter Commission members, who will be appointed jointly by the House and Senate delega- Sharon B. Sutton tions, will make up a cross section of citizens representing the county’s diverse interests. The House delegation will appoint five members, and the Senate, five. Each will

designate a chair who will co-chair the commission. All members will serve at no cost, but DeKalb government will provide up to $100,000 to the commission to secure expert resources to support its work. The resolution recommends that the Charter Commission meet at the Maloof Auditorium in Decatur. It also calls for the commission’s recommendations to be determined by a majority vote of its members. The proposed BOC resolution follows up on a recommendation from the DeKalb Operations Task Force that met in 2014 but felt it did not have enough information and time to adequately review the county’s governance structure or Organizational Act for the purpose of recommending change. The task

force expressed a need for a charter commission to study governance and the act. DeKalb, which has had its present form of government since 1981, is the only county in Georgia with a CEO form of government that functions similar to a municipality. On adoption by the BOC, the Joint Charter Commission will be one of three efforts focusing on county government. Blueprint II kicked off on Nov. 16 at the South DeKalb Senior to examine the county’s governance structure, and state Rep. Scott Holcomb says he is working on legislation to eliminate the CEO position and to provide residents the opportunity to vote on it in a referendum.

See Blueprints II, Page 3

A Season for giving Thanks

Breast cancer survivor grateful for good news State Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler urges screenings By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

After months of biopsy, surgeries and radiation, state Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler got some good news on Nov. 9. “My doctor told me I was cancer-free,” she said. “I am going to celebrate for the rest of my life.” Dawkins-Haigler got her diagnosis of breast cancer at the end of January after experiencing sharp pains in her left breast. The discomfort sent her to the doctor two months early to take her annual mammogram. But even as she went through the process of confirming “the something” her doctor saw on X-rays, Dawkins-Haigler said she was never frightened. “No one in my family had ever had breast cancer,” she said. “I just thought I was having some problem with fatty tissue.” Dawkins-Haigler (D-Lithonia) has represented House District 91, which covers portions of DeKalb and Rockdale counties, since 2008. She is an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where she has served as a pastor, teacher, evangelist, and mentor, and is a motivational speaker and life coach. She also is executive director of TIME 1000, a nonprofit she established to help 1,000 women and minorities get elected to public office. Dawkins-Haigler keeps a busy schedule traveling the world as a minister and for DDH & Associates, her business consulting firm. Through TIME 1000, she trains women from Liberia, Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Gambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo on gender issues, education and seeking elective office. She had a trip to Africa planned and did not get around to taking her biopsy

Special to CrossRoadsNews

State Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler in May before radiation for breast cancer with her husband, David, and children Hannah (from left), Joshua and Christyn. Christopher is absent.

“I am just so thankful to be able to wake up and see my children continue to grow. I am thankful I am still here.” Dee Dawkins-Haigler

until Jan. 26. Her results were back in a couple of days and she went to the doctor alone on Jan. 28 for her results. When she got the news, she remembers being silent for a long moment. “My doctor finally said, ‘Did you hear what I said,’” she recalled. Dawkins-Haigler said she was immediately speechless because her mind went into

So far, Christopher’s daughter and son, Amari, 3, and Kingston, 1, are their only grandchildren. When she got the news, Christyn was out of the country on vacation, so DawkinsHaigler gathered her other three children and told them that their mother had cancer. “They looked at me and said, “‘What do we do now,’” she said. “They wanted to know, ‘Where do we go from here.’ “I said we just pray.” Dawkins-Haigler’s father, Charlie Butler Sr., went to bed in March 2014 and never woke up, so her mother, Peggy, took the news hard. “She immediately went into a panic,” she said. “Because of what had happened with my dad, she thought everyone was about to die. She was very concerned.” Dawkins-Haigler’s options were a partial or full mastectomy. “I did catch it early,” she said. “I chose partial.” She had surgery in March to remove the cancer, but they didn’t get all of it on the first try. “They went back in two weeks later,” she said. “They had to go all the way to my sternum. They came within one centimeter of having to remove my entire breast.” “I said to God, ‘If you spare my life, I will continue to work for people,’” she said. “God spared my life and I will continue to work for others.” It took her three months to complete her eight weeks of radiation. The last one was at the end of September. At the end of this month, she will start pills that she will take for the next five years. Through it all, Dawkins-Haigler said she never doubted for one minute that she would come out OK – even if she lost one or both breasts. She said she always saw herself healed. “I never had a moment of breaking

acceptance mode. “My first thought was, ‘I can beat this,’” she said. “I have such a strong faith in God, I knew I would be OK.” On her way home, she called her husband, David H. Haigler Jr., a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, who was out of town. The college sweethearts who met during their first year at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, S.C., have been married for 22 years. Dawkins-Haigler said they were inseparable from the day they met, right away and spent their last year in college planning their wedding. They tied the knot in June 1993. They have four children – Christopher, 24; Christyn, 23; Hannah, 16; and Joshua, Please see DAWKINS-HAIGLER, page 2 14.

CrossRoadsNews

Holiday

November 21, 2015

“When I travel to California and Colorado, I get the cannabis oil and cream, which helps. But I can’t bring it home because it’s illegal here.”

Hosea Feed the Hungry hosting thousands for Thanksgiving By Ken Watts

More than 4,000 homeless and disadvantaged individuals and families will dine at the Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless annual Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 26 at the Georgia World Congress Center in downtown Atlanta. The dinner, which began in 1971, provides turkey and all the fixings to adults and children who lack the opportunity to prepare their own Thanksgiving meal. Hundreds of volunteers will cook the meal overnight on Nov. 25 at the DeKalb County Jail in Decatur and serve the throngs starting at 10 a.m. Thanksgiving Day. At the annual turkey drop on Nov. 12 at the jail, trucks from Kroger and Publix delivered 768 turkeys and 72 hams. The two grocers are annual supporters of the meal organized and served by the DeKalb-based nonprofit. HFTH Chief Operating Officer Afemo Omilami also received checks totaling $22,500 to help purchase side items and desserts. Public relations official Charles Rivera presented a $15,000 check from Atlanta law firm Kanner and Pintaluga.

HFTH founder and late civil rights leader Hosea Williams, said the agency rebranded itself as Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless-Hosea Helps this year to emphasize that it serves the disadvantaged year-round by delivering food, clothing and rent assistance. “Our main clients are the working poor who suffered job loss or disability,” Omilami said. “A lot of us are two or three missed paychecks away from being in need.” DeKalb Sheriff Jeffrey Mann said he is proud that his jail’s large kitchen will again serve as the preparation site for the dinner the night before Thanksgiving. “It’s a labor of love that brings out the best in people,” Mann said. “Through our gates we’ve welcomed hundreds Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews of men and women who have come to this facility who could Charles Rivera (left) presented a $15,000 check to Afemo have otherwise been home with their families.” Omilami at the annual turkey drop on Nov. 12. Top chef Daryl Shular of the Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School will supervise preparation of the meal. HFTH also serves Christmas dinner on Dec. 25. Donors can make contributions at www.4hosea.org. “We can purchase food items at lower prices than the public can so the money donations are also crucial to what Donate food at the DeKalb Jail at 4415 Memorial Drive or the HFTH office, 1035 Donnelly Ave. S.W. in Atlanta. we do,” Omilami said. Omilami, who is married to Elisabeth Omilami, daughter

Everyone deserves ‘seat at the table’ for medical marijuana conversation DAWKINS-HAIGLER,

from page

down,” she said on Nov. 14. “I knew that God would not leave me or forsake me. I had the end in mind. I knew this was a process I had to go through to be healed.” On Nov. 26, when she goes home to Columbia, S.C., for their annual Thanksgiving family gathering, she said it will be extra special. “I am alive and cancer-free,” she said. More than 25 family members, relatives and friends will share the meal prepared by her mother, grandmother, aunt, brother Charles Jr., and even David. Dawkins-Haigler said everyone in her

family cooks, except her, who while growing up was encouraged by both her mother and grandmother to concentrate on her studies and not the kitchen. She said they will start prepping the turkey and all the fixings on Wednesday. “There will be turkey, of course, and fried chicken, baked chicken, mac ‘n’ cheese and so on,” she said. Before they sit down at several tables to share in the bounty, Dawkins-Haigler said they will join hands and pray together. “I am just so thankful to be able to wake up and see my children continue to grow,” she said. “I am thankful I am still here.” Dawkins-Haigler, who was born on Jan.

Title I & Title III Families Achieving Success Together Conference Yes, We Will Educate…Yes, We Will Participate…Yes, We Will Graduate… Educators, Parents and Students Working Together!

Saturday, December 5, 2015 Administrative Instructional Complex (AIC) 1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard Stone Mountain, Georgia 30083 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Informational Sessions ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒

Communicating with Your School ACCESS for EL Testing Family Literacy Let’s Talk Title I District Parent Involvement Policy ⇒ The New Face of the Title I Parent-School Compact ⇒ “Survey Says”: How Can the 1% Parent Involvement Set-Aside Be Spent?

⇒ Parents and Technology “Get Connected” Keeping Up with Your Student on the Net

31, said she has a new birthday now. “When you have cancer, you celebrate milestones,” she said. Since her diagnosis, she has become a poster child for helping people to get screenings. Most weekends she is crisscrossing four speaking engagements to churches, legislative gatherings, community groups and nonprofits. She was especially busy during October, observed nationally as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Decked out in her pink suits, she gave her pink-and-white Breast Cancer Month scarves to her friends and people she met. She says early detection saves lives and she has been able to encourage women within the sound of her voice to get screened. Even though her radiation treatment is over, because of scar tissue from her surgeries, Dawkins-Haigler says she still has pain that she hopes will eventually go away. Until then, she has made it her mission to work for the legalization of medical marijuana in Georgia. “When I travel to California and Colorado, I get the cannabis oil and cream, which helps,” she said. “But I can’t bring it home because it’s illegal here.” Denied that natural remedy, she has been reduced to taking narcotic painkillers like Oxycodone and Tramadol. “I don’t want to do that, but that’s what I have to do,” she said. “My goal now is to pass legislation so that Georgia can grow, manufacture and sell medical cannabis here.” Dawkins-Haigler also has added sicklecell to the list of diseases that medical marijuana can be used for. She also plans to amend House Bill 1 that

⇒ Making a Positive Diﬀerence in the Lives of Children with Disabilities

passed the General Assembly in March to add lupus and HIV/AIDS, which disproportionately affect African-Americans. HB1 approved a limited form of cannabis oil to treat cancer, Crohn’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), mitochondrial disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, seizure disorders and sickle-cell disease. She also is working to introduce another bill to decriminalize marijuana. Dawkins-Haigler said she has to tackle the issue in three separate laws because it’s going to be a difficult fight. She said incremental progress is better than none. “It’s going to be a long battle,” she said. Already she has helped facilitate Minority Medical Cannabis Commission Hearings to gather information and recommendations from the African-American and Latino communities that have been excluded from the conversation. The Georgia Medical Cannabis Commission does not have any African-American doctors, legislators or law enforcement members. Dawkins-Haigler said it’s a travesty that African-Americans and Latinos have been left out of the conversation. “We represent a large majority of the state and we want to make sure everyone has a voice and a seat at the table,” she said. The Georgia Legislative Black Caucus has completed two hearings into the proposed laws and is planning a third before the 2016 legislative session begins in January. “I am thankful to continue to work for my constituents,” she said. “I am grateful that God chose me to tell my story.”

this holiday season

⇒ Georgia Milestones and Testing ⇒ Understanding the Math Curriculum ⇒ What’s up with the Flexible Learning Program?

Boogaloos

⇒ Interpreters ⇒ Transportation

⇒ Refreshments ⇒ Child Care

⇒ Door Prizes

Greene’s Fine Foods Natural Body Spa

For additional information or questions contact: Brenda Y. Williams, Title I Coordinator, Ofﬁce of Federal Programs 678.676.0312 or email Brenda_Y_Williams@dekalbschoolsga.org Or Dr. Evelyn Hall, EL Program Coordinator, Int’l Student Screening 678.676.6602 or email Evelyn_F_Hall@dekalbschoolsga.org

Look for Terrific Thursdays, Small Business Saturday (and Sunday!), and free events all over Decatur this season. visitdecaturgeorgia.com/terrificthursdays visitdecaturgeorgia.com visitdecaturgeorgia.com #holidaydecaturga Decatur-crossroads-nov21-2015.indd 1

decaturga

downtowndecatur

decaturga 11/13/15 4:45 PM

CrossRoadsNews

November 21, 2015

Community

“I think the question that needs to be asked is, If we change the form of government, is my quality of life going to be better?”

DeKalb residents divided over best form of county government By Ken Watts

After years of corruption and scandals, the conversation about DeKalb’s CEO form of government took off Nov. 16 with a lively discussion among residents from across the county at the South DeKalb Senior Center in Decatur. Blueprint II, a coalition of community organizations and individuals, sponsored the talks on whether to change the county’s form of government. More than 150 people attended. Super District 6 Commissioner Kathie Gannon, who represents portions of South, Central and North DeKalb, hosted the forum. She said it is time to have the conversation and propose changes. Examination of the county’s form of government comes in the wake of Blueprint I that met 2013 to 2015 and produced an independent auditor, changes in the county’s purchasing rules, and Ethics Board reforms. On Tuesday, there was no consensus on the way forward.

More than 150 residents attended a Nov. 16 Blueprint II forum on whether to change DeKalb County’s form of government.

Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews

Forum participants were divided over whether reform should include switching from a CEO-led governmental structure to another system such as a county manager and board of commissioners. Several people said that if DeKalb goes to a county-manager system, it would have to make sure that the county manager is able to

do the job without retaliation from department heads or commissioners. Charles Peagler, a 30-year South DeKalb resident, said he is skeptical of any effort to overhaul the government. “I think the question that needs to be asked is, If we change the form of government, is my quality of life going to be better?”

said Peagler, who is president of Kings Ridge subdivision in Decatur. “If you look at counties that have had county managers, they’ve had corruption too.” Sandy Johnson of Decatur wanted to know how a citizens study group could propose a government change while neighborhoods try to form new cities and old cities try to annex county land. “So is it your intent to go ahead and form a study group while all these other things go on and the Blueprint group has no authority,” she asked. Gannon said Blueprint I faced the same problem and issues such as cityhood could stretch on for years. “You will have to be fluid and flexible in the way you go about your planning as events unfold,” she said. State Rep. Scott Holcomb (D-Atlanta), who attended the forum but did not speak, has proposed legislation to convert the current CEO-led government to a system run by an elected chairman, with daily duties shared by a CEO, a board of commissioners and a professional county manager.

Garbage cart compliance deadline extended Community issues for SDIA DeKalb residents now have until Dec. 31 to comply with county-issued garbage roll carts and recycling. On Jan. 1, DeKalb Sanitation will only provide trashcollection service at homes with county-issued garbage roll carts and recycling containers. Customer-provided yard trimmings containers are exempt from the new procedure. The use of secure, durable plastic bags for excess garbage disposal is permitted. The compliance deadline was extended from Oct. 19. Residents who are not in compliance on Jan. 1 will

Join us on Saturday, November 21st for a fun day of free bingo with prizes, light refreshments and lots of FUN! Bring your Medicare eligible friends to see who takes home the most prizes!

be issued a notice advising them of the use of an unauthorized garbage or recycling container. Customers who lack county-issued garbage roll carts or would like to join the recycling program and obtain a county-issued 18-gallon recycling bin can email sanitation@dekalbcountyga.gov or call 404294-2900. Phase II of the sanitation service change program, which focuses on recycling, began in October. Recycling roll carts with a 65-gallon capacity will be available for a one-time $15 fee. Visit www.rollingforwardtoone.com.

Individuals, homeowners groups, churches, and other organizations can attend the South DeKalb Improvement Association’s Nov. 21 meeting to discuss community issues. The meeting takes place at 9:30 a.m. at Berean Community Center, 2440 Young Road in Stone Mountain. The mic will be open for residents to voice their opinions, and there will be an open forum on code compliance, economic development, education, housing, public safety and other topics. The nonprofit SDIA seeks to collaborate with other community organizations, public officials, nonprofits, and businesses to address community concerns. To join or for more information, email SDIAinc@gmail.com.

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CrossRoadsNews

November 21, 2015

“It’s important to help children – sick children and the ones who are well too. Everybody needs to feel loved.”

Letters to Santa program now available at Macy’s 2346 Candler Rd. Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007 www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Assistant Editor Brenda Yarbrough Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Ken Watts Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Circulation Manager Alexandria LeKae Ford Graphic Design Curtis 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.

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Three-year-old Sylvester “SJ” Hollis is just learning to write, but that didn’t stop him from dictating a letter to Santa on Nov. 13 while shopping with his father, Ernest, at Macy’s at the Gallery at South DeKalb. SJ, as his dad calls him, was happy to sit on the bench at the Macy’s Believe Station in the kids department to dictate a list of toys that he would like for Christmas while his dad wrote his “Dear Santa” letter for him. “I want Star Wars, Power Ranger and a Christmas tree,” he said. Father and son were shopping for holiday clothes in the kids department when they saw the official red-and-gold R.H. Macy’s Santa Mail Box and red-and-white stationery for Macy’s annual MakeA-Wish Foundation campaign that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. For every letter it receives, Macy’s will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, up to $1 million. Hollis said the campaign, which is in its eighth year, is a worthy cause. “It’s important to help children – sick children and the ones who are well too,” he said. “Everybody needs to feel like they are loved.” Since 2008, Macy’s has donated more than $83 million to Make-AWish. The nonprofit has granted more than 254,000 wishes since it started in 1980. Last year, it granted its most wishes ever – 14,200 – in a single year.

Sylvester “SJ” Hollis, 3, dictates his “Dear Santa” letter to dad Ernest at Macy’s at the Gallery at South DeKalb on Nov. 13. Macy’s donates $1 to Make-A-Wish for each letter received.

Terry Lundgren, Macy’s chairman and CEO, said a wish experience can make a difference in a sick child’s treatment. “It can be a pivotal point in the course of a child’s treatment, making them feel better, and in some cases even help them get better,” he said. The 2015 campaign got under way on Nov. 6. Letters can be turned in through Dec. 24 at any Macy’s store, at macys.com/believe, and written with the new Macy’s Wish Writer stylus and app available in the App store. There is no age limit to submit letters. Last year, customers turned in hundreds of letters to the Macy’s at the Gallery at South DeKalb on Candler Road in Decatur. Store manager Terry Young says she wants to beat what they did last year.

She is encouraging area day care centers, elementary schools, churches and community groups to organize children to write letters to help Macy’s donate $1 million. “The more letters we get, the more wishes that will be granted,” she said. Customers can pick up free stationery at the store and return the stamped handwritten letters to the mail box on the store’s lower level. The Believe campaign was inspired by the New York Sun’s famous Sept. 21, 1897, editorial, “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus,” affirming the existence of Santa Claus in answer to Virginia O’Hanlon’s letter to the editor. “I am 8 years old,” she wrote. “Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says, ‘If you see it in the Sun, it’s so.’ Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?”

This year, Macy’s is observing its National Believe Day on Dec. 11 when it doubles donations to $2 for each letter received, up to $500,000. Young said teachers, community and church leaders can get copies in bulk from the store for their classes and groups. To access the Believe 2015 Guide for Teachers & Community Leaders, visit macys.com/believe. It is chock-full of letter-writing plans and project ideas. Lundgren, Macy’s CEO, said that since 2008, it has received countless inspiring stories and touching letters from people of all ages. “As a community leader, you are in a unique position to really make a difference,” he said. “Inspire your students, peers, family and friends to get involved by writing their letters, too.”

Mayors’ Christmas Motorcade collecting gifts, donations Donations of clothing and personal care items and holiday sweets are being accepted through early December at Avondale Estates City Hall for the Mayors’ Christmas Motorcade. The collection drive for adult men and women’s clothes, personal care items, and individually wrapped candy and cookies benefits patients of the Georgia Regional Hospital who have developmental

disabilities and behavioral health needs. On Dec. 2, the DeKalb mayors’ annual Christmas Motorcade will visit the hospital at 3073 Panthersville Road in Decatur to deliver the gifts. Each year, mayors and cities work with the Georgia Municipal Association to collect items most needed by the patients. Georgia Regional Hospital staff

and those from similar Georgia hospitals say that without the Mayors’ Christmas Motorcade, many of their clients would not receive a gift for the holidays. GMA began the motorcade in 1959 at the request of then-Gov. Ernest Vandiver as a way of providing holiday gifts for the patients of Georgia’s mental health hospitals. Gifts not handed out during Christmas holidays are used for

client birthdays or given to newly arrived clients, who may need many of the items. The hospital also needs cash and ribbons and bows. Visit www.gmanet.com/Training-Events/Mayors-Christmas-Motorcade.aspx for a list of suggested new and unwrapped gifts. For monetary gifts, make checks payable to the GRHA Patient Benefit Fund.

Cheaper gas encouraging more Thanksgiving travel When it’s time to give thanks, Americans hit the road in droves. This year between Nov. 25-29, about 46.9 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home to share the Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. AAA Travel says that is the most since 2007 and motorists can expect gas prices that are lower than 2014 levels. Nearly 42 million Americans will take a road trip, an increase of 0.7 percent over last year. Air travel is expected to rise by 0.1 percent, with 3.6 million

Circulation Audited By

flying to their destinations. Travel by other modes, including cruises, trains and buses, will decrease 1.4 percent to 1.4 million. With 300,000 or 0.6 percent more travelers, AAA says this is the seventh consecutive year of growth for Thanksgiving travel. In 2014, 46.6 million people traveled. Marshall Doney, AAA president and CEO, said that while many people remain cautious about the economy and their finances, visiting family takes precedence. “Many thankful Americans

continue to put a premium on traveling to spend the holiday with loved ones,” he said in a Nov. 17 statement. He said more than 89 percent of travelers who drive to their destinations will encounter the lowest Thanksgiving gas prices Marshall Doney since 2008. In just one day, the price of premium gas at the QuikTrip at

Wesley Chapel Road and Rainbow Drive declined 3 cents from $2.45 a gallon from $2.48. “Lower prices are helping boost disposable income and enabling families to kick off the holiday season with a Thanksgiving getaway,” Doney said. Consumers are saving nearly $265 million on gas every day compared to a year ago. The national average price for a gallon on Nov. 17 was $2.15, 65 cents less than the $2.80 average price last year. Visit AAA.com/Travel.

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CrossRoadsNews

November 21, 2015

Holiday

Baskets include turkey and all the trimmings, ham, vegetables, other side dishes and desserts.

Denominations hosting Thanksgiving services, outreach Three congregations – Big Miller Grove Baptist, First Afrikan Presbyterian and Ousley United Methodist – along Panola Road in Lithonia are joining together on Nov. 24 for their annual Thanksgiving Service. This year Ousley UMC is hosting the service, and Big Miller Grove’s Bishop Miles Fowler will preach. Miles Fowler The First Afrikan Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Choir will sing. The service starts at 7 p.m. Ousley UMC is at 3261 Panola Road. For more information, call 770-981-0180.

annual joint Thanksgiving Worship and Potluck at 6 p.m. on Nov. 23 at Rock of Ages Lutheran Church. Also participating are Memorial Drive Presbyterian and St. Timothy United Methodist. Rock of Ages is at 5135 Memorial Drive. For more information, call 404-292-7888.

New Birth Community Outreach Individuals and families can attend the Thanksgiving Blessing Community Outreach on Nov. 21 at New Birth Missionary Baptist in Lithonia. The noon-to-2 p.m. event includes health screenings, healthy cooking, physical fitness demos, a clothing drive, and family activities. The church is at 6400 Woodrow Road. To register, visit Rock of Ages hosts joint service Three Stone Mountain congregations are holding their www.newbirth.org or call 770-696-9600.

Five churches co-host service in Lithonia Five churches in the city of Lithonia are co-hosting their annual Community Thanksgiving Service on Nov. 22 at Rockland United Methodist Church. Other sponsors are Lithonia First UMC, Antioch-Lithonia Missionary Baptist Church, First Saint Paul AME, and First Baptist Church of Lithonia. The Rev. Dr. Marvin Crawford, pastor of First Saint Paul, will preach and Marvin Crawford the Antioch Male Chorus will perform. The service starts at 5 p.m. Rockland UMC is at 6747 Rockland Road in Lithonia.

200 families getting Thanksgiving baskets

Saint Philip AME service Members of Saint Philip AME will give praise and thanks to God at a special Thanksgiving Day service on Nov. 26. The service begins at 10 a.m. The theme is 1 Chronicles 16:34: “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love endures forever.” The church is at 240 Candler Road in Atlanta. For more information, call 404-371-0749.

North DeKalb Mall presents

Santa

s Clau

Arrives Nov. 21

Santa’s Schedule

at 10:00 a.m.

Business Hours Saturday, 11/21 10am – 8pm Breaks: 1 -2pm and 5– 5:30pm Sunday, 11/22 1pm – 6pm Break: 3:30 – 4pm Thanksgiving Week 10am – 8pm

More than 200 families will get help with their holiday meal on Nov. 23 at Crossroads Presbyterian Church in Stone Mountain. The nonprofit Deskan Institute & Training Inc.’s Thanksgiving Dinner Giveaway takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Baskets include turkey and all the trimmings, ham, vegetables, other side dishes and desserts. The church is at 5587 Redan Road. To contribute or for more information, visit www.deskan.net or call 770-498-2152 or 678-600-5579.

CLOSED Thursday 11/26 for Thanksgiving! Thereafter – Monday-Saturday 10am-8pm Breaks: 1 – 2pm and 5 – 5:30pm Sundays 1- 6pm Break: 3:30 – 4pm

Interfaith nature walk to focus on thankfulness The Rev. Marti Keller leads a discussion focusing on thankfulness at the Interfaith Naturalist Walk – Soapstone Ridge on Nov. 22. The 1:30-to-4 p.m. outing co-hosted by EcoAddendum and Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta takes place at a historic forest in DeKalb County’s Soapstone Ridge area. Keller is a Unitarian Marti Keller Universalist minister, FAMA board member emeritus, and poet. The naturalist part of the 1.5-mile walk includes tree identification, and participants will learn the history of this special corner of DeKalb, Fulton and Clayton counties where Native Americans came centuries ago to work the soft stone in the rock formations. Walkers can share inspirational thoughts. To register and for directions, visit http:// www.ecoaddendum.org/event/interfaithnaturalist-walk-soapstone-ridge.

Thanksgiving Worship at Berean Berean Christian Church in Stone Mountain is holding a Thanksgiving Worship Service on Nov. 26. The service, which starts at 10 a.m., will focus on Psalm 95:2: “Let us come before him with Thanksgiving.” The church is at 2201 Young Road. For more information, visit call 770-593-4421.

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CrossRoadsNews

Holiday

November 21, 2015

The tradition observed on Thanksgiving Day for 67 years moves to Nov. 22 as Macy’s prepares to open its stores at 6 p.m. on Nov. 26.

Macy’s Great Tree lights up Sunday before Thanksgiving Day

For the first time in 68 years, thousands of metro Atlanta families will gather on the Sunday before Thanksgiving for Macy’s annual Great Tree Lighting at Lenox Square. The tradition, which was observed on Thanksgiving Day for 67 years, moves this year to Nov. 22 as Macy’s prepares to open its stores at 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day for the second consecutive year. Another 500,000 people will watch the tree lighting broadcast live on WSBTV, hosted by anchors Jovita Moore and Craig Lucie. Grammy-nominated multi-platinum artist and “American Idol” Jordin Sparks, American Music Award winners and Grammy-nominated MercyMe, and “Idol” alum and Dove Award winner Danny Gokey will headline preshow concerts at 6:30 p.m. Other performers include Macy’s All-Star Holiday Choir, Macy’s Great Tree Children’s Choir, and Macy’s Magical Stars. There also will be behind-the-scenes interviews with the performers. The lighting ceremony begins at The lighting ceremony for Macy’s Great Tree begins at 7 p.m. on 7 p.m. for the 56-foot tall tree that is

Jordin Sparks (above left), MercyMe and Danny Gokey (below) will perform at the Macy’s Great Tree Lighting on Nov. 22 at Lenox Square.

Patients of the Aflac Cancer Center and Blood Disorders Service at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta will be honorary tree-lighters, with Katheryn Brezina and Joel Littleton helping to “flip the switch” and illuminate the tree. The celebration will be capped by a fantastic fireworks finale set to holiday music. The Macy’s Great Tree will be on display through Jan. 2. decked with 45,000 LED lights, more Parking is limited and participants than eight miles of light strings and a are encouraged to use MARTA. giant star.

Sanford Center tree lighting on Nov. 24 Local performers will showcase The 2015 Festival of Trees and Community Christmas Tree Lighting their talents. The center is at 3181 Rainbow Ceremony takes place Nov. 24 at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Drive in Decatur. For more information, call 404-687-2751. Center at 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 22. The 56-foot tall tree is decked with 45,000 LED lights.

Holiday songs Stone Mountain annual Christmas parade, tree lighting Community groups, church choirs, bagfor free concert pipers, elves and jolly St. Nick will take to the Operatic bass/baritone Elias Benn will perform traditional Christmas favorites and Latin classics at a free concert on Nov. 29 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Stone Mountain. The 6 p.m. concert supports the release of the Atlanta-based vocalist’s 12-track Christmas CD, “Veni,” Latin for “Oh, Come.” A reception will follow. CDs will be available for sale after the concert; a portion of the sales will be donated to the church’s Capital Campaign. It features favorites such as “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” “Angels We Have Heard on High” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” along with classics “Ave Maria” and “Panis Angelicus.” The church is at 600 Mountain View Drive. For more information, visit www. corpuschristicc.org or call 770-469-0395.

streets of Stone Mountain Village on Nov. 27 for the city’s annual Christmas Parade and Fireworks Show. The festivities begin at 4 p.m. on Main Street and culminate with fireworks at 8 p.m. This year’s theme is “Jingle Bell Rocks.” Paraders are encouraged to bring flashlights. More than 45 floats have signed up for the parade. Prizes will be awarded for Best New Entry, Most Lights, and Best Overall floats. The tree lighting takes place at 7:15 p.m. The Corpus Christi Catholic Church Choir will sing carols, and Santa David Hirt Corner Restaurant in the afternoon, and will light the tree at dusk near the historic Andrew Fazackerly will play piano after the Train Depot. Fireworks follow immediately. Christmas Parade. There will be an Elf Corner at the Village ART Station is hosting its first Ugly Christmas Sweater Party after the tree lighting. Adults and children are encouraged to wear their ugly holiday sweaters to the parade and tree lighting and join the party afterward. Admission is $10. The winner gets two

Children can meet Santa at the Nov. 27 Christmas Parade and Fireworks Show in Stone Mountain Village. St. Nick will light the tree at dusk near the historic Train Depot.

tickets to Cirque du Soleil Kurios under the Grand Chapiteau at Atlantic Station. For more information call 770-469-1105. There also will be marshmallow roasting and hot chocolate. All of the city’s restaurants, shops and art galleries will be open. Volunteer and vending opportunities also are available. For more information, visit www.stonemountaincity.org.

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT (SSSP Shepherd Drive Decatur, LLC) D/B/A SIMPLY SELF STORAGE LOCATED AT (2804 HF Shepherd Drive) INTENDS TO SELL OR OTHERWISE DISPOSE OF THE PERSONAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED BELOW TO ENFORCE A LIEN IMPOSED ON SAID PROPERTY UNDER THE GEORGIA LAW 10-4-213. THE PUBLIC SALE OR OTHER DISPOSITION OF THE FOLLOWING PROPERTY WILL TAKE PLACE (UNLESS OTHERWISE WITHDRAWN) VIA AN ON-LINE AUCTION AT WWW.STORAGETREASURES.COM ON (December 16, 2015) BEGINNING AT APPROXIMATELY (10:00am) AND CONCLUDING ON (December 22, 2015) AT APPROXIMATELY (10:00am). THIS PUBLIC SALE WILL RESULT IN THE GOODS BEING SOLD TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER. CERTAIN TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY. Unit # Name A088 C007 C014

Carolyn D. Pullins Brenda Brown Reginald Dillard

Contents

Misc Items Misc Items Misc Items

Unit # Name C049 C288

Contents

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CrossRoadsNews

November 21, 2015

Holiday

Cook the turkey until it reaches 165 degrees. Check the temperature by inserting the thermometer in three places.

Safety first when preparing turkey for Thanksgiving feast A succulent turkey and all the trimmings are the goal of holiday cooks for Thanksgiving, often the largest meal they prepare each year. Getting it just right, especially the turkey, brings a fair amount of pressure whether the host is experienced or not. Foodsafety.gov offers these tips. Before cooking a turkey: n Read labels carefully. If serving a fresh turkey, purchase it no more than two days before Thanksgiving. n Buy two thermometers: a refrigerator

thermometer to ensure the turkey is stored at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or slightly below and a food thermometer to make sure the cooked turkey reaches a safe 165 F. n Thaw the turkey by using the microwave, the cold water method, or the refrigerator, which is USDA-recommended. When cooking a turkey: n Wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds before touching any food to prevent the spread of infection and illness. n Do not wash the turkey. This only spreads

pathogens onto kitchen surfaces. n Keep raw turkey separated from all other foods at all times. n Use separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils when handling raw turkey to avoid cross-contamination. n Cook the turkey until it reaches 165 degrees. Check the temperature by inserting the thermometer in three places: the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh, and the innermost part of the wing. When consuming leftovers:

n Refrigerate leftovers within two hours

and store in shallow pans or containers to decrease cooling time. n Do not store stuffing inside a leftover turkey – refrigerate separately. n Use the freezer to store leftovers for longer periods of time. n Keep leftovers in a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs if the food is traveling home with a guest who lives more than two hours away. Visit http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/ events/thanksgiving/index.html.

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CrossRoadsNews

November 21, 2015

803-842-4878

11/07, 11/14, 11/21, 11/28

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

Legal Notices 10/31, 11/07, 11/14, 11/21

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV10123-3++ Torrey Dixson Plaintiff Vs. November Dixson Defendant To: November Dixson 5223 W. Washington Chicago, IL 60644 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Oct. 13, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Sept. 29, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Torrey Dixson, 1661 Cobbs Creek Lane, Decatur, GA 30032. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Oct. 13, 2015.

Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 13th day of Oct., 2015 10/31, 11/07, 11/14, 11/21

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV7019-10++ Monica Dennis Plaintiff Vs. Casie Dennis Defendant To: By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Oct. 09, 2015 you are hereby notified that on Sept. 25, 2015, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Monica Dennis, 1311 Stone Mill

Ct., Apt. F, Stone Mountain, GA 30083. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Oct. 09, 2015. Witness the Honorable Tangela M. Barrie, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 15th day of Oct., 2015

Atlanta, GA 30316 470-551-7188

10/31, 11/07, 11/14, 11/21

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

10/31, 11/07, 11/14, 11/21

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV10692-4++ Ardelia Schkelia Ajala filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Oct. 20, 2015 to change name from: Ardelia Schkelia Ajala to Ardelia Schkelia Brown. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Oct. 16, 2015 Name: Ardelia Schkelia Ajala 2051 Flat Shoals Rd., #O4

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV10496-3++ Tameka Joy Redwood filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Oct. 15, 2015 to change the name(s) of the following minor child(ren) from: Javontahaine Nyamie Bolden to: Melsades-Laraine Ndey Amie Bolden. 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: Oct. 14, 2015 Name: Tameka Joy Redwood 4558 Plum Orchard Lane Stone Mountain, GA 30083

Civil Action Case Number: ++ 15CV10617-5 Annie G. Collier Jenkins filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Oct. 19, 2015 to change name from: Annie G. Collier Jenkins to Sadie Annie G. Collier Jenkins. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Oct. 15, 2015 Name: Annie G. Collier Jenkins 8101 Waldrop Pl. Decatur, GA 404-212-2344 11/07, 11/14, 11/21, 11/28

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV10626-2 Shartresse Ross Plaintiff Vs. Willie Ross, Jr. Defendant To: Willie Ross, Jr. 32 Wehunt Rd. Monticello, GA 31064 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Oct. 20, 2015 you are

hereby notified that the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Shartresse Ross, 1266 Live Oak Terrace, Lithonia, GA 30058. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Oct. 20, 2015. Witness the Honorable Asha F. Jackson, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 21st day of Oct., 2015 11/14, 11/21, 11/28, 12/05

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

Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV9778-3 Barbara Yarbrough Plaintiff Vs. Randal Curney Defendant To: Randal Curney 2500 Center St., C103 Atlanta, GA 30318 By Order of the Court for service by publication dated Nov. 10, 2015 you are hereby notified that the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of the Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Barbara Yarbrough. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Nov. 10, 2015. Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 10th day of Nov., 2015

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DeKalb County’s Department of Watershed Management Reminds Residents of the Best Practices for Proper Disposal of FOG What are Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG)? FOG is composed of the animal and vegetable fats and oils that are used to cook and prepare food. Where does FOG come from? • Baking goods • Food scraps • Sauces • Meat fat • Shortening

• Dairy products • Lard

• Butter and margarine • Cooking oil

What happens when FOG is not properly disposed of? FOG should be properly disposed of or recycled. It enters the plumbing system through home garbage disposals, kitchen sinks and toilets, coats the interior of pipes, and empties into the County's sewer system. Excessive accumulation of FOG in the sewer system will result in sanitary sewer overflows and sewage backup in homes and businesses. Sewage overflow repairs are costly for the County and its citizens, and can result in increased costs for water and sewer services. Here are three simple practices to help keep FOG out of our pipes and sewers: 1. POUR cooled fats, oils or grease into a sealable container and throw it in the trash. Do not pour down the sink or toilet. 2. SCRAPE plates and cookware before washing. Do not throw scraps of any kind down the sink. Instead, place them in waste containers or garbage bags. 3. WIPE excess grease from all plates, pots, pans, utensils and surfaces with a paper towel before washing. Throw the greasy paper towels away.

Remember, you can make a difference! Visit the DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management's FOG Program Online! www.dekalbwatershed.com/FOG 1580 Roadhaven Drive • Stone Mountain, GA 30083 • (770) 621-7200