COMMUNITY
SCENE
Rosy steps ahead
Path to remembrance
MLK High School’s “Kings of Halftime” Marching Band will perform in the prestigious Tournament of Roses Parade in 2017. 2
A message of healing will accompany participants in First Afrikan Church’s Ancestral Walk 2016 at the Atlanta University Center. 6
Litter... R Is unsightly R Lowers property values R Discourages investment R Is everyone’s problem R All of the above
Let’s Do Our Part to Keep DeKalb Beautiful
EAST ATLANTA • DECATUR • STONE MOUNTAIN • LITHONIA • AVONDALE ESTATES • CLARKSTON • ELLENWOOD • PINE LAKE • REDAN • SCOTTDALE • TUCKER
Copyright © 2016 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
September 10, 2016
Volume 22, Number 20
www.crossroadsnews.com
Bishop Eddie Long downplays reports of ‘grave illness’ By Ken Watts
said a close friend of Long told him that the pastor was hospitalized for treatment for an “unspecified gastrointestinal cancer.” In a statement sent to CrossRoadsNews on Sept. 6, Long, 63, acknowledged being sick but did not reveal the nature of the illness. “I am recovering from a health challenge that I trust God to deliver me from,” Long said. “It is unrelated to the eating for life diet consisting of mostly raw vegetables that I am continuing as part of a holistic approach to good health. At this time my family and I are requesting that you respect our privacy.
Bishop Eddie Long, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist in Lithonia, is shown (at far left) before his illness and in an Aug. 12 YouTube video after his dramatic weight loss.
After gaunt images of him surfaced on the internet, Bishop Eddie Long, pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, is playing down a report that he was hospitalized Aug. 31 with a “grave illness.” New Birth members and others were startled by the Aug. 15 Facebook video that showed Long’s dramatic weight loss that the pastor at first attributed to his new vegan raw diet. But on Sept. 5, the Christian Post, a nondenominational evangelical newspaper based in Washington, D.C., quoted a report by internet blogger William McCray III, who Please see LONG, page 2
First Afrikan Church joins fight against hunger New food pantry distributes 4,500 pounds a week By Ken Watts
Despite a recovering economy, First Afrikan Presbyterian Church and other South DeKalb churches are scrambling to fill a persistent need for food assistance. Every week the church provides food to families struggling to put dinner on the table. Aug. 17 was no different. More than 150 people lined up outside the Lithonia church’s Vanessa Knight building for emergency help or to supplement meager food supplies at home. Tory Dunlap, who works as a stock clerk at the Budweiser warehouse in Norcross, said the pantry has made a difference for his family. “Right now I’m also taking care of my disTory Dunlap abled mother-in-law so [the food assistance] is definitely a help,” he said. His household of five people includes his wife, Raketa Dobbins, who is unemployed, her little sister and father. Dobbins said her husband’s salary of $2,000 a month doesn’t go very far and the family gets only about $50 a month in food stamps. While it is tough now, Dunlap says he visualizes better times for his family. He is studying at Gwinnett Tech to become a paramedic. Church officials say the Dunlaps’ story is not untypical. Metro Atlanta’s unemployment rate in August was 5.3 percent, down significantly from the double digits of the 2007-2012 Great Recession, but salaries still lag and many families are struggling to make ends meet.
Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews
Clients “shop” for food at the First Afrikan Presbyterian Church Pantry on Aug. 17. The pantry is open weekly on Wednesdays.
Chamundi Guyton of Gwinnett County takes care of her 23-year-old niece who attends a day program for developmentally disabled adults. “We had reached the end of our food at home when I heard about the pantry,” Guyton said. “They had some bread, turkey burgers, hamburger and not much fruit left by the time I got in, but this will help me provide a balanced lunch for her.” Every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., First Afrikan volunteers distribute 4,500 pounds of fruits, vegetables, dry goods, canned goods, meats, dairy products and bread to those in need from throughout the
metro area. Angela Brown, executive director of the church’s 15-year-old nonprofit First Afrikan Community Development Corp., said food is distributed in a “client’s choice” format where people can Angela Brown shop for what they need as they would in a supermarket. “Sometimes you don’t know what people need so there’s no reason to give people boxes full of products that they might not be able to use because of food allergies or other rea-
sons,” Brown said. Since the church launched its food pantry in April, it has given out nearly 50,000 pounds of food. Brown said church members and First Afrikan pastor Dr. Mark Lomax had planned for a number of years to open a pantry because of the steady flow of people coming to the church for help. “Sometimes utilities, sometimes food, sometimes gas. The churches have always been a beacon in the community for when resources have gotten low for folks and they Please see PANTRY, page 2
CrossRoadsNews
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Community
September 10, 2016
“This is a dream come true. The Rose Parade is the highest mark that a marching band can receive.”
MLK band raising funds to march in 2017 Rose Bowl parade By Ken Watts
Martin Luther King Jr. High School’s “Kings of Halftime” Marching Band will be performing in the prestigious Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 2, 2017. In the next three months, they must raise $450,000 to fly the 225 band members across the country to participate in the “Echoes of Success” themed parade. The Lithonia school received its Rose Parade Flag – presented annually to selected bands – from Tournament of Roses President Brad Ratliff on Aug. 27 in front of hundreds of football fans during halftime at the MLKArabia Mountain game at Hallford Stadium in Clarkston. Ratliff said the flag presentation to MLK band director Travis Kimber makes the invitation, extended in September 2015, official. “Rose Parade bands are chosen on the basis of ‘musicianship, marching ability and entertainment value,’” he told the crowd. The Kings of Halftime band was selected after a lengthy audition and application process that required a video portfolio and recommendations from esteemed music educators from around the world. It is one of 21 bands from the United States, Mexico and Japan in the parade and the only band from Georgia represented. Nineteen of the bands were announced in February. The final two bands will come from the universities competing in the 103rd Rose Bowl game. Performing away from home is nothing
The MLK Jr. High School “Kings of Halftime” Marching Band will perform in the Jan. 2, 2017, Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif. The band is now raising $450,000 to take 225 band members to the parade.
new to the band. It also has performed at Ohio State University, in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, and in Johannesburg, South Africa. Kimber, who has taught band at the school since 2001, said he and the Kings of Halftime are deeply honored to be part of the parade.
“This is literally a dream come true,” Kimber said last week. “The Rose Parade is the highest mark that a marching band can receive. It’s the equivalent of a national championship for us.” Kimber says it will cost $2,000 each for members to make the trip to Pasadena.
“In addition to the students, we have parents who will be making the trip, plus we have to get the equipment there as well,” he said. Fundraising has been underway since last fall when the band was invited to audition. Kimber said they are about “a third of the way” toward their $450,000 fundraising goal. They hosted a recent “Jazz Under the Stars” featuring the MLK Jazz Band. On Sept. 25, they are holding the MLK Band Extravaganza/Battle of the Bands at Hallford Stadium, and on Dec. 10 they are hosting “An Evening of Fine Arts” at the Morehouse Ray Charles Performing Arts Center that will feature Bands of MLK and invited special guests. Supporters also can make contributions at mlk-koh.com Kings of Halftime is the second band from a South DeKalb school to make it to the Tournament of Roses Parade, which will precede the 103rd Rose Bowl college playoff game. Southwest DeKalb High School’s Marching Panthers appeared in the parade in 2006 and 2011. The 128th Rose Parade, presented by Honda, begins at 8 a.m. on Jan. 2. It will feature floral floats, spirited marching bands and high-stepping equestrian units along the 5.5-mile route down Colorado Boulevard and will be broadcast on ABC, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, KTLA (Tribune), NBC, Univision, RFD-TV, Family Net and Rural Radio and Sirius XM at 11 a.m. The parade also is seen in more than 200 territories and countries.
Churches aid ‘food insecure’ homes ‘Health challenges’ not addressed PANTRY,
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often will stop by,” Brown said. First Afrikan Church is one of 133 DeKalb partner agencies working with the Atlanta Community Food Bank. It operates one of 93 pantries run by churches like Kelly Chapel United Methodist, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church, and Hillside Presbyterian in Decatur; County Line United Methodist in Ellenwood; and Saint Philip AME and Greater Piney Grove Baptist in Atlanta. Decatur Seventh-day Adventist Church at 2365 Candler Road offers a food pantry on first Saturdays monthly. In fiscal year 2015, the food bank shipped 7.7 million pounds of food to DeKalb County for distribution to individuals and families
who are “food insecure” – because they don’t always know where they will find their next meal. About 20.6 percent of DeKalb’s population, or 143,240 people, are considered food insecure, according to “Mapping the Meal Gap,” a 2014 study by Feeding America. Statewide, the Georgia Food Bank Association said nearly 20 percent of Georgians – about one in five – are food insecure compared with the national total of 15.9 percent of Americans who often don’t know where their next meal will come from. The 2010 U.S. Census said 755,000 people in metro Atlanta and North Georgia are considered food insecure. Since January, officials say 1.4 million pounds have been distributed.
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LONG,
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I truly appreciate your prayers and support “I am recovering from a health challenge for me, my loved ones that I trust God to deliver me from. It and my beloved New is unrelated to the eating for life diet Birth Church family.” consisting of mostly raw vegetables New Birth Elder that I am continuing as part of a holistic April McLaughlin said Long is not currently approach to good health.” hospitalized but didn’t Bishop Eddie Long elaborate on his treatment for the “health him of using his pastoral influence to seduce challenges.” “Thank you for your prayers and there them into sexual relations with him. Long settled out of court with the men in will be no other comments,” she wrote. Long has been a controversial figure May 2011 and police never charged him with since 2010 when four young men accused a crime. Long denied any wrongdoing.
CrossRoadsNews
September 10, 2016
Community
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He led police on a high-speed chase beginning on Highway 78 near Stone Mountain, going south on I-285, and then westbound on I-20 West.
DeKalb’s 9/11 ceremony to honor victims, first responders Victims and first responders will be honored at the DeKalb County 9/11 Memorial Remembrance Ceremony on Sept. 11 at the Public Safety Complex in Tucker on the 15th anniversary of the terror attacks. Participants are asked to arrive by 8:30 a.m. for the ceremony, which will begin precisely at 8:46 a.m., the time when American Airlines Flight 11 traveling from Boston to Los Angeles struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001. The flight was one of four fuel-loaded U.S. commercial airplanes bound for West Coast destinations that were hijacked by 19 terrorists. A total of 2,977 people were killed in New York City, Washington, and near Shanksville, Pa., in the attacks orchestrated by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. The remembrance ceremony includes the Pledge of Allegiance and national anthem, placing of a wreath by the DeKalb County Federation of Garden Clubs Inc., the playing of taps, and a moment of silence. The complex is at 1960 W. Exchange Place.
Sewer work closes Old Rainbow Drive
Motorists traveling along Rainbow Drive in Decatur can expect delays with the closure of Old Rainbow Drive for sewer improvements. Old Rainbow between Columbia Drive and Rainbow Drive will be closed to through-traffic until 9 p.m. on Nov. 30 to make improvements on a gravity sewer. Road closure and detour signs have been placed in the area during the road closure period to advise motorists of construction work and of local traffic restrictions. The closure began on Sept. 1. For questions regarding the closure, contact Gloria Villegas, a project manager with Sol Construction, at 770-990-7057 or by fax at 1-800-996-0385.
The 9/11 Memorial Remembrance Ceremony will mark the 15th anniversary of al-Qaeda’s Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center in New York City.
Ken Watts / CrossRoadsNews
Barber indicted in slaying of his ex-girlfriend’s son Carlester Gilbert has been indicted on murder charges in the slaying of his exgirlfriend’s son amid a violent crime spree in June. A DeKalb County grand jury indicted Gilbert on malice murder, felony murder, and armed robbery charges; four counts of aggravated assault; and two counts of possession of a Carlester Gilbert firearm during the commission of a felony. On June 11, Gilbert, a barber, went to the Stone Mountain home of his ex-girlfriend and boss and got into an argument with her oldest son, Rashad Williams.
Gilbert allegedly shot Williams in the back of the head, then shot and injured Williams’ younger brother Detavious Kwakye. He shot at Williams’ other brother and another teen as they fled into the home. Both teens were able to escape. The 39-year-old Gilbert then allegedly robbed a Chevron in Tucker at gunpoint before he was seen by police officers who reported him tossing the gun out the window of his vehicle. He led police on a high-speed chase beginning on Highway 78 near Stone Mountain, going south on I-285, and then westbound on I-20. Speeds during the chase from DeKalb County into Atlanta at times reached in excess of 90 mph. During the chase, the truck Gilbert drove slammed into a police car, forcing
the car into a civilian vehicle, before he was stopped near Martin Luther King Drive in southwest Atlanta and arrested. Gilbert also is charged in Norcross with armed robbery, false imprisonment, and two counts of aggravated assault for allegedly attacking Williams’ mother with a wrench and knife on June 6 and stealing her SUV, purse and cash and fleeing to Florida. He is being held without bond in the DeKalb County Jail. DeKalb District Attorney Robert James said “a man this dangerous has no business on our streets.” “We will make sure that Mr. Gilbert’s victims receive justice for what he’s done,” James said in a Sept. 1 statement.
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Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker General Manager Curtis Parker Assistant Editor Brenda Yarbrough Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Ken Watts 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.
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September 10, 2016
“Today, there is still discrimination and the playing field is not equal. The reality is that it has never been.”
Trump’s appeal for black votes falls on deaf ears Donald Trump made a pitch for black votes, in his own inimitable fashion. Speaking in a virtually all-white suburb of Detroit, he suggested that African-American communities are “suffering from Democratic control.” “What do you have to lose by trying something new like Trump. What do you have to lose?” he said to absent African-Americans. “You’re living in poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58 percent of your youth is unemployed.” This appeal for votes will fall on deaf ears. Most African-Americans don’t live in poverty, even though too many do. Most have jobs, even though too few do. More people in poverty are white, young and female. Trump has little relationship with the black community and isn’t making any effort to create one. Most African-Americans consider him a bigot. (Four out of five African-Americans view him unfavorably, and slightly more think he’s biased against minorities and women.) President Obama won over nine of 10 African-American votes in 2012 when he ran for re-election. The black community is obviously proud of the dignity with which he has carried himself in office and the values which his family displayed. Trump earned our contempt
for continuing to question Obama’s birth certificate, trying to slur him as literally un-American. Not surprisingly, Trump polls in the low single digits – 2 or 3 percent – among African-Americans. He’s running fourth behind the Libertarian and the Green candidates as well as behind Clinton. The African-American vote hasn’t always been Democratic. With Democrats anchored in the Jim Crow South, many AfricanAmericans voted Republican before 1960. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s father was a Republican voter. But Democrats reached out to AfricanAmericans, and Lyndon Johnson championed the end of segregation, the right to vote and more. Democrats didn’t inherit black votes, they earned them. And recent efforts by Republican judges to disembowel the Voting Rights Act and by Republican state legislators and governors to limit the right to vote in ways that disproportionately impact African-Americans are teaching a new generation the same lesson. African-Americans were a major part of the coalition that Hillary
Clinton put together to win the Democratic nomination, and we will be a major part of the coalition she’s putting together to win the presidency. But Trump does have a point. African-Americans have suffered significantly from the stacked deck that characterizes our economy. We were the biggest victims of what the FBI called an “epidemic of fraud” in the housing bubble. We lost more ground than whites in the Great Recession. We suffer higher unemployment, a racially biased criminal justice system and inadequate public schools. Recent reports showing that poor AfricanAmericans in Milwaukee and in other cities are living in more isolated neighborhoods, with more segregated schools, worse household incomes and greater incidence of concentrated poverty than that witnessed in Birmingham, Ala., in 1963 near the beginnings of the modern civil rights movement are clearly alarming. As the first black president, Obama enjoyed a deep wellspring of support among African-Americans. We had his back. Clinton will not enjoy that unstinting loyalty. African-Americans will be making demands – as Black Lives Matter has already done – and looking for results. If disappointed, they may never get back to voting for a Republican Party that seems intent on locking them
out if not up, but they may end up staying home in larger and larger numbers. We need a targeted program to rebuild our inner cities. We need investment in jobs, housing and schools, as well as massive criminal justice reform. Hillary Clinton, periodically, talks about the Rep. James Clyburn’s 10-20-30 plan. This calls for earmarking 10 percent of government spending for the 474 communities that have had 20 percent of the population in poverty for more than 30 years. As Clyburn notes, this isn’t a blacks-only program. These communities are both majority Democrat and majority Republican; they are urban and they are rural. They include Appalachian whites, Alaskan Native Americans, urban Latinos and more. 10-20-30 won’t solve the problems of Chicago’s South Side or Milwaukee’s north side, but it will demonstrate a clear concern for those struggling the most. That, along with reforming our criminal justice system and ending mass incarceration that has destroyed so many lives, would begin to revive hope. Without that, Clinton will find that our cities are tinderboxes, ready to blow. Democrats are going to have to work to earn black votes again, not simply inherit them. The Rev. Jesse Jackson is founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Why are Kaepernick, others frustrated about civil rights issues? By Ed Williams
Our country is more than 200 years old, and we have gone through many trials and tribulations. I ain’t no way tired. I still breathe hope in the American dream. I still believe that America is worth the struggle. Every time we recite the national anthem or the Pledge of Allegiance, our voices of liberty and justice ring throughout the land. It is my core belief that, although I may not agree with your position, I agree with your right to have your own beliefs, and everyone should have equal protection under the law. Requiring citizens to stand and recite the pledge violates the First and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution. So, what do the American flag and national anthem have to do with liberty and justice? The flag, the pledge and the anthem are relatively recent traditions and they represent what we are willing to defend and die for. None are mentioned in our Constitution. Today, there is still discrimination and the playing field is not equal. The reality is that it has never been. Legitimate authority comes from the people – not from the government. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. so eloquently stated: “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.”
“Kaepernick is taking a stand for what he believes. What he did, like Dr. King, Muhammad Ali, and so many others have done in the past, was stage a nonviolent protest.” Ed Williams
Why are Colin Kaepernick and so many others frustrated and are not silent about the civil and human rights issues of today? Kaepernick is taking a stand for what he believes. What he did, like Dr. King, Muhammad Ali, and so many others have done in the past, was stage a nonviolent protest. He is using his right as an American citizen to protest and not to be forced to bear allegiance to something he does not believe exists in reality. Many communities have been under attack for decades. We struggle for equal protection under the same laws, and there should not be two sets of rules by those who have pledged to protect and defend and uphold the laws. There is no test or requirement in the U.S. Constitution that requires a citizen, not holding office, to protect or defend the Constitution or its laws. The flag and the national anthem are words and symbols that have not always been used to protect or defend all people. The national anthem was not an anthem until 1931 – 155 years after the country was founded. There is no mention of political parties or citizenship
qualifications in the Constitution. The pledge and the anthem as we know them today were not part of the American lexicon until the 20th century. The founders believe it was our God-given rights to be free and wrote that Congress shall make no laws “that abridge the freedom of speech or religion.” Many do not know that the third verse of the national anthem makes a reference about slaves as traitors for fighting to gain their freedom. “No refuge could save the hireling and slave from the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave.” It is contradictory to the pledge that so many faithfully recite every morning in schools: “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” It is not right for children to grow up and observe that they do not have equal rights or the same protection under law. Equal rights, opportunity and representation should be the aspiration and the practice in all the land. For a perfect union, we should
recognize the value of all the people, and their full potential as humans. It was not so long ago that Dr. King and the freedom fighters of the ’60s stirred the conscience of America about the lack of equal opportunities for many of its citizens. Even today, there are still many places in America where people are not welcomed, and are separated. There are often barriers and fences to separate us by class, race, gender, and educational qualification. Some 25,000 African-American soldiers fought in the American Revolution. Blacks also fought in the Civil War on both sides, Union and Southern slaveholding states. It was a paradox that the white man was fighting for freedom and at the same time denied freedom to the black man. George Washington, a Virginian, led the Army and fought for liberty, served as the first president, and owned slaves. Today, 240 years later, the story and symbols of race supremacy are still used by some of our fellow citizens to protest – a contradiction to our pledge and the American flag that guarantees liberty and justice for all. There is a need for all Americans to respect the basic right of all to be free. The flag stands for supremacy for some people and it reminds others of past injustices to them, while for others, it represents the hope for a new future. The image and the reality are not the same. Ed Williams lives in Decatur.
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September 10, 2016
Wellness
Clarkston targets secondhand smoke exposure Clarkston residents and visitors will benefit from its new comprehensive smoke-free ordinance to reduce secondhand exposure. The ordinance, which went into effect on Sept. 4, prohibits smoking and the use of hookahs and e-cigarettes in all public places and all public and private workplaces. The Georgia Department of Public Health says the new ordinance will go a long way in protecting the more than 12,000 residents in Clarkston, one of the most diverse cities in the state. In 2015, the U.S. Census showed 43.9 percent of its residents lived below poverty level, 31.5 percent had no health insurance, and the median household income was $33,151. With reduced exposure to secondhand smoke, residents will have better opportunities to protect their health and avoid many of the lifelong and costly health impacts of tobacco use for children and adults, including lung cancer, respiratory infections and asthma, DPH says. June Deen, senior vice president of Public Policy and Health Promotions for the American Lung Association of the Southeast and a proponent of the new ordinance, commended the city. “We hope other metro June Deen cities will take note and follow their lead,” Deen said. Kenneth Ray, deputy director of the Office of Tobacco, Policy, System and Environmental Change in the DPH Chronic Disease Prevention Section, also lauded the city, calling it “a role model” for DeKalb in protecting all of its residents from the dangers of secondhand smoke exposure. Clarkston’s Clean Indoor Air Ordinance contains data from the 2006 U.S. Surgeon General’s Report, specifically the Health Consequences of Involuntary Exposure to Tobacco Smoke. It outlines that there is no safe level of secondhand smoke exposure, causing more than 41,000 deaths per year in the nation. The DPH 2014 Adult Tobacco Survey indicates that adults in the DeKalb Health District were significantly more likely to be exposed to secondhand smoke in public places than in the workplace, in a vehicle or at home. About 44 percent of DeKalb adults were exposed to secondhand smoke. For cessation help, call 1-877-270-STOP (7867).
CrossRoadsNews
“When the individual is prepared, they become more resilient to the impacts of a disaster.”
Disaster preparedness can save lives, money National Preparedness Month is all the more significant this year for Georgians as historic floods strike Louisiana, hurricane activity develops in the Atlantic and Gulf Coast areas, and the Zika virus becomes a growing concern in nearly every community in America. September is a good time for everyone to plan ahead for emergencies, says Betsy Kagey, academic and special projects liaison for the Department of Public Health’s Office of Emergency Preparedness and Response. “Good disaster preparedness starts at the individual level,” Kagey said in an Aug. 31 statement. “When the individual is prepared, they become more resilient to the impacts of a disaster. When a community is prepared, the entire community becomes more resilient.” A common perception is that individuals can react to disasters when the moment arrives. That reaction is important, but steps taken before that moment can play a big part in the effectiveness of the action, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency says. Thomas Moore, deputy director of emergency management, said many people don’t believe a disaster will happen to them or overestimate how prepared they are. “GEMHSA, through the Ready Georgia campaign, works to overcome those obstacles by helping individuals and fami-
Preparedness class at Stonecrest Library DeKalb households can learn how to get ready for emergencies on Sept. 19 at the Stonecrest Library in Lithonia. The program, Be Prepared for Disaster, takes place 6 to 7:30 p.m. A DeKalb County emergency specialist will teach participants how to prepare for a variety of emergency situations to keep them and their families safe. The library is at 3123 Klondike Road. For more information, call 770482-3828. lies develop a customized plan and build a Ready kit. You can go to www.ready.ga.gov to create a personal profile,” Moore said. Many online resources can be customized to meet the specific needs of anyone creating their own preparedness plan. Georgia’s disaster mental health website at www.georgiadisaster.info contains information on disaster preparedness. Jeannette David, disaster mental health services coordinator for the Department of Behav- Jeannette David
ioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, called apathy the greatest challenge to disaster preparedness. She said being prepared has benefits before, during and after disasters. “Studies have shown that personal disaster preparedness not only saves lives and money, but that it also promotes a sense of personal control and improves coping in the aftermath of the disaster,” David said. Some of the same advance planning for severe weather or disease outbreaks can be applied to incidents of man-made threats such as chemical spills or bioterrorism. Leah Hoffacker, coordinator of the Georgia DPH Strategic National Stockpile program, focuses on providing medications to state residents in the event of a pandemic or bioterrorism. “In order to increase the success of our re- Leah Hoffacker sponse, planning for your family is critical,” Hoffacker said. “Knowing where your family will be, how you are going to contact them, and maintaining basic medical information is incredibly important and will assist both public health and medical responders in their ability to aid you and your family. Keeping this information where it is accessible and keeping it updated will improve your family’s ability to be resilient during a disaster.” For more information, visit www.ready. ga.gov.
Think 50 is the new 30?
We’re With You.
Nurse scholarship deadline looms Students enrolled in a nursing program have until Sept. 21 to apply for the DeKalb Medical Foundation’s annual scholarship. Applicants for the 2016 Dr. W. Mark Coppage Nursing Scholarship must submit a letter addressing three key points: why they are interested in becoming a nurse, how their commitment to volunteering has made a difference in their community, and who inspired their life and why. The scholarship honors the memory of Coppage, who died on March 3, 1989, in an automobile accident in Florida. It provides up to $5,000 payable to the nursing school chosen by the recipient. Ty Tippett, vice president of the foundation, says the scholarship presents an opportunity to honor Coppage’s legacy as a member of the DeKalb community. An anonymous donor established the nursing scholarship fund in 1993, and more than 150 scholarships totaling over $375,000 have been awarded. To access the application, visit www.dekalbmedical.org/foundation/scholarships.
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Scene
September 10, 2016
“Remembering a Queen” begins at 10:30 a.m. for the mother of the legendary rapper.
Ancestral Walk 2016 bringing message of healing to AU Center A message of healing will accompany participants in First Afrikan Church’s Ancestral Walk 2016 on Sept. 17 at the Atlanta University Center. “Mending the Broken Calabash” begins at 7:45 a.m. at Cleopas Johnson Park, Northside Drive and Atlanta Student Movement Boulevard, formerly Fair Street. For those who cannot walk, “Waiting at the Well” will be on the campus of the Interdenominational Theological Center on MLK Jr. Drive and Sunset Avenue near Flipper Temple AME. The walk is presented by the Jegna Collective and Sankofa Center, and it marks the shattering of the gourd with the waters of life lost to disharmony and global chaos and recognizing the scattering and exploitation of African people worldwide. It creates a sacred healing space in which songs, music, dance and ritual offer room to remember the broken pieces, recall how we have endured in the brokenness, and to repair our broken calabash individually and collectively. Participants are asked to wear white. Members of First Afrikan Church in Lithonia are conducting an Ancestral Walk Study in preparation for the event. On Sept. 14, Repairers of the Breach – Return to the Source takes place at 7 p.m. The Scripture focus is Nehemiah 6 with emphasis on verses 6-10, and the Social Sacred Text is “The Maroon Within Us” (Asa G. Hilliard III). The church is at 5197 Salem Road. Preparation study also takes place at 11 a.m. on Sept. 12 and 13 at ITC’s Franklin Auditorium. For more information, call 404-527-7729 or 770-9812601.
Macy’s ‘Thanks for Sharing’ enrolling Macy’s cardholders can sign up now for the retailer’s popular “Thanks for Sharing” program that supports charitable organizations and gives them back a share of their total purchases. The annual holiday shopping program is now available for enrollment at the South DeKalb store and other Macy’s locations. Participants can sign up now through
Dec. 31 for $25. In early 2017, they will receive a Macy’s gift card for 10 percent of their total Macy’s spending from the day they enroll through Dec. 31. In addition, Macy’s will donate $10 of each $25 enrollment fee – up to $15 million – to charities. Shoppers who don’t have a Macy’s card can apply at the store for one.
The Sept. 17 Ancestral Walk, “Mending the Broken Calabash,” is an educational and spiritual encounter at the Atlanta University Center.
Hillcrest church hosting music and drama A cappella singing and a musical play are featured at “An Afternoon of Music & Drama” on Sept. 17 at Hillcrest Church of Christ in Decatur. Cornelius “the Strong” Edwards, an evangelist, music producer and vocalist, is emcee for the “He Still Loves Me” songfest that kicks off at 1:30 p.m. – doors open at 1. The event is free and Cornelius Edwards open to the public. Featured singing groups are Echoes of Love, Church of Christ at Bouldercrest;
Golden Voices, West End Church of Christ; Voices of Praise, Schaffer Road Church of Christ; and the Hillcrest groups HYMS, the C.A.U.S.E., NuVision and the Hillcrest Singers. Special guest groups are Committed Acapella Chorus and the Southside Singers of Rogersville, Ala. The musical play “The Truth About Love” will be presented at 5 p.m. It focuses on searching for the truth about love, loss, cheating, and overcoming issues. The church is at 1939 Snapfinger Road. For more information, visit HillcrestCOC. net or call 404-289-4573.
Plantings to honor Afeni Shakur Davis Family, friends and supporters of Afeni Shakur Davis will hold a memorial planting in her honor on Sept. 17 on the grounds of the former Tupac Amaru Shakur Center for the Arts in Stone Mountain. “Remembering a Queen” begins at 10:30 a.m. for the mother of the legendary rapper who was killed in an unsolved drive-by shooting in 1996 in Las Vegas at age 25. Afeni Shakur Davis, a former Black Panther Party member and an activist who lived part time in Stone Mountain, died on May 2 at her home in Sausalito, Calif., at age 69. She was the subject of “Dear Mama,” her son’s 1995 hit rap song that chronicled her battle with drug abuse as she struggled to raise him. She established the Shakur Foundation in 1997 and opened the arts center at 5616 Memorial Drive in 2005 in her son’s memory. It closed in late 2014 and is being Activist Afeni Shakur Davis, mother redeveloped by new owner James Burnett. of Tupac Shakur, died May 2.
Fairfield celebrating pastor’s 39 years Members of Fairfield Baptist Church are celebrating the 39th pastoral anniversary of the Rev. Micheal Benton and first lady Y’Vonne Benton with a series of special services throughout September. The “Under Shepherd Who Watches Over Our Souls” services take place at 7:30 and 10:45 a.m. on Sept. 11, 18 and 25. A special presentation, “Voice of the Black Minister,” will be held at 4 p.m. on Sept. 25. It pays homage to the influence of ministers in the black community. All services will be held in the main sanctuary. Benton was called to minister the Fairfield family as their fifth pastor in 1977. He is known as an expository gospel preacher and revivalist with a widely traveled ministry.
The Rev. Micheal Benton and first lady Y’Vonne Benton of Fairfield Baptist Church.
Fairfield Baptist was established in 1885. The church is at 6133 Redan Road in Lithonia. For more information, call 770482-7660.
CrossRoadsNews
September 10, 2016
Finance
7
“This new website first focuses on closing market gaps for women entrepreneurs in the federal marketplace.�
New SBA certification site streamlines application process Small-business owners and entrepreneurs seeking to do business with the federal government can use a new website that streamlines and improves the application process. The U.S. Small Business Administration launched certify.sba.gov in August to help eliminate documentation obstacles. Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet said SBA is committed to being as “nimble and agile� as the small businesses it serves. “In addition to LINCour ‘Start Up in
a Day Initiative’ and ‘Small Business Tech Coalition,’ the launch of certify.sba.gov is another way SBA is leveraging the power of technology for Americans,� Contreras-Sweet said. “This new website first focuses on closing market gaps for women entrepreneurs in the federal marketplace by featuring the Women-Owned Small Business Program as we work toward breaking federal contracting goals for a second year in fiscal year 2016.� With the website, SBA’s contracting appli-
cation and certification process for womenowned small businesses is now completely accessible online. Women contractors can now easily manage the certification process, including Third Party Certifications as part of the WOSB Federal Contract Program. The site will eventually serve additional SBA contracting programs, including the 8(a) Business Development Program and the HUBZone Program. It will allow several forms to be filled out electronically, reduc-
Legal Notices 08/20, 08/27, 09/03, 09/10
Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM8357-2++ Quintell Simms Plaintiff Vs. Renee Simms Defendant To: By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Aug. 08, 2016, you are hereby notified that the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Complaint of Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court and to service upon the plaintiff’s attorney whose address is:. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Aug. 08, 2016, Witness the Honorable Asha F. Jackson, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 10th day of Aug., 2016 09/03, 09/10, 09/17, 09/24
Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name of ADULT
in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM8863-3++ Gretel Moxey filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court to change name from: Gretel Moxey to Gretel Seymour. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Aug. 10, 2016 Name: Gretel Moxey 1828 Smithfield Ave. Ellenwood, GA 30294 09/03, 09/10, 09/17, 09/24
Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM8908-3++ Andrea Genille Claxton Plaintiff Vs. Samuel Loren Cooke Defendant To: Samuel Loren Cooke
620 Allana Court Stone Mountain, GA 30087 By ORDER of the Court for service by publication dated Aug. 22, 2016, you are hereby notified that on August 18, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce with children. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court and to service upon the plaintiff’s attorney whose address is: Andrea Claxton, 620 Allana Court, Stone Mountain, GA 30087. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Aug. 22, 2016, Witness the Honorable Clarence F. Seeliger, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 22nd day of Aug., 2016 09/03, 09/10, 09/17, 09/24
Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: ++16CV4504-2++ Benita Horton Plaintiff Vs. Kenneth Y. Horton, Sr.
Defendant To: By ORDER of the Court for service by publication dated Aug. 19, 2016, you are hereby notified that on Apr. 18, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court and to service upon the plaintiff’s attorney whose address is: Benita E. Horton, 1437 Smithson Drive, Lithonia, GA 30058. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Aug. 19, 2016, Witness the Honorable Asha F. Jackson, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 23rd day of Aug., 2016 09/03, 09/10, 09/17, 09/24
Notice OF PUBLICATION in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: ++15CV8147-4++ Chantimekki Fortson Plaintiff Vs. Keith Nathaniel Vann Defendant To: Keith Nathaniel Vann
ing the burden of printing, scanning, and uploading. As additional certifications are moved into the new system, documents uploaded for one program may be reused for another. The site also has a tool called “Am I Eligible?� that allows a small business to answer about 15 questions and to determine which program is a good fit for the business. For questions about the WOSB Federal Contract Program, email wosb@sba.gov.
By ORDER of the Court for service by publication dated Aug. 11, 2016, you are hereby notified that on Aug. 4, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court and to service upon the plaintiff’s attorney whose address is: Chantimekki Fortson, 1492 Bouldercrest Rd., #86, Atlanta, GA 30316. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Aug. 11, 2016, Witness the Honorable Gail C. Flake, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 19th day of Aug., 2016
Walter Osagie filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Jul. 12, 2016 to change name of minor child(ren) from: Israel Osagie to Israel Pierre. Any interested party has the right to appear in this case and file objections within the time prescribed in OCGA 1912-1(f)(2) and (3). Dated: Jul. 12, 2016 Name: Walter Osagie 575 Pharr Rd., Unit 53364 Atlanta, GA 30355 09/03, 09/10, 09/17, 09/24
Notice OF PUBLICATION
09/03, 09/10, 09/17, 09/24
in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name of ADULT
Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM9104-2++
Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM7933-10++ Pretoria Maxwell Plaintiff Vs. Herman Maxwell Defendant To: Herman Maxwell 985 Sheppard Ln. Stone Mountain, GA 30083 By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Aug. 30, 2016, you are hereby notified that on Jul. 22, 2016, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for Complaint of Divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court and to service upon the plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is Pretoria Maxwell, 6115 Princeton Avenue, Morrow, GA 30260. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Aug. 30, 2016, Witness the Honorable Tangela M. Barrie, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court. This the 31st day of Aug., 2016
information
yard sales
in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
Civil Action Case Number: ++16FM9106-2++ Walter Osagie filed a petition in the DeKalb County Superior Court on Jul. 12, 2016 to change name from: Walter Osagie to Walter Pierre. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Jul. 12, 2016 Name: Walter Osagie 575 Pharr Rd., Unit 53364 Atlanta, GA 30355 09/03, 09/10, 09/17, 09/24
Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name of CHILD in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia
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CrossRoadsNews
8
September 10, 2016
ONE DAY
SALE
SAT, SEPT. 10, 9AM-1OPM ALSO SHOP TODAY, SEPT 9, 9AM-1OPM
HOURS MAY VARY BY STORE. VISIT MACYS.COM AND CLICK ON STORES FOR LOCAL INFORMATION.
50%-80% OFF STOREWIDE FREE SHIPPING ONLINE AT $25 VALID 9/9-9/10/2016. PLUS, FREE RETURNS. EXCLUSIONS APPLY; SEE MACYS.COM/FREERETURNS
DEALS OF THE DAY SPECIALLY SELECTED ITEMS PRICED SO LOW YOU DON’T NEED A SAVINGS PASS! AVAILABLE ALL DAY, BOTH DAYS!
OR, USE THIS SAVINGS PASS FRIDAY OR SATURDAY UNTIL 2PM EXTRA DOLLARS OFF SELECT SALE & CLEARANCE CLOTHING & HOME ITEMS
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VALID 9/9 ’TIL 2PM OR 9/10/16 ’TIL 2PM
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Excludes ALL: cosmetics/fragrances, Deals of the Day, Doorbusters/web busters, electrics/electronics, Everyday Values (EDV), furniture/mattresses, Last Act, Macy’s Backstage, rugs, specials, super buys, Breville, Coach, Dyson, Fitbit, Frye, Hanky Panky, Jack Spade, Kate Spade, KitchenAid Pro Line, Le Creuset, Levi’s, Locker Room by Lids, Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors Studio, Michele watches, Natori, Sam Edelman, Samsung watches, Shun, Stuart Weitzman, The North Face, Theory, Tumi, Vitamix, Wacoal, Wolford, Wüsthof, athletic clothing, shoes & accessories; designer jewelry/watches, designer sportswear, gift cards, jewelry trunk shows, previous purchases, select licensed depts., services, special orders, special purchases, tech watches/jewelry; macys.com. Cannot be combined with any savings pass/coupon, extra discount or credit offer, except opening a new Macy’s account. Dollar savings are allocated as discounts off each eligible item, as shown on receipt. When you return an item, you forfeit the savings allocated to that item. This coupon has no cash value and may not be redeemed for cash, used to purchase gift cards or applied as payment or credit to your account. Purchase must be $25 or $50 or more, exclusive of tax and delivery fees.
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8/29/16 5:28 PM