CrossRoadsNews, September 30, 2017

MINISTRY

COMMUNITY

Memorial in the pews

Move to remove

Mildred Gribble, here with her son James Jr., donated 100 bibles to her church to honor her late husband. 6

Stonecrest City Council members are considering a resolution seeking to remove two memorials to avowed racists in the city. 7

Let’s Keep DeKalb Peachy Clean Please Don’t Litter Our Streets and Highways

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

Copyright © 2017 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

September 30, 2017

Volume 23, Number 22

www.crossroadsnews.com

Sheriff Mann could lose job after certification is revoked

By Rosie Manins

Mann has 30 days to appeal the decision.

DeKalb Sheriff Jeffrey Mann’s law enThe POST’s action comes five months forcement certification has been revoked after Mann, 55, was arrested for exposing by the Georgia Peace himself to and running away from an Atlanta Officer Standards and Police Officer in Piedmont Park on May 6.

Training Council and his Mann, who has DeKalb sheriff since continued tenure is now 2014, was re-elected to a full four-year term in jeopardy. last November. He pleaded guilty in July POST, which certifies to charges of obstruction and prohibited law enforcement officers, conduct. voted unanimously on In a Sept. 27 statement, Mann’s office Sept. 27 to strip Mann said he is commenting about the POST vote of his law enforcement Jeffrey Mann until he has been formally notified of the certification. Sheriffs cannot hold office decision. without it.

“Sheriff Mann was not informed that

this matter would be considered by POST at today’s council meeting, and, as of this statement, Sheriff Mann has not been advised of this decision,” statement from his office said. “Until official notification from Georgia POST is received, he will not have a response.”

The council met Wednesday at its headquarters in Austell, Ga. State law requires sheriffs to be certified officers, which means Mann will be forced out of his job if the revocation is upheld.

Because he has more than three years left on his term of office, a special election will likely be held.

Georgia POST Council Chairman Mike

Yeager, who is the sheriff of Coweta County, said members take their role seriously.

“When we have one of our own in law enforcement and something happens and it goes wrong, we’ve got to handle our business,” he told the AJC. “I think the people of the state expect us to handle our business.”

Revoking certification is the council’s harshest penalty.

After pleading guilty, Mann was sentenced to a fine of $2,000 and 80 hours of community service. He was also banned from entering City of Atlanta parks for six months. Before his guilty plead, Mann suspended himself for a week for “conduct unbecoming.”

Lou Walker Center seeing quilting revival Guild breathing new life into dying art form

Instructors Marilyn Franklin (left)and Karen Furnish examine some of the 50 quilts on display at the Lou Walker Senior Center during its Open House on Sept.21.

By Rosie Manins

Fifty quilts, in all the colors of the rainbow, draped the walls of the Lou Walker Senior Center on Sept. 21 for the center’s annual Open House.

Patterns ran the gamut – diamonds, squares, triangles and so much more in reds, yellows, blues, browns, and pink – all handcrafted by members of the Lithonia senior center.

In the age of computers and consumerism, quilting, which has created heirlooms for generations of families, is now considered a dying art form. But not if the Lou Walker Senior Center has anything to do with it.

During its open house, the center’s largest event celebrating National Seniors Month observed in September, center director Bettye Davis launched the Lou Walker Senior Center Quilting Guild to establish a central place in DeKalb County to create and curate the work of hobby quilters.

The guild will be open to the community, incorporating all quilters and those interested in learning, not just senior center members.

“Our quilters have been at Lou Walker as long as it has been in existence but we’ve never had a quilting guild,” Davis said. “The quilters here were talking about it and I said why not, it made sense to me.”

The guild’s first meeting is set for Oct. 19 in Room 123 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Lou Walker members have been taking quilting classes at the center for 11 years.

About 70 of the center’s 3,000 members take classes Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from instructors Karen Furnish and Marilyn Franklin, who have been quilting since ages 6 and 12 respectively.

Among the 150 classes offered at the Lou

Photos By Rosie Manins / CrossRoadsNews

Walker Senior Center, quilting is one of the most sought after. Some quilting students had never sewn a single stitch before joining the class, others are retired tailors, dress designers and seamstresses.

During the Sept. 21 open house, all were

proud to showcase their work.

Pearl Houslin, who has been in Furnish’s class since it began 11 years ago, was ecstatic.

“We have been waiting a long time for this,” said Houslin, 78, of Lithonia. Pearl Houslin The retired dress designer, who hails from Jamaica, W.I., moved to DeKalb from New York 28 years ago. She says quilting has become her new passion in life.

Davis says the quilt exhibition will now become an annual event.

With the creation of the quilting guild, instructor Franklin said they are looking forward to seeing some new people come in to start quilting projects.

“We want to teach young people how to quilt so this will go on for generations,” she said.

Franklin, who lives in Ellenwood, said quilting is more than just sewing patches together. She said she found comfort in the art form years ago when a close relative was dying.

“Quilting is fun and it’s a soother,” she said, “very therapeutic.”

“Cheaper than a psychiatrist,” added fellow instructor Furnish with a chuckle.

Both Furnish, who lives in Stockbridge, and Franklin say they get a lot of satisfaction from sharing their knowledge and passion.

In their classes, even their most selfdoubting students finish their eight-week quilting courses with a completed blanket.

Please see GUILD, page 2

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Community

CrossRoadsNews

September 30, 2017

I’m calling on my friends in all cities in DeKalb to please step up and help us with these countywide services.”

DeKalb voters to decide on sales tax increase on Nov. 7 ballot

By Rosie Manins

DeKalb residents will get to vote Nov. 7 on whether to pay an extra one percent in sales taxes for six years to generate about $637 million to repave pothole-filled county roads, fix bridges, build new police and fire stations, improve public safety resources, and upgrade community parks, libraries and senior, health and recreation centers.

The DeKalb Board of Commissioners voted 5-1 on Sept. 26 to add the proposed Special Local Options Sales Tax (SPLOST) to the ballot. District 1 Commissioner Nancy Jester opposed the SPLOST and District 2 Commissioner Jeff Rader was absent.

If approved, the one-penny sales tax increase will generate just over $100 million a year for the county and its 12 cities.

DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond said the SPLOST’s $600 million project list will be a game changer for the county.

“We’ve come to a point where we can truly say this is a game-changing, transformational moment for our county,” Thurmond said Tuesday.

SPLOST, which has been used repeatedly by the DeKalb School District to build new schools and upgrade aging buildings, is a first for DeKalb government.

If it gets the nod from voters, the new tax will take effect in 2018 and raise the county’s tax rate to 8 percent from 7. It excludes food and medication.

DeKalb has a backlog of about 400 miles of roads in need of about $180 million in repairs due to dwindling proceeds from the county’s homestead option sales tax (HOST), caused by the spate of new cities created in the county, which took the bulk of the tax, partly earmarked for infrastructure.

DeKalb County SPLOST project list (excluding city funds): Transportation - $240.3 million

n Road resurfacing - $151.3 million n Matching funds for state and federal projects - $25.5 million n Pedestrian improvements - $14.5 million n Transportation project management $9.7 million n Transportation enhancements $9 million n Commission district projects $7.1 million n Multi-use trails - $7 million n Bridge repairs - $7 million n Sidewalks - $4 million n Traffic signals - $2.4 million n Community Improvement Districts matching funds - $1.5 million n Corridor beautification - $1.3 million n Public transportation shelters $150,000

Public safety - $84.8 million

n Repair, replace and construct fire stations - $44.3 million n Repair or replace Bobby Burgess Building - $27.3 million n Purchase police vehicles - $5.6 million n Repair and replace police precincts and facilities - $2.9 million

If approved by voters, the proposed SPLOST would fix roads and upgrade the county’s fire and police departments, including replacing the Robert T. “Bobby” Burgess Building on Memorial Drive in Decatur.

SPLOST will also ensure the upgrades of community parks, pools, recreation centers, libraries, health care facilities, senior centers

n Purchase fire rapid response units $2 million n Upgrade fire radio system - $1.5 million n Planning and design for public safety training facility - $1.2 million

Parks & Rec - $37.3 million

n Repair athletic fields - $11.7 million n Renovate athletic and recreation facilities - $8.4 million n Repair parks, playgrounds and recreational areas - $6.9 million n Repair pools and other aquatic facilities - $4 million n Resurfacing trails and paved areas $3 million n Tennis court resurfacing - $2.3 million n Repair golf courses - $1 million n Stream bank restoration/drainage and stormwater improvements $200,000

General repairs - $20 million

n County courthouses complex, including parking - $16.5 million n General library repairs - $1.5 million n General senior center repairs - $1 million n Repair county-owned health care facilities - $1 million

and other public amenities throughout the county.

Super District 6 Commissioner Kathie Gannon, the BOC’s presiding officer, said the county needs a new funding source for infrastructure improvements.

“We realized many, many years ago that HOST was simply not going to allow us the

money for infrastructure,” she said. “And then the new cities got the HOST that was there anyway so we were really in a bind and we had to do SPLOST.” DeKalb commissioners’ top priority is fixing roads, and they allocated $151 million in SPLOST funds to resurface about 318 miles of streets, the largest and most expensive single project by far on the project list they approved Sept. 19.

In total, the county plans to spend about $240 million on transportation upgrades – about 60 percent of the $388 million of its SPLOST funding over the six years.

In addition, the county’s 12 cities will get about $249 million over the six years. Their share is based on a population distribution formula, and they will decide how to spend their share.

Several cities, including Stone Mountain, Tucker and Stonecrest, have promised to contribute some of their SPLOST funds to countywide services like fire. County commissioners hope other municipalities will follow suit, so the cost of those services isn’t solely borne by unincorporated residents.

Gannon says the cities’ residents will do very well from SPLOST but that she is disappointed that will not be the case for residents of unincorporated areas.

“I’m calling on my friends in all cities in DeKalb to please step up and help us with these countywide services because otherwise it just simply isn’t fair,” she said Tuesday.

If DeKalb voters approve the SPLOST, it will be the only tax of its kind in Georgia to exclude food and medication, county leaders say.

It will also bring DeKalb’s sales tax closer to what is paid in the city of Atlanta (8.9 percent), Clayton County (8 percent) and Fulton County (7.75 percent).

Quilters say hobby relaxes, inspires GUILD,

from page

1

“It’s such an inspirational hobby, seeing the finished product.” Franklin said.

“I’ve had many students say they can’t do it, and they eventually find out they can,” Furnish added.

The Lou Walker quilters sometimes donate their quilts to charity, one year giving 52 baby blankets to Ronald McDonald House.

Rose Merry Brock, who takes Franklin’s class, said she was inspired to create an African-coin quilt for her husband, James, following his travels to several countries in Africa.

The quilt, her second, took about nine months to make and was completed last December.

“I presented it to my husband for Christ-

mas,” said Brock, of Decatur. “I just loved his face when he saw it; he just wrapped himself up in it like a baby.”

The open house also included displays from the center’s photography club. Members who travelled to Cuba earlier this year exhibited their prints and paintings from the trip.

Brenda Bacon, a first-time visitor to Lou Walker, was impressed with the creative pursuits of center members.

“It’s an excellent facility,” said Bacon, who relocated to Ellenwood about a month ago from Fort Myers, Fla. “It looks great from what I can see.”

The Lou Walker Senior Center is at 2538 Panola Road. To join the Quilting Guild, contact Marilyn Franklin at marifranklin@ comcast.net.

CrossRoadsNews

September 30, 2017

Community Teen charged in death of Decatur man

Seventeen-year-old Delvin Gates is charged with felony murder in the death of Joseph Livolsi, a movie special effects technician who was found dead in his Eastwyck Village Decatur apartment in July.

DeKalb C ounty Magistrate Judge Mary McCail Cash signed an Aug. 28 warrant for Gates’ arrest. The warrant states Livolsi, Gates’ neighbor, was Delvin Gates shot three times while Gastes burglarized the 171 Eastwyck Circle apartment. His body, riddled with shots to the head, chest, and right rib cage, was found July 15 in an upstairs hallway by relatives.

DeKalb County Police Officer J. Polanco’s police report says an Xbox console was missing and a speaker had been thrown to the floor.

Investigators say Gates climbed through a small window to enter the apartment around 3-3:15 a.m. Video footage from an Aug. 9 break-in showed Gates and another suspect walking down the street with a television. Investigators say Gates also climbed through a small window during that burglary.

Livolsi worked on more than 40 highprofile movies including “Pirates of the Carribean” sequels, “Captain America: Civil War,” “Avengers” and “Spider-Man 3.” He was in Atlanta to begin work on director Michael Dougherty’s “Godzilla: King of the Monsters.”

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“We continue to make significant progress toward developing a world-class 21st Century water system.”

DeKalb still holding back 10,000 water bills

By Rosie Manins

It will be years before DeKalb County’s flawed water billing system and metering infrastructure will be fixed, but the county is making good progress in dealing with almost 40,000 held accounts, CEO Michael Thurmond told citizens Sept. 25.

Thurmond held his fourth public meeting on the water billing issue Monday, providing an update to residents about how county officials are dealing with the system’s multiple problems.

Of the approximately 37,000 unverified water Michael Thurmond bills in the county, about 27,500, or 74 percent, have been released to consumers since April.

The county suspended normal billing for more than 37,000 water and sewer accounts in December 2016, following months of widespread complaints about inaccurate and exaggerated bills.

At that time, county officials determined that the accuracy of the bills could not be independently verified.

Now, just under 10,000 DeKalb water customers remain without finalized bills.

The county has about 194,000 water and sewer accounts.

The county attributes its water billing crisis to aging and broken meters and equipment, staff monitoring issues, and a lack of oversight. In March Thurmond launched the New Day Project to address the problem.

On Monday, he said that approximately 102,000 small residential water meters, which either have manufacturer’s defects or have come to the end of their working life,

will be replaced at a rate of about 25,000 per year over the next four years.

“We continue to make significant progress toward developing a world-class 21st century water system,” he said, adding that much work still needs to be done.

“We are committed to an open public process,” he said.

The DeKalb Board of Commissioners approved $5 million in June for new billing software, which will be installed within 18 months, and a request for proposals for new water meters is due to be advertised in October.

About 60 people attended Monday’s meeting in Decatur, many still confused about why their water bills are so high.

Thurmond encouraged some to dispute their bills, to have the amounts investigated and verified. He said there have also been major improvements made to the county’s call center customer service, to help consumers understand their accounts.

Compared to this time last year, there has been a reduction in call volume by 40 percent; the average call wait time is now 40 seconds; 75 percent of calls are answered within 60 seconds; and 97 percent of calls

are answered.

Thurmond said that going forward, all meters will be systematically maintained, at a rate of about 7 percent per year, based on the age of the meter.

He vows to continue public updates on the matter.

In August, Thurmond announced the development of an Independent Verification Process, which he says has expedited the review of customer accounts, water consumption and billing data.

The CEO says bills being held back by the county, will not be assessed late fees or other penalties for late payment and will have extended payment terms. Those terms are only available for the held bills.

Any account balance that was due prior to September 2016 will still be due and will carry forward on the current bill, the county said.

Customers needing an extension to pay their bills, or specific information about their bills, should contact the Utility Customer Operations Center located at 774 Jordan Lane in Decatur.

For more information, call 404-3784475.

Backflow Protection workshop on Oct. 5 Up to 60 residents and business owners can attend a DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management Backflow Protection Program Workshop on Oct. 5, but they must register now.

The 10 a.m. to noon workshop, which takes place at the department’s offices at 4572 Memorial Drive in Decatur, will provide an overview of the county’s Backflow Protection Program and take questions.

Backflow is the unwanted flow of water in the reverse direction, which can cause contamination by drawing pollutants such as chemicals into drinking water. DeKalb requires commercial businesses to install backflow prevention devices on connections to the county’s water system.

To attend the workshop, RSVP by emailing dekalbbackflow@dekalbcountyga.gov.

For more information call 404-687-4075.

CrossRoadsNews

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Community

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

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Angelina T. Velasquez Editorial Intern Rosie Manins Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Multimedia Editor Sharif Williams

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September 30, 2017

“I believe that Atlanta and DeKalb leaders have developed a model for future regional cooperation.”

DeKalb commissioners approve Emory annexation

By Rosie Manins

Emory University’s quest to become a part of the city of Atlanta moved a step closer this week with DeKalb Board of Commissioners’ approval of the annexation agreement with Atlanta.

The BOC voted 5-0 to approve the agreement for Atlanta to annex the 744 acres, which include Emory University, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Georgia Power, Villa International, Synod of South Atlantic Presbyterian Church USA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Under the agreement: n Atlanta will pay DeKalb $1 million a year for fire services, for at least two years and up to 10 years, potentially totaling $10,250,000.

The county may terminate that arrangement after two years. n DeKalb will continue to provide water, sewer and storm water services to the annexed area, and collect fees for such services. n Atlanta must adopt DeKalb’s

zoning classifications and requirements for the annexed area, and seek written approval from the county for any changes. n Four members of the county commission, including one of the two commissioners representing the annexed area, must agree with any changes in the zoning ordinance. n The Druid Hills Historic District within the annexed area will continue as part of the city’s Druid Hills Historic District.

If the agreement is adopted by the Atlanta Council, Emory, one of the nation’s most prestigious institutions, will secure its Atlanta address – which it has had for more than a century.

The university, whose main campus has been in DeKalb County since 1915, requested annexation into Atlanta in June, partly prompted by a desire for light rail connectivity from MARTA’s Lindbergh Station to Emory’s Clifton Road corridor and the nearby Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The annexation, which will be the largest addition to Atlanta since Buckhead in 1952, will allow Atlanta tax money to be used to fund the extension.

As part of the agreement approved Tuesday, DeKalb and Atlanta leaders will ask MARTA to conduct a public meeting to discuss future transit plans for the annexed area.

DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond said Tuesday that the “historic agreement” protects the interest of all residents in DeKalb County and the city of Atlanta.

“This lays a foundation for the enhancement of transportation options for both jurisdictions,” he said.

“I believe that Atlanta and DeKalb leaders have developed a model for future regional cooperation.”

DeKalb officials have been in arbitration with Atlanta over their concerns about urban development under the annexation.

As part of the agreement, Atlan-

ta must also agree to adopt a written policy that requires a rational basis for any future annexations within 250 feet of the annexed area; it must notify all proposed real estate developments that sewer capacity analysis by DeKalb is required; and it must take ownership of all roads, bridges and 10 traffic signals in the annexed area.

DeKalb Super District 6 Commissioner Kathie Gannon said the agreement is an important step in the development of a comprehensive regional and transportation system for metro Atlanta.

The university’s holdings include several hospitals and clinics in DeKalb and Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta.

The annexation will not affect Druid Hills High School or any of the established neighborhoods surrounding the university.

DeKalb has said the financial impact will be minimal because Emory doesn’t pay taxes on its properties or educational buildings.

Judge under investigation after courtroom peeing incident

By Rosie Manins

DeKalb County Superior Court Chief Judge Courtney Johnson is being investigated by the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission for allegedly denying a defense attorney’s urgent requests for a bathroom break during a murder trial in June.

Jan Hankins, an attorney for the Georgia Public Defender Council, said that she wet herself on June 21 while sitting through the murder trial, after repeated attempts to get Johnson’s permission to go to the bathroom were ignored.

Johnson has confirmed the JQC investigation and told Atlanta media that the incident was the result of miscommunication. Hankins is not commenting, nor is her boss Maurice Kenner, who filed the complaint.

Forum

J o h n s o n’s attorney Lester Tate, a former JQC chairman, said Johnson has taken steps to ensure such an incident never happens again.

Courtney Johnson “Judge Johnson is certainly very upset that this embarrassment happened to the lawyer,” Tate said Sept. 21. “We believe there was a miscommunication about the urgency of the situation.”

Tate said Johnson’s policy is that if a lawyer urgently needs to go to the bathroom during court proceedings, they should go, and issues can be sorted out afterwards.

JQC director Ben Easterlin has said that he can neither confirm nor deny whether the commission

is investigating Johnson.

Details of Hankins’ claim are outlined in an affidavit attached to a July 17 motion she filed requesting that Johnson recuse herself from the case. Hankins, the lead counsel in the State v, R’Shon Blake case, said that during examination of a DeKalb County detective, she raised her hand at 11:09 a.m. and caught the attention of Johnson “mouthing the word ‘bathroom,’” because the judge had instructed jurors to raise their hands if they needed a break.

About 10 minutes later she said she wrote “bathroom” in large letters on a legal pad and showed it to the deputy, who then passed a note to Judge Johnson, who still did not grant permission.

At 11:40 a.m. when Johnson finally excused her, Hankins said she “was soaked with urine almost to the waist in the lining of my dress

and the seat portion of my dress and the chair were wet.”

“As I stood up, urine pooled into my shoes as I exited the courtroom.

My client was aware of the incident.

Since I had been squirming for at least 25 minutes, I assume that the jury and others present in the courtroom had noticed my discomfort,” Hankins wrote.

DeKalb County Sheriff ’s Deputy A. Owens’ account of what happened in the courtroom backs up Hankins’ claim.

Owens wrote in an incident report that he saw Hankins squirming in her chair and trying to get the judge’s attention, but Johnson shook her head. He said he passed a note about Hankins needing to go to the bathroom, but Johnson wrote back that Hankins could wait.

Johnson withdrew from the case on July 18.

“Right now Community Health Centers in Georgia are threatened with a severe loss in funding.”

Let’s fix the funding cliff for community health centers

By Jeff Taylor

services were scarce or nonexistent.

Without immediate As one of 34 comCongressional leadership munity health centers in to extend critical fundGeorgia, Oakhurst and ing by Sept. 30, comour six facilities provide munity health centers affordable, accessible prilike Oakhurst Medical mary care to some 20,000 Centers, Inc. face a 70 annually through appercent reduction in fed- Jeff Taylor pointments or walk-in eral funds, which the service. Asian and African refugees Department of Health and Human and African Americans living near Services has estimated would lead our facilities make up our multito the closing of 2,800 health center ethnic base; our diverse staff repsites nationwide. resents many nationalities.

Community health centers play Overall, the National Associaa unique and important role on the tion of Community Health Centers national, state and local level on says the community health centers providing quality primary health generated $24 billion in health care care at affordable cost. cost savings in the U.S. .

At Oakhurst Medical Centers, There is little doubt that health we are part of a nationwide network centers have contributed signifithat started more than 50 years ago cantly to cost savings for the Amerto provide quality primary care in ican taxpayer. We continue to make many places where doctors and a significant difference because

we also address those factors that actually cause poor health, such as homelessness, lack of nutrition, stress or unemployment and drug addiction. Because of our stellar record of success, health centers have drawn bipartisan support from U.S. residents and lawmakers.

Yet, such broad support may not be enough to ensure we can continue to serve people who need affordable primary care in the future.

Right now community health centers in Georgia are threatened with a severe loss in funding, as are other health centers in nearly 10,000 communities. This “funding cliff,” if not fixed by Congress by the end of this month, will have a direct and immediate impact on the health of our communities. The program would be reduced by approximately 70 percent. The federal Department of Health and Human Services has projected that the im-

pact would be dramatic:

n Closure of 2,800 health center

locations. n Elimination of more than 50,000 jobs. n A loss of access to care for more than 9 million patients.

Oakhurst Medical Centers serves nearly 20,000 patients per year. A 70 percent reduction in our funding would mean scaling back services, serving far fewer patients, and potential elimination of some critical services such as dental care and behavioral health care.

Please join Oakhurst Medical Centers and all of the other health centers in Georgia in calling on our federal lawmakers to extend health center funding before Sept. 30.

Jeffery Taylor is the CEO of Stone Mountain-based Oakhurst Medical Centers, Inc., which serves individuals and families in DeKalb, Rockdale and surrounding counties.

September 30, 2017

CrossRoadsNews

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CrossRoadsNews

September 30, 2017

“James loved the church. He was a faithful member. He would burn the midnight oil studying the bible.”

Gift of 100 bibles commemorates late husband’s memory

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

memory by sharing God’s word in the King James Bible with the entire Thankful Baptist Mildred Gribble and her late Church family,” she said. husband, James, joined ThankThe hardcover bibles are ful Baptist Church in Decatur inscribed with “In Memory of in 1988 and together, they were ames L. Gribble, Sr.” in gold faithful members until his death letters. in 1996.

They are all maroon-red, to She continues to be a memmatch the color of new songber of the church, which celbooks that deacons recently ebrated its 135th anniversary asked each member to donate on Sept. 24. to the church to replace its agThis year also marks the 21st ing songbooks. anniversary of James Gribble’s “The church needed bibles death from a heart attack at James L. Gribble, Sr. and song books,” she said. “I 63 years old. Had he lived, he just decided to donate all the would have been 85 years old on Sept. 2. bibles.”

“James loved the church,” said Gribble, Church deacon Arthur Rogers, who who was married to him for 38 years. “He has been a Thankful Baptist member for 69 was a faithful member. He would burn the years, call Gribble’s gift, valued at $1,000, midnight oil studying the bible.” “just wonderful.”

Mildred Gribble said she wanted to do “The church really needed it,” he said. something at her church to commemorate “Mrs. Gribble has just been wonderful her her late husband’s memory and she settled late husband was too.” on donating 100 bibles to the church.

Rogers said that the gift of so many bibles “The Holy Spirit moved me to share his from one person is a first for the church.

Mildred Gribble and her son, James, Jr., place the 100 bibles she donated to Thankful Baptist Church in memory of her her late husband James, who died in 1996.

Jennifer Ffrench Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Lineup of dynamic ministers scheduled for Ray of Hope Fall Revival

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Pastors from Texas, Maryland and Washington, D.C., will be headlining Fall Revival 2017 at the Ray of Hope Christian Church in October.

The October Tuesday revival series kicks off on Oct. 3 at the Decatur church with the Rev. Freddie Haynes, pastor of Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas.

of Pre a ch e rs It continues on Oct. 10 with the Rev. at Morehouse Dr. Lisa Weah of The New Bethlehem BapCollege, Cosby tist Church in Baltimore, Md., on Oct. 10, ministers to a followed by the Rev. Dr. Marcus Cosby of c o n g r e g at i o n Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church in Houston, of more than Texas on Oct. 17.

15,000 members.

The revival culminates on Oct. 24 with He has trained the Rev. Matthew Watley of Reid Temple more than 100 AME North in Washington, D.C. Freddie Haynes Lisa Weah Marcus Cosby Matthew Watley ministers and Haynes, a prophetic pastor, passionate leader, social activist, and eloquent orator serves as Adjunct Professor of Homiletics at and educator, has been senior pastor of Houston Graduate School of Theology.

Watley is executive minister and managFriendship-West Baptist Church for 31 years.

Under his leadership, the ministry and mem- ing minister of Reid Temple AME Church. bership have grown from under 100 mem- A third generation preacher, lecturer and author, he is recognized internationally as an bers in 1983 to more than 12,000 today.

Weah, who accepted Christ at an early innovative thinker who explores new ways to age, has been the senior pastor of the New reach the unsaved by using spiritual, political Bethlehem Baptist Church since June 2008. and economic empowerment techniques.

Watley is the founder of Power Lunch, She is the first female pastor in the church’s 58-year history, and she is the a nondenominational noon-time worship founder and CEO of Lisa Weah Ministries service. On Wednesdays, he provides profesand LMW Enterprises, through which she sionals working in the D.C. metro area with ministers through preaching, teaching, me- dynamic preaching, sound biblical teaching, and a Spirit-filled worship experience at the dia, music, mentoring Cosby has been senior pastor of Wheeler Reid Temple North Campus.

Revival services start at 7 p.m.

Avenue Baptist Church in since 2004. Before The Ray of Hope is at 2778 Snapfinger that he was associate pastor from 1998. An inductee in the Martin Luther King Jr. Board Road in Decatur.

CrossRoadsNews

September 30, 2017

Community

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“All across the country there is a movement to remove these monuments”

Resolution would remove Confederate markers in Stonecrest

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

The city of Stonecrest is set to vote Oct. 2 on a resolution seeking the removal of two confederate memorials from within the city.

The resolution, sponsored by District 1 Councilman Jimmy Clanton Jr., is seeking to authorize Mayor Jason Lary to contact the state or other owners about the removal of “divisive” monuments Jimmy Clanton Jr. and to request the Georgia General Assembly to amend Title 50 of the official code of Georgia to delete any reference to “The Confederate States of America

and its several state thereof.”

The targeted monuments are the 1956 highway “Jefferson Davis Highway Georgia Route 1” marker on Covington Highway near Cove Lake Road, and the nearby “Rebecca Latimer Felton” marker.

The Latimer marker highlights the birthplace of Rebecca Ann Latimer (1835-1930) and honors her as the “first woman to serve in the United States Senate.”

But the Stonecrest resolution points out that Latimer was a known advocate of the South’s racial policies, including white supremacy and that during an 1897 speech, “she commented that the biggest problem facing women on the farm was the danger of black rapists. She said, ‘If it takes lynching to protect women’s dearest possession from

drunken, ravening beats, then I say lynch a thousand a week,’” the resolution said.

The resolution comes in the wake of a Sept. 18 unanimous vote by the city of Decatur to support removal of the 30-foot “Lost Cause” obelisk Confederate monument located behind the historic DeKalb County Courthouse in that city’s center since 1908.

The Stonecrest resolution noted that at the time of the offending markers were placed, African Americans were legally prohibited and physically threatened and killed if they desired to exercise their rights to participate in the political or public process in the communities where they lived.

At the council’s Sept. 27 work session, Clanton urged his colleagues to support the resolution when it comes up for vote on

Oct. 2.

“All across the country there is a movement to remove these monuments,” Clanton said.

District 4 member George Turner raised the issue of streets named in honor of the confederacy and District 5 Councilwoman Diane Adoma worried about the new city appearing to be partisan if it singles out Confederate monuments.

Clanton pointed out that when Hate Free Decatur sponsored a Sept. 10 march and rally downtown Decatur to push for the removal of the Lost Cause obelisk, all races were represented among the 300 marchers.

Lary said he is ready to act on the markers.

“If it’s on the mayor, I am ready.”

Longer school days in October to help make up time lost to Irma DeKalb students will stay in school 20 minutes a day longer Oct. 2 to Oct. 31 to help recoup the four days they lost when Tropical Storm Irma battered the county on Sept. 11.

DeKalb School Superintendent Dr. R. Stephen Green said the longer days will ensure students do not miss out on vital Stephen Green academic lessons.

“Throughout this process, I have been continually working with our Board to distill

our various options into the best solution for our students and families,” Green said in a Sept. 22 statement. “Our most precious commodity is instructional time, and we want to make this an effective learning opportunity.”

The make-up schedule also includes Election Day, Nov. 7, as an instructional day.

The district also plans to implement longer school days until Dec. 20. Green said the state does not require the lost time be made up, but that the district is still held to the same curriculum standards as other counties who were not as affected by the storm.

“We lost four days and we’re trying to be as creative and productive as we can about recapturing that time,” he told parents at a Sept. 21 “On the Scene with Dr. Green” at Cedar Grove High School.

The district’s divisions and the DeKalb School Board agreed to extended school days to prevent impacting fall or winter break, as well as ensuring inclement weather days were available during the unpredictable winter season.

Principals, parents and community stakeholders have until Friday, Oct. 13, to provide input on the most effective way to recover

four days of lost classroom time.

The final decision will be announced Oct. 16.

Irma took down more than more than 100 trees which blocked streets, downed power lines and damaged some school buildings. Students did not return to class until Sept. 15.

Prior to Oct. 2 parents will be notified by their child’s campus of the extended school days. Updates on student transportation, after-school programs, and athletics will be available at www.dekalbschoolsga.org and on its mobile app, Facebook and Twitter.

Legal Notices 09/09, 09/16, 09/23, 09/30

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM8666-4 Megan Stewart PLAINTIFF VS Kenneth Stewart DEFENDANT To: 98 S. MLK, Apt. 123 Las Vegas, NV 89101

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Aug. 21, 2017. You are hereby notified that Aug. 11, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: 4070 Greenstone Ct., Decatur, GA 30035. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Aug. 21, 2017.

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

This the 28th day of Aug., 2017 09/09, 09/16, 09/23, 09/30

Notice of PUBLICATION in the Superior Court

of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM5931-1 Demetrius Parks PLAINTIFF VS Tiffany Parks DEFENDANT To:

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Sept. 14, 2017. You are hereby notified that May 30, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Demetrius Parks, 6615 Rebecca Lou Lane, Lithonia, GA 30058. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Sept.

18, 2017.

Witness the Honorable Courtney L. Johnson, Judge of the DeKalb Superior Court.

This the 18th day of Sept., 201a7 09/23, 09/30, 10/07, 10/14

Notice of Petition

State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM10086-8 Lissett Beasley PLAINTIFF VS Ronald Jerry Beasley DEFENDANT To: RB Beasley Atl. Taskforce Shelter 477 Peachtree St. Atlanta, GA

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Sept. 14, 2017. You are hereby notified that Aug. 28, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Lissett Beasley, 6588 Bradford Court, Stone Mountain, GA. Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Sept. 14, 2017.

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

This the 19th day of Sept., 2017 09/23, 09/30, 10/07, 10/14

in the Superior Court of DeKalb County

Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name of ADULT

Family Event

Dental Benefits

in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM9587-7 Helen Okhuos filed a petition on Sept.

08, 2017 in the DeKalb County Superior Court to change name from: Helen Okhuos to Helen Beulah Favor. Any interested party has the right to appear In this case and file objections within 30 days after the Petition was filed. Dated: Sept. 05, 2017 09/30, 10/07, 10/14, 10/21

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM10086-8 Notice is hereby given that the Petitioner, Daniel Levi Johnson filed this petition to the Superior Court of DeKalb County, Georgia on the 25th day of September, 2017 that his name be changed as follows: Daniel Levi Johnson to be change to Daniel Levi Crenshaw. Objections must be filed with said Court within 30

Ministry

days of said Petition was filed.

This the 25th day of September 2017

This the 19th day of Sept., 2017 09/30, 10/07, 10/14, 10/21

Notice of Petition to CHANGE Name of ADULT

09/30, 10/07, 10/14, 10/21

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

in the Superior Court of DeKalb County State of Georgia

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM9737-1 Egbert Samuels PLAINTIFF VS Hyacinth Samuels DEFENDANT TO:

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Sept. 25, 2017. You are hereby notified that Sept.

14, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Egbert Samuels, 4213 Wingfoot Court, Decatur, GA 30035.

Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Sept. 14, 2017.

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

Civil Action Case Number: 17FM8543-4 Larry D. Callaway, Jr. PLAINTIFF VS Jennifer N. Belser Callaway DEFENDANT TO:

By ORDER of the Court service for service by publication dated Sept. 25, 2017. You are hereby notified that Aug. 09, 2017, the above-named Plaintiff filed suit against you for divorce. You are required to file with the Clerk of Superior Court, and to serve upon the Plaintiff’s attorney whose name and address is: Larry D. Callaway, Jr., 2374 Emerald Falls Dr., Decatur, GA 30035.

Answer in writing within sixty (60) days of Sept. 25, 2017.

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

This the 26th day of Sept., 2017

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