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Volume 17 Number 5
www.ocgnews.com
By Valerie J. Morgan
May 8 that it didn’t have enough time to find another sponsor and would look for sponsors to bring back the series in 2012. Atlanta said no way and the support poured in. “As Atlanta’s hometown airline for the last 70 years, we are pleased Delta is able to give back to the city that has given us so much by ensuring that Screen on the Green continues for our neighbors, families and friends,” said Tim Mapes, Delta’s senior vice president of marketing. “Our 25,000 employees in and around the city of Atlanta are committed to wonderful community events like this that make our city one for all ages to enjoy and call home.” Yvette Bowden, president and CEO of Piedmont Park Conservancy, said the summer series is truly a treasure for Atlantans. “We are extremely grateful to our sponsors. They demonstrated a tremendous commitment to their local community,” “As soon as the announcement was made that we were canceling the event, individuals from the community contacted us to express their disappointment and companies like Georgia Natural Gas contacted us to offer their support.” Atlanta launched the film series in 2000 at Piedmont Park, but temporarily moved the event to Centennial Olympic
Park during 2008 and 2009 due to drought conditions. The series returned to Piedmont Park for the 2010 season but ran into problems when one of the movies was disrupted by teens and police had to be called. In the past, the Atlanta event has typically drawn 5,000 to 10,000 people for each film, depending on the popularity. “Georgia Natural Gas (GNG) is honored to step up at this crucial time to help save Screen on the Green,” said Mike Braswell, GNG president and CEO. “We have a longstanding commitment to enriching and improving the lives of metro Atlanta citizens, and this event is an important part of that. We are proud to partner with the other sponsors and with the park conservancy to ensure that Screen on the Green will be a reality this summer, and we look forward to seeing thousands of our fellow Georgians at the park on Thursday evenings in June.”
For a listing of free outdoor movies in metro Atlanta counties, see page 6.
Court battle ends Bishop Long’s settlement undisclosed to public By Valerie J. Morgan
T
he court battle involving New Birth’s Bishop Eddie Long and four young men who accused the internationally-known church leader of sexual misconduct ended with a secret settlement that is never to be disclosed to the public. That didn’t stop speculation, however, locally and across the nation. The news was a trending topic on Twitter with observers tweeting online that Long paid $15 million to settle the court case. Others said the settlement amounted to just over $1 million. Bishop Long could not be reached for comment, but he had maintained his innocence throughout the ordeal. Art Franklin, a spokesman for the church, released this statement on May 26 on Long’s behalf: “After a series of discussions, all parties involved have decided to resolve the civil cases out of court. This decision was made to bring closure to this matter and to allow us to move forward with the plans God has for this
ministry. As is usually the case when civil lawsuits resolve out of court, we cannot discuss any details regarding the resolution or the resolution process, as they are confidential. This resolution is the most reasonable road for everyone to travel.” The four men who brought the suit against Long—Anthony Flagg, Spencer LeGrande, Jamal Parris and Maurice Robinson—accused Long of using his influence to coerce them into sexual acts. They alleged that Long lavished them with trips, gifts and jobs to coerce them. The Long Fellows Youth Academy, a mentoring program launched by Long, was named in the suit, along with New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia. B.J. Bernstein, who represented the four men, confirmed to the media the lawsuits had been settled, but said she would not discuss the settlement now or in the future. DeKalb Judge Johnny Panos, who presided over the case, said negotiations had been “benevolently intense.” Panos could not be reached, despite telephone messages left for him. A source said many faithful New
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JUNE 1, 2011
Big 4 rescue Piedmont Park’s ‘Screen on the Green’ free movie series ATLANTA—Some things really are worth saving. That’s the overwhelming message that the Piedmont Park Conservancy received after it announced that it was canceling its “Screen on the Green” movie series this summer. Now, several companies have stepped in to save the event, which has been an Atlanta tradition for 10 years at Piedmont Park. The free series will start as planned June 2 at dusk, thanks to Delta Air Lines, the lead sponsor, Georgia Natural Gas, Comcast and The Coca Cola Company. “Screen on the Green has been a longstanding summer tradition in the City of Atlanta for both residents and visitors, and I am pleased that the popular movie series will return this year,” said Atlanta’s Mayor Kasim Reed, who joined the conservancy in making the announcement. “The return of the movie screenings is yet another example of city officials, civic leaders and corporate partners working together to enhance the overall quality of life in Atlanta.” The weekly series, which allows movie goers to pack picnics and enjoy free classics under the stars, usually takes place in late May or early June in Atlanta, as well as in several cities across the country. Washington, D.C. hosts its outdoor series on the National Mall, while Houston puts on the event at the Discovery Center and Panama City Beach, FL presents Screen on the Green at Aaron Bessant Park, just to name a few. Atlanta isn’t the only city that has had to cancel the series then saved it. Washington, D.C. received the $100,000 funding it needed for its 2009 series after cancelling the event when HBO said it would not sponsor the event. Peachtree TV had told the Piedmont Park conservancy in January that it would not be sponsoring the series this summer due to management changes. The park conservancy announced on
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Birth members were hoping that Long would not settle. New Birth’s attendance dropped in the wake of the controversy, along with its finances, the source said. “They wanted him to fight. A lot of people feel that paying them makes him look guilty. It was their last chance to be vindicated,” the source said.
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DeKalb DA: No child support payment, no vehicle tag
District Attorney Robert James
D
eKalb County is putting the brakes on parents who fail to pay child support. Those who don’t pay will have their vehicle tag revoked or denied. DeKalb’s District Attorney Robert James and Tax Commissioner Claudia Lawson are partnering to crack down on non-custodial parents who live in DeKalb and have egregiously failed to pay child support for more than 60 days. “This partnership is essential to help reduce the number of children who suffer and go without because of a parent who has failed to contribute to their overall wellbeing,” said James. “There are too many single parents left to shoulder the financial burden alone. Our goal is to encourage noncompliant parents to take responsibility for their children.” The District Attorney’s Office plans to mail notification letters to a target list of 63 parents who have failed to pay child support or are delinquent 60 days or more. The letters will serve as notifications of their delinquent child support payment status and pending tag revocation/ tag denial. Parents will be given 20 days to contact the District Attorney’s UIFSA Division before the tag is officially denied or revoked by the Tax Commissioner’s Office. The new program is under the Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA). “I take pride in partnering with D.A. James on this initiative. I strongly believe it is critical in today’s world for non-custodial parents to be responsible to their children,” said Lawson. “I fully support D.A. James in this endeavor and my office will assist within its legal boundaries to participate in this program.” DeKalb joins a handful of other Georgia counties that have implemented similar tag revocation efforts. Georgia’s Division of Child Support Services (DCSS) has implemented a statewide tag revocation effort. However, this recently adopted interstate policy in DeKalb, will work to assist the parents, who are owed child support and reside outside of Georgia. “Some of these parents have never paid child support. We have others who have failed to make a payment in two years or more,” James said. “Parents who will not support their children don’t deserve to drive.” Individuals can have their tag reinstated once child support payments are made and they have been cleared by the District Attorney’s Office.