Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties
Volume 17 Number 22
www.ocgnews.com
Study: Atlanta residents’ stress levels unhealthy....Page 10
FEBRUARY 15, 2012
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40 couples say ‘I do’in mass wedding at Antioch-Lithonia Missionary Church By Joshua Smith
“Jobs bus” rolling through DeKalb DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis is inviting DeKalb job seekers to get on the “jobs bus.” The county has launched a Mobile Career Center as a way to take jobs and work readiness services to communities. The mobile center, which supports the ONE DeKalb Works initiative, is Burrell Ellis rolling to various locations throughout DeKalb, assisting job seekers as well as employers. Major features of the resource center include 13 computer stations; a private interview area; high-speed satellite Internet connection; printer, scanner and copy services; and a fully accessible ADA workstation with movable table and auxiliary. Job seekers may receive essential services including job search assistance, adult workshops and training, resume writing, and interviewing tips. Businesses may use the mobile unit for recruiting, pre-employment screenings, interviewing, and training. Below are the Mobile Career Center’s scheduled locations for the rest of February: Wednesday, Feb. 15, 10a.m. – 4 p.m. Wesley Chapel Library 2861 Wesley Chapel Road Decatur, GA 300034 Thursday, Feb. 16, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library 5234 LaVista Road Tucker, GA 30084 Tuesday, Feb. 21, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Redan-Trotti Library 1569 Wellborn Road Lithonia, GA 30058 Wednesday, Feb. 22, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Department of Family and Children Services 178 Sams Street Decatur, GA 30030 Thursday, Feb. 23, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Georgia Department of Labor 3879 Covington Highway Decatur, GA 30032 Monday, Feb. 27, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Wesley Chapel Library 2861 Wesley Chapel Road Decatur, GA 30034 Tuesday, Feb. 28, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Department of Family and Children Services 178 Sams Street Decatur, GA 30030 Wednesday, Feb. 29, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Stonecrest Library 3123 Klondike Road Lithonia, GA 30038 For more information on the jobs bus, visit www.dekalbworkforce.org.
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ust as he did nearly 34 years ago, Frederick Myles offered his right arm to his bride Lillian, joining hand in hand, and in front of friends and church family, they committed their lives to each other—again. The Myles were just one of 40 couples to stand at the altar of Antioch-Lithonia Missionary Baptist Church and renew their vows on Feb. 11 at the Southeast DeKalb County church. “We were married in West Point, Mississippi in 1978 and it seems like it was just two or three years ago when we made that commitment to each other and to the Lord,” Frederick Myles said. “We’ve had our storms—all couples willbut as long as you have God in the middle of the equation, when you pull away or she pulls away, God brings you both back to the center to face things head on together.” Antioch’s “One in Christ” vows renewal service was led by Pastor James C. Ward and Minister Larry Lee, who co-directs the church’s couples ministry with his wife of 43 years, Shirley. The celebration comes in the wake of rising divorce rates around the country and even as President Obama sang his rendition of recording artist Al Green’s song, “Let’s Stay Together” a few weeks ago. According to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, more couples divorced in the South than
Photos by Joshua Smith/OCG News
Deacon Sylvester and Deaconess Mary Spann renew their wedding vows to one another at Antioch-Lithonia Missionary Baptist Church’s Feb. 11 “One In Christ” Renewing of Vows service.
anywhere else in the country. For every 1,000 men in the South, 10.2 were divorced, while the national average was just 9.2, the Bureau’s data shows. The numbers were higher among women: There were 11.1 divorced women compared to 9.7 nationally. The Office for National Statistics shows divorces nationally rose 4.9% with 119,589 couples divorcing in 2010 compared to 113,949 in 2009. Pastor Ward says the rising number of divorces makes the marriage renewal See Marriage, page 5
Pastor James C. Ward and his wife, Idell, lead wedding ceremony.
Compost plant: Good for the earth or environmental racism? DeKalb Commissioner May promises to stand with residents against compost plant
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By Valerie J. Morgan
outh DeKalb residents are up in arms over an organic compost plant proposed for a tract of land at the Lafarge Quarry, located off of Highway 124 in unincorporated Lithonia. DeKalb County Commissioner lee May, who represents District 5 where the plant is proposed, says he will stand with residents against Greenco Environmental, the compost company out of Barnesville, GA in Lamar County. “Typically, I let the process go
Photo by Joshua Smith/OCG News
Community activist Viola Davis tells Greenco Environmental owners and their attorney, Michelle Battle, why she disagrees with their plans to relocate their composting plant to South DeKalb.
through until the day that we, as a board, make our decision, but I’m going to let you all know right now, I am not going to support this,” May said. May’s about-face response follows a decision he made last year when he supported plans for
a gasification plant to use wood chips and yard waste to convert “green energy” into electricity. May said he supported the project because he believed the plant was See Residents, page 7