Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunwoody, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Tucker

and Stone Mountain.

FREEPRESS
conducted, in my opinion, all of the business of the school system, so when you say dysfunctional I do not know what you mean. Walker said there were disagreements among board members.

WWW.CHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.COM FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2013 VOL. 16, NO. 15 FREE

A PUBLICATION OF ACE III COMMUNICATIONS

Walker fights to get school board job back

by Andrew Cauthen andrew@dekalbchamp.com Suspended DeKalb County school board member Dr. Eugene Walker took issue with a characterization that his school board was dysfunctional. I dont know what they mean by dysfunctional, Walker said June 26 when asked about the characterization by a report by an accrediting agency. We had meetings. We voted and we put together a budget. We had a smooth separation with the superintendent and hired a new superintendent, Walker said. We

See Walker on Page 13A

Dr. Eugene Walker

Building hot rods for veterans to help them readjust to society

by Carla Parker carla@dekalbchamp.com ransitioning from a war zone in Afghanistan to civilization in America can be difficult for combat veterans. Many veterans find it hard to readjust to the life they left behind. Some have a difficult time finding a job and, on top of that, some develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Although there are social programs available for veterans, some still find it hard to readjust to their previous life, which leads to some veterans becoming homeless or committing suicide. A U.S. military veteran commits suicide every 65 minutes, on average, according to a recent study from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Veterans also account for 16 percent of all homeless adults. Army Active Guard Reserve Staff Sargent Santrevious Marcus Thomas is on a mission to change those statistics. Thomas, a 2005 Avondale High School graduate, along with four of his fellow combat veterans, created Hot Rods 4 Combat Vets. The organization was created to help ease some of the stress experienced by returning vets. They provide vets the opportunity to build a 1965 Ford Falcon to race and visit various veterans organizations such as VA hospitals. Thomas, who did a tour in Iraq (2006-2007) and Afghanistan (2011-2012), knows firsthand how hard it is for veterans to readjust once they return home from combat. It was difficult, he said. Everything had changed. While overseas, Thomas, 25, commanded a group of soldiers. He said it was difficult to let go of his controlling ways once he

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Army Active Guard Reserve Staff Sargent Santrevious Thomas, along with other veterans, created Hot Rods 4 Combat Vets, an organization that provides combat veterans an opportunity to work on classic cars to help ease some of the stress they experience when they return home.

returned home. With me raising my son I wanted to feel like I was in control all the time but I had to realize that it wasnt going to be the same when I left, he said. So thats Because she gets her news updates online from the The Champi when I decided that I needed something to do to relieve my she mind of trying to beBecause in charge ofgets her news updates online from the The Champion. Because she gets her news updates online from the The Champion. things and kind of relax. Thomas began working on an

See Hot rod on Page 13A

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The Champion Free press, Friday, July 5, 2013

loCal neWs

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Fuqua Development reveals designs for Decatur Crossing

by Carla Parker carla@dekalbchamp.com Fuqua Development, a mixeduse and retail developer, revealed its latest designs for Decatur Crossing, a mixed-use retail center at the site of Scott Boulevard Baptist Church in Decatur. The proposed project at the intersection of Scott Boulevard and North Decatur Road covers 5.5 acres, according to a Medlock Area Neighborhood Association blog. In addition to retail, the project would include 200 apartment units housed in a building which will be five stories high and feature a natural food store, which will serve as the anchor. Decatur Crossing would sit directly across from a redeveloped Suburban Plaza, which will include a new Walmart Supercenter that has been criticized by some nearby residents, including community organization Good Growth DeKalb. Good Growth DeKalb co-chair apartment building. Runyon said the organization also has an issue with how pedestrian safety will be addressed and the five-story apartment building that would be built behind Scott Boulevard Baptist Church. We feel it will be very oppressive to our skyline, she said. And I think its greater than five stories because the loading zone is supposed to be under the apartment building. Runyon believes the church has the potential to serve the community in another capacity if the developers leave it intact. Since they made the decision to purchase this they can have some limited development there and turn the church into something that would serve the community, she said. Fuqua Developments website states the company hopes to have Decatur Crossing completed by spring of 2014.

Fuqua Development revealed its latest designs for Decatur Crossing, a mixed-use retail center at the site of Scott Boulevard Baptist Church in Decatur.

Louise Runyon said the organization sees some of the same problems with the Fuqua project that its members saw in the plans of the Walmart at Suburban Plaza. We have this incredibly challenged intersection in DeKalb

County, she said. Were talking about making it much more challenged by cramming a Walmart Supercenter into a corner of it and now Fuqua wants to build a high density, multi-use project there, which would include a five-story

Thanks

to all of those who serve. Happy Independence Day

page 3a

The Champion Free press, Friday, July 5, 2013

Police make drug bust while patrolling Stone Mountain CID

by Daniel Beauregard daniel@dekalbchamp.com An off-duty DeKalb County police officer arrested two people on drug and weapons charges while patrolling the Stone Mountain Community Improvement District (CID) June 13. The Stone Mountain CID is an area where commercial and industrial properties increase their own tax rate to fund improvements. It partners with local governments, business professionals and surrounding residents. Emory Morsberger, president of the Stone Mountain CID, said it has had a partnership with the DeKalb County Police Department for several months. Additionally, Morsberger said the CID has hired its own private security force to patrol the area. In this particular situation they noticed a suspicious car, ran the tag, followed the car and ended up pulling them over. As the officer was talking to the driver, the [passenger] of the car began walking away, Morsberger said. Morsberger said the officer ordered the passenger back into the car and soon discovered the driver was wanted by the DeKalb County Sheriffs Office. During a search, police uncovered a bag containing five ounces of methamphetamine, two ounces of marijuana, bags of pills and a 9mm handgun. The female driver and male passenger, a felon convicted of armed robbery, were both taken into custody. Officials said the male suspect faces weapons and drug trafficking charges. Its a real positive because it sends a message that if youre going to do crime you dont want to be in the Stone Mountain CID and were watching very closely to make sure that we stay crime free, Morsberger said. Jim Estlund, president of Plaza Security, the private security firm the CID employs, said the ongoing patrols by both Plaza Security and the off-duty DeKalb County police officers have continually reduced the number of criminal incidents occurring in the area. The CIDs stakeholders can expect to see even more targeted patrols and deterrent efforts in the coming months, Estlund said. We are working in close cooperation with DeKalb County law enforcement to keep this community safe for those who live and work in our area.

Chazerel J. Burton

404-577-8477
Police identify Kroger shooting suspect
by Carla Parker carla@dekalbchamp.com DeKalb County Police detectives have identified the man suspected of shooting a 2-year-old boy at a Stone Mountain Kroger June 26. DeKalb County Police spokeswoman Mekka Parish said arrest warrants have been secured for Chazerel J. Burton, 21, wanted on three counts of aggravated assault and one count of criminal damage. According to police, the father of the 2-year-old boy saw Burton robbing a man in front of the Chase Bank on the corner of the Kroger shopping center. The father then got into his car with his family and drove to the Kroger to do

DeKalb County Police Chief Cedric Alexander gives an update on the search for Chazerel J. Burton, who is accused of shooting a two-year-old after a dispute in front of a Stone Mountain Kroger.

some shopping, according to police. The father then saw Burton at the Kroger and tried to hold him at the store before police got there. A confrontation ensued and Burton started

firing randomly at the mans car. The 2-yearold boy was shot in the abdomen and is in stable condition at Childrens Healthcare of Atlanta at Egleston.

Nonprofits food pantry needs replenishing

The arrival of summer has significantly increased the demands on local area food pantries, including the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP). St. Vincent de Paul is asking for donations of nonperishable food and financial contributions to help stock its food pantry shelves. SVdP, one of the leading authorities on poverty and hunger prevention in Georgia, operates 38 food pantries statewide and distributes on average 20,000 pounds of perishable food each month. However, when the school year ends, many low-income parents find themselves trying to provide additional meals, while maintaining an already tight budget, according to a news release from SVdP. Summer feeding programs exist in local communities, but not every child has access to these programs, leaving their parents to rely heavily on donated food to feed them properly. I have faith that our community will help St. Vincent de Paul during this challenging time, said John Berry, SVdPs executive director and CEO. Typically, between June and August, we receive significantly fewer food and financial donations, therefore reducing the amount of food we have available to provide to families in need. We are asking the community to help put food on the tables of these families, Berry said. The communitys generosity is very much appreciated. SVdP served more than 146,000 individuals last year with more than $6 million in food, clothing, household goods and direct aid. Donations can be delivered to a local SVdP food pantry or donors can make food or financial contributions to the Conference Support Center in Chamblee. Financial contributions can also be made via the organizations website at www. svdpgeorgia.org. For information, call (678) 892-6160.

Sheriffs office seeks accused killer

The DeKalb County Sheriffs Office Fugitive Squad is seeking the publics help in locating Angelo Dennard, 32, who is wanted for murder and aggravated assault. According to police, Dennard shot Dianna Cruz-Sagrero three times June 16 after she refused to talk to him about their relationship. The shooting occurred outside apartment 2501 at 3737 Redan Road, Decatur. Dennards mother told police that her two grandchildren also witnessed the shooting. In addition to being According to officials, since 2001 Dennard has been arrested for a host of crimes, including criminal trespassing, obstruction, DUI, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, battery and drug possession. Dennard is approximately 6 feet tall, 192 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Individuals with information are encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at (404) 577-8477 or the DeKalb County Sheriffs Office at (404) 298-8200.

Dennard

charged with murder and aggravated assault, Dennard is being charged with two counts of third degree cruelty to children.

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Good deal, Governor!

to re-offend. What a good deal, Governor. Gov. Deals efforts at criminal justice reform have landed him on the front page of the Wall Street Journal. It is a welcome and exciting change to see Georgia cast in a favorable light for visionary leadership and the governor is to be commended. So far his efforts at criminal justice reform have captured the overwhelming support of Democrats and Republicans. Good, sensible legislation should not be held up in partisan bickering and grandstanding. Washington should take heed. The incarceration rate in the United States and Georgia is staggering, higher than in most other civilized countries. A criminal justice reform council created by Gov. Deal has reported that at least one in 13 Georgians is under some form of state custody or supervision and that one in three is likely to reoffend within three years. And detention is expensive. It costs $18,000 a year to house an adult and up to $90,000 a year for a juvenile. New legislation that created a statewide system of accountability courts and lowered penalties for some nonviolent crimes is expected to save the state $264 million over five years and eliminate the need to build thousands more prison beds. The governor has pushed through a rewrite of the juvenile justice code that routes low-risk juvenile offenders to communitybased treatment programs rather than detention centers. Bravo! Juvenile reforms is projected to save about $88 million over five years, some of which the governor wants the state to reinvest in the creation of more treatment programs in the state. Gov. Deal is the first sitting governor of Georgia to speak before the Georgia Bar in many years and he took the opportunity to share his plans for the third round of his ambitious package of reforms which might include the expunging of criminal records for long-ago offenders who have not reoffended. That would be an important first step. Georgias current process of expunging is cumbersome, difficult and laden with bureaucratic red tape. Most offenders are not aware of this opportunity and dont have the resources or patience to navigate the maze. A legislative study committee is looking at potential legislation on the expunging of criminal records and has planned a series of hearings scheduled for later this year. The first two rounds of the governors ambitious reform plan, accountability courts and juvenile justice initiatives, were not met with significant resistance. The third round targeting re-entry could be problematic and is expected to be the hardest to sell. Heres hoping the governor recruited some new ambassadors for his reform efforts at that bar meeting and that we will all get together and support a forward thinking, economically sound, compassionate good Deal. Steen Miles, The Newslady, is a retired journalist and former Georgia state senator. Contact Steen Miles at Steen@dekalbchamp.com.

The Newslady

OPINION

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 5, 2013

As a dear friend and native middle Georgian is often heard to say when she is excited, hot diggity. Thats the exuberance many feel at Gov. Nathan Deals plans for criminal justice reform in Georgia. The governor gets it. Seek alternatives to incarceration and find ways to facilitate re-entry of former offenders into society as productive citizens. Gov. Deal is spot on in his reform plans, which he laid out before the recent annual meeting of the State Bar of Georgia at Hilton Head. He appealed to the lawyers to partner with him and be his ambassadors for reform, pointing out that without support networks such as employment, housing and family, folks with prior criminal histories are likely

Letter to the Editor

The fight for truth and voting rights continues

All things considered, I am encouraged by Fridays administrative hearing in Judge Maxwell Woods courtroom. It was in his venue that any scrutiny whatsoever was given to the blatantly false AdvancED/SACS report which has caused irreparable damage to the DeKalb school system, my colleagues on the board of education and the community as a whole. No matter what the outcome is from this point forward, at least there is that. I have been dismayed since the beginning of this odyssey that the report, lengthy as it is, has been sold and bought as the gospel truth. In Judge Woods courtroom, we were finally allowed to scrutinize the document and the hands that prepared it. We were validated: SACS brought forward no supporting documentation for their baseless allegations. The whole process has been suspect from the start. SACS had advised us of concerns, and we were addressing them. In their review in March 2012, SACS commended the DeKalb School System in five areas. There were seven areas, called Standards, that we had been addressing. At that time, we had met four of them and making progress on the other three. Things were looking up. In an effort to streamline our processes as a policy setting organization, and to rectify our remaining issues with SACS, we did vote on a policy change that I believe was the root of our sudden and unexplained falling out with SACS. We increased the unilateral purchasing authority of the superintendent from $50,000 to $100,000. With this flexibility came the condition that a report of these purchases would be provided to the board. After all, the board was no longer seeing and approving these purchases on the front end, so to ensure transparency and fiscal integrity, we asked for the report on the back end. It was our responsibility as stewards of public funds. But the report, as stipulated by policy, was not produced. When I asked for it, our former superintendant said it could not be produced without additional money and staff. I wasnt buying it. And then came the sudden execution from SACS: immediate probation. Remember, a few scant months earlier DeKalb was making substantial progress toward all the SACS goals. We were on advisement and moving in the right direction. As a result of the December 2012 report, the school system was taken off of advisement, moved past warning, and placed on probation. The record shows that there was not a drop in student performance, there was no credible evidence of fiscal mismanagement, nepotism, and the personnel department had consistently received good ratings for its operations. No one knows what evidence or documents were used to pass warning to placing the system on probation in light of the March report. Thanks to Judge Woods hearing, we know that SACS did not review the state audits. I would think a sound and fair review of alleged fiscal mismanagement might have included taking a look at them. But not in DeKalbs case. I could go on and on, and I have done so before. But there are two more things Id like to make clear before I close. First, enough with the missing book money already. All of the money earmarked for textbooks went for textbooks. We have the records and the textbooks. Just because SACS cites it in a flawed report does not make it true. Second, there are many who believe that my legal filings are the selfish act of an old man trying to save his political career. Completely false, except for my age. While I am indeed 77 years old, my political career was over years ago. The job pays $18,000 a year, if anyone is interested. I continue to serve the school system only because I believe I have something to offer. The reason why I continue to fight in my retirement is because what has happened here is wrong. I have not been arrested, indicted or even accused of any crime or wrongdoing. There is no recall effort underway for myself or any other board member. Yet the governor, armed with a largely anonymous and completely flawed report, usurped the will of 42,000 DeKalb County voters without due process for me, or for them. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Georgia has made sufficient progress that the Voting Rights Act is no longer needed. It is true that the old Jim Crow has been eradicated for the most part, but you cant tell me that the new Jim Crow isnt just the same. Its just gotten smarter. Dr. Eugene P. Walker

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 5, 2013

The race to disgrace and erase

restaurateur, who allegedly has made some poor verbal choices of her ownsome about the same time the Duke of Edinburgh was on his Asian tour. To the best of our knowledge, as well as what has been publicly reported thus far, Ms. Deens offensive comments were not made on the air, in the official management of her enterprises or during any of many book signings, casual public appearances or endorsement events for her dwindling number of sponsors. I had the pleasure of meeting and spending some time with Ms. Deen, her husband Michael, and practically family member, Hollis Johnson, during 2009. She is gracious, funny, charming and as witty and irreverent as she is when you see her on TV. Like a good hostess, she pays attention to her audience, guests and company, and has always remained approachable and real. Whenever in her life Ms. Deen used the N-word, it was a poor choice, Im certain, given her age and background and being reared in Albany, Ga., that she was exposed and grew up in a climate and time that found that acceptable for some. Its not. It wasnt then; it isnt now. But that does not dismiss the many good deeds she has done, charities which she supports, inspiration she offers for overcoming life challenges and adversity or simply the benefits of being entertained while watching her show, learning a recipe or having a good laugh along with Paula. My favorite president is Teddy Roosevelt (26th U.S. president from1901-1909). A Republican, he created the National Park system, took on the railroads and big business, and was a co-founder of the later Progressive Movement. In a private correspondence in 1906 with Owen Wister, an author and father of American western fiction, Roosevelt wrote, Now as to the Negroes! I entirely agree with you that as a race and in the main, they are altogether inferior to the Whites. Those two wrong-headed sentences, or even the thoughts behind them, do not make Roosevelt a racist, nor worthy of consideration for removing his face from Mount Rushmore, or renaming the Teddy Bear. His choices and actions as New York City police chief, New York governor and later president did not support or act on those thoughts, even if he held them. Hitler exterminated millions of the Jewish faith. Over differences of faith and sect, multiple leaders in the fractured Middle East have directed the extermination of other sects within the Muslim faith often inside their own borders. Those are acts of hatred and racism. A racist acts on their wrongful and hurtful thoughts, or includes hate speech as part of their typical vocabulary. Prince Philip again, during the Carter administration and at the White House in 1979, was offered a cordial by White House butler Lynwood Westray (a Black male who served under eight U.S. presidents). The prince responded to the offer with, Ill take one if youll let me serve you. After a moment or two of not knowing what to do, Westray and a colleague agreed, and the prince served the three of them drinks. Before we rush to judge, or as we react to the poor choices that others are bound to make over the course of time, first reflect on your own past choices, words and most importantly actions. Instead of disgracing someone for making a bad choice, lets take the opportunity to educate and perhaps, over time eradicate. It took several hundred years to get rid of the smallpox virusand racism and prejudice are much more insidious than that. Bill Crane also serves as a political analyst and commentator for Channel 2s Action News, WSB-AM News/Talk 750 and now 95.5 FM, as well as a columnist for The Champion, Champion Free Press and Georgia Trend. Crane is a DeKalb native and business owner, living in Scottdale. You can reach him or comment on a column at billcrane@ earthlink.net.

One Mans Opinion

OPINION

Page 5A

If you stay here much longer, youll all be slitty-eyed. Prince Philip, consort and husband of Britains Queen Elizabeth II in a remark to British students in Peking (Beijing) as reported by The Times of London, Oct. 17, 1986. No one has ever accused Britains royalty of being the most progressive on matters of class and race. Prince Philip, the longest serving royal consort is also descended of Greek and Danish royal blood. He was educated across Europe when he began corresponding with his then 13-yearold third cousin through Queen Victoria. The now 92-year old duke also served honorably in the Royal Navy during World War II. And so, when he made the remark above, and occasionally when he has made other poor choices of class and on occasion race, I dont recall anyone calling for off with his head or even sending him to the royal woodshed. Which brings me to Paula Deen, a celebrity chef, author and

FREEPRESS
Let Us Know What You Think!
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS encourages opinions from its readers. Please write to us and express your views. Letters should be brief, typewritten and contain the writers name, address and telephone number for verication. All letters will be considered for publication.
Send Letters To Editor, The Champion Free Press, P. O. Box 1347, Decatur, GA 30031-1347; Send E-Mail to Kathy@dekalbchamp.com FAX To: (404) 370-3903 Phone: (404) 373-7779 Deadline for news releases and advertising: Thursday, one week prior to publication date. EDITORS NOTE: The opinions written by columnists and contributing editors do not necessarily reect the opinions of the editor or publishers. The Publisher reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertisement at any time. The Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts.

Publisher: John Hewitt Chief Financial Ofcer Dr. Earl D. Glenn Managing Editor: Kathy Mitchell News Editor: Andrew Cauthen Production Manager: Kemesha Hunt Graphic Designer: Travis Hudgons The Champion Free Press is published each Friday by ACE III Communications, Inc., 114 New Street, Suite E, Decatur, GA. 30030 Phone (404) 373-7779.

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We sincerely appreciate the discussion surrounding this and any issue of interest to DeKalb County. The Champion was founded in 1991 expressly to provide a forum for discourse forall community residents onall sides of an issue. We have no desire to make the news only to report news and opinions to effect a more educated citizenry that will ultimately move our community forward. We are happy to present ideas for discussion; however, wemake every effort toavoid printing information submitted to usthat is known to be false and/orassumptions penned as fact.

The Champion Free press, Friday, July 5, 2013

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Marist basketball coach indicted for receiving stolen property

by Daniel Beauregard daniel@dekalbchamp.com in the name of Monarch Beverages and used it for unauthorized purposes. An assistant Marist School Additionally, the indictbasketball coach and his wife ment states Berry-Hall also have been indicted for their used a legitimate company roles in allegedly embezzling credit card for unauthorized approximately $150,000 from purposes. Officials said she an Atlanta beverage commade numerous purchases pany. with the cards and used them A DeKalb County grand to deposit money into Emjury recently indicted Paulimett Halls Paypal account, na Erica Berry-Hall and her which was then transferred husband Emmett Hall for into his checking account. allegedly embezzling money Berry-Hall also allegedly from the Monarch Beverage caused the chief operating Company, where Berry-Hall officer and director of operaworked as an accountant. tions to sign checks for the According to prosecutors, full payments of unauthorBerry-Hall was responsible ized American Express transat Monarch for recording ac- actions, the indictment states. count information, preparing Berry-Hall is charged with payments for the signature identity fraud, first degree of the chief operating officer forgery and two counts of and director of operations theft by deception. Emmett and for recording customer Hall is charged with one payments. count of receiving stolen The indictment states that property. sometime between June 2010 Marist School is a Cathoand October 2011, Berrylic school located at 3790 Hall opened an unauthorized Ashford-Dunwoody Road, American Express credit card Atlanta.

Champion of the Week scott Holmberg

health services, so I added Odyssey to the nonprofits to which I give under the Combined Federal Campaign (United Fund), Holmberg recalled. Odyssey serves the metropolitan Atlanta area, especially Clayton, Fulton, Henry and DeKalb counties. In 2005, an organization with which I was working matched my own personal donation to Odyssey, he continued. Holmberg brought the check in personally and met the organizations founding director, Lynn Ranew. The two talked and Ranew soon realized that Holmbergs experience and education would be valuable to her organization. She invited him to join Odysseys board. Although Ranew retired a few years ago, Holberg has remained, serving on numerous committees and at times on the organizations executive board. Intra-family problemssubstance abuse, violence, sexual and emotional abuse and other problemsactually underlie many of the infectious disease issues I work with at CDC, said Holmberg, a branch chief who works in infectious diseases. Both HIV and viral hepatitisthe two viruses I have worked with at CDC over the past 28 yearsoccur prominently in injection drug users, alcohol abusers, gay men (who often were sexually abused in childhood), and others who come from impoverished family situations, Holmberg noted, explaining why he feels that Odyssey is the perfect volunteer setting for him. When I work with Odyssey, I feel like I am finally helping fight the root causes of these social and infectious diseases. In a period when all levels of government are cutting back on their support of help of those who most need it, it is important for us as citizens to continue the work to make our community healthy and sane, Holmberg said.

In 1993 Scott Holmberg, who lives in the portion of Atlanta thats in DeKalb County and works for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), was looking for a place to donate toys his son had outgrown. In the process he found Odyssey Family Counseling, a nonprofit organization that provides professional counseling in the areas of mental health, substance abuse, trauma, anger management and the prevention of addictive behaviors, to all socio-economic groups. I was impressed with Odysseys central location in a community needing quality, accessible mental

if you would like to nominate someone to be considered as a future champion of the week, please contact Kathy Mitchell at kathy@dekalbchamp.com or at (404) 373-7779, ext. 104.

The Champion Free press, Friday, July 5, 2013

Brookhavens city charter prohibits the council from raising the millage rate above 3.35 mills. Church to hold breakfast centered The city is making every effort on teens without dads to reduce the tax rate. My goal remains the same: for Brookhaven Church of Christ at Bouldercrest taxpayers to pay equal or less will hold its Community Breakfast than their previous tax rate while on Saturday, July 13, starting at 8 receiving better quality city a.m. The theme is How do we help services, Mayor J. Max Davis our teens overcome the anger and said. bitterness of no dad in their life? State law considers the millage The presenter is Dr. Latangela rate a tax increase because as a new Crosseld; the program is for city, Brookhaven previously had a everyone interested in repairing zero millage rate. broken relationships with dads, acIn March, the council approved cording to the church. a $16.465 million annual budget. The Church of Christ at BoulThe budget includes operating dercrest is located at 2727 Boulexpenses for the city, including dercrest Road, Atlanta. To make a administration, police, community reservation or for more information, development, parks and recreation, call (404) 622-9935 or visit http:// public works, legal and other city www.nbbalone.org/. services. For more information, view fi nance director Bonnie Klines budget presentation at http://www. brookhavenga.gov/uploads/2013_ Ofcials reviewing Century Millage_Rate_Hearings_2.pptx Center annexation application

aRoundDEKALB
atLanta
the story through the antebellum days of slavery and into its recent decades of growth and popularity, according to an announcement from the library. Davis is a retired journalist with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Galland is a photographer who works out of Brunswick. Decatur Library is located at 215 Sycamore Street, Decatur. For more information, call (404) 370-3070.

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dunwoodY

Astrologer to be featured at Jewish community center

BRooKHaVEn

Brookhaven city officials are reviewing an application from Highwoods Properties to annex Century Center into the city. The North Carolina-based corporation filed an application June 21 to annex about 120 acres into Brookhaven. The property, which is located in unincorporated DeKalb County, is bound by Clairmont Road, Century Boulevard, Century Parkway and Interstate 85 South. The community development department is currently reviewing the application. We are doing our due diligence to ensure that the application is complete and that the annexation is in the best interest of the city of Brookhaven, City Manager Marie L. Garrett said. City council to adopt millage rate The Brookhaven City Council will vote July 8 on the citys first millage rate. Residents will have an opportunity to provide input on the millage rate at a public hearing scheduled for 12:30 p.m. July 8 at Brookhaven Municipal Court, 2 Corporate Blvd., Suite 125. This is the fourth public hearing. Following the hearing, the council is scheduled to vote at a special called meeting at 1:30 p.m. The city is currently operating at a 3.35 mills tax rate for its interim budget for fiscal year 2013.

cLaRKston

Library to host story and song time for children Children ages 2-5 can listen to stories at the Clarkston Library on July 10. At 10:30 a.m., 2 year olds can enjoy stories, finger plays, action rhymes, songs and more, especially targeted to the developmental needs of 2-year-olds. At 11:15 a.m., 3- to 5-year-olds can enjoy stories, rhymes, finger plays, songs and more. Clarkston Library is located at 951 N. Indian Creek Drive.

The Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA) has announced that its Edgewise Speaker Series will feature Maxine Taylor Thursday, July 11, 10:30 a.m.-noon. Taylor, a bestselling author, Georgias first licensed astrologer Summer gardening classes to start since 1968 and host of the Move Into the Magic radio show, will Classes in a summer gardening speak on the topic You are fabuseries at Scott Candler Library start lous deal with it. Monday, July 8, 2-3 p.m. All classes Those who would like an astrolare taught by staff of the DeKalb ogy reading should find out their Cooperative Extension Office, start- time of birth. The program is free ing with Basic Vegetable Gardening to members and $5 to others. Edgewith Lynwood Blackmon. wise is a weekly speaker series that Learn how to start a vegetable touches on a multitude of topics garden from the very first steps, from politics and religion to Holincluding what you need, what to lywood to history. Adults of all ages grow, how to care for your plants, are invited to join the discussion. when to harvest, and some solutions MJCCA at Zaban Park is located for potential problems, the anat 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody. nouncement from the library states. For more information, contact Lilly Call or visit the branch to regisMahana at lilly.mahana@atlantater. Scott Candler Library is located jcc.org or (678) 812-4064. at 1917 Candler Road, Decatur. The phone number is (404) 286-6986.

doRaViLLE

LitHonia

Curry-themed fundraiser announced Trinidad & Tobago Association of Georgia will hold its second annual Curry Q fundraiser on Saturday, July 13, noon-6 p.m. at Tiburon Clubhouse, 215 Tiburon Drive, Lithonia. For more information, visit www. ttassociationofga2003@yahoo.com.

dEcatuR
Mayor Pittman swears in new planning commission member Doraville Mayor Donna Pittman welcomed the newest member of the citys planning commission during a swearing in ceremony June 24. Susan Crawford, originally from Miami, Fla., is a longtime resident of Doraville, according to a press release. Crawford, a former president of the Oakcliff Neighborhood Association, was instrumental in creating the citys planning commission.

stonE Mountain

Authors to present book on St. Simons Island Jingle Davis and Benjamin Galland will be at the Decatur Library Monday, July 8, 7:15-9 p.m., to present their new book. If you love the Georgia coast, you wont want to miss these guests and their gorgeous, informative new book, Island Time: An Illustrated History of St. Simons Island, Georgia. Its a spectacular look at a very special place, produced by a pair of natives and published in a beautiful edition by the University of Georgia Press. The book looks at the islands amazing history going back to prehistoric times, bringing

Volunteer organizations to make presentations at library Learn how you can help change your world and your community by volunteering with Peace Corps Volunteers, AmeriCorps and at the DeKalb Public Library with Literacy Volunteers of America, states an announcement from the Stone Mountain-Sue Kellogg Library. Representatives from these organizations will make presentations at the library Tuesday, July 9, 6-7 p.m. Stone Mountain-Sue Kellogg Library, is located at 952 Leon Street, Stone Mountain. For more information, call (770) 413-2020.

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 5, 2013Page 8A

LOCAL NEWS

City of Tucker 2014 website launches

by Carla Parker carla@dekalbchamp.com In the wake of communities in DeKalb County exploring cityhood, some residents from Tucker have launched a website supporting the mission of turning Tucker into an incorporated city. The City of Tucker 2014 website launched recently to start the process of turning Tucker into a city. According to a post on the website, it acknowledged that many Tucker residents would like to leave the Tucker area as is. But other residents would like to convert it to a city because of the changes in the county. Scandals, investigations and indictments of our county leadership are becoming the status quo, the post said. Loss of local control and trust, and now encroachment by new and existing cities is happening all around us. Tucker has to change to overcome these issues, to protect and preserve what generations of Tucker residents have built, to survive and become an even better and stronger community. The website launch is the latest development about Tucker becoming a city since the Tucker Civic Association (TCA) and Smoke Rise Community Association formed a steering committee in April to explore the issues related to forming a city of Tucker. TCA member Honey Van de Kreke said the committee was formed because of the Lakeside communitys initiative to form a city that pulled in certain areas that are considered to be in the Tucker area. It was 30-40 percent of the Tucker boundaries and [TCA] and the Tucker community felt that we didnt have any say so in that, she said. We also felt, after talking to the community, that there was a fair amount of confusion and some fear as to what will happen or not happen. The proposed city boundaries for Lakeside include North Druid Hills to the south, Interstate 85 to the west and the Embry Hills community to the northeast. It would include Northlake and north to Chamblee-Tucker Road. The city would be approximately 20 square miles and include 63,000 residents. It also includes part of Tuckers 30084 ZIP code. On June 25, members of the Lakeside City Alliance announced that it has raised the $30,000 necessary for a cityhood study. The study will examine whether the city can sustain itself financially with the revenue it generates. In March, a placeholder bill was filed on behalf of Tucker by State Representatives Billy Mitchell, Michele Henson and Earnest Coach Williams. However, the bill was dropped. House Bill 677 would have provided time for discussions on the potential of turning Tucker into an incorporated city. The discussion of Tucker becoming a city dates back to 2006. In 2006 and 2007, TCA discussed whether Tucker should incorporate into a city and conducted preliminary studies to find out which way residents were leaning. However, there was no initiative put forward to proceed to the next step in creating a city. Earlier this year, Tucker city business owners signed the papers to begin the process of establishing a community improvement district (CID). A CID is district in which commercial property owners vote to tax themselves to raise funds for community improvement projects. The Tucker CID, which is considering a three-mill tax, is planning to use the funds for increased lighting, beautification and road improvements. The CID would also allow the community to seek grants and would help attract more businesses

The Greater Good BBQ in Tucker will host a Tucker 2014 meeting on July 8 for residents who want to see Tucker become a city. The

meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. The restaurant is located at 4431 Hugh Howell Road.

NOTICEOFPROPERTYTAXINCREASE
TheCityofBrookhavenhastentativelyadoptedamillageratewhichwill requireanincreaseinpropertytaxes.Theproposedrateis3.35mills.This tentativemillagerateisinlieuoftheSpecialServiceDistrictmillage previouslyimposedbyDeKalbCounty. The4thandfinalpublichearingonthisproposedtaxincreasewillbeheld atthecitysMunicipalCourtat2CorporateBlvd,Suite125,Brookhaven, Ga.onMonday,July8,2013at12:30p.m.Concernedresidentsare invitedtoattendthisfinalopportunityforpubliccommentregardingthe settingofthemillagerate.TheCityCouncilplanstovoteonthismatter immediatelyfollowingthepublichearingataspecialcalledmeetingon Monday,July8,2013at1:30p.m. Thistentativeincreasewillresultinanincreaseof3.35millsovertheprior yearsrateofzero.Theproposedtaxincreaseforahomewithafair marketvalueof$325,000isapproximately$435andtheproposedtax increasefornonhomesteadpropertywithafairmarketvalueof$625,000 willbe$837.Theproposedtaxincreaseforapropertywiththecitybasic homesteadexemptionis$368.

Name: Tilly Female Adult Spayed

Pet of the Week

Tilly is a Shepherd/Retriever mix; She is medium size. Tilly is super sweet and very affectionate. If you want a pet companion to cuddle with; Tilly is the girl for you. She loves head rubs and scratches behind her ears. She's very obedient and tries really hard to please you. Tilly has been attending Charm School and has learned several basic commands. She will sit when asked, look at or watch you when asked and touch your hand with her nose on command. Tilly is learning how to walk nicely on a leash and to shake hands. She is really doing very well walking on a leash so she would make a nice walking companion. Please visit Tilly and take her for a walk or scratch her behind her ears; she won't care which as long as she can be with you. She is looking for a forever home; maybe it will be yours.

Tillys ID# is 19776981

If interested in adopting Tilly, send an email to both addresses below for a prompt reply

Jamie Martinez Jsmartinez@dekalbcountyga.gov Christine Kaczynski Ckaczynski@dekalbcountyga.gov

DeKalb County Animal Shelter

404.294.2165

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 5, 2013Page 9A

LOCAL NEWS

Civic, business, government and academic leaders will come together July 11 at the Georgia Tech Conference Center for the Georgia Forward Forum, which focuses on finding creative solutions to the states problems. Photos provided

Local journalist discusses food and health in Georgia, nationwide

by Daniel Beauregard daniel@dekalbchamp.com Journalist Andy Miller said that there is a fundamental change happening in the health care industry but it is going to take a multitude of those changes to improve overall health both state and nationwide. Miller, who has been covering the health care industry for 20 years, is moderating a panel at the Georgia Forward Forum, a forum that engages civic, business, government and academic leaders to come together and find solutions to the states problems. I think its a great way for community leaders and people in my particular health care [field] to get together and exchange ideas and look toward the futureto focus on solving problems, Miller said. During Millers second year attending the forum hell be moderating a panel on agriculture, health and economic development titled Can the local food movement create healthier Georgians and a healthier economy? Miller, a resident of DeKalb County, said in recent years people are becoming more interested in knowing where their food comes from. The city of Decatur, voted one of the top 10 foodie cities by Livability.com, is a good example of how some residents, and restaurants, are jumping on the locally sourced bandwagon. I think its a great community level effort to improve what were eating from the school cafeterias where fresh food is difficult to getand getting healthier foods in schools will do a lot to curb obesity. Its an effort that we absolutely need, Miller said. Miller is the editor Georgia Health News, a nonprofit health journalism publication. He said in his 20 years as a reporter on the health care industry he has seen a lot of changes and, a lot of things that have stayed the same. Since 1992, Miller said, he and his colleagues have been talking about the issue of the uninsured and high health care costs for businesseshe said it hasnt changedin fact, its gotten worse. Were not the healthiest of people so were spending much more money than other countries on health care but were not getting the type of results we should be, Miller said. Miller said that although there are a lot of problems with the health care industry, there are a few things he sees in a positive light such as the new part of President Barack Obamas health care overhaul that allows those with pre-existing conditions to receive health coverage. Additionally, Miller said health care is moving toward a new protocol that focuses on patient care rather than the number of tests a doctor or hospital runs on a patient. This means that there is incentive pay for doctors if a patient is improving and there could be penalties if a patient is not improving. For more information on the Georgia Forward Forum and to find out whom else is attending visit www.georgiaforward.org.
Paid Advertising

OUR HARD Y F O 0 0 ,0 0 0 2 $ N A MORE TH S FEES. Y E N R O T T A N O Y E N EARNED TAX MO

IS AND V A D X A M J. R O Y A M BROOKHAVENS TED TO SPEND C JE O R P IS IL C N U O THE CITY C

Miller

to the farmers markets and into kitchens, Miller said. Cities such as Decatur really make it a priority to get healthy food out there. Obesity is a major health challenge in DeKalb County, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC states that approximately 30 percent of adults and 13 percent of high school students in the county are obese. Additionally, an estimated 73 percent of adults and 79 percent of youth do not consume the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Miller said the locally sourced movement wont get rid of obesity but it is a step in the right direction. I dont think one strategy gets the job donemultiple strategies get the job done, Miller said. Since obesity can create chronic health problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes, Miller said it ends up costing a lot of money in the long run. Miller said a combination of exercising, eating better, eliminating food desertsareas

That money couldve been spent on Brookhavens EMS, Fire Dept. & Police Force!
I I

The world famous Pink Pony in business 22 years. $450,000 to City of Brookhaven in Property and Sales Tax, Licenses and Permits. 300,000 visitors to the Pink Pony annually, which generates revenue for Gas Stations, Hotels, Restaurants and Eateries. No Legal Problems or Citations since inception.

I I I

In Business as a city for only 6 months. Revenue lost by closing Pink Pony - $450,000 annually. 1 Mayor and 4 Council Members are telling 300,000 people the Pink Pony, is not allowed to operate in their original problem-free format. (ord# 02013-01-05, aka 15-400,et.seq.) Propose putting 300 Pink Pony Employees out of work in this economy.

Please contact Brookhavens Mayor and the City Council and express to them, you want to LEAVE THE PINK PONY THE WAY IT IS!
Mayor: jmax.davis@brookhavenga.gov Direct Phone: 404-386-5629 or Of ce: 404-637-0710 District 1: rebecca.williams@brookhavenga.gov Direct Phone: 678-509-5540 District 2: jim.eyre@brookhavenga.gov Direct Phone: 770-856-3211 District 3: bates.mattison@brookhavenga.gov Direct Phone: 678-390-3424 District 4: joe.gebbia@brookhavenga.gov Direct Phone: 404-728-1125

Youre the Voters, let your voice be heard!

PP_ChampionNewspaper_Ad.indd 1 6/25/13 9:37 PM

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 5, 2013Page 10A

LOCAL NEWS

County officials discuss next steps for new animal shelter

by Daniel Beauregard daniel@dekalbchamp.com With the June 25 approval by commissioners to build a new animal shelter at DeKalb Peachtree Airport (PDK), DeKalb County officials are now beginning to finalize the specifics for the facility. The facility will cost approximately $5 million, part of that money coming from $2.75 million in bonds proThe family of Gregory Davis accepts a proclamation from interim DeKalb school Superintendent Mike ceeds from the county. Thurmond. Davis, a bus mechanic who regularly spoke at school board meetings, passed away June 3. Photos by Andrew Cauthen Claudette Leak, head of the animal services task force created to recommend a shelter site for commissioners, said the funding will cover the construction costs and repaying the Federal Aviation Administraby Andrew Cauthen tion (FAA) for the andrew@dekalbchamp.com space. Although the The building where a county owns the land DeKalb County school bus on which PDK sits, the mechanic worked will be actual airport facility renamed in his honor. is owned by the FAA. The DeKalb County Mike Van Wie, airport Board of Education voted director of PDK, said July 1 to rename the school that even though the districts fleet services county owns the airbuilding located at 1701 port, the FAA contribMountain Industrial Bouleuted 90 percent of the vard in honor of Gregory money for purchasing K. Davis. the facilities. A video was played of Davis last comments to the school board. Davis, 51, died June 3 Since the new facilafter collapsing at a school ity will be located inside an 1988 and rose to the rank of of DeKalb Educators where empty building purchased board budget meeting. corporal. he served on the Education- in large part for PDK by He regularly advocated Davis and wife DeNiece, al Support Professionals Ex- the FAA, Van Wie said the at school board meetings for who were married for 27 ecutive Board Committee. improved conditions in the county must pay the FAA to years, had three daughters, He also was a member of school district. obtain the property. the Georgia Association for Primarily, almost singly, Teaonne J., Ivory and Leak said planning for JaLisa. Educators and the National because of his advocacy, the new facility is still in In 1996, Davis became Educators Association. the board has approved the its infancy and before the an ordained minister and He advocated on behalf county can develop a timehiring of four additional was a kind and loving of employees to ensure that table for the building of the mechanicsas well as our support staff were respected, shelter, it must first solicit meritorious attendance pro- minister of the gospel and counselor, according to the appreciated and well-trained bids from contractors for gram, along with internal proclamation. to protect the well-being and the work. Leak also said quality of service strateDavis began working for safety of students, accordgies, said interim Superinthat the county will solicit the school district in Noing to the proclamation. tendent Mike Thurmond. stakeholders input on what vember 2000 as a custodian His mantra, Happiness Before a proclamation should be inside the new at Eldridge Miller Elemenis your choice, was a in Davis honor was read, a facility. characteristic that he exemvideo was played of his last tary School. In May 2001, Specifications have not plified when he zealously, comments before the school he became a maintenance been finalized and therefore helper in the divisions plant courageously, and respectboard. no renderings have been services division. fully advocated for his coIn it, Davis said district created for the actual facilOn March 26, 2007, workers, literally to the end ity, Leak said. employees want to do our Mr. Davis exemplary serof his life, according to the part. At a commission meeting proclamation. If it means saving some- vice propelled him into the in June, a landscape archiposition of bus mechanic This is such a great and tect presented renderings ones job, please furlough honorable tribute, said us, Davis said. Well take at fleet services where he of the proposed facility but consistently dedicated his board member Dr. Joyce another furlough day. If it Leak said that was for iltalents and leadership to his Morley. Here is a man that lustrative purposes only and means that everybody can co-workers and the DeKalb we want to be able to look take care of their families didnt reflect that actual faand come to work and have County School District, ac- toward and say, He fought cility design. Leak said the cording to the proclamation. to the very end. How a job, do that. facility will be a minimum Davis was an active blessed we have been to Davis served in the U. S. of 30,000 square feet. Marine Corps from 1980 to member of the Organization have someone like this. Some residents expressed concern that the noise at the airport will scare the animals in the shelter. Leak said that the Animal Services Advisory Board never mentioned any concerns about noise and noise was not a factor in evaluating any of the more than 80 original sites for the shelter. The [board of commissioners] presentation of the site renderings was the first time that PDK noise was addressed. The Advisory Board, nor anyone else, ever mentioned noise as an issue. It was not a consideration as a part of the evaluation process by the internal evalua-

School district renames fleet building for bus mechanic

Well, its not over until a new shelter is built.

Sonali Saindane

tion committee, Leak said. Well, its not over until a new shelter is built but at least well be able to sleep tonight, said Sonali Saindane. Sandaine is the chair of the DeKalb Animal Services Advisory Board, created in 2011 by CEO Burrell Ellis to survey locations for the new facility and recommend a site to commissioners. It proposed a list of 12 locations, selected from more than 80 potential sites. In February 2012, the committee completed its study and recommended the PDK site as its first choice. However, commissioners were concerned with its location and created a task force to review the sites selected. After reviewing the sites, the task force presented three final locations to commissioners. One of those sites was the PDK site and the other two, a used car lot and the Johns Homestead Park property, are located off Lawrenceville Highway.

The Champion Free press, Friday, July 5, 2013

Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage leaves more questions than answers
benefits for government erans, Ingram said it doesnt riage of same-sex couples DOMA. However, he said employees, Social Security change the status of samestationed at Ft. Stewart or the 5-4 ruling was a very survivors benefits, immisex couples in the state. Ft. Benning, but what hapclose vote, which means gration, bankruptcy, the fi lHowever, it leaves several pens when they go off base that the entire opinion DeKalb County resident ing of joint tax returns, laws open-ended questions about for housing? Ingram said. hinged on one person. Danny Ingram said the Suevaluating fi nancial aid how same-sex couples livIngram said he is grateWe do see some balpreme Courts June 26 ruleligibility and federal ethics ing on military bases in the ful that President Barack ance, Ingram said of the ing, declaring Section 3 of laws applicable to oppositestate will be recognized off Obama appointed some Supreme Court but there the Defense of Marriage Act sex spouses. base. less conservative judges are a lot of questions that (DOMA) unconstitutional, Although the ruling afRight now, the military who likely played a large are going to remain unanis long overdue. fects many of Georgias vetwill acknowledge the marrole in the ruling regarding swered. The act, originally enacted in 1996, is a federal law that allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed under the laws of other states. Until Finding DeKalb Countys Missing the recent ruling, DOMA Stories of our missing residents offer profound barred same-sex couples insights and hope for a positive reunion. from being recognized as Now showing on DCTV! spouses for purposes of For a programming guide, visit www.yourdekalb.com/dctv federal laws and receiving DCTV Your Emmy Award-winning news source of DeKalb County news. Available on Comcast Cable Channel 23. federal marriage benefits. This is a victory for The Champion Weather July 4, 2013 American democracy because we see that our underSeven Day Forecast Detailed Local Forecast Todays Regional Map Weather History standing of equality stands Today we will see mostly cloudy skies with a July 4, 1776 - Thomas Jefferson THURSDAY for everyone, Ingram said. 90% chance of showers and thunderstorms, high paid for his first thermometer T-storms Likely Dunwoody This is a huge step forof 76, humidity of 89%. South wind 5 to 15 and signed the Declaration of High: 76 Low: 70 74/69 ward in the compensation mph. The record high for today is 99 set in 1948. Independence. According to his Lilburn of same sex couples in the Expect mostly cloudy skies tonight with an 80% Smyrna weather memorandum book, 75/70 Doraville FRIDAY military. chance of showers and thunderstorms. at 2 p.m. it was cloudy and the 75/70 75/70 T-storms Likely Snellville Ingram, president of temperature was 76 degrees. Decatur High: 81 Low: 71 Last Week's Local Almanac 76/70 the American Veterans for 76/70 Atlanta Date Hi Lo Normals Precip Equal Rights (AVER), re76/70 SATURDAY Lithonia July 5, 1937 - The temperature Tuesday 87 69 88/69 0.04" cently testified before the College Park Scat'd T-storms Wednesday 89 70 77/70 88/69 0.29" at Medicine Lake, Mont. soared United States Commission 77/70 High: 86 Low: 72 Thursday Morrow 87 73 88/69 0.33" to 117 degrees to establish a on Civil Rights. He was 77/70 Friday 91 71 88/69 0.01" state record. Midale and Yellow invited to address the conUnion City SUNDAY Saturday 87 72 89/69 0.00" Grass in Saskatchewan hit 113 77/70 cerns of LGBT (lesbian, Partly Cloudy Sunday 85 66 89/69 0.00" degrees to establish an all-time gay, bisexual and transHigh: 88 Low: 73 Monday 84 67 89/70 0.20" record high for Canada that Hampton gender) service members same day. Rainfall. . . . . . . . 0.87" Average temp. . 78.4 78/71 related to such issues as MONDAY Normal rainfall. . 0.98" Average normal 78.8 Dont Ask, Dont Tell Mostly Sunny Departure . . . . . .-0.11" Departure . . . . . -0.4 and whether to strengthen High: 90 Low: 72 Local Sun/Moon Chart This Week Tonights Planets existing laws or expand Day Sunrise Sunset Moonrise Moonset protections for veterans and TUESDAY Rise Set Thursday 6:32 a.m. 8:51 p.m. 3:44 a.m. 5:59 p.m. New Full Partly Cloudy service members such as Mercury 7:22 a.m. 9:04 p.m. Friday 6:32 a.m. 8:51 p.m. 4:28 a.m. 6:48 p.m. 7/8 7/22 High: 92 Low: 74 Venus 8:32 a.m. 10:30 p.m. housing, employment and Saturday 6:33 a.m. 8:51 p.m. 5:15 a.m. 7:35 p.m. Mars 5:08 a.m. 7:31 p.m. health-related benefits. Sunday 6:33 a.m. 8:50 p.m. 6:06 a.m. 8:19 p.m. Jupiter 5:45 a.m. 8:03 p.m. WEDNESDAY During his presentation Monday 6:34 a.m. 8:50 p.m. 6:58 a.m. 8:59 p.m. First Last Saturn 3:25 p.m. 2:35 a.m. Mostly Cloudy before the commission, InTuesday 6:34 a.m. 8:50 p.m. 7:52 a.m. 9:36 p.m. 7/15 7/29 Uranus 1:20 a.m. 1:47 p.m. High: 89 Low: 71 gram focused on DOMA, Wednesday 6:35 a.m. 8:50 p.m. 8:46 a.m. 10:10 p.m. discussing how the law disLocal UV Index National Weather Summary This Week Weather Trivia criminated against same-sex The Northeast will see scattered thunderstorms today, mostly clear to partly cloudy skies What was the greatest married service members. with isolated thunderstorms Friday and Saturday, with the highest temperature of 92 in amount of snowfall in one This is a great oppor0 - 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11+ Kingston, R.I. The Southeast will experience widespread thunderstorms today through day? tunity to take a final swing Saturday, with the highest temperature of 93 in Franklin, Va. In the Northwest, there will be mostly UV Index at DOMA just before the clear skies today, isolated thunderstorms Friday and Saturday, with the highest temperature of 100 in 0-2: Low, 3-5: Moderate, upcoming Supreme Court Ontario, Ore. The Southwest will see mostly clear to partly cloudy skies with scattered thunderstorms 6-7: High, 8-10: Very High, decision in June, Ingram 11+: Extreme Exposure today through Saturday, with the highest temperature of 116 in Bullhead City, Ariz. said at the time. StarWatch By Gary Becker - Cause of the Seasons Not Intuitive According to Ingram, The Earth is at aphelion or farthest from the sun on July 5 at 11 a.m., EDT. Just think about that. We will be coming off the Fourth of July celebrations with picnics, fireworks, approximately two-thirds tank tops, and togs in the fresh blush of summer, and yet we will be at our greatest distance from the sun. One of the big misconceptions that people have about the seasons of the overall compensation is that they are a function of Earth-sun distance. Nothing could be further from the truth. They are attributed to the Earths axial tilt which leans the Northern Hemisphere veterans receive is benefits. towards the sun in the summer, so that Sol is higher in the sky and we receive more direct energy from the sun. This also allows the sun to be visible for a longer period of time The benefits same-sex throughout the day. The net result is an excess of energy, the Northern Hemisphere warms, and everyone goes outside to play. You can demonstrate this effect with a flashlight couples in the military were and a wall. The wall is the Earths surface; the flashlight represents the sun. Shine the flashlight straight down onto the wall, and note the area of the wall which the beam illuminates. Keeping the flashlight at the same distance from the wall, allow the light to strike the wall at angles which are less and less steep. Youll notice the beam expanding into an oval which will elongate itself denied until the Supreme and cover more and more wall area. Its the same energy but all spread out. This is what happens in winter when the Earths axis leans back. Daylight decreases, and the sun appears much Court overturned Section 3 lower in the sky. The energy received from the sun lessens and so do the temperatures. All of this leaning towards and away from the sun seems to indicate that the Earths axis flips back and of DOMA include insurance forth during a years time. This is not the case at all. For now it points towards the North Star keeping the stars of the nighttime sky in step with the calendar. Oh, and how far are we from the by Daniel Beauregard daniel@dekalbchamp.com

loCal neWs

page 11a

Searching for Our Sons and Daughters:

sun on Friday, July 5? The number in miles turns out to be 94,508,200. www.astronomy.org

Answer: 75.8 inches in Silver Lake, Colorado on April 14-15, 1921.

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 5, 2013Page 12A

LOCAL NEWS

County and community leaders celebrated the groundbreaking of a new senior center in central DeKalb. Photos by Andrew Cauthen

Construction to begin on new senior center

by Andrew Cauthen andrew@dekalbchamp.com A new senior center in central DeKalb will soon be the third one under construction. County and community leaders held a groundbreaking ceremony June 27 for the $5 million, 15,000-square-foot facility to be located at 1340 McConnell Drive in unincorporated Decatur. The center will have arts and crafts rooms, a caf, a large multipurpose room, an exercise room, a billiards room, classrooms, activity spaces, a community meeting room, a computer lab, a fully equipped fitness room, a commercial kitchen, a large social hall, access to walking trails, and sitting areas inside and outside the grounds. The site already has everything you want, said DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis. Just look around, Ellis said. Weve got the Intergenerational Center. Weve got a community garden over here. Weve got a childrens playground. Weve tennis courts over here. Weve got the PATH behind me. We have a residential community. We have senior housing. Weve got a library. This is truly a lifelong community, Ellis said. This is a model community, not only for DeKalb County, quite frankly, its a model community for the Atlanta region. Paid for entirely with U. S. Housing and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant funds, the Central Senior Center will be the fourth center built in a decade. In November 2012, county officials broke ground for the North DeKalb Senior Center at 3393 Malone Drive and the South DeKalb Senior Center at 1931 Candler Road. The construction for the Central Senior Center, which is to be done by Hogan Construction Group, is slated to begin immediately, with an anticipated completion date of December 2013. This site in particular embodies all of what being a lifelong community is really about, Ellis said. You can hear the children just a few feet away and the senior center will be here. DeKalb County Commissioner Jeff Rader, credited with championing the construction of the center, said the facility will be a state of the art health and fitness center, hospitality site, a dance venue, a conference center and in some ways a school for lifelong learning for seniors. Its not just a bingo hall, although I bet there may be some bingo played here at some time or another, Rader said. This facility is the result of citizens activism, he said. Today we demonstrate DeKalbs commitment to its seniors. DeKalb County Commissioner Kathie Gannon said the facility will provide an intergenerational opportunity for people young and old to learn from each other, for opportunities for people who want to keep contributingto their county, to their society, to their community. Thats what this is all about, Gannon said. And if you want to play on the playground, you can do that too. This is just a marvelous facility. DeKalb resident Charlotte Cooper said the center will help seniors to have fun, to learn, to become part of our community. I am so excited and cant wait until this building is built because I know how much were going to get out of it and how much were going to give to it, she said.

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 5, 2013

LOCAL NEWS

Page 13A

Walker Continued From Page 1A

We had candid discussions, he said. We were independent, thinking people. We expressed our views as clearly and precisely as we knew how. But at the end of the day, we would take a voteand which ever way the vote turned out, that was the will of the board. Walker fought for his job June 26 and June 28 in front of a judge in the Georgia State Ofce of Administrative Hearings. Walker, who was suspended earlier this year along with ve other school board members, is the third to appear in an administrative hearing. Pamela Speaks and Sarah Copelin-Wood appeared before a judge earlier in June. The DeKalb school district was placed on accreditation probation by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the agency that accredits the school district through its parent company, AdvancED. That move triggered a state law granting the governor the authority to remove school board members. Acting on the recommendation of the Georgia Board of Education, Deal suspended six of the nine members of the DeKalb school board in February and later replaced them. In addition to Walker and Copelin-Wood, the governor suspended Jesse Jay Cunningham, Donna Edler and Nancy Jester. Walker denied the SACS report analysis that board members knowinglyoverrepresented revenues and underrepresented expenses in the preparation of the budget. Board members are not the ones that put the budget together. Its the staff , Walker said. The school board always tried to budget under the revenue side. Danielle B. Obiorah, Walkers attorney, tried to discredit the AdvancED report that led eventually led to the school district being placed on accreditation probation and six of its board members suspended. Obiorah said SACS is biased and cannot be trusted. Its engaged in school yard bullying tactics, Obiorah said. SACS cannot be trusted. AdvancED is free to act in any way that it feels appropriate with no checks and balances, Obiorah said. The report itself is not trustworthy especially in light of the many inaccuracies that we intend to highlight, Obiorah said. Russ Williard, an attorney with the state attorney generals ofce, said, We are not here today because of the SACS report. Walker was suspended because of the governors determination that Dr. Walker and his fellow board members are impediments to the school district maintaining accreditation and because the school district is one step removed from loss of accreditation, Williard said. Walker should not be reinstated to the board because he does not care about the students, only exerting control over local school system politics, Williard said. One is the issues brought up during the hearing dealt with $12 million in textbooks. The SACS report said the DeKalb school district had an inability to address the issue of inadequate and decrepit textbooks even though the district had a $12 million line of credit for books. According to the report, nearly every school level staff person and stakeholder interviewed by SACS was unaware of the $12 million and school level staff commented that they had not received any new textbooks and that school personnel had torepair their own textbooks for students. The SACS team reported that it could not nd evidence that the new books were ever received. During the hearing, Dr. Kathleen Howe, deputy superintendent over curriculum and instruction, testied that although she was interviewed by SACS, she was not asked about the textbooks. Neither was Dr. Ron Adams, the districts textbook requisition coordinator, she said. Judge Maxwell Wood said he will have to decide whether or not Dr. Walkers returnwould improve the efforts to get the accreditation back.

A non profit organization will provide combat veterans with the opportunity to build a 1965 Ford Falcon to race and visit various veterans organizations such as VA Hospitals.

Hot rod Continued From Page 1A

old, classic car. It was something that I thought could help relieve my mind of some of the stress I was going through when I came home, he said. So I just picked the first car I saw for a decent price and the parts and radio that were available. His fellow soldiers also got in on the project and Hot Rods 4 Combat Vets was created. Its a hobby. We all love old classic cars, he said. Its an outlet. Sometimes when you just need to get away you can always go to your garage and work on your car. Thomas said the organization is looking for sponsorship and volunteers to help with the project. We already have the car body and companies who have already expressed an interest in helping us, he said. Those companies are K&N air filters, Forgeline Motorsport, Dakota Digital and TMI Products. He said the long term goal is to build a fleet of hot rods across the country so they can have a network of supporting enterprise for veterans. We want them to not only be involved in the construction of the hot rod, but also to encourage them to reach out to other veterans, he said. Some veterans that lost a limb feel like that theyve been forgotten and thats where all of the issues come into play. The organization is accepting donations to buy more hot rods for veterans to work on. Thomas said this project will help many wounded veterans. Its a good way to let our troops know that they are not forgotten, he said. To donate to the organization, visit www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/jzh2/ hotrods-4-combatvets.

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 5, 2013Page 14A

EDUCATION

Anna Bryant of Decatur demonstrates the steps of making smoothies to boys receiving help for emotional and behavioral problems at Youth Villages. Bryant is spending her summer interning at Youth Villages Dogwood Campus in Arlington, Tenn. The boys made smoothies while learning about nutrition. Photos provided

Decatur student selected for internship at Youth Villages

by Andrew Cauthen andrew@dekalbchamp.com Decatur resident Anna Bryant is spending her summer working with troubled children in Tennessee. Bryant, a senior at the University of Georgia, was selected for an internship at Youth Villages, a Memphis, Tenn., nonprofit organization that provides various programs to help children who may have suffered abuse or neglect, or who may have emotional and behavioral issues. During her 10-week internship at Youth Villages Dogwood Campus, Bryant is helping children in the residential treatment program learn more positive behavior patterns and deal with past trauma. I am working to help them develop new coping skills so that they can go back into the community and live successful lives, said Bryant, who is majoring in psychology and plans to become a clinical social worker. Bryant is a graduate of Frederick Douglass High School and is a Gates Millennium Scholar. Were helping them learn life skills, said Bryant, who described the program as very treatment focused. Its very intensive. This year, Youth Villages will help more than 20,000 children and families in 11 states and Washington, D.C., through various programs, including intensive inhome services, residential treatment, foster care and adoption, transitional living services, mentoring and crisis services. Bryant said the children in the residential program are divided into cottages of 10 each. She builds relationships and helps to supervise the children along with a counselor and another intern. Bryant learned about the program from graduate assistant who had interned in the program. I really love getting to know the staff and I love the kids, said Bryant, whose internship began at the end of May. Its a lot of fun. The kids are a joy to work with. As an intern, Bryant said she feels supported by the staff Everything that I need to know Im being trained and taught, she said. After she graduates from college, Bryant said, she wants to take a year off and possibly work at Youth Villages, get some work experience and then go to graduate school for social work.

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 5, 2013Page 15A

EDUCATION

Two DeKalb teachers earn master certification

Education Briefs

Two DeKalb County teachers were among 58 recently commended by Gov. Nathan Deal for earning the Master Teacher certification, based on demonstrated excellence in student achievement and student growth for 2013. Christopher A. Smith, a teacher at Tucker Middle, and Sonia R. Solomon of Miller Grove Middle, were the two local teachers earning the certification. I am proud of Georgias Master Teachers for their tireless efforts to enrich the minds and lives of our students and for their ongoing work toward reaching our states goal of providing a high-quality teacher in every classroom, Deal said. Georgia continues to make tremendous strides in improving educational opportunities for our students, and I am unwavering in my support of the critical link between effective teachers and student achievement. Georgias Master Teacher Certification Program was established in 2005 and is coordinated by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission. Based on classroom performance on the Criterion-Referenced Competency Test, documentation of student growth and exemplary professional practices, superior teachers are designated as Master Teachers for a period of seven years.

GPTC has highest summer Decatur nurse enrollment wins March of Dimes scholarship increase in state
A Decatur resident is one of four nurses who received scholarships from the March of Dimes for graduate and doctoral studies in the field of maternal-child nursing. Nicole Carlson is pursuing a doctorate in nursing at the University of Colorado in Denver. Carlson is focusing on the increased health risks obese women face during pregnancy, such as difficult labor, premature births, and unplanned cesarean deliveries. Carlson hopes to improve labor management techniques for this group of women by reducing risk factors and improving care for both mother and baby. Qualified applicants for the March of Dimes graduate nursing scholarships are registered nurses currently enrolled in a graduate program in maternal-child nursing at the masters or doctoral level. Applicants must be members of the American College of NurseMidwives, the Association of Womens Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, or the National Association of Neonatal Nurses. Applications for the 2014 scholarships will be available this fall on the March of Dimes website at marchofdimes.com/scholarship, or by calling the March of Georgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC) has the highest summer semester increase in student enrollment among Georgias 25 technical colleges. According to preliminary data released by the Technical College System of Georgia, GPTC has a total enrollment increase of 17 percent. The number of students taking 12 credit hours or higher increased to 29 percent. The average for the technical college system is 0.7 percent. Under the leadership and direction of Dr. Jabari Simama, GPTCs new president, the college has refocused itself on new processes and programs to become a best-in-class higher education institution. We are excited about the continued growth of our

Master Teachers are eligible to automatically renew their teaching certificates as long as they continue to qualify for Master Teacher status.

Dimes at (914) 997-4609. Applications are due Jan. 15.

college, Simama stated. There is a great need in our community for education, and we are delighted to help more students obtain higher paying jobs and the American dream.

DeKalb school board adopts billion dollar budget

The DeKalb County Board of Education voted June 26 to adopt a $1.01 billion consolidated budget for the 2013-2014 academic year. In the budget, approximately $756 million is appropriated for general operations, with the rest covering the special revenue, debt service/capital outlay, school nutrition/athletics and trust and agency funds. Although earlier budget projections anticipated $9.1 million in excess revenues from the 2012-13 fiscal year, Chief Financial Officer Dr. Michael Bell updated the projection to between $15.6 million and $16.8 million. Since coming on board,

Ive made getting our financial house in order a priority, said Interim Superintendent Michael Thurmond. These excess revenues reflect our districts new vision and commitment to our community. The budget includes $3 million to cover the reduction of one furlough day for all 10- and 11-month employees, principals and central office employees whose total salaries do not exceed $80,000 annually. The budget also includes $4 million to allow the district to purchase textbooks and instructional resources. The districts curriculum and instruction department, with input from schools, will develop a prioritized list of other textbooks and instructional resources for purchase with any remaining funds. The budget also provides funds for four additional bus mechanics to reduce the downtime of the districts 920-unit bus fleet. The 2013-14 millage rate will remain the same at 23.98 mills.

DeKalbCountySchoolBoardissellingtwoofitspropertiesasisthroughacompetitive sealedbidprocess.Thetwopropertiesarelocatedat: FreemanAdmin.BuildingA/B(office) 3770NorthDecaturRd Decatur,Georgia30032 81,000squarefeetofofficespace 9.3acres HooperAlexander(school) 3414MemorialDrive Decatur,Georgia30032 68,900squarefeetofschoolfacility 8.1acres

AdvertisementforSchoolPropertySales

SealedBids,fromBidders,willbereceivedbytheDeKalbCountyBoardofEducation(theOwner) attheSamA.MossServiceCenter,1780MontrealRoad,Tucker,Georgia30084,until12:00Noon localtimeonThursday,August1,2013foralllabor,materialsandservicesnecessaryforboth projects. BiddingDocumentsmaybeobtainedbyBiddersat: http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/solicitations/ AllquestionsaboutthisAdvertisementforBidsmustbedirectedinwritingtoStephenWilkins, ChiefOperationsOfficernotlaterthanTuesday,July23th,2013at12:00Noon.ContactMr. StephenM.Wilkins,ChiefOperationsOfficer,SamMossCenter,1780MontrealRoad,Tucker, Georgia30084.;email:dcsdopsbidquestions@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us;Fax678.676.1350. Exceptasexpresslyprovidedin,orpermittedby,theBiddingDocuments,fromthedateof issuanceoftheAdvertisementforBidsuntilfinalOwneractionofapprovalofcontractaward,the BiddershallnotinitiateanycommunicationordiscussionconcerningtheProjectortheBidders Bidoranypartthereofwithanyemployee,agent,orrepresentativeoftheOwner.Anyviolation ofthisrestrictionmayresultintherejectionoftheBiddersBid. TheOwnerreservestherighttorejectanyorallBids,andtowaivetechnicalitiesandinformalities. SitevisitsHooperAlexanderSchoolarescheduledforJuly11th,2013andJuly18th,2013at9:00 am.SitevisitsforFreemanAdministrativeBuildingsA&BarescheduledforJuly10th,2013andJuly 17th,2013at9:00am

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 5, 2013Page 16A

Business

Matthews exterior shows historic past of the eatery.

Freshly prepared meats and vegetables along the serving line

Traditional southern desserts offered

One of three dining areas, all tables have the iconic red and white gingham tablecloths. Photos by John Hewitt

Matthews Cafeteria dishing up Southern favorites since 1955

by Kathy Mitchell kathy@dekalbchamp.com Bill Matthews and his brother Dan knew they were taking a risk in 1955 opening a cafeteria in a place where few people went out for meals. Tucker in the 1950s was a quiet community where most people prepared and ate their food at home. But that was my granddad, commented Bill Matthews grandson Michael Green. He was an entrepreneur in his heart and he wasnt afraid to take a chance. The chance paid off. Today, Matthews Cafeteria on Tuckers Main Street holds the same business license it secured in 1955, making it the oldest continuously held license in DeKalb County. It has not only survived and thrived as the economy took dips and turns, it has been featured on such television programs as The Food Networks Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and on the local program Atlanta Eats. Green said having the opportunity to show off the family restaurant on a national television show was one of the neatest experiences of my life. I guess you could say were nationally famousinternationally really, Green said with a laugh. The Food Network reruns the show about us from time to time and that always brings in some new customers. Sometimes people whore driving through the area make a special trip out to Tucker to eat here. I know weve had customers from every one of the lower 48 states. Over the years the menu has varied little with such Southern standards as macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, pork chops, fried okra and barbecued brisket. Im the barbecue man, said Green, who added that the fried chicken is his favorite of the restaurants offerings. When I was a kid, I was around the fried chicken all the time and I didnt think of it as anything special. Now I know its the best in Atlanta. In fact, the Atlanta Journal Constitution readers have voted it the best in Atlanta. I eat it at least twice a week. Green said hes also proud that the restaurant continues to serve an array of fresh vegetables every day. We peel and mash our own potatoes. I remember times when we cooked 400 pounds of potatoes a day. Every Thursday of the year the spirit of Thanksgiving Day comes to Matthews. Thats the day turkey with dressing is featured. Friday is fried fish day and patrons line up for fried chicken Monday through Friday. The catfisha relative newcomer to the menuis rapidly becoming a favorite, according to Green. Its simple, basic foodAmerican peasant food, prepared well thats why people like it, said Green, who added that the cooks are local and many have been with Matthews for many years. He noted that none of the recipes are written down; the restaurant has a tradition of cooks training new cooks. I guess we probably should write some of these recipes down. At its peak in the 1970s, the restaurant typically had an average of 2,000 customers a day and it still brings in approximately 1,200 customers a day. When I was growing up, I didnt realize that most restaurants arent as successful as we are. I thought that volume of business was normal, said Green, who said he has worked at Matthews at least a few hours a day since he was 11. I hated it then, but Im glad now that I grew up in the family business. It taught me a great work ethic. The restaurant business isnt for everybody, but Im right at home here. Green said that people who see the long lines that sometimes form at Matthews might imagine that the restaurant is making a fortune, but, he said, We really want to keep the quality high and the prices low. Our food is so affordable that for most people eating here is as cheap as eating at homeand we do the cooking and clean up.

DeKalb Chamber of Commerce

The Voice of Business in DeKalb County

Two Decatur Town Center, 125 Clairemont Ave., Suite 235, Decatur, GA 30030 404.378.8000 www.DeKalbChamber.org

The Champion Free press, Friday, July 5, 2013

page 17a

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DISCLAIMER: We do not knowingly accept advertisements that discriminate, or intend to discriminate, on any illegal basis. Nor do we knowingly accept employment advertisements that are not bona-fide job offers. All real estate advertisements are subject to the fair housing act and we do not accept advertising that is in violation of the law. The law prohibits discrimination based on color, religion, sex, national origin, handicap or familial status.

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 5, 2013Page 18A

SPORTS

From left, Perry McClendon Sr., Tanaka Carter, Jasmine Jackson and Curtis Gooden takes a picture before the 2012 Peachtree Road Race. Jackson and Gooden will run in this years race.

DeKalb runners and walkers feel safe going into Peachtree Road Race
Boston Marathon bombing in April. On April 16, two deadly bombs went off near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three people and injuring more than 150 people. In light of the tragic event in Boston, Peachtree Road Race officials have informed runners that security will be tighter at the race this year. Gooden, 28, said he was never concerned about his safety. I feel pretty safe going into the race, he said. I never really thought about that. His girlfriend, Jasmine Jackson, said she feels the same as well. They send us emails every week saying that everything at the race is taken care of, she said. So Im not

by Carla Parker carla@dekalbchamp.com For 14 consecutive years, Ellenwood resident Curtis Gooden and his family have participated in the Peachtree Road Race on the Fourth of July. That family tradition will continue this year, even in the wake of the

really worried about it. The Peachtree Road Race, organized by the Atlanta Track Club, is the largest 10K in the world. The 44th annual race will attract nearly 60,000 runners throughout the metro Atlanta area and beyond. In an email sent to runners June 25, race officials said they, along with the city of Atlanta and its various agenSee Peachtree on Page 19A

Former Lakeside basketball players sign with California junior college

Former Lakeside High School basketball players Malik Kemp and Jeremy McKenzie, who graduated in May, signed to play college basketball at Alameda College, a two-year junior college located in Alameda, Calif. Kemp, a two-year starter at the point guard position, averaged eight points per game along with five assists per game. McKenzie was a one-year starter at the small forward spot and averaged 12 points per game and five rebounds per game. Lakeside head basketball coach Dave Corder said the signing was a big deal not only for Kemp and McKenzie, but for the boys basketball program in general. These two players did an excellent job for us and we are very proud of them, he said. I think that they will do well out there and I encouraged both of them to not limit what part of the country that they go to college and to keep all options open as if they are willing to go anywhere, some college would take them, Corder said. Corder said the two players played a big part in improving the basketball program when he was hired as head coach two years ago. The team had just graduated 10 seniors from the previous year and had nine players off of either the varsity or junior varsity team transfer away in the time frame that it took to hire me, he said. Thus, it has taken us two years to just stabilize our roster and return some kids who have actually played in some real games plus our off season work in the weight room and gym. These two young men have shown that you can play college basketball coming out of Lakeside High School and it was just a matter of working hard and having faith in yourself and your coaches, Corder added. We hope to continue to build our program and keep improving. We provide a year-round basketball program for all of our players to take advantage of so hopefully, our upcoming players will take advantage of the opportunity to improve as students, people, and players just like Malik and Jeremy have done.

Malik Kemp

Jeremy McKenzie

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 5, 2013Page 19A

SPORTS

The Mark Trail Eagles Track Club won the overall team trophy in the AAU Georgia District Qualifying and the AAU Area 8A Qualifying meets in June.

Mark Trail Track Club clinches AAU overall championship

The Mark Trail Eagles Track Team clinched the overall team championship trophy in both the AAU Georgia District Qualifying and the AAU Area 8A qualifying meets in June. The track club won the championship title after scoring more than 500 points in both meets. The team also had 62 out of 70 athletes to qualify to run in the 2013 AAU Junior Olympics in Ypsilanti, Mich., on July 27 Aug. 3, 2014. In the AAU Georgia District Qualifier Meet, which was held June 6 - 9, the team won the overall female team point trophy (281 points), the overall runner-up male team point trophy (269 points), and the overall combined team point trophy with a total score of 550 points. The team placed in every event from the 100-meter to the 1500-meter and also placed in field events. In the Area 8A qualifier, held June 20-23, the team won overall team champion for the Area 8A meet with a score of 627 points and the overall female team and the male team placed third. Many of the athletes are ranked in the top 10 in the nation at www.eliteyouth. net.
Ayanna Habeel is pictured with NFL Legend Clarence Scott of the South DeKalb Optimist Chapter after qualifying for the 2013 Optimist International Junior Golf Championships.

Junior golfer qualifies for Optimist International Junior Golf Tournament

Ayanna Habeel of Decatur qualified for the 2013 Optimist International Junior Golf Championships, which will be held at the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. on July 25-30. The Optimist qualifying round was held at Bridge Mill Athletic Club in Canton, Ga. Habeel, 12, shot an 81 in the qualifying round.

Peachtree Continued From Page 18A

cies, have comprehensive plans in place to ensure the safety of participants, volunteers and spectators. In the email, race officials said there will be an increased law enforcement presence and number of restricted areas. The email also tells runners to leave backpacks or any other unnecessary items at home and to be vigilant of any suspicious activities or items. Donna Turner of Decatur, who will be participating in her first Peachtree Road Race, said she was a little concerned about safety issues after the Boston Marathon bombing. At first I thought about not going because of [the bombings], she said. But I guess you cant live in fear. Despite her concerns, Turner, 36, said she is excited about walking in her first Peachtree Road Race. Im looking forward to crossing the finish line and getting my [Peachtree Road Race] T-shirt, she said. Jackson, who will be running in her second consecutive Peachtree Road Race, also said her goal is to finish the race. Im one of the ones thats not going to give up, she said. If you give me a task Im going to do it. Goodens mission is to continue a family tradition that was started by his father 15 years ago. Ive been [running in the race] for so long I dont know if Ive experienced anything else beside the Peachtree Road Race on the Fourth of July, he said. I cant remember doing anything else.

Terez Davis-Files

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 5, 2013Page 20A The Pine Lake resident was the chief financial officer of Homewright Inc. in Pine Lake from 1991-2001. Howland attended Georgia Perimeter College. While with the city of Pine Lake, Howland had several major accomplishments, including securing more than $3 million in federal, state and county funding for capital improvement projects; oversight of the installation of recreational trails around the citys lake; assisting with the development of a new zoning code; and several annexation projects. The city of Lithonia is very excited to have someone like Phil Howland come to work for Lithonia, said Lithonia Mayor Deborah A. Jackson. He has great experience that will help the city implement the communitys vision for a vibrant community. The council and I recognize the need to have an experienced administrator to move the city forward and are pleased that Mr. Howland has agreed to work with us, Jackson said. Mr. Howlands passion for developing small communities that are fun to live in will serve us well. In addition to Howland, the former city manager of Stone Mountain was one of the four finalists for Lithonias city administrator position. Sixteen candidates applied in the search which began mid-March, according to Tom Berry, of Underwood and Co., a consulting firm based in Thomasville, Ga.

LOCAL NEWS

DeKalb school leaders going to Harvard

by Andrew Cauthen andrew@dekalbchamp.com Representatives from the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) are going to Harvard University July 7-12. An eight-member team from DeKalb will participate in Harvards Public Education Leadership Program. A collaboration between the universitys business school and graduate school of education, this leadership development program was established to assist leaders from urban school systems drive improved performance by applying proven management concepts to the unique challenges of their districts, according to a program summary from the DeKalb school district. Our focus, of course, will be on improving student performance through parental engagement, said interim Superintendent Mike Thurmond. What we hope to do is to take advantage of national experts who will be brought to Harvard, as well as their faculty, to help us refine and tweak the plan that we are going to implement here in DeKalb County in the coming school year. A DeKalb school district goal for next year is to engage parents and stakeholders and adult guardians whose primary job will be to assist us in improving academic performance, Thurmond said. In addition to Thurmond, the DCSD team will include school board members Melvin Johnson, Jim McMahan and Karen Carter; Region 3 Superintendent Trenton Arnold; Stacy Stepney, director of curriculum and instruction; Cedar Grove High Principal Pam Benford; and Donna Priest-Brown, co-president of the South DeKalb Parent Council. The DeKalb team will be one of 10 school districts from around the country participating in the program. The Gwinnett County school district will also be represented. We will be among a very prestigious group of boards, Thurmond said.

Howland

Lithonia selects new city administrator

by Andrew Cauthen andrew@dekalbchamp.com The former Pine Lakes city administrator now has the corresponding position in Lithonia. Phil Howland, who has more than 10 years of city government experience, will take over as the city administrator for Lithonia July 8. Howland worked for Pine Lake 2003-2012, where he served in several roles, including city administrator, public works director, acting court clerk and zoning administrator.

Lithonia to hold town hall meeting on citys future

Whats in Lithonias future? will be the topic of a town hall meeting Monday, July 8, 7-8:30 p.m. Attendees can learn about the various initiatives the city has been working on and share their ideas for the future of Lithonia. The meeting will be held in the Lithonia City Hall, 6980 Main Street.

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Whether shopping for the week or for the items you need to prepare your favorite dish, with a little planning, you can take advantage of savings that are just as satisfying as the meal itself. There are deals throughout the store. Bring in your coupons and save even more. With all the ways Publix helps you stretch your grocery dollars, you can plan on leftovers of the green kind regularly. And we dont mean lettuce.

Love To Shop Here. Love To Save Here.

For a list of current Buy One Get One Free deals, weekly specials and coupons, visit publix.com/save. To view deals on your smartphone, scan the code.