crossroadsnews, april 3, 2010

www.crossroadsnews.comApril 3, 2010Copyright © 2009 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

COVER PAGESpreading census cheer

COMMUNITY

Congressman Hank Johnson and other dignitar-ies gathered at the Wesley Chapel Post Office to encour-age residents to mail in their 2010 Census forms. 3

As inves-tigators sort through murky details of the murder of Cinque Harper, the 17-year-old’s family and friends prepare to bury him. 4

Collection effort under wayCOMMUNITY

Clients at AiJalon Adult Day Care in Stone Mountain are getting ready for their annual “Therapeutic Garden Project Fundraiser”. 8

Flowers for fundingSCENE

Task force kicks school closings back to board

Redan Road bridge opens after six-month closure

Volume 15, Number 48

Jennifer Parker / Crossroadsnews

Curtis Parker / Crossroadsnews

District 4 Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton cut the ribbon Thursday to officially open the Redan Road bridge that was damaged by last fall’s floods.

The Redan Road bridge was closed in September after it was damaged by floodwaters. The reconstruction project cost $1.06 million in federal highway emergency funds.

By Donna Williams Lewis

Redan Road has reopened to flow-through traffic six months after floods dam-aged a bridge on the major South DeKalb artery.

Nadine Rivers-Johnson, community as-sociation liaison for the Mainstreet subdivi-sion, said she was ecstatic.

“The community is thrilled that the bridge is open,” she said.

After the bridge closed in September, Re-dan Road commuters were diverted through Mainstreet, a planned community of 1,164 homes with entrances on Redan and South Hairston roads.

The busiest neighborhood streets soon became pockmarked with potholes as they crumbled under the additional weight that included trucks and MARTA buses.

Jan Costello, a longtime resident of the Hidden Hills community across from Main-street, was happy to hear that the detour is over.

“We’re thrilled because the detour changed not only our own commuting pat-terns, but we’ve also seen so much congestion on Covington Highway and cut-through traffic in our neighborhood,” Costello said.

The Georgia Department of Transpor-tation opened the bridge over Barbashela Creek, between Redan High School and South Hairston Road, at 6:30 p.m. on March 29.

Mickey McGee, the DOT’s district construction engineer, says the reopening, within six months of the bridge closure, is a significant accomplishment.

“Bridge reconstruction projects typically take 18 to 24 months, but our contractors worked hard and got them done quickly,” McGee said.

Massana Construction Inc. of Tyrone re-placed the bridge. The project cost $1.06 mil-lion in federal highway emergency funds.

Other bridges severely damaged by the Sept. 21-22 floodwaters reopened last week.

Bridges on Peachtree-Dunwoody Road over Nancy Creek and on State Route 166 over Anneewakee Creek have been complet-ed. Another damaged bridge, Riverside Drive over Marsh Creek, is scheduled to reopen by mid-April, according to the DOT.

As the Redan Road bridge replacement progressed, county workers stayed busy patching and repatching potholes on Main-

street Park Drive, Martin Road and other streets in the community that were used as detours.

Residents there and in some adjacent communities now want some roads hit hard by the detour repaved.

Mainstreet residents also are concerned about the safety of a small bridge on Mainstreet Park Drive, near Heritage Oaks

Drive.Rick Harris, president of the homeown-

ers’ Mainstreet Community Services Associa-tion Inc., said they stayed on county officials about fixing the bridge and intend to do the same about repaving the detour roads.

“We beat them up really bad about fixing the bridge,” he said after a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the bridge hosted by District

4 Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton. “We are not going to fight them too hard just yet, but we want it done.”

Carl Glover, the county’s Public Works Department associate director, said Thurs-day that they are working to repave all the detour roads in Mainstreet within the next 30 days.

“Our crews are over there making as-sessment right now,” he said. “We have to fix them first before we can repave.”

Barnes Sutton said she is so happy that the bridge is open, ahead of its original April 31 completion date.

“The bridge being out for so long was a big problem for this community and for residents all over DeKalb,” she said. “This is a highly traveled road, a main thoroughfare. On behalf of the CEO and the other commis-sioners, I want to say that we understand the cost that this was to you, our constituents. I know that it cost the businesses a lot of money; it cost the residents – that it was an inconvenience for the residents and we just

Please see BRIDGE, page 4

The Citizen Planning Task Force charged with recommending four schools for closure, backed away from that decision late Thurs-day night.

Instead, the 20-member panel voted to do nothing and to send the list of 10 south DeKalb elementary schools – Atherton, Clifton, Flat Shoals, Gresham Park, Kelley Lake, Knollwood, Meadowview, Peachcrest, Rowland and Sky Haven – to the DeKalb Board of Education.

The panel arrived at the list of 10 on Tuesday, after removing Avondale, Briar Vista, Laurel Ridge and Medlock elementary schools because there were no schools with capacity to absorb any of their students if they closed.

Darrell Jennings, a task force member from School Board District 3, said members were uncomfortable with the closure sce-narios given to them.

“We had lots of questions,” he said. “We

decided that this should be a board deci-sion.”

The school system, which is facing a $115 million shortfall, says it must close four low-enrollment schools at savings of $2.35 million, to help balance its budget.

The system has targeted schools with fewer than 450 students, which the state does not fully fund.

The task force started with a list of 26 schools and pared it down to 10.

Darrell Jen-nings said task force mem-bers were uncomfort-able with the closure scenarios they were given.

2INSIDE-AD PG

Students accused of sexual battery

Community hero deadline extended

Community “Acquittal of a crime does not mean that the board’s decision was incorrect or will in any way be revisited.”

Teacher acquitted in sex dance casewould do it again.

He said he is not second-guess-ing the jury but that taxpayers’ dol-lars pay for these teachers and for these children to be educated.

“Everything but education was going on in that classroom,” he said.

James charged Grigsby after viewing the 68-second video of

the incident. He said Wednesday that he still plans to

go ahead with prosecuting the three students – Jerramy Barnett, Joe’l Shumate and Kiyon Benton – who performed the dance with public indecency and disrupting a public school.

The three graduated last May. They testi-fied in support of Grigsby during the trial.

Grigsby, who could be seen on the tape watching the dance, told jurors he was help-ing another student for the bulk of the per-formance and had his back to the dancers. He said he wore headphones and didn’t hear the screams or the lewd lyrics and was surprised at what he saw when he turned around.

He said he immediately turned off the music and put an end to the dance.

Grigsby said he regretted not telling school administrators about the incident when it happened.

He is now the director of a choir at Agnes Scott College and is the minister of music at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Lithia Springs.

Former Southwest DeKalb High School chorus teacher Nathan Grigsby was acquitted Wednesday by a DeKalb County jury on five counts of contributing to the de-privation of a minor.

After two days of testimony, six jurors – three men and three wom-en – deliberated for about six hours before saying he did not commit a crime when students stripped and performed a lewd and raunchy sex dance on female stu-dents in his class on Dec. 10, 2008.

After the “not guilty” verdicts were read aloud in DeKalb State Court, Grigsby, a 22-year teacher who taught at Southwest DeKalb for eight years, threw his hands in the air in relief before celebrating with supporters that included parents and former students outside the courtroom.

Grigsby, 46, was a popular music teacher at the school. He was fired in the wake of the incident that was videotaped and placed on Facebook. For two days in January before the school district fired him, more than 200 students and parents protested in his support in front of the school.

Grigsby said Wednesday that he wanted his job back, but DeKalb School Board Chair-man Tom Bowen said he will not get it.

“Acquittal of a crime does not mean that the board’s decision was incorrect or will in any way be revisited,” Bowen said.

Despite the not-guilty verdict, DeKalb Solicitor-General Robert James said he

Nathan Grigsby

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Five male Stephenson Middle School stu-dents who allegedly stripped and molested a fellow student and stuffed him naked in a locker are facing criminal charges for their role in the sexual battery incident.

School spokesman Dale Davis said Thursday that the district’s public safety department is investigating the incident that involved a total of six students.

“Five of the six were charged criminally,” Davis said. “The students received school-related disciplinary action in accordance with our Student Code of Conduct.”

The students were not identified.

Reports are that the incident occurred after a track team practice. No teacher was present in the locker room at the time.

Davis called the incident “isolated” and said it received an immediate response from public safety and school adminis-trators.

“The entire administrative staff at Stephenson Middle School works tirelessly to provide a safe and conducive learning environment for their students,” he said. “Stephenson Middle School is and will continue to be a safe learning environment for the students and staff.”

The deadline to nominate a DeKalb Community Hero has been extended to April 8.

Bettye Davis, One DeKalb’s director, said nominees must be individuals and organiza-tions that show involvement and leadership and give of their time and talent to positively impact the county.

Nomination forms are available at www.dekalbcountyga.gov.

The first Community Hero Awards cer-emony will be held on April 18 at 4 p.m. at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center.

It is part of the National County Gov-ernment Month that is being celebrated this month.

CrossRoadsNews April 3, 20102

3COMMUNITY PG

CommunityOfficials turn in census forms

Former CEO and DeKalb to pay

Vision.Experience.Leadership.

PAID FOR BY STUBBS FOR SENATE

Vote TomStubbs -May 11

stubbs-ad-5x8:Layout 2 3/25/10 12:10 PM Page 1

DeKalb County government and former CEO Vernon Jones will pay out damages of $185,000 to two former parks department employees for racial discrimination.

A federal jury found in favor of two of the four plaintiffs in the discrimination case filed six years ago.

The plaintiffs – former parks director Becky Kelly, Michael Bryant and John Drake, who are white, and Herbert Lowe, who is black – claimed that Jones, the county’s first black CEO when he was elected in 2000, or-chestrated to replace three top white manag-ers in the parks department with blacks.

Lowe testified that Jones hired him to “dig up dirt” on the white managers so he could fire them. He said he was fired when he didn’t.

The defendants in the case were Jones, former Parks director Marilyn Boyd Drew, Morris Williams and Richard Stogner in their individual capacities, and DeKalb County government. The county has already spent $2.5 million defending the case. The plain-tiffs have spent $2 million.

Michael Bryant, who died in February,

was awarded $105,000 and John Drake, $80,000. Bryant’s estate was represented by his daughter.

DeKalb County will pay $74,000 of the total and personality liability was assessed against Jones and Stogner, who will each pay $27,750 and Drew, who will pay $55,500.

Kelly and Lowe were not awarded dam-ages and Williams was not assessed any personal liability.

The verdict came after seven days of evidence and testimony before a jury of five whites and one black.

Current DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis said he viewed the verdict as a favorable outcome for the county in light of years of litigation and the amount of damages at stake.

“I look forward to seeing this matter closed so that we can focus our attention on the quality of life issues that matter most to our citizens,” he said.

Jones, who is running for the 4th Congres-sional seat held by Hank Johnson, did not comment after the verdict but said he will discuss the case at an April 2 press confer-ence in Decatur.

With DeKalb County census returns lagging the nation, 43 percent to 52 percent, Congressman Hank Johnson and DeKalb Commissioners Larry Johnson and Sharon Barnes Sutton went to the Wesley Chapel Post Office on Thursday to turn in their forms and inspire others to follow suit.

CrossRoadsNewsApril 3, 2010 3

4 Community “He was an honor student, He was quiet, reserved and laid back. He was not in any gang.”

Details murky in Clarkston teen’s death as family prepares for burial

Middle school student arrested on gun charge

Detours took toll on neighborhood streets

deborah alberto / Crossroadsnews

Cinque’s brother Khalif Harper and friends raise money on Thursday to help defray funeral expenses.

said. “We’re very happy. We’re just trying to get customers back to the store now.”

In an interview several months ago, Pullin said the supermarket had lost at least $60,000 in business weekly since the detour started last fall.

Many customers didn’t want to maneuver through the detour to get to the store, especially during rush hour, he said then. The loss of sales resulted in loss of hours for some of the store’s nearly 100 employees.

Pullin now sees better days just around the corner.The bridge reopens at a happy time for grocery stores

nationwide, just as the Final Four college basketball tour-nament and Easter Sunday approach.

“We’re hoping,” Pullin said, “that we’ll have a super weekend.”

BRIDGE, fRom paGE 1

A Chapel Hill Middle School eighth-grader was arrested Thursday on charges that he discharged a gun in a boys’ bathroom at the Decatur school.

The 13-year-old male student, who was not identified, was allegedly showing off the gun which he brought to school with him. School spokesman Dale Davis said the student allegedly dis-charged one round of a handgun at approximately 12:15 p.m.

“At the time, two other students were in the restroom,” he said. “No one was injured.”

Davis said the administrative team and school resource officer quickly identified and took the student into custody.

“The parents of all students involved have been contacted,” he said.

had to adapt during this time period. But we are so, so thankful and happy that this bridge was complete ahead of schedule.”

The neighborhood Kroger in the Crowe’s Crossing shopping center at the corner of Redan and South Hair-ston roads beat county officials to the punch with the celebrating. On Tuesday, a pink handwritten sign in the store’s window read: “Welcome back valued customers. The bridge is open!”

Store co-manager Horace Pullin said balloons were flying high outside and customers were served free or-ange juice and breakfast items on Tuesday.

“We’ll be doing things all through the week,” Pullin

By Deborah Alberto

After a monthlong search for their miss-ing son, the Harper family in Clarkston is preparing to bury 17-year-old Cinque Harper on April 3.

The family learned the Clarkston High School junior’s decaying body was found March 22 in a stolen car in the Brannon Hills apartment complex, a few short blocks from where he went missing. Police say he died from a gunshot wound.

His memorial service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Clarkston International Bap-tist Church, 3895 Church St. in downtown Clarkston.

Cinque disappeared Feb. 26. His father, Glenn Harper, said Wednesday

that he looked for him every single day. “I wasn’t the only one,” he said. “A lot of

people were looking for him.” He said the disturbing news about

his son’s death brought him a slight degree of comfort.

“At least I now know where he is,” he said.

T h e c i r -c u m s t a n c e s s u r r o u n d i n g Cinque’s death are under inves-tigation.

D e K a l b Police spokes-woman Mekka Parrish said late Thursday that they suspect he was shot during a home invasion. She said details were murky but that investigators believe Cinque and two other young men were involved. She said one other man was shot by the homeowner and is hospitalized and on life support.

Parrish said no other details were available at press time.

T.D. Brown, a Clarkston Po-l ice detect ive who worked the missing person’s case, said Cinque “appeared to be a good kid,” but that there may have been “ac-tivities outside of

school that his father wasn’t aware of.”Brown said the teen was on his way to

collect money that was owed to him on the day of his death.

“There also has been some talk about gang involvement,” Brown said. “There are a lot of stories floating around and the in-

vestigation is all over the place.” Harper says police made false assump-

tions about his son, listened to baseless ru-mors and didn’t do enough to find him.

“He was an honor student. He was quiet, reserved and laid back,” he said. “He was not in any gang.”

Parrish said she has not heard any talk of gang involvement among homicide in-vestigators.

Harper said he complained last week to Clarkston Police Chief Tony Scipio about the course of the investigation and three city employees were suspended as a result of his complaints.

The family is struggling to pay for funeral. On Thursday, students and family friends canvassed the Memorial Bend Plaza in Stone Mountain seeking donations to help defray burial costs. Donations to the Cinque Harper Memorial Fund can be made at any Bank of America branch.


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6Greenforest-McCalep Christian Aca-

demic Center has agreed to pay $53,000 and implement anti-discrimination poli-cies to settle two US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission pregnancy discrimination law suits.

The EEOC filed suit against the Deca-tur pre-school, a subsidiary of Greenforest Community Baptist Church, in May 2009 on behalf of Victoria Brown. In September 2009, it filed suit on behalf Shuntal Prince, another teacher. The EEOC says Brown received an employment offer from Deca-tur pre-school, but the offer was rescinded when she told headmaster Albert Walker that she was pregnant. It filed suit the sec-ond lawsuit on behalf of Prince, who had been employed as a teacher at Greenforest-McCalep since June 2006.

The EEOC said Prince was terminated after she confirmed to the director that she was pregnant. Their lawsuits sought back pay and compensatory and punitive damages for wrongful termination and injunctive relief to stop the discrimination at the school.

Robert Dawkins, the EEOC’s regional attorney for the Atlanta District Office, said pregnant women have an equal right to participate in the work force.

“Federal law guarantees that no ex-pectant mother should be deprived of her livelihood simply because of her preg-nancy,” he said.

With the consent decrees, Brown will be paid $30,000, and Prince, $23,000. The school will develop new pregnancy dis-crimination policy and procedures, equal employment opportunity training as well as reporting and posting of anti-dis crim-ination notices.

Deacon James Chester, the church’s human resource director, said Greenforest-McCalep denies any wrongdoing based on its policies that were in effect at the time.

He said the issues came about because the women were pregnant out of wedlock. “Since that time we have updated our policies and improved our environment,” he said. “God is a forgiving God and we are too.”

Chester noted that spiritual and financial counseling is now available to all employees and that no one will be dismissed for out of wedlock pregnancies in the future.

FinanCe “Federal law guarantees that no expectant mother should be deprived of her livelihood simply because of her pregnancy.”

Hank gives back to help deficit

Greenforest settles EEOC bias lawsuits

Man indicted in 30 FEMA scams

Lots of jobs available for summer

CrossRoadsNews is published every Saturday by CrossRoads News, Inc.

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Small businesses and other employers can get summer help at no cost to them from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, but they must apply by April 15.

Statewide, more than 15,000 youth will get summer employment through the program which runs June 1 to July 31.

State Rep. Billy Mitchell says the program is seeking businesses to offer jobs, internships and apprenticeships to high school students for eight weeks over the summer.

Businesses that accommodate them will help them gain income while learning work readiness skills.

“With the economy the way it is, this is a great opportunity for youth to earn some

income and learn what it is to be employed,” he said. “Businesses will help to give the youngsters job experience as well as get the benefit of some free labor since all the payments will be made from stimulus funds.”

Mitchell is also looking for nonprofits, law firms and other businesses to participate and for

youngsters from Stone Mountain, Lithonia, Tucker, Lilburn and surrounding area to ap-ply for the summer jobs.

Eligible teens must meet certain low-income eligibility criteria. The youngsters will make $8.50 an hour for 35 hours of work weekly.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 404-656-0116.

An Atlanta man accused of filing 30 fraudulent claims in five states and stealing more than $30,000 in disaster relief money, has been indicted by the U.S. district at-torney.

Desima James, 30, al-legedly claimed he was a victim of Hurricane Ka-trina in Louisiana, Hurri-cane Rita in Louisiana and Texas, Hurricane Wilma in Florida, severe storms and flooding in New Hamp-shire, and a tornado and severe storms in Indiana. He allegedly repre-sented that he was living at various addresses in the states where he filed claims.

U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said James filed more than 30 fraudulent claims with FEMA, using different names, fake So-cial Security numbers, and various addresses to enable him to escape detection and steal

more than $30,000 in disaster relief that was intended for real victims.

“He has now been caught and will be called to answer for this extensive fraud,” she said.

Federal agencies including the U.S. Postal Service and the Department of Homeland Security took part in the investigation.

The indictment alleges that in addition to filing claims under his real name and Social Security number, James filed claims under different variations of his name, including “James Desima,” “Terrell James,” and “James Terell.” He is also accused of using Social Se-curity numbers not belonging to him.

The Jan. 26 indictment charges him with 14 counts of mail fraud, one count of wire fraud, seven counts of false statements, and 10 counts of theft of government funds.

If he is convicted, James could face a maximum sentence of life in prison and maximum fines of $250,000 per count.

Congressman Hank Johnson took the term “giving back” to a new level recently when he returned $55,000 to the federal cof-fers from his congressional budget.

Johnson said he re-turned the money, which represent more than 3.7 percent of his office’s budget, to the United States Treasury to help pay down the federal deficit.

“As Georgians every-where are tightening their belts more than ever, so

too must every member of Congress,” he said. “While our constituents are being forced to do more with less, we must re-double our efforts to be the best stewards we can of hard-earned taxpayer dollars.”

Members of Congress have the option, but not an obligation, to return budget sur-plus overages to the U.S. Treasury.

Since he took office in 2007, Johnson has returned $109,000 to the Treasury. His office said that returning the money from his Member’s Representation Account is consistent with his fiscally responsible vot-ing record.

Since 2009, Johnson has voted against the Troubled Asset Relief Program that added $700 billion to the national deficit and voted in favor of enacting the Pay-As-You-Go system, that created the budget surpluses experienced under President Bill Clinton.

Johnson, who lives in Lithonia, represents the 4th Congressional District that includes parts of DeKalb, Rockdale and Gwinnett counties.

Desima James

Hank Johnson

Billy Mitchell


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AiJalon Inc. Adult Day CareTherapeutic Garden Project Fundraiser

Residents, elected officials and rep-resentatives from community and other organizations can weigh in on improving community health and quality of life in DeKalb County at a planning session on April 7.

The Community Road Map to Health meeting, takes place 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the DeKalb County Board of Health’s Bohan Auditorium. It will address what issues are important to the community and

what assets are available. Input is sought from elected officials,

commissioners, residents, students, busi-nesses, faith groups and health care profes-sionals.

The session is hosted by the Live Healthy DeKalb Coalition and the Board of Health.

The DeKalb County Board of Health is at 445 Winn Way in Decatur. To R.S.V.P., e-mail [email protected] or call 404-294-3803.

Autism now affects one out of 110 children, and the Marcus Autism Center is reaching out to the community to help give hope to thousands of families.

April is National Autism Awareness Month, and the center will hold fund-raisers and other events throughout the month to heighten the visibility of the incidence of autism and the ongoing need for support.

John Floyd, the center’s director, said one in 98 kids in Georgia has been diagnosed with autism.

“So enlisting community support year-round is important,” he said.

Autism Awareness Month events in-clude:n An online auction. Friends of Marcus from all over the United States can bid on a variety of items at Click.Bid.Benefit; the online auc-tion began April 1.

Items include a Champion’s Lunch with Atlanta native and New Orleans Saints cor-nerback Leigh Torrence; summer and winter vacation packages at Deer Valley Resort, Park City, Utah; a Dinner Party for 10 at the Georgia Aquarium; weekly auctions of Air-Tran business class tickets; and packages at Barnsley Gardens and St. Augustine, Fla.

The auction also includes a raffle for a

brand-new car. The raffle winner can choose a Jeep Wrangler or a Chevrolet Malibu. n More online bidding. Visit Marcus on eBay for great bargains, including designer handbags and jewelry. Proceeds benefit the children at Marcus Autism Center.n Tours. Come to Marcus for a tour or infor-mational panel. Register online at www.mar-cus.org for morning tours on April 14 or an evening informational panel on April 28.n Dress-down day. Many of Marcus’ cor-porate partners are holding a dress-down day during April with proceeds benefiting the center. n Dine-out. Dine out at La Tavola in Virgin-ia-Highland on May 18 with 20 percent of food sales going to Marcus.n Walk for Autism on May 23 at Atlantic Sta-tion. Grab your family, friends and neighbors and form a team.

The Georgia Walk Now for Autism Speaks has raised more than $2.5 million for autism awareness, advocacy, and research and family services in four years. The 2010 event includes a walk, activities for children, a resource fair for parents, refreshments and entertainment. Registration starts at 8 a.m. and the walk be-ings at 10 a.m. Registration is free and avail-able at www.walknowforautism.org/georgia.

Healthy bodies and healthy environ-ments will be the focus of DeKalb County’s Community Health Fair on April 9.

The DeKalb County Board of Health is celebrating National Public Health Week and National County Government Month with the 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. fair, from at the T.O. Vinson Health Center at 440 Winn Way in Decatur.

This year’s theme is “Healthy Eating – Active Living.”

The health fair will provide informa-tion on healthy eating and healthy lifestyle

promotion, injury prevention, dental health, and environmental health services including offers for free radon testing.

Radon, a naturally occurring gas that seeps through the earth’s surface, can seep into your home and pose a danger to your family’s health. It is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in America.

Free H1N1 flu vaccinations also will be offered.

For more information, visit www.dekalb-health.net or call 404- 294-3700.

Cardiovascular diseases and cancer are killing more than half of DeKalb County residents.

That’s among the findings in the DeKalb Board of Health’s 2010 Status of Health re-port unveiled March 26 by Dr. S. Elizabeth Ford, the county’s district health director.

Ford called the report a real labor of love and said many people put in time, talent and resources to ensure its success.

“Our shared interest is to improve the health status of the people who live, work and play in DeKalb County,” she said. “Sustaining a healthy community is a community effort. The Board of Health, all by itself could not come in and fix everything that needs to be taken care of in any county.

The report, which is the county’s fifth, covers data for the five years between 2002 and 2007, including the leading causes of death, injury and hospitalizations for DeKalb residents.

In the reporting period, cardiovascular diseases account for 30 percent of deaths and cancers, 22 percent. Injuries – homicides and motor vehicle crashes – round out the top three leading causes with 9 percent.

Ford says the report confirms what health

officials have known for some time: that life-style choices and risk behaviors engaged in early in life can have a significant impact on health and lead to premature death.

The report, which updates one done in 2005, also indicated some improvements. Between 2002 and 2007, there was a 27 percent decrease in cardiovascular diseases and a 39 percent decrease in nervous system

disease rates, which includes Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.

Health officials cite early screenings and increased knowledge about health, as well as more people adopting healthier behaviors, as some reasons for the decrease in cardiovas-cular diseases.

Despite some positive trends, Ford said lots of work remains to be done to improve

health outcomes across the county.Following trends, the predominantly

African-American residents of South DeKalb had worse outcomes than the county’s white residents, and women had worse outcomes than men.

In the five years of the study period, dia-betes rates increased 9.7 percent for black females and more women – 39.3 percent – died from stroke in DeKalb County than males, who logged in at 28.5 percent.

The report also shows that whites were twice as likely to die from obstructive heart disease, including heart attacks, than blacks – 87.2 percent compared to 43.3 percent.

With cutbacks in funding, Ford said it will be challenging but that we must continue to focus our collective resources, partnerships and interventions on addressing pressing health issues.

The Board of Health kicks off its Mo-bilizing for Action through Planning and Partnership, (MAPP) on April 7.

The 2010 Status of Health was sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, DeKalb Medical, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. It is avail-able at www.dekalbhealth.net. For more information, call 404-508-7847.


8 Scene “This is an opportunity ... to perform a glorious work in a glorious setting and get to know people from all around the nation.”

Seniors pot plants for fund-raiser to help build therapeutic garden

GPC Chorale raising money for tripMakeup pro to be at Macy’s stores

The chorale will perform April 11 at Smoke Rise Baptist Church to raise funds for an appearance at Carnegie Hall.

Vincent Lee, a top Dior makeup expert, will be hosting one-on-one beauty consultations at a number of Macy’s locations in metro Atlanta this week.

Lee and a team of in-store make-up pros will offer clients a complete makeover using the season’s newest colors. In DeKalb County, he will be at Macy’s at Perimeter Mall on April 8 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. He will be at Gwin-nett Place on April 6 and at Town Center in Kennesaw on April 7.

Hong Kong-born Lee moved to Canada at a very young age. During his schooling, he

always knew he would pursue a career in the makeup industry.

He has done makeup for nu-merous fashion shows, televised events, editorial work, and music videos on an international scale as well as participated in count-less events and experimented with different cosmetic lines.

He joined Dior in 2007 as the company’s national makeup artist in Canada.

Macy’s at Perimeter Mall is at 4300 Ashford-Dunwoody Road. To R.S.V.P., call 770-396-2666.

Vincent Lee

AiJalon Adult Day Care owner Pamela Williams says clients need a therapeutic garden with a secure fence and walking trails as a safe, quiet place to wander.

Members of the Georgia Perimeter College Chorale won’t be singing for their supper on April 11, but they will come pretty close.

The group of 14 will perform at a 3 p.m. con-cert at Smoke Rise Baptist Church in Stone Mountain for a chance to appear at New York’s famed Carnegie Hall.

There are no tickets for the “Ticket to Sing at Car-negie Hall” fund-raising concert, but donations are appreciated.

The chorale has been invited to the four-day Masterworks Festi-val Series with the New York City Chamber Orchestra starting on April 19 but must raise the funds for the trip.

Chorale director Susan McEwen said it will cost each student $1,424 to cover hotel, round-trip flight, transportation, profes-sional orchestra soloists and the conductor. Meals are not included in that cost.

So far, the students have raised $400 apiece, and Mc Ewen said they soon risk losing their deposit if they do not raise the additional funds.

Fatimah Mustafaa, a student and presi-dent of the chorale, said that many of the choir students are low-income or depen-dents.

“Finances have been made worse due to the economy,” she said.

Rashanda Barber, who sings soprano in the group, said that participating in the chorale has opened up her eyes and ears to

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

While the ground slept all winter, the elderly clients at AiJalon Adult Day Care in Stone Mountain have been busy.

Every weekday during activity hour, they potted seedlings, created bottle gardens, and made cloth wreaths and nature crafts.

On April 10, they will offer the fruits of their labors to homeowners and hobby gar-deners to help raise funds for a therapeutic garden they long to wander through.

Pamela Williams, AiJalon’s owner, said the “Therapeutic Garden Project Fund-raiser” is in its third year.

So far, they have raised $800 of the $50,000 needed to complete the garden be-hind the center.

“It’s not a lot, but we are hopeful,” said Williams, who opened the private-pay adult day care in 2003 for patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia, those recovering from stroke, and those who are just lonely sitting at home by themselves.

Clients get to socialize and receive mental stimulation in therapeutic group sessions that include music, arts and crafts, and other intergenerational activities.

On Monday, some of the group – 14 women ages 63 to 89 and a 70-year-old man – planted herbs and obedience, a perennial that loves partial sun, to add to dozens of plants they have been potting for months.

During the April 10 fundraiser, Williams said the annuals, perennials and house

plants, including Christmas cacti, jade and aloe, will sell for 75 cents to $10 each.

The festivities will take place 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Music and a fish fry start at 11:30 a.m., and gospel jazz artist Antonio Allen and the child singing group Amayz will perform.

Winnifred Wells, 76, who has been com-ing to AiJalon for five years, says she enjoys playing in the dirt.

“I just love it,” she said while covering

the roots of a seedling in a plastic foam cup with deft hands.

Joining her at the table covered in old newspapers were Mae Simms, 63; Oga Mae Williams, 74; Alma Tuck, 76; Charlotte Bar-rett, 89; and Geneva Cooper, 75. The women sang old hymns as they worked and laughed easily with each other.

With their memories drifting, some need help remembering their birthdays, but all

remember how to plant things.Williams said she launched the nonprofit

center in her home first, and when they out-grew the space, she and her husband, Rich-ard, built the center two years ago next door to their house on the two-acre property.

Now she yearns for the terrace garden with walking trails, beautiful plants, cozy sitting areas, a pavilion and a secure fence for the clients. The garden already has been designed, and Williams said most of the trees have been cleared from the 1/8-acre plot of land where it will be built. The garden will offer clients a quiet place to wander.

Williams said walking is very important for seniors.

“It’s great exercise and it keeps blood pressure down and the stresses of life,” she said. “It will be somewhere they can go and be quiet. They have people telling them when to come and go, people going with them to the bathroom. They really need the freedom but it has to be safe.”

Williams said she specializes in Alzheim-er’s care because it is a neglected field.

The center is open weekdays and clients come for one to five days.

“I love the seniors,” said Williams, a certi-fied dementia care and therapeutic specialist. “It’s my calling. God is my first passion and my seniors are my second.”

AiJalon is at 424 Hairston Way in Stone Mountain. For more information, visit aijaloninc.com or call Pamela Williams at 404-499-2755.

music and languages that she would not have otherwise experienced.

“We’ve sung in different languages – Ital-ian, Spanish and German,” she said. “German was the hardest, but it has been a real learning experience.”

McEwen said performing at Carnegie Hall will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most of the students.

“This is an opportunity for the group to perform a glorious work in a glorious setting and get to know people from all around the nation,” she said.

The concert is open to the public and the group is hoping the community will hear why they were invited to Carnegie Hall and be willing to help them get there with their donations.

Smoke Rise Baptist Church is at 5901 Hugh Howell Road.

For information, contact McEwen at [email protected] or 678-891-3556.

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9the DeKalb School Board’s ethics policy by creating an independent review system.

Levitas, whose House District 82 in north-cen-tral DeKalb straddles I-285 east of I-85, filed House Bill 888 in Novem-ber 2009. That bill is now on hold.

Meanwhile, the Senate recently passed Senate Bill 84 addressing ethics

policies in school boards across the state. It sets minimum ethics standards for local school boards and, in some cases, empowers the governor to remove members who don’t adhere to them.

Levitas said he directed the legislation at DeKalb County because he was aware of problems within that board but did not have knowledge of problems within other counties. He said he will take a wait-and-see approach before deciding to reintroduce his county-specific bill next year.

“There seemed to be conflicts of interest within the board and there needed to be pro-cedures that would remove the board’s need to police itself,” he said. “My constituents came to me and said something needed to be done. People need to have confidence in their elected officials.”

SchoolS Supporters of tougher guidelines are hoping to institute more stringent rules with enforcement measures.

School Board to vote on stiffer ethics policy for members

Magnet programs’ deadline nears SWD PTSA hosting health fair

“Tee Off with DST” Charity Golf TournamentApril 24, 2010

Durham Lakes Golf Course • Fairburn, GAwww.golfinvite.com/teeoffwithdst

Come join us for some golf, fun and fellowship to raise funds for scholarships and service projectsfor our community.

For more information or to register for the event, visitwww.golfinvite.com/teeoffwithdst or contact Theresa

Jackson at (404) 434-1101 or email [email protected]

For more information, please see your arts teacher or contact Betty Dixon

in our Lithonia office at 770-987-2291.

CongressmanHank JohnsonGeorgia’s 4th Congressional District

Proudly serving DeKalb, Rockdale, and Gwinnett Counties

2010 CongressionalArts CompetitionCALLING ALL ENTRIES!

For rules and guidelines, please visit hankjohnson.house.gov/services/

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Participating schools must submit commitment form by April 26, 2010.

Artwork must be received by April 28.

5700 Hillandale Drive, Lithonia, 30058 • 3469 Lawrenceville Hwy, Tucker, 30084

College scholarships

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Health screenings will be available April 13 at Southwest DeKalb High School PTSA’s first Health Initiative.

The program, which begins at 7 p.m., will tackle chronic disease and other health care issues that disproportionately impact African-Americans. The regular PTSA business meeting will be held during the

first 15 minutes of the program.Participants will find out how to mitigate

health risks, and there will be informational exhibits. Health care professionals will offer blood pressure and diabetes screenings.

Southwest DeKalb High is at 2863 Kelley Chapel Road in Decatur. For more informa-tion, e-mail [email protected].

The deadline for open enrollment for DeKalb County Schools’ magnet programs is nearing.

Applications must be made by April 16 on the county’s new School Choice On-line Registration Enrollment System – or S.C.O.R.E.S. – at http://eportal.dekalb.k12 .ga.us.

The magnet lottery will be May 18 through June 2.

A complete description of all DeKalb County magnet schools and the guide-lines are available in the Magnet School Brochure at www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/about /schoolchoice/Magnet.html.

Schools in the Magnet High Achievers Programs are Kittredge Magnet, Wadsworth Magnet, Chamblee Middle, Chamblee Char-

ter High, Chapel Hill Middle and Southwest DeKalb High.

Schools in the Magnet Special Interests Programs are Clifton Elementary, Evansdale Elementary, Columbia Middle, Columbia High and DeKalb Elementary School of the Arts (k-7).

The school district notes on its Web site that Montessori Elementary School Pro-grams and programs at Clifton, Evansdale, Columbia Middle and Columbia High may not be available upon approval of the 2010-2011 budget.

For more information on seat availability, eligibility and the selection process, contact magnet/theme programs director Pat Cope-land at [email protected] or 678-676-0205.

While Levitas still thinks an independent review board holds an advantage over the DeKalb School Board’s proposed enforce-ment plan, he said the board has made a step in the right direction by strengthening

its policy. Walker, who opposes

the policy, has not been shy about expressing his views on it.

“The only people ben-efiting from this policy are the attorneys the School Board hired to write the policy.”

Walker came under a firestorm of con-troversy last year when the Sembler Co. requested a tax abatement from the DeKalb Development Authority for its proposed Brookhaven town project.

The company’s principals and family members had donated more than $19,200 to Walker’s 2008 election campaign for the District 9 School Board seat while he was still a member of the authority.

The money represented about a third of all the funds he raised for the race.

Walker recused himself from the Sembler vote but not before he pointed out that the law did not require him to disqualify himself. At the time, he said any suggestion that the

campaign donations had affected his judg-ment would detract attention from deciding Sembler’s application on its merits.

Walker, who was appointed to the author-ity in 2001, stepped down Aug. 18 in the wake of the controversy. He said Tuesday that he is taken aback by the fallout.

“I campaigned on the platform that I was serving on both boards so the School Board would have someone around the table when it comes to decisions that would economi-cally impact the county.

“A group of people who knew nothing about economics started dema-goguing and telling lies.”

Walker, who contends that he was transpar-ent on all levels, said the board would not have lost money on the Sembler project and maintains the project would have increased revenue to the School Board and the county. District 2 member Don Mc-Chesney, who serves on the ethics commit-tee, said the board is strengthening its ethics policy because he does not want a state law aimed just at DeKalb.

“We decided that rather than have the state force a policy on us, we wanted to make our own rules,” he said Wednesday.

By Deborah Alberto

DeKalb County School Board members will vote April 12 on whether to beef up its ethics policy so that members will have stronger rules to police themselves.

Supporters of tougher guidelines are hoping to institute more stringent rules with enforcement measures that could include public trials for violators and even criminal charges. Language in the new policy makes it clear that board members are not to be swayed by partisan bias and shall not interfere in day-to-day operations of the district.

The policy revamping comes in the wake of state legislative efforts to force a stron-ger ethics policy on DeKalb School Board members. It also follows last year’s conflict-of-interest controversy surrounding District 9 board member Eugene Walker’s service on the DeKalb Development Authority after he had been elected to the School Board.

If the policy is approved, fellow board members will be able to impose sanctions ranging from censure, reprimand and public apology to civil action and, if warranted, file criminal charges against violators.

The board is revising its policy ahead of state legislator Kevin Levitas’ attempts in the Georgia Legislature to “put some teeth” into

Eugene Walker

Kevin Levitas

Don McChesney


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Henry K. MitchellCertified Public Accountant

Adjunct Instructor of Accounting, Atlanta Metropolitan College

Last Chance Tax Preparation

Call us at(678) 663-6229

3653 Flakes Mill Road, Decatur GA 30034(Located inside the Publix Plaza @ Flakes Mill & Flat Shoals Pkwy)

Call LaTeehah for affordable prices!404-279-2631

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Catering to your hair care needs Specializing In Sew Ins $50 - Micro Braids – Cornrows

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RABIES CLINIC

“Keep your pet protected and LEGAL! Update their Rabies vaccine today!”

N’Timate Hair Studio & Day Spa(1046 Iris Drive Suite E, Conyers, Georgia 30094)

Escape the “March Madness” and schedule a pampering experience today

Call for your reservation or additional information770-679-0700

March Madness

$12000(A $230 Value)

Pampering Special includesAromatherapy Facial

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day care centers, multi-family properties, office buildings, and other commercial properties. Pur-chases or refinancing. All credit considered. Closings as quick as 7 days. www.thesamuelgroupinc.com. 404-870-9070.


125C

(10.5”)X 16” 20319-MCAQ (4/3) Crossroads fc (m

p)

ALL NEW LOCATION!I-20, Exit Wesley Chapel To

Snapfinger Woods Drive • Decatur

Sales Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am - 8:00pm • Sat 9:00am - 8:00pm • Sun Closed Parts & Service Hours: Mon-Fri 7:00am - 7:00pm • Sat 7:00am - 4:00pm • Sun Closed

www.mcautoat l . com

1-800-640-9458

Prices plus tax, tag and title.

SALES HOURSMonday - Friday: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm

Saturday: 9:00 am - 8:00 pmSunday: Closed

PARTS AND SERVICE HOURSMonday - Friday: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm


BODY SHOP HOURSMonday - Friday: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm


SALES HOURSMonday - Friday: 9:00 am - 8:00 pm


PARTS AND SERVICE HOURSMonday - Friday: 7:00 am - 7:00 pm


BODY SHOP HOURSMonday - Friday: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm


Please ContactArt Krauss

-Body Shop Manager4334 Snapfinger Woods Drive

DECATUR

1-800-640-9458

Please ContactLenny Bishop

-Body Shop Manager5675 Peachtree Industrial

INSIDE THE PERIMETER

770-621-0200www.malcolmcunninghamautogallery.com www.malcolmcunninghamflm.com

Come In TodayFor ALL of YourService, Collisionand Pre-Owned

Needs!

2ConvenientLocations!

We Now Rent & Sell

TRUCKS!

2008 Dodge

Magnum SEAutomatic, PowerPackage, Stk#A1048

2008 Ford

Fusion SELAutomatic, PowerPackage, Stk#A1061

2006 Ford

F-150 XLLong Bed, Work Truck,Stk#A1029

$12,995YOUR CHOICE:$12,995YOUR CHOICE:

2009 ChevroletCobalt LT

Automatic, PowerPackage, Stk#A1023

$10,997

2008 FordFocus SE

Automatic, PowerPackage, Stk#F9141

$11,888

2009 ChevroletCobalt LT


$11,997

2008 FordFusion SE

Automatic, PowerPackage, Stk#P9183

$13,888

2006 NissanAltima 2.5 S


$13,995

2008 FordFusion SE


$13,997



$13,997



$13,997

2006 VolvoS40 T5

Leather, Wheels,Moonroof, Stk#A1007

$14,497

2008 FordEscape XLT

Moonroof, Wheels, PowerPackage, Stk#P9168

$14,888

2006 BMW325i Sedan

Leather, Moonroof,Wheels, Stk#M8307

$17,997

2005 Mercedes-BenzC320 4MATIC AWDLeather, Moonroof,Wheels, Stk#A1042

$18,997

2006 FordF-150 XLT

Crew Cab, V8, PowerPackage, Stk#A1040

$18,997

2007 NissanMaxima 3.5 SELeather, Wheels,

Moonroof, Stk#A1047$19,995

2006 FordF-150 XLT


$19,997

2008 FordF-150 XLT


$20,888

2007 Mercedes-BenzE350

Leather, Moonroof, Wheels,Navigation, Stk#M8318

$24,997

2007 BMW530i

Leather, Moonroof, Wheels,Navigation, Stk#A1052

$25,995

Plus! Many more tochoose from!

Visit us online!



$14,888

2008 DodgeMagnum SE

Automatic, PowerPackage Stk#A1026

$14,995

2005 FordExplorer XLT

Leather, 3rd Seat,Loaded! Stk#A1041

$14,997

2007 HondaAccord SE

Wheels, Power Package,Automatic, Stk#A1051

$15,995

2006 FordF-150 STX

V8, Power Package,Wheels, Stk#A1039

$15,997

2006 ChevroletSilverado K1500 LSCrew Cab, V8, PowerPackage, Stk#A1018

$15,997

2007 DodgeRam 1500 SLT

Crew Cab, V8, PowerPackage, Stk#P9163

$16,888

2008 HondaAccord LX

Automatic, PowerPackage Stk#A1030

$16,997

2007 FordF-150 XLT


$17,888

2007 FordEdge SE


$16,997

Malcolm Cunningham Auto Gallery is Giving You

AUTOMATICTRANSMISSION FLUSH

MOST COMPLETE FLUSH!

•Complete Chemical Power Flush•Replace Automatic Transmission Fluid•Inspect & Lubricate Linkage/Controls (Where Applicable)•Road Test

$13995Plus Tax andHazardous Waste

ONLY VALID AT MALCOLM CUNNINGHAM AUTO GALLERY &MALCOLM CUNNINGHAM FORD LINCOLN MERCURY

Vans, Diesel, Trucks are higher. See service advisor for details. Plus shopsupplies and tax where applicable. Please present coupon when order is

written. Not valid with previous charges or with any other coupons orspecials. Coupon has no cash value. Expires 4/30/2010.

POWER STEERINGSYSTEM FLUSH

Includes:•Power Steering System Flush•Inspect System For Leaks and Proper Operation•Replace Old Fluid With New Fluid



See service advisor for details. Plus shop supplies and tax where applicable.Please present coupon when order is written. Not valid with previous

charges or with any other coupons or specials.Coupon has no cash value. Expires 4/30/2010.

BRAKEFLUSH

Remove Old, Contaminated Brake Fluidand Install New Fluid



See service advisor for details. Plus shop supplies and tax where applicable.Please present coupon when order is written. Not valid with previous

charges or with any other coupons or specials.Coupon has no cash value. Expires 4/30/2010.

20319-MCAQ (4-3) Crossroads 3/31/10 5:31 PM Page 1


crossroadsnews, april 3, 2010

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