crossroadsnews, june 26, 2010
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CrossRoadsNews, June 26, 2010TRANSCRIPT
the county with $22.6 million in lump-sum cash payouts and $2.1 million in monthly life-time benefits.
The early re-tirement pack-ages include an two extra years of service for
employees who are at least 50 years old and within two years of retirement. To further sweeten the offer, the county also gave them an additional 50 percent increment on an-nual accrued leave of up to 480 hours, for a total of 720 hours of paid leave.
The Board of Commissioners offered
www.crossroadsnews.comJune 26, 2010Copyright © 2010 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.
COVER PAGEArtistry in quiltingSCENE
Colorful, creative quilts from the turn of the 20th century join scenes from DeKalb’s dairy past in two exhib-its now showing at the DeKalb His-tory Center. 8
As children take to the outdoors for summer fun, up goes the risk of injuries from trampolines, playgrounds, bicycles and more. 7
Summer breaks to avoidWELLNESS
Metro Atlanta resi-dents have a smorgasbord of opportunities to celebrate the 4th of July, in-cluding parades and fireworks displays. 8
Patriotic splendorSCENE
Volume 16, Number 9
Early retirees depart county with hefty payouts
Construction under way on long-delayed park on Flat ShoalsDeKalb County officials, community advocates and residents break ground on the 20-acre Flat Shoals Park across from Cherry Ridge subdivision in Decatur.
By Jennifer Ffrench Parker
DeKalb County’s early retirement pro-gram is providing a big cash bonanza to 839 long-serving employees.
The penalty-free retirement program, which was offered through April to entice 400 employees to leave, was so attractive, more than twice the number of employees the county wanted to leave, jumped at it. Among them, 58 department heads and their assistants and deputies.
The large-scale exodus of talent has left the county scrambling to find leadership for many key departments, including its Finance Department, which prepares its annual budget.
Wile the county is losing hundreds of years of institutional knowledge, its former managers and directors – armed with hefty monthly pensions benefits, funded in part by DeKalb taxpayers – are fanning out across to state to take leadership positions in other counties and cities. For example, on June 1, former DeKalb Sheriff Maj. Jeffery Cato, who left with a lump sum cash payout of $92,801 and monthly benefits of $6,125, became police chief in West Point, Ga. And county finance director Michael Bell, who helped shepherd the early retirement program into being, was a finalist for the city of Atlanta’s top finance job, a position he held before coming to DeKalb County in January 1996.
When he leaves in August, Bell’s lump-sum payout will be at least $74,504 plus monthly lifetime benefits of $5,422. Bell said Thursday that he is no longer a candidate for the Atlanta job and will probably take a job
at a university.Most of the early retirees left the county
on June 1, but 76 people, who were desig-nated as “key” employees have been asked by CEO Burrell Ellis’ administration to stay un-til the end of August. Based on their benefits, calculated through June 1, they are leaving
the extra incentives to ensure the program would be successful. At the time of the offer, they thought workers with jobs in a bleak economy, would be reluctant to part with steady paychecks.
To dangle those carrots, the Board of Commissioners is borrowing $9.7 million from the county’s Pension Board. That loan will be paid back over 30 years at an interest rate of 7.75 percent starting with the 2011 budget.
Ed Wall, the Pension Board’s chairman said Wednesday that the board is not wor-ried that the cash-strapped county won’t be able to pay.
“We look at it as a pretty good invest-ment, equal to what we would get from
Finance Director Michael Bell (from), Sheriff’s Maj. Jeffery Cato, Judge Edward Carriere and Joe Stone are among employees who took DeKalb County’s early retirement offer.
44employees leaving with lump sum payments of
$100,000 or more
$8,794highest monthly
benefit of the early retirees
839number of employees
who have taken the early retirement buyout
$22.6 milliontotal lump sum payouts to early
retirees
$9.7 millionamount the county owes the pension fund for the
Early Retirement Program
58number of department
heads and deputies who took early retirement
$202,000highest lump sum payment to single
employee
421early retirees who opted for monthly
benefits only
Early Retirement By the Numbers
By Carla Parker
The long awaited Flat Shoals Park is fi-nally under way.
DeKalb County officials, community advocates and residents broke ground on the 20-acre park off Flat Shoals Parkway in Decatur on Thursday.
The eight-year plan to build the park, across from Cherry Ridge subdivision, dates back to the late Commissioner Lou Walker, who bought the land with District 7’s share of Park Bond funds approved by voters in 2001.
Rochelle Callender, a resident who has advocated for the construction of the park ever since it was proposed, said the project came to a halt after Walker’s death in an automobile accident in 2004.
But residents never gave up. Callender said they stayed on DeKalb
Commissioners and the Parks and Recre-ation Department to come up with a design for the park, which will include the existing the Dottie Bridges Tennis Courts that were recently renovated.
Callender said there is more work to be done on the tennis courts.
“The lights around the tennis courts need to be replaced,” she said. “Our children can’t walk to Shoal Creek to play at a tennis court with no lights, so we need to remain active and get the lights fixed.”
Before they shoveled the dirt to mark the official ground breaking, District 3 Com-
missioner Larry Johnson paid homage to Walker, who had the vision for the park as a community gathering place.
Parks and Recreation director Roy Wilson said the total cost for the tennis court up-grades and the construction of the new park is $1 million. The park will include walking
trail, fitness trail, playgrounds, gazebos, pic-nic pavilion, grills, and restrooms. He said the park should take 210 days to build and should be open by next spring.
Connie Stokes, who succeeded Walker on the Board of Commissioners, said she is excited the project is coming to fruition.
Please see BUYOUT, page 4
Carla Parker / CrossroadsNews
2
Former DeKalb Police Chief Terrell Bolton’s hopes of getting compensation from DeKalb County govern-
ment were dashed again in court.DeKalb Superior Court Judge
Robert J. Castellani ruled June 10 that DeKalb County acted properly in firing him for insubordination and improper use of county vehicles. Even if it hadn’t, Castellani ruled that Bolton took too long to respond to the county’s motion to dismiss his appeal.
Bolton, who was hired in December 2006, was fired from his $162,000-a-year position on Feb. 28, 2009.
Bill McKenney withdrew as Bolton’s attorney on April 13, a week before the response was due. Court records show that his new lawyer did not enter the case until three weeks later.
State Sen. Ronald Ramsey is the Organization of DeKalb Educa-tors’ Legislator of the Year.
ODE gave the title to Ramsey based on his commitment to public education in Georgia.
Ramsey said he is honored to get the award from Georgia’s largest teachers union.
“It is of utmost importance to protect our edu-cators,” he said. “They work diligently to ensure our children receive a quality education. In turn, we must work to ensure they receive fair treatment in the General Assembly.”
ODE’s President David Schutten said his group appreciates Ramsey’s work on behalf of educators.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the senator to further promote public education in Georgia,” he said.
Ramsey, whose 43rd District includes portions of DeKalb and Rockdale counties, was elected in 2006 and is running unopposed in the July 20 Democratic primary. He lives in Lithonia.
PeoPle “It is of utmost importance to protect our educators. They work diligently to ensure our children receive a quality education.”
Educators honor Ramsey
State cracking down on DUI
Ex-police chief ’s termination upheld again
McKinney to lead Bike4Peace ride to D.C. Bryant named state school chiefFormer U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney will
lead the Bike4Peace cross-country bicycle ride on July 24 from the House of Common Sense in Oakland, Calif., to the White House.
McKinney, a former six-term congress-woman who has moved back to Stone Mountain, said she and the bikers will arrive in Washington on Sept. 22, which is being observed as World Car Free Day.
Bike4Peace is looking for bicyclists from Atlanta, Seattle, Toronto and Boston to join the ride, which will travel through California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Virginia and Washington, D.C.
Bike4Peace, which began in 2005, also is looking for groups to host the bikers along the way. Hosts can provide smiles, water, food, music, cash or in-kind donations and other forms of encouragement.
Visit http://b4p.bbnow.org for informa-tion about Bike4Peace and for links to the route, schedule and a discussion group. To sign up or for more information, e-mail [email protected].
Motorists who drink and drive have been warned.
“If you’re ‘over the limit, you’re under arrest,’ ” says the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.
The warning comes along with the state’s Operation Zero Tolerance enforcement cam-paign, which is cracking down on drunken driving during the holidays.
The Office of Highway Safety is coordi-nating with more than 500 Georgia police departments, sheriff ’s offices and State Patrol posts to run concentrated patrols and set up sobriety checkpoints on roadways and inter-states this summer holiday season.
The special zero tolerance summer en-forcement period started June 18 and will run through the July Fourth weekend. Police are using road checks and concentrated pa-trols to enforce the “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” policy for a blood-alcohol concentra-tion of 0.08, the legal limit in all 50 states.
In Georgia, one of every three fatal crashes over the July Fourth holiday involves impaired drivers. In 2008, Georgia had 1,905 crashes that resulted in 930 injuries and 21 fatalities over the holiday travel period – 6 p.m. July 3 to 5:59 a.m. July 5. Alcohol use figured in more than one out of four of those fatalities. Nationally, there were 491 fatalities. Forty-three percent involved a driver with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher.
For those who plan to indulge, designate a sober driver, store taxi numbers on your cell phone or take mass transit.
For more information, visit www.gahigh-waysafety.org.
Coy McKinney, Cynthia McKinney, Wekesa Madzimoyo of AYA Educational Institute in Stone Mountain, and Afiya Madzimoyo of COMPROtax in Decatur tool around Stone Mountain in preparation for the Bike4Peace cross-country bicycle ride.
Brad Bryant, who served 12 years on the DeKalb County School Board, is Georgia’s new school superintendent.
Bryant was appointed by Gov. Sonny Perdue last week and will take office on July 1.
He replaces Kathy Cox, who resigned to head an education think tank in Washington. Bryant will run for elec-tion in November as an independent.
For the past seven years, Bryant was the 4th District representative on the State Board of Education. He is also the past president of the National Association of State Boards of Education and has worked with the Clayton County and Warren County school systems to help them regain their accreditation.
Bryant, who is an attorney, served on the DeKalb County Board of Education for 12 years, including seven years as its chairman, from 1991 to 2003.
CEO Burrell Ellis said in a statement that “the county is pleased with the decision.”
Castellani wrote that Hearing Officer Phyllis R. Williams had plenty of evidence last summer when she heard Bolton’s case and supported the county’s decision to fire him.
Bolton also lost his bid to get unemployment in April; the Georgia Department of Labor’s Board of Review upheld a previous decision to deny him unem-ployment benefits.
Bolton was fired for misusing county property and misusing comp time. While he was police chief, he as-signed himself seven vehicles — including two luxury cars seized from drug dealers — for his own use and or-dered a subordinate not to record the vehicles in his cost center. In 2007 and 2008, Bolton took 80 days of comp time, including 56 unauthorized days after the CEO’s office told him it would stop approving the time off.
Ronald Ramsey Terrell Bolton
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CrossRoadsNews June 26, 20102
3Community The board delayed action on CEO Burrell Ellis’ attempts to refill 49 percent of the positions being vacated by employees taking early retirement.
Conyers Democrats hosting forum
Board trims $8.7 million in midyear budget adjustment
Candidates for the 4th Congressional District and a number of Rockdale County races will be at a June 26 forum hosted by the Rockdale County Democratic Party.
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson and challengers Vernon Jones and Connie Stokes have been invited to the forum at the JP Carr Center in Conyers. Candidates for Georgia Senate District 17, Georgia House Districts 94 and 95, and the Rockdale County Com-mission Post 2 seats also will have debates.
Nicholas Day and Jim Nichols are vying
The incredible shrinking DeKalb County budget lost another $8.7 million on Tuesday when the DeKalb Board of Commissioners approved a $556.2 million budget during its midyear adjustment.
The cuts reduced the $564.9 million bud-get approved in February, which was down $50 million from the 2009 budget.
The adjustment came in the face of shrinking revenues and a declining tax digest, but the board held to its promise of no tax increase and approved a millage rate of 16.86 for the county, the same as last year. It also approved a 22.98 mill for the DeKalb Board of Education.
The commissioners restored 20 percent of the proposed cuts for the constitutional officers and the courts; returned $90,000 to keep two recreation centers and a pool open; restored $400,000 to the DeKalb Board of Health and $100,000 to the DeKalb Commu-nity Service Board; and provided a subsidy to employees making $35,000 and less to cover
two furlough days in November and Decem-ber. The $309,800 subsidy covers only em-ployees paid out of the tax fund budget, but Commissioner Jeff Rader, who sponsored the amendment, suggested that he might return with a similar subsidy for the same category of employees in the enterprise fund.
Board members said it was a tough bud-geting process that is still not over.
Budget Chairwoman Connie Stokes called the process exhausting and difficult but said that the bottom line is that the county must have a balanced budget.
“We hope you can feel our pain. We cer-tainly are feeling yours,” she said.
The board delayed action on CEO Bur-rell Ellis’ attempts to refill 49 percent of the positions being vacated by employees taking early retirement. Ellis wants to rehire 193 of the 412 positions in the tax fund budget.
Afterward, Ellis said the midyear budget adjustments approved by the board reflected his concept of shared sacrifice.
for the Senate District 17 seat.House District 94 candidates are Andrew
Bostic, Dar’shun Kendrick, Rhonda Peek, and Sherri Washington. House District 95 candidates are incumbent Toney Collins, Bill Andrea Cooper, and Pam Dickerson. Court-ney Dillard and Caycie Dix are vying for the Rockdale County Commission Post 2 seat.
The forum starts at 8:45 a.m. The JP Carr Center is at 981 Taylor St. For
more information, visit www.RockdaleCounty DemocraticParty.org.
Expect more backups on I-20
Foreclosure moratorium on hold
The traffic backups on I-20 between Columbia Drive and Turner Hill Road will be even worse this weekend.
The Georgia Department of Transpor-tation said Thursday that there will be a double left lane closure westbound from the Fairington Road overpass to Wesley Chapel Road.
Weather permitting, the paving was scheduled to start at 9 p.m. Friday and continue through 5 a.m. Monday.
For the first weekend of the paving last week, traffic backed up on I-20 and on sur-face streets around the Mall at Stonecrest.
District construction engineer Mickey McGee said there were significant backups all the way to West Avenue in Conyers, pri-marily in the afternoon last Saturday.
“We are putting more changeable mes-sage signs out for this weekend to try to let people know what’s going on,” he said Thursday.
The $28.6 million project will continue on weeknights and weekends until fall, when the temperatures get too low to pave, and will be completed next spring. McGee said contractors E.R. Snell Contractors Inc. and Pittman Construction will not close any lanes on holiday weekends.
The work hours are weeknights from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. and on weekends con-tinuously from Friday night at 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. on Monday.
DOT urges travelers to visit www.511ga .org or call 511 for updated information about the project.
We need your help!
We are interested in finding out about the condition of your neighborhood to create a healthier DeKalb.
Share your voice. Be heard.
Express Yourself!
This information will assist in:
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Developing action plans to improve the health and •
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To participate, you need to be a resident of DeKalb County and at least 18 years old. To participate, simply go to:
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The survey takes only 15 minutes to complete.
A vote by the DeKalb Board of Commis-sioners on a 90-day moratorium on foreclo-sures has been delayed until July 27.
District 7 Commissioner Connie Stokes deferred the June 22 vote on the ordinance that she proposed so that the county’s legal department explore all the issues around such a law.
Stokes is proposing to stop all pending foreclosures for 90 days and give property owners additional time to pursue counsel-ing, loan modification and other workout plans from a HUD-approved counseling agency.
“We are going to talk with the banks to see if they would do it voluntarily,” she said.
Stokes said the commission is pushing ahead with an ordinance requiring the own-ers of foreclosed properties to register them
with the county. She said commissioners get lots of calls about abandoned properties.
“These properties need to be taken care of,” she said. “If there is overgrown grass we need to know who is responsible for cutting it. A lot of time we don’t know who owns the properties.”
Stokes said there are also safety issues associated with vacant properties that are not boarded up and secured.
“They get vandalized,” she said. “Kids could wander into them and get hurt.”
In Georgia, a property can be foreclosed in as little as 37 days and auctioned on the courthouse steps. Stokes said she plans to encourage the Georgia Legislature to change the law to give more time to families facing foreclosure.
For more information, visit www.con-niestokes.org or call 404-371-3053.
CrossRoadsNewsJune 26, 2010 3
4“I cannot say it was too generous. Most of those people have been with
the county for more than 25 years.”
Connie Stokes, Budget Committee Chairwoman
Community
index to advertisers
Ex-police chief’s termination upheld again 2
Former DeKalb Police Chief Terrell Bol-ton’s hopes of getting compensation from DeKalb County government were dashed again in court.
More backups on I-20 3The traffic backups on I-20 between
Columbia Drive and Turner Hill Road will be even worse this weekend.
Board trims $8.7 million in midyear budget 3
The incredible shrinking DeKalb County budget lost another $8.7 million when commissioners approved a $556.2 million budget during its midyear adjustment.
10 schools get Work Ready grants 6
Ten DeKalb County high schools were awarded $50,000 in Georgia Work Ready training grants to provide access to the initia-tive’s skills gap training software.
Target debt with ‘gazelle intensity’ 6
Dear Dave, I’ve heard you talk to people about “gazelle intensity.” What exactly does this mean?
Summer sets the stage for more broken bones 7
School’s out and the weather’s warm – welcome to “fracture season.”
Independence Day festivities run the gamut 8
Fire up the grill. Fly the flag and dress in red, white and blue. It’s the nation’s 234th birthday on July Fourth and time to celebrate with parades, cookouts and fireworks.
Quilt, dairy shows recall history 8
History lovers can view dairy and quilt exhibits at the historic DeKalb Courthouse in downtown Decatur through the end of the year.
5 schools on Newsweek list 9Five DeKalb schools have made News-
week’s list of America’s Best High Schools for 2010.
Andre Cleveland State Farm Agent ............... 11Before & After Fitness Center ....................... 11Black Butterfly Salon & Spa .......................... 11DeKalb County Board of Health ..................... 3DeKalb Medical Center .................................. 7
DoMaro Uniform Services ............................. 11Ear Perfect .................................................... 11LaHair Café ................................................... 11Macy’s ............................................................ 5Malcolm Cunningham Auto Gallery..............12
North Georgia Orthodontics ..........................9Padgett Business Services ..............................6Pesos Mexican Cantina ................................. 11Six08 Portaits .................................................8The Law Office of B.A. Thomas .................... 11
The Samuel Group ........................................ 11Trichelle Griggs Simmons, Attorney ............. 11Univ. of Ga. School of Social Work ................ 7Wright, James & Boston P.C. .......................... 2
QuiCk Read
“We had a consultant talk to us and he advised us that it was a good thing.”
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County to begin paying back loan in 2011 budget
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stocks and bonds,” he said. “There is no bankruptcy statute in Georgia for counties.”
Then with a laugh, he adds: “If they don’t pay me back, I will take the Maloof building.”
Early retirement figures secured this week from the county through an Open Records Request show 44 employees leaving the county with lump-sum payments of $100,000 to $202,000 each. They are among the 419 early retirees who took lump-sum payouts totaling $22.6 million.
The cash payouts also include between 10 to 25 percent of their pension benefits taken up front, without penalty.
Even though this was not the first early retirement plan that the county has offered, everyone agrees it is by far the most generous.
When it was offered, the Board of Commissioner was under pres-sure to balance the budget amidst a bleak economic outlook and a plummeting tax digest. It needed 400 employees from the Tax Fund budget to leave at a savings of $11 million. The Tax Fund budget excludes airport, sanitation and watershed management depart-ments.
Instead, 600 employees took the package at a savings of $24 million.
The extra $13 million in savings is before the county refills some of the positions that have been vacated. In his midyear budget ad-justments, CEO Burrell Ellis wants to refill 193 of the positions vacated by early retirees.
Hefty lump-sum payoutsSome of the employees who
took the lump-sum payments are leaving with cash that double their annual county salaries.
At the top of the chart with
more than $200,000 in lump-sum payments – deputy director of transportation John Gurbal, deputy police chief Kennis Harrell, and fire & rescue battalion chief, Jackie Wade.
Gurbal, who had been with the county since July 1989, had the highest payout at $212,922. Harrell, who joined the county in May 1990, came in at $208, 632, and Wade, who had been with the county since May 1987, left with $202,138.
The other 41 employees had lump-sum payments between $100,000 and $188, 731. The ma-jority of them doubled or nearly doubled their annual salaries rang-ing from $46,864 to $156,427.
Even Joe Stone, the county’s director of human resources & merit system, who had been with the county less than five years, took the early retirement and left with lump-sump payout totalling $114,409.
Another 421 employees chose not to take lump-sum payouts and rolled their cash incentives into their monthly lifetime benefits ranging from $329 to $8,794. For example, in retirement, Elizabeth MacNamara, the employee with the highest monthly life-time benefit - $8,794 – will make just $4,472 less a year less than her $110,009-a-year county salary. MacNamara, who joined the county in January 1983, is a juvenile court solicitor in the District Attorney’s Office.
State Court Judge Edward Carriere was the only other early retiree with more than $8,000 in
monthly benefits. He also opted not to take the lump sum cash pay-out. His monthly benefits for life will be $8,011.95. C a r r i e r e , w h o joined the county in January 1998
makes $152,966.75 a year. He is scheduled to retire at the end of August.
As generous as the some of the payouts are, Commissioner Con-nie Stokes, who chairs the DeKalb Board of Commissioners Budget and Finance Committee, defended them.
“I cannot say it was too gener-ous,” said Stokes, who championed the early retirement offer to help balance the 2010 budget approved in February. “Most of those people have been with the county for more than 25 years.”
Stokes said the Board did its due diligence before it approved the early retirement plan.
“We had a consultant talk to us and he advised us that it was a good thing,” she said.
The county will begin paying back the $9.7 million, or the final amount, which will be known when the last retiree leaves at the end of August, in the 2011 budget.
Bell, the county’s finance direc-tor, said it will increase its annual contributions to the Pension Fund from the annual budget to include the loan repayments over the 30 years.
Stokes said the county was not pushing its debts to the future.
“Absolutely not,” she said. “We are making prudent and respon-sible decisions. Just loo kat the time we spend taking care of county business, We are putting good policies in place to make the county better. We are not just kicking it down the road.”
Board members took offerStone, who was hired in June
2005, along with Bell, James Butler, and Christopher Prickett are four of the Pension Board’s seven mem-bers who took the early retirement package.
In the minutes of the Dec. 10, 2009 Pension Board meeting where the formula for the retirement of-fer was approved, Butler, a senior electronic technician in Watershed Management Department hired in March 1989, and Prickett, a fire captain hired in October 1984, disclosed that they had more than 25 years of service and would be eligible to take the offer.
Bell and Stone did not disclose that they were planning to take the early-out package. Bell said Thurs-day that he and Stone were ex-officio and non-voting members of the seven-member Pension Board and were not obligated to disclose. Besides, he said it was no secret at the county that he qualified for the early out program.
“Everybody knew that I would take it,” he said.
Neither Butler nor Prickett took the lump-sum payouts. They opted instead for larger lifetime monthly benefits.
The Pension Board’s minutes quoted Butler as saying that that his primary responsibility as a Pension Board member was the solvency of pension fund.
“Even though he would be eligible to retire under the 25-and-out incentive and would accept the offer if available, he would still vote against that addition to the early incentive program because of the added cost it would impose on the plan, especially on the remaining employees,” the minutes say.
At that meeting. Bell reminded the board that “the pension code puts the ultimate cost of the coun-ty’s defined benefit pension plan on the county and its taxpayers.”
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CrossRoadsNews June 26, 20104
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CrossRoadsNewsJune 26, 2010 5
6 FinanCe “We will not see a significant improvement in Georgia’s job market until small businesses begin hiring.”
10 schools get Work Ready grants Target debt with ‘gazelle intensity’
Metro jobless rate rises to 9.9 percent in May as state sees small decline
Ten DeKalb County high schools were awarded $50,000 in Georgia Work Ready training grants to provide three-year ac-cess to the initiative’s skills gap training software.
Gov. Sonny Perdue announced the $5,000 grant to each school on June 11.
The DeKalb schools – Cedar Grove, Columbia, Cross Keys, Lithonia, McNair, Redan, Stephenson, Stone Mountain, Southwest DeKalb and Towers – are among 31 high schools across the state that got the grants.
Perdue said a Work Ready Certificate demonstrates that an individual has the core job skills.
“The Work Ready skills gap training software can help students improve their performance not only on the Work Ready assessment, but also on the graduation test; assist in improving our high school gradu-ation rates; and provide students with a
better understanding of the skills employers look for in a successful employee,” he said.
The program is funded through an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant, which helps students improve their Work Ready Certificate levels.
Georgia’s Work Ready initiative is based on a skills assessment and certification for job seekers and a job profiling system for businesses. By identifying both the needs of business and the available skills of Georgia’s work force, the state can more effectively generate the right talent for the right jobs.
Each school has agreed to provide the Work Ready assessment to at least 50 per-cent of its senior class each year for three years and will incorporate the training tools in its curriculum to ensure all interested students at all grade levels have the oppor-tunity to access it.
For more information, visit www.ga workready.org.
Metro Atlanta’s unemploy-ment rate rose to 9.9 percent in May, up one-tenth of a percentage point from a revised 9.8 percent in April.
The Georgia Department of Labor said Thursday that the num-ber of unemployed workers in the metro area increased to 262,571, up 3,113 from 259,458 in April.
State Labor Commissioner Michael
Thurmond said the number of long-term unemployed – those who have been out of work for 27 weeks or longer – continues to rise, accounting for nearly half of the state’s jobless.
“We will not see a significant improvement in Georgia’s job market until small businesses begin hiring, which will lay a solid
foundation for a sustainable economic recov-
ery,” he said.The state’s seasonally adjusted unemploy-
ment rate declined to 10.2 percent in May, down one-tenth of a percentage point from a revised 10.3 percent in April.
This is the 32nd consecutive month Geor-gia has exceeded the national unemployment rate, which is now 9.7 percent.
The jobless rate in metro Atlanta in May 2009 was 9.2 percent.
In DeKalb, initial claims for unemploy-
Michael Thurmond
ment insurance benefits declined in May to 4,063, down from 4,199 in April. In May 2009, 4,070 initial claims were filed.
In May 2010, there were 225,700 long-term unemployed Georgians, an increase of 132,800, or 142.9 percent, from 92,900 long-term unemployed in May 2009. It represents an increase of 10,600, or 4.9 percent, from 215,100 in April. The long-term unemployed now account for 47 percent of the 479,877 jobless workers in Georgia.
Dear Dave,I’ve heard you talk to people about
“gazelle intensity.” What exactly does this mean?
– Del
Dear Del,Basically, it means absolutely going crazy
and doing whatever it takes for a little while to get out of debt. I’d much rather endure pain or discomfort for a short period of time and get it over with instead of living my whole life floundering around and ac-complishing nothing in the process.
Some people probably think I’m using hyperbole when I give people advice on how to get out of debt, but I’m serious about it all.
I’ve lived this stuff, man! There were liter-ally stretches of years when we didn’t go on vacation or see the inside of a restaurant.
If you want to get out of debt and get control of your money, you’ve got to be seri-ous and intense enough to make sacrifices on that level for a short period of time. We call it living like no one else, so that later you can live like no one else.
It’s not just dollars and cents we’re talking about here. It’s also about changing behav-iors and mind-sets.
You don’t need to go to Disneyland every year. You don’t need to eat out every weekend.
Until you’re willing to make temporary sacrifices like this — and become “gazelle intense” about taking control of yourself and your money — you’re never going to reach your goal of becoming debt-free!
– Dave
Dear Dave,How early should I start teaching my kids
about money? Also, how do you feel about giving kids an allowance?
– Cathy
Dear Cathy,I think you should start teaching kids
about money as early as you start teaching them about sex — which is the first time they show any interest. Make sure you keep it age-appropriate, and don’t over-answer questions when they’re young.
Neither of these things will amount to a one-time talk, because they’re both just parts of life. That means they’re ongoing processes that will last for years. If you have one talk at an early age with your kids about money, then they’re probably not going to remember a lot of it as they get older. If you have just one talk with your kids about sex at an early age, you’re liable to wind up with a bunch of pregnant teenagers!
To answer your second question, I hate the idea of an allowance for kids, because it makes the whole situation sound like welfare. We put our kids on commission at an early age. They had chores associated with certain dollar amounts, and if they worked, they got paid. If they didn’t work, they didn’t get paid. It was as simple as that. Then, they would split their money between three different en-velopes — one for saving, one for spending, and one for giving — and we would teach them to do each one wisely.
Kids need to emotionally connect work to money at a young age. If you don’t teach them four major concepts — spending, sav-ing, giving and work — you’re going to have major problems by the time they’re 10!
– Dave For more financial help, visit daveramsey
.com.
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CrossRoadsNews June 26, 20106
7Wellness Improving efforts at minority-serving hospitals could increase quality of care for all heart failure patients, researchers say.
Summer sets the stage for increase in broken bones, other injuries
Heart relapse tied to care site
Our Mistake
African-American heart failure patients are more likely to be read-mitted when treated at “minority-serving” hospitals, the American Heart Association has found.
Racial disparities in readmis-sions for heart failure are mainly seen at the site at which care is provided, researchers report.
Using national Medicare data from 2006-07, researchers desig-nated hospitals as minority-serving based on the proportion of black patients treated.
In the study, 40 percent of all black patients and 5 percent of all white patients were cared for at minority-serving hospitals.
The researchers found:n Overall, black patients had slight-ly higher 30-day readmission rates (24.1 percent) than white patients (23.3 percent).n At minority-serving hospitals, black patients had slightly higher readmission rates than white pa-tients (26.2 percent versus 25.1 percent).n At non-minority-serving hos-pitals, there were no disparities in readmissions (23.3 percent versus 23.1 percent).
Heart failure is the most com-mon cause of hospitalizations
and readmissions in the Medicare program. Improving efforts at poor-performing, minority-serving hospitals could increase quality of care for all heart failure patients and reduce racial health care dis-parities, researchers said.
The findings were presented at the American Heart Association’s Quality of Care and Outcomes Research in Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke 2010 Scientific Sessions last month in Washington.
For more information, vis-it www.americanheart.org.
School’s out and the weather’s warm – welcome to “fracture season.”
Pediatricians say summer is prime season for broken bones as kids swarm into back-yards and onto playgrounds. Injuries occur on in-line skates, bikes, playground equip-ment and trampolines.
Dr. Blaise Nemeth, a pediatric orthope-dics specialist at American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, Wis., says they see more fractures this time of the year.
“Of all the walk-in injuries seen in clinics from play equipment, fractures account for 25 to 30 percent of them,” he said.
Each year, 200,000 children injure them-selves on playgrounds in America – and an-other 200,000 get hurt on trampolines. Most of these injuries occur in kids under 15.
Monkey bars and slides are big culprits on the playground; arms are the most frequently fractured bones.
Bikes and in-line skates also account for a large number of fractures:n Children sustain about 267,000 nonfatal bicycle injuries each year.n About 135 children are killed in bicycle accidents annually.n More than 176,000 children ages 5 to 14 are treated each year in hospital emergency rooms for injuries related to skateboards, scooters and skates.
What can parents do?Wearing helmets helps. Nan Peterson,
director of American Family Children’s SAFEkids program, says a helmet is the single most effective safety device to reduce head injury and death from crashes.
“Kids who in-line skate should also wear knee, wrist and elbow pads and skate on a smooth surface where there’s no traffic.”
Locally, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta offers care for fractures, sprains and strains at six neighborhood locations, including Children’s at Egleston, 1405 Clifton Road N.E. in Atlanta.
It says that first aid for fractures, sprains and strains can be remembered with the ac-ronym PRICE: protect, rest, ice, compression and elevation.
As for trampolines, the American Acad-emy of Pediatrics says the safest course of ac-tion is to not buy or use them. But given their popularity in American backyards, the group recommends careful parental supervision.
Dr. Michael Kim, an American Family Children’s pediatric emergency doctor, says the list of trampoline injuries goes well be-yond fractures. “We’re talking broken bones that may require surgery; concussions and other head injuries; sprains and strains; and bruises, scrapes and cuts.
“Children may also be prone to neck and spinal cord injuries that can result in perma-nent paralysis or death.”
Kim says kids get hurt when they land the wrong way while jumping, try danger-ous stunts or collide with other kids. Most injuries occur on the mat itself.
Nemeth says one of the biggest dangers comes when a teen is bouncing with a smaller child. “The large spring-back effect created makes it almost like landing on the ground for the smaller kid.”
Even though supervision is key, Nemeth said it won’t prevent every injury. “But it can play a major part in reducing the dangerous situations that lead to fractures.”
For more safety tips, visit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at www.choa.org.
The American Academy of Pediatrics says the safest course of action is to not buy or use trampolines. But given their popularity, the group urges careful parental supervision.
An injured child must be seen by a medical professional as soon as possible, but you can render first aid by remembering the acronym PRICE:Protect – A splint or elastic bandage
placed in a comfortable position will help protect the injured area from further damage by limiting movement.
Rest – Put the injured child in a comfortable position. If injury is in the lower extremity, don’t allow the child to put weight on it.
Ice – Hold an ice pack on or to the side of the injured area 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off. Put a layer of padding or towel between the ice and the skin.
Compression – Use an elastic bandage from the hand toward the elbow or from the foot toward the knee. The wrap should not be too tight.
Elevation – Control swelling and pain by elevating the injured part above the level of the heart if possible.
Source: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
First aid for injuries
Study of Black Women & Breast Cancer
Study of Black Women & Breast Cancer
University of Georgia researchers now accepting participantsUniversity of Georgia researchers now accepting participants
What is involved?• Apply via email at
[email protected] or call (706) 542-0844
• Complete a 1-1/2 hour questionnaire at home or in a safe, private location of your choice
• Receive $35 reimbursement for your time and participation
Who can enroll?Black women who:• Are ages 39 and older
• Have been diagnosed with breast cancer
• Have completed cancer treatment
What is involved?• Apply via email at
[email protected] or call (706) 542-0844
• Complete a 1-1/2 hour questionnaire at home or in a safe, private location of your choice
• Receive $35 reimbursement for your time and participation
Who can enroll?Black women who:• Are ages 39 and older
• Have been diagnosed with breast cancer
• Have completed cancer treatment
The “Women of the Bible in Fashion” show showcasing what women from the Bible would wear today is taking place on June 26.
The date was wrong in last week’s CrossRoadsNews.
The 3 p.m. show is at Worshippers Interceding for Excellence Church, 3096 North Decatur Road in Scottdale.
For tickets and more infor-mation, call Kathern Thomas at 404-587-2751 or Alicia Cardwell-Brown at 404-455-6678. click on “Find a Doctor”
Grantley F. Joseph, M.D. John J. Oliga,M.D.
We have been serving South DeKalb County for over 15 years at our old location, and we are happy to announce we have moved to a bigger, brand new location. We have also changed our practice name from Chapel Hill Internal Medicine to DeKalb Medical Physicians at Flat Shoals.
Our services include:
4153-B Flat Shoals Parkway, Suite 200, Decatur, GA 30034phone: 404.585.5049 fax: 404.591.0292
Office Hours: Mon, Weds: 8:30 a.m – 7:00 p.m.; Tues, Thurs: 8:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m. ; Fri: 8:30 a.m – Noon
Same day and walk-in appointments available!
DM-153 CE2 FlatShoals_XRoads.indd 2 6/23/10 2:25:44 PM
CrossRoadsNewsJune 26, 2010 7
8
Quilt, dairy shows recall history
Independence Day festivities run the gamut at East Metro venues
Photos by Carla Parker / CrossroadsNews
Traditional and contemporary quilts are on display at the DeKalb History Center as well as artifacts from the county’s dairy past.
Area residents will celebrate independence and show their love of country at Fourth of July parades and other festivities around metro Atlanta.
Scene Fireworks will shoot nightly at the Lasershow Spectacular featuring surround-sound music and special effects.
History lovers can view dairy and quilt exhibits at the historic DeKalb Courthouse in downtown Decatur through the end of the year.
The DeKalb History Center exhibits focus on the history of dairy farm-ing and quilting in the county.
The Dairy Exhibit trac-es dairy farming in DeKalb County in the 20th century. The boll weevil’s attack on cotton farming led to the beginning of many dairy farms when cotton farmers were forced to change from growing cotton to produc-ing dairy products.
The one-room exhibit contains colorful signs and artifacts such as a route book and milk bottles, and it even includes a life-size replica of Rosebud, the famous cow mascot for Mathis Dairies.
The Quilt Exhibit, orga-nized by Sarah Phillips and Debbie Steinman, has a mixture of historical and contemporary quilts. Of the 47 quilts on display, eight are historical and date from 1850 to 1940.
The colorful four-room exhibit contains quilts with traditional patterns such as lone star, drunkard’s path, twisted bargello, square dance and crazy quilt and many contempo-rary themes such as hearts, cats, “The Lorax” from Dr. Seuss, stained glass, sunflowers and cupcakes.
The quilts range in size from small, intri-cate wall hangings to large quilts that would be appropriate for a king-sized bed. Many are made from batik fabrics, and several have received awards from various quilt shows.
One is a replica of the quilt presented to the German Olympic Committee during the 1996 Olympics held in Atlanta.
Other examples include a quilt made for a child’s fifth-grade graduation that includes her history and a tracing made of her body when she was 5 months old and a quilt made from Peachtree Road Race T-shirts and race bibs worn by the runners.
The exhibits opened in May during the Decatur Arts Festival and have regular hours weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the his-toric DeKalb Courthouse, at 101 E. Court Square in Decatur.
For more information, call Melissa Forgey at 404-373-1088.
Fire up the grill. Fly the flag and dress in red, white and blue.
It’s the nation’s 234th birthday on July Fourth and time to celebrate with parades, cookouts and fireworks.
The festivities begin at 10 a.m. on July 3 with the “Star-Spangled Stone Mountain” parade in downtown Stone Mountain.
The old-fashioned hometown parade begins at Stone Mountain Part West Gate and ends at East Stone Mountain Street.
Pre-parade ceremonies kick off at 9:15.For more information, e-mail 4thofjuly
[email protected] or call Diana Roe Hollis at 770-469-2234.
Fantastic FourthStone Mountain Park is going even more
patriotic for its July 3-5 Fantastic Fourth Celebration on the Memorial Lawn.
The annual celebration, which is in its 43rd year, begins at 9:30 a.m. daily.
Fireworks will shoot nightly at the end of the 40-minute Lasershow Spectacular featur-ing surround-sound music, colorful lasers, flame cannon and special effects precisely choreographed to music.
The songs include “Heroes,” “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
Stone Mountain Park is at U.S. 78 East in Stone Mountain. For more information, call 770-498-5690.
Fabulous FourthThe seventh annual Fabulous 4th Festi-
val at the Georgia International Horse Park begins at 5 p.m. July Fourth with children’s activities, military displays, arts, crafts, ven-dors and car shows.
The free event also will include the 2010 Little Miss Conyers Competition and
Princess Pageant. At dark, a large fireworks display will fill the sky.
The Horse Park is at 1996 Centennial Olympic Park in Conyers. For more informa-tion, call Rebecca Hill at 770-860-4188.
Pied Piper ParadeDowntown Decatur is celebrating the na-
tion’s birth with its annual Pied Piper Parade, fireworks and musical concert.
The parade begins at 6 p.m. at First Bap-tist Church of Decatur, 308 Clairemont Ave., and ends at the Community Bandstand on
the Decatur Square, 101 E. Court Square. Decatur commissioners and Mayor Bill
Floyd will lead the parade in a mini-fire truck. Neighborhood and community or-ganizations can join the parade by either making a float, riding a bike, skating or walking.
At 7 p.m. the Callanwolde Concert Band will perform, followed by a fireworks show at 9 from the top of the DeKalb County park-ing deck. For more information or to regis-ter for the parade, e-mail Cheryl.burnette @decaturga.com or call 404-371-8386.
Fireworks at New BirthFireworks will light up the sky at New
Birth Missionary Baptist Church during its annual display on July Fourth.
The free event begins at 9 p.m. The church is at 6400 Woodrow Road in
Lithonia. For more information, call 770-696-9603.
Largest fireworks displayThe annual Fourth of July Celebration
at Lenox Square kicks off at 6 p.m. on July Fourth with a Blackhawk military flyover and will feature live musical performances on the mall’s outdoor main stage and a “Kid Zone.”
The signature fireworks display takes place at 9:40 p.m. with thousands of fire-works bursting in air for approximately 20 minutes, accompanied by a patriotic musical soundtrack.
Lenox Square mall is at 3393 Peachtree Road N.E. in Atlanta. For more information, call 404-233-6767.
Centennial’s 4th of July CelebrationA full day of July Fourth activities be-
gins at noon at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta with arts and crafts, face painting, inflatables, stilt walkers and more.
Visitors also can relax on the Great Lawn and cool off in the world-famous Fountain of Rings.
The free musical entertainment begins at 5 p.m. with performances by the 911 Band, Edens Edge, and the ’80s rock band the Smithereens.
The evening culminates with the AirTran Airways Fireworks Spectacular.
Centennial Olympic Park is at 265 Park Ave. West N.W. in Atlanta. For more infor-mation, call 404-223-4412.
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CrossRoadsNews June 26, 20108
9Youth “He’s one of the top players for his age. He was a big part in us winning back-to-back state titles.”
Glen Haven gets health nod
Hoops star, USA shooting for gold again5 schools on Newsweek listFive DeKalb schools have made
Newsweek’s list of America’s Best High Schools for 2010.
DeKalb School of the Arts in Avondale Estates came in at 248, followed by Chamblee Charter High in Chamblee at 295. Lakeside High in Atlanta was listed at 698; Dunwoody High in Dunwoody made it at 775; and Tucker High in Tucker was ranked at 1,277.
The list ranks the top 6 percent of public schools based on how well students are challenged with col-lege-level content and assessment. This year, 1,600 schools appeared
on the list. DeKalb School of the Arts and Chamblee Charter were among the top 10 Georgia schools. DeKalb School of the Arts has been ranked in the top 1,000 high schools for six consecutive years.
The ranking system, developed by Jay Mathews of The Washington Post, divides all Advanced Place-ment, International Baccalaureate and/or Cambridge tests taken by all students at the school by the number of graduating seniors.
For more information, visit www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/schools /high or www.newsweek.com.
Glen Haven Elementary School in Decatur was among 179 schools nationwide recognized for aid-ing the effort to eliminate child-hood obesity by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.
The alliance, launched by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, honored the schools for transform-ing their campuses into healthier places for students and staff.
Former President Bill Clinton; Heart Association Chairman Neil Meltzer; and Dr. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, presented awards during an event in New York City.
Glen Haven was one of 10 metro Atlanta schools to receive the national recognition.
The alliance’s Healthy Schools
Program provides free assistance to more than 9,000 schools to help them reverse the national epidemic of childhood obesity. More than 350 National Recognition Awards have been presented since 2006.
Many of the 179 schools recog-nized this year have diverse student populations, and more than two-thirds are located in lower-income communities. Each distinguished itself with healthy eating and physi-cal activity programs and policies that meet or exceed stringent stan-dards set by the Healthy Schools Program, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Any U.S. school can enroll and receive free assistance and support to become a healthier place for stu-dents to learn and staff to work.
For more information, visit www.HealthierGeneration.org.
By Carla Parker
For the second year in a row, Tony Parker has gone from win-ning a state title with the Miller Grove High School basketball team to competing for a gold medal on the USA Men’s team.
Tony, who averages 12 points and 11 rebounds per game, is headed to Hamburg, Germany, on June 30 to help the USA Basketball Men’s U17 World Championship Team bring home the gold medal.
This is Tony’s second year on the national team. Last year, the 16-year-old rising junior helped lead the U16 National team to a 101-87 win over Argentina in the 2009 FIBA Americas U16 Championship in Mendoza, Argentina.
That win secured the USA team a spot in the 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship.
Tony is ecstatic to make the team two years in a row.
“It feels great to play for my country,” said the Georgia Hoops 2009 Freshman of the Year. “It’s something that every player wants to do, and I’m happy to have the opportunity to do it.”
The U17 World Champion-ship team has been in San An-tonio since June 17, practicing for the World Championship. They left for Lithuania on June 25 for more practice and exhibi-tion games before traveling to Hamburg, where they will play five games in the preliminary
round. The team’s first game will be
a rematch against Argentina on July 2.
Tony, who is 6 feet 9 and tips the scale at 270 pounds, was only 4 years old when he began playing ball at the YMCA and at Victory Church in Stone Mountain.
His father, Virgil Parker, a former college basketball player, started working with Tony when he was 8 years old. He said his son is a natural player.
“Whatever I taught him, he picked up on it real quick,” his fa-ther said. “I just sharpened up the skills he had when I trained him.”
By the eighth grade, Tony, who plays center, was in the AAU Bas-ketball Program and was attracting the attention of national scouts.
Sharman White, who coaches Tony at Miller Grove, said he has offers from the University of Geor-gia, Georgia Tech, the University of Florida, the University of Con-necticut, the University of North Carolina, the University of Ten-nessee, and a host of other top 25 basketball programs in the nation.
“He’s one of the top players for his age,” White said. “He does a re-ally good job on the court. He was a big part in us winning back-to-back state titles.”
Miller Grove center Tony Parker has made the USA Basketball team for two years in a row. “It feels great to play for my country,” the rising junior said.
CrossRoadsNewsJune 26, 2010 9
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reAder noticeAs a service to you – our valued readers – we offer the following
information: This newspaper will never knowingly accept any advertise-ment that is illegal or considered fraudulent. If you have questions or
doubts about any ads on these pages, we advise that before responding or sending money ahead of time, you check with the Attorney General’s
Consumer Fraud Line and/or the Better Business Bureau. They may have records or documented complaints that will serve to caution you
about doing business with those advertisers. Also be advised that some phone numbers published in these ads may require an extra charge. In
all cases of questionable value, such as promises or guaranteed income from work-at-home programs, money to loan, etc., if it sounds too good
to be true – it may in fact be exactly that. This newspaper cannot be held responsible for any negative conse-
quences that occur as a result of you doing business with any advertis-ers. Thank you.
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CrossRoadsNews June 26, 201010
11
36 WeekWeight Loss Study!
Stonecrest Mall Lithonia Location
CALL TODAY770-979-0090
Before And After Fitness Center is seeking a limited number of participants to take part in an innovative 36 Week Weight Loss Study. Participants must have 15-100 lbs of weight to lose and be able to attend three 30 minute sessions per week, eat on plan for 5 days with 2 days off, plus be accountable to your coach.
Valued at over $449, You Pay Absolutely No Study Fee to participate. All that we ask is that you cover the low weekly maintenance fee. BEFORE
Before And After Fitness Center is seeking a limited number of participants to take part in an innovative 36 Week Weight Loss Study. Participants must have 15-100 lbs of weight to lose and be able to attend three 30 minute sessions per week, eat on plan for 5 days with 2 days off, plus be accountable to your coach.
Valued at over $449, You Pay Absolutely No Study Fee to participate. All that we ask is that you cover the low weekly maintenance fee.
Pat S. lost 40 lbsand 28 inches!
mArKetplAce rAtesPlace your MarketPlace line ad here – up to 20 words for $25. Additional words are $3 per block of five words (maximum 45 words). Boxed Ads (with up to 3 lines bold headline): $35 plus cost of the classified ad. Send ad copy with check or credit card information and contact phone number (if different from ad) to Market-Place, CrossRoadsNews, 2346 Candler Road, Decatur, GA 30032, or e-mail to [email protected]. Our deadlines are at noon on the Friday one week prior to publication, unless otherwise noted.
CLASSIFIEDS
Business opportunities Shopping Queen International Join the Future!!! Forget about those long Saturdays of running to this store for one thing and another store for something else. Now, you can shop from the comfort of your own home. Click through different stores, find the product you want, and earn cash back on many of your purchases. Plus, search for deals such as free shipping, coupons or instant savings! http://www.zamzuu.com/875782 Email: [email protected]
contrActors/construction Roofing, Painting, Renovation, & More Call 404-207-2875 or go to www.atmconstructors.net for all
your home improvement needs.
employmentStyling with Passion Salon. Seeks Licensed Stlyists/Barbers interested in Hair book advertise-ments, photo shoots, fashion shows & more!! Call Martice 404-849-1975.
eVents & seminArs
For rent/leAseTwo Bedroom Condo for Rent or Sale. Panola Rd/I-20 Area, Close to Walmart. $600 Monthly. 770-948-1100.
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Furniture Thrift Store - Swoops Interiors New Thrift Store In Lithonia. Furniture, Appliances, Pictures, Electronics and much more. 6631-B Hillandale Drive, Lithonia, Ga. www.swoopsinteriors.com
Help WAntedCustomer Service. Stone Mountain Insurance agency. Prior Insurance experience required. (Background/ credit checks done)
www.crossroadsnews.com/pages/couponspowered by:
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Song Writer Looking for Music Arranger Songwriter with over 200 songs and 10 presently being performed needs music arranger with knowledge of arranging and producing. Call 678-361-6689.
lAndscApe/lAWn cAreNext Day Lawn Maintenance Service. Bobcat Work, Hauling, French Drainage System 770-593-1382.
African-American Princess Pageant
Sat., July 10, 2010Girls: 0-12 years
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404-861-2683 or 404-422-1439
Sew In Weaves
$149.99100% Human Hair IncludedIndian Remi Hair
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Black Butterfly Salon & Spa822D Hambrick Rd
Stone Mountain, GA 30038
404-734-6599Walk-ins Welcome
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Family Law documents (Divorce, Modification, Legitimation, Child Support and Name Change)
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CALL 404-304-5854
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CrossRoadsNewsJune 26, 2010 11
12
Sales Hours: Mon-Fri 9:00am - 8:00pm • Sat 9:00am - 8:00pm • Sun Closed
WESLEY CHAPELI-20, Exit Wesley Chapel
To Snapfinger Woods Drive
770-987-9000
5C
(10.5
”)X
16” 2
1387-M
CA
Q (6
-26) cro
ssroad
s fc (nb)
Come In TodayFor ALL of Your
Service, Collisionand Pre-Owned
Needs!
Offer valid with coupon. Expires 7/5/10.
VALID ONLY AT MALCOLM CUNNINGHAM AUTO GALLERY ANDMALCOLM CUNNINGHAM FORD LINCOLN MERCURYUp to five quarts of oil. Taxes and diesel vehicles extra. Disposal fees not included
in some locations. Offer valid with coupon. Expires 7/5/10.
OIL CHANGE
VALID ONLY AT MALCOLM CUNNINGHAM AUTO GALLERY ANDMALCOLM CUNNINGHAM FORD LINCOLN MERCURY
Service CouponBLOW OUT!!!Service CouponBLOW OUT!!!
$1995$1995•Premium Synthetic Blend Oil & Filter Change
WITHCOUPON
$2500$2500OFF ANY SERVICEOVER $100
$0DOWN!Buywith 3.49% APR
FINANCINGAVAILABLE
For a limited term on approval of credit.
$149PAYMENTTHIS WEEKEND!Example: 2009 Ford Fusion, Sale
Price $12,995, Buy for 72 monthsat 3.49% APR financing, with $0
down is $204 per month plus tax,tag, title and approved credit.
Example: 2009 Ford Fusion, Sale Price $12,995, Buyfor 72 months at 3.49% APR financing, with $3500
down plus tax, tag, title and approved credit.
GetA
Prices plus tax, tag and title.
WE NOW RENT & SELL TRUCKS! 770-987-8189
M C A u t o A t l . c o m
Wesley Chapel
I-20, Exit Wesley ChapelTo Snapfinger Woods Drive
770-987-9000
ONLY AT
ATLANTA’SEASY DEALER!
2006 VOLKSWAGENJETTA
$10,997Automatic, LocalTrade, Low Miles,Stk#00A1086
2008 DODGECHARGER
$12,9973.5L V6, Loaded, CD,Stk#00A1111
2009 CHEVROLETIMPALA
$12,997Automatic, Power Pkg., CD,Stk#00A1148
2007 FORDFUSION SE
$12,997Automatic, Loaded,Stk#00A1155
2006 LEXUS ES 330
$19,997Leather, Sunroof, CD, Loaded,Stk#00A1158
Local Trade, LowMiles, Low Miles,Stk#00A1072A $59971996 Chevrolet CAPRICE CLASSIC
Automatic, CD, All Power,Stk#00A1180 $12,997
2007 Nissan ALTIMA 2.5 S
Loaded, Sharp,Stk#00A1114 $14,9972009 Chrysler SEBRING CONVERTIBLE
Leather, Sunroof,CD, Loaded,Stk#00A1161 $16,997
2005 Mercedes-Benz C230
Loaded, Leather,CD, Moonroof,Stk#00A1126A $20,997
2008 Lincoln MKZ
Automatic, Local Trade,Stk#00A1109A $6997
2006 Saturn ION
Automatic, Loaded,Leather,Stk#00A1085 $12,997
2007 Volkswagen JETTA
Loaded, 6 Disc CD,Chrome Wheels,Stk#00A1134 $15,997
2007 Honda ACCORD SE
Leather, Sunroof,CD, Loaded,Stk#000S1016A $17,997
2006 BMW 325i
Loaded, Leather,CD, SunroofStk#00A1160 $20,997
2007 Infiniti G35
Automatic, GreatGas Saver,Stk#00A1107 $9997
2006 Chevrolet MALIBU
Loaded, Must See!Stk#00A1172 $13,997
2009 Ford FUSION SEL V6
3rd Row Seat,Loaded, Must See,Stk#00A1152 $16,997
2007 Chrysler PACIFICA
Loaded, Must See!Stk#00A1162 $17,997
2006 Ford F-150 XLT
Loaded, Every OptionStk#00A1163 $20,9972006 Ford EXPEDITION LIMITED
Automatic, Great Gas Saver,Stk#00A1146 $9997
2008 Chevrolet COBALT
Loaded, Low Miles,Stk#00A1113 $13,9972009 Dodge GRAND CARAVAN
3rd Row Seat,Loaded,Stk#00A1153 $16,997
2006 Ford EXPEDITION XLT
Power Windows &Locks, CD, ChromePkg., Stk#000A1165 $18,9972005 Ford F-150 XLT SUPER CAB
Loaded, New Tires,Stk#000A1166 $20,9972008 Ford F-150 XLT CREW CAB
Loaded, Summer Is Here!Stk#00A1112 $10,9972008 Chrysler SEBRING CONVERTIBLE
Leather, Sunroof,Stk#00A1138 $13,997
2008 Ford FUSION SE
Automatic, Loaded,Stk#00A1159 $16,9972009 Ford MUSTANG 45TH ANNIV. ED.
Sport Pkg., Leather,Sunroof, CD,Stk#000A1164 $19,997
2005 BMW X3 SPORT
Loaded, Every Option!Stk#00A1154 $26,997
2010 Ford TAURUS LIMITED
Install pads or shoes on most cars and light trucks. Front or rear axles.Excludes machining rotors or drums. Taxes extra. See Service Advisor forvehicle applications and details. Offer valid with coupon. Expires 7/5/10.
VALID ONLY AT MALCOLM CUNNINGHAM AUTO GALLERY ANDMALCOLM CUNNINGHAM FORD LINCOLN MERCURY
BRAKES INSTALLED!
$8995$8995Engineered for your vehicleIncludes Free tire rotation!
21387-MCAQ (6-26) crossroads 6/23/10 4:37 PM Page 1
CrossRoadsNews June 26, 201012