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WWW.CHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.COM FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2011 VOL. 14, NO. 17 FREE

FREEPRESS A PUBLICATION OF ACE III COMMUN ICATIONS

Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunwoody, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Tucker and Stone Mountain.

See APS on Page 12A

See Repairs on Page 12A

y Daniel [email protected]

An investigativereport found thatcheating occurred

n several Atlanta PublicSchools located in DeKalbCounty during the adminis-ration of the 2009 Criteri-

on-Referenced CompetencyTest (CRCT).

The report, released byGov. Nathan Deals ofce

on July 5, covers 56 schoolsand identies 178 educatorsnvolved in the cheating, 32

of them principals. Eighty-wo of the 178 educatorsdentied admitted their in-

volvement, according to theeport.

The schools in the reporthat are located in DeKalb

County are East Lake Ele-mentary, Toomer Elementa-y, Whitefoord Elementary,

Coan Middle School andCrim High School. All but

Crim were found to haveevidence of cheating.The report said a cul-

ure of fear and a conspiracyof silence infected [the]chool system and kept

many teachers from speak-ng freely about miscon-

ductThere was a failure ofeadership throughout APS

with regard to the ethicaladministration of the 2009CRCT.

According to the report,42 percent of classrooms atEast Lake Elementary wereagged for wrong to righterasures in 2009. The reportalso accuses former Prin-cipal Gwendolyn Bentonand testing coordinatorFranStandifer of erasing andchanging students answers,and altering the results of thefth grade writing test.

Morresia Withers, themedia specialist at East Lake,described the APS as hav-ng a maa atmosphere

and said that teachers feared

Several schools in APS cheating scandal located in DeKalbretaliation if they spokeup about the cheating. Ac-cording to Withers, Bentonthreatened to place teacherson Professional DevelopmentPlans (PDP), a program de-veloped to correct perceiveddeciencies for low CRCT

scores.At Coan Middle School,

the percentage of classroomsagged for wrong to righterasures was 31.4 percentin 2009. Principal AndreWilliams failed to properlymonitor the 2009 CRCT, ac-

cording to the report. AliciaWaller, a special educationteacher, admitted to usingvoice inection to prompt herstudents to answer correctly,the report stated.

Several teachers at Toom-er Elementary School also

confessed. According to thereport, Lysandra Hardawayand Sheila Brown admittedto prompting their studentsby inecting their voice toemphasize the correct answerduring the administrationof the test. It also states that

by Andrew [email protected]

The roof on the Ellenwoodhouse Sarah and Bill Wyatthave lived in since 1993 was em-barrassing.

It had three layers of crum-bling shingles. The wood wasrotting. The Wyatts even resortedto covering parts of the posts in

the carport with duct tape.If you saw the roof, it looked

like the house should have beencondemned, Sarah Wyatt said.It was terrible.

That was before the roof andposts were replaced by a contrac-tor chosen by Senior Connec-tions, a non-profit organizationthat serves senior citizens bypreparing and delivering 2,500

Group helps seniors with home repairs

Ellenwood resident Sarah Wyatt (right) talks with Peter Schneider (left), man-ager of Fix-It Connection, about the repairs on her house. The shingles onthe Wyatts old roof were crumbling and the rotting posts in the carport werebeing held together with duct tape. Photos by Andrew Cauthen

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Page 2A The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 22, 2011

DeKalb Schools improvement slower than other systems on CRCT

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by Daniel [email protected]

The DeKalb CountySchool System is one of the

owest performing systemsn metro Atlanta in severalsubjects and other schoolsystems are improving fast-er than DeKalbs accordingo 2011 CRCT results.

When compared withother systems such as At-anta Public Schools, Clay-on County Public Schools

and Fulton County Schools,DeKalb, although makingslight improvements, is stillmproving more slowly thanhe systems surrounding it.

I understand, believe itor not, those that have good

feelings and those that havebad feelings about the lowacademic achievement ashe result of some testing

scores that have come out inthe school district but youcannot give up on us yet.Our children need all of usto pull together. Change is

necessary, and change willhappen, Interim Superin-tendent Ramona Tyson saidof the recent test scores.

According to the 2011scores, DeKalb had the low-est Language Arts score inevery grade and the lowestreading scores in all gradesexcept grade four, whichwas higher than Atlanta andClayton at 82.9 percent butlower than Fulton County.

When asked whyDeKalb Schools have beenslower to show improve-ment Morcease Beasley, the

interim deputy superinten-dent of teaching and learn-ing for DeKalb Schools,said that students and em-

ployees thrive in positiveenvironments and are de-ated in negative and hostileenvironments. Beasley saidthat a healthy balance of vo-cal and visible communitysupport and criticism will go

a long way toward movingthe system forward.

Our goal is to ensurethat all students are readingon grade level no later thanthe third grade. [A] of prior-ity will be the expectation toprovide and document theimpact of reading interven-tions when the data reectsthe student is in need of in-tervention, Beasley said.

Beasley also said thatthe division of teachingand learning has developeda plan that will allow it to

monitor district-wide read-ing data to provide cam-puses support and hold themaccountable for outcomeswell before the administra-tion of standardized testsuch as the CRCT. He saidthat the 2011-2012 schoolyear is expected to be ayear of increased readingachievement in DeKalb.

The DeKalb School Sys-tem, like many of its metro-Atlanta counterparts, alsohas a low success rate inthe subject of social studies,with barely half of grades

ve through eight passingin 2011. However, the so-cial studies scores do showimprovement, in some cases

gaining close to 8 percent.Beasley said that there is acorrelation between readingand social studies.

As we continue toaddress reading in our dis-trict, we are condent that

increases in social stud-ies learning outcomes willoccur as we have alreadybegun to see increases insocial studies as reectedin the 2011 CRCT results,Beasley said.

Beasley also said thataligned K-12 expectationshave been conveyed that so-cial studies should be taughtdaily and teachers are en-couraged to integrate socialstudies content into othercontent areas as well.

The CRCT is used eachyear to determine whethereach school in the systemwill make Adequate YearlyProgress (AYP) underfederal guidelines and isthen used to determine the

amount of funding a systemcan receive under the NoChild Left Behind Act.

The ofcial AYP re-sults will be released by theGeorgia Department of Edu-cation in mid-July. Beasleysaid that, although he hopesmore schools make AYP thisyear compared to last year,we know that we are doingthe right work for our stu-dents and time will validatethis.


An Avondale Estates police ofcer shotand killed a man after a struggle behind theAvondale Patillo United Methodist Churchoff Covington Highway on July 15, accord-ng to the Georgia Bureau of InvestigationGBI).

John Bankhead, a spokesman for theGBI who was on the scene, said that at ap-proximately noon an ofcer made a routinerafc stop and pulled an individual into the

parking lot of the church at 3260 CovingtonHighway.

The shooting had nothing to do withhe trafc stop, Bankhead said. A church

worker had seen a suspicious man out infront of the building acting in a strange man-

ner and went and told the ofcer.

Bankhead said the ofcer then ap-proached the individual and the church

worker walked off. When the church workerturned around again the ofcer and the sus-pect were gone.

The suspect ran off and he was chas-ing him and they wound up on the oppositeside of the church in the woodsthere wasa struggle and the suspect was armed andapparently reaching for his weapon and theofcer shot him, Bankhead said.

According to Bankhead, the suspect,whose name has not yet been released, wasbeing transported to Grady Hospital but dieden route. His body was then transported tothe DeKalb County Medical Examiners Of-ce.

The ofcer involved suffered no injuries.

Avondale police ofcershoots man after struggle

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The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 22, 2011 Page 3ALocal News

Residents want code enforcement beefed upby Andrew [email protected]

When some residents travelaround DeKalb County, theyoften see overgrown grass and

weeds; inoperable vehicles;commercial vehicles in resi-dential areas; and pools that areunmaintained and becomemosquito traps.

This county is going to thedogs, said Charles Peagler,president of the King RidgeHomeowners Association.There is trash everywhere.

Its those aggravatinghings many neighborhoods ex-erience, said Joe Arrington,

who along with Peagler was amember of a code enforcementask force that looked into the

problems of county code viola-

ions.The large and ever-in-

creasing number of foreclo-sures has become a com-pounding burden on all of this,Arrington said.

Some task force membersand county residents are upsetover what that say is foot-drag-ging on the part of the county.

We worked hard on thisfor 10 months, Peagler saidduring the July 12 Board ofCommissioners meeting.Weve done all the work onhe ordinance.

We cant understand whyhis ordinance cant come outof your committee, Peaglersaid to CommissionerSharonBarnes Sutton during themeeting. You were not draftedo run for that ofce, you askedfor the ofce. We need you todo the job in that ofce.

Sutton said the ordinances not buried on her desk. Be-cause the proposed ordinancehad several problems, she saidshe passed the ordinance to thecounty attorney to get someegal opinions about how the

ordinance would stand up in

court. The legal staff foundmore problems that neededo be addressed, but hopes tohave the proposed ordinanceavailable for the Board of Com-missioners by Aug. 9.

There has to be respect forhe process, Sutton said. Weare working to come up with aproduct that we can work with.

But as originally drafted,he proposed ordinance con-icted with something else onhe books, Sutton said.

Sutton, who chairs theboards county operations and

public safety committee, saidcode enforcement is a top pri-ority for her along with publicsafety.

I want code enforcement

to be beefed up, Sutton said.One of the problems of the

proposed ordinance is possiblejail time for violators and pen-alties handed down by volun-teers on a seven-member code

enforcement board that wouldbe held accountable for all deci-sions it makes, Sutton said.

Code enforcement is not

there to put people in jail, Sut-ton said. Do we really want toput a 90-year-old grandmotherin jail because she has a tarp onher roof?

According to the proposed

ordinance, the code enforce-ment board would have theauthority to hand down admin-istrative nes of up to $1,000

per day per ne.Peagler said residents are

fed up with the bureaucraticshell game and want the or-dinance to be passed as soon aspossible to address a backlog in

code enforcement complaints.I dont know anythingmore important than to protectthe property base, said Gil

Turman, another task forcemember. The county needsthe nancial base from propertyin the communities. We have acommission that is not protect-ing the very basis for which

money is generated for thiscounty to run. It doesnt makeany sense.

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The Newslady

The congressman rides coach

Atlanta Public schools scandle

I often go to the D.C./Marylandarea either to teensit my grand-daughter while her parents travel forheir jobs or just to visit. Last week

on my way to Regan National fromHartseld-Jackson, I witnessed avery pleasant sightmy congress-man boarding the same ight.

Why is seeing your congressmanon a ight to Washington cause to

write about? Because my Congress-man, Hank Johnson, was sittingn coach, in fact a few rows behind

me. Now that spoke volumes. At a

time when certain powerful statelawmakers get questionable perks ofrst-class seats and free baggage inthe wake of a huge $30 million fuel

tax break to a certain airline, it isrefreshing to see a lawmaker on thenational level seated in coach. Andgolly gee, the congressman had noy swatter, no briefcase or coat car-rier, no umbrella holder, and nary abodyguard in sight. Imagine that!

While a state senator a few yearsback I had occasion to travel toSeattle for a national legislatorsconference. Then-House SpeakerGlen Richardson was on the sameight, but seated in rst class withhis entourage. The young strangerseated next to me in coach heard our

exchange of greetings and learnedthat I was a senator from the greatstate of Georgia. She asked if I wasa senator and he a representative

why I was not seated in rst class aswell.

I had no ready comeback exceptto say that he was the speaker of the

House in Georgia, which gave himstatus that I did not have. Respond-ing from her feminist perspective,my seat mate said it didnt makesense to her and didnt seem at allfair. I assured her that it was not aproblem for me. There is a certaincomfort in knowing who you areand the knowledge that coach orrst class seating does not the per-son make. The destination is thesame.

But where one sits does senda denite message of power andprestige. Hank Johnsons stature as

a congressman could certainly jus-tify his ying rst class. Instead, hechooses to be a good steward of ourtax dollars by ying coach. I was

just struck by that and thought itworthy of sharing.

While Mr. Johnson sat in thecheap seats traveling back to the

nations capital to grapple with theissue of raising the nations debtceiling, he stood tall in the eyes ofthis observer as the kind of publicservant we need more of sensi-tive to appearances especially inthese economically uncertain times.We see so much grandstanding andposturing on the part of some ofour electeds, it is very reassuring toknow that certain of them have notlost the common touch and do notexpect to be treated like British roy-alty on our tax dollars.

Steen Miles, The Newslady, is aretired journalist and former Geor-gia state senator. Contact Steen Mi-lies at [email protected].

Teachers are being blamedfor all of the problems the APS[Atlanta Public Schools] arehaving because of cheating onthe standardized test in 2009.This problem never could havedeveloped to this magnitudehad the school board membersbeen on their jobs.

The Atlanta School Boardshould ask themselves howmany superintendents wererecruited from someone

qualified and living in theState of Georgia? How manysuperintendents had theircontracts bought out before thecontract ended? And most ofall how many superintendentsdid they recruit from otherstates, who left that statebecause of poor performancein that state? Were backgroundchecks performed on theseemployees?

Also, where were the parentswhen year after year theirchildren were unable to test outof grades three, five and eight?These same students went to

school for 180 days and couldnot pass this one test. These

students attended summerschool for four weeks andBANG passed the tests and waspromoted. On the other handparents had students who couldnot read and were promotedfrom kindergarden to thirdgrade every year and were notstopped until the third GradeGCRT.

The Teachers were pressuredby the principals, the principalswere pressured by the

superintendent and they wantedto make sure a bonus wasforthcoming each year, tellingall to do whatever necessary toget the scores up. Where werethe parents when the teachersscheduled conferences todiscuss class performance andconduct? The parents failedto show time-after-time. Theprincipals concerns were howthe parents would react. Theynever supported the teachersbut instead made sure theparents heard what they wantedto hear.

I saw a parent and student

on television, with the parentstating that she moved her

child twice because of the poorperformance at the two otherschools. Also the student saidthat the teachers made themfeel like they could not do theirown work. An example wasthe teacher who told her tocheck her answer not once, nottwice, but on the third try toldher good girl, meaning theanswer was correct. Did thisstudent not need the teachershelp? Perhaps not at test taking

time, but who has designeda curriculum to includeinstruction and technique fortaking this all so important onetest to determine who pass orfail.

My question is this: whodesigned the test, is it a part ofthe daily curriculum, and if achild attends school 180 daysand fails to pass, how can thischild pass after going to schoolfor four weeks in the summer?

Signed:Mattie Bradley-HudgonsParent and retired school teacher

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 22, 2011 Page 4AOpinion

Letter to the editor:

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One Mans Opinion

Wake up call for the CEO

Let Us Know What You Think!

THE CHAMPION FREE PRESSencourages opinionsfrom its readers. Please write to us and express yourviews. Letters should be brief, typewritten and containthe writers name, address and telephone number forverification. All letters will be considered for publication.

Send Letters To Editor, The Champion Free Press, P. O. Box 1347,Decatur, GA 30031-1347; Send E-Mail to [email protected]

FAX To: (404) 370-3903 Phone: (404) 373-7779

Deadline for news releases and advertising: Thursday, one week priorto publication date.

EDITORS NOTE: The opinions written by columnists and contributingeditors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor or publishers.The Publisher reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertisement atany time. The Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts.

Publisher: Dr. Earl D. Glenn

Managing Editor: Kathy Mitchell

News Editor: Robert Naddra

Production Manager: Kemesha Hunt

Graphic Designer: Travis Hudgons

The Champion Free Press is published eachFriday by ACE III Communications, Inc.,

114 New Street, Suite E, Decatur, GA. 30030

Phone (404) 373-7779.

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FREEPRESS

The most persuasivemethod at the disposal ofgovernment is the word of anhonest man, Jules Cambon1845-1935), famed French

diplomat.I first met DeKalb County

CEO Burrell Ellis in theummer of 2000 when he

knocked on my front door as a

hen candidate for CommissionDistrict #4. He impressed mewith his passion for publicervice and his overall sincerity

about the need for DeKalbCounty to begin workingogether to realize its full

potential.I also voiced support,

n this same space, for theirst tax increase of just

under 2.5 mils proposed byhe CEOunder the strong

heading of Raise My Taxes...PLEASE. I commend CEOEllis, and the DeKalb Board

of Commissioners for making

some of the mostsignificant budget cutsin the metro region,

and for stabilizingrevenues for our waterand sewer system, longoverdue for renovationsand repair.

All threepredecessors holdingthe title of DeKalb

County CEO served two terms.I assume that CEO Ellis is also

planning to seek a second term.Unfortunately, the growingsentiment and word on thestreets of DeKalb appearsto be that he is perceived as

becoming a one-termer.I have tried previously

to more discreetly relayseveral basic concerns to youradministration. I am nowtaking a more direct approach,knowing that this will mostlikely find its way to your desk.

Return phone calls - I hearthis more often than any singlecomplaint. You have becomeunreachable and seldomreturn phone calls, e-mailsor other correspondence.Communication from youroffice cannot only be one way.

Tighten up your calendar -

Your time is in demandnoquestionbut I hear timeand again that you keep

other equally importantpeople waiting. The largestemployer (by far) in DeKalbCounty recently sat in yourouter offices for nearly 45minutes, before being toldthe appointment would needto be re-scheduled. Myunderstanding is that he doesnot plan to return.

Travel out of DeKalbless frequently - As acommissioner, and nowCEO, you have demonstratedadmirable leadership in the

National Association of

Counties (NACO), as well asan ability to build relationshipsin D.C. with the Obamaadministration. All that said,the people of DeKalb are nowworried about some very basicneedskeeping a roof overtheir heads, having safe streetsand sending their kids to quality

public schools. Right or wrong,given these circumstances,voters will question your

priorities when significant timeis spent out of state or traveling.Until better economic timesreturn, try sticking closer to

home.

Lose the security system inplace to access your floor in

the Clark Harrison Building- You are entitled to a securitydetail, and it makes some senseto have an off-duty DeKalbP.D. officer or sheriffs deputyin the outer lobby of youroffices. But it makes no sensefor the elevator in a public

building to not stop on the floorwhere you work, or to requirean escort up to that floor.This may seem minor, but itsets a bad precedent, and evensends a negative signal about

public safety in DeKalb Countyto every one of your visitors.

Loosen up - You are anaccomplished lawyer and

jurist. You often speak, andpresent as if you are makinga formal presentation before a

jury. I will call this LawyerBurrell. Lawyer Burrell isintelligent and knowledgeable,

but can also be perceived ascold, indifferent and somewhatcondescending. I met GreatGuy Burrell on my front

porch 11 years ago. I haveseen him in many smallercommunity gatherings, givingwarm and touching eulogies

at funerals, as well as with his

family and close friendsandon rareoccasions,speaking orengaging the public in larger

forums. Great GuyBurrellreally needs to get out more.You have very competent

senior staff surroundingyou. Empower them tomove forward on youragenda. You have challengeswith the current board ofcommissioners, but as recentlydemonstrated with their toughvote to significantly increasethe millage rate and propertytaxeswhen you make yourcase backed up by indisputablefactsthey will work with you.

We share a love for DeKalbCounty, as well as a belief that

its best days lie ahead and notbehind. You need help tellingyour story and re-connectingwith the folks who helped

put you where you are today.Unless you plan an early returnto your private law practice, Idanswer this wake up call.

Bill Crane is a DeKalbCounty native and businessowner, living in Scottdale,Georgia. He also serves aschief political analyst and com-mentator for 11Alive News andWSB Radio, News/Talk 750.Contact Bill Crane at bill-

[email protected].

The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 22, 2011 Page 5AOpinion

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The Champion, Thursday, July 21 - 27, 2011 Page 6AOpinion

The following comments are pulled straight from our website and arenot edited for content or grammar.

Printed on100%post-

consumerrecycled paper

My father, long dead, spent hisworking years in tool and die shopsin Detroit, an experience fromwhich he crafted a political, eco-nomic and social philosophy of life.

Theyre all in it together, hewould say. That was the very coreof the philosophy.

Were high wages bad becausethey made prices go up? Were highprots good because they madethe stock market go up? Did politi-cians who complained about how

little they were paid mysteriouslybecome millionaires while in of-ce? Did the World Series go sevengames?

It was all evidence to him thathis theory was sound. He neverbothered to say who They were,but it was fairly obvious whom hemeant: the forces that made surethat in any given situation the richgot richer and the poor got poorerand, more than that, that the scalesof justice were short-weighted tothe advantage of money and privi-lege. Life, to my father, was justone big company store and the

prices were not negotiable.I wish he were alive today tosee whats happening. Even a cyniclike him would be shocked at howthe conspiracy that so outraged himhas been codied into a system ofgovernment.

Tell a conservative Republicanthat the rich are getting richer andthe poor are getting poorer and hellsay: So? Whats wrong with that?His only quarrel with whats hap-pening is that the rich arent gettingricher fast enough.

Go to the Supreme Court andsay: Your Honors, is there anychance soon that youll rule against

a corporation being sued by anindividual whos been cheated,misused, and left on the beach to

die? By a 5-to-4 majority the courtwould reply: Get lost. We dontpick winners and losers; we just ap-ply the Constitution. Is it our fault

that the Founders loved owners bet-ter than workers?

The latest example of the imbal-ance in our society to come downthe pike is the lobbying effort bygiant U.S. corporations to win ahuge tax break on overseas prots.This isnt chump change were talk-ing about. Apple has $12 billion outthere, Google $17 billion, Micro-soft $29 billion, others more.

These are prots earned over-seas, often by sending jobs over-seas. If they brought the protshome right now, they would betaxed at the ofcial, though mythi-

cal, 35 percent corporate rate.They want the government todeclare a one-year repatriationholiday, taxing the foreign protsat 5.25 percent a year. It would begreat for the economy, the lobbyistsargue, increasing tax revenues andallowing the companies to invest innew jobs back home. If they dontget the break, the prots stay over-seas, untaxed.

It sounds like a deal, right? Ex-cept, isnt there something sleazyabout American companies sendingjobs overseas, then holding Ameri-can taxpayers for ransom beforetheyll pay taxes on the prots they

earned doing so?As for companies using the

money to create jobs here, it prob-ably wont happen. After the lastbig tax holiday in 2005, companiestended to pass back the extra mon-ey to shareholders in dividends andstock buybacks.

Many of them did create newjobs, of course by building newplants overseas.

You were right, Dad; theyre allin it together.

I still dont think seven-gameWorld Series are xed, though.Maybe the umpires, just a little.

OtherWords columnist DonaldKaul lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.www.otherwords.org

Sleazy corporate holidayYou were right, Dad; theyre all in it together

Avondale Police shoot man after struggle

The Officer has a job to do. Its called law enforcement. Thats

what we all as taxpayers pay him to do. Its a dangerous andunpredictable job. Without him, and his willingness to serve ashe does, all we have is chaos and anarchy. When a police officerorders you to cooperate, and you dont, electing instead to runor grapple with him, or in severe circumstances try to take awayhis service pistol, if you get shot because of that, then I have nosympathy.

Let the man have the control he needs to do his job, and your bet isthat your event will be much easier. Nobody has to die in situationslike this!

Dying like this, is just plain stupid.

Bob posted this on 7/17/11 at 11:01 p.m

Rodgelio Its good that the officer is ok but I doubt that having to

kill a person seems like good news to him or the suspects family.This isnt Kojack, dude.

evan posted this on 7/17/11 at 8:17 a.m.

thanks for good news

rogelio menendez posted this on 7/16/11 at 8:26 p.m..

DeKalb transportation wish list cut to 25 projects

Dekalb just passed a millage rate increase. Now they want to fool usinto believing that a one percent sales tax will benefit the countyscitizens. Once again, this is doublespeak and empty rhetoric. Foolme once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. When haveDeKalb and Fulton politicians ever been competent with wiselyhandling taxpayers money? I dont understand how Dekalb can

build new libraries and parks, fund employee meals, continue towaste taxpayers money and then turn around and complain that thecounty is broke. I can understand why. I believe Dekalb taxpayersand voters will oust all of these incompetents in the next election,especially all those who supported a millage increase and nowsupport a sales tax. What other new tax will they come up with next?

Stoptheinsanity posted this on 7/15/11 at 9:06 a.m.

No way.

Its a 1-cent INCREASE for Fulton and DeKalb residents, and a1-cent ADDITION for all other metro counties.

Why pay twice for the same service? Nope.

Rick posted this on 7/14/11 at 5:22 p.m.

WITH A 26 % INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES = Oh Yeh ! Sure !Nope = None of it will pass in DeKalb County !

JerryMyer Jackson Jr posted this on 7/14/11 at 3:33 p.m.

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Champion ofthe Week

Rebecca Jones

After working in thecorporate world, Re-becca Jones wantedchange. She had astrong desire to workwith non-native Englishspeakers, especiallyrefugees, from an earlyage.

This desire took herto Refugee Family Ser-vices, where she hasvolunteered for a yearand has made a lastingimpact on the organiza-tion.

Refugee Family Ser-vices operates in the

communities of StoneMountain and Clarkstonwhich have large refu-gee populations.

Unlike refugee re-settlement programs,Refugee Family Servicesfocu on refugee and im-migrant families that arehere now and need help.Literacy in the Englishlanguage is a main prior-ity for the organization.

The organizationsprograms include fi-nancial literacy, fire andhome safety, refugeefamily violence preven-tion, youth and manymore.

I have worked withtwo programs while withthe organization. Thefirst was the after schoolprogram. For two tothree hours I would helpkids with homework and

computer training, saidJones.

The second was thefamily literacy programwhere she helped awoman who was a refu-gee from Nepal. She isorignally from Bhutan,but was in a refugeecamp in Nepal for sev-eral years, said Jones.

Rebecca visited herand her family on theweekends to teach her

how to read. For fivemonths she worked withher on reading and writ-ing skills.

Jones duties includehelping new arrivals getaccustomed to Ameri-can schools. Thesestudents are in gradesone through three andthey all have a desireto learn, according toJones.

Rebecca was oneof our most valuablevolunteers this year. Shedonated so much of her

time in several differentareas of our work. Shesignificantly contributedto the improvement ofthe literacy skills andoverall well-being of thewomen and children shehas worked with. We willmiss her compassionand dedication a greatdeal, said Brittany Van-Valkenburgh, volunteercoordinator at RefugeeFamily Services.

Jones is a graduateof Appalachian State

University in North Caro-lina. She earned a de-gree in English.

She has now signedup to be a Peace Corpsvolunteer where she willbe teaching English inthe small West Africancountry of Benin forthe next two and a halfyears.

CDC exhibit focuseson domestic violence

Off the Beaten Path: Violence, Womenand Art, currently at the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention (CDC) GlobalHealth Odyssey Museum, is a multi-mediacontemporary art exhibition that promotesawareness and fosters dialogue about violenceagainst women and its effects on victims,families and communities. The exhibit features28 international artists, including YokoOno,Louise Bourgeois, Wangechi Mutu,MonaHatoum and Hank Willis Thomas.

Produced by Art Works for Change, anonprot organization that addresses socialand environmental issues, Off the BeatenPath: Violence, Women and Art is a touringexhibition that premiered in Oslo, Norway inJune 2009 and traveled to San Diego, Tijuana,Mexico City and Chicago in subsequent years.The Atlanta presentation is co-sponsored bythe Division of Violence Prevention in theCDC National Center for Injury Prevention

and Control and the Global Health OdysseyMuseum.CDC has applied a public health approach

to violence prevention since the 1980s.Violence directed toward women and girls isa global human rights injustice with severehealth and social consequences.

According to the CDC, Off the BeatenPath challenges traditional ideas aboutgender based violence and helps create a newconversation on the full spectrum of issuesthat surround this important topic. The hopeis that audiences leave the exhibition with a

better understanding of the roots of abuse,a feeling of empathy, and an awareness ofchoice in their actions and beliefs. Reectingthoughtfully on these issues, the artists inthis exhibition offer images and stories asprofoundly universal and creative responsesthat illuminate our perceptions and call us toaction, an announcement from the federalhealth organization states.

Around the world, women and girls arevictims of countless and senseless acts ofviolence, said Randy Jayne Rosenberg,executive director of Art Works for Changeand the exhibits curator. In many of theseinstances, they are victims simply becausethey are female. How do we get off theBeaten Path? How do we create a worldwhere all people are secure and wherewomens rights are seen fully and nally ashuman rights?

The exhibit will be at the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention, Tom HarkinGlobal Communications Center,1600 CliftonRoad NE, Atlanta, through Sept. 9.

Admission and parking are free. Togain entrance, visitors need a government-issued photo ID, such as a drivers license orpassport. Vehicle inspection is also required.The Global Health Odyssey Museum is openMonday-Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. with hoursextended to 7 p.m. on Thursday. The museumis closed on all federal holidays. For moreinformation, visit www.cdc.gov/museum/ orcall (404) 639-0830.

Photo by Ricky Riley

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See Briefs on Page 9A

NEWS BRIEFSMistrial declared in homenvasion case

A DeKalb County judge ordered a mistrialn a case involving the leader of a home inva-sion robbery crew and found the defendantsattorney to be in contempt of court, accordingo DeKalb County District Attorneys Office

spokesman Erik Burton.Judge Mark Scott declared a mistrial on

July 13 in the case ofMichael Blaine, whowas indicted on 38 counts, including rack-eteering, malice murder, felony murder, armedrobbery, aggravated assault, burglary, posses-sion of a firearm by convicted felon and falsemprisonment.

Scott ordered Blaines defense attorney,Herbert Adams Jr., to retrieve case docu-ments by 10 a.m. on July 13. After a hearing,Scott found Adams in contempt of court for

failing to prepare for trial and said that hewould write a letter to the State Bar of Geor-gia. Scott then declared a mistrial. Prior to thedeclaration of a mistrial, the prosecution madea motion to stop the trial citing the defense at-orneys lack of preparation which would deny

Blaine his right to a fair trial. Scott will sched-ule the contempt of court hearing at a laterdate, Burton said.

Stone Mountain Park officercompletes training in Israel

Capt. Michael D. Barnett of the Stone

Mountain Park Department of Public Safetyrecently completed a two-week training pro-gram in Israel where he studied counterterror-sm, emergency management and other types

of policing strategies from Israeli police.

Barnett was part of the 17-member delega-tion of law enforcement officials who receivedthe training through the Georgia InternationalLaw Enforcement Exchange (GILEE). Theexchange program, which was founded in1992 by Dr. Robert Friedmann in the Geor-gia State University Department of CriminalJustice, provides senior law enforcement offi-cers with professional training opportunities inpolicing techniques from peers abroad.

Johnson introduces fairemployment bill

Rep. Hank Johnson (Ga. District 4), alongwith Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut onJuly 12 introduced the Fair Employment Op-portunity Act of 2011, which would prohibitemployers and employment agencies from dis-

criminating against unemployed job-seekersby refusing to consider them for employment.The Fair Employment Opportunity Act

will prevent employers and employment agen-cies from refusing to consider or offer em-ployment to someone who is unemployed, orincluding language in any job advertisementsor postings that states unemployed individualsare not qualified.

A recent survey, conducted by the NationalEmployment Law Project (NELP), of four ofthe top job search Web sites, CareerBuilder.com, Indeed.com, Monster.com, and Craig-sList.com, found more than 150 job advertise-ments that specified applicants must be cur-rently employed. And the Job Openings andLabor Turnover Survey shows there are 4.7unemployed workers for every 1 job opening.

Discrimination against the unemployed especially the long-term unemployed injob ads and hiring practices flies in the face

of what we stand for as a nation: Equal oppor-tunity for all, said Rep. Johnson. The FairEmployment Opportunity Act of 2011 willhelp us level the playing field and get peopleback to work.

Ellenwood couple pleads guiltyto human trafficking charges

Juna Gwendolyn Babb, 56, and MichaelJ. Babb, 54, of Ellenwood pleaded guilty July8 in federal court to felony charges relatingto a scheme to compel the labor of a youngwoman from the Kingdom of Swaziland insouthern Africa.

The couple brought the woman to theUnited States under false pretences and forcedher to work for them from June 2005 to Febru-ary 2007, according to U.S. Attorneys Officespokesman PatrickCrosby. Juna Babb keptthe victim from being found by law enforce-ment and threatened her with the debt thatBabb said the victim owed her for travel to theUnited States. Babb also threatened the wom-an with arrest and deportation because she wasin the country illegally, Crosby said.

Juna Babb pleaded guilty to harboring analien for financial gain, which carries a maxi-mum penalty of 10 years in prison. MichaelBabb, a minister, pleaded guilty to misprisionof a felony for concealing his wifes criminalconduct and for lying to federal agents. Thisoffense carries a maximum penalty of threeyears in jail. The defendants have agreed topay a total of $25,000 in restitution to the vic-tim for her unpaid labor. Sentencing for both

defendants is scheduled for Oct. 6.

Lithonia seeks city administratorby Andrew [email protected]

Since the Lithonia City Coun-cil red the city clerk nearly four

months ago, the small city has beengrinding to a halt.Because there is no clerk, the

city can only operate on a limitedcapacity, said Lithonia MayorTonya Peterson said.

Lithonias city charter allows fora city clerk, police chief, part-timemayor and a city administrator. Forhe past four months, Peterson has

assumed the responsibilities andduties of both city administrator andcity clerkcompleting paperwork,enrollment in [a] benets programand payroll, she said in a state-ment.

Peterson said the council, over

her objections, red the previouscity clerk on March 28. The clerk,Missye Varner, was terminatedafter she accepted service of a law-suit delivered by a DeKalb CountySheriffs deputy.

Lithonia city attorney Win-ston Denmarkargued in court lastmonth during a hearing on the law-suit that Varner was not authorizedto accept service of the lawsuit.

Varner was replaced by a tempo-rary clerical worker from a stafngagency who answers phones andtakes messages.

Peterson said the councils inac-tion in hiring a clerk or administra-tor is a violation of the citys charterand a violation of our citizens ba-sic rights to representation.

Our licensing, permitting andoverall processes are grinding to ahalt while certain council membersreallocate funds to various pet proj-ects, Peterson said.

The recent action to offer a be-low-standard salary to one individ-ual shows that they are not serious

about changing the present course,Peterson said.

According to council memberDeborah Jackson, the councilmade an offer on July 13 to Frank-lin T. Etheridge of Pembroke, Ga.,

who was city administrator therefrom 2009 to 2011, until the Pem-broke City Council asked for hisresignation.

Etheridge said he did not know

why the council made that requestand the Pembroke mayor did notreturn phone calls from The Cham-pion. Etheridge was one of threenalists interviewed by the LithoniaCity Council. Approximately 10-20candidates applied for the position,Jackson said.

Etheridge, who has a mastersdegree in public administrationfrom Troy State University, said helooks forward to the opportunity towork in community development ina metropolitan area city.

My background is fairly in-depth in community development,Etheridge said.

Before working in Pembroke,Etheridge was the planning directorfor Jackson County from 2005-09.

Pembroke said he would prob-ably make a decision on acceptingthe Lithonia position this week.

The full-time city administratorwould be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the city and havea salary of $40,000.

According to its job description,

the administrator would be appoint-ed by the city council and receiveadministrative direction from themayor. The administrator woulddirect the city governments depart-ments and their daily operations.

Lithonia is looking for someonewith a masters degree in businessadministration or public administra-tion with five years of local govern-ment experience.

The offer has not been acceptedyet.

In the meantime, Peterson calledfor the Lithonia City Council mem-bers to staff the city hall duringlunch starting July 18.

I believe the taxpayer-basedsalaries of elected ofcials are formore than just attending meetings,Peterson stated. If taxpayers areworking for us, the city must workfor taxpayers.

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Lithonia residents sue over gas plant approval

DeKalb Community Promise (DCP) is a non-profitorganization that operates in East Atlanta. DCP has

recently been chosen to implement a multi-facetedpublic awareness campaign that addresses the

ever-increasing issue of underage drinking. EastAtlanta has been selected as a high-risk community

because of issues associated with social andcommunity norms in addition to retail and social

availability. Sandra Walker, project coordinator, hasutilized several sources in DeKalb County to help educateparents, teachers, law enforcement and other communitypartners about common risks associated with underagedrinking. As part of the campaign, Walker has distributedinformational flyers targeting youth, educators, guardiansand parents at retail locations throughout the area. DCPhas also utilized billboards, radio stations and BET to helpincrease community awareness.

In addition to raising awareness in the community,DCPs goals have been supported by the DeKalb County Police Departmentwith the implementation of alcohol shoulder taps. The alcohol shoulder tapis designed to identify adults who are purchasing alcohol for a minor, andin no way is it an effort to trick or entice the adult to provide alcohol tominors, Walker said. We find it an effective tool to help curb the supply ofalcohol to youth, and thus contribute to the prevention of underagedrinking. It is important to remind the public that buying alcohol for kids isnot only wrong, you can get arrested for it.

According to Walker, on July 1, 12 adults were asked by undercoverminors to buy them alcohol. Twelve of the 16 adults complied with therequest, and as a result, were arrested. Along with shoulder taps, thecoalition also works with law enforcement and other agencies to completeother underage drinking prevention activities

Walkers crusade has garnered support from many community memberswho have contacted her with offers to help in any way possible. This

positive community response further supports the notion that the citizensof DeKalb County refuse to let their youth fall victim to a lifestyle that hasalready negatively impacted so many members of this East Atlantacommunity. For more information or to get involved with the campaignplease contact Sandra Walker with Beyond the Bell Inc [email protected] or (404) 374-8624.

Awareness Campaign AddressesUnderage Drinking

Advertorial

by Andrew [email protected]

Opponents of a Lithonia gasicationplant approved by the Board of Commis-sioners in June have not given up.

The broader goal is to stop this plant, said Peter Olson, an attorneywith Jenkins, Olson and Bowenof Cart-ersville, who is representingCitizensfor a Healthy and Safe Environment(CHASE). My lawsuit is one tool inthe toolbox.

Formed to ght the proposed facil-ity, CHASE has led a lawsuit againstDeKalb County to prevent the construc-tion of a proposed 10-megawatt facilityto be located on 21 acres on Rogers Lake

Road outside the city limits of Lithonia.Two residents who have propertieson Maddox Road adjacent to the pro-posed plant, Mildred BanksandGeraldSanders, also joined in the lawsuit andare members of CHASE.

The lawsuit claims that the county

engaged in contract rezoning whenit granted a special land use permit for

the facility after the county already hadsigned a contract with Green Energy Part-ners to sell wood waste for an estimated$200,000 per year.

Therefore, DeKalb County had a -nancial incentive to approve the rezoning,and it was in a position to lose a nancialdeal worth at least [$4 million] over 20years to the county if it denied the rezon-ing, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit also states that the Boardof Commissioners failed to require GreenEnergy Partners to address the possibleadverse impact of noise, smoke, odor,dust or vibrations by the facility as re-quired by the county zoning ordinance.

Green Energy Partners is planning toconstruct a $60 million plant to convertyard waste into renewable natural gas.

According to Green Energy ofcials,the plant will use a method called pyroly-sis in which yard trimmings are placedin oxygen-free chambers. The chambers

are then heated to 1,400 degrees Fahren-heit with natural gas burners to produce

syngas, which is turned into renewablenatural gas (RNG).

Its sold as a green energy idea andit seems to have more emissions than acoal-burning plant, Olson said.

John Evans, president of the DeKalbNAACP, said he is supporting the com-plaint because of a 1,000-signature peti-tion against the facility and extensivecommunity opposition.

The county pays no attention tothat. Evans said. Thats serious.

Evans said county ofcials have ablatant disrespect for the community.

The issue is disruptive for the com-munity, Evans said. Thats paramount.

Evans said the Lithonia area is al-ready suffering from a mess that is im-pacting the environment. A gasicationplant would add to the harm.

We know its got to impact the en-vironment, Evans said.

Officer hit by carduring traffic stop

A 19-year veteran of theDeKalb County Police Depart-ment is critical but stable con-dition at an area hospital afterbeing hit by a car while on dutyJuly 17, according to police.

OfcerDaniel Lacoste wasinvestigating an accident onI-20 near Panola Road whenhe was hit by a car driven byKimyataWhite, according toDeKalb Police spokeswomanMekkaParish. White was citedfor improper lane change anddriving too fast for conditions.

Ofcer shoots

suspect at clubA 19-year-old male who

was suspected of ring a gunoutside a DeKalb County night-club was shot by police, accord-ing to a police spokesman.

Several gunshots were re-portedly red in the parking lotof Club Obsessions, at 4525Glenwood Road at approxi-mately 3 a.m. on July 16, ac-cording to police. Two off-dutyDeKalb County police ofcersresponded and confronted asuspect. One of the ofcers thenshot the suspect, police said.The suspect was taken to anarea hospital for treatment of hisinjuries. The ofcer who shotthe suspect is on routine admin-istrative leave. There is noother information available.

BriefsContinued From Page 8A

Rogers Lake Road in Lithonia, the site of a proposed facility which would convert wood chips to electricity, is a heavy industrial zoneand has an odd mixture of landlls, junk yards, residences, and even a horse pasture. Photos by Andrew Cauthen

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Georgia Military College opens Stone Mountain branchby Daniel [email protected]

Georgia Military Col-ege, a liberal arts junior

college established inMilledgeville in 1879, will

open the doors of a new lo-cation in the city of StoneMountain on Aug. 8.

The college, which hassix campuses throughoutGeorgia and two extensioncenters, rst consideredhe idea when City Man-

agerBarry Amos men-ioned the idea of havinghe college open a locationn Stone Mountain. Now,

after nearly a year and ahalf in the making, it isready.

Debbie Condon, At-

anta director of GeorgiaMilitary College,said thata lot of work went intodetermining whether thecommunity was interestedn having the school there.

We did online sur-veys, in-school surveysand talked to members ofhe community to see ifhere was an interest, andhere was, so we talked to

Stone Mountain and webelieve we will be an as-set, Condon said.

Classes will beginAug. 8, as long as the

branch manages to meetts 25 student minimum.

So far, DirectorJaniceAnderson said that theyhave 10 students but shes condent they will meet

and surpass their enroll-ment goals.

Im waiving the $35application fee. We dohave many more than 25applicants but they justhavent enrolled in classesyet for reasons like n-shing their nancial aid

or waiting for their tran-

scripts, but they can enrollup until the rst day ofclass, Anderson said.

Another incentivefor students interested inenrolling is that all 2011high school graduates canreceive free tuition for therst fall quarter as longas they apply for state orfederal nancial aid, re-gardless of whether theyreceive it.

If you work for thecity you can attend thecollege tuition free andhats not just one quarter

but the entire time, Con-don said.

Although the two-yearunior college might ap-

pear to brandish a some-

what selective name, it isopen to everybody.

Were very proud of ourcadet core and the veteransthat come to us, Condonsaid. But we opened in 1879and the name just stuck.

The school will offerdaytime, nighttime andweekend classes. The onlycredentials a student needsto attend is a GED or a highschool diploma.

The Fairburn campus isjust exploding with growthand we see the opportunityfor the same thing to happenin Stone Mountain, Con-don said.

Director Janice Anderson stands with city and state ofcials and cuts the ribbon at the new extensionof the Georgia Military College in Stone Mountain. Photo providedSee Military on Page 11A

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Send your comments and/or concerns regarding Comcasts current performance underthe current franchise agreement and/or the future cable-related needs and interests ofyour community to [email protected].

DeKalb County Wants to Hear From You

Regarding the Proposed Franchise Agreement Renewalwith Comcast Cable Communications


Atlanta Public SchoolsInterim SuperintendentErroll Davis recentlysent a letter to educatorsnamed in the cheatingscandal stating that theyhad until Wednesday, July20, to resign or face ter-mination.

Earlier this monthGov. Nathan Deals of-ce released the resultsof a report investigatingcheating during the 2009administration of the Cri-erion-Referenced Compe-

tency Tests (CRCT).The investigation

named 178 educatorswho had been involved incheating, 32 of them prin-cipals. Eighty-two of the178 educators involved ad-mitted their involvement,according to the report.

APS schools inDeKalb County involvedin the scandal are EastLake Elementary, ToomerElementary, WhitefoordElementary, Coan MiddleSchool and Crim HighSchool. All but Crim werefound to have evidence ofcheating.

Now, school spokes-man Keith Brommerysaid that Davis has giventhe educators a chance toresign and walk away fromthe scandal rather thanface a firing that coulddamage their reputation.

What he did essen-tially in that letter wasoffer those individualsa three-day window toresign. After which theywill get another commu-nication possibly as earlyas [July 21] stating thatthe superintendent will betaking steps to terminatethem, Brommery said.

Anderson said thatsince she arrived she hasreceived an incrediblywarm reception from theStone Mountain com-munity and is excited toopen up and see the schoolgrow.

I just had neighborscoming by, not only mer-chants but residents, ex-pressing their excitementof the college being hereand offering to volunteer.

Ive been embraced by thecommunity and its just soexciting, Anderson saidat the schools recent openhouse.

Reginald Jackson, anadjunct professor who willbe teaching at the StoneMountain extension, saidhat although the numbers

might be small at rstheyve got all of the tech-

nology they need, includ-ng a computer lab with 16

work stations.Its kind of a vintage

feel and thats how Fair-burn is, Jackson said asa train rolled by outside.It really gives it a homeyfeel and being a juniorcollege and a two-year in-stitution, you really wanto make people feel wel-

come, Jackson said.Jackson said he is

ooking forward to teach-ng in Stone Mountain ands ready to immerse him-

self in the community.Thats really what

education is about; wehave an obligation from

a societal perspective tomake sure that we educatesociety as well, Jacksonsaid.

MilitaryContinued From Page 10A

APS educators given ultimatum

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APS Continued From Page 1A


Repairs Continued From Page 1A

Principal Tonya Saunders, and test-ng coordinatorHezekiah Wardlownstructed teachers to cheat on bothhe CRCT and the fth grade writingest.

At Whitefoord Elementary, thepercentage of agged classroomswas 59.3 percent in 2009 and investi-gators said Principal Patricia Lavantfailed to properly monitor the test.

We need to keep emphasiz-ng that those who have cheated our

children or those who have permit-ed our children to be cheated, either

knowingly or unknowingly, will have

forfeited their right to remain in ourystem, Interim Superintendent Er-roll Davis said.

The Atlanta Public School Boardmet on July 7 to discuss the ndings

of the report and Davis presented apreliminary plan of action to addressthe problems facing the system. Theplan included moving the districtsOfce of Internal Resolution (OIR)from Human Resources to InternalAudits, which reports directly to theAtlanta Board of Education, and set-ting trigger points that will result inautomatic investigations of schoolswhose test scores increase by a largerthan normal percentage.

Davis also emphasized that at theheart of the scandal were the studentsharmed by the cheating and said thathe wanted to review the remediationplans to address any student decien-cies and make sure that those whohave been cheated received the reme-dial training they needed.

Board MemberCourtney Eng-lish said that he thought the core ofthe issue was an instruction and cur-riculum problem.

We have to ask ourselves criti-cally, what did or did not happen inthe classroom that allowed an adultto make a decision on behalf of achild that said, I do not think thatyou can actually hit this bar, regard-less of whatever bar it was, Englishsaid.

Prior to the release of the statereport, APS submitted the namesof more than 100 employees to theGeorgia Professional StandardsCommission for further investigationof testing improprieties and tempo-rarily reassigned 12 principals whoseschools had apparent testing issues.

I plan to issue a more detailedaction plan in response to the stateCRCT investigation report that willbe based on an extensive and thor-ough review of the ndings, Davissaid. I plan to take the time requiredto painstakingly go over the statereport so that we address each andevery issue it identies.

The board also voted to extendDavis contract for a year to allowhim to execute his plan and work to-ward getting the system off probationwhen they are revisited in Septemberby the Southern Association of Col-leges and Schools (SACS).

The DeKalb County district attor-neys ofce said it will consider theevidence to determine whether anycharges will be led.

meals daily; providing 40,000 hours an-nually of in home care; and operatingfive DeKalb County senior centers.

Using funding from several sources,Senior Connections also provides homeepairs for more than 200 homes.

When Wyatt heard about Senior Con-nections from a friend last year, shecalled the organization, but was toldhere was no money available to help

her. Then she received a call from SeniorConnections this year informing her thatfunds were available to cover the ap-proximately $13,000 to fix her house.

Now, Im mot going to be embar-assed to invite somebody from my

church, Wyatt said. Ive been callingeverybody. The workers did a wonderfulob

The home repair programs are allabout keeping seniors independent, saidSally Eggleston, Senior Connectionschief marketing officer.

Eggleston said her organization beganhe program when they discovered thateniors needing handyman services or

more extensive home repair were gettingipped off and did not know whom to

call.Senior Connections has two home

epair programs. In one program, theorganization provides the repair ser-vices completed by licensed and bondedkilled workers. There is usually a wait-ng list for this program as funds areimited.

In the other program, called Fix-ItConnection, seniors who can afford topay for repairs can choose from contrac-ors preselected by Senior Connections,

which guarantees the work.We are able to work with these peo-

ple to find an outlet to take care of theiremergency, said Bonny Robichaud,chief financial officer.

Peter Schneider, manager of Fix-ItConnection,said programs benefit se-niors who are able to stay in their homes.

And the community is benefittedwhen homes are not abandonedand property values are not low-

ered.Its a huge benefit to the tax-

payer, Schneider said. Some-

times we cant fix everything. Butwe certainly can help.

Sarah and Bill Wyatt talk with Peter Schneider (center), manager of Fix-It Connection, about the progress of the repairs tothe home they have lived in since 1993. The couple says they are no longer embarrassed by their house. Photo by AndrewCauthen

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The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 22, 2011 Page 13AHealth

DeKalb reports rst West Nilevirus mosquitoes of the year

DeKalb County Board ofHealth announces backto school services

DeKalb Countys West Nile virus seasonhas arrived two weeks earlier than expected.According to the DeKalb County Board ofHealth, a routine collection of mosquitoeshas tested positive for the virus. The earlyest result may indicate that this will be abusy season, so it is especially important toknow how to avoid getting the virus.

West Nile virus is spread by infectedmosquitoes and can cause serious, life-altering and even fatal disease. Although

nfected people older than 50 have thehighest risk for serious illness, individualsof all ages can become ill. Some developa less severe illness called West Nilefever. This mild illness usually goes awayand does not require medical treatment.Fortunately, most people who are infectedwith the virus do not have any ill effects.

I am encouraging residents toeducate themselves about West Nile virusprevention and to take precautions toprotect themselves, said S. ElizabethFord, M.D., M.B.A., district healthdirector of the DeKalb County Board ofHealth. The most effective actions againsthe virus are to wear mosquito repellent

and to eliminate standing water where

mosquitoes breed.Effective repellents for use on skin

and clothing contain DEET, picaridin, oilof lemon eucalyptus or IR3535. Also,clothing can be sprayed with permethrin.For quick trips outside, a long-sleeved shirtcan be treated with permethrin and hungby the door. It is then easy to slip on whengoing outside. Permethrin-treated clothingrepels and kills mosquitoes and ticks. Iteven retains this effect after washing. Allrepellents should be applied according toabel instructions.

Using repellents on children requiresspecial attention. Repellent should bekept out of the reach of children. DEET

products should not be used on infantsyounger than 2 months old. Oil of lemoneucalyptus products should not be usedon children younger than 3 years old.Mosquito netting can be used effectively

over infant carriers and strollers. Adultsshould apply repellent to their own handsthen rub them on the child. Adults shouldnot apply repellent to a childs hand norallow children to apply their own repellent.

Mosquitoes need standing water tobreed. By simply eliminating the stagnantwater around the home, homeowners willhave an enormous impact on the mosquitopopulation.

The Board of Health recommends

a number of ways to reduce mosquitobreeding:

Dump standing water from plantpots, toys, pool and hot tub covers,wheelbarrows, boats and canoes.

When not in use, store wadingpools and other items where theywill not collect water.

Clean gutters and downspouts sothey drain properly.

Dispose of old tires, cans and othercontainers that may collect water.

Change the water in birdbaths andpet dishes every three or four days.

Keep drains and ditches clean oftrash and weeds so water will drainproperly.

Trim tall grass, weeds and vines;mosquitoes often rest in theseduring the hot daylight hours.

The DeKalb County Board of HealthsDivision of Environmental Health monitorsfor West Nile virus through mosquitosampling. Since the virus can kill birds,they also analyze reports of dead birds. Inaddition, the division works with residents

to reduce mosquito populations.For help in nding mosquito breedingsites, to report a dead bird or for moreinformation on West Nile virus, visit www.dekalbhealth.net or call (404) 508-7900.

The DeKalb County Board of Health encouragesparents to get their children ready for the new schoolyear. DeKalb County, city of Decatur and city of At-lanta schools all begin Monday, Aug. 8.

Georgia law requires children enrolling in daycare or school to have specic vaccinations andscreenings. A child entering a day care center or pri-vate or public school in DeKalb County, the city ofDecatur or the city of Atlanta for the rst time mustsubmit the following completed forms: Georgia im-munization form 3231 and Georgia screening form3300.

Students entering a public or private college oruniversity should check the institutions require-ments. Most colleges and universities require specicimmunizations that can be secured at affordable feesfrom any health center.

Immunization records should be brought to the

health center or to the doctors ofce. Vaccinationsand screenings are available at all four of the Boardof Healths centers. The centers are open Mondaythrough Friday from 8:15 a.m. until 5 p.m. and noappointment is necessary. In addition, all health cen-ters will be open for extended hours the week beforeand when the new school year begins.

The extended hours for the health centers arefrom 8:15 a.m. to 7 p.m. on: Aug. 2, 3, 4 and Aug. 8,9, and 10. Extended hours for dental services will beavailable on Aug. 2, 3, 8 and 9 only. Individuals re-quiring dental services can be seen at the Central andNorth Health Centers during this time.

The fees are as follows: immunizationscostvaries by immunization; vision screening$10;hearing screening$10 and dental screening$10.

Payment for health services may be made bycash, a debit/credit card or a check drawn on a Geor-gia bank.

Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids are accepted.The Board of Health centers, where immuniza-

tions can be obtained, are:

Central DeKalb (Vinson) Health Center, 440Winn Way, Decatur, (404) 294-3762

East DeKalb Health Center, 2277 S. Stone Moun-tain-Lithonia Road, Lithonia, (770) 484-2600

North DeKalb Health Center, 3807 ClairmontRoad, Chamblee, (770) 454-1144

South DeKalb (Clifton Springs) Health Center,

3110 Clifton Springs Road, Decatur, (404) 244-2200

The main DeKalb County Board of Health num-ber is (404) 294-3700 Birth certicates of personsborn in Georgia are available for $25 from the Boardof

Healths Ofce of Vital Records, room 191, Rich-ardson Health Center, 445 Winn Way,

Decatur. Regular ofce hours are Mondaythrough Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

A Georgia drivers license or state identicationcard is required. Only a legal parent, grandparentor guardian can obtain a birth certicate for a childunder 18 years old. Payment for certicates can bemade in cash or by using a debit/credit card. Checksare not accepted. For more information on birth cer-ticates, call (404) 294-3783.

For more back-to-school information, visit: www.dekalbhealth.net.

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The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 22, 2011 Page 14ABusiness

Your competitor is likely a member!DeKalb Chamber of Commerce

100 Crescent Center Pkwy., Suite 680. Tucker, GA 30084 (404) 378-8000 www.DeKalbChamber.org

Stars and Strikes family entertainmentcenter much more than a bowling allyby Kathy [email protected]

An arcade with more than 100of the latest games, neon-lightedgroup game rooms, a restaurant thatoffersin addition to standard ham-burgers and chicken ngerssuchfull meals as lemon garlic tilapiawith sauted shrimp. This is notyour daddys bowling alley.

When the owners startedo kick around ideas at a family

Thanksgiving gathering about whathey should offer in a family-orient-

ed entertainment center, someonesuggested bowling and that ideastuck, but it grew into so much

more, explained Brad VanBus-kirk, general manager of the newlyopened Stars and Strikes on Moun-tain Industrial Boulevard.

The family entertainment centeris the fourth to be built by Georgia-based Stars and Strikes. Like thosein Cumming, Dacula and Dallas,Ga., the Tucker/Stone Mountain lo-cation offers, in addition to bowling,arcade games for toddlers throughadults, bumper cars, a multi-levelLazer Tag room, multiple privateevent rooms and an air-cannongame called Balladium. A lot ofpeople arent familiar with Balla-dium, but once they try it, they loveit, VanBuskirk said.

We wanted to get away fromthe concept of the smoky old bowl-ing ally and create something cleanand bright that the whole familycan enjoy, he said, adding that thelocation has more than 70 lanes oftwilight and boutique bowling.

On the day of the grand open-ingtwo weeks after a soft open-ing, held to facilitate staff trainingand identify any problemsthefacility was packed. Weve got 20birthday parties going on here to-day, VanBuskirk said. An awardsprogram was under way in one ofthe private rooms and in anotherarea youngsters in a martial artsprogram where showing what they

had learned.Other centers in the Stars and

Strikes family have hosted notonly birthday parties, but corporateoutings, family reunions and wed-ding receptions. On Saturdays thecomplex tends to ll with childrensbirthday parties, but as it gets later,we see more adults, VanBuskirksaid. In addition to childrens fare,the center offers a selection of foodand beverages oriented to adulttastes in a sports bar atmosphere.

He said that leagues startedsigning up to bowl there even be-fore the place opened. This is agreat location. Its easy to get to; itseasy to park.

Florida company opens loftcommunity in Chamblee

Sarasota, Fla.,-based real estate investmentrm Domus Group LLC recently announced

ts acquisition of 5300 Lofts, a 242-loft-condo-minium community located in Chamblee. Theowners say they are re-branding the develop-ment and offering new pricing and nancingoptions.

Calling the companys rst venture in theAtlanta market a successful start, AngusRogers, Domus Group managing partner,said We intend to create a strong presence inhe market and look forward to becoming anntegral part of the Chamblee community.

Located at 5300 Peachtree Road, thedevelopment features newly constructed lofthomes that start at $59,900 for a studio unit.One- and two-bedroom units also are available.

Decatur resident promotedat nonprot

Angela White of Decatur has been promotedto clinical supervisor of Youth Villages Interceptintensive in-home services program, helping chil-dren with emotional, behavioral and mental healthissues and their families in the greater Atlanta area.White previously served as a clinical liaison andfamily intervention specialist for Youth Villagesin Atlanta.

Originally from New Orleans, she holds amasters degree in social work and a bachelorsdegree in substance abuse counseling both fromSouthern University in New Orleans.

Youth Villages, a private nonprot organiza-tion dedicated to helping emotionally and behav-iorally troubled children and their families livesuccessfully, is one of the largest private providersof services to children and families in Georgia.

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The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 22, 2011 Page 15AEducation

Decatur volunteer teacher wins national Junior Theatre award

PUBLIC NOTICE

DESTRUCTION OF RECORDS OF

DISABLED STUDENTS

The DeKalb County School System, Department of Special Education,

announces its intention to destroy records that were developed to

provide a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in DeKalb

County Schools. This notice is in compliance with the federal, state and

local policy.

Records will be destroyed on October 1, 2011 based on the following

criteria:

Students who graduated with a high school diploma in 2010. Students who became twenty-two (22) years old between

June 1, 2009 and June 1, 2010.

Students with disabilities born during 1986 who graduatedwith a Transition Diploma, Certificate of Performance

or reached maximum age of 22.

Students who became deceased between January 1, 2010 andDecember 31, 2010.

These records will be destroyed as they are no longer needed for

educational planning purposes.

The parent, legal guardian or the student (18 years old or older) may

request records prior to destruction by contacting the Special Education

Records Office at 678-676-1802. You will be required to produce

identification or provide verification data to acquire these records.


Shell Ramirez is a roll-er-skating referee for the At-anta Roller Girls, a former

opera singer, a volunteerchildrens theater directorwho works with refugeesand the Clarkston commu-nity liaison for the DecaturFamily YMCA.

Sounds like a strangecombo but put all of thesehings together in a pot,prinkle in an award for be-ng one of eight top juniorheater directors in the coun-ry and that pretty much de-cribes Ramirez.

Recently, Ramirez waselected as an outstanding

national educator at thisyears Junior Theatre Festi-

val in Atlanta for her workwith the International Com-munity School in AvondaleEstates.

The Junior TheatreFestival is the worlds larg-est musical theater festivaldedicated to troupes thatwork with elementary andmiddle school students. It ispresented by Music Theatrenternational, the worldseading dramatic licensing

agency.Ramirez rst started the

program when one of herfriends asked her what shehought about teaching the-

ater to inner-city kids; sheook the idea and ran with it.

I thought it was a greatopportunity for the kids and

basically had someonehanding me all the tools, andall I had to do was direct it. Ihad worked with kids in the-ater and directed a little bit,but not a lot, and I totallyove it. Its my favorite thingo do now, and its what I doo escape, Ramirez said.

The production thatRamirez won with was The

Jungle Book, which hap-pened to be the rst musi-cal theater performanceat the International Com-munity School. The schools unique because it is a

charter school that openednine years ago and the stu-dent body is composed of400 students, kindergartenhrough sixth grade, from

more than 40 nations whopeak more than 15 distinctanguages. Half the students

from the school hail fromwar-torn countries and aregranted refugee status in theUnited States.

Along with her recogni-ion for the Junior Theatre

Festival award, Ramirezwill also attend the Broad-

way Welcomes AmericasTeachers at the Second An-nual Freddie G Theatre Ex-perience in New York Citythis month.

Freddie is pretty bigwith musical theater. IntheHufngton Posthe has

his own theater section sohes pretty well renowned,Ramirez said.

Ramirez will be ownto New York City to be rec-ognized for her achievementand participate in masterclasses with some of Broad-ways leading directors,producers, actors, choreog-raphers and designers.

There will also be spe-cial receptions and dinners,teacher workshops on topicsincluding musical styles,vocal techniques, marketingand directing. Attendees will

also be given tickets to seeRENTand Sister Act: TheMusicalon Broadway.

Ramirez said that shehas always been interestedin theater but that most of itstems from her having sucha nice voice as a child.

So, when I was a kidIve always been able tosingwhen youre able tosing and your moms veryreligious, you get to singin Sunday school classes,Ramirez said.

Ramirez is from the

Decatur area and attendedDeKalb School of the Artsand Avondale High School.She later attended collegein St. Louis and studied op-

era before coming back toDeKalb County.

I was a singer but nowI prefer acting, I like direct-ing actually. I prefer help-ing children understand theconcepts of the theatre toactually being onstage, she

said.Ramirez said that a lotof the work she does withchildrens theater is volun-teer work. Her job as theClarkston community liai-son for the Decatur FamilyYMCA brings her in contactwith a lot of refugees whohave settled in the area.

I started a childrenstheater group on the sideand work with refugees inClarkston and developedprogramming for that. Athird of the kids that werein the production were

refugees. I volunteered andstarted this program and didthe whole directing of it,Ramirez said of theJungleBookproduction at theschool.

She said that this yearthe company will be mov-ing from the InternationalCommunity School to theClarkston CommunityCenter and they will beginworking on Seussical, aBroadway musical based onthe work of childrens writerDr. Seuss.

Then, my other life isroller derby so Im kind ofspread out all over the place.Im a roller derby referee forthe Atlanta Roller Girls. A

friend of mine told me aboutit and I went and tried outI skate ref and send peopleto the box, she said.

The weekend in NewYork, sponsored by FreddieG Gershon and his wifeMyrna, is an effort to honor

instructors and teachers whoare working to make a dif-ference for their studentsand communities throughthe process of staging musi-cal theater productions intheir schools and education-al theater groups.

These teachers do in-spiring work with limited -

nancial resources. We wantto give them the opportunityto live the Broadway experi-ence and interact with topprofessionals, to rewardthem for all they do to intro-duce the next generations toBroadway and musical the-

ater, Gershon said.Its crucial we keeptheater alive in this countryby working with both edu-cators and children. Myrnaand I feel that Americasteachers should be honoredand appreciated. Our futureis in their hands.

From left, Freddie "G" Gershon, Myrna Gershon and Shell Ramirez pose for a quick photo with the award Ramirez won. Photo provided

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Page 16A The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 22, 2011

AROUND DEKALBATLANTACounty commissionerholds public meeting

DeKalb County commissioner Kathie Gannon willhold a public meeting regarding possible changes toeapportionment and the countys political boundaries

based on 2010 census information. The meeting willbe held July 27, 7-8 p.m. at Meadowview ElementarySchool, 1879 Wee Kirk Road in Atlanta. MikeAlexan-der, head of research with the Atlanta Regional Com-

mission, will discuss which areas are gaining and losingpopulation and how these changes will affect the politicalandscape. Gannon and Alexander will be available toanswer questions and take feedback on the impact ofedistricting within the county. Also, Gannon and com-

missioner JeffRader are co-sponsoring a public meet-ng on the same topic July 28, at 7 p.m., part of the CivicAssociation Network (CAN) issues meeting at the OneDeKalb Resource Center at Northlake Mall. This will behe first item on the agenda.

Golf fundraiser announced

Charlie Yates Golf Course will host a fundraiser forThe First Tee of East Lake, a year-round golf instructionand mentoring program of the East Lake Foundation,on Monday, July 25, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. The goal is to recruitparticipants to play as many holes of golf as possible

n one day. This event is similar to a walk-a-thon whereeach participant solicits pledges per hole played in ad-dition to straight donations from friends, family, golfingbuddies and co-workers. There is a $15 entry fee for allparticipants. The Charlie Yates Golf Course is locatedat10 Lakeside Village Drive, SE, Atlanta. For more infor-mation, call (404) 373-4351 or e-mail [email protected].

CLARKSTONSchool for hearing impaired tohold back-to-school bash

Georgia Hands & Voices and the Georgia PEACHCochlear Implant Association have partnered to presenthe fourth annual Back to School Bash on Saturday, July23, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., at the Atlanta Area School for theDeaf in Clarkston. The event features educational ses-sions for adults and fun activities for children who aredeaf or hard of hearing.

The Back to School Bash will focus on what familiesneed to know to support their childs transition throughhigh school and beyond. Families and professionals areencouraged to attend and network with other familieswith children who are deaf or hard of hearing, adults whoare deaf or have hearing difficulties and the profession-als who support them. The event is free to members ofhe sponsoring organizations and $5 per individual or$10 per family for non-members. Additional informations available at www.gahandsandvoices.org.

Final theater camp offered

The Decatur-DeKalb YMCA and the Clarkston Com-munity Center presents their final theater camp of theyear July 25-29 for children ages 8-14. The cost of the

camp is $125 per person. Each camper will be taught towrite, design, produce, direct and perform in an original30-minute piece. Parents are invited to the final perfor-mance on July 29 at 2:50 p.m. The camp and the perfor-mance are at the Clarkston Community Center at 3701College Ave. in Clarkston. For more information contactthe community center at (404) 508-1050.

DECATURWesley Chapel Livable Centers

Initiative meeting announcedDeKalb County invites the public and members of

the Wesley Chapel Community to participate in a publicopen house for the Wesley Chapel Activity Center Liv-able Centers Initiative (LCI) on Monday, Aug. 1, at 6:30p.m. at Porter Sanford III Performing Arts and Commu-nity Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, in Decatur. For ad-ditional information contact Jessica Guinn at (404) 684-7031 or Sidney Douse (404) 371-2178 or visit www.wesleychapel-lci.com

Kick off event preparesfor run/walk

The City of Decatur and Team Decatur are host-ing the Get Active! Atlanta Kickoff for the KP CorporateRun/Walk on Thursday, July 28, 6-8 pm. Mayor BillFloyd, race director and Olympian JeffGalloway andlocal singer/songwriter Morgan Rowewill be on handfor this event on the Old Courthouse Square in down-town Decatur. There will be a Health and Fitness Expo,featuring local businesses that will have information ongetting and keeping fit, as well as drawings for prizesand information on registering for the run/walk that willbe held Sept. 8. Prizes include gift certificates for localfitness businesses, personal training and swim lessons.One attendee will win a free beach retreat weekend withGalloway on the Florida panhandle, near Seaside. Theevent is free to the community and everyone is invited.

Chef to sign cookbooks

Whitney Miller, season one winner of GordonRamseys MasterChefwill autograph her new cook-

book Modern Hospitality: Simple Recipes with SouthernCharmat the Decatur location of The Cooks WarehouseFriday, July 22, 5 - 7 p.m. Hors doeuvres and bever-ages from the cookbook will be served. The CooksWarehouse is located at 180 West Ponce de LeonAve., Decatur. The store phone number is (404) 377-4005. Those planning to attend should RSVP at https://classes.cookswarehouse.com/ClassReg/Public/classes.asp?classid=4943.

DUNWOODYMunicipal Court judge electedpresident of state council

Dunwoody Municipal Court Associate Judge Ken-neth Wickham recently was elected president of theGeorgia Council of Municipal Court Judges (CMCJ)by the full body of 200 judges at the annual businessand training meeting. Wickhams term will begin in

June 2012.The Georgia CMCJ is the governing and over-

sight body of all classes of courts in the state. Thepresident holds a voting seat on the Judicial Councilof the State of Georgia made up of the presidentsfrom all classes of courts in Georgia including: Su-preme Court, Appeals, Superior, State, Probate, Ju-venile, Magistrate and Municipal courts.

The City of Dunwoody takes great pride in theaccomplishments of Judge Wickham and applaudshis new role as president of the CMCJ, said Dun-woody Mayor Ken Wright. This election is not onlya strong indication of how well respected Judge Wick-ham is amongst his peers, but one more example of

the exemplary people we have working for the City ofDunwoody.

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