Free Press 3-16-12

WWW.CHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.COM • FRIDAY, FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 2012 • VOL. 14, NO. 51 • FREE

REE P F REE PRESS ESS R • A PUBLICATION OF ACE III C OMMUNICATIONS •

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

Photos by John Silas

Columbia, Miller Grove add to basketball tradition with 4 titles by Robert Naddra [email protected] wo of the most dominant high school basketball programs in the state sent a message March 9-10 at the Georgia High School Association state tournamen tournaments—they’re ts—they’re only getting stronger. Miller Grove and Columbia accounted for four state titles, the Wolverines winning the boys’ and girls’ Class AAAA titles at Gwinnett Arena in Duluth on March 9 and the

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Eagles’ claiming the AAA boys’ and Southwest DeKalb on March 9, girls’ crowns in Macon on March Miller Grove became the rst boys’ 10. team in the state to win four straight This is the rst time two DeKalb state championships since Westover schools have swept titles in the did it 1990-93. same season. Columbia won both But the weekend was about Class AAA championships in 2010. more than the success of boys’ Columbia, led by coach Phil basketball in the county. In girls’ McCrary with more than 500 wins, games, Columbia defeated No. 1 defeated Drew 65-46 to give the Ea- Washington County 57-33 in AAA gles three state championships in a and Miller Grove upended Southrow and ve in the past seven years. west DeKalb 46-39 for the AAAA The last program to win ve titles in championship. seven seasons was Lanier of Macon Columbia coach Chantay Frost in the 1940s. With a 62-57 win over has catapulted the Eagles into the

state spotlight in each of the four seasons she has been at the school. Frost has won at least 23 games per season and is 99-23 with two state titles in four years at Columbia. Before Frost’s arrival, Columbia’s girls’ program had won more than 20 games only four times since 1971. Miller Grove’s girls won its rst title in its rst championship game appearance. Miller Grove began its See Basketball on Page 15A

Photos by Matt Amato

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The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 16 2012 ,

Accused Dunwoody killer’s fate in hands of jury by Andrew Cauthen [email protected] Testimony is over in the trial of accused killer Hemy Neuman and now it is up to jurors to decide whether he was insane at the time of the crime. Neuman is on trial for the November 2010 killing outside Dunwoody Prep daycare center of Russell Sneiderman, a 36-year-old entrepreneur who was shot four times after he had dropped off his son. Neuman has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. In his closing arguments, DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James told the jury that Neuman has “lied to everybody about everything.” “He created lies,” James said. “He’s the father of lies. Is there any truth that he’s told?” James said the psychiatrists that determined Neuman was insane “either lack sincerity …or they’re dense.” “If you have a problem with what he’s telling you… if you have a problem with the ingredients in the sandwich and if you don’t trust the cook—Lord knows he’s a liar—then you don’t have to eat the sandwich,” James said. James countered defense attorneys’ claims that Neuman’s alleged insanity, de pression and bipolar disorder were the results of being beaten by his father as a child. “If he had been smacked with a belt more maybe he wouldn’t have killed a man,” James said. Defense attorney Doug Peters said the “case is about one bad, one really bad woman: Andrea Sneiderman.” Neuman, who worked at GE Energy in Marietta, was the supervisor of Andrea Sneiderman, the victim’s wife. Throughout the trial, the alleged affair between Neuman and Andrea Sneiderman has been a central theme of both the prosecution and defense teams. “The gun was in Hemy’s hand, but the trigger was pulled by Andrea Sneiderman,” Peters said. Peters told jurors that if they believed that “Andrea Sneiderman did not know what she was doing, did not manipulate Hemy, did not suggest to Hemy, did not plant seeds in Hemy, I suggest

“Hemy Neuman did not have the capacity to distinguish between right and wrong,” Peters said. The testimony portion of the trial ended March 12 after jurors heard from rebuttal witnesses, during which William Brickhouse, the head psychiatrist at the DeKalb County jail, said he never witnessed any suicidal tendencies from Neu-

man. “Though the defendant may tell you he has depression, though the defendant may tell you he is considering suicide, did you see any evidence that that really existed?” asked Don Geary, chief assistant district attorney. “No, I did not,” Brickhouse said. On March 9, Brickhouse See Neuman on Page 8A

Neuman

Announcing the 2012

CEO’s Community Hero Awards Awards presented by The Champion Newspaper and DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis Nominate a community servant, community organization or an individual in the DeKalb community who tirelessly volunteers his or her service for the betterment of DeKalb County. Please complete this nomination form and return it to The Champion oce by March 30, 2012. A panel of civic, corporate and government volunteers will select the winners. Recipients will receive charitable contributions to help further their eorts in the county. Winners will be honored at the CEO’s Community Hero Awards Gala at Callanwolde Fine Arts Center on Sunday, April 29, 2012 - 4 p.m. Nominations may be faxed to: 404-373-7721 Or mail nomination to: The Champion Newspaper • P. P. O. Box 1347, Dec atur, GA 30030 Email nomination forms to: [email protected] Nominator’s name ___________________________________________________ Nominator’s address address __________________________________________________ City _________________________________ State State ____ ZIP Code _____________ Nominator’s phone number ____________________________________________ Nominator’s email ____________________________________________________ Deadline to submit nominations is March 30, 2012. For more information, please contact Erica M. Brooks at 404-371-3695 or John Hewitt at 404-373-7779 x110.

Award Nominee Information (attach additional page if needed) *All individual nominees must live in DeKalb County. Any organization nominated must be a ble to demonstrate a clear presence and direct impact on DeKalb County. Please indicate below which category best describes your nomination: COMMUNITY CHAMPION AWARD This award acknowledges an individual and non-prot organization whose work has had a positive impact in strengthening communities and improving the lives of others in DeKalb County. ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AWARD This award honors a community member and/or organization that works to preserve, protect, and raise awareness about our environment. YOUTH VOLUNTEER AWARD This award will recognize two DeKalb County youths 18 years old and younger who exemplify volunteerism and community service. NEIGHBORHOOD EMPOWERMENT AWARD This award recognizes an individual and organization that fosters civic engagement and promotes community involvement. THE VANGUARD AWARD This award recognizes an individual and organization whose contributions most exemplify the National County Government Month theme as established by NACo each year. This year’s DeKalb theme is “Healthy Counties, Healthy Families; ONE Healthy DeKalb”. Nominee’s name______________________________________________________ Nominee’s Nominee’ss Agency, Community Organization, or Individual Volunteer Focus Nominee’ ____________________________________________________________________ Nominee’ss address:____________________________________________________ Nominee’ City______________________ State____ ZIP _________________ Nominee’ss contact info (required so nominee can be notied if selected) Nominee’ Name ____________________ Phone ____________ E-mail address _________________ Please tell us why this nominee should be honored as a CEO’s Community Hero: ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________

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School board defers vote to cover projected shortfall by Daniel Beauregard [email protected] DeKalb County School Board members deferred a vote on March 12 to cover a projected shortfall of nearly $40 million on SPLOST II and III projects. Rather than vote on a proposed corrective action plan, board members voted unanimously to accept a subsequent motion put forth by DeKalb County School Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson. “What you will be ap proving is our ability to move whatever projects we can to SPLOST IV within the legal limits and understanding two budgetary issues,” Atkinson said. Atkinson said the district would not take out bonds to jumpstart work on SPLOST IV, saving it $11 million that was set aside to pay for them. She said this would mean all projects would be paid out-of pocket by the district. Additionally, Atkinson told board members the district would ensure that all projects within SPLOST IV would be able to be completed, and then look at what the contingencies were for adding the SPLOST III projects to the list. At the end of February, school ofcials told the board that due to accounting and over-budgeting from SPLOST II projects, as well as issues involving SPLOST III and the Cham blee High School replacement project, the school system faces a projected shortfall of nearly $40 million if corrective action was not taken. Ofcials presented board members with a corrective action plan that reallocated some funds, closed out other projects from SPLOST II and halted 35 SPLOST III projects to cover the gap. However, board members tabled the vote twice. Bill Wildman , who represents the school system, said its legal team would have to do some research as to whether the language on the SPLOST IV referendum was broad enough to cover moving some of the SPLOST III projects onto

list. “My understanding is that you would rst have to com plete the SPLOST IV projects that were on the referendum then if we had any additional money come in from SPLOST IV we could apply it. But, I believe we rst have to nish SPLOST IV projects

that were on the referendum and voted on by the public,” Wildman said. If the projects weren’t able to be added, Atkinson said the board would then vote on a corrective action plan. “I’m not sure how long that would take us to check the language of the referen-

dum. We should probably have an answer within 24 or 48 hours,” Atkinson said. Board member Pamela Speaks said that if it is possible to move some of the SPLOST III projects to the SPLOST IV list, she wanted to make sure the legal team looked at whether it could

move those SPLOST III projects to the front of the line. “I just want to make sure that we’ll also be looking at the order in which we do those,” Speaks said. “If it’s possible we should move some of these projects to the front of SPLOST IV.”

COMBINED NOTICE NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC OF REQUEST FOR RELEASE OF FUNDS

March 15, 2012 DeKalb County Human and Community Development Department 150 E. Ponce de Leon Avenue, Suite 330 Decatur, Georgia 30030 elephone (404) 286-3308

TO ALL INTERESTED AGENCIES, GROUPS AND PERSONS: Development Department gives notice that it will submit a request for release of grant funds and he DeKalb County Human and Community Development

an environmental certication pertaining to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Development (HUD) 15 days following this publication. Te request and certication relate to the following projects. Project:

HOME Program: Columbia Mills Apartments – Demolition and Redevelopment Project

Location:

2229 Flat Shoals Road SE, Atlanta, GA 30316

Purpose: Te DeKalb County Human and Community Developmen Developmentt Department plans to provide HOME funds to supplement other funding and ass ist the developer (New Aordable Housing Partners, LLC) with the d emolition and redevelopment redevelopment of the Columbia Mill Apartments located on approximately approximately 6.1 acres of land at 2229 Flat Shoals Road in DeKalb County Georgia. It has been determined that although well maintained, the existing buildings are functionally obsolete and in need of extensive renovations. renovations. An analysis has determined that it would be more cost eective to demolish the existing buildings and construct new housing. New construction will allow for an increase in the total number of safe and aordable units available to the community. Te redeveloped Columbia Mill Apartments will be garden style apartments for low to moderate income families and workforce housing households. households. 80 of the 100 units are set-aside for low income rental at or below 60% AMI while 20% of the units are unrestricted (market) rental.

FINDING OF NO SIGNIFICANT IMPACT (FONSI) It has been determined that such request for release of funds will not constitute an action signicantly aecting the qua lity of the human

environment and, accordingly, DeKalb County has decided not to prepare Environmental Impact Statements under the National Environmen environment Environmental tal Policy Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190). Te reasons for such decision not to prepare such Statements are as follows: An Environmental Assessment has been made for the project which concludes that all adverse eects will be minor, and any short-term impacts will be mitigated by either the requirements of the construction contract documents or by the requirements of applicable local, state or federal permits and environmental ordinances. Te positive eects of providing activities that augment and substantially improve the County’s eorts towards supporting aordable senior housing in the targeted areas of the County outweigh any potential negative impacts. Tis project is consistent with the goals and objectives of t he DeKalb County Human and Community Development Development Department, approved Consolidated Plan. Te Environmental Review Records, respecting the proposed projects, have been made by DeKalb County which documents the environmental review of the projects and fully sets forth the reasons why such Environmen Environmental tal Impact Statements are not required. Te Environmental Review Records are on le at the DeKalb County Human and Community Development Department, Department, 150 E. Ponce de Leon Avenue, Aven ue, Suite 330, Decatur, Georgia 30030 and is available for public examination and copying upon request between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. No further environmental environmental reviews of the subject project are proposed to be conducted prior to the request for release of Federal funds.

Public Comments on FONSI All interested agencies, groups, and persons disagreeing with this decision are invited to submit written comments for consideration by DeKalb County to the Human and Community Development Director. Director. Wri Written tten comments will be received at 150 E. Ponce de Leon Avenue Avenue,, Suite 330, Decatur, Georgia Georgia on or before March 30, 2012. All comments received will be considered and DeKalb County will not request the release of Federal funds or take any administrative action on t he proposed projects prior to the date specied in the preceding sentence.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS (NOI/RROF)

At least one day aer the termination of the public comment period for the FONSI, but not before comments on the FONSI have been considered and resolved, DeKalb County will submit submit a Request for Release of Funds (RROF) and certication to HUD. By so doing DeKalb County will ask HUD to allow it to commit funds to these projects, certifying that (1) it has performed the environmental environmental reviews prescribed by HUD regulations (“Environmental Review Procedures for itle I Community Development Block Grant Program” Program” - 24 CFR part 58), and (2) the Certifying Ocer, Chris Morris, Director, DeKalb County Human and Community Development Department, consents to accept and enforce responsibilities in relation to the environmental reviews or resulting decision-making and action. Te legal eect of the certication is that by approving it, HUD will have satised its responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act, thus allowing DeKalb C ounty to commit HOME funds to these projects.

Objection to Release of Funds

HUD will accept objections to its approval of the release of fu nds and the certication only if it is on one of the following basis: (a) that the certication was not in fact executed by the Certifying Ocer; or (b) that the applicant’s Environmental Review Record for the project indicated omission of a required decision, funding, or step applicable to the project in the environmental review process. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance to HUD at the Regional Environmen Environmental tal Branch, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 40 Marietta Street N.W., 15th oor, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-9812. Objections to the release of funds on basis other than those stated above will not be considered by HUD. No objection received aer April 18, 2012 will be considered by HUD. Chris H. Morris, Director DeKalb County Human and Community Development Department 150 E. Ponce de Leon Avenue, Suite 330, Decatur, Georgia 30030 Date of Publication and Dissemination of Notice

The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 16, 2012

Opinion

Page 4A

The Newslady

DeKalb’s Trailblazing 20

It’s Women’s History Month, started in the month of March to recognize women of distinction who have made great contributions in the history of our nation. Here in DeKalb there are many women in our midst who have contributed significantly to the great county that is DeKalb. Some names you will immediately recognize. Some have transitioned. All All are real DeKalb County women of distinction— trailblazers. Ozie “Jackie” Adams – A former president of the Decatur Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Inc. and a driving force behind the Delta Sigma Theta/Kappa Alpha Psi Community Action Center in DeKalb. Wife, mother, friend to many and a dedicated community servant. The late Elizabeth Andrews – A DeKalb School Board member who before her transition was the longest serving elected official in the country. Attorney Juanita Baranco – Wife, mother, lawyer, highly successful businesswoman, humble humanitarian, who with her husband

owned the first African-American African-American the DeKalb County School System the Georgia House of Representacar dealership in DeKalb. live up to the segregation segregationist ist mantives and Georgia Senate. She was Alice Bussey – Trailblaz Trailblazer er in date of the ‘40s and ‘50s—“separate the primary sponsor of the resoluthe florist business. A founder of the but equal.” She was the first living tion to ratify the ERA in the early Atlanta Business League, a selfless person to have a DeKalb school 1980s. Nadine Thomas –First Africancommunity servant. named in her honor. Liane Levetan – DeKalb’s The Late Mary Crane – Wife, American female elected to the mother trailblazing businesswo businesswoman man first female chief executive officer, Georgia Senate. A dedicated pubwho founded the Crane publishing former senator and county commislic servant, wonderful spirit and a dynasty and DeKalb newspaper The sioner. A highly successful busifriend every woman should have. Elizabeth Wilson – The first Decatur News. News . nesswoman, great wife and mother. Frances Edwards – The first A friend every woman should have. Black mayor of the city of Decatur, Cynthia McKinney – QuintesBlack female school board member DeKalb’s county seat. She served who possessed a stellar love for all sential community servant. First from 1993 to 1998. A statue is in children. African-American woman elected the town square in her honor. She Gwen Keyes Fleming – Wife, to Congress from the great state of is a tireless community servant servant in mother, youngest and first AfricanGeorgia. the public and private sectors and a Barbara Mobley – A veteran American and female DeKalb friend any woman should have. Lani Wong – Known locally, solicitor and district attorney. state representative and first AfriCarolyn Glenn – Wife, mother, can-American elected to DeKalb nationally and internationally as a visionary and humanitarian. Owner State Court. fierce advocate for Chinese-AmeriMary Margaret Oliver – A and publisher with her husband can relations. Founding member of Dr. Earl Glenn of of The The Champion champion of women and children’s the Chinese-Am Chinese-American erican Association. Newspaper ,, DeKalb County’s legal Newspaper rights who has served ably in both Businesswoman and quintessential organ, the first African-Americanthe State House of Representatives community servant of uber style owned publication in the nation to and Senate. She was the first womand grace. achieve that designation. an to seek the office of lieutenant If you know any of the women The late Sara Gonzalez – governor. on this list, take the time to just say Founding member of the Hispanic The late Eleanor Richardson – “thank you.” These women have Chamber of Commerce and longFormer state representativ representative, e, active blazed incredible trails. The old saw time Director of the Latin American in matters of family, women and is applicable: The trailblazer never Association of Atlanta. A Cubanhealth, staunch ally of seniors and walks a smooth path. Salute women American who fled to the United one of the founders of Senior Conachievers everywhere. She could be States during the early days of the nections. as near as your own mother. Castro regime, she and her HarJeanette Rozier – First Africanvard-educated husband once owned American Superior Court clerk. an Atlanta Atlanta restaurant listed in USA Devoted public servant and friend Steen Miles, The Newslady, Today as one of the best in the nato many. is a retired journalist and former Cathey Steinberg - Recognized Georgia state senat or tion. or.. Contact The late Narvie Harris – The as a leader for consumer, family and Steen Milies at Steen@dekalbquintessential educator who made women’s rights through her work in champ.com.


Opinion One Man’s Opinion

Page 5A

There’s gotta be a better way! Connecticut/Maine, versus a shrimp Connecticut/Maine, liberal from Tax-a-chusetts—or so said many of the pundits and wags of that day. State legislatures and secretaries of state in 13 states across the old South were aiming to nominate a Sam Nunn, but ended up with Alfred E. Neuman, grinning and ill-suited for driving a tank. Super Tuesday in 2012 was not a Southern regional primary as it had been for the prior five presiden“Super Tuesday was basically detial election cycles, though it still signed to nationalize the message, did deliver and represent the largest to try to reduce the influence of the block of delegates for both parties’ so-called ‘Iowa syndrome.’”— U.S. syndrome.’”— U.S. national nominating conventions Senator Chuck Robb (D-Virginia) this summer. In 2008, it was Super a co-architect of Super Tuesday. Tuesday that helped Sen. John Sifting through the aftermath of McCain (R-Arizona) put away the Super Tuesday Presidential Pref- Arkansas conservative former Gov. Mike Huckabee and complete his erence Primary, I am left with the march to the GOP nomination. The decided bias that there simply has Democratic contest was not decided got to be a better way to nominate by Super Tuesday, as then-senators candidates for president. During 1987-88, Southern Democrats creat- Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton continued their battle until early ed the super Southern primary elecJune, when simple mathematics tion to help Democrats nominate a made it clear that Sen. Clinton could “Southern conservative” as well as not take the nomination prize. raise the profile of the South in the Our current nominating process nominating contests. But as again is skewed in favor of party activ proof of the unintended consequences of well-intended legislation ists, elites and regular donors, and weighed inordinately heavily tothat first Super Tuesday in 1988, ward the early caucus and primary brought voters “Southern conserstates—though small in population vative” Gov. Michael Dukakis of looming large on the contests and Massachusetts. And the GOP nomilives of the candidates and indinated then Vice President George H.W. Bush as their standard bearer. vidual campaigns. The entire population of Iowa would fit into metro Voters got a choice between an Atlanta, with considerab considerable le room Ivy League-educated wimp from to spare. Only a couple of hundred

thousand Iowans even participate in the caucus process delivered by both parties. Iowa convention delegates are actually secured by both political parties at almost the end of the nominating process, and yet since former Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter came in a surprise second to “none of the above” in 1976, and then went on to win the White House, the Iowa Caucus has become a major procedural and costly stepping stone to the White House. Well, again let’s look to our secretaries of state, who administer the elections in which we all vote. Their national association has been advocating a major change for several years, which I do believe could in fact become a better way. way . Subdivide our nation into four to eight geographic regions with linked economies and similar cultures— the northeast, southeast, mid-west, Rocky Mountains, west coast, are among some of the logical options. These states would as a group draw straws one year prior to each presidential election cycle to determine voting order. Elections would then be held on four to eight primary election days, with the order changing for each region with each presidential election. Possibly require broadcast and cable networks to donate, for both parties, blocks of airtime prior to each election date for debates. By the end of the second quarter, with roughly 30-90 days between elections in each region, the

campaigns would have the ability to focus and spend time in each region of the country, hopefully causing less “flyover” campaigning to major media markets and delegate heavy states. As order would rotate, national media and activists could not simply break out the game plan of four years prior, and campaigns would not be stuck with treating the partisans in certain states like royalty awaiting a kiss on their respective rings. Exposing the candidates and campaigns to a wider range of states earlier and more often might also hopefully make them a bit more attune to the number of voters who actually live in the political middle, and not just focus on appeasing the activists and extremists who are always more visible and vocal in either camp. A lot of establishment types would have to yield for this re-invention, but no one in Great Britain would have likely forecast a coalition government there four years ago either.

Bill Crane also serves as a political analyst and commentator for Channel 2’s Action News, WSB-AM News/Talk 750 and now 95.5 FM, as well as a columnist for The for The Champion , Champion Free Press and and Georgia Georgia Trend. Crane is a DeKalb native and business owner, living in Scottdale. You can reach him or comment on a column at [email protected].

REE EPRESS FRE Let Us Know What You Think! THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS encourages PRESS encourages opinions from its readers. Please write to us and express your views. Letters should be brief, typewritten and contain the writer’s name, address and telephone number for verification. 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 prior to publication date. EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions written by columnists and contributing editors do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor or publishers. The Publisher reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertisement at any time. The Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts.

Publisher: Dr. Earl D. Glenn Managing Editor: Kathy Mitchell News Editor: Robert Naddra Production Manager: Kemesha Hunt Graphic Designer: Travis Hudgons

STATEMENT STA TEMENT FROM THE PUBLISHER We sincerely appreciate the discussion surrounding this and any issue of interest to DeKalb County. The Champion was founded in 1991 expressly to provide a forum for discourse for all community residents on all sides of an issue. We have no desire to make the news only to report news and opinions to effect a more educated citizenry that will ultimately move our community forward. We are

The Champion Free Press is published each Friday by ACE III Communications, Inc., 114 New Street, Suite E, Decatur, GA. 30030 Phone (404) 373-7779.

www.championnewspaper.com


Opinion

Page 6A

Pumping gas prices for all they're worth Can our nation survive $5-a-gallon gas? that it’s all Obama’s fault. They say he’s rejected every single plan to increase our oil and gas production. Drilling in the Arctic wilderness? Building a pipeline from Canada down through the United States? Lifting job-killing regulations aimed at preventing oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico? Obama has been against (or kind of against) them all. He, of course, claims that the rising gas prices aren’t his fault. He says that as the recession im proves, demand for oil and gas increases, driving up the price. Why, Obama even advocates conservation. Can you believe that? The man will stop at nothing. He and the wimpy environmentalists around him want us to use less oil and gas. They go so far as to suggest we travel on buses and trains. Well, you listen up, Mr. Obama, and you listen up good. We are Americans and we do not believe in buses and trains, which if I’m not mistaken are Communist ideas that originated in Europe. Did the Greatest Generation have to conserve things? Not on your life. (Unless you count that gas rationing — along with meat, butter and eggs — during World War II.) We patriotic Americans think that the way to happiness is drill, frack, strip mine and clear-cut our way back to $2.50-a-gallon gas. Oh, and we need to do what it takes to go back to buying Cokes for a nickel too. And don’t tell me about global warming, that hoax perpetrated by 10 or 20,000 climate scientists who are trying to convince us that the earth is getting warmer. Don’t you know that it snowed in North Dakota just the other day? We global warming deniers have hundreds, or maybe that’s dozens, of scientists on our side saying: The earth isn’t getting warmer. If it is, it’s not our fault. And anyway, it’s good for you. So there. Everything is good. Or it will be as soon as we get rid of Barack Obama and his $5-a-gallon gas.

Oh my God. Gasoline is headed for five bucks a gallon. I read it in the newspaper, so I know it’s true. The national average is already creeping up on $4, and it’s bound to climb higher as the summer surge in travel approaches. FIVE DOLLARS A GALLON! Oh the pain. The suffering. How will we survive as a nation? You know, they talk about the courage, fortitude and resolve of the Greatest Generation, the cohort that came of age in the 1930s and ‘40s and overcame great obstacles to make the United States into Fat City. And in truth they ha d a lot to deal with — World War War II, the Great Depression, polio epidemics, manual transmissions — but they never had to put up with $5 gas. If they had, history might have told a very different story. Could the Greatest Generation have pulled out of the Depression in time to conquer the Nazis, subdue the Japanese and rebuild Europe if they’d been saddled with $5 gas? Could it have funded the GI bill or established a nationwide system of hospitals to deal specifically with military veterans and their problems? Could it have invented the computer or instant replay? No. They’d have spent all of their time and money lining up at gas stations to buy gas at five dollars a gallon! They wouldn’t have been so great if they’d had our problems. Fortunately, we have a slate of Re publican presidential candidates angling to save us from this crisis. Why, Newt Gingrich alone has promised $2.50-per-gallon gas by next summer if he’s elected. Sure, that’s a big if, and he hasn’t let us in on how he’ll do it yet. But the common thread in Republican rescue plans is this: “ Vote for me instead of Barack Obama.” OtherWords columnist Donald Yes, surprisingly enough, Repub Kaul lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. licans have looked out on the sea of otherwords.org troubles that confront us and decided

The following comments are pulled straight from our website and are not edited for content or grammar.

Commissioners concerned about recently discovered $12 million surplus Be Cool My Little Babyz don’t wake up the District Attorney – The Snoopy Dog posted t his on 3/11/12 at 9:31 p.m. Budget time in DK County is always a kabuki dance. Commissioners talk the talk but no savings are ever made. Too Too many friends and voters on the payroll to protect. The name of the game is keep those jobs. – Dundevil posted this on 3/8/12 at 5:45 p.m.

DCSS Discovers $41 million budget shortfall for SPLOST projects P. T. Barnum is in awe of some of the Clowns on the School Board !!! – Jerry Myer Jackson Jr posted this on 3/8/12 at 6:03 p.m.

Tucker Middle School math teacher charged with rape Yes, as Thomas states, it appears he did enjoy “working” with Yes, students. However,, I don’t see how the school can appear to so callously However just brush it off as an “isolated incident” – Skodarskycrup posted this on 3/8/12 at 10:32 p.m.

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Local News

Page 7A

Champion of the Week

Sharon Prater

File Photo

Grant will bring more fresh vegetables to East Lake by Andrew Cauthen [email protected]

and vegetables,” said Lou of the market. Plans for the urban farm Lindsey, market and farm manager. include approximately 75 An $82,000 grant by “We will also look for raised beds and a 15- to 20DeKalb County and the ways to reduce the cost of foot high greenhouse tunnel federal Centers for Disease chemical-free fruit and veg- where crops can be grown Control and Prevention etables,” Lindsey said. during colder months. (CDC) will help the East The grant will be used to An assistant farm manLake Farmer’s Market build develop an urban farm on ager has been hired to help its own farm. the current ELF Market lowith the construction of the The East Lake Farmers cation and promote the East farm, which is expected to (ELF) Market, located at Lake community learning be operational in late March. Second Avenue Avenue and Hosea garden, located at 56 Second “We are excited about Williams Drive in east AtAvenue SE. The market, a this new endeavor with the lanta, and the Southeastern non-prot organization, was East Lake Farmer’s MarHorticultural Society (SHS) founded in 2009 by setting ket,” said Kate Chura, were recently awarded a up a farmers market at an executive director of SHS, a CDC-funded Communities intersection formerly known nonprot organization that Putting Prevention to Work for crime and drugs. provides horticulture and (CPPW) program grant from The farm is on a lot that environmental education the DeKalb County Board of had been the home of sevand works to connect people Health. eral buildings that have been to nature throughout the The grant, designed in leveled, Lindsay said. southeastern United States. part to curb obesity obesity,, will “The farm increases our “These new additions will help the ELF Market to “in- options to improve access only help expand the reach crease the hours and seasons to fresh produce and build of the community learning for the farmers, increase community partnerships to garden and urban farm that the amount food grown in get healthy local produce was established in 2010 in DeKalb County and … inon the plates of more of our partnership with the East crease the consumption of neighbors,” said Doug WilLake Foundation.” liams, founder and president fresh, chemical-free fruits

Sharon Prater’s Prater’s life has been a roller coaster ride. As a young child, and the daughter of Dave Prater of popular 1960s singing duo Sam and Dave, she lived in an upscale home with servants and attended private school. By the time she was 12 things had fallen apart for her. She had been abused and had spent time living in foster care and even in the streets. While she survived the difficulties of her childhood, they left her angry and with poor self-esteem, she said. Then she met Janice Pettigrew, Pettigrew, founder and director of Fresh Fre sh Start for W omen, and the meeting was a life-changing event for Prater. “Janice Pettigrew and her husband were helping my daughter get spots singing on the radio. As soon as I met her I knew we were kindred spirits. I knew she was engaged in a great work and I just wanted to help her any way I could,” Prater explained. Fresh Fre sh Start for W omen, according to its website, is “designed to rebuild the self-esteem of women spiritually, physically and emotionally while encouraging wiser life choices.” The organization seeks “to

empower and renew the lives of [abused] women through workshops, seminars, retreats, job training and counseling in order to facilitate the healing process, break the cycle of violence and develop healthy relationships.” For more than three years Prater has been volunteering to do whatever Pettigrew needs to keep her organization going. “I take picture and shoot video at the seminars she gives. If she has a dinner for women she’s helping I do whatever is needed to help with the dinner,” she said. Now living in Decatur, Prater is the caretake caretakerr for disabled family members, but makes a point of carving out time in her schedule to volunteer with Fresh Start for Women as much as possible. “It’s just too important for me not to do everything I can. Women are dying at the hands of abusing men. Their children are in danger. Sometimes all they need is to talk with someone, someone they can trust, to gain the strength to get out of the abusive situation. All you have to do is talk to the women they have helped to realize the good Fresh Start for Women is doing,” she said. Prater recalled that when she was a child, foster parents would sometimes force her to sing for money. “It seemed everything always had a dollar attached. Today, I want to do things for people without asking for any money,” she said.

If you would like to nominate someone to be considered as a future Champion of the Week, please contact Kathy Mitchell at [email protected] or at


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Page 8A

Both Coan Middle and East Lake Elementary schools are among the 13 schools slated to close under Atlanta Public School Superintend Superintendent ent Errol Davis’ redistricting plan. Photos by Daniel Beauregard

APS superintendent proposes to close 13 schools, two in DeKalb by Daniel Beauregard [email protected] Atlanta Public School Su perintendent Errol Davis has proposed a redistricting plan that would close 13 schools, two of which are located in DeKalb County. If approved, Coan Middle School, located off Hosea Williams Drive, and East Lake Elementary School, located off Fourth Avenue in Atlanta, will close their doors. Davis presented a draft of his plan to the Atlanta Board of Education at a meeting on March 5. However, the nal plan will not be voted on until April, and ofcials said details of the plan are likely to change. If the plan passes, Inman Elementary will use the former Coan facility as a sixthgrade academy for a savings of $20 to $30 million. East Lake Elementary will close and all its students will be rezoned to Toomer; the building will not be repurposed. “Although APS serves 47,000 students, we have seats for 60,000 students—heating, cooling and lighting 13,000

Neuman

Community input meetsaid proposed boundary maps Davis said. seats is expensive,” the proings have been scheduled for are posted on the APS webFor more information, visit posed plan states. March 21 and 22 at various site. the Atlanta Public Schools Schools ofcials said the “We fully anticipate that website at www.atlanta.k12. majority of empty seats are in schools throughout the dischanges will take place as a ga.us and go to the “Demothe southern part of the school trict. Each meeting is 6:30-8 p.m. Additionally, ofcials result of community input,” graphic Study” page. district, while the northern section of the district is ex periencing overcrowding. According to the redistricting plan, enrollment is low because families with schoolaged children have either moved or there is a perception that specic schools lack academic rigor and adequate support. Davis said, if passed, Proposed Substantial Amendment to the 2008-2012 the plan would close the 13 Consolidated Plan, including the 2011 Annual Action Plan schools and the remaining For the For the Emergency Solutions Grant Program schools within the system would be divided into 10 clusThe DeKalb County Human and Community Development Department is proposing a substantial ters “composed of dedicated amendment to the 2008-2012 Consolidated Plan, including the 2011 Annual Action Plan. elementary schools feeding The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act of 2009 into dedicated middle schools changed the name of the Emergency Shelter Grants Program to the Emergency Solutions Grant and ultimately into dedicated and changed many of the program rules. rules. This was effective upon the publication of Program, high schools.” Currently, APS the Interim Rule on January 4, 2012. On November 15, 2011, HUD announced announced that DeKalb is divided into four school County was to receive a second FY11 allocation of Emergency Solutions Grant funds in the zones. amount of $141,774. $141,774. A grant agreement has has not yet been received. received. HUD requires a substantial substantial “Our proposal will elimiamendment to the Annual Action Plan in order order to receive the funds. The purpose of the nate approximately 7,200 of substantial amendment amendment is to revise the budget of the Emergency Shelter Grants Program our 13,000-seat excess and submitted to HUD as part of the 2011 Annual Action Plan to show the planned use of additional generate substantial savings. FY11 program funds in the amount of $141,774 under the new rules for the Emergency As a result, we will be able to Solutions Grant. The budget categories for eligible activities include include administration, HMIS allocate more funds in direct (homeless management management information services), street outreach, shelter, rapid re-housing, and support of students,” Davis homeless prevention. prevention. All activities must comply with new Emergency Emergency Solutions Grant Program said. requirements as published in the Interim Rule.

Continued From Page 2A

said “there was never any documented evidence of any delusions. “There was never any documented mental health requests,” Brickhouse said. “[Neuman’s] behavior was exemplary. “In my gut I didn’t really believe that he was suicidal,” Brickhouse said. Under cross-examination by Peters, Brickhouse admitted he found razor blades in Neuman’s possession and that Neuman told him that he was planning to use them to commit suicide.

Peters asked. During the trial, James asked Eric Gebhardt, Neuman’s former boss, whether Neuman ever exhibited “mood swings in one direction or the other.” “Did Mr. Neuman ever, at any time in the six years that you’ve known him, give you a reason to question his mental state?” James asked. “Did Mr. Neuman…ever seem that he was having a problem keeping his grip on reality?” Gebhardt answered “no” to each question. Jury deliberation was ex-

All citizens are invited to review the proposed budget and accompanying information regarding the allocation of $141,774 in Emergency Solutions Grant Program funds during the comment period March 15, 2012 – April 16, 2012. The information can be be reviewed at the DeKalb DeKalb County website, http://www.co.dekalb.ga.us/commdev/publicNotices.htm http://www.co.dekalb.ga.us/commdev/publicNotices.html,l, and at the location identified below.

DeKalb County Human and Community Development Department 150 East Ponce de Leon Avenue, Suite 330, Decatur, Georgia 30030 Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Comment forms may be obtained and completed at the above listed location. Comments may also be faxed faxed or emailed to the Human and Community Development Department. Fax: (404) 286-3337 Email: mwrichards@dekalbco [email protected] untyga.gov

EQUAL HOUSING


Local News

Dunwoody residents get a look at conceptual plans for an initiative to revitalize the Georgetown comDunwoody munity.. The city has issued an invitation f or proposals asking developers to submit ideas for developmunity ing 35 acres in the community. Photo by Andrew Cauthen

Dunwoody unveils plan to create city gateway by Andrew Cauthen [email protected]

the IFP process will ensure future redevelopment adheres to the community-developed Georgetown master plan. “This plan allows us to control 35 acres, instead of 16 [acres] we own, without having to buy any more stuff, ” Davis said. “We believe that having a hand in the development

veloped into the city’s gateway, Dunwoody residents will “immediately be able to Dunwoody ofcials are say ‘ah, I’m home,’” Davis hoping that developers want said. to transform 35 acres of unDunwoody city manager used property into a gateway Warren Hutmacher said the for the city. city is “committed to high On March 8, city leaders quality redevelopment of unveiled Project Renaissance, Georgetown.” its plan to redevelop the “The city wants to imGeorgetown area prove the beginning with the Georgetown 19-acre site of the area and take “ former Dunwoody advantage ‘...Once the property is Emory Hospital of its great and 16 acres of location, safe developed into the city’s city-owned propneighborerty known as the hoods and gateway, Dunwoody residents “PVC pipe farm.” proximity will “immediately be able to say The sites are across to Perimeter from each other on Center and ‘ah, I’m home.’” North Shallowford Dunwoody Road. Village,” – Michael Davis “This is a Hutmacher Mayor of Dunwoody pretty exciting day said. “ in the history of The $5.6 Dunwoody,” said million, socalled PVC Michael Davis, mayor of Dunwoody. D unwoody. of the 35 acres and not just farm, purchased in SeptemProject Renaissance will the 16 [acres], puts us in the ber 2011, “was originally be a public-private partner position to be able to funda bought by the city as a deship consisting of parks, mentally transform this area fensive measure to prevent trails, neighborhood retail, and kick-start the renaissance more apartments from being owner-occupied low-density of what we consider to be the built—we have over 9,000 development, and a possible gateway of Dunwoody,” he units currently in the city— city hall-police headquarters added. and an opportunity to add site, Davis said. Development of the prop- park land,” Hutmacher said. The city issued an invitaerty is part of the “critical rst Hutmacher said the protion for proposals (IFP) ensteps in what will be a trans posed public-private partcouraging interested develop- formational redevelopment nership to complete Project ers to submit ideas, concepts initiative,” Davis said. Renaissance will allow and designs for the develop“We stand in front of an Dunwoody’s overall nancial ment of the property in partopportunity to stimulate the contribution to the land purnership with the city. Georgetown area,” he said. chase to be less than the $5.6 Dunwoody ofcials said Once the property is demillion already obligated.

The Voice of Business in DeKalb County DeKalb Chamber of Commerce

Page 9A


Local News

Page 10A

Clarkston acquires historic home for new offices by Daniel Beauregard [email protected]

er than build a new city hall,” Barker said. Barker said the city will hire an architect to look at the building and Nancy Faye said when she was younger the eld behind her childhood decide what cosmetic work needed to home was lled with wild daffodils, be done on the inside, and then solicit roses and irises during the springtime. bids for the work from local contrac“They’d put you out in the morning tors. He estimated the work could cost and you weren’t supposed to come back $350,000-400,000. until the end of the day,” Faye said. “We really want to do all we can to “Unfortunately, Aunt Aunt Mary thought it maintain her legacy and the community was OK to run over all of that with a needs to celebrate that. I had a structural riding mower and killed them off…hor- engineer come and look at the house ticulture wasn’t her thing.” and he said for its age it was in remarkMary Morris, Faye’s aunt and long- ably good condition,” Barker said. time Clarkston resident, died at the age Outside the home, Barker said he of 104 last November, and the city is hoped to create a memorial garden and now in the process of buying the hisan area for residents to use for small toric house she lived in her entire life. gatherings and concerts. Inside, Barker said he wanted to maintain the integrity Edward Griffin, a great grandson of Morris’ mother whom she cared for of the original building and hoped to until her death, said he remembered vis- put in period furniture to match the age iting his great grandmother’s house on of the house. Sundays and holidays. Flipping through “It’s our desire to have it eventually an old photo book, Grifn stopped and be Leadership in Environmental Energy pointed to a picture of a mule in a eld. and Design (LEED) certied and on the “Here’s her brother’s mule, which he National Register of Historic Places,” named Mary,” Grifn said. “I think it Barker said. LEED certication means was a dig at her that she was a little bit a building is designed and operated with stubborn.” as little harm to the environment as posBuilt in the 1850s near the end of sible. the antebellum period, the two-story Barker said when restoration is comhome sits on the corner of Rowland pleted the old home will feature a reStreet right across from the Clarkston ception area, conference room, kitchen, City Hall. The Clarkston City Council two large bathrooms and ofces for the approved the purchase of the house at a director of planning and development, meeting on March 6. the city clerk and the nance ofcer. “We saw it listed and I contacted the Faye, the executor of Morris’ estate, agent immediately. I think the asking said she was glad the building was be price was $175,000 and we negotiated ing used by the city rather than being it down to $150,000,” Clarkston City torn down to make way for a commerManager Keith Barker said. Barker is cial property. now in nal closing negotiations for the “We’re at a point in our family now property and said the city plans to even- where the young people are too young tually use the home for administrative to take it over and the old people are too

The city of Clarkston is in the final stages of purchasing the Morris house, built in the 1850s, to turn it into administrative offices. Photos by Daniel Beauregard

Nancy Faye speaks with Clarkston City Manager Keith Barker about the city’s plans for her childhood home.


Local News

Page 11A

Dunwoody Police to tap into county’s electronic warrants system by Andrew Cauthen [email protected] When a Dunwoody Police ofcer needs a search warrant, a drive to DeKalb County Magistrate’s Court, 30 minutes and 16 miles away on Camp Circle Road is required. And then wait in line. “It can be a very time consuming process,” said DeKalb County’s Chief Magistrate Judge Berryl Anderson . After a vote by the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners on March 13, the process will be sim plied. The board voted to allow the Dunwoody Police De partment access to the electronic warrant information system used by the county’s magistrate’s court to issue warrants since 2003. “It enables police ofcers to electronically input

a warrant at one location… judge and a warrant.” there,” Grogan said. “If a while the magistrate judge Although any DeKalb detective has been investiis sitting at our location off city can have access to the gating a case, he would do it of Memorial Drive at Camp system, “Dunwoody is the from the ofce.” Circle on the other end of rst one that has stepped up Grogan said he has been a computer taking sworn and decided to actually pay working for two years to testimony, [and] reviewing for it,” Anderson said. make access to the system the information that’s been possible. Curtis Rawlings, the input by the ofcer,” Ander- county’s interim chief inBefore Anderson, “there son said. formation ofcer, said there was nobody in DeKalb The magistrate judge can in no cost to the county to County driving the issue “issue that warrant instanallow access to city police and pushing it forward,” taneously versus having the departments. The set-up cost said Grogan, who was hired Dunwoody Police ofcer would be paid by the parfrom the Marietta Police or any other DeKalb police ticipating city. Department, which had acofcer get in a car and drive Dunwoody Police Chief cess to a similar system in 20 minutes [or] 30 minutes Cobb County. Billy Grogan estimated to Camp Circle [and] wait the cost for Dunwoody at “Through DeKalb Chiefs in line to speak to with a $5,000-$7,000, which will Association, we’ve worked judge,” Anderson said be paid for from asset forto try to encourage all the Anderson said the system feiture funds. That will pay other municipalities to also would provide “greater effor software, licensing, a start trying to use the prodciency and ultimately will computer, web camera and uct,” Grogan said. benet all the citizens of an electronic signature pad. DeKalb County.” Grogan said the electronMoms, work at home with us! We are looking for a few highly movated, “We’re “W e’re sometimes talkic warrant system will not honest, hard-working people who are concerned about their overall well-being and that ing about…life-threatening be used for all warrants. of others and would like to work from home with our dynamic team to supplement their situations,” Anderson said. “If an ofcer had to take income or eventually even replace it! To nd “It would allow the ofcer a suspect to jail, then he out more, call Gayle Abbo at 770.323.9339 or send email to GayleAbbo @gmail.com to have instant access to a would take [the warrant] out

“We feel it’s a great way to be efcient and save the ofcers’ time and gas,” Grogan said. Anderson, who has addressed the chiefs association twice about the system, said, “Everybody is watching to see how smoothly this works with Dunwoody. “It will be smooth,” Anderson said. Commissioner Jeff Rader said, “It seems like a good idea for everybody to get on this…[to] protect life and property.”

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Local News

Page 12A

DeKalb’s CEO vetoes auditors’ DeKalb’s transfer to commissioners’ control was to move three of the ve auditors from the administration as part of the internal auditor’s staff. A plan to move county auditors from “They will maintain the lion’s share of the nance department to under the control their responsibilities in auditing department of the Board of Commissioners has been by department,” May said. “That [group] rejected by DeKalb County CEO Burrell would be the staff of the internal auditor to have oversight over and guide that entire Ellis. In a letter to commis- program. sioners at the end of the “It is essential that we bring on board an business day on March auditing function within the Board of Com9, Ellis vetoed the line missioners,” May said. “To allow the CEO item of the 2012 county to handle the day-to-day operations and … budget that would have to audit himself, disclose those ndings and moved the auditors. x those issues himself is problematic.” Ellis’ letter said In addition to the c ounty’s $559 million proposed action by the budget, May said the county has an upcomcounty’s Board of Coming $1.3 billion water and sewer capital imEllis missioners is in violation provement project. of the organizational act that delineates the “We have to be very diligent about moni balance of power for the county. toring …each and every penny that is being “The administration acknowledges and spent,” May said. supports this authority of the Board of Commissioner Kathie Gannon urged Commissioners to hire an internal auditor,” the board to ll the internal auditor position Ellis stated. “However, that authorization already in the commissioners’ budget. does not extend to the establishment of an “We have the money to do it,” Gannon auditing division, department or multiple said. “We have a position in our budget for auditors within the department of the Board an auditor. We We have the power pow er in … the orof Commissioners [BOC]. ganizational act. “Furthermore, the authorization does not “That position has been in the BOC extend to the transferring of auditors from budget for two years now and that position the nance department staff to the BOC,” has not been lled,” Gannon said. “I would Ellis said. “It should be noted that the posiencourage my fellow commissioners to tion of internal auditor has been funded in move forward in that regard so that we can past county budgets and remains so in the dispense with the rhetoric and actually get adopted budget, but the BOC has yet to ll some action done. the position.” May said he “wholeheartedly” supports Ellis also stated that the CEO has the lling the internal auditor position. “exclusive power to supervise, direct and “The problem is we are a billion-dollar control the administration of the county enterprise and to have one person to do all government.” the auditing functions is something that … With its proposed move, the Board of cannot take place,” May said. Commissioners “is exercising the power of May said commissioners will continue to the chief executive” in violation of the orga- address the auditor issue over the next few nizational act, he said. weeks. Commissioner Lee May said the idea

Don’t Just Dm of a Better Life

by Andrew Cauthen [email protected]

Minimum Cost • Maximum Beneft

Formerly DeKalb Technical College 404-297-9522 www.GPTC.edu

Application/Documentation Enrollment Deadlines: Application/Documentation Summer Semester: April 10 Fall Semester: Semester: July 17

Taking Music to Jamaica to Jamaica Unconditional Love for Children, Inc. An Initiative of the Earl and Carolyn Glenn Foundation Invites you to Help us take music to Jamaica ULC is Sponsoring a Summer Enrichment Program for the Mount Zion School in Montego Bay Jamaica. The following Instruments are needed: Keyboard, Guitar, Guitar, Violin, Vi olin, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Percussions Percussions and Horns Hor ns Also need: Soccer Equipment, Digital and Video Cameras Please make donations by March 23 , 2012 • To Donate, contact Betty Palmer (404) 309- 4305


Local News

Page 13A

Proposed composting facility gives in to community resistance by Andrew Cauthen [email protected]

prehensive plan, rezoning, to deal with cats, raccoons respect the body, the Board Greenco’s endeavor which special land use permits and and deer. of Commissioners, that he said would have been zoning code text amend“What else is it going to we have set up to handle good for the economy and ments. After persistent opposi bring?” Hall asked before these issues, but this isenvironment. Hall said she was contion from Lithonia residents, Greenco’s decision to pull sue couldn’t be ignored “You “Y ou don’t want to be cerned about the site’s prox- out. “It’s not going to raise a proposed composting based on attending the rst somewhere where they company has decided not to imity to Rock Chapel Elour property values for sure. meeting at Rockbridge don’t want you,” Lesko ementary School and Rock open a plant there. I don’t see it as being Elementary,” Kendrick said. “They’re not against Chapel Park and the smell The decision comes apa big asset to the Lithonia said in a statement. “I only composting. They just don’t proximately a week after the the facility would have area.” have power because of the want it there. emitted. DeKalb County Planning Rep. Dar’shun Kend people and the people have Lesko said Greenco will “With millions and milCommission decided on resoundingly said “no” to a look for a site elsewhere in rick (D-94) vowed during lions of pounds of trash, March 6 to defer voting on the meeting to help her special use permit for Green DeKalb. there’s going to be a smell,” constituents opposed the Greenco’s application for a Co.” “You “Y ou can’t open a comHall said.” I don’t want that facility. special land use permit to Lesko said it is “disap posting facility that serves in my community.” operate the facility. “I rarely get involved in pointing” that Lithonia area DeKalb County in SavanHall said she already has local decisions because I The planning commisresidents did not support nah,” Lesko said. sion decided to wait until the Atlanta Regional Commission reviews the plans. Tim Lesko, Greenco’s DeKalb County Wants to Hear From You president, said he recently Regarding the Proposed Franchise Agreement Renewal learned that the ARC must with Comcast Cable Communications review Greenco’s plans because the agency has jurisSend your comments and/or concerns regarding Comcast’s current performance under diction over metro Atlanta the current franchise agreement and/or the future cable-related needs and interests of companies that process reyour community to www.dekalbcountyga.gov. covered materials. “We did not know we The Champion Weather March 15, 2012 had to go through the ARC,” Lesko said. “That was an Seven Day Forecast In-D In -Dep eptth Lo Loca call For oreeca cast st Toda day' y'ss Reg egio ion nal Map Weather History oversight by the county. It March 15, 1988 - More than one Today we will see mostly sunny skies with THURSDAY was a surprise to all of us.” possibly a record high temperature of 83º, hundred hours of continuous Mostly Sunny The March 6 meeting humidity of 44%. South wind 5 mph. The snow finally came to an end at Dunwoody High:: 83 Low: 58 High record high temperature for today is 81º set in Marquette, Mich., during which was the third public hearing 81/57 Lilburn 1946. Expect mostly cloudy skies tonight with time the city was buried under 43 Smyrna Doraville on the proposal and some 82/58 FRIDAY an overnight low of 58º. inches of snow. Unseasonably 82/58 Lithonia residents opposed 82/58 Partly Cloudy Snellville cold weather prevailed in the Decatur Greenco at every turn. *Last Week’s Almanac High:: 80 Low: 56 High 83/58 southeastern U.S., with forty-one Atlanta 83/58 Enna Hall, who started Date Hi L o No Normals Pr Precip cities reporting record lows for 83/58 an online petition called Tuesday 60 32 62/41 0.00" SATURDAY Lithonia the date. College Park “No to Greenco in Southeast Wednesday 65 47 62/42 0.00" Partly Cloudy 84/58 March 16, 1989 - A wi wint nter er 84/58 DeKalb” on www.change. Thursday 74 51 63/42 0.00" High:: 79 Low: 56 High Morrow storm brought heavy snow and Friday 60 46 63/42 0.45" org, lives approximately 84/58 high winds to the southwestern Union City Saturday 65 34 63/42 0.00" SUNDAY three miles from the site United States. Winds gusted to 84/58 S u n d a y 6 6 4 3 6 4 / 4 3 0 . 0 0 " Partly Cloudy and opposed the project “for 60 mph at Lovelock, Nev., Salt Monday 64 57 64/43 0.02" High:: 78 Low: 54 High health reasons.” Hampton Lake City and Fort Carson, Rainfall Rain fall . . . . . . .0.47" Av Averag eragee temp . .54.6 .54.6 85/59 “We don’t want them in Colo. Snow fell at a rate of Normal Norm al rainfall rainfall . .1.26" Av Averag eragee normal 52.6 MONDAY three inches per hour in the our community,” Hall said. Departur Depa rturee . . . . .-0.79" .-0.79" Depa Departure rture . . . . .+2.0 Partly Cloudy Lake Tahoe area of Nevada. Greenco Environmen*Data as reported from De Kalb-Peachtree Airport High:: 76 Low: 50 High tal had plans to move its Local Sun/Moon Chart This Week Tonight's Planets composting operation from TUESDAY Day Sunrise Sunset Moonrise Moonset Rise Set Barnesville to an old rock Mostly Cloudy New Full Thursday 7:47 a.m. 7:46 p.m. 2:58 a.m. 1:19 p.m. Merc Me rcur ury y 8:02 8: 02 a a.m .m. . 8:35 8: 35 p.m.. p.m quarry on Rock Mountain High:: 73 Low: 51 High 3/22 4/6 Friday 7:45 a.m. 7:46 p.m. 3:48 a.m. 2:21 p.m. Ven enus us 9:43 9: 43 a.m a.m.. 11: 1:26 26 p.m p.m.. Road in unincorporated LiSaturday 7:44 a.m. 7:47 p.m. 4:33 a.m. 3:22 p.m. Mars 6:15 p. p.m. 7:27 a. a.m. WEDNESDAY thonia. Sunday 7:43 a.m. 7:48 p.m. 5:12 a.m. 4:23 p.m. Jupi Ju pite terr 9: 9:53 53 a. a.m. m. 11: 1:13 13 p.m p.m.. Mostly Cloudy Monday 7:41 a.m. 7:49 p.m. 5:46 a.m. 5:22 p.m. Greenco collects food Last First Satu Sa turn rn 10 10:1 :10 0 p. p.m. m. 9: 9:33 33 a. a.m. m. High: 68 Low: 49 Tuesday 7:40 a.m. 7:49 p.m. 6:18 a.m. 6:19 p.m. 4/13 3/30 waste from schools, restauUran Ur anus us 8: 8:14 14 a. a.m. m. 8: 8:22 22 p. p.m. m. Wednesday 7:39 a.m. 7:50 p.m. 6:49 a.m. 7:16 p.m. rants, hotels, manufacturers and grocery stores and comLocal UV Index National Weather Summary This Week Weather Trivia bines it with yard waste to The Northeast will see mostly clear to partly cloudy skies today, scattered showers and What is the highest wind create organic compost. The thunderstorms Friday and Saturday, with the highest temperature of 78º in Alton, Ill. speed ever recorded on the compost is sold in bulk to 0 - 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11+ The Southeast will see mostly clear to partly cloudy skies with a few thunderstorms surface of the Earth? farmers and manufacturers today through Saturday, with the highest temperature of 86º in Marianna, Fla. The Northwest will see Answer: On top of Mount UV Index widespread rain today through Saturday, with the highest temperature of 72º in Torrington, Wyo. The Washington, N.H., a gust of 231 mph of bagged garden products. 0-2: Low, 3-5: Moderate, was measured. Southwest will see mostly clear to partly cloudy skies today and Friday, scattered showers Saturday, 6-7: High, 8-10: Very High Last year, Greenco com11+: Extreme Exposure with the highest temperature of 85º in Gila Bend, Ariz. www.WhatsOurWeather.com posted four million pounds of food waste from DeKalb StarWatch StarWa tch By Gary Becker - Chachapoyas or Bust County customers, accordIn the litany of psyching myself for summer, it begins with the first day of March, continues with setting the clocks ahead (March 11), with the beginning of spring (March ing to Lesko. 19), with Easter (April 8), and culminates with Memorial Day (May 28). When I was working in the public schools, there was still almost four weeks of teaching remainIn February, Greenco’s ing before the big summer break, but somehow Memorial Day, with its cookouts and outdoor activities, captured best the spirit of summer. In my crazy way of marching towards those “lazy days,” we have straddled the first two hurdles and are now headed for the vernal equinox late on March 19, when the sun will shine directly over the proposal was unanimously equator. For my former student, Sarabeth Brockley, who is now in the Peace Corps stationed in Chachapoyas, Peru, six degrees south of the equator, the magic moment of a zenith sun rejected by the District 5 already happened on March 4. What does this mean for us living at a mid-latitude location of 40 degrees north? When Sarabeth saw a zenith sun, it was only 44 degrees above the horiCommunity Council, which zon at noon, still snow time for us. On the Vernal Equinox, after 16 days of climbing, the sun will stand at an altitude of 50 degrees at 1 p.m., EDT. That’s a six degree jump in just under provides recommendations 2-1/2 weeks. By Good Friday, April 6, a 17-day interval, the sun will rocket another six degrees northward, gaining a degree in altitude in our sky for each degree that Sol treks northward. to the Board of CommisOn that day the sun will reach a height of 56 degrees, a 12 degree jump in just one month’s time. For Sarabeth, the sun will be 12 degrees lower in her sky, transiting in the north at 78 degrees, but her equatorial location will always preclude warm conditions. In fact, her situation would be downright miserable if it were not tempered by Chachapoyas’ 7,700 foot elevasioners on applications for

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Health

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Bird flu, pig flu, now bat flu? Human risk unclear by Mike Stobbe ATLANTA (AP) For the rst time, scientists have found evidence of u in bats, reporting a never-befo never-before-seen re-seen virus whose risk to humans is unclear. The surprising discovery of genetic fragments of a u virus is the rst welldocumented report of it in the winged mammals. So far, scientists haven’t been able to grow it, and it’s not clear if—or how well—it spreads. Flu bugs are common in humans, birds and pigs and have even been seen in dogs, horses, seals and whales, among others. About ve years ago, Russian virologists claimed nding u in bats, but they never offered evidence. “Most people are fairly convinced we had already discovered u in all the possible” animals, said Ruben Donis, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) scientist who coauthored the new study. Scientists suspect that

some bats caught u centuries ago and that the virus mutated within the bat population into this new variety. Scientists haven’t been able to grow the new virus in chicken eggs or in human cell culture, as they do with

heart of the global u epidemic movie Contagion . The research was posted online Feb. 27 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . The CDC has an international outpost in Guatemala, and that’s where researchers collected more than 300 bats in 2009 and 2010. The research was mainly focused on rabies, but the scientists also checked specimens for other germs and stumbled upon the new virus. It was in the intestines of little yellowshouldered bats, said Donis, a veterinarian by training. These bats eat fruit and insects but don’t bite people. Yet it’s possible they could leave the virus on produce and a human could get infected by taking a bite. It’s conceivable some more conventional u strains. people were infected with But it still could pose a the virus in the past. Now threat to humans. For examthat scientists know what it ple, if it mingled with more looks like, they are looking common forms of inuenza, for it in other bats as well as it could swap genes and humans and other animals, mutate into something more said Donis, who heads the dangerous, a scenario at the Molecular Virology and VacVac-

cines Branch in the CDC’s u division. At least one expert said CDC researchers need to do more to establish they’ve actually found a u virus. Technically, what the CDC ofcials found was genetic material of a u virus. They used a lab technique to nd genes for the virus and amplify it. All they found was a segment of genetic material, said Richard “Mick” Fulton, a bird disease researcher at Michigan State University. What they should do is draw blood from more bats, try to infect other bats and take other steps to establish that the virus is spreading among the animals, he continued. “In my mind, if you can’t grow the virus, how do you know that the virus is there?” Donis said work is going on to try to infect healthy bats, but noted there are other viruses that were discovered by genetic sequencing but are hard to grow in a lab, including hepatitis C.

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Local News

Page 1 5A

Lessons from the Liberian Civil War Lithonia resident overcame brutalities of war to become successful businessman by Nigel Roberts

and had to start all over again,” he explained. ing and finance degree. He later earned an MBA An estimated more than 250,000 people died from Georgia State University in Internationa Internationall in the struggle that ebbed and flowed for nearly Business. His experience in the corporate world 15 years, which left the West African country of began with Grant Thornton, a large accounting about 3.8 million people decimated. At the core firm in the Boston area. From there he moved on of the conflict was longstanding tension between to Atlanta’s Ernst & Young. the descendants of freed American slaves (the He successfully launched his own company, so-called Americo-Liberians) and the 16 different Cross Atlantic Business Advisors, a consulting

When civil war in Liberia erupted in 1989, Sam Divine was a 12-year-old, middle class child with no worries in the world. His comfortable life changed suddenly, with the vicious conflict impacting him in profound ways. “People tend to romanticize war in movies; but it is brutal,” Divine emphasized in a serious tone. “You go through a lot of unknowns. My family suddenly had to worry about where food will come from. I had friends who starved, and seeing dead bodies on the streets was common.” Now a resident of Lithonia, Divine recalled an incident during the conflict when two armed soldiers entered his family’s home. The two men spoke with his parents, but one of them slipped away. The family later discovered that the missing soldier violently raped a woman who was a family member of someone who worked on the compound. Today, Divine is a successful businessman. He shares his journey in a memoir titled Battletitled Battle grounds to Boardrooms: Life Lessons from the - Sam Divine Liberian Civil War to Corporate America. America . “My children (3 and 6 years old) were the main inspiration for writing this book,” Divine said. “My children are American and have not been back to Liberia yet. I wanted to write this indigenous ethnic African groups native to the firm that helps other businesses develop prod book for them to read maybe 10 years from now country. ucts, optimize business practices and enter new so they could learn what life was like in Liberia The Americo-Liberians, Americo-Liberians, representing just 5 overseas markets. and understand why I stress education and other percent of the population, dominated the native Often the new markets are in Africa, where things to them.” Africans politically and economically for more Divine finds both challenges and opportunities. He added that Battlegrounds that Battlegrounds to Boardrooms than a century before a coup displaced them from The complex challenges include navigating the is also a motivationa motivationall story that could inform, government. Ultimately, ethnic-based rivalries disparate laws, languages barriers and poor transespecially African-American youth, how to navi- erupted into one of Africa’s bloodiest civil wars. portation systems. At the same time, sub-Saharan gate corporate America. One lesson he teaches in Divine said the war experience taught him African economies are growing at a rate of 6 the book is the importance of learning to speak that life is precious. “Life is not promised,” he percent and have an emerging middle class that the corporate language. “Like many people, I said. “During the war, you could walk outside is increasingly able to afford smart phones and was raised to say what I think, but working in and get hit by a stray bullet. You could be in your luxury items, he said. corporate America requires diplomacy,” Divine home and get hit. In that environment, you learn Much has change in Liberia, which Divine pointed out. the value of life.” describes as one of the continent’s most progresAt the same time, his memoir is deeply Empathy is another lesson from the war. sive governments. Today Liberia has Africa’s personal. He writes about the respect and admira- “Growing up in Liberia, I had better life options first elected female president, Ellen Johnson tion he gained for his father, a banker and highly Sirleaf , widely seen as a reformer and peacethan others did,” Divine said. “But my parents educated man. During the war, his father stepped taught us never to look down on others. Through maker. Although optimistic about Liberia’s out of his comfort zone to secure his family’s the war, I have learned what it is to be hungry.” future, Divine said he is unlikely to return there survival. Divine’s family “scraped enough money to live but plans to build a trans-Atlantic nest for “I learned that you cannot put your trust in together” to send him to college at the University him and his family. money. The war made families lose everything of Massachusetts, where he earned an account-

“you cannot put your I learned that trust in money. The war made families lose everything and had to start all over again. ”

Basketball

Continued From Page 1A

basketball program in 2005. This season’s state titles only magnify the dominance of teams in the county over the past several years. There has been at least one boys champion for eight years in a row and girls’ programs have won two titles in four of the past ve seasons. “We have a lot of AAU teams, good middle schools and a farm program, and that’s why the high schools are doing what they do,” Frost said. Southwest DeKalb, which made it to the nals after missing the state tournament a year ago, set the standard

“We’ve been watching Southwest DeKalb win championship after championship, and our girls learned what it takes to do that,” said Miller Grove girls’ coach Renee Breedlove . “You have to get in the gym and work hard. Our motto has been “32 Minutes of Grove” and that means 32 minutes of hard defense. That’s what we gave [Southwest]. We’re ecstatic about winning our rst championship.” Columbia’s boys and girls won going away while Miller Grove had strong challenges from county and region rival Southwest in both games. McCrary praised the county’s

years. “They put a lot of pressure on us, making sure we’re doing the right thing as coaches,” McCrary said. “You can’t say enough about them. Without them, there’s no us. And without the kids there’s no athletics. With the good leadership down there, you can’t say enough about them.” Kadeejah Vaughn scored 15 of her 19 points in the rst half as the Columbia girls raced out to a 33-16 halftime lead. Drew kept it close for most of the boys game before Columbia nished with a 16-3 run over the nal ve minutes. Junior Tahj

the Eagles. In the AAAA title games, the Miller Grove girls led 30-13 at halftime but weathered a Southwest rally that saw the lead dwindle to seven points in the fourth quarter. Klarissa Weaver led with 16 points and 10 rebounds. The boys made 14 of 18 free throw attempts over the nal 3:11 to put away Southwest. “There was more pressure this year than in any of the other tournaments,” said Miller Grove boys’ coach Sharman White . “We had won three straight and we played a much tougher schedule this year. We had more adversity to overcome


Education

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Accrediting agency said improvements still needed at DCSD by Daniel Beauregard [email protected] Ofcials from AdvanED, the DeKalb County School District’s (DCSD) accrediting agency, said even though the school system has made several positive changes, it still has more work to do. A panel from AdvancED, the parent corporation of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), presented its ndings to DCSD ofcials as part of the district’s veyear accreditation review. “The team that visited DeKalb makes a recommendation based on their review. The report then goes through a review process and has to be approved by the accreditation commission,” said Jennifer Oliver, a spokeswoman for AdvancED. Last year, DCSD’s accreditation status was placed on advisement after an AvancED report rec ommended the district work on eight key points, including hiring a new superintendent, implementing a new strategic plan and redistricting. Oliver said the accreditation commission would be

making its nal decision in visited “a sample” of 26 June as to whether DCSD schools and interviewed all would remain on advisenine DeKalb County Board ment. She said the panel of Education members, as found several areas where well as 443 teachers and DCSD needed “required ac- 139 administrators. Adtion.” ditionally, the team inter“Establish and enforce a viewed several hundred policy that board members parents and students. honor the chain of com“We do have areas where mand when communicating they want us to improve but with stakeholders,” was one it’s gratifying that SACS of the required actions, the and AdvancED understand report stated. Last year, the where we’re going, the didistrict’s search for a super- rection we’re going in and intendent was compromised they endorse that,” DeKalb when alleged leaks to the Schools spokesman Walter media by board members Woods said. caused nalist Lillie Cox to DCSD was commended withdraw her application. by the review team for hirOther areas of required ing a new superintendent action include conducting who has implemented a new an internal audit on the tech- strategic plan, increased nology available in schools district communication with across the district, develstakeholders has an “excepoping a new assessment tionally passionate and car program to monitor student ing” school-level leadership progress and communicate team. among stakeholders the dif“It’s an endorsement ferences among programs and an afrmation of the and nancial resources changes we’re making,” available to schools. Woods said. “Obviously we The review team based want to keep working with its assessment on a number them to get to full accreditaof factors, including schools tion…but our status is not visits, interviews with parin danger. So, we thought ents and teachers, and the it was very positive and the collecting and organizing superintendent made similar of assessment data. Accord- comments.” ing to the ndings, the team

Some of the AdvancED’s “Required Actions”: - An internal audit on the available technology across all schools in order to identify areas of need. - Ensure a robust district diagnostic assessment program (universal screener, progress monitoring probes and benchmarks included). Include a variety of formative assessment tasks and tools to monitor student progress. - Provide students with tools to monitor their success. - Establish a formal change management process for new system initiatives to address development, implementation, timeline, monitoring, communication, and evaluation effectiveness.

CITY OF CHAMBLEE, DEKALB, GA ADVERTISEMENT FOR INVITATION TO BID Sealed proposals for PEACHTREE ROAD STREETSCAPE PROJECT NUMBER: CSSTP- 0006-00(982) P.I. 0006982 for the Development Department , will be accepted at the Chamblee City Hall, 5468 Peachtree Road, Chamblee, GA, on Friday, April 6, 2012. All proposals submitted must be sealed, and received no later than 11:00 a.m. local (Eastern) time on the stated date. Proposers names will be publicly read at 11:05 a.m. on the stated due date at Chamblee City Hall at the above address. Scope of Work: The project consists of the construction of 6 foot wide sidewalk, and a 2 foot wide brick pavers along Peachtree Road, beginning at Chamblee Tucker Road and ending at Pierce Drive in Chamblee, Georgia, including, but not limited to, utility relocation, and installation of drainage system. All construction would meet ADA regulations. General instructions, specifications and/or plans for this project can be downloaded at the City of Chamblee Website, http://www.chambleega.com http://www.chambleega.com under “Government, Procurement Procurement Information”. Fee: Copies of the plans and specifications can be purchased for $50.00 per set A Pre-Bid Conference will be held on [March 23, 2012 at 11:00 a.m.] at the Chamblee City Hall to provide proposers with inf ormation regarding the project and to address any questions. If you have any questions regarding this project please contact Niles Ford, Chamblee City Manager, at 770-986-5013. Chamblee reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids and to waive technicalities.

My child is going to college at

Their tomorrow depends on your words today. Help complete your child’s future by encouraging them to get

.

The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 16 2012

Page 17A

,

Decatur Career Academy helps student realize dream of helping family by Daniel Beauregard [email protected] Lacrimioara Sava Cross, an 18-year-old junior at Decatur High School, is realizing her dream to become a midwife who with help from the school’s career academy. Lacree, as she is called, was born in Romania to a single mother—she was the sixth child. For two years her family struggled to care for her, until the government placed her in an orphanage. “I was only 13 pounds, which is very malnourished for a 2 year old, so the government came and took me,” Cross said. Several months later Lacree’s sister Andrea was born. She was immediately adopted by a Norwegian family. Lacree was adopted three years later at age 5 by a family who lived in Decatur. Her adoptive mother Stephany Cross later received paperwork from the adoption agency in Romania with information about Lacree’s past. “They accidentally gave her all of my birth family information, including information about my sister, so we’ve always been in contact,” Lacree said. Last summer, Lacree traveled to Romania to visit her birth family for the rst time. She spent two days in Bobata, the small village where she was born, and the rest of her two-week trip in Zaulo, a town several miles away. Her sister from Norway also came on the trip and it was the rst time they had met each other, and their birth-family. Lacree said it was this trip to Romania that made her want to become a midwife and then move back to that country to start her own practice. “When we went on our trip it was so life changing. I planned what my career was going to be around that,” Lacree said. “I wanted to go to school—I wanted to do well so I could go back and help my family. They have no water…they barely make enough money to get

and the family lives in mud houses,” Lacree said. When Lacree got back from her trip, she said she enrolled in the Decatur Career Academy, an extension of Decatur High School that enables students to take college-level courses while still in high school. “It’s amazing that almost 10 years later the dream I had, to do something with medicine, is coming true. A lot of it has to do with this program I’m in; without it a lot of stuff wouldn’t be possible. It’s given me a huge leg up in everything,” Lacree said. When she graduates from Decatur High School, Lacree will have a twoyear associate’s degree in health sciences from Devry University. She said she plans to enroll in nursing school at Kennesaw State University, then train to become a midwife. Additionally, part of Devry’s program requires health science students to complete an internship, which Lacree said would be an added benet to her resume. “The greatest part about it—even though it’s also hands-on—is that it’s completely free. [I] even calculated that it would be $45,000 for four years of Devry. So, the fact that [I] did two years of that for free is amazing,” Lacree said. Lacree said she is grateful to make a career in something she really loves and that she had the opportunity to accomplish it by attending the career academy. She said after traveling to Romania it wasn’t a difcult decision. “If you nd that one thing you love and you want it to be your career, go for it, even if it’s hard at times and you want to quit. Trust me, I’ve had that feeling but it gets better at the end,” Lacree said. Lacree also said she is planning to write a book about her and her fami ly’s experiences. “The even chapters are going to be my life from adoption and up; the odd chapters are going to be Andrea in Norway from

last few chapters are going to be how all the little bits and pieces came together. It’s going to be a panorama of all the families and the title is either going to be jigsaw or puzzle pieces,” Lacree said. Lacrimioara Sava Cross, middle, stands with her mother Florica Sava during a tearful homecoming. Last year Cross, who was adopted from a Romanian orphanage at age 5, traveled back to the country and visited her birth family for the first time. Photo provided

SETTInG THE STAnDArD oF EXCEllEnCE In PArEnTAl PArEnTAl InVol I nVolVEMEnT VEMEnT Educag, Egagig, ad Empweig Paets Paets Tite I Aua Meeg: Paeta Ivvemet Ivvemet Cfeece Cfeece Satuday, Mach 17, 2012 8:00 a.m. t 1:00 p.m. Ste Mutai Midde Sch 4301 Sa Pakway, Ste Mutai, GA 30083

ConFErEnCE HIGHlIGHTS • Keyte Speake: Speake: D D.. Je Ma – Paeta Paeta Ivvemet Ivvemet ad Hw it Aects Yu Chide’s Educaa Success • Test-Takig Test-Takig Stategy Wkshps: Math, readig ad laguage Ats  a Gade leves • Specia Educa Wkshps • Eay Chidhd Wkshps f Pe-K ad K • laguage Tasats/Itepetes Tasats/Itepetes • Tite I Paeta Ivvemet Ivvemet Picy ad Budget • Chid Cae f Sch-Aged Chide • Specia Wkshps f Midde ad High Sch Studets • Exhibits fm: DeKab Cuty Schs, Cmmuity Agecies Agecies ad Educaa Cmpaies • light efeshmets wi be seved • D Pizes (Dated by Exhibits) F addia ifma, ctact Jackie Masha, Chaipes at 678-676-0376  by emai: Jackie_Masha@fc.dekab.k12.ga.us Jackie_Masha@fc.dekab.k12.ga.us


Business

Page 18A

Chuy’s restaurant offers fresh Chuy’s Tex-Mex in a playful setting by Kathy Mitchell [email protected] Chuy’ss Mexican restaurant prides Chuy’ itself on its whimsical atmosphere— tiles that don’t match, bright uncoordinated colors, hubcaps hanging from the ceiling and a black velvet Elvis portrait that’s the centerpiece for the Elvis “shrine.” One of the newest additions to the Chuy’ss chain, started 30 years ago Chuy’ in Texas, opened in December 2011 in Dunwoody. It too has a number of playful touches, including an open car trunk of help-yourself chips and sauces and a bar decorated with framed photos of customers’ dogs. Folks at Chuy’s say the only thing they take seriously is the food. “We’re lunatics about quality,” said area supervisor John Mountford. “Everything is made fresh. There’s not one thing on the menu that comes in pre-made. We don’t even have a freezer, except a small one for ice cream. The tortillas come in as our; the salsa comes in as fresh vegetables. We even grate the cheese here,” he said. Mountford said that many Tex Tex-Mex -Mex restaurant chains start with a freshfood philosophy, but at some point start cutting corners. “Chuy’s has been around for 30 years and we haven’t diluted our commitment to quality in any way. There probably are things we could compromise on, but we don’t know which ones would matter to our customers, so we don’t compromise anything,” he said. A veteran of the restaurant business, Mountford said when he was introduced to Chuy’s by its CEO, a friend of his, he was taken not only with the food, but also with the corporate philosophy, philosophy, which is that the business is operated to the benet of all involved—employees, customers, vendors. The hand-painted hand-painted original art has become its own industry for some small villages in Mexico, he said. One has built the local economy on the Chuy’ss hand-carved and painted sh. Chuy’ Mountford said he went to Texas and submerged himself in the business for a while, learning every job and attending every every opening. He said he knew that he wanted to open a Chuy’s in the Atlanta area and when the property near Perimeter Mall that had been Fire of Brazil became available, he jumped on it. “We needed a large building with lots of parking space and that’s not always easy to nd,” he said. Making sure customers have an enjoyable experience is at the heart of everything Chuy’s does, Mountford said. “If a customer wants something different from the way it’s presented on the menu we do what we can to

gluten-free meal—and when you think of gluten-free, you normally don’t think of Mexican food—we’ll do that for them. We like to say, ‘why say no, when you can say yes?’” Mountford said he was pleased to discover that Atlantans are adventurous and sophisticated in their food tastes. He said sometimes customers come to Tex-Mex Tex-Me x restaurants expecting to nd everything covered in “that same thin red sauce.” “We have a wide variety of sauces and food like the best of what you’d nd served at home in south Texas. It’s light and fresh and won’t leave you with that heavy feeling that people sometimes associate with Mexican food. I’m glad to see so many customers who appreciate that,” he said. Mountford said the restaurants are designed to be welcoming for the entire family. “We love children,” he said, pointing out such touches as the halfhidden monkeys and iguanas in the décor that children have fun—and can even win a free dessert—looking for. Among the restaurant chain’s several sayings is “If you’ve seen one Chuy’s, you’ve seen one Chuy’s.” That’s Chuy’s ofcials’ way of saying that although they’re a chain each restaurant is unique. Each ownermanager decorates according to his own whims and even customizes the menu based on customer preferences. There are signature dishes available at all Chuy’s restaurants and customers can count on nding an eclectic décor that features bright colors, original Mexican art, hand-carved sh, hanging hubcaps and an Elvis shrine. As with most aspects of Chuy’s, there’s a story behind the décor. The original Chuy’s was started on the cheap in an abandoned building that had once been a barbecue joint. Instead of carefully selecting tiles and paints, the owners bought marked-down odds and ends then covered a ceiling that was in need of refurbishing with used hubcaps. At the end of the process, they had $20 left in their decorating budget. They used it to buy two black velvet portraits—one of Stevie Wonder and one of Elvis Presley. Customers started donating Elvis memorabilia to go with the portrait and thus the Elvis shrine has become one of the restaurant’s signatures. As to the name Chuy’s—that’s a story, too. On one of the early buying trips to Mexico, the owners discovered that Chuy is an oft-used nickname for one of the most common names in Mexico, Jesus (pronounced HEYHEYzoos). “Sometime when you don’t know a fellow’s name, you might say, ‘hey, Chuy,’ the way we might say, ‘hey, Mack.’ They decided that would

John Mountford says making sure customers have an enjoyable experience is at the heart of everything Chuy’s Chuy’s does.

An open car trunk of chips and sauces is one of the fun touches at Chuy’s.

The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 16 2012

Page 19A

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Page 20A


Around ATLANTA John Bell to lead evening of song at Emory

Emory University’s Cannon Chapel will be the site of an evening of song that “promises to be an extraordinary experience that will bring out ways of singing that people don’t even know they have within themselves,” according to an announcement from the university. Hymn writer John Bell, who travels throughout the world to equip congregational leaders and members to delve more deeply into worship and scripture, will lead the event Tuesday, March 20, at 7:30 p.m. Bell’s appearance at Emory is part of Candler School of Theology’s conference “The Singing Church,” a three-day program on the current practices and emerging trends of congregational song. General admission tickets to the John Bell event are $20. Students are admitted free with a current student ID. IHM hosts Fair Trade Sale

Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic School will host its spring Fair Trade Sale on March 23, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Fairly traded gifts, jewelry, scarves and other handcrafted items as well as fair-trade coffee, tea and chocolate will be available. All items are from developing regions around the world. For 12 years IHM students, alumni, teachers and parents have volunteered their time to sponsor the event. The sales are part of the Work of Human Hands program, a partnership between Catholic Relief Services and SERRV, nonprofit organizations dedicated to fighting poverty. Every purchase made enables an artisan or farmer in a developing nation to better provide for the basic necessities of life, to educate her or his children and to work in a safe environment. For more information contact Carmen S. Graciaa, IHM School director of faith formation and Catholic Relief Services trade ambassador at (404) 636-4488, ext. 237, or email at cgraciaa@ [email protected] ihmschool.org..

AVONDALE ESTATES Family Fun Day planned at Museum School

The Family Fun Fitness Day will be held March 17, 10 a.m.3 p.m. at The Museum School. Food, physical activities for all ages, health screenings and educationall sessions will be availeducationa able. Attendees can purchase fresh produce from local farmers and sample food from gourmet chefs. Activities Activities for children include fitness demos, drills and relays, rock climbing, an obstacle course, a bounce house, face painting and and more. Also, screenings will be done for blood pressure, glucose and Body Mass index. Admission is $5 per person. Senior citizens and those attending only for the screenings will be admitted free. For more information, visit familyfunfitnessday.com or e-mail tms.pto@themuse [email protected]. The Museum School is at 3191 Covington Highway in Avondale Estates.

DECATUR History center to hold fundraiser

The DeKalb History Center is holding a fundraiser auction, Friday, March 23, 6 - 8:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Historic DeKalb Courthouse, 101 East Court Square, Decatur. The event, which is free and open to the public, features an evening of food, wine, beer and music during which guests bid on a wide variety of items donated by more than 160 local businesses. The master of ceremonies for the evening is local talent Widdi Turner. Local library to hold debt clinics

A debt clinic for those struggling with debt or being sued for a debt and have questions about how to respond, will be held at two Decatur libraries. The clinic will cover how the process works and what the debtor’s rights are. Representatives Representativ es of the DeKalb

deKAlb for people who are being sued in consumer debt cases in DeKalb County. There will be an opportunity for short one-on-one conversations with the attorneys present. Participants are requested to bring all documents related to their cases. The clinics will be Tuesday, March 27, 5:30 - 7 p.m., at the Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore Street, Decatur, where the phone number is (404) 370-3070.

issues. Stonecrest Library is located at 3123 Klondike Road, Lithonia. For more information, call (770) 482-3828.

Area seniors invited to St. Patrick’s celebration

Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, located at 821 Third St., Stone Mountain, will host its annual Family and Friends Day on Sunday, March 18, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The Rev. Jeanette Jackson, associate pastor of Saint Philip A.M.E. Church in Atlanta will preach during the regular 10 a.m. worship service. service. The 3 p.m. p.m. worship service will feature inspiration by the Rev. W.W. Morris, pastor of the Philadelphia Baptist Church in Atlanta. The Rev. Dr. Nathaniel Hercules, senior pastor of Saint Paul Worship Center in Lithonia, is the guest preacher. Musical selections will be provided by the choirs of Philadelphia Baptist Church and the Saint Paul Worship Center. Dinner will be served between services from 1 - 3 p.m. For more information, contact event co-chairs, James and Winsome Bond, at (770) 469-4995.

The Regency House independent retirement community, located at 341 Winn Way in Decatur, invites the area seniors to its free St. Patrick’s Day weekend events March 16-18. Events include an Irish stew supper on March 16 at 5:30 p.m., an Irish lunch with traditional favorites on March 17 at 12:30 p.m., and a Luck of the Irish party with refreshments and arm-chair travel on March 18 at 7 p.m. To RSVP, call The Regency House at (404) 296-1152. Animal Services offers adoption special

DeKalb County Animal Services is offering a St. Patrick’s Day adoption special through Saturday, March 17. The special runs March 15-16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., and on March 17, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the DeKalb Animal Services and Enforcement Center, 845 Camp Road in Decatur. Adoptions are $60 and include spaying and neutering, vaccinations, de-worming, and HW or FIV/FeLV testing. To view animals available for adoption, visit www. dekalbcountyanimalservices.com. For additional information, contact DeKalb County Animal Services at (404) 294-2996.

LITHONIA Library to hold social networking program

Stonecrest Library has announced that it will hold a program called Social Networking Round Table for Parents, Tuesday, March 13, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Parents and their teens are invited to explore social networks

STONE MOUNTAIN Church to hold Family and Friends Day

Stone Mountain pastor receives sabbatical grant

The Reverend Orea G. Parker, pastor of Saint Paul African er, Methodist Episcopal Church in Stone Mountain, is among 45 grant recipients selected to participate in The Louisville Institute’s Sabbaticall Grant for Pastoral Sabbatica Leaders program. A pool of 434 applicants from across the United States and Canada applied for the grant. Parker was included among this year’s grantees for a sabbatical plan titled Grounded and Rejuvenated. Founded in 1990 as a center for research on and leadership development for North American religion, the Louisville Institute seeks to nurture inquiry and conversation regarding the character, problems, contributions and prospects of the historic institutions of

Sports


Page 21A

Columbia does it again Boys and girls continue basketball dynasty with state titles by Matt Amato

Tahj Shamsid Deen scored 17 points for Columbia.

Nearly a two-hour drive from DeKalb County, the city of Macon has become a showcase for the county’s most prolic basketball dynasty. For the third year in a row, the Columbia High School boys’ team won the Class AAA state basketball championship. The Eagles became the rst school since Macon’s Lanier in the 1940s to win ve titles over a seven-year span. For coach Phil McCrary, who holds the distinction of the most wins in DeKalb County history, familiarity with glory showed no creeping signs of apathy. The hard-fought 65-46 victory over Drew was his sixth state championship. McCrary reached the 500-win plateau last season. “They stepped up and did the things they were capable of doing to pull it out,” he said in tribute of his players, whose respectful postgame composure was noted by a few court onlookers. “We’ve pushed for that goal to stay ahead.” Saturday started according to plan. The girls wasted little time in stamping their mark, racing into a 33-16 halftime lead that ballooned to 42-28 by the third quarter’s nish. Senior Kadeeja Vaughn had a performance to savor in her last Columbia outing, scoring 19 points with 18 rebounds. The Lady Eagles (24-5) went on a 13-0 run to start the fourth quarter to put the game away as ve different players scored. Alisha Gray ended the Washington County (31-1) drought with a 3-pointer with 48 seconds remaining and Columbia ahead 55-31. Miah Spencer, who handled the tough job of defending Gray for much of the night, scored 15 points for Columbia. Point guard Zuri Frost added nine points and was instrumental in consistently breaking the Washington County press. The fourth quarter was a partying procession.

the chanting from the stands began in earnest. A favorite: “We’re number one…we’re number one!” “It’s sweet, it really is sweet,” said jubilant girls coach Chantay Frost moments after ousting Washington County 57-33 in the nal. “We played hard, we had intensity and got the job done.” Frost led Columbia to its rst girls state basketball title in 2010. But if the mood was initiated by the girls, the boys showed up like wallowers. Their opponent, Drew, was intent on stiing Columbia’s offense by playing ugly. It worked for much of the rst half. Despite being ahead 32-22 entering the third quarter, the Eagles were nowhere near at their ruthless best. And having missed a slew of foul shots early in the fourth quarter, their lead slimmed to 49-43 with 4:46 remaining. That’s when they rediscovered their championship mettle. Tahj Shamsid-Deen Shamsid-De en sank four straight free throws to help seal the win. For team member Jhasutin Thomas, his teammates had to nd another gear to outlast Drew in a test of nerves. “Most teams don’t get to do this,” he said. “I was thinking, don’t give up—we can win.” McCray was animated throughout the topsyturvy fourth quarter. “We lost our composure down the stretch but ended up gaining it back,” he said. “I always tell the guys, ‘what legacy do you want to leave? Do you want to go out as winners or do you want to go out as runners up?’” Shamsid-Deen nished with a game-high 17 points and was joined in double gures by Thomas with 10. Seniors Damian Goodwin and Chris Horton added 10 rebounds each in the game they dominated on the boards 40-18. With six rings and players like Shamsid-Deen only a junior, there’s every reason to believe that the Eagles and their legacy will be around to for a long


Sports

Page 22A

Family affair: Miller Grove’s girls join boys’ team as state champions by Robert Naddra [email protected]

M

Minutes after Miller Grove won its rst girls state basketball championship, there was a bonding moment a long time coming. As the players and coaches walked off the court March 9 at Gwinnett Arena and into a walkway leading to the locker room, they were met by players and coaches from the Miller Grove boys’ team. The Wolverines were minutes away from attempting to win their fourth straight Class AAAA state title. Standing in a single le line, each player extended a hand and with a smile congratulated their female counterparts after a 46-39 win over Southwest DeKalb in the girls’ AAAA nal. “It was celebrating time,” said boys coach Sharman White, after hugging girls coach Renee Breedlove. “That gave us some extra mojo for our game. If it’s good for the girls, then it’s good for us. We didn’t want them to be No. 1 and not us.” White and his team didn’t disappoint. The Wolverines survived a physical game against Southwest DeKalb to win 62-57 for their fourth consecutive championship. Westover Westover was the last team to accomplish that feat from 1990-93. “Wee should be having a parade,” “W White said of the sweep. “These are two quality programs and we both nished the drill.” It proved to be no easy task for either team. The Miller Grove boys had beaten rival Southwest DeKalb three previous times this season, all by six points. Southwest made up a three-point halftime decit to lead by as many as ve points in the second half. The game turned when the Panthers’ William Goodwin fouled out with 3:31 to play and his team ahead 49-48. The Wolverines responded by making 14 of 18 free throws the rest of the way. wa y. “It was a big point of emphasis for us to go after [Goodwin],” said Miller Grove’s Tony Parker Par ker. “We had to.” Said White: “He’s a great player and if we take out someone like that it limits what a team can do. When he fouled out it gave us that extra edge we needed.” Parker led with 21 points and 13 rebounds while Justin Colvin added 17 points. Goodwin fouled out with 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Panthers. In the girls’ game, Miller Grove opened up a 30-13 halftime lead and still was ahead by 15 after three quarters. The Wolverines survived a fourth-quarter rally by the Panthers who trimmed the decit to seven points. Klarissa Weaver led the Wolverines with 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Tabitha Fudge had 11 points and 10 re bounds. Southwest forced 26 turnovers in its attempt to rally for its fourth state title in ve seasons. The Panthers won three straight from 2008-10 and had a streak of 19 straight state playoff wins snapped in the nal. “It’s awesome to be able to follow

“We’re family and they all support each “We’re other.” The girls’ players point to a weekend at a tournament in Naples, Fla., over holiday break that helped them come together as a team. The boys’ had a similar experience last season. “That’s when we bonded,” senior Fudge said. “I came out at the beginning of the season and told them I was going to give my all and asked them to do the same.” While Miller Grove’s boys’ team had ve seniors, including all-American Parker, Colvin, and Georgia signee Brandon Morris , the girls’ team earned their title with only one senior—post player Fudge who has signed a scholarship to High Point University in North Carolina. “We plan to win it again next year,” Weaver said. “W “ We have a strong program and coach Breedlove does a great job. We love our coach. She has made everybody a better player.” For the boys, Parker and some of the other seniors end their high school careers a perfect 20-0 in postseason games. “We learned how to ght and keep our heads up this season,” Parker said. “I’ve been able to play with ve players who I love and 17 players who have all been together for a long time. This cham pionship is absolutely the most special.”


Sports

Page 23A

DeKalb High School Sports Highlights BASEBALL

GIRLS SOCCER

Dunwoody: The Wildcats went 3-0 last week with wins

St. Pius: The No.1-ranked Golden Lions improved to 6-0 with two shutouts. Caroline Wootten scored three goals in a 6-0 win over Grady and Amanda Vocelka scored ve goals in a 10-0 win over North Atlanta.

over Centennial (10-0), Arabia Mountain (10-1) and Cherokee (15-5). Jerric Johnson and James Farnell each had two hits against Centennial and Jared Martin drove in two runs. Johnson had three stolen bases and Farnell had an RBI. Logan Elliot was the winning pitcher, allowing one hit over six innings. Against Arabia Mountain, Eric Yost had three RBIs. James Cunningham pitched a one-hitter and struck out seven in six innings. Against Against Cherokee, Martin had three hits, including a home run, and ve RBIs. Adam Julian and Will Hudgins each had two hits and Johnson had two RBIs. Marist: The War Eagles dropped three close games last week and fell to 1-6 on the season. Griffin Davis drove

in two runs in the War Eagles’ 6-3 loss to Fernandina Beach (Fla). Marist also lost 2-1 to Brookwood and 3-1 to Parkview. Jordan Baker took the loss against Brookwood, despite allowing four hits and two runs in ve innings. He also struck out four. Anthony Sherlag drove in the War Eagles’ only run. Davis also drove in the only run against Parkview and Sean Guenther was the losing pitcher.

BOYS SOCCER St. Pius: The Golden Lions got two shutout wins, beating Grady 3-0 and North Atlanta 6-0. Ryan Heard scored two goals against Grady and J.D. Mango had two goals

against North Atlanta.

the boys meet, Amos Harper of Stephenson won the shot put and Peterson Cheridor of Columbia placed rst in the discus. Lakeside won the 1,600 sprint medley. Second-place nishers for the Vikings were Brent Reynolds (800) and Austin Sanders (high jump). Eagle’s Landing Chick-fil-A Invitational, McDonough

Cedar Grove placed second in the girls meet and third in the boys meet. Individual winners for the girls’ were Christian Pryor (800), Kayla Pryor (300 hurdles), Amber Townsend (triple jump) and Angel Davis (discus). Marlon Coley won the 200 for the Cedar Grove boys. Running With the Devils Invitational, Loganville

TRACK & FIELD Eagles Early Bird Invitational, at North Clayton

The Stephenson girls and the Lakeside boys won team titles. In the girls meet, Kaliah Neal won the long jump for Stephenson, the Jaguars’ only individual title. Second-place nishers for Stephenson were Jessica McCall (100 and 300 meter hurdles), Ashandria Henry (discus) and Amber Davis (shot put). The Jaguars also placed second in both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. First-place nishers for the Lakeside girls were Meghan Wetterhall (3,200), Carla Larotta (pole vault) and Leah Chisolm (triple jump). The Vikings also won the sprint relay. In

Southwest DeKalb won the girls meet while Redan placed second seco nd in the girls’ and boys’ meets. Three participartici pants from county schools won two individual events in the girls’ meet. For Southwest, Demetria Dickens won the discus and shot put, while Greciana Cooper placed rst in the 800 and 3,200. Also, Ariel Walker won the long jump for the Panthers. India Hammond of Redan won the triple jump and the 100 hurdles. In the boys meet, both Southwest and Redan had two individual winners. For Southwest, Malik Wheeler won the 1,600 and Christopher Morris nished rst in the 300 hurdles. First-place winners for Redan were Jamar Sims (long jump) and Troy Howard (110 hurdles).

Four records fall as Chamblee, Henderson win track championships by Mark Brock The Chamblee girls’ and Henderson boys’ claimed the 2012 DeKalb County Middle School track titles March 13 at Panthersvillee Stadium as four meet records fell. Panthersvill Chamblee claimed the girls’ title by edging out Peachtree 69.50 to 66 with Henderson a close third with 63 points. It was Chamblee’s third middle school championship in the past four seasons, having won in 2009 and 2010. Venida ida Faga n won the 200 meFor the Chamblee girls, Ven ters in a time of 25.74 and then took the 400 in 58.63. Peachtree picked up three gold medals: 4x100 relay, Lauren Jackson in the 800 (2:29.64) and Ansley Heavern in the 1600 (5:37.66). Henderson’s third place nish was paced by Ly’ric Bolden’s victory in the long jump (15-11). Columbia nished fourth four th over in the girls’ standings with 49 points led by wins in the 100 by Alexandra Andrews (12.73) and the sprint medley team ‘B’ with a meet record of 1:53.74, breaking the record of 1:54.15 set by Columbia in 2011. Cedar Grove’s Jazmine Johnson won the triple jump with a new record of 39 feet, 8 inches, breaking the old record of 37-4.5 by Tanycia Wooden of Chapel Hill (2008). Stephenson’s Kimberly Molden was second with a jump of 37-10. Henderson claimed its second consecutive boys’ track championship in a tight 62-60 battle with Stephenson. The Henderson had two individual champions— Denzel Harper in the long jump (19-10.5) and Davis Stockwell in the 1600 (4:55.56). Brandon Hines was Stephenson’s lone individual cham pion with a time of 2:07.57 in the 800. The Jaguars also placed second in the 400, 1600 and 800 sprint medley relays. Chapel Hill was third in the team standings with 47 points, with rst-place nishes in the 400 relay (45.38) and a record-setting performance of 1:39.28 in the 800 sprint medley, breaking Sequoyah’s record of 1:41.78 set in 2011. Freedom was fourth overall with 37 points as the A relay team won gold in the 1600 relay in a time of 3:42.83. Cedar Grove was fth with 36 points as record-setting Korey Banks won both the 100 and 200. Banks broke the 200 record of 23.21 set by Byron Walker of Champion in the 2008 meet

Page 24A


Tucker football coach accepts job at Lamar County

Franklin Stephens. Photo by Travis Hudgons

by Robert Naddra [email protected]

Atlanta. Lamar County had its best season in school history last ucker coach season at 12-1 and has qualied for the state Franklin Ste playoffs three consecuphens has accepted the head coachtive years. ing job at Lamar County Stephens is the fth in Barnesville, south of DeKalb County School

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District football coach to leave since the end of last season. A former assistant coach at Camden County,, Stephens held County his rst head coaching position at Tucker. He was 64-6 in ve seasons with two state cham pionships. He brought the school its rst state football championship in 2008 and followed up with another state title in 2011. News of the move hit Stephens’ Facebook page late on March 7. Jonathan Vaughters , father of former line backer James Vaughters, who is now a freshman at Stanford, wrote “Congratulations Coach Franklin Stephens! Glad to see a great coach, good man and a good friend get a great, new opportunity! Thanks for your commitment, passion and leadership over the last 5 years. 2 Championships and 64-6. Unbelievable!”

Three county schools have lled foot ball coaching vacancies recently.. Former Henry recently County coach Mike Rozier has been hired to replace interim coach Marcus Mitchell at Lakeside and Marcus Johnson has been hired to replace James Soza at Chamblee. Johnson was an assistant with the Bulldogs last season and this will be his rst head coaching job. Also, Terrance Amos has been hired to replace Clinton Lawrence at Redan. Lawrence was 8-12 in two seasons at Redan. Amos was a former assistant in the county. Columbia is searching to replace Mario Allen, who took the head football coaching job at Rockdale County. Allen was 15-16 in three seasons at Columbia, but led the Eagles to a 6-5 record in 2011 and their rst state playoff berth since 2005.

The Champion chooses a male and female high school scho ol Athlete of the Week each week throughout the school year. The choices are based on performance and nominations by coaches. Please e-mail nominations to robert@ dekalbchamp.com by Monday at noon. MALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Tony Parker, Miller Grove (basketball): The senior had 51 points and 24 rebounds in the nal two games to help the Wolverines win their fourth straight AAAA state basketball title. Parker had 21 points and 13 rebounds in the 6257 win over Southwest DeKalb in the championship. FEMALE ATHLETE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Kadeeja Vaughn, Columbia (basketball): The senior had 19 points and 18 rebounds, including 12 points in the second quarter, to help Columbia defeat No. 1 Washington County 57-33 for the girls’ Class AAA state championship. It was the Eagles’ second title in the past three seasons.

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Free Press 3-16-12

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