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    www.championnewspaper.com

    WWW.CHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.COM FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2013 VOL. 15, NO. 51 FREE

    FREEPRESS 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.

    Miller Grove High School boys basketball head coach Sharman White, center, raises the Class AAAAA championship trophyand five fingers indicating the teams fifth championship title. Photos by Travis Hugdons

    FIVE GOLDEN RINGS

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    www.twitter.com/championnewsLike Us On Follow Us On

    Miller Grove makeshistory winning fifthconsecutive state titleby Carla [email protected]

    Nobody gave them a chance.Those were the words that MillerGrove High School boys basketballhead coach Sharman White saidas he celebrated his teams fth

    consecutive state title, a rst in statehistory.Many people didnt expect the

    Miller Grove Wolverines to maket back to the winners circle afterosing some of its top players from

    previous championship teams thatncluded Tony Parker, Brandon

    Morris, Justin Colvin, Donte Wil-iams, Mfon Udoa and others. Buthe 2012-2013 squad proved they

    are as good as the schools otherchampionship teams after they ral-ied back to beat the Gainesville

    Red Elephants 61-57 in the ClassAAAAA state championship onMarch 8.

    The Wolverines won the stateitle in its rst season in Class

    AAAAA. They won the previ-ous four championships in ClassAAAA. White said he couldnt bemore proud of his team.

    The way they stuck in there allyear and hung 30 wins up on theeason and to top it off with this

    game right here and the way theywon it, Im just so proud of them,he said. They did a great job.

    Miller Grove had to rally backfrom a seven-point decit at halfime to beat Gainesville. Gainesville

    kept the Wolverines on their toes

    with fastbreaks, three-point shoot-ing and dunks. However, the RedElephants fast paced play didntcatch the Wolverines off guard.

    We play like that, White said.Weve been able to play like thatall year long and that kind of playedinto our handsthat fast game. Wewere kind of able to take advantageof that with their little spurts, try-ing to go up and down with us, andit allowed us to play defense andmake some stops.

    Junior point guard Keith Pinck-ney got the ball rolling in the thirdquarter eight points while senior

    shooting guard Earl Bryant scoredsix points, four off of offensive re-bound put backs. Freshman pointguard Alterique Gilbert added sev-en points to help Miller Grove gaina 41-39 lead into the fourth quarter.

    Miller Grove played aggressive-ly both offensively and defensivelyin the fourth. They scored 36 pointsin the paint in the second half afterscoring only 12 points in the rsthalf. They also forced 11 turnoversin the second half after forcing veturnovers in the rst half.

    However, Gainesville continuedto battle back. The lead changed

    nine times in the fourth quarter be-fore Bryant took a long pass downcourt from senior shooting guardKyre Hamer for a fast break bas-ket that put Miller Grove up 50-49with 4:54 to play. Bryants basketwas part of an 8-2 run by the Wol-verines, which also included sixpoints from Gilbert to give MillerGrove a 56-51 lead with two min-utes to play.

    Gainesvilles Chase Englandscored four points off two offensiverebounds to pull Gainesville backwithin 56-55 with 1:12 remaining.

    After Miller Grove forced a few

    turnovers, Bryant hit two of fourfree throws and Gilbert hit one oftwo to make it a 59-55 lead with 33seconds to play. Bryant said he hadno doubt in his mind that his freethrows were going in.

    Im a senior and its on myshoulders, he said. I had to makesure going through my mind that[the ball was] going in.

    Gainesville was able to pullback within two points, 59-57, witha couple of free throws. After aMiller Grove turnover, GainesvillesCaleb Hayman had a chance totie the game with two free throws.

    Hayman missed both free throwsand Hamer rebounded and foundGilbert streaking down the court foran easy basket to clinch the 61-57victory.

    Gilbert led the team in scoringwith 19 points. Pinckney scored 14points and Bryant scored 13 points.Bryant said it felt good to win andprove all of the doubters wrong.

    It was long, hard work dur-ing and before the season, he said.People doubted us but we knewwere going to win.

    Miller Groves fth consecutivestate title set a Georgia boys high

    school record, pushing the Wolver-ines past Lanier (16 state titles) andWestover (six state titles), both ofwhich had won four consecutive ti-tles. The victory also moved MillerGrove into a 10th place tie for all-time state championships in Georgiaand into a tie with Columbia for theDeKalb County lead.

    [This championship] goesdown as one of the top ones outof all the other groups becausethis group wasnt given a chance,White said. Im just so proud ofthem.

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    The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 15, 2013 Page 2ALOCAL NEWS

    More trees to be saved by Brook RunPark trail construction modifcations

    Black leaders oppose governors move toreplace school board members

    DeKalb Chamber of Commerce2013 Newcomers Guide & Membership Directory

    To place your ad, contact John or Louise at The Champion Newspaper!

    Reserve your advertising space now to show support of 75 years of

    service to the business community of DeKalb.

    Deadline for ad placement and payment is Friday, April 19, 2013.

    Publication date is May 2013!

    Louise Acker

    [email protected]: 404.579.5312

    O: 404.373.7779 x 102

    John Hewitt

    [email protected]: 404.373.7779 x 110

    by Carla [email protected]

    The city of Dunwoody planso save 80 trees for the Brook

    Run Park multi-use trail.In a press release posted

    on the citys website, a cityofcial said the Georgia

    Environmental ProtectionDivision (EPD) approveda plan that allows for theemoval of all 337 trees

    within the trail constructionimits. However, the city

    made modications that willallow for the preservation ofapproximately 25 percent, or80 of the 337 trees identiedfor removal.

    The city will continue tomake efforts to preserve thesedentied trees, however,he city acknowledges some

    may need to be removedat a future point in time if

    he construction equipmentactivity damages tree and roottructures, the press releaseead.

    City crews have begunlearing trees to makeoom for the 12-foot-wideoncrete and 3.3-mile longrail after a DeKalb County

    Superior Court judge liftedan injunction that was placedon the project on Dec. 13,2012. The trail is designedas a recreational facility topromote connectivity betweenity parks, neighborhoods,

    and area business.The city has also begunnstalling silt fencing aroundhe construction site. After thelearing work, the city willnstall tree save fencing

    for trees outside of theonstruction limits. The treeave fencing will ensurehat equipment operates candentify trees that are not to beouched.

    The city will continue tomanage all trail constructionactivities occurring on-

    site, city ofcials said inthe statement. City staffare monitoring site activity,with plans in hand, to ensureonly those trees previouslyidentied and tagged forremoval are removed.

    On March 1, the EPDvisited the site to inspect the

    erosion and sedimentationcontrol measures installedby the city crews. The EPDinspector concluded that thecity was going above andbeyond state requirements tomanage the construction sitesuccessfully, according to cityofcials.

    The city said recentconcerns raised by citizensobserving the constructionregarding the allegedimproper removal of anAmerican Beech Tree wereshown to be false.

    The city removed a 24-

    inch American Beech treethat was clearly identiedin the plans to be removed,ofcials said. Only treesapproved to be removed in theconstruction plans have beencleared.

    The city has also eldedquestions regarding the trailsencroachment into the states25-foot stream buffer. Basedon the EPD recommendations,the city will provideadditional mulch and slightlyadjust the position of the siltfence to an area of about 20

    yards to accommodate properbuffer distance.Brook Run Park remains

    the largest park in Dunwoodywith a total of 102 acresand an estimated 60 acresof wooded park space,including an estimated 12,000trees. The pre-constructiontrail assessment determinedphase one of the multi-use trail would only affectapproximately 2 percent ofthe trees in the park.

    PUBLIC NOTICE

    Notice is hereby given that the City of Brookhavenhas tentatively scheduled the 2013 budget adoption

    at 6pm on March 26, 2013 during the scheduled Councilmeeting that evening at PATH Academy, Cafeteria,

    3007 Hermance Drive NE, GA 30319.

    by Andrew [email protected]

    Black leaders spent an

    hour March 11 giving Gov.NathanDeal their thoughtson his decision to removeand replace six DeKalbCounty Board of Educationmembers.

    Our message to the gov-ernor was clear: we believethat the right of the people tochoose their elected officialsshould never be tamperedwith, said EdwardDubose,

    president of the GeorgiaNAACP, after the meeting atthe Capitol.

    Dubose said Black lead-ers were not speaking on

    whether the school boardmembers deserve to be in

    place or not.Thats not the issue,

    Dubose said. The issue iswhether a governor shouldact like a dictator, whethera governor should have thesingle power to remove

    someone that was elected bythe people.

    We believe the governoris going to move forward in

    his direction, but we made itclear that we would continueto fight on to stop what we

    believe is an attack on ourvery sacred right, Dubosesaid.

    In a Feb. 25 news confer-ence, Deal announced thathe had accepted the unani-mous recommendation of theGeorgia Board of Education(GBOE) to remove six mem-

    bers of the DeKalb schoolboard.

    The DeKalb CountyBoard of Education has beenunder scrutiny since the

    school district was placed onaccreditation probation bySouthern Association of Col-leges and Schools (SACS),the agency that accredits theschool district through its

    parent company, AdvancED.GBOE unanimously rec-

    ommended to Deal to remove

    DeKalb school board mem-bers SarahCopelin-Wood,Jesse Jay Cunningham,Donna Elder, Nancy Jester,

    Pamela A. Speaks and Eu-gene P. Walker.Only the newly elected

    board members, chairmanMelvinJohnson, vice chair-man JimMcMahan andMarshallOrson, remain intheir positions.

    Deal formed a nominat-ing committee to recommendreplacement board members.That committee considered403 applicants to the posi-tions and interviewed ap-

    proximately 60 people. Thegovernor was expected toannounce the replacement

    board members during aMarch 13 press conference.

    Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler (D-93) said lawmak-ers are very disappointedthat Deal removed the school

    board members.We believe that every-

    body has one vote, Haigler

    See Leaders on Page 11A

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    Page 3A The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 15, 2013

    Casanova scammerndicted for identitytheft, fraud

    Instead of city, businesses form CID

    Fake DeKalb cop sentenced on drug, robbery charges

    uTucker

    by Daniel [email protected]

    A DeKalb Countygrand jury has indicted anAlabama man known ashe Casanova scammer

    on charges of forgery anddentity fraud for allegedlycamming women he met

    online.

    Brian Wedgeworth, 37,of Birmingham, is chargedwith two counts of forgery,dentity fraud and driving

    with a suspended license.DeKalb District Attorney

    Robert James said hisofce sees a lot of casesnvolving fraud and romance

    but has never seen one quiteike Wedgeworths.

    Its unique becauset appears to be sort of ahell game, James said.

    He would borrow moneyfrom one woman to pay off

    another womans debts.Wedgeworth waspreviously arrested inDeKalb County in 2005 forarceny, theft and being a

    fugitive from justice.According to the

    ndictment, Wedgeworthfraudulently used thebank account ofMelissaStephens, and possessed a$1,500 check from Stephenswith the intent to defraud.

    He would borrowfrom one woman to payanothers debts, James said.The game just continuesand at the end of the dayeverybody ends up losing.

    At the time of his arrest,ames said Wedgeworth was

    also carrying a fraudulentdrivers license used for analias.

    James said Wedgeworthwas able to defraud womenall across the country bymeeting them through onlinedating sites and gaining theirrust.

    Wedgeworth reportedlyposed as a wealthy doctorand use stolen money to

    pays of his victims studentoans, credit card bills andcar loans.

    by Andrew [email protected]

    While there are rumors of possible

    new cities popping up on the heels ofthe incorporation of Brookhaven, oneDeKalb County community is contentto stay unincorporated.

    Instead, a coalition of Tucker busi-ness and property owners have decid-ed to form a community improvementdistrict.

    The ofcial kick off for the TuckerCommunity Improvement District(CID) was Feb. 27at The Bank ofNorth Georgia in Tucker as severalbusiness owners signed the necessarypapers to begin the process of estab-lishing a CID.

    BillRosenfeld, president of theTucker Business Association and own-

    er of Rosenfeld International Jewelryon LaVista Road, said the CID wouldhelp improve Tucker by giving us aplace of identity.

    A CID is a district in which com-mercial property owners vote to tax

    themselves to raise funds for variouscommunity improvement projects.

    The Tucker CID, which is consid-ering a three-mill tax, is planning to

    use the funds for increased lighting,beautication and road improvements,Rosenfeld said. The CID would alsoallow the community to seek grantsand it would help attract more busi-nesses.

    Even though were self-imposinga little bit of tax, its a better waythan cityhood, Rosenfeld said. Itsthe next best thing we can do for our-selves.

    Proponents of the proposed cityof Lakeside originally had parts ofTucker in its boundaries. Rosenfeldsaid the Stone Mountain CID and cityof Stone Mountain would both like tohave Tucker in their borders.

    Doing this for ourselves is a rightmove for us, Rosenfeld said. Wehave a re station. We have a library.We have a police station. We haveplenty of parks. What other benetswould a city give us? We have all the

    things we need in Tucker.A CID is absolutely better than

    cityhood for Tucker, he said. A city isnot really an alternative for us. City-

    hood is taxes for everyone. This istaxes just for businesses.Honey Van de Kreke, vice presi-

    dent of Elrep Sales in Tucker and oneof the rst business owners to sign theconsent forms, said, Since it costs thetaxpayers nothing, it is the best alter-native to forming a city.

    We have had three previous meet-ings with some of our largest com-mercial property owners and so farthe response has been overwhelmingto launch a CID in Tucker, Van deKreke said.This will give us the fund-ing source needed to change our areainto a thriving activity center that pro-vides positive economic development

    and supports the lifelong communitythat is Tucker.

    For more information on the TuckerCID and how to become a member,visit www.TuckerCID.com.

    TorrezSeymore, 25, of Baltimore,Md., pleaded guilty and was sentencedMarch 7 by U. S. District JudgeTimothy C. Batten Sr. for possessingmarijuana obtained by robbery with

    the intent to distribute and discharginga rearm in connection with thatrobbery.

    The violence associated with drugcrimes is especially disturbing to ourcommunity, said U. S. Attorney SallyQuillianYates. We work hard tomaintain public condence that peopleare safe. Homes being raided bycriminals dressed in law enforcementgear, carrying guns and yelling policeis extremely unsettling. This caseeffectively dismantled this robberycrew, she said.

    Seymore was sentenced to 13years, 10 months in prison to befollowed by ve years of supervisedrelease.

    On Jan. 14, 2010, Seymoreand four others dressed as police

    ofcers and carrying guns assaulteda suburban house on Hyland Drive,according to Yates, the charges andother information presented in court.He and his fellow robbers used a

    vehicle tracking device on the victimscars to nd the location of the house.The crew thought that the residentswere marijuana suppliers.

    The robbers carried handcuffs andrearms and wore fake police badgesand vests with the word Policeprinted on them, according to amedia release. As they pulled into thevictims driveway, he came out of thehouse. The robbers yelled, DeKalbCounty Police get down, cuff him!

    Their goal was to force the victimto take them to a stash house wherethey believed additional drugs werestored, according to the mediarelease. While the robbers wereattempting to kidnap the victim, afriend of the victim arrived and therobbers traded gunre with him on

    the lawn. The robbers then beat andkidnapped the victim, who led thecrew to his girlfriends home, underthe pretense that it was the stashhouse.

    The victims girlfriend ed thehome through the back door and calledpolice, who came and rescued thevictim.

    Gun violence perpetrated byanyone tears at the very fabric of ourcommunities; but when this violenceis committed by impersonating lawenforcement, an alarming message ofintolerance needs to be sent to thosewho dare to engage in such offenses,said Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,and Firearms (ATF) Assistant SpecialAgent in Charge AladinoOrtiz. Asthe violent crime bureau, ATF willsee to it that individuals who illegallyarm themselves are removed fromour streets so that our communitiescan remain a safe place to live andprosper.

    Wedgeworth

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    Guest Editorial

    Gun control is not the answer; we need mindset control

    Hudson

    Page 4A The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 15, 2013OPINION

    by Orrin Checkmate Hudson

    According to the United Statesgovernment, there arean estimated 300 mil-lion guns in the UnitedStates. So is gun controlthe real answer to theviolence taking place to-day? Of course not! Theanswer lies not in theweapon, but in the mind-set of the person.

    As humans interact, we hopethey see each other as equals andwish no harm on anyone. This is themindset that would lead to peace.Unfortunately, that is not beingproperly taught to our children.

    Firearms are not killing peo-

    ple; it is the people who want todo bad things that are killing. Wehave a strong survival instinct andwe will act as needed to save ourlives. If individuals are put in asituation where they are threat-ened and cornered, feeling they

    must do harm or be harmed, therewill be violence.

    Gun control cannot and willnot change anything un-til the mindset has beenchanged for the better. Letus strive to teach and pro-mote peace and love. Letsinstill these traits into ourchildren now before we de-stroy ourselves. This is noeasy task but we must get towork before there is more

    needless loss of life from the vio-lence that surrounds us.

    The daily headlines remind usof the violence that is threaten-ing to destroy our communities.Removal of weapons does notdeter this, for time and again we

    have seen the mind create an-other weapon as an alternative.Restrictions on any weapon onlyallow alternative weapons to bedeveloped into more efficient kill-ing means, thus the harm doesnot end, it only changes. If I am a

    violent person, I will use whatevermeans are available to me to sat-isfy my violent nature. If a gun isavailable, yes, I will use it. I alsocan use a baseball bat, a knife, ahammer or a vehicle. If no otherweapon is available, I will use myhands.

    Thus, we must understandputting st ress on any system willincrease the chances of violence.How do we change that? There isonly one way and that comes withan early life mindset change. If aperson is taught violence or is as-sociated with violence and killingat an early age, chances are thatperson wil l grow up to be violent.On the other hand, if a person istaught love, peace and mutual re-

    spect from the beginning, that per-son will likewise follow his earlychildhood teachings and grow intoa kind, peace-loving, respectful,nonviolent adult.

    A childs mind is like a com-puter. What goes in their mind

    stays there. Some learn to workaround the violence they expe-rience and become productivemembers of society. The chancesare great that many more wontand may become burdens on so-ciety. Be mindful of what yourchild is being taught, especially inschool and in their various envi-ronments.

    The only way to reduce vio-lence is to reach every individualwith the knowledge that violenceis not the answer. We must changethe culture of violence before it de-stroys us and steals our childrensfutures. Its time to get to work.

    Orrin Hudson is the founderof Be Someone Inc., a program

    that uses the game of chess toteach that for every choice wehave in life there is a relatingconsequence. To learn more aboutHudson, who was once an at-riskyoung person, visit www.besome-one.org.

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    Let Us Know What You Think!

    THE CHAMPION FREE PRESSencourages opinionsfrom its readers. Please write to us and express yourviews. Letters should be brief, typewritten and containthe writers name, address and telephone number forverication. 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) 373-7779Deadline for news releases and advertising: Thursday, one week prior

    to publication date.

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

    Publisher: Dr. Earl D. Glenn

    Managing Editor: Kathy Mitchell

    News Editor: Andrew Cauthen

    Production Manager: Kemesha Hunt

    Graphic Designer: Travis Hudgons

    The Champion Free Press is published each

    Friday by ACE III Communications, Inc.,

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

    Phone (404) 373-7779.

    www.championnewspaper.com

    DISPLAY ADVERTISING (404) 373-7779 x 110

    FREEPRESS

    STATEMENT FROM THE PUBLISHER

    We sincerely appreciate the discussion surrounding this and any

    issue of interest to DeKalb County. The Champion was founded in1991 expressly to provide a forum for discourse forallcommunityresidents on all sides of an issue. We have no desire to make thenews only to report news and opinions to effect a more educatedcitizenry that will ultimately move our community forward. We arehappy to present ideas for discussion; however, we make everyeffort to avoid printing information submitted to us that is known tobe false and/or assumptions penned as fact.

    One Mans Opinion

    If you cannot get rid of thefamily skeleton, you may as wellmake it dance. GeorgeBer-nardShaw (1856-1950), Irishplaywright and founder of theLondon School of Economics, andthe sole recipient of both a NobelPrize and an Oscar.

    In honor of St. Patricks Day,I tip my hat to the spirit and mem-

    ory ofCharles David Clothier,a familyand Renaissance man,Sinatra fan and perhaps mostimportantlyseemingly always ahappy man. Dave Clothier, born inPhiladelphia, grew up in modestcircumstances, in a clearly lov-ing family. He married early, andhe and his bride Hannah sharednearly 60 years together before hepassed earlier this year. Dave andHannah had eight children, andas of this writing, that union pro-duced 69 offspring, and the waythe Clothiers have babies, thatcount could change before I finishthis column.

    I first met Uncle Dave byphone and Christmas carol, after

    having already heard many color-ful stories about him. Dave adoredhis sisterMary, and loved to makeher laugh. Among many other fam-

    ily traditions he would lead a largechorus, multi-age and after thebenefit of a few holiday libations,in calling his sister each ChristmasEve to sing her Christmas carols.I heard my first one of those callsnearing a quarter century ago, andI can still remember chuckling asDave led his family chorus througha broken warbling of Mary anold George M. Cohan ditty inhonor of his baby sister.

    Herb and Mary Lowery metand courted in Philadelphia, butlater chose Lexington, Va., in theShenandoah Valley to raise their

    family. The Lowerys annuallyhosted Dave, his wife Hannah andtheir massive and growing fam-ily each Fourth of July. With stateTroopers in at least three states onalert, the caravan came straightdown from Philly, a string of mo-tor homes, late model cars andthe occasional chopperall withPennsylvania plates. This multi-generational crew brought laugh-ter, good cheerand usually notquite enough sun block.

    When I actually first metDave, after marrying Nancy, oneof his favorite nieces, he looked

    me over, head to toe, smiled,reached out his palm and said,Hey Pallie, just call me Uncle

    Dave. The following fall we vis-ited Dave and his always growingcrew back home in Philly. UncleDave was to be our tour guide.

    Cmon Pallie, let me showyou whats what, and away wewent.

    Our first stop was to be a localbowling alley. Inside, we foundtwo lanes, light bowling activity,a bar and a long line of coolers.This did not quite sync up withthe nearly 200 cars just outside. Iasked Uncle Dave where every-body else was. He smiled, laughedloudly and with a knowing winksaid, Bill, deres a gamblin jointin the back.

    From there we visited a stringof pubs and neighborhood joints

    in Manyunk, a working classneighborhood of Philly, first es-tablished along the SchuylkillRiver around 1686. Everywherewe went, Dave had friends, everybartender was setting up rounds orshots as we entered the door, andat each place, Dave almost alwaysgot the dance floor started andat each another friend was offer-ing to buy Dave and his chargesa welcome round. We wereso welcomed I barely rememberpouring ourselves into bed earlythe next morning. Manyunk isnow a bit gentrified, and its night-

    life draws traffic from across theDelaware Valley, but I have a feel-ing that the hot spots arent quite

    so hot these days without UncleDave to jam occasionally on a seton the drums, get the party startedor croon a Sinatra tune for the lo-

    cal crowd.For years after those visits,business brought me back to Phillytwo to three times a year. I wentback to South Street, to Manyunkand to many of the wonderfulplaces that Uncle Dave had intro-duced me to, but try as I might Icould not find that slightly illicitBowling Casino that Dave had letme in onDammit, I tried though.Without Uncle Dave as my tourguide that return trip just wasntin the cards. At graveside, follow-ing Daves memorial service, theSinatra favorite My Way welled

    up and could be heard across thecemeteryyou certainly did thatUncle Dave. Heres too wishingthe world can find a few moreeven remotely like you. Heres toyou, Uncle Dave!

    Bill Crane also serves as apolitical analyst and commentatorfor Channel 2s Action News, WSB-AM News/Talk 750 and now 95.5FM, as well as a columnist forTheChampion, Champion Free PressandGeorgia Trend. Crane is a

    DeKalb native and business owner,

    living in Scottdale. You can reachhim or comment on a column [email protected].

    The name is Dave, Uncle Dave

    The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 15, 2013 Page 5AOPINION

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    The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 15, 2013 Page 6ACOMMUNITY

    Champion of the Week

    if you ould lke to nomnate someone to be consdered as a

    future Champon of the week, please contact Kathy Mtchell at

    [email protected] or at (404) 373-7779, ext. 104.

    Barbara Collins

    Barbara Collins be-came interested in condi-

    tions at Mountain ViewPersonal Care Homeafter a relative of a fellowmember of Greenfor-est Community BaptistChurch went to live there.She had111 been such anenthusiastic volunteer thatshe soon became chairmanof Mountain Views boardof directors.

    The first day I walkedin I decided that I wanted

    to turn this place into a

    model for the personalcare industry. I want peo-ple to be so impressed that

    there is a long waiting listto come live here, Collinssaid of the 35-resident-

    room facility. MountainView Personal Care Homewas opened in 1882 byDeKalb County. The coun-

    ty still handles some main-tenance on the building,but much of the homessupport comes from othersources.

    Beyond giving the facil-ity a facelift, Collins saidshe wants to make sure

    the personal care home

    is first-rate in every way.I want staff to receivethe training they need togive residents the best ofservice. I want them tounderstand that they arenot just coming to work;

    they are coming into thesepeoples home. I want

    them to do everything pos-sible to make the residentsfeel comfortable and re-spected. I want everyoneassociated with Mountain

    View, from staff to boardmembers to volunteers

    to take pride in making it

    the place they would wanttheir loved ones to liveor where they would live

    themselves. I want every-one associated with Moun-

    tain View to have some

    skin in the game.Collins, along with

    other board members andvolunteers, has embarkedon a refurbishing undertak-ing with 20 improvementprojects, including paint-ing, upgrading bathrooms,replacing flooring, lightfixtures and furniture andenhancing landscaping.They are to get donatedmaterials and expertise

    from Home Depot andother sources, but much ofthe work will be done bythe volunteers themselves.

    Collins, who retiredfrom a corporate execu-

    tive job, also has expertiseas an interior decorator. I

    thought I might start myown interior decoratingbusiness, but right now Ibelieve God wants me touse those skills here, shesaid.

    Saying she can hardlywait to see the place whenthe refurbishing is com-

    pleted, Collins added, ButIm always trying to get to

    things done in my time. Ineed to learn to be patientand let God get thingsdone in His time.

    Johnson reintroduces bill toend American dependence onChinese rare earth elementsby Nigel Roberts

    The United States is toodependent on China for so-called rare earth elements,a U.S. Department of En-ergy report warned in 2010.China mines approximately95 percent of the importantmetals used in the manufac-ure of a wide range of high-echnology products.

    U.S. Rep. Hank John-on (GA-4) reintroduced

    a bill March 6 to addressAmericans vulnerability toChinas control of rare earthelements. Johnsons Re-ource Assessment of Rare

    Earths (RARE) Act of 2013H.R. 981] would directhe U.S. Geological SurveyUSGS) to conduct a three-

    year, comprehensive globalmineral assessment of theseelements. He originally in-roduced the RARE Act in

    2011.Like President Barack

    Obama, I am committed toa future powered by cleanenergy, Johnson said in atatement. Without secure

    access to rare earth ele-ments, we will be unable toead the world in clean tech-

    nology. The RARE Act willdramatically advance ourability to access rare earthsworldwide.

    Rare earth metals include7 elements, most of themn the lanthanoids grouphat includes lanthanum and

    cerium, plus two more ele-ments commonly found in

    ore with them: scandiumand yttrium.

    These exotic soundingelements are essential tohigh technology applica-tions, from smart phones tosmart bombs. They are alsokey components in the cleanenergy sector, such as themanufacture of electric carmotors and wind turbines

    Because China domi-nates production, it aims tobuild a strategic stockpilethat will not only fuel theirgreen technology revolu-tion but also give it greatercontrol over internationalprices, Johnson stated in a

    blog.Johnsons bill directs

    the USGS to take a num-ber of actions: identify andquantify individual rareearth elements in knowndeposits, improve under-standing of the distributionand formation of rare earthelement deposits, assesslikely undiscovered depositsworldwide, analyze the stateof the complete rare earthsupply chain from miningto manufacturing, and rec-ommend further researchand steps to improve under-standing and ensure access.The agency would do someof this work with globalpartners.

    Johnson stated, Theonly solution to end Chinasrare earth dominance isrenewed commitment todomestic production withgovernment help.

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    The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 15, 2013 Page 7ACOMMUNITY

    AROuNDDEKALBATLANTAPoet Thomas Lynch to give lecturesat Emory

    Critically acclaimed American poet,essayist and undertaker Thomas Lynchoins Emory Universitys Candler Schoolof Theology this semester as the Mc-Donald Family Chair on the Life andTeachings of Jesus and their Impact onCulture.

    In this role, Lynch will offer two pub-c lectures. On March 19, he will give

    a lecture titled The Good Funeral andhe Empty Tomb at 5 p.m. in CandlerSchool of Theologys room 252. On

    April 17, he will present The Feast ofLanguage at 7 p.m. at Peachtree RoadUnited Methodist Church in Atlanta.The lectures are free and open to thepublic, but registration is required. Toegister, visit http://eventactions.com/

    ea.aspx?ea=Rsvp.Lynchs work has been the subject

    of two award-winning film documenta-iesPBS Frontlines The Undertaking2007) and the BBCs Learning Gravity2008)and provided creative inspira-ion for the popular HBO series Six FeetUnder.

    BROOKHAVeN

    Oglethorpe University to hostphotography exhibit

    The Beta Israel: Ethiopian Jewsand the Promised Landexhibit can beviewed weekly Tuesdays through Sun-days, noon to 5 p.m.

    The photography exhibition fromSouth African photojournalist Ilan Os-sendryver features more than 100 pho-ographs exploring the mass migrationand integration of Ethiopian Jews intomodern Israeli society.

    The exhibit is $5 for adults and freeor children 12 and under. OglethorpeUniversity is located at 4484 PeachtreeRd NE in Atlanta. For more information,call (404) 364-8555 or visit www.mu-

    seum.oglethorpe.edu/exhib.htm.

    CLARKsTON

    Library to host the Global VillageChorus

    Students from the Global Village Proj-ect will perform two 30-minute choralsessions on Saturday, March 16, from0:30 a.m. to noon.

    Global Village Project is a schooldedicated to helping young girls andeens from war-torn countries makea successful transition into Americanschools. Students from Afghanistan,Burma, Congo, Ethiopia, Iraq and Sudan

    will perform songs in English as well assome in their native languages.The chorus director is Artist-in-

    Residence Elise Witt. The event is openo the first 25 participants. Clarkston Li-brary is at 951 N. Indian Creek Drive. For

    more information or to register, call (404)508-7175.

    DeCATuR

    Author to discuss Oprah Book Clubnovel

    AuthorAyana Mathis will be at theDecatur Library, Thursday, March 21,7:15-9 p.m., to discuss her new novel,The Twelve Tribes of Hattie, an OprahBook Club selection. Beginning in the1920s in Georgia, it tells the story of theGreat Migration of African Americansthrough the trials and triumphs of onevery remarkable, unforgettable family.Hattie Shepherd is 15 when she fleesGeorgia for a new life in Philadelphia.What she finds is a disappointing mar-riage and children she raises with gritand mettle and not an ounce of thetenderness they crave. Captured in 12luminous threads, their onrushing livestell the story of a mothers monumentalcourage and the journey of a nation.It is a powerful, beautiful story you willtreasure, states an announcement fromthe library. Decatur Library is located at215 Sycamore Street, Decatur. For moreinformation, call (404) 370-3070.

    Brain health expert to give seminar

    With the num-ber of peoplewith Alzheimersdisease in Geor-gia expected toincrease by 45percent by 2025compared to2000, a nation-ally known brainhealth expert andauthor will holda public seminar

    on how to increase cognitive fitness anddelay the potential onset of memoryloss.

    Dr. Paul Nussbaum, the featuredspeaker, is national director of brainhealth for Emeritus Senior Living as wellas clinical neuropsychologist and ad-junct professor of neurological surgeryat the University of Pittsburgh School ofMedicine. He is the author ofSave YourBrain and Brain Health Lifestyle.

    The seminar takes place at 5:30p.m. Tuesday, March 19, at Emeritus atDecatur. Admission is free; those plan-ning to attend are asked to make reser-vations by calling (404) 299-6600Topics to be covered include: Changes individuals can make in their

    lifestyles to promote brain health andslow the possible onset of memoryloss

    The five fundamentals of the brainhealth lifestyle

    Foods that promote cognitive fitness The latest scientific research on brain

    health Signs and symptoms of memory loss

    and memory-impairing diseases

    While researchers continue tosearch for a cure or preventive measurefor Alzheimers, the good news is thatthere are specific steps each of us cantake right now to increase the health ofour brain and slow the potential onset ofmemory loss, Nussbaum said. I inviteeveryone concerned about this issue toattend the seminar on March 19.

    Emeritus at Decatur provides carefor those with Alzheimers and othermemory-impairing diseases through itsJoin Their Journey program. It is oper-ated by Emeritus Senior Living. Emeritusat Decatur is located at 475 Irvin Court,Decatur.

    Church to hold prayer breakfast

    Gresham Park Christian Church willhold a prayer breakfast on Saturday,March 23, at 9 a.m. The theme for theoccasion is Spiritual Food for Body andSoul with words of inspiration presentedby guest speaker Larry Bo HarrisJr., pastor of New Life Christian Church.Gresham Park Christian Church is locat-ed at 2819 Flat Shoals Road, Decatur.Attendees are asked to give a minimumdonation of $10. For more information,call (404) 241-4511 and leave a mes-sage and a call-back number.

    Weight of the Nation to be shown atlibrary

    The Scott Candler Library invitesthe community to view a portion of theHBO documentary Weight of the Nation:Confronting the Nations Obesity Epi-demic on Monday, March 18, 3-5 p.m.A discussion will immediately follow, ledby registered dietician and nutrition ex-pert Barbara Stahnke. Registered withthe Academy of Nutrition and Dieteticssince 1991, Stahnke holds degrees innutrition and dietetics, as well as com-munity counseling, and has served asthe Cobb and Douglas Public HealthNutrition Services director since 2009.No registration is required. Scott CandlerLibrary is located at 1917 Candler Road,Decatur. For more information, call (404)286-6986.

    Commissioner to speak at DeKalbDemocratic breakfast

    ForwardChallenges and Op-portunities is the theme for the DeKalbDemocratic Partys monthly breakfastmeeting Saturday, March 16, 9 a.m. atPiccadilly Cafeteria, 2000 Crescent Cen-tre Boulevard, Tucker.

    DeKalb County District 3 Commis-sioner Larry Johnson, who recentlycelebrated 10 years in office, will be theevents keynote speaker.

    Johnson, who is currently serving asthe chairman of the Board of Commis-sioners planning and economic devel-opment committee, is working toward acomprehensive approach to economicdevelopment for DeKalb.

    We are in an economic climate thatis the new normal and we must adaptto this new normal and focus on tech-

    nology and getting our workforce readfor technology in order for DeKalb toremain a viable player in the economicarena, stated Johnson in a releaseabout the event.

    For more information regarding theDeKalb Democratic Party and the break-fast, go to www.dekalbdems.com.

    sTONe MOuNTAiN

    Forum set for potentialhomeschoolers

    Parents considering homeschoolingtheir children can get information duringa free home education forum Saturday,March 23, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

    Veteran homeschoolers will be fea-tured in the forum, titled So YoureThinking About Homeschooling? Topicswill include: how to get started; decidingon a homeschooling style; choosing acurriculum for your child; and adding ex-tracurricular activities to your program.

    The forum will be held at Grace Pres-byterian Church, 650 Rowland Road,Stone Mountain.

    For more information and free reg-istration, call the church at (404) 292-5514.

    TuCKeR

    Congressman Price to speak at TBAluncheon

    Representative Tom Price (R-GA)will speak on the current sequestrationsituation; economic development ofsmall business, including the impact ofthe Affordable Care Act; and other con-cerns affecting the local community atthe Tucker Business Associations (TBA)spring Lunch N Learn Thursday, March28. The event will be at The GreaterGood BBQ, 4431 Hugh Howell Road,and begins at 11.30 a.m.

    Price represents the 6th Congres-sional District which has gained parts ofDeKalb County including areas in Tucker.While in Congress, he has addressedmany challenges including the economy,spending, taxes and health care.

    Price currently serves as vice chair-man of the House Committee on theBudget. He also sits on the House Com-mittee on Ways and Means, as well asthe House Committee on Education andthe Workforce.

    Before entering Congress, for 20years Price practiced orthopaedic sur-gery in Atlanta and was medical direc-tor of the orthopaedic clinic at GradyMemorial Hospital, teaching residentdoctors-in-training.

    The program, including lunch, is$5 for TBA members and $10 for non-members. Pre-registration by Friday,March 22, is requested. To register,email [email protected]; in-clude the name, title, company, emailand phone of those attending. Also noteif a vegetarian meal is being requested.

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    The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 15, 2013 Page 8ALOCAL NEWS

    Thousands of children explored trucks at Touch-a-Truck eventby Carla [email protected]

    Approximately 1,500 children got totouch, explore and see their favorite trucksor equipment on wheels at Decaturs annualTouch-a-Truck event.

    The event, held in the Callaway Buildingparking lot located on West Trinity Place,included city of Decatur and DeKalbCounty dump trucks, re trucks, tractors,police cars and motorcycles and othervehicles. Children sat behind the wheels ofthe vehicles, honked the horns, and in some

    cases climbed in the back of re trucks.Michelle Cavalier of Decatur brought

    her 2-year-old son, Ian, for the second yearin a row.

    He loves trucks and cars, she said.The event started in 2000 to showcase

    the city of Decatur and its government.

    We do this to market what we do asa city, said Gregory White, directorof Decatur Active Living. Its also aneconomic development opportunity becausepeople come to the event, then they go eatand probably shop after that. Its a way forus to also reach potential new customers.

    by Carla [email protected]

    Instead of lounging on a beachn Florida, students from Boston

    University traveled to StoneMountain to volunteer at Friendsof Disabled Adults and ChildrenFODAC) March 11-16.

    The group of 10 studentss part of Boston Universitys

    Alternative Spring Breaks,a 25-year-old program thatencourages and supports studentswho donate their spring breakime to volunteer programs

    around the country. The studentshelped with a variety of projects,

    from basic cleaning and inventoryorganization in FODACs40,000-square-foot warehouse

    to lling medical supply ordersfor local free clinics. This is

    the eighth team from BostonUniversitys Alternative SpringBreaks program that FODAC hashosted.

    I came down here to volunteerbecause I thought it was a goodway to meet new people and dosome community service, said20-year-old Ali Pappas.

    Erin Connors, 21, said shegot the idea from her brother, whoparticipated the program in thepast.

    He suggested that I try it andIm glad I did, she said.

    The trip coordinatorKara

    Czeczotka, 19, said the trip was agreat opportunity to do somethingdifferent and learn more about the

    Boston University students volunteerwith FODAC during spring break

    See FODAC on Page 9A

    Photos by Carla Parker

    Ten students from Boston University spent their spring break week volunteering atFriends of Disabled Adults and Children. Photo by Carla Parker

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    The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 15, 2013 Page 9ALOCAL NEWS

    Former FAMU students face new charges in Champions deathby Daniel [email protected]

    Florida State AttorneyJeff Ashton has upgradedhe charges of 10 former

    Florida A&M University(FAMU) students involvedn the death of Southwest

    DeKalb High School gradu-ate Robert Champion fromfelony hazing to manslaugh-er.

    Prosecutors also chargedwo new defendants with

    manslaughter March 4.Themanslaughter charges an-nounced during a statushearing carries a penalty ofup to 15 years in prison.

    Champion, a memberof the FAMUs famousMarching 100 band, was

    found unresponsive on thebands bus after a footballgame in November 2011.Ofcials termed his deatha homicide resulting fromblunt force trauma sus-ained during a hazing inci-

    dent.Several days after Cham-

    pions death, FAMU banddirectorJulian White wasred. In a press release,FAMU President JamesAmmons, who later re-signed, said White wasdismissed for alleged mis-conduct and incompetencenvolving conrmed reports

    and allegations of hazing.Christopher Chestnut,

    an attorney for Championsparents, said Pam andRobert Champion Sr. arepleased with Ashtons deci-sion to upgrade the charges.

    These charges are com-mensurate with the actscommitted, Chestnut said.It sends the right messageregarding zero-tolerance ofhazing in the FAMU band.

    Last summer, FAMU de-nied any responsibility for

    Champions death, claim-ng he was a 26-year-old

    grown adult at the time

    of his death and willinglyparticipated in the hazing.Champions parents saidthat by blaming their son forhis own death, the universityhas made it nearly impossi-ble to eradicate the cultureof hazing that pervades theuniversity.

    Several months after theincident, FAMU was puton probation for a year andthe Marching 100 band wastemporarily suspended. Ac-cording to court documents,one of those charged in thedeath of Champion waspreviously arrested in con-nection with another hazingincident.

    Aaron Golson was ar-rested several weeks beforeChampions death for simi-larly assaulting band mem-berBria Shante Hunter,also a graduate of SouthwestDeKalb. According to po-lice reports, band membersbeat Hunter so badly thatshe suffered a cracked thigh-bone and had to be taken tothe hospital.

    According to reports,

    Golson and two others werearrested and charged with

    assaulting Hunter.

    The Champion News-paperwas provided witha sworn statement fromLanauze Keon Hollis, oneof Champions friends who

    participated in the hazingritual held on the bus.

    Hollis said the haz-ing incident occurred afterthe Florida Classic Game,a yearly game betweenFAMU and Bethune-Cookman University heldin Orlando. Both Hollis andChampion participated in ahazing ritual known amongband members as CrossingBus C.

    In his statement, Hollisdescribes the hazing ritual:both he and Champion wereprepped, which is whensomeone repeatedly slapsyou across your body withboth hands using full force.Then initiates were forcedto walk down the dark-ened aisle of the bus while

    band members punchedand kicked them multipletimes, in some cases evenhitting them with drum

    mallets and sticks.Hollis said after the in-

    cident he began walkingback to the hotel but stoppedwhen he noticed Championwasnt behind him. Hollisfriend went back onto thebus to check on Champion;as Hollis waited outside hebegan to vomit and wentback to his room to rest.

    While in his room Holliswas told by a fellow bandmember Champion wasntbreathing and had beentaken to the hospital by anambulance.

    Then we just stayedin the room until we gotthe call about the hospitalgiving Robert his time ofdeath, Hollis statementconcluded.

    A status hearing for thecase has been set for Au-gust.

    CLAUDIA G. LAWSONDeKalb County Tax Commissioner

    ATTENTIONMOTOR VEHICLE OWNERS

    Effective March 1, 2013, House Bill 386 removes the sales and annual advalorem tax on newly-purchased vehicles. A one-time title tax of 6.5%(2013), 6.75% (2014) and 7% (2015) replaces the annual tax. Heres whatyou need to know:

    New one-time title ad valorem tax fee applies to all title transactions

    (new and used vehicle purchases, transfers, all transfers among

    family members, or vehicles new to the state) and eliminates payment

    of sales tax and annual ad valorem tax.

    If you purchase a vehicle in Georgia after January 1, 2012 but before

    March 1, 2013, you may have the option of paying annual ad valorem

    tax or a one-time title ad valorem tax fee. Vehicles purchased out ofstate are not eligible to opt in.

    Whether paying the one-time title ad valorem tax fee OR annual ad

    valorem tax, requirements for insurance, emissions, drivers license

    and the renewal of your tag by your expiration date remain the same.

    If you purchased a vehicle before 2012, you will remain on the

    current annual ad valorem tax system.

    SOUTH OFFICE

    2801 Candler Rd. #66

    South DeKalb Mall

    Decatur, GA 30032

    NORTH OFFICE

    1358 Dresden Drive, NE

    Atlanta, GA 30319

    MAIN OFFICE

    4380 Memorial Drive

    Suite 100

    Decatur, GA 30034

    (404) 298-4000www.dekalbcountyga.gov/taxcommissioner

    Florida A&M University (FAMU) drum major Robert Champion, agraduate of Southwest DeKalb High School, died in November2011 as a result of a hazing incident. Florida ofcials have charged12 former FAMU students with his death.

    organization.Im learning a lot about

    FODAC and how they helpthe community, she said.

    FODAC helps thedisabled of all ages regaintheir mobility, independenceand quality of life. The non-

    prot organization providesmore than $10 millionannually in refurbishedhome medical equipment(HME) and home

    modications in Georgiaand across the United States,all at little or no cost to therecipients.

    FODAC president ChrisBrand said the studentshave been a big help to theorganization.

    Theyre helping us geta lot of things done aroundthe ofce and we appreciatetheir help, he said.

    FODAC Continued From Page 8A

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    The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 15, 2013 Page 10ALOCAL NEWS

    Anchorman 2being filmed around metro Atlanta

    OFFICIAL ENERGY

    PARTNER OF

    YOUR 9-5

    AND

    YOUR 5-9

    JOBS.

    Time spent with your children is an investment in their futures. The resources Georgia Power spends on new plants, more power lines and

    cleaner energy sources is an investment in Georgias future. We are on the job to make sure you have the power to be also, even on those nights

    when your energy is running just a little low.OFFICIAL ENERGY PARTNER OF YOUSM

    georgiapower.com

    by Kerry King

    There is a ock of all-starcelebrities in the Atlanta area asnews anchorman Ron Burgundyreturns with his entire crew

    inAnchorman 2: The LegendContinues.But apparently, the original

    cast members, including WillFerrell, Vince Vaughn, ChristinaApplegate, and Steve Carell, arenot enough for directorAdamMcKay. Both KristenWiig, ofSNL fame, and HarrisonFord,from Star Wars andIndiana Jones,will be joining the cast for thesequel ofAnchorman: The Legendof Ron Burgundy.

    There have already beensightings of these actors aroundAtlanta, and several streets havebeen temporarily closed to allowfor lming time. Known lmingareas include Northside Tavern, offHowell Mill Road; Midtown; partsof 13th, 14th and Juniper streets;Irwin and Krog streets aroundInman Park; and Philips Road inDeKalb County between SouthDeshon Road and South StoneMountain-Lithonia Road throughMarch 15. Filming will continue

    into the spring.The movie didnt get off to

    the best of starts when $250,000-$300,000 in equipment wasstolen from a Defoors Ferry Roadwarehouse in Northwest Atlanta

    in December. Despite the setback,McKay has high hopes and said hecan relate Ron Burgundy (who isfrom the 70s) to modern-day newsanchors quite easily.

    The character has gotten moreand more relevant as the news hasgotten to be nothing more than aratings-driven prot machine, saidMcKay, in an interview with Salon.

    Although details of the plothave not been released, McKayhas given a couple of intriguingsnippets. The lm takes placeright when all the news startedchanging with the 24-hour newscycle in 78 or 79, in an interview

    withEmpire.All of a sudden, local news

    stations diversied and had Latinoanchors and African-Americananchors, and any time youretalking about diversity and theAction News team, thats alwaysfun to deal with, McKay said.

    The lm is scheduled to bereleased in December 2013.

    Phillips Road near Lithonia will be closed until March 15 as crews lmAnchorman 2:The Legend Continues. Photos by Kerry King

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    The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 15, 2013 Page 11ALOCAL NEWS

    For a programming guide, visit www.yourdekalb.com/dctv

    DCTV Your Emmy Award-winning news source of DeKalb County news. Available on Comcast Cable Channel 23.

    Nominate a 2013 CEOs Community HeroNomination forms, criteria and additional

    information are available byvisiting www.dekalbcountyga.gov or

    http://thechampionnewspaper.com/nominate

    aid. The people of DeKalbhave spoken. They have cho-en their elected officials.f they want them to be re-

    moved then they should eitherdo a recall or vote them out in2014.

    We dont need the gov-ernor coming to tell DeKalbwho needs to represent us onhe school board, said Rev.

    SamuelMosteller, state pres-dent for the Southern Chris-ian Leadership Conference.

    We are here [to] guardand stand guard over the righto voteand the right to havehe officials that we votednserve until we tell themno, Mosteller said.

    Black leaders are con-cerned about the numberBlack elected officials in

    DeKalb, Clayton, Warren,Brookes and Sumter countiesaffected by the law giving thegovernor the authority to re-move school board members.

    The sum total of thepeople being removed [is]predominantly African-Amer-can, Dubose said. The

    question is, is it an attackagainst African Americans?Only about three Whites havebeen caught up in this moveo unseat people.

    Dubose said the governorhas a choice.

    This is a fight that the

    governor does not have tofight, Dubose said. He haso many other duties. He can

    be dealing with the deathpenalty. He can be out theredealing with school educa-ion in a different way. He

    can be out there dealing withMedicaid or taking a standon those who want tohaveweapons in the churches andn the bars and everywhere.

    Hes got so many other thingso do than walking aroundemoving people who were

    elected by the people.

    Dubose said Black lead-ers will explore what rightwe have legally to protect thepeoples right to choose theirpersons for office.

    If Deal goes ahead withhis plan to replace the schoolboard members, some Blackeaders want the governor to

    put a Black in for a Blackboard member, Dubose said.

    But thats a dangeroushing, Dubose said, because,

    you might get somebodyn like [U.S. Supreme Courtustice] ClarenceThomas.

    All Blacks dont represent

    Blacks.JohnEvans, president of

    he DeKalb NAACP, said thegovernors move diminishesvoting rights, especially for

    Blacks.Reconstruction and all

    of that is in place now and ifwere not careful were go-ing to back where we camefrom, Evans said.

    Evans added that since the

    AdvancED concerns wereabout governance, then theaccrediting agency should im-mediately restore full accredi-tation now that the six boardmembers have been removed.

    For more coverage aboutDeKalb County school board,including a complete list ofthe 403 applicants, go towww.thechampionnewspaper.com.

    Leaders Continued From Page 2A

    We dont need the governor coming to tell DeKalb who needs to represent us on the school board,said Edward Dubose, president of the Georgia NAACP. Photo by Andrew Cauthen

    The Northeast will see mostly clear to partly cloudy skies today and Friday,

    scattered rain and snow Saturday, with the highest temperature of 54 in Baltimore,

    Md. The Southeast will experience mostly clear skies today through Saturday,

    with the highest temperature of 75 in Ft. Myers, Fla. In the Northwest, there will be partly

    cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain today through Saturday, with the highest temperature

    of 73 in Rome, Ore. The Southwest will see mostly clear to partly cloudy skies today through

    Saturday, with the highest temperature of 95 in Yuma, Ariz.

    Weather History

    March 14, 1987 - A powerful

    storm in the western U.S. produced

    15 inches of snow in the Lake

    Tahoe Basin of Nevada, and wind

    gusts to 50 mph at Las Vegas, Nev.

    Thunderstorms in the Sacramento

    Valley of California spawned a

    tornado which hit a turkey farm

    near Corning.

    March 15, 1988 - More than one

    hundred hours of continuous snow

    nally came to an end at Marquette,

    Mich., during which time the city

    was buried under 43 inches of

    snow. Unseasonably cold weather

    prevailed in the southeastern U.S.,

    with forty-one cities reporting

    record lows for the date.

    Weather Trivia

    Which continent receives

    the least amount of

    precip itation? ?Answer:Antarctica.

    Detailed Local Forecast

    Today we will see sunny skies with a high

    temperature of 56, humidity of 26%. Northwest

    wind 5 to 10 mph. The record high temperature

    for today is 82 set in 1989. Expect partly cloudy

    skies tonight with an overnight low of 38. The

    record low for tonight is 18 set in 1993.

    THURSDAYSunny

    High: 56 Low: 38

    FRIDAYMostly Sunny

    High: 65 Low: 47

    SATURDAYMostly Sunny

    High: 69 Low: 50

    SUNDAYPartly Cloudy

    High: 72 Low: 49

    MONDAYIsolated T-storms

    High: 68 Low: 51

    TUESDAYMostly Sunny

    High: 73 Low: 51

    WEDNESDAY

    SunnyHigh: 71 Low: 48

    Local Sun/Moon Chart This Week

    Day

    Thursday

    Friday

    Saturday

    Sunday

    MondayTuesday

    Wednesday

    Sunrise

    7:48 a.m.

    7:47 a.m.

    7:46 a.m.

    7:44 a.m.

    7:43 a.m.7:42 a.m.

    7:40 a.m.

    Sunset

    7:45 p.m.

    7:45 p.m.

    7:46 p.m.

    7:47 p.m.

    7:48 p.m.7:49 p.m.

    7:49 p.m.

    Moonrise

    9:12 a.m.

    9:50 a.m.

    10:29 a.m.

    11:12 a.m.

    11:58 a.m.12:47 p.m.

    1:38 p.m.

    Moonset

    10:49 p.m.

    11:45 p.m.

    Next Day

    12:40 a.m.

    1:31 a.m.2:20 a.m.

    3:05 a.m.

    First

    3/19

    Full3/27

    Last

    4/2

    New4/10

    Last Week's Local Almanac

    Date Hi Lo Normals PrecipTuesday 66 39 62/41 0.22"

    Wednesday 43 31 62/41 0.00"

    Thursday 58 31 62/42 0.00"

    Friday 64 29 63/42 0.00"

    Saturday 61 35 63/42 0 .00"

    Sunday 70 48 63/42 0.00"

    Monday 66 49 64/43 1.20"

    Rainfall. . . . . . . . 1.42" Average temp. . 49.3

    Normal rainfall. . 1.26" Average normal 52.3

    Departure . . . . . +0.16" Departure . . . . . -3.0

    Local UV Index

    3 50 - 2 4 6 8 107 9 11+

    UV Index

    0-2: Low, 3-5: Moderate,

    6-7: High, 8-10: Very High,

    11+: Extreme Exposure

    The Champion Weather March 14, 2013Seven Day Forecast Todays Regional Map

    Tonights Planets

    Rise Set

    Mercury 6:55 a.m. 6:17 p.m.

    Venus 7:46 a.m. 7:25 p.m.

    Mars 8:13 a.m. 8:18 p.m.

    Jupiter 11:34 a.m. 1:43 a.m.

    Saturn 11:15 p.m. 10:14 a.m.Uranus 8:28 a.m. 8:44 p.m.

    National Weather Summary This Week

    StarWatch By Gary Becker - Comet in the West

    I have been waiting several months for this week to arrive because currently there is a comet on the western horizon after sundown. As this article is being written, it

    has become an easy target to view with the unaided eye from the Southern Hemisphere. It even has a short tail. Now its headed north for us to see. The interlopers

    name, PanSTARRS (C2011 L4) comes from the Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System, its goal to discover Earth-crossing objects like the meteorite

    that fell in Russia on February 5. Oops! Actually, no doomsday detection system will be able to discover something that small. PanSTARRS reaches its closest distance

    from the sun on March 10, just inside the orbit of Mercury, where hopefully solar radiation will sublimate vast quantities of its ices and release copious amounts of dust

    into space. These are the ingredients that make for a bright comet. The gases glow through a process called uorescence, while the dust scatters sunlight back in our direction. If thereis enough dross, the comet could shine as brightly as the brightest luminary of the night, Sirius, the Dog Star of Canis Major. It should also have a noticeable tail, especially through

    binoculars. PanSTARRS was becoming brighter as predicated up through December 2012, but since the New Year, the brightening has slowed. Now with its easy views from Down

    Under, its nal brightness may again be up for grabs. Comet PanSTARRS will be low to the western horizon, about eight degrees in altitude, 45 minutes after sundown during the next

    two weeks. It will be a deep twilight apparition. Very clear skies and a awless western horizon will be necessary ingredients for a successful observation. If the comet is bright, youll

    hear more about PanSTARRS next week. Keep in mind that comets are like cats. They have tails, and they do precisely as they please. www.astronomy.org

    Dunwoody

    54/37Lilburn

    55/38

    Snellville

    56/38Decatur

    56/38

    Morrow

    57/38

    Hampton

    58/39

    Union City

    57/38

    College Park

    57/38

    Atlanta

    56/38

    Doraville

    55/38

    Smyrna

    55/38

    Lithonia

    57/38

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    The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 15, 2013 Page 12ALOCAL NEWS

    Sneiderman allowed contactwith alleged boyfriendby Daniel [email protected]

    A DeKalb Countyudge is allowing Andrea

    Sneiderman to have contactwith a witness whomprosecutors allege was,at one point, her live-inboyfriend.

    Judge Gregory Adams

    uled March 5 thatSneiderman is allowed tohave contact with JosephDell, who was added to theprosecutions witness list inNovember 2012.

    Prosecutors allegeSneiderman and her formerboss Hemy Neuman plottedo kill her husband, Rusty

    Sneiderman. According toprosecutors, she was havingan affair with Neuman.

    At the hearing in whichDells name was addedo the witness list, former

    Chief Assistant DistrictAttorney Don Gearyadded another theory aso why Sneiderman may

    have conspired to kill herhusband: so that she andDell could be together.

    We believe it crediblehat Mr. Dell left his wifeix months pregnant aboutix and a half months afterhe murder of Rusty and

    at that time, openly tookup a relationship with thedefendant, Geary said.

    Neuman later admitted tohooting Rusty Sneidermann front of a Dunwoody

    day care center and wasconvicted of his murder; hes now serving life in prison

    without parole.

    Sneidermans defenseattorney Thomas Clegg saidthat his clients relationshipwith Dell was nothing morethan a strong friendship andaccused Geary of trying toassassinate Sneidermanscharacter and smoke outNeuman to testify againsther.

    There is nothing that

    Joseph Dell can testify toand nothing concerning anyrelationship he has withMrs. Sneiderman that wouldhave anything to do withthis indictment, Clegg said.

    Clegg also stated thatprosecutors have yet tocontact Dell even though ithas been six months sincehis name was added to thewitness list; DeKalb CountyDistrict Attorney RobertJames conrmed that fact.

    James said Dellsname was added to the

    list after prosecutorslearned of several hoursof conversations thatoccurred between Dell andSneiderman while she wasin jail.

    In a 16-count indictmentled Feb. 19, Sneiderman ischarged with malice murder,felony murder, aggravatedassault, hindering theapprehension of a criminal,concealment of materialfacts, four counts of makingfalse statements and sevencounts of perjury.

    Judge Adams has set atentative date of July 29to begin jury selection forSneidermans trial, which isexpected to last more than amonth.

    County converts environmentallyhazardous property into greenspace

    The DeKalb County Natural Resources

    Management Ofce recently aqcuired 4.7acres of property at Briarcliff Road andChrysler Drive for conversion into parkspace. In January, the county purchasedthe property for $275,000, negotiating withthe former property owner to reduce thepurchase price to cover the cost of cleanupand restoration.

    Prior to the purchase, the NaturalResouces Management Ofce sumitted anapplication to the Georgia EnvironmentalProtection Division (EPD) to receive alimitation of liability under the GeorgiaBrownelds Program. The limitation ofliability provides prospective propertypurchasers an opportunity to identify

    and mitigate environrmental issues on aproperty and redevelop unusable parcels ofland.

    An environmental contractor retainedby the county identied three 55-gallondrums in a drainage ditch behind thehome. A second assessment revealedpotential impacts from the drums,including cadmium and aresenic foundin the soil at amounts slightly exceedingGeorgia regulatory standards. Followingthe assessments, the county immediatelyimplemented cleanup and restoration.

    I commend our Natural ResourcesManagement Ofce for its unwaveringdedication to transform an environmentalhazard into a safe neighborhood

    greenspace, said DeKalb CEO BurrellEllis.

    Cleanup and restoration efforts areprojected to be completed in one year,based on permits required by the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers, Georgia EPDand other regulatory agencies. Followingcompletion of the restoration and nalapproval from Georgia EPD, the countywill host public meetings for communityinput on the future development of thegreenspace.

    Gas line could cause trafc interruptions

    A gas main construction project may

    cause lane closures and trafc delaysthrough April 20, on Katie Kerr Drive,Arcadia and North Arcadia Avenue, andDeKalb Industrial Way between NorthDecatur Road, Lawrenceville Highway.

    The scope of the project is to install a

    24-inch high pressure gas main that is aportion of the 28-mile section that runsfrom DeKalb County to Riverdale. Thisincludes milling and asphalt, road boring

    and landscaping. Lane closures will be ineffect at various times and locations aroundthe clock as needed to complete the projectas rapidly as possible.

    Road closure signs will be postedadvising of construction work and trafcdetours as necessary.

    Brighter Tomorrows Foundationannounces new leadership

    The Brighter Tomorrows Foundationannounces the election of ve new boardmembers, who will lead the charge toincrease philanthropy for behavioralhealthcare and developmental disability

    services in DeKalb County.Chairman KevinMcKinnon,president and senior consultant of KJMcKinnon International; vice chairwomanSue Steel, managing director of BoraBora Consulting, LLC; Rand Knight,executive vice president, RMSI Inc.,and chief development ofcer for JaneGoodall Institute, Global; Peter Williams,managing director for Fairview CapitalAdvisors; and Melissa Hodge-Penn,transition resource specialist with theTechnical College System of Georgia/Ofce of Adult Education.

    During the past 10 years, publicproviders of behavioral healthcare anddevelopmental disabilities services in

    Georgia have been under tremendouspressure to meet the growing demand forthese services while facing millions ofdollars in state and local funding cuts.

    Spurred by this lost funding, theBrighter Tomorrows Foundation Inc. hasincreased its efforts to raise awareness andfunding for these services in community.The Brighter Tomorrows Foundation Inc.is a 501(c)(3) nonprot created in 2006 toprovide support for the behavioral healthand developmental disability servicesprovided by the DeKalb CommunityService Board (CSB), one of 26community service boards in Georgia.

    The DeKalb CSB is a public, nonprot,

    community-based provider of a fullrange of mental health, substance abuseand developmental disability servicesthat annually serves more than 10,000uninsured and underinsured children, youthand adults.

    NewsBriefs

    A judge has ruled that Andrea Sneiderman, accused of conspiringo murder her husband, is allowed to have contact with a witness

    who prosecutors allege to be her boyfriend. (AP Photo/Atlantaournal-Constitution, Vino Wong, Pool)

    Printed on 100%post-consumerrecycled paper

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    Dance a jig, wave a shillelagh,pin a shamrockSt. Patricks Day is back

    The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 15, 2013 Page 13ALOCAL NEWS

    by Kathy Mitchell

    [email protected]

    With St. Patricks DayMarch 17coming on Sunday this year, therewill be opportunities to celebrateall weekend and even earlier. As

    always, the enjoyment of Irish heritage andculture is for everyoneno matter their ethnicheritage.

    Downtown Atlanta again will be hosting aparade and celebration second in the state onlyto the grand event heldfor the 188th timein Savannah. Atlantas celebration, however,isnt small potatoes.The citys first AtlantaSt. Patricks Parade was held 155 years ago,

    in 1858. Organizers say on their website thatthey anticipate the 2013 edition will be the big-gest St. Patricks Parade & Festival ever. Thedowntown Atlanta celebration, which starts withthe parade at noon, will be on Saturday, March16. More than 200 groups will be participating,including several from DeKalb County such asrepresentatives from the Stone Mountain High-land Games.

    Those who gather along the 1.1-mile paraderoute down Peachtree Street from Ralph McGillBoulevard to Underground Atlanta can lookforward to seeing clowns, floats, bands of everykind, military units, bagpipe and drum corps,thousands of children, Irish dancers, high-tech

    firefighting equipment, police units, drill teams,dogs, horses, antique cars, dignitaries from Ire-land and local elected officials, according to thewebsite.

    In nearby Buckhead, there will be more cel-ebrating. The Andrews Entertainment Districtwill hold a St. Patricks Day Weekend Blow OutParty Saturday, March 16, and Sunday, March17, throughout the entire complex. The eventbegins on Saturday with Kegs and Eggs at StoutIrish Sports Pub at 6 a.m. and continues throughclose at 2:30 a.m. and on Sunday runs from12:30 p.m. until midnight. Eight venues in onecentral Buckhead location will participate. An-drews Entertainment District is located at 56East Andrews Drive. Advance ticket passes arepriced at $8 for one day or $10 for both daysand are on sale at www.andrewsdistrict.com.

    Those who choose not to venture downtownor to Buckhead can nd lots of St. Patricks Dayactivity in DeKalb County. Among the biggestis in Historic Stone Mountain Village, site of the17th annual St. Patricks Day Celebration andFundraiser, Raising of the Green.

    Held on March 17, its ART Stations bigfundraiser, but its also a fun-raiser with silentand live auctions, A Taste of Stone Mountainfood sampling, music and that St. Pattys Dayfavoritecomplimentary green beer. The eventwill be held from 6-10 p.m. Tickets are $25at the door or $20 in advance. ART Station is

    located at 5384 Manor Drive, Stone Mountain.For more information or to purchases tickets call(770) 469-1105 or visit www.artstation.org.

    The Buddies return to Eddies AtticThe group Eddies Attics management has

    called Atlantas own Irish music super-group,the Buddy OReilly Band, will return to Ed-dies Attic in Decatur for two performances onMarch 17one at 7:30 p.m. and another at 9:30p.m. The Buddies, as fans of the Celtic bandcall them, shake the rafters with a rollickinggood time, according to The Celtic Quarterly.Advance general admission is $15 or $20 at thedoor. To purchase tickets, call (877) 725-8849.Eddies Attic is located at 515-B N. McDonoughSt., Decatur.Retirement community offers special events

    The Regency House, an independent retire-ment community, is inviting older members ofthe community to welcome spring with a St.Patricks Day themed weekend of recreationalactivities. Well be hosting a number of events,activities, and seminars perfect for getting outof the house, meeting new friends, and enjoyingthe upcoming warm weather and sunny days.You dont need luck to have fun here, an an-nouncement from Regency House states. OnFriday, March 8, at 3:30 p.m. there will be Potof Gold Bingo with light snacks served until 5p.m.On Saturday, March 9, at 12:30 p.m. therewill be an Irish feast featuring authentic Irishfood and on Sunday, March 10, at 3 p.m. therewill be a fraud prevention seminar with light re-freshments served. All events are free and opento the public. The Regency House is located at

    341 Winn Way. To RSVP, or to learn more, call(404) 296-1152. For more information, visitwww.theregencyhouse.net.

    Even when the calendar shows that its no-

    where near St. Patricks Day, there are restau-rants and pubs in DeKalb County that feature ataste of Ireland. Its a good bet these will be es-pecially lively this month. Here are a few to try:

    The Brick Store PubKnown for its wide selection of beers and

    ales from around the world, this popular spotat 125 E. Court Square, Decatur, offers Guin-ness and Highland Gaelic Ale on tap and suchOld World with a New World twist menu offer-ings as the shepherds daughters pie. For moreinformation, call (404) 687-0990 or visit www.brickstorepub.com.

    Ye Olde Dunwoody Tavern and OBriensPub

    Both part of the Dunwoody RestaurantGroup, Ye Olde Dunwoody Tavern on ChambleeDunwoody Road and OBriens Pub on Mt.Vernon Road in Dunwoody plan to celebratethe Irish holiday in a big way. The restaurantgroups website states: We pride ourselves onour St. Patricks Day celebration. The group hasbecome a central destination for this great dayand has been for 16 years. We have an authenticIrish menu for the day with traditional dishessuch as corned beef and cabbage, Boxtys andColcannon potatoes with gaelic sausage. Irishpipers come to each pub during the evening

    to share in the celebration and toe tapping anddancing has been known to break out. For moreinformation, visit www.dunwoodyrestaurant-group.com.

    The Marlay HouseFormerly called the Grange Public House,

    the restaurant at 426 West Ponce de Leon Ave.,Decatur, continues to carry its original tag line:a bit of Dublin in Decatur. An authentic Irish-owner operated Dublin-style pub, The MarlayHouse offers such Emerald Isle specialties asHarp and Guinness along with such food itemsas Irish stew and Guinness braised brisket. TheMarlay House has announced a kickoff St. Pat-ricks Day celebration featuring live traditionalIrish music on March 12, starting at 2 p.m. Formore information, call (404) 270-9950 or visitwww.themarlayhouse.com.

    Pub 71This Irish-themed Brookhaven pub not only

    offers such menu items as shepherds pie, shand chips and a burger called the Dubliner, ithas an Ireland-inuenced drink selection thatincludes Guinness, Harp and a specialty cock-tail called the nutty Irishman (whisky, hazelnutliquor and Irish cream.) Its located at 4058Peachtree Road, Atlanta. For more information,call (404) 467-8271 or visit www.pub71.com.

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    The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 15, 2013 Page 14ALOCAL NEWS

    Bond denied for man suspectedof killing girlfriend, unborn babyby Andrew [email protected]

    Family members on bothsides of the shooting death

    of a DeKalb County womanwere emotional during ahearing where a judge deniedbond for the alleged shooterMarch 7.

    CarlosSimpson, 23, ischarged with murdering hisgirlfriend, ShikhiraDunson,20, in the driveway of hisfamilys home on Feb. 18.The two had a 10-month-oldchild.

    The shooting occurred inthe driveway of Simpsonshome on Eagles Nest Circle.

    When police arrived atthe scene, the victim was

    on the ground in a face-upposition, said Daryl Queen,Simpsons attorney. Thevictims sister was trying toadminister CPR.

    It was a pretty chaoticscene. There were a lot ofpeople outside, Queen said.

    Initially the story to po-lice was that some men ina vehicle pulled out gunsand somebody red a shot,Queen said. Police at thescene determined that theaccount was probably notaccurate.

    On the night in question,Mr. Simpson, his sister andfriend were outside in the carlistening to music, Queentold the judge.

    The victim came out ofthe house and gets on to[him] for being out. Hessupposed to be in the housewith her. Some playful bantergoes on, Queen said.

    Then, Mr. Simpsonmakes a poor decision ofreaching under the seat ofthe car and retrieving a hand-gun, Queen said. Tragical-ly he res the gun one time.

    She was struck one time inthe face.

    Simpson, a former sanita-tion worker for the city ofDecatur, admits to recklesslycausing the death of his girl-

    friend, Queen said.This is not murder. This

    is not domestic violence.This is basically someonemaking a poor decision,

    Queen said before askingthe judge to set the bond at$25,000.

    PatriciaJackson, deputychief district attorney overthe DeKalb District Attor-neys domestic violence unit,said, Mr. Queen makes itsound like a complete andtotal accident of the gun go-ing off.

    The intentional killingoccurred when the victimtried to leave Simpson, Jack-son said.

    Simpson told her that ifshe ever tried to leave him,

    he would kill her and thatsexactly what he did, Jack-son said.

    Jackson said the couplewas arguing about Dunsonleaving and going back toher mother.

    On this particular day,she had had enough andshe was attempting to leave,Jackson said.

    When Simpson pulleda gun on Dunson duringan argument, Dunson said,What are you going to do?If youre going to shoot me,

    then shoot me, but Im leav-ing, Jackson said.Jackson said the suspect

    pointed the gun directly atDunsons face and pulled thetrigger.

    She had an off-and-onrelationship, Jackson said.She stayed with him for acouple of months. When hegot violent, she would come

    back to her parents home.When everything was goodand he was loving her, shewent back. She participatedin that domestic violence cy-cle that were all aware of.

    Because the countysmedical examiner discoveredthat the victim was pregnant,a feticide charge is pending,Jackson said.

    by Carla Parker

    [email protected]

    Atlanta attorney WilliamBill Riley has been ap-pointed as Brookhavens rstsolicitor.

    The Sandy Springs native,who has experience as a mu-nicipal solicitor, has helpedwith the creation of the courtsfor seven new cities in metroAtlanta area.

    His law rm, Riley andMcClendon, is the only lawrm that has participated inthe startup of all seven cit-

    iesBrookhaven, Dunwoody,Sandy Springs, Johns Creek,Milton and Peachtree Cornersand Chattahoochee Hills.

    When I retired as a judgefrom the city of Atlanta Imoved backed to SandySprings and I got involvedin the movement to start thecity, he said. We were vol-unteer lawyers that started thecity of Sandy Springs and wejust kept volunteering in start-ing these cities.

    Riley has been a lawyerfor almost 32 years and ajudge for the city of Atlanta

    for 10 years. He has servedas a judge and chief judge inAtlantas Municipal Court,

    developed the nationally rec-

    ognized Atlanta CommunityCourt to prosecute drug andmental health concerns anddeveloped the Atlanta Olym-pic Court during the 1996Centennial Olympic Games.

    The Atlanta Olympic Courtwas created to help 3,000 lawenforcement ofcers fromacross the southeast easilylearn the Atlanta court system.

    I built a simplied systemfor them behind the Olympicvenue so if they can get to thecourthouse with the defendantwe can take care of the rest,

    he said. It was a very inter-esting experience to build acourt system for only 17 days,but it worked very well.

    Prior to his work with thecity of Atlanta, Riley served asassistant district attorney forthe South Georgia Circuit, theCherokee Circuit, and the At-lanta District. He also servedas the solicitor general forFulton Countys State Courtand helped revamp Doravillescourt system.

    The role of a city solicitorincludes serving as the cityprosecutor, advising police on

    legal matters, and prosecutingin the environmental court formatters such as zoning and

    development issues, code vio-

    lations and property mainte-nance violations. In addition,Riley will serve as Brookhav-ens city attorney and providesrepresentation for the city inall legal proceedings.

    Bill has played a vitalrole in the initial set up ofour city and understandsthe court process better thananyone else we considered,said Brookhaven MayorJ.Max Davis. He is the idealcandidate to help build theBrookhaven Municipal Courtinto a model for fairness and

    efciency.Riley said his goal ascity solicitor is to protectthe people and property ofBrookhaven and that includesimproving the citys code en-forcement.

    We have some areas ofthe city that are in desperateneed of code enforcement andsome properties have to comeup to the minimum code stan-dards of the state of Georgia,he said. Well be looking atprotecting the property valuesof the citizens and protectingthe life and health and safety

    of those living in a number ofthose places.

    Atlanta lawyer appointedas citys frst solicitor

    ubrookhaven

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    The Champion Free Press, Friday, March 15, 2013 Page 15AEDUCATION

    by Andrew [email protected]

    The school districts pos-sible loss of accreditationwas the main topic studentshad for Gov. Nathan Dealduring a videoconferenceMarch 7.

    The students was partici-pated in the event were part

    of the 21-member DeKalbCounty School District(DCSD) Student AdvisoryCouncil.

    Richard Peay, a studentat DeKalb School of the Arts,asked the governor about thestates contingency plan ifDCSD loses accreditation.

    In the case that we dolose accreditation, is there a

    backup plan? Peay asked.Is there a way students canattend schools in other dis-tricts or is the class of 2014grandfathered in? Is there

    any plan of that sort?Deal said the goal of thestate and school district is totry to avoid loss of accredita-tion at all costs.

    When that occurred inthe past there were specialdispensations made to makesure the students were not

    punished as a result of thesystem itself losing its ac-creditation, Deal said. It isa serious matter.

    Deal acknowledged thatwhen Clayton County lostits accreditation ve yearsago, lots of students were

    transferred from the schoolsystem.

    It was a rather large exo-dus as I recall, Deal said.Its important for us to try

    to make sure we dont getto that loss of accreditation

    because those are the kindsof inconveniences and dis-turbances in families and instudents lives that we dontwant to have happen.

    If it does happen, I willgive you my assurance thatI will do everything that Icanto try to mitigate any

    adverse consequences toyou, Deal said.

    Deal was joined in Atlantaby Kenneth Mason, chair-man of the DeKalb school

    board nominating commit-tee, and RobertBrown andBradBryant, liaisons be-tween the school board andgovernor.

    In DeKalb with the stu-dents were interim schoolSuperintendent MikeThur-mond and school boardmembers MelvinJohnson,JimMcMahan and Mar-

    shallOrson.Bryant said, When Clay-

    ton lost its accreditation veyears ago that was the rstsystem in 40 years that hadlost accreditation. So this isreally serious.

    The last thing that wewant to happen is for you allto lose focus on what youve

    been doing, Mason said.Stay focused and continue.We dont want you to get dis-

    tracted at all.Alex, a Clarkston High

    School student asked, If ac-creditation is lost, will I beable to get into college?

    Deal said, That is proba-bly the most important ques-tion that could be asked inthe midst of this discussion

    because the loss of accredita-tion of a system means thatthe diploma that you willreceive will not be from anaccredited high school.

    You can almost say with-out exception you will not

    be able to be admitted to anycollege or university outside

    the state of Georgia becausethey generally, as a rule, willnot accept diplomas fromhigh schools that arent ac-credited, he said.

    Deal said the state gov-ernment had to make excep-tions when another schoolsystem lost its accreditation.

    It is a very real concernand it is, from my point of

    view, one of the real motiva-tions for making sure thatloss of accreditation does notoccur, Deal said.

    When a Tucker HighSchool student athlete askedwhether his scholarship of-fers would be taken away ifdistrict loses accreditation,Deal said some colleges maytake special circumstancesinto consideration.

    Generally, a loss of ac-creditation is a red ag thatwould have to be overcomeand we dont want you to

    have to go through that,Deal said.

    Students grill governor about accreditation

    Henderson Middleselects Teacher ofthe Yearby Andrew [email protected]

    Henderson MiddleSchools 2013 Teacherof the Year is just a niceperson.

    She is just very warmand very easy to talk with,aid Terese Allen, principal

    of Henderson Middle. Shealways has a smile on herface.

    Lady M. Yonker, aixth-grade language artseacher, was nominated andelected by peers for the

    accolade.Allen said Yonker is also

    a great listener: You knowhat shes listening to yountently.

    Yonker began workingfor the school district in997 as a paraprofessional.

    After going back to schoolo get a teaching certicate,he began teaching in 1997.

    She has a bachelors degreeof ne arts in interiordesign at University ofGeorgia.

    Yonker is very willingo share with colleagues

    and seeks input fromthem], said Allen, who

    has worked with Yonker for1 years. Yonker also helps

    new and veteran teacherso get acclimated to life at

    Henderson Middle.We have a lot of good

    eachers at HendersonMiddle School, Yonkeraid. Henderson Middle

    School is the best middlechool in the county. Acrosshe board, we have hightandards.

    There are manyeachers that have the

    qualications for teacher ofhe year, Yonker said.

    Allen said, Shesvery dedicated to theprofession. She has a verywarm, inviting classroom.Her kids feel very safe in

    her classroom to expresshemselves or to be wrong.

    She makes it fun.

    Im proud to protect homes in our community.

    Subject to terms, conditions and availability. Northbrook, IL. 2012 Allstate Insurance Company

    Cecil S. Moore

    (404) 692-56327185 Rockbridge Rd., Suite C

    Stone Mountain

    [email protected]

    When it comes to protecting your home, its nice


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