Champion Free Press: Sept. 17

8/8/2019 Champion Free Press: Sept. 17

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AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW.CHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.COM FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 VOL. 13, NO. 24 FREE

FREEPRESS A PUBLICATION OF ACE III COMMUN ICATIONS

See Tyson on Page 13ASee Farmers Markets on Page 13A

by Gale Horton Gay

Farmers markets are wonderful places to findfresh fruits and vegetables, and other productsand goods made by hand. And fall (and theweeks leading to the official season shift from

summer to fall) are an ideal time to explore local mar-kets. With cooler weather beginning to creep in, farm-ers markets will, no doubt, begin to display those fallfavorites that consumers have come to love.

DeKalb County is home to quite a few farmersmarketsmany with niche marketswith some op-erating during the week and others only on weekends,some open early in the day and others late day to earlyevening. Remember that in addition to such edibles as

produce, eggs, honey, cheese and meats, farmers mar-kets are also where one can find handmade items suchas soap, bakery goods, flowers, art and more. Here area few markets worth checking out:

Decatur Farmers Marketwww.decaturfarmersmarket.com

Every Saturday 9 a.m. - noon.Across the street from the DeKalb Courthouse onNorth McDonough Street in downtown Decatur.

Also every Wednesday 4 7 p.m. (March -Oct.) and 3 6 p.m. (Nov. - Feb.)In Decatur onClairemont Avenue at the corner of CommerceDrive and Church Street in the Bank of Americaparking lot, Decatur Farmers Market offers lo-cally grown fresh organic and sustainable pro-duce, flowers, and other organic and sustainable

food products such as bread, jam and sauces. It isa market that supports local farmers by offeringthem an in-town location to sell their products.

At East Lake Farmers Market, farmer Chuck Pugh offers produce directly from his farm in Cumming, Ga.

by Jonathan [email protected]

Corey Wilson rose from his seat ata recent DeKalb County Chamberof Commerce meeting, looked atRamona Tyson and asked why

the word premier was removed from theschool systems logo when it was recentlyredesigned.

No fluff? Straight answer? asked Ty-son, the systems interim superintendent,to Wilson, a board of education candidate.Weve got work to do.

Wilson smiled and applause filled theroom. Tyson was the chambers guest speak-er Sept. 13, during which the schools chiefoffered her most frank assessment to date ofthe systems status as it struggles to restoreits credibility in the wake of a number ofscandals, including the May indictments offormer Superintendent Crawford Lewis,former Chief Operating OfficerPat Reidand two others.

Its been a long six months, Tysonsaid. She took over for Lewis after hestepped down in February. It feels like 50years. Im here to serve until my seasonis over. I say my season because Imcounting down until Im done.

The biggest issue facing the system is its

compliance with the Southern Associationof Colleges and Schools, which overseesschool accreditation. The system recentlysent a 2,500 page document to answer aseries of questions SACS asked after the in-dictments were announced. The organizationasked about school system policies related topurchasing, conflict of interest, hiring prac-tices and nepotism, among others.

The deadline to send in its response wasSept. 11.

We want to make sure we were tellingthe truth, Tyson said.

The system will direct about $18.3 mil-lion in federal money back to school-levelstaffs salary and benefits, she saidpart ofabout $400 million in federal dollars givento the state.

Our school system staff is going to getsomething back, and thats good news, Ty-son said.

But for the most part, she said, she stillstruggles to find time to deal with and considerschool-related and instruction-related issues.

Ill be honest with you: I spend most ofmy time dealing with crises, she said. Butif thats what it takes to change the cultureof this districtthen bring it on.

Tyson also drew attention to severalnewly approved school board policies thataddress staff and school board ethics. Thedistrict also recently became the first schoolsystem in the state to adopt a whistleblower

policy. The board is also in the process ofreviewing all 247 of its policies to make suretheyre up to date. They havent been up-

Tyson:Weve got work to doInterim superintendent tells chamber

audience that school system mustchange public perception

Guide to DeKalbs

bountiful farmers markets


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A Section Page 2A THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010

An apple aday wont keep

the lu away.Get your fu shot at the Publix Pharmacy!

$25 each shot*Find a location near you by visiting

publix.com/fu or calling 1-877-FLU-8100.

*Medicare Part B accepted without co-pay.

Age restrictions may apply. Speak to your

Publix pharmacist or details.

Accused DeKalbcop killer appealspre-trial motionby Nigel Roberts

Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty forWilliam Woodard,whom they sayshot and killed twooff-duty DeKalb police officers in 2008.

In a pre-trial appeal, the Georgia Supreme Courtheard arguments on Sept. 7 regarding the use ofWoodards medical records at the trial.

According to prosecutors, in 2008, DeKalb PoliceOfficers Eric Barker, 34, and Ricky Bryant, 26,were working off-duty security jobs at the GlenwoodGardens Apartments in Atlanta. When they approacheda vehicle in the parking lot, Woodard got out of the carand began shooting. He allegedly shot Barker in thehead and Bryant in the torso and drove away. However,a tow truck driver found the men and called police.

One officer died at the scene and the other died in thehospital, leaving behind wives and four children.

A few days later, Sheriffs Office deputies and U.S.Marshals arrested Woodard during a traffic stop at-20 and Wesley Chapel Road. Later, a county grandury indicted him on charges of two counts of malice

murder, two counts of felony murder and four counts ofweapons charges.

An investigator with the DeKalb district attorneysoffice obtained a subpoena and got a copy ofWoodards medical records from the Hall County andDeKalb County jails where Woodard had been held.Prosecutors then gave copies to Woodards attorneys asa part of the pre-trial discovery process.

Woodards lawyers later filed a motion asking thecourt to exclude information from Woodards medical

file at trial because it had been obtained illegally. Theyclaimed prosecutors violated Woodards privacy rights.However, the trial court denied the motion at a hearingn January. Consequently, Woodard appealed to the

high court.According to Woodards attorneys, the state violated

heir clients Fourth Amendment right by subpoenainghis medical files without getting a search warrant. Theyare relying onKing v. State, a 2000 decision in whichhe states high court ruled that medical providers

are the technical owners of records but the patientnevertheless has a reasonable expectation of privacy inhe information contained therein . They contendedhat granting prosecutors unlimited access to inmates

medical files to aid their case would have a chillingeffect on detainees seeking medical treatment.

Prosecutors contend that theKingdecision doesnt

apply to this case. They say Woodards lawyers knewhat prosecutors were obtaining the files but didnt

object. Prosecutors also pointed out that Woodardsattorneys urged them to obtain the medical files, whichoften happens in death penalty cases.

According to a summary of the arguments providedby the court, prosecutors said that Woodards attorneysargued in pre-trial motions that the state had a dutyo obtain the records. Woodard is currently on his

fourth lead counsel since his arrest. It makes no sensefor them to complain that Woodards rights wereviolated, prosecutors contend. Its akin to a jail inmatefiling motions demanding that the state search his jailcell and then complaining when they found somethingprosecutors said in court documents. This was oneof eight cases on the courts oral argument calendar.

The court did not announce when it would release itsdecision.


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THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 PAGE 3ANEWS

In outcry over sidewalk, Doravilleofficials urge patience before judgmentby Matt Amato

A television newsbroadcast maligned it as anexample of squandered fed-eral stimulus funds. Someesidents point to a cavalier

mayor and his assistant forwhat some have referred toas the mess. In turn, theyfire back, accusing their ac-cusers of creating a politicaltorm in a tea cup.

Whatever the angle, theCentral Avenue sidewalkconstruction in Doravillehas drawn sharp reactions

while exposing undeniabledivisions in a city pridingtself on inclusiveness.

The point of contention:a row of power poles em-bedded in a new sidewalkalong one side of the road,preventing wheelchair ortroller access on a path

connecting the DoravilleMARTA station, at its sum-mit, to Buford Highway.

Constructions under wayon both sides of the road.The $160,000 project isfunded by a federal stimu-us grant and was started in

uly, said Luke Howe, themayors assistant who ap-plied for the grant.

When residents noticedone side lined with polesamid the wet concrete, ques-ions began. Former city

council memberTom Hartwas among leading critics.

In a widely distributed e-mail, Hart said the sidewalkwas a perfect example ofhe city of Doraville know-ngly squandering taxpay-

ers money. As this sidewalks completed it will become

more and more obvious toall what we were scream-ng about for the last six

months.However, Howe, referred

o in the same e-mail as themayors pr guy and cam-paign manager, said the ac-cusations couldnt be furtherfrom the truth.

An initial cost estimateby Georgia Power to havehe poles moved, thereby

allowing wheelchair access,

was $15,000-$18,000which was budgeted in thegrant proposal, said Howe.

But the price went to$70,000 [after the grant wasawarded], he said. Wedidnt have a choice but togo through [the concrete]with the poles.

In a television interviewlast month, Hart, stand-ing by the sidewalk, said:What is the point of put-ting a sidewalk in, if theentire sidewalk is lined witha telephone pole right in

the centerI mean, its not(Americans with DisabilitiesAct) compatible. Its hardlypedestrian compatible.

Howe said the story wassensationalized and missedkey facts, such as that Hartsconstruction company hadbid on the project but wasturned down because allthe correct paperwork wasnot filed. Georgia Powerscontrasting estimates werealso omitted.

And in another twist:The sidewalks will neverbe ADA compliant because

the grade [the roads incline]is too steep, said Howe.And theres nothing we cando to change that.

Stuck with the poles andnot being permitted to usestimulus money for landacquisition, the city hasused its own funds to buythe land for the sidewalkfrom the Salvation Army, itsowners, for $800. The ease-ment agreement means theSalvation Army still ownsthe land but the city can doconstruction.

Howe said the plan is towiden the sidewalk by pour-ing more concrete, allowingenough room for wheel-chairs, with rest areas andhandrails also included.

Weve done all we canto make it ADA friendly,said Howe. Its a very posi-tive thing, and its a shamethat a few people have aproblem with it.

Photo by Matt Amato


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FREEPRESS

The Newslady

Divine intervention

The Rev. Terry Jones ofGainesville, Fla., called off hisplanned burning of the Holy Quranscheduled for the ninth anniversaryof Sept. 11. For divine interventionwe thank the Creator. Please un-derstand that I am Baptist born andBaptist bred and when I die Ill beBaptist dead. And, while a Chris-ian, I have a healthy respect for

other religious beliefs.

I also believe in our fundamen-al rights of free speech as guaran-eed by the First Amendment of the

Constitution. But Rev. Jones planso desecrate the Quran served noth-ng but to fan the flames of religiousntolerance and endanger our men

and women in uniform and other

innocent citizens. Thankfully, theevent was cancelled.

Before Rev. Jones announce-ment that he was calling off the

burning, cold water was beingdoused on his plans. Local govern-ments said they were going to billhim for the extra cost of security.He had a couple of visits from theFBI, results of the meetings werenot disclosed. He was denied apermit to burn and the mayor ofGainesville declared the 11th Inter-faith Solidarity Day.

Hundreds of students planned acounter-protest. Citing unacceptablecontent, the company that hostedthe church Web site pulled it. Thecards were stacked against him, andthe threat to public safety here andabroad was significant. Interpol is-

sued a global alert warning of thestrong possibility of violent attacksif the Quran burning proceeded.

Here at home an armed Chris-tian organization that did not agreewith the Quran burning pledged todefend the Dove Centers right todo it and warned the administration

to stay out of it. In short, religiousintolerance had the potential to causeworldwide mayhem and death.

A number of prominent na-

tional leaders and world leadershad pleaded with him to cancelthe event. President Obama hadweighed in warning that the bonfirewould be a recruitment bonanzafor Al Qaeda and increase the num-bers of individuals who would bewilling to blow themselves up inAmerican and European cities.

Pressure to abandon the burningalso came from Gen. David Pe-traeus, commander of our troops inAfghanistan.

Here was this pastor of a smallcongregation of some 50 peoplewhose news conferences drew morepeople from the press than sit in his

pews, causing an international fire-storm of intolerance and hatred.

The lesson in this should be thatwe should not cave in to fear mon-gers and extremists of any stripe,be it religious or racial. Lord knowshistory is rife with incidents of ha-tred and religious intolerance. Rev.

Jones plan was extremely volatileand could have led to hate crimesagainst Muslims and violent retali-ation.

We have witnessed in this coun-try in the not-too-distant past thecross burnings and lynchings byChristian members of the Ku KluxKlan against African Americans. InGermany, Nazis first started burn-ing books and then started burningJewish people. Far too often we for-get the basic tenets of all religions,those common threads of peace,love and brotherhood.

I like that statement oft repeatedby Rev. Joseph Lowery. Let usturn to one another instead ofonone another. Rev. Jones burningof the Holy Quran might have ledto more deadly consequences than

the carnage of the day he purportedto commemorate. Thank God/Allahfor divine intervention.

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

PLEASE RECYCLETHIS NEWSPAPER

THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 PAGE 4AOPINION


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by Jim Hightower

Columnist

Guest Opinions

As U.S. schools, especiallythose serving minorities and thepoor, fall further and further be-hind Europe and East Asia, self-flagellation rules our educationestablishment. We always admitthat what weve been doing up tonow hasnt worked, but finally,

by cracky, were ready to bite thebullet and get at it. This bitinggenerally takes the form of pun-ishing teachers whose studentsdont measure up.

That might seem a curiousresponse to a problem whose ba-sic cause has long been identified

as poverty. Being poor leads to

the usual ills: low birth-weight,lead poisoning, hunger, bad diet,moving too often, and crowdedhomes. Teachers, however, makea handy scapegoat. If their schoolsdont produce results, fire them.No doubt a slew of them richlydeserve firing, but this wont domuch to resolve the problem.

Years ago, busing seemedperhaps to hold greater promise.Lets mix the poor kids in with themiddle-class kids (in many citiesand towns, rich kids attend privateschools) and enhance classroomdiversity. Unfortunately, the mid-dle-class parents objected. Appar-

ently they didnt want to subjecttheir kids to long bus rides for thesake of integration. Raleigh hasjust dropped its longstanding bus-ing program altogether and othercities are on the verge.

Magnet and charter schoolshave also proliferated as an alter-

native. They often serve as islands

of enlightenment, integration, andmotivation in a sea of educationalapathy. Or not. Measuring theirsuccess is tricky, and plainly theysuck out many of the most promis-ing students from the remainingtroubled schools. Just as plainlythough, they have succeeded inretaining valuable parents whowould otherwise have fled towealthier communities had theirkids received no special treatment.

But what does all this rear-ranging of the deck chairs have todo with poverty, a major underly-ing cause of weak education? Notmuch. Alleviating poverty enough

to improve educational successwould require the dreaded redis-tribution of income, so feared inour hallowed market economy.Equally hallowed is zoning. Incountless jurisdictions, zoning isthe chief tool for separating thehaves from the have-nots, thus

plunking all the have-nots into

festering schools. There they stewin their own juice. Those schoolsthen pull down our national per-formance ratings when measuredagainst, say, France or Korea.

Meanwhile, the governmentis contriving a national gradingsystem and education experts areexploring new incentives for studyand experimenting with new dis-ciplinary standards. Sure, Americais behind the curve on such inno-vations. But we ought not to kidourselves that this tinkering willfix the fundamental failings of ourschools. The growing disparity infamily incomes will most likely

undercut any halting progresswe make within the school wallsthemselves.

OtherWords columnist WilliamA. Collins is a former state repre-sentative and a former mayor ofNorwalk, Connecticut.

Sometimes I don't know wheth-er to laugh, cry or go bowling. Thisis one of those times.

America is now in a Great JobsDepression that has already lasted10 years and continues to rage un-abated across the land, devastating

the middle class. Yet it took twomonths and endless compromisesthis summer for Senate Democratsto woo the few Republican votes

needed to pass even a weak andmeek jobs bill to help deter massfirings of schoolteachers and fire-fighters by local governments. Pi-ous, purse-lipped Republicanswhohave eagerly backed Wall Streetbailouts, needless wars, and otherbudget-busting expendituresde-manded that other programs be cutas the price of saving these essentialpublic-service jobs.

So, what program did our stal-wart senators choose to loot? Foodstamps!

Yes, even as millions of Ameri-cans are stuck in long-term, relent-less unemployment, thus increas-ing the urgent need for family

assistance, our well-fed, big-buttedSolons grabbed nearly $12 billionfrom the supplemental nutritionassistance program. This puts thedumb in dumbfounding.

Because of the economic col-lapse caused by the reckless greedof Wall Street bankers, there hasbeen a 50 percent increase in thepast two years in the number ofAmericans relying on food stamps.In the coming months, more andmore peopleincluding schoolteach-ers and firefightersare going to lose

their jobs, and many of them willneed the helping hand that Congresshas now so stupidly and callouslywithdrawn.

Instead of stealing funds fromour country's essential food stampprogram, Congress should get themoney for its jobs bill by taxingthe multibillion-dollar bonusesthat Wall Street bankers are payingthemselves. And if that's not enoughmoney, cut the pay, pensions andhealth-care freebies that Congresscritters give to themselvesmost ofthem need to go on a diet anyway.

Jim Hightower is a radio com-mentator, writer, and public speaker.

Hes also editor of the populistnewsletter, The Hightower Low-down.

Slashing food stamps makes no senseCongress should get the money for its jobs bill by taxing the multibillion-dollar bonuses

that Wall Street bankers are paying out to themselves

Class StruggleImproving Americas schools requires tackling poverty, a major underlying cause of weak education

www.ChampionNewspaper.com THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 PAGE 5A


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Increasingly we liven a worldalasof de-

iberate misrepresenta-ion and mischaracter-zation. Or you could

call them lies.Thank God for

mainstream, fair-minded journalistsike myself, who care for little but truth,ustice and setting the record straight.n that spirit, I offer up the following

falsehoods, believed to be true by manyof the bewildered among us, along withcorrections.

A group of radical Muslims is plan-ning to build a mosque at ground zeron New York as a taunt to survivors ofhose who died there.

That might be true, if it were just a

mosque and if it were at ground zero.The project in question is a high-rise

community center that, while it willhouse a room for Muslim prayer, willalso have meeting rooms, a gym and awimming pool. What it is, basically, is

a building.Nor is it at ground zero. The site is

wo blocks away and around a corner.When protestors gather at ground zeroo wave signs and shout, they are out ofight of the proposed mosque.

As far as the affront to survivors, Iwould think visitors to the 9/11 memo-ial will find enough to give them pain

without worrying about a building two

blocks away.Neither is the group planning thecommunity center radical in any ac-cepted sense of the word. The chiefmam involved in the project is cel-

ebrated throughout the Muslim world asa moderate and a man of peace.

President Obama is a Muslim.No hes not.President Obama is planning a

tealth tax hike to fund his socialistic,budget-busting schemes.

Not really. What he is planning is toit in the back of the canoe and let his

hand trail in the water while the sun setson the Bush tax cuts of a decade earlier.

In doing so he is merely affirming the

wisdom of Bush and his advisers whodecreed that their tax cuts would expireafter 10 years. (They did this because itwas obvious that if the cuts lasted anyonger, they would sink the federal bud-

get under a weight of debt too horrible

to contemplate.)As a sop to the hard-

pressed middle class, stilllaboring to recover fromBushs Great Recession,Obama has agreed to renewtheir tax cuts, which didnt

amount to a lot anyway. The people whomake $250,000 a year or more, however,will return to the happy days ofRon-ald Reagan, when income taxes werehigher.

Mr. Obama is not a native-bornAmerican.

Yes he is.The Left Wing has a stranglehold

on the government and it is the missionof the conservative majority to take ourcountry back and rescue future genera-

tions from Socialist Hell.No, no and no. Strictly speaking,

there is no Left Wing in this country,certainly not a Left like they have inEurope, where theyre still fighting theclass struggle. The class struggle here isover. The rich guys won.

Actually, there is not even that muchof a Right Wing (although youd neverknow it from the commotion they raise).

The great majority of Americans be-long to the Party of Indifference. Peoplehere dont really care much about poli-tics.

You see it in our voter turnout, whichis abysmally low, and in the lack of par-

ticipation in local affairs. Reality televi-sion is so much more entertaining.What we have in place of ideology is

single-issue politics.Abortion, gay marriage, merit pay for

teachers, stem cell research, free trade,illegal immigration, gunseverybodysgot a favorite issue, at least one, andthats what drives people to the polls(when it does).

Concepts like civic virtue and thegreater good of society are on life sup-port. In many instances they are viewedas communist buzzwords. One is re-minded of the words ofYeats:

The best lack all conviction, whilethe worst are full of passionate inten-

sity.There. I hope that clears up any con-

fusion you might have.OtherWords columnist Donald Kaul

lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. www.oth-erwords.org

Setting the record straight

by Donald KaulColumnist

What we have in place of ideology is single-issue politics

The following comments are pulled straight from our Web site andare not edited for content or grammar.

CEO Burrell Ellis nominates Richard Stognerfor COO post

Ellis has lost his mind. Stogner is the singleworst choice for COO. DeKalb is lucky the Fedsdidnt investigate the Jones administration, andJones and Stogner are even luckier, because theywould be behind bars. Burrell Ellis and Larry John-son support Stogner? When will we have a CEOand BOC Chair who believe in ethical governancein DeKalb??

Why?? posted this on 9/12/10 at 9:25 p.m.

Frankly, if I were Ellis, there is no way I wouldwant anyone associated with Jones to return insuch a high level role. I can understand Ellis want-

ing someone who knows the department and staff,etc. That certainly would make things easier forhim, but the easy way is not always the wise solu-tion. Jones morals and ethics lost my vote longago. And, if it is true that this guy was also fined/involved in the discrimination suit against thecounty, his returning is inappropriate. Wrong move.I thought Ellis was smarter.

Minister Zel posted this on 9/11/10 at 7:03 a.m.

In the Law Suit with Vernon Jones alledged dis-crimination in DeKalb County ~ Vernon Jones wasfound guilty and his go to guy Richard Stogner was

fined 28,000 Dollars for creating a hostile work en-viroment. OMG Hes Back ! Only in DeKalb County! CEO Burrell Ellis Master of the Shell Game!

TheSnoopyDog posted this on 9/10/10 at 6:17p.m.

This would be the same man that ran Con-tracts and Procurements just any ole way he sawfit resulting in the KPMG Audit report showing anabsense of Ethics in the department among manyother problens resulting in 17 to 21 Million goingout the door ~ Great !!! They even gave a Clownalmost 40 Thousand Dollars with no accountability.

Calling all Clowns ! Line up Stogner is back on theJob!

Iva Ben Hadd posted this on 9/10/10 at 3:00 p.m.

Printed on100% post-consumer

recycled paper


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www.ChampionNewspaper.com THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 A Section Page 7A

Brooke KrennChampion of the Week

If you would like to nominatesomeone to be considered as afuture Champion of the Week,

please contactKathy Mitchell [email protected] or at404-373-7779, ext. 104.

Sometimes therestruth in clichs. Casein point: Behind every

great man, theres agreat woman.

Not so sure about theevery part, but behindthe man who recentlyrode his motorcyclemore than 6,000 milesfrom Atlanta to Alaskaand back to Atlanta washis girlfriend-turned-publicist and WebmasterBrooke Krenn.

Krenn was very muchleft behind when Dan-iel Palazzolo took offfrom DeKalb County forhis five-week charity/

awareness campaignand cross-country ride.However, the skillful andresourceful Krennwhomanages an Internetprocurement program forCox Enterprisesusedher talents to play a vitalrole in Palazzolos suc-cess. She not only builthis Web sitewww.atltothearctic.comshealso served as its Web-master, helped to orga-nize his photos and editand upload blog content,as well as make updates

to Facebook and Twitteron his behalf.I wouldnt have been

able to do it withouther, said Palazzolo whocalled her involvementkey and critical. Imnot computer savvy.

And Palazzolo creditsKrenn with getting himtelevision and newspa-

per exposure.The pairs combined

efforts resulted in nearly

$10,000 being raisedfor the Susan G. KomenFoundation. Palazzoloundertook the journey intribute to his sister Kris,who is currently battlingbreast cancer.

When I saw howpassionate Daniel wasabout making this trip asuccess, I jumped in withboth feet, exclaimedKrenn in an e-mail.

Krenn, who has vol-unteered for Habitat forHumanity and the Ameri-can Cancer Societys

Making Strides AgainstBreast Cancer charitywalk, noted that she hashad two friendsages23 and 27who havehad to deal with breastcancer.

I worked nights andweekends non-stop. Iwould say marketingATL to the Arctic becameanother full-time job...40 hrs/week might beconservative, she wrote,adding that she had noprevious experience infundraising, media rela-

tions or Web site devel-opment.I am so incredibly

proud of Daniel and hisselflessness, continuedKrenn, adding she con-sidered it an honor to bean integral part of hisamazing and successfuljourney.

Community meeting touches on healthconcerns and career successesby Terrance Kelly

There was a buzzhroughout the room dur-ng the September Legisla-ive Community Cabinet

& Breakfast Meeting atDecaturs New Piney GroveMissionary Baptist Church.Ways to keep DeKalb resi-dents healthy, celebration ofhe successes of a local foot-ball coach and the appoint-ment of DeKalbs district at-orney to the Environmental

Protection Agency all createda stir and captured the atten-ion of meeting attendees.

Dr. Sandra Ford, dis-rict health director, DeKalb

Board of Health, broughtnews of the county havingonly one case of West Nilevirus for a two-year timeperiod. The one case wenow have is a 39-year-oldman who is on a ventilator,Ford explained. Many ofus have not been spending aot of time outside, because

of the high temperatures,and havent had to deal withmosquitoes. Now morepeople are going outside, be-cause temperatures are get-ing low, and the mosquitoes

are still out.There are some precau-

ions Ford recommends to

combat irritating and danger-ous mosquitoes.

Any loose, open body ofwater, such as water left inmall pools for kids, is a po-ential source of growth for

mosquitoes, Ford said.Usea repellant with Deet, use oilof lemon, or use picardin.When gardening, wear long-leeve shirts and long pants.

You may even want to tuckyour pants inside your socks,and wearing a mask is help-ful.

Ford said symptoms of

West Nile virus resemblethose associated with flu.Fever, headaches, and chillsare some symptoms, and insome individuals it progress-es to meningitis, she said.

With school back insession, Ford said to takeprecautions against otheroutbreaks, such as tubercu-losis. She cautioned, Whensomeone next to you is con-tinually coughing, speak up.Say something about that,because thats how TB isspread.

Another project underway is the DeKalb CountyNeighborhood and HealthSurvey.

This is a way to find outwhat communities want andnot just guess what servicesto provide, Ford said.

DeKalb residents have ac-cess to the survey online at:www.studyneighborhoods.com.

Cheers and applausegreeted former DeKalb Dis-trict Attorney Gwen KeyesFleming at the breakfastmeeting.

She has been picked byPresident Barack Obama toserve as regional administra-tor, U.S. Environmental Pro-tection Agency, Region 4.

Keyes Fleming said she

recognizes the steep learningcurve her new position posesfor her, but her record dem-onstrate she welcomes chal-lenges. As DeKalb Countysfirst African American wom-an to hold the positions ofsolicitor-general and districtattorney, Keyes Fleming hasher own perspective on whatis ahead. She said, Peoplemay have asked why theEPA? Its not hard to gofrom protecting people toprotecting the environment.As district attorney, I had to

ensure laws were adminis-tered justly for individuals,now I have the duty to makesure our environment is be-ing protected.

This is something ev-

eryone in DeKalb Countycan be proud of, said KeyesFleming. This is not some-thing I could have done bymyself, but only with thesupport of DeKalb County.Im not going far. My officeis in Atlanta, and I still havean open-door policy. Imstill here, wearing a differenthat.

Members of the cabinetalso took time to recognizethe achievements ofWilliamBuck Godfrey, footballcoach at Southwest DeKalbHigh School. During God-freys 27 years at SouthwestDeKalb High School, he haswon a state championship,13 region titles, helped morethan 250 of his players getcollege scholarships and wasinducted into the AtlantaSports Hall of Fame.

Godfreys inspirationreaches beyond the footballfield. He is also the authorof three books, Moods of aBlack Man (1970), Songs forMy Father(1983) and TheTeamNobody Would Play(2008).

I have seen some of myneighbors progress from be-ing a part of Bucks team,said DeKalb County Com-missionerLarry Johnson.These are the type of suc-cesses we need to celebrate.

Godfrey said youngmen sometimes need direc-tion. Sometimes footballor some other sport is justthe beginning of what theymay need to get on the rightpath in life, he said. Winsand losses come and go, butpeople are forever.


8/20


Eliminated Bus Routes:ll

7, 11, 17, 18, 22, 28, 38, 44, 45, 52, 54, 57, 59, 67, 69, 70, 72,77, 88, 91, 96, 97, 105, 113, 118, 122, 137, 139, 151, 160, 200,216, 245, 273, 311, 328, 329, 341, 364, 376, 389, 397. BravesShuttle and Lakewood Shuttle for 2011.

Go to www.itsmarta.comfor interactive links showing busroute changes and text descriptions.

Printed booklets are in RideStores or mailed upon requestthrough the website or by calling Customer Sevice at 404-848-5000.

Maps and descriptions will be posted in all bus bays tohelp guide you.

Call 404-848-5000 and ask one of our Customer Serviceagents to help you plan your trip.

Modified Bus Routes:ll

1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 32, 33, 34, 36,37, 42, 47, 49, 50, 51, 53, 55, 56, 58, 60, 66, 68, 73, 74, 75, 78, 81, 82, 83,84, 85, 86, 87, 89, 93, 95, 99, 103, 104, 107, 111, 114, 115, 116, 117, 119,120, 121, 520L, 521E, 123, 125, 126, 132, 140, 143, 148, 150, 153, 155,

162, 165, 170, 172, 178, 180, 181, 183, 185, 186, 189, 193

MARTA SERVICE CHANGESSeptember 25, 2010

New frequencies.WEEKDAYS

6 AM to 7 PM 15 minutes7 PM to 1 AM 20 minutes

WEEKENDS: 20 minutes

Reduced Breeze Card Cost. Breeze Cards will be reduced from $5 to $1.You will need to add fare at the time of purchase.

Now its Easier to Load Breeze Cards on Buses.You no longer need to ask the bus operator for assistance. Only Breeze Cards can bereloaded at the bus farebox (NOT Breeze Tickets).1. Tap Breeze Card on the bus farebox. 2. Insert cash. 3. Tap Breeze Card once on thefarebox to load transfer.Breeze Tickets Can No Longer Be Reloaded.The Breeze Ticket will still cost 50. However, it can only be used once for either a one-waytrip, round trip, or 1 Day Pass.Fare Increases for Multi-Day Passes.

Routes/Scheduling Information Center.Weekdays 7 AM to 7 PM; Weekends/Holidays 8 AM to 5 PM

Customer Services Center. Weekdays 8 AM to 5 PM

Five Points Info Booth. Weekdays 7 AM to 7 PM

Fewer Restrooms OpenThere will be nine restrooms availiable for public use: Bankhead, College Park, Doraville,Edgewood/Candler Park, Five Points, H.E. Holmes, Indian Creek, Lindbergh and North Springs.Restrooms will be available from 6 AM to 7 PM. (Five Points will close at 10 PM.)

Two RideStores Will Remain Open OPEN at Airport and Five Points stations. CLOSED at Lenox and Lindbergh stations.

Reduced Fare and Lost & Found Office HoursReduced Fare Office will remain open at Lindbergh HQ and Five Points stations with new hours.Weekdays 9 AM to Noon and 2 to 4 PM. Lost & Found open until 5 PM.

Automated Phone System Will Check Your Breeze BalanceOn Sept. 25 the Call Center will no longer provide Breeze Card Balance information. Instead, youcan use the automated telephone system at 404 848-5000 to check your balance. You can also visitwww.breezecard.com, use a Breeze vending machine, or check at RideStores in the Airport & FivePoints stations.

New hours.

WEEKDAYS 4:45 AM to 1 AMWEEKENDS 6:00 AM to 1 AM

Every night at 7 PM:Red Line Turnback @ LindberghGreen Line Turnback @ Vine City

www. i t smar ta .com 404-848-5000 TTY: 404 -848 -5665

One-Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Remains $2Reduced Fare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Remains 901-Day Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Remains $82-Day Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changes to $113-Day Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Changes to $13

4-Day Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changes to $15

7-Day Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changes to $1730-Day Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changes to $68Mobility Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changes to $115

The number of children under 46 tall who can ride free with apaying adult changes will also be changed to a maximum of

two.

Modified Rail Service:ll

Customer Call Center Hours changing..l

How to Prepare for Bus Route Changes:

BREEZE Changes: Oct. 3, 2010

Commissioners: No 2011 taxincrease without extensivecounty cutbacks


The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners

doesnt want a property tax increase next year withoutextensive county government restructuring and budgetcuts, according to a set of 2011 budget priorities theboard passed Sept. 14.

The priorities, which are not binding, include re-adjusting county employees salaries so they reflecttheir counterparts in peer counties and maintaining thelevel of police protection in the county, if not increas-ing the number of public safety officers who serve in afront-line capacity, the boards resolution said.

The resolution also is a reaction to this yearsbudgeting process that pitted the board against CEOBurrell Ellis in a battle of tax increases and countystaffing. Commissioners also complained Ellis and topcounty officials were uncooperative and ignored pre-liminary budgetary information requests from countydepartments.

Ellis is scheduled to deliver his 2011 budget inDecember.

We dont (want to) get to December or Januaryand talk about surprises, CommissionerLarry John-son said at a board retreat Sept. 10.

Commissioners spent a portion of the retreat mak-ing the resolution more specific. CommissionerJeffRader said he thought it was necessary for the countyto present a full salary survey showing what countyemployees earn and what peer county governments

award their counterparts.That way, theres no beating around the bush, he

said.The board also placed an emphasis on restoring the

county reserves, which are between $11 million and$12 million. The reserve should be at least $45 mil-lionenough to cover the countys expenses for onemonth as desired by county policy.

The board will examine a one-time millage rate in-crease over a short span of years to help restore thereserves, the resolution said.

The board also wants each county department toanalyze how much it costs to operate versus howmuch revenue the department generates. It also askedthe county to review retirement benefits for possiblechanges for future hires while preserving the pension

system for current employees.The board passed a $564.9 million 2010 budgetwith no tax increase in February.

Johnson says no surprises from countyafter CEO presents plan in December

Drink tap water. Andbefore you know it, youcan stash away $14,000You dont always have to drink bottled water. A $3

bottle a day x 365 days x 10 years x 6% interest

is $14,694. That could be money in your pocket.Small changes today. Big bucks tomorrow. Go to

feedthepig.org for free savings tips.


9/20


Man arrested in killing of strip club co-ownerby Jonathan Cribbs

[email protected]

DeKalb County policehave arrested and charged aman for the killing of a stripclub co-owner just outsideDecatur earlier this month.

Joey Celestin, 28, wasarrested Sept. 8 and chargedwith murder and armed rob-bery in the Sept. 7 killingofTerry Stephenson, the49-year-old co-owner of PinUps, a club on East Poncede Leon Avenue. When Ste-phenson emerged carryinghe banks cash from the La-

bor Day weekend at about1 p.m., he was shot severalimes, police spokeswoman

Mekka Parish said. Thecash was stolen and Ste-phenson was pronounceddead on the scene.

Hes just a very straight-up guy, family-oriented guywho wouldnt harm no-body, said Douglas Cocchiowner of Prime Time, an-other DeKalb County stripclub and former businesspartner of Stephenson. He

would do anything for youhe could if you asked him.You know, hes just a goodfriend.

It was an atypical day

when Stephenson was at-

tacked, Cocchi said, becausethe banks had been closedMonday because of the La-bor Day holiday, so whenStephenson left the club, hewas carrying an extra dayscash. Cocchi said his cluboften uses off-duty policeofficers to escort club work-ers when theyre makingbank deposits, and thatscommon practice amongmany clubs. Businesses thatdeal in large amounts ofcash can become targets forcriminals.

Stephenson was marriedand had three children, Coc-chi said. His family couldnot be reached for comment.

But Stephenson andhis deceased father, Bill,were widely-known in thecountys club industry overthe past several decades,said Alan Begner, Stephen-sons attorney. Bill Stephen-son sold out his interest inClarkstons Strokers night-club several years ago. Hedied about a year and a halfago.

Terry Stephenson had

filed a lawsuit against thecity of Forest Park to open aclub there, Begner said, aneffort that will likely contin-ue in Stephensons absence.

by Robert [email protected]

Dunwoody police arestill investigating an ac-cident that left a pedestrianhospitalized, police spokes-man Sgt. Mike Carlsonsaid.

John Brand, 81, wasnot in a crosswalk and at-tempted to cross Ashford-Dunwoody Road on Sept.

6 at 10 p.m. He was struckby a Toyota Camry drivenby 23-year-old AndrewGarrett of Atlanta, policesaid. The accident hap-pened north of MeadowLane near Perimeter Mall.

Brand, from England,was taken to Grady Hos-

pital in Atlanta and is instable condition.No charges have been

filed, Carlson said. Carlson

said accidents involvingpedestrians are rare in Dun-woody.

We have a lot of pedes-trians herepeople walk-ing, walking their dogs,joggingand as long asthey obey the crosswalkswe havent really had a

problem, Carlson said.We have had pedestriansstruck by automobiles, butits not common.

Pedestrian hit by car remains in hospital

[Terry Stephenson] was

courteous and kind, Begnersaid. I bet he was a goodboss to work for if you werea dancer. He was a favor-ite client of mine. I thoughtthe world of him.

Pin Ups is situated in acommercial/industrial cor-ridor east of the city limitsof Decatur. Business ownersalong that stretch of EastPonce de Leon Avenue saidthey were shocked to hearof Stephensons death. Be-fore that, local businesseswere subject only to the oc-casional theft, they said.

Someone stole an air

conditioner last year and

another person broke awindow and stole a laptoptwo months ago at Progres-sive Methods Inc., an officesupply company, said JimRiegert, the stores owner.He said he wasnt extremelyworried about violent crimeat his business.

The Pin Ups killingseems like somebody look-ing for a lot of cash, whichdoesnt have anything to dowith us, he said.

Peter Hansen said hesrun his company, GreenWorldwide Shipping, out ofhis East Ponce de Leon Av-

enue location for two years

and never had any crimeissues. He agreed with Rieg-ert.

Its normally verypeaceful, he said. I thinkwith a business like [PinUps], it can attract someelements we dont normallysee.

Riegert said he never metStephenson but met somePin Ups employees whenthey bought supplies fromhis store.

Pin Ups is a real goodcustomer, he said. Theyreall real nice.

Pin Ups co-owner, 49-year-old Terry Stephenson, was shot and killed Sept. 7 outside the strip club as he was carrying cash revenues to deposit in the bank at about 1 p.m.DeKalb County police arrested a 28-year-old man the next day and charged him with murder and armed robbery. Photo by Jonathan Cribbs


10/20

THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 PAGE 10ABUSINESS

Mix, weigh, payconcept putscustomers in charge

by Donna [email protected]

This is not your parentsTCBY. This is Menchiesthe newest frozen yogurtfranchise to enter theAtlanta market. Menchiesopened its Toco Hillsdoors on the evening of

Aug. 26 for a friends andfamily pre-grand openingevent held while thesummer heat still ragedand many people werestill desiring cool treats.

Guests sampledany of the 14 flavors,including peanut butter,Georgia peach and redvelvet, at the seven self-serve stations. At eachstation, one had theoption to choose flavors

individually or swirl twotogether. Patrons alsohave the option to chooseamong in more than 30toppingsfrom sprinklesto diced mango to hotcaramel and fudge.

One of the benefits toMenchies customers is

cost control. Customersdetermine how muchyogurt they wantat44 cents per ounce.Menchies also offers nofat, non-dairy and kosheroptions.

Customers dispensetheir own yogurt and addtheir own toppings.

The dcor and colorscheme are inviting.Vibrant pink and greendecorates the walls andwill likely intrigue youngand old.

Making your dessertyourself is where westand out. We embraceour younger patrons andare very kid friendly. Thisis what makes Menchiesunique, General ManagerGeoffBryant.

Menchies corporateoffice plans to open threeadditional stores over thenext couple of months.In addition to the TocoHills location, there arestores in Johns Creek andRoswell.

Photos by Travis Hudgons


11/20


School system has 30-day wait after sending in SACS response

Child killed

playing withgun Send your comments and/or concerns regarding Comcasts current performance underthe current franchise agreement and/or the future cable-related needs and interests of

your community to [email protected].

DeKalb County Wants to Hear From You

Regarding the Proposed Franchise Agreement Renewalwith Comcast Cable Communications

Administrators:Accreditationis not at risk

by Jonathan Cribbsonathan@dekalbchamp.

com

Accreditors will spendhe next 30 days reviewinghe DeKalb County School

Systems 2,500-page an-swer to questions regardinghe systems policies andnternal controls before it

decides whether a full inves-tigation is required, interimsuperintendent RamonaTyson said.

The school system meta Sept. 11 deadline set bythe Southern Associationof Colleges and Schools,which oversees school ac-creditation. School officials,including Jeff Dickerson,a spokesman, have said thedistricts accreditation hasnot been at risk.

The massive reportanswers a series of ques-tions SACS asked shortlyafter former Superintendent

Crawford Lewis, formerChief Operating OfficerPat Reid and two otherswere indicted on racketeer-ing charges. Several otheradministrators and schoolboard members have foundthemselves the subject ofscandal as well.

SACS asked specificquestions regarding nepo-tism, conflicts of interest,purchasing policies and thesearch for a new superinten-dent, among others. Theywere a direct response to thedistricts recent troubles.

An executive summary

of the larger report showsthe school board is in theprocess of updating its247 policies, which haveremained untouched since2000, Tyson said. The boardalso recently hired a newdirector of audit to reviewlarger school district fi-nances.

The response also in-cludes new policies theboard passed or updated re-cently, including more strin-gent purchasing policies anda new whistleblower policy,the first among school dis-tricts statewide, Tyson said.

The board also passed a newstaff ethics policy, and dis-trict staff will be trained onethics each year, she said.

There is no guessworkin what you should orshould not do with regard toconflicts of interest, Tysonsaid.

The school district is of-ficially up for review for itsaccreditation in 2012. Theschool district will form asteering committee this win-ter to begin the process ofensuring the district retainsits accreditation.

A 7-yead-old Lithoniagirl died after accidentallyhooting herself in her

home, DeKalb Policepokeswoman Mekka

Parish said.The girl was playing with

he gun upstairs in her homeon Lazy Creek Court whenhe accident happened. Her

mother was not at home butadult relatives were in the

home downstairs, Parishaid.

The gun belonged to thegirls mother, and policeaid it was not determined

where the gun was found.The girl was taken to

an area hospital where shewas later pronounced dead,Parish said.

Full

9/23

New

10/7

The Northeast will see isolated showers and thunderstorms today and Friday, mostly

clear to partly cloudy skies Saturday, with the highest temperature of 85 in

Harrisburg, Ill. The Southeast will see mostly clear to partly cloudy skies with a few

thunderstorms today through Saturday, with the highest temperature of 94 in Brookesville, Fla. The

Northwest will see partly cloudy to cloudy skies with a few showers today through Saturday, with

the highest temperature of 86 in The Dalles, Ore. The Southwest will see mostly clear skies today

through Saturday, with the highest temperature of 105 in Gila Bend, Ariz.

THURSDAY

Sunny

High:90 Low: 66

Last9/30

The Champion Weather Sept. 16, 2010Seven Day Forecast

Local UV Index

WEDNESDAY

Mostly SunnyHigh: 90 Low: 64

TUESDAY

Sunny

High:91 Low: 65

MONDAY

Sunny

High:90 Low: 62

SUNDAY

Sunny

High:89 Low: 64

SATURDAY

Sunny

High:89 Low: 65

FRIDAY

Partly Cloudy

High: 90 Low: 64

In-Depth Local Forecast Today's Regional Map

Sunrise

7:21 a.m.

7:22 a.m.

7:22 a.m.

7:23 a.m.

7:24 a.m.7:24 a.m.

7:25 a.m.

Sunset

7:43 p.m.

7:41 p.m.

7:40 p.m.

7:38 p.m.

7:37 p.m.7:36 p.m.

7:34 p.m.

Moonset

1:08 a.m.

2:05 a.m.

3:03 a.m.

4:00 a.m.

4:55 a.m.5:50 a.m.

6:44 a.m.

Moonrise

3:52 p.m.

4:31 p.m.

5:06 p.m.

5:36 p.m.

6:05 p.m.6:32 p.m.

6:58 p.m.

First10/14

2010. Accessweather.com, Inc.

Weather History

Sept. 16, 1989 - Showers and

thunderstorms, representing

what remained of Hurricane

Octave, brought locally heavy

rains to California, impeding

the drying process for raisins

and other crops. Sacramento,

Calif. was soaked with 1.53

inches of rain in six hours.

Weather Trivia

Tonight's Planets

Does the risk of sunburn

increase with altitude?

Answer: Yes. At high altitudes, there

is less atmosphere to shield you.

?

Day

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

MondayTuesday

Wednesday

National Weather Summary This Week

Local Sun/Moon Chart This Week

StarWatch By Gary Becker - Meteorites: Window to Our Past

Today we will see sunny skies with a high

temperature of 90, humidity of 45% and

an overnight low of 66. The record high

temperature for today is 96 set in 1980.

Friday, skies will be partly cloudy with a

high temperature of 90.

Sept. 17, 1965 - A s to rm

produced a band of heavy

snow across parts of

Wyoming. Totals of 23 inches

at Rawlins and 20.7 inches at

Lander easily surpassed

previous snowfall record totals

for so early in the season.

I have a fascination with meteorites. They are natural space debris, mostly from the asteroid belt, that makes it down to the Earths surface. When you hold a meteorite in

your hand, you are making contact with something that was formed during the very earliest days of our solar system, in some cases before there was even an Earth. The

earliest terrestrial rocks, found in southwestern Greenland, are 4.1-4.3 billion years old. Meteorites consistently date to 4.5 billion years, indicating when these materials

first crystallized. Although the classification of meteorites is complex, they fall into three broad groupings: irons, stony-irons, and stones. Respectively, they account for

four, one, and 95 percent of all witnessed falls. What they signify is how objects between Mars and Jupiter accreted (came together). As the solar nebula cooled, grains of silica and met-

als bumped into one another to form larger and larger bodies, many of which became so huge that they compressed, heated, and melted to form mini-planets. The denser materials likeiron settled to form the cores of these bodies. Rocky materials (silicates) rose to the surface. At the interface between the core and mantle, small amounts of iron and rock mixed to

become the stony-irons. Some objects were too small to undergo this differentiation process; the metals still remained mixed with the silica, in many cases retaining the original clumps

of matter, the chondrules, that formed them in the first place. Stony meteorites are divided into chondrites and achondrites (without chondrules) with varying amounts of metals found

within the silica. When Jupiters gravity began changing the orbits of the asteroids, collisions resulted. Most of the larger and smaller bodies were broken up, creating our present mete-

orite classification system, and giving us a window to glimpse the primordial soup that eventually became our solar system. www.astronomy.org

Rise Set

Mercury 6:01 a.m. 6:55 p.m.

Venus 10:49 a.m. 9:13 p.m.

Mars 10:21 a .m. 9:20 p.m.

Jupiter 7:55 p.m. 7:53 a.m.

Saturn 8:19 a.m. 8:21 p.m.Uranus 7:51 p.m. 7:52 a.m.

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

Atlanta

90/66

Decatur

90/66

Doraville

89/66

Dunwoody

88/65 Lilburn

89/66

Snellville

90/66

Lithonia

91/66

Morrow

91/66

Smyrna

89/66

Hampton

92/67

Union City

91/66

College Park

91/66

*Last Weeks Almanac

Date Hi Lo Normals PrecipTuesday 91 64 85/67 0.00"

Wednesday 93 67 84/67 0.00"

Thursday 91 70 84/66 0.00"

Friday 94 68 84/66 0.00"

Saturday 96 72 84/66 0.37"

Sunday 88 70 83/66 0.00"

Monday 86 59 83/65 0.00"Rainfall . . . . . . .0.37" Average temp . .79.2

Normal rainfall . .0.98" Average normal 75.0

Departure . . . . .-0.61" Departure . . . . .+4.2*Data as reported from De Kalb-Peachtree Airport


12/20


Advocating success

by Robert Naddra

[email protected]

A group of area resi-dents, most of whom haveno children at Cross KeysHigh School, has come tohe rescue ofhe 52-year-oldchool.

Brookhavenesident Kim

Gokce foundedhe Cross Keys

Foundationabout ninemonths ago.

Since then, stu-dents and teach-ers have beeneceiving much-

needed suppliesand equipment.And the groundshave been given a facelift aswell.

The foundation hasbeen a Godsend to CrossKeys High School, prin-cipal LaShawn McMillanaid. They have provided

us with numerous materialsand supplies we have need-ed for quite some time.

Two months beforehe foundation officially

formed, Gokce and othernterested residents joined

more than 110 Cross Keys

students to work on thegrounds on Hands on At-lanta Day.

We cleaned up thegrounds and put in new pav-ers to connect the walkways

to the trailers,Gokce said.Thats the dayI decided I wasall in. The stu-dents there areso committed.

The forma-tion of the foun-dation, which

now has 30 paidmembers, coin-cides with con-struction of aSPLOST-fundedrenovation thatincluded up-

grading the gym and lockerroom facilities.

Theyve worked withus to beautify the grounds,theyre getting supplies andmaterials to our teachersinside the classroom andtheyve created scholarshipsfor two seniors each year,McMillan said. Its been a

huge motivating factor forour faculty and students.Theyre one of the biggestcheerleaders in our com-

munity.

The biggest thing isthat they come to the schooland get involved, McMil-lan continued. They knowour kids and the kids knowthem. Were very fortunateto have the foundation.

The foundation helpsall the Cross Keys feederschools as wellSequoyahMiddle, and Dresden,Montclair, Cary Reynoldsand Woodward elementaryschools.

We are advocatingfor the needs and promot-

ing the successes of theseyoung people, Gokce said.This area was neglectedfor a long time but now itsgetting the attention it de-serves.

Cross Keys and itsfeeder schools are someof the most culturally di-verse schools in the state.Students at the high schoolcome from 60 countries and80 languages are spokenamong the students, Gokcesaid. Also, according toGreatschools.net, each ofCross Keys feeder schools

has at least 94 percent of thestudents who are economi-cally disadvantaged and atleast 43 percent who have

limited proficiency in Eng-

lish.We saw that the need

was there because of theunique characteristics ofthe attendance area from asocio-economic standpoint,Gokce said. Children arecoming from Brookhaven toPleasantdale. Our key objec-tive was to be a voice forfamilies and young peopleoutside the chain of com-mand where there was nonebefore.

The perception that theparents at Cross Keys dont

care enough to get involvedis a misconception, Gokcesaid.

In many countries, for-mal education ends after theeighth grade, Gokce said.So parents dont have theexperience or the knowledgeto ask for things or speak upwhen things arent right.

Gokces group has beena voice for all the schoolsin the Cross Keys feedersystem. The foundation hashelped the high school part-ner with the Metro AtlantaYMCA and Big Peach Run-

ning Company, among otherorganizations.

A five-year agreementwith the school system

and the YMCA will bring

an estimated $170,000 inimprovements to the CrossKeys football practice fieldand track, said Julie Koria-kin, executive director ofthe Cowart Family Ashford-Dunwoody YMCA branch.

The YMCA has placednew sod on the footballfield in return for being ableto use the field for youthleague soccer. Bleachers anda concession stand will beadded, and improvementswill be made to the exist-ing fieldhouse at the school.

Also, the running trackaround the field will be re-surfaced, Koriakin said.

Big Peach is helping tosupply the high schoolscross country teams withrunning shoes. The founda-tion also has helped CrossKeys band program, Mc-Millan said. Help has cometo the feeder schools aswell, as the foundation or-ganized an instrument driveto provide instruments toSequoyahs guitar club.

We identify the needsof the students and teachers

and find resources to meetthose needs, Gokce said.

Cross Keys Foundation providing long-awaited support

Gokce


13/20

Farmers MarketsContinued From Page 1A

TysonContinued From Page 1A

TysonContinued From Page 1A

by Kathy Mitchell

The little theater tucked away on thecampus of what is now Greater Travel-ers Rest Baptist Church after a dormanteriod as the facility changed hands has

eopened with a bang. The RenaissanceProject play now on its stage is SteelMagnolias, the off-Broadway play byRobert Harling, who based it on hisown familys struggle to deal with thellness and death of his younger sister.

Once again, the Renaissance Proj-ects small and dedicated staff haspulled together a very worthy effort.This rendition of the comedy-dramadelivers the roller-coaster of emotionswith laughter and tears tumbling atopone another that has made the play,which became a 1989 movie and later ahort-lived television show, so popular.

Those familiar only with the movie

adaption ofSteel Magnolias will noticea number of differences. The entire plays set in Truvys carport-turned-beautyalon, and the cast (except for a voice

on the radio) is all women. The menare present only through the womenscommentary on them. But this is oneof the plays strengths. Imagining theodd assortment of men in their livess funnier than actually meeting them.

Many of the really funny linesuch as when Truvy complains of the

way her coat attracts lint by saying

it picks up everything but boys andmoneyare actually old Southern-isms that arent original with the play,but are worked in well and can draw alaugh even from those of us who haveheard them before.

This production has a bi-racial cast,which might cause one to wonder if thestory of a close-knit group of Southern-to-the-core women would feel crediblewith Black and White women all regu-lars in the same beauty shop. It doeswork. For one thing, this is the 1980s,

not the 1950s, and the New Southifnot fully emergedis certainly visible.

In an all-around fine cast, TasiaGrantstands out as MLynn, the moth-er of a young woman who tries perhapstoo hard to live a full life despite the

limitations that diabetes has placed onher. Much of what MLynn is thinkingand feeling must be communicatedwithout words, and Grant rises beauti-fully to the task. Then when she doeshave an emotional speech to deliver, shedelivers it with a wallop.

I found only one role a bit less sat-isfying. Deena Beasley as the grouchyand sarcastic Ouiser has some of thebest linesI do not see plays, becauseI can nap at home for free. I wouldlike to have seen the more acerbic onesdelivered with the sort of curmudgeonlysharpness that Shirley MacLainebrought to the movie role.

This is definitely a worthwhileevening at the theater, especially forthose who live in south DeKalb Countyand might normally have a long driveas well as traffic and parking fees tocontend with.

The theater is in the Greater Trav-elers Rest Baptist Church EdgewoodBuilding at 4650 Flat Shoals ParkwayDecatur. SeeLights on again at southDeKalb theater on page 5Bfor detailson dates and times.

Steel Magnolias blossoms as a fresh, funny and

touching Renaissance Project production

Onira Tars, seated, as Shelby is sur-rounded by, from left Tasia Grant asMLynn, Deena Beasley as Ouiser,Wendy Pippin as Annelle, StephanieWilkinson as Clairee and Margaret Hollisas Truvy. Photo by Michael Cole

Vendors include: Whippoorwill Hollow Farm Magnolia Bread Company

Inc. Denton Flower Farm The Funny Farm Besmaid Garden Essentials Simply Scrumptious Greenleaf Farms, LLC Pearl River Vineyards Antico Mercante Big Daddy Biscuits Johnston Family Farms Tinks Grassfed Beef Darby Farms

Coles Lake Dairy Hidden Springs Farms Zocalo Salsas Jones Sharpening Fairywood Thicket Green Ola Acres Cafe Campansino Atlanta Sueno Pop 3rd Angel Farm

Dunwoody Green Marketwww.dunwoodygreenmarket.com

Located in the parking lot next tohe Dunwoody Village Post Office,551 Dunwoody Village Parkway in

Dunwoody. Open every Wednesday

8 a.m. to noon, April through De-cember.

The Dunwoody Green Mar-

ket (formerly known as the SpruillGreen Market) is a sixth yearproducer-only market, which meansthat only vendors who make or growwhat they sell can participate. Ac-cording to its Web site, most of itsproduce vendors grow with organicmethods and are certified naturallygrown. Vendors offer a range ofseasonal vegetables, fruits (includ-ing hard-to-find heirloom varieties,meats (beef, pork, poultry, includ-ing heritage breeds), honey andfree-range eggs (chicken and duck).(Meats are sold on an order basisand are not brought to market each

week.) Also, various artisans set upduring the course of the market.

Vendors include: Heritage Farm Yoder Farm David Jefferies Kitchen H&F Bread Company Hardwright Bakery Sweet Auburn Bread Co. Organika Atlanta Fresh Artisan Creamery Johnston Family Farm Fresco Pops Hidden Springs Farm Lolas Yummy Feta Garmon Family Farm

Heritage Farm L&M Kitchens Crepe Master

East Atlanta Farmers Marketwww.farmeav.com

Located at 1231 Glenwood Ave SE,Atlanta, 4 to 8 p.m., May throughNovember

According to its Web site, heresa preview of what visitors can expectat the market in September: basil,breads, candies, pastured chicken,cheeses, cucumbers, coffee, cutflowers, dog treats, organic eggs,eggplant, figs, field peas, granola,grass-fed beef, green beans, herbalteas, honey, kale, muscadines, mush-rooms, okra, peaches, peppers, pork

sausage, pizzas, popsicles, scupper-nongs, soaps, summer squash, toma-toes, winter squash, yogurt, zucchiniand more.

Vendors include: Decimal Place Farm Farm House Beef Gaia Gardens Oakleaf Mennonite Farm Scharko Farms Antico Mercante All Fresh Artisan Creamery Hidden Spring Farms H&I Bread Company Moto Bene Sweet Georgia Grains Taj Mahound Fresh WrapCycle

East Lake Farmers Marketwww.eastlakefarmersmarket.com

Located at the intersection of 2ndAvenue and Hosea L. Williams Drivein Atlanta. Market is held 9 a.m. to1 p.m. every Saturday from Maythrough October.

The East Lake Farmers Marketis a producers market that exists tostrengthen the local economy andencourage healthy lifestyles by pro-moting products and programs fromlocal farmers, businesses and arti-sans, according to the Web site.

Vendors include: LefTeas Fresh Roots Farm Little Red Hen mama Pearson Farm Hardright Bakery East Lake Garden Club Tierra Sonrisa Zocalo Cappuccino Now All Natural Gardens Kathys Backyard Muibaki Art Siyeh Glass Southeastern Succulents Little Tart Bakeshop The Pop Shop

dated since 2000, she said.We will stand up and we will

be a school district of strong eth-ics moving forward, she said.

The district continues itsstruggle to meet federal academicstandardsa goal it shares with

thousands of districts nationwide.When a school doesnt makeprogress on state-standardizedtests, its required by federallaw to offer students access toschools that are making improve-ments. Its a requirement thatsstraining many system, she said.

Its going to take some timeand deliberate plans to address(academic improvement), shesaid. There is no silver bulletsolution.

Dave Schutten, head of theOrganization of DeKalb Educa-tors, asked that Tyson she con-sider applying for the superinten-dent position. The school boardplans to search nationwide forLewis replacement, and Tysonhas said shes not interested inthe permanent job.

Reginald Turner, a chambermember with Westwood College,said he liked what Tyson had tosay.

I think shes on track forwhere the school (system) needsto go, he said.

www.ChampionNewspaper.com THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 A Section PAGE 13A


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THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 PAGE 14AEDUCATION


The DeKalb County SchoolSystem is hosting its finalsession in a series of educationinformational meetings for parents.

The session will give attendeesan overview of the systemsinstructional framework,according to a system statement.

Topics will include seven stepsfor teaching and learning; systemstrategies, practices and initiatives;evidence of student engagement

and success; professional learningfocus in kindergarten through12th grade; and the systems mathimprovement plan.

The first two sessions were heldSept. 9 and 14. The final sessionwill be held in the systems centraloffice, 1701 Mountain Industrial

Blvd., Stone Mountain, from 9:30to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept.18.

The sessions are hosted by

Morcease J. Beasley, interimdeputy superintendent.

Chapel Hill Middle School holds

block party to encourage readingby Kathy [email protected] late afternoon event had

the air of a football pep rally, butthe crowd outside Chapel HillMiddle School in Decatur wascheering for victory in readinggoals rather than victory on thegridiron.

The school on Sept. 9 hosteda 25 Book Reading Standard /Block Party on the Hill, geared tokick off the schools reading cam-paign for the 2010-11 school year,

encouraging students to read 25books or 1million words.

The event wasnt Chapel Hillsfirst reading rally, but it was thefirst held outside, and the crispafternoon with a hint of fall in theair seemed to create the perfectatmosphere for the event.

Students, parents, teachers,school staff and folks from thecommunity flooded the schoolgrounds as the smell of hot dogs,fish and other foods, along withthe sounds of the Chapel HillMiddle School Band, sponsor of

the event, filled the air.Were very proud of our band.

Its one of the best around, andIm not just saying that becauseIm the principal here, said Cha-pel Hill Middle School PrincipalCarlous Daniel.

Daniel explained that the eventwas a way of getting parents andthe community involved in thereading initiative as well as a wayof getting students excited aboutreading. We want to create acommunity of readers, he said.When students excel at reading

and reading comprehension, theyexcel in all other areas, too.

Last years effort, Daniel said,fell about 400 books short of thegoal. This year, the 1,100-studentschool is shooting to meet or ex-ceed the 25-books-per-studentgoal. Some students will fallshort of the 25 books, others willread 40 or more. We want to aver-age 25 books a student, but wealso want to encourage those whoread fewer to do more this time,he said.

School district to host education information sessions for parents

The schools band sponsored the event. Photos byKathy Mitchell

Chapel Hill Middle School cheerleaders stir the excite-ment as the Block Party on the Hill gets started.

Principal Carlous Daniel, along with students Micah Seals,left, and Destini Willis, show an example of the books stu-dents are reading this year.


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THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2010 PAGE 15AHEALTH

CDC: Decline in U.S. adultsmoking rate stalled

Can home cooking behazardous to your health?

September 23rd Business After-Hours

Holiday Inn Select . Some of the best

business opportunities happen when

professionals are in a relaxed and social

networking environment. Time: 5:30 pm

7:00 pm. Location 130 Clairemont

Ave., Decatur, GA 30030 404-371-0204.

Register at www.dekalbchamber.org.

th -

Celebrating more than 70 Years

of Service

EVENTS

-

us as we welcome Dr. Bernie Mullin , PhD

Principal, The Aspire Group, LLC. as our

keynote for the October First Monday

Lunch. To attend, place your reservation

online at visit www.dekalbchamber.org or

contact the Chamber at 404-378-8000.

October 4th - Network DeKalb Leads

Group F ourth Quarter . Pure

Networking Program. Lunch Served. To

register, visit www.dekalbchamber.org.

COST: $10.00- Members (advance) /

$15.00 (door) /$20.00 Non-members.

For more information on DeKalb Chamber r elated

events or to receive email updates, call 404-378-

8000 or visit www.dekalbchamber.org

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given pursuant to the Georgia Zoning Procedures Act that the City ofClarkston will be holding public hearings to take public comment on a proposedamendment to the Clarkston Code of Ordinances Sign Ordinance. The Zoning & ReviewCommissions will hold a public hearing on Monday, September 13, 2010 at 7:00p.m.,and the Clarkston City Council will hold a First Read of an amendment to ClarkstonCode of Ordinances for the Sign Ordinance, Tuesday, October 5, 2010 at 7:00 pm and

a Public Hearing and second read to discuss adopting the amendment to the ClarkstonCode of Ordinances- Sign Ordinance, on Tuesday, November 2, 2010 at 7:00p.m. or assoon thereafter as the matter can be heard. The public hearing will be held in the councilchambers at City Hall, 3921 Church Street, Clarkston, Georgia. All interested parties areinvited to attend

by Mike Stobbe

ATLANTA (AP) Couldyour kitchen at home pass arestaurant inspection?

New research suggeststhat at least one in sevenhome kitchens would flunkthe kind of health inspectioncommonly administered torestaurants.

The small study from Cal-ifornias Los Angeles Countyfound that only 61 percent ofhome kitchens would get anA or B if put through the rig-ors of a restaurant inspection.At least 14 percent wouldfailnot even getting a C.

I would say if they gotbelow a C, Im not sure Iwould like them to invite meto dinner, said Dr. Jona-than Fielding, director ofthe Los Angeles County De-partment of Public Health.

In comparison, nearly allLos Angeles County restau-rants98 percentget A orB scores each year.

The study, released Sept.2, is believed to be one ofthe first to offer a sizableassessment of food safetyin private homes. But the

researchers admit the way itwas done is hardly perfect.

The results are based noton actual inspections, buton an Internet quiz taken byabout 13,000 adults.

So its hard to use it tocompare the conditions inhome kitchens to those inrestaurants, which involvetrained inspectors giving ob-jective assessments of dirt,pests and food storage andhandling practices.

Whats more, expertsdont believe the study is

representative of all house-holds, because people whoare more interested and con-scientious about food safetyare more likely to take thequiz.

Youll miss a big popu-lation who dont have home

Despite the known dan-gers of tobacco use, one infive American adults contin-ues to smoke cigarettes, andfour in 10 nonsmokers wereexposed to cigarette smokeduring 2007-08, accordingo reports from the Centers

for Disease Control andPrevention. Among childrenbetween the ages of 3 and11 years old, 54 percentwere exposed to secondhandsmoke. Nearly all (98 per-cent) children who live witha smoker are exposed and

have measureable levels ofoxic chemicals from ciga-

rette smoke.According to the report,

he number of adult smok-ers dropped between 2000and 2005, but smoking hasremained at about 20-21percent since 2005. In 2009,more men (nearly 24 per-cent) than women (about18 percent) smoked andabout 31 percent of thoseiving below poverty level

smoked. Less than 6 percentof adults with a graduatedegree smoke comparedo more than 25 percent of

adults with no high schooldiploma. Further, nearly90 million non-smokingAmericans are exposed tosecondhand smoke and havemeasurable levels of toxicchemicals from cigarettesmoke. Black non-smokersare one-third more likelyhan White smokers, andwice as likely as Mexican-

American smokers, to havemeasurable exposure to to-bacco.

Smoking is still the

eading preventable cause ofdeath in this country, saidCDC DirectorThomas R.Frieden. But progress ispossible. Strong state laws

that protect nonsmokersfrom secondhand smoke,higher cigarette prices, ag-gressive ad campaigns thatshow the human impact ofsmoking and well-fundedtobacco control programsdecrease the number ofadult smokers and savelives.

In 2009, smoking amongadults was lowest in Utah,followed by California.California has had a long-running comprehensivetobacco control program.

Adult smoking in Californiadeclined by about 40 per-cent during 19982006, andas a result lung cancer inCalifornia has been declin-ing four times faster than inthe rest of the nation. Maine,New York and Washingtonhave seen 4560 percentreductions in youth smokingwith sustained statewide ef-forts. If each state supportedcomprehensive tobacco con-trol programs for five yearswith CDC recommendedlevels of funding, an esti-mated 5 million fewer per-sons in the country wouldsmoke, resulting in preven-tion of premature tobacco-related deaths.

The federal governmentis intensifying its effortsto reduce tobacco use toachieve the tobacco use tar-gets in Healthy People 2010and Healthy People 2020.The 2009 Family SmokingPrevention and TobaccoControl Act gives the Foodand Drug Administrationauthority to regulate themanufacturing, marketing,

and distribution of tobaccoproducts and has providednew opportunities to reducetobacco use.

Half of children still exposed to secondhand smoke

computers or just really dontcare about the cleanliness of

their kitchens, said MartinBucknavage, a food safetyspecialist with Penn StateUniversitys Department ofFood Science.

A more comprehensivelook would probably findthat an even smaller percent-age of home kitchens woulddo well in a restaurant in-spection, he suggested.

In 2006, the countyhealth department began ahome kitchen self-inspectionprogram, designed to helpconsumers learn how to storeand prepare food safely. The

department also began of-fering an online quiz with45 yes or no questions thatsimulates a restaurant inspec-tion checklist.

People are asked, for ex-ample, if their refrigeratortemperature is 41 degreesFahrenheit or lower, whetherraw meat is stored belowother foods on refrigeratorshelves, and whether fruitsand vegetables are alwaysthoroughly rinsed beforethey are eaten.

The study is based on

quizzes taken through 2008.Overall, 34 percent got anA, meaning they correctlyanswered at least 90 percentof the questions. Another 27percent got a B, 25 percenta C, and 14 percent failed toscore at least a 70.

An estimated 87 millioncases of food-borne illnessoccur in the United Stateseach year, including 371,000hospitalizations and 5,700deaths, according to an As-sociated Press calculationthat uses a CDC formula and

recent population estimates.Many outbreaks that re-

ceive publicity are centeredon people who got sickafter eating at a restaurant,catered celebration or largesocial gathering. In this sum-mers outbreak linked tosalmonella in eggs, severalillnesses were first identifiedin clusters among restaurantpatrons.

But experts believe thebulk of food poisonings areunreported illnesses fromfood prepared at home.

The study is being pub-lished in Morbidity andMortality Weekly Report, a

publication of the Centers forDisease Control and Preven-tion.


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Garden Tour celebrates100th anniversary ofOakhurst

The Decatur Garden Tour blooms again this

fall, Sept. 25 and 26, inviting visitors to step be-hind the fence to explore extraordinary privategardens and experience firsthand thriving com-munity greenspaces. Providing fresh ideas andinspiration for garden enthusiasts of all agesand experience levels, the tour is presented by

AROUND DEKALB

ATLANTA

LITHONIA

OAKHURST

SCOTTDALE

STONE MOUNTAIN

DECATUR

DUNWOODY

Northlake Mall to host college fair

Students and their families are invited tohe Probe College Fair at Northlake Mall onTuesday, Sept. 21, from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m.The fair will help students get the ball rolling oncollege planning by providing information andepresentatives from more than 117 colleges

and universities nationwide, including Auburn,University of Alabama, Clemson, Emory,University of Florida, Louisiana State University,

University of North Carolina, University ofMississippi, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt, SavannahCollege of Art and Design and more.NorthlakeMall is located at4800 Briarcliff Road, N.E.,Atlanta. The phone number is (770) 938-3564.The event is freeand no registration is required.

Leslie Erickson of Prudential Georgia Realtyand is a fund raiser for the non-profit DecaturPreservation Alliance and Oakhurst CommunityGarden Project (OCGP).

Other highlights include the garden roomsof noted designer and author Ryan Gainey.Additional gardens will be announced at a laterdate, but tour-goers can expect more than adozen gardens showcasing creative design, his-toric elements, unexpected plant combinationsand specimens, unique hardscaping and idyllicoutdoor living spaces, serene water featuresand/or sustainable gardening techniques. Sev-eral gardens will be open Saturday evening withwine and music.

Tour hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9p.m. on Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets are $20 in advance, online at www.decaturgardentour.com, or at these Decaturretailers: Intown ACE Hardware, Smith ACEHardware and The Seventeen Steps. Ticketsare $25 the day of the tour and will be sold atthe Oakhurst Community Garden Project at 435Oakview Road, Decatur and at Ryan Gaineysgarden, 129 Emerson Avenue, Decatur.

For additional details and online ticket sales,visit www.decaturgardentour.com.

Car-Free Day is Sept. 22

Wednesday, Sept. 22 is Car-Free Day in De-catur and the community is invited to gather athe Community Bandstand during the Blue SkyConcert for a special celebration from noon until.Decatur Active Living will be giving out specialCar-Free Day stickers to those who walk, bike orcarpool to the concert. The Clean Air Campaignwill be joining the event with its Smog Balloon

o remind residents that each mile they dontdrive saves a pound of pollution from the air.

Making a commitment to reduce automobileuse on Sept. 22 might mean biking or ridingMARTA to work, walking to the store or the BlueSky Concert, sharing a ride with friends andneighbors or riding the bus.

Car-Free Day aims to reduce excessive au-omobile use for one day out of the year ando remind the community that the car is not theonly or best way to make many kinds of trips.Most trips people take are less than three miles.Walking not only saves gas, but it contributes topersonal health and the health of the commu-nity, the release stated.

Womens fitness fair to be at Agnes Scott

Stacy Jaskwhich, MSN, NP-C, of the HeartCenter for Women at St. Josephs Hospitals the speaker at Fitness Fair: To a HealthyHeartCombating the No. 1 Killer! offered Sept.

25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event includes nu-trition information and health screenings, plusZumba and yoga. It will be in the Bullock HallScience Building, Atrium, at Agnes Scott Col-lege, 141 E. College Ave., Decatur. The $30 costincludes a light breakfast and healthy lunch. Allinterested women are welcome. For reserva-tions, call (404)769-3228. Visit www.WomenAlo-neTogether.org for more information. The fair isco-sponsored by Women Alone Together andthe Agnes Scott College Athletic Department.

Republican women to meet

The North DeKalb Republican Women arehosting a buffet luncheon on Saturday, Sept. 25,at noon at the Dunwoody Country Club, 1600Dunwoody Club Drive, Dunwoody. Among theguest speakers will be Fran Millar, state rep-resentative from the 79th District. The public isinvited. For further information or to purchasetickets, contact DebbieFountain at (770) 668-9546.

Ventriloquist to come to Walker Center

Ventriloquist comedian Willie Brown, alongwith his pal Woody and his new senior citizencompanion Uncle Rufus will appear at the LouWalker Senior Center Friday, Sept. 24, at 6:30p.m. Also featured on the show is the LWSCComedy Team. The $25 ticket price includes theshow and a full-course dinner. The Lou WalkerSenior Center is located at 2538 Panola Road,Lithonia. For more information, call (770) 879-1027.

Foodies to chow on Caribbean at New Birth

Food enthusiasts will have an opportunityto sample the Caribbean Sept. 18. NewBirth Missionary Baptist Church will host theCaribbean Cook-Off 2010 from noon until 8

p.m. Admission is $7, $3 for children between3 and 6 years old, and children younger than 6years old eat free. Food tasting will be availableuntil supplies last. The event will be held on thechurchs athletic field, 6400 Woodrow Road,Lithonia. For more information call 678-580-5526 or visit the cook-offs Web site at www.caribbeancookoff.com.

Hamilton High reunion announcedThe fifth annual Hamilton High School

reunion will be held on Sept. 18. All whoattended Hamilton are encouraged to attend.The reunion will be held at the old Hamilton HighSchool gymnasium at 3262 Chapel Street inScottdale.

Suggested attire for the event iscosmopolitan. A donation of $8 will becollected. For additional information or topurchase tickets contact Leila Graves at (770)929-0678, Barbara Grant Jones at (404) 289-5342, Mary Lucas at (404) 243-3296, JoanneR. Middlebrooks at (770) 469-8942, Mary J.Robinson at (404) 395-6993, Tressie LewisRoss at (404) 244-4540 or Minnie Whitaker at(404) 292-7156.

Visitors welcomed to Walk & Wine

Merchants throughout Stone Mountain Villageare welcoming residents to Walk & Wine from6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18. Duringthe event, village merchants will be open forbusiness and many will have samples of wineavailable for purchase at village restaurants.Visitors will have a chance to visit merchants,shop and drink. Merchants will also hold adrawing for a gift from one of the stores.


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