“It was the only high school that didn’t have an auditorium. So it only made

sense to correct that while we had the money to do it so all the schools will

have an auditorium.” Jay Cunningham, DeKalb School Board Member

he said Tuesday. “So it only made sense to correct that while we had the money to do it so all the schools will have an auditorium.”

Among changes on the agenda, Lithonia High School will no longer be expanded because of the 230,000-square-foot Arabia Mountain High School that is

www.crossroadsnews.comApril 25, 2009Copyright © 2009 CrossRoadsNews, Inc.

COVER PAGENew school revueYOUTH

More than a thousand people turned out to learn more about and tour the new Arabia Mountain High School in Lithonia during an Open House on Saturday. 8

The found-ers of the South DeKalb Center for Healthy Living had no idea how much the free health clinic would grow in its first two years. 6

Healthy dose of growthWELLNESS

The president of the APEX Museum in Atlanta is asking people all over the world to pray for Barack Obama on the first day of every month. 9

Prayers for ObamaMINISTRY

I-20 corridor’s potential for CID being explored

Volume 14, Number 52

$20.2 million construction on tap for Southwest DeKalb H.S.By McKenzie Jackson

Southwest DeKalb High School, which has been bursting at the seams for years, even after a $19.5 million overall in 2006, is about to be expanded again.

On May 11, the DeKalb School Board is expected to approve two projects totaling $20.2 million – 31 new classrooms for $10.2 million, and $10 million for a fine arts audi-torium – at the Decatur school.

The Southwest DeKalb con-struction projects are among five recommended changes to the system’s $466 million Capital Im-provements Plan that is up for a vote.

Jay Cunningham, whose Dis-trict 5 includes Southwest DeKalb High, said the board will approve both projects because having a fine arts auditorium will bring Southwest DeKalb on par with the county’s other high schools.

“It was the only high school that didn’t have an auditorium,”

opening this fall. The other changes involve additional classrooms at Lakeside High in Atlanta, renovations at Cross Keys High and other technol-ogy and roofing upgrades throughout the school district.

The School System’s Capital Improvements Plan Mid-Program Assessment Report, re-leased in early April, put the recom-mended changes at $37.5 million. The $10 million Southwest DeKalb auditorium is not included in that figure.

Patricia Pope, the school sys-tem’s chief operating officer, said

the auditorium was add-ed after the report was done.

“It will go to vote to have that added,” she said.

Pope said the $10.2 million classroom addi-tion at Southwest DeKalb will help alleviate capacity

issues. The school has 1,820 stu-dents, which puts it over capacity by 413 students. It has 36 portables. In the fall, it will open an annex at McNair High School for ninth- and 10th-graders transferring to the school from AYP-failing schools.

Patricia Pope

By McKenzie Jackson

DeKalb’s I-20 corridor is being eyed as the next Perimeter CID, and a small group of South DeKalb landowners discovered this week what it takes to create Community Improvement District to be a cata-lyst for the area’s growth.

District 5 Commissioner Lee May, who co-hosted an April 21 informational meeting for prop-erty owners, said a CID would help South DeKalb residents shape what the corridor could look like.

“We are in a unique position now,” he told them. “Much of the new development that is going on in the county occurs in the southern part. Sixty percent of the undeveloped land in the county is in District 5. We have a tremendous opportunity to create the kind of space we want in DeKalb County from a residential standpoint and a commercial standpoint.”

The meeting at the Porter San-ford III Performing Arts Center was co-hosted by District 3 Commis-sioner Larry Johnson. It included presentations from a number of CID officials and property owners discussed their interest in taxing themselves to establish a CID along I-20 between Gresham Road in Decatur and Turner Hill Road in Lithonia, similar to the Perimeter CID in North DeKalb,

Yvonne Williams, the Perimeter CID’s president, said that discus-sions about the creation of a CID have to center around creating a stimulus for economic develop-ment.

“We are talking about our own stimulus,” she said. “That is a what a CID mostly is. We create our own opportunities by being creative in business and organized

in financially structured retail op-portunities.”

A CID is a self-taxing dis-trict that uses extra commercial property taxes to help accelerate transportation and infrastructure improvement projects. It is an ef-fective tool that allows property owners to determine how funds are spent in their area.

Georgia law provides for CID funds to be used only for public transportation, water, storm water and sewage, parks and recreational areas and facilities, street and road construction and maintenance and parking, terminal and dock facilities.

The Perimeter CID – one of 13

CIDs in metro Atlanta – sits along I-285 in North DeKalb around the Perimeter Mall. It is home to the region’s highest concentration of Fortune 500 companies and MARTA investments represent-ing more than $3 billion in real estate investment, and it was a tax generator for DeKalb County until the new city of Dunwoody took it within its borders.

Property owners in the Perim-eter CID use the extra taxes for landscaping, police services, the construction of sidewalks and pe-destrian lighting, road resurfacing and other projects to make the area more attractive for businesses and residential areas.

Tad Leithead, chairman of the Cumberland CID and a board member of the Fulton PCID, said that CIDs are hard to form, but that no one who has done one ever regretted it.

“A CID has never been discon-tinued in this region,” said Leithead, who helped found the Cumberland CID, metro Atlanta’s first CID, in 1986, before becoming its chair-man.

He said that CID property own-ers don’t see the additional taxes as a negative.

“They see it as an investment,” he said. “No disrespect to the elect-ed officials in the room, but when we pay a tax it goes off somewhere

and you have to rely on elected of-ficials to be good stewards with that money. In the case of a CID tax, you pay the money and it comes right back to you. A board that is elected by the membership of commer-cial property owners oversees the spending of those dollars.”

Charles Palmer, the Perimeter CID’s attorney, said local govern-ment has to approve the start of a CID and a majority of the commer-cial property owners within must also approve of it.

“Let’s say we have a 100 proper-ties that are commercial properties, you have to get 51,” he said. “The

Larry Johnson (second from left) talks with property owners about plans to examine the I-20 East corridor for development as a Community Improvement District similar to the Perimeter CID.

Please see SWD, page 2

Please see CID, page 2

INSIDE-AD PGCommunity

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New job costs legislator her seat in Georgia House 3

State Rep. Robbin Shipp was forced to resign her seat in the Georgia House effec-tive April 21 because of a conflict with her job as an officer of the courts.

Many who oppose Marine High School overlook benefits 4

Academics, self-discipline, teamwork and leadership. These are the traits that op-ponents of the proposed Marine public high school in DeKalb County stand against.

Workshop offers tips on reunion planning 5

Families planning to host gatherings in DeKalb County can find out everything they need to know at a Family Reunion Planning workshop.

Multilingual welcome mat 5Whatever the language, the city of Clark-

ston has you covered.

Health center celebrating phenomenal growth 6

Two years ago, when Renee Ranson, Loretta Patrick and a group of community volunteers got together and launched the South DeKalb Center for Healthy Living, none could have envisioned the impact that the free health center would have.

Walk to benefit FODAC 6Individuals and groups have until May 2

to register for Friends of Disabled Adults and Children’s ninth annual Run, Walk and Roll in Stone Mountain Park.

Kids get free dental checks 6Up to 15 kids will get free dental check-

ups on at Stewart Family Dentistry.

Sorority tea event honors chapter’s founding member 7

Friends of the late Phyllis Brown will sip tea in her honor at the Iota Eta Zeta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s Tea.

Fun Day kicks off mall’s PIP program 7

A Family Fun Day will help kick off the Mall at Stonecrest’s new Parental Involve-ment Program (PIP) on May 2.

Young musicians to perform multiple genres 7

The young musicians of Still Waters Youth Sinfo-Nia orchestra and dance troupe will be in concert at Greenforest Baptist Church.

Officials going with military school despite opposition 8

DeKalb School System says it will open a military-style high school in partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps at the beginning of the next school year.

Psalmist Moore to perform 9L’Tanya Moore, Saint Philip AME Church’s

award-winning psalmist, will perform April 26 at the “Music for Missions” concert at Law-renceville Road United Methodist Church.

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Atlanta Gastroenterology ................................ 6BaSix Knowledge Academy .............................8Craig B. Williams, DDS .................................... 6DeKalb Convention & Visitor’s Bureau .............3Drummer Imports Service and Sales................3Fairington Condos ...........................................5

First Afrikan Presbyterian Church ................... 9Home Depot ....................................................3Mini Mall .........................................................11Newburn Reynolds Photography ....................11Padgett Business Services ................................5Rainbow Park Baptist Church .......................... 9

Rhapsody Productions/Delores Major .............7Salt & Light Truth Center ................................ 9Starz Activity Center .........................................8The Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church ........ 9Wonderland Gardens ......................................8Wright Vision Care .......................................... 6

QuiCk Read

“United Way VIP is the perfect program for leaders interested in serving their local community in excellence.”

CrossRoadsNews is pub-lished every Thursday by CrossRoads News, Inc.

We welcome articles on neighborhood issues and news of local happenings. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher, nor those of any advertisers.

The concep t , de -sign and content of CrossRoads News are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the writ-ten permission of the publisher.

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LOCAL

SERVICES!LOCAL

GOODS!

Skills for nonprofit volunteersSki to be keynote speakerAspiring non-profit volunteers

can get training in United Way of Metro Atlanta’s Volunteer Involve-ment Program (VIP) summer session, but they must register by May 8.

The program offers training to people of diverse backgrounds, espe-cially those who are under-represent-ed in leadership roles in metro Atlanta nonprofit organizations.

Sessions will kick off on June 6 and continue on June 27, July 11 and July 25.

Participants will explore the inner workings of nonprofit boards includ-ing board roles and responsibilities, legal and fiduciary obligations, ethics, fundraising, marketing, team build-ing and community building.

Participants will enhance their

leadership and management skills particularly in the nonprofit sector.

During the program, they will meet representatives from metro At-lanta nonprofits who need their skills and interests.

More than 1,200 people have graduated from the program since 1992.

Anise Mastin, a VIP graduate and board member with the Partnership Against Domestic Violence, said the training empowers volunteers for service.

“United Way VIP is the perfect program for leaders interested in serving their local community in excellence,” she said.

To register, visit www.united-wayatlanta.org or call 211.

Radio personality Frank Ski will be the keynote speaker at the Southwest Atlanta Youth Business Organization’s 35th an-niversary celebration on May 2 at the Atlanta Life Insurance Co. in Atlanta.

Ski is co-host of the Frank & Wanda Morn-ing Show on V-103FM.

The 3 p.m. event, which will honor cur-rent and former SWAYBO members, sponsors and distinguished guests, will include awards presentations and entertainment from local youth.

SWAYBO provides disadvantaged youth, ages 8 to 18, with training and hands-on experi-ence in the field of business. Since its in inception in 1974 by Ed Menifee Sr., members of SWAYBO have created more than 500 business ventures and have awarded more than $20,500 in book scholarships to high school graduates and college students.

The Atlanta Life Insurance Co. is at 100 Auburn Ave., Atlanta. For more information, call Edward or Michelle Menifee at 404-691-4111.

Frank Ski

“We are sitting out there with 31 trailers at Southwest DeKalb and that is reality,” Pope said Thursday. “It’s not like next year we won’t see the same enrollment. We do see what we have in the middle school and the elementary schools. We need those seats at Southwest DeKalb.”

The recommendations came when the school system realized that it had saved $59.2 million in construction costs. The savings came from 31 classrooms, estimat-ed to cost $11.2 million, that won’t be built at Lithonia High School.

The Georgia Department of Education is funding four DeKalb projects, which would have cost the school system $23.2 million. The school system will also not be using $751,078 for a roof replacement at the Clarkston Center. The system also gained $24.1 million more in sales tax revenue than it expected.

Plans for future additions at

second part of that is that they have to represent at least 75 percent of the appraised value of all the properties.”

Palmer said CID organizers also have to figure out their boundar-ies.

“You want to include the larger properties, because they can boost your value to that 75 percent,” he said. “On the other hand, you may have a large property owner that says, ‘Ain’t no way I’m going to be pulled into a CID,’ then you would draw your boundaries to exclude him.”

Johnson, the District 3 com-missioner, said that when the I-20 Corridor CID comes together he wants it to be the best that the area can have.

“It’s very important when you look at this economy you are al-ways looking for something to get that economic and transportation mode going,” he said. “Light rails

along I-20, uniform street lights, public safety, sidewalks…this can bring those commercial business, office parks that we have been looking for.”

Bobbie Sanford, a longtime South DeKalb resident and the owner of Sanford Realty Co. in Decatur, said she is optimistic about a CID in the area.

“I am certainly open to it,” she said. “It will help us revital-ize this area. It is certainly worth exploring.”

Johnson said a CID from Gresham Road to Turner Hill Road makes sense because of the existence of overlay districts along the corridor.

“We don’t need to go out there and try to re-invent the wheel,” he said. “With an overlay in place you have the zoning in place. This CID complements that.”

For more information, call Commissioner Larry Johnson’s office at 404-371-2425.

Martin Luther King Jr. and Miller Grove high schools are also in the CIP. King High School is getting a new cafeteria and 34 classrooms, costing $9.8 million. Construction is set to start in July 2010.

Miller Grove is getting 21 classrooms valued at $5.7 million and construction is set to begin in September 2010.

Cunningham said that the slow pace of the housing market is al-lowing the school system time to catch up on construction projects.

“Those projects are in the plan-ning and design phase,” he said. “So hopefully by the end of the year, first of the year we will be at the point to move from designing to construction.”

When all the construction is completed, Cunningham said a ma-jority of the system’s schools would be at 73-80 percent occupancy.

“We still need to look at some of our elementary schools which we are going to address this upcoming school year,” he said.

Growth alters construction plansCommercial potential studiedSWD, from page 1CID, from page 1

CrossRoadsNews April 25, 20092

COMMUNITY PGCommunity “I ran for office with the intention of staying there until my constituents elected someone

else, but I need to support my daughter and keep a roof over her head.”

New job costs state Rep. Robbin Shipp her seat in Georgia House

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By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

State Rep. Robbin Shipp was forced to resign her seat in the Georgia House effective April 21 because of a conflict between her job as an officer of the courts and her service in the General Assembly.

Shipp, whose District 58 includes portions of DeKalb County and the city of Atlanta, tendered her resigna-tion to Gov. Sonny Perdue on Tuesday, following an opinion from Attorney General Thurbert Baker that she was in violation of the Georgia Constitution’s Separation of Powers act.

Shipp, who was elected to the House in 2006 and is in the middle of her sec-ond term, took a job as a senior district attorney with the Fulton County Dis-trict Attorney’s Office in October.

In an April 13 “unofficial opinion,” Baker said that because an assistant district attorney serves as an officer of the judicial branch of state government, and because the Georgia Constitution

requires that the branches of govern-ment remain separate and distinct, an assistant district attorney may not serve as a member of the legislature in the General Assembly regardless of the source of the funding for the position.

“The Constitution of Georgia pro-vides that [t]he legislative, judicial, and executive powers shall forever remain separate and distinct; and no person discharging the duties of one shall at the same time exercise the functions of either of the others except as herein pro-

vided,” Baker said.Shipp, who had

been in private prac-tice immediately be-fore taking the dis-trict attorney’s job, said she had sought an opinion from the State Bar when she

was offered the job and was told that it was fine.

Shipp, a single mother raising a 12-year-old daughter, said that quitting

was difficult.“It has been an honor and pleasure

to represent House District 58,” she said. “I ran for office with the intention of staying there until my constituents elected someone else, but I need to support my daughter and keep a roof over her head.”

She said that as far as she knows, she was the only state legislator in the Georgia House, who is also a district attorney.

Perdue is expected to call a special election in November to fill the seat.

Former State Rep. Stan Watson who worked with Shipp in the General As-sembly for two years and in his monthly DeKalb Community Council that meets at New Piney Grove Baptist Church as recently as this month, aid she was in-avaluable to the DeKalb Delegation.

“She will be missed because of her legal experience,” Watson said. “They wanted her to quit her job, Its a shame she had to make that choice but she has to feed her family.”

Robbin Shipp’s job in the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office was ruled a conflict of interest with her legislative seat.

Thurbert Baker

CrossRoadsNewsApril 25, 2009 3

Jesus taught us to render unto God’s what is God’s and render unto Caesar what is

Caesar’s. You can’t complain if you don’t vote and you can’t get quality representation or

federal money if you’re not counted. Kevin Oliveira

If the parents of these children feel that it is in their child’s best option to be a part of this new DeKalb institution, I fail to understand the logic and reasoning

of these activists [who] have no stake in how our county is run.

Dexter Porter

We were all told that if we were lucky enough to survive the 20-years requirement for retirement, we would receive total and complete free health care to include eye care as long as we lived.

Many who oppose Marine High School overlook potential benefits

Residents of 4th District have vested interest in being counted in 2010

President Obama is not a friend of military personnel Article brought great results

Academics, self-discipline, teamwork and leadership. These are the traits that opponents of the proposed Marine public high school in DeKalb County stand against.

Emphasized will be tools that will mold teens into disciplined, morally strong and college-ready men and women in one of the most academically structured learning environments in county history.

Many of us who have served in the military understand – as 80 percent of the general public doesn’t – that sometimes a more academically structured and chal-lenging environment is needed to help many teenagers exceed na-tional norms and expectations set by a sometimes-harsh society.

The wonderful concept that the DeKalb Board of Education has come up with in developing this plan is that small class sizes, special-ized academic curricula, and indi-vidual attention from faculty and advisors at the new DeKalb U.S. Marine High School will give our students many distinct advantages over their counterparts.

The faculty and staff of this new DeKalb Marine High School will provide a dynamic curriculum taught from a college prepara-tory perspective, and innovative instruction in which all students are expected to give full attention to a demanding program of studies, for both conduct and achievement standards are set high.

The students who attend this new Marine High School will ac-quire abilities that ensure success in college and in life, such as the abil-ity to study hard and apply them-selves, manage time, set goals for themselves, think for themselves, get along with others, accept per-sonal responsibility, and be active participants in their community and not passive recipients.

I often wonder if the detractors of this program fall into two cat-egories: 1) those who just hate be-ing in America and lack the credit and financial resources to simply leave for some fantasy Third World nation where they will live out their life under the sugarcane bush; or 2) those who actually believe that the students who attend this high school are being tricked into being recruited by the U.S. military.

These people completely and utterly dismiss the parents of these teens, who are responsible for their child’s education and care. If the parents of these children feel that it is in their child’s best option to be a part of this new DeKalb institu-tion, I fail to understand the logic and reasoning of these activists –

“strangers” if you will – many of whom are social activists and resi-dents from the city of Atlanta and Fulton County and have no stake in how our county is run.

This is in no way dismisses the very real concerns of neighborhood residents who have a valid point about day to day traffic in their neighborhood.

However, to the social activists who seem to have nothing better to with their time other than dictate to adults with children where “they” would rather see their children enrolled and how “they” would rather see them educated, I say your time would be better serves bring-ing attention to low test scores and teenage pregnancy.

Strange that these same people can’t seem to organize around those subjects and grab headlines from DeKalb and Atlanta newspapers for a period of six days as they have done with this non-issue.

Our school system has too many problems facing it from a lack of state and federal funding, a lack of quality parents, and students who aren’t properly taught how to

take and pass tests, not to mention many who are reading below their grade levels.

Not reading below their grade level because they’re smart and bored with the subject; many aren’t ready to take the next step in their academic careers because there wasn’t that teacher, mentor, preacher, parent or even “commu-nity/social activist” to take them by the hand and academically coddle them but take an intellectual foot and jump start them into a future of multiple possibilities.

If these social activists can’t help our county solve the problems of lack of police, murderers being released back onto the streets of DeKalb, our Gov. Sonny Perdue only approving one project for DeKalb out of a total $207 million sent to Georgia from President Obama, and – my favorite – how DeKalb County can actually get the real value for land being sold to the city of Dunwoody, then frankly you are of no use to the DeKalb taxpayer and as useless as General Sherman at a barn fire.

Dexter Porter lives in Decatur.

McKenzie Jackson wrote an awe-some article[“Food deliveries leave city council member feeling warm and fuzzy”

April 4, 2009], and he was so wonderful to the elderly citizens of Shermantown when he entered their homes.

I graciously thank you; this was more than I ever expected.

I’ve received great responses from everyone who read it, even as far as Albany, Ga. Also, since the article I’ve signed up four extremely sick residents who need a hot meal, and several people have called to volunteer.

I pray that in the future we can assist the sick and the elderly on a daily basis. With your help we’ve taken a big step to-wards that goal.

Beverly Jones is a Stone Mountain City Council member.

In my opinion, President Obama – like all Presidents and majority of Congress persons since President Kennedy – has demonstrated that Congress and our Commanders-in-Chief cannot be trusted to keep promises made to the hundreds of thousands of young men and women that they have sent off to fight for politicians’ or America’s interests.

Obama’s administra-tion is now planning to make veterans use private insurance to pay for their medical treatment of combat and service-related injuries. This is a slap in the face to any person who has served this country, and particularly those military personnel whose bodies and minds are currently being damaged daily carrying out the government’s policies.

We have seen how seriously injured troops were treated at Walter Reed Hospital. We have seen our government try to recoup enlistment bonuses from soldiers who were

medically discharged after injuries received in Iraq. These are examples from the George Bush administration. Now, it appears that President Obama is planning to drop veter-ans’ health care to an even lower level.

It seems the majority of active and vet-eran personnel voted for change. Well, it ap-pears we will get a serious change if Obama’s medical plan is implemented. We will find ourselves thrown from the frying pan of Bush into the fire of Obama.

Those of us who served in the Armed Services, up to and including Vietnam, are aware of the U.S. government’s lies concern-ing medical care. I enlisted in the Army and served 25 years, one month and 16 days. We were all told that if we were lucky enough to survive the 20-years requirement for retire-ment, we would receive total and complete free health care to include eye care as long as we lived.

We know that was a lie. I received the shock of my life when I first visited the VA to apply for earned disability.

The medical treatment for veterans

started to decline with implementation of the all-volunteer Army. The elitists along with the politicians no longer had to worry about their sons, daughters and other family being drafted. Fighting wars was then left to the poor, who found that the military was the better of the bad choices.

The bottom line is that recent presidents, Congress or the elitists of America don’t give a darn about the social/economic lower class troops when they are no longer able to serve or have been discharged. We are viewed as expendable.

It is unfortunate that Georgia veterans do not have a single Congressperson who cares or has the slightest interest. I am ab-solutely convinced that our state legislators care less about veterans than the President and Congress do. Veterans are fortunate that the American Legion, the VFW and other military support organizations are attacking Obama on his proposed medical treatment for injured troops and veterans.

Bob Miles lives in Decatur.

As economically blighted as south DeKalb County is, it is vitally important for citizens and govern-ment officials to understand the importance of the U.S. Census to be taken in 2010. It is critical that citizens engage and actively partici-pate in the census for the good of their community.

The U.S. Constitution states (Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 that “the number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every 30,000, but each state shall have at least one Representative.” Also, in that same original draft, it excluded Native Americans (“Indians”) and “3/5 of all other persons” (African slaves.)

The Census Act of 1790 estab-lished the first census, requiring an actual counting of all people for representation purposes and taxation purposes. So what does all this mean for the 2010 Census? It means the 4th Congressional Dis-trict of Georgia – with the heavily

populated and diverse community pockets of DeKalb, Rockdale and Gwinnett counties – has an oppor-tunity to enhance its congressional representation and, more impor-tantly, receive federal dollars for community re-investment through economic and social develop-ment.

Without question, the 4th Congressional District is the most diverse area in the southeastern United States. The Buford High-way Corridor is the most ethnically diverse area in Georgia and is at the heart of the 4th District. There are homestead African Americans and

people in the district means more taxes taken, and more federal dol-lars should be brought back to the district for social and economic infrastructure development. Like the youth say, “it’s all about the Benjamins.”

Bringing home the bacon to feed the whole family, not just those who are in the big house – if you get my meaning. People on the inside eat pork chops while the rest eat pig feet. And the politicians cry out “pork is pork, I don’t see what the problem is.”

The 2010 Census takers need to get a valid, accurate count of citizens that live in each district. These figures need to be accurate and not manipulated to inflate and deflate the population of the citi-zens. In the Holy Bible we can read (Luke 2:1-7) how Jesus’ earthly parents knew the importance of participating in their census when they traveled back to Bethlehem to be counted.

Jesus also taught us to render unto God’s what is God’s and ren-der unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. You can’t complain if you don’t vote and you can’t get quality representation or federal money if you’re not counted.

Legislators must govern with integrity and distribute financial resources to the people. Through fair and equitable tax laws that are morally sound and in line with God’s law, they should serve the people and not exploit the people. Citizens must stake their claim in the process by participating in the census and regularly voting. Bad representation means bad laws and no federal money to community.

Participate in the census by becoming a census-taker and par-ticipant. Contact the U.S. Census Bureau for employment opportu-nities. And remember, you can’t complain if you don’t participate.

Kevin Oliveira lives in Mc-Donough.

Anglo Americans; people from Li-beria, Sierra Leone, Ghana; North Africans, West Indians, Russians, Mexicans, Koreans, Japanese, Chinese, Western Europeans, and Jews. And there are others. It is critically important for citizens to engage in the census because it de-termines the national fiscal agenda for the next 10 years to follow.

With growing populations, so too should the representation and federal assistance from the U.S. government grow. Representa-tion is exactly that: Represent the constituents of the district in the halls of Congress. Secondly, more

Beverly JonesBob Miles

ForumCrossRoadsNews April 25, 20094

Visitors to the DeKalb Convention & Visitors Bureau’s workshops get tips on organizing family reunions as well as information about DeKalb hotels, attractions and vendors.

Community “I will remember him for his gardening passion, and his passion for birds, animals and for raising funds and awareness for politicians and nonprofits.”

Workshop offers tips on reunion planning

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By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

DeKalb Democrats have lost a passionate member and sup-porter.

Alberto Gar-cia, who ran for office several times and host-ed fundraisers for politicians and nonprofit organizations at his Belevedere home, was found murdered in his Decatur house on April 6.

Police say Garcia, 49, was stabbed multiple times and had been dead in his Leland Terrace home for at least three weeks. A five-inch knife, identified as the weapon, was found near to his body. Relatives and neighbors feel that Garcia may have known his assailant and do not believe it was a random attack. Police spokes-woman Mekka Parish said Thurs-day that they still have no suspects or motive for the slaying. Garcia,

who was born in Miami, was single and had no children.

His brother Sandor Garcia, who lives in Marietta, said he is disap-pointed that the police have not arrested anyone.

“I gave them a picture and a whole file on a guy who I believe know more than he lets on and nothing has been done,” he said. “Explain to me how my brother did so much for the community and no one seems to be trying to find his killer.”

At his death, Garcia was Com-missioner for the DeKalb Superior Court Jury Board.

In 2002, he was one of four can-didates in the Democratic primary for Senate District 41, and he was also a candidate for DeKalb Coun-ty’s 4th Commission District.

Angela Moore, public relations manager for the DeKalb Democrat-ic Party, said he will be missed.

“I will remember him for his gardening passion, and his passion for birds, animals and for raising funds and awareness for politicians

and nonprofits,” she said. “He had the most beautiful garden. He built so much beauty in his back yard and shared it with others.”

Garcia was also a well-known leader in the Hispanic community. He formed and held the executive directorship of HISPAC, a Hispanic Political Action Committee, and held positions on various nonprofit boards such as Hands on Atlanta and the DeKalb Regional Youth De-tention Center, and was recognized by 11 Alive television news for his service on its advisory board. He was also a self-taught trumpeter and musical composer.

Lance Robertson, who worked on former CEO Vernon Jones cam-paigns, called Garcia a very good friend. He said they went to Bill Clinton’s inaugural celebration and worked in the Hispanic community together.

Garcia is also survived by his half-brother Boris Perez, aunt Mar-garita Madera and grandmother Emma Lobo of Colombia, South America.

WSB-TV’s award-winning news anchor Monica Pearson will be the keynote speaker at the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce’s First Mon-day and Women’s Focus Initiative Luncheon on May 4 at the Doubletree Hotel Atlanta in Tucker.

Pearson, who has been a re-spected television personality in Atlanta for more than 30 years, will discuss the topic “Reaching the Top: Climbing the Corporate Ladder and Breaking the Glass Ceiling” during the 11:30 a.m.

luncheon. Kim Davis Mitch-

ell, the chamber’s vice-president of programs and operations, said Pearson’s appearance helps further the cham-ber’s mission to support, promote and sustain business development in

DeKalb County. Admission is $30 for chamber

members and $45 for visitors. The hotel is at 4156 LaVista

Road. For more information, visit www.dekalbchamberofcommerce.org or call 404-378-8000.

Whatever the language, the city of Clarkston has you covered.

From the English “Welcome” to the Arabic “Ahlan wa Sahlan,” the Bosnian “Dobrodo sao,” the Spanish “Bienvenidos,” the Am-haric “Enquan Dehna Mettu,” and the Vietnamese “hoan nghenh,” DeKalb’s most diverse city has thrown out the welcome mat with a new sign.

The colorful six-language banners were unveiled in March to showcase the city’s pride in its image as the South’s melting pot of different cultures and nations. Clarkston, whose 7,500 residents hail from 60 countries worldwide, is flying eight of the banners along Church Street, North Indian Creek Road and East Ponce de Leon Avenue.

Mayor Lee Swaney and Coun-cilwoman Rosemarie Nelson said Clarkston considers it another branding tool for the city.

“Clarkston boasts of being the most international city of not only DeKalb County, but Georgia,” they said in an April 9 statement. “This may be due to the 7,500-plus people in its one-mile radius, who called the city of

Clarkston home.” The release said that with residents from over 60 nationalities, the town is a cultural smorgasbord and that something new can be learned every day by walking down Clarkston’s streets.

The banner was designed by two Clarkston businesses: M.L.T. Creative, an award-winning ad-vertising agency, and Trillium Custom Upholstery.

For more information, call 404-296-6489.

Families planning to host gath-erings in DeKalb County can find out everything they need to know at a May 2 Family Reunion Planning workshop at the Holiday Inn Select Perimeter.

The free event is hosted by the DeKalb Convention & Visitors Bu-reau and will showcase the goods, services, accommodations, venues and attractions that the county of-fers for a successful reunion.

It kicks off at 9 a.m. with a

three-hour workshop, followed by a two-hour family reunion showcase at noon.

Carol Murray, a DCVB reunion specialist, will speak about plan-ning a family reunion. The work-shop will include presentations from DeKalb hotels, attractions and reunion vendors.

Participants will get lots of free materials to assist them in plan-ning the perfect family reunion, souvenirs and children’ s bags and

name tags.Those who sign agreements

with DeKalb hotels will get a family reunion planning binder filled with information about how to establish planning committees, budgeting and activity planning.

Admission is free.The hotel is at 4386 Chamblee-

Dunwoody Road in Atlanta. For more information or to register, visit www.dcvb.org or call 770-492-5000.

Monica Pearson

Alberto Garcia

Clarkston’s new street banners greet visitors in six languages.

CrossRoadsNewsApril 25, 2009 5

Kids get free dental checks

Wellness “As soon as we need something, it shows up. We could talk about band-aids and the next thing I know here comes somebody with bags of band-aids.”

Walk to benefit FODAC

Library hosting health fair

Health center celebrating phenomenal growth on second anniversary

Up to 15 kids will get free den-tal check-ups on May 1 at Stewart Family Dentistry in Lithonia.

The children, ages 6 to 17, are clients of the Atlanta-based non-profit Foreverfamily, which helps inmates, their children and other family members maintain ties dur-ing a parent’s incarceration.

Tashay Pratt, the group’s pro-gram manager, said Dr. Ron Stew-art will clean the kids’ teeth and provide other dental services as needed.

“We just want to make sure we promote positive dental health,” she said.

This will be the second consecu-tive year Stewart Family Dentistry has seen 15 ForeverFamily clients.

Stewart said that his mission is to serve the community.

“Working with Foreverfamily helps us fill a need to serve,” he said.

For more information, call Ta-shay Pratt at 404-223-1200.

Free health screenings and information on a variety of health issues affecting the community will be available May 2 at a health fair at the Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library.

During the 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. event, representatives from the Center for Black Women’s Well-ness, Stand Inc., and the Sickle Cell Foundation will discuss health problems that disproportionately affect African Americans.

Screenings for hypertension, glucose and hemoglobin will also be available.

The library is at 2861 Wesley Chapel Road. For more informa-tion, call 404-286-6980.

Indiv iduals and groups have until May 2 to register for Friends of Disabled Adults and Children’s ninth annual Run, Walk and Roll in Stone Mountain Park.

The 9 a.m. fund-raiser begins with a five-mile fun run, followed by a two-mile Walk n’ Roll. The event will also include a conti-nental breakfast, a silent auction and prizes.

Participants must raise at least $50 to participate. The first 300 people who pre-register by April 30 and collect more than the mini-mum will receive a T-shirt and an all-attractions pass to Stone Mountain Park. Sponsors are also needed.

Proceeds benefit FODAC’s

mission of providing medical supplies and equipment including wheelchairs to the dis-abled and elderly.

Paralympics long jump and sprint gold medalist Al Mead will make an appearance at the event.

Mead, who lost a leg in a school playground accident at age 9, set world records in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter track events, along with American records in the high jump and long jump in international competitions for athletes with disabilities.

Stone Mountain Park is at U.S. 78 East. For more informa-tion or registration, visit www.fodac.org, email fodac@fodac.org or call 770-491-9014.

Al Mead

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By McKenzie Jackson

Two years ago, when Renee Ran-son, Loretta Patrick and a group of community volunteers got together and launched the South DeKalb Center for Healthy Living, none of them could have envisioned the impact that the free health center would have on the community.

In a mere two years, it has more than doubled its space and serves hundreds more patients than any of them could have envisioned.

On April 25, when they celebrate the center’s second anniversary with a community festival that includes free health and wellness screenings, healthy living information, food and music, organizers will have hearts full of thanksgiving.

“God has been very good and people have blessed us,” said Ran-son, the center’s executive director. “I didn’t think we would reach here.”

The volunteer-driven health center opened April 28, 2007, in a three-room house at 6877 Main St. in downtown Lithonia. At the time it was open four times a month and served 60 to 90 patients monthly.

Physicians and nurse practi-tioners offered up to five hours of

their time and expertise for free on the second and fourth Saturdays of month. They helped treat un-insured and underinsured patients with hypertension, diabetes and other chronic illnesses that plague South DeKalb residents.

Last November, the center moved to 2699 Klondike Road, also in Lithonia, into space donated by First Saint Paul AME Church for 10 years. It now has four exam rooms, five triage stations and a large wait-

ing area and is equipped to serve 150 to 200 patients a month, if it has enough volunteers. The expan-sion was done with $154,000 in do-nations from seven businesses and individuals, including $75,000 from Kaiser Permanente, $10,000 from the Georgia Health Foundation, and $7,000 from Home Depot.

The center is now open nine days a month and sees 25 to 40 patients week.

On April 17, it began a partner-

ship with Morehouse School of Medicine, in which three student doctors will be volunteering at the center. Ranson called the More-house partnership a blessing and said that with the school’s help, the center will be able to see up to 60 patients a day and will no longer have to turn patients away.

“We are overloaded [with pa-tients],” she said Wednesday. “One of my doctors moved to Oklahoma, so now with Morehouse we can

start seeing more people.”Ranson said the center has ex-

perienced a series of blessings.“As soon as we need something,

it shows up,” she said. “We could talk about band-aids and the next thing I know here comes somebody with bags of band-aids. It’s amaz-ing.” Now, if she could just get some more volunteers.

“The more volunteers I get, the more people I can serve, the more days I can stay open,” she said.

The April 25 celebration starts at 11 a.m. There will be chair mas-sages by Full Body Rejuvenation, facials by Circles of Wellness and More Than Just a Pretty Face, nu-tritional education and cooking by Natural Pathway, cardiovascular screenings by Park North Wellness Center, drink supplements by Ad-vantage Nutritionals, and vision/glaucoma screenings by the More-house School of Medicine.

Free screenings include blood pressure and glucose, and there will be an “Ask the Doctor” session.

The community festival will be on the center’s grounds, 2699 Klondike Road in downtown Li-thonia. For more information, visit www.healthylivingclinic.org or call 770-484-2777.

Registered nurse Carla Warnock (right) checks the blood pressure for a client at the South DeKalb Center for Healthy Living in Lithonia.

McKenzie JacKson / crossroadsnews

CrossRoadsNews April 25, 20096

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Fun Day kicks off PIP programA Family Fun Day filled with

performances, health screenings and appearances by DeKalb Police and Fire Rescue personnel will help kick off the Mall at Stonecrest’s new Parental Involvement Program (PIP) on May 2.

The 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. event on the mall’s outdoor plaza near the AMC cinema is being hosted by commissioners Lee May and Con-nie Stokes.

With PIP, youth younger than 18 years must be accompanied by an adult 21 years and older after 4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays at the mall. The mall says that the curfew on unaccompanied minors will make the mall more family-

friendly on the weekends.Stokes said the Family Fun Day

will help promote the Lithonia mall as a pleasant place for families to enjoy shopping, dining and enter-tainment.

With the county’s loss of the Pe-rimeter CID and Dunwoody, Stokes said that the Mall at Sonecrest is now one of the county’s biggest economic generators.

“We want to maintain a safe, enjoyable environment for families and optimize its economic pos-sibilities,” she said.

The mall is at I-20 and Turner Hill Road. For more information about Family Fun Day, call 404-371-4745 or 404-371-3053.

Sorority tea event honors chapter’s founding member

Friends of the late Phyllis Brown will sip tea in her honor on May 2 at the Iota Eta Zeta chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority’s Tea 2 at Spelman College in Atlanta.

The 4 p.m. event will be include song, dance and art. It raises funds for the chapter’s youth auxiliary group that serves girls ages 4 to 17.

Brown is the late wife of De-Kalb County Sheriff-elect Derwin Brown, who was murdered in his driveway on Dec. 24, 2006, on the orders of political rival Sidney Dorsey.

Brown, who died in December 2006, was a founding member of Iota Eta Zeta in February 1979.

Vanessa Elkins-Rogers, Iota Eta Zeta’s president, said that since its found-ing, the sorority has been dedicated to promoting womanhood, scholarship and community service.

“As we embrace our sorority’s proud legacy, Iota Eta Zeta chapter has

made a commitment to our own community’s youth,” he said.

The tea will be in the college’s LLC2 Auditorium .Tickets are $10 each. Proceeds will benefit academ-ic scholarships for college-bound youth members.

The college is at 350 Spelman Lane in southwest Atlanta. For tickets, call Sherri Morris at 404-483-9778.

Phyllis Brown

Creative people from all genres are needed by the city of Stone Mountain.

Mayor Gary Peet is seeking artists, musicians, film makers, photographers, dancers, crafters, quilters, carvers, instrument mak-ers and the like to show up on May 6 for a “Creative Economies Con-vocation” at ARTStation on Manor Drive in the Village.

At the event, Jack Sartain, the convocation’s facilitator, will describe how the Arts Incubator works and the financial and other benefits and advantages to the art-ists who participate. He will also seek input from interested artists about what they need to be success-ful small businesses and enlist their help in planning the incubator.

“Working with the Down-

town Development Authority and Mainstreet Program, we are going to generate an economic develop-ment program featuring arts and artists of all kinds to fill the empty stores and bring the tourists and visitors, even our own residents, back to Main Street,” said Sartain, who founded the DeKalb Council for the Arts Inc.

Peet said the city has the sup-port of private foundations, state, local and city governments, and the Stone Mountain Woman’s Club.

He said the idea for the incuba-tor was first presented to a “Steering Force” of 27 arts and economic development leaders on April 2.

To attend the “Creative Econo-mies Convocation,” e-mail Sartain at jbs5951@aol.com or call 770-856 1377.

Young musicians to perform multiple genresThe young musicians of Still

Waters Youth Sinfo-Nia orchestra and dance troupe will be showing off their stuff their May 2 Spring Benefit Concert & Reception at Greenforest Baptist Church in Decatur.

The theme of the concert is “A

New Attitude in a Time of Hope, Change and Action.”

The orchestra, which includes students from public and private schools across metro Atlanta, will play classical, jazz, gospel, R&B and movie themes during the 5 p.m. event in Greenforest’s

Genesis Room. Admission is $30 in advance

and $35 at the door.Greenforest Baptist Church is

at 3250 Rainbow Drive in Decatur. For more information or tickets, visit www.sinfo-nia.com or call 404-328-0840.

CrossRoadsNewsApril 25, 2009 7

By McKenzie Jackson

Despite strident opposition from some parents, DeKalb School System says it will open a military-style high school in partnership with the U.S. Marine Corps at the beginning of the next school year.

Superintendent Dr. Crawford Lewis told more than 100 people at an April 14 meeting at the Heritage Center off Briarcliff Road, that the DeKalb Marine Corps Institute will open there in August.

Detractors say the school will just be another recruiting ground for the military to target young children who lack the information to make intelligent choices.

Gloria Tatum, who spoke at the meeting, said the institute is the

Youth “In education one size does not fit all, I agree with that. This school does not fit this neighborhood.”

Officials moving forward with military high school despite opposition

Suicide victim remembered

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By McKenzie Jackson

A week after Dunaire Elemen-tary fifth-grader Jaheem Herrera hung himself in his family’s Deca-tur apartment, their front door has become a makeshift memorial.

A f r a m e d p i c t u r e o f 1 1 - y e a r - o l d Jaheem hangs from the middle of the front door and under it, a red poster board covered in mes-

sages from mourners. Balloons, flowers and stuffed bears adorn the steps. Two pieces of paper in the shape of angel wings, also cov-ered in writing, are attached to the poster board.

“Your gone but never forgot-ten,” one message reads, while an-other says, “R.I.P. Love You Always and 4-Ever.”

Family members say Jaheem hung himself April 16 with a fabric belt because of bullying he suffered at the Stone Mountain school.

No one was home at his family’s Wesley Club apartment off Wesley Chapel Road on Wednesday, but his mother, Masika Bermudez, told Atlanta media early this week that Jaheem had quit eating a few days before his suicide and had become listless. She said her son was in his first year at Dunaire after moving from their native Virgin Islands. Students taunted him and called him “gay” and a “snitch.” She said he told her that students choked him in the boy’s bathroom until he nearly passed out.

Bermudez said the family did not know how bad the bullying was until his suicide. She said she had made numerous complaints to

school officials about the abuse. DeKalb County Schools spokes-

man Dale Davis said that legally school officials cannot discuss student-related records.

The school system has an anti-bullying policy that says it will not tolerate bullying.

On Thursday, Jada Hudspeth, a spokeswoman for the DeKalb District Attorney’s office, said that District Attorney Gwen Keyes Fleming is exploring the case to see if any laws were broken.

“It is not an open or active in-vestigation,” she said. “This is the first case of this nature that we have received in this office.” Hudspeth said Keyes Fleming did not want to respond prematurely without fully evaluating the legal options.

Jaheem will be buried on Monday in St. Croix. He was the oldest of three siblings living with his mother, stepfather Norman Keene, and sisters Ny’irah, 7, and Yerralis, 10.

Yerrallis, also a Dunaire fifth-grader, found her brother’s body.

Jaheem is the latest in a string of recent preteen suicides related to bullying that have startled the nation.

A makeshift memorial adorns the door to Jaheem Herrera’s apartment.

Lewis said they are working to find a new location for the school and hope to have found one by January. He said the Heritage Cen-ter is not on the list of locations for the 2010-2011 school year.

The four-year Marine Corps Institute will combine a military-style regimen and academics, with a heavy focus on math and science. It will also operate year-round and have longer breaks during the year to balance time off from classes. Teachers will also stay with the same students or class for more than one year to help increase retention.

Thaddeous Dixon, a coordina-tor at the district’s Region 3 office, will be the school’s first principal, and Ret. Col. James David Leonard,

a USMC commandant, a 32-year Marine veteran, will oversee the school’s military programs.

Lewis said that he could not put a price tag on the school until the school system and Marine Corps attorneys have completed a memo-randum of agreement in about two weeks. He said the Marine Corps will share operating costs.

District 9 board member Eu-gene Walker said the school is needed.

“In addition to the academics, this program is about character development,” he said, adding that attendance will be voluntary. “Re-member, this a choice program,” he said. “Attendance isn’t mandatory. This gives our students a choice, that is all this is.”

have up to 150 freshmen.Lewis said the Marine Corps

Institute will be located for one school year only on the campus of the Heritage Center, which serves special needs students. After that, it will be relocated to one of five to seven sites the school system is cur-rently looking at for the school.

Residents who live around the Heritage Center don’t want the school in their community. They said the institute will bring more traffic and congestion to the area and they fear it will remain longer at Heritage Center.

“In education one size does not fit all, I agree with that,” said Caro-lyn Breggman, a 17-year neighbor-hood resident. “This school does not fit this neighborhood.”

wrong school at any location and at any time.

“Recruitment [for the military] is down because large numbers of the population of young people have wised up and do not want to become cannon fodder for illegal wars for empire and corporate profit,” she said. Instead, Tatum said the school system should be open-ing a peace institute to teach our children conflict resolution.

Lewis said the school will be an option under the system’s school choice program, which offers students different programs and schools across the county. “We do have some issues in our school sys-tem that I believe the Marine Corps can help with,” Lewis said.

In its first year, the school will

The new Arabia Mountain High School (top) in Lithonia was quite a hit for the estimated 1,000-1,200 people who attended an Open House on Saturday. Visitors (above, left) toured the environment and technology theme school after a program at which area superintendent Horace Dunson (left) presented a gift to Kelly Jordan.

‘Green’ school gets rave reviews

Jaheem Herrera

CrossRoadsNews April 25, 20098

“I saw how people responded and realized that on this man’s shoulders rest the problems, not only of this county, but of the world.”MinistrY

Psalmist Moore to perform in concert

Prayer time for President Obama scheduled on first day of the month

Fish fry to raise funds for child care center

Fried fish and sides will be on the menu at Holy Cross Episcopal Church’s sixth annual Fish Fry on May 2.

The 11:30 a.m.-7 p.m. event will benefit the Decatur church’s building fund and help pay for a new church daycare center.

Plates with fish, fries, tossed salad and iced tea or lemonade are $6 each.

The church is at 2005 South Colum-bia Place in Decatur. For more informa-tion, call 404-284-1211.

L’Tanya Moore, Saint Philip AME Church’s award-winning psalmist, will perform April 26 at the “Music for Missions” concert at Lawrenceville Road United Meth-odist Church.

During the 7 p.m. concert, Moore, who is also Saint Philip’s music and activities director, will sing songs from her latest CD, “Radiant.”

Moore was voted 2006 Best New Art-ist and Best Female Vocalist in the Atlanta Gospel Choice Awards. She also directs the McDonald’s Stellar Awards youth choir and

is a highly sought-after consultant in vocal pedagogy and music min-istry development.

The “Music for Missions” concert series raises funds for missions and charities supported by Lawrenceville Road UMC. The April 26 concert will be the 155th in the series.

Admission is free but an offer-ing will be taken.

Lawrenceville Road United Methodist Church is at 3142 Lawrenceville Highway in Tucker. For more information, call 770-939-3717.

L’Tanya Moore

When you are leading a country out of a recession, prayer is a good idea.

When you are the first black man to occupy the White House, there is no better idea.

That is why APEX Museum president Dan Moore Sr. launched Prayer Partners for Obama in February, and he has been en-couraging people across the country and the world to join in prayer for President Barack Obama on the 1st of every month.

Moore said he got the idea after watching Obama’s Jan. 20 inauguration live with about 200 people at the APEX Museum.

“I saw how people responded and real-ized that on this man’s shoulders rest the problems, not only of this county, but of the world,” Moore said Wednesday. “I decided that we all needed to pray that God will give hi wisdom because whatever decision he makes, it will impact the world.”

Moore said he invited prayers on Feb. 1, March 1 and April 1, but has no way of knowing how many people have joined in. Participants are invited to sign up at www.prayerpartnersforobama.org. So far, Moore

Dan Moore Sr., president of the APEX Museum, launched Prayer Partners for Obama in February and is encouraging people to join in prayer for the United States’ new leader.

said 150 people from the U.S., Liberia, Den-mark and Kenya have registered.

On May 1, prayer warriors of all faiths and religions will again be in prayer at 7 a.m., noon, and 7 p.m. Moore said. He explains the prayer movement in his fourth book, “Prayer Partners For Obama,” published in February. The 54-page book also lists quotes

from world leaders and children.On the website, W. Harris, one of the

people who have registered to pray, said praying for Obama is a great idea.

“I will get every Liberian-based prayer band, my friends and my relatives, to par-ticipate,” Harris said. “This son of Africa ‘must’ succeed.”

Dr. J. Crawford wrote that Obama “needs all the prayers he can get.”

S. Simmons says he prays daily for Obama, his family and his cabinet members.

“I will continue to ask others to saturate the atmosphere with prayer and lift Obama before the Lord daily,” Simmons said.

For more information, visit www.prayer-partenersforobama.org.

CrossRoadsNewsApril 25, 2009 9

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**Are You Making $1,500.00 + PER WEEK? ALL CASH VEND-ING! Incredible Income Opportu-nity! Snack-soda... Minimum $8K To $40K Investment Required. Excellent Quality Machines. 800-962-9189

educAtion & trAiningAIRLINES ARE HIRING - Train for high paying Aviation Main-tenance Career. FAA approved program. Financial aid if qualified -Housing Available. CALL Aviation Institute of Maintenance (888) 349-5387.

Attend College Online from Home. *Medical, *Business, *Paralegal, *Computers, *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. Call 800-488-0386 www.CenturaOn-line.com

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA! Fast Affordable & Accredited. FREE Brochure. Call NOW! 1-800-532-6546 Ext. 96 www.continentala-cademy.com

employment opportunitiesGovernment Jobs- $12-48.00/hr. Full Benefits/Paid Training. Work available In areas like Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Wildlife & more! 1-800-320-9353 Ext 2002

National Organization Now Hiring $25/hr, Client Referral Execu-tives, Advancement Potential, PT/FT, No Exp Needed, We Train, Must Be Honest, Caring, Self-Motivated Access Payment Solutions 1-888-334-5042

Mystery Shoppers Needed. Earn up to $150 per day. Undercover Shoppers needed to Judge Retail & Dining Establishments Experience Not Required. Call Now 1-877-218-6211

$600 Weekly Potential$$$ Helping The Government PT. No Experience, No Selling. Call: 1-888-213-5225 Ad Code E. Void in Maryland and South Dakota.

Earn up to $2,500.00 WEEKLY processing our brochures. Great opportunity ! Postage,supplies furnished. No travel. Processors needed NOW. For FREE infor-mation call Speedline Publica-tions NOW. 1-800-395-5972

$384 DAILY! No experience required! Data entry positions available Now! Internet access needed! Income is Guaranteed! Apply today! www.dataen-trymembers.com

Earn up to $500 weekly as-sembling our angel pins in the comfort of your own home. No experience required. Call 413-303-0474 or visit www.angelpin.net

FinAnciAlCredit Card Debt Getting You Down? WE CAN HELP! ucanb-debtfree.info Call for Free Evalu-ation 24/7 1-800-430-3931

$$$ ACCESS LAWSUIT CASH NOW!!! AS seen on TV. Injury Lawsuit Dragging? Need $500-$500,000++ within 48/hrs? Low rates. APPLY NOW BY PHONE!

1-888-271-0463 www.cash-for-cases.com

HeAltH & FitnessTake the Better Life Pharmacy Challenge. Make Huge Savings On Your Prescription Medica-tions. For Quality Products and Better Service Visit meds4less.betterlifepharmacy.com

AAA Affordable Health Care. Plans as little as $69.95 for single & $89.95 for family per month. For more info please call toll free 866-925-1830.

ONLINE PHARMACY Buy Soma, Ultram, Fioricet, Prozac, Buspar $71.99/90 $107/180 Quantities, PRICE INCLUDES PRESCRIP-TION! Over 200 meds $25Cou-pon Mention Offer:#31A31. 1-866-491-2712. tri-pharmacy.net

Help WAntedHelp Wanted Earn Extra Income, assembling CD cases from home. Start immediately, No experience necessary. 1-800-405-7619 ext 1395 www.easywork-greatpay.com

misc. For sAlePROTECT YOUR FAMILY Get a free GE alarm system with no installation fee and no equip-ment cost. Most homeowners will receive an insurance discount as well. Mention this ad and get 2 free keychain remotes! Promo code A02086 1-888-951-5156

* REDUCE YOUR CABLE BILL!* Get a 4-Room All-Digital Satellite system installed for FREE and programming starting under $10. FREE DVR and HD Upgrades

One-order, one-invoice, multi-newspaper placement service!Reach more than 15 million households served by over

1,020 suburban and community newspapers around North America and Canada. 25-word ad starts at $240 weekly.

D i s c o u n t C o n t a c t R a t e s A v a i l a b l e . F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n , c a l l 4 0 4 - 2 8 4 - 1 8 8 8

reAder noticeAs a service to you – our valued readers – we offer the following

information: This newspaper will never knowingly accept any advertise-ment that is illegal or considered fraudulent. If you have questions or

doubts about any ads on these pages, we advise that before responding or sending money ahead of time, you check with the Attorney General’s

Consumer Fraud Line and/or the Better Business Bureau. They may have records or documented complaints that will serve to caution you

about doing business with those advertisers. Also be advised that some phone numbers published in these ads may require an extra charge. In

all cases of questionable value, such as promises or guaranteed income from work-at-home programs, money to loan, etc., if it sounds too good

to be true – it may in fact be exactly that.

This newspaper cannot be held responsible for any negative conse-quences that occur as a result of you doing business with any advertis-

ers. Thank you.

No Credit No Problem. Smallest weekly payments avail. Call 800-640-0587

A NEW COMPUTER NOW!!!! Brand Name laptops & desktops Bad or NO Credit- No Problem Smallest weekly payments avail. Its yours NOW- Call 800-640-0649

Email not sending? Printer not printing? Can’t fix it yourself? Call My Computer Works your personal Help Desk. Fast, safe and secure help day or night: 888-375-8686.

reAl estAteBUY HUD Homes from $199/mo! 4bd 2ba only $350/mo! 3bd 2ba only $199/mo! More Home from $199/mo! 5% dn, 15yrs @8% apr! for Listings 800-366-0142 ext. T252

3bd 2ba HUD Home only $200/mo! 4bd 2ba Home only $300/mo! Priced to Sell! 1-4bd Fore-closures from $10k! 5%dn, 20yrs @8%apr! For Listings 800-366-0142 ext. T253

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for new callers, SO CALL NOW. 1-800-699-7159

A NEW COMPUTER NOW!!!! Brand Name laptops & desktops Bad or NO Credit- No Problem Smallest weekly payments avail. Its yours NOW- Call 800-317-7891

miscellAneousNational Organization Now Hiring $25/hr, Client Referral Execu-tives, Advancement Potential, PT/FT, No Exp Needed, We Train, Must Be Honest, Caring, Self-Motivated Access Payment Solutions 1-888-334-5042

National Organization Now Hiring $25/hr, Client Referral Execu-tives, Advancement Potential, PT/FT, No Exp Needed, We Train, Must Be Honest, Caring, Self-Motivated Access Payment Solutions 1-888-334-5042

Get a New Computer! Brand Name laptops & desktop BAD or

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CrossRoadsNews April 25, 200910

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CLASSIFIEDS

MarketplaceBusiness opportunities

Afraid of Downsizing? Start building a business today to supplement your income in case of a layoff. Call 404-289-1968.

computersLaptops $199 & up. Computers $99 & up. Laptop & computer repair. Spyware/virus removal. Diagnostic fee $35 WWW.JONATECH.NET. 404-643-1768/404-543-8836. Jonatech

www.jonatech.net Computers $99. & up while Supply Last. Incl monitor, CPU, keyboard, mice, & internet ready. 404-643-1768 or 404-543-8836 Jonatec/Loppa

educAtion/trAiningObey God with all of your heart and mind in 2009. Are you called into the ministry? We train and ordain ministers. Call 404-671-6158 or www.schoolofminis-

tries1.com. Rooms for Rent @ $120 weekly.

FinAnciAl & tAx servicesEMCC Agent Licensing. Life & Health Insurance Licensing classes weekly. Online courses in all states for Insurance and Securities at www.emccmarket-ing.com/EXAMFX.html call 404-394-5023.

FinAnciAl HelpCash Available Now. We pay cash for Seller Financed Mort-gages, Court Settlements, and Lottery Payments. Fast closings. Call: 770--712-6857.

For rent/leAseRoommates Wanted to Share a 3 Bedroom House Near South DeKalb Mall $350 Monthly. No Smoking. Cable and Utilities Included. 678-754-0791.

Home for Rent. Lease to Own or

Purchase. Large 4 Bedroom, 3 Bathroom, Office Space, Large Backyard, Quiet Neighborhood, 2 Car Garage. Call 678-773-6210.

Lithonia house, near Stonecrest Mall; 3 BR, 2 BA, bonus room, 2 car garage, $1200 monthly. 404-421-2435

3 bd/2 bth. 2 Car Garage. New Carpet. Nice Neighborhood. Spacious House. Lithonia Area. $1100/month. $600 Security Deposit. Call 404-831-4112.

FurnitureA brand NEW King Pillowtop Mattress & Box set Still in plastic

w/manuf. warranty! $235 Can deliver. 770-875-8434

Iron bed - new! An Iron Hdbrd, Ft-brd, and Rails. Still in boxes. $175 Delivery is avail. 678-754-5075

100% Leather sofa - unused! Beautiful contemporary leather sofa. Still in box. Lifetime war-ranty. Was $1299, NOW $450. Delivery avail. 678-754-5075

Home servicesWalker Garage Doors. Custom Designs. Professional Service. Reasonable Rates. Same-day service, 24 hours, 7 days a week. 678-791-5061.

lAndscApe/lAWn cAreLawn Care Early Bird Special $99.00 per month. Landscape: Maintenance, Design, Installation, Vegetable Garden. Senior Citi-zens Discount. Call 770-593-1382

moversGideon Movers, Inc. Moves & Deliveries, In-house Moves; Loading & Un-loading. Free

For Honest & Reliable Heating & Air Conditioning Service, Call...

404-294-8632East Metro’s First Choice Since 1985

We Service All Equipment Brands – Residential & Light Commercial

MENTION THIS AD ANDGET 10% OFF YOUR

FIRST SERVICE

✓ Spring Air Conditioning Checks

✓ Fall Heating System Checks

✓ Planned Maintenance Agreements

✓ Equipment Repair & Replacement

✓ Ductwork Installation

✓ Free Estimates on Unit Replacement

Lu Woodson, OwnerB.S., Mechanical Engineering

Member, Conditioned Air Assoc. of GA (CAAG)State Licensed & Insured

EPA Certified, NATE Certified

mArKetplAce rAtesPlace your MarketPlace line ad here – up to 20 words for $25. Additional words are $3 per block of five words (maximum 45 words). Boxed Ads (with up to 3 lines bold headline): $35 plus cost of the classified ad. Send ad copy with check or credit card information and contact phone number (if different from ad) to MarketPlace, CrossRoadsNews, 2346 Candler Road, Decatur, GA 30032, or e-mail to marketplace@crossroadsnews.com. Our deadlines are at noon on the Thursday one week prior to publication, un-less otherwise noted.

NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY AS TO STUDENTS

The Anointed Word Christian School International and the Miracle Early Learning Centers, 3800 Linecrest Road, Ellenwood, Georgia 30294 admits students of any race, color, natural and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other school administered programs.

on-site Estimate. (404)241-8899.gideonmovers@comcast.net

personAl cAreSew-ins $50 & up treebraids $85 & up MON TUES WED & SAT ONLY EXOTIC VISIONS 4055 FlatShoals Pkway Decatur Call: 404 447-8415 678 698-8405 Individual Eye Lashes $20 Permanent $60 Eyebrow Arching $7 Waxing $10 Wanted: Licensed Stylist

servicesListening Ears-- Your free di-lemma advisor (Troubled, Family, Emotional, Relational, Grief, etc). listeningears15@yahoo.com.

Lawn Mower Service and Repair. You name it, We do it. Mowers, Blowers, Trimmers, Tillers and Saws. Parts, Service, Sales. Pick-Up and Delivery. 2513 Park Central Blvd. Decatur, GA 30035. 770-323-4755.

CrossRoadsNewsApril 25, 2009 11

CrossRoadsNews April 25, 200912