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A PUBLICATION OF ACE III COMMUNICATIONS • AVAILABLE ONLINE 24/7 AT WWW.CHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.COM • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009 • VOL. 11, NO. 48 • FREE
Bolton dismissed
as DeKalb chief
of police
DeKalb County CEO Burrell
Ellis issued a pre-termination let-
ter to DeKalb Police Chief Terrell
Bolton Feb. 20, giving Bolton a
chance answer to charges brought
against him. Despite a 19-page
response from Bolton’s attorney,
William McKenney, Ellis issued a
statement Feb. 23 saying that as of
Feb. 24, Bolton would no longer be
employed by DeKalb County.
In his response, McKenney
accused the CEO of developing
a pattern of obstruction that pre-
vented Bolton from performing his
job. McKenney also cited in the
response letter that Bolton’s secre-
tary was interrogated for six hours
by sheriffs’ deputies.
Ellis claimed that Bolton was
insubordinate by interfering with
the firing of an employee under
Bolton’s supervision. McKenney
questioned Ellis’ authority to bypass
the police chain of command and
remove a person McKenney said
was “an essential staff person.”
Ellis told reporters on Feb. 20
that he conducted the investigation
with the help of DeKalb police, the
DeKalb sheriff’s office and other
DeKalb County personnel. The in-
vestigation, according to Ellis, re-
vealed that Bolton had seven coun-
ty vehicles. Five were set aside for
his use and two other vehicles, a
Mercedes and Range Rover, were
seized drug vehicles that Bolton
kept in his garage, according to El-
lis’ investigation.
McKenney defended Bolton’s
use of the automobiles as normal
procedure in the department. He
also said that Bolton’s taking the
two luxury vehicles home was
part of an informal practice in the
police department that allowed
officers working as investigators
to take cars home from the seized
QUICK FINDER
Business......................... 18
Around DeKalb .............. 12
Education .................. 16-17
2008 and 2007 Free Press back issues are available online.
www.championnewspaper.com
fleet and use them as unmarked
vehicles.
The attorney stated this practice
was not a secret and that the ve-
hicles could be used by Bolton for
his own surveillance. He suggested
that former DeKalb County CEO
Vernon Jones knew the where-
abouts of the Mercedes and the
Range Rover.
McKenney noted in his letter
to Ellis that the CEO was “hereby
placed on notice” that Bolton was
on medical leave and protected by
the Family Medical Leave Act of
1993. At press time, McKenney
could not be reached for comment.
Bolton was hired as DeKalb
County chief of police in Decem-
ber 2006 soon after being dis-
missed as chief of police in Dallas,
Texas, for alleged scandals and in-
creased crime rates. Bolton left the
Ellis claimed that Bolton was
Dallas job promising to sue. The
lawsuit was dismissed after a judge
ruled that Bolton served at the will
of the city manager and was not
entitled to civil service protections. insubordinate by interfering
with the firing of an
Six different people have
headed the DeKalb County Police
Department in the past five years.
employee under Bolton’s
Six months before Bolton was
named police chief by Jones, the
CEO named Nick Marinelli as in-
terim chief. Maninelli served until
Bolton was hired. In August 2004 supervision. McKenney
questioned Ellis’ authority
Louis Graham was appointed to
the position by Jones after former
chief Eddie Moody abruptly an-
to bypass the police chain
nounced his pending retirement.
Moody had replaced long term
Chief Bobby Burgess. Assistant
Chief Karen A. Anderson briefly
held the position of acting chief of command and remove a
person McKenney said was
while Bolton was on sick leave.
The current acting chief and sixth
person to occupy the chair during
‘an essential staff person.’
the five-year period is William
O’Brien.
VISIT US ONLINE @ www.CHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.com
Health.............................. 19 Opinion ......................... 5-6
Local .....................1-3, 7-13 Sports ........................ 22-23
Life .................................. 15
News THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009, PAGE 2A

Networking
in Pine Lake
by Margie Fishman
margiefishman@hotmail.com

CeCe Garrison knows firsthand how a troubled econ-

omy can derail a labor of love. Forced to put her master
of theology degree on hold after her funding dried up, she
now divides her time among bookkeeping, pet sitting and
organizing spiritual retreats for women.
“The worse things get, the longer I stay at my prayer
and meditation,” she said. “Now, it’s up to 1 ½ hours.”
Shy when it comes to networking, Garrison needed an
easy way to break the ice. She found it at her neighbor-
hood Pine Lake Local, a collective of self-employed peo-
ple who have established a referral and resource network
within their community.
The group is the brainchild of local residents Kris
Casariego, a marketing professional, and Melanie Ham-
met, a performance artist, writer and city council member,
who wanted a gathering place for Pine Lake’s independent
businesspeople to exchange ideas and business cards.
“Each meeting is led and organized by someone else,”
said Casariego, adding that monthly speakers address top-
ics of particular interest to the self-employed, such as how
to obtain health coverage or navigate the tax maze.
After a strong start in October, the 20-member group is
busy working on a print business directory and Web site so
that residents and the larger community can easily locate
See Pine Lake on Page 8A Pine Lake Local members Paula Clancy, left, and Ellen Mintzmyer review materials passed out by Kim
Davis Mitchell, right.

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THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009 Page A
International school
gets corporate benefit
by Brian Egeston
be@brianwrites.com
On President’s Day
while some where enjoying
a day off, more than 200
employees from Orange
Business Services were run-
ning around a schoolyard,
painting by numbers and
playing in the dirt.
It was more work than
they had anticipated. Em-
ployees from across North
America, including many
from the company’s Atlanta
headquarters, volunteered
their time to help upgrade
facilities at the International
Community School in De-
catur. Projects included
reengineering the computer
lab, painting classrooms,
building bookcases, paint-
ing murals and creating a
learning garden and mini
soccer field.   “During lean economic
The combined student
and faculty population of
the International Communi-
ty School comes from more
than 35 countries, represent-
ing 20 different language
groups, with nearly half of
the students hailing from
countries such as Bosnia,
Myanmar Burundi, Iraq and
Cuba. The school serves
kindergarten through sixth
grade students.
Orange Business Ser-
vices is the key brand of
France Telecom, a telecom-
munications operator that
serves five continents.
 Orange Business Ser-
vices has a history of em-
bracing philanthropy and
has largely focused on three
global themes: disability,
education and culture. One
specific area the company
supports is the education of
children from developing
countries.   some of the facilities at the
“With privilege comes
responsibility, and we are
indeed privileged,” said
Diana Leonard, senior
vice president, Americas,
Orange Business Services,
who has worked on various
initiatives related to Africa,
including a hospital in Cam-
eroon and an AIDS/HIV
treatment center in Kenya.
times, it’s more important
than ever to give back to the
community. We were eager
to help, not only because
this project will enhance
the educational experience
of the students, but because
the diverse spirit of the
International Community
School echoes the global
nature of our company: one
that encourages a respectful
environment and global per-
spective.”
 “One way to ensure that
our students thrive is to
place them in an environ-
ment that promotes creativ-
ity and camaraderie,” said
Dr. Laurent Ditmann,
the principal of Interna-
tional Community School.
“With this in mind, we’re
thrilled to welcome Orange
Business Services as they
take time out of their busy
schedule to help us improve
International Community
School.”
 The International Com-
munity School is a charter
school located on Coving-
ton Highway in DeKalb and
was strategically designed
to bring together refugee,
immigrant and native-born
children in an academically
challenging and nurturing
environment.
 In the last 10 years,
thousands of refugee chil-
dren have come to DeKalb
County, home to the high-
est percentage of refugees
in the southeastern United
States.
 The school began opera-
tion during the 2002-2003
school year and has grown
to and an enrolment of ap-
proximately 400 students.
Editorial THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009, Page 4A

Pleasantness characterizes state of county address
by Steen Miles
CEO Burrell Ellis in his State of
the County address Feb. 18, deftly
laid out his administration’s goals and
objectives. It was “pleasant” to use the
words of Rabbi Moshe Hiller, who
brought the inspirational in-
vocation before a packed au-
dience at the Manuel Maloof
Building. Rabbi Hiller refer-
enced scripture to remind the
CEO, commissioners and the
other electeds of their lofty
purpose to create a better
DeKalb and to be “pleasant.”
All of the county com-
missioners, Larry Johnson,
Connie Stokes, Sharon Sut- Miles
ton, Lee May, Jeff Rader
and Kathie Gannon were
there save for Elaine Boyer, who was
celebrating her anniversary.
While tornado warning sirens blared
on the outside, CEO Ellis attemped to
calm a brewing storm over his proposal
for a new position of public safety
director to oversee police, fire and the
medical examiner’s office. Ellis ex-
emplified his lawyer training, nearly
flawlessly delivering a sober and direct,
but encouraging 45-minute speech on
the need for unity, openness, transpar-
Guest Editorial
ency and accountability. He pointed
no fingers nor assigned blame for the
current state of the county. He was
“pleasant,” noting the accomplishments
of the 7,500 county employees, includ-
ing police and fire personnel. He asked
the audience to stand and join him in a
round of applause for their
dedication. And, extending
an olive branch, Ellis com-
plimented each and every
one of the commissioners
– Stokes for her work on the
foreclosure problem; Radar
for protecting neighbor-
hoods; Johnson for afford-
able housing, for example.
Ellis stayed on mes-
sage with familiar themes
– shrinking tax revenues,
unprecedented foreclosure
rates and the county’s dramatic in-
crease in crime.
But make no mistake, public safety
is this administration’s number one
priority. Violent crime and property
crimes are up in DeKalb while trend-
ing down nationally. The new CEO
made it clear that there would be no
compromise on fighting crime. “Crime
is a problem from which we must not
retreat. It cannot be business as usual
and it will not be marginalized or
politicized. Too many seniors, busi-
ness owners, students and average
citizens are feeling the effects of the
increase in crime. He cited examples
of skyrocketing home invasions. Then
personalizing the problem, he said not
only does crime prevent our seniors
like Mother Stella Sanford from liv-
ing out her golden years in relative
peace, it keeps new small business
owners like Patricia Setzer from stay-
ing in business.
Along with the problems, Ellis
offered solutions. His $601-million
spending plan is balanced as required
by law and is 5 percent smaller than
the $635-million budget last year. This
was accomplished by consolidating
some county services, without raising
taxes, and with no reduction in county
services. The new administration’s
budget tackles head on the county’s
problems. It is extremely well thought
out and is not a measure for politi-
cal cherry picking or to be a pawn of
power grabbers.
With this in mind, we might need
a refresher in the duties and responsi-
bilities of our legislative and execu-
tive branches of government. I was
happy as a senator from District 43 to
participate in the study committee led
by Sen. Emanuel Jones (D-10) that
led to the creation of the recently en-
acted law allowing the DeKalb County
Board of Commissioners to run its
own meetings. Simply put, it just
makes sense. My motivation also was
that correcting the imbalance of power
would mitigate some of the rancor that
too often characterized past commis-
sion meetings.
Commissioners set policy. They
listen to constituents and create or-
dinances to address their needs. In a
perfect world that might consult with
the CEO on new ordinances. It is the
role, the duty and responsibility of the
executive branch, the CEO, to carry
out those ordinances and administer
the day-to-day operation of county
government. This all requires, as
Ellis so aptly stated that we have do-
ers not critics. In keeping with Rabbi
Hiller’s “pleasant” invocation, can we
dare to be different in DeKalb? Can
we turn the page from the scathing
quote or the six o’clock soundbite?
It would be so refreshing to see the
new CEO’s budget approved in a new
spirit of consultation, cooperation and
“pleasantness.”
The Newslady
Steen Miles is a retired journalist
and former Georgia State Senator.

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THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009 PAgE 5A

New York Times misleads on drug abuse costs

by Jason Salzman
No one likes drug abuse, but this shouldn’t stop
reporters from offering skeptical views of reports
alleging to quantify the societal costs of drug use
in America. TheNewYorkTimes reported Feb. 4 on
a study claiming to quantify the “societal cost of
meth use,” as the headline put it. Funny
thing was, the article contained not a
whisper of criticism of the study by the
RAND Drug Policy Research Center,
which tallied the expense of metham-
phetamine to be about $23 billion.
That’s a lot of money, but far less
than the latest-available cost of alcohol
abuse in America. That’s $148 billion,
according to the National Institute on
Alcohol Abuse. No mention of this,
in the Times piece. But the truth is it’s
meaningless to throw out estimates Salzman
about the cost of drug abuse, without
comparing them to the cost of policies designed to
solve the problem.
Jeffrey Miron, a senior lecturer at in the
Department of Economics at Harvard University,
says the $23 billion figure has no economic mean-
ing. He explains that a useful economic analysis
by RAND would focus on a “prohibition regime
in which there are very heavy penalties versus a
prohibition regime in which there were lighter pen-
alties, including more treatment.” A study like this
would compare the current costs of methampheta-
mine with the costs of a specific policy that aims to
reduce its use or the negative side effects, he says.
“Otherwise, what are you studying?” he told
me. “How much less expenditure would there be
on methamphetamine if we could magically make
it disappear from the planet? That’s clearly not
an option.” “If we waved a wand and made meth
disappear, then people would do something
else with the money they were spending
on meth,” Miron told me. “Now, you hope
they’d spend it on peanut butter cookies,
but they’re probably going to spend it on
something that has similar properties to
methamphetamine, because that’s why
they chose to spend it on meth in the first
place.”
Nancy Nicosia, one of the authors of
the RAND report, agrees that her study
doesn’t help policymakers decide what to
do about the meth problem, but she argues
that her figure is nonetheless valid and use-
ful in understanding the scope of the problem. But
even if you accept Nicosia’s view, there’s a broader
issue here, which also wasn’t aired in The New
York Times piece. That is, the study correlates
social problems with meth use, but the problems
could be driven by underlying social problems, not
the drug.
“Drug misuse is a symptom of many things,
not the cause,” said Bill Piper, director of national
affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance. In fact, you
don’t have to be much of a social scientist to get a
laugh out of the RAND press release about its meth
study. It states, “The RAND analysis found that
nearly two-thirds of the economic costs caused by
methamphetamine use resulted from the burden of
addiction and an estimated 900 premature deaths
among users in 2005. The burden of addiction was
measured by quantifying the impact of the lower
quality of life experienced by those addicted to the
drug.”
You might need to read that last paragraph twice
to appreciate its full meaning, but in case you
don’t get it, let me translate. According to RAND,
if you’re addicted to meth, and you have a lower
quality of life as a result, then you should blame
the drug. Not yourself. Not your parents. Not
the cycle of poverty. Not your crumbling public
schools or the fact you have no health insurance.
None of it matters. Just the meth you’ve been do-
ing lately. That is, since you quit smoking crack
cocaine.
You get my point, but I know it’s not original or
surprising. What’s surprising is that The New York
Times, in reporting on the RAND meth study,
decided to ignore all the huge issues that raise red
flags about the legitimacy of the report’s findings.
JasonSalzmanistheauthorofMaking the
News: A Guide for Nonprofits and Activists,’and
boardchairofRockyMountainMediaWatch,a
Denver-basedmediawatchdogorganization.Dis-
tributedbyMinutemanMedia.org.

Yes, Virginia, it’s now time for justice

by William A. Collins war criminals? We prize Lady Justice with her magic Gingrich were in charge with no fear of eventual
scales and accord great honor to all judges. Why then prosecution? Or Richard Nixon?
It would have been illuminating to hear the dia- ignore torturers, eavesdroppers and invaders? With luck we’re better than that, but at the mo-
logue within the Bush administration about issuing The answer of some apologists is to look at Spain ment our resolve doesn’t look sufficiently strong.
preemptive pardons for war crimes. But whatever the and South Africa with their seemingly successful President Obama seems to have appointed a straight
victorious line of reasoning, Mr. Bush didn’t do it. truth commissions. These offered amnesty from pros- shooter to the watchdog slot at the Justice Depart-
Good. That should make prosecution a little easier. ecution in order to get everything out on the table. ment, but that is only to head off future acts in his
The bad news is that Barack Obama doesn’t Well, that was fine for Spain and South Africa, where own administration. As a constitutional law profes-
seem much interested. Like many transformative massive hostile social forces needed to be reconciled. sor himself the president must appreciate the value
political figures, he wants to “move forward.” Who That’s not the case here. We just have a bunch of precedent. Letting suspected war criminals off the
can blame him? He’s got more than enough booby of autocratic imperialists who think they’re above hook without even a glance is a truly ominous prec-
traps awaiting him. Why volunteer for ones he can the law. If they turn out to be right, it will be a great edent for him and for the nation.
safely avoid? boon to the next round of domestic despots. These
Why? Well, how about the honor of our nation? Is schemers may even now be wondering just what the ColumnistWilliamA.Collinsisaformerstate
that good enough? No? OK, how about the safety of limits are on their own delusions of world conquest representativeandaformermayorofNorwalk,
our nation? That used to justify virtually any horrid and national domination. Can you imagine if Newt Conn.DistributedbyMinutemanMedia.org.
act. Would it also justify a good act? Maybe not. The
problem is, if we unleash the special prosecutors and
they decide that there are grave criminal offenses
needing to be punished, what does this say about us
as voters? We did re-elect those guys in 2004, by
which time their actions were not exactly secrets.
So now that we have a seemingly competent new
president, why not simply leave those morbid days to
historians and spend our limited emotional resources
climbing out of the pit?
Sorry, that’s not quite good enough. As a nation
anchored in freedom, liberty and justice, we can’t
simply slough off the unpleasant parts of keeping
the faith. Justice is justice, and merely because we
may not admire the people we killed, maimed, raped,
widowed, detained, eavesdropped on, refugeed,
poisoned, or otherwise abused doesn’t mean we can
ignore our own crimes.
Clearly the rest of the world is not ignoring them.
It’s watching to see what we do. Especially the Mus-
lim world, which we have so tragically demeaned.
Where do you think all those terrorist recruits come
from, central casting? Sure they get stirred up in
dusty madrassas by fervent zealots, but fortunately
there is a limit to how much influence such zeal-
otry can exert. Luckily for them, the United States
blithely supports their evil work with endless inva-
sions, bombs, rockets and drones. These soon begin
to make martyrdom and the Taliban look appealing.
We’ve created a nightmare that’s sort of the inverse
of the Peace Corps.
But it shouldn’t take still more fear of terrorists
to nudge us toward justice. We don’t back off from
prosecuting bank robbers, drug dealers, rapists, bribe-
takers, or Ponzi schemers. Why then offer amnesty to
Page 6A THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009

They just don’t make role

models like they used to
You know the year has got-
ten off to a rotten start when
it’s February and the best news
we’ve had is that an airline pilot
landed his plane in the Hudson
River and nobody died.
Let’s see…our greatest
Olympic athlete was photo-
graphed smoking pot, our great-
est baseball player confessed to
using steroids then lying about
it to Katie Couric, our new
Treasury secretary was caught
cheating on his taxes and our
by Donald Kaul
Columnist
most listened-to talk-radio
personality says he’s hoping
Barack Obama fails.
Fortunately, none of these
things is as depressing as it first
seems. For example:
Michael Phelps, pot smok-
er–Phelps spends hours of his
day swimming, an activity that
makes watching paint dry seem
electric. Little wonder that in
his off hours he seeks the es-
cape of a drug-induced haze.
To do so in a crowd that bristles
with cell-phone cameras, how-
ever, is like sticking your finger
that would make them write like
Rodriquez hits, they’d take it in
a blink.) There are two reasons
for not taking steroids: They are
bad for your health. They are
illegal. In any case, someone
should tell Alex that there’s
no crying in baseball. But if
you were thinking of Alex Ro-
driguez as a role model, think
again.
Tim Geithner, Treasury
secretary-tax cheat–He said that
not paying his housekeeper’s
payroll tax was an over-
sight, understandable for
a busy man involved in
matters of great moment.
And besides that, the dog
ate his tax return.
The fact that a high
flier like Geithner was do-
ing his own taxes would
indicate that he might have
something he wanted to keep
from an independent accoun-
tant. We can only hope that the
30 grand he owed for the house-
keeper was all he was hiding.
I favored his confirmation as
Treasury Secretary because he
seemed to be the only person
on earth who understood the
proposed bailout of the finan-
cial system. Then he rolled out
his plan and proved that a guy
who looks like a pencil-necked
geek can be just as terrifying as
Hank Paulson.
Betsy Goss
–Champion of the Week
Habitat for Human-
ity – DeKalb Executive
Director Joe Stoner
says Betsy Goss is an
invaluable volunteer at
the organization. “Betsy
has volunteered here
for four years,” he said.
“She puts in at least two
full eight-hour days in
the office every week.
She is a part of our staff.
It is hard to imagine our
organization without
Betsy.”
Prior to her two-day-
a-week commitment at
Habitat for Humanity
– DeKalb, Goss worked
for 20 years at Sun Trust
Bank, in the factoring di-
vision. Her experience
there gave her the skills
she uses at the DeKalb
Habitat office as she
works with the 7 home-
owners’ taxes and insur-
ance. She has saved
homeowners many
thousands of dollars by
If you would like to nominate someone to be considered as a future Champion of the Week,
please contact Kathy Mitchell at kathy@dekalbchamp.com or at 404-373-7779, ext. 104.
reminding them to file
for homestead exemp-
tion, protesting when
their taxes seem out of
line with the neighbor-
hood, and by securing
the best insurance rates
available.
Stoner recalls that
when Goss came to
the Habitat office in
March of 2005, she
found the files in need
of organization. Her
first task was to set
up files for each hom-
eowner, get the office
files organized, and set
up closing procedures
as homeowners pur-
chased their houses.
Through the years she
has added many tasks
to her list. She does the
statistical reports and
sends them to Habitat
for Humanity, Interna-
tional, keeps records
and files required re-
ports for grants such as
the Capacity Building
grant and the Softwood
Lumber grant. Currently
she is helping with the
qualification process as
DeKalb Habitat accepts
applications from folks
who want to be Family
Partners.
Goss explained that
she simply wanted to
give back to the com-
munity after she re-
tired from Sun Trust, “I
wanted to do something
meaningful,” she said,
adding that she sought
out a smaller Habitat
affiliate so she could
be sure she was doing
something useful. “I
love the people I work
with,” she said.
Added Stoner, “They
love her, too, and value
her contribution, her
wonderful smile and
generous personality.”

Home Depot exec blows a gasket

in the light-socket to see if the
electricity is on. Mr. Phelps is
obviously dumb as a box of
rocks. If you have him as a role
model, I suggest you raise your
standards.
Alex Rodriguez, steroid-
user–The reigning World’s
Greatest Ballplayer copped a
plea after a magazine revealed
that he’d tested positive for the
drugs in 2003, a test he took
after being assured that no one
would ever publish the results.
(A promise that ranks up there
with “I’ll respect you in the
morning.”) Mr. Rodriguez, teary
and apologetic, suggested it had
been a “loose time” for major
league baseball and that he’d
been caught up in the permis-
sive spirit of the age. Sports
writers were quick to jump on
him, doing their best Mary Pop-
pins imitations: “Just because
everybody is doing it is no
excuse for you to do it” they
wrote, again and again.
Actually, it’s a better excuse
than most. If you’re in a highly
competitive business and your
competitors are cheating and
not getting caught, you have
to be a plaster saint not to be
tempted to cheat too. (If those
sportswriters could take a pill
Seeking a role model? Seek
elsewhere.
Rush Limbaugh, talk-show-
buffoon–This bag of wind
makes Don Imus look like
Winston Churchill. The fact
that the leaders of the Republi-
can Party line up to kiss his ring
every time he raises an eyebrow
tells you all you need to know
about the Republican Party.
Obama is trying to put out a
raging forest fire that threatens
us all and they’re complain-
ing he’s using too much water.
House Republicans actually
congratulated themselves on
opposing the stimulus package
unanimously.
Thus the soldiers of the
GOP line up behind General
Limbaugh, who’s beginning to
resemble a Macy’s Thanksgiv-
ing Day balloon by the way.
Perhaps it’s not his ring they’re
kissing after all.
If Rush Limbaugh is your
role model…try wearing a cor-
rective hat. Sometimes it works.
Don Kaul is a two-time Pu-
litzer Prize-losing Washington
correspondent who, by his own
account, is right more than he’s
wrong. Email: dkaul2@earth-
link.net.
Time for another Gooberhead Award
–presented periodically to those in the
news who’ve got their tongues running
100 miles per hour, but forgot to put
by Jim Hightower
Columnist
their brains in gear.
Today I’ve got a real goober for you
–a corporate chieftain who’s hot under
the collar about a piece of legislation
that would allow workers in a company
to form a union if a majority of them
sign written cards declaring they want
to unionize.
This simple step toward a bit of
workplace democracy is necessary, be-
cause the corporate powers have rigged
our labor laws so company executives
can intimidate, shut-out, and even fire
employees who attempt to join with co-
workers in a union. Some 60 percent of
working people say they’d join a union
tomorrow if they could, and the pro-
posed Employee Free Choice Act would
help make that possible.
That’s what fired up today’s Goober-
head, Bernie Marcus, the co-founder
of Home Depot. He profits from low-
wage, non-union workers, and he
doesn’t want any democratic changes
that would dilute his autocratic control
over working folks. So, in a conference
call with several other corporate execu-
tives, Marcus blew a gasket:
“This is the demise of a civilization,”
he screeched, adding, “This is how a
civilization disappears.” Whew, Bernie,
get a grip. Allowing Home Depot work-
ers to organize democratically and gain
a say over their livelihoods is actually
quite civilized–an advance, not a de-
mise.
Of course, Marcus was talking about
his own little exclusive civilization–cor-
porate fiefdoms controlled by self-serv-
ing, petty autocrats like him. Indeed,
he is so threatened by this reform that
he lashed out at CEOs of other retail
chains, declaring that if they’re not put-
ting up money to defeat the Free Choice
Act, “they should be shot.”
I think he meant it.
For more information on Jim High-
tower’s work – and to subscribe to his
award-winning monthly newsletter, The
Hightower Lowdown, visit www.jim-
hightower.com
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009 Page A
‘Air taxi’ service announces PDK expansion plans
by Matt Amato
A low-cost, round-trip
ticket from Atlanta to Los
Angeles on a budget airline
costs less than $495. But
it’s the time it takes to reach
the airport, clear security
and wait to taxi for take
off that’s of greater cost to
many of the area’s business
elite–who pay the same
price for an hour of SATS
Air flight-time from DeKalb
Peachtree Airport (PDK).
The South Carolina-
based company announced
last week that it will expand
its “air taxi” services from
PDK, citing the “economic
benefit” for its travelers.
“We think this kind of
travel is appropriate in this
kind of economy,” said
SATS Air President/CEO
Steve Hanvey. “Imagine
this: an eight-hour trip
costing in the ballpark of
$2,000, you can do two
business meetings – say to
Jacksonville, then Alabama,
and back to Atlanta.”
With “the time is money”
concept clearly the mar-
keting tool, SATS says its
service is six times more ef-
ficient than driving and four
times more than commercial
air travel. Though that’s not
cheap, Hanvey said it’s a
bargain compared to char-
tering a plane.
Statistics show that many
agree. In 2008, SATS planes
touched down in 500 air-
ports within nine states of
its target area–mostly the
Southeast–and clocked more
than 11 million passenger
miles in the last three years.
Despite PDK’s proximity
of Hartsfield-Jackson Inter-
national Airport, the world’s
busiest airport, SATS re-
search maintains that the
metro area is an “under-
served market of business
professionals that are look-
ing for an alternative means
of travel that will maximize
their productivity…”
Of 73 airports used by
SATS in Georgia, the major-
ity of its flights were out of
PDK–totaling 875 for 2008.
“We’ve seen the biggest
growth here,” said Hanvey,
who announced that all the
company’s 26 airplanes will
now cover the airport.
At $500,000 each (all
planes are four-seater Cirrus
SR-22’s), that’s a consider-
able investment. They’re
also equipped with satellite
radio for passengers and
even a special parachute.
The total passenger weight
capacity–including luggage
–is 600 pounds.
The company says that
roughly one third of its
pilots are retired from the
commercial airline industry.
SATS frequently refers
to its service as an “air
taxi,” equating the ease of
securing flight time akin to
ordering a cab. However,
Hanvey admitted it wasn’t hourly rates are only costs.
quite as straightforward. available for those who Although the company
“Sometimes it can be buy large blocks of time, has yet to invoke this
ordered two hours ahead of with a sliding scale clause, Hanvey gave an
time or two to three days reflecting higher prices example of extreme fuel-
ahead. It depends on the for smaller blocks of time. price fluctuation in Miami
scheduling and availability,” Furthermore, there’s also a last year, where the price of
he said. fuel-price clause, meaning a gallon jumped from $3 to
There’s also a catch to these prices can jump due $11 a gallon.
the prices. The cheapest to an unexpected rise in fuel
420-220985 2/26
NOTICE OF SALE UNDER POWER
GEORGIA, DEKALB COUNTY
Under and by virtue of the Power of Sale contained in a Security Deed given by Artie M. Leech and Jimmy H. Wilcox to
Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., dated August 3, 2004, recorded in Deed Book 16474, Page 403, DeKalb County,
Georgia Records, as last transferred to Wells Fargo Bank, NA by assignment to be recorded in the Office of the Clerk of Superior
Court of DeKalb County, Georgia Records, conveying the after-described property to secure a Note in the original principal amount
of ONE HUNDRED SIX THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED FIFTY-SEVEN AND 0/100 DOLLARS ($106,657.00), with interest thereon
as set forth therein, there will be sold at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash before the courthouse door of DeKalb County,
Georgia within the legal hours of sale on the first Tuesday in May, 2009, the following described property:
EXHIBIT “A”
All that tract or parcel of land lying and being in Land Lot 59 of the 16th District of DeKalb County, Georgia, being Lot
104, Marbut Forest, Phase one, as per plat thereof recorded in Plat Book 77, Page 81, DeKalb County, Georgia Records,
which plat is hereby incorporated herein and made a part hereof, being improved property known as 5535 Marbut Road,
according to the present system of numbering in DeKalb County, Georgia.
The debt secured by said Security Deed has been and is hereby declared due because of, among other possible events of
default, failure to pay the indebtedness as and when due and in the manner provided in the Note and Security Deed. The debt
remaining in default, this sale will be made for the purpose of paying the same and all expenses of this sale, as provided in Security
Deed and by law, including attorney’s fees (notice of intent to collect attorney’s fees having been given).
Said property will be sold subject to any outstanding ad valorem taxes (including taxes which are a lien, but not yet due and
payable), any matters which might be disclosed by an accurate survey and inspection of the property, any assessments, liens,
encumbrances, zoning ordinances, restrictions, covenants, and matters of record superior to the Security Deed first set out above.
The entity that has full authority to negotiate, amend, and modify all terms of the mortgage with the debtor is: Wells Fargo
Home Mortgage, Inc., PO Box 10335, Des Moines, IA 50306, 1-800-416-1472. Please understand that the secured creditor is not required
by law to negotiate, amend, or modify the terms of the mortgage instrument.
To the best knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the party in possession of the property is Artie M. Leech and Jimmy
H. Wilcox or a tenant or tenants and said property is more commonly known as 5535 Marbut Road, Lithonia, GA 30058.
The sale will be conducted subject (1) to confirmation that the sale is not prohibited under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and
(2) to final confirmation and audit of the status of the loan with the holder of the security deed.
Wells Fargo Bank, NA
as Attorney in Fact for
Artie M. Leech and Jimmy H. Wilcox
McCalla Raymer, LLC
1544 Old Alabama Road
Roswell, Georgia 30076
www.foreclosurehotline.net
THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT
PURPOSE.
Page 8A
Pine Lake
Continued From Page 2A
and support small-business owners. Future projects may
include setting up group office space or a business fair
tied to the city’s annual LakeFest arts festival held in Oc-
tober.
Pine Lake, a small, quirky city off Rockbridge Road,
has a preponderance of self-employed people (about one
in every 10 residents is an artist, writer or musician), ac-
cording to its Web site.
The concept of relying on who you know among in-
dependent business people is taking place in communities
throughout the county. About a dozen small-business as-
sociations belong to the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce,
including the Chamblee Area Business & Professional
Coalition, the Stone Mountain Village Merchants Associa-
tion and the Tucker Business Association, said Kim Davis
Mitchell, the chamber’s vice president of programs and
operations. The Tucker-based chamber has a total of 600
active members.
“In order to grow your business, you have to find time
to network,” she said, noting that small business is a ma-
jor driver of the U.S. economy and is a popular option
among the recently laid-off.
Davis Mitchell was on hand during a recent meeting
of Pine Lake Local to explain the benefits of a $300 an-
nual chamber membership, including monthly networking
luncheons, an online membership directory and discounts
on business development programs. Nine attendees, in-
cluding two massage therapists, a doula, and a handyman,
listened intently as they sipped tea by an electric heater in
the city’s clubhouse.
Among them was Liz Beneski, a restauranteur and ho-
tel consulting firm operator who has been unemployed for
the past two months. Rather than bemoan her lot, Beneski
is focused on “getting organized” and harnessing Pine
Lake’s entrepreneurial spirit.
“It’s time for us to pool our resources,” she said.
Tips for Small Business
Owners in a Turbulent Economy
Source: Kim Davis Mitchell, vice president of pro-
grams and operations for the DeKalb Chamber of
Commerce
• Frequent local business events: “Just showing up at
events is great, but you’re just a face in the crowd. Ask
to be on one of the committees.”
• Join your local professional association, chamber
of commerce, or network with other entrepreneurs in
similar industries.
• Start a professional Website: “If someone recom-
mends your service, you can almost guarantee that
they will go online to look for you. Your Web site design
should be updated at least every two years to stay cur-
rent.”
• Blog it: “Blogs help your business if you provide valu-
able content on a consistent basis. People are looking
for experts, not apprentices.”
• Develop a business plan: “It can be a helpful tool for
developing a marketing plan, expanding your current
business or obtaining capital for the future.”
• Talk and listen to your employees: “You might actu-
ally learn something.”
• Read industry or trade publications
• Invest in training
• Focus on the fundamentals: “Relearn and re-visit fun-
damental principles of business, such as conducting
regular financial checks, training and managing cus-
tomer relationships.”
• Expand your marketing focus: “In hard times, look-
ing beyond the regular boundaries of your business is
good business.”
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009
NEWS BRIEFS
Rushdie: Slumdog laden Reward offered in case
with impossible scenes of dead businessman
ATLANTA (AP) Famed novelist LITHONIA, Ga. (AP) New Birth
Salman Rushdie apparently wasn’t too Missionary Baptist Church is offering a
impressed with the Oscar-winning film $10,000 reward for information leading
Slumdog Millionaire, telling an audience to the arrest and conviction of suspects
in the United States it “piles impossibility in the shooting death of a Stone Moun-
on impossibility.” tain businessman in Duluth last week.
Rushdie, who spent years in hiding af- Police discovered Marc Stewart’s
ter Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini body Feb. 14 inside a Ford Explorer.
called for the author’s death in 1989, made Stewart suffered a gunshot wound to the
the remarks Sunday during a speech to head.
more than 1,000 people at Atlanta’s Emory The 38-year-old businessman hadn’t
University. The author criticized other Os- been seen since the morning of Feb. 11,
car winners adapted from books, including when he left for work.
The Reader and The Curious Case of Ben- Stewart was president and chief ex-
jamin Button. ecutive officer of Island Coast Entertain-
reports the 61-year-old author of The ment, an Atlanta-based event planning
Satanic Verses complained about several company. He also was a member of New
scenes, including one in which characters Birth.
wind up at the Taj Mahal—1,000 miles Friday, Bishop Eddie L. Long of-
(1,600 kilometers) from the previous fered the family sympathy and urged the
scene. public to come forward on a morning
Slumdog Millionaire won eight Oscars radio show.
on Sunday, including best picture.
420-220984 2/26
NOTICE OF SALE UNDER POWER
GEORGIA, DEKALB COUNTY
Under and by virtue of the Power of Sale contained in a Security Deed given by Jonathan Ciliberto to Mortgage
Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., dated August 26, 2002, recorded in Deed Book 13609, Page 109, DeKalb County, Georgia
Records and as modified by that certain Loan Modification Agreement recorded in Deed Book 13609, Page 109, DeKalb County,
Georgia Records, as last transferred to The Bank of New York Mellon as Successor in Interest to JP Morgan Chase Bank, as
Trustee for Washington Mutual Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2004-RP1 by assignment to be recorded in the
Office of the Clerk of Superior Court of DeKalb County, Georgia Records, conveying the after-described property to secure a Note in
the original principal amount of ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-NINE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED SIXTY-FIVE AND 0/100
DOLLARS ($139,765.00), with interest thereon as set forth therein, there will be sold at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash
before the courthouse door of DeKalb County, Georgia within the legal hours of sale on the first Tuesday in May, 2009, the
following described property:
EXHIBIT “A”
All that tract or parcel of land lying and being in Land Lot 205 of the 15th District, Dekalb County, Georgia, being part of
Lot 14, Block D, East Lake Park, as per plat recorded in Plat Book 1, Page 94, Dekalb County Records and being more
particularly described as follows:
Beginning at an iron pin on the northeasterly side of Rocky Ford Road, 162.3 feet southeasterly from the intersection
formed by the northeasterly side of Rocky Ford Road with the south side of Delano Drive (formerly Hardee St.); running
thence southeasterly along the northeasterly side of Rocky Ford Road 44 feet to an iron pin and Lot 15, said block and
subdivision; running thence northeasterly along the northwesterly line of said Lot 15, 228 feet to an iron pin and a 10 foot
alley (not open); running thence northwesterly along the southwesterly side of said alley 39 feet to an iron pin; running
thence southwesterly 231.9 feet to the northeasterly side of Rocky Ford Road and the point of beginning; being improved
property and having a located thereon known as No. 101 Rocky Road, N.E., according to the present system of numbering
houses in the City of Atlanta, Georgia.
The debt secured by said Security Deed has been and is hereby declared due because of, among other possible events of
default, failure to pay the indebtedness as and when due and in the manner provided in the Note and Security Deed. The debt
remaining in default, this sale will be made for the purpose of paying the same and all expenses of this sale, as provided in Security
Deed and by law, including attorney’s fees (notice of intent to collect attorney’s fees having been given).
Said property will be sold subject to any outstanding ad valorem taxes (including taxes which are a lien, but not yet due and
payable), any matters which might be disclosed by an accurate survey and inspection of the property, any assessments, liens,
encumbrances, zoning ordinances, restrictions, covenants, and matters of record superior to the Security Deed first set out above.
The entity that has full authority to negotiate, amend, and modify all terms of the mortgage with the debtor is: Wells Fargo
Home Mortgage, Inc., PO Box 10335, Des Moines, IA 50306, 1-800-416-1472. Please understand that the secured creditor is not required
by law to negotiate, amend, or modify the terms of the mortgage instrument.
To the best knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the party in possession of the property is Jonathan Ciliberto or a
tenant or tenants and said property is more commonly known as 101 Rocky Ford Road, Atlanta, GA 30317.
The sale will be conducted subject (1) to confirmation that the sale is not prohibited under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and
(2) to final confirmation and audit of the status of the loan with the holder of the security deed.
The Bank of New York Mellon as Successor in Interest to JP Morgan Chase Bank, as Trustee for Washington Mutual Mortgage Pass-
Through Certificates, Series 2004-RP1
as Attorney in Fact for
Jonathan Ciliberto
McCalla Raymer, LLC
1544 Old Alabama Road
Roswell, Georgia 30076
www.foreclosurehotline.net
MR/car 5/5/09
Our file no. 51346008-FT5
THIS IS AN ATTEMPT TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT
PURPOSE.
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009 Page 9A

DeKalb History book released

The DeKalb History he gathered all that he felt highlighted
Center unveiled the county visually, he began work-
its highly an- ing on the painting.
ticipated book, The beginning of the book,
Historic DeKalb written by Price, outlines the his-
County, at its book tory of DeKalb County. Price
release reception takes readers through the cre-
held Feb. 12 in ation of Georgia’s 54th county
downtown Decatur. starting from 1822, pinpoint-
One of he authors, Vi- ing the historic moments of
van Price,, describes it DeKalb’s past that set the
as a “coffee style book foundation for its continued
utilizing wonderful historic future.
photographs from the The back section of
DeKalb History Center the book shares with
collection.” The book is readers “historic profiles
an illustrated view of the of businesses, organiza-
Glenn Burns gives DeKalb officials the bad news. Photo by John
history of DeKalb County tions, and families that have
Hewitt highlighting local indus- contributed to the development and
tries, colleges, churches and economic base of DeKalb County.” Britt

‘Nasty’ spring persons.

The cover of Historic DeKalb
County is a reproduction of a painting
Fayssoux, author of this section, met with
businesses, organizations and families
around the county to profile their history

weather coming
done by Maceo Rogers, deputy director of and contribution to DeKalb. Fayssoux pro-
DeKalb County Office of Economic Devel- files roughly 40-plus of these major contrib-
opment. When Rogers was asked to paint utors to the history of DeKalb County who
the cover for this project, he jumped to the symbolize the growth and achievements of
opportunity. He began working by travel- the county throughout the years.
by John Hewitt ing around the county taking pictures and Historic DeKalb County, An Illustrated
Johnh@dekalbchamp.com talking with fellow DeKalbites about what History, retails for $49.95 and can be pur-
they thought best described DeKalb. Once chased at the DeKalb History Center.
WSB TV meteorologist Glenn Burns told the audience
at DeKalb Fire Rescue’s severe weather seminar last week
in Tucker that spring weather will be nasty. The discussion
was the first in a series of seminars offered by Fire Res-
cue’s Business Council Organized for Response, Planning,
and Security (B-CORPS) and was specifically targeted to
DeKalb’s business community.
Burns explained that the area’s weather is currently in
what is considered a neutral year; that its typical weather
patterns are affected by either El Nino or La Nina influenc-
es and that 2009 has neither influence. “Get ready” he said.
The seminar was held to educate business owners and Doraville collects school supplies for Afghan children
operators on how to prepare for severe weather activity and
how to best prevent long-term loss of business. Doraville’s police depart- The collection efforts stability.”
Tornado season generally refers to the period of March, ment will have two fewer will continue for the 12- Items requested include
April and early May; yet last week many areas of metro At- employees soon. Police month duration of King’s pencils and pens, pencil
lanta and other parts of Georgia experienced early evidence Chief John King and officer deployment and are being sharpeners, notebooks and
of what may be yet to come, according to Burns. Daniel Nichols, both mem- coordinated by Aschiana notebook paper, art supplies
Also addressing the group was Mark Ihenacho of the bers of the Georgia National Foundation, a Kabul-based and backpacks. In addition
Small Business Administration (SBA). Ihenacho stressed Guard, will be deployed this nonprofit that works to to school supplies, there
the importance of businesses having an emergency proce- spring to Kabul, Afghani- bring working children off is also a need for hygiene
dure plan so that in a weather-related emergency there is as stan, to assist in police force the Afghan streets and into supplies such as toothpaste,
little damage to people and property as possible and inter- training. classrooms. Quarterly ship- soap and shampoo.
ruption of services provided is kept at a minimum. As a show of support of ments of donated items are Donations may be
“Create an all-inclusive disaster plan, update it regularly, the officers involvement, scheduled. dropped off at Doraville
have practice drills and keep a copy of the disaster plan at Doraville Mayor Ray Jen- In a letter from The As- City Hall, Doraville Public
an off-site location,” Ihenacho said. kins is asking the commu- chiana Foundation’s Patri- Library or the Doraville
According to Ihenacho severe weather preparedness nity to donate school sup- cia Silberman to Jenkins, Police Department all lo-
should include the following: plies to be sent with King Silberman stated “Educating cated on Park Avenue in
• An evacuation plan that includes escape routes, desig- to be given to Afghan street the working street children Doraville. For additional
nated meeting areas, and a designated person to perform a children. Jenkins said, “John serves a humanitarian pur- information call (770) 451-
“head count” of employees. (King) works good with pose as well as a strategic 8745 or visit www.aschiana-
• A communication plan that shows who communicates to children and we’re support- interest because of the con- foundation.org.
the various departments of a company and a comprehen- ing him however we can.” tribution it makes to future
sive phone list of employees, employees’ emergency con- Notice is hereby given that an Ordinance has been introduced to amend the Charter of
tacts, vendors, suppliers and customers.
the City of Chamblee, Georgia (Ga.. Laws 1935, p. 976, et seq. approved March 28,
Business owners and managers in attendance were en-
couraged to solicit input from employees as to emergency 1935) so as to amend Article 5, Officers, Section 2 of the Charter and related laws of the
plan implementation and effectiveness and to develop a list City so as to delete paragraph (f) thereof which established the position of director of
of alternative service providers of functions that are vital to permits and inspections.
the successful ongoing operation of the business. A copy of the proposed Ordinance to amend the Charter is on file in the Office of the
Ihenacho also discussed the various financial assistance City Clerk of the City of Chamblee, Georgia and the Office of the Clerk of the Superior
programs offered by the SBA to individuals and businesses Court of DeKalb County, Georgia for the purpose of examination and inspection by the
that have experienced losses due to disasters. public.
For additional information on disaster assistance offered Kathy Brannon
by the SBA visit www.sba.gov. City Clerk
 Around DeKalb
Page 10A
Atlanta
Emory nursing lecture
to shine spotlight on
humanitarian aid
Emory’s 2009 Hugh P.
Davis Lecture series pres-
ents “The Future of Humani-
tarian and Disaster Aid: A
Practitioner’s Perspective”
Tuesday, March 1, at 4 p.m.
in the Nell Hodgson Woodruff
School of Nursing Audito-
rium, Emory University, 1520
Clifton Road., NE, Atlanta.
The event is sponsored by
Emory University’s Nell
Hodgson Woodruff School of
Nursing and the friends and
family of Hugh P. Davis. Ger-
ald Martone, RN, MSN, di-
rector of Humanitarian Affairs
for the International Rescue
Committee, will present. The
lecture is free and open to
the public. To RSVP, call Abi-
gail Joslin at (404) 727-0722
Avondale
or e-mail ajoslin@emory.edu.
Estates
Charter school committees
schedule meetings
For the next several
weeks, the Avondale Estates
Charter School Initiative
(AECSI) Executive and Steer-
ing Committees will meet
to discuss a series of topics
relating to the charter peti-
tion requirements. Meetings
will involve a presentation
by members of the appropri-
ate committee followed by
discussion and an Executive
Committee vote, when ap-
propriate.
The public is always in-
vited and welcome to attend
committee meetings. Unless
otherwise noted, meetings
take place at Avondale Es-
tates City Hall beginning at
6:0 p.m.
Here are the topics for up-
coming meetings:
Feb. 26: Curriculum; grade
levels to be served
March 5: Human resources;
school name/logo
March 12: Governance and
waivers
March 19: Finance
March 26: Transportation;
school lunches
For more information,
contact Laura Leckband or
Sasha Webb via aecharter-
D ecatur
school@gmail.com.
Little League baseball regis-
tration wraps up
The final day for Belvedere
Little League baseball regis-
tration is Saturday, Feb. 28,
noon - 4 p.m. at Shoal Creek
Park, 60 Glenwood Road,
Decatur. For more information
call (404) 289-07.
AIDS exhibit to come to
Decatur
Greenforest Community
Baptist Church in Decatur
is hosting the “World Vision
Experience: AIDS” exhibit,
which is slated to visit 40 cit-
ies during its national tour
in 2009. The exhibit has
already visited 75 cities dur-
ing 2007/2008. The public
is invited to go through the
free, multimedia, interactive
exhibit and become one of
the over 150,000 people who
have been through the exhibit.
More than 150,000 additional
people are expected to visit
the exhibit during the 2009
tour.
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009
The “World Vision Experi-
ence: AIDS” exhibit will be in
Decatur March 1-8, 10 a.m.
– 8 p.m. daily. Visitors walk
through a replica of an Afri-
can village and experience
the effects of the pandemic
in a real way as they listen to
a personal audio track relat-
ing the story of one of four
children – Kombo, Babirye,
Emmanuel and Mathabo.
Greenforest Community
D unwoody
Baptist Church is located at
250 Rainbow Drive, Deca-
tur.
Nature center offers square-
foot gardening class
Lyn and Bob Bernstein will
provide hands-on instruction
in choosing the best plants
and seeds for Dunwoody gar-
dens, plant spacing, watering
techniques, and trellising in
their presentation Planting
Your Early Spring Garden
Saturday, March 7, 10 a.m.
– noon, at the Dunwoody
Nature Center. The class is
based on Mel Bartholomew’s
book All New Square Foot
Gardening. Class space is
limited. The Dunwoody Na-
ture Center is located at 54
Roberts Drive, Dunwoody. To
register, visit www.dunwoo-
dynature.org or call (770)
94-22. The cost is $20 for
Lithonia
members; $25 for the general
public.
Bishop Long, Dr. Karanja to
be honored by president of
Kenya
The president of the
Republic of Kenya, Mwai
Kibaki, will honor Bishop Ed-
die L. Long, senior pastor,
New Birth Missionary Baptist
Church, and Dr. Benson M.
Karanja of Beulah Heights
University with the Head of
State Commendation in dis-
tinction of their commitment
to service. The ceremony will
take place at New Birth on
Sunday, March 1, beginning
at 10:0 a.m. Bishop Long
and Dr. Karanja are two of
only five individuals to receive
the Head of State Commen-
dation, the highest civilian
honor given by the president
of Kenya. The ceremony will
include a color guard honor,
Kenyan flag display, and a
salute to Kenya with the sing-
ing of the country’s national
anthem. New Birth Missionary
Baptist Church is located at
Tucker
6400 Woodrow Road, Litho-
nia.
Jack Sartain to perform at
Tucker church
Jack Sartain will perform
vocals and on trumpet at the
communitywide NTO meet-
ing at First Baptist Church
in Tucker at 11:0 a.m. on
March 10. He will present
a potpourri of music, includ-
ing Irish melodies to begin
the celebration of St. Pat-
rick’s Day. His performance
will also include renditions of
sacred, popular and classical
tenor solos. In addition, he
will offer trumpet selections,
including “Trumpeter’s Lulla-
by” and the Dixieland favorite
“When the Saints Go March-
ing In.” Sartain is the founder
of the DeKalb Council for
the Arts Inc., a performer in
opera, recital and chorus
presentations and the pro-
ducer of the 10-year series
“Music for Missions” at the
Lawrenceville Road United
Methodist Church in Tucker.
He will be accompanied by
virtuoso pianist Billye Fau-
bian.
For further information,
contact Phill Nall at (770)
98-1688, ext. 22.
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009 Page 11A
Page 12A
There are two legal crosswalks at Northeast Plaza on Buford Highway. Photo by M. Lee
Amid Buford Highway dangers,
improvement plans languish
by Maggie Lee
On a chilly winter afternoon, a young woman
stands at one edge of Buford Highway at the
entrance to an apartment complex. Both of her
arms are wrapped tightly around a baby hidden
in a mass of blankets. She carefully looks left
and right as she prepares to sprint across seven
lanes of traffic on one of the most dangerous
streets for pedestrians in Atlanta – at a spot very
near where a vehicle hit and killed a pedestrian
in January.
“We’re afraid for our clients to take the bus
here because we don’t want them to cross the
street,” said Jeffrey Tapia, chief operating offi-
cer of the Latin American Association, from her
office on Buford Highway.
It’s hard to know exactly how deadly the
seven-lane road is for pedestrians because the
Georgia Department of Transportation has yet
to compile its data on pedestrian injuries and
deaths on Buford Highway for the last few
years. The latest data is for the combined years
2002-2004, when there were six pedestrian
fatalities and 28 injuries, according to GDOT
spokesman Mark McKinnon. One death was at
an intersection with a traffic light. And, McK-
innon’s stats only cover Lenox Road to Shal-
lowford Terrace, roughly the lower two-thirds of
Buford Highway in DeKalb.
But anecdotal evidence suggests the road is
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009
among the most dangerous in the country. It’s
nationally known for being dangerous and in-
convenient for pedestrians. Scholars from Geor-
gia Tech, the University of Southern California
and other schools took turns studying the road
in the mid-2000s for its remarkable concentra-
tion of pedestrians, strip malls, apartments and
households that don’t own cars (about 12 per-
cent in 2005).
The Latin American Association sits in the
middle of a mile-long block on Buford Highway.
People getting off the northbound bus across
the road would have to walk half a mile to get
to a crosswalk. Jaywaking, then, is obviously
a temptation many places on Buford Highway;
several blocks are between a half-mile and mile
long. Tapia is especially concerned about elderly
visitors to her center’s English classes, career
counseling and other programs.
The DeKalb County police are concerned
about the danger, too. They’ve deployed special
operations for traffic enforcemen–motorcycles,
helicopters and a drunk-driver task force–along
with greater visibility in general.    And the speed limit – 45 mph – is too high,
 But “it appears in some cultures, crosswalks
are not used, thus jaywalking has contributed to
the number of fatalities on Buford Highway,”
said police spokeswoman Bettina Durant.  For
that reason, the department has also engaged a
public education specialist to encourage people
to use the crosswalks, even when it’s a long
trudge. 
GDOT published a plan for upgrades last
year – following at least one earlier plan that
never materialized – but tight money may keep
this $13 million project of sidewalks and medi-
ans on the shelf.
Buford Highway cuts through DeKalb from
the western county line near Lenox Road until
about eight miles later it crosses Doraville and
enters Gwinnett County. For much of that dis-
tance, State Road 13 is seven lanes wide and
lacks sidewalks.
A 2007 study by the Atlanta Regional Com-
mission summarizes many longstanding pe-
destrian problems. Footpaths run right beside
rushing traffic on the highway. There are almost
no islands where pedestrians can wait to fin-
ish crossing the street; instead some stand in
the turning lane, completely exposed to traffic.
Strip malls and businesses don’t often share
driveways, meaning a lot more interruptions in
the spotty sidewalks or (more commonly) road-
side footpaths. There are few streetlights.
said DeKalb County Commissioner Kathie
Gannon.
Gannon has taken the lead in advocating for
pedestrian improvements on Buford Highway,
most of which is in her District 6 constituency.
The slow pace of change is making her “actively
See Buford Highway on Page 13A
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009 Page 1A

Buford Highway
Continued From Page 12A

frustrated,” she said.

Gannon pushes for making parts
of Buford Highway a pedestrian-
friendly boulevard with eight-foot
wide sidewalks, trees along the
road, mixed-use developments,
mid-block crossings and bus lanes.
Instead of an unpleasant slog on
the shoulder of a noisy road, a walk
on Buford Highway could become
something pleasant, she explained.
Once financial markets free up,
developers will share her vision of
higher-density living on the road-
way, she said.
And GDOT’s policies are “back-
ward” for focusing too much on
cars, she added.
Indeed, GDOT’s plan wouldn’t
turn any part of Buford Highway
into any sort of boulevard. Buford
Highway stakeholders are as inter-
ested in pedestrian improvements
as in making sure SR13 remains
a speedy conduit for vehicles, ac-
cording to the ARC report.
Instead, GDOT proposes a
raised median from Lenox Road
for about 2.5 miles. In that same

DeKalb CEO:
stretch, the GDOT would add two
traffic lights, five-foot-wide side-

‘We are not safe’

walks on both sides of the road and
some mid-block crosswalks.
That would make the highway
more like it is within the city lim-
its of Chamblee and Doraville. In
both cities, new sidewalks line both
sides of the road; inside the Perim-
eter, there are a handful of marked
mid-block crossings to break up the Champion Staff the opposite direction.” The crowd Ellis noted that his transition

longest stretches.
In any case, no part of the
GDOT’s plan would be “shovel-
ready” for at least three to four
years. The cash-strapped state
agency is trying to sort its statewide
plans in a new prioritization pro-
cess. If Buford Highway pedestri-
ans pass that hurdle, the next step is
obtaining rights of way before work
can start.
The Buford Highway plan may
have a good shot at priority because
there’s already about $4 million
- $5 million in combined federal,
state and local funds earmarked for
the $13 million plan, McKinnon
said. But it’s not on the list of proj-
ects for which the GDOT requested
funding under the new federal stim-
ulus program signed by President
Barack Obama on Feb. 16.
Groups like the LAA or the
ARC support pedestrian improve-
ments, yet none seem to be push-
ing the Buford Highway project as
a priority. Activists are relatively
fewer in apartment complexes like
the ones on Buford Highway and
fear of trouble with immigration
authorities means anyone without
documents – or whose friends or
neighbors are undocumented – has
a reason to keep a low profile. Bu-
ford Highway residents can’t look
for relief for quite a while.
“People aren’t suing the
GDOT,” said commissioner Gan-
non. “Maybe that’s the problem.”
D
eKalb County CEO
Burrell Ellis devoted
nearly 16 minutes of his
57-minute speech to talk
about public safety during his state-
of-the-county address. He stopped
short of saying arm yourselves to
the hilt, but instead detailed a plan
to decrease crime. “When it comes
to public safety, the current state of
DeKalb County is unacceptable,”
Ellis said to a capacity
crowd in the Maloof
Auditorium the evening
of Feb. 18.
Ellis said senior ‘When it comes to public safe-
citizens are not safe
and DeKalb residents
are concerned about ty, the current state of DeKalb
home invasions. “Stu-
dents who have chosen
to pursue education at County is unacceptable.’
our institutions cannot
walk to and from their
cars without the fear of
being approached by
someone who tells them
to ‘give it up’. This is unaccept-
able,” Ellis added.
The CEO said he was not con-
cerned with blame or fault for the
crime, rather he was concerned with
action and results. Ellis also took a
moment out of his speech to recog-
nize uniformed officers. “We know
all too well that our officers are the
ones who are running toward the
problem when others are running in
offered a standing ovation in recog- team recommended the reinstate-
nition of police officers. ment of the position of public safety
“If we lose the fight to make our director. The city of Dunwoody’s
county safer, we will not be able to annexation will free up 50 officers
attract new economic development for unincorporated DeKalb Ellis
and we will struggle to maintain the noted.
business we already have,” Ellis The criticism of crime comes at
said. a time when DeKalb’s Police Chief
One facet of Ellis’ plan for de- Terrell Bolton has received a pre-
creasing crime is to commission termination letter and has been ac-
a study about police retention af- cused of insubordination.
ter noting that the DeKalb Police Ellis also had sharp criticisms
for the Recorder’s Court,
stating that potentially mil-
lions of dollars in revenue
are being lost. An indepen-
dent auditor will conduct a
study of Recorder’s Court
said Ellis who promised
the court will receive in-
tense scrutiny.
The message was not
all doom and gloom. Ellis
noted that new construc-
- Burrell Ellis tion projects are under way
and libraries are being built
and older libraries are be-
ing upgraded. A Stonecrest
Department often loses officers to library is slated to open in 2010.
other departments. He said the study Ellis talked about a united
will begin before his first 100 days DeKalb where all viewpoints would
in office have passed. “We must un- be welcomed. He cited the transition
derstand the root cause of our police team of 40 diverse individuals who
attrition. We must implement sound worked together taking a candid
recommendations to reverse the assessment of the county. “We will
steady stream of officers leaving the never be perfect,” said Ellis. “But
DeKalb police department. It is not we must never stop trying to im-
my intent to run the police depart- prove.”
ment from the CEO’s office.”
Page 14A THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009

Wal-Mart rolls
back money cards
According to the FDIC, an do not pay a reload fee. No
estimated 28 million people monthly fee is assessed for
in the United States don’t customers who load at least
have bank accounts. Reasons $1000 per month and custom-
range from mistrust to cul- ers accessing cash back at the
tural and language barriers. In register instead of ATMs, pay
total, 44 million Americans no withdrawal fee. In addi-
are “unbanked,” which in- tion, the Wal-Mart Money-
cludes those who have a bank Card system sends free daily
account but rely on nonbank cell phone or email balance
service providers such as alerts and free balance inqui-
check cashers and pay-day ries at Wal-Mart stores.
lenders. For more information visit:
Wal-Mart, in an effort to www.Wal-Martmoneycard.
help the unbanked and other com. Jane Thompson of Wal-Mart talks to associates and customers about the Wal-Mart money card. Photo pro-
Americans looking to man- vided
age finances, has reduced
the cost of their money card. Stay entertained and informed on what’s going on in your
Wal-Mart officials and fi- county, tune to the Emmy Award Winning
nance experts gathered at the
Wal-Mart on Memorial Drive
to announce the campaign.
“Customers who use the
“Inside DeKalb”
For a programming guide visit www.co.dekalb.ga.us/dctv
Wal-Mart MoneyCard tell us DCTV 23 - Your guide to what’s going on in our county
that we’re making a differ-
ence in their lives and helping
them get their finances under
The Champion Weather Feb. 26, 2009
control. The reduced fees on Seven Day Forecast In-Depth Local Forecast Today's Regional Map Weather History
the Wal-Mart MoneyCard Today we will see mostly cloudy skies with a Feb. 26, 1988 - Eight cities
will save our customers mil- THURSDAY high temperature of 65º, humidity of 55% in the central and western
lions of dollars,” said Jane Mostly Cloudy and an overnight low of 51º. The record high U.S. reported new record
Dunwoody
High: 65 Low: 51
Thompson, president of temperature for today is 80º set in 1996. 63/50 Lilburn high temperatures for the
Wal-Mart Financial Services. FRIDAY
Friday, skies will remain mostly cloudy with Smyrna Doraville 64/51 date, including Lamoni, Iowa
“We will continue to lower a 50% chance of showers. 64/51 64/51 with a reading of 67 degrees.
Few Showers Snellville Temperatures in North
prices on the money services High: 64 Low: 46 *Last Week’s Almanac Decatur
65/51 Dakota were as warm as
that we know our customers Date Hi Lo Normals Precip
Atlanta 65/51
those in Florida.
need.” SATURDAY Tuesday 51 27 57/37 0.00"
65/51
Lithonia
Thompson told the story College Park Feb. 27, 1969 - A record
Mostly Cloudy Wednesday 66 43 58/37 1.22" 66/51
snowstorm in Maine came to
of her daughter who went High: 62 Low: 43 Thursday 56 33 58/37 0.00" 66/51 Morrow an end. Two to four feet of
away to college and was Friday 44 25 58/38 0.00" 66/51 snow buried southern and
given a bank check card for SUNDAY Saturday 56 25 58/38 0.00" Union City
central Maine, with a state
spending allowances. Thomp- Partly Cloudy Sunday 48 31 59/38 0.00" 66/51
record of 57 inches reported
son checked her daughter’s High: 62 Low: 41 Monday 47 27 59/38 0.00"
Hampton at West Forks. Drifts covered
Rainfall . . . . . . .1.22" Average temp . .41.4
monthly statement and saw 67/52 many single story homes and
MONDAY Normal rainfall . .1.19" Average normal 47.9
numerous overdraft charges. Departure . . . . .+0.03" Departure . . . . .-6.5 the weight of the snow
“I said honey, congratula- Mostly Sunny
*Data as reported from De Kalb-Peachtree Airport collapsed many roofs.
High: 61 Low: 44
tions, you are now a member
Local Sun/Moon Chart This Week Tonight's Planets
of the unbanked,” Thompson TUESDAY Day Sunrise Sunset Moonrise Moonset
explained to the crowd of as- Mostly Sunny First Thursday 7:09 a.m. 6:32 p.m. 7:44 a.m. 8:23 p.m. Last
Rise Set
sociates and customers. High: 58 Low: 43 3/4 Friday 7:08 a.m. 6:33 p.m. 8:12 a.m. 9:25 p.m. 3/18
Mercury 6:08 a.m. 4:36 p.m.
Wal-Mart is offering the Saturday 7:06 a.m. 6:33 p.m. 8:42 a.m. 10:30 p.m.
Venus 8:22 a.m. 9:25 p.m.
Wal-Mart MoneyCard, which WEDNESDAY Sunday 7:05 a.m. 6:34 p.m. 9:16 a.m. 11:37 p.m.
Mars 6:14 a.m. 4:47 p.m.
is a reloadable pre-paid Visa Jupiter 5:57 a.m. 4:23 p.m.
Partly Cloudy Full Monday 7:04 a.m. 6:35 p.m. 9:55 a.m. No Set New Saturn 7:13 p.m. 7:55 a.m.
debit card, for $3. The previ- High: 56 Low: 41 3/10 Tuesday 7:03 a.m. 6:36 p.m. 10:43 a.m. 12:45 a.m. 3/26 Uranus 7:50 a.m. 7:33 p.m.
ous price was $9. The card Wednesday 7:01 a.m. 6:37 p.m. 11:39 a.m. 1:52 a.m.
has no overdraft fees and is Local UV Index National Weather Summary This Week Weather Trivia
available for Wal-Mart cus-

tomers without requiring a
credit check or previous bank
account. Customers who re-
place their basic checking ac-
count with a Wal-Mart Mon-
eyCard would avoid overdraft
and insufficient funds fees,
which reached more than
$24 billion in the United
States in 2008. Customers
will pay a one-time cost of
$3 to purchase and activate
the Wal-Mart MoneyCard, a
$3 charge for reloads at Wal-
Mart, and a $3 monthly fee.
Customers reloading with
direct deposit or after cashing
their paychecks at Wal-Mart,
?
The Northeast will see partly cloudy to cloudy skies with scattered rain today and How can crickets be
Friday, mostly clear to partly cloudy skies Saturday, with the highest temperature of 59º used to determine the
0 - 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11+ in Belleville, Ill. The Southeast will see mostly clear to partly cloudy skies with a few temperature?
showers and thunderstorms today through Saturday, with the highest temperature of 78º in Ft. Myers,
UV Index
Fla. The Northwest will see partly cloudy to cloudy skies with scattered rain today through Saturday, Answer: Count the number of
0-2: Low, 3-5: Moderate,
6-7: High, 8-10: Very High with the highest temperature of 56º in Torrington, Wyo. The Southwest will see mostly clear to partly
chirps in 14 seconds and add 40.
11+: Extreme Exposure cloudy skies today through Saturday, with the highest temperature of 84º in Carlsbad, N.M. © 2009. Accessweather.com, Inc.
StarWatch By Gary Becker - The Big Dog and the "Hotdog"
In recent StarWatch articles I have written about Taurus the Bull and Orion the Hunter. It’s time for this column to go to the dogs, that is, Canis Major the Big Dog, and
Canis Minor the “Hotdog.” At 9:00 p.m. this week, looking due south, you’ll find Orion slightly to the right, already headed towards his setting position in the west. Use
the three belt stars of the Hunter as a sliding board and simply follow them down to that extraordinarily bright star towards the lower left. You have just found Sirius the
Dog Star, the brightest luminary of the night. At only 8.6 light years distant from the sun (about 50 trillion miles), Sirius is not only bright because of its closeness to us,
but also because it is a significantly brighter star, about 26 times more luminous than our sun. It has a white dwarf companion, about the size of the Earth, but with a mass comparable
to the sun. Originally, this star possessed about six to seven solar masses, converting hydrogen into helium for perhaps 100 million years. Then it flowered into a red supergiant star near
the end of the Jurassic period when dinosaurs were the dominant life form on Earth. In the end, this star shed about 80 percent of its mass before becoming a white dwarf, destined to
cool forever until absolute zero is reached. Sirius represents the nose of the Great Dog with its body below in a position similar to a canine begging for food. See the map posted “in this
week’s StarWatch” at the URL below. Use binoculars to bring out the faint eyes of the dog. His lower legs and tail are near the horizon and often dimmed by light pollution and haze.
To the NE of Sirius is another bright luminary, Procyon, the alpha star of Canis Minor the Little Dog. Procyon means rising “before the Dog,” (Sirius). Four degrees NW of Procyon is
a fainter luminary which completes the constellation, and for me, makes this pattern simply the “Hotdog.” www.astronomy.org.
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009 PAgE 13A

Once considered a fad, yoga is now a lifestyle for many

A
By Nigel Roberts

pathway to spiritual
enlightenment that be-
gan in India more than
5,000 years ago has
become a lifestyle for
a growing number of Americans.
At yoga studios across the country,
stretching, deep breathing and medi-
tation have become a way of life.
Nearly 16 million American
adults practice yoga, according to
a 2008 study published in Yoga
Journal, the leading yoga publica-
tion.While it attracts a wide range
of practitioners, the study revealed
a distinctive profile of yoga’s devo-
tees: Women have embraced it more
than men. While people of every
age group flock to yoga studios,
it’s mainly an activity of the well-
educated and the middle-class, who
spend almost $6 billion a year on
yoga classes, clothing and retreats.
Debbie Kelley, the owner of
Decatur Yoga & Pilates, said she
has a database of more than 4,700
people on her active e-mail list,
comprising current and former stu-
dents, as well as those who Marty Erwin and Cheryl Crawford demonstrate a yoga pose
visited her studio and ex-
pressed an interest in prac-
ticing yoga. Between 80 to ing yoga breathing techniques that has a healing effect and gives
100 students attend classes and postures in 1995, and speaks us more energy.”
each day at her downtown from experience when she talks According to the National Insti-
studio, which consists of about the benefits of taking a deep tute of Health, there is no conclu-
two exercise rooms—one breath. “We only use about 20 sive scientific evidence on whether
of which is heated up to a percent of our breathing capacity, yoga causes changes in the body
steamy 103 degrees for hot so we walk around like zombies that influence health. “There is,
yoga classes. most of the time,” she said. “Deep however, growing evidence to sug-
Nationally, about three- breathing brings much-needed gest that yoga works to enhance
quarters of yoga practitio- Kelley
oxygen to cells of the body, and stress-coping mechanisms and
ners are women, but men mind-body awareness,” the agency
are now discovering the states on its Web site. There’s also
discipline. Decatur Yoga, in yoga’s other benefits that evidence that yoga could have a
its sixth year, has drawn an increas- are less obvious. “Some positive effect on physical condi-
ing number of men recently. Kelley of those aspects are what tions like hypertension, as well as
said that men now comprise about happens internally, as you psychological conditions like
30 percent of her clientele. They no take deeper breaths and anxiety and depression.
longer see yoga as an exercise regi- oxygen gets into your Kelley has firsthand experi-
men for women, as many pro ath- tissues and your mind ence of yoga’s stress-reliev-
letes have led the way by turning to and thoughts become ing capabilities. Almost 15
yoga to improve their flexibility and clearer,” said Kelley, years ago she made her
to heal from injuries. who calls the discipline first trip to the West
Improved physical health is a the love of her life. Coast to study yoga.
prime reason that many seek yoga Its purported health benefits She discovered a way
instruction. In fact, many people are one of the main reasons that of life that helped her to
who start yoga want primarily to people are bending and stretch- cope with her high-pres-
lose weight. “You’ll probably lose ing, as they master yoga’s many sure corporate job, which
weight,” she tells beginners, “but as postures. According to the study, she ultimately left to open
your overall health improves and you more than 6 percent of practitio- Decatur Yoga.
get into a physical training routine, ners said that a doctor or medical After a moment of
you start making other choices about therapist recommended yoga to reflection, she said, “Yoga
what you eat and losing weight can them. What’s more, nearly half gives me a special connection
and will happen.” of all yoga practitioners in life, something deeper than
But Kelley doesn’t promote believe that it’s ben- myself.”
yoga as a weight-loss method. “To eficial to those under
me weight loss is superficial,” she treatment for a medical
declared. “Yoga helps people on a condition. Decatur Yoga & Pilates
much deeper level.” Much of the health benefits 431 West Ponce de Leon Ave.
Kelley and her instructors also derive from deep breathing, accord- www.DecaturHotYoga.com
www.DecaturHotYoga.co
emphasize to students some of ing to Kelley. She began practic- (404) 377-4899
Education THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009, PAGE 16A

NASA astronaut comes home to DeKalb schools

Eric Boe, a NASA as- dents. “Find something
tronaut who has toured the that makes you bigger
outer realms of the Earth, than yourself; whatever
recently touched down on makes you excited, go
the DeKalb County School for that.”
System to share his experi- Boe presented each
ences and encourage chil- of the schools he visited
dren whose dreams may be with a framed collage
out of this world. of photos of the STS-
For Air Force Lt. Col. 126 mission as well as
Boe, a former Evansdale a Georgia flag that was
Elementary School student taken aboard STS-126
and a 1983 graduate of then in acknowledgement of
Henderson High School, DeKalb County School
visiting DeKalb County System. In return, he
School System was a bit like was honored with proc-
coming home. During Boe’s lamations from both
three-day tour of DCSS, he Evansdale students interview Eric Boe for the school’s student-run television show. Gov. Sonny Perdue’s
stopped by Evansdale El- and Sen. Saxby Cham-
ementary, Henderson Mid- bliss’ offices in addition
dle, Lakeside High and Arabia Mountain high he received in the DeKalb County School Sys- to plaques and mementos from the schools.
schools as well as visiting McNair Discovery tem. With two NASA astronauts from the same
Learning Academy and Fernbank Science Center. On Nov. 14, 2008, Boe, who admitted he school, (the second being Thomas Marshburn
Described as a student who “certainly reached always wanted to be an astronaut but wasn’t a 1978 Henderson High School grad), Henderson
for the stars,” Boe was a standout high school certain he’d get the opportunity, piloted the STS- is believed to be the only school anywhere with
student actively involved in the school’s National 126 Endeavour mission that delivered equipment two astronaut alumni.
Honor Society, wrestling team and yearbook to the International Space Station. On that mis- “He may be our first graduate in space, but
staff. He then went on to complete a bachelor of sion, Boe’s crew members included Christopher he’s certainly not the last; we know that,” Hen-
science degree in astronautical engineering from J. Ferguson, commander; Sandra H. Magnus, derson’s Head Counselor Connie Buckelew told
the United States Air Force Academy in 1987; Stephen G. Bowen, Donald R. Pettit, Robert S. the school’s student body. “Each of you can take
and later completed a master of science in elec- (Shane) Kimbrough and Heidemarie M. Stefa- the same educational opportunities Eric Boe did
trical engineering from the Georgia Institute of nyshyn-Piper, all mission specialists. in this same building.”
Technology in 1997. Through a multimedia presentation, Boe Boe’s visit ended with a presentation and re-
As a NASA astronaut, Boe has logged more shared with Henderson, Evansdale, Lakeside ception at Fernbank Science Center, where the
than 4,000 hours on 45 different aircraft. From and McNair DLA students details of the 15-hour school system’s students could participate in the
2005 to 2006, he served as NASA’s director of prep time involved before a launch as well as center’s very popular program for young stu-
operations at the Gagarin Cosmonaut Training pictures and videos from the actual launch and dents, Science Night Out, an evening hosted by
Center in Star City, Russia. All of these accom- space flight. “Turn your dreams into goals and visiting scientists and engineers and filled with
plishments, Boe said, he owes to the education your goals into reality,” Boe encouraged stu- hands-on activities for youth.
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009 Page 17A

Lakeside student wins Georgia

German Student of Year Award
Not only is Tiffany Diebold an exemplar
student and an active volunteer in her
community, the Lakeside High School
senior speaks German—and quite well.
Diebold recently won the most coveted
award for students of German. Earlier this
month, she received the German Student
of the Year for the state of Georgia at the
annual State German Convention held
at Camp Jackson in Covington the first
weekend in February.
To be considered for the award, students
must submit an application listing all
of their awards and related activities in
German; submit an essay in German as
well as a high school transcript and a
recommendation from a German teacher.
Students must also attend an interview
and essay writing session where they are
interviewed by professors in German for 20
minutes and required to write an on-the-spot
essay in German about a topic unknown to
them.
Diebold had numerous awards and
outside activities to list on her application,
because for three years in a row, she has
attended and won a record number of prizes
at the annual State German Convention.
In addition to her individual awards, she
competed in the German state-level quiz
bowl and skit competitions—helping
Lakeside win first-, second- and third-place
trophies.
Her individual awards at the 2009 state
convention are:
German I 1st Vocabulary Bee, 1st Story
Narration
German II 1st Vocabulary Bee, 1st
Extemporaneous Speaking, 1st Story Narration,
2nd Role-play
German III 1st Vocabulary Bee, 2nd
Extemporaneous Speaking, 1st Story
Narrations, 1st Role-play
Diebold, a member of Delta Epsilon
Phi, the National German Honor Society,
has studied German for three years at
Lakeside High. Because of her success
in German I and German II classes, her
instructor Jennifer Schultz nominated her
for the Governor’s Honors Program (GHP).
Diebold was chosen as one of 15 students
in the state for the program. As a result of
the experience she received at GHP, she
was able to skip German III and enroll in
AP German this school year. Additionally,
Diebold hosted a German exchange student
through Lakeside’s German American
Partnership Program (GAPP) exchange for
three weeks in October and November of Diebold
2008.

DeKalb Schools Today announces Community building, social

season lineup
DeKalb families can learn about the DeKalb County School System by tuning in to
DeKalb Schools Today on Comcast Cable Channel 24 and on the school system’s Web
page www.pdstv24.com (click on live streaming).
A number of outstanding educators will be featured on DeKalb Schools Today. The
educators will highlight measurable gains that have recently taken place in the DeKalb
County School System.
The producer and host of DeKalb Schools Today, Philandrea Guillory, said,
“Please tune in to DeKalb Schools Today during this new season. We have a new and
exciting season lineup that will inform viewers about great events taking place in the
school system.”
March schedule for DeKalb Schools Today
Air times noon, 3 p.m., and 7 p.m.
Air Date Topic
March 2 Chapel Hill Elementary and Fernbank Elementary - Special Guest: Kel-
lie L. Ryan, teacher
Charles Bowman, teacher
Dr. Jonell Henry, counselor
Kristina LaGuardia, teacher
March 9 DeKalb Schools of the Arts - Special Guest:
Susan McCauley, principal
March 16 Tucker Football, DeKalb’s Annual Turkey Bowl, and Fernbank Science
Museum’s 40th - Special Guest:
Franklin Stephens, teacher
Douglas J. Hrabe, Fernbank Science Center director
Beverly Jackson, principal
Andrea Russell, parent community liaison specialist
March 23 Toney Elementary School - Special Guest: Oliver Dean, principal
March 30 Flat Shoals Elementary - Special Guest: Keith Reynolds, principal
change provide focus for new
fellows
Emory University last week announced its seventh
class of undergraduates for the competitive Emory
Community Building and Social Change Fellowship. A
successful centerpiece of Emory’s Office of University-
Community Partnerships (OUCP), the fellowship is a
national model for engaged learning programs.
The fellowship provides undergraduates with a
comprehensive year of training, research and experience,
culminating in an intensive summer-long practicum
working on community initiatives in metro Atlanta. The
program also helps Emory continue to foster long-term,
dedicated initiatives with various Atlanta neighborhoods
and community groups.
Results of past fellows’ work include the completion
of 25 projects that have produced policy change, new
programs and entities, and funding for projects. Fellows
also have expanded the capacity of existing community
initiatives to effectively address issues such as HIV/
AIDS, affordable housing, public education quality, urban
sprawl, citizen engagement and more.
The fellows are chosen by an advisory committee of
11 faculty members from nine departments and programs.
Students selected for the competitive program receive a
stipend of $3,500 for their summer community work, a
summer housing allowance, 12 hours of academic credit
and a summer tuition scholarship. For more information
about the fellowship and recruitment, contact OUCP at
(404) 712-9893 or oucp@emory.edu.
Business
Must love dogs–snakes, newts, elephants, etc.
Avondale vet has
storied career
by Brian Egeston
be@brianwrites.com
On occasion, in the streets
of Avondale, a 1964 Ford
Fairlane whizzes through
traffic. A demure woman
wearing a unique pair of
spectacles mans the wheel
as a tenacious-looking boxer
watches the journey from
the backseat. Introducing:
The driver–Dr. Gail Powell
Johnson. The pooch–Hattie.
The car–Gramps. The char-
acters in this moving scene
are part of the staff that make
up the Atlanta Veterinary
Eye Clinic (AVEC).
Act I
Getting Gramps
Johnson, a Miami na-
tive, found herself on the
receiving end of an heirloom
after it had traveled through
various family members. The
Fairline, originally owned by
her grandfather–hence the
car’s moniker–was handed
down to cousin Odell, who
befriended a lady of the
night. Cousin Odell awoke
one morning and his com-
pany was gone–so was
Gramps. Johnson’s mother
and a friend went on a re-
connaissance mission and
found Gramps. Johnson
went down to Tallahassee,
rescued the car she’d ridden
in as a young girl and had it
fully restored. Johnson has
received several offers for
the car, including one for her
hand in marriage. Turns out
the classic car owner has a
thing for rescuing and rehab-
bing unique specimens.
Act II
Falling in love with animals
“I had every animal
known to mankind pretty
much,” said Johnson. “I’m
one of these corny people
who wanted to be a vet since
Join the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce
100 Crescent Centre Parkway, Suite 680, Tucker, GA 30084 - 404-378-8000 - Website - www.dekalbchamber.org.
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009, PAGE 18A
I was little.” The would-be
vet was mentored by the
family vet and by junior
high was working at a well-
known Florida veterinary
clinic. The sunshine state
served as a breeding ground
for Johnson’s love of all
things outdoors. The exotic
plants and animals were
paradise she said. With two
parents who were educated
at Florida A & M University,
Johnson committed academ-
ic treason when she enrolled
at Tuskegee Univer- Gail Powell Johnson with her dog Hattie.
sity in Alabama, but
Tuskegee was the only
HBCU that offered a
veterinary program.
She later returned
to Florida for post-
graduate work in
Gainesville.
Johnson’s father
is partly to blame
for Hattie’s role
in the story. “My
dad was a head
football coach in
South Florida and
of course he had
to have a manly
Johnson’s
dog,” Johnson Shakespe first dog was a b
said. “So I’ve had are. oxer nam
ed
a boxer at my
side since I was an infant.
Shakespeare, Kathy, Lottie a consultant at ent.
gets treatm
Princess, Kattie, Roxie and Zoo Atlanta for more than viper
oon
Hattie. I’ve had seven boxers 20 years. When she’s not A gab
in my life.” working on deadly snakes,
she’s doing rounds at Emory
Act III as part of her comparative
ophthalmology practice.
Seeing patients and people
Johnson began her spe-
Johnson studied com- cialty practice in the Avon-
parative ophthalmology in dale Veterinary Hospital in
Gainesville. A field that com- 1981 and in 1988 AVEC
pares the visual systems in moved to its present loca-
humans and animals so that tion. At AVEC, the staff sees
both species can benefit from out-patients three days a
the biological make up of the week and performs surgery
other. During her career she’s twice a week. The clinic will
see approximately 10 new
worked on dogs, cats, el-
ephants, pandas and gaboon patients each week, accord- Gramps parked outside AVEC. Photos by Brian Egeston
vipers, a snake with the lon- ing to Johnson. In the wait-
in tandem at the front desk. parked, keeping an eye out
gest fangs of any reptile and ing area at AVEC, thank- On a floor near the operat- for a driver and a dog.
considered by many to be the you notes from pet owners ing room, Hattie lies waiting For more information vis-
most poisonous snake in the compete for space on a for a treat, a command or a it: www.atlantaveteyeclinic.
world. Johnson has also been wall. Two assistants work trip outside to see Gramps com
Health THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009, PAGE 19A

Food poisoning strikes 1 in 4 Americans each year

by Mike Stobbe ions in 2003. this,’” said Dr. Andi Shane,
The recent peanut-related a pediatric infectious disease
ATLANTA (AP) Next salmonella outbreak has specialist at Emory Univer-
time you have a case of diar- caused more than 640 con- sity.
rhea that lasts a day or more, firmed illnesses in 44 states Patients may not con-
chances are better than one and been linked to nine sider an infection came from
in three that it was food poi- deaths. It was traced to a Vir- some other means, like han-
soning. ginia-based company, Peanut dling a contaminated tissue,
As many as a quar- Corp. of America, which she said.
ter of Americans suffer a makes minor-label peanut Some may also find the
food-borne illness each butter, peanut paste and other latest outbreak unsettling be-
year—though only a fraction products. cause it involved a prepack-
of those cases get linked to Those numbers just aged food like peanut butter,
high-profile outbreaks like scratch the surface: A case said Dr. Akiko Kimura,
the recent salmonella-peanut is confirmed only after a an epidemiologist with the
scare, according to the U.S. lab test is sent to the CDC. California Department of
Centers for Disease Control Many sick people just soldier Public Health.
and Prevention. on without even seeing a “It’s ready-to-eat, and so
“Outbreaks are dramatic doctor. there wasn’t anything the
instances,” said Dr. Robert Health officials assume consumer could do,” she
Tauxe, a CDC expert on the that for every salmonella said.
subject. But they highlight case, there are three dozen Food disease investiga-
a health threat that many unreported cases. By that tors say their experience has
people exaggerate and mis- calculation, the latest peanut- made them careful to wash
understand, according to related outbreak actually has their hands, review restau-
some experts. sickened closer to 20,000 rant inspection reports and
Scientists have counted people. think carefully about the
more than 250 food-related But the problem could be Food poisoning affects “I usually say it is one of foods they eat.
types of illness—from vi- a lot worse. an estimated 25 percent of the safest in the world,” said “`I am fond of many
ruses to bacteria to parasites. The number of confirmed Americans every year. That Tauxe, when asked about foods, but I draw the line
Most common are Norwalk- food poisonings has basi- compares with roughly 30 the U.S. food supply. “But at eating raw meat and raw
like viruses—famous for cally held steady in recent percent of people in industri- increasingly, our food supply poultry, raw oysters and raw
sickening cruise-ship passen- years. It may seem worse be- alized countries, according to is the world.” unpasteurized eggs,” said
gers. They account for about cause more advanced testing the World Health Organiza- Patients suffering gastric the CDC’s Tauxe.
two-thirds of known food- allows investigators to better tion. The toll, of course, is distress sometimes assume “I run the cutting boards
poisoning cases, according to link cases and identify out- much higher in developing food poisoning, partly be- through our dishwasher,” he
the CDC. breaks, CDC officials said. countries, where diarrheal cause of all the outbreak added.
Two types of bacteria, Also, despite sometimes diseases are a major cause of news and partly because it’s
campylobacter and salmo- dramatic problems in food death for children. human nature, some doctors
nella, are the next most production and inspections, But not all of America’s said.
common. Campylobacter is the U.S. food supply is still food comes from within the “I think a lot of people in
blamed for about 14 percent considered one of the safest country’s borders, as demon- general say, ‘I have symp-
of food poisonings, salmo- in the world, several experts strated by last summer’s veg- toms. I must have eaten
nella for roughly 10 percent. said. etable-caused outbreak. something that’s caused
The exact toll of these
and other bugs is not really
known.
Ten years ago, a team of
Join us under the Big Top!
CDC scientists put together Junior League of DeKalb County’s
the best enduring estimate
of how many Americans get Second Annual Giving Gala
food poisoning each year: March 6, 7:30-11p.m.
76 million illnesses, which Callanwolde Fine Arts Center
resulted in 325,000 hospital- 980 Briarcliff Rd. NE
izations and 5,000 deaths. Enjoy an elegant evening for the adult in us,
No more recent figures in a circus-lik
circus-likee atmosphere for the kid in us!
are available. But the current There will also be great auction items, food
numbers must be close to 87 and entertainment.
million cases, 371,000 hospi- Circus Passes are $60 in advance/$75 at the
talizations and 5,700 deaths, door. For more information and to purchase
according to an Associated tickets, visit www.jldekalb.org.
Press calculation that used
the CDC formula and current The Junior League of DeKalb
population estimates. County
County’s ’s Giving Gala auction
The statistics seem even proceeds benefit its
more alarming in the context community programs and
of a parade of high-profile projects.
food-poisoning outbreaks in
recent years: salmonella poi-
soning linked to hot peppers
and tomatoes from Mexico
that sickened more 1,400
last year; an E. coli outbreak
from bagged spinach in
2006; and even deadly cases
of hepatitis A from green on-
Calendar
Special
Events
March 1 through the six
Sundays of Lent. Lenten
Services at Clarkston UMC.
The services will be held in
the sanctuary of the Clarkston
United Methodist Church and
will begin at 6 p.m. The serv-
ices will consist of singing,
pastoral and altar prayers,
and a 6-week study of the
Prayers of Jesus. The church
is located at 919 Church
Street, Clarkston. For addi-
tional information, please call
the church office at (404) 296-
5678 or visit our website at
www.angelfire.com/ga/clark-
stonumc.
March 12. PRISM Meeting.
The upcoming Pride Rings
in Stone Mountain (PRISM)
meeting will concern two top-
ics: Keep DeKalb Beautiful
and Marta.
Presenters Amber Greer
Weaver, director of Keep
DeKalb Beautiful, and Lau-
rene Hall, coordinator of
Keep DeKalb Beautiful, will
discuss water conservation,
including rain barrels and rain
gauges, The Great American
Clean-up, bus stop adoption
and recycling.
Dean L. Neblett, commu-
nity outreach planner, Of-
fice of Communications and
External Affairs from MARTA
will provide an informational
overview on MARTA.
The meeting will take place
at St. Timothy United Method-
ist Church/Fellowship Hall,
565 Memorial Drive (one
block east of Rays Rd.), Stone
Mountain at 7 p.m. The public
is welcome. For additional
information, contact PRISM
Program Chair, State Repre-
sentative Michele Henson at
(404) 296-1442 or michele-
henson@earthlink.net.
March 13. Soil and Water
meeting. The DeKalb County
Soil and Water Conservation
District monthly meeting will
be held at 10 a.m. at 0 W.
Ponce de Leon Building, rd
Floor Conference Room, in
Decatur.
Tuesday evening lectures.
“Looking at the Current
Items for the calendar may be e-mailed to Kemeshah@dekalbchamp.com or faxed to (404) 370-3903. Include a contact name and phone
number. Note that items in this free listing should concern community and non-profit events.
Events are placed on a space-available basis and priority is given to DeKalb County events.
Items for the community calendar should reach The Champion no later than one week before the date they are to be published.
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009, PAGE 20A
Middle East Geopolitical
Scene through the Lens of
Scripture” is presented in
biblically illuminating lectures
by a world-traveled Jewish
believer. Learn how end times
and messianic prophesies
from the Hebrew scriptures
are fulfilled. Informal and
free lectures are on Tuesday
evenings at 7:0 p.m. in the
Fellowship Hall of the First
Alliance Church, 2512 N.
Druid Hills Road, Atlanta. For
information, call Gary at (770)
54-1501.
Free family fun night. The
Gallery at South DeKalb will
host family fun night to en-
courage traditional family val-
ues. The event is one hour of
songs, storytelling, arts and
crafts, music, karaoke, face
painting, dancing, character
appearances and other ac-
tivities, every third Thursday
from 6 - 7 p.m. Parents and
grandparents are encouraged
to bring their children to this
free, fun-filled event. The
mall is located at Interstate 20
and Candler Road in Decatur.
For more information, call
(404) 241-241 or visit www.
GalleryatSouthDekalb.com.
Fitness Classes with Jo-
Anna Ward. The Gallery at
South DeKalb is having fit-
ness classes every Tuesday
in the Mini Mall Common
Area from 7 – 8 p.m. Get fit
and be healthy. Join fitness
trainer JoAnna Ward from
TV’s show, Survivor Amazon.
Register at the customer ser-
vice center within the mall
or visit www.galleryatsouth-
dekalb.com and sign-up for
Regular
classes online.
Meetings
March 17. The DeKalb
Community Service
Board bi-monthly meet-
ing. The DeKalb Com-
munity Service Board, a
public, nonprofit, behav-
ioral health-care agency,
will conduct its bi-monthly
meetings in the Bohan Au-
ditorium of the Richardson
Health Center, 445 Winn
Way in Decatur. The public
is invited to attend.
Those with disabilities in
need of assistance or accom-
modations to participate in the
meeting should notify the Of-
fice of Community Relations.
For more information about the
mental health, developmental
disabilities or addictive diseases
services offered through the
DeKalb CSB, contact the Office
of Community Relations at (404)
508-7875.
April 4. Wedding Planning
Workshops –A wedding should
be memorable and enjoyable.
DeKalb Convention & Visitors
Bureau will walk attendees
through each step of the wed-
ding process. A wedding spe-
cialist will assist local brides in
planning for the big day. The
best way to start planning is
attending a free DCVB Bridal
Workshop. Hyatt Place Stone-
crest will host the workshop on
Saturday, April 4, from 9 a.m.
until noon. Registration is re-
quired. For more information,
call (770) 492-5050, ext. 109.
May 6. Keep Them Coming
Back – Customer Service
Class - Bob Beeland teaches
attendees the values of true
customer service. Beeland
emphasizes that customer ser-
vice is mediocre at its best in
today’s society. This customer
service class originates from the
desire for guests in DeKalb to
have such a welcoming visit that
they will want to return. One of
the best ways to ensure this is
by providing quality customer
service. Beeland teaches par-
ticipants how easily this can be
achieved. All workshops are
held at DeKalb Convention &
Visitors Bureau, 1957 Lakeside
Parkway, Suite 510, Tucker,
8:45 - noon. Registration is re-
quired. For more information,
call (770) 492-5020 or visit www.
dcvb.org for online registration.
Tuesdays PowerCore meet-
ings. PowerCore is a close-
contact networking associa-
tion. There are three defining
characteristics of close-contact
networks: Regular meetings
with an attendance requirement,
one person per profession and
a sole purpose of passing refer-
rals.
The Decatur PowerCore
Team meets every Tuesday,
7- 8:0 a.m. at Scott Boulevard
Baptist Church located at 252
North Decatur Road, Decatur.
The Emory PowerCore Team
meets every Wednesday from 7
- 8:0 a.m. at The Bagel Palace
in the Toco Hills Shopping Cen-
ter at the intersection of North
Druid Hills and LaVista roads.
The cost is $.75.
The Tucker PowerCore Team
meets every Tuesday, 7 - 8:0
a.m. at Lakeside Café, 1979
Northlake Parkway, Suite 104.
The Northlake Gwinnett
PowerCore Team meets every
Wednesday from 7 - 8:0 a.m.
at the Doubletree Hotel, 4156
Lavista Road, Tucker.
The meetings are free. Pow-
erCore is a business referral
network. For more information
or to see if a specific clas-
sification is available, and to
get an invitation to visit, e-mail
jeremy@powercore.net or call
(404) 572-1278.
Northlake Toastmasters Club.
Practice public speaking and
leadership in a supportive envi-
ronment. Become a better com-
municator and leader so that
in 2009 you can be the change
you want to see. For more in-
formation, call (404) 484-5
or stop in any Wednesday 6
p.m. at Metro Brokers/GMAC
Real Estate Northlake Shop-
ping Center, 407 Lavista Rd.,
Tucker. Northlaketoastmasters.
org
Survivors Network for those
abused by priests and other
clergy (SNAP) support group
meets the fourth Thursday
of each month from 7 until
8:0 p.m. If you or someone
you know has been sexually
abused by clergy, this group
is for you. For more informa-
tion, contact Denise Weaver,
Atlanta SNAP leader, at (678)
665-761 or Mona Brewer, co-
leader, (404) 805-7575 dweav-
er@stop-csa.com. Visit www.
survivorsnetwork.org.
Decatur Communicators
Toastmasters meeting. Do you
want to improve your public
speaking skills or leadership
abilities? Decatur Communica-
tors Toastmasters meets every
first, third and fifth Saturday 10
– 11 a.m. at Avondale Pattillo
UMC at 260 Covington Hwy,
Decatur. For more informa-
tion, contact Richard Nagode
at (404) 294-8082 or by e-mail
anagode@msn.com.
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009 Page 21A
The Champion
CLASSIFIEDS TO PLACE
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FOR PRICES, DEADLINES AND INFORMATION
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Sports THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009, PAGE 22A

DeKalb schools advance to basketball state playoffs

DeKalb County rivals
Redan and Stephenson
went head-to-head in the
boys’ and girls’ Region
2-AAAAA championship
games, and it was Redan
coming out on top in both
contests at Newton County
last Saturday night.
The No. 2 ranked and
undefeated Redan Lady
Raiders (22-0) made it three
in a row over the No. 10
ranked and defending Class
AAAAA state champions
Stephenson Lady Jaguars
(20-7) since the state finals
loss last season. Redan
hosts in the first round of
the Class AAAAA as a No.
1 seed and Stephenson also
earned a host role as the No.
2 seed.
The Redan Raiders (18-
7) gained some revenge on
the Jaguars (20-7) in the
boys’ final with a 73-63 vic-
tory after dropping both reg-
ular season games. Redan
goes into the Class AAAAA
playoffs as the No. 1 seed
from Region 2 and Stephen-
son is the No. 2 seed.
The No. 1 ranked Miller
Grove Wolverines (25-3)
claimed the Region 6-
AAAA boys’ title with a
55-49 victory over No. 4
ranked Marist (23-3) to earn
the No. 1 seed heading into
the Class AAAA state play-
offs. Mfon Udofia hit for 17
points and Malcolm Frank
added 12 to lead Miller
Grove in the championship
victory. “Our boys are battle
tested,” said Miller Grove
head coach Eddie Johnson
after the game. “A lot of our
players have been playing
in games like this all their
lives. I’m proud about this
team. This team handles
pressure like adults.”
The No. 10 Tucker Ti-
gers (19-8) defeated DeKalb
rival Stone Mountain (13-
15) to earn the No. 3 seed
out of Region 6-AAAA.
Marist girls celebrate their victory over Southwest DeKalb.
Miller Grove won the 6AAAA championship game against Marist. Photos by Brian Egeston
Manny Atkins hit for a
game-high 35 points to lead
Tucker in the consolation
game victory. Stone Moun-
tain advances to state as a
No. 4 seed. Both teams go
on the road in the first round
of the Class AAAA state
playoffs.
No. 6 ranked and de-
fending Class AAAA girls’
state champion Southwest
DeKalb (24-4) lost its bid
to repeat as the Region 6-
AAAA champions with a
64-46 loss to No. 4 ranked
Marist (26-2).
Miller Grove (13-9) is
headed to its first-ever state
playoff appearance as the
No. 3 seed out of Region 6
after defeating Tucker 62-
54 in the consolation game
at Miller Grove.  Conisha
Hicks hit for 29 in the win
while Tucker’s Serena be the region’s No. 1 seed, Kristin Nash hit for 15
Clark led the Lady Tigers and Druid Hills takes the points to lead Dunwoody to
(13-14) with 20. No. 2 seed into the Class the No. 1 seed heading into
The No. 2 ranked Co- AAA state playoffs. the state playoffs. Destinee
lumbia Eagles (26-2) ran Dunwoody (19-7) upend- Smith hit for 13 points and
past Druid Hills (21-8) 73- ed the host Columbia (20-7) Mecca Frost added 10 for
31 in the boys’ champion- 39-36 to prevent a Colum- the Lady Eagles, who earn a
ship game at Columbia on bia sweep of the Region No. 2 seed.
Saturday. The Eagles will 5-AAA championships.
420-220986 2/26
NOTICE OF SALE UNDER POWER
GEORGIA, DEKALB COUNTY
Under and by virtue of the Power of Sale contained in a Security Deed given by Bertham H. Catwell and Marie J.
Philogene to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., dated May 24, 2001, recorded in Deed Book 13707, Page 188,
DeKalb County, Georgia Records, as last transferred to Midfirst Bank by assignment to be recorded in the Office of the Clerk of
Superior Court of DeKalb County, Georgia Records, conveying the after-described property to secure a Note in the original principal
amount of ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-TWO THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED THREE AND 0/100 DOLLARS ($162,603.00), with
interest thereon as set forth therein, there will be sold at public outcry to the highest bidder for cash before the courthouse door of
DeKalb County, Georgia, within the legal hours of sale on the first Tuesday in April, 2009, the following described property:
EXHIBIT A
All that tract or parcel of land lying and being in Land Lot 51 of the 16th District of DeKalb County, Georgia, being Lot 34, Block A
of Winchester Subdivision, as per plat recorded in Plat Book 109, Pages 36-39 DeKalb County, GA Records, which plat is hereby
incorporated herein by reference.
The debt secured by said Security Deed has been and is hereby declared due because of, among other possible events of default,
failure to pay the indebtedness as and when due and in the manner provided in the Note and Security Deed. The debt remaining in
default, this sale will be made for the purpose of paying the same and all expenses of this sale, as provided in Security Deed and by
law, including attorneys fees (notice of intent to collect attorneys fees having been given).
Said property will be sold subject to any outstanding ad valorem taxes (including taxes which are a lien, but not yet due and
payable), any matters which might be disclosed by an accurate survey and inspection of the property, any assessments, liens,
encumbrances, zoning ordinances, restrictions, covenants, and matters of record superior to the Security Deed first set out above.
The entity that has full authority to negotiate, amend, and modify all terms of the mortgage with the debtor is: Midland Mortgage
Corporation, 999 N.W. Grand Boulevard Suite 100, Oklahoma City, OK 73118-6116, 800-654-4566. Please understand that the
secured creditor is not required by law to negotiate, amend, or modify the terms of the mortgage instrument.
To the best knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the party in possession of the property is Bertham H. Catwell and Marie J.
Philogene or a tenant or tenants and said property is more commonly known as 5652 Winchester Place, Lithonia, Georgia 30038.
The sale will be conducted subject (1) to confirmation that the sale is not prohibited under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code and (2) to
final confirmation and audit of the status of the loan with the holder of the security deed.
Midfirst Bank
as Attorney in Fact for
Bertham H. Catwell and Marie J. Philogene
McCalla Raymer, LLC
1544 Old Alabama Road
Roswell, Georgia 30076
www.foreclosurehotline.net
MR/pxs 4/7/09
Our file no. 5794502-FT8
THIS LAW FIRM IS ACTING AS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION
OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009 Page 2A

2009 DeKalb State Wrestling Results

CLASS AAAAA
152 Division
3. Cornelius Sutton, Redan (54-5)

CLASS AAAA
103 Division
5. Semere Tesfamariam, Tucker (54-3)

112 Division
6. Pawlloes Belete, Tucker (55-7)

125 Division
2. Dequan Warner, SWD (35-2)

135 Division
2. Melchisdeac Lavergne, Tucker (53-3)

140 Division
2. Stephen Starks, Tucker (34-4)
4. Jerry Edmond, Stone Mountain (34-
17)
ON THE WEB
Visit www.championnewspaper.com
to view more pictures from this event.
145 Division
2. Carey Cloud, Tucker (49-5)
Two time state champion Terrance Gaddy (green) controls his opponent en route to a victory. Photos by Brian Egeston
CLASS AAA

112 Division
6. Jamarcus Hayes, Columbia (22-8)

130 Division
2. Riley Keen, Dunwoody (63-6)

171 Division
1. Terrance Gaddy, Clarkston (41-0)

189 Division
6. Johannes West, Druid Hills (47-13)

215 Division
6. Nolan Johnson, Towers (47-20)

Semere Tesfamariam (left) begins his match. Marist coaches shout moves to Ducote.

Stephen Starks mentally prepared for his gold

medal match.

Jeff Ducote (yellow) works his way out of the circle. Carey Cloud (bottom) finds himself in a jam during a
bout. A wreslter struggles with defeat.
Page 24A THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2009
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