FREEPRESS

AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW.CHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.COM • FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010 • VOL. 13, NO. 37 • FREE

• A PUBLICATION OF ACE III COMMUNICATIONS •

Higher rates needed

to raise $1.4 billion for
water, sewer system

Great athlete, great student

On hand at the seventh annual Frank Ski Celebrity Wine Tasting and Live Auction to congratulate
Tucker quarterback Norman Hayes, left, are, from far left, Kevin Liles, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and
V-103’s Frank Ski. Hayes, who will be attending Harvard University, is the 2010 recipient of the Frank
Ski Kids Foundation‘s Michael “Mike” Lubin Future Leader Award. Photo by Travis Hudgons

Fiscal accountability target of newly

by Andrew Cauthen
andrew@dekalbchamp.com
DeKalb residents can ex-
pect higher water and sewer
bill over the next few years
to help pay for $1.4 billion in
improvements to the county’s
aging system, county officials
said during one of several
recent public hearings on a
proposed rate hike.
“We are unfortunately
now at that critical juncture
where most of the aged pipes
…really are on borrowed
time,” said Ted Rhinehart,
deputy chief operating officer
for the county’s infrastructure
group. “We can’t avoid the
major improvements.”
Under the proposed hike,
water and sewer rates would
increase 13 percent each year
for three years beginning in
2012 to help finance the capi-
tal improvements. That would
mean customers with county
water and sewer services cur-
rently using 6,000 gallons per
month would see their rates
increase from $59.52 in 2010
to $100.60 in 2014.
Even with the increases,
DeKalb County’s rates would
be fair and reasonable when
compared to those in sur-
rounding counties and mu-
nicipalities, Rhinehart said.
Comparable customers in
Clayton and Gwinnett cur-
rently pay about $9 and $10
more per month than DeKalb
customers, while Atlanta cus-
tomers pay about $77 more.
During a public hearing
last week, Gil Turman, presi-
dent of the South DeKalb
Neighborhood Association,
said the billion-dollar project
is a massive undertaking that
would adversely affect senior
residents, people on fixed in-
comes and the unemployed.
“That’s a lot of money,”
Turman said. “Folks can’t
hardly pay their house notes,
can’t hardly pay their rent.”
Turman said the county
should meet with residents
and find alternatives to the
rate hike to make the capi-
tal improvements without
residents suffering financially
and losing their homes.
John Evans, president of
the DeKalb County NAACP,
said he thought the capital
improvement plan is a good
plan, but questioned whether
the time is right given the
county’s current economic
state.
“What would happen to
the county if they postponed
this decision for a later date?”
Evans asked. “I don’t think
the county would fold up and
go away because we didn’t
do it now.”
Evans said that if resi-
dents could vote on the up-
grades they would vote
against any new taxes, fees
and upgrades. The commis-
sion should consider other
elected school board members
by Pureterrah Witcher
Pureterrah@dekalbchamp.com
Newly elected DeKalb
County School Board
members Donna Edler and
Nancy Jester have several
things in common – chil-
dren in the school system,
professional backgrounds in
finance and a mutual interest
in fiscal responsibility.
The last item on that list
will be the women’s shared
goal as they prepare to be-
gin their terms on the board,
they told The Champion.
After taking more than
70 percent of the vote in
a Nov. 30 runoff election
against two-term District
7 representative Zepora
Roberts, Edler said she es-
pecially intends to use her
background as a certified
professional accountant to
improve the system’s audit-
ing process.
“I want to assure that
those internal fiscal controls
are in place. We’re going to
get the system’s financial
picture in order,” Edler said.
“From multimillion dol-
lar organizations to small
non-profits, they all have a
CPA look at their books on a
regular basis.”
Jester who defeated
District 1 incumbent Jim
Redovian by receiving 55.3
percent of the vote said she
wants to “trim the fat” off
system overhead – and she
has a plan.
“I want to focus on the
core of our business, which
is educating children and
improving academics for all
students. To do that we’re
Nancy Jester, left, and Donna Edler. Photo by Pureterrah Witcher
going to need a good fiscal
methodology,” Jester said.
“I advocate zero-base
budgeting, which means
you start from scratch; the
old budget is not automati-
cally rolled over. Nothing
is done just because you’ve
always done it that way.
You don’t ask ‘where can I
cut?’ Instead you ask ‘what
do I need to accomplish my
goal.’ Everything is justi-
fied,” she added.
Jester holds a B.A. in
economics and Edler a B.S.
in accounting and a M.A. in
business.
DeKalb County School
Board Chairman Tom Bow-
en said the newcomers will
have to play some catch up
before their terms begin in
January 2011.
“Initially they’ll be
spending most of their time
getting brought up to speed,
but usually it takes time to
figure out what role they
will have. Typically 90 to
120 days,” Bowen said.
“In the past even the
addition of one or two new
board members has changed
the dynamics of the board.
However I’d wait and see
what impact they will have
around March or April,” he
said.
For Jester and Edler,
District 9 representative
Eugene P. Walker, who
won his bid for re-election
Nov. 2, gave just one piece
of advice: remember that the

See Water on Page 15A See School on Page 15A

NEWS THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010 • PAGE 2A

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www.championnewspaper.com
On World AIDS Day the memorial quilt for those who have died of AIDS was displayed in sections inside the Emory University student center. Photos by Kathy Mitchell
On World AIDS Day, CDC calls for optimism, action
by Kathy Mitchell
kathy@dekalbchamp.com
As people across the
planet commemorated
World AIDS Day on Dec.
1, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention
(CDC) announced
encouraging news about the
disease, but noted there is
still much to be done before
the often deadly illness can
be considered under control.
Officials at the CDC say this
is a time for optimism and
action.
In a telephone news
conference CDC Director
Thomas Frieden said, “In
2006, CDC issued new rec-
ommendations, and today’s
data shows that following
those recommendations
there was a significant in-
crease in the number of
Americans who were tested
for the first time for HIV. In
fact, between 2006 and 2009
more than 11 million addi-
tional Americans were test-
ed for the first time for HIV.
This increased from 40 to 45
percent the overall number
of adults in this country who
have ever been tested. And
because more people were
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010
tested, fewer people were
diagnosed late with HIV.
“The portion of patients
diagnosed late decreased
from 37 percent to 32 per-
cent. Overall, a relative in-
crease of about 10 or 15 per-
cent in testing, and a relative
decrease also by 10 percent
or 15 percent in a number of
people diagnosed late. This
is significant progress in in-
creasing testing and linkage
to care,” he said.
The really encouraging
news, Frieden said, is that
the numbers show that prog-
ress is possible and is being
made as more people are be-
ing tested. He added that the
data also shows how much
more progress is needed.
The CDC recommends
routine testing of all pa-
tients, including those not
in high-risk categories such
as men who have sex with
other men, people who use
illegal intravenous drugs
and people who trade sex
for drugs. “In-patient units
need to routinely offer HIV
testing. When that occurs
patients are well served.
They’re diagnosed at an ear-
lier stage of their infection.
They can prevent serious
A Section • Page 3A
illness. And they can avoid Americans are infected. medical costs alone. Testing
spreading HIV to their part- Many become ill. Many and linking people who are
ners in their communities. die preventable deaths, and HIV positive to care are key
As one person who found the costs are more than to decreasing the epidemic,”
out too late that they are $350,000 per person in he said.
HIV positive told me, ‘it’s
hard to find out you’re HIV
positive,’ but it’s much hard-
er to find out you’re HIV
positive and you already
have AIDS,” Frieden said.
The CDC director said
that virtually all AIDS cases
are preventable either by
preventing infections or
progression from HIV in-
fection to clinical illness
with AIDS. However, he
noted, an estimated 37,000
Americans were diagnosed
with AIDS in the most re-
cent year for which data are
available, 2008.
He said there are still
200,000 or more Americans
who have HIV and don’t
know it. “Overall, 55 per-
cent of adults—and even
more concerning—28 per-
cent of high-risk adults have
never been tested, and those
at higher risk are also not
testing frequently enough,”
Frieden said.
“HIV is still a serious
problem in this country.
More than a million
OPINION THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010 • PAGE 4A

Bright stars on the board and bench
DeKalb voters should be
proud. They elected three new
bright stars for the Board of Ed-
ucation and the Superior Court
Bench in the Nov. 30 runoff
election.
Former actuarial now stay-
at-home mom Nancy Jester
outpaced businessman Jim Re-
dovian for a seat on the school
board. CPA Donna Edler, now
a stay-at-home mom, trounced
incumbent and long-time com-
munity activist Zepora Roberts.
For the Superior Court bench,
voters chose prosecutor Court-
ney Johnson over her runoff
opponent, attorney Michael
Rothenberg. Voters hit it out of
the park in all three instances.
The Newslady
Redovian and Roberts de-
serve our gratitude for their ser-
vice and sacrifice. It would be
fitting if the board gave these
two servants a nice farewell.
Public service is not a cakewalk.
One must seek to the make the
right decisions for one’s con-
stituents and conduct oneself in
a transparent manner with integ-
rity and dignity without even the
slightest hint of impropriety.
Redovian and Roberts did
their best under some very chal-
lenging circumstances and we
should applaud their efforts. But
at the close of the day, voters
decided to install new leader-
ship on the school board. Given
our current state of affairs with
plummeting test scores, scan-
dals and the scrutiny of regula-
tory agencies, it was the right
decision to go in a different
direction. Roberts was quoted
as saying she had nothing to be
ashamed of and that she fought
the good fight. She did and we
thank her for eight years on the
board advocating for children
and many years prior to her elec-
tion. She will no doubt stay ac-
tive in some capacity.
The opportunity presented
itself on different occasions very
recently to interact with our
three newest county officials. To
a person Edler, Jester and John-
son are very impressive young
women – bright, personable,
articulate and passionate. Edler
and Jester are just what is needed
to put our schools back on track
financially. With their zeal, and
accounting backgrounds, expect
these women to pore over finan-
cial records with a fine-toothed
comb and carry out their fiducia-
ry responsibilities with aplomb.
They each have the experience
to know what they are looking at
and to ferret out waste and po-
tential fraud.
As to Johnson, she will make
a great addition to the DeKalb
County Superior Court bench.
She fills the seat vacated by
Judge Robert Castellani, who
retired. Judge Castellani was as
fine a judge as they come. His
respect for the rule of law dis-
pensed with deep compassion
knows few equals. We wish him
the very best.
Judge-elect Johnson, an as-
sistant district attorney, is an
experienced, community-minded
prosecutor who once headed up
the domestic violence unit. She
knows her way around the court-
room and claims her knowledge
of the judicial system gives her a
unique vantage point in dealing
with budget cuts and establishing
efficiencies in this tough eco-
nomic environment. She appears
wise beyond her years.
Typically the turnout for
runoffs is poor. And when it is
cold and rainy as it was Tuesday,
Nov. 30, the turnout is even low-
er. But in this election, it was not
the quantity of the voters, it was
the quality. Pardon the vernacu-
lar, they did good. Real good.
Steen Miles, The Newslady, is a
retired journalist and former Geor-
gia state senator. Contact Steen Mi-
lies at Steen@dekalbchamp.com.

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www.championnewspaper.com
William C. Crane, 1974-1992
Water, water...everywhere
“Water, water, everywhere...and
not a drop to drink,” spoken by
the Ancient Mariner as written by
poet Samuel Coleridge in the late
1800s.
Atlanta Mayor William B.
Hartsfield was a visionary, who
saw in a small race track called
Candler Field, what would later
become Hartsfield/Jackson At-
lanta International Airport. But
Hartsfield couldn’t be wooed to
contribute a few million toward the
original 1950s construction costs
of Buford Dam. That entire project
cost $50 million, and an ownership
stake of a few million could have
guaranteed Atlanta residents bil-
lions of gallons of water flow for
decades yet to come. Aviation is
sexy. Infrastructure, water pipes
and sewers aren’t.
Scott Candler Sr., the long-
time sole commissioner of DeKalb
County, known as Mr. DeKalb to
some and as a benevolent dictator
by others, had the foresight to lay
water and sewer lines all the way
to Doraville, attracting General
Motors, thousands of jobs and bil-
Sarah Palin is everywhere
by Judge Greg Mathis
Very few people outside
of Alaska knew who
Sarah Palin was when,
in 2008, Republican
Senator John McCain
selected her to be his
running mate for his
presidential bid. Though
many were left confused
by the choice, they also
had to admit that, on pa-
per, the young governor Mathis
Palin seemed to be a vi-
able political threat: she
worked her way through college,
her husband had a blue-collar
job, she was raising five children
(one with special needs) and her
oldest daughter, still a teenager,
was pregnant. It seemed that, on
many levels, Palin could readily
identify with the average Ameri-
can because she was just like
them. Slowly, the media began
to chip away at Palin’s glossy
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY,DECEMBER 10, 2010
One Man’s Opinion C. William “Bill” Crane, 2009 - ?
lions in economic impact. Candler
now has a dam/reservoir, water
treatment plant and soon a library
named in his honor for this and
other accomplishments.
And it has been almost since
Scott Candler’s day that DeKalb
County has made massive system-
wide investments in its water and
sewerage infrastructure. Though
not as old or ill-maintained as
much of the city of Atlanta’s sys-
tem (still in the midst of a $3 bil-
lion to $4 billion upgrade, update
and repair program), DeKalb’s sys-
tem is certainly showing its age.
On the water conservation front
a few years back, your DeKalb
Commission and then CEO Ver-
non Jones, perhaps started on the
wrong end of the system, requir-
ing upgrade and replacements to
low pressure, smaller water tank
toilets when selling any residential
property, offering a modest though
cumbersome rebate incentive pro-
gram. Certainly that change in
building codes has saved millions
of gallons, but billions more are
still likely leaking underground
through old, cracked and failing
pipes. You may not see or even
detect every water system leak,
but more than a few sinkholes and
many of those steel plates improv-
ing your commute, are the result of
leaking pipes underground.
The Snapfinger Wastewater
Treatment Plant in south DeKalb
came online in 1963, and has not
exterior and most of us saw the
truth: she was ill-prepared for
national politics–and that wor-
ried us. Thankfully, we
didn’t have to wait to
see if she could rise to
the challenge; McCain
was defeated and Presi-
dent Obama went on to
make history.
Though she lost in
2008, Sarah Palin didn’t
go away quietly. In
fact, her profile–along
with her income–has
increased. This prompts
the question, “What is she gear-
ing up for, now”?
Since hastily resigning from
the Alaska governorship in 2009,
Palin has been everywhere. First,
she took to the Internet, sharing
her thoughts on various politi-
cal issues. Then, she made the
talk show rounds to promote her
new book. She even landed a
new job as a political analyst for
has significant improvements made
since. The Polebridge Wastewater
Treatment Plant was completed in
1973, and it has been more than 20
years since upgrades were made
there. Even the much newer, state-
of-the-art Scott Candler Plant has
been plagued by lightning strikes
taking the plant offline. To address
these and other critical investments
as identified by DeKalb County’s
Watershed Management requires a
project list totaling $1.4 billion. To
finance these improvements over
the same period of time, water rates
will need to increase more than 100
percent, phased in over five years.
Prior to Atlanta’s first Super
Bowl in 1994, the Hemphill Water
Treatment Plant, just northwest of
downtown Atlanta failed, as did
two back-up pump stations. For
almost three days, immediately
prior to the arrival of world press
and thousands of high-rent paying
guests, downtown hotels had show-
ers with no water and toilets which
could not flush.
Your DeKalb County Com-
mission is now considering a $1.5
billion bond offering to begin
the necessary work of improving
DeKalb’s pipes and water infra-
structure. Those costs will not go
down over time. There will be no
federal “stimulus” funds likely to
come to our rescue. Our DeKalb
Commission and CEO need to step
up, lead and get the lead out as it
relates to “fixin’ our pipes.”
FOX News. In recent weeks, she
debuted a new show on Alaska
and announced that she has an-
other book due out. She has, for
all intents and purposes, become
a bona fide media personality.
But, she hasn’t given up politics.
During the mid-term elections,
Palin’s political action commit-
tee raised money for numerous
Republican candidates, including
many Tea Partiers. She traveled
the country, campaigning on be-
half of individuals whose values
she shares.
Is she a media personality or
a politician? We’re not sure and
Palin isn’t talking…yet.
The 2012 presidential elections
will get under way soon and ev-
eryone–friend or foe–is waiting on
Palin to make an announcement,
one way or the other. She’s hinted
that she might consider the job but
won’t discuss it beyond that. Per-
haps she’s trying to decide whether
or not she wants to give up her
A Section • Page 5A
Even at double the price per
gallon, our water will still come
very cheap, certainly compared to
much of the rest of the world. Per-
haps as a slightly pricier commod-
ity, folks may begin to more great-
ly value this precious resource.
Hopefully we won’t see as many
automatic sprinkler systems water-
ing during a drought, or home car
washes with hoses running down
the driveway or filling the tub for
each bath to overflow. Certainly
there are larger industrial uses that
are equally wasteful, but a culture
of conservation starts at home.
Each of you reading this col-
umn is composed of more than
90 percent water. We will always
want the convenience of turning
the faucet and watching clean, po-
table and safe drinking water flow
at our demand. And like most any-
thing else we want and we value,
now is the time to start paying
for it. Otherwise, like the ancient
mariner, or most of the island na-
tion of Haiti right now, we will find
ourselves surrounded by water and
waste—none of which is safe to
bathe in or to drink.
Bill Crane is a DeKalb County
native and business owner, liv-
ing in Scottdale, Georgia. He also
serves as chief political analyst
and commentator for 11Alive News
and WSB Radio, News/Talk 750.
Contact Bill Crane at Bill@dekalb-
champ.com.
new found fame and fortune for
the stress of a political run. Maybe
she’s aware that more than a few
big-named Republicans, Karl
Rove and Barbara Bush among
them, think she should “just say
no” to presidential politics. What-
ever the reason for her reticence in
making a decision, we should all
be thankful. The one good thing
about Palin’s increased media
exposure is that more and more
people, including those in her own
party, are beginning to see that she
is not presidential material. Here’s
to hoping that Mrs. Palin continues
to grow her media empire, enjoy-
ing fame and fortune beyond her
wildest dreams, and stays out of
national politics.
Judge Greg Mathis currently
provides legal advice to over
3 million listeners on the Steve
Harvey Morning Show and also
on his website, www.askjudgema-
this.com.
A Section • Page 6A
ISO: Obama's campaign-trail eloquence
I can't understand how the Obama
administration became so inarticulate
I can understand why people ob-
ject to a nation running up big deficits
when it’s already deeply
in debt. Borrowing
your way out of debt is by Donald Kaul
counter-intuitive. Many Columnist
economists think it’s eco-
nomically sound, but it’s
a hard sell.
I can see, kind of, why people shy
away from President Barack Obama’s
health care reform. People have been
told it’s “socialized medicine,” even
though it’s not, and the concept makes
them nervous. Socialism is the equiva-
lent of “living death” in their minds.
I can even see why people don’t like
the government bailouts that Bush the
Younger and Obama engineered, even
though they were marvelously success-
ful. The economy was on the brink of
ruin with 1929 knocking at the door,
until the government stepped in with its
bailouts and narrowly averted disaster.
But many felt the institutions that got
bailed out were not deserving of rescue.
That fact that you couldn’t save the
economy without saving those miscre-
ants too didn’t matter. People got ticked
off. I can understand that.
What I can’t understand is why
so many people of modest means are
against taxing the filthy rich. Recent
polls show a majority of people favoring
the extension of Bush’s tax cuts for the
rich. Why?
It’s not as though the rich don’t have
the money. The top 1 percent of house-
holds takes in about 22 percent of the
total income of the nation. Their hold on
the nation’s wealth is even stronger.
It’s not as though the government
couldn’t use the money. It’s tapped out.
(And please don’t tell me the answer
to all our financial troubles is cutting.
We’re too deep in the hole. We have to
tax as well as cut.)
So why shouldn’t we go where the
money is–and tax rich people?
If you want to call that class warfare,
fine. But the rich have been waging and
winning that war for years and look
where it’s got us. It’s about time the rest
of us won a battle. Now is as good a
time as any.
Not that I think we will. The White
House has already indicated its willing-
ness to “compromise” on the issue of
the Bush tax cuts. Which is a laugh.
Printed on 100%
post-consumer
recycled paper
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010
Republicans’ idea of compromise is to
remove one guy from your firing squad.
Which brings me to
someone I don’t under-
stand–President Obama.
I liked Obama the
first time I saw him.
I’ve supported him ever
since, through thick and
thin–mainly thin. I was particularly im-
pressed with his eloquence. The following comments are pulled straight from our Web site and
What happened to it? are not edited for content or grammar.
The single hallmark of this adminis-
tration is its inarticulateness.
We went through month after month
of a health care “debate” without the
The cost of doing business in DeKalb
president explaining why the bill was may rise next year
a good thing, why it wasn’t socialized
medicine, or how it would benefit mil-
lions of Americans.
I’m not talking about position papers Perhaps DeKalb County should hire a
and reports with footnotes. I’m talking
about simple explanations of the com- Good Street Pimp to run the County /
plex issues involved, framed in simple Couldn’t be any worse !!!
sentences. He was so good at that during
the campaign. Where did that skill go?
The stimulus package that he and the –TheSnoopyDog posted this on 12/4/10 at 9:20
Democratic Congress passed (without a.m.
Republican support) saved the economy.
It also contained a substantial tax cut
for the middle class. The middle class
never noticed its taxes were cut and the
stimulus has been painted a failure. How
could Obama have let that happen? DeKalb’s Morehouse men receive
When he went on his recent trip to national science awards
India, the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
claimed it was costing American tax-
payers $200 million a day, a ridiculous
figure. In response, while denying the
$200-mill price tag, the White House Great to see the men of Morehouse to
never put out one of its own. continue the legacy of excellence. Nice
Are you kidding me?
When the president tried to get the
read.
Senate to take up an arms control treaty
with Russia, Republican leaders said: –kevin posted this on 12/2/10 at 11:10 p.m.
“Fuhgedaboudit.” The White House ex-
pressed surprise.
Imagine that. Senate Republicans
are dedicating themselves to denying
the president a major legislative victory.
Who knew?
Wow. School board incumbents Roberts
If I’d wanted Candide for president,
I’d have voted for him. and Redovian lose to challengers
OtherWords columnist Donald Kaul
lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. www.oth-
erwords.org The replacement of ineffective leadership,
a step in the right direction. Now ! What
to do with a clueless DeKalb CEO and
Board of Commissioners ?
–JerryMyer Jackson Jr posted this on 12/1/10
at 9:38 a.m.
www.championnewspaper.com
Decatur preparing to modernize buildings
by Andrew Cauthen
Andrew@dekalbchamp.com
The fire department,
recreation center and public
works facility in Decatur are
all slated for major renova-
tions next year as part of the
...Construction for each of
the projects is expected to
take about 12-15 months.
city’s urban redevelopment
plan. The city will have to
issue about $13.8 million
in municipal bonds for the
projects, said City Manager
Peggy Merriss.
The city is trying to get
its facilities modernized,
Merriss said. “We have
some pretty serious mainte-
nance issues.”
Death of 20-year-old Black male found on
playground is ruled a homicide
by Pureterrah Witcher
Pureterrah@dekalbchamp.com
The death of a man found
on a DeKalb County play-
ground has been determined
by county officials to be a
homicide.
The victim, whose iden-
tity remains unknown, was
shot to death, according to
DeKalb County Medical Ex-
aminer Pat Bailey.
“The body wasn’t dead
long. It had not decom-
posed; [it] wasn’t dead over
one or two days,” Bailey
said.
Due to the ongoing in-
vestigation, Bailey said he
could not make further com-
ment.
The victim, found at
Tobie Grant Park, was de-
scribed in a police report as
a 20-year-old Black male.
The body was discovered
at 9 a.m. by a walker in the
park playground area, ac-
cording to reports. Soon
after, Willie Mosley an as-
sistant at the park’s recre-
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010
The work on the fire
station at 230 East Trinity
offices. A shock-absorbent
floor will be installed to be
Place should begin in early used for dance, aerobics and
2011, Merriss said. Built in Tai Chi classes. The center
the late 1950s, the station will also get new lockers,
will have its interior gut- electrical wiring and HVAC
ted and rebuilt. Showers, systems.
dormitory space for men The city’s public works
department,
built in 1968,
will get cen-
tral air condi-
tioning; it has
never had air
conditioning,
Merriss said.
The build-
ing will be
expanded to
include ad-
ministrative
–Peggy Merriss offices for
the planning
and zoning
department to
consolidate
all permitting
and women, and geothermal into one building.
heating are part of the plans Once under way, con-
for the structure. struction for each of the
Merriss said the recre- projects is expected to take
ation center at 231 Syca- 12-15 months, Merriss said.
more Street needs a major The city commission is
interior renovation. The expected to vote this month
plans call for multipurpose on whether it will proceed
gymnasium facilities, an with issuing the bonds for
elevated walking trail and these projects.
additional administrative
ation center, was alerted and sponsive and had signs of
called police. physical trauma to the head,
The victim was unre- according to police reports.
Healthcare Opportunities
Correct Care Solutions (CCS)
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experiencing rapid growth. We are
expanding into Georgia and are
excited to announce a new partnership
with the
DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office.
CCS offers full benefits, flexible schedules
and more!
To view current openings, please visit
www.correctcaresolutions.com/jobs
EEO
A Section • Page 7A
John Buchholz
Champion of the Week
appointments for free
rides to the doctor’s
office. It is the only
program offering
free transportation in
DeKalb County for
seniors. Like other
I Care volunteers,
Buchholz uses his
own car and provides
his own gasoline as
he volunteers about
three times a month—
or more often,
depending on how
John Buchholz
was approached
by members of his
much help is needed.
“What makes our
church to volunteer service different is the
for I Care, a Decatur- companionship we
based organization provide,” Buchholz
that provides said. A lot of the
non-emergency seniors are home
transportation for alone on a daily basis,
seniors who need to with no family, and
make regular visits have no means of
to their health-care transportation, he said,
providers but are not adding that he gets to
able to use public talk with clients and
transportation. Some enjoys their company,
are incapable of driving which is often the only
and have no friends or form of contact they
relatives to transport have with people. I
them, or have limited Care requires that
financial resources. its volunteers “have
Many I Care personal qualities that
volunteers are enable them to fulfill I
retired people CARE’s mission.”
who want to serve
their communities.
At I Care, he said,
“We are allowing the
Buchholz, who retired seniors to have better
health, because we
from IBM, recalls
that the opportunity are providing a service
sounded interesting, that helps them get to
so he decided to give their appointments.”
it a try. Buchholz soon The seniors are always
realized he enjoyed so appreciative, which
driving seniors to their makes volunteers want
appointments and now to keep helping, he
has been with I Care said. I Care officials
for 10 years, making said that volunteer
him one of the 12-year- drivers are the “heart
old organization’s and soul” of the
longest-serving organization.
volunteer drivers. Buchholz is also
I Care registered on the I Care board
clients, who have of directors, which
short-term or long-term allows him to help
set policies for the
physical or mental
disabilities or chronic organization. He also
health problems volunteers for Knights
requiring frequent of Columbus and other
doctor visits, set up organizations.
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.
 A Section • Page 8A
Covington man
pleads guilty to
2009 vehicular
death
by Andrew Cauthen
Andrew@dekalbchamp.com
A Covington man asked for
forgiveness for accidentally killing
a 6-year-old refugee from Nepal
when he struck her with his SUV in
August 2009.
In the DeKalb County
Courthouse on Dec. 1 for his
hearing, Gregory Armwood faced
the girl’s family and said he was
“genuinely remorseful.” Armwood
pleaded guilty to second-degree
vehicular homicide and was
sentenced to 30 days in jail and a
12-month probation. Armwood will
also lose his driver’s license for a
year.
The accident occurred on
East Ponce De Leon Avenue in
Clarkston when Armwood illegally
passed a stopped MARTA bus on
the wrong side of the road. At that
same time Suk Maya Monger and
her mother Rupa were walking in
front of the bus to cross the street.
Monger died a day before she was
to start school.
The accident is “something
I’m going to have to live with,”
said Armwood, the director of
operations for Pinnacle Security.
Armwood, who received an
honorable discharge from the
military in 1977, has been married
for nine years.
“I asked for forgiveness, and I
want to ask you” for forgiveness,
Armwood said as he addressed the
goal’s family.
Speaking through an interpreter,
Motti Monger, the girl’s father
talked of his sadness since the
accident.
“I cried a lot over missing my
daughter,” Monger said. “Still I’m
crying.”
When the accident occurred,
the family had been in the United
States less than a month. Originally
from Bhutan, they lived in a
refugee camp in Nepal where their
children, Suk Maya and her brother
Jogan, now 14, were born.
State Court Judge Alvin T.
Wong said the case was one in
which “nobody wins, everybody
loses.”
“It doesn’t matter how much jail
time I give, it’s not going to bring
this kid back,” Wong said.
Wong said “everybody drives
around this town like there are no
consequences.” Wong said most
drivers make what they think are
“minor infractions” of traffic rules.
“What we have to do is try to
obey the traffic laws,” Wong said.
“Take a few minutes.”
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010
A Doraville CPA class poses for a graduation photo upon completion of the academy. Doraville residents of all ages from all
walks of life participate in the popular academy to get up close and personal with the operation of the local police department.
Photos by Tamara Neal
Residents have eye-opening experiences
at Doraville’s Citizen Police Academies
by Bob Kelley to investigate an accident or
see how routine police calls are
Through Citizen Police handled.”
Academies (CPAs) across the Kelly and Gilman both ar-
country, area residents get to rived with their designated
take a close look at what po- officers at the scene of a home
lice officers do and even learn invasion at about the same time.
a few of their skills. Many As Gilman recalled later, “I
who have gone through the was really hoping I’d get to see
Doraville CPA say they found something exciting on my ride-
the experience enlightening a-long. When my designated
and enjoyable. officer responded to the call, we
took off and I didn’t see a thing
Bite ‘n hold, lock ‘n load! until we got to the house where
the robbery occurred. The pa-
“I found K-9 night at the trol car was moving at what felt
CPA extremely educational,” like warp speed. Talk about
said Tamara Neal, an alum response time!”
from the fall 2009 class. Added Kelly, “There were
A Doraville officer adjusts protective gear for a CPA stu-
“These exceptional dogs, dent prior to the start of a hostage-taking exercise. already officers inside the house
with names like Dak, Tryco questioning the victims while
and Max, can be trained for time at another CPA activity as one of others were canvassing the
single- or dual-purpose tasks. Single their favorites: the firing range. Re- neighborhood on foot. We could see
tasks include specializing in cadaver ceiving one-on-one instruction from quite a lot from the safety of the police
recovery or locating bombs while dual Doraville officers, everyone spends an car.” Having gotten her wish early in
purpose means they can be trained evening taking turns firing a Mossberg the shift, Gilman said she was ready to
for multiple tasks such as tracking a 12-guage shotgun, Colt Commando go home.
criminal on the run or sniffing out hid- M4 rifle, an FNPO 90 sub-machine Rogers agreed that the ride-a-longs
den narcotics.” gun and Glock 45 pistol. are popular. “It’s a way to get to
Fellow classmate Jeff Jenkins “Many times a lot of the CPA ride in a police car without wearing
shares Neal’s enthusiasm. “A police class members have never shot a gun handcuffs,” she laughed. “Seriously
dog’s presence alone is often enough before,” noted Sgt. Brandi Rogers. though, we do take every precaution
to stop a criminal in his or her tracks,” “This experience gives them a chance to make it a good learning experience
Jenkins recalled. “And it’s interesting to walk a mile in our shoes…to know for CPA participants, and we make
that the Doraville K-9 dogs, all Ger- what our firepower consists of. Our sure they are not placed in harm’s
man shepherds, usually come from goal is to educate everyone on gun way.”
places like Hungary or the Czech safety as well as firearms in general.”
Republic. What catches you off guard SWAT night–the scene is safe
initially is their trainer giving com- Responding at warp speed
mands in a foreign language because Tension hangs in the cool night
that’s how the dogs were taught.” For Doraville residents Carol Gil- air as the school bus slowly glides
Commands in a foreign tongue also man and Nancy Kelly, the patrol car to a stop in the darkened parking lot.
prevent criminals from knowing ex- ride-a-long was a class highlight. Onboard a dozen hostages’ eyes are
actly what the dog is being told to do “I spent nearly an entire shift rid- locked on their hijacker, no one quite
so they can’t anticipate the animal’s ing with my designated officer,” Kelly sure what will happen next. As the
next move. said. “Even though we weren’t al- bus stops, a small group of camou-
While enthusiastic about K-9 lowed to leave the patrol car, we did flaged figures begins creeping up from
night, both Neal and Jenkins list their get to observe firsthand what it’s like behind, clutching their firearms.
See Police on Page 11A
www.championnewspaper.com THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010 A Section • Page 9A

Law enforcement officials tell businesses

to think tactically about crime prevention
by Andrew Cauthen
andrew@dekalbchamp.com
‘Tis the season for break-
ins and thefts, law enforce-
ment officials told business
owners during a breakfast
meeting of the DeKalb
Chamber of Commerce. The
meeting, also sponsored by
DeKalb County commis-
sioners Lee May and Sha-
ron Barnes Sutton and the
DeKalb Police Alliance, was
designed to give business
owners tips for preventing
crime.
“These criminal acts can
be avoided if we will take
simple steps to protect our-
selves,” said DeKalb Police
transfers.
“People are watching and
you will get robbed,” James
said. “It does not matter what
part of town that you’re in.
We see it on Candler Road.
and potential witnesses, she
said.
“Anything you can give
will be very, very helpful,”
Marchand said.
Another crime that is easy
It was suggested that busi-
ness owners invest in security
cameras with recording capa-
bilities to catch criminals and
provide evidence in the event
of a trial.
“We need that video,”
Marchand said. “I can’t tell
you how many times we have
gone to businesses who have
experienced some kind of
crime and the videotape has
been erased or taped over.”
If a crime has been re-
corded by a video camera,
the tape should be copied and
saved, she said.
Other crime prevention
tips include ensuring that
all doors are locked when
employees leave at night;
removing money from cash
register drawers nightly;
enhancing lighting around
dark areas of business proper-
ties; and installing mirrors to
eliminate blind spots where
thieves might hide.
O’Brien said residents
should adopt a “pay it for-
ward” mentality for crime
prevention by encouraging
others to be safe and protect
themselves and their property.
“We’ve got to look out for
one another,” O’ Brien said.

Chief William O’Brien dur-
ing the meeting at the Dou-
bletree Hotel in Tucker. And
thinking about safety “needs
We see it in Dunwoody. We
see it all over DeKalb Coun-
ty.”
All residents should
DEcaTuR
to avoid is purse-snatching.
Every day in stores wom-
en leave their purses in shop-
ping carts while they shop,

to be beyond just a holiday
season,” O’Brien added.
“We need to think tacti-
cally,” O’Brien said. “Every
time you leave your home
change their daily routines,
O’Brien said. “It’s very easy
for these individuals that
are criminals to pattern us,”
O’Brien said. “You’ve got to
be aware of your surround-
Terrific
O’Brien said. “That’s a crime
waiting to happen that could
easily be avoided.”
Attendees were encour-
aged to report all suspicious
activities or persons to the

or leave your business, think
tactically.”
During the holidays there
is usually “a spike in crimes
against the business commu-
nity,” said Nicole Marchand,
DeKalb’s acting solicitor
general.
Robert James, DeKalb’s
district attorney, warned busi-
ness owners to alter their rou-
tines for money drop-offs and
Thursdays
ings.” police.
Many crimes are commit- “If you see something that
ted by past employees who just doesn’t feel right in your
know the company’s routines, gut, call the police,” March-
Marchand said. “We have a and said. “You never know–it
whole lot of inside jobs or may be nothing; but what if it
employee thefts.” is something?
Companies should keep
pictures and contact infor-
mation on current and past
“That person who’s hang-
ing around… is probably
casing out the place and
Shop
Shop
Local
Shop
Shop
Decatur
employees. This can help law
enforcement locate suspects
planning on doing something
soon,” she said. Local
Holiday shopping on
Church Street.

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 A Section • Page 10A THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010

Avondale Estates is
planning to annex
old mill property
by Andrew Cauthen
Andrew@dekalbchamp.com
If the city of Avondale
Estates gets its way, it will
one day be several acres
larger and there will be a
new multi-use development
within its borders.
For about a year, the
city has been eyeing the
vacant 13.14-acre Fenner
Dunlop mill property that is
bounded by Laredo Drive,
Parry Street, Center Street,
Franklin Street and Oak
Street. About nine acres are
located in unincorporated
DeKalb County and ap-
proximately three acres are
in Avondale Estates.
This month, the city of
Avondale Estates is holding
a series of meetings aimed
at paving the way for a
mixed-use development by
annexing the portion of the
property that is in unincor-
porated DeKalb County and
rezoning the area, accord-
ing to Ed Rieker, mayor of
Avondale Estates.
“This would allow for
flexibility for a develop-
ment,” Rieker said. Cur-
rently, no specific developer
has plans for the property.
Under the city’s vision
for the area, there would be
pedestrian-friendly streets
complete with sidewalks,
crosswalks and bike accom-
modations. There could be
a museum, a community
center, community gardens,
charter school and a resi-
dential area. The buildings
would be no higher than Leaders of Avondale Estates
five stories. want to turn the vacant 13-acre
Fenner Dunlop mill property
Avondale leaders looked into a vibrant, multi-use devel-
at Inman Park Village and opment. About nine acres lies in
Atlantic Station in Atlanta unincorporated DeKalb County
and would have to be annexed.
when they designed the Photo by Andrew Cauthen
concept for their mixed-use
development.
A key element for the Fenner Dunlop, formerly
development of the prop- known as Georgia Duck
erty is a buyer. To that end, and Cordage Mill, was
Keri Stevens, Avondale founded in 1916. The com-
Estates’ city planner and pany moved its headquar-
community development ters from DeKalb County
officer, would act as a liai- to Pittsburg, in November
son between business and 2009.
property owners, the city The city’s board of com-
and potential retail devel- missioners is expected to
opers, she said. vote on the annexation and
rezoning on Monday.

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www.championnewspaper.com THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010 A Section • Page 11A

Police Continued From Page 8A

A brilliant flash of light alumni for more training. An tices and procedures.
and deafening roar fills the advanced CPA class is now Participants tell their
night as a flash bomb goes off being offered with more in- friends and family members
beside the bus and the officers depth training in specialized about their positive experi-
rush aboard. Order is re- police enforcement areas of ence, and in return, the CPAs
stored in a heartbeat and soon expertise. help officers better understand
everyone–officers, hostages Participants in the members of other cultures.
and hijacker–are stepping Doraville CPAs come from all Graduates of the Doraville
off the bus laughing, joking walks of life and a variety of CPA tend to agree that they
and trading high fives as they cultural backgrounds. Some now have a better understand-
excitedly analyze what just young adults even attend to ing of the day-to-day com-
happened. see if a law enforcement ca- plexities of a typical police
They have “survived” a reer might be a good career force and a new appreciation
highjacking and it’s time for path for them to follow. With of what it takes for the offi-
some intense “Monday morn- Doraville’s sizeable Hispanic cers to do their job. For them,
ing quarterbacking.” and Asian population, repre- the badge now has a face.
“SWAT night is probably sentatives from these com-
the single most popular activ- munities who attend the CPAs  This is part two of a two-
ity of the entire course,” said are helpful in explaining to part series on Doraville’s
Ed St. Amour, another recent fellow residents the some- Citizen Police Academy. Part
CPA grad. “Combine the times misunderstood role of one appeared in the Dec. 2 This huge shield protects officers who are storming into a location
hostage scenario with officers police responsibilities, prac- issue of The Champion. after battering the door down. It is also useful to protect the of-
ficers when explosives are used to blast through a door during a
rappelling down a four-story raid. Photo by Tamara Neal
tower or blasting doors off
their hinges and you really get
an up-close and personal look DeKalb County Wants to Hear From You
at the more dangerous aspects
of the officers’ job.” Regarding the Proposed Franchise Agreement Renewal
Another crowd pleaser with Comcast Cable Communications
during SWAT Night is an of-
ficer rescue demonstration us- Send your comments and/or concerns regarding Comcast’s current performance under
ing the Doraville PD’s M113 the current franchise agreement and/or the future cable-related needs and interests of
armored tank. The evening your community to cable@co.dekalb.ga.us.
concludes with members
of the SWAT team regal- The Champion Weather Dec. 9, 2010
ing guests with actual “war” Seven Day Forecast In-Depth Local Forecast Today's Regional Map Weather History
stories (of course the names Today we will see sunny skies with a high Dec. 9, 1987 - The fifth storm in
are changed to protect the in- THURSDAY temperature of 47º, humidity of 35% and nine days kept the northwestern
Sunny
nocent) as everyone chows High: 47 Low: 28
an overnight low of 28º. The record high Dunwoody United States wet and windy.
down on cheeseburgers and temperature for today is 71º set in 1943. 45/27 Lilburn Winds along the coast of
Friday, skies will be mostly sunny with a Smyrna Doraville Washington gusted to 75 mph at
hot dogs, courtesy of and FRIDAY high temperature of 52º. 46/28
46/28
Oceans Shores and the northern
prepared by police depart- Mostly Sunny
46/28
Snellville and central coastal mountains of
Decatur
ment officers, to celebrate the High: 52 Low: 34 *Last Week’s Almanac
Atlanta 47/28
47/28 Oregon were drenched with
evening and the conclusion of Date Hi Lo Normals Precip
47/28 three inches of rain in 10 hours.
SATURDAY Tuesday 66 44 59/40 2.23"
another successful CPA ses- Scat'd Rain Wednesday 44 33 58/39 0.00" College Park
Lithonia
48/28 Dec. 10, 1989 - Heavy snow
sion. High: 55 Low: 38 Thursday 50 27 58/39 0.00" 48/28 Morrow fell across the northern and
Friday 57 28 58/39 0.00" 48/28 central mountains of Colorado,
Value added SUNDAY Saturday 57 34 57/39 0.01" Union City with 24 inches reported at
Scat'd Rain Sunday 43 32 57/38 0.00" 48/28 Steamboat Springs. Six to 12
inches of snow fell in the
All who complete High: 50 Low: 26 Monday 39 26 57/38 0.00"
Rainfall . . . . . . .2.24" Average temp . .41.4
Hampton
Denver and Boulder areas,
Doraville’s CPA training are MONDAY Normal rainfall . .0.88" Average normal 48.3
49/29
delaying plane flights and
presented with a framed cer- Mostly Sunny Departure . . . . .+1.36" Departure . . . . .-6.9 snarling traffic.
tificate acknowledging their High: 38 Low: 20 *Data as reported from De Kalb-Peachtree Airport
feat. It is not however, as Sgt. Local Sun/Moon Chart This Week Tonight's Planets
Rogers quipped, a “get out of TUESDAY Day Sunrise Sunset Moonrise Moonset
Rise Set
jail free card.” Sunny First Thursday 7:30 a.m. 5:29 p.m. 10:33 a.m. 9:27 p.m. Last
Mercury 8:58 a.m. 6:41 p.m.
High: 41 Low: 25 12/13 12/27
After graduation, those Friday 7:31 a.m. 5:29 p.m. 11:06 a.m. 10:24 p.m.
Venus 4:06 a.m. 3:11 p.m.
Saturday 7:32 a.m. 5:29 p.m. 11:35 a.m. 11:19 p.m.
who completed the course WEDNESDAY Sunday 7:32 a.m. 5:30 p.m. 12:03 p.m. Next Day
Mars 8:37 a.m. 6:22 p.m.
become part of the local CPA Sunny Full Monday 7:33 a.m. 5:30 p.m. 12:29 p.m. 12:14 a.m. New
Jupiter 1:11 p.m. 1:00 a.m.
Saturn 2:33 a.m. 2:16 p.m.
Alumni Association and are High: 42 Low: 28 12/21 Tuesday 7:34 a.m. 5:30 p.m. 12:57 p.m. 1:08 a.m. 1/4 Uranus 1:15 p.m. 1:12 a.m.
often called upon to volunteer Wednesday 7:34 a.m. 5:30 p.m. 1:25 p.m. 2:03 a.m.
at special Doraville events Local UV Index National Weather Summary This Week Weather Trivia
and activities, adding extra
?
The Northeast will see partly cloudy to cloudy skies with scattered snow today Do hurricanes spin in
hands to the police force through Saturday, with the highest temperature of 46º in East St. Louis, Ill. The opposite directions in the
when needed. Many go on to 0 - 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11+ Southeast will see mostly clear to partly cloudy skies today and Friday, isolated N. and S. hemispheres?
actively participate in neigh- UV Index
showers Saturday, with the highest temperature of 70º in Miami, Fla. The Northwest will see partly Answer: Yes, counterclockwise in
borhood watch programs and 0-2: Low, 3-5: Moderate, cloudy to cloudy skies with scattered rain today through Saturday, with the highest temperature of N. hemisphere and clockwise in S.
62º in Colville, Wash. The Southwest will see mostly clear skies today through Saturday, with the hemisphere.
have even provided valuable 6-7: High, 8-10: Very High
11+: Extreme Exposure highest temperature of 80º in Yuma, Ariz. © 2010. Accessweather.com, Inc.
information as witnesses to
crimes, alerted police of sus- StarWatch By Gary Becker - Geminid Meteors on the Rise
picious activities or received As we enter the month of December, two important astronomical events will be unfolding: the Geminid Meteor Shower on the morning of December 14 and a total
additional training in CPR lunar eclipse on the 21st, the last of its kind for North America until April 2014. In both cases North America is favored, with the West Coast being just a little more
in the sweet spots of these two occurrences than the East Coast. I’ll concentrate on the Geminids for the next two StarWatch articles, and then hype the eclipse. When
and as members of com- I was a kid growing up in Allentown, PA, the meteor shower not to be missed was always the Perseids. Its August 13 maximum date made it the most comfortable of
munity volunteer emergency the great annual meteor events to observe, but the Perseids have begun to play second fiddle with respect to the Geminids which can number as high as 120 meteors per hour. That
response teams. was not the case when I was a teenager 40 years ago. Geminids always produced respectable rates, but the cold, long nights of December were enough of a deterrent to nix most
maximum nights for the warm, cozy covers of a bed. That has now changed because the stream of dross that Earth plows through to produce this shower has been gradually chang-
Because of the popularity ing position so that Earth is now more centrally located at the time of maximum. As the next several decades slip by, rates will continue to increase to perhaps as many as 150 plus
of the Doraville CPA pro- shooting stars per hour. Currently, when it is clear, even during the early evening hours of December 13 when rates are at their lowest, you can easily see 10 meteors in 15 minutes
gram, the department has re- radiating from above Gemini’s second brightest star, Castor. So if work will not allow you to participate during the wee hours of December 14, try an hour or so of viewing around
sponded to requests from CPA 10 p.m. on the evening of the 13th. A map is included with the online article. More about the Geminids next week… www.astronomy.org.
A Section • Page 12A THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010

DeKalb police going through

accreditation process
by Andrew Cauthen
Andrew@dekalbchamp.com
The DeKalb Police Department hopes
it will make the grade, again.
Assessors from the Commission on
Accreditation for Law Enforcement
Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) spent four days
last week examining the police depart-
ment’s policies and procedures as part of
an independent assessment that occurs
every three years.
“It’s a good process,” said Lt. Pam
Kunz, the department’s accreditation
and inspections manager. “People like to
think we circle our wagons and take care
of ourselves.”
Instead, the department voluntarily
adheres to nationally recognized best
practices “for the good of everyone,”
Kunz said.
DeKalb Police has been successfully
accredited by CALEA continuously since
1991, Kunz said. This longevity of ac-
creditation has helped the department
earn a meritorious state with the agency,
Kunz said.
Being accredited helps to “instill a
professionalism in law enforcement,”
Kunz said. It means the department con-
sistently follows a set of standards, she
added.
For example, the department has a
standard that states “we do not allow
warning shots” to be fired by officers,
Kunz said. If an officer fired a warn-
ing shot, the department would have
to discipline the officer and record the
actions taken against the officer. That
information would be placed into a file
to demonstrate to assessors that the no-
warning-shot standard is being followed,
Kunz said.
In addition to reviewing the depart-
ment’s files, CALEA also held a public
meeting last week where the public could
comment on the department’s adherence
to standards.
The department is being assessed on
464 standards that deal with such practic-
es as the use of confidential informants,
handling juvenile records and storing
property.
“Everything we do is touched by a
standard,” Kunz said. And the depart-
ment must provide documentation to the
assessors “to prove that we do what we
say.”

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www.championnewspaper.com THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010 A Section • Page 13A

Giving with a purpose

By Nigel Roberts
Many holiday gifts wind up buried in closets and for-
gotten. At a time when fear of joblessness and the reality of
smaller paychecks are making people careful about how they
spend each dollar, many socially conscious holiday shoppers
are searching for ways to give with a purpose.
Purchasing gifts from retailers who give back a percent-
age of the sale to community or charitable causes is one way
to give with a purpose. Focus on the Family, a faith-based
non-profit organization, recently kicked off Rising Voice. It’s
a campaign aimed at encouraging young adults who want to
make a difference in the world to shop at socially responsible
retailers.
The featured retailers at Rising Voice either give a portion
of their profits to those in need or sell items that are made by
vulnerable people. Protecting girls from being kidnapped and
sold into the sex trade is just one of the causes that a number
of these socially aware retailers pursue.
“We have the opportunity to preserve the innocence and
human dignity of a child in need through a simple monetary
donation,” said Dawn McBane, who heads Rising Voice. “I
can think of no better gift to give this Christmas season.”
Slightly more than half (51 percent) of those surveyed in a
World Vision poll said they are open to giving a charitable gift
as a holiday present. According to findings from an American
Red Cross national survey, nearly three out of four people
plan to give more or about the same to charity as they did last
year.
This willingness to give charitable gifts, in lieu of less ap-
preciated presents, suggests that the idea of purposeful giving
is catching on. The support of charities during this holiday
season comes at a time when a vast majority of Americans
report that their personal finances are the same or worse than
last year.
World Vision, a faith-based international relief organiza-
tion, offers a catalog in which people could purchase a gift
in the name of a friend or business associate for an overseas
family in need. The most popular gift is a goat, which costs
$75. In addition to providing milk and cheese to poor fami-
lies, it also provides a means to earn income from the sale
of dairy products and offspring of the goat. Other popular
catalog gifts include two chickens ($25), hundreds of dollars
worth of medicine ($35) and school fees for one child ($32).
Unfortunately, scam artists posing as legitimate charity
organizations are trying to take advantage of generous gift
givers. Don’t open your wallet just because someone asks for
a donation, say fraud experts at the Federal Trade Commis-
sion. Ask charities for written information about the organiza-
tion and its programs, as well as an explanation as to how
much of your contribution goes to the cause and how
much for fundraising efforts.
One of the most popular charity scams, ac-
cording to the FTC, involves organizations
claiming to support the troops and families
of active-duty military service members—
a cause that people respond to generously.
“Recognize that the words veterans
or military families in an organization’s
name don’t necessarily mean that vet-
erans or the families of active-duty
personnel will benefit from the money
you are donating,” the agency stated.
“The U.S. Department of Defense
doesn’t endorse any charity, but rec-
ommends this source of information
about military relief societies: www.
militaryhomefront.dod.mil.”
The agency recommends donating
to charities with a track record and a
history. Experts warn that some phony
charities use names, seals and logos that
look or sound like those of respected, le-
gitimate organizations. Some of the warn-
ing signs of a scam include high-pressure
pitches, a request for cash and the use of
couriers to collect donations.
With those warnings in mind, consider giv-
ing a purposeful gift this holiday season.
FTC-recommended sites to help you research a
charity before opening your wallet
www.bbb.org/charity-reviews/national
www.give.org
www.charitynavigator.org
www.charitywatch.org
www.guidestar.org

Water School
Continued From Page 1A Continued From Page 1A

funding options.
“The key in my opinion is we
don’t need to consider raising water
rates,” Evans said.
In addition to the rate hike, the
improvements to the water and sew-
er system would also be funded by
$28.4 million in federal bonds the
DeKalb County Commission voted
last month to issue.
The improvements to the water
and sewer system would include:
• $378 million to rebuild, upgrade
and expand the Snapfinger Waste-
water Treatment Plant. Most of the
components of this plant are past
their usefulness, Rhinehart said.
management for the county. Reve- board is made up of nine members
• $600 million to update the waste- nue has been down about 15 percent and not one.
water collection system. over the past three years. “They shouldn’t come thinking
DeKalb County’s water and they’ll transform of revolutionize
• $82 million to start water reuse sewer system, which serves more the board. There are nine indepen-
and to return treated wastewater to than 730,000 people and 20,000 dent thinking people on the board,”
the Chattahoochee River, per state businesses, has about 5,200 miles of Walker said.
water planning requirements. water and sewer lines, one treatment “We’ve got to work together and
facility for drinking water and two compromise for the betterment of
• $36 million for vehicles and equip- for waste water. students. The board member who
ment for the improvement project. The system is plagued with pipe will have the most influence can
breaks and sewer spills. Since 2006, work with the majority. It’s their
The county had intended to there have been 836 county sewer people skills that will make the day
make these improvements beginning spills. And every time there is a no matter what degrees or skills
in 2008, increasing water and sewer spill, the county gets fined. On Nov. they have,” he said.
bills 16 percent each year from 30, a manhole on Second Avenue in
2008-10. But the sluggish economy Decatur was washed away due to a
and persistent drought combined storm, causing a 40,000-gallon spill.
to decrease demand on the utilities, Kung’u said the upgrades,

• $65 million for the Polebridge

Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• $38 million to upgrade the Scott
Candler Water Treatment Plant.
• $179 million to improve parts of
the water distribution system.
thus lowering the revenue from the
utility system. Instead of using the
which will take at least five years to
implement, should not be delayed
PLEASE
funds from the rate increase to make again because constantly patching
the capital improvements, the coun- the system is expensive and further RECYCLE THIS
ty had to use the money to maintain delays will add to that cost and
the status quo. could jeopardize the availability of NEWSPAPER
“The money that we expected to water in the county.
get, we never realized,” said Fran- “We’re a business that cannot go
cis Kung’u, director of watershed out of business,” Kung’u said.
EducatioN THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010 • PAGE 14A

DeKalb teacher named national

World Language Teacher of Year
by Pureterrah Witcher plans to continue making
Pureterrah@dekalbchamp. headway by making sure
com her students treat their stud-
ies as if it were a sport–
When she was 13. practice, practice, prac-
Dunwoody High School tice–and by leveraging the
Spanish teacher Clarissa power of technology.
Adams-Fletcher walked “It’s hard even for your
into her middle school’s gifted students who catch
counselor’s office and said on to other things easily.
she wanted to be put in a A foreign language is just
Spanish class. – foreign. You have to sit
“They told me I had to down and study. They have
take this class, that class to practice. Secondly, the
and the other class. They students right now are into
said ‘No. You have to take instant gratification. So I
this class,’” Adams-Fletch- give a lot of technology-
er said. based work. They instantly
“But I said, ‘No. I want will know if they are right
to take Spanish.’ They or wrong,” Adams-Fletcher
asked me why, and I really said.
had no idea. I think it may The key to her teaching
have had something to do method is avoiding delayed
with the fact that I had seen learning for students to
the Alliance Theatre play study correctly.
Evita,” she added. “If you give your stu-
Clarissa Adams-Fletcher was named the 2011 National Teacher of the Year by the American Council of
That may have been Teachers of Foreign Languages. Photo by P. Witcher dents a homework assign-
the most influential musi- ment and it takes awhile to
cal production of her life return it and its incorrect,
as Adams-Fletcher was “She has a great method of five regional committees and school officials of how the child has spent that time
recently named the 2011 of helping us memorize, for additional review. important language is in the learning that information
National Language Teacher which is really nice when Regional winners are 21st century. incorrectly. But if they sit
of the Year by the Ameri- you’re learning a foreign evaluated and interviewed “I am spending this year down at a computer and
can Council on the Teach- language that would be by the ACTFL awards com- working with my depart- they do their homework,
ing of Foreign Languages your second language.” mittee–part of that assess- ment on trying to put lan- instantaneously they know
(ACTFL). Effective teaching over ment is a candidate’s plan guages on the front burner if they are right or wrong.
The award and a mon- her 20-year career coupled to increase foreign lan- because as things are cut, They know right then and
etary prize of $2,000 were with a passion for language guage literacy in his or her foreign language is too. there to adjust their meth-
presented to Adams-Fletch- and a love for children are community. It’s not a core with a test od,” she said.
er at the 44th ACTFL An- factors Adams-Fletcher Over the coming year attached to it,” Adams-
nual Convention and World believes contribute to her Adams-Fletcher said she Fletcher said.
Languages Expo in Boston, success. wants to convince students In the classroom she
Nov. 19. “You can have the
The Spanish Level II AP knowledge, the content, but
teacher was one of five re- if you cannot get them to Notice of Availability
gional winners from around love the language and know
the United States who were the language because of the DeKalb County 2011 Proposed Budget
finalists for the national way you teach you won’t
award. She is the only make it very far,” she said. The Chief Executive Officer of DeKalb County will present the 2011 Proposed
DeKalb educator to ever The award was created
to recognize a foreign lan- Budget to the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners on December 15, 2010
receive the award.
Victoria Culver, a guage teacher who exhibits for their consideration.
freshman at the high excellence in language
school, described Adams- teaching. The selection A copy of the entire proposed budget is available for public inspection in the
Fletcher as amazing. process includes the sub- office of the Director of Finance, 6th Floor, Maloof Center during normal business
“Mrs. Adams deserves mission of a portfolio and a hours.
it. She’s excellent. My three teaching video. Nominees
siblings who have gone are first evaluated by their
through Dunwoody have state language organization, The DeKalb County Chief Executive Officer and Board of Commissioners will
had her and would say the after which each state sub- hold Public Hearings on the 2011 Proposed Budget at times and places to be
same thing,” Culver said. mits its top candidate to one announced later.

Printed on 100% post-

consumer recycled paper
BuSiNESS
Restaurant owners Derek Kellerman, left, and Hose Divani predict that Pita Pit will be a big hit with downtown Decatur diners. Photo by Kathy Mitchell
Restaurant offers healthful
choices on Decatur square
by Kathy Mitchell
kathy@dekalbchamp.
com
When Derek Keller-
mann was a student in
Kansas, he had a favorite
place to grab a quick bite
to eat. He liked Pita Pit so
much that when he needed
to write a business plan for
a course he was taking, he
based it on Pita Pit. He also
aspired to open a location of
his own.
A native of The Nether-
lands, Kellermann wanted
to remain in the United
States, but not in Kansas.
He chose Decatur as his
new home. He set out to
convince Hose Divani, a
co-worker at the debris re-
moval company where he
worked when he first moved
to Georgia, that a Pita Pit
franchise would be a great
idea.
Because there were no
Pita Pits in the immediate
area, Kellermann took his
perspective partner on a
short road trip to the nearest
one. “Once I saw the restau-
rant and tasted the food, I
was sold,” Divani said.
The major banks weren’t
as easy to convince, Keller-
mann said. He recalls going
from one to another until
he found a small local bank
that was enthusiastic about
the project.
Because Pita Pit focuses
on fresh, healthful food, the
partners thought Buckhead
or midtown Atlanta would
be ideal, but the CEO of
Pita Pit, headquartered in
Canada with a U.S. head-
quarters in Idaho, had an-
other idea. “He suggested
Decatur,” Divani said. “That
was perfect since Derek
lives in Decatur.”
Kellermann said that Pita
Pit requires that franchisees
be owner-operators, so hav-
ing a business near where he
lives makes it easy for him
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010 • PAGE 15A
to be at the restaurant every
day. He called the location
on the Decatur Square ideal.
“I love Decatur; it’s a great
community and we couldn’t
have asked for a better spot
than right in the heart of
the city,” he said. “Lots of
people here are interested in
a healthy lifestyle and that
fits perfectly with our focus
on healthy, quick and af-
fordable.”
He added that he and his
partner are eager to be part
of the community. “We’re
looking for a youth sports
team that we can sponsor,”
he said.
Although the restaurant
just opened its doors Dec. 2,
business was brisk on open-
ing day and the partners are
confident that it will be a
success. “The food is such
good quality. When people
try it, I know they’ll come
back,” Kellermann said.
Kellermann said that
people lead such busy lives
‘Once I
saw the
restaurant
and tasted
the food, I
was sold.’
– Hose Divani
that even with the economy
in a slump, many fami-
lies eat out at least twice a
week. “I think that Pita Pit
will really appeal to them.
We reach out to all ages.
It’s a fun atmosphere, and
we have such a variety,” he
said.
The restaurant is open
breakfast through dinner
and offers breakfast pitas
with such fillings as eggs,
ham, bacon and sausage and
well as 14 varieties of meat
pitas and seven varieties of
veggie pitas. The fillings are
also available on a salad.
“We’re thinking that we
might expand our hours af-
ter the weather turns warm.
There are concerts and
events in the square all sum-
mer and lots of people are
out and about. We may stay
open for the people who
would like have a late-night
snack after the bars close,”
Kellermann said.
 A Section • Page 16A THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010

AROUND
ATLANTA
Breakfast will have family
theme
Church of Christ at Boulder-
crest’s final Not by Bread Alone
breakfast for 2010 will be a
family forum featuring Joanna
Maddox portraying Rosa Parks.
Those attending are encouraged
to bring at least one member of
each generation of their fam-
ily and children are especially
welcome. The event will be Sat-
urday, Dec. 11, 8 - 9:30 a.m.
Guests are asked to RSVP no
later than Dec. 9 by calling (404)
622-9935 or e-mailing info@nb-
balone.com. Church of Christ at
Bouldercrest is located at 2727
Bouldercrest Road, Atlanta.
AVONDALE
ESTATES
Christmas home and business
decorating contest under way
All residences and
businesses in Avondale Estates
are eligible to participate in the
annual Christmas decorating
contest. Judging will take place
on Dec. 15 and winners will be
announced Dec. 17. Winners
will receive a Christmas Spirit
award. All entrants must have
their Christmas lights on by dusk
and numbers on businesses and
homes must be clearly marked
for judges to see. Judges will
view the homes and businesses
from a vehicle. Awards will
be given in four categories—
Sparkle and Pizzazz Award
(homes with the most artistic
and creative use of lights or
animation); Avondale Elegance
(elegant displays with the overall
CHAMBLEE
Children invited to Breakfast
With Santa
Chamblee’s annual Breakfast
With Santa event is Dec. 11
at 8:30, 10 and 11:30 a.m.
Reservations are required and
there is a $5 fee that covers
the cost of a digital photo and
breakfast, which is provided
courtesy of the Chamblee
McDonald’s. For more
information, contact Jennifer
Rackley at (770) 986-5016.
DECATUR
Author scheduled for signing
Eagle Eye Book Shop has
announced that Sonny Brewer,
author of Don’t Quit Your Day
Job: Acclaimed Authors and the
Day Jobs They Quit, will hold a
book signing and presentation
at the book shop Saturday,
Dec. 11. Eagle Eye Book Shop
is located at 2076 North Decatur
Road, Decatur.
Raffle to benefit mental health
programs
The DeKalb Community
Service Board (CSB) Foundation
has announced that it is holding
a 50/50 Holiday Raffle. Raffle
tickets are $1 each and the
drawing will be held Friday,
Dec. 17. Half of the cash
pot will go to the winner and
the other 50 percent to the
foundation, which supports the
DeKalb CSB’s mental health,
addiction and developmental
disability services. DeKalb CSB
is headquartered on Winn Way
in Decatur. To purchase tickets,
contact Michelle Potter at (404)
DEKALB
breaking ceremony for the new
Scott Candler branch library will
be held Friday, Dec. 17, at 10
a.m. at the site of the branch’s
new location, 1917 Candler
Road, near the intersection of
Candler Road and Northview
Avenue in Decatur. In the event
of rain, the program will move
to the current Scott Candler
building at 2644 McAfee Road.
The board of trustees and
the staff of DeKalb County
Public Library invite the public
to attend the ground breaking
for the new building, which
was designed by the Sizemore
Group architectural firm. The
12,000-square-foot facility will be
constructed as part of a mixed
use development that will also
include a new senior center and
senior housing. Its projected
completion is the spring of 2011.
For more information, visit the
library’s Web site, dekalblibrary.
org, or call (404) 370-8450, ext.
2224.
Breakfast with Santa returns
Rev. Raleigh Rucker,
founding pastor of Mt. Patmos
Baptist Church, will once again
team up with DeKalb State Court
Judge Barbara J. Mobley for
their 18th annual Breakfast with
Santa.
Youngsters, ages 2-7 years
only, will be provided a free
breakfast, games, songs, gifts
and photo with Santa. The
photos with Santa will take place
promptly from 9:45 to 10:30 a.m.
The breakfast with Santa will
be held on Saturday, Dec. 18, at
9 a.m. at the Mt. Patmos Baptist
Church fellowship hall, 2207
Candler Road, Decatur. For
additional information, contact
Frances Mizzell at (404) 371-
2300.
Dec. 11 to discuss the future of
Brook Run Park. The meeting
is from 9 a.m. to noon at St.
Patrick’s Episcopal Church,
4755 North Peachtree Road, in
Dunwoody. Lose and Associates
will lead the meeting to guide
participants in developing
possible options for the future of
the park. A review of the 2003
Brook Run master plan will be
presented, as well as information
from previous public meetings
and the current site analysis.
Brook Run Park is composed
of more than 100 acres that
includes a playground, dog park,
skate park, community garden,
trails and multi-use fields.
ELLENWOOD
Town hall meeting set
County Line community group
will host its annual town hall
meeting Saturday, Dec. 11, at
11 a.m. The meeting will be at
Poplar Springs Baptist Church,
3796 River Road, Ellenwood.
SCOTTDALE
Pastor appreciation set
Rev. Janice Dukes, pastor
of the Saint Stephen A.M.E.
Church in Scottdale will be
honored by the congregation
on Sunday, Dec. 12, at 4 p.m.
The day has been designated
Pastor Appreciation Sunday. The
theme will be “Celebrating the
Call—The Shepherd God Gave
Us.” The event, which is open to
the public, is to recognize Rev.
Dukes for outstanding service to
the church and the community.
The church is located at 3245

décor of yard, home, interior
and exterior as seen from the
street; Children’s Appeal (homes
that children like the most); and
Business Award (businesses
with creative displays of theme
and originality).
DUNWOODY
508-7875. Cedar Street, Scottdale.
Brook Run Park subject of
Groundbreaking set for new
planning meeting
library
A Dunwoody Parks and
DeKalb County Public Library
Recreation Department is
begins work on another new
holding a planning meeting on
library in December. A ground-
www.championnewspaper.com THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010 A Section • Page 17A

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SPoRtS
DeKalb High School Sports Highlights
FOOTBALL
Starr’s Mill 20, Tucker 19: The
Tucker Tigers were playing in their
third Class AAAA semifinals in
the past four seasons under coach
Franklin Stephens. Bashr Coles
and N’Quan Maggett, who each
ran for 1,000 yards this season and
combined for 43 touchdowns, did not
have rushing touchdowns. The Tigers
took a 13-7 lead in the third quarter
on a 30-yard pass play from Norman
Hayes to Maggett. After Starr’s Mill
took a 14-13 lead with 1:29 to play in
the third, Rondell Simons gave the
Tigers a 19-14 lead on a 31-yard run
with 11:14 to go in the game. Tucker
forced a Starr’s Mill punt and was
running out the clock when Coles
fumbled. The Panthers got the win-
ning touchdown on a 23-yard pass
from Adam Holley to Alex Riddle
with 1:33 remaining. The Tigers end
the season 13-1.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Dunwoody: Darrell Strozier
scored 17 points and Kelvin Brown
added 16 in a 62-52 loss to Carver
Atlanta.
Miller Grove: The Wolverines
beat AAAA state runner-up Mays 69-
52 and Milton, the No. 1 team in the
country, 71-61 last week to improve
to 4-0. Tony Parker had 48 points
and 33 rebounds in the two games.
He had 20 points, 12 rebounds and
five blocked shot against Mays, and
scored 28 points with 21 rebounds
against Milton. Henry Brooks added
12 points against Mays. Thomas
Marshall had 14 points and six re-
bounds against Milton.
Columbia: The Eagles opened the
season with a 76-36 win over Arabia
Mountain and a 68-62 win against
M.L. King, Stephenson dominate list of all-region players
by Robert Naddra
robert@dekalbchamp.com
M.L. King senior receiver De-
marco Robinson leads a group of
21 DeKalb County players select-
ed to the first team of the Region
2-AAAAA All Region team.
Robinson was named the re-
gion’s offensive player of the
year. He set the state record for
single-season receiving yards
with 1,674 yards on 73 catches.
His 27 receiving touchdowns in
a season is a DeKalb County re-
cord.
The team is chosen by the re-
gion coaches, who also selected the
M.L. King Lions’ Mike Carson as
2-AAAAA Coach of the Year.
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010 • PAGE 18A
Tucker’s Cedric Colson (22) tries to tackle Starr’s Mill quarterback Adam Holley (10) in the Class AAAA semifinals. Photo Travis Hudgons
Harrison. Tahj Shamsid-Deen had
17 points, nine assists and three steals
against Arabia Mountain, while Ki-
air Crouch added 11 points and six
steals. In the Harrison game, Crouch
had 15 points and nine steals, and Al-
gie Key added 13 points, nine assists
and 10 rebounds.
Stone Mountain: Jhyree Har-
ris scored 27 points and Marcus
Eliguwe had 15 rebounds in a 57-55
double overtime win against North
Atlanta. Harris also had 23 points in a
63-52 loss to Avondale last week.
Towers: Sayvon Edwards and
Brett Oakman had 13 points, Quin-
ton Spivey added 12 and Quincy
Tiller had 11 in a 72-49 win over
Clarkston on Nov. 30 in the season
opener. The Titans lost 66-53 to
Grady on Dec. 3. Edwards had 13
Robinson Dawson
“It’s pretty cool; we would
have rather been state cham-
pions, but we’re OK with it,”
Carson said of the awards. “It’s
a result of the work the kids and
the coaches have put in, not just
during the season but all the way
back to when we got here.”
M.L. King players on the first
and Chris Oakman added 12.
Decatur: Trumon Jefferson and
B.J. Fisher each scored 22 points to
lead the Bulldogs (5-0) to a 67-54
win over Dutchtown on Dec. 4. Jef-
ferson added nine rebounds.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Southwest DeKalb: The Panthers
(4-1) ended the weekend on a four-
game winning streak; they defeated
Douglass 75-38, then Lithonia 64-32.
Olivia Gibbs and Nekia Stockwell
each scored 11 points against Litho-
nia.
Columbia: Maya Spencer led
three players in double figures with
20 points in a 64-33 win over Arabia
Mountain on Dec. 3. Destinee Smith
team offense are Robinson, junior
quarterback Jonquel Dawson,
senior offensive lineman Wes-
ley Bray, junior receiver Blake
Tibbs and senior receiver Kevin
Byard. M.L. King players on the
first team defense are senior line-
men Jared Johnson and Malik
Nelson, senior linebacker Pat-
rick Callaway, junior cornerback
Alan Carson and Byard, a senior
safety.
Stephenson placed four players
on the first-team offense—junior
running back Mike Davis, se-
nior running back Willie Davis,
senior lineman Tarik Cook and
senior placekicker Colin Ander-
son. Five Stephenson players
were named to the first-team de-
added 13 points and Zuri Frost had
10 for the Eagles (3-1).
Redan: Kierra Paige scored 43
points in two games last week. She
had 25 points, four rebounds and
six steals in a 62-48 win over Miller
Grove. Janesa Abney added 13
points and six steals. Paige had 18
points and Aneesah Daniels had 19
points and 13 rebounds in a 78-32
win over Douglass.
WRESTLING
Carpet Classic, Dalton
Tucker won two weight classes
to finish seventh overall. Gabriel
Miller won the 130-pound class
and Carey Cloud won at 152. Also,
Tucker’s Ramello Swain was third at
103 and Michael Kokoska of Marist
was third at 135.
fense—junior lineman Jarontay
Jones, senior linebackers Jordan
Mincy, Jeremy Sheppard and
Reggis Ball, and senior safety
Kadetrix Marcus.
Dawson passed for 3,611
yards, with 41 touchdowns and
six interceptions. The Jaguars had
two of the top running backs in
the county. Mike Davis gained
1,151 yards with 10 touchdowns
while Willie Davis had 1,123
yards with 15 touchdowns.
Defensively, Callaway led
the county with 171 tackles and
Jones was second in the county
with 13 quarterback sacks.
“This says a lot about the work
they put in to become better stu-
dent-athletes,” Carson said.
www.championnewspaper.com
Setting the standard
Tucker’s seniors end careers with 49 wins, state title
by Robert Naddra
robert@dekalbchamp.com
Tucker’s senior class won’t end
its final season with a state champi-
onship, but it did complete one of the
most successful runs of any senior
class in school history.
The Tigers (13-1) were elimi-
nated in the Class AAAA semifinals
in a 20-19 loss to Starr’s Mill on
Nov. 3. Starr’s Mill drove 59 yards in
the final two minutes for the winning
score.
The game played out similar to
the Marist game, which Tucker won
in double overtime early in the sea-
son. This time, however, the Tigers
were not able to run the ball against
Starr’s Mill. Seniors Bashr Coles
and N’Quan Maggett, who each ran
for more than 1,000 yards this sea-
son, were held to less than 100 yards
combined.
The pair ran for a total of 43
touchdowns in the first 12 games,
Late in the fourth quarter, Tucker’s Bashr Coles (34) has the ball stripped by Eric Armagost (2) resulting in a Starr’s Mill fumble recovery. Meanwhile, Tucker cheerleaders
Jenna Stewart, right, and Rebecca Winn are moved to tears over their team’s defeat. Photos by Travis Hudgons
THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010
but neither had a rushing touchdown
against the Panthers. Tucker left
its hopes to its defense after Coles
fumbled with less than three minutes
to play inside the Starr’s Mill 40.
“We take pride in our defense,”
Tucker coach Franklin Stephens
said. “They had to go 59 yards in
less than two minutes. This is the
time of the year you have to make
plays and take advantage of opportu-
nities. We didn’t make the plays we
needed to.”
It was the final high school game
for 28 seniors, including 13 starters,
many of whom were on the team
as freshmen when Stephens arrived
prior to the 2007 season. Stephens’
first group of seniors finished their
high school careers 49-6 with a state
championship in 2008. The team
went undefeated in the regular sea-
son three times, including this sea-
son.
“One of the biggest joys this sea-
son was seeing how some of these
kids matured in four years, not only
as football players but as people,”
Stephens said. “A few of these kids,
when I saw them for the first time
when they were freshmen, I thought
‘oh my God.’”
Stephens recalled having to dis-
cipline some of his freshmen during
his first season and calling a player’s
mother. For whatever, reason, the
player responded and became a reli-
able part of the team.
“I used him as an example to the
younger players of what can hap-
pen when you work hard,” Stephens
said. “It’s been nice to watch them
grow up and mature in four years.
And some of the seniors didn’t get a
chance to start until this season, and
made the most of it.”
Stephens will have to replace
his entire backfield and defensive
secondary, as well as most of his of-
fensive line.
Coles ends the season with 1,301
yards and 20 touchdowns while
A Section • Page 19A
Maggett had 1,047 yards and 23
scores. Quarterback Norman Hayes,
who threw a touchdown pass against
Starr’s Mill, passed for 937 yards
with 11 touchdowns and two inter-
ceptions, and ran for 316 yards and
six scores this season.
Defensively, the Tigers lose
three of the top players in the state in
linebackers James Vaughters and
Justin Garrett, and defensive back
Chris Sanders. Vaughters has com-
mitted to Stanford, Sanders to Geor-
gia and Garrett to Auburn.
“I’ve already told the kids who
will be coming back that this time
we’re depending on them to keep
the tradition going,” Stephens said.
“Coach [Jeff] Herron told me when
I was at Camden that you never
know how kids will mature. I’m very
curious to see how our underclass-
men will mature. There’s a lot of
room for growth.”
Maybe so, but the next group has
a good model to follow.
A Section • Page 20A THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2010

MALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Tony Parker, Miller Grove
(basketball): The junior had 20 points,
12 rebounds and five blocks in a 71-
61 win over Milton, the No. 1 team in
the nation. He also had 28 points and
21 rebounds in a win over Mays in a
rematch of last year’s AAAA state title
game. Amu Saaka, Furman (basket-
The Champion chooses a male and
ball): The senior from Columbia
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK had 24 points and eight rebounds
female high school Athlete of the in an 80-65 win over Elon on Dec.
Week each week throughout the Kierra Paige, Redan, (basketball):
The senior had 25 points and six 1 and 10 points in a 70-49 loss to
school year. The choices are based steals in a 62-48 win over Miller Grove, Penn State on Nov. 28. He made 14
on performance and nominations by and 18 points and four steals in a 78- of 32 field goal attempts in the two
coaches. Please e-mail nominations 32 win over Douglass last week as games.
to robert@dekalbchamp.com by the Raiders improved to 5-0 on the
Monday at noon. season.
Kayla Lewis, Florida (basket-
ball): The freshman from Southwest
DeKalb scored a career-high 13
points and was the team’s leading
scorer in a 63-55 win over Old Do-
minion on Nov. 30. She was averag-
ing 7.4 points through the first eight
games.

Darrius Morrow, East Caro-

lina (basketball): The junior from
Columbia had 22 points and 14
rebounds last week in wins over
Charlotte and Fayetteville State. He
made a basket and a free throw with
3.8 seconds remaining to lift the Pi-
rates to a 62-61 win over Charlotte
on Dec. 1.

pub l i x.co m / sa v e
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