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in revenue if it lasts more than several days. Although the equipment is vital, Brennan said, shoryear ago, residents in ing up the countys procedures DeKalb County and for such an emergency was just throughout the metro as important. Atlanta area were hit by Weve also had an opportunione of the worst winter weather ty to re-evaluate what streets are events in Georgias history: A most widely used and revisited storm that brought about 4.5 our planning and prioritizing, inches of snow and ice. Brennan said. During the week, as cities Dunwoody Public Works attempted to deal with the snow Director Michael Smith said and ice, schools were cancelled, last years winter events gave the residents lost power, mail was relatively new city a chance to halted and many roads closed due take its experience from the past to safety precautions. three years and develop maps Using last years unpredict- for its work crews of areas that able winter as an example, resi- frequently ice on main roads. dents and municipalities are preSmith said the city works with paring for the worst case scenario a contractor to combat the winter if another major weather event weather, which he said was more blows in. cost effective than buying sanders According to the National and snow plows. Weather Services website, the Our contractor has added temperature outlook for January a second snow plow. We didnt and February is slated to be 45 have any available last year but percent above normal. A spokes- this year were going to have two person said any city during the in addition to our salt spreaders, winter months could expect rain, Smith said. That equipment is at freezing rain, snow and other no cost to the cityWe just pay hazardous conditions. for them as needed and basically However, the spokesperson rent them. did not speculate whether metro In addition to snow plows, salt Atlanta residents could expect and sand, Smith said Dunwoody such signicant weather events as has participated in regional dislast years week-long ice storm. cussions the Georgia Department Locally Burke Brennan, a of Transportation has facilitated spokesman for DeKalb County, with cities and counties throughsaid the county has acquired sev- out the state. eral new pieces of equipment to City of Stone Mountain City prepare for winter weather. Manager Barry Amos said he has Were spending $452,000 also participated in the GDOT ice on new stuff, Brennan said. and snow preparation meetings. Were getting eight more [snow Amos said the city has secured plows], and in addition to that, the services of a contractor with were increasing our sand-salt snow and ice control and removal mix and have 400 tons of that at equipment who will be on call in the ready. the event of inclement weather. Brennan said the snow plows On Nov. 17, GDOT anand spreaders arent independent nounced the launch of its new inunits but devices that can be clement weather page, www.dot. attached to trucks the county al- ga.gov/winterweather. GDOT ready has. He said last year, some will also use social media outlets residents thought the county such as Facebook and Twitter to needed to get as many plows as distribute information and update possible in case another major the public of any severe weather snow/ice storm happened. situations. Its always a balance. Last The new webpage is a great year was a 50-year event and we way to let the public immediately havent seen anything like that in see updates on road conditions, decades. People were of the opin- said chairman of the state transion that we should get 100 snow portation board Rudygets her news updates online from the The Champion. Because she gets her news updates online from the The Champion. Because she Bowen. I plows but thats not practical or am excitedBecause she gets her news updates online from the The Champion. to see the department prudent, Brennan said. And you can too! Follow us. expanding its reach to different When there is an ice storm markets by increasing the use of like the one last year, Brennan social media. www.facebook.com/championnewspaper said, it cost the county millions ews updates online from the The Champion. www.twitter.com/championnews
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It took a skillful hand like this to draft the plans of our nations capital city. It was a visionary hand like this which pointed out the moral superiority of a way based on character and not color. It was a thorough, good hand like this that championed our rights before the U.S. Supreme Court. It took millions of laboring hands like this to build the wealth and infrastructure of this mighty country. And it was a raised hand like this that was sworn in and gave kids of all complexions and cultures the legitimacy to believe they can achieve anything. In honor of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday, Georgia Power takes pride in celebrating the countless hands like this which have worked to uplift us all. Weve got to hand it to you.
GEORGIAPOWER.COM
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Commissioners, CEO begin year fighting over form of government, planning director
by Andrew Cauthen andrew@dekalbchamp.com With the Board of Commissioners failure to override a veto by the countys CEO, the movement to change DeKalbs form of government has run into a roadblock. That failure preceded some tense moments when CEO Burrell Ellis made a rare visit to the board meeting Jan. 10 to lobby for a controversial appointment. Last month, with a vote of 6-1, the board passed a resolution that would have asked DeKalbs state legislative delegation to create a commission to study the countys form of government. Currently, the county is run by the seven-member Board of Commissioners, which is the legislative branch, and an elected CEO who runs the day-to-day operations of the government. Just before the Christmas holiday, Ellis vetoed the measure. Citing the 6-1 vote on the resolution, Commissioner Lee May said, Im disappointed that the CEO wanted to veto this. I stand by my previous statement on there being a real need to study this form of government, said May, who brought the issue back to the board for the override vote. Lets do a professional study of our form of governmentto ensure that it is the most efficient, May said. With Commissioner Kathie Gannon voting against the override, Commissioner Jeff Rader abstaining and Commissioner Stan Watson being absent, there were not enough votes to override the veto. Ellis said the real issues facing the county are jobs, housing, transportation and cityhood, not the countys form of government. These are the issues that DeKalb citizens care about, not issues that are manufactured by some members of the board of commissioners, Ellis said. Board members are planning to revisit the form of government resolution when all members of the board are present at the Jan. 24 session. The board may bring it up again, but the people arent bringing it up, Ellis said. Ellis made an unexpected visit to the commissioners meeting after controversy developed over the appointment of Gary A. Cornell on Jan. 9 to serve as the interim director of the department of planning and sustainability. Cornell has 33 years of professional experience in city and regional planning, including seven years as the director of Gwinnett Countys Department of Planning and Development, seven years as a principal transportation planner at the Atlanta Regional Commission, three years as a planner in residence at Florida State University, and 11 years as a senior community planning consultant for Jacobs Engineering. He is eminently qualified to serve as DeKalb Countys director of planning and sustainability, Ellis said. Cornell is the best planning director that DeKalb County has ever had. When Cornell appeared before the board to give routine zoning information, some board members objected. May said he was concerned that the CEO is hiring an interim director when interim positions are usually filled by an existing employee. What youre doing now is bringing someone from the outside to the position, May said, adding that there is no job description for an interim director. Commissioner Rader called the objections of some board members petty. Rader said Cornell is probably one of the most highly regarded planning directors in the state. Board members are holding up the confirmation of Cornell in their desire to undermine the administration, Rader said.
See CEO on Page 13A
FODAC President Chris Brand said his organization keeps a huge inventory of wheelchairs and other equipment. Photo by Kathy Mitchell
How we rollFODAC keeps those with disabilities moving even during tough times
by Kathy Mitchell kathy@dekalbchamp.com Two crime stories last year were made all the more heartrending because the criminals did not just take away property they took away individuals ability to function. One involved a family whose 9-yearold daughter lost her custom wheelchair when the family van was stolen from a church parking lot. The other involved a custom-made wheelchair that was destroyed in a fire set by burglars. Both stories have a littleknown, behind the scenes hero. Friends of Disabled Adults and Children (FODAC), a Stone Mountain-based non-profit, stepped in and immediately provided suitable wheelchairs, a process that through normal channels could take weeks, even months, and could cost families thousands of dollars. FODAC provides more than $9 million annually in durable medical equipment and supplies at little or no cost to children and adults with disabilities. While only a few years ago, most middle-class families could depend on insurance for the medical equipment they needed, the picture is changing. Georgia continues to have one of the highest unemployment rates in the country and many families that once were comfortably middle-class are suffering under extreme economic distress. When those families, who are often without adequate insurance coverage, are also dealing with the effects of a disability, they have to look elsewhere for support. In the current economy, were providing more and more help to middle-class families, where because of lost jobs or discontinuation of insurance benefits, families arent able to get vital pieces of medical equipment, said Chris Brand, president of FODAC. People dealing with catastrophic health conditions in tough economic times are among the most vulnerable members of our community. The co-pay on a custom piece of equipment can be $2,000 to $8,000. Families today just cant afford that, Brand said. The situation, Brand pointed out, does not just affect families in which a member has a disability. When someone cant work because he or she doesnt have the equipment to move about, the person has to live on government benefits and that impacts all of us as taxpayers, he said. FODAC cleans, repairs and refurbishes equipment for persons with disabilities, then makes it availableusually at no cost to those who need it. One of the few things we charge for are batteries, which we buy at a discount and sell at cost. We insist that every piece of equipment that leaves here have a good battery so it will keep working as its supposed to, Brand said. In addition to wheelchairs, FODAC provides walkers, hospital beds, power chairs, scooters, shower seats, lift chairs, bedside commodes, childrens positioning chairs and other equipment. The organization also provides training in equipment use and access modifications to homes and vehicles. While a person can sometimes get the equipment he or she needs through a government agency, the process usually involves navigating complex paperwork and being placed on a long waiting list. An accident can cause a person to become disabled in a very short period of time. A person who needs special equipment to function shouldnt have to wait six months to get it, said Brand. While the organization was founded to help those at the lowest income levels, FODAC does not require proof of income from its clients. Because of its huge inventory of equipment, FODAC usually helps almost immediately. We can take parts from one piece of equipment to modify another until we have what the person needs. Nothing goes to waste. Through recycling everything from parts to batteries to upholstery we keep some 185 tons of waste out of DeKalb Countys landfills, Brand said. Started 25 years ago by Stone Mountain resident Ed Butchart, who operated the charity out of his own home, FODAC has become the largest organization of its type in
See FODAC on Page 9A
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A nation is formed by the willingness of each of us to share in the responsibility for upholding the common good, a quote from one of my heroes, the late Barbara Jordan. She was the first African American from the South to be elected to Congress and she was quite the orator. Her liquidity with the spoken word came to national prominence in the 70s during the impeachment hearings for President Richard Nixon. Jordan, a lawyer by training, chaired the powerful Judiciary Committee that was hearing the evidence. Her quote is profound. A community, county, state and or nation is successful by each one of us sharing in the responsibility for the common good. That means
Steen Miles, The Newslady, is a retired journalist and former Georgia state senator. Contact Steen Milies at Steen@dekalbchamp.com.
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Ya got trouble, folks. Right here in River City. Trouble with a capital T, and that rhymes with P and that stands for pool! Professor Harold Hill, Meredith Wilsons The Music Man, warning the citizenry of River City, Iowa of the evil coming to their community in the form of billiards transforming into a pool hall. In an item currently scheduled for the July 31 General Primary ballot, metro Atlanta voters in 10 counties will either give thumbs up or down to the $6.1-billion T-SPLOST to be funded with a five-year, one-cent increase in local sales tax. This Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax will fund a long list of projects across the region, with local revenues raised and spent in the transportation regions from whence they came. Georgia has not engaged in significant statewide transportation corridor improvements and investment almost since our Olympic era. Despite our more
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Opinion
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By November, a third of the American people will believe that Barack Obama kidnapped the Lindbergh baby and Michelle drove the getaway car.
difference is that Santorum seems to mean all the crazy things he says. (Say what you will about Mitt, you can't accuse him of sincerity.) Santorum is really, really against abortion and same-sex marriage and authentically for guns and torture. That plays better in Iowa than it does in some other places. Should Santorum's candidacy fail to find purchase in the rest of the nation, the Republicans still have Ron Paul available as an ABM weapon. He escaped Iowa with about a fifth of the vote, much of it coming, surprisingly, from young people. I suppose I shouldn't be that surprised. Paul is another manifestation of the zeitgeist that has produced both the tea party and the Occupy Wall Street movements. Its adherents are fed up with the current system and want to tear it down and start over. Paul, a libertarian, is as liberal as he is conservative. He wants to get out of Afghanistan, legalize drugs, and let people marry whomever they wish, regardless of their gender. He's also against taxes, Wall Street bailouts, and national health care. He's probably against traffic lights too. Nobody's asked him yet. He's not a rocket, though. He's an open-cockpit biplane with a propeller that's not built for the long campaign. Who's left then? Well, I suppose it's Newt Gingrich. He's been left for dead twice already in this campaign but, like Richard Nixon and Count Dracula, he keeps coming back. Who's to say he can't do it again? Surely there's no one on the planet who hates Mitt Romney more. Newt can be relied on to do everything in his power to see to it that Romney isn't the next president of the United States. If the Republican primaries are this mean this early, it bodes ill for the civility we can expect in the general election in the fall. I confidently expect that by November, a third of the American people will believe that Barack Obama kidnapped the Lindbergh baby and Michelle drove the getaway car. It's called democracy, baby. On with the show. OtherWords columnist Donald Kaul lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan. otherwords.org
Yet another Republican ABM (Anybody But Mitt) candidate has experienced failure to launch. The Newt Gingrich rocket that seemed oh-so-formidable just a few weeks ago didn't survive an avalanche of negative ads financed by stealth Mitt Romney money in Iowa. It crashed and burned on takeoff. Romney rolled to victory by a whopping eight-vote margin over surprise, surprise! Rick Santorum, yet another new candidate fresh out of the ABM design studio. Romney, whose support (as George Will observed) "has fluctuated wildly between 23 and 26 percent," got just under 25 percent of the vote. The circus has moved on. New Hampshire, which was all but irrelevant this year, was only a pit stop on the way to South Carolina, home to the nation's most vicious domestic politics. Romney may think he's campaigned before, but he ain't seen nothing yet. The Palmetto state will greet him with charges of keeping illegal immigrants in his basement and his illegitimate children in the attic. It may allege that he once drove to Maine with his wife strapped to the roof of the car, if it hasn't done that already. (I've said before that the Iowa caucuses are a fraud. Let me take that back. Any process that can rid us of Michele Bachmann as a presidential candidate can't be all bad.) Whether Santorum can cut it as a Romney alternative is questionable, however. He virtually won in Iowa largely because he all but lived in the state for a year. It's said that he not only shook hands with every potential Republican caucus-goer, he did their laundry and ran errands for them. Conventional wisdom says he lacks the money and organization for a national television campaign and that there are too many Republicans across the United States to depend on house calls to garner their votes. Santorum's policy differences with Romney are negligible. The only big
Local News
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Annie Johnson-Sinkeld likes working with seniors. Johnson-Sinkeld, who will be 80 years old in June, Lord willing, is a volunteer with the seniors group at her church, Poplar Springs Baptist Church in Ellenwood. She started the group with 10 members in 2002 when she retired from the DeKalb County Council on Aging, where she worked as an assistant director at a center on Candler Road, then as a center director. I would like to have my own senior group, Johnson-Sinkeld once stated as a goal. It did lead to that. Each week the seniors group meets for a Bible study with lunch and other activities such as walking, bingo and trips to a vegetable garden in Rutledge, and an apple orchard in Ellijay. We have made a lot of trips and celebrated a lot of birthdays, JohnsonSinkeld said. We do a lot of things. This has been a real good program for our church, JohnsonSinkeld said of the group which consists of approximately 30 seniors in their 70s and 80s. We have served a lot of people. Its about learning
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.
Local News
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NAACP celebration in Stone Mountain Clarkston refugee Five DeKalb County School System high assistance project
school marching bands will participate in the DeKalb NAACPs 10th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade and Peace Rally on Monday, Jan. 16, at 12:30 p.m. DeKalb County School Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Atkinson and Congressman Hank Johnson will serve as the grand marshals. The parade will begin in the MARTA parking lot on Fourth Street in downtown Stone Mountain. Scheduled to participate are bands from Cedar Grove High School, Clarkston High School, Martin Luther King, Jr. High School, McNair High School and Stone Mountain High School. A Peace Rally will be held immediately following the parade at the Champion Theme Middle School gymnasium at approximately 3:30 p.m.
Officials of the Lutheran Community of Metro Atlanta and the Clarkston Community Center announced that the two organizations are co-sponsoring various service projects to help ease local refugees transitions into the United States and improve the Clarkston community, where much of the areas refugee population resides. Hundreds of community members are expected to gather on Jan. 16, to honor the legacy of leadership left by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through service, cooperation and celebration. Projects in which volunteers can participate include packaging hygiene kits and family-sized bags of rice for newly arrived refugees, collecting pots and pans for refugee families apartments and an outdoor clean-up of the Clarkston community. The MLK Day of Service will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Clarkston Community Center, 3701 College Ave., Clarkston. After the service projects are completed, a community celebration will take place at 1 p.m. To register, visit http://mlklutherandayofservice-esearch.eventbrite. com/?srnk=2.
Local News
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A DeKalb County grand jury has called for an investigation into the actions of the DeKalb County School Board over the past year. Photo by Daniel Beauregard
Local News
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Meltons App & Tap, North Decatur Road has seen a large crowds since it reopened Dec. 30. Photo by Daniel Beauregard
Local News
public libraries receive operating funds from the government, but they dont realize that much of the funding also comes from private sources. Brazzells organization has found creative ways to raise money to enhance the libraries programs and services. But the funds cannot be used to pay library staff salaries. Engraved bricks and bench plaques showing names of contributors are two fund-raising avenues that the foundation uses. It started these programs last year at the Tucker library. Last August, the foundation held a ceremony to unveil 93 engraved bricks and one bench. This effort raised $7,500. The foundations biggest fund-raising event last year was A Mysterious Evening. Author Karin Slaughter and other authors appeared at the event, which raised $50,000 for the countys libraries. Brazzell said another A Mysterious Evening with a different group of authors is scheduled for March. Slaughter, who resides in the DeKalb section of Atlanta, has championed the cause of the countys library system. The crime mystery author appeared before the Georgia House of Representatives special legislative session last August to draw attention to the problem. A regular patron of the Decatur Library, Slaughter donates all of her proceeds from online sales of her new short story A Thorn in My Side to fund the libraries. Despite the challenges, Brazzell said she is optimistic about DeKalb libraries future. We have a lot of people who care and want to help, she said. She noted that county residents depend on its services. An increasing number
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ed June 18, 2011 to improve bus turn movement is proposed to become the permanent routing.
Parkway, Route 86 will continue Mall Parkway, Left-Stonecrest Trace, and Left-Mall Loop Road to bus shelter at Mall at Stonecrest which will be the new terminus for Route 86. The segment along Millwood Lane will be discontinued.
at Five Points Station after 7:30 pm on all service days. The segment from Five Points Station along Marietta Street, Jones Avenue, Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard, Spring Street, Pine Street and West Peachtree Street to Civic Center Station will be discontinued after 7:30 pm on all service days.
Route 32 Bouldercrest / Georgia closure of the Evans Mill Park and Ride lot is proAquarium: is proposed to terminate service
posed to become the permanent routing. From Covington Highway and Evans Mill Road, Route 115 will operate via Left-Evans Mill Road continue Main Street, Left-Max Cleland Boulevard and Right-Swift Street to Main Street which will become the new terminus for Route 115. The segment of Evans Mill Road south of Covington Route 86 Fairington Road / McAfee Highway, Mall Parkway and Millwood Lane will Road: The re-routing implemented December be discontinued. 17, 2011 due to the closure of the Evans Mill
QUALIFYINGFEENOTICE PursuanttoO.C.G.A.212131(a)(1)(A),thefollowingqualifyingfeesweresetby theDoravilleMayorandCouncilintheregularlyscheduledCouncilMeetingheldon November21,2011: CouncilSeatDistrict1$252.00 Qualifyingfortheofficeslistedabovewillbeginat8:30a.m.onJanuary23,2012and willendat4:30onJanuary25,2012.TheSpecialElectionwillbeheldonMarch6, 2012. MelissaMcCain,CityClerk CityofDoraville
Tuesday, Jan. 24
55 Trinity Avenue, Atlanta 30303
Thursday, Jan. 26
1300 Commerce Dr, Decatur, 30030
Copies of the proposed bus service modifications will also be available at MARTAs Office of External Affairs, 2424 Piedmont Road, N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30324 during regular business hours, MonFri 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For formats (FREE of charge) in accordance with the ADA and Limited English Proficiency regulations contact (404) 848-4037. For those patrons requiring further accommodations, information can be obtained by calling the Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 404 848-5665.
may: (1) leave a message at (404) 848-5299; (2) write to MARTAs Office of External Affairs, 2424 Piedmont Road, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30324-3330; (3) complete an online Comment Card at www.itsmarta.com; (4) or fax your comments no later than February 3, 2012 to (404) 848-4179.
All citizens of the City of Atlanta and the counties of Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton and Gwinnett whose interests are affected by the subjects to be considered at these hearings are hereby notified and invited to appear at said times and places and present such evidence, comment or objection as their In addition, a sign language interpreter will interests require. be available at all hearings. If you cannot attend the hearings and want to provide comments you Beverly A. Scott, Ph.D. General Manager/CEO
Local News
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Lithonias new mayor Deborah Jackson wants to lay the foundation so that we will have a strong, vibrant community. Photo by Andrew Cauthen
The number of citizens who are aware of whats going on and are expressing active interest and participating in whats going on has increased, Jackson said. Theres a new level of excitement in the community in terms of what people see as the possibilities for the community. Jackson said her goal as mayor is to lay the foundation so that we will have a strong, vibrant community. If you dont have a strong foundation, whatever other things you do will not be able to stand over time, Jackson said. Lithonia has some really good bones. We want to look at how we strengthen those bones and take [the city] to a new level of achievement. Jackson takes over a government that has had more than its share of resignations and terminations of government officials, and discord among elected officials. Its over, based on the people [who are] coming on the council, Jackson said of the citys internal turmoil. We have all said to one another that we have to work together. Its not about the mayor or the council, Jackson said. Its about the mayor and the council working together to get things done.
Lithonias new mayor said that of late, she has felt a real sense of excitement that I have not felt in the city in a long time. Over the years, the news about Lithonia has not always been positive, said Mayor Deborah Jackson, who was sworn into office Jan. 9 along with newly elected council members Darold Honore and Shameka Reynolds However, Lithonians know that they have a tremendous and rich history that has not always been talked about, Jackson said. We in Lithonia are working to reclaim our place in the county and state as a place, where there is a strong sense of community, where people take the time to help one another, and we welcome those who are willing to work with us. Jackson invited residents to join the journey to create a new Lithonia that is better than it was when it was its former best. We can create the Lithonia that we know it can be, she said. In other business, council member Pat Miller was chosen by the board as the mayor pro tempore. The council passed a resolution requiring all city checks to be signed by both the mayor and mayor pro tempore. It also passed a resolution committing to adopting an ethics ordinance in the future.
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The whole issue is the result of personal agenda to keep little pieces of power, Gannon said. If the agenda here is what best for this county, we would be looking at a highly qualified person, Gannon said. We are not the administration. If we want that power, run for the office. I understand theres an election this year. May said it is Ellis who has really gotten very political. By law, the board has to approve all appointments by the CEO and he did not have the votes necessary to
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approve that personand we told the CEO, May said. We didnt want to have this public confrontation. This has nothing to do with Gary Cornell the person, May said. The guy has good credentials. Its not about whether hes qualified or not. But, especially in this economy, there are a lot of people with those same credentials that could do the job. May said Ellis is forcefeeding someone into [the position]. Thats unacceptable. Im not going to take it anymore. Hes done it too often.
DeKalb County Wants to Hear From You Regarding the Proposed Franchise Agreement Renewal with Comcast Cable Communications
Send your comments and/or concerns regarding Comcasts current performance under the current franchise agreement and/or the future cable-related needs and interests of your community to www.dekalbcountyga.gov.
FRIDAY
Sunny High: 45 Low: 25
SATURDAY
Sunny High: 50 Low: 29
SUNDAY
Mostly Sunny High: 51 Low: 32
MONDAY
Mostly Sunny High: 55 Low: 31
TUESDAY
Partly Cloudy High: 52 Low: 34 Last 1/16
Tonight's Planets
Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Rise Set 6:44 a.m. 4:34 p.m. 9:49 a.m. 8:40 p.m. 10:27 p.m.11:07 a.m. 12:36 p.m. 1:41 a.m. 1:24 a.m. 12:41 p.m. 11:14 a.m.11:16 p.m.
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Health
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Decatur outdoorsman quickly returns to an active life after innovative hip surgery
Hiking enthusiast Bob Germon, 56, had been putting off hip replacement surgery for years before coming to the conclusion that if he wanted to continue to live an active life, he would have to do more than take pain pills every day or hope some new treatment would come along that would help him avoid surgery. I was in denial. I thought I was too young for surgery and could just deal with the pain and maybe get the surgery much later in life, said Germon, a chemist and outdoorsman from Decatur, who would regularly bike, backpack and hike with his wife and children, I thought if I went in for surgery now, I would have a long recovery and I just wouldnt be the same. But a hiking trip to North Carolina with his family in 2009 led him to change his mind about considering surgery. The pain had become unbearable, and hikingsomething he spent his who life doingbecame a hardship. I was there with my family and I couldnt make it up the mountain because of the pain. My denial was making my family miserable, Germon said. It was at that moment I knew I had to have hip replacement surgery and face the fact that I would be out of commission for however long it took to get better. Germon wasnt out of commission very long because he went to Thomas Bradbury, an orthopedic surgeon at Emory University who has been specially trained in a hip replacement procedure called the anterior approach that is less invasive than traditional hip surgery. This procedure helped Germon get back on his feet sooner with less pain and fewer restrictions than patients experience with traditional hip replacement surgery. With anterior approach, the hip is still being replaced, but we do it with much less disruption and damage to the surrounding muscle and tissue, explained Bradbury, who now performs more anterior approach procedures than traditional hip replacement surgeries. Many candidates for hip replacement surgery come in expecting a long and sometimes painful recovery, and they are quite relieved to learn that we have a way that can get them back on their feet to their normal everyday activities much sooner than they think. Germon had the procedure in May 2010 and joined the growing ranks of baby boomers who are turning to hip replacement earlier in life. Innovations in hip implants and surgical techniques are allowing them to return to doing the things they love without the pain and limited mobility they may have experienced for years with little relief. This year, more than 193,000 patients will have some form of hip replacement surgery, according to the Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, and it is projected that more than half of those will be younger than 65. The same day as his surgery, Germon was walking down the hospital corridorfirst with a walker, then with crutches. Two days later, he was home still using crutches. Two weeks later he was walking on his own with little or no pain. Germon was diligent about his rehabilitation and within several weeks said he was feeling like my old self. Soon after, he was back on the hiking trails with his family. About a year after the surgery on his right hip, Germon began experiencing what he described as a nagging, yet familiar pain in his left hip. This time, his reaction to the idea of hip replacement surgery was different. Dr. Bradbury had told me I would need surgery on the other hip eventually, but I didnt hesitate this time, especially since I had such a positive experience with the anterior approach. This time I hit the gym before surgery, lost a few pounds and strengthened by leg so that I might have an even better recovery, said Germon, who had the second surgery in May of 2011. Again, the surgery was a success and Germon was walking without assistance within one week. He finished rehabilitation within three weeks and went right back to work and his normal routine.
Soon after his anterior hip replacement surgery, Bob Germon was back on the hiking trails. Photo provided
Local News
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Education
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Dunwoody High graduates Polina Milter and Taylor Goode started The Push Back Project, a support group for victims of bullying. Photo by Daniel Beauregard
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EDUCATION BRIEFS
Poet Collins to give free reading at Emory
Former U. S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins will give a free reading at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 29, at Glenn Memorial Auditorium on the Emory University campus. Collins poetry mixes humor with insightful observations into everyday life, and he is sometimes compared to Robert Frost, who combined broad popular appeal and high critical acclaim. A well-known regular guest on National Public Radio programs, Collins is often referred to as the most popular poet in America and is expected to draw a capacity crowd to campus. Although admission is free and open to the public, tickets are required (limited to two per person) and may be obtained through the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts box office at (404) 727-5050 or http:// bit.ly/billycollins-tickets. A limited number of tickets also are available at four local independent bookstores: A Cappella Books, Charis Books & More, Eagle Eye Book Shop and Little Shop of Stories.
Bullying
Continued From Page 16A
Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson talks with Greta Mason, left, the mother of a band member at Southwest DeKalb High School. Photo by Daniel Beauregard
tive, she wanted to be proactive and not inhibit anyone from going forward in band, but to ensure proper procedures and protocol are in place. Walker said Atkinson assured those they met with that if any student encountered difficulty in obtaining a scholarship she would personally intervene. We have a meeting with the principals and band directors scheduled for [Jan.10]. and at the conclusion of that, after weve had time to have internal conversation and dialogue, we will then move out to schools, Atkinson said. School spokesman Walter Woods said each band was being evaluated on a case-by-case basis and the system appreciates the support it receives from booster and parents. This is not about studentsthis is about adults and making sure they are following the policies that have been put in place to ensure that band is positive and safe, Woods said.
school and the community level, it cant stop at the schoolhouse door, Woods said. Although Milter and Goode are still working out details of their project, theyve already found a sponsor and are working toward establishing The Pushback Project as a 501-(c)-3 non-profit organization. Gyro Gyro, a business in Dunwoody, has agreed to sponsor them and host a support group for bullying victims twice a month. Additionally, the organization is currently raising money by selling T-shirts designed by local artist Max Williams. Milter and Goode plan to develop The Pushback Project into a network throughout schools within the county system. We want to talk to principals, teachers and stuff like that, Milter said. We want to go from classroom to classroom so people can talk to us, we can answer questions and they can tell us their stories. Both Goode and Milter said without the help of schools, parents and faculty, bullying will continue to be an ongoing problem. Additionally, they said it was important for The Pushback Project representitives to speak with members of the PTA because sometimes the teachers cant see bullying but the parents can. I want to let people know that they can fight bullying, and I know that if I had someone else other than my parents in my corner it would have made a huge difference, Goode said. Milter and Goode both said it is important for a victim of bullying to know there is always someone who can help or who, in most cases, is going through something similar. People can be there for each other. If they dont feel comfortable contacting someone they know then they can contact us, Milter said.
Business
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Just the right typeDixon offers wide variety of outsourced admin services
by Kathy Mitchell kathy@dekalbchamp.com In the mid-1990s, Audrey Dixon had a successful career as a legal secretary. With the birth of her second child, however, she decided it was time to do what she said is in her bloodoperate her own business. Describing herself as a second generation entrepreneur and business owner, Dixon said that her parents owned and operated a business in her native Jamaica. With an administrative secretarial degree from Alpha Business College, and many years experience working at Atlanta-area law firms, Dixon took over an existing Tucker business. Her current Stone Mountain-Lithonia-areabased business, Exceptional Transcription Solutions, specializes in transcription and business solution services. With todays personal computers, people can type their own business letters, speeches and so forth, but usually they would rather not. Their time is better spent focusing on other aspects of their business. It makes sense to outsource that type of work to us, Dixon said. Noting that her client list includes small and large business owners, students at all academic levels, authors and those in the legal and medical fields, she said she is able to enhance productivity by assisting them with quality services on a very timely basis. Dixon, who notes that she now has more than 20 years of professional experience, said that her business is more than a transcription service and offers all the services normally available from an administrative assistant. We can take a recorded speech and turn it into an article or an e-book. We can take a collection of business cards and make it into a data basewhatever you need, she said, adding that she wants clients to see her business as an alternative to a temp service. We dont send bodies out; we take work in. Dixon said she has approximately 20 clients who use her services on a regular basis and many others who need her services only officially. For example, she said. We have a resume service that a client may use and not need again until hes looking for a job again years later. Among the features that make her business stand out, Dixon lists use of the latest digital technologies for transcription and transferring audio digital files, her skill in English grammar and punctuation, attention to detail in terms of simultaneous sound interpretation while typing/ keyboarding and expertise with transcriptions from a variety of communities with different levels of education and variations in jargon Indepth knowledge of medical or research terminology. Dixon started her business in a small retail area and from there became a virtual business operating from her home by computer and phone. Now, she said, she has come full circle and with the opening this month of an office on Highway 78 she is available to clients in person or by internet. I have many clients Ive Audrey Dixon said that her business has come full circle with the never met in person. We opening this month of an office on Highway 78she is now availinteract by e-mail or over able to clients in person or by internet. Photo provided the phone, she said. But if people prefer to do business accounting and tax services. face-to-face, I can make that worlds. Dixon said that in Together, we create a oneavailable to them as well. her new office she has a stop shop, she said. We offer the best of both partner who specializes in
In celebration of the conversion last month of 27 Flagstar banks to PNC Bank, Rick Lewis, left, retail banking market manager for greater Atlanta, and Eddie Meyers, regional president for Georgia, joined PNC employees for the sign unveiling at the North Druid Hills Road location. The Flagstar staff continues working at the branch under its new PNC Bank name.
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AROUND DEKALB
CHAMBLEE
Chinese New Year event announced
A Chinese New Year celebration will be held at the Chamblee Library on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2-3 p.m. The celebration will include drumming, dancing, music from traditional Chinese instruments, trivia and games. The Chamblee Library is located at 4115 Clairmont Road, Chamblee. For more information, call (770) 9361380.
CLARKSTON
Photography class offered at library
A DSLR Photography Basics class is scheduled at the Clarkston Library on Jan. 24, 6:30-7:30 p.m. The class is open to people 18 years and older. Participants will be taught how to take better pictures with their digital, single-lens reex cameras. The class is for beginners and covers basics such as F-stops, shutter speeds and composing pictures. Owners of point-and-shoot digital cameras also are invited to attend. For more information, contact the library at (404) 508-7175. The library is located at 951 North Indian Creek Drive in Clarkston.
The City of Decatur Active Living Department is partnering with Kroger to offer free Supermarket Tours led by nutrition graduate students from Georgia State University. The nutritionists will take participants on a tour of the Decatur Kroger using a hands-on approach to label reading, healthy meal planning and avoiding marketing traps. Cruise through fresh, frozen and canned food aisles to learn about healthy shopping and eating. Have nutrition questions answered and learn how to eat healthy. The one-hour tours will be held on the second Saturday of each month beginning Jan. 14, 10 a.m. at the Kroger in downtown Decatur at 720 Commerce Drive. The tours are free, but registration is required as tours are limited to six participants. Register by e-mailing cheryl.burnette@decaturga. com or call (678) 553-6541. Be sure to specify a preferred date and time.
The classes will be held through Feb. 9, each Thursday from 8:30 to 9 a.m., at the Forest Fleming Arena Gymnasium located at 3037 Pleasant Valley Drive in Doraville. Tai Ji is a form of low-impact Chinese martial arts and Qi Gong is a Chinese exercise that focuses on breathing. Both exercises offer health benets including improved exibility, reduced blood pressure, expanded lung capacity, better balance, stress reduction and an overall sense of well-being. The price is $30 due at the rst class or $5 per class. Checks may be made payable to the City of Doraville Recreation Department. For more information residents are encouraged to contact Mariam Holland at (404)-317-2958.
STONE MOUNTAIN
ART Station announces new program
The ART Station Contemporary Arts Center in Stone Mountain Village recently announced a new art program, Wednesday Morning Art Party. The rst Wednesday Morning Art Party will be held Jan. 25 at 10 a.m. at the ART Station Contemporary Art Center at 5384 Manor Drive in Stone Mountain Village. The morning begins with morning drinks, coffee and coffee cake and includes a meet the artist tour of the ART Station galleries. Participants then move to the three Arts Incubator galleries and studios for demonstrations by the artists and gallery talks. The morning ends with a lunch at the newest arts incubator site, Kalonjis Caf and Bakery on Main Street. Participation in the event is by reservation only and requires a $29 fee per person. The fee includes morning drinks, four gallery tours, three artist demonstrations and lunch.
TUCKER
Afghanistan exhibit featured at library
An exhibit featuring the culture of Afghanistan opens Jan. 17 at the Reid H. Cofer Library in Tucker. An opening reception and lecture will be 6-8 p.m., and the exhibit will be shown through March 17. The exhibit will feature photography and a display of traditional clothing in an effort to increase awareness of the rich history and cultural heritage of the Hazara people from Afghanistan, who now live throughout the world. The exhibit and lecture will be presented by Mohammad Rezaee, who ed the Taliban regime in 1995. He will talk about what it was like growing up in the region under the Taliban, and the current conditions of the Hazara people in Afghanistan. The library is at 5234 Lavista Road in Tucker. Call (770) 270-8234 for more information.
DECATUR
DORAVILLE
Sports
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ueen Alford learned how to be a team player long before she began playing basketball at Decatur High School. As the middle child in a household of 10 children, Alford learned the value of hard work from her mother Angelia Reeves, a single mother with children ranging in age from 8 to 21 years. Eight of the siblings are still in the home, Alford said. My motivation comes from my mom, Alford said. She motivates me to get an education. Shes gone through something I dont want to go through. Shes a very strong lady. Alfords hard work in the classroom and on the basketball court has earned her an athletic scholarship to Jacksonville University in Florida. She also was recruited by Georgia State, East Tennessee State and Southern Mississippi. Alford has been a starter on the varsity since her freshman season and has evolved into the heart and
soul of the Bulldogs. She averages 22 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals per game. Having a lot of siblings has its benefits, said second-year Decatur coach Bill Roberts. They all work hard in the classroom and in practice. Being one of a crowd, you learn to be part of a team early on. Two of Alfords siblings also have played basketball at Decatur. An older sister, Jabreal Alford, is now at Andrews Junior College and younger sister Jahmee Reeves is a freshman on the Decatur basketball team. Inspired by her mother, Alford has become more of a vocal leader on the court this season. Last year she put the team on her back, Roberts said. This year we have a little more depth and everybody knows the system now. She plays hard but shes more relaxed. She can do more to lead both verbally and through her actions. The Bulldogs last season met Roberts team goals of winning 20 games and qualifying for the Class AA state tournament. The Bulldogs finished 21-9 and lost in the first
round to Rabun County. Decatur has started 14-3 this season and stands 2-1 in Region 6-AA. Alford references a practice last summer with her AAU team that triggered her to become more verbal on the basketball court. Her coach imparted the following advice: A quiet gym is a losers gym. She carried that mantra over to her high school team. In practice it was so quiet, Alford said. I cant stand that so I started talking. I am outgoing in general. Theres a place and time when I need to step in. I usually lead from behind but Im talking a lot more this season. This past year Im a lot more verbal, she said. I had to come out of my shell and be a more verbal leader. I need that energy on the court. Both Roberts and Alford agree that the Bulldogs are benefiting from better team chemistry this season. Jordan Dillard is consistently scoring in double figures along with Alford, and other players are stepping up as well. Everybody is playing their roles
and weve developed chemistry, Roberts said. Shes surrounded by more talented players than in the past. Alford admits it has been more fun so far this season. We have a lot of people who are more dedicated than in the past, Alford said. Everybody wants to be here and wants to be successful. Ive always wanted to play with people without drama and thats whats happening this season. In addition to playing in a region that boasts some of the top-ranked teams in the state, Roberts has filled Decaturs schedule with teams in higher classifications. The Bulldogs have responded with marquee wins over AAA Woodward Academy and AAAAA Collins Hill. Despite the team and personal success, Alford keeps her mothers motivation close by. Ive always been an athletic person and a hard worker, Alford said. Ive got a long way to go. Im a perfectionist so if I see anything I need to improve on, I fix it. I want to be stronger, faster, quicker and shoot better.
Sports
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GIRLS BASKETBALL
Decatur: The Bulldogs improved to 14-3 overall but lost in Region 6-AA for the first time. Queen Alford scored 21 points and Briana Elmore chipped in with 12 in a 90-17 win over Cross Keys on Jan. 3. Alford led with 22 points in a 4541 loss to Buford on Jan. 6. The Bulldogs also beat McNair 67-6 on Jan. 7. Marist: Ashlyn Johns and Erica Fontaine each scored 10 points as the War Eagles (8-2, 4-1 in Region 6-AAAA) defeated Southwest DeKalb 48-45. Kelsey Carrier and Briana Bell each added nine points as the War Eagles remain one game behind first-place Chamblee in 6-AAAA, Subregion A. The War Eagles also beat Rome 6259 on Jan. 3. Southwest DeKalb: Nicole Martin had 17 points and six rebounds as the Panthers lost to Marist 48-45. Jasmine Coleman added 14 points and six rebounds as the Panthers (7-6, 5-1 Region 6-AAAA) remained atop Subregion B. St. Pius: After finishing second in the St. Pius Christmas Classic, the Golden Eagles went 1-1 in games played Jan. 3-6. Freshman Asia Durr scored 15 points in a 44-34 loss Jan. 3 to Wesleyan, ranked No. 1 in Class A. The Golden Eagles rebounded Jan. 6 with a 51-43 win over Riverwood. Durr scored 20 points and Emma Ucinski added eight for the Golden Eagles (11-2, 3-0 in Region 5-AAA), who faced North Atlanta on Jan. 10.
Miller Grove is using a losing streak against national powers as a learning experience and preparation for the state playoffs. Photo by Travis Hudgons
Grove basketball website. We have to develop a better sense of urgency, even in tough times. We didnt have that sense of urgency. Every game we played [at City of Palms] we were down by at least 10 points in the first half. We were constantly fighting to get back into games. Im not saying we didnt have the ability to play with these teams but we werent there mentally. We were
always on a constant uphill battle to get back into the games. The games against national competition should help the Wolverines once competition within the region resumes. Miller Grove, which has won three straight Class AAAA state titles, is 41-3 in region games during that span. Honestly, we saw some of the best competition well see all
year in one setting. Thats why we dont mind playing in these national games. It really does give us preparation for the challenges we have here in Georgia, White said. I definitely believe it has served its purpose in that regard. I want to believe we learned a lot from it. We can take these games as a learning tool going forward, especially going into the state playoffs.
Sports
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The Champion chooses a male and female high school Athlete of the Week each week throughout the school year. The choices are based on performance and nominations by coaches. Please e-mail nominations to robert@dekalbchamp.com by Monday at noon. MALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Jhaustin Thomas, Columbia (basketball): Thomas had four straight double-doubles to help the Eagles win the inaugural Converse Invitational during the winter holiday break. Thomas had 56 points and 40 rebounds, including 18 points and 10 rebounds in a 47-37 win over Eagles Landing in the championship game.
Marist defeated Southwest DeKalb for the Area 6-AAAA duals wrestling championship. Photos courtesy of Sharon Andres.
FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Asia Durr, St. Pius (basketball): The freshman had 35 points in two games as the Golden Lions went 1-1 last week. Durr had 20 points 51-43 win over Riverwood and 15 in a 44-34 loss to Wesleyan, ranked No. 1 in Class A.
Each week The Champion spotlights former high school players from the county who are succeeding in athletics on the college level. Mfon Udoa, Georgia Tech (basketball): The junior guard from Miller Grove posted his second-highest total of the season with 19 points in an 81-74 loss to Duke on Jan. 7. Udofia is averaging 10.8 points per game and leads the team with 37 assists. seasons, avenging a loss to Southwest in last years championship. Coach Riddick Beebe has six freshmen in the starting lineup, and it has been a mix of youth and experience that has propelled the War Eagles this season. It was definitely a team effort, Beebe said. We needed everybody to wrestle well and wrestle smart, and more importantly they did what we wanted them to do on the mat. Beebe said he expects Matt Andres at 138 pounds to be tough to beat in the state meet. Other top wrestlers include freshman Kenneth Brinson at 195 pounds and Steven Wallace, who leads the team in pins. We have a big focus on team sports here and when we ask the kids what their goals are they always say they want to go to Macon, Beebe said. Nobody likes to come in the day after Christmas to work out, but you like to go to Macon. All four teams will begin the double-elimination state tournament on Jan. 13, with 16 teams participating in each class. In Class AAAAA, Stephenson faces Benedictine in the first round. In AAAA, Marist faces Cass and Southwest DeKalb takes on Forest Park. In AAA, McNair faces Glenn Hills. Alondra Rivers, Tuskegee University (basketball): The sophomore from Southwest DeKalb has scored in double figures twice in the past three games. She had 17 in a 64-58 win over Miles College on Jan. 2 and 10 in a loss to LeMoyneOwen on Jan 5. Charlton Benjamin, William Penn (wrestling): The freshman from Miller Grove posted a 4-2 record with three pins to finish sixth in the 149-pound division at the William Penn Open in Iowa. He became the 11th member of the team to qualify for the NAIA national this season.
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I just want to
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