the DeKalb FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2019 • VOL.

24, NO 21 • FREE

Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunwoody, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Stone Mountain, Stonecrest and Tucker • A PUBLICATION OF ACE III COMMUNICATIONS

BY TAYLOR ROBINS
Taylor@dekalbchamp.com

A
lthough it’s July, it’s not too early
to plan for the upcoming 2019-
2020 school year as DeKalb
County School District (DCSD)
heads back to school Aug. 6 and City
Schools of Decatur starts its new school year
Aug. 1.
Several organizations are holding back-
to-school events in the county to celebrate
the new school year; some events will
provide free school supplies including those
sponsored by DCSD, Mercy Care and The
Beverly Cunningham Outreach Program
(BCOP).
DCSD─1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd.
in Stone Mountain─will hold a rally July 27
from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Mercy Care─5134 Peachtree Road
in Chamblee─will help families prepare
for the new school year with free vision,
hearing and dental screenings for students.
Blood pressure and glucose screenings also
will be provided for adults. The event will
take place July 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Backpacks with school supplies will be
given on a first-come, first-served basis.
Activities such as free back-to-school
photos, refreshments, entertainment,
cooking classes and STEM activities will
also be offered.
BCOP─3251 Panthersville Road in
Decatur─will hold its seventh annual Back
to School Bash Giveaway at Georgia State
University Aug. 3 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The event will have free food, activities for
students, financial literacy training, health
screenings, free HIV testing and free school
supplies for elementary, middle and high
school students.
Creative Art Connections─2050
Lawrenceville Highway in Decatur─ along
with The True Health Institute will hold
its first event July 21 from noon to 4 p.m.
The organization will provide free school
supplies and school physicals.

SEE SCHOOL ON PAGE 8

Visit www.TheChampionNewspaper.com for local, real DeKalb County news.

LOCAL DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2019 • Page 2
CLARKSTON COUNTYWIDE
Tuff continues heroism with nonprofit
BY TAYLOR ROBINS
Taylor@dekalbchamp.com
Almost six years ago,
Antoinette Tuff stopped an
active school shooter at Ronald
E. McNair Discovery Learning
Academy. Now, she is
continuing to help youth with
her nonprofit and mentoring
organization, Kids on the
Move.
“I want to get the word
out that no matter what you’re
going through in your life
Clarkston encouraging residents we’re all ordinary people that
become extraordinary,” Tuff
to complete census form said.
Kids on the Move will
hold volunteer training on
BY CARLA PARKER July 9 and 29 at 5:30 p.m. The
event will take place at Wesley
carla@dekalbchamp.com
Chapel Branch Library─2861
The United States Census Bureau will send invitations Wesley Chapel Road in
to households by April 2020 to participate in the census, Decatur.
and Clarkston officials are encouraging residents to fill out Volunteers will be taught
the form. to help elementary, middle
During Clarkston City Council’s June 25 special called and high school students
meeting and work session, City Manager Robin Gomez who could have academic
reminded residents that April 1, 2020 is Census Day and or behavior challenges
encouraged residents to help city officials spread the word with science, technology,
about the upcoming census. engineering, arts and math
“We encourage everyone to fill out the form again,” subjects. Volunteers would
Gomez said. “You’ll have the opportunity for paper-based also help students with reading
or electronic-based to complete your census.” and provide emotional support
The 2020 Census counts every person living in the year-round.
United States and five U.S. territories. This census is Kids on the Move is
conducted every 10 years by the U.S. Census Bureau, a located in Georgia and Texas;
nonpartisan government agency. The results determine however, once a student is
congressional representation as well as federal funding for in the program, the program
states and communities. will follow the student if the
Every year, more than $675 billion from federal funding student moves.
is allocated to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads Tuff’s organization
and other infrastructure, according to the Census Bureau. formed after Aug. 20, 2013,
Gomez said the city is in the process of communicating when Michael Hill entered
with individuals and organizations who want to assist in the DeKalb County School
advocating and supporting the 2020 census efforts. District school, taking Hill
“We’ve received about a dozen [who] have responded,” hostage.
he said. “It was an overwhelming
Clarkston adopted a resolution April 2 formally
declaring an intent to partner with and support the efforts of
the U.S. 2020 Census to include the creation of a complete
count committee to ensure all Clarkston residents are
counted.
The city will hold its first kick-off meeting for the THIS
complete count committee July 22 at 6 p.m. at Clarkston
Women’s Club.
“This is to have representation from everyone so that
COULD
we can continue to spread the word on the importance of
filling out your census so that everyone can be counted,” BE
Gomez said. “[The census] will eventually lead to
distribution of governmental funds apportionment, and
years’ worth of data that just about every government,
YOUR AD!
school and business utilizes every other year after the
census.” Call 404.373.7779 Ext 110
The city will provide an update on the city and
community’s efforts on the 2020 census at all future city
for more information.
council work sessions and meetings until June 2020.
to pursue her nonprofit
organization and public
speaking career. Tuff now
teaches compassion through
“Tuff Tactics.”
With Tuff Tactics, Tuff
teaches people to have
compassion, confidence and
control in someone else’s life.
Tuff said she used her tactics
when Hill took her hostage.
According to Tuff,
noticing that someone is “out
of character” and asking if that
person is OK can change their
Antoinette Tuff. Photo provided by
Antoinette Tuff. life.
After leaving DCSD, Tuff
wrote the book “Prepared for
experience and it’s something
I never hope to ever experienc
again,” Tuff said. “I was
Purpose” and the television
channel Lifetime made a
fearful, but, at the same time I movie, “Faith under Fire”
based off Tuff’s life and
was looking at the young man
experience with Hill. In 2018,
that was 20 years old facing a
the movie was number one
trauma.”
among the channel’s rating,
Tuff said she hoped to stop
receiving eight million
Hill with techniques she later
views. Tuff’s book is also a
branded “Tuff Tactics”
best seller. Tuff, through her
At the time when Hill
organization has been able
took hostages, Tuff was going
to give 40 scholarships to
through a mental battle of her
students.
own. She told The Champion
“This is important to me
she had attempted suicide days
because I see the needs of our
before the incident.
kids and some of them are
Tuff deescalated the
crying out for help. With the
situation by talking to Hill.
Sandy Hook school shooting
“Would his life had
the cry was loud but no one
been different if he had had
heard it,” Tuff said. “It’s
a mentoring program and
important for me to give my
literacy program where
students a voice to be heard
someone came to impact him
but I also know that safety is
when he felt like he was in
important whether they’re at
trauma? Most definitely,” Tuff
school or in their communities.
said.
For my platform I decided
Tuff then knew her new
to give the kids an actual
purpose was to give children
platform to have their voices
educational opportunities
heard. It’s important to me that
and support safer schools
I don’t have another gunman
throughout the United States.
going into a school or a
Tuff quit her job with DCSD
workplace.”
the same day of the incident
CITY OF STONE MOUNTAIN
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
The City of Stone Mountain hereby gives notice
that a Public Hearing will be held to receive public
comment on a Variance Application for 5368 East
Mountain Street, Stone Mountain, GA 30083,
Parcel #18 089 27 007. Variance is requested for
deviation from the parking requirements and the
district regulations for Village Center Mixed-Use
(VCM).
The Mayor and City Council will hold a Public
Hearing on this matter on Tuesday, July 16, 2019
at City Hall located at 875 Main Street, Stone
Mountain, GA at 6:30 P.M. Anyone wishing to
attend the public hearing may do so and be heard
relative thereto.
LOCAL DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2019 • Page 3

DORAVILLE
Police chief appointed state
insurance commissioner
BY TAYLOR ROBINS
Taylor@dekalbchamp.com
After the suspension
of Georgia Insurance
Commissioner Jim Beck
in May, Gov. Brian Kemp
appointed Doraville’s
Police Chief John King to
temporarily fill the position.
King was appointed to
the position after Beck was
indicted on 38 counts of
fraud and money laundering.
He allegedly attempted
to steal $2 million from
insurance companies before
his election.
Beck was asked by
Kemp to resign, however;
Beck opted to suspend
himself while his case is
tried. The state will continue
to pay Beck’s $120,000
salary, along with King’s
salary.
King takes the position
as the first Hispanic
insurance commissioner
and statewide constitutional
officer, but has no prior
experience in the insurance
industry.
“We have to have a
person with very high
integrity in the current
situation that we’re in,”
Kemp said during a press
conference June 12. “We
need someone who can lead
a large organization, that’s
very organized and can
restore trust. I think John
King has an impeccable
record.”
King became police
chief of Doraville in 2002
and began his public safety
career with the Atlanta
Police Department in 1985.
John King has been appointed as
Georgia’s insurance commissioner.
Doraville Police website.
King also serves as a
brigadier general in the U.S.
Army National Guard.
According to the
Doraville Police website,
King earned his bachelor
of arts degree in criminal
justice and public
administration from Brenau
University and a master’s
degree in strategic studies
from the U.S. Army War
College. King is a graduate
of the FBI National
Academy in Quantico,
Va. and a graduate of the
Georgia International Law
Enforcement Exchange
program with Israel.
King will be sworn
in after he returns from
teaching hurricane
preparedness in Texas,
according to Kemp.
According to Doraville
Police, King’s final day with
Doraville was June 30. King
was sworn in by the state
July 1 for his new position.
Charles Atkinson has been
named interim police chief
for Doraville.
BROOKHAVEN
Telsa performs 'well'
BY TAYLOR ROBINS
Taylor@dekalbchamp.com
Brookhaven tested its
recently purchased all-
electric Telsa June 25 to
measure viability.
The car was tested at
the Georgia Public Safety
Training Center (GPSTC) in
Forsyth, with Brookhaven
and GPSTC officials
present. The vehicle was
tested on two performance Police Chief Gary Yandura, GPSTC Executive Director Chris Wigginton, and Brookhaven
tracks, one designed for Mayor John Ernst were present as Brookhaven’s first electric police car was tested
June 25. Photos provided by the city of Brookhaven.
high-speed emergency
response and the other for
urban emergency response.
According to Brookhaven
officials, the vehicle
performed “well.”
The test was to
determine overall viability
for the possibility of an all-
electric police fleet.
“We are always looking
for ways to reduce our
impact on the environment
and conserve resources for
future generations,” said
Brookhaven Mayor John
Ernst.
The city also installed
electric car charging stations
at its city hall in May,
Brookhaven’s electric police car shown at night displaying its blue light package.
as well as Skyland and
Blackburn parks as part of
Sustainable Brookhaven─an first city in the region to Brookhaven did not use
initiative to develop use electric cars for law taxpayer funds; instead, the
environmental, financial and enforcement patrolling. city used confiscated drug
organizational policies. Other cities use electric cars funds. The public was able
According to for administrative purposes. to preview the car during
Brookhaven City Manager The Telsa was purchased Brookhaven’s Cherry
Christian Sigman, in March for $45,000 Blossom Festival in March.
with 22,000 miles on it.
Brookhaven would be the

TUCKER

City approves moratorium on electronic scooters

BY CARLA PARKER
carla@dekalbchamp.com
Although scooters aren’t
crowding the sidewalks of Tucker
as they are in Atlanta and Decatur,
Tucker City Council decided to be
proactive by addressing the issue
before it could become a problem.
During the June 26 regular
meeting, the city council voted 6-1 to
ban electronic scooters also known
as e-scooters, including scooters with
seats for 120 days. The moratorium
also allows a 120-day suspension
of business licenses for businesses
engaged in rental of e-scooters.
Councilwoman Noelle Monferdini
was the lone “no” vote.
The moratorium resolution
stated the mayor and city council are
aware of negative impacts electronic
scooters have had in other cities with
the motorized devices being left
unused on sidewalks, causing safety
hazards. Decatur is currently drafting
an ordinance regulating e-scooters
due to an influx of e-scooters on the
SEE SCOOTERS ON PAGE 6
OPINION
Damned if we do and damned if we don’t
Writing an opinion piece is not
nearly as easy as some may think.
Over the years I’ve heard friends
and associates make comments
similar to “It must be nice to be paid
for expressing your opinion.”
Yes, we all have our opinions,
but some of us are expected to
share our opinions with a large
audience and thereby put ourselves
in the position of being ridiculed,
questioned and maligned for
expressing them. When in reality,
we are, or should be, doing our jobs
to the best of our abilities.
It isn’t easy to come up with
a topic that a writer feels strongly
enough about to craft a 500-word-
plus opinion that will ultimately
be shared with tens of thousands
of others. At times, we have to
side-step topics that may be of
interest to us, but not necessarily
to the thousands reading our words
Foreclosures
Tax Sales/Ads for Bids
Trade Name Registrations
Public Notices/Public meetings
Sheriff Sales/Local Legislation
Notices of Incorporation
To subscribe, visit DeKalbLegalNotices.com
or call 404-373-7779, X 0
#ItsInTheChampion
DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2019 • Page 4
DeKalb Free Press and likely every
other newspaper published, there
are clearly marked opinion pages
that must be filled.
If we imply agreement with
John Hewitt actions taken by governmental
johnh@dekalbchamp.com entities, we can be accused of
being a public relations tool
for government. If we imply
disagreement with governmental
without context, and who are likely entities, we can be accused of being
making assumptions along the way a media bully.
about the writer. If we discuss politics, we
Opinion writers have to walk know that at least half of those
a fine line lest we risk offending reading our opinion will be shaking
a huge percentage of readers. I’ve their heads in disagreement and
often wondered what egotistical uttering profanities as they read our
journalist came up with the notion carefully chosen words.
that readers want to know our If we discuss religion, there
opinions on any topic. A newspaper will no doubt be Hell to pay. If we
is meant to be objective and to focus discuss a social issue, we know
on news that is of importance to someone will criticize something
the audience it serves. But alas, as we have written.
is the case with The Champion and If we discuss the pros and cons
of public versus private education,
we may be accused of being
unsympathetic to teachers and those
who cannot afford to send their
children to private schools.
But we are expected to opine on
some topic at least every two weeks.
It gets old. We run out of ideas. Our
creative juices become depleted and
it is a struggle to merely come up
with a topic that is less likely than
others to incite a backlash.
If not mistaken, this is the fifth
effort I’ve made thus far trying to
string together meaningful thoughts
to fill this space.
Please accept my apologies, I
am not usually one who is short
on words. This week, however,
I’m playing it safe and keeping my
opinion to myself.
OPINION
“We’re just trying to get people
out of their cars; there’s a C02
crisis,” said David Estrada, chief
legal officer for Bird, an electric
scooter rental company to USA
Today.
Only in California, the land of
dreams, can you give the people
what they wish and dream for—less
congested highways and commuters
taking alternate transit—and they
still b--ch. Not to be confused with
beach. Yes, as we are headed into
the dog days of summer, the streets
of San Francisco have been overrun
by–wait for it–electric scooters.
The latest innovation from
Silicon Valley are long-lasting, low-
energy, some even solar powered,
electric scooters for rent for a
pittance.
Bird and Lime are two of the
leading players in the fast emerging
scooter rental industry—think Uber
or Lyft with no driver and just pick
the scooter up off the sidewalk.
These scooters can be unlocked
with a smart phone for a charge
of $1. They then cost 15 cents
per minute. Riders go wherever
they want using the sustainable,
inexpensive and practical “last
mile” solution, and then leave the
scooters wherever they get off it, for
the next renter to pick up.
And that scooter litter is what
has the Bay Area fuming. The
hashtag “scootersbehavingbadly”
has been trending, along with
photos of offensive scooters strewn
along sidewalks like abandoned
toys. Out of spite, again as reported
by USA Today, some scooter haters
are tossing the light rides into
dumpsters, trees and even the bay.
Millennial techies are the
primary customers, but grandmas
have also been seen catching a
quick and breezy ride (scooters
top out at roughly 20-mph) to
the neighborhood market along
San Francisco’s famously hilly
streetscape. These scooters have
FREEPRESS
the DeKalb
Let Us Know What You Think!
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Letters should be brief, typewritten and contain the
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cation. All letters will be considered for publication.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions written by columnists and contributing editors do not necessarily reflect the opinions
of the editor or publishers. The Publisher reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertisement at any time. The
Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts.
DEKALB FREE PRESS • JULY 5, 2019 • Page 5
Go on—scoot!
go and find (GPS chips inside) any and now they just scoot home from
‘One Man’s missing scooters.
Lime, Bird, and Spin—the
their nearest BART station.
Lime has already raised $250
Opinion’ biggest three in little scooter million in venture capital and
world—are also viewed as villains has a valuation approaching $1
Bill Crane in driving up the price of real estate billion. Bird has pulled in $150
bill.csicrane@gmail.com in San Francisco. Go figure, as million, again in an industry
scooter assisted commutes on Bay that only had its roll-out this
Area Rapid Transit (BART), are March. Uber and Lyft, already
also already made their way to
now allowing high paid Millennials exploring and buying into bike
Atlanta’s Peachtree Street, the
to make it back from the Valley sharing, are each exploring scooters
sidewalks of Decatur and are
to Nob Hill without breaking a and seeking concession permits in
making inroads into Atlanta’s many
sweat. Rental and real estate rates San Francisco.
suburbs. Given their low-price point
across the Bay Area and even once If you can’t beat’em, scoot’em.
($200-$300) and relatively high
bohemian arts conclaves and less Now scoot!!
“it” factor, expect to see them soon
pricey areas such as Oakland are
speeding along sidewalks and trails
climbing rapidly, in a city with a Bill Crane also serves as a
on St. Simons, Jekyll and Georgia’s
median home price of $1.6 million. political analyst and commentator
Golden Isles.
And long-time residents for Channel 2’s Action News, WSB-
These scooters operate almost
of San Fran are not taking this AM News/Talk 750 and now 95.5
identically to those many may have
lightly. These techsters first came FM, as well as a columnist for The
ridden as a child, only riders don’t
in on luxury motor coach buses, Champion, DeKalb Free Press and
need to push with one foot. It’s all
many of which blocked the cities Georgia Trend. Crane is a DeKalb
the gliding, downhill rolling part
notoriously tight intersections and native and business owner, living
of what some may recall. They
narrow residential streets. Then in Scottdale. You can reach him
are also very unlike the Segway,
neighborhoods became flooded with or comment on a column at bill.
which has a $5,000 price tag and
Uber and Lyft cars, dropping off csicrane@gmail.com.
requires training to ride. Remember
and picking up these tech workers,
President George W. Bush making
a solid face-plant on his first
Segway ride?
Some cities are requiring
helmets, permits and even
insurance; that’s reasonable, and one
can expect places such as Atlanta’s
Beltline to become battlegrounds of
sorts, as most pedestrian commuter
trails are not intended for motorized
devices. Electric bicycles are also
already out there, but there are
fewer of them and many riders only
use the electric motors when in
traffic or to assist on long or steep
hillsides.
And these little buggers are also
shaping up to be big business. Three
players are racing to see which
can first hit the billion-dollar
mark in venture capital or market
capitalization as the math is very
good for each scooter paying for
itself in two to three months on the
rental market. That makes for a lot
of straight profit, short of the small
retrieval fees paid for workers who
Publisher: Staff Reporters:
John Hewitt Carla Parker STATEMENT FROM THE
Horace Holloman PUBLISHER
Chief Financial Officer: Taylor Robins We sincerely appreciate the
Dr. Earl D. Glenn discussion surrounding this and any
Social Media Manager: issue of interest to DeKalb County.
SEND LETTERS TO EDITOR, Production Manager: Donna Seay The Champion was founded in 1991
expressly to provide a forum for
The DeKalb Free Press, Kemesha Wadley discourse for all community residents
P. O. Box 1347, Decatur, GA 30031-1347; on all sides of an issue. We have no
Send email to Johnh@dekalbchamp.com desire to make the news only to
FAX To: (404) 370-3903; Phone: (404) 373-7779. The DeKalb Free Press is published each Friday report news and opinions to effect
Deadline for news releases and advertising: by ACE III Communications, Inc., a more educated citizenry that will
Thursday, one week prior to publication date. 114 New Street, Suite E, Decatur, GA. 30030 ultimately move our community
forward. We are happy to present
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www.championnewspaper.com we make every effort to avoid
printing information submitted to
us that is known to be false and/or
DISPLAY ADVERTISING (404) 373-7779 x 110 assumptions penned as fact.
LOCAL
STONE MOUNTAIN
Jordan Windisch, left, of Owens Corning provided the roofing materials. Jaco Contracting co-owners Cory Womack, second right,
and Jake Gresham provided the workers to replace the roof.
Stone Mountain veteran
receives new roof
BY CARLA PARKER
Carla@dekalbchamp.com
For years, United States
Air Force veteran Adaria
Johnson lived under a leaky
roof.
Johnson bought her
Stone Mountain home in the
Hidden Hills community
nearly eight years ago and
soon afterward, noticed that
something was wrong with
the roof.
“[The roof] had been
repaired [prior to buying it]
because a tree fell on one
side,” Johnson said. “After
that I’ve been noticing
that it’s been leaking and
leaking, and when we get
a really hard rain it would
really leak. Over the years,
we have been trying to get
people to stop the excessive
leaking, but no one could
ever stop it.”
Johnson decided to
again try find someone to
replace or repair the roof
and applied for help through
Habitat for Humanity–
DeKalb.
“I saw that they were
doing this for veterans, so I
submitted my application,”
she said. “I was followed-
up with by an email and I
was told to contact Habitat,
DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2019 • Page 6
EDUCATION
Dude gets
$20,000
bonus
BY TAYLOR ROBINS
Taylor@dekalbchamp.com David Dude
City Schools of Decatur district-wide equity action
(CSD) Superintendent David plan, along with planning
Dude received a $20,000 the new Talley Street
bonus as June 30 marked the Elementary School─where
completion of his first year construction is on time and
in the position. under budget─as some of his
According to The Atlanta accomplishments.
Journal-Constitution, For the 2018-2019
following a June executive school year, Dude’s salary
session, Dude was awarded was $199,000. Dude will
the bonus with CSD School earn $209,000 for the
Board Member Lewis Jones 2019-2020 year school and
stating, “The board is happy 219,000 for the 2020-2021
with David. He shares our school year. Dude is eligible
goals.” for the same bonus each
Dude has completed year with approval from the
the first year of a three-year board.
they contacted me as well disabled veteran, said it
contract and implemented a
and the process started from would have cost her $12,000
there. It was easy.” to $13,000 to replace the
Habitat for Humanity–
DeKalb partnered with
roof. She said she almost
fainted when she was told SCOOTER Continued From Page 3
Owens Corning to give that she was getting a free city’s sidewalks.
Johnson and her family a new roof. The moratorium will give city officials time to study
new roof June 28. Providing “I was just so ecstatic,” the issue, impose “reasonable” regulations and determine
new roofs to veterans in she said. “The first thing whether statewide regulations will be adopted in the current
need and their families is I did was scream, ‘Thank legislative session, according to the resolution.
part of Owens Corning’s you, Jesus!’ I’m just so In the same meeting, the city council voted unanimously
roof deployment project. proud because I served my to approve the city’s first millage rate. Tucker’s millage
Jaco Contracting Solutions country honorably and now, rate will be 0.9 mils, with the funds going to the parks and
was brought in to replace I need some help. This is recreation department. For 2019, DeKalb County will be
the roof. Jaco Contracting such a blessing.” taxing at a rate of 1.458 mils. Tucker officials said that figure
Solutions co-owner Jake Johnson served four will now go to zero on Tucker tax bills.
Gresham said Johnson years in the United States “We are taking over taxing authority for the parks from
badly needed a new roof. Air Force in the 1980s and DeKalb County and we’re doing it for less than DeKalb
“We stepped in, was stationed in Germany. County was charging,” Mayor Frank Auman said in a
Owens Corning provided She said the next repair she statement. “It’s a big step for us in the development of the
the materials and Jaco wants to get done is her city. Up to now, the city had no property tax, no ad valorem
Contracting provided all backyard fence, which was tax, no taxes of its own. That was true and that was part
labor and the dumpster,” damaged by fallen trees. of the plan. This step takes us into a place where we’re
Gresham said. “They had a collecting our own taxes to, in this case, fund our park
bunch of leaks in the house. operations.”
The roof was probably 15-
20 years old. It was in just
NOTICE OF INTENT TO AMEND CHAPTER 16, ARTICLE VII OF THE
bad shape; they very much
CODE OF DEKALB COUNTY AS REVISED 1988 – NOISE ORDINANCE
needed a new roof.”
Gresham said they
replaced the whole
The public is hereby notified that pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 25-10-2(c)(2),
roof with an Oakridge
action is underway by the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners at a regular
TruDefinition shingle.
meeting to amend the Noise Ordinance. This amendment will affect the use of
“It’s a 50-year
consumer fireworks. A copy of the ordinance can be viewed on the County’s
architectural shingle, so
website for Board of Commissioners’ agendas and meetings. A meeting will
they’re getting a full roof
be held on July 9, 2019, and the ordinance will be enacted on July 23, 2019,
system,” he said. “They’ll at 9:00 a.m. at Manual J. Maloof Center located at 1300 Commerce Drive,
be good to go for a long Decatur, GA 30030. If approved, the amended ordinance will become effective
time.” upon adoption by the Board of Commissioners and approved by the Chief
Johnson, who is a Executive Officer.
LOCAL DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2019 • Page 7

WEEK in PICTURES

Information Systems Technician 1st Class Sidney Evans, right, of Decatur, trains Information Systems Technician Seaman Emmanuel Ihe, of Houston, on how to troubleshoot communication frequency services aboard the
San Antonio dock ship. Photo provided by U.S. Navy Mass Communication.

Tucker councilmen Bill Rosenfeld and Matt Robbins were honored with a Roots Down, in partnership with Clarkston’s public works department, started the first of its urban agriculture initiatives, cleaning,
certificate of achievement from the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute pruning and trimming the meadow located along East Ponce de Leon, between the CSX railroad tracks. Photo from city of Clarkston’s
during the Georgia Municipal Association Annual Convention in Savannah. Facebook page
Photo from city of Tucker’s Facebook page

Have you created programming you’d like to air on TV?

Do you have an interest in Public Access TV in DeKalb County?
Submit your show to DeKalb County’s Public Access channel, DeKalb 25.
Drop off DVD or USB copies to the Manuel J. Maloof Center at
1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur, GA 30030, or upload your content via the internet.

(404) 371-2325 DeKalb25@outlook.com DeKalb25.com

LOCAL DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2019 • Page 8

SCHOOL Continued From Page 1

School Registration
Families may access DCSD’s new online registration system. Online
registration is for new students only.
The online registration site─www.dekalbschoolsga.org/online-
registration─will be open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. until 4
p.m. on July 8 through July 25.
Online registration requires proof of parent guardianship, proof that
residence in within the DCSD district, certified copy of birth certificate,
immunization certificate, hearing, vision and dental documentation,
social security card and school transcripts.
DCSD will also operate an in-person online registration site for those
who need direct assistance. The site is located at the former Avondale
High School located at 1192 Clarendon Ave. in Avondale Estates.

General school supply list for

kindergarten and elementary school
Backpack or messenger bag
Lunch bag
#2 pencils
Tissue
Single-subject spiral notebooks
Colored pencils
Pencil sharpener
Markers
Scissors
Glue stick
Construction paper

General school supply list for

middle and high school
Backpack or messenger bag
Lunch bag
Number two pencils
Tissue
Single-subject spiral notebooks
Pens: red, blue, black
Highlighters
12 inch ruler
TI calculator
Pocket folders
Sticky notes
College ruled loose leaf three hole paper
Tabbed dividers
Weekly planner
Three ring binder
USB flash drives
EDUCATION DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2019 • Page 9

COUNTYWIDE

Students prepare up for

robotics competition in Ghana
BY TAYLOR ROBINS
Taylor@dekalbchamp.com
Students from DeKalb
International School
Center’s robotic team will
be out of the county July
2 through 8 to compete in
the Pan-African Robotics
Competition (PARC) in
Ghana.
PARC is an all-African
robotics competition which
brings together middle,
high school, and college
robotics teams to participate
in a competition around
scientific and engineering
challenges relevant to the
sustainable development of
Africa.
The entire robotics
team─consisting of 15
students and including
Kalombo Mukuta, Vincent
Moss, Kidus Nedi, Isaiah
Bryant, Ryan Jackson and
Yusuf Seward will travel to
Africa to compete against
African national teams.
DeKalb International
School Center students
make up the American team
invited to PARC, according
to Mukuta.
“I think that we all
are generally really really
excited to go to Africa,”
Moss said. “Not only
because we get to represent
the United States as a whole
but also because some of
the members on our team
have not been out of the
United States and it’s very
beneficial for them to go out
and see different aspects of
different countries.”
Although some students
on the team have not been
out of the country yet,
others on the team are
originally from Africa.
Mukuta is from Congo and
Nedi is from Ethiopia.
According to Mukuta
and Moss, engineering
is interesting to them
because they get hands
on experience building
robots after learning the
engineering design process
in school.
“[This club and
competition] allows [us]
to learn more skills more,”
Moss said.
The students were asked
to build a robot that relates
to water conservation. For
the challenge, the students
created “Apollo Jr,” also
simply known as “AJ.”
AJ─the robot that can
pick up water droplets─ is
a spinoff from a robot the
team built in January named
“Apollo.”
According to the
students, there were issues
while trying to program AJ.
However, with hard work
and “creative solutions” the
team was able to overcome.
The team will be
accompanied by robotics
coach and teacher Jeffrey
Newell, mentor and
engineer Julia Woods and
inventor Lonnie George
Johnson. Johnson donated
$12,000 to the team to
help cover expenses to
go to Ghana. The team’s
invitation was extended to
them through networking
among the mentors,
according to Jennifer
Moss─“Team Mom” for the
group.
“I am proud to represent
my country as a STEM
[science, technology,
engineering, and
mathematics] Ambassador,”
said Newell. “This
experience is unique in that
teams outside of the African
The DeKalb International School Center’s robotic team will compete in a robotics
continent are not typically competition in Ghana with their robot Apollo Jr. Photo provided by DeKalb
invited. It will give the team International School Center’s robotic team.
a perspective most have
never gotten─and perhaps robotics competition you capital, Accra─where the
never will get─a chance can expect to see different competition is held─while
to understand. These boys robots being built and you doing outreach work with
will give of themselves can get ideas from other local elementary schools.
by interacting with fellow teams,” Bryant said. “You “We’re looking forward
teams but they will also can experience and get to to teaching and learning,”
extend their viewpoint in know teams from different said Nedi.
their community outreach. states, countries and cities. “We are actually looking
I’m blessed and thankful.” We’re excited about that.” forward to sharing what we
This is not the While in Africa, the know with the students that
club’s first robotics team will compete and are over here,” Moss said.
competition; however, this observe competitions “Hopefully we can donate
is their first time traveling in other divisions. The as many resources as we
internationally to compete. team will also have the can.”
“When going to a opportunity to tour Ghana’s
NOTICE OF PROPERTY TAX INCREASE
At their regular meeting on June 10, 2019, The Board of
Education of the City of Decatur tentatively adopted a 2019
millage rate which will require an increase in property taxes by
12.07 percent.

CITY OF STONE MOUNTAIN
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
The City of Stone Mountain hereby gives notice
that a Public Hearing will be held to receive public
comment on a Conditional Use Application for 1051
Hill Street, Stone Mountain, GA 30083, Parcel
#18 090 14 004. Conditional Use is requested for
a special use permit – Bed and Breakfast facility-
within the Traditional Residential (R2) district.
The Mayor and City Council will hold a Public
Hearing on this matter on Tuesday, July 16, 2019
at City Hall located at 875 Main Street, Stone
Mountain, GA at 6:30 P.M. Anyone wishing to attend
the public hearing may do so and be heard relative
thereto.
All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearing on
this tax increase to be held at the Board Room of the Central
Office, 125 Electric Avenue, Decatur, Georgia on Tuesday,
July 16, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
This tentative increase will result in a millage rate of 20.250
mills, an increase of 2.181 mills over the rollback millage. The
rollback millage rate is calculated to produce the same total
revenue on the current year’s digest that last year’s millage
rate would have produced had no reassessments occurred.
Without this tentative tax increase, the millage rate will be no
more than 18.069 mills. The proposed tax increase for a home
with a fair market value of $498,783 is approximately $543.92
and the proposed tax increase for non-homestead property
with a fair market value of $644,913 is approximately $703.28.
BUSINESS DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2019 • Page 10

Mobile home improvement company seeks to roll into Stone Mountain

BY KATHY MITCHELL
FREELANCE REPORTER
As California-based
Screenmobile seeks
to expand its presence
nationwide, company
officials have their eyes on
Stone Mountain as one of
the franchise company’s
newest locations.
Scott Walker,
president and CEO of
Screenmobile, called the
Atlanta area–particularly
Stone Mountain–“perfect
for us.” The area was
selected during what Walker
called “a strategic franchise
growth plan” in which the
brand, which already has
locations in North Atlanta
and in Gainesville, plans
to add between 10 and 15
new locations in the Atlanta
metro area.
Walker said he is highly
confident that Screenmobile
will identify a franchisee
for the Stone Mountain area
within the next few weeks.
The company opened 17
locations in 2018 and is on
track to add another 17 new bugs—and you guys have a large roll up screens,” he
units this year, he said.  lot of bugs.”
Brandon Meeks,
owner of Screenmobile
in Gainesville, joined
Screenmobile less than a
year ago and, according to
a statement released by the
company, has experienced
“huge success with the
brand.”
“The demand for our
services is high and folks
love our concept — I’m
even re-investing in my
business and expanding
my operations here in
Gainesville with a new
truck and field technician,”
Meeks is quoted as saying
in the release.  Fiscal Year
The company
specializes in window, door
convenience when it comes aren’t satisfied until the
to home improvement, customer is satisfied. We
and no one makes it easier want people who appreciate
for the customer than the opportunity’s great
Screenmobile.”  work-life balance and the
He explained that a physical and emotional
fully equipped truck arrives aspect of the job—people
at the installation location, who enjoy working with
measures, manufactures their hands and building
and installs the screens in relationships with both
a single day. “If there’s a customers and the local
measurement error, there’s community.”
no having to go back to Screenmobile
the shop and make another franchisees get a protected
screen to be delivered territory that includes
maybe two weeks later. We approximately 50,000
redo it on the spot. to 150,000 households,
“We’ve really marketing materials, tools
transformed the industry,” and equipment, uniforms
Walker continued. “We and a trailer, Walker said.
bring quality, stylish “They are afforded a strong
screens and outdoor living corporate support system
concepts quickly and easily. offering empowering
We make major home training and guidance
improvement projects a programs,” he added. New
breeze.  owners, he said, attend
Walker said he expects “screen school,” a two-
a good deal of interest in week program to learn
Atlanta area franchises, about business operations,
but Screenmobile goals and values, and have
Screenmobile CEO Scott Walker says the Stone Mountain area was identified as a wants to be sure every 13 weeks of ongoing online
good match for the company during a strategic franchise growth plan.
franchisee is a good training known as “The Fast
match for the company. Start Program.” 
He said the company as Founded in Glendora,
explained, noting that they it expands is looking for Calif., in 1980,
Walker said that among can be either motorized or “entrepreneurs passionate Screenmobile currently has
the company’s most popular manually operated. about business growth and 119 licenses across more
products are its motorized No one else in the Stone a great customer-focused than 25 states. The company
and large format screens, Mountain area is offering a attitude. It’s a people has been ranked on the
which are designed to keep similar service, Walker said. business, so we need Entrepreneur “Franchise
insects or sun out, when “Demand for our services business owners who work 500” list for the past 14
those are issues, but can be is at an all-time high in well with homeowners. We consecutive years.
retracted when they’re not the region. Local property want people like us who
in use. “Essentially they are owners are looking for
NOTICE
The Board of Education of the City of Decatur does hereby announce that the millage rate will be set at a meeting to be held at the
Board Room of the Central Office at 125 Electric Avenue, Decatur, Georgia on Tuesday, July 16, 2019 at 6:30 PM
and pursuant to the requirements of O.C.G.A. 48-5-32, does hereby publish the following presentation of the current year's tax digest
and levy, along with the history of the tax digest and levy for the past five years.
CURRENT 2019 TAX DIGEST AND FIVE YEAR HISTORY OF LEVY
PROPOSED
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Assessment Ratio 50% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50%

and patio porch screens, REAL PROPERTY 1,326,224,078 1,593,567,251 1,693,241,224 1,834,363,413 2,014,946,720 2,167,405,870
as well as solar shading PERSONAL PROPERTY 22,086,973 23,124,213 23,627,668 25,728,874 26,673,465 25,429,686
products. “The weather PUBLIC UTILITIES 15,152,714 15,236,377 15,658,734 16,521,530 16,257,608 15,852,838
in your area is a great MOTOR VEHICLE 47,331,663 35,521,587 26,623,700 23,481,413 13,249,950 10,074,188
match for our services,” GROSS DIGEST 1,410,795,428 1,667,449,428 1,759,151,326 1,900,095,230 2,071,127,743 2,218,762,582
Walker said. “There are LESS M&O EXEMPTIONS 65,251,923 65,148,453 84,745,047 230,800,694 275,708,328 304,154,135
NET M&O DIGEST 1,345,543,505 1,602,300,975 1,674,406,279 1,669,294,536 1,795,419,415 1,914,608,447
many days when you have
free weather, days when GROSS M&O MILLAGE 20.50 18.66 18.66 18.66 18.66 20.25
temperatures are just right LESS ROLLBACKS 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
for shutting off the air NET M&O MILLAGE 20.50 18.66 18.66 18.66 18.66 20.25
conditioning and enjoying
the outdoor breezes, but NET TAXES LEVIED $27,583,642 $29,898,936 $31,244,421 $31,149,036 $33,502,526 $38,770,821
you don’t want to contend
NET TAXES $ INCREASE $2,654,348 $2,315,294 $1,345,485 ($95,385) $2,353,490 $5,268,295
with mosquitoes and other NET TAXES % INCREASE 10.65% 8.39% 4.50% -0.31% 7.56% 15.73%
SPORTS
TRACK AND FIELD
Emory University track and field seniors Ariana Newhouse, left, and Dani Bland were named to the Google Cloud Academic All-America Teams.
Emory sprinters tabbed to Google Cloud
Academic All-America teams
Emory University track and field seniors
Ariana Newhouse and Dani Bland were named
to the Google Cloud Academic All-America
Teams, the College Sports Information Directors
of America (CoSIDA) announced June 25.
Newhouse was chosen to the All-America
first team with Bland being selected to the
second team. The duo are the 12th and 13th
members of Emory’s women track and field team
and the 189th and 190th in the history of Emory
Athletics to earn CoSIDA Academic All-America
honors.
Both sprinters reached All-America
status during the NCAA Division III outdoor
championships, helping the Eagles to their
second consecutive top-seven finish at nationals.
Bland finished second in the 100-meter dash and
third with the 4x100-meter relay team, while
DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2019 • Page 11
Newhouse was a member of the 4x400m relay
that finished eighth.
Bland finished her Emory career as one
of the most decorated athletes in program
history, recording a program record 12 All-
America honors combined between indoors and
outdoors, three University Athletic Association
(UAA) Most Outstanding Performer of the Year
awards, 14 UAA event championships and 21
All-UAA finishes. She earned 23 U.S. Track &
Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
(USTFCCCA) All-Region awards and currently
holds school records in seven different events.
She graduated in May with a degree in political
science with a 3.58 GPA and was named as a
member of the Emory 100 Senior Honorary.
Newhouse finished her Emory track career
as a five-time All-American, including four as a
member of the 4x400-meter relay. She captured
a pair of UAA event titles and nine All-UAA
performances and was named the conference’s
outdoor Rookie of the Year. A 12-time
USTFCCCA All-Region honoree, Newhouse
currently holds a spot in the Emory record books
as the outdoor 400-meter dash record holder at
55.71. She graduated in May as an English and
creative writing double major with a 3.94 GPA.
The Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic
All-America team recognizes the nation’s top
student-athletes for their combined performances
athletically and in the classroom. To be
nominated, student-athletes must maintain a 3.30
grade point average, be of sophomore standing
or higher and have attended their current
institutions for at least one year to be eligible.
 DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, JULY 5, 2019 • Page 12

We’re collecting back-to-school supplies

for Decatur/DeKalb students in need

There is an urgent need for:

• notebook paper • pencils • folders • highlighters
• crayons • markers • hand sanitizer • glue • bookbags
We will gladly accept any school-related items.
Please consider donating.

DROP OFF LOCATIONS INCLUDE:

Decatur Recreation Center
231 Sycamore St.
Decatur, GA 30030
Sauers Communications, Inc.
1585 Roadhaven Dr.
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
The Champion Newspaper
114 New Street, Suite E
Decatur, GA 30030
Junior League of DeKalb County
716 W Trinity Place
Decatur, GA 30030

Collection efforts end July 24

TheCHAMPION