CrossRoadsNews, November 17, 2012

“This had nothing to do with student achievement, nothing to do with local con-trol,” he said. “It was all about this seven-member commission that was formed by the governor who makes three of the seven appointments on the board.”

A Dalton teacher and an Atlanta pastor filed a lawsuit over the amendment ques-tion in Fulton County Superior Court on Oct. 26.

The lawsuit names Gov. Nathan Deal along with Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and Secre-tary of State Brian Kemp.

COVER PAGE

Grocery store opening in mid-January at old SaveRite space in Lithonia

Food depot Coming to LithoniaThe Food Depot in the Salem Crossing shopping center will employ 80 full- and part-time workers when it opens in January. The area has been without a grocery store for seven years.

Black Caucus joining charter school amendment lawsuit

Curtis Parker / CrossroadsNews

EAST ATLANTA • DECATUR • STONE MOUNTAIN • LITHONIA • AVONDALE ESTATES • CLARKSTON • ELLENWOOD • PINE LAKE • REDAN • SCOTTDALE • TUCKER

www.crossroadsnews.comNovember 17, 2012 Volume 18, Number 29Copyright © 2012 CrossroadsNews, iNC.

High school bands and ROTC groups were among those who marched down Main Street to honor the coun-try’s service men and women for Veterans Day. 4

Lithonia’s military tributeCOMMUNITY

More than 4,000 turkeys were delivered to the DeKalb County Jail for Hosea Feed the Hungry’s annual Thanksgiving dinner. 9

Managers at the Walmart on Gresham Road lead a company cheer during a program to celebrate the store’s community relationships. 13

Turkeys for homeless arrive Celebrating partnershipsHOLIDAY SCENE

Please see LAWSUIT, page 6

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

After seven years without a grocery store, residents of the Panola, Salem and Browns Mill roads corridor will soon have one nearby.

Stockbridge-based Food Depot is reno-vating the old SaveRite grocery store that closed in the Salem Crossing shopping center in September 2005 in the wake of Chapter 11 bankruptcy and downsizing by parent company Winn-Dixie Stores.

The Salem Crossing location was one of six DeKalb stores impacted and it is among the last to get a new grocery store.

Jamey Leseueur, Food Depot’s operations manager, said the supermarket will open for business by mid-January and employ 80 full- and part-time employees to start.

In 2006, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church announced that it, along with 500 pastors it had relationships with, was ex-

ploring opening a grocery store selling a high percentage of organically grown food. Those plans did not materialize and the space stayed empty.

Leseueur said Food Depot, which has 29 locations listed on its Web site, eyed the Salem Crossing center for two years before the deal went through.

“I used to drive by there from Stock-bridge, and what I liked about it is that the center still maintained traffic and tenants. Usually when an anchor leaves, most shop-ping centers go down,” Leseueur said. “That did not happen.”

Leseueur said Food Depot also was interested in the Lithonia location because of its success with the store they opened on Rockbridge Road in Stone Mountain.

Work has been under way inside the 44,000-square-foot space for about six weeks. This week, electricians were running wiring for the store’s refrigeration system.

If everything goes as planned, Leseueur said they should start hiring employees after Christmas.

Insurance broker Leroy McCoy, whose McCoy Agency has been located in Salem Crossing since 1997, said he is looking for-ward to the new anchor’s arrival.

“It will be good for the neighborhood,” he said. “We need a grocery store here. Hope-fully it will bring us more traffic. Without a big box here, it’s been like a ghost town.”

Nita Vanish, who opened Spatastik in the shopping center in September, said she was aware that Food Depot was coming.

“It enticed me to this location. We know that a strong anchor will help business.”

All American Quality Foods, which does business as Food Depot, began in March 1975 when friends and former Food Giant employees Gerald Taylor and Raymond Johnson mortgaged their homes to purchase a former Kenney’s Market in Stockbridge.

Their friends thought they were crazy.By late 1988, the company changed

its business name to the Food Depot and its concept became Cost Plus 10 percent, which means 10 percent is added to all its discounted prices at checkout.

It’s a distributor for SuperValu Inc., an Eden Prairie, Minn.-based grocery retailer that is the third-largest food retailing com-pany in the United States with a network of more than 2,500 stores.

In 2001, Food Depot was SuperValu’s Southeast Region Retailer of the Year and is listed among its “Top Ten” retailers in sales.

Food Depot, which sells a full line of gro-ceries, meats and vegetables, has 31 locations in places across metro Atlanta and in Dallas, Warner Robins, Fort Valley and Griffin. Its other east metro Atlanta stores are on Salem Road in Conyers and in Covington.

For more information, visit www.my fooddepot.com.

By Donna Williams Lewis

The Georgia Legislative Black Caucus plans to join a lawsuit that seeks to unravel the charter school amend-ment passed by voters on Nov. 6.

State Sen. Emanuel Jones (D-Decatur), chair-man of the caucus, said language in the ballot question was “intention-ally deceptive.”

He has asked state and federal officials to investigate what he’s call-

ing ballot fraud.“Ever since the word has come out about

our legal effort to turn this back, I have re-ceived countless e-mails from people across the state saying how betrayed they felt after learning what they voted for,” Jones said.

On the ballot, voters were asked the fol-lowing question:

“Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended to allow state or local approval of public charter schools upon the request of local communities?”

It passed overwhelmingly in DeKalb and across the state. DeKalb voters approved the amendment with 63.9 percent of the votes.

Statewide, it passed with 58.5 percent of the votes.

Local school systems already are the ap-proval body for charter schools. So there was nothing new there.

What was in question was whether the then-defunct Georgia Charter Schools Com-mission should be revived as an “alternate authorizer” of charter schools, allowed to override local school boards’ denials of charter school petitions with charters of its own.

Jones said the amendment was really about creating a “gold mine” for people who want to profit from Georgia’s tax dollars.

Emanuel Jones

2

Inside-Cvr Pg

CommunityDuring the meeting, residents learned that the creation of a city of

DeKalb might not stop the formation of other cities.

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Free paper shredding event

DeKalb County ‘going splintered,’ Senate study panel told

DeKalb residents drowning in paper can have it shredded and recycled on Nov. 24 at Saint Philip AME Church.

The church’s Community Development Corp. is hosting its second annual com-munity shredding of sensitive business and personal documents.

By Mary Swint

The Georgia Senate study committee studying the creation of a city of DeKalb will meet Nov. 29 at the State Capitol.

The meeting, which is open to the public, starts at 10 a.m. in Room 450. It will be the committee’s third. The Carl Vinson Institute will make a presentation on annexations and franchise fees.

At its second meeting, held on Nov. 8 at the Maloof Auditorium, county officials discussed the impact a new city of DeKalb could have on the county’s revenues and the growth of its cities.

Those speaking at the meeting included commissioners and county officials. DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis did not attend.

Commissioner Lee May, who was one of four commissioners in atten-dance, said the flurry of city creations and annexa-tions has made it increas-ingly hard to plan.

“It is not just about preserving revenue, but comprehensive plan-ning for the county as a whole,” said May, who represents District 5.

He pointed out that Brookhaven will be able to acquire county parks for about $100 per acre.

District 4 Commissioner Sharon Barnes Sutton said a city of DeKalb deserves con-sideration.

“The entire county planned and put investments in infrastructure and then for

a small group to take it without compensation for the county is not fair,” she said.

She added that it is not fair for the cities to get 43 percent of the HOST revenues.

“We can’t let a few people destroy one of the best counties,” Barnes Sutton said.

County Economic Development Direc-tor Charles Whatley said that the rest of the world is going regional while DeKalb is “go-ing splintered.”

He said the proliferation of cities will make it difficult to achieve economy of scale in planning.

District 2 Commissioner Jeff Rader said he opposed creating a city of DeKalb.

“What would be the main street and common interest,” he asked. “We won’t lose the county government. We will gain another layer of government.”

During the meeting, residents learned that the creation of a city of DeKalb might not stop the formation of other cities.

State Sen. Steve Henson said the Leg-islature could create a city within a city by redoing the charter.

“If there is created a city of DeKalb, the Legislature could create a city of Tucker,” he said.

Joel Gottlieb, the county’s chief financial officer, said the new city of Brookhaven will cost the county $22 million in revenues.

“Due to Dunwoody, we lost $18 million,” Gottlieb said.

Chief Operating Of-ficer Richard Stogner said the losses will be reduced to $15 million because of reductions in county services to the newly in-corporated areas.

Gottlieb said: “When Dunwoody was created, police officers and equip-ment in that area were redeployed to the rest of the county. The net savings was not as large because we redeployed them to hot spots in the county.”

Public Safety Director William Miller and Gottlieb said the county has to provide special police services such as helicopters and cannot bill the cities in an emergency to recover the cost of those services. They also pointed out that the cost of funding the courts and jail does not decline when a city is created and county revenue is reduced.

A 2008 Carl Vinson Institute study estimated Brookhaven’s revenue would be $25 million, most of which would be diverted from the county. It also estimated that Brookhaven would get $3 million to $4 Lee May

S. Barnes Sutton Richard Stogner

million from franchise fees on utilities. Two years earlier when 90 percent of

the county was unincorporated, a 2006 Carl Vinson Institute study predicted that a city of DeKalb would get about $30 million from franchise fees, which are not available to counties.

Interim Planning Director Gary Cornell said Brookhaven will reduce the county’s revenue from permits and zoning variance fees by $1.5 million per year.

Stogner said there could not be a con-solidated city-county government in DeKalb like those in Augusta, Athens, Savannah and Columbus because there are several cities in DeKalb. He said there would be elected officials for both the city and county of DeKalb.

If the unincorporated area is made into a city of DeKalb, the county would resemble Los Angeles, which has a city and county by the same name, Stogner said.

Los Angeles County was created in 1850 a few months before the city of Los Angeles. Since then, 97 other cities were chartered inside the county and 10 cities were consoli-dated with the city of Los Angeles.

It takes place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the church’s parking lot.

There are no limits to the number of boxes or bags per person.

The church is at 240 Candler Road. For more information, call Voncile Hodges at 404-371-0749.

DeKalb County CEO Burrell Ellis reminds you of the Best Practices for Proper Disposal of

F.O.G.

F.O.G. directly impacts your wallet!DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management

1580 Roadhaven Drive * Stone Mountain, GA * (770) 270-6243dekalbwatershed.com

F.O.G. enters plumbing through garbage disposals, sinks and toilets. It coats the inside of plumbing pipesand also empties into DeKalb County’s sewer system. Here are three simple guidelines to help keep F.O.G.out of our pipes and sewers:

POUR fats, oils or grease into a sealable container, allow it to cool andthrow it in the trash. Do not pour down the drain or toilet.

SCRAPE plates and cookware before washing. Do not throw scraps of anykind down the drain. Instead, place them in waste containers or garbagebags.

WIPE excess grease from all plates, pots, pans, utensils, and surfaces witha paper towel before washing. Throw the greasy paper towels away.

Plumbing and sanitary sewer systems are simply not designed to handle the F.O.G. that accumulates inpipes. When it gets into the pipes and hardens, blockages occur and cause sewage to backup and overflowout of manholes or into homes. This is expensive for you, and for the County.The damages caused by fats, oils and grease in the sewer system are costly to repair. Over time, theyincrease the costs of our water and sewer services.

1.2.

3.

(Fats, Oils, and Grease)

CrossRoadsNews November 17, 20122

3By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

By December next year, South DeKalb seniors will have a new $5 million senior center on Candler Road.

County officials broke ground on the long-anticipated South DeKalb Senior Center on Nov. 15. It is being built at 1931 Candler Road, on the site of the old senior center that was recently demolished.

The 15,000-square-foot facility will have a computer lab, a fully equipped fitness room, access to walking trails, and senior sitting areas both inside and around the grounds.

Willie M. Ware, who has been a member of the center for almost seven years, said she is just thanking God for the new facility.

“I am asking the good Lord to keep us so we can enjoy it,” said Ware, who will be 75 on Dec. 21.

Shirley Jerry, a DeKalb Senior Center member since 2004, said she is excited to finally see the project under way.

“It’s going to be great,” Jerry said. “We need the space. With a larger facility we can do more things.”

DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis, who joined Commissioners Larry Johnson, Kathie Gan-non and Lee May and other elected officials for the ceremonial ground breaking, said they promised three senior centers and broke ground on two of them this week.

The DeKalb Board of Commissioners awarded the $3.3 million contract to con-struct the center to Possibility Construction Inc. on Aug. 15.

Though it was a chilly 51 degrees dur-

Community PG

Community“This is a fitting tribute to our seniors. We want to make things

better on Candler Road.”

$5 million South DeKalb Senior Center under construction

Curtis Parker / CrossroadsNews

DeKalb County officials and community leaders break ground on Nov. 15 for the new $5 million senior center going up at 1931 Candler Road in Decatur.

Shirley Jerry

2050 Lawrenceville Hwy, Decatur, GA 30033 • www.northdekalbmall.com

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ing the ground breaking, Ellis said he felt warm.

“It warms my heart to be here for this occasion,” he said.

A day earlier on Nov. 14, county officials broke ground on a similar senior center at 3393 Malone Drive in Chamblee.

The centers will be built at a cost of $5 million each and are funded by federal block grants.

“This is your federal tax dollars at work,” Ellis said.

Johnson, who has represented Commis-sion District 3 where the center is located for 10 years, said it was a long time coming.

“This is a fitting tribute to our seniors,” he said. “We want to make things better on Candler Road.”

Johnson asked the seniors to continue to be vigilant and to hold them to their promise.

Gannon, whose Super District 6 includes Candler Road, thanked the seniors for their participation in the process to create the center.

“You deserve a place to come together and relax,” she said.

The new center is designed in the style of the new Scott-Candler Library next door, which opened in August.

Gannon pointed out that when the center, whose design is complementary to the library, is completed, the twinning of both buildings will make that section of Candler “the most outstanding corner” in the county.

The new center is part of the mixed-use development plan for Candler Road.

Senior housing also is planned along Candler Road, and Chris Morris, the county’s Community Development director, said that a private developer has been identified for the housing component.

Johnson said a park is planned as well.Among the features of the new facility is

a main dining hall seating up to 120 people for dining. The space will be easily converted into a meeting space for educational semi-nars and civic events.

There will be activity rooms for ceramics, billiards and board games like chess, bridge and backgammon. A large social lounge will be included in the new facility, which will have a commercial kitchen.

CrossRoadsNewsNovember 17, 2012 3

4

By Stormy Kage

From ROTC groups to motorcycle clubs, dozens of groups paraded down Lithonia’s Main Street on Nov. 10 to honor the country’s service men and women for Veterans Day.

The inaugural parade brought pride to the handful of residents who came out to watch.

ALthea Reaves, who lives near Main Street took her five-year-old grandson Taylor to see the parade.

“It was the best parade I ever saw in Litho-nia,” she said.

Uloma Brown of Decatur called it spectacu-lar. “It was really well-coordinated,” she said.

Councilwoman Shameka Reynolds said she

INDEX PAGE

Community

index to advertisers

Arthur’s Contracting ......................................15Attorney Robert Burroughs ..........................15Aviation Institute of Maintenance .................15BJH Attorneys & Counselors at Law ..............14Cajun Turkeys................................................15Centura College ............................................15DeKalb Co. Dept. Watershed Management ... 2

Georgia Military College ...............................12Hibachi Grill ...................................................6L’Couture Fashion Lounge ............................15Live Healthy & Thrive Foundation .................9Macy’s ............................................................ 7Malcolm Cunningham Auto Gallery............. 16Mechanixx Corporation .................................15

North DeKalb Mall ......................................... 3Quenon Smith ..............................................14Saint Philip AME Church .............................. 10Savannah State University .............................12The Davis Bozeman Law Firm, P.C. ...............14The Law Office of B.A. Thomas ....................14The Mall at Stonecrest ................................... 5

The Spa Ladies ..............................................15Wright Vision Care .........................................9Best Buy Co. Inc. .................................... InsertsWalmart ................................................. InsertsHolistic Health Management Inc. ........... InsertsWalgreens .............................................. Inserts

“It’s beautiful … to honor vets like this. I think people are finally understanding a lot of us are still hurting.”

Lithonia first veterans parade draws lots of participants

The drum majors with the Clarkston High School marching band perform a routine during the parade.

Lithonia Mayor Deborah Jackson called the parade a success: “All we needed was a bigger audience.”

City Councilman Darold Honoré (center) waves to spectators.

Members of Miller Grove’s Army ROTC march in formation at the parade in Lithonia’s town center.

Photos by Curtis Parker / CrossroadsNews

The Navy ROTC members at Martin Luther King Jr. High School carry a banner at Lithonia’s inaugural Veterans Day parade on Nov. 10.

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

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

The concept, design and content of CrossRoads News are copyrighted and may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the written permis-sion of the publisher.

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Troops help Lithonia salute the nation’s veterans. Actor-comedian Chris Tucker’s grandfather, the Rev. Theodore Bryant, was the parade’s grand marshal.

was too sick to join the parade but she watched it on Main Street with her three-year-old son Miles and two cousind.

“This is what Lithonia needs,” she said. “Its just bringing Lithonia back to life like it used to be.”

Other City Council members joined Mayor Deborah Jackson for the parade, which began at Lithonia Middle School and terminated at the Bruce Street center.

Tina Troup, owner of Choices of Accessories on Main Street. was happy with the turnout.

“It made the city look like we are doing something,” she said.

Leon Robinson Jr., a former Marine was touched by the parade.

“It’s beautiful for someone to honor vets like this,” he said. “I think people are finally under-standing how a lot of us are still hurting.”

Robinson of Stone Mountain, said that when he returned home after serving in Vietnam, he was met with hostility.

“I was spit on and called a baby killer,” he said. “But now, people are finally saying thank you. That did something to me on the inside.”

Anthony Pearson of Lithonia said he came out to help salute the veterans.

“These are the people risking their lives to secure and defend this country.

Jackson, the city’s mayor, pronounced the parade a success. “All we needed was a bigger audience,” she said.


5

Community PGCrossRoadsNewsNovember 17, 2012 5

6 Community“The commission will create a dual school system and

resegregate public education based on race and income.”

Archives open by limited appointment only

LAWSUIT, from pAge 1

Ballot language, preamble called ‘purposely’ misleading

The Rev. Timothy McDonald, senior pastor at First Iconium Baptist Church and a member of the Concerned Black Clergy group, and teacher Bev-erly Hedges allege in the suit that the ballot lan-guage and the preamble that describes it were “purposely” misleading.

The suit asks that the charter school amend-ment not be enforced even it was approved by voters.

When asked for comment from the gov-ernor, his spokesman, Brian Robinson, said in an e-mail: “The voters spoke overwhelm-ingly in favor of school choice.”

Deal ardently supported the charter school amendment, which was opposed by many in public education, including Geor-gia State Superintendent of Schools John Barge.

Jones said he met with the governor in February to discuss concerns over the ballot amendment’s wording.

The lawsuit alleges that lawmakers wanted the ballot question to promote charter schools’ ability to improve student achievement.

That type of language was removed before final passage of the proposed amend-ment, but it was later put into a preamble to the ballot question by the Constitutional Amendments Publication Board. Deal has one of three votes on that board.

Jones said he obtained an e-mail the day before the election that proves the ballot question and its preamble were intentionally worded in a misleading way.

“People high up are wanting this legis-lation,” Rep. Tommy Benton (R-Jefferson) wrote to a constituent on Feb. 3. “The vague-ness of the ballot wording is something they want to keep. They think if they keep it vague it will more easily pass.”

Benton confirmed to The Atlanta Jour-nal-Constitution that he wrote the e-mail to Jeanette Knazek, an Alpharetta parent who had been following the charter issue.

Knazek said she felt the ballot wording didn’t give voters accurate information.

Jones has sent letters asking Georgia At-torney General Sam Olens and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate. He said he contacted Holder because charter schools would receive federal funds. Neither office has responded.

The charter school amendment was an effort to revive the Georgia Charter Schools Commission, which was formed by a law passed in 2008.

Last year, after legal challenges from school districts including DeKalb County’s, the state Supreme Court struck down the law that established the commission.

The court ruled that local school boards have exclusive authority over whether charter schools come into their communities.

But the Nov. 6 vote put the matter in the hands of voters, who have now reinstated what the court struck down.

“We’ve taken power away from elected school boards and given it to appointed members of this seven-member commission that is not accountable to anyone,” Jones said. “The commission will create a dual school system and resegregate public education based on race and income.”


The Georgia Archives facility is now open to the public for just two weeks each month by limited appointment only.

The new reduced operating hours, which went into effect Nov. 1, are the result of state cuts.

The archives facility houses state records and artifacts dating back to the 1700s.

Before the cuts, the facility averaged 74 visitors per week, or about 296 per month. The average visitor spends three hours there, according to state records.

The new schedule allows 288 visitors per month during the first two weeks of each month. Visitors will be limited to two or two-and-a-half hours at the facility.

Staff was reduced to three – two archi-

vists and a maintenance worker – from 10 employees this month.

The state had sought to close the ar-chives to the public, but advocates initiated Facebook campaigns and held a rally at the

State Capitol to protest the closure of state public records to the walk-in public.

Secretary of State Brian Kemp an-nounced the end of open access to the archives on Sept. 13 as the way his office would meet a required state budget cut of $732,626, or 3 percent.

Kemp said at the time that he an-nounced the closure “with great remorse” and pledged to continue to work with the governor, General Assembly and other interested parties to restore funding and access to the archives.

The Georgia Archives staff numbered more than 100 in the early ’80s when the archives operated out of a building in downtown Atlanta. In 2003, it moved to Morrow near the entrance to Clayton State University.

Georgia Archives: The basicsn Address: 5800 Jonesboro Road, Morrow, GA 30260n Phone: 678-364-3700n Web site: www.sos.ga.gov/archivesn Current public hours: Fridays and Saturdays, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

To make appointments, contact Christopher M. Davidson at cdavidson @sos.ga.gov or 678-364-3714.

Timothy McDonald

Your Source for Neighborhood News Call 404-284-1888 for Advertising Rates & Information

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8 HolidayThese recipes are super-fast, so you’ll spend less time in the kitchen and more time with the people you treasure.

Tasty traditional treats minus all the guilt

Holiday meals are a cause for celebra-tion!

The season’s big feasts are some of my favorite memories from childhood, and I’m embellishing and extending the tradition with my own family and beloved friends.

This year, there’s no need to go without your favorite holiday flavors or start the guilt cycle associated with unhealthy food choices.

These recipes will provide all of the nostalgic scents and tastes of Thanksgivings gone by, but without all of the fat, salt and extra calories.

As an added bonus, these recipes are all super-fast (average cooking time is 20 min-utes or less), so you’ll spend less time in the kitchen and more time with the people you treasure. Enjoy!

Stove-top Glazed Sweet Potatoes1 12-ounce bag frozen, diced organic sweet potatoes1 cup apple cider1 cinnamon stickPinch of garam masala (Indian spice blend)Pinch of salt

Combine ingredients in a pot, simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally until sweet potatoes are tender (about 10 minutes), and the cider has reduced to a glaze.

Corn & Edamame Succotash1 onion, diced3 cloves garlic, mincedCorn kernels cut from 5-6 ears of grilled, charred, smoked or roasted corn (1 1-pound bag frozen corn kernels)1 1-pound bag of frozen, shelled edamame (soybeans)1 red bell pepper, small diced1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté the onions and garlic until aromatic, about 3-4 minutes. Add corn, edamame and bell pepper. Season with spices and continue to cook until the peppers are crisp-tender (about 3-5 minutes). For added decadence, top with crumbled queso fresco or other mild crumbly white cheese.

Mushroom Gravy2 pints mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced 1 medium onion, diced3 cloves garlic, minced2 tablespoons flour (or rice flour or gluten-free flour mix)1 teaspoon fresh thyme16 ounces broth or stock ½ cup heavy cream (optional)Salt and pepper to taste

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat and sauté the mushrooms, onion and garlic until tender and cooked down.

Add one more tablespoon of olive oil and reduce the heat to medium. Stir in the flour and keep stirring until a light brown roux has formed.

Pour in the broth or stock and scrape up the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Increase heat to medium high, add thyme, cream, salt and pepper and allow to simmer 5-10 minutes or until gravy starts to thicken and can coat a spoon.

Gravy will continue to thicken as it cools. For a smooth gravy, process in a blender. Serve over steamed green beans for a lighter version of the classic green bean casserole.

Follow the Life ChefFind Life Chef Asata Reid on Face-

book and Twitter or call her at 404-953-5474. For more healthy and delicious recipes or information on cooking classes, visit www.lifechef.net.

Black-eyed Pea Salad With Corn and Tomatoes12 ounces frozen corn, thawed2 15-ounce cans black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half2 scallions, chopped (green parts only)Juice and zest from 2 lemons1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oilSalt and pepper to taste

Combine black-eyed peas, corn and tomatoes in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice. Stir in the lemon zest and scallions.

Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and stir well.

Serve chilled or room temperature.

EZ Creamy Mashed Potatoes4 cups 2 percent milk (or rice milk or oat milk)6-8 medium red-skin potatoes (think tennis ball-size) peeled and quartered2 bay leaves2 tablespoons butter or olive oil or coconut oil (optional)Salt and pepper to taste

Combine peeled and cut potatoes with milk, salt and pepper in a pot. Liquid should be enough to just cover the potatoes. Cover and cook for about 10-15 minutes over medium heat, being careful not to

scald the milk and stirring occasionally to prevent any sticking on the bottom of the pot. When potatoes are fork tender, remove the bay leaves, add the butter or oil, and

mash with a whisk or potato masher until creamy. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.

If potatoes are too stiff, whip in a little additional warm milk 2 tablespoons at a time. If serving potatoes later, reheat with a little additional liquid.

Quick Cooked Spiced Collards1 bag pre-washed, trimmed collard greens (or kale)3 cups broth or stock3 cloves garlic1 onion2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper½ teaspoon cinnamon½ teaspoon allspice or clovesOlive oilSalt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat, add onions and sauté until tender. Add garlic and cook, stirring for another 3 minutes. Add the broth or stock and all the spices and bring up to a simmer. Stir in the greens, cover with a lid, reduce heat to medium and cook for another 15-20 minutes. When greens are tender and bright green, serve.

Cranberry Orange Sauce2 pints fresh cranberries1 jar of orange marmalade1/2 cup of water or orange juice1-2 cinnamon sticks2-3 tablespoons maple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a low simmer, stirring occasionally.

When the cranberries start to burst, remove from heat and allow to thicken.

As the sauce sits, it will get thicker. For a smoother sauce, process in a blender.

Life Chef Asata Reid

EatingHealthy


9By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

More than 4,000 turkeys were delivered on Nov. 9 for the annual Hosea Feed the Hungry and Homeless Thanksgiving Din-ner.

Now it’s time for the trimmings.The donations of frozen birds from

Publix, Kroger and Sodexho supermarkets were unloaded at the DeKalb Sheriff ’s Office where volunteers will prepare the annual meal for thousands of homeless and low-income individuals and families on Nov. 22 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

The meal will be served from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Elisabeth Omilami, HFTH’s CEO, said the organization started by her father more than four decades ago stands in the gap for those individuals and families who would otherwise have nothing to celebrate.

“While the holiday season is filled with lots of joy and cheer for so many Americans, for just as many more it is a time of lost hope and despair,” she said.

This year’s dinner will be the organiza-tion’s 43rd annual dinner.

For the past seven years, the meal has been prepared in the kitchen of the DeKalb County Jail, which is reputed to be the largest commercial kitchen in metro Atlanta.


Churches in Stone Mountain and Litho-nia are coming together for joint Thanksgiv-ing events to give thanks for the season and help people in the community.

The joint services have become a tra-dition for St. Timothy United Methodist, Memorial Drive Presbyterian and Rock of Ages Lutheran churches in Stone Mountain and for First Afrikan Presbyterian, Big Miller Grove Missionary Baptist and Ousley United Methodist churches in Lithonia.

Potluck ThanksgivingThis year, the Stone Mountain churches,

all located on Memorial Drive, will meet at Rock of Ages Lutheran Church on Nov. 17 from 5-7 p.m. at 5135 Memorial Drive. A new addition to the group this year is the Rest Stop Church, also located on Memorial Drive.

This year’s event will be different from the previous ones, also held for decades.

These churches and others are part of an ecumenical ministry that distributes lunches to about 70 people every weekday at Rock of Ages.

As an extension of that ministry, the churches will worship together during a pot-luck dinner that is open to the community.

To make donations for the event or for more information, call Memorial Drive Pres-byterian at 404-292-8212 or St. Timothy’s at 404-292-5969.

“While the holiday season is filled with lots of joy and cheer

for so many Americans, for just as many more

it is a time of lost hope and despair.”

Elisabeth Omilami

Hosea Feed the Hungry needs trimmings for annual dinner

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNewsDeKalb Sheriff Thomas Brown (from left), Clint Slaton, Commissioner Lee May and Afemo Omilami of Hosea Feed the Hungry unload turkeys at the DeKalb County Jail on Nov. 9.

HolidayThese churches are part of an ecumenical ministry that distributes lunches to about 70 people each weekday.

Churches share blessings of season with fellowship and foodCommunitywide service

Decatur Cooperative Ministry, which works to prevent and alleviate homelessness, will hold a “Communitywide Thanksgiving Service” on Nov. 18 at 7 p.m.

The worship service will be held at De-catur Presbyterian Church, 205 Sycamore St. in Decatur.

Guest speaker is the Rev. David Lewicki, co-pastor of North Decatur Presbyterian Church. His sermon is titled “Thank You, Lord.”

The Cooperative Min-istry partners with more than 38 congregations that have been invited to the service, which is open to the public.

Lithonia gives thanks

The Lithonia community will celebrate Thanksgiving on Nov. 18 at Antioch-Litho-nia Missionary Baptist Church.

Participating churches for the 5-7 p.m. event include Lithonia First United Meth-odist Church, Fishers of Men, First St. Paul AME Church and Higher Level Worship Church, among others.

The sermon will be delivered by the Rev. Rod Dewberry, pastor of Fishers of Men Community Church. The James C. Ward Chorale will provide the music.

Refreshments will be served after the service, said the Rev. James C. Ward, pastor

of Antioch-Lithonia Baptist Church. Antioch-Lithonia Church is at 2152 Rock

Chapel Road in Lithonia. For more informa-tion, call 770-482-1277.

Thanksgiving worship serviceFirst Afrikan Presbyterian, Big Miller

Grove Missionary Baptist and Ousley United Methodist Church will hold Thanksgiving worship together on Nov. 20 at 7 p.m. at Ousley UMC, 3261 Pa-nola Road.

Big Miller Grove Bish-op Miles E. Fowler will deliver the sermon and First Afrikan’s Tam choir will sing.

The churches, which are located within a one-mile radius on Panola Road, have co-hosted the annual joint wor-ship service for nearly 20 years.

The public is invited. For more informa-tion, call 770-981-0180.

‘A Day of Thanks and Giving’Fairfield Baptist Church will host “A Day

of Thanks and Giving” on Nov. 22.The Thanksgiving Day service, which

starts at 9 a.m., is a collaborative effort of 10 churches.

The Rev. Andre Grier, pastor of the Union Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, will deliver the sermon.

The service will be followed by an out-

pouring of social services and Thanksgiving dinner for about 200 pre-regis-tered families.

The co-sponsoring churches include Big Mill-er Grove Baptist Church, Christ Our Hope Catholic Church, Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Exousia Light House International, Flat Rock Com-munity Church, New World Harvest Minis-tries, Solid Rock AME Zion Church, Union Missionary Baptist Church, and White Oak Hills Baptist Church.

Fairfield Baptist is at 6133 Redan Road in Lithonia. For more information, call 770-482-7660.

Dial to preach at GreenforestGreenforest and Rain-

bow Park Baptist Church are co-hosting a joint Thanksgiving Day wor-ship service at Greenfor-est Community Baptist Church on Nov. 22.

The service starts at 10 a.m., and Rainbow Park’s pastor, the Rev. Steven N. Dial Sr., will preach. Dial is a former youth and young adult pastor at Greenforest, at 3250 Rainbow Drive in Decatur.

For more information, call 404-486-1120.

Andre Grier

Miles E. Fowler

David Lewicki

Steven Dial Sr.

During the annual Great Turkey Drop, a tractor-trailer rolls up to the jail loaded with frozen and smoked turkeys and hams.

Sheriff Thomas Brown said they are now depending on the community to bring the rest of the ingredients for the dinner.

“We need those canned vegetables. We need bread,” Brown said. “It’s not just about meat. We got to make sure we have the gravy, the cranberry. We have to have the trim-

mings. We have to have the desserts.”Brown said it’s not too late to give.“Come one, come all,” he said. “It’s not

too small. It’s not too large. Bring the food on so that we can have a nice time. It’s a tra-dition, just like riding the Pink Pig, so just make it happen.”

Afemo Omilami said the holidays are the season for reminding people about invisible Americans who are people like us.

“They have a life,” he said. “They want to be touched. They want to see their chil-dren go to medical school. They want their children to have the opportunities we all enjoy.”

Over the next three months, the organiza-tion will prepare and serve meals at Thanks-giving, Christmas and the King holiday.

“All those dinners depend on what hap-pens here and now,” he said. “We are still looking for the vegetables that go along with the wonderful turkeys and the dressing. We are still asking the public to help us.”

His wife said that it takes a partnership between the business, faith-based and non-profit communities and individuals to make a difference.

“With that four-legged stool, we really can end homelessness in Atlanta,” she said. “We can bring about what [Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.] called the beloved community.”

To donate, visit Hosea.com.


10By Brenda Camp Yarbrough

Five years ago when Renee Ranson and community supporters opened the South DeKalb Center for Healthy Living in Litho-

nia, she had no idea how great the need would be for their free services and how challenging it would be to stay afloat.

Since that day, the cen-ter, which provides health screenings and primary care to the unemployed and uninsured with a staff

of volunteers, has seen 8,672 patients.Faced with dwindling donations, the

cash-strapped center was forced this year to turn away about 20 people seeking care, reduce its days of operation to two Satur-days per month from up to nine days of operation, and institute a $20 to $25 fee for its services.

Ranson said two out of 10 people still cannot afford that.

“They give what they can or we see them anyway,” she said.

To help it continue to serve the commu-nity, the center is seeking donations for its annual Christmas in November fund-raiser under way through Nov. 30.

The goal this year is to raise $8,000. It also needs exam table paper, exam drapes, multi-purpose paper, cleaning supplies and office supplies as well as gift cards from Staples, Walmart, Kroger and Home Depot.

Since the campaign’s launch on Nov. 1, the center has received cash and in-kind donations totaling $3,232 but is still far from its goal.

Ranson, the center’s executive director, said it has been a blessed but challenging year because the nonprofit center did not secure any grant funding this year.

They have made it this far with the help of donors like Cathryn Dixon, who made a contribution to honor the memory of her husband, Jack Dixon, who died on Sept. 22 of a massive heart attack.

Dixon said her husband received excel-lent health care through the clinic when he was unemployed and uninsured.

The South DeKalb Center for Healthy Living in Lithonia depends on a staff of volunteers to provide health screenings and primary care for unemployed and uninsured patients. It is seeking donations during its annual Christmas in November drive and recipes for a cookbook fund-raiser.

Charli Vogt, who holds advanced degrees in nursing and public health, will discuss the restorative power of food, “From the Kitchen to the Medicine Cabinet,” on Nov. 23 at the Decatur Library in downtown Decatur.

Wellness“Every dollar is a blessing.’ Heck, if you donate a quarter, we shall save it up until we can purchase what we need.”

South DeKalb free clinic needs donations to keep its doors open

Learn about health-inducing foodHerbalist and registered nurse Charli

Vogt of Beyond the Measuring Cup will talk about the restorative power of food on Nov. 23 at the Decatur Library.

Vogt, one of Oakhurst Community Gar-den’s favorite teachers, will present “From the Kitchen to the Medicine Cabinet,” which takes place from 7 to 8 p.m. She holds advanced degrees in nursing and public

health.Participants can find out about some of

the foods, herbs and spices in the kitchen that are health-inducing. They can taste and learn about food that restores health and provides comfort.

Decatur Library is at 215 Sycamore St. in downtown Decatur. For more information, call 404-370-3070.

“He felt a kinship there at the clinic,” she wrote in the note that accompanied her donation.

Ranson said the center, which opened its doors in April 2007, continues “through the grace of God” and consistent support from a few volunteers, including Lynn Chamberlain, Jim Wunch of Larkin Refractory in Lithonia and DeKalb Medical.

She said that Chamberlain is initiating a cookbook fund-raiser to help create a fund-ing stream for clinic.

For the cookbook effort, it is asking supporters to e-mail, mail or bring in their favorite recipes, including selections for diabetic patients.

Ranson calls Wunch a stellar supporter who purchases supplies and donated $2,000 twice this year.

The clinic is appealing for any and all kinds of help – donors, volunteers and “kind hearts” who can offer up prayers for its mission.

“As we at SDCHL have always stated, ‘Ev-

ery dollar is a blessing.’ Heck, if you donate a quarter, we shall save it up until we can purchase what we need,” she said.

Donations can be made at www.healthy livingclinic.org, using the PayPal link on the donations page, or by check payable to SDCHL. Items can be dropped off or mailed to the clinic.

The South DeKalb Center for Healthy Living is at 2699 Klondike Road. For more information, e-mail [email protected] or call 770-484-2777.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORP0RATION

“God has a vision for our lives that is greater than any vision we can have for ourselves or that others can have for us.”

Fresh produce truck on siteFresh produce truck on site

Purchase fresh local producefor your holiday gatherings

Saturdays,Nov. 17 & 24, 20129 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Radford Farms / Radford Simmons Produce

2nd Annual Community Shredding Event on Sat., Nov. 24Bring your sensitive documents for free on-site shredding

Renee Ranson


11CrossRoadsNewsNovember 17, 2012 11

12

Lithonia High School graduate Charlos D. Washington was praised for exceptional performance as commanding officer of the USS Oscar Austin.

Lithonia graduate awarded Navy’s Meritorious Service Medal

County hosting winter break camp

youtHWashington was deployed in 2008 to the Western Pacific

in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Children ages 5 to 12 can attend Winter Break Day Camp at all 13 DeKalb County recreation centers on Nov. 19-21.

The $6-a-day camp takes place from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Payments should be made to DeKalb County Recreation, Parks & Cultural Affairs

by cashier’s check or money order. Participants must provide their own

lunch and snack.For more information, call Bernita Reese,

division manager, at 404-371-3643 or Al Sheppard, division manager, at 404-371-6270.

STONE MOUNTAIN CAMPUSI-285 to Memorial Dr., Right on

Ridge Ave., Left to 5325 Manor Dr., Stone Mountain, GA 30083

678-379-1387 www.gmc.cc.ga.us

No Military Obligation is required at GMC!

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★ GMC is an accredited two-year liberal arts junior college, with 10 campuses located throughout the state of Georgia.

★ GMC is a public educational institution whose purpose is to produce educated citizens by providing students with a liberal arts based two-year undergraduate curriculum.

★ Books are included in tuition cost★ Located near MARTA

YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE

FINANCIAL AID TYPES: • Scholarships • GTEG (Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant) • Federal Grants • Federal Work Study• HOPE • Loans

ESTABLISHED IN 1879

High school diploma or GED is required

49 new buses for DeKalb Schools Scout Merit Badge Clinic at FairfieldThe DeKalb School District is adding 49

new buses to its fleet through special state funding.

The $3.7 million purchase of the 72-pas-senger Blue Bird buses was approved by the Board of Education at its Oct. 8 meeting. Twenty buses have passed pre-service in-spections and have been delivered with the remainder arriving over the next weeks.

The buses were purchased from the Yanc-ey Bus Sales at a cost of $76,219.50 each.

The Georgia Department of Education and the Georgia State Financing and Invest-ment Commission provided state bus bond funding, so the purchase has no impact on

Boy Scout Troop 1996 will host its first Merit Badge Clinic on Dec. 1 at Fairfield Baptist Church in Lithonia.

Classes will be offered for Boy and Girl Scouts and Scoutmasters. Classes are $15 for all Scouts and $30 for Scoutmasters.

Sessions for the Scouts will be held throughout the morning and afternoon. Fifteen classes are offered.

Scoutmaster’s training takes place from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

A merit badge allows Scouts to display newly learned skills. A Scout picks a topic and follows instructions on how to study and present the findings to earn a badge.

Fairfield Baptist is at 6133 Redan Road. For more information, visit www .meritbadge.info.

the general budget.The school system’s buses are driven 11

million miles annually to transport 62,000 students to and from school each day, ac-cording to the district.

Fleet Director Anthony Jackson called the purchase great news for the school system.

“Our mechanics and drivers work dili-gently to care for and maintain our fleet of more than 850 buses, but it can be challeng-ing with the incredible volume of miles that we drive each day,” Jackson said in a Nov. 12 statement.

“These brand-new buses provide more reliable transportation for our children.”


Charlos D. Washington, who graduated from Lithonia High School in 1990, has a new military medal to add to his collection.

Washington, a commander in the U.S. Navy, was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for exceptional performance as com-manding officer of the USS Oscar Austin.

Washington commanded the guided-missile destroyer from April 2011 until October.

Rear Adm. Scott T. Craig, commander, Strike Force Training, Atlantic, praised Wash-ington at an Oct. 22 change of command ceremony held at Port Louis, Mauritius.

“Commander Washington demonstrated dynamic visionary leadership as he expertly led Oscar Austin to unprecedented opera-tional, tactical and combat readiness,” Craig said.

Washington will next report for duty to the commander of the Strike and Air Warfare Center in Fallon, Nev.

After he left Lithonia High, Washington attended the United States Naval Academy and was commissioned in May 1994, receiv-ing a degree in general sciences. He earned a master’s in space systems operations from

the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, Calif., in 1999.

Prior to commanding the Oscar Austin, Washington was deployed in 2008 to the Western Pacific in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the American-led coun-terattack on terrorism.

His personal awards include two Merito-rious Service medals, four Navy and Marine Corps Commendation medals, three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement medals, and numerous unit awards.

Washington, 39, is the son of the late Don C. Washington and Delores T. Washington, a

retired DeKalb County high school principal. His sister, Cassandra Wilson, is a broadcast video producer at Towers High School.

Delores Washington remembers her son playing with “Star Wars” toys when he was a boy.

When she visited on the Oscar Austin, “I thought, ‘Here’s this kid still with his toy,’ ” she said. “He always loved water and ships, and we always made sure we exposed him to them.”

Washington said her son has been swim-ming competitively since the age of 3. When he was 5 years old, his parents took him to Mobile to check out the USS Alabama, a battleship.

Washington said her husband, who grew up in Smithville, Texas, was denied entry into the Air Force because of his race.

“He was so proud that his son was able to be part of the change in history and be accepted into the Naval Academy,” said Washington, who lives in Lithonia.

“It’s overwhelming when you think of his accomplishments during his Navy ca-reer,” she said. “I had no idea that he would love the Navy as well as he does. We are very proud that he’s serving his country and do-ing well at it.”


13

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNewsCommunity leaders Darryl Jennings (from left), Jerri Bason, Priscilla Davenport, Robert Dennis and Cherry Willis received plaques from the new manager of the Gresham Park Walmart.

Scene“We wanted a cleaner and easier

shopping experience for our customers.”

Gresham Park Walmart celebrates civic leaders, renovations

Centers collecting food to help families in need at ThanksgivingTo help families struggling to put

Thanksgiving meals on the table, DeKalb County and a number of nonprofit and community groups are collecting canned and nonperishable food items.

Residents can donate nonperishable food items at a dozen DeKalb recreation centers through Nov. 20 during normal operating hours.

The food drive is sponsored by the De-partment of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Affairs.

Donated items will be distributed to people in need.

Donations can be dropped off at:n The Maloof Building, 1300 Commerce Drive in Decatur.

n Briarwood Recreation Center, 2335 Briar-wood Way in Atlanta.n Browns Mill Recreation Center, 5101 Browns Mill Road in Lithonia, n Exchange Recreation Center, 2771 Colum-bia Drive in Decatur.n Gresham Recreation Center, 3113 Gresham Road in Atlanta.n Hamilton Recreation Center, 3263 Chapel St. in Scottdale.n Lucious Sanders Recreation Center, 2484 Bruce St. in Lithonia.n Lynwood Recreation Center, 3360 Osborne Road in Atlanta.n Mason Mill Recreation Center, 1340-B McConnell Drive in Decatur.n Midway Recreation Center, 3181 Midway

Road in Decatur.n N.H. Scott Recreation Center, 2230 Tilson Road in Decatur.n Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive in Decatur.n Redan Recreation Center, 1839 Phillips Road in Lithonia.n Tobie Grant Recreation Center, 644 Parkdale Drive in Scottdale.n Tucker Recreation Center, 4898 LaVista Road in Tucker.

The main office is open weekdays 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the recreation centers and the Porter Sanford Center are open 1 to 5 p.m.

For more information, call LaShanda

Davis at 404-371-3643.

Tupac Shakur Foundation driveThe Tupac Amaru Shakur Foundation is

accepting donations of canned and dry food items through Nov. 19.

It needs vegetables, tuna and other canned meats, soups, pasta sauce, peanut butter, fruit, and cranberry sauce.

The dry food items include rice, pasta, soup packages, Hamburger Helper, cereal, pancake mix, pudding, Jell-O, coffee, tea, chocolate mix, and dry milk.

The center is at 5616 Memorial Drive in Stone Mountain.

For more information, call 404-298-4222.

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

When Taniqua Wright arrived at the Gresham Park Walmart in August, she im-mediately began to forge partnerships with

the community around the store.

The 11-year Walmart employee, who is on her first store manager stint, immediately reached out and built relationships with the Gresham Park Community Association, the Concerned Neighbors

Association, the Highland Park Homeowners Association, Greystone Park Association, the McNair Discovery Learning Academy and the DeKalb NAACP.

At a Nov. 9 Community Partners Event at the store, she said thanks to them for their support.

Wright told the community leaders that she and her team of managers and associates are there to serve the community.

“We take that responsibility seriously,” she said.

The occasion also celebrated the comple-tion of the renovations at the store that opened in March 2006.

The remodel, which was the first done at the 6-year-old store, included repainting the building, installing updated fixtures, upgrad-

ing internal and external lighting, boosting security, and increasing the number of ca-shiers to reduce checkout wait time.

“We updated the look and cleaned up the store,” Wright said. “We wanted a cleaner and easier shopping experience for our cus-tomers.”

Wright didn’t have the total cost of the upgrades, but she said she went more than

$80,000 over budget.Darryl Jennings, president of the Gresham

Park Community Association, is happy with the changes that came with Wright. He said the community doesn’t plan to lose her.

“We have had five managers in five years,” he said. “We say, ‘No more managers.’ We are going to do what we have to as a community to keep you.”

District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson told Wright that the community has her back and will support her in making the store a success.

He said that Gresham, the first Walmart built inside I-285, was the first economic de-velopment project he undertook as a county commissioner 10 years ago.

The store was built on the site of an old abandoned Kmart building that become a haven for homeless people and criminal elements.

Its coming transformed the intersection of Gresham Road and I-20 and brought 300 jobs.

“I am proud of the grand reopening and proud of the spirit,” Johnson said.

Robert Dennis, president of the Con-cerned Neighbors Association, says he lives in the store.

“I come here five days a week and I walk from one door to the next,” he said. “This is our store. If something is on the floor, pick it up. We worked hard to bring this store to this community and we are not going to make it fail.”

Wright presented plaques and goodies to the community leaders, and Johnson got a wall clock for his office and a card signed by the store’s managers and associates.

Dennis told Wright that she is not going to please everybody.

“Just do your best,” he said.

Taniqua Wright


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

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Documents

CrossRoadsNews, November 17, 2012