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WWW.CHAMPIONNEW SPAPER.COM FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2011 VOL. 14, NO. 1 FREE

FREEPRESS A PUBLICATION OF ACE III C OMMUNICATIONS

Confessionsof a prom limo driver

by Gale Horton Gay

Under the watchful eyes of theirbursting-with-pride parents, theyoung men and women comeacross almost as princes and prin-

cesses with nery and manners to match.Cameras capture the moments as corsagesare pinned and poses struck. Sometimesheads are bowed in prayer just before theyenter the limousine headed to prom.

Oh, but once that limo turns the corner,many of these teens toss their manners andgood sense out the window and go buck wild.

Limo drivers like Andrew Doyle haveeen it all: Girls who appear docile in front

of mom and dad but are anything but in thecompany of their friends; boys who seemike perfect gentlemen until they start refer-ing to their female companions in less-han- attering language.

Doyle is the owner of Above All Ex-ecutive Transportation and Limousine Ser-vice and his Decatur business has beenquiring young folks around

on that all-important promnight for six years.

And while music occasionally has beena little crude and he has had to pull a limoover a time or two to address the behaviorof his youthful passengers, Doyle said thatmost of the time most of the teens are hav-ing good, clean fun on a night they willremember for the rest of their lives.

March to May is prom time in DeKalbCounty, and Doyle, who anticipates beingbooked every weekend, is again preparingfor a busy season.

Part of the preparation is having theteens hell transport sign a Prom PromiseAgreement that spells out whats appropriate

behavior in his limo and whats not as wellas the consequences if teens cross the line.No drugs, alcohol, smoking, weapons andunruly behavior. And if the rules are broken,services will be terminated immediately andparents called to pick up their children.

Such agreements are standard amongmany transportation services with some out-lining that parents will be called before anylast-minute changes to the route are madeand that teens are expected to respect thedriver. The general contract also speci eshefty fees if clean-up is needed if a passen-ger gets sick ($250 for shampoo and dis-infectant) or leaves the vehicle in disrepair($300 for burn holes, rips or tears to uphol-

stery).

Andrew Doyle owner of Above All Executive Transporta-tion and Limousine Service. Photo by Travis Hudgons

DeKalb studentsparticipate in annualculinary competition

Winning Redan High School team members, from left, Kelsey MarieColins, Asia Reid and Candace Kemp and their entre from theirwinning submission. Photos by Travis Hudgons

Judge Kami R. Smith, CEPC, right, asks Charles Ray from Towersabout his cooking technique during the competition.

A member from Arabia Mountains team puts the fi nal touches ontheir main dish.

See Limo on Page 15A

See page 15 for full coverage

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THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2011 PAGE 2ANEWS

See Smoking on Page 3ACourt nds attorney hadconict of interestby Nigel Roberts

Eyewitness testimony andpictures taken at the scene ofhe crime were enough for

DeKalb prosecutors to obtainguilty pleas from two kid-

nappers. But the courts haveallowed one of the men towithdraw his guilty plea be-cause of his lawyers conictof interest in representingboth defendants.

According to court docu-ments, Anvar Mamedovwas driving along JollyAvenue in Clarkston whenhis friend Mohammed Haji-Essa told him to stop thecar. Haji-Essa got out of thepassenger seat and forced ayoung womanin whom hehad a romantic interestintohe car. After a few minutes,

he two men returned her,shaken up but unharmed, tohe spot where they abducted

her.Mamedov, an Uzbekistan

refugee, pleaded guilty tofalse imprisonment, basedon advice from an attorneyHaji-Essa hired. For the twoyears prior to the 2007 in-cident, Mamedov had beeniving in the United States

as a lawful resident. So, asa rst-time offender, he wassentenced by court to threeyears of probation and com-munity service.

But Mamedovs guiltyplea caught the attention ofmmigration authorities. Un-

der immigration law, falsemprisonment is a felony that

could trigger deportation.Mamedov then petitioned thecourt to allow him to with-draw his guilty plea, arguingthat his attorney failed to in-form him of the possibility ofdeportation. He told the court

that he would not have plead-ed guilty to settle the matterif he knew it would affect hisimmigration status.

A lower court ruled in2010 that Haji-Essas lawyerhad a conict of interest inrepresenting both defendantsand threw out Mamedovsconviction. Consequently,DeKalb prosecutors appealedto the Georgia SupremeCourt.

In a unanimous decisionreleased on March 18, thehigh court sided with Mame-dov. After analyzing the case,

the court found no error inthe lower courts ruling thatthe lawyer hired by Haji-Essahad an actual conict of in-terest that adversely affectedcounsels performance.

Chief Justice Carol Hun-stein, writing for the court,acknowledged that prosecu-tors disputed some facts inthe case, such as whetherMamedov consulted with aseparate immigration attor-ney. However, the undisput-ed evidence establishes thatMamedov was never advisedabout any risk of deporta-tion, Hunstein stated.

The justices pointed outthat Haji-Essa paid all attor-ney feesand the attorneyin essence was Haji-Essas

lawyer, though technicallyrepresenting the interest ofboth men. The attorney ad-mitted failing to discuss adefense with Mamedov andnever raised the issue that theco-defendants had conicting

interests.First, the fact that Haji-

Essa alone was paying coun-sels fees created a strongincentive for counsel toprioritize Haji-Essas inter-ests in the matter over Mam-edovs, the ruling stated.The high court said the fact isthat Mamedov was the lessculpable of the two in thecrime, adding that his par-ticipation was limited to hisrole as a passive witness whohappened to be driving whenHaji-Essa initiated the brief,apparently unpremeditated

interaction with the victim.Although the court didnt sayso, it suggested that the at-torney ill-advised Mamedovto enter a joint defense withhis friend.

In a case of joint rep-resentation of conictinginterests, the evil is in whatthe advocate is compelled torefrain from doing, Hun-stein wrote. Thus, a failureon the part of counsel topursue an alternative defensetheory that is more favorableto one defendant but whichwould have prejudiced a co-defendant by shifting blameto him may well give rise toan actual conict of interest.

Health board considers tougher anti-smoking lawby Andrew [email protected]

Cigarette smoking inDeKalb County could be ahing of the past if the coun-

ys Board of Health gets itsway.Were trying to give

hose who dont smoke theopportunity to have a smoke-free environment, said Eliz-abeth Ford, district healthdirector.

The health board wantso strengthen the countys

smoking ordinance, passedn 2002, which currently

bans smoking in all publicplaces and places of employ-ment within unincorporatedDeKalb County, but allowssmoking outdoors as long

as it occurs 20 feet or morefrom any entrance.

Excluded from the currentban are free-standing bars;retail tobacco stores; adultentertainment establish-ments; any property owned

or leased by municipalities,the state of Georgia or thefederal government; and pri-vate residences unless theyare used as child care, adultday care or health care facili-ties; and designated smoking

rooms in hotels.A statewide smoking ban

in most public places wassigned into law in 2005 bythen-governorSonny Perdue.

The Board of Health is

working on an ordinance thatFord hopes is as strong asone just enacted in Savannah,which bans smoking in bars,bowling alleys, outdoor sta-diums and private clubs. Theordinance even bans smokingwhen standing outdoors inservice lines such as at ATMs,concerts, food vendors, mov-ies and sporting events. Sa-vannahs ban also includeselectronic cigarettes.

Ford said DeKalbs currentordinance is not working. TheSoutheastern United States re-mains at the bottom for most

health parameters.We have a huge pediatric

asthma issue, Ford said.

The effort to strengthen thesmoking ban is part of a na-tionwide push to limit tobaccouse and reduce the negativeeffects of second-hand smoke.

Calabasas, Calif., has the

strictest smoke-free ordinancein the nation, according toJason Varner, business andpolicy analyst for the Boardof Health.

If youre in your car withthe windows down, you cantsmoke, Varner said. Wewant to make sure DeKalbCounty is one of the healthiestin the country.

The Board of Health willconsider the tougher smok-ing ban on April 21 at 3 p.m.,when there will be a publichearing on the subject. Theboards recommendation

will then be forwarded to thecountys Board of Commis-sioners which has the author-

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www.championnewspaper.com THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2011 Page 3A

by Daniel [email protected]

Georgia has one of the highest unemploy-ment rates in the country at 10.2 percent andDeKalb Countys rose to 10.5 percent in Feb-ruary.

According to the latest Georgia Depart-ment of Labor (GDOL) statistics, the countysunemployment rate has risen one tenth of apercent to 10.5 from 10.4 in December 2010.However, DeKalbs unemployment rate is rel-atively average in comparison to most coun-ies; the highest being 17.3 in Chattahoochee

and the lowest at 6.6 in Echols.Sam Hall, a spokesman for the GDOL,

said although DeKalb Countys rate increasedover the past few months, it did decrease bywo-tenths of a percent from 10.7 in January

2010.The over-the-year decrease in unemploy-

ment in DeKalb is due to a decline in con-inued claims for unemployment insurance

bene ts in manufacturing, construction andrade, Hall said.

He also said that in January 2011, claims led for unemployment insurance declined14.8 percent but so have the number of jobsavailable in DeKalb County.

The number of jobs in DeKalb Countydecreased by 1.5 percent, from 277,050 to272,918. Job losses in administrative supportservices, trade and professional, scienti c andechnical services offset the [jobs gained] in

education services, health care and social as-sistance, Hall said.

According to Burke Brennan, chief com-munications of cer of DeKalb County, ap-proximately 90 percent of businesses in thecounty are small businesses, most of whichare start-ups.

We all like to see the headlines of a bigemployer coming to town like Zurich Inter-national, who brought 150 jobs. Those areall well and good but the bread and butterof DeKalb Countys economy are the smallbusinesses, the mom and pop [stores], Bren-nan said.

The county takes a two-fold approach toob development. The Of ce of Economic

Development recruits businesses to the coun-y to create capital investment jobs and the

Workforce Development Department trainsworkers for various positions where there isdemand.

As far as workforce development goes,he majority of people who are seeking train-ng are looking to enter the health care or

IT elds and the majority of businesses thatare seeking personnel are in health care or

customer service, believe it or not, Brennansaid.Leonardo McClarty, president of the

DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, said thathealth care and social assistance are the big-gest industries in the county with approxi-mately 40,568 jobs, followed by educationwith 33,820 and retail with 30,384.

We still continue to see a rise in the num-ber of small businesseshowever, that istypical in times of a recession. Further, whenpeople stay out of the job market for longperiods of time, they start to look at businessownership particularly if they are skilled,McClarty said.

He also projected that industries like tele-communications and data processing have

the most potential for long-term growth in thecounty.

State unemployment dropped from 10.3to 10.2 percent in February. According toGeorgia Labor CommissionerMark Butler,although the rate is still relatively high, therehas been small growth in several industries.

Were seeing some positive growth whenit comes to new jobs for IT and health carebut more importantly, construction. Wereseeing a very slight increase in constructionjobs, which is de nitely a very positive sign,a sign that we have not seen in a very longtime, Butler said.

According to the last United States De-partment of Labor report, Georgia has the10th worst unemployment rate in the country.

Smoking Continued From Page 2A

DeKalb County residentsstill on the job hunt

Unemployment rates for DeKalb Countysince January, 2010 courtesy of the GDOL

2010:- Jan. 10.7- Feb. 10.4- March 10.1- April 9.7- May 9.9- June 10.5- July 10.8- Aug. 10.8- Sept. 10.6- Oct. 10.5- Nov. 10.6

- Dec. 10.4

2011:- Jan. 10.5

ity to approve the plannedordinance.

During a recent anti-smoking event, Ford said shewas given the task of pickingup cigarettes butts that were

discarded on the ground in

front of the Board of Healthsbuilding.

I was surprised to seehow many butts were outthere directly in front of theBoard of Health, Ford said.

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The Newslady

Steens List: DeKalb Womens Hall of Fame

Were in the waning days ofWomens History Month, started inhe month of March to recognize

women of distinction who havemade great contributions in thehistory of our nation. What aboutight here in DeKalb? As a great

observer of people, places andhings DeKalb for more than 30

years, there are a number of womenwho in my wholly biased opinion

hould be the rst inductees intohe DeKalb Womens Hall of Fame.Some people get their names onists merely because of their jobs or

celebrity status. The women identi-ed here are Real DeKalb CountyWomen of Distinction not necessar-ly housewives. Some names you

will immediately recognize. Othersyou wont. All are distinguished.All are overcomers. Some haveransitioned to the spirit world.

Here they are with a thumbnail de-cription:

Elizabeth Andrews Wife,mother, DeKalb School Boardmember who at one time was the

ongest serving elected ofcial inhe country.

Attorney Juanita Baranco Wife, mother, lawyer, highly suc-cessful businesswoman, humblehumanitarian.

The late Thelma Battle Mu-ician extraordinaire who taught

hundreds to sing and play and pray.The late Glenda Black Beau-

iful wife, mother and cancer streetghter. Loving rst lady to theBeulah Baptist Church family.

Alice Bussey Trailblazer inhe orist business. A founder ofhe Atlanta Business League, a self-

ess community servant.Barbara Christian CampbellUber style and eloquence, self-ess community servant servingn leadership positions with the

Democratic Party, DeKalb Board ofRealtors and the CME Church.

The late Mary Crane Wife,mother, trailblazing businesswomanwho founded the Crane publishingdynasty and DeKalbs rst newspa-

per, The Decatur News. She was amentor to many politicians includ-ing the late CEO ManuelMaloofand former senator now DeKalbSchool Board memberEugene

Walker. She was also a thorn inthe side of others like Scott Can-dler with her tell it like it is Irishpluck. Her grandson Bill Crane isa political commentator and writerforTheChampion.

Frances Edwards The rstBlack female school board memberwho possessed a stellar love forall children and is as sweet as thesugah she calls everyone.

Gwen Keyes Fleming Wife,mother, youngest and rst AfricanAmerican and female DeKalb so-licitor and district attorney.

Carolyn Glenn Wife, mother,

visionary and humanitarian. Ownerand publisher with her husbandDr. Earl Glenn ofTheChampionNewspaper, DeKalb Countys legalorgan, the rst African-Americanowned publication in the nation toachieve that designation. A friendevery woman should have.

The late Narvie Harris Thequintessential educator who madethe DeKalb County school systemlive up to the segregationist man-date of the 40s and 50s separatebut equal. A school was named inher honor while she was yet living.

Dr. Barbara Lee Quintessen-tial educator and an unsung heroine

whose love of children and passionto see them achieve is unheralded.

Liane Levetan DeKalbsrst female chief executive ofcer,former senator and county commis-sioner. A highly successful busi-nesswoman, great wife and mother.A friend every woman should have.

Dr. Sadie McCalep First ladyemeritus of Greenforest BaptistChurch who alongside her husband,Dr. George McCalep, grew thechurch from 25 members to 6,000.Started a longstanding program tomentor, feed and clothe the childrenand families of Bowen Homes.

Denise Majette Wife, mother,attorney, judge and former con-gresswoman who sacriced muchfor love of humanity.

Cynthia McKinney Quintes-sential community servant. FirstAfrican-American woman electedto Congress from the Great State ofGeorgia.

Kathy Mitchell A quietstorm. Editor and backbone of the

daily operation of the ChampionNewspaper. A devoted Christianmother and unsung communityservant.

Barbara Mobley Long stand-

ing community servant. First Af-rican American elected to DeKalbState Court, veteran state repre-sentative. A friend every womanshould have.

Chris Morris Quiet Storm.Quintessential community servantwhose handprint is on much in thedevelopment of DeKalb and thepreservation of its communities. Afriend every woman should have.

Mary Margaret Oliver Achampion of women and childrensrights who has served ably in boththe State House of Representativesand Senate. The native born DeKal-

bite is the rst female to seek theofce of lieutenant governor andwas in a runoff for the Democraticnomination.

Elizabeth Williams Oma-lami God-centered servant, wife,mother, actress and dedicateddaughter carrying on the legacy ofher late fatherHosea Williams andhis Feed the Hungry ministry.

Jennifer Parker Wife,mother, journalist and communityservant who sacrices much for ourneed to know.

Sarah Reid A true prayerwarrior of the high order who epito-mizes Christ-like living.

The late Eleanor Richardson Former state representative, activein matters of family, women andhealth, staunch ally of seniors andone of the founders of Senior Con-nections.

Zepora Roberts Longstand-ing community servant and formerschool board member. An advocateevery community should have.

Jeanette Rozier First AfricanAmerican Superior Court Clerk.Devoted public servant and friendto many.

Dr. Mary Sanders A de-voted wife, mother and community

servant. A cancer and debilitatingbrain tumor survivor and a sister/friend every woman should beblessed to have.

Bobbie Kennedy Sanford Grace and uber style. Highlysuccessful real estate broker andcommunity servant continuing thelegacy of her late husband, Com-missionerPorterSanford. She isthe driving force behind the Wesley

Chapel Overlay District and itsdesignation as an LCI.

Ivory Shepherd First ladyemeritus of Travelers Rest Bap-tist Church and longtime educator

who weilds considerable powerand inuence. A woman of styleand grace that every woman shouldstrive to emulate.

Cathey Steinberg - Recognizedas a leader for consumer, family,and womens rights through herwork in the Georgia House of Rep-resentatives and Georgia Senate.She was the primary sponsor of theresolution to ratify the ERA in theearly 1980s.

Dr. Dee Taylor A wife, moth-er and longtime educator whosestellar work for children is laudible.She is also the founding president

of the Stone Mountain Chapter ofJack and Jill of America.Nadine Thomas First African-

American female elected to theGeorgia Senate. A wonderful spiritand a friend every woman shouldhave.

Judy Turner Successfulbanker businesswoman, philanthro-pist. A friend every woman shouldhave.

Pat Walker a wife, motherand educator who has made a posi-tive impact on the lives of so many.She is the Proverbs 31 wife everyhusband should cherish.

Yvonne Williams Call her

Superwoman. With uberstyle she has served as CEO of thehughly successful Perimeter CenterCommunity Improvement Districtfor 25 years. Her expertise is soughtafter nationally and her inuenceis vast. A great spirit every womanshould call friend.

I said at the outset that thesechoices were wholly biased. Letme reiterate that these are women Igreatly admire. They may not makesome other lists. This is Steens list.The criterion here is much morethan job attainment. It is character

over celebrity which by the wayis ckle and eeting, like beauty.Do me a favor. If you see any ofthe women on the list who are stillwith us, say, Thank you. If werestill around next year, send me yourpicks.

Steen Miles, The Newslady, is aretired journalist and former Geor-gia state senator. Contact Steen Mi-lies at [email protected].

THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2011 PAGE 4AOpiniOn

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Let Us Know What You Think!

THE CHAMPION FREE PRESSencourages opinionsfrom its readers. Please write to us and express yourviews. Letters should be brief, typewritten and containthe writers name, address and telephone number forverifi cation. All letters will be considered for publication.

Send Letters To Editor, The Champion Free Press, P. O. Box 1347,Decatur, GA 30031-1347; Send E-Mail to [email protected]

FAX To: (404) 370-3903 Phone: (404) 373-7779Deadline for news releases and advertising: Thursday, one week prior

to publication date.

EDITORS NOTE: The opinions written by columnists and contributingeditors do not necessarily refl ect the opinions of the editor or publishers.The Publisher reserves the right to reject or cancel any advertisement atany time. The Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts.

Publisher: Dr. Earl D. Glenn

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FREEPRESSStop housing cutsby Judge Greg Mathis

Once again, the Republican Party isshowing that it cares very little aboutthe average American at their struggles.While taking a stab and crafting a budgetthat will serve the nation inthe long-term, Republicanmembers of the House ofRepresentatives proposed cut-ting $5.7 billion from afford-able housing programs. Theyalso want to eliminate morethan $550 million from a pro-gram that offsets rent costsfor low-income senior citi-zens and do away with morethan $200 million that helpspeople with disabilities pay for housing.If that werent enough, they also want toend funding for a program that providescounseling to families ghting foreclo-

sure.The recession has seen an increase

in the number of homeless people in thiscountry. With so many Americans out ofwork or employed in low paying posi-tions, rent is an expense that eats awayat a large chunk of whatever income theybring in. Without these government sub-sidies, well see more and more familiesforced into the streets. Similarly, foreclo-sure counseling has helped a great num-ber of people stay in their homes. With-out access to this service, more peoplewill lose their greatest asset. Of all theprograms the Republicans could look tocut, housing is the one area they shouldleave alone. Its inconceivable that a

political party would ght so hard to ex-tend tax cuts for the rich while workingequally hard to keep the poor down andto move the middle class into povertyand homelessness.

Congress has gone back and forth, ar-guing on a budget that would car-ry the federal government throughthe remainder of this scal year.There is a sense of urgency; if noagreement can be reached, thegovernment will shut down andany non essential governmentbusiness would cease. Federalworkers would be out of workand the services they provide nolonger available, creating frustra-tion for all of us. Recently, the

President approved a temporary budgetthat will keep the government runningthrough March 18. But, he and Congressneed to decide on a longer term budget,

one that will keep the government fundedthrough Sept. 30. Already, there is somedissatisfaction with the $4 billion incuts in the temporary measure. Indeed,America has to make some tough deci-sions about how it spends its money ifthe nation is to reduce the de cit. Intel-lectually, most Americans understand andaccept that truth. The progressive think-ers among us just dont want those cutsto come at the expense of the poor andworking class.

Judge Greg Mathis currently provideslegal advice to more than three millionlisteners on the Steve Harvey MorningShow and also on his website, www.ask-judgemathis.com.

Mathis

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Page 6A THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2011

The dangers of nuclear 'Ice-Nine'

by Donald KaulColumnist

We were just about to start getting back into the nuclearenergy business ourselves after refraining from buildingany new nuclear reactors for decades.

Perry's 'Texanity' Explained

The nation's leader in abstinence-only education has the third-highestteen pregnancy rate.

by Jim HightowerColumnist

The great cautionaryale of the 19th centurys Frankenstein,Mary

Shellys novel. Its thestory of a brilliant scien-ist, Victor Frankenstein,

who builds a monster outof spare parts and thenbreathes life into it.

Instead of being grate-ful to his creator, themonster runs away. Iteventually destroys Fran-kenstein and everyone hecares about.

The great cautionaryale of the 20th century is

Cats Cradle, Kurt Von-neguts novel. Its the sto-ry of a brilliant scientist,A. Felix Hoeniker, whonvents a substance (ice-

nine) that can freeze wa-er at room temperature.

Its a military projectdesigned to freeze mud atany temperature, therebymaking it easier to wagewar in the rainy season.Ice-nines only failings that you cant make it

stop. It freezes the mudand nearby streams andall other water it comes incontact with.

In the course of Von-neguts book, the sub-stance is carelessly deliv-ered into the ocean wheret freezes pretty much all

water everywhere, endingife as we know it.

The cautionary tale ofhe 21st century is Japan.

The novel has yet to bewritten, but that countryseems to be locked intoa Doomsday scenariohat reminds one of Dr.

Strangeloves end-of-the-

world machine. In quicksuccession, it has sufferedan earthquake, a tidalwave, a flood of Biblicalproportions, fire and thehreat of a nuclear holo-

caust. Maybe not the endof the world, but you cansee it from there.

The nuclear disaster

is the most worrisomeof all. There seems to beno endone reactor afteranother fails, threateningto produce its own littleChernobyl.

That would be badenough if it were justanother foreign disaster,but we were just about tostart getting back into the

nuclear energy businessourselves after refrainingfrom building any newnuclear reactors for de-cades.

Halting nuclear powerplant construction was ourreaction to the Chernobyldebacle and our ownbrush with nuclear disas-ter, Three Mile Island. Itbecame an article of faithin the environmental com-munity that nuclear powerwas too dangerous tomess with.

That argument had justabout gone past its sell-bydate. Apparently nobody,but nobody, was thinkingwe could reduce our reli-ance on fossil fuels with-out using nuclear energy,which doesnt unleashcarbon into the atmo-sphere. We were told thatthe technology was muchsafer now.

President BarackObama had already pro-posed an expansion ofnuclear energy technologyand $36 billion in Depart-

ment of Energy loan guar-antees for the constructionof 20 new nuclear plants.

Now, with Japanexperiencing a nuclearnightmare, nuclear energylooks different.

Except in the eyes ofMitch McConnell, theRepublican leader in the

Senate. He may bewrong but hes alwayssure.

My thought aboutit is, we ought not tomake American anddomestic policy based

upon an event that hap-pened in Japan.

One can only say:Huh? Does McCon-nells comment makesense at any level to any-one? It apparently doesto Republican senators.They elected him theirleader. (Im going to start

putting aside a nickel ev-ery time a conservativeRepublican politician sayssomething intelligent.When I collect enoughmoney Im going to buy apack of chewing gum. Itshouldnt take more thanthree or four months. Sixat the outside.)

Apparently, Japanesereactors were designed tosurvive either a tsunamior an earthquake, but notboth. This is the problemwhen designing fail-safesystemsthey fail in themost unexpected ways.

This, in turn, leaves theenvironmentalists amongus in a quandary. We be-lieve in climate changeand want cleaner energythan fossil fuels provide.But we know it will behard to get the quantityof energy we need fromalternative sources likewind, geothermal or solar.

But nuclear energy isour Frankenstein monster,which might prove as un-controllable as ice-nine.

Its humbling to learnthat our most pridefulaccomplishments arehostage to a shrug of theearth.

OtherWords columnistDonald Kaul lives in AnnArbor, Michigan. www.otherwords.org.

Printed on 100%

post-consumerrecycled paper

Occasionally, we Texanshave a responsibility to ex-plain our Texanity to be-fuddled out-of-staters.

For example, youmightve heard about Gov.Rick Perry, known for hischronic temper tantrumsover Big Bad Governmentscoercive intrusiveness intopeoples private affairs. Sohow then can we explain thatthis year his top legislative

priority is to not cope withthe $27-billion budget deficithes run up, but instead torequire that all Texas womenfacing the gut-wrenching de-cision of whether to have anabortion must first undergo astate-mandated sonogram.

Yes, Mr. Small Govern-ment wants to compel Texasdoctors to show an ultra-sound image of the fetusto these women, then forcethem to listen to the fetalheartbeat and sit still for alecture on fetal development.

As a female state senatordryly noted, [Perry] is go-ing to shrink governmentuntil it fits into a womans

uterus.Gubernatorial hypocrisy?

Not at all, insists Perry, whopoints out that women can

avoid his version of big gov-ernment intrusion simply bychoosing not to get pregnant.And youll be glad to knowthat hes been super-helpfulin preventing unwantedpregnancies by makingTexas the nations numberone provider of abstinence-only sex education.

Unfortunately, this ab-stinence-only doctrine hasresulted in Texas also hav-ing the nations third highestteen pregnancy rate. Perry isundeterred by inconvenient

facts. Abstinence works,he recently told an inter-viewer. But, he was asked,what about all those teenpregnancies? It works,he reiterated. How does heknow? From my own per-sonal life, he explained.

Sure enough, his wifehasnt been noticeably preg-nant in more than a coupleof decades. So maybe hehas been abstaining fromsex. That could explain hischronic insanityor as wecall it, Texanity.

Jim Hightower is a radiocommentator, writer, andpublic speaker. Hes also edi-tor of the populist newsletter,The Hightower Lowdown.

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by Nigel Roberts

It pays to go green. After

mplementing some of therecommended environment-friendly changes to its Dun-woody campus building, theMarcus Jewish CommunityCenter noticed big savings.Having recently receiveda $50,000 matching grantfrom Grants to Green, thecenter plans to complete thecampus green transforma-ion.

The Grants to Greenprogram is a wonderful op-portunity for non-pro tsike the MJCCA to not only

reduce negative effects onhe environment, but also to

reduce our utility expensesso we can focus more of ourresources on our programsand services, said HowardHyman, MJCCAs chief ex-ecutive of cer.

Implementing the rst setof green improvements to itsbuilding resulted in a 19.5percent reduction in energyand water usage, which addsup to an annual savings ofnearly $75,000, according tohe center. And in cultivatinghis green culture, staff has

become increasingly awareof the bene ts of turning offights and computers when

not in use. Even membershave gotten involved.

But its not just aboutsaving money. Reducing itsmpact on the environment

and conserving resources isa core value for the MJCCA,according to its president

Garrett Van de Grift. Byeducating the next genera-tion on the importance of

conservation, we believethat the MJCCA can make asigni cant impact on the en-vironment today and in the

future, he stated.The centers efforts to im-

prove the energy ef ciencyof its headquarters beganin 2008 with an assessmentof its Zaban-Blank build-ing, constructed in 2000.The energy and water audityielded a number of recom-mendations, such as upgrad-

ing lighting, implementing arecycling program and utiliz-ing computer and monitorpower-saving modes.

Facilities ManagerRickMurphy stated: Throughthe Grants to Green assess-ment, we learned that thelittle things add up. Forexample, by more closelymonitoring our temperature

set points and implementinga few other low-cost im-provements, we have already

saved thousands of dollars inutility expenses.The grant will go toward

completing the recom-

mended improvements, suchas motion sensors for light-ing in the gym and a mistingsystem that will collect anduse rainwater to cool therooftop HVAC units. It plansto implement these improve-ments before the summer tomaximize energy cost sav-ings.

Southface and TheCom-munity Foundation are thefounding partners of Grantsto Green, which offers fund-ing to metro Atlanta non-pro ts to renovate or buildhealthier workplaces that areenergy and water ef cientand friendly to the environ-ment.

Brenda RhanesChampion of the Week

If you would like to nominate someone to

be considered as a future Champion of the

Week, please contactKathy [email protected] or at

404-373-7779, ext. 104.

Community center tocomplete green conversion

By educating the nextgeneration on the importanceof conservation, we believethat the MJCCA can makea signifi cant impact on the

environment today and in thefuture. Garrett Van de Grift

Brenda Rhanes

has been a familiarface at MedShare inDecatur for more than10 years. Rhanesbegan volunteering in2000 with the nonprofi tthat delivers surplusmedical supplies andequipment to more than70 nations.

She began byhelping sort hundreds ofdifferent items and nowRhanes works everyWednesday boxingup supplies that go

to medical facilities indeveloping countries.I like the fact that

Im helping people inall parts of the worldand theyre using thesesupplies instead of itgoing to waste, Rhanessaid. If we werentsending it to people inneed, it would be goingin the trash.

MedShare collectssurplus supplies fromhospitals, medicaldistribution companiesand individuals. The

items are separatedalphabetically, thensorted a second timebefore they are ready tobe boxed and shipped.

Rhanes hasdeveloped camaraderiewith her fellow workersthat keeps her comingback.

Oh yes, I enjoygoing every week, shesaid. Were very close-knit and it feels like afamily.

Rhanes said she

has been at MedSharelonger than anyone elseon her crew.

Out of more than12,000 volunteersa year, Brenda hasbeen one of our mostdedicated individuals,said Lindsey Barber,senior programsmanager at MedShare.

Not only has she made

MedShare a betterplace through her hoursof service, Brendabrings a constantwarmth and joy with herinto the sort room weekafter week, making it aprivilege for volunteersand staff alike to workwith her and have her inour lives.

Its rare to fi ndsomeone who is sowilling to simply dowhatever task needsto be doneand

even more rare tofi nd one who does itwith such a genuine,positive attitude andout of a sheer desireto help those in needaround the world,Barber continued. Shetruly is a gift to theorganization.

Rhanes said shefound out aboutMedShare throughHands on Atlanta, anonprofi t that helpspeople fi nd suitablevolunteer opportunities.

I used to volunteerin a nursing homeand found out aboutMedShare in apamphlet, Rhanessaid. I went out thereand I enjoyed it, andIve been going eversince.

Rhanes also is activeas a volunteer outsideof MedShare. She hasserved as vice presidentof the Glen HavenCommunity Associationfor four years and is on

the community councilboard for District 3County CommissionerLarry Johnson.

I also help outneighbors in mycommunity any way Ican, Rhanes said. Ijust enjoy being able tohelp others.

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Judge orders DeKalb CountySchools to mediate in lawsuitNEWS BRIEFS

Police search for hit-and-run suspect

Police are searching fora driver who struck andkilled a pedestrian in Li-honia.

Dennis Greer, 59,was walking along UnionGrove Road on March 21at approximately 9 p.m.when he was hit by an un-known vehicle, accordingo DeKalb Police spokes-

woman Mekka Parrish.The driver of the car didnot stop.

Greer was hit an es-

imated 300 yards fromhis home and detectivesbelieve he was walkingalong the curve of the roadbecause there are no side-walks, Parrish said. Therewere no witnesses, but apasserby saw Greers bodyn the road and called po-ice.

Anyone with informa-ion about the identity ofhe driver or the accidents asked to call the police

department at (404) 294-2600.

Congressmanannounces return ofCongressional ArtsCompetition

Rep. Hank JohnsonGA-04) has announcedhis years Congressional

Arts Competition, open toeligible high school stu-dents throughout the dis-rict, which include parts

of DeKalb, Gwinnett, andRockdale counties.

Entries must be de-

signed according to thespeci cations in the com-petition guidelines, whichcan be found at http://www.hankjohnson.house.gov/services/artistic-dis-covery.shtml.

Each district will honorts winning artwork by

hanging it in the tun-nel leading to the UnitedStates Capitol building inWashington, D.C., for ayear. The 2011 Congres-sional Art Competitionwinner from the FourthDistrict will also receive

ransportation for two toWashington, D.C., for theribbon-cutting event to un-veil all the 2011 winners.

In addition to hav-

ing his/her artwork at theCapitol, winners will be

eligible for college schol-arships from the Art Insti-tute of Atlanta$10,000,$5,000, and $2,500orthe Savannah College ofArt and Design$1,500per year.

All entries must bereceived in the congress-mans district of ce, 5700Hillandale Drive, Lithonia,Suite 120, between April12-14. For more informa-tion, e-mail EricHub-bard at [email protected] orBetty

Dixon at [email protected] or contactJohnsons Lithonia of ceat (770) 987-2291.

Brookhaven Boys &Girls Club membersattempt to set worldrecord

More than 153 membersof the Brookhaven Boys& Girls Club joined theirpeers from more than 1,000Boys & Girls Clubs acrossthe country on March 22 to

attempt to break the Guin-ness World Record for themost people doing jumpingjacks.

The event was madepossible by the NationalBoys & Girls Clubs ofAmericas Triple Play pro-gram, which encourageschildren to eat healthier andexercise often. To breakthe current record, morethan 278 children neededto complete the attempt.While the official verdictwill come from Guinness

in a couple of weeks, allindications are that the re-cord has been broken. Therecord is defined as, themost people [doing jump-ing jacks] simultaneouslyat multiple venues for twoconsecutive minutes, ac-cording to Guinness WorldRecords.

Man arrested afterillegally withdrawing$43,000 from ATM

A Dunwoody man ar-rested by Dunwoody Police

has been charged with theftby conversion.

Victor Okorie, 26, ofDouglasville, was arrestedand police said he with-

drew more than $43,000from an ATM on Ashford

Dunwoody Road. Policesaid Okorie visited thesame ATM three nights ina row.

Police received a tipabout suspicious activityand then monitored thelocation. Police observedOkorie conduct sev-eral transactions during aneight-minute span. Whenofficers approached Okoriein his car, he had severalstacks of $20 bills and deb-it cards on the front seat.

After his arrest, Okorie

told police he was workingfor a man who providedhim with debit cards andPIN numbers. Okorie saidhe was told to withdraw amaximum of $400 on eachtransaction.

Detectives are inves-tigating Okories claimthat others are involved inpurchasing the debit cardsand establishing bank ac-counts using the debit cardaccount numbers. Thesuspects, police said, thenfile bogus tax returns andrequest that the refunds be

automatically depositedinto the bank accounts.The suspects then use thedebit cards to withdraw themoney at the ATMs, policesaid.

Crime victimsmemorial serviceplanned for Decatur

The 21st annual CrimeVictims Memorial Servicewill be held April 10, 7-9p.m., at the First BaptistChurch of Decatur. The

service is designed to be ahealing event for the vic-tims or survivors of anycrime. During the servicea member of each fam-ily may come to the frontof the sanctuary and readtheir loved ones name asa candle is lit in his or hermemory. A memorial wallof many of those killed inmetro Atlanta from 1991-2010 will be on display.Those interested may placea remembrance of a lovedone, such as a photo or me-mento, at the front of the

sanctuary. The church isat 308 Clairemont Ave. inDecatur.


A judge ordered DeKalbCounty Schools to mediateits case with the interna-tional construction companyHeery/Mitchell.

DeKalb Superior CourtJudge Clarence Seeliger or-dered on March 22 that thetwo parties attend mediationto resolve their dispute, cit-ing concerns for taxpayers;the school board has alreadypaid an estimated $15.5 mil-lion in legal fees.

Mediation has been re-quested by the judge, so we

will go into mediation withthe understanding that thetaxpayers of DeKalb Countyneed to be made whole,said school spokesman JeffDickerson.

Heery also cited con-cerns for taxpayers andstates that they welcome thecourts guidance and the op-portunity to mediate.

We believe that toomuch taxpayer money hasalready been diverted to paylegal fees instead of fundingour childrens education,

said David Rubinger, aspokesman for Heery Inter-national.

The system and Heerywere ordered into mediationin 2009 but it was unsuc-cessful.

Dickerson said that theschool system wants to takethe matter to trial, and, shortof some settlement throughmediation that would makethe district whole again,they want to present thecase to a jury as soon aspossible.

We want a trial by jury,

thats what were asking forand thats what we askedfor in court yesterdaytheother side has created anynumber of delays to a trialbut we want to present theevidence to a jury, thatshow strong the evidence is,Dickerson said.

Heery managed theschool SPLOST accountfrom 2002-06. In 2006 theschool system terminated

the company citing overbill-ing and questionable work.

Heery then sued DeKalbCounty School System for$400,000 that it said thesystem still owed them. Theschool system then counter-sued for $100 million, alleg-ing fraud and claiming thatthe company mismanagedprojects.

Were talking abouttime sheets that were alleg-edly falsi ed; were talkingabout projects that werechanged from one to anoth-erwhen their budget wasexhausted on one project,they would simply switch

time to another projectwhich wasnt allowed undertheir contract, Dickersonsaid.

Heery denies thoseclaims and contends thatthe real reason the companywas red was because thenChief Operations Of cerPat Pope wanted to awardthe contracts to people thatshe knew and had connec-tions with. Pope is currentlyserving time for racketeer-ing and corruption chargesafter she was found guilty

of running a criminal enter-prise with former superin-tendent Crawford Lewisand several other schoolof cials.

Heery Internationalstands by its belief that theDeKalb County School Sys-tems accusations are with-out merit, Rubinger said.

However, Dickersonsaid that the issues theyhave with Heery came longbefore Pope was hired andthey believe that when shewas hired, she noticed thealleged discrepancies by

Heery and took action.Thats Heerys conten-

tion, [that Pope red themto hire her friends]but Idont think its been provenin court. Its an issue thatthe school system is contest-ing, Dickerson said.

Both parties are requiredto nd a mediator by April4 and no court date has yetbeen set for the case.

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County to examine all government jobs

Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper

DeKalb County assistant principal jailed for fraud

CALLING ALLENTRIES!

College scholarshipswill be awarded to

the winners!For Rules and Guidelines, please visit

http.//www.hankjohnson.house.gov/services/artistic-discovery.shtml

5700 Hillandale Drive, Suite 120, Lithonia, GA 30058

2011 CongressionalArts Competition

CongressmanHank Johnson

Georgias 4th Congressional District

Proudly serving DeKalb, Rockdale, and Gwinnett Counties

Artwork must be delivered to the Lithonia office

between April 12-14 to be eligible.For more information, contact Betty Dixon at

[email protected] or 770-987-2291

by Andrew [email protected]

In its ongoing effort toaddress budget shortfalls,DeKalbs Board of Com-missioners wants an auditof every job in the countysgovernment.

During a budget retreaton March 24 at Agnes ScottCollege, the board agreedhat a desk audit is neededo identify duplication of

work and opportunities foreclassi cation of posi-ions, according to a pro-

posed resolution.The county will ask a

hird-party rm to auditeach county department

and gather informationabout positions, workloads,esponsibilities and job de-criptions. The board wantshe audit complete beforehe next budget process be-

gins in August.We need to see if our

taf ng levels are what

we need for our county,said Morris Williams, theboards chief of staff.

During the retreat, abudget resolution approvedby the board and DeKalbsChief Executive Of cerBurrell Ellis last year wasdiscussed. In the resolution,the board outlined its pri-orities for the 2011 budgetbefore the budget was for-mulated. Of the 12 prioritiesof the board, commissionerssaid two were not followed.

One priority was theproposing of a tax increaseonly after extensive gov-ernment restructuring. Theboard requested that theCEO provide a base budget

without a tax increase anda list of program modi- cationsservices thatthe county should providebut would require a tax in-crease.

Commissioners said theywanted to see speci callywhat a tax increase would

fund.This has been an is-

suehow the budget is pre-sented, said CommissionerLee May, who chairs thecountys budget committee.The budget Ellis presentedto the board in Decembercalled for a 12 percent prop-erty tax increase.

The board of commis-sioners voted on Feb. 22 tocut $33.64 million from theproposed budget, therebyeliminating the need for atax increase.

The budget cuts 8.9percent from most depart-mental budgets. The budgetof the re and rescue de-partment was cut by 29.41

percent, while the sheriffsof ce and police depart-ment each were cut by 4.46percent. The human re-source departments budgetwas cut by 25 percent.

Another priority theboard said was not met bythe county administration

was the request that a ve-year forecast be included inthe budget. County FinanceDirectorJoel Gottlieb toldthe commissioners that theforecasts will be included innext years budget.

May said the purpose ofthe budget retreat for com-missioners and the countysadministration was to createa higher-level vision forthe governments nances.

We are trying to x thefundamental aws in the or-ganization and structure andhow it relates to our bud-get, May said. Im tryingto open up communicationsbecause we havent beencommunicating.

During the retreat, thecommissioners talked withrepresentatives from eachdepartment to determinewhether government ex-penses can be decreased.

Budget cuts should notbe draconian cuts, Maysaid. Thats not the way tomake cuts.

CommissionerLarryJohnson said the countysbudget needs the additionalscrutiny because of the lossof revenue during the reces-sion.

There are very toughtimes; the money is notcoming, Johnson said. Wehave to do this each and ev-ery year.

by Daniel Beauregard

[email protected]

An ex-assistant princi-pal at Stonev-ew Elemen-ary School

was jailed oncharges that henstructed sev-

eral teachers tochange atten-dance recordsso the schoolwould meet Ad-equate YearlyProgress (AYP)

status.DerrickWooten was booked intoail on March 24 on four

counts of public recordfraud, four counts of crimi-nal attempt to commit afelony and one count ofcomputer forgery.

According to the indict-ment led on March 22 byDistrict Attorney Robert

James, Wooten ordered

eight teachers to alter atten-dance records.

School spokesman Wal-ter Woods saidWooten was placedon administrativeleave last Januaryalong with 28 oth-ers after the county nished its CRCTinvestigation andfound irregulari-ties regarding testscores.

As we con-cluded our inves-

tigation we sentthe informationwe had to the DAs of ceand as they were [conduct-ing] their investigation theydiscovered this forgery andunrelated computer fraud,said Woods.

Woods said Wooten isstill employed by the schoolsystem as of March 25 andis on administrative leave

pending further information

from the DAs of ce. Healso said that Wooten calledin sick on several days priorto his arrest.

DeKalb County SchoolBoard Chairman TomBowen said that the boarddoesnt condone anythingthat would overstate andin ate performance and thatwhen these things happen itis the children who suffer.

It is serious and it is acrime but 99 percent of ouremployees are hard work-ing and are trying to get

kids to learn the right way.Its just unfortunate that in-dividuals like him do thesethings without taking thechildrens interest into con-sideration, he said.

Bowen said that Woo-tens case has been referredto internal affairs and is un-der review.

Wooten

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Pending commercial traffic upsets residents

Notice of Public Hearing

The Mayor and City Council of the City of Chamblee will conduct a public hearing on

Tuesday, April 19, 2011, at 7:30 p.m. at the Civic Center located at 3540 Broad Street,

Chamblee, Georgia 30341.

The purpose of the hearing will be to consider a request by the Acura Dealership for

a variance from the Citys Zoning Ordinance, Section 504 Building renovations,

alterations, adaptations, additions, restorations, repairs or other redevelopment of

an existing structure, for the property located at 5700 Peachtree Blvd. Chamblee, GA30341, Land Lot 323 of the 18th District.

Nancy Williams

City Clerk

by Andrew [email protected]

Twenty-one years ago,when Helen Young and herhusband were looking for aplace to retire from their livesn New Jersey, they settled onhe Snapnger Lake subdivi-ion in south DeKalb.

We looked at many,many homes here in Geor-gia, Young said. After wait-ng to retire, the couple nal-y moved into their home ve

years ago. We loved whatwe saw. But not today.

Young and many of theesidents of Snapnger Lake

are upset with how the wid-ening of Snapnger Road isaffecting the only entrance

o their subdivision. Becauseof state concessions to theowner of a welding businessat the front of their neighbor-hood, 18-wheelers and largework vans will be turningonto Snapnger Lake Drive.

A driveway to WilsonWelding, a steel fabricationcompany, is being construct-ed off of the subdivisionsoad.

We have a problem, saidesident Herbert Taylor, ofhe neighborhoods home-

owners association. Thatoad is not supposed to be

here.Larry Anderson, a22-year resident of SnapngerLake, said the road must bechanged because it will cause

severe property value destabi-lization.

Our community is practi-cally about to be devastated,Anderson said. This road isnot right for our community.Its not right for our kids.

Jack Wilson II, owner ofWilson Welding, said he isnot responsible for the drive-way. His company needs thedriveway to make left turnsonto Snapnger Road nowthat a median is under con-struction. The company hastwo other driveways: one forentering and one for turningright onto Snapnger Road.

Nobody begged the stateof Georgia like I did to giveme access through the me-dian, Wilson said.

Wilson said the subdivi-sion only exists because ofthe graciousness of his grand-father who gave the develop-er some lots on the backsideof the Wilson land to createa buffer zone between theneighborhood and the busi-ness.

Weve tried our best to behalfway decent neighbors,Wilson said. The companyhas been in business since1954. Were just doing thesame thing weve ever done.Im just trying to make a liv-ing.

The county started thedesign process 10 years ago,which was taken over bythe Georgia Department ofTransportation (GDOT), ac-

cording to Ted Rhinehart,deputy chief operating ofcerfor the countys infrastructuregroup. GDOT funded andmanaged the right-of-way ac-quisition process.

The state then informedthe county of a plan changeto accommodate the right-of-way acquisition.

Whenever a road-widen-ing impacts a particular prop-erty owner, the state has theresponsibility of attemptingto compensate the owner forthat impact. Thats when theidea for the road off Snapn-ger Lake Drive would havebeen born, Rhinehart said.

Going forward, wevegot the engineers workingwith the state to see what

landscaping and bufferingwe can do in there to ensurethat it is very clear to thepeople entering there that it isa residential neighborhood,Rhinehart said.

The current construction,which obviously is a mess

is not how things look atthe end of it, Rhinehart said.The county wants to ensurethe neighborhoods entranceis restored to something thatis Safe and functional and at-tractive.

Residents are complainingthat county ofcials have notbeen very helpful in protect-ing the interests of the neigh-borhood.

I think this is a disgrace,said Snapnger Lake residentP. J. Lemuel. It is a travestyof justice to give a privatebusiness owner who pays lessthan $10,000 a year in taxesprecedence over 105 resi-dents who conservatively pay$150,000 annually in taxes.

We have been calling and

begging and pleading and noone, no one has come to ouraid, Lemeul said.

Residents say that includesCommissionerLarry John-son, whose district includesSnapnger Lake.

The citizens do have le-

gitimate concerns, Johnsonsaid. If I could, I would havexed it a long time ago.

Plans for the SnapngerRoad widening project weremade two years before John-son was elected to the Boardof Commissioners. And sinceSnapnger Road is a stateroad, Johnson said he doesnot have any input into theproject.

We cant control stateroads, Johnson said. Ididnt make a decision towiden the road. I didnt get achance to vote on that.

The project is expectedto be completed November2012. In the meantime, resi-dents will have to deal withthe construction.

Its a hot mess, said resi-dent Ruby Johnson.As for Wilson, he said he

has another solution to theaccess problem: If some-one wants to buy me out, Illmove.

Residents of the Snapfinger Lake subdivision are upset over plan to have commercial vehicles traveling on the only entrance to their community. A new driveway (right) willgive vehicles leaving Wilson Welding the ability to turn left on the expanded four-lane Snapfinger Road, a state road. Residents say county commissioners have given themittle help. Photos by Andrew Cauthen

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SELLERS:This is a huge event and everyone can join in. Reserve yourspace today. No need to worry about the weather and we do the advertising. $30fee covers space up to 10 X 25 (based on availability), advertising and coveredspace. Advance set-up available as early as April 1.SHOPPERS:Shop hundreds of covered spaces in one location. There willbe bargains galore to be discovered.

To reserve your space or for additional information call404-244-7740 or email [email protected]

If You Dont Use it...Sell It!

Sat. April 169:a.m.-2:p.m.

3122 Panthersville Rd.Decatur

Proceeds of sale will benefitSouth DeKalb YMCA & The Earl and Carolyn Glenn Foundation

Community-Wide Yard Sale

Proposed Lithonia incineratorcauses heated debateby Andrew [email protected]

A proposed incineratoro convert yard trimmingsnto renewable natural gass getting some heat from

Lithonia residents who areconcerned about the risks tohealth and the environment.

But the company thatwants to build the gasica-ion facility says the processs as safe as a campre.

According to Neville An-derson, chief executive of-cer of Green Energy Part-ners, his company is plan-ning to construct a 10-mega-watt facility on Rogers LakeRoad outside of the cityimits of Lithonia. The sites beside a county transfertation for compost and

mulch and across from Rog-ers Lake Landll.

The $60 million plantwill use a method calledpyrolysis in which yardrimmings are placed in

oxygen-free chambers. Thechambers are then heatedo 1400 degrees Fahrenheit

with natural gas burners toproduce syngas, which isurned into renewable natu-

al gas (RNG).During construction the

project would bring 500emporary jobs and $100

million to the area; 98 per-manent jobs will be createdo run the facility.

John Evans, speakingfor some concerned Lithoniaesidents,said the gasica-ion project is another case

of environmental racism inwhich unwanted industries

and factories are built inBlack and poor communi-ties that cannot afford to go

to court to le injunctions.This community alreadycontains a landll, countywaste transfer station, au-tomobile junkyards andtrucking companies, Evanssaid in a statement. Thecombination of all of theseactivities has taken a toll onthe community in terms ofthe foul smells and the truckemissions.

Evans said residents areconcerned about the healthrisks from any emissionsfrom the proposed project.

Anytime you send any-thing into the environment,its going to impact some-one, somewhere, Evanssaid. You dont know whatits doing. Theres nothinggood about what theyreproposing except theyre go-ing to make some money.

Evans summed up thesentiments of those who op-posed the plan: Its a matterof community concern ver-sus dollars. If its so cleantake it somewhere else.

Anderson balked at con-cerns of health risks caused

by the facility.Plants are popping up

on college campuses allover the country, Ander-son said. A similar facilityoperated for three years byPratt Industries in Conyershas had no negative healthimpact on the community.This is nothing unique, hesaid. There have been nohealth warnings issued fromRockdale or DeKalb coun-

ties. In addition, the Geor-gia Environmental Protec-tion Division has approved

20 permits for similar facili-ties in the state, he said.No one has ever report-

ed health issues, Andersonsaid.

To the charge of envi-ronmental racism, Andersonsaid there are similar plantsin predominantly White ar-eas such as Forsyth County,Rome and Dalton.

CommissionerLee May,who represents Lithonia,said he is planning to ask athird-party group to studythe Green Energy Partnersplan and any potentialhealth risks and make a rec-ommendation to him.

Im very supportive ofrenewable natural energyprojects, May said. DeKalbCounty already has an RNGproject in the works. In Feb-ruary, the Board of Commis-sioners voted to constructa facility at the countysSeminole Landll to convertlandll gas to RNG with theability to pipe much of thegas into the natural gas pipe-line maintained by AtlantaGas Light.

In 2006, the conversionof landll gas to electric-ity began. DeKalb Countymakes about $100,000 permonth by selling that elec-tricity to Georgia Power.

If the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus has itsway, Dunwoodys time as a city will be short. Thegroup March 28 led a lawsuit against the state ofGeorgia alleging that the formation of Dunwoodyand other recently incorporated Georgia cities is inviolation of the federal Voting Rights Act.

Incorporated in 2008, Dunwoody is one of vecities that broke away from north Atlanta to becomeindependent municipalities.

The formation of these cities dilutes the votingstrength of African Americans and other minorities,and thats exactly what the Voting Rights Act wasdesigned to prevent. African Americans should beallowed to elect the people of their choice. That canthappen when they are grouped in with a majorityWhite population, said state Sen. Vincent Fort.Dunwoody is almost 70 percent White.

In the process of incorporating these cities, thestate circumvented the normal legislative process bypushing them through as general bills instead of locallegislation, according to Fort.

Fort said that the dissolving of Dunwoody as acity, along with the cities of Sandy Springs, JohnsCreek, Milton and Chattahoochee Hills in FultonCounty, is one possible outcome of the lawsuit. Theelephant in the room is the attempt to create MiltonCounty. This lawsuit could go a long way towardpreventing that, he said.

Advocates for the creation of Milton Countypropose making a separate county of the northernpart of what is now Fulton County. There was aMilton County north of Atlanta in the early 20thcentury, but during the Great Depression somecounties merged to save money. Milton then becamepart of Fulton County. Milton included what wasonce a portion of DeKalb.

Dunwoody MayorKen Wright said it is acity policy not to comment on active or potentiallitigation.

Suit seeks to takecity status fromDunwoody, other cities

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DeKalb County residents try not to lose HOPE

Has DeKalbTechbeen a part ofyour life?

We want to reconnect with you

through our newly launched

DTC Alumni Association website!

DEKALB TECH ALUMNI

(Degree, Diploma or TCC)

Please Register at

dekalbtech.edu/alumni404-297-9522 x1139

Host Your Family Reunion

in DeKalb County!

VisitAtlantasDeKalbCounty.com

Worksh ops are free, butpre-registration is required. Call

(770) 492-5050 ext. 1181

Free April WorkshopsSaturdays - 9 am to Noon

April 16, 2011Holiday Inn Conference Center - Decatur130 Clairemont Ave., Decatur, GA

April 30, 2011Comfort Suites Northlake2060 Crescent Centre Blvd., Tucker, GA

Learn about the free ser vices offered by DeKalbConvention & Visitors Bureau. Our Free PlanningWorkshops will teach you everything you need toorganize the perfect family reunion.


With the recent revampof the HOPE scholarship byGeorgia legislators, somen DeKalb County are con-

cerned that students mightnot have a chance at a post-secondary education.

Recently, legislatorspassed HB 326, a contro-versial bill backed by Gov.Nathan Deal that limits theHOPE scholarships avail-ability to students by chang-ng the requirements.

For students to nowqualify for the full scholar-ship they must have a 3.7GPA or have received a

1,200 or greater on the SAT.The plan also eliminatesany money to cover bookallowances or student fees.

Charmaine Munn,whose son ThurmanMunn graduated fromSouthwest DeKalb HighSchool and is now attendingGeorgia State University,said that the recent changesmade to the scholarship aregoing to have a big impacton her family.

Well, given the fact thatI was laid off after 25 years,ts going to affect us quite

a bit. Were going to haveto [pay] out of pocket forhis fees and books, Munnsaid.

Also, since Munns sondoes not have the minimum3.7 GPA he doesnt qualifyfor the full scholarship, soonly 90 percent of his tu-ition is paid.

Munn, who has been un-employed for approximate-ly a year, said that when herson rst began looking atcolleges there were a lot ofscholarships and nancialassistance programs that hedidnt qualify for becausetheir income was too high.

However, now that sheis out of work, the familysincome is tight and she isdisappointed that the HOPEscholarship wont do morefor her son.

Im just praying that wedont have to take out anyloanshe didnt want tohave to take out money justto stay on campus, Munnsaid of her son, who de-cided to live at home ratherthan on campus to cut costs.I feel like hes making asacrice and missing out on[campus life].

Munn, who also has a15-year-old at SouthwestDeKalb, said that she thinksHOPEs future is dismaland it will become moredifcult each year for thestudents who really needthe scholarship to actuallyget it.

Theyre going to make

it to where its just unat-tainable for kids...not tomention the fact that thesekids take out loans to getan education and then when[they] get out of college[they] cant get a jobitsjust a vicious cycle and thekids arent going to win,she said.

Sen. Jason Carter (D-Decatur) led a group of sen-ate democrats who offeredan alternative proposal tothe bill. He said that HB326 didnt do anything tosave the HOPE scholarshipand, if anything, the currentplan makes it much worse.

I think the fundamen-tal problem is that HOPE

should be about maximiz-ing the number of studentswho are able to go to col-lege and this bill doesnt dothat, Carter said.

Carter also offered agrandfathering amend-ment that would have al-lowed high school seniorswho were eligible forHOPE at the time they ap-plied for college and thosewho are currently enrolledin college and receivingHOPE to be eligible forthe scholarship, but it wasvoted down on a party-linevote.

The most egregiousthing to me is that theyrefuse to grant asylum to

current students. They havealso refused to use that 50percent reserve money,Carter said.

Several alternatives tothe bill were offered includ-ing a plan to maximize thenumber of students who gotthe full scholarship by tyingit to family income and aplan to reform the state lot-tery to generate additionalrevenue.

Carter said that he be-lieves something has to bedone and that once Geor-gians see how HB 326 af-fects students and their fam-ilies there will be changes.

I think there is going bea ground ow of support forgrandfathering in the cur-rent ow of students; oncepeople see that rather than a10 percent cut its more likea 20 percent cut well haveto revamp the scholarship,Carter said.

Rather than save theHOPE scholarship, HB326 cut it by 20 percent foreveryonethat is going tohurt the people in the mostrural areas in Georgia, whoare, frankly, the ones whoplay the lottery the most,Carter said.

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by Robert [email protected]

At least one thing willnot change forDebraDeBerry as she steps intoher new role as interimClerk of Superior Court inDeKalb County.

In her new position,DeBerry will continueher crusade to make thecountys judicial systempaperless.

Its a huge initiative,DeBerry said. Wereconstantly running out ofwarehouse space and oorspace. People call all theime needing documents.

To be able to go online tond a document or evenhave the ability to e-mailsomething makes sense inhis day and age.

The former chief depu-y clerk, DeBerry was pro-

moted after the resigna-ion of longtime Superior

Court clerkLinda Carteron March 24. Carter, whowas elected to the positionn 2000, cited health rea-

sons for stepping down.DeBerry began as judi-

cial manager in Septemberof 2002 and later becamechief deputy clerk. Asclerk of Superior Court,DeBerry is responsible forhe custody and control

of all legal documents inDeKalb County.

Ms. DeBerry has beenworking in the judicialsystem for years and hasalways done an excellentob, said Superior Court

Judge Clarence Seeliger.[Going paperless] is avery complicated issueand there have been someexperiments to save cost. Iwould keep an open mindon the issue.

Among DeBerrys ob-stacles in her quest fora paperless system havebeen budget constraintsand changing the cultureof the countys judicialsystem. DeBerry said shestarted an imaging systemast year but it was not ap-

proved. There is nothingn the budget this year tomplement a change either,

she said.From an ecological

standpoint, theres no needo kill more trees, DeBer-

ry said. It would make usmore efcient.

DeBerry to succeed Carter as clerk on interim basis

Send your comments and/or concerns regarding Comcasts current performance underthe current franchise agreement and/or the future cable-related needs and interests ofyour community to [email protected].

DeKalb County Wants to Hear From YouRegarding the Proposed Franchise Agreement Renewal

with Comcast Cable Communications

Debra DeBerry

Security of the docu-ments is another issue De-Berry is dealing with.

I actually think elec-tronics is safer than thepaper world, she said.There has to be a sense ofsecurity that its OK to putthese things in an electron-ic format. Its a bit daunt-ing and you have to makesure it cant be tamperedwith.

DeBerry said she has re-ceived support for the plan

from the judges and othermembers of the countysjudicial department.

As far as her long-rangeplans, DeBerry wont com-mit to running for clerkof court just yet. She willserve as interim clerk ofcourt through Dec. 31,2012, when Carters termexpires.

Ill be giving it a lot ofthought, but I havent hadtime to really think about ityet, DeBerry said.

DeBerry has been activein the legal communityoutside the clerks ofce.She just completed a three-year term as a nationalboard member of the Na-tional Association of CourtManagers, of which shestill is a member. She alsorecently completed a two-year term on the GlobalAdvisory Committee inWashington, D.C., whichreports to the U.S. attorneygeneral.

New

4/3

Full

4/17

The Northeast will see isolated rain today, scattered rain and snow Friday and

Saturday, with the highest temperature of 54 in Poughkeepsie, N.Y. The Southeast

will see scattered showers and thunderstorms today and Friday, mostly clear skies

Saturday, with the highest temperature of 88 in Fort Pierce, Fla. The Northwest will see mostly clear

to partly cloudy skies with a few showers today and Friday, scattered rain Saturday, with the highest

temperature of 75 in Medford, Ore. The Southwest will see mostly clear skies today through

Saturday, with the highest temperature of 97 in Thermal, Calif.

THURSDAY

Scat'd T-storms

High: 56 Low: 42

First4/11

The Champion Weather March 31, 2011Seven Day Forecast

Local UV Index

WEDNESDAY

Partly CloudyHigh: 69 Low: 48

TUESDAY

Partly Cloudy

High: 72 Low: 50

MONDAY

Isolated T-storms

High: 74 Low: 51

SUNDAY

Mostly Sunny

High: 75 Low: 56

SATURDAY

Mostly Sunny

High: 64 Low: 46

FRIDAY

Few Showers

High: 61 Low: 41

In-Depth Local Forecast Today's Regional Map

Sunrise

7:26 a.m.

7:25 a.m.

7:23 a.m.

7:22 a.m.

7:21 a.m.7:19 a.m.

7:18 a.m.

Sunset

7:57 p.m.

7:58 p.m.

7:59 p.m.

7:59 p.m.

8:00 p.m.8:01 p.m.

8:02 p.m.

Moonset

5:38 p.m.

6:32 p.m.

7:26 p.m.

8:21 p.m.

9:16 p.m.10:13 p.m.

11:10 p.m.

Moonrise

5:40 a.m.

6:07 a.m.

6:34 a.m.

7:03 a.m.

7:33 a.m.8:06 a.m.

8:43 a.m.

Last4/24

www.WhatsOurWeather.com

Weather History

March 31, 1973 - A devastating

tornado took a nearly continuous

75-mile path through north cen-

tral Georgia, causing more than

113 million dollars in damage,

the highest total of record for a

natural disaster in the state.

Weather Trivia

Tonight's Planets

What was the deadliest

United States hurricane?

Answer: It occurred in September

of 1900, in Galveston, Texas and

killed over 8,000 people.

?

Day

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

MondayTuesday

Wednesday

National Weather Summary This Week

Local Sun/Moon Chart This Week

StarWatch By Gary Becker - The Big-Big Ursa Major Cluster

Today we will see mostly cloudy skies with a 50%

chance of showers and thunderstorms, high

temperature of 56, humidity of 58%. North wind

10 to 15 mph. The record high temperature for

today is 85 set in 1981. Expect mostly cloudy

skies tonight with a 40% chance of showers.

April 1, 1987 - Forty-five

cities across the southeastern

United States reported record

low temperatures for the date.

Lows of 37 degrees at

Apalachicola, Fla., 34 degrees

at Jacksonville, Fla., 30

degrees at Macon, Ga., and 22

degrees at Knoxville, Tenn.,

were records for April.

The sky is full of thousands of clusters of stars, aggregates of gas and dust that have been shaped by stellar winds and magnetic fields, and then drawn together by gravity

to become the birthing places for families of stars. The most famous of these are the Pleiades, a juvenile group of about 1000 luminaries found on the shoulder of Taurus the

Bull. They appear to the unaided eye like a tiny glowing wisp of a cloud. Viewing them directly dims the Pleiades because the cones of the eyes central vision are less per-

ceptive to light than the peripheral rods. To see a dim celestial object more clearly, look away from it, and try to catch it with averted or side vision. That rule also applies

for viewing faint objects in telescopes too. The Pleiades are currently visible low in the NW after sundown. Next to them are the Hyades, much older and more diffuse. These stars form

the V-shaped head of the Bull except for the brightest star, Aldebaran, which is not a member. Looking south to the center of Cancer the Crab, you can locate the Beehive, another clusterwhich resembles a swarm of bees hovering around a hive. They are barely noticed by the unaided eye from suburban locales, so binoculars will prove helpful. Towards the south is the

Coma Cluster which dominates the northern part of the constellation of Coma Berenices as a large upside down V-shaped structure. It was once the tuff of Leo the Lions tail. If you scan

across the real sky looking for these open clusters or view them on the map provided with the online version of this article, you will pass nearly a dozen stars which are part of a huge clus-

ter which spans nearly the entire March early evening sky. Its called the Ursa Major Moving Cluster because five of its members are part of the Big Dipper which is the brightest region

of Ursa Major, the Great Bear. Our middle aged sun is moving through this younger cluster of stars, but has no plans to relocate. www.astronomy.org

Rise Set

Mercury 7:51 a.m. 9:03 p.m.

Venus 5:57 a.m. 5:07 p.m.

Mars 7:01 a.m. 6:59 p.m.

Jupiter 7:44 a.m. 8:14 p.m.

Saturn 8:03 p.m. 7:54 a.m.Uranus 7:06 a.m. 7:09 p.m.

3 50 - 2 4 6 8 107 9 11+

UV Index

0-2: Low, 3-5: Moderate,

6-7: High, 8-10: Very High

11+: Extreme Exposure

Atlanta

56/42

Decatur

56/42

Doraville

55/42

Dunwoody

54/41 Lilburn

55/42

Snellville

56/42

Lithonia

57/42

Morrow

57/42

Smyrna

55/42

Hampton

58/43

Union City

57/42

College Park

57/42

*Last Weeks Almanac

Date Hi L o Normals PrecipTuesday 82 5 2 67/45 0.00"

Wednesday 78 60 67/45 0.00"

Thursday 75 45 67/45 0.09"

Friday 68 38 68/46 0.00"

Saturday 63 51 68/46 1.15"

Sunday 55 46 68/46 0.25"

Monday 52 4 2 68/46 1.18"Rainfall . . . . . . .2.67" Average temp . .57.6

Normal rainfall . .1.16" Average normal 56.6

Departure . . . . .+1.51" Departure . . . . .+1.0

*Data as reported from De Kalb-Peachtree Airport

8/7/2019 Free Press 4-1-11

14/24

THE CHAMPION FREE PRESS, FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 2011 PAGE 14AhEalth

Transplant and reconstructive sur-geons from Emory University Hospitalannounced at a news conference March28 that they have successfully per-

formed a rare complete hand transplanton 21-year-old Linda Lu, a collegestudent from Orlando, Fla. This is therst such surgery to be performed inGeorgia.

The 19-hour surgery took placeMarch 12 and involved multiple teamsof surgeons, anesthesiologists, nursesand operating room support staff. Twoeamsone dedicated to the patient

and the other to the donor armsuc-cessfully completed the surgery at ap-proximately midnight.

The surgery involved the connec-ion of numerous structures, including

bones, tendons, nerves, vessels andnally the skin, according to Emorymedical staff. The patient was placed

n a protective splint for 48 hours and

is now wearing a high-tech brace thatsupports the limb while she begins theprocess to gain function of her newhand.

Lu is now beginning rehabilitationat Emory and will spend the next threemonths in Atlanta. At the news confer-ence she said she understands that itwill never be a normal hand, but, I ex-pect it to help in simple everyday activ-ities. She went on to say, Right nowI am lled with emotions and I dontthink that there is really anything thatcan describe how I feel, other than justhappiness, hopefulness and of coursethankfulness. Lu lost her left hand atthe age of 1 due to complications fromKawaskis Disease.

This is an exciting time for ourpatient, her family and the reconstruc-tive community in general. Ms. Lu isdoing very well. She is referring to her

transplant as my hand, said Linda

Cendales, M.D., assistant professor ofsurgery at Emory University School ofMedicine. She is feeling well and hasalready begun intensive therapy here in

Atlanta. She is excited about the pos-sibilities that await her as she continuesher progress.

The Emory University-Veterans Af-fairs Vascularized Composite Allograft(VCA) Program was created in late2007 with the recruitment of Cendales,who has worked to develop one of thenations premier centers for recon-structive transplantation. This caseis among the small number of handtransplants that have been successfullyperformed in the United States and putsEmory among only four centers to havesuccessfully performed the procedure.The rst hand transplant in the UnitedStates took place in Louisville at thecenter where Cendales trained, and

where in 1999, she was on the team

that performed the nations rst handtransplant.

The Louisville teams rst handtransplant is currently the longest sur-

viving hand transplant in the world.Cendales was also involved in theteams second hand transplant in 2001.

Surgeons have already tackledmany of hand transplantations techni-cal challenges, Cendales said. Issuesinvolved in reattaching a severed limb,such as dealing with crushed bone ormangled connective tissue can makereplantation more technically de-manding than an organ transplant,she said. But vascularized compositetransplantation continues to advance byleaps and bounds, with recent reportsfrom around the world of transplantsincluding faces, trachea and larynx, ac-cording to a statement from Emory.

First Georgia hand transplant surgery performed at Emory

Transplant patient got AIDS from new kidneyATLANTA (AP) A trans-

plant patient contracted AIDSfrom the kidney of a livingdonor, in the first documentedcase of its kind in the UnitedStates since screening for HIVbegan in the mid-1980s.

It turns out the donor hadunprotected gay sex in the 11weeks between the time he

ested negative and the timehe surgery took place in 2009.

In a report March 17 on theNew York City case, the Cen-ers for Disease Control and

Prevention recommended thatorgan donors have repeat HIVests a week before surgery.

The most sensitive testneeds to be done as close aspossible to the time of trans-plant, said Dr. Colin Shepa-rd, who oversees tracking ofHIV cases for the New YorkCity Health Department.

The CDC also said would-be organ donors should be

old to avoid behavior that canncrease their chances of infec-ion.

Living organ donors in theUnited States are routinelyested for infectious diseases

such as hepatitis and HIV. Butthe organization that overseesorgan transplants in the UnitedStates does not have an explicitpolicy on when such screeningshould be done. Thats left upto transplant centers.

Because of patient con-fidentiality, health officialsreleased few details about the

donor, recipient, their relation-ship or the hospital where thetransplant took place, except tosay that it is in New York.

Neither the donor nor therecipient knew he or she hadHIV until about a year afterthe transplant, according to theCDC report.

The recipient developedAIDS, perhaps because he orshe was on drugs that sup-press the immune system toprevent organ rejection, whilethe donor did not, health of-ficials said. Both are receivingHIV treatment. Their condi-

tions were not disclosed in thereport.We dont know how fre-

quently this is happening, andwe need better surveillance,said Dr. Matthew Kuehnert, a

CDC official who co-wrote thereport.

HIV infections in a do-nor or recipient may not bediscovered until long after atransplant, and even then, pa-tients and their doctors maynot make the connection andreport it, health officials said.

In this case, once health

authorities were notified latelast year, they spent monthsinvestigating whether thetransplanted kidney was thesource of the patients AIDSinfection. Genetic analysis ofthe virus confirmed investiga-tors suspicions.

At least one similar U.S.case has been reported in themedia. A Florida woman lastyear filed a lawsuit saying shewas infected with HIV througha 2007 kidney transplant froma live donor in Florida. How-ever, CDC officials said theyhave not been asked to investi-

gate and could not confirm thereport.Before that, Italian doctors

reported HIV transmissionfrom a live organ donor in1989.

Since the 1980s, there hasbeen a confirmed report ofa deceased donors organsspreading the AIDS virus. Thathappened in Illinois in 2007,when organs from a 38-year-old gay man went to four re-cipients.

For many years, trans-plant organizations focused

heavily on screening organstaken from the dead, whichaccounted for the large major-ity of transplants. But kidneysfrom live donors are becomingincreasingly common. In 1988,about 32 percent of kidneytransplants came from live do-nors. By last year, it was morethan 46 percent, according tofederal data. Donors generallyare relatives or friends.

About 88,000 people areon the kidney waiting list rightnow, according the UnitedNetwork for Organ Sharing,a nonprofit organization that

manages the nations organtransplant system for the fed-eral government. The groupis developing new nation-wide policies for live donors,spokesman Joel Newman

said.Transplant centers have

teams that evaluate potentialdonors and look for physicalor psychological red flags. Butsome would-be donors mayfind themselves in a quandary:They want to save a lovedones life but are unwillingto reveal that they use drugs,

have gay sex or engage inother behavior that raises theirrisk of HIV.

Some donors may assumethey will be tested for everyimportant kind of infection,and think it doesnt matterwhether they disclose theirrisky behavior, Kuehnert said.

CDC officials recommenda HIV test developed in the1990s that is more sensitivethan traditional testing. Themore sensitive test can detectHIV within 10 days after theperson is first infected. Anolder test wont detect antibod-

ies to HIV until three to eightweeks after infection. Yet theolder tests are more commonlydone.

The patient wears a high-tech brace that supports the limb as shebegins the process to gain function in her new hand.

Transplant recipient Linda Lu, center, is joined at a news conference by, from left, Dr. Thomas Pear-son, Dr. Linda Cendales, Dr. Chris Larsen and Dr. Allan Kirk.

8/7/2019 Free Press 4-1-11

15/24

Doyle said its never comeo that, although he once had to

pull to the side of the road andhave a man-to-man or should

say man-to-boy talk with acouple of guys who were refer-ing to their female companionsn derogatory terms. The young

men were embarrassed, returnedo the car and apologized to the

girls, he noted.And aside from a little cud-

dling among teens, he alsohasnt had to deal with anynappropriate sexual activity.

Doyle said while he gives otherclients privacy, he keeps thepartition between driver andpassengers open for prom-goersso I can monitor it at all timesbecause they are underage.

Doyle said its all about

keeping the teens safe.Its a very special night,aid Doyle, who added that

Tips for hiring alimo for prom

Contact limo companies early.

Ask to see the vehicle you arehiring.

Contact the Georgia Public ServiceCommission to determine if thetransportation company is in goodstanding.

Have an adult negotiate thespecifi cs of the services and price.

Review the contract carefully.

Request information on the driver.

- Source: Andrew Doyle, Above All ExecutiveTransportation and Limo Service

Doyle keeps the partitionbetween driver andpassengers open forprom-goers so I canmonitor it at all times

because they areunderage.

hes particular that drivers arecourteous and well groomed, andvehicles are polished and haveamenities that excite teens. Hes

even gone so far as to coordinateschool colors or prom colors withitems in the cars such as napkins

and glassware.And its not always the teens

who present Doyle with chal-lenges. Sometimes its the parents.

He recalled being photographedeven asked for a pro le shotbysuspicious parents who have

taken pictures of his vehicles li-cense plate. One mother held up agroups departure time by nearlyan hour because her daughter was

at the hair salon. The mother endedup meeting the limousine at a ren-dezvous point.

DeK

free press 4-1-11

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