the DeKalb FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2018 • VOL.

23, NO 12 • FREE

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

The “Boston Ballers” won the first Full Court Press Basketball Tournament April 22 at the
Active Living Center in downtown Decatur. Photos by Horace Holloman.

FULL COURT PRESS

Basketball tournament raises $20,000 for individuals in need
BY HORACE HOLLOMAN
horace@dekalbchamp.com
After the dust settled,
the “Boston Ballers,” a team
representing the District
Attorney’s Office, was crowned
champions of the inaugural
Full Court Press Basketball
Tournament.
The two-day tournament was
held April 21 and 22 at Decatur
Active Living Center in downtown
Decatur.
Event organizers said they
wanted the tournament to be
competitive but were also excited
to raise money for a good cause.
The basketball games were
sponsored by the DeKalb Criminal
Justice Treatment Coalition’s
(DCJTC) and provided funds for
the DeKalb County Misdemeanor
Mental Health Court (MMHC).
Event chair and mental health
advocate Lori Brickman said the
event exceeded her expectations.
The initial goal for the tournament
was to raise $13,000 for
individuals participating in the
MMHC but raised approximately
$20,000.
“We’re just having a great
time. The most important thing
we learned is that together we
can make a huge difference in
our community,” Brickman said.
“We’re so appreciative of all our
partnerships.”
The tournament featured
local law enforcement agencies
such as Brookhaven Police
Department, Chamblee Police
Department, City of Decatur Fire
Department, DeKalb County
Clerk of Superior Court, DeKalb
County Police Department,
DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office,
DeKalb Fire Rescue, DeKalb State
Court Probation Department,
Dunwoody Police Department,
Georgia Bureau of Investigation,
Georgia State University
Police, Gwinnett County Police
Department, DeKalb County Law
Office of the Public Defender,
office of the DeKalb County
District Attorney and office of the
DeKalb County Solicitor-General.

SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE 11

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

LOCAL
Tucker students recognized during
academic signing day
BY CARLA PARKER
carla@dekalbchamp.com
Signing day is usually a day
for athletes who sign letters
of intent to the schools of
their choice, but Tucker High
School held a special signing
day April 18.
Tucker held an academic
signing day in the school’s
auditorium for seniors who
have already been accepted
into college. Nearly 30
students were recognized
in front of their parents,
teachers and classmates. Head
counselor Amanda Staples
said she started the academic
signing day a couple of years
ago.
“I said to the counseling
staff, ‘I want to do something
[after seeing the football]
signing day,’” Staples said. “I
used to work at other high
schools and the [football]
signing day wasn’t as big
as Tucker’s. So, I asked [the
former principal] can I have an
academic signing day. I didn’t
know what it was going to
look like, but I would like to
start that.”
Staples said she met with
the other school counselors
and they worked to put
together a signing day event
for all seniors who were
accepted into college.
“Hopefully, [school
principal] Dr. [Eric] Parker will
allow us to continue this, and
we thank you for allowing us
to continue it this year,” she
said. “This is our way of saying
to the students, ‘Thank you,
for your hard work.’”
The program featured
a musical selection and
poetry reading by students
and two keynote speakers,
Edward Long from New Birth
Missionary Baptist Church and
Q Parker from the R&B group
112.
DEKALB FREE PRESS • Friday, April 27, 2018 • Page 2
Some of the students
announced they will stay in
their home state—attending
either Albany State University,
Georgia State University,
Spelman College or the
University of Georgia. Sarah
Penkava said she signed with
UGA because it was the best
option for her.
“I didn’t love it the first
time I visited, but upon Senior Michael Harris, who plays football and signed with Auburn
University, participated in academic signing day.
visiting other schools it really
became the best option,
and it was obvious,” she said.
“Financially, my major….it
seemed to be a good idea [to
sign with Georgia]. I’m very
excited.”
Penkava plans to major
in international affairs with
a minor in business, and
a potential double major
in journalism. She said it’s
unusual for students to have
an academic signing day.
“I’m a big fan of Tucker
sports. I play two sports Q Parker from the R&B group 112 was one of the keynote speakers at
Tucker’s academic signing day.
SEE TUCKER ON PAGE 16
LOCAL
AROUNDDEKALB
ATLANTA
Lakeside High School band to
present free concerts May 17
and 18
The Lakeside High School band will
present two year-end concerts in the
school’s fine arts auditorium May 17
and May 18. Both concerts will begin
at 7 p.m. and are free to the public. The
students, ranging from freshmen to
seniors, will play a mix of classic pieces
and pop tunes, under the musical
direction of David Fairchild. Younger
students will perform May 17, while the
older students will take the stage May
18. Lakeside High School is located at
3801 Briarcliff Rd NE.
CLARKSTON
Walk with a Doc
CDF: A Collective Action Initiative,
along with Dr. Heval Kelli from Emory
Hospital will host “Walk with a Doc”
April 29 at 2:30 p.m. The event allows
residents to learn about health and
ask a doctor questions while walking.
The walk will start at the Clarkston First
Baptist Church parking lot, located
at 3999 Church Street. For more
information, email roberta@cdfaction.
org.
DECATUR
Touch-a-Truck event comes back
to Decatur
Decatur Active Living will host its
annual Touch-a-Truck event May 5 from
WE ARE SOCIAL
DEKALB FREE PRESS • Friday, April 27, 2018 • Page 3
10 a.m. until 1 p.m. This community
event allows participants of all ages an
opportunity to touch, explore and see
trucks or equipment on wheels.  The
City of Decatur and DeKalb County
dump trucks, fire trucks, tractors, police
cars and motorcycles and many other
types of vehicles will be on display. This
year there will be a solar panel display
truck.
This year’s Touch-a-Truck event will
be held in the East Lake MARTA station
north lot.
According to Decatur officials,
parking is limited, and participants are
encouraged to consider riding the train,
walking or biking to the event. For more
information, contact Cheryl Burnette
(678)-553-6541 or cheryl.burnette@
decaturga.com.
DUNWOODY
Dunwoody Coffee with a Cop
Dunwoody Police Department hosts
its Coffee with a Cop event May 8 from
7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Chick-fil-A Perimeter,
4350 Ashford Dunwoody Road. This
program was created for residents to
meet with local law enforcement for
one-on-one conversations. Chick-fil-A
is offering free coffee to the officers
and residents who attend. For more
information please contact officer
Anwar Sillah at (678) 382-6933 or
at Anwar.Sillah@dunwoodyga.gov.
STONE MOUNTAIN
Archaeology Day
New South Associates will host
Archaeology Day May 5 from 10 a.m.
@DEKALBCHAMPNEWS
to 2 p.m. The event will be held at
New South Associates, located at 6150
East Ponce de Leon Avenue. For more
information, call (770) 498-4155.
TUCKER
Open house at Tucker High
School
The Tucker High School Foundation,
PTSA and school council will host an
official welcome and open house for
the new Tucker High School Principal
Dr. Eric Parker April 29. Parents,
students and community members
are invited. The event will begin with
introductions and a presentation at 2
p.m., immediately followed by an open
house until 4 p.m. For more information,
visit www.tuckerhs.dekalb.k12.ga.us.
LITHONIA
Details of church yard sale
announced
Ousley United Methodist Women will
host a Spring Yard Sale on May 5 from 7:
a.m. until 4: p.m. at 3261 Panola Road in
Lithonia.
Vendor space is available for $35.00.
Vendors must provide table. Ousley
members space is $25 and members
must provide table.
Homemade baked pastries, cakes and
pies as well as fish and Bar-B-Que will
be available. All proceeds go to Mission
Locally & Globally. For additional
information call (770)-981-8905
Rain date is May 12.
LOCAL DEKALB FREE PRESS • Friday, April 27, 2018 • Page 4

Roads in DeKalb ranked Father indicted in fatal

among deadliest in state
BY HORACE HOLLOMAN
horace@dekalbchamp.com
For some drivers,
navigating in a congested
city can be difficult and
dangerous at times and
according to a recent study
the metro-Atlanta area is the
deadliest place to drive in
Georgia.
According to a study
titled “the deadliest highway
stretches in Georgia,” seven
of the 10 deadliest highways
are located within the metro
area.
The study used data from
the federal Fatality Analysis
Reporting System from 2013,
2014 and 2015. According
to the study researchers
identified 57 deadly highway
stretches where five or more
fatal crashes occurred within
2.5 miles of each other.
Wesley Chapel Road
was listed as the sixth most
dangerous highway stretch in
Georgia.
A 1.42-mile stretch of
Wesley Chapel Road had
five fatal crashes and seven
fatalities which averages 3.5
fatal crashes per mile.
“From an environmental
standpoint we have to look at
what we can do through the
state to deal with fatalities
and crashes,” said DeKalb
County Commissioner Larry
Johnson.
Johnson’s district includes
the Wesley Chapel area. He
said DeKalb officials should
partner with the Georgia
Department of Transportation
to ensure driver and
pedestrian safety.
“There’s a lot of business
and a lot of congestion in
that area,” Johnson said. “It’s
a nightmare trying to get all
the way over to the left lane
coming from [Interstate] 20.
There’s a lot of different ways
crashes can happen in that
stabbing of 5-year-old son
BY CARLA PARKER
area.” carla@dekalbchamp.com
The Champion contacted
Kathy Zahul, a GDOT district A 25-year-old man
engineer who covers areas of has been indicted in the
DeKalb and metro Atlanta, for murder of his 5-year-old-
further comment but did not son.
receive a response by press A DeKalb County
time. grand jury returned a six-
The study also identified a count indictment against
total of seven “deadly areas” Montrais Boyd April 19.
in unincorporated DeKalb— Charges include malice
second only to Atlanta. murder, felony murder,
Approximately 37.12 miles aggravated assault,
of DeKalb roadways with possession of a knife Boyd
Decatur zip codes accounted during the commission of
for 47 fatal crashes and 51 a felony and two counts around 6:30 p.m. and saw
fatalities. of first-degree cruelty. the mother of the 5-year-
The study reported that 31 Montrais Boyd Jr.’s old boy, who had the
percent of the fatal crashes body was found Feb. child in the back seat of
in unincorporated DeKalb 21 in a shallow grave the car.
involved drunk driving at his grandmother’s The DeKalb County
compared with 19 percent in home on Rocky Pine District Attorney’s Office
Atlanta. Drive in Lithonia. said the child had been
“We have to look at things Shiera Campbell of the stabbed in the neck. Boyd
like distracted driving and DeKalb County Police was arrested on site and
drunk driving,” Johnson said. Department told The remains jailed without
“Education and enforcement Champion that police bond.
is key." arrived at the home

New student group hopes to turn protests into action

BY DEREK SMITH
derek@dekalbchamp.com
Dr. Eric Parker’s first day as
principal at Tucker High School (THS)
was March 12. Two days later, eight
students staged a sit-in in the school
hallway as an extension of the March
14 school walkouts to protest gun
violence.
“But when he saw us, he didn’t ask
us why we were there or anything,”
said Jarvis Wynn, a THS student who
participated in the sit-in. “He asked us
if we’d had anything to eat yet.”
“It touched my heart,” said Victoria
Heika, another sit-in participant.
Wynn, Heika and three others
were given a full day of out-of-school
suspension after the sit-in, but after
the students returned to school,
Parker engaged in a dialogue with
them that led to the formation of a
new student club, Tucker Students
With Voices.
“Really it was just hearing what
their concerns were, hearing what
change they wanted to see and what
that could look like at Tucker High
School,” Parker said.
According to Parker, the group
began with about 15 students, then
grew to 20 students and continues to
grow. The focus has also grown from
gun violence to a variety of social
Tucker High School students sit in the hallway as part of an extended protest following the
student walkout March 14. Participants in the sit-in formed a new group focused on social
issues.
issues, from racism and homophobia
to poverty, religious persecution
and terrorism. “I wanted them to
understand that because it’s student-
led, there [are] things we probably
won’t be able to do,” Parker said. “But
we’re definitely willing to listen.”
Parker worked with the students
to shift their focus from protesting
broad national issues to ways to
address their concerns at a local
level, but let the students lead the
conversations. He pushed the group
on around the world, not just with
gun violence,” Sofia Mohamed, a
sophomore representative of the
group said. “We want students
exposed to a multitude of news—
different sources, not just fake news
and what’s being taught.”
Several group members have
different issues they’re passionate
about. She's mentioned earlier, a
Muslim who wears a scarf around her
head to signify her religion, said she’s
passionate about educating students
about her religion. Heika said she
wanted to fight homophobia.
Mackenzie Campbell, a freshman
group representative of Puerto Rican
and African American descent, said
she wants to educate students on the
issues of poverty and racism.
As the group expands, Mohamed
said it may splinter into subgroups
centered around these and other
issues, while remaining under the
to organize, advising them to form
wider group umbrella.
a mission statement and appoint
Parker, a Tucker native and a 1994
grade-level representatives who can
graduate of THS, said he’s proud of
meet with him weekly then take the
the work the students are doing.
discussion back to a wider group
“I told them, even during the [sit-
meeting outside of school.
in], it’s exciting to see them being
While the students use the
passionate about something, to
meetings to work out ways to address
see them take a stand beyond what
problems locally, they have made it
most teenagers are doing,” he said.
their mission early on to encourage
“It’s exciting and refreshing, in some
their classmates to stay informed.
ways, to see our students involved
A goal of our group is to have
and active and wanting to make a
students understand what’s going
change.”
OPINION DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2018 • Page 5

Everyone gets a turn, most don’t want it

Perhaps its just me, but it these campaigns against humanity activities at the moment one is
seems that older White men are may have originated in thoughts reading this opinion piece. It is
regularly on the receiving end of and accusations that were brought also likely that non-White men
prejudicial and overly generalized forth by White men who encouraged and women throughout the world
statements regarding our influences, others to support their assertions are also involved in some of the
or lack thereof, on public policy, John Hewitt and to act accordingly. Traditionally, activities. However, that does not
the economy, global affairs, johnh@dekalbchamp.com White men have basically controlled make every individual guilty of those
climate change, racial concerns, the world, but we’re not all guilty of same horrific actions.
sexual harassment, homophobia, some of the unpleasantries that are Before applying broad-
intolerance and a wide range of blamed on us. sweeping labels to any group, it is
accused of aggressions against White
other topics. Karma has a way of making its important to know that good and
women. During WWII, Americans of
It seems that hardly a day goes way back around to bite the hand (or bad people come in all ethnicities,
Japanese heritage were accused of
by that at some point we don’t hear other body parts) of those who may religions, genders and races. It is
treason and spying and ultimately
or read some sort of accusation have done not so pleasant things also important to know that false
were interned in isolation camps by
that is blaming White men as a in the past and perhaps karma has accusations accomplish nothing and
our government simply due to their
whole for something. As a group, come back for a vengeance against make life difficult for those being
ethnicity.
and throughout history, men of all us. wrongly accused.
Global and national histories
ethnicities have been accused of The problem with specifically We must think before we
are full of examples of groups
all sorts of unbecoming behavior. targeting any group of people based accuse and must never make
of individuals being persecuted
Women too have been accused of on one or a few shared traits is as unsubstantiated claims against
based on generalized assumptions.
wrong doings, but not nearly as unfair and unjust as what society anyone. Karma will come back
These assumptions have led to war,
frequently as have men. may be attempting to blame a group around, and it isn’t likely that it will
mistreatment and death of hundreds
Those of Irish descent for for. be pleasant if we assume guilt over
of thousands of individuals who
centuries were ridiculed and Sure, there are probably White innocence and form generalized
happen to share a common trait that
oppressed throughout the world men engaging in sex trafficking, opinions based on inaccurate
the public has determined to be a
for no reason other than their drug trafficking, sexual perversions, information.
detriment to society.
geographic origin. In the US, Black molestations, robbery, money
It is safe to assume that many of
men for decades were often falsely laundering and a host of other
OPINION
“A partial list, maintained by
Colorado-based advocacy group
People for Bikes shows U.S. cities,
led by New York, have added 230
miles of bike lanes since 2014,” from
a story by reporter Mike Calvert
for The Wall Street Journal, April 10,
2018.
I love to bike. But bicycle/
vehicle collision fatalities hit a
35-year high during 2016. There
were 840 bikers who died in an
accident or vehicle collision last
year, and thousands more injured.
The bulk of fatalities occurred
on roadways (61 percent), and
nearly half that at intersections
(28 percent), but there is also a
fast-growing number occurring in
road-share and bike lanes as more
cities start bike share programs
for commuters and subdivide or
remove traffic lanes for cars to
create bike lanes.
Unfortunately, most states and
municipalities now have outlawed
bicycles on sidewalks for anyone
older than early teen years. As a
result, in more and more places,
bikes and cars are sharing the
roadways.  Bike ridership for
commuting has risen by nearly 40
percent and according to the bike
share companies, their ridership
and trip count during 2016 netted
28-million trips, compared to only
300,000 as recently as 2010.
Not all of those are experienced
bikers. The overall reduction in
traffic counts credited to biking
may be minimal, while the health
benefits are considerable and air
pollution emissions are reduced.  pedestrian bridge is installed
But consider the white hot and
ongoing debate over gun safety
regulations and school safety with
a total of 138 fatalities attributed
to school shootings since Sandy
Hook Elementary in 2012 through
February of 2018, versus 840
killed while biking last year. There
were more than 2,500 teenagers
killed in auto accidents last year,
but that growing biking death
number at 2.25 per day is still
FREEPRESS
the DeKalb
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DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2018 • Page 6
Bike-lash?
The five-year old city of fatalities. There is plenty of blame
‘One Man’s Brookhaven will be using the to be shared, but the reality may
Opinion’ bulk of its hotel/motel sales tax be that road space cannot really be
to construct the North Peachtree safely shared by cars and bikes–and
Bill Crane Creek Greenway paralleling I-85 a higher priority might be placed
and running alongside Peachtree on building out trails which also
bill.csicrane@gmail.com
and Nancy creeks. Brookhaven allow for safe pedestrian travel,
will also construct a trail head regular exercise and family strolls.
startling. and hub connecting their fork of I live along that aforementioned
There is at least one partial the Peachtree Creek Greenway to Stone Mountain PATH Trail
solution, growing in prevalence the Atlanta Beltline and to trails in Scottdale. It traverses my
in Georgia, and that is PATH and under planning or construction backyard. Whether biking, walking,
similar bike trails, such as Atlanta’s connecting Chamblee, Buckhead, rolling a carriage or strolling with
Beltline or the Georgia Coast Rail- Doraville and Dunwoody...on a pup or child...I can say those
Trail, now 6.25 miles along the land underneath the downtown folks almost all have one thing in
Satilla River in Camden County, connector and along the creek. common. They are smiling.
with plans to expand to 68 miles. The idea of bike lanes, painted
St. Simons and Jekyll islands or separated, may seem sound Bill Crane also serves as a political
are now covered with miles and based in sharing community analyst and commentator for Channel
of bike trails, not shared with roadways and assets. But there is 2’s Action News, WSB-AM News/Talk
motorized vehicles. Though some also more than a small amount of 750 and now 95.5 FM, as well as a
tour and semi-professional bikers commuter frustration and bike-lash columnist for The Champion, DeKalb
eschew these trails as ‘sidewalks,’ as congested thoroughfares lose Free Press and Georgia Trend. Crane
their safety stats are so impressive lanes and many bikers ignore traffic is a DeKalb native and business owner,
that no one even tracks the signals, common courtesy and the living in Scottdale. You can reach
numbers of serious injuries or rules of the road. him or comment on a column at bill.
fatalities. Greater thought must be given, csicrane@gmail.com.
The PATH Foundation, located and policies formed to reduce
in Atlanta, has partnered to this fast-growing number of
construct more than 300 miles
of PATH trails across the state,
ranging from the Silver Comet
Trail, running from west Cobb
County to Anniston, Alabama,
to the original PATH Stone
Mountain Trail (22 miles long)
connecting Stone Mountain
Park to Centennial Olympic Park
in downtown Atlanta. And the
last, least safe, piece of that ride
becomes geometrically safer next
month when a 284-foot bike and
spanning I-285, ending a choke
point on surface streets along the
trail which contributed to more
than a few biker funerals over the
past 20 years.
Gwinnett County, Atlanta’s
most populous commuter county,
is planning to build a 300-mile
PATH and trail system crisscrossing
the county, and connecting
its municipalities, parks and
population centers.
Publisher: Staff Reporters:
John Hewitt Carla Parker STATEMENT FROM THE
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Chief Financial Officer: Derek Smith We sincerely appreciate the
Dr. Earl D. Glenn discussion surrounding this and any
Social Media Manager: issue of interest to DeKalb County.
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expressly to provide a forum for
The DeKalb Free Press, Kemesha Wadley discourse for all community residents
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Send email to Johnh@dekalbchamp.com desire to make the news only to
FAX To: (404) 370-3903; Phone: (404) 373-7779. The DeKalb Free Press is published each Friday report news and opinions to effect
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LOCAL DEKALB FREE PRESS • Friday, April 27, 2018 • Page 7

DeKalb County officials held a press conference April 18 at Clarkston's Crystal Pond as the pond was restocked with fish. Photos by Horace Holloman

County restocks fish after sewer spill

BY HORACE HOLLOMAN
horace@dekalbchamp.com
On Feb. 18, an estimated 5,270
gallons of sewage spilled into Crystal
Pond in Clarkston, killing many of the
it’s fish.
DeKalb County CEO Michael
Thurmond said he made a promise to
residents in the area that the county
would address and restore the pond.
On April 18, that promise was kept
as county officials restocked the
lake with nearly 1,600 fish including
bluegill, black crappie, largemouth
bass, red breast sunfish and green
sunfish.
Thurmond, along with city of
Clarkston Mayor Ted Terry, held a
press conference to assure residents
that county workers were dedicated
to correcting issues related to the
February spill.
“First of all, we apologize for the
unfortunate situation that occurred
here five to six weeks ago with the
sewage spill. I apologize to the
residents for any inconvenience they
may have suffered,” Thurmond said.
“We worked hard around the clock to
clean up the sewage spill.”
The repair and restoration
process took approximately 28 days,
according to county officials. County
workers cleaned sewer mains and
completed visual inspections to
assess and prevent future failures.
The county also said workers will
continue routine cleaning every three
months.
The spill was caused by an eight-
inch sewer line blockage caused
by grease and disposable diapers.
Thurmond said the county is working
on educating residents on the harm
fats, oils and grease and other items
can cause to sewer lines.
“Thank you for holding true to
your commitment and cleaning up
the lake in a timely fashion,” said Terry.
Terry said no fishing will be
allowed in the area for two to three
years while the fish procreate and
restock it.   system. When those get flushed
“Cleaning up the spill and working
in partnership with the county to
make sure we keep the sewer lines
clear and clean and we want to bring
back Crystal Pond to its full glory,”
Terry said.
According to the county, workers
have completed $22 million in sewer
maintenance and rehabilitation to
address issues within the county’s
sewer system.
The county also expanded the
sewer cleaning efforts to include
major trunk lines for the first time
in more than 50 years, removing 5.1
tons of debris from the county’s sewer
system.
“The spill was caused by baby
diapers and baby wipes in our sewer
into our sewer system it creates a
blockage. [The blockage] created
a negative environment situation
in the lake and killed a lot of fish,”
said Darren Eastall, DeKalb County
consent decree administrator.

Painting project helps local youth

BY HORACE HOLLOMAN
horace@dekalbchamp.com
When speaking with a
troubled youth from DeKalb
County, Terry Sadler, DeKalb
juvenile probation officer
principal, said he often
remembers a conversation
he had with a specific young
man.
Sadler said he remembered
asking the teen what caused
him to choose the “wrong”
path. The teen responded by
saying, “There’s nothing else
to do.”
In an effort to give youth
more activities and keep them
out of trouble, officials with
DeKalb County Juvenile Court
Probation said they are always
looking for new ways to keep
young adults involved.
In April, the juvenile court
partnered with Keep DeKalb
Beautiful to host its second
Barriers to Beauty program.
The program, which started
in 2016, allows participants to
paint concrete barriers that
will be used to block potential
illegal dumping sites.
Sadler said the program
helps the teens explore their
creative side and gives them
something positive to do.
“We thought partnering
with [Keep DeKalb Beautiful]
was a good thing because
there’s not a lot of stuff for the
kids to do around this time,”
Sadler said. “They really enjoy
it and they take ownership
and pride in it.”
The Barriers to Beauty
program attacks blight
through the reduction
or elimination of illegally
dumped tires, construction
debris and other items in
public spaces, according to
county officials. To date, there
have been more than 100
barriers painted.
“[Projects] are intentionally
placed in the communities in
which they were painted. This
is so each participant can see
that they can make a positive
impact on their environment
regardless of age,” said
Gordon Burkette, director of
Keep DeKalb Beautiful.
Sadler said the participants
are given specific instructions
to not include any gang-
related material in their
paintings but can get as
creative as they desire. He said
individuals who are allowed to
paint barriers in the program
enjoy expressing themselves
through art.
“They really love it. For me,
you start to build a rapport
with these kids and a lot of
them want structure but can’t
get it at home,” Sadler said.
Shunda Dean, chief
probation officer, said
partnering with community
agencies is important.
According to Dean, DeKalb
County Juvenile Court
has partnered with Senior
Connections, the DeKalb
Police Athletic League and
also took 15 youngsters to the
Civil Rights Museum.
“We’re trying. We’re trying
our best to save as many
kids as we can,” Dean said.
“Although it’s community
service, it’s not just about
them picking up trash on
the side of the road. We
want them to have fun. It
gives them a chance to see
something different.”
LOCAL DEKALB FREE PRESS • Friday, April 27, 2018 • Page 8

Use of license plate

readers growing in
DeKalb County
crime is committed not by
BY DEREK SMITH Chamblee residents, but by
derek@dekalbchamp.com offenders who come into
the city for the purpose of
criminal activity,” Chamblee
About 3.5 million license
assistant police chief Michael
plates are scanned every
Beller said at an April 12
month as cars drive through
public hearing in Chamblee,
Brookhaven.
where he appealed to the
This is a result of a
city council for approval of
partnership with Georgia
the license plate readers.
Power that allowed
“This is because there’s no
Brookhaven Police
barrier between Chamblee
Department to install 44 Chamblee police will begin the use of stationary license plate readers after the city council voted
and the rest of the greater- unanimously April 17 to add 28 readers to 17 locations in Chamblee through a partnership with Georgia
Vigilant license plate readers
Atlanta metro area and there’s Power.
in November. According to
nothing preventing criminals
Brookhaven officials, the
from coming in undetected for law enforcement, they own the data they store destroy data collected
scans have resulted in more
and victimizing our residents.” also bring about privacy on the Vigilant database, from license plate readers
than 95,000 local alerts a
Beller offered two concerns. Chamblee City the agencies can elect to no later than 30 months
month to offenses such as
examples of crimes in Councilmember Leslie share that data with other after the data is originally
carjackings, stolen vehicles,
Brookhaven that were Robson asked Beller April law enforcement agencies collected. The bill also defined
expired tags and suspended
solved with the assistance 12 about the storage of also using Vigilant license use and dissemination
insurance.
of license plate readers in information gathered by plate readers. According to of the information to law
“Utilizing license plate
his appeal to the council for the readers. Beller said the Vigilant’s website, more than enforcement purposes only.
reader technology has been
approval. In the first example, readers take photos of license 5 billion detections have been Chamblee City
instrumental in both the
two individuals robbed a plates tagged with location stored on its database to Councilmember Tom Hogan
detection and deterrence
Brookhaven jewelry store and time data, and that data date, and about 150 million added an amendment to the
of crime. The Georgia Power
of “thousands of dollars” of is then stored on a database detections are added every approval of the license plate
program greatly increases
Rolex watches in November. controlled by Vigilant—the month. readers recommending a
our access to this type of
Initially, police had no leads, company that produces the The Georgia General review of the city policy on
equipment,” said Brookhaven
but several weeks later, an license plate readers. Assembly passed a bill March the handling of potentially
Police Chief Gary Yandura.
officer in Texas made a traffic While individual law 12 that mandates Georgia sensitive data.
According to Yandura,
stop and found the watches. enforcement agencies law enforcement agencies
Brookhaven police have made
Using data from the license
13 arrests related to vehicle
plate readers, Brookhaven
break-ins so far in 2018, which
police were able to tie the
he credits to the department’s
vehicle from the traffic
use of license plate readers.
stop to the location of the
The program is also
Brookhaven jewelry store on
expanding to other
the night of the robbery.
cities in DeKalb County.
In the second example, the
Chamblee City Council voted
license plate readers scanned
unanimously April 17 to
the plate of a stolen vehicle
approve 28 scanners to be
as it entered Brookhaven
added to 17 locations in and
and alerted officers in real Ziggy Wiggly (ID# 37848804)
around Chamblee. Dunwoody
time. Officers were able to - Whether he's dancing to his
Police spokesperson Sgt.
find the vehicle and arrest favorite song or tossing around a
Robert Parsons also told The
the occupants, who were toy, Ziggy Wiggly is always having
Champion that Dunwoody fun! This goofy guy's crooked
found to have committed a
Police are considering joining smile is sure to win your heart. He
series of vehicle break-ins in
the program. loves to play and would likely love
Chamblee.
“We’ve noted that a large having a doggie playmate! Ziggy
While the license plate
percentage of our serious Wiggly can't wait to steal your
readers have many benefits
heart here at LifeLine's DeKalb
Animal Services!

If you would like to expand

WE ARE SOCIAL
your family by 4 furry little feet;
ask to meet this great pup and
have a loving friend forever. All
adoptions include spay/neuter,
vaccinations and microchip! If you
would like more information about
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 DEKALB FREE PRESS • Friday, April 27, 2018 • Page 9

WEEK in PICTURES

Chamblee 101 graduated its 15th class at the April 17 city council meeting. Chamblee 101 is an initiative of Chamblee Mayor Eric Clarkson and the Chamblee City Council in
which residents and business owners learn how the government works. Photo courtesy of the city of Chamblee on Twitter.

Sanitation Division Director Tracy Hutchinson, sanitation department

employees, DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond and a representative of NAACP Dunwoody’s Madison Pankey and the Lady Wildcats fell to Parkview 12-3 in the Region
DeKalb County Branch paying tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. at a special 3-6A-7A matchup. Photo by Mark Brock
commemoration breakfast April 14. Photo by DeKalb Sanitation.

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

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

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

LOCAL
Former Macy's store at North DeKalb Mall
North DeKalb Mall owners plan to
demolish it for mixed-use development
BY CARLA PARKER
carla@dekalbchamp.com
The owners of North
DeKalb Mall in Decatur hope
to give the partially empty
development a facelift.
Attorney Kathryn
Zickert, who represents
Sterling Organization—
owners of North DeKalb
Mall—said the plan is to
demolish the mall and
turn it into mixed-use
development. The group
expects three tenants to
remain— the AMC movie
theater, Burlington Coat
Factory and Marshalls.
“The plan is to rebuild a
number of commercial and
restaurant spaces on site, as
well as a hotel, a Costco and
a number of multi-family
units and townhomes,”
REDUCE
REUSE
RECYCLE
Visit us online @ TheChampionNewspaper.com
Zickert said. “It will be a
complete mixed-use project.”
Sterling Organization has
owned the mall for nearly
five years. Zickert said her
clients believe there is no
saving the mall.
“They can save tenants
and put them in a different
kind of environment, but
the mall itself they believe
is dead,” she said. “This mall
has been dying for years, but
until Macy’s lease expired
[two years ago] there wasn’t
a whole lot that could be
done with it.”
Zickert said Sterling
bought the mall years after
Costco was interested in
building a store on the
property.
“I tried to help Costco
rezone a part of [the mall]
a number of years ago and
that failed,” she said. “But,
I truly don’t understand
DEKALB FREE PRESS • Friday, April 27, 2018 • Page 10
trends and why the outdoor
mall, when I was a little
kid, became an indoor mall
and now they’re becoming
outdoor malls again. That
is apparently where we are
from a retail standpoint at
this time.”
Zickert said Sterling
wants a mixed-use concept
so that the existing
businesses will hopefully
help make sure that the
retail and the restaurants
thrive. Sterling has had
meetings with residents
in the surrounding
neighborhoods and have a
mandatory pre-application
community meeting is
scheduled for April 26.
“We’ll have as many as
we can to help [residents]
understand what we’re
doing and hopefully get
their support for the [zoning]
application,” Zickert said.
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LOCAL DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2018 • Page 11

BASKETBALL
Continued From Page 1

Proceeds from the event will

help fund transportation for
MMHC participants, medication
and treatment payment
assistance, assistance with
clothing and hygiene items,
housing and utilities payment
assistance, academic assistance
and food and grocery assistance.
“We feel like everyone is a
winner here,” Brickman said. “It’s
just an all-around great day. We’re
winners because we’re coming
together for our community and
making a difference in the lives
of people with mental health
challenges.”
The district attorney’s office
and DeKalb County Police
Department played in the
finals. The Boston Ballers were
presented a trophy and now have
bragging rights for the year.
Justin Ray, a member of
the Boston Ballers who works
in the records department in
the DA’s office, said he enjoyed
the competitive nature of the
tournament.  
“We know it’s for charity, but
everyone is trying to go for the
trophy,” Ray said, smiling. “It’s fun
and we’re just out here having a
great time and trying to represent
our boss well.”
Tyrone Dennis, with the
Atlanta Police Department,
said the tournament helped
community members see law
enforcement in a different light.  
“It’s good for us to interact with
the community and get away
from our normal assignments. It
makes us more human and takes
us away from people thinking
that we’re robots,” Dennis said. Local law enforcement agencies participated in the first Full Court Press Basketball Tournament. Photos by Horace Holloman.
According to officials,
MMHC is the first and longest
running mental health court in
Georgia.  Established in 2001,
MMHC works with participants
to “decriminalize mentally ill
offenders by offering treatment
instead of incarceration.”
Brickman said she’s honored by
all the participants and sponsors
and is thankful to everyone who
helped bring mental health issues
to the forefront.

#ItsInTheChampion • TheChampionNewspaper.com

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BUSINESS
Medical center promises ‘quality, empathetic,
well-coordinated care’ for seniors
KATHY MITCHELL
FREELANCE REPORTER
“JenCare Senior Medical
Center in Brookhaven is the
best-kept secret in the area,”
said JenCare physician Susan
Schayes. “We want to change
that. We want to get the word
out.”
Although the medical
office has been open
almost five years, JenCare,
which serves older patients
exclusively, held a grand
reopening April 19 with
tours of the newly renovated
facility, staff presentations on
services and entertainment.
“We want people to know
that heath care doesn’t have
to be an experience to be
dreaded. We work to make it
compassionate, convenient—
even fun sometimes,” Schayes
said. The event included
an audience participation
mini-workout with a fitness
guru, entertainment by a
Little Richard imitator and
the Silver Classic Dancers—a
troupe of women in their mid-
50s and older—and as well an
appearance by singer Millie
Jackson.
JenCare Senior Medical
Center was founded by
Jenling James Chen, who
after many years as a doctor
found himself on the other
side of healthcare—as a
patient. Chen said he found
the medical care he received
“frustrating, fragmented and
unsympathetic.” Inspired
by his own experience with
a life-threatening illness,
he created a new business
model for delivering medical
services focused on what
the organization says is
“a superior level of care”
that can “make a positive
and measurable impact on
patients’ lives.”
Chen, who recovered
even though he was told in
2004 he would live no more
than two months, says on
the JenCare website that he
has seen major changes in
his patients’ health outcomes
when they are offered quality,
empathetic, well-coordinated
care.
The Brookhaven facility,
one of five JenCare Senior
Medical Centers in the Atlanta
area, offers on-site screening
and testing, exercise classes,
an on-site pharmacy, door-to-
DEKALB FREE PRESS • Friday, April 27, 2018 • Page 13
doctor transportation within
eight miles of the center and
other amenities.
“They also set up next-
business-day appointments
and normally have you in
an examining room within
10 minutes after you arrive
and talking with a doctor
within 15 minutes,” said Frank
Martin, who is both a patient
and a patient ambassador.
A corner of the waiting
room, he pointed out offers
snacks and beverages for
patients with low-blood
sugar or “who just happen to
be hungry.” It’s called Mary’s
Café, named for the founder’s
wife who suggested the
service. Patient ambassadors,
Martin explained, act as
liaisons between patients
and management. “We
address small things and
large ones,” he said. “Right
now, we’re working to get an
automatic door so patients in
wheelchairs can come in and Dr. LaToya Lee, with scissors, is flanked by JenCare officials and special guests as she cuts the ribbon
officially re-opening the newly renovated medical office.
out more easily.”
Martin, who said he
never regretted switching however, never allows a physician will be added. “we has 26 locations in Virginia,
to JenCare, commented, “I doctor’s patient load to expect that to happen here Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky
like that the facility is just for exceed 450, according to before the end of the year,” and Louisiana, with plans for
older patients. There are no JenCare official Joe Pringle. Pringle said. additional expansion.
little kids running around and When the center exceeds 450 JenCare Senior
their staff is knowledgeable of patients, another primary care Medical Center currently
all the challenges we face and
really take good care of us.
It’s VIP service on a Medicare
budget.”
JenCare provides 10.5
times more face time with
a doctor than the national
average, 40.1 percent fewer More Than Healthcare,
in-patient hospital admits
and 51.5 percent fewer Correct Care Solutions.
emergency room visits
than the Clayton, DeKalb WHO WE ARE
and Fulton county average, CCS is a national public healthcare leader caring for underserved patients in correctional settings,
according to material released psychiatric hospitals and residential treatment facilities.
by JenCare.
LaToya Lee, primary care Opportunities for:
physician at the Brookhaven Registered Nurses
office, said, “Our seniors have
Licensed Practical Nurse
worked so hard and sacrificed
so much, they deserve the Dekalb County Jail in Decatur, GA
best and most thoughtful Full-time available
healthcare we can give them. Sign-on Bonus Available for Full-time RN and LPN Positions!
If one of my patients has an
issue after hours, I want their Comprehensive Benefits • 401K • Tuition Reimbursement
first call to be to me.” Competitive Compensation • So Much More...
She said that it was
appropriate that the grand
opening celebration was held
Empathy Compassion
primarily in the parking lot.
“So much of healthcare is
about what happens outside
a doctor’s office; it’s good to CALL TODAY OR APPLY ONLINE
be reminded of that.” Tammy Lamb (615) 870-2580 or email TLamb@CorrectCareSolutions.com
Lee is the only primary
ccs.careers CCS IS PROUDLY AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
care physician at the
Brookhaven facility. JenCare,
EDUCATION
DeKalb County school bus drivers stage three-day sick-out
BY DEREK SMITH
derek@dekalbchamp.com
A three-day school bus
driver sick-out resulted in
delays across DeKalb County
School District (DCSD) schools
and led to the firing of seven
bus drivers, according to
district officials.
According to DCSD Board
of Education member Stan
Jester’s blog, the sick-out was
a coordinated move, with a
memo being distributed to
drivers a week in advance.
Bus drivers raised a variety
of concerns at the March
19 board meeting and at
a follow-up meeting with
district officials April 17.
Among the concerns voiced
at the April 17 meeting were
a better retirement plan and
pay increases.
On April 19, 383 of the
908 DCSD bus drivers called
in sick, resulting in delays up
to one hour at some district
schools.
In a press conference at
DCSD headquarters April
19, superintendent Stephen
Green cited a Georgia law
against public employee
protests. Georgia law states
“no public employee shall
promote, encourage, or
participate in any strike;
provided, however, that no
right to collective bargaining
currently recognized by law is
abridged by this article.”
“For those bus drivers who
opted not to come to work
today, you have willingly
GPTC president dismissed following investigation
BY DEREK SMITH
derek@dekalbchamp.com
Georgia Piedmont
Technical College (GPTC)
President Jabari Simama
is being removed from his
position, after an investigation
by the Technical College
System of Georgia (TCSG) and
federal officials found financial
issues serious enough to
warrant changes in the
administration.
“The Technical College
System of Georgia was
recently notified by the U.S.
Department of Education that
Georgia Piedmont Technical
College was being placed on
heightened cash monitoring
Superintendent Stephen Green, surrounded by school board and district
cabinet members, speaks at a press conference April 19 in response to a
school bus driver sick-out.
put our students in harm’s
way,” Green said. “This is not
acceptable and will not be
tolerated. Your actions will
have consequences.”
According to district
officials, seven drivers
who were believed to be
organizers of the sick-out
were fired April 19. Despite
the firings, 224 drivers called
in sick April 20 and 63 called
in April 23. Green said at the
press conference that drivers
who called in on April 20 or 23
would be required to provide
a doctor’s note. District
officials said that doctor’s
notes are not normally
required for short illnesses,
2 due to findings revealed
during a federal program
review,” Mark D’Alessio,
TCSG executive director of
Communications told The
Champion.
According to D’Alessio,
in addition to the federal
findings, a state audit revealed
DEKALB FREE PRESS • Friday, April 27, 2018 • Page 14
but the superintendent has
the authority to change that.
District spokesperson
Andre Riley told The
Champion April 23 that
no additional firings had
occurred as a result of the
sick-out.
In a post on her personal
Facebook page April 23,
DCSD bus driver Stephanie
Arnold explained some of the
driver’s issues.
“First off, within the last
few years a lot of us went
from [eight] hour drivers that
can work as many hours as
we want to [five] hour drivers
then up to [six] hour drivers
that can’t work over 43 hours
financial aid deficiencies at
GPTC.
D’Alessio told The
Champion that Simama will
remain as president of GPTC
until May 11, and that three
other GPTC officials have
been suspended with pay as
a result of the investigation.
Those suspensions may be
lifted as the investigation
continues, he said.
An assessment team lead
by Dr. Ivan Allen, president
of Central Georgia Technical
College is working with TCSG
to evaluate the overall fiscal
state of GPTC. The college
serves about 3,200 students
on campuses in Morgan,
Newton and Rockdale
counties in addition to the
a week,” Arnold wrote.
According to her post,
the fluctuation in hours has
resulted in drivers losing
their homes or vehicles and
suffering from health issues
due to stress.
“Secondly, we do not
just work just a couple of
hours a day. Most of us carry
[three] routes in the morning
and [three] routes in the
afternoon, and [others] like
magnet drivers are working
more routes than that all over
DeKalb County campus,
located in Clarkston.
A U.S. Department
of Education (USDE)
spokesperson told The
Champion that heightened
cash monitoring is a step
that the Office of Federal
Student Aid can take with
institutions to provide
additional oversight for a
number of financial or federal
compliance issues.
Heightened cash
monitoring 2 is the second
level of financial aid
oversight. According to
the spokesperson, after a
school on heightened cash
monitoring 2 makes financial
aid disbursements to students
from institutional funds,
the county,” she continued.
“We do not just do just your
child’s route.”
Other concerns raised
by driver representatives
included the need for
lighting and pothole repair at
Panthersville Stadium as well
as a lack of restrooms at some
district-controlled stops,
according to Jester’s blog.
At the press conference,
Green acknowledged a
possible need to revisit the
bus driver retirement plan,
but a fact sheet distributed
by the district April 23 stated
that DCSD bus drivers are
the second-highest paid bus
drivers among metro Atlanta
school districts.
According to Arnold, this
may not be enough to satisfy
drivers.
“When you see dump
trucks and trash trucks
that [carry trash and dirt]
making two and three times
the amount [as school bus
drivers] with the same CDL
as a bus driver, is it more
important than us bus drivers
carrying your [children]?” she
wrote.
a special reimbursement
payment request must be
submitted to the USDE for
those funds.
Prior to his GPTC
presidency, Simama served
as chief of staff under
former DeKalb County CEO
Burrell Ellis from 2009 to
2012. After Simama left Ellis’
administration to become
president of GPTC, both he
and Ellis along with other
DeKalb County administration
officials were investigated for
corruption and bid-rigging in
the DeKalb County Watershed
Department. Simama was
never charged.
As of press time, TCSG
has not detailed its plans for
replacing Simama.
SPORTS DEKALB FREE PRESS • Friday, April 27, 2018 • Page 15

Chamblee junior Gracie Pietkiewicz won her No. 2 singles match 2-0. Tucker’s Autumn Clemons won her No. 1 singles match 2-0. Photos by Mark Brock

Eleven tennis teams advance to Sweet 16

BY CARLA PARKER
carla@dekalbchamp.com
Defending state tennis champions
Chamblee girls and Marist boys, as
well as several other DeKalb County
teams, are still in the hunt for a state
title.
Eleven teams from the county
advanced to the Sweet 16 of the state
tennis playoffs. Chamblee advanced
to the Class AAAAA Sweet 16 after
defeating Decatur 5-0 in the first
round. Chamblee hosted Carrollton
April 24. Score was not available by
press time.
Marist beat Oconee County 3-0
in the first round to advance to the
Class AAAA Sweet 16. Marist hosted
LaGrange April 24; score was not
available by press time.
In Class AAAAAAA, Lakeside’s
boys’ and girls’ teams advanced to the
Sweet 16 after sweeping Grayson 5-0
in the first round. The girls played at
North Gwinnett in the next round and
the boys played South Forsyth April
24. Score was not available by press
time.
In Class AAAAAA, Dunwoody
boys and Tucker girls advanced to
the Sweet 16. Dunwoody defeated
Winder-Barrow 3-0 and Tucker
beat Evans 3-0 in the first round.
Dunwoody played at Harrison in the
Sweet 16 April 25. Score was not
available by press time. Tucker girls
played Richmond Hill April 25. Score
was not available by press time.
Chamblee boys joined the girls’
team in advancing to the Class AAAAA
Sweet 16 after beating North Springs
4-1 in the first round. Chamblee will
host Woodland-Bartow April 26.
Decatur boys also advanced to the
Sweet 16 after beating Southwest
DeKalb 4-1 in the first round. Decatur
will travel to Carrollton for their
matchup, date and time will be
announced later.
Along with Marist boys, Marist
girls, St. Pius X girls and Druid Hills
girls advanced to the Sweet 16. Marist
defeated Madison County 4-0 in the
first round and hosted LaGrange April
24 in the second round. Score was
not available by press time. St. Pius
defeated West Hall 3-0 in the first
round and will face Heritage-Catoosa.
Date and time will be announced
later.
Druid Hills defeated Burke County
3-0 in the first round played Columbus
April 25. Score was not available by
press time.

Eleven to compete in
baseball state playoffs
BY CARLA PARKER
carla@dekalbchamp.com

For the first time in 12 seasons, No. 3-seed Jackson-Atlanta (16-9).

the Lithonia Bulldogs baseball team
are back in the state playoffs.
The Bulldogs are among 11
teams from DeKalb County that
clinched a spot in the Georgia
High School Association baseball
playoffs, which begins April 26.
Lithonia (14-10) is a three-seed in
the Class AAAAA playoff bracket
and will take on No. 2-seed North
Springs (15-14) in Atlanta in a best
of three series.
The Class AAAAA bracket also
features four other DeKalb teams.
No. 1-seed Arabia Mountain (20-
6) will host No. 4-seed Riverwood
(13-14), No. 1 seed Decatur (24-5)
from region 6 will host No. 4-seed
Southwest DeKalb (15-9) and No.
2-seed Chamblee (22-8) will host
In Class AAAAAAA, No. 4 seed
Lakeside (14-12) will travel to
Loganville to take on No. 1 seed
Grayson (19-11). In Class AAAAAA,
No. 1 seed Tucker (17-11) will host
No. 4-seed Lakeside-Evans (13-12),
and No. 3-seed Stephenson (15-11)
will travel to Evans to take on No.
2-seed Greenbrier (20-7).
No. 2-seed Marist (12-16) will
defend its Class AAAA state title
beginning April 26 at home against
No. 3-seed Madison County (16-12).
No. 3-seed Druid Hills (15-11) will
travel to Augusta to take on No.
2-seed Cross Creek (15-8).
In Class AAA, No. 4-seed Redan
(21-7) will travel to No. 1-seed
Ringgold (26-4). Arabia Mountain will host Riverwood in the first round of the state playoffs. Photos by Carla
Parker
 DEKALB FREE PRESS • Friday, April 27, 2018 • Page 16

TUCKER Continued From Page 2A

here and [athletes] deserve the
recognition,” Penkava said. “Football
signing day is so big here, but it’s
nice to have an academic signing
day. It encourages people to work
hard throughout all four years. It’s
nice for seniors, but I think it’s really
nice for the underclassmen to see
what you can get if you work hard.”
Some students are going as
far west as Louisiana to Louisiana
State University, or as far north
as Massachusetts to Harvard
University. Although it was
announced that she is signing with
Harvard, Miriam Abrha said she is
still deciding between Harvard and
John Hopkins University.
“At this point, both schools
are really great for my intended
profession and major,” Abrha said. “I
want to major in public health, so it’s
not necessarily academics, it’s more
about how I feel about the campus.”
Abrha, who has a 4.35 grade
point average, said it’s important to
have an academic signing day.
“There is an emphasis on sports
and athletics, which is really great,
but I like the fact that we are having
an emphasis on academics,” she said.
“The fact that we’re acknowledging
our achievements and where we’re
going to go I think boosts morale
in students who aren’t student
athletes. I think overall it has a More than 20 students participated in Tucker’s academic signing day. Photo by Carla Parker
positive effect on students.”

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