the DeKalb FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • VOL.

23, NO 28 • 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

DEKALB COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

2018 FOOTBALL
PREVIEW SEE PAGE 7

Restauranteur once again

hoping to cook up winning dish
BY GALE HORTON GAY she did reveal that in keeping
with her restaurant’s theme it will
It took a force of nature include sweet potato. Although
to prevent a Stone Mountain her customers weren’t aware of it,
restauranteur from demonstrating Patton said they’ve been helping
her culinary best in the quest for a her make it the best dish possible
top prize. through their comments. The dish
Last August the owner of Sweet has periodically offered as a special.
Potato Café in the village of Stone “The basics of it are the same,”
Mountain was earnestly preparing said Patton of the dish. “I tweaked
for and eagerly waiting to compete it…to add more flavor to the dish.” Just Bakery of Atlanta trainee Sisto Kalal, originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, scores
in a cooking competition. Little did Once the competition is over, loaves of multi-grain dough. Photos by Gale Horton Gay
she know that she would have to Patton said she plans to add the dish
wait more than a year to show what to her restaurant’s menu.
she can do. The competition bestows the
Karen Patton is prepping for winner with a $2,000 prize, feature
Jekyll Island’s 13th Annual Shrimp & in Southern Living magazine and the
Grits Festival in September after last opportunity to face the competition
year’s event fell victim to Hurricane at next year’s festival.
Irma. She hopes to come away Patton received her culinary
winning Georgia’s Best Shrimp and training from Atlanta Technical
Grits cooking competition. College.
Patton said she was The restaurant, which has been
disappointment by last year’s open on Manor Drive for six-and-
cancellation but also relieved and a-half years, has its own raised
is now thankful that she’s had a vegetable beds. Patton currently has
year to perfect her dish. She’s a two students from Stone Mountain
little secretive about the details High School who are interested in
of what she’s going to cook, but agriculture working with her in the
Chocolate lavender cake with lavender ice cream is a dessert at Sweet Potato Café.
SEE BAKERY ON PAGE 6

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

LOCAL
COUNTY WIDE
As county searches for fix, residents
drown in water billing issues
BY HORACE HOLLOMAN
horace@dekalbchamp.com
DeKalb County resident
Kerry Barnett moved to
DeKalb County in October
of last year. It didn’t take long
before she noticed something
odd with her water billing.   displacement meters and
After a few months in her
new home, Barnett said she
did not receive a water bill.
Barnett called DeKalb County
Watershed Department but
after a few more months, still
nothing.
Now nearly a year after
moving into her new home,
Barnett said she is concerned.
“I’m just worried about
what kind of bill we might
receive and how accurate it
might be. I want to know how
many gallons we’re going to be
billed for,” Barnett said.
Barnett said a representative
with the watershed department
told her that based on the
home’s consumption, the
estimated bi-monthly bill
for the home would be $188.
The representative told her
she could pay the bi-monthly
estimated price even if she was
not receiving a bill.
Barnett said she has been
recording her consumption
and the county’s numbers
are not accurate. Barnett said
watershed officials recently
called her and assured her that
she would receive a bill next
month.
“It is a scary feeling,”
Barnett said. “According to
them, we use about 6,000
gallons, but we only use about
two to three thousand gallons
a month. I’m just hoping we’re
not charged an average of
6,000 gallons because that’s not
what I’ve been recording.”
Barnett, like several other
DeKalb County residents, are
complaining that the county
has not fixed long-term issues
associated with inaccurate
billing.
Another DeKalb County
resident living in Stone
Mountain said she and her
husband are having difficulty
selling their home due to
an outstanding $6,000 bill
currently in the dispute
resolution process.
“DeKalb’s plumber says no
sign of water leak but the water
DeKalb County residents listen to DeKalb officials regarding water billing issues at Maloof Auditorium in downtown Decatur. File
photo.
meter is correct. What should I
do? It’s been a couple months.
The $6,000 was back in March
between two bills,” the resident
said.
DeKalb County Watershed
Customer Service and Billing
Advisory Board member
Star McKenzie said she’s also
concerned about the county’s
water meter replacement
program.
In 2017, DeKalb County
CEO Michael Thurmond said
approximately 102,000 water
meters were at risk of failure.
DeKalb County officials
said the meter replacement
program would begin at the
end of 2017 but stalled in 2018.
According to county
officials, water meter
malfunctions were partially to
blame for high water bills.
“The lack of transparency
regarding the meter
replacement program concerns
me, as does the fact that
we purchased a $5 million
software that can’t guarantee
data integrity,” McKenzie said.
According to public records
of the county’s request for
proposals (RFP) for a water
meter upgrade and installation
DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • Page 2
program, the county hopes
to replace 25,000 potentially
defective water meters per year.
A request for proposals
ALEX
SAYS
THANKS
Your generosity helped us raise over
$5.6 MILLION
for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
Thank you for supporting CMN Hospitals
and the children they serve.
publix.com/children
Alex, esophageal duplication cyst
for the water meter program
states the county will upgrade
and replace meters as well
as install radio-read devices
or transmitters as part
of an advanced metering
infrastructure system within
the next one to four years.
As of May 2017, the aging
water meter population
consists of approximately
10,116 manual meters,
113,000 Sensus SR positive
52,197 Sensus SRII ECR meters
ranging from an age of 15 to
30 years in age. All meters in
this age range are beyond the
standard life expectancy and
need replacement, according to
the county.
In addition to more than
175,000 meters beyond
life expectance, more than
49,000 meters are currently
seven to 15 years old and will
exceed the 15-year useful life
expectancy within the four-
year contract, according to the
RFP.
County officials said there
is no specific number of meters
allocated for replacement. The
county will attempt to replace
“as many meters as possible”
during the project.
LOCAL
AROUNDDEKALB
CHAMBLEE
Electronics recycling event
announced
Chamblee residents can recycle their
electronics Aug. 18 at the public works
building from 8 a.m. to noon. The building is
located at 3210 Cumberland Drive. For more
information, visit www.chambleega.com.
CLARKSTON
Knit and crochet club to meet
Clarkston Library will host the knit
and crochet club Aug. 18 from 3 to 5 p.m.
Attendees can bring their current projects.
Those who would like to learn can call or
visit the library to sign up. The library is
located at 951 N. Indian Creek Drive. For
more information, call (404) 508-7175.
DUNWOODY
Art in the Park coming
Dunwoody Parks and Recreation
Department and ABC Easel will host Art in
the Park- Puzzle Art Aug. 18 from 10 a.m. to
2 p.m. at Pernoshal Park. The park is located
at 4575 N. Shallowford Road. For more
information, contact Angela Kirby at (678)
478-3002 or abceasel@gmail.com.
LITHONIA
Youth lacrosse registration
Children ages 5 to 14 can register for Atlanta
Urban Lacrosse. Practice will begin Sept. 4
at Southeast Athletic Complex, 5845 Hillvale
Road in Lithonia. The registration fee is $150.
For more information, call Corey Carter at
(404) 277-0849 or Ramon Rivers at (678)
778-3667, or visit www.urbanlacrosseatlanta.
com.
DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • Page 3
TUCKER be open on a modified schedule.
•B  rowns Mill Family Aquatic Facility, 4929
Musical to be held at Smoke Browns Mill Road, Lithonia
Hours: Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and
Rise church Sundays, 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• E xchange Splash Pad, 2771 Columbia Drive,
Smoke Rise Academy of the Arts (SRAA)
Decatur
drama department will present the classic
Hours: Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and
musical Annie Get Your Gun Aug. 24-26 in
Sundays, noon to 7 p.m.
the Fellowship Hall of Smoke Rise Baptist
•G  resham Park, 3113 Gresham Road, Atlanta
Church. Members of the Smoke Rise and
Hours: Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m. and
surrounding community are invited to
Sundays, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
attend this free performance. Show times
• L ithonia Park, 2501 Park Drive, Lithonia
are 7 p.m. on Aug. 24, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on
Aug. 25 and 3 p.m. on Aug. 26. The church is
located at 5901 Hugh Howell Road. For more
Hours: Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m. and
Sundays, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
•M  idway Park, 3181 Midway Road, Decatur
information, visit www.smokerisebaptist.org/
Hours: Saturdays, noon to 6 p.m. and
community/academy.
Sundays, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
•M  edlock Park, 874 Gaylemont Circle,
Taste of Tucker coming in Decatur
October Hours: Saturdays noon to 6 p.m. and
Sundays, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
   The ninth annual Taste of Tucker is
scheduled for Oct. 6 on Tucker’s Main Street. For more information, contact the DeKalb
The festival features samples from more County aquatics office at (770) 414-2119.
than 20 restaurants, offering more than 60
specialty dishes. The event starts at 1 p.m.
and ends at 6 p.m. Veterans assistance available in
Live bands will play during the
festival including Biggy & The Smalls and
Dekalb
Moontower.  Special attractions include a
The Georgia Department of Veterans
children’s play area coordinated by Tucker
Service (GDVS) officials said the department
First United Methodist Church, a space
is ready to assist more than 700,000 Georgia
for local produce sales organized by the
veterans and their families. GDVS will
Tucker Farmers Market and drink venues
offer free personal counseling, advice and
coordinated by Keller Williams Realty Atlanta
assistance.
Partners. 
DeKalb County has two offices. One
Admission is free.  Attendees purchase $1
office is located inside the Atlanta VA
tickets to exchange for food samples, which
Medical Center on Clairmont Road near
cost between one and four tickets.
Emory University. The other office is located
Proceeds from the event benefit
inside of the Atlanta VA Community Based
NETWorks Cooperative Ministry, which fights
poverty and hunger in the community;
Camp Kudzu, which supports children and
Outpatient Clinic, located in Room 1A101 at
250 North Arcadia Avenue in Decatur.
The offices are open from 9 a.m. to 4:30
teens who have Type 1 diabetes; and the Old
Town Tucker Merchants Association.
p.m., Mondays through Fridays, except
on approved state recognized holidays.
No appointment is required to receive
assistance at either office.  Everyone is seen
COUNTYWIDE on first-come, first-served basis.
Select DeKalb pools open until
Sept. 3
DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and
Cultural Affairs has announced that most
county pools will close on Aug. 5. From Aug.
11 through Sept. 3, the following pools will
OPINION
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Voter’s letter to DeKalb County Board of
Elections regarding November election
There is a simple fix that will help DeKalb
County voters go to the polls in November with
confidence.  We are asking that you consider this
solution and enact it as soon as possible, for the
good of your county constituents.
We’ve been inundated with reports lately
about the vulnerability of Georgia’s voting
systems.  Georgia was targeted by one of the
Russians indicted recently;  we are in a “golden
age for hackers”; there have been endless
accounts of voter fraud or mistakes, lawsuits and
investigations.  For at least the past two years, we’ve
been told that Georgia’s voting machines are old,
outdated, with serious problems and vulnerabilities.   need to without having to worry that a digital hack
The negative effect of all this on DeKalb voters
cannot be stressed enough.  Voters are afraid,
frustrated, and confused about voting to the
degree that the most dangerous and unacceptable
result might actually occur in November: people
will refrain from voting.  Voters will stay away
from the polls.  And I know that is something this
Board would want to work to avoid at all costs.
DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • Page 4
That is the purpose of my entreaty to you. Please
restore the confidence of DeKalb County voters in
time for our important November elections.  This
Board is fully able to prove to its voters that fraud,
tampering, errors, or other threats to their votes
no longer exists.  Under Georgia law, you and
the county commissioners have the authority to
implement a solution: provide for backup paper
ballots so that DeKalb’s election processes can be
verified and audited.  By keeping paper copies on
hand, election officials have the option to audit
election results (randomly or if you suspect a
mishap), and recount as much of the vote as you
has impacted your backup.
When you make the announcement to county
voters that every vote in DeKalb will be backed up
by a verifiable paper ballot, you will be effectively
eliminating what none of us wants to see in
November: uncertainty after the election.
All of our votes are so important to each one
of us.  There are resources right now that we can
put you in touch with, that are ready to assist in
providing equipment and any other support needed
to put this in place immediately.   Please make this a
top priority in the days and weeks ahead.  The ability
of our state to safeguard our votes is clear.  What is
lacking is the will to do so.  We have complete faith
that that will is present here in this room, at our
county Board of Elections.
Please refer to this link, where you’ll find a letter
outlining the statutes in the law that give you the
authority to enact this in our county.  
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Election-
Board-Members--Secure-our-November-elections.
html?soid=1109272168263&aid=mDVrcEeXGno
Thank you,
Caroline Stover
DeKalb County voter
Atlanta (in DeKalb)
OPINION
California’s self-inflicted hot foot
“Plans for prescribed burning to
rid the forests of deep ground cover
often clash with regional air quality
regulations, even as emissions from
catastrophic wildfires nullify hard
fought carbon reduction.” from the
Little Hoover Commission report,
an independent California oversight
agency in February 2018.
 
California wildfires continue to
rage across the state. So far this year,
18 blazes have scorched in excess of
600,000 acres. A suspect has been
arrested for starting the Holy Fire
in the Cleveland National Forest,
which has already burned more than
6,000 acres and forced evacuations
in McVicker Canyon, Rice Canyon,
Horsethief Canyon, El Cariso,
Rancho Capistrano, Indian Canyon,
Glen Eden, Sycamore Creek and
Mayhew Canyon, according to the
National Forest Association.
Property damage will likely
roll up into the billions, though
thankfully loss of life (seven
fatalities thus far) and serious injury
remain at a minimum. And though
the fires caused by arson should be
met with swift justice and retribution
for any arsonist, the bulk of these
blazes, have been aided by back-to-
back periods of extended drought,
unusually excessive Santa Ana winds
around metropolitan Los Angeles
and potentially by extension, global
warming.  restrictions to protect salmon and
As Smokey the Bear used to say
in a series of ads that were begun to
protect the National Forests of the
Pacific and Northwest, “Only you
can prevent forest fires.”  of 500,000 households for a year,
Smokey wasn’t just talking about
leaving your campfire burning,
tossing errant cigarette butts or
playing with fire. As any professional
forester or ranger knows, fire
prevention is an ongoing business
and effort.  materials in forest areas, compared
Here in Georgia, where millions
of acres are professionally forested,
private land owners routinely
conduct controlled burnings. These
are monitored and purposefully set
FREEPRESS
the DeKalb
Let Us Know What You Think!
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Letters should be brief, typewritten and contain the
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The opinions written by columnists and contributing editors do not necessarily reflect the opinions
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Publisher is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts.
DEKALB FREE PRESS • AUGUST 17, 2018 • Page 5
increasingly like it may never be if California had diverted a few
‘One Man’s completed. billion from the high-speed rail to
 The helicopters flown by nowhere to clearing millions of dead
Opinion’ experienced fire fighters for water trees and tinder brush from forest
drops, night flying and fire fighting floors? Or having faster, stronger
Bill Crane in California were almost entirely fire copters available to move water
bill.csicrane@gmail.com Vietnam War era helicopters, resources onto dry forest lands? Or
released from duty by the California realizing that we deal with real
brush fires, at ground level, to burn National Guard. The California emergencies first, and serving as the
away dead trees, saplings and pine legislature thankfully did appropriate nation’s "green guiding light" second
straw, as well as debris and other $101 million to buy a dozen new or third? 
flammable materials; they are often choppers to upgrade and update that  You can’t just blame all this
surrounded by excavated fire breaks, firefighting fleet. on President Trump pulling out
or large non-flammable barriers.   If you’re a California taxpayer, of the Paris Climate Accord or
 California is home to some of the now awaiting response from Gov. global warming, though many in
nation’s most stringent environmental Jerry Brown’s ongoing requests Sacramento are certainly going to try.
laws, rules and regulations. And yet, for more federal disaster aid for
California has not prepared well to California firefighting, don’t
avoid these fires, the greenest state be too surprised if the Trump  
in our nation has lost nearly 130,000 Administration gives a somewhat Bill Crane also serves as a political
million trees, and nearly half of cool response. Though Mother analyst and commentator for Channel
its 33 million acres of timberland Nature clearly has been dealing the 2’s Action News, WSB-AM News/Talk
are in need of restoration. A report Golden State a tough hand, much of 750 and now 95.5 FM, as well as a
this year by the Little Hoover this hot foot is a result of California’s columnist for The Champion, DeKalb
Commission, explains that nearly a own bad planning and decision Free Press and Georgia Trend. Crane
century of fire suppression policies making. is a DeKalb native and business owner,
in the state, as practiced by state and  Imagine how much less property living in Scottdale. You can reach
federal firefighters, rangers and land damage, might have occurred and him or comment on a column at bill.
administrators, have left forest floors trees and lives could have been saved csicrane@gmail.com.
deep in flammable ground-cover.
 The California Water Resources
Management Board has also had
difficultly managing its water
resources, and getting water from
places where it is in over-abundance,
to places it may be needed for fire
prevention and other uses. Pumping
smelt along the Sacramento-San
Joaquin River Delta resulted in
dumping 151,000 acre feet of
water, enough for the consumption
directly into the Pacific Ocean last
June.
 The state’s long Democratic
controlled legislature contributed a
mere $30 million from cap and trade
revenues toward reducing flammable
to $335 million in electric vehicle
subsidies, or billions more toward a
nearing $100 billion high speed rail
project between Bakersfield, Calif.
and San Francisco, which looks
Publisher: Staff Reporters:
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Social Media Manager: issue of interest to DeKalb County.
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LOCAL DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 170, 2018 • Page 6

Sweet Potato Café in downtown Stone Mountain is more than six years old.

One version of chef Karen Patton’s shrimp and grits.

BAKERY Continued From Page 1

garden. Produce from the
garden is used in the café.
Patton and her special
recipe will take on the
defending champion West
Egg Café of Atlanta and
returning contender The
LOCAL Kitchen:Bar
of Tifton. Other new
challengers include Aubri
Lane’s of Milledgeville,
Eagle Creek Brewing
Company of Statesboro,
Honey Café of Millen, and
Southern Soul Barbeque of
St. Simons Island.
Last year Patton was
invited to participate in
the competition after her
restaurant’s fried green
tomatoes were recognized
as one of 100 Plates Locals
Love for 2017-2018 by
the Georgia Department of
Economic Development’s
Tourism Division.
Patton will be attending
the competition with her
husband Darrell and adult
daughter Lisa, who will
be assisting with her table
design. She said some of her
customers and a few Stone
Mountain officials have
indicated they also might
attend the event to give her
moral support.
Once the competition
is over, Patton will refocus
her attention on getting her
sweet potato marmalade
that she’s been working on
for three years into grocery
stores. She said she recently
shipped her first case of the
marmalade to an IGA store
in northern Georgia.
Kale and apple salad with grilled chicken is one of the café’s offerings.

Brookhaven withdraws economic incentives

offer for Bramblewood Drive redevelopment
After several months of negotiations, Brookhaven
announced July 31 that it has not reached an agree-
ment on economic incentives for a mixed-use redevel-
opment project on Bramblewood Drive.
The developer, Ardent Companies, submitted a
plan for a multiuse project including apartments and
townhomes to redevelop Bramblewood Drive off
Buford Highway. The plan called for 10 percent, or 30
units, to be deemed as “affordable.” The developer re-
quested a 30-year tax abatement on all property taxes
(schools, county and city) totaling approximately $30
million.
Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst sent letters to
property owners, explaining that the sticking point
was the true affordability of “affordable” housing.
“We could not come to an agreement as to the area
median income (AMI) that would be the threshold
for ‘affordable.’ Ardent Companies wanted to use an
Atlanta region AMI of $68,000 and the city wanted
to use the average AMI for the census tracks around
Bramblewood Drive at $50,000,” the letter states. “An
AMI of $68,000 would essentially be out of reach for
many living on Buford Highway, our city employees,
or teachers serving local schools.”
In July 2017, Brookhaven’s Affordable Hous-
ing Task Force delivered recommendations to the
Brookhaven City Council. The recommendations
included exploring creative innovations and cross-
sector solutions to protect existing affordable housing
and incorporating affordable housing into the 2017
Brookhaven zoning rewrite. The latest draft of the
zoning rewrite will include many of the task force
recommendations and will be available for public
inspection in mid-August.
“Housing affordability is a complex and context-
sensitive regional issue. Therefore, it behooves each
city and county to assess what makes the best decision
for its community, based upon its economic situation
and community goals,” said Doug Hooker, executive
director for the Atlanta Regional Commission. “It ap-
pears that Brookhaven has taken this approach.”
“While we applaud the developer’s effort to include
an affordable housing component, the correspond-
ing incentive request to abate 100 percent of property
taxes for 30 years was not realistic,” said City Manager
Christian Sigman. “The Buford Highway corridor is
home to many redevelopment opportunities from end
to end. This particular plan did not work out, but it
was an educational and cathartic exercise for us as a
city.
“We look forward to working with other develop-
ment partners in Buford Highway corridor,” Sigman
said.
SPORTS DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • Page 7

DEKALB COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

2018 FOOTBALL
PREVIEW
DEKALB WELCOMES
FIVE NEW HEAD
COACHES
BY CARLA PARKER
carla@dekalbchamp.com

I
t has been 19 years since Keldrick Dunn last coached at
Redan High School, but he is now back and ready to lead the
Redan Raiders’ football team.
“It feels great to be back, seeing the old halls again and
seeing some of the old teachers,” Dunn said. “It’s going to be an
experience in itself, and I can’t wait to take this opportunity and
see what’s going to happen.”
Dunn is one of five new head football coaches in DeKalb
County. Rosaria Rice is the new coach at Druid Hills, Zack
Edwards has taken over at Lakeside, Lee Hannah is the new
leader at Miller Grove and Vonnell Carter is the new coach at Zack Edwards
Towers.
Keldrick Dunn
Carter spent the past three seasons at Southwest DeKalb as an
assistant coach. Hannah, who was at Flowery Branch last season,
is returning to DeKalb County. He coached at M.L. King from
2008 to 2009.
Dunn, who is in his 25th year in coaching, was the offensive
line coach at Redan from 1992 to 1999. He left Redan to coach
at Morris Brown College. He played tight end in the NFL for five
seasons in the late 1980s. Dunn will try to lead Redan to its first
winning season since 2010
“[Former] coach [Roderick] Moore did what he could with
the job that he did, and he taught me a lot,” Dunn said. “I’m just
going to take the baton and do what I do. I’ve been in this game
for a long time, I’ve worked with a lot of coaches and I’m going to
implement some of the stuff they did and take my own niche and
just run it in the ground.”
Redan’s opponents should expect to see a more aggressive
team this season, according to Dunn.
“On offense we want to move the ball around, get a lot of
formations and try to work from there,” he said. “On defense we
want to strike. We want to be more aggressive in everything and
try to put everything in perspective. We want the guys to have
fun and play the game.”
Edwards was promoted from assistant coach at Lakeside to
head coach. He has two years of coaching under his belt. He said
he is blessed to have an opportunity to be a head coach so soon in
his career.
Rosaria Rice Lee Hannah
SEE PREVIEW ON PAGE 6
SPORTS
ARABIA MOUNTAIN RAMS
Head coach: Stanley Pritchett
(6th season) • Region: 5-AAAAA
2017 record: 9-3 (Playoffs)
Outlook: The Rams won their
second consecutive region title
last season and advanced to
the Sweet 16 of the playoffs for
the second year in a row, doing
so with a young defense. With
the majority of the defense
returning, as well as DeKalb
County’s 2017 leading passer,
Bryson Williams, Arabia
Mountain has a chance to win
a third consecutive region title.
CEDAR GROVE SAINTS
Head coach: Jermaine Smith
(6th season) • Region: 5-AAA
2017 record: 13-1 (Playoffs)
Outlook: Expectations are
high again this season for the
Saints. Cedar Grove will have
an opportunity to make a name
for itself nationally as it starts
the season with two out-of-
state games, one which will be
aired on ESPN. Several big
names returned this season
including No. 1-ranked wide
receiver Jadon Haselwood
and defensive tackle Rashad
Cheney. Leading tackler
Isaiah Ratcliff is also back for
the Saints.
Chamblee Bulldogs
Head coach: Curtis Mattair
(3rd season) • Region: 5-AAAAA
2017 record: 1-9
Outlook: The Bulldogs are
hoping to have their first
winning season under coach
Mattair. Returning quarterback
Stuart Steele will lead the
Bulldogs again and hope to
have a better year statistically
after leading the county in
interceptions last season (19).
Also returning this season
is linebacker and receiver
Brandon Lambert and running
back Carlos White Jr.
CLARKSTON ANGORAS
Head coach: Terrence Hughey
(5th season) • Region: 5-AAAAA
2017 record: 1-9
Outlook: Clarkston has
struggled to win more than one
game under fifth-year head
coach Terrence Hughey.
The Angoras have not had a
winning season since going
5-5 in 2012, but the coaches
are hoping to have a positive
year. Returning players include
quarterback Zavier Wright,
running back Camari Hurt and
cornerback Zachary Hunter.
DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • Page 8
DEKALB COUNTY
2018 TEAM
PREVIEW
DUNWOODY WILDCATS
COLUMBIA EAGLES Head coach: Michael Nash
DECATUR BULLDOGS
Head coach: Brian Montgomery (4th season) •
Head coach: Cody Cory
(2nd season) • Region: 5-AAAAA Region: 7-AAAAAA
(2nd season) • Region: 6-AAAAA
2017 record: 5-6 (Playoffs) 2017 record: 3-7
2017 record: 4-6
Outlook: The Eagles made the Outlook: Dunwoody will
Outlook: With a large senior
playoffs in Montgomery’s first have to replace a couple of
class, the Bulldogs are hoping
season at Columbia and are playmakers as it tries to obtain
for more success this season
looking to continue that playoff its first winning season under
in coach Cory’s second year.
run this season. Montgomery Nash. Returning players
That class includes starting
said their challenging start in include wide receiver Luke
quarterback RJ Walker,
their schedule should prepare Pankey, cornerback Thomas
receiver and defensive back
his team for the region and Harrison, cornerback Jordan
Andre Carter, wide receiver
a potential playoff run. The Battles, safety Thomas
and linebacker Antonio
Eagles will face Stephenson, Neville and cornerback and
Kilgore, running back Martize
Cedar Grove and Chester receiver Xavier Willcox.
Smith and linebacker Heyward
County (SC) in the first four
Henderson.
weeks of the season.
LAKESIDE VIKINGS
DRUID HILLS RED DEVILS Head coach: Zack Edwards
CROSS KEYS INDIANS (1st season)
Head coach: Rosaria Rice
Head coach: Mark Adams Region: 7-AAAAAAA
(1st season) • Region: 4-AAAA
(3rd season) • Region: 5-AAAAA 2017 record: 2-8
2017 record: 1-9
2017 record: 0-6
Outlook: New head coach Outlook: Lakeside’s new
Outlook: For the past several coach Zack Edwards hopes
Rosaria Rice will try to lead
years, Cross Keys has dealt to lead Lakeside to its first
the Red Devils to their first
with many challenges ranging winning season in 14 years.
winning season since 1993.
from trying to win games to “Lakeside used to be a
Rice said he believes his team
finding enough players to fill powerhouse in the ‘70s,
has enough to win at least six
the roster. The Indians have ‘80s and ‘90s, winning state
games this season. Returning
gotten over one hump—having championships and going
players include defensive and
a veteran team. Cross Keys has to state championships,”
offensive tackle Torrance
nearly 20 players returning from Edwards said. “So, having
Hambrick, wide receiver and
last year, including running back a winning season is our first
defensive back Kaleb McCall
and corner back Axel Raygoza goal. Secondly, we want to
and defensive lineman Mile
and wide receiver and corner win the region, and then make
Norris-Nobles.
back Victor Corona. Cross it to the playoffs.” Returning
Keys is also returning to a full players include linebacker
varsity schedule. and receiver Thomas Steele,
SPORTS
quarterback Blake Miccichi,
linebacker Bathuel Lemma,
and defensive tackle Kirsci
Vincent.
LITHONIA BULLDOGS
Head coach: David Edwards
(2nd season) • Region: 5-AAAAA
2017 record: 3-7
Outlook: After three
consecutive winning seasons,
the Bulldogs regressed last
season, finishing 3-7 in
Edwards’ first year. Lithonia
will need to win in a tough
region to secure a spot in the
playoffs. Returning starters
include leading receiver
Kaveh Brantley, running back
Marquez Randall and leading
tackler Tra Wilkins.
MARIST WAR EAGLES
Head coach: Alan Chadwick
(34th season) • Region: 7-AAAA
2017 record: 14-1 (Playoffs)
Outlook: Marist’s 2017 season
ended with a loss in the Class
AAAA state championship
game. Like other teams, the
War Eagles hope to have
success similar to that in the
previous season but will have
to do so with new starters.
With new players at the skills
positions, Marist will lean on
it offensive and defensive line
as well as its receiving core
and defensive back field, which
features wide receiver/safety
Kyle Hamilton.
M.L. King Lions
Head coach: Deante Lamar
(2nd season) • Region:
4-AAAAAA
2017 record: 4-6
Outlook: The Lions haven’t
made the playoffs in five years
and are currently in a four-
year streak of losing seasons.
Lamar said this group of
players can end that losing
streak and make the playoffs.
That group of players includes
center Antonio Smith, guard
Leroy Smith, running back
Marcellius Lockett and
linebacker Jaden Wilkins.
MCNAIR MUSTANGS
Head coach: Shelton Carleton
(6th season) • Region: 5-AAA
2017 record: 3-7
Outlook: Carleton said his
goal each year is for his
team to compete on the field.
The team’s competitiveness
hasn’t resulted in wins during
Carleton’s tenure, but he hopes
that changes this season. He
will rely on the leaders of the
team, which include defensive
lineman Kemra Matthew,
guard and defensive tackle
Vidal Marshall, wide receiver
and defensive back Andre
Harris, defensive lineman
Jabez Blake, defensive back
Darius George and wide
receiver and defensive back
Markell Sutton.
MILLER GROVE
WOLVERINES
Head coach: Lee Hannah
(1st season)
Region: 5-AAAAA
2017 record: 5-6 (Playoffs)
Outlook: The Wolverines
had their second consecutive
playoff appearance in program
history last season. Miller
Grove is striving for its first
playoff victory this season
under new head coach Lee
Hannah and that first win is
possible with 10 starters on
defense and nine on offense
returning. Returning players
include leading tackler Mustafa
Arnold, defensive end Aaron
Miller, quarterback Jamaal
Roach, running back Jahdiel
DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • Page 9
Oldfield and defensive back
Geon Floyd.
REDAN RAIDERS
Head coach: Keldrick Dunn
(1st season) • Region: 5-AAA
2017 record: 3-7
Outlook: The Raiders’ goal
is to have their first winning
season since 2010 under new
head coach Keldrick Dunn.
Dunn returns to Redan for
the second time after serving
as an assistant coach in the
1990s. He will lean on several
returning starters to lead the
Raiders to victory. Those
starters include defensive back
and wide receiver Jeremiah
McDermott, defensive back
Jeffery Bassett and tackle
Farris Grant.
ST. PIUS GOLDEN LIONS
Head coach: Paul Standard
(18th season) • Region: 8-AAAA
2017 Record: 8-6 (Playoffs)
Outlook: The Golden Lions
bounced back in 2017 after
having their first losing season
in 2016 under Standard. St.
Pius reached the playoffs
semifinals last season and
could make another run in the
playoffs with an experienced
group returning. Those
returning starters include
quarterback Connor Egan,
linebacker Samuel Schwaner,
corner back and running back
Jason Jones, linebacker
DeMarcus Mitchell and wide
receiver and safety Zach
Ranson.
SOUTHWEST DEKALB
PANTHERS
Head coach: Damien Wimes
(2nd season) • Region: 5-AAAAA
2017 record: 8-4 (Playoffs)
Outlook: Last season, the
Panthers won their first playoff
game since 2009 in Wimes’
first season with the Panthers.
The Panthers graduated their
veteran quarterback and
several other playmakers, but
Southwest DeKalb will likely
have enough to make another
trip to the playoffs. Returning
players include defensive back
and receiver Jamel Starks,
receiver and defensive back
Tommy Wright, offensive
lineman Jason Stovall
and wide receiver Aquil
Muhammad.
STEPHENSON JAGUARS
Head coach: Ron Gartrell
(23nd season)
Region: 4-AAAAAA
2017 record: 7-4 (Playoffs)
Outlook: The Jaguars had
another first-round exit in the
playoffs last season. Gartrell
said the goal is to get back to
where Stephenson used to be
in terms of competing. “We
want to be the best we can be,
and not worry about what other
people are doing,” Gartrell
said. “We’re going to do what
we do and that’s just try to win
football games.” The Jaguars
will have young athletes this
year along with experienced
starters, including defensive
tackle Jamal Andrews,
defensive and offensive tackle
Joshua Black and defensive
and offensive tackle Trevor
Arrington.
STONE MOUNTAIN PIRATES
Head coach: James Collier
(2nd season) • Region: 5-AAA
2017 record: 1-9
Outlook: The Pirates have
struggled to win more than
one game a season the past
four years. Collier is hoping
for things to turn around in
his second year as coach.
Returning players include
quarterback Shaheim Bailey
and cornerback Cameron
Anderson.
TOWERS TITANS
Head coach: Vonnell Carter
(1st season) • Region: 5-AAA
2017 record: 4-6
Outlook: After winning one
game in 2016, the Titans took
a step forward winning four
games under first-year head
coach Robert Tigner. Tigner
retired and the Titans now
hope to continue improving
under Vonnell Carter, the
team’s fourth head coach in
six seasons. Towers will have
to replace its quarterback,
top two rushers, top receiver
and several defensive players
from last year’s team. Players
expected to carry the load
include receiver and defensive
back William Booker,
defensive back Antonio
Griggs and defensive back
Bobby Watts.
TUCKER TIGERS
Head coach: Bryan Lamar
(7th season)
Region: 4-AAAAAA
2017 record: 12-2 (Playoffs)
Outlook: Tucker fell short
of reaching the state
championship game after
a loss in the semifinals last
season. The Tigers hope
to get back to the playoffs
but will have to do so with
inexperienced players after
graduating 17 seniors last
spring. They will have a couple
of starting players returning,
including quarterback Travon
Ford, center Blake Jefferson
and defensive end Derrick
McLendon.
SPORTS
DEKALB COUNTY 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW
Cedar Grove wide receiver Jadon Haselwood (jersey 2) is the No. 1-ranked wide receiver in the nation. Defensive tackle Rashad Cheney is the 25th best
player in the state. Photos by Travis Hudgons/iShootAtlanta Photography
Players to watch this season
BY CARLA PARKER
carla@dekalbchamp.com
DeKalb County produces talented
football players every year and this
year is no different.
DeKalb’s 2018 football season
will feature several five-star, four-star
and three-star recruits who football
fans should watch. Cedar Grove wide
receiver Jadon Haselwood tops the
list this year.
Haselwood is the No. 1-ranked
wide receiver in the nation and one
of the top three players in the state.
The Georgia-commit and five-star
recruit finished the 2017 season with
45 catches for 792 yards. He led the
county in touchdown catches last
season with 17. He is expected to put
up big numbers and lead the Cedar
Grove offense.
Another Cedar Grove Saint fans
should check out is defensive tackle
Rashad Cheney. The four-star
recruit is committed to Alabama. He
is the 25th best player in the state,
according to ESPN’s rankings. Last
season, Cheney accumulated 55 total
tackles, 15 tackles for a loss, 4 sacks,
2 interceptions, a forced fumble and
fumble recovery.
Tucker defensive end and Florida
State commit Derrick McLendon
has the potential to be the best edge
rusher in the county this season. Last
season, the four-star recruit had 38
tackles, 5 tackles for a loss and 1 sack.
McLendon said he worked on
improving his hand technique and
gaining strength this offseason.
“I had shoulder surgery in ninth
grade and it kind of limited my use
in the weight room, but I’ve gotten
stronger and faster,” he said. “I want to
play at a college tempo this year, so I’ll
be ready when I go to Florida State.
Me playing at a college tempo is very
important to me.”
Marist safety Kyle Hamilton is a
player who could shine this season.
The three-star recruit and Notre
Dame commit had four interceptions
last season, as well as 30 total tackles.
He will also play wide receiver and
punt/kick returner this season.
Stephenson has two players
who could be big playmakers this
season—linebacker Tra Wilkins and
wide receiver Deshon Stoudermire.
DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • Page 10
Wilkins, a three-star recruit, is
committed to Kentucky. Last season,
Wilkins led the Lithonia team in
tackles (68), had 6 tackles for a loss, 5
sacks, 3 forced fumbles and 3 fumble
recoveries.
Stoudermire, a three-star recruit
committed to West Virginia, led the
team in receiving yards (347) and
touchdowns (4).
Southwest DeKalb safety Jamel
Starks is hoping to have a big year.
He finished last season second on the
team in tackles (70) and intercepted
3 passes. The three-star recruit is
uncommitted, but is considering
several schools—Appalachian State,
Maryland, Nebraska, West Virginia
and North Carolina State.
During the offseason, Starks said
he spent more time preparing for the
season than recruiting.
“[The offseason] has been pretty
good,” he said. “I’ve been working
out with my team and really focusing
on my team. I haven’t really taken
any visits. I have been focused on the
team, the season and my goals.”
PREVIEW
Continued From Page 7A
“I haven’t been in the state of Georgia
four years yet,” Edwards said. “I’m from
Irmo, S.C., a little small town. So, I’m
very blessed, but if you work hard in life
things get noticed, and then [you] can
excel from there. I thank [principal] Mr.
[Damian] Bounds for having the faith
in me to lead them and represent the
school.”
Edwards said he thinks the Lakeside
players have adjusted well to his new role.
“They’ve known me for two years.
I’m kind of a no-nonsense [guy]. If I say
I’m going to do something, then I’ll do
it. They don’t have to worry about if I’m
going to keep my word.”
Edwards said Lakeside will be the
most in-shape team on the field.
“They will be extremely tough. Our
goals are to first have a winning season,”
he said. “We haven’t had a winning
season at Lakeside in [14 years]. Lakeside
used to be a powerhouse in the ‘70s, ‘80s
and ‘90s, winning state championships
and going to state championships. So,
having a winning season is our first goal.
Secondly, we want to win the region, and
then make it to the playoffs.”
Rice, who has been the girls’
basketball coach at Druid Hills, will
coach both football and girls’ basketball
this season. He has been coaching
football since 2007. He began his
coaching career at Chamblee High
School. He was an assistant coach at
Druid Hills last season.
“The only reason why I left football is
because I got a head basketball job,” Rice
said. “When I first got to Druid Hills, I
decided to focus on basketball, but as the
years progressed, it just kind of pulled me
back into it. Football is a love based on
the kids that I’ve had, and I’ve been able
to follow them throughout the years. So,
it was natural to get back in.”
Rice said he plans to coach one more
year with Druid Hills’ girls’ basketball
team.
“After this [school] year is over, we’ll
re-evaluate it, but as of right now I’ll do
both this year.”
Druid Hills hasn’t had a winning
season since 1993. Rice said his goal is to
win six games this season.
“I feel like with what we have, we have
enough to get six wins,” he said. “Last
year, I felt like we had an 8-2 team, but we
finished 1-9. From a coaching standpoint,
if we’re able to do what we’re supposed to
do there is no reason why we can’t get six
wins.
“Our schedule is favorable where we
can get wins,” Rice added. “If we get six,
that’s fine. If we don’t get six, I’ll be OK
with it only if I see progression. If we get
better week to week, that’s fine, but I don’t
want to see us go through a losing season
[in which] kids don’t get better.”
LOCAL DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • Page 11

NORTH DEKALB

Local police departments crack down on I-285 corridor

BY HORACE HOLLOMAN
horace@dekalbchamp.com
It’s been called one of the most
dangerous stretches of roadway in the
metro-area. Law enforcement agencies
said Interstate 285 north of Atlanta is
a “high-risk” corridor for accidents
involving large trucks and buses.
As part of a four-state initiative by
International Association of Chiefs of
Police (IACP), DeKalb County Police
Department partnered with Cobb
County Police Department, Sandy
Springs Police Department, Doraville
Police Department, Dunwoody Police
Department and Georgia Motor Carrier
Compliance Division to heavily monitor
the area for large truck and bus traffic
violations.
The local agencies monitored the
“dangerous” I-285 corridor for three
days Aug. 6-8 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In total, officers issued more than 900
citations during the initiative.
“It was an extremely successful
event,” said Dunwoody Police Chief
Billy Grogan. “There were a number
of important issues addressed. There
were several arrests made and there
was a fatality accident worked in Cobb
County and another accident worked in
DeKalb.”
The IACP held a large truck and bus
forum in Cleveland, Ohio and invited
agencies from Georgia, Texas, New
Local law enforcement officials held a press conference Aug. 9 to discuss information from a three-day
large truck and bus enforcement initiative.
York and Ohio to participate. IACP
partnered with the Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration and the US
Department of Transportation to develop
an enforcement and education program.
Grogan said the main issue he
noticed during the initiative was how
many large trucks and buses were
driving in the left lane—a traffic
violation in Georgia.
Of the 932 citations issued, 598 were
left lane violations.
“It causes problems and every
time they change lanes it’s a potential
accident waiting to happen,” Grogan
said.
DeKalb County Police Chief James
Conroy said he was pleased with the
partnership with other agencies. Conroy
said the partnership could make the
I-285 corridor safer in the future.
“There were a lot of individual
departments working a highly critical
corridor,” Conroy said. “It’s good to
build these relationships. Now we have
a direct contact and say, ‘hey, we believe
this truck is operating beyond [the
driver’s] limit,’ that’s not a law that we
can enforce but Georgia Motor Carrier
Compliance can.”
Officers also issued 12 citations for
violating Georgia’s new “hands-free”
law during the three-day initiative and
nine citations for speeding. Conroy said
DeKalb County averages 2,000 large
truck accidents per year.
“We know the traffic and safety on
the interstate is a huge concern here in
metro-Atlanta, especially in DeKalb
County,” Conroy said. “About 500 of
those [large truck] accidents involve
injury and we’re averaging five fatalities
per year.”
Conroy said DeKalb County had
five large truck accidents resulting in
fatalities this year.
“When you’re involved in an
accident with a truck, the chance of
injury increases,” Conroy said.
Local officials said they plan to
educate Georgia residents on large truck
safety during local events and through
social media campaigns.
Grogan said more safety initiatives
around I-285 corridor are a possibility in
the future.
“Periodically, you have to keep
people on their toes by doing similar
initiatives and departments from time to
time make sure we don’t overlook 285
and the issues there,” Grogan said.

LITHONIA
Woman takes fight for Alzheimer’s awareness to D.C.
BY HORACE HOLLOMAN
horace@dekalbchamp.com
According to Georgia
Department of Public Health,
130,000 Georgians are
estimated to have Alzheimer’s
disease or related dementia.
This year, DeKalb County
resident Phyllis Thurmond
and other advocates for
Alzheimer’s awareness
traveled to the nation’s capital
to support legislation that
would help improve the lives
of individuals suffering from
Alzheimer’s disease.
Thurmond, a Lithonia
resident, is a physical therapist
with a specialty in geriatric
home health care. Thurmond
said Alzheimer’s disease is
a serious issue facing the
community.
Thurmond, along with
other members of Alzheimer’s
Association Georgia Chapter
visited Washington, D.C.
in June to advocate for an
increase in federal Alzheimer’s
research funding and
awareness.   lawmakers to sign the Building
“Well, initially I was a
little nervous, but I have such
a passion for [Alzheimer’s
awareness],” Thurmond said.
“When you work as a home-
health care provider, you’re
actually in the patient’s home
and you see their home
environment. You see how the
disease is affecting the patient.
This is a disease where there’s
a lot of caregiving and finances
involved.”
According to officials
with Alzheimer’s Association
Georgia Chapter, Alzheimer’s
currently ranks as the most
expensive disease in America
and is costing Georgians
$1.114 billion in care costs.
Advocates met with State
Rep. Hank Johnson, Sen.
Johnny Isakson and Sen.
David Perdue to urge them to
support increasing the federal
Alzheimer’s research funding
for fiscal year 2019 by $425
million.
Advocates also urged
Our Largest Dementia (BOLD)
Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s
Act and the Palliative Care
and Hospice Education and
Training Act (PCHETA).
BOLD, if passed into law,
would authorize the expansion
of public awareness activities
related to Alzheimer’s disease,
cognitive decline, and brain
health under the Alzheimer’s
Disease and Healthy Aging
Program.
Johnson, whose district
covers areas in DeKalb County,
signed as a co-sponsor of Lithonia resident Phyllis Thurmond visited Washington, D.C. in June to advocate for
BOLD. As of August 13, the an increase for federal Alzheimer’s research funding and awareness.
bill has 164 co-sponsors.
“We’re all in this together.
remember,’” Thurmond said. “We’re so prone to not
We’re hoping by 2025 we will
Thurmond said she plans wanting to talk about it. We
be able to say that we have
to continue to advocate for want to sweep it under the rug
a cure for this disease. Right
Alzheimer’s awareness. She and we don’t want to talk about
now, we have so many people
said having open conversations it,” Thurmond said. “We need
saying they ‘can’t remember’
about the disease is one way to to let people know it’s OK to
and we want to get to a day
help. talk about it.”
where they can say ‘I can
EDUCATION DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • Page 12

LITHONIA

Natasha Rachell was chosen to participate in the Google for Education Certified Innovator Program and attended Google’s Innovation Academy

Local educator recognized by Google

BY JOHN HEWITT
johnh@dekalbchamp.com
Natasha Rachell, a teacher
for 14 years who started her
career at Lithonia High School,
has been selected as one of 37
educators globally to take part
in the Google for Education
Certified Innovator Program.
Rach attended Google’s
Innovation Academy July 9-11
at the Google office in Venice,
Calif.
Bram Bout, Google for
Education director, said, “The
Certified Innovator program
is a 12-month professional
development experience
including mentorship, online
learning activities, and a
face-to-face Innovation
Academy focused on helping
new innovators launch a
transformative project related
to a challenge or opportunity
they see in education. Natasha
Rachell will come back to your
schools with fresh ideas and
skills for leading innovation in
education”.
Rachell, a resident of
DeKalb County, now works
for Atlanta Public Schools. She
said to be selected, she had
to submit a video and an
application that were judged by
a panel of Google for Education
experts. Rachell said there were
more than 400 applications
submitted for the Google for
Education program.  three to five years.  I am seeking
“Receiving this honor
is the highest Google for
Education certification there
is for educators. I join an
elite group of 1700 educators
from across the world on this
journey.  Being selected allowed
me to spend three days in Los
Angeles, [and] be trained by
Google experts at the Google
offices in Venice Beach, Calif.  Schools. “With my project
Rachell said the application
required participants to identify
a problem facing education
that they are passionate
about.  “The problem that I am
seeking to help solve through
this experience is that of
teacher attrition [among] new
teachers. Research shows that
new teachers to the profession
experience burn out and leave
the profession within their first
to solve this problem through
an online, virtual mentoring
program and eventually a
podcast and possibly a YouTube
channel which will offer further
support,” she said.
Rachell is currently a digital
learning specialist in the
Department of Instructional
Technology for Atlanta Public
focusing around new teacher
attrition, my project seeks to
lower the number of teachers
leaving the teaching profession,
thus keeping our classrooms
across the nation fully staffed
with innovative, energetic,
excited highly qualified
teachers,” she said. 
“My solution (in its current
iteration, as I’m sure there
are plenty more to come)
is to first, create a YouTube
video explaining why I want
to address this issue, what the
sense of urgency is in solving it,
and how I want to solve it.
“Since leaving the academy,
I’ve already come up with a
name for my project, started
creating the bones to my
website, created a logo, and
have started drafting the
curriculum! My brain has not
shut off since leaving,” Rachell
said. 

Oglethorpe University receives $500,000

grant to foster faculty diversity
Oglethorpe University has received a
$500,000 grant from The Andrew W. Mellon
Foundation to support a four-year effort to
diversify faculty in the humanities. The grant
will provide funding for the appointment of
faculty members.
Oglethorpe received a three-year Mellon
grant in 2014 to support “Explorations in
the Core,” an initiative to innovate its core
curriculum to better reflect the growing
diversity of students.
“This important initiative will build on
our last grant from the Mellon Foundation,”
said Provost Glenn Sharfman. “Currently,
our student body is substantially more diverse
than our faculty, and we know that curricular
offerings will be further enriched with a greater
breadth of experiences and points of view in the
classroom.”
Of Oglethorpe’s 1,250 students, 38 percent
are Caucasian, 24 percent African-American
and 11 percent Hispanic, with the remainder
self-identifying as multiracial or not identifying.
Furthermore, approximately 38 percent of all
students are “first generation” students—the first
in their family to attend college—and nearly 40
percent are eligible for Pell grants.
Conversely, 82 percent of Oglethorpe faculty
are Caucasian, 6 percent are African-American,
8 percent Asian and 3 percent Hispanic.
“Our enrollment composition makes
Oglethorpe atypical among liberal arts colleges,
and drives the need to diversify our faculty,”
said Sharfman. “Our goal is for our faculty to
better reflect our students. This grant will help
us move toward that goal significantly.”
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BUSINESS
DORAVILLE
Mexican seasonings make restaurant’s
steaks, seafood stand out
BY KATHY MITCHELL
Freelance Reporter
Jimmy Redding, owner
of Jimmy’s Tequila & Carnes,
a Mexican steak and seafood
restaurant in Doraville, likes
to say that he’s not in the
restaurant industry; he’s in the
service industry. “Our goal is
to deliver great product and
great service. If you do that,
you’re on your way to having
a successful restaurant,”
Redding said.
A former DeKalb County
police officer, Redding went
into the restaurant business
16 years ago and still owns
three of the four eateries he’s
opened, including Jimmy’s
Tequila & Carnes on Peachtree
Industrial Boulevard, which
has been in operation
approximately a year and three
months.
The restaurant concept,
the owner said, combines
Redding’s love of steak and his
wife Sonia’s love of seafood
and the flavors of her native
Mexico. “I’m from the town of
Coahuila, Mexico, which is on
the Texas border. It’s not near
either coast, but I still love
Mexican seafood,” she said,
explaining that many menu
items at Jimmy’s were inspired
by the foods she recalls from
her mother’s kitchen.
The restaurant logo depicts
a colorful skull of the type
often used in decorations
during Day of the Dead, a
Mexican holiday celebrated
on the first and second days
of November. Despite the
somewhat macabre name, the
holiday is often celebrated
with colorful festivities
that include feasting and
dancing. “The atmosphere
we try to create is festive
and fun,” Redding said. “On
the weekends, we often have
tribute bands or mariachi
bands. We want everyone who
comes in to have a good time.”
Patrons also don’t have to
worry about missing a sports
game while they’re eating. The
dining room has 86 television
screens showing baseball,
soccer, football and other
sports.
Carnes is Spanish for
meats, which are prominently
DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • Page 13
featured on the menu. In
addition to a wide variety
of cuts of steak, there are
burgers, ribs, chicken and
other offerings. The seafood
selections include shrimp, crab
legs, fish, oysters, mussels
and lobster. Among the
restaurant’s specialties is piña
rey, a pineapple stuffed with a
seafood mixture and cheese in
a cream sauce.
The word tequila is in
the establishment’s name
because it pours a special
variety, Redding explained.
He describes it as a top-
shelf tequila created using a
double barrel aging process
and made in association with
what has been regarded as
“one of Mexico’s finest tequila
families for many centuries.”
Redding said he gained
Jimmy’s on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, features foods prepared with Mexican seasonings and a special variety of tequila.
experience in the food service
industry when he worked in a
restaurant in high school and
college. “I had always wanted
to be a police officer and I
really enjoyed my years on the
force, but it’s stressful because
nearly all police officers,
unless their wives are bringing
in a good income, have to
work a second job to make
ends meet. My wife worked
for a while in the bookkeeping
office of a restaurant and
bar. I realized that on a good
weekend they were bringing in
as much as I made in a year as
a police officer.”
Another incentive for
starting a restaurant, he said,
was to share the flavors he
enjoyed at home in his wife’s
Mexican cooking. Redding
said at home he and his wife
would cook steaks for their
guests the Mexican way, which
he describes as “a little spicier”
and cooked over mesquite
wood. “We served them with
beans and rice—our friends District Manager David Flores, left, joins owner Jimmy Redding, right, and his wife, Sonia, for a lunch featuring several of the
loved it. There’s nothing
restaurant’s specialties.
wrong with a steak seasoned
just with salt and pepper, but
this technique added a little
“We’re still a family there’s a shortage of restaurant has been supportive and he
something extra.” restaurant, not part of a chain. workers. “We’re all competing seeks to return the favor.
Redding said he believes
I’m learning every day. Since for the same talented people in “We hold lots of events to
Jimmy’s is the only Mexican I started, I’ve made a lot the kitchen, on the wait staff support the schools and other
steak house in Georgia. He
of good corrections. While and behind the bar. We train public institutions,” Redding
said customer response has I’m responsible for the final everyone ourselves. We don’t commented. Recently, in
been overwhelmingly positive.
decision on everything, I value want them to bring habits from a gesture that touched his
“I love this food myself,” he input from my staff. They give another restaurant that might former career, he participated
said. “When you believe in
me a lot of good ideas,” he not work for us,” Redding in an event to raise money
what you’re doing, it’s easy to said, adding that he especially said. for vests for Doraville police
sell it to someone else. values his staff now that The community, he said, dogs.

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LOCAL DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • Page 15

STONE MOUNTAIN

Police Chief Chancey Troutman gives a National Night Out fan to a resident. Photos by Carla Parker Police Chief Chancey Troutman, left, and Officer Palmer chat with students from The Champion School.

Police Chief Chancey Troutman, left, and Officer Palmer greet Stone Mountain residents during National Police Chief Chancey Troutman, left, and Officer Palmer give popsicles to local children.
Night Out.

City police, community gather for

National Night Out
BY CARLA PARKER
carla@dekalbchamp.com
Stone Mountain residents had the
opportunity for one-on-one chats
with police chief Chancey Troutman
and other police officers at the annual
National Night Out.
Officers gave out coloring books,
pencils, paper badges and popsicles to
children and National Night Out fans.
Troutman said National Night Out is an
opportunity for police officers to assure
residents that they are there for them.
“Also, to give back where we can,”
Troutman said. “We want to make sure
everyone is happy and feels comfortable
and safe [at National Night Out].”
Troutman also said National Night
Out is an event for children to see
positive images of police officers.
“This is important for the kids
because they see a lot of negative things
[about police officers] on social media,
the news and television shows and hear
from other people,” he said. “All police
officers are not bad. All police officers
are not trying to hurt you. The National
Night Out shows [the public] that
we do care, we shake hands, we hug
and just let them know that all police
officers are not bad.
“You have a lot of [officers] that
are good and want to be good to the
people,” Troutman said. “I think it’s a
good benefit to do this type of [event]
and I wish we can do it more.”
National Night Out, created
in 1984, is an annual community-
building campaign that promotes
police-community partnerships and
neighborhood camaraderie. According
to the National Association Town
Watch, more than 38 million people
in an estimated 20,000 communities
nationwide held celebrations in 2016.

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

LOCAL DEKALB FREE PRESS • FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018 • Page 16

COUNTY WIDE

‘Mission accomplished’ says commissioner-elect

BY HORACE HOLLOMAN
horace@dekalbchamp.com
July 24 was a successful night
for Lorraine Cochran-Johnson.
The political newcomer and media
professional defeated incumbent
Gregory Adams for the Super District 7
DeKalb County Commission seat.
Cochran-Johnson won with
approximately 67 percent of the vote.
In an interview with The Champion
Newspaper, Cochran-Johnson said
the goal of becoming DeKalb’s newest
commissioner is accomplished, but the
“hard” work has just begun.   DeKalb County for entrusting me to
“Well, my first thought is there’s
a lot of work to be done and a lot of
territory to cover,” Cochran-Johnson
said. “As I prepare with my transition
team, I plan to meet independently with
each community and mayor within my
district. You don’t want to run up and
Cochran-Johnson
start telling people what they need until
you know what the problems are.”
The District 7 commission seat
includes portions of Tucker, Doraville,
Lithonia, Stonecrest and sections of
unincorporated DeKalb, representing
approximately 350,000 residents.
“The average [commissioner]
has about 70,000 individuals and my
district covers more than 350,000.  The
concerns of Tucker may be a little
different from unincorporated DeKalb,”
Cochran-Johnson said. “I need to meet
with all the communities I serve so
I can push forward their desires and
agendas.”
Cochran-Johnson will replace
Adams in January. Adams said he’s
looking forward to working with
Cochran-Johnson on a “smooth
transition.”
“I am thankful to the citizens of
bring about change in DeKalb in my
first term. I am grateful for the strong
progress we’ve made together on
infrastructure, economic development,
and quality-of-life for all. It has been an
honor to serve,” Adams said.
During his tenure as commissioner,
Adams was accused of sexually
harassing his former employee—an
accusation Adams has vehemently
denied.
Cochran-Johnson said she was able
to unseat Adams through voter-focused
campaigning and being as visible as
possible.
“There’s a great piece of loyalty with
the incumbent but I was concerned
with getting to the voters. I didn’t focus
on endorsements,” Cochran-Johnson
said.
Cochran-Johnson said she hopes
she can help restore trust in county
government.
“Please give me the opportunity
to produce results,” Cochran-Johnson
said. “At the end of the day, I want
to make a meaningful change in
the community. Just give hope an
opportunity,” Cochran-Johnson said.

Helping you
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