WWW.CHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.COM • FRIDAY, JuLY 1, 2011 • VOL. 14, NO. 14 • FREE FreeP•ress A PUBLICATION OF ACE III COMMUNICATIONS • Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunwoody, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Tucker and Stone Mountain. Celebrating 20 years of DeKalb County news coverage. 20th Anniversary Issue 1991-2011 Hurray for the red, white and blue See 20th Anniversary Issue inside –it’s America’s Time running out for DeKalb 235th birthday superintendent by Kathy Mitchell 4, at 2 p.m. Activities continue until 4 p.m. search Residents and visitors are invited to decorate by Daniel Beauregard lags, patriotic banners and hot dogs bikes, cars, trucks, motorcycles, scooters, [email protected] galore mean it’s once again the wagons—“or whatever.” The city promises Fourth of July. All around DeKalb prizes, hot dogs and fun. A leak to the press has once County and in surrounding areas again shown that in-fighting on The people will be joining Americans from sea to Decatur DeKalb County School Board is The Champion staff members, from left, Kathy Mitchell, Dan- Fsea in celebrating America’s 235th birthday. iel Beauregard, Gale Horton Gay, Robert Naddra and Andrew making it difficult for members to Cauthen. Photo by John Hewitt As usual, the festivities will include parades, Decatur will hold its traditional Fourth of agree on hiring a new superinten- picnics and fireworks. Here are some of July Pied Piper Parade in which decorated dent by its self-imposed deadline of the activities that will be going on July 4 in vehicles, bicycles, skateboards, wagons July 1. DeKalb County. and walkers—starting at 6 p.m.—follow a This past week an unidentified route from First Baptist Church of Decatur board member told members of Avondale Estates through downtown Decatur to the Decatur the media the name of a candidate Avondale Estates will continue its time- Square. This year, watch for The Champion who was favored by several other honored tradition of celebrating the Fourth Newspaper’s vehicle as the DeKalb County members, once again breaking the of July with a parade and fireworks at the legal organ celebrates its 20th anniversary— board’s confidentiality policy. lake. Residents and friends are invited to also on July 4. The concert on the square, Board Chairman Tom Bowen be part of this year’s celebration. Here’s the featuring the Callanwolde Concert Band, said that the leak was primarily schedule: begins at 7 p.m., followed by fireworks at about Robert Duron, superin- dark. The events, sponsored by the Decatur tendent of the San Antonio Inde- 9:15 a.m. - Parade line-up at Avondale High Business Association, are free. pendent School District in San School Antonio, Texas, not getting enough 10 a.m. - Parade begins up Clarendon Dunwoody votes to be endorsed by the board Avenue as a final candidate. 7:30 p.m. - Atlanta Blue Notes perform at Dunwoody will get things started early Duron was favored by board the lake the morning of July 4. Hosted by the members Nancy Jester, Donald Dusk - Fireworks begin at the Lake Dunwoody Homeowners Association and the McChesney, Pam Speaks and Dunwoody Crier Newspaper, the Dunwoody Vice-Chairman Paul Womack and Visit www.avondaleestates.org to view parade will feature marching bands, floats, shortly after the leak they sent out traffic plan for Fireworks at Lake Avondale. clowns, animal units and local celebrities. a letter to constituents. The letter, Last year’s parade attracted more than 2,500 penned by Jester, was in support of Clarkston participants and 32,000 spectators. Duron and urged residents to e-mail The parade route is 2.7 miles. Step off their board members and ask them The Clarkston Fourth of July Parade from the intersection of Mount Vernon and to vote for Duron as a finalist. starts at Clarkston City Hall, Monday, July Jett Ferry is at 9:30 a.m. The parade will In the letter, Jester said that they believed the board needed to See July 4 on Page 13A See Superintendent on Page 13A 1st Place General Excellence Award Winner Georgia Press Association ‘Better Newspaper Contest’ 2007, 2009, 2010 & 2011 The Champion Free Press, Friday, July 1, 2011 Local News Page 2A Newspaper seeks to recognize Community Champions Dr. Earl and Carolyn Glenn, publish- ers of The Champion Newspaper, have announced details of the 2011 Community Champions nomination process. We are seeking nominations from the public of community members and/or organizations who have dedicated their time, talents and in many cases financial resources, to mak- ing DeKalb County a better place for all. This is an opportunity to honor a com- Among this year’s Dough Getters are, front from left, Lillian munity servant, organization or individual Arnold, Aurielle Purdue, Nevaeh Sutherland and Sarah Tawfeek; in the DeKalb community who tireless- back from left, Gabrielle Latimore, Mallori Sewell, Jordan Brown, ly volunteers his or her service for the bet- Imani Golden and Tasneem Tawfeek. Not pictured are Jessica Carr, Amber Roberts, Tamya Rosborough, Emily Tichenor and Katherine terment of DeKalb County. Those individu- Whisnant. Photo provided als or organizations selected will be rec- nate a community champion: Visit www. ognized at our Celebration of Community ChampionNewspaper.com and click on Champions Gala luncheon in September, the Community Champions logo on the 14 DeKalb County girls are will receive a commemorative trophy and a home page. Nominations can be completed financial contribution to enable them to do and submitted online or returned via fax top Girl Scout cookie sellers even more great work in DeKalb. to (404) 373-7721. Nominations may Those who nominate a community also be mailed to: The Champion News- champion will need to provide an explana- paper, Community Champions Nomina- Fourteen girls from use in her daily life: goal tion of why the individual or organization tions, P. O. Box 1347, Decatur, GA 30030 DeKalb County were setting, money manage- deserves the award, and those chosen for For additional information contact Lou- among 241 Girl Scouts ment, people skills, busi- recognition will be asked to submit ad- ise Dyrenforth Acker at (404) 373-7779, recently honored as mem- ness ethics and decision ditional information prior to the awards Ext. 102, [email protected] or bers of the Dough Getters making. luncheon. John Hewitt at (404) 373-7779, Ext. 110, Club for selling 1,000 Girl Scouts of Greater There are a number of ways to nomi- [email protected]. boxes or more of Girl Atlanta announced that Scout Cookies during the 29,601 girls from 2,900 2011 Girl Scout Cookie troops participated in the Program. Lillian Arnold, 2011 Girl Scout Cookie EXPLANATION OF PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX RATES Jordan Brown, Jessica Program. These Girl Scouts Carr, Imani Golden, Ga- generated $2.5 million to The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners has tentatively adopted millage rates brielle Latimore, Aurielle support their troop programs which will require an increase in property tax rates as listed below. Perdue, Amber Roberts, and community service. Tamya Rosborough, Girl Scout Cookies Mallori Sewell, Nevaeh have long been a major 2011 Rollback Rate % Increase Sutherland Sarah Taw- fundraiser for girls and feek, Tasneem Tawfeek, their troops across the Atlanta 10.39 8.938 16.25% Emily Tichenor and region, and is an integral Avondale Estates 15.41 13.464 14.45% Katherine Whisnant were part of Girl Scouting’s the top-selling Girl Scouts business and economic Chamblee 13.71 12.223 12.17% from DeKalb County. “By literacy initiative for girls Clarkston 15.06 13.242 13.73% selling 1,000 boxes or ages 5-17. The program Decatur 10.82 10.087 7.27% more, these ‘Dough Get- provides finance, market- Doraville 13.60 12.607 7.88% ters’ demonstrated with ing and public speaking Dunwoody 13.35 11.357 17.55% Girl Scout Cookies they skills as well as experi- have what it takes for suc- ences that develop girls’ Lithonia 15.33 13.280 15.44% cess as entrepreneurs,” personal leadership style. Pine Lake 15.61 13.541 15.28% states an announcement “No other program offers Stone Mountain 13.90 12.980 7.09% from the Girl Scouts girls so much in develop- Unincorporated 19.62 18.017 8.90% of Greater Atlanta Inc. ing courage, confidence “Along the way they also and character – and it all learned their economic starts with a box of cook- Countywide Debt 1.08 0.647 66.92% ABC’s and gained valu- ies. Many troops use cook- Unincorporated Debt 0.66 1.631 -59.53% able life skills.” ie proceeds to help fund The Girl Scout Cookie the more than 1.5 million This tentative increase will result in a millage rate of 21.36 mills in the unincorporated Program is the premier hours of community ser- area, an increase of 4.50 mills. financial literacy and en- vice projects completed trepreneurial program by girls every year,” ac- for young girls. Many of cording to Girl Scouts of All concerned citizens are invited to the public hearings on this tax increase to be held at today’s leaders, includ- Greater Atlanta. the Maloof Administration Building Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur, GA ing former Atlanta mayor Proceeds from the on: Shirley Franklin, TV Girl Scout Cookie Pro- Tuesday, July 5, 2011 at 10:00 AM news anchor Monica gram fund activities for Pearson, and former Su- individual troops as well Tuesday, July 5, 2011 at 6:00 PM preme Court Justice San- as Girl Scouts of Greater Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 10:00 AM dra Day O’Connor, were Atlanta, including finan- once part of the Girl Scout cial assistance for girls These millage rates are prior to the application of the Homestead Exemptions and credits Cookie Program.