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DORAUILLE FAMILIES
GATHER FOR CHRISTMAS
TREE LIGHTING
LOCAL12A
PROMOTIONS URGE
TO‘SHOP SMALL
BUSINESS, 14A
DIG CHANGES MADE
WITH NEW REGION
ALIGNMENTS
SPORTS, 19A
The Official Legal Organ of DeKafb County, GA. Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Ctiamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doravi lie, Dun woody, Lithonia, Pine Lake, Tucker and Stone Mountain.
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2007, 2009-2015
SECTION A: VOL 25 NO. 24
DECEMBER 10-16,2015
500
Piles of discarded furniture, used tires and other debris fill a condominium complex with burned, vacant and dilapidated buildings. DeKalb officials have been working for years to
come up with a solution for the residents there. Photos by Andrew Cauthen
Brannon Mill: Worst neighborhood in America?
by Andrew Cauthen
andrew@dekalbchamp.com
T ust off of Memorial Drive,
I behind Memorial Drive
I Presbyterian Church and
a few hundred feet from the
campus of Georgia Perimeter
College, exists quite pos
sibly DeKalb County’s worst
neighborhood.
A graffiti-ridden sign
welcomes, or cautions, visi
tors and residents entering
the condominium complex
of Brannon Hill.
Building after building of
the complex is burned out, in
terrible disrepair or boarded
up. In many cases, boards
have been removed and units
are occupied by homeless
people. When startled, sev
eral cats fled a green garbage
bin surrounded by a hill
of unwanted furniture and
other debris.
Elsewhere in the comple>
a pile of used tires partially
block a road.
Parts of the complex ap
pearance are reminiscent
of television images of the
aftermath of war or natural
disasters.
See Brannon Hill on Page 13A
Lithonia celebrates new beginnings
with new Christmas tree
by Carla Parker
carla@dekalbchamp.com
L ithonia city officials and residents
entered the holiday season with
a rejuvenated spirit and a new
Christmas tree.
The city held its annual Christmas
Tree Lighting and Holiday Celebration
Nov. 6 at Kelly Park and celebrated the
event with a new tree. The previous tree,
which was in the city for years, had fall
en after the holiday season last year.
“It was just old; it had been here for
so long,” City Manager Eddie Moody
said. I don’t know [how long the tree
was here], but you can tell it wasn’t go
ing to be with us long because it started
to lean. Last year, we were kind of joking
and I said, ‘That tree isn’t going to last
long.’ All of a sudden, we came to work
one day and it had fallen.”
The city purchased a new tree before
the holiday season, which Moody said
symbolizes more than just a new Christ
mas tree in the city.
“This is kind of a sign—new life in
the city and that’s the way we look at,” he
said. “So we put a new tree in to bring
this season in. Things have really been
going good in the city and that’s our
new attitude. This Christmas season,
this new tree just brings new life to the
city and we’re just excited about where
we are.”
The new tree is expected to grow an
estimated three feet per year.
“We’re excited about watching it
grow and fill out,” Moody said. “It’s go
ing to be a beautiful tree for years to
come.”
The event also included the real
Black Santa Claus, Santa Dee, who re
cently moved his business from Conyers
to Lithonia.
“We just relocated to a spot on Stone
Mountain-Lithonia Road,” Santa Dee
said to the crowd. “We wish we were
here on Main Street, but unfortunately
we couldn’t find a location here. But
we’re going to do what we can to make
sure we stay within the city of Lithonia.”
The stump of the old tree
sits in front of the new tree
planted in Kelly Park.
Santa Dee and Mrs. Claus talks with children at the
annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Holiday Celebra
tion.
Lithonia Mayor Deborah Jackson with Santa Dee and
Mrs. Claus. Photos by Carla Parker
6A116
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