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2016 DeKalb HS football preview# % IL SPORTS, lift football pm The Official Legal Organ of DeKalb County, GA. Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doravllle, Dunwoody, Lithonla, Pine Lake, Tucker and Stone Mountain. OO0 thechampionnewspaper.com heCHAMPION ist Place General excellence Award winner Georgia Press Association Better Newspaper Contest’ 2007. 2009-2016 SECTION A: VOL 26 NO. 6 AUG. 11 -17,2016 500 Remembering Michael The crowd holds up their cellphones to honor Coach Michael Tanks who died Aug. 3 of complications related to a stroke. Photos by Carla Parker Family, SWD community remember late football coach A student signs a poster with Michael Tanks’ photo. by Carla Parker carla@dekalbchamp.com Michael Tanks, described as an outstanding teacher and coach, was remembered Aug. 7 during a vigil at Southwest DeKalb High School. Tanks, 48, died Aug. 3—a day before his birthday—after suffering a stroke at his home on July 25. Tanks, a 1985 Southwest DeKalb graduate, was the head football coach for three years. Tanks’ family, coworkers, players and former classmates gathered to remember the man known as “Big Sexy” with words, song and a cellphone light salute. Tanks’ Southwest DeKalb classmate Gary Campbell said Tanks was a true competitor. “When we played marbles, jacks, football....he was a competitor,” Campbell said. “He was a gentle giant. He was definitely a distinguished gentleman. He was a visionary.” Campbell mentioned a phone conversation he had with Tanks two weeks before his death when he asked Tanks about the team’s progress. “[Tanks] said, They’re good, but they’re not great yet. They have to believe that they’re great. They have that in them but they have to believe it.’ Guys, I’m charging you with this—take that seriously,” Campbell said. “You’re good, but you’re great and you have to believe.” Another classmate, James Brown, said he and others believe Tanks made a contribution to the well-being of Southwest DeKalb High School through his gifts. “Through that very gift that God planted in him before the foundation of the world,” Brown said. “That very gift began to manifest itself when he became a son, then a student, then a student-athlete. The same gift began to manifest itself when he came back to be an assistant coach and teacher; and then a head coach and mentor.” DeKalb County School Board member Vickie Turner, who spoke on behalf of the school district, said Tanks’ legacy will live on. “I look at these fine athletes back here and I thank you for being here to honor your coach,” Turner said. “He will live on as you do what you were brought to the earth to do. My prayer for you is that you live a life that not only pleases God but pleases the memory of your coach.” Tanks’ wife, Nichelle, said the service was another opportunity to honor the life and legacy of her “Big Daddy.” See Vigil on Page 5A County working to remove blighted houses by Horace Holloman horace@dekalbchamp.com Corlis Starr, a 27-year resident of DeKalb County, said she was tired of looking at the damaged and poorly managed property at 1541 Walnut Ridge Court in Stone Mountain. The property was in need of repair after being damaged by a fire. The house was also overrun with uncut grass. On Aug. 4, Starr finally got her wish as DeKalb County officials demolished the residence as part of a collective effort to rid the county of blighted houses. Starr said the property has been a nuisance in the neighborhood for more than a decade. “I’m so happy to see this done. I’ve been waiting on it and I had made plans to see if I could contact somebody to see if I could get it taken care of,” Starr said. Starr, a grandmother of four, said the property affects others in the See Blight on Page 5A 64116 1 Q'CHAMPIONNEWSPAPER championnews ^championnewspaper
