LOCAL
THE CHAMPION, THURSDAY, JANUARY 10 - 16, 2019 • Page 10
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Briarlake Elementary School’s Junior Beta Club placed in a statewide competition in November. (Picture provided by Raylene Lowe)
Beta Club -
Students
BY TAYLOR ROBINS
taylor@dekalbchamp.com
Briarlake Elementary School
students participated in the Junior Beta
Club State Convention held Nov. 28-
30 in Savannah, and brought back top
honors.
The team of 15 fifth graders placed
first in math, first in robotics, third in
technology, fourth in social studies,
fifth in book battle and third in the
convention’s quiz bowl. Briarlake’s
team was one of the smallest teams
participating, according to the school.
win Junior
Team members are Mary Lynne
Traynelis, Caeli Mistretta, Lois
Kwan,Hudson Cobb, Emma Trotti,
Margo Peller, Jake Grant, Harrison
Watts, Graham Hege, Joshua
Fairchild, Claudia Thomas, Nahom
Samuel, Emory Kennett, Sam Shapiro
and Ava Terrell.
The students were named as fourth
graders to the Beta Club at Briarlake’s
honor ceremony at the end of the 2017-
2018 school year. The students are
picked based on their academic abilities
and test scores.
Kennett took first place in math.
Kwan, Grant, Hege, Samuel, Mistretta,
Shapiro and Kennett took first place in
robotics.
This is the school’s third time
participating in the event in which they
placed sixth overall.
“There were hundreds of kids
from all over Georgia that are the top
students,” said Raylene Lowe, Briarlake
Elementary School’s Junior Beta Club
sponsor. “It was quite an honor that our
kids did so well.”
The team was also acknowledged by
other school officials.
“Without reservation, I am
delighted to congratulate Briarlake
[Elementary School] on these awesome
achievements,” said DeKalb County
School District superintendent R.
Stephen Green in an email to the
school. “Your hard work and dedication
have paid off. You and your staff believe
in making a profound difference by
being an example and an inspiration in
shaping and developing the quality of
life your students deserve.”
The Junior Beta Club is a community
service club that conducts fundraisers,
nursing home visits and other events to
benefit the school and community.
City Council changes meeting dates
Stonecrest
BY CARLA PARKER
Carla@dekalbchamp.com
Stonecrest city council meetings will
be held on different dates at different
times from the previous schedule.
The city council unanimously
approved Jan. 3 to move regular city
council meetings to the second and
fourth Monday of each month. Work
sessions will begin at 6 p.m. followed by
regular meetings at 7 p.m. sthe second
and fourth Monday.
Meetings were previously held
the first Wednesdays of the month at
9 a.m. and the third Monday of the
month at 6 p.m. The mayor and city
council can modify the schedule to
accommodate holidays and “unforeseen
circumstances” if a motion is adopted at
and times
a regular scheduled meeting, according
to the ordinance.
The mayor and council can also
hold additional meetings if needed. The
ordinance went into effect this month.
Alleged Texas bandit nabbed
BY TAYLOR ROBINS
taylor@dekalbchamp.com
With the help of a license plate
reading device, Brookhaven police
arrested an alleged Texas bank robber
Jan. 2.
Walter Cobb, 36, is accused of
robbing at least two banks in Denton,
Texas, before Christmas.
“Utilizing license plate reader
technology has been instrumental in
both detection and deterrence of crime,”
said Brookhaven Police Chief Gary
Yandura. “It has also proven useful
in locating dangerous fugitives who
have committed serious crimes and are
attempting to elude authorities.”
In an effort to locate the suspect,
Denton Police released surveillance
images and a description of Cobb to
the public. Cobb eluded authorities as
he fled toward Georgia after allegedly
robbing banks in Texas.
Police learned that Cobb was not
only wanted for multiple bank robberies,
but he also was driving with a suspended
license, faulty brake light and was in
possession of marijuana. Police said they
also believed Cobb was driving under
the influence of alcohol.
Cobb was arrested and transported
to the DeKalb County Jail and charged
with DUI, possession of marijuana and
traffic-related charges. He also will be
held in jail for the bank robberies in
Texas.
A Brookhaven license plate reader
(LPR) was instrumental in alerting
Brookhaven police that Cobb was in
the city. The city’s officers quickly
converged on the area and located the
suspect.
Brookhaven Police partnered with
Georgia Power in 2017 to provide
LPRs throughout the city at strategic
locations. Additionally, neighborhoods
in Brookhaven have installed LPR
equipment on their roads as well. LPRs
focus on offenses such as car theft,
stolen vehicles and wanted persons.
Since 2017, Brookhaven Police
officers have made several arrests of
individuals in stolen vehicles after being
alerted by LPRs.
