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The CHAMPION The official legal organ of Malb County, EA. Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunmody Lithonia, Pine Lake, Tucker, Stonecrest and Stone Mountain, | 50$ AUGUST 13 - 19, 2020 www.THECHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.com VOL 30 • NO. 7 DeKalb commissioner to honor lives lost to COVID-19 Organizers Kamela Gonzales, Pyper Bunch and others were joined by President of Citizens for a Healthy and Safe Environment Renee Cail, DeKalb County Commissioner Mereda Davis-Johnson, Rep. Doreen Carter and others to protest Metro Green Recycling’s Stonecrest development. Photo by Jay Phillips Residents protest, Stonecrest files restraining order against Metro Green during virtual ceremony DeKalb County District 5 Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson will host a virtual memorial for the more than 200 DeKalb residents who have lost their lives to COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The memorial will offer loved ones of COVID-19 victims an opportunity to send a photo of their loved one to be display during the event which will be broadcast on the county’s television network. The virtual event, titled “I Am My Brothers/Sisters Keeper: Wear A Mask,” will be held Aug. 24. Families wishing to include their loved one in the tribute should submit the name, photo, and the birth and death date of their loved one to mdjohnson@ dekalbcountyga.gov by noon Aug. 21. SEE CEREMONY ON PAGE 9 64116 00001 BY JAY PHILLIPS Jay@dekalbchamp.com Stonecrest city councilmembers voted Aug. 3 to direct City Attorney Winston Denmark to file a temporary restraining order against Metro Green Recycling, but a group of residents protested Metro Green Recycling’s development Aug. 10. The protest was planned by Kamela Gonzales, a resident of the Miller Woods neighborhood in Stonecrest. “I’ve been in the community since it was established in 2006,” said Gonzales. “I’m very disappointed. By no means do we want something like that in our community. We won’t SEESTONECREST ON PAGE 9 Painting of Decatur’s ‘Black Lives Matter’ mural to begin Aug. 22 The city of Decatur will have a “Black Lives Matter” mural painted on North McDonough Street in the coming weeks. Decatur City Commission gave approval of the project Aug. 3, allowing three Black artists to develop the design for each word and to oversee the painting by community members. “This project demonstrates our ‘both/and’ approach to anti-racist work in Decatur,” said Commissioner Lesa Mayer. “The Black Lives Matter mural will be a visual statement of our commitment to making both the symbolic and the systemic policy driven changes that are needed in this community.” The painting is scheduled to occur during the weekend of Aug. 22 and 23 on North McDonough Street between Trinity Place and Howard Avenue. The community will be invited to sign up for volunteer shifts to paint each letter. The number of volunteers per shift will be limited and there will be strict safety protocols in place, including requirements for physical distancing of non-household members, mask use and disinfecting supplies. Details on how to sign up will be posted on the city’s website, official social media channels and the Decatur Minute blog at a later date. The following are descriptions of the artists designing and overseeing the projects from their submitted biographies: George F. Baker III, also known as GFB3, is a “Nebraska-born, Detroit Grown, and Atlanta Raised Creator.” Using his instruments of design, illustration, and production, he employs a “playful childlike spirit to engage SEE MURAL ON PAGE 9 A Black Lives Matter mural, designed by three Black artists, will be painted on North McDonough Street in Decatur. Photo provided by city of Decatur SchoolShare offers options for working parents of school-age youngsters PAGE 2 Secretary of State requests DeKalb not send absentee ballot applications to inactive voters PAGE 8