Newspaper Page Text
The CHAMPION
The official legal organ of Mails County, EA Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraw'lle, Dumoofy Lithonia, Pine Lake, Tucker, Stomest and Stone Mountain, j 50C
OCTOBER 15 - 21, 2020 www.THECHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.com VOL. 30 • NO. 16
NBA All-Star lends training facility for early voting
DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond and DeKalb County Elections Director Erica Hamilton
demonstrate how to vote early in DeKalb County. Photos by Jay Phillips.
BY JAY PHILLIPS
Jay@dekalbchamp.com
Officials from DeKalb County
Board of Voter Registration and
Elections announced a partnership
with NBA All-Star Paul Millsap,
C0RE4 training facility and The
Paul Millsap Foundation Oct. 9 to
provide another early voting location
for the upcoming general election.
The C0RE4 facility—located
at 2050 Will Ross Court in
Chamblee—is 44,000 square feet
and will house 30 voting machines
and four scanners. DeKalb County
officials stated the early voting
facility is ADA compliant, provides
ample parking and is accessible via a
nearby MARTA bus route.
Millsap is a four-time NBA
All-Star who made all four NBA
All-Star appearances dining his time
with the Atlanta Hawks.
“I chose to wear ‘Vote’ on my
Denver Nuggets jersey during the
2020 NBA playoffs to demonstrate
my personal passion for the cause,’
Millsap said. “However, I was
compelled to do more. So, I’m proud
to provide access to the C0RE4
facility as an early voting polling
location in the DeKalb community.”
DeKalb County DeKalb County
Elections Director Erica Hamilton
said those voting early can vote at
any of the county’s early voting
locations, not just the one nearest
their precinct.
“We have 12 advanced voting
locations,” said Hamilton. “All
of our coworkers will be in PPE
... They will sanitize their hands,
sanitize equipment and we’ll also
have hand sanitizer for voters to use
and disposable styluses.
Hamilton said she is confident
in DeKalb County officials running a
successful election this year.
“We learned from the things
that happened in August, and so
we prepared ourselves for a very
successful November 3,” said
Hamilton. “The main lesson I
learned is ... Make sure you have
enough resources.”
SEE VOTING ON PAGE 9
DeKalb schools prepare for in-person learning
Opt-in/out survey issued Oct. 9
Those on DCSD buses will also be required to wear a mask at all times.
Photo from DCSD reopening presentation
BY ASIA ASHLEY
Asia@dekalbchamp.com
As the number of COVID-19 cases
decline in the county, DeKalb County School
District is preparing to transition to traditional
in-person instruction and learning.
On Oct. 9, the district sent a “Intent to
Return” form to parents and guardians who
will decide whether to keep their children in
distance/remote learning or to participate in
hybrid learning, in which the student would
attend class in-person part of the week and
leam virtually for the remainder.
According to a memo sent to district
employees, staff is expected to begin the
transition Oct. 19 and second, sixth, and ninth
graders on Nov. 5. Other students who are
opted into the hybrid model would begin Nov.
9.
“DCSD continues to monitor the data
of COVID-19 cases in DeKalb County, and
acknowledges that there has been a significant
decline in the 14-day average per 100,000
DeKalb County residents from 122 cases on
Sept. 12 to 93 cases today...” stated district
superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris. “...
families have the opportunity to make the
right choice for their children.”
Watson-Harris’s school reopening plan,
which was presented at a Sept. 14 Board
of Education meeting, shows that staff will
begin working two days in their schools and
three days remotely. After about two weeks of
working in the hybrid model, staff is expected
to begin working in person fully five days a
week.
At that point, students who have opted
into the hybrid model would begin with one
day of in-person learning and eventually
SEE SCHOOL ON PAGE 9
District 1 city council candidate
questionnaire
Opera launches reimaged
season in open-air tent
PAGE 6
PAGE 14
