About The champion newspaper. (Decatur, GA) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 16, 2023)
FEBRUARY 16 - 22, 2023 www.THECHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.com VOL 32 • NO. 34 e CHAMPION The official legal organ of DeKalb County, EA. Serving East Atlanta, Avondale Estates, Brookhaven, Chamblee, Clarkston, Decatur, Doraville, Dunwoody, Uthonia, Pine Lake, Tucker, Stonecrest and Stone Mountain. 504 LOCAL Suspect arrested attempting to smuggle drugs, snacks to DeKalb County jail inmates PAGE 2 BUSINESS Decatur-based marketing firm announces leadership changes PAGE 11 SPORTS DeKalb hosting several regional basketball tournaments PAGE 12 VISIT US ONLINE @ THECHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.COM lill l,, 641 1 6 00001 SWD coaching staff to coach McDonald’s All-American game BY MARK BROCK and JAY PHILLIPS Arguably the greatest individual honor in high school basketball is to earn a spot in the McDonald's All- American Games. The event features all-star games and skill competitions for the best boys' and girls' high school players from the United States and Canada and boasts some of the top NBA and WNBA draft picks every year. This season, the McDonald's All-American (f rom | e ft) Southwest DeKalb High School girls’ basketball assistant Games girls' East team will coach Michael Holloway, assistant coach Joyce Paul, head coach Kathy Richey-Walton and assistant Coach Terrie Montgomery. Photo SEE SWD ON PAGE 14 provided by DCSD Newly adopted plan unites land use and transportation information BY CHRISTINE FONVILLE CHRISTINE@DEKALBCHAMP.COM Multiple departments of DeKalb County government recently came together to produce a document that is now the first land use and transportation combined plan supported by the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC). Last year, the Long-range Planning Division of the DeKalb County Planning and Sustainability Department and the Transportation Division of DeKalb's Public Works Department teamed up to develop the DeKalb County 2050 Unified Plan to "better coordinate, align, and plan for the county's future," according to officials. The 2050 Unified Plan combines comprehensive long-range planning and comprehensive transportation planning, according to DeKalb County's website. "This document seeks to identify the land use growth pattern and align timely transportation improvements The recently adopted 2050 Unified Plan combines comprehensive long-range planning and comprehensive transportation planning, according to DeKalb County’s website. File photo along with the identified growth pattern," said officials with the DeKalb County Department of Planning and Sustainability. "While the connection between land use and transportation is often apparent; in reality, each can come first or second. However, as planners, we must be open to a 'balanced' approach." The 2050 Unified Plan includes a unified plan executive summary, a SEE PLAN ON PAGE 6 APD begins releasing videos of protester shooting BY JAY PHILLIPS JAY@DEKALBCHAMP.COM Atlanta Police Department (APD) began releasing body camera footage on Feb. 9 of the aftermath of a Jan. 18 officer- involved shooting that left an officer injured and activist Esteban PaezTeran, (also known asTortuguita) dead. The video release comes after a Feb. 6 press conference held by Teran's family and their legal counsel questioning the investigation and asking for more details. Attorney Brian Spears, who represents the family, said a private autopsy showed that Teran was shot 12 or 13 times by officers. "The GBI has selectively released information about Manny's death," said civil rights attorney Jeff Filipovits, who also represents the family. "They claim Manny failed to follow orders. What orders? The GBI has not talked about the fact that Manny faced a firing squad, when those shots were fired, or who fired them." In the APD footage, audio from the shooting can be heard as well as officers approaching the tent in which Teran was killed. The footage—which is more than two hours long—also shows officers clearing other encampments in the forest. No APD footage shows the actual shooting. A point of interest in the videos has arisen around audio of officers speculating that the officer who was shot was shot as a result of crossfire from SEE PROTEST ON PAGE B \jjti Mb Social @DEKALBCHAMPNEWS
