Newspaper Page Text
JULY 13 - 19, 2023
www.THECHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.com
VOL 34 • NO. 3
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
District attorney
asks public to
help identify men
involved in Stone
Mountain slaying
PAGE 3
LOCAL
Blight, brownfield
remediation tool
debuts
PAGE 8
SPORTS
SWD track star
wins Gatorade
Player of the Year
PAGE 12
LIFESTYLE
Program brings art
to neighborhood
children
PAGE15
Patty Griffin was one of several popular entertain
ers who performed at the 2023 Amplify Decatur
Music Festival.
Amplify My Community was able to provide a combined
$25,000 gift to charities following the 2023 Amplify
Decatur Music Festival. Photos provided by Kelly
Thompson Photography
Nonprofit event expands its
goals, roster of beneficiaries
BY KATHY MITCHELL
FREELANCE REPORTER
What started in 2010 as a downtown
Decatur concert to support a local nonprofit
has evolved into what its director, Christine
Mahin, describes as an "itty-bitty festival."
Amplify Decatur Music Festival started as a
single concert at Eddie's Attic in downtown
Decatur with a mission "to leverage the
universal love of music to fight poverty
at the local level" by raising money for
Decatur Cooperative Ministries. While that
remains its primary goal, according to board
member Mike Killeen, the now multi-day
event supports two other local charities and
includes free and low-cost music-related
activities that bring a "warm, fuzzy feeling"
to the tight-knit Decatur community.
Amplify My Community recently
announced that a combined total gift
of $25,000 will be distributed among
three local charities—Decatur Education
Foundation and Giving Kitchen in addition to
its original and flagship nonprofit, Decatur
Cooperative Ministry.
Founded in 1969, Decatur Cooperative
Ministry (DCM) is a partnership among 35
congregations from 14 denominations as
well as private foundations, universities and
schools, government agencies, community
groups, and local businesses with a mission
"to help families facing homelessness
settle into safe, stable homes and build
healthy lives filled with peace, hope, and
opportunity."
The two new recipients of Amplify
My Community funds already are familiar
SEE AMPLIFY ON PAGE 6
EHOST
to reduce
rising county
property tax
BY JAY PHILLIPS
JAY@DEKALBCHAMP.COM
D eKalb County officials
will distribute $147
million in property tax
relief for those who qualify
for the county's homestead
exemption, according to
an announcement from
DeKalb County CEO Michael
Thurmond on July 10.
Thurmond stated
that the tax relief will
be provided through
the county's Equalized
Homestead Option Sales
Tax (EHOST) credit for
2023. A news release
states that at the end 2023,
total savings from the
EHOST are projected to be
approximately $738 million.
The news release
states that on average, the
hypothetical DeKalb County
owner of a qualified home
valued at $375,000 would
receive a 100 percent tax
credit of $1,438, "effectively
eliminating the projected
2023 property tax increase."
"DeKalb County is
SEE EHOST ON PAGE 6
Merry Hills/Toco Hills area annexation
referendum could be added to November ballot
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THECHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.COM
lill
fl, 641 1 6
OOOCI1
BY CHRISTINE FONVILLE
CHRISTINE@DEKALBCHAMP.COM
T he future of more than 400 acres
in unincorporated DeKalb County
that could soon become city of
Brookhaven property may come down
to a referendum vote during November
elections.
After two back-to-back meetings
- one hosted by DeKalb County
commissioners and one hosted by
Brookhaven City Council - in which
homeowners, renters, and those with
businesses in the area questioned the
validity of a petition for annexation,
as well as a lack of transparency and
communication, Brookhaven City
Council held a special called meeting
on June 30 at which they approved a
resolution calling for DeKalb County's
consent to a referendum vote.
To place the referendum on the
ballot in November, both the city of
Brookhaven and DeKalb County must
approve the referendum question,
according to Brookhaven officials.
Expanding on what was
approximately 462 total acres of
unincorporated DeKalb County
SEE ANNEXATION ON PAGE G
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