About The champion newspaper. (Decatur, GA) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (March 7, 2024)
lAjb* Mb Social ^ (cDDEKALBCHAMPNEWS THURSDAY, MARCH 7 - 13, 2024 www.THECHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.com VOL. 34 • NO. 36 e CHAMPION 50£ The official legal organ of DeKalb County, Ga. "64116 0D0U1 LOCAL Chamblee officials want Embry Hills/Mercer annexation on November ballots PAGE 3 LOCAL Discover DeKalb wins award for beer trail PAGE 7 2024 Atlanta Science Festival peppered with DeKalb events BY KATHY MITCHELL FREELANCE REPORTER Returning this month along with spring flowers is Atlanta Science Festival (ASF) with more than 100 "engaging events for curious kids and adults" across the metro Atlanta area. Described on its website as an "annual celebration of world-class learning and STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] career opportunities in metro Atlanta," ASF this year is scheduled for March 9 through 23. Now in its 11 th year, the annual Atlanta Science Festival is produced each year under the auspices of Science Atlanta, a nonprofit organization, which according to its website, "envisions Atlanta as a science Participants at a previous Atlanta Science Festival explore the wonders of science. Photo provided city, where people celebrate a shared appreciation for the ways science and technology are fundamental to the health and prosperity of our SPORTS Chapel Hill sweeps DCSD/ APS challenge PAGE 11 Experts explore impact of Al on Black and Brown communities PAGE 13 SEE SCIENCE ON PAGE 6 DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox, joined by Lead Chaplain Quincy L. Carswell II, administers the chaplain’s oath to community faith leaders serving as volunteer chaplains at the DeKalb County Jail. Submitted photo Chapel opens at DeKalb County jail BY CHRISTINE FONVILLE CHRISTINE@DEKALBCHAMP.COM The first onsite interfaith, interdenominational center for inmates, staff, and chaplains is now open at the DeKalb County Jail in Decatur. Sheriff Melody Maddox made the announcement of the opening of the chapel on Feb. 28. "Located inside the DeKalb County Jail, the chapel is a dedicated venue for use by the agency's Chaplaincy Program, which serves the spiritual needs of the jail's inmates and agency staff members," stated officials. The DeKalb County Sheriff's Office Chapel Hill wins state championship BY MARK BROCK H .R. Sports Academy Georgia Middle School Basketball Girl's Championship was an all-DeKalb affair as the Chapel Hill Lady Panthers defeated the Champion Lady Chargers 47-25 on Feb. 22. Champion (17-2) jumped out to an 11-7 lead by the end of the first quarter. Foul trouble then came into play in the second period as two starting guards for the Chargers had to go to the bench. Chapel Hill's pressure took over and forced turnovers as the Lady Panthers went on a 15-3 run in the second quarter to take control of the game. Chapel Hill led 22-14 at the half. The Panthers put together a 15-5 run in the third period to take a 37-19 lead after three quarters of play. Mauri Barnes was the game's leading scorer with 11 points to earn her second postseason MVP award. She was followed by Chapel Hill teammates Avantey Gilreath with nine points, and seven points each from Kennedi Thomas and Janise McCoy. Lailah Cox led the Chargers with eight points and Kamaya Rivers-Childs added six points. In the semifinals, Champion rallied and defeated Clayton County's Eddie White Middle School 48-43 in overtime to advance to the championship game. Coach Wesley Zellers' Chapel Hill squad trailed by two points with 5.9 seconds to play in regulation and called timeout. Childs got the ball, drove the baseline, and lofted a floater for the basket to tie and was fouled with 1.6 seconds remaining. SEE CHAPEL ON PAGE 7 SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE 11 THECHAMPIONNEWSPAPER.COM
