New faces, new places

Denise Majette -- This former state court judge shocked the nation when she ousted the outspoken five-term U.S. Rep. Cynthia McKinney in the August 2002 Democratic primary. Majette, who later won a landslide general election victory for the 4th District seat that represents most of DeKalb County, has promised more constituent services and less inflammatory rhetoric than her predecessor.

Johnny Brown -- The controversial new school superintendent came to DeKalb to shake up the system. In the process, he has been criticized for what some call a heavy-handed management style. DeKalb residents have lined up on both sides of Brown's proposals, including his Dress for Success dress code, which was put into place last school year.

Larry Johnson -- The election of this black public health official to the DeKalb County Commission marked a big shift, giving the commission its first African-American majority in DeKalb's 181-year history.

Gary Peet -- The election of this white Republican as mayor of Stone Mountain, a town that is overwhelmingly black and Democratic, is perhaps a blueprint for building voting coalitions that stretch across racial and party lines.

DeKalb County Courthouse -- Former Gov. Roy Barnes called it "one of the worst [courthouses] in the country" because of its cramped conditions and lack of security. Now the courthouse has expanded into a new annex building constructed in the space between the existing building and the parking deck.

Regulars on the scene

Frances Edwards -- The longtime member of the DeKalb County school board returned to a familiar role in 2003 when she became chairwoman of the expanded nine-member board. When Edwards was first elected to the post seven years ago, she was DeKalb's first African-American school board chairwoman.

Liane Levetan -- The former county commissioner and DeKalb chief executive officer staged a political comeback in 2002 by winning a seat in the state Senate.

Stone Mountain Park -- It is metro Atlanta's most popular tourist attraction, but its monument to the Confederacy continues to spark controversy. Recently, as state lawmakers argued over whether to bring back the old state flag, two Confederate heritage groups wrangled with the park's private management company over its refusal to let them hold a Confederate memorial service on the great lawn. Stone Mountain once served as a rallying place for the Ku Klux Klan.

Avondale Estates -- Attempting a comeback, the leafy old hamlet brought in a new city manager to lead a major revitalization drive for the town's Tudor-style business district. Barely 30 years old, City Manager Warren Hutmacher is typical of the newer and younger professionals moving into the area just east of Decatur.

Soapstone Ridge -- It was the site of an ancient Native American soapstone quarrying area. Many pottery fragments left thousands of years ago along this south DeKalb ridge have been destroyed by developers or looted by artifact hunters. But the county has managed to preserve some sensitive archaeological sites through a preservation ordinance.