By Joshua Smith and Valerie J. Morgan

Five mayoral seats and more than two dozen city council positions will be up for grabs as qualify-

ing begins for elections in municipal races in DeKalb and Rockdale counties. The qualifying period is scheduled Aug. 31 through Sept. 4. Elections for municipal-ities will be held Nov. 3 with early voting starting on Oct. 12.

In Pine Lake, Mayor Kathie deNobri-ga has decided she will not run for re-elec-tion after 12 years of tenure with the city.

“Between my four years as mayor, and my eight years on council, I look forward to taking a little break,” said Mayor deNo-briga. “I am confident that someone really terrific will step up to run.”

Two seats on the Pine Lake City

Council--Megan Pulsts and Mike Stuck-ey—are open. A special election will be held to fill the unexpired term of Lynn Ehrlicher. Two years and six weeks are remaining on Ehrlicher’s seat.

The City of Lithonia, like Pine Lake, will elect a mayor and two council seats. Mayor Deborah Jackson has announced she plans to seek re-election, a second term. City Council members Darryl Hon-ore and Shameka Reynolds seats are open.

In the city of Avondale, the mayor’s seat and two council seats are up for grabs: Mayor Jonathen Elmore, who is running for re-election, and City Commissioners Lindsay Forlines and Terry Giager.

In Brookhaven, the mayor’s seat, held by Rebecca Chase Williams, is up for elec-tion as well as the District 1 Commission-er seat, held by Linley Jones and District 3

Commissioner seat, held by Bates Matti-son.

In Stone Mountain, there are three council seats open for election. Posts 1, 2, and 3, currently held by Richard Mailman, Steve Wells and Chakira Johnson respec-tively, are open.

In Chamblee, the District 2 seat held by Leslie C. Robson; District 3 seat held by Thomas Hogan, III; and the at-large seat held by Dan Zanger are open.

The City of Clarkston has one open post--the one held by Council Member Jean Brown.

City of Decatur residents will vote on seats for their City Commission and Board of Education. The City Commission will be holding elections for the at-large seat

By Joshua Smith

At six-foot-five, Rockdale Tax Commissioner RJ Hadley has no problem getting in and out of his 2015 Kia Soul Elec-tric Vehicle (EV). Hadley says he loves the car, which gives him what he calls “energy independence.”

“We are using our energy, instead of relying on a foreign source and I like that. As an EV owner, you pay a $200 tag fee each year but you get a free decal that allows you to ride in both, the Peach Pass and HOV lanes. You also get a $7,500 federal tax credit,” said Hadley. “We’ve even driven the Kia all the way to Boston. Myself, my wife, three daughters and the dog all got in with our luggage with no gas needed, just char-ger stations through the trip. Most places across the country are free to charge.”

Hadley and other Rockdale officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony on Aug. 26 outside his office for the county’s new Electric Vehicle charging sta-tion. The new charging station puts Rockdale, one of Geor-gia’s smallest counties, on the map with other metro Atlanta counties such as DeKalb, Cobb and Fulton counties.

Those who have electric

vehicles can charge up for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the Rockdale station, located behind the Tax Com-missioners’ office at 969 Pine St., Conyers. The Level 2 sta-tion provides 20 miles per hour of charge. The county pays for the electricity as part of its other electric bills.

“Part of our responsibility here is making sure people do their yearly emissions test as part of the Clean Air Georgia effort so when we heard about the opportunity to have an electric charger in Rockdale,

we knew we wanted it because it supports our mission,” said Hadley. “The more electric ve-hicles we can get on the road, that’s less smog and exhaust that we put in the air.”

Hanna Solar, Georgia Pow-er and Osborne Electric helped install the charging station. Georgia Power and Nissan donated most of the $1,100 for the station.

Hadley says the idea is catching on in Rockdale. Last

year, the Tax Commissioner’s Office issued registrations to just over 20 electric vehicles. Now, that number stands at about 50. Hadley says his office has counted about 200 “hybrid cars” in Rockdale as well. Hybrid vehicles use elec-tricity and/or gas. The electric vehicles and hybrid cars have special coding on their reg-istrations and paper work for staff to keep track of the cars in the county.

VOLUME 21 NUMBER 22 FREE AUGUST 29, 2015

Published Since April 1995Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties • www.facebook.com/ocgnews

See Rockdale, page 6See Medical Cannabis, page 8

See Municipal Elections, page 8

Local municipal elections get under way

Rockdale Tax Commissioner opens charging station for electric cars

Haigler wants more “inclusive” medical

cannabis talks

By Valerie J. Morgan State Rep. Dee Daw-

kins-Haigler says she plans to form a study committee to look at ways state lawmakers and other officials can effective-ly reach and engage African Americans in discussions about the use of medical cannabis in Georgia.

“I am concerned that there is a disparity on how informa-tion is gathered and dispersed to the African American com-munity,” said Haigler, adding that African Americans, like other Georgians who suffer from cancer, epilepsy, sickle cell, multiple sclerosis, Chron’s disease, Lou Gehrig’s disease and Parkinson’s disease need to be involved in the discus-sions about the use of medical cannabis oil for their medical regimen.

Haigler’s decision to form a study committee follows the Aug. 26 meeting of the Geor-gia Commission on Medical Cannabis, which was hosted by Rep. Alan Peake (R) Macon. Four manufacturers of medical cannabis oil made presentations to the Commission during a discussion on the best regu-latory structure for in-state production and distribution in Georgia.

Haigler, who serves as chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus (GLBC), said it would be hard for the black lawmakers’ group that she leads to support any initiatives of the Commission that are not inclusive. She criticized the fact that African Americans were excluded from the recent meet-ing, saying she planned to work to change that. Gov. Nathan Deal appointed the members of the Commission.

“Currently, African Amer-icans comprise approximate-ly 30 percent of the state’s population, but you would not know that looking at the Commission’s participation,” Haigler said. “There are many qualified African American

RJ Hadley shows off his new EV and how to charge it up for the road.

State Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler

Mayor Kathie deNobriga Pine Lake

Mayor Jonathen Elmore Avondale

Mayor Rebecca Chase WilliamsBrookhaven

Mayor Donna PittmanDoraville

Mayor Deborah Jackson Lithonia

Photo by Joshua Smith/OCG News

PAGE 2 •AUGUST 29, 2015 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM

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WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OCGNEWS AUGUST 29,2015 • PAGE 3

EDITOR/PUBLISHER Valerie J. Morgan

editor@ocgnews.com

GENERAL MANAGERGlenn L. Morgan

gmorgan1@ocgnews.com

STAFF WRITER Joshua Smith

joshsmith@ocgnews.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER Richard S. Hill

richardhill@ocgnews.com

On Common Ground News is published weekly by On Common Ground, Inc. The newspaper serves DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Rockdale and Henry counties.

The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher or the newspaper’s advertisers.

No portion of this newspaper may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher.

We reserve the right to reject material and advertisements we deem inappropriate.

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Electronics recycling and paper shredding event set

Keep Conyers-Rockdale Beautiful will host an electronics recycling

and paper-shredding event on Saturday, Sept. 12, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., in the parking lot of the Rockdale County Government Annex, 1400 Parker Road, Co-nyers.

The event will provide the public with a place to safely discard and recycle old docu-ments and electronics, regardless of working condition. There is a maximum of four banker boxes per vehicle for paper shredding.

Volunteers will unload the items as motorists drive up to drop off. Most items will be discarded for free. Cash fees will apply to certain items for electronics recycling, including $20 for each TV and $5 for CRT monitors.

The following items will be accepted:

Paper shredding: papers that are loose folded or in envelops.

• Electronics recycling:• desktops• CD-ROMs• Printers• laptops• floppy drives• fax machines• servers• circuit boards• copiers• main frames• scanners• hard drives

• typewriters• modems• cell phones• stereos• lithium batteries and

VCRs• keyboards and mice, Blu-

Ray Players• radios• check processing• cables and wires• DVD-Players• gaming consoles and

gaming controllers• CD-players• LCD Monitors• as well as toner and inkjet

cartridges. The following items will not

be accepted at the event: Paper shredding: papers

containing foreign objects such as spring loader/binder clips or glue/adhesives, photographs, hanging metal file folders and three-ring binders.

Electronic recycling: projec-tion/console TVs, car batteries, tires, washer and dryers, toaster ovens, freezers, vacuum clean-ers, de-humidifiers, blenders, speakers (wooden), gas grill tanks, household trash, ovens, battery-powered tools, microwave ovens, hair dryers, ceiling fans, mixers, devices containing liq-uids, radioactive materials, alka-line batteries, humidifiers, refrig-erators and coffee makers.

For more information, contact KCRB at kcrb@rockdalecounty.org or 770-278-7052.

DeKalb solicits county residents to serve on Audit Oversight Committee

Working to foster accountability at all levels of the organization, DeKalb County government is creating an Audit Oversight Committee as authorized this year by state legislators. House Bill 599 was signed into law May 12.

The Oversight Committee will function independently in conducting perfor-mance and financial-related audits for all departments, offices, agencies, and pro-grams of the County. The objective is to ensure County programs are effectively achieving the purpose for which they were authorized and funded.

How to ApplyCounty residents interested in volunteering to serve on the five-member Audit

Oversight Committee may submit their resume to executiverecruiting@dekalb-countyga.gov.

Applicants must meet the following requirements• Reside in DeKalb • Possess expertise conducting performance or financial audits• Minimum five years experience and certified as one of the follow-

ing - public accountant, internal or performance auditor, management accoun-tant; or ten years relevant professional experience

• Serve one- or four-year termRésumés will be accepted Aug. 24 through Sept. 11. For additional informa-

tion, contact Antwyn Brown at asbrown@dekalbcountyga.gov .

Commissioner Mereda Johnson leads District 5 bus tour in Southeast DeKalb

By Valerie J. Morgan

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners and In-terim CEO Lee May took

a bus tour of the District 5 commu-nity, giving those who accompanied them a look at greenspace treasures, historic sites and potential economic development opportunities in South-east DeKalb.

The newly-elected Commission-er Mereda Davis Johnson initiated the Aug. 21 bus tour as a way to give the board an up-close look at the huge District 5, which spans 83 square miles and includes 144,000 residents. Joining the board and the ICEO were Andrew Baker, director of Planning and Development; Lithonia Mayor Deborah Jackson; Mera Cardens, executive director of Arabia Moun-tain Heritage Area Alliance; and Congressman Hank Johnson.

About 40 people went on the bus tour. Passengers boarded the MARTA chartered bus at the Maloof Auditorium in Decatur and traveled to a number of places before reaching the county’s Southeast, where they visited the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area and Sandstone Estates, one of District 5’s high-end residential communities.

“I was very pleased with the tour and the fact that all of the commis-sioners and ICEO participated,” said Johnson. “It was great for all of us to visit the sites together so that we all can be proactive in bringing

businesses to DeKalb. We have a lot of greenspace, a lot of potential for commercial businesses. Southeast DeKalb is both, urban and suburban.”

Lithonia Mayor Deborah Jackson said she appreciated having the opportunity to show off the city of Lithonia’s new City Hall, Main Street, a shopping plaza that is being redeveloped and the historic African American Bruce Street community in the city.

“I think the tour provided a chance for some to see the valuable assets we have in the district in perhaps a way they have not seen it before,” said Jackson. “It’s one thing when you’re reading documents, zoning applications and that sort of thing, but it’s another whole thing when you actually see what a place looks like on the ground. My hope is that the tour will foster a greater understanding of the diversity we have in the county.”

ICEO May said he believes bus tours in the county’s other districts would be beneficial to the Board of Commissioners and other stakehold-ers.

Johnson said she hopes the three-hour trip will help foster a better working relationship among the board, which is often divided on issues.

“There is so much potential for development in South DeKalb. We have to work together to figure out how to attract more businesses, create jobs and improve the quality of life

here that would make us all proud,” said Commissioner Johnson.

Johnson said she also hopes MARTA will extend its rail sys-tem eastward to reach The Mall at

Stonecrest. The commissioners ended the

tour with a barbeque lunch at This Is It restaurant on Panola Road in Lithonia.

Volunteers needed for storm drain stencil markings The Rockdale County Stormwater Utility is seeking individuals and groups to

volunteer to mark storm drains in an effort to keep Rockdale’s waterways clean. The Stormwater Utility is inviting the community to take part in the Storm

Drain Stenciling Program by labeling storm drains with provided decals stating “No Dumping, Drains to Streams.”

The colorful decals, when attached with a special adhesive to storm drains, remind the general public not to dump or pour anything into storm drains.

Volunteers will be trained on the dangers of stormwater pollution and sup-plied with stenciling kits with instructions on how to label storm drains. Civic groups, subdivisions, businesses, churches, youth groups, individuals and families are encouraged to participate in storm drain stenciling.

Participation in the stenciling program qualifies Rockdale residents not living in Conyers for a five percent Watershed Stewardship Stormwater Utility bill cred-it, as well as community service hours for youths who participate.

For more information or to volunteer for the Storm Drain Stenciling Program, contact the Stormwater Utility at 770-278-7134 or stormwater.events@rockdale-county.org.

Above: Mereda Johnson welcomes passengers to the tour. Below: ICEO Lee May(Left) poses for a snapshot with DeKalb Board of Commissioners.

PAGE 4 • AUGUST 29, 2015 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM

Mereda Davis Johnson to host District 5 Town Hall meeting

Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson will host a Town Hall meeting for Dis-trict 5 constituents on Thursday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m., at the Lou Walker Senior Center, 2538 Panola Road, Lithonia.

The Town Hall will mark the first the district has held in over two years. The District 5 seat had remained vacant that long because Lee May was appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal to serve as the county’s interim CEO. May stepped down this year from the District 5 seat to allow an election to be held. Johnson was elected in July. She said she is hosting the meeting to make good on her promise to hear constituents’ concerns and provide them with updates about the district.

Ready to learn how to tweet?

Local author Sally Kilpatrick will provide the basics of Twitter during a work-shop, World Domination One Follower at a Time: A Beginner’s Guide To Twitter, on Saturday, Sept. 12. The workshop will be held noon to 2 p.m. at the Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore St., Decatur.

Kilpatrick will discuss examples of what to tweet, what not to tweet, a glos-sary of terms, and how to cultivate more followers. Kilpatrick has been a member of Twitter since 2009 and credits Twitter with giving her a strong fan base, new friends and – quite possibly – an assist in getting her first publishing contract.

For more information, call 404-370-3070.

GWINNETT

H.O.O.K.E.D. Teens Club kickoff set

The Helping Others Organize Kreative Everyday Differences (HOOKED) will host a kick-off to sign up interested teens on Saturday, Sept. 12, 9:45 a.m., at the Shorty Howell Park Activity Building, 2750 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth.

Gwinnett County students, ages 12 – 18 in grades 7 - 12 are invited to join the challenge in drug and alcohol prevention while earning service hours. Teens are trained to lead and assist with a variety of volunteer opportunities at exciting events.

This first business meeting of the 2015-2016 school year will cover these sub-jects and others involving the community, as well as membership duties.

Meetings are held the second Saturday of each month. Bring your best atti-tude and learn to lead. You can register to attend the meeting online with code SHP46701 at the www.gwinnettcounty.com website or call 678-277-0906.

Lawrenceville accepting applicants for several boards

The City of Lawrenceville is accepting applications for several board and com-mission appointments.

Board members help to make decisions and recommendations, and review policies for the City Departments, the mayor’s office and City Council.

Candidates must complete a questionnaire, which must be reviewed by the Lawrenceville City Manager, mayor and City Council. Current positions expire Dec. 31, 2015 and new appointments will be made in January.

If you are a resident of Lawrenceville and interested in serving the city, down-load an application at www.lawrencevillega.org and return it to City Hall, 70 South Clayton St., Lawrenceville, by Oct. 1.

Any questions should be directed to the City Clerk Karen Pierce at 770-963-2414.

.

ROCKDALE

Conyers Police offers Citizens Police AcademyThe Conyers Police Department (CPD) is preparing to once again offer a Citizens Po-

lice Academy for citizens in the community this fall. The CPD Citizens Police Academy will offer the 12-week academy on Tuesdays begin-

ning Sept. 22, 6:30 p.m. Each session will last two hours and most sessions will take place in the Conyers Police Department training room at 1194 Scott Street.

“The Citizens Police Academy is one of our most popular community outreach pro-grams,” said Chief of Police Gene Wilson. “This behind the scenes glimpse into law en-forcement is a favorite with citizens because it is so hands-on and interactive.”

Academy participants will learn about the various divisions of the CPD, learn safety tips, solve a mock crime scene, obtain identity fraud and cybercrime tips, participate in various scenarios utilizing a judgmental shooting simulator, Taser scenarios and run laser devices on heavily trafficked roadways. Students will spend one full night with CPD’s Special Response Team.

There is no charge to participate in the academy and participants must be over the age of 18. The class is limited to 20 participants

Those interested in participating in the Citizens Police Academy can go to the Conyers Police website to download an application and submit it by Sept. 18: www.conyerspolice.com. For more information, call Sgt. Peggy Franklin at 678-374-5603.

Free screening of “Rize” at Morehouse College

Morehouse College’s Bank of America Auditorium, 830 Westview Drive, S.W., Atlanta, will host a free screening of “Rize,” on Thursday, Sept. 10, 5:30 – 7 p.m.

The National Black Arts Festival is hosting the screening and will join Stephane Dunn, associate professor and director of Morehouse College’s Cinema, Television & Emerging Media Studies (CTEMS) program.

The screening features the popular, award-winning documentary film “Rize,” in which director and artist David LaChapelle examines the South Central Los Angeles youth dance movement and follows the subculture of “clowning” and “krumping.” LaChapelle will join Dunn in a post-screening discussion.

Admission is free. Advance registration is required. Seating is limited. For more information or to register, visit http://www.nbaf.org.

ATLANTA

Fire Department accepting applications for Citizens Fire Academy

The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department is accepting applications for the Citizens Fire Academy’s fall session.

The free, eight-week program will begin on Sept. 9, and continue for seven consecutive Wednesdays from 6 - 9 p.m., ending on Oct. 28, at the Atlanta Fire Rescue Training Academy, 407 Ashwood Ave. S.W.

The Citizens Fire Academy offers residents and community leaders an inside look at the services provided by the Department. The program will educate participants about fire prevention, rescue, communication and hazardous materials identification, as well as fire extinguisher training, basic first aid and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.

“We encourage Atlanta residents to participate in this fun and informative program,” said Fire Chief Joel Baker. “The Citizens Fire Academy gives participants the opportunity to learn valuable fire safety lessons while getting a first-hand look at the operations of the department.”

For more information, contact Captain Teresa Hicks, tshicks@atlantaga.gov, or Captain Irvin Reese, ireese@atlantaga.gov. The application is online at www.atlantaga.gov/fire. The deadline for applications is Aug. 28.

DEKALB

Stan Watson to host breakfast at Stephenson High

DeKalb County Commissioner Stan Watson is taking his monthly Community Cabinet Breakfast on the road. Watson is partnering with Stephenson High School’s PTSA, which will facilitate the free community breakfast on Saturday, Sept. 5, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., 701 Stephenson Road, Stone Mountain.

The breakfast also officially launches the Stephenson Road Community Cleanup, which will be held on Saturday, Sept. 19.

September speakers include representatives for the East Police Precinct and DeKalb Emergency Management Agency who will discuss safety, provide tips, information and resources.

Coming Up

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OCGNEWS AUGUST 29, 2015 • PAGE 5

MARTA adds four bus routes in Clayton County

MARTA has launched four new bus routes in Clayton County and plans to make

a number of bus service improvements on other routes.

The service changes come after a series of public hearings and community presentations in Clayton, DeKalb and Fulton counties and the city of Atlanta. MARTA is working to increase service on several bus routes and will make it more convenient for customers to trans-fer between bus and rail.

As part of an expansion to Clayton County, MARTA will add bus routes 191, 193 and 195 in Clayton with Mon-day-Sunday service.

Route 191: The new route will pro-vide service from the Clayton County Justice Center to the international arriv-als level at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Route 193: The new route will pro-vide service from the Clayton County

Justice Center to MARTA’s East Point station.

Route 195: The new route will pro-vide service from Anvil Block Road and Lunsford Drive to MARTA’s College Park station. This will be the second Clayton County bus route servicing the College Park station.

Route 800: The new route will operate Monday through Saturday every 60 minutes from the City of Lovejoy and the Jonesboro Justice Center. Weekday service will run from 5:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. This route will not operate Sunday service.

A one-way fare is $2.50, plus a $1 charge for a permanent Breeze card. Customers using a Breeze card will receive a free transfer to another bus or rail station. Real-time arrivals for the new Clayton routes will be available via MARTA’s On the Go mobile app.

The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police (GACP) has named Chief Gene Wilson and the Conyers Police Department, the recipient of the 2015 Dr. Curtis E. Mc-Clung/Motorola Award for Excellence.

This award, which is co-sponsored by the Motorola Corporation, is given annually to an agency in recognition of an innovative program initiated by the department that fosters law enforcement excellence.

The Conyers Police Department’s “Varied Approach into 21st Century Po-licing” award-winning program outlines three separate areas or programs within the department that are designed to establish a multi-faced approach to reach out to the community and bridge a gap between the police and the community.

The program features a Clergy Police Academy, an outreach program to mostly African-American congregations to open a line of communication in order to avoid

situations that occurred after the Ferguson, MO incident.

The second part of the approach is Project Thinking Under Fire. This initiative focuses on young people and their interac-tion or encounters with law enforcement personnel during critical incidents so both walk away with their lives.

Thirdly, is the Police Cadet Program. The cadet program offers to successful graduates the possibility of a full-time position and a career pipeline into law en-forcement. The Conyers Police Department received a $1,000 award for their achieve-ment.

The award is named after Dr. Curtis McClung of Columbus, who is credited with bringing Georgia’s law enforcement community into the modern era while also assisting the GACP in its pursuit of excel-lence, especially with respect to manage-ment training.

Motorola Corp. honors Conyers Police

Cyclists will be able to make routine bicycle repairs at select MARTA rail stations across the

system. MARTA is installing seven, self-service, Dero bicycle repair kiosks equipped with the necessary tools for bike maintenance and repair, from tightening handlebars to pumping a flat tire.

Representatives from MARTA’s Board of Directors, Atlanta Bicy-cle Coalition and MailChimp held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 25 for the first kiosk, which was installed at the Lindbergh Center station. Rep-resentatives from MARTA’s Board of Directors, Atlanta Bicycle Coalition and MailChimp attended the ceremony.

The Dero bike repair kiosks will also be installed at the Chamblee, East Point, Edgewood/Candler, Five Points, North Avenue and West End stations.

Last fall, MARTA participated in “Trick Out My Trip,” a 48-hour crowd-sourcing campaign. With $2,000 in matching funds from the Transit Cen-ter, MARTA quickly raised more than

$4,000 from board members, staff and customers to fund bike repair kiosks. Atlanta-based Lanier Parking contribut-ed $1,200 to purchase a kiosk.

“Improving and encouraging cycling as an alternative transportation option in addition to public transit is important,” said MARTA GM/CEO Keith T. Parker. “We’re excited to see business and civic leaders help us bring this amenity to our customers.”

MailChimp, an Atlanta-based email marketing service provider, pitched in another $4,000 to bring the total fundraising haul to more than $8,000.

MARTA partnered with the Atlan-ta Bicycle Coalition, a bike advocacy and rider education organization, to initiate the campaign and identify loca-tions for the repair kiosks.

“This is a small but important step in making MARTA stations multi-mod-al which will result in encouraging alternative transportation options,” said Glenn Kurtz, board chairman of ABC and an executive at Lanier Parking.

Conyers Police Department’s Sgt. Corey Hambrick, Sgt. Peggy Dunn and Chief Gene Wilson.

Bike repair kiosks coming to select MARTA stations

MARTA GM/CEO Keith Parker, board members, Atlanta Bicycle Coalition’s Rebecca Serna, MailChimp and Lanier Parking representatives prepare to cut the ribbon on the first bike repair kiosk.

Snellville City Hall now offers Wi-Fi The City of Snellville’s City Hall building, 2342 Oak Road, Snellville, has

installed a new wireless Internet system. Those who visit City Hall now have access to free Internet Wi-Fi. To begin

using the Wi-Fi, visitors can simply choose “CH_PublicWiFi” on their electronic devices and accept a “terms of service” agreement.

City officials said the senior center, located next to City Hall, also will soon have visitor Wi-Fi and plans are in the works to create a wireless network on the Towne Green so visitors and vendors at events such as the Farmers’ Market can use wireless payment applications.

PAGE 6 •AUGUST 29, 2015 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM

Gwinnett approves SPLOST funds for two new fire trucks The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners has approved spending $2 million in

SPLOST funds to buy two new fire trucks. The trucks will have new engines, drivetrains, chassis and body but will be

equipped with refurbished 95-foot ladders taken from two older units that are due for replacement. The aerial ladders will help firefighters provide streams of water to tall buildings. Both old units, from 1994 and 2004, were on reserve status because of high maintenance costs.

The manufacturer, Sutphen Corp., will provide warranty coverage for 20 years on the structure plus two years on the aerial assembly, chassis and body. Cost savings total about $135,000 compared to buying two all new units.

This marks the second time Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services has saved mon-ey by harvesting the ladder and aerial platform assembly from an old truck and mounting it on a new one.

“Besides the obvious cost savings, we also benefit by using these aerial ladder plat-forms longer since we’re already familiar with their history and maintenance,” said Fire Chief Case Snyder. “Our first test of the idea a few years ago was a huge success, and we hope to do the same with two more units that are due for replacement by 2018.”

Open mic competition at DeKalb libraryThe DeKalb County Public Library’s central branch, 215 Sycamore St.,

Decatur, is registering performers 18 years or older for an open mic contest with hundreds of dollars up for grabs.

The competition will be on Saturday, Oct. 24, 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Registration ends on Thursday, Sept. 24.

The Friends of the Decatur Library are asking DeKalb County residents who are singers, musicians or spoken word artist to come and take part in the competi-tion. Families are encouraged to attend.

The musician or singer that takes home first place will win $200. The top spo-ken-word artist will win $200 as well.

For complete rules or to register, visit www.dekalblibrary.org or call 404-508-7190.

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legislators, elected officials, physicians, law enforcement officials and other professionals here in our state. It would be hard for the GLBC to support an initiative that is not inclusive.”

Haigler, a breast cancer survivor who uses medical cannabis when she is out of Georgia, said for her the battle for more inclusive talks about the issue is all about access.

“Georgia has to be forward think-ing on this issue. In order to have a full discussion, everyone has to have a seat at the table,” Haigler said.

The meeting, the Commission’s second since June , was held to figure out things like how to set up licenses for growers, and how many licenses to give out. Haigler said she wants to

make sure African American growers and businesses are included in the talks.

The Georgia Department of Public Health reports that nearly 200 patients have qualified for Georgia’s new medi-cal marijuana registry. Health officials say 166 doctors have been approved to recommend cannabis oil as a treatment. The registry went live in June.

“Currently, most of our cases [45 percent] are children from ranging from 0-17,” said Brenda Fitzgerald, commis-sioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Peake says the Commission will have two or three more meetings before December when they will present their recommendations to Gov. Deal.

Medical Cannabis,continued from page 1

“We have to get this going here. With the cell phone app, Plug Share, people with EVs can check all around the state and country to see where a charging station is located. It’s really catch-ing on,” said Hadley, whose wife, Dr. Tarah Hadley, a bird veteri-narian, drives a 2015 Nissan Leaf EV. “Rockdale is on board with this new wave.”

Hadley says the next step is to get an electric car for his office operations and to make replace-ments in the county’s fleet of vehicles. He says he also is work-ing with Georgia Power to get a

“fast-level” or Level 3 charging station in Rockdale. These types of charging stations provide 80 miles of driving per 30 minutes of charging.

That’s good news to Todd Allums, Georgia Power’s Electric Transportation Manager.

“We have a big initiative to try to electrify the state of Georgia. I thank Rockdale for getting on board and installing this station,” Allums said during the ribbon cutting celebration. “We are look-ing to set up about 1,700 chargers across the state between now and the end of next year.”

Rockdale,continued from page 1

To Advertise your event in our upcom-ming edition, Please contact On Common Ground News at 678-526-1910 or email

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WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OCGNEWS AUGUST 29, 2015 • PAGE 7

Timothy Ward

Security cameras to be added to PATH trail in RockdaleBy Joshua Smith

A wooded area that is a part of Rockdale County’s PATH trail will get some boosted security,

officials say. Two security cameras will be added to the wooded area of the walking/biking trail located at 1400 Parker Road.

The city of Conyers and Rockdale County have partnered to make the project possible. Although the trail is located in Rockdale, the portion receiving the camer-as is considered the property of the city of Conyers.

“With the large parking area and other amenities, this is one of the most used por-tions of the PATH trail here,” said Conyers Chief Operating Officer David Spann. “You have a lot of people using that part of the trail at night or very early in the morn-ing. There’s a lot of shrubbery and foliage back there and we want to make sure it is safe and secure for everyone.”

Rockdale County will provide $14,000 toward the purchase of the cameras and electrical power to the location. The city will maintain the software, cameras and other equipment required to monitor the cameras.

The city and county will have access to the feed coming from the cameras, but the cameras themselves will be operated

by the city. The two cameras will go up in the two rear corners of the Parker Road facility, which should cover almost every

angle from the sides to the rear, according to Spann.

Spann says the plan to bring the cameras were in the works for about 18 months. He says over time, as the popu-larity grew for the walking-biking trails, the city and county began looking at what areas were the most used and where more security might be needed.

The PATH Foundation, established in 1991, has worked to develop the network of trails in Rockdale and around the metro Atlanta area as a way to connect neighbor-hoods for walkers, runners, skaters and cyclists.

“We hope the work to begin setting up the cameras will begin in the next few weeks. This area gets the most use in our PATH program and is heavily used by walkers, joggers, skaters and cyclists,” said Spann. “All of our cameras are monitored in our 911 Center by the operators on duty and can be panned, zoomed and even used at night.”

Officials say they are considering funding cameras to increase security along the South River portion of the PATH trail. They would be funded by SPLOST penny sales tax funds.

PATH users in Rockdale County can be rest assured with new cameras being installed at the Olde Town trail.

U.S. Marshals capture escaped Rockdale inmate in OhioTimothy Ward, the 33-year-old inmate who

escaped from a Rockdale County Jail work detail on Aug. 5, has been captured. Ward was taken into custody on Aug. 26 by U.S. Mar-shals in Portsmouth, Ohio.

Rockdale County Sheriff’s investigators received tips about Ward and passed that infor-mation to U.S. Marshals. Investigators believed Ward was in Portsmouth, Ohio with a female accomplice. Law enforcement officials in the

area spotted Ward and the woman in the area and arrested them without incident.

Portsmouth is located on the Ohio River near the border of West Virginia, where Ward is from.

The female accomplice, Heather Adkins, 28, of Cross Lanes, West VA, was arrested with Ward and charged with possession of drugs and a handgun.

Ward faces charges in Rockdale of escape

and theft by taking for a construction company truck that he stole. He may face other charges from other jurisdictions as well after his extra-dition to Rockdale.

Ward was on a cleaning work detail at the Rockdale Jail when he told a deputy he was go-ing to get more cleaning fluid and then walked away from the building. He stole an unlocked truck from a nearby construction company. He was on the run for three weeks.

PAGE 8 •AUGUST 29, 2015 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM

Municipal Electionscontinued from page 1

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The Rockdale County Historical Soci-ety will host a free tour of the Olde Town Jail Museum, 967 Milstead Ave., Conyers on Saturday, Sept. 12, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Built in 1897 to serve Rockdale County, the two-story red brick structure served to house offenders until 1969. The lower floor was the residence for the sheriff and

his family, and the upstairs comprised three rooms for prisoners: jailer’s room, drunk tank and maximum security. Since 1976, the Rockdale County Historical Society has maintained it as a museum.

Admission and parking are free. For more information, call 770-602-2606.

DeKalb residents can get help with home repair DeKalb County has begun accept-

ing applications for the DeKalb County Special Purpose Home Repair Program (SPHRP) administered by the Human Community Development Department.

All interested applicants should apply prior to the Friday, Oct. 30 appli-cation deadline.

The Special Purpose Home Repair Program (SPHRP) is made possible through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The DeKalb County Department of Human and Community Development will provide deferred/forgivable loans for DeKalb County homeowners who meet all eligibility requirements.

The loans are at zero percent inter-est and are designed to assist with the cost of critical home repairs to address imminent threats to health or safety

due to dangerous, hazardous and/or unsanitary conditions. Applications for repair assistance will be assessed for all noted eligibility requirements and will be subject to underwriting for final approval.

DeKalb homeowners, age 62 or over or legally disabled age 21 or over, must own and occupy their home as their primary residence. The home-owner must be listed on the title for at least 12 months prior to applying for home repair assistance. The homeown-er must not currently

hold title to or have financed more than one residential property.

Property must be a single-family detached home. Townhomes, duplex-es, condominiums, cooperatives and mobile homes are not eligible.

For more information and applica-tions, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov or call 404-371-2000.

Rockdale Historical Society to host free tour of jail museum

DeKalb clerk offers free notary training DeKalb County Superior Court

Clerk Debra DeBerry and the Geor-gia Superior Court Clerks’ Cooper-ative Authority are hosting two free training sessions on Friday, Sept. 25, 9 – 10:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

The training workshops are open to the public and highly recommend-ed to anyone who is a notary public in the Sate of Georgia or would like to become one. It is important to

remember that notary public should perform their duties to the utmost extent of the law. Failure to do so could result in costly lawsuits and penalties as a notary is liable for his or her actions.

For more information or to schedule your session, contact Twinnette Jones at 404-371-2250 or tajones@dekalbcountyga.gov.

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held by Jim Baskett; District 1 seat held by Scott Drake and District 2 seat held by Kecia Cunningham. The Board of Education will be holding elections for District 1 and District 2.

Doraville residents will elect some-one to fill the seat currently held by Mayor Donna Pittman and three City Council members. The District 1 seat is currently held by Pam Fleming; Dis-trict 2 is held by Trudy Jones Dean and District 3 is held by Maria Alexander.

In Stone Mountain, there are three council seats open for election. Posts 1, 2, and 3, currently held by Richard Mailman, Steve Wells and Chakira Johnson respectively, are open.

In Rockdale County, three seats in the city of Conyers will be on the ballot. The Conyers City Council seats open are District 2, Vince Evans; Dis-trict 3, Gerald Hinesley; and District 4, John Fountain.

The required forms and general re-

quirements of candidacy for public of-fice can be found at www.ethics.ga.gov. The forms must be filed with City Clerk and City Elections Supervisor in each respected city.

Voters may also be making their voice heard to fill the seat of former District 43 (D) Senator Ronald Ramsey. Now associate Judge Ramsey, relin-quished his Senate seat to take one of the associate judgeships for the State Court, Traffic Division.

Rockdale and DeKalb Counties Supervisors of Elections Cynthia Welch and Maxine Daniels say the election to replace Ramsey will be called by the Governor.

“As of today, he has not done so, but we believe he will set if for Novem-ber in conjunction with the municipal elections,” said Daniels.

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OCGNEWS AUGUST 29,2015 • PAGE 9

MARTA launches “Free Ride” campaign for Labor Day MARTA is inviting everyone to

ride its trains, buses and Mobility Ser-vice at no charge on Labor Day, Sept. 7. So where will you go? The Georgia Aquarium or Little Five Points? Buck-head or Hartsfield-Jackson Internation-al Airport? How about a trek east to Stone Mountain Park or south to the Atlanta State Farmers Market?

“Free Ride” is the second ridership initiative introduced by the Authority in recent weeks. The Customer Re-wards Program, which allows cus-tomers to earn free, round-trip Breeze tickets based on the number of trips they take during a 30-day promotional period, was introduced in early August.

“MARTA is continually looking for ways to thank our customers for

their patronage and build ridership,” said Ryland McClendon, asistant general manager of External Affairs. “The Free Ride allows us to acknowl-edge our loyal riders. At the same time, metro Atlantans who aren’t acquainted with MARTA can give the system a try.”

MARTA is encouraging riders to tag their social media photos with #WhereWillYouGo and tell the transit authority about their experience in riding on Labor Day.

MARTA will be running on a Sun-day schedule during the holiday. For more information or to make a reser-vation for Mobility Service passengers, visit http://bit.ly/1i4SDET or itsmarta.com.

GPTC launches production class Georgia Piedmont Technical Col-

lege (GPTC) has a new class for people looking to become a movie and/or television production assistant.

Classes start on Sept. 14. Eric Mor-ton, a film/TV production veteran with approximately 20 years’ experience, will teach the class. School staff say the course will combine hands-on instruc-tion with classroom lectures.

Upon completion of the course, par-ticipants will have an understanding of set etiquette, the stages of production, and how to interact effectively with industry personnel.

“The Georgia Department of Economic Development estimates that feature film and television productions in the state generated an economic impact of more than $6 billion during fiscal 2015,” said GPTC President Jabari Simama. “This class complements our

Design Media Production Technology curriculum, which is one of our most sought-after programs of study. There’s a significant demand for knowledgeable production assistants, and their skills help to ensure that productions run smoothly.”

The production assistant’s course will be offered on two of Georgia Piedmont’s campuses. The courses are scheduled on Mondays and Wednes-days, 5:30 - 9 p.m., at the Newton campus, 8100 Bob Williams Parkway, Covington. The classes also are offered Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:30 p.m. - 9 p.m., at the school’s DeKalb campus, 495 N. Indian Creek Drive, Clarkston.

The eight-week class is $649. Stu-dents will receive 48 hours of course-work and 16 hours onsite production days. To register, call 404-297-9522, ext. 1121 or email: contedu@gptc.edu.

Outdoor workout center opens at Gresham ParkBy Joshua Smith

Residents such as Frank Bray of De-catur are happy to see some new workout equipment right in the middle of a park trail in DeKalb County’s Gresham Park.

“It was just a great surprise to see the equipment on my morning walk,” said Bray, who frequents the park. “As soon as the crew said it was open, you could see a lot of people stopping by to check it out and try out the equipment.”

County officials held a ribbon cutting celebration on Aug. 27 for the new equip-ment. The Atlanta Retailers Association Foundation donated $8,000 to cover the cost and installation of the outdoor fitness center. The center includes a two-level push-up machine, sit-up bench, push-up and dip bars, as well as a leg press ma-chine.

“This is a just a great, great extra thing to get DeKalb more involved with exercise, getting outside and being fit. This is going to be fun,” said DeKalb County Commissioner Kathie Gannon, who hosted the ribbon cutting ceremony.

“We do walks out here and next time we walk here, we can stop and exercise. It’s going to be great.”

Also joining Gannon to cut the ribbon was DeKalb Interim CEO Lee May; Com-missioner Larry Johnson; Roy Wilson, di-rector of DeKalb’s Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs; members of the Atlanta Retailers Association (ARA) Foundation and KOMPAN Inc; and Olympic-Gold medalist DeeDee Trotter, who grew up about three minutes from the park.

“Today represents a critical partner-ship between DeKalb and the ARA. All the things that we need to do to deliver services to the people of DeKalb and the stakeholders, we can’t do it by ourselves,” said May. “This group put their money where their mouth is and you can see the beautiful result of that in this park.”

Parks Director Wilson got in on the fun and showed attendees how to use the machines at the new workout center.

“We are excited about this opportu-nity. Parks are like holidays because they bring us together to share good times,” said Wilson.

Commision Kathie Gannon tests the new push-up bars at the park. Photo by Joshua Smith/OCG News

PAGE 10 • AUGUST 29, 2015 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM

The Georgia Association of School Nurses (GASN) has named Joanne Giel,

a longtime nurse with Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS), School Nurse of the Year.

Through this award, the GASN recognizes nurses who have demonstrated excellence in school nursing services. Giel, who has been a nurse for more than four decades, says she loves her job and appreciates the honor.

“I feel humbled, honored, and so grateful to be named Georgia School Nurse of the Year. There is nothing like winning something when it is bestowed upon you by your peers,” Giel said. “I have been a nurse for more than 41 years and have enjoyed every experience along my career path. I can truly say that being a school nurse has been the highlight of my career. Working with the students, fami-lies, communities, and staff mem-bers of GCPS along with my fellow county school nurses and clinic workers has been amazing.”

Jennifer Poole Ross, GCPS lead nurse, applauded Giel, saying she is a leader and asset to the school district.

“This award is a testament to the level of excellence in the spe-cialized practice of school nursing that Joanne Giel has brought to

her role as a county school nurse over the past 15 years. In addition, she is a proven leader at the local, state, and national levels. Joanne is well deserving of this award and exemplifies the commitment of GCPS nurses to a comprehensive and coordinated school health pro-gram… one that positively impacts not only the health and safety of our students, but also attendance and academic success.”

TO CONTACT USBY PHONE: 678-526-1910BY FAX: 678-526-1909BY E-MAIL: EDITOR@OCGNEWS.COMVISIT ONLINE: WWW.OCGNEWS.COM

People Movers & Shakers in the Community

Chamblee Middle gets a new principal with decades of experience

The DeKalb County School Dis-trict has announced the appoint-ment of José Manuel DeJesus as

principal of Chamblee Middle School. DeJesus is a veteran educator who

brings 22 years of experience to CMS, including his most recent job as principal of Denn John Middle School in Osceola County, FL.

“Mr. DeJesus is an outstanding school leader and we are happy to welcome him to DeKalb County,” said District Superinten-dent R. Stephen Green. “His track record of accomplishments will serve the best inter-ests of the students and staff at Chamblee Middle School.”

DeJesus has more than a decade in middle school leadership positions. He has served as principal for Gwinnett County’s Berkmar Middle School and Beaver Ridge

Elementary School and as assistant principal at Berkmar High School and Berkeley Lake Elementary School. DeJesus has also taught middle and high school mathematics and served as a middle school assistant principal in Palm Beach County, FL.

“I am excited and honored to have the opportunity to serve this school communi-ty,” said DeJesus. “Chamblee Middle School is an exceptional school with an outstanding staff and I am committed to making sure that the tradition of excellence continues.”

DeJesus is a graduate of Gwinnett Pub-lic School’s Quality-Plus Leader Academy. Bilingual and fluent in Spanish, DeJesus has had the opportunity to work with students and educators from many backgrounds and has served as a Title 1 Specialist in the Mi-grant Program and as an ESOL coordinator.

He earned his master’s degree in Educa-tional Leadership from Florida Atlantic University and a bachelor’s degree from Chapman University. A father of three, DeJesus also served for 10 years in the U.S. Navy.

Chamblee Middle School offers a di-verse curriculum that includes Magnet Pro-gram for High Achievers, Gifted or Impact Program, ESOL, Special Education Pro-gram, Band, Art, and Orchestra Program, Foreign Language - Spanish and German, Physical Education and Technology and Business Education Courses.

Chamblee Middle School is located at 3601 Sexton Woods Drive, Chamblee.

Gwinnett school nurse named Georgia Nurse of the Year

Coca-Cola names new President and COO

The Coca-Cola Com-pany has announced James Quincey as

president and Chief Operating Officer effective immediately.

Quincey will be respon-

sible for all of the company’s operating units worldwide. He will work to advance the com-pany’s growth agenda.

Quincey is a 19-year vet-eran of Coca-Cola and since

2013 served as president of The Coca-Cola Company’s Europe Group, which compris-es 38 countries, including the Member States of the Europe-an Union, the European Free Trade Association countries and the Balkans.

Under Quincey’s leader-ship, the Europe Group, the Company’s most profitable operating group, strategically expanded its brand portfolio and improved execution across the geography.

Quincey also played an instrumental role in leading the recently announced proposed merger of Coca-Cola Enterpris-es, Coca-Cola Iberian Partners and Coca-Cola Erfrischungs-getranke AG to form Coca-Co-

la European Partners Plc., in what will become the world’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler based on net revenues.

“Over nearly two decades, James has built an impressive track record of strategic, oper-ational and commercial ac-complishments,” Muhtar Kent, Coca-Cola Company chairman and CEO, said in a public statement. “He has proven to be a successful and trusted leader and brings to this position a strong reputation for develop-ing people and inspiring teams. His wealth of experience across our global system, particularly in Europe and Latin America, will be a valuable asset as we continue to accelerate growth through our 2020 Vision and

our previously announced five strategic actions.”

Ahmet Bozer, executive vice president and president of Coca-Cola International, will retire after a 25-year career in the Coca-Cola system. Bozer will remain with Coca-Cola until March 2016 to ensure a smooth transition and serve as an adviser.

“I am excited and honored to take on this role and look forward to partnering with Muhtar and our talented senior leadership team to deliver on our 2020 Vision and help accelerate the strategic actions we’ve outlined to reinvigorate growth across our Company and system worldwide,” said Quincey.

Joanne Giel

José Manuel DeJesus

James Quincey

CAU alumna selected for international journalism exchange program Clark Atlanta University (CAU) alum-

na Crystal Brockton was selected Aug. 7 by the United States Consulate’s Georgia Council for International Visitors Program to represent Georgia in its annual Journal-ism Exchange Program.

A 2010 CAU graduate, Brockton will travel to Salvador, Brazil, on Oct. 3 to pro-mote the sharing of experiences between innovative community journalists aiming to strengthen ties between Brazilians and Americans.

Brockton credits her work as a student journalist on “Newsbreak,” the CAU-TV live daily student newscast, along with her study abroad learning experiences,

for sparking her interest in broadcast journalism. She studied at Edge Hill Univer-sity in Lancashire, England, while a mass media arts tele-vision major at CAU. Today, as CAU-TV’s traffic coor-dinator and special events reporter for nearly three years, she has produced and hosted a news special, “Two Weeks Notice: The Boycott of Injustice,” addressing challenges faced by young African-Amer-ican men.

She has covered major national events,

including President Barack Obama’s 2013 commence-ment address at Morehouse College, in addition to two national awards shows, the 2014 BET Hip Hop Awards and the 2014 Trumpet Awards.

Prior to joining the CAU-TV staff, Brockton earned significant experi-

ence through internships at WXIA-TV Atlanta, CNN

and TBS. Upon her return from Brazil, she will launch a project that will connect CAU-TV and Brazilian student journal-

ists in producing a daily televised news program that will stream internationally on CAU-TV.

“When the request came to recom-mend a young journalist to apply for the Young Journalist International internship from the Georgia International Visi-tors Program, I immediately thought of Crystal,” said CAU-TV Station Manager Murdell McFarlin. “She is an energetic, adventurous, well-skilled journalist who takes every opportunity to contribute to the marketplace of ideas. I anticipate that Crystal will represent Clark Atlanta well in this international journalist exchange.”

Crystal Brockton

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OCGNEWS AUGUST 29, 2015 • PAGE 11

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