June 7, 2014

VOLUME 20 NUMBER 10  WWW.OCGNEWS.COM  JUNE 6, 2014  FREE

SERVING DEKALB, FULTON, GWINNETT, HENRY AND ROCKDALE COUNTIES n WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OCGNEWS

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daVIDO’s $3.75 Pizza continues legacy ....page 5 Clarkston honors State Rep. Karla Drenner ....page 7

Community

Conyers gas line break shuts down Main Street ....page 3

Community

Celebrating19 years

See VFW, page 6

See Vacancy, page 8

Photos by Joshua Smith/OCG News

Free meals provided during summer months

Area schools and nonprofits are teaming up to provide free meals to children during the summer through the United

States Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program.

Sports Center Academy, 5330 Snapfinger Woods Drive, Decatur and CheerTyme All Stars, 2575 Park Central Blvd., Decatur, will be offering free breakfast and lunch to DeKalb County children ages 5 – 18. Breakfast will be served from 8 – 9 a.m. and lunch will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. Both meals will be provided at the sport facilities until Friday, Aug. 8. For more information, call 770-593-3149.

Lithonia High, 2440 Phillips Road, Lithonia and Tucker High School, 5036 LaVista Road, Tucker as well as Bethune Middle School, 5200 Covington Highway, Decatur, will participate in the program to provide free meals. Free meals at these DeKalb County schools will be provided weekly on Monday through Thursday and operation times for breakfast and lunch meals are 8 – 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. – noon.

“We welcome the opportunity to serve children of DeKalb County nourishing meals this summer. Last year we served over 327,000 meals and look forward to continuing this needed service,” said Joyce R. Wimberly, executive director of school nutrition services for the DeKalb County School District. “Children still require quality nutrition during the summer months especially with the expected increase in physical activity and calorie expenditure. It is our goal to provide a source of nutrition while school is out and continue the ongoing process of readying their minds and bodies for learning during the upcoming school year.”

USDA officials say the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) was established to ensure that low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session. Free meals, that meet Federal nutrition guidelines, are provided to all children 18 years old and under at approved SFSP sites in areas with significant concentrations of low-income children.

To learn more about the USDA summer meal programs, visit www.summerfood.usda.gov. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact 1-800-877-8339 or 1-800-845-6136 for Spanish services.

By Joshua Smith

A sea of orange was in Decatur when nearly 200 Home Depot employees descended on the VFW Post

4706 at 5362 Covington Highway in Decatur.

The facility, built in 1960, has been in disrepair for quite some time. The post serves about 230 members.

“When Home Depot put out the call that they were looking for a project to help veterans, we were very enthusiastic and knew we needed to take advantage of the opportunity,” said VFW Post 4706 Commander Harold Roberts.

“From repairing cracks, to redoing shrubbery, these volunteers are reaching out to a group of people who really needed help. And I love that they are so enthusiastic to help.”

The volunteers completed several projects on June 5 including painting the entire outside of the building, painting the bingo room, planting shrubbery and pruning shrubbery, building benches, watering plants,

Home Depot gives Decatur Veterans’ Post 4706 a facelift

By Joshua Smith

DeKalb County officials are taking blight head on with the new ordinance aimed at cleaning up blight in

neighborhoods. Owners who fail to register their properties with the county’s Vacant Property Registry will face fines up to $1,000 under

the county’s new ordinance. Interim DeKalb County CEO

Lee May says the registry was established as a means to protect neighborhoods from becoming blighted through the lack of adequate maintenance and security of properties that are vacant.

“We stand here before an ugly, vacant property with liter all around, but we are excited. We

are excited because this program will address some critical needs in DeKalb County,” said May, who was joined by several DeKalb officials at a press conference in Decatur’s Columbia Meadows to introduce the Vacant Property Registry on June 4. “This program

DeKalb County launches crackdown on vacant properties

Business

Interim CEO Lee May (at podium) and several DeKalb County officials braved 90 degree weather to launch the DeKalb County Vacant Property Registry at a June 4 press conference in Decatur.

Dozens of volunteers from Home Depot came together on June 5 in Decatur to give VFW Post 4706 an extreme makeover.

PAGE 2  JUNE 6, 2014

JUNE 6, 2014   PAGE 3

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JUNE  6, 2014 VOLUME 20, NO. 10

EDITOR/PUBLISHERValerie J. Morgan 

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By Joshua Smith

Several businesses and homes in the Main Street area were forced to evacuate after Conyers utility

workers accidentally ruptured a two-inch gas main pipe, while working to replace a water line on June 5.

“We decided to evacuate residents and business owners on Peek Street from Main Street to Institution Street, due to changing winds,” said Conyers Police Spokesperson Kim Lucas.

Rockdale County’s Administrative Services, Human Resources and Board of Commissioners offices, as well as two churches and about a dozen homes were closed and evacuated due to the break.

Fire Chief Dan Morgan said after a three-hour shutdown, the two-block radius was deemed safe and there were no injuries reported.

Dozens of Rockdale County employees were gathered in parking lots and along sidewalks waiting for the word to return to their offices. They were ultimately told that county offices in the area would be closed for the remainder of that Thursday.

Conyers resident Stacie Smith said the flammable fumes left a strong smell she won’t soon forget.

“It was a pungent smell for sure. I was disappointed that I couldn’t get home after running errands but I understand the street shutdown because if handled wrong, all the fumes in the air could have led to an explosion or something dangerous,” said Smith.

Rockdale County officials reopened on June 6 for normal business hours.

Conyers gas line break shuts down Main Street


City groups partner for annual bicycle tour

The Atlanta Beltline Partnership and the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition are teaming up for the 7th Annual Atlanta BeltLine Bicycle Tour on Saturday, June 14, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the historic Fourth Ward Skatepark, 830 Willoughby Way, N.E., Atlanta.

“The Atlanta BeltLine Partnership is pleased to partner with the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition to offer this popular event to Atlantans once again,” said Atlanta BeltLine Partnership Interim Director Rob Brawner. “The community has responded with tremendous enthusiasm to the Atlanta BeltLine Annual Bicycle Tour, as well as the many other programs and fitness classes we have to offer. It’s encouraging to see the project transforming lives and having such an immediate impact on our residents.”

The tour will celebrate cycling and the city while tracing the current and proposed Atlanta BeltLine corridor along paths, parks, and neighboring streets through 45 Atlanta neighborhoods.

“The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition started this event in 2008 to celebrate the Atlanta BeltLine’s role in making biking practical, popular, safe, and convenient,” said Atlanta Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Rebecca Serna. “Atlanta is becoming a more bikeable and walkable city, and this tour celebrates the potential.”

Riders should arrive by 8 a.m. Prices vary. The tour features full and half route options. For more information and registration costs, visit www.beltline.org or call 404-477-3003.

Coming Up

Call 404-534-9379 to register.

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DEKALB

State Rep. Rahn Mayo welcomes all to “Your Vote Matters” forum State Rep. Rahn Mayo is hosting a political forum for the community to hear

from candidates running in DeKalb County races on Tuesday, June 17, 7 – 9 p.m. at the Community Achievement Center, 4522 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur.

Mayo and the Stone Mountain-Lithonia Alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. are hosting the program.

Mayo says all the candidates in the race for State School Superintendent, DeKalb County Sheriff and DeKalb County School Board’s Districts 3 and 5 have been invited. He says the forum comes at a vital time for the future of DeKalb County.

“This is a critical election for many reasons. This is the first school board election since the governor took action to remove and appoint members. Overall, Georgia’s education system is in a vulnerable situation due to budget cutbacks placed in office during previous leadership so whoever wins State School Superintendent will have a clean slate to try to find funds for state education and move Georgia’s education system up on the list. We currently rank near the bottom,” said Mayo, who represents District 84. “The Sheriff’s race is also critical because after the many years of service of Thomas Brown, we need to hear the platforms of the candidates because one of them will be managing a nearly $80 million yearly budget. Whoever constituents vote in office will have a large responsibility in the jail and their day-to-day operations.”

Forum organizers say they hope the community will leave the forum with new information and a better understanding of the candidates they are supporting.

For more information, call 404-214-7400.

SWD High sets fundraising golf tournament Southwest DeKalb High School’s basketball team is registering golfers for a

fundraising golf tournament for the team’s trips and other fees on Friday, July 18, 8 a.m. at Cherokee Run Golf Club, 1595 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers.

The tournament will include a raffle, silent auction, gift bags for golfers and trophies and prizes for the golfers with the best scores.

The entry fee is $100. The price includes green fees, cart, range balls and a catered lunch. Prices vary for groups wanting to participate.

Registration is required. For more information or to register, visit www.swdpanthers1.com or call 404-455-7555.

ATLANTA

Library sets storytelling series for all ages The Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library System will host a free storytelling

series for families from June 11 to July 9. Nearly 20 storytellers have signed up to take attendees to several different areas

of imagination and to foreign lands and countries. The series will kick off with Verna Muthoni “Sensemaya” on Wednesday, June

11, 10 a.m. at the Cleveland Avenue branch, 47 Cleveland Ave., S.W., Atlanta. Muthoni started her career in Jamaica as a librarian, specializing in work with

children. She has shared stories at many venues in Clayton County, Norfolk, Virginia and even South Africa.

The series concludes with LaDoris Bias-Davis on Wednesday, July 9, 10 a.m., at the library’s Ponce De Leon branch, 980 Ponce De Leon Ave., N.E., Atlanta. LaDoris Bias-Davis has been telling tales across the United States for 15 years. From fables to fairy tales, fiction to non-fiction, and a collection of personal stories, event organizers Bias-Davis engages audiences and provides programs for interactive learning.

For more information and exact schedule of storytellers, visit www.afplweb.com or call 404-730-1700.

GWINNETT Snellville welcomes farmers market for community

Residents in Snellville can start shopping for local, fresh produce and other items this summer, beginning on Saturday, June 7, 8 a.m. – noon, on the Towne Green, 2342 Oak Road, Snellville.

The market features products that come from farms and gardens that for the most part, are located within a 100-mile radius of Snellville. The market features a wide range of vendors and products, including produce, meats, sweets, gifts, crafts, cakes, baked goods and more. Some vendors include Double Hill Farms, Costa’s Pasta, Dillwood Farms, Purely Simple Catering and Belle’s Bread Company.

The market will be offered to residents every Saturday this summer and will run until September.

Department of Water Resources offers H20 workshop Gwinnett County’s Department of Water Resources is accepting registration for

a free workshop for residents, “Homeowner H20: Water Conservation,” on Tuesday, June 17, 6 – 7 p.m.

This free workshop will provide the knowledge and tools you need to increase water efficiency in your home. Attendees will receive a low-flow retrofit kit, outdoor water efficiency kit, do-it-yourself home water audit guide, and information on how to apply for Gwinnett County’s toilet rebate program.

The workshop will be held at the Norcross Human Services Center, 5030 Georgia Belle Court, Norcross. Preregister by sending an email with your name, address, and phone number to [email protected] or by calling 678-376-6722, for seating purposes.

ROCKDALEClerk of Courts to change operation hours

Rockdale County’s Clerk of Courts, Superior and State, is changing their operation hours from 8:15 – 4:45 p.m. on Monday – Friday, to 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday.

The changes will take effect on Monday, June 9 and are being made to better accommodate the needs of the courts and the public.

“There are very few people waiting for us to open but often times we have residents rushing to our doors to file paperwork or make a critical payment,” said Ruth Wilson, Rockdale’s Clerk of Courts. “Now residents will have until 4:59 p.m. to walk in and be serviced for divorce issues, name changes, real estate paperwork and all the other aspects we handle. I believe the hours changing will help us better accommodate people’s schedules, work and family.”

For more information, call 770-278-7900 or visit www.RockdaleClerk.com.

Public invited to Rockdale Coalition of Homeowners & Civic Associations meeting

The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners is inviting residents to attend the Rockdale Coalition of Homeowners & Civic Associations (RCHCA) meeting on Tuesday, June 24, 6 – 7 p.m. at the J.P. Carr Services Center, 981 Taylor St., Conyers.

County officials say the meeting will bring together the leaders of local homeowner associations and civic groups, as well as interested citizens, from across Rockdale to share news and information and learn about county projects and initiatives.

County staff and community organizations will have tables displaying helpful information at the meeting.

For more information, email [email protected] or call the Rockdale County Department of Community Affairs & Innovative Programs at 770-278-7050.

JUNE 6, 2014   PAGE 5

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EXPIRES: 6-15-2014

daVIDO’s $3.75 Pizza has hit a milestone. The restaurant, which has been serving up Italian favorites with an American twist, is celebrating 20 years in business.

Owner David Holt, the restaurant’s namesake, started the business in 1994 after working years in the restaurant business before opening daVIDO’s $3.75 Pizza. He got his start in 1979 when he opened his first Blimpie restaurant in Buckhead, with two more locations soon to follow.

The idea for what would become one of South DeKalb’s favorite pizza joints came from a relationship Holt had with one of his Blimpie customers, who was the property manager at a shopping plaza at the intersection of Covington Highway and Panola Road, in Lithonia. The property manager asked Holt to consider opening a business in his plaza, birthing daVIDO’s.

“We started the restaurant with one major idea in mind: To be a safe haven for youth. There were a lot of gangs in the community when we first started and I wanted to provide a place where the kids and their families could enjoy a great product in a great environment,” said Holt, who says the $3.75 price was stamped into the restaurant name to remain affordable. “We made it through the recession and other tough times because we kept the same price points.”

Now, at 66 years old, the restaurant franchisee is looking to leave the business to his 34-year-old son, Anthony Holt, who has been working at the business since he was in high school.

“I think it’s about time for me to open the door to retirement,” said Holt.

Anthony Holt says he is ready for the challenge.

“I feel like my father has passed the baton to me and I’m ready to take daVIDO’s into the future with hopefully, more restaurants all over the Southeast and eventually the nation, if the Lord sees it in His will,” said Anthony.

The Holts say you can sum up the secret of their success in one word: Community. Since the first day of operation, Holt has given back to the community by hiring high school students to work in the restaurant, speaking at countless career days, donating food and beverages to DeKalb schools, offering free pizzas for honor roll students and by partnering with several outreach

programs such as the Frank Ski Foundation and the Ryan Cameron Foundation. Holt worked with his son, Anthony, to develop fundraising opportunities for local schools and churches as well.

“We really believe it takes a village. When you continue to stay involved in the community, the community will then in turn come out to support you. That’s been the real recipe for success for us. In two decades, the thing I enjoy most about this business is speaking to kids at school career days and being the catalyst for our young employees to learn the tools to business etiquette and customer service,” said David.

“Staying involved in the community has served to be the best marketing tool for us. We have basically become a staple in this community with that idea in mind,” said Anthony Holt.

daVIDO’s serves spaghetti, lasagna, chicken tenders, french fries, homemade cakes, an assortment of fresh salads, Philly cheesesteaks, the best lemon pepper wings in Atlanta, and of course, pizza.

To celebrate the anniversary, daVIDO’s $3.75 Pizza is offering several specials. June 9 to June 13, Monday through Friday, the first 20 customers each day will receive a free small cheese pizza; On Saturday, June 14, large cheese pizzas will be sold for $3.75 (one pizza per person, per visit). You can share a piece of birthday cake with staff members at all daVIDO’s locations on the same day. David says the business also plans to give away two 32” flat screen televisions and free one-topping pizzas through drawings.

You can enjoy the daVIDO’s experience at one of their three locations: 6118 Covington Highway Lithonia (770-808-5855); 4834 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur (770-322-0375); 2040 Eastside Drive, Conyers (770-922-1181)

For more information, visit www.davidos375pizza.com. The pizza chain is also on the social media websites Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

daVIDO’s $3.75 Pizza continues legacy in the community

A Legacy of great customer service in the community: Father David Holt and son Anthony say the key to 20 years of business is having great customer service and continually giving back to the community.


VFWcontinued from page 1

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grinding stumps, replacing the uneven, rotting retaining wall adjacent to the flag pole, repairing fences, mowing the grass.

The Home Depot foundation deploys “Team Depot” volunteer crews, made up of associates, to work across the country and assist in the lives of veterans by repairing their homes and post facilities.

Representatives from Home Depot say that over a five-year period, Home Depot will invest $80 million for similar projects.

“We just want to show our appreciation to a brave group of people who have done so much for our country, protecting our freedoms and rights as citizens,” said Stephanie Smith, vice president of Inventory at Home Depot Corporate. “We were all happy to carpool here and do this today. One of the core values Home Depot was founded on is community service and today’s event represents that.”

Veterans use the post building for fun games of bingo, assisting homeless veterans and even hosting

Chicago-style step classes, among other events and activities.

Purple Heart veteran Curtis Brown said all the veterans were very appreciative of all the hard work and repairs.

“I’ve been a member here for about three years and this is really something special. Everything looks so nice,” said Brown, who serves as the junior vice commander at the post. “When you receive a gift like this, you never forget it.”


Orange shirts were everywhere at VFW Post 4706 to complete a long list of tasks and projects. Post Commander Harold Roberts was all smiles when he joined Home Depot volunteers for a picture.

JUNE 6, 2014   PAGE 7

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By Joshua Smith

The City of Clarkston honored State Rep. Karla Drenner at its June 3 City Council meeting,

presenting her with the city’s 2014 Legislator of the Year Award.

“One thing that stands out in Rep. Drenner’s service is when she has an issue that she cares about or when she tells you that she’s going to work on something and do something, she does it,” said Clarkston Mayor Ted Terry. “I think we have the best State Rep in the entire state. I can’t speak to everything that Karla has done for Clarkston over the years. But I know that she spoke out against cell phone towers in Milam Park, she sponsored the legislation to change the form of government from Strong Mayor to City Manager form of government; and worked with the county to dredge the Milam Lake which cleaned up decades of filth. Overall, she has always been accessible and open minded about working with the City of Clarkston.”

The SouthEast Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (SEATOA) and the Georgia

Municipal Association joined the City of Clarkston in honoring Drenner for her work at the state capitol. Both groups say Drenner has worked hard to support local control on municipal broadband policies.

“We wanted to be a part of this award presentation for Rep. Drenner because she has continued to fight for the rights of the people, striking down bills that prohibit cities from producing and building digital

broadband networks,” said Catherine Fleming, on behalf of the Georgia Municipal Association. “We thank her for her defending our cities and their rights to broadband access.”

Drenner said the honor was a humbling, rewarding experience.

“I love the city of Clarkston because they really define what it means to be a small town with a big heart. With so many different cultures and languages here, the people of Clarkston always make me feel like family when I am here,” said Drenner.

State Rep. Drenner was sworn into office in 2001. Drenner is serving her seventh term in the Georgia General Assembly, representing the cities of Clarkston and Avondale Estates, as well as Scottdale and other communities in unincorporated DeKalb County.

In Clarkston, Drenner has hosted “Eggs and Issues” breakfast conversations with constituents who represent more than 50 countries; served on the Clarkston Community Center board; hosted cityhood meetings; and hosted voter registration drives.

Clarkston resident Winston Drayton says Drenner is deserving of the accolades.

“She is really here doing the work. Karla Drenner doesn’t just come around when she needs votes and I thank her for that,” said Drayton. “I thank her for continuing to encourage open dialogue in Clarkston and for being accessible.”

Resident Mary Hoyt agrees with Drayton.

“When Karla Drenner gets on something, she really sticks things out until the job is done. Karla is very open to dialogue, talks to people in the resettlement community regularly and is easily accessible,” said Holt.

Clarkston honors State Rep. Karla Drenner


‘She is really here doing the work. Karla Drenner doesn’t just come around when she needs votes and I thank her for that.’

– Winston Drayton, Clarkston resident


Photos by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News

Vacancycontinued from page 1

Who I Be!By Rashid Rashad

This book which focuses on the child’s self-concept (also call self-perspective or self-identify) is a collection of beliefs about oneself that includes elements such as academic performance, gender roles and racial identity.

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is just one of the many tools in our toolbox to beautify DeKalb.”

Officials say there are about 10,000 vacant properties in unincorporated DeKalb.

“You look behind me and you see a nightmare. How can we turn this back into the American dream? We want you to buy a home in DeKalb but we want to make sure the property or property around it is not trashed or littered and this registry will help us get to that point,” said District 3 DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson. “We have to make sure we do everything we can to eradicate the blight in this area.”

The Vacant Property Registry ordinance requires the owners of vacant properties to provide the county with official contact information for the party or parties responsible for bringing the vacant property into compliance. Owners are required to register their vacant properties or face fines up to $1,000. The fee to register is $100.

The registry, took effect June 1. The county will begin issuing citations next month.

DeKalb Police Chief James Conroy says the vacant properties had to be addressed because they often lead to squatters, drug users, criminals and other unwanted people setting up shop in the vacant properties.

“Vacant properties present a unique challenge to us because when these properties are left unmanaged, they do attract crime and we have a difficult time tracking down owners in most cases as the crimes happen in progression,” said Chief Conroy. “Take this home for example. First windows are broken, then someone will use the property to spend the night, then you see evidence of drug use and now all the copper has been stripped out. With this ordinance, we can stop processes like that from occurring in the county.”

For more information, call 404-371-2289 or e-mail [email protected].

Light of the World Christian Tabernacle International opens new center

Light of the World Christian Tabernacle International has now opened a community center in Stockbridge.

The Jimmie Lee Smith community center was a vision of the Late Archbishop Jimmie Lee Smith and current Archbishop Ruth Smith Holmes. Through much prayer, hard work and dedication the center has now become a reality.

The mission of the 10,000-squre-foot center is to provide sports, education and entertainment recreational activities for citizens in Stockbridge and surrounding communities.

With both a basketball court and classroom space, church members say the center will provide an environment where love is personal, the word is practical and the people are passionate. The Center is designed to help people help themselves live up to their fullest potential.

Light of the World Christian Tabernacle International is located at 5883 Highway 155 North, Stockbridge. For more information, call 678-565-7001.

Seniors test their card skills at tournament in Lithonia DeKalb county senior

citizens came to Lithonia on June 5 to test their skills at the Lou Walker Senior Center’s bid whist tournament.

Dozens of seniors filled the center’s victory room to make bids and stop opponents from making their desired scores.

Although house rules govern the game, the home team, the Lou Walker seniors, came in second to the seniors of Beulah Life Center of Decatur.

Competition was tough and in the end the first place winners from Beulah were: Ed Stephens and Leroy Brewer. The second place winners, from the Lou Walker Senior Center, were: Minnie Murry and Barbara Stephenson.

L-R: Tournament organizers Theresa McQueen and Leroy Cleveland join first place winners Ed Stephens and Leroy Brewer, and second place winners, Minnie Murry and Barbara Stephenson.

Photos by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News

JUNE 6, 2014   PAGE 9

Clarkston First Baptist Church to host vacation Bible schoolClarkston First Baptist invites families to attend their weeklong vacation

Bible school every evening from Monday, June 9 to Friday, June 13 at 3999 Church Street, Clarkston.

Dinner will be served from 6:15 to 6:50 p.m. and bible study will conclude at 8:30 p.m.

For more information, call 404-292-5686 or visit www.clarkstonfbc.org.

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“Try the Trails” set in Conyers

They City of Conyers, Rockdale County and other groups are coming together to host “Try the Trails” on Saturday, June 14, 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Everyone is invited to come “try the trails,” at the South Rockdale River Trail walk/ride. The trail is part of the Arabia Mountain Heritage Trail System. The Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Rockdale County Government, the Arabia Mountain Heritage Alliance, the PATH Foundation, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and DeKalb County Government hosts the trail event.

This is an inaugural event marking the formal opening of the completed 30-mile trail system that makes up the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area. The event includes a ribbon cutting and kickoff at 8 a.m. at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, 2625 Georgia 212, Conyers.

Participants can enjoy walking or riding the trails, scavenger hunts, games and activities at the trailheads in Rockdale County. Bikers, walkers and hikers are welcomed. For more information, call Marilu Montalvo at 770-278-7282 or visit www.rockdalecounty.org.

PAGE 10  JUNE 6, 2014

Andre Dickens Miguel Southwell

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People Movers & Shakers in the Community

Atlanta councilman launches new website for Atlanta youth

Atlanta City Council member Andre Dickens has launched a new website, www.Opportunities4Atlanta.com, a community-enabling webpage that promotes enrichment programs for Atlanta’s youth.

“After-school programs, internships, summer programs, and other enrichment opportunities play vital roles in every child’s educational success and contribute to a child’s healthy development,” said Dickens. “Introducing youth to new programs encourages their curiosity and opens many doors of learning.”

The Post 3 at-large councilman says he was motivated to start the website when reflecting on his childhood growing up in the Atlanta Public Schools (APS) and his attendance at numerous summer and after school programs including the city’s Camp Best Friends program.

“Finding and promoting educational and recreational activities that keep our youth engaged during the summer is in the best interest of the city’s workforce development, economic development, public safety and quality of life goals,” said Dickens. “We want to bring awareness to a variety of educational programs available for every Atlantan, whether it is an after school program, summer program, college prep workshop or internship. We want all of Atlanta’s youth to be able to access the countless educational opportunities available to them.”

Visit www.opportunities4atlanta.com to learn about the opportunities for youth throughout the city. If you have a program/opportunity that you feel should be added to the site, you can submit your information on the contact page.

For more information, call Councilman Dickens’ office at 404-330-6041.

Miguel Southwell appointed as GM for Hartsfield-Jackson

Mayor Kasim Reed has named Miguel Southwell the new General Manager of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Southwell was a finalist for the position in 2010, when Louis Miller was appointed during Mayor Reed’s first term. He joined the Department of Aviation in 2013 as the Deputy General Manager of Commercial Operations. Prior to joining the City, Southwell was the Deputy Director of Business Retention & Development for the Miami-Dade Aviation Department in Florida. He worked for Miami-Dade for 12 years. Previously, Southwell worked for Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport from 1990 to 2001, in various roles, including Interim Assistant General Manager for two years.

“I’m confident that Miguel Southwell is the right executive to continue Hartsfield-Jackson’s dominance as the world’s busiest passenger airport, and grow its capabilities as a leading global cargo hub,” Mayor Reed said. “His experience in Miami, and prior experience in Atlanta, is the right fit to carry out my vision for our airport to be the nation’s leader in the logistics and air cargo space. I want to thank Carol Tomé for leading the search committee and helping us to identify top candidates for this critical city position.”

City officials say the search for the position included research on the top aviation executives across 40 airports in the nation. Mayor Reed met with five candidates and selected the three finalists. The finalists were interviewed again on May 2 and Mayor Reed selected Southwell.

“The Aviation General Manager position demands a strategic thinker and effective communicator who can provide leadership and vision in managing the day-to-day activities of the world’s busiest airport,” said Southwell, who has also served as an adjunct professor at Georgia State University. “My primary responsibilities include developing and implementing a strategic plan to further the goals of Mayor Reed and the City of Atlanta, while still ensuring the airport’s continued success as the region’s leading economic generator, spawning $32.5 billion in direct business revenue for metro Atlanta, and $68.3 billion in Georgia.”

City officials say some of Southwell’s other major responsibilities include completing the expansion of the airport’s industry-leading $500 million concessions program, growing international air service, and working on a strategic development plan for the airport.

The airport general manager reports to the Chief Operating Officer and the appointment will require Atlanta City Council confirmation.

This month, the staff at Rockdale County’s Cooperative Extension Office honored some volunteers

who have gone beyond the call of duty to keep gardens and other facilities in the county beautiful.

Each year, all “Master Gardener” extension volunteers are required to perform 25 hours of volunteer service to their community. At the end of May, cooperative extension staff honored volunteers who worked 100 hours or more. The volunteers are now officially a part of the office’s “100 Club.”

In 2013, the Rockdale County volunteer gardeners logged in 2,714.29 hours to help the community. They travelled 9,435.1 miles to provide these services.

You can see the volunteers’ work at Memorial Arboretum at the Georgia International Horse Park, the Vaughn Botanical Garden in Olde Town Conyers, Lighthouse Village and at the Nancy Guinn Memorial Library.

The volunteers also planted crops for the hungry, producing fresh produce

for local food banks and held plant clinics at the Cherry Blossom Festival and the Agricultural Day at the Conyers Extension Office.

“Whether they are assisting with 4-H Projects such as the Insectival, hosting clinics at the Olde Town Festival, or simply answering the phones at the Extension Office to respond to community questions about gardening and other problems, we appreciate our volunteers so much and we know that they are critical in keeping all of our ideas and projects functioning correctly,” said Tausha Gibson, of the Rockdale Cooperative Extension Office. “You might see them helping at schools and other organizations with landscaping and gardening issues or speaking to organizations because they have been requested to discuss various horticulturist issues; and they really know their stuff.”

If you would like to sign up to be a volunteer with the cooperative extension office, call 770-278-7373.

Master Gardeners lauded for volunteer hours

“100” Members: L – R: Jessie Brown, Cesare Matrundola, Charles Chance, Georgi Wilk, Debbie Altman and Dick Chenoweth. Those not pictured are: Vivian Cheatham, Marymarlene Gaskill and Jane Smith.

OCGNEWS

JUNE 6, 2014   PAGE 11

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