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VOLUME 21 NUMBER 8 FREE MAY 23, 2015
Published Since April 1995Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties • www.facebook.com/ocgnews
CONYERS--Dawning leis, floral print shorts and even hula skirts, dozens of students, parents and staff danced the day away to music at C.J. Hicks Elementary School’s Hawaiian Paradise end-of-the-school year party on May 20. For more photos of the event, see page 9.
Summer break is here!
GBI investigating pill slipped in judge’s glass
By Valerie J. Morgan
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is investigating a report that Rockdale Magistrate Court Judge Phinia Aten was slipped some type of pill in a glass of water she left in the courtroom when took a bathroom break.
Aten reported the incident to the Rockdale Sheriff’s Department, which turned the investigation over to the GBI.
“Because she is an elected official and some of our own deputies were in the courtroom at the time that this incident was reported, we turned the report over to the GBI to investigate,” said Sheriff Eric Levett. The pill also was turned over to the GBI for analysis.
The incident happened on May 11 around 10:20 a.m. when Aten left the courtroom to go to the bathroom. She had just conducted first appearance hearings at the Rockdale County Jail when she took a bathroom break, Levett said.
According to the report, Aten had poured water from a bottle into a glass while she was on the bench. When she returned, she noticed that there was a white pill at the bottom of the glass, Deputy Grace Gilbert said in the report.
“The water started turning very cloudy,” Gilbert wrote in the report. Gilbert is one of the deputies who works at the Magistrate Court office. Gilbert then took the glass and poured out the water to retrieve the pill from the bottom of the glass.
Aten wouldn’t discuss what happened.
“I have to let the legal process play out, even though I’m the victim in this case,” Aten said. Sheriff Levett said there were three or four inmates in the courtroom at the time, but none approached the bench during Aten’s absence.
There were three or four inmates in the courtroom during Aten’s absence, but they never approached the bench, Levett said. There also were four deputies in the courtroom.
Levett said the surveillance tapes in the courtroom would be reviewed as part of the ongoing investigation.
“We’re taking extra precaution. All of the bailiffs have been instructed to be more visible and observant,” Levett said.
DeKalb Schools welcome Dr. GreenBy Valerie J. Morgan
Dr. R. Stephen Green, selected as the sole finalist for DeKalb County’s new schools superintendent, met parents and other community stakeholders during a three-day visit to the district, May 19-21. The School Board is expected to offer him a contract in a few days.
May attended an evening welcome reception on May 19 at School Board headquarters after meeting with board members and Superintendent Michael Thurmond. He got a taste of one of DeKalb’s finest schools when students from the DeKalb School of the Arts performed during the reception. The next day, Green made a whirlwind tour around the district, stopping at Hambrick Elementary School and meeting with various groups including local reporters in the afternoon.
Green said he was excited about being in DeKalb and looking forward to taking the reigns. He said he plans to inventory staff, administration and other resources to determine the district’s assets and what the district needs to build upon. Educating students and bringing up all schools to where they need to be will be his top priority, he pledged.
“We will begin to identify where the
resources are to support the classrooms and make sure they have what they need to succeed,” Green said.
Green said he plans to include all stakeholders in putting and keeping the district on tract. He said he held twice-a-month parent symposiums, “On the Scene with Green,” in Kansas City and he plans to do the same in DeKalb.
“Community engagement, parent engagement is an important part of what I believe is important for us to be successful and you will see that in the action plan coming forth from me right off the bat,” said Green. “… I like collaboration. I like teamwork. We cannot do it alone. We need community partners,” said Green, who is expected to take the reigns on July 1.
During his visit, Green met with
several parent organizations and pent some of his time meeting with District Principals and Teachers of the Year. Green spent his last day in DeKalb meeting with faith-based and civic organizations, professional organizations and made a brief appearance at the DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce’s Apex Awards.
Before meeting elected officials and other members of the community, Green checked in with SACS representatives.
Dr. Melvin Johnson, who chairs the School Board, said he is looking forward to working with Green.
“He’s very well respected. It’s been a positive collaboration and I believe the board and Dr. Green will work well together,” Johnson said.
Dr. R. Stephen Green (far right) greets a line of community stakeholders during a reception on May 19..
Photos by Gelnn L. MorganOCG News
PAGE 2 •MAY 22, 2015 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
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EDITOR/PUBLISHER Valerie J. Morgan
GENERAL MANAGERGlenn L. Morgan
STAFF WRITER Joshua Smith
ADVERTISING MANAGER Richard S. Hill
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.
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By Valerie J. Morgan and Joshua Smith
When early voting begins May 26 for the special election to fill the DeKalb County
District 5 Commission, voters in the district will find a crowd of candidates—from A to T—listed on the ballot. Ten people have thrown their names in the hat, hoping to represent the more than 140,000 people who live in District 5.
It’s a critical election. District 5 hasn’t had representation in nearly two years, leaving a void on the Board of Commissioners. The seat is also viewed as the swing vote on the board, which lately has been racially divided on several issues.
The winner of the District 5 race will replace Lee May, who was elected to the seat. May resigned on May 8, deciding to continue serving exclusively in his role as ICEO. May took on the role as Interim CEO in July 2013, after Gov. Nathan Deal appointed him as presiding officer of the Board of Commissioners to fill in for suspended CEO Burrell Ellis, who is fighting corruption charges. May said he assumed he would return to his elected position or someone would be appointed in short order. But after filling the ICEO position nearly two years, he sought to appoint someone only to reach an impasse with the Board of Commissioners. May said he wanted to fill the seat now rather than continue to keep it vacant and awaiting the outcome of the Ellis case. Ellis goes on trial again in June. His his first trial ended in a hung jury last year.
The candidates vying for the District 5 seat include:
• Greg Adams, Emory police officer• Harmel Deanne Codi, child
advocate/educational consultant• Jerome Edmondson, CEO of
Entrepreneur Development Network and TopTell; USA
• Gwen Russell Green, poet and veteran educator of the DeKalb County School System
• Developer Vaughn Irons, CEO of APD Solutions
• Attorney Mereda Davis Johnson, wife of U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson
• Attorney Gina Mangham, community watchdog
• Kathryn Rice, consultant in community economic development
• Kenneth Saunders, III, a technology consultant and member of the DeKalb Parks Bond Advisory Committee
• George Turner, a retired MARTA supervisor and president of the District 5 Community Council
The race is already shaping up to be hotly contested, with candidates jockeying to get out front. For example, as candidate Gina Mangham held a press conference at the closed Target at Stonecrest to officially announce her candidacy on the last day of qualifying, three competitors—Harmel Codi, Jerome Edmondson and Vaughn Irons—were stomping for support at the Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce’s luncheon that day. Irons presented an update to the business group on the Panola Slope resort development in South DeKalb, touting the restaurants, retail stores and live entertainment being planned for the development.
Gregory Adams has launched a
Facebook page and a web site for his campaign.
Meanwhile, Mereda Davis Johnson has entered the arena with a website, tweets and support coming from State Rep. Earnest Coach Williams, who announced he is hosting a fish fry to raise money for Johnson’s campaign.
Gregory AdamsA DeKalb County
resident for more than 24 years, Gregory Adams has run for DeKalb CEO and for the District 7 Commissioner seat in the past.
A police officer with Emory University, Adams is also an entrepreneur, managing Adams Transportation and Simply Class by Jackie, a hair salon. He is deputy director of Project3Sixty, a nonprofit organization and director of D.R.R.L.L (Discipline Respect Responsibility Leadership and Love) youth mentoring program.
Adams served in the U.S. Army from 1983 to1986 and the Individual Ready Reserve from 1986 to 1989. He also taught at West Point.
Adams pursued education at several institutions of higher learning including Murray State University, Atlanta Area Tech, Georgia Perimeter College and Colorado Technical University.
Hotly contested District 5 seat draws 10 candidates Several groups to host candidates’ forums
See District 5 page 6
PAGE 4 •MAY 22, 2015 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
Coming Up
Still Waters Sinfo-Nia marks 25th anniversary
First Congregational Church, 105 Courtland Street, N.E., Atlanta, is hosting the 25th anniversary of the Still Waters Youth Sin-fo-Nia Orchestra of Metropolitan Atlanta on Thursday, June 25, 6:30 p.m. Tickets are now on sale and the music group asks that
you save the date to attend. All proceeds will assist in providing music scholarships for deserving
youths. The celebration marks the silver anniversary of the music group’s rich
history of instructing thousands of young artists, as well as providing more than 400 performances locally, nationally and internationally.
Performers for the anniversary concert include sacred harpist Jeff Ma-jors, who will also be honored at the event. Sinfo-Nia alumnus Ken Ford, the “King of Strings,” is also scheduled to perform. The event will pay tribute to “jazz doctor” and minister, Dwight Andrews. A younger talent, violinist Imani Ray will perform as well. 404-328-0840.
Admission is $50 for VIP, $25 for adults and $15 for students.
DEKALB
DeKalb Board of Health to meet May 28
The next meeting of the DeKalb County Board of Health is scheduled for Thursday, May 28,3 p.m., in the Bohan Auditorium, Richardson Health Center, 445 Winn Way, Decatur. The public is invited to attend.
Agenda items for the meeting are the introduction of a new board member, nominations for interim board parliamentarian, approval of con-tracts with University of Georgia and Georgia State University, approval of proposed FY2016 annual budget, approval of DCBOH annual report for FY2013-2014, a director’s report, a financial status report and service plaque presentations.
Anyone who would like to bring an issue before the board can be placed on the agenda by contacting Sandra Piñeyro at (404) 294-3787. Written comments to the board will be accepted at: Office of the Director, DeKalb County Board of Health, P.O. Box 987, Decatur, GA 30031.
St. Paul AME sets health fair St. Paul AME Worship Center, 1704 Stone Mountain Lithonia Road,
Lithonia, is sponsoring a Life and Health Awareness Expo on May 30, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be various health screenings and information and several vendors. Life South will conduct a blood drive through its mobile bus. Blood donated through Life South is used in the community in which it’s donated. The community is invited.
First Baptist Church sets “Connecting the Dots”
First Baptist Church, 2394 Gresham Road, Atlanta, will host a workshop for families, “Connecting the Dots: The School is Not Your Enemy,” on Saturday, May 30, noon.
The workshop is part of the church’s Parent Education in the Church series. Whether you’re the parent of a toddler or a teen, you know that parenting can be challenging–even overwhelming at times. Get help dealing with these parenting issues. For more information or to register, call 404-243-9288.
DeKalb CSB invites community to creative expression showcase
The DeKalb County Community Service Board, 445 Winn Way, Decatur, in the Bohan Auditorium, will host its creative expression showcase on Friday, May 29, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Clients from DeKalb CSB North DeKalb and Kirkwood Psychosocial Rehabil-itation (PSR) programs will display their jewelry, art, shadowboxes, woodwork and more.
The DeKalb CSB is a public, nonprofit organization that provides a wide range of evidence-based mental health, addiction and developmental disability services. With more than 20 locations across DeKalb County, DeKalb CSB serves more than 10,000 children, adolescents and adults annually to help them recover and resume productive lives. This event is free and open to the public. 404-508-7875.
GWINNETT
Centerville Community Center hosts water conserva-tion workshop
Gwinnett County government and the Centerville Community Center, 3025 Bethany Church Road, Snellville, will host a water conservation workshop, “Homeowner H2O,” on Saturday, May 30, 10 a.m.
The free workshop is for Gwinnett residents to learn how to increase water efficiency at 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.
Gwinnett County will also host the same workshop for other Gwinnett resi-dents on Thursday, June 18, 6 p.m., at the Norcross Human Services Center, 5030 Georgia Belle Court, Norcross.
Pre-register by emailing your name, address, and phone number to [email protected] or by calling 678-376-7126.
Police Department registering for clergy academy The Gwinnett County Police Department is registering clergy leaders for the
department’s Clergy Citizen Police Academy. Applications must be received by Monday, Aug. 3.
Sessions will be held on Mondays Aug. 17 through Sept. 21, noon – 5 p.m. There will be no class on Monday, Sept. 7, because of the Labor Day holiday.
The mission of the Clergy Citizen’s Police Academy is to create and develop a growing nucleus of responsible, well-informed citizens and clergy members who want to learn more about their police department. Members of the academy will learn about the Police Department’s organizational structure, criminal investiga-tions, narcotics, 911 Operations Center, Crime Scene Investigations, emergency management, use of force and internal affairs.
Clergy who are interested in joining may obtain an application through the Citizen’s Police Academy Alumni Association website at www.gwinnettcpa.com. Applications received after Aug. 3 will be considered for future sessions. Submit applications to [email protected], by fax to 770-513-5531, or by mail to P.O. Box 602, Lawrenceville, GA 30046. For questions, email [email protected].
ROCKDALE
Democrats set open house for community resources The Rockdale County Democratic Party and Commissioner Doreen Williams
will host an open house for the Party’s Community Resource Center on May 27, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 1264 Parker Road, Suite K.
The group’s outreach efforts will link volunteers with opportunities to help people in the community and provide a central location where county residents can find information and resources about private, public, or other services they may need for themselves and their families.
Several nonprofit, faith-based, and public sector agencies have been invited to participate and provide information to those who attend. Additionally, state and lo-cal elected officials expected to attend include Sen. Ronald Ramsey and Rockdale County Board of Commissioners Chairman Richard Oden.
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OCGNEWS MAY 22, 2015 • PAGE 5
DOE invites students to check out digital books this summer The Georgia Department of Education invites all Georgia students to check out
digital books available this summer. The digital books bring stories to life and provide audio support that creates a
magical experience for youths and teens. Check out http://thefutureinreading.myon.com/GetGAREADING for more
than 8,000 enhanced digital books with access anytime. Users will need this information to log in and access book titles: School Name:
Get Georgia Reading and you may also need the Username and Password: read. During this trial, all readers will share a single account that provides them with
unlimited 24-7 access to the digital books. Titles will be offered until Aug. 30. For more information, contact Saralee Parker at 678-910-6661 or sparker@
myon.com.
County Fire Department issues burn ban through Sept. 30 The Gwinnett County Department of Fire and Emergency Services will
observe a total burn ban on all outdoor burning from May 1 to Sept. 30 in Gwinnett County.
All types of outdoor or open burning are prohibited during this time period, including the burning of trees, limbs, or any other yard waste and the use of air curtain destructors for land clearing. For unincorporated residents, contact your solid waste hauler to ask about adding yard waste service.
For more information, contact the Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services Community Risk Reduction Division at 678-518-4980 or visit www.gwinnettfiremarshal.com.
increasing its alternative fuel-powered fleet to 174 vehicles; converted all light duty vehicles to synthetic oil to reduce the amount of oil changes needed; maintained a 98 percent positive feedback rate on customer service surveys; achieved 95.4 percent unit availability; calculated less than five percent of fleet vehicles out-of-service at any given time; and completed 3,392 hours of employee training, an increase of 575 hours from the last year.
Last year, the annual list named DeKalb seventh in the nation. For the full list of winners, visit www.the100bestfleets.com.
DeKalb fleet named second best in the U.S. DeKalb County’s Fleet Management Division has been recognized for having
one of the best-managed government fleets in the U.S. for 2014. The “100 Best Fleets in North America,” which recognizes and rewards peak performing fleet operations nationwide, ranked DeKalb County second on its list. First place went to Sacramento, California.
“DeKalb’s Fleet Management Division consistently helps us secure our lead-ership position in sustainability by ensuring the County uses the resources we have efficiently and seeking cost-savings where they can uncover them,” said Interim CEO Lee May. “I am very proud of our Fleet Management Division and thank them for the outstanding work they do.
DeKalb’s Fleet Management Division has achieved the following major ac-complishments in 2014: refurbished 50 law enforecment vehicles, saving $600,000 in new unit purchases and $1 million in equipment purchases for new vehicles; recycled 51,180 pounds of scrap metal and 12,640 gallons of used oil, generating $17,936 in revenue; installed three duel plug electric car charging stations; added 24 alternative fuel vehicles, replacing gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles and
KDB relocates one of its recycling drop-off sitesKeep DeKalb Beautiful (KDB), a unit of the DeKalb County Sanitation Division,
has relocated one of its electronics recycling drop-off sites. The new location is next to the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office located at 4380 Memorial Drive, Deca-tur.
Since 2007, KDB has offered county residents an opportunity to responsibly recycle old electronics, reducing the environmental liability of hazardous materials entering the County’s Seminole Road Landfill. KDB’s electronics recycling program promotes the recycling of obsolete electronic equipment, and the design, manufacture and purchase of environmentally responsible electronic equipment.
The hours of operation for the new drop-off site are 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday through Friday.The current drop-off site at 3643 Camp Circle, Decatur is permanently closed as of May 19.
For more information, contact KDB at 404-371-2654 or [email protected], or visit www.keepdekalbbeautiful.org.
The Atlanta City Council has approved an ordinance to rename a portion of historic Spring Street after entrepreneur and media mogul Ted Turner.
The ordinance, introduced by Councilmember C.T. Martin, was approved by a vote of 9-3 on May 18. The portion of Spring Street between Whitehall Street and West Peachtree Street is near the area where Turner established some of his more well-known business endeavors: TBS, the CNN Center and Ted’s Montana Grill.
“Ted Turner is truly an indelible part of the fabric of Atlanta and someone who has put not only his money but his heart and soul in putting Atlanta on the global landscape,” Martin said.
As a philanthropist, Turner is known for his $1 billion gift to support the United Nations, which created the United Nations Foundation, a public charity to broaden support for the UN. Turner serves as chairman of the United Nations Foundation board of directors.
Portion of historic Spring Street to be named for Ted Turner
Ted Turner
PAGE 6 •MAY 22, 2015 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
Sims eyes CEO seat for 2016
Calvin E. Sims, a past contender for political office in DeKalb County, says that he’s forming an exploratory com-mittee to weigh running for the county’s CEO position in 2016. Suspended CEO Burrell Ellis’ four-year term ends in 2016.
Sims, 61, ran for the posi-tion in 2004 against incumbent Vernon Jones, who won a sec-ond four-year term over Sims and five other candidates. Sims also ran against Sharon Barnes Sutton, who won re-election for the District 4 in 2008.
Sims says he is looking at the seat again because he be-lieves he can make a difference.
“I will bring a fresh set of eyes on the county, a new vi-sion and direction,” Sims said. “I will focus on ethical and effective government, business/economic development, job growth, transportation, and DeKalb becoming a leader in the region.”
Sims, who retired from MARTA after 31 years of service, holds a Master’s in Public Administration as an honors graduate from Strayer University. Sims was enrolled in Harvard University’s Post Graduate Studies Church-Based Community and Economic De-velopment Summer Leadership institute in 2005.
Sims has been involved in a number of community orga-nizations including the DeKalb NAACP; serving as president of the Chapman’s Mill/Redan Park Homeowners Association; charter member of the Greater Hidden Hills Community De-velopment Corporation; former president of the Gresham Park Community Organization; and a former assistant Scout Master for Troop 394.
Calvin E. Sims
Adams became a minister in 1992 in the True Church of God in Christ, Inc. In 1996, he became a pastor, evangelizing in Carrollton, Douglasville, Atlanta, Alabama, Tennessee, Michigan, and Milwaukee; and internationally in Kenya, Jamaica, and the Philippines.
Adams is married to his wife of 30 years, Jacqueline Adams. They have six children and eight grandchildren.
Harmel Deanne CodiCodi is a child advocate/educational
consultant. She serves as executive director for a self-esteem, goal-setting youth program intended to reduce recidivism and is also owner of Codi & Associated Business solutions, a business-development partnership to help small businesses increase values and profits and improve their service qualities
As an entrepreneur, Codi has built, managed and successfully run several businesses in DeKalb, including a real-estate and mortgage firm that operated for almost a decade until the mortgage crisis.
Codi has lived in District 5 for 15 years and has been among those actively advocating for representation since the District 5 seat became vacant in July 2013.
Codi holds a Juris Doctorate (JD), a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) and several certifications in finance, accounting, housing and economic development, and project management. She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, the Stone Mountain-Lithonia chapter of the National Coalition of the 100 Black Women, the University of Georgia Alumni Association, the Black MBA and various professional career-related associations. She is fluent in five languages, reflecting DeKalb County’s cultural and linguistic diversity, and is a member of the First Saint Paul AME Church in Lithonia.
Jerome Edmondson Jerome Edmondson is an author,
entrepreneur, and small business consultant. He is the owner of the Entrepreneur Development Network and President and CEO of TopTel USA. He has lived in District 5 for 11 years.
Edmondson coached thousands of aspiring and now practicing entrepreneurs. He educates on the local and national level, teaching the art and understanding of growing proven multi-million dollar firms and effectively decreasing the unemployment percentages in the process.
He is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and has a Bachelor’s degree in Finance. He received national media spotlight as the nation’s first African American Denny’s restaurant franchisee.
The Obama Administration recently vetted Edmondson for a leadership position in the U.S. Small Business Administration. Edmondson is a board member of the Butler Street YMCA.
He has been married for more than 25 years. They have three children and four grandchildren.
Gwen Russell GreenGreen has been a media specialist with the
DeKalb County School District for 26 years and expresses her creative passion as a poet.
She is a 31-year resident of District 5. She has served on the boards of the Greater Atlanta YWCA and The Georgia Center for the Book.
Green is a member of the Organization of DeKalb Educators (ODE), the Georgia Association of Educators (GAE), and the National Education Association (NEA) and was a longstanding member of the Georgia Association of Educators Legislative Committee. She has worked for many years as a volunteer at the Traditions Health and Rehabilitation Center in Lithonia. Green has been actively involved in the DeKalb Clean and Beautiful initiative.
Green sis a single mother who has raised three adult children. She has three grandchildren.
Vaughn Irons Vaughn D. Irons is a seasoned
businessman who is the CEO of APD Solutions.
He is an eight-year resident of District 5 who is a community servant and activist who has advocated for economic development in DeKalb County. He has served on a number of boards including the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, DeKalb Development Authority, the YMCA of South DeKalb, and Sandstone Estates Homeowners Association.
Irons is also a member of the Neighborhood Development Foundation of New Orleans, Mercy Housing Southeast, Leadership DeKalb, the Women’s Resource Center Against Domestic Violence, the National Association of Home Builders
Remodelers Council and the Joint Development Authority of Metropolitan Atlanta.
Irons was awarded the 2014 CEO of the Year by the Georgia Business Council in conjunction with the Atlanta Business Journal. Irons served for Freddie Mac most recently as National Director of Housing & Community Investment. Previously, Irons also served as Director of Housing for Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Atlanta.
Irons holds a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Maryland, an undergraduate degree in Urban Policy from Syracuse University, a graduate-level certification in Housing and Community Development, also from the University of Maryland College Park, and a certificate from the University of Southern California Ross Minority Program in Real Estate Development. Irons holds the designation of Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS).
Mereda Davis JohnsonMereda Davis Johnson has practiced
law for more than 30 years, concentrating in the area of family law. She is a partner with Johnson Hopewell Coleman, LLC. She became the first black female judge in DeKalb County when she was appointed in l985.
A DeKalb resident for 35 years, she has lived in District 5 for 32 years.
Johnson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree from Tennessee State University. She obtained her Juris Doctorate from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University in Houston, where she met her law and life partner, Congressman Hank Johnson. She is a co-founder and past president of the DeKalb Lawyers Association and continues to serve as a volunteer. She also serves on the Board of Directors of DeKalb Hospital Authority and the Georgia Democratic Committee as a member at large. She is a former board member of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Inc., Georgia Legal Services, Inc. and numerous other boards and has served as a volunteer lawyer for Decatur Cooperative Ministry.
Johnson is a member of the Congressional Spouses Club and the immediate past chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Spouses, where she served for four years.
Johnson and her husband have two children. She is a member of Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church.
Gina S. ManghamGina Mangham is an attorney. She is a
certified mediator and a practicing attorney specializing in business disputes, wills and estates, and other family matters.
A resident of DeKalb County for 30 years, she has spent 25 years in District 5.
She earned a BBA in Finance and a Doctorate in Law. Mangham has experience in finance, management, and community economic development.
Mangham has been a community advocate in South DeKalb for 25 years, successfully fighting development that would be detrimental to the community such as increased multi-family housing, the Greenco Composting facility, and the proposed bio-mass plant in Lithonia.
Working with several community groups, she is now advocating to eliminate corruption in government and Home Appraisal Redlining in South DeKalb. Mangham led the effort to fill the temporarily vacant District 5 seat on the DeKalb County Commission. She ran for the seat in 2012, receivingmore than 2,500 votes. Mangham currently serves as vice president of the Friends of Stonecrest Library, Treasurer of the South DeKalb Improvement Association, and is a member of the NAACP.
Kathryn Rice Rice is a consultant in community
economic development. She founded Building Quality Communities (BQC) in 2009 and develops economic development training programs for local and urban areas.
A resident of District 5 for 19 years, she is president of Concerned Citizens for Cityhood of South DeKalb, the organization that the movement to establish the proposed city of Greenhaven.
Rice studied public policy and economic development at Georgia State University. She worked for Georgia Institute of Technology Community Policy and Research Services as director of the Community Economic Development Institute program (CEDI). She has served as deputy director of the Atlanta Empowerment Zone Corporation. She taught courses in Economic Development and Urban Affairs at Georgia State University.
She earned her undergraduate degree from Harvard College and her Ph.D. in public policy specializing in Economic Development from Georgia Tech and Georgia State University. Her research interests include economic development,
Get Out To VoteJune 16Special Election
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OCGNEWS MAY 22, 2015 • PAGE 7
DeKalb Judge Gregory A. Adams has issued a news release to let voters know that he is not a candidate for the DeKalb County Commission District 5 seat. The judge said he also is not related by blood or marriage to the Gregory Adams, who is running for District 5. The District 5 candidate, Gregory Adams, does not use a middle initial and is an Emory police officer. He has run in the past for political office and the judge wants to make sure voters know the difference.
Judge Adams was initially elected to the bench in 2004 and re-elected in 2008 and 2012 without opposi-tion.
Judge Adams is a graduate of Georgia State Univer-
sity and the School of Law at the University of Georgia. Prior to Judge Adams’ election to the Superior Court he served as the Chief Judge of the Juvenile Court for ten years. On April 10, 2007, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to name the new $45 million juvenile court the “Gregory A. Adams Juvenile Justice Center,” making Judge Adams the first judge to have a building named in his honor in the his-tory of DeKalb County, which was founded in 1822.
Judge Adams said he is very excited and looking forward to being able to serve the citizens of DeKalb County as a member of the Judiciary and thanks them for their support over the years.
Do you know who’s who?: Gregory A. Adams or Gregory Adams?
DeKalb Judge Gregory A. Adams
DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Asha Jackson accepted plea deals from three former DeKalb County Watershed Department employees charged with bilking DeKalb County out of thousands of dollars in fraudulent overtime pay.
Both, Cynthia Hall and Jarvis Foster, were sentenced to 15 years, to serve two behind bars on May 20. The third defendant, Anthony Lee, was sentenced to 15 years to serve one in custody. All three have a shared restitution of $20,000. Hall made a payment of $15,000 prior to her plea.
According to the District Attorney’s Office’s investigation, Hall, who was a payroll technician in the Watershed Department, manipulated the timekeeping system by directing large amounts of overtime pay to various employees who never worked the overtime hours. Hall would then receive kickbacks ranging from $700-$3,000 bi-weekly. Both, Foster and Lee, were beneficiaries of Hall’s manipulated overtime payment scheme.
“An internal audit revealed overtime discrepancies which led authorities to Hall and others involved. Our investigation showed that Hall led an elaborate and illegal scheme to line her pockets with taxpayer dollars,” said District Attorney Robert James. “Throughout 2011, Hall, Foster and Lee deliberately misrepresented hours they actually worked in overtime to essentially commit theft against DeKalb County.”
Judge Jackson denied Foster’s request to turn himself in to authorities at a later date. All three defendants were immediately taken into custody following their guilty plea.
James pointed out that the investigation is still ongoing.
“We are aware that there could be additional individuals who benefited from this theft of overtime scheme,” James said. “My office is actively pursuing those leads. Today’s sentence should send a resounding message that public corruption will not be tolerated in this county.”
DeKalb County police have arrested 23-year-old Justin Savage of Stone Mountain and charged him with aggravated assault in connection with the May 13 road rage incident on I-20 west.
Savage is charged with firing shots at a vehi-
cle occupied by two adults and two children on I-20 west near Candler Road. Shattered glass from one of those shots injured a 2-year-old child.
Savage was arrested at his home on May 15 without incident and the weapon, a .40 caliber handgun, was also recovered.
“This kind of reckless conduct put the lives of innocent people at risk and will not be tolerated here in DeKalb County,” said Dr. Cedric Alexander, Deputy Chief Operating Officer of Public Safety. “It is the incredible work of the men and women of this Department, along with the support of the community that bring criminals like this to justice.”
Former DeKalb Watershed workers get jail time for overtime scheme
DeKalb police arrest Stone Mountain man for road rage shooting
Anthony Lee
Oslushla Smith sentenced to life plus 40 years DeKalb Judge Gail Flake sen-
tenced Bloods Street Gang member Oslusha Smith to life plus 40 years in jail for the deaths of Michael Phillips and Alexis Malone.
According to the indictment, a fight erupted involving Malone and another female at a Stone Moun-tain apartment complex on May 3, 2014. Fellow members of the Bloods Street Gang arrived to assist Malone. The altercation intensified and the gang members opened fire, ultimately shooting and killing an unarmed and innocent bystander, Michael Phillips.
“This senseless and reckless act of violence ended with the loss of two lives,” said District Attorney Robert James. “This sentence sends a loud message that gangs are not welcome here in DeKalb County.”
Days after Phillips’ murder, Oslushla Smith became concerned that Malone would reveal details about the shooting to authorities. On or about May 9, Smith lured Malone to a wooded area where 17-year-old Malone was killed by strikes to the
head and face with a rock. According to James, gang violence
is a major concern in DeKalb and sur-rounding areas.
“The gang issue is no longer just a concern of the inner city. Gangs have permeated not only to large cities, but also surrounding suburbs and commu-nities,” said James. “My office works closely with local law enforcement agencies to actively combat the threat of gang-related activities and crimes.”
Smith pled guilty to various felony charges including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and violation of the street gang terrorism and prevention act. Smith and co-defendant Cutrez Johnson were later apprehended at an Atlanta hotel after an extensive standoff with APD SWAT. Johnson was previously sentenced to twenty years to serve fifteen in custody.
The remaining co-defendants, Kemontay Cullins and Kayla Dixon, are scheduled for trial on June 22 in Judge Flake’s courtroom.
Oslushla Smith
Jarvis FosterCynthia Hall.
Justin Savage
neighborhood revitalization, and municipal incorporations.
Through her company, Rice has worked with Georgia Tech, DeKalb County, United Way of Metro Atlanta, The Center for Working Families, Inc., Abundant Communities Together, Inc. in New York and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Kenneth R. Saunders, IIIKenneth R.
Saunders, III is a 30-year resident of DeKalb County who was raised in District 5.
He has served on the DeKalb Community Council for 15 years. In addition, he has held elected roles with the Hidden Hills Civic Association for more than 12 years.
Saunders is a graduate of Redan High School. He continued his education at Southern Polytechnic University, and is professionally engaged throughout the region as
a technology consultant. He is a technology blogger and he does live broadcasts about technology. Saunders is single.
George Turner, Jr. Turner is a retired
MARTA General Superintendent who served 29 years with the transit company. Turner was nominated by Interim CEO Lee May to fill the District 5 seat from among several candidates who initially applied to temporarily be appointed to the seat.
Turner has lived in District 5 for more than 25 years and currently serves as president of the District 5 Community Council. He is a volunteer with the Georgia General Assembly. Turner also serves on the Board of the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area and is president of Hunters Run II Homeowners Association.
A Georgia native, Turner earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Georgia
State University and has done further study at the University of Wisconsin. He also completed Technical Management Training with the Chicago Transit Authority. He is married and the father of two adult children.
Mark Your Calendars
The following District 5 Candidates Forums
have been scheduled:
May 26, 6:30 p.m., Stonecrest Library, hosted by Restore DeKalb
May 28, 7 to 9 p.m., Lou Walker Senior Center, hosted by Delta Sigma Theta-Decatur, Lithonia Stone Mountain Chapter
June 2, 6 p.m., Stonecrest Library, hosted by the Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce
June 9, 7 p.m., Stonecrest Library, hosted by the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Stone-Mountain Lithonia Chapter
June 10, 8:30 a.m., Fairfield Inn and Suites Hotel-Stonecrest, hosted by the Stonecrest Business Alliance
About the Special Election
Only District 5 residents will participate in the special election.
Early voting (in person) will begin on Tuesday, May 26, and continue weekdays through Friday, June 12, 8;30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections Office, 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur. There will be no weekend voting or satellite locations.
On Election Day, June 16, the polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at all regular polling places in District 5. If needed, the runoff will be held on Tuesday, July 14, with early voting for the runoff beginning on June 29 at the DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections Office with the same hours. The early voting poll will be closed July 3 for holiday.
For more information, go to www.dekalbvotes.com or call 404-298-4020.
Gregory Adams
PAGE 8 •MAY 22, 2015 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
Story by Joshua Smith Photos by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG NEWS
More than 700 people turned out Sunday for the Street Ball
event hosted at Pine Log Park in Conyers by Rockdale County Post I Commissioner Oz Nesbitt. With assistance from the iPilot Movement and professional basketball player PJ Meyers, Nesbitt welcomed NBA Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins and recent NFL Falcons draftee Grady Jarrett to take part in the event, which encouraged youths to be active in their community and in sports. Both, Jarrett and Wilkins, are residents of Rockdale.
“It is so great to see Rockdale County giving these kids options with these basketball courts, a place you can call a safe haven for our young kids. What this does is give youth the chance to develop as a better person and athlete because it’s more out here than just the streets and remember what you do in the classroom is just as important as what you do on the court or the field,” said Wilkins.
“I’m happy to be here from Rockdale County and excited to play for the hometown team, the Atlanta Falcons. It took a lot of hard work, dedication and self-belief to get here,” said Jarrett, a 6’1” 304-pound Nose
Tackle, who played college football at Clemson University. Jarrett is a Rockdale County High School graduate.
Jarrett and Wilkins were on hand to talk to youths about the importance of teamwork and other life lessons. Nesbitt presented both with county proclamations.
While members of the Rockdale County Fire Department greeted
families, youths who came out to the event participated in several pickup basketball games.
“It was a proud moment to celebrate youth taking advantage of these courts, praising our hometown hero and Atlanta Falcon Grady Jarrett, and recognizing Rockdale resident and NBA legend Dominique Wilkins,” said Nesbitt. “Today proves that teamwork
can make the dream work. So many great people came together to make this event possible.”
Also in attendance were State Representatives Pam Dickerson and DeKalb County Commissioner Stan Watson.
To see viedo go to ocgnews.com
Students at C.J. Hicks Elementary School in Conyers were treated to a hot dogs cookout that boasted hawaiian fun as schools around metro Atlanta prepared to close for summer break.
The children danced to the music played by a DJ while enjoying ice-cold juices garnished with colorful umbrellas.
The kids got the chance to get their faces painted and they painted their own creations. They also had fun doing sidewalk art with chalk, blowing bubbles from a huge bubble pool, hula hooping and playing other games.
Staff and parents chowed down on the real stuff: chicken wings, ribs, potato salad and baked beans.
I think we all will remember this day for a lifetime,” said kindergarten teacher and party planner Applemania Bradford. “We wanted to give the kids this token of love to show them we are truly proud of everything they accomplished during their kindergarten year.”
Street Ball in Rockdale NBA legend Dominique Wilkins, new Falcons’ Grady Jarrett greet kids at Sunday fun day
C.J. Hicks Elementary marks the end of school with Hawaiian funPhotos by Joshua Smith/OCG NEWS
Left: Kids enjoy shooting hoops. Top Right: Oz Nesbitt, Dominique Wilkins and Grady JarrettBottom: A Rockdale firefighter has fun with kids
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OCGNEWS MAY 22, 2015 • PAGE 9
By Joshua Smith
At 77 years young, senior citizen Edith Houston may be hitting her prime. On May 20, she placed second
in two swimming events, winning silver medals as a competitor in DeKalb County’s 29th Annual Senior Olympic games.
“About two years ago, I decided to take swimming lessons at Lou Walker and haven’t looked back. Over the years, I have watched my kids compete in swimming and they were really good in AAU and Swim America but after they grew up and left the house, one day I decided to make a splash myself,” said Houston, who lives in Decatur. Last year, she took home the gold in a swimming event. “It’s important for all of us to do stuff like this. For myself, I want to stay active so my bones will remain strong and I can live independent without having to depend on my children or a home.”
Houston says she also keeps her brain strong. So when she’s not working with weights and doing yoga, the senior citizen is participating in the Wesley Chapel book club or studying scriptures at the Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Decatur.
“If the Lord allows it, I’ll be right back in the water here next year. I love DeKalb County for offering us the Olympics and I’m so thankful for centers like Lou Walker because it allows us to stay healthy and not spend a fortune,” said Houston.
County lifeguards and lifeguard supervisors timed and judged the swimming events, which included mens and womens 50 M freestyle, 100 M freestyle, 50 M breast stroke, 100 M breast stroke, 50 M backstroke, 50 M butterfly and the 100 M butterfly.
DeKalb County Government, County Recreation, as well as DeKalb’s Parks and Cultural Affairs welcomed hundreds of seniors to compete from May 15 – May 22 in a series of events.
The Olympic-style sports festival provides seniors the chance to participate in a variety of sports, including free-throw basketball, bowling, golf, horseshoes, track and field, billiards, swimming, table tennis and water volleyball. Both, team and individual sports, make up the annual event. Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded to the top three finishers in each event.
The DeKalb County Senior Olympic Games is open to all residents of DeKalb as well as residents from surrounding counties. It is always open to active seniors 50 and older with events at several events throughout DeKalb.
The DeKalb Senior Olympics began in 1986 as a recreation center program for seniors attending the Mason Mill Recreation Center. DeKalb’s first Senior Olympics hosted 50 athletes and as years have passed, the participation has increased immensely. The DeKalb Senior Olympics now hosts about 200 to 300 male and female athletes annually. The oldest athlete to ever compete was 89.
The Olympics is held in conjunction with National Older Americans Month. This year’s theme is Get into the Act.”
Over the years, some retired competitors have become like family for their senior counterparts, as seen with swimming coach Warren St. James. At the
age of 60, he coaches Edith Houston and other seniors looking to go for the gold at the annual event.
“We all get to know each other on a personal level, asking about each other’s grandchildren, calling each other just to check up and things like that. The water is my universe and I love seeing that passion in these swimmers,” said St. James, who
competed for three years in the annual event before deciding to become a coach for this year’s Olympics. “This first year was like a great experiment for us this year. To get a real feel for the water, competition and to experience that adrenaline rush when you start the race. We will take off about two weeks and then it’s back to training and getting ready for next year.”
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Seniors earn medals at DeKalb’s OlympicsPhotos by Joshua Smith/OCG News
PAGE 10 •MAY 22, 2015 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
Rockdale County Magnet School for Science and Technology Valedictorian
Tiffany Adjmul is preparing to turn a new chapter in her life and she will be leaving the South to do it. In the fall, she will enroll at the University of Pennsylvania, nearly 700 miles from her home.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet for us, especially my parents, that I will be so far away from home but I knew this university has one of the top business programs in the country and because I want to study business management and finance, I knew this was the right university for me,” said Adjmul, who hopes to become a CEO of a Fortune 500 company.
Adjmul’s extracurricular activities at the magnet school included serving as president of the Magnet Ambassadors Program, secretary of the National Honors Society and peer tutor in math and chemistry.
“It was great working as an ambassador for the school. I got the chance to work with very bright middle
schoolers and mold the next generation of great magnet students in the county.”
Captain of the school’s math team, salutatorian Naomi Siddiquee knows the equation to success: hard work, strong support form family and self-motivation.
“Since elementary school, I’ve motivated myself to do well,” said Siddiquee, who will be attending the University of Georgia Honors Program in the fall. In Athens, she will study biochemistry with a minor in of course, math. “I want to get in the medical field and I’m open to all aspects of it. I love helping people.”
Siddiquee plans to attend medical school, following in the footsteps of her father, who is a practitioner of internal medicine. In addition to defeating the competition with her math squad at competitions throughout the South, Siddiquee also served on the Student Council for four years and was its vice president this year. She also was vice president of the National Honor Society.
By Joshua Smith
Rockdale County High School’s top two students in the class of 2015 say these
last few weeks have been filled with nervous, excited fun. Valedictorian Ronzell Teague, Jr. plans to attend the University of South Alabama to study exercise science and pursue a degree in physical therapy. It’s a fitting choice, considering that Teague as a Rockdale Bulldog played baseball and football at Rockdale, was a member of the wrestling team and track and field team. He’s a four-sport letterman athlete at RCHS.
“I’m looking forward to working out with the team there and of course freshman orientation. The coaches say they love my workout ethic and after looking at my film, they are ready to give me a chance to be a walk on for the team,” said 17-year-old Teague, a slot wide receiver who is 5’10” and160 pounds.
When he isn’t participating in school sports, he’s studying hard in college prep courses and he enjoys doing anything to stay in shape.
Teague credits his parents —
his father, Ronzell, Sr.; stepmother, Sjuwana Teague, and his deceased biological mother, Yvonne Robinson, for inspiring him to succeed academically.
Salutatorian and fellow Bulldog Brionna Johnigan, 17, may be leading the advertising and marketing for some of sports’ biggest events in the near future. She’s already worked on huge sporting events such as the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl through an internship with Next Play Promotions in Covington. She says she understands what it takes to be competitive. A member of the school’s Future Business Leaders of America and Distributive Education Clubs of America, Johnigan is also a varsity and competition cheerleader. She plans to attend Kennesaw State University in the fall.
“I really enjoy sports marketing and promotions for sports. As an athlete, I can work with a better understanding for marketing athletes and sporting events,” said Johnigan, who was also a finalist in the 2014 Governor’s Honors Program, a four-week residential summer program for gifted students to explore their potential major.
Graduation 2015Rockdale County High School salutes its valedictorian, salutatorian
Rockdale County Magnet School for Science and Technology’s top students prepare for business, medical careers
Heritage’s Val and Sal love to bring people joy
Heritage High School Valedictorian GraceAnne Dukes has spent most of
her high school career entertaining the community on stage as part of the school’s musical theatre club.
The president of the high school’s Beta Club, Dukes plans to use her skills of getting the best out of people, in the business world. She enjoys getting to know people and what they like and dislike. She wants to us those skills to help a major company pinpoint demographics and get to know the trends of people from all walks of
life. She will be going to Clemson University to study pre-business and marketing because of that. The Heritage senior says she really wants to get into target marketing and would love to help a company figure out things like key demographics for sales and other aspects for profit.
“I thank Heritage for my AP classes and making me a well-rounded person. Some things I will never forget here, working as an editor for our student newspaper and hanging
continue on next page
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OCGNEWS MAY 22, 2015 • PAGE 11
Gwinnett County Several of the county’s honor students were recognized as the highest-ranking
students in their school, earning the title of valedictorian or salutatorian. They are:
Dr. Jabari Simama, Presidentand
The Board of Directors of Georgia Piedmont Technical College
with
The Board of Trustees of the
Georgia Piedmont Technical College Foundation
Invite you to attend our
2015 Spring CommencementSaturday, the Thirtieth Day of May,
Two Thousand Fifteenat
Ten o’clock in the morning
Teddy Riley, Speaker
Grammy Award Winning Singer, Songwriter & Musician
at the
Georgia World Congress Center285 Andrew Young International Boulevard, N.W.
Atlanta, Georgia 30303
Georgia Piedmont Technical College2015 Spring Commencement
Announcement
Presidential Sankofa Award Recipients:Teddy Riley • J. Neil Shorthouse • Patricia A. Pflum
Georgia Piedmont Technical College495 N. Indian Creek Dr., Clarkston, GA 30021 • 404-297-9522
Equal Opportunity Institution
Roland Lank-ston Carter II,
my firstborn. I am so proud of you. I have believed from the first day that I laid eyes on you that you were special to God. He has been faithful to you and He will continue if you keep Him first. Congratulations for completing your first leg of education by graduating from Arabia Mountain High School. Mommy is proud! The race is not given to the swift or to the strong but to those who endure to the end. I love your
tenacity. You will finish anything that you start. Love, Mom (Doreen Carter)
in hoops for circus training for the production, Chicago. I still have some battle wounds from that experience but I had a blast doing it,” said Dukes, who is 17.
The school’s salutatorian, 18-year-old Crystal Sipp will be attending UGA where she will be studying public health. It only makes since considering Sipp is president of the school’s Clean Air Association and president of the Interact Club. She is also secretary of the school chorus and the treasure for both, the school’s Beta Club and National Honor Society. Sipp was also an apprentice at Rockdale Medical Center this year.
“I will never forget my experiences at Rockdale Medical. One patient that really stands out in my mind is a young lady who tore her ACL so severely she had to get it replaced,” said Sipp, who wants to be a physician’s assistant and eventually, an anesthesiologist. “I was able to calm her down and talk her through the transfer procedure. She came out ok and everything turned out good for her.”
School Valedictorian(1st in Class) Salutatorian(2nd in Class)
Archer High Mary Mahaffey John MahaffeyBerkmar High Sally Tran Juan Eduardo MartinezBrookwood High Ryan Chen Laboni HoqueCentral Gwinnett High Amelia Melas Rhodalene Benjamin-AddyCollins Hill High Aksal Vashi Kenneth WilliamsDacula High Jennifer Vezeau Douglas Byron Allen StewartDuluth High Kishan Chudasama Vishnu RamachandranGrayson High Shah Khan Yash ShirsathGwinnett County Online Campus Abigail Harrison Jarod SjogrenGwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Josh Brunner Grayson NoahLanier High Dain Song Ji Hee MinMeadowcreek High Christina Bui Lilian HoangMill Creek High Katherine Victoria Harrison Birk EvavoldMountain View High Kasey Bell Gabrielle MarquezNorcross High Ethan Chervonski Matthew ChenNorth Gwinnett High Elton Lossner Megan PaikParkview High Kexin Zhang Ziyu “Julia” DingPeachtree Ridge High Kevin Benjamin Lim William BroniecPhoenix High Shiloh High Qsanet Negassi Tekie Courtney Simone BlairSouth Gwinnett High Olivia Casimir Destiny Broadnax
Congratulations to our scholar
Darold P. Honore’, III! We are so proud of your accomplishments, Beta Club induction, 5th grade honor roll, and a great attitude. You are now officially
a middle schooler! We love you!
Mom and Dad
PAGE 12 •MAY 22, 2015 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
One of them will be helping mothers and their babies as an OB/GYN and the other
may be inventing the next great robot to help us all as a mechanical engineer.
Salem’s Valedictorian Micheala Davis is heading to Georgia State University to major in Biology. She then plans to head to Emory University to become an OB/GYN. Davis, who grew up in Jamaica, says her family and one of her 11th grade teachers motivated her to excel beyond just what is required, to go the extra mile.
“This honor was never expected. My parents always pushed me and coached me to be great. Also, my 11th grade literature teacher, Ms. DeBraca Rodriguez, was always there when I needed her. It’s that kind of support that kept me on course,” said Davis, who turns 17 on May 23.
Davis is a member of the school’s Beta Club, Honor Society, Interact Club and several groups and ministries at her church, Conyers Seventh Day Adventist.
For the school’s salutatorian, 18-year-old Chris Jackson, tough times, including dealing with homelessness, are what motivated him to excel.
“Looking back on what my family has been through is amazing. I’ve been working 30 plus hours a week at Advanced Auto Supplies, plus preparing
for college prep classes and practicing for football,” said Jackson, who was raised by his mother.
Jackson, who will be attending Clark Atlanta University and eventually, Georgia Tech to major in mechanical
engineering, plans to work in robotics and artificial intelligence.
Jackson has been a member of the school’s varsity football team since his freshman year. He is also a member of the school’s Beta Club, Honor
Society, work-based learning at the Rockdale Career Academy and youth apprenticeship. Jackson also volunteers at Grace Church International as a keyboardist and pianist.
The future is in good hands with Salem High School’s top students
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WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OCGNEWS MAY 22, 2015 • PAGE 13
By Joshua Smith
Decatur resident Bertha Williams says every since the Publix supermarket closed on Memorial Drive in 2013, coming across fresh produce is no easy task.
“I could walk a mile to the Kroger, but walking a mile when your 59 in this summer sun, is not easy. I could take the bus but with all the grocery bags, you just hope they don’t end up busting and spilling fruit all over the place,” said Williams. “This mobile market is really going to help all of us. The price will be cheaper than most stores and it’s coming to us? That’s awesome.”
DeKalb County has heard the cries of Williams and other residents living in what are considered “food desserts,” areas where you have to go more than a mile for fresh produce.
Now, residents will see a large green bus rolling into their neighborhoods to sell fresh produce at reduced prices.
DeKalb Interim CEO Lee May says the bus represents a partnership between DeKalb County Government, DeKalb County Extension and the DeKalb County Board of Health. Through “employee sharing,” members of DeKalb County sanitation will drive the bus in shifts. They will use that time to not only drive the truck but also to promote their F.O.G. program: Fats, Oils and Greases being disposed properly.
“Twenty-three percent of DeKalb households are located more than a mile from a healthy food source,” May said at the May 21 launch. “We’re excited to bring fresh produce directly to our residents countywide to greatly help with the prevention of many diet-related diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.”
The rolling farmers’ market was transformed from a Sheriff’s transportation bus for convicts by members of DeKalb County Fleet Maintenance via a grant written by the DeKalb County Board of Health estimated at about $699,000.
“Over one-fourth of the DeKalb County adults are obese. Obesity-related conditions include Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer – some of the leading causes of preventable deaths,” said S. Elizabeth Ford, district director for the DeKalb County Board of Health. “We know that just asking residents to eat more fruits and vegetables is not enough. People have to have access to them. The Mobile Farmers Market is a way to make it easier for residents to eat better and combat obesity.”
The launch was much more than a ribbon cutting. It was more like a festival, where dozens of seniors and children were treated to a buffet of produce, a smorgasbord of everything from peppers and peaches to cabbage and freshly-squeezed lemonade. There were also plenty of peanuts and pecans to go around and for those residents with a green thumb, there were also seedlings of several fresh vegetables. You could take as much as you could fit in your county provided bag. There were also vendors and plenty of healthy snacks to go around, including fruit pizza, veggie or
“fiesta quesadillas,” roasted corn on the cob fresh off the grill and fruit smoothies.
Radio One disk jockeys were also there doing a live broadcast at the event.
Jessica Hill, DeKalb County’s Extension’s director, announced the community will have a chance to win $100 in free produce. Submit a catchy name for the bus for a public vote that will be promoted @ItsinDeKalb on Twitter.
The rolling market will be at the locations below after county officials establish dates for the sites:
DeKalb launches Mobile Farmers Market
Location Address City Zip
Austin Drive Community Development Inc. .......1989 Austin Drive ................. Decatur ....................... 30032Hairston Lakes Apartments ....................................1023 N. Hairston Road .......... Stone Mountain .......... 30083Spring Chase II Apartments ...................................4947 Memorial Drive ............ Stone Mountain .......... 30083Midway Recreation Center .....................................3181 Midway Road ................ Decatur ....................... 30032Reach Community Development Center Inc. .......6212 B Memorial Drive ........ Stone Mountain ......... 30083Hamilton Recreation Center ...................................3263 Chapel Street ................. Scottdale ..................... 30079
Photos by Joshua Smith/OCG News
PAGE 14 •MAY 22, 2015 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
Rockdale elections supervisor Cynthia Welch receives honors
Cynthia Welch,
Rockdale County’s Supervisor of Elections, was elected president of the Georgia Election Officials Association at the group’s 30th Annual Conference in Savannah.
During the conference, which was held May 3-6, Welch also was awarded the “2015 Ann Hicks Award,” which recognizes election officials in the state of Georgia for their excellence in Georgia election administration. The award was presented by Georgia’s Secretary of State Brian Kemp, who also served as a presenter and guest speaker at the annual conference.
As president of the Georgia
Election Officials Association, Welch will lead a body of more than 400 members.
In addition, through her hard work and with the support of the Daughters and Nobles of Nabbar Court No. 123 and Nabbar Temple No. 128, Welch was victorious in her quest to represent the Georgia Prince Hall Shriners and Daughters of Isis as their 2015 Queen for the Desert of Georgia.
As a member of Nabbar Court No. 123 Daughters of Isis, Welch was crowned the 2015 queen during the organization’s Annual Desert/Gala Day Conference held in Augusta, April 30-May 3. Welch is a member of Nabbar Court No. 123 where she serves on various committees.
Health Fair to offer free screenings for adultsRockdale County Senior Services is
inviting the public to the annual Sick-ness Prevention Achieved through Re-gional Collaborations (S.P.A.R.C) fair on Thursday, May 28, 9 a.m. – noon, at the Olivia Haydel Senior Center, 1240 Dogwood Drive, Conyers.
The event encourages adults to participate in a variety of free health checks and screenings, including blood pressure and glucose checks, diabetes screenings, clinical breast exams and mental health screenings.
People are also encouraged to bring all of their medications for a pharmacist
medicine review, as well as learn more about Legal Aide, Medicare, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
Services are free and referrals available.
Participating service agencies will include the Atlanta Regional Commis-sion, Conyers Family Chiropractic Cen-ter, Georgia Cares, Oakhurst Medical Center, Reagan Home Care Pharmacy, Rockdale County government, Rock-dale Medical Center and View Point Health. For more information, call 770-278-7230.
Cynthia Welch
African Americans spend more time caregiving than Caucasians—a
weekly average of 30 hours provid-ing care. African- American care-givers are more likely to experience a higher level of burden from caring for their loved one, according to a recent Alzheimer’s Association report. The report stated that in the past year, “17.9 billion hours 217.7 billion dollars of unpaid care was provided by caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias.”
It is a cruel realty that people who act as caregivers for loved ones (particularly loved ones with Alz-heimer’s disease) have a heightened risk for developing dementia them-selves. On average, it is estimated that this increased risk translates to a caregiver being six times more likely to develop dementia than a non-caregiver.
Numerous investigations have shown that caregivers for people with Alzheimer’s have consistent-ly ranked lower than same-aged non-caregivers on assessments of memory, attention, and cognitive functioning. This measurable de-crease in cognitive capabilities is thought to put caregivers at greater risk for developing dementia. Re-searchers have theorized that a com-bination of several different factors including; caregiver isolation, and increased stress contributed to this increased vulnerability to dementia.
It is important for caregivers to prioritize self-care activities, such as exercising or maintaining a well-balanced diet, to decrease stress levels and improve his or her overall health. Dr. Patricia Griffiths, a gerontologist at the Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Reha-bilitation Center, and Dr. Kenneth Hepburn, the Education Core Direc-tor at the Emory University Alzhei-mer’s Disease Research Center, see
the caregiver as an instrument. If the instrument is overused, broken, or not taken care of properly, it cannot function properly.
Unfortunately, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are expected to increase rapidly between now and 2025. By 2025, the num-ber of people age 65 and older with Alzheimer’s disease is estimated to reach 7.1 million— a 40 percent increase from the 5.1 million age 65 and older affected in 2015. As a result of this increase in individuals developing the disease, the number of caregivers for this population will also increase.
The health risks and burden of caregiving among this community creates a lethal cocktail. Therefore, it is critical for African Americans to become proactive about their brain health early on to reduce their risk for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, in addition to maintain-ing the “instrument” that cares for other individuals as well.
In order to raise awareness around these caregiving risks, Emory, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation of Georgia and Antioch Lithonia Missionary Baptist Church are hosting a free Community Brain Health Forum on May 30. The free forum, which includes breakfast and lunch, will discuss maintaining brain health and caregiving resources.
The doors open at 8 a.m., memory screenings begin at 8:30 a.m. and the program starts at 9 a.m. Antioch-Lithonia Missionary Bap-tist Church is located at 2152 Rock Chapel Road, Lithonia. While the event is free, registration is required. To register, visit www.antiochcare-giving.eventbrite.com or call 404-727-3251.
Natalie DiSantis is project direc-tor for the Outreach Cognitive and Movement Disorders Program at Emory School of Medicine.
Alzheimer’s and Caregiving: A Lethal Cocktail
Chess champ Orrin Hudson kicks off national tour in Lithonia May 30
Orrin “Checkmate” Hudson says he’s on a mission to teach youths they can be
champions—to “think it out, don’t shoot it out.”
On Saturday, May 30, from 1 to 4 p.m., Hudson, founder of the Atlanta-based Be Someone non-profit organization, will bring his life-sized chess board and instructional skills to the Fairfield Inn and Suites at 7850 Stonecrest Square, Lithonia. Hudson will conduct a free community chess day, teaching youths and their families leadership and self-confidence skills.
The daylong program kicks Hudson’s “Peace and Racial Unity in the Community National Tour,” which he is taking to Baltimore, MD and Ferguson, Missouri, both rocked by rioting in response to the deaths of young black men who died at the hands of white police officers.
“I have been in Portland this month teaching kids how to think strategically, plan effectively, and build self-confidence, through the game of chess. Now, I have set my sights on helping Baltimore rebuild,” said Hudson, a former law enforcement who recently appeared on the Fox News Channel’s Fox and Friends show to discuss solutions for Baltimore. “The young people of Baltimore are not thugs.
They are potential champions. I know because I was once in a gang and called a thug.”
Hudson said a high school teacher who taught him chess helped him to change his life.
“He taught me that success is mine to achieve, if I make the right moves,” said Hudson.
Hudson says he’s now on a mission to pay back and reach young people who may face risks of their own. He was honored last year by the FBI for his community leadership and has received accolades from around the country for his work.
“With chess, young people are afforded an opportunity to apply what they learned while playing the game,” said Hudson. “It is especially useful for younger children because it teaches them pattern recognition, critical-thinking, decision-making, problem-solving, and learning how to lose. Not every boy and girl I teach will become a champion, but they will learn how to think critically and strategically. They also learn how to take responsibility for their actions because as in life, every move you make on the chess board has a consequence.”
The May 30 event is free and open to the public, but you must RSVP. Call 770-465-6445.
FBI Director James B. Comey honored Orrin C. Hudson for the Distinguished Community Leader award on April 4, 2014 at the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C
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