CrossRoadsNews, May 12, 2018 - Section B

VOTE 2018 May 12, 2018

www.crossroadsnews. com

Time to make a choice

Section B

Opportunities to woo voters winding down as May 22 looms

Photos By Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

CrossRoadsNews

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VOTE 2018

May 12, 2018

The winner of the May 22 primary will face Republican Joe Profit in the Nov. 6 general election.

Hank proud of his record, wants to keep serving

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

“East Metro Atlanta’s Weekly Newspaper” 2346 Candler Road Decatur, GA 30032 404-284-1888 Fax: 404-284-5007

www.crossroadsnews.com editor@crossroadsnews.com

The 2018 Guide to the Elections is a publication of CrossRoadsNews Inc., East Metro Atlanta’s awardwinning weekly newspaper.

Editor / Publisher Jennifer Parker

Staff Writers Jennifer Ffrench Parker Editorial Intern Rosie Manins Front Office Manager Catherine Guy Multimedia Editor Sharif Williams

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Fourth District Congressman Hank Johnson says he is seeking re-election because “we have a lot of work to do” to get the country back on track and he wants to continue to serve.

“I first ran for this seat on the promise of ‘Taking Care Of Home First,’ and I have delivered,” he told voters at an April 21 candidate forum in Pine Lake.

Johnson, who has been in office since 2007, is being opposed in the May 22 Democratic primary by Juan Parks, a teacher and former U.S. Marine.

He said he is visible and active and has helped bring more than $100 million into the district for teachers, police officers and firefighters.

“My office has helped more than 15,000 constituents recover almost $60 million from federal agencies,” he said.

Because of his work, the Congressional Management Foundation has named his district office one of the top four in the nation for constituent services.

“The top four out of 435 ain’t bad,” Johnson said. “The number one office will be named this month, and I hope to win it all.”

The congressman, who lives in Lithonia, said that a joint study by Vanderbilt University and the University of Virginia recognized his Washington office was as one of the most effective in Congress.

“I am proud of these accomplishments, and in turbulent times such as these, we need steady, experienced and proven leadership,” he said. Johnson said we are living in chaotic and uncertain times and the district needs a seasoned legislator like him who knows his way around Congress.

“We have a president who is impulsive, unpredictable, and a dangerous threat to our

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Congressman Hank Johnson (right), who says he is proud of his record for constituent service in the district, is being challenged by Juan Parks in the Democratic primary.

national and world security,” Johnson said. “I will be one who stands up to this president by providing effective and experienced leadership in Congress. I won’t let you down, and I will make you proud.”

Parks said he is not running against the incumbent.

“I’m running for something, and I am running for change,” he told voters at the May 7 CrossRoadsNews Candidate Forum.

Parks, also a Lithonia resident, said that he hears about traffic problems and com-

muters clogging surface streets for their daily commutes.

“We have solutions out there; we just need to work better,” he said. “I promise to empower you and to be your voice.”

At the April 21 forum, Parks said that if elected he would overcome his lack of experience by building relationships, including with people who don’t like you.

The winner of the May 22 primary will face Republican Joe Profit in the Nov. 6 general election.

May 12, 2018

VOTE 2018

CrossRoadsNews

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Making informed choices is going to take some work.

Decision time near; election day is 11 days away Candidates for local, state and national offices await their opportunity to court undecided voters at a political forum hosted by CrossRoadsNews and the First Afrikan Church Community Action Council.

Early voting These polls are open April through May 18, Monday-Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Saturday May 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. n DeKalb Voter Registration & Elections Office has two voting areas, including one exclusively for senior and disabled voters. 4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300, Decatur. n The Gallery at South DeKalb, 2801 Candler Road, Decatur. n Dunwoody Library, 5339 Chamblee-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody.

For the week of May 14 only, residents can also vote 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at: n Coan Recreation Center, 1530 Woodbind Ave. S.E., Atlanta. n Briarwood Recreation Center, 2235 Briarwood Way N.E., Brookhaven.

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Voters headed to the May 22 primary and nonpartisan elections have important decisions to make.

From local races, they must pick two Superior Court judges, two commissioners, and two school board members, as well four senators and six state representatives. For those offices, they have to wade through 39 candidates and evaluate whether 11 incumbents have served them well and deserve to remain in office.

In addition, they must pick a congressman, a party nominee for the governor’s

race in November, and seven candidates for statewide offices for lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state school superintendent, public service commission, commissioners of insurance and labor, and Court of Appeals judge.

Election day is 11 days away, and making informed choices is going to take some work.

In this 12-page section, you will find the photos of all 66 candidates in contested races for the Democratic primary, and the nonpartisan races for the DeKalb Superior

Court bench and the DeKalb County School Board.

Early voting is still underway through May 18.

This week, Saturday voting takes place May 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the DeKalb Election Office, 4380 Memorial Drive, the Gallery at South DeKalb, 2801 Candler Road, and the Dunwoody Library, 5339 ChambleeDunwoody Road.

For any race where no candidate receives a majority of votes on election day, runoff elections will take place on July 24.

n North DeKalb Senior Center, 3301 Malone Drive, Chamblee. n First Christian Church of Decatur, 601 W. Ponce de Leon Road, Decatur. n Berean Christian Church Community Center, 2440 Young Road, Stone Mountain. n Stonecrest Library, 3123 Klondike Road, Lithonia. n Reid H. Cofer Library, 5234 LaVista Road, Tucker.

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VOTE 2018

CrossRoadsNews

May 12, 2018

Early voting is underway through May 18. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on election day.

Six attorneys seeking Superior Court seat have range of experiences

By Rosie Manins

The six attorneys – Tunde Akinyele, Gina Bernard, Roderick Bridges, Kirby Clements, Latisha Dear-Jackson, and Nicholas Smith ­– seeking the open seat on the DeKalb Superior Court bench come with a range of experience.

Five are former prosecutors who have served as municipal and-or traffic court judges. One is a civil litigator. Two are immigrants, and all have a passion for improving the courts so they serve citizens better.

One will succeed Judge Daniel Coursey Jr., who is retiring in December after 36 years on the bench.

Akinyele, who is both a judge and a defense attorney, is chief judge in the city of Lithonia. He is a former 13-year DeKalb prosecutor with stints in the DeKalb Solicitor’s Office and the DeKalb District Attorney’s Office. He was a senior assistant district attorney when he left the D.A.’s office in 2013 to go into private practice. He prosecuted more than 10,000 cases.

Born in Nigeria, he came to the United States when he was 16 to attend college. That was 35 years ago.

Bernard, a 25-year DeKalb resident, is former prosecutor and public defender for Atlanta Municipal Court, DeKalb Solicitor General’s Office and Fulton County Superior Court. As a private attorney, she represented clients in Immigration Court, handled family law, personal injury and criminal law matters. For the past six years, she has been a public defender in the Stone Mountain Conflict Defender’s Office. She grew up in Trinidad.

Bridges, a DeKalb traffic court judge for more than 13 years, has lived in DeKalb for 25 years. He has a personal injury, criminal

Gina Bernard

Roderick Bridges

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Superior Court candidates (from left) Tunde Akinyele, Latisha Dear-Jackson, Nicholas Smith and Kirby Clements Jr. shared their vision at CrossRoadsNews’ forum at First Afrikan Church.

and family law practice in Decatur, and is the co-founder of the nonprofit Positive Peering that mentors at-risk youth.

Clements, a former prosecutor, consumer law practitioner and legal analyst, has prosecuted cases in Brooklyn, N.Y., Washington, D.C., and in the DeKalb Solicitors and Fulton County District Attorney’s Office. He is in private practice in Atlanta.

Dear-Jackson, an 11-year municipal court judge, prosecutor and civil litigator, is a former U.S. Court of Appeals attorney and civil lawyer.She sits Pro Hac Vice in the Municipal Court of East Point and by designation in the State Courts of DeKalb County, and has previously sat by designation in

DeKalb Superior Court. A native of DeKalb County, she has extensive community service with organizations serving youth.

Smith, a DeKalb native who has lived almost his entire life in the county, is a civil litigator and former staff attorney for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, where he handled criminal and civil matters.

Smith is currently a partner at Buckley Beal where his law practice focuses on business litigation. As a litigator, Nicholas has represented both plaintiffs and defendants.

His clients have ranged from individuals to small businesses to Fortune 500 companies.

Early voting is underway through May 18. The polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on election day.

Speaking at the May 7 CrossRoadsNews candidates forum at First Afrikan Church in Lithonia, Smith, Dear-Jackson, Clements and Akinyele said they want to modernize and improve DeKalb’s court system.

Smith said he is frustrated with where DeKalb Superior Court is.

“Our county has grown significantly over the last 20 years and judges are continually doing things like it used to be done and that’s not going to cut it,” he said.

Dear-Jackson said DeKalb courts need modernizing.

“I want to use technology for all noncriminal cases and implement case management orders for all cases so each and every person that comes before court knows when they’re coming to court,” she said.

Smith said judges in other counties and districts are being more creative and proactive in dealing with cases, and that he knows attorneys who refuse to practice in DeKalb “because it’s too unpredictable and disorganized.”

“We’re losing access to justice,” Smith said. “When people and businesses start learning that they’re not going to get a fair shake in DeKalb, that they can’t afford to be sued here, they may start leaving as well, and that should be a concern.”

Clements said he wants to improve public confidence in the local legal system.

“People just want to know they’re treated

fairly, even if they don’t win,” he said. “There’s a growing sentiment that the law doesn’t respect people so people are losing respect for the law and I want to restore that.”

Akinyele, who said he has a reputation as a “cool, calm dude,” wants to see more alternative sentencing implemented.

“There are a lot of cases that do not merit prison or jail time, or even a sentence,” he said.

Smith, Dear-Jackson and Clements also support alternative sentencing such as diversion and

probation.

“It’s a no-brainer,” said Smith. “We need to ensure people are productive citizens of society and they’re not going to be able to do that by staying in jail or paying a fine that’s greater than their rent. We’ve to be very mindful of how punishment affects people’s lives and identify the difference between violent offenders and people who have just started down that track.”

Clement said youth especially needed to be given choices.

“Sometimes you have to give people the keys to success and as judges we can go to those young people and show them there’s an alternative way,” he said.

Bernard, who was absent from the May 7 forum, said she wants to see more funding for courts specifically designed to help dug addicts, veterans and others with mental health issues, “so that there are a wide range of treatment options.”

The daughter of a judge, Bernard said he taught her to be courteous, respectful of others’ views, open-minded and compassionate, and that, if elected, she would speed up case handling by implementing deadlines at arraignment, the first court date after indictment.

“Currently in DeKalb criminal cases can take years to travel through the system from arrest to disposition,” said Bernard. “I will also implement the same type of program on the civil side, because justice delayed is justice denied.”

Bridges, who was also absent from the May 7 forum, said he has utilized alternative sentencing such as pre-trial intervention and diversion as a county judge, and would continue to do so if elected.

“These programs are essential tools that give low-risk defendants a second chance to be productive citizens and save the taxpayers money,” he said May 10.

With a growing number of people in the community dealing with mental health, substance abuse, unemployment, financial difficulty and a lack of direction, Bridges said local courts are experiencing higher caseloads as a result.

“I am confident I can effectively and efficiently address the many demands of the court, and I will utilize my legal and public health background to address the many societal issues the court will see on a daily basis,” he said.

May 12, 2018

VOTE 2018

CrossRoadsNews

“DeKalb deserves a judge who is competent, fair and impartial, and respectful to everyone.”

B5 “I’ve always treated everyone who’s appeared before me with fairness, dignity and respect.”

Incumbent judge, veteran lawyer battling for Superior Court seat

By Rosie Manins

DeKalb Superior Court Judge Courtney Johnson, who made headlines last fall for denying an attorney a bathroom break, and for the Georgia Superior Court’s reversal of her decision in the Burrell Ellis corruption trial, is in a fierce fight for her seat.

Johnson, who has been on the bench for eight years, is seeking re-election for a third four-year term in the May 22 nonpartisan election.

But challenger Genet Hopewell, a 35-year DeKalb lawyer and former Recorders Court and Juvenile Court judge, wants to derail that bid.

Hopewell says she is opposing Johnson because of her behavior in the courtroom that humiliates people and cost the county $1.1 billion for reimbursement of Ellis’ legal expenses. Ellis also got $223,000 in back pay.

“DeKalb deserves a judge who is competent, fair and impartial, and respectful to everyone who appears in court,” Hopewell said at the CrossRoadsNews candidates forum on May 7 at First Afrikan Church in Lithonia. “DeKalb deserves better than to have a judge whose record includes being investigated by the Judicial Qualifications Commission for refusing a bathroom break for an attorney and forcing her to urinate on herself in court.”

It’s a refrain she has repeated since she launched her campaign to unseat Johnson in February.

Johnson stared straight ahead as Hopewell spoke. Later in the forum she denied Hopewell’s account of the incident.

“I’ve always treated everyone who’s appeared before me with fairness, dignity and respect,” Johnson said. “I have never and would never deny anyone a restroom break or any break whatsoever. This incident occurred in my courtroom, a complaint was laid and the investigation was closed with no further action to take. What my opponent says happened is not true.”

But eyewitness affidavits presented to the JQC, which investigates judicial misconduct, document Johnson ignoring the attorney,

Challenger Genet Hopewell (right) says she is challenging incumbent Superior Court Judge Courtney Johnson because of her behavior in the courtroom.

Johnson says she makes rulings “based on my best understanding of the law and that’s what I do in every case.”

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

and telling her court deputy that “she can wait.”

Unseating an incumbent judge is a tall order in DeKalb County. It has been achieved only once before, in 1982, when Clarence Seeliger triumphed over Oscar Mitchell, whose record included jailing the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and berating and belittling black defendants in his courtroom.

Unfazed by the magnitude of the challenge, Hopewell passed on a shot at the open Superior Court seat to succeed Judge Daniel Coursey, to take on Johnson.

Both candidates are native Atlantans.

Johnson was born in Decatur, a short distance from the courthouse where she serves.

She is a graduate of Georgetown and Emory universities and started her legal career in the DeKalb Solicitor-General’s office as an advocate for victims of domestic violence. She also served as an assistant solicitor prosecuting misdemeanor criminal cases, and later, as an assistant district attorney.

Johnson also presides in the DeKalb drug court, which offers a two-year supervised program to defendants whose criminal behavior is driven by addiction.

Hopewell, a lifelong DeKalb resident,

is a graduate of Notre Dame and Catholic universities. She is a former Magistrate and Juvenile Court judge, and is a partner in the Decatur law firm Johnson Hopewell Coleman.

Hopewell is also a co-founder and former president of the DeKalb Lawyers Association, established in 1985 by African-American lawyers to serve their interests and attract more black attorneys to work for the county, which at the time had only three working, one each in the Solicitor-General, District Attorney and County Attorney’s offices.

Hopewell currently sits on DLA’s executive board, and is a life member and legal advisor of the NAACP. “My roots in this county are strong and my commitment is strong,” she said.

On the campaign trail, Hopewell has also

been highlighting Johnson’s treatment of former Atlanta mayor and U.S. Ambassador Andrew Young, who appeared before her as a character witness in the Ellis corruption trial. Young told AJC columnist Bill Torpy last September that he has testified before “the toughest of the tough and the meanest judges in the country.”

“I have never felt so disrespected in a courtroom in my life,” he said.

Hopewell said Johnson botched the Ellis trial by denying him the opportunity to mount his defense, the key factor cited by the Georgia Supreme Court when it overturned her decision due to judicial error.

Ellis is one of Hopewell’s supporters, as is DeKalb District 5 Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson, who is her law partner.

Johnson, who presides over about 1,000 cases a year, said her “very efficient” courtroom is staffed by “courteous and responsive” people.

“My job is to make rulings based on my best understanding of the law and that’s what I do in every case,” she said.

On the Ellis case, Johnson said that the process in our judicial system is that juries make decisions.

“As the judge I don’t decide what cases go forward. I stand by the fact that [the Burrell Ellis] case should have been heard by a jury.”

Both Hopewell and Johnson say they support alternative sentencing, including probation and pre-trial diversion.

“We can’t make our jails human warehouses,” Hopewell said. Johnson said she has embraced alternative sentencing as a Superior Court judge over the past eight years, and helped to create additional courts for veterans and people with mental health problems.

CrossRoadsNews

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May 12, 2018

VOTE

Contested races on the Democratic ballot Contested races on May 22 ballots

DeKalb Board of Commissioners $64,741.60 (effective 1/1/2019)

4th District

Here are the candidates in contested races on DeKalb County ballots in the May 22 Democratic and Republican primaries and nonpartisan elections.

District 3

The listings include the offices being sought, the salary for the office, the party affiliation if applicable, and the candidate’s occupation.

Larry Johnson (I)

Felton Wright

Healthcare Manager

Retired/Trustee Chairperson DSUMC

Candidates who are running unopposed are not listed.

Juan Parks

Henry C. “Hank” Johnson Jr. (I)

Marine Corps JROTC Instructor

Congressman

(I)=Incumbent

Super District 7 DeKalb BoarD of Education Nonpartisan • $18,400

District 6

District 2

Gregory Adams (I) Law Enforcement

Lorraine CochranJohnson Associate Publisher/CEO

John E. Tolbert Jr.

Ed Williams

Regional Manager General Motors

University Professor

Candice D. McKinley

Marshall Orson

Diijon “Twin” Dacosta

Attorney

Consultant / Attorney

Teacher, DeKalb Kids Project

Georgia Senate

Lance Lawyer Hammonds Chemical Sales

$17, 342

District 40

District 41

Georgia House of representatives $17, 342

District 83

District 81

Sally Harrell Social Worker

Tamara JohnsonShealey

Steve Henson (I)

Sabrina McKenzie

Administrator

Advocate

Senior Advocate

District 43

Scott Holcomb (I)

Hamid Noori

Attorney

Social Worker

District 86

Tonya P. Anderson (I)

Joel Thibodeaux

Certified Life Coach And Pastor

Internal Auditor

District 44

Michele Henson (D) (I)

Joscelyn C. O’Neil

Businesswoman

Retired

District 90

Sandra Daniels

Gail Davenport (I)

Keith Horton

Court Reporter

Real Estate Professional

Retired

Gregory Shealey Builder

Pam Stephenson (I) Attorney

Becky Evans Community Volunteer

Howard Mosby (D) (I) Chemical Sales

District 87

Viola Davis RN-BSN, Community Missionary

Earnest “Coach” Williams (I) Retired Teacher

District 94

Karen Bennett (I)

L. Dean Heard

Small Business Owner

Healthcare Consultant, Entrepreneur

CrossRoadsNews

May 12, 2018

2018

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More Democratic primary and nonpartisan races

U.s. House of Representatives $174,000

Governor

Lieutenant Governor

$139,339.44

$91,609.44

6th District

Stacey Abrams Kevin Abel Court Reporter

Steven Knight Griffin Management Consultant

Bobby Kaple

Lucy McBath

TV News Anchor

Activist/Faith & Community Organizer

Author, Self-Employed

Stacey Evans

Sarah Riggs Amico

Attorney

Executive Chairperson

Triana Arnold James Business Owner

Judge of Superior Court, Stone Mountain

Court of Appeals Judge

Ga. secretary of state

Nonpartisan • : $184,976

Nonpartisan $174,500

$123,636.68

To succeed Courtney Johnson

To succeed Daniel Marshall Coursey Jr.

Genet Hopewell

Tunde Akinyele

Gina Bernard

Roderick Bridges

Attorney

Attorney

Felony Trial Attorney

Attorney

Ken Hodges

Ken Shigley

Attorney

Attorney

John Barrow

Dee Dawkins-Haigler

Attorney

Minister / Consultantr

Public Service Commission $118,781

District 3 • Metro Atlanta Rakeim “RJ” Hadley Courtney Johnson (I) Superior Court Judge

Kirby Clements Jr. Latisha Dear-Jackson Attorney

Attorney

Chief Deputy Tax Commissioner

Nicholas Smith Attorney

state school superintendent $123,270

Sid Chapman

Sam Mosteller

Otha E. Thornton, Jr.

President, Ga. Assoc. of Educators

Minister

Retired Military Officer/ Sr. Technologist

Ballot questions

Commissioner of Labor Lindy Miller

John Noel

Businesswoman

Small Business Owner

$122,786

Richard Keatley

Fred Quinn

College Professor

Sr. Financial Manager Analyst

Johnny C. White IT Consultant

District 5 - Western

Commissioner of Insurance $120,394.29

Democratic Party Questions Vote Yes or No

1. Should the sale and distribution of bump stocks be prohibited in the state of Georgia?

2. Should Georgia pull down our federal tax dollars to save rural hospitals and create more than fifty thousand jobs by expanding Medicaid?

3. Should Georgia allow voters to elect our own representatives by amending our Constitution to place the power of drawing district lines under the authority of an independent, non-partisan commission?

4. Should Georgia alleviate traffic congestion, reduce carbon emissions, and better connect communities by investing a substantial amount of existing tax dollars in mass transit?

Dawn A. Randolph

Doug Stoner

Consultant

Sr. Financial Business Owner

Janice Laws

Cindy Zeldin

Self-Employed

Non-Profit Executive / Health Policy

CrossRoadsNews

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VOTE 2018

May 12, 2018

Anderson and Thibodeaux were the only Senate candidates to attend the forum.

Three incumbents face challenges for Georgia Senate seats

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Three incumbent Georgia senators – Steve Henson, Tonya Anderson and Gail Davenport – are being opposed by four challengers.

Henson, who has represented District 41 since 2003, is being challenged by Sabrina McKenzie, who lists her occupation as “advocate.”

Henson, a DeKalb County resident for more than 30 years, is a vocational administrator and teacher at the Henson Training Institute.

Known as the “dancing preacher,” Mc­ Kenzie is an advocate for social justice and victims of domestic violence.

Anderson, who has represented District 43 since 2016, is being challenged by Joel Thibodeaux, an internal auditor and former state Senate staffer who chaired the Governor’s Commission on the city of Stonecrest.

Anderson, a pastor, is a former state representative and former mayor of Lithonia.

In District 44, Davenport has two challengers: Keith Horton, a retired manager, and Sandra Daniels, a court reporter, who is running for her first elected office.

Horton has more than 30 years of leadership experience in the military and state government including as deputy director of Georgia’s Division of Child Support Services and director of Child Support Services.

Davenport, a real estate professional, was elected to the Senate in 2007.

In District 40, Democrats Salley Harrell, a social worker, and Tamara Johnson-Shealey, a senior advocate, are seeking their party’s nomination to take on incumbent Republican Sen. Fran Millar in November.

Thibodeaux said District 43 is full of potential that is not being tapped.

“We are ripe for economic development,” he said at the Cross­Roads­News Candidate Forum on May 7 at First Afrikan Church.

“We are ripe for additional investment in higher education. We have a very talented and educated workforce that travels every day somewhere else to build somebody else’s community and somebody else’s economy. If only we had the right representation and the right leadership in place to push forward the

Tonya Anderson (right), who has represented District 43 since 2016, is being challenged

by Joel Thibodeaux, an internal auditor and former state Senate staffer who chaired the Governor’s Commission on the city of Stonecrest.

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

Steve Henson

Sabrina McKenzie

Gail Davenport

people’s agenda.”

If elected, Thibodeaux said he wants to do is bring resources and investments into the community and bring quality jobs so that parents can be involved at their schools.

“I want to see dual enrollment programs both at technical and in college education so we can cut costs and have a job-ready workforce. I want us to capitalize on the film industry that makes billions off of this area.”

Anderson said she has been fighting for a $15 minimum wage in Georgia and better

Sandra Daniels

Keith Horton

pay for teachers, and for better healthcare for seniors, families and children.

“I am fighting so we can continue to have a viable community,” she said.

Anderson and Thibodeaux were the only Senate candidates to attend the forum.

Henson, who emailed his answers to the forum questions, said he will continue to fight to get additional money for public education and make sure it is a top priority for the Democratic members of the Senate.

“As I did this session, I will work across the aisle to insure the other party knows

Salley Harrell

how important these issues are and how it will impact our state and them politically,” he said.

Henson said he is not a fan of rebranding MARTA but that we need a greater state contribution to transit.

“If we can get the state to pick up the cost associated with it and it helps us get other counties to be part of MARTA or work closely with MARTA (the underlying structure of MARTA will continue), we may see it improve transit options for the citizens of DeKalb,” he said.

If you don’t vote, you don’t count - Vernon Dahmer

T. Johnson-Shealey

May 12, 2018

VOTE 2018

CrossRoadsNews

B9

They identified public safety, code enforcement, resource allocations and home ownership as the top issues facing the county.

Challengers to District 7 commissioner say they are ready to serve

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

The three candidates challenging incumbent DeKalb Commissioner Gregory Adams for his Super District 7 seat see the May 22 contest as a referendum on behavior.

Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, John Tolbert Jr. and Ed Williams all jumped into the race the last day of qualifying in March so that Adams – who made headlines eight months into office on allegations he sexually harassed his chief of staff – would not be returned to office unopposed.

Tolbert, who is running a second time for the seat, said the May 22 Gregory Adams Democratic primary is about two things.

“This race comes down to character and the allocation of resources,” he said.

Speaking at the May 7 CrossRoadsNews Candidate Forum at First African Church, the challengers said they are qualified and ready to serve. They identified public safety, code enforcement, resource allocations and home ownership as the top issues facing the county.

Adams did not attend. He said in a May 7 email that he had a conflict.

Cochran-Johnson said she has master’s degrees in public administration and criminal justice, and the administration of criminal justice, but that it’s her background in grant writing and economic development that has prepared her to be a commissioner.

“I believe we all share the same concerns,” she told the audience of 100 at the forum. “We all travel the same roads, we all turn on our televisions; we understand we have issues with public safety.”

To move forward, Cochran-Johnson said it’s time we have someone who has a seat at the table with the ability to get results.

“I will aggressively work with individuals and partners to attract industry into our community,” she said. “I will operate with dignity and respect.”

Tolbert, who was a candidate in the 2016 special election won by the incumbent, said that he is fighting and running to make sure that District 7 gets its piece of the pie.

“I’m a graduate of Morehouse College.

I’ve been in corporate America for 25 years,” said Tolbert, a manager at General Motors.

His issues are to fight crime, bring viable businesses to the county, and repave county roads.

“Three and a half weeks ago, I was cam-

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

All three challengers to Gregory Adams – from left, Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, John Tolbert Jr. and Ed Williams – jumped into the race on the last day of qualifying in March.

paigning on Wesley Chapel and got shot with a rubber bullet,” he said. “I waited for an hour and 36 minutes and the police didn’t come. I’m fighting for better allocation for police.”

Ed Williams, a college professor and community advocate, said politics is more than dollars and cents.

“It’s about people, lives and relationships, said Williams, a 20-year DeKalb resident.

“Rise up DeKalb, we are at a crossroads and we’ve to make a decision as to what direction we want to go. “ Williams, who is also a Morehouse graduate, says he has project management certification from Georgia Tech and has been involved in community issues for years.

“I’m not just running for a title or a position,” he said. “I want to give back to the people. I want to have more police on the streets, with better pay and accountability. I want better code enforcement and a clean DeKalb, and more MARTA stations in DeKalb.”

Tolbert says he doesn’t see enough police as he goes about the county, and that we need to lure bigger and viable businesses.

“We have to fix our roads,” he said. “If we

make the county transportable, we can bring more residents and businesses.”

Tolbert promised to allocate resources to the areas that need it the most.

Williams said the county is short 155 police officers.

“We have one of the highest crime rates in the metro are,” he said. “We have to do something about that in order for us to be able to have economic development.”

He said the quality of life depends on public safety.

“We need to increase the salaries for the police officers and compensate them more than what commissioners have given themselves as a raise,” he said. “We need to give police at least a 25 percent raise and make them comparable to other places in the area.”

Cochran-Johnson said home ownership among African Americans is at its lowest since the Great Depression in 1926. She also says the county cannot continue to train police officers who leave for other jurisdictions where the pay is better.

“We are acting as a fertile training ground for officers, who because we are not providing the salary and resources they

deserve, actively leave as soon as they are trained,” she said.

Adams was in office for five months when the county launched an internal investigation in May 2017 into allegations from his chief of staff, Ashlee Wright, that he was sexually harassing her.

The investigation, which cost the county $23,000, found that he violated the county’s sexually harassment policy when he called Wright “sexy, beautiful and intelligent”; repeatedly asked to see pictures of her in a bikini; referred to himself as “big daddy,” and Wright as “my baby,” and invited himself to her hotel room at 3 a.m. during an April 27-29 conference of county commissioners in Savannah.

It recommended that Adams “attend sexual harassment training to ensure that he understands the kinds of comments and behavior that are not appropriate for professional setting and the impact that such comments may have on the recipients.”

During the investigation, Adams blamed his behavior on prescription drugs he was taking that make him do odd things that he cannot remember.

Adams, a former DeKalb Police officer, is to be consecrated June 23 as presiding bishop of Restoration in Christ International Ministries, a small church on Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur.

In the May primary, he is running for his first full four-year term after winning the December 2016 special election to finish the term of Stan Watson, who resigned from the BOC. In an April 25 email, he said that he has led the efforts to rebuild DeKalb County by investing in parks, roads, seniors and families.

“I am the only candidate in this race who has successfully managed and allocated millions of dollars of taxpayer funds,” he said. “In my next term I plan to lead efforts to decriminalize simple use and possession of marijuana, invest more in our parks and recreation, provide additional tax relief for residents, provide real raises to all of DeKalb County’s hard-working employees, increase economic development opportunities by investing in real mass and light transit and securely protect our seniors, children and furry family members.”

Because there is no Republican challenger for the Nov. 6 general election, the winner of the May 22 Democratic primary will take the seat.

Early voting is underway through May 18. On election day all polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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CrossRoadsNews

May 12, 2018

“We now have $100 million coming to the district. We’re going to do some great things in our community

“It takes six months to a year to get anything done.

I am running because I want to clean it up.”

Longtime commissioner resisting 45-year resident’s effort to unseat him

By Jennifer Ffrench Parker

Not many elected officials get to be in office for 16 years before a challenger steps forward – but that is a feat that DeKalb District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson managed to pull off until this year.

Johnson, a likable person with a loyal base of supporters, was elected to office in 2002.

He is being challenged by Felton Wright, a 45-year District 3 resident.

Wright, who retired from AT&T in 2014 after 32 years, is a community advocate and a political newcomer. He said he used to attend Board of Commissioners meetings regularly but quit going a year ago, disgusted by its unresponsiveness to citizens’ complaints.

He said he is running to unseat Johnson because he doesn’t like the direction the district is headed. He points to crime, litter, gentrification and untidy street curbs.

Johnson, who hosts events for youth, seniors and small business owners, sees things differently. He likes to say “the renaissance is underway” in District 3 and touts his engagement in the district, pointing to walks he organizes and events to encourage people to become active and healthy. He also hosts cleanups around the district, and points to new sidewalks and businesses that have located to the area during his tenure.

Johnson and Wright are vying for the Democratic nomination in the May 22 primaries. There is no Republican candidate on the November ballot, so the primary winner will become the commissioner.

Early voting is underway through May 18. The polls are open on election day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Johnson said that when he joined the board, District 3 – which stretches from Wesley Chapel Road to Ellenwood to Eastlake and includes East Atlanta neighbor-

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson (left), is facing his first challenger – 45-year South DeKalb resident Felton Wright – since he took office in 2002.

hoods like Edgewood and Kirkwood – had no sidewalks.

District 3 is also home to some of the county’s most economically challenged neighborhoods.

“A lot of folks were walking on the dirt and high grass,” he told voters at the CrossRoadsNews May 7 Forum at First Afrikan Church in Lithonia.

“I helped put sidewalks in district, helped put the focus on wellness. We renovated community centers, put air conditioning in the Midway Recreation Center, built a new

[intergenerational] center on Columbia Drive.”

But even as Johnson reeled off his accomplishments, Wright pointed to the proliferation of code violations, litter, and potholes in his Rosewood community, off McAfee Road, and others. He says Johnson’s office and the county haven’t been unresponsive to citizens.

“It takes six months to a year to get anything done,” he told voters at the forum. “I am running because I want to clean it up.”

Wright said he wants to work with the courts and the juvenile detention centers to reduce crime in the district.

“It has gotten out of hand,” he said.

Wright also says he doesn’t like the way the county handles criminals.

“People as young as 18 years old get locked up and go home the same day,” he said. “That needs to stop.”

He also worries about gentrification.

“I’ve spoken to several people and I do not want to see seniors taxed out of their homes,” he said.

Johnson points to the county’s first SPLOST and what it will do for District 3.

“We now have $100 million coming to the district, we’re going to pave all our roads, not just patch potholes, we’re going

to do some great things in our community and do some maintenance into our parks to make a difference,” he said. “I want to help our seniors, I want to help our young people and everybody in between because I’m here to make a difference.”

Wright said the county’s shortcoming with sanitation is a symptom of bigger issues.

“It’s not just a sanitation problem,” he said. “It’s inefficiency across the board within different departments.”

Johnson counters that the county’s sanitation department is a strong department. “[It’s] one of the best services we have,” he said. “We shouldn’t denigrate that department because they’re doing all they can.”

In the past, Johnson himself has expressed frustration with county services in the district. In January 2017, he said he was “sick and tired” of calling the county about signs on posts and other issues in his district.

At that time too, Johnson expressed interest in incorporating District 3 into “The City of Prosperity.”

Responding to a question from the audience about cityhood at the May 7 forum, he said he believes in unincorporated DeKalb.

“I believe it’s strong,” he said. “All of the new cities grew because unincorporated DeKalb allowed that to happen.”

Wright said that District 3 residents should be allowed to vote on cityhood, but he added that if the commissioners in office are doing their job, residents don’t really need cityhood.

“You would just be paying extra dollars,” he told the audience of just over 100 people.

If elected, Wright said he will get people who are sentenced to do community service and those convicted of minor offenses to pick up litter and edge the curbs.

While Johnson is a likable fellow, Wright said, the district is suffering.

“Older people and old ladies like him, but he doesn’t do anything,” Wright said.

If he is elected, Wright said he will work hard and follow up when citizens call.

“Trash is bringing the county down,” he said. “When I watch the news, I cringe a little when they say DeKalb. Most of the crimes are in South DeKalb. If elected, I will clean the streets, pick up litter, ticket offenders and use the revenues to clean up the place.”

Johnson said voters should keep him as their commissioner.

“My experience and engagement counts,” he said. “I’m building tradition not resting on one.”

May 12, 2018

VOTE 2018

CrossRoadsNews

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“Our kids are number one; everything else comes after that.”

Pay and equity issues motivate DeKalb School Board candidates

By Rosie Manins

The four candidates vying for two seats on the DeKalb School Board in the May 22 nonpartisan elections are in agreement about improving pay and benefits for teachers and support staff.

Diijon “Twin” DaCosta and Lance Lawyer Hammonds are vying for the open District 6 seat in Stone Mountain, which is being vacated by former School Board chair Melvin Johnson.

Marshall Orson, the incumbent in District 2, is being challenged by parent and attorney Candice McKinley. District 2 covers areas including Fernbank, North Druid Hills and Tucker.

DaCosta, who is running for his first elected office, is a graduate of the district and was one its teachers up until he quit in March to run for the school board. He is also the founder of an education-based nonprofit, DeKalb Kids Project Inc. Hammonds, a sales manager, is a 33-year DeKalb resident. He is a life member of the DeKalb NAACP and former chair of its education committee. His community service also includes stints with the DeKalb County PTA Council, the DeKalb United Negro College Fund, and the DeKalb Public Safety and Judicial Facilities Authority.

He was a candidate for DeKalb Commission District 4 in 2015.

Orson, a consultant and an attorney, is a 32year DeKalb resident with children in the district. He has been on the Board of Education for five years, and currently serves as the board’s vice Marshall Orson chairman.

McKinley, who is a North Druid Hills attorney, has degrees in psychology and law, and teaching certification from Georgia State.

She has taught in Atlanta Public Schools.

Answering questions at the Cross­Roads­ News Candidate Forum on May 7 at First Afrikan Church in Lithonia, the political hopefuls said the board needs to better allocate resources to ensure that the best staff are retained to improve students’ performance.

McKinley, Dacosta and Hammonds said the school district can do better for its staff, given that more than 400 of its bus drivers participated in a three-day sickout in April, causing up to 90-minute delays getting students to and from school.

Hundreds of students were absent from

Diijon “Twin” DaCosta (left) and Lance Lawyer Hammonds are competing for the District 6 seat being vacated by former School Board chair Melvin Johnson.

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

classes, tests had to be rescheduled, and the school district had to bring in outside help.

School Superintendent Dr. R. Stephen Green fired seven bus drivers for promoting the sickout.

McKinley said she was surprised the pay and benefits dispute got to that point.

“I just can’t believe that we were not able to work with our transportation specialists to get what they need,” McKinley said at the May 7 forum. “I believe in people’s rights. We should treat them fairly and give them the appropriate wages, and I would be proactive to bring everybody to the table and find Candice McKinley a solution before we get to this point again.”

DaCosta said his daughter could have been one of the students left waiting more than an hour at a bus stop during the sickout.

“We have to use this as an example to reach out to all of our employees to give them higher wages so they can take care of our kids,” he said. “Our kids are number one; everything else comes after that.”

Hammonds said he met with the seven fired bus drivers to hear about their needs and concerns.

“I want everybody to have a livable wage,” he said. “We need to pay top dollar in our district so we can attract the best teachers.”

Orson says he supports the existing

district-wide compensation study that’s due to be completed this semester and that the school board’s goal is to ensure that all employees are paid a competitive wage.

“Above all else, we must always ensure our children are safe and secure and our bus drivers are the frontline in this effort,” he said May 9. “We can never compromise on this responsibility.” Orson said he is proud to have helped guide the “turnaround” of the school district and that he is committed to equitable investment.

“During my time on the board we have been fully accredited, established a $120 million surplus, re-instituted pay raises and eliminated furlough days, and achieved rising test scores and an increased graduation rate,” he said.

But McKinley said her children were shocked at inequities they saw when they

enrolled in public schools near Stonecrest, prompting the family’s relocation to North Druid Hills.

“We had to move, and I hate to say that, but there is an equity problem in DeKalb when it comes to our schools,” she said. “It has been that way for a long time, and never should we have to rely on our ZIP code to secure an equity seat or have access to quality education in our schools.”

DaCosta, who attended Redan High School, said his public education in DeKalb did not adequately prepare him for college.

“I had to go right back down to the remedial classes because of not being prepared,” he said. “Our children need resources and highly qualified teachers.”

Early voting is underway through May 18. On election day, the polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

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CrossRoadsNews

May 12, 2018

Lack of economic development, subpar education, apathy, and under-resourced law enforcement were cited as the top issues of the race.

Democratic candidates want to govern a better Georgia

By Rosie Manins

Two Democrats with compelling personal backgrounds are competing for their party’s nomination to take on the Republicans for governor of Georgia.

Stacey Abrams Stacey Abrams, an attorney, author and business woman, and Stacey Evans, an attorney, are competing in the May 22 primary.

The winner will face the victor among seven male Republicans in the Nov. 7 general election.

Early voting for the primary is underway through May 18, and the polls are open on election day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Abrams, one of six children, grew up in Mississippi and relocated with her family to Georgia when she was 15 so that her parents, Robert and Carolyn, could study at Emory University to become United Methodist ministers.

“My dad once said that he grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and my mom grew up on the wrong side of the wrong side of the tracks,” Abrams said on Oct. 27, 2017. “Both come from very humble circumstances.”

Both parents were the first in her family

to go to college.

She says she is running for governor because too many families and individuals – people that have the wrong skin color, believe the wrong faith, love the wrong person, and live in the wrong ZIP Stacey Evans code – have been left behind despite doing everything right.

“I’m coming for the Georgians who have done well but don’t believe that they will do any better and that their children will probably do worse,” Abrams said. “I want every child in Georgia to believe it is their God-given right to have a higher education and pursue anything they want. They have to have a state that believes in that from cradle to career.”

Abrams, who served a decade in the Georgia House and rose to Minority Leader, is an advocate for high quality affordable childcare, expanded access to pre-k education, free technical colleges, an expanded HOPE Scholarship program, assistance for community businesses, and Medicaid expansion.

“You shouldn’t have to live in Buckhead to get to be a scientist; you shouldn’t have to have a degree in cartography to guarantee

your child a good education, but that’s what you have to do in Georgia today,” she said.

Evans grew up poor in north Georgia, moved frequently and witnessed her mother’s abuse at the hands of her boyfriend. She said her mother gave birth to her when she was 17, and her father deserted the family.

“Where I started in life did not naturally lend itself to me ending up here,” Evans told about 100 voters at CrossRoadsNews’ candidates forum on May 7 at First Afrikan Church in Lithonia. “It was rough and we struggled.”

Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship became her ticket to a better life, making her a passionate supporter of the program that was originally created to help students who wanted to go to college.

When she enrolled at the University of Georgia, she was the first in her family to go to college. She met her husband, Andrew, in law school, and as an attorney worked to get justice for victims of a Medicare fraud scheme. She said she recovered more than $300 million for taxpayers.

She served seven years as a state representative before her bid for governor.

Evans promised that if elected, she will bring business to South DeKalb.

“I will bring developers here personally, and will ensure transit is here so folks will

want to look here and to make sure the options here are not overlooked,” she told voters at the May 7 forum.

Evans said she wants all Georgia families to have access to the HOPE scholarship, good paying jobs, and the resources to grow small businesses, as well as access to good transportation.

“Less than one percent of state contracts are going to minority-owned firms and I’m committed to improving that,” she said.

Evans is also keen to restore the HOPE Scholarship program, which she says was “gutted” in 2011 when eligibility was limited to those with SAT scores of 1200 or higher.

“It led to 96 percent of African Americans becoming ineligible and a quarter of the student population leaving technical institutes,” Evans said. “I want to restore HOPE so if you have a B you’ll be able to go to any four-year college tuition-free.”

She also promises to expand access to affordable healthcare and education, and says her vision for Georgia is a place where all families and children have the opportunity to be great and to live out their God-given potential.

“I’m running to bring hope and opportunity to Georgia families,” Evans said. “I want the state to be open for business and closed for hate.”

Georgia House challengers say time’s up for incumbents

By Rosie Manins

Five DeKalb incumbents with six to 28 years in the Georgia House of Representatives are trying to beat back oppositions in the May 22 Democratic primary.

State Reps. Howard Mosby, Michele Henson, Earnest “Coach” Williams, Pam Stephenson, and Karen Bennett, from House Districts 83, 86, 87, 90, and 94 respectively, are seeking to hang onto their seats while challengers Becky Evans, Joscelyn O’Neil, Viola Davis, Gregory Shealey and L. Dean Heard are saying their time is up.

At the CrossRoadsNews candidates forum on May 7 at First Afrikan Church in Lithonia, the political hopefuls highlighted lack of economic development, subpar education, apathy, and under-resourced law enforcement as the top issues of the race.

Stephenson and Williams were the only incumbents who attended the forum.

Davis, a well-known community activist and co-founder of the Unhappy Taxpayer & Voter Organization, said the time for excuses is passed.

“No excuses,” she said. “This has to change. The incumbents just don’t get it any more.”

Early voting for the May 22 election is underway through May 18. On election day, the polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Heard, a healthcare consultant, entrepreneur, and graduate of Emory and Georgia State who is challenging Bennett in District 94, says he is running because there has been a failure in our community.

L. Dean Heard “Many of my neighbors, colleagues, and friends feel that current elected leadership is absent from our concerns and disconnected,” Heard said. “The good people of this community and district need visionary direction, accountability and strong leadership.”

Shealey, a construction contractor and 20-year DeKalb resident who is challenging Stephenson, says there needs to be more community involvement in legislation.

“Apathy is the biggest issue,” said Shealey, a graduate of Georgia State and Illinois State universities. “Ever since I’ve been running I keep hearing that we can’t get things done.”

O’Neil, a community activist and former

Curtis Parker / CrossRoadsNews

House candidates (from left) Pam Stephenson, Gregory Shealey, Viola Davis, Earnest “Coach” Williams, Joscelyn O’Neil and Becky Evans, along with L. Dean Heard, offered their platforms at the forum sponsored by Cross­Roads­News and First Afrikan Church’s Community Action Council.

president of the Greater Towers Community Association who is running against Henson for a second time, says that during her 34 years as a DeKalb resident, she has helped clean up the community including getting broken light poles and wires cleaned up. She promises to do more if elected to office.

O’Neil highlighted Henson’s attendance during the 2017 session.

“She had more than 30 absences and no votes, which is ridiculous,” she said, waving a sheet of paper showing Henson’s attendance record.

Henson, a 33-year DeKalb resident who has been in office since 1991, did not attend the forum.

In her emailed responses to the questions asked at Michele Henson the forum, she said her House seniority will ensure that constituents have an advocate under the Gold Dome.

“I have established good relationships with legislative leaders, agency and department heads and have a good knowledge of the intricacies of state government,” she said.

“I want to continue to use the relationships and knowledge I have to bring good jobs to my community, improve public school education, and provide quality healthcare to Georgians of all ages.”

Henson says the biggest issues in House District 86 are education, access and affordability to healthcare, and transit to connect the metro area and reduce traffic congestion.

Evans, who is seeking to unseat Mosby, lists economic development and public education as her top priorities.

The 25-year DeKalb resident, who is a former educator, project manager and community volunteer, lives in Druid Hills.

Evans says Mosby hasn’t spent enough time in the community during his 15 years in office. She promises to “level the playing field between rich and poor communities,” and said she will fight to close the economic gap and work to increase the minimum wage “because no one who’s working full time should live in poverty.”

Mosby, who did not attend the forum, did not respond to the forum questions that were emailed to him. He is the DeKalb Delegation chairman, a certified public accountant and 22-year Howard Mosby Grady Medical Center employee.

Williams, who has represented House District 87 since 2003, is a retired teacher and coach. He agrees that more needs to be done to engage students, teachers and parents.

“We can do much better on the educational level,” he said.

Stephenson, who has been in office since 2005, said the state’s funding formula for public schools is not serving DeKalb well and should be changed so money isn’t allocated out of the county.

She also said Georgia’s criminal justice system needs repair.

“We need to look at mandatory minimums, how we treat people, bail, and who’s administering those kinds of things,” said Stephenson, an attorney with two master’s degrees.

Transit and MARTA’s planned expansion into Cobb and Gwinnett divided the group.

Williams, who voted for House Bill 930 that would rebrand MARTA to include more of the metro area, says it isn’t a perfect piece of legislation but it’s a good start.

“We would like to have other counties participate,” he said. “We’ve to start somewhere.”

Davis and O’Neil slammed the incumbents for not fighting to secure DeKalb a better transit service sooner.

“We pay over $22 million per month to run MARTA and a lot of the incumbents can’t even begin to tell you where that money is, where it went, and what they did with it,” Davis said.

Heard, who says he has been involved in the planning for a $5.2 billion project to extend MARTA along the I-20 corridor, urges voters to take matters into their own hands in respect to transit.

“When this project comes to the table you need to support it and step up and be accountable,” he said.

Bennett, in office since 2013, says HB 930 is good in principle and could Karen Bennett help improve transportation for thousands, but that citizens and legislators must work together to ensure the unique transit needs of different communities are heard.

A business owner, Bennett says the other top issues in District 94 are public education, affordable and accessible healthcare, fair and affordable insurance, public and school safety, and the environment.

“My role is to advocate for policies that improve the quality of life in these and other areas and to fight for monies in the budget to make improvements a reality,” she said.

In House District 80, Democrat Matthew Wilson and Republican Meagan Hanson are unopposed for the May primaries but will face each other in November. Both candidates are attorneys.

In House District 81, incumbent Scott Holcomb, an attorney, is being challenged

by Hamid Noori, a social worker. .