Serving DeKalb & Metro Atlanta Volume 16 Number 21
Hope for job seekers Employers get set for job fairs
www.ocgnews.com
February 1, 2011
Lithonia’s New Top Cop
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Teen bandits’ holdup foiled by off-duty cop
By Valerie J. Morgan
A
number of metro Atlanta employers are participating in jobs fairs this month with the Georgia Department of Labor. In addition to public and private sector employers who will be offering jobs— from entry-level positions to skilled and professional workers—the fairs will include representatives from colleges, universities, and technical and vocational schools who will provide information about their programs. Houses of worship are spreading the word from the pulpit. In Gwinnett County, Lawrenceville First United Methodist Church, Hebron Baptist Church and Snellville United Methodist Church have united to put on a job fair. They are among four churches in the metro area partnering this month with the Department of Labor to put people back to work. Newly-elected State Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick, whose District 94 includes Lithonia and Conyers, said she is helping to sponsor a job fair in the city of Lithonia because Georgia is facing a crisis. “The unemployment rate in Georgia is still high. This is an issue that has hit home with so many people,” Kendrick said. “It’s important for everyone to work together to stimulate the economy.” The latest statistics show Georgia’s unemployment rate has changed little since November 2010. The unemployment rate nudged from 10 percent in November to 10.2 percent in December. Like a number of states in the country, Georgia has run out of money to pay unemployment claims. The state has been forced to borrow more than $600 million from the federal government to pay the claims. Labor officials say they expect the amount Georgia has borrowed to reach $800 million by the end of this year. That’s when the state is expected to make the first payment on the accrued interest. Meanwhile, labor officials are continuing to search for ways to cut state spending and are pushing for See Fairs and listings, page 6 INSIDE Community News..............................P 3 Class Notes......................................P 8 People..............................................P 9 Business News................................P 11 We Worship.....................................P 13 Health & Wellness............................P 12 Home & Garden..............................P 14 Classifieds......................................P 15
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Erick Orihuela, 18
Francois Bensler, 17
By Valerie J. Morgan and Joshua Smith
The small town of Lithonia has saw turbulent times in its recent history. Newly appointed Kennis Harrell (left) shows off the Lithonia Police Department that will get Lithonia back to the peaceful city it once was.
Former DeKalb deputy chief brings new vision to town The city of Lithonia has a new police chief: Kennis Harrell, a veteran cop and church deacon who is ready to lead the city in a new direction. Residents say the leadership of the former DeKalb County Police Department deputy chief is welcome news. In the past, the city of 3,000 residents was rocked by so much political turmoil that Lithonia made international headlines when its Police Department was grounded. The city’s officers had to hitch a ride with county police because Lithonia ran out of money to pay the insurance premiums on its patrol cars. That fiasco was followed by a public showdown between then-mayor, Joyce McKibben, and former Police Chief Willie Rosser over protocol. McKibben, newlyelected, quarreled with Rosser over governing the city and tried to fire him. The City Council re-instated Rosser and voters ended up ousting McKibben after only four months in office. A YouTube video went viral showing the city’s tensions and infighting
at a boiling point in April 2008. Rosser left the city in February 2010. A police sergeant served as interim chief. Residents say now that a new chief is in place, it’s time for the city to move forward. “I see a new sparkle of trust in you, Chief. If you want to take us in a new direction, we’re ready to go,” said Barbara Lester, a longtime resident and former City Council member. Lester made her remarks at a breakfast program that was held Jan. 29 to officially welcome Harrell. It was a
major compliment coming from someone whose brother, Jerome Woods, served as the city’s police chief for 18 years before retiring. Woods was among several special guests who attended the event along with DeKalb School Board member Jay Cunningham, DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson, Andy Phelan representing Congressman Hank Johnson’s office, and Harrell’s pastor, William E. Flippen of The Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church in Atlanta, who attended the Lithonia, page 7
Long makes plea on YouTube for investor to return families’ monies By Valerie J. Morgan
A man Bishop Eddie Long brought to New Birth Missionary Baptist Church to teach his flock on financial empowerment has left those who invested with his company financially strapped. Members of the Lithonia mega church have lost an estimated $1 million in investments they made in IRAs and retirement accounts with Ephren Taylor, CEO of
Bishop Eddie Long
City Capital Corp. Taylor visited New Birth during his “Wealth Tour” in October 2009. He appeared
with Long on Fox 5’s Good Day Atlanta show to promote the tour and his Oct. 20 visit at the church. Long is making a plea now in a YouTube video for Taylor, known as “the architect of wealth,” to return the money “...preferably with interest.” Members said Taylor visited the church and conducted two investment Members, page 7
LITHONIA—It was supposed to be an easy holdup for a team of teenagers: One pulls a gun and forces the Radio Shack’s employees to the back of the store while the other grabs the loot—all kinds of electronics. But thanks to a swift offduty cop who was in the area during the heist, the plot was quickly foiled. The robbery ended with one of the fleeing suspects parting with their snacks he was buying from a nearby Wayfield grocery store. Erick Orihuela, 18, Francois Bensler, 17, both from Decatur are now facing two counts of felony armed robbery, aggravated assault and other charges. Authorities said they didn’t know whether the teens involved should have been in school on Jan. 21, the Friday morning they robbed the store The holdup happened around 9:30 a.m. at the Radio Shack located at 5445 Fairington Road. After the two ran out, police received a call about the robbery. “An off-duty DeKalb police officer was in the area and after hearing the description of the car, began to follow the suspects,” said Mekka Parish, spokesperson for the DeKalb County Police Department. “The suspects were later apprehended at Wayfield, where the two jumped out of their SUV to escape.” Police said the teens parked their white SUV at Wayfield Foods on Main Street in Lithonia. One of the suspects jumped out and ran behind the store. The other ran inside Wayfield. Once inside, he walked around shopping for snacks, police said. When the suspect went to the cash register to pay for the food, he panicked and tried to run when he saw police cars in front of the store. Lithonia Police Sgt. Larry Williams and other police stopped him before he could escape. “He was just walking around the store like nothing was going on,” said Williams. In the getaway vehicle, police found electronics and guns. Authorities said none of the employees or customers were injured in the incident.