OCG News Jan. 31, 2020

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VOLUME 25, NUMBER 44

JANUARY 31, 2020

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Mayor Jason Lary

Stonecrest mayor addresses mall’s impending foreclosure

By Adrion Bell City of Stonecrest Communications Director

Left to right on bench: Allen Moorer and Steve Lattimore are seated in front of Kobe Bryant (in red) and to Bryant’s left, Rob Pelinka, his agent at the time.

Kobe Bryant (left) and Coach Phil McCrary, Columbia High School in DeKalb County.

Kobe Bryant remembered by metro-Atlantans

By Mackenzie N. Morgan Staff Writer Basketball fans in metro Atlanta are mourning the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in the early morning hours on Jan. 26. The 41-year-old retired shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers died along with his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna Bryant, and seven others while on his way to coach his daughter’s basketball team

in a local youth tournament at the Mamba Sports Academy in Thousand Oaks, California.

The victims included Bryant’s longtime helicopter pilot, Ara Zobayan, 50; 13-year-old basketball player and teammate Alyssa Altobelli, parents John, 56 and Keri Altobelli, 46; 13-year-old basketball player and teammate Payton Chester and her mother Sarah Chester, 45 and Mamba Academy assistant Coach Christina Mauser, 38.

Several of the victims left behind spouses and children not on the plane. Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, had three other daughters ages 17, 3 and a seven month old baby.

The foggy weather crash is still under investigation and has drawn international attention and an outpouring of support from dignitaries, celebrities, and the collective sports community as people continue to honor and grieve the late basketball legend and the other eight victims.

Congressman Hank Johnson said in a statement to On Common Ground News: “I’m shocked and saddened at the loss of Kobe, Gianna, and the others who lost their lives in this tragic accident.

My prayers are with the families.”

Former DeKalb County Athletic Director Charlie Henderson said he has fond memories of Bryant after the NBA star made a special visit to Columbia

SEE KOBE page 7

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recent news story has Stonecrest residents wondering about the city’s retail future.

The Mall at Stonecrest is facing an imminent threat of foreclosure according to a recent Bisnow article.

The article states that the mall has been delinquent and in special servicing since 2013 and has been in and out of delinquency in 2019. The article also states that the mall could go into foreclosure in February.

Stonecrest’s major shopping hub is not alone in facing financial hardships.

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, malls across the country have been suffering great financial losses for years. Simon Property Group, the largest shopping mall operator in the U.S. and the owner of Atlanta’s Lenox Square

SEE STONECREST page 7

State Rep. Doreen Carter issues 21-day Veggie Challenge State Rep. Doreen Carter, District 92, is encouraging constituents to join her in a 21-Day Veggie Challenge in February during National Heart Month.

Carter said she first initiated the challenge in 2018 as a way for her to share with the community her own new lifestyle change. She is urging constituents in her district, which includes parts of DeKalb and Rockdale counties, to fall in love with veggies. However, she says everyone is welcome to participate in the 21-Day Veggie Challenge, which kicks off on Feb. 1.

“I’m working to build stronger families, stronger communities. We want to keep District 92 strong by increasing access to affordable fresh

State Rep. Doreen Carter

fruits and vegetables while challenging the community to consume more wholefoods,” Carter said.

Carter said it is crucial for people to pay attention to the foods they eat and to exercise regularly.

“The 21-day Veggie Challenge is really an awareness campaign. There

are so many people who have high blood pressure, and others who have had heart attacks and strokes as a result of poor nutrition,” said Carter.

“Studies have proven that diet and exercise can improve our health.”

Carter said the 21-Day Veggie Challenge is a virtual experience and participants may join the community and share nutritious recipes and testimonials at www. vegeculture.org.

On Friday, Feb. 7, the Go Red for Women heart initiative will be celebrated at the Georgia Capitol. Everyone is encouraged to wear red that day.

State Rep. Carter represents parts of DeKalb and Rockdale counties.

PAGE 2 • JANUARY 31, 2020

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Rockdale Sheriff’s Office remembers Investigator John Cole Haynie “He was our SWAT brother, a great friend. There’s not one day that he didn’t enter this building and didn’t have a smile on his face.”

“He meant a lot to a lot of people.”

“I’ve never met somebody like Cole before who had so much integrity, the most honesty of anybody in my 20 years of law enforcement…”

Rockdale Sheriff’s Investigator John Cole “J.C.” Haynie was remembered with tears and laughter on Jan. 28 during a candlelight vigil held by a crowd of colleagues, family and friends outside the Sheriff’s Office headquarters. Several who worked with Investigator Haynie shared stories about their friendship, his professionalism, and some of the last text messages that they exchanged with him.

Investigator Haynie passed away on Jan. 25 after a courageous monthlong medical battle, the Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

An 8-year veteran with the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office, Investigator Haynie began his service on Jan. 3, 2012 as a detention deputy within the Jail Division. He was promoted to a certified Sheriff’s deputy on March 21, 2014 after successful completion of the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (P.O.S.T.) mandate academy.

Investigator Haynie served in the Uniform Patrol Division for five years, first as a patrol deputy and later as a Special Investigations Unit gang investigator. He was most recently transferred to the Judicial Services Division in 2019, where he served as a fugitive investigator.

A video of the candlelight vigil can be viewed at : https://youtu.be/ rfWV1GWBPQ8.

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PUBLISHER Glenn L. Morgan

gmorgan1@ocgnews.com

EDITOR Valerie J. Morgan

editor@ocgnews.com

ADVERTISING MANAGER Richard S. Hill

richardhill@ocgnews.com

STAFF WRITER Mackenzie N. Morgan

mackenzie@ocgnews.com

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

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

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

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

On Common Ground News P.O. Box 904 Lithonia, GA 30058 770-679-5607 www.ocgnews.com

JANUARY 31, 2020 • PAGE 3

Proposed Turner Hill Road gas stations raise concerns among Stonecrest residents

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proposed gas station/assisted living facility at 3320 Turner Hill Road is on hold for now, while another gas station at 3332 Turner Hill Road is slated for discussion at the city’s Planning Commission meeting on Feb. 4. The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at City Hall.

The projects have raised concerns among residents in the area who say they don’t want a preponderance of gas stations offering alcohol sales in their communities.

The projects, submitted by different applicants, would require rezoning changes and special land use permits (SLUP). The tracts are currently zoned R-100 (residential).

Stonecrest City Councilman Jimmy Clanton, who represents District 1 where the tracts are located, said city officials are looking closely at the applications.

“The one at 3332 Turner Hill Road is too close to the church and daycare on Turner Hill. It doesn’t meet the distance requirements,” Clanton said. “You can’t

Attorney Bernard Knight, Dave Marcus and Nichelle Stephens-Smith

sell alcohol that close to a church or daycare. It will be coming up at the Planning Commission meeting.”

Meanwhile, the City Council temporarily put the brakes on the gas station/ assisted living facility project at 3320-3300 Turner Hill Road. The council approved a 12-month deferral on making a decision on the project at the Jan. 27 council meeting after staff advised that one of the applicants was unable to attend the meeting due to death in his family. The applicant’s wife died after an active volcano killed and injured several people while they couple was recently vacationing in New Zealand.

Councilman Clanton made the motion to defer

Rockdale, DeKalb to launch app to help voters monitor precinct wait times

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oters in Rockdale and DeKalb counties will be able to determine the wait times before they go to the polls this election season through the use of apps.

While Rockdale is putting the finishing touches on its app, DeKalb officials say they have plans to launch one, too, for use on Election Day. More details on DeKalb’s initiatives will be forthcoming.

Rockdale Supervisor of Elections Cynthia Willingham said Rockdale’s new app would be ready in about two weeks for voters to download.

Cynthia Willingham, Voters will be able to use the app during the early Rockdale Supervisor of voting period for the Presidential Preference Elections Primary, March 2-20 and on March 24,the Presidential Preference Primary Election Day. The app, Willingham said, also would be available for other elections scheduled throughout the 2020 election season.

“We’re really excited about this use of technology,” said Willingham.

“It will enable voters to determine how long they might have to wait, if their headed in to work or getting off work. The app can help them decide if they need to go to a different early voting precinct, and on Election Day, they will be able to know what the wait period looks like at their regular polling precinct.”

Voters will be able to download the app for free from their cell phone’s app store, Willingham said.

Willingham said Rockdale is being used as a pilot site for ESRI to test the app. Fulton, Gwinnett and Cobb counties are already using similar technology for their voters, she said.

“Because we are being used as a business case to test the app, we don’t have to pay for it,” Willingham said. “I like it because my office can communicate with our voters and election workers in real time. Voters will be able to notify us any complaints they may have and election workers can let us know through the app, if there are any problems.”

Willingham said the app is another tool to help voters during what is expected to be a busy election year.

“This is a big election year and there are a number of important races to be decided,” Willingham said.

See DeKalb Voting Town Hall set and Rockdale expands early voting locations stories on page 6.

a decision on the project to give the applicants the opportunity to determine if they still wanted to proceed and to work on the proposal.

Three people spoke against the project during the public hearing portion of the City Council meeting.

No one spoke in favor of it.

Attorney Bernard Knight, who represents the interests of several businesses and landowners in the city of Stonecrest, was the first to speak out against it.

“The applicant was consistently told by both the residential and business communities that the objectionable portion of this project was the gas station/ convenience store in its location, that the nursing home/assisted living aspect

of it was probably going to be O.K.,” said Knight.

Dave Marcus, a longtime Stonecrest resident, said there were two many questions and concerns that were not addressed by the developer in community and planning meetings.

“They couldn’t really say if it would be an assisted living facility or a nursing home…,” said Marcus.

“This is not a developer who has done much in planning… This is a developer who wants to put a gas station on Turner Hill Road. This is a developer who wants to take R-1 and turn into commercial.”

Nichelle StephensSmith, another citizen, also objected to the proposal, saying the applicant could not give a “clear definition of what they were trying to build.” “…Their first priority was the gas station. When asked if they did a market feasibility, they had not done one nor did they plan to do one,” Stephen-Smith said.

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS ON URBAN REDEVELOPMENT PLANS ENTITLED “THE CITY OF STONECREST CITY HALL URBAN REDEVELOPMENT PLAN” AND “THE CITY OF STONECREST GOVERNMENT COMPLEX URBAN REDEVELOPMENT PLAN” TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that on the 10th day of February 2020, at 7:00 p.m., at City Hall at 3120 Stonecrest Boulevard in Stonecrest, Georgia, the City Council of the City of Stonecrest (the “City”) will hold public hearings on (1) an urban redevelopment plan entitled “The City of Stonecrest City Hall Urban Redevelopment Plan” (the “City Hall Plan”) and (2) an urban redevelopment plan entitled “The City of Stonecrest Government Complex Urban Redevelopment Plan” (the “Government Complex Plan”).

The City Hall Plan sets forth an urban redevelopment project for the urban redevelopment area of approximately 17.802 acres located in the City at 2994 Turner Hill Road. The general scope of the urban redevelopment project set forth in the City Hall Plan consists of the acquisition of real property that is improved by an existing building containing approximately 131,514 square feet, which was used as a “Sam’s Club,” and the renovation of such building for use by the City as its City Hall.

The Government Complex Plan sets forth an urban redevelopment project for the urban redevelopment area of approximately 15.167 acres located in the City at 8020 Mall Parkway. The general scope of the urban redevelopment project set forth in the Government Complex Plan consists of the acquisition of real property that is improved by two existing buildings containing approximately 144,391 aggregate square feet, which were used as a “Sears Department Store and Automotive Center,” and the renovation of such buildings for use by the City for public safety purposes and for lease by the City to other state and local governmental entities.

Any interested person may submit oral or written comments on the City Hall Plan or the Government Complex Plan at the hearing. Both plans are on file at City Hall, 3120 Stonecrest Boulevard, Stonecrest, Georgia, and a copy of either plan may be obtained from the City Clerk of the City.

City Clerk, City of Stonecrest

PAGE 4 • JANUARY 31, 2020

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Rep. Hank Johnson announces 2020 CBC Foundation Scholarships Amanda Cooper V10-WAOK radio

Newton Sheriff Ezell Brown

Commissioner Lorraine CochranJohnson

DeKalb Sheriff Melody Maddox

Rockdale Sheriff Eric Levett

Atlanta Black Chambers to host conversation with metro law enforcement The Atlanta Black Chambers will host its monthly First Friday Forum in Conyers on Feb. 7, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the J.P. Carr Community Center, 981 Taylor Street. The organization is hosting a special Black History Month event entitled Our Community, Our Businesses, Our Future. The focus of this event will be on the role of law enforcement in the Atlanta community.

The conversation will be moderated by Amanda Cooper of V103 and WAOK radio. Panelists include DeKalb County Super District 7 Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown, DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox and Rockdale County Sheriff Eric Levett.

The Atlanta Black Chambers hosts its First Friday Forum monthly and has featured themed events focusing on subjects including government contracting, branddevelopment, media relations and women in business.

Tickets are available at abcfirstfridayfeb2020.eventbrite.com.

Tickets are available at abcfirstfridayfeb2020.eventbrite.com.

For more information about the organization, visit www. atlantablackchambers.org.

Stonecrest Parks and Rec earns Georgia Bright From the Start license The city of Stonecrest’s Parks and Recreation Department has earned a Georgia Bright From the Start license for the Browns Mill Recreation Center program.

The team, led by Sean DePalma, will reinstate the Stonecrest Afterschool Program on Feb. 3, offering youth programs with higher standards and a more well-rounded curriculum that will include science, arts and crafts, and technology classes.

The staff worked in conjunction with the South DeKalb YMCA staff and Sheila Lewis, a consultant with Creating Connections, in developing a new after-school program and obtaining the license. In addition to the curriculum improvements, the staff had to upgrade the recreation center to include new HVAC improvements, electrical upgrades, and the installation of fencing to secure outdoor play areas.

The license ensures youth programs with a high service standard and will allow parents to participate in the Childcare and Parents Services (CAPS) program which subsidizes after-school care cost, according to DePalma. Without this license, lower-income families would be ineligible for this subsidy and would be forced to pay the full amount for after-school care. As a part of the Bright From the Start licensing process, each staff member had to submit to a fingerprint and background check.

“This entire process ensures the safety of our children as well as a higher level of education. Generally, government recreation centers don’t seek to obtain this license; however, we sought it out to bring a more structured curriculum for our after-school program that we hope will increase Stonecrest students’ future academic achievements,” DePalma said.

Hillcrest Church of Christ

1939 Snapfinger Rd, Decatur, Ga 30035 | hillcrestcoc.net WORSHIP SERVICE TIMES: Sunday Mornings 10am to 12pm Sunday Evenings 5pm to 6pm

BIBLE CLASSES: Sunday Mornings 9am to 9:45am Wednesday Nights 7pm to 8pm Thursday mornings 10 am to 11am

"You are invited to Family and Friends Day at the Hillcrest Church of Christ. Wear your favorite team jersey to celebrate Super Bowl Sunday.”

Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) has announced the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Education Scholarship and the Performing Arts & Visual Arts Scholarship will open to applicants beginning Feb. 3. The deadline for both scholarships is April 3.

The Performing Arts Scholarship provides financial assistance to outstanding African-American students pursuing a major in performing and visual arts, including — but not limited to — architecture, ceramics, drawing, fashion, graphic design, illustration, interior design, painting, photography, sketching, video production and other decorative arts.

The education scholarship is open to any outstanding AfricanAmerican college students residing or attending college in a Congressional Black Caucus member district — in this case Georgia District 4, which encompasses parts of DeKalb, Gwinnett, Newton and all of Rockdale County.

For more information, visit cbcfinc.org/scholarships or e-mail scholarships@cbcfinc.org.

Friends at Stonecrest Library host super book sale The Friends at Stonecrest Library will host a super book sale on Saturday, Feb. 8, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Stonecrest Library, 3123 Klondike Road, Stonecrest.

Books for sale available in several genres including fiction/non-fiction, crafts books, textbooks, romance novels, history, biographies, magazines, encyclopedias, as well as books on tape/CD, DVDs and VHS. Proceeds support Stonecrest library programs for adults and children.

DeKalb landscape classes begin in February The DeKalb Cooperative Extension announces that the Landscape 101 course will begin in February.

The course consist of three classes with the first class scheduled on Feb. 12 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The remaining classes will be held Feb. 19 and Feb 26, from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

The registration fee for the course is $30 and registration ends on Feb. 10.

Classes will be held at the DeKalb Extension Training Center located at 4380 Memorial Drive, #200, Decatur, GA 30032.

For more information, contact the DeKalb County Cooperative Extension Office at 404-298-4080, or visit www.extension.uga.edu/county-offices/ dekalb.html.

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Congressman Hank Johnson promotes 2020 Census Count in new video Congressman Henry “Hank” Johnson (GA-04) is kicking off the 2020 Census Count campaign with a video urging community leaders and stakeholders to get involved.

The census count officially began on Jan. 21 in the remote fishing village of Toksook Bay, Alaska. Locally, the head count will begin around mid-March. National Census Day is April 1.

The video will be featured on all of Johnson’s social media outlets.

“The census informs how billions of dollars are allocated every year to health clinics, schools, affordable housing, and hundreds of other critical services and programs that make a difference in our lives every day,” Johnson said in the video. “It only takes a few minutes, but the impact will be felt for years.”

Johnson represents parts of DeKalb, Gwinnett, Newton and all of Rockdale County.

You can watch the census count video on the Congressman’s YouTube Page: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=AfQ-AFWCwhQ

JANUARY 31, 2020 • PAGE 5

Stonecrest Councilmember Rob Turner receives GMA training certificate Stonecrest Councilmember Robert Turner, II received the certificate of recognition from the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute during the Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) Annual Cities United Summit in Atlanta on Jan. 26.

The Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute, a cooperative effort of GMA and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, provides a nationally-recognized series of training opportunities for city officials. To receive a certificate of recognition, a city official must complete a

minimum of 42 units of credit, including at least 18 hours from a list of required classes. The training program consists of a

series of more than 60 courses.

“This is an outstanding achievement,” said GMA Executive Director Larry Hanson. “We commend Councilmember Turner for this accomplishment and for the dedication he’s shown in using this valuable resource to become a more effective city official.”

Based in Atlanta, GMA is a voluntary, non-profit organization that provides legislative advocacy, research, training, employee benefit and technical consulting services to its 538 member cities.

Bible Study Conference 2020 set Feb. 6-8 Stonecrest Hilton Garden Inn G & W Ministries will present “Bible Study Conference 2020” on Feb. 6–8 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Stonecrest.

The conference’s theme is “Trusting God on the Journey “ (Joshua 2: 1-4. 8-13). There will be anointed, dynamic speakers local, national and international, and vendors with products and services.

Here is the schedule for the three-day event: Thursday 7 p.m.: Pastor Orlando Thrash, Pleasant Zion Baptist Church, Dallas, TX Friday 9 a.m.: Pastor Johnny Taylor,

“His Flowing Shreveport , LA; Oil,” Dalton, GA Minister Turcia 5 p.m: Minister Mogaswa, Pretoria, Estella Love, South Africa and Berean Christian Pastor Rhonda Church Stewart, Rivers of Joy (Snellville, GA Ministries , Jonesboro, campus) Lousisiana.

7 p.m.

Registration Elder Wanda D. Holmes-Brooks Bishop Ruby is ongoing at Pedescleaux, www.gwministry.

Showers of Blessings Ministries, net or onsite : $45 for entire Shreveport, LA conference; $15 for one day; Saturday and vendors for $100.

8:30 a.m.: The conference will For more information, close with featured ministry contact Elder Wanda D. Holmesguests: Minister Elswith Brooks, conference host, at 404Simpson, Belize City, Belize; 966-9102.

Minister Annetta Williams,

PAGE 6 • JANUARY 31, 2020

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DeKalb Commissioner Lorraine CochranJohnson to host Voting Town Hal DeKalb County residents will have a chance to experience Georgia’s new voting machines ahead of the Voting Town Hall she is hosting on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 6 to 8 p.m., at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur.

The interactive voting machine experiences will take place from 4 to 6 p.m.

The state of Georgia is replacing all voting machines by the March 24 Presidential Primary with a new voting system and DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson wants to ensure that all DeKalb residents experience how to Lorraine Cochran-Johnson use the new machines before the elections.

“The ability to vote is amongst our most sacred rights as U.S. citizens,” said Commissioner Cochran-Johnson. “I want to ensure DeKalb residents have faith in the system and equal access to voting free of disenfranchisement.”

On Oct. 28, Georgia Elections Director Chris Harvey announced that as many as 330,000 Georgia voters could be purged before the end of the year. Many are being dropped because they have not participated in elections in at least six years. If fully implemented, the purge could eliminate up to 4 percent of Georgia voters.

“Understanding the approaching purge, I want to get an early start on checking the voter status of DeKalb residents,” said Cochran-Johnson.

“I hear my constituents loud and clear when they voice concerns and I’m dedicated to ensuring no vote goes uncounted.”

Cochran-Johnson said the Voting Town Hall will give residents access to their voting status, the ability to register to vote, and the opportunity to speak with state and local election officials to answer questions pertinent to voting in the approaching primaries.

“2020 will be a critical year on the local, state, and national level,” said Cochran-Johnson. “Many Americans want change and need to know their voice and their vote will be heard. As an elected official, I am here to work with our local voting office to ensure we have the most efficient practices and procedures in place and all poll workers are fully trained and understand voting procedures.”

Town Hall panel members will include Ted Koval, Georgia Secretary of State Office; Samuel Tilman and Anthony Lewis, DeKalb Board of Registrations and Elections; Leona Perry, DeKalb Democrats; Attorney Thomas Bowden, DeKalb Republicans; and Erica Hamilton, Director of DeKalb Voter Registration and Elections. Panel members and voting officials will be on hand to discuss voting practices, absentee voting procedures, ballot processing times, provisional ballots, how to encourage voter participation and standard voting procedures.

“We look forward to the opportunity to engage DeKalb’s voting electorate and share information and best practices to ensure all DeKalb residents are confident as we approach 2020,” said Hamilton.

Rockdale expands early voting locations Rockdale County is expanding its in-person early voting sites. Elections Supervisor Cynthia Willingham said in addition to the main precinct, voters would have the option of voting early at the following locations: • The Rockdale Board of Elections and Voter Registration Office (main precinct), 1261 Commercial Drive, Conyers. Park in back of the building.

• Cornerstone Church, 2900 Salem Road • Conyers Church of Christ, 1410 Flat Shoals Road • St. Simons Episcopal Church, 1522 Highway 138 Cynthia Willingham, Rockdale Supervisor of N.E. Elections Voters will be able to use the early voting locations during the Presidential Preference Primary, which is March 2-20.

Voters must go to their assigned precincts on March 24, the Presidential Preference Primary Election Day. The general primary elections for federal, state, county and non-partisan offices will begin with mail-in voting March 31-May 15. In-person early voting will be held April 27-May 15. On Election Day, May 19, voters must go to their assigned precincts.

DeKalb Youth Track and Field registration now open The DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs has opened registration for youth track-and-field.

The registration fee is $40 per participant. Participants must be between the ages of 5 to 14 and a birth certificate is required to register.

Registration includes four track meets. Practice dates and times will be determined by recreation centers. Registration is open through March 7.

For more information, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/parks or call (770) 414-2111.

Presenting the award (left to right): Mindy Kao, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta; Barbara J. Mobley, president of Toney Valley Civic Association; Tyler Sanchez, Neighborhood Watch Coordinator; and Neona Sherrer, vice president of Toney Valley Civic Association

South DeKalb civic association receives grant for Toney Valley Day Festival The Toney Valley Civic Association was recently awarded a Neighborhood Fund Grant of $9,900 by the Community Foundation For Greater Atlanta. The majority of the grant fund will be used by the 36-yearold non-profit organization to sponsor and support its inaugural Toney Valley Day Festival slated for June 13 on the grounds of Toney Elementary School in Toney Valley. The homecoming, community celebration and fun festival will feature free health screenings, diverse visual and performing artists, a variety of vendors, a children’s activities tent, DeKalb County departments, courts, public service organizations, voter registration/education, food trucks, prizes and much more.

Additionally, a portion of the Neighborhood Fund Grant will be utilized to provide community coaching to the civic association in the areas of marketing and communications, coalition building, volunteer management and resource development.

Mason Mill Road closure begins Feb. 4 Mason Mill Road, between Clairmont Road and Houston Mill Road NE, in Decatur will be closed to through-traffic beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 4, through 5 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 10. Residents living in the area will have access to road.

Road closure and detour signs will be placed in the area to advise motorists of traffic restrictions. For more information, contact the DeKalb County Roads and Drainage Department at 404-294-2878.

J.P. Carr School to showcase memorabilia of Rockdale’s first black school The Citizens Progressive Club of Rockdale County is gearing up for an event to preserve and showcase memorabilia from the former J.P. Carr School, which served as the county’s black school from 1955 through 1969 prior to desegregation.

Donated by former staff and students of the school, the items will be placed in memorial cases in the current J.P. Carr Community Center at 981 Taylor Street in Conyers during a program scheduled on Saturday, Feb. 15, 4 p.m.. The public is encouraged to attend.

“This will give the community an opportunity to learn some history about education in Rockdale during the years of segregation,” said Progressive Club President, the Rev. Al Sadler, who graduated from J.P. Carr.

The club has been planning the project for a number of years and raised money for the display cases through donations, said Sadler. The cases will soon contain a trophy, gym shorts, photos and yearbooks.

In addition to watching the placement of the memorabilia, attendees to the February 15 event will hear from former J.P. Carr students as well as current Rockdale County students.

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JANUARY 31, 2020 • PAGE 7

Stonecrest courts GPTC, MARTA for former Sears building City of Stonecrest officials are in discussions with Georgia Piedmont Technical College(GPTC) and MARTA Police about moving into the former Sears building.

Business development manager William Settle said Stonecrest has been aggressively recruiting for a higher educational institution of learning to move into the building.

Settle told the City Council at its Jan. 27 work session that GPTC officials are

Business Development Manager William Settle

looking at the possibility of relocating its Wesley Chapel

Road campus to the Sears building, which has 142,000 square feet of space and a 15,000-square-foot battery and tire center. The city announced its $2.1 million deal to buy the property last September.

“We have taken an assessment of the business community and industrial areas and we know that one of the areas that we need to strengthen is to have an education component to address some of the needs that they have,” Settle said.

Settle said the Sears building would allow GPTC, currently located in a 50,000-square-foot space that formerly was a WalMart, to expand by 30,000 square feet. He said the relocation would give the college more visibility and also would put the college in closer proximity to serving students in the tri-county area: DeKalb, Rockdale and Newton counties.

Settle said the city is looking at using the upper level of the former Sears

building for the film and entertainment industry.

“If we were to do simulation for trains, planes, hospitals schools, all that can be done for films and be rented out,” said Settle.

Settle said the city is in discussions with MARTA to locate a police precinct in about 10,000 square feet of the Sears building.

“MARTA is excited about the opportunity to re-route their current bus schedule to go straight to the Sears building,” Settle said.

next evening, Bryant showed up to cheer them on. The Columbia Eagles beat St. Pius 63-18 that night. Bryant commended the team for their hustle and defense.

“That night was unbelievable,” said McCrary. “It’s a great role model we lost. He lived his life to the fullest and he touched lives. He was a great father figure and mentor to a lot of young men that didn’t know him but wanted to be like him,” said McCrary.

Former Columbia student, Jordan Lemons, was one of those students who was inspired by Bryant.

Lemons, who now works at Columbia, was a senior at the time and said that memory is one he and his teammates hold near and dear to the hearts.

“For him to take the time out his schedule to sit down and talk with us meant a lot to us as individuals and a team,” said Lemons. “So many of us were fans of Kobe. He really inspired a lot of youth to work hard at anything they try to do. We got to play a game in front of one of the all-time great NBA players that night.

That is a memory no one can take away from us. It is still something the people at Columbia take pride in to this day. I’m thankful to him and the people at Nike for making it happen.

“The loss is unreal. I can only imagine the magnitude of the impact he has had on the world, because I was able to witness it at Columbia. He’s going to be sorely missed and the families will be in my

prayers,” said Henderson.

Rockdale Post 1 Commissioner Sherri Washington expressed her deep sadness over Bryant’s death at the Rockdale Board of Commissioners meeting on Jan. 28. Washington said she became a Lakers fan when she moved to Macon, Georgia in 1976 and began following Lakers’ basketball great Norm Nixon, who attended Southwest Macon High School.

“The loss of Kobe Bryant is like I’ve lost a family member. I am so devastated. My heart and prayers go out to his family.

Unimaginable, but what a legacy he left,” Mark Brock, Athletics Specialist for DeKalb County Schools Media Relations contributed to this report.

KOBE continued from page 1 High School in 2007 while in town to face off with the Atlanta Hawks.

“He didn’t come in with fancy clothes and cars. He came in wearing blue jeans and he rode in a taxi and the kids respected him. I became more of a Kobe fan because I saw the person he was,” said Henderson.

The two-time NBA MVP was just 29 years old when longtime Hall of Fame Coach Phil McCrary, who was head coach at Columbia at the time, arranged for the basketball player to visit the students and players at Columbia.

“The kids were at attention. They were like sponges and wanted to absorb everything he said.

He talked to them about education, hard work, learning other languages and

Kobe Bryant

the importance of discipline on and off the court. We’re so proud that we happened to be one of the schools that he touched and made a positive influence,” said McCrary.

After a full day of taking pictures and signing autographs, the kids, ignited

by Kobe’s presence, asked the ball player to come to their game the next day. The

STONECREST continued from page 1 Mall, defaulted on a $45 million loan secured by Greendale Mall in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Greendale Mall went into foreclosure in 2016 but remains open today. A few years ago, CBL & Associates trimmed its portfolio and unloaded 14 malls by selling eight and giving six back to lenders.

Understandably, questions arise about malls when its mortgages are given back to the lenders.

Research reveals that most malls don’t close after foreclosure and consumers often continue shopping without knowledge of any financial strain.

The anchors stores, such as Macy’s and Dillard’s, own their properties and are not subject to the mall’s financial plights.

These anchors stores tend to continue to

advertise and draw customers.

Mayor Jason Lary released this statement regarding the mall’s future: “We are aware of the struggles experienced by malls nationwide as consumers are shifting more toward online shopping.

However, we are strategically planning viable economic development around the mall that will thrive and will help the mall thrive. The city has a financial investment in the Sears building, so this is a personal strategy for me.

I can’t speak definitively for private corporations, such as Urban Retailers, the mall’s owner, but I don’t foresee this as being a situation in which the mall will suddenly close. If the mall goes into

foreclosure, then investors will still be able to purchase it at a price agreed upon by the lender.

Our economic development plan, which will be completed soon, combined with the plans of Allen Family Investments LLC,

owners of most of the vacant land adjacent to the mall, will add to the city’s residential and commercial density. So, in short, we have plans in place that will keep The Mall at Stonecrest from falling to the condition of other unsuccessful area malls.”

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PAGE 8 • JANUARY 31, 2020

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