VOLUME 22 NUMBER 45
FREE
FEBRUARY 18, 2017
Published Since April 1995 Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties • www.facebook.com/ocgnews
Water main test planned in Tucker/ Northlake Area
350 jobs coming to DeKalb County with U.S. launch of YETI coolers
W
ater customers in the Tucker/ Northlake area may notice a drop in water pressure on Feb. 24. The drop may be as much as 50 percent in some areas but DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management (DWM) officials say not to worry. The situation is temporary. The DWM has scheduled a preliminary test of a 48-inch transmission water main that runs along Henderson Mill Road. The test is being conducted in preparation for repairs for the more than 40-year-old pipe. Testing will begin at 6 p.m. In the event that customers experience a water pressure drop of more than 50 percent during the test, they should contact DeKalb Watershed at 770-2706243 or DeKalbWaterOPS@ DeKalbCountyga.gov, as this would indicate that an unexpected circumstance has occurred and the preliminary test would be stopped. Customers outside of the Tucker and Northlake areas also may experience a slight drop in pressure. While these customers will be directly served via one or more other transmission mains, any of these customers that experience more than a 25 percent drop in pressure should contact DeKalb Watershed at 770-270-6243 or DeKalbWaterOPS@DeKalbCountyga.gov, and the preliminary test would be stopped. Additionally, motorists may experience traffic delays during the testing. Upon successful completion of the preliminary testing, a repair will be planned within two to three weeks. For more information, visit www.dekalbwatershed.com.
L-R: State Rep. Vernon Jones tours the Atlanta Rotomolding headquarters in South DeKalb with Mel Mogil and Mathew Jeffries. Photos by Glenn L. Morgan / OCG News
By Valerie J. Morgan
A
tlanta Rotomolding has partnered with a Canadian-based company to bring 350 jobs to DeKalb County. Officials with California Innovations, headquartered in Toronto, Canada, said they chose DeKalb to expand their manufacturing operations for American-made Yeti coolers and sporting goods accessories because it was a “good fit.”
“We were looking on the internet and found Atlanta Rotomolding. We decided to call them and after speaking with them, we liked their track record and we decided it really was a good fit,” said Mel Mogil, president and CEO of California Innovations. Atlanta Rotomolding, a custom molder, is gearing up to manufacture the coolers for Walmart. Officials met with State Rep. Vernon Jones recently to discuss the project and and take him on
a tour of Atlanta Rotomolding’s headquarters at 3290 Panthersville Road in Decatur. “It’s a big undertaking, a gigantic project,” said Mogil. “We’re going to be hiring for everything from office personnel workers to machine operators and engineers.” Jones said he is not only excited about the job opportunities that will be See YETI coolers, page 8
GPTC, Clark Atlanta announce launch of historic partnership
G
eorgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC) and Clark Atlanta University (CAU) will offer dual admissions and joint enrollment for qualified students at both institutions beginning late spring. The two schools announced the launch of the historic partnership on Feb. 15 in the Robert W. Woodruff Library Exhibition Hall at Clark Atlanta University. The partnership program entitled “Acess 4 Achievement” will offer students the opportunity to strengthen academic rigor, program-specific transfer agreements and joint faculty and teaching opportunities for graduate students and faculty at both institutions. GPTC President Jabari Simama actively sought a higher education partnership with Clark-Atlanta University to provide additional transfer opportunities for GPTC students who complete their technical education requirements, but wish to pursue a four-year degree and graduate school. “Students enrolled in the Access 4 Achievement program will graduate prepared for today’s job market, as well
as ready to adapt to sudden shifts in market demands well into the future,” said Simama. The partnership is in keeping with CAU President Ronald A. Johnson’s plan to equip every student with stackable credentials, which will make them more globally competitive upon graduation. Johnson said the new initiative will assist students in graduating sooner with both high-demand technical
skills and the soft skills, which are key indicators of long-term employment success. Additional benefits students will receive from Access 4 Achievement include: • Broadened access for talented, college-bound students • Improved graduation rates due to See GPTC, page 8