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VOLUME 25, NUMBER 47
FEBRUARY 21, 2020
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Sukisha Kilgore, first woman sworn in as postmaster general of Lithonia Post Office By Valerie J. Morgan As the nation celebrates Black History Month, the city of Lithonia is honoring a trailblazer of its own in February. The Lithonia Post Office has a new Postmaster General: Sukisha Kilgore, who was sworn in on Feb. 15 as the first woman to hold the position since the Lithonia facility opened 79 years ago in 1949. She is the ninth postmaster to serve the city and at the helm, Kilgore oversees 120 employees. Terry Clemons, manager of Post Office Operations, administered the oath of office as Kilgore stood before a crowd of guests at the Stone Manor Event Center, located in the city of Lithonia. Lithonia Mayor Shameka Reynolds came
Pictured left to right: Terry Clemons, manager of Post Office Operations; Sukisha Kilgore; and her mother, Emma Jones, and father, Harvey Jones. Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News
out to witness the historic ceremony and personally congratulate Kilgore. “We are so very proud of her for this accomplishment,” Reynolds
said. Kilgore, 39, began her career in February 2000 as a clerk in the North Metro Postal Service’s processing/ distribution center in Duluth.
“I came to the Post Office straight out of high school. I thought it was a good path for me to take because of job security and the opportunity for
promotion,” said Kilgore, an Augusta native. Kilgore said her mother, Janice Best, who has worked for the U.S. Postal Service nearly 30 years and is now manager of customer service at the Northside Post Office in Atlanta, encouraged her to apply. “I took the test and eventually, I was hired,” said Kilgore. Kilgore, whom supervisors and co-workers lauded as a dedicated, hard worker during her swearingin ceremony, began climbing the corporate ladder in 2005, serving in managerial positions with the City of Atlanta Post Office and Decatur/Wesley Chapel Post Office before making her way to the Lithonia Post Office. “She has always been ambitious. She would take
SEE POSTMASTER page 7
The DeKalb County Senate Delegation meets with Stonecrest’s five council members on Feb. 19 at the Georgia Capitol. Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News
Stonecrest files to dismiss lawsuit against Councilwoman Cobble
By Mackenzie N. Morgan Staff Writer
making his decision to allow Cobble to keep her seat on the council, however, Scott said he was not “hung up on due process issues.” He said the city had until Feb. 18 to request a reconsideration of his decision. The city, however, requested dismissal of the case. “I don’t think anyone really knew how to go about requesting an excused absence. In this political climate that we exist in, I think that it’s been made clear across America that you just don’t remove people from office by vote of the body,” Scott had said during the court hearing. Cobble said in an email regarding the city’s dismissal of the case: “I am glad we can now focus on the work of the people and avoid further litigation on these issues. We
Rockdale County’s Chief Magistrate Judge Phinia Aten and NewRock Legal Society recently hosted about 50 students for their annual youth law camp. The free one-day camp, now in it’s fifth year, was held on Feb. 17 in the Rockdale Magistrate Judge Phinia Aten Courtroom where participants got a firsthand look into the legal profession. The students were out of school for President’s Day. The daylong camp kicked off with a complimentary breakfast and greetings by Rockdale County Clerk of Magistrate Court, Patricia Carreker, and the immediate past president of NewRock Legal Society, Rockdale County Commissioner Sherri Washington. Attendees learned the ins and outs of a law career, while attending various workshops on obtaining a legal educational, exploring law-related careers and the criminal justice system. Students got an introduction to crime scene investigations, as well as the opportunity to put their knowledge to the test in a live mock trial. Judge Aten, who founded the camp in 2016, provided the keynote address, “Justice Forward.” Aten is the county’s first African-American female judge and first female Chief Magistrate Judge.
SEE LAWSUIT page 7
SEE CAMP page 7
State lawmakers to file bills to amend city’s charter The city of Stonecrest has dismissed its lawsuit to determine if Councilwoman Jazzmin Cobble should forfeit her elected seat on the council, due to absences, based on the city’s charter. Attorneys Emily Macheski-Preston and Thompson Kurrie filed a notice to dismiss the case without prejudice on behalf of the city and Mayor Jason Lary on Feb. 18, bringing a close to the civil action case (No 20CV2341). The dismissal follows DeKalb Superior Court Judge Mark Anthony Scott’s ruling on Feb. 14, denying the city’s request to seeka temporary restraining order against Cobble until a declaratory judgment seeking clarity on the city’s charter could be determined. In
Rockdale Judge Phinia Aten hosts youth legal camp for fifth consecutive year, offers college book scholarship