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VOLUME 25 NUMBER 16
JULY 19, 2019 Stay connected
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Published Since April 1995
Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties
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Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary joins Red Cross in push for emergency blood drive
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tonecrest Mayor Jason Lary became one of the first area mayors to broadcast a public service announcement for the American Red Cross this week. The mayor joined American Red Cross Communications Manager Ronnika McFall at the Midtown Blood Center to encourage area residents to donate blood either at the city’s upcoming blood drive or by visiting a donation center. The Stonecrest Blood Drive will be held at City Hall on July 30 from 1 to 6 p.m. “We really want people to come out and support the Red Cross blood drive. It is critical that we all pitch in and do our part to save lives,” said Lary. McFall said during her interview with the mayor that the Red Cross is in emergency need for blood donations with less than a three-day supply of blood. McFall said the agency only has a two-day supply of Type O blood. The shortage is nationwide. The urgent call comes after a drop in blood and platelet donations over the Fourth of July holiday. Red Cross officials say about 450 fewer blood drives were organized by businesses and other community groups that week compared to a typical week, resulting in 17,000 fewer blood donations than needed for patients in a single week.
SEE RED CROSS page 11
Rep. Hank Johnson
Rep. Jesús G. García
Reps. Johnson, Garcia propose mandatory emergency braking system for commercial trucks
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City of Conyers breaks ground on new City Hall By Sarita Mason For On Common Ground News The city of Conyers held a groundbreaking ceremony on July 18 for its new City Hall, which will be built at 901 O’Kelly Street. Conyers Mayor Vince Evans, former Mayor Randy Mills, and council members attended the historic event. Mayor Evans said the new City Hall represents a new beginning for the city of Conyers.
“It was past time for this to happen… Things are about to get better. I believe the new City Hall is the beginning of the transformation of this area. What we hope to see over a period of time are multiple housing options amidst of office and retail space, lots of green space, and trails and parks that complement Olde Towne,” Evans said. The 38,000-square-foot City Hall, which will have two stories and a parking garage, will cost $13.5 million. The project is being funded by a bond passed by city voters last
SEE GROUNDBREAK page 11
ASHINGTON, D.C. – Seeking to make highways around the nation safer for drivers, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), along with his colleague, Rep. Jesús G. "Chuy" García of Illinois, introduced the “Safe Roads Act of 2019” (H.R. 3773), which would direct the Department of Transportation to require all new commercial motor vehicles to be equipped with an automatic emergency braking system. Johnson and Garcia announced the bill at a Capitol Hill news conference flanked by safety advocates and commercial trucking stakeholders. Johnson first introduced the bill in 2011 and again in 2015 after five Georgia nursing students were killed and three others seriously injured when a tractor-trailer failed to stop and plowed into traffic that had stopped on I-16 in Georgia. A few weeks later, in May 2015, five more people died when another tractor-trailer smashed into two cars and burst into flames on the same section of highway. “Tragically, the simple installation of automatic braking systems on all commercial motor vehicles might have prevented these deaths and countless others across the country,” said Johnson. “America’s roads and highways should be safe for all drivers. Taking full advantage of technologies that are available and proven to anticipate and prevent crashes will save lives.”