VOLUME 22 NUMBER 17
FREE
JULY 23, 2016
Published Since April 1995 Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties • www.facebook.com/ocgnews
7th Annual Community Day with the Sheriff By Valerie J. Morgan
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ozens of DeKalb County school children beamed happily as they picked up free backpacks and school supplies handed out by DeKalb County Sheriff Jeffrey Mann and other public safety officials. The parting gifts were the finishing touches to a pizza/ bowling party the sheriff held on July 20. DeKalb students will start the new school year on Aug. 8. More than 100 children attended the “7th Annual Community Day with the Sheriff” at the Stars and Stripes Family Entertainment Center in Stone Mountain. “Our goal each year since this program began has been to help school children learn to trust and respect law enforcement officials by metting them one-on-one in a fun, friendly environment before returning to another school year,” says Mann. “In this current climate, it is particularly important that young people have this opportunity. “
Mann praised business owner Tom Walker, Sr., who helped organize the event. Walker, who founded Save Our Children, a nonprofit organization to assist youths, launched the Sheriff’s Community Day with former Sheriff Thomas Brown. The event used to be held at the Suburban Lanes bowling center in Decatur. Walker said he sold the bowling facility but remains involved in encouraging students to bowl and seek out bowling scholarships. “I’m putting information in every backpack so that parents
The Georgia Lottery has transferred $1,097,567,000 to the State Treasury’s Lottery for Education for the 2016 fiscal year. The amount is the largest transfer in a single fiscal year and the greatest in the lottery’s 23-year history, officials announced. “We appreciate the commitment from our dedicated lottery and COAM retailers, players, vendor partners and employees. We are grateful to our board of directors for their leadership and guidance,” said Debbie D. Alford, president and CEO of the Georgia Lottery. “We’re Photos by Glenn L. Morgan proud to have reached the extraordinary milestone of raising over $1 will be aware of the opportunities available. You can go all the billion for HOPE and Pre-K.” Profits transferred surpass last way through college on bowling year’s record transfer by more than scholarships,” Thomas said. $117 million. Georgia Lottery players won $2.75 billion in prizes in FY16, and retailers earned over $270.7 million in commissions. Fiscal year 2016 spanned from July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016. The total raised for educational programs in the state of Georgia is more than $17.6 billion since the lottery’s inception in 1993. “Educational programs funded by the lottery continue to lay the groundwork for Georgia’s evolving and growing workforce,” Gov. Nathan Deal said. “FY 2016’s reMorris Williams cord-breaking profits will continue to help each child in Georgia attain The indictment comes after Chanel a quality education from start to 2 Action News and the Atlanta Jourfinish.” nal Constitution began investigating Since its first year, the Georgia the county’s payment for emergency Lottery Corp. has returned more services that were provided when raw than $17.6 billion to the state of sewage backed up into May’s home Georgia for education. All Georgia after a flood in December 2009. Lottery profits go to pay for specific Attorney Otis Williams, who is educational programs, including representing Morris Williams and is Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship Pronot related to him, told Channel 2 gram and Georgia’s Pre-K Program. the allegations in the indictment are More than 1.7 million students have untrue. received HOPE, and more than 1.4 “Mr. Williams will plead not million 4-year-olds have attended guilty,” said Otis Williams. the statewide, voluntary prekinderCotter told Channel 2 that he also garten program. plans to plead not guilty.
DeKalb BOC’s former chief of staff, businessman indicted
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former DeKalb County Board of Commissioners chief of staff and a man who did business with the county are facing theft and conspiracy charges. Morris Williams and Douglas Wayne Cotter were indicted on two counts of theft by taking and one count each of conspiracy to defraud a political subdivision. Cotter also was indicted for making a false statement. Williams was booked into the DeKalb County Jail on July 19 but was released after posting bond. Cotter was booked on July 20 and released on bond as well. DeKalb District Attorney Robert James said county employees and others who betray the public’s trust must be held accountable. “County employees and those who do business with the county are held to a higher standard because they provide or use resources to further the best interests of DeKalb citizens and businesses,” said James. “If you betray the public trust, you must be held accountable.” As chief of staff in June 2011, Williams instructed Cotter to submit
an invoice to DeKalb County for work done by Water Removal Services on then-Commissioner Lee May’s behalf. The price tag Cotter submitted for the work was inflated by $4,000. Several days after the invoice was submitted, the company was paid approximately $6,400 by DeKalb County, the indictment said. At Cotter’s insistence, the company subsequently cut a $4,000 check made out to May. Someone other than May, however, endorsed the check. Cotter said he cashed the check at his family’s business in Dawson County after Williams asked him to do so. Cotter said he gave the money to Williams to give to May. But May has said he didn’t have anything to do with the check and never received any of the money. May is not facing any charges. He said he is cooperating with authorities. “I am aware that a former county employee and contractor have been implicated in wrongdoing. I support the judicial process and will cooperate to the fullest extent possible,” May said. “The judicial process must run its course, but I am looking forward to a successful resolution to this matter.”
Georgia Lottery transfers record-breaking $1 billion for education