FREE
VOLUME 25, NUMBER 26
SEPTEMBER 27, 2019 Stay connected
News 24/7
Published Since April 1995
ocgnews.com
Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties
facebook.com/ocgnews
Bringing HOPE to DeKalb
RBC Bank, Cochran-Johnson partner on financial literacy training DeKalb County residents now have a free ticket to Financial Literacy101. A new partnership between RBC Bank and DeKalb County is bringing financial literacy coaching and education through a project called Operation HOPE. The initiative, led by DeKalb County
District 7 Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, is designed to help county residents take control of their finances. Officials and community leaders gathered on Sept. 25 for a ribboncutting celebration to mark the launch of HOPE Inside RBC Bank
DeKalb, located at the AEI StartUp Factory, 7310 Stonecrest Concourse in the city of Stonecrest. Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer John Hope Bryant attended the event, saying he is looking forward to launching the program in
DeKalb and transforming lives. “Our vision is to create a stronger, more inclusive economy through financial empowerment – and financial dignity,” said Bryant.
SEE HOPE page 11
Rockdale D.A.: No evidence jailers criminally caused Shali Tilson’s death
R
ockdale County District Attorney Alisha A. Johnson officially announced the conclusion of the fourmonth Special Grand Jury investigation into the death of 22-year-old Shali Tilson, saying there is no evidence that Rockdale County Jail administrators criminally caused his death. Rockdale County District Attorney Shali Tilson Johnson released the Alisha A. Johnson findings of the Grand Jury’s 8412, 2018 after being arrested on page report on Sept. 25. She said during March March 3, 2018 for disorderly conduct an interview with On Common Ground that he experiencing due to mental News, that although no one was indicted, illness. was Attorney Mawuli Davis, who is she plans to follow the Grand Jury’s representing Tilson’s family, said Tilson recommendation to review the actions died an agonizing death in his cell after of former Sgt. Dan Lang for possible pressing a call button for help that didn’t prosecution. Lang allegedly falsified work. Davis and the family recently jail log records stating that 15-minute released a video from a whistler blower mandatory checks were made on Tilson. showing Tilson’s final moments before Lang already faces grand theft charges his death. in an unrelated case. He was assigned to “The family is devastated that no one work at the jail after he was demoted for will be held criminally liable for Shali’s stealing guns from the Sheriff’s Office death. However, the struggle for Justice evidence room and pawning them for for Shali is far from over,” said Davis. $40,000 in cash. He resigned on April 9, The Grand Jury said that Tilson 2018. “either failed or was unable to consume Johnson said while the Grand Jury adequate water or hydration.” However, found a series of circumstances and based on evidence presented to the Grand failures contributed to Tilson’s death, Jury, a series of circumstances, acts, there was no evidence found to prove that omissions and failures came together to anyone intentionally withheld water from create the atmosphere for Tilson’s death.” Tilson, causing his death. Because Tilson was in one of the jail’s Tilson died of dehydration on
SEE ROCKDALE page 11
L-R: Actor Wesley Snipes and Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary
Actor Wesley Snipes visits Stonecrest for potential business investment Actor Wesley Snipes met with Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary, Councilman Rob Turner, key city staff members and Attorney Bernard Knight on Sept. 23 to tour the city and gather information. Snipes is considering opening a distribution center in the city for Dr. Amino Power+, a new protein supplement that is gaining international recognition. Snipes said that he first heard about Stonecrest during Mayor Lary’s 2017 bid and public relations campaign for Amazon’s second headquarters in which Mayor Lary appeared on Fox, MSNBC and other major networks. “I told my assistant to find that guy,” Snipes said, referring to Mayor Lary. Attorney Knight, who represents the Kelly family (Jim, Dan and Judy Kelly) and other business owners in the Industrial Park, led Snipes on a tour of the Lithonia Industrial Boulevard area. Snipes is considering Stonecrest as one of two finalists for his 15,000 to 20,000-square-foot facility.
SEE SNIPES page 11