VOLUME 23 NUMBER 43
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JANUARY 20, 2018
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According to State Rep. Vernon Jones, more than 1,000 people–from former Sam's Club employees to vendors and concerned citizens–packed the Jan. 16 town hall meeting to get answers regarding the store's sudden closing. Jones (dark suit, far right image) fielded questions while Glen Wilkins, director of public affairs for Wal-Mart, responded. Photos by Travis Hudgons/OCGNews
Stonecrest Sam’s Club Abrupt Closing State Rep. Vernon Jones: More than 1,000 turn out for town hall
By Valerie Morgan
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here were so many people who turned out for the Jan. 16 town hall on the abrupt closing of the Stonecrest Sam’s Club that State Rep. Vernon Jones took a short intermission and asked people to leave in order to give others a chance to come inside the Stonecrest Library auditorium. “We want to give as many as possible the chance to ask questions and hear the answers,” said Jones, who held the town hall after an outcry from the community who learned of the store’s demise on Jan. 11 when it abruptly closed. Many in the community found out the store was closed as they arrived to shop or report to work that day. Others found out as national media outlets reported the closings around the country. Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary, who held a news conference outside the store on the morning it closed, expressed his outrage. He witnessed employees who
were in tears and shocked customers who were turned away by a security guard. “Unbelievable. You don’t do people like this. You don’t just close the doors on people who have supported you for years with no warning,” Lary said. DeKalb County Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson criticized Walmart Corp. for not sending a top official who could answer the public’s questions in detail. “If Sam’s Club or Walmart Corp. wanted you all to know the answers, he (Wilkins) would have had them here tonight. I think it’s a bunch of whitewashing,” said Johnson, adding that the only way to make it clear to Walmart and Sam’s Club that the community won’t stand for this kind of disrespect is to “hit them in the pocketbook.” Jones said more than 1,000 people attended the town hall. They left angry. Glenn Wilkins, public affairs and government relations manager for Walmart, the parent company for Sam’s Club, told the audience the company
is not reversing its decision, citing underperformance as the main reason for the store’s closing. “It was a financial decision. You put the numbers together. It wasn’t performing great… I know there are other opinions out there but it was purely based on the numbers,” Wilkins said. Wilkins said officials made the decision to close 63 Sam’s Clubs around the nation, saying it was reviewing its business strategy. He said the stores closed down on Jan. 11 without warning to employees or the public. The Stonecrest Sam’s Club was the only one closed in Georgia, he said. It opened in 2003. “We notified the associates when they came in and we notified members when they came in as well. No one had advance notice. They walked in and we had the opportunity to talk with them at that time,” Wilkins said. Wilkins said the employees are being paid for the next 60 days. They’re SEE TOWN HALL, page 6
The Levett family poses with David Manuel (far right), interim deputy director of DeKalb’s Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs at the Porter Sanford Arts Center. Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/ OCGNews
DeKalb’s Porter Sanford Arts Center celebrates 10-year anniversary By Mackenzie N. Morgan
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he Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center is celebrating a decade of the performing arts in South DeKalb with a calendar filled with events. David Manuel, interim deputy director of DeKalb Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs, said that 2018
will be jam-packed with programs from now until the annual “Urban Nutcracker” musical, which will be held in December. “We’re having events all year round. This is our way of saying thank you to the community for helping us celebrate 10 years of bringing the best of arts and culture to South DeKalb,” said Manuel, who has been over the Porter Sanford for seven years.
The DeKalb arts center kicked off the festivities on Jan. 6 with the “New Year, New Life” concert featuring music artists Kenny Latimore and Jukebox Atlanta. The free event was emceed by Sasha the Diva from KISS 104.1 FM and sponsored by Greory B. Levett and Sons Funeral Home. This year’s lineup will include a newly minted spin on the Jungle Book SEE ANNIVERSARY, page 6
Mereda Johnson to hold town hall on proliferation of store closings DeKalb County Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson will host a town hall meeting to discuss the proliferation of store closings in South DeKalb. The meeting will be held on Monday, Jan. 22, 6 p.m., at the Lou Walker Senior Center, 2538 Panola Road. “People are in a panic. I’m bringing in county officials and others to discuss the store closings that are happening in our area,” said Johnson. Johnson said Andrew Baker, DeKalb’s director of planning and development, Chief Operation Officer for DeKalb County Zach Williams and Ray Gilley, president of Decide DeKalb Development Authority will be on hand to field questions. Commissioners Steve Bradshaw and Gregory Adams also will attend the meeting. The Stonecrest Sam’s Club closing comes on the heels of other stores in South DeKalb closing including Kroger at 965 N. Hairston Road, Stone Mountain (closed Oct. 13, 2017); Publix, 2075 S. Hairston Road, Decatur (closing March 3, 2018); and Wal-mart supermarket, 6152 Covington Highway (Jan. 30, 2018).