VOLUME 22 NUMBER 29
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OCTOBER 22, 2016
Published Since April 1995 Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties • www.facebook.com/ocgnews
Boazman calls on men to search for alleged rapist of 10-year-old girl ATLANTA--Community activist and former Atlanta City Derrick Boazman held a news conference calling on all men to meet him on Oct. 20, 1 p.m., at Mozley Park, 1565 M.L. King Jr. Drive to hunt down an alleged rapist of a 10-year-old girl. The group of men went doorto-door passing out fliers of a police sketch of the alleged rapist and asking anyone with information to come forward. The child was raped while walking home from school. Boazman stated the reason for the call of men, “The rape of this 10-year-old baby has saddened and angered us as a community,” Boazman said. “We want to send a strong message to this thug that he can not live among us after what he has done. We are asking him, his family, friends, acquaintances, to turn him in TODAY to the Atlanta Police or else. We also want this little girl to know that as a community of men, we love her and we will not rest until we bring her rapist to justice!” The Atlanta Police Department and Crimestoppers are offering a $2,000 reward. The group of men added $,5000 of their own money to the reward. Anyone with information should call 404-577-8477.
Thousands in DeKalb, Rockdale head to the polls for early voting
T
housands in DeKalb and Rockdale counties flocked to the polls on Oct. 17, energizing the first day of early voting ahead of the historic Nov. 8 General Election, which includes Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. DeKalb County Supervisor of Elections Maxine Daniels reported that over 12,000 residents cast their ballots on Day 1. Daniels said that when she arrived at 6 a.m., voters were already standing in line waiting for the polls to open. More than 12,000 ballots were tallied by the end of the day. DeKalb has a total of 493,147 registered voters. “I wasn’t surprised by it. Anytime you have an open presidential office it will be phenomenal,” said Daniels. Daniels said other than periodic long lines, there were no problems reported. She said the backup was caused by voters filling out the forms to cast their ballot. Congressman Hank Johnson, who rep-
resents Georgia’s Fourth District, and his wife, DeKalb County Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson, were among those who participated on the first day of early voting. They posted a picture of themselves on Facebook after they voted. Johnson and Congressman John Lewis kicked off the day by campaigning for Hillary Clinton. Lewis joined Fulton County ChairSee Early Voting page 8
New business incubator in Conyers to host open house CONYERS--Scott Hartsell has big plans to help start-up businesses grow into solid, thriving companies and he’s using Olde Town as a launching pad. Hartsell has transformed office space at 909 Commercial St. into a business incubator called (e)station Conyers, Inc., playing off the building’s location near the city’s former train depot. The incubator, Hartsell says, will be the first in east metro Atlanta. He cites Cornerstone (Lawrenceville); The Suite Spot (Sugar Hill; eHub (Gwinnett) and 438 Grayson Parkway in Grayson as the closest coworking incubator near Conyers. At (e)station Conyers, entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to not only lease office space, but also take advantage of training and other amenities that will be offered to incubator members. Hartsell said studies show that more than 80 percent of all businesses that fail go out of business within the first two years, namely because they lack the resources and the information they need to be successful. “The idea is to bring businesses to Olde Town and provide start-ups with the tools and services they need in one place to succeed,” said Hartsell, director of (e)station Conyers. “We will offer workshops and a variety of experienced people to provide legal assistance, human resources, financing, and classes such as accounting, how to use Word Press, marketing and more. Businesses will graduate from our program in two to three years.” Hartsell said (e)station is hosting an open house on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., to give visitors a chance to learn more about the public-private partnership, which allows the offices to operate off of the leases. Hartsell is partnering with
the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Piedmont Technical College, Rockdale Career Academy, Conyers Downtown Development, SBDC/UGA and SCORE, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping small businesses, to provide expert training, mentors and other resources. Hartsell describes the two-story (e) station building as eclectic with its hardwood floors, concrete and painted walls, exposed pipes and a phone booth designed after the call boxes in the TV show “Dr. Who.” The 5,000-square-foot building was formerly the law offices of Jorge Luis Flores. “I like the Dr. Who phone booth. It’s fun. We wanted to create an environment that fosters creativity and connectivity,” Hartsell said about the renovations. “There are co-working spaces and private offices People will have the opportunity to network and share ideas as well as work independently.” The incubator will serve four businesses at a time in its upstairs offices, while the downstairs will house a co-working space where member businesses can have access to a workspace and small conference room. There also will be eight spaces for daily drop-in users, a bar offering complimentary coffee and tea and 20 hot desks with large monitors, USB charging ports, AC power and high speed Wi-Fi. Coworking spaces such as the one at (e)station are becoming more and more popular for professionals, technologists, programmers and other creative types who work at home, on their laptops or even on their cell phones. Hartsell said the number of global coworking facilities has been doubling in number each year as digital professionals seek to avoid isolation. Small Business
Scott Hartsell poses at the e-station small business incubator at 909 Commercial Street in Conyers. The offices will provide co-working spaces, classes and the chance to network with other entrepreneurs. Photo by Glenn L. Morgan
Labs project that some 12,000 global co-working spaces are expected to be operating in 2018. Hartsell said (e)station Conyers will be open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Memberships start at $95 a month, depending on amenities.
PAGE 2 •OCTOBER 22, 2016 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
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DeKalb issues lead-in-water testing East Metro Coalition Black Lives Matter community forum set Nov. 1 results for four schools The DeKalb County School District released testing results for lead in four public schools on Oct. 18. “We continue to make progress in testing for lead in drinking water and are encouraged that a small number and proportion of sources tested above EPA action level,” said Superintendent Dr. R. Stephen Green. “The health and safety of our students and employees are our most important priorities.” Results were released for: • Briar Lake ES (1957) – Of the 23 drinking water sources tested, none are at or above EPA’s action level of 15 parts per billion. • International Student Center (1958) – Of the 38 drinking water sources tested, one source is at or above EPA’s action level of 15 parts per billion. The source is a drinking fountain. The source was immediately removed from service and remediation begun. Following remediation, the source will be
re-tested before returning to service. • Former Terry Mill ES (temporarily Barack H. Obama ES) (1958) - Of the 29 drinking water sources tested, one source is at or above EPA’s action level of 15 parts per billion. The source is a drinking fountain. The source was immediately removed from service and remediation begun. Following remediation, the source will be re-tested before returning to service. • McClendon ES (1958) - Of the 25 drinking water sources tested, none are at or above EPA’s action level of 15 parts per billion. Overall status of testing: • A total of 423 sources in 16 schools have been tested. Of those tested, 22 sources, or 5.2 percent tested, have tested at or above EPA action level. Testing began in September, getting under way with the oldest schools in the county being evaluated first. The process is expected to conclude by summer 2017.
Rockdale probate judge to host summit focusing on mental illness
Rockdale County Probate Judge Charles K. Mays has announced his office is hosting a Community Mental Health Summit to answer questions about mental illness and how to find the resources needed to help those living with the illness. The Community Mental Health Summit takes place on Saturday, Nov. 5, 9 a.m., at the Rockdale Career Academy (RCA), 1064 Culpepper Drive, Conyers. Mays said the summit is really needed in Rockdale. “My office deals with many people and situations pertaining to individuals with mental illness, especially since all lay affidavits come through the Probate Court,” said Mays. “The problem is that in many cases, we have had to repeatedly issue these lay affidavits over and over on behalf of the same family for the individual who is mentally ill.”
“Mentally ill individuals are often stuck, asking the question, What do we do? We need to find help and resources these citizens of Rockdale County.” The event will provide information offered by a diverse panel of esteemed professionals, advocates and elected officials, to assist those who are caretakers of individuals living with mental illness. There will be panel Q & A sessions covering topics such as Medical Care and Treatment, Mental Illness vs. Developmental Disabilities, Lay Affidavits, Legal Awareness, Proper Diagnosis, Support for families, Housing, Support Care and Personal Care Homes. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Probate Office at 770-278-7700, and ask for Priscilla Nixon.
Active shooter/hostage preparedness event set at Springfield Baptist Lieutenant Greg Carson of the Conyers Police Department is conducting a multi-agency training event on Oct. 24, at 9:30 a.m., at Springfield Baptist Church, 1873 Iris Drive SE, Conyers. Carson said the church asked the Police Department to conduct an active shooter/hostage preparedness event at their location to help educate and prepare their congregation in the event of a crisis as well as provide law enforcement a training opportunity. Covington Police, Newton County Sheriff’s Office and DeKalb SWAT teams will also be participating.
The community is invited to attend the third forum of the ongoing series, “Black Lives Matter: A Quest for Solutions,” on Tuesday, Nov. 1, 7 to 9 p.m., at Browns Mill Recreation Center, 5101 Browns Mill Road, Lithonia. The forum entitled “A Community Conversation on Perception verses Reality” will address how the media, society and law enforcement influence how others view Black Lives Matter. A panel of community leaders and professionals will discuss the difference of perceived threats verses real threats and how perceptions influences judgment, while reality is left out of decision making. The forum is an effort to discuss how the community can come together and influence change.
The panelists include State Rep. Dar’shan Kendrick; Attorney Gerald Griggs; Valerie Morgan, Editor, On Common Ground; Anastasia Brown Alvarado, MD, Child Psychiatrist; and Sgt. Kenneth Lively. The public is invited to join the conversation and ask questions. The forum is hosted by the Lambda Epsilon Omega Chapter (DeKalb County, GA) of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., in partnership with Chi Tau Omega Chapter; Tau Pi Omega Chapter; Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Stone Mountain-Lithonia Alumnae Chapter; National Council of Negro Women, Inc. DeKalb Section; New Rock Legal Society; East Metro Orchids; and NAACP Newton County.
Tax workshop set at Hairston Crossing Library Oct. 29 The community is invited a workshop, “Surviving and Saving
Tools for the Upcoming Tax Season,” on Oct. 29, 1 to p.m., at the Hairston Crossing Library, 4911 Redan Road, Stone Mountain. The workshop will help attendees understand: • The updates and changes for the 2016 Tax Season • Audit triggers • Filing Status – Knowing how to file correctly • Itemized deductions versus standardized deductions • Charitable donations versus non-charitable deductions • Retirements and Investments to reduce your tax liability The workshop is presented by Tau Pi Omega chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. in partnership with the Council for Community Enrichment, Inc.; Hairston Crossing Public Library; How Great Thou Art, Inc.; and Primerica.
PAGE 4 •OCTOBER 22, 2016 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
Coming Up
Compiled by Mackenzie N. Morgan.
.
GWINNETT
Gwinnett County offers pre-Halloween fall festival on Oct. 28 Gwinnett County residents are invited to a free community fall festival Friday, Oct. 28, 5 to 9 p.m. at the Lucky Shoals Park Community Recreation Center, 4651 Britt Road, Norcross. Fall into fun and enjoy games, crafts, and a movie. Kids’ costume contest for ages 12 and under begins at 7 p.m. Movie begins at 7:30 p.m. All ages welcome. The cost is $11 per person with a donated bag of unopened, individually wrapped candy or $16 per person without candy. Must pre-register online at www.gwinnettparks.com. For more information, call 678-277-0860.
Free ‘no needle’ rapid HIV testing offered for Ages 13+
Community music fest features local youth artists Join Dunwoody Music for the fourth annual Village Fest Saturday, Oct. 29, 4 to 8 p.m., at the Dunwoody Nature Center , 5343 Roberts Drive, Atlanta. The event will showcase more than 20 acts featuring local child and teen artists. The event is free, and donations will be collected to raise funds to purchase IPads that will be incorporated into the Nature Center’s programing throughout the year. For more information, call 770-394-3322.
ATLANTA
Walk to help people living with Parkinson’s Disease Join the National Parkinson Foundation’s annual fundraising walk event entitled “Moving Day” on Sunday, Oct. 23, 9 a.m., at Centennial Olympic Park, 65 Park Ave. W NW, Atlanta. The event serves as the organization’s largest fundraiser to help unite families, friends and communities in the fight against Parkinson’s disease. Donations help fund research, better treatment and better lives. This celebration of movement will feature a family-friendly walk course, a kids’ area, a caregivers’ relaxation tent and a special Movement Pavilion featuring yoga, dance, Tai Chi, Pilates, etc. all proven to help manage the symptoms of PD. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/1TKQn4U.
National Magic Week and Popcorn Popping Month welcome Atlanta families Join The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System to celebrate National Magic Week and National Popcorn Popping Month on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Atlanta-Fulton Central Library, 1 Margaret Mitchell Square, Atlanta. Children ages 3 to 12 years will enjoy magical stories, tricks, and treats. This event is free to attend, however, registration is required. Participants should meet in the Children’s Department. For more information, call 404730-1845. .DEKALB
“Oktoberfest” comes to the City of Lithonia Community Unification Initiatives Inc., and the City of Lithonia presents Oktoberfest Family Community Fun Day in the Park on Saturday, Oct. 22, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Lithonia Park, 2515 Park Drive, Lithonia. Bring the family, food, lawn chairs and blankets out for fun and games. There will be music, art, athletics, poetry and a drill team performance by youth from the community. The youth extravaganza will also bring awareness to domestic violence. Law enforcement and distinguished former professional football Super Bowl champions will have panel discussions with families to promote unity in the community. The event as well as parking is free. For more information, call Donna Tate at 678-480-7342.
DeKalb library hosts proposal writing workshop State Sen. Gloria Butler, who represents District 55 which covers parts of DeKalb and Gwinnett counties, is inviting the community to a free fish fry on Saturday, Oct. 22, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Lenora Park Pavilion, 4515 Lenora Church Road, Snellville. The fish fry will include music, games, face painting, food and ice cream treats. For more information, call 770-4693260 or email senatorbutler@comcast.net.
The public is invited to a free community HIV testing on Monday, Oct. 24, 5:30pm to 7 p.m., at the Centerville Community Center, 3025 Bethany Church Road, Snellville. Residents ages 13 and up are welcome to get tested. No needles will be used and results are ready in 20 minutes. This event is sponsored by Positive Impact Health Centers. For more information, call 678-990-6430 or visit www. RCClinic.org.
Ballroom dance lessons offered at Gwinnett community center Join Gwinnett County Government for ballroom dance classes on Thursday, Oct. 27, 7 to 8:30 p.m., at the Centerville Community Center, 3025 Bethany Church Road, Snellville. Come learn salsa, swing, foxtrot, and more in this four-week class with Larry Lucas. On Nov. 17, there will be a dance for class participants to show off their new skills. Comfortable clothes, socks, or leather-soled dance shoes (no sneakers or heavy traction footwear) are best. The cost is an $8 nonrefundable fee per person (in exact cash notes, no coins). Pre-register with payment by Oct. 25 at the center. For more information, visit gwinnettcountyevents.com.
ROCK DALE
Johnson Park to host annual Halloween Fest Rockdale County Parks & Recreation will host the Johnson Park Annual Halloween Fest on Friday, Oct. 28, 6 to 9 p.m. at Johnson Park, 1781 Ebenezer Road, Conyers. This spine-chilling family-oriented event will provide a safe and fun new twist on trick or treating. With the help from the community and local businesses, families will be able to walk or ride along the park’s trail and trunk or treat in the designated areas and participate in other activities that will be available throughout the facility. Be a part of this spook-tacular night and make the Johnson Park Annual Halloween Fest a night you won’t forget! The cost of the event is $5 per person (participants must have a wrist band.) For more information, contact LaVonda Bruton at 770-278-7529.
Panola Mountain State Park provides fun and safe trick or treat alternative The public is invited to attend the third annual Panola State Park’s Trunk-O-Treat Saturday, Oct. 29, 2 to 4 p.m. at Panola Mountain State Park, 2620 Highway 155 S.W., Stockbridge. Boys and girls can collect candy going car to car, instead of door to door and play on the playground. There will be games, face painting, tree climbing and contests. Parking is $5. To register your car, call 770389-7801.
Please always check with the event organizer before you go. To submit your event to Coming Up, email editor@ocgnews. com. We choose events that are free or a nominal cost to our readers.
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OCTOBER 22, 2016 • PAGE 5
Whitney Ingram
GLCC to host Anniversary and Scholarship Gala Nov. 3 The Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce (GLCC) will host its Anniversary and Scholarship Gala on Thursday, Nov. 3, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Lou Walker Senior Center, 2538 Panola Road, Lithonia. GLCC and its president, State Rep. Doreen Carter, are elated to present two outstanding leaders who will speak at this year’s event: Keynote speaker, Dr. Jabari Simama, president of Georgia Piedmont College, and special guest, Whitney Ingram, the first black female to graduate from University of Georgia’s physics doctoral program. Ingram is among an elite group of scholars involved in Dr. Jabari Simama physics: To date, there are only 89 black female Ph.d physicists in the U.S. living and dead. Students like Ms. Ingram are what motivated the Chamber to initiate this scholarship program,” said Carter. “We know that there are many bright students in the DeKalb School District. We want to do our part in assisting them to further their education,” said Carter. Last year, the Chamber surpassed its goal of providing four $500 scholarships at its inaugural event after an outpouring of generosity from those who attended the gala. The Chamber was able to present six additional scholarships for a total of 10 to students from Arabia Mountain High School, MLK Jr. High School and Lithonia High School. The semi-formal event will include dinner and dancing. Sponsorship opportunities and tickets for the semi-formal event are available at www.greaterlithoniachamber.com. For more information, call 770-482-1808.
Orrin Hudson, appears on “The Tom Joyner Morning Show,” set for national tour
D
eKalb County resident and two-time world chess champion, Orrin Hudson, recently appeared on the Tom Joyner Morning Show during the drive-time hour when more than 8 million listeners commute to work. Hudson was on the radio discussing how he served as a chess consultant for the Disney movie, “Queen Of Katwe” during a 7-minute segment with Joyner and the radio TJMS crew. Hudson worked with Oscar award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o who starred in the film. “Appearing on The Tom Joyner Morning Show was one of the most rewarding interviews in my career,” said Hudson. “Tom Joyner is an all-time legend in radio broadcasting, so to be able to talk to him about my background, Be Someone, and my organization’s goal was the best day of my life.” Hudson announced that Be Someone, a non-profit program he founded in 2001 to help teach underprivileged youth to think strategically, plan effectively and build self-confidence will be going on the road to reach more young people at risk of making the wrong moves in their lives. He credits the game of chess for literally saving his life when he was a youngster and now he’s paying it forward. The former Air Force veteran and Alabama State Trooper has a simple message that resonates with his young audiences: “Learn to think before you act: wake up, pants up, step up, and the most important, never give up.” Hudson realized he had a calling to save young people from themselves when he saw too many headlines involving crime and lives ruined because of poor decision-making. “I knew I had to act and since Be Someone launched, I have taught more than 50,000 young people that they can win instead of lose and succeed instead of fail. My long-term goal is to teach a million children!” Hudson is available for local workshops like the one he is holding this weekend (October 21-23) during the 17th Annual Creating Opportunity Conference at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Atlanta. The event will also celebrate the 75th birthday of civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. You can get more information about Orrin “Checkmate” Hudson by visiting his website at www.besomeone.org or by calling 770-465-6445 You can listen to the segment at http://bit.ly/2edqgbs
PAGE 6 •OCTOBER 22, 2016 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
2016 Elections: Your Voice, Your Vote DeKalb County’s Super District 7 Special Election A special election is under way for residents who live in DeKalb County’s Super District 7. Even though there are nine candidates on the ballot, only eight are actually running. Jerome Edmonson withdrew but reportedly did not turn in the proper information so his name remains on the ballot.
DeKalb County’s Homestead Exemption Act 264, House Bill 596 The General Assembly passed legislation in 2015 to place a referendum on the ballot to extend the existing Homestead Property Tax Assessment Freeze (applicable only to County taxes). Voters who want to extend the Homestead Property Tax Assessment Freeze at the level set when you took the freeze should vote yes to approve the referendum. The freeze would be extended until 2022. Voters who want to end the freeze at the end of 2016 should vote no.
Questions for Cities in DeKalb County Those who live in the proposed boundaries of the City of Stonecrest are the only residents who will find the question on their ballot. Vote yes, if you would like to create the new municipality of Stonecrest. Vote no, if you oppose it. DeKalb residents in the City of Atlanta have Special Election questions on T-SPLOST and MARTA sales taxes. City of Decatur residents have five Homestead Exemption questions. Pine Lake residents will vote on liquor package sales. To see a sample ballot: visit http://web.dekalbcountyga.gov/Voter/pdf/ SampleBallot/SB_11082016.pdf
Where can I vote early? Early voting runs now through Nov. 4 and is available in Rockdale County at the main precinct located at 1400 Parker Road, Lobby C, Conyers. Advance voting in Rockdale will be held Monday-Friday, Oct. 17- 28, 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 29, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Extended hours: Monday- Friday, Oct. 31- Nov. 4, 8 a.m.- 7 p.m.
Early Voting in DeKalb
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OCTOBER 22,2016 • PAGE 7
elect
Sherri Len WASHINGTON ROCKDALE COUNTY COMMISSIONER - POST 1 Washington Works Passionate about our present but preparing for our future.
PAGE 8•OCTOBER 22,2016
2016 Elections: Your Voice, Your Vote
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Early Voting continued from page 1
man John Eaves and State Rep. Park Cannon to host a Millennial March to the polls in downtown Atlanta with college students. . “The vote is precious, almost sacred. It is the most powerful tool or instrument in a democratic society,” Congressman Lewis said. “For more than 50 years, I have marched so that every person can exercise their right to vote. I’ve been beaten, left bloody and unconscious, all so that each and every one of us can be full participants in our democracy.” By the end of Wednesday, more than 25,000 had cast ballots, including by mail, in DeKalb, elections officials reported. Rockdale Elections Supervisor Cynthia Welch said the turnout in her
county was overwhelming with approximately 2,706 ballots tallied for start of early voting. “This gives us a good indication of what we can expect for the coming days of this election,” said Welch, whose office had received 6,701 ballots, including by mail, by Oct. 20. Welch said there are 48,745 registered voters in Rockdale. Welch said sample ballots in Rockdale now include a certified write-in list of candidates for distribution. Welch circulated the memo and included candidate Courtney Dillard in the distribution. Dillard is running as a writein candidate for Rockdale Chairman against Oz Nesbitt. Both are Democrats.
Gwinnett opens two additional advance voting sites Oct. 24
Starting Oct. 24, Gwinnett County voters will have two more places where they can cast an early ballot for the 2016 General Election. Advance in-person voting has been taking place this week at the Gwinnett County Voter Registrations and Elections Office in Lawrenceville. That office will be open Saturday, Oct. 22, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Voters will have the option of going to the main elections office, Lenora Park Activity Room at 4515 Lenora Church Road in Snellville or George Pierce Park Community Recreation Center at 55 Buford Highway in Su-
wanee for early voting. Polls at all three locations will be open Monday through Friday, Oct. 24 – 28, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Advance voting further expands on Saturday, Oct. 29, when these three sites plus five more locations will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and continue Monday through Friday, Oct. 31 – Nov. 4, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voters also have the option to request an absentee ballot or vote at their assigned polling location on Election Day. For more information, please visit www.gwinnetteelections.com.
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RCPS senior named National Merit Scholarship semifinalist
Andrew Bonar, a senior at the Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology in Rockdale County Public Schools, was recently named a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist. Bonar was one of hundreds in Georgia and 16,000 nationwide named semifinalists. About 1 percent of the 1.6 million students who took the 2015 PSAT were named Semifinalists for the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program. Bonar, pictured with Rockdale County Board of Education member Katrina Young and RCPS Superintendent Richard Autry, was recognized for his achievement at a recent Rockdale County Board of Education meeting.
Rockdale Commissioner Nesbitt to distribute turkeys for Thanksgiving
Rockdale Commissioner Oz Nesbitt is again preparing to distribute free Thanksgiving turkeys to seniors. Nesbitt said at least 200 Rockdale seniors are expected to benefit from this year’s turkey drive, which kicks off Nov. 15. Courtesy Ford, 1636 Dogwood Drive, is the drop-off location for those would like to donate a turkey. Nesbitt says he is appreciative to all who give their time every year to help the community with the turkey drive. “There is much to be thankful for and I am grateful to the people who make all of this come together for our seniors,” said Nesbitt. “It feels great to be giving away turkeys again this year.”
OCTOBER 22, 2016 • PAGE 9
PAGE 10 •OCTOBER 22, 2016 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
City of Atlanta now processing alcohol licenses online
The City of Atlanta announced that alcohol license renewals are now processed exclusively online through a new portal at https://web.atlantaga.gov/oalr/. All alcohol licenses must be renewed online by Dec. 31. The online portal will not accept renewal applications after this date. In order to renew an alcohol license online, businesses must meet the following criteria: • The account must be active with a valid business tax number and pin number; • The alcohol account financial status must be current and not delinquent; • The owners and/or principals of the business must be the same as those originally reported to the City of Atlanta through a tax application or a change form; • The location of the business must be the same as originally reported to the City of Atlanta as changes to the physical location require Zoning approval; • The legal entity/legal name holding the business tax certificate must be the same as originally reported to the City of Atlanta. Because the City is no longer accepting paper renewal applications, the City has discontinued sending courtesy alcohol license renewal applications and accompanying forms. For more information, contact the City of Atlanta Police Department License and Permits Unit at 404546-4470.
Rockdale coalition accepting nominees for scholarship, community service award The Rockdale Coalition for Children and Families is soliciting applications for the annual John K. Morgan Community Service Scholarship and the F. William Hughey Community Service Award. The John K. Morgan Scholarship will be awarded to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding community service in Rockdale County and plans to continue that level of commitment while pursuing post-secondary education. There is no age limitation for applicants. The scholarship will be awarded to assist with college-related expenses for students enrolled in an accredited institution of higher learning. Applications must be received no later than Tuesday, January 31, 2017. Past recipients of the John K. Morgan Scholarship are: Sonca Pham (2011); Mary Ann Rhoden (2012); Shavontae Yoakum (2013); Sophia Moll (2014) and Donovan Norfleet (2014); Lilia Perju (2015); and Jessica Quevedo (2016). Scholarship money awarded since the scholarship’s inception in 2011 totals over $39,500 among recipients and finalists. The F. William Hughey Community Service Award will be given to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding, collaborative community service in the Rockdale community. A $500 cash donation will also be made to a community organization that serves the Rockdale community as selected by the recipient of this award. Past recipients of the F. William Hughey Community Service Award are: Mike and Nadine Yoder (2011); Ron Simpson (2012); Lillis Brown (2013); the Rev. Al Sadler (2014); Ed Conway (2015); and Claire Cline (2016). Nominations for the Hughey Community Service Award are due by Jan. 31, 2017. Applications for the Rockdale Coalition John K. Morgan Scholarship and nomination forms for the F. William Hughey Community Service Award are available at www.rockdalecoalition.org, www.rockdale.k12. ga.us, www.rockdalecounty.org and www.cityofconyersga.com. For more information, contact Michael Hutcheson, executive director of the Rockdale Coalition for Children & Families, at 770-761-9244.
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OCTOBER 22, 2016 • PAGE 11
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PAGE 12 •OCTOBER 22, 2016 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
Cosmetic & General Dentistry Recline in Comfort & Watch TV During Your Treatment !!
Mon- Thurs 8am-5pm Every other Friday 8am-5pm
New Patients Welcome! Power Bleaching- Zoom Invisible Braces (Invisalign) Dental Implants Tooth-Colored Fillings Crown & Bridges Porcelain Veneers Low- Radiation X-Rays Amber Jenkins Dabney ,DDS
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8200 Mall Parkway , Suite #155 Lithonia, GA 30038 • (770) 484-4051 Shops at Turner Hill Plaza (Across from Panera Bread Company)