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VOLUME 25, NUMBER 34
DECEMBER 6, 2019
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DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox
Melody Maddox takes office as DeKalb County’s first female sheriff Public celebration set Dec. 16
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elody M. Maddox officially took the reigns as DeKalb County’s new sheriff after the Thanksgiving holiday. Maddox was sworn in on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2019 by DeKalb County Superior Court Judge LaTisha Dear Jackson to fill the unexpired term of Jeffrey Mann, who retired at the end of November. Maddox becomes the county’s 50th sheriff and the first woman to hold the position. Maddox was appointed Chief Deputy Sheriff in July of this year to fill the position held by Reginald B. Scandrett, who retired in June. A Decatur resident, Maddox became Chief of Police for Georgia Piedmont Technical College in DeKalb County in 2016. She managed a team of sworn officers and civilian personnel responsible for public safety and security for students, faculty, visitors and facilities on the college’s six campuses. A Georgia P.O.S.T. certified law enforcement officer, Maddox began her law enforcement career with the sheriff’s office in 1996 as a Detention Technician in the Jail Division. In 1997, she joined the DeKalb County Police Department where she held positions of increasing responsibility for ten years as Master Police Officer, Chief Aide & Crimes Analysis Officer, and Field Training Officer. She completed training programs in Emergency Management and Information Command Systems Training and she is a P.O.S.T. Certified General Instructor in ethics, integrity and professionalism as well as Defensive Tactics. Maddox’s professional affiliations include the Georgia Association of Women in Public Safety, the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), the National Sheriffs’ Association, the DeKalb Chiefs Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Maddox received her bachelor’s degree from Morris Brown College and her master’s degree from Central Michigan University. A graduate of Newburgh Theological Seminary and
SEE SHERIFF page 6
Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News
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ulius and Susan Lee have the holiday spirit. The Stonecrest residents have decorated their home inside and out with beautiful holiday lights and Christmas displays. “ We love this time of year. We usually have the lights up just before Thanksgiving and we take everything down on Jan. 2,” said Julius Lee, adding that he and his wife enjoy driving around looking at other people’s holiday lights.
Lee said while he focuses on the outside, his wife decorates the inside of their home with beautiful Christmas displays. The Lees’ home, located at 3665 Bayberry Way S.W., Stonecrest, has been listed for two consecutive years on www.Christmaslightfinder. com, the largest worldwide database of decorated homes and holiday light displays.
Stonecrest to launch its own convention and tourism bureau The City of bringing Stonecrest’s Stonecrest plans tourism efforts in-house, to launch its the city would be better own convention able to focus specifically and tourism on Stonecrest as a bureau in early destination for sororities, 2020, breaking fraternities, houses of ties with the worship, government, Discover DeKalb the corporate sector, U.S. Convention & military, sporting events Mayor Jason Lary City Councilman Economic Development Visitors Bureau and family reunions, Rob Turner Director Clarence Boone (DCVB). among other entities. The City “We appreciate tourism and trade shows. Council voted unanimously having the opportunity to work The city would end the on Nov. 25 to terminate its with the DCVB, but we wanted to agreement with DCVB in intergovernmental agreement have more control over marketing February 2020, meeting its (IGA) with the DCVB and utilize the city. We will now have staff required notice of at least 90 days the city’s hotel/motel taxes to dedicated to promoting the city of to the agency. promote its own conventions, Stonecrest as a destination for the Mayor Jason Lary said by
SEE STONECREST page 7
VA to host Claims and Compensation Assistance Fair for military veterans Officials from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will assist military veterans and their spouses with claims and compensation processing on Dec. 9, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. All veterans and/or their spouses in the metro area are urged to attend, said retired Lt. Col. Amos King, who heads Justice for Veterans. “This will be the third annual event Justice for Veterans has hosted. It’s an opportunity for veterans to get the help they need in applying for claims and
compensation. Officials will be on site who can provide an update on their claim or help them to apply,” said King. “We have a lot of veterans out there who need help and this is the chance to get it.” King said many senior veterans don’t have transportation to the VA. “We can’t stress enough how important this event is for veterans and their families. This would be a great opportunity for them to come out to a place in the neighborhood for the VA to assess them. Now, you must have an appointment to been seen by a DAV representative. You don’t
need an appointment for this event,” said King. Representatives from the Georgia National Cemetery also will be on hand to provide information on burial benefits, King said. King is urging the public to share the information with military veterans that they may know. Justice for Veterans and DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson are sponsoring the free event. For more information, contact Retired Lt. Col. Amos King at 678-698-8753.