FREE VOLUME 24 NUMBER 49
MARCH 8, 2019
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Delay angers veterans’ group, community activists By Valerie J. Morgan A veterans group and community activists in DeKalb County are demanding answers in the Anthony Hill murder case as Hill’s fatal shooting by former DeKalb police officer Robert Olsen approaches its four-year anniversary.
The case hit another delay with the news that the trial, scheduled for Feb. 25, is now set for Sept. 23. Hill, a 27-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Afghanistan, was shot and killed on March 9, 2015 by former Olsen. Hill was
SEE TRIAL page 7
Robert Olsen
Anthony Hill
OPERATION SURPRISE Army vet returns home, surprises family at Rockdale school assembly
By Mackenzie N. Morgan The Hodge family is still basking in its excitement after welcoming home daughter and sister SPC Amneiah Hodge at a military homecoming celebration held on March 6 at Heritage High School in Rockdale County. SPC Hodge, who graduated from DeKalb County’s Arabia Mountain High School in 2014, recently returned to the U.S. after spending nine months overseas in Zagan, Poland and Grafenwöhr, Germany. The Conyers servicewoman and her mother, Candice Hodge, orchestrated the surprise homecoming for Amneiah’s father, Henry Hodge, Jr., who works as an intel specialist at Heritage High, and two younger brothers, Henry and Isiah, who are both in the school’s ROTC program. During a special ROTC exercise, Heritage Principal Latonya Richards announced that a special guest was in the building and asked for Intel specialist Henry Hodge to come forward. SPC Hodge emerged from the ROTC demonstration dressed in camouflage. Students, staff and relatives cheered and clapped as
SPC Hodge was embraced by her teary-eyed and speechless dad. He was joined shortly after by her two equally shocked brothers. “It was a lot to keep all of this bottled in. Now I can stop telling the little white lies and avoiding certain conversations,” said Candice Hodge. Candice Hodge said the weeks of secrecy were well worth the smiles on her family’s faces after seeing her family reunited for the first time in a year. “We couldn’t have done it
without Principal Richards. I am so appreciative of Principal Richards and her staff for helping to make this event so special,” said Hodge. Candice Hodge said she spent several weeks secretly planning the homecoming with Richards, who helped coordinate the event in conjunction with the school’s “Marching Forward” program which highlights student achievement across various disciplines during the month of March while motivating students to excel as they move
toward testing and graduation season. “We were just so happy to welcome back SPC Hodge. The dad works here, and the sons attend here as well and we just couldn’t think of a nicer family to do this for,” said Richards. Mom Candice Hodge said after all of the excitement, the family went home and enjoyed a family dinner featuring Amneiah’s favorite: shrimp and grits. Outside of extended family members, SCP Hodge, 21, is the first person in her immediate family to enlist in the military. SPC Hodge, who was attending Georgia Southwestern State University prior to enlisting in the Army, said she plans to return to school to obtain her degree. For the next two weeks, however, she will enjoy spending time with her family as a civilian. SPC Hodge will be stationed in Fort Hood, Texas as a unit supply clerk. SPC Amneiah Hodge represents Unit HHC BDE 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team 1st Cavalry Division. To see the surprise homecoming celebration video and more photos, visit www.ocgnews.com.
Georgia Lottery opens retail location at Atlanta airport
Pictured from left to right are Erica Owens, Georgia Lottery Vice President of Sales Operations; Charles E. “Chilly” Ewing Sr., Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Director of Concessions; Deborah Gatlin, Georgia Lottery Sales Operations Manager; Gretchen Corbin, Georgia Lottery President and CEO; Michael L. Smith, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Senior Deputy General Manager.
ATLANTA – The Georgia Lottery Corp. celebrated the grand opening of its new store at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 7. Located on Concourse T, this is the Georgia Lottery’s first retail location at the airport beyond security checkpoints. “We want to be where people are, and what better place than ‘The World’s Busiest Airport?’ ” Georgia Lottery President and CEO Gretchen Corbin said. “There’s no other venue in the state that can match the volume of consumers that Atlanta’s airport provides. Our new airport location will generate additional dollars for HOPE scholarships and grants, including the Zell Miller Scholarship, as well as lottery-funded Pre-K.” The Georgia Lottery has operated two kiosks in North and South baggage claim since November 2006. Those combined locations rank as the No. 2 retailer in the state
in lottery sales. The Georgia Lottery’s new Concourse T store will reach passengers with connecting flights, which account for approximately twothirds of the airport’s travelers. As with the baggage claim kiosks, players at the Georgia Lottery’s Concourse T store will be able to purchase scratch-off and draw game tickets, as well as claim prizes up to $25,000. Since its first year, the Georgia Lottery Corp. has returned more than $20.5 billion to the state of Georgia for education. All Georgia Lottery profits go to pay for specific educational programs, including Georgia’s HOPE Scholarship Program and Georgia’s Pre-K Program. More than 1.8 million students have received HOPE, and more than 1.6 million 4-year-olds have attended the statewide, voluntary prekindergarten program.
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Convicted gunman Gregory Montgomery sentenced to life for deadly armed robbery Convicted gunman Gregory Montgomery, 20, has been sentenced to life in prison without parole for his role in a deadly armed robbery scheme of Justuss Rogers, 26, the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office announced. Co-defendant Lakoaia Johnson was sentenced to 20 years to serve 15 in custody for her part in the murder. Jurors returned guilty verdicts against Montgomery on charges of murder, felony murder, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, aggravated Gregory Montgomery assault and weapons offenses in connection with the shooting death of Rogers. Authorities say Johnson lured Rogers to the 4300 block of Pinnacle Drive in Stone Mountain, where he was gunned down on Oct. 23, 2017. According to authorities, Johnson told Rogers she needed a ride to pick up her child. Before luring him to the location, she had sent pictures of Rogers counting money from his cell phone business to a group chat that included Montgomery. Montgomery asked Johnson to bring the victim to his location so he and his friends could rob him. When Johnson and the victim arrived, they were met by a group of men waiting in the cul-de-sac. Rogers quickly exited the passenger seat as Montgomery approached with his gun drawn. Montgomery fired four times, fatally striking the victim, who tried unsuccessfully to reach for his own weapon in defense. The woman and Montgomery fled the scene. Detectives later found Montgomery’s abandoned backpack, which contained a .40 caliber magazine and a cellphone with pictures and video of the defendant holding a .40 caliber gun and dressed in clothing matching witness descriptions of the alleged shooter. In addition, four .40 caliber shell casings were recovered from the scene. A security guard at a nearby apartment complex also confirmed seeing the two defendants running from the area. Prior to trial, co-defendant Lakoaia Johnson entered a guilty plea to aggravated assault for her role in the crime. She was sentenced to 20 years to serve 15 in custody. DeKalb Superior Court Judge Asha Jackson handed down the life sentence without possibility of parole to Montgomery on March 1. The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Shannon Hodder with assistance from Senior Assistant District Attorney Alana Driscoll and DA Investigator Chris Wieseman. Detective Vance Van Hees with the DeKalb Police Department led the initial investigation.
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MARCH 8, 2019 • PAGE 3
PUBLISHER Glenn L. Morgan
gmorgan1@ocgnews.com
EDITOR Valerie J. Morgan
editor@ocgnews.com
ADVERTISING MANAGER Richard S. Hill
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STAFF WRITER Mackenzie Morgan
mackenzie@ocgnews.com
Left to right: Stonecrest Councilmember Jimmy Clanton, District 1, and Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary strike a pose where new landscaping has been installed on Turner Hill Road near the Mall at Stonecrest.
On Common Ground News is published weekly by On Common Ground, Inc. The newspaper serves DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Rockdale and Henry counties.
Turner Hill, Stonecrest Parkway get beautification facelift
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On Common Ground News P.O. Box 904 Lithonia, GA 30058 (678) 526-1910 www.ocgnews.com
Stonecrest residents can now see the beginning of the city’s beautification efforts on Tuner Hill Road and Stonecrest Parkway. As a result of a collaborative effort between the city of Stonecrest and the East Metro Community Improvement District (CID), the median landscaping on Turner Hill now has hundreds of yellow pansies, decorative shrubs and several crape myrtle trees. Similar streetscapes have begun on Mall Parkway. Ongoing maintenance for these medians will be paid for with funds from the East Metro CID and aided by the city’s new right-of-way maintenance program. Community Improvement Districts are an economic development tool widely used for services such as road construction and maintenance, parks and recreational area upgrades, public safety, and to supplement nearly any infrastructure services that the city or county provides within the boundaries of the district. CIDs are funded by the business owners within the district who, by majority consent, impose an additional property tax upon themselves to pay for improvements. “This beautification effort didn’t cost the Stonecrest residents a dime,” Mayor Jason Lary said. “This streetscaping is an important element of our economic development plan because a clean, beautiful place is a place that people want to come to work and conduct business.” Councilman Jimmy Clanton serves as chairman of the Stonecrest CID Oversight Committee, which works with the East Metro CID to negotiate beautification projects within the city, praised the Stonecrest Parkway and Turner Hill Road projects. “This great collaboration will continue to produce ongoing efforts to improve the city until Stonecrest forms its own CID,” Clanton said.
Left to right: City Engineer Ken Hildebrandt and Mayor Jason Lary
Stonecrest contractor completes digital paving analysis Stonecrest city officials will soon receive the results of a digital road analysis that will provide them with information on the condition of the city’s streets and a plan outlining the most efficient way to repair them. During the last few weeks, Stantec Consulting Services Inc. conducted the paving analysis using two vans equipped with the latest mobile laser, GPS, and crack recognition technology. City Engineer Ken Hildebrandt said the vehicle analyzed the city’s 269 miles of roads and will give the staff a report that identifies, analyzes, and locates potholes, cracks, surface distress, rutting, and weathering.
Hildebrandt also said that Stantec will rate the streets and then do a budget analysis that will give the city staff an idea of the most effective way to spend money repairing the streets. “Some streets might need a simple repaving while others may need a full depth reclamation depending on the condition of the roads. This road analysis will help us make that determination” Hildebrandt said. Mayor Jason Lary said that he is pleased with the progress. “We are delivering on our promise. Residents will see newly paved roads in Stonecrest very soon,” Lary said.
CITY OF STONECREST BID REFERENCE NO. 2019-009
The City of Stonecrest is seeking a qualified Contractor/ Vendor to provide Park and Facilities Maintenance Services to the City. The successful respondent will enter into a contract with the City of Stonecrest for the provision of services related to Landscaping, Sports Field Maintenance, Trail and Trailhead maintenance, and Janitorial services. Complete scope and other relevant information for RPF 2019009, Parks & Recreation Landscaping, Maintenance, and Janitorial Services is available for download on the City of Stonecrest website at http://stonecrestga.gov to send request via email to procurement@stonecrestga.gov.
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ROCKDALE TAX COMMISSIONER: Big changes ahead with Georgia motor vehicle titling, registration system
Food bank donates 22,600 pounds of school supplies for Rockdale classrooms
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he Kids in Need program of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, through a partnership with Georgia United Credit Union, recently donated more than 22,600 pounds of school supplies to Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS). The supplies – which include notebooks, color pencils, pens, markers, crayons, folders, paper, pencils, and glue – will be distributed to RCPS schools and classrooms to help students.
Left to right: Kids in Need staff members Ray Wright and Rita Wright, Georgia United Credit Union Business Development Manager Leigh Gant, RCPS Public Relations Specialist Anne Principe, Kids in Need Supervisor Marcus Harvin, Atlanta Community Food Bank driver Lamar Watson stand next to dozens of pallets with more than 22,600 pounds of school supplies donated for Rockdale students from the ACFB Kids in Need program.
Toney Elementary welcomes DeKalb Sheriff’s Office Toney Elementary School students were excited to greet DeKalb County Deputy Sheriff Marks as he arrived to participate in the school’s annual Career Day on March 5. In addition to answering questions about law enforcement, Deputy Marks took an opportunity to appoint class members as Junior Deputy Sheriffs for DeKalb County.
Chairman Oz Nesbitt to host first “Shop Talk” of 2019 Rockdale County Board of Commissioners Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Sr. will host the first Shop Talk forum of 2019 on Saturday, March 16, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., at Madd Skillz Barbershop, 2445 Salem Road, Suite 215, Conyers. The first event in this year’s series will feature the following speakers to answer questions and concerns: • U.S. Census Bureau Representative • Phinia Aten, Chief Magistrate Judge Oz Nesbitt • Troy Smith, Rockdale Code Enforcement Manager • Dawn Stewart, Rockdale Code Enforcement Analyst Shop Talk is a grassroots series that provides opportunities for community residents to get to know their government officials and to address their concerns.
Rockdale County Tax Commissioner Tisa Smart-Washington wants the public to know about major changes upcoming in Georgia’s motor vehicle and titling system that will affect all Rockdale drivers. DRIVES, which stands for Driver Record and Integrated Vehicle Enterprise System, will replace the current 20-year-old Georgia Registration and Title Information System (GRATIS) on May 27. “The new system will bring positive changes for tax offices across the state, but I want residents to be aware that services may be impacted as we move closer to May 27th,” said Tisa Smart Washington Smart-Washington. Rockdale Tax Commissioner Rockdale has taken an active role in the leadup to DRIVES. Smart-Washington has participated in courses to become the only Tax Commissioner in the state who is certified to train other counties in the use of DRIVES. “We’re excited about DRIVES and our main goal is to make sure Rockdale is best prepared and ready to handle the changes ahead,” SmartWashington said. In addition to bringing modern, updated technology to motor vehicle registration and titling, DRIVES looks to improve customer service, strengthen data integrity and enhance fraud protection.
Browns Mill Recreation Center to host Health and Wellness Education Spring Fest Fair DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs’ Browns Mill Recreation Center, in partnership with Zeta Sorority, Inc, Iota Eta Zeta Chapter and the DeKalb MLK Jr. Cluster schools will host a Health and Wellness Education Spring Fest Fair Saturday, March 30, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., l5101 Browns Mill Road, Lithonia. The Health and Wellness Education Spring Fest Fair will be a free event for the family to enjoy. Residents are encouraged to come out to experience live entertainment, food, demonstrations and receive educational information from healthcare professionals.
CITY OF STONECREST MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, PUBLIC HEARING: MONDAY, MARCH 25 2019 AT 7:00 P.M. CITY OF STONECREST, 3120 STONECREST BLVD STONECREST, GA 30038 Mayor and Council will hold a public hearing on the Revised 2038 Comprehensive Plan. Changes have been made to the originally approved plan document.
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Roderick Frierson
MARCH 8, 2019 • PAGE 5
Rita Scott
Jim Redovian
DeKalb CEO names three MARTA Board nominees DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond has nominated three county residents to serve on the MARTA board of directors. “DeKalb’s nominees are dedicated civic and community leaders who have demonstrated a deep commitment to the county,” said CEO Thurmond. “The addition of these three members will be a tremendous asset in helping the county strongly advocate for continuous transit and ridership improvements.” Roderick Frierson is president of the Hidden Hills Civic Association, one of the county’s largest communities representing 1,683 homes. Frierson is also a business development consultant with nearly 30 years of leadership experience in manufacturing, distribution and warehouse management. Frierson received a Bachelor of Science degree in resource development and management from Michigan State University. Rita Scott is president of the Carriage Pointe Homeowners Association in Stone Mountain, and a member of the Fourth Congressional District Women and of the Pine Ridge Elementary PTA in Stone Mountain. Since 2004, Scott has worked with the Communication Workers of America as a political director, lobbying on behalf of workers and workers’ rights. Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Miami Dade College. Jim Redovian is owner and president of Atlantic Southern Products Inc. and is a past member of the executive board of the Dunwoody Homeowners Association. Redovian is the past president of Dunwoody Stage Door Players and former member of the DeKalb County Board of Education. Redovian is a graduate of Ohio University, majoring in business law and finance.
Pictured L-R: Dr. Dwayne Turner, First-Place Winner Issahaku Alhassan, Dr. Leslie Richmond, Jo Ann Harris and Congressman Hank Johnson.
Congressman Johnson celebrates Dental Quiz Bowl winners On March 1, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) joined health officials, teachers, and parents from across DeKalb County to honor elementary school students who competed in the 14th Annual Dental Quiz Bowl Competition. Hosted at the DeKalb County Board of Health’s Winn Way office, the competition was a day filled with celebrating the importance of oral health. There were giveaways for students who competed and awards and medals for the winners. Johnson served as the keynote speaker of the program. “Early in my tenure as a Congressman, there was a terrible story in Washington where a boy who had a dental infection would later suffer from that infection ravishing his body and it was all because he and his family did not have the knowledge of how important dental care is; and they didn’t have the ability to access the care,” said Johnson, who was first elected as Congressman in 2005. “Oral health is definitely important and the work that DeKalb County is doing for our
children is truly critical for their wellbeing.” Other guest speakers included DeKalb County School District Lead Nurse Jo Ann Harris, C.H.A.P.S. (Community Health and Prevention Services Director); Dr. Leslie J. Richmond; and DeKalb County Board of Health Services Manager Dwayne Turner. This year’s first-place winner was Issahaku Alhassan of Jolly Elementary School. Second place went to Skylar Chisolm of Barack H. Obama Elementary School and third place went to Augusto Gonzalez of Hightower Elementary School. Some of the questions the students answered in their quest for the gold medal were: How often should you change your toothbrush? How many premolars are in a primary dentition? How do you remove plaque from between the teeth? Johnson presented awards to the winners and talked with students and teachers at the end of the program about school and other topics.
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Rockdale Constitutional Corner
Levett family legacy is visible black history in Rockdale County
C
elebrating Black History Month has taken on a new meaning for the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Eric J. Levett made history of his own when he took office in 2013 to become Rockdale County's first African-American Sheriff. Recently, as Sheriff Levett and a few of his staff members drove through a neighborhood in South Rockdale, he shared what it means to be the first AfricanAmerican elected Sheriff in Rockdale County. "I'm sure somebody somewhere is saying, 'Hey, this is a milestone for race relations in Rockdale County,' but I just see myself as another resident who has taken political office in a profession I have come up in for half of my life," Levett said. The life he is speaking of began in Rockdale County where he was born and raised. After graduating from Rockdale County High School, Levett worked as a dispatcher for Rockdale County 9-1-1 where he said he learned self-discipline and a strong work ethic. He has served the citizens of Rockdale County for over 25
If you’d like us to bring this presentation to your community, please contact us at proptax@dekalbcountyga.gov
Irvin J. Johnson
By Sheriff Eric J. Levett
years and continues to challenge himself daily. He has worked as a Certified Peace Officer, a Law Enforcement Coordinator for the City of Conyers Housing Authority, Corporal within Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), Sergeant in Uniform Patrol and Criminal Investigations Division, Board of Directors-Rockdale Coalition for Children and Families, Chamber of Commerce Leadership Rockdale Program, National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
WELCOME TO HOMESTEADS 101
Tax Year Deadline for 2019 is April 1st.
TAXCOMMISSIONER
DeKalb County Tax Commissioner Irvin Johnson Presents: Join us at 1 of 5 FREE presentations hosted throughout the County to learn how homeowners, senior citizens, veterans and disabled veterans can save money each year on their home and car taxes, and be qualified on the spot! Visit our website to learn more!
Please bring the following to see if you qualify for an exemption: Your valid driver’s license Your State & Federal income tax forms.
www.DeKalbTax.org
(NOBLE), Vice Chairman of Georgia Piedmont Technical College Law Enforcement Advisory Board, and Resource Development Coordinator for the Boys & Girls Club and so many more. Sheriff Levett is often asked if he realizes just how much his family has contributed to Black History. The entire Levett family adds so much value to Rockdale County and the surrounding areas. George William Levett, Sr., the Sheriff’s grandfather, established the family's funeral home business in 1964 that holds the honor of the oldest surviving African-American business in Rockdale County. George Sr. also became the first full-time black police officer for the Conyers Police Department in 1972. In 2004, Gregory B. Levett, the Sheriff’s uncle, established the only African-American owned and operated funeral home in South Gwinnett County. George Levett, Jr., the Sheriff’s other uncle, was the first AfricanAmerican elected Coroner in Rockdale County. “My grandfather taught all of
his children and grandchildren to ‘Always believe in yourself. Apply yourself to reach your goals and there is nothing you can’t achieve. Surround yourself with positive people and stay away from situations that pull you into the wrong direction,’ ” Levett remembers. “Now that I am a parent, I understand the frustrations my father and grandfather had to face while struggling to keep his kids from going down the wrong path,” Levett continues. George Levett, Sr. chose to make a difference and proved no feat is too great to achieve. Sheriff Levett remembers vying for this top seat, and when he won the election his first thoughts were, ‘Oh my goodness. I won.’ He then began to lay out how he was going to enhance the quality of life in Rockdale County through his leadership and strategic efforts. Special thanks to George Levett, Sr. for the push to excellence, to Jerome Levett for keeping his son focused, and to Eric Levett for giving all of us the chance to live life as we live it now in Rockdale County.
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Black Heritage of Rockdale to induct 10 trailblazers into Hall of Fame
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lack Heritage of Rockdale County will host its 2019 celebration and induct 10 people into its inaugural Black Heritage Hall of Fame on March 16, 2 p.m., at the J.P. Carr Community Center, 961 Taylor St., Conyers. The community is invited to a fascinating program that will not only celebrate black trailblazer but one that will feature a symposium about four notable black historic sites in Rockdale, Newton, DeKalb and Gwinnett counties. Rockdale native daughter E.R. Shipp, who received the Pulitzer Prize as a journalist for the New York Daily News in 1996, will moderate the symposium, “Embracing the History Around Us.” Shipp was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her “penetrating columns on race, welfare and other social issues. An associate professor at Morgan State University’s School of Global Journalism and Communications in
the Reed House & Orphanage in Newton’s city of Covington; and Catherine Long, cultural resources manager of The Big House, a historic homestead known as the Promised Land in Gwinnett County. Black Heritage of Rockdale County was established by Shipp, Katrina McCollum Young and the Rev. Aldren Sadler, Sr. on June 5, 2017 as a Facebook group. To date, more than 500 people have joined the group. Young, president of both, the Rockdale County School Board
E.R. Shipp
Baltimore, Shipp is returning to Rockdale to moderate the panel, thanks to a Georgia Humanities grant awarded to the ConyersRockdale Council for the Arts(CRCA). Shipp will be joined by Johnny Waits, historian of the Flat Rock Archives located in the DeKalb city of Stonecrest; Nasir Muhammad, director of Dinah Watts Pace and
TRIAL continued from page 1
THE
1 2 T H
and the Georgia School Boards Association, and Shelli Baker Siebert, CRCA’s executive director, were instrumental in applying for the Georgia Humanities grant to formalize Black Heritage of Rockdale County. The organization set as a goal for this year the launch of its Hall of Fame. The community is invited and encouraged to attend the free program. A reception will be held after the symposium.
A N N U A L
CONGRESS ON THE STATE OF BLACK BUSINESS IN METRO ATLANTA “Growing Businesses: Sustaining and Expanding in Times of Change”
naked and unarmed when he was roaming outside of his Chamblee apartment complex and Olsen responded to a 9-11 call. Hill’s family said he was not taking prescribed medication for his bipolar disorder, when Olsen shot him. Olsen has been charged with Hill’s murder. Retired Lt. Colonel Amos, who heads Justice for Veterans, was angry when he heard the news that the trial had hit another snag. Amos questioned why three judges recused themselves two weeks before the trial was to begin in February. DeKalb Superior Court Judge J.P. Boulee, who was presiding over the case, was the first to step down, saying he wanted to “avoid the appearance of partiality” because he had made a monetary donation to an event associated with District Attorney Sherry Boston. Judges Courtney Johnson and Asha Jackson followed, saying they wanted to avoid any appearance of impropriety,” according to recusal orders. The order did not specify what the conflict concerned. Judge Latisha Dear-Jackson was appointed after the three other judges stepped down. Dear-Jackson, who was elected last year to succeed Daniel Coursey, has said she knew little about the case. “Why are the three other judges who recused themselves still sitting on the bench and presiding over ther cases? If there is impropriety, they shouldn’t be handling any cases before the DeKalb District Attorney,” said King. King said DeKalb citizens should be outraged. “This is ridiculous. It’s crazy. The citizens should be outraged over this. They are going to have to look at who they are electing for judges,” King said. “This is so unfair to Mr. Hill’s family.” The DeKalb NAACP said Hill’s family has been denied justice. “Four years and still no trial. The saying, ‘Justice delayed is justice denied’ describes this situation perfectly,” said Teresa Hardy, who heads the DeKalb NAACP branch. Hardy said the NAACP fully understands the family is “devastated” over the delays. Several civil rights activists say they are planning protests, including one outside the DeKalb County Courthouse in downtown Decatur on March 8 and 9.
THE OBJECTIVE of this year’s Congress is to understand the
changing economic climate, emerging hurdles, and how businesses can adapt, thrive and sustain this change in 2019 and beyond. Whether you are a business owner or a professional seeking to make connections for the future, you can take advantage of this opportunity. Come to the Congress to meet key decision makers, and to learn how to grow your business and grow our community’s wealth.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME?
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WHEN Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 8:00a.m.-3:00p.m. WHERE The Shirley A. Massey Executive Conference Center at Morehouse College 830 Westview Drive, SW Atlanta, GA 30314 Visit atlantabusinessleague.org for more information and to register online, or call us at 404-584-8126.
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