FREE VOLUME 24 NUMBER 17
JUNE 16, 2018
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Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties
DeKalb CEO Thurmond: Midyear budget on track, ‘rainy day’ fund grows to $89 million
Derrick Boazman ( holding the microphone) is flanked by Jamie Henry’s parents at left. Photos by Glenn L. Morgan
Derrick Bozeman: “Sheriff Levett, a black man, is not our friend”
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crowd of about 200 protestors called for the resignation of Rockdale Sheriff Eric Levett and other county leaders as they rallied for justice for Shali Tilson and Jamie Henry. Tilson, a 22-year-old Conyers resident, died on March 12 from severe dehydration after a 9-day stay at the Rockdale County Jail on misdemeanor charges. Henry, a 40-year-old Douglasville mother who was being held for Fulton County on a warrant, died on May 26 after being locked up for about 12 hours. Attorney Mawuli Davis, who is representing the families of the deceased, said the deaths are a result of “criminal neglect.” Davis said Tilson lost 24 pounds while he was in custody. Henry, who had a drug problem, was screaming and pleading for help to no avail, Davis said. She was found unresponsive in her cell and pronounced dead at the hospital, Sheriff’s spokesperson Yolande Lovingood-Moore said. No information has been provided concerning the cause of Henry’s death. As protestors baked in the sweltering heat outside the Rockdale Sheriff’s Office, many denounced the sheriff, saying he had failed to take action even after a GBI investigation found Tilson died as a result of “pulmonary thrombi due to dehydration.” The GBI released its findings in the Tilson case on May 24. “We wanted to come to tell Sheriff Levett: Let me be very clear because my politics is that I support those that support me. I oppose those that oppose me. Sheriff Levett, a black man, is not our friend,” WAOK-1380 radio talk show host Derrick Boazman shouted. The rally included remarks from several organizations, including representatives of the Rockdale NAACP, the DeKalb NAACP, the State NAACP, A Black Man Never Forgets, Black Lives Matter Atlanta, National Action Movement, GRIEVE and the New Black Panther Party. A bus with demonstrators from North Carolina also attended. The
DeKalb County government’s mid-year finances are positive and its “rainy day” fund has grown to $89 million—enough to cover county operations for 1.75 months. CEO Michael Thurmond said the county, which has a $1.2 billion annual operating budget, is close to meeting his year-end goal of having a full two months of funds in reserves to finance county operations. Thurmond made the announcement on June CEO Michael Thurmond 13 after presenting the FY2018 midyear budget amendments to the Board of Commissioners. With the support of the Board of Commissioners, the county balanced the budget and projects a FY2018 midyear general fund balance or “rainy day fund” of $89 million, Thurmond said. The Board of Commissioners is scheduled to make a final vote on the FY2018 midyear budget amendment on July 10.
DeKalb homeowners will receive $660 million property tax cut DeKalb tax digest grows nearly 11 percent to $31.3 billion
F Rockdale County Sheriff Eric Levett
crowd was peaceful throughout the demonstration, which lasted nearly two hours. There were pastors, mothers carrying babies, men in suits and women in dresses among the protestors. Tilson’s sister, Diamond Tilson, thanked the protestors for standing with her family and Henry’s family. “We asked everybody to come stand with us, but not only do we want you to stand with us, we want you to speak out as well about the injustices that happened to these two young people. They should still be here today...,” said Diamond Tilson. “It’s going to take our whole community to get things right... We’ve got to apply pressure and make sure these positions are filled with people that can handle these types of situations, so these things
SEE PROTEST page 5
or the next six years, DeKalb County homeowners will receive an estimated $110 million annually in property tax relief. The $660 million tax cut is the result of the passage of two measures in November 2017—the Equalized Homestead Option Sales Tax (EHOST) and the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). “This is a rare moment in local governance,” said DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. “We are experiencing a harmonic convergence in DeKalb: property values are rising, homeowner taxes are decreasing and the county is poised to make critical investments that will improve our roads, streets, public safety and other infrastructure.” In 2018, the gross tax digest of all taxable property in DeKalb County grew $3 billion, or 10.7 percent, from $28.3 billion in 2017 to $31.3 billion. Despite the growth in property values, application of EHOST tax credits will generate lower property taxes for DeKalb homeowners. The chart below shows the
estimated tax savings for DeKalb homeowners by jurisdiction, based on the $250,000 appraised value of a house. DeKalb’s SPLOST is also expected to generate $388 million over the next six years for capital improvements in unincorporated areas of the county. Municipalities will share an additional $249 million for capital projects within their jurisdictions, allocated by population. Eighty-five percent of SPLOST funding must be allocated to transportation and public safety projects. Unincorporated DeKalb projects will include: • Resurfacing more than 300 miles of the worst streets and roads • Purchasing new police and fire rapid-response vehicles • Replacing, repairing or building 29 fire stations Designing a new public safety training center Other county SPLOST expenditures will include repairs to parks, libraries, senior centers, health centers and the courthouse.
DeKalb Homeowners will Receive Property Tax Cut, Estimated Tax Bill Comparison for $250,000 Home 2017 County Tax Due
Atlanta Avondale Estates Brookhaven Chamblee Clarkston Decatur Doraville Dunwoody Lithonia Pine Lake Stone Mountain Unincorporated/ Stonecrest/Tucker
$ 525 $ 709 $ 719 $ 686 $ 719 $ 530 $ 682 $ 719 $ 727 $ 732 $ 689
2018 County Tax Due
Tax Cut
Percentage Tax Cut
$ 172 $ 426 $ 449 $ 409 $ 460 $ 180 $ 403 $ 449 $ 472 $ 480 $ 414
$ (353) $ (283) $ (270) $ (277) $ (259) $ (350) $ (279) $ (270) $ (255) $ (252) $ (275)
-67.2% -39.9% -37.5% -40.4% -36.1% -66.1% -40.9% -37.5% -35.1% -34.5% -40.0%
$ 1,103
$ 974
$ (129)
-11.7%
Source: DeKalb County Finance Department
PAGE 2 • JUNE 16, 2018
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JUNE 16, 2018 • PAGE 3
STONEFEST 2018 PUBLISHER Glenn L. Morgan
gmorgan1@ocgnews.com
EDITOR Valerie J. Morgan
editor@ocgnews.com
ADVERTISING MANAGER Richard S. Hill
richardhill@ocgnews.com
STAFF WRITER Mackenzie Morgan
mackenzie@ocgnews.com
PRODUCTION MANAGER Travis Hudgons
StoneFest 2018 was held on June 9 at Atlanta Sports City (the former Kohl’s location). Organized by Patricia Willis of Six Degrees of Synergy, Inc., the festival featured live musical acts, new technology discussion panels, robotics demonstrations, local authors, and a variety of food and retail vendors. Willis said the goal of StoneFest was to bring greater awareness of new technologies and STEM career opportunities. Photos by Travis Hudgons.
travis@ocgnews.com
On Common Ground News is published weekly by On Common Ground, Inc. The newspaper serves DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Rockdale and Henry counties. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher or the newspaper’s advertisers. No portion of this newspaper may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. We reserve the right to reject material and advertisements we deem inappropriate.
On Common Ground News P.O. Box 904 Lithonia, GA 30058 (678) 526-1910 www.ocgnews.com
Deadly shootings plague DeKalb County By Mackenzie N. Morgan
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eKalb County police have been busy working two deadly shootings that occurred in broad daylight at plaza gas stations within a 24-hour period. Community activist Ed Williams said he was alarmed when he heard about the recent violence and implored DeKalb County officials to take action immediately. “The amount of crime in DeKalb County is unacceptable. We need more police on the streets and to also look into the root cause of such high levels of crime,” said Williams. “We need police to work with schools to help decrease bullying, gangs, drugs, and increase student graduation rates and get repeat offenders off the streets. Police made an arrest in the June 13 double shooting that happened at the Quick Stop gas station at 1101 N Hairston Road in Stone Mountain. De’Arius Woods, 19, was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Anthony Cooley, 42, an innocent bystander. Another person who was injured was taken to the hospital. DeKalb spokesperson Sheira Campbell said the shooting took place around 1:15 p.m. She said Woods
De’Arius Woods
Anthony Jordan, 29, was gunned down in broad daylight on June 13 as he stood outside of the hair salon, which was boarded up after the shooting at the Citgo plaza, located at the intersection of Redan and Panola roads. Photos by Travis Hudgons
allegedly was firing at someone who had fired at him. Police did not say what the motive was. On June 12, the day before the double shooting took place, a man was gunned down at the Citgo plaza at 5616 Redan Road in unincorporated Lithonia. “All we know right now is that someone pulled up in a vehicle, got out and began firing at the victim in broad daylight,” said Campbell. Campbell said police confirmed the victim’s identity in the Citgo shooting as Anthony Jordan, 29. Community residents said he was a self-employed lawn care worker who had recently started doing music. Jordan was reportedly standing outside at the Citgo plaza when he was targeted and shot to death. The suspect parked and exited the vehicle and began firing, according to witnesses. The bullets hit the window of a hair salon,
stunning patrons who were inside. Authorities have issued a BOLO for a greenish blue late model CTS Cadillac. A friend of the victim said he arrived at the gas station after he heard about the shooting only to find a bloody crime scene.” “They could have at least cleaned up the crime scene. I had just spoken to him in passing at the barbershop a few hours before I got wind that he had been shot,” said the witness who asked to remain anonymous. The witness said he and the victim were from the same neighborhood. “We should be able to go to the gas station without fear of losing our lives. There were children there,” the friend said. A worker in the plaza who knew Jordan said it was hard to believe that anyone had a problem with Jordan, who was leaving the barbershop at the time he was
Anthony Jordan
gunned down. “It’s really hurtful because he was a good person. He was a standup guy and he would give the shirt off his back. He didn’t deserve to die,” the worker said. In a Facebook post, J Stacey Vann thanked the public for its condolences and said that funeral arrangements are still being worked out for Jordan. “Although AJ wasn’t my blood son, I raised him since he was 2 years old, and considered him my very first son! So this has hit me and all of us very hard. I’m trying my best to keep strong for my family, but it’s hard...So everyone, please continue to pray for us as we’re dealing with this,” Vann wrote in the post. The family has started a Gofundme to help cover Anthony Jordan’s funeral expenses (www. gofundme.com/anthony-r-jordanjr-aka-aj).
PAGE 4 • JUNE 16, 2018
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DeKalb Police Department is recruiting officers
Photos by Travis Hudgons
Taking Back Their Community
KDB partners with Brannon Hill for cleanup, community festival
Residents at Brannon Hill Condominium in Clarkston are taking back their community with the help of Keep DeKalb Beautiful (KDB) and other volunteers. KDB is partnering with Brannon Hill residents to host a community cleanup day on Saturday, June 23, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the condominium, 1000 Old Hampton Drive, Clarkston. The Brannon Hill Community
Celebration and Arts Festival also will be held that day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in honor of International Refugee Day. Brannon Hill residents say they want to show pride and shed the image that their community is one of America’s worst places to live. The upcoming cleanup will mark the second that residents have held with the help of KDB
and other volunteers. Residents are asking the public at large to come out and support the cleanup and arts festival. Supplies for the cleanup will be provided, county officials said. For more information, contact Victoria Burgos, Keep DeKalb Beautiful, at vrburgos@ dekalbcountyga.gov, visit keepdekalbbeautiful.org, or call 404-294-2010.
Baby Box program addresses infant deaths The Office of Youth Services is sponsoring the Baby Box program, designed to work with parents to reduce the infant mortality rate in DeKalb. The next class is scheduled June 29, 10:30 a.m., at the Clarkston Library, 951 N. Indian Creek Dr., Clarkston. The deadline to register is Monday,
June 25, 2018. The Baby Box program educates expecting and new parents about approved methods from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in preventing sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), sudden unexpected infant death and infant sleep awareness. Participating parents will
receive a Baby Box, temporary secure bedding designed to promote infant safe sleep practices, and various other items for newborn babies. For more information on Baby Box events, contact Mussettee H. Hill at 404- 6877192 or mhill@dekalbcountyga. gov.
Antioch AME to host legislation update, candidates meet-and-greet Antioch AME Church, 765 S. Hairston Road, Stone Mountain, is hosting a Legislation Update and Candidates Meet and Greet on Thursday, June 21, 7 p.m. All DeKalb County elected officials, local and statewide
candidates who are running in the July 24 primary runoff and local and statewide candidates running in the November General Election have been invited. The community is urged to come out and learn about
Georgia’s new laws that will become effective on July 1. Antioch AME’s Social Action Committee is sponsoring the event. The Rev. Vandy C. Simmons is senior pastor of the church.
The DeKalb County Police Department is hosting a job fair on Saturday, June 23, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at its headquarters, 1950 West Exchange Place, Tucker. The department is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Police Officer. Background detectives will be doing pre-screening interviews and human resources applications on site. Computer stations will be available for any applicant wishing to complete the online application. Participants attending the event who have already completed an application will be scheduled for the upcoming physical agility test. DeKalb Police will be showcasing officers from different units (Tac, SWAT, Motor, etc.) to give potential applicants an idea of the career opportunities that the Department offers. Salaries are as follows: • Police Officer Base Pay (H.S. or GED): $ 39,295 • Police Officer with four year Degree: $41,261 • Police Officer Senior: $41,343 to $64,181 • Police Master Officer: $46,928 to $72,739 All candidates must meet minimum requirements: • At least 20 years of age • No felony or domestic violence convictions • U.S. citizen • High School diploma or GED • Valid driver’s license • Honorable discharge, if military veteran • Good physical and mental health • Good moral character For more information on the recruitment process, please call the DeKalb County Police Department Background and Recruiting Unit at 770-724-7445.
City of Clarkston City Council sets pre-Work Session mixer The City of Clarkston’s City Council will host its pre-Work Session mixer on June 27, 6 to 7 p.m., at Clarkston City Hall, 3921 Church Street, Clarkston. The community is invited to mingle with elected officials, City of Clarkston staff members and other leaders before the regularly scheduled City Council Work Session begins. Special guests at the mixer include Judy Rosemond, retiring principal of Jolly Elementary School, and Ayesha Grandison, Jolly’s new principal. Those who attend the mixer can enjoy complimentary appetizers.
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JUNE 16, 2018 • PAGE 5
DeKalb Commissioner Gregory Adams says smear campaign launched against him
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ith only a few weeks away from the July 24 runoff elections, DeKalb County Commissioner Gregory Adams says he has had enough of the “vicious lies” circulating about him. “I didn’t run for office to be picked on, to be criticized, to be mocked, or to be humiliated,” Adams said during an emotional nearly threeminute outpouring at the end of the Board of Commissioners’ June 12 meeting. Adams didn’t say during the meeting who was attacking him. He elaborated the next day, leveling accusations at Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, who is challenging him for the District 7 Commission seat. Adams said during an interview with On Common Ground News that campaign material bearing Cochran-Johnson’s name stated he sexually harassed his former district director, Ashlee Wright, which he denies. “The love and respect I have for people is very high. I have never disrespected a woman, and I never will,” said Adams, who said he could never victimize anyone because he was a victim himself. He said a fellow soldier sexually assaulted while serving in the military. “I live with this everyday of my life,” said
Commissioner Gregory Adams
Lorraine Cochran-Johnson
Adams. On Common Ground News attempted to speak with Cochran-Johnson about Adams’ assertions of a smear campaign and to get her side of the story. Cochran-Johnson said she was teaching a class but said that she never sent a mailer about Adams. She asked that the material be sent to her and for the paper to call back in 45 minutes. Then the paper sent her a text of the material, which was followed by a text requesting to discuss the material. Another call was made, but no answer. A second attempt via text was sent to discuss the matter. Cochran-Johnson sent a text back stating that she was “walking
into an interview” and that Roz Edward would be responding, but On Common Ground News did not hear from Edward by press time. Meanwhile, Attorney Robert James, who is representing Wright, said the county’s sexual harassment investigation concerning Adams speaks for itself. “DeKalb County determined that he violated the county’s sexual harassment policy, after they did a full investigation,” said James, adding that his law firm is awaiting pending litigation with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) concerning the case. James said in addition to the sexual harassment case against Adams, Wright is suing Adams and his wife, Jacqueline, for slander toward his client. Amos King, who heads Justice for Veterans, said Adams’ pending litigation is not his concern, and he doesn’t think it should be Johnson’s concern either. “That will work itself out,” King said, referring to the pending litigation. “ I live in Commissioner Adams’ district and I think he’s done a good job. He stood with us in the case of Anthony Hill and he has supported other things in the community. I want to know what she (Johnson) plans to do. That’s what we need to stay focused on.”
Rockdale Sheriff’s deputy James Campbell fired after stalking charges Rockdale County Deputy James Patrick Campbell was terminated on Monday after two more women, including a 17-yearold, came forward and accused him of stalking, the Rockdale Sheriff’s Office said. James Patrick Campbell “This behavior is definitely not reflective of this agency and will not be tolerated,” Sheriff Eric Levett said in a statement. Campbell had been on paid administrative leave since he was arrested on May 27 on the first stalking charges involving a woman and her daughter. The initial complaint against Campbell was filed on May 19 with the Office of Professional Standards. An internal affairs investigation was turned over to the criminal investigation division and Campbell was arrested and charged with stalking, Sheriff’s spokesperson Yolande Lovingood-Moore said. According to the arrest warrant obtained by On Common Ground News, Campbell went to the women’s home and partially blocked their driveway after receiving a text message on May 6 for him “to no longer make contact with her or her daughter.” A second text was sent on May 9 after Campbell returned to their home again. The warrant said the women “felt intimidated due to James Campbell’s status as a law enforcement officer.” Campbell was hired by the Sheriff’s Office in 2016. He had a history of disciplinary actions for citizen complains, code of conduct and emergency vehicle policy violations, according to his personnel file, Channel 2 News reported. Police are searching for this white Toyota Tundra, which was carjacked from a construction worker, and the gray Mercedes Benz in which three suspects were riding.
Police are searching for this white Toyota Tundra, which was carjacked from a construction worker, and the gray Mercedes Benz in which three suspects were riding.
DCSD Police seek carjacking suspects The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating a team of suspects involved in a violent carjacking that took place at Panola Way Elementary School. District officials say a construction worker on the renovation project at Panola Way Elementary School was injured during a carjacking on Monday, June 11. The worker’s white Toyota Tundra was taken from the school, and three young men driving a gray four-door Mercedes Benz with tinted windows were identified as the perpetrators. The worker suffered significant injuries and is receiving treatment at a local hospital after being dragged alongside his vehicle. According to the DeKalb County School District Police Department, the Mercedes has been seen in Lithonia and the Decatur area. The suspects are considered armed and dangerous. Anyone who has information about the incident should contact the DeKalb County School District Police Department and Detective M.E. Parks at 678-676-1810 or 678-676-2152. For more information, visit www.dekalbschoolsga.org/public-safety/.
Suspect arrested for PROTEST continued from page 1 happen again to anybody else.” shooting into Decatur home don’tFormer State Rep. Dee Dawkins-
Individuals inside a home on Emerald North Drive in Decatur told authorities they had to crawl along the floor to avoid being hit by bullets from a person firing into the house on June 10. Authorities said David Knight, 26, allegedly used an AR-15 to fire multiple David Knight shots from a vehicle outside the home. The Sheriff’s Office said they did not know why Knight, who lived on the same street as the victims, fired at the house. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office served Knight with nine warrants for felony aggravated assault weapon charges. Knight was arrested on June 13 and transported to the DeKalb County Jail without incident.
Haigler reminded the crowd that their vote is their power and she had a message for the sheriff and other Rockdale leaders: “...When you are elected to positions of power, there comes a responsibility and you cannot be afraid when you are elected to stand up and do the right thing. And what i have learned over the years is that a scared negro will get you killed...” Photo by Glenn L. Morgan “Now, I know Eric Levett, and I’m very surprised by all of this. But he was elected by the people to do a job. You can’t show up just when you want to show up; you have to show up even when it's hard, even when you have to give an account. So I suggest you look around this place today, and the next time you go and vote for somebody, look and see if they showed up when you needed them to show up.” To view the video of the rally, visit www.ocgnews.com.
PAGE 6 • JUNE 16, 2018 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
Rockdale’s Constitutional Corner
Rockdale County addresses elder abuse
By Probate Judge Clarence Cuthpert, Jr. June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month, and June 15 has been labeled World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Elder abuse is an intentional act, or failure to act, by a caregiver or another person in a relationship involving an expectation of trust that causes or creates a risk of harm to someone age 65 years of age or older. Forms of elder abuse include: physical, sexual, emotional or psychological, neglect, financial, and exploitation.
A May 7, 2018 news report by Paul Singer, Investigative Editor for WGBH News in Boston, MA, titled, New Data Shows ‘Crisis’ of Elder Abuse, state the Federal Administration for Community Living estimated that in 2016, 1.5 million cases of abuse were reported to adult protective agencies around the country, and about half of those reports were deemed worthy of further investigation. Singer’s article further stated research indicates only 1out of 24 cases of elder abuse or neglect is ever reported to authorities, so if 1.5 million cases were reported, the total number of abuse cases could be more like 20 or 30 million. Massachusetts Secretary of Elder Affairs, Alice Bonner, was quoted as saying “It turns out that somewhere between 50 and 60 percent in general of perpetrators are actually family members, particularly with financial exploitation.”
According to a May 3, 2018 article in the Bloomberg News, by Nick Leiber, titled How criminals steal $37 billion a year from America’s elderly, “Some 5 million older Americans are financially exploited each year, as scammers and even family members target the most vulnerable.” The scammers also include, but are not limited to, business professionals, caregivers, and court appointed guardians and/or conservators. The 65 years of age and older population in Rockdale County has grown significantly since 2010. From 2013 to 2017, there were approximately 488 elder abuse cases investigated by Adult Protective Services in Rockdale County. Our District Attorney’s Office have reported an increase in investigations of elder abuse cases as well. Therefore, District Attorney Alisha
Johnson, Sheriff Eric J. Levett, and I, through a collaborative effort, along with the tireless efforts of Investigator Dawn Murrain of the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office, recently formed the Protecting our Elderly and At-Risk with Resources for better Living (“P.E.A.R.L.”) program in Rockdale County. P.E.A.R.L. is a multidisciplinary team whose mission is to: 1) Elevate Awareness; 2) Respond in a timely manner; 3) Effectively Investigate; and 4) Preserve the protective processes of any reported abuse toward elderly and/ or at-risk individuals in Rockdale County. We will collaborate with state and local agencies, as well as various service providers to ensure the safety and well-being of the elderly (65 and older) and at-risk (18 to 64 with a disability) in our community. Our goal is to provide assistance
to our citizens who are alleged victims of abuse, neglect, exploitation or self-neglect. With prompt reporting of alleged abuse, these individuals can be rescued from their abusers, and the perpetrators will be held accountable criminally and/or civilly when their actions warrant the same. Additionally, P.E.A.R.L. will focus on unlicensed personal care homes as well. For additional information regarding P.E.A.R.L. or to report suspected abuse, you may contact Investigator Murrain at (770) 278-8159, or email us at contact@ rockdalepearl.org. Please remember, the life you save could be one of your own. Throughout each month, the clerk of courts, tax commissioner, sheriff and probate judge—Rockdale’s elected constitutional officers—discuss topics relevant to their respective roles
Rockdale Juvenile Court awarded over $2 million in grants to enhance services
“Be Bright, Eat Right, Rockdale” free summer lunch delivery bus at the Nancy Guinn Memorial Library in Conyers every weekday at 11:15 a.m. through July 20. Photos by Michelle Kim, Rockdale County Public Schools
Rockdale’s summer program offers students free lunch and books This summer, Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) and Bread of Life Development (BOLD) Ministries are partnering to ensure Rockdale’s children receive healthy, and delicious meals throughout the summer for the fifth year. The summer program also is providing books for students to enjoy from the RCPS Summer Reading List. The free program, which operates Monday through Friday, delivers bagged lunches and books via school bus to locations in several communities throughout Rockdale. The program serves students up to age 18. Meals must be eaten on the buses, which are air-conditioned. Students may select books to borrow and take home with them In addition to delivering bagged lunches, RCPS is serving lunch at Salem High School (3351 Underwood Road) and Heritage High School (2400 Granade Road). For updated delivery times or more information, contact 770-860-4223 or go to www. rockdaleschools.org/summermeals.
Rockdale County’s Juvenile Court will receive approximately $2.6 million from federal, state and local grants to enhance substance abuse intervention services for Rockdale’s youths and families. Officials say the grants will help to improve Family Treatment Court outcomes including higher rates of participation, more effective substance use disorder treatment, family reunification, and less time for children in foster care. The grants awarded include: • The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration five-year grant award of $409,886 totaling $2,049,430. The funding will assist parents and their children enrolled in the Family Treatment Court Program, which brings together substance use disorder treatment, child welfare services, mental health, and social services agencies. • The Georgia Criminal Justice Coordinating Council’s funding for three grants including $65,625 in continuation funding for the Family Treatment Court Program, $124,287 in continuation funding for the Juvenile Drug Court Program, and $291,696 in continuation funding to serve medium-to-high risk youths and their families with Functional Family Therapy. • The Hospital Authority of Rockdale County’s $30,000 grant to assist with the Family Treatment Court Program this year. • The Truancy Intervention Project’s $3,000 grant to assist with truancy interventions for court-involved Rockdale students. • $100,000 was awarded by the State of Georgia Department of Human Services to continue the Rockdale Encouraging Student Health, Abstinence and Parent Engagement (RESHAPE) program. RESHAPE focuses on abstinence, decision-making, life skills and preventing teen dating violence. The program is in its eighth year in Rockdale and serves 90 children annually. In addition to its grant-funded programs, Juvenile Court provides numerous other programs to court-involved youths including Project GLOW (Girls Learning Our Worth), Anger Replacement Training, Moral Reconation Therapy, Triple P Parenting, Mentoring, Evening Reporting Center, Teen Court, and Community Service. For more information about Juvenile Court and its programs, contact Teresa Gordy at 770-278-7763 or teresa.gordy@rockdalecountyga.gov.
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