VOLUME 22 NUMBER 31
FREE
NOVEMBER 5, 2016
Published Since April 1995 Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties • www.facebook.com/ocgnews
City of Lithonia is Georgia’s latest entry on National Register of Historic Places
T
he city of Lithonia’s name is now etched on the National Register of Historic Places, officials have announced. Lithonia was placed on the nation’s list of places worthy of preservation and recognition on Sept. 19, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources said in a recent news release. Officials say the new designation means the Southeast DeKalb County city is now eligible for economic incentives like those utilized in the development of Atlanta’s Ponce City Market. “We are looking forward to seeing new ventures attracted to the city via the tax incentives that are available to support historic preservation projects in the districts as a result of this listing,” Stephanie Cherry-Farmer, program manager for the National Register program for Georgia. Lithonia, incorporated in 1856, turned 160 years old this year. The name Lithonia is derived from a combination of Greek words: Lithos meaning rock and Onia meaning place, in reference to the granite-gneiss abundant in the city and surrounding area. The Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance, Inc. worked with the city, the Georgia State University Heri-
Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News
See City of Lithonia, page 10
Gwinnett launches text- GPTC President unveils plans for regional based notifications for jurors transportation training facility
I
f you’re selected for jury duty in Gwinnett County, you’ll get updates by text now. Gwinnett County Courts announced the launch of a text-based notification system to update jurors on their jury status. With the new texting platform, jurors receive automatic messages about their upcoming jury duty, as well as nightly updates throughout their service week notifying them whether or not to report for service. The texting platform augments existing web and IVR-based systems. “Jurors have been asking for an easier, more convenient way to get their juror status. With our new text messaging system, jurors receive proactive text messages without having to call or check the website – and they love it,” says Abby Carter, Jury Manager for the Gwinnett County Courts. The court conducted a six-month trial with TextGov’s Juror Notification System. During the trial period, jurors were asked about their experiences with the system. One juror said, “I thought I only had to check on Sunday. If I had not gotten the text, I wouldn’t have known if I was needed.” Another juror noted, “I really like the texts showing whether or not I have to appear.” In addition to making the process more convenient for the juror, the text messaging system improved juror compliance rates. During the trial, among those jurors that opted in to receive text reminders, an average of 96 percent appeared in court on their appointed days. “The implementation with TextGov was incredibly smooth. In addition to providing a better juror experience for the citizens of Gwinnett, the system is cost effective and efficient,” said Phil Boudewyns, Circuit Court Administrator.
A
ttendees at the Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce’s (GLCC) 23rd Anniversary and Scholarship Gala got a peek into Georgia Piedmont Technical College’s (GPTC) future. GPTC President Jabari Simama, who was the keynote speaker at the Chamber’s gala, unveiled an architectural rendering for a $25 million state-of-the-art transportation training facility that will be built in Lithonia. Simama told those attending the gala, which was held on Nov. 3 at the Lou Walker Senior Center in Lithonia, that they were seeing the rendering first. “This is going to be one of my primary legacies and I don’t intend to leave the college before I get this done,” said Simama, who has served as the college’s president since Sept. 1, 2012 coming on board at the institution’s third president in its 55-year history. “This is going to be great for Lithonia, great for business, great for students and the transit industry. It will be good for the region and good for Georgia.” Simama said students will use computers and the latest technology to learn what it is needed for a career in the transportation industry. “This is not your great-grandfather’s vocab-education anymore. Everything we do is high tech and it’s going to be high tech all the way. We are living in a digital society and this
GPTC President Jabari Simama
is where the jobs are going to be,” said Simama, who made an appeal to Congressman Hank Johnson, who was in attendance at the gala with his wife, DeKalb Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson, to go after federal dollars to help make the transportation facility a reality. “We’ve got to invest in ourselves, if we want others to invest in us,” Simama said. In addition to Simama as keynote speaker, the gala featured special guest speaker, Whitney Ingram, a 2007 graduate of DeKalb County’s Stephenson High. In December, Ingram will become the first black female to receive her PhD in physics from the University of Georgia. See GPTC, page 10