May 3, 2014 by On Common Ground News

Paid for by Tom Brown for Congress Treasurer George Coletti

SERVING DEKALB, FULTON, GWINNETT, HENRY AND ROCKDALE COUNTIES

VOLUME 20 NUMBER 5

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MAY 3, 2014

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DeKalb officials put wheels in motion to fill vacant District 5 seat

By Valerie J. Morgan

eKalb County’s Interim CEO Lee May says he plans within the next 30 days to start looking for someone for the vacant District 5 Commission seat that residents have demanded be filled. District 5, which has 145,000 voters, has been without full representation on the DeKalb Board of Commissioners since July 16, 2013 when May, who held the seat, was appointed interim CEO by Gov. Nathan Deal in the wake of CEO Burrell Ellis’ indictment on corruption charges. Commissioner Stan Watson, who represents the Super District 7, which includes District 5, has served constituents in the interim. The governor signed SB 367 on April 10, paving the way for an appointment to be made. “My No. 1 goal is to get someone to represent District 5,” said May. “This will be an open and fair process.” May said he would solicit applicants through advertisements that

Commissioner Larry Johnson

Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May

will run in the county’s legal organ and community newspapers for two weeks. He said he would appoint a three-member panel comprised of citizens who live in District 5 to review the applicants and recommend two candidates for consideration. May said he would submit one nominee to the board to confirm or reject. “We will solicit applicants through the ads, but I have also asked the board to submit any names they receive to ensure that we get the best possible pool of candidates,” said May.

State Sen. Fran Millar

Commissioner Larry Johnson, the board’s presiding officer, said he plans to seek input from the other five commissioners to ensure that everyone is on one accord concerning the nominations process. “It was my understanding that the intent of the legislation passed was done so the Board of Commissioners would have a much broader role in selecting someone to fill the seat. It’s a unique situation. Nobody thought that the CEO would have the authority to nominate someone for his own seat,”

Johnson said. “We’re in this quandary because our legislators did not look more closely at the bill before it was passed to see how it would specifically impact DeKalb.” May said in a letter that he submitted this week to Johnson and the BOC that County Attorney O.V. Brantley has issued a legal opinion that SB 367 must be handled in accordance with section 13A of DeKalb’s Organizational Act. “Whenever any law of this state requires a county governing authority to appoint a person to fill a post in any public office, such posts shall be filled by a nomination by the CEO and confirmation by the BOC,” according to Brantley. May said he plans to keep the nominations process transparent. “This is not about Lee May appointing his own successor. It’s about carrying out the law and finding someone to represent District 5,” said May. State Sen. Fran Millar, who coSee District 5, page 5

Travelers Rest Baptist in limbo as Scottdale development gets under way

By Joshua Smith

ravelers Rest Baptist Church, founded 75 years ago, was once the pillar of the Tobie Grant Manor community in Scottdale. Now, the 5,984-square-foot church at 554 George Howell Way sits in the middle of a boarded-up housing project, waiting for the wrecking ball to come crashing all around the church any day now. The DeKalb Housing Authority is partnering with NorSouth Development to demolish the aging housing project that surrounds the church. Through the public-private partnership, the Housing Authority and NorSouth are building a $34 million upscale, mixed-use development that will include rent-assisted and market-rate apartments, as well as single-family homes for families and seniors. Demolition is set to begin by the end of May and construction by the end of August, officials say. Church officials say they the development has put them in a bind. Travelers Rest is the only privatelyowned property in Tobie Grant and it would like to move to make way for the development. “Can you imagine worshipping the Lord on Sunday morning and as soon as you walk out of the church, all you see is demolition and destroyed units?” said Pastor Barrett Johnson, who has served as pastor of Travelers Rest for nine years. Johnson said the DeKalb Housing Authority has offered the church $140,000 for the property, which includes the 5,948-square-foot church building and .62 acres. The price, Johnson said, is far below the church’s asking price of $900,000. The church is still settling mortgage obligations to pay for renovations that were completed about five years ago and the property as part of Scottdale is considered prime real estate offering an attractive central location to downtown Atlanta, Decatur and Stone Mountain. “What they are offering is not enough. We just want a fair deal,” said Johnson, who met with the Housing Authority officials in March but reached no agreement. The Rev. Markel Hutchins, a civil rights activist who is serving as an advisor to Johnson, agrees the offer is too low for the church to move and start over

Photo by Joshua Smith/OCG News

Travelers Rest Baptist Church Pastor Barrett Johnson stands on the steps of the historic church hoping he can soon reach an agreement with the DeKalb County Housing Authority and developer NorSouth.

somewhere else. “The offer they made is not acceptable. The most reasonable thing for the Housing Authority to do is to partner with NorSouth to pay the difference to the church,” Hutchins said. “They can’t seriously expect people to drive through a warzone to worship.” A spokesman for the Housing Authority said everything possible would be done to ensure that the church is able to function during the construction. “We know that Travelers Rest Baptist Church has been a pillar in the community for generations and we want them to continue to be a great neighbor to us,”

said Paula Gwynn Grant, director of Communications and Community Development at the Housing Authority of DeKalb County. Officials say the development will be built with a mix of conventional financing, low-income tax credits and $15 million in tax-exempt bonds. The Tobie Grant site, the last housing project in DeKalb, will be similar to the Brookleigh mixeduse development that the Housing Authority and See Scottdale, page 5

PAGE 2

MAY 3, 2014

VOTE MAY 20TH ON ALL BALLOTS Sheriff Mann is endorsed by

Former DeKalb Sheriff Tom Brown, Interim DeKalb CEO Lee May, DeKalb Clerk of Superior Court Debra DeBerry, DeKalb District Attorney Robert James, DeKalb Tax Commissioner Claudia Lawson, DeKalb Solicitor General Sherry Boston, DeKalb Commissioners Kathie Gannon and Jeff Rader, Avondale Estates Mayor Jim Rieger, Chamblee Mayor Eric Clarkson, Decatur Mayor Jim Baskett, Doraville Mayor Donna Pittman, Dunwoody Mayor Mike Davis, Lithonia Mayor Deborah Jackson and Stone Mountain Mayor Pat Wheeler.

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MAY 3, 2014 PAGE 3

MAY  3, 2014  VOLUME 20, NO. 5

Community News

EDITOR/PUBLISHER Valerie J. Morgan  editor@ocgnews.com

Fallen DeKalb Officer Ivorie Klusmann honored in Tucker

GENERAL MANAGER Glenn L. Morgan gmorgan1@ocgnews.com STAFF WRITER  Joshua Smith  joshsmith@ocgnews.com ADVERTISING MANAGER  Richard S. Hill  richardhill@ocgnews.com

ABOUT US

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.

By Joshua Smith

Family members fought back tears as DeKalb County police officers honored Officer Ivorie Klusmann in Tucker. The 31-year-old’s name was put up on a rolling memorial wall on April 23 during a ceremony to remember him. Klusmann’s 10-month career was cut short on Aug. 10, 2013 when he died in a high-speed chase. The Georgia Law Enforcement Moving Memorial Wall has about 694 names on it, remembering the officers who have fallen in the line of duty. More than 100

people attended the ceremony for Klusmann. “A loved one, a son, our brother will live on through this wall, in our hallways, in our precincts and in our hearts,” said County Deputy Chief Operating Officer Cedric Alexander. “He (Klusmann) was a hero who died serving the residents of DeKalb County.” Klusmann’s mother, Diane Blue, fought back tears throughout the ceremony and said that just seeing her son’s name on the memorial wall See Officer memorial, page 7

Photo by Joshua Smith/OCG News

The traveling memorial has made stops all over the state and has an upcoming stop in Decatur on May 7. The memorial is often met with tears from family members of the fallen.

Rockdale Clerk of Court honors attorneys for volunteer services By Joshua Smith

Rockdale Clerk of Courts Ruth Wilson recently honored eight attorneys for their volunteer work HOW TO REACH US with the Rockdale County court system’s Family Law On Common Ground News  Information Center. 1240 Sigman Road  The attorneys, who each Suite 107  have given at least 140 hours Conyers, GA 30012  of service, provided free (678) 526-1910 (P)  consultations to the public (678) 526-1909 (F)  every Friday from 9:30 a.m. www.ocgnews.com  Photo by Joshua Smith/OCG News to noon. The attorneys helped editor@ocgnews.com The father-son attorney duo, Russel Davis Moore IV and Russel Davis V, with adoptions, name changes, were named Rockdale’s Volunteer Attorneys of the Year and awarded aMoore $1,000 child support services, wills, check to be given to the charity of their choice. alimony and other issues LIKE been invaluable to the public. time in support of our family related to families. “This is a special group law information center. We US ON: Wilson said the support HJ_Newspaper_10.5 x 8-FINAL_042214:Layout 1 provided 4/22/14 has 4:01 PM Page 1 of people who volunteer their appreciate every volunteer the attorneys We reserve the right to reject material and advertisements we deem inappropriate.

whole-heartily,” said Wilson. One of the volunteers, Attorney Donna M. Swilley, who was volunteering just hours before Wilson held the recognition program on April 25, said the experience has been rewarding. “People come to the center with very serious issues that can sometimes have a life-changing result for their families,” said Swilley. “I’m honored to be a part of a group of people who realize that it’s appropriate to stand up for the little person who may be in a world of hurt.” In addition to honoring

HANK2014! ★

See Volunteers, page 7

ENDORSED BY PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

Rep. John Lewis: “We need Hank’s leadership...his vision...his commitment. We need his dedica on now more than ever before. He will always do the right thing. I know where this young man stands. I know his heart. He will never, ever let the people of this district down”. –– Rep. John Lewis Hank delivers for Georgia’s veterans, seniors and families – with more than $32 million in cons tuent services.

Hank delivers for the Fourth District with more than $250 million for teachers and schools, public safety, roads, bridges and transporta on.

Hank was named by Georgia Trend magazine as one of the 100 Most Influen al Georgians.

Hank takes care of home first by helping the Hank delivers for homeowners in Georgia, Hank delivers on the House Judiciary and Armed people of the Fourth Congressional District with helping more than 1,700 prevent foreclosure and Services commi ees, and is known as a champion large and small issues affec ng our daily lives. keep their homes. of consumers, workers and the middle class.

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Let’s deliver Hank back to Washington on May 20 so he can continue working on our behalf. HankForCongress.com 404-447-7475 Paid for by the Commi ee to Re-Elect Henry “Hank“ Johnson for Congress.

PAGE 4

MAY 3, 2014

Coming Up

Decatur welcomes “Blue Sky” concert series

The City of Decatur and the Decatur Business Association will welcome a widerange of performers for the city’s Blue Sky Concert series, Wednesdays in May, noon – 1 p.m. Concert goers should arrive before noon to set up their picnic and pick their spot on the grass, located at the gazebo behind the DeKalb History Center, 101 East Court Square, Decatur. The free series will run until Sept. 24 and begins with pop, acoustic and folk rock

artist Amy Gerhartz on May 7. Organizers

say Gerhartz, an Atlanta resident, brings a brand of pop/acoustic/folk rock music that commands the interest and devotion of an extensive fan base. She performs up and down the East Coast and has opened for artists Jason Mraz, Zac Brown, Michael Tolcher and “Better Than Ezra.” Other performers include piano pop artists, singers, blues, jazz and rock bands, as well as acoustic pop singers, drummers and soul and R&B artists. For a complete schedule of performers, call 404-371-8386.

DEKALB

Library offers tips for grant seekers

Local school groups unite for 5K, expo

The Atlanta-Fulton County Public Library System will host free grant seeking courses for the community, beginning on Tuesday, May 20, 6 p.m. at the library’s Fairburn branch, 60 Valley View Drive, Fairburn. Learn how to become a better grant seeker. The class will cover what you need to have in place before you seek a grant; the world of grantmakers; the grantseeking process; and available tools and resources. The free series will continue throughout the summer until July 21, with courses covering proposal-writing basics, grant seeking basics and how to start a non-profit. For a complete schedule of courses, visit www.afplweb.com or call 404-730-1700.

The DeKalb County School District and County Council of PTAs will host a community 5K walk/run and family health expo, “Your Health Matters, DeKalb,” on Saturday, May 3, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., at Panthersville Stadium. 2817 Clifton Springs Road, Decatur. Warm-ups begin at 7:30 a.m., with the event starting at 8 a.m. The health expo will begin immediately after the 5K and includes exercises and stretches from a “Warm up with Rae Rae,” health screenings such as vision and stroke, “Ask the Doctor” and “Ask the Nurse” sessions. Health vendors will be on hand and parents can take advantage of a car seat checkup station. For more information, contact Deirdre Pierce at 404-243-8960. Register for the walk/run on www.eventbrite.com.

Lyme disease prevention class set DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs will host a public awareness class on “Lyme Disease Prevention” on Saturday, May 3, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m., at the Davidson-Arabia Nature Center, 3787 Klondike Road, Lithonia. The class will provide information on the basics of Lyme disease, how to reduce exposure and the solutions to keep safe. Lyme disease is transmitted by the bite of a tick infected with Borrelia burgdorferi. Attendees are also welcomed to take a tour of the Davidson-Arabia nature preserve. For more information about the class, contact Robert Astrove, Nature Center Manager, at 770-492-5220.

ATLANTA Sweet Auburn Springfest set May 9 The City of Atlanta welcomes everyone to take part in the 30th Sweet Auburn Springfest on May 9, 5 – 10 p.m.; May 10, 11 a.m. – 9 a.m.; and May 11, 2 – 8 p.m. in downtown Atlanta’s historic Auburn Avenue district. The festival will welcome more than 30 artists and groups. Several vendors will be on hand with food and crafts for sell. Other activities include “Can You Stand the Gravity Ball?”, a 300 foot-tall, 20-footlong zip line; a woman’s pavilion; air-powered money machines; and a kids’ zone with a “bouncy house” and “giant slide.” The festival features a health expo and an education expo as well. For more information and a complete schedule of performers and events, call 678-683-5647 or visit www.sweetauburn.com.

Smoke Rise Baptist Summer Day Camp Weekly sessions starting May 27 - August 1 8:30 a.m. -5:30 p.m. Smoke Rise Baptist church offers a convenient extended day with a busy schedule of varied activities for children 5 to 16. Our day camps include: field trips, hot lunch, academics, and an experience to please any kid. Teens have a steady diet of team building, community service, academics and summer fun. Early enrolment discount, season pass to Both Six Flags and White Water – weekly tuition is all inclusive.

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GWINNETT County-wide recycling day Gwinnett County’s Solid Waste and Recovered Materials Division will host a recycling event for the community on Saturday, May 10, 9 a.m. – noon, at Coolray Field, 2500 Buford Drive, Lawrenceville. Electronics to be recycled at this event include: televisions, ($10 cash fee per TV), tire recycling (limit eight tires per vehicle; no dealer tires), and paint collection (limit five one-gallon cans per vehicle). No paint thinners, stains, spackle, oil paint cans, rusted paint cans, or dried-up paint will be accepted. County staff asks that participants bring gently used or old sneakers to recycled into surfaces for local playgrounds and running tracks. The event will also include kids’ activities and the opportunity for residents to meet their haulers and learn about Gwinnett County’s solid waste and recycling program. The event is free to attend. If you would like to volunteer, visit www. volunteergwinnett.net to sign up for this event. 770-822-7141.

Free water landscaping workshop Gwinnett County’s Department of Water Resources will host a free workshop for residents on Thursday, May 15, 7- 8:30 p.m., at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville. A water-wise landscape is one that has been carefully designed, installed, and managed to maximize water efficiency. Any landscape, whether newly installed or well established, can be made more water efficient by carrying out a few simple steps. This workshop will present methods and tips to help you transform a yard into a water-wise landscape, saving money and maintenance time. All participants will receive a free outdoor water efficiency kit. County staff asks that you pre-register by sending an email with your name, address, and phone number to dwrconserve@gwinnettcounty.com or by calling 678-376-6722.

ROCKDALE Taste of Conyers and Conyers Car show Hot eats and cool rides are on tap for the Taste of Conyers on Saturday, May 3, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., in Olde Town, 901 Railroad St., N.W., Conyers. The Taste of Conyers features local restaurants offering samples of their specialties. One dollar tickets will be available for purchase in any quantity. Restaurants price their samples from $1- $4. More than 20 restaurants are participating. The Taste of Conyers also features live entertainment, children’s activities and the “Boy Scout Zone.” The event also features the Conyers Car Show, presented by Redline Events, to offer event participants a look at vintage cars parked along Railroad Street. For more information on the event, contact the Conyers Welcome Center at 770-602-2606. Would you like to learn the Book of Revelation? Would you like to Teach or Preach like never before? Would you like to learn the Bible from Genesis to Revelation? Would you like to better learn Systematic Theology?

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MAY 3, 2014 PAGE 5

Travel to Germany and the Azores Islands

he Conyers-Rockdale Chamber, which offers the public annual trips to the Far East, is adding Germany and the Azores Islands to its heavily stamped passports. The Chamber is encouraging anyone who wants to go—even those who live outside of Rockdale County—to sign up, said Chamber President Fred Boscarino. Last year, travelers from Georgia, New York, New Jersey and even California took the trip with the Chamber to China. “These are some great trips. Both are great ways to take an international vacation,” said Boscarino. “There will be planned activities and plenty of free time for sightseeing and shopping.” The trip to Austria and Germany is planned for Sept. 19 – 27. The cost for the nine-day excursion is $3,049 per person, double occupancy. For single occupancy, add $499. The trip will take off from Atlanta for round-trip airfare to Innsbruck. After arriving in Innsbruck, the host destination of the 1964 and 1976 Olympic Winter Games, travelers will enjoy superb accommodations and enjoy some 160 restaurants, cafes and bars offering traditional Tyrolean and Austrian specialties and international dishes. Breathtaking alpine views of lakes and rugged Mountains and an array of historic sites await visitors, as well as the world famous “Oktoberfest.”

“Everyone’s been to an Oktoberfest in the U.S., but none of them are like the original,” said Ian Scott, the travel manager who is working with the Chamber on the trips. “The trips offer travelers the best of both worlds. We have something planned for the travelers that just want to go, relax and enjoy the view to the traveler that needs to be on the go every minute of a vacation.” The eight-day trip to the Azores Islands, located about a thousand miles west of continental Portugal, is planned Nov. 4 – 11. The cost is $2,249 per person, double occupancy. For single occupancy, add $450. The trip will take flight from Boston, Massachusetts, and features stunning vistas and blue lakes bordered by flowers and dazzling views of the Atlantic Ocean, the exotic botanical gardens of Parque Terra Nostra, as well as great indigenous food specialties and a visit of a tea plantation. Trips include round-trip airfare, first-class hotel stays, breakfast, lunch and dinner on select days, as well as tours with English-speaking guides. Payments are being accepted now. For more information or to purchase tickets, call the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce, 936 Green St. S.W., Conyers at 770-483-7049 or visit www.conyers-rockdale.com.

Scottdale

continued from page 1

Photo by Joshua Smith/OCG News

Boarded up apartments will soon be demolished to make way for a mix-use development.

NorSouth built at the former Johnson Ferry East public housing complex in North DeKalb. Hutchins says Travelers Rest should receive the same consideration as the historic churches in Atlanta received when the city embarked on building a new Georgia Dome in downtown Atlanta. In August 2013, city officials reached a $19.5 million deal on behalf of the Atlanta Falcons to buy Friendship Baptist Church, one of two churches key to the location of the planned Falcons stadium. In September, Mount Vernon Baptist Church sold for $14.5 million to make room for the new stadium. “We’re not going to just lie down and let the Housing Authority do this to this historic church,” said Hutchins. “The DeKalb Housing Authority cannot expect the members of this church to drive through destruction and demolition on a narrow pathway to come and worship.”

District 5 continued from page 1

sponsored the bill with Sen. Mike Jacobs and State Rep. Stacey Abrams, said the law was passed to provide relief to residents. He said that May “does not pick his replacement. Period.” “First of all, the DeKalb delegation never wanted to do this,” Millar said. “Stacey Abrams came to us saying ‘we don’t think it’s right that the people in this district are not being represented’ so we attached the legislation to another bill to deal with it as a general bill. What we wanted to do is to make sure that the people in District 5 had a voice.”

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PAGE 6

MAY 3, 2014

ELECTIONS 2014

Election officials pleased with early voting numbers

By Joshua Smith

arly voting began Monday, April 28, for Georgia’s primary races with candidates waving people to the polls for one of the earliest elections in state history. In DeKalb County, 559 voters cast their ballots on the first day of early voting, many of them senior citizens, according to DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections Director Maxine Daniels. “The seniors have led the turnout so far. Many of them have been shuttled in by churches and other groups,” Daniels said. “After the rain stopped, we had steady traffic but there hasn’t been a particular time of the day when volume was particularly high.” Although DeKalb has about 450,000 registered voters, the 559 voters on the first day of early voting can be considered a decent turnout, Daniels said. “When you look at 2010, a good comparable election year, we had 1,490 voters during the first two weeks in total. Voters waited until the end of the early voting period to come out,” Daniels said. “I would say the turnout this time is encouraging. It seems that voters are not waiting until the final week to early vote as they have in the

Photo by Joshua Smith/OCG News

DeKalb County poll workers go over the procedures of early voting at the Tucker Recreation Center precinct during the early voting period.

past.” Elks Marty, who lives in the Tucker area, said she took advantage of early voting because she wanted to beat the crowds. “They say the early bird gets the worm. I always come to early voting because there is no pressure, no Elks Marty stress, no lines. It just makes everything easier to handle,” said Marty. “The poll workers were so

polite. The whole process was great and efficient.” Gwinnett County Voter Registration and Elections Director Lynn Ledford said the 190 voters who came to the polls on April 28 is an average turnout for the first day in this election. Gwinnett has 437,000 registered voters. “This is about the average number you would expect to see in this type of election,” Ledford said.

“We haven’t noticed a particular time of day where voter turnout was particularly high. We expected these kinds of numbers. So this is a good average of people coming out to take advantage of early voting. The 2010 numbers were slightly higher at this time of the early period, but we expect them to go up because voters know the early voting period is shorter this election.” In Rockdale, voter registration staff counted 298 early votes on the first day. Rockdale has 55,900 registered voters. “Historically, the first couple of days are always rather slow, but we expect numbers to pick up as the last day of early voting comes closer to an end,” said Cynthia Welch, Rockdale County’s Supervisor of Elections. “I am pleased that a diverse group of people, comprised of all age groups, have come to cast their vote.” Welch says voters are on track to have positive numbers for the early election period. “When compared to 2010 elections, we had about the same numbers, but in 2010, you had 45 days of early voting,” Welch said. “This time, there are only about 19 days for early voting. We hope our numbers continue to increase during the remainder of early voting.”

DeKalb Democrats seek volunteers for voter rallies The Democratic Party of DeKalb County is hosting Saturday “rallies” from 12 – 7 p.m. in preparation of the May 20 election. The rallies are scheduled May 3, 10 and 17. Party representatives will discuss canvassing, caravanning and phone banking during the rallies. The May 3 rally is for women in DeKalb County. The May 10 rally is for members of the faith-based community and youths. The May 17 rally is for men in the community. Another session will be held for men in the community on May 18, 12 – 7 p.m. All volunteer rallies will be held at the Democratic Party Office, 3203 Glenwood Road, Decatur. For more information or to sign up, call Nadine Ali at 678-641-7135 or email Sandra Austin at Sandra_Austin1@hotmail.com.

Deltas host candidates forum in Decatur The Decatur and Stone Mountain-Lithonia Alumnae Chapters of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. will host a candidates forum on Thursday, May 8, 6 – 9 p.m., at the Community Achievement Center, Inc., 4522 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur. Candidates seeking election for Congress, State School Superintendent, State Senators and State House of Representatives have been invited to discuss their platforms. 404-214-7400.

DeKalb Young Democrats to host Senate 42 forum The DeKalb Young Democrats will host a political forum Tuesday, May 6, 7 – 9 p.m., at Agnes Scott College, 141 E College Ave., Decatur, for candidates Elena Parent and Kyle Williams, who are running for the Georgia District 42 Senate seat. State Sen. Jason Carter is vacating the seat to run for Governor. The neighborhoods of North Druid Hills, Druid Hills, North Decatur, City of Decatur, Oakhurst, East Lake, Kirkwood, Edgewood, and Belvedere Park (and surrounding neighborhoods) are invited to attend the forum. The Atlanta Journal Constitution’s political insider Jim Galloway will serve as the moderator. Reservations are required to enter, due to limited seating. First-come, first-served seating will be available after 7 p.m. for people who do not register in advance. Register in advance at http://senate42forum.brownpapertickets.com or on Facebook at http://goo.gl/te5VW8. For more information, contact Maggie Paynich, treasurer of the DeKalb Young Democrats, at dekalbyoungdems@gmail.com or 404-804-6405.

Rockdale Democrats seek volunteers for elections The Rockdale County Democratic Party is seeking volunteers for various tasks that must be done for the May 20 election. Some of the duties include poll watchers, phone banking, providing food or snacks and driving voters to the polls or delivering meals to other volunteers. Training and information will serving as a poll watcher will be held Thursday, May 1; Tuesday, May 6; or Thursday, May 8, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Training also will be provided on Saturday, May 3, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. Text POLL, class date and your email to 770-648-4859. Sign up to be on the phone bank team by texting CALL and your email to 770648-4859. To donate or prepare food for volunteers, or if you would like to donate your time to drive voters or deliver meals, send an email to RCDPEB@gmail.com or leave a message at 678-964-7237. Monetary donations will be accepted and appreciated as well. Training for volunteers will be provided by members of the Blue Rockdale Academy. For more information, visit: www.RockdaleDems.org.

MAY 3, 2014 PAGE 7

Officer memorial

Volunteers honored

continued from page 3

Photo by Joshua Smith/OCG News

Rockdale County Superior Couty Judge David Irwin (far left) joins Rockdale Clerk of Courts Ruth Wilson (far right) in honoring local attorneys for hundreds of volunteer hours in the court system.

Photo by Joshua Smith/OCG News

meant so much to her. The Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club hosts the memorial wall. The club is an international group with chapters throughout the world. This is the 23rd Annual ride by the bikers to honor fallen police officers. Before coming to Tucker, the group was in Middle Georgia, honoring other officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. “He was only with us for a short amount of time, but at the ceremony, you could see there was a lot of love for the young man,” said Captain S.R. Fore, a spokesman for the DeKalb Police Department. “It is a humbling feeling to know that a group like the Blue Knights continue to memorialize and remember officers who lost their lives.” Last year, the state of Georgia lost four police officers in the line of duty. “Each one served with honor, duty, and a commitment to a profession that protects all members of the community both, day and night. The memorial

has traveled thousands of miles across Georgia and the entire country,” said Ed Christian, President of the Georgia chapter. “With every mile, more people are reminded of the sacrifice these officers have made. It is a constant reminder to all who see it that we will never forget.” Klusmann’s patrol car ran off the road and hit a tree while chasing a suspect. The fatal crash happened around 2:45 a.m. at the intersection of DeKalb Medical Parkway and Heritage Park Trail. Klusmann died at the scene. Klusmann was laid to rest on Aug. 16 in Lithonia. The driver he was chasing, Gregory Lee Harvey, was on probation at the time of the chase and has been charged with felony murder, reckless driving and theft by receiving a stolen vehicle. The Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club plans to park the memorial on Wednesday, May 7, 10 a.m., in front of the DeKalb History Center, 101 East Court Square, Decatur.

the eight volunteers, Wilson also recognized two of the attorneys for “going the extra mile” with a $1,000 check to be distributed to the charity of their choice. “We appreciate every volunteer. But there are some that rise just a little bit higher, who work past their scheduled times and work just a little bit harder. These two attorneys Russel Davis Moore IV and Russel Davis More V embody all those features and more,” said Wilson, who donated the $1,000 check to the father-son duo with money from passport funds. The Moores were also given a plaque as the recipients of the Volunteer of the Year Award. “It has been a pleasure working

with Ruth Wilson, her staff and residents of this county who are dealing with critical issues during some of their most trying times,” said Russel Davis Moore V. “We are excited about this award and look forward to continuing to serve residents in Rockdale County.” County staff said most of the honorees still volunteer with the court system and 16 attorneys have already signed up to volunteer in the future. Need help from the Family Law Center? Appointments may be scheduled by calling the Superior Court Clerk’s Civil Division at 770278-7905. You will be required to sign a consultation agreement.

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MAY 3, 2014

Gov. Deal appoints 14 to new Interfaith Council, one from South DeKalb Dr. E. Dewey Smith, senior pastor of The House of Hope Church in Decatur, is among 14 Georgia faith leaders Governor Nathan Deal has appointed to his new Interfaith Council. Deal said the new council will work to identify areas in which Dr. E. Dewey Smith faith-based ministries, private organizations and state agencies can partner to address prisoner re-entry into society. The members on the council, Deal said, have extensive experience in prison ministry and social justice initiatives. “Faith communities and religious leaders are critical to ensuring the success of our criminal justice reform initiatives,” Deal said. “On any given day, their houses of worship minister to prisoners, give comfort to family members and provide assistance to returning citizens. These council members are on the

front lines in Georgia communities, and their perspective and experience are invaluable. I’m grateful for their willingness to serve.” Deal selected members for the council after spending several months traveling to churches and asking for feedback on criminal justice reform initiatives. Some of the churches he visited have had prison ministry programs that have been in place for decades. These houses of worship minister in prisons, assist prisoners upon their release, and have seen first-hand some of the challenges that returning citizens face because many people are more comfortable speaking to their church pastor or prison minister about the challenges they face, instead of a stage agency. The governor plans to hold the first meeting with the Interfaith Council sometimes in May, his aides said. The council will meet with the governor, the Criminal Justice Reform Council, commissioners and state agency heads to identify how re-entry areas may be improved.

Jason Bryant, 28, sentenced to life for wife’s slaying A DeKalb County man was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for shooting his wife to death after she informed him she was filing for divorce. DeKalb Superior Court Judge Asha Jackson sentenced Jason Bryant, 28, after a jury found him guilty of the slaying and for shooting another woman. Bryant killed his wife, Angelena, on March 7, 2012 as she was heading to obtain a temporary protective order against him. Bryant also shot his wife’s close friend, Trina Nwoke, who was Jason Bryant with her at the time. Nwoke survived. Bryant was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and terroristic threats. “Domestic violence is often characterized by bruises and black eyes, but more often than not we see cases where a victim dies at the hands of a person they may have been married to or dated,” said DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James. “Hopefully, today’s sentence will help the family find closure in knowing that Jason Bryant will never be a free man again.” Assistant District Attorney Carrie McCurdy served as lead prosecutor and Investigator Genard Tindal was lead investigator.

Postal carriers to collect food May 10 The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) will conduct its 22nd annual nationwide Stamp Out Hunger! Food Drive on Saturday, May 10. Stamp Out Hunger! is the nation’s largest singleday food drive. Last year, with the help of thousands of volunteers, letter carriers all across America collected more than 74.4 million pounds of non-perishable food— the second-highest amount since the drive began in 1992, bringing the grand total to just under 1.3 billion pounds since its inception. Making a donation is easy. Customers should leave their non-perishable food donations in a bag near their mailbox on May 10t before their letter carrier arrives. Food collected during the drive will be delivered to local community food banks and food pantries for distribution. While all non-perishable donations are welcome, foods that are high in protein such as canned tuna, salmon, beans and peanut butter are most needed. Canned fruits and vegetables, whole grain, low sugar cereals, macaroni and cheese dinners and 100 percent fruit juice also top the list of most needed items. Participation in the Stamp Out Hunger! Food Drive is voluntary by local letter carrier branches. For participation in your area, check with your local post office.

Here’s a look at the Interfaith Council appointees: • Dr. Bill Coates, Jr., First Gainesville Baptist Church, Gainesville • Rev. Darrell D. Elligan, The True Light Baptist Church, Atlanta • Rev. Agnes Harvey, Rocky Head United Methodist Church, Stockbridge • Pastor Johnny Hunt, First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Woodstock • Rev. Rodney A. Lackey, Antioch Baptist Church, Gainesville • Pastor Tony Lowden, Lundy Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Macon • Rev. Clarence Moore, Good Shepherd Baptist Church, Columbus • Rev. Adrian S. Niles, Mount Enon Baptist Church, Monroe • Rabbi Larry Schlesinger, Temple Beth Israel, Macon • Pastor Daniel Simmons, Mount Zion Baptist Church, Albany • Dr. E. Dewey Smith, The House of Hope, Decatur • Rev. Jacqueline Smith, Presiding Elder of AME Church, Valdosta/Albany district • Rev. Thurmond N. Tillman, First African Baptist Church, Savannah • Rev. Richard Tolcher, Prison and Jail Ministry, Archdiocese of Atlanta

Austell teen sentenced to 20 years for brutally beating elderly woman Quiantae Collins, 18, of Austell was sentenced to 20 years for the robbery and assault of a 78-year-old Lithonia woman. DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Mark Scott made 15 years of the sentence mandatory behind bars. On Sept. 17, 2013, Collins knocked on the victim¹s door and asked to borrow detergent for his grandmother. When she opened the door, he choked her and knocked her to the floor, then he hit her and kicked her several times in the chest. He stole a check from her checkbook and stole her vehicle. He was later Quiantae Collins apprehended by DeKalb County police officers. He had the stolen check in his pocket when he was arrested. “(Collins) will have more than a decade behind bars to think about this brutal and senseless attack on an innocent senior citizen,” said District Attorney Robert James. “Our office works tirelessly to combat crimes and scams against seniors in DeKalb County. Hopefully, this sentence sends a resounding message to those who seek to prey on vulnerable adults.” Deputy Chief Assistant Attorney Jeanne Canavan served as lead prosecutor on the case.

Lt. Governor candidate Stokes speaks out on minimum wage

emocratic Lieutenant Gov. candidate Connie Stokes spoke to a large crowd at the “Give America a Raise” bus tour on April 30 in Atlanta about the need to increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10. Stokes says raising the minimum wage will stimulate the economy. “I support raising the minimum wage because increasing the minimum wage would immediately put more money in the pocket of workers. Workers will then spend the money on things like housing, food, and transportation,” said Stokes. “This boost in demand for goods and services will help boost the economy and create opportunities for all

Americans.” State Sen. Steve Henson, State Rep. David Wilkerson and GA AFLCIO President Charlie Flemming joined Stokes at the Atlanta stop. The “Raise to 1010” bus is on a 20-state tour and calls on Republicans in Congress to raise the minimum wage. Stokes says increasing the minimum wage could lead to more jobs as well. “With increased wages, workers will buy more goods and services

for those goods from businesses that are both large and small, will need to hire more workers to keep up with the increased demand,” Stokes said. The bus tour kicked off in Maine on March 24. The bus, a 45-footlong, 16-ton anti-poverty billboard on wheels travels to several states and features local lawmakers, labor leaders, advocates and low-wage workers speaking out on the subject.

Rockdale seeks public input on government Channel 23 Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News

Stan Watson hosts appreciation for Freedom Middle School faculty DeKalb County’s Super 7 District Commissioner Stan Watson and David Holt, owner of daVIDO’s $3.75 Pizza, teamed up for a second year to show their appreciation to teachers in the district. Watson held an appreciation dinner on April 29 for the teachers at Freedom Middle School in Stone Mountain. “This is the second time we have done this. We bring the teachers together to provide a pizza and salad or spaghetti dinner and we present them with proclamations,” said Watson. “This is just a token of our appreciation to thank our teachers for the amazing job that they do for our children.”

The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners invites the community to attend a public hearing to gather feedback about Rockdale 23 on Tuesday, May 20, at 10 a.m. in the Assembly Hall, 901 Main St. in Conyers. In addition to taking public comment at the meeting, there will be information presented that will outline the purpose of Rockdale 23, the County’s governmentaccess channel, highlight its impact in the community and describe the type of programming it is able to produce. The meeting is open to the public and no pre-registration to speak is needed. Citizens unable to attend the hearing can provide written comment via email to County Clerk Jennifer Rutledge at jennifer.rutledge@rockdalecounty.org, by mail to P.O. Box 289, Conyers, 30012, or by dropping it off at the Board of Commissioners’ Office at 962 Milstead Ave., Conyers. The deadline to submit written comment is Friday, May 30, 5 p.m. All mailed submissions must be postmarked by this date. For more information, call 770-278-7050.

MAY 3, 2014 PAGE 9

Seniors

TO CONTACT US

BY PHONE: 678-526-1910 BY FAX: 678-526-1909 BY E-MAIL: EDITOR@OCGNEWS.COM VISIT ONLINE: WWW.OCGNEWS.COM

News for our Senior Community

Good Samaritan celebrates her birthday by collecting food for seniors

or most people, a party, cake and gifts will do just fine to celebrate a birthday. But Rockdale County community activist Deborah Anderson doesn’t want that for her special day on May 3. She is collecting nonperishable food items that she plans to “re-gift” and give as boxes of food to needy seniors in the community. This year will mark the second year that Anderson has held the special celebration. She said she hopes the event will become a movement. Through her nonprofit, Unity Rally, she is encouraging others to celebrate their birthday by making taxdeductible donations of any amount to help seniors throughout the year. She calls the effort “Birthday Gifts from

the Heart.” “Instead of going to a party, I wanted to do something from the heart,” said Anderson. “I decided that I wanted to give to our seniors who are truly in Deborah Anderson need. So many of them are living alone on fixed incomes trying to get by. If all of us gave a little, we can really make a difference in the community.” Anderson produced a touching video on her web site, www.unityrally. org, which describes the plight of seniors. She says she hopes to raise

awareness about the many seniors who are hungry, lonely and struggling to make ends meet every day. “Last year, when I was delivering the food, I saw so many seniors who were struggling. It really broke my heart,” said Anderson. “I just knew that I had to do something.” In March, Anderson was one of three Rockdale luminaries who were honored for outstanding community service by the Georgia Legislative Delegation. Anderson, who worked as a consultant to help Rockdale’s historic “Slate of 8” African Americans become elected, was honored along with Pastor Billie Cox of Macedonia Baptist Church and Elaine DavisNickens, co-founder of Connections Consulting, LLC in Conyers during

Snellville center hosts “Adopt-a-Senior” for Mother’s Day The Scepter Health & Rehab Center of Snellville, 3000 Lenora Church Road, will host “Adopt-a-Senior” for Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 11, 11:30 a.m. The center is teaming up with the Neighbor Love group to provide goodie bags and a party for the center’s 105 female seniors. The seniors will be served food from businesses such as California Pizza Kitchen, Smoky Bones BBQ and The Cheesecake Factory. Volunteers are needed to bring beverages for the event and to assemble gift bags and more importantly, to talk to the senior women and listen to their stories. .    The gift bags will include lotion, socks, a rose, a piece of fruit, a hand-made Mother’s Day Card, and a stuffed animal.    You can sponsor as many seniors as you would like. Donations of any amount are appreciated. Visit www.adoptasenior.net to volunteer or donate. The center asks that you sign up by Wednesday, May 7: 770-972-2040.

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Women’s History Month. Like last year, Anderson is collecting the donations at designated venues. Donations may be made on Friday, May 2, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the following: Natalya’s Beauty Supply, 2890 Georgia Highway 212 (near Publix), Conyers Starbucks, 1515 Highway 138, Conyers Crossroads Chevron, 2910 Highway 212, Conyers Missed donating to the food drive? Monetary donations may be made at the web site, www.unityrally.org, or for more information, call 770-6488023 or e-mail UnityRally.org@gmail. com.

GOT NEWS FOR SENIORS? In this new section, we are spotlighting seniors who are celebrating milestones, as well as those who are active in the community, their churches, civic organizations and social clubs. We want to know about seniors who inspire you and are making a difference in our lives. We want to know about events, forums and other news that impacts seniors so that we can continue building a better community. We encourage you to pitch story ideas and submit events for our seniors’ calendar. Feel free to e-mail us at editor@ocgnews.com or call for questions: 678-526-1910.

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Business News

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DeKalb expedites commercial permit process DeKalb Development Services has launched its Expedited Commercial Plan Review program to provide commercial customers a 10-day turnaround for building permits. The new program, effective April 28, is the latest in a series of improvements designed to make DeKalb the most business-friendly county in the region. “One of the best things we can do to stimulate our local economy is to improve our processes so that it is easy to do business in DeKalb County,” said Interim CEO Lee May. In order to meet this objective, DeKalb County has spent several months soliciting certified architects and engineers to become peer reviewers for the Expedited

Commercial Plan Review Program. To participate in the program, applicants first select a Peer Reviewer from the list of Approved Peer Reviewers. Applicants then submit their plans to the Peer Reviewer, who informs the applicant of any code violations, and when in compliance, approves the plans. Once the Peer Reviewer approves the plans, the applicant submits plans to DeKalb County, which in turn guarantees all reviews will take no longer than a total of 10 business days. To access the list of Approved Peer Reviewers, how to become a Peer Reviewer, or to find out more about the program, visit www.PlanningDeKalb. net/expeditedplans.

Gwinnett Chamber to host “Eat and Educate” The Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, 6500 Sugarloaf Parkway, Duluth, will host an “Eat and Educate” workshop on Tuesday, May 13, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. The theme of the workshop is “Learning Techniques to Increase Revenue for Your Small Business: Identify, Prioritize and Plan to Maximize New Opportunities.” Participants will learn how to identify, plan for, and call on new business opportunities; determine the business potential for each segment of your business; identify the decision maker for each opportunity; and how to open the sales call and techniques for successful results. The workshop will also show attendees how to develop a good voice mail script that will generate callbacks, how to close and/or conclude the first call by suggesting the next steps, and how to handle objections in the first call and methods to overcome them. The cost to attend is $20. The price includes lunch. Advance registration is requested. For more information or to register, call 770-232-3000.

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SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE Where Lithonia Academy 2924 Evans Mill Rd., Lithonia, GA 30038 Ph: 770-484-1625 Snapfinger Academy 2575-A Snapfinger Rd., Decatur, GA, 30034 Ph: 770-987-4666 Member Cost $40 Annual Program Membership fee $88-$108 per week sliding fee scale

Rockdale Employer Committee sets Career Expo/Health Fair About 25 vendors have signed up for the upcoming Career Expo/Health Fair that is being sponsored by the DeKalb/Rockdale Employer Committee and the Executive 3 AAU Group. A variety of employers will be recruiting at the fair, which will be held on May 7, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the New Life Community Center, 3592 Flat Shoals Road, Decatur. Those who attend should bring resumes and be prepared to apply and interview. Diabetes prevention information will be provided by Kaiser Permanente and other health vendors will provide various health screenings free of charge. Military veterans will be given first priority for services at the event. The third annual “Hoops for Health” Basketball Tournament, which is being held in conjunction with the jobs and health fair, is scheduled May 16-17. Games will be played at four sites: Berean Christian Church, Action Sports, Beulah Baptist Church and Clairemont Presbyterian Church. The tournament is being held as a fundraiser to fight against breast cancer and childhood obesity, and to award scholarships to selected, deserving high school students in DeKalb and Rockdale counties. The tournament and Career Expo/Health Fair are being sponsored in partnership with the Georgia Department of Labor, Goodwill of North Georgia Decatur Career Center, the DeKalb Career Center Veterans Unit, New Life Community Center, Peach State Credit Union and On Common Ground News. Employers that would like to participate in the Career Expo should call Kenneth Dinkins at the Department of Labor at 404-298-5248. Sponsors and teams interested in participating in the basketball tournament should contact Willie Glenn at wglennjr2@gmail.com for more information.

Clayton County Chamber sets “Early Bird” networking breakfast The Clayton County Chamber of Commerce is currently registering participants for its early bird networking breakfast on Tuesday, May 22, 7:45 – 9 a.m., at Clayton State University’s Continuing Education Building, 2000 Clayton State Boulevard, Morrow. The breakfast features local speakers discussing various topics of interest for the business community. Organizers say the breakfast also features quality networking, a buffet style breakfast and will include a spotlight segment on a preselected Chamber member. The cost to attend is $30 and includes breakfast and raffle tickets for door prizes. For more information or to register, call 678-610-4021.

MAY 3, 2014 PAGE 11

Community Market Place

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