VOLUME 23 NUMBER 17
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JULY 22 2017
Published Since April 1995 Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties • www.facebook.com/ocgnews
FAR smart technology transforms city of Decatur buildings for visually impaired
DECATUR—Smart technology is helping the visually-impaired to get around city buildings in Decatur. Foresight Augmented Reality (FAR) has teamed with the city of Decatur to provide smart technology for seven locations within Decatur’s city limits, making Decatur the first official city to implement the technology. The FAR-accessible locations offer help provide directions for the blind and vision-impaired. FAR-accessible buildings include the installation of a Bluetooth beacon, that when paired with the FAR Vision mobile app, provides users with descriptive information such as entrances and exits, restrooms, hazard warnings and more. “This project opens a lot of doors for the visually impaired community in Decatur and the surrounding area,” said Foresight co-founder and CEO Tara Williams. “With the FAR Vision mobile app, more people can access many of the great features the city of Decatur has to offer. We hope this movement continues to build momentum until the entire Atlanta area is accessible for the blind and visually impaired.” Decatur Mayor Patti Garrett said one of the goals of the city’s 2016 Better Together Community Action Plan for Equity, Inclusion and Engagement was to support community participation and engagement among all members of the city’s population. “Making city buildings more readily accessible to the blind and visually impaired allows us to reach and include a broader spectrum of community members in city life,” Garrett said. Highlights of Decatur’s 65-beacon installation include Decatur City Hall, Decatur Police Department, Ebster Recreation Center, Decatur Recreation Center, Decatur Visitors Center, the Decatur Square Community Bandstand and the Decatur Transit Station plaza. Foresight Augmented Reality was founded in 2016 in Atlanta with the goal of creating smarter communities. FAR’s beacons provide compliance beyond ADA requirements for businesses looking to support those with vision-related disabilities. According to the National Foundation for the Blind, there are 7.3 million visually impaired people living in the U.S. For more information, visit www. ForesightAR.com<http://www.ForesightAR. com> and download the FAR Vision mobile app for iPhone, iPad or Android devices.
Atlanta’s Rev. Raphael Warnock arrested, released during July 18 protest in D.C.
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he Rev. Raphael Warnock, pastor of Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, was arrested and released in Washington, D.C. on July 18 after peacefully protesting budget cuts proposed by President Trump. Warnock and the Rev. Cynthia L. Hale, senior pastor of Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur, were among a group of clergy who called on Congress to reject President Trump’s deep cuts to healthcare, education and other programs, saying the cuts were “immoral” and would negatively impact millions of Americans. Warnock and others in the group were singing and praying in the rotunda Russell Senate Office Building when they were arrested. Warnock said his arrest was a “small price to pay” for standing up for the “least
of these.” “As a pastor, I believe the national budget is not just a fiscal document but a moral document. It reflects what we believe and who we are for one another. And if this mean spirited budget were an EKG, it would indicate that America has a heart condition,” Warnock said in a statement. “The government is taking student aid, job training and medicine from those who need it most in order to give a tax cut to those who need it least. We came to Washington as voices of healing and justice. America is better than this. That’s our message. And when I consider those who will suffer, my getting arrested is a small price to pay.” Congressman Hank Johnson, a Democrat who represents the Fourth Congressional District and who also has been at the forefront
of the battle, commended the two prominent pastors for standing up for Americans. “Pastors Warnock and Hale are leaders who understand the devastating effect that repeal of the Affordable Care Act and the passage of the GOP budget proposal will have on the lives of millions of Americans and their families,” said Johnson. “I commend their efforts to make their voices heard. We’re still in a life-or-death battle for families across America. We will continue to turn up the heat against Republicans’ assault on the health and quality of life of children, seniors and working people. I stand willing to work with anyone on responsible legislation to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and pass our budget priorities, but I will not lend my vote to enact laws that give millionaires and billionaires a
See Arrest , page 6
Activists blast elected officials’ silence over DeKalb police beating of homeless woman
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ivil rights activists continue to push for justice for Katie McCrary, the 38-year-old homeless black woman who was beaten June 4 by a white DeKalb Police officer, P.J. Larscheid, who used his baton to strike her several times. One group working on McCrary’s behalf condemned DeKalb County’s elected officials for their silence in the case. Gerald Rose, president of the New Order National Human Rights Organization, said during a July 18 news conference outside of the Manuel Maloof Auditorium in Decatur that he would remind voters of the elected officials’ silence. “This is where the problem is: We have elected officials who ask for our votes… but when things like this come about, it seems like they’re not quick to make a decision,” said Rose. “Even (Congressman) John Lewis came out and said something. So where is Larry Johnson? Where is Gregory Adams? Where is Michael Thurmond? Believe me: You are on alert: We’re going to get to these voters.” Commissioner Larry Johnson, who joined the Rev. Steven Dial and the DeKalb Pastors’ Alliance at a news conference on July 14, said he has publicly voiced his concern about the incident and is awaiting for investigators to complete their work. DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond, who requested the GBI to conduct an independent investigation, encouraged the group to be patient. “You want fairness, right? You want justice…? You all elected me to be CEO. Let me do my job,” Thurmond said. Leonard Jones, national spokesman for the New Order National Human Rights Organization, called for the officer’s firing, saying the video spoke volumes. “We want this officer terminated and not just terminated. He needs to be tried and convicted,” said Jones, who said he viewed the beating as one “where a white man completely
Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/ OCG News devalued the humanity of that black woman who was at the Chevron that day. There was no reason for it to get that far.” Josie Dean of Black Man Never Forget, who stood with Jones, said the beating reminded her of the brutality that black slaves, particularly women, routinely endured in America. She said the black community must stand up for itself. “We’re going to have to stand up. We can’t just let them do our black women any kind of way. We’ve got to start boycotting and keeping our money to ourselves,” said Dean. Meanwhile, Nathan Knight of the DeKalb SCLC and other activists launched a boycott of the Chevron convenience store at 3364 Glenwood Road in Decatur where McCrary was beaten. A bystander captured the beating on a cell phone video that went viral and came to the attention of Larscheid’s supervisors who re-opened the case after initially clearing the officer of wrongdoing. Larscheid said in his
report that police were called to the store after the woman was suspected of asking a customer for money. “If we don’t stand up when these type of atrocities take place in our neighborhood, we’re not going to have anybody to defend our rights. Black lives do matter,” said Knight. Knight said Sir Maejor Page, president of Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta, bonded McCrary out of jail and placed her in a safe house. Knight said Page is serving as her spokesperson. Attempts to reach Page were unsuccessful. WAOK radio talk show host Rashad Richey, said via Facebook that he had met with the owner of the gas station who told him he did not want the woman arrested. Rashad said the owner planned to file a complaint against the officer. Larscheid has been reassigned to administrative duty pending the investigations.