FREE
VOLUME 24 NUMBER 2
APRIL 7, 2018
News 24/7
ocgnews.com
Stay connected
Published Since April 1995
facebook.com/ocgnews
Serving DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry and Rockdale Counties
DeKalb Police seek witnesses in Easter shooting of 3-year-old By Valerie J. Morgan
The child, T’Rhigi Diggs, was shot in the chest as his eKalb County mother, Rashonda Craig, was police are seeking driving around 11:30 p.m. witnesses who on Bouldercrest Road near may be able to Eastland Road in East Atlanta. help investigators locate the Police initially thought the gunman who shot and killed a single bullet came from a gray 3-year-old boy on Easter night or silver Dodge that Craig as he rode in the backseat of told police pulled up beside his mother’s SUV. her black SUV. However,
D
Police Chief James Conroy told On Common Ground News on April 5 that police now believe the shot actually came from a nearby gas station. “Based on the trajectory, the shot could not have been fired from the Dodge. We think it came from the gas station,” Conroy said.
Police are seeking the occupants of the Dodge, as well as three potential witnesses who were at the Texaco convenience store. Conroy said surveillance video from the store shows witnesses who may be able to provide information to police.
SEE SHOOTING page 3
T’Rhigi Diggs
Major repairs set for DeKalb County Jail after mold found
A
By Travis Hudgons
pproximately 300 inmates at the DeKalb County Jail are being relocated to neighboring jails in Rockdale, Fulton and Clayton counties as work begins to repair moldy, leaky shower units in inmate housing. DeKalb County Sheriff Jeffery L. Mann announced at an April 5 press conference that a major construction project, “Operation Clean Jail 2018,” will begin April 9. Mann said the project is expected to last three months with an estimated $1.5 million minimum cost. Construction will begin immediately, even though the cost of the unbudgeted expense has yet to be approved by county commissioners. “This is essential for the ongoing health and safety of our staff and inmates,” said Mann. Several types of mold were discovered in inmate housing units after routine maintenance, Mann said. It was later determined that the likely cause of the mold was from leaky shower units in the inmate housing units. Tests determined that the mold discovered posed no immediate health threats to jail staff
DeKalb County Sheriff Jeffery L. Mann (at podium) announces ‘Operation Clean Jail 2018.’ Photo by Travis Hudgons
or inmates, Mann said. The project will cover shower repairs, mold remediation and rebuilding of affected areas. Rockdale County Sheriff Eric Levett, who was among the county sheriffs and jail officials attending the press conference, said temporarily housing some of DeKalb’s inmates for up to 30 days
as Mann requested would not pose a problem. “It’s a routine thing where we house inmates from other facilities for various reasons,” said Levett, adding the inmates will be housed in their own unit and staff from DeKalb County Jail will be supervising them. Mann said that “Operation Clean Jail 2018” is a major undertaking for
the 23-year-old complex and that he wanted to move “swiftly” to address the problem before it got worse. Mann said that construction would not interfere with the normal jail operations or with court transportations. Affected inmates, he said, will still be able to receive video visitation and make phone calls.
BILL DIES: Rockdale’s BOC will not expand to five seats Rockdale County’s threemember Board of Commissioners (BOC) will not expand to five members—at least not immediately. Senate Bill 264, sponsored by former Sen. Rick Jeffares, died in the House of Representatives before a final vote on March 29, the last day of the Legislative Session. As a result, there will be no voter referendum when the general election is held in November. Rockdale’s BOC currently has two commissioners and a chairman, all of whom are elected at large and all of whom are Democrats. The legislation had called for four commission seats elected by districts, and one seat—the chairman’s position—to be elected at-large. Jeffares, a Republican who resigned as senator to run for lieutenant governor, introduced the bill in 2017 as a general bill, which would have avoided local delegation scrutiny. Republican Brian Strickland, who was elected in a special election on Jan. 9, 2018 to fill
Jeffares’ seat, carried the bill during this year’s Legislative Session but worked to revise the bill to require a voter referendum. State Rep. Vernon Jones, a Democrat who represents District 91 and chairs Rockdale’s House delegation, criticized Sen. Tonya Anderson, a Democrat who chairs Rockdale’s Senate Delegation, for working with Strickland to dismantle the county’s three-member board of commissioners. “I’m disappointed that Sen. Tonya Anderson who represents District 43 would ignore the will of the people in an attempt to throw out the current Rockdale charter in order to curry favors from Republicans,” said Jones. “I’m also disappointed that she would ignore the voters of Rockdale County in her attempt to allow the outgoing governor to appoint a new state court judge, instead of the people electing a judge of their choice. “It is sad that during the
State Rep. Vernon Jones
Sen. Tonya Anderson
50th anniversary of Dr. MLK’s assassination that we still have agent provocateurs carrying other folks' water in the middle of the night.” Anderson said Jones’ blame concerning the proposed bill to expand the BOC from three seats to five is misplaced. “I’m not sure what he means because what I actually did is agreed to make the bill a referendum. By making it a referendum, it allows
the voters to decide if they wanted three seats or five. It could have gone through as a general bill and they wouldn’t have had that opportunity to decide,” said Anderson. Anderson said she had no control over the amendment Strickland made to the state court judgeship bill. She said she vote Jones’ bill to give voters the power to elect a judge of their choosing rather than the governor making the appointment.
PAGE 2 • APRIL 7, 2018 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
Stone Mountain man captured, accused of gunning down mother of five Keitran Foots, 30, wanted for the murder of his girlfriend, Sharika Bowman, 35, has been arrested, DeKalb County Police announced. Foots was captured near Granville, N.C. on April 1 around 2:30 a.m. after law enforcement located him in a shed, authorities said. Foots is accused of gunning down Bowman
Sharika Bowman
Keitran Foots
on March 30, around 10 a.m., in the driveway of the home they shared at 4788
Wyndham Drive in Stone Mountain. Foots approached the SUV where Bowman was sitting and allegedly shot her multiple times, killing her, police said. DeKalb detectives said Bowman's 13-year-old son, who was inside the house when the shooting, called 911. The teen is one of five children Bowman had,
including a one-month-old and a one-year-old, relatives said. Foots sped from the scene after the shooting. Authorities tracked Foots to Granville, N.C. after they were able to ping the location of Foots’ cellphone to a hotel parking lot. Foots sped off with deputies in pursuit and lost them as he
drove northbound on I-85. Foots exited the interstate and reportedly jumped out of the vehicle at some point. Authorities pinged Foots’ cellphone to a shed near the Granville County-Vance, N.C. border, where he was captured without incident, police said. Authorities have not said what the motive for the shooting was.
DeKalb County trains citizens in trauma bleeding control DeKalb Emergency Management Agency and DeKalb Fire Rescue Reserve recently trained 160 participants at DeKalb Fire Rescue Headquarters on traumatic bleeding control as part of the nationwide Stop the Bleed Day. Participants received instruction on bleeding control techniques from significant traumatic injuries such as workplace incidents, car accidents or an active shooter event. The course included hands-on demonstrations in which attendees practiced traumatic care of putting on tourniquets, applying pressure to slow bleeding and packing a wound with materials available. “The Stop the Bleed training program is something that everybody in the community should take advantage of,” Emergency Management Director Sue Loeffler said. “Victims of uncontrolled bleeding can die in a matter of minutes and bystanders are always
the first on any scene. Just like CPR, it has the potential to save lives if done properly.” Stop the Bleed began in October 2015 by the White House as a national awareness campaign and call to action. In 2017, Georgia launched its Stop the Bleed campaign, putting the knowledge gained by first responders and military into the hands of the public to help save lives by stopping uncontrolled bleeding in emergency situations. Through the Georgia Trauma Foundation, each public school in the state is being trained and equipped with Stop the Bleed kits. DeKalb County is leading an effort to educate and equip its citizens and county departments to “Stop the Bleed.” For more information on the Stop the Bleed program and to learn more about upcoming opportunities, contact DeKalb Emergency Management Agency at 770-2700413.
Stress or Physical Pain?
At Full Body Rejuvenation Center our staff offers the most effective quality health care to satisfy every individual's personal needs. Our combination of chiropractic therapy and physiotherapy allow us to focus on the physiological, as well as the biomechanical aspects of the body. Dr. Smith encourages you to come in and begin your healthy approach to pain management, weight loss or stress relief!
Chiropractic Treatment Physiotherapy Your path to Natural Health Bring in this ad and receive a
complementary chiropractic consultation
FULL BODY REJUVENATION CENTER 3636 Panola Rd, Ste B
MOST MAJOR INSURANCES AND OBAMA CARE ACCEPTED!
Lithonia, GA 30038
Participants get hands-on experience applying a CAT tourniquet. Photo provided
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OCGNEWS
PUBLISHER Glenn L. Morgan
gmorgan1@ocgnews.com
EDITOR Valerie J. Morgan
APRIL 7, 2018 • PAGE 3
Stonecrest making progress in mailing name change
editor@ocgnews.com
ADVERTISING MANAGER Richard S. Hill
richardhill@ocgnews.com
STAFF WRITER Mackenzie Morgan
mackenzie@ocgnews.com
PRODUCTION MANAGER 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
MARK YOUR CALENDARS April 10 DeKalb County Board of Commissioners regular meeting, 9 a.m., Manuel Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur. April 14 DeKalb NAACP Annual Unity Breakfast, 8:30 a.m., Greenforest Baptist Church Early Learning Center (Genesis), 3250 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond will be the keynote speaker. Tickets: $30 per person. www.dekalbganaacp.org. April 16 DeKalb Board of Education Work Session, 2 to 4:30 p.m., Robert R. Freeman Complex, 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd., Stone Mountain DeKalb Board of Education Community Input Meeting, 5:45 to 6:45 p.m., Robert R. Freeman Complex DeKalb Board of Education: Business Meeting, 7 to 9 p.m., Robert R. Freeman Complex Stonecrest Public Hearings on Land Use Petitions, City Council Meeting, 6 p.m., Stonecrest City Hall April 18 Joint meeting of the DeKalb Parks Bond Citizen Advisory Committee and the Initiative for a green DeKalb Advisory Council, 6 p.m., DeKalb County Fire Rescue Headquarters, 1950 West Exchange Place, Tucker (Room 400). For more information, contact Carol Underwood, administrative coordinator, at 404-371-2927 or cjunderw@ dekalbcountyga.gov.
Mayor Jason Lary
T
Mayor Pro Tem George Turner
By Valerie J. Morgan
he city of Stonecrest is making progress in getting the U. S. Postal Service to officially recognize Stonecrest as a city, officials said. The Postal Service has notified the city that residents and businesses in the new municipality may receive information as early as this month about the address name change. Mayor Jason Lary says that’s good news. “This is something that we have been waiting for and it officially will put Stonecrest on the map,” said Lary. The city of Stonecrest, which is about 29 square miles, includes 52,393 residents within its boundaries in Southeast DeKalb County. Mayor Pro Tem George Turner, whom Lary appointed to oversee the name change on behalf of Stonecrest, said the city contacted the Postal Service on Feb. 2 and received a
response dated Feb. 12, 2018. Atlanta District Manager Samuel Jaudon said in his reply to the city: “Please rest assured that we will make every effort to address this concern contained in the letter. The process is generally completed within 60 days after initiation, depending on the complexities of the request and the current workload.” “We’re hoping that the notifications will go out this month,” said Turner. Once the Postal Service approves the name address change, city officials must notify residents and businesses that they may begin using Stonecrest as
their address. They will be able to keep their same ZIP codes, Postal Service officials said. Lary said the city is working with Congressman Hank Johnson to eventually establish the city’s own Post Office, but that venture expected to be a long process. “The process is arduous because you have to find a location, seek federal funding for it and meet certain criteria,” said Lary. Want to know if you live in Stonecrest? Visit www.stonecrestga.gov/ district_map.php
DeKalb CEO Thurmond to give second Consent Decree update DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond will provide a consent decree update at the Tuesday, April 10, Board of Commissioners meeting. This is the second public update on the progress toward fulfilling the requirements of the consent decree. The meeting begins at 9 a.m., at the Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur. In December 2011, DeKalb County reached a Clean Water Act settlement in the form of a consent decree with the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. The 8½-year consent decree calls for reducing sanitary sewer overflows through significant levels of sanitary sewer system inspection, assessment, rehabilitation and repair. In 2017, DeKalb invested nearly $30 million for maintenance, repair and upgrades of the sewer system. The county also cleaned 220 miles of sewers, removed 5.1 tons of debris, completed 1,821 stream
SHOOTING continued from page 1
“It’s a tragedy and we definitely want the public’s help to solve this quickly,” said Conroy. The young child who was killed had celebrated his third birthday two days before the shooting, relatives said. Family and friends held a candlelight vigil and balloon release the day after the shooting. Some brought stuffed animals. The child’s mother was distraught as she openly grieved. Craig told police she had seen people with paintball guns in the car that pulled up beside her. She said
crossing inspections, replaced 3,000 manhole covers, held the first consent decree public update and hosted 280 other public events. The county has inspected nearly 100 percent of all the priority sewer lines and is on target to invest an additional $79 million in improvements during the next two years. The update will be broadcast on Comcast Cable Channel 23 for residents living in DeKalb County and livestreamed at www. dekalbcountyga.gov/dctv.
she didn’t realize that a real gun had been fired until she drove farther and discovered that her son, who was sleeping in the back of her SUV, had been shot. The child died at the hospital. Conroy said police are investigating whether the gunman might have been provoked by a paintball incident and the child was caught in the crossfire. Conroy said paintball has become a popular recreational activity and may be causing problems. “We have heard some rappers
DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond
were promoting that young people use paintball guns and instead put down real guns. The problem is they hurt and they splatter paint,” said Conroy. Craig is getting help with her son’s funeral, which will be held on April 7, from Rapper 21 Savage, a family friend. The rapper said he is covering the costs because he did not want the family to have that financial burden on top of dealing with the death of the little boy. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 404-577-8477.
PAGE 4 • APRIL 7, 2018 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
PET OF THE Week
LifeLine Animal Project presents its DeKalb County Animal Services Pet of the Week, Barnabas. It’s hard not to love this gentle giant who is very handsome, calm, and well behaved. If his extra big smile doesn’t win you over, his soft touch with children should do the trick! Barnabas is good with other dogs and will make a lovely and loyal companion for someone special. Also, he is already neutered, vaccinated and can go home with you today! Come meet this beautiful boy by dropping by LifeLine’s DeKalb County Animal Services shelter at 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, emailing adoptions@dekalbanimalservices.com or calling 404-294-2165.
Chronicling the AKAs history
Kids hiking and exploring along the Meadow Loop Trail at historic Vaughters’ Farm. Photo provided
Junior Rangers Ramble set at Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area To kickoff National Park Week and National Junior Ranger Day on April 21, the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance will present its first-ever Junior Ranger Ramble. Great for the entire family, the event encourages kids ages 5 and up to discover the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area through guided and self-guided activities at many of our partner sites from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The adventure begins at the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve where families will pick up a passport with a schedule and self-guided activities including hikes, birdwatching, nature study and more. After checking in, families can ramble at their leisure at sites across the National Heritage Area including AWARE Wildlife Center, Panola Mountain State Park, the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Vaughters’ Farm, Historic Lithonia and Flat Rock Archives. Participants who complete five activities will become official Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area Junior Rangers and will be
sworn in during a ceremony at the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Center at the end of the program. Junior Rangers will receive a badge, certificate and a special prize. Accommodations will be made for anyone who completes the activities and cannot attend the ceremony. The Ramble begins with checkin at the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve. Registration is $5 and the first 50 kids to sign up will receive a Rambler’s Discovery Kit that includes tools to aid in exploration. Pre-registration for Junior Ranger Rambler is encouraged online at https://juniorrangerramble. brownpapertickets.com. To download the passport and complete activities on your own, visit http://arabiaalliance.org/ juniorrangerramble. For more information about Junior Ranger Rambler or the AMNHA Junior Ranger Program, contact Sarah Lisle, Director of Interpretation, at sarah@ arabiaalliance.org or 404-998-8384, ext. 6.
Rockdale sets spring yard sale Clean out the house, make some cash and shop for interesting treasures at this outdoor event. Rockdale’s Community Spring Yard Sale will be held on April 28, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Government Annex Building Parking Lot, 1400 Parker Road, Conyers. Set-up time is 7 a.m. Rockdale’s Parks and Recreation Department reserves the right to prohibit certain items for sale. The fee is $10 per parking space for Rockdale residents who would like to sell and $15 for non-residents. Participants pay on the day of the event and must provide their own tables and chairs. For more information, contact Johnson Park at 770-278-7529.
The Nancy Guinn Memorial Library in Conyers now has an official book chronicling the history of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. The AKAs’ Chi Tau Omega Chapter, which serves Rockdale and Newton counties, recently donated a copy of "Priceless Pearls - Dimensions of Sisterhood and Service" to the Nancy Guinn Library. Chapter President Joy Jackson Guilford was joined by some of the sorority’s members in making the book presentation to the library’s Assistant Director, Mary Jean Harrison, on March 30 as Women's History Month came to a close. The sorority’s book is being house in the Law Library and Genealogy Room.
DeKalb’s Third Annual Poetry Slam set April 27 In celebration of National Poetry Month in April, DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs will host its third annual Poetry Slam on Friday, April 27, 7 p.m., at Mason Mill Recreation Center, 1340 McConnell Drive, Decatur. DeKalb youths, ages 5 to 17, who would like to participate in the event must register by April 20. The Poetry Slam features young poets and writers from DeKalb during an evening that celebrates the power of words and music. To register, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/parks and click the “Register Now” button on the department’s homepage, or register in person at any DeKalb recreation center. Admission to attend the Poetry Slam is $5 per person. For more information, contact LaShanda Davis, Recreation, and Parks and Cultural Affairs public relations specialist, at 404-371-3643 or lsdavis@dekalbcountyga.gov.
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OCGNEWS
APRIL 7, 2018 • PAGE 5
DCSD TV show, The Bridge, goes live April 10
Photos provided
The DeKalb County School District’s (DCSD) very own television show, The Bridge, goes live for the first episode of its fifth season on April 10. The all-student variety show features district-related news updates, comedy skits, game shows, science demonstrations, actor/actress spotlights, as well as real-time, student-led conversations about such topics as music’s effects on the brain, creative careers and more. Students are mentored by industry experts, as well as school district staff. Each show also features celebrity guests from the music and entertainment industry. The Bridge’s cast members auditioned for spots on the show, which also airs on the PDS-TV24 (channel 24 on Comcast), the district’s locally broadcasted television network. The Bridge airs nightly at 8 p.m. and will be available on the DCSD website—www.dekalbschoolsga.org—as well as the district’s YouTube page at www.youtube.com/1DeKalbSchools.
Cedar Grove cluster collects toiletries for needy The Cedar Grove High School cluster, comprised of Cedar Grove High, Cedar Grove Middle, Cedar Grove Elementary and Oak View Elementary, is collecting toiletries for the poor. The schools are accepting donations of soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, combs and brushes that will be placed in shoeboxes to distribute to the needy. Volunteers will host a Shoebox Social on April 12, from 4 to 7 p.m., where they will pack shoeboxes filled with the donated items. The cluster hopes to surpass last year’s collection of 500 shoeboxes. DCSD invites community stakeholders to join Cedar Grove’s efforts to help those in need in DeKalb County. For more information, contact DCSD’s Office of Family & Community Engagement at 678-874-4069 or the Cedar Grove High School Student Government Association’s sponsor, Trinesia Strozier, at 678-874-4064 or trinesia_strozier@dekalbschoolsga.org. CITY OF STONECREST PLANNING COMMISSION, PUBLIC HEARING: TUESDAY, APRIL 3RD 2018 AT 6:00 P.M. STONECREST CITY HALL, 3120 STONECREST BLVD LITHONIA, GA 30038 CITY OF STONECREST MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, PUBLIC HEARING: MONDAY, APRIL 16TH 2018 AT 6:00 P.M. CITY OF STONECREST, 3120 STONECREST BLVD STONECREST, GA 30038 The following Land Use Petition located within the City of Stonecrest is scheduled for Public Hearings as stated above. LAND USE PETITION: PETITIONER: LOCATION: CURRENT ZONING: PROPOSED ZONING: PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT:
SLUP 17-0002 Alfie Igbadume 3185 Evans Mill Road R-100 (Residential Med Lot) District R-100 (Residential Med Lot) District Request Special Land Use Permit to operate child care institution.
LAND USE PETITION: PETITIONER: LOCATION: CURRENT ZONING: PROPOSED ZONING: PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT:
SLUP 18-001 Nicole Harris 5951 Fairington Farms Lane MR-1 (Medium Density Residential) District MR-1 (Medium Density Residential) District Request Special Land Use Permit to operate child care institution.
LAND USE PETITION: PETITIONER: LOCATION: CURRENT ZONING: PROPOSED ZONING: PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT:
RZ-18-001 Bernard Knight TRACT “A” 1882 Coffee Road M (Light Industrial) District M-2 (Heavy Industrial) District Conditional Request to rezoning property to M-2 Conditional
TEXT AMENDMENT: PETITIONER: PROPOSED AMENDMENT:
TMOD 18-0002 City Council Amendment to (Industrial) “Parking Regulations” Chapter 27 Article VI Sec. 6.1.3
Hands-On Experience RCA students renovate media center
R
ockdale Career Academy students are building their resumes with some real work. Recently, students put their classroom knowledge to work in a real-world project to renovate the RCA media center, with funding help from the Lowe’s Toolbox for Education program. Students from Construction teacher Brett Creel's classes, Graphic Design teacher Shaun Freeman's classes, and Interior Design teacher Lydia Churillo's classes all worked on the media center over two years. Interior Design students created an idea board and helped determine the color palette, cloth patterns and furniture styles. Construction students built a scale model, measuring the entire facility and furniture, to figure out what to move and what to build. Students built bookshelves onto the walls and dozens of stands for computer desks and moved the check-out counters to enable a better use of space. The students even built a special
reading corner for Early Learning Center complete with a castle and drawbridge. Graphic Design students created vinyl stencils on the walls with inspiring quotes and a dragon for the reading corner, to match the castle built by Construction career pathway students. RCA Media Specialist Sharon Davidson said, "We wanted to come into the 21st century. With RCA being a College and Career Academy, we wanted it to be more like a Learning Commons. It's been a great success. Students love it, they come in here to study or collaborate on projects." The $5,000 grant from the Lowe’s Toolbox for Education program funded the majority of the renovations, with additional funding from RCA. Pictured: Rockdale Career Academy Media Specialist Sharon Davidson, Construction teacher Brett Creel, Interior Design teacher Lydia Churillo, Graphic Design teacher Shaun Freeman and their students in the reading corner of the renovated RCA media center.
PAGE 6 • APRIL 7, 2018 WWW.OCGNEWS.COM
Rockdale’s Constitutional Corner
Need help? Try these free legal resources For more information: 404894-7707
By Ruth A. Wilson Clerk of Courts By law, we, in the Clerk of Courts Office, are not permitted to provide legal advice or referrals even though we are regularly asked to do so. We want to be as helpful as possible to our patrons and constituents so we make a great effort to provide regular information on where legal assistance can be found. Following are five free opportunities and resources: Ask A Lawyer Day, April 13 The event will be held 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., Nancy Guinn Memorial Library, 864 Green Street, Conyers. Topics: Family, Wills & Estates, Bankruptcy / Consumer, Landlord Tenant and more.
Family Law Information Center The Family Law Information Center offers free one-time, 30-minute consultations each Friday, 9:30 a.m. to noon, by appointment only. No criminal matters are addressed. All applicants are scheduled for 9:30 a.m., and are seen on a first-come, firstserved basis by signing in with the deputy clerk in Room 204. Consultations are provided by licensed volunteer attorneys in the Rockdale County Courthouse Law Library. The attorneys will provide general information, guidance and assistance. Appointments may be scheduled by calling the Clerk of Courts Civil Division at 770-278-7905. Missed appointments without 24 hours prior notice will not be rescheduled. Nancy Guinn Memorial Library 864 Green St., Conyers: Patrons have access to an extensive up-to-date collection of legal books and the Westlaw Next legal database including
Official Code of Georgia Annotated (all laws of the state), Black’s Law Dictionary, Practice & Procedure. The Westlaw Next database includes access to: Case law and legal forms, state and federal statutes, administrative codes, newspaper and magazine articles, etc. Legal Self-Help Links
Georgia Legal Aid www.georgialegalaid.org Georgia Probate information www.georgiaprobaterecords. com gaprobate.gov. All of the standard probate forms are available on this website
Atlanta Legal Aid www.atlantalegalaid.org
Georgia State University Law Library lawlibrary.gsu.edu
Basic Rules of Court Conduct www.georgiacourts. org/content/basic-rules-courtconduct
“I Present My Case” (video for pro se litigants) www.fairplay.org/about/Ipresent-my-case.html Requires Adobe Flash Player
Cornell Legal Information Institute www.law.cornell.edu/states Everybody’s Legal Glossary www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/ internetresources/everybodyslegal-glossary-nolo FindLaw - www.findlaw.com FindLaw en Español - blogs. findlaw.com/insider/2009/10/ new-findlaw-en-espanollaunched-for-spanish-speakingconsumers-seeking-legalinformation.html
Introduction to Basic Legal Citation www.law.cornell.edu/citation Learn about your Georgia courts www.georgiacourts.gov/ georgia-courts/learn-about-thecourts Lectric Law Library www.lectlaw.com Nolo www.nolo.com
Representing yourself – Dougherty County, GA links www.dougherty.ga.us/ content/2889/3011/3528/ default.aspx Record Restriction Forum, June 9 Arrest record cleanup: 9 a.m. to noon, Springfield Baptist Church, 1877 Iris Drive SE, Conyers. May be eligible for record restriction if: • Arrested in Rockdale County by Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office, Conyers Police Department or Georgia State Patrol • Arrest not resulting in a conviction (PLEAS, JURY TRIALS, OR NOLOS) • Pre-Trial Intervention/ Diversion Program Completed Why Restrict? • Improve Housing Opportunities • Improve Job Opportunities • Improve Financial Access Opportunities Must apply in advance. Applications available April 16 at RockdaleClerk.com.
Rockdale sets informational sessions, tours for new judicial and government complex In an effort to share information about the proposed courthouse referendum, Rockdale County government officials have scheduled informational sessions and tours for the public. The public will be able to view displays with information about the proposed referendum, ask questions and share concerns. The county’s upcoming informational sessions are: Tuesday, April 17, 6 – 7 p.m., Shoal Creek Elementary, 1300 McWilliams Road S.W., Conyers • Tuesday, May 15, 6 – 7 p.m., Honey Creek Elementary, 700 Honey Creek Road, S.E., Conyers The guided tours of the Rockdale County Courthouse will be held at 922 Court St., Conyers. The dates and times for the tours are as follows: • Friday, April 20, 9 – 10 a.m. • Friday, April 20, 10 – 11 a.m. • Wednesday, May 9, 6 – 7 p.m. Those planning to attend the tours are encouraged to RSVP at the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/courthouse-tourstickets-44143221564. For more information about the informational meetings and guided tours, please contact Jorge Diez at 770-278-7056 or jorge.diez@rockdalecountyga.gov.
Conyers to host public meetings, tours on bond referendum The City of Conyers is inviting the public to learn more about the city’s bond referendum on the May 22 ballot. Public meetings and tours will be held on Tuesday, April 10; Thursday, April 26 and Tuesday, May 5 to 10 7 p.m., at the Conyers City Council Chambers, located on the second floor of the Conyers Police Department, 1194 Scott Street. The city’s proposed bond will be used to upgrade the Conyers Police Department, build a dedicated municipal courtroom and construct a new City Hall. For more information, call 770-483-4411.
Photo via kab.org
KCRB seeks volunteers for 2018 Great American Cleanup
Keep Conyers-Rockdale Beautiful (KCRB) is accepting registration for the Great American Cleanup (GAC) , which will be held on Saturday, April 28, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., at Pine Log Park Pavilion, 1500 Highway 138, Conyers. The deadline to register is Friday, April 20. The half-day event, which KCRB hosts in partnership with the City of Conyers and Rockdale County, encourages citizens to pick up garbage, tires and other debris around the community, and teaches youth about the importance of litter prevention and recycling. This year, the GAC event will also involve the efforts of Rockdale County officials, department directors and staff. In addition to removing debris from several locations, Rockdale County Department of Transportation (RDOT) will be cutting grass at the gateways to the county off Interstate 20. KCRB invites civic and neighborhood groups, businesses,
Boy and Girl Scout troops, churches, youth groups, individuals, and families to participate in GAC. Volunteers are asked to send one representative from their group to the park’s pavilion to check in and pick up supplies for their entire group beginning at 9 a.m. on the day of the cleanup. Volunteers will be provided cleaning supplies – garbage bags, gloves and brightly-colored safety vests – while available, for free. They will also receive free food and a T-shirt for participating, also while supplies last. Registration may be made at www.rockdalecountyga.gov. Registration forms also can be emailed to kcrb@rockdalecountyga. gov or dropped off at the County’s Administration and Services Building, 958 Milstead Ave., Conyers, 30012. For more information, email kcrb@rockdalecountyga.gov or call 770-278-7052.
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OCGNEWS
APRIL 7, 2018 • PAGE 7
On Common Ground News Marketplace LAWN CARE
HEALTH SERVICES
CHURCH
HAIR SALON
HEALTH SERVICES
We cater to the entire family. Gum Treatments Tooth Colored Fillings Oral Surgery Cosmetic Bonding & Veneers Crowns, Bridges & Dentures Root Canals Implants We Accept Most Insurance Plans Peachcare & Medicaid Emergency Walk-In Time Available
900 N. Hairston Rd. Suite B Stone Mountain, GA 30083 404-294-8500 Spalding Gentle Dentistry 6460 Spalding Drive Norcross, GA 30092 770-849-0006
PAGE 8 • APRIL 7, 2018
WWW.OCGNEWS.COM