The News, Feb 7, 2015 V6 I45 by The Covington News

the NEWS

Feb. 7, 2015

Volume 6, Issue 45

rockdalenews.com

Red, Hot, Healthy Hollywood Page 4 Fighting

Atlanta sewage

Page 3 City takes lessons from Ferguson Page 7 Like us at facebook.com/ rockdalenews Follow us @rockdalenews

SIGNING DAY

Page 12

Serving Rockdale County and Conyers

IS CRIME OUT OF CONTROL IN ROCKDALE?

NO. Then why does the public believe otherwise? FULL STORY ON PAGE 8

The News

Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015 • 3

Officials, residents speak out against Atlanta request for more sewage in South River By Martin Rand, III

mrand@rockdalenews.com

A number of people spoke out Thursday night during a public hearing against the proposed permits that the city of Atlanta is seeking from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD). Atlanta is seeking federal permits to effectively reduce the amount of waste it must clear from sewer water before it is discharged into river systems. Atlanta has an older system that combines sewage and stormwater runoff, which leads to sewage discharges during heavy rains. The public hearing was hosted by the EPD at the EPD Tradeport Training Room located at 4244 International Parkway, Atlanta, Georgia and 17 concerned citizens voiced their displeasure with the permits, offered ideas for what else should be in the permit and offered solutions to Atlanta’s combined sewage and stormwater system. Rockdale County was well represented and residents and county officials defended the South Riv-

er, which starts in Fulton County and flows through Rockdale and Newton counties before ending at Lake Jackson. Rockdale County resident Peter Dykstra told EPD officials and a room full of attendees that he’s a frequent user of the South River and can’t believe that this discussion is still being had today. “The first thing I have to say, with all do respect, in the year 2015, I’m a little appalled and embarrassed that this is still a thing. That this is still an issue,” said Dykstra. “The Clean Water Act was passed 43 years ago. I find it hard to accept that that’s not enough time to fix the problems with the sewer system and keep the South River and Chattahoochee River clean.” Dykstra says Atlanta officials using a lack of money as a reason to why they can’t to fix their sewer system issues isn’t a viable excuse one because the city has spent millions of dollars on other endeavors. “In half of those 43 years they’ve found the money to build a Falcons football stadium, tear it

down and build a new one,” Dykstra said. “We need to move on this. We need the EPD’s help.” The cost of separating combined sewer overflow areas is significant; the city of Grand Rapids, Mich. reportedly eliminated most of its combined sewer overflow areas with construction from 1991-2011 at a cost of $360 million. Atlanta will provide more than $200 million for the construction of the new $1.2 billion Falcons stadium. Another Rockdale County resident, Russell Tonning, says he simply wanted to read a passage from the EPD’s own website off his phone while he spoke at the podium. The passage he read spoke about how the EPD’s mission is to protect the environment. “This is from the EDP website,” he said. “That’s your goal and mission. I hope you fulfill it.” South River Watershed Alliance President Jacqueline Echols told the audience she was shocked that she was back in a permit fighting situation with Atlanta after being involved in one a

decade earlier. “For me that’s a little much to fathom at this point,” Echols said. “The anti-backsliding provision of the Clean Water Act clearly states that limits in a reissued permit must be as stringent as those in the original permit.” The new permits would reportedly reduce the amount of solids and biological waste Atlanta is required to clean out of its sewage water before dumping it into the South River water system. “Keep in mind that the South River is small. A small river with a lot of poop goes a long way,” said Echols. Post 2 County Commissioner Doreen Williams also took the trip to the public hearing. She wanted to let the EPD know how important the South River was to the recreational activities in Rockdale. “I came specifically as a commissioner tonight to remind the EDP that the South River flows through Rockdale County,” Williams said. “It is used in recreation. It is used as a PATH (walking/ biking trail) system that we have

invested heavily in. It needs to be a beautiful, pleasant place that it is designed to be. The county is creating a resolution expressing what we feel ought to happen.” The South River Resolution will let the EPD know the county’s and the City of Conyers officials statement on the issue of Atlanta’s permits and state what the government officials believe should happen, said Rockdale Water Resources Director Dwight Wicks, who also spoke at the public hearing. Wicks told the EPD he was simply looking for compliance from the Atlanta and consistency from the EPD on performance standards. He says that Rockdale County has to comply with its strict permits so why can’t Atlanta – a city with significantly more money – do the same. “When EPD visits Rockdale County, we too have wastewater treatment facilities. We will not be discussing (Biological Oxygen

See SEWAGE, page 7

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The News

4 • Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015

red, hot & healthy in Hollywood

obituaries

Charles Hunter Walker, Jr.

Darrell Everidge/The News

The 10th annual Red Hot and Healthy Luncheon and Fashion Show at Rockdale Medical Center brought the glamour of the Hollywood’s Golden Age in the 1920s and ‘30s to heart health awareness month on Friday, Feb. 6. Outfits for the fashion show were provided by Belk department store. Here are a few scenes. Look at rockdalenews.com later for more.

Charles Hunter Walker Jr., age 78 of Robertsdale, died Friday, Jan. 23, 2015 at Covenant Hospice at West Florida in Pensacola, Fla. Walker, a native of Parkersburg, W. Va., was an Air Force veteran, having served 20 years, with tours in Korea, Indiana, Alaska; Homestead, Fla., and Montgomery before retiring to Robertsdale. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Elaine Killam Walker; three children: Charles (Chuck) Walker III of Conyers, Ga.; Michelle Walker of Brooks, Ga., and Paul Walker of Gulf Shores; two grandchildren, Chas Walker and Lena Walker, both of Conyers; a daughter-inlaw, Angela Walker of Conyers, Ga.; his sister,

Marlene Walker Taylor of Parkersburg, W.Va.; four brothers-in-law; five sisters-in-law; numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Walker, was a longtime member of the Robertsdale First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) where he served as an elder, deacon and secretary. He was a former member of both the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He attended Pensacola Junior College. A celebration of life service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Robertsdale First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Post Office Box 1068, Robertsdale, AL 36567.

Opinion the

NEWS

PUBLISHER T. Pat Cavanaugh

pcavanaugh@rockdalenews.com

DESIGN EDITOR Sabastian Wee

EDITOR Michelle Kim

mkim@rockdalenews.com

SALES DIRECTOR Annette Godwin

swee@rockdalenews.com

agodwin@rockdalenews.com

CIRCULATION DIR. Amanda Ellington

COMPTROLLER Debbie Thompson

aellington@covnews.com

dthompson@covnews.com

Our Thoughts Vaccinations

It is really a sad sign of our times to read about the uproar about whether vaccinations should be mandatory for children or whether vaccines for certain diseases cause abnormalities like autism. First the claim made by one former Playboy bunny that vaccinations cause autism – which was picked up by thousands of uninformed people who believe anything they see on social media or the internet without first investigating – has been proven to be false. There should not even be a question about the fact that vaccinations for childhood diseases should be mandatory or not; they should be. Many of us can remember when we were young that an epidemic of polio was sweeping the land. Thanks to Dr. Salk a vaccine was developed to control that outbreak. It was mandatory to take the polio shot and later the polio sugar.. If you for some reason think it’s your Constitutional right not to have your child vaccinated, it is not. You have no more right to practice a belief that puts other families in danger of impairment or death than the person who would falsely shout “fire” in a crowded auditorium. There are many laws and instances where the government has overstepped its Constitutional right; requiring vaccinations to protect our children’s lives and other children’s lives is not one of them.

HAVE YOUR SAY We welcome letters to the editor. Letters must be 350 words or less. They should be limited to issues of public interest and may be edited for content, grammar, spelling and length. • Mail: Editor, The News, 1009 Milstead Ave., Suite 200, Conyers, GA 30012 • Email: news@rockdalenews.com

Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015 RockdaleNews.com/opinion Page 5

Churchill’s power of personality

his past week marked the 50th anniversary of the death of Sir Winston Churchill, Britain’s prime minister during World War II. Churchill took up painting as a hobby in 1915, after the Gallipoli debacle, where 46,000 allied lives were lost over nine months of the campaign. He went on to paint more than 500 paintings during his lifetime. As wartime prime minister, he took a break from painting, focusing Guest instead on the Columnist task at hand — winning the war, no matter the cost. Churchill’s output and accomplishments were extraordinary. He “produces more published words than Shakespeare and Dickens combined, wins the Nobel prize for literature, kills umpteen people in armed conflict on four conti-

Jackie Gingrich Cushman

nents, serves in every great office of state including prime minister (twice), is indispensable in victory in two world wars and then posthumously sell his paintings for a million dollars,” wrote Boris Johnson in “The Churchill Factor: How One Man Made History.” His first speech as the wartime prime minister laid out his vision for war policy: “You ask, what is our policy? I can say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy.” Always aware that his speeches were meant not only for listeners in Great Britain but also for audiences on the other side of the Atlantic, where his mother was from, the United States. When he spoke at the United States Capitol, on Dec. 26, 1941, shortly after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, which pulled the United States into the War, Churchill used language to connect the United States and Great Britain

into one body. “Here we are together facing a group of mighty foes who seek our ruin; here we are together defending all that to free men is dear. Twice in a single generation the catastrophe of world war has fallen upon us; twice in our lifetime has the long arm of fate reached across the ocean to bring the United States into the forefront of the battle.” Churchill made one exception to his break from his hobby, painting a sunset in January of 1943 at Marrakech, Morocco, “The Tower of the Koutoubia Mosque.” Rather than representing a relief from the pressures of the war, this painting, given to President Franklin Roosevelt, was a gesture of friendship that served to tighten the bond between the two leaders. Churchill had persuaded Roosevelt to visit Marrakech after the two held a summit meeting in Casablanca. It wasn’t just that Churchill made history; it was that he shaped history. He had recognized the threat posed by Nazi Germany in the 1930s while in the political wilderness and clearly identified the coming threat of Communism

in a speech in Fulton, Missouri, on March 5, 1946. Though he had just lost his bid to serve as prime minister of Great Britain, he did not let his personal defeat prevent him from declaring that, “From Stettin in the Baltic to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the continent.” The Iron Man labeled the Iron Curtain. He understood that “success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm,” and enthusiastic he was. Possibly it was his belief in democracy and freedom that drove him forward, or it may have been the reprieve and restoration he received from painting. Whatever drove him, we can’t know. But we can take from his life, and his achievements, that failure often happens to the best of us. And we can learn a valuable lesson: A person is defined not by any failure, but by what he or she does after the failure. To find out more about Jackie Gingrich Cushman, visit creators. com.

Bad time to blow a $180M hole in budget

any people agree Georgia needs a $1 billion increase in transportation funding in the 2016 state budget to maintain its neglected transportation network. But a new transportation funding package (House Bill 170) mostly shifts money Guest from the eduColumnist cation, health care and public safety portion of the state budget and takes revenue from local governments. This attempt to solve one problem creates a multitude of other ones. GBPI’s analysis of HB 170 shows the plan eliminates the state’s 4 percent sales tax on motor fuels and phases out the local portion, which ranges from 2 to 4 percent more. Meanwhile, the state excise tax increases from 7.5 cents a gallon to 29.2 cents a gallon. Today 3 percent of the state sales tax on motor fuels is dedicated to roads and bridges, while 1 percent generates about $180 million for the General Fund. The local por-

Alan Essig

tion of the sales tax on motor fuels, which totals about $520 million, will be eliminated over time. Implementing HB 170 as it stands result s in a $180 million cut to the governor’s 2016 state budget proposal. That constitutes a major setback, just as state revenues and the state budget begin to recover from the devastation of the Great Recession. The governor’s 2016 state budget proposal includes several significant increases. Examples include: $280 million more than the prior budget for the K-12 education funding formula. Even with the additional money the funding formula still faces a shortfall of $465 million. Most schools in the 20152016 school year can still expect fewer teachers, larger classes, fewer electives and less money for supplies and materials than before the recession. More than $50 million is included in the budget for a minimal merit-based salary increase for state employees. Take-home pay for most state employees will remain lower than pre-recession levels even with the increase, due to increased health insurance costs over the past seven years. $12.5 million to hire 278 child

protective service workers. The average caseload rose to 20.1 from 13.5 from 2011 to 2014. This new money creates the opportunity to take a first step to decrease the caseload to 15 by 2017. Not only are these funds necessary to move toward the state’s goals, but new money is needed again in the 2017 budget. That new commitment to such vital programs is welcome. But if Georgia shifts the $180 million in motor fuel revenue now flowing into the state’s General Fund, that jeopardizes those proposed funding increases, as well as funding for healthcare and public safety. This is akin to robbing Peter to pay Paul. Lawmakers can choose from many sound tax policy options to raise state and local revenue to mitigate the damage from eliminating the motor fuel sales tax. Examples include: Increase the cigarette tax by $1 a pack, which raises between $325 million and $400 million. Revisit tax exemptions and credits that overwhelmingly benefit single companies or industries. That includes the sales tax exemption that benefits Gulfstream and other aircraft manufacturers at a state revenue loss of $20 million

and a local revenue cost of $15 million, or the electric vehicle tax credit that mostly spurs Nissan Leaf sales at a cost of more than $60 million. Revisit Georgia’s ultra-generous exemption for retirement income. Returning the exemption to pre-recession levels raises $127 million. Abolish sales tax holidays, which would generate $42 million for the state and $31 million for local governments. More details on these revenue options and others are available in our 2014 report “Menu of Revenue Options to Pave Way for Georgia’s Rebound: 2014 Update.” It is easy to argue the logic of consolidating motor fuel tax policy around an excise tax to focus that money exclusively on transportation. But that is only half the solution. If the goal is to raise $1 billion for transportation, it is imperative the funds are actually new, not just an illusion of new money created through an accounting gimmick. Alan Essig is the executive director of the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. He can be reached at aessig@gbpi.org

6 • Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015

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The News

Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015 • 7

Learning the lessons of Ferguson

“

Conyers police look at diversity, better training

By Staff Reports

news@rockdalenews.com

In the wake of the Ferguson-triggered debates on race and policing, the Conyers Police Department must start a program to diversify its majority-white ranks, Chief Gene Wilson said at the city’s annual Winter Retreat on Jan. 24. He also wants the force equipped with gear that has factored into post-Ferguson controversies: body cameras, crowd-control devices and an armored truck. CPD is 81 percent white in a city that is 55.8 percent black, Wilson said, adding, “I think we’re going to have to work more diligently on that number” with federal diversity mandates likely on the way. He proposed a new police cadet system to serve as an employment pipeline for youths—all local and mostly minority—in the department’s successful Explorers program. The issues raised by the controversial killing of a black teen by a white officer in Ferguson, Mo., last summer are not abstract in Conyers. A New York Times article in September noted uncomfortable similarities between the demographics of Ferguson and Conyers, triggering frank local forums. And those issues are playing out on the streets as well, Wilson revealed, with Conyers’ big difference being good police training. Wilson described a recent CPD incident that “could have been a tragedy to rival Ferguson.” About three months ago, behind a burger place on Flat Shoals Avenue, a white CPD officer confronted a young black man acting suspiciously. The suspect volunteered that he had

SEWAGE From PAGE 3

Demand) and (Total Suspended Solids).We will be discussing phosphorus and nitrogen to the minute levels,” said Wicks. “Now I don’t understand why we have to be so strict on our water levels, and BOD and TSS are going to be removed from another permit. So again, I’m just looking for consistency and compliance.”

a gun, but said it was fake, at one point even tugging it out of his waistband by the handle while saying, “See, it’s just a toy.” The officer kept his cool, never fired a shot, and was able to control the suspect and discover it was indeed a toy gun. Wilson contrasted that to last fall’s infamous Cleveland police killing of a boy playing with a toy gun, involving an inexperienced officer forced out of a previous department for emotional instability. Wilson said that, even though CPD must diversify and needs a bigger force, he will never compromise on the quality of people it hires. “I’d rather tell you I’m running short [on staff] than put somebody on the street that I’m not sure what they’re going to do,” Wilson said. “Think about the power a police officer has,” he added, noting that anyone in the room could be stopped and potentially killed by an officer. And CPD is indeed running short on staff. Its 63-member ranks are down six from the currently approved level, and Wilson said more officers are needed, including officers sfor a new Street Crime unit he proposes. But competition for quality officers is fierce, he said, making both hiring and retention a problem. Wilson will seek pay increases and an education-benefits program as one solution. The proposed cadet program is another, for both staff numbers and diversity. It would offer behind-the-scenes police work jobs to grads of the Explorers program, at a proposed salary of 5 percent less than what rookie cops make—roughly $30,000 with benefits. Wilson wants a pilot program of four cadets.

“I want to create a program that takes [youths] from Explorer to police officer,” Wilson said. “We’re letting these people get away from us.” Body cameras for officers is another proposal, with an estimated cost of $30,000 to $40,000 that forfeited funds from drug cases might cover. Wilson noted that CPD School Resource Officers have used them for two years in a pilot program with success. Body cameras have been debated as a possible solution to police brutality claims and situations. Wilson said they are not a “silver bullet,” but would help. City Manager Tony Lucas noted they come with many complex legal issues, including the privacy of children who might be filmed, and expenses and limitations associated with storing video footage. A BearCat brand armored truck is another of Wilson’s wish-list items. The basic issue is that CPD’s Special Operations unit is currently using an aging SUV that is far from ideal for hauling SWAT-type gear.

Newton County resident Hoke Thomas, who has owned the Snapping Shoals hydro-electric facility in Newton County since 1976, says that water quality has improved in the decades since he’s owned the facility and praised EPD and the city of Atlanta for their work. But he also acknowledged that the runoff from heavy rainfall contributes mightily to the pollution of the river. “It seems like God flushed the commode,” said Thomas. “It smells. I can’t say enough bad

things about it.” Thomas is not so optimistic that anything positive will happen with the South River anytime soon. “In my lifetime, I don’t think the South River… will ever change,” he said. “You need money to make things happen and Atlanta just doesn’t have the money.” Rockdale draws its drinking water from the Haynes Creek watershed which feeds the Randy Poynter Reservoir in the north half of the county.

Diversity within CPD

81 % Caucasian officers

% of Blacks in Conyers

55.8 %

I’d rather tell you I’m

running short [on staff] than put somebody on the street that I’m not sure what they’re going to do” — Police Chief Gene Wilson

Wilson said there are disagreements within the department about a suitable replacement, with options including a fairly run-of-the-mill van. But Wilson himself prefers the armored truck, which could run $90,000 for a refurbished model. The use of such military-type gear by local police has been hotly controversial, especially with such trucks being displayed at the originally peaceful protests in Ferguson. Wilson said he wants the BearCat for officer safety reasons. “These idiots out there yodeling like parrots about police militarization, they don’t know what they’re talking about,” he said passionately. Wilson said his main concern is drug-related crime involving powerful rifles. He said CPD recently got a tip about a planned home invasion by criminals using AK-47 assault rifles, which ended

up not happening. With a touch of drama, he passed around an actual AK-47 round, saying that CPD has “no piece of equipment in our possession that would stop that bullet.” An armored truck would be a different story. Wilson admitted that rifle-shooting criminals are a rarity in Conyers, and “Y’all may feel the city having a BearCat is something we don’t need.” But if a siege or riot did occur, he noted, the city would be unprepared. Wilson gave no overall budget for his proposals, which will become more formal in future City Council meetings. In later discussion, city officials said there’s no doubt they would be expensive, probably raising the police budget by more than a third. “Let’s see the price tag,” said Councilman Cleveland Stroud. But he and the other councilman added that public safety must be a city priority.

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The News

8 • Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015

Crime is down But the public still thinks it’s terrible.

By Martin Rand III, Michelle Kim

news@rockdalenews.com

The numbers say crime in Rockdale County has been on the decline for the last five years, with a large drop over the past year. Yet many people in the public Rockdale and Conyers have a hard time believing the reports and don’t feel it reflects what they perceive. What does this gap in public perception and on the ground activity mean for those on the front lines of law enforcement? For the county, there was a 20 percent drop crimes classified as “Part I crimes” such as aggravated assaults, thefts, burglaries and robberies, from 2014 compared to 2013, according to the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office. Burglaries in the county were reduced to 380 incidents reported, significantly down from the 609 cases in 2013. Overall there were 1,976 Part I crimes in 2014 compared to the 2,467 of similar crimes that were reported in 2013. In the city, the Conyers Police Department saw a similar but slightly less dramatic drop in Part I crimes, about 14 percent, from 2013 to 2014. The city saw burglaries down from 163 to 115 and overall down from 1156 in 2013 to 986 in 2014. Yet in an informal man on the street survey of local residents and shoppers found most didn’t believe local crime had gone down and had a number of reasons why. A Covington man who was shopping in Rockdale said, “I wouldn’t believe it. They’re opening up more Sheriff’s department (precincts) so crime went up. They had to justify opening up more Sheriff’s department (precincts).” A Conyers mother with a daughter in middle school said, “I believe it’s going up. When you look at TV, you see a lot of killing. Everywhere you look there’s killing.” She added, after hearing the numbers, “You know for a fact that when they do those scale rates of up and down they never really tell the public the truth anyway because they don’t really want to scare anybody. Me honestly, I

WHY?

think it’s getting better, but I think we can do better.” One Conyers man who’s lived in Rockdale for 14 years said he thought it might be going down. “Maybe down. I haven’t heard as many horrible type crimes maybe as I did last year.” A Conyers young man said, upon hearing the reported rates, “Numbers are numbers. A lot of crimes are not caught.”

Are the numbers real? There are some people who think the RCSO may be underreporting the number of crimes. RCSO Chief Deputy Scott Freeman said that this just isn’t true. “I can assure you we are not cooking the books when it comes to (Uniform Crime Reporting),” he said. “We take great strides to make sure that’s done correctly.” All crimes entered in to system go through an audit process with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and state law enforcement officials. Conyers Police Chief Gene Wilson said if anything, the Conyers Police Department adheres to the stricter UCR standards than the state standards. “We’re audited by the (Georgia Crime Information Center). Of all the things they audited last year, they found one thing that they didn’t like,” said Wilson. “When the feds or state does an audit of how we are classifying our crimes we always pass,” Freeman said, for the RCSO. “There is oversight into how we report those crimes. There’s a checks and balance system there.” Perception vs. actual crime

Chief Deputy Freeman gives two reasons as to why the public may have a sense that there’s more crime happening around them. The first reason is that crime rates have been on the rise for a number of years prior to 2013, the year the RCSO Sheriff Eric Levett took office. Although the rate has lowered over the last five years, crime rates today compared to the 1990s is significantly higher, said Freeman. “I remember ten years ago when

we had a carjacking or armed robbery, people were like, ‘We have that crime here in Conyers, Rockdale?’ It has changed considerably,” said Freeman. “The crime rates from when I started working the streets of Conyers are nowhere the same. It is considerable higher than what it was when I started in the early 90s. “It used to be people were surprised that there were carjackings and home invasions. Those were the types of calls that were far and few between. It’s not so common that we have it every single day, but when you have those incidents, in the age of social media, that can spread very quickly.” Wilson said many are holding on to a view of law enforcement’s role from another era. “You’ve got a lot of people who want to see it like it was years back, and only reason for law enforcement was to get a cat out of a tree. Those days are gone,” said Wilson. So, for people who have been living in the area for ten or more years, they may have seen Rockdale take a turn for the worst in terms of crime and still apply those facts to today. “When things start to change it takes a little bit of time for that message to go out,” said Freeman. “I think as law enforcement we’re really challenged in really overcoming a lot of obstacles.”

Broadcast Media One of those obstacles is the stories and images the local television media broadcasts to Rockdale residents. “When you turn on the television, you hear robbery, murder, people lured for car-jacking. It’s almost like people expect it,” said Wilson. He added that it’s the same in any city that has local television news. The majority of the stories are about murders, shootings and other violent crimes, said Freeman, so it’s natural that people apply those types of crimes to this area. “It’s the consistent barrage of what’s on the (TV) news at night. It’s human nature to apply that to

See Page 9

2014 vs. 2013

(Rockdale Sheriff’s Office)

Robberies (27 in 2014 vs. 39 in 2013) Aggravated Assault (100 in 2014 vs. 159 in 2013) Burglaries (380 in 2014 vs. 609 in 2013) Larceny thefts (1,320 in 2014 vs. 1,485 in 2013) Motor Vehicle Thefts (134 in 2014 vs. 165 in 2013) (Conyers Police Department)

Robberies (26 in 2014 vs. 34 in 2013) Aggravated Assault* (74 in 2014 vs. 58 in 2013) Burglaries (115 in 2014 vs. 163 in 2013) Larceny thefts (719 in 2014 vs. 833 in 2013) Motor Vehicle Thefts (41 in 2014 vs. 52 in 2013)

The News

Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015 • 9

Bringing down crime in the city and county

Perception

Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office

(top) The Rockdale County Sheriff Eric Levett credited the Patrol, Investigative and Jail deputies on the front lines of law enforcement as key in bringing the crime rate down. Pictured, left to right: Front row - K9 Harley, Deputy Jeff Peek, Detention Deputy Candice Murphy, Sergeant Dexter Harris, Lieutenant James Cabe, Chief Deputy Scott Freeman, Sheriff Eric J. Levett, Civilian Miranda Johnson, Civilian Connie Ponder, Detention Deputy Mayara Torres, Deputy Tiffany Castillo. Back row - Major Mike Kenlein, Captain John Mumfurd, Captain Nikie Weathersby, Captain Duane Day Captain Sonya Cordero, and Captain Christ Traylor. Photo by Michelle Kim

From PAGE 8

Conyers Police Chief Gene Wilson praised the sharp eye and quick response of officers and detectives in apprehending criminals and preventing crime in the city this past year. Pictured, left to right: Conyers Police Chief Gene Wilson, Captain Derek Parker – Administrative Services Bureau, Major Mike Waters, Captain Jack Dunn – Field Services Bureau. Photo by Darrell Everidge

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where ever you may be living,” he said. “We’re not in denial that those crimes are here. The intensity is a lot less than when you get into the (DeKalb County) and the (city of Atlanta) and some of the other counties, but you still have that bleed over of perception and it’s difficult to overcome.” Mark Warr, professor of Sociology at Unversity of Texas at Austin, has made studying this perception gap his life’s work and notes this is not a new phenomenon. “When we ask Americans in surveys where they get most of their information about crime, the overwhelming answer they give are the mass media, particularly television. What is the single most prevalent topic of network dramas, televised movies, and local news coverage? Crime.” But news coverage is greater on things that are unusual or rare. “The rarer crimes tend to be violent crimes which are the most newsworthy – but the public is presented with what I call a mirror-image or upside-down view of the world: what is truly rare is common on television, and what is truly common (in life) is rare (on television).” Our brains often fall back on a shortcut to estimate how frequent or likely something is with how easily we can recall it, Ware explained. “So if you ask me how common suicide is in my city and I can remember three news stories from just the last week, then I infer that it’s pretty common. Since crime is such a common news topic, people have little problem recalling numerous incidents of it. In an article for the National Institute of Justice, Warr wrote, “What is seriously lacking in news reporting, and might be of greatest benefit to the public, is information about the risk of criminal victimization relative to other aversive or benchmark life events. To illustrate, what is the probability that I will be robbed this year compared with the chances that I will be involved in a serious automobile collision, eat contaminated food in a restaurant, contract an infectious disease at work or school, or suffer a heart attack?”

See “Perceptions,” Part 2 of 2 in the Feb. 14 edition

The News

10 • Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015

Community Calendar Please note the Calendar deadline for Saturday’s paper is noon Thursday. Email events to news@ rockdalenews.com.

Saturday, Feb. 7 5th Annual RCA 5K 10:30 a.m. 1 mile; 11 a.m. 5K; at Rockdale Career Academy, 1064 Culpepper Dr; abentley@rockdale. k12.ga.us

Peachtree Academy Open House 10am - noon, Feb. 7, March 14; Pre-Kindergarten -12th grade; information and tour of the school, including visits to the classrooms to meet teachers.

Go Red for Women Fashion Show 2 p.m.; at Mall at Stonecrest; Chi Tau Omega Chapter of AKA Sorority Inc.; free Fashion Show for awareness about heart disease in women; youth and adult models; www.chitauomega.com

Monday, Feb. 9 Salem UMC Blood Drive 1:30 - 7:15 p.m.; Salem United Methodist Church, 3962 Salem Rd., Red Cross Blood Drive; David Bennett, 770-388-7236.

Affordable Healthcare registration 6-8 p.m.; Macedonia Baptist Church, 1052 Barton St; bring social security numbers, 2013 tax income forms, current health insurance policy numbers, healthcare.gov forms; registration deadline Feb. 15; Sponsored by Rep. Tonya Anderson; 770362-0123

obituaries

Doreen Williams, Rep. Pamela Stephenson, Conyers Mayor Randy Mills

RCHS Black History Show 7 p.m.; Rockdale County High Autidtorium, RCHS Black History Show, “Same Problem, Different Time”; free

Thursday, Feb. 12 Nehemiah food pantry 9:30-11:30 am.; Nehemiah Empowerment Group Ministries, Inc., 1005 Hardin St.; food pantry and clothes ministry open Thursdays; anthonysmith105@gmail.com.

Prime Timers 10:30 a.m.; Ebenezer Baptist Student Warehouse, 2533 Stanton Rd; meeting (age 50+) guest speaker former county atty. John Nix; 770922-8447

Saturday, Feb. 14 Friends of Library Book Sale 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m., Feb. 14, Nancy Guinn Library, 864 Green St.; used book sale; 770-388-5040.

Spread the Love Community Breakfast at Macedonia

9-11 a.m., Feb. 14; Macedonia Baptist Church, 1052 Barton St; serving breakfast for those at extended stay hotelsand homeless in the community

Bald Rock Baptist Women’s Day Celebration 10 a.m. Feb. 14 Brunch; 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Feb. 15 service; Bald Rock Baptist Church, 2284 Old Covington Rd; Women Ministry Annual Women’s Day Celebration. 770-9293421.

EMACW Writing Workshop 1-5 p.m.; at GPTC Newton Campus, Bldg. D, 8100 Bob Williams Parkway, Covington; workshop by David Darracott; 404-444-7514 or 770-784-0079

Valentine’s Dinner Family Promise fundraiser 6 p.m.; Conyers First United Methodist Church; 921 North Main ST NW; “Love to Laff” Valentine’s Dinner featuring author Darrell Huckaby; $40 per couple; jsprague396@gmail.com

Valentine’s Day Wagon Rides 1 p.m.; Hard Labor Creek State Park, Rutledge; wagon ride begins at beach; register in advance; $5 plus $5 parking; 706-557-3001.

Feb. 10, 6-8:30 p.m., Rockdale Career Academy, 1064 Culpepper Dr; Rep. Dee Dawkins-Haigler, panelists Sen. Ronald Ramsey, Commissioner

Lt. Col. Fred Lamar Covington, 79, passed away on Jan. 31. Lt. Col. Covington was a 20-year veteran of the United States Air Covington Force, serving as a Senior Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO) and Systems’ Management Engineer. During his military career he served in the Vietnam War from 1972 to 1973, where he completed 43 combat missions in the F-105 Wild Weasel for a total of 128 combat flight hours. Fred Covington was born on April 23, 1935 in Ariton, Ala. to John Dixon and Ethel Covington. Upon his graduation from Auburn University, in 1958, he was commissioned into the United States’ Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant, at Lackland Air Force Base, Tx., his first duty station. He married Dotti Covington in Montgomery, Ala. in 1958. A natural mathematician, scientist, and engineer he worked for 18 years as a science teacher in the Henry County School System after his military retirement. Since 1978 he was an active member at Rockdale

Baptist Church where he served as a deacon, Sunday school teacher, and Bold Mission Builders volunteer. Fred Covington was a life-long follower of Jesus Christ, a distinguished and decorated military officer, and a devoted and loving husband, father, and grandfather. He is survived by his wife Dotti; daughter Amy; son Tim and daughter-in-law Jessica; son Tom and daughter-in-law Holly; son Andrew and daughter-in-law Mollie; seven grandchildren - Stephen, Rebekah, Drew, Townes, Joshua, Emma Grace, Emilie. He is also survived by his sister Sara Nell Young and his brother Robert Covington. He is preceded in death by his mother Ethel Covington, father John Dixon and brother James Covington. A celebration of life will take place at Rockdale Baptist Church, Conyers, today, Feb. 7, 11 a.m., with visitation 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. The service will be officiated by the Rev. Tom Covington and the Rev. Andrew Covington. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to The National Parkinson’s Foundation, PO Box 5018, Hagerstown, Md. 21741 or Ga. Humane Society, 981 Howell Mill Rd NW, Atlanta, Ga. 30318.

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The News

Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015 • 11

School Spotlight

Conyers Middle School Web: portal.rockdale.k12.ga.us/schools/cms, Facebook: www.facebook.com/Conyers MS, Twitter: @ConyersMiddle

from the Principal’s Desk

Parents Matter Conyers Middle School continues to focus on our core business of teaching, learning and on the Success for All. As part of that “all” we want our parents to experience excellence in our partnership in the development of our students. The month of February is well noted for “Love.” It is no secret that at CMS, we love our students. Likewise, we love our parents and community members! As we seek to enhance the dayto-day operations of our school, we do so with our students and our parents, as the heartbeat of our work. It is no surprise to anyone that research overwhelmingly states that children experience greater depths of success when schools and families work together. Additionally, Allison there is overwhelming research that that as children matriculate Barbour reveals from elementary to middle to high Principal, school, the parental involvement CMS begins to decrease. We are intentional about our desire to reverse that status quo. We invite and embrace the presence, participation, and purpose of our parents as meaningful contributors to student success. On many occasions, our teachers and staff can be seen conferencing with parents, sending technology reminders, using social media to connect with families, having coffee and candid conversations, and most excitedly, sponsoring parent trainings. Through our Tuesdays Lunch and Learn opportunities, we have begun teaching parents some common core standards and strategies that they can use to help their children at home. Additionally, through our Technology Tuesdays, we offer parents the opportunity to come and learn technology skills. Our Title 1 parent workshops are aimed at informing parents with academic strategies to support learning at home. Our mentor program allows parents and community members to connect with young people and be another voice in the village that supports students. As we persist in being transparent, we host opportunities for parents to come and shadow their children so that they can view school through the lens of a student and as evidenced on our “Educator for a Day” event, parents came and served as the teacher allowing them to see through the eyes of the teacher. Every opportunity to award and recognize students is an opportunity to reward and recognize parents. Our State of the School address yielded us such an opportunity as we recognized students in grades 6-8 for defying the norms and maintaining excellence in their attendance, academics, and behavior; this was certainly accomplished through the collective support of both our parents and teachers. Parents Matter and the power is in the village. The stronger the village, the better the victory. Please feel free to come by and visit CMS. In response to your ESPLOST support, you will soon be able to tour our new parent reception area, renovated auditorium, and can visit our new aerospace engineering classrooms. We are excited about the upcoming Aeronautics Engineering program and will have more on that soon. We will see you soon.

Undefeated Lady Bulldogs

Submitted photo/The News

The CMS girls’ basketball team is undefeated this year, with a record of 14-0! The New Rock League Tournament is at CMS this year and began this past Wednesday. The top four teams will advance to the play-offs that started at 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 6 and continue Saturday, Feb. 7. Admission is $5 for students, $6 for adults.

Regional Science Fair Showing

CMS PTA Corner

Hawks Nights

Submitted photo/The News

Four students from CMS were awarded ribbons in the Rockdale Regional Science Fair. Even though these students did not advance to the state level, their efforts should be applauded. (Pictured left to right) Nicole Gore Third Place Animal Science, Erika Perfecto Third Place Plant Science, Helena Scheaffer Third Place Animal Science, Jaxon Cowles Second Place Mathematics.

Mardi Gras Dance, Feb. 12 The CMS PTA will host a Mardi Gras Dance on Thursday, Feb. 12, 4 p.m. 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 and will be on sale during lunch periods Wednesday, Feb. 11

and Thursday, February 12. Permission slips have been sent home with students and must be signed by parents to stay for the dance.

The Atlanta Hawks have partnered with Conyers Middle School to offer Hawks Nights! Come out to watch the Atlanta Hawks take on the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, March 22, for our first event. Ticket prices start at $21, and are available to the first 30 people. Ticket order forms are on the CMS website – which can be printed off and turned in to CMS PTA by Feb. 13 – or purchased online with a credit card through the CMS website by clicking on the Atlanta Hawks.pdf. Our second Hawks Night is Saturday, April 4, against the Brooklyn Nets. Tickets are $25. Deadline to turn in money or order tickets online is March 6. Contact CMS PTA with any questions, conyersmiddleschoolpta@gmail.com

Sports

Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015 Page 12 rockdalenews.com

Rockdale County represents on Signing Day

Michelle Kim/The News

Rockdale County enjoyed a solid season and reaped the benefits on National Signing Day, sending seven players to college. Left to right: Keijne Thomas - Safety- Delta State University, TJ Warren - Corner Back- University of Missouri, Malik Dawkins - Corner - Air Force Academy, Venson Elder - Head Coach, Blake Davis - Offensive Line - Air Force Academy, Devon Williams - Running Back - Notre Dame College of Ohio, Sean Mer - Corner Back - Bethel University, Mike Murray - Hutchinson College of Kansas

Darrell Everidge/The News

Signing Day is usually reserved for football players transitioning from high school to college, but Heritage held a signing day for all of its 2015 signees. 10 athletes signed on to attend college. Daniel Foster – Savannah State (football), Kenan Johnson – Dean JC (football), Josh Smith – Tusculum (football), Roemello Armstrong – Tusculum (football), Jamal Odom – Arkansas Pine-Bluff (football), Haley Elliott – Georgia Military College (soccer), Jonelle Bailey – Oxford College of Emory (soccer), Andre Deas – University of Central Florida (soccer), Brianna Dafney - South Carolina State (volleyball), Damali Thomas – Huntingdon College (basketball).

See rockdalenews.com for Salem Signing Day Video

The News

Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015 • 13

2014-2015 basketball power rankings By Shakeem Holloway

sholloway@rockdalenews.com

Rivalry game after rivalry game, fans take to social media, the local barbershops and pretty much any place where you can strike up a normal conversation to discuss which school/team is the best. Between the two counties there are six high schools, all vying for bragging rights. We decided to end the talk and put it on paper (actually computer, because technology, but you get it). Every team has pretty much ended its regular season and region tournaments are set to begin next week. The following list has been compiled based on regular season wins, regions wins, wins against teams in Newton/Rockdale and the eye test (i.e. how good teams look when you watch them play).

Boy’s basketball

RCHS - This pick was probably one of the easier picks of the list. The Bulldogs beat Newton twice, Heritage twice, Salem in the only game they played and they beat Alcovy twice. Coupled with that is the fact that Rockdale has been dominant in Region 2-AAAAAA with its only two region losses coming against Tucker. Rockdale finished its season 19-6 (8-2 Region 2-AAAAAA) and will likely play Newton next Friday if the Rams beat Alcovy on Tuesday. The Bulldogs, under head coach Tyrone King, are led by Connor Ferrell, Jalen Jordan and Dwayne Brown, three of our picks for first team all-area.

Heritage/Newton - The distinction between picking which team was No. 2 and which team was No. 3 was a difficult decision. Nevertheless it came down to which team had more quality wins, which put Newton and Heritage in a tie for second place. Newton finished its season with a 19-6 (5-5 Region 2-AAAAAA) record overall with big wins over Cedar Shoals, Lovejoy and Clarke Central. Heritage, on the other hand, finished with less regular season wins at 16-8 (they have one game left against Salem, which is likely a win) but the Patriots boasted an 8-3 region record including wins over Tri-Cit-

ies, Cedar Shoals and Tucker. Both teams have had really good seasons and they even split the season series with each other, making it harder to pick one for a solid No. 2. They’re also pretty stocked with talented players like Jordan Thomas, Makyle Wilkerson and Isaiah Banks for Heritage. Then you’ve got D.J. Hill, Jaquan Sims and Darvin Jones for Newton. It’ll be interesting to see where these two teams end up in the playoffs, as they’re both capable of making deep runs.

Eastside - Eastside (14-10, 9-7 Region 4-AAAA) has enjoyed great success as of late. The Eagles have won seven of their last eight games including a 67-56 win over Walnut Grove, one of the best teams in the region. Eastside head coach Gregory Freeman, with future star sophomore guard Isaiah Miller has his team spreading the wealth on offense and playing stifling defense. The Eagles have had a streaky season, but they’re ranked here because of their region success and the recent roll the team has been on.

Salem - Both Eastside and Salem have been inconsistent this season, but Salem has a losing record overall and in region play (10-13, 5-7 Region 8-AAAAA). It’s crazy because Salem probably has more talent than a lot of these teams, especially with Austin Samuel (18 points per game, seven rebounds per game), but they just haven’t been able to put it together. Salem lost every game to Heritage, Rockdale and Newton, but managed to beat Alcovy twice with ease.

Alcovy - They haven’t won a game yet. In all fairness, Tigers’ head coach Duane Kelley tries his hardest to bring the best out of his players, but this just isn’t their year.

Girl’s basketball

Salem - Last year this team went to the elite eight in the state playoffs and at the beginning of the season they didn’t look like a team that could replicate its success, but now they do. Salem stands strong with a 16-8 (8-4 Re-

gion 8-AAAAA) record and they’ve beaten Alcovy and Newton twice, Rockdale in the only matchup, but, peculiarly, they lost to a Heritage team that had just two wins at the time. Still, led by head coach Rochone Dilligard, Salem has the most dangerous one-two punch in the county and on this list with Shay Tarver at guard and Ayanna Mitchell at forward. Salem makes its money on defense, getting rebounds and easy baskets. They’ll be hard to stop in the region tournament and in the state playoffs.

Newton - Twice, Newton came close to beating the No. 1 team on this list, but they came up short each time. However, the Lady Rams are a young and dangerous team. They have a 17-8 record overall and they’re 7-3 Region 2-AAAAAA, which is good for second place in the region. Newton split its season series against defending state champion Tucker this season, and they’re the biggest threat to beat them in the region tournament. The Lady Rams have been bitten by the injury bug and haven’t been completely healthy the entire season, but they look to get back one of their starters in guard Jurnee Smith, who will make a huge difference down the stretch. Smith will play next to the second deadliest one-two punch on this list in sophomore Imani Broadnax and freshman Alexcia Chatman. Other than inexperience, there is nothing standing in the way of Newton winning the region again and possibly making noise in the playoffs.

Alcovy - Although being ranked No. 3 may seem like this team isn’t as good as the top two, and that’s true to a fault, but the Lady Tigers are really close to being better than both. After losing to Salem by 28 points in the first game of the season, Alcovy came back and played them hard the second game losing by just four. The Lady Tigers also split the season series with Newton, winning at home. Tierra Hodges leads the team in scoring and rebounding, as she averages 18 points, 10 rebounds and two steals per game. The Lady Tigers are third in the region and have a legitimate chance to beat both Newton and Tucker if things go their way.

See Rankings, Page 14