ELECTION
the News GUIDE
A quick overview of this year’s local candidates
Nov. 1, 2014
Volume 6, Issue 30
75 cents
rockdalenews.com
Serving Rockdale County and Conyers
SPOOKY TIME IN OLDE TOWN Basketball
Families hit the streets for Olde Town Fall Festival and Halloween
is back
Salem boys and girls basketball tip off season
Page 13
Onyx Book Club celebrates 20 years
By Michelle Kim
mkim@rockdalenews.com
Former Rockdale County Probate Court worker Freya Pearson, through her attorney Michael Waldrop, has applied to for an arrest warrant for Probate Court Judge Charles K. Mays Sr. for theft of services felony regarding the approximately $20,000 of backpay she alleges is due for work on setting up a mental health or veteran’s accountability court. The application for the warrant was submitted to Rockdale County Clerk of Court’s office around 3 p.m. Monday. The application was for Rockdale County Superior Court to decide on whether to issue the warrant. A letter asking for the recusal of Superior Court Judge David Irwin and Judge Robert Mumford was also submitted by Waldrop and Pearson. Waldrop said there had been no response from Mays by Friday, the deadline he had listed in a letter sent to Judge Mays Oct. 15, and no response was received See JUDGE, Page 14
By Bryan Fazio
Standoff ends peacefully
news@rockdalenews.com
Page 2 Follow us @rockdalenews
Warrant sought for probate judge arrest
Ebola concerns keep 200 out of school
Page 4
Like us at facebook.com/ rockdalenews
Page 7
Main photo: Halloween contest Kids winner Kaison Joyner, 8, as Tonto; (counterclockwise from top) Emma Honea, 6, as miss-pac-man; Parker Honea, 2, as pac man ghost; (L-R) Reid Booker 8 academy award winner, Chris Ramos 5 - dinosaur, Liz Ramos 2 - princess, Jalisa Smith 5 - lion, Shanna Taylor 7 - horse. For Halloween night photos, visit rockdalenews.com photos by Michelle Kim /The News
A day after Newton County School System released information that a Newton High School teacher was in contact with someone traveling form Sierra Leone, the school’s absentee rate doubled Wednesday. According to NCSS Director of Public Relations Sheri Davis-Viniard, 213 students were absent from NHS, or about 10 percent of the school’s enrollment of 2,142 students. The high school typically has a 5-6 percent absentee rate, Viniard said. All absences from NHS Wednesday were excused. Thursday, Newton
See ebola, Page 14