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VOLUME 25, NUMBER 46
FEBRUARY 14, 2020
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DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond to deliver 2020 State of the County Addresses
Councilmember Rob Turner confers with Councilmember Jazzmin Cobble during the Feb. 10 special called meeting. Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News
Judicial hearing to determine if Stonecrest Councilmember Cobble must forfeit her seat after too many absences
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tonecrest City officials have filed a declaratory judgment action to ask a superior court judge to decide whether Councilmember Jazzmin Cobble must vacate her seat because she missed too many City Council meetings last year, based on the city’s charter. Four members of the City Council staged a protest and walked out of the City Council meeting on Feb. 10 after a motion failed to excuse Cobble’s absences retroactively. Due to the walkout, there was not a quorum to decide on several key issues including a vote on the bond deal through which the city would borrow the money needed to purchase the Sears building and the Sam’s building. Cobble’s attendance came under scrutiny after citizens Saira Willingham and Michelle Emmanuel requested the 2019 attendance records for all City Council members. The requests from Willingham and Emmanuel were made on Jan. 20, according to emails obtained by On Common Ground News through Georgia’s open records laws. Cobble, who represents District 3, was the youngest person elected to the city council at the time of her election in March 2017. Under the city's charter, Section 2.03 (a) states that a council person forfeits his or her office by “failing to attend one-third of the
regular meetings of the council in a three-month period without being excused by the council.” Cobble missed City Council meetings on Sept. 23 and Oct. 14, according to city records. Cobble told On Common Ground News the absences were work related, but declined to discuss the matter further stating that her attorney would provide comment on her behalf at a later time. After discovering that Cobble missed the allotted number of meetings, City Clerk Megan Reid said City Attorney Winston Denmark contacted Cobble by phone on Feb. 6 to notify her that she had missed two of six scheduled city council meetings during a threemonth period in 2019, resulting into a forfeiture of her seat, according to the city charter. Reid said on the same day, she, Attorney Tom Kurrie and Mayor Jason Lary met with the other four council members in pairs to discuss the matter. They held a 6:30 a.m. breakfast meeting with Councilmembers Tammy Grimes and Rob Turner at the I-HOP restaurant in Stonecrest. They met with Councilmembers Jimmy Clanton and George Turner at 11 a.m. at City Hall. That afternoon, Councilmember George Turner requested a special called meeting to be held on Feb. 10 at 4:30 p.m. to vote the matters, listing two agenda items: “Excused
absences” and “Withdrawal of lawsuit in the name of the city,” according to an email obtained by On Common Ground News. Councilmember George Turner stated in the email that he had the support of Councilmembers Rob Turner and Tammy Grimes to hold the special called meeting. According to the city’s charter, Sec. 2.09.(e), “Special meetings of the city council may be held on the call of either the mayor and one councilmember or three councilmembers.” An intense debate took place at the special called meeting. The council deadlocked 2-2 on Councilmember Rob Turner's motion to retroactively excuse Cobble for the absences. Councilmember George Turner supported the motion. Mayor Lary and Councilmember Clanton voted against excusing the absences. Grimes was not allowed to vote because she had not been elected and therefore could not retroactively excuse a councilmember’s absence and Cobble was the subject of the vote and therefore disqualified, city officials said in a statement. Councilmember Rob Turner said during the special called meeting that although the council did not formally approve Cobble’s absences, he believed that the notifications from Cobble to the city clerk were sufficient “for an excused absence.” Cobble
SEE HEARING page 11
DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond will give his outlook for 2020 during two State of the County addresses in March. Business leaders and other community partners are invited to a State of the County address to be delivered during a luncheon on Wednesday, March 18, 11:30 a.m. to 1 CEO Michael Thurmond p.m., at the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, 2000 Airport Road, Chamblee. The ticketed business luncheon is hosted by the Council for Quality Growth and DeKalb Chamber of Commerce. Registration is required. To register for the luncheon, visit www.councilforqualitygrowth.org. Thurmond will deliver an evening State of the County Address to the community on Thursday, March 19, 7 p.m., at the Lou Walker Senior Center, 2538 Panola Road, Stonecrest. The evening State of the County event is free and open to the public. For more information about the evening State of the County event, contact Nichole Simms at jnsimms@ dekalbcountga.gov or 404-371-2552.
DeKalb Commissioner Larry Johnson welcomes Lidl grocery store to Memorial Drive DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson recently met with the partners of Lidl grocery store to welcome them to District 3. “We are in need of a grocery store that offers affordable fresh food in this community,” Commissioner Johnson said. “Change is inevitable and I am glad to be a part of this positive Larry Johnson change to offer the highest quality of produce and service to constituents of District 3.” On Feb. 4, the Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the zoning plans for the 29,000-square-foot store to be built in the Parkview Station Shopping Center on Memorial Drive, near the Kirkwood and East Lake communities. Lidl will break ground in the spring and be ready to open spring of 2021, Johnson said. Johnson said he has received a commitment from Lidl to partner with him to hold a job fair to hire community residents ahead of the opening. “We cannot bring in new economic development and then not offer jobs to the community,” Johnson said. “Everyone deserves an opportunity to be a part of the progressive growth.”
SEE LIDL page 11
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DeKalb Police seize $3.5 million worth of cocaine The DeKalb County HIDTA Unit seized 32 kilograms of cocaine worth an estimated street value of $3.5 million on Monday during a sting, “Operation Keep On Trucking.” The unit worked a package interdiction operation in the area of Moreland Avenue and Interstate 285. The HIDTA Unit, along with DeKalb Police K9 teams, walked through the dock area and sniffed packages and freight. During the open-air sniff, DeKalb K9 Argo was alerted to the odor of a controlled substance on a pallet of cardboard boxes. K9 Argo continued to check more freight and discovered another pallet with the odor of narcotics in it. Search warrants were obtained and 20 kilograms of cocaine were discovered in the first box and 12 kilograms of cocaine were in the second package. DeKalb Police spokesperson Michaela Vincent said no further details were available and the investigation is continuing.
DeKalb Sheriff’s Office makes third arrest in Ellenwood murder The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit has made a third arrest in connection with armed robbery and murder of an elderly man who was shot at a gas station in Ellenwood. Decatur resident Tyler Rhashad Anderson, 24, had been sought on warrants for felony murder and armed robbery in the shooting death of Jesse Turner on Panthersville Road in Ellenwood on Oct. 7, 2019. Two other suspects, Charlie Lee Geddis and Antonio Jermaine Crowley, both 22, were arrested earlier. The Sheriff’s Office worked with the U.S. Marshals on the case. Investigators took Anderson into custody at an apartment complex off Waldrop Cove in Decatur without incident and transported him to the DeKalb County Jail.
Tyler Anderson
Charlie Geddis
Antonio Crowley
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PUBLISHER Glenn L. Morgan
FEBRUARY 14, 2020 • PAGE 3
Rockdale County government restoring computer network after cyber attack
gmorgan1@ocgnews.com
EDITOR Valerie J. Morgan
editor@ocgnews.com
ADVERTISING MANAGER Richard S. Hill
richardhill@ocgnews.com
STAFF WRITER Mackenzie N. Morgan
mackenzie@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 770-679-5607 www.ocgnews.com
Ransomware paralyzes water bill payments Rockdale County government is continuing to work on restoring its computer network after a cyber attack on Feb. 7, officials said. At On Common Ground News press deadline on Feb. 13, several steps were still being taken to scour any viruses on the computer network and get the government systems that were paralyzed back up and running. The laborious work, under Rockdale Director of Technology Al Yelverton, could continue into the week of Feb. 17, County spokesman Jorge Diez said. All of the county’s computers, including the Rockdale Sheriff’s Office, 911 emergency services
L-R: Rockdale Director of Technology Al Yelverton and BOC Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Sr. Photo by Glenn L. Morgan/OCG News
and court systems, share the same computer system, Diez said. Diez also said that as of Feb. 13, the county remained unable to process water bill payments. He said the public would be notified via social media and through news outlets
SEE NETWORK page 11
DeKalb House Delegation to host town hall meeting Cityhood movement’s impact on DeKalb to be discussed
Members of the DeKalb County House Legislative Delegation will host a town hall meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 18, 6:30 – 8 p.m., at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. The meeting will include a presentation from Ted
DeKalb Police awarded $20,000 traffic enforcement grant The Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) has announced that the DeKalb County Police Department has received a $19,975 Metro Atlanta Traffic Enforcement Network (MATEN) grant for 2020. The DeKalb County Police Department is the lead agency for MATEN, one of 16 Traffic Enforcement Networks statewide that coordinate law enforcement strategies and education efforts to increase highway safety. Traffic Enforcement Network grants are used by specialized traffic enforcement units in counties throughout the state. The program, designed to assist jurisdictions with the highest rates of traffic crashes, injuries and fatalities, awards grants based on impaired driving and speeding data. The grant allows Traffic Enforcement Networks to address traffic safety issues that cross jurisdictional lines such as occupant safety, speeding and impaired driving, etc. As law enforcement partners in the “Operation Zero Tolerance DUI” and “Click It or Ticket” seatbelt campaigns, the DeKalb County Police Department also will conduct mobilizations throughout the year in coordination with GOHS’s year-round waves of high visibility patrols, multijurisdictional road checks and sobriety checkpoints. For more information about the MATEN program or any other GOHS campaign, visit www.gahighwaysafety.org or call 404-656-6996.
CITY OF STONECREST BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, PUBLIC HEARING: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH 2019 AT 6:00 P.M. STONECREST CITY HALL, 3120 STONECREST BLVD LITHONIA, GA 30038 The following Variance Petition located within the City of Stonecrest is scheduled for a Public Hearing as stated above. LAND USE PETITION: PETITIONER: LOCATION: CURRENT ZONING: PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT:
once those operations are restored. He said customers would not be charged late fees during the grace period. “If your water bill is due now, you don’t have to worry about it for now— being disconnected or charged late fees,” Diez
said. Rockdale County Magistrate Court Judge Phinia Aten posted on Facebook that all new and existing case filings may be timely submitted. However, docketing and e-filing acceptance in Odyssey, she said, would be delayed until the network is fully restored. Judge Aten said for more information, the Magistrate Court may be reached at 770-278-7800. Rockdale County officials held a news conference on Feb. 10 to notify the public of the most recent cyber attack. An attack on the government’s computer network also was made in May 2017. County officials said
V-19-020 Variable Steel c/o Jesse Tilman 2183 S. Stone Moutain Lithonia Road M (Light Industrial) District To reduce front and side yard setback for the construction of attached awning.
Baggett of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government on the analysis of fiscal impact on DeKalb County from potential incorporation. For more information, contact Cheryl Jackson at 404656-0109 or cheryl.jackson@house.ga.gov.
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Volunteers needed for DeKalb Juvenile Court Judicial Citizens Panel Have you been searching for a great volunteer opportunity? Would you like to make an impact in your community? DeKalb County’s Juvenile Court Judicial Citizen Panel Review is seeking volunteers to advocate for children of the community. Participation in the panel program benefits not only children and families, but volunteers also gain useful experience and take pride in knowing that they have helped improve the life of a child. Training/orientation for new volunteers will be held on March 19 and 20, 9 .a. to 5 p.m., at the DeKalb County Juvenile Court, 4309 Memorial Drive, Decatur. Attendance is required on both days. Potential volunteers must complete an application, background and reference check prior to attending the upcoming training. Please call or email: Olivia Rudder-Wilson at 404-294-2738 or oawilson@dekalbcountyga. gov Panya Dixon at 404-294-2251 or pmdixon@dekalbcountyga.gov
DeKalb to hold Washington Park community meeting The DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs will hold a community meeting to review upcoming park improvements for Washington Park. The meeting will be held on Saturday, Feb. 29, 10 a.m., at 2830 Arborcrest Drive, Decatur. Information will be provided on current park improvements and recreation projects. For more information, contact LaShanda Davis, Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs public relations specialist, at 404-371-3643 or lsdavis@ dekalbcountyga.gov.
Arbor Day at Arabia Nature Preserve set
Oz Nesbitt, Sr. to host “Coffee with the Chairman” Rockdale County Board of Commissioners Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Sr. will host “Coffee with the Chairman” on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 8 to 10 a.m., at Starbucks Coffee House, 1515 Hwy 138 SE, Conyers. Rockdale residents are encouraged to come out and dialogue with the chairman, share concerns and get updates on critical issues.
BOC Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Sr.
Rockdale Emergency Relief sets fundraiser pancake supper Rockdale Emergency Relief is hosting a pancake supper on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at Ebenezer United Methodist Church, 2533 Stanton Road SE, Conyers. The fundraiser will benefit people in need facing hunger, homelessness and other types of economic insecurity. The organization is seeking in-kind donations from local businesses to be given away during a raffle at the event. For more information, call 770-922-0165 or visit www. rockdaleemergencyrelief.org.
Student volunteer opportunities at Piedmont Rockdale Hospital Piedmont Rockdale Hospital is accepting applications for both its spring and summer volunteer program. The deadline to apply is Feb. 20. The program will expose students to the healthcare profession and grant them behind-the-scenes experience before entering college. Students will get the opportunity to volunteer in a variety of capacities and the ability to interact with patients, guests and hospital staff. Students must be 16 years of age by May 26 and are eligible through the summer after high school graduation. For more information or to apply, contact Laura Hale Sistrunk, at 770-918-3078 or email Laura.Sistrunk@Piedmont.org.
Join Ranger Robby for Georgia Arbor Day on Friday, Feb. 21, 4 to 5:30 p.m., at the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Center, 3787 Klondike Road, Stonecrest. Learn more about tree planting and witness the installation of new fruit trees in a historic grove of trees at the Preserve. Receive information and hands-on instruction on site selection, preparing the site, planting, and care. Tools and gloves will be provided. Attendees are advised to dress in long pants, closed-toe shoes, and to bring plenty of water and snacks. Register online (Subject: Arbor Day) by emailing ArabiaRanger@gmail. com.
Arabia Mountain offers public close glimpse of wildlife Celebrate National Wildlife Day on Saturday, Feb. 22, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Center, 3787 Klondike Rd., Stonecrest. Join guest wildlife educators Sadie Waters and Morgan White for a brief educational presentation on local wildlife. This will be followed by a hike to identify animals or evidence of animals within the mixed hardwood forest and rock outcrop habitats. End the day with the AWARE Wildlife Tour at 1 p.m. to cap off a truly wild day at Arabia Mountain. Register online (Subject: Wildlife) by emailing ArabiaRanger@gmail. com.
Hillcrest Church of Christ
1939 Snapfinger Rd, Decatur, Ga 30035 | hillcrestcoc.net WORSHIP SERVICE TIMES: Sunday Mornings 10am to 12pm Sunday Evenings 5pm to 6pm
BIBLE CLASSES: Sunday Mornings 9am to 9:45am Wednesday Nights 7pm to 8pm Thursday mornings 10 am to 11am
"You are invite to attend our Worship Service dressed in African Attire with a Soul Food Luncheon afterward on February 23rd”
Proceeds benefit the children’s programs of The Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence, DeKalb’s comprehensive resource for survivors of domestic violence and their families.
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FEBRUARY 14, 2020 • PAGE 5
CULINARY HISTORIAN:
How African-Americans influenced Atlanta’s dining culture
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he DeKalb History Center’s February Lunch & Learn will be presented by culinary historian Akila Sankar McConnell on Tuesday, Feb. 25, noon to 1 p.m., at the Historic DeKalb Courthouse(2nd floor), `01 E. Court Square, Decatur. For nearly 100 years, the singlebiggest industry in Atlanta was the food industry, and African Americans played a huge role in defining what was sold, eaten, and cooked in this city. Join McConnell to learn how food entrepreneurism propelled the
rise of Atlanta's black middle class and contributed to the success of the Civil Rights Movement. Learn about early black food entrepreneurs including James Tate, Myra Miller and Robert Webster, and more recent successes such as the Paschal brothers and Lucy Jackson of Atlanta’s Busy Bee Cafe. McConnell will discuss the impact that Southern foods such as fried chicken and hoecakes have had on stereotyping and bias in Atlanta's history. Admission to the Lunch & Lear is free. Bring your lunch.
Saint Philip A.M.E. to host “The Songs of Our Souls” Negro Spiritual Concert The Rev. William D. Watley, Ph.D., senior pastor, and the Music and Worship Arts Department at Saint Philip A.M.E. Church, 240 Candler Road, SE/Atlanta, will present its 4th Annual Black History Month Negro Spiritual Concert on Sunday, Feb. 23, 5 p.m. in the sanctuary.
This free concert will feature Negro spirituals hosted by Saint Philip's Choir #1 and includes the following invited choirs: Berean Seventh Day Adventist Church Inspirational Voices; Cascade United Methodist Church’s Chancel Choir; Greenforest Community Baptist Church Choir; North Decatur Presbyterian Church Choir; Ray
of Hope Christian Church’s Voices of Hope; and special guest, Dutchtown High School’s Concert Choir. The eight choirs will combine voices for a concert finale under the direction of guest conductor, Kay Pace.
Debra DeBerry
Clerk of Superior Court DeKalb County
Angela Davis and Toni Morrison March 28, 1974. - Jill Krementz
"A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and Morrison very much not ourselves - a special kind of double.” - Toni (1931 – 2019)
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CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY DeKalb Judge Clarence F. Seeliger donates $30K to support historic legal organizations By Mackenzie N. Morgan Staff Writer
T
hree organizations will benefit from a $30K donation made by DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Clarence F. Seeliger. The recipients include the DeKalb Lawyers Association, which provides scholarships to AfricanAmerican students attending law school; the DeKalb Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, which provides legal training and counsel services for the indigent and victims of domestic violence; and Atlanta Legal Aid, which has provided legal counsel to the indigent for nearly 100 years. “What better way to honor Black History Month than to invest in the dreams of others. Judge Seeliger’s generous contributions have established a legacy of hope, humility and service that we all should follow. I am proud to be one of the original founders of DLA and to see the growth and impact it has made through the years,” said Mereda Davis Johnson, whose law firm is based in DeKalb and who
Superior Court Judge Clarence F. Seeliger
also serves as DeKalb County’s District 5 Commissioner. She is the wife of Georgia Congressman Hank Johnson. Seeliger has contributed a total of $90K to the three organizations over the last several years. Seeliger said that it is the moral duty of those in leadership roles to
Phinia Aten
assist their future successors, as well as ensure that those who are most vulnerable within our society have access to legal services. In a letter to Commissioner Davis Johnson, Seeliger applauded the efforts of the three legal organizations. “It is money well spent. These organizations are the conscience of our profession. The practice of law is often under attack, but it is, after all a profession, not only to make a living, but to provide service to their community. With these three organizations, that service is being provided,” said Seeliger. Seeliger said that he fully supports the work each organization does and that he is thankful for their contributions to the legal profession and community at large. “I thank all of those who work at the Legal Aid Society, and those who volunteer through the DeKalb Volunteer Lawyers Foundation and the members of the DeKalb Lawyer’s Association. Thank you for your service to our community and to our profession,” said Seeliger.
DeKalb Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson to host Black History program Feb. 20 DeKalb County Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson will host the District 5 Black History Program on Thursday, Feb. Commissioner 20, 7 p.m., at the DeKalb Mereda Davis-Johnson Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. This one-woman, one-act monologue entitled “Interrupted Motherhood” is a passionate and engaging story drawn from personal experiences and specifically written to overcome obstacles in motherhood and celebrate life. “This event is free and open to the public,” Davis Johnson said. “We welcome everyone to come out and experience this dynamic program.” Groups of 10 or more should contact Commissioner Davis Johnson’s office at 404-371-2159 to reserve group seating. For more information, visit: www. commissionermeredajohnson.com.
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CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY SoulVision.TV launches Feb. 14, sharing positive human stories to audiences worldwide Soulidifly Productions, a company founded in 2017 with a mission to produce uplifting stories that are entertaining and beautifully told, has created SoulVision.TV https://soulvision.tv/, a new digital streaming network with an emphasis on authentic and positive human stories. Launching on Valentine's Day – Friday, Feb. 14 – with more than 200 hours of content, SoulVision. TV will be accessible from all leading streaming platforms – Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire – and on all mobile platforms, tablets and other devices including smart TVs and home computers. "We live in a 500-channel world, and all too often it's the same thing: Crime TV. Drama TV. Violence TV. Traditional TV has become so stressful," said BK Fulton, founding CEO of Soulidifly Productions and Chairman of SoulVision.TV. "We decided to create something different. SoulVision.TV is a place to find positive, often untold, human stories accessible to anyone on the planet." SoulVision.TV will offer
long-form and short-form content including feature films and movies, TV shows, news, interviews, cartoons and more. Stories of fame, heroism, love, exploration and excellence align with Soulidifly's mission to tell positive, uplifting
The Office of DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston
commemorates
stories of multiethnic and multigenerational people across various life experiences and eras. The content will include: • Eat.Sip.Social - an original cooking show hosted by Celebrity Chef J. Ponder
• The Story of Ed - a film series about a pastor's fight with ALS • Being 98 - authentic program about an elderly friend helping another to get back something she has lost • Biorhythms - biographical talk show • Small Biz Chat - series featuring small business advice • The Walkers - cartoon about a family dealing with life and health care issues • Jammed - a short about a shooter turned faithful • Movies, documentaries and recorded interviews • Partnerships with film festivals to bring new content • Tim Reid archive including shows “Legacy of a People” Tim Reid, vice chairman of SoulVision.TV, says that he "is excited about bringing this new positive and fresh programming to the world." Audiences worldwide will be able to click into SoulVision.TV for the first time on Feb. 14.
A salute to
Black History Month
Honoring Trailblazers Past and Present ENGAGE. PROTECT. RESTORE.
“Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service….” - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Probate Judge Clarence Cuthpert Jr.
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FEBRUARY 14, 2020 • PAGE 9
CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY
L-R: Dr. Jamal Bryant presents award to “Living Legend” Andrew Young. Photos provided
New Birth honors icon Andrew Young during Black History Month
Andrew Young, former Atlanta Mayor and United States Ambassador to the United Nations, was honored as a “Living Legend” at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church on Feb. 9. Dr. Jamal Bryant honored the 87-year-old civil rights leader as part of the church’s Black History Month
celebration. Young, who worked as a leader in the Civil Rights Movement and executive director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, served as a United States congressman and later, the 55th Mayor of Atlanta. Noted for his role in drafting the Civil Rights
Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, Young now works on a number of national and global initiatives through Good Works International. In addition to Young, New Birth has honored Civil rights leader and Trumpet Foundation creator Xernona Clayton. Clayton, 89, was
the former aide to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and organizer for many key initiatives of the Civil Rights Movement and the SCLC. Clayton was honored on Feb. 2 New Birth will pay tribute to Congressman John Lewis on Feb. 16. Lewis is not expected to attend due to illness.
Commissioner Steve Bradshaw, District 4 srbradhsaw@dekalbcountyga.gov l 404-371-4749
In observance of Black History month, let us commit ourselves to remembering the important events and significant contributions made by Black people that advanced America to be the world’s best place to live.
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Stonecrest restaurateur Angela Zimmerman passes away Stonecrest resident and business owner Angela Zimmerman, owner of Chicken, Wings & Waffles, passed away on Feb. 11 at DeKalb Medical at Hillandale. City of Stonecrest officials who had frequented Zimmerman’s restaurant at 6768 Browns Mill Road had few details about her death. Stonecrest Communications Director Adrion Bell said he and other city officials were shocked and saddened by her sudden passing. “Angela suffered from a heart condition and we believe this is what caused her death at around 10:30 today (Feb. 11). Last September, Mayor Jason Lary, Councilman Jimmy Clanton and several city staffers celebrated with Angela at the grand opening of her restaurant, Chicken, Wings, and Waffles…,” Bell said in a post on the city’s Facebook page. Bell said Zimmerman was a good friend who had an “infectious laugh.” He said she cared about her community and Stonecrest, and as a business pioneer, invested in the city of Stonecrest. “Angela poured her life into her dream business but late last year, doctors told her that the stress of her new venture could be life-threatening. Angela took a short medical leave in December and was making plans to sell the business. Yet in the meantime, no one could manage the shop with the love that Angela possessed, so she went back to work part-time last month and
Angela Zimmerman
was back serving her turkey burgers, chicken wings, waffles and more,” Bell said in the post. Mayor Jason Lary said Zimmerman would be missed. The city held a grand opening for her restaurant on Sept. 30, 2019 and featured Chicken, Wings & Waffles on the city’s website as a “Stonecrest News Brief.” Bell said the city did not have any information regarding funeral arrangements but would share the information once provided.
Keep Conyers Rockdale Beautiful seeking creative students for PSA contest Keep Conyers Rockdale Beautiful is hosting the “Our Town” Public Service Announcement(PSA) Contest for 8-12 grade students in Rockdale County. To enter the contest, students can create a 30 to 60-second PSA encouraging youths to recycle and to have an overall appreciation of their town. The video and audio must be clear and in focus and have proper lighting. Students must credit the information used in the video. The video needs to be filmed in a minimum of 1920 x 1080. Entries must include original content. No copy written material is permitted. The video cannot have any cursing, lewd acts or inappropriate gestures. Credits must be listed at the end of the video. The topics must include one of the following: Sustainability Litter prevention Recycling Students must be a Rockdale County resident and the video must be shot in Rockdale. Students should submit on YouTube using #ourtown2020 #yourfirstname and #school in the description box. Send link from YouTube to felicia.glover@ rockdalecountyga.gov. A copy must also be sent to the student’s parents as well. Prizes include: • 1st place BOC recognition, 12 months airing of video on Rockdale Channel 23, $100 school supply book voucher and social media post • 2nd place BOC recognition, 6 months airing of video on Rockdale Channel 23, $50 school supply/ book voucher and social media post • 3rd place BOC recognition, 3 months airing of video on Rockdale Channel 23 $25 school supply/book voucher and social media post For more information, email: Felicia.Glover@ RockdaleCountyGA.Gov or call at 770-278-7059.
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FEBRUARY 14, 2020 • PAGE 11
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Johnson said he is grateful that the Lidl chose to open a store in his district. Lidl began in Germany in 1973 and operates 10,800 stores in 32 countries. Mary Reed, who has been a member of the Parkview Civic Association for more than 50 years, said she also welcomes the grocery store. “I am excited about the new development of the Lidl grocery store,” Reed said. “This will give our residents easy access to the store so we can purchase quality foods without leaving our community.”
notified the city clerk by email concerning both of her absences. The emails stated that Cobble would not be able to attend because of work, Reid said. City Attorney Winston Denmark said, however, Cobble needed to have council’s approval for the absences to be excused and that did not happen. He said the council could not legally retroactively excuse Cobble for the absences, even if there is some ambiguity in the charter. “Regrettably, the charter does not expand on being excused by the council. It doesn’t say without being first excused by the council nor does it say that the council can, after the fact, excuse an absence. If it is the case that the charter causes a forfeiture in office upon missing a third of the meetings, or, under some set of circumstances, that forfeiture would occur by operation of law,” Denmark said. “It is my opinion that once the office has been forfeited, the council could not retroactively go back and excuse the absences.” The mayor said that notifying the city clerk of an absence does not constitute an excused absence. “The council must have taken action. Someone would have to make a motion to excuse the absences and then a vote would have to occur. This didn’t happen and therefore the absences are unexcused,” Mayor Lary said during the special called meeting. In protest, George Turner, Rob Turner, Tammy Grimes and Cobble walked out of the regular council meeting following the special called meeting and work session. Shortly after the regular council meeting began at 7 p.m., the four left the dais one by one, bewildering the audience who had arrived for the meeting. Clanton and Mayor Lary continued the council meeting, although they were only able to make special presentations because there was not a quorum to vote on city business. Following the presentations, he discussed what led to the walkout. He said a precedent for how the council must vote to excuse an absence had been set when he announced in September 2018 that he was battling prostate cancer and asked the council’s permission to be absent. “The only person that would excuse me was Councilman Jimmy Clanton. I got emails like ‘Well, should we pay him? How long does it take before he’s out of office? It was nothing with regard to what my plight was or what my wife’s plight is at this point,” said Lary. Lary said he continued attending the City Council meetings because he could not get the council’s approval to be excused. “Their action to ignore my request certifies
NETWORK continued from page 3 they immediately contacted the Georgia Technology Authority, GBI, Homeland Security and other federal agencies about the recent attack. “Rockdale County is in a very critical state with the ransom ware attack… We don’t take these ransom ware attacks lightly at all. This is a major interruption to the productivity of Rockdale County and all hands are on deck,” Rockdale Board of Commissioners Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Sr. said. “We’re doing everything we can to mitigate the problem.” Nesbitt said that the attack has not impacted public safety, including the county’s 911 emergency system. “Public safety is No. 1 and it is completely under control,” Nesbitt said. He said the public is still able to call 911. The county went into an emergency mode on Feb. 7 after a county employee opened an infected e-mail attachment. The county’s quick intervention prevented a complete shutdown of key operations, officials said. Officials said the biggest impact has been on the county’s inability to process water bill payments. The county has 28,000 water customers. Officials said that customers’ personal information, including credit cards used for payments, was not compromised during the attack. Nesbitt said the county had dealt with one other cyber attack before the Feb. 7 event. In May 2017, county operations were completely shutdown about a week and a half as a result of the infiltration from an outside source, Nesbitt said. Nesbitt said that luckily, that attack happened during a holiday weekend and the county was able to mitigate the problem. Typically, hackers demand a ransom when crippling computer networks. No ransom was paid in 2017 and no ransom has been demanded or paid in the most recent attack, officials said. “At this juncture, there’s been no request for payment,… As it stands now, everybody that we have spoken to said there is less than a 50 percent chance that if we were to pay, we would get a satisfactory result,” said Yelverton, who came aboard as Rockdale’s director of technology in December 2017 after the county’s first cyber attack. Meanwhile, the county is stepping up its training and education for county employees concerning e-mails. Nesbitt said he wants to make sure that employees do not unknowingly open emails that appear to be official county business or other sources that may not be legitimate. “Oftentimes, these attacks occur with very innocent-looking postures but there’s often a link associated with these e-mails and an employee without knowing can easily click on that link and really create a world of problems for our operations here in Rockdale County,” Nesbitt said. Rockdale joins several municipalities affected by the rising number of ransom ware attacks including most recently, the cities of Dunwoody and Atlanta.
that each councilmember, including Cobble, was aware that there had to be action taken by council to excuse any absences,” Lary said. Lary and Rob Turner missed one council meeting in 2019, according to the city clerk’s records. Clanton and George Turner had perfect attendance, along with Diane Adoma, up until she resigned last year in an unsuccessful bid for
“How do you not let a person off for cancer? It doesn’t matter that it’s Jason Lary or not. How do you not vote for that?...”
TAXES
- Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary
the office of mayor. Lary said in addition to the council meetings, Cobble also missed special called meetings during the same period last year. The two special called meetings were: Oct. 3 and Oct. 23, according to city records. Lary said he found it hard to believe that the council wanted to retro-actively excuse Cobble’s absences because of her full-time occupation. “How do you not let a person off for cancer? It doesn’t matter that it’s Jason Lary or not. How do you not vote for that? How do you not do that when the person that is ill is asking to be excused? And then you turn around and somebody else is busy and they can’t fulfill their obligation to the electorate while still being paid by the city? And you’re going to retroactively vote for them to be absent? How fair is that? Lary said. Clanton said he voted against excusing Cobble’s absence because voting for it would have meant changing the charter without proper protocol. “We cannot on the fly change the charter to suit ourselves and our self-interests,” Clanton told the public during the City Council meeting. The city council meetings are held twice a month. A work session is held before each council meeting. Stonecrest city council members earn $15,000 a year, receiving about $1,250 gross per month. The mayor receives $20,000 ($1,666.67 per month).
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