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Community
People Stone Mountain councilman returns from deployment in time for the holidays Page 5
Ellis’ retrial set for June 1 Page 3
SERVING DEKALB, FULTON, GWINNETT, HENRY AND ROCKDALE COUNTIES
VOLUME 20 NUMBER 37
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Small fry flock to Stonecrest Library for carols, holiday stories Page 7
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DECEMBER 13, 2014
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Rep. Johnson introducing Grand Jury Reform Act WASHINGTON, D.C. – Responding to calls that the nation’s grand jury system is broken when police are investigated for the killing of civilians, Congressman Hank Johnson, who represents Georgia’s Fourth District, says he plans to introduce the “Grand Jury Reform Act” in January. House Judiciary
Committee Ranking Member John Conyers is a cosponsor of the bill. Johnson said he is disturbed that twice in the last month, the nation has seen a grand jury fail to indict a police officer even though “ample evidence suggests those officers used excessive force.”
Johnson recently gave a speech on the House Floor lamenting the deaths of the unarmed Michael Brown, who was shot by a Ferguson, MO police officer, and Eric Garner, who died as a result of a chokehold by a Staten Island, NY police office. Garner said 11 times “I can’t breathe,” as the officer
and four other officers held him down. The two men’s deaths sparked protests and national debates about police using excessive force against citizens. “The protesters demand an end to what is perceived as unequal justice, and that See Reform Act, page 8
Congressman Hank Johnson
Hundreds flock to Krispy Kreme’s grand opening in South DeKalb
Photos by Glenn L. Morgan /OCG News
K Cheerleaders from Southwest DeKalb High School helped cut the ribbon during the grand opening.
Valerie J. Morgan
rispy Kreme doughnuts on Wesley Chapel Road in Decatur held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its grand opening on Dec. 9 and the one-of-a-kind, melt-in-your mouth doughnuts were all the rage. More than 300 people were in line before the store opened at 6 a.m., officials said. “We have had an outpouring of
support. It was a really good opening. We are thrilled,” said Amanda Clark, marketing director for Krispy Kreme. Clark said Keyana Vance was the first person through the doors and because she was the first, she won a prize entitling her to a free box of doughnuts every week for a year. “She was determined to be the first one through the doors. She was in line on See Krispy Kreme, page 6
Acuity Brands Lighting deal moves forward in Rockdale Hundreds of jobs on the way By Joshua Smith
After nearly five months of negotiating an incentives package for Acuity Brands Lighting’s proposed expansion, Rockdale County officials say the company now has the green light to move forward. The deal stalled after Acuity learned in August that it did not officially have the approval from the Rockdale County Development Authority for property tax abatements the company planned to use to expand, including bringing 500 jobs to Rockdale and 200 jobs to DeKalb County over the next five years. Under the deal, the company also planned to remodel its 167,000 square-foot building in DeKalb County and 125,000-square-foot plant in Rockdale. Acuity, which manufacturers lights and light fixtures, expects to begin operations
sometime in January. The Rockdale County Development Authority approved the deal on Dec. 2 at a vote of 3 –2. The county is providing Acuity with a 100 percent property tax exemption for five years. The county also is providing a 50 percent discount on county permitting fees, up to $100,000, along with a dedicated county liaison to expedite plan development, application renewal and permitting.
Development Authority board members Gerald Rakestraw, Rick Simons, John Hurt, Ed Cowan, and Mike Sullivan voted in favor of the incentives, while Gerald Rakestraw, Rick Simons, John Hurt, Ed Cowan opposed, saying the tax breaks would set a bad precedent. School tax abatement was not included as part of the incentives package. See Jobs, page 8