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LOCAL
THE CHAMPION, THURSDAY, JANUARY 10 - 16, 2019 • Page 7
COUNTY
Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson takes the oath of office ceremony at the Porter Sanford III
Performing Arts & Community Center Jan. 4.
Cochran-Johnson begins term as DeKalb commissioner
DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond offers commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson congratulations
during an oath of office ceremony.
BY HORACE HOLLOMAN
horace@dekalbchamp.com
It was a who’s who of
local and state officials for the
oath of office ceremony for
Lorraine Cochran-Johnson
at the Porter Sanford III
Performing Arts & Community
Center Jan. 4.
During the ceremony
Cochran-Johnson thanked
her family, friends and
supporters. Cochran-Johnson
defeated incumbent Gregory
Adams in a runoff election
in July, running on a platform
of supporting economic
development, schools,
increasing property values and
supporting public safety.
“Oftentimes when you’re
the longshot, people will
choose comfort over what may
be good and true,” Cochran-
Johnson said. “Today, we stop
that here in DeKalb. Today we
will call things as they are.”
Cochran-Johnson, who will
represent Super District 7 on
the board of commissioners,
named G. Leah Davis as her
chief of staff and Johnathan
Phillips as constituent liaison.
Cochran-Johnson has
more than a decade of
experience in print media,
mass communications and
management. According to
her website, she is also a
“seasoned grant writer.”
During her speech
following her oath of office
ceremony, Cochran-Johnson
said it’s important for DeKalb
County officials to work
together for the betterment of
the county.
“DeKalb has come a
long way but let there be no
misunderstanding that we
are a diamond in the rough,”
Cochran-Johnson said. “I ask
each of you to understand the
issues and stay woke.”
As commissioner of
District 7, Cochran-Johnson
will represent approximately
350,000 residents located
in Doraville, Tucker, Stone
Mountain, Lithonia, Pine Lake
and unincorporated areas of
DeKalb County.
DeKalb County CEO
Michael Thurmond
congratulated Cochran-
Johnson during the ceremony.
“I come on behalf of our
county, the governing authority
and our 750,000 residents
we offer our congratulations
and to share with you
how proud we are of your
accomplishment,” Thurmond
said. “We look forward to
your service, vision and
determination. I’m excited
for you and thank you for
your commitment to public
service.”
Judge Penny Brown
Reynolds delivered the
keynote speech for the
ceremony. Reynolds said she
was a mentor to Cochran-
Johnson and was proud to see
her become DeKalb’s newest
commissioner.
“People are tired because
it’s been years of making
promises and years of not
[keeping] your promises
because you get in office
and do what you want to do
because that’s why you ran
for office in the first place,”
Reynolds said. “In reference
to Commissioner Cochran-
Johnson, she's here to bring
change.”
Motorist dies in crash involving K-9 unit
BY CARLA PARKER
carla@dekalbchamp.com
A driver was killed Jan. 4
after crashing a vehicle into
a DeKalb County Sheriff’s
Office K-9 squad car.
According to DeKalb
County Police Department
spokesperson Sgt. J.D.
Spencer, a DeKalb County
Sheriff’s Office deputy was in
his county issued K-9 Chevy
Tahoe traveling eastbound
on Covington Highway near
Cragstone Court around 9:45
a.m. when another driver
traveling in the opposite
direction lost control of his
vehicle and struck the deputy
head on.
“The deputy sustained
injuries and was transported
to a local hospital in serious
but stable condition,” Spencer
said. “The other driver was
pronounced deceased at the
scene.”
Spencer said the dog, Tomi,
was transported to the local
veterinarian in good condition.
DeKalb County Sheriffs
Office said Jan. 7 on Twitter
that Tomi was released from
the veterinarian. The sheriff’s
office identified the deputy as
22-year veteran Phillip Snow.
Spencer said the
investigation is ongoing.
DEKALB COUNTY
SHERIFF'S HEADQUARTERS
SHERIFF JEFFREY L. Mi;
■W15 MEMORIAL DRIVF
DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Phillip Snow and his K-9 partner Tomi were
injured in a fatal crash Jan. 4. Photo from the sheriff’s office Twitter page
