National Night Out on Riverside Parkway

The first of two National Night Out events took place Sunday at the Parkview Apartments on Riverside Parkway. The event was organized by the We Thrive in Riverside Renters Association.

Riverside Parkway National Night Out

Monica Delancy, founder and executive director of We Thrive in Riverside, wrote in an email prior to the event, “The Riverside community (Six Flags area) has 15 apartment complexes in an area that borders I-20, Six Flags Amusement park, Mableton Parkway, Riverside Parkway, South Gordon Road. Renters occupy the majority of the houses in the area as well. The Pebblebrook High School feeder pattern has 25 apartment complexes that are zoned for attending Pebblebrook High school. The event on Sunday will provide an opportunity for neighbors to connect, reconnect and build relationships with the police department.”

Residents wait for the signup table to open (photo by Larry Felton Johnson)

The well-attended event featured quite a few attractions for the children, including a video game truck and a bounce house. Police and firefighters were on hand and the firefighters brought a fire truck and handed out helmets for the children.

Police Chief Michael Register mingled with the crowd, and other public officials were there as well, including Cobb County District 4 Commissioner Lisa Cupid, and Austell city council member Valerie Anderson, of the Post 2 at-large seat.

Cobb County Police Chief Michael Register speaks while event organizer Monica Delancy looks on (photo by Larry Felton Johnson)

Cobb County District 4 Commissioner Lisa Cupid at National Night Out on Riverside Parkway (photo by Larry Felton Johnson)

The Cobb County GOP showed up as well, including three long-shot candidates whose districts include heavily Democratic South Cobb. The candidates were Michael Callahan, challenging David Scott for the U.S. Congressional District 13, Travis Klavohn running against Horacena Tate in state senate district 38, and James Morrow, challenging Democrat Erica Thomas in state house district 38.

David Callahan, GOP candidate for Georgia’s 13th U.S. congressional district (photo by Larry Felton Johnson)

A voter registration drive was conducted, with volunteers circulating through the crowd with applications.

Cadesha Pearson-Edwards, an immigration attorney was on hand to give free legal help to immigrants wishing to apply for U.S. citizenship. She said she would like to do the events on a weekly basis, but does them at least monthly.

“Oftentimes at these events, a lot of people have had their permanent resident card, also known as a green card, for even decades. I’ve met people who’ve had it for 29 years, 33 years, and the fear, along with the money, gets in their way. The USCIS [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services] which is the immigration office for citizenship applications allows for fee waivers so that the $725 fee for applications can be waived. But there’s still an attorney fee. And the average attorney fee is a thousand dollars. So at these events, I’m able to help people for free so that the cost of the attorney fee is no longer in their way and they can submit their citizenship application.”