Author: On Common Ground News

Rockdale County Clerk of Courts Ruth A. Wilson, in collaboration with the Georgia Superior Court Clerks Cooperative Authority, will offer free Notary Public training for individuals who are already notaries and those interested in becoming a notary. The training will address basic notary procedures and legal guidelines for fulfilling the duties of a Notary Public in the State of Georgia. The training will be held on Wednesday, May 3, 1 to 2:30 p.m., at the JP Carr Community Center, 981 Taylor St., Conyers. This special afternoon session is being offered to accommodate those who are unable to attend during evening…

State Rep. Pam Dickerson and Sen. Tonya Anderson will host a post-legislative town hall on the 2017 Legislative session on Thursday, May 4, 6 to 8 p.m., at the Historic Courthouse, 124 Clark St., Covington. The public is encouraged to attend.

The Rockdale County branch of the NAACP recently honored Attorney Gary Washington with the “Jean Williams Community Service Award” in recognition of his community service. The award, named to in recognition of the branch’s first president, is the highest honor the organization bestows upon a person. Washington regularly conducts workshops to help make young people and the public at large aware of what to do when encountering law enforcement officials. He presents the workshops, “Act like a Student,Think like a Cop—Know Your Rights” and “What to do When Encountering Law Enforcement” to civic organizations, churches, high schools and colleges. Tommy…

C.J. Hicks Elementary in Conyers is celebrating Law Day with several activities for its students. Law Day in the U.S. is celebrated on May 1 every year to help citizens appreciate their liberties and cultivate respect for the law, vital to our democratic society. Students will enjoy the day by participating in a mock trial, art exhibit and competition, Poetry Power Slam and sidewalk drawings and guest speakers.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office says the murder warrant that led to the arrest Tuesday of 22-year-old Jaleel Nathanael Dix of Lithonia was subsequently dismissed and authorities have since arrested 23 year-old Javian Bernard Nesby of Decatur for the April 12, 2017 shooting death of Jordon Morris. Based on information received at the time of the incident, the DeKalb County Police Department issued a warrant on April 20, 2017 for the arrest of Dix.  Following the arrest by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Fugitive Squad on April 25, DeKalb Police homicide detectives conducted interviews, which led to another individual, Javian Bernard…

Georgia Piedmont Technical College’s Licensed Practical Nursing program has been ranked #1 in the state by www.practicalnursing.org, a website dedicated to providing substantive information to prospective students who are considering a career in nursing. GPTC’s practical nursing program achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nursing (NCLEX-PN) from 2012 through 2015, which was practical nursing org’s evaluation period. “I congratulate the students who passed the NCLEX-PN exam and the four full-time faculty members who shepherded them through the curriculum and testing,” said GPTC President Jabari Simama. “Their success is our success.”…

The Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) announced today that it has partnered with Uber to provide discounts on trips that connect to Xpress Park-and-Ride lots throughout metro Atlanta.  Under the promotion, Uber will offer a 50% discount on any uberPOOL fare that begins or ends at an Xpress Park-and-Ride during morning and afternoon commuting hours.  The promotion will run through May 31, 2017. “We are excited to partner with Uber to offer this benefit to our Xpress customers and to make transit an even easier option for metro Atlanta commuters who are looking for alternatives to driving,” said Executive…

The Chick-fil-A at 2985 Turner Hill Road in Stonecrest held a ribbon cutting ceremony on April 20 to showcase renovations the restaurant has made to enhance overall customer service. Newly-elected officials of the city of Stonecrest and other community stakeholders helped perform the ribbon cutting ceremony. Miller Grove High School’s band performed during the morning celebration, which included free samples of food for customers and the Chick-fil-A cow greeting those in attendance. “We are fulfilling a commitment to re-investment in the community,” said Sam West, who became owner and operator of the store on Oct. 1, 2016. “We stripped everything…

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners during a special executive session on April 18 voted 5-2 to pay the legal defense costs of former DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis. The reimbursement is permitted under state law when a government official is found not guilty or charges are overturned. The board approved $755,942.95 to cover Ellis’ legal fees through two separate trials and his appeal before the Georgia Supreme Court. The high court overturned Ellis’ convictions in November 2016, saying he didn’t get a fair trial. District Attorney Sherry Boston, who was sworn into office in January 2017, dismissed charges of attempted…

Voters in the newly-formed city of Stonecrest have decided who will lead their first government. They elected Rob Turner, District 2; George Turner, Jr., District 4, and Diane Daniels Adoma, District 5 in the April 18 special election runoffs, wrapping up elections in the city. The two Turners elected to the five-member Stonecrest City Council are not related. In one of the most hotly-contested and nationally publicized races in the special election, Mary-Pat Hector, a 19-year-old Spelman College sophomore, narrowly lost her challenge to George Turner, a retired MARTA executive. Hector received 845 votes. Turner received 867. In February, Turner…