Author: On Common Ground News

During the month of March, City of Atlanta residents will have a chance to let MARTA officials know their vision for expanded bus and transit services during citywide MORE MARTA Listening Sessions. On select dates from March 7 through March 28, attendees can participate in the scheduled MORE MARTA meetings—an interactive listening session that provides residents with an opportunity to share ideas on the Authority’s future expansion and service enhancement projects fueled by the recently passed half-penny tax referendum. Below are the scheduled MORE MARTA Listening Sessions: Tuesday, March 7 Rosel Fann Recreation Center 365 Cleveland Ave., SE Atlanta, Ga.…

Early voting for the special election in the new city of Stonecrest is off to a slow start with only 57 people casting votes in the first three days, elections officials say. DeKalb County Elections Director Maxine Daniels said there are 33,000 eligible voters in the new city, however, she is not expecting a big turnout even by March 21, Election Day, since this is only a municipal election. “Typically, we expect a 5 percent turnout. So, we’re looking at about 1,500 voters expected altogether,” Daniels said. “Hopefully, it will pick up.” Meanwhile, community groups are working to get out…

There are three candidates running for Stonecrest mayor and 17 candidates running for five City Council seats. Here are the candidates: Mayor   City Council, Post 1 (Term will expire Dec. 2017)   City Council, Post 2 (Term will expire Dec. 2019) …

The Concerned Citizens of Stonecrest is hosting an Election Focus Study and mock election on Wednesday, March 8, 6 p.m., at the Stonecrest Library, 3123 Klondike Road, Lithonia. Organizers say the event is not a debate or meet-and-greet with the candidates but rather an opportunity for Stonecrest residents to express their perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes on a number of topics of concern. A moderator will ask the audience to share their views on public safety and education, parks and recreation, code enforcement, economic development and other topics as they relate to the new city. The audience will also participate…

Atlanta   Daffodil Day at Oakland Cemetery  In partnership with the Georgia Daffodil Society, Historic Oakland Foundation presents the third annual Daffodil Day, a celebration of spring’s ubiquitous bloom, on Saturday, March 11, 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Oakland Cemetery, 248 Oakland Ave, SE, Atlanta. Enjoy a day in Oakland’s Victorian gardens with guided walks, garden presentations, a cut flower display, dialogue with local daffodil and gardens experts, a plant sale, book signing, children’s activities, and more. Daffodil Day is free and open to the public. Proceeds from Daffodil Day’s plant sale and related activities benefit Historic Oakland Foundation’s gardens…

A food drive hosted by several DeKalb County officials collected nearly 3.5 tons of food, a “ton” more than previous years. “The level of participation in this year’s canned food drive was incredible and the community really stepped up to help tackle food insecurity in DeKalb. I’m pleased to report our collaborative efforts collected enough food for 5855 meals,” said DeKalb Commissioner Kathie Gannon. Gannon kicked off the month-long food drive in January, partnering with District Attorney Sherry Boston, Solicitor Donna Coleman-Stribling, Superior Court Clerk Debra DeBerry, Tax Commissioner Irvin Johnson, State Court Clerk Melanie Wilson, as well as, DeKalb’s senior…

The DeKalb History Center will present its next Lunch and Learn on Tuesday, March 21, noon to 1 p.m., 101 E. Court Square, Decatur (second floor, Superior Courtroom). The center will celebrate its 70th anniversary that day by sharing the history of the organization itself. Learn about DHC’s 70 years of growth from a small local historical society that started with 23 members to become the largest repository of DeKalb County history with archival and collections facilities, programs, and exhibits striving to reflect the full cultural history of the county. DeKalb has transitioned from an agricultural economy based around farms,…

The DeKalb County Sanitation Division will host a biannual household hazardous waste recycling event on Saturday, March 25, 8 a.m. – noon, at the Sanitation Division’s Central Transfer Station, 3720 Leroy Scott Drive, Decatur. The event, sponsored by the DeKalb County Sanitation Division in partnership with MXI Environmental Services LLC, offers event participants an opportunity to properly dispose of dangerous household chemicals that are no longer in use. Hazardous materials such as aerosols, batteries, adhesives, flammables, lawn care products, fluorescent light bulbs, photo chemicals, artist supplies, paint and paint-related products will be accepted. Items such as agricultural waste, ammunition, pharmaceuticals,…

All three Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) high schools – Heritage, Rockdale County and Salem – were named 2017 Advanced Placement (AP) Honor Schools by State School Superintendent Richard Woods, a distinction the schools have achieved for more than seven consecutive years. “Advanced Placement coursework provides the highest level of rigor in addition to the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school,” said RCPS Superintendent Richard Autry. “I am proud of our teachers, students and administrators for consistently achieving this recognition over many years, demonstrating their commitment to academic excellence in all of our high schools. In addition…

Fifteen of 18 schools within Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) made the list of Georgia schools that “beat the odds” in 2016.  These schools performed better than statistically expected on the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI). The CCRPI is Georgia’s accountability system that measures schools and school districts on a 100-point scale, based on multiple measures. The Georgia Department of Education’s “Beating the Odds” analysis predicts a range within which a school’s CCRPI score is statistically expected to fall given the school’s size, grade cluster, student mobility, and student demographics (including race/ethnicity, disability, English learners, and poverty). If…