Author: On Common Ground News

DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond will deliver an evening State of the County Address to citizens and community stakeholders on Tuesday, April 4, 7 p.m., at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center, located at 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. for the event. “I am eager to recap my first 90 days in office with the community and share the upcoming initiatives for the remainder of the year,” Thurmond said. “This is truly an exciting time for the county.” DCTV will live stream the CEO’s speech on www.dekalbcountyga.gov.

CONYERS–The Rockdale Youth Football Association (RYFA) will kick off the start of its 2017 flag football and cheerleading season with a spirit-filled draft on Saturday, March 25, 11 a.m., at the Earl O’Neal Sports Complex, 2709 Covington Highway, Conyers. During the draft, all coaches will select their team members from an extensive roster.  The first game of the season will be held Saturday, April 8, and end with a season tournament Saturday,  May 13.  All games will be played at the Earl O’Neal Sports complex. RYFA’s coed flag football and cheerleading program is a member of the NFL…

DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs is accepting applications for numerous seasonal summer employment opportunities such as summer food monitors, camp counselors, recreation assistants and bus drivers until March 27. Applicants must be 18 or older unless applying for lifeguard or pool manager positions. Lifeguards and pool managers are required to be 16 or older. Proof of current certification from American Red Cross or other nationally recognized aquatic training programs is required for all aquatic positions.  All applicants selected will be required to successfully complete a drug and alcohol screening and criminal background check prior to employment. To view…

Jason Lary awoke this morning, on his birthday, with the best present ever: He is the first mayor of the new city of Stonecrest. Lary, who turned 55 today, galloped to victory in a three-way race on Tuesday night, defeating Charles Hill and Doug Favors. Lary is hosting his first meeting as mayor of the city today at the Stonecrest Library, 6 p.m., with Leadership DeKalb’s membership recruitment open house. Those who want to join the organization are invited to attend. “I’m going to do everything that I possibly can in the city of Stonecrest,” said Lary, who…

Stonecrest mayoral candidate Charles Hill held a news conference on Monday and stated that he does not have any mental health issues. His doctor confirmed that he has no such medical issues. Hill held the press conference in response to a postcard that residents in the city received on Saturday suggesting that he is bipolar and unfit to hold public office. The postcard pictured Charles Hill and a naked man (U.S. military veteran, Anthony Hill, who was bipolar and was shot and killed by a DeKalb police officer). Anthony Hill has nothing to do with the elections under way…

Quickly coordinate e-business applications through revolutionary catalysts for change. Seamlessly underwhelm optimal testing procedures processes.

Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area officials, DeKalb County commissioners and other key partners unveiled renderings of the signage that will mark trailheads and other areas of historic and natural interests in the National Heritage Area. The unveiling followed another big announcement on the same day: the DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs’ launch of the South River Kyak Access Point at 4460 Panola Road, Lithonia. Once that project is completed, a path will provide access to the edge of the South River Water Trail for non-motorized watercraft. Mera Cardenas, executive director of the Arabia Mountain Heritage…

The Honorable Bishop Egleton Leroy Woodside, Sr. received his Wings of Glory and went home to be with God on Friday morning, March 10, 2017. He was 78. Bishop Woodside was a premarital counselor, marriage counselor, life teacher and he was over benevolence at Voices of Faith Ministries under the leadership of Bishop Gary Hawkins, Sr.. Bishop Woodside was the fifth son of eleven children born to the late Bishop Herbert Woodside, Sr. and the late Evangelist Lillian Maude Woodside on Dec. 12, 1938. He was raised and educated in Florida and it was there that he received Christ as his…

State Rep. Vernon Jones has filed an ethics complaint against DeKalb County’s Ethics Officer Stacey Kalberman for violating state laws that prohibit the ethics officer from involvement in the county’s political affairs. Jones filed the report on March 15, citing his own personal observations and media reports of Kalberman actively working to get legislation passed to make changes to the DeKalb County Board of Ethics. The state ethics law, passed in 2015, states in Section 22Å(i)(2): “The ethics officer shall not be involved in partisan or nonpartisan political activities or the political affairs of DeKalb County.” Additionally, the Board of…

During the first Saturday of Operation Clean Sweep, DeKalb County crews removed more than 50 tons of debris from a 12-mile stretch of South Stone Mountain-Lithonia, Panola and Redan roads. “Operation Clean Sweep is an initiative created by DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond, voted on by the commissioners and organized across several DeKalb departments,” said Director of Beautification Marcus Kellum. “We all know what we need to do, and we’re ready to do it.” At the March 11 kickoff, Thurmond honored DeKalb resident Cynthia Houston who helped inspire the Operation Clean Sweep initiative. “Long before I ever thought about…