Author: On Common Ground News

CONYERS—Rockdale County Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Sr. has named Sgt. Corey K. Hambrick, currently with the City of Conyers Police Department, as the county’s new Chief of Staff. Nesbitt plans to put the selection on the Board of Commissioners (BOC) Jan. 10 meeting agenda for the commissioners’ consent. “Sgt. Hambrick’s strong communication skills coupled with his mastery of organizational management makes him a good fit to assist me in moving Rockdale County forward,” Nesbitt said. “In addition, Sgt. Hambrick will help strengthen the relationship between the City, County and other local community entities and stakeholders. We have plenty of work ahead…

Three more candidates have announced plans to run for the Stonecrest City Council ahead of the qualifying period, which will be held Jan. 9-11. All candidates seeking to run for mayor or City Council must pay the required fees during the three-day time period. The fee is $600 for those running for mayor and $450 for those seeking city council seats. Jimmy Clanton, Jr. said he plans to run for the District 1 City Council seat. A community activist and organizer for the past five years in the Stonecrest Overlay area, Clanton is serving his second term as president of…

MLK Day 2017 Around Atlanta The King Holiday will be observed Monday, Jan. 16 and several events and celebrations are scheduled to commemorate the life and legacy of the late civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. While some of the events will be held on the holiday, others are scheduled before hand. Please check the status before attending:   ATLANTA   MLK Commemorative Services at Ebenezer Baptist Church The annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. commemorative service will be held Monday, Jan. 16, 10 a.m. at Ebenezer Baptist Church in the historic Heritage Sanctuary, 101 Jackson Street,…

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners will elect its presiding officer on Jan. 10. The presiding officer, elected by the seven county commissioners themselves, sets the agendas, runs the board meetings and makes appointments to the board’s committees. Kathie Gannon and Larry Johnson have announced they will seek the year-long position. Gannon held the seat in 2008. Johnson has held the seat since January 2014. The board also will elect a deputy presiding officer. The elections may be the first look at how the new board will conduct business going forward. For several years, the board has been racially-divided on…

DeKalb Medical will provide free assistance to help you determine the best health insurance options available under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), often referred to as ObamaCare. DeKalb Medical is partnering with Insure Georgia and the DeKalb County Chapter of 100 Black Men of America to offer the free assistance: Tuesday, Jan. 17, 6:30 until 9 p.m., at the hospital’s Hillandale campus Thursday, Jan. 19, 6:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the North Decatur Campus. Registration for the event is recommended but everyone is welcome to attend including drop-ins. To register or for more information, call 404-501-WELL.

Start the New Year with a new job. The Masonic Admiration Lodge #25 and DeKalb County Tax Commissioner Irvin Johnson will present a hiring event on Jan. 18, 1 to 4 p.m., at the Community Achievement Center, 4522 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur HR managers from a wide variety of fields will be in attendance including AT&T, the Centers for Disease Control, Diaz Foods, Georgia Department of Transportation, law enforcement, logistics and customer service. Candidates should come dressed to interview, bring resumes and be prepared to speak directly with hiring personnel. The jobs fair is free and open to the public.…

Parents who are interested in enrolling their child into a Special or Choice Program in Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) for the 2017-2018 school year must apply by Jan. 9. Applications must be received by 6 p.m. For an application, go to www.rockdaleschools.org/specialtyandchoice or contact rcpsinfo@rockdale.k12.ga.us

The DeKalb Chapter of the National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) will hold its next meeting Tuesday, Jan. 10, 1 p.m., at Piccadilly’s restaurant, The Galleria at South DeKalb Mall, 2801 Candler Road, Decatur. All active and retired federal employees, their spouses, and surviving spouses who are not currently a member of NARFE are welcome to attend this free meeting to learn more about the benefits of NARFE.  For more information, visit ganarfe.org or contact Chapter President Calvin Stevens, 404-288-3604.

The 2017 East Metro Atlanta Health and Fitness Expo will be held Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Georgia International Horse Park, 1996 Centennial Olympic Parkway, Conyers. Admission to the health expo is free and offers attendees access to health experts and physical activities for every level. There will be a 5K run/walk, a rock climbing wall and golfing. If you are interested in being a sponsor or exhibitor, visit emetrohealth.com

Rockdale County Tax Commissioner Tisa Smart-Washington has named RJ Hadley Chief Deputy Tax Commissioner, and Carol Simpson and Connie Shepperd Deputy Tax Commissioners in Rockdale. “We have operated as an effective leadership team in the Office of the Tax Commissioner for the past 4 years and I am excited our leadership team will remain in place,” said Smart-Washington. “Hadley’s appointment and Simpson and Shepperd’s reappointments ensure continuity in our operations and allow us to focus on being an office that is resident-centered, innovative and responsive with no disruption.” Hadley, who previously served as Chief of Staff and Tax Commissioner for…