Author: On Common Ground News

With Election Day scheduled for March 21, organizations and homeowner groups are hosting forums and meet-and-greets to give residents in the new city of Stonecrest the opportunity to hear from the 20 candidates who are running for public offices in the city. The following organizations have notified On Common Ground News of upcoming events to help voters get ready for the elections: The DeKalb County NAACP will host a candidate forum for the city of Stonecrest contestants on Tuesday, March 7, 6:30 p.m., at Salem Bible Church, 5460 Hillandale Drive. “Our non-partisan candidate forums are designed to empower communities by…

This is a weekly post that lists all of the events going on around town.  If you would like your event featured, email editor@ocgnews.com. ATLANTA Ballethnic dance company pays homage to Apollo Theater In honor of Black History Month, Ballethnic Dance Company will perform a tribute to the famous Apollo Theater Sunday, Feb. 26, 4 p.m. at the Georgia International Convention Center, 2000 Convention Center Concourse, College Park. Set to a swingin’ soundtrack inspired by the Amateur Night early days in the 1930s, Apollo Nights features adult and youth performers dancing to tunes of Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and…

Beginning March 8, Rockdale County’s Probate Court, will offer extended hours for the public, opening on Wednesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The office will be open from 8:30 to 4:30 p.m. the other weekdays. Judge Clarence Cuthper said he decided to extend the hours on Wednesdays after conducting a survey among customers who said that it was difficult to transact business at the Probate Court because of work duties during the day.

Congressman Hank Johnson (District 4) will host a town hall meeting with seniors to discuss the impact of the Republican Congress plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Johnson said he plans to discuss proposed changes for Medicare service that would, among other things, shorten the solvency of the federally-subsidized program. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 1, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m., at the Lou Walker Senior Center, 2538 Panola Road, Lithonia. Under the proposed ACA repeal, millions of seniors would have to pay more for their prescription drugs and face hefty co-pays for key preventive services…

Mark your calendar for the Civic Engagement Now! workshop, which will be held March 27, 6:30 to 7:45 p.m., at the Stonecrest Library, 3123 Klondike Road, Lithonia. Learn about civic engagement and how to bring changes to local issues such as traffic signals, or state issues, like health care reform. Community organizers and county and state representatives will explain the structure of government and discuss best practices for communicating successfully with municipal, county and state representatives. For more information: 770-482-3828.

The Stephens Agency celebrated the opening of its new Northlake offices at 2310 Parklake Drive, Suite 370-C, Atlanta with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Feb. 19th. The event was attended by a host of family, friends and clients. The agency, owned by Rockdale County residents Jabar and Christina Stephens, offers free financial literacy workshops that focus on increasing net worth and generational wealth. One of their regular workshops is held every third Thursday, 6:45 p.m., at Ruby Tuesday restaurant in Conyers. To schedule a workshop for your group or organization or for more information about the agency, call 678-760-7944 or email:…

Don’t let a low credit score keep you from getting a new HVAC system for your home. The National Sustainable Energy Group is offering a Rent to Own Heating and Air Conditioning Program that is not based on how high or low your credit score is. The program, developed by UtiliPro and marketed and managed by the National Sustainable Energy Group, provides new energy-efficient HVAC systems for homeowners with less than perfect credit. The program is based on the homeowner’s history of paying their property taxes on time. Monthly payments for the new systems start at $89.95 per month, depending…

Gwinnett County commissioners have approved an agreement with CH2M Hill Engineers Inc. to conduct a project examining using smart meters connected to the internet to enhance customer services for the Department of Water Resources. A team of consultants and technology companies invited the Department of Water Resources to participate in the Global Cities Team Challenge: Smart Cities Pilot Project, which looks at groundbreaking applications of internet technology across a number of industrial sectors, including water. Smart meters – meters connected to the internet – are emerging technology, and the pilot project will allow DWR to evaluate how this technology can…

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston is inviting the public to join her in the fight to end domestic violence. On Saturday, Feb. 25, the District Attorney’s Office is hosting the second annual “Love Run 5K” to raise money and awareness about domestic violence issues. The event also coincides with Teen Dating Violence Awareness month, which is observed during February. “We are excited about partnering with the public in a fun and healthy way to focus attention on a very serious issue impacting our community,” said District Attorney Boston, who created the Love Run in 2016 while serving as DeKalb…

Stepp Stewart’s “Cindy, the musical,” featuring the 17-piece African American Philharmonic Orchestra, had another successful run at the Porter Sanford Center for the Performing Arts in Decatur. The musical, which was staged Feb. 17-18, is set in Harlem 1943. Cindy is reunited with her father after traveling from down South to meet her new stepmother and sisters. She quickly finds herself in a house full of mean-spirited relatives who don’t give her the reception she is expecting. Cindy rises above bullying and low self-esteem as she never stops believing in love and happiness. Based on the 1978 television special…