Author: On Common Ground News

DeKalb County Clerk of Superior Court Debra DeBerry will host Adoption Day in DeKalb on Friday, Nov. 18, as part of National Adoption Month. Lunch will be served at noon and the ceremony finalizing several adoptions will take place in the Judicial Tower of the DeKalb County Courthouse in Courtrooms 5C, 5D, and 7C beginning at 1 p.m. November is recognized as National Adoption Month. The purpose of National Adoption Month is to focus attention on children in the Child Welfare system that are in foster care and freed, waiting to be adopted. National Adoption Day is Saturday, Nov. 19…

The Conyers Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating Pelora Turner, a 16-year-old female who was last seen by her family on Sept. 30. Iris Lang said her daughter left home walking to the library and never returned. Lang said she has not heard from her daughter for more than 30 days now. Lang is pleading for help in bringing her daughter home safely. She said Pelora’s health is at risk due to not having her medication for Lupus. Although a picture provided of Pelora to police shows the teen with braids, Pelora was wearing a straight, pressed…

A man who killed a gay rights activist will spend the rest of his life in prison. A DeKalb County judge has given Donte Lamar Wyatt four life sentences plus 41 years for the April 2015 crime spree that left a 37-year-old Atlanta woman dead. “This was a horrific, unspeakable crime, and he deserves nothing less than to spend the rest of his life in prison,” DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James said of Wyatt. “Everyone should expect to be safe, especially in their own homes. What this man did was violate that sanctity for two DeKalb residents. We want…

ATLANTA Atlantic Station lures holiday shoppers with local artisans and craft beer Browse a curated selection of handmade arts and crafts and buy local craft beer at ‘Crafts and Drafts’ Saturday, Nov. 12, noon to 6 p.m., at Atlantic Station, 1380 Atlantic Drive N.W., Atlanta. The family-friendly event is free and no ticket is needed for entry. Shoppers will have access to 50 of the best local and regional independent crafters. For more information, visit atlanticstation.com. Center for Civil and Human Rights presents lecture on indigenous people’s rights A panel of leaders, activists, and educators from Indigenous Nations…

DDS reminds veterans, active military of special services Veterans Day is Nov. 11 and the Department of Driver Services (DDS) is reminding Georgia veterans and active military personnel of special licensing and testing services dedicated to them year round. “DDS welcomes the opportunity to honor Georgia’s veterans and active service members,” said DDS Commissioner Bert Brantley. “I am especially proud of the 54 veterans that are part of the DDS team and continue to serve in many roles throughout the state.” DDS supports veterans and our active military several ways including:        Offering free licenses and IDs for veterans (upon…

DeKalb County’s Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Affairs will accept donations of nonperishable food items for its annual canned food drive now until Friday, Nov. 18. Citizens are encouraged to help fight hunger in their community by dropping off nonperishable items at one of the county’s recreational facilities during normal operating hours. Once all items are gathered, they will be distributed to county citizens in need. Citizens are asked to drop off donations at any of the following locations: Manuel J. Maloof Center, 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur Browns Mill Recreation Center, 5101 Browns Mill Road, Lithonia Exchange Recreation Center,…

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System (AFPLS) is seeking input from residents on what they would like to see in the Library System’s Strategic Plan. Community engagement has been the cornerstone of the Library System’s operation, and as AFPLS enters into a Strategic Plan that will take us through the next three years and the renovation of 24 branch libraries in total, it is asking to hear from residents again. The public input sessions will be held at the following locations: Sandy Springs Library – Monday, Nov. 7, 6 p.m. Sandy Springs Branch, 395 Mount Vernon Hwy., Sandy Springs …

The City of Atlanta and the Atlanta Hawks have reached an agreement on key terms for the $192.5 million renovation of Philips Arena, subject to approval by the Atlanta City Council and the Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority, officials said. The deal terms will ensure that the Atlanta Hawks remain in the City of Atlanta for decades to come and will maintain the downtown facility as a world-class, state-of-the-art venue for sports and entertainment events. Specifically: The public contribution for arena renovations is capped at $142.5 million, of which $110 million will come from a series of bonds backed by the…

The Georgia Department of Education released the four-year graduation rate for 2016 showing an increase to 79.2%, up slightly from 78.7%. The Rockdale County Public Schools graduated four out of every five students this year (82.1 percent), officials said. “Last year, we had a significant increase in our graduation rate which held steady above the state this year,” said Rockdale Superintendent Richard Autry. “While we want all of our students to graduate in four years, we recognize that many of our students need some additional time, such as summer school, an extra semester, or even extra year or more to…

D.L. Sims Elementary School in Rockdale County celebrated the induction of high achieving scholars to the Jr. Beta Club, which focuses on achievement, character, leadership and service, with a ceremony held Oct. 12. Rockdale Magistrate Court Judge Phinia Aten served as the keynote speaker, highlighting the importance of courage, thoughtfulness and vision. Under the guidance of sponsors Wendy Davis and Shalaiwah Neil, the SES Jr. Beta Club welcomed returning members Amber Edwards, Alyssa Garnett (club president), Asia Hadley, Madison Knight, Isley Nixon and new members Kimora Creighton, Mark Davis, Joshua-Emmanuel Gerald, D’Asejah Holman, Prince Richards, Talia Anderson, Camron Brown,…