Author: On Common Ground News

­ATLANTA Castleberry Hill to host 2nd Friday Art Stroll Take a self-guided tour of Castleberry Hill, Atlanta’s historic arts district, during the next installment of the 2nd Friday Art Stroll on July 8, 7 to 10 p.m. Visit eclectic galleries and diverse businesses and restaurants to get a taste of what this Atlanta neighborhood has to offer. The Castleberry Hill Art Stroll is held every second Friday and is free of charge. For more information, visit www.castleberryhill.org/chartstroll/   Teens, tweens, invited to sketch and snack Tweens and teens are invited to join the Atlanta Fulton County Library, 1 Margaret Mitchell Square,…

By Essah T. Cole I am still reflecting on the life-changing trip I recently experienced as a solo traveler. I spent three magical weeks in Ghana, four days in Morocco, four days in France, and two days in Spain. I could fill a book up writing about this trip, but I will leave you with some of the highlights of my time abroad. When I first landed in Ghana, I cried because I never imagined traveling to Africa at the age of 24. My time in Ghana was divided between staying with my cousins, my classmates, and making new friends.…

Orrin “Checkmate” Hudson, founder of the Be Someone mentoring organization, will hold his annual Summer Break Leadership Chess Camp, July 5-8, in Stone Mountain. The four-day camp will be held 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with early drop-off and late pickup available. Hudson will use his chess skills to teach youths the importance of making every move in life count. He has trained more than 50,000 students utilizing the tools a teacher equipped him with as a student who was headed down the wrong path. “I was a young know-it-all teenager in Alabama and I was on the road to…

Rockdale County’s track star Candace Hill, who holds the record as the fastest girl in the world, will qualify July 2-3 at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Track and Field trials in Eugene, Oregon. The trials determine which athletes will compete in the world’s 2016 Olympics, which will be held in August in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. “You have to be one of the top three finishers at the trials in order to go on to the Olympics in Brazil,” said Jo-Ann Davis, Hill’s aunt who lives in Lithonia. “We’re praying for her (Candace) to win in the track and field…

By Mackenzie N. Morgan Kameren Saulsberry, 18, will bring in the Fourth of July holiday in grand style singing the National Anthem in front of more than 60,000 people at the 47th Annual Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta. The Lithonia resident was recently announced as the winner of the 11Alive “Oh Say Can You Sing” competition, in which the winner gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to sing the National Anthem at the Peachtree Road Race. The televised race is the largest 10K in the world, according to the Atlanta Track Club. “I’ve never performed for a crowd this large. I am…

Actor/comedian Chris Tucker told 500 youths attending the Dream Symposium hosted by DeKalb Interim CEO Lee May that they, too, can dream big and succeed in the entertainment industry with hard work. The symposium, attended by hundreds of children enrolled in the DeKalb County Parks and Recreation summer program, was held at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center in Decatur on June 29. Tucker, a native of DeKalb, was among a panel of media and entertainment professionals who told the youths, ages 12 to 15, how rewarding the entertainment industry can be and steps they can take to make their…

A DeKalb County judge sentenced Andrew James Spencer to 10 years in prison for fatally hitting a man changing a flat tire along I-20 in 2014, then speeding away. Spencer also will serve five years of probation. “This is a tragic case, and there is no way to undo a mistake or bring back a life lost,” DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James said. “But what you do in moments of adversity is important. Here, we want to send a clear message that it is never appropriate to leave the scene of an auto accident, especially one where people are…

A judge denied bond to a DeKalb County barber accused of fatally shooting one of ex-girlfriend’s sons and critically injuring another. The same suspect is accused of robbing a convenience store then leading police on a high-speed chase into Atlanta where he wrecked a police car and a civilian vehicle. Carlester Gilbert is charged with murder, multiple counts of aggravated assault, and armed robbery for the June 11 crime spree. That Saturday afternoon, police were called to the Holly Hedge Road home where Rashad  Williams was found dead and his brother, Detavious Kwakye, was found with a gunshot wound to…

Neel Patel, MD is a Vascular and Interventional Radiologist who practices in Decatur at Minimally Invasive Center of Atlanta. He specializes in new advanced minimally invasive techniques to treat conditions such as poor leg circulation and women’s uterine fibroids. He has grown up in the Stone Mountain area since childhood and enjoys serving the local community. POOR LEG CIRCULATION People who have diabetes and/or smokers for some time are particularly at risk for having blockages in the arteries in their legs. This is termed Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD). Symptoms can include leg cramping when walking that improves after resting for…

  LITHONIA, GA–The Lithonia Housing Authority hosted a high tea on June 28 for seniors and other volunteers who have supported the housing authority. Martha Calloway, the housing authority’s executive director, said the tea was a way to show her appreciation to those who have given back to the community. The event, themed “High Tea In Paris,” was held at the Stone Manor Event Facility in Lithonia. Guests enjoyed tea service with select teas and a luncheon. They also received gift bags with tea bags and other items. Latarsha Williams, manager of DeKalb County’s Office of Senior Affairs,…