Author: On Common Ground News

The City of Atlanta announced that the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs has awarded its 2017 Contracts for Arts Services grants. For 41 years, the Contracts for Arts Services program has supported Atlanta’s cultural community by awarding contracts for the production, creation, presentation and exhibition of artistic work in the city, as well as the managerial support of Atlanta-based artistic and cultural services. “We recognize that the presence of artists and arts organizations is essential to Atlanta’s cultural vitality,” said Camille Russell Love, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs. “Our goal is to provide support for the…

The City of Decatur Police Department is using cell phone technology for emergency calls. Now, the public can send a text message to 9-1-1 as an integrated service to the department’s 9-1-1 network. Thorough testing has been conducted and texts to 9-1-1 is live, for the public inside the City limits of Decatur. Texting to 9-1-1 provides accessibility to the hearing and speech impaired population and provides an alternative to reach help in a dangerous situation when a voice call is not possible or where a voice call fails due to a high volume of phone activity but texting is…

ATLANTA  Decatur Book Festival set for Labor Day weekend  Tens of thousands of book lovers will gather on the Decatur Square over Labor Day weekend for the 11th annual AJC Decatur Book Festival Saturday, Sept. 3, to Sunday, Sept. 4 at the Old Decatur Court House, 101 E Court Square, Decatur. There will be a wide array of events, panel discussions, cooking demonstrations, music, dance, theatre troupe performances and other programming for adults and children of all ages and interests. The festival will feature lectures and signings from more than 300 national and local authors, including award-winners, best-sellers, and some…

Radio personality Porsche Foxx, who made history as the first woman to become No. 1 in Atlanta’s coveted “Afternoon Drive Show” time slot with WVEE-V103, is back. This time, Foxx has a new gig with Old School 87.7 FM. She’s doing “The Porsche Foxx Show” during the afternoon drive, weekdays, 3 to 7 p.m., “rocking the box with Foxx” as only she can. “It feels good to be back. I love Old School and I feel especially blessed to be reconnected with my dedicated following of listeners. I have missed them,“ said Foxx, who came aboard 87.7 FM on July…

The Georgia Farmers Market Association (GFMA) is asking you to pledge to “Just Spend $10” at your local farmers market over the summer. Supporting your local farmers market is important because the money you spend shopping with local vendors is more likely to be reinvested in your local economy. In fact, The New Economics Foundation, a London-based think tank, compared what happens when people buy produce at a supermarket vs. a local farmer’s market and found that twice the money stayed in the community when folks bought locally. If you’re still unconvinced, research has shown that for every dollar spent…

Senior centers in DeKalb County will be showcased in September for National Senior Center Month. “DeKalb County is grateful for its seniors and is proud to be able to provide quality programming through its senior centers around the county,” said DeKalb Interim CEO Lee May. This year’s theme is “Find Balance at Your Center,” noting the varied ways older adults engage with their community and their peers emotionally, physically and mentally. DeKalb County Office of Senior Affairs, Central DeKalb Senior Center, Lou Walker Center, South DeKalb Senior Center, Lithonia/East DeKalb Senior Center, DeKalb Atlanta Senior Center and Porter Sanford III…

In observance of Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 5, garbage, recyclable materials and yard trimmings collection for residential customers will be based on a revised holiday schedule as follows: Monday, Sept. 5 – Labor Day observed; no sanitation collection service. Tuesday, Sept. 6 – Residential customers whose regularly scheduled collection day is Monday, Sept. 5 will be serviced on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Wednesday, Sept. 7 – Residential customers whose regularly scheduled collection day is Tuesday, Sept. 6 will be serviced on Wednesday, Sept. 7. Thursday, Sept. 8 – Residential customers whose regularly scheduled collection day is Wednesday, Sept. 7 will be serviced on Thursday,…

The City of Decatur announces its partnership with ClearGov, a municipal transparency and benchmarking platform, to launch a fiscal transparency portal.  The new tool will enable taxpayers to clearly see how Decatur is funded and how this funding is allocated to provide services to its residents. “Having an engaged community has always been important to Decatur as we believe an informed community is an engaged partner with government,” said Peggy Merriss, City Manager of Decatur.  “Providing open access to financial information is critical to building and keeping the public trust, encourages accountability, and improves the understanding of how tax money…

A DeKalb County grand jury recently indicted a Gwinnett County man for the murder of his ex-girlfriend’s son amidst a violent June 2016 crime spree. Carlester Gilbert is charged with malice murder, felony murder, armed robbery, four counts of aggravated assault and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. “A man this dangerous has no business on our streets,” DeKalb County District Attorney Robert James said. “We will make sure that Mr. Gilbert’s victims receive justice for what he’s done.” On June 11, Gilbert went to the home of his former girlfriend and boss…

New Bethel AME Church will host “Social Action – A Commitment to Our Community.” The voter education and registration event is set for Saturday, Sept. 10, 11 a.m. 8350 Rockbridge Road, Lithonia. Local, state and community leaders will provide information, answer questions, and discuss the community’s concerns including important issues that will be on the ballot in November. President Barrack Obama recently said at a rally, “Don’t boo, vote.” If you don’t participate, you can’t complain about the outcome. Remember voting is a right not a chore. Please save the date!