Author: On Common Ground News

Some DeKalb youths mixed nighttime basketball with learning life skills when DeKalb Workforce Development teamed up this summer with the DeKalb County Police Athletic League (PAL) Plus Midnight Basketball League. “Providing educational and life skills training along with this summer sports program is a win-win for DeKalb County and for the participating youth,” DeKalb Interim CEO Lee May said. Melfred Garrison, an employment and training analyst senior with DeKalb Workforce Development’s youth department, offered training and employment opportunities to youth participating in the league that targeted males and females ages 15-19, teens in need of community service hours or who…

Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) announced its 22 school-level Teachers of the Year who will compete for the title of Rockdale County Teacher of the Year. One teacher at each school was selected by their peers for the honor of being named his/her school’s Teacher of the Year. All 22 Teachers of the Year are educators to whom others look for inspiration and direction. Competition for the Rockdale County Teacher of the Year begins with the school-level candidates completing a comprehensive application addressing their teaching philosophy and their reasons for deciding to serve the community as educators. The applications will…

Fifty-seven established and emerging leaders have been selected to participate in Leadership DeKalb’s Class of 2017. On the brink of its 30th year anniversary, Leadership DeKalb welcomes its new Program Chair Sandra Zayac ’15, Partner at Arnall Golden Gregory LLP. “The Class of 2017 will have an opportunity to explore the current issues faced by DeKalb government and businesses and to experience the largely overlooked beauty of DeKalb’s natural resources and culture. The program provides an emotional journey that will challenge assumptions and change perspectives,” said Sandy Zayac ’15. Members of the Class of 2017 includes: Brent Adams, President,…

DeKalb Convention & Visitors Bureau (Discover DeKalb) announces the hiring of Neil Hibbert, CGMP to fill the newly created Director of Sales position. “We are excited to have such a great addition to our team. Neil brings years of industry experience and knowledge needed to support the execution of our business and fill in the gaps,” said James Tsismanakis, executive director of Discover DeKalb. Neil, a hospitality and sales industry veteran, will manage the DCVB sales team, as well as, focus on corporate group bookings in DeKalb. Since starting his career as a sales assistant, Hibbert has continuously held progressive…

On Common Ground News will present “A Night of Smooth Jazz” on Saturday, Aug. 20, 7 to 11 p.m., at the Lithonia Amphitheater. Jazz legends Ronnie Laws, Lonnie Liston Smith and Joey Sommerville will headline the concert under the stars. Other special guests include Jaman Laws, Julie Dexter, Rhonda Thomas, Groove Centric and DJ Naturel. JFly Music Group, LLC is producing the star-studded affair, which will be hosted by Morris Baxter from 91.9 WCLK. “We are excited to present  “A Night of Smooth Jazz” with internationally-known drummer JFly. He is known around the world as a talented musician who has…

Six arrests have been made in connection with the death of 15-year-old Keiara Palmer, who was killed in a drive-by shooting on Glenwood Road in Decatur. The arrests were made on Aug. 10 after a joint investigation by the DeKalb County Police Department’s Major Crimes Section, Gang and Intelligence Unit, DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Squad and the U.S. Marshalls joined forces. Two juveniles and four adults were arrested: Roderick Harris, 17; Michael Miller, 22; Sharod Jackson, 18; and Roderick Jackson, 18. All were taken into custody and charged with felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault and six counts of…

Tonya Anderson remained the winner of the Senate District 43 Democratic primary run-off after a recount of the ballots on Aug. 11. The recount produced no change in the original vote tally between Anderson and Dee Dawkins-Haigler, Secretary of State Brian Kemp announced. Elections officials in the three counties that comprise Senate District 43, which include portions of DeKalb, Rockdale and Newton, completed the recount by noon on Aug. 11, Kemp said. Dawkins-Haigler had requested the recount on Aug. 9 after losing by 10 votes to Anderson in the July 26 run-off race. There were 8,542 total ballots cast in…

Courtney Dillard says he plans to run as a write-in candidate after losing his bid to run in the November general election as an Independent candidate for chairman of the Rockdale Board of Commissioners. Dillard was notified recently by elections officials that he failed to get the required 2,534 verifiable signatures to go on the ballot. Now, he has announced he will seek to become a write-in candidate. Rockdale Supervisor of Elections Cynthia Welch said Dillard has the right to run as a write-in candidate. She said she checked with state elections officials and met with Dillard to confirm that…

DeKalb County is seeking volunteers to help care for more than 300 parrots that were seized during the investigation of an animal cruelty hoarding case. The birds were seized on July 13 from a DeKalb County home. Volunteers are needed, particularly Mondays through Fridays, to assist with feeding, watering, cleaning, vacuuming and other tasks associated with the care of the birds. No experience is necessary. Because the seized birds currently are in a 90-day quarantine period, volunteers must not have pet birds in their homes. For more information about volunteering, contact Janelle Kover at birdsareus@yahoo.com.

The DeKalb Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) will hold a Lunch and Learn event on Monday, Aug. 15, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., at Central DeKalb Senior Center, 1346 McConnell Drive, Decatur. The featured speaker will be RSVP Volunteer Zola Thurmond, who will talk about becoming a volunteer with RSVP, one of the largest volunteer networks in the nation for seniors.