Author: On Common Ground News

DECATUR, GA–The South DeKalb Improvement Association Education (SDIAE) Inc. and New Life Community Alliance will host a forum featuring candidates running for the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners District 3 and Super District 7 seats. The forum will be held on Saturday, Sept. 14, 10 a.m. to noon, in the sanctuary at New Life Church, 3592 Flat Shoals Road, Decatur. Below are the candidates and their respective districts: BOC District 3 Andrew Walter Bell Nicole Massiah, Esq. Tommy “Tommy T” Travis Jacqueline “Jake” Walls BOC Super District 7 Jacqueline Adams LaDena Bolton Demetrius McCoy Kenneth Chung Royal

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—Larry Cox, member-elect of the Rockdale County Board of Education is hosting a community listening session on  Wednesday, Sept. 11, 6 to 8 p.m. Cox wants to hear from residents before he officially takes the oath of  office in January 2025. Parents, teachers citizens are encouraged to attend the meeting to share concerns about the Rockdale County School System.

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—The Rockdale County Board of Elections will hold a special meeting on Thursday, Sept. 12, at 5 p.m., to discuss proposed changes to election-related rules that the Georgia State Election Board will consider on Sept. 20.  The proposed rules include reconciliation of hand-counted ballots, storage of ballot returns, voter lists and poll watchers in tabulating centers among other issues. The public may attend the Rockdale Board of Elections in person or virtually.

AME Church, Black Voters Matter Fund + New Birth unite  with others to empower, mobilize Black voters at mega event DEKALB COUNTY, GA– The Social Action Commission of the Atlanta East District (AME Church) and the Black Voters Matter Fund, in partnership with New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, will host a Black Voters Registration Day event on Sunday, Sept.  22. The free event will be held 3 to 7 p.m. at the gym at New Birth, 6400 Woodrow Road, Stonecrest. The community is invited to an afternoon of empowerment, voter registration and an array of activities for families. The event’s theme, “We…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—Chief Judge Robert F. Mumford of the Rockdale Judicial Circuit has appointed long-time Rockdale County Assistant District Attorney Tim McGuire to be the Juvenile Court Judge of the Rockdale Judicial Circuit. McGuire has served as an Assistant District Attorney, handling thousands of juvenile cases and conducting hundreds of trials for the last 23 years in Rockdale. McGuire succeeds Maureen Wood, who was elected Superior Court Judge in May 2024. McGuire is a graduate of Duke University and Emory Law School. He has been a resident of Rockdale for many years. McGuire’s 4-year term as Juvenile Court Judge will…

ATLANTA – MARTA will host non-profit organizations at seven rail stations in observance of National Voter Registration Day 2024 on Tuesday, Sept. 17. Non-partisan voter registration activities will be held from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Five Points, College Park, H.E. Holmes, Lindbergh Center, Doraville, Kensington, and North Springs transit stations. National Voter Registration Day is the nation’s largest non-partisan civic event dedicated to helping eligible citizens register to vote. MARTA has partnered with community organizations to raise widespread awareness and promote voter registration and active participation in elections. To register to vote during the event, attendees must present a state…

DECATUR, GA – DeKalb County Cooperative Extension will host its 4-H Fall Festival on Oct. 12, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will take place at Rainbow Park Baptist Church, 2941 Columbia Drive, Decatur. The free festival will offer an array of family-friendly activities including a game truck, arts and crafts, food, bounce houses, and prizes. All of the activities are free.  Individuals with a disability who may require assistance or accommodation to participate in any DeKalb County Cooperative Extension activities may call 404-298-4080, or visit the website at https://extension.uga.edu/county-offices/dekalb.html

DECATUR, GA– The DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs will hold a Parks Citizen Advisory Board Committee meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 6 p.m., at the N.H. Scott Recreation Center, 2230 Tilson Road, Decatur.  For more information, contact Carol Underwood, administrative coordinator, at 404-371-2927 or cjunderw@dekalbcountyga.gov.

ATLANTA– Atlanta-based nonprofit, Music in Common, announces a month-long nationwide tour to commemorate the 20th Annual FODfest, the organization’s flagship concert event. FODfest (Friends of Danny Festival) honors the life of slain Wall St. Journal Reporter, Daniel Pearl, who was abducted and murdered by extremists while on assignment in Pakistan shortly after 9-11. Mosier Brothers, SONiA of Disappear Fear, Cathy Fink, Soul Food Cypher, and an all-star “FODband” led by Michael Gill are just a handful of the more than 100 musicians who will perform at one or more of the 12-city stops happening from Oct. 5 – 28. Lilburn, GA…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– Rassoloman Davis, 38, was sentenced to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of breaking into his ex-girlfriend’s home and sexually assaulting her. DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced that Davis was found guilty on Aug. 29 on charges of Rape, Home Invasion in the First Degree, two counts of Aggravated Assault Family Violence, Kidnapping with Bodily Injury, and False Imprisonment stemming from the incident on July 3, 2016. According to the investigation, the victim woke up early that morning when a masked man put a knife to her neck.  The man dragged her out…