Author: On Common Ground News

CONYERS, GA–Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) will serve a holiday meal featuring a sweet potato soufflé made with locally-sourced sweet potatoes on Dec. 17. This farm-to-school initiative highlights the district’s dedication to providing fresh, nutritious meals while supporting local agriculture, officials said in a news release. Officials said 2,000 pounds of local sweet potatoes sourced from La Hacienda Sweets, a Latino-owned, 180-acre vegetable farm based in Lyons, GA, will be used to prepare the dish, which will be served to 15,342 students across 20 RCPS schools. The sweet potatoes will be roasted whole to enhance their natural sweetness, then blended with other ingredients to…

ATLANTA — RYSE Creative Village, a talent incubator in Southwest Atlanta, has received a $125,000 grant from Develop Fulton to support the county’s burgeoning creative talent pipeline.  Approved unanimously by Develop Fulton’s Board of Directors during its Dec. 3 meeting, the funding will help propel the initial phase of a groundbreaking redevelopment project. RYSE Creative Village, located at 1261 Lockwood Drive SW, plans to redevelop a long-vacant Atlanta Public School building into a state-of-the-art, tech-enabled content production studio and incubator for creative professionals. The facility will offer training and skills development programs essential for accessing high-demand careers in Georgia’s thriving film, music,…

CONYERS, GA—The annual Conyers Christmas parade kicks off  on Saturday, Dec. 7, at 2 p.m. to make its way to Olde Town. Spectators are encouraged to gather early for a spot along the parade route and wear warm clothing for the chilly temperatures expected.  Also, Georgia’s largest ice skating rink returns to Olde Town and you’ll need those warm clothes. Conyers Police will close Rowland Road, Pine Log Road and a portion of Milstead Avenue for the parade that steps off from Rockdale County High School. The parade concludes at the intersection of Milstead Avenue and Pine Street.  “This year’s parade…

ATLANTA – To provide customers with an extra layer of security to protect their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) announced a new security feature and mobile application that allows cardholders to easily lock and unlock their EBT cards between purchases via the existing website or by using the new ConnectEBT app.  Georgia is one of 14 states to offer this app and one of just several to include the card locking feature for added protection. The ConnectEBT website and the new app provide SNAP customers with a fast, secure, and easy way to monitor their…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– The Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center will be closed until Dec. 17 to prevent the spread of Streptococcus zooepidemicus, known as Strep Zoo. The center paused adoptions earlier this week following the sudden, unassisted deaths of three canines in the center’s care since Friday, Nov. 29. Gwinnett County initiated testing in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Agriculture to determine the cause, identifying Strep Zoo.  Symptoms in dogs are severe respiratory distress, nasal discharge, vomiting and rapid decline in health within 24 to 48 hours. Without timely intervention, Strep Zoo can be fatal. Treatment with antibiotics is…

DECATUR, GA—Eighty-year-old Rosa Mae Dawson, a diabetic with dementia who was missing for three weeks, was found dead on Wednesday, Dec. 4, DeKalb County Police said.  The DeKalb County Police wrote in a social media post: “….Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers.” Police said there were no signs of foul play. A man who was cleaning his yard behind his home spotted Dawson’s body along the woodline and contacted police.  Her body was discovered about a mile and a half from where she lived, the family said.   Family members had told police that Dawson wandered away from her…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—This month, Commissioner Robert Patrick will hold two “Coffee with the Commissioner” informal gatherings designed to foster open communication with the community. “Coffee with the Commissioner is an opportunity to hear directly from the community, discuss challenges, and work collaboratively to find solutions,” said Commissioner Patrick. “I look forward to meaningful conversations and continuing to make a positive impact in our county.” The first event will take place on Saturday, Dec. 7, 9 to 11 a.m., at First Watch restaurant, located at 4650 Hugh Howell Rd., Suite 200, Tucker. Patrick will be joined by Timothy Hardy, director of the…

DECATUR, GA– DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs will hold an official groundbreaking ceremony for the reconstruction of the N.H. Scott Pool on Dec. 9, at 11 a.m. at 2230 Tilson Rd., Decatur.  Over $6 million was allocated from SPLOST funds, the American Rescue Plan Act and the DeKalb County CIP program to complete the pool improvements. Of the $30 million allocated to Parks from SPLOST I, approximately $28 million, or 95%, has been spent.  The public is invited to join county officials and parks staff at the ceremony.

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA. – Chief Magistrate Judge Phinia Aten recently announced the appointment of Sunny Mullins as an Associate Magistrate Judge, effective Nov.13, 2024. As a new associate magistrate judge, Mullins’ primary responsibilities include handling on-call arrest and search warrant issuances after normal business hours and presiding over criminal matters as needed by the Magistrate Court. “Judge Mullins brings an enthusiasm for service, passion for justice and commitment to the rule of law that perfectly aligns with the Court’s mission of justice for all, best court practices and abiding community connection,” Judge Aten said. “She has the right combination of…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– Due to forecasted cold weather, DeKalb County will open the following four warming centers for residents on each night Thursday, Dec. 5, through Saturday, Dec. 7, starting at 8 p.m.: Frontline Response International, 2585 Gresham Road, Atlanta  North DeKalb Senior/Community Center, 3393 Malone Drive, Chamblee(see pickup schedule below for transportation to Frontline)  Mason Mill Recreation Center, 1340 McConnell Drive, Decatur (see pickup schedule below for transportation to Frontline)  Exchange Recreation Center, 2771 Columbia Drive, Decatur (see pickup schedule below for transportation to Frontline)  During warming center activation, transportation pickups will be available to Frontline International according to…