Author: On Common Ground News

DEKAL COUNTY, GA– Due to forecasted cold weather, DeKalb County will open five warming centers for residents on tonight, Feb. 5; Tuesday, Feb. 6; and Wednesday, Feb. 7, starting at 8 p.m. at the following locations: Fire Station 3, 100 N. Clarendon Avenue, Avondale Estates, GA 30002 Fire Station 4, 4540 Flakes Mill Road, Ellenwood, GA 30294 Fire Station 6, 2342 Flat Shoals Road, Atlanta, GA 30316 North DeKalb Senior Center, 3393 Malone Drive, Chamblee, GA 30341 Frontline Response International, 2585 Gresham Road, Atlanta 30316. Anyone staying in the warming centers must follow the county’s COVID-19 protocols that include wearing…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA – Something fresh is growing at Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS). The district is prepped to launch a new local foods pilot program supporting small farms led by people of color, women and others historically excluded from market opportunities while exposing students to more locally grown, nutritious food. The program recently kicked off with new recipe development and nutrition training workshops held January 17-18 at C.J. Hicks Elementary and J.H. House Elementary Georgia collard greens, hydroponic lettuce, blueberries, pasture-raised pork, and grass-fed beef—rare features for farm-to-school programs—were among the featured items prepared by school nutrition staff during these workshops.…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA—Gwinnett County is offering up to $20,000 in housing rehabilitation assistance to income-qualified homeowners in Gwinnett County. The Homeowner Housing Rehabilitation Program offers funding to make essential repairs to their homes. The goal of the program is to address health and safety issues for qualifying homeowners, focusing on vital life systems of a home such as electrical, roof, and plumbing. To qualify for the program, homeowners must be current on mortgage and tax payments, maintain the residence as their primary owner-occupied property, and earn below 80 percent of Area Median Income. For a full list of eligibility requirements…

Guest Editorial By State Representatives Viola Davis, Sandra Scott and Kim Schofield ATLANTA—In 2023, Georgia’s governor signed Senate Bill 92 into law, introducing a contentious provision that allows for the removal of elected district attorneys from office if they are perceived as not adequately enforcing the law. This move has ignited a fierce debate with many viewing it as a thinly veiled power grab aimed at ousting Democratic prosecutors, particularly those who have expressed reluctance to prosecute abortion-related crimes. The subsequent House Bill 881 has added fuel to the fire, deepening concerns about partisan control over prosecutorial decisions and its potential implications for ongoing criminal…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) students in need recently received a gift from a community-minded local business. Evolution Automotive Group donated $7,613 to pay off all RCPS student meal balances. Operations manager Chad Fry, a Heritage High School Class of 1996 graduate and HHS Patriots football offensive tackle, said it was important to be servant leaders in the community. “We just wanted to give back to the people who are guiding our future and to the youth, who are our future leaders,” Fry said. Fry and tThe automotive group presented the check to pay off the meal balances…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA. — The East Memorial Drive Pop-Up Market will hold the first of four markets of the year on Saturday, March 2, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The pop-up market will be located in the parking lot of the Rock of Ages Lutheran Church, 5135 Memorial Drive, Stone Mountain. Deanna Johnson Cauthen, owner of Cauthen Enterprises and market coordinator, said that she was looking for a way an affordable way to support local artisans and entrepreneurs who want to sell their goods and services when she launched the pop-up markets in 2023.   “Vendors spaces start at $65…

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA– Gwinnett County Police detectives have arrested Luis Soto and charged him with Home Invasion, two counts of Kidnapping, two counts of Aggravated Assault, two counts of False Imprisonment, two counts of Armed Robbery, and one count of Impersonating a Public Official. On Dec. 6, 2023, officers assigned to Central Precinct responded to a home invasion at 1400 Herrington Road in unincorporated Lawrenceville. The victim reported three suspects, dressed in tactical gear and armed with guns, grabbed him as he was returning home and forced their way into his apartment. Once the suspects were inside the home, they zip-tied…

ATLANTA — A “candlelight musical experience” honoring the life and legacy of Dexter Scott King will be held on Feb. 10, 6:30 p.m., at Ebenezer Baptist Church Horizon Sanctuary, 101 Jackson St. N.E., Atlanta, the King family has announced. The celebration will be  open to the public.     King, the youngest son of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Corretta Scott King, died on Jan. 22 at his home in Malibu, CA after a 3 1/2-year battle with prostate cancer. He was 62.   “He gave it everything and battled this terrible disease until the end. As with all the challenges…