Author: On Common Ground News

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—Rockdale County Public Schools(RCPS)  will host its Parent Academy on Saturday, Feb., 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at Salem High School, 3551 Underwood Road, Conyers. The half-day event offers free workshops and to help families and their students find success this school year. This year’s theme is “Be More in 2024!” with classes and workshops focusing on wellness – physically, mentally, financially – and literacy. The event also features student performances, local community vendors and student entrepreneurs and free door prizes. RCPS Superintendent Terry Oatts will open the day as the keynote speaker with the “State of the School System” overview. Afterwards,…

DECATUR, GA—The DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs will host Father-Daughter Dance on Feb. 8, 6:30 to 9 p.m., at Porter Sanford III Performing Arts and Community Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive.  Registration will be open now until Feb. 7. The Father-Daughter Dance is for all ages and costs $15 per couple and $5 for each additional child. The event will include music, refreshments and dancing. To register, visit any recreation center or visit  www.dekalbcountyga.gov/parks and click the yellow banner to register online on the department’s homepage. For more information, contact LaShanda Davis, Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs public relations…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA – Rockdale County Commissioner Sherri Washington of Rockdale County has been appointed to the Atlanta Regional Commission’s (ARC) Local Leadership Housing Action Committee (LLHAC), a group of local leaders committed to addressing housing affordability issues. Washington joins the committee for the upcoming 2024 season after two years of successful initiatives. ARC’s LLHAC comprises city and county commissioners and mayors dedicated to enhancing housing affordability in metro Atlanta. Committee members will convene monthly, both virtually and in person, engaging in the following activities: Open and detailed discussions about the challenges of addressing housing issues within their local jurisdictions Deepening…

DECATUR,GA—DeKalb County has launched a new, modern customer water billing system. With the new implementation, customers will need to register for the new customer payment portal with their new account number at:  myaccount.dekalbcountyga.gov. An added benefit of the new system is that there are no customer fees for submitting payments online or via phone. New water bills include the updated account numbers and payment instructions. New water billing account numbers are also being mailed to all water customers. Customers who were registered for the previous portal will receive an email from Invoice Cloud (welcome@invoicecloud.com) containing their new account numbers. If customers wish…

DUNWOODY, GA – Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) presented Dunwoody High School senior Annie Peng with the Congressional Award Bronze and Silver Medals on Jan. 26. Peng earned the recognition by achieving personal goals focused on volunteerism, character development, and fitness. Peng is this year’s only recipient of the Congressional Award in Georgia’s Fourth Congressional District. “I believe the Congressional Award is particularly important because it encourages commitment to public service in our young people,” said Johnson. “Generation Z has spent a better part of their adolescent and young adult years engaging politically to ensure that all people have a right…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA–  Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) Superintendent Terry Oatts, with support from the Rockdale County Board of Education, extended a $1,000 retention supplement provided by the state for educators to cover all full-time RCPS employees.  The recent $1,000 retention supplement provided by the state for educators was a welcome development for the district. However, the funding did not cover all full-time employees. This decision made by Oatts with the support of the Board of Education remedied the situation.    “I generally commend the Governor for his commitment to increasing teacher compensation, and specifically commend him for extending funds for…

ATLANTA—Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson said on Thursday, Jan. 25, that Atlanta recorded an unemployment rate of 2.8 percent in November, down three-tenths from a revised 3.1 percent in November. A year ago, the rate was 2.6 percent.  “Georgia’s success story is nothing short of phenomenal, boasting a blockbuster year with over 5.1 million hardworking Georgians driving our state forward,” said Thompson. “As existing businesses scale new heights and a steady influx of new enterprises proudly choose Georgia as their home, the Peach State appears headed toward continued economic success.”  The labor force decreased in Atlanta by 15,762 and ended the month with 3,258,356.…

DECATUR, GA–DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson is partnering with the Atlanta Community Food Bank to support Soldiers’ Angels food distributions for veterans, active military, guards, and reservists in 2024. The DeKalb County-sponsored food distributions will take place on Jan. 26 and Feb. 23, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Atlanta VA Arcadia Clinic, 250 North Arcadia Avenue, Decatur.  Registration for the Jan. 26 event is closed. Each recipient will receive approximately 75 pounds of fresh fruits, vegetables, meats and non-perishable food items packed by volunteers and loaded into cars, pushcarts, or backpacks to 200 pre-registered veteran and military-connected families. “Veterans…

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA–Gwinnett County Police detectives need the public’s help in identifying the suspect and the victim in a shooting that took place in the parking lot of the Shell Gas Station at 5260 Stone Mountain Highway. The shooting occurred on Jan. 16, around 8 p.m. Officers at the South Precinct responded to an aggravated domestic call of a suspect firing multiple rounds in gas station parking lot. Police said that a witness called 911 stating that someone was shooting in the parking lot of the Shell Gas Station. Officers arrived and spoke to a witness who stated a male got…