Author: On Common Ground News

CONYERS, GA—Conyers’ St. Patrick’s Day celebration will step off at 5 p.m. on Friday, March 15, at the World’s Fastest Growing St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Olde Town Conyers. The parade, a Conyers tradition since 1980, will be led by Grand Marshal Mayor Vince Evans and accompanied by bagpiper Rusty Smith playing classic Irish tunes. Local businesses, organizations and school groups will also participate in this year’s parade. Dancers from the Drake Irish School of Dance in Norcross will perform during the parade and at the Olde Town Pavilion in Randal S. Mills City Center Park following the parade. Anyone…

ATLANTA—The Atlanta Science Festival (ASF) presented by Delta Air Lines, the city’s ultimate celebration of all things science and one of the largest of its kind in the country, runs now through March 23, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The interactive grand finale, the Exploration Expo, will be held March 23 in Piedmont Park. Thousands of curious kids and adults will descend upon Piedmont Park to experience the wonder of science with more than 100 hands-on interactive science booths from local organizations, universities, and companies showing off Atlanta science at this year’s Exploration Expo. “Every year we bring the festival to a close…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond was recognized onMarch 11 as the 2023 Georgia Public Library Champion of the Year. “I am honored and humbled to be recognized as a champion for Georgia libraries,” CEO Thurmond said. “These important institutions are among the principal building blocks of our American democracy.” “CEO Thurmond’s multifaceted support for the library, from recognizing the unique, hard work of staff; securing vital funding and resources; and advocating for employee well-being, truly sets him apart as a Georgia Public Library Champion of the Year,” said Alison Weissinger, director of DeKalb County Public Library, who nominated…

DECATUR, GA—The DeKalb County Police Department will host the 2024 Youth Academy on April 6, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Police Headquarters, 1960 W. Exchange Place, Tucker.  The academy is an opportunity for DeKalb County youths ages 13-17 to learn how the police department works. During the free, one-day, in-person program, students will be given an overview of the department’s various units, including K9, SWAT, Criminal Investigations, Crime Scene, and more. Participants also learn what to do when they encounter the police. The 2024 Youth Academy is a free event, and participants also will receive lunch and a goodie…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA– Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) is joining in a statewide celebration this week to salute the efforts of local school board members. The week of March 11–15 has been proclaimed School Board Appreciation Week in Georgia. The weeklong observance calls attention to the contributions of local boards of education. “The Rockdale County Board of Education continues to be among the best in the state,” said Rockdale Superintendent Terry Oatts. “This award-winning Board has earned the Georgia School Boards Association’s Exemplary Board designation for each eligible year, a total of eight times, and has won the Leading Edge Award…

ATLANTA— On Wednesday, March 13, Sen. Sonya Halpern, (D–Atlanta) will host a press conference in honor of HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) Heritage Day in partnership with Governor Brian P. Kemp. EVENT DETAILS:     Date: Wednesday, March 13, 2024 Time: 1:30 p.m. Location: Georgia State Capitol, North Steps, 206 Washington St., Atlanta This Event is Open to the Public. ABOUT THE PROGRAM: This event is free and open to the public and will feature a short program celebrating the impact and importance of Georgia’s 10 HBCUs. Students, presidents of Georgia HBCUs, and Senators Derek Mallow (D–Savannah) and Jason Anavitarte (R–Dallas) will join Sen. Halpern,…

WASHINGTON, D.C. –Over the weekend, Congressman Hank Johnson’s $15.8 million in Community Project Funding for Georgia’s 4th District (Fiscal Year 2024) was signed into law by President Joe Biden. A detailed summary of the bill is available HERE. The funding, included in the first of the appropriations government funding packages, responds directly to some of the most pressing needs in Johnson’s Fourth District – which is currently comprised of parts of DeKalb County, Newton County, and all of Rockdale County. “Taking care of home first has always been how I approach representing our great district,” Rep. Johnson said. “The nearly…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—Richard A. Oden, former Chairman of the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners, on Friday, March 8, entered the race for Chairman, challenging incumbent Oz Nesbitt, Sr. Oden filed his qualifying papers by the noon deadline, said Rockdale Democratic Party Committee Chair Rosalyn Ridgeway. Oden, who served as chairman from 2009 to 2016, joins JaNice Van Ness, a former Rockdale commissioner, James Sendelbach, a licensed professional counselor, and Brian L. Jenkins, in the Chairman’s race. Jenkins is a community activist who serves as president of the Rockdale branch of the NAACP and owns a landscape design company. Kai Oden,…

The qualifying period for the May 21, 2024 General Primary and the Nov. 5, 2024 General Election ended today, March 8, with a few more people entering key races before the noon deadline. Attorney Gina Smith Mangham filed qualifying papers and is challenging incumbent Mereda Davis Johnson for the Commissioner District 5 seat. Andy Yeoman qualified for the Commissioner District 1 seat and is challenging incumbent Robert Patrick. Rita A. Scott also filed today to run for the Commissioner District 4  seat. Scott joined three others seeking that seat, which will be vacated at the end of  2024 by Steve…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– A 48-year-old Snellville man has been arrested following an undercover investigation where he thought he was soliciting a 14-year-old girl for sex. Jermaine Morgan was arrested on March 6 by the City of Millen Police Department, with assistance from the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Fugitive Unit. The undercover chat investigation began on Jan. 2 with the suspect who thought he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl online. Investigators said the suspect acknowledged the age of the decoy in the chat and maintained a sexual conversation with the decoy. The suspect solicited the decoy for obscene images of herself…