Author: On Common Ground News

DECATUR, GA—This year, DeKalb County District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson’s Tree of Love provided Christmas gifts to more than 1,000 children. The event, which celebrated its 25th anniversary, was held at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center in South DeKalb. Several community partners and residents “adopted” the children by providing them with gifts based on their wish lists, which were placed on the Tree of Love.  The wrapped gifts were distributed during the closing ceremony on Dec. 16, just ahead of Christmas, organizers say. A host of District 3 volunteers, residents, and community partners operated in love, peace and…

NEWTON/ROCKDALE, GA– The Chi Tau Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., which includes Newton and Rockdale counties, is celebrating a Diamond member (someone who has served 75+ years of service) for her community service. Ophelia Underwood, who turned 100 years old in November, is still actively serving AKA. Underwood was awarded the 2023 Soror of the Year Award by the chapter during the group’s December Chapter meeting in Newton County. The Awards Committee, co-chaired by Vikki Williams and Yvonne Browder, presented the centenarian with a crown, pink stole, and the “2023 Soror of the Year” sash in honor of…

DECATUR, GA– The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit, with assistance from Georgia State Patrol  SWAT, arrested a suspect wanted in connection with a triple shooting in Decatur, Georgia, last month. Demarco Boyer, a 26-year-old Decatur resident, was taken into custody on Dec. 20 at an apartment complex off Roswell Road in Atlanta. Boyer is a suspect in the Nov. 26 triple shooting at the Texaco/Circle K, located off Candler Road and Kelly Lake Road, which wounded two individuals and resulted in the death of 41-year-old Antione Lewis. Boyer was transported to the DeKalb County Jail, where he is being held without…

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA—Chess champion Orrin “Checkmate” Hudson is inviting families to his Move with Love Leadership Training Class on Saturday, Dec. 23. The one-hour event will be held 11 a.m. – 12 noon at his Be Someone Inc. training facility, 949 Stephenson Road, Stone Mountain. Hudson has trained 90,000 children through the game of chess since he founded the non-profit, Be Someone Inc., in 2001. He has been featured on Good Morning America, CNN, Fox & Friends, CBS Early Morning Show, Atlanta First News, and the Tom Joyner Morning Show among others. Hudson will use the principles of chess to…

ATLANTA– The Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) and the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) jointly announced today that more than $54 million has been secured through the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget to support ongoing Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids® redetermination processing as part of a new, short-term “surge” effort. The funding will support the engagement of contracted staffing, process improvement, and financial support to state eligibility workers. Officials also announced the expansion of its Express Lane Eligibility, and implementation of 12 months of continuous eligibility and enrollment to help ensure access and continuity of coverage for…

ATLANTA—The 40th Annual Mayor’s Masked Ball, hosted by Mayor Andre Dickens, doubled the previous record set with nearly $4 million for the United Negro College Fund, with additional contributions continuing to add to the total, organizers announced today (Dec. 19). The event was held on Saturday, Dec. 16, at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel. Established by former Mayor Andrew Young and Mrs. Billye Aaron, the Masked Ball has provided dream-building scholarships to deserving students and critical support to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for decades. “Atlanta is proudly home to four of the 37 UNCF member institutions and last…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—In 2023, DeKalb County implemented several initiatives designed to strengthen the healthcare service delivery network for its residents. “We are already seeing successes from these enhancements,” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said. “Fewer patients are being turned away. More patients are being treated and discharged and are receiving better health outcomes because of these innovative initiatives.” The closure of WellStar Atlanta Medical Center in October 2022, disenrollment of more than 320,000 Georgia residents from Medicaid coverage and rising costs of healthcare prompted DeKalb to address a looming healthcare crisis in the county. The healthcare service delivery network was…