Author: On Common Ground News

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—Due to severe weather conditions, the DeKalb County Sanitation Division operations are impacted as follows: Residential Collections Thursday residential customers will be serviced on Saturday. Residents should ensure that all garbage, recycling and yard trimmings containers are curbside by 7 a.m. on Saturday. Commercial Collections (front-load service) Friday and Saturday customers will be serviced on Saturday. Administration Building and Customer Care Call Center In-person and call center services are closed on Thursday and Friday. Storm Debris Impact Due to storm debris impact, road conditions may affect residential and commercial collection services on Saturday. Normal operations for all service areas should…

Today, On Common Ground News publishers spoke with their nephew, Glen Gordon, who lives in Arcadia, Florida about the impact Hurricane Helene is having on their community.  Publisher Glenn Morgan is a native of Arcadia, which is located about 50 miles west of Sarasota, FL. The town is known for three rodeos that are held there.

DECATUR, GA– With Hurricane Helene predicted to result in widespread downed trees, power outages, blocked roadways and localized flooding, DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond urges residents to be aware of how to report emergencies for an expedited response. “We urge residents to stay off the roads, and if necessary, properly reporting emergencies can expedite a coordinated response by the appropriate department or agency tasked with handling the issue,” CEO Thurmond said. In case of emergency, residents should call: 911 for: Life-threatening emergencies Ø  All downed trees and power lines Ø  Localized flooding 404-294-2911 for: Ø  Other non-life-threatening emergencies 770-270-6243 for: Ø  Water outages and sewer spills…

ATLANTA — The Internal Revenue Service will host a direct hiring event for customer support and administrative positions to fill more than 100 vacancies available at the Chamblee Service Center next Wednesday and Thursday, Oct. 2-3. The jobs fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Atlanta Marriott Northeast/Emory Area, 2000 Century Blvd, NE, Atlanta. The two-day event will be open to the public with registration. Apply for pre-qualification through registration on Eventbrite’s exclusive announcement. Walk-ins will be accepted after 12 p.m. What is a direct hire event? During the event, IRS hiring officials will make job offers…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA– Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) Class of 2024 graduates, unlike the state and nation, saw an increase in composite SAT scores over the previous year. The 2024 mean composite score for RCPS is 980, up from 969. The mean composite score for Georgia public schools is 1030, and the mean composite score for U.S. public schools is 995, both decreasing from 2023. “We are pleased to see an increase in our scores even as the state and nation experienced decreases,” said RCPS Superintendent Terry Oatts. “Of particular note, I commend our students for exceeding the nation’s score on…

ATLANTA – In a pivotal decision made Wednesday evening (Sept. 25), Congress extended Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) replacement benefits until Dec. 20, 2024, as part of the latest federal stopgap legislation. The original provision for SNAP replacement benefits was included in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, which aimed to assist thousands of families affected by stolen benefits due to scamming activities. Initially set to expire on Sept. 30, 2024, the Act’s extension ensures continued support for those impacted by fraud. Across the U.S., scammers have been targeting SNAP recipients, using skimming devices and other fraudulent methods to steal…

DECATUR, GA– Due to the impending effects of Hurricane Helene, DeKalb County is opening four severe weather shelters for unhoused persons  today through Saturday, Sept. 28. The following locations will be open as severe weather shelters: Frontline Response International, 2585 Gresham Road, Atlanta. This shelter will remain open 24 hours a day during the event. Center for Pan Asian Community Services Inc., 3510 Shallowford Road NE, Atlanta. This shelter opens today at 4 p.m. New Life Community Alliance’s auditorium, 3592 Flat Shoals Road, Decatur. This shelter opens today at 5 p.m. and will remain open 24 hours a day during…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—Spurred by the recent series of assaults, the murder of a man at a service station and blight plaguing Columbia Drive, a collective of neighborhood groups in unincorporated South DeKalb will hold a community meeting on Saturday, Oct. 5, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the community room at The Friends School of Atlanta, 862 Columbia Drive, Decatur. The group, South DeKalb Neighbors, is calling for violence interventions, an evolution of public safety approaches, and the revitalization of unincorporated South DeKalb — with immediate action steps and more accountability from county agencies and elected officials. The meeting will take the form…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—In a unanimous decision, the Rockdale County Board of Elections voted on Wednesday, Sept. 26, during a special meeting to disqualify Kathy Harvey as a write-in candidate for probate judge in the Nov. 5, 2024 General Election. The 3-member board, chaired by Al Saddler, stated that Harvey neither meets the statutory qualifications to hold the office of probate judge nor did she meet the Sept. 3 deadline in publishing her Notice of Intent to run as a write-n candidate in the Rockdale Citizen newspaper, the county’s legal organ. Supervisor of Elections Cynthia Willingham said at the board meeting that Harvey’s notice…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA— In response to projected severe weather conditions caused by Hurricane Helene, Superintendent Devon Q. Horton announced that all schools within the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 26, and Friday, Sept. 27. The closure includes all school-based, district-wide, extracurricular, and athletic events. Horton stated in a news release that the safety and well-being of the students, staff, and families remain the district’s top priority. He said he made his decision to close schools after carefully considering weather forecasts that predicted dangerous conditions such as high winds, power outages, downed trees, and hazardous…