Author: On Common Ground News

ATLANTA–Former Congressman and Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall has been named managing partner and CEO of Chattahoochee Trails, a new organization intended to provide water reclamation and recreational opportunities along Atlanta’s underutilized Chattahoochee Riverfront. “Atlanta has never had a riverfront – although we have a river,” says Hall. “Cities around the world have transformed their riverfronts into historic attractions for visitors and residents, and we can do the same here in Atlanta through the innovative use of our blue and green infrastructure. “I’ve always loved innovation and technology,” says Hall, who attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a…

GWINNETT COUNTY—Explore Gwinnett is hosting a free Family Reunion Workshop on Saturday, Oct. 1, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Mountain Park Activity Building, 1063 Rockbridge Road, in unincorporated Stone Mountain in Gwinnett County. Those who are planning to host a family reunion in Gwinnett County are encouraged to attend. Gwinnett vendors will be on site to help make your family event as smooth as possible –from vendors offering catering to venues and other services. Although the event is free, registration is requested at the link below: Register

DECATUR, GA– DeKalb County Friends of Washington Park will host a dedication ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2 p.m., at Washington Park, 2830 Arborcrest Drive, Decatur. The event will honor the late Mrs. Sadie Sims’ (1915-2017) life and dedication to the Washington Park community. The DeKalb Board of Commissioners granted approval for a memorial plaque to be installed on a bench in the park. Mrs. Sims, also known as “Mama Sadie”, was a pillar in the community in many ways and will forever be a part of DeKalb County. In the early 1970s, she and her husband, Jessie, along with…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA – DeKalb County Board of Health is hosting a drive-thru flu vaccination event this Saturday, Sept. 17, 8 a.m. until noon, at Dunwoody High School. This event is focused on adults ages 18 and older, seniors 65 and older who may need a high-dose vaccine for added protection, individuals who are immunocompromised or have chronic health conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease), and pregnant women. Pediatric flu vaccines will be given at DeKalb’s regional health center locations during regular business hours. Three types of flu vaccine will be available: standard, Flublok®, and high dose. All patients…

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Larry Johnson, in his role as DeKalb County’s District 3 Commissioner and immediate past president of the National Association of Counties, attended the nation’s celebration of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act on Sept. 13 at the nation’s Capitol. President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) into law on Aug.  16. The IRA aims to reduce the federal deficit, cut carbon emissions and address several issues related to healthcare such as lowering the costs of prescription drugs. According to an estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the IRA would reduce federal deficits by $102 billion between 2022…

By Mark Brock DCSD Athletics Specialist STONECREST, GA—Former Arabia Mountain High School’s Chandler Martin has been named the Southern Conference’s Defensive Player of the Week. The East Tennessee State linebacker is making a comeback after being redshirted his freshman year due to injury and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lithonia native exploded with 23 tackles in East Tennessee’s 20-17 loss to The Citadel on Saturday, Sept. 10. Martin entered last Saturday’s game with a total of 13 tackles in nine games. Martin broke East Tennessee’s 29-year record of 22, which was set by Nakia Thomas in 1993 against Appalachian State.…

ATLANTA– Attorney General Chris Carr announced the conviction of Michelle Oliver on one count of operating an unlicensed personal care home, one count of willful deprivation of an elder person, seven counts of willful deprivation of a disabled adult, and 51 counts of financial exploitation of a disabled adult. A Dougherty County jury returned the guilty verdict on Sept. 8, 2022, following a seven-day trial. Judge Victoria Darrisaw subsequently handed down a 20-year sentence with the first seven years to be served in prison. Following her release, Oliver will be prohibited from being involved in any way with businesses or organizations…

DECATUR, GA— The DeKalb Board of Registration and Elections will conduct its normal monthly on Thursday, Oct. 13, at 4:30 p.m. This meeting will be conducted via teleconference (Zoom). Simultaneous public access to the meeting will be available via livestream on DCTV’s UStream channel at https://video.ibm.com/channel/dctv-channel-23.  To make a public comment, join via Zoom: https://dekalbcountyga.zoom.us/j/97184078303 or dial in via phone toll free at 888-270-9936 and use conference code: 171493.  Public comments of two minutes or less may be made live via the teleconference. For those joining the meeting by telephone, please be aware that phone numbers may be displayed to…

LITHONIA, GA—The Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce will host its Third Wednesday Luncheon on Sept. 21, 11:30 – 1 p.m., at the Stone Manor Events Facility, 3113 Stone Mountain St., Lithonia. The guest speaker for the event will be Katrina Young, Business Retention and Expansion Manager with Decide DeKalb Young served four terms on the Rockdale County Board of Education (RBOE) from 2007-2020. She was unanimously voted to serve as Board Chair in January 2019. Young represented the Board at the Conyers Rockdale Chamber of Commerce Board of Governor, Economic Development Board, and the Big Six Leadership initiative. Young served as…