Author: On Common Ground News

DECATUR, GA – The DeKalb County Board of Ethics will conduct a board meeting on Thursday, July 21, at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held via Zoom at https://dekalbcountyga.zoom.us/j/88137432677 Join by phone at 602-333-0032 or 888-270-9936 and use conference code 171493. Agenda I. Adoption of Agenda II. Approval of the Minutes of June 16, 2022 III. Administrative Items A. Policy Re: Swearing In of Board Members B. Proposed informal advice on Ethics Code Line 336-37 C. Update on newly hired Ethics Officer IV. Ethics Cases A. Robert Buckler v. Jeff Rader and Kathy Gannon [Case No. 2017-24] V. Public…

ATLANTA–David T. Howard Middle School and David T. Howard National Alumni Association, Inc. (DTH NAAI) will celebrate the official dedication of the Walt “Clyde” Frazier Gym Court/Gymnasium on Tuesday, July 19. The dedication will be held 10 a.m. until noon, at David T. Howard Middle School, 551 John Wesley Dobbs Ave., NE, Atlanta. Frazier, an acclaimed NBA basketball player, is a member of the graduating class of 1963 at the former David T. Howard High School in Atlanta, GA. He learned basketball on a rutted and dirt playground, the only facility available at his all-Black school in the racially segregated…

ATLANTA – The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Board of Directors advanced pre-development work on two Transit-Oriented development (TOD) projects on the East/West Line, by awarding master planning contracts for Indian Creek and H.E. Holmes rail stations and approval to issue a TOD Request for Proposals (RFP) for Indian Creek. The board awarded the master planning contracts to WSP for Indian Creek and HKS for the H.E. Holmes station. Both firms bring teams with a depth of experience in both planning and community engagement. Indian Creek and H.E. Holmes are end-of-line stations, residing at the westernmost and easternmost points…

ATLANTA — Prime Day may be over, but scammers probably aren’t calling it quits yet. The Better Business Bureau(BBB) is warning that con artists are sending phony emails and texts that look like messages from major retailers, instructing you to redeem the reward points accrued during your shopping days. Just hit delete on these phishing messages! How the scam works You receive an unsolicited email or text message that appears to be from a major retailer. (BBB has seen scammers use the names of Amazon, Kohls, and Costco… but scammers can spoof any company.) The subject line reads, “You Have…

ATLANTA – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reminding businesses in Georgia to apply for working capital loans before the Aug. 5 deadline. The disaster loan program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture, and most private nonprofit organizations affected by severe flooding that occurred on Sept. 7-8, 2021. The deadline to submit economic injury applications is Aug. 5, 2022. The declaration includes Bartow, Cherokee, Cobb, Douglas, Fulton and Paulding counties in Georgia. These federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) are for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even…

ATLANTA– The Northside Hospital system and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Georgia today announced a new agreement that provides access to care at Northside for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s members. “Northside Hospital has an unwavering focus on patients and their families, and that always is our mission,” said Scott Wade, vice president of Northside Hospital. “The outcome of our discussions is great news for our partnership with Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and our patients.” Northside Hospital and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Georgia have enjoyed a partnership for more than 30 years.…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA– The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners (BOC) today announced its intention to adopt a 2022 millage rate, which will require an increase in property taxes by 45.42 percent. This tentative increase will result in a millage rate of 20.758 mills, an increase of 6.483 mills. Without this tentative tax increase, the millage rate will be no more than 14.275 mills. The proposed tax increase for a home with a fair market value of $250,000 is approximately $551.06 and the proposed tax increase for non‐homestead property with a fair market value of $275,000 is approximately $713.13. Each year,…

DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson, in his role as the District 3 Commissioner and president of the National Association of Counties (NACo), today attended an event at the White House for passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Commissioner Johnson has been selected as part of an esteemed group of influential civic leaders convening in person to join President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the celebration of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The $13 billion law includes millions of dollars for mental health, school safety, crisis intervention programs and incentives for states to include juvenile records in…

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA–Voices of Faith Ministries kicked off its Vacation Bible School on July 11, welcoming dozens of children and 104.7 The Fish radio station to its Stone Mountain campus at 2500 Rockbridge Road S.W. The first day of Vacation Bible School was filled with activities, music, bible study, and giveaways by 104.7 radio station. This year’s theme is “Created In Christ Designed for God’s Purpos”e by SPARK Studios. The Vacation Bible School, which runs July 11-15, from 9 a.m. until noon, is open to rising kindergarteners through rising sixth graders. The church is providing a bus to transport children…