Author: On Common Ground News

By Kathryn Rice, Chair of the DeKalb Cityhood Movement   Recently, the Atlanta Regional Housing Forum hosted a forum on the rise of institutional investors in Atlanta. While the forum was much needed, it missed some important points that the DeKalb Cityhood Movement (DCM) shared with them. First, DeKalb County (not mentioned during the forum) is the epicenter of this predatory investor crisis. DCM has been shedding light on this issue since January 2022 when we saw some serious side effects of gentrification. Realtor data for the period 2014 – 2021, showed home sale prices increased over 210% in…

CONYERS, GA– Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) continues to keep the safety of students and staff its highest priority by adding to the multiple safety measures already implemented throughout the district. These enhancements come amid a renewed focus nationally on school safety and security in the wake of the mass shooting that killed 19 students and two staff members in Uvalde, Texas last month. RCPS Superintendent Terry Oatts recently approved the acquisition of a state-of-the-art weapons detection system that can be rapidly deployed to schools and school facilities for purposes of detecting the possible presence and possession of weapons. The high-tech…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– The Gwinnett County Animal Welfare and Enforcement and the Gwinnett County Health Department want residents to use caution after a raccoon tested positive for the rabies virus on Tuesday (June 21). A dog was attacked by the raccoon in the Pebblebrook Court/Arden Drive area in Buford onJune 20. The raccoon was collected by animal welfare on Monday and brought to the shelter. All pet owners should make sure their pets are current on the rabies vaccination. According to the National Association of State Health Veterinarians, unvaccinated dogs and cats exposed to a rabid animal must be strictly…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On June 21, the winner of Congressman Hank Johnson’s (GA-04) 2022 Congressional Art Competition, Christopher Ramos of Newton County, was honored in Washington, D.C. as part of a national reception to honor arts winners from across the country.   Ramos, a freshman from Newton High School now a rising sophomore, was recognized for his piece titled “bereavement.” Ramos was awarded the grand prize for the Fourth Congressional District, which is a $12,000 scholarship to the Savanah College of Art & Design (SCAD).    Ramos’s “bereavement” will be displayed in the Capitol in Washington, D.C., where it will hang with hundreds of…

ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr and 18 of his fellow attorneys general are urging the U.S. Department of Justice to take swift action in response to the recent acts of violence committed against pregnancy resource centers and the offices of pro-life organizations. “President Biden’s Department of Justice yet again has its priorities absolutely backward,” said Carr. “They did not hesitate to investigate parents who spoke out at school board meetings but are now dragging their feet to address the violent crimes committed against pro-life organizations. Public safety should not be a partisan issue, and it is past time…

STONECREST, GA – The City of Stonecrest has issued a film permit for temporary road and lane closures and drone operations along Snapfinger Woods Drive and its connecting roadways. Production activity will occur on Thursday, June 23,  6 p.m. until 11 p.m., at the following locations: Partial street closure: All westbound lanes of Snapfinger Woods Drive between Stonekey Place and Panola Road Intermitten tTraffic Control: All lanes and sidewalks of Snapfinger Woods Drive between Stonekey Place and Panola Road Production activity will resume on Friday, June 24, 7 p.m. until 2 a.m. on Saturday, June 25, at the following locations:…

ATLANTA – The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) will hold a job fair for bus operators and journeyman bus technicians onThursday, June 23, from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at MARTA headquarters, located across from the Lindbergh Center rail station on Piedmont Road in Atlanta. MARTA is offering a $3,000 sign on bonus and will train all Permit and Class C (regular) license holders for their Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). WHAT:           Bus Operator and Journeyman Bus Technician Job Fair Pay starting at $17.74/hr. for operators and $23.91/hr. for technicians MARTA will train all Permit and Class C (regular) license holders for…

ATLANTA-– Georgia’s State of Hope (SOH) opened its fifth round of applications on Monday, June 20, 2022, and is seeking “big ideas” that will help children and family service providers, community members, families, and businesses create and sustain nurturing environments for healthy families. Over the past five years, the SOH ecosystem has grown to include more than 250 designated sites throughout Georgia. These sites are actively engaged in impacting child well-being in their communities through efforts focused in one of the four “Opportunities of Hope” areas, specifically education, trauma awareness, quality caregiving, and economic self-sufficiency. Applications will be accepted June 20…

ATLANTA – The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia has ordered the owner of a Stone Mountain insurance agency to pay $50,000 in back wages and liquidated damages to a worker terminated after inquiring about pay. The court’s action follows an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division that found that M. Davis Insurance Agency Inc. – operating as Marc Davis State Farm – fired a worker after they requested information about compensation. Instead of answering the worker’s questions about their pay, Marc Davis State Farm retaliated by terminating the worker’s employment. In addition to back wages and…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA– Rockdale County Department of Finance recently received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its comprehensive annual financial report for the 2020 fiscal year, county officials said. The award acknowledges local governments who go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles to prepare annual comprehensive financial reports that evidence the spirit of transparency and full disclosure. “I commend Executive Director Mark Lewis and our Finance department for their outstanding diligence, as well as the Rockdale County directors and…