Author: On Common Ground News

CONYERS, GA—Installation services will be held on Sunday, May 15, for the Rev. Dr. Constance L. Abbott, who has been appointed the new pastor of the historic Macedonia Baptist Church Conyers. Macedonia, located at 2052 Barton St. in Conyers, was founded in 1873 and is one of the oldest African-American churches in Rockdale County. Pastor Abbott succeeds the Rev. Billie Cox, who was appointed in 2012 as the first woman to lead Macedonia Baptist Church in Conyers. Rockdale Baptist Church, located at 1295 Smyrna Road S.W., will host the installation at its campus at 3 p.m. and invites the…

ATLANTA—Georgia recently added four new listings to the National Register of Historic Places. As the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), the Historic Preservation Division (HPD), housed in the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, administers the National Register of Historic Places program in Georgia. Nominations for listings are in line with HPD’s mission of promoting the preservation and use of historic places for a better Georgia. By sharing the importance of this listing, HPD hopes to encourage the preservation of historic properties through public awareness and an appreciation of the impactful roles they play in our social and economic lives.…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA – The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office(RCSO) is flying the U.S. flag at half-staff today to remember Deputy Walter Jenkins, who died last night after being struck by a vehicle while directing traffic in a construction zone. Deputy Jenkins was 54. The Sheriff’s Office said Deputy Jenkins was directing traffic on Highway 138 at the intersection of Georgia Highway 212 when the driver of a silver sedan struck him. The accident happened on May 11, around 9:30 p.m. The 16-year-old female driver who struck the deputy remained on the scene, said Jedidia Canty, Public Information Officer for…

ATLANTA—The Rev. Dr. Dee Dawkins-Haigler, president and founder of the Organization of World Leaders and candidate for Georgia Secretary of State, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Hailed as a champion for social justice and human rights that promote peace and economic stability, Dawkins-Haigler has worked with world leaders and political regimes throughout Africa and the Caribbean. She has helped them achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined and approved by the United Nations. Her work has focused on the eradication of poverty, gender equality, affordable and clean energy and quality education, just to name a few, according…

ATLANTA – Georgia Gov. Brian P. Kemp and the Department of Revenue (DOR) announced today that DOR will begin issuing special, one-time tax refunds this week. This initiative is a result of House Bill 1302, which the Georgia General Assembly recently passed, and Gov. Kemp signed into law. This legislation allows for an additional refund of income taxes from 2020, due to the state experiencing a revenue surplus. “Due to years of responsible, conservative budgeting and our measured reopening that prioritized protecting both lives and livelihoods, Georgia is in a position to issue these one-time refunds,” said Governor Kemp. “As hardworking Georgians…

MACON, GA–Explore downtown Macon on Saturday, May 14, at the Great Art Hunt fundraiser to support The 567 Center and its mission of bringing creative life to downtown Macon. The event kicks off at The 567 Center, 456 First Street, where participants can stop by between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. to pick up their T-shirt, tote bag, map, and clues to help you find all the stops in this scavenger hunt of sculptures and murals If you take a photo at every location, you might even win a week on St. George Island. You will have until 7 p.m. to complete…

By State Rep. Viola Davis (D-Stone Mountain) The recent educational crisis within the DeKalb County School System requires an objective eye, moral fortitude and moral integrity to deliver a solution to my constituents. I have fought to place our children first and have held our local school system accountable for more than 20 years and will continue to do so. However, I do not support state intervention because the state does not have the moral ground or integrity to address the issue of funding. It is the taxpayers and voters that hire and fire us elected officials with…

DECATUR, GA– Please be advised that residents in the surrounding area of DeKalb Peachtree Airport (PDK) may experience an increase in noise Friday, May 13, to Sunday, May 15. DeKalb-Peachtree Airport will host its annual Good Neighbor Day Air Show and Open House Saturday, May 14, noon to 5 p.m. An increase in noise is expected with the arrivals and departures of the many participating aircrafts. For more information, contact the Airport Administration Office at 770-936-5440.

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA – Today, Chapel Hill Elementary School teacher Aisha Chadwick got a surprise delivery after it was announced that she was one of 10 national recipients of the Amazon Future Engineer Teacher of the Year Award. The recognition is presented annually to 10 dynamic teachers across the nation who promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the classroom to encourage students to pursue careers in computer science and robotics. Chadwick, a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics STEM) lab teacher, received a $5,000 cash award, and Chapel Hill Elementary was awarded $25,000 for the school to further STEM   education.…