Author: On Common Ground News

DECATUR, GA– The DeKalb County Police Department is hosting a free safety fair on Saturday, March 19, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at South DeKalb Plaza, 2627 Candler Road, Decatur. During the fair, residents will receive free gun locks, car seat safety checks, DUI simulators, child ID kits, information on how to create a neighborhood watch, and more. Residents also will have the opportunity to meet and greet representatives of the DeKalb County Police Department, including the department’s Police Athletic League Plus and the Community Policing Unit which will host games for the community to enjoy. “We are asking…

STONECREST, GA—Dr. Charles S. Hill, Sr. has stepped forward to his services as a candidate for Mayor of Stonecrest. Hill and his wife, Laurene, and 2 adult sons, Charles Jr. and Cecil, have resided in Stonecrest, Georgia for 38 years.  He and his wife have operated their eye clinic in Decatur, Georgia for more than 35 years.  Hill  is the only eye surgeon operating in South DeKalb County and has focused the attention of his practice on serving the black community. Hill earned a B.S. degree from Alabama State University in Montgomery, AL. He earned his medical degree from the University of…

Football Great Warren Moon, Congressman Hank Johnson, local officials attend       STONECREST, GA– After a long hiatus due to COVID-19 and necessary repairs, the Flat Rock Archives Museum, located in the City of Stonecrest, has reopened with new exhibits and a renovated building. The Flat Rock Archives chronicles the history one of Georgia’s oldest Black communities, Flat Rock, as well as the life of Black Americans in the rural South in general. Tours of the museum and surrounding historic sites, including the plantation home where the Flat Rock ancestors were enslaved, are also available. The Flat Rock Archives celebrated the…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—Heritage High School Principal LaTonya Richards has named Ryan Andrews as the new head varsity football coach for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year. Coach Andrews is no stranger to leading a football team.  In 2013, Andrews took over as head coach at Banneker High School. Under his leadership, Banneker made the playoffs for the first time since 2009. Eight of 12 seniors signed college scholarships from that team. In 2014, Andrews went to Marietta High School, where he coached cornerbacks, and in 2015, Andrews became the head coach at Shiloh High School. In his four years as…

DECATUR, GA– A Decatur man charged in a string of unsolved rape cases in DeKalb County has pleaded guilty to the crimes. Dionte Mapp, 39, pleaded guilty as indicted to Kidnapping (three counts), Rape (three counts), Aggravated Sodomy (two counts), and Aggravated Assault (two counts) in connection with sexual assault crimes against three women dating back to 2006 and the violent assault of a fourth woman in 2015 that led to a break in the previous cases. June 28, 2006 A 17-year-old female met the offender near her South DeKalb home and agreed to go on a date later…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA–Rockdale County is launching Opening Doors to Recovery (ODR), an intensive care management program designed to reduce repeated psychiatric hospitalizations of the mentally ill who have been incarcerated. Championed by Rockdale County Commissioner Doreen Williams, the Rockdale program is the first county in Georgia to launch ODR. Under the new program, funded by a grant from the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, mentally ill inmates who have been released from jail back into the community will receive wrap-around services to help them succeed and stay on track. ODR will provide the individuals a team…

DECATUR, GA– DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs is now accepting applications for numerous summer employment opportunities such as pool managers, food monitors, camp counselors, recreation assistants and bus drivers.  Applicants must be ages 18 or older to apply for recreation positions. All applicants selected will be required to successfully complete a drug and alcohol screening and criminal background check prior to employment.  To view available positions or complete an application, Employment Opportunities |DeKalb County GA, select Click to View DeKalb County Opportunities.  For more information, contact LaShanda Davis, Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs public relations specialist, at…

DECATUR, GA – The DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs will host several Easter Egg Hunt events at various recreation centers on April 16.  All events are free and will include face painting, games, and giveaways. Saturday, April 16  ·       Exchange Recreation Center, 2771 Columbia Drive, Decatur,2 p.m. – 5 p.m. (Adult Easter egg hunt will also be included) ·       Mason Mill Recreation Center, 1340-B McConnell Drive, Decatur, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. ·       N.H. Scott Recreation Center, 2230 Tilson Road, Decatur, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. ·       Redan Recreation Center, 1839 Phillips Road, Lithonia, 12 p.m. – 4…

STONECREST, GA– The DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs will host a hiking stick workshop on Saturday, March 26, 1 to 3 p.m., at the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Center,3787 Klondike Rd, Stonecrest, GA. Participants ages 13 and up are encouraged to join Ranger Rick for a hands-on workshop to learn how to carve their very own hiking stick to use on the next adventure to the preserve. All tools and materials will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, contact LaShanda Davis, Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs public relations specialist, at 404-371-3643 or…

DECATUR, GA– The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) will host a job fair on Thursday, March 17, 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., at the DeKalb Regional Youth Detention Center. DJJ is currently recruiting for juvenile correctional officers, detention counselors, teachers, mental health providers, food service workers, housekeepers, and general support staff. Individuals interested in applying are asked to bring their valid driver’s license and proof of a high school diploma or GED. A special military salary incentive of up to 10 percent will be available for the juvenile correctional officer positions based on years of active duty. Contact the…