Author: On Common Ground News

By Mark Brock DEKALB COUNTY, GA–Towers Lady Titans and Druid Hills Lady Red Devils both took third place in their respective team standings to lead a pack of 10 DeKalb County girls’ track teams to garner Top 10 finishes in the GHSA State Track and Field Championships held last weekend across the state. DeKalb brought home nine gold medal performances along the way and two State Meet High Points Awards in a banner weekend on the track. Towers senior Catherine Forbes brought home two of the gold medals and came up…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA– The Rockdale County Department of Parks and Recreation is hosting its annual Summer Concert Series. The event will feature various artists on Sundays between June and September. The free concerts will take place from 5 – 7 p.m. at Costley Mill Park, 2599 Salem Church Road, Conyer. The 2022 summer concert lineup is listed below: Sunday, June 26 – Jaylen Gilstrap & Friends Sunday, July 31 – Brooke Alford Sunday, Aug. 28 – Gritz N Jelly Butter Sunday, Sept. 25 – Phillipia Williams All concerts will feature food vendors.Attendees should bring their own lawn chairs.…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA–Palafox Drive NE, between Argonne Way NE and Woodland Hills Drive NE, will be closed to through-traffic on Friday, May 20, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., to facilitate a large crane removal of a tree at 1135 Palafox Drive NE, Atlanta. Road closure and detour signs will be placed in the area during the road closure advising motorists of construction work in the area and of local traffic restrictions. Questions regarding this road closure should be addressed to Julia Novotny, scheduling coordinator, Boutte Tree Inc., at 404-799-5472.

By Georgia Rep. Billy Mitchell   As a state legislator and the president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators (NBCSL), I proudly stand behind the NBCSL position to improve care for patients diagnosed with sickle cell disease. NBCSL is a top organization representing the interests of Black elected officials urging state and federal policymakers to consider legislation to impact, either directly or indirectly, upon “the general welfare” of African American constituents within their respective jurisdictions. In a resolution passed last month, NBCSL has prioritized the improvement in treatment for sickle cell disease as a top health care…

ATLANTA– Attorney General Chris Carr is warning Georgia consumers to beware of price gouging and other scams in response to the nationwide baby formula shortage. “With skyrocketing inflation, record-high gas prices, and now an unprecedented shortage of baby formula made worse by the increasingly dire situation at our southern border, parents across Georgia are understandably frustrated and in need of help,” said Carr. “Nothing is more important than a child’s health and well-being, and anyone artificially increasing the cost of formula on the backs of hardworking Georgians will be held accountable for their illegal actions. Our office will continue…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA–DeKalb Voter Registration and Elections (DeKalb VRE) is reminding voters who plan to cast ballots on May 24 to double check their voting precincts. Approximately 56,500 voters in DeKalb will be impacted by recent redistricting efforts that have changed their Election Day voting precincts. Those impacted voters will receive an official correspondence from DeKalb VRE in the coming days. While the Secretary of State is in the process of mailing all Georgia voters new precinct cards, each voter may not receive official communication ahead of the primary election on May 24. “Because of changes dictated by SB…

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA–Tax Commissioner Denise R. Mitchell, MPA, today appointed Lisa Matic as Gwinnett County Chief Deputy Tax Commissioner. “Ms. Matic has more than 20 years of experience with our office and possesses expertise in both motor vehicle and property tax,” Mitchell said. “She has a reputation for being proactive and extremely knowledgeable about the laws, rules and regulations that govern the operations of this office. I know she will admirably serve the citizens of Gwinnett County.” Matic joined the Gwinnett Tax Commissioner’s Office in 2002 and had been serving since Feb. 2021 as the director of property tax. She…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– In a continuation of its “Eyes in the Sky” operation, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has arrested four persons, including two individuals already in custody on charges of attempting to provide contraband to DeKalb County Jail inmates. “Drive-up and you’re getting locked up,” said Chief Deputy Randy Akies. “They want to drive or walk up to the jail, commit a crime, and leave. You will be arrested and housed with the intended inmates with consequences. Apparently, they don’t realize we’re smarter than the average criminal, and they’re not good at this.” Chief Akies said the suspects…

ATLANTA – The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), along with H.J. Russell and Place Properties, will celebrate the opening of the King Memorial transit-oriented development (TOD) on Friday, May 20, at 11 a.m. The mixed-use TOD features Marchon, a community of 305 apartments and 11,000 square feet of office and retail space adjacent to King Memorial rail station and historic Oakland Cemetery. “The pandemic prevented a groundbreaking event and we are excited to finally celebrate the opening of the King Memorial TOD and the Marchon community. This is a prime location near downtown Atlanta and one-third of the…