Author: On Common Ground News

CONYERS–A long line of people formed at Voices of Faith Church’s Rockdale County campus, 1290 Sigman Road, early on Sunday (Aug. 22) morning, ready to roll up their sleeves for the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccinations. Teams from the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale Health Departments were on hand to dispense the Pfizer shots. Today marked the health departments’ second visit to Voices of Faith, which is under the leadership of Gary Hawkins, Sr. The first vaccination event, hosted by State Rep. Karen Bennett, was held on Aug. 15 at the church’s main campus at 2500 Rockbridge Road…

ATLANTA – As Hurricane Henri threatens the Northeast Coast, Georgia Power is responding to support affected utilities as part of the mutual assistance network. More than 100 Georgia Power personnel are traveling North toward Hartford, Connecticut. A convoy of trucks and personnel including linemen and engineers, as well as safety, fleet and logistics support from around the state left Georgia Power’s Lawrenceville headquarters in metro Atlanta at 6 a.m. Sunday(Aug. 22). Georgia Power has also released a number of contract crews to respond as well. Mutual Assistance Network Georgia Power monitors changing weather around the clock and coordinates with…

DECATUR, GA– The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) announced that the Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators (CJJA) has named Commissioner Tyrone Oliver the 2021 President’s Award recipient. Oliver received the award at the CJJA Summer Meeting on Aug. 14 in Nashville, Tenn. “Commissioner Oliver has proven himself to be a strong leader in our state’s service to youth in the criminal justice system,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “He has rightfully earned the CJJA President’s Award because of his genuine commitment to bettering the lives of countless youth and fostering safe communities across our state. The Kemp family and…

DECATUR, GA- The Beacon Hill Black Alliance for Human Rights is hosting the first-ever Pan African Festival at Decatur’s Historic City Square, 101 E. Court Square, on Saturday, Aug. 28, 3 to 8 p.m.  Admission is free. Attorney Mawulli Davis, Beacon Hill’s co-chair, said the historic celebration is a cultural experience that should be shared by all. “A Town Square where a Confederate monument once stood and the Klan would gather will be the site of our first-ever Pan African Festival,” said Davis. “This will be a space of culture, love, and healing,”  said Davis. Organizers say the family-friendly festival is…

DECATUR, GA –The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit is asking for the public’s assistance in locating Shakeem T. Donald, 25, of Stockbridge, GA. Donald is wanted on a charge of Aggravated Assault in connection with the Feb. 10, 2021 shooting of Deondre Earl on Boulder Run Trail in Ellenwood, Georgia. According to the warrant, Donald should be approached with caution, as he is considered dangerous, and he may be armed. Anyone who has information regarding the whereabouts of the suspect is asked to contact CrimeStoppers at 404-577-TIPS (404-577-8477). A reward may be available if the information…

DECATUR, GA—Registration is underway for the DeKalb County NAACP’s inaugural Virtual 5K Run/Walk, which will be held Sept. 24 through Oct. 3. The deadline to register is Sept. 1. Teresa Hardy, president of the branch, says the 10-day event is a way to promote healthy living, while supporting the DeKalb NAACP. She is encouraging local residents and those who live outside of DeKalb to sign up and get their cell phone cameras ready.  “COVID-19 has transformed the way we communicate and support each other. We will use this event to run with a purpose, support our community…

$1 billion Consent Decree will fix decades-old problems Tropical Storm Fred dumped three to four inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period throughout much of DeKalb, causing flooding and severe stormwater runoff. The spills, including a 2.5-million-gallon spill from a manhole located near Meadow Creek Path, was caused by stormwater intrusion into the wastewater system. This spill, which flowed into the South River, accounted for 90 percent of the total spill volume on Aug. 17. Federal and state agencies have approved a seven-year $1 billion countywide Consent Decree to fix the county’s aging sewer system. A federal district judge…

STONECREST—Ten contenders qualified this week for three seats on the Stonecrest City Council, with all three incumbents facing challengers for the Districts 1, 3 and 5 seats in the Nov. 2 General Election. District 1 City Councilman Jimmy Clanton is facing three challengers, the most crowded race. District 3 Councilwoman Jazzmin Cobble and District 5 Councilwoman Tammy Grimes are both facing two opponents. The seats are for four-year terms. Grimes is running for her first four-year term on the council. She was elected in 2019 to fill the unexpired term of Diane Adoma, who resigned…

 By The Dollar Empowered Community (D.E.C.) The pandemic brought numerous emergencies to families across every demographic. But the lack of financial security, in addition to what has been a disproportionate exposure to COVID-19, underscored the disparities in the Black community. The racial wealth gap is nothing new.  There has been national data available for at least three decades on the disparities. The pandemic in 2020, however, provided just the right time to reach out to the community to collectively come together and begin to do something about it. Meet The Dollar Empowered Community (The D.E.C.),  a real estate syndicate…

DECATUR, GA–The NAACP DeKalb County branch will host a virtual closing ceremony on Sept. 30, 6 p.m., for its Remembrance Project honoring the memory of black victims who were lynched in DeKalb County. Over the past two years, the NAACP DeKalb Remembrance Project, in collaboration with the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) has installed markers at three locations  to remember the known and unknown victims of lynchings that have been documented in DeKalb. The sites where the historic markers have been placed include: DeKalb County Courthouse, 556 N. McDonough St., in downtown Decatur Kelly Park,  6886 Main St., Lithonia Oak…