Author: On Common Ground News

ATLANTA— When the public-address announcer calls the first name of Arabia Mountain High School’s Ronald Jones, III at Truist Park today(June 22), it will echo far beyond Cobb County, Georgia. It will reverberate all the way to the red dirt of Muldrow, Oklahoma—homeland of the storied Starr clan of the Cherokee Nation—and across Indian Country, where 50 elite Indigenous ballplayers have earned the right to showcase their talent in the Atlanta Braves Native American All-Star Game. Jones, a rising senior at Arabia Mountain High School in the city of Stonecrest, will be among those participating in the Braves Native American All-Star…

STONECREST, GA— Dr. Jamal Bryant, senior pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, is inviting the community to come out and support Black-owned businesses in celebrating Juneteenth.   A pop-up marketplace spotlighting more than 100 Black-owned businesses will be open today, June 22, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at New Birth’s Samson Family Life Center, 6400 Woodrow Road.   The marketplace, which launched on Saturday, features a wide range of Black-owned businesses offering fashion, wellness, home goods, gourmet products, and more, alongside live entertainment, giveaways, and family-friendly activities.  Scenes from the marketplace: Dr. Jamal Bryant visits the array of vendors on Saturday,…

The Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) is urging customers to only use DDS certified schools whether needed for driver training or driver improvement. This certification guarantees that instructors are qualified, and the curriculum is, both, effective and compliant with the law, officials announced.   To see the complete list of driving schools certified by DDS, please visit https://dds.georgia.gov/regulated-programs. “It is important that customers select schools that are certified by DDS to ensure students receive consistent, comprehensive, and up-to-date instruction on traffic laws, road safety, and risk reduction.” said DDS Commissioner Angelique B. McClendon. DDS cautions customers as there are riving schools…

ATLANTA, GA—Keisha Sean Waites and Peter Hubbard are headed to a run-off in the Democratic primary for Georgia’s Public Service Commission District 3 seat, after emerging as the top two vote-getters in Tuesday’s three-way race.   Waites, a former Atlanta City Council member and former state legislator, led the June 17 race with 57,926 votes (46.05%), while Hubbard, founder of the nonprofit, Georgia Center for Energy Solutions, came in second with 41,879 votes (33.29%), according to unofficial results from the Georgia Secretary of State’s web site. Robert Jones, a former utility executive, placed third in the race with 25,996 votes (20.66%). …

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA—Gwinnett County officials are celebrating the grand opening of the Hooper-Renwick Themed Library, a project honoring Black history and community legacy through a partnership with the city of Lawrenceville, Hooper-Renwick Legacy Preservation Committee, and the Gwinnett County Public Library Board of Trustees. The facility, located at 56 Neal Boulevard in Lawrenceville, officially opened to the public on Tuesday, June 17, and is the first themed library in the Southeast. The long-awaited project brings new life to the historic Hooper-Renwick School, which once served as the only public high school for Black students in Gwinnett County.  The vision of the…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA–Rockdale County government is embarking on its first-ever Housing Assessment, a major initiative to evaluate local housing needs, challenges, and opportunities — and community voices are essential to guide the process. The County is seeking volunteers to serve on a steering committee that will assist in shaping the direction and priorities of the assessment. Committee members will work alongside planning staff to provide insight, feedback, and guidance throughout the project. Committee responsibilities include: Attending regular meetings Reviewing and discussing data and findings Help identify housing priorities and goals Supporting community engagement The steering committee will reflect the diversity of Rockdale and…

Gwinnett County Commissioner Jasper Watkins to host “District 3 Talks Fentanyl: A Youth Town Hall” LAWRENCEVILLE, GA—Join District 3 Commissioner Jasper Watkins, III for a candid conversation about the rise of fentanyl in the community and how it’s impacting young lives.  The event will be held on June 21, 10 a.m.—11:30 a.m., at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center Auditorium, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville.  The event will feature a screening of the Emmy Award-winning docuseries, Upfront Gwinnett: Fighting Fentanyl, followed by a youth-led discussion with a panel of experts in public health and safety. Bring your questions, your voice and your…