Author: On Common Ground News

The Youth Farm will feature a country store, hen house, 275-seat amphitheater, DeKalb’s largest wheelchair-accessible swimming pool, entrepreneurship training and more    DeKalb County District 7 Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson has unveiled a comprehensive plan for the development of a $1.4 million state-of-the-art youth farm. The Education, Market, Botanicals, Agriculture, and Recreational Center (E.M.B.A.R.C.) Community Youth Farm will be located at the former 50-acre Bransby Outdoor YMCA at Rock Chapel road site in Southeast DeKalb. “After a year of planning and research, I am proud to announce that the E.M.B.A.R.C. Community Youth Farm is finally ready to break ground on…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) met with President Joseph R. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, along with the leadership team of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), to discuss CBC priorities in vaccines, the budget, infrastructure spending, health disparities, voting rights, police violence and a host of other critical issues. White House Director of National Economic Council Brian Deese, White House Domestic Policy Advisor Amb. Susan Rice, Senior Advisor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement Cedric Richmond – along with Sens. Cory Booker (NJ) and Raphael Warnock (GA) and Reps.…

STONE MOUNTAIN—DeKalb County Commissioner Steve Bradshaw will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the District 4 community and senior center at 4885 Elam Road in Stone Mountain on Thursday, April 15,10 a.m. “I am pleased with the progress that is being made on the soon-to-come community and senior center and I am thrilled that we have scheduled the groundbreaking for this week,” Bradshaw said. The 24,000-square-foot community and senior center will be a modern, functional and aesthetically pleasing facility that meets the need of constituents in Districts 4 and 7, officials said. The site will feature approximately…

Initiative touts urban growers, green education for students, local green jobs DEKALB COUNTY, GA—DeKalb County’s Super District 6 Commissioner Ted Terry is expanding his big, green idea: He wants to transform public spaces in DeKalb County into urban landscapes offering edible native plant species, and fresh produce that is harvested by local urban growers The idea is one that Terry piloted in the city of Clarkston, where he served as mayor before his election in November 2020 to the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners. He is kicking off Fruitful Communities in DeKalb  with a virtual Community Forum on Wednesday,…

STONECREST– New staff members of the City of Stonecrest were introduced at the April 12 City Council work session. Jacobs, which provides staffing and oversight of the city’s personnel, had announced sweeping changes in an April 9 news release, which included a short description of the new members’ educational and work backgrounds. The community got its first look at the new staff during the virtual meeting.  Jacobs said that more staff changes are expected. The following people were introduced at the virtual meeting (Images were captured via ZOOM):  Janice Allen Jackson assumed the role of Acting City Manager…

ATLANTA– Gov. Brian P. Kemp and the Georgia Department of Education have opened the applications for the Families of Children with Special Needs Reimbursement fund through May 14. “In my State of the State Address this year, I announced that Georgia would set aside $10 million in Governor’s Emergency Education Relief funds to offset costs that parents of students with special needs faced due to COVID-19. As we launch these applications, we are taking the first step in fulfilling that promise,” said Kemp. “I am proud of the partnership between my office, State School Superintendent Richard Woods, the…

DECATUR– The DeKalb County Board of Ethics will conduct a board meeting on Thursday, April 15, 6 p.m. The meeting will be held via Zoom at https://dekalbcountyga.zoom.us/j/88137432677 Join by phone at 602-333-0032 or 888-270-9936 and use conference code 171493. Agenda Adoption of Agenda Administrative Items Approval of Minutes March 18, 2021 Meeting Ethics Administrator Position Discussion of Hiring Process Recommendation(s) for Board Consideration Adoption of Amended Board of Ethics Rules Review of Current Budget FY 2021 Discussion of Purchase of Electronic Equipment for Board Use III.         Ethics Cases Discussion of Legal Review of Advisory Opinion 2017-3 In…

Learn about landscaping, what to grow virtually!   DECATUR, GA– DeKalb County Cooperative Extension will host “April Gardening” virtual classes for free. “Landscape Tree 101″ class will be on April 15, 6 to 7 p.m. “Green Living” class will be on April 22, 6 to 7 p.m. “Container Gardening” class will be on April 28, 6 to 7 p.m. Registration is required. Register at https://ugeorgia.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6GAMuSmrVxP3Dnw or email yanyu.chen@uga.edu to register.   For more information, contact the DeKalb County Cooperative Extension Office at 404-298-4080, or visit our website at https://extension.uga.edu/county-offices/dekalb.html.  

DECATUR, GA– The DeKalb County Board of Health will hold its regularly scheduled meeting via teleconference on April 15, 3 p.m. Public access to the teleconference can be established by calling: 301-715-8592, Conference ID 964-5345-0920, Password: 229980  Agenda items for the meeting include: The approval of minutes from the Jan. 28 meeting Consideration of Contract o   Johnson Controls, Inc.– Professional Services Contract – Administration, Internal Services, Purchasing – Contract #: 20-0185-Co076-01 Nominating Committee The District Health Director’s Report from January 2021 through February 2021 The Board of Heath’s current financial status report Public Comments Board Comments Anyone who would like to bring…

ATLANTA— Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms authorized the installation of 25 miles per hour (mph) speed limit signs throughout Atlanta. Administered by the Atlanta Department of Transportation (ATLDOT), this initiative to reduce vehicular speeds is part of a citywide commitment made in 2020 to adopt and implement “Vision Zero” to safeguard the streets of Atlanta. “Vision Zero” is a systems-based approach to eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries through safer street design, speed management and other proven strategies. “Our Vision Zero plan is designed to reduce vehicular incidents and ensure residents and visitors alike are safe on our streets—regardless of their method of transportation,” said Mayor Bottoms.…