Author: On Common Ground News

COVID-19 vaccines will be offered at celebration   DECATUR, GA—DeKalb County will commemorate Juneteenth, the ending of slavery in the United States, on Friday, June 18, with a public event at the City of Decatur bandstand beginning at 11 a.m. This will be the first time Juneteenth will be observed as an official county holiday. A COVID-19 mobile vaccine unit will be onsite to offer vaccinations.  Juneteenth is traditionally celebrated in the United States on June 19 each year. Since the holiday falls on Saturday this year, county administrative offices will observe the paid holiday on June 18. “I am…

Photos by Darold Honore LITHONIA, GA — DeKalb County Police Department held a graduation for 25 police recruits today (June 11) at the Lithonia City Park & Amphitheater. The graduates (Class 125) completed 24 weeks of intense training, in addition to learning DeKalb County Government protocols. DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond, Public Safety Director Joseph “Jack” Lumpkin and Police Chief Mirtha V. Ramos participated in the ceremony.                       

The City of Stonecrest’s Acting City Manager, Janice Allen Jackson, and Deputy City Manager, Jim Nichols would like to invite you to our next; Virtual City Council Work Session Meeting – Monday June 14, 2021, at 7 p.m. EST.

The City of Stonecrest’s Acting City Manager, Janice Allen Jackson, and Deputy City Manager, Jim Nichols would like to invite you to our next  Virtual Special Called City Council Meeting – Monday June 14, 2021, at 6 p.m. EST. The agenda is below:

DECATUR, GA—The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) DeKalb County branch is celebrating the Juneteenth holiday with organizations in DeKalb County at six different locations. Branch members plan to join celebrations at  three AME churches as well as three cities that are hosting Juneteenth events: City of Decatur City of Clarkston City of Stone Mountain Antioch AME Church New Birth Missionary Baptist Church St. Paul AME Worship Center St. Philip AME Church NAACP DeKalb President Teresa Hardy said there has been a groundswell of support in DeKalb for this year’s holiday and people are excited about. Participating.…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—Due to flooding at Chief Cornerstone Community Church, 2900 Salem Road, the Fieldstone Precinct is being relocated on Election Day, Tuesday, June 15, to 1400 Parker Road. There are three candidates running in the special election for the Rockdale Probate: Judge Gary Washington(Incumbent), Kathy Harvey, a counselor, and Justin Kenney, attorney. “We will be putting signs at Chief Cornerstone Church on Sunday, June 13,” said Rockdale Elections Director Cynthia Willingham.  “Judge Mumford issued an emergency order on June 11.” The judge’s order is as follows:

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond will announce the next steps for the Tenant-Landlord Assistance Coalition program, initiated in February 2021 to provide financial relief to DeKalb renters threatened by eviction and landlords facing revenue losses—both due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thurmond will host a news conference on Monday, June 14, 10 a.m. the Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur. On March 24, DeKalb County’s Department of Innovation and Technology was informed by federal agents of an international cyberattack that impacted the Tenant-Landlord Assistance Coalition program. The public is invited to view the announcement live on DeKalb County Television (DCTV) on…

DECATUR, GA– The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a suspect in the murder of a Decatur man who was killed in May.  Ellenwood resident Autori Jarquez Muhammad, 24, turned himself in to authorities at the DeKalb County Jail on June 9. He was arrested for the May 18, 2021 murder of Anthony Jerome Merricks, 23, of Decatur. According to warrants,  Muhammad shot Mr. Merricks multiple times while attempting to rob him on Summit High Court in Decatur. Muhammad is charged with Felony Murder and Criminal Attempt Armed Robbery. 

What do you do when you only have a few items on hand in the kitchen? I had a couple of green tomatoes, red bell peppers, fruit, limes, eggs and juice.I  decided to fry the green tomatoes and red bell pepper. This is a very simple dish that I made for lunch to go with some black-eyed peas that my daughter had cooked overnight in the crockpot. She made the peas with a tomato sauce, which was absolutely outstanding.  I made my own special sauce as a topping for the fried veggies. I used garlic Aioli mustard, Hickory & Cracked…