Author: On Common Ground News

The DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s office was recently recognized as a 2021 Tyler Public Sector Excellence Award winner during Connect, Tyler’s annual user conference in April. The award is presented to an agency that demonstrates excellence in deploying Tyler’s iasWorld software in innovative and impactful ways. Faced with the challenge of adjusting the system when on-boarding a new entity just days before the 2020 tax digest deadline, staff worked with the Tyler team to implement a new process to address a nuance in the entity’s charter that impacted the frozen base…

pplication process now open, closes May 11 This summer, DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond and the Board of Commissioners are hosting the 2021 DeKalb Virtual Career Academy (DVCA), the county’s fifth annual summer jobs program, run by WorkSource DeKalb. “The COVID-19 pandemic continues to make it difficult for DeKalb County youth to find summer jobs and internships,” said Thurmond. “Again, this year, DeKalb County will fill this training and financial gap by offering our summer jobs program as a virtual career academy.” The application process is now open and closes at 5 p.m. on May 11, 2021, for the five-week…

LITHONIA, GA — Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) today announced he will be part of a multi-event “Get Out The Vaccination (GOTV)” tour of his district over the next 10 days – especially before Mother’s and Father’s Day . “Do it for mama,” said Congressman Johnson, who is making a push for young people to get vaccinated to protect not just themselves but their families. In partnership with the Congressional Black Caucus, local health departments and hospitals, county commissioners, and houses of worship, Johnson is highlighting the need for his constituents to get vaccinated through events hosted by DeKalb County Commissioners Mereda Davis…

UPDATE: Triston Crane, who was named as the person of interest in the case, has now turned himself into the Rockdale Sheriff’s Office. This investigation is still ongoing, the Sheriff’s Office reported at 9:12 p.m. on May 5. CONYERS–The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting involving an adult male who died at a local hospital on Tuesday (May 5). The victim is believed to be connected to a crashed vehicle that deputies found in the parking lot at Pine Log Park, 1500 GA Hwy 138 N.E., Conyers, the Sheriff’s Office said. On May 4, at approximately 12:43…

Five students from Rockdale, 4 from Newton named recipients Nine outstanding students pursuing healthcare careers in Rockdale and Newton County schools are recipients of the 2021 Kimberley Chance Atkins Foundation (KCAF) Healthcare Scholarship. The Kimberley Chance Atkins Foundation Healthcare Scholarship was established in 2016 to recognize students who plan to pursue a career in healthcare. A scholarship is awarded to a student from each traditional high school and career academy in Rockdale and Newton Counties. Kim Atkins was a beloved and respected teacher in Rockdale County for many years and was recognized as a Teacher of the Year.…

ATLANTA– The Georgia Emergency Communications Authority (GECA) has opened applications for a  911 Training Grant that fully reimburses primary 911 Centers for Next Generation 911 training. Each of Georgia’s 155 primary 911 Centers will receive $10,000 that can be used to reimburse the cost of approved courses that provide training for Next Generation 911. At over $1.5 million, this is the largest investment ever into training for our 911 centers in the State of Georgia. “As Georgia prepares for the transition to Next Generation 911, it’s critical that 911 call takers and dispatchers receive the necessary training for the…

WASHINGTON, D.C. —As the 60th anniversary of the first Freedom Rides was observed on Tuesday (May 6), Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet, reminded his colleagues that he has a resolution calling on Congress to award the Freedom Riders the Congressional Gold Medal. More than 60 members of Congress – including more than a dozen members of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) – joined Johnson as original cosponsors of the bill introduced in February 2021. The Freedom Rides, which lasted from May to November 1961, included more than 400 black…

DEKALB—DeKalb County Public Library Board of Trustees will hold a regular meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, May 10. This meeting will be conducted via teleconference (Zoom). A Finance Committee Meeting will be held at 4 p.m. To listen in on the meeting, please request the call-in number and PIN from weissingera@dekalblibrary.org no later than noon on the date of the meeting. For more details on the agenda and about listening in, click here.

DeKalb County School District (DCSD) announced its 2020-2021 Employees of The Year. These top teachers, principals, and support professionals were selected by their peers. Each school winner will compete for the top teacher honor in their region. “Congratulations to all of the employees of the year! Each day, the employees of this district share their talent, dedication and passion to make sure every scholar has an opportunity to excel in and outside of the classroom,” said Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris. “Thank you for all that you do for our scholars and the district.” This year’s winners, by region, are as follows: 2020-2021 Regional Principals…

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) DeKalb County Branch Remembrance Project will install its third lynching marker on Thursday, May 6, at noon in the Druid Hills community. The location of the marker will be at the Oak Grove Park in the Olmsted Linear Park, which is located at the southeast corner of Ponce de Leon Avenue. For those who plan to attend, parking is available on South Ponce de Leon in the unreserved spaces at St. John’s Lutheran Church. “This project has become a personal project for educating our community on some major historical facts…