Author: On Common Ground News

The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) is delaying the return to school. Students will not return to face-to-face instruction on Jan. 19. DCSD Superintendent Cheryl Watson-Harris and her team presented an update of the District’s re-opening plan during the Jan. 11 Board of Education meeting. District officials said decisions were carefully made given the magnitude of COVID-19 and school closures on teaching and learning. The District will host a virtual town hall for parents with Superintendent Watson-Harris on Thursday, Jan. 14, 6 to 7 p.m. A two-week notification will be shared with families prior to the expected date for return…

The DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs will hold a virtual Parks Citizen Advisory Board Committee meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 26, at 6 p.m. The meeting to discuss current park improvements and recreation projects will be conducted via Zoom at https://dekalbcountyga.zoom.us/j/86530929037. To join the meeting by phone, dial 888-270-9936, and use conference code 720766. For more information, contact Carol Underwood, administrative coordinator, at 404-371-2927 or cjunderw@dekalbcountyga.gov.

There will be a monthly meeting of the Stonecrest Development Authority on this Thursday January 14, 2021 at 8:30am.  The meeting will be available for the citizens to view through the City’s YouTube channel.

Medical professionals from CDC, Emory, DeKalb Board of Health and Kaiser to inform public about vaccine   As the COVID-19 vaccine rolls out in DeKalb County and known cases soar across the United States, DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson will host a virtual town hall to discuss the truths, myths and unknowns associated with the COVID-19 vaccine. The “COVID-19 Vaccine: Helping You Understand the Truths, Myths and Unknown” Virtual Town Hall will take place Thursday, Jan. 14, at 6 p.m. and will feature distinguished medical professionals on the front line of research, development and the implementation of the…

DeKalb County Police Chief Mirtha V. Ramos will host the department’s first Virtual Community Q&A of 2021. The Q&A will be broadcast on Sunday, Jan. 17, 6 p.m., on the department’s Facebook page. Questions or concerns can be submitted now on the Facebook event post or submitted live during the Q&A session. Chief Ramos and other commanders will discuss the department’s 2020 achievements and areas of improvement in 2021. The community will also hear from other division leaders. “In the spirit of transparency and inclusiveness, we want to discuss our 2020 with the community, as well as our…

Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) was re-elected this week by his colleagues in the Georgia House of Representatives to continue his service as Speaker of the House for the 2021-2022 legislative session. Ralston has served as Speaker since 2010 and is Georgia’s 73rd Speaker of the House. “I thank my colleagues in the House for their continued trust and confidence,” said Speaker Ralston. “Our government is at its best when it is working for our people – when we address fundamental issues that make people’s lives better. This year, we will prioritize reforming Georgia’s citizen’s arrest law, improving and expanding our…

ATLANTA – The Georgia House Democratic Caucus (GHDC) Subcommittee on COVID-19 is urging Gov. Brian Kemp take more aggressive action to slow the spread of a new strain of COVID-19. The new strain, recently confirmed in Georgia, is reported to be more contagious. Members of the subcommittee, which includes State Representatives Rhonda Burnough (D-Riverdale), Viola Davis (D-Stone Mountain), Shelly Hutchinson (D-Snellville), Donna McLeod (D-Lawrenceville), Sandra Scott (D-Rex) and Kim Schofield (D-Atlanta) are asking Kemp to re-evaluate his current response plan regarding the spread of COVID-19 within the state of Georgia. “In view of the recent confirmation of a new, more…

The 2021 Conyers Mayor’s State of the City Address was held on Wednesday, Jan. 6. Members of the Conyers City Council, directors, and deputy directors of the city of Conyers were the only audience members present for the annual event in which Mayor Evans addresses the city’s successes in the past year and offers his vision for the year ahead. “The State of the City Address is always well attended and due to gathering restrictions relative to COVID-19 and the close proximity in which citizens and invited guests would be assembling, we made the difficult decision not to hold the…

The DeKalb County Board of Health has opened registration for Phase 1A+ for COVID-19. Appointments will start on Monday, Jan. 11. A registration and appointment link is available on the dekalbhealth.net homepage. Individuals without access to the internet or those with special needs can call 404-294-3700 to obtain assistance from a call center representative. Eligible groups in Phase 1A+ include: Healthcare workers (physicians, nurses, laboratory technicians, EMS personnel, environmental services, etc.) Residents and staff of long-term care facilities Adults aged 65 and older and their caregivers as applicable Law enforcement, firefighters, first responders Please note, unless individuals fall into…

DeKalb County Cooperative Extension is calling for applications for Fresh on DeK, the DeKalb Mobile Farmers Market, stops for 2021. The deadline to apply is Friday, Feb. 26, 2021. Launched in May 2015, Fresh on DeK has raised awareness about the importance of fruit and vegetable consumption for healthy living by providing fresh, affordable produce and food demonstrations to county residents. Communities, businesses, or organizations can apply to be a Fresh on DeK stop. The proposed location must be able to provide a liaison to organize the site. The site must also have a street-level parking area that is highly…