Author: On Common Ground News

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) returned to Washington this week to vote on a stand-alone bill to increase economic impact payments to $2,000 for Americans struggling during the pandemic. The bill passed the House and now goes to the Senate. “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel, but until we get there, Americans struggling to pay rent, put food on the table and stay healthy need our help,” said Rep. Johnson. “This money will go a long way in helping make people whole during this difficult time.” House and Senate Democrats have repeatedly called for…

DECATUR—The DeKalb County Sanitation Division announces free Christmas tree curbside collection service for county residents until Jan. 14, 2021.  Trees will be collected during residents’ regularly scheduled sanitation collection service days. To participate, residents must remove all decorations from trees and place them curbside. Tree length must be 7 feet or less. Trees that cannot be trimmed to the required size may be taken to the county-owned Seminole Road Landfill or collected by the Sanitation Division’s Special Collection unit (fees may apply). This service provides an opportunity for residents to dispose of Christmas trees sustainably and free-of-charge. All trees will…

State Rep. Karla Drenner, chair of the DeKalb County House Delegation, invites the public to join members of the Georgia House of Representatives who represent DeKalb County for two virtual town halls prior to the start of the 2021 General Assembly. Virtual Legislative Town Halls will be offered on two dates: Saturday, Jan. 9, 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. Register: bit.ly/DekalbJan9 Tuesday, Jan. 12, 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Register: bit.ly/DekalbJan12 At both town halls, DeKalb House Delegation members will take questions and comments from the public, limited to two minutes to allow as much participation as possible. To submit questions and participate…

The City of Stonecrest is hosting a New Year’s Even Drive-In on Thursday, Dec. 31 at the former Sam’s Club building, 2994 Turner Hill Road, Stonecrest.

Decatur, GA.— The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) DeKalb County Branch recognizes Jan. 1 as Jubilee Day and will host a virtual program on New Year’s Day at 10 a.m. Jan. 1, 1863 was the official signing of the Emancipation Proclamation, the freeing of enslaved Africans in America. On this day, President Abraham Lincoln signed freedom (on paper) for all Blacks held captive in Southern states, opening the door to greater opportunities and a chance at the “American Dream”. “This is not just a time for celebration, but it is also a time for remembrance and…

LITHONIA, GA–Two City of Lithonia police officers  last night arrested Jamal James Nicholl, identified as one of Atlanta’s “Operation Phoenix” most violent offenders after responding to a shots fired call. The incident took place around 6:45 p.m. at a resident located at the intersection of Kelly Street and Dean Court, authorities said. When Canine Officer Corporal J. Patterson and Patrol Officer G. Law arrived at the scene, Nicholl fled into a residence and barricaded himself inside. Following a brief standoff, Nicholl surrendered  without further incident and was transported to the DeKalb County Jail. Newly-appointed Chief of Police Nathan Pollard commended…

The DeKalb County Democratic Committee praised the DeKalb Board of Registration and Elections for upholding the principles of democracy by rejecting the partisan attacks on the eligibility of DeKalb voters. The committee stated in a news release today (Dec. 24): “On Tuesday, Dec. 22, the Republican Party and a Texas-based group called “True the Vote” wasted DeKalb taxpayers’ time and resources by challenging the eligibility of over 50,000 DeKalb citizens to vote in next month’s U.S. Senate runoffs. This is another blatant attack on our democracy by Republicans who do not reside in our state and Republican leaders who…

The Always Keep Hope Foundation(AKHF), in partnership with the Lithonia-Stonecrest Kiwanis Club International and Rockdale County School Board member-elect Akita Parmer, recently donated over 125 coats to needy students in the Rockdale and Stonecrest-Lithonia area. “This has been an especially tough year for families. This coat drive was very critical. It was about turning real problems into real solutions with the good works of giving to those struggling in the light of a global pandemic, said the foundation’s CEO and founder  Dwight Jessie. Jessie credited the foundation’s success to having a strong board of directors. “The foundation has worked…

As Rockdale County’s COVID-19 cases surge, county officials are reminding residents to be diligent in wearing facemasks, practicing social distancing, washing their hands and sanitizing surfaces during the holidays. Dan Morgan, who heads the county’s Emergency Management Agency, said Rockdale remains in the “High” category of active COVID-19 cases, with 18-to 22-year-olds presenting the highest rate of transmissions. Morgan said that roughly 30 percent of Georgia’s confirmed COVID-19 cases are young people 18 to 22 years old, a subset of those 18-29 years old, according to information released on Tuesday, Dec. 22, by Georgia’s Department of Public Health. “They (young…