Author: On Common Ground News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) today announced that The Open Courts Act of 2020, H.R. 8235, which would make federal court records free to the public, has passed the House. Johnson serves as chairman of the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the internet. aThe measure modernizes the federal judiciary’s court records systems and eliminates the paywall (called PACER) that currently forces the public to pay more than $140 million each year to access records.  The new system would provide a centralized, easily searchable site to access court records free of charge. Rep. Doug Collins (GA-09) co-introduced…

Washington, DC—Walker’s Legacy is inviting women of color who own small businesses to respond to a survey for a chance to receive one of its COVID-19 Relief Micro Grants.  Walker’s Legacy is the largest digital platform for multi-cultural women in business. Walker’s Legacy, the largest digital platform for multicultural women in business, is making the grants available to women across the U.S. Walker’s Legacy plans to award eight women with $500 for their entrepreneurial efforts. To apply, applicants must submit a response to Walker’s Legacy COVID-19 Impact Survey funded by the Gates Foundation. Through the survey, Walker’s Legacy will establish…

DECATUR–DeKalb County Board of Health will implement uniform hours at the county’s three COVID-19 testing sites. Beginning Monday, Dec. 14, hours of operation for all locations will be 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Stonecrest location will remain open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until noon, until Dec. 26. Health officials say those seeking testing will need to adequately plan ahead to ensure that results are received in time to meet travel or other proof of testing requirements. “The implementation of these measures is necessary to avoid overwhelming the testing system currently in place and to…

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rockdale County Board of Assessors has launched an online homestead exemption  application, which will eliminate the need for residents to file for an exemption in person. Homeowners can file for an exemption by visiting rockdalecountyga.gov and going to  the “County Departments”  tab. Hover over “Board of Assessors” and click on “Homestead Exemptions.” From there, they should click on the link “Online Homestead Application.” Full instructions of how to file for the exemption online can be seen in the video: https://vimeo.com/488191246 The deadline to file for exemption is April 1 of each taxable…

DECATUR—The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) DeKalb County branch is launching the Georgia NAACP’s “#DoItAgain” voter outreach campaign. Through the initiative, the organization plans to safely conduct voter registration, provide voter information and encourage all eligible citizens to exercise their right to vote. “Voting in the Jan. 5th runoff election is so critical for everyone to do. Georgia voters were highly motivated for the general election and made their voices heard. The same kind of enthusiasm and dedication are needed for the runoff elections,” said NAACP DeKalb Political Action Chair Nadine Ali. “…We did it…

Updated information: The City of Stonecrest Development Authority will meet on Dec. 10, 2020, 8:30 a.m. The meeting will be available via Stonecrest YouTube.

AARP Atlanta is hosting for an evening of music and inspiration, “His Voice, Your Vote: An AARP Atlanta Couch Concert Featuring Kenny Lattimore.” The Get Out The Vote (GOTV) free live concert is Wednesday, Dec. 9, 8 p.m. via Intrado Studios, and will be available on-demand soon after the original broadcast.  Kenny Lattimore is known for his 1996 breakthrough single “Never Too Busy” and the wedding staple “For You.” He earned Grammy and Soul Train Award nominations, Top 10 singles, Top 20 R&B albums, and an NAACP Image Award for Best New Artist. Lattimore is a humanitarian who uses his life…

CONYERS—Mayor Vince Evans, the Conyers City Council, staff and employees of the city of Conyers invite the public to a drop-in open house and official ribbon cutting of the new Conyers City Hall, 901 O’Kelly St., on Monday, Dec. 21 between the hours of 4 and 7 p.m. Those attending the event will be required to wear a mask or face covering. Mayor Evans will make brief remarks and cut the ceremonial ribbon at 5:30 p.m.  Holiday refreshments will be served and employees will offer guided tours of the building. The new City Hall is a 38,000-square-foot, two-story building…

$200,000 of District 7 CARES ACT funding allocated for program  DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson has allocated $200,000 in District 7 Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to Operation HOPE to assist DeKalb County small business owners and entrepreneurs who have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, lost their business, or have reduced wages as a result of the crisis. The appropriation will be used to create the DeKalb Entrepreneurship Training Program, an 8-week course free to DeKalb County residents that will guide business owners through the necessary steps of operating a business through a pandemic. The…

Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) and Kids’-Doc-On-Wheels (KDOW) held a ribbon cutting ceremony Dec. 4 to mark the partnership to provide school-based telehealth and mobile medical services for RCPS students. School officials say the comprehensive pediatric services, which are available to all RCPS families on a voluntary basis, will supplement existing school-based clinic services and will help to reduce missed instructional time for students and missed work time for parents. Pictured left to right:  KDOW Board Member Yahrasiel Colbert, parent Natalie Jones and her daughter Ana Cruz, KDOW Executive Director Winston Myers, Heritage High School (HHS) / Rockdale Career Academy…