Author: On Common Ground News

DeKalb County Public Library has partnered with We Love BuHi Inc. to present the Human Library Project. The event will take place virtually on Wednesday, Dec. 2, 6:30-8:00 p.m. via Zoom. This year’s theme is “Voices of a Highway: At the Heart of Atlanta’s Immigrant Stories.” Lily Pabian, executive director of We Love Buhi Inc., will serve as the keynote speaker. “Voices of a Highway” seeks to tell the story of the diversity and culture of the Buford Highway corridor. Founded in 2015, We Love BuHi is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that seeks to preserve the multicultural identity of Atlanta’s…

STONE MOUNTAIN–DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson has allocated $50,000 in District 7 Coronavirus, Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to ART Station Contemporary Arts Center and Theatre Company to provide assistance to individuals and families in the DeKalb County art community who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The appropriation was approved by the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 10, 2020, and will be used to provide emergency grants, rent, mortgage, utility assistance and food to artists who have lost employment and wages. “Often times, the most creative among us are overlooked when it…

STONECREST–As families across the country reimagine celebrating Thanksgiving amidst COVID-19, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church is providing thousands of families with holiday food boxes. On Saturday, Nov. 21, 10 a.m., New Birth Senior Pastor Jamal Bryant and DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond are partnering to give away turkeys,  20-pound boxes filled with fresh fruits and vegetables and other essential items for families financially impacted by COVID-19. No registration is needed, and all items will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis on the New Birth campus located at 6400 Woodrow Road, Stonecrest. Throughout the pandemic, New Birth has provided nearly…

DeKalb County District Five Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson invites residents of District 5 to join her for a Thanksgiving Turkey & Fixins Giveaway on Saturday, Nov. 21, 10 a.m. to noon, at the Lou Walker Senior Center, 2538 Panola Road, Decatur. The event is supported by the DeKalb County Board of Health; DeKalb NACCP; First African Community Development; Johnson, Hopewell, Coleman Law Office; Word of Life Christian Church; and The People’s Agenda. “This year, COVID-19 has shifted resources that many people would normally have for Thanksgiving,” Commissioner Davis Johnson said. “We are blessed to be a blessing and that’s what we…

The DeKalb Board of Registration and Elections will hold a Special Called Meeting on Thursday, Nov. 19, 2:30 p.m. for the purpose of considering re-certification of the results of the election held on Nov. 3, 2020. This meeting will be conducted via teleconference (Zoom). Simultaneous public access to the meeting will be available via livestream on DCTV’s UStream channel https://video.ibm.com/channel/dctv-channel-23. Public comment may be submitted by sending an email of one page or less to electionspubliccmnt@dekalbcountyga.gov which must be received between 2:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. on the day of the meeting. The body of the email must include the…

This morning (Nov. 18),  a serious allegation about a “9,626 vote error in the DeKalb County hand count” was made on social media by David Shafer, chairman of the Georgia Republican Party. I immediately conducted a preliminary inquiry into the accuracy of his unsubstantiated tweet. Below, I share the results of my inquiry: DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections officials have not verified the allegation in the tweet by Chairman Shafer, that a “vote error” occurred during the state-mandated risk-limiting audit in DeKalb. Based on Chairman Shafer’s Twitter storm, the alleged “vote error” was discovered, reported to DeKalb elections…

New telemedicine equipment, portable X-ray machines, PPEs and COVID-19 testing kits purchased   DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson has allocated $250,000 in District 7 Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to the Clarkston Community Health Center (CCHC). The center will use the funding to provide healthcare to individuals and families in DeKalb County who have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The appropriation will be used to assist CCHC in the purchase of new telemedicine equipment, portable X-ray machines, personal protective equipment and COVID-19 testing kits. The funds will also be used to provide in-person screenings…

DeKalb County Tax Commissioner Irvin J. Johnson has added a new effort designed to save customers time. This process is designed to enhance the customer experience by allowing them to select a designated appointment time and avoid waiting in line. The “Click2Skip” process allows motor vehicle customers to use their phone or computer to schedule an appointment online and save time. “Providing a better customer service experience remains a top priority as we leverage technology to enhance our business model,” Johnson said. The pilot program, launched at the Memorial Drive location in Decatur, has since expanded to the office’s two…

Rockdale County Board of Commissioners Chairman Oz Nesbitt will host a conference call to urge clergy to help spread the message of safety during the holidays. A massive campaign is under way throughout Georgia to practice safety measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19. The conference call will be held on Friday, Nov. 20 at 1 p.m. Participants should call (605) 472-5416. Once dialed in, participants should enter in the Access Code: 616392. After announcing their first and last name, participants should mute their phone to prevent feedback and background noise. For more information, contact Jeannettia Owens at jeannettia.owens@rockdalecountyga.gov.…