Author: On Common Ground News

DECATUR–The DeKalb Board of Registration and Elections  will hold a special called meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 1 p.m. 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 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. on the day of the meeting. The body of the email must include the commenter’s first and last name, followed by the commenter’s address. Abusive, profane, or derogatory language will not…

Cross Keys High School, Agnes Scott College added to expanded list   DECATUR–DeKalb Voter Registration and Elections (DeKalb VRE) continues to expand early voting locations ahead of the Jan. 5 runoff election with the addition of Cross Keys High School and Agnes Scott College. The new advance voting locations opened Monday, Dec. 21, and will remain open until Dec. 31. “We have experienced a strong turnout across the county for our first week of early voting and look forward to two more successful weeks as people continue to vote in-person and via absentee ballot for the runoff election,”…

DECATUR-In observance of Christmas Day on Friday, Dec. 25, and New Year’s Day on Friday, Jan. 1, sanitation service for residential customers will be based on a normal collection schedule. There will be no change to the sanitation collection service schedule. The North Transfer Station, Central Transfer Station, Seminole Road Landfill and Customer Care call center will be closed on Friday, Dec. 25, and Friday, Jan. 1, reopening on Monday, Dec. 28, and Monday, Jan. 4, respectively, during normal operating hours. For more information, contact the Sanitation Division’s Customer Care team at 404-294-2900 or  email sanitation@dekalbcountyga.gov or visit www.dekalbsanitation.com  …

AARP Georgia State Director Debra Tyler-Horton Social Security, Medicare, nursing home protections are key issues    AARP Georgia has released a new survey showing both U.S. Senate races are statistically tied.  Democrat Jon Ossoff (48%) is narrowly leading Republican incumbent David Perdue (46%) while Democrat Raphael Warnock (47%) is edging Republican incumbent Kelly Loeffler (46%).  But among voters age 50-plus, the poll shows both the Republican candidates lead their Democratic challenger by identical margins, 53% for Perdue and Loeffler versus 42% for Ossoff and Warnock.  Just 5% of voters are undecided.  Further, the poll found that the majority…

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp today announced that ByoPlanet® International, a leading producer of electrostatic spray technology, is investing nearly $7 million in expanding its Georgia manufacturing operations, delivering 250 jobs to Athens-Clarke County. “It’s a pleasure to see ByoPlanet International continue to grow their footprint in Athens,” saidKemp. “With a spray system born from innovative studies conducted at the University of Georgia, ByoPlanet International is continuing to play a critical role in keeping schools, airlines, hospitals, and many other indoor spaces safe and sanitized so we can keep our economy open and protect lives and livelihoods as we fight COVID-19.”…

Councilwoman Connie Alsobrook led effort to rename street CONYERS—A portion of Milstead Avenue will serve as a memorial to honor the late Nobel Peace Prize winner, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with an unveiling planned for January 2021. The Conyers City Council approved a resolution for the memorial to honor King at its Dec. 16 meeting.  The portion of Milstead designated to pay tribute to the civil rights leader will be called Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Avenue.  Councilwoman Connie Alsobrook, who initiated and pushed for the resolution, said six MLK signs will be placed along Milstead Avenue beginning…

Newly -elected Rockdale County Clerk of Superior and State Courts Janice Morris announced the appointment of Kai Oden to the role of Chief Deputy for the Rockdale Clerk of Superior and State Courts. Oden, a Rockdale County resident, brings a wealth of knowledge to the Clerk’s Office with over 10 years of professional experience in the criminal justice and government field, and seven years of managerial experience as a program manager previously under the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice where she provided oversight of the Gwinnett Community Service Office. She has received multiple certifications and awards, which include the…

DeKalb County Government is adding a fourth food distribution site in December in Doraville because the Latino community is one of the population groups hardest hit by food insecurity exacerbated the pandemic nationally. Additionally, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 infections and deaths are proportionately higher among the Latino population. “We recognize that many families are struggling to keep food on their tables,” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said. “The Buford Highway distribution site grew out of a partnership with community leaders and will help us reach more families in need.” On Saturday, Dec. 19,…

Elected officials to be sworn in during private ceremonies   Rockdale County has canceled the 2020 swearing-in ceremony for candidates who won this year. The ceremonies were scheduled to take place on Tuesday, Dec. 29, in the Rockdale County Auditorium. Officials had planned to live stream the event, but due to Rockdale’s increasing number of COVID-19 cases, the decision was made to postpone the collective ceremonies. County officials said Rockdale has been categorized as having a “high” transmission rate, according to the Rockdale Emergency Management Agency. Those elected to office now will be sworn in during private ceremonies, some…

Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) Superintendent Terry Oatts announced RCPS will postpone the return of in-person learning on the hybrid schedule until after the February break. The superintendent released the following statement: “As I’ve previously communicated, our ultimate decisions regarding the resumption of in-person learning would be based on our local public health data. With the current levels of COVID-19 infection rates so prevalent within our county and with the anticipated escalation after the upcoming holiday season, the risk of prematurely returning students to our schools at this time for in-person learning is simply too great for both staff and…