Author: On Common Ground News

CONYERS—Mayor Vince Evans has appointed local citizens to a Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board to ensure that the city is prioritizing diversity and inclusion among its employees and hiring practices, as well as throughout various neighborhoods and hard-to-reach populations within the city limits. The Mayor’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Board focuses on three tenets: communication, serving as unity champions, and soliciting and providing feedback. The board will serve as a resource for city government and the community by providing information and communication to facilitate better understanding while celebrating the differences of constituents. The board will serve as unity champions…

Erica Hamilton, director of DeKalb County Voter Registration DECATUR– Registered voters in DeKalb County will be able to cast their absentee ballots in the Jan 5. runoff at more than 30 drop box locations throughout the county. A complete list of drop boxes can be viewed at www.dekalbvotes.com. “Similar to the general election, we’re anticipating a record number of voters will again use absentee ballots in the upcoming runoff, and our drop boxes, located across the county, offer a safe and secure way to cast a ballot,” said Erica Hamilton, director of DeKalb County Voter Registration and Elections…

ATLANTA – Members of the Georgia House Democratic Caucus (GHDC) Subcommittee on COVID-19 today issued the following statement regarding the potential risk of spreading COVID-19 at in-person legislative events: “The GHDC Subcommittee on COVID-19 is deeply concerned that members of the Georgia General Assembly recently gathered for the 32nd Biennial Institute for Georgia Legislators in Athens after Rudy Giuliani, President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, possibly exposed Senate lawmakers to COVID-19. “On Thursday, December 3, Giuliani visited the Georgia Senate to testify at an elections hearing, possibly exposing a bi-partisan group of state senators to COVID-19. He attended the meeting with…

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…