Author: On Common Ground News

ATLANTA – State Rep. Karen Bennett (D-Stone Mountain), chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, will host the Georgia Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.’s “Get Out the Vote” rally in partnership with When We All Vote on Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at Atlanta-Fulton Public Library’s Metropolitan Branch, 1332 Metropolitan Parkway S.W., Atlanta. “The purpose of the rally is to drive and motivate people to go to the polls, vote and engage with their community,” said Bennett. “This is one of the most important elections of our lifetime, and I am grateful to Alpha Kappa Alpha for…

Free Krispy Kreme doughnut on Halloween You can receive a free Krispy Kreme doughnut of your choice when you visit a participating shop on Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31 — wearing a costume. Krispy Kreme also is hosting “Sweet-or-Treat” Saturdays in October. You can get a Sweet-or-Treat dozen for just $1 with the purchase of any dozen. The special $1 dozen includes a special edition Jack-o’-Lantern doughnut. QuikTrip to offer free vanilla cones on Halloween Night for trick-or-treaters 12 and under QuikTrip (QT), one of the nation’s leading convenience and gasoline retailers, is encouraging its youngest customers to trick-or-treat at its stores…

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr is warning consumers about scam artists posing as government officials, law enforcement, or utility providers in an attempt to trick consumers into paying large sums of money. The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division reports that Social Security scams are prevalent right now. Fraudsters are using robocalls stating that “legal enforcement actions have been filed on your Social Security number due to fraudulent activities.” Consumers are then instructed to either press “1” to speak to an agent or told they need to call back a number provided in order to “avoid legal proceedings.” When consumers…

Congressman Hank Johnson and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property and the Internet, and Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03), chair of the Financial Services Subcommittee on Diversity and Inclusion, have introduced the House companion bill to the Senate’s “Fair Access to Financial Services Act.” The bill would prohibit banks and other financial institutions from discriminating against consumers on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. While the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination in certain places of public accommodation,…

The DeKalb County Audit Oversight Committee will meet on Oct. 23, noon, via Zoom. The public may join the meeting by website at https://dekalbcountyga.zoom.us/j/93731877940 or by calling 602-333-0032 and using the meeting code 249531.  Call Meeting to Order Welcome and Introduction of Committee Members III.    Adoption of the Agenda  Public Comment Guidelines Public Comments  (15 minutes: 3 minutes per person) Audit Oversight Committee Chairperson Harmel Codi Comments VII.          Review of Legal Invoices- The legal invoice for legal services provided in August 2020 and September 2020. VIII.         Approval of August 7, 2020 Minutes Mauldin & Jenkins Update on 2019 Audit  CAE Update…

DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson, in his role as the 1st Vice President of the National Association of Counties Organization (NACo), is participating in the NACo 2020 Virtual Federal Policy Summit. The National Association of Counties (NACo) 2020 Virtual Federal Policy Summit is currently underway through Oct. 22, and will connect county officials, members of Congress, federal agency partners and other key decision makers and thought leaders. The two-day summit features informative speakers with practical advice on a range of policy issues and updates on the federal policy landscape. Johnson opened the Elections Town Hall segment sharing how voting is…

March 20, 1947 —  Oct. 18, 2020 Family and friends will celebrate the life of Helen Ruth Dean Kemp this weekend in Decatur, Georgia. Mrs. Kemp, the sister of Rockdale County community activist Josie Dean, passed away after illness on Oct. 18. She was 73. Helen Ruth Dean was born on March 20, 1947 to John Henry Dean and Mary Pearl Dean in Greenwood, S.C.  She received her education at Lucy Laney High School. She was married to the late James Kemp, Jr. Mrs. Kemp leaves to cherish her memories: her mother, Mary Pearl Dean; two sons, Calvin Tyrone…

Artwood Road Northeast, between Heaton Park Drive Northeast and Scott Boulevard Northeast, will be closed to through-traffic Friday, Oct. 23, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., to facilitate the removal of a tree at 886 Artwood Drive NE, Atlanta. Road closure and detour signs will be placed in the area during the road closure period advising motorists of construction work in the area and of local traffic restrictions. Questions regarding this road closure should be addressed to Tierson Boutte, scheduling coordinator, Boutte Tree Inc., at 404-799-5472.  

The third phase of DeKalb County’s deployment of automated side loader (ASL) collection trucks begins Oct. 26. Phases one and two featured the deployment of 39 ASL trucks within select DeKalb communities, as well as the recruitment and training of a full complement of refuse driver collectors tasked with operating ASL trucks. During this third phase, 43,000 households on select residential ASL garbage service routes will be issued a larger capacity 95-gallon garbage roll cart in exchange for their existing 65-gallon garbage roll cart. The 65-gallon roll cart issued to residents in 2015 is inadequate to meet the needs of…