Author: On Common Ground News

ROCKDALE COUNTY,GA– A road closure will begin on Sigman Road at the entrance to Interstate 20 Westbound on Friday, March 12, beginning at 9 p.m. The entrance ramp to Interstate 20 West will remain closed until Saturday, March 13, 7 a.m., as Rockdale County Department of Transportation (RDOT) crews work to complete a High Mast Lighting Project. The northbound left turning lane on Sigman Road, which is used to enter I-20 West, also will be closed beginning March 12, 9 p.m. to March 13, 7 a.m. As an alternate route, travelers can utilize Old Covington Highway from Sigman…

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA– In her first State of the County address, Gwinnett County Commission Chairwoman Nicole Hendrickson on Wednesday (March 3) lauded the county’s pursuit of excellence called the “Gwinnett Standard.” Hendrickson made history in Nov. 3, 2020 as the first African American elected to serve as chairwoman of Gwinnett County’s Board of Commissioners. “You may not have heard the phrase the ‘Gwinnett Standard,’ but I can guarantee you’ve felt it,” Hendrickson said. “What’s normal here would be awesome almost anyplace else. What’s ordinary in Gwinnett is extraordinary elsewhere.” She said when she first came to Gwinnett County in 2006, she…

DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson was among those honored at the Asian Americans Advancing Justice–Atlanta’s Tenth Annual Asian American Advocacy Day. The theme of this year’s event, which was held virtually, was #AAPIRising: The New South. Asian American Advocacy Day highlighted the legislative advocacy of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and brought together elected officials for relationship building and learning opportunities. In 2020, there was a record turnout for AAPI voters, and for many, that was their first time casting a vote. While it’s critically important, the work isn’t just about being a critical force…

LITHONIA, GA–Family and friends honored DeKalb County community activist John Evans on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021 with a drive-through birthday celebration.  Evans turned 88 on Jan. 29. NAACP DeKalb President Teresa Hardy helped family members and others to coordinate the event, putting up banners and decorations under overcast skies and damp weather for the special celebrant. “Under him, I learned a lot as it relates to fighting for our people,” said Hardy. Evans had served as president of the DeKalb branch of the NAACP for 16 years before Hardy took the helm in 2016 when he retired to focus on…

ATLANTA – Members of the Rockdale County House Legislative Delegation will host a virtual town hall meeting on Thursday, March 4, 6:30 – 8 p.m. via Zoom.   State Representatives Rhonda Taylor (D-Conyers), Regina Lewis-Ward (D-McDonough), Sharon Henderson (D-Covington), Doreen Carter (D-Lithonia) and Tom Kirby (R-Loganville) will discuss recent election legislation and give an update on district reports. The meeting will also include a guest presenter from the ACLU of Georgia, and participants will have an opportunity to ask questions. To join the Zoom: https://bit.ly/3e8KWOt
    The meeting ID is : 857 1106 1195.
Passcode: 847203

The Fulton County Board of Commissioners will hold a virtual meeting via the Zoom platform with the mayors of the county’s 15 cities on Friday, March 5. The board plans to discuss COVID-19 vaccination programs as well as transportation funding.   The meeting can be viewed live at: https://www.fultoncountyga.gov/watch-fgtv

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA– The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners on March 2  unanimously approved a resolution asking the county’s delegation to the General Assembly to adjust the salary of the commission chair to match that of sheriffs of large jurisdictions. The measure would change the chair’s salary from $74,266 to $136,011, the base salary of sheriffs of counties with more than 500,000 people. Cost-of-living adjustments in the chair’s salary would be equal to that of state and county employees. The County typically only offers employees pay-for-performance increases. If approved by the General Assembly, the new salary would be effective…

DECATUR, GA—The  DeKalb County Board of Health has set its schedule to make up remaining Moderna second doses, affected by vaccine shipping delays in mid-February last week. For both vaccination sites, the former Sam’s Club, located at 2994 Turner Hill Rd., in Stonecrest, and the Doraville MARTA Station, located at 6000 New Peachtree Rd., in Doraville: Individuals who were originally scheduled for a second dose Moderna appointment between Wednesday, Feb. 17, and Monday, Feb. 22, and missed their rescheduled date, may  go to the site on Wednesday, March 3, or Thursday, March 4, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m to…