Author: On Common Ground News

Pictured L-R: DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson and DeKalb NAACP President Teresa Hardy The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution on July 14 declaring racism a public health crisis. The resolution, sponsored by District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson, received the full support of the seven-member board. “This is a victory towards atonement for past discrimination practices against African Americans,” said an elated Johnson. The resolution details the economic, emotional, physical, and sociological effects of systemic racism on minorities in general and African Americans in particular. The measure cleared the first hurdle in a committee meeting held…

Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary released a letter to citizens today, July 16, explaining why he lifted the stop-work order this week issued to the  Metro Green recycling plant, a project that community residents say is unwanted and will bring pollution, noise and destroy their property values. Metro Green is building a recycling plant on a 50-acre tract in the city at 2450 Miller Road. The facility would recycle concrete and other debris from construction and demolition sites. Lary’s  letter includes a response to DeKalb Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson, who said she was “saddened” by  his decision to lift…

As states across the nation continue to register record-breaking positive Covid-19 cases, MAJL Laboratories, in partnership with New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, will host a free drive-thru COVID-19 testing site on Saturday, July 18. The testing, which begins at 10 a.m. and concludes at 2 p.m., will take place on New Birth’s campus located at 6400 Woodrow Rd. in Stonecrest. According to recent reports, nearly 1 person out of 100 Americans has tested positive for Covid-19 and more than 30 states are seeing an uptick in positive cases. This is still a very real crisis and we have to…

Pictured L-R: New Jersey Superior Court Judge Wendel Daniels and Orrin “Checkmate” Hudson World-renowned motivational speaker Les Brown will be a guest on virtual chess program July 22 New Jersey Superior Court Judge Wendel Daniels will join Atlanta’s master motivator Orrin “Checkmate” to inspire students to make smart moves and to think about the consequences before making a bad decision. The judge will speak on Friday, July 17, at 10:30 a.m., during a unique virtual class designed to encourage young people to think ahead, plan, execute, and utilize the components of chess to sharpen their minds. Daniels, who…

Campaign includes free food boxes, masks, sanitizer distribution, COVID-19 testing sites This weekend, DeKalb County is continuing its efforts to “Stop the Spread” of COVID-19 with several community-based initiatives designed to mitigate the health and economic impacts of the pandemic. “Stopping the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus is our top priority,” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said. Initiatives in the county’s “Stop the Spread” campaign include: The distribution of 1,350 boxes of food, in partnership with Atlanta Community Food Bank. The schedule is as follows: Friday, July 17: 10 a.m. at Antioch AME Church, 4730 Elam Road, Stone…

 A look at things being done for the upcoming school year to keep kids and staff safe ATLANTA, Ga.,(July 15, 2020) –The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) is featuring “Guidance of the 2020-2021 Georgia Pre-K Program” in its weekly podcast Decal Download. Commissioner Amy Jacobs hosts the show and is joined by Susan Adams, Deputy Commissioner of Georgia’s Pre-K program and Instructional Supports; Dr. Caitlin Dooley, Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning at the Georgia Department of Education; and Sharon Foster, the Owner of Bells Ferry Learning Center. It is available at https://decaldownload.buzzsprout.com.…

Construction to replace sewer pipe  On Monday, July 20, Malone Drive will be closed for construction from Peachtree Industrial Boulevard (SR 141)and a detour will be in place. Local traffic will have access to Malone Drive from Peachtree Road from July 20 until Sept. 18. The work zone will be barricaded and closed as shown on the attached detour map. All homes and businesses will remain accessible during the closure. The detour will remain in effect from July 20 to Sept. 18.Residents are urged to plan ahead for possible traffic congestion and delays. The DeKalb County Department of Watershed…

An employee in the DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office has tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting the immediate closure of the Brookhaven satellite office on July 15. Although the employee who tested positive did not report to work after feeling ill, DeKalb Tax Commissioner Irvin Johnson is delaying the opening of the Brookhave satellite office until 11 a.m. on Thursday (July 15). Following established COVID-19 protocols, the office is undergoing a thorough deep cleaning and sterilization of hard surfaces. Employees, who are required to immediately take a rapid COVID-19 test, will self-quarantine until they receive their test results. “The…

Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary has appointed Iris Settle as the city’s first Chief of Staff/Chief Liaison Officer in the Mayor’s Office. Lary announced the appointment at the July 13 City Council meeting. In her new role, Settle will serve as the mayor’s spokesperson in helping to clearly deliver his vision, in addition to assisting with making sure the needs of the deputy city manager, staff and city council are met. “She will deal directly with the council on my behalf,” Mayor Lary said.  “I recognize that I need some assistance in communicating with the council and she brings a…

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that an inmate died of an apparent suicide just hours after being booked into the DeKalb County Jail.                                                                                                               Authorities said in a news release today that 42-year-old Atlanta resident Marcos Torres-Diaz was arrested on July 13, 2020 and placed in custody in the jail’s COVID-19 quarantine housing unit. Hours later, he was found non-responsive in his cell.  Emergency medical services were rendered immediately by the jail’s medical staff and DeKalb Fire Rescue. Torres-Diaz was transported to DeKalb Medical Center where he died on July15.  The incident is being investigated. The DeKalb Medical…