Author: On Common Ground News

State Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick (D-Lithonia) and Transforming Faith Church will host a back-to-school drive-thru giveaway event for residents of House District 93.  The event will be held on Friday, Aug. 14, 8 – 10 a.m., at Rock Chapel Elementary School in Lithonia. Participants should register by Tuesday, Aug. 11 at www.TransformingFaithChurch.com. Participants will be able to drive through the school parking lot to pick up teacher care packages and/or student study kits, while supplies last. Participants must wear masks in order to receive supplies. Rep. Kendrick will be joined by Everton Blair, Gwinnett County School Board District 4; Diijon DaCosta,…

The DeKalb County Police Athletic League (P.A.L.) Plus Unit will host a free drive-up backpack giveaway on Saturday, Aug. 1, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Exchange Parks and Recreation Center, 2771 Columbia Drive, Decatur. Although DeKalb County schools will begin virtually this year, students still will need the tools to help them succeed, P.A.L. said in a news release. Backpacks will be given away while supplies last. For more information, visit www.dekalbcountypalplus.org or call 404-218-4734.

The Georgia Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) has partnered with the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) to provide an additional food benefit to needy families with children. The Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (P-EBT) will be issued to families who receive free or reduced school lunches, those currently receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (SNAP, formerly known as Food Stamps) as well as needy families who are not currently receiving SNAP. The P-EBT, which will provide a one-time allotment of $256.50 per eligible child, will be issued at the end of July, along with the Pandemic SNAP assistance. The Family First Coronavirus…

Rockdale County Board of Education Vice Chairwoman Pam Brown was unanimously elected as the Georgia School Board Association (GSBA) District 4 Director, representing public school districts in Rockdale, Newton, and DeKalb counties. GSBA district directors serve three-year terms. Rockdale County Board of Education Chairwoman Mandy North commended Brown for her leadership. “We are proud of Vice Chairwoman Pam Brown on the unanimous selection by her peers to serve as GSBA’s District 4 Director, continuing the leadership of Rockdale’s school board in the region and state,” North said. “Her experience and passion for public education make her a wonderful champion for…

DeKalb County will celebrate the end of the DeKalb Virtual Career Academy (DCVA), its inaugural virtual summer youth employment program, on Friday, July 31, 10:30 a.m. to noon.  The celebration will highlight innovative strategies and concepts learned during the summer program and honor interns who participated. The celebration will be broadcast live on DCTV, Comcast Cable Channel 23 in DeKalb County.  Those without Comcast or outside of DeKalb County can watch the full event live on DCTV’s UStream page https://video.ibm.com/channel/dctv-channel-23. The county’s annual summer youth employment program was revamped into a virtual academy in response to the COVID-19 economic crisis.…

The DeKalb County Board of Health will conclude COVID-19 testing operations on Aug. 31 in Tucker, located on the campus of Rehoboth Baptist Church, located at 2997 Lawrenceville Hwy. Beginning Monday, Aug. 3, the Board of Health will operate the following testing locations, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m.: Beulah Missionary Baptist Church
2340 Clifton Springs Road, Decatur Former K-Mart Store Parking Lot (at I-285 and Buford Hwy.)
5597 Buford Hwy. NE, Doraville Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church
1879 Glenwood Ave. SE, Atlanta Greenforest Community Baptist Church
3250 Rainbow Drive, Decatur Salem Bible Church
5460 Hillandale Drive, Stonecrest, The testing location at…

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond School supplies, food, COVID-19 care kits to be distributed   On Saturday, Aug. 1, DeKalb County will host a food distribution event at three drive-thru locations at which 2,400 DeKalb residents will receive one 20-pound box of fruit and vegetables and a 10-pound bag of frozen chicken hind quarters, along with school supplies and COVID-19 Care Kits. Beginning at 10 a.m., COVID-19 Care Baskets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at three locations: Buck Godfrey Stadium,2817 Clifton Springs Rd., Decatur, James R. Hallford Stadium, 3789 Memorial…

The DeKalb County Police Department has identified the senior citizen who remained in a local hospital but was unable to provide any information about himself. The man was identified as 60-year-old Omar Ahmed, after a viewer recognized his picture ton social media following the Police Department’s plea for the public’s help. Ahmed continues to recover in a local hospital, but will be reunited soon with his family and friends, said DeKalb Police spokesperson Michaela  Vincent.  

Georgia Rep. Hank Johnson WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) today(July 28) laid out a case of corruption against Attorney General William Barr and President Trump during a House Judiciary Committee hearing of the Department of Justice. Johnson was among several House Democrats who questioned Barr  concerning allegations of political interference and his abuse of power. Barr is accused of protecting several of President Trump’s political allies, including convicted felon Roger Stone, Jr., whose sentence was commuted by  the President on July 10, 2020. You can view Rep. Johnson questioning…