Author: On Common Ground News

Photo Essay By William Thomas CONYERS—Rockdale County’s three high schools—Rockdale, Heritage and Salem High schools—held a joint celebration for the Classes of 2020 on Saturday, June 27. A motorcade with graduates and their families traveled from CJ Hicks Elementary School to First Baptist Church on Highway 138, where a drive-in graduation was held on the church’s campus. Practicing social distancing due to COVID-19 pandemic, seniors walked across an outdoor stage to receive their diplomas. La Donna Thomas and her husband, Terrance, who helped publicize the event, said they and other parents wanted to make sure the students were celebrated during…

NBA legend and entrepreneur Magic Johnson is offering advice to small business owners who have been greatly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Johnson is part of a new effort launching this week as Facebook announces Summer of Support, a six-week program providing free content to help businesses get back to business. The program will provide millions of individuals and small businesses with the digital skills and resources needed to survive and thrive in this economic crisis. “Summer of Support” will tackle a different theme each week, offering participants on-demand training courses and thought leadership lessons from business leaders, small business owners…

Pictured: DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson and Jon Gant, founding director of NCCU’s Center for Digital Inclusion   DECATUR –DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson is sponsoring a resolution seeking support from the Georgia General Assembly to expand voting options across the state to include online voting. The resolution by the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners follows voting irregularities ranging from technical issues to poorly trained staff that emerged statewide following the June primary elections. Online voting would create a more secure, convenient and accessible opportunity for voters and reduce the financial burden associated with staffing voting…

By Ed Williams We have collected almost 7,500 signatures to change or remove the Confederate carving on Stone Mountain.  Today, The Confederate Carving on Stone Mountain has been re-branded with laser shows and  animated with colored beams of lights. The Confederate carving is being glorified and celebrated as if the cause of the Civil War was not over. Our goal is to make the Stone Mountain Confederate carving more inclusive and to change its designation. Who should be included in the carving on Stone Mountain? Native Americans, African Americans, women, Lincoln, Sherman, Grant. The carving should be removed, if…

ATLANTA—Today(June 29), Gov. Brian Kemp signed two executive orders extending the Public Health State of Emergency and existing COVID-19 safety measures. Executive Order 06.29.20.02 continues to require social distancing, bans gatherings of more than 50 people, unless there is six feet between each person, and outlines mandatory criteria for businesses and a Public Health State of Emergency for procurement, comprehensive testing and healthcare capacity. Sheltering in place for those living in long-term care facilities and the medically fragile also remains mandatory. The new order expires Aug. 11. The new safety measures also stipulate that the State Board of…

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County and the Family Health Centers of Georgia are partnering to host free, COVID-19 testing on June 30. The free testing will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church’s campus, 6400 Woodrow Road in Stonecrest. Drive-thru and  walk-up testing will be available. “There is an undeniable need for testing in our community and I am thankful for the partnerships that enable us to provide this valuable resource at absolutely no cost,” said New Birth’s Senior Pastor JamalBryant, who recently donated 10,000 protective…

Photos By Kelly Jordan https://youtu.be/WCWFA8E9l_8 Video By Glenn L. Morgan

Dear On Common Ground News: My name is Sundiata Washington and I am a local activist here in Rockdale County. I am writing to you in regards to a Confederate statue that is located in front of the Conyers courthouse. My peers and I have set up a protest as a way to voice our anger towards the monument and to act as our first step in getting it taken down. The protest will be held on July 2nd at 4 P.M.. I apologize for the short notice, but we must host this before the end of the week as House…

Gov. Brian Kemp and Rev. James Woodall, State President of the Georgia NAACP ATLANTA–The Georgia NAACP and the mother of Ahmaud Arbery are condemning Gov. Brian Kemp for signing into law HB838, also referred to as the “Police Hate Crimes Bill.” Kemp signed the hate-crimes legislation into law on Friday, June 26. The bill is a compromise that state lawmakers brokered with bipartisan support after years of debate. “It’s a sign of progress and it’s a milestone worth applauding,” said Kemp “Frankly, it’s the silver lining in these difficult times…

Mayor Jason Lary and Deputy City Manager Plez Joyner   Bond sales stalled in March due to corona virus pandemic The City of Stonecrest’s Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) re-approved a resolution on June 24 to issue $5,410,000 in revenue bonds to finance the city’s acquisition of the Sears and Sam’s Clubs buildings. The city was scheduled to sell the bonds on March 30, but the closings had to be rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “When the pandemic hit in March, we could not get a judge to validate the sales date for the bonds. We had to…