Author: On Common Ground News

Dr. Rudy Crew will not become the next superintendent of the DeKalb County School District.  The Board of Education on Monday, May 11, voted 4-3 against giving Crew, the sole finalist, a contract for the job. Board Chair Marshall Orson, Vice Chair Vickie Turner and Board Member Allyson Gevertz cast the three yes votes to hire Crew, while board members Diijon DaCosta, Michael Erwin, Stan Jester and Joyce Morley cast the four votes against  him. Mounting pressure ultimately caused Crew to lose the job. He could not survive the negative press that was made public to the DeKalb County community concerning…

Gwinnett County and Gwinnett County Public Schools are teaming up to help ease hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic by continuing to feed Gwinnett’s children during the summer. On Friday, May 15, Gwinnett County Public Schools will wrap up the meal service it has provided for the last two months to Gwinnett children 18 years and younger. This service has provided more than 2.2 million meals at 67 school locations and included delivery by school buses within identified clusters. Gwinnett County will fill in when the school district’s program ends by starting its Summer Meals program on Monday, May 18. Gwinnett…

The deadline for online registration for DeKalb’s Virtual Career Academy (DVCA) is Thursday, May 14. The program, which runs from June 1 to July 31, will provide career development, education enrichment and summer income for 850 youths ages 14 to 24, who will be paid $9 per hour for up to 20 hours per week while learning online. To qualify for enrollment in the program, youths must be a DeKalb County residents. Applicants will be randomly selected to participate in the program. Academy interns may earn credentialing credits in industries such as business technology, game design, website design, healthcare…

Gov. Brian Kemp and state leaders will provide an update on COVID-19 on Tuesday, May 12, 11 a.m., at the North Wing of the Georgia Capitol.  Kemp will be joined by Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey; Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency Director Homer Bryson; and Georgia National Guard Adjutant General Tom Carden. The briefing will be live streamed at facebook.com/GovKemp or gpb.org/coronavirus.

Attorney General Chris Carr today announced he will formally appoint Cobb County District Attorney Joyette M. Holmes to lead the prosecution of Gregory and Travis McMichael, a father and son who have been charged with aggravated assault and the murder of Ahmaud Arbery. “I appreciate District Attorney Tom Durden’s involvement in the Ahmaud Arbery case,” said Attorney General Chris Carr. “This case has grown in size and magnitude since he accepted the appointment on April 13, 2020, and as an experienced District Attorney, Tom has recognized that another office is better suited from a resource perspective to now handle the…

“Georgia must not remain one of only four states in the nation not to have a hate crimes law.” Bishop Jackson AME Bishop Reginald T. Jackson leads push for hate crimes law in Georgia, justice for Ahmaud Arbery ATLANTA—AME Church Presiding Bishop Reginald T. Jackson and two state legislators, Sen. Lester Jackson and State Rep. Al Williams, have scheduled a press conference for Tuesday, May 12, noon, at the Historic Brunswick  Courthouse, 701 G Street, Brunswick, Georgia, to address the resurgence of hate crimes in Georgia. Bishop Jackson said that he and the two lawmakers plan again to…

Pictured (L-R): Pastor Billy Honor, Rev. Alvin Herring, Pastor Michael McBride WASHINGTON — Leaders of the nation’s largest grassroots, faith-based network are condemning the delayed arrests of the two white men who gunned down Ahmaud Arbery, an unarmed black man while he was jogging in a white community in Brunswick,GA. The demonstration was held on Friday, May 8. Arbery  would have been 26 years old, Several groups, including the NAACP and leaders from the metro Atlanta area and other locations, staged a demonstration in Brunswick on Friday to demand justice for Arbery’s family.             Ahmaud Arbery The case has…

The meeting is available via YouTube (City of Stonecrest)

DeKalb County Police and Fire Rescue recruits will hand out 3,000 COVID-19 care kits containing two non-surgical masks and hand sanitizer to residents on Saturday, May 9, 9:30 a.m., to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. DeKalb County Board of Health is supporting this initiative. Although county officials are not disclosing the location of the pop-up event, they say neighborhoods hardest hit by COVID-19 are being targeted for the series of free care kits.  On Wednesday, May 6, DeKalb Police and Fire Rescue recruits passed out 1,000 care kits at the Kroger plaza, 4919 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur.

By Justin Myers For On Common Ground News   The Georgia Kangaroos played its last game on March 8 with a win (Final Score 150-118). Shortly after the win, the City of Stonecrest closed the Browns Mill Recreation Center, home of the Kangaroos, following social distancing restrictions ordered by Gov. Brian Kemp due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Brian Caswell, head Coach of the Georgia Kangaroos, said the state’s restrictions forced the premature ending of the season for the city of Stonecrest’s brand new team. “Keep in mind the National CDC (Centers for Disease Control) published no groups larger than 10…