Author: On Common Ground News

Registered voters in DeKalb County will be able to cast their absentee ballots in the general election at drop box locations throughout the county. A complete list of drop boxes, sample ballots and other information can be viewed at www.dekalbvotes.com. “We’re anticipating a record number of residents will vote via absentee ballot in the upcoming general election and our drop boxes offer a secure way to cast a ballot,” said Erica Hamilton, DeKalb County’s elections director. “I encourage all voters who want to vote absentee to apply for their absentee ballot as soon as possible.” All drop boxes are under…

The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office and partner agencies are uniting to celebrate National Night Out on Tuesday (Oct. 5), 6 p.m. The vision for this year’s event is to take a “Ride Through Rockdale” as a united front.  Participants will leave at 6 p.m. from the park-and-ride lot on Chambers Dr. National Night Out is a community-police awareness and anti-crime  event held annually since 1984. Over the years, communities across the country have held cookouts, live entertainment and other activities with visits b police officers, firefighters and other first responders. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing, a…

Georgia Kangaroos will host a Fan Fun Night, Friday, Oct.  16,  5 to 7 p.m.,  at The Mall at Stonecrest.   Fans can get players’ autographs, win merchandise,  cash give-a-way, candy, and mall discounts. The Georgia Kangaroos, the professional basketball team of the City of Stonecrest, is entering its second season on Dec. 5, returning after a shorten season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The Kangaroos are one of the nation’s team invited to play in the 2021 United States Basketball Championship (USBC). Winning this tournament names the team the best pro basketball team in the country outside of the…

Atlanta — Following President Trump’s discharge from Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland today(Oct. 5), Democratic Party of Georgia(DPG) Executive Director Scott Hogan issued the following statement: “All Georgians are glad the President appears to have made a recovery and is no longer hospitalized. Now, after seven months battling COVID-19 and 7,200 Georgians dead, Georgians want this administration to finally start listening to medical experts and supporting common-sense measures that will protect us, such as wearing a mask. This crisis didn’t have to be this bad – it was made worse because this administration did not take it seriously. That’s why…

ATLANTA — Signs reflecting a lowered speed limit along Hosea L. Williams Drive NE were posted Friday, Oct. 2, following the unanimous adoption of legislation earlier this year by the Atlanta City Council approving the change (Legislative Reference No. 20-O-1325). The legislation, introduced by District 5 Council member Natalyn Archibong, reduced the traffic speed to 25 miles per hour with the goal of greatly increasing safety to motorists and pedestrians. “This street is named after a civil rights icon Hosea L. Williams and is an important corridor in our city. For this reason, I am pleased to have this…

Soil+Water Conservation District Chairman Kenny A. Johnson says program will target underrepresented students     Rockdale County students interested in pursuing career paths in environmental science will get a boost, thanks to Rockdale Soil and Water Conservation District State Board Chairman Kenny A. Johnson. Johnson has secured a grant in the amount of $156,671 to establish a Soil Water and Environmental Science Program in partnership with Rockdale County Public Schools. Johnson said the grant is the largest ever awarded to Rockdale County by the United States Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Services.  He said the grant was  signed…

Photo: Pastor Jamal Harrison Bryant and Dr. Damon Kimes Food Pantry, voter registration drive set STONECREST–Pastor Jamal Harrison Bryant and Georgia Know Your Status (GKYS) are teaming up for a free COVID-19 testing opportunity on Saturday, Oct. 3, at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, 6400 Woodrow Road in Stonecrest.  The community is encouraged to participate in the free, drive-through COVID-19 testing opportunity beginning at 10 a.m. Dr. Damon Kimes, who is a recurring cast member on Bravo’s Married to Medicine series, recently launched the GKYS mobile COVID-19 testing site with the intent to bring safe, effective testing to…

The DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections is holding an event on Monday, Oct. 5, to ensure all voters are ready for the upcoming general election. The “Registered and Ready” annual event offers DeKalb residents with onsite resources to ensure they have information pertaining to voter registration, polling locations and more. “DeKalb County is ready and prepared for what is slated to be one of the most historic elections of our lifetime and we want to make sure that every possible voter is armed with information pertaining to the general election,” said Erica Hamilton, DeKalb County elections director. “We…

The DeKalb County Board of Health reached a milestone yesterday(Oct. 1) for COVID-19 testing. The 100,000th COVID-19 specimen was collected on Thursday morning at the Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church testing site in East Atlanta. “We certainly couldn’t have reached this milestone without tireless efforts of the Board of Health’s staff and our DeKalb County business and faith community partners, as well as local government,” said DeKalb County District Health Director S. Elizabeth Ford. “The business and faith communities have really stepped up to make their facilities and properties available. The residents of DeKalb County and surrounding communities will…