Author: On Common Ground News

Rockdale County Parks and Recreation will open trails at select locations starting Saturday, May 2, from dawn to dusk. As the County continues to practice caution during these times, the trails will be the only recreation areas open – restrooms, pavilions, exercise equipment, tennis and basketball courts will all remain closed. The following trails will be open starting May 2 from dawn to dusk: South Rockdale Trail Lorraine Park & Trailhead South Rockdale Park & Trailhead Wheeler Park Trail – parking only available behind playground off Bennett Road SE Johnson Park Trail Pine Log Park Trail All other parks remain…

Beginning Saturday, May 1, eighty DeKalb County Police and Fire Rescue cadets and trainees will pass out 10,000 masks along with hand sanitizer to residents over the next six weeks to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. “DeKalb County has been overwhelmed with phone calls and emails from anxious residents asking how they can get a COVID-19 Care Packet,” said DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. “I want to reassure residents that for the next six weeks, we will be passing out these packets as part of our ongoing efforts to inform, educate and protect our residents.” The police and fire rescue…

https://youtu.be/3mvVOR9Qcp8 Video by Glenn L. Morgan A processional led by hearses circled the Georgia Capitol today in protest of Gov. Brian Kemp’s order to reopen Georgia’s businesses and his order to rescind his sheltering in place mandate. Kemp is lifting the sheltering in place for all Georgians except the fragile and elderly on Friday.

Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary and the newest edition to his family, Molly, a 2-year-old Yorkie, made a drive-by run this week  to wish employees a happy birthday. “We don’t want to let COVID-19 steal our joy. Celebrations are still important to us, even while we’re practicing social distancing,” said Lary.

DeKalb County will pass out 10,000 masks along with hand sanitizers to residents over the next six weeks to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. “The expiration of Governor Kemp’s statewide shelter-in-place order shifts the burden to local leaders who must redouble ongoing efforts to inform, educate and protect our residents,” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said. Beginning Saturday, May 2, dozens of DeKalb County Police and Fire Rescue cadets and trainees will distribute COVID-19 care packets containing two disposable nonsurgical masks and a container of hand sanitizer, along with a card with tips on how to prevent the spread of…

ATLANTA—Today, Gov. Brian Kemp signed Executive Order 4.30.20.01, lifting his shelter-in-place order throughout Georgia as he announced the re-opening of more businesses. The new executive order take effect on Friday, May 1. On Friday, malls and other stores will be added to the list of sectors that the governor began reopening on April 24 and on April 27 across the Peach State. Kemp has received both criticism and praise in his attempt to jumpstart the economy. While proponents have thanked Kemp for putting people back to work, with critics charge that more people will be exposed to COVID-19 and Georgia’s…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Labor is hosting a national online dialogue on “Opening America’s Workplaces Again” to solicit ideas from the public on how best to help employers and workers reopen America’s workplaces safely. The dialogue will run from Thursday, April 30, through Thursday, May 7, 2020, and will include a one-hour Twitter chat on Friday, May 1, at 2 p.m. EDT. “We’ve already seen the positive effect of the U.S. Department of Labor’s actions and guidance on the workers and employers trying to navigate the coronavirus crisis,” said U.S. Secretary of Labor Eugene Scalia. “As we…

Navy Blue Angels , U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds to pay tribute to first responders     ATLANTA – Residents in metro Atlanta can look toward the sky on Saturday, May 2, for a spectacular performance by the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels and the Air Force’s Thunderbirds. The military salute will honor frontline COVID-19 responders and essential workers. In addition to Atlanta, the flyovers also will be held in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. on Saturday, and in New York City and other cities in the Northeast on Tuesday, April 28. “America Strong is a way for both teams to show appreciation to…

STONECREST, GA—Local medical professionals serving on the frontline of the COVID-19 crisis now have a place to retreat and rest, thanks to a newly-forged partnership between New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and the Allen Entrepreneurial Institute. The Rest & Retreat Center, a repurposed facility designated for local healthcare workers, is a housing dormitory and hotel on the Allen Institute property with 20 executive double-bed rooms and complimentary onsite food and beverage. “This pandemic has stretched our healthcare system and taxed our frontline professionals in ways we can’t even imagine,” said New Birth Senior Pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant. “The Rest &…

The DeKalb County Government, Crime Stoppers and the FBI are offering a combined $25,000 reward for details leading to the arrest, indictment and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the shooting of the home of DeKalb County’s solicitor-general.  On Saturday, April 11, 2020, at approximately 10 p.m., the DeKalb County Police Department was dispatched to the home of Solicitor-General Donna Coleman-Stribling to investigate an incident during which shots were fired into her family’s home.  While Coleman-Stribling and her family were in the home when the shooting occurred, no one was injured.  Since the incident, the DeKalb County Police…