Author: On Common Ground News

In observance of Memorial Day on Monday, May 25, garbage, recyclable materials and yard trimmings collection for DeKalb County residential customers will run one day late as follows: Monday, May 25 – Memorial Day observed. No sanitation collection service. Tuesday, May 26 – Residential customers whose regularly scheduled collection day is Monday, May 25, will be serviced on Tuesday, May 26.  Wednesday, May 27 – Residential customers whose regularly scheduled collection day is Tuesday, May 26, will be serviced on Wednesday, May 27. Thursday, May 28 – Residential customers whose regularly scheduled collection day is Wednesday, May 27, will…

DECATUR—On May 26, a single southbound lane along Columbia Drive, between Forrest Boulevard and Walker Drive, will be closed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. while crews repair 348 linear feet of ductile-iron sewer pipe. This section of Columbia Drive will reopen on Wednesday, May 27. The DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management has initiated this construction project to address the repair needs of approximately 100,000 linear feet of sewer pipe as a part of ongoing maintenance to improve sewer service countywide. Motorists and MARTA passengers should expect delays stemming from the lane closure. Lane closure signs and traffic flaggers…

Gov. Brian P. Kemp today joined CVS Health to announce the launch of new COVID-19 testing sites in Georgia. On Friday, May 22, CVS Health will open 23 new COVID-19 test sites at select CVS Pharmacy drive-thru locations across the state. The opening of additional test sites across the state and country will be announced by the end of the month. These new sites will utilize self-swab tests and mark the next phase of the company’s nationwide COVID-19 testing strategy, announced April 27. CVS Health expects to have up to 1,000 locations across the country offering this service by…

The Rockdale County  Board of Elections will hold a special meeting on Friday, May 22, 10 a.m., to discuss the emergency temporary relocation of four voting precincts for the June 9 elections. The Flat Shoals, Hightower, Milstead and Stanton precincts are proposed to be temporarily relocated to the Rockdale Government Annex, 1400 Parker Road, Conyers. Attached is the board’s meeting agenda for Friday:

Bishop William “Papa” Sheals, senior pastor of Hopewell Baptist Church in Norcross, is recovering from undergoing heart surgery today(May 20) at Emory St. Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta, a top official of the church said this evening. “Pastor Sheals is out of surgery. Everything went well. Thanks for your prayers,” Sheals’ personal assistant, Big John, text at 6:51 p.m. Sheals underwent surgery for heart artery blockage. Hundreds of people have reached out online to offer prayers for him. Hopewell Baptist, which has 17,000 members, celebrated Sheals’ 40th pastoral anniversary this month with a parade. The church had planned a gala but…

DeKalb County will open two additional precincts for in-person early voting beginning this Saturday, May 23. The additions will bring the total to five precincts available to DeKalb voters for the early voting period, which May 18-June 5. The Stonecrest Library, 3123 Klondike Road, and the Tucker-Reid Library will both offer Saturday voting on  May 23 and May 30, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will follow a Monday-Friday schedule after that, with the exception of Memorial Day, May 25, when precincts will be closed. There will be no Sunday early voting at Stonecrest or Tucker. The Voter Registration…

ATLANTA—Gov. Brian  Kemp will be joined by several state officials at the Georgia Capitol to give a briefing on COVID-19 on Thursday, May 21, at 4:30 p.m. The press conference, which will be held at the North Wing, will be live streamed via facebook.com/GovKemp or gpb.org/coronavirus. In addition to Kemp, the following will be on hand for the news conference Dr. Kathleen Toomey, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Public Health; Homer Bryson, Director, Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency; Adjutant General Tom Carden, Georgia National Guard; Colonel Gary Vowell, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Public Safety; Mark Williams, Commissioner, Georgia Department…

https://youtu.be/dFFb09ozFWg The COVID19 pandemic may have shutdown their graduation ceremonies, but the virus couldn’t steal their joy. The Parks of Stonecrest and The Terraces– two communities in Stonecrest, GA– held a parade to honor their graduates on Saturday, May 16, 2020. Stonecrest City Councilman Jimmy Clanton provided protective masks for the event as cheering neighbors, relatives and friends, following the state’s mandated social distancing due to the coronavirus, came together to salute the students. A caravan of decorated vehicles rolled through the communities honking their horns in celebration. The communities congratulated the following graduates: Matoaka Wilson-Tuskegee University Nadiyah Swann-Miller Grove…

For the past four years, Pastor Byeong Han, senior pastor of the Korean Central Presbyterian Church, and the Korean community, have hosted “East Meets West,” a dinner and concert to celebrate DeKalb County’s First
Responders. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 celebration was cancelled. The cancellation did not stop Pastor Han’s passion for making sure that the heroes of the DeKalb County were celebrated. “We have decided not to step back, but to step forward to express our appreciation for your hard work,” said Pastor Han. Pastor Han and the Korean community donated $1,000 each to the Sheriff, Police, Fire…

https://youtu.be/dFFb09ozFWg The COVID19 pandemic may have shutdown their graduation ceremonies, but the virus couldn’t steal their joy. “The Parks of Stonecrest and “The Terraces” held a community parade to honor their 2020 graduates on Saturday, May 15. City Councilman Jimmy Clanton provided protective masks for the event as cheering neighbors, relatives and friends, practicing social distancing, came together with balloons and signs as a caravan of decorated vehicles rolled through the communities honking their horns. Congratulations to: Matoaka Wilson-Tuskegee University Nadiyah Swann-Miller Grove HS Sydney Wilson-Georgia State University Torey Taylor-Arabia Mountain HS DeAndre Carter -Lithonia HS Clayton Hyderkhan-Lithonia HS…