Author: On Common Ground News

DeKalb County is holding its third Census Carnival to continue spreading the word about the importance of the 2020 Census. The free event will be held Saturday, March 7, 2020, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Gallery at South DeKalb, 2801 Candler Rd., Decatur, GA 30034. Free tickets can be reserved at https://tiny.cc/march7carnival. The event will feature vendors inside and outside of the mall, and includes free bounce houses, food and face-painting. If every resident is counted, DeKalb County could receive $1.8 billion in federal funds per year for the next 10 years. Participating in…

DeKalb County CEO Mike Thurmond will formally endorse Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg for president. Thurmond will join supporters of Mike Bloomberg 2020’s Georgia campaign to make his announcement at a “Mike for Black America” Economic Empowerment rally in DeKalb County with special guest, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake,  Bloomberg’s National Co-Chair and former Mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. The rally will be held on Friday, Feb. 28, noon to 1 p.m., at Georgia Piedmont Technical College’sConference Center, 495 N. Indian Creek Drive, Clarkston. As DeKalb’s CEO, Thurmond oversees one of the most diverse counties in…

The Rockdale County Board of Elections will host an event to educate residents on new voting machines the county will be using in upcoming elections. The demonstration will be held on Thursday, March 5, 6 to 8 p.m., at the Rockdale County Board of Elections Office, 1261 Commercial Drive SW Suite B, Conyers. The event is free and open to the public.

Residents condemned the four Stonecrest City Council members who staged a walkout on Feb. 10 after their motion failed to excuse Councilwoman Jazzmin Cobble for missing two city council meetings in 2019. Although the city announced that it was dropping its lawsuit on Feb. 18 to determine if Cobble should forfeit her seat because of the absences, tensions remain in the city. The Feb. 24 City Council meeting drew a crowd. Four residents drew applause as they each expressed their discontent over the actions of those who walked out: Council members Cobble,…

February’s record rainfall caused a 9.2-million-gallon sewer spill near DeKalb’s Snapfinger Wastewater Treatment Plant during the week of Feb. 19. To date in 2020, DeKalb County has received 18.45 inches of rain, the highest January-February total since 1936, which registered 19.24 inches. A preliminary engineering analysis indicates that the Meadow Creek Path sewer spill was caused when the plant reached its treatment and storage capacity, which has been temporarily reduced by the ongoing construction of a new plant. The spill occurred during heavy rainfall at a nearby junction box vault. It…

DeKalb County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved CEO Michael Thurmond’s proposed $1.4 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2020, which projects a $113.3 million rainy-day fund and prioritizes enhancements to public safety. “The FY2020 budget reaffirms our commitment to fiscal integrity, accountability and improved service delivery,” said CEO Thurmond. “I appreciate the support of Presiding Officer Steve Bradshaw, the Board of Commissioners and staff who worked to develop this budget, which is the result of prudent decision making and collaboration.” The FY2020 budget prioritizes public safety spending, including pay increases and enhancements…

Steve Paul, owner of the Lithonia Arts Center, has clashed with city officials over a mural that an army of volunteers helped to paint on the exterior of his building to express unity and welcome visitors to the city. Paul received a nuisance citation from the city on Feb. 15 stipulating that he had until Feb. 26 to get a permit for the mural or face fines, jail or community service. Paul received the citation a month after about 200 volunteers, organized by the Stone Mountain-Lithonia Graduate Chapter of…

The Atlanta Regional Commission Board has approved a major update to the Atlanta Region’s Plan that allocates $173 billion in federal, state, and local funding through 2050 to improve mobility and safety in metro Atlanta. Notable projects in Rockdale that will begin in the next decade include: Sigman Road–The widening of Sigman Road, currently under design, will be extended three miles to provide better access to Rockdale General Hospital and the Georgia International Horse Park. Funding is provided for engineering, with construction scheduled to start as soon as 2026. Courtesy Parkway– This road will…

The Community Interact Club of South DeKalb has earned the Rotary International’s Platinum Award for community service and leadership, the highest citation an Interact Club can receive. The 12-member student club is the first in the Southeast region—from Philadelphia to the Caribbean Islands—to receive the Platinum Award. There are over 500 Interact clubs in Zone 33/34(Southeast region). “We worked really hard to stay on task and we are very proud of the work we put in,” said Solomon Gaiters, a senior at DeKalb County’s Arabia Mountain High School who helped grow the club from six members to 11.…