Author: On Common Ground News

ATLANTA—Today, Fair Count, in partnership with the National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), launched the “Sisters for the Census” national campaign. The initiative focuses on getting black women and their families to participate in the 2020 Census. Fair Count Founder Stacey Abrams, Fair Count Vice President Jeanine Abrams McLean and NCNW President Johnnetta B. Cole launched the initiative during a virtual roundtable discussion on Facebook Live. “We know that Black women get things done,” Abrams said. “Sisters for the Census is for the women who make sure their families are taken care of and their communities are advocated for. Making…

$2M prize won online; $1M in Alpharetta; $10K in Macon ATLANTA – Georgia Lottery players won large prizes on back-to-back nights this week. One lucky player won $2 million in Wednesday’s Powerball drawing with a ticket purchased on the Georgia Lottery’s website. In Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing, a $1 million prize was won in Alpharetta along with a $10,000 prize in Macon. Winning numbers from Wednesday’s Powerball drawing were: 5-9-27-39-42 and the Powerball was 16. The online ticket matched the first five winning numbers and doubled its prize—from $1 million to $2 million—with the PowerPlay option. Winning numbers from Tuesday’s…

ATLANTA—With so many people staying home to slow the spread of COVID-19, access to telecommunication has become more crucial than ever. Georgia Relay and the Georgia Center of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (GCDHH) remind Georgia residents who have difficulty using a telephone – including those who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, or have difficultly speaking – to take advantage of free resources that remain available to make conversing by phone easier. Georgia Relay is the free public service that enables people who are deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, or have difficulty speaking to…

Gwinnett County Government is allowing residential solid waste haulers to temporarily modify their operations in order to protect the safety of their employees and customers. Under a local emergency order signed today by Board of Commissioners Chairman Charlotte Nash, the following changes will be made to solid waste service in unincorporated Gwinnett County: Only bagged trash placed inside trash carts and recycling materials placed inside recycling carts or bins will be picked up; in other words, excess household trash or recycling materials placed outside the containers will not be picked up. Bulky waste, white goods, and yard waste collections will…

  Today, (Mrch 26), Georgia Gov. Brian P. Kemp issued Executive Order 03.26.20.02 closing public elementary and secondary schools for in-person instruction through April 24, 2020. Students may return to school on Monday, April 27, 2020. “I am deeply grateful to State School Superintendent Richard Woods, the Georgia Department of Education, superintendents, and parents for keeping us informed and helping us make the right decision for our students,” said Kemp. “Throughout this process, we will continue to seek the advice of public health officials, school leaders, and families to ensure the health and safety of the educational community. As we approach April 24, 2020,…

The DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office is currently closed to customers and not accepting calls until further notice, due to the coronavirus. DeKalb County Tax Commissioner’s Office continues to serve customers through E-services (eservices.drives.ga.gov), email and other electronic offerings. Motor Vehicle and Property Tax documents can be submitted and processed via mail, email and placed in drop boxes at the 4380 Memorial Drive and 1358 Dresden Drive locations. Taxpayers should also visit www.DeKalbTax.org for information on how to submit the necessary documents for processing. Click the red “Temporary Drop-Off Services” tab and then select your area of interest. Motor…

 ATLANTA—On Thursday, March 26, at 8 p.m., Gov. Brian P. Kemp will participate in a live town hall on Georgia’s response to the spread of COVID-19. The broadcast will also feature interviews with Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey, Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency Director Homer Bryson, and Georgia Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John King. The panel will take questions from journalists based on submissions from the public involving efforts to combat COVID-19. “Georgians are eager to hear directly from their leaders on what we are doing to address…

District leaders to answer questions and provide updates  Atlanta Public Schools (APS) will host a live virtual town hall on Facebook Live, Thursday, March 26, at 4 p.m., to answer questions from APS students, parents and staff on the COVID-19 closure, teleworking and teleschooling. The virtual town hall will feature a live question and answer session with viewers tuned into the event at www.facebook.com/AtlantaPublicSchools. The town hall will also be carried statewide by Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB). To find your local GPB station, click HERE.

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor is hosting a national online dialogue, Providing Expanded Family and Medical Leave to Employees Affected by COVID-19,to help employers and workers understand their responsibilities and rights, respectively, under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The public, including employers, workers and their advocacy groups can participate in the online forum through Sunday, March 29. The department’s Office of Compliance Initiatives (OCI), in partnership with Wage and Hourly Division (WHD) and the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), will host the dialogue. ODEP’s ePolicyWorks will facilitate the dialogue initiative. Please register to participate. Wage and Hour…

On Thursday, March 26 at 1 p.m. the Georgia Chamber will be hosting a call with SBA Regional Administrator Ashley Bell to provide an overview of the U.S. Small Business Economic Injury Disaster Loan program now available to Georgia businesses. The virtual meeting will give business owners the opportunity to ask questions surrounding relief efforts. To Join: Due to the high-demand teleworking has placed on the conferencing industry, conference hosts are urging callers to join in via computer. If joining via phone and you encounter a busy signal, please try…