Author: On Common Ground News

Scores from the 2018-19 administration of the Georgia Milestones Assessment System, which includes the End-of-Grade (EOG) Milestones for grades 3-8 and End-of-Course (EOC) Milestones for select courses in grades 9-12, were recently released by the Georgia Department of Education. Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) increased or maintained in two-thirds of the assessment areas. It is important to note that these test scores represent only one aspect of the State of Georgia’s “multiple measures” approach to school accountability known as the College and Career Ready Performance Index or CCRPI. “I commend our teachers, principals, administrators, curricular and instructional support…

The Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce is ready to help you get your business off the ground at this year’s Fall 2019 Entrepreneurial Academy. The seven-week program, held on Mondays, Sept. 23-Nov. 4 from 6 to 9 p.m., offers a deep dive into the essentials on starting and running a successful business. “If you have dreams of starting your own business or are already an established business owner seeking to expand, the academy has something for you,” said Fred Boscarino, President/CEO of the Chamber. “Experienced business people who have been there, tried that, share their voices of experience…

As families grieve for their loved ones who were killed in two recent mass shootings—one in El Paso, Texas, the other in Dayton Ohio—state lawmakers, community leaders and others are calling for tougher gun safety legislation. “Enough is enough. The horrific mass shootings that took place in our communities this past week are unacceptable and unfortunately becoming too commonplace,” said State Rep. Darshun Kendrick, who held a news conference with members of the Millennial Civil Rights group at Georgia’s Capitol on Aug. 8. “…Although we are hundreds of thousands of miles away…, either one of those tragedies could have taken…

The new City of Stonecrest’s hosted its first National Night Out on Aug. 6. The family-friendly event featured music, food trucks, and of course public safety officials and city officials who greeted residents. Mayor Jason Lary attended the event at City Hall in addition to another event at the Lions Head subdivision(p. 3) For more photos of the 2019 National Night Out, visit www.ocgnews.com. Rockdale celebrated National Night Out at Johnson Park in Conyers

Seven people, including three members of several family-owned businesses, have been indicted on charges of a coordinated abuse scheme involving disabled adults in DeKalb County. Attorney General Chris Carr in conjunction with the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, announced that the case would be jointly prosecuted. Valerie West, Eric West, Erica West, Akeem Dancy, Jadon Dancy, Cynthia Riley and Ceretha Stephens are facing felony charges in the case. “These individuals demonstrated a complete disregard for human life, developing a cruel scheme that deprived disabled Georgians of basic necessities to survive and stripped them of their rightful financial benefits,”…

Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary and city staffers held their sixth “Meet the Mayor” meeting in the Lion’s Head subdivision on Aug. 6.  The meetings have been attended by residents with questions ranging from economic development to public safety.  The mayor and staff have been providing answers and encouraging more involvement from citizens.   The mayor promised to bring the city to the citizens in his 2019 State of the City Address. “We are encouraging neighborhoods and homeowner’s associations to invite us out so that we can provide direct answers to questions and hear and address our citizens’ concerns.  Our citizens will…

The Toney Valley community in South DeKalb County recently took a big step toward becoming a more closely-knit community on the lookout for one another. Last month, residents unveiled their new Neighborhood Watch sign located at the entrance to their community at the intersection of Candler Road and Toney Drive in Decatur. The new sign kicked off a project that a team of residents developed, thanks to  a $500 Enhanced Neighborhood Watch grant Toney Valley received from the United Way of Atlanta’s Community Building Institute (CBI). The team submitted plans for a project that included creating, purchasing and installing Neighborhood…

          A host of volunteers, dignitaries and community partners joined New Birth Missionary Baptist Church’s back-to-school outreach event where 5,000 students received free new shoes on Aug. 3. The line wrapped around the building at the church’s campus in the City of Stonecrest. In July, New Birth’s Senior Pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant issued a call to his congregation to donate 1,000 brand new shoes for students in grades K-12. What started as a goal of 1,000 shoes quickly swelled to more than 5,000 donated items thanks to the generosity of his congregation and various community partners.

The National Coalition of 100 of Black Women (NCBW) Decatur-DeKalb Chapter, Inc. Legacy Program is recruiting girls who are in the 9th grade for its  leadership and mentorship program. Young ladies who are interested are invited to attend an open house and enrollment on ‪Wednesday, Aug. 21, 6 to 8 p.m., at the County Line Ellenwood Library, 4331 River Road, Ellenwood. The program offers college readiness, personal development, health and education, community service, financial literacy, cultural awareness and scholarships.

The DeKalb Branch of the NAACP is kicking off its ACT-SO competition on Aug. 31, 10 a.m. to noon, at Redan High School, 5247 Redan Road, Stone Mountain. The Academic Cultural Technological Science Olympics showcases students who will compete for a chance to be in the national contest for medals and scholarships. Students are invited to compete in up to three categories including  STEM, Performing Arts, Humanities, Visual Arts and Business. There is no fee to enter the competition.  For more information, call the DeKalb NAACP at 404-241-8006.