Author: On Common Ground News

  The DeKalb County Senate Delegation meets with Stonecrest’s five council members on Feb. 19 at the Georgia Capitol. Photo by Glenn L. Morgan State lawmakers to file bills to amend city’s charter The city of Stonecrest has dismissed its lawsuit to determine if  Councilwoman Jazzmin Cobble should forfeit her elected seat on the council, due to absences, based on the city’s charter. Attorneys Emily Macheski-Preston and Thompson Kurrie filed a notice to dismiss the case without prejudice on behalf of the city and Mayor Jason Lary on Tuesday(Feb. 18), bringing a close to the civil action case (No…

STONE MOUNTAIN – Love filled the air as 60 couples renewed their vows in a mass wedding ceremony, “I Still Do,” at Voices of Faith Ministries on Sunday, Feb. 16. Two generations of the same family were among those who tied the knot again: Raymond and Jessica Johnson, married for 40 years, renewed their vows. So did their daughter, Regina, and son-in-law Delwin Wright, married for two years. Son, Raymond Johnson, Jr. and daughter-in-law, Joi, married for 18 years, also renewed their vows. The family of six, who were lined up…

Special Musical Performance by Recording Artist Kelly Price STONECREST—A dozen couples were wed during New Birth Missionary Baptist Church’s mass wedding on Sunday, Feb. 16. “The Vow,” the congregation’s second joint marriage ceremony, featured a special performance by Grammy-nominated R&B and gospel singer Kelly Price. While the 12 couples wore traditional wedding attire, the New Birth congregation dressed in African-inspired garments in recognition of Black History Month. All couples participating in the…

DECATUR–Beulah Missionary Baptist Church recently honored the Cedar Grove High School football team as the 2019 3A State Champions. The “Dynasty” team was recognized for winning the most recent championship and for earning the title three out of the last four years: 2016, 2018, and 2019. “We are proud to have neighbors who are champions and to welcome them to Beulah to offer our congratulations and our support,” said Beulah’s Pastor Jerry D. Black.  “Cedar Grove is a beloved  part of our community and we can only pray that the school and all of it departments go higher.” Pastor Black…

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston is inviting the public to join her in the fight against domestic violence. On Saturday, Feb. 29, the District Attorney’s Office is hosting the 5thAnnual Love Run5Kto raise awareness about teen dating violence and funds for domestic violence survivors in commemoration of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. According to national statistics, one in three adolescents is a victim of a dating partner’s physical, sexual, emotional, and/or verbal abuse. Sadly, only 33 percent of teens report that abuse. “We must continue to shine a spotlight on this…

Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) is partnering with Georgia Military College (GMC) to open a satellite campus in Conyers. The college will providing RCPS students with even more access to higher education opportunities. The Rockdale County Board of Education approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Georgia Military College at its February meeting. This agreement recognizes that RCPS and GMC are committed to the establishment of an educational partnership to serve students in and around Rockdale County, Conyers and surrounding areas. GMC will open a satellite campus in a portion of…

On Thursday, Feb. 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) will host his Restoration Resource Fair for ex-offenders, previously incarcerated or returning citizens. The resource fair will be held at Georgia Piedmont Technical College, 495 North Indian Creek Drive, Clarkston. More than 100 community partners will join the Congressman for the event, which will work to assist returning citizens find a job, receive healthcare and wellness screenings, criminal review or record expungement, housing and transportation vouchers, mental & spiritual guidance, hunger assistance and many other critical support services. “This…

DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Mark Anthony Scott on Friday (Feb. 14) ruled that Stonecrest Councilwoman Jazzmin Cobble may keep her elected seat. Scott, however, must still issue the written order for his ruling to be official. The city had filed a declaratory judgment action this week to ask whether Cobble must forfeit her seat because she missed too many City Council meetings last year, based on the city’s charter.  The city’s charter, Section 2.03 (a) states that a council person forfeits his or her office by “failing to attend one-third…

Rockdale County government is continuing to work on restoring its computer network after a cyber attack on Feb. 7, officials said. At On Common Ground Newspress deadline on Feb. 13, several steps were still being taken to scour any viruses on the computer network and get the government systems that were paralyzed back up and running. The laborious work, under Rockdale Director of Technology Al Yelverton, could continue into the week of Feb. 17, County spokesman Jorge Diez said. All of the county’s computers, including the Rockdale Sheriff’s Office, 911 emergency…

https://youtu.be/GojbQbP-MLg The Stonecrest City Council held a special-called meeting on Feb. 13 and unanimously agreed to investigate a secondary financial vehicle, a TAN (Tax Allocation Note) to temporarily borrow the money for the purchase of the former Sam’s Club, which the city plans to use for its new City Hall and City Center. The City Council also agreed to allow staff to negotiate with Sears to extend the city’s closing date in order to prepare for a bond deal to purchase the property.…