Author: On Common Ground News

The Stonecrest Chamber of Commerce is hosting “Tax Geaks” at its first meeting of the year on Thursday, Jan. 16, 11 a.m. at the AEI Startup Factory, 7310 Stonecrest Concourse. Tax Geaks will present a tax planning workshop to educate business owners on how to stay compliant, organized and financially strong. Attendees will learn about recent updates in tax law, how to keep good filing records, ways to track deductions and more. For more information, visit www.stonecrestchamber.com.  

During the month of January, the DeKalb LifeLine Animal Project will be offering$20 pet adoptions. Adoption includes spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, microchip and more. DeKalb LifeLine has  nearly 1,000 pets in its care and it is seeking those willing to adopt a pet or serve as foster homes for pets, if  adoption is not feasible. For a list of shelter locations or for more information, visit lifelineanimal.org or call 404-292-8800.

The community is invited to attend a family history symposium on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2 to 5:30 p.m., at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 3355 Georgia 155 North, Stockbridge. Workshops will include tips on how to get started on your family history, how technology is impacting family history work and how to reclaim one’s heritage. Attendees will get the opportunity to explore familysearch.org. For more information, call Janice Jones at jlj1992@yahoo.com.  

Health TRUST Rockdale, the grant-making division of the Hospital Authority of Rockdale County (HARC), will accept applications Feb. 3-7 for its first grant cycle of 2020. Nonprofit or government agencies working to improve the physical and mental health of Rockdale residents are encouraged to consider applying. Agencies interested in applying for a grant during the upcoming cycle should contact HARC Executive Director Julie Mills at 770-922-1441 or jmills@healthtrustrockdale.org prior to Jan. 31. Potential applicants should carefully review the grant program guidelines and 2020 deadlines by visiting www.healthtrustrockdale.org. Participation in a pre-proposal conference/orientation session is mandatory for all new applicants. Previous grantees also…

The Southeastern F.O.G. Alliance awarded DWM with the 2019 FOG Program of the Year award. The DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management (DWM) was recently recognized with a top award for prioritizing public health and preventing sewer spills caused by Fats, Oils and Grease (FOG). Awarded by the Southeastern FOG Alliance, DWM recently received the 2019 FOG Program of the Year award for outstanding program management including inspection, documentation, enforcement and public education. Approximately 40 percent of sanitary sewer overflows in DeKalb County are caused by FOG being poured down sink drains. FOG coats the inside…

Stonecrest City Council members George Turner and Rob Turner will be sworn into office for their second terms at the first City Council meeting of 2020. The meeting will be held on Jan. 13, 7 p.m., at City Hall. George Turner, who represents District 4, and Rob Turner, who represents District 2, were re-elected to their seats after running unopposed in last November’s elections.

Will Barkley chief assessor  The Rockdale County Board of Assessors, 981 Milstead Ave., is offering extended hours of operation on Saturday, Feb. 29, and Saturday, March 28, 8 a.m. – noon, ahead of the homestead exemption deadline. The deadline for homeowners to file for their homestead exemption is April 1. To be eligible for homestead exemption, you must have owned and lived in the property as your primary residence prior to Jan. 1, 2020. You must have a Georgia driver’s license or Georgia ID with the property address you are applying for the exemption on. Proof of residency includes water,…

Pictured L-R: DeKalb County State Court Judge Ronald Ramsey administers the oath of office to Mayor Jason Lary (far right) as Lary’s wife, Debbie, and youngest son, James, look on. https://youtu.be/Et2foJwsS0k Stonecrest’s visionary and founder, Jason Lary, was sworn in for his second term as mayor tonight (Jan. 7) during a ceremony at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church. Lary took the helm, turning the city’s pages of history again, as the mayor of DeKalb County’s largest city, boasting 54,300 residents. Lary spent four years pushing for the incorporation of the municipality, which was approved by voter referendum in…

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit has arrested Henri Antoine Rogers, 29, of Lithonia on a charge of felony murder. Rogers was taken into custody According to a warrant issued on Jan. 6, 2020, Rogers allegedly shot Damon C. Vickers with a handgun on that same date, causing his death. DeKalb sheriff’s investigators located Rogers today (Jan. 7) on Cecile Avenue in Atlanta, where he was taken into custody without incident and transported to the DeKalb County Jail. No bond has been set.

Macy’s is closing at the Gallery at South DeKalb Mall, 2731 Candler Road, Decatur, and will begin clearance sales this month, a store spokesperson said. Jacqueline King, director of media relations for Macy’s South Region, told On Common Ground News thatMacy’s does not have a specific closing date but the clearance sales are expected to run approximately 8 to 12 weeks. “The decision to close a store is always a difficult one, but Macy’s is proud to have served the Decatur community over the past 50 years, and we look forward to continuing to do so at nearby Macy’s stores including Macy’s Northlake Mall, Macy’s Lenox Square Mall, Macy’s Stonecrest Mall and online at macys.com
,” King said in a statement. King said Macy’s has about 80 workers at the South DeKalb store and some of them may be placed at nearby stores, while others will be offered severance compensation. “Regular, non-seasonal colleagues who…