Author: On Common Ground News

Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson and Retired Lt. Col. Amos King Officials from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will assist military veterans and their spouses with claims and compensation on Dec. 9, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. All veterans and/or their spouses in the metro area are urged to attend, said retired Lt. Col. Amos King, who heads Justice for Veterans. “This will be the third annual event. It’s an opportunity for veterans to get the help they need in applying for claims and compensation. Officials will be on site who…

   New Birth Missionary Baptist Church is redefining “Black Friday” with the inaugural Kwanzaa Plaza event beginning Nov. 29, at the church’s family life center, 6400 Woodrow Road, Stonecrest. The Kwanzaa Plaza will feature approximately 100 minority-owned and small businesses during a three-day event geared at highlighting local entrepreneurs and fostering commerce within the African-American community. Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of the African-American culture that is marked by week-long acknowledgment of heritage, unity, creativity, faith and cooperative economics. While Kwanzaa is typically observed Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, New Birth’s Kwanzaa Plaza was established to take a new approach…

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive and S.W.A.T. Units have arrested a suspect in the murder of a man on Nov. 5 in Decatur. Atlanta resident Vladimir Shaulov, 39, was wanted on a felony murder charge in connection with the shooting death of Frank Moore.  According to authorities, Shaulov is accused of shooting Moore several times during an incident at a residence on Fair Lane in Decatur, causing his death. Following an extensive search, DeKalb Sheriff’s investigators and the S.W.A.T. unit located Shaulov at a business in Decatur, where he was taken into custody without incident and transported to the…

Someone in Conyers is receiving more than turkey this Thanksgiving. Three winning Georgia Lottery tickets worth $10,000, including one in Conyers, were sold in the Nov. 22 Mega Millions drawing. Winning numbers were: 7-12-17-49-53 and the Mega Ball was 24. The tickets were purchased at: Shell, located at 1800 Highway 138 NE in Conyers; Marathon, located at 2536 Charles Hardy Parkway in Dallas; and Citgo Parth 121, located at 732 Highway 82 in Georgetown. The Dallas and Georgetown tickets were claimed Monday and Tuesday. A winner had not come forward to claim the Conyers ticket as of Wednesday. Georgia’s…

DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson hosted his 12thAnnual Christmas Tree Lighting Spectacular with special guest, Santa Claus, Nov. 26 at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts and Community Center in South DeKalb. The evening was filled with surprises inside and outside of the center.  There was standing room only with families coming to share in the holiday festivities.  Attendees were treated to performances produced by Stepp Stuart and special guest soloist Stephen Akin. There program included lots of treats: cotton candy, hot chocolate, apple cider, popcorn and a station to decorate your own fresh baked cookies.   The tree…

Piedmont Rockdale Hospital’s Volunteer Auxiliary invites the community to attend the Love Light Tree celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 6 p.m. at Piedmont Rockdale Hospital Building A atrium. This year’s celebration will feature singer Theresa Hamm-Smith, the Rockdale Youth Orchestra, dancer Jaida Brown, and a special message delivered by hospital chaplain Fred Johns. The Love Light program was started by the hospital’s volunteer auxiliary in the 1980s as a way for community members to expresssympathy, esteem, or appreciation for friends or loved ones.  A gift to the Love Light program creates a lasting impact by enhancing health care services available…

According to DeKalb County Elections officials, these are the number of voters who have cast ballots during the advance voting period, which is now underway for the  Stonecrest District 5 City Council runoff. Tammy Grimes and Dave Marcus are vying for the seat. Early Turnout – Runoff 11.27.19

Budget Workshop Packet 11252019 (dragged)

Rockdale County Board of Commissioners Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Sr. will host “Coffee with the Chairman” on Friday, Dec. 6, 8 to 10 a.m., at Awake Coffee Co., 909 Commercial St. N.E., Conyers. Chairman Nesbitt invites residents to meet with him and share concerns, ideas and receive updates on issues and relevant topics. The event is free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.  

Tammy Grimes and Dave Marcus will face one another in the Stonecrest City Council District 5 special election runoff on Dec. 3, elections officials have confirmed. Officials certified the Nov. 5 early results on Nov.  15, making it official that Grimes and Marcus will challenge one another for the seat. The special election is being held to fill the unexpired term of Diane Adoma, who came in behind Charles Hill in the three-way race with incumbent Jason Lary, who won another term as the city’s mayor. Grimes’ bid will mark her second challenge for the District 5 council seat.…