Author: On Common Ground News

The state of Georgia is replacing all voting machines by the March 24 presidential primary with a new voting system. In the wake of this change, DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson wants to ensure all DeKalb residents experience how to use the new voting machine and have the opportunity to check their voting status. Cochran-Johnson is hosting a town hall meeting for the public on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 6 to 8 p.m., at Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. Citizens will have a chance to try out the machines ahead of the town hall, from 4 to…

Rockdale County Chief Magistrate Judge Phinia Aten will perform a mass wedding ceremony for couples who want to get married on New Year’s Day. Judge Aten is hosting the wedding ceremony at 2 p.m. in the Magistrate Courtroom, 948 Bank Street, Conyers. Couples must bring a valid marriage license and government-issued identification with them. Pre-registration is required. There is no cost for the wedding ceremony and guests are welcome. “Rockdale’s reputation as a wonderful community for families is widespread. The hundreds of free courthouse weddings that I’ve performed are an expression of my commitment to uplifting and supporting our families…

By Mackenzie N. Morgan OCG Staff Writer Students from Freedom Middle School being recognized for collecting over 500 toiletries for low-income students and families at a special ceremony Dec. 12. Newly elected Stonecrest District 5 City Councilwoman Tammy Grimes attended the special event. A local Waffle House sponsored and served the students a hot breakfast for their commitment to serving the community. While most kids are making wish lists during this time of year, a group of students from Freedom Middle School took time to help others in need this holiday season. About 30 students…

DeKalb County’s Board of  Commissioners, Kathie Gannon, Steve Bradshaw, Lorraine Cochran-Johnson DeKalb County’s Board of  Commissioners introduced a resolution on Dec. 17 urging the DeKalb Delegation to adopt the same Ethics Code previously approved by voters with one substantive change to the appointment process. The measure was introduced by Super District 6 Commissioner Kathie Gannon, District 4 Commissioner Steve Bradshaw and Super District 7 Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson. “We call this Model Ethics Code II,” said Gannon. “It’s almost identical to the current code with voter’s 92 percent approval of House Bill 597, DeKalb Ethics Board Reform Bill, passed in 2015.…

DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson, along with many committed residents, celebrated the completion of the second phase of the Glenwood Road sidewalk project on Dec. 2. Officials and members of the community held a ribbon cutting ceremony to commemorate the project, which began in 2007, and includes a third phase. “This is a milestone. This has been a long time coming,” said Johnson. Ann Brown, who has been a longtime advocate and champion in South DeKalb, said she was proud to be a part of the milestone. Brown became involved in lobbying for Glenwood Road sidewalks after a young…

Michael Strong will serve as the new branch manager for DeKalb County’s  Stonecrest Library branch. Strong, who has been with the DeKalb County Library system for more than 30 years, will succeed Lylah Lockridge. Strong, a Decatur native, has served as manager of the Covington branch, for the past two years. Acting manager, Amanda Lindsay, said Strong would begin his role as branch manager in the new year. “My passion is working with the community. I like turning strangers into neighbors and neighbors into communities. I want patrons to realize that this is their library and we are here…

Georgia’s unemployment rate hit the lowest percentage in history in November at 3.3%, while the total number of jobs in the state set a record high of 4.64 million, state officials reported on Dec. 19. The Georgia Department of Labor, which has been keeping records on employment data for 43 years, said the total number of jobs in Georgia also set a record high at 4.64 million and the number of employed Georgians achieved an historic high of 4.96 million. Gov. Brian P. Kemp praised Georgia’s strong economy, which added 6,500 jobs in November. Job openings typically are stronger this…

By Rockdale Clerk of Courts Ruth A. Wilson Once Upon A Time At Christmas, there was an Elf on the Shelf at the Courthouse. He called himself Aluicious Lilliputian Fontroy or ALF for short. His only job was to solve problems and prevent problems at the Historic County Courthouse and to do it quietly in the background. He would mostly hide in the ceiling, the walls and subfloor of the old building and no one was the wiser. This Holiday Season he became particularly agitated. All the decorations and festivities had him feeling left out, forgotten and…

https://youtu.be/PVHzSw1eD70 Attorney Noreen Banks-Ware swears in District 5 Councilmember Tammy Grimes on Dec. 17, 2019. Story updated: Tammy L. Grimes takes helm as Stonecrest District 5 Councilmember, first council meeting Jan. 13 Tammy L. Grimes took the oath of office on Dec.17, becoming the newest District 5 Councilmember for the city of Stonecrest. Grimes’ inauguration marked another chapter for the city, which became DeKalb County’s largest municipality with more than 50,000 residents when it was incorporated in 2017. Attorney Noreen Banks-Ware, a long-time friend of Grimes, administered the oath of office. Grimes was flanked by her husband, Reginald; son, Reginald…

Grady Memorial Hospital is making significant progress in its recovery following the break of a pressurized 24-inch diameter water pipe on Dec. 7, DeKalb Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson shared in her electronic newsletter. Repairs to the pipe were complete by Dec. 9, Monday morning, and visitation restrictions were lifted Tuesday. Electrical repairs continue in the affected patient care tower, and may take up to three weeks to complete. During that time, 30 percent of the hospital elevators will remain out of service, officials said in a release. Cleanup and repairs have begun in the patient units significantly damaged by flooding. “We hope…