Author: On Common Ground News

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.…

Stonecrest City officials have filed a declaratory judgment action to ask a superior court judge to decide whether Councilmember Jazzmin Cobble must vacate her seat because she missed too many City Council meetings last year, based on the city’s charter. Four members of the City Council staged a protest and walked out of the City Council meeting on Feb. 10 after a motion failed to excuse Cobble’s absences retroactively. Due to the walkout, there was not a quorum to decide on several key issues including a vote on the bond…

DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson recently met with the partners of Lidl grocery store to welcome them to District 3. “We are in need of a grocery store that offers affordable fresh food in this community,” Commissioner Johnson said. “Change is inevitable and I am glad to be a part of this positive change to offer the highest quality of produce and service to constituents of District 3.” On Feb. 4, the Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the zoning plans for the 29,000-square-foot store to be built in the…

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond will give his outlook for 2020 during two State of the County addresses in March. Business leaders and other community partners are invited to a State of the County address to be delivered during a luncheon on Wednesday, March 18, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, 2000 Airport Road, Chamblee. The ticketed business luncheon is hosted by the Council for Quality Growth and DeKalb Chamber of Commerce. Registration is required. To register for the luncheon, visit www.councilforqualitygrowth.org. Thurmond will deliver an evening State of…

   Three organizations will benefit from a $30K donation made by DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Clarence F. Seeliger. The recipients include the DeKalb Lawyers Association, which provides scholarships to African-American students attending law school; the DeKalb Volunteer Lawyers Foundation, which provides legal training and counsel services for the indigent and victims of domestic violence;  and Atlanta Legal Aid, which has provided legal counsel to the indigent for nearly 100 years. “What better way to honor Black History Month than to invest in the dreams of others.  Judge Seeliger’s generous contributions have established…

Soulidifly Productions, a company founded in 2017 with a mission to produce uplifting stories that are entertaining and beautifully told, has created SoulVision.TV https://soulvision.tv/, a new digital streaming network with an emphasis on authentic and positive human stories. Launching on Valentine’s Day – Friday, Feb. 14 – with more than 200 hours of content, SoulVision.TV will be accessible from all leading streaming platforms – Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire – and on all mobile platforms, tablets and other devices including smart TVs and home computers. “We live in a 500-channel world, and all too often it’s the same thing:…

Stonecrest resident and business owner Angela Zimmerman, owner of Chicken, Wings & Waffles, passed away on Feb. 11 at DeKalb Medical at Hillandale. City of Stonecrest officials who had frequented Zimmerman’s restaurant at 6768 Browns Mill Road had few details about her death. Stonecrest Communications Director Adrion Bell said he and other city officials were shocked and saddened by her sudden passing. “Angela suffered from a heart condition and we believe this is what caused her death at around 10:30 today (Feb. 11). Last September, Mayor Jason Lary, Councilman Jimmy…

DeKalb County Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson will host the District 5 Black History Program on Thursday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m., at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts & Community Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. This one-woman, one-act monologue entitled “Interrupted Motherhood”is a passionate and engaging story drawn from personal experiences and specifically written to overcome obstacles in motherhood and celebrate life. “This event is free and open to the public,” Davis Johnson said. “We welcome everyone to come out and experience this dynamic program.” Groups of 10 or more should contact Commissioner…