Author: On Common Ground News

By Sarita Mason For On Common Ground News The city of Conyers held a groundbreaking ceremony on July 18 for its new City Hall, which will be built at 901 O’Kelly Street. Conyers Mayor Vince Evans, former Mayor Randy Mills, and council members attended the historic event. Mayor Evans said the new City Hall represents a new beginning for the city of Conyers. “It was past time for this to happen… Things are about to get better. I believe the new City Hall is the beginning of the transformation of this area. What we hope to see over a period…

DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson has been elected 2nd Vice President of the National Association of Counties (NACo). “I am honored to be elected as NACo’s next 2nd Vice President,” said Johnson, who has more than 17 years of government experience. “I will bring my public health knowledge, depth of experience, solid leadership, dedication and commitment to help continue to move NACo forward.” Johnson’s platform included world-class infrastructure, entrepreneurship, innovation and prevention. He has worked with former President Jimmy Carter on a local project in Atlanta that focused on building communities. Additionally, he has been appointed by nine NACo presidents, serving as…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Seeking to make highways around the nation safer for drivers, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), along with his colleague, Rep. Jesús G. “Chuy” García of Illinois, introduced the “Safe Roads Act of 2019” (H.R. 3773), which would direct the Department of Transportation to require all new commercial motor vehicles to be equipped with an automatic emergency braking system. Johnson and Garcia announced the bill at a Capitol Hill news conference flanked by safety advocates and commercial trucking stakeholders. Johnson first introduced the bill in 2011 and again in 2015 after five Georgia nursing students were killed and three…

Join DeKalb County, the City of Lithonia and the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance on Friday, July 26, 9:30 a.m., for the grand opening of the Lithonia Woman’s Club Pocket Park. The event will be held at 2564 Wiggins St., Lithonia. The new park celebrates Lithonia’s history – from the Woman’s Club to civic leaders such as Luscious Sanders to the growth of the quarry industry – and serves as a historic gateway to the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area (AMNHA). Located next to the historic Lithonia Woman’s Club and in the heart of the historic downtown, the new…

Dr. Naim G. Shaheed, DPM, is excited to return for the fourth consecutive year as chair of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County’s 2019 Casino Royale Scholarship Gala, and he’s inviting the community to join him in supporting the black-tie event. The gala, which raises scholarships for high school graduates of the organization’s Leadership Academy mentoring program, will be held on Aug. 10, 6 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 265 Peachtree St., Atlanta. “I’ve been coming back year after year to serve as chair because I enjoy building on our Leadership Academy’s success and I believe that it…

Join local musician Zakiya Harmony for a free performance on Tuesday Aug. 13, 7 to 8 p.m., at the Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore St., Decatur. Harmony is a singer, songwriter, and musician with a soulful, sultry musical style. She began her journey with music at the tender age of 9 as a saxophone player in her school band. She went on to express herself by learning guitar and writing her own songs. Harmony has performed at many venues around the Atlanta area. Her unique style of music and her life story set her apart. “I just want to impact the…

    DeKalb County Cooperative Extension will host a tree diagnostics class on Aug. 13, 6:45 to 8:30 p.m., at the DeKalb County Extension Office Auditorium, 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur. Attendees will learn signs to make sure trees are thriving. The class is $10 per person. To register, call the DeKalb County Cooperative Extension Office at 404-298-4080 or visit the main office.

Rockdale County Government and Rockdale County Public Schools are hosting a back-to-school bonfire for high school juniors and seniors on Aug. 2, 6 – 9 p.m., on the field at 1400 Parker Road. The event will feature athletic teams, cheer teams and bands from Heritage, Salem and Rockdale County high schools. Students will have the opportunity to show school pride and fellowship with their peers, county officials and community leaders. Rockdale County Fire-Rescue and the Rockdale Sheriff’s Office will be on site to share opportunities in public safety with the youths. Students of all ages are welcome, however, those who…

The Rockdale Community Ambassadors will host its second “Trash Bash” cleanup on Saturday, Aug. 3, 8: to 11 a.m., at the Rockdale County Department of Transportation Office, 2570 Old Covington Highway S.W., Conyers. The event will focus on cleaning up illegal signage and light trash pickup. Volunteers also will clean up the gateways to Rockdale along I-20. In the event of inclement weather, the cleanup will be held on Saturday, Aug.10. Food will be provided to volunteers by Papa John’s pizza. Anyone who is interested in participating in the cleanup may register for the event on Eventbrite.com by searching for “Trash…

  Collie Greenwood, formerly the chief service officer with the Toronto Transit Commission, has joined MARTA as chief of bus operations. In his role, Greenwood will be responsible for daily operations and maintenance of MARTA’s bus system, which includes a fleet of 532 buses and paratransit vans. With 32 years in the transit industry, Greenwood has experience in operations, administration and service delivery, giving him an appreciation for longstanding transit principles that he will rely on to improve service delivery and reliability. “When you turn on the faucet, you expect water; when you flip the switch, you expect lights. You…