Author: On Common Ground News

State Rep. Doreen Carter will be the guest speaker at the Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce luncheon celebrating National Small Business Week on May 15. The luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at This Is It! Banquet Hall, 2853 Panola Road, Stonecrest. Carter, who represents House District 92, which includes parts of DeKalb and Rockdale counties,will provide an update on bills and other critical issues state lawmakers addressed during the 2019 legislative session. Elected to Georgia’s General Assembly in Nov. 2015, Carter currently serves on the Small Business, Industry & Labor, Education, Code Revision and Special…

Clarkston Mayor Ted Terry The City of Clarkston has paved the way for developers to build Georgia’s first tiny home community. The City Council voted unanimously for the project on May 7. “The Cottages on Vaughan” will be situated on a half-acre lot centrally located one block from downtown Clarkston, and will include eight tiny homes on permanent foundations, ranging from 250-492 square feet. Clarkston Mayor Ted Terry said he is excited about the concept. “We’re creating our future world,” said Terry. “We are proud to partner with the MicroLife Institute on this innovative new approach to housing.…

As part of the Operation Clean Sweep 2019 initiative, the DeKalb County Sanitation Division will host a paper shredding event on Saturday, June 15, 8 a.m. – noon, at the DeKalb County Sanitation Division’s Central Transfer Station, 3720 Leroy Scott Drive, Decatur. Event participants will have an opportunity to dispose of up to 10 standard-size boxes of paper. All documents will be shredded onsite and shredding services will be provided by A1 Shredding & Recycling. The event is free and open only to DeKalb County residents within the Sanitation Division service area. Proof of residency may be requested.…

  Gregory B. Levett And Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory will unveil a beautiful memorial garden on Memorial Day weekend to honor the men and women who have died protecting and preserving America’s freedom. The funeral home will host a ribbon cutting ceremony to unveil the Veterans Memorial Garden on May 26, 5 p.m., at its South DeKalb location, 4347 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur. The national holiday is May 27. “We wanted to do something to honor our veterans and give back to them since they have given so much to us. Sometimes, they had to give everything— even their…

Grand Prize recipient Imani Sylvain poses for a picture with Congressman Hank Johnson and Octavius Terry after being announced as the grand prize winner of the 2019 art competition. Congressman Hank Johnson addresses a crowd of parents, teachers, students and other members of the community at his 2019 Congressional Art Competition reception in Stone Mountain. On April 27 at his Congressional Arts reception, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) announced the winners of his 2019 Congressional Arts Competition at the ART Station Theatre in Stone Mountain. Four students were awarded college scholarships worth more than $69,000. The grand prize winner was…

Rockdale Constitutional Corner By Clerk of Courts Ruth A. Wilson Georgia is among the states that use a grand jury system to decide whether to pursue criminal charges against a suspect. The purpose of the grand jury is to consider the evidence presented and decide whether there is enough probable cause (evidence) to indict someone for the charged crime. Generally, a Rockdale citizen age 18 or older who has not been convicted of a felony, not an office holder and not mentally incompetent is qualified to serve. No one is exempt because of his or her job, race, color, religion, sex, national…

DeKalb County is continuing its efforts to fight blight at Brannon Hill Condominiums. Demolition crews recently wiped out 56 dilapidated and neglected units . The dilapidated condos, located near Memorial Drive and the city of Clarkston, became a haven for crime, squatters and gangs for more than a decade after repeated fires ravaged buildings and owners abandoned the properties. In 2017, DeKalb County stepped in to declare the property unsafe and a public nuisance.  DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond enhanced the county’s blight fighting initiatives to address derelict properties at Brannon Hill and throughout  the county. To date, DeKalb…

CONYERS—The Pointe in Olde Town Conyers has colorful new signs, thanks to students enrolled in the University of Georgia’s Lamar Dodd School of Art. The students worked with the Conyers-Rockdale Council for the Arts, in partnership with the city of Conyers, to restore vintage signs on the building at 939 Railroad Street. The students worked on the project as part of UGAs “Color the World Bright” program. The Pointe, built in 1925, was formerly a locally-owned furniture warehouse, a mill owned by the Georgia Railroad, an antiques store, and has been the home of the bar/tavern, The Pointe, since 2007.…

Rockdale Youth Leadership (RYL) celebrated the development of another cohort of young leaders with a graduation ceremony on April 29 at Rockdale Career Academy. The eight-month program, modeled after the Leadership Rockdale program by the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce, is conducted by Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) and the Chamber. High school sophomores who participate in the program learn about the industries, institutions, government agencies, and community in Conyers-Rockdale and Georgia. Participants hone leadership skills, receive networking opportunities, and often go on to become student leaders during their junior and senior years at RCPS. Graduates also will be able to…

DeKalb County Cooperative Extension will host “Basic Bonsai” as part of the 2019 Gardening in Georgia Series. The class will be held on May 21, 6:45 to 8:30 p.m., at the DeKalb County Cooperative Extension Auditorium, 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur.  During this class, attendees will learn about bonsai plant selection, common tools and methods used to maintain style. The cost is $10 per person.  To register, call the DeKalb County Cooperative Extension Office at 404-298-4080.