Author: On Common Ground News

Winfrey’s contribution will be the largest endowment for a scholarship in the College’s history  Oprah Winfrey visited Morehouse College on Monday, Oct. 7, to celebrate the 30thanniversary of the Oprah Winfrey Scholars Program and made a surprise announcement. She donated $13 million to continue the scholarship fund, pushing her total investment to $25 million, which is the largest endowment in the College’s history. Winfrey made the surprise announcement Monday afternoon, on a day in which she met with 47 Oprah Winfrey Scholars that she welcomed as “sons.” She also attended a special luncheon with Morehouse College faculty and staff, the…

Katerina Taylor is resigning as president and CEO of the DeKalb County Chamber of Commerce. Taylor made history in 2014 when she succeeded Leonardo McClarty, becoming the first-ever female appointed president in the 75-year history of the Chamber. Taylor has accepted a position with Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottom’s administration. Before her appointment with the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, she served as vice president of SunTrust Bank. Taylor said in a letter to Chamber members today that her last day with the Chamber is Oct. 16. Her letter reads as follows: “It is with gratitude that I write this…

This evening, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church’s Pastor Jamal Bryant led a prayer vigil and rally at the Mall at Stonecrest’s Sears parking lot in response to the recent shootings in the city of Stonecrest. Pastors, politicians and people in the community stood together in solidarity, denouncing violence and promising to take back their community.

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has arrested Karalo Rafael Brownlee, 30, of Atlanta. According to warrants issued on Oct. 2, there was a shootout involving Brownlee and other individuals at a residence on Columbia Drive in Decatur on the same date.   Brownlee allegedly shot Carlesa J. Reneau, 47, in the back with a rifle, causing her death later at a hospital.  Warrants say  Brownlee also attempted to shoot Dedrick Jerrod Lawless, allegedly the son of the victim.  Brownlee had been the subject of an active pursuit by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Fugitive Unit and the U.S. Marshals. Brownlee was…

If you’re ready to become a member of the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport team, make plans to attend the ATL Airport Career Fair on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Georgia International Convention Center, 2000 Convention Center Concourse, Atlanta. The job fair will feature more than 60 of the airport community’s top employers offering 2,000+ jobs. The event is the perfect opportunity for qualified applicants to apply for jobs with airport concessionaires and other companies that make Hartsfield-Jackson an industry leader. Available positions include: Concessions/Restaurants Barista | Bartender | CDL Driver | Cooks | Shift…

Dr. Sherry Blake STONE MOUNTAIN—Mental health is a growing concern among all populations. Yet mental illness remains taboo for many to openly talk about, even more often in black communities. To help stop the stigma, Antioch AME Church, 765 South Hairston Road, Stone Mountain,will host a free community forum, “Your Mind Matters-Caring for the Mind, Body and Spirit,” on Saturday, Oct. 12, 9 a.m. to noon. Dr. Sherry Blake, reality TV clinical psychologist, will headline the event.     “When a crisis occurs, the faith-based community is often the first place that people turn to for comfort and understanding,” said…

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church is leading a “Stop the Violence” prayer vigil and community rally on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 6 p.m., in the Sears parking lot at The Mall at Stonecrest, 2929 Turner Hill Road. The solidarity rally comes in the wake of two unrelated deadly shootings in the community. A man was fatally shot on Sunday, Sept. 29, in the parking lot of the mall after an altercation broke out between a group of men in the courtyard near the Stonecrest 16 movie theater and the Round One bowling arcade. On Monday, Sept. 30, an employee at a…

ATLANTA – State Representatives Bonnie Rich (R-Suwanee) and Gerald Greene (R-Cuthbert) have announced that they will introduce legislation during the 2020 legislative session to address vaping and e-cigarette use in Georgia. “As a mother of teenagers, I have firsthand knowledge of the insidious and harmful effects of youth vaping in our community,” said Rep. Rich. “For years, I have battled the problem alongside other parents and our school administrators. Now, as a legislator, I have the ability to do more. During this off-season, I called a meeting among the stakeholders in House District 97, including the Gwinnett County District…

The DeKalb County Magistrate Court has been awarded a grant of $749,000 which it will use, in conjunction with its community partners, to increase compliance with protective orders and to strengthen legal advocacy services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault and stalking. The court handles the county’s temporary protective order cases by designation, including monitoring compliance under the protective orders. “The Magistrate Court handles more than 3,000 temporary protective orders per year,” DeKalb County Chief Magistrate Judge Berryl A. Anderson said. “The court not only recognizes the importance of issuing protective orders, but we are also acutely…

Gwinnett County Corrections is currently hiring for Correctional Officer and Correctional Officer Senior positions, so those interested in pursuing a new and interesting career in public safety are encouraged to attend an upcoming job fair. The job fair takes place Saturday, Oct. 12, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Corrections’ headquarters, 750 Hi Hope Road, Lawrenceville. There are multiple phases in the hiring process, and this event will expedite the process by giving candidates the opportunity to complete phase one. The job fair will include a facility tour, background processing, a behavior personal assessment device and interview boards. Attendees are…