Author: On Common Ground News

An employee of the DeKalb County Jail has been charged with sexually assaulting inmates. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office issued arrest warrants on July 3 for 59-year-old Martin Moten of Loganville. A detention officer since 2004, Moten is charged with two counts of sexual assault against a person in custody and two counts of violation of oath of office. Two female inmates have accused Moten of having engaged in sexual contact with them between March and June of this year. “Officer Moten was placed on administrative leave when we were advised of the allegations by our…

Dee Dawkins-Haigler speaks out on medical marijuana bill. Help for medical THC oil, HOPE scholarships, protection from slumlords By Sarita Mason For On Common Ground News Georgia has taken another step toward making medical marijuana available to registered patients who need it, but the new law regulating distribution may still force those suffering from severe seizures, deadly cancers and other chronic debilitating conditions to wait months to get the drug. Under HB 324, which took effect July 1, six private companies have been approved to grow and produce THC oil in Georgia, but the…

DeKalb Sheriff Jeffrey L. Mann presents retiring Chief Deputy Reginald Scandrett (right) with a memento of his three decades in law enforcement with the sheriff’s office at a special program on June 24. Photo courtesy of DeKalb Sheriff’s Office Public Information. Hundreds of metro area law enforcement agency representatives, elected officials, business leaders, and fellow employees of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office recently celebrated Chief Deputy Reginald B. Scandrett’s retirement after 30 years with the agency. DeKalb County Sheriff Jeffrey L. Mann said Scandrett’s service modeled the “exemplary leadership skills and compassion for public service” required for success…

By Sarita Mason For On Common Ground News   DeKalb County District 3 Commissioner Larry Johnson is preparing for a roundup meeting, July 8, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., at the Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive, to get DeKalb residents ready for the 2020 census. Johnson, who was appointed chair of DeKalb’s 2020 Complete Count Committee, is inviting community leaders and prominent groups such as the DeKalb NAACP and the Pan Asian Community to build a collective team to begin the education process on the 2020 census. “We want people who have already impacted their communities in a…

Violinist Brooke Alford kicked off Rockdale County’s Rockin’ Rockdale Summer Concert Series at Costley Mill Park on Sunday, June 30. People packed picnics and snacks to relax and unwind as Alford  performed songs from her album, “The Viosocialist.” The free event also featured a kids’ zone and onsite food and beverage vendors. The concert series is open to the public and will be held on the last Sunday of the month through Sept. 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. and will feature local artists performing jazz, R&B, rock and classic hits. The next scheduled concert is on Sunday, July 28,…

Eight-year-old kidpreneur and humanitarian, Madisyn Timmons, is inviting the community to join her for a community cleanup day on July 20, 9 a.m. to noon, in the Fairington Park area where she lives in the city of Stonecrest. Volunteers will meet at Fairington Park, 3227 Fairington Drive Arlean Timmons said her daughter got the idea to do a community cleanup after noticing the litter she saw strewn along the roadways during her daily commute home from school. “She asked what we could do to freshen it up,” said Arlean Timmons, who immediately helped Madisyn to put the wheels in…

Enjoy live entertainment every Saturday this summer in Olde Town. You’re your calendar for the July 7 performance of local band, “Unaka Prong.” In addition to live entertainment, guests will enjoy outdoor dining, games and old fashion family fun in the street.  Commercial Street will close to vehicle traffic and open for an evening of fun beginning at 5 p.m.  Tin Plate, The Celtic Tavern and Sweet Treat Depot are sponsoring the event. For more information, call 770-602-2606.  

The DeKalb History Center’s July 16 Lunch & Learn will be presented by Linton C. Hopkins from noon to 1 p.m., at the Historic DeKalb Courthouse, 101 E. Court Square, Decatur. Linton will share the history of East Lake Golf Club along with the story of Bobby Jones, Alexa Stirling, and other amateur golfers with a discussion about “East Lake – Where Bobby Learned to Play.”  Told from a dynamic perspective, the book recounts stories from the time Bobby Jones was learning how to play golf and the journey that turned him into one of the greatest…

DeKalb County Cooperative Extension will host an Irrigation Workshop on July 11, 6:45 to 8:30 p.m. in the greenhouse complex at Brook Run Park, 4770 N. Peachtree Road, Dunwoody. Attendees will learn how to install irrigation systems, maintenance and troubleshooting. Registration is $20 per person. To register, call the DeKalb County Cooperative Extension Office at 404-298-4080 or email Yanni Chen at yc42298@uga.edu.  

The DeKalb Park Advisory Committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, July 17, 6 p.m. at the N.H. Scott Recreation Center, 2230 Tilson Road, Decatur. Information will be provided on current park improvements and recreation projects