Author: On Common Ground News

Shameka Reynolds Darold Honore’ and his wife Tammy Honore’  Vannaeriah Hawk-Wynn elected to Lithonia City Council  Shameka Reynolds swept the Lithonia mayoral race, defeating embattled challenger Cindy Thomas, who faced allegations of address fraud just days before the Nov. 5 election. Darold Honore and Vannaeriah Hawk-Wynn were elected to the City Council. Honore received 204 votes (36.82 percent), while Hawk-Wynn received 187 votes (33.75 percent). They were the top two vote getters in the three-way race for two city council seats. D. McCoy placed third with 163 votes (29.42 percent). Reynolds, who served on the City Council for…

In a low voter turnout, DeKalb County rejected a referendum restructuring the county’s ethics board with 33,555 voters (61.33 percent).  The measure received 21,160 yes votes (38.67 percent). Countywide, only 10.97 percent (56,412) of DeKalb’s 516,412 registered voters participated in the Nov. 5 elections, which included municipal races and the one referendum question on the ballot, officials reported. DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond said state lawmakers in the House and Senate must work together to resolve the issue, saying the “current state of affairs is unacceptable.” “The DeKalb voters have spoken. The focus now shifts back to the General Assembly where…

Charvez Ryals, 41, received a life sentence plus 65 years in prison for the fatal shooting of his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend and for shooting a second man who survived. Ryals was sentenced on Nov. 4 during court proceedings before DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Clarence F. Seeliger. Jurors returned guilty verdicts against Ryals on Oct. 31 on charges of murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, cruelty to children in the second degree and weapons offenses in connection with the fatal shooting of Daniel Wise, 31, and the shooting of  Robbie Johnson, now 31, who survived the incident. Wise was gunned down on…

While voter turnout was dismal for the Nov. 5 election, two Conyers women made history: Connie Alsobrook and Valyncia Smith were elected as the first black women to the Conyers City Council in the city’s 165-year history. Alsobrook toppled incumbent Jacob Bailey for the Conyers City Council District 2, Post 2 seat. Alsobrook received 109 votes (57.67 percent), while Bailey received 79 votes (41.8 percent). The city has 7,034 active registered voters on the rolls, said Rockdale Elections Supervisor Cynthia Willingham. “I would like to thank everyone who supported and voted for me. It is an honor to make history…

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church is redefining “Black Friday” with the inaugural Kwanzaa Plaza event beginning Nov. 29, at the church’s family life center, 6400 Woodrow Road in Stonecrest. The Kwanzaa Plaza will feature approximately 100 minority-owned and small businesses during a three-day event geared at highlighting local entrepreneurs and fostering commerce within the African-American community. Kwanzaa is an annual celebration of the African-American culture that is marked by week-long acknowledgment of heritage, unity, creativity, faith and cooperative economics. While Kwanzaa is typically observed Dec. 26 to Jan. 1, New Birth’s Kwanzaa Plaza was established to take a new…

The graduation rate for Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) students involved in Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) programs has reached 96.37 percent, closely aligned with the state-wide rate which rose to 96.54 percent for 2019. This rate applies to students who complete a Career Pathway. “Students are more engaged in their learning when they see the relevance and can relate it to real life experiences,” said Superintendent. Terry Oatts. “We have expanded our Career Pathway offerings to provide a wide variety of opportunities for students to connect with a pathway of their interests. We have also expanded our Work…

The National Coalition of 100 Black Women Decatur-DeKalb Chapter, Inc. has elected Debra Curtis as its new president and Kianna Lawson as 1st vice president of programs and planning. Both women have served in the chapter for over 10 years in various leadership roles. Delois Grizzle, who has served as president since 2015, said she is passing the torch to devoted and capable community servants. “I have passed the torch and I know that this chapter will be in outstanding hands,” said Delois Grizzle, who has served as president since 2015. Both Curtis and Lawson received the NCBW Chapter’s…

A Rockdale County UGA Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Agent MaryBeth Hornbeck was honored at the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) 85th annual session. Hornbeck received the First Place National NEAFCS Family Health and Wellness Award at the conference held September 30 – October 3, 2019 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The theme was “Nurturing the Richness of Lifelong Learning”. In receiving the award, Hornbeck was recognized for the #RockdaleEatsARainbow Fun with Fresh Food program. She developed the Fun with Fresh Food Rainbow Nutrition program for families to improve attitudes and behaviors around fruit and vegetable…

Connie Alsobrook toppled incumbent Jacob Bailey for the Conyers City Council District 2, Post 2 seat in the Nov. 5 election. Alsobrook received 109 votes (57.67 percent) while Bailey received 79 votes (41.8 percent). In District 3, incumbent Gerald Hinesley was reelected with 63 votes. He was unopposed. In the District 4 race, Valyncia Smith held a commanding lead—78 votes  (75 percent)—over Demetrius Myatt, who received 26 votes (25 percent). Smith succeeds Councilman John Fountain, who did not seek re-election. The votes reflect early voting results and must be certified by Rockdale Elections officials.

DeKalb County voters rejected a referendum restructuring the county’s ethics board on Tuesday night. Early results showed that 61.33 percent of voters (33,555) opposed the proposal.  The measure received  21,160 yes votes (39 percent. Proponents said the referendum was needed to change the makeup of the board to more fairly reflect the diversity of the community and replace the ethics director position with an administrative position, among other things. Their stance was bolstered by a Georgia Supreme Court ruling that the way the Ethics Board members are selected was unconstitutional.  Critics said, however, the referendum would have reduced some of…