Author: On Common Ground News

  Rockdale County Chairman t, Sr. is hosting The Chairman’s Youth Summer Enrichment Program July 22-26,10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at J.P. Carr Community Center, 981 Taylor St., Conyers. The Chairman’s Youth Summer Enrichment Program is aimed at  rising Rockdale 6th grade students who are transitioning from elementary school to middle school. The free interactive program focuses on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). The curriculum is designed to re-energize and refresh each student’s academic focus as they prepare to return to school following their summer break. The free program also will highlight academics, athletics, and attitude. To enhance each participant’s…

By Sarita Mason Springfield Baptist Church recently honored 21 high school seniors, saluting them for their academic achievement and leadership in their schools and communities. The church raised $16,800 for the scholarships, providing each graduate with $800 to be used toward college or a post-secondary school of their choice. This year marked the second that Springfield has awarded the scholarships. Students in Rockdale/Newton and surrounding counties were honored, church officials said. To receive Springfield’s scholarship, students had to be recommended by a teacher or staff member and also be accepted or enrolled as full-time student at a two-year…

Rockdale Constitutional Corner   ByClerk of Courts   The Rockdale Clerk of Courts Office Real Estate Division has a new state-of-the-art tool to make the job of land surveyors much easier. Now, surveyors can print previously illegible plats 16 times larger than in the past, thanks to the new large format printer / plotter. A “plat” is a plan, map, or chart of a piece of land with actual or proposed features (such as lots) and also the land represented, especially as used in construction site mapping.  A plat map includes a description of the land and everything on…

Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) and Bread of Life Development (BOLD) Ministries are partnering this summer for the annual “Be Bright, Eat Right Rockdale” Summer Feeding Program to ensure Rockdale County’s children receive healthy, balanced and delicious meals throughout the summer. If your child (up to age 18) lives in one of the neighborhoods served, they can receive a free lunch Monday through Friday during the summer. Servers will be wearing bright blue “Be Bright, Eat Right Rockdale” T-shirts. RCPS will deliver bagged lunches via school bus to locations in several neighborhoods across Rockdale County. RCPS will…

Update: State Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick said the program is open to adult programmers only. She apologizes for the mistake. State Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick , District 93, is inviting young coders to attend a coding camp at the Omega World Center in South DeKalb on June 1, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Opportunity Hub, Omega Psi Fraternity, Inc., Friendship Foundation & GitHub are joining forces to host the engineering Hackathon. Programming for all levels of experience will be powered by GitHub, a Microsoft company. In addition to the Hackathon, CHUB CEO Rodney Sampson will lead a panel with GitHub tam…

ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr today joined a group of 51 Attorneys General in urging the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) to automatically forgive the student loans of veterans who became totally and permanently disabled in connection with their military service. The bipartisan coalition issued its letter as the country prepares to honor fallen troops on Memorial Day. “Our veterans made a promise to us when they offered to serve our nation in the armed forces, and we as a nation must keep our promises to them, particularly to those who were injured in the line of duty,”…

Dear DeKalb County School District Family, Congratulations on a strong finish to another incredible year! Thank you for your commitment and dedication to the students and families of our DeKalb County School District. It is truly an honor to serve alongside you, and I look forward to serving as your superintendent for the 2019-2020 school year. As this school year wraps up, I feel it is important to also let you know that after thoughtful consideration with my family, I have decided not to pursue an extension to my current contract that ends June 30, 2020. The DeKalb County Schools…

By Sarita Mason OCG News Intern Four recruits are gaining hands-on experience in the automotive world, thanks to DeKalb County Fleet Management, Georgia Piedmont Technical College and DeKalb County Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson, District 5. The students are among the first to participate in the DeKalb Fleet Apprenticeship Program. The two-year program launched on Sept.4, 2018 and is now providing the opportunities for students to get directly under the hood and on the ground as they learn to repair big fleets such as firetrucks, police cars and tractor trailers used by county government workers. Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson…

The Georgia Division of Family and Children Services honored a Gwinnett County resident as a Foster Caregiver of the Year during an appreciation luncheon and awards ceremony on May 20 in Atlanta. Gracie Kennard was chosen among foster parents nominated by Division staff statewide based on her outstanding service and partnership with the agency. “We are grateful for all of Georgia’s foster parents for opening their homes and hearts to children in need,” said Division Director Tom C. Rawlings. “Our Foster Caregivers of the Year, however, deserve special recognition because they consistently go above and beyond what we ask…

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has made another arrest in conjunction with the shooting death of a 7-year-old girl who was at her foster parents’ home on Satellite Boulevard in Ellenwood when she was killed on April 12. Scottdale resident Dwayne Eric Allen, 27, is in custody at the DeKalb County Jail after sheriff’s deputies apprehended and arrested him on May 20without incident at an Atlanta-area business. Allen is charged with murder and aggravated assault. According to warrants issued May 16, Allen and his nephew, 21-year-old Antoine Allen, shot up the Satellite Boulevard home with an AR-15 assault rifle, and…