Author: On Common Ground News

Join DeKalb County, the City of Lithonia and the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance on Friday, July 26, 9:30 a.m., for the grand opening of the Lithonia Woman’s Club Pocket Park. The event will be held at 2564 Wiggins St., Lithonia. The new park celebrates Lithonia’s history – from the Woman’s Club to civic leaders such as Luscious Sanders to the growth of the quarry industry – and serves as a historic gateway to the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area (AMNHA). Located next to the historic Lithonia Woman’s Club and in the heart of the historic downtown, the new…

Dr. Naim G. Shaheed, DPM, is excited to return for the fourth consecutive year as chair of the 100 Black Men of DeKalb County’s 2019 Casino Royale Scholarship Gala, and he’s inviting the community to join him in supporting the black-tie event. The gala, which raises scholarships for high school graduates of the organization’s Leadership Academy mentoring program, will be held on Aug. 10, 6 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 265 Peachtree St., Atlanta. “I’ve been coming back year after year to serve as chair because I enjoy building on our Leadership Academy’s success and I believe that it…

Join local musician Zakiya Harmony for a free performance on Tuesday Aug. 13, 7 to 8 p.m., at the Decatur Library, 215 Sycamore St., Decatur. Harmony is a singer, songwriter, and musician with a soulful, sultry musical style. She began her journey with music at the tender age of 9 as a saxophone player in her school band. She went on to express herself by learning guitar and writing her own songs. Harmony has performed at many venues around the Atlanta area. Her unique style of music and her life story set her apart. “I just want to impact the…

    DeKalb County Cooperative Extension will host a tree diagnostics class on Aug. 13, 6:45 to 8:30 p.m., at the DeKalb County Extension Office Auditorium, 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur. Attendees will learn signs to make sure trees are thriving. The class is $10 per person. To register, call the DeKalb County Cooperative Extension Office at 404-298-4080 or visit the main office.

Rockdale County Government and Rockdale County Public Schools are hosting a back-to-school bonfire for high school juniors and seniors on Aug. 2, 6 – 9 p.m., on the field at 1400 Parker Road. The event will feature athletic teams, cheer teams and bands from Heritage, Salem and Rockdale County high schools. Students will have the opportunity to show school pride and fellowship with their peers, county officials and community leaders. Rockdale County Fire-Rescue and the Rockdale Sheriff’s Office will be on site to share opportunities in public safety with the youths. Students of all ages are welcome, however, those who…

The Rockdale Community Ambassadors will host its second “Trash Bash” cleanup on Saturday, Aug. 3, 8: to 11 a.m., at the Rockdale County Department of Transportation Office, 2570 Old Covington Highway S.W., Conyers. The event will focus on cleaning up illegal signage and light trash pickup. Volunteers also will clean up the gateways to Rockdale along I-20. In the event of inclement weather, the cleanup will be held on Saturday, Aug.10. Food will be provided to volunteers by Papa John’s pizza. Anyone who is interested in participating in the cleanup may register for the event on Eventbrite.com by searching for “Trash…

  Collie Greenwood, formerly the chief service officer with the Toronto Transit Commission, has joined MARTA as chief of bus operations. In his role, Greenwood will be responsible for daily operations and maintenance of MARTA’s bus system, which includes a fleet of 532 buses and paratransit vans. With 32 years in the transit industry, Greenwood has experience in operations, administration and service delivery, giving him an appreciation for longstanding transit principles that he will rely on to improve service delivery and reliability. “When you turn on the faucet, you expect water; when you flip the switch, you expect lights. You…

State Sen. Emanuel Jones (D – Decatur) was recently appointed to the Senate Study Committee on the Financial Efficiency Star Rating by Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan. “The Financial Efficiency Star Rating system is an important measurement of how school districts allocate their funds on a per-student basis and how that relates to academic performance,” said Jones, who said he hopes to help find solutions where disparities exist. The Senate Study Committee on the Financial Efficiency Star Rating was created through the passage of Senate Resolution 452, sponsored by Jones during the 2019 Legislative Session.  The five-member committee will study…

State Sen. Gloria Butler (D-Stone Mountain) has been appointed by Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan to serve as a member of the Senate Study Committee on Evaluating and Simplifying Physician Oversight of Physician Assistants and Advanced Practice Registered Nurses. “I am honored to be chosen to sit on this study committee and hear from all interested parties on the current regulations surrounding physician assistants and APRNs,” said Butler. “I’ve been a member on the Senate Health and Human Services Committee for a number of legislative sessions and this is a topic that continually is brought up by advocates.” The five-member study…

The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) is pleased to announce that ten graduating seniors in the Class of 2019 have received National Merit Scholarships. Following three announcements from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), students from Chamblee Charter, Druid Hills, Dunwoody, and Lakeside high schools have been named among 7,600 winners nationwide. DCSD students are represented in all three categories—Corporate-Sponsored, National Merit $2,500, and College-Sponsored—with each offering a distinct blend of benefits.  Each student was required to write a personal essay, provide information about extracurricular activities, list awards, and describe any leadership positions held. The winners are considered to have…