Author: On Common Ground News

DECATUR. GA–City of Decatur will open the Decatur Recreation Center, Sycamore Street as a cooling center on Sunday and Monday, Aug. 13 and 14, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., due to a heat advisory by the National Weather Service. A heat advisory is issued when “feels like” temperatures are expected to reach or be greater than 103 degrees, or when the actual air temperature is expected to be at 105 degrees or greater. The City of Decatur advises residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check on relatives and neighbors. Young children…

DECATUR, GA—Dozens of businesses and entrepreneurs were honored at the 4th Annual Black Business Celebration and Showcase. The Aug. 10 celebration, hosted by DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson, was held to promote the achievements, contributions, and resilience of Black-owned businesses and entrepreneurs. The celebration called attention to the economic impact and importance of Black businesses while also offering an opportunity to network within the community and inspire future generations of entrepreneurs. “This was a historic moment to be around African American Trail Blazers,” said Commissioner Larry Johnson. “Events like this are important especially for our young people to see us…

WASHINGTON, D.C. ,Congressman Hank Johnson (GA), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY), Jerry Nadler (NY), Jamie Raskin (MD) and Ted Lieu (CA) sent a letter to the Department of Justice urging Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas for consistently failing to report significant gifts he received. The letter, dated Aug. 11, was sent to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. For close to two decades, Justice Thomas repeatedly certified that his financial disclosures were “accurate, true, and complete,” despite omitting millions of dollars in gifts. Justices of the Supreme Court are required to file annual reports disclosing gifts, and the failure…

DECATUR, GA– DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs announced that  Midway Pool, 3181 Midway Rd., Decatur, will be closing due to continued storm water damage. The pools listed below will be open now until Sept. 4 only on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.  Open until Sept. 4       *Exchange Splash Pad, 2771 Columbia Drive, Decatur       Gresham Pool, 3113 Gresham Road, Atlanta       Lithonia Pool, 2501 Park Drive, Lithonia       Medlock Pool, 874 Gaylemont Circle, Decatur    Tobie Grant Pool, 644 Parkdale Drive, Scottdale   *Operation hours: Saturdays from 10 a.m.…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA–Gwinnett County Police detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying and locating two suspects involved in a shooting that recently occurred at Sugarloaf Mills Mall. On Saturday, Aug. 5, at 7:09 p.m., officers working at the mall heard gunshots. Multiple officers responded as patrons were fleeing from inside the mall and calling 911. Officers located a victim who was not injured and several witnesses to the incident. Detectives have determined there was an argument between two suspects and an employee of a shoe kiosk inside the mall.  The argument escalated into a physical confrontation and one or both…

DECATUR, GA – City Schools of Decatur Superintendent Gyimah Whitaker and Chief Financial Officer(CFO) Lonita Broome have been named to the Leadership DeKalb Class of 2024. They are among 50 leaders, including CEOs of top public and private companies and DeKalb’s elected officials, educators, judges, entrepreneurs, volunteers and nonprofit leaders. With a focus on the entire county, Leadership DeKalb reflects the area’s rich diversity, positioning current and emerging leaders to unite, commit and act to make DeKalb a premier place to live, work and enjoy life. Superintendent Whitaker began her tenure as superintendent of the City Schools of Decatur in…

STONECREST, GA—Residents of the Bramblewood community, located in the city of Stonecrest, rolled up their sleeves for a special beautification project recently. With their HOA no longer in place, neighbors united and raised money to repair a worn sign at the entrance of the community. The Ramblewood subdivision, which residents estimate includes 70 to 80 homes, is an established community located off of Salem Road near Evans Mill Road. Some residents like Renee Cail have lived in Ramblewood for more than three decades. “Our sign to the Bramblewood subdivision completely collapsed this spring. It rotted and literally fell to the…

GWINETT COUNTY, GA– The Gwinnett County Police Department(GCPD) needs the public’s help finding a 25-year-old Hispanic female who has been missing since October 2022. On the morning of Oct. 23, 2022, Selena Garcia was reported missing from the residence of 4564 Dickens Terrace in Lilburn by a family member. Detectives have exhausted all leads in this case and are asking anyone with information to come forward with information about her disappearance. Garcia is known to frequent the areas of Lilburn, Norcross, and Buford. Garcia is approximately 5’4 inches tall and 160 pounds. She has brown eyes and straight brown hair…

CONYERS, GA—A new outdoor learning center constructed by community volunteers at the Big Haynes Creek Nature Center will be the host location for community events starting in late August.   “We are proud to offer outdoor education in a setting that promotes ample wildlife-viewing opportunities of more than 2,000 plant and animal species that reside at the Nature Center,” said Dawn Tanner, event manager. “It’s also a chance for visitors to learn the value of healthy wetlands, as our community’s drinking supply comes from this very habitat.”   The outdoor learning center was completed this spring after a culmination of…