Author: On Common Ground News

By Travis Hudgons Metro-area voters overwhelming supported the Sunday brunch alcohol sales. On Nov. 6, Georgia voters in several counties and municipalities including DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett and Rockdale counties decided that restaurants can serve alcohol starting at 11 a.m. on Sunday. In May, Gov. Nathan Deal signed Senate Bill 17—also referred to as the “Brunch Bill,” which allows local governments to put the referendum on their ballots. Before the referendum, restaurants in Georgia could not serve alcohol before 12:30 p.m. on Sundays. According to the Georgia Restaurant Association, restaurants that serve brunch on Sundays could make $25K extra per year…

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a suspect in the murder of a Decatur man. A warrant issued on Oct. 30 charges 18-year-old Nathan Antonious Jones of Decatur with causing the death of Jordan Gratton by shooting him several times on Oct. 21, 2018 on Woodland Cove in Decatur. On Nov. 7, 2018, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit located and arrested Jones without incident at a residence in College Park, Georgia with the assistance of the College Park Police Department. Jones was transported to the DeKalb County Jail, where he will be held on a charge of…

Columbia Senior Residences at Decatur East, an affordable senior housing complex located near the Avondale MARTA station, has opened and is accepting applicants who would like to rent an apartment. DeKalb County provided $2.2 million in funding to support the development, which is located at 5090 Freeman St. in Decatur. “DeKalb County is committed to providing affordable housing opportunities for residents,“ said Allen Mitchell, Community Development director. “The partnership with Columbia Senior Residences at Decatur East will help to expand housing opportunities and improve the quality of life for DeKalb County seniors.” The five-story building includes 92 units with one-and…

DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson is preparing for his 20thAnnual Tree of Love Event.  Over the years, this event has helped impact thousands of children living in foster care, single-parent and low-income households to have an enjoyable Christmas. Johnson said the holiday event is one that he looks forward to every year. “I want to be able to ensure that children can wake up surrounded with family, love and gifts. This is my way of helping contribute to that moment,” said Johnson. “The community and various organizations have always poured out their hearts to help make this a memorable occasion each…

The State of Georgia, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has started hiring Georgia residents to work on the hurricane recovery effort. Each week, more jobs are posted. The most recent opportunities are with FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) team. PA focuses on helping entire communities rebound, while FEMA’s Individual Assistance (IA) programs are focused on assisting the individual hurricane survivor. Anyone interested in local hire opportunities should go to USAJOBS.govand create a free account. The positions typically include the words “Local Hire” in the job title. This week’s local hire opportunities are for a Site Inspector Specialistand…

The Gwinnett County Voter Registrations and Elections Office announced that it is extending its operating hours today (Nov. 9) to receive documentation from voters who cast provisional ballots. Office hours will be extended until 5 p.m. The Gwinnett County Voter Registrations and Elections Office is located at 455 Grayson Highway, Suite 200, Lawrenceville. Voters who cast provisional ballots in other counties also are urged to go to their voter registration and elections office today by 5 p.m. ET to provide documentation. To ensure your vote is counted, you need to: Arrive at your your county election office in-person by 5pm…

By Amos King I am outraged over the mid-term elections that we just finished voting for. As far as I’m concerned, we get what we deserve.  There is no way that Brian Kemp should have been allowed to run for governor while he continued to hold his position as Secretary of State. That is a clear conflict of interest. He should have been forced to step down as soon as he threw his name in the hat. There were many organizations that knew about his voter suppression tactics but waited until it was too late to sue him. I’m also…

The Housing Authority of DeKalb County (HADC) is opening its Housing Choice Voucher Program Tenant-Based (commonly known as Section 8) Waiting List. The program provides rental assistance to eligible low-income families, seniors and persons with disabilities. Interested persons must apply by completing an online application at www.dekalbhousing.org. The waiting list will open Tuesday, Dec. 11, and will close Thursday, Dec. 13, 2018. Applications will be online only, and not be in paper form. Only one application per applicant will be accepted. To submit an application, interested persons must have a valid email address. Instructions for establishing an email address…

DeKalb residents can place old furniture, appliances curbside with garbage through Dec. 22   The tattered old recliner that’s been sitting in the garage or refrigerator that stopped working years ago can move to the curb this holiday season. The DeKalb County Sanitation Division is offering free residential bulky item curbside collection every Friday and Saturday from Nov. 30 through Dec. 22, as part of DeKalb’s Operation Holiday Clean Sweep 2018 campaign. DeKalb residents will have an opportunity to place bulky items, including furniture and large appliances, curbside for collection by the Sanitation Division. Weekly collection schedules will be based…