Author: On Common Ground News

A packed crowd of high school students turned out for the scholarship fair sponsored by the Infinite Scholars Program and The Leadership Team USA. The two-day event, Oct. 17-18, was held at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, 6400 Woodrow Road, Stonecrest. In addition to meeting with college recruiters, students interested in entering the workforce had a chance to meet employers. Thomas Ousley, founder of Infinite Scholars, and Courtney Dillard, Founder and CEO of The Leadership Team USA, said the goal of the fair was to provide students with plenty of options so that they may have hope after high…

Christopher Antonio Florence       Marco Fernando Watson        Kenneth Jackson Kenneth Jackson, Christopher Antonio Florence, and Marco Fernando Watson Jury selection is underway in the murder trial against two alleged members of the Sex, Money, Murder gang and their reputed leader for a deadly home invasion in Stone Mountain that claimed the life of a baby. Kenneth Jackson, Christopher Antonio Florence, and Marco Fernando Watson are charged with Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, and weapons offenses in connection with the murder of 9-month old Kendarious Edwards. The incident…

This Halloween, having the blues will be a good thing for some trick-or-treaters. For most kids, Halloween is a holiday for earning bragging rights for collecting colossal amounts of candy — but not all kids get to fully enjoy the holiday due to some candies containing allergens or whose caregivers have opted out of the junk food tradition.  The Teal Pumpkin Project is an initiative by the Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE) group and a movement to create a fun, safe Halloween for children with food sensitivities. Food allergies are a life-altering and potentially life-threatening disease, and a growing…

DEKALB COUNTY The DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs will host several Halloween events at recreation centers on Oct. 26 – 31.  Many of the festivals are free to attend and will include face painting, movies, games and costume contests. The public is invited and children are encouraged to wear costumes. For more information, call the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs at 404-371-2711. (Note: not all events listed below are affiliated with DeKalb Parks and Recreation) Friday, Oct. 26 Lucious Sanders Recreation Center, 2484 Bruce Street, Lithonia, 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. Free admission. Midway Recreation…

The Veterans Home & Business Services is seeking to hire dozens of veterans in the metro Atlanta area as entry level and skilled technicians.  The jobs range from installing light fixtures, home theatres and appliances to skilled electricians, security system, water heaters and garage door installers, to carpenters, painters and plumbers. The pay ranges from $15 to $30 an hour. Both, part-time and full-time positions, are available, said David Gallemore, president of Veterans Home and Business Services.  “We’re looking to hire 50 to 150 veterans, active and retired,” said Gallemore. “With the holiday season approaching, we’re anticipating a demand for…

The cast of  “Africa Umoja, The Spirit of Togetherness,” gave the City of Stonecrest a taste of its award-winning performance at the Oct. 15 City Council meeting. The South African dance and theatrical group sang two selections a cappella, including South Africa’s national anthem. Africa Umoja is scheduled to be staged Oct. 30-Nov. 8 at DeKalb County’s Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center.   Richard Jordan, who represents the International Arts Foundation, which is presenting the performance, said those who attend should expect a colorful and exhilarating celebration to commemorate the 100th birthday of the late South African civil rights leader,…

Constituents and stakeholders are invited to join DeKalb County District 4 Commissioner Steve Bradshaw for his “Quarterly in the Fourth” community breakfast meeting on Saturday, Oct. 27, 9 to 11 a.m., at Druid Hills Middle School, 3100 Mount Olive Drive, Decatur. Bradshaw has held meetings at Clarkston High School, Stephenson High School and Elizabeth Andrews High School this year to make himself available to constituents in District 4.  DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond will speak at Bradshaw’s meeting this month to provide updates on county issues and concerns.   “DeKalb County constituents will also have opportunity to hear directly from our CEO…

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond has recommended to the county Board of Commissioners a 4 percent pay hike for public safety employees, effective the first pay period in November 2018. The total value of the proposed compensation increase is $7.1 million. “DeKalb County is committed to ensuring that our community is safe,” said Thurmond. “The county is taking a holistic approach to increase compensation for the men and women that play a critical role in protecting and serving DeKalb.”  The increase will apply to approximately 2,100 employees including police officers, firefighters, E-911 employees, medical examiner investigators, County Marshal’s Office deputies,…

The Conyers City Council approved two contracts at its Oct. 17 council meeting to begin work on the new City Hall building.  Precision Planning, Inc., based in Lawrenceville, will provide the architectural design and engineering services for a fee of $482,500. Reeves Young, based in the city of Sugar Hill, will provide pre-construction management services at a fee of $19,980. A second contract will be executed with Reeves Young once a maximum price for construction is established. A kick-off meeting with members of both firms and city staff is scheduled for the week of Oct. 22 to discuss design and…