Author: On Common Ground News

PUBLIC HEARING FY 2018 BUDGET December 8, 2018 A Public Hearing for the Fiscal Year 2018 proposed City of Stonecrest Municipal Budget will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, December 18, 2017. Adoption of the FY 2018 City of Stonecrest Municipal Budget will be held at a Special Called Meeting on Wednesday, December 27, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. Both meeting will be held at Stonecrest City Hall, 3120 Stonecrest Blvd. Stonecrest, Georgia. All residents wishing to speak on this subject may do so at the public hearing meeting.…

Superintendent R. Stephen Green, Rockdale Interim Superintendent Shirley Chesser Eight more DeKalb schools removed from “Focus” list Rockdale’s Hightower Trail Elementary exits list Eight more schools in the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) have been removed from the Federal Focus and Priority lists for underperforming Title I schools. The school have been taken off the lists, following significant increases in student achievement, district officials announced. Since 2016, a total of 13 DeKalb schools have made academic progress beyond the Focus and Priority lists, according to officials.The Georgia Department of Education announced on Dec/ 5 the following are…

Tip leads to more than 20,000 illegally dumped tires Based on a tip from a resident, DeKalb County discovered more than 20,000 illegally dumped tires at Fork Creek Mountain Park. This is the largest illegal tire dump site discovered this year and it will take approximately two weeks to completely remove the tires from the park. “Thanks to an alert citizen, the county was able to immediately respond,” said DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. “Illegally dumped tires create serious health and fire hazards and the county is committed to preventing illegal dumping in DeKalb.” In addition to being an…

By Mackenzie N. Morgan Since re-opening into a full-time health clinic in October, Helping Hands in Rockdale County is succeeding at its mission in providing preventive healthcare services to save lives, its founders say. CEO Tolbert Morris recently presented Rockdale County Commissioner Doreen Williams with a basket donated by a 36-year-old woman, who was newly diagnosed with breast cancer. “She wanted to thank Commissioner Williams for sponsoring her mammogram. It was detected early, thanks to Commissioner Williams’ generosity in paying for the tests,” said Janice Morris, president of Helping Hands. The husband-and-wife team said the community in which…

The Greenhaven cityhood movement, a proposal for full-time mayor for Stonecrest and MARTA rail expansion were among the hot topics discussed at the House Delegation’s pre-legislative meeting on Dec. 5 at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center in Decatur. Chairman Howard Mosby conducted the meeting with several of the state lawmakers pitching in to field questions and address issues. State legislators spent nearly three hours listening to the concerns of constituents, allowing everyone in the audience who wanted to speak to have a turn. Several spoke in support of a proposal to create the city of Greenhaven including Kathryn Rice,…

  DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond will detail progress made toward fulfilling the sewer consent decree on Tuesday, Dec. 19, at 6:30 p.m., at Tucker-Reid H. Cofer Library, 5234 Lavista Rd., Tucker, GA 30084. In December 2011, DeKalb County reached a Clean Water Act settlement in the form of a consent decree with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. The 8½-year consent decree calls for significant levels of sanitary sewer system inspection, assessment, rehabilitation and repair. To date, DeKalb’s progress toward fulfilling the consent decree includes cleaning 150 miles of sewer, removing more…

The transformation of Restoration Storehouse is taking shape. The agency that will oversee local nonprofit services under one roof in the former Rockdale County annex is getting a new sign. The Leadership Rockdale Class of 2018 has commissioned the creation of a sign that will be installed on Dec. 11,noon, to mark the location of Restoration Storehouse at 1400 Parker Road, Conyers. The sign is one of three legacy projects the class has planned. Chris Conner and his team at Sign Solutions of east Atlanta are partnering with Leadership Rockdale on the project. “We are humbled by the…

The DeKalb County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office is asking the public for assistance in locating a suspect in connection with the Nov. 5 shooting death of Eric Fisher in the parking lot of the Motel 6 on Chamblee Tucker Road in Lawrenceville. According to a warrant issued on Nov. 6, 20-year-old Kaylon Janard “Hooty” Jiles of Tucker is charged with Felony Murder for shooting Eric Fisher multiple times, causing his death.  Police investigating the incident said Jiles fled the scene in a black sedan. Jiles may be armed, in possession of drugs and he may be affiliated with a gang, authorities…

The Conyers Police Department along, Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Department of Public Safety are partnering with the Conyers Wal-Mart for the 10th Annual Shop with a Cop. Through the initiative, law enforcement personnel accompany children from families experiencing financial hardships to the Conyers Wal-Mart to shop for Christmas gifts. “The Conyers Wal-Mart has been an excellent community partner to assist the Conyers Police in spearheading this effort. Officers interact with children who may not have had a positive encounter with law enforcement until now. The partnership between the CPD and Wal-Mart makes sure that the children…

DeKalb County Sheriff Jeffrey L. Mann and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office will host the agency’s 10th Annual “Adopt-A-Family for Christmas” holiday event on Wednesday, Dec. 20, 11 a.m., at the DeKalb County Jail on Memorial Drive in Decatur. The DeKalb County Jail’s Chaplaincy program coordinates the event with local social service agencies and faith-based organizations.  Participants will include the DeKalb County Family & Children’s Services Kinship Program and Bethany House Foster Care, along with employee volunteers. Since the event began in 2007, sworn officers and civilian employees have collected and personally donated an estimated 100 bicycles and 150 dolls,…