Author: On Common Ground News

Annually, Words of Comfort Ministries, Inc. (WOC) in Snellville hosts its holiday event, Adopt-A-Family Program, in an effort to assist families in need. During the Adopt-A-Family Program, WOC volunteers, along with other community partners, provide Christmas gifts, food baskets, gift cards and dinner to families in search of help during the holiday season. This year’s event will be held Saturday, Dec. 16 at Rhodes Jordan Park in Lawrenceville. WOC is in need of non-perishable food items, unopened toys for children ages 1-17, wrapping paper and gift cards. If interested in assisting this ministry, please contact Saundra Houston at 678-520-0094 or email at info@wocministries.com.

Georgia Piedmont Technical College (GPTC) unveiled the college’s new, state-of-the-art Advanced Manufacturing Center.  GPTC President Jabari Simama was joined by Commissioner Gretchen Corbin, Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG), Ralph Staffins, president/CEO of the Covington/Newton County Chamber of Commerce, and other corporate, elected and civic leaders, for ribbon cutting ceremony. The Advanced Manufacturing Center is located on GPTC’s Newton Campus, Building C, 16200 Alcovy Road, Covington. “As we celebrate our Newton Campus 20th anniversary, I am pleased to announce we are delivering this Center on time and as scheduled, on a project that our team promised earlier this…

Middle and high school students are invited to develop their leadership skills and network with other teen leaders at the 6th Annual Teen Leadership Summit on Saturday, Nov. 11. The free event will be held from 8 a.m. – noon at Rockdale Career Academy, 1064 Culpepper Road, Conyers. All participants will receive a free T-shirt. Organizers say the event is great for school clubs, career tech student organizations, athletes, school band members, peer mentors, school ambassadors, student council members, student government, academic clubs and civic clubs or for any teens interested in serving in a leadership role. Check-in…

Gov. Nathan Deal today announced that Amonzon.com Inc. will create more than 500 full-time jobs at a new fulfillment center in Macon-Bibb County. This will be Amazon’s fourth fulfillment center in the state. “Amazon’s continued investment in our state speaks to our dedication to improve, expand and modernize Georgia’s logistics and distribution network,” said Deal. “As a top national distribution hub, suppliers can reach 80 percent of the U.S. population from Georgia in just a 2-day truck drive or a 2-hour flight. Our robust technology network and world-class logistics infrastructure have been immeasurably beneficial in attracting new business to…

DeKalb County Fire Rescue is mourning the passing of Senior Firefighter Brannon “BC” Davis of Fire Station 22B. The Fire Chief’s Office was notified that he succumbed to injuries sustained in a fatal vehicle accident Friday morning in Meriwether County. SFF Brandon “BC” Davis also worked at Meriwether County Fire Rescue full time. He was revered by everyone as a good-natured soul who never seemed to have a bad day. Additional information will be shared as it becomes available.  The Department asks that the Davis family and friends are remembered in your thoughts and prayers.

Updated story FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) is hiring Georgia residents to assist in the disaster recovery effort in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. The agency is seeking people with a general background in construction to fill more than 50 temporary positions in Albany, Brunswick, Savannah and Warner Robins. These Public Assistance Site Inspectors will validate disaster damage and collect detailed information on damaged public facilities. Those who are current residents of Georgia may visit www.employgeorgia.com/jobseekers, create a profile and enter the position title or send a resume to: FEMA-DR4338GA-LocalHires@fema.dhs.gov and list the job title and location of the position…

Former DeKalb County Commissioner Stan Watson was sentenced to 12 months probation, after pleading guilty to misappropriating about $3,000 in county funds intended for business travel. Watson, 63, was supposed to start his pre-trial on Oct. 25 but entered the plea instead. He was sentenced to 12 months probation as a first-time offender, rather than as a felon. Watson’s attorney, Robert James, said he and Watson were pleased with DeKalb Superior Court Judge Asha Jackson’s ruling. “Our intention was never to escape accountability. We wanted him to be treated fairly as others in similar situations,” said James, DeKalb County’s former…

With the countdown drawing near for Election Day on Nov. 7, the City of Conyers’ mayor’s race has intensified. The Conyers Housing Authority has informed the public in a Facebook post that there is no truth to an allegation that residents would be evicted, if they didn’t vote for mayoral candidate Ronnie Godwin. Executive Director Gary Erwin said on the Housing Authority’s Facebook page that a disgruntled former employee of the Housing Authority allegedly made the statement. “The Conyers Housing Authority does not have any such intentions. The Conyers Housing Authority cannot remove any of its residents without cause, but…

Amazon, Georgia snagged the top spot for the “most creative” proposals that have caught the attention of the national network, Headline News. In a recent interview with “On The Story’s” Erica Hill, Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary discussed his city’s proposal to name a portion of the new municipality, Amazon, Georgia as a way to lure the tech giant to build its second headquarters, HQ2, in the city of 53,000 residents. Lary told Hill that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos would create an “eternal brand” and become “the first corporate mayor ever in the history of the world,” if the city is…

Operation Clean Sweep’s Phase I will culminate on Saturday, Nov. 4, when DeKalb county crews hit South Hairston Road, between Rockbridge Road and Covington Highway, to remove litter, grass and dirt embedded along curbs. To date, Operation Clean Sweep crews have removed 391 tons of debris, 1,685 bags of loose litter and 51 piles of illegally-dumped material. Operation Clean Sweep kicked off March 11 after the DeKalb Board of Commissioners approved the 2017 budget, which included $2.6 million that CEO Michael Thurmond reallocated to fund the project. Prior to the initiative, DeKalb had not engaged in countywide roadway-drain debris…