Author: On Common Ground News

By Mackenzie N. Morgan  The DeKalb History Center, in conjunction with the Flat Rock Archives, hosted a reception to announce the forthcoming installation of an exhibit dedicated to telling the story of the historic Flat Rock community – one of the oldest African-American communities in DeKalb County. The Aug. 24 event held at the Historic DeKalb Courthouse in Decatur offered guests the opportunity to mix and mingle over wine and hors d’oeuvres in celebration of the newest exhibit entitled “Deep Roots in DeKalb: The Flat Rock Story of Resilience.”  The program featured a video presentation on the history of the…

By Valerie J. Morgan  God’s people—the Face of Victory Church and Voices of Faith Ministries—tore down a wall of pain and built a bridge of love on Aug. 26. Ripped apart by the divorce of their beloved pastors in 2011, members of the two congregations came together, rejoiced and worshipped at the Face of Victory Church, located in Decatur.   The celebration marked the 7th anniversary of the Face of Victory Church, founded by Pastor Debbie E. Hawkins.  Bishop Gary Hawkins, Sr., joined by his new wife, First Lady Pamela Hawkins and their 4-year-old son, Garrison, was the guest speaker…

Those interested in uniting school communities while increasing student achievement and performance are invited to participate in DeKalb County School District’s (DCSD) Principal Advisory Councils. Principal Advisory Councils are coalitions of parents, guardians and teachers who serve their school communities at 112 DCSD schools. Councils act as a link between the school and the community, encouraging engagement with stakeholders, increasing transparency, monitoring progress, and participating in the selection of a school’s principal. Those interested in joining a 2018-2019 Principal Advisory Council can declare their candidacy now until August 31. Applicants are required to complete a candidate declaration form, which…

Sinfo-Nia Youth Orchestra is hosting a free open house on Saturday, Sept. 8, 9 a.m. to noon, at the First Congregational Church Commons, 125 Ellis Street, Atlanta. String students of all ages and expertise are invited to join the Sinfo-Nia Youth Orchestra for a free class reading and playing classics by the late icon Aretha Franklin including “Respect,” “Until You Come Back to Me” and “How I Got Over.” Guests will enjoy a free interactive class, refreshments, door prizes and music. For more information, visit www.sinfo-nia.com.

Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) celebrates the 15th semester of Parent Academy on Saturday, Sept. 22. The half-day event , which will be held 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., offers free workshops for parents, teens and tweens at Rockdale Career Academy (RCA), 1064 Culpepper Road, Conyers. The day kicks off with keynote speaker RCPS Superintendent Dr. Terry Oatts. Parents and the public are invited to hear and meet Rockdale’s new superintendent. Class topics range from improving computer skills, financial planning, helping your kids with today’s math, CPR, exercise, art creation, de-stressing, preparing for standardized tests and more – all focused…

Keep Conyers-Rockdale Beautiful (KCRB) is hosting an Electronics Recycling & Paper Shredding for Rockdale residents and business owners. The E-Recycling and Paper Shredding Event will be held Saturday, Sept. 8, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., in the parking lot of the Rockdale County Government Annex, 1400 Parker Road, Conyers. The free, half-day event will provide the public a place to safely discard and recycle old documents and electronics, regardless of working condition. There is a maximum of four banker boxes per vehicle allowed for paper shredding. Participants must provide photo ID as proof of an address in the county.…

The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) has selected Frederick L. Daniels, Jr., a DeKalb County representative on the MARTA board of directors, as its Outstanding Public Transportation Board Member for 2018, one of the organization’s highest honors. The award is in recognition of Daniels’ impressive accomplishments in various roles on the MARTA board as well as his indelible impact on the industry as a mentor, friend and invaluable resource to his peers at transportation agencies nationwide, officials said. “I’m very thankful for this honor,” said Daniels. “I’ve always believed in serving my community and have been inspired and blessed to…

Stonecrest resident Idonia Hunter is the 2018 recipient of Keep DeKalb Beautiful’s Houston Award. Hunter is the third recipient of the award, named after Cynthia Houston and given each year to a person that has shown an unyielding, lifelong commitment to promoting clean, attractive communities. Houston, who dedicates her time to Adopt-A-Road and Adopt-A MARTA bus stop projects, said her involvement stemmed from the belief that a person should take pride in where they live because it is a reflection of the type of person they are.    For nearly 30 years, Hunter, family members, and other volunteers have cleaned…

By Ruth A. Wilson, Clerk of Courts It is an old truism that the three things you can count on in this life on earth are Death, Taxes and Change. Well, here we go again. Effective Jan. 1, 2019, attorneys throughout Georgia will be required to submit their Superior and State Court Civil actions with the Clerk of Courts Office via online.    In Rockdale, we have been accepting eFiled civil actions since January 2015. We have conducted multiple training sessions with local attorneys and Bar Associations who practice in Rockdale courts.    In a permissive eFiling environment such as we…

Anyone who has driven in metro Atlanta traffic knows that it’s bad. However, DeKalb County Board of Health officials are quick to point out that, compared to getting the flu, the misery of sitting in traffic is the least of your worries. The Board of Health is offering an easy route to getting your flu shot, without even leaving your vehicle.  A drive-thru flu vaccination clinic will be held Friday, Sept. 7, near the Northlake Mall Macy’s, from noon until 6:00 p.m. A flu shot is recommended for everyone ages six months and older, particularly those who are at high…