Author: On Common Ground News

By Valerie J. Morgan The bickering among the Stonecrest City Council reached a new plateau on Monday night as council members voted 5-1 to authorize City Attorney Winston Denmark to draft a 60-day moratorium on the construction of cell phone towers in the city. Mayor Jason Lary made the motion after several residents voiced opposition to the 199-foot cell phone tower that Vertical Bridge recently constructed off of Evans Mill Road. Lary called city officials, the city attorney and Attorney Dwight Thomas. For every action, there is a reaction. Because I don’t want the same people to coe Councilwoman Diane…

DeKalb County Superior Court Clerk Debra DeBerry and Sheriff Jeffrey Mann are hosting the Third Annual VOICES, a free Women’s History Month Event on Saturday, March 23, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive,  Decatur. The theme is “Champions of Peace & Nonviolence.” The guest speaker will be Attorney Robyn A. Crittenden, former Interim Georgia Secretary of State and current Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHR). Also, U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath will receive the X-Factor Award. This year, a Women’s History Edition of the popular game show, Family Feud,…

The DeKalb County State Court Traffic Division is launching a citation amnesty program. “The goal of our citation amnesty program is to provide individuals with open or delinquent citations an opportunity to efficiently resolve their matters and restore their driving records,” said Presiding Judge Shondeana Morris. Individuals who previously failed to appear in court, resulting in delinquent traffic tickets, will have their failure to appear fees waived if they dispose of their cases through this program. The registration period for this program ends on May 17, 2019, and is available to any individual with delinquent citations from January 2010 to December…

The Rockdale Board of Elections & Voter Registration Office is moving to a new location effective Thursday, March 14, at 1261 Commercial Drive, S.W., Suite B, Conyers.  The 14,500-square-foot building is located in the Parker Professional Center. The office will be closed for business on Wednesday, March 13,) to allow for the move. The new office will open on Thursday at 8 a.m. The Board of Elections & Voter Registration Office, which will be located on the top level, is sharing the building with the Rockdale Cooperative Extension/4-H, which is located on the ground level.  Both are moving because the building at Parker…

A new exhibit showcasing the history of Flat Rock, one of the oldest African-American communities in Georgia and a part of the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, is now open at the DeKalb History Center. Developed in partnership with the Flat Rock Archives, this exhibit displays artifacts gathered and preserved by the Archives from the 150+ years of the community’s existence. On display in the historic DeKalb County Courthouse, where African-Americans were once unwelcome, Deep Roots in DeKalb reveals a story of strength and ingenuity that continues to this day. From the days of enslavement to its rise as a…

Caladium Drive NE, between Cravey Drive NE and Hawthorne Drive NE in Decatur, will be closed to through-traffic to install new sewer line, beginning at 9 a.m., Wednesday, March 13, through 9 p.m., Wednesday, March 27. Road closure and detour signs will be placed in the area to advise motorists of traffic restrictions. For more information

ATLANTA – Saturday’s Powerball jackpot has reached $414 million. In addition, three winning tickets worth a total $200,000 were sold in the March 6 Powerball drawing. One winning ticket worth $100,000 was sold in Ringgold, and two tickets worth $50,000 each were sold in Lilburn and Norcross. Winning numbers for the March 6 drawing were: 6-10-21-35-46 and the Powerball was 23. The winning tickets were purchased at: Pit Stop Food Store, located at 10960 Highway 41 S. in Ringgold; Kroger, located at 3050 Five Forks Trickum Road SW in Lilburn; and BP, located at 6281 Jimmy Carter Blvd. in Norcross.…

WorkSource DeKalb (WSD) and Georgia Piedmont Technical College have partnered to host Dislocated Worker Information Sessions for DeKalb County individuals who have been laid off. These sessions will take place on the following Wednesdays:  Mar. 13, Apr. 10, May 29, June 12, and June 26, from 10 a.m. to noon, at Georgia Piedmont Technical College’s Conference Center, 495 North Indian Creek Drive, Clarkston. During the Dislocated Worker Information Sessions residents can learn about training programs, funding assistance, and other services that are available to help individuals get back to work. Through successful completion of WIOA training programs, individuals have opportunities…

Dr. Jamal-Harrison Bryant will be installed as the new pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, March 10, 6400 Woodrow Road, Stonecrest. The church will commemorate this occasion with two services—9:30 a.m. and 6:45 p.m.—featuring a host of esteemed faith leaders, as well as noted political and business and civic luminaries. Dr. Bryant comes to New Birth in the midst of a distinguished career as a pastor, author, civic activist and social entrepreneur. He is a graduate of Morehouse College, Duke University and the University of Oxford in England. He began his career as an activist and organizer,…