Author: On Common Ground News

By Valerie J. Morgan  Lecester L. “Bill” Allen, founder and CEO of the Allen Entrepreneurial Institute,  discussed the importance of promoting entrepreneurship and ownership, especially among young African Americans.  He told state lawmakers attending the Leroy Johnson Civil Rights Dinner at the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus(GLBC) that they must do more to provide financial literacy to the black community in order for it to prosper.    “I find it so unfortunate that too many of us in our community are financially illiterate. We don’t understand money. It is time that we understand the finances and how it works in this…

By Valerie J. Morgan DeKalb County Superior Court Judge J.P. Boulee has rejected former DeKalb Police Officer Robert Olsen’s motion to drop all charges against him in the shooting death of Anthony Hill. The unarmed and naked Air Force veteran was roaming outside the Chamblee apartment complex where he lived when Olsen was dispatched to a possible signal 22(demented person) on March 9, 2015. Hill’s family said he was dealing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  Judge Boulee’s Aug. 14 ruling paves the way for the case to move forward to trial, although no date has been set yet.  Olsen is…

DeKalb Medical and Emory Healthcare system are expected to become one healthcare system on Sept. 1.  The Georgia Attorney General’s Office announced the final regulatory approval of the integration on Aug. 10, paving the way for the merger.    Jonathan S. Lewin, MD, president and CEO of Emory Healthcare, expressed excitement over the partnership.  “By combining a community health system and an academic health system, the communities and patients cared for by Emory Healthcare and DeKalb Medical will experience an even stronger quality of care with more accessibility to providers and specialty care,” Lewin said. The two health systems initiated…

Mayor Jason Lary and the City Council held a special call meeting on Aug. 15 to vote on resolutions that would give the city clerk authorization to publicize proposed ordinances that would amend the city charter.      Normally, an ordinance is read twice and then voted on by the council. Resolutions aren’t usually necessary. Because these proposed ordinances involve changes to the city charter, however, the city clerk must publicize each amended ordinance three times during a 60-day period, said Adrion Bell, the city’s Communications Director.  After the 60 days, the council can hold public meetings and then vote…

Many DeKalb County property owners who qualified for the homestead exemption received lower tax bills in the mail this week. “DeKalb has delivered on providing tax relief to county property owners,” said DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond. “Thanks to the passage of two historic measures in November, the county is revolutionizing the process of extending tax relief and improved services to DeKalb citizens.”  Tax bills mailed to county property owners included a new column indicating cuts based on the EHOST. The column shows a dollar amount of the Equalized Homestead Option Sales Tax (EHOST) credit for each eligible millage rate…

Democrats in Rockdale County rallied as they elected delegates and alternates for the Georgia state convention, which will be held on Aug. 25 at the Omni Hotel in downtown Atlanta. Fourteen candidates participated in the Aug. 14 delegate elections at the Rockdale Democratic Party headquarters, 1264 Parker Road, S.E., in Conyers. Delegates elected include: Phyllis Hatcher, a candidate for District 17 state senate seat Muddessar Ahmad, a businessman and philanthropist. Ahmad was honored in February with the Community Spirit Award by the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce. Keisha Cooper, who works for the Gwinnett County School System. Cooper is a…

Stonecrest City Councilman Rob Turner and DeKalb School Board Vicki B. Turner hosted newly-elected DeKalb County officials and Democratic nominees at Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church in Decatur.. Photos by Travis Hudgons

Antioch-Lithonia Missionary Baptist Church invites the community to its revival and homecoming worship services Aug. 22-24, 7:30 nightly, and Sunday, Aug. 26. Pastor Christopher A. Wimberly, Sr. of Hunter Hill First Missionary Baptist Church of Atlanta will preach for the revival. On Sunday, Aug. 26, Minister Tyler Joshua Green will preach at both of Antioch-Lithonia’s worship services: 7:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. The up-and-coming millennial is a graduate of Clark-Atlanta University and Duke’s Divinity School. Minister Green has been the featured speaker at a number of events and training including the Atlanta Mayor’s Masked Ball in 2013, where $1 million…

The public is invited to join officers from the Conyers Police Department for “Coffee With A Cop” on Wednesday, Aug. 22, 8 to 9 a.m. at Beasley Drug Company, 933 Center St., Conyers.    The Conyers Police Department (CPD) is preparing to once again offer a Citizens Police Academy. The 11-week academy will be held on Tuesdays beginning Sept. 4, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., at the Conyers Police Department training room, 1194 Scott Street. “The Citizens Police Academy is one of our most popular community outreach programs,” said Police Chief Gene Wilson. “This behind the scenes glimpse into…

The DeKalb History Center and Flat Rock Archives will host a reception for the exhibit, “Deep Roots in DeKalb: the Flatrock Story of Resilience,”on Friday, Aug. 24, 7- 8:30 p.m. The reception will be held at the Historic Courthouse, 101 E. Court St. in downtown Decatur. Organizers say the partnership is monumentally consequential as it will explore and document, in detail, a community in the newly-formed city of Stonecrest that has thrived as one of the oldest African-American slave resettlement areas in America. The exhibit will officially launch in February 2019. The reception will include light refreshments, a live oral…