Author: On Common Ground News

  425,000 customers still without power throughout Georgia ATLANTA – Electric service to nearly 1 million Georgia Power customers was impacted at the height of Hurricane Irma and now Georgia Power has restored power to more than 525,000 customers across the state. As of 10 p.m. (Sept. 12) approximately 425,000 customers were without power across Georgia. Company officials said as Georgia Power crews continue to work around the clock, customers should plan for extended outages, possibly days or weeks, due to the vast damage from the storm. Regional and statewide restoration estimates will be available as soon as assessment…

Stonecrest District 4 Councilman George Turner will join District 3 Councilwoman Jazzmin Cobble, DeKalb Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson and Keep DeKalb Beautiful for a community cleanup this Saturday, Sept. 16. Volunteers will meet at Walmart’s garden center parking lot on Fairington Road at 10:15 a.m. The cleanup will cover parts of District 3 and parts of District 4, concluding about 12:30 p.m. Volunteers should contact turnerg1@comcast.net or text 404 886 2053. Organizers would like to know in advance how many volunteers to prepare for.    

ATLANTA– Attorney General Chris Carr is warning consumers to be on the lookout for scams in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Bogus Charities Seeing or hearing about the devastation caused by a natural disaster evokes our sympathies and our desire to help those affected. Unfortunately, scammers realize this and do not hesitate to take advantage of people’s heightened emotions. They may pose as reputable charities soliciting donations and target consumers through unsolicited emails, telemarketing calls or by knocking on their doors. They often create legitimate-looking websites that have similar…

In response to Hurricane Irma, the U.S. Small Business Administration has openings for immediate positions. Experienced customer service representatives needed to work with a variety of financial statements and tax returns, respond to customer inquiries and operate Microsoft office programs such as Word, Outlook and Internet Explorer for SBA’s Disaster Loan Program. Bilingual skills are a plus. Pay is $15 to $30 per hour. Overtime is mandatory. Credit and background check are required. Must be a U.S. citizen. Required extended periods of travel. All positions are temporary and may last 30 to 180 days. Credit and…

MARTA has named Elizabeth O’Neill as its interim general manager and CEO to succeed Keith T. Park, who announced he is leaving to become president and CEO of Goodwill of North Georgia. MARTA’s Board of Directors voted unanimously Sept. 7 to approve O’Neill, a 22-year MARTA veteran who currently serves as chief legal counsel. “One of Keith Parker’s many strengths has been his ability to assemble a world class senior management team,” said MARTA Board Chair Robbie Ashe.  “Supported by Parker and newly named deputy general manager Arthur Troup, O’Neill will help ensure a seamless transition and carry MARTA forward…

The flu season is here and the DeKalb County Board of Health is preparing to offer its first-ever drive-through flu shot clinic on Friday, Sept. 15. Health officials will conduct the clinic from noon until 6 p.m. in the Northlake Mall parking lot near Macy’s at 4800 Briarcliff Road in Atlanta. You can drive up, roll up your sleeve and get your flu shot in your vehicle. Nurses administer the vaccinations, which typically take one to two minutes to complete. Although DeKalb is conducting its first such clinic, many communities in Georgia and across the nation have been offering drive-through…

The Ludie Banks family proved that its family reunion is still going strong with a big picnic on Sept. 3, Labor Day weekend. This year marked the 65th annual gathering the Banks have held. “We always have our reunion on the first Sunday in September. Ours is the longest held reunion in the county,” Mary Lester said proudly. Board of Commissioners Chairman Oz Nesbitt, who attended the celebration along with Probate Judge Clarence Cuthpert, Jr., commended the family for its long tradition. “You’re celebrating 65 years. I love the slogan for the T-shirt this year: Staying Connected…,” said Nesbitt,…

DeKalb County CEO Michael L. Thurmond will show off his fancy footwork in the upcoming “Dancing with the DeKalb Stars,” a fundraiser and resource expo that DeKalb County Solicitor-General Donna Coleman-Stribling is hosting. Thurmond is among several notable DeKalb officials who will participate in the event. Coleman-Stribling announced the participants in the dance competition, which features 11 teams comprised of a dance professional and officials from the county’s legal, public safety, business and civic community. Performers include: Thurmond, who will be on one of the teams and will also perform a special number in honor of the two benefit non-profits…

DeKalb County this month plans to mail about 7,500 more suspended water and sewer bills to county customers, bringing the number of released bills to 26,000 or 72 percent, officials said. DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said the county is continuing to move forward with the “New Day Project” he initiated in March to address the county’s water billing crisis. “We have made significant progress in the past six months toward addressing decades of mismanagement that led to the failures in our water and sewer billing process,” CEO Thurmond said. “We are getting closer to restoring normal billing for all…

Rockdale County’s Board of Commissioners (BOC) has named Brian Allen, formerly the Director of the Gwinnett County Department of Transportation (DOT), as Rockdale County’s new Director of Transportation. Allen began his duties on Sept 5. He will oversee the county’s road projects and maintenance of county vehicles. Allen has decades of experience in government management and administration. Prior to his 15 years at Gwinnett County DOT, he served as the Assistant County Administrator for Gwinnett County and County Administrator for Newton County. He has been professionally active with the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Association County Commissioners of Georgia (ACCG), American…