Author: On Common Ground News

Rashad Richey and WAOK Radio is holding a diaper and baby wipe drive for survivors of Hurricane Harvey, DeKalb County Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson said. “We will continue to stand with our sisters and brothers of Houston, Texas and all those who have been affected by Hurricane Harvey,” said Johnson. Johnson said Richey held a live broadcast from 10 a.m. to noon at the Gallery @ South DeKalb, 2801 Candler Road, Decatur.

Officials at Piedmont Healthcare have signed an asset purchase agreement with LifePoint Health, the owner of Rockdale Medical Center, to make Rockdale the eighth hospital to join Piedmont’s Atlanta-based health system. The move comes nearly three years into a clinical affiliation between Rockdale Medical Center and Piedmont that has enabled Rockdale to open a new heart and vascular center and interventional cardiology program in partnership with Piedmont Heart. This program has allowed patients in the Conyers community to receive advanced cardiology treatment in their community instead of traveling elsewhere for care. “Through our clinical affiliation with Rockdale, we’ve seen the…

Pastor Lee May and First Lady Robin May will officially launch their Transforming Faith Church on this Sunday, Sept. 10, 10 a.m.  The worship service will be held at Southwest DeKalb High School. May said he is excited about the launch, having held several “previews” to introduce the new church to the community. He said in a statement today the church is one that will transform lives: “Have you been disconnected from church for a while or looking for more than just a Sunday morning experience? If you desire to connect to something fresh and different, join us…Lee and Robin…

ATLANTA— Keith Parker announced today he will step down after nearly five years of service from MARTA. Parker will join Goodwill of North Georgia, which provides job training, employment placement services, and other community-based programs, as president and CEO this fall. Led by MARTA Chairman Robbie Ashe, the Board will vote to approve an interim general manager in an upcoming session and will launch a national search for a permanent chief executive. “We are deeply grateful for his stewardship and proud of the many strides we made as an agency during his tenure, said Ashe. “As chief executive, Parker…

Nearly 800,000 young immigrants in Georgia and across the nation are now slated for deportation with President Trump’s cancellation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced today (Sept. 5) the cancellation would take effect in sixth months. Trump is dismantling a program, authorized under the Obama Administration in 2012. The program granted renewable, two-year work permits and deportation deferrals to immigrant children who were brought to the U.S. before they turned 16.  The so-called “Dreamers”  included immigrants who are attending school and those who had no felony convictions. As of March 31,…

Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) released the following statement after the Trump Administration announced it would rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program: “By rescinding DACA, President Trump is sending a clear and unambiguous message to his Steve Bannon-alt right supporters that they have a friend in the White House. This rescission is consistent with President Trump’s despicable pardoning of convicted civil rights violator Sheriff Joe Arpaio, which came on the heels of the President’s reference to Nazi, Klan and alt-right sympathizers in Charlottesville as “good people.” President Trump did the wrong thing in failing to protect our DACA…

The Georgia State Firefighters Association (GSFA) recognized Fire Safety Educator Jacade Long as the recipient of the 2017 Educator of the Year Award. This award honors a member of Georgia’s fire service community who has exemplified a dedication to educating residents about the significance of fire safety and prevention. Long received the award during the 2017 Georgia Fire Service Conference Awards on Aug. 26 in Athens, GA. As a fire safety educator and public information officer for the department, Long coordinates fire safety education activities for nine stations and 140 firefighters. He is credited with starting multiple, creative initiatives to…

The City of Decatur announces the addition of a year-round swimming opportunity with the opening of the Oakhurst pool facility at the Samuel L. Jones Boys and Girls Club. The celebration begins with a ribbon cutting on Monday, Sept. 11, at 4 p.m., at the Samuel L. Jones Boys and Girls Club in Oakhurst, 450 East Lake Drive. The pool had been unused for several years. Thanks to the willingness of the Metropolitan Atlanta Boys & Girls Clubs to lease the pool to the City of Decatur, the City was able to fund the renovation of the pool and create…

The DeKalb County School District is encouraging its employees and residents of DeKalb County to pitch in and help Hurricane Harvey victims. “Our thoughts and prayers of the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) family go out to the Houston and Southwest Louisiana communities as they work through the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. A catastrophe of this magnitude impacts all of us, and we must come together to energize and sustain the recovery effort,” officials said on the district’s web site. The district is encouraging its employees, families and neighbors to lend assistance to use the following list to provide help:…

Conyers Middle School are planning to show their support for victims of Hurricane Harvey. The school is collecting donations Sept. 5-13. Houston, Texas officials have reported thousands of people have been evacuated and are now in shelters in need of supplies. Conyers Middle is seeking donations of bottled water, canned food, coins, clothing and toiletry items for the victims. The students are planning their Spirit Week and show their support for Harvey victims throughout the week of Sept. 11. For more information, contact Conyers Middle Principal Allison Barbour at abarbour@rockdale.k12.ga.us CMS Spirit Week Sept. 11–15 Monday – Wear your favorite…