Author: On Common Ground News

Tickets for Monadnock Madness events, part of an annual celebration of metro-Atlanta’s granite outcrops (Arabia, Panola and Stone Mountains), are now available. Events include the ever-popular Triple Hike Challenge, in which hikers summit all three granite mountains in a single day, as well as Mountaintop Yoga and Nature Photography Workshops. The events occur throughout the month of March. All hikers will earn a commemorative souvenir after completing the Triple Hike Challenge. If you are interested in completing the challenge at your own pace, each park offers visitors the option to “hike as you like,” a self-guided tour of the three monadnocks. Pick up a passport…

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit has arrested Brandon Tyrone Smith, 27, of Decatur, in the Jan. 19 shooting death of Charles Smith, who is also of Decatur and believed to be his uncle. A warrant was issued on Jan. 20 charging the suspect with felony murder.  Charles Smith was shot several times and died on the scene on Wyndham Way, Sheriff’s Office said in a news release. No motive was reported. The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Fugitive Unit arrested Brandon Smith at a business in Atlanta. He was transported to the DeKalb County Jail without incident.  

William Boddie   dar’shaun kendrick                                              Karen Bennett pam Stephenson                                                               Pam Dickerson Georgia House Minority Whip William Boddie (D-East Point) today announced the appointment of the House Minority Deputy Whips for the 2019-2020 legislative term. “I’m pleased to announce our 12 new House Minority Deputy…

The Conyers Police Department is hosting “Coffee With A Cop” on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 8 to 9 a.m., at Beasley Drug Company, 933 Center St., in downtown Conyers. Meet officers from the Conyers Police Department and enjoy a free cup of coffee.

The Stonecrest Citizens’ Coalition (SCC) will host DeKalb County’s newly-elected Super District 7 Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson for its monthly meeting. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at the Stonecrest Library, 3123 Klondike Road, Stonecrest. Cochran-Johnson will share with her 2019 plans for DeKalb County. The meeting is open to the public.  

System is first of its kind in Georgia DeKalb Peachtree Airport has installed a new system to quickly stop planes in their tracks during emergency landings. The Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) is the first in Georgia. EMAS technology uses a series of crushable blocks to decelerate the speed of an aircraft during an emergency overrun. The EMAS technology is placed 200 feet off the end of a runway to prevent an aircraft from running off the runway. EMAS is used in cases where there is limited land, such as PDK’s 6,100-foot primary runway for corporate tenants. The EMAS technology…

The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Decatur-DeKalb Chapter, Inc. hosted its “Healthy Eating and Fitness Day” on Jan. 31 at Samson Fitness Center, 6400 Woodrow Road, Stonecrest.    The free event, open to the public, offered healthy snacks, nutrition education and on-site exercise. One of the organization’s main health initiatives is to prevent adult and childhood obesity.  

State Rep. Doreen Carter (D-Lithonia) is alerting constituents that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a voluntary recall on valsartan, a drug commonly used to control blood pressure and prevent heart failure. The FDA has recalled valsartan due to the presence of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDEA), which has been classified as a probable human carcinogen. Carter said NDEA reportedly used in rocket fuel, softeners and lubricants. “I want to warn heart patients and consumers of the cancer-related risks that are associated with these medications. If you use valsartan, please consult your health care professional as soon as possible,” Carter…

Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, announced that he received a 100 percent from the Human Society of the United States(HSUS) and the Humane Society Legislative Fund for his voting record, co-sponsorship of legislation and leadership in helping prevent cruelty to animals. Johnson was the only member of the Georgia delegation to receive a 100% score from the Humane Society for his work during the 115th Congress. In 2012, he received the Humane Society’s Animal Welfare Leadership Award for his work protecting and advocating for animal rights. “How we treat animals as a society speaks…

  By Mark Brock DeKalb County School District Athletics Former Columbia High football player Gerald Everett persevered against the obstacles put in his path on the way to be playing tight end for the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII on Sunday in his hometown Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium. Everett transferred several miles across DeKalb County to Columbia High School from Martin Luther King Jr. High heading into his senior year in the summer of 2011. He had dreams of playing basketball for legendary Columbia coach Phillip McCrary (598 wins, 5 state championships). It was going to be hard…