Author: On Common Ground News

Gov. Nathan Deal has appointed Clarkston Police Chief Christine Hudson to serve on the Georgia Commission on Family Violence (GCFV). Hudson was appointed to serve on the commission to fill the statutory required position for Association of Chiefs of Police. Chief Hudson began her law enforcement career in 1983 with the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department. Hudson left the Sheriff’s Department and went to work as a patrol officer for the City of Decatur Police Department. During her tenure with the Decatur Police Department, Hudson was ultimately promoted to the rank of Police Major in charge of the Criminal Investigation Division.…

MARTA’s Artbound MOVES Program is again partnering with the Serenbe Institute to bring the Terminus Modern Ballet Theater to Five Points Station. MARTA kicked off the performances on Aug. 23 inside the faregates on the concourse level of MARTA’s biggest rail station. The next performance will be on Oct. 18, 4 to 6 p.m. Artbound MOVES and Serenbe are currently working on bringing a production of Peter Pan to Five Points Station in September. “The Artbound MOVES program is another way for us to provide unexpected moments of fun for our customers,” said MARTA Arts Administrator Katherine Dirga. “It’s also…

DeKalb County School District (DCSD) parents have an opportunity to earn their General Education Diploma (GED) through a free program. DCSD’s Family IMPACT Hub, headed by the Department of Parent & Family Engagement, is partnering with local higher education institutions to continue offering a free GED program in Fall 2018. The program will begin with an information session and class on Monday, Aug. 27 at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.  The session will take place at the Family IMPACT Hub, 1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard. Stone Mountain. Participants must be ages 23 or older and have a state-issued photo ID. Participants…

Uninsured women who haven’t had a mammogram in a year or more can get one at no cost, if they meet certain criteria. Eligible women must be 40 to 60 years old and meet income requirements. The YWCA of Greater Atlanta Health and Wellness program is offering the breast screenings along with partners Grady Cancer Center of Excellence and Emory St. Joseph’s Mobile Mammography. The free mammograms are made possible by a grant received from Susan G. Komen. To determine eligibility or to register for a free mammogram, call 404 835-1632.  For more information on this program and others visit…

AAA is sponsoring a trip to Europe for 60 eighth grade students who submit the best answers and a selfie for its “Discovery Crew” cruise.  Contest winners will receive free round-trip airfare to Amsterdam, travel insurance, money for passports, and a seven-night river cruise—including all meals and excursions—  through the Netherlands and Belgium. Students in Georgia, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin and select areas of Illinois, Indiana and Minnesota are eligible to enter for a chance to win the trip at AAA.com/DiscoveryCrew. The deadline to enter is Sept. 21, 2018.     “Many young students dream of taking…

National recording duo Immeasurable sang at Antioch Lithonia Missionary Baptist Church on Aug. 19. Pastor James C. Ward welcomed the duo, urging his congregation to support their work in helping the homeless. Immeasurable travels throughout the nation to work with churches and other religious organizations to bring awareness to the homelessness crisis in the United States. The duo, Ronnie Brooks and Aiyanna Foster, donates proceeds from their singing ministry to shelters, helping them provide safe havens for the homeless. Brooks and Foster say they were inspired to help the homeless after they became homeless themselves after turning down a $1…

New Creation Christian Fellowship in Stone Mountain celebrated the installation of Pastor Tracey Whaley and his wife, First Lady Renee’ Whaley, on Aug. 19.  Apostle Floyd Dautrieve and his wife, Lady Emma L. Dautrieve, founders of the church, performed the installation.    The Whaleys were among the first members of New Creation Christian Fellowship when the Dautrieves launched the Apostolic ministry in 1997. Apostle Dautrieve said after he ordained Whaley several years ago, Whaley started his own church. Whaley eventually returned to New Creation Christian Fellowship and began serving as one of its pastors. In his new role, he will…

Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) will celebrate its school-level 2018 Teachers of the Year in October.  The ceremony honoring the women and men who go above and beyond for their students, peers and community will be held on Oct. 16 at the Rockdale Career Academy.  The ceremony will feature all the school-level 2018 Teachers of the Year, selected by their peers. The district-level Teacher of the Year, chosen to advance to the state level competition, will be announced at the end of the evening.

by Mark Brock, DeKalb County Athletics The Class 3A No. 2 ranked Cedar Grove Saints make their second consecutive trip out of state traveling to Hoover, Alabama for the Geico ESPN High School Doubleheader Kickoff against the Alabama Class 7A Hewitt-Trussville Huskies at 2:30 pm on ESPN. The Saints are 1-0 on the season after hitting the road to Summerville (SC) last Saturday and defeating Summerville 21-7. Robert Jones III contributed 101 yards and a touchdown as the Saints piled up 226 yards rushing in the game. A 9-yard touchdown run by quarterback Kendall Boney and a 12-yard touchdown pass…

   The Georgia Democratic Party has called on Republican gubernatorial candidate Brian Kemp to immediately condemn threatening comments from Monroe County Commissioner John Ambrose. Responding to a request from activists in his community to hold a peaceful protest, Ambrose referred to other demonstrations across the country and said, “I just think they ought to take a submachine gun and just mow them down.” Kemp, who opposes common-sense gun safety to keep our schools safe and supports guns on college campuses, made national headlines earlier this year when he ran a shocking television ad in which he recklessly pointed a firearm at…