Author: On Common Ground News

By Valerie J. Morgan   The city of Stonecrest has hit a snag in conducting an analysis of its roadways—the preliminary work that is needed for the city’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) transportation projects that will get underway. The City Council deadlocked on Stantec Consulting’s proposal to provide a detailed analysis of the city’s roads, after council members raised a number of questions at the Feb. 7 special called meeting. The council questioned how the firm’s work would fit into the city’s overall SPLOST projects plan and ultimately, the motion failed 3-3. City officials said they now…

The Cultural Exchange Community Breakfast, hosted by Stonecrest City Councilmember Rob Turner and School Board member Vicki B. Turner,  will be held Saturday, Feb. 10, 9 to 11 a.m., at the House of Hope, 4650 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur. The meeting will be held in the church’s atrium. Come here updates from community leaders. The meeting is open to the public.

By Dr. Toni G. Alvarado In March 2015, I received an email from a 4th grade school teacher in Houston, TX asking me if I would be available to speak with the family of one of her students who had been removed from the school for psychological evaluation after raising her hand in class and announcing that she was planning to commit suicide because she did not like the color of her skin. You can imagine the emotions that gripped me after reading this email. I immediately connected to this story because of my own childhood struggle with being dark…

The DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs is accepting applications until March 30 for seasonal summer employment opportunities such as food monitors, camp counselors, recreation assistants and bus drivers. Lifeguard and pool manager positions are available and applicants must be 16 or older to apply. Additional requirements include American Red Cross certification or certification from a nationally-recognized aquatics training program. Applicants for summer positions, excluding lifeguard or pool manager, must be 18 or older to apply. All applicants will be required to successfully complete a criminal background check prior to employment. To view available positions or complete an application,…

Rockdale County Public Schools is hosting teacher job fairs on March 10, 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., at Rockdale County High School, 1174 Bulldog Circle, Conyers, and April 21, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at Rockdale Career Academy, 1064 Culpepper Drive, Conyers. RCPS is seeking candidates for teaching positions in the 2018-2019 school year. All 22 RCPS schools will be represented and may provide on-site interviews. Bring several copies of your resume. To pre-register, please visit www.rockdaleschools.org/jobfair RCPS has 11 elementary schools, four middle schools, three traditional high schools, a virtual campus and four non-traditional schools (Rockdale Career Academy and…

The DeKalb County Police Department is searching for a suspect after an alleged abduction of a -14-year-old girl on Feb. 6. The Miller Grove High School student reported to school officials that she was forced into a vehicle as she walked to school. The male drove a short distance with the victim before letting her out near the high school. In December 2017, three other female students reported encounters with a male fitting the description of the suspect. The suspect is described as a Black male, about 50 to 60 years old, bald with a brown complexion and approximately 5…

Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) celebrated the winners of his third-annual Congressional App Challenge at a Feb. 3 reception for the students, teachers, parents and judges who participated in this year’s competition. “It’s so important that our young people see what the future is,” said Johnson. “Today, our kids heard from Ryan Killgore, a Cartoon Network game developer, who is working in an industry that generates over $100 billion. These are the kinds of top-earning professions that the App Challenge gives our kids exposure to. We must continue to support our educators and parents who encourage their kids to compete in…

The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners (BOC), in an effort to be more accessible to the community, will hold evening meetings throughout the county at various elementary schools. The meetings will be held on the third Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. The first meeting of this series will be held Feb. 20  at J.H. House Elementary School, 2930 GA-20, Conyers. The dates for the 2018 BOC on the Road Meetings are as follows: March 20, 7 p.m. – Hightower Trail Elementary, 2510 GA-138, Conyers April 17, 7 p.m. – Shoal Creek Elementary, 1300 McWilliams Rd. S.W., Conyers…

Rockdale County is unveiling a new app called Rockdale NOW! With the Rockdale NOW! App, users will be able to access features including the latest updates, social feeds, county locations, a means to submit code violations, water bill payments and sign up for CodeRED – a notification system for emergencies or weather threats. “The Rockdale NOW! App is a way to keep the community informed and connected to everything happening in Rockdale, bridging the gap between the citizen and county government,” Board of Commissioners Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Sr. said. Commissioner Sherri Washington came up with the idea for the app…

By Travis Hudgons Civil rights history was shown from a different perspective. DeKalb County’s Stonecrest Library recently hosted a civil rights visual exhibit, “Expanding Civil Rights: From Congressman Robert Elliott through Nelson Mandela.”  Curated by former NBA player Mike Glenn, the free exhibit featured approximately 120 framed, historical artifacts and documents. “For the past 15 years, I’ve collected books, newspapers and magazines. I wanted to share them with people. There are great lessons to be learned from history. I decided this was my mission to share this and empower people,” said Glenn, who is a Georgia native. Glenn noted that…