Author: On Common Ground News

Emmy® award-winning television and radio journalist Lisa Rayam has been named the host and senior producer of WABE’s flagship program, Morning Edition.  Rayam replaces long-time host Denis O’Hayer, who retired in June. Rayam will join the WABE staff on Dec. 10 and will be heard on the air in the New Year.  Rayam will also be a contributor to national NPR. Rayam is well-known in the Atlanta community as a tenacious, well-connected reporter and a trusted anchor. She was the noon and 6 pm news anchor on WAGA-TV for 21 years. Since departing Fox 5 in 2016, she has been…

Jhonnita L. Williams, a former department administrator at MARTA, pleaded guilty to participating in a false-invoice scheme that resulted in MARTA paying more than $520,000 for maintenance projects where no worked was actually performed. “MARTA trusted Williams to use and protect taxpayer dollars effectively and responsibly,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak.  “Her participation in a half of million dollar theft of MARTA funds demonstrates that she sold the public’s trust for self-enrichment.” “Williams circumvented proper government procedures and dipped into taxpayers’ money to subsidize her own personal greed,” said Chris Hacker, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Public…

Atlanta will soon host a number of big sporting events, including the SEC Championship game, Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, Super Bowl LIII, and a potential Atlanta United championship match. All of these events are likely to sellout, providing an opportunity for scammers to exploit consumers through the sale of fake, void or stolen tickets on the secondary market. Not only can consumers lose money in these scams, they may also become victims of identity theft if they give a scammer their personal or financial information. Attorney General Chris Carr is urging all who are planning to attend one or more of…

The demolition of two dilapidated structures located at the intersection of Browns Mill and Klondike Roads is drawing both praise and criticism from residents in the city of Stonecrest.  Property owner Salim Damani, who has been working with city code enforcement officers since late last year, began demolishing the buildings after receiving a court order to remove them by Dec. 13 or bring them into compliance with city codes. Damani owns all the property at the intersection, except the northeast corner where a gas station once sat.  Damani met with Mayor Jason Lary, Code Enforcement Manager Alejandro Ferrell and Officer…

DeKalb County’s Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center is all decked out with beautifully decorated Christmas trees. DeKalb Commissioner Larry Johnson presented the 11th Annual Tree Lighting celebration on Nov. 27. The event included free food provided by Bojangles restaurant, a visit from Santa, and vignettes from the musical stage production, Stepp Stewart’s “A Soulful Christmas” for the community to enjoy.    Johnson also is celebrating his “Tree of Love” event at the Gallery at South DeKalb mall. This year will mark the 20th anniversary that Johnson reaches out to the community to help “adopt” needy children for Christmas by…

The Rev. Jamal-Harrison Bryant will preach for the first time as the new pastor-elect of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, Dec. 9, 9:30 a.m. Bryant is leaving the Empowerment Temple Church in Baltimore, a mega church he founded in 2000 with 43 people and grew to 12,000 members, making it the fastest-growing church in the history of the AME church. Bryant, 47, will preach his final sermon at the Empowerment Temple on Dec. 2.   Bryant succeeds Bishop Eddie L. Long, who passed away on Jan. 15, 2017 after a battle with cancer. Thomas W. Dortch Jr., chairman…

Dozens of women in business gathered at the Georgia State Capitol  recently for Women’s Entrepreneurship Day, which was hosted by State Rep. Pam Stephenson (D-Decatur), Nicole Garner Scott, founder and president of 100 Female Entrepreneurs, and Tiara L. Johnson, founder and CEO of One Million Dreamers, author and blogger. The Nov. 16 event, which organizers called one of the largest gatherings of women in business under the Gold Dome, provided attendees the chance to learn more about the 100 Female Entrepreneurs Atlanta Chapter, which launched in 2018. The national business league’s mission is to accelerate female entrepreneurs by providing tools…

Lorraine Harrison was recently named the 2018 Woman of The Year at the second annual we3 Women’s Conference in Rockdale County.   Harrison was presented the award by the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce, which hosted the conference and High Priority Plumbing and Services, Inc., which sponsored the award. In receiving the award, Harrison, who owns About Marketing and publishes the About Conyers magazines was recognized as an a womanwho has distinguished herself, her profession, and her commitment to uplifting women in the Conyers-Rockdale community and the surrounding areas.  Other finalists were Darlene Hotchkiss, Hedrick Family Dentistry and Susan Paul Smith, Rockdale…

DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management (DWM) has partnered with the DeKalb County School District to reduce sewer spills. The county worked with the school district to develop the “No FOG, No Clog” public education campaign for more than 102,000 elementary, middle and high school students.  Nearly 60 percent of all spills are caused by fats, oils and grease, or FOG, poured down sink drains. FOG coats the inside of pipes and eventually forms a blockage leading to a spill. 

The DeKalb County Human Services Department’s Office of Youth Services will host a “Sights N’ Sounds” Arts Showcase on Tuesday, Dec. 18, 7 p.m., at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts and Community Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur.  The Arts Showcase will feature work of DeKalb County high school students who participated in the “Sights N’ Sounds” arts pilot program. Students will perform original songs they have written, produced and recorded while participating in the program.   The Arts Showcase is open to the public and there is no cost to attend.  To learn more about current youth programs…