Author: On Common Ground News

“Lights @ Costley Mill” kicks off on Thursday, Dec. 6 from 6 to 9 p.m. (gates open at 5:30), 2599 NE Salem Church Road. Visitors will have the opportunity to experience holiday lights and enjoy festive entertainment weekly Thursday to Sunday until Jan. 6, 2019. Photo ops with Santa will be held on Fridays and Saturdays. Guests will also enjoy a petting zoo, face painting, arts and crafts, bounce houses, live entertainment and holiday characters. Snacks and concessions will be onsite and available for purchase. General admission is $5, seniors $3, and children 2 and under are free. Purchase tickets online…

The “Bags of Love” clothing drive to assist homeless citizens in DeKalb County has been extended. DeKalb Commissioner Gregory Adams and Pinch of Excellence will collect sleeping bags, hats, gloves, heavy duty socks and other garments through Dec. 7. Donations may be dropped off in the lobby are area at the Manuel J. Maloof building, 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur. The goal is to provide sleeping bags and garments for 250 homeless DeKalb citizens. For more information,  contact Commissioner Gregory Adams office at 404-371-2899 or via email at gregoryadams@dekalbcountyga.gov.

Attorney General Chris Carr announced today that Georgia has joined 41 states and the District of Columbia in reaching a settlement with Encore Capital Group Inc., one of the nation’s largest debt buyers, and its subsidiaries Midland Credit Management, Inc. and Midland Funding, LLC. “Robo-signing by Encore Capital Group Inc. and its subsidiaries was unjust and hurt consumers,” said Attorney General Carr. “I am proud of our Consumer Protection Division’s work throughout this process to protect the citizens of Georgia and hope this action sends a strong message to debt collectors that this behavior will not be tolerated.” Debt buying involves…

Soon-to-be college graduates interested in a career at DeKalb County School District (DCSD) will have an opportunity to obtain a full-time teaching position on Friday, Dec. 7. DCSD will host a Pre-Service Job Fair on Dec.7 beginning at 3:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. at DeKalb Early College Academy (DECA), 1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd., Stone Mountain. District officials will be on site to recruit top-level talent coming from colleges and universities in metro Atlanta. “DeKalb County School District is committed to recruiting the best of the best educators that the metro Atlanta area has to offer. In many cases, individuals with…

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…