Author: On Common Ground News

Rob and Vickie B. Turner will host the Cultural Exchange Community Breakfast meeting on Saturday, May 12, 9 a.m., at The Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church/House of Hope, 4650 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur.  Rob Turner represents Stonecrest City Council’s District 2 and his wife, Vickie Turner, represents District 5 on the DeKalb School Board. “Our focus this month will be on our students. The breakfast will be sponsored by President Dr. Gary McGaha of Atlanta Metropolitan College. The college is excited to announce some new programs for potential students,” said Vickie Turner. “Application fees will be waived and staff will…

DeKalb County Commissioner Steve Bradshaw plans to allocate $250,000 in park bond funds for the construction of a new Tobie Grant Recreational Center in District 4.  Bradshaw introduced the allocation during the May 1 Board of Commissioners Committee of the Whole meeting. The allocation becomes official with a vote by the Board of Commissioners in the May 8 business meeting. “A new Tobie Grant Recreational Center will be a long sought-after amenity for DeKalb County,” Commissioner Bradshaw said. “It will be a center focused on the intergenerational physical well-being of the community.” The current center, located at the intersection of…

The City of Clarkston’s long-awaited streetscape project is finally getting under way, after seven years of planning, public meetings, and acquiring matching funds.  City officials kicked off the project with a groundbreaking ceremony on May 4. Officials said the $6.5 million transformation would include stormwater and utility infrastructure improvements, wider sidewalks, newly paved streets, a pedestrian bridge, and new gateways to the city.  City officials said the project is expected to be completed in 18 months.  “The project scope will include East Ponce de Leon from the I-285 interchange down to Market Street. Market Street from North Indian Creek to…

The DeKalb County Fleet Management Department was awarded the “Best Fleet” in North America Award sponsored by 100 Best Fleets in America and Governing Magazine. The county earned first place out of 38,000 public fleets and was recognized for distinguished customer service, sustainability practices and employee training.  “The DeKalb Fleet Management Department exemplifies all that is right about public service,” said Tom C. Johnson, founder of the 100 Best Fleets in America program. “The county has developed best practices that reduce the need for unscheduled repairs, maintenance costs and negative environmental impacts.”  Fleet Management maintains repair services for a fleet…

The community is invited to the Chapman Mill/Redan Park Community Garden Festival on Friday, May 11, noon to 6 p.m., and Saturday, May 12, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Redan Nature Preserve, 5345 Redan Road, Redan. Joelette C. Bembry, horticultural and natural resource agent for the DeKalb County Cooperative Extension, will teach workshops during the festival on “How to Plant Healthy Vegetables and Flowers.”  The outreach effort is designed to teach and encourage the community to grow and consume more vegetables and fruit, as well as to conserve the environment and live more healthy lives. Admission to the…

DeKalb County School District parents will have an opportunity to earn their General Education Diploma (GED) through a free summer education program, beginning with four free information sessions in May 2018. DCSD’s Family IMPACT Hub, headed by the Department of Parent & Family Engagement, is partnering with Georgia Piedmont Technical College to offer a free GED program during Summer 2018. The program will begin with informational meetings: Tuesday, May 8, and Wednesday, May 9. Sessions will take place from 10 a.m. until noon, and from 6 until 8 p.m. on both days at the Family IMPACT Hub, 1701 Mountain Industrial…

Even though the DeKalb County Courthouse is just a few miles away from the DeKalb County Jail, the challenge of securely transporting inmates from the Memorial Drive facility to county courtrooms remains a high priority. Sheriff Jeffrey L. Mann inspected the newest in the sheriff’s office fleet of vehicles on May 3, as one of two new state-of-the-art inmate full-sized transport buses rolled onto the parking lot at headquarters.  Outfitted with a host of updated features, the nearly $200,000 bus is air-conditioned, has air doors, and includes a camera monitoring system.  The rear engine-driven bus was built in Macon, Georgia…

By Rockdale County Probate Judge Clarence Cuthpert, Jr. Any disabled veteran of a war or armed conflict in which a branch of the armed forces of the United States engaged, whether under United States command or otherwise, any veteran of peace-time service in the United States armed forces who has a physical disability incurred during the period of such service, or any blind person may peddle, conduct business, or practice their professions and semi-professions in any county or municipality in the State of Georgia without paying an occupation tax, administrative fee, or regulatory fee for the privilege of so doing,…

Rockdale County Chief Magistrate Judge Phinia Aten was honored as the recipient of the Rockdale NAACP’s Jean Williams Community Service Award. She received the award at the NAACP’s 30th Annual Freedom Fund Banquet on April 28 at the Rockdale Career Academy.   “We pick our best individuals in this community to receive this award.  Judge Aten definitely fits the bill bar none,” said Tommy Plummber, the branch’s vice president. This year, Judge Aten was the branch’s sole honoree due to her substantial efforts to engage, educate and empower children and young adults as well as improve judicial outcomes in the Rockdale…

By Valerie J. Morgan Seniors at Northlake Gardens Assisted Living and Memory Care in Tucker got some lunchtime entertainment, thanks to Champion Middle School drama students who visited the seniors on May 2.     The students served up lunch and a mystery production entitled “Café Murder.” Nineteen students from Joy Hammond’s 8th grade drama class put on the production.  “It was great seeing the students interact with the seniors. They were so helpful in serving them their lunch and ice cream and the seniors seemed to enjoy participating in the mystery drama,” said Hammond.  The field trip is part…