Author: On Common Ground News

Friends of the Stonecrest Library, 3123 Klondike Road, will host its super book sale on Saturday, Feb. 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A variety of books will be available including fiction/non-fiction, crafts, textbooks, romance, magazines, encyclopedias and books on tapes/DCs. Most books are $1. For more information, call 404-482-3838.

The South DeKalb Improvement Association will meet on Saturday, Feb. 10, Berean Community Center, 2440 Young Road, Stone Mountain. A meet and greet will begin at 9 a.m. The public meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. The Public Safety Committee will present the program.

By Sheriff Eric J. Levett Nearly three women in the U.S. are killed daily by an intimate partner.  The recent shooting on Habersham Way has rocked the community already traumatized in November 2017 by another domestic dispute that resulted in death.  It also brought to the surface a pervasive, ugly problem of intimate partner homicide that has remained consistent nationwide for years. Domestic violence is defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of…

Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) Commissioner Avery D. Niles Conyers educator Harold James Farmer was named 2017 Teacher of the Year for the Department of Juvenile Justice Georgia Preparatory Academy (GPA). Farmer, a social studies teacher at the Rockdale Regional Youth Detention Center (RYDC), was recognized as Teacher of the Year as part of winter graduation ceremonies for students from DJJ secure facilities throughout the state. Avery D. Niles, Superintendent of the DJJ School System, honored Farmer at the State of Georgia’s Tift College campus in Forsyth. “We are genuinely impressed with the progress our students are making and by…

Admiration Lodge No. 25 has set a new date for its job fair. The event, which was postponed due to icy weather conditions, will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 1 to 4 p.m., at the Community Achievement Center, 4522 Flat Shoals  Parkway, Decatur. Managers from a variety of fields and industries will be represented including the Center of Disease Control, Diaz Foods, Department of Transportation, law enforcement, logistics and customer services. Candidates should come dressed for interviews with their resumes and be prepared to speak with hiring personnel. Register for the job fair online HERE. 

by Mark Brock, DCSD Athletics The McNair Mustangs rolled to a 70.5 point victory over Southwest DeKalb to capture the school’s second ever William S. Venable DCSD Wrestling Championships title at Druid Hills Middle School recently. Five gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal were collected by the Mustang wrestlers on the way to their second title in seven years while breaking Dunwoody’s two-year reign. McNair scored 262.5 points followed by Southwest DeKalb (192) and Decatur (169) as the top three teams. Senior Masud As-Siddiq led the way for the Mustangs becoming a three-time county champion by defeating Southwest…

Grady Memorial Hospital has added a new mobile emergency department unit to help treat flu patients. Like other hospitals across the region and nation, Grady is experiencing high patient volumes this flu season and new initiatives were added to expand quality care and prevent the unnecessary spread of the flu. The facility, Carolinas Med-1 Mobile Emergency Department, is the only state-of-the-art medical trailer complex available in the United States. Stationed near the hospital’s emergency room, the unit includes a two-bed operating room and up to 14 extra beds. Additional flu treatment initiatives include temporarily limiting hospital visitors under the age…

The public is invited to meet DeKalb County’s new deputy chief operating officer of public safety, Joseph “Jack” H. Lumpkin, on Saturday, Feb. 3, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., in the Maloof Auditorium, 1300 Commerce Drive, Decatur. Residents will have an opportunity to discuss neighborhood safety concerns and share ideas on how to unite the county and improve community relations efforts. Lumpkin will oversee police, fire rescue, animal control, emergency management, E-911 and medical examiner services. He will begin his tenure on Jan. 28 and will be responsible for leading approximately 1,600 employees with a total 2018 annual budget of…

North Parkwood Road, between Coventry Road and Scott Boulevard in Decatur, will be closed to through-traffic for infrastructure repairs. The road is expected to be closed through 9 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 14. Repairs are underway at 757 North Parkwood Road. Road closure signs will be posted advising motorists of construction work in the area and of local traffic restrictions. For more information, contact the DeKalb County Roads and Drainage Division at 404-294-2040.

Meet African-American cosplayers at the Stonecrest Library, 3123 Klondike Road on Saturday, Feb. 3, 2 p.m., in the library’s auditorium. Cosplay is an art of costuming as a favorite character from a movie, book, or video game, especially manga and anime. The cosplayers willl discuss why they love cosplay, how they prepare for events and the role of science fiction, fantasy and futurism in shaping the black self-image. The program is geared for those ages 12 and older.