Author: On Common Ground News

Family and friends have established a scholarship fund to honor the legacy of Georgia civil rights champion Frank Bates, who was remembered during memorial services at Fairfield Baptist Church in Lithonia and Bates’ hometown, Greater Level Hill Baptist Church in Crawfordville, Georgia. Bates died of a heart attack on Sept. 30. He was 69. DeKalb County School Board member Vickie B. Turner, a friend of the Bates family for over 50 years, said the scholarship fund was announced at the Fairfield Baptist Church memorial service on Oct. 5. “We wanted a way to keep his memory alive and I suggested…

Rockdale County Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Sr. will provide an overview of the Restoration Storehouse project slated to move into the Rockdale County Government Annex Building at 1400 Parker Road in Conyers. Government staff and others housed in the building are being relocated in phases as Restoration Storehouse begins renovating for a one-stop operation that will provide an array of services to the needy. Nesbitt is hosting the community open house on Monday, Oct. 30, 6 p.m., and inviting citizens, church leaders and nonprofits to learn how they may participate in the centralized services that will be offered. While Nesbitt says…

In support of October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, the Rockdale County Board of Commissioners held its “Pink Out” at the Oct. 10 meeting. Not only did the board don pink, but so did other county leaders and members of the public who attended the meeting to show their support of breast cancer awareness. The BOC presented a proclamation highlighting October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Pink Pooch Organization for the 5th Annual Pink Pooch Parade and Festival, which will take place on Sunday, Oct. 29. With breast cancer affecting hundreds of thousands of women and, in rare…

By Valerie J. Morgan   I’ve dined by candlelight plenty of times, but never shared a meal in complete darkness. So, when my husband, Glenn, and I recently were invited to a fundraiser in Atlanta called “Dining in the Dark,” we went out of curiosity. The three-course Sunday dinner not only gave us an opportunity to witness firsthand a window into a world of darkness, it provided a deeper appreciation of the exemplary work the Center for the Visually Impaired (CVI) is doing to empower those with vision loss or completely blind. The Dining in the Dark event is one…

Librarians expect lots of questions from patrons about where to find a book or DVD they are looking for and what online resource is best for information about car repair. Librarians at DeKalb County Public Library (DCPL) realized they were also getting questions that were much more difficult for them to answer—like “Where do I go if I’m being evicted?” So they decided to do something about it. This October, the New Librarians Committee, made up of librarians who have been with DCPL for less than a year, launched a website they developed for patrons who need help beyond what…

State Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick (D-Lithonia) will host the Georgia Blacks in Tech Policy Conference on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Atlanta City Hall’s Old Council Chambers in Atlanta. Kendrick is chair of the event, and Rodney Sampson, partner of Inclusion and Equity at TechSquare Labs, is co-chair of the event. Attendees will hear from technology leaders and learn about black founders in the technology industry. Additionally, attendees will have the opportunity to present policy changes and initiative recommendations to members of the Georgia General Assembly, and particularly to the members of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus,…

Sen. Tonya Anderson (D – Lithonia), along with Big Miller Grove Baptist Church, will host a recognition ceremony for Vietnam War Veterans on Nov. 5, 4 p.m., at Big Miller Grove Baptist Church, 3800 Big Miller Grove Way, Lithonia. Anderson and Georgia Commissioner of Veterans Service, Mike Roby, will present a State Certificate of Honor and Defense Department’s Commemorative Lapel Pin to veterans. “I am thankful for the hard work of Big Miller Grove Baptist, the Office of Veterans Service and all of the volunteers who are dedicating their time to help us thank our Vietnam War veterans,” said Anderson.…

By Ruth A. Wilson | Clerk of Superior Court The Annual Rockdale County Middle School Oratorical Competition is set for Saturday Oct. 28, 8:30 a.m., at Conyers Middle School. The district-wide contest is sponsored each year by Lexicon Technologies, Snapping Shoals EMC, Evans Tool and Die, The Rotary Club of Conyers and the Rockdale Clerk of Courts. The first, second and third place winners receive cash prizes, which they are encouraged to use for college savings. Students, parents and the public are invited to attend and see what it takes to win. All of the contestants are winners…

Rockdale County Public Schools teachers were awarded grants from the Snapping Shoals EMC for creative and innovative classroom projects that enriched the learning experience for students. Snapping Shoals Vice President of Engineering Services Todd Mooney presented $15,000 in grants to the teachers and their principals at a breakfast celebration on Oct. 11. The teachers were chosen out of more than 40 applicants. The 2017 RCPS winners are: “Cooking with 2nd Grade English Learners” (J.H. House Elementary) Orissa DePass, Stella Walton “Aerospace Engineering Drone Flight Laboratory” (Conyers Middle School) Stephen Williams “Brainybots” (Peek’s Chapel Elementary) Joy Russell “Models, Models, Models” (Heritage…

  Capt. Barrington Irving, the youngest person and the first African-American pilot to fly solo around the world, is partnering with Fourth Congressional District Rep. Hank Johnson and his Full STEAM Ahead Initiative. Johnson’s initiative was created to inspire youths in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. Through the partnership with Capt. Irving and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America, Johnson hopes to inspire students to explore the field of aviation and related careers. On Tuesday, Oct. 17, Irving will present his inspirational message through the “Mitsubishi Dream & Soar: Youth in Aviation” to more than 500…