Author: On Common Ground News

By Valerie J. Morgan Construction crews are clearing a 92-acre tract for a 1 million-square-foot technology park that will be built along Dogwood Drive on the northern side of I-20 in Rockdale County. Ackerman & Co. of Atlanta is developing the Rockdale Technology Park. The $50 million project will include four buildings that will be suitable for manufacturers, distribution/warehouse industries, administrative offices, recycling companies and others, said     Marty Jones, executive director of the Conyers Rockdale Economic Development Council. “This is an absolutely good fit for Rockdale County,” Jones said. “It is going to bring industries and jobs. Ackerman…

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners passed a landmark ordinance that prohibits forced arbitration clauses in agreements between prime and subcontractors doing business with DeKalb County.   Prior to the passage of the legislation, prime contractors were able to use their unequal bargaining power to force small businesses to sign away their right to pursue a claim in a court of law if a dispute arose. “This legislation levels the playing field between prime and subcontractors and helps ensure that small businesses doing business with DeKalb County are treated fairly. A small business should not be forced to give up…

State Rep. Dar’shun Kendrick (D-Lithonia), in partnership with the Beverly Cunningham Outreach Program, will host the Back-to-School Supply Drive in celebration of her 36th birthday on Saturday, Aug. 25, 3 to 5 p.m., at Canaan Land Church International, 3755 Centerville Highway, Snellville. Attendees are encouraged to donate school supplies or $36, and all school supplies and proceeds will benefit students at Partee Elementary School in Snellville. Snow cones, popcorn, cotton candy and other items will be available for purchase at the event. To download a list of needed school supplies or to register for the event, go to eventbrite…

The Jesse “Jay” Cunningham Foundation, in Partnership with Ark Of the Covenant Fellowship Center and Foresters Financial, will host a Back-to-School backpack giveaway on Aug. 18, 6 to 7 p.m., at the church, 568 Ladonna Drive, Decatur.  The foundation was set up in memory for  Jesse Jay Cunningham, who formerly served as a DeKalb County School Board member. Cunningham died on April 6 after health complications.  Organizers said backpacks will be given while supplies last.   

DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs announces that most county pools will close on Aug. 5. From Aug. 11 through Sept. 3, the following select pools will be open on a modified schedule. Browns Mill Family Aquatic Facility, 4929 Browns Mill Rd., Lithonia, GA 30038 Hours: Saturday’s, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday’s, 1 to 7 p.m. Exchange Splash Pad, 2771 Columbia Drive, Decatur, GA 30034 Hours:  Saturday’s, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday’s, noon to 7 p.m. Gresham Park, 3113 Gresham Road, Atlanta, GA 30316 Hours: Saturday’s, noon to 6 p.m.; Sunday’s, 1 to 6 p.m. Lithonia Park,…

The Cultural Exchange Breakfast, hosted by Stonecrest City Councilman Rob Turner and his wife, DeKalb School Board member Vicki Turner, will be held on Saturday, Aug. 11, 9 a.m., at Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church (House of Hope), 4650 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur.   The meeting will feature newly-elected officials serving South DeKalb and nominees for the upcoming General Election. There also will be an update from DeKalb County Schools.  For more information, email:  thedekalbexchange@gmail.com. 

Four high school graduates will start their freshman year with scholarships provided by the Voices of Faith Church’s 50+ Ministry. Each student received a $500 scholarship from the seniors’ ministry, which held fundraisers to provide the awards.  Voices of Faith, which has a campus in Conyers and Stone Mountain, is under the leadership of Bishop Gary Hawkins, Sr. The following students were selected after completing an application and essay:      Kayla Beal  (Daughters of Faith & the Youth Ministry) Parent: Naomi Beal Alcovy High School Georgia State University- Atlanta, Georgia Major: Nursing,     Minor: Nutrition “I aspire to be a…

Congressman Hank Johnson, Georgia’s Fourth District, announced that the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference held in September will including a short film festival competition around the theme: “The Dream Still Demands,” which is also the theme of the larger conference. “Whether that image invokes visions of Langston Hughes’ “Dream Deferred” or Martin Luther King Jr’s prolific words reverberating down the Lincoln Memorial, we are confident this theme will inspire unique and relevant commentary on our world today,” said Johnson. Johnson serves as Chair of the Congressional Caucus for the Advancement of Studio, Talent, (CAST) and Film Diversity. As…

The Rockdale Youth Leadership (RYL) program is now accepting applications until Sept. 6 from high school sophomores aspiring to leadership with a passion for serving the community. The eight-month program, a collaboration of the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce and Rockdale County Public Schools, provides leadership development and community awareness training for 10th grade students in Rockdale County. For applications, go to www.rockdaleschools.org/ryl Aspiring youth leaders will have the opportunity during the program to interact with community leaders, local elected officials, and school administrators to enhance their awareness of community needs and resources. Through interactive workshops, special tours, and community…

The DeKalb History Center and the Flat Rock Archives will host an evening reception on Aug. 24, 7 – 8:30 p.m., at the DeKalb Historic Courthouse, 101 E. Court Square, Decatur, to announce the opening of an exhibit dedicated to the historic Flat Rock Community – one of the oldest African American communities in DeKalb County. The Flat Rock exhibit will replace “Tears and Curses: a Human Look at the Civil War” and will officially launch in February 2019. The Flat Rock Archives was co-founded in 2006 by Johnny Waits, the late Rev. T.A. Bryant, Jr., and Vera Whitaker and…