Author: On Common Ground News

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond will give his outlook for 2018 during a State of the County address this month. Thurmond will deliver an evening State of the County Address to the community on Thursday, March 29, 7 p.m., at the Lou Walker Senior Center, 2538 Panola Road, Lithonia. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Nichole Simms at jnsimms@dekalbcountga.gov or 404-371-2552.

What is the DeKalb County School District doing to keep students and staff members safe?  What is DeKalb County Government doing to ensure the safety of communities and businesses? Mark your calendar for an important meeting. The community is invited to the monthly Cultural Exchange Breakfast to discuss the issues. The meeting will be held on March 10, 9 a.m., at Greater Traveler’s Rest Baptist Church/House of Hope, 4650 Flat Shoals Parkway, Decatur (H.F. Shepherd Multiplex Building). “The goal is for everyone to walk away empowered with answers,” said DeKalb School Board member Vicki B. Turner, who is hosting the…

A crowd of concerned citizens turned out for the Public Safety Town Hall at Bob Mathis Elementary School presented by DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson, District 3. The Feb. 6 forum gave citizens an opportunity to have a face-to-face dialogue with a panel that included DeKalb’s new Public Safety Director Jack Lumpkin, School Public Safety Director Bradley Gober, District Attorney Sherry Boston, Solicitor General Donna Stribling and Juvenile Court Judge Vincent Crawford. The panel discussed how DeKalb officials are addressing crime in schools and the community at large. Chris Morris, a long-time DeKalb resident and former Director of Community Development,…

DeKalb Medical and the American Cancer Society will offer a free, four-class program on smoking cessation each Monday in March. The class meets from 6-7 p.m. For more information or to register for this program, call 404-501-WELL. We also offer a free Fresh Start Smoking Cessation Program. To learn more about this program, visit http://www.dekalbmedical.org/calendar. The best way to protect yourself and those around you from smoke-related health issues is to quit.

The Georgia Department of Labor is working with several partners on a job readiness event and accompanying job fair in Rockdale County in March. The readiness event is set for March 6, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Restoration Storehouse Center, 1400 Parker Road S.E., Conyers. The job fair follows a week later, March 13, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the same location. Partners include the Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce, WorkSource Atlanta Regional, Restoration Storehouse, Conyers Rockdale Economic Development Council, Georgia Piedmont Technical College and The Stellar Consulting Group. Those who attend the readiness event will be given…

The DeKalb County Fire Rescue Department hired 47 new recruits in February with funding from a federal grant. The recruits started preliminary classes and will join the next scheduled fire academy in April. “Improved public safety is a top priority,” said Jack Lumpkin, DeKalb County’s director of public safety. “In addition to the federal funding of these new fire rescue positions, the special purpose local option sales tax passed last year will allow us to purchase quick response vehicles, build new fire stations and improve fire services for all of DeKalb County.” In 2017, the county received $4.9 million from…

By Sheriff Eric J. Levett Parenting has changed drastically in the past decade. Instead of dinner bells bringing children home, they now have cell phones. Social media has become an obsession and a favorite past time. With the changes in technology, changes in parenting become necessary. You can keep your child safe in the social media age with a few tips to help you stay up to speed with today’s technology and your child’s plugged-in world. First and foremost, for parents to be able to help, it is important that they understand how technology works and accept that it is…

Joel Thibodeaux, Chairman Emeritus of the Governor’s Commission on City of Stonecrest and former State Senate staffer, today (Feb. 29) announces his candidacy for the State Senate District 43 seat. Thibodeaux is challenging incumbent Tonya P. Anderson for the seat, which covers portions of DeKalb, Rockdale, and Newton counties. Thibodeaux plans to run in the May 22 Democratic primary. Qualifying begins on Monday, March 5, at the Georgia State Capitol. “Our campaign will focus on issues critical to the citizens of the 43rd district – economic development and job growth, local and regional transportation, education and school safety, and protecting…

Clarkston Police have recovered numerous stolen items from the apartment of a suspect who is wanted on several warrants. Police are seeking the public’s help in locating Anthony Vaughn, 35. Detectives said many items have been traced to the rightful owners. The stolen articles came from residents in Alpharetta, Conyers, Sandy Springs, Gwinnett County, Forsyth County, Biloxi MS, and other jurisdictions. The U.S. Marshals Service executed a search at an apartment in the Clarkston Station Apartments located on Montreal Road in Clarkston, where the items were found. Vaughn, who has multiple active warrants throughout the metro Atlanta area, was not at…

CITY OF STONECREST BOARD OF ZONING APPEALS, PUBLIC HEARING: TUESDAY, MARCH 20TH, 2018 AT 6:00 P.M. STONECREST CITY HALL 3120 STONECREST BLVD. STONECREST, GEORGIA 30038 The following Variance Application is located within the City of Stonecrest is scheduled for Public Hearings as stated above. VARIANCE PETITION:  V-18-001 PETITIONER:  Courtesy Properties LLC LOCATION:  8455 Mall Parkway CURRENT ZONING:  C-2 (General Commercial) Conditional VARIANCE REQUEST(S): Variance to allow multiple signs on a single tenant monument; allow multiple signs on single tenant storefront and signage to exceed the maximum sign square feet.