Author: On Common Ground News

The Georgia Board of Human Services has approved a rule change providing for the development and posting of signs indicating a medical facility or other authorized location is a designated “safe place” for a mother to leave her unwanted newborn. The rule takes effect Nov. 1. The signage is related to Georgia’s Safe Place for Newborns law, which allows a mother to leave her newborn (within 30 days of birth) at a medical facility, fire station or police station in the state. The law specifying the requirements for creating and placing the signage was signed by Gov. Nathan Deal as…

The City of Atlanta and Atlanta Housing have announced a new partnership to develop 550 permanent housing units to help the city’s chronically homeless population.  The HUD-funded initiative, HomeFirst, is a collaboration that also involves Invest Atlanta, the United Way Regional Commission on Homelessness, and Partners for HOME, a public–private entity commissioned by the City to proactively manage the continuum of care for Atlanta’s homeless population. “The fight to end homelessness cannot be won by any one organization or entity. We are committed to building sustainable public-private partnerships that can impact the lives of Atlantans across all sectors” said Mayor…

When people hear the word Sheriff, who do you think they immediately visualize?  The Sheriff of Nottingham from the days of Robin Hood?  Sheriff Pat Garrett, who served in Lincoln County, who killed Billy the Kid?  The fictional Sheriff Andy Griffith of Mayberry, the model of community policing before the term was invented?  As a citizen of Rockdale County, you should know what a Sheriff is, what makes the Office of the Sheriff unique in law enforcement, why it should be called the Sheriff’s Office and not a Sheriff’s Department, and why it is important to preserve its direct accountability…

Springfield Baptist Church in partnership with the Newrock Legal Society will host a Veterans’ Resource Forum for all veterans, spouses and families of veterans from the metro Atlanta area. The resource forum will be held on Saturday, Nov. 10, 9 a.m. to noon, at Springfield Baptist Church, 1877 Iris Drive SE, Conyers. Resources will include understanding your veteran benefits, disability benefits, career resources, education, health care and legal resources. For more information, call 770-929-1111.

The Conyers Police Department is seeking cash, checks and Wal-mart gift cards to support its 11th Annual Shop With A Cop to buy Christmas presents for needy children in Rockdale County. The Conyers Police Department (CPD) works with the Conyers Wal-Mart, along with the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Department of Public Safety work on the annual project. Law enforcement personnel accompany children from families experiencing financial hardships to the Conyers Wal-Mart to shop for Christmas gifts. “The Conyers Wal-Mart has been an excellent community partner to assist the Conyers Police in spearheading this effort. Officers interact with…

The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners invites citizens to its Holiday Drop-In on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 5:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., at the J.P. Carr Community Center, 981 Taylor St., Conyers. The informal drop-in event is planned to bring in holiday cheer to wrap up 2018 and provide the public with an opportunity to meet elected officials, county leaders and staff. During the free drop-in, the public can enjoy an evening of fellowship, refreshments and beverages and holiday music. The public is also strongly encouraged to bring their cell phones so they can take selfies with Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Sr.

Talk show host and global media celebrity Oprah Winfrey came to Georgia to rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018. . Winfrey fired up a packed crowd at DeKalb County’s Porter Sanford III Performing Arts Center in Decatur, telling them she wanted to be part of Abrams’ historic bid for governor of Georgia. Click to watch the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKc7bEtyecs&t=568s

DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Affairs is accepting new or gently-used coats for its first coat drive now until Friday, Nov. 30. As the temperature starts to drop, the Department of Recreation Parks & Cultural Affairs is working to provide some comfort to those in need. Citizens are encouraged to drop off coat donations at the Lucious Sanders Recreation Center, located at 2484 Bruce Street, Lithonia, noon to 8 p.m. For more information, contact Marcus Byams, Recreation Center director, at 770-482-0408.

The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners has voted to issue taxable bonds to buy part of the OFS Brightwave Solutions site on I-85 at Jimmy Carter Boulevard. The Series 2018 revenue bonds will be issued by the Urban Redevelopment Agency (URA) of Gwinnett County, which approved the resolution on Oct. 16. “The next steps will be to get bond ratings from the rating agencies in November with pricing and closing to follow in December,” said Director of Financial Services Maria Woods. The property is within the Gwinnett Village Opportunity Zone, making it eligible for URA financing. OFS is expanding its…

DEKALB City of Lithonia sets Trunk or Treat The City of Lithonia will host its annual Trunk or Treat on Wednesday, Oct. 31, 5:30 to 7 p.m., at the City Hall parking lot, 6920 Main Street. Participants are encouraged to decorate their cars and open up their trunks filled with treats for the kids. Children are encouraged to wear their costumes. For more information: 770-482-8136, ext. 128. Rain or shine. DeKalb Parks and Recreation sets Halloween events The DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs is hosting several Halloween events at recreation centers on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Many of…