Author: On Common Ground News

The DeKalb County Board of Ethics will conduct its regular board meeting on Thursday, May 17, at 3 p.m., at the Central DeKalb Senior Center, 2nd floor Meeting Room, 1346 McConnell Dr., Decatur. The agenda is as follows:  1. Call to Order 2. Adoption of Agenda 3. Review and Approve Meeting Minutes from April 19, 2018 4. Unfinished Business A. Final Hearing:  Rhea Johnson vs Stan Watson B. Administrative 1. Reminder of Sharon Barnes Sutton oral argument before the Georgia Supreme Court on Monday, May 2t, 10 a.m., Cobb County Courthouse 2. Public Comment 5. Adjournment

Stonecrest residents are invited to attend a community open house event on Thursday, May 10, at Stonecrest City Hall and share their aspirations for the city’s future growth.  The city is updating its Comprehensive Plan, a guiding document that addresses activities related to transportation, recreation, land-use and commercial development.  The plan’s theme is “CX3: Building Community, Culture and Commerce For Now and Into The Future”. Open house events have been scheduled and citizens are encouraged to attend to share their thoughts and recommendations for the City’s future planning, now through 2038. At the open houses, attendees will have an opportunity to view displays, talk with staff…

The Rockdale County Board of Education has named Dr. Terry O. Oatts Superintendent of Rockdale County Public Schools The former Assistant Superintendent for Student Achievement in Fayette County Schools was appointed at a special called meeting on Monday (May 7). Last month, the Board named Dr. Oatts as the sole finalist in its superintendent search. Under the guidance of the Georgia School Boards Association as search provider, the Board completed a survey of its expectations for the next superintendent, posted and reviewed the results of a survey of the community and school district staff to seek input as to the…

HB 600 Vetoed By Valerie J. Morgan   Gov. Nathan Deal announced Tuesday (May 8) that he vetoed HB 600, which proposed term limits for the mayor of Stonecrest, while permitting council members to remain in office for an unlimited number of terms. Additionally, the bill would have removed the mayor’s voting power with the five-member City Council, except in the case of a tie. The governor said he rejected HB 600 because there was no consensus among the DeKalb County Delegation members who represent the city of Stonecrest. One of the delegation members, State Rep. Earnest “Coach” Williams,…

By Mark Brock, DCSD Athletics It has been some 30 years since Druid Hills competed in gymnastics, but the Lady Red Devils made a triumphant return by knocking off two-time defending champion Lakeside 98.90 to 92.80 to claim the program’s first ever DeKalb County Gymnastics title at Dunwoody just before Spring Break. Druid Hills’ lone gold medal before this year came back in 1974 when Nancy Davis tied Lakeside’s Denise Finney for the gold in the uneven parallel bars. Junior Amelia Wainscott and her teammates made sure Druid Hills was on the map in DeKalb County as Wainscott won…

The DeKalb County Police Department is searching for Meshon Williams who is wanted for the shooting of 6-year-old Z’Mari Mitchell. The incident occurred on Saturday, May 5,  at approximately 5:30 p.m., at 3539 Sweetgum Lane in Decatur. Prior to the shooting there was an altercation between the suspects and someone in the residence. After the initial altercation ended, multiple shots were fired toward the house. One of the rounds entered the home and struck the child. The suspects fled in an unknown vehicle immediately after the shooting. Williams is 17 years old, 5’11” and 150 lbs.

Gov. Nathan Deal today signed SB 407, criminal justice legislation that reforms misdemeanor bail practices, providing increased flexibility and transparency in this area. SB 407 also provides judges with more opportunities to utilize community service and educational advancement as alternatives to fines or as a condition of probation. The legislation is based on recommendations from the Georgia Council on Criminal Justice Reform and builds upon Deal’s previous criminal justice reform initiatives. “In the past eight years, Georgia has become the standard-bearer for many pressing areas of our time, but perhaps none more so than criminal justice reform,” said Deal.…

Conyers is joining communities across the country by participating in the 35th Annual National Travel and Tourism Week (May 6-12), which celebrates what travel means to American jobs, economic growth and personal well-being. The theme of this year’s National Travel and Tourism Week is “Travel: Then and Now.”   Residents and visitors are encouraged to visit the Conyers Welcome Center, 901 Railroad Street in historic Olde Town Conyers, May 7-11, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be refreshments, brochures and exhibits showcasing historic and present-day photographs of Conyers tourism attractions.    The Tourism Week is not only a time…

By Travis Hudgons Members of the Martin Luther King Jr. High School ‘Kings of Halftime’ Marching Band received exciting news on May 3. The band will perform in the 2019 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The band will proudly represent DeKalb County as one of nine marching bands selected from a nationwide pool of 100 high school, collegiate and military bands that applied. According to a release, each year, Macy’s selects marching bands with stage presence, musical talent and marching ability for its annual Thanksgiving Day parade. The spectacle draws an audience of more than 3.5 million live spectators and 50…

By Valerie J. Morgan A proposal to award a $3.8 million contract to Grice Consulting, Inc. to manage the city of Stonecrest’s SPLOST program has died—for the second time in two months. The Stonecrest City Council deadlocked 3-3 on the proposal during a tense special called meeting on May 3. In April, the council also could not reach an agreement, deadlocking 3-3 on the matter.  The council has been bickering over who should manage the SPLOST program since the council initially approved an agreement with Grice last September. The 6-year, $47 million SPLOST program is slated to fund several infrastructure and…