Author: On Common Ground News

Pampering was the order of the day during a special mentoring program, which was held on Saturday to get high school girls ready for the new school year. Voices of Faith’s Youth Ministry hosted the “Back-to-School Royal Pampering Party” at its Rockdale County campus on Saturday, July 22. Deaconess June Hawkins Jones said the mentoring event for high school girls who are members of the church’s Rockdale location provided sessions on skin care, getting rid of stress and strategies for succeeding in college. In addition to the classes, the girls enjoyed a continental breakfast and luncheon. Pastor Matthew Jenkins is…

Fit For A Queen of Atlanta formal wear welcomed Miss USA 2016, Deshauna Barber, at a red carpet reception on Friday, July 21. Barber and Fit For A Queen owner Aisha S. Danzy collaborated to present a comprehensive pageant preparatory workshop, which was held on Saturday, July 22, at the Buckhead-Atlanta Doubletree Hotel. The “Take the Crown” workshop, conducted by national and international professionals in the beauty and pageant industry, offered participants runway coaching, interview prep, wardrobe consultations, physique and nutrition consultation. Danzy said she was excited and honored to be a part of the workshop and luncheon, which drew…

Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) student registration will temporarily relocate to 1400 Parker Road SE, Conyers during July 24 to Aug. 4 to accommodate the increased number of families registering during the back-to-school season. The registration office will open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., except Aug. 4, when it will close at noon. Student registration will reopen Monday, Aug. 7, 7:30 a.m., at the main office, 1143 West Avenue, Conyers. New students or returning students with new addresses must come to the Student Registration Office. For a list of required documents for new student registration, please visit…

The public is invited to an open house to celebrate the completion of renovations at Johnson Park Recreation Center on Thursday, July 27, 6 – 8 p.m., 1781 Ebenezer Road. Come see the renovated locker rooms, upgrades to gym, new carpet and renovated pool area.

DECATUR—Smart technology is helping the visually-impaired to get around city buildings in Decatur. Foresight Augmented Reality (FAR) has teamed with the city of Decatur to provide smart technology for seven locations within Decatur’s city limits, making Decatur the first official city to implement the technology. The FAR-accessible locations provide directions for the blind and vision-impaired. FAR-accessible buildings include the installation of a Bluetooth beacon, that when paired with the FAR Vision mobile app, provides users with descriptive information such as entrances and exits, restrooms, hazard warnings and more. “This project opens a lot of doors for the visually impaired community…

The Rev. Raphael Warnock, pastor of Atlanta’s historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, was arrested and released in Washington, D.C. on July 18 after peacefully protesting budget cuts proposed by President Trump. Warnock and the Rev. Cynthia L. Hale, senior pastor of Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur, were among a group of clergy who called on Congress to reject President Trump’s deep cuts to healthcare, education and other programs, saying the cuts were “immoral” and would negatively impact millions of Americans. Warnock and others in the group were singing and praying in the rotunda Russell Senate Office Building when they…

Lithonia Mayor Deborah Jackson welcomed millennials to the city for a meet-up mixer on July 20. The Lithonia Young Adult Alliance, organized by Amelia Inman, met up for a reception on Main Street to bring business owners together to network. The mayor said she is excited about getting young people involved in the city. “I am impressed by the initiatives taken by Ms. Inman to make a difference in the community,” said Jackson. “The city can benefit from the energy and ideas of our millennial residents. I hope her enthusiasm spreads to others.”

DeKalb County officials and Lifeline Animal Project staff members will host a grand opening for DeKalb’s new animal shelter on Wednesday, July 26, at 10:30 a.m., 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Chamblee. The 33,440-square-foot facility sits on 5.3 acres of land in Chamblee and can accommodate more than 400 animals. The shelter includes 12 adoption rooms and several play yards. The facility also features a 1,300-square-foot clinic that includes a surgery prep and surgery room, lab area, secure pharmacy storage and holding areas for animals scheduled for surgery. The shelter will provide spay-and-neuter services for animals adopted from the shelter.

Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) announced that Rockdale County will receive a grant of more than $200,000 from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to help tackle drug abuse in the community. “I applaud Rockdale County for their continued work to reduce recidivism and help people overcome their mistakes and circumstances,” said Johnson. “This federal funding allows programs like Rockdale’s to touch more people who need treatment, encourage them to make the right choices and change the direction of their lives.” The grant funds will be dispersed to Rockdale County…