Author: On Common Ground News

I recently had the opportunity to attend opening night for the new hit play, Blackberry Daze. Directed by award-winning writer/director Thomas W. Jones II, the play is a musical adaptation of the novel, Blackberry Days of Summer, by Ruth P. Watson. The stage play made its debut last September at the MetroStage in Alexandria, Virginia and will run at Horizon Theatre Company in Atlanta until Aug. 27. Set post-World War I in small town Virginia, the audience can feel the sweltering heat of the summer the moment the town gambler, Herman Camm (TC Carson), walks onto the stage. Sly, charming…

Children and parents in the Gresham Park community were full of smiles as DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson and other county officials held a ribbon cutting ceremony recently for a new playground at the Gresham Park Recreation Center. The completion of the project was part of the $1.2 million parks bond investment by Johnson, who represents District 3. Johnson said he is proud of the new playground because it is historic. It is located next to the first DeKalb school named after the nation’s first black President, Barack Obama. A nearby trail, when completed, will be named after First…

DeKalb County youths ages 14 to 18 are invited to join the South DeKalb Police Precinct for the 16th Annual National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) Youth Leadership Conference. The conference will be held July 31 to Aug. 2, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at St. Philip AME Church, 240 Candler Road, Atlanta. Workshops will include “The Importance of Financial Responsibility;” The Law and Your Community; Strategic Planning for Youth; Community Service: How to Serve Better; What Kind of Leader Do You Want to Be?; Strategies to Scholarships; Understanding Your Political Landscape. A memorial march and community service…

The 8th Annual Community Day with DeKalb County Law Enforcement agencies will be held Wednesday, Aug. 2, starting at 8 a.m. at Stars and Strikes bowling center, 1741 Mountain Industrial Blvd., Stone Mountain. The annual event brings together more than 100 DeKalb County youths and law enforcement representatives for a morning of bowling and words of encouragement to start the new school year. In addition to free bowling, pizza and soft drinks, all youth participants receive a packet of back-to-school supplies. According to Tom Walker, Sr., who began the program with former Sheriff Thomas Brown, the objectives are to present…

DeKalb County Sanitation Division will host “Amnesty Day,” an opportunity for DeKalb County residents to dispose of items such as furniture and construction and demolition materials without charge. The free event will be held on Saturday, July 29, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., at the Seminole Road Landfill, 4203 Clevemont Road, Ellenwood. During “Amnesty Day,” a part of the Operation Clean Sweep initiative, items such as tires, yard trimmings, bagged garbage and appliances can be disposed at the landfill. No hazardous materials will be accepted. The event is open to DeKalb County residents and proof of residency is required. For…

The DeKalb Parks Citizen Advisory Board Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 25, at 6 p.m., at the Fire Rescue Headquarters, 1950 West Exchange Place, Tucker. The meeting will take place on the first floor in Room 111. Information will be provided on current park improvements and recreation projects. For more information, contact Carol Underwood, administrative coordinator at 404-371-2927 or cjunderw@dekalbcountyga.gov.

The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners (BOC), in an effort to be more accessible to the community, will hold an evening meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 7 p.m., at Lorraine Elementary School, 3343 East Fairview Road, SW, Stockbridge. For more information, contact Jennifer Rutledge, County Clerk, at jennifer.rutledge@rockdalecountyga.gov.

The DeKalb County Police Narcotics Unit seized 230 pounds of marijuana and arrested two suspects on drug trafficking charges after obtaining a search warrant. Police responded to a call at 2952 North DeKalb Drive in reference to marijuana plants that were located in plain view on the apartment porch. After obtaining a search warrant and making contact with the occupants, detectives located 230 pounds of marijuana as well as smaller amounts of cocaine, ecstasy, ketamine, and an undetermined amount of money. Meigui Wang, 52, was charged with Violation of the Georgia Controlled Substances Act (VGCSA), trafficking marijuana, possession of cocaine…

Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) continued his small business initiative on July 19 with another informational roundtable, which was held at the (e) station in Olde Town Conyers. The meeting was the second installment of the Advancement of the Small Business Community initiative, which launched in June with DeKalb County small business owners at Georgia Piedmont Technical College in Clarkston. The roundtable in Conyers, conducted by Betty Mason from the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and Terri Denison of the Small Business Administration (SBA), offered information on federal and state resources available to assist small businesses. During the meeting, participants had…

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) has elected DeKalb County District Health Director S. Elizabeth Ford, MD, M.B.A., to its 2017-2018 Board of Directors. NACCHO is governed by a 24-member board that comprises local and tribal health officials who are elected by their peers. The Board also includes ex-officio members who represent the National Association of Counties and the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Ford’s 2-year term as an at-large member began on July 1. As the governing body, the Board of Directors establishes NACCHO’s strategic direction and initiatives, sets the annual legislative agenda, approves official statements…