Author: On Common Ground News

To kickoff National Park Week and National Junior Ranger Day on April 21, the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance will present its first-ever Junior Ranger Ramble. Great for the entire family, the event encourages kids ages 5 and up to discover the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area through guided and self-guided activities at many of our partner sites from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The adventure begins at the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve where families will pick up a passport with a schedule and self-guided activities including hikes, birdwatching, nature study and more. After checking in, families can ramble at…

Clean out the house, make some cash and shop for interesting treasures at this outdoor event.  Rockdale’s Community Spring Yard Sale will be held on April 28, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Government Annex Building Parking Lot, 1400 Parker Road, Conyers. Set-up time is 7 a.m. Rockdale’s Parks and Recreation Department reserves the right to prohibit certain items for sale.  The fee is $10 per parking space for Rockdale residents who would like to sell and $15 for non-residents. Participants pay on the day of the event and must provide their own tables and chairs.  For more information,…

In celebration of National Poetry Month in April, DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs will host its third annual Poetry Slam on Friday, April 27, 7 p.m., at Mason Mill Recreation Center, 1340 McConnell Drive, Decatur.  DeKalb youths, ages 5 to 17, who would like to participate in the event must register by April 20. The Poetry Slam features young poets and writers from DeKalb during an evening that celebrates the power of words and music.  To register, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/parks and click the “Register Now” button on the department’s homepage, or register in person at any DeKalb recreation center.…

The DeKalb County School District’s (DCSD) very own television show, The Bridge, goes live for the first episode of its fifth season on April 10.  The all-student variety show features district-related news updates, comedy skits, game shows, science demonstrations, actor/actress spotlights, as well as real-time, student-led conversations about such topics as music’s effects on the brain, creative careers and more. Students are mentored by industry experts, as well as school district staff. Each show also features celebrity guests from the music and entertainment industry. The Bridge’s cast members auditioned for spots on the show, which also airs on the PDS-TV24…

The Cedar Grove High School cluster, comprised of Cedar Grove High, Cedar Grove Middle, Cedar Grove Elementary and Oak View Elementary, is collecting toiletries for the poor.  The schools are accepting donations of soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, combs and brushes that will be placed in shoeboxes to distribute to the needy.  Volunteers will host a Shoebox Social on April 12, from 4 to 7 p.m., where they will pack shoeboxes filled with the donated items.  The cluster hopes to surpass last year’s collection of 500 shoeboxes. DCSD invites community stakeholders to join Cedar Grove’s efforts to help those in…

Rockdale Career Academy students are building their resumes with some real work. Recently, students put their classroom knowledge to work in a real-world project to renovate the RCA media center, with funding help from the Lowe’s Toolbox for Education program.  Students from Construction teacher Brett Creel’s classes, Graphic Design teacher Shaun Freeman’s classes, and Interior Design teacher Lydia Churillo’s classes all worked on the media center over two years. Interior Design students created an idea board and helped determine the color palette, cloth patterns and furniture styles. Construction students built a scale model, measuring the entire facility and furniture, to…

DeKalb Emergency Management Agency and DeKalb Fire Rescue Reserve recently trained 160 participants at DeKalb Fire Rescue Headquarters on traumatic bleeding control as part of the nationwide Stop the Bleed Day.  Participants received instruction on bleeding control techniques from significant traumatic injuries such as workplace incidents, car accidents or an active shooter event. The course included hands-on demonstrations in which attendees practiced traumatic care of putting on tourniquets, applying pressure to slow bleeding and packing a wound with materials available.  “The Stop the Bleed training program is something that everybody in the community should take advantage of,” Emergency Management Director…

By Ruth A. Wilson Clerk of Courts By law, we, in the Clerk of Courts Office, are not permitted to provide legal advice or referrals even though we are regularly asked to do so. We want to be as helpful as possible to our patrons and constituents so we make a great effort to provide regular information on where legal assistance can be found.  Following are five free opportunities and resources: Ask A Lawyer Day, April 13 The event will be held 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., Nancy Guinn Memorial Library, 864 Green Street, Conyers. Topics:  Family, Wills & Estates,…

In an effort to share information about the proposed courthouse referendum, Rockdale County government officials have scheduled informational sessions and tours for the public.  The public will be able to view displays with information about the proposed referendum, ask questions and share concerns. The county’s upcoming informational sessions are: Tuesday, April 17, 6 – 7 p.m., Shoal Creek Elementary, 1300 McWilliams Road S.W., Conyers • Tuesday, May 15, 6 – 7 p.m., Honey Creek Elementary, 700 Honey Creek Road, S.E., Conyers The guided tours of the Rockdale County Courthouse will be held at 922 Court St., Conyers. The dates and…

The City of Conyers is inviting the public to learn more about the city’s bond referendum on the May 22 ballot. Public meetings and tours will be held on Tuesday, April 10; Thursday, April 26 and Tuesday, May 5 to 10 7 p.m., at the Conyers City Council Chambers, located on the second floor of the Conyers Police Department, 1194 Scott Street.  The city’s proposed bond will be used to upgrade the Conyers Police Department, build a dedicated municipal courtroom and construct a new City Hall. For more information, call 770-483-4411.