Author: On Common Ground News

The Rockdale County Department of Transportation (RDOT) will temporarily close the railroad crossing to vehicular traffic at Rockdale Industrial Boulevard beginning Monday, May 15, 7 a.m. The railroad crossing will re-open on the morning of Friday, May 19. The closure is due to CSX maintenance work to level the tracks. A detour route will divert traffic to General Arts Road and Old Covington Highway.

  Decatur Business Association brings Motown/Funk to Decatur Square Pack a picnic, spread out a blanket and enjoy a Motown-themed concert on Saturday, May 20, 7 – 9 p.m., on the Square in Decatur. The free concert will feature the Atlanta Funk Society band, which will play classic hits from the ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, including “Superbad” by James Brown, “Underdog” by Sly and The Family Stone, and “Whatcha Gonna Do For Me?” by Chaka Kahn. For more information, visit www.decaturdba.com.   ATLANTA Malcolm X Festival boasts cultural art, music  Celebrate the birthday of international African icon, Malcolm…

Rockdale County Constitutional Officers—Clerk of Courts Ruth Wilson, Sheriff Eric Levett, Probate Judge Clarence Cuthpert Jr. and Tax Commissioner Tisa Smart-Washington—presented Heritage High School senior Tony L. Wilson a $1,000 scholarship for his essay on the role of the Clerk of Courts on May 11. Wilson is only the second student from Rockdale to win the statewide essay contest, said Suzanne Cross, executive director of the Constitutional Officers’ Association of Georgia, Inc. (COAG). The scholarship, she said, has been awarded to students for more than 10 years. Rockdale Clerk Wilson (no relation to Tony Wilson) said she is delighted to…

The public is invited to learn about the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, its trails and self-guided tours. The Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance is hosting an open house on May 23, 1-7 p.m., at its office at 3350 Klondike Road, Lithonia (now the city of Stonecrest). Visitors are welcome to drop in, grab a snack, and speak with staff and board members to learn about the people and places that form the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area (AMNHA). “We work closely with our community partners to bring awareness of the historic, cultural, and natural resources which are important to…

Students had a chance to challenge Orrin “Checkmate” Hudson in a game of chess during Chick-fil-A’s “Kids Night,” which was held on May 9 at the Turner Hill Road location in the city of Stonecrest. Hudson, who teaches students problem-solving skills and how to overcome adversity, told students that they must “put brains before bullets and the only way to fight is to use your head.” The city of Stonecrest Mayor pro tem Diane Adoma and Council member George Turner attended the event. Hudson is hosting a summer boot camp for children and adults June 5-9, 9 a.m. to 3…

DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond will give an update on progress made toward addressing the water billing crisis during his second update meeting on Tuesday, May 23, at 6:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at Rehoboth Baptist Church, 2997 Lawrenceville Highway, Tucker. The location was previously announced to be held at the Maloof Auditorium but the location was changed. The meeting will be broadcast live on Comcast Cable Channel 23 for residents living in DeKalb County. It also will be streamed live on the county website at www.dekalbcountyga.gov. For more information, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/waterbilling.

Volunteers with a vested interest in making Conyers-Rockdale a cleaner, greener and more thriving community cleaned local parks, schools, neighborhoods, roadways and waterways through their participation in the Great American Cleanup (GAC). Keep Conyers-Rockdale Beautiful (KCRB) hosted the half-day event on Sat., April 29 at Pine Log Park in Conyers. More than 270 volunteers representing 25 groups from local schools, church groups, homeowner and civic organizations, scout troops, small families and individuals donated their time to help remove nearly 5 tons, or the equivalent of 10,000 pounds, of garbage and at least 24 tires from locations and dumpsites across the…

The Conyers Welcome Center, located in the historic train depot at 901 Railroad Street in Olde Town Conyers, will temporarily close to the public and visitors on May 15-24. The Conyers Welcome Center will be undergoing renovations including the removal of carpet and painting of the inside of the facility. The existing floor will be sanded and sealed in its original concrete base and the walls and ceiling will be repainted. The Conyers Welcome Center first opened in its original location on Iris Drive prior to the 1996 Olympic Games and then relocated to the depot building in December 2005.…

The Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce is now booking a fall trip to Nice, France that will be filled with sightseeing, stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea, shopping and splendid dining. The Chamber also is booking a December trip, touted as a vacation of a lifetime, to experience Iceland, with its extraordinary landscapes —towering pines, floating icebergs, seals swimming in Arctic waters and the exhilarating Northern Lights, also known as the aurora borealis in this land of many natural wonders. The Chamber is excited to offer both trips to the public at deep discounts, thanks to Collette Travel and…

Registration is now open for MARTA’s Fifth Annual Dump the Pump Scavenger Hunt. Registered teams will gather Saturday, June 10, beginning with registration at 10:30 a.m. at the Five Points MARTA Station’s plaza level. The free scavenger hunt begins at noon and is scheduled to conclude with an awards presentation at 5:30 p.m. Following clues placed in rail stations throughout the MARTA system, teams of four individuals will make their way around Atlanta while deciphering riddles based on the city’s history, facts and general trivia. This year, participating teams have a chance to win a VISA gift card valued up…