Author: On Common Ground News

The city of Stonecrest is drawing national attention since it announced plans to create a town that would be named Amazon, Georgia inside the new city if the tech giant accepts the city’s bid to build its second world headquarters in Stonecrest. Mayor Jason Lary said he has been flooded with calls from media outlets across the country who want to learn more about Stonecrest’s offer to literally put Amazon on the map with its very own town. Along with calls from local media representatives, Lary has been interviewed by AP, CNN.com, Bloomberg and Fortune magazine, just to name a…

An Ellenwood man charged with sexually assaulting two young relatives has been convicted and sentenced to multiple life terms in prison. A DeKalb County jury returned guilty verdicts on Oct. 4 against Russell Cook, 56, on charges of rape, child molestation, aggravated child molestation, aggravated sexual battery, cruelty to children in the first degree, and incest. The charges against Cook span two years, dating back to 2009 when the female victims, then 14 and 10, were in the Defendant’s care at his Ellenwood home. According to the investigation, Cook sexually assaulted the children on repeated occasions, often after physically restraining,…

The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office is inviting all HOA presidents or their representatives to an open house that will be held on Thursday, Oct 26, 6  – 7:30 p.m., at its precinct at 911 Chambers Drive. For more information and to RSVP, contact Michael Meyers at 770-278 – 8105 or by email @ michael.meyers@rockdalecountyga.gov. Discussion topics include: Improving Community Policing Education and Awareness Opportunity to meet some key Sheriff’s Office Personnel Community questions and answers

The city of Conyers, Rockdale County Public Schools and the PATH Foundation will host a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the completion of the latest phase of the Conyers Olde Town Trail on Thursday, Oct. 19, 5:30 p.m. The ceremony will be held in the parking lot of the Nancy Guinn Memorial Library, 864 Green Street, Conyers. Mayor Randy Mills, Conyers City Council members, Rockdale County Public Schools school board members and PATH officials will officially open the $1.7 million SPLOST and PATH-funded project, which stretches nearly 1.57 miles connecting the Nancy Guinn Library to Pine Log Park. Construction of this…

The DeKalb History Center, 101 E. Court Square, Decatur, will host an artist’s reception on Oct. 10, 6 to 8 p.m., for Reclaimed by Nature: The Historic Davidson Quarries of Arabia Mountain during the Atlanta Celebrates Photography Festival. This exhibit by Virginie Drujon-Kippelen features contemporary photos of a former granite quarry at what is now the Davidson-Arabia Mountain Nature Preserve. Years ago, these quarries were an important part of DeKalb County’s economy. Lithonia granite was used in paving and construction projects, including the Historic DeKalb Courthouse. In the 1970s the Davidson family donated more than 500 acres of this land…

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) has appointed Jabari Simama, president of Georgia Piedmont Technical College, to serve on its national Commission on Structured Pathways. The commission’s mission is to improve student pathway implementation throughout the association’s member colleges. “Structured pathways” is a relatively new term in academic circles.  To help students decide on a field of study early in their college careers, many two-year institutions are reforming their advisement processes.  As a result, college administrators are requiring advising teams to communicate more often and more effectively with students.  The objective is to help reduce confusion about which courses…

Marian McDaniel, a veteran who retired from the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, has been named Rockdale County’s Fire Rescue Department’s new deputy fire chief of administration. The position, which hasn’t been filled since the recession hit in 2009, is one that the Board of Commissioners decided to reinstate. Fire Chief Dan Morgan and Chief Joel Yoder, deputy chief of operations, had been sharing the administration responsibilities after the county put the position on hold. McDaniel began her duties on Oct. 2. She brings nearly two decades of knowledge in public safety and emergency service to Rockdale. Starting her career as…

The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners (BOC) has narrowed its search for a Director of Management Information Services (MIS) to two candidates. The finalists are: Maurice D. Ficklin Adult Education Center Teacher – Atlanta Public Schools, Atlanta Chief Information Officer and Director Information Technology – Fulton County Government Chief Information Officer and Director Information Technology – Dougherty County School System, Albany, GA Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Univ. of Arkansas at Pine Bluff – Pine Bluff AR; Masters in Information Systems, Univ. of Phoenix, Phoenix AZ Al Yelverton Director of Information Technology – DeKalb Board of Health, Decatur Director…

The Phyllis M. Banks Performing Arts Ministry of Antioch AME Church presents its annual fall production, “Breakthrough,” which follows a teen’s journey to overcome lies, family secrets and self- destruction. The cast includes Antioch’s Performing Arts Members, along with guest actors.  Lena Weathers-Johnson is Writer/Director and Corrine Williams is President. Please arrive early to secure your seating. The performance will be followed by our Annual Soul Food Fest, featuring a home-made feast prepared by some of Antioch’s best chefs. This community event is free to the public and will be held on Sunday, Oct. 8, 5 p.m. at Antioch AME…

Hands went up excitedly when State Rep. Doreen Carter asked if the class wanted to hear a story. Then the group of 4-year-olds at Voices of Faith Academy in Rockdale County were off on an adventure with Carter, who was accompanied by On Common Ground News editor Valerie Morgan. The pair read Eric Carle’s “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” the tale of the transformation of a caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly. Carter, who represents District 92, which includes DeKalb and Rockdale counties, said she was pleased to celebrate Georgia Pre-K Week with Voices of Faith Academy, where she was welcomed by…