Author: On Common Ground News

DECATUR, GA—Motorists should expect delays on four main roads as DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management implement road closures and work crews replace water main pipes in the impacted areas.   Here’s a look at the scheduled road closures and timelines: North Druid Hills Lane Closures Jan. 24-26 North Druid Hills Road, between Spring Creek Road and Willivee Drive will have lane closures Jan. 24-26 as crews work to tie in a new water main. The work begins on Friday, Jan. 24, at 7:30 a.m., and will continue through Sunday, Jan. 26, at 3 p.m. Engineers and construction crews will work diligently to…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA–The Rockdale Board of Elections will have a special called meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 5:30 p.m., at the Board of Elections Office, 1115 West Ave.  S.W., Conyers. The Precinct Consolidation Committee, comprised of four citizens—Charlotte Gellert, Bob Nesbitt, Cary Bond, and Supervisor of Elections Cynthia Willingham—will discuss its findings and recommendations for the consolidation of the Honey Creek Precinct with Magnet Precinct, and the Hightower Precinct with Milstead Precinct.  The in-person meeting is open to the public and also will be available online for those who would like to attend virtually. Board Chair, the Rev. Aldren Sadler, will…

ATLANTA – MARTA has resumed bus service on all routes except the following due to persisting icy conditions: 8, 24, 81, 103/132, 117, 183, 800, 809, and 823. These routes will be evaluated in the morning, Friday, Jan. 24, and service restored if road conditions allow. MARTA SERVICE UPDATE:  BUS service has resumed on all routes except those listed above.  RAIL service is operating as scheduled. STREETCAR is operating as scheduled.  MOBILITY service has resumed for pre-booked medical trips only. Reservations for all trips resume Jan. 24.  REAL-TIME SERVICE INFO: MARTA (itsmarta.com) Customer Service – 404-848-5000

ATLANTA — The Better Business Bureau has issued a consumer alert regarding hundreds of complaints filed against “Ultra Right Beer, LLC,” also known as “Conservative Dad’s.” The company, established in 2023 according to Georgia Secretary of State records, has garnered significant attention due to issues with delivery and refunds. Consumers have reported paying for beer, clothing, merchandise and other collectible items that never arrived, with some going months without receiving updates. Ultra Right Beer, LLC currently holds an “F” rating with BBB Atlanta & NE Georgia. This rating is based on the 406 complaints filed, of which 395 remain unanswered, and the company’s failure to voluntarily address the pattern of complaint upon…

WASHINGTON, D.C.– On Wednesday, President Trump issued an executive order ending federal programs promoting fair hiring, inclusive workplaces, contracting for minority-owned businesses, other underserved groups, and federal grant preferences programs promoting fair contracting and spending. The President’s order terminates what it calls illegal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) discrimination in the federal workforce, and in federal contracting and spending, according to the White House.  The order revokes Executive Order 11246 contracting criteria mandating affirmative action. It bars the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs from pushing contractors to balance their workforce based on race, sex, gender identity, sexual preference, or religion. Congressman Hank Johnson,…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA–In response to unprecedented winter weather conditions, DeKalb County has declared a state of emergency effective immediately. CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson and county officials are urging all residents to stay off the roads and shelter in place as temperatures remain dangerously low, creating hazardous icy conditions across the region. County road crews have worked throughout the night, applying more than 500 tons of salt, sand, and calcium chloride to treat roads. Despite these efforts, the extreme cold, which dropped below 14°F, rendered these treatments largely ineffective. Conditions remain perilous, with many roads, including Rockbridge Road, River Road, and others, severely impacted by ice.…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA–The Gwinnett County Police Department responded to nearly 2,000 service calls during the first 24 hours of the icy winter storm that hit Georgia this week.  As predicted by weather forecasters, snow flurries began falling in the metro Atlanta area late Tuesday afternoon, blanketing streets, vehicles, homes and buildings as temperatures dropped below freezing.   The Police Department said 1,819 service calls came in between 3 p.m. on Tuesday (Jan. 21) and noon today (Jan. 22). Of these, 572 calls were related to traffic accidents, the department said. Two officers sustained minor injuries while addressing weather-related incidents. A total…

DEKALB COUNTY,  GA—The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) will continue asynchronous independent learning for a third consecutive day on Thursday, Jan. 23, in response to hazardous road conditions continuing to affect metro Atlanta, leaving many DCSD employees unable to leave their homes safely. This decision ensures the continued well-being of students, staff, and families while preserving instructional continuity, officials stated.  Asynchronous learning enables students to complete teacher-provided assignments at their own pace without live instruction. This flexible model allows students to stay on track academically from the safety of their homes. All DCSD employees should report to work on Thursday if…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA–Due to continued hazardous road conditions and refreezing overnight, Superintendent Dr. Oatts has made the decision that tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 23, is a Synchronous Virtual Learning Day for teachers and students. This means that students will be in class online with their teachers.  All extracurricular and school activities will be canceled or rescheduled for a later date. “Our operations team has consulted with county government officials and has carefully driven throughout the county to assess road conditions. We have significant ice remaining in many of our neighborhoods, school entrances and parking lots. We do expect the temperatures tomorrow to become high enough for…