Author: On Common Ground News

DECATUR, GA ––A man wanted in connection with the July 23 road rage murder on I-285 has been arrested, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office announced today, Sept. 9.  Investigators took Raul Antonio Escobar-Paz, 45, into custody without incident at a Gwinnett County residence. He was transported to the DeKalb County Jail, where he is being held without bail, authorities said. DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Process Fugitive Unit, with assistance from the DeKalb County Police Gang Unit and the U.S. Marshals made the arrest.  Esobar-Paz was wanted on multiple warrants following a vehicle collision and subsequent altercation on July 23, 2026,…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services will host a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony Friday, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. at the Gwinnett Fallen Heroes Memorial, located at 75 Langley Drive in Lawrenceville.  County leaders, public safety agencies, veterans and community members are invited to come together and remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost, honor those who answered the call to serve and reflect on the courage, sacrifice and unity demonstrated on that day.  District 3 Commissioner Jasper Watkins III, a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Army, will deliver the keynote address and share his personal perspective from serving on active duty during the attack at the Pentagon, where he assisted in the emergency care and placement of wounded personnel. “Running toward chaos is what we…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA.— The DeKalb County Police Department (DKPD) invites the public to a special ceremony remembering the victims of the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. The ceremony will be held on Friday, Sept. 11, at 8:46 a.m. in front of DeKalb County Police Headquarters, 1960 W. Exchange Place, Tucker. All are welcome to attend as DeKalb County Police honor those who lost their lives on that tragic September day 25 years ago.

CONYERS, GA– Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) is celebrating the top three finalists selected for the district’s for e 2026-2027 Teacher of the Year.   The finalists are (in alphabetical order): Gena Jeselnik of Rockdale Virtual Campus; Mebane Key of Rockdale Career Academy; and Antoinette Neil of Shoal Creek Elementary School. A team headed by Superintendent Stephanie Johnson, Rockdale County Board of Education Chairwoman Sandra Jackson-Lett, board members Tonya Bloodworth, Pamela Brown and Akita Parmer, district cabinet members, school leaders, and staff greeted each teacher with the surprise announcement and commended the finalists. “On behalf of the Rockdale County Board of Education, I extend our sincere congratulations to this…

ATLANTA–The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) will soon distribute more than 87,000 books to children enrolled in Georgia’s Pre-K across the state. This year’s book is the vibrant and colorful “Every Amazing Song,” co-authored by Coy Bowles, a member of the Grammy Award-winning Zac Brown Band, and Malcolm Mitchell, a former UGA football star and Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots. Both authors are dedicated champions of early childhood education and literacy. The book will be celebrated during Georgia Pre-K Week, Oct. 5–9. The annual event, now in its 16th year, promotes early learning and literacy. DECAL will…

GWINNETT COUNTY, G—Anannya Aneesh, a senior at Mountain View High School and member of the USA Women’s Under-19 (U19) Cricket Team, is headed to the World Cup in 2027. “It feels amazing to be part of the team that helped qualify USA to the U19 World Cup because it’s been my dream for so long,” Anannya says. “I’ve always strived toward representing the country on the world stage and I’m glad that I could be part of the team while accomplishing such a huge feat.” The USA Women’s U19 team won all six of its matches during the 2026 International Cricket Council (ICC) U19 Women’s…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– The Gwinnett County Police Department(GCPD) has charged three officers and terminated their employment as part of an ongoing investigation into the misuse of the Flock license plate reader system. Renee Downer was arrested and charged in May with Simple Battery and Stalking. Derric Holmes has been charged with six counts of Misuse of License Plate Data. Matthew Lau has been charged with one count of Misuse of License Plate Data. These investigations remain active and additional charges may follow. Since implementing Flock in 2019, the County has continually explored ways to improve its use and increase safeguards to prevent abuse,…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—Registration is underway now for the 2026 DeKalb County Small Business Summit and Pitch Competition, which will be held on Oct. 14 at the Emory Conference Center Hotel, 1615 Clifton Road, Decatur.  The 2026 Small Business Summit  is sponsored by the Office of the CEO, the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, and the Decide DeKalb Development Authority. Small business owners are invited for a full day built around access to capital, a way into county contracting, tools that save time, and straight answers about running a legitimate business. Business owners will spend the day with the people who make those…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– The DeKalb County Board of Education will consider the approval of Dr. Norman C. Sauce III as the finalist for Superintendent of the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) during its monthly meeting on Monday, Sept. 14 The item is included on the Board’s meeting agenda for consideration and a vote. If approved, Sauce would be named the finalist in the Board’s search for the next Superintendent of the DeKalb County School District. The Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72(a)(11), requires that the name of the finalist be made public “at least 14 calendar days prior to the…

ATLANTA- Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 9, county election officials in all six counties in the Aug. 25 Special Runoff for U.S. House of Representatives District 13 hand counted randomly selected ballots as part of a risk limiting audit (RLA). The purpose of the audit was to confirm the accuracy of the results. The audit confirmed that Democrat Everton “E.J.” Blair defeated fellow Democrat Marcye Scott in the runoff to fill the unexpired term of long-time Congressman David Scott, who passed away on April 22, 2026 at the age of 80. Marcye Scott is the daughter of David Scott.   A risk limit of…