Author: On Common Ground News

CONYERS, GA– Conyers Police Department is investigating the death of a male who was located on Wednesday, Sept. 30, around 9 a.m. at the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) construction site on Interstate 20 near Highway 138. Authorities issued an alert for motorists in rush-hour morning traffic to avoid the area.  The deceased was not a construction worker and was not associated with the Georgia Department of Transportation project, police stated in a press release. No threat to the public has been identified, police said. The man’s identity is being withheld at this time as detectives work to locate and…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA – A Mississippi man was found guilty of sexually abusing a teenaged girl. A Gwinnett County jury found Caleb Jamal Burton, 25, guilty of aggravated sexual battery, aggravated child molestation, and six counts of child molestation for sex acts he committed against a 15-year-old girl in 2021 when he was 19. He was sentenced to 30 years to serve 25 in prison. “We are pleased that this outcome can begin to bring some closure to this victim and her family,” Gwinnett District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. “And we are thankful for the trial team who worked diligently for…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA— The DeKalb Board of Registration and Elections (BRE) will hold a Scheduled Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 4:30 p.m. This meeting will be conducted in person at 4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300, Decatur, and is open to the public. Public comments may be made in person or submitted by sending an email of one printed page or less at a minimum font of 12 to electionspubliccmnt@dekalbcountyga.gov , which must be received between 35 and 5 minutes before the scheduled start of the meeting. The body of the email must include your first and last name. By submitting an email…

ATLANTA – Gov. Brian P. Kemp joined the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) in announcing that the state broke tourism records for the fourth consecutive year and ranked No. 5 in the nation for domestic overnight visitation for the sixth year in a row. Speaking at the annual Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference on Sept. 30, Kemp shared that a record 175.6 million domestic and international visitors in calendar year 2025 spent $46.2 billion on Georgia’s lodging, restaurants, transportation, and other local businesses, surpassing the previous record set in 2024 by more than 2%. Those tourism dollars generated $5.3 billion in state…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced the conviction by jury trial of a man accused of shooting and killing a parking services employee who was dispatched to remove a boot from the defendant’s brother’s car.  On Tuesday, Sept. 29, Otis Blakes, 34, was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Kerwin Hinds, 47, an employee of Empire Parking Services. DeKalb County Superior Court Chief Judge Shondeana C. Morris, who presided over the trial, sentenced Blakes to Life in Prison, plus five years to serve.  Blakes was found guilty of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault,…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—DeKalb County has selected Georgia-based visual artist Richard Martin to create the County’s signature cow sculpture as part of “The Cows Are Coming,” a public art initiative celebrating DeKalb’s history, culture and community through creative expression. Martin’s winning concept, “DeKalb: Where We Grow,” transforms the cow sculpture into a visual journey through DeKalb County beginning with its agricultural and dairy roots and evolving to reflect community life, culture, diversity, arts, innovation and a forward-looking vision of the county’s future. Martin describes the cow as more than a reference to DeKalb’s history, but as “a canvas illustrating how a community can grow while carrying its…

ATLANTA – Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced that his office is debuting a new “I Voted” sticker available to Georgia voters during the 2026 General Election. Renowned Georgia artist Steve Penley of Penley Art Co. created the exclusive design. “We are excited to debut this one-of-a-kind sticker by renowned artist Steve Penley,” said Secretary Raffensperger. “Voting is one of the easiest ways Georgians can make their voices heard, and this sticker gives voters a fun way to celebrate participating in democracy. I hope Georgians will wear the sticker proudly and encourage their friends and family to do the same.”…

ATLANTA – Gov. Brian P. Kemp on Monday, Sept. 28, declared a state of emergency due to global market volatility and suspended the state’s motor fuel excise tax for a period of 30 days.  The suspension will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Sept. 29 and run through Oct. 29.  The governor’s executive order declaring the state of emergency also suspends state weight limits on commercial vehicles, further reducing the cost factored into everyday goods including those bought in grocery stores. Read the governor’s executive order here.  “Over the past several years, with the help of our partners in the General Assembly, we’ve…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– Extended hours for the property tax office located at 4380 Memorial Drive in Decatur ends Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. Taxpayers are temporarily being rerouted to the UGA Extension entrance at the front of the building to accommodate walk-in taxpayers. Customers with disabilities may still use the main entrance off Northern Avenue. “We’re reminding customers who prefer to make payments in person to consider visiting our satellite office locations at South DeKalb Mall and Clairmont Road,” said Tax Commissioner Nicole Golden. “Lines are typically long at the central property tax office before the first installment deadline.” Walk-in service is…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA – Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) highlights the achievements of the Class of 2026, with more than four out of five students graduating on time and more than 90% ultimately earning a high school diploma. The district’s overall 2026 graduation rate is 86.05%. The four-year cohort rate is 84% while the five-year graduation rate climbed to 90.05%, reflecting the perseverance of students and the continued commitment of educators, families, and staff members to student success.  While district leaders recognize the slight decline in the graduation rate over the Class of 2025, they are encouraged by the growth in…