Author: On Common Ground News

Conyers, GA—The Conyers Police Department has announced a a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of a suspect involved in a shooting on June 14 at 1160 Forest Villa Drive in Conyers.  That incident is connected to a June 13 shooting on Janice Lane that claimed the life of Dearrious Davenport, 30, of Conyers. Davenport, a father of three children, was at a house party with cousins when an argument escalated into gun violence. Police were dispatched around 10:50 p.m. to 1290 Janice Lane where they found Davenport lying in the road from a gunshot wound. He died at…

CONYERS, GA– Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) will implement the use of Yondr pouches to secure cell phones and personal devices in pre-Kindergarten through eighth grade for the upcoming school year. The move follows Georgia’s Distraction Free Education Act (HB 340), signed into law this year. The new law requires all public schools in Georgia to enact a policy and procedure for the use of personal electronic devices at school and school-sponsored events for students in kindergarten through eighth grade (K-8). “Our classrooms aim to foster an environment where every student can focus, engage, and thrive,” said Superintendent Shirley Chesser. “By…

DECATUR, GA – DeKalb County has fully committed a $5 million federal grant to assist low- to moderate-income households by providing no-cost plumbing repairs, known as the DeKalb CARES Plumbing Repair Program. Funded by the U.S. Department of Treasury under the American Rescue Plan Act, this initiative has spent $1.5 million to future applicants in need of plumbing repairs and committed an additional $3.3 million to future applicants in need of plumbing repairs.   The county has contracts with three professional plumber companies to perform the repairs. “The CARES program allows us to directly address the urgent plumbing problems of low-income…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA–– A 29-year-old man was convicted of fatally shooting a victim execution-style during a strong-armed robbery and blinding a second victim.  A Gwinnett County jury found Hakiem Sherif Williams guilty of malice murder, felony murder, armed robbery, and aggravated assault for shooting and killing 23-year-old Mihn Nguyen in September 2020, and shooting and blinding Cheng Xiu Han, 32. Williams was sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years without the possibility of parole. “This heinous robbery scheme caused irreparable damage to these victims and to their families,” said Gwinnett District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson. “Though the verdict won’t make…

STONECREST, GA— Advancing efforts to promote Black entrepreneurship and economic justice, Dr. Jamal Bryant is celebrating Juneteenth with a two-day pop-up marketplace spotlighting more than 100 Black-owned businesses.  The Juneteenth celebration will take place Saturday, June 21, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, June 22, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., at New Birth’s Samson Family Life Center in Stonecrest. The event is open to the public and will feature a wide range of Black-owned businesses offering fashion, wellness, home goods, gourmet products, and more, alongside live entertainment, giveaways, and family-friendly activities. A limited number of vendor opportunities remain…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– Following recent protests on Chamblee-Tucker Road and across the region, DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson has reaffirmed her commitment to protecting the right to lawful protest while announcing a comprehensive review of law enforcement actions taken during the demonstrations. She also urged caution and clarity in public discourse, recognizing the emotionally charged environment unfolding locally and nationwide. “We will always uphold the right to peacefully protest in DeKalb County,” said Cochran-Johnson. “At the same time, we have a responsibility to protect the safety of our residents, our officers, and the broader community. I stand firmly by my earlier…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA- DeKalb County is mourning the deaths of a woman and a young girl who were shot to death during a domestic disturbance at the Forest of Columbia Apartments in South DeKalb this past weekend.  The suspect, William Lewis Almond, 48, who is now in custody, is the estranged husband of Tomika Pullins, 29, and the uncle of Dior Scott, 7, who were gunned down inside an apartment on Friday, June 13.  DeKalb County Police responded to a call about a double shooting around 2:48 p.m. at the Forest of Columbia Apartments, located in the 2500 block of Columbia…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– The DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections will hold a Special Called Meeting on Wednesday, June 18, at 10 a.m. to conduct a pre-certification review of precinct results, as required by State Election Board Rule 183-1-12-.12. The meeting will take place in person at 4380 Memorial Drive, Suite 300, Decatur. The public may submit comments for consideration, which may be made in person during the meeting or submitted by email. Emails must be one printed page or less, in a minimum 12-point font, and include the sender’s first and last name in the body of the…