Author: On Common Ground News

DEKALB COUNTY—The DeKalb County Sanitation Division will host a free paper shredding event Saturday, May 17, 2025, from 8 a.m. – noon, at the DeKalb County Sanitation Division’s Central Transfer Station, 3720 Leroy Scott Drive, Decatur, GA 30032. Event participants will have an opportunity to responsibly dispose of all types of documents, including sensitive personal documents such as old tax records and legal documents. All documents will be shredded on site, and each participant will be limited to 10 standard-size boxes of paper. Shredding services will be provided by A1 Shredding & Recycling. The event is free and open only…

ATLANTA – State Representative Floyd Griffin (D-Milledgeville, GA ) today issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s announcement to hold a military parade celebration in Washington, D.C.: “President Trump recently announced plans to hold a military parade in Washington, D.C. on June 14, 2025, featuring approximately 6,600 soldiers, 150 vehicles and 50 aircraft carriers to commemorate both the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday and his own. As a retired combat veteran (Vietnam), I deeply respect the service and sacrifice of our U.S. Armed Forces, but using our military as props in a celebration that falls on our president’s birthday…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA–We are so excited to announce that our beautiful new sign is up at Voices of Faith’s Rockdale campus. It is a beacon to travelers along Sigman Road, the gateway to Conyers, GA.   It’s been a longtime coming, delayed by a road widening project and layers and layers of red tape.  We’re praising God for this blessing and looking forward to having our ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark this momentous occasion.    In the meantime, on behalf of Bishop Gary Hawkins, Sr. and First Lady Pamela Hawkins, we invite you to join us for Sunday worship at 11:30 a.m.,1290 Sigman Road.  We will…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA – On Friday, May 9, at 10:30 a.m., Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) will host roundtable with local leaders, parents, and service providers to discuss the potential impact of sweeping Republican budget cuts to programs supporting Georgia’s most vulnerable children, including Medicaid, SNAP, Head Start, and childcare services.  The meeting will be held at Congressman Johnson’s District Office Conference Room, 5240 Snapfinger Park Drive, Suite 140, Decatur, GA. Stakeholders include leaders from the YMCA, Head Start, Easter Seals of North Georgia, Sheltering Arms, and Voices for Georgia’s Children, along with parents who rely on these essential programs. “Make…

DECATUR, GA—DeKalb County State Court, Division B, located at 3630 Camp Circle, Decatur, will host the Traffic Violators Impact Program (“TVIP”) on Thursday, May 8, from 5:30 p.m. until 7 p.m. in Courtroom B-8. The TVIP presentations are held every other month on the second Thursday. The remaining 2025 sessions will be held July, September, and November. The program is geared toward drivers who have been charged withoffenses including, but not limited to, high speeding tickets, texting while driving, or causing an accident by violating the rules of the road. Courts and prosecutors in many jurisdictions refer those drivers to TVIP. Georgia’s Department of Driver Services also refer attendees to the driver improvement courses. For more information, visit www.tvip.org. Participants may register online or in person at the event. There is a $50 fee for attendees who pre-register and need a certificate of…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA–DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson will deliver her inaugural State of the County Address, outlining her vision, priorities, and accomplishments from her first 100 days in office. The event takes place on Thursday, May 8, at 11:30 a.m.   This year’s theme, “Mission Possible: DeKalb Reimagined,” reflects Cochran-Johnson’s approach to transforming county government.  The event will feature key policy updates and a blueprint for reimagining public safety, infrastructure, economic development, and quality of life across DeKalb County. The evening will begin with a cinematic opening video, followed by remarks from the CEO and recognition of county leadership. Local, regional, and state…

DECATUR, GA— Quavion Hale, 20, and Stantavis Reese, 18, were sentenced to life in prison after their convictions for the murder and armed robbery of 20-year-old Akhir Muhammad a gas station in unincorporated Decatur in 2023. DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Gregory A. Adams, who presided over the trial, sentenced Hale to Life Without the Possibility of Parole, plus 25 years. Reese was sentence to Life With the Possibility of Parole, plus 25 years. A jury on April 23 found both Hale and Reese guilty on charges of Malice Murder, two counts of Felony Murder, Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of…