Author: On Common Ground News

DeKalb County, in partnership with the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, announced an initiative to help approximately 150,000 Georgians reduce the principals on their underwater mortgages. “DeKalb County residents who owe more than their homes are worth can get the relief they need from this federally-funded program,” said DeKalb Interim CEO Lee May. “This program can help eligible DeKalb residents stay in their homes.” Many areas throughout the county were affected by the Great Recession as home prices plunged and the job market shrank. Through the new, limited-time, federally-funded state initiative called “Underwater Georgia,” eligible applicants may be able to…

The Georgia Department of Human Services stands ready to assist older Georgians making decisions about Medicare health and prescription drug plans during this year’s Medicare open enrollment period. The enrollment period for Medicare, which serves millions of older Americans, will open Oct. 15 and end Dec. 7. The GeorgiaCares program, administered through the Department’s Division of Aging Services (DAS), is available now through the end of the enrollment period to help Georgians make informed decisions about Medicare health and prescription drug plans. GeorgiaCares is the name for Georgia’s federally-funded State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). The program provides free, unbiased, one-on-one counseling and assistance to Medicare beneficiaries as…

Orrin “Checkmate” Hudson, founder of the Be Someone mentoring organization based in DeKalb County, has been tapped to help Disney Studios promote the new film, “Queen of Katwe,” starring the Academy award winning actress Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years A Slave) and David Oyelowo. A national marketing company working with Disney selected Hudson for the project. He said company officials told him that his reputation around the country as a chess champion who mentors youths was ideal for the promotion of the film. Hudson said he has worked with more than 50,000 youths in various school districts and programs throughout the…

DeKalb County Superior Court Judge J.P. Boulee’ on Oct. 4 issued an order denying a motion to drop charges against former DeKalb policeman Robert Olsen. Olsen was accused of shooting and killing U.S. Airforce veteran Anthony Hill in March 2015 while responding to reports that Hill was naked and causing a disturbance. Olsen, now a former DeKalb County Police officer, is charged with two counts of felony murder, aggravated assault, making false statements and two counts of violation of oath of public office in connection with the shooting.

An Ellenwood man convicted of violently killing his 6-month-old daughter was sentenced today to life in prison. Reginald Demarcus Johnson will spend at least 30 years in prison before having the possibility of parole. Johnson, 36, was convicted in August of felony murder and first-degree cruelty to children for the April 2015 death of Jordan Johnson. Jordan died of blunt force trauma to the head. An autopsy showed that she had multiple skull fractures and bleeding inside her brain, although Johnson told first responders that the 6-month-old’s twin brother may have been responsible. However, evidence at trial from medical experts…

The DeKalb County Police Department is asking for help from the public in identifying a ‘Jane Doe’ found Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016 off Wesley Chapel Road, near I-20. The woman is described as a Black female in her middle to late thirties.  She is approximately 5-feet-5-inches tall, 120-130 pounds, with black hair.  She has no distinguishable markings and was carrying no ID.  The victim was discovered severely beaten and transported to an area hospital.

State Sen. Emanuel Jones (D – Decatur) will host a town hall meeting on Monday, Oct. 10, at Fairview Recreation Center, 7 to 8:30 p.m., 35 Austin Road, Stockbridge. He also will host a meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 6 to 8 p.m., at New Life Baptist Church, 3592 Flat Shoals Road, Decatur. A wide range of issues affecting District 10 will be discussed. The meetings will focus on community updates from county commissioners, highway construction projects, Opportunity School Districts, school discipline issues, and law enforcement. The community is invited.

Sen. JaNice VanNess (R – Conyers) will hold a town hall meeting to discuss and review criminal justice reform and its impact on the community. The meeting will be held Monday, Oct. 10, 6 p.m., at the Rockdale Career Academy, 1064 Culpepper Drive, Conyers. The benefits of taxpayer investment in criminal justice reform programs will also be addressed. Van Ness will be joined by Sen. John F. Kennedy (R- Macon) and Appellate Court Judge Michael Boggs.

Georgia Piedmont Technical College’s (GPTC) reported an increase of four percent over last year’s enrollment, bringing this Fall’s total to 4,088 students. “Our students realize that an opportunity to develop their skills at a technical college will produce a significant return on their investment,” said GPTC President Jabari Simama.  “The uptick in our enrollment speaks to the high-quality programs we offer.  The economic disparity between college graduates and those individuals who only earn a high school diploma has never been greater. In this economy, some form of post secondary education is essential for individuals who want to enter the middle…

A new iOS mobile app has launched to improve metro Atlanta’s air quality and congestion by boosting ridesharing across the region. Georgia Commute Options launched the iOS GAcommuter App on Oct 3 to help commuters find and securely message potential carpool partners near their homes and workplaces. A program of the Georgia Department of Transportation, Georgia Commute Options offers cash incentives to those who usee alternative commutes such as carpooling, vanpooling, transit, telework, walking and biking. “We want to remove barriers to clean commuting,” says Phil Peevy, Georgia DOT’s Air Quality and Technical Resource Branch Chief. “Many commuters mistakenly think…