Author: On Common Ground News

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—Rockdale County Sheriff Eric Levett has announced new inmate mail procedures are being implemented at the Rockdale County Jail to prevent contraband from entering the facility.  The crackdown follows a recent incident involving a Rockdale jail detention deputy and a former employee who were arrested in connection with contraband smuggled into the jail.  The Sheriff’s Office announced the arrests in December but did not disclose the identities of the suspects or the specific items that were smuggled, stating that the investigation was ongoing.  Sheriff Levett praised his team’s investigative work and promised that action would be taken against those involved. …

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—The DeKalb County Police Department (DKPD) is hosting four town halls in the month of January. Starting on Jan. 7, 2025, these open forums will allow community members to come together to discuss important issues, ask questions and learn from DKPD about the challenges and successes in 2024 and the goals for 2025.  The community also will have a chance to check out the DKPD’s new Mobile Precinct, which will be showcased at the meetings. The mobile precinct made its first deployment on Dec. 24 to LA Fitness on Church Street in Decatur. Officials say the mobile precinct…

ROCKDALE COUNTY—Join State Rep. Rhonda Taylor (District 92) for a Zoom discussion on Georgia’s new House Bill 581 on Jan. 8, 6:30 p.m. Taylor, who represents portions of DeKalb and Rockdale counties, will facilitate the discussion.    HB 581, effective Jan.1, 2925, introduces a statewide homestead exemption that caps the annual increase in property values for tax purposes. This exemption impacts property taxes for cities, counties, and school districts. To opt out, local governments or school districts must adopt a resolution and complete several steps between Jan. 1 and March 1, 2025: Don’t miss this chance to learn how this new…

DECATUR, GA–The DeKalb County Board of Registration and Elections meeting for the purpose of conducting its normal monthly business will be held on Thursday, Jan. 9, 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 your email must include your…

DECATUR, GA– DeKalb County Public Library Board of Trustees will hold a regular meeting on Monday, Jan. 13, at 4:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at Darro C. Willey–Administrative Center, 3560 Kensington Rd., Decatur.  The meeting will also be livestreamed. To receive a link to the livestream, contact weissingera@dekalblibrary.org no later than Monday, Jan. 13, at noon.  

STONECREST, GA—Patsy Ringfield Turner, the wife of Stonecrest Mayor pro tem George Turner, Jr., has passed away. Mrs. Turner was called to her heavenly home at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1, after courageously battling breast cancer.  She was 70.  George Turner said his beloved Patsy was his “soulmate” and they shared 40 years of marriage together. He said that she was at home in hospice when she passed away.  City of Stonecrest Mayor Jazzmin Cobble and the City Council issued a statement offering condolences to Mayor pro tem George Turner and his family:   “It’s with the utmost level of…

ATLANTA – The body of President Jimmy Carter, who died on Dec. 29, 2024, at the age of 100, will lie in repose at The Carter Presidential Center from 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 4, through 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7, before being taken to Washington, D.C., for services there. MARTA will provide direct bus service from King Memorial rail station to The Carter Presidential Center for those who wish to pay tribute to the nation’s only president from Georgia. President Carter, a native of Plains, also served two terms as a Georgia State Senator and as the state’s 76th governor…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA–Gwinnett County Police detectives have arrested Khaden Williams, 18, of DeKalb County and charged him in connection with a shooting that left a 15-year-old male injured outside the Mall of Georgia in Buford.  The victim is being treated at a local hospital for injuries and his identity is not being released at this time, authorities said.  The shooting occurred on Saturday, Jan. 4, shortly around 9:30 p.m., after the mall had closed, authorities said. An officer working a security detail at the mall heard gunshots and immediately ran toward the direction where the shots were fired, Gwinnett County…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– DeKalb County’s Super District 7 Commissioner LaDena Bolton will host three community listening sessions beginning this week—North DeKalb, Central DeKalb and South DeKalb. As the newly-elected Super District 7 commissioner, Bolton represents approximately 385,000 residents who live in the eastern half of the county including unincorporated DeKalb and the cities of Doraville, Tucker, Pine Lake, Stone Mountain, Stonecrest and Lithonia. Bolton succeeds Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, who secured the seat to become DeKalb County’s first black female CEO.  Bolton is inviting the public to come out and share their priorities, concerns and ideas as she and other invited community leaders prepare…