Author: On Common Ground News

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—Drew Brooks, 40, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Tuesday, May 7,  for the May 25, 2022 shooting death of his landlord, Ashley Wakins, 33.  DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced that jurors found Brooks guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter, Felony Murder, two counts of Aggravated Assault, and two counts of Possession of a Firearm in connection with Watkins death. DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Tangela M. Barrie, who presided over the trial, handed down the 25-year sentence to Brooks plus 10 years of probation. According to the investigation, officers with the DeKalb County Police Department responded to…

Updated: May 9, 2024

ATLANTA—Three state lawmakers have refiled House Bill 1032, the Property Owner Rights and Accountability Act,” which proposes to eliminate the option for property associations to foreclose on homes for unpaid assessments. The legislators who have refiled the bill are State Representatives Viola Davis (D-Stone Mountain); Sandra Scott (D-Rex) and Kim Scholfield 9D-Atlanta). “By removing the $2,000 minimum threshold for foreclosure, the bill aims to protect property owners from losing their homes over association fees. This move seeks to address concerns about the potential abuse of assessment fees, which have, at times, been used to unfairly target homeowners. “Over the years,…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA–Austin Elementary School will hold a ceremony on Wednesday, May 8, to honor Sarv Dharavane, a fourth grader at the Dunwoody school who won the 63rd Annual Georgia Association of Educators State Spelling Bee in March. As the winner, Sary has earned an all-expenses-paid trip to National Harbor, Maryland, where he will compete in the nationally-televised Scripps National Spelling Bee, beginning with preliminaries on May 28 and concluding with the finals on May 30. Twenty students ranging from 10 to14 years old, from 3rd through 8th grades, competed in the state Spelling Bee. After over 400 words over 18…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– The N.H. Scott Recreation Center will host cheerleading tryouts on Sunday, May 19, 2230 Tilson Road, Decatur, 2 to 4: pm. Registration is now open. DeKalb County youths ages 6 to 17 are invited to try out for the DeKalb Diamond Eagles competitive cheerleading team. Registration is free and patrons are encouraged to dress appropriately. To access online registration, visit www.dekalbcountyga.gov/parks and click the “Register Now” button on the department’s homepage or register in person at a recreation center. For more information, contact LaShanda Davis, Recreation, and Parks and Cultural Affairs public relations specialists, at 404-710-6331.

Updated: May 8, 2024

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– Gwinnett County Police are seeking help from the public to identify an armed robbery suspect. On March 31, at approximately 1:40 a.m., a victim reported that while using the drive-through ATM, he was robbed at knifepoint. This incident occurred at the Wells Fargo Bank, located at 2732 Meadow Church Road in unincorporated Duluth. The victim stated that while he was initiating a transaction at the ATM machine, the pictured suspect approached him and pulled out a knife. Ultimately, the suspect took the victim’s wallet and fled the area on foot. The suspect was described as a black…

CONYERS, GA—Conyers City Manager Tony Lucas announced the appointment of Scott Gaither, formerly deputy director of Planning and Inspections, as director of the department effective immediately. Gaither succeeds Marvin Flanigan, who retired ON April 30 as the first director of the department after 43 years of service. Gaither joined the city of Conyers in 2019 and has more than 20 years of professional planning experience. Prior to joining the city of Conyers, Gaither served as planning director for the city of Covington and as a planner for Rockdale County. Gaither holds a Bachelor of Science degree in urban policy studies and…

ATLANTA—Thousands of youths will be hired again this summer under Mayor Andre Dickens’ Summer Youth Employment Program. The Atlanta City Council has approved a $2 million allocation for Dickens’ signature program, which will be open to Atlanta residents ages 14-24. Last year, 5,135 youths were hired and earned an average hourly wage of $17.27. City officials said 157 employers participated in the 2023 program offering a wide variety of jobs. Sponsored by Councilmember Andrea L. Boone, the legislation for this year’s program amends the FY 2024 General Fund to provide funding to the Department of Labor and Employment Services to hire…

DECATUR, GA– DeKalb County Public Library Board of Trustees will hold a regular meeting at 4:30 p.m. on Monday, May 13, at Toco Hill-Avis G. Williams Library, 1282 McConnell Drive, Decatur. The meeting will also be live-streamed. To receive a link to the livestream, contact weissingera@dekalblibrary.org no by Monday, May 13 at noon. For more details and the agenda, click here.