Author: On Common Ground News

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—Today, Dec. 18, the Steering Committee for the 2025 CEO Inaugural Week announced Lorraine Cochran-Johnson will be sworn in during a weeklong celebration set Jan. 8-12. Cochran-Johnson will take the reigns as the 6th Chief Executive Officer of DeKalb County, Georgia, making   history as the first African-American woman to hold the office in the state’s fourth-most populous county.   Cochran-Johnson will be sworn in on Friday, Jan. 10, 5 to 6 p.m., at Emory University, Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church, 1660 N. Decatur Road N.E., Decatur. The Honorable Judge Penny Brown-Reynolds will administer the oath of office. The Honorable Judge Mark…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– Melissa Dowd, 58, of Monroe, GA has been arrested for stealing more than $400,000 from her former employer, Gwinnett County Police said. She was booked into the Gwinnett County Jail on Dec. 17 after the Police Department’s Electronic and Financial Crimes Unit obtained several warrants for her arrest.  Dowd’s employer filed a police report in April concerning the fraud. According to the employer, Dowd would submit false invoices for various vendors.  Once the payments were authorized, Dowd would alter the checks meant for the vendors and list herself as the payee.  She did this over 190 times and…

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA—Stone Mountain First United Methodist Church “The Village Church” is invited kids ages 6-16 to a New Year’s Eve. Celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 3 to 6 p.m. The church is located at 5312 W. Mountain St., Stone Mountain. There will be free pizza, snacks, games, crafts and a movie.  Attendees must register by Dec. 27: https://www.stonemountainfirst.org/ For more information, call 770-469-9767. 

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– Due to forecasted cold weather, DeKalb County will open the following four warming centers for residents on Dec. 20-23s, starting at 8 p.m.: Frontline Response International, 2585 Gresham Road, Atlanta  North DeKalb Senior/Community Center, 3393 Malone Drive, Chamblee (see pickup schedule below for transportation to Frontline)  Mason Mill Recreation Center, 1340 McConnell Drive, Decatur (see pickup schedule below for transportation to Frontline)  Exchange Recreation Center, 2771 Columbia Drive, Decatur (see pickup schedule below for transportation to Frontline)  During warming center activation, transportation pickups will be available to Frontline International according to the following schedule:  Chamblee Library, 4115…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA— A Rockdale County Jail detention deputy and a former employee have been arrested in connection with contraband being smuggled into the jail, according to a statement from the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office. The arrests were announced in a press release issued on Dec. 17 at 8:26 p.m., though officials did not release the names of the individuals involved. The Sheriff’s Office also did not disclose what specific items were brought into the jail or the potential charges the suspects face.  The detention deputy was arrested on Dec. 13. Authorities say further inquiries uncovered additional involvement, leading to the arrest…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA—Michelle Marks has been arrested after kidnapping her 7-year-old son, Royal Marks, in a custody battle.  The Gwinnett County Police Department had put out an alert for Michelle Marks, who also was wanted in Oklahoma after fleeing to Georgia and then taking her son, who was in the custody of his father. Gwinnett County Police Department announced tonight that Michelle Marks and her son were located safely. Detectives learned that Michelle Marks had traveled earlier today, Dec. 17, from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport using an alias. Detectives promptly alerted the Los Angeles Police Department,…

County employees receive $1,500 retention incentive bonus  DECATUR, GA—DeKalb County will end the 2024 fiscal year with a projected $150 million fund balance. “We have ushered in a new era of financial accountability in DeKalb County as evidenced by eight years of balanced budgets and a growing rainy-day fund,” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said today, Dec. 17. The county’s fiscal health allowed CEO Thurmond to authorize a $1,500 employee retention incentive bonus for DeKalb’s 6,000 employees last month. This was the fourth year that employees received a retention incentive bonus. In January 2017, the county faced a $24.7 million…

ATLANTA – Gov. Brian P. Kemp today announced that the State Workforce Development Board has officially approved Georgia’s High Demand Career List, a strategic tool aimed at aligning education, job training, and workforce development initiatives with the needs of Georgia employers.  The High Demand Career List identifies careers that are high-demand,high-wage, and high-skill, serving as a guide to improve education, job training, and spotlight critical industries across the state.   This initiative is a key part of the Governor’s Top State for Talent strategy, which supports Georgia’s reputation as the #1 state for business. By aligning workforce resources to build robust talent pipelines, Georgia will continue to lead as…

ATLANTA – DeKalb County House Delegation Chair Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates) and Vice Chair Viola Davis (D-Stone Mountain), along with members of the DeKalb County Legislative Delegation, will hold a pre-session town hall meeting on Tuesday, Dec.17, at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. State representatives will hear from the public concerning the upcoming 2025 legislative session. Inquiries may be sent to long.tran@house.ga.gov. WHO:            DeKalb House Legislative Delegation Chair Karla Drenner (D-Avondale Estates) Vice Chair Viola Davis (D-Stone Mountain)                         Members of the DeKalb County Legislative Delegation WHAT:          DeKalb County Legislative Delegation Pre-Session Town Hall WHEN:          Tuesday, December 17, 2024                         6:30 p.m.      …