Author: On Common Ground News

DEKALB, GA– A date has been set for the trial of a man accused of murdering two people—one of them who was the suspect’s 14-year-old niece in 2018.  DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Tangela Barrie has scheduled the case to begin with jury selection at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 9, in Courtroom 5C, the Office of DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry stated in a news release Royce Stewart, 42, is accused of committing the double morning murders around 9:30 a.m. on March 25, 2018 at the Trinity Walk Apartments in Decatur, according to the investigation. A DeKalb County Grand…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—The one-week qualifying period ended on Friday, April 5, for the Special Election that will be held on Nov. 5 to fill two unexpired terms on the seven-member Board of Commissioners. Both, the District 3 race and the Super District 7 race, have four candidates.The contenders officially entered the races by filing their qualifying papers and fees to run for the seats. The District 3 seat was previously held by long-time Commissioner Larry Johnson, who stepped down to run for DeKalb CEO. The DeKalb County Board of Elections and Registration released the following candidates who are in the…

DECATUR, GA– DeKalb County Sheriff’s deputies made arrests last weekend in two separate contraband drops at the DeKalb County. Latrenia Renee Reives, 21, of Decatur was arrested March 30 on charges of Criminal Trespass and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, both misdemeanors. According to warrants, Reives was apprehended around midnight after she allegedly drove a vehicle up to the jail. Her passenger, later determined to be a minor child, left the car and attached a bag to a rope dangling from an inmate cell window. Although officers stopped the vehicle, the bag and its unverified contents were pulled…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—The recent removal of two large signs from Larry Johnson’s campaign headquarters has prompted him to file a police report after the incidents were captured on video surveillance cameras.  Johnson, who is running for DeKalb County CEO, said he filed a police report on March 29 after the second incident on March  28.   He said the first incident occurred on March 18. “Pitiful,” Johnson said Vwith disgust. “What makes it so bad is that it happened twice within two weeks.”   Johnson said the signs were removed during broad daylight from his headquarters, located at 3735 Memorial Drive.     In one incident, a…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—A team of Voices of Faith Church leaders were on the ground, joining others on  Thursday in providing meals to those in need, a day after a tornado ripped through Conyers just before midnight. The EF-2 tornado winds reached 115 mph across a 9.5-mile stretch of Conyers, located just east of Atlanta, the National Weather Service reported. “You can’t look at the news reports and really understand the magnitude of what happened. You’re literally in tears when you see the path of destruction. You can’t help but praise God and give Him thanks because no casualties were reported,” said…

The DeKalb County Board of Ethics will hold a forum on Thursday, April 11, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Ethics Forum will be at 178 Sam’s St., Decatur. To register for the Ethics Forum, visit: https://dekalbcountyethics.org/ Agenda I. 11 a.m.   Doors Open II. 11:30 a.m. — 1 p.m. Panel Discussion     A. Best Practice in Ethics      B. Goals of Boards of Ethics     C. Politics  of Ethics III. 1:00 p.m. –2 p.m.   Networking

ATLANTA—The City of Atlanta has been named as the top city to start a business in 2024 by Home Bay and recognized in Black Enterprise magazine, the city announced in a new release.  Cited for low operating costs, a large talent pool and a strong community of Black entrepreneurs, the latest acknowledgement comes after the Atlanta metro area captured the Best Place to Start Your Own Business in 2024 by LinkedIn. “Once again, the city of Atlanta is being recognized for our efforts to create an inclusive community that supports strong business growth and development. We are a city of entrepreneurs, innovators,…

DEKALB COUNTY—Former DeKalb County basketball coaching great Eric Mance will be honored posthumously on Saturday, April 20, 2:30 p.m.,  at a special ceremony at Lithonia High School, 2440 Phillips Road, Lithonia. The Lithonia High School basketball court will be renamed in remembrance of Mance. Mance, a 28-year coaching veteran in DeKalb County, had a winning record of 487-257 while coaching at Briarcliff, Gordon, Lithonia and Martin Luther King Jr.  high schools. Mance coached at Lithonia High from 1986 to 2001. At Lithonia, He had two state runner-ups—1994 and 2000.   Mance retired in 2009 but continued to work as a stadium manager at North…