Author: On Common Ground News

SNELLVILLE, GA– The Gwinnett County Police Department needs the public’s help identifying two individuals involved in shoplifting, where one displayed a handgun to an employee after being confronted. On Monday, Feb. 19, at around 9:20 p.m., two men entered a convenience store gas station at 4116 Lenora Church Road in unincorporated Snellville. One suspect was seen stuffing merchandise (food) into his hoodie pockets. The convenience store employee followed the two individuals, stopping in the doorway, and confronted them about the theft. One of the men produced a handgun. The suspects then left, driving out of the parking lot in a…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston today announced a conviction by jury trial in the case against a Stone Mountain man accused of shooting and killing his cousin. Jurors returned guilty verdicts on Thursday, Feb. 22, against Michael Blair Stewart, Jr., 35, on charges of Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony stemming from the shooting death of his cousin Jireh Morris, 30, on December 5, 2020.  Immediately following the guilty verdicts, DeKalb County Judge Brian K. Ross, who presided over the trial, sentenced Stewart to Life in Prison plus…

DECATUR, GA— DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson, in partnership with DeKalb Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs and the How Big Is Your Dream Foundation, will host the “Our Soundtrack in American Music” grand finale concert on Sunday, Feb. 25, 6 p.m., at the Porter Sanford, III Performing Arts and Community Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. The free event features student artists who completed master training sessions this week under the How Big Is Your Dream Foundation program founded by renowned drummer Jorel “JFly” Fly, who is the foundation’s CEO. During this year’s five-day training program, which began on Tuesday, Feb. 20, students…

DECATUR, GA– DeKalb County’s Super District 7 Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson, in partnership with the DeKalb County Human Services Department and the Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs, this week announced the official launch of the E.M.B.A.R.C. Youth Farm Entrepreneurship Program, a $1.4 million project.  The Education, Market, Botanicals, Agriculture, and Botanicals and Recreation Center ( E.M.B.A.R.C) is located at the former 50-acre Bransby Outdoor YMCA at 1185 Rock Chapel Road in unincorporated Lithonia. Phase I funding consists of contributions, including $98,500 from Commissioner Cochran-Johnson’s District 7 discretionary funds, a $225,500 allocation from the county’s Hotel-Motel Tax Fund and over…

DECATUR, GA– Due to forecasted cold weather, DeKalb County will open five warming centers for residents on Saturday, Feb. 24, starting at 8 p.m. to use at the following locations: Fire Station 3, 100 N. Clarendon Avenue, Avondale Estates Fire Station 4, 4540 Flakes Mill Road, Ellenwood Fire Station 6, 2342 Flat Shoals Road, Atlanta North DeKalb Senior Center, 3393 Malone Drive, Chamblee Frontline Response International, 2585 Gresham Road, Atlanta Anyone staying in the warming centers must follow the county’s COVID-19 protocols that include wearing a mask, social distancing and undergoing a temperature check. For more information about centers offered…

STONECREST, GA—Delegates from the Republic of Cameroon will join New Birth Senior Pastor Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant and a host of special guests for the unveiling and grand opening of “The Cameroonian Experience” African Textile Museum on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 1 p.m. The museum, located on the New Birth campus at 6400 Woodrow Rd. in Stonecrest, features extraordinary African textiles and artifacts curated by the Honorable Thierry Konguep, showcasing the national historic and modern textiles of the Republic of Cameroon. “Our incredible legacy dates back centuries and is uniquely woven in an amazing tapestry of our legacy, culture, fashion…

DECATUR, GA—The world is undergoing a transformation driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI), with a particular focus on Generative AI, exemplified by . How well-prepared are black and brown communities to participate in this evolving landscape? Experts from academia, industry, and community sectors will present their unique perspectives and experiences related to this topic at a listening session on Saturday, Feb. 24, 10 a.m. to noon, at New Life Church, 3592 Flat Shoals Road, Room 105, Decatur. The South DeKalb Improvement Association Education (SDIAE), in collaboration with Lonnie Johnson’s STEM Center and other organizations in metro Atlanta, are hosting the free…