Author: On Common Ground News

DEKALB COUNTY—-An Atlanta man has been sentenced to life plus 15 years for his role in the fatal shooting of a driver who then crashed into an elderly woman’s apartment, injuring her. Jurors returned guilty verdicts on June 29 against Gary Davis, 24, on charges of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Criminal Damage to Property in the First Degree, Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony, Theft by Receiving Stolen Property, and three counts of Aggravated Assault. On Tuesday, DeKalb Superior Court Judge Tangela Barrie, who presided over the trial, sentenced Davis to life in prison plus 15…

THOMSON, GA—You’re invited to celebrate blues, jazz, R&B and gospel — and a Georgia-born musician who gained popularity playing them — at the 29th Annual Blind Willie McTell Music Festival on Sept. 22–23, 2023, in Thomson. Named for Georgia native Blind Willie McTell, a 12-string guitar pioneer and influential musician best known for writing “Statesboro Blues,” the Blind Willie McTell Music Festival in Thomson, GA, is a can’t-miss event for fans of blues, gospel, jazz, or just great music! The festival kicks off Friday evening with a free concert in historic downtown Thomson, featuring Sugar Ray and the Bluetones. Saturday, the celebration continues at the…

DECATUR, GA. – DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson, in partnership with STAND Inc. Executive Director Charles Sperling, is hosting the fourth annual National Opioid Summit. With a focus on continued education, proactive solutions and increasing advocacy to help with what may be America’s worst drug crisis, community stakeholders, youths, policymakers, and citizens are invited to attend the Opioid Summit. The summit will be held Thursday, Sept. 14, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Porter Sanford III Performing Arts and Community Center, 3181 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. The event, which will feature guest speaker Commissioner Kevin Tanner, Georgia Department of Behavioral…

ATLANTA—Eugene Jones, director of the Atlanta Housing Authority, tendered his resignation on Tuesday, Sept. 12, marking the end of his nearly four-year tenure overseeing housing initiatives in the city of Atlanta. Mayor Andre Dickens praised Jones’ contributions and said he would request that the Atlanta Housing Authority Board launch a national search to find a successor. Jones’ last day will be Dec. 31, 2023, officials said.  Jones, a seasoned housing professional, assumed the role of Atlanta Housing Director in Oct. 2019 under Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms after serving as head of the Chicago Housing Authority. Throughout his tenure in Atlanta,…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– The Gwinnett County Police Department(GCPD) is nvestigating a shooting that resulted in the death of a man today, Sept. 13. Shortly before 1 p.m., officers assigned to the Central Precinct were dispatched to a “Person Shot” call in the parking lot of 2131 Pleasant Hill Road in unincorporated Duluth. The 911 call was made by a witness who was in the parking lot at the time of the shooting and saw the incident occur, police said. The 911 caller reported that the driver of a blue Chevrolet pickup truck appeared deceased. Officers were given a suspect vehicle…

ATLANTA – State Rep. Doreen Carter (D-Lithonia) will participate in a community engagement panel on advanced technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) for manufacturing sectors on Tuesday, Sept. 19, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at the Rockdale Career Academy in Conyers. The purpose of the panel discussion is to help demystify advanced technologies such as AI by providing access and exposure to the Georgia-Artificial Intelligence Manufacturing (GA-AIM) Project and technology modules. The discussion also seeks to generate awareness around educational pathways that exist in the manufacturing industry, create energy for opportunities and careers in advanced manufacturing and technology and demonstrate how learning this…

CHAMBLEE, GA — Last week, Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) visited the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Chamblee Campus as part of a tour of his district during the August work period. The visit included a campus tour and a roundtable discussion with CDC leadership and subject matter experts to discuss the agency’s work in sickle cell disease, hepatitis c and HIV/AIDS, including the important work being done in Georgia.  The Congressman’s visit concluded with a tour of CDC’s environmental health laboratory. “It was a great opportunity to see the world-renowned research done inside the CDC labs within my…

By Mark Brock DCSD Athletics Specialist DEKALB COUNTY, GA—It is a light week for catching DeKalb County football with only 9 games (10 teams) taking the field on Friday, Sept. 15. Only three games are on tap in DeKalb stadiums, one of which features an All-DeKalb meeting between Southwest DeKalb (1-3) and Redan (1-2) on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Godfrey Stadium. This will be the 39th meeting between the two teams with Southwest DeKalb holding a 32-6 meeting in one of the longestrunning matchups in DeKalb football history. The series features 12 games decided by seven points or less…