Author: On Common Ground News

Property owners asked to voluntarily check their pipe material  DECATUR, Ga.— A federally-mandated inventory of publicly-owned drinking water pipes has determined that there are no known lead pipes in DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management’s (DWM) inventory. The inventory, conducted in accordance to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) and the State of Georgia Environmental Protection Division’s (EPD) guidelines, was completed by an October 2024 federally-mandated deadline and can be found by clicking “Check your line” at www.dekalbcountyga.gov/watershed-management/lcrr. Because DWM is focused on protecting the health of every household in DeKalb County, property owners have been mailed…

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA – A Lawrenceville man was convicted on Tuesday of sexually abusing two women from their adolescent years until they were young adults. A Gwinnett County jury found Catalino Avilez-Carteno, 52, guilty of five counts of rape, five counts of aggravated sexual battery, four counts of child molestation, two counts of aggravated sodomy, aggravated child molestation, and aggravated assault. He will be sentenced on Thursday, Nov. 14. “This defendant abused these young women from an early age into adulthood,” District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. Avilez-Carteno repeatedly raped and sexually abused the two female acquaintances from ages 12 to 21. The…

DECATUR, GA—The DeKalb County Police Department is increasing its crime-fighting arsenal with a new app to help residents submit anonymous tips from their smartphone.  The new DeKalb County Police Department app allows officers to engage in an anonymous two-way conversation. The app and tip411 anonymous text-a-tip system is 100 percent anonymous, as the technology removes all identifying information before police see the tips and there is no way to identify the sender, officials said. “Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in DeKalb County by working with the community to preserve the peace and provide for a safe environment,” said…

Atlanta – The Secretary of State’s office will hold a press conference on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 10 a.m., on the South Steps of the Georgia State Capitol to kick off the post-election Risk Limiting Audit of the Presidential Election. As the only statewide contest, the Presidential Election will be the only race to be audited.  The press conference will feature the rolling of twenty 10-sided dice to determine the random selection of batches chosen for audit. The conference is open to press and members of the public. Members of the public who attend may be selected to roll…

DEKALB COUNTY—The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) proudly announces that 40 of its schools have been recognized by the Georgia Department of Education as Math Leaders and Literacy Leaders for the 2023-2024 academic year.  “We are incredibly proud of our 40 schools recognized as Math and Literacy Leaders,” DCSD Superintendent Devon Q. Horton said. “These achievements reflect the hard work of our students, the dedication of our educators and administrators, and the extraordinary support of our families and community partners. “As we celebrate these important milestones, we look forward to even greater increases in student achievement at all grade levels.…

Ad was updated Nov.19, 2024

STONECREST, GA—The City of Stonecrest and community partners are teaming up to provide needy families with Thanksgiving turkeys and food boxes on Saturday, Nov. 16, ahead of the holiday. The giveaway begins at noon, but cars can begin lining up as early as 8 a.m., at the Browns Mill Recreation Center, 5101 Browns Mill Road, Stonecrest, city officials said.  The free turkeys and food boxes will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis until they are all gone.   This year marks the fourth year the City of Stonecrest has hosted the event. Community partners include Publix, First African Community Food…

LITHONIA, GA–Young entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to pitch their agriculture businesses during a “Shark Tank”-style event sponsored by the EMBARC Youth Farm. The event will be held on Nov. 19, 5:30 p.m., at the Bruce Street East DeKalb Senior Center, 2449 Bruce St., Lithonia. EMBARC is the acronym for the Education, Market, Botanicals, Agriculture, and Recreation Center, located at the former 50-acre Bransby Outdoor YMCA in unincorporated Lithonia.  DeKalb CEO-elect Lorraine Cochran Johnson championed the initiative as a former member of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners. The upcoming event will spotlight the entrepreneurial skills and sustainable agriculture expertise of…

ATLANTA – State Rep. Doreen Carter (D-Lithonia) will host Female Entrepreneurship Day on Friday, Nov. 15, from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. at the South Wing steps of the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta. Female Entrepreneurship Day in Georgia is an annual event that recognizes the contributions of women entrepreneurs and fosters collaboration, inspiration and support. The event will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions and networking opportunities designed to connect women across industries. It will have an emphasis on financial literacy, business strategy and personal growth, providing resources for women to thrive as leaders and innovators. Additionally, the event aims to…