Author: On Common Ground News

CONYERS, GA– Conyers will host its annual Arbor Day celebration on Wednesday, Feb. 18, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., at the Big Haynes Creek Nature Center.  Mayor Connie Alsobrook, Conyers City Council members and city staff will take part in the event that honors the city’s decades-long recognition as a Tree City USA community. The celebration will feature family-friendly activities and educational opportunities, including: Free native tree saplings provided by the Georgia Forestry Commission Gardening and wildlife habitat tips from Rockdale County Master Gardeners A ceremonial tree planting in recognition of Arbor Day  The kickoff of the Fourth Annual “Treasures in…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA —  Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Chi Tau Omega Chapter recently partnered with the American Red Cross to provide life-saving CPR training to local residents. On Saturday, Feb. 7, more than 50 community members participated in the hands-on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) instruction designed to prepare individuals to respond quickly and effectively during cardiac emergencies involving family membersor coworkers. According to the American Heart Association, about 70% of cardiac arrests happen in homes and many are not prepared for a cardiac emergency. The American Heart Association further reports that an estimated 350,000 cases of sudden cardiac arrest occur each year outside of a…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA- DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announces a conviction by guilty plea in the case against a former daycare worker charged in connection with alleged abuse at a Stone Mountain facility.  Today, Cherretta Hull, 79, entered a non-negotiated guilty plea to 19 counts of Cruelty to Children in the First Degree. DeKalb County Superior Court Judge LaTisha Dear Jackson, who presided over the plea hearing, sentenced Hull to 30 years to serve 20 in confinement. The three other defendants in the case pleaded guilty on August 14, 2024, to the following charges: Alexis Renee Swain—29 counts of…

CONYERS, GA – Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) invites the best and the brightest to meet the district’s  forward-thinking team at the RCPS Teacher Job Fair on Saturday, March 7, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m,. at the RCPS Board Room, 960 Pine Street NE, Conyers. Participants must pre-register by visiting www.rockdaleschools.org/jobfair. The school district is seeking outstanding candidates for teaching positions in the 2026-2027 school year. All 22 RCPS schools will be represented and interviews will be held during the Teacher Job Fair. RCPS has 11 elementary schools, four middle schools, three traditional high schools, a virtual campus for grades 6-12 and five…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA–The Gwinnett County Police Department will host a police officer hiring event Friday, Feb. 20, from 3 to 8 p.m., and Saturday Feb. 21, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Prior to attending the event, candidates must submit an application. Once an application has been received, an investigator will call to set up an appointment time for the event. Those who have submitted applications but do not have an appointment are still welcome, although wait times will be longer. You are not required to attend both days of the hiring event. The process can take several hours, so…

LILBURN, GA– The Gwinnett County Police Department Homicide Unit has charged Shermarcus Cockran, 31, of Lilburn, in connection with the death of a 17-year-old male. On Feb. 5, at approximately 11 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 4300 block of Stone Mountain Highway in reference to a person shot call in unincorporated Lilburn. Upon arrival, officers found a juvenile male deceased from what appeared to be a gunshot wound. Cockran told detectives that he had returned to the location after going to a gun range.  He began to clean his firearm, and it discharged a round into the wall of…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA— DeKalb County Police Department officials plan to hold the final meeting in a series of Town Halls looking at the results of 2025 crimefighting efforts and DKPD’s goals for 2026.  The Town Hall for South Precinct is scheduled for Feb. 12, 6-8 p.m., at Columbia Drive United Methodist Church, 2067 Columbia Drive, Decatur.  “We hope the community can join us to learn about how DeKalb County Police are working to keep their neighborhoods safe,” officials said in a statement. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) announced today, Feb. 5,  that more than $11 million in Community Project Funding he secured for Georgia’s 4th District is in the final FY2026 spending bills approved by Congress and signed into law by the president this week. The funding will directly address some of the most pressing needs across the district, which encompasses most of DeKalb County and parts of Gwinnett County. Cities within the Fourth District include Stonecrest, Lithonia, Stone Mountain, Clarkston, Tucker, Doraville, Chamblee and Dunwoody in DeKalb County and Peachtree Corners, Norcross, and Duluth in Gwinnett County.  “Taking care…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA —The suspect connected to a shooting that occurred inside the Decatur Library on Monday, February. 2, afternoon has been taken into custody, ccording to the Decatur Police Department. Medicus Brown, 44, has been taken into custody and faces charges of aggravated assault with intent to murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Authorities located Brown at the Live Long Hotel, located near Memorial Drive and Rockbridge Road. Brown was wanted on charges of aggravated assault with intent to murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He is currently being…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– The DeKalb County Recreation, Parks & Cultural Affairs will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the grand opening of its new Teen Tech Center on Thursday, Feb.19, at 10 a.m. at the Hamilton Recreation Center, 3262 Chapel Street, Scottdale, GA. The Teen Tech Center is designed to provide teens with hands-on access to technology creative tools that support academic success, career exploration, and digital literacy. Programming at the center will include coding, 3D printing, music production, and podcasting, along with opportunities for digital media creation. “This center gives teens a platform to create, innovate, and express themselves”, said Paige…