Author: On Common Ground News

Gwinnett County officials will pay tribute to SWAT K9 Blue on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2 p.m., at Graves Park dog park, 1540 Graves Road, Norcross. K9 Blue was shot and killed while tracking a stolen vehicle suspect. All officers made it home safely because of K9 Blue’s sacrifice. The ceremony will unveil a dedicated sign to commemorate K9 Blue’s valor and service. Gwinnett Police Chief J.D. McClure will emcee. Speakers include Gwinnett Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson and District 2 Commissioner Ben Ku, Gwinnett Police Corporal William Webb, and Houston K9 Academy Owner and Trainer Jason Stanze. …

DECATUR, GA–The DeKalb County Sanitation Division will host a free paper shredding event on Saturday, Sept. 16, 8 a.m. to noon, at the DeKalb County Sanitation Division’s Central Transfer Station, 3720 Leroy Scott Drive, Decatur. Event participants will have an opportunity to responsibly dispose of all types of documents, including sensitive personal documents such as old tax records and legal documents. All documents will be shredded onsite, and each participant will be limited to ten standard-size boxes of paper. Shredding services will be provided by A1 Shredding & Recycling. The event is free and open only to DeKalb County residents.…

ATLANTA– A multi-jurisdictional effort led to the arrest of a suspect wanted in connection with hundreds of Entering Auto Thefts around metro Atlanta, Gwinnett Police announced today (Sept. 7) Javaris Gamble, 22, East Point, was taken into custody on Aug. 31 in Forest Park by the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Task Force, along with the assistance of the US Marshals, Forest Park Police Department and Clayton County Police Department. Earlier this year, Gamble was identified by Gwinnett County Police detectives as the leader of a metro Atlanta entering auto crew that has been breaking and entering automobiles in Gwinnett…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA – A coalition of community leaders are coming together to address the critical issue of homelessness in Rockdale County. The Joint Conyers-Rockdale Homeless Task Force, initiated by Chairman Oz Nesbitt Sr., will include selected members put forth by Chairman Nesbitt Sr., Conyers Mayor Vince Evans, and Rockdale County School Superintendent Terry Oats as they collaborate to find ways to address homelessness in Rockdale County. The Joint Homelessness Task Force is a collaborative effort driven by a shared commitment to positively impact the lives of homeless individuals and families in the community. It will be comprised of 15 selected…

State Rep. Rhonda Taylor (D-Conyers) will host “A Scoop 4 You” event for first responders in House District 92 in recognition of First Responders Day on Monday, Sept. 11, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., at Bruster’s Ice Cream, 1172 Dogwood Drive, Conyers. Taylor and others are sponsoring the free ice cream event  for first responders. First responders may appear in uniform or present their badge at this location to receive their free scoop. In addition to this event, Taylor present resolutions in honor of First Responders Day for Conyers and Rockdale County to recognize and show appreciation for local first responders…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA— The DeKalb County Police Department is hosting a free Community Outreach and Safety Fair on Saturday, Sept. 9, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Big Lots parking lot, 3358 Chamblee Tucker Road, Tucker.   During the event, residents will receive free goodies as well as access to many useful resources. The department also will be hosting games and playing music for the community to enjoy.    “We want to take this opportunity to bring needed resources into the community and are asking anyone who needs a gun safe to please come out and get one free of…

ATLANTA – MARTA will host local non-profit organizations at seven rail stations in observance of National Voter Registration Day 2023 on Tuesday, Sept. 19. Non-partisan voter registration activities will be held from 2 until 6 p.m. at Five Points, College Park, H.E. Holmes, Lindbergh Center, Doraville, Kensington, and North Springs stations. National Voter Registration Day is the nation’s largest non-partisan civic holiday dedicated to helping eligible citizens register to vote. For 14 years, MARTA has joined community partners to expand civic engagement opportunities and encourage voter registration and election participation. To register to vote during the event, attendees must present a state…

As cases of the latest COVID-19 variant continue to emerge throughout metro Atlanta and Georgia, residents of the greater Atlanta area now have an additional free resource to aid in mitigating community spread and illness. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), in collaboration with the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has launched the ‘Home Test to Treat’ program, an entirely virtual community health intervention that provides free COVID-19 health services—at-home rapid tests, telehealth sessions and at-home treatments—in selected communities, with priority for individuals who are un- or underinsured or…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—Deontavious Brewer, 24, of Lithonia, has been sentenced to life in prison plus five years after his murder conviction. Jurors returned guilty verdicts Aug. 10, 2023 against Brewer on charges of Felony Murder, Involuntary Manslaughter, Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony, and two counts of Aggravated Assault. On Tuesday, Judge David B. Irwin, who presided over the trial, sentenced Brewer to life for the felony murder charge, 20 years for the aggravated assault to serve concurrently, and 5 years for the possession of a firearm to serve consecutively. The case stemmed from an incident…