Author: On Common Ground News

DEKALB COUNTY, GA–DeKalb Sheriff Melody Maddox reports that phone scammers have re-surfaced in the metro area, and they are taking advantage of residents who unwittingly give them money before realizing they have been scammed. “It was disheartening for me to learn this week that a resident had been taken for $14,000 by a caller who threatened him with arrest for not appearing for jury duty,” says Sheriff Maddox. “Unfortunately, the calls I receive are generally after the scam takes place, when it’s too late to help the victim. The sheriff’s office will never contact anyone by phone or ask for…

DECATUR, GA– Today, DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond announced the county’s Equalized Homestead Option Sales Tax (EHOST) credit for 2023 will provide $147 million property in tax relief for homeowners who qualify for a homestead exemption. By the end of 2023, the total savings from the EHOST will be approximately $738 million. “DeKalb County is the only Georgia county with a local sales tax that is 100 percent dedicated to property tax relief,” said CEO Thurmond. “Our EHOST property tax relief strategy will be especially helpful to homeowners who are struggling with skyrocketing adjustable-rate mortgage payments.” Qualified DeKalb County homeowners…

ATLANTA—The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has opened a Disaster Loan Outreach Center (DLOC). The center opened on Friday, July 7, 11 a.m., at the Troup Baptist Association in LaGrange, GA. SBA’s loan outreach will serve Georgia’s business owners, non-profits, homeowners and renters affected by the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding that occurred on March 25-27, 2023. The DLOC will be open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “I encourage anyone who has not applied for a disaster loan to visit the center for one-on-one assistance. Our team is…

ATLANTA– The Atlanta Board of Education (ABOE) has initiated a search for a firm to find a new superintendent for Atlanta Public Schools (APS) to start July 2024. The selected firm will identify a diverse pool of qualified candidates nationwide and assist the ABOE in developing a superintendent profile. The selected firm will also design a search process, conduct community and stakeholder engagement sessions and assess all feedback in this process. “We have aggressive goals for Atlanta Public Schools, and we are committed to taking all the necessary steps to put people and processes in place to realize those objectives,”…

DECATUR, GA—Investigators with the Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney is seeking the public’s help in identifying two additional suspects in the murder of Keng Wilson, 20. Joshua Ontario Simpson, 26, was arrested in August 2021 and charged with Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Firearm by a First Offender Probationer and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony in connection with Wilson’s death. According to the preliminary investigation, Wilson went to fill up at a gas station on Rockbridge Road on July 8, 2021. Surveillance video showed Wilson arrive at the gas…

CONYERS, GA– Efe Efemini, M.D., MBA, FACP, has been named as the Chief Medical Officer of Piedmont Rockdale Hospital. Prior to this role, he served as Medical Director of Hospital Medicine at Piedmont Atlanta. Efemini has nearly 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry and has been a lead physician in implementing policy for hospital medicine at Piedmont Atlanta. During the height of COVID, he helped set up and maintain the State’s COVID unit at Piedmont. He has been involved in operational policies, being the hospital physician lead for multi-disciplinary rounds and maintaining a comprehensive physician scorecard to ensure…

ATLANTA – Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced that Imani Fantroyal, 29, of Loganville, has been charged with insurance fraud. In April and August of 2021, Fantroyal submitted claims to her insurance company for food spoilages that resulted from a power outage. She further stated the power outage in August damaged several electronics beyond repair. The suspect was issued payments totaling more than $1,300 by her insurance company as a result of the claims. “Upon investigation, the power provider for Ms. Fantroyal’s residence noted no power irregularities at the time or date of loss,” said Commissioner King.…

  DECATUR, GA—Four people have been indicted on multiple charges in connection with alleged schemes to steal money from the Georgia Department of Community Affairs through fraudulent contracts, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced     Corey Alston, 45, Toyao Andrews, 49, Quinton Tate, 41, and Shawn Williams, 60, were indicted on June 27 by a DeKalb County Grand Jury on charges of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, Conspiracy to Defraud the State, False Statements/Concealment, Theft by Deception, three counts of Theft by Taking, six counts of Theft by Receiving and six counts of Bribery.   …