Author: On Common Ground News

DEKALB COUNTY, GA— The DeKalb County Police Department (DKPD) is asking for the community’s help in keeping neighbors in need warm this winter. DKPD is holding its annual winter clothing drive on Tuesday, Dec. 16, at Police Headquarters, 1960 W. Exchange Place, Tucker, GA. The public is invited to drop off new or gently-used winter clothes and shoes for all ages outside the building between 8 a.m. and noon.  “Even the smallest donation can be a big deal for people in DeKalb County. We thank the public for coming together to support our neighbors and spreading warmth this winter,” DKPD…

DECATUR, GA– DeKalb County Tax Commissioner Irvin J. Johnson is accepting applications for an appointment to the DeKalb County Board of Ethics now through Friday, Dec. 26, 2025. Application requirements and submission instructions are available online at https://forms.gle/o2MQJSN52hnf148p8. The form must be completed in full and include a current resume The DeKalb Ethics Board was established in its current form following the passage of HR 1243 in June of 2020.  One board member is appointed by the tax commissioner of DeKalb County. By law, the Ethics Board is completely independent of the DeKalb CEO, Commissioners and any officers or employees of…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA – The Gwinnett County Opioid Abatement Advisory Committee invites residents, healthcare professionals and community leaders to attend one of two upcoming town halls addressing the resources available to those impacted by opioid addiction.  The town halls will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 9, and Thursday, Dec. 11, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Innovation Square, t446 West Crogan Street in Lawrenceville. The sessions will provide an open forum for attendees to share their experiences, challenges and recommendations related to prevention, treatment and recovery in Gwinnett County.  Community feedback during the town halls will play a vital role…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—Rockdale County and the City of Conyers and other community partners are hosting a coat drive uo assist those in need this winter.  Rockdale Commissioner Doreen Williams and City Council member Sherri Washington have teamed up to host the event, which runs through Dec. 20. Those who would like to contribute new or gently-used coats, scarves, and hats for adults and children may drop the items off at the Rockdale County Administration building or Conyers City Hall. Your donations are appreciated. For more information, email Catrina.r.carter@rockdalecountyga.gov. 

CONYERS, GA—Connie Alsobrook will be sworn in as the first black mayor of the City of Conyers on Jan. 7, 6 p.m. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Cherokee Run Golf Club, 1595 Centennial Olympic Parkway N.E., Conyers.  Alsobrook, who served on the City Council for five years before winning the election on Nov. 4, 2025, succeeds Vince Evans, who did not seek re-election after serving on the City Council for 26 years (8 as mayor). Evans became the city’s first new mayor elected in 20 years when he won in 2017.  The swearing-in ceremony will mark the second…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA – DeKalb County Government will convene the first meeting of its newly-formed SPLOST Review Committee on Thursday, Dec.11, 6 to 7:30 p.m., 178 Sams Street in Decatur. This meeting marks  a significant step in strengthening public oversight, transparency, and accountability in the administration of the County’s Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) program, DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran Johnson announced in her December online newsletter. Meeting topics will include:  • Understanding the SPLOST Program  • Overview of SPLOST II  • Review of adopted broad category spending priorities • SPLOST Review Committee roles and responsibilities  • Establishment…

STONECREST, GA — New Birth Missionary Baptist Church will host World AIDS + HIV Awareness Sunday on Dec. 7 at 9:30 a.m. The church is partnering with Healthy MD and others to provide free HIV testing, wellness screenings, take-home testing kits, and onsite education.  Led by the New Birth Health Ministry, the event addresses the urgent and ongoing HIV epidemic that continues to disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities across Georgia and the United States. “Our responsibility as a church is to help protect the whole person,” said Jamal Bryant, Senior Pastor of New Birth. “Far too many of our brothers and sisters…

What: Weather permitting, the Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) construction partners will temporarily close interstate lanes at the locations below for the I-285/I-20 East Interchange project. The project will reconstruct the interstate system-to-system ramps at the I-285/I-20 East Interchange and add a combination of collector-distributor (CD), or connecting lanes, and auxiliary lanes along I-20 east of the interchange and I-285 north of the interchange. Where/When: Traffic impacts on the I-285/I-20 Interchange project from Friday, December 5, 2025, through Friday, December 12, 2025. DAYTIME CLOSURES:  Friday, December 5, through Friday, December 12, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  I-20 Eastbound: Single, right- or left-lane…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—State Rep. Rhonda Taylor, who represents Georgia House District 92, will host a virtual conversation on Dec. 8, at 6:30 p.m., focusing on Georgia Power’s plans to meet the growing energy demands of data centers planned across Georgia. Taylor said that while opponents and many elected officials have weighed in on the pros and cons of data centers, Georgia Power has not yet publicly discussed its strategy for powering the facilities, some of which are proposed for Rockdale and DeKalb counties.   Data centers are the backbone of the internet, housing critical IT infrastructure, including servers, storage systems and…

DECATUR, GA – As many residents are preparing to travel for the holiday season, DeKalb County Tax Commissioner Irvin J. Johnson is reminding vehicle owners to check their registration to avoid delays. “With the holiday season upon us, ensuring your vehicle registration is current should be on your travel checklist before any road trip, whether it’s local or long distance,” said Tax Commissioner Irvin Johnson. “Driving with an expired car tag, or without a tag, can hamper holiday travel plans and could be costly in the long run.” To avoid delays, taxpayers can go online to renew their vehicle registration, pay…