Author: On Common Ground News

DECATUR, GA—The community is mourning the loss of Bishop James H. Morton, Sr., pastor of New Beginning Full Gospel Baptist Church, Decatur. Bishop Morton died on Saturday, Feb. 11 at the age of 66. He was known locally and nationally for not only his preaching but also his singing talents, forming collaborations with gospel greats including the late Aretha Franklin. Bishop James Harold Morton was born May 8, 1946, the fourth of nine children to Bishop C.L. Morton, Sr. and Evangelist Matilda Morton in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. His desire to serve the Lord was realized at an early age, when…

Click Here to View the Agendas:  https://rockdalecountyga.gov/rockdale-board-of-commissioners-meeting-agenda/ Rockdale County Board of Commissioners Work Session: Tuesday, Feb. 21, 6 p.m., Assembly Hall, 901 Main Street, Conyers Rockdale County Board of Commissioners Zoning Public Hearing: Thursday, Feb. 23, 6 p.m., Auditorium, 903 Main Street, Conyers Rockdale County Board of Commissioners Voting Session: Tuesday, Feb. 28, 10 a.m., Assembly Hall, 901 Main Street, Conyers Rockdale County Board of Commissioners Work Session: Tuesday, March 7, at 10 a.m., Assembly Hall, 901 Main Street, Conyers Rockdale County Board of Commissioners Voting Session: Tuesday, March 14, 10 a.m., Assembly Hall, 901 Main Street, Conyers  Rockdale County Board of Commissioners Work…

All Gwinnett County government offices, with the exception of those operations required for the comfort and safety of residents, will be closed Monday, Feb. 20, for the Presidents Day holiday. County offices will resume normal business hours on Tuesday, Feb. 21. A Magistrate Court judge will be available at the Gwinnett County Detention Center during the holiday. Trash and recycling collection in unincorporated Gwinnett County is scheduled as normal for Feb. 20. The Gwinnett County Solid Waste Management Call Center will be closed that day, but hauler call centers will be open. Residents can visit GCSolidWaste.com to find their hauler’s…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has arrested the father in the beating death of his 4-year-old son. Decatur resident Javonte Harris, 27, was taken into custody without incident in Atlanta, on Feb.16 by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Fugitive Unit on charges of Malice Murder and Cruelty to Children in the First Degree. The 4-year-old boy was the child of Harris and Malisha Sasfras, 25, of Decatur, who was arrested on Feb. 11 and remains in custody. According to warrants,. Harris caused “excessive pain and injuries by punching the child in the face and causing injuries” between Feb.…

Pictured far right: Thomas W. Dortch. Photo provided by the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. ATLANTA—The 100 Black Men of America, Inc. issued a tribute honoring  Thomas W. “Tommy Dortch, Jr., who passed away  on Feb. 15, 2023: On Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, we lost a bright light, an unstoppable, unforgettable force of nature. His work across many industries, through various organizations, with several civic coalitions, alongside HBCUs and Atlanta public schools, in partnerships with corporate foundations, and effectively working with elected officials at the city, state, and federal levels of government always included advocating for underserved communities, and especially for youth. As a member and…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA– All three high schools within Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) were named Advanced Placement (AP) Honor Schools by State School Superintendent Richard Woods, a distinction RCPS high schools have achieved for more than 13 consecutive years. Heritage and Rockdale County high schools were named AP Access and Support Schools while Rockdale County High School also made the lists for AP STEM and AP STEM Achievement. Salem High School was named an AP Expansion School. Superintendent Terry Oatts praised the school sytem’s students and teachers.  “I am extremely proud to have all our high schools represented on the…

ROCKDALE COUNTY, GA—The Atlanta Regional Commission has allocated funds in the updated Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) to Rockdale County for several ARC planned projects. The Rockdale River Trail Extension to Conyers is receiving $5.5 million, the Courtesy Parkway project is receiving $13.5 million programmed and a total of $30 million planned, Sigman Road Phase 3 is receiving $4.9 million programmed and $28.9 million planned. Sigman Road Phase 4 is currently in the preliminary engineering and is receiving $420,000 to support this phase. The trail extension will fill in the gap between 2 existing trails: the 4.5-mile Olde Town Conyers Trail,…

WASHINGTON, D.C.—DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson held discussions with the nation’s top leaders this week during the 2023 National Association of Counties (NACo ) Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C.  The leaders included U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and U. S. Surgeon General Vivek Murphy and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg.    Johnson also announced the release of a book that he is featured in entitled “Governing On the Ground.” Here is the link to the discussion that DeKalb Commissioner Larry Johnson, immediate past president of NACo and Secrtary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg: video via NACo web site  https://www.naco.org/articles/buttigieg-talks-partnering-counties-infrastructure-safety-climate-change

DEKALB COUNTY, GA— At approximately 2:30 p.m. today (Feb. 16), a single-engine Piper-28 plane, crashed at the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport n a grassy area during a training exercise, officials said. The pilot and student on board were taken to local hospitals, authorities said. The plane had returned to the airport while experiencing engine problems and landed in the grassy area. No people, vehicles or buildings were struck, authorities said. The Federal Flight Standards District Office will be investigating the accident.