Author: On Common Ground News

ATLANTA– Today, the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) announced approval from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to renew Georgia’s Elderly Simplified Application Project (ESAP) through Jan. 31, 2028. ESAP is a federal demonstration project that seeks to simplify the SNAP application and verification process for eligible households. SNAP applications are eligible for ESAP if all eligible household members are age 60 or older and have no earned income.   “We are thrilled to announce the upcoming renewal of ESAP and could not be more grateful for the work of agency staff and federal partners in getting this approved,” said Commissioner…

COVINGTON , GA—Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) visited Newton County College & Career Academy  on Jan. 20 to congratulate 17-year-old senior Kevin Wadsworth as the winner of the Congressman’s 2022 Congressional App Challenge. Officially launched by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2015, the nationwide effort allows students to compete against their peers by creating an application (app), or game for cell phones, tablets, or computer devices. Congressman Johnson’s Congressional App Challenge is open to all students in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. The competition highlights the value of computer science and STEAM education (Science, Technology, Art, Engineering and Math).…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—DeKalb County Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson will host a Legislative Town Hall meeting with DeKalb County legislators today, Jan. 24, 6:30 p.m., at Lou Walker Senior Center, 2538 Panola Road, Stonecrest. This is the first town hall meeting hosted by the District 5 commissioner for 2023. The purpose of the town hall meeting is to discuss initiatives and priorities for the 2023 Legislative Session. Confirmed participants include State Sen. Kim Jackson, State Rep. Billy Mitchell, State Rep. Doreen Carter, State Rep. Viola Davis, State Rep. Angela Moore and State Rep. Omari Crawford. The event will feature a presentation…

DECATUR, GA— The DeKalb Board of Registration and Elections meeting for the purpose of conducting its normal monthly business will be held on Friday, Jan. 27, 2023, at 1 p.m. This is an in-person meeting, to be held at the DeKalb Voter Registration and Elections office located at 4380 Memorial Drive, #300, in Decatur. This meeting was originally scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, but was rescheduled due to inclement weather. Public comments may be made in person or submitted by sending an email of one page or less to electionspubliccmnt@dekalbcountyga.gov, which must be received between 1 p.m. and 1:30…

The DeKalb County School Board and  Interim Superintendent Varsanne S. Tinsley issued the following statement regarding the passing of former School Board member Ms. Zepora Roberts: Ms. Roberts, 78, passed away on January 21 after a long battle with cancer. She served on the DeKalb County School Board as the District 7 representative from 2002 to 2010. She was also active in the NAACP DeKalb County branch for many years, serving as education chair and vice president in addition to her instrumental work with the Georgia Head Start Association Program.      Her life’s work brought her many accolades, including the Pillars of Power…

UPDATE: The service for Ms. Zepora Roberts will be held on Saturday, Jan. 28, 11 a.m., with repast to immediately follow at Green Forest Baptist Church, 3250 Rainbow Drive, Decatur. Viewing will be held on Friday, Jan. 27, 12-8 p.m., with family visitation 5-7 p.m. at Gregory B. Levett & Sons Funeral Home, 4347 Flat Shoals Pkwy., Decatur.  A private burial will be held on Monday, Jan. 30, at her home church in Moreland, GA. DEKALB COUNTY, GA—Former DeKalb County School Board member Zepora Roberts passed away on Saturday, Jan. 21, after a long and gallant battle with multiple myeloma…

ATLANTA– The Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) and Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) are asking Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids® members to confirm their contact information as soon as possible before Medicaid redeterminations begin on April 1, 2023, following the passage of the federal omnibus spending bill in December.   Federal law requires all states, including Georgia, to check who is still eligible to receive Medicaid coverage within 14 months. This will be the first time many of Georgia’s 2.7 million Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids® members will be required to go through redetermination, which was a routine process prior to…

 ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) has received multiple reports of scammers using phony text messages to obtain EBT card numbers and PINs to steal Georgians’ SNAP benefits. These are known as phishing scams and are a type of fraud. The Department shared a warning with on social media and encouraged recipients not to share their EBT card number or PIN with anyone by phone or text.  Anyone who receives a text asking them to call an 877 number to unlock their EBT card should not reply at all and just delete the message. If anyone thinks they have been…

GWINNETT COUNTY – The Gwinnett Police Department has charged Bryan Alvarado, 21, and Yelson Alvarado, 23, both of Duluth, in connection with the beating death of Raul Diaz-Villalba, 52, Atlanta. The suspects were charged with Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Battery, Robbery, and False Imprisonment after Villalba died from injuries on Jan. 14 from the December 2022 attack by the two men. On Dec. 20, 2022, officers from the Central Precinct responded to an “assault” call where a male was bleeding and unconscious. Upon arrival, officers found Diaz-Villalba with multiple lacerations, discoloration, a swollen face, and wounds all over his…