Author: On Common Ground News

DECATUR, GA – DeKalb County Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs Department will host Movies in the Park during the month of July. Every Wednesday, in various locations across the county, a movie will be shown at dusk, beginning at 8:30 p.m. Participants are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs and food for each showing. All movies featured will be PG-13 and below rated films and appropriate for all ages to enjoy. Movie Schedule July 6, Bouldercrest Park July 13, Lithonia Pool July 20, Wade Walker Park Tennis Court July 27, Mason Mill Park For more information, contact LaShanda Davis, public…

CONYERS, GA–After 52 years of law enforcement service, nearly 12 as City of Conyers Police Chief, Gene Wilson has retired Scott Freeman, who has served as deputy chief of police for four years, has been named his successor to lead the Conyers Police Department. “Chief Wilson’s service as chief to the citizens of Conyers came at a critical time in our city’s history as far as growth and in successfully policing and managing crime,” said City Manager Tony Lucas. “We cannot thank him enough for his service to our city, as well as his stellar career in law enforcement serving…

DECATUR, GA—A former employee of the Java Monkey Coffee House in Decatur has been convicted of setting the fire that destroyed the coffee house in 2018. Jurors returned guilty verdicts on June 30 against Rickey Thomas, 32, on charges of Arson in the First Degree, Arson in the Second Degree, Criminal Damage to Property in the Second Degree, and Burglary in the Second Degree, in connection with the fire. DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston’s office said that Thomas was sentenced to a term of 30 years to serve 10. A restitution hearing will be scheduled at a later date,…

ATLANTA–The Georgia Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit is seeking to identify a person of interest in an investigation involving child sex trafficking. The individual has a tattoo on his chest that matches or is similar to the sketch below. The individual made unsubstantiated claims to be some type of corrections officer and possibly lived in Clayton County in 2018. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta. Tipsters can remain anonymous and may be eligible for cash rewards. Call the tip line at 404-577-TIPS (8477) Text CRIMES (274637) Submit a tip online by visiting www.STOPCrimeATL.com To…

DECATUR, GA – The DeKalb County Board of Health has received its first doses of Moderna (for ages 6 months to 5 years old) and Pfizer (for 6 months to 4 years old) COVID-19 vaccine. Parents or guardians may schedule an appointment online or by visiting one of the Board of Health’s four regional health center locations: Everyone 6 months and older is eligible for COVID vaccination and booster doses of COVID vaccine are recommended for individuals age 5 and older. COVID-19 vaccinations are free. However, if you have insurance, please bring your insurance information and photo ID with you.…

By Ed Williams, Ed.D. In 1971, the citizens in DeKalb and Fulton counties voted to levy a one-percent sales tax for 50 years to fund MARTA transit services. I was 7 years old at the time and was not old enough to vote or petition the courts. The sales tax funding mechanism came about because homeowners did not want transit funding done as part of their property taxes. The Board of Commissioners in Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton and DeKalb, as well as the City of Atlanta authorized the Rapid Transit Contract and Assistance Agreement (RTCAA) with MARTA , setting it to…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA–DeKalb County District 5 Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson announced that she has awarded funding to two organizations to provide rental and utility assistance to needy District 5 residents. Earlier this year, Davis Johnson allocated $200,000 to Decatur Cooperative Ministry and $100,000 to the NAACP DeKalb. With the funding awards, the organizations now will be able to provide eviction forbearance and rental assistance and help cover utility and water bills for residents in District 5 who are experiencing hardship. Decatur Cooperative Ministry will also provide relocation assistance for individuals who have been displaced because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “This…

ATLANTA – The Fulton County Board of Health Vital Records office at the Fulton County Government Center, 141 Pryor Street SW, Suite 109A, will be closed Friday, July 1, and Monday, July 4,  in observance of the Independence Day holiday. Normal business hours will resume  on Tuesday, July 5, at 8:30 a.m. The Vital Records Department provides the official recorded copies of birth and death certificates, in Fulton County. Residents in need of purchasing birth and death certificates on the impacted dates may do so online through VitalChek.  For more information,  visit https://bit.ly/3a1bqSn or call 404-613-1260.

DECATUR, GA– Crews will facilitate a lane closure Thursday, June 30, at the intersection of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Ivy Lane to investigate and repair a broken water main. The DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management (DWM) first became aware of the leak on May 30. The department has continued to monitor the leak while waiting for back-ordered materials needed for the repair to arrive. Those materials arrived June 29. On June 29, DWM received the required permissions from the Georgia Department of Transportation to work on Peachtree Industrial Boulevard, which is a state route. An emergency contractor will be…