Author: On Common Ground News

DECATUR, GA –– The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said that two inmates have died this week in unrelated incidents while in custody of the DeKalb County Jail. College Park resident Michael Assevero, 65, was found hanging in his jail cell and unresponsive on Sunday, Aug. 14, and was pronounced deceased following unsuccessful emergency medical treatment by on-site inmate health services and DeKalb EMS. Preliminary reports indicate suicide as the apparent cause of death. Assevero had been in custody of DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office since Aug. 11, 2022 after being arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear in court on…

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA—Gwinnett County soon will have a new Housing and Community Development Division operating within its Department of Planning and Development. This division was created as a response to one of the recommendations in a housing study requested by the Board of Commissioners. Matt Elder has been named as the division’s director. He has nearly a decade of experience in housing and community development and served the last four years as the director of HomeFirst Gwinnett. Elder will join the County on Aug. 22. “Matt played a pivotal role into the creation of the County’s first homeless shelter for women and…

GWINNETT COUNTY— Gwinnett County’s Purchasing Division invites business vendors to learn how to do business with the County’s 14 departments and partner agencies. The County’s 14th annual Supplier Networking Event will be held Thursday, Aug. 18, 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m., at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center. Prospective vendors are invited to drop in and meet with buyers and contracting officers from County departments, Gwinnett County Public Schools, the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, Board of Regents for the University System of Georgia, and other partner agencies, metro counties, and cities. Gwinnett County is one of the county’s largest employers. For more…

DECATUR–The Rev. Quincy Lavelle Carswell,II has been named lead Chaplain for the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office under the administration of Sheriff Melody Maddox.  Carlswell will succeed Dr. Curtis Crocker, Jr., who is retiring after serving in the position since 2007. With over 30 years in ministry, Crocker pastors Metropolitan Church in Columbus, GA. His bio states that he  was licensed and ordained at New Mercies Christian Church in Lilburn, GA under Pastor Jesse Curney, III. He was a founding member of New Mercies and a deacon. Crocker is active in the Atlanta area and Columbus, including his participation as a member of…

DECATUR, GA –   The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office is inviting citizens from DeKalb County to join the agency as volunteer staff workers in various operations including the DeKalb County Jail. Sheriff Melody M. Maddox is launching the DeKalb Sheriff’s Office Volunteer Program this month by offering positions that will supplement and support civilian and sworn staff responsibilities. “This opportunity to engage with individuals from the communities we serve has the potential of becoming an ongoing alliance for improved public safety throughout the county,” says Sheriff Maddox. “Our experience with volunteers is that people want to contribute their time and talents…

New Birth Missionary Baptist Church gave away 3,000 pairs of new shoes to local students during its annual back-to-school event, which was held on Saturday, Aug. 13. Members of the church’s congregation collected the shoes during the months of June and July. People from around the nation supporred the project with donations.  The church distributed the shoes to families who registered their children for the free giveaway and came in during the event to pick up the shoes at assigned times. Senior pastor, Dr. Jamal H. Bryant, thanked the congregation, community partners and sponsors who worked collaboratively on the initiative, praising…

ATLANTA– After extensive efforts to find an allowable approach, Georgia this week received federal approval to provide food benefits to its youngest Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients for the 2021-22 school year. For children to qualify for this benefit, they must have been under age 6 at the start of the 2021-22 school year and SNAP-enrolled during the months of August 2021 through May 2022. Families of eligible children will receive about $30 dollars for each month they were eligible.  The Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS) partnered with the Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning to utilize data…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—A  diverse group of established and emerging leaders has been selected to participate in Leadership DeKalb’s Class of 2023. The class members represent a variety of sectors including education, government, healthcare, legal, non-profit, public safety and private business. Since its founding in 1986, Leadership DeKalb convenes and connects leaders, informs them on matters vital to the County and enhances their leadership skills. This strengthened pipeline of talent, now numbering more than 1,000 community leaders, immerses in the public, private and nonprofit sectors, advancing the quality of life in DeKalb County and throughout the region. Class members learn about…

ATLANTA – MARTA has named Josh Rowan as its new Deputy General Manager, who will in his new role  oversee the transit authority’s expansive Capital Improvement Program (CIP). Rowan has 26 years of program and construction management experience, delivering more than $5 billion in facility and infrastructure projects, most recently serving as General Manager of Atlanta’s City Renew/TSPLOST Program and Commissioner of the inaugural Atlanta Department of Transportation. “Josh has a deep knowledge of the entire project delivery process in both the public and private sector, from foreman to engineer and every job in between. His global experience with capital…