Author: On Common Ground News

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA– Gwinnett The Gwinnett County Solicitor-General’s Office has updated its website to provide a more user-friendly and accessible experience for the community. The new website, developed in collaboration with Accent Creative Group, offers improved navigation, mobile optimization, and translation capabilities in multiple languages.  “Our goal was to make vital information and resources within our department easily accessible and understandable for the residents of Gwinnett County,” said Solicitor-General Lisamarie N. Bristol. “We aimed to create a more approachable platform to better serve our community’s needs.” The new website is user-friendly and mobile-responsive, ensuring a seamless experience across all devices. Additionally,…

ATLANTA—IF your holiday plans involve traveling through airports, remember to add your Georgia Digital Driver’s License and ID to your Smartphone Wallet.   Your Georgia Digital Driver’s License and ID (mobile driver’s license) can help you breeze through select Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) PreCheck® checkpoints including Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport’s South Terminal. “Travel with confidence using your Georgia Digital Driver’s License or ID, always at your fingertips,” said Spencer R. Moore, Commissioner, Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS). Georgia’s Digital Driver’s License and ID are available on all platforms: Apple, Google and Samsung. “As we embrace the digital era, I…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA–The Atlanta Chapter of the American Theatre Organ Society will host its  annual Christmas celebration on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2:30 p.m., at Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, GA. This special event is free to attend and open to the public. The concert provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience classic songs performed on a traditional theatre pipe organ, of which there are only a few remaining in the United States and just a handful in the state of Georgia.  Ken Double, a theatre organist who regularly plays on the Mighty Mo at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, will lead the program on…

ATLANTA — The Develop Fulton Board of Directors unanimously approved a $538,304,353 bond inducement for Project Nexus, a transformative mixed-use economic development initiative that would revitalize an area South of I-20. This landmark project would be a pivotal investment in an area in the southern part of Fulton County that has historically been underserved, ushering in a new era of economic opportunity and community sustainability.  Project Nexus would represent a groundbreaking, half-billion-dollar investment aimed at transforming a distressed property into a vibrant hub of economic and community development. Situated in Atlanta and East Point, the project would bring together affordable…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– The Gwinnett County Police Department has arrested a suspect on multiple charges of identity fraud and forgery related to property in Arizona. On Dec. 11, officers assigned to the North Precinct Community Response Team were contacted by the Lake Havasu City Police Department in Arizona. Investigators from Lake Havasu City reported that a victim’s identity had been stolen, and a property belonging to the victim in Arizona was being sold by an unknown suspect impersonating the victim. Officers were able to make contact with the suspect n Gwinnett County and arrange a location to meet and sign…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—Today, Dec. 18, the Steering Committee for the 2025 CEO Inaugural Week announced Lorraine Cochran-Johnson will be sworn in during a weeklong celebration set Jan. 8-12. Cochran-Johnson will take the reigns as the 6th Chief Executive Officer of DeKalb County, Georgia, making   history as the first African-American woman to hold the office in the state’s fourth-most populous county.   Cochran-Johnson will be sworn in on Friday, Jan. 10, 5 to 6 p.m., at Emory University, Glenn Memorial United Methodist Church, 1660 N. Decatur Road N.E., Decatur. The Honorable Judge Penny Brown-Reynolds will administer the oath of office. The Honorable Judge Mark…

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– Melissa Dowd, 58, of Monroe, GA has been arrested for stealing more than $400,000 from her former employer, Gwinnett County Police said. She was booked into the Gwinnett County Jail on Dec. 17 after the Police Department’s Electronic and Financial Crimes Unit obtained several warrants for her arrest.  Dowd’s employer filed a police report in April concerning the fraud. According to the employer, Dowd would submit false invoices for various vendors.  Once the payments were authorized, Dowd would alter the checks meant for the vendors and list herself as the payee.  She did this over 190 times and…

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA—Stone Mountain First United Methodist Church “The Village Church” is invited kids ages 6-16 to a New Year’s Eve. Celebration on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 3 to 6 p.m. The church is located at 5312 W. Mountain St., Stone Mountain. There will be free pizza, snacks, games, crafts and a movie.  Attendees must register by Dec. 27: https://www.stonemountainfirst.org/ For more information, call 770-469-9767. 

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– Due to forecasted cold weather, DeKalb County will open the following four warming centers for residents on Dec. 20-23s, starting at 8 p.m.: Frontline Response International, 2585 Gresham Road, Atlanta  North DeKalb Senior/Community Center, 3393 Malone Drive, Chamblee (see pickup schedule below for transportation to Frontline)  Mason Mill Recreation Center, 1340 McConnell Drive, Decatur (see pickup schedule below for transportation to Frontline)  Exchange Recreation Center, 2771 Columbia Drive, Decatur (see pickup schedule below for transportation to Frontline)  During warming center activation, transportation pickups will be available to Frontline International according to the following schedule:  Chamblee Library, 4115…