Author: On Common Ground News

CONYERS, GA—Longtime community advocate and current City Councilwoman Connie Alsobrook has officially announced her candidacy for Mayor of Conyers in the upcoming Nov. 4, 2025 municipal election. Alsobrook filed her qualifying papers on Thursday, Aug. 21, to run for the seat.  A resident of Conyers for more than two decades, Alsobrook brings a legacy of hands-on leadership, civic engagement, and a proven record of delivering meaningful change for the people of her city. Alsobrook began her journey in service in 2005, organizing grassroots efforts such as coat drives, school supply giveaways, food distributions for the homeless, and cell phone collections…

ATLANTA– Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger announced the next phase of the 2025 Voter Registration list maintenance audit. “As part of our continued list maintenance audit, Georgia’s Elections Division mailed out cross-state notices to 27,450 people identified through our secure multi-state list sharing agreement as having moved out of state,” said Raffensperger. “We will be encouraging these people to cancel their Georgia voter registrations if they have moved. If they still live in Georgia or have returned to Georgia, these voters will be able to go online to the Online Voter Registration (OLVR) system, to their My Voter Page (MVP) or…

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA – A Michigan man was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing two girls over the course of seven years and conceiving a child with one. A Gwinnett County jury found Carlos Leroy Benson, 55, guilty of four counts of rape and four counts of child molestation for multiple incidents between 2012 and 2019.  “You are a vile and reprehensible person,” Superior Court Judge George Hutchinson said as he sentenced Benson. “I think the evidence in this trial fully supports that you are an evil person.” Benson was ordered to serve two consecutive life sentences plus 20 years in…

ATLANTA—The City of Atlanta, in partnership with Invest Atlanta and Savi Provisions, on Aug. 28, 2025 announced the grand opening of Azalea Fresh Market—a first-of-its-kind municipal grocery store located in downtown Atlanta. Azalea Fresh Market is located in the historic Olympia Building, which had house Walgreens until it closed in April 2024. The building now has been repurposed for a food market as part of Mayor Andre Dickens’ broader vision to address food desserts and provide for healthy, connected and thriving neighborhoods. Azalea Fresh Market is the result of a collaborative effort between City officials, local organizations, Savi Provisions, Independent…

DECATUR, GA—The DeKalb County Roads and Drainage Floodplain Management Office is offering residents general floodplain management information on flood hazards, planning, prevention, and mitigation free of charge. This is part of activities under the county’s Community Rating System Program (CRS). The service provides useful information on the following:  Flood zone determination and flood risk assessment  Information on the Flood Insurance Rate Map and the Flood Insurance Study  Access to previous Flood Insurance Rate Maps  Information on Special Flood Hazard Areas and other high-hazard flood areas, such as floodways and high-velocity zones Flood depths around structures and adjacent land areas Historical…

CONYERS, GA–Conyers residents eager to learn more about their city government and community are encouraged to register for Conyers University, a free, six-week program designed to educate and personalize local government for citizens. Conyers University students will attend and participate in six weeks of sessions on Monday evenings beginning Monday, Oct. 6, from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. All sessions, with the exception of the public safety session, will take place at Conyers City Hall.  Classes will be led by city staff and officials on a variety of topics and departments relevant to citizens living and working in Conyers. Each session includes…

ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) announces the suspension of all lane closures on Georgia interstates during the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend. The suspension of lane closures will begin at 12:00 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, through 5:00 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, to offset the influence of holiday traffic and to reduce delays and increase safety for motorists. Motorists should note that some lane closures may still remain in place due to safety or emergency considerations.  Georgia DOT has analyzed Labor Day travel data from 2024 and predicts the following traffic flow patterns during this year’s holiday weekend…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– Benjamin Ward Dobmeyer, a DeKalb County library technician, has been reported as a missing from Decatur, GA since 5:15 p.m. on Aug. 25, 2025.  Dobmeyer was last seen leaving his home off Waldrop Road on foot. Dobmeyer, 34, has brown hair and a beard, hazel eyes, and wears glasses. He is 5’10 and weighs around 210 lbs. Dobmeyer is a high-functioning autistic man and this deviation from his normal schedule is highly concerning to everyone who knows him, his family stated. Dobmeyer has no history of substance use and has never been out of contact with his…

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA– Gwinnett County Police have arrested four men in connection with a year-long series of entering autos, vehicle thefts, and related crimes that impacted hundreds of victims across Gwinnett County and surrounding areas. The investigation began on June 5, 2024, when the Gwinnett County Police General Crimes Unit identified a pattern of criminal activity involving a group of suspects using stolen vehicles to target cars throughout the county. Over 14 months, the group broke into vehicles, stealing credit cards, money, and firearms, resulting in hundreds of victims in Gwinnett County. Through targeted investigative methods, detectives identified the suspects and…

ATLANTA—Singers from all backgrounds are invited to perform with Pastor James C. Ward, noted choral composer and pastor of Antioch-Lithonia Missionary Baptist Church, at the world-renowned Carnegie Hall in New York City on June 28, 2026. This trip will be the church’s second appearance at Carnegie Hall following its performance of the modern-day classic, Christmas Dreams, in 2023. Responding to the overwhelming feedback from those who missed that performance, Pastor Ward is opening the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to interested individual singers and groups who would like to go on the upcoming trip. “After the performance in 2023, several people said they would…