Author: On Common Ground News

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– The Gwinnett County Police Department is asking for the public’s help in finding  Jonathan Cunningham. Cunningham’s family contacted the police on December 5to report that he was last seen on Nov. 28, leaving the area of Medical Way in Snellville.  Cunningham suffers from several medical issues and his family is concerned that he has not contacted them. Cunningham is approximately 5’9 and 140 pounds.  He does not have a vehicle and is known to travel on foot. Anyone who has any information to share in this case, should contact GCPD detectives at 770-513.5300.  To remain anonymous, tipsters should…

CONYERS, G. – Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) made significant gains in several areas within the elementary, middle, and high school levels of the College and Career Readiness Index (CCRPI), according to data recently released by the Georgia Department of Education.  This is based on students’ performance on the 2024 Georgia Milestones Assessments administered during spring 2024. The CCRPI components consist of Content Mastery, Progress, Closing Gaps, Readiness, and Graduation Rate for high schools. At the elementary school level, RCPS saw gains in the Content Mastery, Progress, Closing Gaps* and Reading Readiness components over last year. Middle schools increased in Content Mastery…

DECATUR, GA – With the adoption of House Bill 1292 by the Georgia General Assembly during the 2024 legislative session, Georgia’s notaries public will be required to complete an educational training course as part of the application process. Additionally, notaries will be required to maintain a journal of their notarial acts performed at the request of a self-filer.  The educational requirement applies to all notary applicants, whether it is an initial (new) application or a renewal application. The new requirements become effective Jan. 1, 2025. HB 1292 [O.C.G.A. §45-17-8(h)(2)] directs the Georgia Superior Court Clerks’ Authority to adopt rules and regulations, as necessary, to…

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—DeKalb County’s 6th Annual Holiday Toy Drive for needy children is underway now and organizers are asking the community to pitch in and help put a smile on the kids’ faces by donating.  Mereda Davis Johnson, presiding officer of the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners, announced that DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond, who is leaving office this month, is partnering to host the  Christmas Giveback initiative with Atlanta-based rap artist 21 Savage. The county is accepting new toys and other gifts suitable for children ages 1 to 17 at 15 DeKalb locations.  The toys will be distributed to selected families on…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) announced today the winners of the 2024 Congressional App Challenge (CAC) for Georgia’s Fourth Congressional District. This annual district competition invites students to create and submit their original apps, showcasing their talent in coding, STEM, and computer science. More than 40 students competed from four high schools from throughout Georgia’s Fourth. The first-place winners will travel to Washington, D.C. in April 2025 to accept their award with other winners from around the nation. The winners are as follows: First Place: Emma Lane, Ella King, Nicholas Jovanovich, Mary Lawton Jones App: Voting Buddy School: Chamblee High…

STONECREST, GA – The Original Hot Dog Factory is excited to announce the grand opening of its newest location inside the food court at The Mall at Stonecrest, 2929 Turner Hill Road in Stonecrest, Georgia on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at 1 p.m. Hot dog enthusiasts are invited to celebrate the arrival of the renowned hot dog joint with Mayor Jazzmin Cobble, Privi Founders Vaughn & Cassandra Irons, Franchisors Izzy & Charity Ramos, and other local officials. There will be a live DJ and grand opening specials. The Original Hot Dog Factory Highlights: ●  Flavorful Variety: The Original Hot Dog…

STONECREST, GA—Join the City of Stonecrest today, Dec. 7, from 5 to 8 p.m., for the 5th Annual Tree Lighting Celebration at the Browns Mill Recreation Center, 5101 Browns Mill Road. Bundle up and bring the family to enjoy a host of activities: Pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus Live Reindeer Santa’s Workshop Sweet Treats & Warm Drinks Live Performances

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA– Gwinnett County Police officers arrested a South Carolina man who was wanted for three counts of attempted murder out of Seneca, S.C.’ s jurisdiction. Emmanuel Williams, 20, is from Seneca, was accused of shooting three people, one of them a 1-year-old child.  It was believed Williams was traveling to Gwinnett County. On Nov. 27, at approximately 7 p.m., the Gwinnett Police Department was contacted by the Seneca Police Department in reference to Williams.   With intel and Flock cameras, the black sport utility vehicle Williams was believed to have been driving was located at Sugarloaf Parkway and North…

CONYERS, GA–Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) will serve a holiday meal featuring a sweet potato soufflé made with locally-sourced sweet potatoes on Dec. 17. This farm-to-school initiative highlights the district’s dedication to providing fresh, nutritious meals while supporting local agriculture, officials said in a news release. Officials said 2,000 pounds of local sweet potatoes sourced from La Hacienda Sweets, a Latino-owned, 180-acre vegetable farm based in Lyons, GA, will be used to prepare the dish, which will be served to 15,342 students across 20 RCPS schools. The sweet potatoes will be roasted whole to enhance their natural sweetness, then blended with other ingredients to…

ATLANTA — RYSE Creative Village, a talent incubator in Southwest Atlanta, has received a $125,000 grant from Develop Fulton to support the county’s burgeoning creative talent pipeline.  Approved unanimously by Develop Fulton’s Board of Directors during its Dec. 3 meeting, the funding will help propel the initial phase of a groundbreaking redevelopment project. RYSE Creative Village, located at 1261 Lockwood Drive SW, plans to redevelop a long-vacant Atlanta Public School building into a state-of-the-art, tech-enabled content production studio and incubator for creative professionals. The facility will offer training and skills development programs essential for accessing high-demand careers in Georgia’s thriving film, music,…