Author: On Common Ground News

The closure is necessary to provide additional staffing resources to provide COVID-19 vaccinations for the event at The Mall at Stonecrest, taking place from 8 a.m. until 1p.m. The DeKalb County Board of Health, along with DeKalb County Government, DeKalb Fire Rescue and MedCura Health are partnering for this event. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be provided for administration. COVID-19 vaccinations are free. However, if you have insurance, we ask that you please bring your insurance information and photo ID with you. An administration fee may be applied for Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance. You…

DECATUR, GA—Truman Smith, 32, was sentenced to life in prison on Aug. 20 for fatally shooting a friend, Johnnie Crawford, 50 , at point blank range DeKalb District Attorney Sherry Boston announced the conviction by jury trial in the murder case against Smith, who was from Zebulon, Georgia. Jurors returned guilty verdicts against Smith on charges of Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Felony in connection with the shooting death of Crawford. The fatal incident occurred on Sept. 15, 2016. Smith, his cousin, a friend, and the victim were…

CONYERS, GA – Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) was recently awarded around $5 million over four years in the third round of the Georgia Department of Education’s Literacy for Learning, Living, and Leading in Georgia (L4GA) grant. The goal of L4GA is to improve literacy outcomes for students from birth through grade 12. RCPS was one of 19 districts in the state selected for the most recent round of the L4GA grant, which totals more than $14.7 million state-wide over four years.   Six RCPS schools will participate in programs and resources funded by this third round of the L4GA…

Customers have four ways to avoid service cutoff DECATUR, GA – DeKalb County will lift its five-year-old water service disconnection moratorium for residential water accounts on Sept. 1, 2021. Residential water service customers may avoid service disconnection in one of four ways, by: Paying the past due balance in full by Aug. 31, 2021. Customers who opt to pay the past due balance in full may request a credit of up to one year of late fees by emailing dekalbwaterbillingfn@dekalbcountyga.gov. Requesting an Installment Payment Agreement online at www.dekalbcountyga.gov/installment, or by calling Customer Service at 404-378-4475, or by returning the…

STONECREST–Kelvin Kight says when he qualified to run for the District 1 City Council seat on last Friday, he left City Hall filled with excitement. He thought everything was in order. Now, Kight is struggling to understand why city officials notified him today (Aug. 24) that he is ineligible to run for office and will forfeit his $450 qualifying fee because he actually lives in District 5. “She (City Clerk Sonya Isom) asked me for my driver’s license. She said she was going to verify that I was eligible to run for the seat. When she returned to…

Courtney Howe, 50, identified in 1997 attack by positive DNA match   DECATUR, GA–DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced a conviction by guilty plea in the sexual assault cold case against Courtney Howe, 50. During court proceedings last Friday, Howe pleaded guilty as indicted to charges of Rape, Aggravated Sodomy, Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, Burglary and Theft by Taking, in connection with the attack of a 35-year-old female victim in her home 24 years ago. The incident happened on May 10, 1997 at a home on Harts Mill Road in Atlanta. The victim awoke in the middle of the night and…

STONECREST, GA–Kelvin Kight, a candidate who officially threw his name in the hat to run for one of three city council seats, qualified for the wrong seat on Aug. 20, county elections have confirmed. Kight qualified for the District 1 seat, although he actually lives in District 5, according to DeKalb County Voter Registration and Election officials. Kight can’t switch seats now, however, since the qualifying period ended on Friday at 4:30 p.m., a spokesperson for DeKalb Elections Supervisor Erica Hamilton said today. “He (Kight) could have changed before the period ended, but he cannot change now. Those…

Free COVID-19 testing will be available DeKalb County will give a $100 prepaid debit card to everyone who receives a COVID-19 vaccination on Saturday, Aug. 28. From 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., DeKalb County Board of Health and DeKalb County Fire Rescue will administer voluntary COVID-19 vaccinations to anyone 12 years of age and older at The Mall at Stonecrest, 2929 Turner Hill Rd., Stonecrest, GA. All persons receiving a vaccination also will receive a $100 prepaid debit card. MedCura Health also will offer free COVID-19 tests. Persons will be able to remain in their vehicles when receiving vaccinations,…

CONYERS, GA—Six candidates qualified last week for three seats on the Conyers City Council. Incumbent Mayor Vince Evans will run unopposed as he was the sole candidate qualifying for the office of mayor. District 1 Council Member Cleveland Stroud previously announced that he would not seek another term and two contenders, Eric Fears and Leslie Lambert, qualified for his seat. The District 2, Post 1 seat has been vacant since former council member Blair Barksdale’s resignation in July 2020. Three contenders qualified for that seat: Charles Bryant, Jason Cosby and Josie Giles. The seats are four-year terms.…