Author: On Common Ground News

CONYERS, GA—Conyers City Manager Tony Lucas announced that Carrie Bootcheck, city attorney, has been hired as in-house counsel for the city of Conyers effective Sep. 2. Bootcheck has served as assistant city attorney for Conyers since 2004 and in June 2021, was named city attorney and appointed as prosecuting attorney for Conyers Municipal Court for a four-year term by the Conyers City Council. In addition to her expertise in local government law, Bootcheck is also proficient in civil litigation, probate law, wills, and construction law. She is also admitted to practice before the U.S. Patent…

Employees misclassified as independent contractors led to overtime violations  ATLANTA – Home care aides tend to the needs of people when they are most vulnerable, often putting their own health at risk. A U.S. Department of Labor investigation found that an Atlanta-area home care service failed to pay these essential workers the overtime they earned and are legally due. The department’s Wage and Hour Division determined Able Mabel Assisted In-Home Care Services Inc. –operating as Able Mabel Home Care – misclassified home health care aides as independent contractors and failed to pay them overtime when they worked over 40 hours in a week,…

STONECREST, GA—DeKalb County, in partnership with the DeKalb County Board of Health and Medcura Health, on Saturday(Aug. 28) administered an estimated 2,526 COVID-19 vaccinations during an outdoor event that featured music and celebrities at the Mall at Stonecrest. All persons receiving a vaccination also received a $100 prepaid debit card. “This has been an amazing day for DeKalb County and the region,” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said. “We also served a very diverse group of people from surrounding counties, including Henry, Newton and Gwinnett.“That’s a good thing because COVID-19 is no respecter of County lines…

The Atlanta BeltLine Lantern Parade, which usually takes place in late September, has been postponed, organizers announced today. “ABI was in the process of putting our plans in action for the 2021 Atlanta BeltLine Lantern Parade. However, as conditions surrounding COVID and the Delta Variant have shifted, it has become obvious that rates of infection and hospitalizations are on the rise. In conjunction with the Mayor’s office, we have decided to postpone this year’s lantern parade. While we are disappointed in having to reschedule, we want to ensure our communities stay safe. We look forward to Chantelle…

STONECREST, GA—The New Black Wall Street Market’s grand opening, which was planned for Labor Day weekend, has been rescheduled to Oct. 30-31, due to the rising number of COVID-19 Delta variant cases, officials have announced. Bill Allen, the visionary and owner of the New Black Wall Street Market, said refunds will be processed for vendors who had paid their fee beginning immediately “After much prayer and deliberation, Mr. Allen has decided that out of an abundance of caution and concern for public health / safety due to the proliferation of the COVID-19 Delta variant, we will be postponing…

ATLANTA –– With temperatures frequently exceeding 90 degrees across much of the state and the heat index near 100, Georgia Power is reminding customers that the company offers energy assistance programs to those in need of help paying or reducing their monthly energy bill.    Assistance when you need it Georgia Power offers energy assistance programs in communities across Georgia and has established partnerships with nonprofit, community and faith-based organizations to assist income-qualifying customers with their energy costs. The company’s programs are offered to help meet the changing needs of customers across the state, proactively identify solutions to meet their specific…

Ministry to host pull-up service featuring gospel recording artist Fred Hammond, free food giveaway, COVID-19 vaccinations + other community outreach STONECREST, GA—New Birth Missionary Baptist Church will host a pull-up worship service on Sunday, Sept. 5, at 9:30 a.m. in the parking lot of the ministry’s campus located at 6400 Woodrow Road in Stonecrest. Initially planned as a reopening for in-person Sunday service, Senior Pastor Jamal Bryant pivoted Labor Day weekend plans out of an abundance of caution as Georgia’s COVID-19 cases surge and vaccinations plateau. The pull-up worship experience will feature award-winning gospel…

The Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office announced today that there is insufficient evidence to proceed with criminal charges against a correctional officer who punched an inmate at Phillips State Prison during a scuffle. The D.A.’s office said the correctional officer was within use of force guidelines. The D.A.’s Office released a video clip of the incident showing the inmate poking, swinging and resisting the correctional officers as he was told to return to his cell. The exchange can be viewed with the downloadable link to the clip here. The District Attorney’s Office began investigating the incident last…

ATLANTA – Angelina Cortez, 46, of Rex, Georgia was arrested after turning herself in to the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 25, Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced in a news release today. Cortez faces one count of Insurance Fraud and two counts of Forgery in the 1st Degree. She is currently being held in the Clayton County Jail. “Ms. Cortez initiated a homeowners insurance claim with USAA Insurance on July 21,” said King. “During the course of the claim, fraudulent bank documents from Navy Federal Credit Union and fraudulent receipts from Fairfield…

Want a beautiful shade tree planted in your front yard for only $25? In its second year, Releaf Dekalb is a partnership between the Dekalb County Department of Planning and Sustainability and Trees Atlanta to expand the tree canopy and bring the benefits of trees to the residents of Dekalb County. The program is open to residents of unincorporated DeKalb County only. There is a strict limit of two trees per home (homeowners participating in this program may purchase additional trees from Trees Atlanta upon request.) Employees or DeKalb County government are not eligible to participate. For more information…