Author: On Common Ground News

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.…

CONYERS–A long line of people formed at Voices of Faith Church’s Rockdale County campus, 1290 Sigman Road, early on Sunday (Aug. 22) morning, ready to roll up their sleeves for the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccinations. Teams from the Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale Health Departments were on hand to dispense the Pfizer shots. Today marked the health departments’ second visit to Voices of Faith, which is under the leadership of Gary Hawkins, Sr. The first vaccination event, hosted by State Rep. Karen Bennett, was held on Aug. 15 at the church’s main campus at 2500 Rockbridge Road…

ATLANTA – As Hurricane Henri threatens the Northeast Coast, Georgia Power is responding to support affected utilities as part of the mutual assistance network. More than 100 Georgia Power personnel are traveling North toward Hartford, Connecticut. A convoy of trucks and personnel including linemen and engineers, as well as safety, fleet and logistics support from around the state left Georgia Power’s Lawrenceville headquarters in metro Atlanta at 6 a.m. Sunday(Aug. 22). Georgia Power has also released a number of contract crews to respond as well. Mutual Assistance Network Georgia Power monitors changing weather around the clock and coordinates with…

DECATUR, GA– The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) announced that the Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators (CJJA) has named Commissioner Tyrone Oliver the 2021 President’s Award recipient. Oliver received the award at the CJJA Summer Meeting on Aug. 14 in Nashville, Tenn. “Commissioner Oliver has proven himself to be a strong leader in our state’s service to youth in the criminal justice system,” said Governor Brian Kemp. “He has rightfully earned the CJJA President’s Award because of his genuine commitment to bettering the lives of countless youth and fostering safe communities across our state. The Kemp family and…