Author: On Common Ground News

Beginning July 1, 17-year-olds will be required to successfully complete the Joshua’s Law component of Georgia’s driver training program. Currently, those teens waiting until age 17 to test for their first license, are exempt from the 30 hours of classroom/online instruction and 6 hours of on-the-road training that comprise Joshua’s Law. House Bill 466, passed during the most recent legislative session of the Georgia General Assembly, makes Joshua’s Law driver training mandatory for 17-year-olds.  Anyone under the age of 18 will not be issued their initial Class D license without completing the required training. There is a range of…

STONECREST—SeaQuest,  an educational land and sea attraction, today(June 2) announced that its newest location is expected to soon open at the Mall at Stonecrest, even posting ticket sales on social media and its web site. City officials said this evening, however, the city is  still awaiting closing documents to finalize the $2.4 million purchase. “Right now, the city still owns the Sears building. We have a letter of intent, but we do not have the closing documents from the buyers,” said City Councilman Jimmy Clanton, whose District 1 includes The Mall at Stonecrest. “I don’t know what the delay…

Gwinnett County is helping ease hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic by continuing to feed Gwinnett’s children during the summer. After Gwinnett County Public Schools wraps up its meal service, the Gwinnett Summer Meals program will provide free grab-and-go breakfasts and lunches for children 18 years of age and younger at County parks, libraries, and other locations beginning June 1. Meals are also available for adults 19 and older with physical or mental disabilities who are enrolled in a school-based program. To view locations, visit GwinnettSummerMeals.com.

Minorities encouraged to apply   LAWRENCEVILLE—Gwinnett will start accepting applications this summer for membership in the Gwinnett Entrepreneur Center, an incubator for startups and small businesses looking to grow. The program, which provides facilities and coaching for beginner business owners, will accept between 30 and 40 Gwinnett-based members. The center is encouraging applications from minority business owners and those from financially challenged households. The 6,000-square-foot center in downtown Lawrenceville includes co-working spaces, a training room equipped with technology, conference rooms, a breakroom/dining area, outdoor workspace, and offices. The center will provide instruction such as workshops, coaching, peer learning, connections to…

DECATUR, GA  – The DeKalb County Board of Ethics meeting scheduled June 17, for 6 p.m.,  is cancelled.  The Board’s next meeting will be held on July 15, 2021.  

LITHONIA—The Lithonia Market on Main will host its official opening for the 2021 season on Saturday, June 5, noon to 4 p.m., 6980 Main St., Lithonia. The outdoor Saturday markets, which run June 5 through Oct. 30, feature African-American farmers offering a variety of fresh, seasonal produce and artisans selling their products and services. On opening day, there will be music and free gifts for all customers, organizers say. Vendors will offer half price on EBT purchases. The market will be held rain or shine. Some highlights of this year’s market include a Juneteenth/Father’s Day Celebration on June…

The DeKalb Board of Registration and Elections meeting for the purpose of conducting its normal monthly business will be held on Thursday, June 10, at 4:30 p.m. The meeting will be conducted via teleconference (Zoom). Simultaneous public access to the meeting will be available via livestream on DCTV’s UStream channel https://video.ibm.com/channel/dctv-channel-23. To make a comment, join via Zoom at https://dekalbcountyga.zoom.us/j/97184078303  or by phone at 1-888-270-9936 and use conference code 171493. Public comments of two minutes or less may be made live via the teleconference. For those joining the meeting by telephone, be aware that phone numbers may be displayed to…

DECATUR – The opportunity to turn yourself in on a misdemeanor charge in DeKalb County and get an immediate bond has ended. The DeKalb County Jail’s “Warrant Relief” program began earlier this month and was extended until Thursday (May 27) to accommodate increasing interest by the public. The warrant relief program allowed individuals who have outstanding arrest warrants for certain misdemeanor offenses a chance to surrender but avoid being jailed. When misdemeanor suspects turned themselves in voluntarily, they received an unsecured judicial release – a free bond – if charges met the criteria. Warrant service for some offenses has been…

ATLANTA—Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday (May 29)issued an executive order regarding remaining COVID-19 guidelines for long-term care facilities, schools, and local governments. “As hospitalizations, cases, deaths, and percent positive tests all continue to decline – and with vaccinations on the rise – Georgians deserve to fully return to normal,” said Kemp. “With safe and effective vaccines widely available and the public well-aware of all COVID-19 mitigation measures, mandates from state and local governments are no longer needed.” Effective May 31, 2021, through June 15, 2021, this order eliminates rules for restaurants, bars, conventions, childcare facilities, live performance venues, and other organizations.…

DECATUR, GA –– An investigation by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office’s Office of Professional Standards reports that a current DeKalb County Jail inmate was behind the threat of an explosive device yesterday at the DeKalb County courthouse in downtown Decatur. The judicial complex and several nearby businesses were evacuated on Thursday, May 27, for hours as law enforcement authorities from five agencies and Homeland Security performed a security sweep in search of the device. None was not found. The suspect has been identified as Joseph Michael Caquette, 47, of Atlanta, Georgia. According to records,  Caquette is currently in custody at…