Author: On Common Ground News

Board also approves $400,000 to assist uninsured with healthcare costs LAWRENCEVILLE, GA – The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners (BOC) approved expanding its Police Department’s fleet maintenance by building  a new facility. The BOC gave the nod at its June 15 meeting. Construction on the building is slated to begin August 2021 and will take a year to complete. Diversified Construction of Georgia was awarded the contract for $1,698,000. The Police Department’s fleet maintenance is currently housed in a building that was built in the 1970s, when the department was much smaller. “This addition will increase efficiency and prevent delays as…

DECATUR, GA—On June 12, Congressman Hank Johnson hosted the “Truth Bringer in Chief” Angela Rye on his latest episode of “Live With Hank,” via his Instagram page. In the candid, one-on-one virtual conversation, the two discussed several topics including: The truth behind the Greenwood (Tulsa) Massacre and its continued plague on Black America; their time together at the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC), where Rye served as the executive director and general counsel for the 112thCongress; Rye’s trip to Ghana; and her recent celebration of her father, longtime activist and Seattle radio host Eddie Rye, Jr.’s, 79th birthday. “We love Angela and…

CONYERS—Rockdale County voters elected incumbent Judge Gary Washington as Probate Judge tonight in a three-way race, unofficial results show. Washington received 59.41(2,701) percent of the vote, avoiding a runoff in the special election. Justin Kenney received 36.12 percent(1,642) and Kathy Harvey came in third with 4.40 percent 200). Turnout was low: 4,546 of 64,269 (7.07%) registered voters cast ballots in the June 15 special election, unofficial results showed. An elated Washington thanked voters for their support. “Wow. I cannot even find the words to say other than, thank you. We did it. We won without a runoff!,” Washington said in a statement. “You donated. You called. You knocked…

The polls will close at 7 p.m. for the special Election for Rockdale Probate Judge. The turnout has been low for this race and voters are urged to cast their ballots. Check out the chart below to see where you will vote based on the precinct where you are registered to vote.

Henkels & McCoy Inc. attempted to disguise wages as reimbursement payments BLUE BELL, PA – Following a Pennsylvania federal court order that upheld the findings of a U.S. Department of Labor investigation, oil and gas industry contractor Henkels & McCoy Inc. paid more than $1 million in back wages to hundreds of employees for violating worker protection laws. The order in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia led Henkels & McCoy Inc. to pay $1,085,830 in back wages and damages for failing to pay required overtime wages to 362 workers at 11 worksites. The…

DECATUR, GA –DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox praised the response by a deputy from its Reserves Unit who was working off duty on Monday (June 14) at the Big Bear grocery store at 2849 Candler Road in Decatur around 1 p.m. when a shooting erupted and a cashier was killed. Another cashier  suffered non-life threatening injuries. Reserves Deputy Danny Jordan, 54, remains hospitalized today(June 15) in “stable condition” at Atlanta Medical Center after sustaining gunshot injuries when he intervened as a lone gunman fired several times inside the supermarket. Laquitta Willis, a 41-year-old  cashier, was taken to…

The World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2021 is held on June 15th. The United Nations General Assembly officially recognized this day as an annual initiative in its 66/127 resolution, following a request by the International Network for Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA). World Elder Abuse Awareness Day or WEAAD is a designated day in which the entire world voices its opposition to any form of abuse of the older generation. According to the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services, 1 in 10 Americans over the age of 60 has experienced elder abuse and believed…

This morning a Cobb County Magistrate judge issued misdemeanor warrants for Cobb County School District bus driver, Richard Tebbens, for simple assault and simple battery against a 10-year-old student. The incident occurred on November 14, 2019. According to the sworn testimony during the warrant issuance hearing on May 10, 2020, Richard Tebbens, a bus driver employed by the Cobb County School District stopped the bus he was driving. He then went to the back of the bus, grabbed a 10 year old child by the collar of his shirt and then forcefully gripped the child’s face and head with his…