Author: On Common Ground News

DECATUR, GA—DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson will host DeKalb County South Precinct Police Meetups each Saturday starting May 22 through June 26.  The meetups will begin at 2 p.m.     “I believe in cultivating and building strong relationships between our community and police,” Commissioner Johnson said. “This is why police meetups like these are so important for everyone to know we must all work together to make our communities what we want them to be currently and in the future.” The officers will meet for their roll calls in the different communities throughout District 3 to further demonstrate their level…

DECATUR, GA ––DeKalb County Sheriff Melody M. Maddox announced today May 20) that 35 warrants were cleared during this week’s Project Safe Home targeting those wanted on misdemeanor domestic violence offenses.  The operation is among the most dangerous jobs in law enforcement, as the process involves locating individuals and taking them into custody for such offenses as Battery, Assault, Stalking, Criminal Trespass, Family Violence Battery, and Cruelty to Children. Those arrested this week, Maddox said, were all taken into custody without incident. DeKalb’s Project Safe Home was initiated last May as a two-day operation when there were noticeable increases in…

Pictured, left to right: Development Authority of Rockdale County Board Vice Chair Dr. Steve Boyle, RCA Manufacturing Instructor Jesse Smith, RCA CEO Bennett McCumber, Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce Vice President Katy Zahradnik, with the Glowforge Pro CNC laser cutter engraver purchased with the first part of the 10-year donation from the Development Authority. CONYERS, GA– Rockdale Career Academy (RCA), a college and career academy in Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS), was recently awarded a $50,000 grant from the Development Authority of Rockdale County. The Development Authority is giving RCA $5,000 a year for the next 10 years as part of the…

New federal initiative offers eligible households up to $50 discount on high-speed internet bills Atlanta—AARP Georgia today encouraged residents who are without access to high-speed internet, or struggling to afford it, to investigate the recently launched Emergency Broadband Benefit (EBB) program. The EBB is a $3.2 billion Federal Communications Commission (FCC) program to help Americans access the affordable, high-speed internet they need during the COVID-19 pandemic. “The pandemic has shown our reliance on high-speed internet,” said Debra Tyler-Horton, AARP Georgia State Director. “But too many Georgians are being left behind. Patients navigating telehealth, students learning remotely, and loved ones…

ATLANTA—The Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) has some good news for families who receive CAPS scholarship assistance in paying for childcare. Through the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental   Appropriations Act (CRRSA), DECAL has received funds to help eligible Georgia families negatively impacted by the pandemic pay for childcare. DECAL will use this investment in early learning to support families through a special initiative called ACCESS – Awarding Child Care Education Scholarship Supplements. ACCESS is intended to temporarily alleviate the financial burden of childcare for families in the CAPS program. “As part of this funding, CAPS family fees…the portion of…

CONYERS, GA—The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the shooting deaths of two people whose bodies were found inside a vehicle on a rural road in Conyers on Thursday (May 20) afternoon. Deputies responded to a person shot call at 1:40 p.m. near the 1400 block of Bruce Road, Conyers, and found the bodies of a black male and a black female who had been shot multiple times. The Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that this is an active investigation, and updates will be provided when they become available. Meanwhile, authorities are asking for anyone who may have…

Photo provided: Shontae Barber ATLANTA – Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner John F. King announced today(May 20) that warrants have been issued for the arrest of Shontae Barber, 40, for one count of Insurance Fraud and one count of Forgery in the 1st Degree. Barber is wanted in connection with a Clayton County case. “Our Criminal Investigations Division discovered that Ms. Barber initiated a disability claim for the amount of $656.86,” said King. “The accused submitted documents to American Health and Life Insurance Company claiming she was partially disabled due to a knee surgery. Upon investigation, it was discovered that…

ATLANTA—Uninsured women who have not had a mammogram in a year or more can get one at no cost, if they meet certain criteria. Eligible women must be 40 to 60 years old and meet income requirements. The YWCA of Greater Atlanta Health and Wellness program is offering the screenings along with partners Sisters By Choice Mobile Mammography, Grady Cancer Center of Excellence, and Emory St. Joseph’s Hospital. The free mammograms are made possible by a grant received from Georgia Center for Oncology Research and Education and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation.To determine eligibility or to register…

DECATUR, GA– Briarcliff Way NE, between Clifton Road NE and Old Briarcliff Road NE, will be closed to through-traffic from midnight to 4 a.m., Saturday, May 22, to facilitate the filming of “Emergency” in Decatur. Road closure and detour signs will be placed in the area during the road closure period advising motorists of construction work in the area and of local traffic restrictions. Questions regarding this road closure should be addressed to Seth Zimmerman, location manager, Big Indie Emergency Inc., at 404-667-9964.