Author: On Common Ground News

Today, Senator-elect the Rev. Raphael Warnock was a guest on SiriusXM’s The Joe Madison Show, where he spoke out against Republicans who have their “fingerprints” on yesterday’s attack on the nation’s Capitol. “The President and all of those who had enabled him, including Kelly Loeffler, who I ran against, and who has yet to concede this race, their hands and their fingerprints are on this….,” said Warnock. At the same time, Warnock also told Madison that there’s an important takeaway from the Georgia Jan. 5 election results: “Georgia elected a black man, the pastor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s church,…

After 26 years of honorable service, DeKalb County Captain Eric Jackson is retiring from DeKalb County Fire Rescue. Jackson began his DCFR career on April 25, 1994. Serving as a fire officer and public information officer, Jackson was known throughout DeKalb County. The Department will celebrate his years of service from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 23, at: Fire Station 8 2711 Clairmont Road Atlanta, GA 30329 Light snacks will be provided. Please wear a mask. Social distancing protocols will be followed.

The U.S. Department of Labor today(Jan. 6)  announced new guidelines to states for reauthorizing the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) to assist Americans who remain unemployed. The new program provides $300 per week to supplement benefits for weeks of unemployment beginning after Dec. 26, 2020, and ending on or before March 14, 2021. FPUC is not payable with respect to any week during the gap in the weeks of unemployment ending after July 31, 2020 through the weeks of unemployment ending on or before Dec. 26, 2020, officials stated in a news release. In addition to reauthorizing the FPUC…

This morning (Jan. 6), the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office investigated a suspicious package found on the steps of the DeKalb County Courthouse in downtown Decatur. The package was discovered during a routine security check of the judicial complex perimeter and the agency followed protocol for investigation, including suspending access to the buildings and dispatching bomb detection K9 officers from the agency and the DeKalb County Police Department. The package was removed and investigators found that it posed no threat. Access to the courthouse was re-opened.

Rockdale County Government, the City of Conyers and the Conyers-Rockdale Economic Development Council are inviting the public to learn about the “Advancing Rockdale Economic Development Strategy” during a virtual event on Jan. 20, 3 to 4 p.m. Over the past 12 months, the county, city and Economic Development Council have partnered, with the support of the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, to develop a new economic development strategy for the community, officials said. Throughout 2020, a steering committee comprised of local business, education, government and community leaders has worked to craft a new vision and strategy…

DECATUR—DeKalb County elections officials are processing and counting all outstanding ballots including absentee, military/overseas, and provisional ballots. Officials said in a statement released around 4 p.m. today, Jan. 6, that there remains an estimated 20,000 ballots to be counted. Outstanding ballots include provisional ballots and absentee ballots received on Election Day by the 7 p.m. deadline. Overseas and military ballots must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 8. Additionally, there are 440 ballots that need to be cured and voters are being contacted to resolve their ballot issue before Friday’s deadline. DeKalb Voter Registration and Elections officials plan…

ATLANTA – Democrat Rev. Raphael Warnock has claimed victory in defeating Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler in the Georgia U.S. Senate runoff election, The Associated Press and other media outlets reported. Making history, Warnock became the first Black Democrat elected to the U.S. Senate from the South. Warnock announced his win in Georgia’s U.S. Senate special election runoff race in a virtual address shortly after midnight. Loeffler, however, has not conceded. Warnock was leading by more than 40,00 votes with 99% of precincts reporting that he had 2,220,300 (51 percent). Loeffler had 2,173,749 (49%). “I promise this to you tonight, I am going…

Volunteers are needed to sign up over the next three days—Jan. 6-8—to conduct ballot curing (helping people whose ballots were rejected). A 45-minute virtual training session is required along with a 2.5-hour canvassing shift. As a ballot rescuer canvasser, you will knock on doors to help Georgia voters fix their rejected ballots and ensure every voter has a voice in the Jan. 5 election runoffs. For more information, click the link:     https://www.mobilize.us/georgiademocrats/event/364558/

DeKalb County and officers from around the state are mourning the loss of DeKalb Police Sgt. Daniel Mobley, 44, who was fatally struck while assisting with a wreck involving another DeKalb Police officer on Saturday, Jan. 2.  The accident occurred around 9 a.m. at I-75-85 southbound near Williams Street in downtown Atlanta.  Sgt. Mobley was transported to  Grady Memorial Hospital where he succumbed of his injuries. Authorities said the driver of a Ford Focus lost control of the vehicle while making a left-hand turn. The vehicle went onto the right shoulder of the downtown connector, crashing into a barrier wall and striking St.…

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit, working with the Atlanta Police Department, has arrested a suspect in the murder of a man in Decatur last year. Sheriff’s investigators today(Jan. 5)  arrested Denard Juantez Conyers, 29,  of Atlanta, at an Atlanta residence on charges of Aggravated Assault and Murder in the shooting death of Russell Filmore. According to the arrest warrant, both men had been arguing at a funeral on Dec. 20, 2020 in Decatur when the shooting occurred. Conyers was arrested without incident and transported to the DeKalb County Jail, where he is being held without bond.