Author: On Common Ground News

The Rockdale County House Legislative Delegation has elected State Rep. Rhonda Taylor(D-Conyers) was its chair. Taylor was newly elected as a state lawmaker by voters on Nov. 3, 2020 to represent District 91. In addition to electing Taylor as chair, the delegation elected State Rep. Doreen Carter (D-Lithonia) as vice chair and State Rep. Regina Lewis-Ward (D-McDonough) as secretary. The delegation held elections on Tuesday, Jan. 19. The new officers will lead the delegation during the 2021-2022 legislative term. “It is an honor to serve Rockdale County citizens in this capacity during my first term as a state representative,” said Taylor.  “Over the…

The City of Stonecrest is partnering with Emory Healthcare to present a virtual health panel to cover a variety of topics including COVID-19 vaccine facts , diabetes prevention and treatment on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 6 p.m. You’ll hear from physicians and professionals from Emory Hillandale Hospital, some of whom reside in the Lithonia/Stonecrest community In addition to COVID-19 vaccine information and diabetes prevention and treatment, mental health resources and other health challenges affecting local communities will be discussed. There will be a Q&A. To register for the free event,click: https://emory.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CGJTLmn-SriX_tGUGuESlQ 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) has been named as a member to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, the main investigative committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. The committee is tasked with oversight of the executive branch and will have a central role in picking up the pieces from the Trump administration. “I want to thank Committee Chair Carolyn B. Maloney and all my colleagues for welcoming me to this critical committee that oversees the executive branch – and helps define how the federal government interacts with local and state governments,” said Rep. Johnson. “In this…

Lawsuit brought by Solicitor-General to determine monument’s ultimate fate   LAWRENCEVILLE– The Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners(BOC) on Tuesday (Jan. 19)  approved a resolution to relocate a Confederate monument to storage while court proceedings — which will ultimately determine its fate — continue. The 28-year-old monument sits on the grounds of Gwinnett County’s Historic Courthouse in Lawrenceville and became the focus of media attention and protests after it was vandalized in June 2020. In response, Gwinnett County Solicitor-General Brian Whiteside filed a lawsuit against Gwinnett County seeking a court order declaring the monument a public nuisance and directing County…

DECATUR-GA—DeKalb County Police Department is seeking the public’s help in finding a pair of suspects who recently robbed two T-Mobile locations during business hours at gunpoint. The most recent armed robbery occurred on Jan. 14, around 4:55 p.m., at 2375 Wesley Chapel Road, Decatur. The two suspects walked into the store, where two female employees and a female customer were inside, held them at gunpoint while demanding and taking iPhones. One of the suspects grabbed one of the females and held her around the neck during the robbery. The suspects fled the scene in a silver newer model SUV (possibly…

ATLANTA—Gov. Brian P. Kemp today announced that, for the second straight week, Georgia has more than doubled its number of reported COVID-19 vaccinations. From Jan. 11-18, the Georgia Department of Public Health reported an increase from 206,900 to 423,011 vaccines administered. “While supply for the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 remains extremely limited, these numbers show encouraging progress in our efforts to work through backlogs in provider reporting and get Georgians vaccinated quickly and safely,” said Gov. Kemp. “Thanks to the hard work of public health officials and the support of private sector partners like Publix, Kroger, Ingles, Walmart, CVS, and…

Memorial to commemorate inauguration of President-elect Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and Vice President-elect Kamala D. Harris   ATLANTA—Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced that the City of Atlanta will join cities across the country in participating in the national Memorial to Lives Lost to COVID-19. City Hall and the canopy at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will be illuminated in a light amber color, officials said. The memorial will take place in Washington D.C. and nationwide on Jan. 19, 2021 beginning at 5:30 p.m. EST. “As our nation moves forward with this historic transition of power at our highest…

CONYERS, GA– Field crews have restored water services to South Rockdale citizens after a 12” water main break occurred at Hwy 138 and East Fairview Road during the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend. The Boil Water Advisory, however, will remain in effect until Tuesday, Jan. 19, 6 p.m., county officials said in a news release. A 48-hour Boil Water Advisory was issued for areas south of Hwy 138 and Hwy 212 on Sunday Jan. 17, at 5:15 p.m. The water main break mainly affected residents living near Hwy 138 at South River Bridge and North of East Fair…

The City of Stonecrest honored five local leaders and one international leader at its “Key to the City Ceremony” on Sunday, Jan. 17. The red carpet event, restricted to guests by invitation only, was held at the Atlanta Evergreen Marriott Conference Resort. Those honored included: Dr. Kwaku Oteng, Ghana, Africa, a successful entrepreneur featured as the recipient of the International Key to the City recipient Brenda Cornelius, founding member of the city of Stonecrest, leader in government relations Kim Bentley, vice president of Operations at Emory Hillandale Hospital in Stonecrest Dr. Terry Cummings, legendary NBA player, Stonecrest resident Tony Vaughn,…

DeKalb Voter Registration and Elections Board (DeKalb VRE) unanimously certified the election results on Jan. 15, 2021, from the Jan. 5, 2021, runoff election for two U. S. Senate seats and the public service commissioner. Following the required signatures by DeKalb VRE’s board members, the certified results will immediately be sent to the Georgia Secretary of State. “We’re so pleased to see so many DeKalb voters turn out and exercise their constitutional right. The turnout we saw was nothing short of historic,” said DeKalb VRE Director Erica Hamilton. “I’m so proud of my team and all their efforts to…