Author: On Common Ground News

DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Tangela Barrie has denied the City of Stonecrest’s request for a Temporary Restraining Order(TRO) to halt construction of the Metro Green Three recycling plant. But in the Sept. 3 continuance hearing, Barrie also warned Metro Green that if it continued to build the plant, it would be doing so at its own risk. “I’m denying this TRO at this juncture. So that means that the court is not going to stop you (Metro Green) from building, but you build under the concept that the city has made a strong argument. So, if you continue to…

 CONYERS—Excel Church will provide hundreds of families with free groceries on Saturday, Sept. 5, noon to 2 p.m., at 1151 Flat Shoals Road SE, Conyers. In the interest of safety, Excel Church will be practicing social distancing by allowing people to pull up their vehicles open their trunks, receive groceries, and go home with free food for their families.

DeKalb County Police is looking for one of two suspects wanted for their  role in the fatal attack of a 57-year-old man. The victim, Bruce Mitchell, was at a bus stop near Wesley Chapel Road and Snapfinger Road on Aug. 17 when a shirtless man snatched his bag and another man punched him knocking him unconscious. Mitchell died from his injuries in a local hospital on Aug. 21 One of the suspects, Joel Baker, was arrested on Sept. 3 on Felony murder and other charges. The man who initiated the attack, seen in the video link provided by DeKalb Police below,…

DeKalb County has activated the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) warning system to alert the public that while some progress has been made, the fight against the spread of COVID-19 is not over. “Do not allow our efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 be undermined during the Labor Day weekend,” DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond said. “We must remain vigilant because the fight against the deadly pandemic is not over.” Since the pandemic began, DeKalb County has worked with its public and private partners to slow the spread of COVID-19 by distributing masks and sanitizer to residents and small…

The Georgia Emergency Management(GEMA) and Homeland Security Agency will no longer publish the daily COVID-19 Situation Report (SITREP). The daily updates are being replaced by a new web-based COVID-19 Data Hub by the Georgia Geospatial Information, state officials announced. “In the beginning days of the pandemic, we developed our daily SITREP to supplement the Department of Public Health’s reporting, and provide the public with relevant data regarding hospitalizations, and resources,” said GEMA/HS Director Chris Stallings. “GIO has created a one-stop shop for all of the data in a format that is more easily accessible, so it makes sense…

The Conyers Mayor and City Council unanimously approved a resolution at the Sept. 2 City Council meeting encouraging citizens to wear masks or face coverings over the nose and mouth in public effective immediately. The resolution cites language from Governor Brian Kemp’s previous Executive Order that indicates wearing masks and face coverings helps mitigate the spread of COVID-19. “It is encouraging that Rockdale County’s reported COVID-19 cases seem to be on a positive, downward trend, but now is not the time for our citizens to become complacent,” said Mayor Vince Evans. “We hope everyone realizes that it takes a collective…

The DeKalb County Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Affairs will hold a virtual Parks Citizen Advisory Board Committee meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 6 p.m. The meeting to discuss current park improvements and recreation projects will be conducted via Zoom at https://dekalbcountyga.zoom.us/j/94798588338. To join the meeting by phone, dial 888-270-9936, and use conference code 720766 For more information, contact Carol Underwood: cjunderw@dekalbcountyga.gov.

The DeKalb County Board of Health will open the following location for COVID-19 testing on Monday, Sept. 7, with reduced hours: Former K-Mart Store Parking Lot (at I-285 and Buford Hwy.) 5597 Buford Hwy. NE, Doraville, Ga. 30340 The Doraville location’s hours of operation will be 9 a.m. until noon. Testing locations in Atlanta at Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church and in Stonecrest at the former Sam’s Club, will be closed for Labor Day. The Board of Health’s COVID-19 Call Center will also be closed. Beginning Saturday, Sept. 5, the Board of Health’s COVID-19 Call Center hours will change.…

A coalition of DeKalb County pastors is urging voters to cast their ballots by mail or place them in dropboxes by Oct. 21—ahead of the Nov. 3 general election. The DeKalb Pastors Christian Alliance announced at a press conference today (Sept. 2) that the campaign, “DeKalb Votes Together,” would officially begin this Sunday, Sept. 6, and continue for six consecutive weeks, ending on Oct. 21. Lee May, lead pastor of Transforming Faith Church and former DeKalb Interim CEO, said the Alliance is organizing as one body and inviting other pastors to come aboard. “Here’s the reality: People trust their pastors.…

George Levett, III, 24, was arrested and charged with armed robbery after beating a 52-year-old man with a baseball bat last week. Levett is the son of Rockdale Coroner George Levett, Jr. and the cousin of Sheriff Eric Levett. According to a Conyers Police report, obtained today(Sept. 1) by On Common Ground News,  Levett attacked Michael Martin outside of an extended stay hotel in Conyers around 8:43 p.m. on Aug. 24. Officers said Levett stole the victim’s Glock 19 handgun after beating him and then fled. He was captured by a police shortly after the incident.  When police arrived at…