Author: On Common Ground News

 The Stonecrest Development Authority will conduct its monthly meeting on July 9, 8:30 a.m. The meeting will be conducted virtually. To access the livestream meeting, visit the city of Stonecrest’s web site: stonecrestga.gov. The  agenda is listed below:

The Rockdale County Sheriffs Office is seeking the public’s assistance in gathering information regarding a shooting that occurred at  during a Fourth of July/birthday celebration on July 5, during the early morning hours at 2410 Kinmor Industrial Parkway in Conyers. Authorities said gunfire erupted inside of the building at 3:26 a.m. At least three individuals are currently known to have been struck by gunfire, and multiple shooters are suspected, said Sheriff’s Office spokesman Deputy Lee A. Thomas . Anyone who attended the event or has information regarding the incident in question is asked to contact: Investigator Green 770-278-8183 Tommy.Green@rockdalecountyga.Gov   Investigator Smith…

Today (July 7), the DeKalb County Board of Education announced its intention to increase the property taxes it will levy this year by 4.16 percentage points over the rollback millage rate, though the millage rate will not be increased. Each year, the Board of Tax Assessors is required to review the assessed value for property tax purposes of taxable property in the county. When the trend of prices on properties that have recently sold in the county indicate there has been increases in the fair market value of any specific property, the board of tax assessors is required by law…

Ed Williams, Ed.D., chair of Concerned Citizens for Effective Government, has filed a complaint with the Federal Transit Administration against MARTA. Williams, a DeKalb County community activist, said MARTA discriminated against minority and poor residents of DeKalb, Fulton, Clayton, and the City of Atlanta, eliminating 70 bus routes in April without a public hearing or MARTA board vote as required by law.  Williams said MARTA cut its routes and services after MARTA received $300 million in federal funding to supplement lost transit revenue due to COVID-19 pandemic.  Williams said the reduction in MARTA service has created a hardship for…

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, DeKalb County’s swimming pools, playgrounds and fitness stations remain closed, as well as Sugar Creek Golf and Tennis Center and Porter Sanford III Performing Arts and Community Center. All year-round recreation center programming, rentals of picnic shelters, organized youth and adults sports use of athletic fields and permits for special events are suspended until further notice. All parks trails and tennis courts will remain open to the public. Patrons are encouraged to practice social distancing and wear face masks when social distancing cannot be maintained. The DeKalb County recreation centers will continue to…

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners approved acceptance of a $345,000 grant from the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) on June 23 to provide meals to seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The ARC received the funds from the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which is federal legislation to provide economic relief to those impacted by the pandemic. This funding will allow the DeKalb County Human Services Department to provide meals to an additional 480 seniors per month. Since March, the DeKalb Human Services Department has received an additional 200 requests per month from seniors in need of food assistance. Currently,…

The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) has elected Sandra Elizabeth Ford, District Health Director and Chief Executive Officer of the DeKalb County Board of Health, as its new president-elect. NACCHO is the voice of the nation’s nearly 3,000 local governmental health departments. As Board president-elect, Dr. Ford will serve on the Board of Directors’ Executive Committee as president-elect in 2020-2021 before assuming the positions of president in 2021-2022 and immediate past president in 2022-2023, respectively.  Dr. Ford began her first term as an officer on July 1, 2019. “Dr. Ford has been a long-standing volunteer…

The DeKalb County Police Department has issued a MATTIE’S alert for a 70-year-old man who is believed to be suffering from dementia. William Edmond “Billy” Roey left a relative’s home in Decatur on July 2 at approximately 12:30 p.m. He was last seen wearing blue jeans and a blue long sleeve shirt. He is 6 feet tall and weighs about 160 pounds. The Police Department is asking anyone who comes into contact with him to call 911 or the Special Victims’ Unit at 770-724-7710.  

His name is Almond James Turner: lifelong resident of Covington, GA; 1968 graduate of the historic, segregated R.L. Cousins School; husband to his childhood sweetheart (Anita); father of three amazing children who serve Newton County; grandfather to ten beautiful children; 45 years of service with Covington Police; first African American Assistant Chief of Police; and 23 years on the Newton County Board of Education. Almond was an outstanding officer, citizen, servant-leader, family man, deacon and friend. He epitomizes the “Glory of Covington”. When we tragically lost Almond in November, the Newton County community united to celebrate the life and legacy…