Author: On Common Ground News

DeKalb Chief Magistrate Judge Berryl A. Anderson has issued an extension of the Judicial Emergency Order through Aug. 11, making virtual hearings available to the public.  The extension comes in the wake of the surge in the coronavirus pandemic in Georgia and other states in the U.S. “Our Criminal Division is already 100% virtual as of early June, and our Civil Division has kept cases moving by holding virtual hearings in several areas,” said Judge Anderson.  “The Misdemeanor Mental Health Court and our Ordinance Division have both adapted their proceedings to a virtual format as well.” While all filings are…

DeKalb County District 4 Commissioner Steve Bradshaw will host his second Quarterly in the Fourth community breakfast meeting this year via Zoom on Saturday, July 25, from 9 to 11 a.m. DeKalb County Police Chief Mirtha Ramos, county elections director Erica Hamilton, and DeKalb County department representatives will be available to respond to questions. Special guest speakers will provide an update on DeKalb County COVID-19 response. The focus of the community meetings is to provide information and resources and to address the concerns of constituents. “I am thrilled to be able to resume Quarterly in the Fourth Community meetings,”…

GSU researchers Gangli Wang and Mukesh Kumar ATLANTA—Georgia State University researchers have received a one-year, $200,000 rapid response grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a tool to detect the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology being developed by chemistry professor Gangli Wang in collaboration with assistant biology professor Mukesh Kumar is anticipated to provide several benefits, including fast turnaround time and greatly decreased false negative outcomes. “It’s extremely challenging to detect a single virus, which represents the earliest or most sensitive detection possible,” said Wang.…

ATLANTA—Today, The State of Black Georgia and other community leaders are returning to the Georgia Capitol in response to the lawsuit Gov. Kemp filed against Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the City Council. The injunction seeks to restrain Mayor Bottoms from issuing press statements or speaking to the public regarding her mandate that all citizens wear masks in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The State of Black Georgia will go live at around 10 a.m., said Co-Covener Dee Dawkins-Haigler, former Georgia State Representative and State Rep. Sandra G. Scott, District 76. “We’re encouraging the community to show their…

Today, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners approved CEO Michael Thurmond’s amendments to the mask ordinance that commissioners passed on July 14. The amended ordinance, which Thurmond asserts is “consistent” with Gov. Brian Kemp’s executive order, requires DeKalb residents over age 8 “to utilize a face covering or mask which covers the nose and mouth when in any public place.” A written warning will be given for first violations. Those who violate the ordinance a second time will be required to attend a virtual or in-person COVID-19 prevention class “to understand the public health ramifications of this…

Gov. Brian Kemp and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kelly Ellerb State of Black Georgia stages protest over Kemp’s attempts to  “silence”  Bottoms ATLANTA – The State of Black Georgia is participating in a week-long call to action in response to the lawsuit Gov. Brian Kemp filed against Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the City Council over how to respond to COVID-19. The group of supporters abruptly ended its press conference at the Georgia Capitol this morning after learning that Fulton County…

Early in-person voting July 20-Aug. 4   Early voting for two Rockdale County election runoff is off to a slow start. Voters are returning to the polls to decide runoffs for the Rockdale Clerk of Courts and the Post 5 Rockdale Board of Education seats. The early voting period began today, July 20, and runs through Aug. 4. According to reports, fewer than 100 people have casts votes in person so far today. Officials said, however, the estimate did not include mail-in ballots received. The main annex at 1400 Parker Road, Conyers is the only location that is open for…

ATLANTA–Democratic Party Chair Nikema Williams has been selected to replace the late Congressman John Lewis on the November ballots, the Party announced this afternoon(July 20). The Party selected its on chair over four other finalists that its executive committee had picked in an urgent search.  Williams, a state senator and self-described protégé of Lewis, was chosen to replace Lewis on the ballot following his death on July 17. The Party’s executive committee met today during a rushed Zoom call to select Williams. According to Georgia laws, party officials had to meet a deadline of today to determine whether to replace…

For years, BBB has warned consumers against doing business with callers and online companies who don’t have a valid physical address. Scammershave found a way to associate an address with their shady dealings, and this has led to the birth of even more scams. Homeowners with multiple properties, consumers, and renters need to be aware of several scams that start with the address of a house, apartment, or property that is currently unoccupied. Businesses Using Fake Addresses Scammers will try to sell all kinds of counterfeit or non-existent products online. Common scams involve the sale of high-dollar large items, such…

World-renowned motivational speaker Les Brown will join Orrin “Checkmate” Hudson and students enrolled in the virtual “Chess for Success” program offered by DeKalb County’s Office of Youth Services (OYS). Brown will speak to the students, who are ages 8 to 16, on Wednesday, July 22, at 10:30 a.m.The program is part of DeKalb’s Virtual Summer Camps, which areoffering a variety of classes for area students this summer. Hudson, who is founder and CEO of Be Someone Inc., a DeKalb County based non-profit that uses the game of chess to teach life lessons to students, many of whom are considered “at-risk.” Hudson and…