Author: On Common Ground News

The Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney is hosting a virtual town hall on Thursday, July 9, 3:30 p.m. District Attorney Sherry Boston invites the community to attend a virtual town hall on a timely conversation about criminal justice, law enforcement, and community engagement. Boston will be joined by DeKalb County Police Chief Mirtha Ramos; Dunwoody Police Chief Billy Grogan; Civil rights attorney Mawuli Davis; and Marissa McCall Dodson, Public Policy Director, Southern Center for Human Rights. The conversation will be moderated by Veronica Waters, WSB Radio. Registration is free and open to the public. Register at: https://dekalbcountyga.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NV0YdwEOS0O6o_JdkFe5bQ

DECATUR – Due to facility issues, the DeKalb County Board of Health’s T.O. Vinson Health Center will be closed on Thursday, July 9. The facility also was closed on July 8. The health center is scheduled to reopen on Friday, July 10. For WIC Program services, clients may call the DeKalb County WIC Call Center at 404-508-7777. HIV and TB Clinic clients may call 404-294-3818 for additional assistance.

A 41-year of Decatur woman was taken into custody today (July 8) after an early morning standoff with the DeKalb County Police Department’s SWAT unit. Tamyra Mackey is believed to have shot a male victim during a dispute inside a home located at 2900 block of Knollberry Lane, Decatur. Mackey was inside the home with four children ages 4-17, refusing to surrender for about four hours, authorities said. DeKalb police responded to a shots fired call at 5 a.m.  When police arrived on scene, the male victim was outside of the home suffering from two gunshot wounds to the upper…

In an effort to increase accessibility and convenience of COVID-19 testing in areas with high case counts, the DeKalb County Board of Health will open its testing site at Greenforest Community Baptist Church on Saturdays, 9 a.m. until noon, beginning Saturday, July 11. On Thursday, July 9, the following testing locations will be open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.: Former K-Mart Store Parking Lot (at I-285 and Buford Hwy.)
5597 Buford Hwy. NE, Doraville Rehoboth Baptist Church
2997 Lawrenceville Hwy, Tucker COVID-19 testing is free and open to all individuals who wish to be tested. A driver’s license or identification card…

 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,…