Author: On Common Ground News

The DeKalb County Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying a man who forced his way into the fenced backyard of a home in the Lullwater Road area on Sept. 7. The man walked to the garage port and then left the residence. The incident occurred around 3:40 a.m., police said. The man also is wanted for questioning in an automobile break-in that occurred on the same day, police said. Police released a video of the suspect. The video shows a black male with slim build who was wearing a black hoodie, black pants, black shoes and a…

STONECREST—Beginning Oct. 5, kids and their families can embark on a six-week journey, exploring the nature and history of the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area (AMNHA) to earn a Junior Ranger Badge. The Junior Ranger Ramble program has been reimagined to feature an online, weekly series of videos and activities that bring kids and their families out of the house and into the natural world. A virtual swearing-in of the junior rangers will be held in mid-November. The free program introduces children of all ages to the historic and natural significance of the AMNHA, a 40,000-acre landscape located just outside…

STONECREST—City officials say approximately 1,400 people have received COVID-19 tests at the new drive-though testing site, which opened on Sept. 2. The DeKalb Board of Health partnered with the city to open the new site in the parking lot of the former Sam’s Club building at 2994 Turner Hill Road. The building is slated to become the new Stonecrest City Hall. The City Council approved an Intergovernmental Agreement(IGA) with the DeKalb Board of Health on Sept. 14 to operate the drive-through testing site through Dec. 11, 2020. Chief of Staff Iris Settle said the city is pleased with the…

The Conyers City Council is expected to consider six applications for liquor stores/licenses (three of them transfers to different managers at existing stores where they are already permitted) at the Sept. 16 City Council meeting. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the City Council Chambers, 1194 Scott St., Conyers. The council is expected to vote on a special use permit to establish a package store at the former Folks restaurant, 1081 Iris Drive S.E. The council voted to table a decision on the application at its Aug. 19 meeting after Councilmembers Connie Alsobrook and Valyncia Smith voiced…

DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochran-Johnson will host a special homeowners association webinar for District 7 residents to provide information on best practices for running an association. The DeKalb County District 7 Homeowners Association (HOA) Town Hall will be held on Thursday, Sept. 17, 6 p.m., and will feature county, real estate and HOA experts who will share tips on how to improve communities as well as information on how to form a new HOA. “This event is for both HOA members and non-members,” said Commissioner Cochran-Johnson. “It’s important for residents to combine their efforts in enriching their communities and to…

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) DeKalb County Branch has set its General Membership meetings to elect its officers and at-large members of the executive committee. All of the following meetings will be held virtually: Sept. 26, 10 a.m., the election for the Nominating Committee will be held. Between 5 and 15 members will be elected. Those whose memberships are current as of 30 days prior to the meeting date may be elected to the Nominating Committee (not more than 2 being current officers of the unit). On Oct. 24, 10 a.m., there will be…

The Stonecrest City Council will meet on Sept., 14, 6 p.m. for its work session. The City Council meeting will follow at 7 p.m. The meet ings will be held virtually via YouTube. You can view “2020-09-14 Work Session Agenda v1.docx” at: https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:4a03ec43-5e7e-404c-b3e5-0a1c5738bdd4 You can view “2020-09-14 Council Agenda v1.docx” at: https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:f263b994-25ab-4aa7-8958-8f45c47f7128 

The DeKalb County Police Department (DKPD) needs help identifying a sexual battery suspect responsible for groping two women in separate incidents at bus stops The first incident occurred at Sept. 6 around 7:30 a.m. and the second incident occurred on Sept. 8 around 6:30 a.m. Both incidents happened along Panola Road near S. Stone Mountain Lithonia and Redan Roads. The suspect is described as a light-skinned Black or Hispanic male, approximately 5’7-5’8, weighing between 175-200 pounds with a curly afro hairstyle. He was seen driving a Cobalt blue 4-door sedan. Anyone who comes into contact with him or knows him…

DeKalb County Police Department is looking for murder suspect Ronal E. Derickson (correct spelling of his first name). Derickson is wanted for the shooting death of a female who was in her mid-20s. The shooting happened shortly before 1 p.m. today(Sept. 11) at the Retreat at Stone Mountain, 1206 Ashley Place in Stone Mountain. Investigators believe that the victim and the suspect, who share children together, were involved in a dispute before the suspect shot the victim in the chest. Two minor children were present during the incident and investigators believe Derickson fled the scene with them. An Amber…

ATLANTA—Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced  that Atlanta will transition to Phase II of the City’s Five-Phase Reopening Plan. The transition to Phase II is effective immediately. In July, the City moved back to Phase I in response to the alarming increase in COVID-19 cases in the state of Georgia. The Mayor’s reopening plan was drawn from the recommendations of the Mayor’s Advisory Council for Reopening Atlanta and public health experts. The reopening phases are based on milestone metrics and recent data. “The city has met the metrics of our data-driven plan to cautiously move back to Phase II,” said Bottoms. “COVID-19 continues…