Author: On Common Ground News

ATLANTA—Today, Gov. Brian P. Kemp issued Executive Order 04.03.20.01 to deputize  sheriffs for enforcement of his April 2 Executive Order involving businesses, 2establishments, for-profit and non-profit corporations, and organizations. The announcement follows mandates Kemp outlined on April 2 including shelter-in-place orders for Georgia’s 10.6 million residents, the shutdown of certain types of businesses where people usually congregate such as gyms, salons and theaters, and a host of requirements that businesses allowed to remain open must follow in protecting the health of employees. The executive orders are effective April 3, 6 p.m. through April 13, 11:59 p.m. until further…

As of today Friday, April 3, 2020, the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office has three employees who have tested positive for COVID-19. Of the three employees, two are deputies, one assigned to the Sheriff’s Jail Division and one to the Judicial Services Division. The other employee is assigned to the Sheriff’s Administration. One of the deputies has since recovered and is scheduled to return to work on Monday April 6, while the others are still self-quarantining at home. All employees who tested positive are reporting that they are doing fine. “As of today, we have no known inmates with the virus.…

ATLANTA—Gov. Brian P. Kemp on Thursday issued a shelter in place order for Georgia’s 10.6 million residents. The order becomes effective beginning Friday, April 3, 6 p.m. and expire Monday, April 13, at 11:59 p.m. Residents are ordered to stay home unless they are seeking essential needs including groceries, medicine, medical equipment or traveling to and from work. There are a number of other exceptions that allow people to leave their residences including doctor’s appointments and going outside to exercise. The order shuts down a number of businesses where people usually congregate including gyms, salons and barber shops, bowling alleys,…

The Stonecrest City Council with have a virtual Special Called Meeting on Monday, April 6, 2020 at 6 p.m. Information will be provided concerning the online platform that will be used for the public’s access to the meeting as soon as city officials have confirmed that information. The council will take action on time-sensitive business for the city; namely, selecting the contractors to conduct the 2020 Road Paving Project, selecting the vendor to operate the Browns Mill Aquatics Center, and to ratify the Stonecrest State of Emergency resolution.

Voices of Faith Ministries’ campuses in Stone Mountain and Conyers will provide grab-and-go Communion cups on Saturday, April 4, 9 a.m. to noon, in preparation for the church’s online Communion Sunday worship services at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Bishop Gary Hawkins, Sr. said the church’s elders, deacons and deaconesses would abide by social distancing orders as they pass out the ready-serve, sealed Communion cups during the three-hour drive-up period on Saturday.  He said the church leaders also would be wearing protective masks and gloves. “Because of the coronavirus, we’ve had to be creative in how we conduct…

On March 15, 9:48 a.m., the suspect vehicle pictured above failed to stop at a stop sign and hit a bicyclist who was in the crosswalk at the intersection of West Avenue and West Circle. The vehicle then fled after hitting the bicyclist. Any information leading to the arrest of these persons of interest may result in a cash reward of up to $2,000.00.  Tipsters will remain anonymousand are asked to contact Crime Stoppers with anyinformation: Call: 404.577.TIPS(8477) Click: www.CrimeStoppersAtlanta.org BOLO CS hit and run bicycle 20-026784

I am trusting that you and your families are safe and healthy. As we continue to combat the COVID-19 health crisis, it is necessary to make tough decisions that are in the best interest of our students and staff. One of those tough decisions was announced during Governor Kemp’s 4:00 pm news conference. The Governor presented a new executive order that includes the closure of Georgia K-12 schools for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. This is a major shift from all previous announcements. However, the nature of our current public health crisis requires that we take extreme…

Gov. Brian P. Kemp and the Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) today announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved Georgia’s section 1135 waiver request on the temporary checklist, granting the state a number of flexibilities for Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids® providers and members to combat the COVID-19 public health emergency. To read the approval letter, click HERE. “We want to thank CMS for granting this waiver to provide the resources and flexibility for our health care systems and heroic health care workers to fight COVID-19,” said Gov. Kemp. “The safety of Georgians is my…

      ATLANTA—Today (April 1), Gov. Brian Kemp provided an update on COVID-19 in Georgia by giving the following address to Georgians: “I’m joined today by Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey, Adjutant General Tom Carden, and Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Director Homer Bryson. All of the people operating under the direction of the leaders standing with me are remarkable, working long hours on little sleep. I want to thank these Georgians for their hard work and commitment to health and well-being of our citizens. We are blessed to have the best and brightest on…

WASHINGTON, DC– Today, the Kroger Co.and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International Unionannounced a new increase to the pay and benefits for more than 21,000 grocery workersat Kroger storesacross Georgia. This victory for more than 460,000 Kroger grocery workers nationwidewas secured by UFCW, which represents 1.3 million workers in grocery, retail, and other industries. UFCW welcomed the action by Kroger as an essential investment in grocery workers on the front lines of the coronavirus outbreak. “Following talks between UFCW, America’s largest food and retail union, and Kroger, UFCW is proud to join the company today in announcing a…