Author: On Common Ground News

Medical and psychiatric professionals will answer questions from the public during DeKalb County’s third COVID-19 virtual town hall meeting on Thursday, April 9, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. “Doctors and healthcare professionals should lead America’s response to this deadly pandemic,” said DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond. “They know what needs to be done to fight this insidious enemy. When lives are literally hanging in the balance, we must reject mindless partisan bickering and political one-upmanship.” The virtual town hall will be hosted by DeKalb’s COVID-19 Strategic Task Force, formed by CEO Thurmond to provide professional, technical and strategic counsel related…

New case announced today(April 6) An inmate at the Rockdale County Jail has tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus, bringing the number to five involving the Rockdale Sheriff’s Office including Sheriff Eric Levett and three employees who have tested positive. Sheriff Levett released a statement on April 4 that the Georgia Department of Health had notified him that his COVID-19 test was positive. Levett said he was on a 14-day quarantine because he was not feeling well when he received the results. Caption Jason Welch, Jail Commander, confirmed the latest case involving the inmate at the…

 Local nonprofits offering pick-up meals and food during Spring Break: Sankofa Community Food Pantry, drive-through lunch for children – April 1-May 15, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Monday-Friday, 1240 Sigman Road, Conyers.  Rockdale Emergency Relief Food Pantry – Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., and Thursdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m., and 4-6 p.m., 350 Tall Oaks Drive, Conyers.   New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, drive-through food pantry – Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., 6400 Woodrow Road, Stonecrest. DCSD expand free lunch program to 21 meal sites DeKalb County students will receive a two-day meal package weekly on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. DCSD meal service will…

ATLANTA—Georgia has joined forces with CVS Health to increase access to rapid COVID-19 testing. Starting today, CVS will be operating drive-thru rapid COVID-19 testing, offered by Abbott Laboratories, at a site on Georgia Tech’s campus. At full capacity, the site will be able to conduct up to 1,000 tests per day. “Increased access to rapid testing remains one of our top priorities in order to identify more cases, get Georgians the care they need, and prevent further infection in our communities,” said Gov. Brian Kemp. “This unique, public-private partnership will strengthen our testing capability as we continue to take the fight…

Motor vehicle operations in the Rockdale Tax Commissioner’s Office and throughout the state of Georgia are currently unavailable due to a statewide outage, Rockdale Tax Commissioner Tisa Smart Washington said today (April 6). The outage also impacts the online e-services portal and kiosks across the state. Please be advised that all vehicle registrations that expire between March 16, 2020, and May 14, 2020 have been extended through May 15. This extension applies to all annual registrations, including personal passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, vehicles registered in the International Registration Plan (IRP), and Temporary Operating Permits (TOPs) issued at the time of a…

By Candice Guthrie DeKalb County residents David and Karren Manuel are providing protective masks for frontline personnel during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Co-founders of The I Am A Father 5K, Inc. nonprofit, which focuses on Strengthening Families One Mile At A Time, the couple decided to get involved after reading how healthcare workers everywhere were having trouble finding masks as COVID-19 spreads around the country. “I saw on social media that there was a #millionmaskchallenge and thought that this was something we could do to help. My sister is a nurse at both, Grady and Emory hospitals, and I…

    Consumers encouraged to sanitize touchscreens, payment cards ATLANTA—Gov. Brian P. Kemp joined the American Transaction Processors Coalition, Georgia Retail Association, and Georgia Food Industry Association in issuing guidance regarding the use of PIN numbers and other best practices at checkouts as Georgia continues to fight the spread of COVID-19.  Consumer Tips: If a contactless payment option is available (e.g., Apple Pay, or tap and pay), use it. Clean your payment cards using soap, hand sanitizer, or alcohol after each use. Maintain control of your card, whenever possible, rather than handing it to the merchant. If asked for a…

Human rights activist  Joseph Echols Lowery, Oct. 6, 1921-March 27, 2020 Metro Atlanta leaders shares thoughts, prayers ATLANTA—A small, private service will be held for the late civil rights icon, the Rev. Dr. Joseph Lowery, due to social distancing mandates and the coronavirus pandemic. Willie A. Watkins Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. In a statement, family members said a larger, public memorial would be held in late summer or early fall. Rev. Lowery died of natural causes unrelated to the coronavirus on Friday (March 27) at home in Atlanta, surrounded by family members. He was 98. “Our…

“We have never given up in chasing hundreds of leads in this case.” —Sgt. L. Shuler, lead investigator Today, (April 4), DeKalb County police announced at a press conference the arrest of one suspect in the 8-year-old murder case of Vanessa “Honey” Malone. Donald Ash, 34, was charged with the murder Malone, who was 18 years old when she was killed. Police are still looking for other suspects involved with the murder and are asking the public’s help. “We do believe that multiple people are responsible for this crime, and the investigation is ongoing. We hope more arrests will…