Author: On Common Ground News

Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary has appointed Iris Settle as the city’s first Chief of Staff/Chief Liaison Officer in the Mayor’s Office. Lary announced the appointment at the July 13 City Council meeting. In her new role, Settle will serve as the mayor’s spokesperson in helping to clearly deliver his vision, in addition to assisting with making sure the needs of the deputy city manager, staff and city council are met. “She will deal directly with the council on my behalf,” Mayor Lary said.  “I recognize that I need some assistance in communicating with the council and she brings a…

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office is reporting that an inmate died of an apparent suicide just hours after being booked into the DeKalb County Jail.                                                                                                               Authorities said in a news release today that 42-year-old Atlanta resident Marcos Torres-Diaz was arrested on July 13, 2020 and placed in custody in the jail’s COVID-19 quarantine housing unit. Hours later, he was found non-responsive in his cell.  Emergency medical services were rendered immediately by the jail’s medical staff and DeKalb Fire Rescue. Torres-Diaz was transported to DeKalb Medical Center where he died on July15.  The incident is being investigated. The DeKalb Medical…

Photo cutline: A secure residential and commercial customer payment and service request drop box is located at the front entrance of the Sanitation Division’s administration building.  In support of the county’s virtual service delivery strategy and as an additional service request and payment option to DeKalb residents and businesses, the DeKalb County Sanitation Division now offers a secure drop box service. Through this service, Sanitation Division customers can securely and conveniently submit payments and a variety of residential and commercial service requests, including special collection fees, new service applications and recycling program subscriptions. For a full listing of what…

DeKalb County Public Library (DCPL) will begin accepting returns of library materials in outside book drops on Monday, July 20. Out of an abundance of caution and in line with current best practices, all returned materials will be quarantined for 72 hours before being checked in and removed from patron accounts. No overdue fines will be charged on any library materials, even if they were overdue before the library system closed due to the pandemic. DCPL will be suspending overdue fines on all materials through the end of the year. Contact-free pickup service will be available beginning Monday, July…

ATLANTA—Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) is leveraging an existing state contract with Georgia-based UPS to deliver personal protective equipment to medical facilities across Georgia, Gov. Brian Kemp announced today (July 15). “This is another example of partnership between the State and a Georgia-based company that will have a direct impact on the battle against COVID-19,” said Kemp. “The team at UPS has the capability to deliver the PPE that our hospital workers need to fight COVID-19 efficiently, and we could not be more grateful for their partnership.” “UPS is proud to support the State of Georgia, applying…

Congressman Hank Johnson ATLANTA—Georgia workers will hold a tele-town hall with Congressman Hank Johnson on Thursday(July 16), 6 p.m., to discuss the expiration of the federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program. This additional $600 a week benefit is set to expire for American workers on July 31, which could impact millions who remain out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The New Georgia Project, Georgia Budget and Policy Institute, and unemployed Georgia workers will join Johnson for the tele-meeting, which will be moderated by Deana Holiday Ingraham, Mayor of East Point. The…

The City of Stonecrest 2020 Census Complete Count Committee will meet virtually on Thursday, July 16, 6 p.m. Stonecrest City Councilmember George Turner, who is hosting the meeting, encourages citizens to attend. The virtual meeting will be held via  ZOOM.com. The agenda is attached: https://ocgnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Census-2020-mtg-July-16th.docx

ATLANTA—Eight-year-old Secoriea Turner will be laid to rest on Wednesday, July 15, 11 a.m., at New Calvary Missionary Church, 1690 Melrose Drive, Atlanta. Due to COVID-19, the private funeral will be open only to invited guests. Services will be live streamed at WWW.MBFH.COM. Secoriea was tragically shot on July 4 during a weekend of violence in Atlanta. She was with her mother sitting in a car near the burned down Wendy’s restaurant, where several  demonstrations have held by protestors calling for justice for Rayshard Brooks, a 27-year-old black man who was fatally shot on June 12 by a white police officer.…

Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary, along with other city officials signed pre-closing documents today, July 14, 2020, to execute the Stonecrest Urban Redevelopment Agency (URA) $5.4 million bond deal. The transaction included the purchase of the former Sears building and the Tax Anticipation Note for the former Sam’s Club building, which will house the city’s new City Hall and government services. Mayor Lary, who serves as chairman of the URA, was joined at the pre-closing by Deputy City Manager Plez Joyner; Mayor pro tem George Turner, who serves as Secretary of the URA; Deputy City Clerk Sonya Isom; City Attorney…

On Friday and Saturday, DeKalb County Government will partner with Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) along with Antioch AME, Welcome Friend Baptist and New Birth Missionary Baptist churches to provide 1,350 boxes of food to DeKalb residents. The event, hosted at three locations, is part of a $600,000 investment in ACFB to significantly increase the organization’s capacity to distribute food throughout the county. The food distribution events will be as follows: Friday, July 17: 10 a.m. at Antioch AME Church, 765 S Hairston Rd., Stone Mountain 1 p.m. at Welcome Friend Baptist Church, 3198 Bouldercrest Rd., Ellenwood Saturday, July 18:…