Author: On Common Ground News

On Sunday, March 1, 4:13 p.m., the Ford Focus pictured arrived at a vehicle maintenance shop on Vaughn Street in the City of Conyers. The suspect illegally entered the property and cut catalytic converters from three trucks with a reciprocating saw. Any information regarding this subject may result in a cash reward of up to $2,000. Tipsters will remain anonymous and are asked to contact Crime Stoppers withany information: Call: 404-577-TIPS (8477). Click: www.CrimeStoppersAtlanta.org. BOLO Crime Stoppers

Effective until further notice, the DeKalb County Police Department’s front screening desks will be closed, but will be providing service to the public via telephone for non-emergencies.  We will continue to respond to calls for service. For non-emergencies, call the applicable numbers listed below: Precincts / Sections Contact Numbers North-Central Precinct (770) 724-7600 East Precinct (770) 482-0300 South Precinct (404) 286-7900 Tucker Precinct (678) 937-5301 General Investigations (770) 724-7841 Open Records (770) 724-7474 Police Records (770) 724-7740 Property & Evidence (404) 294-2528 Internal Affairs (770) 724-7910 General Information (404) 294-2000 Uniform Division Chief (770) 724-7439 Investigations Division…

Homeowners For A Better Government (HOFBG) will livestream the Rockdale County Sheriff’s candidates’ forum tonight (March 19), 7 p.m. All five candidates have confirmed. The agenda is as follows: Candidate opening remarks 5 minutes each Emailed questions (not to exceed 45 secondsper question) Candidates each will have 2 minutes to answer. Candidate closing remarks 5 minutes each Adjournment To watch live stream, search “Vimeo HOFBG SHERIFF FORUM.” The following candidate forums will be held at 7 p.m.: March 27, Magistrate Court Judge April 16 – Clerk of Courts Forum videos: Commission Chairman Forum 1 https://vimeo.com/386047369 Post 1 Commission Forum https://vimeo.com/393085417

DeKalb County will hold its second COVID-19 virtual town hall meeting today, March 19, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The virtual town hall meetingabout COVID-19 and the county’s preparedness measures will feature DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, District Health Director Dr. S. Elizabeth Ford, DeKalb County School District Interim Superintendent Ramona Tyson, Decatur Mayor Patti Garrett representing the mayors of DeKalb Municipal Association, and other experts.  Panelists will discuss medical updates, distance learning, county and municipal preparedness, and federal and state support services. The virtual town hall meeting can be accessed via: www.dekalbcountyga.gov Comcast Cable Channel 23 in DeKalb County…

Couples who had planned to get hitched don’t have to put their wedding plans on hold. They can head to the courthouse in Rockdale County. Rockdale County Chief Magistrate Judge Phinia Aten says she will continue to officiate courthouse weddings during Georgia’s state of emergency. Six couples, from Rockdale, Gwinnett and Walton counties, tied the knot on March 17 at Magistrate Court. The Rockdale County Magistrate Court will perform individual weddings, by appointment, on this Friday, March 20, starting at 2 p.m., in the Magistrate Courtroom, 948 Bank Street, Conyers. The court requests that the wedding couple enter the courtroom…

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is confirming two additional deaths from COVID-19 in Georgia. The individuals, a 42-year-old woman and a 69-year-old-woman, both died in an Albany hospital. In addition to testing positive for COVID-19, each had existing medical conditions. Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes are at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 and should always consult their healthcare provider if they are sick. Long-term care facilities, nursing homes and congregate living settings for older people must strictly follow COVID-19 prevention measures to…

Georgia State Sen. Brandon Beach has announced that he has tested positive for COVID-19.  The Alpharetta state lawmaker reportedly began experiencing symptoms last week and was present during the special session held on Monday at the Georgia Capitol. “After experiencing a fever and cough, I sought medical attention last week,” Beach told 11 Alive News. “The diagnosis I was given was not coronavirus, but I did get tested for it on Saturday.” Beach said that with medication, he felt better by Monday and thought he “was clear.” He said his test came back positive on Wednesday and he would…

Dear Voices of Faith Family, As you know by now, we are facing a global pandemic unlike any we have ever seen during our lifetime. President Trump and CDC have declared a national emergency with unprecedented restrictions in our daily lives as the number of COVID-19 cases spreads. In an abundance of caution, we will follow CDC guidance and not have large gatherings. Effective immediately, we are moving both Sunday and Wednesday services online.

Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) Superintendent Terry Oatts said schools and district offices would remain closed until after Spring Break, April 6-10.  Officials plan to have students return to schools on April 13, the district said in a March 17 news release. Independent Learning Day (ILD) protocols and Be Bright Eat Right Rockdale (BBERR) meal delivery routes will continue through April 3. Superintendent Oatts detailed the decision in a message for staff, parents, students, and the community: “I am following up to notify you of additional determinations I’ve made regarding our district’s school closure. Yesterday, Governor Kemp’s mandated closure of…

Today, Gov. Brian P. Kemp signed House Bill 792- Georgia’s amended fiscal year 2020 budget – with $100 million in emergency funding to address the spread of novel coronavirus and COVID-19. “Over several months, I have worked closely with lawmakers to develop an amended fiscal year 2020 budget that reflects our priorities, reduces red tape in government, prioritizes public safety, and puts Georgia families first,” said Gov. Kemp.”This budget includes $100 million in emergency funding to fight COVID-19 in the weeks ahead as we continue to see more cases in communities across Georgia, and I applaud the General Assembly’s strong…