Author: On Common Ground News

“He was our SWAT brother, a great friend. There’s not one day that he didn’t enter this building and didn’t have a smile on his face.” “He meant a lot to a lot of people.” “I’ve never met somebody like Cole before who had so much integrity, the most honesty of anybody in my 20 years of law enforcement…” Rockdale Sheriff’s Investigator John Cole “J.C.” Haynie was remembered with tears and laughter this evening during a candlelight vigil held by a crowd of colleagues, family and friends outside the Sheriff’s Office headquarters. Several who worked with Haynie shared stories about their…

Rockdale County’s Board of Elections and Registration plans to launch a new app that will help voters to determine the wait time before they go to polling precincts this election season. Rockdale Supervisor of Elections Cynthia Willingham said at today’s Board of Commissioners meeting that the new app would be ready in about two weeks for voters to download. Voters will be able to use the app during the early voting period for the Presidential Preference March 2-20 and on March 24,the Presidential Preference Primary Election Day. The app, Willingham said, also would be available for other elections scheduled throughout…

Stonecrest Councilmember Robert Turner, II received the certificate of recognition from the Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute during the Georgia Municipal Association’s (GMA) Annual Cities United Summit in Atlanta on Jan. 26. The Harold F. Holtz Municipal Training Institute, a cooperative effort of GMA and the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government, provides a nationally-recognized series of training opportunities for city officials. To receive a certificate of recognition, a city official must complete a minimum of 42 units of credit, including at least 18 hours from a list of required classes. The training program consists of…

The DeKalb County Police Department responded to a shooting call at 10:30 a.m. today at 610 Wesley Club Drive Apartments in Decatur. A black male in his early 30s was found suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was transported to a local hospital where he later died. Police said the shooting appears to be “isolated and the result of risky behavior” between the victim and suspect(s). No suspects have been arrested and the investigation is active and ongoing.

The former Sears building at The Mall at Stonecrest could become home to Georgia Piedmont Technical College’s(GPTC) South DeKalb campus, as well as a MARTA Police precinct, the city’s business development manager told the City Council at its work session on Monday (Jan. 27). William Settle, who joined the city’s economic development team last September, said Stonecrest has been aggressively recruiting for a higher educational institution of learning to move into the Sears building. He said he and other city officials have been in discussions with GPTC about relocating its Wesley Chapel Road campus in Decatur to the city of…

The Stonecrest City Council tonight (Jan. 27) deferred a decision on a request for a rezoning and special land use permit for a gas station/assisted living facility at 3320-3300 Turner Hill Road. The council approved a 12-month deferral after city staff advised that one of the applicants was unable to attend tonight’s public hearing because his wife died after injuries from a volcano eruption that occurred while the couple was recently vacationing in New Zealand. Three people spoke against the project, while none spoke in favor of it during the public hearing portion of the City Council meeting. Attorney Bernard…

Saint Phillip AME Social Action Commission and the Coalition for the People’s Agenda will present “Count Us! I Got My Brother’s Back, Census 2020.” Fred McBride, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, will be the keynote speaker at the event, which will be held on Thursday, Jan. 30, 7 p.m., 240 Candler Rd SE, Atlanta. The public is encouraged to attend. There is no admission fee. For more information call Beatrice Williams at 404-386-7461 or the church at 404-371-0749.

Congressman Henry “Hank” Johnson (GA-04) is kicking off the 2020 Census count campaign with a video to promote the count and encourage community leaders and stakeholders to get involved. The video was shot in the Democratic Congressional Studio and will be featured on all of the congressman’s social media outlets. “The census informs how billions of dollars are allocated every year to health clinics, schools, affordable housing, and hundreds of other critical services and programs that make a difference in our lives every day,” said Johnson in the video. “It only takes a few minutes, but the impact will be…

State Rep. Sandra Scott (District 76) has introduced legislation that would allow health care providers in bordering states to provide OB-GYN services to women in Georgia who are enrolled in Georgia’s Medicaid program. “House Bill 800 would help save lives by providing more access to OB-GYN medical care for Georgia women,” said Scott, who represents citizens who live in portions of Clayton and Henry counties.  “For example, if a person lives in Calvary, Georgia, they are approximately 23 miles from Tallahassee Memorial Hospital but about 60 miles from Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany. It would be easier…

The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the passing away of one of its investigators. Investigator John Cole Haynie passed away on Saturday (Jan. 25) after a courageous month-long medical battle. Investigator Haynie was an 8-year veteran with the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office. He joined the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 3, 2012 as a Detention Deputy within the Jail Division. He was promoted to a Certified Sheriff’s Deputy on March 21, 2014 after successful completion of the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (P.O.S.T.) mandate academy. Investigator Haynie served in the Uniform Patrol Division for five years,…