Author: On Common Ground News

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Fugitive Unit, working with the Cobb County Police Department, arrested a second suspect on April 29 in the murder armed robbery of an Atlanta man. Eliyahu Benyamin, 19, and a 15-year-old, whose identity is being withheld because he is a juvenile, have been charged in connection with the shooting death of Reeves Vadorian McSwain, 21. Investigators said Benyamin and the juvenile  took money intended for the purchase of a weapon from the victim and shot him. Benyamin facilitated the shooting death of the victim, which took place on Longdale Drive in Decatur on April 22. According…

Video and photos by Glenn L. Morgan/On Common Ground News Pictured are firefighters at Station 24, 4154 Redan Road, Stone Mountain. https://youtu.be/QdqVWqB3bXo Transforming Faith Church delivers free lunches to DeKalb firefighters during COVID-19 pandemic    STONE MOUNTAIN—DeKalb County’s former CEO Lee May, pastor of Transforming Faith Church, was on the frontlines today—delivering lunches to firefighters at four stations May made stops at Stations 4, 16, 20 and 24, setting up a table where he and volunteers passed out chef-prepared lunches. Firefighters were able to choose from fish, chicken and steak meals. May said he wanted to serve those who…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On April 24, Rep. Hank Johnson (GA-04) joined the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce on its monthly series “On Topic” to address the COVID-19 crisis and outline what the latest coronavirus legislation passed by the House on April 23 means for small businesses, community banks, healthcare facilities and COVID-19 testing.   To watch, click HERE.   Rep. Johnson joined Nick Masino, President & CEO of the Gwinnett Chamber & Partnership Gwinnett and Matt Hyatt, Founder & CEO, Rocket IT.   “Unfortunately, some of the funds allocated to the Paycheck Protection Program in the first CARES Act were made accessible…

                                                                 Photos by Glenn L. Morgan  Will restaurants make a comeback?   Georgia’s dine-in restaurants re-opened on Monday, April 27, but the traffic was sluggish at several spots. In order to reopen, dine-in restaurants must adhere to 39 guidelines under Gov. Brian Kemp’s executive orders, including limiting capacity to no more than 10 patrons per 500 square feet, taking employees’ temperatures and requiring staff to wear face masks at…

City of Stonecrest seeks creative ways to reach its hard-to-count population The U.S. Census Bureau is beginning to send reminder notice postcards to an estimated 69 million households that have not yet responded to the 2020 Census. Households will receive reminder postcards in the mail between April 27-May 9, census officials say. The Census Bureau pushed back the mailing to allow the paper questionnaire package to arrive several days ahead of the postcard. The postcard is one reminder in a series of reminders that the Census Bureau has mailed non-responding households since mid-March urging them to respond. About 53.4%…

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a Decatur juvenile who was wanted for murder and armed robbery. According to warrants, a 15-year-old is suspected of shooting and causing the death of another person on April 22 in Decatur during an alleged encounter to sell the weapon to the victim. The suspect is also accused of taking money from the victim. The suspect was arrested without incident in Atlanta by sheriff’s investigators before being transported to the DeKalb Criminal Investigation Division. The suspect is booked into the DeKalb County Jail but will be housed at a regional youth detention…

Gov. Brian Kemp will be joined by several state officials to provide an update on COVID-19  on Monday, April 27, 4:30 p.m., at the Georgia State Capitol Liberty Plaza. Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Kathleen Toomey, Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency Director Homer Bryson and Georgia National Guard Adjutant General Tom Carden will give reports. The updates will be live streamed  at facebook.com/GovKemp and gpb.org/coronavirus.

A sign outside AMF Bowling, 885 Flat Shoals Road, Conyers beckons customers on Sunday, April 26, Day 3, of Georgia’s reopened economy. Workers, who were wearing masks, said six bowlers per lane is permitted, every other lane. Although no bowlers were there when On Common Ground News stopped by—long after many houses of worship held their services online—workers said people had been coming in throughout the day. Gov. Brian Kemp relaxed restrictions to allow some businesses to begin reopening on Friday, April 24. Bowling lanes, beauty shops, barbershops, nail salons and fitness centers were among those that received the…

Pictured is the Nails and Spa salon at 2361 DeKalb Medical Parkway, Lithonia, Georgia 30058. Photo and story by Glenn L. Morgan/ ocgnews.com On Friday, April 24, business was brisk at the Nails and Spa salon on DeKalb Medical Parkway in South DeKalb’s 30058 ZIP Code. That ZIP Code is at the top of five ZIP Codes with the highest number of COVID-19 confirmed cases, according to health officials. The nail salon and Beauty Max supply store, located in the same plaza, welcomed the return of customers on the first day that Gov. Kemp reopened several sectors of businesses across…