Author: On Common Ground News

An alleged serial rapist linked to eight sexual assaults cold cases, including five in DeKalb County, has been arrested, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced on March 4 with officials from several law enforcement agencies. Further investigation revealed that the DNA evidence also links Cooley to seven other unsolved sexual assault cases, including four others in DeKalb, two in Atlanta, and one in Conyers. The crimes span a period of more than 20 years, dating back to 1999. The victims ranged in age from 15 to 38 at the…

The wife of Tesfaye Birru held a press conference March 3 to ask for help in tracking down the three suspects who fatally shot her husband as he closed their convenience store on Feb. 19. Police believe a burgundy/maroon 4-door Honda Accord pulled up to the Citgo gas pump. Two of the three suspects are visible on surveillance video. Anyone who has any information about the case  is asked to contact Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-577-8477, text 274637 or visit the Crime Stoppers website. Tipsters will remain anonymous and are eligible for rewards up to $2,000.…

DeKalb County reported that 1,272 00 ballots had been cast in person and 628 by mail  for a total of 1,900 votes on March 2.  DeKalb Sheriff’s Office to hold news conference on coronavirus  The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office plans to hold a news conference on Wednesday, March 4, to announce its preparedness plan for the coronavirus. The DeKalb County Jail currently has some 1,800 inmates awaiting trial or serving sentences up to 24 months. The jail infirmary can accommodate patients with infectious diseases. The facility has a 3,800 bed capacity. . Inmate…

 EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS: MAIN – 1400 Parker Road, Conyers   SOUTH – Conyers Church of Christ, 1410 Flat Shoals Road, Conyers NORTH – St. Simon’s Episcopal Church, 1522 Highway 138, NE, Conyers EARLY VOTING PERIOD 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM, MARCH 2 -13, MON – FRI 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, MARCH 14, (SATURDAY) PARKER ROAD ONLY 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM, MARCH 16 – MARCH 17, MON & TUES 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM, MARCH 18 – MARCH 20, WED – FRI (extended hours) To confirm your voter registration and where to vote visit: • Secretary of State…

Dr. Terry O. Oatts, Ed.D. Superintendent To our Parents, Personnel, and Community Stakeholders: I know there are many questions and concerns regarding novel coronavirus (COVID-19). I want to let you know what we are doing to prepare our schools and to protect our students and staff. We are committed to providing our staff and students with a safe and healthy work and learning environment throughout the school year. Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) is working closely with state and local health officials to monitor and prepare for the potential of a…

As Georgia’s first cases of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) have been confirmed, DeKalb County’s  top doctor wants to make it clear that public health officials are ready to respond, if and when the virus surfaces in DeKalb County. “The two cases identified in Fulton County are travel-related exposures, not community spread,” said DeKalb County District Health Director S. Elizabeth Ford, M.D. “While I realize that everyone is greatly concerned about the rapid spread of the virus in several parts of the world, the actions that you would take to prevent the spread of…

DeKalb County is holding its third Census Carnival to continue spreading the word about the importance of the 2020 Census. The free event will be held Saturday, March 7, 2020, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Gallery at South DeKalb, 2801 Candler Rd., Decatur, GA 30034. Free tickets can be reserved at https://tiny.cc/march7carnival. The event will feature vendors inside and outside of the mall, and includes free bounce houses, food and face-painting. If every resident is counted, DeKalb County could receive $1.8 billion in federal funds per year for the next 10 years. Participating in…

DeKalb County CEO Mike Thurmond will formally endorse Democratic presidential candidate Mike Bloomberg for president. Thurmond will join supporters of Mike Bloomberg 2020’s Georgia campaign to make his announcement at a “Mike for Black America” Economic Empowerment rally in DeKalb County with special guest, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake,  Bloomberg’s National Co-Chair and former Mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. The rally will be held on Friday, Feb. 28, noon to 1 p.m., at Georgia Piedmont Technical College’sConference Center, 495 N. Indian Creek Drive, Clarkston. As DeKalb’s CEO, Thurmond oversees one of the most diverse counties in…

The Rockdale County Board of Elections will host an event to educate residents on new voting machines the county will be using in upcoming elections. The demonstration will be held on Thursday, March 5, 6 to 8 p.m., at the Rockdale County Board of Elections Office, 1261 Commercial Drive SW Suite B, Conyers. The event is free and open to the public.