Author: On Common Ground News

Rockdale County BOC April Meetings: Evening Work Session: Tuesday, April 16, 7 p.m. – Shoal Creek Elementary School, 1300 McWilliams Road, Conyers Zoning Public Hearing: Tuesday, April 23, 9 a.m. – Assembly Hall, 901 Main Street, Conyers

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a suspect in the April 6, 2019 murder of a man during an alleged drug transaction on Covington Drive in Decatur. The Sheriff’s Office received a warrant on April 10 charging 29 year-old Antonio Monquez Payne, of Riverdale with the murder of Warren Lewis Sills, 38, of Covington, Georgia. Members of the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Fugitive Unit, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, apprehended Payne at a residence in Riverdale. Payne was transported to the DeKalb County Jail without incident.

Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) has been named by Goodwill Industries International as a 2019 Policymaker Leader. Johnson is receiving the award for demonstrating tremendous support of Goodwill’s public policy and legislative agenda, including criminal justice reform and workforce development. “I am honored to receive this award from Goodwill,” said Johnson, who recently introduced legislation that supports regional economic development training for partners of Goodwill. “I have truly enjoyed working with Goodwill at job fairs, my annual Resources Fair and other events throughout the years to improve the life of Georgians across the 4thdistrict and the state.” Johnson has been particularly…

DeKalb County will hire two contract compliance officers to prevent abuse and provide transparency in the county’s procurement process, DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond has announced. Thurmond announced the positions in response to cleaning up the county’s purchasing department, which has been plagued with problems. The Board of Commissioners and Thurmond have been at odds for months over how large contracts should be awarded. An audit finalized in January suggested, among other things, that an independent auditor review contracts that are over $1 million before the board would be permitted to action on them. Thurmond said, however, hiring contract compliance officers…

“Best of Stonecrest” to showcase top businesses The city of Stonecrest is launching a new program for merchants, “Best of Stonecrest,” to help businesses that elect to participate earn a special seal from the city. The idea, said Sabrina Wright, the city’s economic development director, is to help Stonecrest businesses generate and retain customers by providing them with free customer service training, recognition on the city’s web site and online customer reviews. About 50 people attended a luncheon on April 11, where city leaders and partners unveiled the marketing branding for the new initiative, said Matt Hampton, director of the…

L-R: Jim Kelly, whose family are long-time landowners in what is now the city of Stonecrest, Mayor Jason Lary, Tony Render, head of security Elder Vanessa Long and New Birth’s pastor, Dr. Jamal Bryant perform the April 9 ribbon cutting ceremony. Elder Long laughs with relief after finally cutting the ribbon. Photo by Glenn L. Morgan      Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary, community members and leaders of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the completion of the Lithonia-Industrial Boulevard extension. Not even the rain could dampen the spirits of those attending the 9 a.m. event.…

City Attorney Winston Demark has released his legal opinion on the cell tower complaints issued by residents near its 3610 Evans Mill Road location.  Denmark reviewed the application, the minutes from the original zoning hearing, the Stonecrest files, and the permit that was recently issued for the construction of the cell tower. The tower’s conditional zoning, highlighted by many residents, is not problematic at all, according to Denmark.  Denmark said the zoning decision rendered more than 40 years ago, did not disclose the actual conditions that were approved.  It only says the conditions as stated by the applicant. “We don’t…

Eligible residents may apply for cooling assistance through the Division of Family and Children Service’s (DFCS) Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) beginning May 1. LIHEAP is a federally-funded program that is designed to assist low-income, elderly and disabled Georgians with cooling costs through direct payments to home energy suppliers. Eligible households will receive between $350 to $400 toward their energy costs. To qualify, a family’s annual income must be less than or equal to 60 percent of the median income for a Georgia family. For a household of one, the income threshold is $22,839. The income threshold for…

L-R Dar’shun Kendrick, Karen Bennett, Tonya Anderson State Representatives Dar’shun Kendrick (D-Lithonia) and Karen Bennett (D-Stone Mountain), along with State Senator Tonya Anderson (D-Lithonia), will host a healthcare symposium on Saturday, May 18, 2019, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., at the Stonecrest Library, 3123 Klondike Road, Stonecrest. The upcoming symposium will address healthcare issues regarding maternal and infant mortality rates in Georgia, mental health wellness opportunities and disparities among diabetes and breast cancer illnesses. “I believe it is crucial to have this conversation about healthcare, but it is particularly important to discuss maternal death rates in Georgia,” said Kendrick. “These rates…

Six Rockdale County Public Schools seniors and a local humanitarian were honored for their community service accomplishments in Rockdale County at the 9thannual John K. Morgan Scholarship Reception hosted by the Rockdale Coalition for Children and Families (RCCF) on March 21 at the Rockdale Career Academy. The recipient of the $4,000 John K. Morgan Scholarship was Faith Shamley, a senior at Heritage High School. Heritage High School senior Jazmyn Flakes was awarded a $1,000 scholarship from the Rotary Club of Rockdale County and the remaining finalists were recipients of $500 scholarships. The 2019 F. William Hughey Community Service Award was…