Author: On Common Ground News

    The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit has arrested Stone Mountain resident William Ralph Callaway, 22, on felony murder and first-degree forgery charges. Warrants were issued on Nov. 6 charging Callaway in connection with an incident that occurred on Oct. 6 on Kensington  Road in Decatur.  The warrants allege that on that date Callaway and  Jaymericko Scott, Jr. were attempting to purchase automatic weapons using counterfeit money.  According to the warrants, both men were shot by the seller during the transaction.  Scott died as a result of his injuries.  Callaway was treated and subsequently released from the…

DeKalb County will open two warming centers for citizens to use overnight as temperatures are expected to be below freezing. The following stations will open Tuesday, Nov. 12, 7 p.m., and the close date is to be determined. Fire Station 3, 100 N. Clarendon Ave, Avondale Fire Station 6, 2342 Flat Shoals Road, Atlanta First United Methodist Church of Tucker, 5095 LaVista Road, Tucker, will open at 7 p.m. as a no-freeze shelter. The no-freeze shelter provides food and a place to shower and sleep. The close date is to be determined. With temperatures forecast below freezing through…

ATLANTA – Orrin Hudson, founder of Be Someone, Inc., held an exhibition during the Atlanta Small Business Expo on Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Cobb Galleria Centre.  Hudson, whose mentoring and coaching organization is based in DeKalb County, GA,  showed attendees winning moves to succeed in business and in life, how to outthink, outmaneuver and outperform the competition and finish on top. The Small Business Expo returned to Atlanta for the fifth consecutive year  to bring together local small business owners and entrepreneurs to network with 100 plus exhibitors as well as attend over 20 free workshops led by business experts.  …

YOU’RE INVITED Antioch-Lithonia Missionary Baptist Church is celebrating 150 Years! Join Pastor James C. Ward and the Antioch-Lithonia family for a sky diving exhibition honoring veterans this Sunday, Nov. 10.

The City of Stonecrest Department of Parks and Recreation is developing its very first Parks and Recreation Master Plan and will host a public forum on Nov. 14, 6:30 to 8 p.m., at Browns Mill Recreation Center, 5101 Brown Mill Road. The city wants to hear from residents, business owners, special interest groups and any other interested parties. Community stakeholders are strongly encouraged to attend the meeting. Sean DePalma, director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Stonecrest, said the Parks and Recreation Master Plan will examine the existing parks, recreational facilities, programs, and services, and determine the current…

Mayor Jason Lary and wife Debbie Lary Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary scored the winning touchdown on Nov. 5 in his bid for re-election, soundly defeating Charles Hill, II and Diane Adoma in the city’s three-way mayoral race. Lary won a four-year term with 3,049 votes (55.48 percent), while Hill placed second with 1,294 votes (23.54 percent). Diane Adoma came in third place with 1,131 votes (20.58 percent), early results showed.About 13.6 percent of the city’s 40,678 registered voters participated in the districtwide mayoral election, according to officials. Lary dominated the playing field, leading the votes at four of the city’s…

Shameka Reynolds Darold Honore’ and his wife Tammy Honore’  Vannaeriah Hawk-Wynn elected to Lithonia City Council  Shameka Reynolds swept the Lithonia mayoral race, defeating embattled challenger Cindy Thomas, who faced allegations of address fraud just days before the Nov. 5 election. Darold Honore and Vannaeriah Hawk-Wynn were elected to the City Council. Honore received 204 votes (36.82 percent), while Hawk-Wynn received 187 votes (33.75 percent). They were the top two vote getters in the three-way race for two city council seats. D. McCoy placed third with 163 votes (29.42 percent). Reynolds, who served on the City Council for…

In a low voter turnout, DeKalb County rejected a referendum restructuring the county’s ethics board with 33,555 voters (61.33 percent).  The measure received 21,160 yes votes (38.67 percent). Countywide, only 10.97 percent (56,412) of DeKalb’s 516,412 registered voters participated in the Nov. 5 elections, which included municipal races and the one referendum question on the ballot, officials reported. DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond said state lawmakers in the House and Senate must work together to resolve the issue, saying the “current state of affairs is unacceptable.” “The DeKalb voters have spoken. The focus now shifts back to the General Assembly where…

Charvez Ryals, 41, received a life sentence plus 65 years in prison for the fatal shooting of his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend and for shooting a second man who survived. Ryals was sentenced on Nov. 4 during court proceedings before DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Clarence F. Seeliger. Jurors returned guilty verdicts against Ryals on Oct. 31 on charges of murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, cruelty to children in the second degree and weapons offenses in connection with the fatal shooting of Daniel Wise, 31, and the shooting of  Robbie Johnson, now 31, who survived the incident. Wise was gunned down on…

While voter turnout was dismal for the Nov. 5 election, two Conyers women made history: Connie Alsobrook and Valyncia Smith were elected as the first black women to the Conyers City Council in the city’s 165-year history. Alsobrook toppled incumbent Jacob Bailey for the Conyers City Council District 2, Post 2 seat. Alsobrook received 109 votes (57.67 percent), while Bailey received 79 votes (41.8 percent). The city has 7,034 active registered voters on the rolls, said Rockdale Elections Supervisor Cynthia Willingham. “I would like to thank everyone who supported and voted for me. It is an honor to make history…