Author: On Common Ground News

The DeKalb County Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating the suspect they believe fatally shot an Ellenwood man. Police found the body of Frankie Tyrone Russell, 48, on the floor near the dining room inside his residence, located in the 2300 block of Deer Springs Drive in Ellenwood on Oct. 5. Police were dispatched to the home after an alarm was activated by the garage door, which they found open when they arrived. Investigators said Russell was found with a single gunshot wound to the left side of his head. They said they believe Russell and the…

Lyndon “Sas” Smith, and James D. Ruffin The DeKalb County Police Department’s Special Victims Unit has arrested Lyndon “Sas” Smith, 26, of Atlanta, and James D. Ruffin, 27, of Snellville, for attempting to pimp underage girls.  Smith was arrested on Oct. 17. Ruffin was arrested on Oct. 10. The unit’s investigation concluded that Smith and Ruffin were planning to travel out-of-state with two teen girls for the purpose of prostitution. Authorities said the teens were safely recovered. Smith and Ruffin were charged with Criminal Attempt Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude and Criminal Attempt Pimping of a Person less…

Five DeKalb leaders to join Woodall on historic state cabinet  By Valerie J. Morgan James “Major” Woodall, 25, has been elected as the new state president of the Georgia NAACP. The historic vote of the state NAACP makes Woodall, who is from Bulloch County, GA, the youngest to serve as state president in the 110-year history of the civil rights organization. The DeKalb County NAACP branch will be well represented in Woodall’s cabinet. DeKalb President Teresa Hardy and members Louise Thomas, Shelby Hall, Vivian Moore and Yvonne Hawkins all were elected to two-year terms for the 13-member…

   Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp presented the Paul Nelson Award for Outdoor Recreation and Preservation to the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance last month. Accepting on the organization’s behalf is Executive Director Mera Cardenas.Photo: Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference. STONECREST–The Board of Directors of the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance announces the departure of Mera Cardenas, its longtime executive director. Cardenas, who has served the organization for nearly a decade, will assume the role of executive director at Canalway Partners, a managing entity of the Ohio-Erie Canalway National Heritage Area based in Cleveland, OH. Her departure will be effective by…

A $3.2 million project will begin later this month to fix one of DeKalb County’s most problematic sewer spill sites. From January 2014 to present, Hood Circle was the site of 12 sewer spills, making it one of the top repeat spill sites in the county, and a source of frustration for residents in the area. The primary cause of these sewers spill was stormwater entering aging and deteriorating pipes through cracks, vented manhole covers and structural defects. The DeKalb County Department of Watershed Management will repair or replace approximately 2,400 linear feet of pipes, some of which were installed…

Early voting for the City of Conyers began today (Oct. 15) for the upcoming Nov. 5 General Election. Only voters in City Council Districts 2, 3 and 4 are eligible to vote in this election. As of 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 15 UNOFFICIAL COUNT – EARLY VOTING TURNOUT (7,034 Eligible Active Voters) 13 Early Voting Days Remain VOTE CENTER   TOTAL VOTING IN-PERSON 10 MAIL BALLOTS ISSUED 1 TOTAL 11 EARLY VOTING HOURS & LOCATION 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM, OCT. 15 – 30 (NO WEEKENDS) 8:00 AM – 7:00 PM. OCT. 31 – NOV.…

The DeKalb County Solicitor General’s Office, in partnership with the Women’s Resource Center to End Domestic Violence and the International Women’s House, is offering an opportunity to purchase tickets in-person for the upcoming Dancing with the DeKalb Stars, a fundraiser and resource expo. Tickets are $25. The only time to purchase tickets in advance with cash is at the senior centers. The ticket sale schedule is below: Lou Walker Senior Center Tuesday, Oct. 15, 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. The third annual Dancing with the DeKalb Stars, a domestic violence fundraiser and…

Mayor Jason Lary was joined by a group of supporters today(Oct. 15) at the Stonecrest Library precinct, where he cast his vote for re-election. The group joined Lary outside for a photo op, where Lary announced “Our future is bright in Stonecrest.” Early voting in DeKalb County began on Monday and runs through Nov. 1. Voters in 12 municipalities as well as unincorporated DeKalb will be able to participate because there is a countywide referendum on a proposal to restructure DeKalb’s ethics board.  Those who live in the 12 cities will elect mayors and/or City Council members. Voting…

District 4 Congressman Hank Johnson reached thousands of residents in person and via Facebook live during his “Moving The Fourth Forward” town hall series. The town halls, which began at the Lou Walker Senior Center in DeKalb County on Aug. 13 concluded at the Newton County Historic Courthouse on Oct. 10. Johnson, who represents all of Rockdale County and parts of DeKalb, Gwinnett, and Newton counties, heard from the public on a host of issues during the town hall meetings—from global warming to the impeachment inquiry underway against President Trump. The Democratic Congressman even heard from a Republican at the…

James “Major” Woodall, 25, has been elected as the new State President of the Georgia NAACP. The historic vote of the NAACP body makes Woodall the youngest to serve as State President in the 110-year history of the civil rights organization. Woodall is from Bulloch County, Georgia. Woodall has served as Georgia Youth & College Division State President, First Vice President of the Bulloch County Branch, and most recently, as a 2018 graduate of the NAACP’s Next- Gen leadership training program. “I ran for State President because far too many people are suffocating from lack of access to healthcare, clean…