Author: On Common Ground News

Rockdale County Sheriff’s investigators have arrested Trinity Wayne Bussler and charged him with the murder of 26-year-old Yuritza Cerda. Deputies responding to a 911 call of a hit person instead found Cerda’s lifeless body in the area of 1400 Frontier Drive N.W. on Aug 30 at 6:22 a.m. Deputies said the victim appeared to have been shot in the head. Bussler, who in a relationship with Cerda, was identified as a person of interest. Investigators located him less than two days after finding Cerda’s body. Bussler was hiding inside a residence off of Old Covington Highway just inside of DeKalb…

  Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary is inviting constituents to ask questions about the city’s $47 million Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) program, the proposal to lure Amazon to the city, controlling short-term vacation rentals, code enforcement and other hot-button issues. Lary is hosting “Straight Talk With The Mayor” on Sept. 10, 7 p.m., at City Hall. “This is an opportunity to hear from everyone, not just a certain sector, and for me to give full information,” said Lary. The inaugural meeting launches a town hall that Lary said he plans to conduct each month.  

The Rockdale County Board of Commissioners (BOC) has narrowed its search for a Chief Appraiser to two candidates: Willie C. Barkley, who is assistant deputy director of the Rockdale Board of Assessors Office, and Curtis A. Briscoe, Jr., commercial supervisor at the Augusta-Richmond County Board of Assessors Office in Augusta, GA. The candidate selected for the position will succeed Lamar Sims, who is retiring.     Barkley has served as assistant deputy director, personal property manager and accounting officer for Rockdale’s Board of Assessors Office, as well as held a position as Motor Vehicle tax supervisor for DeKalb County and…

Orrin “Checkmate” Hudson spent Labor Day weekend at the All State Family Reunion Labor Day event hosted by syndicated radio personality Tom Joyner. Hudson, founder of the Be Someone mentoring organization in Stone Mountain, took his “A” game to Orlando, where he challenged 29 people at one time in a game of chess.   The event was billed as “the largest party for African American families. “To be a part of his exciting Family Reunion is a dream come true,”  said Hudson. “I couldn’t be more excited and pleased to be asked by Tom Joyner and his organization to participate…

Department of Human Services (DHS) Commissioner Robyn A. Crittenden wants to make the public aware of changes in requirements for advertising adoption services in Georgia, effective Sept. 1. Georgia law requires any person or entity advertising for adoption services or the facilitation of adoption services in Georgia to be licensed by the Department as a child placing agency. A law that goes into effect Sept. 1 extends that requirement to any advertisements on the internet or social media. Birth parents or prospective adoptive parents that obtain adoption services through unlicensed agencies may be at risk for deceptive or unethical adoption…

Frequently Asked Questions about the partnership:    Q. Why is DeKalb Medical becoming part of Emory Healthcare? A. DeKalb Medical is becoming part of Emory to be in a strong position to serve the community for years to come. Hospitals are finding it necessary to join larger systems to maintain the investment in technology, facilities and innovation that is needed for the future. DeKalb Medical is no different. The leadership at DeKalb solicited proposals, and after an extensive due diligence process, DeKalb chose Emory Healthcare, as it was the best fit for the community. Q. When will DeKalb Medical officially…

DeKalb County Public Safety Director Jack Lumpkin said that staffing levels in police, fire and 911 have increased. For the first time in five years, the county’s 911 emergency center will be fully staffed with 126 employees in October. Additionally, more than 90 police and fire recruits are scheduled to graduate by February 2019.  “Under the leadership of CEO Michael Thurmond, we are hiring more character-based individuals and reducing the attrition rates in our police, 911 and fire rescue departments,” Lumpkin said during the Sept. 4 DeKalb Board of Commissioners Committee of the Whole meeting on  DeKalb County CEO Michael…

The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) will conduct a series of public meetings as a part of two upcoming redistricting efforts. The meetings will be held regarding the redistricting of the new John R. Lewis Elementary School and the elementary schools in the Druid Hills Cluster. The redistricting efforts are to address additional capacity created by the new John Lewis Elementary School, as well as the overcrowding of elementary schools in the Cross Keys and Druid Hills clusters. John Lewis Elementary Redistricting: Schools affected may include Ashford Park ES, Dresden ES, John R. Lewis ES, Montclair ES, Montgomery ES, Woodward…

Join DeKalb County Commissioner Larry Johnson, District 3, and Kaiser Permanente for the 6th year of The Heart of South DeKalb Festival, Sept. 28-29.   The festival kicks off on Friday, Sept. 28, 6 p.m., at Rainbow Park, 3181 Rainbow Drive, with “A Night Under the Stars with Sasha the Diva.” The radio personality emcee live entertainment and there will be  food vendors selling a variety of foods. Bring your blankets and chairs to the free event.   On Saturday, Sept. 29, The Heart of South DeKalb Festival’s parade kicks off at 9:30 a.m. at Exchange Park Intergenerational Center on…

The DeKalb History Center’s September Lunch & Learn will be presented by author Mark Pifer on Sept. 18, noon to 1 p.m., on the second floor of the Historic DeKalb Courthouse, 101 E. Court Square, Decatur. Bring your lunch and hear Pifer’s talk about his new book, “Native Decatur,” which explores the deeper history of this area. The Lunch & Learn is free and open to the public. Pifer’s story begins over a billion years ago with the creation of the current landscape and explains each era of natural and cultural history as a saga of evolution, tragedy, violence, wonder…