Author: On Common Ground News

DeKalb County Police have arrested a 15-year-old male suspect in the  fatal Easter shooting of a 3-year-old toddler who was sleeping in the back seat of his mother’s SUV. Police made the arrest around 2 p.m. on April 11—10 days after T’Rhigi Diggs was shot in the chest as his mother, Rashonda Craig, was driving around 11:30 p.m. on Bouldercrest Road near Eastland Road in East Atlanta. The juvenile was charged with murder. His name was withheld because of his age. Police Chief James W. Conroy said detectives worked tirelessly to locate witnesses who were at the gas station near the…

Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) is seeking eligible organizations to sponsor the Summer Food Service Program in their communities. The program, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides access to healthy meals to children during the summer months when school is out. The program reimburses non-profit, governmental, and other eligible organizations for providing free meals to children in low-income areas during the summer months. The following entities can qualify as sponsors: public or private nonprofit schools; universities, colleges or camps; units of local and state government; private nonprofit organizations, including faith-based…

DeKalb County officials are reporting the capture of a second raccoon confirmed with rabies within two days. The most recent incident occurred on April 8 in the 4500 block of North Peachtree Road in Dunwoody. Two days earlier, on April 6, a raccoon was retrieved from the 3100 block of Albatross Lane in Decatur and it later tested positive for rabies as well. This year, there have been six positive raccoon rabies incidents in the county including Dunwoody, Decatur, Tucker, Stone Mountain, Avondale Estates and Lithonia.  Georgia is a rabies endemic state and the virus is present all year long,…

  LifeLine Animal Project presents our DeKalb County Animal Services Pet of the Week, Miss Fit.  This pretty and petite girl wants nothing more than a bone to chew on, a lap to curl up in and home to call her own. Miss Fit loves playing with dogs, going for walks and giving kisses. Her foster parents says that she is also super smart and has picked up all the tricks they have taught her. Being the total package that she is, Miss Fit is also crate and potty trained, and she enjoys sleeping in her dog bed next to…

  WorkSource DeKalb, 774 Jordan Lane, Building No. 4, Decatur, has set new business hours that will become effective Monday, April 30. The hours will be Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information on WorkSource DeKalb, including upcoming events, visit www.worksourcedekalb.org or call 404-687-3400.

The Conyers-Rockdale Chamber of Commerce is accepting reservations from the public for its Thailand Odyssey set for late this summer. The trip, open to anyone who wants to go, will transport visitors to some of Thailand’s most popular places offering a glimpse into the culture, history and lives of its people. The nine-day adventure, Sept. 11-19, will provide an abundance of sightseeing, shopping and sampling of authentic Thai cuisine. Highlights of the trip include exploration of the country’s capital, Bangkok, and a visit to the nearby province, Kanchanaburi, known for its role during World War II. The group will visit…

State Rep. Karen Bennett, District 94, recently honored Fairfield Baptist Church’s retiring pastor, the Rev. Micheal Benton, for his contributions to the community. Bennett presented a resolution saluting Rev. Benton for 41 years of pastoring at Fairfield.  He was honored at the state Capitol and a reception was held for him, his wife, Dr. Y’vonne Benton, and several members of Fairfield. Fairfield Baptist Church, located at 6133 Redan Road, Lithonia, was established in 1885. Benton was the fifth pastor to serve the church. He retired on Dec 31, 2017, after serving as Fairfield’s pastor since 1977. “I felt it was…

Rockdale County Probate Judge Clarence Cuthpert, Jr. has been appointed to serve on the Council of Probate Court Judges of Georgia’s   Access, Fairness, Public Trust and Confidence Committee. As president of the council, Bibb County Probate Judge Sarah Harris made the appointment. Judge Cuthpert, who hails from Savannah, earned his bachelor’s degree from Savannah State University, a master’s degree in public administration from Georgia Southern University and his law degree from Nova Southeastern University. Prior to being elected by the citizens of Rockdale County as their probate judge, Judge Cuthpert ran his own law practice, specializing in civil law, discrimination,…

April 14 DeKalb NAACP Annual Unity Breakfast, 8:30 a.m., Greenforest Baptist Church Early Learning Center (Genesis), 3250 Rainbow Drive, Decatur.  DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond will be the keynote speaker. Tickets: $30 per person. www.dekalbganaacp.org. April 17 Rockdale County officials to host bond referendum forum, 6–7 p.m., Shoal Creek Elementary, 1300 McWilliams Road S.W., Conyers. The Board of Commissioners work session will follow the forum at 7 p.m. To view the agenda, https://rockdalecountyga.gov/about/boc-agenda/   April 20 Why is Rockdale proposing a bond referendum? Get informed. Take a guided tour of the Rockdale County Courthouse, 9 to 10 and 10 to…

  A DeKalb County Grand Jury has indicted a former police officer accused of orchestrating a theft scheme targeting drug dealers. Lori Monique Johnson, 33, is charged with Violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) and 13 counts of Violation of Oath by Public Officer in the 14-count indictment. The charges against Johnson stem from a series of traffic stops between April 29, 2014 and March 13, 2015. The indictment alleges that Johnson, working in concert with drug dealers with whom she was affiliated, staged two traffic stops involving other unsuspecting drug dealers. During the stops, Officer…