Author: On Common Ground News

A DeKalb County Grand Jury has indicted two nurses and an aide in connection with the death of an elderly patient. Former licensed nurse practitioner Loyce Pickquet Agyeman of Snellville is charged with felony murder and neglect to an elderly person. Wanda Nuckles of Buford, also a former licensed nurse practitioner, is charged with depriving an elder person of essential services, while Mable Turman, a certified nurse assistant from College Park, is charged with neglect to an elder person. All three women were also indicted on a single count of concealing the death of another in the five-count indictment returned…

On Feb. 20, the Phoenix Leadership Foundation and the DeKalb Entertainment Commission brought Wakanda to Atlanta with a special screening of the new Black Panther movie for local high school students. 700 students from six Dekalb County schools and six Atlanta Public Schools viewed the critically acclaimed Marvel Blockbuster film at the Movie Tavern at Northlake Festival. The Phoenix Leadership Foundation is headed by James “Jay” and Blayne Alexander Bailey and is dedicated to funding and creating programs that create positive role models. The Dekalb Entertainment Commission is charged with stimulating economic growth across the county in film, television, music and…

Evangelist Billy Graham died today (Feb. 21) of natural causes at his home in North Carolina. He was 99. Described by many as “America’s pastor,” he evangelized to nearly 215 million people over six decades. He prayed with U.S. Presidents from Harry Truman to Barack Obama.   Congressman John Lewis issued the following statement: “Billy Graham was a noble man — a true servant of God; he had the ability to speak truth to power.  He was like a shepherd looking over the flock of humankind.  He was a man of hope, a man of faith—a man of love, and…

By Orrin “Checkmate” Hudson The latest senseless school shooting has taken more young lives and changed countless others forever. Many call for more gun control to stop the carnage.  Although we can look at ways to make it harder for the wrong people to obtain firearms, I do not believe radical gun control methods will make a difference. According to the U.S. government, there are an estimated 300 million guns in the nation. Will more laws stop the violence or should we be looking at other long-term and long-lasting approaches?  What can we do in identifying and treating minds that…

“We are a solid residential neighborhood” Stonecrest residents slam group homes, drive-throughs, gas stations by Valerie J. Morgan Stonecrest residents packed last night’s City Council meeting, slamming proposals for two group homes, a drive-through for a Popeye’s restaurant and an amendment to the Stonecrest Overlay District that would allow gas stations and other uses that currently are not permitted south of I-20 within the city’s borders. The City Council denied Special Land Use Permits (SLUPs) for a personal care home for veterans at 4185 Panola Road and a drive-through for a Popeye’s restaurant proposed at 8200 Mall Parkway (located in…

Gov. Nathan Deal, along with Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and House Speaker David Ralston, today outlined updates to HB 918, which addresses state tax code. The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Chuck Efstration, now combines the 2017 Internal Revenue Code (IRC) bill, HB 821, with 2018 IRC updates. It also addresses the state revenue projections resulting from the Federal Tax Act. HB 918 would double the standard deduction for Georgia taxpayers for all filing statuses, effective Jan. 1, 2018. It would also reduce the income tax rate for individuals and businesses from 6 percent to 5.75 percent effective Jan. 1, 2019.…

Dozens of youths are learning about the legal system today at the Third Annual Youth Law Camp in Rockdale County. Chief Magistrate Judge Phinia Aten and the Newrock Legal Society presented the day-long camp, open to students in the 8th through 12 grades in Rockdale and Newton counties. Students are participating in interactive civic activities such as mock trials and mock legislative sessions and are learning from an array of speakers including judges, lawyers, law enforcement officers and others. The free camp, founded by Judge Aten in 2016, is designed to educate, empower, engage and entertain students who are…

The office of Congressman Hank Johnson this weekend honored the late Justin Edwards, the son of DeKalb County activist Joel Edwards. Johnson’s wife, DeKalb Commissioner Mereda Davis Johnson and District Outreach Director Eric Hubbard presented the Citizen of Distinction Award to the family of the slain man on Saturday, Feb. 17. Justin Edwards was shot to death on Feb. 10 by an unknown assailant as he and his girlfriend were headed home. Police said Justin Edwards had stopped to check out two flat tires in the parking lot of an abandoned building on Memorial Drive and Boulevard in Cabbagetown around…

By Mark Brock DCSD Athletics The No. 6 ranked Tucker Lady Tigers held off Grovetown 42-37 to be one of five DeKalb County basketball teams to advance to the Sweet 16 of their respective state tournaments on Friday. Jasani Buchanan (2-2), Kerrigan Johnson (4-4) and Kierra Guthrie (1-2) combined to hit seven of eight free throws in the final 1:16 of the game to seal Tucker’s trip to the Class 6A girls’ Sweet 16. Grovetown had trimmed a 28-19 lead by Tucker to one (32-31) behind two three-pointers by Marissah Tate and a layup by Tamiah Holmes with 3:43 to…