Author: On Common Ground News

The DeKalb County Board of Commissioners during a special executive session on April 18 voted 5-2 to pay the legal defense costs of former DeKalb CEO Burrell Ellis. The reimbursement is permitted under state law when a government official is found not guilty or charges are overturned. The board approved $755,942.95 to cover Ellis’ legal fees through two separate trials and his appeal before the Georgia Supreme Court. The high court overturned Ellis’ convictions in November 2016, saying he didn’t get a fair trial. District Attorney Sherry Boston, who was sworn into office in January 2017, dismissed charges of attempted…

Voters in the newly-formed city of Stonecrest have decided who will lead their first government. They elected Rob Turner, District 2; George Turner, Jr., District 4, and Diane Daniels Adoma, District 5 in the April 18 special election runoffs, wrapping up elections in the city. The two Turners elected to the five-member Stonecrest City Council are not related. In one of the most hotly-contested and nationally publicized races in the special election, Mary-Pat Hector, a 19-year-old Spelman College sophomore, narrowly lost her challenge to George Turner, a retired MARTA executive. Hector received 845 votes. Turner received 867. In February, Turner…

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond announced two key hires to focus on enhancing and improving the county’s infrastructure. Ted Rhinehart has been hired as deputy chief operating officer for infrastructure. Rhinehart will serve in this top supervisory role for Watershed Management, Sanitation, Roads and Drainage, Transportation, Public Libraries, Fleet Management and Recreation and Cultural Affairs, Cooperative Extension and the Beautification Unit. Rhinehart formerly worked for DeKalb in 2002 as Public Works Director and then in 2009, as deputy COO of Infrastructure. He has more than 27 years of experience in municipal government management and most recently served as…

The Georgia World Congress Center Authority is embarking on a $17 million makeover of Centennial Olympic Park following the conclusion of the park’s 20th anniversary capital campaign. Although the park will remain open to the public while the work is in progress, public access will be restricted at times. The Fountain of Rings, playgrounds, and some monuments will be impacted as areas in the park become active work sites. Prior to visiting the park, visitors should get updates on public access restrictions by visiting gwcca.org/park or calling 404-222-PARK (7275). As outlined in the Authority’s 2020 Vision strategic plan, the renovations…

Conyers Police arrested nine men as a result of a pandering sting operation Wednesday night, April 19.  This is the fourteenth such operation Conyers Police have conducted since 2013. In early summer of 2013, two violent incidents occurred which brought to light prostitution occurring at local motels.  One panderer, or “john,” was robbed by two men after setting up a meeting with a prostitute using Craigslist.  One month later, four men were arrested after kidnapping, raping, and robbing two women who had posted an ad for prostitution on www.backpage.com.  These men were responsible for other similar incidents in the region.…

The DeKalb County Fire Rescue Department is seeking qualified applicants for the position of fire recruit and firefighter. Applications are currently being accepted through April 30 and interested candidates must complete and submit the online application by visiting dekalbfirerescue.org. Minimum requirements include a high school diploma or GED, supplemented by one year of work experience in any field that shows an ability to maintain steady employment preferred; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the requisite knowledge, skills and abilities for this job. The starting salary for fire recruits is $36,555 and for firefighters is $38,151.…

On April 24-28, childcare centers all over the Conyers/Rockdale area will celebrate Hands on Literacy Week to encourage reading. Teaching programs this week will be geared toward encouraging young children to read through activities such as crafts, story-telling, and projects. A cross-section of the community including parents, grandparents and community leaders will come in to read to the children during this week’s celebration. The celebration will end with the Hands On Literacy Parade in Olde Town Conyers on Friday at approximately 10 a.m. Children dressed as their favorite book characters will walk down Main Street to Center Street with the…

Conyers Police investigators are seeking the public’s helping in finding two suspects who robbed Kay Jewelers, 1620 Dogwood Drive and the BP gas station, 607 Sigman Road, within one day of each other. The jewelry holdup took place on Tuesday, April 18, at approximately 10:20 a.m. A black male and a black female suspect entered Kay Jewelers. The male, who was armed with a black semi-automatic handgun, jumped the counter after a short conversation with an employee. An undisclosed amount of jewelry was taken from the glass display case. The male suspect is described as 5’10 and 150 pounds, wearing…

The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is helping to make commuting easier for bike enthusiasts with the installation of new bike racks and repair stands at 37 train stations. Additionally, MARTA is partnering with the City of Atlanta’s Relay bike share program to place 500 bikes at 65 locations around the city. The program began with 100 bikes at 22 sites. “We are proud to partner with Mayor Kasim Reed and the City of Atlanta in the expansion of their bike share programs that allows riders to reserve, ride and return a bike to the same location or another…

FEATURED EVENT Inman Park Festival and Tour of Homes set   Join the historic Inman Park community for the 46th Inman Park Spring Festival and Tour Of Homes on April 29-30, 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. The Inman Park Spring Festival features a tour of homes Friday to Sunday, street parade (2 p.m. Saturday), artists’ market, live music, food vendors, and kids’ activities in Inman Park. Guests are encouraged to walk, bike or catch public transportation to the event. For more information, visit www.inmanparkfestival.org. ATLANTA Author to discuss Modern Civil Rights Movement in Atlanta The Atlanta-Fulton Public…