Author: On Common Ground News

  The DeKalb County Jail has launched a new information management system to streamline the flow of information between the jail and the county’s courthouses, courtrooms, judges, and visitors. DeKalb County Sheriff Jeffrey L. Mann, who oversees the jail, said the new Tyler Technologies Odyssey solution is replacing the 16-year-old OJS (Online Judicial System) site. The $2.8 million Odyssey customized site at https://ody.dekalbcountyga.gov will give the public access to both the DeKalb courts case information and DeKalb Jail inmate information. Texas-based Tyler Technologies built the first phase of the site. “This new technology moves us light years ahead in jail…

Hope ran out for those searching for 78-year-old Millicent Williams of Decatur. The DeKalb County Medical Examiner positively identified the body located on Aug. 16 as Williams. She was found over a guardrail down an embankment on I-20 West, police spokesperson Shiera D. Campbell. Williams’ grandson, Gregory Anthony Williams, a 36-year-old army veteran with mental illness who had a long criminal record, was taken into custody and charged with theft by taking for being in possession of Mrs. Williams’ vehicle. Charges of kidnapping, murder and aggravated assault were added later. “He (Gregory Williams) was charged with murder because all of the…

  L-R: Georgia Piedmont Technical College President Dr. Jabari Simama, Bosch General Manager Bruno Oberle, State Senator Tonya Anderson, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, Heritage High sophomore Alex Spencer, Rockdale County High sophomore TJ Hayes, Salem High sophomore Stanley Odom, Rockdale County High sophomore Toby Lanier, Haver & Boecker Exec. Vice President Claudio Caobianco, Haver & Boecker Human Resources Generalist Thomi Breedlove, Conyers Rockdale Economic Development Council Exec. Director Marty Jones. Rockdale County Public Schools (RCPS) and Rockdale Career Academy (RCA) announced the launch of an innovative German-style apprenticeship program under the Georgia Consortium for Advanced Technical Training…

DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond announced that an additional 3,500 held water bills are being released, bringing the total to 8,500 mailed to customers this week.  Initially, Thurmond had announced 5,000 bills would be sent out the week of Aug. 14, but he said an Independent Verification Process has helped speed up the process. So far, 16,500 of the 37,000 water bills that were “held” in October 2016 will have been released since the Thurmond administration’s New Day Project was initiated in March 2017 to address DeKalb’s water billing crisis. DeKalb, which has 194,000 water customers, held the bills until it…

The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office and the Rockdale Fire Department are hiring. There are 37 vacancies in the sheriff’s office and 22 vacancies at the Rockdale Fire Department, Board of Commissioners Chairman Oz Nesbitt, Sr. announced. Nesbitt is urging clergy in the community to spread the word from the pulpit on Sunday morning and during mid-week worship services that Rockdale needs to fill the positions. “We need deputies. And yes, we would love for as many of those deputies who meet the requirements to come from Rockdale County. I’m asking every local clergy member to make the announcement on Sunday…

Sen. Tonya Anderson (D – Lithonia) will host a certificate and lapel pin ceremony to recognize Vietnam War veterans from Rockdale, Newton and surrounding counties for their service and dedication to the United States. The ceremony will be held on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2 p.m., at Conyers First United Methodist Church, 921 N. Main St., Conyers. “Our nation’s veterans deserve to be recognized for their service to our country and the sacrifices they have made so that we may live a happy life,” said Anderson. “Too many of our veterans, and especially our Vietnam veterans, are not recognized for their…

State Rep. Doreen Carter (D-Lithonia) will host House District 92 Women’s Equality Breakfast in celebration of National Women’s Equality Day on Saturday, August 26, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Lou Walker Senior Center, 2538 Panola Road, Lithonia. “We are celebrating the 97th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, the amendment that gave women the right to vote,” said Rep. Carter. “Throughout history, women, blacks and other marginalized groups have faced roadblocks in exercising the right to vote,” Carter said. “Women were only afforded access to the ballot box 97 years ago. Through the Suffrage Movement, many brave women helped pave…

The National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter has named Rhonda Briggins as the 2017 Catalyst Award recipient. Briggins serves as senior director of external affairs for MARTA. Each year, during the Unsung Heroine Award Gala, the Catalyst Award is presented to an individual who brings about a positive change within the community. “I’m very humbled and thankful to be a recipient of such a distinguished award from The National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc., Metropolitan Atlanta Chapter,” Briggins said. This year’s Unsung Heroine Award Gala will take place on Saturday, Aug. 26, at the Atlanta…

Be Someone, a nonprofit organization in Stone Mountain that promotes self-esteem, responsibility and analytical thinking among children in underserved communities, has named business consultant and former hospitality industry executive Tony Di Rico of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, as its board chairman. Di Rico is founder and chief executive officer of Chapel Hill-based Profit Hunters International, a business consultancy that provides talent management programs and comprehensive assessment tools to help its clients recruit, hire, train, develop and retain staff. Profit Hunters also provides training in the use of behavior assessment and other human resource tools. Prior to founding Profit Hunters, Di…

Join Allen Cook for a musical evening on Aug. 22, 7 to 8 p.m., at the downtown Decatur Library Auditorium, 215 Sycamore St., Decatur. A “high originality index” best describes Cook. This multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter has been compared to Al Jarreau, Sting and Bill Withers. Influenced by old school R&B, soft rock and jazz, Cook has shared the stage with Felix Cavaliere of the Young Rascals, Oleta Adams, the Three Degrees and Ben E. King. Admission is free. Funding for the program is provided by the Friends of the Decatur Library.