Posted inCoronavirus

Still not wearing a mask? DeKalb County could send you to a COVID-19 prevention class

DeKalb County took steps to strengthen the mask ordinance it passed last week. The strengthened mask requirement comes as Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is suing Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms over Atlanta’s mask mandate. But DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond says he believes DeKalb County’s ordinance is consistent with Kemp’s executive order. The measure requires […]

Posted inOpinion

State schools chief: ‘Safety must be at the forefront’ of starting school

Georgia State School Superintendent Richard Woods wants parents to know that school leaders at the local and state level are united in their efforts to start the school year smoothly. The superintendent sent the following statement today clearing up some misconceptions about the relationship between state leadership and local school systems and said state leaders […]

Posted inYour Family

Laid off workers turn to Medicaid and PeachCare

Georgia’s Medicaid and PeachCare rolls continue to grow amid the economic devastation from COVID-19. Newly released June enrollment figures show that Medicaid membership grew by 23,000, while PeachCare, the children’s health insurance program in Georgia, saw enrollment rise by nearly 14,000. That continues a steady increase in each program, though April’s Medicaid growth was much […]

Posted inCoronavirus

Georgia’s new COVID-19 testing partner can process 10,000 tests per day

In response to increased demand for COVID-19 testing and long delays in getting results back, the state of Georgia is expanding its testing capabilities by bringing on a new testing partner. The new testing partnership with Mako Medical will provide testing supplies and services to process 10,000 SARS-CoV-2 PCR tests per day. Gov. Brian Kemp’s office says […]

Posted inYour Government

Meet the woman Georgia democrats picked to replace John Lewis in Congress

State Sen. Nikema Williams was tapped by Georgia Democratic leaders Monday to run as the party’s nominee to replace Congressman John Lewis in the upcoming Nov. 3 election, following the civil rights icon’s death on Friday. Lewis’ death at age 80 precipitated a frantic search over the weekend to pick a new nominee to run […]

Posted inCrime

Burned body found in Gwinnett County

DULUTH — Police are searching for clues after a burned body was found near Gwinnett Place Mall in Duluth. Police say a man called 911 after locating the body at about 11:30 a.m. on a wooded trail near the intersection of Satellite Boulevard and West Liddell Road.  When officers arrived on scene, they discovered the […]

Posted inCrime

Victim in I-85 shooting identified

NORCROSS — The man who died in a shooting on I-85 over the weekend has been identified. Gwinnett County Police say the victim was 31-year-old Steven Vallejo of Norcross. Police say Vallejo was shot and killed by another driver shortly after 12:30 a.m. Sunday. Homicide detectives determined that the two vehicles involved were traveling South […]

Posted inCoronavirus

Mixed Signals: Mayors and lawmakers confused by Kemp’s mask stance

(The Center Square) – Some officials in Georgia said they are shocked and confused about Gov. Brian Kemp’s executive order that blocks local governments from requiring residents to wear masks. Senate Minority Whip Harold Jones II, D-Augusta, said when he voted to allow Kemp to have more authority during the COVID-19 pandemic, he thought it […]

Posted inGeorgia People

John Lewis: In His Own Words

Civil Rights icon and Georgia Congressman John Lewis died Friday night. Lewis was 80 years old and was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year. Below are some of the beloved Congressman’s notable quotes. “When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; […]

Posted inCoronavirus

More than 135,000 people in Georgia have tested positive for coronavirus

Georgia surpassed 135,000 coronavirus cases Friday as the state continues to grapple with a the growing public health crisis of COVID-19. The state saw its second highest single-day increase in cases Friday, adding 3,908 new cases and bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 135,183. Hospitalizations and ICU admissions are also continuing to rise. […]