COVID-19 coverage from schools to business to government

Bars, restaurants, hotels and retail stores across Georgia are bearing the brunt of the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis.

By Dave Williams
Bureau Chief
Capitol Beat News Service
 
ATLANTA - Bars, restaurants, hotels and retail stores across Georgia are bearing the brunt of the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis.
Restaurants are closing the dine-in portions of their businesses to prevent the spread of the virus and limiting their operations to drive-through and takeout orders.
Stores are limiting their hours of operation, cutting employee hours or laying off workers entirely.

     Mark Hinton, who has been involved in numerous service projects throughout the county, was the recipient of this year’s retired educator’s Golden Deed Award.

By Ralph O. Dennis

Contributing writer

Everyone has one special person that is their “go to” person for help. Sometimes it is a family member. Sometimes a neighbor or a member of the organization. Sometimes they don’t need to be asked. Pickens County has many such people. They do what they do not for fame or glory but because they love to be of service. They do it to be of service to their organization, family, friends and community. Mark Hinton, the winner of this year’s Golden Deed award, is one of those people.

Each year for the last 34 years, the Pickens County Retired Educators Association has honored one such person. The

Commission Chair Rob Jones shows the official county pandemic response document. 

     A brief called meeting by the board of commissioners Tuesday morning, captured the tone of the pandemic era. Prior to beginning, Commissioner Rob Jones showed a thick binder-book copy of the county pandemic plan, developed in 2007 and revised most recently for coronavirus. He said under it he was requiring all people in attendance to sit at least six feet apart.

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        The 2020 spring sports season has fallen to the uncertainty of the times. Just like all school operations, spring sports have been halted indefinitely until an official decision is made by the GHSA. Spring sports include baseball, boys and girls soccer, tennis, golf, and track. This is uncharted territory for these players and coaches, and leaves them all with more questions than answers. 

Here is what we do know:

On March 12th Dr. Robin Hines, executive director of the GHSA, said: “We will definitely suspend for the next two weeks, as the governor recommended. By close of the business on Friday, March 27th, we will issue an update. We hate to have to make this call, but we must do what is in the best interest of our student-athletes and fans.”