Georgia Trend Daily – May 21, 2020
March 21, 2020 WABE 90.1
The Risk The Coronavirus Poses To Georgia’s Farmworkers
Molly Samuel reports that in Georgia, the Vidalia onions and first wave of blueberries are already in stores. Sweet corn is getting picked now, and agricultural workers from out of state and out of the country are here – or heading here – to help pick Georgia’s fruits and vegetables.
March 21, 2020 Georgia Trend – Exclusive!
Legal Elite nominations continue
Karen Kirkpatrick writes, who do you think is the state’s most effective lawyer? Now through Friday, July 10, 2020, you can tell us. Georgia Trend magazine’s annual Legal Elite listing will highlight the state’s most effective lawyers in 16 different practice areas. The list of the state’s Legal Elite, as chosen by their peers, will appear in the December 2020 issue.
March 21, 2020 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia jobless rate rockets to record 11.9% in April
Michael E. Kanell reports that Georgia’s unemployment rate reached an all-time record high of 11.9% in April as coronavirus-linked closures of businesses set off a flood of jobless claims, the Department of Labor said Thursday. The jobless rate was at a historic low of 3.1% in February before rising to 4.2% in March during the first weeks of the crisis.
March 21, 2020 GPB
COVID-19 Poses Unique Challenges For Cotton And Peanut Industry
Jade Abdul-Malik reports that the effects of the coronavirus across the state are far reaching. Aside from the obvious impacts to health, COVID-19 is touching nearly every part of the economy, including agriculture. Cotton and peanut farmers in southern Georgia are experiencing unique challenges in production and distribution of their crops.
March 21, 2020 The Center Square
COVID-19 hospitalizations in Georgia at lowest point since early April
Jason Schaumburg reports that COVID-19 hospitalizations in Georgia have reached their lowest point since April 8, when hospitals started reporting data to the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA). Gov. Brian Kemp’s office and GEMA said 986 people were hospitalized Tuesday with COVID-19. The total represented a 12 percent decrease since May 12.
March 21, 2020 Georgia Recorder
COVID-19 spells lost fares and rough ride for Georgia’s public transit
Ross Williams reports that bus engines still drone each morning over the quiet conversations of commuters at CobbLinc’s South Marietta Parkway transfer station, but the rush hour crowds common a few months ago no longer gather outside to wait for buses. Larenze Walker was among them earlier this month, scrolling on his phone as he waited for the bus to take him to his job at Marietta’s Tip Top Poultry plant.
March 21, 2020 Gwinnett Daily Post
Atlanta Regional Commission awards $310,000 in LCI grants to Lawrenceville, Suwanee
Curt Yeomans reports that the cities of Lawrenceville and Suwanee are receiving a combined $310,000 from the Atlanta Regional Commission to pay for planning for projects in their respective jurisdictions. The funding is coming to the cities in the form of Livable Centers Initiative, or LCI, grants that were announced Tuesday.
March 21, 2020 Brunswick News
Jekyll Island sees revenue loss in April
Lauren McDonald reports that the board of the Jekyll Island Authority heard another harsh financial report Tuesday during its monthly meeting, held virtually. The authority saw a dramatic dip in revenue in April due to the closure of most island amenities and many businesses.
March 21, 2020 Augusta Chronicle
Most Plant Vogtle workers infected by coronavirus have recovered
Miguel Legoas reports that nearly all the Plant Vogtle who have tested positive for coronavirus have recovered. Georgia Power spokesperson Jeffrey Wilson said Wednesday there are currently 23 active positive cases of the virus, while 207 workers who initially tested positive have since recovered and are available to return to work.
March 21, 2020 Capitol Beat News
Absentee voting urged amid long waits for June 9 primary early voting
Beau Evans reports that Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is urging voters to cast ballots by mail rather than in person for the June 9 primary election as the start of early voting this week drew long lines and wait times at many precincts. Polls opened Monday across the state for the three-week early voting period ahead of the primary election, which was delayed from March 24 and May 18 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
March 21, 2020 Georgia Recorder
Shift from coal power leaves state air pollution regulators short of money
Jill Nolin reports that the gradual retirement of coal-fired power plants in Georgia is leaving a state program that polices industrial polluters short on cash. Permit fees – a key source of revenue for the state Environmental Protection Division’s air protection branch – have declined and left the branch to deal with a $1 million shortfall in the new budget year that starts July 1.
March 21, 2020 All On Georgia
Loeffler & Perdue Split on Vote on Warrantless Data Collection
Jessica Szilagyi reports that Georgia’s U.S. Senators were on opposite sides of the aisle last week when an amendment, which would have forced the government to get a warrant before obtaining the internet search history of Americans under the FISA Act, failed to get enough votes for passage.
March 21, 2020 Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Pence to visit Atlanta on Friday to discuss Georgia’s pandemic response
Greg Bluestein reports that Vice President Mike Pence is set to visit Atlanta on Friday to meet with Gov. Brian Kemp to discuss Georgia’s aggressive approach to reopening Georgia’s economy during the coronavirus pandemic. He also plans to gather with restaurant executives to highlight their plans to resume dine-in operations, as well as talk about safety precautions they’re taking to bring their employees back to work.
