19Jul This Week A-block

This Week A-block

C1 3 b13 welcome to 41nbc news this week.

Chip matthews.

This week.

41nbc news welcome to 41nbc news this week.

Chip matthews.

Thank you for joining us.

This is a show produced by 41nbc news... to bring you the week's top stories from across middle georgia.

This week covid-19 cases were on the rise in middle georgia.

Several first responders are among the latest positive covid 19 cases in monroe county.

Monroe county fire and ems deputy chief jason lott says 3 of his first responders tested positive in the last few weeks.

With those first responders out, the county pulled other firefighters from other stations to fill their spots.

The employees who tested positive are quarantining at home.

In the meantime, lott says there's something you can do to help first responders.

"if you call 911, when we get there, if you can walk outside in an open-air environment, please do.

If you have a mask go ahead and have it on when we get there and that way your mask protects me and my mask protects you."

Protects you."

Me and my mask protects you."

Lott says the staff shortage will not affect the call response times.

Fairview park hospital in dublin has seen its highest numbers of covid-19 patients in the last few weeks.

According to fairview park hospital ceo, donald avery, in april and may, the hospital thought10 patients was a high number.

Well they recently peaked with 31 patients.

And even though there is an increase of patients at the hospital, staff say they're prepared.

"if for instance we filled up every bed on our third floor, we actually have three different units.

We have a telemetry unit, we have a step down, our progressive care unit and then our intensive care unit; all of those are on the third floor.

If we filled up all of those beds c1 3 b13 we could overflow on to the fourth floor."

Avery also says floor."

Avery also says what the staff learned early on in the pandemic is helping address the current uptick in covid-19 cases.

As covid-19 cases rise in macon-bibb county .... staff at medical center navicent health... are encouraging young people to wear masks.

The hospital has started an online challenge called.... hashtag why i mask.

The goal is to ask younger people ... to share why they wear a mask ... and hopefully encourage others to do the same.

Emergency room director, doctor john wood says ... the hospital is just trying to find new ways to reach young people.

What we've seen with this most recent increase in covid patients is that it is a younger population and so we feel like if we can connect to that population in a meaningful way, maybe we can get them to wear a mask.

Doctors at navicent say -- doctors at wear a mask.

Get them to wear a mask.

Doctors at navicent say -- unlike earlier in the spring -- they are seeing an uptick in covid cases ... among people in their 20's and 30's.

Macon-bibb county is taking new measures to slow the spread of covid-19.

According to a county news release, mayor robert reichert issued an executive order requesting people, businesses, and organizations to follow cdc guidelines.

It also includes the closure of government offices, park pavilions, sports fields, basketball courts, and even playgrounds will be closed but parks will remain open since people can be social distance.

Government offices will telework and minimize interaction between employees and the public.

Crews are installing plexiglass barriers at desks also no new special event permits will be issued.

Governor brian kemp has suspended mask ordinances in cities and counties throughout the state.

The measure is outlined in a new executive order issued on wednesday that extends covid-19 restrictions until july 31-st.

The measure says that any county or municipal law, order, ordinance or rule that requires people to wear a face covering of any kind in public is suspended.

Governor kemp has repeatedly resisted calls to implement a statewide mask mandate.

Within the past week..

Several cities...like atlanta and savannah... passed their own mask orders... going aganst his message that "strongly encouraged" the publi to wear masks.

One place where you'll have to wear a mask....kroger.

Starting july 22nd, you'll have put on a mask to grab your groceries.

The announcement came out wednesday-- in a tweet the grocery store chain said "we are committed to doing our part to help reduce the spread of the virus."

Walmart is also requiring its customers to wear a mask in its stores.

As more and more places are requiring masks, what does that mean for your pockets?

According to dr. antonio saravia, associate professor of economics at mercer, one-third of families are reporting they can't pay their rent or mortgage.

Those same families are also struggling to keep up with bills as well.

Dr. saravia says that when you pair bills with the added expense of buying masks, it takes an extra toll on low-income families.

Dr. sarvia did have a solution that would require a little help from local leaders.

"one little thing that perhaps domestic governments can do is say look here are masks.

We're subsidizing masks.

Get the masks and get out to work.

Put the masks on, send your kid to school, your going to have time to go out to work."

To work."

Time to go out to work."

And if you need a mask...this saturday there's a free mask giveaway happening in the parking lot of the tubman museum.

The event is from 9:30-12:30.

The houston county school district has released a 12-page reopening plan.

As of now, the district says students will return to school on thursday, august 6th.

Instructional models will include in-person and virtual learning.

For more information go to h-c-b-e dot net slash learning options f-a-q.

In dublin students will return to school on tuesday, september 8th.

The board of education approved the proposed 2020-2021 school calendar monday.

Teachers and staff will begin pre-planning august 3rd thru the 7th with professional learning slated for august 10th through the 26th.

There will be a pre-assessment period for students based on grade level august 27th thru september 4th.

School district officials say the calendar was a collaboration between the district, staff, parents, and community members.

For more information on dates, head to our website, 41nbc.com in milledgeville, expanding to include k through second grade students.

The virtual learning program is free, and includes 24/7 access to assignments and video based instruction.

Enrollment for the upcoming school year has soared as parents look for safer back to school options during the pandemic.

For more information or to register your student, visit baldwin county schools g-a dot org, slash baldwin online academy.

Twiggs county students will have to learn from home the first nine weeks.

School officials say e-learning is safest since covid numbers are increasing.

According to superintendent elgin dixon, the county is working to provide satellite internet buses to help families with connection issues.

The county provided similar buses last school year.

School is expected to start on monday, august 17th.

The district wants to help families financially as well.

"we're also looking into some opportunities for low-income connectivity scholarships.

So we're looking for some of that as well.

We're trying to explore every opportunity to remove barriers that would impede learning."

Dixon says impede learning."

Dixon says parents can check the school systems website for updates.

Parent involvement coordinators will also be in contact with families once officials finalize plans.

He also said all extracurricular activities are suspended for the first nine weeks.

Macon-bibb voters will choose their next mayor in a runoff election next month.

41nbc's jatrissa wooten checked in with both candidates-- lester miller and cliffard whitby-- to hear what's at the top of their agendas, as they head into the final stretch of the campaign.

Lester miller is endorsed by the fraternal order of police and other local public safety agencies.

C1 3 b13 he says public safety is one of his top priorities.

To reduce in macon early voting begins july 20th-- and ends august 7th -- four days before the august 11th election day.

Ambulance response times in jones county are raising some questions from residents.

The jones county fire chief and ema director don graham says response times take an hour in some cases.

He says calls have tripled since the start of the pandemic, and there is only one ambulance in the county right now.

Graham says the problem is turnaround time.

"where the problem lies is if they pick up a patient here, take them to the hospital, they c1 3 b13 either got to wait on the wall or they've got to decon and that takes time."

County officials are working to get