Friday, July 31, 2020

Clarke County Added 74 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases As Northeast Health District Added Record 207

***Clarke County Also Added A COVID-19 Death***

The Northeast Health of the Department of Public Health, led by Clarke County, recorded a record number 207 new COVID-19 confirmed cases on Friday and three deaths attributed to the disease.

Each of the 10 counties in the Northeast Health District added cases, but Clarke County’s 74 cases led the group and was the largest single-day increase for the county. The previous high number had been 65 on July 18.

Thursday, July 30, 2020

Area Hospitals Report Increase In Number Of Critical Care Beds In Use; Only One Critical Care Bed Listed As Available

***173 New COVID-19 Cases Reported In Northeast Health District***

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency reported on Thursday that the number of Critical Care Beds in use at area hospitals increased by nine over Thursday. The hospitals increased the Critical Care Bed capacity by five to 75, and one Critical Care Bed was listed as available.

The nine hospitals in the area surrounding Oconee and Clarke counties are asked to provide their data on bed availability by noon each day, according to the Agency. The report was dated at 4:10 p.m. on Thursday.

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

Number Of Critical Care Beds Available At Area Hospitals Improved But Seven-Day Rolling Average Of New COVID-19 Cases Sets Record

***Clarke Adds COVID-19 Death***

The number of available Critical Care Beds in area hospitals increased to five with the release of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency Situation Report COVID-19 late on Wednesday.

The Tuesday Situation Report had listed only one Critical Care Bed available at the area’s 11 hospitals. On both Monday and last Friday, no Critical Care Beds has been reported to be available.

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Northeast Health District Adds 196 COVID-19 Cases And Sets Seven-Day Rolling Average Record For Added Cases

***One Local Critical Care Hospital Bed Listed As Available***

The Northeast Health District of the Department of Public Health added 196 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday, just short of the record of 200 cases added last Thursday, and the seven-day rolling average of added cases set a new record of 143.3.

The 10-county District did not have any new COVID-19 deaths reported in the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report on Tuesday, the fourth day in a row in which no new deaths were reported. The seven-day rolling average of added deaths dropped to 0.3.

Monday, July 27, 2020

Daily Status Report Lists 98 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases; Daily Situation Report Lists All Critical Care Beds In Use At Area Hospitals

***No Critical Care Beds Available In Friday Report As Well***

The Georgia Department of Public Health on Monday reported 98 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the 10 counties that make up the Northeast Health District, bringing the seven-day rolling average of added cases to 133.3, or just shy of the record of 133.9 set on Friday.

The Georgia Emergency Management Agency said on Monday that no critical care beds were available at area hospitals, the second time in the last four days that has happened.

Harden Introduces Self To Oconee County Republican Party As Candidate In November Special County Commission Election

***Cites Professional Banking Experience***

Amrey Harden said he is motivated to seek Post 3 on the Oconee County Board of Commissioners in the special election in November because of his love for the county and his desire to do public service.

In a meeting with Oconee County Republicans, Harden said he will focus on four issues in his campaign: farmland preservation and historical preservation, infrastructure with a focus on broadband, county finances during the current fiscal crisis, and growth.

Sunday, July 26, 2020

Northeast Health District Adds Fewest New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases in Two Weeks

***No New COVID-19 Deaths Recorded***

The Northeast Health District added 64 confirmed COVID-19 cases on Sunday with the release of the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report, the smallest number of cases added since 50 were recorded on July 12.

Sunday usually is a light day of reporting, but 99 cases were added a week ago, and the seven-day rolling average of added cases dropped to 128.9 on Sunday from 133.9 on Saturday.

Saturday, July 25, 2020

Northeast Health District Adds 162 New COVID-19 Cases But No Deaths; Critical Care Bed Availability Rebounds

***Oconee Death Reported Thursday Rescinded***

The Northeast Health District added 162 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Saturday, and the seven-day rolling average of added cases held steady at 133.9

The Department of Public Health reported no new deaths in the 10-county Northeast Health District, and the seven day rolling average of added deaths dropped to 0.9.

Friday, July 24, 2020

Seven-Day Rolling Averages Of Added COVID-19 Cases Reach Record Levels; Area Hospitals Reported All Critical Care Beds In Use

***Area Leaders Say Hospitals In “Stable Position”***

The seven-day rolling averages of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases both regionally and for the state as a whole reached record levels with the release of the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report on Friday.

The seven-day rolling average of added deaths also reached a record level for the state, and, with the addition of a death in Barrow County, the seven-day rolling average in the 10-county Northeast Health District also increased, though not to a record level.

Thursday, July 23, 2020

Northeast Health District Sets New Record For Added Confirmed COVID-19 Cases

***Daily Status Report Lists 200 New Cases***

The Northeast Health District added a record number 200 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with the Thursday release of the Department of Public Health’s Daily Status Report.

Each of the 10 counties in the District added cases. Oconee County added eight cases and Clarke County added 50.

The seven-day rolling average of added cases increased to 129.1, tied with the record average set on July 19.

Mayor Bob Smith Demonstrates His Control Of Council Meetings If Not Of Council Votes

***Uses Power Of Gavel***

The Watkinsville mayor only gets to vote in a rare case when the five-member Council, because of an absence or recusal, would evenly split its votes.

What current Mayor Bob Smith can do is guarantee that he gets to talk at the meetings. He holds the gavel and runs those meeting.

Smith has been using that power more assertively of late, and he used it aggressively at the session of the Mayor and Council last week.

Wednesday, July 22, 2020

Growth In Number Of Confirmed COVID-19 Cases Eased On Wednesday In Region And Across The State; Deaths Increasing

***Northeast Health District Added Two Deaths***

At the regional and state level, growth in the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases eased slightly on Wednesday, but the number of new deaths attributed to the disease increased.

The 10-county Northeast Health District, which includes Oconee and Clarke counties, added 111 new cases in the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report on Wednesday, and the seven-day rolling average of added cases dropped from 124.3 on Tuesday to 121.1 on Wednesday.

Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Four New COVID-19 Deaths In Northeast Health District Listed In Tuesday Daily Status Report Along With 126 New Confirmed Cases

***Oconee County Now Has 15 Deaths Attributed To COVID-19***

Oconee County added another death from COVID-19 with the release of the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report on Tuesday.

The Oconee death, of a 75-year-old female without a chronic condition, brings to 15 the number of deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the county.

Monday, July 20, 2020

Northeast Health District Lists Smallest Number Of New COVID-19 Cases In Eight Days

***Oconee Schools Commit To Aug. 5 Reopening***

The Northeast Health District added 67 new COVID-19 cases with the release of the Daily Status Report on Monday, the smallest number since the 10-county District added 50 cases on July 12.

The seven-day rolling average of added cases dropped to 120.7 from 129.1 on Sunday.

Oconee County Commissioners Reject Proposal For Gas Station Entrance Modification And For Small Medical Office Park

***Allow Buffer Variance For Special Events Venue***

William Jones wanted to be allowed to have an entrance to his planned JP convenience store, gas station, and Burger King off Mars Hill Road just before it intersects with U.S. 78.

The Board of Commissioners said no.

John Allen Drew wanted to rezone 4.5 acres at the triangle created by SR 316, Dials Mill Spur and Dials Mill Extension so he could build a medical office business park.

The Board of Commissioners said no.

Sunday, July 19, 2020

Northeast Health District Adds 99 New COVID-19 Cases On Sunday, And Seven-Day Rolling Average Of New Cases Increases

***No New COVID-19 Deaths Reported***

The 10-county Northeast Health District of the Department of Public Health added 99 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 with the issuance of the Daily Status Report on Sunday, including six in Oconee County and 33 in Clarke County.

The seven-day rolling average of added cases increased to 129.1, a new record. The rolling average had been 122.1 on Saturday.

Saturday, July 18, 2020

Northeast Health District Follows State In Setting New Record For Added COVID-19 Cases; Two New COVID-19 Deaths Reported

***Clarke County Adds Record 65 New Confirmed Cases***

The state of Georgia added 4,689 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, a new record, and the Northeast Health District followed suit by adding 160 new cases, also the largest number added in a single day.

Fifteen of those new cases were in Oconee County, the second largest number ever added in a single day, and 65 were in Clarke County, the largest number ever added in a single day.

Friday, July 17, 2020

Northeast Health District Adds 141 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases, But Seven-Day Rolling Average Drops

***No New Deaths Reported, But Critical Care Bed Use Increases***

The Northeast Health District added 141 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Friday Department of Public Health Daily Status Report, but the number is down from the record high of 154 added last Friday, leading to a drop in the seven-day rolling average of added cases.

The Daily Status Report included no new deaths attributed to the disease for the 10-county District, and the seven day rolling average of added deaths dropped to 1.4 from 1.9 on Thursday.

Thursday, July 16, 2020

Clarke And Oconee Counties Add COVID-19 Cases As Northeast Health District Sets Record Seven-Day Rolling Average Of Added Cases

***No New COVID-19 Deaths Added***

The Department of Public Health added 144 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the 10-county Northeast Health District with the release of the Daily Status Report on Thursday, and the seven-day rolling average of added cases in the District increased to a new record of 116.9.

The Department of Public Health did not list any new deaths attributed to COVID-19 in the District, and the seven-day rolling average of added deaths remained unchanged at 1.9.

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Five New COVID-19 Deaths In Northeast Health District, Including One In Oconee County, Listed In Wednesday Daily Status Report

***Oconee Deaths Nearly Equal Those Of Clarke***

Following the pattern of the state as a whole, the Northeast Health District on Wednesday saw large increases in both the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases and in deaths attributed to the disease.

The 10-county region added 133 new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report, including 38 in Clarke County and five in Oconee County.

Parents Gather To Ask For Delay In Deadline For Decision On Oconee County School Reopening Options

***Deadline Remains Midnight Wednesday***

About 40 parents showed up at the central offices of Oconee County Schools in Watkinsville on Wednesday morning to ask school administrators to delay the deadline for parents to make a decision on whether their children will attend school in-person or remotely starting on Aug. 5.

They also asked Superintendent Jason Branch and Board of Education members to come out to meet them and answer questions about the plans for the Aug. 5 reopening.

Tuesday, July 14, 2020

Department Of Community Health Reports Six New COVID-19 Deaths In Northeast Health District Long-Term Care Facilities On Tuesday

***Department Of Public Health Does Not Include The Deaths***

The Northridge Health and Rehabilitation nursing home in Commerce added six new deaths among its residents in the Department of Community Health Long-Term Care Facility Report on Tuesday.

The Jackson County nursing home has reported 10 deaths at the facility since June 29 and currently has 58 of its 105 residents testing positive. It also has reported that the cumulative number of staff with COVID-19 is 17.

Monday, July 13, 2020

Parent Calls For Protest At Oconee County School Administrative Offices On Wednesday

***Member Of Safety First Reopen Schools Facebook Group***

A parent in the 1,000-member strong Facebook Group Safety First Reopening Schools has called for a protest early on Wednesday morning at the administrative offices of Oconee County Schools.

The purpose of the protest is to get the school system to postpone the date by which parents have to select either the in-person or distance/digital learning option from Wednesday to July 20 and to get the system to require students who attend classes in-person to wear masks.

Seven-Day Rolling Average Of Added COVID-19 Cases In Northeast Health District Tops 100 For First Time

***Oconee Adds Seven Cases; Clarke Adds 38***

The Northeast Health District added 126 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 with release of the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report on Monday.

The seven-day rolling average of added cases in the 10-county District topped 100 for the first time ever. The average jumped from 96.1 on Sunday to 104.1 on Monday.

Sunday, July 12, 2020

Crowd Gathers At Sheriff's Office In Watkinsville To Show Support For Oconee County's Deputies

More than 100 people turned out on Thursday in front of the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office in Watkinsville to show support for local law enforcement officers.

Organized by Jamey Canady via Facebook, the Back The Blue Rally included a prayer by Kevin “Chappy” Hynes, a Watkinsville police officer and chaplain, and brief comments by Oconee County Sheriff Scott Berry.

Those present waved flags, carried signs with messages such as Back The Blue, and intermingled with Sheriff Department deputies leaving work at the Thursday shift.

Oconee And Clarke Counties Add Confirmed COVID-19 Cases As Daily Status Report Lists 50 New Cases In Northeast Health District

***No New Deaths Recorded***

Oconee County added nine new cases of COVID-19 in the Daily Status Report on Sunday, and Clarke County added 14. The remaining eight counties in the Northeast Health District added 27 cases, bringing the total for the District to 50.

The 50 added cases were fewer than the 61 added last Sunday, and the seven-day rolling average of added cases dropped to 96.1 on Sunday from 97.7 on Saturday.

Saturday, July 11, 2020

Northeast Health District Adds 110 New COVID-19 Cases And Five Deaths From The Virus

***Oconee County Lists Second COVID-19 Death In Two Days***

The Northeast Health District recorded 110 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and five new deaths attributed to the disease on Saturday, pushing up the seven-day rolling average of both cases and deaths for the District.

One of the deaths was in Oconee County and was the second death in two days in the county included in the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report. Oconee County now has 13 deaths from the disease, and Clarke County has 15.

Friday, July 10, 2020

Northeast Health District And State Set New Records In Adding Confirmed Cases Of COVID-19

***Three New Deaths Attributed To Disease, One In Oconee***

The Northeast Health District of the Department of Public Health added 154 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, a new record, and the seven-day rolling average increased to 93.9 cases, also a new record.

Across the state, 4,484 new cases were added in the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report for Friday, also a new record, pushing the seven-day rolling average to 2,959.7 cases, a new record.

Thursday, July 09, 2020

Northeast Health District Adds 100 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases; Seven-Day Rolling Average Of Added Cases Increases

***One New Death Listed In Long-Term Care Facility Report***

The Northeast Health District added 100 new COVID-19 cases with the release of the Daily Status Report of the Department of Public Health on Thursday.

The seven-day rolling average of added cases in the 10-county District increased to 90.6, the highest average recorded to date.

Wednesday, July 08, 2020

Daily Status Report Adds 76 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases And One Death Attributed To The Disease In Northeast Health District

***Death In Oconee County Brings Total To 11***

The Northeast Health District added 76 new confirmed COVID-19 cases and one death attributed to the disease with the release of the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report on Wednesday.

The death was of an 84-year-old Oconee County male with a chronic condition, and his death brings to 11 the number in the county from the disease since its outbreak in March.

Oconee County Board Of Education Hears Plans For School Reopening Without Mask Requirement

***Parents Send Letter Asking For Delay***

When Oconee County Schools reopen for in-person instruction on Aug. 5, students, teachers, and staff will be provided with masks and encouraged to wear them when social distancing is not possible, but masks will not be required for students.

Students riding the school system’s buses, however, will be required to wear masks on the bus.

Tuesday, July 07, 2020

Clarke County Adds 37 New COVID-19 Cases On Tuesday; Available Critical Care Beds In Area Hospitals Drop To Four

***Two Deaths Attributed To COVID-19 Reported In Area Nursing Home***

The Northeast Health District added 113 new confirmed COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, but that was down from the 128 added on Tuesday a week ago, and the seven-day rolling average of added cases dropped from 89.1 on Monday to 87.0 on Tuesday.

Clarke County continued to lead the 10-county district in terms of number of cases added.

Board Of Commissioners To Consider Request For Modification Of Planned Entrance To JP And Burger King On Mars Hill Road

***Variance Requests Also On Agenda***

Oconee County Commissioners Tuesday night will decide if William Jones is allowed to have an entrance to his planned JP convenience store, gas station, and Burger King off Mars Hill Road just before it intersects with U.S. 78.

They also will decide if John Hadden’s Damn Good Dawg Farms on Cliff Dawson Road should be granted a special use variance to decrease the buffer of his blueberry farm operation from surrounding properties, including those zoned residential.

Monday, July 06, 2020

Seventy New Cases Of COVID-19 Added In Northeast Health District, But No Deaths Attributed To Disease Reported

***Clarke County Added 248 Cases In Last Week***

The Georgia Department of Public Health reported 70 new Confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Northeast Health District on Monday, moving the seven-day rolling average of added cases to a new high of 89.1 cases per day, up from 83.1 on Sunday.

Clarke County again led the 10-county District by adding 24 new cases on Monday. Clarke County has added 248 new cases in the last seven days.

Sunday, July 05, 2020

Rolling Average Of Confirmed COVID-19 Cases In Northeast Health District Continues To Increase

***Clarke County Added 24 New Cases On Sunday***

The 10-county Northeast Health District added 61 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, with Clarke County’s 24 new cases leading the way. Oconee County added six new cases.

Clarke County has added 229 new cases in the last week, and Oconee County has added 37.

Saturday, July 04, 2020

Participants At Oconee County Courthouse Vigil Recognize Victims Of 1905 Lynching

***Also Attend To Grave Of One Of The Victims***

About 100 people turned out on the front lawn of the Oconee County Courthouse in Watkinsville on Monday to join in recitation of a poem, explain why they had chosen to participate in the vigil, and read aloud the names of the eight victims of vigilante violence near that site 115 years ago.

About half of those present then proceeded funeral-style to a recently discovered grave of one of those victims, where they added soil and flowers and told personal stories about their experiences with race in this country.

Northeast Health District Added 83 New COVID-19 Cases On Saturday, But No New Deaths From The Disease

***Clarke County Added 29 Cases, Oconee Added Six***

The 10-county Northeast Health District topped off a bad week on Saturday by adding 83 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 that pushed up the seven-day rolling average of added cases to 77.3, a new record. A week ago the seven-day average was 41.7.

Every county in the District added at least one case except for Greene. Clarke County led by adding 29 cases, and Oconee County added six.

Friday, July 03, 2020

The Northeast Health District Added 131 New Confirmed COVID-19 Cases On Friday, A New Record

***Clarke County Added 198 Cases In Last Week***

The 10-county Northeast Health District of the Department of Public Health added a record 131 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 with the issuance of the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report on Friday.

Included were 54 new cases in Clarke County and 10 in Oconee County.

U.S. District Court Grants Preliminary Injunction Forcing District Attorney Election In November

***Secretary Of State Told To Set Procedures For Election***

In a strongly worded decision on Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Cohen in Atlanta granted a preliminary injunction requiring Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to hold an election for the District Attorney of the Western Judicial Circuit on Nov. 3.

Cohen ordered that representatives of Deborah Gonzalez and the four other plaintiffs meet with representatives of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and Raffensperger and “endeavor to present to the Court” within 14 days a consent order setting out the procedures for conducting the special election.

Thursday, July 02, 2020

Watkinsville Mayor Attempts To Veto Budget, Proposes Cuts In EMS Services, Staff Salaries, Legal Services, Arts Funding

***Behavior At Odds With City Charter***

Watkinsville Mayor Bob Smith, on June 30, the final day of the last Fiscal Year, attempted to veto the nearly $2 million budget for the current fiscal year that had been passed in a 5 to 0 vote by the Council on June 17.

Smith sent out a press release on June 30 saying he was vetoing the budget because the Council “ignored” his request at the June 17 meeting to cut 12 percent from the budget and was instead using anticipated federal pandemic relief funds and the city's reserve funds to balance the budget.

State Adds Nearly 3,500 New COVID-19 Cases On Thursday, With 43 In Northeast Health District

***Hospitalizations Due To COVID-19 Increase Sharply***

Georgia recorded 3,472 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 with the release of the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report on Thursday and is in completely new territory in terms of spread of the disease.

The seven-day rolling average of added cases is 2,373.4, up more than 250 cases from the record set on Wednesday.

Wednesday, July 01, 2020

Northeast Health District Sets New Record Of Added COVID-19 Cases As Number In State Soars

***Clarke County Adds 43 New Cases, 155 In Last Week***

The state of Georgia set a new record on Wednesday with the addition of 2,946 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 108 of those in the 10-county Northeast Health District.

The new cases in the state pushed the seven-day rolling average of added cases to 2,122.3, and the new cases in the 10-county Northeast Health District resulted in a seven-day rolling average of 61.1.