Construction Scheduled To Begin In 2024 For SR 316 Intersection Projects In Oconee County

***GDOT Wants To “Transform” Gwinnett-To-Oconee Corridor***

Construction is scheduled to begin in 2024 on four of nine intersection projects in Oconee County that are part of a massive effort to transform SR 316 into what the Georgia Department of Transportation is calling “a freeway-style corridor.”

Included in the initial construction is a “bundle” of projects that will include multi-grade intersections at the Oconee Connector and SR 316 and at Jimmy Daniell Road and SR 316.

The “bundle” also includes a bridge carrying Virgil Langford Road, currently blocked, across SR 316.

Seven-Day Rolling Average Of Added COVID-19 Deaths Declines In Northeast Health District But Rolling Average Of Added Cases Increases

***Oconee Schools Reports Increases In Cases, Quarantines***

With the addition of only one confirmed COVID-19 death in Friday’s Daily Status Report, the seven-day rolling average of added deaths dropped sharply, but the seven-day rolling average of added cases increased for the third day in a row.

The Department of Public Health added 214 new COVID-19 cases in Friday’s Daily Status Report.

Oconee County Schools also reported an increase in the number of Active COVID-19 Cases and Active Quarantines Due To Close Contact.

Rolling Averages Of Added COVID-19 Deaths, Cases Increase Again In Northeast Health District

***Cases Also Increase In Oconee, Clarke Counties***

For the second day in a row, the rolling averages of both confirmed COVID-19 deaths and cases of the disease increased in the Northeast Health District on Thursday with the release of the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report.

The District added nine new deaths from COVID-19 and 179 new cases of the disease.

The deaths included a 56-year-old male in Greene County with a chronic condition and an 86-year-old female in Jackson County without a chronic condition.

Rolling Averages Of COVID-19 Deaths And Cases Rise In Northeast Health District With Release Of State Health Report

***Number Of COVID-19 Patients At Area Hospitals Falls Sharply***

The seven-day rolling averages both of added COVID-19 deaths and of added cases increased in the Northeast Health District on Wednesday with the release of the Department of Public Health’s Daily Status Report.

The 10-county District added 11 confirmed deaths, including three in Clarke County, and 178 cases.

The Clarke County deaths were of a 64-year-old male, a 77-year-old male, and 90-plus-year-old male, none of whom had a chronic condition. Clarke County added two deaths on Tuesday and one on Monday and now has 112 confirmed COVID-19 deaths.

Oconee County’s State Legislators Playing Prominent Role In Debate On Changes In Election Laws

***House And Senate Considering Bills***

The Georgia Senate passed four bills on Tuesday, including two sponsored by Sen. Bill Cowsert, who represents Oconee County, making changes to Georgia’s election laws.

The bills now go to the House, which has its own more far-reaching bill under consideration that was sponsored by six Republican members of a Special Committee on Election Integrity.

Houston Gaines, who represents three of Oconee County’s 12 precincts in the Georgia House of Representatives, is a member of that Special Committee, which now will review it before House action.

Northeast Health District Has Large Drop In Added Confirmed COVID-19 Deaths; Oconee Reported Two Deaths, Clarke One

***Number Of COVID-19 Patients At Area Hospitals Increased***

The Northeast Health District added five confirmed deaths from COVID-19 in Tuesday’s Daily Status Report, with one of those in Oconee County and two in Clarke County.

The five deaths were down dramatically from the 16 added on Tuesday of last week, and the seven-day rolling average of added deaths fell from 7.6 on Monday to 6.0 on Tuesday.

The seven-day rolling average of added cases also declined.

Northeast Health District Adds Nine Confirmed COVID-19 Deaths, And Rolling Average Of Added Deaths Increased; Cases Decline

***Early Voting For ELOST Off To Slow Start***

The Northeast Health District added nine confirmed COVID-19 deaths with the release of the Department of Public Health Daily Status Report on Monday, and the seven-day rolling average of added deaths increased to 7.6 deaths per day.

The District added only 56 new cases of COVID-19, and the seven-day rolling average of added cases dropped to 128.6 cases per day.

The confirmed deaths were spread across six of the 10 counties in the Northeast Health District.