GRIFFIN-SPALDNG SCHOOLS UPDATE

 All GSCS Students Return to In-Person on Monday, September 20

Griffin, GA - All grade levels will resume in-person learning this Monday, September 20.

Face coverings are required to be worn at all times on buses and in school buildings. Failure to wear a mask on a bus may result in losing transportation privileges.   

Parents who have the ability to transport their students are still encouraged to do so. We will continue to work to improve our transportation services. We are providing retention incentives to our transportation staff and hiring incentives for new drivers. 

CANDIDATE FOR CITY OF THOMASTON MAYOR PRO-TEM SHARON KING HAS LAUNCHED HER CAMPAIGN

 

New Distribution Process for Monoclonal Antibody Treatments in Georgia

The federal government has changed the way COVID-19 monoclonal antibody treatments will be distributed in the United States, including Georgia. The decision announced Monday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the result of supply shortages and extraordinary demand for the treatments across the country, particularly due to the rapid spread of the delta variant. Health care providers will no longer be able to order the treatments directly.

HHS will determine each state’s weekly allocation of monoclonal antibody products based on use and the number of new COVID cases. The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) will identify which sites in the state will receive the product and the amount each site receives. Healthcare providers must record their administration of the products in order to be eligible to receive additional shipments.

DPH will work to provide monoclonal antibody treatments quickly and equitably to as many Georgia providers as possible. The Department will also address the backlog of requests previously made to HHS, which DPH was not made aware of until yesterday.

Monoclonal antibodies are synthetic, laboratory-created antibodies. They help people at high risk for severe COVID illness, individuals who have recently tested positive (within 10 days) for the virus, or people who are close contacts of persons who have tested positive for COVID. They do not teach a patient’s body how to create its own antibodies.

Monoclonal antibody treatments are not a replacement for COVID-19 vaccination.

“We have safe and highly effective vaccines to protect against COVID-19. It is much easier to get a vaccine than risk becoming seriously ill with life threatening complications,” said Kathleen E. Toomey, M.D., M.P.H., commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health. “Monoclonal antibodies are in short supply and high demand and hospital beds are full. What Georgia does have is enough vaccine for all Georgians aged 12 and over to be vaccinated.”

As of today, 53% of Georgians have received at least one dose of COVID vaccine and 46% of Georgians are fully vaccinated. COVID vaccine is available statewide and is our best tool for ending this pandemic and reducing the overwhelming strain on EMS, the healthcare system and healthcare providers. To find a COVID vaccination location, log on to https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine.

There are currently 136 locations in Georgia where monoclonal antibody treatments are being administered. https://protect-public.hhs.gov/pages/therapeutics-distribution. Patients should talk to their healthcare provider about monoclonal antibody treatments and must have a prescription or physician’s referral to receive the treatments.

For updates on COVID-19, follow @GaDPH and @GovKemp on Twitter and @GaDPH and @GovKemp on Facebook.

JOB FAIR IN THOMASTON OCT. 13

A Job Fair will be held at the Thomaston-Upson Civic Center on Wednesday, October 13 from 10 am to 2 pm.

Any businesses in Upson or surrounding counties may participate in the Job Fair. The Job Fair is Free for any businesses that would like to participate, but they must register online on the Thomaston-Upson Chamber of Commerce’s website.

Please visit thomastongachamber for all of the information.

Job Seekers, if you are looking for a job or just a new line of work, please join us on Wednesday, October 13 from 10 am to 2 pm at the Thomaston-Upson Civic Center. A list of businesses that will be present at the event will be announced closer to the date of the event.

This Job Fair Event is sponsored by the Thomaston-Upson Chamber of Commerce and the Thomaston-Upson Civic Center.

For more information on this event, you may call 706-647-9686 ask for Lori Smith (TU Chamber) or call 706-647-9691 and ask for Kimberly Raines (TU Civic Center)

THREE WRECKS IN 24 HRS. DOWNTOWN THOMASTON

A TRAFFIC ACCIDENT IN DOWNTOWN THOMASTON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AFTER 3 PM BUT NO SERIOUS INJURIES AT THE GORDON-CENTER INTERSECTION, THE THIRD DOWNTOWN IN 24 HOURS , THAT SLOWED TRAFFIC ON NEAR-BY STREETS. A FEMALE MOTORIST APPARENTLY RAN A RED LIGHT AND STRUCK ANOTHER CAR. THAT FEMALE MOTORIST HAD A HAND INJURY WHEN THE AIR BAG DEPLOYED.

EARLIER WEDNESDAY AT GORDON AND CHURCH, POLICE CHIEF MIKE RICHARDSON SAID A FEMALE MOTORIST RAN THE LIGHT ON GORDON AND COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AND ONE FEMALE REPORTEDLY TRANSPORTED TO THE E.R. BY EMS TO BE CHECKED-OUT.

TUESDAY AFTERNOON AT THAT SAME INTERSECTION A U-HAUL MOVING VAN ON GORDON RAN UP UNDER AN 18 WHEELER AND THE U-HAUL DRIVER WENT TO THE E.R. TO BE CHECKED OUT.

Travon Walker Meets With Media

On Tuesday, Coach Smart, Junior Travon Walker and Senior Ameer Speed met with the media.

Click HERE to read the entire transcript

UGA News & Monday Press Conference

The University of Georgia will recognize the first five African-American football players to play for the Dawgs at this Saturday's game against South Carolina.

Quarterback Stetson Bennett has been named the SEC Offensive Player Of The Week.

Coach Smart met with the media on Monday along with a couple of players.

Click HERE to read the complete story on each of the above.

UGA Athletic Board Considering Facility Improvements

The UGA Athletic Board met last week and announced a number of improvements to baseball, softball, tennis and football facilities that are being considered.

Click HERE to read the entire press release.

Kickoff Set For Vanderbilt Game

The Saturday, September 25th, Southeastern Conference football game between Georgia and Vanderbilt in Nashville will kick off at 12:00 noon ET and be televised by the SEC Network according to an announcement Monday by the SEC office.

Georgia’s all-time record on the SEC Network is 23-3.

WEEKLY COVID-19 REPORT – THOMASTON-UPSON SCHOOLS

After having a week off plus the Labor Day holiday, students returned to school last week with a mask mandate in place and some students in remote learning. The weekly total for COVID cases reported among students was 27, which is significantly lower than the 88 student cases reported the week before the break. 9 staff cases were reported last week, also significantly lower than the 24 staff cases reported the week before the break. Since the beginning of the school year there have now been a total of 241 student cases and 78 staff cases.

Thomaston-Upson School System COVID-19 Cases
	Week Ending	Students	Staff
First Week	08/06/21	3	9
Second Week	08/13/21	38	7
Third Week	08/20/21	78	21
Fourth Week	08/27/21	88	24
Students out of school 8/30/21 thru 9/6/21
Fifth Week	09/03/21	7	8
Sixth Week	09/10/21	27	9
	TOTALS	241	78

Patriot Day In Thomaston

Left to right: Engineer Jim Daniel, Mayor J.D. Stallings, Dravian Ivey, Mayor Pro-Tem Doug Head, Captain Lee Brown

Mayor J.D. Stallings and Mayor Pro-Tem Doug Head delivered pizza to the Thomaston Fire Department and the Thomaston Police Department on Patriot's Day, September 11th to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in New York, Washington D.C. and Shanksville, PA.

Mayor Stallings signed a proclamation declaring September 11, 2021 as Patriot Day in Thomaston, asking that all flags be lowered to half staff.

Patriot Day honors the 2,996 lives lost on that tragic day, the thousands that followed during the ensuing 20 year war as well as those that serve and protect today.

THOMASTON PD CRIME STATS

The following chart is for 18 months of crime statistics in Thomaston. These numbers are indicative of crime rates across the country and would indicate that Thomaston is not immune to the problem.

Incidents:	1/2018 – 8/2019	1/2020 – 8/2021	Difference (%)
Shots fired calls	78	120	54% increase
Incidents with a gun involved	47	75	60% increase
Homicides	1	6	600% increase
Aggravated assaults	45	79	76% increase

 

Our call volume has increased over the years yet our staffing remains the same. Even though our general productivity numbers are up across the board in Patrol. A good example is that our part I crimes over a 12 month period are up 16% but during the same period our arrests are up 33%. We are averaging between 20,000 and 22,000 calls for service a year. With our current staffing the officers are averaging about 7.5 calls per shift.

COVID-19 VACCINATION UPDATE

The CDC’s COVID Data Tracker shows the United States at 53% of its total population fully vaccinated. Georgia lags behind at 42%, and our local counties show even lower percentages. Upson is the local leader at 30%, followed by Talbot at 24%, Taylor 23%, Meriwether 20%, Crawford 14%, Spalding at 12%, Pike and Lamar Counties 10%, and Monroe at the bottom of the list with only 8%.

According to the AMA, earlier in the pandemic, it was estimated that 70% of the population would need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to establish herd immunity. The more highly transmissible Delta variant, which now accounts for 96% of COVID cases in Georgia, has changed that estimation. Epidemiologists are now saying it will take 85% immunity to halt viral transmission in the community.

% Total Population Fully Vaccinated
2021	June 7	Sept 7
United States	42%	53%
Georgia	33%	42%
Upson County	25%	30%
Talbot County	18%	24%
Taylor County	18%	23%
Meriwether County	14%	20%
Crawford County	11%	14%
Spalding County	6%	12%
Pike County	6%	10%
Lamar County	5%	10%
Monroe County	5%	8%
Source: CDC COVID Data Tracker

TPD TO FORM CRIME SUPPRESSION UNIT

THE THOMASTON CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO SPEND $250,000 TO HIRE 4 NEW POLICE OFFICERS AT TUESDAY'S MEETING, AIMED AT FORMING A FOUR OFFICER CRIME SUPRESSION UNIT, SOMETHING POLICE CHIEF MIKE RICHARDSON HAS BEEN PROMOTING. THE UNIT WILL BE COMPOSED OF FOUR OFFICERS THAT COULD BE SELECTED FROM THE CURRENT P.D. FORCE.

THE MOVE COMES AFTER SEVERAL RECENT SHOOTING INCIDENTS INCLUDING A SHOOT OUT LAST SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE PARK STREET PLLAYGROUND AND GIVES THE POLICE DEPARTMENT A FULL STAFF OF OFFICERS, 34, AFTER SHORTAGES FOR MONTHS . FUNDING FOR THE NEW UNIT COULD COME FROM FEDERAL COVID-19 RELIEF MONEY.

CITY OF REFUGE DROPS REZONING REQUEST

CITY OF REFUGE SOUTH ON NORTH CHURCH STREET HAS DROPPED ITS REZONING REQUEST FROM R-2 TO R-3 ACCORDING TO THOMASTON CITY HALL. 

THE RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION NOTIFIED THE CITY OF THOMASTON VIA A LETTER, RECENTLY. IT WAS SCHEDULED TO GO BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 21ST FOR A FINAL DECISION. CITY OF REFUGE HAD FILED FOR THE ZONING CHANGE FOR 89 ACRES BEHIND ZAXBY'S AND WALMART FOR A RECREATION RANCH FOR YOUTH AND AN EQUESTRIAN CENTER FOR MILITARY VETERANS WITH ISSUES. 

THE THOMASTON-UPSON PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CITY OF THOMASTON ZONING COMMISSION BOTH VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO RECOMMEND DENIAL OF THE REZONING, SOMETHING OPPOSED BY THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORS. BOTH BOARDS QUESTIONED WHY CITY OF REFUGE NEEDED R-3 ZONING SAYING IT COULD DO VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING IT WANTED WITH THE PRESENT R-2 ZONING.

AFTER THE ZONING MEETING, DIRECTOR DEEL TOLD 101 NEWS CITY OF REFUGE WAS AWAITING WORD ON A GRANT THE FIRST OF THE YEAR APPARENTLY TO FUND THE PROJECT. DEEL TOLD BOTH BOARDS R-3 ZONING WAS REQUESTED ON A SUGGESTION BY THE CITY ATTORNEY THAT USING HORSES TO PROVIDE THERAPY FOR VETERANS WOULD FALL UNDER R-3 ZONING BUT CITY MANAGER RUSSELL THOMPSON TOLD THE ZONING COMMISSION THE CITY ATTORNEY DOES NOT PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE TO APPLICANTS IN SUCH MATTERS.

UGA To Honor Mark Richt

Former University of Georgia head football coach Mark Richt will be honored at halftime of the Dawgs’ football game against Missouri on Nov. 6th in Athens.

Click HERE to read the entire press release.