Entries by Walter Geiger

Rapper Al Coe (right) shot portions of a video which will support a future release here on Father’s Day. Scenes were shot at the Lamar County jail and at the main courtroom in the courthouse. With Coe is location scout Dwight Dyer who brought the shoot to Barnesville and plans to bring more production work here.

Lamar County was up to 107 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and six deaths as of the Thursday case count update from DPH. Lamar is recorded as having 13 hospitalizations.

Statewide there have been 71,095 confirmed cases with 10,457 hospitalizations and 2745 deaths.

Surrounding counties:

Pike: 87 cases, 10 hospitalizations and 3 deaths.
Upson: 343 cases, 43 hospitalizations and 43 deaths.
Monroe: 142 cases, 26 hospitalizations and 16 deaths.
Butts: 260 cases, 29 hospitalizations and 33 deaths.
Spalding: 365 cases, 61 hospitalizations and 32 deaths.

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in long-term healthcare facilities here and in surrounding counties from Dept. of Community Health as of June 25:

Heritage Inn (Lamar): 72 patients, 27 positive cases, 9 deaths, 2 patients recovered, 10 staff positive.
Sunny Grove (Lamar) 27 patients, 11 positive cases, 1 death, 4 patients recovered, 1 staff positive.
Riverside Health (Upson): 65 patients, 0 positive cases, 0 deaths, 2 staff positive.
PruittHealth - Forsyth (Monroe): 47 patients, 56 positive cases, 13 deaths, 29 patients recovered, 16 staff positive.
Bolingreen Health and Rehab (Monroe): 88 patients, 3 positive cases, 0 deaths, 3 patients recovered, 6 staff positive.
Providence Healthcare (Upson): 74 patients, 64 positive cases, 15 deaths, 47 patients recovered, 48 staff positive.
Harborview Health (Upson): 95 patients, 52 positive cases, 16 deaths, 34 patients recovered, 28 staff positive.
Brightmoor Health Care (Spalding): 86 patients, 79 positive cases, 20 deaths, 64 patients recovered, 15 staff positive.
Brightmoor Senior Living (Spalding): 51 patients, 0 positive cases, 0 deaths, 1 staff positive.
Westbury Health Care & Rehab (Butts): 116 patients, 123 positive cases, 34 deaths, 84 patients recovered, 40 staff positive.

From school superintendent Dr. Jute Wilson:

Trojan Nation,

As we approach 5 weeks from the scheduled start date of the 2020-21 school year, we want to take a moment to communicate a few points regarding our current reopening plans. We do want to stress “current” plans, due to the constant change in cases, guidance from state organizations, and input from health officials. COVID-19 continues to be a very fluid situation which will require adaptation, understanding, and patience. In order to avoid miscommunication, confusion and managing multiple changes, we (like many other districts) have avoided the release of detailed plans at this point. However, we do acknowledge parental concerns and want to share a few items with you.

Since the onset in March, we have been in constant communication with the state department of education, health officials, state and local superintendents, the school board association, the sheriff’s office, and many others on a weekly basis to address the impact of COVID-19 on our school system. What started as a short-term shutdown to “flatten the curve” turned into a permanent end of the 19-20 school year. We worked through providing curriculum & instruction, meals to students, finalizing grades, graduation, and everything in between. As we wrapped up May, our focus quickly turned to our plan for reopening in the fall.

Following the guidance and recommendations of health officials, as well as state and federal leaders, our district has been making plans which align to our county’s level of COVID-19 community spread (as determined by state and local health officials). Our plan is aligned to three tiers: LOW spread; MODERATE spread; SUBSTANTIAL spread. Without diving into details at this point, “LOW spread” would be full face-to-face, traditional instruction in the school building; “SUBSTANTIAL spread” would be full distance-learning with no students in the building. Several blended options exist in between. We are currently, and have been consistently considered a “LOW spread” county, but as you know that can rapidly change.

All our scenarios to reopen school with traditional face-to-face instruction include advanced measures to minimize the risk of exposure and infection which include:
· All rooms and buses cleaned and disinfected to CDC guidelines (we have the latest equipment and products to provide the highest level of protection). These products will be presented and explained at the July 20 board meeting (which will be live streamed).
· Daily rigorous cleaning protocols will be followed for all buildings/buses.
· All students and staff will be provided and allowed to wear a mask.
· Touch free infrared thermometers are already on site at each campus.
· Hand sanitizer (>60% alcohol) will be readily available in multiple locations throughout our buildings.
· Large group gathering, guests in the buildings, field trips, will be limited.
· We will continue to provide a trained, full-time certified nurse in each school.

Our current plan is to return with traditional face-to-face instruction beginning July 31, 2020, but this is certainly subject to change based on our county’s COVID cases. We have continued to invest in our digital platforms, devices, and training; however, well over ½ the students in Lamar County (and many staff) do not have access to the internet at home, excluding cell phone service. Providing an equitable quality remote digital learning option continues to be a challenge in Lamar County, and we are working to address these disparities. Regardless, in the event needed, we will have a distance learning plan in place, if face-to-face learning is not feasible. We will provide additional guidance as we approach the start of school.

The learning loss experienced by our students from COVID-19 is real. It’s even earned a name, the “COVID Slide”. We work very hard to train and educate the children in Lamar County. All research overwhelmingly supports face-to-face instruction as the most effective model to improve student achievement, not to mention support social, nutritional, physical, and emotional health.

We will be in constant contact with local and state leaders and health officials as guidance is updated, and we will adapt accordingly. Stay tuned for Open House schedules which will vary from grade level to grade level and will limit the number of guests for each child, in an effort to reduce social contact within our community.

Please take a moment to review the attached link to the “Georgia’s Path to Recovery for K-12 Schools” considerations and recommendations for Georgia’s Schools which was last updated June 19, 2020. Keep in mind, these are recommendations and not mandates.

https://www.georgiainsights.com/recovery.html

Thank you again for your support, patience and understanding as we navigate through reopening our schools together.

May God continue to bless our community, state, and nation.

The Milner city council has called a special meeting for June 29 at 5 p.m. at the library. The council will go into executive session.

In light of the 'new norm' of social distancing in our world, the Lamar County Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) recently elected to host a "Kindness Rocks" challenge for its citizens. In this month-long challenge, individuals can find hidden, painted river rocks at the Lamar County Wetlands Nature Trail off Roberta Drive and post photos of themselves holding the painted rocks to the Lamar County SWCD Facebook page.

Upon submission to the SCWD Facebook page, the individual will be entered to win a neat door prize! This allows for proper social distancing as well as a chance to explore the local nature trail with family and friends.

For more information, call 770.358.0787 ext. 3.

Head coach Brandon Carter speaks to some 35 players during the first ever workouts for the new Gordon State College club football team Saturday, June 20. Carter expects to have about 105 players on his roster.

The workouts were held at the new LCHS practice field. GSC and the school system have worked out a deal to allow Gordon to utilize football facilities. GSC home games will be played at Trojan Field.

Lamar County was up to 102 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and six deaths according to the Wednesday case count update from DPH. Lamar is recorded as having 13 hospitalizations.

Statewide there have been 69,381 confirmed cases with 10,313 hospitalizations and 2698 deaths.

Surrounding counties:

Pike: 86 cases, 10 hospitalizations and 3 deaths.
Upson: 341 cases, 43 hospitalizations and 43 deaths.
Monroe: 139 cases, 26 hospitalizations and 16 deaths.
Butts: 254 cases, 29 hospitalizations and 33 deaths.
Spalding: 361 cases, 61 hospitalizations and 32 deaths.

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in long-term healthcare facilities here and in surrounding counties from Dept. of Community Health as of June 24:

Heritage Inn (Lamar): 75 patients, 26 positive cases, 8 deaths, 2 patients recovered, 10 staff positive.
Sunny Grove (Lamar) 27 patients, 11 positive cases, 1 death, 4 patients recovered, 1 staff positive.
Riverside Health (Upson): 65 patients, 0 positive cases, 0 deaths, 2 staff positive.
PruittHealth - Forsyth (Monroe): 48 patients, 56 positive cases, 12 deaths, 10 patients recovered, 16 staff positive.
Bolingreen Health and Rehab (Monroe): 88 patients, 3 positive cases, 0 deaths, 3 patients recovered, 6 staff positive.
Providence Healthcare (Upson): 76 patients, 64 positive cases, 15 deaths, 49 patients recovered, 48 staff positive.
Harborview Health (Upson): 93 patients, 52 positive cases, 16 deaths, 34 patients recovered, 28 staff positive.
Brightmoor Health Care (Spalding): 86 patients, 70 positive cases, 20 deaths, 64 patients recovered, 15 staff positive.
Brightmoor Senior Living (Spalding): 52 patients, 0 positive cases, 0 deaths, 1 staff positive.
Westbury Health Care & Rehab (Butts): 116 patients, 123 positive cases, 34 deaths, 84 patients recovered, 40 staff positive.

Between Monday, June 15 and Monday, June 22 the Barnesville Police Department made the following arrests: [Full Story »] 

In the wake of the certification of the Milner election results in which he lost the mayoral race to Andy Marlowe 110-101, unsuccessful candidate Richard Smith wrote county administrator Sean Townsend asking the election be nullified. In his letter, he cited multiple concerns.

However, county governments cannot nullify an election or an election result. The only avenue for appeal is through superior court and Smith has missed the deadline for such a challenge as mandated by state law. [Full Story »] 

As I reflect on the Black Lives Matter march that took place in Barnesville on Saturday, June 6, I think about how far we’ve come.

After I was born in 1958, my parents raised me in Barnesville, which was my mother’s hometown. I left for college in 1975 and didn’t come back except for visits until my wife Debra and I built a house in 2015 on the farm in Yatesville where my father grew up. But the experiences I had growing up in Barnesville helped shape the way I look at things, although subsequent experiences in other places have modified my perspectives.
[Full Story »] 

A trustee kitchen worker at the Lamar County jail who fled custody while taking out the trash May 24 was apprehended Tuesday in Coffee County.

Julian Tyler Veloz, 23, a Hispanic male, was in jail on charges of obstruction and theft by receiving stolen property when he escaped and caught a ride nearby.

More to follow...