Author: Admin

Atlanta Public Schools plans to hold virtual graduation celebrations for the Class of 2020 in May due to social distancing restrictions in place for COVID-19. However, APS said it plans to hold traditional ceremonies for the graduates this summer or a later safe date that adheres to Georgia Department of Health guidance.

For the traditional ceremonies, APS is considering dates in late July using Lakewood and Grady stadiums as possible venues. If ceremonies must be delayed further, the district is considering other venues or ticketed ceremonies at each school, possibly scheduling them during the Thanksgiving or winter breaks to maximize attendance of graduates and their families.

The district reached this decision based on input from graduating seniors across all 14 high schools.

Of the more than 1,650 APS seniors surveyed, an overwhelming percentage expressed interest for a delayed open-air (78 percent) or fall (71 percent) ceremony, while fewer did so for a virtual ceremony from home (19 precent) or a local drive-in theater (27 percent) in May. Seniors originated #WorthTheWait, emphasizing their desires to walk on stage in their caps and gowns, even if delayed.

Virtual graduation ceremonies will be held between May 18 and 21, and APS said it would coordinate creative efforts for families to celebrate at home and would send diplomas through the mail or some other safe distribution method.

The post Atlanta Public Schools to hold virtual graduation ceremonies, traditional walk later appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

The Georgia Department of Public Health has issued the evening figures on coronavirus with 22,491 confirmed cases and 899 deaths.

Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr said he would investigate a racist text message sent to Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, which called her in the n-word while telling her to “just shut up and re-open Atlanta.” The message was sent Wednesday night not only to Bottom’s cell phone, but also to her 12-year-old son.

The Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation received a  donation this week specifically in response to COVID-19 thanks to the commitment of the Bank of America Charitable Foundation and its Coronavirus Community Response Program. The donation will support the purchase of personal protective equipment, decontamination and cleaning supplies for fire stations and fire apparatus, and meals for firefighters on shift. To donate to the emergency response program, visit https://www.atlfrf.org/donations  and select COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund.

The post Coronavirus Update – April 24: Cases near 22.5k; AG investigating racist text; donation for firefighters appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

With the current challenges posed to the city’s food service industry, Open Hand is turning the tables on its annual Dining Out For Life fundraiser by encouraging locals to “Dine In” with restaurant take-out, curbside pick-up or delivery from April 27 – May 3.

The change is not only to support Open Hand, but also a step to help support restaurant partners as they navigate the changes necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. To see a list of participating restaurants, visit www.diningoutforoh.org.

“We find ourselves in uncertain and unprecedented times. Open Hand started 30 years ago serving those affected with HIV/AIDS, and we once again find ourselves advocating for the most vulnerable in our community. Our priority is to ensure our clients continue to receive meals they heavily rely on,” said Executive Director Matt Peiper. “A virtual Dining Out for Life event will provide Open Hand with vital funds to help sustain service to our clients while simultaneously supporting the restaurant partners who have remained steadfast proponents of the Open Hand mission over the years. Our current community crisis reminds us of the earliest days of the HIV/AIDS crisis when so little was known about the disease. Open Hand was a comforting force for our clients then – just as we must be now.”

Open Hand depends on funds raised by its signature events, such as Dining Out for Life, to continue to operate as one of the nation’s largest community-based providers of home-delivered meals and nutrition education. Open Hand staff and supporters will utilize online peer-to-peer fundraising to encourage their social networks to donate to their mission that Atlanta chefs and restaurant owners had hoped to help fulfill.

The organization has refocused its efforts on a virtual event in hopes to join the community together to “Dine In” and do good for the generous restaurant partners that have supported Open Hand over the last three decades. Many of the restaurants are currently open – offering take-out, curbside pick-up and delivery in various metro-Atlanta neighborhoods. Locals can find a full list of restaurant partners here. Open Hand encourages the community to support local restaurants by also purchasing gift cards or donating to online “tip jars” that support staff members and employee relief programs.

Open Hand continues to serve the community during this crisis by preparing, packing and delivering nutritious meals to the most vulnerable in our community empower neighbors to live healthier, more independent lives.

Ways to Support Open Hand:

• Make a donation to Open Hand online at openhandatlanta.org/donate.
• Connect with Open Hand via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and share posts, information and more.
• Enjoy restaurant take-out, curbside pick-up or delivery and “Dine In” from April 27 – May 3. Post about the experience using #dininginforoh.
• For more information on Dining Out for Life and Open Hand, as well as to stay up-to-date on events and volunteer opportunities, visit the Dining Out for Life website at www.diningoutforoh.org and www.openhandatlanta.org or connect via Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The post ‘Dine In for Life’ April 27 – May 3 will support Open Hand, food service industry appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

Fulton County is expanding the availability of COVID-19 testing with the addition of new testing sites and collaboration with public and private partners.

“Through a coordinated response, there is now the capacity to test 50,000 Fulton County residents in the coming month,” said County Manager Dick Anderson. “That number will grow with additional testing locations coming online, and mobile outreach to high risk populations.”

Fulton County is operating three sites offers free drive-through testing by appointment only.

·       Wolf Creek Amphitheater, 3025 Merk Rd SW, College Park, GA 30349

·       Fulton County Airport, 3900 Aviation Cir NW, Atlanta, GA 30336

·       4700 North Point Parkway (opening Tuesday, April 27)

To schedule an appointment for any of these sites, residents should call (404) 613-8150 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. During the call, patients will speak with a trained staff member and receive a referral number and appointment time. Testing is offered free of charge.

Other COVID-19 testing locations in Fulton County include:

·       Walgreen’s drive-through testing site in Alpharetta. Click for registration.

·       CVS Health drive-through testing site at Georgia Tech.  Click for registration.

·       The Georgia National Guard has announced plans for new testing sites at Georgia State University and Greenbriar Mall. For an appointment at these sites, call (706) 721-1852 or download the Augusta Health virtual screening app.

For the latest information about COVID-19 testing, response and assistance resources, log on to www.fultoncountyga.gov/covid-19

The post Fulton County announces expansion of COVID-19 testing sites appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

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When announcing his plans Monday to begin the transition phase of reopening the state, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp made some reference to the FY21 State Budget which has been on hold since Georgia lawmakers went on break because of the COVID-19 outbreak. However, neither Kemp, Lt Governor Geoff Duncan nor House Speaker David Ralston (R-Blue Ridge) made any reference to a return date.

“While I am encouraged by the data, proud of what we have accomplished, and confident of our plan moving forward, I know that the journey ahead is long.,” said Kemp. “We must remain laser-focused on defeating this virus and keeping Georgians safe. We must find ways to revitalize communities devastated by COVID-19. We must identify opportunities for economic growth and prosperity. We will have tough conversations about the budget, state spending, and our priorities and values as a state. Those conversations are underway, and here’s what I know: if we remain united just as we have in this fight against COVID-19, we can overcome the challenges and obstacles ahead.”

Georgia lawmakers have to return to approve a budget for FY21, even if they don’t take up any other legislation – although a lot is pending. The House and Senate did approve an amended FY20 budget to carry Georgia through June 30 date (the end of the fiscal year) but the FY21 budget was not approved prior to the called recess of the General Assembly. The House did give its okay to a $28.1 billion budget for FY 21 and sent it to the Senate. However, Senators never had a chance to vote on this proposal before the March 13 recess.

While no date has been set for the resumption of the 2020 session of the Legislature, Speaker Ralston recently appointed a five-member committee to make recommendations on when it’s safe for lawmakers to get back to work.

In his memo announcing the committee, Ralston said, “As we look forward to resuming the 2020 Session of the Georgia General Assembly at a date to be determined, I have today appointed a committee to review our protocols and make recommendations on specific operations during that time. None of us can know what the remainder of the session will look like. All we can know is that how we conduct our business will be significantly different than when we suspended the session on March 13.”

The committee is being co-chaired by Leader Jon Bums (R-Newington) and Leader Bob Trammell (D-Luthersville). Members of the committee include: Chairman Matt Hatchett (R-Dublin), Rep. William Boddie (D-East Point), Rep. Mark Newton (R-Augusta), Bill Reilly, Clerk, Spiro Amburn, the Speaker’s Chief of Staff, Holli Pitcock, the Speaker’s Office Director of Constituent Services and Betsy Theroux, House Messenger.

Vensure Employer Services, one of the nation’s leading PEOs, has responded to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak by extending its telemedicine services, at no cost to clients, employees, and their family members for the next 90 days. This will allow nearly 300,000 employees and their families to speak with a licensed medical professional from a safe place during this period of social distancing.
 
“With the current unprecedented strain on healthcare services, facilities and healthcare professionals are overwhelmed. We want to assure our clients and their employees have access to the care they need,” says Alex Campos, CEO of Vensure Employer Services. “Everyone is focused on COVID-19, but there are also all the other routine healthcare needs of the people we serve.”
 
While telemedicine is a well-established practice, the current crisis has elevated its profile. MDLIVE is a platform that provides immediate access to board certified healthcare professionals through a mobile app, online, or by phone. Telemedicine healthcare professionals evaluate and treat non-emergency conditions and can even send prescriptions to pharmacies.
 
“Covering the cost of this service at this time is definitely the right thing to do for all our stakeholders,” Campos stated. “There could also be long-term benefits. This allows employers to demonstrate their commitment to their employees’ wellbeing. And once people experience telemedicine services, they will undoubtedly be more comfortable using the technology. In the long run, that can lower healthcare costs for everyone.”

Home-buying demand shook off more than 5 million new claims for unemployment assistance and continued to strengthen this week, according to Redfin’s latest weekly report. Redfin is introducing a new measure for home-buying demand to get a clearer picture of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The new measure compares the daily number of homebuyer inquiries, regardless of whether the homebuyer is served by a Redfin agent or one of its partners, to the average daily number of inquiries in January and February, on a seasonally adjusted basis. For the seven days ended on Sunday, April 19, home-buying demand was down 19% on a seasonally-adjusted basis from pre-coronavirus levels after dropping as much as 34% at the beginning of April.

Not Enough New Homes For Sale
Many sellers continue to sit on the sidelines, if they can afford to wait. In an April survey of 216 prospective sellers, Redfin found only 1 in 5 thought it was a good time to sell, down from 1 in 2 at the beginning of March. So it’s no surprise that new listings for the seven days ended April 17 are down almost 50% compared to the same time last year, far more than the 19% decline in buyer demand.

The lack of inventory is one of the leading causes for a lack of sales, along with tighter lending standards and buyer concerns over the economy. Pending sales for the same period are down almost 50% compared to the same time last year.

Demand for Affordable Single-Family Homes Drives Bidding Wars Again
Agents from Madison to Maryland to Los Angeles say competition for the best homes is getting intense. Lindsay Katz, a Redfin agent in Los Angeles, tried to make an appointment to view a new listing in northwest LA but got an email from the listing agent saying it’s first-come-first-served. “It was crazy. The email just said ‘We’re like Trader Joe’s now. There are tape markers 10-feet apart on the sidewalk and there may be waiting times to get in. Bring your own mask and gloves.'”

After a few weeks of Redfin buyers being the only bidder or facing competition from one or two other offers, Redfin is hearing stories of bidding wars with four, five, or more buyers and homes selling above the asking price across the country. The stories are eerily similar; well-priced single-family homes have buyers with a stable income and strong credit fighting over scarce inventory.

On the other hand, it’s been more difficult to sell a condominium, with pending sales down 56% for the seven days ended April 18. That’s 6 points worse than the average decline cited above and 10 points worse than the 46% drop in pending sales for single-family homes over the same period.

In the Washington D.C. area, Redfin agent Lisa Tucker says selling a single-family home in the District’s tony neighborhoods is no problem, but condos, especially studios, are much more challenging. “We’ve dropped the price, we’re offering to cover $5,000 in closing costs and six months of condo fees and it’s just not happening. You have a specific buyer, earlier in their careers, with less stability in their jobs.”

Low Inventory and Buyer Demand Anchors Prices
With inventory down so much, prices have been remarkably resilient. Median listing prices for the seven days ending April 19 were $307,000, up 3% compared to the same time last year. That gain is inflated due to the Easter holiday timing in 2019, but people are surprised when Redfin tells them prices aren’t down double-digits.

Layching Quek, a Redfin agent in Chicago, says some buyers are hunting for bargains that just aren’t there. “I’ve written some offers 5 to 10% below the list price. Buyers want to know how aggressive we can go, but prices have remained steady. Sellers are just taking properties off the market and waiting to see if stay-at-home is lifted.”

Tighter Lending Standards Will Hit First-Time and Lower-Income Buyers Hardest
Rates for 30-year fixed rate mortgages have continued to hover just under 3.5% for the past seven days, near all-time lows. But as Redfin reported last week, loans are harder to get.

Increased lending standards and concerns over job security, even for folks who are still employed, will limit opportunities for first-time and lower-income buyers. This threatens to deepen the divide between folks who can take advantage of historically low interest rates and those who can’t save up a 20% down payment or haven’t established their credit.

But where there’s a will, there’s a way. Recently Redfin has heard stories of multi-generational buyers, with families banding together to buy a home. Iyesha Chestnut, a Redfin agent in Atlanta, said she now has several clients looking for larger homes with a finished basement or a proper in-law suite for the parents. In many cases, parents have saved up the down payment but aren’t working any longer, and the kids provide the income for monthly payments.

To read the full update, please visit: http://www.redfin.com/blog/housing-market-improving-covid-19-unemployment

Delta Air Lines, Inc. today announced that it intends to commence a private offering to eligible purchasers of $1.5 billion in aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes due 2025 (the “Notes”), subject to market and other conditions. The Company also announced it intends to enter into a new $1.5 billion Term Loan B facility due 2023 (the “New Credit Facility”) concurrently with the closing of the offering of the Notes.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of the Notes and borrowings under the New Credit Facility for general corporate purposes and to bolster its liquidity position. The final terms and amounts of the Notes and the New Credit Facility are subject to market and other conditions, and may be materially different than expectations. The offering of the Notes is not contingent upon the closing of the New Credit Facility.

The Notes and New Credit Facility will be pari passu obligations secured on a first priority basis by a diverse pool of slots, gates and routes collateral comprised of domestic slots at New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia and Reagan National Airport, slots at Heathrow, London routes, other European and Latin American routes.

This press release is neither an offer to sell nor the solicitation of an offer to buy the notes or any other securities and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offering, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The notes are being offered in the United States only to qualified institutional buyers in an offering exempt from registration in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”),  and outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act. The notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities laws. This press release is being issued pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 135c under the Securities Act.