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Back at the end of March, I thought I might have COVID-19. I had a low-grade fever, sniffles, low back pain, and no taste or smell for a week, which was followed by a few days of fatigue.

I mentioned it to only a handful of people because I didn’t want to cause alarm, and since it never progressed to the cough or lung stage, I chalked it up to flu or a cold. I didn’t think I’d been in contact with anyone who’d had COVID-19 as I was already in isolation mode and wearing a mask.

But it was indeed COVID-19. I got the antibody test last month when I went for my regular checkup. For someone my age and health issues, my doctor says I am very lucky not to have wound up in the hospital.

I encourage everyone to get the antibody test and know your status on this. You, too, could have had a mild case like I did or been asymptomatic and not even known it. The word of health and medical officials should be your guide, not politicians who think it’s a hoax or no big deal. Georgia is one of more than 20 states having a surge in coronavirus cases.

In early June, a friend and I escaped for a weekend to Savannah. I desperately needed a change of scenery after being cooped up in my apartment for months. I’m not a big swimmer, but I do love being by the water. We found an Airbnb that was off the beaten path, but still walking distance to the far end of Tybee Beach.

It was relaxing, but unnerving weekend because Savannah was like the land the pandemic forgot. Other than restaurant workers, I didn’t see a single mask all weekend. The beach was heaving with people and so were Tybee’s bars, restaurants, and shops. Along River Street in Savannah, the tourists were back, the shops and bars were open, and it appeared to be summer as usual. Again, no masks. This is why we’re having a surge in cases.

As demonstrators took to the streets in June to protest against racial injustice, Mayor Keisha Lane Bottoms urged those taking part to get tested for COVID-19. It should come as no surprise that the age group showing the highest number of new cases is 21 to 30.

Look, I understand that wearing a mask is uncomfortable. It makes my face sweat and sometimes I don’t feel like I’m getting enough oxygen. What I don’t get is the people who ludicrously claim that wearing a mask infringes on their liberty, is un-American, and have turned it into a partisan issue. A mask has nothing to do with politics or your patriotism; it’s saving lives – possibly your own.

Gov. Brian Kemp reaffirmed on June 26 that he won’t mandate wearing face masks. It’s up to us as good citizens to be responsible and think beyond our own comfort and misguided ideas of “personal liberty.” We’re in a public health crisis, so do your part.

On a closing note, June was another history-making month not only in Atlanta, but across the nation. The state passed a hate crimes bill, the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed federal protection for LGBTQ workers, and impassioned demonstrators took to the streets to remind us that Black Lives Matter.

Thank you to our readers who followed our coverage of the protests at  and on our Facebook and Twitter feeds. We are striving to be your go-to source for accurate community news in these life-changing times.

 

The post Editor’s Letter: So, yeah, I had COVID-19 appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

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After being closed for more than three months due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Atlanta History Center will reopen indoor exhibitions at its Buckhead campus on Friday, July 3.

Visitor will be able to once again explore the Cyclorama, Texas locomotive, Gatheround: Stories of Atlanta, and other signature and traveling exhibitions, including Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow, extended for its Atlanta showing through February 2021.

The 33-acre Goizueta Gardens is open and historic homes on the campus, including the Swan House will be open in limited capacities to accommodate social distancing.

Capacity limitations for the entire campus will be monitored through timed ticket blocks. Face coverings are required for both staff and guests in all indoor locations.

“We are excited to welcome guests back to our indoor exhibitions,” Said President & CEO, Sheffield Hale, “We’re committed to doing all we can to keep our guests and staff as safe as possible, while getting back to our mission of connecting people, history, and culture in person. For those who are not yet comfortable coming out to our campus, we will continue to offer digital experiences.”

In addition, the Museum Shop will also be open, offering a selection of curated books, gifts, and works by local artists. Souper Jenny and BRASH Coffee will continue to be available for takeout service.

The museum’s hours will change to Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ticket purchases end at 3 p.m. daily. The museum will be closed to the public on Mondays. The 9-9:30 AM ticket block is exclusively for Atlanta History Center members, though members may reserve tickets during any time block.

Advanced ticket purchase is strongly encouraged. For ticketing and additional information, visit atlantahistorycenter.com or call (404) 814-4000.

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Gov. Brian Kemp said Friday during a media briefing that he wont’ impose new restrictions or require the wearing of masks despite an increase in COVID-19 cases.

The governor, who rolled back restrictions in April that allowed businesses and restaurants to reopen despite public outrage, said Georgia  continues to “hold our own.” This contradicts reports from national health organizations that show Georgia is one one of 27 states with an increase in COVID-19 cases.

“I’m certainly not imposing new restrictions right now,” Kemp said. “I think what we have on the books has done very well for us. We’re not letting our guard down.”

Although he won’t require masks, he urged Georgians to wear them and to continue practicing social distancing measures.

According to figures from the Georgia Department of Public Health, a June 20 report showed an increase from 62,009 cases to 63,809 – 1,800 new cases in a single day. The previous largest daily increase was on April 17 with 1,525  cases.

On Tuesday, June 23, Georgia experienced the second largest increase cases with 1,750 confirmed cases.

The latest posted figures on the DPH website show that Georgia has jumped to 71,095 confirmed cases and 2,745 deaths.

The post Governor won’t require face masks, impose restrictions despite rise in COVID-19 cases appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, the $1.2 billion community foundation inspiring philanthropy to increase the vitality of the region and the well-being of all residents, announces Frank Fernandez as its new president and CEO effective August 2020. Fernandez will follow Alicia Philipp, who led the Foundation for 43 years and announced her retirement earlier this year. His appointment by the Board of Directors concludes an extensive national search that encompassed over 350 sources and prospects in 31 states. 

Fernandez will assume the role at a critical time, following the organization’s recent COVID-19 Rescue and Recovery Fund in partnership with the United Way. This Fund has raised more than $22 million, and provided grants to 320+ nonprofits. 

Bert Clark, chair of the Foundation’s CEO search committee and a member of its Board, applauded the choice. “We are thrilled to get a leader of Frank’s caliber to lead the Community Foundation into the future. In every interview and conversation, Frank demonstrated his experience, wisdom and depth to take the reins of the Community Foundation. Frank has the vision, passion and energy to unite and inspire the citizens and leaders of our metro community. He understands the challenges in our community and will be a transformational leader.”

Fernandez is currently Senior Vice President, Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, for which he launched and leads place-based community revitalization efforts in Atlanta’s historic Westside. He also directs that foundation’s efforts in global giving, youth development and social justice, among other responsibilities.

Reflecting on his new mandate, Fernandez said, “Equity of opportunity is one of the primary social and racial challenges facing our region, and pursuit of greater equity for all has been my personal North Star for the past 20 years. I am humbled and excited to be invited to lead one of the nation’s premier community foundations at such a compelling time in the evolution of the South’s most dynamic metropolis and my adopted home.”

Continued Fernandez, “Alicia and her colleagues have built an amazing platform for donor service and community engagement over the years, and the Foundation is an essential anchor for the community. As a nonprofit practitioner, foundation officer and Atlanta resident, I have enormous respect for the reputation, momentum and commitment to excellence already in place. COVID-19 and the longstanding and urgent need for racial justice in our region highlight what a special time this is for all of us. With the Board’s support and the collaborative efforts of my colleagues, our donors and our program partners, I look forward to capitalizing on the opportunities uniquely available to the Community Foundation and our region at this critical moment.”

A Florida native born to Cuban immigrants, Frank Fernandez holds a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, magna cum laude, from Harvard University. After three years in New York with Salomon Smith Barney, he moved to Austin to pursue a Master of Arts degree at the LBJ School of Public Affairs, University of Texas.  

From 2001-2006, Fernandez was deputy director of Austin’s PeopleFund, providing loans and business advisory services to small businesses and nonprofits, lower-income communities and minority-owned businesses.  

He then spent nearly eight years (2006-2014) as Executive Director of Green Doors, an Austin-based housing nonprofit that connects lower-income communities to greater socio-economic opportunity by providing affordable housing, supportive services and advocacy on issues of poverty and homelessness.

In Atlanta, Fernandez is a member of the board of the Latino Community Fund and on the finance committee of KIPP. He has been on Atlanta Magazine’s Atlanta 500 list the past two years. He is a Civil Society Fellow of the Aspen Institute and was a German Marshall Fund Fellow in 2011. While in Austin he was named Ernst & Young’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year.

Community Foundation Board Chair Susan Grant, an ex-officio member of the search committee, also praised the selection. “Frank’s got it – deep respect for all the citizens of our region, unwavering commitment to address systemic racism with innovative and collaborative solutions, profound humility and a compassionate approach to leadership.” Atlanta Regional Commission Executive Director, search committee and fellow Board member, Doug Hooker, dovetailed by adding, “The power of the mission and the Board’s commitment to tackle equity of opportunity head-on has only been strengthened by the effects of the pandemic. The path of our selection decision traveled through many zip codes – in the end, we are thrilled our search landed on Frank Fernandez, a leader who has already demonstrated a commitment to Atlanta, with a depth of experience ranging from Wall Street to neighborhood streets.”

In addition to Clark and Grant, the CEO search committee was composed of the following Foundation Board members:

• Patrice Brown Greer, strategist, entrepreneur and community volunteer; 

• Doug Hooker, Atlanta Regional Commission; 

• Jeff Muir, Fulcrum Equity Partners; 

• John Reid, immediate past chair of the Board and community volunteer;

• Dave Stockert, Sweetwater Opportunity Fund; 

• Studie Young, Harry Norman REALTORS^®

The committee was advised throughout by BoardWalk Consulting, a national executive search firm focused exclusively on the leadership of foundations and nonprofits. The engagement was led by BoardWalk’s Sam Pettway, Kathy Bremer, Crystal Stephens and Patti Kish.

Outgoing Community Foundation CEO Alicia Philipp spoke highly of her successor. “His fingerprints are all over some of our region’s most exciting initiatives, and I fully expect his impact—and the Foundation’s—will only grow in the new role. I applaud the search committee’s work and the Board’s choice.”

Plans to honor Alicia Philipp’s tenure will be announced at a later date. 

After several months of popular online educational and networking opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gwinnett Chamber was excited to welcome back its members for in-person events. The weekly networking group, Gwinnettworking, hosted its first in-person meeting on Friday, June 12, and Gwinnett Chamber’s monthly membership luncheon, On Topic, kicked off Thursday, June 18, at the 1818 Club.

“Today was an exciting day to welcome back our members to On Topic,” said Nick Masino, President & CEO, Gwinnett Chamber and Partnership Gwinnett. “We are encouraged to see Gwinnett County businesses getting back to work and we look forward to continuing to support them and help them thrive.”

To accommodate members’ various comfort levels, On Topic attendees were offered the opportunity to participate in one of two ways – with 55 people attending in person and 20 virtually. The virtual event included 20 minutes of networking at the beginning as well as a $20 gift card to Marlow’s Tavern. During the networking breakouts, featured speaker Billy Milam, Chief Executive Officer, Hire Dynamics made an appearance to speak to the guests attending virtually before taking the stage to discuss the “next normal,” shifts in work, and the workplace. CLICK HERE to watch the recording of On Topic.

“For me, ‘the new normal’ is seeing innovative ways to accommodate those who want to do business in person again and those who are still remote,” said Ryan Bonilla, VP of Sales, Rocket IT. “I had the opportunity to attend this hybrid event as a virtual participant, and I found it a valuable and thoughtful way for the Chamber to engage all of their members. Well done to the entire staff for innovating and executing such a great event.”

Prior to events starting back in-person, the Gwinnett Chamber released a video to help visitors understand what to expect when attending an in-person event. CLICK HERE to watch.

Mark Spain Real Estate has been named the No. 1 residential real estate team in the United States for the third consecutive year. “The Thousand Top Real Estate Professionals” is a prominent national awards ranking, sponsored annually by REAL Trends and advertised in The Wall Street Journal. Mark Spain Real Estate ranked No. 1 nationally for closed transactions and No. 2 for annual closed sales volume. Mark Spain and his team have annually appeared in the top 10 of this elite, national top performers list for over a decade of the 15 years this list has been compiled.    

Consistently outperforming each of its previous year’s sales totals, the Mark Spain Real Estate team achieved 4,200 transaction sides in 2019, crossing the annual gross sales benchmark of $1 billion for the first time. Gross sales in 2019 increased by more than $300 million over the previous year. On average, Mark Spain Real Estate closed 81 homes a week in 2019. 

“Our team is constantly growing to better serve our clients. We strive to provide an unparalleled client experience, and our team continually focuses on improving our communication, marketing and how we sell homes to exceed our clients’ expectations,” states Chairman and CEO Mark Spain.

In April, Mark Spain Real Estate also made its inaugural appearance on the REAL Trends 500—a ranking of the top-producing residential real estate firms in the United States—breaking into the top 200 for most closed transaction sides for 2019. The firm was also the 71^st highest-producing, independent real estate brokerage on this list.

The REAL Trends/Tom Ferry International ranking of the nation’s top real estate professionals has been around 15 years. The top-producing agents and teams making the list are ranked in the top one half of 1 percent of more than 1.3 million Realtors® nationwide. The exclusive list was officially published Friday, June 19, 2020, and can be found at https://www.realtrends.com/rankings/rt1000/.   

“We are incredibly grateful to be a three-time recipient as the top residential real estate team with the most sales in all of America,” explains President John Makarewicz. “This accomplishment would not have been possible without each and every hard-working Mark Spain Real Estate team member.” 

Mark Spain Real Estate has four offices strategically placed around metro Atlanta, an office in Athens, Ga., and has started expanding

around the Southeast, with locations in Charlotte and Raleigh, NC, as well as Nashville, TN. Continued expansion is planned. To learn more about Mark Spain Real Estate or these markets, visit markspain.com, follow on social media, or call toll free at 1-855-299-SOLD.