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Nicknamed ‘The Sunshine State’, Florida is the third-most populous state in the US. With a population of more than 21 million, this state is renowned for the Kennedy Space Center,…U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) today announced that Georgia organizations have received $52,079 in grants from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency for service and volunteering.
This award will support more than 2,000 volunteers at a Martin Luther King Jr., Day of Service event in 2021. The grant, awarded to United Way of the CSRA in Augusta and Hands on Atlanta, will offer community members opportunities to unite in service as part of this annual event. United Way will collect and package hygiene kits for homeless families and the elderly. Hands on Atlanta will use the grant to tutor and mentor students and to pack and distribute food and basic needs kits.
“Every Martin Luther King Day, thousands of Americans come together to honor Dr. King’s memory,” Loeffler said. “As residents of Dr. King’s home state, Georgians are particularlyinspired by his legacy to help our neighbors by volunteering in our communities. I am glad United Way of the CSRA and Hands on Atlanta have both received grants for next year’s MLK Day of Service. This funding will help more than 2,000 volunteers in Georgia assist families in need and continue the legacy of Dr. King.”
The funds were awarded as part of the FY 2020 Days of Service grant competition, which includes awards for Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and September 11th National Day of Service and Remembrance. Both are designated national days of service by Congress, which has charged the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) with leading these efforts. Since they began in 1995 and 2009, respectively, millions of Americans have pledged billions of hours to both the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service and September 11th National Day of Service.
Amerifiber, is pleased to announce its signing of the Trump Administration’s “Pledge to America’s Workers” committing to certify workers to empower new or advanced careers in the dynamic telecom industry, the announcement was made today by CEO, Jim Leeman and General Manager, Tim Leeman.
Amerifiber has pledged to help continue to provide American workers by creating Internships and apprenticeships to future college students and deserving candidates, providing current employees with continuing education and on-the-job learning, as well as help to build awareness in the local community to prepare a stronger, better skilled workforce for the future.
“Arming American employees and those young recent graduates with advanced opportunities in the telecom and fiber optic space is vital to the health and growth of the United States economy,” said Jim Leeman. “We’re honored to be working alongside President Trump in this important initiative.”
In July 2018, the Trump Administration launched the Pledge to America’s Workers, an initiative that called on job creators and trade organizations to commit to educate, train, and re-skill America’s workforce. Since its inception, more than 400 companies and organizations have signed the pledge to create over 16.3 million new opportunities for education and skills training for workers, including apprenticeships, on-the-job training and continuing education.
“President Trump and his administration are focused on providing rural America with broadband access,” comments Tim Leeman, General Manager. “Amerifiber is committed to working on the White House’s initiative of providing all Americans with fast access Internet connectivity. We’re extremely proud to work with the President and the White House to achieve these goals.
As the unofficial capital of the Southeast, Georgia has the biggest cities, the most diverse population and a vast geographical range from the mountains to the beach. Our tourism industry constantly redefines what it means to be Southern by sharing the places, culture, stories and people that make Georgia so unique, and this has earned our state a strong reputation as a top travel destination.
Just weeks before Covid-19 halted all travel, we gathered together at the Capitol to celebrate a record-setting year that saw 111.7 million visitors, $36.9 billion in travel spending and 478,000 tourism industry jobs in the state. And 2020 was already on track to be even stronger. This pandemic has impacted our tourism industry in ways that were unimaginable in January.
While Georgia’s tourism industry has felt the painful effects of the pandemic, the foundations that made it possible to consistently break tourism records remain intact. The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) and its Explore Georgia team remain committed to safely advancing Georgia’s economy and supporting the tourism industry.
As we responded to Covid-19, every division of GDEcD shifted efforts to assist our state’s diverse businesses, tourism included. To start, our state tourism office, Explore Georgia, activated its crisis communications plan. Unlike crisis situations of the past with definitive timelines, this crisis has no playbook. We quickly evolved our plans, while continuing to engage with visitors and provide inspiration for future travel. After a brief marketing hiatus, we launched a campaign to keep Georgia on travelers’ minds even when they couldn’t travel: Explore Georgia from Home. In an extraordinarily short time, we built a program that was deployed via web, social media, email and media relations, casting the broadest possible net for our efforts.
To support our tourism industry partners across the state, we launched a Covid-19 page on our Industry Portal, where we connected our partners with the latest state and federal guidelines, travel data and research, and resources.
While most state tourism websites saw a crash in website traffic, many with drops of 60% or more, that didn’t happen on the ExploreGeorgia site. We also saw increases in our social media channels and our audience growth on Facebook was nearly double that of surrounding state travel offices.
Our ability to deftly shift and adapt new strategies will continue to be crucial in keeping our travel industry afloat in the short-term and to growing this dynamic industry in the long-term. This is one of many reasons GDEcD is proud to announce that Mark Jaronski, a 25-year travel and tourism industry leader and veteran Disney marketing executive, has been hired to lead our Explore Georgia team.
As Georgia and surrounding states continue to reopen, we know travelers are seeking places where they can safely maintain social distance and that they feel safest traveling by car. Knowing this, we will focus our marketing efforts on encouraging Georgians to stay in Georgia. We want residents to travel in-state, support local businesses and explore all that Georgia has to offer.
We’re seeing the investments that Georgia’s tourism industry partners have made to keep their employees and customers safe. As consumer confidence grows and travel restrictions are relaxed, we’ll begin to look at targeting a broader market of potential visitors once again.
We recognize the road to recovery will be challenging, but our focus continues to be on ensuring travelers remain eager to discover Georgia’s inspiring stories, beautiful destinations and unique experiences. We know their desire to travel is still alive, and when they’re ready to explore, we’ll be ready to welcome them.
Pat Wilson is Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
The housing market showed some early signs of recovery in May as the addition of homes for sale and contracts to buy homes both increased dramatically from April levels, according to a new report from Redfin (www.redfin.com), the technology-powered real estate brokerage.
The market remains overall very competitive thanks to a continuing shortage of homes for sale. U.S. home-sale prices increased just 0.5% year over year in May to a median of $299,400 across the 217 metros Redfin tracks. This was the smallest annual increase since home prices bottomed out in February 2012. However, the fact that this increase was so much smaller than the 4.7% gain in April was largely due to fewer homes being sold in the most expensive metro areas.
Overall home sales in May fell 30.8% from a year ago, but the most expensive metro areas all saw more dramatic decreases in home sales than the national drop. The 12 metro areas with median prices above $450,000 (seven of which are in California) all saw home sales decline between 38% and 58% from a year earlier. San Francisco and San Jose, which both have median prices above $1 million, each saw home sales drop more than 55%.
“Although the housing market was still mostly stalled in May, it’s worth noting that homes under contract to be sold jumped 33% between April and May after two consecutive months of decline,” said Redfin lead economist Taylor Marr. “This is a key leading indicator for home sales in June and July. New listings of homes for sale have also likely passed their bottom, but are still about 20% below February’s level, so there’s still a ways to go before the housing market has recouped the lost activity of the past few months during the shutdowns.”
|
Market Summary |
May 2020 |
Month-Over-Month |
Year-Over-Year |
|
Median sale price |
$299,400 |
-1.4% |
0.5% |
|
Homes sold, seasonally-adjusted |
369,300 |
-11.7% |
-30.8% |
|
New listings, seasonally-adjusted |
503,600 |
35.6% |
-21.5% |
|
All Homes for sale, seasonally-adjusted |
1,740,900 |
0.5% |
-21.2% |
|
Median days on market |
37 |
2 |
1 |
|
Months of supply |
3 |
0 |
0.4 |
|
Sold above list |
25.2% |
-2.8 pts† |
-0.6 pts† |
|
Median Off-Market Redfin Estimate |
$303,700 |
2.7% |
2.6% |
|
Average Sale-to-list |
98.5% |
-0.3 pts† |
-0.1 pts† |
† – “pts” = percentage point change
Home sales fell 11.7% nationwide from April on a seasonally-adjusted basis. That’s a big drop, but a marked improvement from the March to April drop of 21.5%, which was the largest decline on record (our data for this statistic goes back to January 2012).
The national count of active listings of homes for sale fell 21.2% year over year in May, just shy of the April decline, which was the largest on record. This is the ninth straight month of declines. The 0.5% increase in the nationwide number of homes for sale between April and May represents a gain of fewer than 9,000 homes for sale during the month. None of the 85 largest metros tracked by Redfin posted a year-over-year increase in the count of seasonally-adjusted active listings of homes for sale.
The number of new listings fell 21.5% compared with a year earlier, but surged 35.6% from the all-time low seen in April. This is a good sign that some balance may be returning to the market after the past few months of declining homes for sale and increasing homebuyer demand led to intense competition and bidding wars in some places.
An even more encouraging sign is the bounce back in the number of newly-constructed homes that were listed for sale in May, which was down half as much as the overall market—just 9.9% from a year earlier.
Other measures of competition in the market such as days on market and the share of homes sold above list price have remained relatively steady throughout the shutdowns and stay-at-home orders across the nation.
Trends from the beginning of the year—intense bidding wars and a strong seller’s market—have continued unabated throughout the pandemic.
“Buyers have been out in droves, but the number of homes for sale is still super low,” explained Pittsburgh Redfin agent Sara Minshull. “We are seeing more homes listed for sale recently, but of course there were just so few before this that the new listings aren’t keeping up. There is just so much competition.”
Homes that sold in May spent 37 days on market, unchanged from the same month a year earlier.
“The market still feels really crazy,” said Redfin agent Amber Allin, who serves Tacoma, Washington—the nation’s fastest market with half of all homes going under contract in just eight days. “There are so few homes for sale right now, and those that are in good condition are selling incredibly fast.”
The share of homes that sold above list price decreased just slightly, falling 0.6 percentage points year over year in May to 25.2%.
To view the full report, including charts and methodology, please visit: https://www.redfin.com/blog/housing-market-news-may-2020/
Families in the Loganville area can now experience a remodeled Walmart Supercenter that’s offering customers new ways to save money, while living better – and healthier – lives, through the opening of the new Walmart Health center. Located at 4221 Atlanta Highway, Suite 101, adjacent to the Supercenter, the community will have access to affordable, accessible care when Walmart Health opens on June 17th.
This state-of-the-art facility provides quality, affordable and accessible healthcare for members of the Loganville community so they can get the right care at the right time. Walmart Health is partnering with several on-the-ground health providers to be a first-of-its-kind health center to deliver primary and urgent care, labs, x-ray and diagnostics, counseling, dental, optical and hearing services all in one facility at affordable, transparent pricing regardless of a patient’s insurance status.
“The Georgia community has embraced our first two Walmart Health locations, and we are thrilled to bring low, transparent pricing to Loganville,” said Sean Slovenski, SVP and President of Walmart U.S. Health and Wellness. “The price and availability of quality health care is one of the biggest concerns of Americans, and Walmart Health continues our history of launching innovative products and programs that have transformed the industry and created significant healthcare savings.”
The Loganville Walmart Health center is the 3rd such location the retailer has opened. The first opened in September 2019 in Dallas, Ga. Walmart Health is operated by qualified medical professionals, including physicians, nurse practitioners, dentists, behavioral health providers and optometrists. Walmart Care Hosts and Community Health Workers onsite will help customers navigate their visit, understand resources and be a familiar presence for regular visits.
The Supercenter also has gone through a remodel, and customers can expect a whole new look and experience with the launch of new Vision Center and Pharmacy concepts that aim to drive an enhanced patient experience.
The new pharmacy is designed with the customer in mind, integrating feedback from thousands of customers to put convenience, simplicity and elevated service at the forefront in the redesigned space.
Walmart has created a Vision Center experience designed around the customer that is convenient, comfortable and affordable, featuring multiple service areas so customers can decide how and where they want to receive service.
”Having experienced the dental services myself, I am thrilled the Loganville community will have access to affordable and convenient healthcare in Walmart Health,” said John Day, Loganville Store Manager. “I am proud of our store remodel and offering our customers an even more exceptional shopping experience.”
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit apprehended Wendy’s arson suspect Natalie White on the afternoon of June 23. This case is being investigated by the City of Atlanta Fire Rescue Department Arson Unit after the intentional burning of a Wendy’s restaurant on University Avenue on June 13 during a protest concerning the death of Rayshard Brooks. The FCSO Fugitive Unit booked Natalie Hanna White into the Fulton County Jail. White is charged with arson in the first degree.
The Georgia General Assembly approved a hate crimes bill on June 23, which is now headed to Gov. Brian Kemp’s desk for his signature. The legislation allows for extra criminal penalties against those who target victims on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, or physical or mental disability. Georgia has been without a hate crimes law since 2004, when it was struck down by the state Supreme Court for being “vague.”
Midtown’s 5th Street Complete Street project was one of 19 projects across the state to receive funding from the Georgia Transportation Infrastructure Bank from the State Road and Tollway Authority. Midtown Alliance will use the $750,000 grant to upgrade 5th Street from Williams Street to Myrtle Street, a distance of 0.60 miles. Improvements include adding a 10-foot cycle track and mid-block pedestrian crossings between Williams and West Peachtree, resurfacing throughout the corridor, a new traffic signal at Williams and 5th, and upgraded traffic signals throughout.
The post News Briefs: Wendy’s arson arrest; state hate crime bill passes; Midtown gets state transportation funds appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.
When Dorsey Alston agent Harvin Greene first caught a glimpse of the Normandy farmhouse on Clifton Road in historic Druid Hills, she knew it was special.
The whitewashed brick, slate roof and distinct round turret with a perfectly-pinched circular roof were barely visible from the road. It was tucked back in a verdant forest, which only lead to its mystique. Greene heard it was a Philip Trammel Shutze, one of the great classical architects the South has ever known.
That was 20 years ago. Today, she and her husband, General Contractor Tommy Greene have completely renovated and updated the 1928 home using Shutze’s original plans in collaboration with their architect, Francis Kirkpatrick. The original plans have been successfully passed down from the owners through the years.
The Fernbank Museum of Natural History purchased the house to add 2.6 acres to the Fernbank Forest in 2015 but had no use for the home, which now sits on the original 1.4-acre lot. The house in turn languished for years.
Among the indignities it suffered, a 175-year-old oak fell into the home, causing significant damage and toppling the top 20 feet of the main chimney crushing the rear of the house.
Harvin and her partners acquired the neglected estate in 2018 and spent two years completely and methodically restoring it.
The original owner was Monie Alan Ferst, the founder of Scripto, which at one time was the largest producer of writing instruments in the world. A Georgia Tech graduate, a plaque at his alma mater, reads: “Monie Alan Ferst, 1891-1965. Eminent engineer, industrialist and philanthropist. Unwavering patron of research and its application to medicine and modern industry. Outstanding supporter of higher education. Active participant in numerous professional associations.”
Shutze completed the house at 845 Clifton Road in historic Druid Hills in 1928. It is thought to be the only Normandy farmhouse-style he designed. Shutze is widely regarded as one of the top architects Georgia produced. He designed the Swan House, the Temple and many other historically and ascetically distinguished homes and buildings.
The renovation required rebuilding the two destroyed rooms and chimney to the precise architectural details, repairing holes and damage from the tree, removing and reinstalling the entire slate roof, as well as the demolition of the interior spaces.
The updates include a bespoke kitchen in the plain English style, a family room with the original wood beams and 11-foot ceilings and custom-designed fold-away steel doors that open to a covered porch leading to a new saltwater pool.
“When I look back at the photos, I think we must have been crazy to start on this adventure,” Greene said. “At the time, I saw it through rose-colored glasses but knew we could save it and recreate it for the next generation. We only really do very interesting projects, and when I have an immediate vision of what it could be.”
After two years, the house nestled in Fernbank Forest and overlooking the Druid Hills Golf Course is on the market for $5 million. For more information, visit this link.
The post Shutze designed Normandy farmhouse in Druid Hills on the market for $5 million appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.
National health officials are sounding the alarm over an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases across the country, including Georgia.
According to figures from the Georgia Department of Public Health, the 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.
Georgia currently has 67,675 confirmed coronavirus cases and 2,687 deaths since the pandemic began.
Local officials warned that a surge in new cases was likely after the relaxing of restrictions by Gov. Brian Kemp and after thousands took to the streets in June to protest the police killing of George Floyd.
The Guardian reported that Georgia was one of 29 states that have seen an increase in their seven-day average of new cases.
The post COVID-19 cases on the rise in Georgia, 28 other states appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.
The reason why people invest their money in real estate properties is to make even more money. That’s why return on investment is a crucially important concept in real estate…