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The Atlanta real estate market often makes it onto lists of the best places to buy rental property and 2020 is no different. Atlanta came in #8 in this list…

Historically, it has been proven that investing in real estate is one of the most effective strategies for becoming financially independent. Many of today’s millionaires attribute their success to real…

The coronavirus pandemic caused a “frozen housing market” in the US last month. Many buyers and sellers were putting their real estate transactions on hold as states put strict social…

The Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey confirmed Wednesday that the state’s COVID-19 testing numbers had been inflated by 57,000, or roughly 14 percent of the tests to date.

According to reporting by the AJC, the state’s Department of Public Health has been including antibody tests, which can detect if someone once had the coronavirus, with tests for active infections.

The DHP’s inclusion of antibody tests, which was first reported by the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, prompted Gov. Brian Kemp’s office to request that the department remove antibody tests from the state’s totals.

Toomey said she was unaware that so many antibody tests had been included, and said “it’s not really an error. It’s a way it was collected. I didn’t fully appreciate how many antibody tests have been done.”

Georgia has been under scrutiny and ridiculed for its continued errors in in reporting COVID-19 cases to the public. Kemp had trumpeted Georgia’s rise in testing capacity to number 20 in the nation, but the removal of the antibody tests dropped Georgia back to 29th

The latest DHP numbers show nearly 40,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Georgia with the death toll at 1,697.

The post Report: COVID-19 testing numbers inflated by collection error appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

Heritage Southeast Bank employees worked closely with 960 small businesses in Georgia to help them receive loans totaling more than $104 million via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) lending. The program offered Small Business Administration loans to help companies keep their workforce employed during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. Heritage Southeast Bank, headquartered in Jonesboro, Georgia, facilitated the loans via its three brands Heritage Bank, Providence Bank, and The Heritage Bank out of locations in South Metro Atlanta, North Fulton, and South Georgia and North Florida, respectively. The loans were critical lifelines for many of the businesses.

“Our employees partnered with business owners to navigate the loan program and help almost a thousand companies in Georgia keep their people employed and their operations going to serve customers,” said Leonard Moreland, Chief Executive Officer of Heritage Southeast Bank. “It is our privilege to be able to help these small businesses continue to operate during this challenging time.”

The bank helped businesses throughout Georgia in a wide variety of industries ranging from service businesses, retail, and professional services. “Providence Bank walked our company through the Payroll Protection Program application process from start to finish,” said Peyton Jamison with Jamison Private Wealth Management in Alpharetta, Georgia. “We couldn’t be happier to be a client of Providence Bank and will be for years to come.”

Kasandra McDaniel, owner of Friendship Learning Center with locations in Tucker and Buford, Georgia, worked with Heritage Bank for her PPP loan. “I wish I could let you hear the excitement in some of our employees’ voices when I told them that we got this loan. This loan really does help us as small business owners keep our doors open.”

“The service I received at The Heritage Bank was phenomenal.” added Myron Anderson, CEO of Jones Prescription Shop in Jesup, Georgia. “They made the process comfortable for me which allowed me to keep my focus on running the shop and taking care of our customers.”

Moreland noted that the local banks’ strong relationships with customers helped them connect quickly with businesses regarding the loan process. “We are an independent community bank committed to the communities we serve. We know our customers well and put our knowledge to work to help many of them get the funding they needed to weather this unprecedented storm,” he said.

Boxlight Corporation (Nasdaq: BOXL), a leading provider of interactive technology solutions for the global education market, announced it has entered into a supply agreement and strategic partnership with CEC Finance and Logistics to provide up to $10 million of Boxlight hardware solutions in multiple US warehouses.

The agreement between Boxlight and CEC will provide Boxlight solutions, including interactive flat panel displays, in warehouses located in Los Angeles and New Jersey, tightening delivery times and increasing just-in-time delivery to customers throughout the US. The partnership will also increase efficiencies for shipping and logistics and decrease overall freight costs to customers.

“We are committed to meet the inventory demands of our business and effectively fulfill customer orders,” said Hank Nance, COO Boxlight. “This partnership allows us to continue to scale our company by providing our solutions in various locations while reducing travel time and shipping costs. We are very excited about this partnership, and most importantly, improving our customer experience.”

 

On May 18, 2020, KN95 masks were donated by the law firm of Schneider Hammers to CaraVita Home Care, assisting caregivers in their community.

“I am so thankful for Rob Hammers and the law firm of Schneider Hammers for their generosity,” said Sen. Albers. “These supplies will help caregivers and our senior citizens.”

“Jason Schneider and I want to help our community and the caregivers who support those in need,” said Mr. Hammers. “We feel especially grateful for those who put themselves at risk to help other people.”

“Without these masks, we would not have been able to complete the infection control training of our staff,” said Beth Cayce, Founder and CEO of CaraVita Home Care, which serves over 100 seniors daily within Roswell and Metro Atlanta community. “Each staff member is shown how to seal test their mask and told to keep it in a paper bag for emergency use in the senior’s home. Many families are unable to procure these masks for their loved ones, so we are grateful to have this gift if they suddenly become ill and need care.”

DeKalb County Government is working to mitigate food insecurity in the county by distributing 1,200 boxes of fresh produce and 1,200 bags of chicken to families and residents who have limited access to healthy food.

On Friday, May 22, the county will host two drive-thru food distribution events where residents will receive one 20-pound box of “Georgia Grown” fruit and vegetables and one 10-pound bag of frozen chicken hind quarters.

The nutritious COVID-19 Care Baskets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at two locations, beginning at 2 p.m. on Friday, May 22:

Panthersville Stadium, 2817 Clifton Springs Rd., Decatur, Ga.

Hallford Stadium, 3789 Memorial College Ave., Clarkston, Ga.

According to the Atlanta Community Food Bank, DeKalb County has experienced a 40 percent increase in the number of people suffering from food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I greatly appreciate Commissioner Gary Black, the Georgia Department of Agriculture and our South Georgia farmers for partnering with DeKalb County to provide nutritious produce to families struggling to keep food on the table,” said DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond. “With the support of the Board of Commissioners and DeKalb COVID-19 Strategic Task Force, we are addressing the health and economic consequences of this insidious disease.”

The food distribution event grew out of a partnership between DeKalb County Government and the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s “Buy Georgia Grown, Now More Than Ever” campaign. The county appropriated $40,000 in federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to purchase the produce and chicken.

“We are honored to bridge the gap between families who are struggling to make ends meet in metro Atlanta and our hard working farmers in South Georgia,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black. “We value this partnership to join forces with CEO Mike Thurmond and the DeKalb Board of Commissioners to serve and support our fellow Georgians during this unprecedented crisis.”

DeKalb County has budgeted $3 million in CARES Act funding to help mitigate food insecurity.

Employees of Google Atlanta and Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, are supporting GiveDirectly’s campaign to raise relief funds for families throughout Atlanta who have been impacted by COVID-19. To date, Google’s Atlanta office has committed to raise over $100,000, which will provide $1,000 in direct cash payments to families hardest hit by the COVID-19 crisis. The money donated from Google employees and Google.org will go to support over 100 local families in the form of cash payments.
 
Google has also committed an additional $50,000 contribution to the United Way of Greater Atlanta to support Atlanta’s Strength in Beauty Fund, established by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to assist local cosmetology businesses that have been severely impacted by the pandemic and its economic consequences. The Strength in Beauty Fund is part of the City of Atlanta’s ATLStrong Fund, which provides emergency housing assistance, food for children and seniors, help for the homeless, assistance to small businesses and entrepreneurs, and those struggling to meet their financial needs.
 
As one of GiveDirectly’s earliest funders, Google’s contributions in Atlanta build on a long relationship between GiveDirectly and Google.org. Since 2012, Google.org has previously provided over $10 million to GiveDirectly to support unconditional cash transfers and the research that validates this approach. On April 12, 2020, Googleannounced its initial donation to the GiveDirectly relief fund in the Bay Area with a $1 million commitment from Google.org and an additional $1M commitment from the company’s CEO. The enthusiasm and generosity from Google employees in the area sparked a ripple effect throughout Google offices across the country and within two weeks, 12 additional GiveDirectly funds were up and running.
 
“From our first meeting in 2012, Google.org has engaged in the evidence on cash and challenged us to think bigger,” said Michael Faye, CEO and cofounder of GiveDirectly. They’ve been a close partner since, and we’re deeply appreciative of their ongoing generosity, and willingness to lead in the face of crisis.”
 
“We are grateful to Google and all Atlanta businesses that have met the COVID-19 challenges with kindness, responsibility and care for the people in our city,” said Mayor Bottoms. “These are trying and uncertain times, as thousands of Atlantans and millions of Americans are facing unprecedented circumstances. Thank you to Google for helping to strengthen our city and being a vital part of our business community.”
 
Google employees can double the impact of their individual contributions to this relief effort by using their employee donation match benefits, thanks to Google.org. The company’s philanthropic arm also stepped in to provide the seed money to help activate the GiveDirectly local fund. Google.org’s seed donation is part of Google.org’s $100 million global commitment to COVID-19 relief, which spans economic, education and small business relief efforts.    
 
“Atlanta is our home, and its people are our neighbors,” said Hetal Joshi Gordon, co-site lead for Google’s Atlanta office. “Many of our neighbors have been significantly impacted as a result of COVID-19. Some are struggling just to get by. At Google, we strongly believe in serving the communities we call home, and I’m proud of our employee’s efforts to step up and step out to help support families in our community and provide some relief during these difficult times.”
 
In addition to supporting the United Way of Greater Atlanta and the local GiveDirectly campaign, Google and its Atlanta employees have provided resources to the regional food bank and has volunteered with various organizations, including Goodie Nation and Boys and Girls Club of Metro Atlanta.

The Atlanta City Council unanimously approved a resolution May 18 requesting that the Commissioner of the Atlanta Department of Transportation (ADOT) close select streets and/or traffic lanes to vehicular traffic and open them to pedestrians and cyclists.

Councilmember Amir Farokhi, who introduced the bill along with Councilmembers Natalyn Archibong  and Jennifer Ide, said the bill is an important public safety measure during the ongoing pandemic.

“Traffic is down, walking and biking are up, and folks need more space to move around safely,” Farokhi said. “Opening up select streets for pedestrians and cyclists during the pandemic makes smarter use of our public space and allows for social distancing. This resolution urges our Department of Transportation to act to meet the moment for public safety and enjoyment of the city.”

The bill gives Neighborhood Planning Units (NPUs) the opportunity to weigh in on street closures in their jurisdiction. It also asks that ADOT Commissioner Josh Rowan look for “long-term opportunities to repurpose streets and lanes” beyond the immediate crisis.

“The pandemic presents an opportunity to rethink how we allocate street space and what we want our city experience to be. This opportunity has been embraced by cities near and far, large and small, and, if we are serious about evolving into a city where it’s safer to walk and bike, we should be acting with more urgency and creativity right now,” Farokhi said. “I think we all want a city that’s safe for all of us, especially right now.”

The bill was sent to Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms for her signature.

The resolution coincides with Atlanta Streets Alive marking its 10^th anniversary this month. Created by the Atlanta Bicycle Coalition, Atlanta Streets Alive regularly hosts events closing the city’s main streets to vehicles and opening them to pedestrians and cyclists.

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