President Donald Trump’s coronavirus task force warned Georgia is “in the early stages of full resurgence” of the virus and urged state leaders to take aggressive new steps to mitigate spread of the epidemic. According to a report in the AJC, the White House Coronavirus Task Force said the state should ensure universal mask use and significantly reduce capacity or close public places — such as bars and restaurants — where face covering isn’t possible. Georgia remained in the red zone for new cases and ranked 48th out of the 50 states and Washington, D.C., in terms of the rate of new cases.
Georgia’s recount of the Nov. 3 presidential election ballots began this morning, Nov. 24, at 9 a.m. most parts of the state. The Trump Campaign formally petitioned for the recount over the weekend in hopes of overturning President-elect Joe Biden’s 12,000 vote victory. The recount must be complete by midnight on Dec. 2, according to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger. Fulton County’s recount will actually begin at 8 a.m. tomorrow, Nov. 24, at the Georgia World Congress Center, Area B1. After the Thanksgiving holiday, the recount will resume on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. If needed, the recount will continue on Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. As Georgia’s largest county, 528,000 ballots were cast in Fulton County for November 3 General Election. Approximately 50 workers will conduct the recount, using 13 scanners.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and the Atlanta City Council issued condolences to the family and loved ones on the passing of former Atlanta Fire Rescue Department Chief Winston Minor, 72, on Nov. 20. Minor worked for the AFRD for 30 years and was appointed chief in 1995. He served in that capacity until his retirement in 2003. Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in a statement: “Chief Minor’s public service extended beyond his duties as fire chief, serving as the founder, president & chief executive officer of Troops to Firefighters—a non-profit dedicated to connecting veterans and their families with firefighting and 9-1-1 jobs. Chief Minor left a lasting legacy in the city of Atlanta and he will be missed.”
The post News Briefs: ‘Full resurgence’ of COVID-19 warning for state; vote recount begins; city honors late fire chief appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.