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The CARES Act 2020 was viewed as a momentous move by the US government to support Americans during the coronavirus pandemic. However, the pandemic and city lockdowns continue. Unemployment claims…

Just in time for Earth Day, the Atlanta City Council approved the acquisition of a 216-acre forest commonly known as the Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve in southeast Atlanta.

The property—which encompasses one of the largest old growth forests in Atlanta—was under major threat of industrial development and forest loss. To protect the land, The Conservation Fund purchased it from Waste Management in December 2019, and it is now on track to be acquired and permanently protected by the city. This will be one of the largest greenspace acquisitions in the city’s history and provides critical protection for the South River Watershed.

The nature preserve is located near the intersection of Moreland Avenue and I-20, an area with historically heavy industrial usage with little access to recreational greenspace. The Lake Charlotte property has 98 percent canopy cover encompassing predominantly native tree species, according to a report prepared by Trees Atlanta in 2019. The greenspace also includes a portion of an archaeologically significant ridge known for its Native American soapstone quarries and workshops, dating back to 3000 B.C. The development and stewardship of this culturally and naturally significant space will be a collaborative effort among government, education, environmental and social organizations.

Despite its name, the Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve was not previously on a path toward conservation. Spearheaded by The Conservation Fund, City of Atlanta Department of City Planning and City of Atlanta Department of Parks & Recreation, this effort will conserve approximately 60,000 trees in one of the highest quality forests remaining in the city.

“Lake Charlotte Nature Preserve will be the first greenspace acquisition funded through the city’s tree ordinance, which was modified several years ago to allow for both the planting of new trees and the protection of intact, mature forests to mitigate tree loss to new development in the city,” Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in a media statement. “Thank you to The Conservation Fund and the Arthur M. Blank Foundation for their unwavering commitment and partnership in helping to preserve natural resources that are important to our city.”

“We’ve been working for almost two years to prioritize purchasing land that will significantly increase our tree canopy protection efforts as part of the Atlanta Canopy Alliance. This property is the number one priority on that list,” said Stacy Funderburke, regional counsel and conservation acquisition associate for The Conservation Fund. “This is the first step to not only expand the city’s tree canopy protection but also provide additional outdoor recreational access for the Atlanta community.”

The Conservation Fund has been the City of Atlanta’s Department of Parks & Recreation’s primary acquisition partner for new park and greenspace expansion since 2003 and has also supported Atlanta Beltline, Inc. on acquisition priorities since 2015. With the support of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation’s $2 million revolving fund dedicated to acquiring greenspaces across Atlanta, The Conservation Fund has completed nearly 50 greenspace projects, acquiring over 400 acres valued at a total of $32.1 million. The Lake Charlotte acquisition, at approximately $4.5 million, is the Fund’s single largest purchase to conserve greenspace in the City of Atlanta to date. Revolving fund support from both the Blank Foundation and the Robert W. Woodruff Foundation were critical in its success.

This also represents a significant commitment by the City of Atlanta in the One Million Trees Initiative, launched by Trees Atlanta in partnership with nine other Atlanta non-profits. This single acquisition will add over 60,000 trees towards the goal of saving one million trees in the Atlanta metro area. “This is a big win for the residents of Atlanta,” said Greg Levine, Co-Director of Trees Atlanta. “The primary goal of the Atlanta Canopy Alliance and the One Million Trees Initiative is to protect high quality forests throughout metro Atlanta. Partnerships are so important to make projects like this a reality because tree protection impacts so many communities, stakeholders, and decision-makers. We are very excited to be a part of protecting this unique natural resource for our city.”

The Atlanta Canopy Alliance, a coalition focused on protecting Atlanta’s canopy, includes The Conservation Fund, Trees Atlanta, The Nature Conservancy, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance, Atlanta Audubon Society, Park Pride, the Trust for Public Land, and the Georgia Conservancy. This acquisition in the South River Forest area was a key focus of the City’s Urban Ecology Framework led by the City of Atlanta’s Department of Planning and Community Development.

When the acquisition is completed in early summer, the City of Atlanta Parks Department will work on a plan for security, public access and stewardship of this unique forest. It will also work with the community and other stakeholders to plan for future greenspace amenities like nature trails. Groups like The Nature Conservancy and Park Pride will work to engage the surrounding communities in this development process to ensure an equitable outcome for the preserve’s usage. Once completed, the City of Atlanta’s Department of Parks & Recreation will manage and maintain the nature preserve as a city park.

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President Donald Trump said during his Wednesday evening coronavirus briefing that he “strongly” disagrees with Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to reopen businesses on Friday.

“I told the governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, that I disagree – strongly – with his decision to open certain facilities, which is violation of the phase one guidelines,” Trump said. “He must do what he thinks is right, but I disagree with him on what he’s doing. If I see something totally egregious or totally out of line, I’ll do [something].

Trump said opening spas, beauty salons, tattoo parlors and barber shops in phase one of reopening the economy “is just too soon.”

Kemp announced Monday that gyms, nail shops, beauty salons, barbershops, tattoo parlors, massage parlors and bowling alleys would be allowed to open on April 24 and restaurant dining rooms, private social clubs and movie theaters on April 27.

The post Trump says he ‘strongly’ disagrees with Kemp’s decision to reopen businesses appeared first on Atlanta INtown Paper.

More than half of communication executives said employee engagement (63%) and collaboration (58%) have increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, while feedback on productivity varied, with 40% indicating that it had declined and 25% reporting that it had increased. The findings are according to a new global survey by the Institute for Public Relations (IPR) and Peppercomm.

The survey, the second in a series of three COVID-19-specific communications reports fielded by IPR and Peppercomm, polled 403 communication executives and senior leaders and analyzed how the pandemic has impacted the workforce.

Overall, communication executives reported their function is a critical component of their company’s internal crisis response, with only five percent reporting being uninvolved. Ninety percent said their company’s leadership has handled the COVID-19 crisis effectively.

“With lives at stake, companies had to ramp up their communication efforts significantly and quickly, including being flexible and introducing new tools at a rapid rate for a wide range of employees,” said Tina McCorkindale, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Institute for Public Relations. “Companies also appear to be more empathetic toward workers who are stressed, many of whom are living in highly uncertain times while juggling multiple responsibilities.”

Looking ahead, return-to-work preparations were in the early stages, as only 10% of communication executives reported having done extensive planning while 60% had not started planning for the return or did not know about return-to-work preparations for their employees. Only 42% of respondents have done at least “some” planning. About one-quarter (27%) said they are planning for a phased or gradual return of their employees, while 12% said they will return all at once.

“One of the other remarkable findings was the near universal lack of preparedness to return to work on the part of senior communicators,” said Steve Cody, founder and CEO of Peppercomm. “I understand we are dealing with one unexpected crisis after another, but if CCOs and agency leaders alike don’t begin to look up and look ahead NOW for how best to manage their direct reports when they return, they will find major gaps in quality, service and productivity. This is especially problematic for organizations whose teams will return to work on a staggered basis.”

Other critical subjects covered in this most recent report include employee satisfaction and productivity; how companies are preparing for employees’ return to work; the most trusted go-to sources, topics, and channels; measurement; and how diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives have fared during the pandemic.  

Additional key findings include:

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. The survey also indicates that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) was not a top priority for some communication executives. Only 19% of companies are communicating information focused on DE&I to their employees.

Working from Home. On average, respondents reported 13% of their company’s employees worked from home before COVID-19, compared to 77% during COVID-19, and an estimated 23% following COVID-19. 

Job Reduction. More than half of communication executives said their company is not planning to layoff (55%) or has not furloughed (67%) employees, but only 31% have made a commitment not to do so in the future.

Focus on Mental, Physical, and Emotional Health. Two-thirds of communication leaders said they were sending their employees information about their physical (70%) and mental (65%) health.

How Leaders Are Communicating. Communication executives credit consistent key messages, and frequent, personal communication with employees from a reliable source as critical to their efforts. Three-quarters of respondents said the CEO was “very involved” with internal communication.

Employee Feedback. Respondents reported that employee trust (49%) and satisfaction (32%) increased at their companies. The top methods communication executives used to track results in their internal communication or to seek employee feedback were informal listening tools and methods (e.g., check-ins, web visits, email open-rates, HR feedback). Nearly one-in-four were not tracking at all and only about one-fourth (28%) surveyed their employees.

To read the full report, please visit https://instituteforpr.org/how-companies-are-engaging-employees-during-covid-19/.  The Institute for Public Relations and Peppercomm will collaborate on a third report in mid-May that will ask senior communications leaders to look ahead to what will be the new normal for the profession.

American Trucking Associations’ advanced seasonally adjusted (SA) For-Hire Truck Tonnage Index rose 1.2% in March after increasing 1.8% in February. In March, the index equaled 120.4 (2015=100) compared with 119 in February.

“March was the storm before the calm, especially for carriers hauling consumer staples, which experienced strong freight levels,” said ATA Chief Economist Bob Costello. “But there was a huge divergence among freight types. While freight to grocery stores and big box retailers was strong in March, especially late March, due to surge buying by households, freight was anemic in other supply chains, like that for gasoline, restaurants, and auto factories.  

“Because of this, and the continued shuttering of many parts of the economy, I would expect April tonnage to be very soft,” he said.

Compared with March 2019, the SA index increased 4.3%, which was preceded by a 2.6% year-over-year gain in February. During the first quarter, the index rose 1.5% compared with the fourth quarter of last year and 2.4% from a year earlier.

The not seasonally adjusted index, which represents the change in tonnage actually hauled by the fleets before any seasonal adjustment, equaled 120.9 in March, 11.8% above the February level (108.2). In calculating the index, 100 represents 2015.

Trucking serves as a barometer of the U.S. economy, representing 71.4% of tonnage carried by all modes of domestic freight transportation, including manufactured and retail goods. Trucks hauled 11.49 billion tons of freight in 2018. Motor carriers collected $796.7 billion, or 80.3% of total revenue earned by all transport modes.

ATA calculates the tonnage index based on surveys from its membership and has been doing so since the 1970s. This is a preliminary figure and subject to change in the final report issued around the 5th day of each month. The report includes month-to-month and year-over-year results, relevant economic comparisons, and key financial indicators.

The city’s Corners Connect app now has a new feature called “Shop & Dine Local” where you can find a list of Peachtree Corners restaurants and shops that are open during COVID-19.

The City has been working to consolidate this information, and it is now available through its Corners Connect app. The app is free and available for both iPhones and Android users. Look for the app in the App Store (iPhone) and Play Store (Android phones).

For the second year in a row, residential customers rated Georgia Power as a utility that’s “Easiest to Do Business With” according to a study by industry-leading analysts in the energy sector. The company was ranked among top utilities based on company reputation and outreach, communication, and customer and field service satisfaction in the 2020 Cogent Syndicated Utility Trusted Brand & Customer Engagement: Residential study from Escalent.

Using a “Customer Effort Index,” the study measured how easy it is for customers to obtain service, information and offerings from a utility. Satisfaction was measured against 140 electric, natural gas and combination utilities among 62,122 US utility customers. According to the study, residential utility customers get 90 percent of their satisfaction from the amount of effort required to do business with their utility.

“During these challenging times, we are striving more than ever to give our customers a great experience,” said Kevin Kastner, Georgia Power vice president of Customer Service. “As our state’s communities adapt during these unprecedented days, we are also adapting to keep the focus on our customers.”

Special Pandemic Support
To ease the burden that customers are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgia Power previously announced the suspension of all disconnections and will offer special payment plan options to assist with the recovery. The company also continues to offer around the clock service features including bill pay, energy usage monitoring tools, power outage reporting, payment information and history, authorized payment locations, rate plan options and more at www.GeorgiaPower.com and on the company’s free mobile app.

Additional Resources & Services for Residential Customers
With customers spending more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, Georgia Power continues to offer the following resources, services and programs:

Simple Online Account Management – The company is committed to making it simple for customers to manage their monthly bill, payment history and energy usage in one place. With Georgia Power’s online portal, customers can start, stop and transfer service, and sign up for paperless billing to reduce incoming paper mail.

Payment Methods – It’s best to stay home and pay Georgia Power bills online on GeorgiaPower.com with a credit or debit card or with a checking or savings account. The company has eliminated fees associated with credit and debit card payments as well as at Authorized Payment Locations (APLs). APLs are venues that accept Georgia Power payments, posting them immediately and securely. There are more 4,000 APLs across the state including many grocery stores and pharmacies remaining open as essential businesses, like Kroger, Walmart, Publix, Walgreens and more. Customers can also pay via the Georgia Power Mobile App, which can be downloaded for free from both the App Store (Apple) and Google Play Store (Android).

Georgia Power Marketplace – Georgia Power makes it simple for customers to make their home more efficient by offering an online, one-stop-shop for LED lightbulbs, smart thermostats and connected home technology, advanced power strips, water faucets and EV chargers, without having to visit a store. Visit www.GeorgiaPowerMarketplace.com to learn more.

Online Energy Checkups – Georgia Power offers quick and easy online energy checkups that provide customized reports for customers to understand their energy use and find ways to save money.

SurgeDefender™ – Now more than ever, customers need their major appliances in their home to work. Georgia Power’s SurgeDefender™ program helps protects motor-driven appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers and air conditioners, and is installed directly on the customer’s electric meter.

Residential customer service representatives are available to answer questions by phone at 1-888-660-5890 and via online chat. To learn more about Georgia Power’s resources, programs and services for residential customers, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com/Residential.

Customers can also connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power) to receive the latest Georgia Power news and information, including helpful information regarding the company’s response to COVID-19, storm tips, outage updates and more.

 

GeorgiaALIVE Inc., a leadership initiative for a vital economy, is placing an increased emphasis on supporting innovation and resources relating to the COVID-19 response in Georgia. Driven by the overwhelming efforts from businesses, organizations and individuals across the state, GeorgiaALIVE is adding more focus on innovation and resources that enhance the prevention, treatment, testing and tracing of the novel coronavirus in Georgia. The initiative will be led by veteran Atlanta executive, Ben Balsley, Executive Chairman, AGA and Former CEO, Onepath.

GeorgiaALIVE is committed to serving Georgia’s healthcare facilities, government entities and community groups by supporting and connecting emerging innovation emerging from area businesses, non-profits, universities and research organizations. To identify relevant initiatives, GeorgiaALIVE is working with multiple groups throughout the state, including Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), Invest Atlanta, among others.

The innovation initiative will be highlighted on the GeorgiaALIVE website, georgiaalive.com/innovation-resources. Additionally, new steering committee members have been named and all are playing a critical role in identifying needed resources, many are providing direct access to innovation sources. The new members include:

Chaouki Abdallah, Executive Vice President for Research (EVPR) at the Georgia Institute of Technology

Claire Sterk, President of Emory University

Bird Blitch, CEO and Co-founder of Patientco

Reverend Gerald Durley, Pastor Emeritus at Providence Missionary Baptist Church

“Since inception, ensuring the state has an adequate supply of PPE has been a key focus for GeorgiaALIVE,” shares Ed Trimble, GeorgiaALIVE founder. “We are extending our focus to highlight the much needed COVID-19 centered innovation being created in our state.”

The innovation initiative will continue to evolve over the coming days and weeks. “Our ultimate vision is to have GeorgiaALIVE serve as a hub and amplifier that connects innovators and resources with those needing them – be it hospitals, businesses and organizations going back to the new normal or the community at large,” adds Balsley.

One example of the innovation and resources being promoted on the website is Atlanta-based Aaron’s Inc. and its Project Sew Happy To Help. Aaron’s has converted its Woodhaven furniture manufacturing plant in Cairo, Ga. to produce personal protective equipment for local medical centers. To date, the company has shipped more than 16,000 masks and 900 gowns to medical and assisted living facilities in the southeast, and are working at a rate to produce more than 12,000 masks and 5,000 gowns per week.

“Giving back to the communities in which we serve is at the heart of Aaron’s, Inc.,” says Robbie Kamerschen, EVP, General Counsel and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer at Aaron’s, Inc. “Our Project Sew Happy To Help program is just one of the many ways the Georgia business community has stepped up to support the fight against coronavirus. We’re honored to be a part of GeorgiaALIVE’s innovation initiative.”

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