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143rd YEAR, NO. 16 THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2020 1 SECTION, 8 PAGES 50 CENTS PER COPY Taylor County Battered By Storms For Second Consecutive Weekend For the second consecutive weekend, Taylor County was in the line of severe storms- The storms began rolling through Sunday morning, and didn't stop until early Monday morn' ing. The storms brought heavy rains* flash flooding, frequent lightning, and strong winds. Sunday afternoon, light ning struck the shed behind Rob mid Beth Peacock's resi dence, causing a structure lire, which claimed the life of their canine family mem ber. Through Sunday night, into Monday morning, much of Taylor County was with out power. Taylor County EMA Director Gary Lowe reported approximately 7 inches of rain, which caused dangerous, flash flood con ditions on roads. Former Turner’s Chapel Church Building Comes Down The demolition of the former Turner's Chapel Free Will Baptist Church building has begun. The foundation for the old brick veneer building was laid on March 27, 1952, parallel to the old one-room building. The church building served the congregation until the mid-2000s, when the new building was erected on an adjacent lot. The church is heated, on Hwy. 137 E. Butler Garden Club Yard Of The Month The Butler Garden Club Yard of the Month is the landscape of Ann and Henry Lee. Box woods and Japanese maples form the foundation plantings, and a targe maple tree ac cents the front lawn. This landscape can he viewed at 118 South Broad Street in Butler. The Yard of the Month is a monthly feature of and is Chosen by, the Butler Garden Club. Middle Georgia Mobile Community Food Bank And Local Volunteers Serve Taylor County Residents The Middle Georgia Mobile Community Food Bank rolled into St. Phillip AME Church Friday, April 17th, with over 10,000 lbs. of food for Taylor County residents. Volunteers from the community and community churches, including Butler Police Chief Kain Cobb, the Butler Police Department, and District Attorney Julia Slater, serviced 417 partici pants, including 64 first responders. This service will continue throughout the COVID- 19 pandemic. Future dates and times will be announced. Governor Kemp Relaxes Restrictions; Some Businesses Allowed To Reopen Friday As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has laid out guide lines to begin incrementally and safely reopening sectors of the state's economy. At press time Tuesday night, there were 20,166 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the state, with 818 deaths. In Tfeylor County, there are 13 reported cases and two deaths. During a press conference Monday afternoon, April 20th, Governor Kemp noted that the White House issued guidelines for states to begin to safely re open, which includes three ph ases. Kemp said, "We are on track to meet the gating crite ria for Phase One" The Georgia Department of Public Health reports a decline in emergency room visits for flu-like illnesses. Documented COVID-19 cases in the state have flattened and appear to be declining. Kemp also noted that the state’s hospital bed ca pacity has been expanded. He stressed that testing is a key component of the gating criteria for opening up. A streamlined testing process is being devised, which includes a free app through the Augusta University Health and Medical College of Georgia. The app is available 24/7. If you display COVID-19 symptoms, you may log on to the app by visiting AugustaHealth.org or down load AU Health ExpressCarc. You may also call (706) 721- 1852. If you meet criteria for testing, you will be contacted to schedule a test at a location near your home. In addition, according to the West Central Health District, testing is available at the Tay lor County Health Department. Tuesday Thursday, and Friday, from 1:30-3:30 p.m.* while sup plies last and weather permit ting, For more information, call (478) 862-5628. To be tested, individuals must be Georgia residents and meet CDC guidelines. All symptom atic individuals are eligible for testing, with a referral from a healthcare provider or the health department. Contact tracing, to identify cases of COVID-19 and those w ho may have been in contact with the infected person(s), will be a key in the COVID-19 strat egy. This will also help iden tify the viral infection early, before the disease advances, leading to more favorable out comes. While it will not be business as usual for a while, Governor Kemp said* “I believe Georgia is positioned to secure the nec essary personal protective equipment for healthcare facili ties to resume elective surger ies deemed essential" Beginning Friday, April 24th, gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, body art studios, bar bers, cosmetologists, nail care artists, esthcticians, their re spective schools, and massage therapists may reopen, Kemp added, “This measure will ap ply statewide and will be the operational standard in all ju risdictions, This means local action cannot be taken that is more or less restrictive." Theatres, private social clubs, and restaurants will be allowed to reopen on Monday, April 27th; however, bars, night clubs* amusement park rides, and live performance venues will remain closed. Schools will continue distance learning. Places of warship are allowed to hold in-person ser vices, but they must he done in accordance with strict social distancing protocols. Online, call-in, and drive-in services continue to remain good op tions. To reopen* businesses must adhere to Minimum Basic Op erations* social distancing, and regular sanitation. Minimum Basic Operations include screening workers for fever and respiratory illness, enhancing workplace sanitation* wearing masks and gloves, if appropri ate, separating workspaces by at least six feet, teleworking where possible, and imple menting staggered shifts. The Governor's shelter-in- place order is still active and will expire on April 30th, at 11:59 p.m. Governor Kemp stated, “Wo urge everyone to continue to follow CDC and DPH guidance by sheltering in place as often as you can. Limit your travel and limit who goes with you on errands to prevent potential exposure. If possible, wear face masks or cloth coverings when you are in public to slow the spread of coronavirus. For medically fragile and elderly Georgians, make plans to shel ter in place at least through May 13th, the date Georgia's Public Health Emergency ex pires." Helping Hands! Several Mauk seamstresses, Martha Whitley, Emily Weaver, and Patricia White y have been busy making and delivering over 200 masks to nursing facilities in Ideal and Butler. Pictured are Martha and Emily.