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Vol. 140, No. 10 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830
Established in 1882
Wednesday, April 22, 2020 - $1.00
Local businesses concerned about reopening
ROY F. CHALKER JR.
rchalker@bellsouth.net
Some local business owners find
themselves in a quandary after Gov.
Brian Kemp issued new regulations
to begin reopening the state’s
economy.
Kemp’s order, issued Monday,
said that hair salons, barber shops,
gyms/fitness centers, bowling alleys,
massage therapists, nail salons,
beauticians, and tattoo parlors can
resume business Friday, April 24 but
must still enforce social distancing,
especially when 10 or more are
present, (and maintain extensive
cleaning).
Theaters, private clubs, restaurant
dining rooms may open Monday,
April 27 with strict social distancing
enforced.
Churches can resume worship
services following strict social
distancing guidelines - drive in /live
streaming services are still advised.
The shelter in place order is still
effective but will expire at 11:59
p.m. Thursday, April 30 for most
Georgians. But shelter in place is still
advised through May 13th.
Amusement parks, entertainment
venues, and night clubs will remain
closed. Concerts and other large
events are still prohibited.
Hospitals can now resume elective
surgeries.
Schools will remain closed for
the remainder of the academic year-
distance/digital learning is ongoing.
Don Lively, Executive Director
of the Waynesboro Downtown
Development Authority, said
Tuesday that many businesses
wanted to reopen but were concerned
about the safety of their customers
and their employees.
A downtown retail shop owner
said, “I know a lot of people think it's
too soon but I also think we need to
use our own judgment on what's best
individually and for our business. I
have tentatively decided to re-open
May 1, however business may not be
"as usual" yet. I want to make sure
my customers, workers & myself
are protected & since I still can't
find hand sanitizer, opening may be
delayed.”
A local hairstylist says they need
to reopen to survive, but is still
concerned. “I think it's too soon.
I think we should see numbers
decrease before this happens but as
a self employed person who has not
seen any of the funds they promised
and have just been
given the run around, SEE
I financially have to REOPENING,
go back to work.” ^
Another downtown
"07886
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This healthcare team and other personnel are working the front lines at Burke County’s testing site for
COVID-19.
Community Comes
Together Under Threat
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
What began as a simple phone
call asking for a few yards of
elastic turned into a good deed
that is benefiting the entire Burke
County community.
Chamber president Ashley
Roberts recalls a Saturday
morning just a few weeks ago
when she reached out to a local
business owner after learning the
health department needed help
in finding elastic to go with the
material they had for volunteers
making homemade masks.
“They needed those fabric
masks to cover and help preserve
the life of the N95 medical masks
because of the shortage,” she
explains. “I immediately called
Ric Lichtenberg to see if he knew
of a supplier that might could
help, but he wasn’t able to locate
the elastic.”
Lichtenberg, owner of
Samsons/Galaxy, did, however,
call back later that day with an
offer that gave her chills.
“He said he and his partners
wanted to donate $10,000 to help
our community wherever there
was a need,” Roberts recalls.
“At this point, I was walking
around my front yard to try to get
some quiet away from stir crazy
quarantined children. He told me,
‘I want to donate the money to
the Chamber because you know
this community and its needs as
good as anyone and I trust you.’”
Roberts says the chills kept
coming. “What an honor for
someone to place that blessing in
my hands to get to help others.”
While Lichtenberg wanted to
quietly make his donation and let
Roberts take the reins, she says
she wanted to give credit where
it’s due.
“He wanted to give more,” she
says, adding that he has called
many times asking if there is
more he can do.
Thanks to the donations,
Roberts says the Chamber is
able to provide daily lunches
and coolers full of drinks to
the staff working the drive-
thru COVID-19 testing site.
Snacks and drinks have also been
donated to the Burke County
EMA and sheriff’s office as well
as lunches to the Waynesboro Lire
Department and Waynesboro and
Sardis Police departments with
plans to take lunch to Midville
police officers this week. Dinner
was provided to Burke Medical
Center’s night shift on Saturday.
The donation has stocked the
Wimberly House food pantry
twice and helped in purchasing
items for the sheriff’s office
Senior CARE Program.
“Through the donation we
received, the Chamber has been
able to spread so much love
in the smallest of
ways to people very g^
deserving,” Roberts COVID
says. “But, we are ’
not the only ones ^
Vogtle cuts workforce
at construction site
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
As the number of positive cases
for COVID-19 continues to increase
at Plant Vogtle Units 3&4, project
management has requested an
approximate 20 percent reduction
in the craft workforce.
According to a spokesperson
for Georgia Power, a number of
employees have already personally
opted to stay off-site due to the
pandemic, and the reduction in the
workforce is through a self-selection
process.
“The mitigating action is
expected to help increase workforce
productivity and reduce absenteeism,”
the spokesperson said. “It is also
intended to help lessen the impact
of COVID-19 on the workforce
by allowing for increased social
distancing and further facilitating
the latest recommendations from
the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.”
A reduction in the workforce was
expected as construction of Unit 3
neared completion, the company
said, adding that this action is
ahead of the timeline but normal for
projects of this size. “The current
measures taken to protect the health
of the workers and communities
have caused the project to accelerate
the transition to a more streamlined
workforce for the time being,” the
spokesperson said. “This decision
was made after much consultation
with the co-owners, building trades,
Bechtel and others... above all else,
the safety and well-being of our
workforce is our top priority.”
As of Monday evening, the
construction site had reached a
total of 89 positive cases of its
employees while 225 reportedly
tested negative. The company said
results are pending for 22 employees.
“With each person tested, we act
quickly, self-isolating the individuals,
along with the personnel who have
been in close proximity to them,
immediately after learning they
have been tested for COVID-19,” the
spokesperson went on to say. “Going
forward, site leadership remains
focused on protecting the safety and
health of workers at the Vogtle 3&4
site, and comprehensive measures
in response to the COVID-19
pandemic will remain in place. These
proactive measures include worker
distancing strategies, including
adjusted break schedules, additional
mobile facilities to add more distance
between individuals onsite and
suspending large group meetings and
gatherings, along with an expanded
onsite medical clinic.”
Palmer Grove pastor dies
ROY F. CHALKER JR.
rchalker@bellsouth.net
Rev. J.J. Smith, pastor of the
Palmer Grove Missionary Baptist
Church, died Saturday, April 18.
Though his cause of death has not
been released, the church was the
source of several positive cases of
COVID-19 last month.
Rev. Smith, 82, was well known in
the county and had served as a Burke
County Public Schools bus driver
for a half-century, most recently
transporting children with special
needs.
During the civil rights struggle,
he worked with other leaders in the
black community such as Herman
Lodge, Rev. J.W. Bell and Shelley
Coleman with the Burke County
Improvement Association. He was
also a long-time employee with
Goldberg’s Lumiture.
His other civic and church
involvement included having
served as Lirst Vice President of the
Parent Body of the Tenth District
of the General Missionary Baptist
Rev. J.J. Smith
Convention of Ga. Inc. He was
currently serving as President
of Burke Black Churches and
Moderator Emeritus of the Noah
Central Ebenezer Association. He
was also a 32nd Degree Mason, Past
Worshipful Master of Lodge #419
in Gough, and Author of “Black
Historical Events in Burke County”.
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