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Vol. 140, No. 43 - Waynesboro, Ga. 30830 Established in 1882 Wednesday, December 16, 2020 - $1.00
Wreaths to honor veterans this Saturday
ROY F. CHALKER JR.
rchalker@bellsouth.net
American Legion Post 120
has been selected to take part
in the national Wreaths Across
America Day this Saturday,
Dec. 19. The ceremony will
take place at 12 noon at Burke
Memorial Gardens.
According to Bud North,
Post 120 Sgt. at Arms, family
members of veterans are
invited to attend the event
and take part in the placing
of wreaths at their veteran’s
grave. Wreaths will also be
laid at Magnolia Cemetery.
North added that, “It’s a
distinct honor that Burke
County has been chosen to
take part in this national effort
to honor and remember our
veterans during the holidays.”
Wreaths Across America
(WAA) Day pays tribute
in veterans’ cemeteries
nationwide.
By 2008, there were wreath
laying events in every state.
More than 300 locations
including overseas cemeteries
participated. That same year
on December 13, Congress
designated Wreaths Across
America Day. “The wreath
laying is still held annually”
says the WAA official site, “on
the second or third Saturday
of December.” The annual
Wreaths Across America
parade from Harrington,
Maine to Arlington National
Cemetery is described as
“the world’s largest veterans’
parade.”
2012 marked the year when
the one millionth wreath was
laid at Arlington.
The community wanted a parade, and they got one on Saturday afternoon. Everything from transfer trucks
, bicycles and lawnmowers to side-by-sides, antique rides and horses, folks showed up to take part in
the annual Downtown Christmas Parade organized by the City of Waynesboro Downtown Development
Authority. DDA Director Don Lively said he was very pleased with the turnout. “We initially cancelled the
parade for lack of participation,” he said, “but we tried again, and boy did we have a nice day. It’s times
like this that remind us what a great community we have here in Waynesboro, Georgia.”
First vaccinations
are on the way
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
The Georgia Department
of Public Health (GDPH)
received the first shipments
of COVID-19 vaccines this
week.
According to Gina
Richardson, County Nurse
Manager at B. Lamar Murray
Public Health Center,
shipments for the Pfizer
vaccine arrived in Coastal
Georgia at two public health
locations with ultra cold
freezers required for storage
and temperature control of the
vaccine. She says additional
shipments of the vaccine
are expected later this week
at facilities in other parts of
the state, including metro
Atlanta. “At this time, I am
not sure exactly when it will
be available in Burke County;
it is, however, forthcoming,”
she said. “As soon as it is
available, the community will
be notified immediately.”
Richardson explained that
facilities that have registered
with the State of Georgia
to be COVID-19 vaccine
providers will be authorized to
distribute the vaccine and that
surveys were sent earlier this
summer to eligible providers
to determine interest in
administration.
“Those first doses offered
will be prioritized for front
line workers and those in
long-term care facilities,”
Richardson said. “Additional
prioritized tiers will follow.”
Tiffany Vamadoe, CFO at
Burke Medical Center, said
the hospital was unable to
receive the Pfizer vaccine as
the facility does not have the
equipment to store it. They
have, however, applied for the
Moderna vaccine and should
know later this week if the
vaccine receives a U.S. Food
and Drug Administration
emergency use authorization
as Pfizer did last week.
“We are very hopeful, as
it has 95 percent efficacy,”
she said, adding that the
application is for the exact
number of employees. “There
will be various rounds of
distribution, first for front
line workers and long term
healthcare facilities. We hope
to have it available to our
patients soon.”
Once it is available,
Richardson added, all
vaccinations offered through
the GDPH will be free of
charge with all admin charges
waived as well.
To follow the latest updates
on the vaccine, visit https://
dph .georgia .gov/covid-
vaccine.
The number of local COVID
cases over the last two weeks
has moved up to 63, giving
the county a cumulative total
of 1,073 confirmed cases.
There have been 108 Burke
Countians hospitalized, 14
confirmed deaths and three
probable COVID deaths
here, according to the GDPH
website. The agency reported
Tuesday that there were
484,152 confirmed cases in
the state, with 9,250 deaths.
MAKING MILESTONES
Progress continues at Plant Vogtle Units 3 & 4
DIANA ROYAL
jdianaroyal@gmail.com
Georgia Power has reached
three major milestones at
Plant Vogtle Units 3 & 4.
The most recent is the
completion of the pre-
operational condenser
vacuum test of the turbine
system at Unit 3, which was
completed Monday.
According to a spokesperson
from Georgia Power, “the test
was conducted with the main
turbine on turning gear and by
operating supporting systems
to establish the condenser
vacuum, which is necessary to
demonstrate the steam supply
and water-cooling systems
operate together and are ready
to support hot functional
testing and initial fuel load in
the reactor.”
The condenser is part of
the turbine system, which
is separate from the nuclear
reactor. “The turbine system
liquifies steam to be reused
after it passes through the
high- and low-pressure
turbines to power a generator
and produce electricity,” the
spokesperson explained.
“The condenser vacuum test
required multiple systems,
including circulating water,
condensate, auxiliary
steam and condenser air
removal, to be operated in
an integrated manner after
having been successfully
tested individually.”
Last week, the construction
site also received the first
nuclear fuel shipment for Unit
3 and saw the placement of a
2-million pound roof on the
Unit 4 shield building.
“Since the start, the Vogtle
expansion project has been
an investment in our energy
future,” said Paul Bowers,
chairman and CEO of Georgia
Power. "Achieving this
historic milestone brings us
closer to fuel load expected in
April 2021, and, once online,
these new nuclear units will
provide clean, carbon-free
energy for the next 60 to 80
years."
In order to receive
nuclear fuel, a spokesperson
explained that construction
of specific areas of Unit 3
had to be completed and
inspected. “With site
construction turning over the
fuel handling area of Unit 3
to operations, the Vogtle 3 &
4 site implemented specific
and comprehensive policies,
procedures and security
measures to safely receive,
handle and store the nuclear
fuel.
With the receipt of the first
nuclear fuel assemblies, the
Vogtle 3 & 4 project remains
focused on one of the last
major milestones ahead for
Unit 3, hot functional testing.
This series of tests is the last
critical step before fuel load
and in-service
operation for SEE
Unit 3.” VOGTLE,
The shield mA