About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (June 4, 2020)
Thursday, June 4,20201 GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA | gainesvilletimes.com Pilgrim’s Pride CEO indicted in chicken price fixing, inside, 3a Honestly Local Kemp eases some on Ga. budget cuts Governor revises request to 11% instead of 14% BY MEGAN REED mreed@gainesvilletimes.com Gov. Brian Kemp will ask state agencies to cut their budgets by 11%, rather than the 14% first planned, he announced Wednes day, June 3. State agencies had submitted proposals for 14% cuts, with local public schools, the University of North Georgia, courts and other services such as the Division of Family and Children Services and public safety agencies facing spending decreases. The cuts were intended to help the state recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kemp said in a statement Wednesday that the pandemic has “squeezed state revenues, just like the wallets of hard-working Geor gians.” However, he said he was hopeful about the state’s economic recovery. “Our state is positioned to weather this storm better than most. The foundation of our economy is strong and ready for consumer confidence to return,” Kemp said. Kemp said education, health care and public safety would be budget priorities. “With the closing of schools, Georgia families have a renewed appreciation for our teachers, counselors, specialists and staff. These men and women are unsung heroes,” he said. “...Nowmore than ever, we see that access to quality, affordable health care is essential and life-saving. There’s no doubt we owe a huge debt of gratitude to our doctors, nurses and frontline workers and above all, we must continue to put patients first.” He said addressing human traf ficking and gangs was another priority. “We must reaffirm our commit ment to keep all Georgians safe,” he said. Kemp said he would send an updated revenue estimate to the chairmen of the Georgia House of Representatives and Georgia State Senate’s appropriations committees. “While near-term state revenue collections are uncertain, we are seeing reassuring signs of fiscal resilience in our state,” he said. The state’s fiscal year restarts July 1. Making ‘great progress’ SCOTT ROGERS I The Times The Spout Springs Road widening project currently underway was delayed by weather, but now progress is being made. Gatherings could affect COVID-19 drop in cases BY MEGAN REED mreed@gainesvilletimes.com Hall County’s COVID-19 cases remain rela tively high in the state, with 2,508 confirmed cases as of Wednesday, June 3, making Hall the fifth highest in raw numbers and 15th highest in per capita numbers. The Northeast Georgia Health System was treating 67 patients at its facilities Wednesday, and 31% of the system’s ventilators were in use, according to its data. As of Wednesday, 728 COVID-19 patients had been discharged from treatment, and 85 had died. NGHS has seen a decline in COVID-19 ■ Please see COVID-19,3A Judge: Buford racial bias case should proceed Spout Springs Road widening project is taking shape BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com Spout Springs Road is beginning to take shape as South Hall’s newest four- lane road. Workers are long past just taking down trees and other vegetation to make way for heavy machinery to rip up the earth. Crews are grading on either side of the existing road between Hog Mountain Road and Union Circle — the length of the project. With a detour in place Wednesday, June 3, work is particularly busy in front of Cherokee Bluff High School and Spout Springs School of Enrichment “Most of the focus is on the area around the schools to try and get as much completed as possible while school is out,” Department of Transpor tation spokeswoman Natalie Dale said. Along the road, crews have put up retaining walls, and the contractor, G.P.’s Enterprises Inc., is “actively working on” building embankments, laying storm drains and pouring for curbs and gutters, Dale said. Also, a new Quincy Drive — a side street near Union Circle — is being built. One of the project’s largest side street projects, realigning Elizabeth Lane near Cherokee Bluff to Ster ling on the Lake subdivision, is well under construction. “Utility companies are working daily to relocate their particular items so that G.P.’s can continue working with out much delay, and (they) have made great progress,” Dale said. The $32 million project, which is set for a December 2021 completion, calls for widening the road from two to four lanes with a 20-foot raised median and sidewalks. Hall County is planning a second phase that would continue the widen ing from Union Circle to the Gwinnett County line. That $26.2 million project doesn’t have a schedule yet, as funding hasn’t been identified. A federal jury trial should go forward over a racial discrimination suit against Buford City Schools and former superintendent Geye Hamby, a U.S. magis trate has recommended. Judge Walter Johnson also recommended audio record ings at the heart of the suit should be admissible. “Should the presiding dis trict court judge (Eleanor Ross) nevertheless have doubts about the admissibility of these recordings, (the judge) may conduct a ... hearing before they are played to the jury,” Johnson says in the 131- page report filed May 12. ■ Please see HAMBY, 3A Hamby Gainesville candlelight vigil set for Saturday BY KELSEY P0D0 kpodo@gainesvilletimes.com The Newtown Florist Club, a Gainesville civil rights group, is call ing upon community members to attend a candlelight vigil at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 6, on the patch of greenspace at the end of the pedes trian bridge on Jesse Jewell Parkway. Jackie Lipscomb, who is lead ing the event, said the observance is “taking a stand for justice and pursuit of peace, and remembering those who lost their lives through racial acts of hatred.” The Rev. Rose Johnson, execu tive director of the Newtown Florist Club, said the vigil will open with community members sharing why this moment in history is important to them, whether through words or song. The next portion will offer teach able moments about the history of the civil rights legacy. “We have a real opportunity to connect the past to the present and give our entire community a chance to participate in a moment of change,” Johnson said. “And connect with the nation and the world in the spirit of unity.” Candles will then be lit as people transition into the “remembering segment,” which includes calling out the names of people who have died from racial acts of hatred. “This is a moment of change in America, and across the nation that everyone, all people of good will, can participate in to make a change hap pen in America,” Johnson said. “This call for justice, when it comes to men and women who were murdered through acts of police violence, that justice for them will hopefully pre vail. We have to keep pushing for change.” Gainesville candlelight vigil What: Observance to remember those who died from racial acts of hatred When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 6 Where: The end of the pedestrian bridge on Jesse Jewell Parkway More info: Call Newtown Florist Club at 770-718-1343 People interested in civic partici pation arising from the recent pro tests can call the Newtown Florist Club at 770-718-1343 or email new- townl93@gmail.com. This e-edition sponsored by:
