Thursday, July 30,20201 GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA | gainesvilletimes.com
Florida lawyers: Lack of relief
in water wars could ‘spell doom.’
INSIDE, 3A
Honestly Local
Turnaround varies as test demand soars
Where and when you get tested, what lab is used can mean difference of days
BY NICK WATSON
nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com
Julie Smith started feeling sinus
pressure Saturday, July 11, and
developed a deep cough the next
day.
As the phone lines opened Mon
day morning, she tried to contact
the Department of Public Health
to schedule a COVID-19 test. After
being screened for symptoms, she
was told there weren’t any open
ings in Hall County for six days.
Smith was able to take a test at
an urgent care center instead and
got her negative results back three
days later.
She said she “wanted to make
sure if I needed to take any extra
precautions,” especially because
her daughter has severe asthma.
Jo Brewer, executive direc
tor of Northeast Georgia Medical
Center’s laboratory services, said
the health system is now handling
more than 1,000 tests per day and
has divided the testing demand to
different labs.
One lab in Alpharetta is averag
ing a 24-hour turnaround times for
■ Please see TESTING, 3A
Cars line up
Wednesday,
July 29, at The
Longstreet
Clinic for their
drive-thru
COVID-19
testing site.
SCOn ROGERS
The Times
A school year like no other
New project
near Exit 14
Photos by SCOTT ROGERS I The Times
Gainesville Exploration Academy teachers Brittany Collins, right, and Cynthia Syfan move desks apart Wednesday, July 29, for
COVID-19 safety precautions as teachers prepare for the upcoming school year.
Teachers remain flexible in prep for upcoming instruction
BY NATHAN BERG
nberg@gainesvilletimes.com
After 35 years of teaching, Cynthia
Syfan thought she had a pretty good han
dle on how to plan for a school year.
But as Syfan, a fourth-grade teacher at
Gainesville Exploration Academy, and
all other Gainesville teachers returned
to school buildings for pre-planning
Wednesday, she quickly came to realize
how different this year would be.
Preparing for students to return to
classrooms in the
Inside
Gainesville City
Council will vote
on annexation
and rezoning for
second middle
school Aug. 4,
3A
midst of a pan
demic already
carried plenty of
difficulties, but on
Tuesday evening,
the GCSS school
board announced
that Gainesville
City schools would
be starting the first
three weeks of the year remotely, adding
another layer of complication to teach
ers’ plans and making this year’s pre
planning more of a challenge than usual.
“As a teacher, you’ve always got to
be flexible,” Syfan said. “But I think
now, with virtual schooling and what’s
Gainesville Exploration Academy teachers Chloe Thomas, left, and Lauren Callaway
gather supplies Wednesday, July 29, as they prepare for the upcoming school year.
going on, you have to be like an Olympic
gymnast.”
It’s been a quick turnaround for GCSS
teachers, who have shifted their focus
from decorating classrooms to taking
professional learning courses on remote
instruction.
Lauren Callaway, also a fourth-
grade teacher at Gainesville Explora
tion Academy, said she was glad the
announcement came before the start of
pre-planning, as it gives all GCSS teach
ers time to ensure they are fully pre
pared to teach remotely.
■ Please see TEACHERS, 3A
could have 6
retail buildings
BY JEFF GILL
jgill@gainesvilletimes.com
More details are emerging about what will be
the first major development off Exit 14 in South
Hall since the interchange fully opened Jan. 30
Grading began in earnest earlier this year,
with a few details known about the project off
Martin Road.
Specifically, Oakwood City Council had
approved 15 acres of allowable commercial
development, including a drive-in restaurant,
banks, medical offices and car washes, in Sep
tember 2019. Hotels would be excluded on the
site. Also, 360,000 square feet of housing, or 312
apartments, are planned on 31.5 acres.
As part of a rezoning application going before
Flowery Branch City Council on Aug. 6, maps
show nearly 40,000 square feet of retail space
spread out among six buildings, along with the
apartment complex.
Blanchard is seeking rezoning of a 7.3-acre
tract off Falcon Parkway/Ga. 13 just north
of Martin Road, for a 6,900-square foot retail
building that’s part of the overall development.
“At the current time, we believe that the
■ Please see MARTIN, 3A
Oakwood to
welcome 2 new
casual chains
BY KELSEY P0D0
kpodo@gainesvilletimes.com
A wave of southern comfort food is coming
to Oakwood with the arrival of two regional
classics.
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen at 3474 Winder
Highway is set to open Monday, Aug. 3, at the
entrance to Walden at Oakwood apartments.
And Waffle House, located at 4034 Winder
Highway across from Kroger, has plans of
welcoming customers sometime in August,
according to Greg Rollings, the company’s vice
president of marketing.
Both restaurants have been constructed and
are currently hiring.
People can apply for a position at the Oak-
wood Waffle House by either showing up to
the business in person, visiting another nearby
location or by going to whcareers.com and
filling out an online form, said Waffle House
spokeswoman Kelly Thrasher-Bruner. She said
stores typically hire 20 to 25 staff members.
■ Please see RESTAURANTS, 5A
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