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sREparter
August 4, 2021
Jeep flips on 1-475
A Sycamore, Ga. woman was OK after flipping her 2018 Jeep Wrangler on 1-475 north on Monday afternoon in Monroe
County. Jessica Ramirez, 31, of Sycamore, told CpI. Thomas Haskins that she came upon a congested area just south of
the Bolingbroke exit when the car in front of her hit the brakes hard. She said he hit the brakes to avoid impact, swerved
into the emergency lane, and then over-corrected, went on two wheels before striking a Ford Escape and landing on its
side. Both vehicles had to be towed away but no serious injuries were reported, said Haskins. (Photo/Will Davis)
COVID cases surging again
By Diane Glidewell
news@mymcr.net
Georgia Department of Pub
lic Health, North Central Health
District, which covers 13 counties,
including Monroe, climbed back to
the Substantial (most at risk) category
for COVID-19 as of its Monday, July
26 report with 125 cases/100,000
people. As of its Aug. 2 report, it had
cemented its substantial status wit 242
cases/100,000 people for the last 14
day period.
All counties in the 13-county
region, which includes Monroe, were
rated Substantial risk, except Baldwin,
Hancock and Washington, which
were at the Moderate level. Between
the July 26 and the Aug. 2 reports,
Monroe County had 44 new cases,
pushing it up to 199/100,000 for the
two-week period from July 12-25. For
the previous two-week period Mon
roe County was at 80/100,000 people.
The rate for positive COVID tests in
Monroe County increased from 11 to
14 percent, while the North Central
Health District increased from 6 to 15
percent. Total deaths from COVID in
Monroe County are reported at 106.
The Health Districts Aug. 2 report
shows 35 percent of people in Mon
roe County are vaccinated, and 38
percent have had at least one dose of
vaccine. This is close the the numbers
for the district, which are 34 percent
and 37 percent. The vaccination rate
for Monroe County is up 1 percent
in each category over last week. For
the district, fully vaccinated is up 1
percent, and those with at least one
dose is the same as last week.
The districts press release on July
26 said the “recent rise in cases in
our 13-county district coincides
with increased cases in the U.S. and
Georgia. Throughout our 13-county
district there have been significant
increases in cases across all ages.
Masking
mandate
back on for
city facilities
Forsyth re-instituted its
mask requirement in city
buildings at its Aug. 3 coun
cil meeting. City manager
Janice Hall said she has the
authority to require masks
as given to her by the city’s
resolution on May 17,
which says the city will fol
low CDC guidelines.
Gradually council
members have returned
from meeting via Zoom
to meeting in person,
and they have gradually
become less likely to wear
masks throughout meet
ings. However at the Aug. 3
meeting all council mem
bers and staff members
wore masks during most of
the meeting, including Mel
vin Lawrence, Mike Dodd,
Chris Hewett, Julius Stroud
and Mayor Eric Wilson.
Council member John
Howard did not attend the
meeting, and council mem
ber Greg Goolsby missed
about the first hour of the
meeting.
Those filming the
meeting, some of those
requesting variances and
conditional use permits
and a few others at the Aug.
3 meeting at Alderman
Hall didn’t wear masks
and weren’t asked to do so.
However, anyone attend
ing a meeting or with other
business at a city building
now will apparently be
asked to put on a mask
while in the building, re
gardless of vaccination sta
tus. Hall said current CDC
recommendations are now
to wear masks indoors even
if vaccinated.
“I was the one who
started kicking the can,”
said Stroud. “Whatever the
decision is, I’ll follow it.”
“I think it’s pretty clear’’
Councilman Melvin
lawrence, who has had
COVID, wears a mask
while participating in a
council meeting from home
by Zoom last month.
said Wilson. “Guidelines
have changed. Go with
masks.”
Monroe County Hospital
CEO Lorraine Smith told
the Reporter on Tuesday
that of its 17 patients, seven
had COVID cases and five
of those were serious.
“Went from 0 to 100 over
the weekend,” Smith said of
the COVID case surge.
Meanwhile, Monroe
County schools will
reportedly discuss a mask
mandate and the new CDC
guidelines at its 6 pm.
meeting on Tuesday, Aug.
10. The school system had
said last month it would not
require masks.
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