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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2021
• Homer, Banks County, GA 30547 • A Publication of MainStreet Newspapers, Inc. • 12 Pages, 1 Section Plus Supplements • Vol. 54 No. 7
COVID-19
vaccine now
available to
more people
The COVID-19 vaccine is
now available to more peo
ple following an announce
ment by state leaders.
Governor Brian Kemp
and Commissioner Kath
leen Toomey, M.D., M.P.H.,
announced plans last week
to add adults aged 65 and
older, law enforcement of
ficers. firefighters and first
responders to the current
group of individuals eligible
to receive the COVID-19
vaccination. Healthcare
workers and staff and res
idents of long-term care
facilities are already in this
highest priority group.
The expanded adminis
tration of vaccine is expect
ed to begin within the next
two weeks provided there
is adequate vaccine supply
available.
The Georgia Department
of Public Health (DPH) is
following the recommenda
tions of the Centers for Dis
ease Control and Prevention
(CDC) and the Advisory
Committee on Immuniza
tion Practices (ACIP) for
prioritizing the vaccination.
“Following the expert
guidance of Dr. Toomey,
the CDC. and the Advisory
Committee on Immuniza
tion Practices. Georgia will
move to expand Phase la
vaccination criteria with
in the next two weeks to
include the elderly, law
enforcement officers, fire
fighters and first respond
ers — provided the state
continues to receive ade
quate vaccine supplies,”
said Governor Kemp. “We
will continue to monitor the
administration efforts of our
public health workers and
partners in the private sec
tor, and the supply chain of
both the Moderna and Pfiz
er vaccines to ensure eligi
ble Georgians are vaccinat
ed without delay.”
Dr. Toomey adds that it
is critical that even as vac
cine becomes available to
more people, all Georgians
must continue to wear a
mask, practice social dis
tancing and wash your
hands frequently. While the
COVID-19 vaccine is 95
percent effective in prevent
ing illness in the individual
being vaccinated, it is not
yet known if the vaccine
fully prevents person to per
son transmission or asymp
tomatic infections.
For information on get
ting a vaccine, contact your
local health department.
MAILING LABEL
Opening of schools postponed;
‘virtual learning 5 began Tuesday
By ANGELA GARY
angela@mainstreetnews.com
Banks County students did not return to face-to-face in
struction on Tuesday, Jan. 5, as had been announced when
school closed for the winter break.
Instead, students began “virtual learning” on Tuesday.
“We continue to have a large number of personnel who
have tested positive for Covid or must quarantine due to
direct exposure,” superintendent Ann Hopkins states. “As
a result, we had to pivot to virtual learning beginning
Tuesday, Jan. 5, through Friday, Jan. 8.”
Teachers provided students with information regarding
schedules and assignments.
Hopkins adds, “We will continue to monitor the data and
notify families as soon as possible should we need to ex-
The school system is providing meals this week.
will be available
“Please continue to take the necessary precautions to
keep you and your family safe and healthy,” superinten
dent Hopkins states.
Information regarding these services
on the system website and social media.
tend virtual learning.”
Distance Learning Schedule - Week of January 4
Banks County High School Student Schedule
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
7:30 - 8:00
Planning, collaboration, PLC, professional learning and virtual office hours for teachers
8:00 - 9:00
Advisement
Advisement
Advisement
Advisement and SEL
9:00 -10:00
l" Period
Virtual Office
1" Period
2 ” 1 Period
Google Meet
Hours for All
Google Meet
Google Meet
Teachers
Commuiiication and
Communication and
Communication and Feedback
Feedback
Feedback
10:00-11:00
3 rJ Period
2 1 " 1 Period
3 rd Period
4 ,h Period
Google Meet
Google Meet
Gouglc Meet
Google Meet
Communication and
Communication and
Communication and
Communication and Feedback
Feedback
Feedback
Feedback
11:00-1:00
Lunch and Virtual Office Hours
11:00-12:00
6' 1 ' Period
Google Meet
Communication and Feedback
1:00-2:00
5"' Period
4 ,Jt Period
5"‘ Period
12:00-1:00
Lunch/Virtual Office Hours
Google Meet
Google Meet
Google Meet
Communication and
Communication and
Communication and
1:00-3:00
Catch Up/Accelerate
Feedback
Feedback
Feedback
2:00-3:00
T Period
6' 1 ' Period
7 " Period
3:00-3:30
Office hours for teachers to answer
Google Meet
Google Meet
Google Meet
questions and provide support
Communication and
Communication and
Communication and
Feedback
Feedback
Feedback
3:00 - 3:30 Planning, collaboration, PLC anil virtual office hours for teachers
Google Meet sessions are scheduled for teachers to facilitate follow-up from the pre-recorded mini-lessons and assignments posted on Google
Classroom. These are times for questions, clarification of content and discussion. These sessions may not last the full scheduled time. Teachers may also
schedule individual or smalt group Google Meet session in addition to those on the schedule.
Guided Reading sessions will be scheduled by the teacher. If your child is not scheduled for a guided reading Google Meet session, he/she will have
reading/literacy practice assigned through Google Classroom to work on during this time.
When students arc not participating in Google Meet sessions, they are to be completing assignments and viewing pre-recorded mini-lessons.
Virtual Office Hours: Designated voluntary time for a student to receive assistance from a teacher through email, Google Meet, telephone, etc.
Friday afternoon will allow time for students to catch lip or reach out for additional assistance in any content.
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Photos by Wesleigh Sagon
An old fire hose was cut during the ribbon cutting at the grand opening ceremony for the new Banks County Fire and EMS Station No. 25 on
Wednesday, December 30. The station is located at 6011 Old Highway 441 North, Baldwin. See more photos on page 12A.
Grand opening ceremony marks
completion of new fire station
By WESLEIGH SAGON
A grand opening and rib
bon-cutting ceremony held
on Wednesday, December
30, celebrated Banks Coun
ty's newest fire station, Fire
and EMS Station No. 25,
which will serve the north
end of the county and its
surrounding communities.
“Fire Station No. 25 will
be our full-time station
and will give us better and
quicker coverage in the
Baldwin and Alto area,” fire
chief Steve Nichols stated.
“Our old fire station, three
miles down the road, will
now serve as a volunteer
station.”
Charles Turk, chairman
of Banks County Board
of Commissioners (BOC),
said the new station is a big
improvement from their old
station which they have out
grown.
The county’s newly-built
7,200-square foot fire sta
tion is complete with sleep
ing quarters that include
six bunk rooms, showers,
a meeting room, a kitchen
and a second-story stor
age space that stretches the
length of the left half of the
facility.
The fire station will also
house room for a ladder
truck, two engines and two
med units.
Turk said there is also a
chance that the facility will
operate as a voting precinct
for the county.
“We are really proud of
this fire station,” said Turk.
“I think it's probably one of
the best ones in Georgia for
the money. It's a well-built
station in a beautiful loca
tion overlooking the moun
tains.”
Banks County's new fire
station is a redesign of Sa
vannah Fire Department in
North Carolina.
The property was do
nated by Brian Whittenton
of Grace Point Commu
nity Center. DCI Metals
in Gainesville erected the
metal siding panels of the
building, Griffin Brothers
and S&D Solutions were in
charge of grading the prop
erty and Kenny Crumley
and his support crew are
the contractors of the proj
ect, which has been several
years in the making.
The building was
SPLOST-funded and the
total cost of the project was
$600,000, however, the in
surance appraisal assessed
the building alone at $1 mil
lion.
Turk expressed apprecia
tion to all those who helped
make the project a reality
and thanked taxpayers for
their support in voting in the
SPLOST to build the fire
station that will help serve
and protect the community.
The finishing touch that
will be added to Station
25 is an American hag and
flagpole donated by The
Woodman of the World.
“The flagpole is coming
eventually but the Wood
men of the World were not
able to donate one at this
time because of restrictions
due to the COVID-19 pan
demic,” Turk said.
According to Nichols,
the station is expected to
be staffed and in full oper
ation in about two weeks al
though the station’s equip
ment can still be utilized in
the meantime.
The new Banks County Fire and EMS Station No. 25 is located at 6011 Old Highway 441 North, Baldwin.
