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o o $1.00 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. 3g S3 : - 9 |B&J| 1 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.