Here are some of the top stories you may have missed this weekend.
Pence urges Gainesville crowd to “stay in the fight”, vote for Loeffler and Perdue
Vice President Mike Pence addressed a packed audience at Chicopee Agricultural Center in Gainesville on Friday, urging Georgia residents to continue fighting for conservative values.
Pence’s visit was part of his campaign to endorse sitting Republican Senators David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler in the runoff elections on January 5. Pence specifically praised Perdue’s and Loeffler’s support for veterans, first responders, pro-life and even faith, while claiming that their opponents Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock are “wrong for Georgia.” READ MORE
NGHS official is confident in FDA safety protocols for coronavirus vaccine
Just a day before Pfizer made a request to the Food and Drug Administration to allow emergency use of its COVID-19 vaccine, Vice President of Medical Education at Northeast Georgia Health System Dr. John Delzell said he felt confident in the safety protocols federal officials have in place for the shot.
In an update on WDUN’s Morning Talk, Delzell expressed his confidence that, when a vaccine is widely available to the public, it will be safe and effective. However, Delzell also cautioned that the vaccine will likely not offer an immediate end to COVID-19 and that there are still several unknowns surrounding the shot. READ MORE
Brenau University signs study abroad program with country of Panama
In an effort to expand its study abroad program, Brenau University recently made a deal with the financial aid agency in Panama to sponsor students abroad.
Panama, an isthmus between Costa Rica and Colombia, is five years into a 20-year educational system reform. The reform is focused on creating access opportunities to bridge the equity gap and bilingualism as keys to a more competitive economy, with educating students abroad as a main focus of the effort.
Brenau officials said the agreement is a long-term plan that will benefit Brenau students, faculty and staff through academic collaborations. READ MORE
Hall County Fire Services collects $96,000 in ‘Give Burns the Boot’ campaign
For the fifth year in a row, Hall County Fire Services collected the most money out of more than 100 fire departments in the “Give Burns the Boot” initiative.
The collection happened over three days in October, with Hall County citizens donating a total of $96,000. Normally, Hall County Fire Services would put a portion of the money toward fire safety and burn prevention programs in the community, but because of the pandemic, all proceeds will go to the Georgia Firefighters Burn Foundation. READ MORE
Lula City Council members okay funding for new playground equipment at Wellness Park
Lula City Council members recently approved the purchase of new playground equipment for the city’s Wellness Park on Athens Street after it was destroyed by a falling tree during Tropical Storm Zeta.
City staff reviewed cost estimates from two different companies and ultimately decided to go with PlaySouth, the more expensive of the two, which costs approximately $44,916.
The new playground will be installed within eight to twelve weeks and will be funded by SPLOST VII. READ MORE
