Here are some of the top stories you may have missed this weekend.
March 30 webinar will examine Hall County life one year after start of pandemic
The Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce will host another community webinar on March 30 to provide updates on the local status of COVID-19. The event begins at 11 a.m. and will be led by officials with District 2 Public Health, Northeast Georgia Health System and The Longstreet Clinic.
During the webinar, healthcare experts will discuss what life may look like as more area residents get vaccinated and give recommendations for gatherings and vacations for the remainder of 2021. As of Saturday, more than three million doses of the vaccines had been administered throughout Georgia. READ MORE
Piedmont College disaster drill scheduled for Wednesday
Nearly 200 nursing students on Piedmont College’s Demorest campus will get hands-on training during a disaster drill on Wednesday. This year’s drill will involve a simulated tornado and a resulting fire staged on the grounds of the Swanson Center for the Performing Arts.
Several local medical professionals and emergency workers will be participating in the event and have been invited to bring helicopters, drones and rescue dogs. Piedmont theater students will assist with realistic makeup and pyrotechnics for the drill, and communications students will simulate a press response. In all, more than 400 students and volunteers will participate in the drill, with additional spectators expected. READ MORE
UNG to celebrate Women's History Month with trio of speakers
The University of North Georgia will celebrate Women’s History Month on Tuesday by hosting three women guest speakers on Zoom. The event begins at noon and speakers will include Mariela Romero, regional community empowerment director for Univision; Mariah Parker, Athens-Clarke County commissioner and hip-hop artist; and Rev. Charlotte Arsenault of the Georgia Mountains Unitarian Universalist Church.
In addition to the speakers, UNG faculty and staff can nominate female leaders online for various awards as part of Women’s History Month. The awards ceremony will take place on March 31. READ MORE
Busy season expected for Chattooga River District
Northeast Georgia’s Chattooga River District is now open to the public after undergoing several improvements in anticipation of the upcoming season.
Chattooga River District staff have worked to improve over 250 miles of roads in the district by blading road surfaces, upgrading water drainage features and mowing roadside vegetation. In addition, a new restroom facility was constructed at Sandy Bottom Campground on the Tallulah River, and the eleven developed campgrounds within the district received improvements including new picnic tables and fire rings. READ MORE
Lula council members, mayor set to get pay raise
Members of the Lula City Council and the mayor are expected to get their first pay raise since 1982 within the next few months. Currently, council members are paid $100 per month and the mayor is paid $400 per month. The proposed increase would boost monthly base pay to $250 per month for council members and $550 for the mayor.
Two public hearings will take place prior to any change in the pay schedule. City Attorney Joey Homans said he plans to schedule the public hearings for May 10 and May 17. READ MORE
