Spalding Tax Commissioner’s Office will be closed beginning March 17

STAFF REPORT ::: The Spalding County Tax Commissioner’s Office will be closed to the public from Tuesday, March 17 through Friday, March 20. Tax Commissioner Sylvia Hollums said this decision is a precautionary measure to guard against the coronavirus COVID-19. A drop box will be located in the courthouse lobby for property tax and tag […]

Governor signs executive order closing all public schools through March 31

STAFF REPORTS ::: Governor Brian Kemp has ordered closed all Georgia public elementary, secondary and post-secondary public schools from March 18 through March 30. “To keep our students, teachers and administrators safe and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, I am ordering the closure of all public elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools in Georgia from March […]

Sheriff’s Office announces temporary changes to response procedures

STAFF REPORT ::: Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix has announced temporary changes to responses to some non-emergency calls, calls for crimes that are not in progress or have already occurred and civil matters. The temporary changes are being made in what was said to be “an ongoing effort to safeguard the health and wellbeing of […]

City of Griffin issues response to COVID-19

STAFF REPORT ::: The city of Griffin has issued a press release regarding its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is posted below in its entirety: As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve on an hourly and daily basis, the City of Griffin is committed to continuing to provide our citizens, visitors and staff with […]

Griffin-Spalding County Library to close until further notice

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Griffin-Spalding County Library will be closed to the public beginning Tuesday, March 17. The decision to close the library until further notice was made by the library administration and its Board of Trustees. The Griffin-Spalding County Library averages approximately 450 patrons through the door daily. Library officials say the decision […]

Public health state of emergency declared as state’s COVID-19 case count reaches 64

STAFF REPORT ::: Governor Brian Kemp on Saturday signed a public health state of emergency regarding COVID-19, followed by an address to Georgia residents. Kemp’s speech follows in its entirety: “My fellow Georgians: Over the past few weeks, our state has been facing an unprecedented public health threat with the spread of novel coronavirus. In […]

Governor Kemp to declare Georgia’s first ever public health emergency

STAFF REPORT ::: Governor Brian Kemp has announced his intention to declare a public health emergency beginning Saturday morning. In a statement released Friday afternoon, Kemp stated, “Based on President Trump’s emergency declaration, I will declare a public health emergency for the state of Georgia beginning tomorrow morning. This declaration will greatly assist health and […]

Governor: COVID-19 quarantine facility under construction in Monroe County

STAFF REPORT ::: Governor Brian Kemp and the Georgia Department of Public Health have announced that a COVID-19 quarantine facility is under construction on the Georgia Public Safety Training Center campus in Monroe County. Officials say this area is for persons who test positive for COVID-19 and are unable to self-isolate. This quarantine facility will […]

Griffin-Spalding School System announces closure

STAFF REPORT ::: The Griffin-Spalding County School System (GSCSS) has announced that in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, system offices and schools will be closed from Monday, March 16 through Friday, March 20. In a written statement released to parents and the press, Superintendent James Smith explained this is a precautionary measure and stated, “This […]

Fayette County COVID-19 case count now at five

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: There are now six confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the 12-counties served by District 4 of the Georgia Department of Public Health. Those six cases include five in Fayette County and one in Coweta County. The District 4 region includes Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Fayette, Heard, Henry, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup […]

WellStar Spalding remains open with screening of all visitors for COVID-19 symptoms

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: WellStar Spalding Regional Hospital is implementing changes in response to concerns regarding COVID-19. All WellStar facilities are open and continue to operate under normal business hours. The measures now being taken are in an “abundance of caution.” They include the assembly of a team of infectious disease and infection prevention specialists […]

Officials confirm first Georgia COVID-19 death; urge at-risk groups to prepare

STAFF REPORT ::: Officials have confirmed the first COVID-19 death in Georgia. According to a press release from the office of Governor Brian Kemp, the individual was a 67-year-old man who had been hospitalized in WellStar Kennestone Hospital since testing positive on March 7. In addition to the COVID-19 strain of coronavirus, the patient also […]

Georgia reports 31 confirmed, presumed positive COVID-19 cases in 12 counties

STAFF REPORT ::: There are now 31 confirmed and presumed positive cases of COVID-19 in 12 Georgia counties. The Georgia Department of Public Health is awaiting confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on three new presumed positive cases including two Dekalb County residents and one Lowndes County resident. All three are hospitalized […]

Two Gordon State College students quarantined after possible exposure to COVID-19

STAFF REPORT ::: Two Gordon State College students may have been exposed to COVID-19 at an off-campus work location. The Georgia Department of Public Health is expediting testing on the students to determine if they have acquired the viral infection. According to a statement from GSC President Kirk A. Nooks, the students are currently quarantined […]

Department of Public Health awaiting confirmation on new COVID-19 cases

STAFF REPORT ::: Five more Georgia residents have tested positive for COVID-19 in testing conducted by the Department of Public Health Laboratory. Those results are considered presumptive positives and have been forwarded to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for confirmation. These five latest cases involve one resident each from Charlton and Fulton counties […]