Briefs
Northern senators say Sonny Perdue’s trade-war relief favors South’s farmers
U.S. Department of Agriculture Commissioner and former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue drew withering criticism this week from senators from northern farming states who complain that the 2019 trade-war relief program he oversaw favors his native South. The nonpartisan U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) this week reported that eight of the nine states receiving the highest payments […]
Downgraded hurricane Sally to cross Georgia with soaking rains, stiff winds
Georgians are urged to stay alert late Wednesday as the remnants of Hurricane Sally are forecast to slide westward across the state with heavy rain and strong winds that could cause flooding, knock down trees and spur isolated tornadoes. The storm that smashed ashore as a Category 2 hurricane along the Gulf Coast flooded streets […]
Health officials blame prison for COVID outbreak in rural SE Georgia
An error in COVID-19 data reporting has obscured an outbreak in a Georgia prison and in the community surrounding it. The count of coronavirus cases in rural Wheeler County nearly doubled last week when CoreCivic, the Tennessee-based, publicly traded company that runs the Wheeler Correctional Facility, reported 145 cases to the Georgia Department of Public […]
Kemp order opens path for long-term care residents to host family, friends
More visitors will be allowed into long-term care facilities under new state guidelines issued late Tuesday. Gov. Brian Kemp authorized in-person visitation “subject to specific criteria and restrictions outlined by the Department of Public Health,” according to a press release. The governor’s order also clarifies that community and state ombudsmen are authorized to perform inspections […]
Georgia State’s Becker to resign after leading transformative change
Georgia State University President Mark Becker is stepping down from his position in June after more than a decade in charge of the state’s largest college, he told members of the university community in an email Tuesday. In his letter, Becker did not give a reason for his departure, but said he was announcing his […]
Coast Guard conducts public hearing in capsized Golden Ray investigation
An investigation into why the massive Golden Ray car carrier capsized off the Georgia coast soon after it left port in Brunswick picks up steam this week with testimony by the ship’s captain, crew members and shipping experts and it’s available to the public through online hearings. After getting off to a bumpy start Monday […]
Politically connected firm earning millions in state COVID contract
A health care staffing company with strong political connections has been paid more than $40 million by the state of Georgia to supply medical workers to fight COVID-19. Jackson Healthcare, a private company based in Alpharetta, was asked by state officials for help in March. That’s when Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and the city of […]
Georgia slips even lower among states on new health scorecard
Georgia slipped to No. 46 among the states in a new ranking of health system performance, down from 42nd the previous year. The new 2020 Commonwealth Fund report on states’ health system performance, released Friday, noted that Georgia performed well by certain measures. Those include a high rate of diabetic adults having an annual hemoglobin […]
‘We’re not through this’: Governors plead with Congress for COVID aid
WASHINGTON — Democratic governors on Thursday begged Congress to come to the aid of ailing states, which face unexpected expenses as they attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19 as well as massive revenue shortfalls due to the pandemic. But Republicans at a House hearing rejected their pleas, arguing that states have yet to spend […]
Secretary of state’s office says 1,000 Georgians voted twice in primary
This story was updated at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday. Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is asking for prosecutors to investigate more than 1,000 people suspected of committing felony voter fraud by casting ballots twice in the state’s June primary election. About 150,000 Georgians showed up June 9 at their precinct because they never got their […]
Senate GOP emergency relief plan leaves out direct aid to states
WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans unveiled their latest coronavirus relief proposal Tuesday but were met with swift objections from Democrats. The GOP plan failed to include direct aid to cities and states, a priority for Democrats, or rental relief or nutrition assistance, and it appeared it wouldn’t go far enough to resolve a monthslong stalemate over […]
Top nurses upset at sudden exit of popular Georgia board chief
The departure of the state Board of Nursing’s executive director has stunned nurse leaders in Georgia, who told Georgia Health News that he did “a great job’’ in that position. Jim Cleghorn served in the role for 10 years. He was also president of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Deputy Secretary of […]