At today's livestreamed COVID-19 update, Dade County Executive Chairman Ted Rumley confirmed what the relentlessly efficient Dade jungle telegraph had already circulated: Dade's one diagnosed case of the virus had died of it. "I want you to pray for that family because she did pass away today," said Rumley. He and the other officials who spoke did not release the woman's identity because of basic medical privacy laws.
Coronavirus deaths in Georgia as a whole were up to 184 today from 163 Thursday, said Rumley, reading the daily numbers, total confirmed cases 5831 today from 5348 Thursday.
Otherwise, today's session was mostly concerned with what the shelter-in-place order that came down from the Georgia governor last night will mean for Dade. Some points remain hazy but in general Rumley and the other local officials reassured residents that they can continue doing what they have been doing since the COVID-19 lockdown began, seeing to the vital business of life--working, shopping for food, going to the doctor, taking care of children-- without fear of interference from law enforcement.
County boss Rumley began the session by announcing that the Trenton banks had asked him to dispell rumors they were closing their ATM cash dispensers. They are doing no such thing, say the banks. Yes, the banks are recommending that ATM customers use a pen nib or other stylus to push the buttons in order to avoid passing on the virus by contact, said Rumley, but the cash machines will remain open as usual. "It just comes down to common sense," said Rumley.
He took questions from the video audience but answered some up front. Can residents go to the grocery store? Yes. Can they take kids to parents or grandparents? Yes. Can separated parents swap kids for visits or to share custody at public meeting places such as the Trenton gazebo or commercial parking lots? Definitely, said Rumley: "That will not interfere with that at all." Do people need to carry some kind of proof that that's what they're up to? "I don't think anyone's going to doubt your word on that," said Rumley. And one more biggie: "No, the state lines are not closed down."
Alex Case, mayor of Trenton and director of Dade's emergency service, asked for patience: "We're learning as you're learning." And he pointed out that the shelter-in-place order will end in 10 days, a week from this Sunday (though it is entirely possible it will be extended.).
Maj. Tommy Bradford of the Dade Sheriff's Office said of the shared custody worries: "Just go about your normal essential things and you're OK." People just can't congregate in public places and hang out, he said: "Go home and hang out there." But he clarified that if you walk for exercise you are certainly allowed to continue that, though if you walk with another person you should maintain the proper six feet of distance between you.
He said state law enforcement would be mainly responsible for enforcing the governor's order but that Gov. Kemp has signed an executive order empowering local sheriff's offices to help. "The cities weren't mentioned," he said, but added that Trenton city cops can be sworn in to help sheriff's deputies.
On the matter of closing Cloudland Canyon State Park, a contentious issue earlier in the week, boss Rumley said he and the other commissioners had sent a plea to the governor to close it for the month after their April meeting Thursday night but didn't expect to hear from him until Monday. Rumley pointed out that Tennessee had closed its state parks and the federal government had shut down the national parks as well.
Trenton City Police Chief Christy Smith said she'd noticed a lot of traffic this morning in town and thought it was because people were racing to shop before the governor's order took effect tonight at 6 p.m. Don't worry, she said: "Things are not going to get where you can't go get groceries."
She advised calm--"We're all in this together"--and offered help: If you are elderly or at risk and you need groceries or some other commodity delivered, the Trenton PD as well as the Dade Sheriff's Office would be happy to help you. "Let us do it," she said. "Limit your exposure." Readers may call (706) 657-4111 or email the chief at csmith@trentonga.gov.
Dade Industrial Development Director William Back said all the manufacturors in the county industrial park are considered critical infrastructure and would remain working, which he considered "good news." He said that the buildings in the park were so structured as to allow six feet of space between workers.
Here are some questions that Rumley & crew answered after the session: Will the hot spots of free internet provided by TVN still be available in spring break? Answer: Yes, and those are at Veterans Park in downtown Trenton--there's free wi-fi from the Dade Public Library there, too--and the Four Fields athletic complex; then, on the mountains, White Oak Baptist Church on Sand and the New Salem Community Center on Lookout.
Is the walking track at the Four Fields open? Answser: Yes, but just make sure to space yourself six feet between other walkers. All the ballfields and the children's playground at the Four Fields are closed, though. The same is true of Miller Park in the city of Trenton. You may walk there but children may not congregate in the playground or risk infection from the play equipment.
Will hotels be closed? "That's something that's being looked at right now," said Rumley. He pointed out the only real hotel/motel in Dade was the one in Trenton, which had the say-so whether to close it, but that Dade had a number of bed-and-breakfasts and cabins, not to mention the accommodations at Cloudland Canyon. "A lot of the counties have completely closed all that," he said.
Mayor Case took up the question of Trenton's one motel: "To me if you're going home and you break down, you need a place to stay," he said. Then there were "essential workers" whom some companies do put up at motels. The audience had to settle for a "we aren't sure" on that one. "We'll find out," said Mayor Case.
Same for people already here, camping or visiting. Have they got to go home? Rumley said the local KOA had called to ask if people who've been here two weeks can stay or if they should be sent packing. Rumley said that wasn't clear either, but if they were from states with shelter-in-place orders, "they're in volation of their state's law by being there," he said. "As far as I'm concerned, they need to be told to go back home."
Here's another question: Does my employee need a letter to come to work if I'm an essential business?
Not for Dade County, said boss Rumley, but it's not a bad idea for people to have one in case state law enforcement, or other states' officers if borders are crossed, might be more stringent.
Will the lineman college remain open? Answer: "I kind of doubt that they'll be starting their classes on time," said Rumley. Students come from all over the country to train there, he said, and most of the other states are also on lockdown. "We're working with them on this," said the boss.
Is Georgia releasing inmates early? asked another Facebook watcher. Rumley didn't know about the state, but he said locally, judges have worked with the county to get nonviolent offenders, such as those in jail for failure to pay child support, out of the Dade lockup. The jail had had around 90 and is now down to the low 50s, said the boss.
Question: Is there a curfew? Answer: No, the governor's order didn't impose one, but if you're questioned, you need to be going somewhere directly and then back."
Mayor Case said the city hadn't made a decision on whether the Trenton pool would open as usual this year. "We're still a month and a half out on that," he said. On the other hand, the town wasn't purchasing chemicals for the pool.
These live updates are broadcast at 3 p.m. daily from the Dade County Ga. Facebook page. You can see videos of the sessions there after the fact--"like" the page and you will be notified when it goes live--or they are also shared on The Planet's Facebook page.
