Good Morning Gwinnett Podcast

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com Across the country, tenant advocates and housing lawyers are sounding alarms that an increasing number of renters will not be able to pay rent on May 1st. What's more, they are concerned many renters will lose their homes as suspensions on evictions phase out and rent relief is not widely available.If you can't pay your rent, this is what you should do.Know the tenant protections where you liveThe best protection for renters right now are the eviction moratoriums. But coverage is patchy, varying by state, county and city.Knowing the status of evictions where you live helps you know your rights and protections.The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act includes a 120-day moratorium on evictions and late fees for properties that are secured by a government-backed mortgage. Many states also have temporary eviction moratoriums in place. The Department of Housing and Urban Development provides coronavirus-related updates on housing relief from each state, and Nolo, a legal services website, keeps track of coronavirus-related tenant protections."You can only make decisions if you have this information: Can evictions happen now where you are? If not, when will they open up again?" said Rachel Garland, managing attorney for the Housing Unit at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia.This can help you in asserting your rights.SOURCE: www.GwinnettDailyPost.com

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com The board also approved nine ballot drop-off boxes across the county following Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger’s authorization of the practice last week. Drop boxes are another tool to avoid person-to-person contact that could spread coronavirus. Voters will be able to drop their absentee ballots at the county elections office and all early voting locations once early voting begins. Boxes will be available at Dacula Park, Mountain Park Activity Center and Shorty Howell Park even if in-person early voting won’t be conducted there.Final decisions about early voting plans in Gwinnett are expected to be made in May.SOURCE: www.AJC.com#LocalMarketing, #GwinnettCountyPodcast, #Podcast, #DailyHoroscopes

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com Norcross Power customers can defer payments through the end of June if they’re experiencing financial hardships due to the coronavirus.The Norcross City Council passed a measure allowing the payment deferrals Monday night. People and businesses going through financial difficulties can apply for a deferral which would allow them to pause payments for the months of April, May and June. Approved customers wouldn’t have a payment due until June 30, and late fees and penalties would not be assessed until July 30.SOURCE: www.AJC.com#GwinnettCountyPodcast, #Podcast, #DailyHoroscopes,

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com Gwinnett County residents are still sheltering-in-place because of the COVID-19 coronavirus disease pandemic, but they will get a chance to hear from nearly every candidate running to be the next county commission chairwoman from their homes this week.Five community improvement districts located in Gwinnett County — including the Gateway 85, Gwinnett Place, Evermore, Lilburn and Sugarloaf CIDs — are teaming up to co-host an online candidates forum featuring the candidates running to replace county commission Chairwoman Charlotte Nash.The online forum will take place from 6 until 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday."The pandemic has dramatically changed the way candidates can campaign this election cycle," said Emory Morsberger, executive director - Gateway85 CID. "All five County CIDs felt it was imperative that we give these candidates an opportunity to reach the public with their messages."The candidates are expected to discuss issues such as transportation, redevelopment, security during the forum, and viewers will have opportunities to submit questions through the Zoom chat option as well as the Facebook Live comments section.SOURCE: www.GwinnettDailyPost.com#GwinnettCountyPodcast, #Podcast, #DailyHoroscopes

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com BMarko Structures is building hospital rooms in metal storage units at its Lawrenceville facility. The company usually makes offices, restaurants and other structures from used metal shipping containers. As hospital beds across the country fill up with COVID-19 patients, BMarko has added “liberty pods” to its production schedule.SOURCE: www.AJC.com#GwinnettcountyPodcast, #DailyHoroscopes, #Podcast

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com The Aurora is launching a digital performing arts series to bring arts programs to residents computers for free throughout April. The activities, which include crafting, storytelling and theater games, will be broadcast on the Aurora’s website, auroratheatre.com, as well as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.“Aurora Theatre is home to the highest level of artistic excellence in the region, offering performing arts experiences and the sense of community,” Aurora officials said. “As the state transitions from gatherings to the practice of social distancing, the (theater) has launched an interactive, digital series to provide access to art and showcase its talented artists.”Aurora officials are encouraging the community to discuss and engage with the programs by using #ATSocialDistancingDiaries on Facebook and Instagram. And, while the programs are free, the Aurora is accepting donations to support the programs. Donations can be made at bit.ly/2XCjr7v.SOURCE: www.GwinnettDailyPost.com#GwinnettCountyPodcast, #Podcast, #DailyHoroscopes

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com Collins Hill High School junior Christa Campbell just wants to help her community during the COVID-19 coronavirus disease outbreak.Campbell knows several people who work in the health care profession. Some of them are in her own family. Others are parents of friends. That has given her an indication of the demands and stress health care workers are facing on the front line of the pandemic.So she and some friends decided to organize an effort with local restaurants to show health care workers at Northside Hospital-Gwinnett in Lawrenceville that they are appreciated.“I think it’s really important to help our medical staff, because I don’t know if everyone knows this or not, but they’re working 12-hour shifts without enough time to go out and get a meal,” Campbell said.Campbell, 16, recently started the Gwinnett Meal Bridge with help from Shivani Desai and Nathan Eyasu, who she works with on Gwinnett County Public Schools’ Gwinnett Student Leadership Team. The idea is that Gwinnett County residents can buy meals that will be delivered to hospital workers.Eight restaurants in Lawrenceville are participating in the effort, and Campbell said the interest form the community has been strong enough so far that she is lining up restaurants in the Norcross area so the Gwinnett Meal Bridge can provide meals to workers at the Good Samaritan Health Clinic of Gwinnett County as well.“So we just started (last) week, but so far we’ve provided anywhere from 70 to 100 meals a day,” she said.Participating restaurants, so far, include Universal Joint, Cosmo’s Little Italy and Blue Rooster Bake Shop and Eatery on the Lawrenceville Square, Chili’s on Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road and Jason’s Deli on Duluth Highway in Lawrenceville, Cuernavaca Grill Mexican Restaurant on Grayson Highway in Lawrenceville, Feast 26 in Buford and Smokin’ Gold Barbecue in Lilburn.SOURCE: www.GwinnettDailyPost.com#GwinnettcountyPodcast, #Podcast, #DailyHoroscopes

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com The Lilburn school announced that starting tonight it will turn the stadium lights on at the football and baseball stadiums to honor its seniors.Each week night, the school will turn on the stadium lights at 8:20 (which is 20:20 in military time) and leave them on for 20 minutes and 20 seconds to honor the Class of 2020."The Big Orange Jungle and Hugh Buchanan Field will be lit up to symbolize the fact that the class of 2020 is a light to our Parkview Community," a release said on the school's web site. "Class of 2020 you are appreciated and loved!"SOURCE: www.GwinnettDailyPost.com

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com Gwinnett County, GA – With schools and many businesses closed and the rate of unemployment increasingeach week, families are finding it harder and harder to provide basic necessities for their household. In acollaborative effort to provide meals for families, LETTUM EAT! Inc. has partnered with the Gwinnett CountyNAACP, First Baptist Church Snellville, Guardian Financial Services, and also Brian Whiteside, SolicitorGeneral of Gwinnett County to take the initiative and stand in the gap for those needy families with LETTUMEAT! Gwinnett - a free meal drive thru distribution event.LETTUM EAT! Inc. is a mobile food service providing free meals to food insecure individuals and families inlocal Communities. Our Mission is Mobile Food Provisions Prepared with Care and Served with Compassionto those in Need. We are engaging a large network of resources involving experienced Chefs and RestaurantProfessionals and partnering with local Churches with under used professional kitchens and Restaurants andGrocery Stores with daily food surpluses. We employ a formula that will impact Hunger in our Communitiesin a major way. LETTUM EAT! Inc. has taken the parameters of those opportunities and developed a plan withthe implementation of mobile food trucks to bring relief to individuals and families suffering from FoodInsecurity.The goal is to provide at least 2500 meals each week. Since GCPS has been providing breakfast and lunches forfamilies, LETTUM EAT! Gwinnett is focusing on dinners. This drive thru service is scheduled Monday through Fridaysfrom 4:30pm to 6:30pm, starting April 13, 2020. The locations rotate each day:Mondays - First Baptist Church Snellville, 2400 Main St E, Snellville, GA 30078Tuesdays - Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church, 3458 Church St, Duluth, GA 30096Wednesdays - Christ the King Dacula, 258 Rabbit Hill Road, Dacula, GA. 30019Thursdays - Lawrenceville Cooperative Ministries, Inc., 52 Gwinnett Drive, Lawrenceville GA. 30046Fridays - Norcross; TBD - see website for updatesThis effort will continue each week, contingent upon contributions.Times like these are when we see what communities are made of. It’s during these hardships that we seeeveryone come together to look out for their neighbors and for those in need. LETTUM EAT! Inc. is spearheadingthis movement for needy families, but they can’t do it alone. A contribution from the community will allowthis effort to continue week after week. All it takes is approximately $10 to feed a family of 5. If you wouldlike more information about Lettum Eat! Gwinnett and contributing to this effort, you can contact Chef Hankat: Instagram @lettumeat / website at https://lettumeat.com/lettum-eat-gwinnet

www.GoodMoringGwinnett.com The Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale Boards of Health have reached an agreement with Gwinnett convention officials to use the Infinite Energy Center as a remote site for testing people for the COVID-19 coronavirus disease — if it is needed.Health department spokesman Chad Wasdin said agreements were reached with the Infinite Energy Center in Duluth and the Georgia International Horse Park in Conyers to use those locations as testing sites "if we expand our testing capacity."In the Infinite Energy Center's case, one of its new parking decks would be used as the testing location."If we move to a larger-scale drive-through testing operation, the important message is that until new guidance is received from the Department of Public Health, the criteria to be tested won’t change," Wasdin said."We will still only test symptomatic individuals that are considered part of 'critical infrastructure' as outlined in the Governor’s executive order."There is no schedule in place for when an expansion of testing capacity in Gwinnett, Newton or Rockdale counties could occur.SOURCE: www.GwinnettDaiilyPost.com#GwinnettCountyPodcast, #Podcast, #DailyHoroscope,

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com ATLANTA - Gov. Brian Kemp and Georgia’s top legislative leaders jointly announced Wednesday they will extend a statewide public health emergency due to the coronavirus pandemic through May 13.Kemp first declared a public health emergency back on March 14 as COVID-19 began taking hold in Georgia. Lawmakers ratified the governor’s order two days later during a one-day special session and set the declaration to expire on April 13.“This measure will allow us to continue to deploy resources to communities in need, lend support to frontline medical providers, and keep preparing as we brace for potential patient surge in our health-care facilities,” Kemp said in a prepared statement. “We deeply appreciate the hard work of Georgians who are sheltering in place, using social distancing, and helping us flatten the curve. We are in this fight together.”SOURCE: www.GwinnettDailyPost.com

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com Gwinnett County commissioners remain on track to put transit expansion on the November ballot, but they did so by delaying a final decision about exactly what will be in the referendum.The commissioners will vote Tuesday to approve a comprehensive project list that will be sent to the ATL board for approval. Any projects that go before voters in November must be on that list and be approved by the 16-member board of business leaders and government officials.The list commissioners decided on Thursday, though, has more options than they can afford.They chose to include what they called an aspirational heavy rail MARTA extension to Gwinnett Place Mall in their proposal, while also moving forward with a transit plan that assumes there will be no heavy rail at all in the county. A bus that connects Gwinnett County to Athens also made the list.SOURCE: www.AJC.com#GwinnettCountyPodcast, #DailyHoroscope, #Podcast

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com Lawrenceville is offering $2 million worth of assistance to utility customers who are having trouble paying their gas and electric bills because of the coronavirus pandemic.The assistance includes credit deposits, payment plans and a program that will pay for one monthly bill.Th bill payment program, funded with $100,000 from The Salvation Army, covers the cost of one month’s utility bill in a 12-month period. To use the program, contact the Salvation Army at 770-724-1660 or email or call Lawrenceville’s customer service center at customerservice@lawrencevillega.org or 678-407-6675.Coronavirus: Why washing your hands is more important...By Northside HospitalAdvertiser ContentCoronavirus: Why washing your hands is more important...Utility customers can also spread bills and payments out over up to six months, if they have a financial need. To make arrangements to do so, contact the city at 678-407-6675 or customerservice@lawrencevillega.org.And the city will refund a required deposit for utility service after one year of good payment instead of two, as was the norm. The deposit amount varies based on credit history for residential users, but city manager Chuck Warbington estimated it was between $100 and $800 for most customers. For commercial users, the deposit is based on the prior year’s highest utility consumption and ranges from $100 to $5,000. The money will be considered a utility payment credit and the city estimates that could release $2 million for residents to spend elsewhere.The city said more than 3,200 business and residential customers would be affected.SOURCE: www.AJC.com

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com Gov. Brian Kemp announced Wednesday that he will issue a statewide shelter in place order that will go into effect Friday, and he is issuing an order today for schools to close for the remainder of the school year.The shelter in place order will be signed by Kemp on Thursday, and will remain in effect until April 13. The order to close schools for the remainder of the school year was expected to be signed late Wednesday afternoon."New models show Georgia will need more time to prepare for hospital surge capacity, and while we are making excellent progress with our team, we have got to be more aggressive," Kemp said.SOURCE: www.gwinnettdailypost.com#Coronavirus, #shelterin, #GwinnettCountyPodcast, #podcast, #dailyhoroscopes

www.GoodMorningGwinnett.com Gwinnett County has issued a boil water advisory for a community at its southern tip because of a water main break.The advisory covers multiple streets in the Norris Lake area, near Snellville and in the southernmost part of Gwinnett sanwiched between DeKalb and Rockdale counties. Residents in the affected area should not drink the water or wash dishes cook, make ice, brush teeth or prepare baby food with it unless boiled for at least one minute.SOURCE: www.AJC.com#GwinnettCountyPodcast, #DailyHoroscopes, #Podcast