Jasper identified as “skyrocketing suburb” for real estate prices

By Beau Evans

Staff Writer

Capitol Beat News Service

COVID-19 vaccines are set to roll out for Georgians ages 65-years and older, police officers and firefighters in the coming weeks as hospitals, health clinics and nursing homes continue divvying up a limited supply of early doses, Gov. Brian Kemp said Thursday.

  The expansion comes as vaccine providers administer shots more quickly in rural parts of Georgia than in metro areas, giving some places capacity to offer vaccines for vulnerable people besides just health-care workers and nursing home residents, said state Public Health Commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey.

By Dave Williams
Bureau Chief
Capitol Beat News Service
    ATLANTA - Legislation the General Assembly passed this year covering a wide range of subjects from health care to law enforcement to Georgia’s foster care system will take effect with the new year.
Here is a summary of key bills that will take effect Jan. 1:  

   •House Bill 888 takes aim at the practice of “surprise billing” by requiring health insurance companies to cover emergency services a patient receives whether or not the provider is a participant in the patient’s insurance network, leaving it to providers and insurers to settle their differences through arbitration.

Check out this week's print and online editions for top stories and photos from 2020

Final sole commissioner/first commission chair for Pickens County reflects on 16 years in the top post 

 The Progress front page on December 27, 2012 when Rob Jones officially became the first chair of a multi man commission for Pickens County. He is shown with then-Probate Judge Rodney Gibson, and commissioners Becky Denney and Jerry Barnes. 

     To start the interview, it was pointed out that under his tenure the county either built or remodeled the administration building, the courthouse, the community center at Roper Park, the recycling center, the Public Works department and all the fire stations.