🌱 ATL Warming Centers + New School COVID Policies + Pre-K Monies

Kathy Cioffi
Updated ·6 min read

Happy Friday, neighbors! Here's everything you need to know about what's happening in town today.

First, today's weather:

Mostly sunny. High: 42 Low: 29.

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Here are the top 5 stories today in Atlanta:

  1. As freezing temperatures move into the metro Atlanta area today, city leaders are opening an emergency warming center as well as providing transportation. Friday temperatures will start off in the 20s, the coldest the area has seen since February 2021, according to 11Alive StormTrackers. Today and Saturday are expected to stay cool, with lows in the 20s and highs in the 40s to 50s daily. The warming center, which opened Thursday night and will remain open until Saturday at 10 a.m., is located at 3404 Delmar Lane NW, which is the Old Adamsville Recreation Center. Anyone needing transportation can head to the Gateway Center at 275 Pryor Street SW at 8 p.m. tonight. (11Alive.com WXIA)

  2. When Atlanta Public Schools resume face-to-face instruction Monday, it will be with a significantly new COVID-19 testing strategy for students. Launching a “test-to-stay” policy, the plan allows students and employees to remain in school if they are exposed to COVID-19 but test negative and have no symptoms. Anyone who tests positive or has symptoms will be sent home, and those who do not agree to testing must quarantine at home for 10 days. The change goes into effect Jan. 18 and requires parental consent for students to be tested. Additionally, the district said individual schools may switch to virtual learning based on COVID-19 case counts in the school and community. (Free: Fox 5 Atlanta; Subscription: The Atlanta Journal Constitution)

  3. Georgia's state-funded prekindergarten and child care teachers will receive two more rounds of $1,000 bonuses paid from federal coronavirus aid, according to a Department of Early Care and Learning announcement Tuesday. Last year, an earlier round of bonuses paid a total of $33.4 million to more than 33,000 teachers statewide. The cost of the three bonus payments will be about $100 million, said Early Care and Learning Commissioner Amy Jacobs. Because of increased costs and decreased enrollments, the state has been using coronavirus aid to support private child care providers directly. Last year, the state and public universities made $1,000 bonus payments to K-12 and university employees using federal aid. (am920theanswer.com)

  4. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will be visiting Atlanta Jan. 11. The White House said Biden and Harris will speak about the "urgent need to pass legislation to protect the constitutional right to vote."Other details about the trip have yet to be released. (11Alive.com WXIA)

  5. Thanks to the largest donation in the history of the Atlanta Fire Rescue Foundation’s Fire Station Fund, Atlanta fire fighters will get new washers, dryers and other furnishings. The anonymous donor's gift of $150,000 will give four Atlanta Fire Rescue Stations in Buckhead and Southwest Atlanta the resources to make improvements and upgrades to the fire rescue stations' interiors. This includes state-of-the-art washing machines and dryers that help remove carcinogens and other hazardous materials from a firefighter's turnout gear. Previously known as Adopt a Fire Station, the Fire Station Fund offers a trusted platform for individuals, corporate stewards and community organizations to directly support the unmet needs of Atlanta Fire Rescue Department's 36 fire rescue stations. Since the city’s budget is primarily directed to covering firefighter salaries and benefits, the Foundation provides the gap funding necessary to maintain a world-class fire and rescue institution. (MDJOnline.com)

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Today in Atlanta:

  • Interstellar Echoes (A Tribute to Pink Floyd) at 37 Main in Buford (9:30 PM)

  • Like Glue Fridays, Atlanta Reggae, Soca, Afrobeat, Dancehall, at Buckhead Saloon (10 PM)

  • Ladies Night Out at Rose Bar Atlanta (10 PM)

From my notebook:

  • Add a little party to your life with the Atlanta Humane Society's Disco! 🕺 Disco is a good-looking guy who is ready to find his perfect match. He’s currently relaxing and practicing his dancing skills in a foster home. He’s playful and loving as can be once he has a chance to settle into new surroundings. Have feline friends at home already? Great! Disco enjoys the company of other cats. Being the life of the party can be a bit overwhelming to some (we can’t ALL be party animals!), so we think Disco will be happiest living with older children and adults. Disco qualifies for our Foster First Program, which means you can take him home for 14 days prior to adoption to ensure he’s a perfect fit for your family. If you’re ready to disco with Disco, visit atlantahumane.org/disco.(Facebook)

  • Cruise into 2022 in this cool snap for an oh-so-cool city today via @caltheme. #atlantasnaps (Instagram)

  • The school year is halfway over and summer will be here before you know it! Plan ahead to enroll your child in Atlanta History Center’s history and writing camps for summer 2022. Campers have several history and writing options to enjoy during these four weeks of camps. History camp themes vary from the ancient world to the history of space, while writing camp themes range from basic writing skills to learning how to create fictional and fantastical stories. All summer 2022 camps are in-person and will take place at Atlanta History Center’s Buckhead campus. Register now to secure your spot! https://www.atlantahistorycenter.com/program.../summer-camp/ (Facebook)

  • Atlanta Public Schools is preparing to reopen schools for in-person learning on Monday, Jan. 10. We are implementing some new health protocols and reinforcing many existing protocols. Students can get tested today. Vaccines offered on Saturday. Read all the details in Dr. Herring's memo here: https://bit.ly/3eRN8ZG (Facebook)

  • Do you need a vaccine or booster? Fulton County Government, Fulton County Board of Health, and Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency (AFCEMA) are offering vaccines at the sites listed six days a week. (Facebook)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with another update.

— Kathy Cioffi

This article originally appeared on the Atlanta Patch