News

Capitol Recap: Sine Die

Capitol Recap: Sine Die  By: Sen. Larry Walker (R - Perry) The 2020 session has finally come to an end, Sine Die, completing what was likely the most unusual session ever. This session has been unprecedented, marked by a public health emergency, which saw us suspend for three months, only to return to face a budget crisis amid civil unrest. Despite the remarkable challenges, we pressed on to fulfill our duties and to complete our work for the people of Georgia. I’m proud of the resilience and focus shown

Carl Vinson VA Medical Center surpasses 5,000 video visits in 2020

Carl Vinson VA Medical Center surpasses 5,000 video visits in 2020VA Video Connect visits increase over 1000% nationwideduring COVID-19 pandemic    DUBLIN - The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently announced that video telehealth appointments to Veterans’ homes increased over 1000%, as Veterans increasingly chose virtual care through VA Video Connect during the COVID-19 pandemic. In middle Georgia, the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center (CVVAMC) conducted more than 3,200 telehealth appointments

Dublin Rotary Club Initiates New President and Officers

Dublin Rotary Club Initiates New President and Officers“Rotary Opens Opportunities” 2020-2021 Theme  DUBLIN, GA (06/29/2020): At the Dublin Rotary Club meeting on Friday, June 26, former club president Jack Walker stepped down and welcomed incoming club president Will Curry.   “I am fortunate to have my father, Louie Curry, as a past president, Jack Walker (immediate past president) as a mentor over the past year, a qualified board of directors and officers, and a club that is willing to give me the

OFTC Respiratory Instructor & Graduates Serve on COVID-19 Frontlines in Albany

Chad Keown - Dublin Brittany Bryant - Eastman Kimberly Hall - Warthen Natalie Smith, Instructor - Bleckley Valeria Zanders - McRae OFTC Respiratory Instructor & Graduates Serve on COVID-19 Frontlines in Albany 06/18/20 OFTC – When the COVID-19 pandemic hit Georgia, hundreds of nurses, first responders, and other emergency medical personnel stepped up, including an Oconee Fall Line Technical College (OFTC) Respiratory Care instructor and four of her graduates. “I’ve been a respiratory therapist

Downtown Dublin detour loop required this weekend

  Downtown Dublin detour loop required this weekendWeather permitting, Saturday and Sunday northbound State Route 19/Jefferson Street traffic must detour around downtown, allowing Everett Dykes Grassing time to complete a repave from MLK Jr. Boulevard to the courthouse. Work will begin around 8 a.m. June 27 and June 28. The short detour must be removed both evenings. Southbound SR 19 travelers will have minimal impacts but should still remain alert and expect some delays around the city. This is a key

Virtual Ask Admissions Day Scheduled for OFTC

  Virtual Ask Admissions Day Scheduled for OFTC  06/25/2020  OFTC –Oconee Fall Line Technical College will host a virtual ‘Ask Admissions’ day designed to answer questions of those interested in getting started with education and skills training at OFTC.  Topics to be covered include how to get started, next steps, programs and services, and how to enroll.  The Ask Admissions Day is scheduled for Wednesday, July 22 and there will be two sessions to choose from: one at 10 AM and one at 2

Capitol Recap: Week 10 of the 2020 Session

 Capitol Recap: Week 10 of the 2020 Session  By: Sen. Larry Walker (R - Perry) The Senate has now completed five out of the remaining eleven days of the 2020 session and as I had anticipated, we have been working rapidly, yet thoroughly, to make sure we pass all essential pieces of legislation before Sine Die. The fast paced environment at the state Capitol, paired with the excitement of returning, has produced an incredible amount of momentum and I have no doubt we will see many legislative successes in

Duncan Supports Committee Passage of Hate Crimes Bill

Duncan Supports Committee Passage of Hate Crimes Bill Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan expressed his support for the Senate Judiciary Committee’s passage of the hate crimes bill, HB 426, with the addition of first responders as a protected class.“I am committed to seeing hate crimes legislation passed this session, and committee approval of HB 426 keeps the process moving forward,” said Duncan. “I appreciate the work that the House has put into this issue, and adding first responders deserves to receive widespread

Lt. Governor Duncan Proposes ‘Strong, Meaningful’ Hate Crimes Bill

OFFICE OF LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  Contact: John PorterJohn.Porter@ltgov.ga.gov678-784-9243  Lt. Governor Duncan Proposes ‘Strong, Meaningful’ Hate Crimes Bill  ATLANTA (June 17, 2020) | Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan today introduced hate crimes legislation that empowers communities by giving them the ability to seek a hate crimes charge from a grand jury if local prosecutors don’t. The bill would also create a separate offense for “bias-motivated intimidation” for alleged hate crimes,

Capitol Recap: Reconvening of the 2020 Session

Capitol Recap: Reconvening of the 2020 SessionBy: Sen. Larry Walker (R - Perry) As Monday marked the return of the Georgia General Assembly for the remainder of the 2020 legislative session, elected officials have stepped right back into our daily routines of vigorously working around the clock to support the people of Georgia. Albeit, the Gold Dome may look slightly different this time around, compared to March.  Throughout the month, members and staffers have been working to ensure the return of the

Dublin City Schools Opens Virtual Registration Portal

Dublin City Schools Opens Virtual Registration PortalDublin City Schools is pleased to announce that its Online Registration portal is fully operational. (Currently enrolled students do not have to register)  Parents and caregivers can now easily register, withdraw or inter-district transfer students from the convenience of their home with any desktop, laptop or mobile device.  Simply click on the “Register Online” button found at www.dcs.irish, and you’ll be taken to our Central Registration homepage.

Amanda Payne Says OFTC’s Accounting Program was “The Best Decision I Ever Made.”

Amanda Payne graduated from OFTC’s Accounting Program in 2019 and quickly secured employment at a local accounting firm.   Amanda Payne Says OFTC’s Accounting Program was “The Best Decision I Ever Made.”JUNE 10, 2020While it took Amanda Payne years to find her career, when she started taking accounting classes at Oconee Fall Line Technical College (OFTC), she immediately knew it was the field for her.Payne was no stranger to OFTC. She received her GED in 2003 and found herself taking classes toward

Update 6-9-2020 - U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler

Hello:I wanted to share the update below that may be helpful to Georgia hospitals and doctors:I joined my colleagues in asking HHS and CMS to prioritize distributing funding from the CARES Act to hospitals that serve a high proportion of Medicaid and low-income patients. The full letter is available here. As a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, I will continue to do everything I can to support our Georgia hospitals, doctors, nurses, EMTs and other medical personnel

Carl Vinson VAMC to begin reopening plan June 15

East Dublin Highway 29 Rehab Begins Tomorrow

EAST DUBLIN - Weather permitting, Everett Dykes Grassing will Monday start surface treatment application on State Route 29 from East Dublin to Rockledge, as part of a maintenance pavement preservation project. Drivers should expect delays in the 13-mile project area from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until complete. Project limits extend from Bank Street to Churchloop Road near the Treutlen County line. Work could take several weeks.An aggregate seal operation entails spraying a heated film of asphalt liquid on

Update 6-8-2020 from U.S. Senator Kelly Loeffler

Hello: I wanted to share the update below that may be helpful to Georgia businesses:President Trump has signed into law the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Flexibility Act, legislation that gives the SBA additional flexibility for PPP loan forgiveness, including extending forgiveness from eight weeks to 24 weeks, eliminating restrictions that limit loan terms to two years and delaying the deadline to rehire employees to offset the effect of enhanced unemployment insurance.   SBA and the Department of

“Dublin-Laurens County Open for Business Guide”

To ensure the safety of our community and to help you navigate the new normal, we have created the “Dublin-Laurens County Open for Business Guide”. This comprehensive guide includes many of the recommendations developed by the Governor’s Economic Recovery Task Force, along with guidelines from the CDC and other federal, state and local agencies.