In addition to our normal news coverage, What Now Atlanta is tracking ways Atlanta’s businesses are adapting to the novel coronavirus and the challenges it brings to brick-and-mortars.
Atlanta is reverting back to Phase I of the City’s five-phase reopening plan, a spokesperson for the Mayor’s office confirmed in an email to What Now Atlanta (WNA) Friday.
Under Phase 1, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms is asking citizens to stay at home and for non-essential businesses to temporarily close again with the exception of curbside services.
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has fully reopened the state and has made no plans to revisit a lockdown or ask non-essential businesses to close down again, calling Bottoms’ guidelines “confusing” Friday.
“Mayor Bottoms’ action today is merely guidance—both non-binding and legally unenforceable,” Kemp’s office said in a press release Friday. “As clearly stated in the Governor’s executive order, no local action can be more or less restrictive, and that rule applies statewide. Once again, if the Mayor actually wants to flatten the curve in Atlanta, she should start enforcing state restrictions, which she has failed to do. We ask citizens and businesses alike to comply with the terms of the Governor’s order, which was crafted in conjunction with state public health officials. These common-sense measures will help protect the lives and livelihoods of all Georgians.”
However, the mask ordinance Mayor Bottoms issued on Wednesday is enforceable, the spokesperson for the Mayor’s office said.
Atlanta up until recently had only been in Phase II (or “easing”) of the City’s voluntary phases.
[Editor’s note: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is rapidly evolving as is its effect on Atlanta, and the City’s businesses and its residents. Click here for What Now Atlanta’s ongoing coverage of the crisis. For guidance and updates on the pandemic, please visit the C.D.C. website.]
21 Responses
Dude has been confused about C-19 from the beginning.
Once again this is not enforceable and leaves the options up to the individual businesses which is the way it should be. When Kemp is reckless and careless enough to contract Covid-19 like Mayor Bottoms then we can revisit this. She has no credibility as far as Covid-19 goes.
And you you know that is the case first hand?
Kemp was clueless about asymptomatic transmission, even when most of us got the memo months before he found out.
I totally understand that Kemp doesn’t want to make a state-wide commitment– because he has rural folks that probably don’t need to take as drastic measures. But the mayors should be able to do what’s necessary to keep their cities safe.
Our Mayor literally went to a press conference COVID-19 positive and took off her mask and spoke at length. How [expletive] stupid and reckless do you have to be to do that? She has zero credibility on this issue. Zilch.
Yet Trump’s rallies are without fault?
Not anymore at fault than the many protests and riots across the country. COVID-19 doesn’t know if you are at a grocery store or protest. It also doesn’t know if you are black, white, brown or any other color on the spectrum. Pretending otherwise is perfidious and deranged. Because of our Mayor’s careless actions she is the poster child of ignorance on this issue and should suffer the repercussions of such behavior.
Our president lies, and distorts the truth.
Social unrest and protests don’t wait for sunny days when everybody is healthy.
Personally I wouldn’t go to a rally, protest, or a restaurant right now.
That’s just me though…
The list of politicians that don’t lie, distort the truth, or exaggerate is very small. It’s why they are in politics and not sitting in a cubicle or working on an assembly line. Politicians who don’t do those things have either a very short shelf life or never get the chance because they lose. Lying is second nature to these individuals and that includes Mayor Bottoms and Brian Kemp. It speaks volumes for being as much of a dunce as he is even Kemp hasn’t contracted COVID-19. Acting like Bottoms is some sort of beacon of truth and transparency is laughable. She is abhorrently corrupt and inept.
We actually almost agree on something.
Have a great weekend– and wear your mask!
She is the worst mayor this city has ever had, and that is saying a lot. The governor has made a statement, it’s only “confusing guidance” and unenforceable. I won’t be closing my business and I suspect many others will follow, in fact every business should.
If you’re not a part of the solution, you might be a part of the problem.
Hopefully your business is following CDC recommendations.
What is your ‘business’ I’ll be sure to go elsewhere.
Bill Campbell is on line one and wants to speak to you.
That’s actually kinda funny Mark!
Tell us what your business is so that we can avoid it.
I’ll be glad to support your business! By the way, this might be helpful to post at the entrance
The governor needs to mind his own business and get his finger out of city politics. In normal times he shows total indifference / dis-interest in Atlanta … maybe he should try that again. I have NEVER been a fan of this mayor, but she is at least trying to take the right steps and follow medical guidance. She doesn’t deserve to be constantly undermined and undercut at every turn – it’s childish.
By going to a press conference and not wearing a mask while having Covid? Not even Kemp has done this. She exposed people to Covid in an extremely reckless manner. Why would anyone listen to her after such an egregious act?
Agree!
It’s easy to tell people close your businesses and don’t go to work… when you are still employed getting paid and giving orders! Whose going to pay our bills??
No, I don’t think that is an easy decision– furthermore, there have been many business owners that have pivoted and started thinking outside of the box. There have also been many financial-help
options offered to people/businesses.
This won’t be the last pandemic. Maybe our (the global community) haven’t made all the right
decisions around C-19, but hopefully we’ve learned a lot from it.
The Catholic Corporation got $1.4 BILLION in government assistance.
The Catholic Church is also closing 26 Catholic schools in NYC alone.
Disgusting, but maybe it will cut down on molestations.
My high school friend’s younger sister was having sex with a priest– he told her it would make her closer to god. Pretty much all of the students knew about it.
23 years later he was thrown out of the church because she came forward…