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Community Corner

🌱 ATL: Top 15% For Jobs + COVID Crowds Hospitals + SCAD Fashion

The quickest way to get caught up on the most important things happening today in Atlanta.

Kathy Cioffi, Community Contributor
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(Patch)

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

First, today's weather:

A couple of afternoon showers. High: 50 Low: 27.

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Here are the top 5 stories today in Atlanta:

  1. According to the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business, Georgia's economy will see such strong growth in 2022 that it will finally surpass its pre-pandemic number of jobs in the first half of the year. Fittingly, the personal finance website WalletHub ranked Atlanta in the top 15 percent of the year′s top cities for jobs. In WalletHub's recently released "2022's Best Cities For Jobs" rankings, Atlanta ranked 27 overall among more than 180 cities for the best urban areas to find employment. Columbia, Md., finished on top, followed by Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Portland, Maine, and Austin, Texas, in that order. (Free: Atlanta Patch; Subscription: The Atlanta Journal Constitution)
  2. As the spread of the Omicron variant causes a surge in new COVID infections, metro Atlanta hospitals are overrun with patients. Wednesday morning, Grady Hospital briefly entered total diversion, meaning anyone not needing level one trauma services - such as anyone suffering from a gunshot wound, injuries from a serious car accident, or any other level one trauma - would be sent to another hospital for treatment, if possible. Grady is one of 11 hospitals stretched so thin that Gov. Brian Kemp deployed 102 Georgia National Guard troops to assist with testing, logistical support, and other needs. Hospitals aren't the only facilities being overwhelmed. COVID testing sites are also being slammed, and Kemp responded by deploying 96 troops to 16 Department of Public Health testing sites across the state. (CBS46 News Atlanta)
  3. An exhibition on view now through April 16 offers a sneak peek behind the chaos of runway shows. At the SCAD Fash Museum of Fashion and Film in Atlanta, Robert Fairer and exhibit curator Rafael Gomes showcase the clamor behind the curtain in "Backstage Pass: Dior, Galliano, Jacobs, and McQueen." Catering to anyone who has ever gazed at the glamor of fashion models on the runway and wondered what goes on behind the scenes, the SCAD Atlanta exhibit offers an insider view of the fashion world. (WABE 90.1 FM)
  4. Amtrak train passengers say they were stuck on the tracks for nearly 40 hours when a winter storm delayed their trip this week. Amtrak's Crescent, which left New Orleans Sunday on its way to New York, got stuck north of Lynchburg, Va., Monday and wouldn't head northbound again till late Tuesday. Sean Thornton and his daughter, of Richmond, Va., had been visiting friends in Atlanta when they boarded the Crescent on Sunday, expecting to arrive in Charlottesville around 11:30 a.m. Monday. Thornton detailed the many issues passengers experienced through Tuesday - including getting stopped in a no-reception zone for cell phone service or train WiFi, the train running out of food, lack of water, and plumbing issues. The train has since reached its destination, according to passengers, although the Associated Press reported a number of New York-New Orleans Crescents departing on Tuesday and later days were canceled, along with other trains. (WSB Atlanta)
  5. The Archdiocese of Atlanta issued a mask mandate for students returning to classes this week in the archdiocese's 18 Catholic schools. A statement sent by Hal Plummer, the superintendent of schools, to school families said the measure is necessary for at least two weeks due to the state's "dramatic rise" in COVID-19 cases. (Subscription: The Atlanta Journal Constitution)

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Today in Atlanta:

  • Blood Drive (In Cafe) at Little Five Points Center for Arts and Community (10:00 AM)
  • Central DeKalb Senior Center Book Discussion at the DeKalb County Public Library (1:30 PM)

From my notebook:

  • When the district returns to in-person learning, Atlanta Public Schools needs help from families to keep students in the classroom. If you have not done so already, please fill out our consent form to have your student surveillance tested at school. https://bit.ly/3sYA39d (Facebook)
  • While there's still time to shine at Atlanta Botanical Garden's Garden Lights, 2022 is in full swing at the urban oasis. Take a peek at our calendar of classes and programs: https://bit.ly/ABGATLEventsClasses (Facebook)
  • Atlanta Public Schools will be offering and strongly encouraging voluntary COVID-19 testing for staff and students today, Jan. 6, and Friday, Jan. 7, from noon to 5 p.m. There is a testing location in each APS cluster. Staff may use any location. Download the testing locations here: https://bit.ly/3HFNY8n (Facebook)
  • The Fulton County Library System is kicking off the new year with the first Online Book Club selection, "The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers," by Maxwell King. Reading starts today! Grab your free digital copy and join the conversation today. Register at pbc.guru/fultonlibraries. (Facebook)
  • The Atlanta Falcons are proud to announce Year 1️⃣ for Kyle Pitts is going in the record books 👏 (Instagram)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday! See you all tomorrow morning for another update.

— Kathy Cioffi

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

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