Jefferson County Reopening Courthouses Friday, With Some Restrictions
By Solomon Crenshaw Jr.
The new normal begins Friday in Jefferson County as the County Commission reopens its courthouses and county facilities. The commission’s order to close county facilities to the public expires Thursday.
“You’ll see some changes when you come in the courthouse,” county manager Tony Petelos said. “We’re doing everything that we possibly can to protect our employees and to protect the public.”
An emergency commission meeting was to have been held Wednesday, but that was canceled in a press release announcing the reopening, which comes with some changes.
“General Services for the last two weeks has been building Plexiglass panels in front of all the counters so that our employees are behind the Plexiglass panel,” Petelos said. “We’re still asking our employees to work remotely when possible. Also, we’re going to ask the public to do as much business with the county online without having to come to the courthouse.”
All visitors to county facilities are required to wear protective face masks or some type of facial covering. Staffers will wear masks and gloves.
The county’s judicial branch is unaffected by the reopening of county facilities as judges have not decided when cases will be heard.
The canceled emergency meeting likely would have been a platform for commissioners to discuss the county’s share of the $2 trillion stimulus bill, the Cares Act. Jefferson County’s share, $115 million, was given to blunt the impact of an economic downturn set in motion by the global coronavirus pandemic.
Petelos said he had taken part in a conference call with the National Association of Counties about those funds. “We’re looking now to see what the rules of engagement are on those before we can do anything with that,” he said. “It can’t supplement lost budgets or revenues.”
40 years after ‘Purple Rain,’ Prince’s band remembers how the movie came together
Before social media, the film Purple Rain gave audiences a peak into Prince’s musical life. Band members say the true genesis of the title song was much less combative than the version presented in the film.
Park Fire in California could continue growing exponentially, Cal Fire officer says
Cal Fire has confirmed that over a hundred structures have been damaged in the Park Fire, which grew overnight near Chico, Calif. Difficult firefighting conditions are forecast through Friday night.
Checking in with Black voters in Georgia about the election, now that Biden is out
Some voters who could be key to deciding who wins Georgia. What do they think about Vice President Harris becoming the frontrunner in the race to be the Democratic nominee?
Tahiti’s waves are a matter of ‘life and death’ for surfing Olympics
Tahiti's Teahupo'o wave has a slew of riders for the Paris 2024 Olympics. NPR finds out why it's called one of the most dangerous waves.
Researchers are revising botanical names to address troubling connotations
Since the mid-1700s, researchers have classified life with scientific names. But some of them have problematic histories and connotations. The botanical community is trying to tackle this issue.
A spectacular opening ceremony wowed a global audience despite Paris’ on-and-off rain
The Paris Olympics opening ceremony wowed Parisians, fans and most everyone who was able to catch a glimpse of thousands of athletes floating down the Seine to officially begin the Games.
