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Mayor speaks on community efforts to deal with crisis By PATRICK FOX pat@appenmediagroup.com DUNWOODY, Ga. — The hustle and bustle of Dunwoody is on leave for the time being. The city’s office landscape is all but empty, its swarm of shoppers almost vanished. It’s a far cry from what Mayor Lynn Deutsch expected four months ago when she was sworn in as the city’s fourth chief executive. As the COVID-19 crisis took hold and developed into a full-scale pandemic last month, Deutsch said she became increasingly concerned. She said she was hoping the governor would issue a strong shelter in place
order so that everyone in the state is operating under the same guidelines. She said she’s been calling for some kind of homogeny, at least regionally, for a while. “The difference in rules, I think, has been DEUTSCH really confusing to citizens and businesses alike,” Deutsch said. The sticking point, she said, has been that in Georgia, people move about. People may grocery shop near their home but travel out of county to buy other items, she said.
Deutsch said she had been hearing from residents for some time about issuing a shelter in place order for Dunwoody. “My residents, they were asking me, I got emails repeatedly, and messages saying, ‘what are you waiting for?’ throughout this whole process,” the mayor said. Deutsch issued an executive order for shelter in place on Saturday, March 28. It was ratified two days later by the City Council. “Traffic is already way down,” she said. “I did a ride-along with the police chief last week and, at lunchtime at Perimeter Center, there was no traffic. Our corporations seem to have everybody
working from home. It’s very quiet.” If a business remains open, they must follow a strict set of rules for social distancing. Businesses that require contact, other than healthcare facilities, have been ordered to shut down. “You drive through Perimeter Center, virtually every business is closed,” Deutsch said. “And that wasn’t because we closed them, these are national businesses that made decisions on their own.” The mayor said she’s honored to serve a community that has taken the lead in the crisis by observing the rules and helping one another.
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Police warn against coronavirus-related scams By CARSON COOK carson@appenmediagroup.com
testing kits or coronavirus cures and can take the form of robocalls, emails or text messages. There is currently no cure or vaccine GEORGIA — Local police are working for COVID-19, although there is prelimito alert the community to new scams criminals are using to take advantage of nary evidence some existing drugs may people’s fears and insecurity caused by help reduce symptoms. For the latest 6 66 66 6 66 6 the COVID-19 pandemic. reliable information about testing and The Federal Communications Comtreatment, visit cdc.gov/coronavirus, and if you develop a fever, cough or difmission issued new consumer guidelines, which can be found at fcc.gov/ ficulty breathing speak to a healthcare covid-scams. provider. “I don’t know that we’ve seen anyOne hoax falsely claims that the govthing locally yet, but with the way everyernment will order a mandatory national two-week quarantine and instructs you thing has evolved nationwide, we know it’s going to come,” Dunwoody Police Sgt. to go out and stock up on supplies. The messages can appear to be from a “next @ @ Robert @ @ Parsons said. “We’re trying to door neighbor.” @ @ ramp up the public awareness that this 1 13/4/19 Page11 3/4/1911:16 11:16 AM AM Page @ @ is going @ 03-06-19_HAbannerBlue.qxp_Layout Another scam appears as though the to03-06-19_HAbannerBlue.qxp_Layout happen.” 03-06-19_HAbannerBlue.qxp_Layout 1 3/4/19 11:16 AM Page 11:16 1 03-06-19_HAbannerBlue.qxp_Layout 1 3/4/19 AM Page 1 @ New scams include promises of home U.S. Department of Health and Human @ @ @ @
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Services informs recipients that they “The government is not going to ask must take a “mandatory online COyou for your bank account informaVID-19 test” with a link. Some consumer tion to give you your assistance check,” scams may pretend to sell face masks or Parsons said. “That’s just not how the hand sanitizer. process works.” Fraudsters are also preying on fiThese scam techniques aren’t revonancial fears tied to the pandemic, with lutionary, but anxiety surrounding the robocalls promoting work-from-home coronavirus may make some people easiopportunities, student loan repayment er targets than they otherwise would be. plans and debt consolidation offers. Parsons said the police just want people Small businesses are being targeted as to take basic precautions. well as consumers. “These kind of things have been goMany consumers will receive checks ing on for years,” Parsons said. “We want as part of the federal government re- > get the word out to expect that same >to kind of activity around the virus to make sponse to the coronavirus. The> Trea> > > sury Department expects most people > sure > people aren’t being taken advantage > > will receive their payments three > of.” > > > within > > > To protect yourself from these and weeks, via direct-deposit information > > > > the > department has on >file >from prior tax > > > > > > filings. See SCAMS, Page 2 > >
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