t will come as no surprise to most folks in Ellijay that postal service has been struggling to keep up with
the volume of mail over the last few months. You may have experienced delays or cancellations on items
sent via the US Postal Service in recent months, and we know how frustrating that is. Some of these
delays stem from problems at a new distribution plant in Palmetto, Georgia, that has been having a
negative effect on service around the whole southeast. Our own local branch of the post office has also
been struggling to keep fully staffed since the covid 19 pandemic hit in 2020, as most employers have
been hesitant to pay what workers now expect to make due to the rising cost of living.
Cooling Assistance Program Application Information
Hotter temperatures and higher energy prices will make keeping cool this summer more difficult than
ever. Luckily, the Georgia Division of Family & Child Services will be accepting applications to the
federally-funded Low Income Cooling Assistance Program starting April 1st for elderly and home-bound
individuals. Folks over the age of 65 and/or medically confined to the home will have a month long head
start to apply for this program before applications open up to the general public on May 1st.
New Program Changes for NETV
We will no longer be doing the New Ellijay News as a weekly program, and instead we will be bringing
you a monthly local event show called What’s Goin’ On, Ellijay? Hosted by Wheel Dover. This program
will take an in depth look at the community events happening in Ellijay over the next 6 weeks and will be
coming out the second or third week of every month. We plan to develop a visitor-oriented streaming
channel on the NETV Roku app that will run this broadcast hourly, along with weather and other local
spotlight content and advertisements.
The State of Medicaid in Georgia
As we’ve been discussing on New Ellijay News over the past few months, the State of Georgia has been removing tens of thousands of people from its Medicaid rolls since the Federal government declared an end to the Covid-19 Public Health Emergency earlier this year. With that in mind, we’re going to take a deeper dive into Medicaid to raise awareness of how the program works, its eligibility requirements, and how to keep you and your family covered.
Ellijay Gilmer County Water & Sewage Authority to Raise Utility Rates July 1st
Expect higher rates for water and sewage if your provider is the Ellijay Gilmer County Water & Sewage Authority.
All rates and fees for water and sewage services will be increasing starting July 1st, 2023. Fees for new accounts, deposit transfers, and disconnections will all be doubling from $25 to $50, while fees for re-connection will go up 50% from $50 to $75 for business hours re-connection and $100 to $150 for off-hours re-connection.
“Stop Cop City” Protests Continue
Protests continued in Atlanta this week over the proposed cop city project. The plan aims to construct an Atlanta police training facility in one of the last forested areas inside the Atlanta perimeter. This initiative has faced strong opposition from within the community, as well as from activists who argue that it will perpetuate the kind of militarized policing Atlanta PD is known for. The plans include military-grade training facilities, a mock city to practice urban warfare, dozens of shooting ranges, and a Black Hawk helicopter landing pad. Funding for the project is a mix of taxpayer funds and donations to the Atlanta Police Foundation from prominent Atlanta-based corporations such as UPS, Chick-fil-a, Home Depot, and JP Morgan Chase, among others.
Nearly 3 million Georgians to be reassessed for Medicaid eligibility
The end of the Federal Public Health Emergency for Covid-19 on May 11th 2023 could lead to millions across the country being removed from Medicaid rolls. Under temporary COVID-19 rules established at the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, state level Medicaid administrations ceased reassessing and removing recipients of Medicaid, so as to not leave people uninsured during the pandemic. With these rules no longer in place at the Federal level, the state of Georgia’s temporary provisions regarding Medicaid eligibility are coming to an end.
Default or no Default, Economic Pain Likely to Come
Once again, the US is approaching its self-imposed “debt ceiling”, and once again, it looks like a last-minute deal will be the only way to avoid a default. Unlike previous debt ceiling near-misses, this time House Speaker Kevin McCarthy seems unlikely to accept a deal to raise the debt ceiling that doesn’t include deep, draconian across-the-board cuts in federal spending.
Cowabunga, Dudes: Video Rental is Back in Ellijay!
In a nostalgic turn of events, video rental has made a comeback in Ellijay. As streaming options become more limited, some local residents are taking it upon themselves to provide an alternative. Cowabunga Video, located inside Mountain Town Antiques, is offering VHS, DVD, and Blu-ray titles for both sale and rental. Swing by and rediscover the joy of browsing physical movies.
51 Miles from Nowhere… a Modern Epic Recorded in Ellijay
Ellijay record label Analog Revolution is proud to announce the release of the first record from Doctor Deathray and her Implements of Destruction. Their highly anticipated album, “51 Miles from Nowhere” is now available in various formats, including CD, cassette, LP, at businesses around Ellijay including the Ellijay Coffeehouse and Mountain Town Antiques.
The album was recorded at Magic Mountain Studios inside the Ellijay Makerspace, and can be streamed on popular platforms such as Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, and more. Don’t miss out on this electrifying release!