Commercial and Residential Locksmiths in Johns Creek

Following new CDC guidance on face coverings, many retailers are once again directing employees and customers to mask up.

JOHNS CREEK, GA — As coronavirus cases and hospitalizations spike throughout the United States, many retailers in Johns Creek and other cities are re-implementing mask mandates to help curb the spread of coronavirus.

New mask requirements come as the highly contagious delta variant continues to sweep across the nation. The variant, which originated in India, now accounts for more than 93 percent of all new cases in the United States, according to data released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Many retailers attribute revised mandates to the CDC's new mask guidance, which recommends all vaccinated and unvaccinated people wear masks in public indoor settings or when in areas with "substantial" or "high" transmission; however, most stop short of requiring fully vaccinated customers to wear face coverings.

The CDC defines "substantial" transmission as 50 to 99.99 cases per 100,000 people over seven days, while "high" transmission is defined as more than 100 cases per 100,000 during that span.

Here's a look at which retailers in Johns Creek now require masks and who should wear them, according to a list compiled by AARP and various news outlets:

ALDI, 10955 Jones Bridge Rd, Johns Creek, GA 30022Who Has To Mask Up: Face coverings are required for unvaccinated customers and employees, and optional for vaccinated customers.

Apple, 8130 Avalon Blvd, Alpharetta, GA 30009Who Has To Mask Up: Citing a company memo to employees, Bloomberg reported that Apple reinstituted a mask requirement for shoppers and staff at most of its U.S. retail outlets.

AT&T, Find your closest locationWho Has To Mask Up: Employees, customers and visitors are required to wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

Bed Bath & Beyond, 6050 North Point Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA 30022; 2623 Peachtree Pkwy, Suwanee, GA 30024Who Has To Mask Up: A mask mandate remains in place for shoppers and employees but exempts fully vaccinated customers "in U.S. locations where permitted by local order or law."

BJ's Wholesale, 1725 Market Pl Blvd, Cumming, GA 30041Who Has To Mask Up: While masks are optional for fully vaccinated customers and employees, unvaccinated persons and all shoppers and staff in BJ's optical departments are required to wear masks.

Costco, 2855 Jordan Ct, Alpharetta, GA 30004Who Has To Mask Up: Face coverings are strongly recommended for all members and guests.

CVS, Find your closest locationWho Has To Mask Up: Face coverings are required for employees and customers who are not fully vaccinated, and optional for those who are.

Home Depot, 5950 State Bridge Rd, Duluth, GA 30097Who Has To Mask Up: The retailer issued a mask requirement for "all associates, contractors and vendors" at its U.S. stores. All customers will be asked to wear masks.

Kohl's, 3620 Peachtree Pkwy, Suwanee, GA 30024Who Has To Mask Up: Kohl's requires all employees in counties with a substantial or high risk of transmission to wear masks while in store. The company has also requested that customers in these areas wear masks.

Kroger, Find your closest locationWho Has To Mask Up: Masks are "strongly encouraged" for fully vaccinated customers and employees. Masks are required for unvaccinated customers and employees working in in-store clinics and pharmacies.

Lowe's, 3580 Peachtree Pkwy, Suwanee, GA 30024Who Has To Mask Up: Lowe's employees are required to wear masks at all locations. Meanwhile, customers are encouraged to also wear masks.

McDonald's, Find your closest locationWho Has To Mask Up: McDonald's has mandated that all customers and employees wear masks at locations in areas with high or substantial rates of COVID-19 transmission.

Publix, Find your closest locationWho Has To Mask Up: All employees are required to wear face coverings. Masks are optional for vaccinated customers.

Starbucks, Find your closest locationWho Has To Mask Up: Starbucks "strongly recommends" customers wear facial coverings regardless of vaccination status. Masks are required where mandated by local law or regulation. Starting Aug. 5, all store partners must wear face coverings.

Target, Find your closest locationWho Has To Mask Up: Target requires face coverings for all team members and strongly recommends face coverings for all customers in areas with a substantial or high risk of transmission.

TJX CompaniesWho Has To Mask Up: The parent company of T.J.Maxx, Marshalls, Sierra and HomeGoods requires all employees and unvaccinated customers to wear face coverings, which remain optional for fully vaccinated customers.

Verizon, Find your closest locationWho Has To Mask Up: The company says masks "may be required" at Verizon locations and that its outlets follow "CDC guidelines and legal requirements."

Walgreens, Find your closest locationWho Has To Mask Up: Employees regardless of vaccination status are required to mask up. Customers and employees who are not vaccinated are asked to continue wearing masks.

Walmart, Find your closest locationWho Has To Mask Up: All employees must wear face coverings regardless of vaccination status. Masks are encouraged for fully vaccinated customers and required for those unvaccinated.

Whole Foods, 2800 Old Milton Pkwy, Alpharetta, GA 30009; 5945 State Bridge Rd, Duluth, GA 30097Who Has To Mask Up: Masks are required for unvaccinated customers and employees. Masks are optional for vaccinated customers and employees.

Ware County has never won a state title. Cambridge has never a region championship. Their elusive goals came into focus Friday night in the ninth week of the Georgia high school football season.

If it weren’t already apparent, Ware County made it clear that defending champions – even Warner Robins – will have a tough time repeating this season as the Gators ended the Demons’ 15-game win streak, the state’s longest, with a 29-21 Class 5A victory.

It was Ware County’s first victory over a No. 1-ranked team from the same classification since beating Northside-Warner Robins in the 2012 semifinals, and it avenged Ware County’s 22-19 loss to Warner Robins in 2020. Ware County had been 0-3 all-time against the Demons.

Ware County moved to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in Region 1 - often considered Class 5A’s strongest - while Warner Robins is 6-1, 0-1.

All eight of 2020′s defending champions now have lost at least once.

Cambridge, a north Fulton County school that opened in 2012, won the evening’s most riveting game, a 48-47 overtime victory over Johns Creek. Zach Harris scored on a keeper for a 48-41 lead, and Brooks Morley blocked Johns Creek’s extra point to finish it.

Cambridge (6-0, 4-0) emerged as Region 7′s only unbeaten team while Johns Creek fell to 5-2, 3-1.

Otherwise, it was a relatively tame Friday. A week after a season-high 10 unranked teams beat ranked opponents, the top 10 had their revenge, going 40-1 against the unranked.

The lone upset, really a toss-up, came when Riverwood beat No. 10 Creekview 35-28 in another game in the closely contested Cambridge-Johns Creek region. Riverwood and Creekview entered with 5-1 overall and 2-1 region records.

Five other games matched ranked teams.

In Class 7A, No. 3 North Cobb beat No. 6 Walton 51-29 in Region 3. North Cobb is the region’s defending champion.

In 5A, No. 2 Cartersville beat No. 8 Blessed Trinity 49-21. Cartersville is now 8-0 and potentially the new No. 1 team if Warner Robins drops from that position in Sunday’s rankings.

In other games between ranked teams, No. 4 Bleckley County beat No. 6 Northeast 9-6 in Region 3-2A; No. 5 Eagle’s Landing Christian beat No. 7 Pacelli 41-0 in Region 4-A Private; and No. 2 Brooks County beat No. 10 Charlton County 42-7 in Region 2-A Public.

The U.S. Department of Education recently named Johns Creek Elementary a 2021 National Blue Ribbon school, recognizing leaders and staff for hard work and dedication to academic performance and closing achievement gaps for students.

Johns Creek was one of 325 schools across the nation and one of only nine schools in Georgia to receive the honor.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, the National Blue Ribbon award “affirms the hard work of educators and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content.”

Now in its 39th year, the award has been given to more than 9,000 schools in the U.S.

“This year’s cohort of honorees demonstrates what is possible when committed educators and school leaders create vibrant, welcoming, and affirming school cultures where rich teaching and learning can flourish,” said Miguel Cardona, U.S. Secretary of Education.

This year, the honor means even more to school leaders who were able to continue providing students with the best education possible through the pandemic when many children took to virtual learning.

“In the face of unprecedented circumstances, you found creative ways to engage, care for, protect and teach our children,” Cardona said. “Blue Ribbon Schools have so much to offer and can serve as a model for other schools and communities so that we can truly build back better.”

According to the National Blue Ribbon website, most of Johns Creek’s students attended school virtually for the first half of the 2020-21 school year, and Principal Alyssa Degliumberto and her team worked to make sure the students felt connected while they were apart from peers and teachers.

Knowing what all educators went through in the last school year, Degliumberto was excited to see Johns Creek named as a National Blue Ribbon School.

“What an amazing honor and privilege …. We are so proud of the dedication and hard work of our students, staff and parents, and that it is being recognized on a national level,” Degliumberto said.

Johns Creek was also named as a National Blue Ribbon school in 2015, and seven other Forsyth County public schools have earned the title in previous years, including Big Creek Elementary, Brookwood Elementary, Daves Creek Elementary, Riverwatch Middle, Settles Bridge Elementary, Sharon Elementary and South Forsyth Middle.

JOHNS CREEK, Ga., Oct. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- World Financial Group Insurance Agency, LLC (WFGIA) and Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc. (TFA) are pleased to announce that one of their top independent agents and representatives, Jan Zhuang, Ph.D., CFP^® and Executive Vice Chairperson, has been recognized as one of the top-ranked advisors in the United States on Forbes' most recent list of America's Top Financial Security Professionals. This annual list, compiled by SHOOK Research, spotlights the nation's top-performing advisors who are evaluated on quantitative and qualitative criteria, including personal interviews, industry experience and revenue trends.

In addition to being an insurance agent with WFGIA, Zhuang is a registered representative and an investment advisor representative with WFGIA's affiliate broker/dealer and registered investment advisor, Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc. With these qualifications, Zhuang can provide securities and investment advisor products and services, in addition to life insurance, to individuals, families and businesses.

"I came to the United States to obtain a Ph.D. in organic chemistry, but when I had my daughter, I wanted to begin planning for her future and realized I didn't know much about personal finances," Zhuang said. "I heard about the World Financial Group business opportunity and joined because I desired more flexibility to raise our children, travel and help others towards financial independence. I later became a representative with TFA so I could offer a deeper portfolio of products and services to my clients. Leveraging the company's business platform and having a team of people to work with, we can build a business for ourselves, but not by ourselves, and impact more people by offering products, services and value. I believe everyone deserves an opportunity to succeed!"

"Jan is an inspiration to all those who work with her," said George Chuang, President of TFA. "As a WFGIA agent and as a TFA representative, which led her to being named on this Forbes list, she has learned how to build a successful business and, more importantly, how to help her clients achieve financial success. Jan's outstanding achievements resulted in this recognition as one of America's Top Financial Security Professionals."

About World Financial GroupIn the United States, life insurance and fixed products are offered by independent agents of World Financial Group Insurance Agency, LLC, World Financial Group Insurance Agency of Hawaii, Inc., World Financial Group Insurance Agency of Massachusetts, Inc., World Financial Insurance Agency, LLC and/or WFG Insurance Agency of Puerto Rico, Inc.

Those agents who are properly licensed may offer securities and investment advisory services through the affiliate broker/dealer, Transamerica Financial Advisors, Inc. (TFA), Member FINRA, SIPC and Registered Investment Advisor.

Individuals who reside in California may become sales representatives with WFG Direct, a direct sales marketing platform offered through World Financial Group, Inc.

To learn more, go to: http://www.WorldFinancialGroup.com/

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The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc.

The City of Johns Creek completed its Johns Creek CARES Business Grant program which provided more than $2.5 million in emergency fund support of Johns Creek businesses hardest hit by the significant, temporary loss of revenue caused by the pandemic.

Since the program’s inception, the city has provided grant aid to more than 500 eligible businesses amounting to more than $2,500,000 being put back into the community. Local business applicants completed forms and documentation to provide grant eligibility requirements. Program-eligible businesses received a $5,000 grant for help with payroll, rent, inventory, overhead, and a variety of other costs incurred because of coronavirus pandemic shutdowns and constraints.

A wide variety of businesses were helped by the JC CARES Grant funding including restaurants, tutoring programs, dental offices, law offices, and retail stores. The majority of the businesses which applied were in the restaurant, retail, and beauty industries, accounting for 69.7% of the applications.

“The spread of COVID-19, along with state-issued restrictions had both an immediate and lingering effect on the businesses and economy of Johns Creek,” said Mayor Mike Bodker. “The JC CARES Grant program was created with the hope of bringing some relief to several of the city’s hardest hit industries.”

Businesses were deemed eligible for the grant based on specific criteria set forth by the City Council. Businesses must have been in operation in Johns Creek prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, have a current business license with the city, currently be in operation, have under 250 employees, have a commercial business location (in-home businesses were not eligible), public interfacing, and were impacted by the Georgia Governor’s Executive Orders.

The JC CARES Grant program was approved by the Mayor and City Council in November 2020 and adopted through an Inter-governmental Agreement (IGA) with Fulton County. The IGA formalized the city’s pro rata allocation of the CARES Act funds in the amount of $3,528,706. $3,000,000 of the funding received from Fulton County was specifically allocated by City Council to assist the Johns Creek community.

These $5,000 grants provided businesses with the means to make payroll, rent, utilities, purchase supplies, and keeps their doors open a little longer,” said Bodker. “While we are optimistic about the future, we are still committed to using every available resource to its maximum potential to protect our residents and support our businesses.”