Community tea

President for a day is what many were saying about Vice President Kamala Harris after she assumed the Presidency while President Joe Biden underwent a colonoscopy. He underwent the procedure as part of a “routine physical” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday and temporarily transferred power to Vice President Harris while under anesthesia. Biden resumed his duties around 11:35 a.m.

Drugmaker Pfizer Inc. has signed a deal with a U.N.-backed group to allow other manufacturers to make its experimental COVID-19 pill, a move that could make the treatment available to more than half of the world’s population. In a statement issued Tuesday, Pfizer said it would grant a license for the antiviral pill to the Geneva-based Medicines Patent Pool, which would let generic drug companies produce the pill for use in 95 countries, making up about 53% of the world’s population.

Disney Cruise Line will require all guests ages 5 and up to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before setting sail starting early next year, the company announced. Disney announced the new rules will begin Jan. 13. The vaccine was recently approved for children ages 5 to 12. 

U.S. communications regulators will require that phone companies allow people to text as well as call a new “988” number for the suicide-prevention hotline. The Federal Communications Commission last summer voted to require phone companies support the 988 number for people to call to reach an existing suicide prevention hotline.

CVS Pharmacy will close hundreds of drugstores over the next three years, as the retail giant adjusts to changing customer needs and converts to new store formats.

The company said Thursday that it will close about 300 stores a year for the next three years, nearly a tenth of its roughly 10,000 retail locations as it reduces store count density in some places.

Travelers panicked, flights were delayed, and passengers evacuated from one of Atlanta’s airport concourses on Saturday after a firearm was fired at the gate. The gun incident happened around 1:30 p.m. Saturday when the passenger, identified by police as 42-year-old Kenny Wells, lunged into his bag after security officers detected a prohibited item during a screening. Wells grabbed the firearm “at which point it discharged,” according to the U.S. Transportation Security Administration. Three people sustained non-life-threatening injuries amid the ensuing airport turmoil, according to officials. A day later, with a week of holiday air travel underway, the armed passenger was still being sought by police.

In the final stretch of the race to decide Atlanta’s 61st mayor, current  Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms announced that she is supporting Councilman Andre Dickens in the runoff election to succeed her. Bottoms endorsed Dickens over City Council President Felicia Moore, who has been critical of Bottoms’ administration at times over the last four years. Not to be outdone, Moore held a news conference to announce the endorsement from the Atlanta Professional Firefighters, a union of over 600 Firefighters and Paramedics that serve Atlanta.

Georgia and Alabama will meet in the SEC Championship game Dec. 4 at 4 p.m. in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The 10-1 Crimson Tide earned the West spot in the game with a 42-35 victory over Arkansas Saturday. The 11-0 Bulldogs are the SEC East champions. They beat Charleston Southern 56-7.

Georgia and Alabama have met twice in the conference championship game. Alabama prevailed 35-28 in 2018 and 32-28 in 2012.

The Market Village in Smyrna will host the “Coming Home for the Holidays” celebration on Tuesday, November 30 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Market Village will be alive with fun and festivities including music, lights, and holiday spirit. Santa will arrive at 7 p.m. to light the giant Christmas tree in front of City Hall and will be available for visits after the tree lighting.

On Monday, Nov. 22nd, Cascade United Methodist Church will celebrate its annual Thanksgiving basket project. They will be donating 2000 baskets that will include Thanksgiving dinner fixings and food for a week starting at 8 a.m. The event is open to everyone, so get there early. The church is located at 3144 Cascade Road, Atlanta.

For those who love Chick-fil-A, you will not be able to sample your favorite fast food fare on Christmas weekend. The Atlanta-based chain’s roughly 2,600 national locations will be closed for two consecutive days – Saturday and Sunday. Christmas Day falls on a Saturday and Chick-fil-A is always closed on Sundays because of its devout Christian ownership. The chain will reopen for business on Monday, Dec. 27.

From our family to yours, have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving…