ATLANTA — As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms on Thursday held a virtual press conference to update the city on a variety of issues.

The mayor announced by October 5 small learning pods will be opened at 16 recreation centers across the city. The pods are designed for Atlanta Public Schools students who have been unable to connect to virtual classes, due to not having the proper technology at home or a lack of adult supervision during school hours. 

“There are children who we have identified who haven’t been in school since March, school-age children, who are essentially playing on our playgrounds every day with no access to remote learning,” Bottoms said. 

At the learning pods, students will have room to social distance, have the technology to connect to their classes and certified tutors will be present according to Bottoms. 

The pods will be open Monday through Thursday, from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., and will be closed on Fridays for deep cleaning. 

Bottoms stressed the pods aren’t meant for children whose parents simply want to get out of the house. 

“It really is our hope that we are able to reserve them for our most vulnerable and those students who are most in need.”

For families interested in using the pods, more information is available at 404-546-6813. The city hasn’t yet published a list of the learning pod locations. 

Another ongoing issue Bottoms said the city is working to address is street racing. 

Atlanta’s mayor said racers have been taking advantage of lighter than usual traffic on the city’s streets during the pandemic. 

“It is reckless and shouldn’t be happening in our city,” Bottoms said. 

She cited statistics from Atlanta Police of officers from September 25 – 27 making 43 traffic stops related to street racing, writing 97 citations, and impounding 2 cars.  As APD officers continue to focus on street racing, Bottoms said officers also need the public’s help.

“Because there are a number of instances where someone puts it up on social media but they don’t bother to call 911 so we can respond.”

Recently Gov. Brian Kemp tweeted the federal government is sending Georgia 200,000 rapid COVID-19 tests, with more than 3,000,000 more tests being available in the coming months. 

Bottoms said the city will use any tests allotted to the city, but she will do so cautiously. 

“The feedback I’ve received from our chief health officers is that rapid tests aren’t as reliable as some of the other tests. We will make sure we receive and distribute those tests as we see appropriate but also with the understanding that they might not give us the reliable results as we see with tests that take a bit longer,” Bottoms said during her press conference.

As thousands remain out of work around Georgia as a result of the pandemic, Bottoms also mentioned the city of Atlanta is hiring for a number of entry-level and near entry-level positions in the city’s public works and parks and recreation departments. 

The openings pay $15 – 25 dollars per hour and more information can be found at AtlantaGA.gov

On Thursday Bottoms signed an executive order she mentioned during her press conference. The order gives city employees up to 8 paid hours in leave to volunteer as a poll worker during the upcoming election, either during early voting or on election day. 

She also increased the paid leave employees have to go vote, either during early voting or on elections day, from 2 hours to 4 hours.