Security Update 

  We still are “in the thick of it” regarding COVIDd-19. Georgia has continued to move up in the national ranks for positive COVIDd-19 cases and is now fifth after New York (fourth), Texas (third), Florida (second), and California (first) as I write this. The seven-day moving average for Chatham County as of August 12 was 79.7 new cases per day, and 93 positive cases were reported for our zip code, 31411 (which includes all of Skidaway Island). Please continue to practice the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, including masks, social distancing, and thorough and frequent hand washing. Patrol efforts continue on our community paths and proactive golf cart safety measures. In July, Patrol Officers issued 137 warnings and citations for various non-compliance issues. If you didn’t see my article in August’s Landings Journal clarifying teenagers driving golf carts, please take a few moments and read it. We also recently had a golf cart crash on Landings Club property which resulted in the driver being formerly charged by Chatham County Police Department for DUI (suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law) and injuries to the driver and passengers. As you may know, I’m not a “doom and gloom” type of person, nor do I tend to focus on fear mongering. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t take an opportunity to remind residents of the importance of golf cart safety. A resident shared a very unfortunate and sad accident recently, which involved a golf cart, a child, a dog, and a fatality. Not too far away on Fripp Island, a family was enjoying a typical ride in a golf cart when things turned deadly in an instant. The husband was driving, and the wife/mother was in the front, passenger seat holding their infant child. The dog was in the back enjoying the breeze, as dogs do. It’s not clear if the dog fell or jumped out of the golf cart, but the wife/mother turned towards the back or reached for the family pet. She lost her balance and fell out of the golf cart. Her motherly instincts kicked in, and both of her arms appeared to have protected the child. This, however, left her head susceptible to injuries when it hit the pavement. Most unfortunately, the wife/mother lost her life due to the injuries sustained in this avoidable accident. They, too, probably read or heard similar stories such as this prior to their accident and may have even thought, “Oh, that would never happen to us.”  Please be responsible, drive safely, and remain in compliance with Georgia law and The Landings Association’s Rules and Regulations. And please, don’t be presumptuous enough to think nothing like this could ever happen to you. Joan Kornblatt, a Landings resident who knew the woman who lost her life in the golf cart incident, sums it up best. “Golf cart tragedies really do happen,” she said. “These past few weeks have been agony for our family member whose best friend was the woman who died in the above accident! This family will forever be devastated and is working tirelessly to change the laws in South Carolina so that babies and children ride responsibly in car seats and seat belts when in golf carts. I can’t imagine any parent or grandparent would not do all they could to save the life of their child. We can insist on safer laws for golf carts to coincide with motor vehicle protections. Being airlifted to Savannah and becoming an organ donor is something I wish to spare any family in our community as well as in our state. Please don’t let your family be a statistic!” On another topic, Census Bureau workers are in our community. In fact, one of our very own residents is part of the Census efforts (and many more may be as well). If Gary Lawrence or another Census worker should knock on your door, they should have credentials as shown below. If their credentials are not in plain view, ask to see them. As always, if you are uncertain, don’t hesitate to contact Security (598-1982, option 2).   Stay safe, stay far (6 ft.+), and stay well,