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Gov. Cooper proclaims Hurricane Preparedness Week

Urges North Carolinians to update emergency plans and kits and to Know Your Zone

RALEIGH – Governor Roy Cooper has declared May 9-15 as Hurricane Preparedness Week, joining the national effort to make people more aware of the dangers of hurricanes and encouraging all North Carolinians to prepare for tropical weather. Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30.

“All North Carolinians should take this time to prepare for the possible impacts of a hurricane or other severe weather by updating their family emergency plans and supply kits,” Governor Cooper said. “Having a plan and supplies will help you to survive through a hurricane and to recover faster should one adversely affect your home.”

Severe tropical weather is common in North Carolina. The state is currently recovering from the devastating effects of multiple large storms including Hurricane Isaias and the remnants of Hurricane Eta in 2020; Hurricane Dorian in 2019; Hurricane Florence as well as Tropical Storms Michael and Alberto in 2018; and Hurricane Matthew in 2016.

“There are things everyone can do to prepare for severe weather long before it hits, such as having flood insurance and knowing if you live in a coastal evacuation zone,” said Mike Sprayberry, Executive Director of NC Emergency Management and the NC Office of Recovery and Resiliency.

Twenty North Carolina coastal counties have established pre-determined evacuation zones, based on the threats of storm surge and river flooding. Residents can find out if they live in one of these zones by visiting KnowYourZone.nc.gov. Residents should learn their zone and watch or listen for it if evacuations are ordered before or after a storm.

“I also encourage everyone to lookout for one another, especially for those who may be more vulnerable such as the elderly,” said Sprayberry. “It is easier get through a disaster by helping your friends and neighbors and working together.”

By practicing an emergency plan periodically, everyone will be comfortable with his or her role in the plan. The plan should also include details on a meeting place and family phone numbers. Be sure to write down your plan and gather important documents, such as copy of driver’s license, insurance policies, medical records, and prescriptions, and put them somewhere you can quickly access in case of emergency.

Make sure to review and update homeowners or renters’ insurance policies to ensure they are current and include adequate coverage for your current situation.

Having an emergency kit allows people to survive independently if no other resources are available. Assemble an emergency supplies kit that includes enough non-perishable food and water to last each family member three to seven days. Other essential items include:
• First-aid kit
• Weather radio and batteries
• Prescription medicines
• Sleeping bag or blankets
• Changes of clothes
• Hygiene items such as toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and deodorant
• Cash
• Pet supplies including food, water, bedding, leashes, muzzle and vaccination records
• Face masks and hand-sanitizer

Residents should pay attention to weather and evacuation information on the local media stations and have a battery-powered radio in case there is a power outage. If asked to evacuate, residents should promptly follow evacuation instructions.

To help mitigate damage to your home from severe weather, people can take common-sense measures such as trimming trees, covering windows, securing loose outdoor items before severe weather strikes.
More information on hurricanes and overall emergency preparedness is online at ReadyNC.org. Read the Governor’s proclamation here.

NC Attorney General Josh Stein and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners unveil historic agreement in the fight against the opioid epidemic

RALEIGH — Attorney General Josh Stein and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners today unveiled a historic agreement to fight the opioid epidemic. The agreement governs how North Carolina would use the proceeds of any future national settlement or bankruptcy resolution with drug distributors Cardinal, McKesson, and AmerisourceBergen and opioid manufacturers Johnson & Johnson and Purdue Pharma. These potential settlements and resolutions could bring as much as $850 million to North Carolina over an 18-year period to support state and local efforts to address the epidemic.

“The opioid epidemic, in recent years, has taken the lives of more than 16,000 North Carolinians, torn families apart, and ravaged communities from the mountains to the coast,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “These companies helped to create and fuel this epidemic with irresponsible marketing and a lack of oversight – and they must be held accountable to help clean up this mess. I am working hard, along with fellow attorneys general across the country, to do just that. Should we prevail, today’s agreement between the counties and the state is an important step toward getting much-needed resources to communities across North Carolina as they work to address the epidemic and its aftermath.”

“The opioid epidemic has had a devastating impact on all 100 counties. We all know someone personally affected by this heartbreaking crisis, and local governments remain on the front lines of this epidemic, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. This historic agreement will ensure potential opioid settlement funds coming into North Carolina get to people in need quickly and effectively. I, along with our NCACC Board of Directors, urge all counties and our municipal partners to sign this groundbreaking agreement as soon as possible,” said NCACC President Ronnie Smith, Chair, Martin County Board of Commissioners. The agreement is endorsed by the NCACC Board of Directors, which adopted a resolution in support of the agreement urging all 100 counties and municipal partners to sign on to it without delay.

“The increase in opioid overdoses we saw during the COVID pandemic is a stark reminder that we need strategic, long-term investments to fight the disease of addiction,” said Mandy Cohen, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. “This agreement provides needed funding for local partners to implement strategies in North Carolina’s Opioid Action Plan that prevent overdoses and save lives.”

To maximize funds flowing to North Carolina communities on the front lines of the opioid epidemic, the agreement would direct settlement funds as follows:

  • 15 percent to the state, which the General Assembly would appropriate to address the epidemic.
  • 80 percent to local governments, including all 100 counties and 17 municipalities.
  • An additional five percent to an incentive fund to encourage counties and large- and medium-size municipalities to sign on to the agreement.

In addition, the agreement offers a high level of transparency into how local governments will use the funds, including special revenue funds subject to audit, annual financial and impact reports, and a public dashboard showing how they are using settlement funds to address the epidemic.

The state of North Carolina, 76 counties, and eight municipalities are engaged in litigation with or investigations of opioid manufacturers and distributors. All 100 counties – along with large- and medium-size municipalities – will now have the opportunity to review and sign on to the agreement.

Click here to access a one-pager on this topic.

Click here to access an FAQ on this topic.

Click here to access the memorandum of agreement.

Gov. Cooper issues Executive Order to relax the state’s outdoor mask mandate and ease mass gathering limits

State continues to strive to get two thirds of adults at least partially vaccinated

RALEIGH: Today, Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. gave an update on the state’s current data, trends and vaccination progress. As the state’s metrics and key indicators remain stable, Governor Cooper also signed an Executive Order outlining safety measures for the month of May. Executive Order No. 209 will take effect April 30 and is set to expire June 1. As more North Carolinians get vaccinated and adhere to safety protocols over the course of the next month, the state anticipates lifting more restrictions on June 1.

“While our numbers are mostly stable, we have more work to do to beat back this pandemic,” said Governor Cooper. “Let’s work hard in May and get as many people vaccinated as we can before summer gets here.”

Under the new Executive Order, masks will still be required indoors but are no longer mandated outdoors. Masks are still strongly recommended outdoors by NC DHHS in crowded areas and higher risk settings where social distancing is difficult.

Executive Order No. 209 will also increase mass gathering capacity limits. The number of people who may gather indoors will increase from 50 to 100 and the number of people who may gather outdoors will increase from 100 to 200. Occupancy limits currently in place will remain the same.

“Fortunately, we now have enough vaccine for everyone. They are free and widely available across the state. In many places you don’t need appointment,” said Secretary Cohen. “For those who have questions, I encourage you to go to YourSpotYourShot.nc.gov to learn about the benefits of the vaccines, potential temporary reactions you might experience, and answers to common questions.”

North Carolina continues to focus on distributing vaccines quickly and equitably. To date, the state has administered over 7 million doses. 48.7% percent of those 18 and up are at least partially vaccinated, and 39.2% percent of those 18 and up have been fully vaccinated.

State health officials are continuing to monitor COVID-19 and its more contagious variants in North Carolina, which is why it is important to continue to follow the state’s mask mandate and continue to practice safety precautions, including the Three Ws—wear a mask, wait 6 feet apart, and wash hands often.

Dr. Cohen also provided an update on North Carolina’s data and trends.

Trajectory in COVID-Like Illness (CLI) Surveillance Over 14 Days
• North Carolina’s syndromic surveillance trend for COVID-like illness is level.

Trajectory of Confirmed Cases Over 14 Days
• North Carolina’s trajectory of cases is level.

Trajectory in Percent of Tests Returning Positive Over 14 Days
• North Carolina’s trajectory in percent of tests returning positive is level.

Trajectory in Hospitalizations Over 14 Days
• North Carolina’s trajectory of hospitalizations is level.

In addition to monitoring these metrics, the state continues to respond to virus spread in testing, tracing and prevention.

Read Executive Order No. 209.

Read Frequently Asked Questions.

View the slides from today’s briefing.

 

Grant will provide $4,000 for books to Hampstead Pediatric office

Front row, left to right: Adrianna Loppy, Pam Madison, Karen Burkett, Dr. Ashok Jain, Dr. Sharon Burke, Daniel Drake, Kristin Bedford; Back row, left to right: Karen Gladden, Teeanna Lunsford, Allen Phillips Bell

 

BURGAW – Pender County Library has been in a partnership with Reach Out and Read for the past several months. The library system’s Hampstead branch sends literacy resources and the library’s monthly activities and events calendar to Reach Out and Read partner sites. In addition, Pender County Library has provided donated children’s books to the Reach Out and Read partner site, KidzCare Pediatrics in Hampstead.

“The sites absolutely love having the gently loved books to share with older siblings,” says Gail Phillips, program manager for Reach Out and Read.

Karen Burkett, manager at the Hampstead branch of Pender County Library, was thrilled to discover that Reach Out and Read had a partner site in Hampstead. She had previously attended a library conference where a Reach Out and Read national board member, Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, spoke about the critical importance of parents reading aloud to children from birth. Dr. Navsaria is a pediatrician working in the public interest blending the roles of physician, occasional children’s librarian, educator, public health professional, and child health advocate. When Burkett, a member of Coastal Pender Rotary Club, was asked by fellow Coastal Pender Rotarian Kristin Bedford, if there was anything Coastal Pender Rotary Club could do to support early childhood literacy, her first thought was Reach Out and Read. Coastal Pender Rotary Club voted quickly and unanimously to provide $2,000 immediately to help fund books for the children. A matching challenge grant that Reach Out and Read has received brings a total of $4,000.

Reach Out and Read helps integrate reading into pediatric practices, advise families about the importance of reading with their children, and share books that serve as a catalyst for a healthy childhood. At participating locations, doctors and nurses encourage parents to read aloud to their young children, offer age-appropriate reading tips, and prescribe new, culturally, and developmentally appropriate books at every checkup from birth through five years of age. Reach Out and Read sites also help connect families with community resources like the library, Smart Start, and other literacy initiatives, to further promote reading.

Across Pender County, Reach Out and Read partners with three clinics—KidzCare Pediatrics Hampstead, Black River Family Practice Burgaw, and Black River Health Center Atkinson—to prescribe books and reading to more than 1,330 children and families every year. Smart Start of Pender County provides ongoing funding and administration support for the Black River ROR locations. Nationally, more than 6,100 medical locations integrate Reach Out and Read into their standard of care for young children; in North Carolina, 347 locations participate, giving nearly 500,000 books each year.

Allen Phillips-Bell, director of Pender County Library, stated that “by building on and expanding outreach programs and partnerships throughout the county, we can help transform lives and build literacy development in our youngest residents.”

About the Reach Out and Read Intervention:

Reach Out and Read is an evidence-based intervention integrated into medical clinics throughout North Carolina designed to foster intentional skill-building in parents, resilience in families, and positive bonding between children and caregivers. Through Reach Out and Read, doctors prescribe reading aloud every day and provide families with age-appropriate reading strategies. Each child is given a new, developmentally-appropriate book to take home, building a collection of 10–15 new books in the home before that child enters kindergarten.

The Reach Out and Read model is endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics and has one of the strongest records of research support of any primary care intervention.

Pediatric healthcare providers are trained in the three-part Reach Out and Read model to promote healthy brain development in young children:

  1. The Conversation: During well-child visits, the doctor prescribes reading by modeling read-aloud strategies while teaching and training the parent about how to share books and why it is important. Parents are engaged in the conversation as the provider offers anticipatory guidance and emphasizes how reading brings families together.
  2. The Book: Each child is given a new, culturally, and developmentally appropriate book to take home, building a collection of 10-15 new books in the home before the child goes to kindergarten.
  3. Literacy-Rich Environment and Resources: Clinic environments support literacy-rich messaging and resources to families, supporting providers in community-health resources, and supporting parents in daily literacy activities with their children.

For more information, please visit www.rorcarolinas.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/rorcarolinas and follow us on Twitter @rorcarolinas.

Pender County Commissioners appoint Tommy Batson as Emergency Management Director

BURGAW – Pender County Commissioners appointed Tommy Batson as emergency management director. Batson, a native of Pender County, started his public service career more than 24 years ago as a volunteer firefighter. More than 18 years ago, Batson started his first employment opportunity in Pender County as a part-time telecommunicator in the Sheriff’s Office 911 center. Most recently he has served as the county’s fire marshal and assistant emergency management director.

During his years of service, Batson earned numerous certifications, including NC Level III Fire Inspector, NC Fire Instructor II, NC Certified Fire Investigator, NCEM Executive Coordinator, NC Type III All-Hazard Incident Management Team-Planning Section Chief, and Operations Section Chief and Liaison Officer. In his years of emergency services, Batson has received three Life Saving Awards for saving six people in three different events.

“We are pleased to appoint Tommy Batson as our new Emergency Management Director,” said George Brown, chairman of the Pender County Board of Commissioners. “Tommy is one of the few people in the county who has served our community during every major event since Hurricane Fran.”

Brown said Batson is an experienced leader who has served Pender County through difficult storms as well as the recovery process. During Hurricane Florence Batson served in the Emergency Operations Center for 42 straight days.

“I look forward to continuing my service in Pender County in the role of emergency management director,” said Batson.

“As I take over as Director for Pender County Emergency Management, I plan to maintain and improve the capability of the department in successfully working relationships to prepare for, respond to, and mitigate from all-hazards related emergencies and disasters,” said Batson.

Fire prevention and education continue to be Batson’s commitment to public safety. He said this starts with plan reviews, continuing with scheduled fire code inspections and investigations.

Batson’s transition to emergency director went into effect on March 28.

April Planning Board Meetings set for April 7 and April 13

Pursuant to the Pender County Planning Board’s March 16 Special Meeting, the Planning Board’s meeting calendar for April to include two April meetings. The first meeting will take place Wednesday, April 7th, 2021 at 7:00 PM in the Hampstead Annex, while the second will occur on Tuesday, April 13th, 2021 at 7:00 PM, also in the Hampstead Annex. This change was made in order to accommodate individuals interested in the cases scheduled to be heard by the Planning Board, affording the opportunity to use the large Auditorium space in the Hampstead Annex and splitting the agenda into two pieces to ensure cases continue to move forward in accordance with adopted timelines and processes.

Two cases are scheduled for the April 7th agenda: REZONE 2021-22 (Evolve Headwaters, a mixed-use project with multi-family residential and commercial space) and REZONE 2021-20 (Piney Run Farms, a mixed-use nonresidential project).

Two cases are scheduled for the April 13th agenda: REZONE 2021-21 (Hampstead South, a mixed-use project with townhome, single-family, and commercial space) and ZTA 2021-13 (staff-initiated Zoning Text Amendment to bring the County into compliance with NC General Statute 160D).

The agendas for both meetings will be published in the coming days at this link: https://pendercountync.civicweb.net/portal/. Any questions regarding either of the two meetings can be directed to Pender County Planning and Community Development at (910) 259-1202.

Library presents genealogy panel: Tracing the Path of Free People of Color

PENDER COUNTY- On Saturday, Feb. 20 at 1 p.m., Pender County Library will host a panel of genealogists and historians for a discussion of the migrations of free people of color from Tidewater Virginia to southeastern North Carolina and westward going back to the 1600s. During the hour-long event, five genealogists and historians will tell the story of their ancestors and their ancestors’ communities.

The first African slaves in an English colony in the Americas were brought ashore in 1619 near Jamestown, in the Tidewater region of Virginia. In the first several decades of slavery in the English American colonies, a small portion of African Americans were able gain their freedom. Some of these free people of color chose to migrate to North Carolina, an early “frontier” where Virginians moved to seek land and fortune. Recollection of Virginia-North Carolina migration has faded in family memories, but the tracks remain in scattered records and stubborn bits of DNA that persist in descendants’ genomes.

The panel will include genealogists and historians Luke Alexander, Lisa Fanning, Tyrone Goodwyn, Andre Kearns, and Melvin Wilson. All panelists are descendants of free people of color who lived in the Tidewater region and/or migrated from there to southeastern North Carolina. Tyrone Goodwyn, the lead historian on the panel, is descended from free people of color in what is now Pender County.

Register online at bit.ly/pcl0220, or go to the library’s website, penderpubliclibrary.org, and follow the links under the Events tab. You can also call the library and staff will take your registration by phone. The event will be hosted on Zoom. There is no need to have a Zoom account; just click the link provided in the confirmation email and follow the prompts to download Zoom. The talk can be viewed on smartphone, tablet, or computer. Registration is required.

For more information or assistance, call Pender County Library at 910-259-1234 (Burgaw) or 910-270-4603 (Hampstead) during regular business hours.

YWCA Grandparent Support Network opens to Pender County grandparents

The Grandparents Support Network (GSN) is a peer support group for grandparents or relative caregivers who are providing full-time care for their grandchildren.

GSN meetings the third Thursday of each month, starting at 5:30 p.m. Due to the pandemic, all meetings are virtual. All meetings are free.

Sign-ups are available at https://bit.ly/3m72Qc

Program highlights include:

  • Education on relevant topics from expert
    guest speakers
  • Social and emotional skill-building
    groups and physical activities for
    grandchildren
  • Academic support for students through
    case management
  • Social support for grandchildren from
    peers and trained, professional staff
  • Acknowledge ACE (Adverse Childhood
    Experiences) by promoting resiliency &
    the five protective factors

Learn more about GSN www.ywca-lowercapefear.org/gsn
Partner with Prevent Child Abuse America and use Circle of Parents Self-
Help Support Model


Services available at no cost to participants.

Warm weather, recent rains bring mosquitoes and potential for diseases

Pender County Health Department Urges Residents to Take Precautions

The Pender County Health Department is encouraging residents to take the necessary precautions to prevent mosquito bites because recent weather conditions have created an environment for mosquitoes to thrive. Mosquitoes carry diseases such as the Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV).

To prevent mosquito bites, it’s important to remember to Tip, Toss and Cover.

Once a week:
TIP CONTAINERS– drain standing water from garbage cans, pet bowls, birdbaths, flower pots, gutters, pool covers or any other container that has collected standing water. Mosquitoes lay eggs in standing water.
TOSS– old tires, drums, bottles and other outdoor items that are outside and are not being used.
EMPTY AND SCRUB-birdbaths and pet’s water bowls at least once or twice a week.
Once a month:
MAINTAIN– apply a larvicide to standing water that cannot be emptied or drained. Larvicides can be found at home improvement and hardware stores.
Cover yourself with:
CLOTHING: Wear long, loose, and light- colored clothing and shoes and socks.
REPELLENT: Apply mosquito repellent to bare skin and clothing. Always use repellents according to the label.

“We have been educating the public to help stop mosquitoes from living and multiplying around their homes and business” says Benjamin Kane, who heads up the mosquito control program for Pender

Contact Pender County Health Department’s Mosquito and Vector Control Hotline at 910-259-1326 for more information or visit their website.

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