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Public Notices

Cooper urges North Carolinians to stay vigilant

NCDHHS_043020

Some indicators moving in the right direction, others are not

RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper and NC DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen today shared an update on where North Carolina stands in the fight against COVID-19 and urged North Carolinians not to let their guard down.

“North Carolinians have made tremendous sacrifices and it is making a difference,” said Governor Cooper. “We remain hopeful that the trends will be stable enough to move into Phase 1 next week.”

“We need keep up the actions that will slow the spread of the virus. The good news is that we know we can do this. If we stay home now to protect our loved ones and our communities, we can put ourselves on a path to begin easing restrictions and moving forward as planned,” said Dr. Cohen.

As of today, North Carolina has 10,509 lab-confirmed cases, 546 people in the hospital, and 378 deaths due to COVID-19.

Governor Cooper and Secretary Cohen updated on where North Carolina stands on the following key metrics:
• Sustained Leveling or Decreased Trajectory in COVID-Like Illness (CLI) Surveillance Over 14 Days
• Currently, North Carolina’s syndromic surveillance trend for COVID-like illness is level over past 14 days, but has been on an uptick over the past seven days.
• Sustained Leveling or Decreased Trajectory of Lab-Confirmed Cases Over 14 Days
• Currently, North Carolina’s trajectory of lab-confirmed cases over the last 14 days cases is still increasing.
• Sustained Leveling or Decreased Trajectory in Percent of Tests Returning Positive Over 14 Days
• Currently, North Carolina’s trajectory in percent of tests returning positive over the last 14 days is decreasing.
• Sustained Leveling or Decreased Trajectory in Hospitalizations Over 14 Days
• Currently, North Carolina’s trajectory of hospitalizations over the last 14 days is largely level.

In addition to these metrics, the state continues building capacity to be able to adequately respond to an increase in virus spread. These areas include:
• Increase in Laboratory Testing
• North Carolina has surpassed 4,000 tests for the last 6 of 9 days with 6,000 tests reported yesterday.
• Increase in Tracing Capability
• NC DHHS announced the Carolina Community Tracing Collaborative, a new partnership with Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) and the North Carolina

Area Health Education Centers (NC AHEC) to double the state’s current contact tracing capabilities. The Collaborative has started recruiting for these positions.
• Availability of Personal Protective Equipment
• The state has a 30-day supply of most personal protective equipment, except for gowns and N95 masks.

“We need everyone to continue following the Stay At Home order right now so that we can move to the next phases of easing restrictions. Complacency could risk lives and undo these plans,” added Governor Cooper.

Governor Cooper Proclaims April 2020 Alcohol Awareness Month in North Carolina

Talk It Out NC Honors Alcohol Awareness Month by Encouraging Families to Start the Conversation about Underage Drinking

RALEIGH, N.C. – (April 6, 2020) Governor Roy Cooper issued a proclamation declaring April Alcohol Awareness Month in North Carolina. The proclamation coincides with a nationwide effort to educate Americans about the dangers of alcoholism and issues related to alcohol… all while families are staying home together.

Talk It Out NC, a state-sponsored initiative to reduce underage drinking, is taking the opportunity to encourage families in North Carolina to start the conversation about underage drinking. The program is launching several new initiatives to reduce the underage drinking problem in our state.

NC Alcohol Awareness Month Initiatives:

Engage Families During Pandemic Lockdown

Right now, when families are home together, is an opportune time in the fight against underage drinking. Talk It Out ambassadors are making virtual appearances across the stateto help families tackle what can sometimes seem like a daunting discussion.

“Students are home from school right now, and many of their parents are home from work — it’s the perfect time for families to talk about the consequences of underage drinking,” says Deputy Director of Education and Outreach for the ABC Commission Jim Van Hecke. “At the same time, Talk It Out is honoring Alcohol Awareness Month by encouraging students to Take the Pledge against underage drinking through several new initiatives.”

Social Media Blitz

Talk It Out is acknowledging Alcohol Awareness Month with engaging posts on all its social media platforms. These posts encourage families to talk about alcohol and keep the lines of communication open.

Alcohol Education Project

Talk It Out is also working with the North Carolina Association of ABC Boards to share information about an alcohol education project with the public. It is part of the Boards’ mission to ensure members of the public are well informed about the societal issues related to the consumption of alcohol.

School- and Faith-Based Initiatives

Although attendance at schools and churches is on hold right now, Talk It Out is planning for the future. The program is in the process of organizing school-based and faith-based initiatives for future engagement opportunities. Talk It Out’s ambassadors will connect with schools and churches in their communities to talk about underage drinking.

New Partnerships

April is also Alcohol Responsibility Month, and Talk It Out is partnering with the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) to eliminate underage drinking. The Foundation released encouraging statistics that result from positive conversations between parents and their kids about alcohol:

Alcohol Awareness in North Carolina:

Source: Alcohol Awareness Month Proclamation

  • According to the Centers for Disease Control, the level of excessive drinking in North Carolina is trending upward.
  • Neuroscience tells us that the developing adolescent brain is far more sensitive to alcohol than the mature adult brain and underage alcohol use can negatively impact student success and athletic performance.
  • Excessive alcohol consumption in North Carolina costs over $7 billion a year in health care costs
  • Prevention efforts throughout North Carolina have helped raise the average age at which young people begin to use alcohol, yet 27% of high school students still report drinking in the last 30 days.

Talk It Out encourages families to keep the lines of communication about underage drinking open with helpful tips.

Starting the Conversation:

  • Ask open-ended questions and really listen to their answers without interrupting or jumping to conclusions.
  • Take advantage of all kinds of situations, like a celebrity appearing in the news for drunk driving or a plotline in a TV show that involves alcohol.
  • Start a conversation in the car. Some teens feel more comfortable when they don’t have to make eye contact.
  • Make kids part of the conversation. Don’t make it a lecture.

View complete article here

To learn more visit: www.talkitoutnc.org

Unemployment information for independent contractors and self-employed workers

Independent contractors and self-employed workers out of work because of the COVID-19 outbreak can now apply for federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) at des.nc.gov.

If you have already applied and been denied for state unemployment benefits, you may need to provide additional information to apply again. You should sign into your online account and click on the ‘Apply for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance’ link to complete the application process.

If you need assistance filing your PUA claim, call the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance line at 866-847-7209.

More information and detailed instructions are here.

So far, North Carolina has paid out a total of more than $636 million in unemployment benefits to more than 280,000 people since the start of the outbreak.

 

Pender County Nature Photography Contest

BURGAW – Pender County Tourism and Pender County Parks & Recreation announce a Pender County Nature Photography Contest.

The contest is open to the public. Photos will be used in published materials giving credit to the photographer and location along with prizes awarded for first place in each category. Entries will be accepted through 5 p.m. on May 11.

“The contest has categories including adult amateur, adult professional, along with a 15 and under amateur youth category,” states Zachary White, Pender County Parks and Recreation. “Photos can be of animals, plants, landscapes, scenery, and historic structures in Pender County.”

“We are looking for some of your best high-resolution digital photos of nature taken in Pender County,” Olivia Dawson, Pender County Tourism, said. “This contest is a great way for locals to show off their photography skills while capturing the beauty of Pender County.”

Photos must be taken between November 11, 2019 and May 11, 2020. All entrants must complete an entry form submitting one entry form per photo with a maximum of 3 photos per person. Photos in the adult amateur and youth category may not be digitally altered, with the exception of cropping. The professional category may digitally alter their photographs. Only digital entries will be accepted, and photos must be the property of the entrant.

Winners will be announced no later than Friday, May 15. Winning entrants will be contacted by phone or e-mail.

For more information on rules, use, eligibility, and entry form visit www.visitpender.com or https://penderpr.recdesk.com/

Upload your entries here.

For more information contact Pender County Parks and Recreation Department 910-259-1330 or the Tourism Office 910-259-1278.

Pender County Nature Photography Contest

Gov. Cooper announces students and educators will not return to school buildings for the remainder of this school year

Today, Governor Roy Cooper announced that public schools in North Carolina will remain closed for normal operations for the remainder of this school year. Schools were originally scheduled to be closed through May 15. Students are currently continuing their schoolwork via various remote learning methods.

State Superintendent Mark Johnson said that while there was hope schools could eventually reopen this school year, the current COVID-19 situation in North Carolina does not make that possible.

“Teachers, staff, and students were hopeful that they could return to the classroom, but that is just not practical at this point,” said Superintendent Johnson. “However, I want to assure everyone that this will not be the new normal. While this crisis has forced us to be reactive over the last month, plans for next school year are already underway and will be proactive. We will share more on these proactive measures soon.”

Superintendent Johnson praised the work that educators and parents across North Carolina have done to help students continue their studies while schools have been closed.

“We all had to switch to remote learning overnight,” said Superintendent Johnson. “Many children, like my own, are working through the difficult emotional toll of this frightening time. And, we are all stuck at home; all day, every day.”

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction has continued to work to ensure that students and families have the resources they need. That not only includes providing ways to get instructional materials to students, but also making sure they have access to things such as proper nutrition. DPI has been working closely with local school districts to provide whatever assistance they might need during this time.

At a special called meeting yesterday, the State Board of Education approved a plan on how grading will work in public schools for the current school year. Information on that plan can be found here.

In light of the Governor’s announcement that students will not return to schools for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, the State Board’s decision to not seek progress monitoring data for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year, and the novel needs K-3 students, educators, and parents will face next school year, DPI has terminated the June 2019 Read to Achieve diagnostic tool contract and will immediately begin a new process to procure one, uniform reading diagnostic tool before the start of the 2020-21 school year.

Governor extends Stay at Home order through May 8, plans three phase lifting of restrictions

Governor Extends Stay At Home Order Through May 8, Plans Three Phase Lifting of Restrictions Based on Virus Trends

RALEIGH:  Governor Roy Cooper today issued Executive Order No. 135 extending North Carolina’s Stay At Home order through May 8. The orders extending closure of restaurants for dine-in service and bars and closure of other close-contact businesses are also extended through May 8.

Governor Cooper shared details about North Carolina’s plan to lift restrictions in three phases once the data show that key metrics are headed in the right direction.

“The health and safety of people in North Carolina must be our top priority,” Cooper said. “This plan provides a roadmap for us to begin easing restrictions in stages to push our economy forward.”

Last week, Governor Cooper laid out the path forward centered on three things: testing, tracing and trends. Today, Governor Cooper and Dr. Mandy Cohen, Secretary of NC Department of Health and Human Services, shared more specifics on those key metrics. The Stay At Home and other orders are extended today because North Carolina has not yet seen a downward trajectory of those metrics needed to begin gradually lifting restrictions.

“North Carolina cannot stay at home indefinitely,” added Governor Cooper. “We have to get more people back to work. Right now, the decision to stay at home is based on the public health data and White House guidance. North Carolina needs more time to slow the spread of this virus before we can safely begin lifting restrictions. I know that this pandemic has made life difficult for many people in our state and I am focused on keeping our communities safe while planning to slowly lift restrictions to help cushion the blow to our economy.”
“Data has driven our decisions, starting with the aggressive measures Governor Cooper took early on to slow the spread of COVID-19. Those actions combined with North Carolinians’ resolve to stay home to protect their loved ones have put our state on the right path. If we stick to these efforts right now we will continue to see a slowing of virus spread and we can slowly begin easing restrictions,” said Secretary Cohen.

A detailed look at where North Carolina stands on testing, tracing and trends. The metrics that North Carolina is considering aligns with the White House guidance for Opening Up American Again.

In order to begin lifting restrictions, North Carolina needs to see progress in these key metrics:
• Sustained Leveling or Decreased Trajectory in COVID-Like Illness (CLI) Surveillance Over 14 Days
• Currently, North Carolina’s syndromic surveillance trend for COVID-like illness is decreasing over the last 14 days.

• Sustained Leveling or Decreased Trajectory of Lab-Confirmed Cases Over 14 Days
• Currently, North Carolina’s trajectory of lab-confirmed cases over the last 14 days cases is still increasing, although at a slower rate.

• Sustained Leveling or Decreased Trajectory in Percent of Tests Returning Positive Over 14 Days
• Currently, North Carolina’s trajectory in percent of tests returning positive over the last 14 days is increasing at a slow rate.

• Sustained Leveling or Decreased Trajectory in Hospitalizations Over 14 Days
• Currently, North Carolina’s trajectory of hospitalizations over the last 14 days is largely level with a slight trend upward.

In addition to these metrics, the state will continue building capacity to be able to adequately respond to an increase in virus spread. These include:
• Increase in Laboratory Testing
• Currently, North Carolina is testing approximately 2,500 to 3,000 people per day and is working to increase to at least 5,000 to 7,000 per day.

• Increase in Tracing Capability
• Currently, North Carolina has approximately 250 people doing contact tracing across its local health departments and is working to double this workforce to 500.

• Availability of Personal Protective Equipment
• The state is working to ensure there are adequate supplies to fulfill requests for critical PPE for at least 30 days. This includes face shields, gloves, gowns, N95 masks, and surgical and procedural masks. Currently the state has less than 30 days supply of gowns and N95 masks. Availability of PPE is calculated based on the average number of requests for the last 14 days compared to the supply that the state has on hand.

Governor Cooper also shared information about how North Carolina can gradually re-open over three phases to prevent hot spots of viral spread while also beginning to bring our economy back. These phases are based on the best information available now, but could be altered as new information emerges.

In Phase 1:
• Modify the Stay At Home order allow travel not currently defined as essential allowing people to leave home for commercial activity at any business that is allowed to be open, such as clothing stores, sporting goods stores, book shops, houseware stores and other retailers.
• Ensure that any open stores implement appropriate employee and consumer social distancing, enhanced hygiene and cleaning protocols, symptom screening of employees, accommodations for vulnerable workers, and provide education to employees and workers to combat misinformation
• Continue to limit gatherings to no more than 10 people
• Reopen parks that have been closed subject to the same gathering limitation. Outdoor exercise will continue to be encouraged.
• Continue to recommend face coverings in public spaces when 6 feet of distancing isn’t possible
• Encourage employers to continue teleworking policies
• Continue rigorous restrictions on nursing homes and other congregant care settings
• Local emergency orders with more restrictive measures may remain in place.

Phase 2
At least 2-3 weeks after Phase 1
• Lift Stay At Home order with strong encouragement for vulnerable populations to continue staying at home to stay safe
• Allow limited opening of restaurants, bars, fitness centers, personal care services, and other businesses that can follow safety protocols including the potential need to reduce capacity
• Allow gathering at places such as houses of worship and entertainment venues at reduced capacity
• Increase in number of people allowed at gatherings
• Open public playgrounds
• Continue rigorous restrictions on nursing homes and other congregant care settings

Phase 3
At least 4-6 weeks after Phase 2
• Lessen restrictions for vulnerable populations with encouragement to continue practicing physical distancing and minimizing exposure to settings where distancing isn’t possible
• Allow increased capacity at restaurants, bars, other businesses, houses of worships, and entertainment venues
• Further increase the number of people allowed at gatherings
• Continue rigorous restrictions on nursing homes and other congregant care settings

Governor Cooper and Dr. Cohen both underscored the need for the testing, tracing and trends to move in the right direction for each of these phases to move forward. If there is a spike in infections, tightening of restrictions may be needed temporarily.

Information about K-12 public schools will follow later this week.

First COVID-19 death in Pender County

BURGAW- Pender County Health Department reported the first death due to COVID-19 in the county. The patient, an offender from the Pender County Correctional Institution, passed away in the evening of April 21.

“Coronavirus has caused deaths around our region and it’s difficult when one occurs,” said Carolyn Moser, Pender County Health and Human Services director.

The Pender County Board of County Commissioners issued a statement expressing their sympathies to the family of the COVID-19 patient who lost his life at the hospital.

“Pender County residents should continue to practice social distancing, stay at home, and practice good hygiene,” said Moser. “We know these measures work in our effort to mitigate this virus.”

The Pender County Commissioners urged residents to take the threat of COVID-19 seriously and follow the guidelines set forth by the county health department, Center for Disease Control and North Carolina Health and Human Services.

While the offender’s death was the first in Pender County, his death was also the first death in the state’s prison system. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety also issued a release.

“Any death is a tragedy, and we must continue our efforts to do all we can to try and flatten the curve of COVID-19 in Prisons,” said Todd Ishee, Commissioner of Prisons. “The health and safety of the staff and the men and women in our custody is of paramount importance.”

The offender exhibited symptoms of a viral infection on April 8, 2020. He was promptly isolated from the population, in keeping with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the NC Department of Health and Human Services and tested for COVID-19. The test came back positive on April 10, 2020. Despite constant medical attention, he was hospitalized on April 13, 2020. His condition worsened, and the offender died at the hospital on April 21.

The offender was a male in his late fifties and had underlying health conditions. Given his family’s right to privacy and the confidentiality of prison offender records, the Department of Public Safety will not further identify the individual.

Prisons leadership has taken a substantial number of actions throughout the North Carolina prison system to try to prevent transmission of the virus. Those actions, along with offender testing information that is updated daily, are found on the North Carolina Department of Public Safety website.

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