Public Notices

BURGAW – Working with Pender County and Pender County Emergency Services, the Pender Long Term Recovery Group reminds Pender County citizens there are opportunities for assistance as well as opportunities to volunteer. It is possible to volunteer while practicing social distancing.

Organizations with volunteers are available to assist residents with needs like grocery, pharmacy, or food bank pick up, wellness calls, etc. should register now on www.crisiscleanup.org. Pender Long Term Recovery Group (Pender LTRG) is a registered partner.

“Individuals in need of assistance are encouraged to access www.coronacommunity.org if help of any kind is needed,” said Olivia Dawson, Pender LTRG Co-Chair & County Representative. “The resident will make a request for assistance through this website and a voluntary service group will respond to the request through Crisis Cleanup.”

Crisis Cleanup is designed to help the established voluntary relief organizations help communities by collaborative disaster management and recovery.

Share Cape Fear is another option for people to help during this pandemic. Sharecapefear.org is designed to encompass all the nonprofit groups in the region. This platform assists with needs, volunteer management, and ways to donate. Organizations are encouraged to sign-up, and to complete their profile. Sign-up is free.

“Share Cape Fear is a new tool in the cape fear area, organized and designed for non-profit groups,” said Dawson. “This helps with the efforts of managing the community needs and efforts to lend help.”

“The Pender LTRG is dedicated to support our citizens in providing available assistance, resources, and recovery services during and after disasters,” Dawson said.

There are many available resources for food assistance around the county, Dawson added.

Pender County Food Pantries and Resources include:

Livingstone Tabernacle Church Food Pantry, 910-270-0720
127 Sloop Point Loop Rd, Hampstead, Monday – Saturday (12pm-5pm)

The 4 Cs Food Pantry, 910-270-0930
15200 US Hwy 17, Hampstead, NC 28443, Monday, Wednesday & Thursday (9am-12pm)

Pender County Christian Services, 910-259-5840
210 W. Fremont St, Burgaw, Monday through Thursday (9am-3:30pm), Friday (8:30am-3pm)

Share the Table
12395 NC Hwy 50, Hampstead, 910-616-8897
Sunday (4:30-6pm) – pantry box & takeout meals only
Tuesday & Wednesday (10-11:30am & 1-2:30pm)
Thursday (10-11:30am & 2-3:30pm)

St. Joseph’s Food Pantry
Please drive up to the pantry, remain in your car, and a volunteer will place the box inside your car
Thursday, 2-4pm
1303 Highway 117 South, Burgaw

Gateway Community Church Food Pantry
Monday, Wednesday, Friday (11-12pm)
416 W Bridgers St, Burgaw

Catholic Charities in Wilmington, 910-251-8130
20 N. 4th Street, Suite 300, Wilmington, NC 28401
Curbside services begin this Friday. Wednesdays from 2-4pm and Fridays from 9:30-11:30 am.
Individuals and families can call to make an appointment.

Pender County Schools continues to provide breakfast and lunch for all children 18 and under.
Six school sites open from 11 am-1 pm and 50 alternate pickup sites.

For more information and assistance on the provided information contact:
Pender Long Term Recovery Group (Pender LTRG), 910-663-1379 or email: PenderCountyLTRG@gmail.com

Executive Order No. 131 Sets Policies for Retail Stores, Enforces Mandatory Rules at Nursing Homes and Expedites Issuing Unemployment Benefits

RALEIGH: Governor Roy Cooper took action to the address the spread of COVID-19 by issuing stronger social distancing requirements and speeding up the process to get benefits to people out of work through Executive Order No. 131.

Three key areas are addressed in Executive Order 131. The first requires retail stores that are still operating to implement new social distancing policies to make shopping safer for customers and employees. The second makes earlier COVID-19 guidelines mandatory for nursing facilities, and recommends other long-term care facilities to do the same. The third area is unemployment benefits, issuing changes that will speed up certain benefit payments to those who are out of work.

“North Carolina continues to take strong action to slow the spread of COVID-19, and today’s Order will help make stores safer, protect those living and working in nursing homes, and get more unemployment benefits out quicker. Our state is resilient, and we will get through this crisis together if we all do our part,” said Governor Cooper.

POLICIES FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING IN RETAIL STORES
This Order offers clear requirements that essential businesses must implement in order to safeguard the health of customers and employees. Some of the directives include:
• Setting limits of how many people can be in a store at one time, 5 people per 1,000 square feet of retail space or 20% of fire marshal posted occupancy limits
• Marking 6 feet of distance for areas where people gather like checkout lines
• Requiring specific cleaning measures for retail stores
The Order encourages:
• Implementing hygiene recommendations for employees and customers, like hand sanitizer at the doors and face coverings for workers
• Establishing designated shopping times designated for high-risk groups
• Creating barriers between customers and employees at checkout to lower the risk of required interactions

Creating barriers between customers and employees at checkout to lower the risk of required interactions

The Order states these requirements will last for 30 days unless extended by further executive action.

LOWERING RISK IN LONG TERM CARE FACILITIES
The Order sets public health and safety requirements for nursing homes during the public health emergency. The Order encourages other long-term care facilities to follow the same guidance. Some of the directives include:
• Canceling communal activities, including group meals
• Taking the temperature of employees and essential personnel when they enter the facility
• Requiring specific personal protective equipment in the facility
• Requiring close monitoring of residents for COVID-19 health indicators like body temperature
The Order states these requirements will last until this order is repealed.

STREAMLINING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE CLAIMS
The Order makes it easier for employers to file a batch of claims, called an attached claim, on behalf of their employees. By temporarily eliminating some of the hurdles for employers, benefits can get in the hands of those who need them faster.

The Order will extend 60 days beyond the date the state of emergency is lifted to allow employers to get back on their feet.

Additionally, the Department of Employment Services issued information on timing of federal benefits reaching North Carolinians today.

Read the full Order.

Read questions and answers about specific items in the order.

Make sure the information you are getting about COVID-19 is coming directly from reliable sources like the CDC and NCDHHS. For more information, please visit the CDC’s website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus and NCDHHS’ website at www.ncdhhs.gov/coronavirus, which includes daily updates on positive COVID-19 test results in North Carolina.

BURGAW – Pender County Utilities (PCU) suspended all shut-offs, late fees, and reconnection fees for residential connections effective April 1.

“We’re following Governor Roy Cooper’s Executive Order 124 issued on March 31, assisting North Carolinians by prohibiting utility shut-offs, late fees, and reconnection fees in response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Kenny Keel, Pender County Utilities director, said. “This notice and Executive Order do not include irrigation or commercial water services.”

Pender County Utilities suspended all shut-offs, late fees, and reconnection fees starting April 1. The Pender County Board of Commissioners authorized PCU to temporarily discontinue water disconnects March 16 in response to COVID-19.

“Customers are encouraged to pay as much of their bill as they can each month to avoid having an extremely large amount due once shut-offs are reinstated,” said Keel.

North Carolina Executive Order 124 states the following for Pender County Utilities water customers:
1. Customer account disconnections for nonpayment are suspended, likely for at least 60 days.
2. Pender County Utilities will not impose new penalties for late payments or collect on penalties that were imposed on residential accounts as of April 1 for at least 60 days. Normal usage fees will still apply for utility services you receive.
3. Customers with unpaid balances at the end of this grace period will be allowed a 6-month, interest-free time to pay off any balances with no late fees charged. Customers who need this payment plan must contact Pender County Customer Service at 910-259-1570.
4. To help our customers, we will follow our normal procedures in reconnecting customers whose accounts were disconnected prior to March 31. Customers who already may have been disconnected and wish to be reconnected during this period can call Customer Service at 910-259-1570 to arrange for service to be restored.

“Pender County Utilities assures you that your drinking water is safe,” said Keel. “Our employees are on the job and are taking extreme precautions to protect themselves and you from the effects of COVID–19.”

If you have any questions about this information, please go to pendercountync.gov/utl/ or call Customer Service at 910-259-1570. For additional information on COVID–19 go to www.ncdhhs.gov (North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services).

More information on the NC Executive Order 124 can be found on the web at: https://governor.nc.gov/documents/executive-order-no-124.