When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in early 2020, Gov. Roy Cooper and other officials began exercising government power in ways unprecedented in modern times
All tagged covid-19
John Hood: New Law Properly Checks Governor’s Power
When COVID-19 first struck North Carolina nearly three years ago, Gov. Roy Cooper responded with a series of executive orders that closed or limited the operations of schools, businesses, public amenities, and even churches.
Evelyn Dove Coleman: Spending Your Time
The late great Otis Redding sang a song called "Sitting On The Dock of the Bay." I have often wondered what inspired him to write those lyrics, where he just sat from sun-up to sun-down, watching ships roll in. What caused him to feel so lonesome?
Murphy: “Biden has abused his authority – it’s time to end the Public Health Emergency”
The Trump administration succeeded in deploying the Public Health Emergency in 2020 as an effective and genuine policy response to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The Public Health Emergency, first declared by the secretary of health and human services on Jan. 31, 2020, granted various authorities to the executive branch in response to COVID-19.
LCPS posts enrollment gains as 2022-23 school year opens
Lenoir County Public Schools opened the new academic year with a significant boost in enrollment and the anticipation that 2022-2023 will be a more normal year, an outlook apparently shared by students and parents as restrictions built about Covid-19 concerns continue to ease.
Jones County announces zero reported cases of COVID-19
The first reported case of COVID-19 in Jones County was April 7, 2020. Today, we are pleased to announce that there are ZERO reported cases of COVID-19.
Gov. Cooper Refuses to End State of Emergency After Two Years
For 730 days, Gov. Roy Cooper has kept North Carolina in a “state of emergency” even as COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines have disappeared.
House Republicans Call on Governor to End COVID-19 State of Emergency
With the two-year anniversary of Gov. Cooper’s COVID-19 state of emergency declaration this Thursday, March 10th, the entire House Republican Caucus today sent a letter organized by Majority Leader John Bell to the Governor calling on him to end his emergency order and allow the state to move forward.
Lenoir County Public School moves to optional face covering in all facilities
The Lenoir County School Board held an emergency meeting on Tuesday, February 22, 2022 to discuss the face covering policy.
UNC Lenoir Health Care is offering free COVID-19 testing
UNC Lenoir Health Care is offering free COVID-19 testing Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Dr. Greg Murphy: Fentanyl is killing more young Americans than COVID-19
For two years, our nation has been combating the COVID-19 pandemic, which has tragically claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans. Families across eastern North Carolina have adapted their daily routines to combat this public health crisis, which has overwhelmingly targeted seniors and those with preexisting conditions and comorbidities. There is, however, another devastating reality that has failed to make headlines: Fentanyl is killing more young Americans than COVID-19.
North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore urges governor: End student masking policies
North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore sent a letter to Governor Roy Cooper asking to end the policies that have disrupted classrooms and hindered student achievement and repeal the guidelines that force healthy kids to stay home and effectively mandate masks in schools, as most governors across the country finally do the same.
Greene County Schools to hold special meeting to review Covid-19 protocols
The Greene County Board of Education will have a special meeting to consider COVID-19 protocols in the schools on Monday, February 14, 2022 at 10:30 a.m., at Greene County Board of Education Office.
NC Medicaid Direct Care workers to receive one-time bonus in recognition of their work and ongoing efforts during COVID-19 pandemic
he recently adopted North Carolina state budget includes funds to give a one-time bonus to eligible home- and community-based direct care workers and support staff who provide services to Medicaid and NC Health Choice beneficiaries. The budget also includes a provision to implement a home- and community-based direct care worker wage increase for eligible employees who provide services to Medicaid and NC Health Choice beneficiaries.
Governor Cooper proclaims January as blood donation month
Governor Roy Cooper has proclaimed January as Blood Donation Month in North Carolina, encouraging people who are healthy and eligible to sign up to donate blood during the severe blood shortage.
North Carolina Secures More COVID-19 Tests and Community Testing Sites
In the face of nationwide competition for testing supplies and shortages of testing staff, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is pulling all available levers to support existing testing sites, to open more sites across the state and to increase access to at-home collection kits.
Jones County Public Schools required to wear masks
To ensure student safety and school attendance, all JCPS students will be required to wear masks at this time. Our mask requirement will be effective for all students K-12. Masks will be available for all students at each of our school sites.
COVID-19 Boosters recommended for children ages 12 to 15, additional dose recommended for immunocompromised children ages 5 to 11
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention yesterday announced it recommends the Pfizer COVID-19 booster for children ages 12 to 15 to further protect them from COVID-19. The CDC also recommends a third dose of Pfizer for children ages 5 to 11 who have compromised immune systems. In addition, the wait time for boosters for anyone who received Pfizer COVID-19 vaccinations has been reduced from six months to five months.
John Hood: School Closures Were Too Risky
When the news broke on January 3 that one of North Carolina’s largest school districts, Cumberland County, was considering a shift to virtual instruction in response to rising case counts of the Omicron variant, I felt my stomach lurch.
Governor Cooper Signs Executive Order Extending Health Care Help to Strengthen State’s Response to Omicron Variant
Today, Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order 245 to strengthen the state’s ongoing fight against COVID-19 with more health care workers and flexibility for care facilities, as well as easier access to vaccines, tests and treatments. The regulatory waivers in the Order are key to facilitating the state’s COVID-19 response at this critical juncture in the pandemic.