All in Coronavirus
With actions to slow the spread of COVID-19 beginning to have impact, Governor Roy Cooper is doubling down on prevention measures with Executive Order 153 stopping the sale of alcoholic drinks in restaurants, breweries, wineries, and distilleries at 11 pm. North Carolina bars that are currently closed will remain closed. This order will take effect Friday, July 31.
Since my column last week, I have spoken to parents, teachers, and administrative staff from no less than five school systems regarding their concerns for the coming reopening of schools in August. Please keep in mind that opening day – August 17 – is less than a month away. These parents, teachers, and administrators were plain spoken to the point of being blunt.
The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles is resuming motorcycle road skills tests beginning Tuesday, July 28, at 70 of the state’s 78 current operational driver license offices.
by Governor Roy Cooper
The federal government agreed to send an additional $600 to unemployed workers back in March. It’s irresponsible for Congress and the president to stop providing this critical support now when the virus still is spreading rapidly and states, especially in the South, are seeing record high case counts.
A special meeting of the Lenoir County Board of Education is scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 27 to discuss plans to reopen schools for the 2020-21 school year.
On March 14 at about 4 pm, my professional and personal life altered in ways that I would have never thought. On Friday, March 13, I told my students what I tell them every Friday, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do and enjoy your weekend, I’ll see you on Monday!.”
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) is taking further action to prevent and respond to COVID-19 outbreaks among the agricultural workforce, delivering critical personal protection equipment for use by agricultural workers across the state.
The North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association announced start dates for fall sports, with a staggered plan to return to play. This decision affects Arendell Parrott Academy and Bethel Christian Academy.
With the time frame for resuming road tests remaining unknown because of the continued impact of COVID-19 cases, the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) will begin waiving road tests for qualified drivers who are 18 or older, starting Wednesday, July 22.
The original decision to shut down was the right one and I fully supported Gov. Cooper. Now, it has gone too far.
Arendell Parrott Academy is preparing to reopen for on-campus classes on August 24. Located in Kinston, the school last year served approximately 670 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Head of School Brooks Sutton has appointed a health advisory task force which includes two physicians who are infectious disease specialists, a regional hospital administrator, and a full-time school nurse. “We are guided by our parents’ and students’ strong desire for a return to our classrooms,” Sutton stated.
When Gov. Roy Cooper announced at his press conference Tuesday that North Carolina will reopen schools with both in-person and remote education, the in-person option is perhaps the most difficult to achieve. Possible plans the governor earlier outlined were:
According to the latest “Ongoing Outbreaks in Congregate Living Settings” report, which can be downloaded in this article, NCDHHS reports the following:
Harmony Hall: 7 positive cases among staff, 0 cases in residents and 0 deaths.
Caswell Developmental Center: 27 cases among staff, 35 residents and 2 resident deaths.
NC State Veterans Home: no longer listed
Spring Arbor of Kinston: no longer listed
Greendale Forest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center: 2 cases among staff, 0 residents and 0 deaths.
Brook Stone Living Center in Jones Co.: 1 case among staff, 1 resident and 0 deaths.
The Lenoir County Health Department is reporting the 12th death in the county of a resident who had tested positive for COVID-19.
Chief Justice Beasley announced that jury trials in North Carolina courts will be delayed through at least September, and has directed senior resident superior court judges to develop comprehensive plans for the eventual safe resumption of jury trials in their districts.
