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‘Some Indicators Moving in Right Direction, Others Not’ in Decision to Ease COVID-19 Restrictions

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-Press Release, Office of Governor Roy Cooper

Governor Roy Cooper and NC DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen 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 to 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.

Triangle North Executive Airport Holding ‘Healthcare Fly-Over’ Sat., May 2

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-Information courtesy Bo Carson, Airport Manager, Triangle North Executive Airport

Triangle North Executive Airport is basing pilots for an upcoming healthcare fly-over this Saturday, May 2, 2020, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. The healthcare fly-over will consist of hospitals in Franklin, Orange, Durham and Wake counties.

Take a look to the sky if you should happen to be near the hospitals on Saturday, wave in support and make sure to spread the word.

Schedule · Saturday, May 2, 2020:

11:40 a.m. – Maria Parham Franklin Flyover

12 p.m. – Duke/VA Hospital Flyover

12:05 p.m. – UNC Hospitals

12:14 p.m. – Rex Hospital

12:22 p.m. – Wake Med Cary

12:32 p.m. – Wake Med Raleigh

FCSO: Two Arrested Under New ‘Death by Distribution’ Law

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-Information courtesy the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office

On April 29, 2020, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Group closed an investigation into a January 2020 incident involving the drug overdose death of Franklin County resident, Tiffany Moss.

The subsequent investigation led detectives to Kristen Jade Bailey and Matthew James Bond of Zebulon, who were arrested and charged with Death by Distribution, a Class C Felony in North Carolina.

Kristen Jade Bailey (FCSO photo)

Since January, detectives have executed several search warrants and conducted numerous interviews that confirmed Kristen Bailey and Matthew Bond were the sources of the controlled substance that led to the overdose death of Ms. Moss.

After confirming the cause of death was from Fentanyl, Heroin, and Gabapentin Toxicity, detectives conferred with the District Attorney’s Office and proceeded with the charge of Death by Distribution on both. This law was recently created and passed by the North Carolina General Assembly and became law on December 1, 2019. The intent of this law is to hold distributors of certain controlled substances that lead to a person’s death, accountable for their actions.

Sheriff Kent Winstead stated, “These types of investigations are unfortunate and heartbreaking. Our office continues to put an emphasis on trying to prevent these tragedies from occurring. When they do occur, we intend to exercise every option we have to hold those who distribute these deadly drugs, accountable.”

Matthew James Bond (FCSO photo)

Kristen Jade Bailey was placed in the Franklin County Detention Facility under a $90,000 secured bond.

Matthew James Bond was placed in the Franklin County Detention Facility under a $100,000 secured bond.

Kristen Jade Bailey (30)
1115 Ridgecrest Dr.
Zebulon, NC 27597

Charges include:
Death by Distribution

Matthew James Bond (36)
1115 Ridgecrest Dr.
Zebulon, NC 27597

Charges include:
Death by Distribution

For more information concerning this investigation or to report drug activity in your neighborhood, please contact Sgt. Ken Pike at (919) 496-2186.

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation Establishes COVID-19 Relief Fund

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-Information courtesy the Granville County Chamber of Commerce

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation recently announced the establishment of a COVID-19 Relief Fund to assist area nonprofits in their COVID-19 relief and recovery efforts.

These organizations are on the front lines in our communities, providing safety nets, support, and continued services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many were already operating with limited capacity prior to this crisis and are now facing increasing stresses on their financial and human resources.

If you are leading such an organization, serving the people of Franklin, Granville, Vance, or Warren counties, the Foundation would like to hear from you.

The Foundation’s Grants Coordinator Carolyn Powell and Executive Director Val Short are both available to discuss ideas for grant projects or relief initiatives. Contact the Foundation by email at info@tnhfoundation.org or call 252-430-8532 to schedule an appointment.

A grant application is required and can be accessed through the Foundation’s Grant Portal at http://www.tnhfoundation.org/ Please contact the Foundation first to discuss your program or project ideas prior to beginning the application process.

A COVID-19 resource page has also been established on the Foundation’s website, which contains links to resources and current information about the pandemic. Please send your organization’s local links for COVID-19 resources to info@tnhfoundation.org for inclusion on the website. 

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VGCC Drama Students to Present ’26 Pebbles’ Play Via Video Conference

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Going out to see a play may be impossible due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but the Drama program at Vance-Granville Community College is trying an innovative approach to bring the theatre to the community.

VGCC, like all community colleges across North Carolina, has temporarily shifted all classes online. Betsy Henderson, the college’s Department Chair/Instructor of Humanities and Fine Arts, and her Drama students decided they wanted to somehow put on a play online, as well. After consulting with VGCC’s Information Technology department, plans were made to use the online video-conferencing service, Zoom (available at zoom.us), to both rehearse and present the production.

“We are not physically able to tell the play in the traditional way,” Henderson explained. “This way will allow the students to tell the story and keep everyone safe. It will also provide the community with a much-needed outlet during this time of quarantine.”

The college will present two performances, via Zoom “meetings,” of the play “26 Pebbles” by Eric Ulloa, on May 7 and May 8 at 7:30 p.m.

This documentary-style drama is set at a town hall meeting in Newtown, Connecticut, six months after December 14, 2012, when a gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School and killed 26 people (including 20 children) before taking his own life. The play likens these 26 deaths to “pebbles thrown into a pond,” which created ripples and vibrations that were felt far beyond the initial impacts.

The playwright conducted interviews with members of the community in Newtown and crafted them into an exploration of gun violence and a small town shaken by a horrific event. “26 Pebbles” premiered in Dayton, Ohio, in 2017, and has since been performed around the country.

“It is a very powerful story,” Henderson said. “It paints a picture of what the community was like before that terrible day, the confusion and frenzy on the day of that attack, and the chaos of the aftermath.”

The cast includes students Miranda Brown as “Georgia,” Ashley Ayscue as “Julie,” Rose O’Malley as “Yolie,” Brian Johnson as “Rabbi Praver” and “Mike,” Daniel Thorpe as “Joe” and “Chris,” Cheyenne Guerrant as “Jeriann,” Blake Lee as “Michael” and “Darren,” Kelli Baker as “Carrie,” Matthew Varker as “Father Weiss” and “Bill,” Amanda Cease as “Carole,” Kathleen Zoldos as “Jenn,” Eiley Cook as “Starr,” Mary Parish as “Sally,” and Chelsea Benjamin as “Carla.”

Kelli Baker and Chris Nicholson serve as the “virtual” stage managers, while Kristen Ham is a crew member and will serve as a pianist.

All these students will be in their own homes on their own computers during the performance. With the Zoom service, when a particular actor begins talking, the image automatically switches to an enlarged video of that actor, making it easy for the audience to follow the dialogue.

Henderson thinks that giving students this opportunity to present the play to the community is important. “I think we need the arts and artists at a time like this,” she said. “Entertainment, happiness and joy are important. The arts touch you in ways you may not realize at first. The Arts, and theatre especially, have a way to elevate the everyday and bring light to our world. In times like this, we need connection. We need meaning, and we need artists to help us all feel.”

Anyone interested in experiencing either performance should contact Betsy Henderson at hendersonb@vgcc.edu. She will provide each “attendee” with the Zoom meeting ID.

Franklin Co. Health Dept. Temporarily Closed; Six Employees Test COVID-19 Positive

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-Information courtesy Franklin County Government

As noted previously in prior communication, on Friday, 4/24/2020, the Franklin County Health Department (FCHD) received positive coronavirus testresults for two (2) employees. Those two (2) employees do not serve as healthcare providers within the department. Also as previously noted, on Friday 4/24/2020 a total of 48 Health Department staff had samples collected and submitted for coronavirus testing

As a precaution, the FCHD was disinfected on Saturday, 4/25/2020, and as of this current release, the Department is remaining closed for regular business from 4/27/2020 until operations resume on Monday 5/4/2020, at 8 a.m

The Health Department has received the results for all staff tested on Friday 4/24/2020, and those results indicate that an additional four (4) staff have tested positive, bringing the current total of Health Department Employees with positive test results to six (6). None of the Health Departments now six (6) total positive employees are healthcare providers

The Franklin County Health Department continues to conduct Contact Tracing for COVID-19, so any individual suspected of being exposed to the coronavirus will be notified by Health Department staff and given specific instructions on what they need to do next.

Out of an abundance of caution, the Health Department is adopting a stringent response to this current situation. As of the date and time of this release, the following Health Department programs will be closed from Monday 4/27/2020 until they reopen on Monday, 5/4/2020

  • All clinical services
  • Care Management Services (clients may call their workers for callback); and 
  • WIC (clients may call for assistance)

After consultations with NCDHHS, the Health Department has been approved to move forward with the following plan for our CLINICAL closures this week

  • Clinic patients provided with the option of receiving some mandated services at our neighboring counties’ Health Departments;
  • Patients given the option to receive services at other healthcare providers both inside and outside the county. Patients whose appointments were canceled are being notified and those appointments will be rescheduled.

Environmental Health Services (septic, wells, food & lodging inspections, etc.) and the Franklin County Home Health Agency services will continue to operate remotely (as they have been doing for some time). Limited dropoff service will be available for Environmental Health needs

For the week of 4/27/2020 through 5/1/2020, only critical Health Department employees with a negative test and no current symptoms (i.e. with no fever as verified by temperature checks threetimes per day) have returned to work to continue the Countys Emergency Operations Center and to complete contact investigations. The Health Department will resume all services on Monday, 5/4/2020

Look for more updates from the Franklin COVID19 EOC as more information becomes available.

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Two Franklin Co. Health Dept. Employees Test Positive for COVID-19

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-Information courtesy Franklin County Government

On Friday, 4/24/2020, the Franklin County Health Department (FCHD) received positive coronavirus test-result notifications on two (2) employees. The two (2) employees do not serve as healthcare providers within the department.

The first employee was last at work on Thursday, 4/09/2020 at 5 p.m., and first reported mild symptoms on Saturday, 4/11/2020. This employee has not been inside the FCHD since 4/9/2020.

As per the employee’s healthcare provider’s guidance, a coronavirus test sample was collected on Monday, 4/20/2020, but the results were “inconclusive.” A second sample was collected on Wednesday, 4/22/202, with positive test results being reported to the Health Department later in the morning on Friday, 4/24/2020. As noted above, this employee was last in the health department on 4/9/2020.

The second employee was tested on Wednesday, 4/22/2020, after reporting symptoms they initially thought were allergies. Following sample collection, the employee was sent home and given instructions to isolate. Their positive coronavirus test-results were received a little after 9 a.m. on Friday 4/24/2020.

Immediately after the Health Department received notification of the first positive test result, all non-health department staff were instructed to leave the department. All appointments were canceled, and a total of 48 Health Department staff were tested for coronavirus, with 42 employees being sent home with written instructions on isolation and symptom monitoring. The remaining seven (7) department staff canceled all appointments for Monday, 4/27/2020, and prepared the facility for disinfecting which occurred on Saturday, 4/25/2020.

Test results for all staff should be available by late Sunday (4/26/20) afternoon, or earlier Monday (4/27/2020) morning. Only staff who receive a negative test result are allowed to return to work.

As of the date and time of this release, all face-to-face: clinical services; care management services; and WIC are canceled for Monday, 4/27/2020. Patients will be able to speak by phone to staff in those programs on Monday, 4/27/2020 if needed.

Patients whose appointments were canceled have been notified and the department will contact you on rescheduling those appointments. The Health Department anticipates a resumption of these services on Tuesday, 4/28/2020.

Environmental Health Services (septic, wells, food & lodging inspections, etc.) and the Franklin County Home Health Agency services will continue to operate remotely (as they have been doing for some time). Limited drop-off service will be available for Environmental Health needs.

The Franklin County Health Department continues to conduct contact tracing for COVID-19, so any individual suspected of being exposed to the coronavirus will be notified by Health Department staff and given specific instructions on what they need to do next.

As noted above, only Health Department employees with a negative test result will return to work on Monday, 4/27/2020 or thereafter.

Look for more updates from the Franklin COVID-19 EOC as more information becomes available.

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VGCC Small Business Center to Offer Free ‘Business Resiliency’ Webinar Series

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-Information courtesy the VGCC Small Business Center

The Small Business Center of Vance-Granville Community College has scheduled another webinar series entitled “Business Resiliency in 2020” where participants will learn various ways to move small businesses forward during and after COVID-19.

There will also be time allowed for questions and answers. This is part of the Small Business Center’s continued effort to support local businesses and offer encouragement and help.

These free sessions will be held from 2 – 3 p.m. on the following dates:

April 28 – Best Practices for Effectively Working Remotely

April 30 – Stabilizing Cash Flow in an Unstable Market

May 5 – Why Marketing Your Business is More Important Now Than Ever Before

May 7 – Know Your Small Business Resources: Navigating the Small Business Pipeline

May 12 – Stay Flexible and Moving Forward Business in 2020

May 14 – Relationship Building = Repeat Business

Please register for each session at www.vgcc.edu/coned/small-business-center/#schedules

NC MedAssist

NC MedAssist Offers Free Pharmacy Program to Qualifying Individuals

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-Press Release, NC MedAssist

NC MedAssist is the only free mail-order pharmacy serving all 100 counties in NC since 1997. Although they are most known for their mobile pharmacy events where they distribute over-the-counter medicine into impoverished communities, this organization’s primary focus is their Free Pharmacy Program.

Last year, NC MedAssist served 18,805 patients and dispensed 229,805 prescriptions valued at $68 million dollars to low-income, uninsured individuals throughout North Carolina. Once enrolled in the Free Pharmacy Program, prescription medication is mailed directly to the patient’s home, usually providing a 90 day supply.

“As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, thousands of North Carolinians are losing both their jobs and their health insurance. However, not everyone knows that our program exists, especially people who may have never needed our services before,” said Lori Giang, CEO of NC MedAssist. “Without our health, we have nothing. So we want our neighbors across the state to know that we are here and ready to help them in any way we can.”

Since the COVID-19 outbreak, NC MedAssist has restructured its services to be more digitally available. They have added their enrollment application online, as well as transitioned their Free Over-the-Counter Store (located in Charlotte) into a curbside pick-up retail pharmacy with online ordering available. They have also extended re-certification deadlines for current patients who may need additional time to gather their required documentation.

“We realize this is a critical time for everyone,” said Giang. “Our number one goal is to ensure that families across the state continue receiving the medication they need to live.”

To learn more about the NC MedAssist Free Pharmacy Program and to see if you qualify, please visit https://medassist.org/ or call 1-(866)-331-1348.

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Town of Louisburg Awarded $2.4 Million for Industrial Park 

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-Press Release, Town of Louisburg

On April 16, 2020, the Town of Louisburg was awarded a grant in the amount of $2,439,100 to assist the Town in the construction of water, sewer, and electric infrastructure, as well as industrial access, at the Louisburg Industrial Park.

The Town has made the site a critical piece of its economic development strategy and intends to commit additional resources focused on business recruitment to the industrial park.

The broad plan is to create a 10-parcel industrial park for the recruitment of industrial and commercial businesses. A major economic development goal is to produce large-scale employment centers to provide jobs to local residents, increase tax base and expand Louisburg’s utility services.

The grant was awarded by The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) under The Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account that provides grants to local governments located in the 80 most economically distressed counties of the State.

“Communities across our state are going through challenging times right now, and we must continue to help rural North Carolina prepare for future economic growth,” Secretary Copeland said. “Rural Infrastructure Authority grants provide needed support for job creation in our rural areas, which are appealing places to live, work and grow a business.”

“We very much appreciate the IDF’s confidence in Louisburg and Tommy Hester’s leadership with the RIA. This is a testament to our Town Administrator, Jonathan Franklin, his staff, and their commitment to improving our Town and bringing this project to fruition.” – Councilman Boyd Sturges.

Mayor Karl Pernell added, “This is a big moment for Louisburg and a great opportunity. We look forward to the jobs and the investment this project will attract, and the improvements it will bring to the quality of life of our citizens.”