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H-V Chamber Provides Local Financial Resources, Tips for Weathering Closures

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-Information courtesy the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce

The Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce is working together in partnership with Vance-Granville Community College, the Vance County Economic Development office, the Kerr Tar Council of Governments, the Henderson Downtown Development office, and others to equip our local business leaders with information and knowledge to weather the days ahead as we deal with the coronavirus outbreak.

Ideas to keep your business strong through Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis:

  • Communicate with your customers – Call, email, and use social media posts to let them know your status and how you are doing business during this time. Ask them to share this with others. Also, email your post, link, or graphic with post copy to the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce at michele@hendersonvance.org.
  • Consider ideas such as call-ahead (or online order, or via email) pickup services, delivery, take out, gift cards, encourage customers to reschedule instead of cancel, pre-payment of future services (deposit, subscription, membership), online orders, virtual services (consulting, training, problem-solving), etc.
  • Brainstorm and collaborate with fellow small business owners to help each other with ideas and to increase each other’s visibility.
  • Focus on purchasing local produce/meats to sustain local farmers and help with social distancing.

For Customers:

  • Buy now to enjoy later. Much like produce, you can also get carry-out meals to enjoy in the comfort of your home, whether you eat it while it’s still hot or freeze it for later.
  • Consider delivery from local stores where available.
  • Buy gift cards. Purchasing a gift card to use at another time helps local businesses by putting cash in their hands to use now.
  • Load up on entertainment on your devices and pull out the old board games to help distract your family and escape for a while.

Articles & Informative Links:

Coronavirus: 8 Things Your Small Business Needs to Do

US Small Business Administration – Guidance/Loan Information

Update: SBA has approved the request for North Carolina’s disaster declaration. Eligible applicants may now apply for economic injury disaster loans (EIDLs) as a result of the ongoing effects of COVID-19. 

If you would like to contact the Small Business Center at Vance-Granville Community College – you can put in your search bar “VGCC Small Business Center” or you can call Sheri Jones, Center Director at 252-738-3240.

SBA disaster assistance customer service center. Call 1-800-659-2955 (TTY: 1-800-877-8339) or e-mail disastercustomerservice@sba.gov (link sends e-mail)

Kerr Tar Council of Governments Loan Programs – Diane Cox at 252-436-2040

VGCC Small Business Center:

Your local Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center is hoping to be back in the classroom soon. In the meantime, please feel free to take advantage of webinars across our state network.

Click to see the schedule of upcoming webinars
Click for Electronic Request for One-on-one counseling via phone or email

WEBINAR Wed 3/25 2-3:30 p.m. Preparing Your Business for the Threat of the Coronavirus

Local Financial Institutions:

BB&T (now Truist Bank) – Gaylen Hackemack – 252-492-2181

Benchmark Community Bank – Curtis Tyndall – 252-436-0051

Carter Bank & Trust Bank – Shannon Lewis – 252-438-6222

Coastal Credit Union – Sandra Braswell – 800-868-4262

First Citizens Bank & Trust Co. – Bob Hubbard – 252-492-4145

Lendmark Financial – Becky Claiborne – 252-492-1166

State Employees Credit Union – Anna Lemert – 252-492-0168

Union Bank – Brad Baldwin – 252-430-0489

Woodforest National Bank – Jonathan Tyson – 252-430-8324

NC Works – Local Vance County agency that will assist you with issues affecting your workforce, lay-offs, hiring, etc. In Henderson, contact Jennifer Jones 252-438-6129 and in Oxford, contact Monica Satterwhite 919-693-2686.

Thread Capital (NC Rural Center) – contact 919-212-4943.  Jonathan Brereton, Executive Director; Email: connect@threadcap.org; Website: https://www.threadcap.org/; Thread Capital was launched in 2018 by the NC Rural Center and continues to be an operating subsidiary of the Center to handle business loans.

Carolina Small Business Development Fund (formerly The Support Center) – (919) 803-1437; Website: https://carolinasmallbusiness.org/; Loan Products: https://carolinasmallbusiness.org/loans/loan-products/

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE –  As an employer, you may be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). DUA is a federal program that provides temporary payments to people in a federally declared disaster area whose employment has been lost or interrupted as a direct result of the disaster. Business owners that are self-employed, a farmer, or a commercial fisherman, who is unemployed as a direct result of the disaster may be eligible. For more information go to https://des.nc.gov/; Phone: 888-737-0259.

VCS: Remote Learning Packet, Laptop Pick Up; Meals Continue Next Week

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-Information courtesy Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools is continuing to work for our students and community to ensure we are meeting their needs. Today we had 2,039 Remote Learning packets picked up throughout our district! Over the course of the last two days, we have handed out 14,796 meals, which is the equivalent of 4 days of food for each child who picked up meals!

As we move forward, we want to send a few reminders:

Meal distribution will continue again next week. We will get that information out through Blackboard calls and social media.

Remote Learning packets may be picked up on Thursday, March 19 from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. or 4 p.m.- 7 p.m. If you already picked up your child’s packet, you do not need to come again. Remote Learning packets are available for all elementary schools (PreK-5th), VCMS (6th-8th) and VCHS (AFM, English 4, Biology).

Questions or concerns? Whether it is about meals, learning packets, or anything else, please contact your child’s school.

5th Grade Laptop Deployment Information by School

Laptop deployment will be at each individual school. Fifth-grade parents should report to their child’s school at the designated time.

Thursday, March 19, 2020, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Pinkston Street Elementary
New Hope Elementary
EO Young Elementary
Carver Elementary

Thursday, March 19, 2020, 1 – 4 p.m.

Aycock Elementary
Yancey Elementary
EM Rollins Elementary

Friday, March 20, 2020, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Dabney Elementary
Zeb Vance Elementary
Clarke Elementary

A technician will be onsite (at each school) with the necessary paperwork for completion by parents/students.

To stay up to date with the latest information, go to www.vcs.k12.nc.us.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Public Health Provides COVID-19 Update; No Confirmed Cases in Granville, Vance

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Lisa Harrison, Director of Granville Vance Public Health, told WIZS News at 4:48 p.m. that there are no confirmed cases of Coronavirus “at this time.  Still testing regularly in each county.”

She said, “Please remind people to stay at home and give a call if they develop fever and shortness of breath or a really bad cough. Fever has to be present in order for the doctor to take a sample for testing. The social distancing and staying home to keep our health care workers safe is very important. We need to save our ER resources for very sick individuals and not for screening.”

Earlier in the day, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the following Press Release was issued by Granville County Government: 

Granville Vance Public Health (GVPH) reports that – as of March 18 at 10 a.m. – there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Granville or Vance County, and that public health officials are currently active in surveillance, testing, monitoring and providing guidance information to individuals and agencies daily.

In partnership with providers and neighboring health departments, the first phase of the response has consisted of intensive containment strategies.

“If we act now, and work together, we can make a difference in preventing extra stress to our health care system from the number of cases that may grow to be more serious,” said Lisa Harrison, Director of Granville Vance Public Health. “There is a lot we still don’t know about this virus, but what we do know clearly is that age and underlying health status make a big difference.”

GVPH has released guidance and information to help focus on those most at risk to develop a more serious strain of COVID-19 and be more likely to have complications. Many of the recommendations are focused on protecting people at higher risk of severe illness, which includes adults over 65 years of age, people with underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes, or people with weakened immune systems.

“This time of year it is easy to confuse the symptoms of coronavirus with the common cold, with allergies, or the flu – all of which are prevalent,” Harrison explains. “The symptoms of Coronavirus are fever, cough, or shortness of breath.”

A global dashboard in real-time is available on the Granville Vance Public Health web site,  https://gvph.org/COVID-19/?fbclid=IwAR0OG3rWzcK4EjI4k4-nM-wKmrGy3XjGZjzLILQluBPgvEiIbu14c4h4xlg.

According to Harrison, Coronavirus can be serious, but getting Coronavirus isn’t severe for everyone. “We do not yet understand why, but often children tend to fare well and get a really light version of the virus and get better relatively quickly from what we know so far,” she says.

Harrison adds that it is important to get information about this pandemic from trusted fact-based sources like the CDC, the World Health Organization, the NC Division of Public Health, and your local health department, Granville Vance Public Health.

Harrison advises that if you or a family member has fever AND cough – or difficulty breathing – to call your healthcare provider or an urgent care if you do not have a healthcare provider. If you have fever, cough, and shortness of breath, do NOT show up at your healthcare provider’s office or the urgent care without calling first so they can prepare for your visit.

Do NOT go to the emergency room unless you are in severe distress. Emergency rooms need to be able to serve the most critically ill. If you are having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 and tell them your symptoms.

“Although we have and are monitoring closely confirmed cases in our state, North Carolina has no indication at this point of widespread community spread of Coronavirus,” Harrison says. “It is so important that we stay home and practice social distancing. If we reduce our chances of getting this virus, we reduce our chances of spreading it to others. Please stay home and if you feel you are getting sick with fever and cough, or shortness of breath, remember to call your provider before coming in.”

You may also call the statewide Coronavirus Helpline at 1-866-462-3821, which is answered 24 hours a day / 7 days a week. People at higher risk include those age 65 and older, those with underlying health conditions including heart disease, lung disease, or diabetes, and those who have weakened immune systems.

Residents are asked to turn to accurate sources of information from the CDC (www.cdc.gov) and State Division of Public Health (https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-north-carolina) as well as your own local public health officials.

Granville Vance Public Health will provide the most up-to-date and accurate information for COVID-19 in their district online at https://gvph.org/.

Vance County Cancer Survivor Dinner Canceled; Relay for Life to be Rescheduled

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-Information courtesy Hope Breedlove, Relay for Life Survivor Committee

The Vance County Cancer Survivor Dinner scheduled to take place Friday, April 17, 2020, at South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church has been CANCELED for this year.

We know cancer patients are among those at high risk of serious illness from infection because their immune systems are sometimes weakened by cancer treatments.  We want to be as careful as we can on behalf of our patients, our volunteers, and the community at large during these uncertain times.

We are taking the coronavirus (COVID-19) very seriously and your health and safety are important to us. Due to the uncertainty of this situation, the duration of required restrictions and other associated mandates with COVID-19, we are unable to reschedule the event for this year.

We ask that you still register for the Relay for Life of Vance County event, which will be rescheduled for later this fall.  Your registration will enable us to order you a shirt that you will be able to pick up at the RFL event this fall.

Survivors, caregivers and walkers are welcome to register for Relay For Life online at www.RelayForLife.org/VanceNC or by calling 1-800-227-2345 (choose option #2 from the menu).

Thank you for your understanding. Please reach out to Hope Breedlove at (252) 436-1605 with any questions or concerns.

Henderson Men's Shelter

Henderson Men’s Shelter ‘Running Smoothly’ As Season Comes to a Close

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WIZS checked in with Jane King, volunteer coordinator for the Henderson Men’s Shelter, to see how shelter staff and the men they serve are faring in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

King reported that the shelter is running smoothly as it nears the closing of its season at the end of March. “Basically, all of our volunteers have asked to be excused, but our paid staff are committed to keeping the shelter open and are making a concerted effort to have the men practice good hygiene and social distancing as much as possible,” King said. “Our meal volunteers have continued to bring food and all seems to be well.”

At this time, King said the shelter is down to four men who are working on having a place to go when the shelter closes later this month. “We also have five men living in Hope House (year-round transitional home) and they are also being advised of safe practices,” explained King.

According to King, continued prayers and monetary donations to help meet payroll and prepare for next year are great ways for the community to support the shelter at this time.

Donations

All contributions are tax-deductible. Checks may be sent to:

Community Partners of Hope, Inc, P.O. Box 1791, Henderson, NC 27536

With questions, please contact Jane King at (252) 432-9494.

Criteria Updated for Small Businesses Requesting Disaster Assistance Loans

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-Press Release, U.S. Small Business Administration

As part of the Trump Administration’s aggressive, whole-of-government efforts to combat the Coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) and minimize economic disruption to the nation’s 30 million small businesses, U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza issued revised criteria for states or territories seeking an economic injury declaration related to Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The relaxed criteria will have two immediate impacts:

  • Faster, Easier Qualification Process for States Seeking SBA Disaster Assistance. Historically, the SBA has required that any state or territory impacted by disaster provide documentation certifying that at least five small businesses have suffered substantial economic injury as a result of a disaster, with at least one business located in each declared county/parish. Under the just-released, revised criteria, states or territories are only required to certify that at least five small businesses within the state/territory have suffered substantial economic injury, regardless of where those businesses are located.

 

  • Expanded, Statewide Access to SBA Disaster Assistance Loans for Small Businesses. SBA disaster assistance loans are typically only available to small businesses within counties identified as disaster areas by a Governor. Under the revised criteria issued today, disaster assistance loans will be available statewide following an economic injury declaration. This will apply to current and future disaster assistance declarations related to Coronavirus.

“We’re very encouraged that banks and financial institutions are responding to the President’s efforts to mobilize an unprecedented public-private response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. As a result, most small businesses that need credit during these uncertain times will be able to obtain it. However, our goal is to ensure that credit is available to any and all small businesses that need credit but are unable to access it on reasonable terms through traditional lending channels,” said Administrator Carranza.

“To that end, the SBA is relaxing the criteria through which states or territories may formally request an economic injury declaration, effective immediately. Furthermore, once an economic injury declaration has been made in a state or territory, the new rules allow the affected small businesses within the state or territory to apply for a disaster assistance loan.”

SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans offer up to $2 million in assistance for each affected small business. These loans can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.

Process for Accessing SBA’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Disaster Relief Lending

  • The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering designated states and territories low-interest federal disaster loans for working capital to small businesses suffering substantial economic injury as a result of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Upon a request received from a state’s or territory’s Governor, SBA will issue under its own authority, as provided by the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act that was recently signed by the President, an Economic Injury Disaster Loan declaration.
  • Any such Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance declaration issued by the SBA makes loans available statewide to small businesses and private, non-profit organizations to help alleviate economic injury caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
  • SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance will coordinate with the state’s or territory’s Governor to submit the request for Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance.
  • Once a declaration is made, the information on the application process for Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance will be made available to affected small businesses within the state.
  • These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. The interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses. The interest rate for non-profits is 2.75%.
  • SBA offers loans with long-term repayments in order to keep payments affordable, up to a maximum of 30 years. Terms are determined on a case-by-case basis, based upon each borrower’s ability to repay.
  • SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans are just one piece of the expanded focus of the federal government’s coordinated response, and the SBA is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible.
For additional information, please visit the SBA disaster assistance website at SBA.gov/Disaster.
NC Governor Logo

Governor’s Order Closes Sit-Down Restaurant Service, Lifts Unemployment Restrictions

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-Press Release, Office of NC Governor Roy Cooper

Governor Roy Cooper announced that North Carolina restaurants and bars will be closed to sit-down service and limited to take-out or delivery orders starting at 5 p.m. on March 17, 2020. Grocery stores, gas stations, and convenience stores are exempt from this order and will remain open, though they may not serve sit-down food.

Additionally, the order lifts some restrictions on unemployment benefits to help workers unemployed due to Covid-19 and those who are employed but will not receive a paycheck. Additionally, it adds benefit eligibility for those out of work because they have the virus or must care for someone who is sick.

“We did not come to this decision easily. But North Carolina must keep fighting this pandemic with the right weapons,” said Governor Cooper. “During this time of uncertainty, I will keep working to protect the health and safety of North Carolinians and keep our state’s economy afloat.”

This Order will directly aid workers who may have lost wages in restaurants and meeting places due to mass gathering restrictions. For example, workers who lose income due to tips or scheduled work hours, but are still employed, would be eligible for benefits because of this Executive Order. Among other changes:

  • It removes the one-week waiting period to apply for unemployment payment for those workers who lose their jobs;
  • It removes the requirement that a person must be actively looking for another job during this time when many potential employers are closed and social distancing guidelines are in effect.
  • It allows employees who lose their jobs or, in certain cases have their hours reduced due to Covid-19 to apply for unemployment benefits.
  • It directs that employers will not be held responsible for benefits paid as a direct result of these COVID-19 claims.
  • It waives the requirement that people must apply for benefits in person; workers can apply for benefits online or by phone.

The full executive order is available HERE.

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.

City of Henderson Logo

Appointments Required to Visit Henderson City Hall Effective March 18

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-Information courtesy City of Henderson

In light of the ever-changing situation with COVID-19, the Henderson City Manager has elected to close City Hall to any citizen who does not have an appointment with a staff member. This will go into effect as of 8 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18.

A notice has been posted on the front door of City Hall letting citizens know they need an appointment and how to make that appointment. To make an appointment, please call:

  • Main Line: (252) 430-5700
  • Code Compliance: (252) 430-5725
  • City Clerk: (252) 430-5705

Utility payments may be made by:

  • Automated Phone line (866-270-5612)
  • Online – https://client.pointandpay.net/web/CityofHendersonNC
  • Mailing your check or money order to City of Henderson, P.O. Box 1434, Henderson, NC 27536
  • Placing your payment in the drop box located on the porch at City Hall, 134 Rose Avenue, Henderson

If you need to close your account or establish service, please call (252) 430-5700 and ask to speak to a Customer Service Representative. Appointments will be made to set up new service or to transfer service.

City Hall staff will be available to answer your questions by telephone from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

City Hall will be fully staffed during this time as it is important that we continue to provide services to our citizens while keeping our employees as safe as possible.

The Public Safety departments will continue to engage with citizens. The City Manager has authorized those department directors on the “front lines” to make the necessary decisions regarding the health and well-being of those staff members on a case-by-case basis.

Citizens will need to call the Public Works department at (252) 431-6115 if they have concerns about sanitation or the cemetery. Please call (252) 431-6030 if you have water maintenance, sewer or street concerns.

Public Works staff will be available by telephone from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the City Manager at (252) 430-5701.

Henderson Police Department

Henderson Police Dept. Announces Minor Adjustments to Operating Procedures

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-Information courtesy the Henderson Police Department

Although there are no known positive cases of coronavirus in Henderson, we must be proactive and take precautions now to mitigate the spread of the virus in our community. Out of an abundance of caution, the Henderson Police Department is implementing minor adjustments in our operating procedures to ensure we can continue to provide the safety and core services to our community.

In order to accomplish these goals, we have implemented the following temporary plan:

Many non-violent and misdemeanor reports can be made online with no waiting. If you are reporting Harassing Phone Calls, Damage to Property, Hit and Run, Lost Property, Damage to Vehicle, Identity Theft, Stolen Property, Theft From Vehicle, Credit Card Theft/Fraud, within the City limits and no suspect is known, please email the Henderson Police Department at Records@hendersonncpd.org and provide your name, address, contact information to include a phone number and a description of the incident you are reporting.

Effective immediately, many non-violent criminal reports will only be taken by telephone. These reports include, but are not limited to: misdemeanor theft, harassing communications, lost property, identity theft, computer/phone/mail scams. Reports can be made with a live Henderson Police Department employee during normal business hours (8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. M-F) at 252-438-4141.

Our Dispatch Center is asking more questions to collect a wider range of information from callers to better prepare officers who are responding to calls. This is being done so officers can take more proactive steps; it will not affect officers’ response to calls for service.

Officers may ask community members to meet them outside of homes and businesses where appropriate in order to practice social distancing.

Officers have been issued personal protective equipment, and they may be seen wearing gloves, face masks, protective eyewear and clothing. This is especially true in medical testing environments and/or in environments known to have an increased risk of illness. Officers may ask community members to wear surgical face masks if they are showing signs of illness.

The Henderson Police Department attempts to utilize alternatives to arrest when possible, and we are working with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office to screen arrestees and employees who may be entering the detention center facilities. This is to reduce the risk of introducing and/or spreading the virus in the detention center environment.

Our community outreach and scheduled community events have been suspended for the next month. Please contact our Community Liaison Officer, Lt. Jessica West at 252-432-1558 for guidance if you have a scheduled event.

We have temporarily suspended agency tours and ride-along programs.

Copies of reports and motor vehicle accident reports can be requested by email at Records@hendersonncpd.org.

We will continue to be a 24-hour, full-service police department, and we will always be here to serve you, we want to reassure you that public safety is our number one priority; it always has been, and it always will be.

McGregor Hall

McGregor Hall Closed Through March 28; Perrys & Kingsmen Concert Rescheduled

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-Information courtesy McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center

We find ourselves in unprecedented times, and we’d like to update you on what we at McGregor Hall are doing to support local, state, and national efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. We are absolutely committed to the safety of our staff, our patrons, our volunteers, and our community, and are thus adhering to guidelines recommended both by Governor Cooper’s order and by the Centers for Disease Control.

These measures include:

•McGregor Hall will be closed to the public through March 28, 2020. Our box office will be closed during this time, and all scheduled events will be either canceled or rescheduled.

•The Angelina Ballerina school field trip performance originally scheduled for Thursday, March 19, is canceled.

•The Perrys and Kingsmen concert originally scheduled for Friday, March 20, has been rescheduled for Friday, June 12 at 7 p.m., and all currently issued tickets for that event will be valid for use on June 12 with the same reserved seating.

During this closure, a professional cleaning company will thoroughly clean the entire interior of McGregor Hall, with particular attention paid to restrooms, food service areas, seating, and high traffic areas. As always, we welcome you to reach out anytime with questions via info@mcgregorhall.org, via Facebook messenger, or by leaving a message at (252) 598-0662.

We look forward to gathering with you again as soon as possible to enjoy the finest in live entertainment on our stage. Until then, be sure to check both our Facebook page and www.mcgregorhall.org for updates. We are indeed grateful for your support.