Local News - WIZS

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

March 18, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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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.

Appointments Required to Visit Henderson City Hall Effective March 18

March 17, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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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 Dept. Announces Minor Adjustments to Operating Procedures

March 17, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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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 Closed Through March 28; Perrys & Kingsmen Concert Rescheduled

March 17, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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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.

H-V Chamber Announces Food Service Members With Open Drive-Thru, Delivery

March 17, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Information courtesy Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce

Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday he plans to order restaurants and bars closed except for takeout and delivery orders. The move aims to lessen the spread of COVID-19 — the disease caused by the novel coronavirus — by limiting interactions between large groups of people.

A number of other states have issued similar orders, including New York and Ohio. Cooper said his executive order would be effective at 5 p.m. Tuesday and would also include an expansion of unemployment insurance.

We are encouraging all of our Chamber of Commerce member firms to support our local member restaurants and caterers by calling in your take-out orders, having meals catered to your house or your business, and using these businesses for special orders during this time of concern for their business income and staffing issues.

Bojangles’s – 252-438-8446 – Drive-Thru will remain open.

Chick-fil-A – 252-436-0010 – Drive-Thru will remain open.

Cook Shack Catering – 919-497-0669 – Call for catering and special delivery. www.cookshackcatering.com

George’s of Henderson Restaurant – 252-492-0090 – Call ahead and they will deliver to your car, for minimum orders of $30+ they will deliver to home/office. www.georgesofhenderson.com

Golden Corral – 252-438-9500 – Call ahead to order. They will offer curbside pick-up, catering to your business, special deliveries, and you can go to their website to order and see their menu. www.goldencorral.com – 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. (7 days a week)

Golden Skillet – 252-492-4040 – Use their drive-thru.

JD Tacos Food Truck – 252-657-9430 – Food Truck set up on Dabney Drive in Henderson beside the Fire Station. 7 days a week – 11 am – 8 pm

Mayflower Seafood Restaurant – 252-738-2393 – Call ahead to order.

McDonald’s – Drive-Thru will remain open.

Middleburg Steak House – 252-431-0350 – (Have not heard from owners at this time)

Pino’s Italian Restaurant – 252-438-1341 – Call ahead for take-out.

Pizza Inn of Henderson – 252-492-2144 – Call ahead to order.

Ribeye’s of Henderson – 252-430-1117 – Call ahead to order. Talk with them about catering and special delivery.

Sadie’s Coffee Corner – 252-572-2542 – Call ahead and they will deliver to your car.

Skipper Forsyth’s Bar-B-Q – 252-438-5228 – Call ahead for take-out.

Strickland Farms Catering – 919-497-6143 – Call for catering, special delivery. www.stricklandfarmscatering.com

Subway – 252-430-1590 – Call for catering, take out.

Ted’s Catering Service – 252-438-0820 – Call for catering, delivery, special orders. Can do box lunches with three-hour notice, can cook meat/sides by request. www.TedWheeler@earthlink.net

Maria Parham Health Provides COVID-19 Policy Updates – March 17

March 17, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Press Release, Maria Parham Health

As the situation regarding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to evolve, so does our hospital’s response. In addition to measures we’ve taken including restricting visitors, closing common areas, and adhering diligently to North Carolina State Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, Maria Parham Health is taking more precautionary steps to help ensure the safety of our patients, employees and visitors.

Effective immediately, we will be limiting entry points to our facility, eliminating all visitor hours and screening everyone – employees, patients and the very limited permissible visitors currently allowed – who enters the building. The following provides additional detail about these safety measures:

Limited Entry Points: Until otherwise notified, everyone entering the facility should come through the Main Front Hospital entrance and the Emergency Department entrance. All other entry points will be closed until further notice.
Zero Visitor Policy: Maria Parham Health is eliminating all visitor hours, with the exception of the following:
One visitor for obstetrical patients
Two visitors for pediatric patients
One caregiver if necessary, for emergency department patients
- No other visitors will be allowed at this time without approval from Administration. This includes outpatient treatment.
Screening Process: All patients, visitors and staff entering the facility will be screened with questions regarding respiratory symptoms and travel history, per CDC recommendations. Patients with symptoms will immediately be provided masks and managed per CDC guidelines. Based on the screening, visitors may also be asked to take their temperature, speak further with someone, or come back at a later date. Screening will occur upon every entry.

PLEASE NOTE, WE HAVE NOT LIMITED OR RESTRICTED SERVICES AT THIS TIME.

We know that these increased precautions may seem concerning. We do not want to cause alarm, but we do want to send a clear message to our community that we are prepared, responding appropriately and remain committed to protecting the well-being of our patients, visitors, employees and community.

These increased safety measures do NOT mean that you cannot access the hospital or your providers. Please seek medical care as needed. And if you are concerned you may be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, call your provider in advance of going to his or her office. Of course, if you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the emergency room.

Maria Parham Health values the trust our community places in us, and we appreciate your understanding as we shift our visitation policies during this time.

For details about our COVID-19 response, please visit mariaparham.com.

Henderson Family YMCA Closes Facilities, Suspends Youth, School Programs

March 17, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Information courtesy the Henderson Family YMCA

The Henderson Family YMCA will be closed for business from the evening of March 16 through at least the early morning of March 30. This closure includes After School camps.

The YMCA posted the following statement concerning the closures on its website:

These are unprecedented times. COVID-19 (coronavirus) is a global pandemic and a national emergency, and nobody is certain what the days ahead hold.

It’s hard to imagine more difficult circumstances for operating our YMCA. We are a community organization. We bring people together – from all backgrounds and circumstances – and create personal connections that change lives through membership and programs. But the nature of this virus, and how it spreads, presents significant challenges for our Y.

As members of our team, your safety, health and well-being remain a top priority of our Y. In light of recent developments and decisions that other community and public entities have made to close, and with an abundance of caution, we are making adjustments to Y programs and services.

FACILITIES
Following the recommendations from the CDC, Governor Cooper, public school systems and our state and local health officials, we are temporarily suspending facility usage. This includes facility access, group fitness classes and wellness programs. This is effective at 9 p.m. on, Monday, March 16, until at least March 30 at 5 a.m.

YOUTH SPORTS
We are suspending all youth sports programs effective immediately until April 13. We are currently working to reschedule practices and games. We will share updates with you in the days ahead.

SWIM LESSONS
All swim lessons have been suspended beginning Tuesday, March 17 through March 29. Be on the lookout for additional communications regarding rescheduling.

SCHOOL PROGRAMS
The YMCA is suspending all youth school programs we operate beginning March 17 through at least March 29.

Suspended programs include After School Camp and All Day Camp. Be on the lookout for additional communications regarding your financial account and program options.

GROUP EXERCISE CLASSES
To help you stay active, the Y has launched Y360. These virtual classes have been made available to you at no cost during this crisis so you can stay healthy at home.

MEMBERSHIP
On behalf of everyone at the Henderson Family YMCA, we ask that you remain a part of our Y and continue to support the critical work we do in our community. The significant impact we have on individuals, children, families and those who need us most is dependent on our program and membership fees. Your membership fees enable our Y to help the community, support our employees and remain strong through these extraordinary circumstances.

First Baptist Bell Ringers to Hold ‘To-Go’ Pancake Supper This Evening

March 17, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Information courtesy First Baptist Church

The Bell Ringers of First Baptist Church in Henderson will hold their Annual Pancake Supper this evening, March 17, 2020, from 5 until 7 p.m.

Plates are available for $7 and are offered as “to-go” only. No ticket is required; pay upon pickup.

Plates will be delivered directly to your car. Please use Orange Street for pickup.

Governor Cooper to Announce Closing of NC Restaurants, Bars for Dine-in

March 17, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Press Release, Office of NC Governor Roy Cooper

Governor Roy Cooper and members of the Coronavirus Task Force are holding a media briefing today at 2 p.m. At that briefing, Governor Cooper will announce a new executive order in response to COVID-19 that closes restaurants and bars for dine-in customers but allows them to continue takeout and delivery orders.

The executive order will also include an expansion of unemployment insurance to help North Carolina workers affected by COVID-19.

The order is expected to be effective by 5 p.m. today, Tuesday, March 17, 2020.

More information about the order and other updates on North Carolina’s response to COVID-19 will be available at today’s media briefing. The briefing is at 2 p.m. at Joint Force Headquarters, 1636 Gold Star Dr, Raleigh, NC 27607.

View live stream here: https://www.ncdps.gov/storm-update

KARTS Suspending Services – UPDATED

March 17, 2020/by WIZS Staff

PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO THE FACT THAT THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED HERE WITH MORE CURRENT INFORMATION AND AN OBVIOUS CHANGE IN PLANS TO HELP PEOPLE MEET THERE NEEDS.

UPDATE –

For Immediate Release
March 17, 2020
Irene Johnson, Executive Director

KARTS will continue to provide transportation service in Franklin, Granville, Vance and Warren counties. It is vital for our citizens to have access to transportation for dialysis, medical appointments, and other essential destinations during this difficult time. We continue to monitor the fluid situation with COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and will adhere to any state and/or federal guidelines.

The Around Town Shuttle will operate through 7:45 p.m. Friday, March 20th. After that, shuttle service will be suspended for two weeks.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Our first priority is the safety of our passengers and employees.

EARLIER STORY THAT HAS BEEN UPDATED ABOVE

-Information courtesy Roberta D. Freeman, KARTS Safety Officer

After careful thought and deliberation of our duty in the face of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak, and in what we believe is in the best interest of our employees and the people we serve, KARTS will suspend operations of it’s AROUND TOWN SHUTTLE AND OXFORD LOOP SERVICE EFFECTIVE WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18.

In addition, we have also suspended our OUT OF COUNTY trips that cover Wake, Durham and Orange until further notice.

Please contact the office at 252-438-2573 EXT: 3966 or visit the website at www.kartsnc.com. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience that this will undoubtedly create.