NC State Board of Elections

Advocacy Group Sends Invalid Absentee Ballot Request Forms to 80,000 NC Voters

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

The State Board of Elections has learned that a voter advocacy group mailed about 80,000 absentee ballot request forms to North Carolina residents with voters’ information already filled out on the forms.

A state law passed last year prohibits election officials from accepting absentee ballot request forms pre-filled “partially or in whole,” and the State Board has instructed county boards of elections not to process such request forms.

The advocacy group, The Center for Voter Information (CVI) in Washington, D.C., halted additional mailings with pre-filled voter information after N.C. elections officials informed the group of the issue.

CVI plans to send about 400,000 additional mailings to N.C. residents, but they will include blank absentee ballot request forms, which are valid.

County boards of elections that receive an invalid absentee request form will send a letter to the voter informing them of the issue. The letter will include a blank request form for the voter to return.

The State Board urges voters to discard any absentee ballot request form they receive that includes pre-filled voter information.

CVI asked State Board staff to review a sample mailing in April, and State Board staff did not catch the pre-filled forms at that time. However, CVI sent some mailings before forwarding the final product to elections officials for review. Election officials discovered the issue after these mailings were sent to voters.

“We will do our best to review mailings and other voting information distributed by third parties when requested and when resources allow for it,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the N.C. State Board of Elections. “However, it’s ultimately up to advocacy groups to ensure their mailings do not confuse voters or potentially affect their ability to vote in an election.”

All registered voters in North Carolina may request an absentee by-mail ballot. The official 2020 State Absentee Ballot Request Form is available for download from the State Board website. Voters may also pick up a request form from their county board of elections or call their county board to request a form.

For the November 3 general election, the deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is October 27. Voters may request a ballot now. Starting in early September, ballots will be mailed to voters who request them.

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NC Public Schools’ Reopening Plan to be Announced by July 1

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Press Release, Office of NC Governor Roy Cooper

To hear further discussion on this press release, please go to WIZS.com and click on today’s Town Talk.

New health guidelines released Monday represent a first step to help North Carolina K-12 public schools find a safe way to open to in-person instruction for the 2020-21 academic year, health and education leaders announced Monday.

The StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit (K-12) lays out a comprehensive set of baseline health practices that public schools should follow to minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19 for students, staff, and families. In addition to specific requirements, the Toolkit recommends practices that schools should implement to minimize the spread of COVID-19 while allowing in-person teaching to resume.

Governor Roy Cooper, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Mark Johnson, State Board of Education Chair Eric Davis, and NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Secretary Mandy Cohen shared the guidance Monday.

“Getting children back to school to learn is a high priority, but they must be able to do so in the safest way possible,” said Governor Cooper. “Every child, family and public school educator in North Carolina deserve strong protection to lower the risk of virus spread.”

Schools are asked to plan for reopening under three scenarios – Plan A: Minimal Social Distancing, Plan B: Moderate Social Distancing, or Plan C: Remote Learning Only. NCDHHS, in consultation with the State Board of Education and Department of Public Instruction, will announce by July 1 which of the three plans should be implemented for schools to most safely reopen. The remaining plans may be needed if the state’s COVID-19 metrics change over time.

“Opening schools will be possible if we keep working together to slow the spread of COVID-19. We will each need to do our part and practice the 3 Ws – Wear a cloth face covering. Wait six feet apart. Wash your hands frequently. These easy actions will have an outsized impact in keeping viral spread low in order to help get our children back to school,” said Cohen.

The Public Health Toolkit was developed collaboratively by DHHS and DPI with input from a range of stakeholders across the state, including local superintendents, State Board of Education members, the Governor’s Teacher Advisory Council, and members of the Governor’s COVID-19 Education and Nutrition Working Group.

“We are working together to balance the need for all of our children to get back to school – especially children who rely on public schools for their education, health, safety and nutrition – while at the same time proceeding cautiously and deliberately to protect their health and safety,” said Chairman Davis. “I know meeting these public health requirements will take a tremendous effort by our schools – but I also know we are doing the right thing and that our schools will rise to the challenge.”

The StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit will be a companion to operational guidance under development by DPI that will offer strategies for how to implement the public health guidance and cover other non-health areas for reopening planning, including scheduling, instructional practice, and staff training.

“Today, North Carolinians have the important first step of returning to schools in the fall with this release of the final health guidance for schools from the NC Department of Health and Human Services,” Superintendent Johnson said. “In addition, the North Carolina education agency has already been leading workgroups, comprised of diverse stakeholders from teachers to school staff to superintendents to other support professionals, to create draft operational strategies that will help our school systems prepare for the fall. We will now seek feedback on the draft operational strategies from other stakeholders across the state to ensure that we best capture the needs of all our schools.”

The StrongSchoolsNC Public Heath Toolkit (K-12) was developed using the most current CDC guidance for schools and includes requirements and recommendations for eight areas: Social Distancing and Minimizing Exposure; Cloth Face Coverings; Protecting Vulnerable Populations; Cleaning and Hygiene; Monitoring for Symptoms; Handling Suspected, Presumptive or Confirmed Positive Cases of COVID-19; Communication and Combating Misinformation; Water and Ventilation Systems; Transportation; and Coping and Resilience.

For example, it requires students and others to be screened for illness before entering school and requires floor markings to maintain social distance. It also includes sample screening symptom checklists in English and Spanish, a flow chart protocol for handling suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19, and a checklist of infection control supplies schools may need. The Toolkit will be updated as new health guidance is released by the CDC and additional resources are added.

Questions about the StrongSchoolsNC Public Heath Toolkit (K-12) should be directed to StrongSchoolsNC@dhhs.nc.gov (in English or in Spanish).

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Text-to-911 Now Available in Warren Co.; Residents Urged to Prioritize Calling 911

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

Warren County E-911 is pleased to announce that Text-to-911 capabilities are now in place. However, residents should choose to call 911 over texting whenever possible. Text-to-911 should only be used in extreme emergencies.

When using Text-to-911, texters must include their location/address and name. Telecommunicators cannot assist a texter if they do not have a location. No photos or videos should be sent via Text-to-911.

With Text-to-911, the caller has the ability to send a text message to reach 911 emergency call takers from their mobile phones. Whenever possible, the caller should continue to call 911 rather than text.

If the person in need attempts to send a text to 911 where mobile service is not available, providers will send an automatic “bounce-back” message that will advise you to contact emergency services by another means, such as making a voice call. Bounce-back messages are intended to minimize your risk of mistakenly believing that a text-to-911 has been transmitted to an emergency call center when it has not.

Those using Text-to-911 should not text and drive.

For more information, contact the Warren County Sheriff’s Office at 252-257-3456.

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Local COVID-19 Update: Vance, Granville & Warren County Report

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-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health and Warren County Health Department

As of June 2, 2020, there are 324 known COVID-19 cases in Granville County, 332 cases in Vance County, 66 cases in Warren County and 29,889 confirmed cases in North Carolina.

There are four outbreaks at congregate living facilities in the district – one at Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, NC; one at Murdoch Development Center in Butner, NC; one at Pelican Health in Henderson, NC; and one at Kerr Lake Nursing Home in Henderson, NC.

Of the total positive cases in each county, 142 in Granville County are associated with the prisons, 5 are associated with Murdoch, 58 in Vance County are associated with Pelican Health nursing home, and 32 are associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home.

Of the 177 community-based cases in Granville County, 87 have been released from isolation and 4 are hospitalized.

Of the 142 cases in the prison system, 70 have been released from isolation.

Of the 242 community-based cases in Vance County, 120 have been released from isolation.

Of the 90 cases in congregate living facilities in Vance County, 31 have been released from isolation.

13 individuals in Vance County are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 34 deaths in the Granville Vance health district – 24 in Vance County and 10 with the Bureau of Prisons in Granville County.

Also as of June 2, the Warren County Health Department NC reports 66 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Warren County; 2 are hospitalized; 49 cases have recovered; 2 deaths related to COVID-19 (both had underlying health conditions).

Confirmed positive cases in Warren County range from 12 years of age to 83 years of age.

North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association Releases Statement on George Floyd Incident

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-Press Release, North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association

The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association stands for the protection of the rights of all citizens. The sheriffs of North Carolina expect all law enforcement officers to conduct themselves professionally and lawfully at all times. These higher standards of conduct include reserving the use of force, especially deadly force, for those times when its use is absolutely necessary and lawful.

While we are not privy to the full investigation, what we have seen in the video of the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota is unacceptable. The video clearly shows unprofessional and egregious conduct by law enforcement officers. This type of law enforcement conduct cannot be tolerated and must be swiftly addressed by the law enforcement community and the criminal justice system.

Part of the mission of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association is to provide education and training to sheriffs and their personnel. The law enforcement conduct displayed in this video is inexcusable and totally contrary to the training provided to law enforcement officers in North Carolina.

As sheriffs, we strive to build relationships with everyone in our communities. These relationships are built on mutual respect between officers and their community. It is by our conduct that law enforcement officers earn the respect of the public we are sworn to serve. This type of egregious misconduct by a few officers erodes the respect citizens have for all officers. Therefore, when law enforcement officers violate laws or policy, we expect them to immediately be held accountable. We, the members of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, will tolerate nothing less.

We extend our deepest sympathies to George Floyd, his family, the citizens and businesses of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and the law enforcement community that live up to their oath and creed of respect, courage, dedication, and service to protect and serve their community.

NC Governor Logo

Cooper Extends Utility Cut Off Moratorium, Implements Evictions Moratorium

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-Press Release, Office of Governor Roy Cooper

Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order No. 142 to extend the prohibition of utility shut-offs and implement a moratorium on evictions. The Order went into effect Saturday with the Governor’s signature.

“North Carolinians need relief to help make ends meet during the pandemic,” said Governor Cooper. “Extending housing and utility protections will mean more people can stay in their homes and stay safe as we all work to slow the spread of this virus.”

“North Carolinians want to pay their rent, but for far too many people – through no fault of their own – that’s just not possible right now,” said Attorney General Josh Stein. “We are in unprecedented times that call for unprecedented action. I support Gov. Roy Cooper’s extension of the moratorium on evictions to ensure that people do not face homelessness in the midst of this health and economic crisis.”

The Council of State concurred on this Executive Order with no objections.

The Order will aid in efforts to stop the spread of the virus by preventing homelessness due to eviction and ensuring access to essential utilities such as water and power. Though the Order allows for extended windows to pay rent and utility bills, all tenants and customers are still ultimately responsible for making their rent and utility payments.

The Order’s evictions moratorium:

  • Is effective immediately and lasts for 3 weeks;
  • Would prevent landlords from initiating summary ejections or other eviction proceedings against a tenant for nonpayment or late payment of rent;
  • Prevents landlords from assessing late fees or other penalties for late or nonpayment;
  • Prevents the accumulation of additional interest, fees, or other penalties for existing late fees while this Order is in effect;
  • Requires landlords to give tenants a minimum of six months to pay outstanding rent;
  • Requires leases to be modified to disallow evicting tenants for reasons of late or nonpayments; and
  • Makes clear that evictions for reasons related to health and safety can take place.

The Order’s utility shutoff moratorium:

  • Continues effective immediately and lasts 60 days;
  • Prohibits utility disconnections for all customers;
  • Prohibits billing or collection of late fees, penalties, and other charges for failure to pay; and
  • Extends repayment plans at least six months, and sets the default term for repayment to six months for cases when the utility and customer cannot agree on the terms of an extended repayment plan.

More information can be found in the FAQ document or read Executive Order 142.

Special Audio Report: Warrenton Milano’s Family Restaurant and Building Destroyed by Fire

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Warrenton Rural Volunteer Fire Chief and Mayor of Warrenton Walter Gardner spoke with WIZS News about 6 p.m. Friday. In the special audio report, he provided the following facts about the Milano’s Family Restaurant building fire.

  • No one was injured.
  • Just before 5 a.m. the first call came in.
  • The fire was contained to Milano’s Italian Restaurant footprint.
  • Investigators are certain of the area of the origin of the fire, but unsure of the original cause.
  • 19 departments fought the fire.
  • Remains of the building were pushed into the footprint for safety.
  • The community aided and banded together and supported each other in the effort.
  • “We will try to rise from these ashes.”
Boys & Girls Club Summer Camp

Register Now! Boys & Girls Clubs to Hold Free Virtual Summer Camp

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-Information and flyer courtesy BGCNCNC

The Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central North Carolina (BGCNCNC) will hold a free virtual summer camp for local children June 15 through July 31, 2020.

Camp includes:

  • A “Be Great” box full of fun activities and supplies that will be delivered to your home each session
  • Access to a Private Facebook Group for updates, activities and daily Facebook Live sessions
  • Daily Zoom meetings with guest speakers, presentations, classes and more!

In order to receive access and a “Be Great” box, please register by Friday, May 29, 2020. Complete the registration form at www.bgcncnc.com or visit the BGCNCNC’s Oxford, Roanoke Rapids or Vance locations weekdays from 4:30 – 6 p.m.

For more information, call (919) 690-0036 or visit www.bgcncnc.com.

NC Governor Logo

Four-County Area to Receive Over $4 Million in COVID-19 Relief Funding

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-Press Release, Office of Governor Roy Cooper

Governor Roy Cooper announced that $85.4 million in federal funds provided for COVID-19 relief to counties will be disbursed this week.

Three large counties, Guilford, Mecklenburg and Wake, have already received funds directly from the federal government, and 59 other counties that have completed certification will receive funds this week from the state-administered Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) that was passed by Congress. Counties are encouraged to support municipalities with the funding as needed.

“Everyone is working hard to make ends meet, including county governments as they finalize their budgets,” Governor Cooper said. “These funds will help communities respond to the COVID-19 crisis with testing, personal protective equipment and more.”

Though the federal government did not require that the state share any of the $3.56 billion in the CRF to North Carolina local governments, Governor Cooper’s COVID-19 budget proposal recommended $300 million be allocated to counties and municipalities.

Ultimately, the unanimously approved and bipartisan budget that Governor Cooper signed included $150 million for counties that have the flexibility to share monies with their municipalities as county commissioners deem appropriate.

Local allocations include:

Vance County – $974, 599

Granville County – $1,233,427

Warren County – $571,030

Franklin County – $1,383, 798

The full distribution of funds is listed here by county, along with instructions to counties about how the funds may be used.

The CRF funds may be used for medical needs including the COVID-19 related expenses of public hospitals and clinics, including testing; public health expenses, such as personal protective equipment and other medical supplies, as well as the cost of cleaning public areas and facilities such as nursing homes; payroll expenses for public safety or healthcare employees dedicated to responding to the COVID-19 emergency; and expenses to comply with public health measures, including teleworking, distance learning, food delivery, paid leave for public employees, expenses for maintaining prisons, and protecting the homeless population.

By state law, the 97 remaining counties will receive a base amount of $250,000, with more distributed by population. This quick disbursement of funds was coordinated by the state Office of State Budget and Management and the new North Carolina Pandemic Recovery Office (NC PRO).

For questions about how CRF funds may be used, go to the NCPRO website for more information.

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Warren County Reports First COVID-19 Related Deaths

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-Information courtesy Warren County Government

Over the weekend, Warren County saw its first deaths attributed to COVID-19.

As of May 26, 2020, Warren County reported 54 confirmed positive cases; 33 recovered; five hospitalized; two deaths related to COVID-19. Both deaths were from hospitalized cases with underlying health conditions.

Warren County urges residents to continue to distance themselves from others, wash hands thoroughly and stay home if sick. While the state is easing restrictions,  continue to use safety precautions when leaving home.