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TownTalk 04/21/20: Registration Open for VGCC’s Fully Online Summer Semester

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Kali Brown, dean of Student Access and Support at Vance-Granville Community College, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Frequently known as the curriculum side of the house, Brown oversees an area that includes Admissions, Career Services, Financial Aid and the Registrar’s Office.

Brown said the main focus of the Student Access and Support Division is connecting students to the college experience. “We help them gain access, whether they want to complete a short-term degree, such as a certificate or a diploma, or they are interested in pursuing an associate degree leading to workforce opportunities or college transfer.”

With over 40 degree, diploma, and certificate programs, Brown said VGCC offers something for everyone. “There are so many opportunities for students. Within a year to a year-and-a-half, a student can complete a credential, move into the workforce and start earning a livable wage.”

While VGCC’s current spring semester wraps up on May 11, registration is open and ongoing for the summer semester, which begins May 16, and the fall semester, which begins August 17. For a list of available classes, please visit the “Class Schedules” section of VGCC’s website or click here.

Following adjustments made in the middle of the spring semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic and state-wide stay-at-home orders, VGCC will offer summer classes in an entirely online format for both current and new students.

Classes typically taught in the summer semester that are unable to be offered online will potentially be offered this fall, depending on the situation, stated Brown.

“Summer is a great opportunity for students to get started, and it’s a great opportunity to take a general education class that they need for their program of study,” Brown said.

Many of VGCC’s curriculum admission processes, including the admission application, Financial Aid application and scholarship application, can be completed online.

While applying online is part of the standard admissions process, Brown said changes have been made to placement testing requirements as a result of stay-at-home orders. Testing requirements have been temporarily waived, with students now required to provide their high school transcript for placement purposes.

For more information on VGCC’s programs, semester dates, class schedules and registration information, please visit www.vgcc.edu.

To hear the interview with Brown in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Also appearing on TownTalk Tuesday was Hal Muetzel, local owner-operator of Express Employment Professionals.

NCDHHS

NCDHHS to Provide Additional Food Benefits for More than 800,000 Children

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-Press Release, Office of Governor Roy Cooper

Governor Roy Cooper announced today that North Carolina has been approved for the new Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program, to help families purchase food for children impacted by school closings due to COVID-19. NCDHHS is working to operationalize the program and families will begin to receive this benefit in the coming weeks.

“So many families are in need, especially with so many out of work right now. This approval helps people get assistance faster to feed their families,” said Governor Cooper.

The program provides a benefit on an EBT card to North Carolina families whose children are eligible for free and reduced lunch at school. Families will receive $250 in P-EBT benefits per child, provided in two installments, with the possibility of an additional benefit if North Carolina schools are closed beyond May 15. Families will be able to use the P-EBT benefit to purchase food items at EBT authorized retailers, including most major grocery stores.

Families will not need to apply for the P-EBT program. P-EBT eligible families already receiving Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) benefits will receive an additional benefit on their existing EBT card. P-EBT eligible families not already enrolled in FNS will be mailed a new EBT card in the next few weeks. Families who receive a new EBT card will receive a letter from DHHS in the mail explaining how to activate and use their card.

“As our schools closed, many families across the state worried about where their next meals would come from—and we knew we had to take action,” said NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen, M.D. “The P-EBT program will provide extra help buying groceries for the families of the more than 800,000 children who normally receive free and reduced lunch at school.”

North Carolina is one of the first four states to receive federal approval from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide P-EBT benefits, which are entirely federally funded.

The new P-EBT program is in addition to other services families may be participating in. As announced previously on March 30, 2020, all families that receive Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) will receive the maximum amount allowed for March and April 2020 for their household size. Families are encouraged to continue utilizing feeding programs at local school and community meal sites for free, nutritious meals for children.

Vance County Regional Farmers Market Opens Sat, Apr 25

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— press release

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market will open for the 2020 season on Saturday, April 25th, according to Tracy Madigan, Market Manager. Ms. Madigan reports that she has been carefully reviewing expert recommendations on procedures that minimize risk for customers, vendors and employees. “The Farmers Market is a vital community resource for both consumers and farmers,” noted Madigan, “so we want to set an example of using good practices.” Thus, all customers will be asked to strictly observe social distancing and hygiene practices, and Madigan indicated that signage and floor markings will be in place as reminders.

Paul McKenzie, Horticulture Extension Agent for Vance County, said that Farmers Markets across the state are sharing information about best practices so that they can continue serving as a source of fresh and nutritious food. “Most markets,” he reports, “are providing additional hand washing facilities, doing more frequent cleaning, and spacing vendors further apart. North Carolina producers raise the best farm products you could find, and I’m very glad farmers markets can continue to make it available. In many cases,” he said, “farmers markets have been way ahead of the curve in implementing safety practices.”

Customers of the Vance County Regional Farmers Market are asked to wear face coverings, wash hands frequently, and keep visits short. “We are asking customers to let vendors handle the product and to make pre-orders that can be picked up quickly,” said Madigan. She also asked customers to please visit the Farmers Market website or Facebook page for complete details on the new shopping procedures. “Above all, we want our customers to have access to the fresh and nutritious food that is grown by our local farmers.” The web address for the Vance County Regional Farmers Market is http://go.ncsu.edu/vcrfm. The Market will be open on Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday hours will start on June 1st. For more information call 252-438-8188 or email farmermarket@vancecounty.org.

Warren County Memorial Library Celebrates National Library Week

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

April 19 – 25, 2020, is National Library Week, and Warren County Memorial Library invites all community members to “find the library at their place” by visiting www.wcmlibrary.org to access virtual services and resources.

This is a time to highlight the valuable role libraries, librarians and library workers play in transforming lives and strengthening communities. The original theme for National Library Week 2020 – “find your place at the library” – was chosen months ago before the emergence of a global pandemic forced libraries to close their buildings.

In response to our rapidly changing times, the theme was revised to “find the library at your place” to bring attention to how libraries are open for business online, offering the electronic services and digital content their communities need now more than ever.

While the library’s physical spaces may be temporarily closed due to COVID-19, the public can discover ebooks, movies, online storytimes, language learning software, virtual tours of NC parks, and much more—all from home.

In times of crisis, libraries respond to their community’s needs in innovative and inspiring ways. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, libraries are continuing to make a difference in people’s lives by providing electronic resources, including virtual homework help, resume building tools, and information about keeping your family well and safe.

At the Warren County Memorial Library, there is a wide array of free virtual services available from providers such as NC Kids and NC Live.

Library staff encourage Warren County residents to make use of the myriad of electronic materials as well as screen-free activities highlighted on the library’s website www.wcmlibrary.org. All of the services mentioned can be accessed completely free of charge.

For more information, or help accessing electronic resources, call library staff Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., at 252-257-4990.

Treasurer Folwell Announces $2 Billion Received as Part of CARES Act

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-Press Release, NC Department of State Treasurer

State Treasurer Dale R. Folwell, CPA, and the Financial Operations Division (FOD) of the Department of State Treasurer (DST) announced on Thursday that North Carolina has received more than $2 billion from the federal government as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

The CARES Act, as passed by Congress and signed by the President, will provide $150 billion for the Coronavirus Relief Fund including direct payments to states, the District of Columbia, U.S. Territories, and eligible units of local government based on population as provided in the CARES Act.

Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM) along with the Office of the State Controller and staff at DST completed the application on April 14 and the funds were received by the State Bank (DST/FOD) the next day. The money is the first disbursement from the federal government of more than $4 billion slated for North Carolina.

“As keepers of the public purse, we’re responsible for receiving money and putting it in interest-bearing accounts,” said Treasurer Folwell. “We’ll process the withdrawal when directed by the legislative and executive branches.”

The North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA) will decide how the state’s money will be spent as part of legislation expected near the end of the month. Once an agreement has been reached, OSBM will distribute the funds. In the interim, the Investment Management Division at DST will invest the money in a short-term investment fund (STIF) that is high quality, low risk and interest-bearing. The money will be held until the NCGA and/or OSBM directs where it will be spent.

DST serves the people of North Carolina through a variety of functions related to the financial health of the state and its citizens. Folwell serves as the state’s banker and chief investment officer and is responsible for approximately $200 billion in assets.

The department administers the employee retirement systems for more than 900,000 public workers, along with their 401(k), 457 and 403(b) plans. DST also oversees the State Health Plan, which provides health care coverage to more than 727,000 teachers, state employees, retirees, current and former lawmakers, state university and community college personnel, and their dependents.

Fiscal assistance and expertise are provided by the department to local governmental units by aiding them in the sale of local government debt obligations and in maintaining sound budgeting, accounting, and reporting procedures. The department also administers the NC Cash unclaimed property database.

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Governor Roy Cooper Shares Path Forward for North Carolina

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-Press Release, Office of Governor Roy Cooper

Governor Roy Cooper today charted a path forward for eventually easing certain COVID-19 restrictions while still protecting North Carolinians from a dangerous second wave of the virus.

“This virus is going to be with us until there is a vaccine, which may be a year or more away,” said Governor Cooper. “That means that as we ease restrictions, we are going to enter a new normal. We want to get back to work while at the same time preventing a spike that will overwhelm our hospitals with COVID-19 cases.”

Expert modeling has shown it would be dangerous to lift the restrictions all at once because it would increase the chances that hospitals become overwhelmed and unable to care for severely ill patients. Cooper emphasized that changes in restrictions must protect public health, especially those who are most vulnerable to severe illness, including people over age 65, those with underlying health conditions and people living in congregate settings.

“Experts tell us it would be dangerous to lift our restrictions all at once. Rather than an on/off light switch, we are viewing this as a dimmer switch that can be adjusted incrementally,” said Governor Cooper.

In order to ease restrictions, the state needs to make more progress in three areas: testing, tracing and trends.

TESTING

State planning relies on an increase in testing capabilities to identify, isolate and track new cases of COVID-19. This means having the supplies and lab capacity to do more testing across the state. Dr. Mandy Cohen, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, has brought together laboratory partners from the public and private sector to coordinate efforts to ensure testing – diagnostic and antibody – is widely available across the state while also conserving protective equipment.

TRACING

Tracing requires the state to boost the public health workforce and the ability to trace contacts of new cases of COVID-19. Contact tracing can be effective at containing new outbreaks, but it requires more personnel. When a person tests positive, the tracing efforts will help identify who that individual may have been in contact with so those people can get tested and take the right precautions. NC DHHS is working with its partners to increase this critical piece of our public health workforce. New digital tools can also help scale this effort.

TRENDS

In order to ease restrictions, the state needs to understand how COVID-19 is impacting the state and impacting specific populations and regions of the state to determine when to strengthen or ease social distancing policies. Trends that will influence policy decisions will be based on data like the new positive cases, hospitalizations, deaths, as well as the available supply of personal protective equipment, hospital capacity.

“Because we acted early and because we acted together, we have averted the devastating scenarios we have seen playing out in other parts of our country and across the globe. We now need to look ahead at how we stay ahead of the curve. Widespread testing, aggressive contact tracing, and data-informed policy decisions are our best tools to keep our communities safe and protect our frontline workers,” said NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen, MD.

Dale Folwell

Town Talk 04/15/20: Treasurer Folwell Discusses State Pension Plan, COVID-19 Recovery

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

North Carolina State Treasurer Dale R. Folwell, CPA, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Wednesday at 11 a.m.

Folwell, who has served as NC State Treasurer since 2017, is recovering after being hospitalized for five days with COVID-19. “I am thankful for all the caregivers, God, my family, and the prayers and thoughts that got me through this,” Folwell said.

He also expressed appreciation for the healthcare workers who encouraged him through the recovery process. Folwell said doctors and nurses offered emotional support while he was separated from his family due to the strict no visitor policies currently implemented at many hospitals.

Cleared by doctors and health officials to resume his duties, Folwell reassured listeners that the state pension plan is “one of the most conservatively managed in the country, if not the world.”

“Last time we talked [WIZS Town Talk January 23, 2020], we were reassuring people that we were still in the check delivering business, and that’s still the case,” stated Folwell. “Obviously, we’ve had a lot of market volatility since then, but our state pension plan is in great shape, and we continue to be in the check delivering business.”

As of earlier this week, the state pension plan was down approximately 4.2% for the calendar year, while the S&P 500 was down by almost 14%. For the fiscal year that began June 2019, the state plan is up .6%, while the S&P is down approximately 5%. While down, Folwell said he is encouraged by the fact that the state plan is still currently outperforming the stock market.

To help offset some of the losses, Folwell said the state is “looking at some of our cash balances and taking advantage of some of the opportunities being presented to us. Those who depend on this – those that teach, those that protect and those who otherwise serve – will not have to think about this.”

Calling the current economic downturn a “combination of 9/11 and the Great Recession, all combined into one,” Folwell admitted, “Revenues are down, expenses are up, collections are down, and it’s just not a good circumstance for any business.”

Following today’s interview with WIZS, Folwell addressed the current state of the pension plan, among other treasury-related topics, in a monthly “Ask Me Anything” session open to media representatives.

The monthly calls are an opportunity for reporters to ask Folwell questions about N.C. Department of State Treasurer (DST) initiatives, including the Retirement Systems Division, the State Health Plan, the State and Local Government Finance Division and the Unclaimed Property Division.

Audio of the monthly “Ask Me Anything” calls is available by clicking here.

To hear the interview with Folwell in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Local Response Rates for US Census; Bureau Seeks Additional Days for Final Count

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-Press Release, United States Census Bureau

The 2020 Census is underway and more households across America are responding every day. Over 70 million households have responded to date, representing over 48% of all households in America.

North Carolina’s overall self-response rate is 45.7%.

According to the US Census Bureau’s website, as of April 14, 2020, the following percentage of households in the local area had self-responded:

Franklin County – 44.4%

Granville County – 47.8%

Vance County – 41.5%

Warren County – 35.3%

The Census Bureau temporarily suspended 2020 Census field data collection activities in March. Steps are already being taken to reactivate field offices beginning June 1, 2020, in preparation for the resumption of field data collection operations as quickly as possible following June 1.

In-person activities, including all interaction with the public, enumeration, office work and processing activities, will incorporate the most current guidance to promote the health and safety of staff and the public. This will include recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) and social distancing practices.

Once 2020 Census data collection is complete, the Census Bureau begins a lengthy, thorough and scientifically rigorous process to produce the apportionment counts, redistricting information and other statistical data products that help guide hundreds of billions of dollars in public and private sector spending per year.

In order to ensure the completeness and accuracy of the 2020 Census, the Census Bureau is seeking statutory relief from Congress of 120 additional calendar days to deliver final apportionment counts.

Under this plan, the Census Bureau would extend the window for field data collection and self-response to October 31, 2020, which will allow for apportionment counts to be delivered to the President by April 30, 2021, and redistricting data to be delivered to the states no later than July 31, 2021.

State Treasurer Folwell To Address NC Pension Plan Performance

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-Press Release, NC Department of State Treasurer

The state pension plan is weathering the COVID-19-induced economic downturn better than many public pension plans while outperforming the stock market, and State Treasurer Dale R. Folwell, CPA, will explain why during his “Ask Me Anything” conference call for the media on Wednesday, April 15.

The monthly calls are an opportunity for reporters to ask the Treasurer anything about N.C. Department of State Treasurer (DST) initiatives, including the Retirement Systems Division, the State Health Plan, the State and Local Government Finance Division and the Unclaimed Property Division.

As of Monday, the state pension plan was down about 4.2% for the calendar year, while the S&P 500 had tumbled about 14%. For the fiscal year, the plan is actually up .6% while the S&P is down almost 5%.

A stress test conducted by The Pew Charitable Trusts last year determined North Carolina’s pension plan is better positioned to remain solvent in tough economic times than most public pension plans. Research by Moody’s Investor Services determined, based on unfunded liabilities, that North Carolina’s pension plan was the best-funded among the 50 states, meaning it placed the lowest burden on taxpayers and members who pay into the system.

Meanwhile, emergency powers and other changes to the State Health Plan were implemented to help members respond to the coronavirus pandemic. The State and Local Government Commission is monitoring developments to determine whether cities and counties with bond debt and utility infrastructure needs might require assistance in dealing with declining taxes and fee revenue due to mandated business shutdowns.

Treasurer Folwell, who was hospitalized for five days due to complications from COVID-19, continued to engage in daily operations and decisions with DST staff throughout his illness. He has received the necessary medical clearances from his personal doctor and the Forsyth County Department of Health to return to work.

Among COVID-19 actions taken by DST were State Health Plan waivers for the costs of testing and treatment. Click here and here for more details of those steps.

Audio of previous “Ask Me Anything” calls is available here.

Warren Co. Schools Postpones Pre-K, Kindergarten Registration

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-Information courtesy Warren County Schools

Governor Roy Cooper has closed all NC public schools until May 15, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, all Pre-K and Kindergarten registration events for Warren County Schools are postponed until further notice.

Updates and rescheduled dates will be posted on the WCS website after the reopening of school.

Pre-K teachers and staff will be available to assist with the application process at that time. Pre-K applications and required documents can be accessed on the WCS website under “Documents.”