Tag Archive for: #warrencountygovt

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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.

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Rabies Alert: Raccoon on Tower Road in Norlina Tests Positive

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

A raccoon taken on May 23, 2020, from Tower Road in Norlina has tested positive for rabies at the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health. 

The raccoon was killed by the citizen after it was found fighting with the citizen’s dog. The dog is current on its rabies vaccination and will be observed for 45 days by the owner. 

North Carolina law requires that all dogs, cats, and ferrets that are four months of age and older be kept current on their rabies vaccination. Failure to vaccinate pets is a violation of state law and local ordinance and owners can face fines and criminal charges. 

The Warren County Animal Control Department offers one-year rabies vaccinations. Vaccinations are resuming at the Animal Ark and are available Monday through Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. A vaccine is $5 per animal at the Animal Ark. Appointments can be made by calling the shelter at 252-257-6137.

Dogs and cats not current on their rabies vaccination that come into contact with a rabid animal have very few options.  One option is quarantining the pet for a period of up to six months at the owner’s expense; the second is euthanizing the pet.

The majority of wild animals testing positive for rabies in North Carolina continue to be raccoons, followed by skunks and foxes. Cats continue to surpass other domestic animals, such as dogs and livestock, in testing positive for rabies.

The feeding and keeping of stray and other unvaccinated cats presents a health risk to our communities and the animals themselves; this practice should be halted and discouraged. The disposal of food scraps in yards and wooded areas attracts animals in general and is unsanitary. Dispose of food scraps by composting or placing in covered rubbish containers to avoid attracting animals. 

Rabies is a fatal disease that has no cure for animals or humans. Feeding, keeping, or harboring of stray cats and dogs increases the risk of rabies being transmitted from stray animals to humans and is highly discouraged by Animal Control. Individuals who keep, feed, or harbor unvaccinated animals place the animals, themselves, and their community at risk of being exposed to this fatal disease.

For more information, contact Warren County Animal Control at 252-257-6137. The Warren County Animal Ark is located at 142 Rafters Lane, off of Hwy 58/43, just east of the Town of Warrenton.

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Warren County Announces Fourth Confirmed Positive COVID-19 Case

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-Information courtesy Warren County Government

The Warren County Health Department received confirmation of a positive COVID-19 test result on Saturday, April 25, 2020. Currently, there are a total of four (4) positive cases of COVID-19 in Warren County. Two of the positive cases have recovered and there are no deaths related to COVID-19.

Residents should remain diligent about complying with the Governor’s Stay at Home order and Warren County’s curfew; they should continue practicing prevention measures such as frequent hand washing and maintaining social distancing as we try to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Warren County.

Warren County will continue to update its COVID-19 resources page with updates on confirmed case counts. Residents may also check-in daily with the NC Department of Health and Human Services for their NC case count at https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/covid19/covid-19-nc-case-count.

For more information, residents can call the Warren County Health Department at 252-257-1185, the Warren County COVID-19 Information Line at 252-257-7132, Monday– Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. or visit the Warren County Government website at https://www.warrencountync.com/712/COVID-19-Resources.

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Warren County Commissioners Enact a Curfew Beginning Thurs., April 9

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

At the April 6, 2020, Warren County Board of Commissioners meeting, officials unanimously voted to amend the March 15 State of Emergency declaration to include a curfew for Warren County residents, as well as the towns of Norlina and Macon, beginning Thursday, April 9 at 9 p.m.

The 9 p.m. – 6 a.m. curfew will run for the duration of Governor Cooper’s Stay At Home Executive Order 121.

“Now is not the time for us as a Warren County community to be relaxed,” stated Chairman Tare “T” Davis, leading into the board’s consideration of a curfew. “We need to come together to keep each other safe. This means we must observe the Governor’s stay at home order, and we must practice social distancing.”

On April 6, the Warren County Health Department received confirmation of the county’s third known confirmed positive case of COVID-19 in Warren County. As of April 6, the county has forty-one known residents who have been tested for COVID-19; of those forty-one tests, there have been thirty-eight known negative results.

Dr. Margaret Brake, Director of the Warren County Health Department, stated that the role of the health department in positive cases is to be involved in contact tracing for those individuals that have tested positive; health department staff is also involved in isolation and quarantine orders for those positive individuals. The health department has a responsibility for checking in with those positive persons and determining when their case has recovered and when insolation orders can be lifted.

County Manager Vincent Jones clarified that the curfew would not prevent residents from conducting essential business and making essential trips as provided for in the governor’s executive order. He also stated that surrounding counties -including Franklin and Halifax – also have the 9 p.m. – 6 a.m. curfew.

County Attorney Hassan Kingsberry stated that the guidance from the Governor’s Office for essential employees traveling after 9 p.m. and prior to 6 a.m. is to have your work identification, such as an ID badge, handy while commuting. Law enforcement will work with you as long as your reason for traveling past the curfew is related to essential business as outlined in the governor’s order.

“Now is not the time to become relaxed because the weather is changing… We have seen instances of people holding gatherings of larger than ten people – cookouts – while not observing social distancing,” stated Chairman Davis. “We understand we have major holidays coming up… this is not the time or the year for that, unfortunately. Teens are playing basketball and hanging out in groups. We have to take this seriously. Community spread is here. As a rural community with less access to medical resources, it is important that we recognize the seriousness of this pandemic. We have to do this together.”

Sheriff Johnny Williams joined the meeting via telephone and stated that the Sheriff’s Office will be working with the public to help enforce the curfew. If residents see a large gathering, they should call the 911 non-emergency line at 252-257-3456 and a deputy will respond.

The Town of Warrenton passed its own State of Emergency declaration; they will consider amending their own order should they chose to enact a curfew.

For more information, contact the Warren County Manager’s Office at 252-257-3115 or visit www.warrencountync.com. You may also call the Warren County COVID-19 Information Line at 252-257-7132.

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Warren County Confirms Third Case of COVID-19

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

A third case of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been confirmed in Warren County. The Warren County Health Department received confirmation of a positive COVID-19 test result on Monday, April 6, 2020.

Residents should be diligent about complying with the Governor’s Stay at Home order; they should be practicing prevention measures and social distancing as the County tries to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Warren County.

Warren County will continue to update its COVID-19 resources page with updates on confirmed case counts. Residents may also check-in daily with the NC Department of Health and Human Services for their NC case count at https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/covid19/covid-19-nc-case-count.

For more information, residents can call the Warren County Health Department at 252-257-1185, the Warren County COVID-19 Information Line at 252-257-7132, Monday– Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. or visit the Warren County Government website at https://www.warrencountync.com/712/COVID-19-Resources.

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Warren Co. Seeks Demolition Contractors for Abandoned Manufactured Homes

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

Warren County is seeking interested and qualified demolition contractors to participate in the County’s Abandoned Manufactured (mobile) Home Deconstruction Program.

Contractors will be responsible for deconstructing abandoned manufactured (mobile) homes by separating recyclable materials from non-recyclable materials and disposing of both at the appropriate waste disposal facilities with appropriate permits.

Contractors interested in submitting bids must contact Ken Krulik in the Warren County Planning/Zoning and Code Enforcement Department and complete a contractor application. Forms can be submitted by email or hard copy mail; email kenkrulik@warrencountync.gov for an application.

Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on May 8, 2020. Contact the Planning and Zoning Department by phone at (252) 257-7027 for more information.

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First Case of COVID-19 Confirmed in Warren County

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

An individual was tested for COVID-19 on Monday, March 30 and confirmation of a positive COVID-19 test result was received at the Warren County Health Department on Friday, April 3. The individual is currently receiving medical care at an inpatient facility. To protect privacy, no additional information about the individual will be shared by the health department.

“Given the spread of COVID-19 across North Carolina and in our region, we are not surprised to receive our first case,” stated Dr. Margaret Brake, Warren County Health Director.

Warren County Health Department’s Communicable Disease staff is working at this time to conduct contact tracing to make sure everyone who came into close contact with this individual is quarantined. Close contact is anyone who was within six feet of the individual for 10 minutes or more.

Contacts of individuals who are confirmed positive for COVID-19 will be given information about isolation and quarantine and asked to monitor symptoms. Due to the limited supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and test kits across the state and nation, Warren County residents should not seek testing for Coronavirus unless they have symptoms (fever, cough or difficulty breathing, shortness of breath) or have been in direct contact with someone who has tested positive. State guidance continues to require those symptoms to be present in order to send in a sample for testing. Residents who are sick should call their doctor before going to the office, hospital or urgent care.

While this illness is not severe for most people and they can recover at home, it can be really serious for others. Individuals who have a higher risk for complications are those 65 years and older; have chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma; weakened immune systems; pregnant women and infants.

According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, at this time there are no approved treatments and no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. However, there are known methods to reduce and slow the spread of infection. Individuals can practice everyday prevention measures like frequent hand washing, staying home when sick, disinfecting surfaces, and covering coughs and sneezes.

Community-based interventions can also slow the spread of COVID-19. This includes measures collectively known as “social distancing.” Social distancing measures aim to reduce the frequency of contact and increase the physical distance between persons, thereby reducing the risks of person-to-person transmission. Implementation of these measures can slow the spread of this disease.

“Residents are advised to comply with Governor Cooper’s Stay at Home Order, only going out for essential needs. We urge you to stay home to save lives,” says Dr. Margaret Brake, Warren County Health Director.

For more information on COVID-19 and preventive measures you can take, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html or the NC Department of Health and Human Services website: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/public-health/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-response-north-carolina.

Residents can also call the Warren County COVID-19 Information Line at 252-257-7132, Monday– Friday 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. or visit the Warren County Government website at https://www.warrencountync.com/712/COVID-19-Resources.

NC Dept of Agriculture

NC Dept. of Agriculture Issues Notice for Essential Food and Agriculture Employees

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences is taking preventative measures to help farmers, agribusinesses, and food workers in the event that the state of North Carolina issues a shelter-in-place order. At this time, the state of North Carolina does not have a shelter-in-place order in effect, although several North Carolina counties are issuing their own local orders.

Steve Troxler, NC Commissioner of Agriculture, is providing a notice to be used by employees performing essential job functions in the area of food preparation and distribution and agriculture. The purpose is to ensure that workers in agriculture and food systems are not impeded as more COVID-19 response restrictions are adopted. It is vital, in this time of emergency, to allow our agricultural-related industries to move freely to keep our food system functioning.

“Many agriculture-related companies in Warren County, from farmers and timber companies to food packaging manufacturers, will be able to continue operations as more COVID-19 restrictions are adopted,” advised Stacy Woodhouse, Director of Warren County EDC.

The notice identifies individuals as being employed in one of the US Department of Homeland Security’s 16 critical industries for national security.

The Department of Homeland Security defines food and agriculture workers as:

  • Workers supporting groceries, pharmacies and other retail that sells food and beverage products
  • Restaurant carry-out and quick-serve food operations – Carry-out and delivery food employees
  • Food manufacturer employees and their supplier employees—to include those employed in food processing (packers, meat processing, cheese plants, milk plants, produce, etc.) facilities; livestock, poultry, seafood slaughter facilities; pet and animal feed processing facilities; human food facilities producing by-products for animal food; beverage production facilities; and the production of food packaging
  • Farm workers to include those employed in animal food, feed, and ingredient production, packaging, and distribution; manufacturing, packaging, and distribution of veterinary drugs; truck delivery and transport; farm and fishery labor needed to produce our food supply domestically
  • Farm workers and support service workers to include those who field crops; commodity inspection; fuel ethanol facilities; storage facilities; and other agricultural inputs
  • Employees and firms supporting food, feed, and beverage distribution, including warehouse workers, vendor-managed inventory controllers and blockchain managers
  • Workers supporting the sanitation of all food manufacturing processes and operation from wholesale to retail
  • Company cafeterias – in-plant cafeterias used to feed employees
  • Workers in food testing labs in private industries and in institutions of higher education
  • Workers essential for assistance programs and government payments
  • Employees of companies engaged in the production of chemicals, medicines, vaccines, and other substances used by the food and agricultural industry, including pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, minerals, enrichments, and other agricultural production aids
  • Animal agriculture workers to include those employed in veterinary health; manufacturing and distribution of animal medical materials, animal vaccines, animal drugs, feed ingredients, feed, and bedding, etc.; transportation of live animals, animal medical materials; transportation of deceased animals for disposal; raising of animals for food; animal production operations; slaughter and packing plants and associated regulatory and government workforce
  • Workers who support the manufacture and distribution of forest products, including, but not limited to timber, paper and other wood products
  • Employees engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of equipment and other infrastructure necessary to agricultural production and distribution
  • Agricultural workers supporting the green industry to include nursery operations, garden centers, landscape companies critical to the environmental and physical living conditions necessary in our communities. (NCDA&CS addition)

Commissioner Troxler is encouraging workers to keep a copy of the notice with them as they travel. “As our local farming community continues to work in the new norm, your local Cooperative Extension is available to assist with educational assistance, resources, and information,” stated Crystal M. Smith, County Extension Director.

The notice can be obtained by contacting the Warren County Economic Development office at 252-257-3114 or by email at StacyWoodhouse@WarrenCountyNC.gov.

The notice can also be obtained by contacting Warren County Cooperative Extension at 252-257-3640. This notice is also available at https://www.warrencountync.com/736/Business-Community-Resources.

For more information, you may also contact Tim Ivey, Agribusiness Developer, of the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, at 919-707-3117 or email tim.ivey@ncagr.gov.

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Warren Co. Urges Businesses to Research COVID-19 Assistance Resources

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

Many businesses across Warren County, the state, and the country have been affected by the regulations and preventative measures surrounding the COVID-19 virus. It is important for businesses to take advantage of the resources being made available by the state and federal government, as well as other organizations in a timely manner.

If you require assistance, Warren County Economic Development can help. For more information, contact Stacy Woodhouse, Economic Development Commission Director, at 252-257-3114 or by emailing StacyWoodhouse@WarrenCountync.gov.

The following are some of the assistance programs available to businesses:

SBA Disaster Assistance Loan (SBA)

Loans up to $25,000 do not require collateral. Note that the SBA website is crashing regularly during business hours due to increased traffic; businesses are encouraged to apply from 7 p.m. – 7 a.m. during off-peak hours. https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/Information/Index

N.C. Division of Employment Security

If you have lost your job or been laid off, file an Unemployment Insurance (UI) claim. New changes to the state’s unemployment system have occurred due to the current impacts of the COVID-19 coronavirus in North Carolina. COVID-19 specific information can be found at https://des.nc.gov/need-help/covid-19-information. This website has information for both employers and people seeking unemployment benefits. The NC Division of Employment Security can also be reached at 888.737.0259.

Facebook Small Business Grants

Facebook has a small business grants program. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/business/boost/grants.

NC Rapid Recovery Loans

The North Carolina COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Lending program supports North Carolina small businesses and family farms as they recover from the economic impact of COVID-19. This loan helps small businesses bridge the gap between when crisis strikes and when federal loans, insurance payouts, and other relief funds are approved, or businesses have time to recover. These funds are provided by the Golden Leaf Foundation. For more information, visit https://ncrapidrecovery.org/.

Federal Income Tax Extension

The U.S. Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service have announced that the federal income tax filing due date is automatically extended from April 15, 2020, to July 15, 2020. Taxpayers can also defer federal income tax payments due on April 15, 2020, to July 15, 2020, without penalties and interest, regardless of the amount owed. This deferment applies to all taxpayers, including individuals, trusts and estates, corporations, and other non-corporate tax filers, as well as those who pay self-employment tax. For more information, visit https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus.

NC Income Tax Filing

The deadline for filing NC Income Tax has been extended from April 15 to July 15, 2020. For more information, visit https://www.ncdor.gov/home/ncdor-actions-covid-19.

Warren Co. Partners with Loaves & Fishes Ministries to Offer Food Pickup

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-Press Release, Warren County Government 

Citizens of Warren County and around the world have found themselves in an unprecedented position with the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of you have inquired about ways to help your neighbors right here in your home community of Warren County.

Warren County government is partnering with Warrenton-based non-profit, Loaves & Fishes Ministries, to help facilitate neighbors helping neighbors and ensuring all of our residents have access to food options during this difficult time.

Food and monetary donations can be dropped off at Loaves & Fishes, located at 538 W. Ridgeway Street in Warrenton, NC (behind the Health Department), on Mondays and Wednesdays between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. All donations will be accepted.

If you, your organization, or business is interested in providing volunteer services for the Loaves & Fishes Ministries food bank, please call Warren County Emergency Services at 252-257-1191. All volunteers for Loaves & Fishes will be coordinated through Emergency Services. At this time, no more than 12 volunteers are needed per day.

Loaves & Fishes is currently available to all members of the public for food pick-up on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

For more information, call Loaves & Fishes at 252-257-1160 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. You can also call the site manager, Rosa Jones, at 252-431-4445. Loaves & Fishes Ministries is on Facebook @lfmwarrenton.