Tag Archive for: #warrencountynews

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.

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Warren County Announces Operation Updates

-Press Release, Warren County Government

The following county agencies will be altering their public operations until further notice:

Health Department – Effective March 23, the Warren County Health Department will see visitors by appointment only (Health and Environmental Health). Customers will be asked screening questions prior to coming in for appointments. To make a medical appointment, please call (252) 257-1185.

Environmental Health customers should call (252) 257-1538. Visitors will only be allowed to bring one additional person with them to appointments.

The Warren County Health Department is canceling two community events that were scheduled during public health week. They are the Annual Health Fair (April 7, Armory) and the Child Health Celebration (April 8, Health Department).

Planning & Zoning/Code Enforcement – Planning & Zoning and Code Enforcement will conduct appointments as needed. Staff will be available Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Customers seeking permits are asked to contact staff at 252-213-4253. Inspectors will continue to conduct inspections.

To reach Planning & Zoning and Code Enforcement, call 252-213-4253. You can also email KenKrulik@warrencountync.gov.

Public Utilities – Warren County Public Utilities customers are asked to pay their bills online, over the phone, or via the drop box on the side of the building (please include acct# and/or address on envelope).

Public Utilities staff will still be on-site and will continue to take calls at 252-257-3645 and new services via fax 252-257-3979. To pay online with a credit or debit card, please use the jurisdiction code 3966 (convenience fees still apply). Online payments can be made at https://www.warrencountync.com/131/Online-Payments.

To make payments with debit or credit over the phone, customers can call 1-800-272-9829 (jurisdiction code 3966; convenience fees still apply). Customers wishing to avoid convenience fees should use the on-site drop box located at Public Utilities (712 US Hwy 158 Business, Warrenton).

Social Services – Social Services will operate on a regular schedule. Residents should call Social Services with questions and mail in recertifications. Residents are also encouraged to use the drop box. All visitors to the building will be screened prior to entrance. For more information, contact Social Services at 252-257-2202.

Detention Center – The Warren County Detention Center has suspended all visitation requests; attorneys must get prior approval to visit their client. Weekly religious visits from clergy have been suspended. The Detention Center lobby area is limited to official business only. Each incoming detainee will be properly screened upon arrival and extra hygiene supplies have been distributed to detainees.

Cooperative Extension – Warren County Cooperative Extension will maintain regular office hours. The following Cooperative Extension events have been canceled: Master Gardener Spring Symposium (3/28), Five County Beef Tour (3/28), NC State Day of Giving (3/25), Teen Court (3/26), Small Farms Week (3/23 to 3/27).

The 4H Poultry Show and Sale is postponed till further notice. For more information, contact Cooperative Extension at 252-257-3640.

Parks and Recreation – Spring sports practice and all events at the Warren County Recreation Complex are suspended until further notice. The John Graham Gym is currently closed through April 6. Anyone needing to communicate with Parks and Recreation staff should first call 252-257-2272.

Effective March 23, the Parks and Recreation employees will be on-site and will answer phone calls and emails.

Tax Office – Effective Monday, March 23, 2020, the tax office will be closed to the public (appointments as necessary) until further notice from the County. All collections staff will report as normal and assist taxpayers with phone, online or telephonic payment of tax bills. All assessment staff will report as normal to assist taxpayers via phone, or email. Operations will continue as normal via phone, email, scan, fax and mail.

The Tax Office can be reached at 252-257-4158.

Veteran Services – Veteran Services has suspended in-person meetings. Clients submitting documentation can email or fax documents into the office. Interviews will take place over the telephone. To contact Veteran Services, please call 252-257-3385.

Animal Control – Effective March 23, kennel walk-throughs will be limited. Animals will be brought outside to the playground to have a one-on-one meeting with interested adopters. Potential adopters are referred to the shelter’s Facebook page @WarrenCountyAnimalArk. Visitors will not be allowed beyond the adoption rooms. Rabies vaccinations will stop until further notice.

Animal Control will be available Monday- Friday from 8:30 a.m to. 5 p.m. and on-call during weekends.

Register of Deeds – Effective March 23, public access to the Register of Deeds will be limited. There will be a drop box by the door so that documents can be dropped off for recording. This box will be checked frequently throughout the day. If customers need a Plat Map recorded, please call the Register of Deeds at 252-257-3265 to let staff know. Map and payment will be taken at the door. Customers will wait in the hallway while map is recorded.

The public is strongly encouraged to request certified copies of birth, death and marriage licenses by calling 252-257-3265, or go to www.warrenrod.org to complete an application and bring with them. To obtain a Marriage License, Renew Notary, and file military discharge, please call 252-257-3265 for further instructions.

Landfill/Transfer Station and Convenience Sites – The transfer station/landfill will be open normal hours (7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and convenience sites will operate on the regular schedule. Landfill customers should pick-up envelopes in the breezeway of Public Utilities and submit payments via the Public Utilities drop box on the side of the building. For more information, contact Public Works at 252-257-1948.

Finance – The Warren County Finance Office is closed to the public. Staff will be on-site to handle operations. The public should use the drop box as needed.

Soil and Water, Economic Development, and the County Manager’s Office will operate on a regular schedule. The public is encouraged to call before stopping in.

In addition to precautionary measures set in place by federal and state health agencies, all departments have been advised to implement a screening assessment prior to conducting face-to-face appointments. This includes asking visitors if they have a fever, are coughing, have shortness of breath, have recently traveled to high-risk areas, and if they have been in close contact with someone that has tested positive for COVID-19.

Warren County will be monitoring updates and advisories and will conduct weekly assessments to all changes in operations.

Updated information related to COVID-19 is posted online and on the Warren County Facebook page @WarrenCountyNCOfficial. For more information, contact the Warren County Manager’s Office at 252-
257-3115 Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. or visit www.warrencountync.com.

The Warren County COVID-19 Information Line is 252-257-7132 (operated Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.).

Warren Co. Health Department Closed Friday for Maintenance

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

The Warren County Health Department and Planning/Code Enforcement Offices will be closed on Friday, March 20, 2020, for building repairs and maintenance and will reopen on Monday, March 23, 2020, at 8:30 a.m.

Citizens may still contact Health Department staff if they need general information by calling (252) 213-2845. Citizens may contact Planning/Code Enforcement at (252) 213-4253.

For questions or concerns related to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), please call (252) 213-0266.

If you need to make an appointment, you should call the Health Department’s main number (252) 257-1185 on Monday, March 23.

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Warren Co. Announces Closing of Senior Center, Library

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

The following county agencies will be closed to the public beginning March 18:

Senior Center Closing – The Warren County Senior Center will be closed to seniors and the general public starting Wednesday, March 18. Staff will still be on-site to answer phone calls.

The home-delivered meals service will continue as normal; those seniors that typically come to the center for congregate meals can be switched to home-delivered meals by request (criteria must be met). Seniors with need must call the Senior Center to request the home-delivered meals program. Those individuals needing to purchase liquid nutrition should call the Senior Center and set up an appointment.

The Warren County Senior Center can be reached by phone Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. at 252-257-3111.

Library Closing – The Warren County Memorial Library will be closed to the public starting Wednesday, March 18. During this time, the library staff will be on-site and available by phone Monday – Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. For information and assistance with online resources, please call staff during this time. All renewal dates will be extended.

Patrons are asked to use the book drop to return all materials. For more information, please call the Memorial Library at 252-257-4990, visit their Facebook page @warrencountymemoriallibrary, or the website at https://www.wcmlibrary.org/.

Additionally, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has announced an executive order effective by 5 p.m. on March 17 that closes restaurants and bars for dine-in customers but allows them to continue takeout and delivery.

For more information, contact the Warren County Manager’s Office at 252-257-3115 Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. or visit www.warrencountync.com.

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Warren Co. Establishes Centralized Resources; Updates County Operations

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

Warren County Government has established a local line for information dissemination in regard to local information and response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Warren County COVID-19 Hotline is 252-257-7132. This information line will be manned from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Warren County has also established a centralized area on its website, www.warrencountync.com, for information related to COVID-19. A quick link can be found on the website’s homepage. Information will be updated as it unfolds related to local government cancellations and closings, as well as health alerts and community health information. Links are also provided to connect residents with Warren County Schools, state and federal agencies, and local news outlets.

Warren County Memorial Library will continue to operate with normal business hours; however, all community programs and meeting room usage are suspended until March 31.

Warren County Recreation programming has been suspended until April 6, including open gym access at John Graham Gym.

The Warren County Senior Center is currently open, providing congregate meals, breakfast and lunch, as normal. However, the Senior Center is implementing a new closing time of 4 p.m. (this allows one additional hour for cleaning prior to the start of the next business day). Hours of operation will be 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Seniors are advised that if they decide to shelter in place and nutrition becomes an issue, they should contact the Senior Center at 252-257-3111; staff will work to get these seniors meals (either the frozen entrees and accompaniments or shelf-stable meals).

NCDHHS has provided senior centers with a waiver to allow for converting congregate clients to home-delivered meal clients for purposes of grant reimbursements and streamlining of DHHS documentation.

For more information, contact the Warren County Manager’s Office at 252-257-3115 or visit www.warrencountync.com.

Warren’s Five County Beef Tour Postponed

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-Information courtesy Matthew Place, Livestock & Field Crop Agent, Warren Co. Cooperative Extension

The annual Five County Beef Tour, originally scheduled for Warren County on Saturday, March 28, 2020, has been postponed due to current health concerns. A new date will be announced as soon as available.

For more information, please contact Matthew Place at (252) 257-3640, mbplace@ncsu.edu or visit https://go.ncsu.edu/warren_beef.

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Keep Warren Co. Beautiful Committee to Hold Community Training

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

Warren County is working towards becoming an affiliate of the national organization Keep America Beautiful, an organization that works to end litter, improve recycling, and beautify communities.

On Tuesday, March 31, 2020, Isaac Nicholson, a representative from Keep America Beautiful, will be conducting a training held at the Warren County Armory Civic Center. The training will be held from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.; the first hour is for the general session and open to the public.

The Keep Warren County Beautiful Committee was organized by the Warren County Board of Commissioners to address the problem of litter on roadsides throughout the county and to educate citizens on the importance of proper garbage disposal and the impact that untidy roads have on community members, visitors, and potential for economic development.

The goal of the Keep Warren County Beautiful Committee is to ensure that local government, citizens, and visitors work on community solutions to address the problem of littering and identify opportunities for beautification efforts in Warren County by initiating diverse partnerships with a wide array of community stakeholders.

The Warren County Armory Civic Center is located at 501 US-158 Business East, Warrenton. For more information, contact Warren County Public Works at (252) 257-3795.

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Warren County Public Health Staff Stress Prevention for COVID-19

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-Press Release, Warren County Government 

Warren County public health staff are advising citizens to take the same precautions they would normally take for the flu or any other respiratory illness in response to concerns about COVID-19 (also being called coronavirus).

Some of these prevention measures include washing your hands frequently with soap and water, disinfecting touched objects and surfaces, and staying home if you are sick.

Staff at the Warren County Public Health Department and Warren County Emergency Services are working together and taking direction from the federal and state government in regard to COVID-19. The NC Division of Public Health has a weekly call for local health departments, and the Warren County Health Department is following the protocol process that is set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the NC Department of Public Health.

Warren County Emergency Services is actively participating with NC Office of Emergency Medical Services and NC Emergency Management in receiving regular updates. Emergency Services is also working with E-911 on the protocol for call intake in regard to COVID-19.

The Warren County Health Department Epidemiology (Epi) Team works together when communicable disease issues arise that could impact our community. Staff have been meeting regularly to address protocol involving COVID-19. The Health Department is not passing out masks to the public. If you think you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, the flu, or any other respiratory illness, please contact your doctor.

Most importantly, while the importance of preventative measures is stressed to combat any communicable disease (not just COVID-19), Public Health and Emergency Services staff are urging citizens not to panic and reassuring the community that Warren County healthcare and emergency professionals have the proper protocols in place to handle the concerns involving COVID-19.

For more information, please contact Public Health Director Dr. Margaret Brake at (252) 257-6000.

Warren County Schools Announces Dates for Kindergarten Registration

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-Information courtesy Warren County Schools

Warren County Schools will hold Kindergarten registration sessions for the 2020-21 school year during the month of April. A child must be 5 years old by August 31, 2020, to register for Kindergarten.

Registration Dates:

Mariam Boyd Elementary: Tuesday, April 21

Vaughan Elementary: Thursday, April 23

Northside K-8: Wednesday, April 29

Registration times are 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. and 1 until 5 p.m. on the date specified for each school.

To register, please take your child and the following required documents to the school in the attendance zone of your residence.

Required Documentation:

  • Official Birth Certificate
  • Social Security Card
  • Immunization Record
  • Proof of Residence
  • Parent’s Photo ID

ALL applications must be completed prior to registration. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact Monica Click Pre-K Coordinator for Warren County Schools. She can be reached at 252-257-3184, extension 2330 or by email at mclick@warrenk12nc.org.

Five County Beef Tour Coming to Warren Co.

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-Information courtesy Matthew Place, Livestock & Field Crop Agent, Warren Co. Cooperative Extension

The annual Five County Beef Tour is coming to Warren County on Saturday, March 28, 2020. The tour will feature three farm stops, including Smith Creek Angus, BB Organic Farm LLC and Sunrise Ridge Farm.

While at the farms, participants will hear from different specialists involved with the cattle industry. A catered lunch will be provided to participants at the end of the tour.

Participants will depart from the Warren County Cooperative Extension Center located at 158 Rafters Lane in Warrenton shortly after 8 a.m. The event will conclude at approximately 2 p.m. Limited transportation from the Extension Center to the farms is available.

For more information or to register, contact Matthew Place at (252) 257-3640, mbplace@ncsu.edu or visit https://go.ncsu.edu/warren_beef.