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Orange County issues new standards for food-service establishments to go into effect Friday, July 10With COVID-19 cases rising in Orange County, the county amended its emergency declaration to provide new standards for the onsite consumption of food and beverages at restaurants, private clubs and other food-service establishments. “Cases in Orange County have tripled since Memorial Day,” said Penny Rich, Chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners. “These additional measures will help protect our community by reducing group settings where the virus can easily spread. We must be vigilant in practicing physical distancing and wearing masks. It is more important than ever that we look out for each other.” The revised declaration goes into effect at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 10, and includes the following changes: - Restaurants and private clubs shall be closed to the onsite consumption of food and beverages and no customers shall be present for the onsite consumption of food and beverages between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.; and
- Restaurants may continue drive through, delivery, and pick-up services after 10 p.m. so long as there is no onsite consumption of food and beverages; and
- Restaurants, breweries, wine shops, private clubs, bars, and any other businesses or organizations that sell alcohol for onsite consumption may not sell alcohol between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. and no customers shall be present for onsite consumption of alcohol between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m.; and
- Restaurants, private clubs, and other food and beverage service businesses may not provide offsite table service for the consumption of food and beverages in Orange County between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.; and
- Restaurants, private clubs, bars, and other food and beverage service businesses shall not allow sitting or standing at bars for food and beverage consumption and shall not allow patrons to touch shared surfaces such as bar counters or game equipment such as pool tables, darts, and pinball machines, etc. (restrooms excluded); and
- All outdoor activities, gatherings, or events of more than 25 people are prohibited. Worship, religious and spiritual gatherings, funeral ceremonies, wedding ceremonies, and gatherings for health and safety, for work, to obtain goods, and to obtain government services are exempt from this Sec. 4(vi).
- The restrictions and prohibitions found in Section 4 of the June 26, 2020 Amendment to the Declaration of a State of Emergency in Orange County remain in effect in Orange County until they are amended or modified or the Orange County Declaration of Emergency is terminated except that Section 4(ii) is modified as follows: The mandatory mitigation measures set out in E0 138, Section 7B.2., as originally adopted, apply to all long-term care facilities described in EO 138, Section 7A.3., as originally adopted, which are situated in Orange County and shall continue to apply until such time as the Orange County Declaration of a State of Emergency in Orange County is amended, modified, or terminated.
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Orange County Arts Commission Announces Upcoming Grant DeadlinesThe Orange County Arts Commission announced this week several upcoming grant application periods: - Grassroots Arts Program for organizations: July 15 – August 14
- Artist Project Grant Program for individuals: July 15 – August 14
- Orange County Arts Support Fund for individuals and arts organizations impacted by COVID-19: July 20-31
- Arts Educator Grant Program for school arts teachers: August 1 – September 30
To learn more: https://artsorange.org/ocacgrants/
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Orange County to host panel discussion on mental healthThe Orange County Department on Aging and the Project EngAGE Mental Wellness & Aging Senior Resource Team invite the public to attend a virtual panel discussion entitled, “Let’s Talk About Mental Health During COVID” on July 23.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic may be stressful for people. Fear and anxiety about a new disease and what could happen can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions in adults and children. Public health actions, such as social distancing, can make people feel isolated and lonely and can increase stress and anxiety. However, these actions are necessary to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Coping with stress in a healthy way will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger.”
Join us for a facilitated discussion as we openly and supportively discuss mental wellness and the struggles of staying mentally healthy during COVID. A panel of experts will share their knowledge and experiences on how to address the concerns and obstacles we all could experience, as well as strategies for maintaining your mental wellness. - Click here for registration information.
DCHC MPO Seeks Comment on 30-Year Plan for Future Transportation Priorities
If you’re interested in the 30-year plan for future highway, bicycle, rail, pedestrian and transit projects for our region, now’s your chance to give your feedback by August 5 on how the process to identify these projects will take place. The Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) is seeking public feedback now on their proposed goals and objectives and their public engagement plan for the 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP). The 2050 MTP will identify future highway, transit, rail, bicycle, pedestrian and other transportation projects for this region over the next 30 years. The goals and objectives will guide the selection of these transportation projects, and the public engagement plan will define the process for receiving input on the 2050 MTP as it develops. Residents and other stakeholders are asked to provide comments by completing this online survey in English or Spanish, or visiting the DCHC MPO website and providing comments directly by email by Wednesday, August 5. Residents and stakeholders may also directly address the DCHC MPO Board on these two items on Wednesday, August 12 beginning at 9 a.m. during their virtual board meeting. The August 12 virtual meeting will also be live streamed on the DCHC MPO’s Facebook page. For more information about the 2050 MTP, contact DCHC MPO Principal Planner Andrew Henry at (919) 560-4366, ext. 36419 or by email.
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Animal Services receives Petco Foundation Grant for medical treatment program Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) is proud to announce that they have received a grant from the Petco Foundation to fund its Medical Treatment Program for animals housed at the shelter.
The grant amount received from the Petco Foundation is $20,000. This grant will be used for medications, medical supplies, and some off-site veterinary services and procedures that are not currently available to animals housed at OCAS. The grant funds will target three different areas in the medical treatment program: canine heartworm treatment, feline ringworm treatment, and special surgeries and procedures for all animals.
The Medical Treatment Program has been a major lifesaving effort at Orange County Animal Services. Without the help of this program, these animals previously were deemed unadoptable. As a result of this effort, OCAS has redefined what it means to be an adoptable animal at their facility, a very welcomed and ongoing step in progressive sheltering practices.
The Petco Foundation supports animal rescue organizations nationwide and seeks to help local organizations improve their communities and save animal lives. As one of the largest funders of animal welfare organizations in the country, they invest in organizations that strive to achieve their mission and make a significant, lifesaving impact. Since 1999, the Petco Foundation has invested more than $280 million in lifesaving animal welfare work. They strive to empower communities to make a difference by investing in adoption and medical care programs, spay and neuter services, pet cancer research, service and therapy animals, and numerous other lifesaving initiatives.
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