Orange County Moves into Phase 3 of State’s Reopening Plan

Orange County will align with Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order taking North Carolina into Phase 3 of the state’s reopening plan, effective at 5 p.m. Oct. 2. The order allows bars, movie theaters and outdoor venues, among others, to open with capacity limits, allows K-5 schools to reopen under the state’s Plan A option and limits mass gatherings to 25 people indoors and 50 outdoors.

The governor and Secretary Mandy Cohen of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services pointed to the stabilization of several key metrics ? including hospitalizations, trajectory of confirmed cases, and positivity rates on COVID tests ? as supporting this move.

“Current trends in Orange County allow us to move forward with the state, but should we experience changes in positivity rates, more clusters or outbreaks or an increase in the number of cases, we will not hesitate to reinstate stricter limits on gatherings and other activities,” said Penny Rich, chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners. “We must remain diligent and continue social distancing and wearing masks while in public until a safe, effective vaccine is readily available.”

By aligning with the state plan, the county’s stricter limit on mass gatherings is lifted. State limits of 25 people indoors and 50 outdoors will be in effect until further notice.
The state’s Plan A for schools continues to include important safety measures like face coverings for all students, teachers and staff, social distancing, and symptom screening, but it does not require schools to reduce the number of children in the classroom. The school systems across Orange County will determine when to reopen their kindergarten-fifth grade classrooms and under which plan.

People of any age with certain underlying medical conditions are at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Those who are at risk are safer at home, and those who have contact with others at risk need to use caution when out.

Orange County extended its emergency declaration to Dec. 31, 2020

Orange County COVID-19 Updated Data Oct. 2, 2020

The Orange County Health Department has provided the following information about COVID-19 cases in Orange County as of 9:00 a.m. today:

TOTAL CASES: 2,703
TOTAL DEATHS: 56

Data Considerations:
1. Any demographic groups with very small numbers have been suppressed to protect
patient confidentiality.
2. We are missing race and ethnicity data for between 30-40% of confirmed cases.
3. We don’t know who may have COVID-19 that wasn’t able to get tested, and we don’t know what groups the patients with missing data fall under.
This data should not be used to make generalizations about who may or may not have higher rates of infection.

Click here to download the entire release.

Testing

See the Orange County COVID-19 Testing webpage for additional information on local testing options.

Board of Commissioners Business Meeting Agenda for October 6

Due to current public health concerns, the Orange County Board of Commissioners will be conducting a virtual business meeting on Oct. 6, 2020. Members of the Board of Commissioners will be participating in the meeting remotely. Members of the public will be able to view and listen to the meeting and have the opportunity to provide public comment. The public may submit written comments by sending an email to ocbocc@orangecountync.gov. Individuals who wish to speak must pre-register using the instructions included in the agenda.

As in prior meetings, the meeting will be streamed in real-time on the County’s website for public viewing/listening at http://www.orangecountync.gov/967/Meeting-Videos. There will also be real-time broadcast on Spectrum Cable and video-recording for future television broadcast and reference on the County’s website.

The full agenda for the Orange County Board of Commissioners’ virtual business meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2020 has been posted to the link below.
https://www.orangecountync.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10062020-1069

For a link to each agenda item as a separate file, please use the link below.
http://server3.co.orange.nc.us:8088/WebLink/0/fol/63043/Row1.aspx

Orange County Community Climate Action Grant –– Applications Now Open for FY20-21 Round

The application period for Orange County’s Community Climate Action Grant is now open for the FY20-21 Funding round. An estimated $478,657 funding will be provided to support an expansion of climate change mitigation and resilience projects that build on Orange County’s long history of sustainable actions.

Applications materials as well as details on grant eligibility and scoring are available at the Grant program website: https://www.orangecountync.gov/2534/Community-Climate-Action-Grant-Program. Applications must be received by noon Monday, Nov. 9.

Health Department Offers Guidance on Celebrating Halloween Safely During a Pandemic

Halloween is typically celebrated in ways that include prolonged and repeated contact with non-household members. This year, because of COVID-19, it is important to plan early and identify safer alternatives.

The Orange County Health Department is offering the following guidance on how to celebrate Halloween without increasing the risk of spreading COVID-19. This guidance discourages traditional trick-or-treating or trunk-or-treating where treats are handed to children or children take candy from a shared bucket.

“Many traditional Halloween activities can be high-risk for spreading viruses,” Orange County Health Director Quintana Stewart said. “In-person Halloween festivities, and traditions such as trick-or-treating, pose risks to participants. It is impossible to know who has COVID-19 or who has been exposed to someone with the virus, making it both advisable and necessary to protect yourself and others by choosing safer, alternative ways to participate in Halloween.”

Click here for more information.

Orange County department on aging graphic

Upcoming events from the Orange County Senior Centers

Plant Sale
It’s that time of year again; time to separate your plants. Instead of replanting the same plant, why not try another variety? The Passmore gardeners will sell plants from their beautiful garden. The plant sale will take place in the back parking lot. Please park in designated spaces to ensure social distancing. Sponsored by the Friends of the Jerry M Passmore Center. All proceeds supports the senior center.
Master Gardener: Patty Meehan
Passmore Center
Date: Thursday, Oct. 8 (223034-01)
Time: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Meet the Author
During our virtual meeting, local author AJ Mayhew will read excerpts from her new book. AJ was born in Charlotte and much of her work reflects her vivid memories of growing up in the segregated South. There will be time for a question and answer session after her presentation. Min: 10 /Max: 25
Register by: Wednesday, Oct. 7
Author: AJ Mayhem
Fee: FREE
Date: Wednesday, Oct. 21 (213013-01)
Time: 3 p.m.
Link: Program ID will be emailed

Library hosting Zoom scavenger hunt

Join Ms. Lori from the Orange County Public Library for a Zoom Scavenger hunt. You will be asked to find things that are located in your house, for example the strangest fruit you have in your kitchen, to show to the rest of the group. Click the graphic to register online or call us at 919.245.2532.

Group seeking comments on final US 15-501 Corridor Study

The Durham Chapel Hill Carrboro Metropolitan Planning Organization (DCHC MPO) is requesting comments from the public on the final US 15-501 Corridor Study. Comments can be submitted through October 15, 2020 using the following methods:

Email - Send your comments to andrew.henry@durhamnc.gov.
Public Hearing - You can directly address the DCHC MPO Board at their virtual public meeting, October 14, 9am, by sending your request to speak at the meeting to andrew.henry@durhamnc.gov.
Telephone - Call Andy Henry, 919-560-4366, extension 36419

If these methods are not adequate for you, please contact Andy Henry to request other accommodations.

Animal Services receives grant for spay & neuter program

Orange County Animal Services is proud to announce it has received a grant in the amount of $15,000 from the Margaret T. Petrie Spaying and Neutering Foundation. This grant will be used to subsidize the cost of spay/neuter services through the department’s spay/neuter program, thereby reducing pet overpopulation even further in Orange County.

This grant will allow Animal Services to continue to serve an even larger portion of the community by raising the income threshold under which Orange County residents qualify for spay and neuter surgery assistance. Previously, Orange County residents were required to have a household income at or below 200% of Federal Poverty guidelines. Now, Orange County Animal Services will continue to use the Margaret T. Petrie grant to additionally help individuals qualify for assistance if they have a household income between 200% and 400% of Federal Poverty guidelines.

Animal Services previously received this grant in 2017, 2018, and 2019. There has been a significant increase in the total number of spays and neuters of pets belonging to county residents as a result of the broadening of eligibility criteria.

The Margaret T. Petrie Spaying and Neutering Foundation has a mission to support long-term solutions to pet overpopulation and reduce the number of animals euthanized annually, thereby improving the lives of companion animals in North Carolina. Ms. Petrie herself was a lifelong lover of animals, owning both cats and dogs throughout her life. In creating the foundation, she hoped to improve the lives of these pets in a way that had a lasting impact, and felt strongly that spay/neuter was the best way for her to do so.

Orange County Residents interested in spay/neuter assistance can get more information and fill out an inquiry form online at , or contact Cooper Hatch at 919.932.4965 or chatch@orangecountync.gov.

www.orangecountync.gov