Eyewitness! Participatory Defense

Free Zoom event offered Oct. 26

MacArthur Fellow and Community Organizer Raj Jayadev, a founder of Silicon Valley De-Bug and leading national proponent of the Participatory Defense model, will participate in a free Zoom event on Oct. 26 to discuss this effort.

This model involves collective action that enables individuals facing incarceration, their families, and their communities to play an active role in their defense.

This event is free and open to the community. Use this link to sign on to the meeting at 5:30: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83567903694.

For more information contact Orange/Chatham Public Defender Susan Seahorn at 919-289-9693.

Elections Department releases video about safety precautions taken for in-person voting

The Orange County Board of Elections, in conjunction with the Orange County Health Department, Public Libraries and Community Relations Department, has created a video about the in-person voting process for the upcoming Presidential election.

The video features the six Early Voting sites and a demonstration of the safety protocols that will be in place during early voting and on Election Day. The video is in English, Spanish and Chinese and can be found on the library’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/OCNCPublicLibraries).

“We are doing all we can to ensure you can vote safely in Orange County,” said Rachel Raper, Orange County Elections Director.

Each voting location during early voting and on Election Day will feature enhanced cleaning protocols, social distancing and single-use pens and single-use cotton swabs for voters, Raper said. Early voting begins Thursday, Oct. 15.

Click here for more information.

Friday, Oct. 9 is last day to register for mail-in or Election Day voting

If you intend to vote on Election Day or by mail, today is the last day to register. Visit the Orange County Board of Elections Website to download the application or for more information.

North Carolina also offers Same Day registration during early voting.

Orange County COVID-19 Updated Data Oct. 9, 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: 2,795
TOTAL DEATHS: 57

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.

WHUP to share proceeds from fall fundraiser
with Orange County Musicians

Half the proceeds from the WHUP annual fall fundraiser will be donated to support Orange County musicians who have been most affected by the COVID-19 shutdown. Proceeds from the WHUP 50/50 Event, which will run October 12-18, will be funneled through the Orange County Arts Commission’s Arts Support Fund and go directly to musicians in the county to help cover basic expenses.

“Local music is at the core of our programming,” says station manager Bob Burtman. “Since musicians are still unable to perform live at area venues or tour and generate essential revenue, it seems only fitting that we do our part to help out those who are struggling to get by.”

For the past five years WHUP has hosted a steady stream of performers from around the Triangle for live in-studio sessions, and many shows in the schedule include local music on their playlists. “Our commitment to local music goes beyond just spinning records,” Burtman says, “and this is one way we can demonstrate that commitment.”

The 50/50 event reprises WHUP’s spring fundraiser, which raised more than $5,000 for Hillsborough service industry workers displaced by the pandemic. The goal for this event is to raise the equivalent amount to support local musicians, which would also allow WHUP to sustain its operations through the end of the year.

The Orange County Arts Commission has raised and distributed almost $60,000 since the Arts Support Fund was established in March. WHUP is pleased to partner with OCAC in the ongoing effort to provide relief for the arts community in these difficult times.

To donate to WHUP 50/50, please visit https://whupfm.org/contribute. For more information on WHUP and its programming lineup, the website address is https://whupfm.org, or email info@whupfm.org.

For more info on the Orange County Arts Commission Arts Support Fund, please visit https://artsorange.org/supportfund/.

Paint it Orange goes virtual, statewide

In light of COVID-19, the 4th annual Paint it Orange Plein Air Paint-out has gone virtual, and statewide! The Orange County Arts Commission and the Hillsborough Arts Council are excited to kick off Paint it NC Plein Air Paint-out starting Wednesday, October 7 and running through Tuesday, October 13. The annual fundraising event will culminate in a virtual exhibit opening to Preview Ticket Holders on Friday, October 16 and will be available for viewing by the general public on October 20.

Follow #PaintItNC20 on social media to follow our participating artists. Scroll down for a list of this year’s artists.

Click the graphic for more information.

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.

Virtual Author Reading: Judy Dearlove Reading from “Play On!”

Orange County Public Library welcomes Judy Dearlove for a virtual reading and discussion of her book, Play On!, a fun, stand-up-and-cheer tale of epic rivalry and deep friendship. Visit www.bit.ly/writingevents to register and for more information.

New to Zoom? Information will be provided when you receive your registration confirmation.

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.

www.orangecountync.gov