2021 Visitors Spending in Orange County Tops $194MDomestic and international visitors to and within Orange County spent $194.81 million in 2021, an increase of 51.7% from 2020. The data comes from an annual study commissioned and released by Visit North Carolina, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.
"These findings are something to celebrate as our industry continues to recover from COVID-19. As travel has started to come back, we know that people really want to be in Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough with an increase in leisure travel, visiting friends and family, weddings, reunions and travel to the University of North Carolina," said Mark Bell, who serves as Town of Hillsborough Commissioner and chair of the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau Advisory Board.
Tourism impact highlights for 2021 for Orange County- Domestic and international visitors spending totaled $194.8 million, up from $128.4 million in 2020. Visitors spending represents a tax savings of $100.83 per county resident.
- The travel and tourism industry directly employs 1,514.
- Total payroll generated by the tourism industry in Orange County was $53.4 million.
- State tax revenue generated in Orange County totaled $8.3 million through state sales and excise taxes, and taxes on personal and corporate income. About $6.9 million in local taxes were generated from sales and property tax revenue from travel-generated and travel- supported businesses. This total of $15.2 million is up from $11.6 million in state and local tax revenue generated in 2020.
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Commissioners Price, Bedford Complete Emergency Preparedness Training
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Orange County Board of Commissioners Chair Renee Price and Vice Chair Jamezetta Bedford completed the 100 Counties Prepared Emergency Preparedness Training for County Commissioners at the NC Association of County Commissioners’ (NCACC) 115th Annual Conference in Cabarrus County on Aug. 11, 2022. Price and Bedford were two of 61 county officials to complete the class, which was the culmination of Brunswick County Commissioner and NCACC Past President Frank Williams’ 100 Counties Prepared presidential initiative.
“County governments perform a number of important functions, but the stakes are higher during an emergency,” said Williams. “I commend every county commissioner and county official who completed this class for their willingness to strengthen their knowledge and skills of how to lead more effectively when it matters the most.”
The 100 Counties Prepared training was created to equip elected officials with the tools, resources and information needed to lead effectively during emergencies such as natural disasters, public health crises, and other critical incident situations.
"One of the key takeaways from the training was the importance of supporting our Emergency Management staff and our people directly involved in Emergency Operations,” said Price. “As elected officials, as commissioners, we need to understand our role and responsibilities, 'stay in our lane,' show respect for our EM staff, acknowledge their expertise, and be ever so thankful to them as they perform their jobs protecting communities and saving lives.” |
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988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineAn initiative led by the federal government in partnership with the states is making it easier for people in mental health crisis to get immediate help when needed. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline can now be reached by calling 9-8-8. This service will immediately connect callers to trained crisis counselors 24/7. The new three-digit number provides a faster, easier way to get the help already available at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). “Help is available to those experiencing a mental health crisis,” said NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. “Our goal is to make 9-8-8 a household word that North Carolinians know they can access from wherever they are to get the help they need. This resource will literally save lives.” Since 2012, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has partnered with REAL Crisis Intervention Inc. in Greenville to operate the NC Suicide Prevention Lifeline call center. In addition to providing trained crisis counseling, the call center connects also callers to help in their local community based on each caller’s specific needs. NCDHHS in collaboration with many community, local and state partners, received a $3.3 million federal grant in April to transition to the new number. Additionally, $1.3 million in recurring funds to support the call center was included in the budget that was passed by the NC General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Roy Cooper in July. For more information on the NSPL, visit 988lifeline.org.
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Attention poets: Applications open for 2023 Piedmont Laureate
The City of Raleigh Arts Commission, Durham Arts Council, Orange County Arts Commission, and United Arts Council of Raleigh & Wake County are pleased to announce the opening of the application process for the position of Piedmont Laureate for 2023. Each year the program is open to writers creating work in a particular selected genre (poetry, novels, plays, etc.), and for the 2023 cycle, applications will be accepted from poets. The selected candidate will focus on elevating poetry in Wake, Durham, and Orange counties. The application submission period closes Sept. 9 at 11:59pm.
We hope to elevate explorations of poetry writing across sub-genres and forms. We welcome writers of all forms of poetry and poetic presentation styles, including slam poetry, beat poetry and spoken word poetry. We do ask that the poetry writing is created for an adult audience and emphasizes the written form. Note that future Piedmont Laureate specialization years will include playwriting and screenwriting, fiction, and creative nonfiction, and as such we are not accepting submissions this year from these genres.
Piedmont Laureate Program Mission The Piedmont Laureate program is co-sponsored by the City of Raleigh Arts Commission, Durham Arts Council, Orange County Arts Commission, and United Arts Council of Raleigh & Wake County. Its primary goal is to promote awareness and heighten appreciation for excellence in the literary arts in the Piedmont region. The program is dedicated to building a literary bridge for residents to come together and celebrate the art of writing, enriching the lives of all our citizens.
The Piedmont Laureate serves for one year and will offer activities throughout Wake, Durham and Orange counties. - Click here for more information and a link to the application.
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Department on Aging to host discussion
on advance directives for dementiaThe Orange County Department on Aging and the Project EngAGE End of Life Choices Senior Resource Team invite the public to attend a panel discussion addressing the concerns surrounding dementia and advance directives on Sept. 22. Dementia is not a single disease, but rather the overarching term that encompasses a wide range of specific medical conditions caused by abnormal brain changes. These changes trigger a decline in cognitive abilities impairing daily life and independent function. Worldwide, 55 million people live with dementia, and one in three seniors die with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia. The importance of creating your advance directive document bears an even greater weight when considering these statistics. Join our esteemed panel as we discuss what the Supplemental Advance Directive for Dementia document (SADD) is and how it could be beneficial for you or a loved one. Guest speakers- Sheila Evans, Project EngAGE Senior Leader and former Dementia Caregiver
- Edmund Tiryakian, Founder and Executive Director of DyingRightNC
- Colin Austin, Estate Planning and Elder Law Attorney, Hillsborough Wills and Trusts
The event will take place on Thursday, Sept. 22, from 4-6 p.m. at the Seymour Center. Light refreshments will be served at 4 p.m. Please register by Tuesday, Sept. 20, with the front desk at 919-968-2070. Project EngAGE to host dementia care planning event
The Orange County Department on Aging and the Project EngAGE Mental Wellness Senior Resource Team invite the public to attend a presentation, Dementia: Where to Start, on Sept. 9.
The Project EngAGE Mental Wellness Senior Resource Team welcomes you to join instructors Serena Wong, DO, and Nansi Greger-Holt, FNP, as they guide you through the process of evaluation, care planning and available supports for family members of those living with dementia. Not knowing where to start when dementia is suspected can be confusing, but this journey doesn’t have to be navigated alone.
Join us to learn how and where to receive the supports you need so that you can best support your loved one with strength and confidence. Light refreshments will be served from 3:30 – 4 pm.
The FREE event will take place on Fri., Sep 9, from 4 - 5:30 pm at the Seymour Center located at 2551 Homestead Road in Chapel Hill.
Register by Wed., Sep 7. To register, please contact the Seymour Center at 919-968-2070. |
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Overdose Awareness Day events scheduled for Aug. 31Orange County will sponsor a special event on Wednesday, Aug. 31, to bring attention to International Overdose Awareness Day.
Overdose is a public health issue that impacts families and individuals from all backgrounds. The Orange County Criminal Justice Resource Department, Health and Emergency Services departments, along with Freedom House, are coordinating several activities throughout the day, culminating with a gathering to include speakers and candle-lighting to symbolize losses from 5-6 p.m. at the Peace and Justice Plaza in Chapel Hill.
Speakers at the gathering include Renee Price, Chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners and Orange County Health Director Quintana Stewart. UNC Family Medicine Professor and Founder of the FIT program, Dr. Evan Ashkin, will speak on the scope of the overdose issue and best practice interventions. Troy Manns from Recovery Communities NC (stigma and recovery) and Reid Getty from the NC Harm Reduction Coalition (critical need for access to harm reduction resources) will also be featured. Other speakers will represent families who have lost a loved one to overdose or who have had an overdose reversed. |
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Applications open for Longtime Homeowners Assistance property tax relief program
Applications are now being taken for the Longtime Homeowners Assistance (LHA) program for 2022. In 2021, the LHA was a pilot program created by the Board of Commissioners that provided grants to homeowners for assistance in paying property taxes. The goal of the LHA is to provide property tax bill assistance to help people stay in their homes.
The board approved several changes for 2022 to boost participation, including reducing the requirement to have owned and lived in the home from 10 years to five years. The changes formalized policies for heir’s properties and those owned by Family Trusts to provide assistance based on the income of the persons who live in the household and not all the heirs or members of the trust.
DROPOFF: Paper Applications and drop-off boxes are available at Orange County Housing offices - Hillsborough- Whitted Building, 300 W Tryon St
- Chapel Hill, Southern Human Services Center, 2501 Homestead Rd
GET HELP: Contact the Housing Helpline for assistance in completing LHA applications Once staff receive application materials, they will be back in touch about any other needed materials and/or the status of the application.
One change for 2022 is that all LHA grants will be made after the December 1, 2022 application deadline. If the demand for assistance is more than available funds, the Housing Department will use a prioritization for assistance based on applicant's age, length of time owning and living in the home, and the homeowner’s tax burden (percentage of annual income needed to pay property tax bill). |
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