School is Open for In-Person Learning

Watch your speed in school zones! It's great to see safety guards like Roy Lungsford again, pictured earlier this week on Hillsborough Road. 

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools’ return of students to classrooms on Monday, March 22, marked the first time widespread in-person instruction has been held in more than one year.

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Governor Cooper Announces Accelerated Timeline for Vaccination Eligibility

News Release from Governor Roy Cooper's Office 

Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D., announced on Thursday, March 25, 2021, an accelerated timeline for moving to Groups 4 and 5 for vaccine eligibility with the rest of Group 4 eligible on March 31st and all adults eligible beginning April 7th. The move will allow the state and vaccine providers to continue to get vaccines into arms quickly and continue to reach underserved and historically marginalized populations. A new public private partnership, Healthier Together: Health Equity Action Network, will enhance the state’s work to deliver equitable access to vaccines, and DHHS released a new biweekly equity data report to provide another avenue for transparency. 

“I’m grateful for North Carolinians who are taking this seriously and getting the shot when it’s their time and I’m encouraged that North Carolina will be able to open eligibility to all adults well ahead of the President’s May 1 goal,” said Governor Cooper.

Beginning on March 31, additional essential workers and people living in other congregate settings such as student dormitories will be eligible for vaccination. Essential workers include frontline workers who do not have to in person for work and those in a range of sectors such as construction, energy, financial services, public works and others as categorized by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. All North Carolinian adults will be eligible to be vaccinated beginning on April 7.

Read more at https://www.townofcarrboro.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1657

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Carrboro Participates in Earth Hour

Saturday, March 27, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m., is declared as “Earth Hour” in Carrboro by the Town Council, which is calling on all everyone to join and demonstrate a commitment to address climate change by supporting the effort.  

One of the largest grassroots environmental movements in the world, Earth Hour involves a simple action. Turn off your lights for one hour! 

“Earth Hour” is organized by the World Wildlife Fund as a reminder that, through collective action, individuals can make a positive impact in the fight against climate change. 

Note the following actions the Town of Carrboro is taking to reduce greenhouse emissions: 

Recognized Earth Hour for the past 10 years

• Joined Cities for Climate Protection
• Adopted a Climate Protection Resolution in December 2009
• Accepted the Energy and Climate Protection Plan in 2014
• Accepted the Community Climate Action Plan in 2017

Learn more at https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/earth-hour    

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Happy Passover

For those who observe, best wishes for happiness, prosperity, peace and good health on Pesach and always! Happy Passover!

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News Release from Orange County Health Department

Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. announced beginning on March 31, people in Group 4 who are essential workers not yet vaccinated, will be eligible for vaccination.  Group 5, which includes anyone ages 16 and up who wants to be vaccinated, will become eligible April 7. 

Since March 17, part of Group 4, adults with high-risk medical conditions and people living in close group settings, have been eligible. The accelerated timeline will allow the state and vaccine providers to continue to get vaccines into arms quickly and continue to reach underserved and historically marginalized populations. 

“It has been encouraging to see that our community members are ready and willing to get vaccinated,” said Orange County Health Director Quintana Stewart. “We welcome this new timeline that will allow all groups to be able to get this safe and effective vaccine.”

The Orange County Health Department (OCHD) is ready for people in remaining groups to sign up to be vaccinated. To register with OCHD complete the Vaccine Interest Form (VIF) at https://redcap.link/OCHDvax or call (919) 913-8088. The phone line is operated daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Spanish and other languages available.

The Orange County Health Department is not the only place to get the vaccine. See a full list of vaccinators at myspot.nc.gov or call 888-892-1162.

Link here to access the list of providers vaccinating in our area - https://www.townofcarrboro.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1659

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News from NC Governor Roy Cooper's Office 

NC Governor As North Carolina’s trends continue to show improvement and vaccine distribution increases with 31.7% of North Carolinians over 18 having received at least one dose of vaccine, Governor Roy Cooper announced today (Tuesday, March 23) that the state will continue to ease some COVID-19 restrictions. Executive Order No. 204 will take effect March 26 at 5 pm is set to expire April 30 at 5 pm. The state’s general mask mandate remains in effect.

“Our fast and fair vaccine distribution and our sustained progress with the COVID-19 metrics tell us we can move forward with easing restrictions if we do it safely,” said Governor Cooper.

“We are in a promising place. With North Carolina’s COVID-19 key metrics improving and vaccinations increasing, we can responsibly use our dimmer switch approach to easing restrictions guided by science and data,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. 

Executive Order No. 204 has three general categories of occupancy restrictions: up to 100 percent capacity, 75 percent capacity, and 50 percent capacity. All businesses must continue to maintain the 6 feet of distance requirement between patrons and implement other safety protocols as they expand their capacity. 

Executive Order No. 204 will also increase mass gathering limits. The number of people who may gather indoors will increase from 25 to 50 and the number of people who may gather outdoors will increase from 50 to 100. This Order also fully lifts the restriction on the late-night sale and service of alcoholic beverages on bars, restaurants, and other establishments.

Indoors and Outdoors up to 100% Capacity, Subject to Masks and 6 ft. Social Distancing 

• Museums and Aquariums
• Retail Businesses
• Salons, personal care and grooming businesses, tattoo parlors

Indoors up to 75% and Outdoors up to 100% Capacity, Subject to Masks and 6 ft. Social Distancing 

• Restaurants 
• Breweries, Wineries, and Distilleries
• Recreation (e.g., bowling, skating, rock climbing)
• Fitness and Physical Activity Facilities (e.g., gyms, yoga studios, fitness centers)
• Pools
• Amusement Parks

Indoors and Outdoors up to 50% Capacity, Subject to Masks and 6 ft. Social Distancing 

• Bars
• Movie Theaters*
• Gaming Facilities*
• Meeting, Reception, and Conference Spaces
• Lounges (including tobacco) and Night Clubs
• Auditoriums, Arenas, and other venues for live performances
• Sports Arenas and Fields (includes professional, collegiate, and amateur

*Movie theaters and gaming facilities may operate at up to 75% capacity outdoors.

Activities and settings are lower risk when they involve interacting with fewer people, being outside, keeping masks on the entire time, keeping interactions with people short (under 15 minutes), staying physically distant, and avoiding singing, yelling, and cheering, according to public health officials.

Read more at http://townofcarrboro.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1653

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Community Food Distribution 

WATCH at https://youtu.be/T6DmipGj2yA

The Town of Carrboro held a food distribution on Thursday, March 25, 2021, with our partner Orange County Department of Social Services for the first time at Henry Anderson III Community Park. The event would not have been possible without the help of Town of Carrboro Public Works, Fire, and Police (as well as other departments) – and our wonderful volunteers. 

The early morning staff arrivals to the park found that the food delivery truck mistakenly went down Stroud Lane. Unfortunately, the truck got stuck in a ditch. The team responded immediately by creating a human chain to move the food from one truck to another. Everyone worked as quickly as possible as waiting cars for food continued to grow. 

Overheard on the scene: “If this had happened at any other event, in any other town than Carrboro, we wouldn’t have been able to have the distribution.” 

A great team spirit made all the difference. We served 246 families and 953 individuals.

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On Sunday, March 21, 2021, at 6:09 p.m., members of the Carrboro Fire Rescue Department responded to a report of a fire in the 100 Block of BPW Club Rd. 

Responding fire crews arrived just over five minutes after dispatch and found a three-story apartment building with smoke showing from the front of the building. Firefighters discovered the fire in a single apartment that had extended up to the apartment directly above via the back porches and exterior of the building. Initial arriving crews utilized two hose lines to extinguish the fire. Crews had water on the fire within six minutes, and the fire was brought under control within 10 minutes. 

One firefighter was treated on scene for heat exhaustion and transported to the hospital. The firefighter has since been released from the hospital. A resident was also treated on the scene for smoke inhalation and not transported to the hospital. The fire was contained to two apartments, and one other apartment suffered smoke damage. Initial damage estimates to the building and property are approximately $180,000. Two apartments were deemed uninhabitable, and the Town's code compliance division is working with property management. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

More at http://townofcarrboro.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1652

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Shred-A-Thons Coming Up!

Orange County Solid Waste Management will hold two free Shred-A-Thons for confidential paper this spring. Bring your confidential papers for free, safe, and contact-free shredding.

The event is open to residents of Orange County and Carrboro, small businesses, and local government employees.

Shred-A-Thons will be held on the following days:

• Saturday, April 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Eubanks Road Park and Ride Lot, 1768 Eubanks Road, Chapel Hill
• Saturday, May 1, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the recycling site behind Home Depot, 625 Hampton Pointe, Hillsborough

There is a limit of four boxes per person. Remove any plastic or metal items--staples are okay. Wearing a mask is required, and you must handle your own paper. No on-site help will be available. 

Please bring confidential papers only (no newspapers, magazines, or catalogs). Recycle non-confidential paper in blue carts or at recycling drop-off sites.

For more information on recycling, visit orangecountync.gov/795/Solid-Waste-Management  

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