State of Emergency Declarations

Lenoir County

Statement from Lenoir County Emergency Services:

A State of Emergency will take effect in Lenoir County tomorrow (Wednesday) at noon. Also, a storm shelter for humans and companion animals will open Thursday at 7 a.m. at Lenoir Community College.

Details:

Due to Hurricane Dorian approaching the area, a State of Emergency will take effect in Lenoir County, North Carolina at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 4.

Lenoir County Board of Commissioners Chair Linda Rouse Sutton signed the declaration on the advice of Lenoir County Emergency Services Director Jerri King and other county officials. It will remain in effect until county officials decide to rescind or modify it.

“The state of emergency will allow Lenoir County to be eligible for reimbursement funds if this becomes a declared disaster,” King said. “Right now, we don’t have any special modifications assigned to the State of Emergency — there is not a curfew and there is no mandatory evacuation. … But we will modify this State of Emergency as the event evolves if it is necessary to do so.”

The declaration signed by Sutton orders all Lenoir County law enforcement officers and employees and all other emergency management personnel subject to its control to cooperate in the enforcement and implementation of the provisions of the declaration, all applicable local ordinances, state and federal laws, and the Lenoir County Emergency Operations Plan.

Additionally, a shelter for Lenoir County residents affected by Hurricane Dorian will open at 7 a.m., on Thursday, Sept. 5, in the gymnasium at Lenoir Community College, 231 N.C. Hwy 58, Kinston. County residents are asked to bring a form of identification to check into the shelter.

Residents are also asked to bring food, snacks and water for themselves and their families. If children are coming, please bring comfort items, including toys, coloring books, crayons and other things to keep them occupied.

No drugs (other than prescription drugs), alcohol or smoking is allowed inside the shelter.

There will also be a companion animal shelter provided for county residents at LCC. Residents seeking shelter will check in at the gym and then be given a wristband to take their companion animals to the respective shelter.

“We’re opening the shelter because we want our residents to have a safe environment during the storm,” Lenoir County Department of Social Services Director Jeff Harrison said. “Our residents’ safety is our No. 1 concern.”

Please visit the Lenoir County Emergency Services Facebook page (Facebook.com/LenoirCountyEmergencyServices) for up-to-the-minute updates. King and other county officials are hosting daily Facebook Live sessions for Lenoir County residents on the page.

Statement from City of Kinston

WHEREAS, in accordance with Chapter 2, article IV, Civil Emergencies, of the City of Kinston Code of Ordinances, Section2-81 thru 1-83 and Section 166A and 14-288.12 of the North Carolina General Statutes authorize a political subdivision such as the City of Kinston to declare a state of local emergency and to impose prohibition of any unlawful activities defined and prohibited by General Statute 14-288.1 et seq. And to waive the procedures and formalities otherwise required of political subdivisions by law pertaining to the following: 

Performance of public works and taking whatever prudent action is necessary to ensure the health safety and welfare of the community. Entering into contracts Incurring obligations Employment of permanent and temporary workers Utilization of volunteer workers Rental of equipment Acquisition and distribution of supplies, materials and facilities with or without compensation Appropriation and expenditures of public funds Imposing a curfew 

WHEREAS, the City of Kinston is under the immediate impending threat from Hurricane Dorian this 4th day of September the year of 2019. 

NOW THEREFORE, IT IS RESOLVED that the Mayor of the City of Kinston hereby exercises his authority as provided in Section 2-81 of the Code of Ordinances, General Statute 166A-8 and General Statute 14.288.1 to declare this State of Emergency. 

All public officials and employees of the City of Kinston are hereby directed to exercise the utmost diligence in the discharge of duties required of them for the duration of the emergency and in the execution of emergency laws, regulations and directives, State and Local. 

All citizens affected are called upon and directed to comply with necessary emergency measures and to cooperate with public officials and civil emergency and disaster service forces in executing emergency operational plans and to obey and comply with the lawful directions of properly identified public officers. 

CITY OF KINSTON 

Dontario D. Hardy, Mayor of the City of Kinston 

Jones County

Statement from Jones County Emergency Services Director Timmy Pike:

The Jones County EOC will fully activate tomorrow morning at 0800. The EOC contact number is (252)397-0007. The State of Emergency will be in affect at 0800 tomorrow morning as well. Jones County Public schools are also closing tomorrow at 1130 am. The shelter will open at 5 pm tomorrow afternoon at the Jones County Civic Center. If there are citizens that do not have transportation to the Civic Center, buses will be available in 5 locations which are:

Davis Chapel Mission Baptist Church Hwy 58 S Maysville (Long Point) - - 4 pm pick up will be there 45 minutes

Maysville Elementary School -- 5 pm pick up will be there 45 minutes

Pollocksville Elementary School - 4 pm pick up will be there for 45 minutes

Comfort Elementary School - 4 pm pick up will be there for 45 minutes

Pilgrim Home Church (Wyse Fork Rd/Burkett Rd) - 4 pm pick up will be there 45 minutes.

Due to Hurricane Dorian, Jones County Sheriff Danny Heath and Jones County Manager Franky Howard announced a mandatory curfew will be in effect from 8 p.m. today to 8 a.m., Friday. The curfew is active throughout the county, including in the municipalities of Pollocksville, Trenton and Maysville.

Howard said the curfew will be in effect so first responders and law enforcement can maneuver throughout the county to serve residents in case of an emergency.

County residents are encouraged to stay in their homes throughout the storm today and tomorrow.

The Jones County storm shelter opened Wednesday at the Jones County Civic Center, 832 N.C. Hwy 58, Trenton. As of noon today, there were 44 people and nine dogs being housed at the shelter.

Jones County residents who wish to stay at the shelter are asked to bring medicine, food and bedding (pillows, blanket). If a resident would like to bring a pet, they must bring it in a carrier and are asked to bring food for it, too.

For more information about the shelter, call the Jones County Emergency Operations Center at 252-397-0007.

A water line break in Maysville, totally unrelated to Hurricane Dorian, has caused water pressure problems throughout the county and a water shortage in Maysville.

The break occurred around 6 a.m.; crews are feverishly working to repair the damage. Jones County Manager Franky Howard estimates it should be completely repaired by 5-6 p.m. today.

Maysville residents who need water are asked to go to the fire department, 404 Main St., to pick up bottles of water.

All Jones County offices are closed today and Friday, including the Jones County Courthouse.

Early voting for the vacant U.S. Congressional Third District seat has ended in Jones County, due to Hurricane Dorian. Election Day is Tuesday in the county; the polls open at 6:30 p.m. and will close at 7:30 p.m.

Jones County residents are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts by visiting this site: https://local.nixle.com/jones-county-emergency-management. 

High winds produced by Hurricane Dorian caused a power outage that affected approximately 350 homes in Jones County early Thursday morning. Power has been restored to those homes.

Tree limbs blown down by the wind caused the outage to Duke Energy customers. Customers of Duke are asked to report outages online at www.duke-energy.com/outages, by texting the word OUT to 57801 or by calling 800-769-3766 or 800-419-6356.

There have been no reports of flooding in Jones County but swift water rescue teams are currently stationed in Pollocksville and Trenton. However, they are poised to respond in any part of the county at a moment’s notice.

Two of the teams are from the Western North Carolina city of Mooresville.

There are five ambulances from Tennessee helping to bolster the emergency effort in Jones County. Two ambulances and their crews are from Hamilton County, Tenn., with a single ambulance and crew from Anderson County, Blount County and Hardeman County.

There is also an ambulance in the county from Durham County, N.C. In all, there are now eight ambulances ready to help Jones County residents; they are stationed throughout the county at the volunteer fire departments.

“We are very thankful to have these valuable resources here to help our residents,” Jones County Manager Franky Howard said.

Town of Maysville - effective 9/3/2019 by Mayor Edward Waltz

Town of Trenton - The Town of Trenton has declared a State of Emergency as of 5:00 pm today. Countywide Curfew.... 8 pm tonight until 8 am on Friday.

Greene County

Town of Snow Hill - effective 9/3/2019 by Mayor Dennis Liles

Greene County is currently operating under a declared State of Emergency issued by the Board of Commissioners.

If you know of another State of Emergency for a local government, school closing or business closing, please send an email to info@neusenews.com.