All in Coronavirus
Economists have debated the merits of a minimum wage and a living wage throughout the years. Advocates call for a $15 an hour minimum wage increase from the current $7.25. The call for an increase in the national minimum wage got louder when the government added $600 a week to state unemployment to stave off an economic recession.
East Carolina University will move undergraduate courses online for the remainder of the fall semester, beginning Wednesday, Aug. 26, Interim Chancellor Ron Mitchelson announced today.
According to the latest “Ongoing Outbreaks in Congregate Living Settings” report, which can be downloaded in this article, NCDHHS reports the following:
Lenoir County
Harmony Hall: 2 positive cases among staff, 3 cases in residents and 0 deaths; Kinston Assisted Living: 9 positive cases among staff, 25 cases in residents and 0 deaths; RHA Health Services Bear Creek: 11 positive cases among staff, 12 cases in residents and 0 deaths
Jones County
Brook Stone Living Center: 15 positive cases among staff, 53 cases in residents and 9 resident deaths
Greene County
Other Facility Type: Ham Produce Rd, Snow Hill: 0 positive cases among staff, 31 cases in residents and 0 deaths
King’s Restaurant has closed its location at 2405 N Queen St. in Kinston temporarily due to staffing issues. The employees who worked at the Queen Street location were assigned to other areas within the King’s organization, therefore there are no employment losses due to the move.
LCPS Child Nutrition and Transportation departments are teaming up on a plan to begin delivery of meals by school bus to all public school students in Lenoir County on Sept. 1. Child Nutrition is currently operating grab-and-go curbside meal pickup sites for students and their siblings at eight schools throughout the county from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. weekdays. That program, provided under the district’s Summer Feeding Program, will continue through Aug. 31 at Northeast, Contentnea-Savannah, Moss Hill, EB Frink, Southeast, Kinston High, South Lenoir High and North Lenoir High. Curbside pickup is scheduled to end Aug. 31.
Lenoir/Greene United Way will be celebrating the launch of their annual campaign a little differently this year. The organization, which helps to fund 16 area nonprofits is hosting a contest inviting the community to help “guess the theme” of their new campaign.
The Art Council, a 501(C)3 non-profit, knows how important the arts are to a strong and vibrant community. For over 50 years, YOUR Arts Council has been the consistent cornerstone in supporting artists of ALL genres and abilities. From Kindermusik to pottery/painting classes, theater art camps, local and internationally renowned art exhibits, jazz concerts, dance competitions, being the hub of the African American Heritage Music project and county trail, developing our impressive public art project with the largest number of artworks developed into a trail by an arts council in North Carolina, YOUR Art Council has been the cultural mecca for our region.
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper issued Executive Order 156Open PDF extending, but not waiving, proof-of-immunization and health assessment documentation deadlines for school and child-care facilities. With health care visits limited in some cases due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the order will give students and families more time to get their required vaccines and health assessments completed.
Inside cars queued on public school campuses across Lenoir County this week, parents and students waited patiently while teachers worked like carhops during a lunch-hour rush, serving up iPads, collecting forms and answering questions through face coverings that, like everything else in these scenes, said health and safety considerations will shape the school year that begins Monday.
Congressman Gregory Murphy M.D., the representative for North Carolina’s 3rd congressional district, along with State Representative Chris Humphrey, State Senator Jim Perry, and County Commissioner J. Mac Daughety, toured the Sanderson Farms facility and observed the policies and procedures in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Families and caregivers in need of child care for children up to age 12 can call the child care hotline at 1-888-600-1685 to be connected directly to care options in their community that meet their families’ needs.
Governor Roy Cooper directed $95.6 million in new funding to help support K-12 and postsecondary students most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic who can benefit from support during the upcoming school year. The funding is North Carolina’s share of the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund, a part of the federal CARES Act.
Senator Jim Perry (R - Wayne, Lenoir) has been named as a member of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Unemployment Insurance by Senator Phil Berger, pursuant to Rule 31 of the Permanent Rules of the Senate, and NCGS 120-19.6.Joint Legislative Oversight Committees are made up of members of the NC Senate, and NC House who are personally selected by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House.
“You all have been waiting patiently for a decision from the NCHSAA relative to an amended sport calendar for the 2020-2021 academic year. Please keep in mind that these proposed dates are dependent on COVID-19 conditions improving across NC. However, last night the Board of Directors approved a framework we believe maximizes the opportunities for students in our membership to participate in athletics at some point during this school year, regardless of what plan is a school and/or school system operates.”
Today, I want to talk briefly about the Covid-19 virus and the unrest in various cities in our country. There are definite connections, having to do with control and destruction.
