News Briefs, 11-12-20
Chatham County 4-H members finish strong in virtual Farm Credit Showmanship Circuit
The annual 4-H Farm Credit Showmanship Circuit, sponsored by Carolina Farm Credit and Cape Fear Farm Credit, provides youth ages 5 to 19 an opportunity to compete against other youth from across the region. This year, because of COVID-19, the circuit became virtual with youth participants from the following counties: Randolph, Guilford, Stanly, Montgomery, Cumberland, Richmond, Lee, Chatham, Union, Anson, Moore, Rockingham, Person, Cabarrus, Franklin, Hoke and Robeson. Points were accumulated at each show, and placings are determined by total points received.
The Showmanship classes are designed to gauge the 4-H participant’s knowledge and skill with the animal. By participating in the 4-H Farm Credit Showmanship Circuit, youth learn leadership skills, record keeping, communication and responsibility, while increasing their self-esteem.
Chatham had no Cloverbuds to contend this year. The Cloverbud division is a non-competitive division with the sole purpose of allowing the youngest 4-H participant’s to gain beneficial experience.
In this year’s circuit, Chatham County had six 4-H participants: Elise Overton, Intermediate, Goat; Addison Daniels, Junior, Goat; Heidi Spainhour, Junior, Cattle; Hunter Batchelor, Senior, Cattle; Faith Mallard, Senior, Cattle; Lindsay Seitz, Senior, Cattle.
Two of the Chatham County 4-H participant’s received awards Oct. 29 at the virtual 4-H Farm Credit Showmanship Circuit Awards Banquet: Lindsay Seitz, Grand Champion, Senior, Cattle; and Heidi Spainhour, Third, Junior, Cattle.
Election signs must be removed
The N.C. Dept. of Transportation reminds North Carolinians that election signs in the right of way of state-maintained roads must be removed by Nov. 13, 10 days after the election. NCDOT can remove and dispose of any election signs still in the right of way after the deadline.
— CN+R staff reports
How to know your vote counted in North Carolina
RALEIGH — North Carolina elections officials wish to remind Election Day voters that it may take a few weeks before their “voter history” is updated to reflect their recent vote in their voter record available through the State Board of Elections’ Voter Search tool.
“If you voted in person and inserted your ballot into a tabulator, your selections were immediately recorded on a memory card, and your votes were reported on election night as part of the unofficial results,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “We respectfully ask that voters trust their bipartisan boards of elections across North Carolina. We are here to make sure your votes count, and they will.”
The State Board of Elections and county boards of elections are inundated with questions from voters about whether their ballot was counted in the 2020 general election. In almost every single case, the answer will be yes.
However, if you voted on Election Day, it will take time for your voter history to reflect the fact that you voted, as county boards of elections must first complete post-election processes.
Voters may confirm the status of their ballot through the State Board of Elections’ Voter Search tool at https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/. Simply enter your first and last names and county (if desired) and follow the instructions below based on your voting method.
Chatham sets public hearing on proposed 2022-28 Capital Improvement Plan
PITTSBORO — On Nov. 2, the Chatham County Manager’s Office presented the proposed Capital Improvement Program (CIP) covering fiscal years 2022-2028 to the Chatham County Board of Commissioners. The seven-year CIP is updated every year as a process to plan for and fund major capital needs costing more than $100,000.
A public hearing on the proposed CIP is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 16 as a part of the board of commissioners’ regular session at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center in Pittsboro. The entire proposed CIP will be available on the county website at chathamnc.org/CIP at such time that county data is available again.
Three new projects are recommended in the proposed CIP:
• Athletic field lighting at Northeast Park
• Complete final cell blocks in the Chatham County Detention Center
• Capital Maintenance & Replacement
The proposed CIP includes recommended revisions to projects already in the current CIP, based on changing needs or conditions:
• New Central Services building
• Shift funding for mobile classrooms
• Emergency Operations Center
• Shift funding for Chatham County Detention Center generator
The CIP also looks forward by including future projects that are not yet funded. This forethought helps Chatham County keep these needs in mind, even if a funding source has not yet been secured. Two new unfunded future projects expected to be added this year are:
• Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Northeast Substation
• Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Boat Storage Facility
To sign up in advance to speak at the public hearing on the CIP, residents may complete the online form for public input and hearings or email chathamncclerk@gmail.com. Speakers also may sign up on site at the meeting.
— CN+R staff reports
Opportunity available to serve on Regional Aging Advisory Council
The Triangle J Council of Governments (TJCOG) has an Advisory Council on Aging that advises its Area Agency on Aging about policies and programs that affect older persons in the seven-county region that includes Chatham.
Each of the seven counties has representatives. Chatham County is seeking to fill a vacancy. The person would be appointed by the Chatham County Board of County Commissioners.
While meetings of the Advisory Council are currently being held virtually because of COVID-19, the Council would normally meet on the third Tuesday of every other month at the TJCOG office in the Research Triangle Park. This is a volunteer position and there is no reimbursement of travel expenses.
Representation from western Chatham County is especially welcomed. If you are interested in being considered for an appointment to the Advisory Council, contact Dennis Streets at 919-542-4512 or email, dennis.streets@chathamcoa.org.
— CN+R staff reports
North Carolina to remain paused in Phase 3
Gov. Roy Cooper announced at a Tuesday news conference that North Carolina will remain paused in Phase 3 in an effort to lower the state’s positive COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths. This extension will remain in effect for three weeks, until Dec. 4.
The state will also adjust its indoor gathering limit down from 25 to 10 people, Cooper said, in consideration of the state’s trends and cooler weather that is expected to move events indoors.
“Our trends have avoided spikes but they remain stubbornly high. That is troubling,” Cooper tweeted in a thread regarding his briefing. “Other states have experienced spikes that have jumped quickly on them and their hospitals, causing more sickness and death. To avoid that, we need to focus on bringing our numbers down.”
As of Tuesday, N.C. had 297,442 COVID-19 cases, with 2,582 cases reported since Monday, Cooper said. There are 1,230 people in the hospital and 4,660 people who have died.
Cooper reminded North Carolinians to continue wearing a mask, washing their hands and waiting 6 feet apart. He also encouraged people to remain safe and socially distanced over the Thanksgiving holidays.
“And even though this means changes to long-standing holiday traditions for many of us, take comfort in the fact that there is a light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “With our continued dedication, by next Thanksgiving or sooner, this pandemic can be behind us. But that takes everyone committing to a safe holiday, even if that means changes this year. Reduce the invite list. Space out your tables. Get a COVID test before the event. Or better yet, connect virtually.”
— CN+R staff reports