Elections Department releases video about safety precautions taken for election

The Orange County Board of Elections, in conjunction with the Orange County Health Department, Public Libraries and Community Relations Department, has created a video about the voting process for the upcoming Presidential election.

The video features the six Early Voting sites and a demonstration of the safety protocols that will be in place during early voting and on Election Day. The video is in English, Spanish and Chinese and can be found on the library’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/OCNCPublicLibraries).

Spanish
English
Chinese (coming soon)

“We are doing all we can to ensure you can vote safely in Orange County,” said Rachel Raper, Orange County Elections Director.

Click here for more information.

Orange County COVID-19 Updated Data Sept. 18, 2020

The Orange County Health Department has provided the following information about COVID-19 cases in Orange County as of 9:00 a.m. today:

TOTAL CASES: 2,552
TOTAL DEATHS: 54

Data Considerations:
1. Any demographic groups with very small numbers have been suppressed to protect
patient confidentiality.
2. We are missing race and ethnicity data for between 30-40% of confirmed cases.
3. We don’t know who may have COVID-19 that wasn’t able to get tested, and we don’t know what groups the patients with missing data fall under.
This data should not be used to make generalizations about who may or may not have higher rates of infection.

Click here to download the entire release.

Testing

See the Orange County COVID-19 Testing webpage for additional information on local testing options.

OCAS launches veterinary care assistance program

Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) is proud to announce their new Veterinary Care Assistance Program. This program was created to assist Orange County residents who are having difficulties affording veterinary care, especially due to challenges during COVID-19, and to help keep more pets in their homes with their families.

This veterinary care fund will be available to Orange County residents based on their needs and ability to meet income criteria. Obtaining this assistance would require collaboration with local veterinarians or specialists, and may cover full or partial expenses for treatable, non-emergency care, such as skin and ear conditions (including allergies and flea/tick treatment), dental issues, arthritis and other painful conditions, upper respiratory infections, vomiting and diarrhea, urinary tract infections, minor surgeries, etc. Due to time constraints, time-sensitive, life-threatening conditions will not be considered (such as emergency surgery for foreign bodies, emergency orthopedic issues, etc.). Currently, these funds are not available for routine, preventative care such as yearly visits to a veterinarian.

By visiting https://www.orangecountync.gov/2538/Veterinary-Care-Assistance-Program, Orange County residents may obtain more information and fill out a form to apply for assistance. While OCAS will work to help as many residents as possible, it is important to note that this assistance will only be available to Orange County residents as long as funds are available.

OCAS is currently asking for help to fund the Veterinary Care Assistance Program by encouraging donations online at https://gf.me/u/yny6qw. Monetary donations can also be mailed to the Animal Services Center at 1601 Eubanks Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516.

OCAS would like to thank the community for their help, patience, and understanding as they try to manage and maintain services while protecting staff and members of the public during the current COVID-19 pandemic. For more information about OCAS and operations details, please visit www.orangecountync.gov/animalservices.

Recreation Virtual Programs for October 2020
Registration ends Monday, September 21

Orange County Recreation is accepting registration for Virtual Programs running September 28-October 25.

The information on each of these virtual programs is listed below and on our website at www.orangecountync.gov/2401/Virtual-Programs. Programs will be live, interactive, and small-group to foster interaction with the instructor and socialization with classmates. There will be a nominal fee for these programs to cover supplies that will be delivered to participants' doorstep. Registration will be conducted online at www.orangecountync.gov/ActivityRegistration.

If you need assistance with registering, contact Lisa Brashear at 919-245-2660 during regular business hours (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.) or e-mail her at lbrashear@orangecountync.gov.

Program offerings include:

Preschool Academy (Ages 3-5)
Pre-K Learn & Play (Ages 3-5)
Afterschool Academy (Ages 6-9)
Canvas Painting Junior (Ages 6-9)
Number Ninjas Junior (Ages 6-9)
STEM Challenge Junior (Ages 6-9)
Piano Senior (Ages 10-12)
Chef Senior (Ages 10-12).
Adult Crafting Club (Ages 16+)
Friday Family Fun (all ages!)

More information, including program descriptions and fees, available at www.orangecountync.gov/2401/Virtual-Programs.

Economic Development accepting applications for grant programs

The Orange County Business Investment Grant and Agriculture Grant Programs will be accepting applications for the next deadline through Sept. 30. These programs can offer grants up to $10,000 for eligible businesses and agriculture operations.

Additional information, including program guidelines and applications, can be located at the Economic Development website.

CJRD and Arts Commission Announce Our Lens, Our Voice for justice-impacted youth

The Orange County Criminal Justice Resource Department in partnership with the Orange County Arts Commission announce Our Lens, Our Voice, a photography and poetry project that reframes and refocuses narratives of justice-impacted youth ages 14-17.

Photographer Emily Baxter and poet Soteria Shepperson will guide up to ten participants in self-expression through imagery and written word, culminating with a public exhibit at the Orange County Courthouse in Hillsborough. All cameras and supplies are included.

The project will begin Oct.1, 2020, and will include three virtual or in-person sessions with the artists throughout October. Eligible applicants include youth ages 14 to 17 impacted by the justice system, including, but not limited to, being charged in the juvenile or adult criminal justice systems or having a parent or guardian incarcerated. Applicants must be Orange County residents and must have parent or guardian consent to participate. Applicants must fill out a referral form at www.artsorange.org/ourlens before 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25.

Click here for more information.

Piedmont Laureate program seekings, children's or young adult writer

The Piedmont Laureate program is accepting applications from writers of children’s and young adult literature. Authors must be residents of Wake, Durham or Orange counties. The deadline to apply is by midnight Oct. 9, 2020.

The primary goal of the Piedmont Laureate program is “to promote awareness and heighten appreciation for excellence in the literary arts throughout 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 program focuses each year on a different literary form. The 2020 Piedmont Laureate is dramatist and audio fiction writer Tamara Kissane, the 2018 Piedmont Laureate was creative nonfiction writer David Menconi.

The 2021 Piedmont Laureate will be selected by a committee appointed by the sponsoring agencies. The Laureate will receive a stipend of $6,000 and serve for one year (Jan. 1st to Dec. 31st, 2021). Laureate activities will include presenting readings and workshops, encouraging creative writing, and promoting literature in virtual and/or live environments.

The Piedmont Laureate 2021 program sponsors are the Orange County Arts Commission, City of Raleigh Arts Commission, Durham Arts Council, and United Arts Council of Raleigh & Wake County.

Additional information on the Piedmont Laureate program, including guidelines and the application form, is available at piedmontlaureate.org.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month

Even during the pandemic, The Orange County Public Library is celebrating National Library Card Sign-up Month. If you are a resident of Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham, Orange, or Person counties, you qualify for a free library card. A borrower’s card with the library gives you free access to digital materials and information, including Tutor.com, Libby, hoopla, and more. With your card, you can also place holds on up to 15 items and have up to 40 items checked out at one time. While our locations remain closed, we are offering safe and physically distant curbside library service.

If you live in a county other than those listed above, and work for Durham Tech, Orange County Government, Town of Carrboro, Town of Hillsborough, or UNC-Chapel Hill, you may also get a free library card.

All staff and students in Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, Orange County Schools, The Expedition School and Eno River Academy already have fine-free library accounts in place via the library’s Student Easy Access (SEA) and Educator accounts.

To register for an Orange County Public Library card, you can begin the process online or by calling 919.245.2525, option 1, Monday – Thursday, 10 am to 6 pm or Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm.

Curbside service is offered at all three Orange County Public Library locations. The Main Library is located at 137 W. Margaret Lane in downtown Hillsborough. The Carrboro Branch is located at McDougle Middle School, 900 Old Fayetteville Road in Chapel Hill. The Cybrary is located at The Century Center, 100 N. Greensboro Street, Carrboro. Free parking is available at all library locations. For library hours of operation and complete service and program information, please visit the library’s Virtual Branch.

www.orangecountync.gov