HRC Summer Community Read examines voter suppression

This year is the 150th Anniversary of the 15th Amendment and the 55th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, yet the struggle for the ballot continues for African Americans.

The HRC’s Community Read for this summer is “Give us the Ballot: A Modern Struggle for Voting Rights in America” by Ari Berman, a senior reporter for Mother Jones and a fellow at Type Media Center. He was the first reporter to cover voter suppression efforts in 2012, bringing national attention to the issue. He has written for the New York Times, Washington Post, Rolling Stone and other national publications and is a frequent contributor to MSNBC, C-SPAN and NPR.

“Give Us the Ballot” chronicles the history of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 as it transformed the American democratic process, while counterrevolutionaries sought to suppress voting rights that, “target[ed] African Americans with almost surgical precision.”
In 2013, the Supreme Court declared a key provision of the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional. As lawmakers continue to devise new strategies to suppress minorities’ voting rights the battle over race, representation, and political power rages on in America.

The HRC is hosting a Community Read event on Sept. 13, from 3-5 p.m.
This event is free and open to the community and will include a discussion of the Voting Rights Act, attempts to suppress voting rights and the ways we as a community can address the issues presented in the book. The discussion will be led by members of the Orange County Human Relations Commission. Click the link below to register.
https://orangecountync.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_0K47Z5YgQTSV4CICCnddWw

Pre-registration is required for this event.

Orange County COVID-19 Updated Data Sept. 11, 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: 2,459
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

Orange County will host a drive-thru testing event on Monday, Sept. 7, from 1-5 p.m. at the Whitted Human Services Center (300 W. Tryon St., Hillsborough). Registration will be on-site, and tests are free. Testing will occur in the lot in front of the Whitted Human Services Center.

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

Tax Department reminds property owners about tax payments

With so many changes in our daily routines brought about by the pandemic, the Orange County Tax Office wants to remind residents of the available options for paying property taxes, which became due on Sept. 1.

“Paying property taxes is not something people think about every day, especially now,” said Orange County Tax Administrator Nancy Freeman. “Our office is available to help property owners find a solution to pay taxes by January 5th to avoid interest. We also want to let people know that making their payment early this year will help to thin out the crowd and help staff and property owners remain safe and healthy.”

By state law, property taxes become delinquent after Jan. 5, Freeman said. This means a property owner has until then to pay their tax bill without incurring interest.

Taxes can be paid by mail to Orange County Tax Collector, PO Box 8181, Hillsborough NC 27278, or with a credit card over the phone (1-844-435-3981) or online (https://web.co.orange.nc.us/publicwebaccess/). For phone and online transactions, a convenience fee is charged by the credit card vendor. Although the office is currently closed to the public, payments may be put into the drop box located at 228 South Churton Street, Hillsborough.

The tax office can also help set up a payment plan to make regular payments through December. Please call (919) 245-2100 or email the office at tax@orangecountync.gov for more information about payment plans, how to list taxes, discuss values, see if you may be eligible to apply for a property tax relief program or discuss delinquent taxes.

Human Rights & Relations sponsors Voting During A Pandemic

In-person voting in the 2020 General Election begins Oct. 15. The Orange County Human Rights and Relations is sponsoring a virtual session on Voting During a Pandemic. Join Sailor Jones of Democracy North Carolina at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15 to learn the latest about:

New rules for requesting a ballot and voting by mail in North Carolina,
In-person voting options and safeguards, including new Early Voting requirements in all 100 NC counties, and
How you can be a part of our important efforts to make sure our elections work for more North Carolina voters in 2020.

Registration is required! Register at www.orangecountync.gov/VotingDuringAPandemic

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.

Aging Department to host presentation on end-of-life options

The Orange County Department on Aging and the Project EngAGE End of Life Choices Senior Resource Team invite the public to attend a virtual presentation, Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking (VSED): A Little Known End of Life Option on Sept 22.

As modern technology prolongs our lives, a life well-lived can often end with a long and painful struggle. Increasingly there are choices available about end-of-life options that afford greater personal control over the time and manner of death. A “good death” is more likely when medical practitioners and those supporting the dying person are more informed about these options.

The Project EngAGE End of Life Choices Senior Resource Team proudly hosts Elliott and Susan Schaffer for a discussion of the medical, ethical and legal issues involving VSED, Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking. They will share with us the end of life story of Susan’s mother, Beatrice Belopolsky, a resident of a retirement community in New Jersey.

Presenters include:

Elliott Schaffer, MD, retired geriatrician and former Medical Director at Martins Run Life Care Community in Media, Pa.
Susan Schaffer, JD, retired attorney and former Senior Counsel at AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals.

The event will take place on Tuesday, Sept 22, from 4 – 5:15 pm via a virtual platform. The room will accept entry beginning at 3:45 pm to assist with any questions or issues with using the platform prior to the start of the program.

For link information please contact Shenae McPherson at shmcpherson@orangecountync.gov
If technology assistance is needed please contact Shenae McPherson at 919-245-4243 by Thursday, Sept 17.

Orange County wants your input on COVID recovery

Orange County’s Long-Term Recovery Group is creating a plan for recovery from COVID-19 to help strengthen our community for all people. Your input is needed to identify the values that will help shape Orange County’s path forward.

The survey only takes a few minutes and closes Friday, Sept. 11. Click here to access the survey.

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