Note: Because of the Thanksgiving Holiday, This Week in Orange County is being sent two days early.

Indoor Mask Mandate continues for Orange County

Indoor Mask Mandate Continues for Orange County

With several key COVID metrics increasing, Orange County will continue its indoor countywide mask mandate. The mandate applies to anyone 2 years and older, regardless of vaccination status.

Orange County is experiencing a surge in new cases, mostly among the unvaccinated, despite having one of the highest rates of vaccination in the state with 71% of the population fully vaccinated. Face coverings will still be required in all indoor public places, including public transportation facilities and vehicles. The mandate will be reevaluated mid-January.

“The mayors and I, in consultation with our health director, concur that requiring masks indoors in public spaces is our best course of action for the safety and well-being of the public at large,” said Renee Price, Chair of the Orange County Board of Commissioners. “The recent increase in cases makes it prudent to keep the indoor mask mandate in place a little while longer. We are still experiencing substantial community transmission, according to the CDC.”

Partnership to End Homelessness seeks board members

The Orange County Partnership to End Homelessness (OCPEH) invites community members, service providers, people with lived experience of housing instability, and other stakeholders to join their board, the OCPEH Leadership Team. Members serve two-year terms and direct the work to end homelessness in Orange County, including making community funding decisions and working to fill homeless system gaps.

Apply online by Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, to be considered for the 2022 slate of members.

If you’d like to learn more about ending homelessness, please visit https://www.ocpehnc.com/ or contact Rachel Waltz at rwaltz@orangecountync.gov and 919-245-2496.

Orange County Government to be closed for Thanksgiving

Orange County Government will be closed Thursday and Friday, Nov. 25-26, to observe the Thanksgiving holidays. The COVID testing site at Southern Human Services Center in Chapel Hill will be closed until Monday, Nov. 29. The COVID testing site in Hillsborough will be open Friday, Nov. 27, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and again on Sunday, Nov. 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Please note the following exceptions:

Recycling pick-up scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 25, will be collected on Saturday, Nov. 27. Please have carts out by 7 a.m. Recycling will be collected as normal on Friday. The landfill and related services will also be open on Friday, Nov. 26.
Transportation Services will operate limited service serving the in-county dialysis route only (Carolina Dialysis), on Friday, Nov. 26. Full service will resume Monday, Nov. 29. In order to provide two working day notice for scheduling, trip requests for Monday, Nov. 29, must be received by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 24.
9-1-1 services will be available. Please only call 9-1-1 to report emergencies.

The county will resume its regular schedule on Monday, Nov. 29.

Longtime Homeowner Assistance Program provides relief for homeowners impacted by property revaluation

Orange County's new Longtime Homeowner Assistance Program (LHAP) provides property tax bill assistance to assist households affected by the 2021 countywide property revaluation.

The Orange County Board of Commissioners initiated the LHAP on June 15, 2021, by allocating $250,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to . To qualify, homeowners must:

Live in Orange County;
Have lived in their home for at least 10 years;
Have experienced an increase in property taxes due to the 2021 tax revaluation; and
Earn no more than 80% of the area median income (see income chart below).

Applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Dec. 15, 2021. Applications are available on-line or via paper.

Online Application Portal: orangecountynchousing.submittable.com/submit

Paper Applications: Pick up a paper application at the Orange County Housing and Community Development Department offices:

Hillsborough Office: 300 West Tryon Street, 3rd Floor, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Chapel Hill Office: 2501 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27516

Completed paper applications can be dropped in the drop boxes outside of the Housing and Community Development offices or mailed to:

Orange County Housing and Community Development
P.O. Box 8181
Hillsborough, NC 27278

Housing Helpline staff can help people complete and submit applications and to give information on the supporting documentation needed. Call 919-245-2655 or email HousingHelp@orangecountync.gov.

For more information about the LHA Program, visit the webpage https://www.orangecountync.gov/2813/Longtime-Homeowner-Assistance-Program.

Hiring event at Medline facility

Medline Industries is hiring for its new facility in Mebane, N.C. The company will host a hiring event on Thursday, Dec. 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and again on Friday, Dec. 3, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The company is hiring Warehouse Operators & Inventory Coordinators with pay from $17-18 per hour. These are direct-hire, full-time positions.

Scan the QR code at left to apply now. Medline Industries is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Graphic for food drive and toy drive at Orange County Libraries

Orange County Recreation offers pre-school academies in December

The Orange County Recreation Division is offering pre-school academies for children ages 3-5 to help them prepare for the transition to a school environment. The month-long academies meet twice a week and are offered in virtual and in-person formats.

Preschool Academy is the perfect classroom for your little ones. Our curriculum-based learning uses age-appropriate activities to teach students numbers, letters, colors, rhythm, and science. Based on the weekly theme, students will partake in a wide variety of activities each day.

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized a lower dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children 5-11, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend all children 5–11 get the vaccine to protect against serious illness and help keep them healthy.

Boosters for All Vaccines Available Now

To strengthen and extend protections against severe illness, North Carolinians who have been fully vaccinated with the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines may now be eligible to receive a booster dose.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have authorized and recommended booster vaccine shots to provide continued protection.

Moderna: If you were vaccinated more than 6 months ago with the Moderna COVID-19 shot, boosters are now available for people 65 years or older or people 18 years or older who:

live or work in a nursing home or long-term care facility
have underlying medical conditions; or
who work in high-risk settings like healthcare workers, teachers and childcare providers or food workers.
live or work in a place where many people live together (for example, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, migrant farm housing, dormitories or other group living settings in colleges or universities).

The Moderna booster is a smaller dose than what is given in the first two shots. Be sure to let your provider know you want the booster.

Johnson & Johnson: It is recommended that anyone 18 or older who was vaccinated more than two months ago with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine should get a booster dose.

Pfizer: Pfizer-BioNTech (COMIRNATY) booster shots continue to be available to anyone at high risk for serious illness or exposure and who received their second dose at least six months ago.

To find a COVID-19 booster visit MySpot.nc.gov to search vaccine locations near you.

Home for the Holidays pet adoption graphic

Medicare's Open Enrollment Period ends Dec. 7

Medicare plans change each calendar year. Your medication costs can increase significantly if your plan changes its drug list and pricing as of Jan 1. Many people save hundreds and even thousands of dollars by switching plans, but most can only change during Medicare's Open Enrollment Period. The Orange County Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) provides free and unbiased assistance.

Meet with a certified counselor for an Annual Medicare Review. We will be offering in-person appointments at the Seymour Center in Chapel Hill and the Passmore Center in Hillsborough as well as online using Zoom Video Chat. We begin scheduling appointments for Open Enrollment on Oct. 5. Schedule online at www.orangecountync.gov/Medicare or call 919-245-4274.

Volunteer Opportunities with Department on Aging

The Handy Helpers Program is Recruiting New Members!
Handy Helpers enable older adults to stay in their homes by providing high-quality, volunteer/pro-bono repairs of minor maintenance issues for those unable to afford to complete repairs on their own. Volunteers perform small maintenance jobs (less than three hours), such as changing light bulbs, fixing a broken screen, unclogging plumbing, patching minor leaks, and installing smoke detectors. Volunteers must be willing to undergo background checks for this position.

Telephone Reassurance Volunteers Needed
Volunteers make telephone calls to local older adults, providing reassurance and a check on their status, safety, and comfort. Volunteers are trained to provide phone calls and commit to making calls once per week (recipients receive daily calls Monday through Friday between the hours of 8 – 10 a.m.) or serve as a substitute for regular callers as needed.

If you are interested in becoming a Handy Helper or Telephone Reassurance Volunteer, call Alison Smith, VC 55+ Volunteer Coordinator at 919-245-4241, or email alsmith@orangecountync.gov.

Upcoming activities at the Orange County Senior Centers

Pearl Harbor Remembrance
In honor of Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, we will be showing "Pearl Harbor," which is the story of two friends caught in the horror of an infamous Sunday morning in 1941. Min: 5/Max: 30.

Date: Tuesday, Dec. 7.
Time: 10 a.m.
Location: Passmore Center, 103 Meadowlands Dr., Hillsborough
Phone: 919-245-2015
Activity Code: 253015-12
Fee: FREE
Register by: Tuesday, Nov. 30

Tis the Season Holiday Concert and Dinner
Back by popular demand, Paula Snyder and her daughter, Amber Smith, bring you wonderful sounds of the holidays! They will sing a variety of holiday hits, Christmas carols, pop songs, Chanukah, Folk songs, and much more. After the performance you will receive a delicious meal to-go. Min: 15/Max: 22.

Date: Wednesday, Dec. 8.
Time: 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Location: Seymour Center, 2551 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill
Phone: 919-968-2070
Activity Code 313049-02
Fee: FREE
Register by: Wednesday, Dec. 1

www.orangecountync.gov