North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper clarified the provisions of Phase 2 of the state’s re-opening plan, which went into effect at 5 p.m. Friday. Under the revised order, breweries, wineries and distilleries will be permitted to re-open, provided they comply with reduced capacity and social distancing requirements.
An updated Frequently Asked Questions document on Phase 2 is available here.
On Friday President Trump announced houses of worship as essential services that must be permitted to remain open for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis. In accordance with this order, the CDC has issued updated guidance for communities of faith to help them operate while keeping their congregations safe. You can learn more about the guidance here.
The IRS has announced that more than 4.82 million North Carolinians have received their CARES Act stimulus payments so far, with the payments totaling more than $8.26 billion. These payments continue to go out at a rate of millions of dollars a day, and as a reminder, you can visit IRS.gov for answers to the most common questions about eligibility and timing.
The state government has partnered with the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association to launch Count on Me NC, a free online training program that will help restaurants, hotels and other businesses and attractions reopen while keeping customers and employees as safe as possible. Visit CountOnMeNC.org here.
New Hanover County has announced that additional county services will reopen starting on Tuesday, including curbside library service and park shelter reservations. More info from the NHC government here.
Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo announced a series of changes to the city’s local COVID-19 restrictions, consistent with the Governor’s order. Changes include opening dressing rooms and permitting 5-on-5 sporting activity. More information from the Mayor here.
For today’s good news story, I’m highlighting the teachers of the Whiteville Primary School, who held a reverse parade to wave good-bye to students beginning their summer vacations in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. It’s just another demonstration of how committed our teachers are to their students despite the crisis. View the photos here.
May you and your family have a safe and blessed Memorial Day weekend as we remember all of those who fought and died to preserve our freedoms and the principles that made this country great.
