• North Carolina’s Department of Health and Human Services has released new health guidelines to help our K-12 public schools re-open safely for in-person instruction for the 2020-2021 school year. The StrongSchoolsNC Public Health Toolkit lays out best practices that schools can follow to help keep students, teachers, staff and families safe from COVID-19, including social distancing, cleaning and hygiene practices, and monitoring for symptoms and suspected cases.

• New Hanover County Schools has released the details for its drive-in graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2020 to be held during the week of June 15-19 at the Cape Fear Community College North Campus. Only vehicles with a graduate in the car will be permitted in the main parking lot while other vehicles will be directed to overflow parking until all cars with graduates have been parked. Ceremonies can be viewed via online stream at the NHC Schools YouTube page. Here is the schedule:
• John T. Hoggard High School: Monday, June 15
• Graduates with last names beginning with A-K 4 p.m.
• Graduates with last names beginning with L-Z 7 p.m.
• New Hanover High School: Tuesday, June 16
• Graduates with last names beginning with A-K 4 p.m.
• Graduates with last names beginning with L-Z 7 p.m.
• E.A. Laney High School: Wednesday, June 17
• Graduates with last names beginning with A-K-4 p.m.
• Graduates with last names beginning with L-Z-7 p.m.
• Eugene Ashley High School: Thursday, June 18
• Graduates with last names beginning with A-K 4 p.m.
• Graduates with last names beginning with L-Z 7 p.m.
• Career Readiness Academy at Mosley PLC: Friday, June 19 
• All graduates 9 a.m.
• Wilmington Early College High School: Friday, June 19 
• All graduates 5 p.m.
• Isaac Bear Early College High School: Friday, June 19 
• All graduates 7 p.m.

• As the warm weather months continue, here are some tips from the CDC on how to stay physically active in parks and recreational facilities while keeping yourself and others safe from the virus. Avoid visiting parks if you are sick, exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or know you had been recently exposed to the virus.

• The USDA has announced that the Department’s Farm Service Agency has already approved more than $1.406 billion in payments to producers through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program.  Nationwide, more than 80,000 producers have received payments and more than $13.57 million in payments have been made to producers in North Carolina. More must and will be done to help our farm families through this crisis, but the USDA’s CFAP is already beginning to bring some needed relief to our rural communities. 

• North Carolina has designated child protective services and adult protective services workers as first responders, which will help these workers access needed Personal Protective Equipment needed while working in situations that necessitate face-to-face contact in the midst of the crisis.