Newspapers / Bertie Ledger-Advance (Windsor, N.C.) / March 18, 2020, edition 1 / Page 1
Part of Bertie Ledger-Advance (Windsor, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
Askewville • Aulander • Colerain • Kelford • Lewiston Woodville • Merry Hill • Powellsville • Roxobel • Windsor B Ledge $1 c WEDNESDAY - MARCH 18,2020 Falcons reach 2-2 Sports Page 10 980S.Ac^emySt. Ahoskie,NC 27910 ^ MW MASTERS Heating & Air Conditioning 252J09.0223 BERTIE RESPONDS TO COVID-19 Crowds limited to 100 THADD WHITE Bertie Ledger-Advance With fears for the spread of the COVID-19 virus, N.C. Governor Roy Cooper has man dated an end to gath erings of 50 people or more. Executive Order No. 117 closed schools for two weeks, but also placed a ban on mass gatherings. The gover nor is allowed to ban mass gatherings under North Carolina law, with the concurrence of the Council of State. He received the agreement from the group - which has both Democratic and Republican elected officials - on Saturday. The executive order defines mass gatherings as any event or conven ing that brings together more than 100 people in a single room or single space at the same time. The order covers such places as auditoriums, stadiums, arena, large conference rooms, meeting halls, theaters or any other confined spaces - indoor and See GATHERINGS, 8 W BOBBY HARMON / Contributed Photo Monday was a beautiful day for baseball, yet the Bertie High School Baseball Field was quiet and empty. N.C. Governor Roy Cooper closed schools for two weeks beginning Mon day. The decision came days after the N.C. High School Athletic Association suspended all spring sports through April 6. County: State of Emergency declared THADD WHITE Bertie Ledger-Advance Both Bertie County and mu nicipal leaders have taken steps to keep the public and public employees safe In the wake of the COVID-10 virus. While procedures are being introduced throughout the county in relation to stopping the spread of COVID-19, com monly called the Coronavirus, it is not a time to panic. “The fact that we are so rural here in Bertie County gives us an edge,” Bertie County Emer gency Services Director Mitch Cooper said. “We are not like Raleigh as it relates to popula tions. We are unlike the major cities, and it does put us at an advantage. “This is simply a time for con cern, not panic,” he stressed. Early Tuesday afternoon, Ber tie County did declare of State of Emergency, which allows the county to be eligible for resources, funding and the au thority to protect public health See EMERGENCY, 8 Schools closed 2 weeks THADD WHITE Bertie Ledger-Advance N.C. Governor Roy Cooper took the unprec edented step of closing the state’s schools for at least two weeks due to concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus. COVID-19, common ly referred to as the Coronavirus, has led to school closings in at least 30 states across the country. “We do not have the luxury of a wait-and-see approach,” Gov. Cooper said. “These are hard decisions, but they are necessary so we can learn more about the vi rus. We do not want any regrets in the rearview mirror, and I am guided by one objective - doing what we must to keep people from getting sick and to make sure those who do can get excel lent care.” The Executive Order closes schools Monday, March 16 and for a two- week period afterwards. The governor said the closure allows time for See SCHOOLS, 8 Ride of Pride: ECU professors meet Bertie folks BY GENE MOTLEY For the Bertie Ledger-Advance WINDSOR - The Purple and Gold East Carolina Univer sity bus was spotted in Ber tie County last Monday, but it was not transporting ath letes. Instead, it carried recently contracted professors, most of whom were making their first trip to the East. The tour is also part of the Rural Prosperity Initiative. With its natural resources, food, energy, and recreation, rural America is sustaining the country; and to better understand the rural land scape, programs like the Ru ral Prosperity Initiative are shining a spotlight on how In this edition — GENE MOTLEY / For the Bertie Ledger-Advance Windsor Tourism Director Billy Smithwick (right) talks to ECU professors about the Cashie Treehouse Village. that sustainability will ben efit everyone. The tour, now in its third year, is a two-day ride from Greenville with stops around eastern North Carolina, and is designed to introduce ECU faculty members to the East, and give them an op portunity to meet the land and the people the Univer sity serves. It also gives researchers a chance to meet their peers from other academic back grounds and disciplines that hopefully lead to new re search projects that benefit the region. “We know the eastern re gion has some challenges, but we also' know the area has produced some amaz ing solutions,” said Dr. Mary Farwell, ECU Assistant Vice Chancellor for Research, Economic Development, and Engagement, and the tour di rector. Among last week’s stops in Bertie County at Wind sor’s Roanoke/Cashie River Center where they heard from Windsor Mayor Jim Hoggard, Windsor Tour ism and Marketing Director Billy Smithwick and Bertie County Executive Director for Economic Development Steve Biggs. “For us, we want them to look at the effects of natural disasters and the economic impact associated with that,” said Hoggard. “We’ve been flooded four times, includ ing twice in 13 days of each other with Matthew and Ju- See ECU, 9 ▼ RELAY FOR LIFE Church & Faith 5 Classified 6 Obituaries 2 Opinion 4 Sports 10 ( Good AAorning, Jack Williford OF Windsor Thank you for subscribing! Find us on Facebook Volume 122: No. 12 11711 3S906 6 Bertie County Peanuts Visit pnuts.net to see our entire product iine of award winning peanut snacks and gift combinations. 217 U.S. Highway 13 North, Windsor, NC AG^ulTURE 252-794-2138 • info@pnuts.net • www.pnuts.net
Bertie Ledger-Advance (Windsor, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
March 18, 2020, edition 1
1
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75