Stay at Home order issued by governor
The spread of mandates at both the local and state levels continue to seemingly evolve at a more rapid pace than the coronavirus itself.
But the newest protocols in place – including a statewide Stay at Home executive order handed down by Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday, as well as four checkpoints peppered throughout Graham County.
Both serve the same common purpose: slowing and/or preventing the COVID-19 pandemic from entering this segment of North Carolina.
Checkpoints
The Graham County Emergency Management Coordination Committee’s plan to barricade both the Cherohala Skyway and U.S. 129 in the area of Tapoco Lodge lasted a mere two days.
During Sunday’s teleconference, county project manager Jason Marino indicated that travelers were simply disobeying the signage and barricades, even moving some of the signs out of the way to pass through. As a result, Graham County sheriff officials will be on hand at all four checkpoints – Cherohala Skyway, U.S. 129 at both Tapoco Lodge and Topton, and N.C. 28 in Almond.
A concrete barrier will be placed at the forest services gates on both Santeetlah Road (Cherohala Skyway) and Tatham Gap Road. Graham County Land Co. has been contracting workers to help man the checkpoints, and has also equipped each location with gloves for officials to use when interacting with traffic.
The sheer amount of manpower required to cover all the checkpoints around the clock has forced Graham County Sheriff Joseph Jones to put all his officers on seven-day, 12-hour shifts.
Four hours of the shift will be spent at a checkpoint, while the remaining eight will be for normal patrol.
Jones also revealed during Sunday’s teleconference that due to the lack of resources, all active investigations have been suspended, except for essential cases (domestic violence and felonies).
No more permits
The committee also decided Sunday – in an action that went into effect at 5 p.m. Monday – to suspend approval of non-residential, property-owner permits for those wishing to enter Graham County. The moratorium will be in effect for 14 days, ending Monday, April 13.
Meanwhile, anyone that was granted a non-residential, property-owner permit – and has already or plans to enter the county – is asked to undergo a 14-day self-quarantine.
The decision was made in response to several equipped with permits wishing to stretch the limits the applications hoped to prevent.
The only exception to the rule will be for houseboat owners on Fontana Lake, who may need to visit and tend to their property in the event of rising waters.
“We have no way to enforce it,” Graham County Commission Chairman Dale Wiggins said when asked if anyone could get into the county by simply stating they were part of the Nantahala Gorge detour or checking on their houseboat. “We’re going to have to rely on their honesty.”
N.C. Department of Transportation Division 14 Director Brian Burch added during Tuesday’s teleconference that if everything continues to go according to plan, the Nantahala Gorge could reopen this weekend.
‘Stay at Home’
Cooper’s latest executive order – No. 121, to be exact – decreed that all North Carolina residents should operate under “Stay at Home” conditions and continue to maintain “social distancing” of 6 feet, even at home.
The only travel permitted under the order is for “essential activities,” such as medical issues and travel to work, the grocery store, a place of worship or for the sake of exercise. Furthermore, mass gatherings have been limited to 10 people, while funerals should be attended by no more than 50.
Violators of any of the protocols put in-place by local or state officials are punishable under a Class 2 misdemeanor, which could result in a $1,000 fine and/or 60 days in jail.
Utilities
The State Utilities Commission issued an order Friday suspending utility disconnections for non-payment, allowing reconnection and waiving certain fees. The majority of the state’s providers – including Duke Energy – had already indicated intent to follow these procedures.
Under the order, water and wastewater public utilities “shall immediately cease customer disconnections due to non-payment of utility bills, except where necessary as a matter of safety or where requested by the customer, and waive the application of late fees incurred during the State of Emergency.”
Following the suspension period, customers shall be provided the opportunity to make a reasonable payment arrangement, over no less than a six-month period. However, customers are not out of the woods.
“No provision in this Order shall be construed as relieving a customer of their obligation to pay bills for receipt of any utility service covered by this Order,” states the document.
Six cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Cherokee County, while Swain County’s first confirmed case was announced Friday. As of press time, no cases have been confirmed in Graham County. Several have been tested, with each returning negative results.
“We’re really going to have to deal with this for a long time,” Wiggins added. “It could be July before things begin to get back to normal.”