March 25. By Dave Yochum. The Cornelius Board of Commissioners will go into Town Hall today for electronic/remote conference training, all part of the new, New Normal. Grocery stores will remain open under the County-wide stay-at-home order which goes into effect tomorrow at 8 am. Supply lines are open, and there’s no need to hoard groceries.

That said, there are ongoing shortages of toilet paper as people continue hoarding, planning for the worst.

Mecklenburg County’s stay at home order allows a variety of activities, including purchasing groceries and medicine, medical treatment, care for a relative or friend, walk pets, exercise and getting to work if your job or line of work is deemed essential.

Details about what constitutes “essential services” are still coming out, but NC Sen. Natasha Marcus says they include construction, gas stations, organizations that provide charitable and social services, food supply, airport operations, utilities maintenance, public transport, solid waste and recycling, essential government functions, energy, water and wastewater.

Critical trades include pharmacy, professional services, childcare, financial institutions, mail, hotels, funeral services, food delivery, and media. If you have questions, call the county help line at 704-353-1926.

Starting today at 5 p.m., all hair and nail salons, barbershops, and movie theaters must close if they haven’t already done so.

Healthcare may very well be the most essential right now.

The order sounds more onerous than it is.

It shifts previous recommendations—which often were not followed—to a mandate. Violators could be convicted of Class II misdemeanor.

North Carolina public schools now will be closed through at least May 15.

Most of us have weathered 9/11 and the 2008 financial crisis and some of us wars going all the way back to World War II. We can do this.

As we enter the stay at home order, it is important to check on older friends and relatives who are the most vulnerable.

“Please deliver critical items they need as they should not try to leave their home to purchase them,” said Mayor Woody Washam. “Stay in touch with this special group, talk to them, encourage them and help them from a distance as we’ll all be better for it.”

Businesses are stepping up to help, but no one business can do it alone.

“All the rules are changing again like they did in 2007, 2008. The winners will be the players who adapt quickly and partner with their business relations instead of relying on old norms,” says Bob McIntosh, founder of The McIntosh Law Firm in Davidson.

Businesses that go into the home are taking extra measures. Kent Lowe, the Cornelius resident who owns Integrity Heating & Cooling, has cancelled company meetings. In addition to giving hand sanitizer to all employees, they are signing iPads for clients.

You can’t be too careful.

In a letter to President Trump, NC Gov. Roy Cooper has requested a major disaster declaration statewide due to the continuing impacts of COVID-19.

“It’s important that we help North Carolinians stay protected from the health impacts of COVID-19 and recover economically from the financial impacts this crisis is having on our state,” Cooper said.

In requesting the major disaster declaration, Governor Cooper asked the federal government to provide individual assistance for those affected, including crisis counseling, disaster unemployment assistance and Small Business Administration assistance, among other programs.

Governor Cooper issued a state of emergency for North Carolina to respond to the Coronavirus COVID-19 crisis on March 10. President Trump followed by declaring a national emergency on March 13, opening Public Assistance for North Carolina, which reimburses government offices and non-profits for actions that protect public health and safety.

Eligible counties and communities may qualify for financial reimbursements for the cost of taking prudent actions to reduce the impacts of COVID-19, while also protecting lives and public health.

In a new Civitas Institute poll taken between March 15 and March 17, 62 percent of respondents approved of the job Gov. Cooper has been doing.