News briefs
Brookwood Farms to
expand operations
Brookwood Farms, a Siler City-based barbecue production facility located on Alston Bridge Road, will be expanding its operations to an area located on what was previously called the Phase 3 section of the Chatham Siler City Advanced Manufacturing Site on U.S. Hwy. 64, now called the Midstate Development Center.
The company is planning to open a distribution center at the site, a $3.7 million investment. Production would still continue at the company’s Alston Bridge Road location. The expansion will require a $1 million road extension for access to the site. The town of Siler City is working with multiple entities including Triangle J Council of Governments and Golden LEAF to seek out grant opportunities for the road expansion.
The site currently does not have public water or sewer access, but as no production is planned to occur there, Brookwood Farms believes it can use well and septic while the town explores grant options to pay the nearly $1 million to extend those services to the site.
“The town and EDC are proud to have a family-owned and operated business such as Brookwood have the confidence to expand in Siler City,” Siler City Town Manager Roy Lynch said. “We look forward to continuing to work together to source funds to move forward on site preparations for both Brookwood Farms and other tenants.”
Chatham County COVID-19 Community Survey Dashboard now available
PITTSBORO —The Chatham County Public Health Department has released an online data dashboard with results from a survey conducted in May and June 2020 to assess community prevention and impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The survey utilized Chatham County’s innovative Community Assessment Cohort, which is representative of Chatham’s population. This survey was a collaborative effort between the CCPHD, North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, and the North Carolina Institute for Public Health and the Department of Epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health. Key results are now available online at www.chathamnc.org/coronavirusdata.
“While much has changed in the COVID-19 pandemic between June and today, the responses provide us with useful information that can inform our ongoing efforts,” said Interim Public Health Director Mike Zelek. “The numbers show that the Chatham community has taken the virus seriously and has been practicing the 3 Ws. We are also able to learn about broader impacts of the pandemic, from economic indicators to exercise.”
The survey was designed to better understand the prevalence of COVID-19 and its impacts on the community. Respondents answered questions about following the 3 Ws, a potential COVID-19 vaccine and how the pandemic has affected residents’ lives. Among the highlights were:
• More than 90% of respondents said they were following each of the 3 Ws – wait six feet apart, wear a face covering and wash your hands regularly.
• 7 out of 10 respondents planned to get the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available.
• 27% said they have exercised less than usual since March.
• 47% stated the outbreak has posed a “substantial” or “moderate threat” to their household’s finances.
The survey was also used to recruit participants to a separate and ongoing study led by UNC-Chapel Hill faculty to monitor the prevalence of COVID-19 in Chatham County over time.
CCL Launches Kids’ Club
for Social Justice
The Youth Services Department of the Chatham Community Library has announced a new monthly event for elementary-school aged children to openly discuss social justice topics.
Social justice topics are frequently in the news, and children may have questions or concerns. The monthly forum also provides a space to brainstorm ideas about how to make the world a better place. “Kids’ Club for Social Justice” is a safe space for children in grades K-5 to talk about social justice topics. The first GoToMeeting event will be held from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17. Then, and every third Thursday from there on, a Youth Services staff member will read a book with a social justice theme and invite children to connect with the topic and with each other. The topic for September’s meeting is racism, and the book the group will read together is “Chocolate Me,” written by Taye Diggs and illustrated by Shane W. Evans. At the end of the meeting, one child will win a copy of the book.
Future meeting topics include bullying, colonialism, sexism, homophobia and anti-Semitism. Parents, older siblings and caregivers are welcome at these meetings, which will be virtual until the library reopens, and will not be recorded or archived.
For additional information on this program or to receive virtual meeting instructions, please contact the Youth Services department at 919-545-8085 or via email at youth.services@chathamlibraries.org.
This program is free and open to the public.
— CN + R staff reports
Siler City Parks & Rec to host drive-in movie
SILER CITY — Siler City Parks and Recreation’s Friday Night Flicks events — a popular movie in the park series — is traditionally organized by the Town of Siler City Parks and Recreation Department in the park each year. Out of an abundance of caution, and to ensure compliance with both state and federal COVID-19 guidelines, the 2020 series of events will be modified to offer a family-friendly event for the community to enjoy.
Events will take place on the fourth Friday night of August, September and October at the Bray Park Sports Complex in Siler City. The first event will premier “The Lion King,” a 2019 photorealistic animated film. “The Lion King” will premier on the big screen on Friday, Aug. 28. The movie will begin at dusk and gates will open at 7 p.m. for ticket-holders to enter. Tickets for the event are free; however, pre-registration is required as space is limited. Tickets will become available two weeks prior to the event, at 9 a.m. on Aug. 17. Tickets can be reserved online at www.silercity.org or at the Water and Billing Department on the 1st floor of City Hall. (Tickets are 1 per vehicle, not per person). No tickets will be available on the day of the event. Tickets must be presented when entering the park to attend.
The 2020 Friday Night Flicks sponsors include Chatham News + Record, Countryside Collectibles & Antique Mall, Central Piedmont Urgent Care, Mountaire Farms, Chatham – Siler City Advanced Manufacturing Site, Rotary Club of Siler City, Crossroads Grill of Siler City, Freedom Family Church of Siler City, Martial Arts A.F.E. Taekwondo Fitness Academy, Sir Pizza of Siler City and Wilson Brothers Trucking
For more information, please contact the Siler City Parks and Recreation Department at 919-742-2699, email recreation@silercity.org, or visit us online at www.silercity.org.
— CN + R staff reports