Mayor Price, the Newport News City Council, City Manager Rohlf, and staff are working hard to keep the essential business of the City going. Here are highlights from Mayor Price's remarks during the call Tuesday:
City of Newport News – COVID-19 Response Initiatives
City Services
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All city offices, facilities and buildings are closed to the public.
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City employees are still at work and essential city services are continuing.
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All city sponsored events, programs, classes and activities have been canceled.
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The Voter Registrar’s Office is urging citizens to utilize online services for the upcoming General Election on May 5. State law requires voters to have a justification to cast an absentee ballot, but officials have determined that the coronavirus outbreak qualifies as a valid reason for everyone. For voters who do not wish to submit their absentee ballot by mail, the Newport News Voter Registrar’s Office is offering curbside services.
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The Four Oaks Day Service Center is closed, but services to the homeless community continue. Staff is in the field, partnering with the Salvation Army and LINK to deliver food and supplies to places we know homeless individuals find shelter. We are connecting people with medical providers and working with local healthcare organizations to provide screenings on an as-needed basis. We are also providing soap, hand sanitizer, sleeping bags, blankets, coats and other supplies out of a mobile van.
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City parks remain open at this time and are a critical outlet for people.
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Newport News Waterworks suspended shutting off water for non-payment.
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Newport News Public Library is promoting their e-Membership and sharing online resources and learning tools with residents and city employees.
Newport News Public Schools (NNPS)
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Governor Northam extended statewide school closures for the rest of the school year.
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Instructional plans for students are online and print copies were distributed to families who needed them.
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A variety of at-home learning resources are available online, including resources for English language learners and special education services.
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A limited number of Chromebooks were available for checkout to secondary school students who do not have access to a smartphone or other device at home. The school division is working on getting additional devices and hotspots.
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NNPS is providing meals-to-go for any student in need of lunch or breakfast every weekday.
Communications
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The city’s 311 Contact Center is available for residents and is providing information on essential city services during this time. They are also addressing rumors and ensuring our citizens have the information they need to stay safe.
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The city established a COVID-19 webpage to share information on closures, online city resources and ways to stay safe.
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We are vigilantly monitoring social media, responding to questions and concerns.
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Newport News Television created programming to provide information for residents, including an interview with the Emergency Coordinator from the Peninsula Health Department.
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A mayoral message to citizens is airing on NNTV and is posted on our website.
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The city develops and distributes a daily newsletter, which goes to nearly 57,000 subscribers. Information on the coronavirus and resources is included in every issue. Archived issues are available online.
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The city developed custom posters and flyers for every city facility, highlighting the importance of proper hygiene to stop the spread of the coronavirus. We posted this graphic online and shared it in the newsletter so it can be downloaded and hung in city businesses.
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We are sharing virtual resources that entertain people quarantined at home. Many of our local museums are offering daily programming for audiences of all ages.
Considerations
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The Newport News Emergency Operations Center is the site of the Peninsula COVID-19 Operations Center. Representatives from six municipalities on the peninsula (Newport News, Hampton, Poquoson, York County, James City County and Williamsburg) are coordinating response efforts at this location.
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We are finalizing plans for a weekly Facebook Live series to discuss the city’s response to the coronavirus and resources, as well as answer citizen questions. We had our first on on Thursday 3/26/2020 and hope to have a schedule published soon.
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Our Economic Development Department is reaching out to the business community to provide information on state and federal relief opportunities.
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We are identifying ways to engage with citizens online, especially young people.
City of Newport News:
Last updated 3/29/2020
