LAURINBURG — Focus now turns to community and county recovery in Scotland County as the Emergency Operation Center changes curfew hours and helps hand out food Wednesday.
Curfew hours for Scotland County have moved to 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. The curfew previously was 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Scotland County Schools opened student feeding sites Wednesday through Friday for children under 18. The locations are I. Ellis Johnson Elementary, Laurel Hill Elementary, and Scotland High School. Breakfast will be 8 a.m to 10 a.m and lunch will be served from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.
The mandatory evacuation in areas of the county has been lifted and people can return to their homes, but the Red Cross shelter has been moved from St. Andrews University gymnasium to North Laurinburg High school.
Director of Scotland Emergency Services Roylin Hammond says the focus now is on collecting damage assessments and the safety of people.
“Our main goal now is the recovery process and just getting back to normal, we are also figuring out a place people can take their (storm) waste,” said Hammond. “Power is being restored and engineers are working on U.S. 501.”
He reports that smaller roads will continue to be out for the long term because there is not enough manpower to cover them all now.
“It could take years,” said Hammond.
The EOC continues to update what routes and roads are closed due to flooding.
“NCDOT is working to make transportation easier going in and out (of the county,” said Hammond.
Current road closures include:
— 15-501 North Hoke County Line (water running across road) —McGirt’s Bridge Road at city limits (water on road)
— X-Way Road @ Lytch Drive (washed out) —Jerusalem Road east of McQueen (washed out)
— Old Stage New Sidney Bean (Tree down Power lines) —McQueen before 501 South (washed out)
— Barnes Bridge New Old Johns (washed out) —US 15-401 Bypass just north of Shaw Currie (washed out)
— Barnes Bridge at City Limits near creek side (washed out) —Sneads Town before Woodville Church (washed out)
— Hasty Road Smyrna Church Road (wash out) —Tunrpike Road at 74 Overpass
— Church Street, 10th Street (water on road) —Peabridge at S.C. Line (water standing)
— Pea Bridge between Crestline and Hasty Road (water standing)
— Church Street 1st (washed out) —Harry Malloy near Rocky Ford (impassable)
— McFarland near Crawford Lake Road (washout)
— Oak Grove School Road at Graham Road
— Hwy. 79 near State Line
— Blue Woods Road at Jim Calhoun (washout)
Jael Pembrick can be reached at 910- 506-3169 or [email protected].