See It. Report It.

Sandy Hook Promise’s Say Something Anonymous Reporting System allows students, parents, and community members to submit secure & anonymous safety concerns to help identify and intervene upon at-risk individuals before they hurt themselves or others. The website can be accessed by visiting https://www.clevelandcountyschools.org/, clicking on Team CCS, and scrolling down to “Say something – report anonymously here.

Your tips are uploaded with secure intel to a live 24/7 crisis center where all tips reported are managed until the cases are resolved. The system enables school administrators and law enforcement to create effective interventions and to help prevent violence, suicide, bullying, self-harm, and other forms of threatening behavior.

NCDHHS is encouraging North Carolinians to be aware of the potential dangers of having wounds or cuts open to saltwater or brackish water following reports of three deaths from Vibrio infections in North Carolina residents.

Vibrio are bacteria naturally found in warm waters, so people with open wounds, cuts, or scratches can be exposed to these bacteria through direct contact with seawater or brackish water. Vibrio can also cause disease in those who eat raw or undercooked oysters and shellfish. Vibrio cases in North Carolina are rare but can cause severe illness.

Since 2019, eight of the 47 reported cases among North Carolina residents have been fatal. While healthy individuals typically develop mild illness, Vibrio infections can be severe or life-threatening for people with weak- ened immune systems or chronic liver disease.

If you start to see signs of a skin infection after contact with brackish waters or seawater, you should contact your health care provider. Other symptoms include diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, nausea, fever, and chills. More information on Vibrio can be found on the CDC’s website and NCDHHS’ website.

As the school year begins on August 16, it is good to remember that tips can be submitted anonymously through Cleveland County School’s secure website connected to Sandy Hook Promise.

• Submit a tip, it is easy and completely confidential to report safety concerns to help prevent violence and tragedies. Call 911 immediately if you believe you are experiencing an emergency.

• You can also call their 24/7 Crisis Hotline Counselors At 1-844-5-SayNow.

• The Say Something SHP app is available for download at Google Play or Apple Store.

• And you can request Fol- low Up Information On The Tip You Submitted.

What Should You Report? You can help save lives by reporting observed threats, behaviors, actions, and harassment. Here are examples of some of the most common behaviors and incidents to report:

• Acts of violence, with or without weapons

• Verbal or physical abuse, assault, or harassment

• Sexual abuse, assault, or harassment

• Threats seen on social media

• Bullying, fighting, harassment, or intimidating behaviors

• Bragging about weapons or a planned attack

• Depression, anxiety, or loss of self-control

• Hopelessness, excessive guilt, or worthlessness

• Reckless behavior, theft, and petty crimes

• Social isolation or withdrawal

• Substance or alcohol abuse

• Suicide threats, cutting, or other self-harm

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• Any other troubling situation or behavior

After you provide as much information as you have about a safety or mental health concern, here are the next steps:

• A Crisis Counselor reviews your information and replies to your tip with a private chat message.

• You chat anonymously with the Crisis Counselor and answer any follow-up questions.

• The Crisis Counselor lets you know once they’ve gathered all the necessary information.

• If you learn any new information, you can return to your tip’s chat later and update your Crisis Counselor.

The mission of Sandy Hook Promise is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. Submitting a tip is a great first step in making your schools and communities safer while helping someone in need.

Correction

In the July 26 Herald, it was reported that UnCommon Artisans had posted on July 23 that they had found a new store location downtown. While this was the case when we inquired, the deal fell through early in the week. By the time we became aware of the situation, the paper had gone to press. We strive to bring the community the most up-todate information and regret it was not the case in this instance.