ROCKINGHAM — With Richmond County under a tropical storm warning, local officials are taking precautions and issuing closing announcements.
Court sessions in Richmond, Scotland and Anson counties are canceled on Friday, Sept. 30, however the courthouses in each of the three counties will still be open for business, according to Superior Court Manager Chad Haywood.
UPDATE 5:04 p.m.: According to Richmond County Clerk of Superior Court Vickie Daniel, all courthouses will be closed Friday.
Richmond County Schools announced on Facebook that the district will operate remotely on Friday, “with students participating in asynchronous learning.”
The post goes on to read:
“Students will come home today with assignments to be completed in order for them to be marked present for Friday. Completion of the assignment is required to be marked present. Please continue to monitor the district website and social media accounts for updates. All school activities for Friday are canceled, and all schools will be closed.”
Richmond Community College also announced on Facebook that its facilities will be closed:
“Faculty will be contacting students regarding any required make up assignments for Friday classes. We will reopen as usual on Monday, Oc. 3.”
UNC-Pembroke is canceling Friday classes, as well.
Tropical Storm Ian was downgraded from a hurricane after making landfall Wednesday on Florida’s Gulf Coast as a Category 4. However, the storm is expected to regain hurricane strength later Thursday and make a second landfall on the central coast of South Carolina on Friday.
As the storm moves through the Palmetto State, it is expected to weaken back to a tropical storm and then a tropical depression after crossing into North Carolina.
Most of eastern and central North Carolina is under a tropical storm warning. Winds of 35-45 mph with gusts up to 55 mph are possible from Friday morning through Saturday morning.
According to the National Hurricane Center, those winds are expected to reach Richmond County around 2 a.m. Friday.
The National Weather Service has also issued a flood watch for most of the same area, which will be in effect until 9 a.m. Saturday.
