Haywood County will administer state funds to establish an Adult Accountability and Recovery Court meant to help people experiencing substance use dis.
In mid-March, County Emergency Management Director Greg Shuping assembled the âwar room,â something that happens when a disaster of some sort is headed this way.
Instead of the typical teams leading the discussion â those trained in dealing with threats such as fires, weather events or chemical spills, Shuping immediately turned his focus to Patrick Johnson, the county public health director.
The disaster headed toward the county was not typical of those faced in recent decades. It was a global pandemic that would require a far different skill set than had been needed before. Luckily, Johnson was well-equipped to lead the county through the crisis.