Chapel Hill's Friday Center COVID-19 clinic closes until Tuesday due to vaccine shortage
— The Friday Center plans to reopen operations on Tuesday.
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15 NC counties are under alert, including Johnston County.
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Rocky Mount Police cancels Silver Alert for missing 68-year-old man
— At the request of the Rocky Mount Police Department, the N.C. Center for Missing Persons has cancelled the Silver Alert for John Thomas Watson.
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Driving 'road' tests set up in parking lots during pandemic
After months of delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the state Division of Motor Vehicles is ramping up a new way of conducting road tests for young drivers.
SOCIETY IN HENDERSON IS OFFERING THAT REWARD. >>> GOOD NEWS FOR YOUNG DRIVERS FROM THE DMV. AFTER MONTHS OF DELAYS CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC, THEY'RE RAMPING UP A NEW WAY OF ROAD TESTS FOR PHASE THREE LICENSES. THE NEW TESTS ARE UNDERWAY TODAY. LAURA. >> Reporter: WHEN YOU THINK OF DRIVING FOR A ROAD TEST, YOU THINK OF BEING IN YOUR CAR AND THE INSTRUCTOR WITH YOU ON THE ROAD. THE PANDEMIC HAS MADE THAT A PRETTY BAD IDEA FOR OBVIOUS REASONS BUT THE LAW SAYS WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE THE TEST. DMV HAS COME UP WITH A SOCIALLY DISTANT ALTERNATIVE TO GET THE YOUNG DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. WHEN MATTHEW STARTED THE PROCESS OF GETTING HIS DRIVER'S LICENSE, THE PANDEMIC HADN'T EVEN HIT NORTH CAROLINA YET. BY THE TIME HE PASSED HIS FINAL ROAD TEST TODAY, THE PROCESS HAD CHANGED QUITE A BIT. >> I WAS A LOT MORE NERVOUS BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THIS ONE WAS GOING TO BE LIKE. IT WAS DEFINITELY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT I EXPECTED IT TO BE. >> Reporter: THE ROAD TESTS NOW ARE CONTACT LESS AND THEY'RE IN A PARKING LOT, NOT ON THE ROAD. THE INSTRUCTOR STAYS OUTSIDE THE CAR GIVING THE DRIVER DIRECTIONS TO FOLLOW. THE PARKING LOT IS ALSO SET UP WITH TRAFFIC SIGNS THE DRIVER MUST NAVIGATE. >> THEY HAD ME DO A THREE POINT TURN AND THEY HAD ME BACK UP IN A STRAIGHT LINE AND THEN DO A SAFETY STOP. >> THE ONLY DIFFERENCE IS IT IS A MUCH SHORTER TEST THAN A REGULAR ROAD TEST AND THEY'RE NOT IN REGULAR TRAFFIC. >> Reporter: THE STATE DMV SPOKESMAN STEVE ABBOTT SAYS LAST YEAR LAWMAKERS WAVED EARLIER ROAD TEST REQUIREMENT FOR BEGINNING STUDENT DRIVERS. BY LAW THEY STILL NEED TO PASS AT LEAST ONE ROAD TEST TO GET THEIR FULL LICENSE. EARLIER THIS MONTH THE AGENCY DOUBLED NUMBER OF INSTRUCTORS AND LOCATIONS FOR THE NEW CONTACT LESS TEST. ABBOTT IS EXPECTING TO SEE HIGHER DEMAND AS MORE SCHOOLS REOPEN. >> PEOPLE HAVE TO HAVE PATIENCE. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO CALL OR CONTACT US MONDAY AND GET A TEST TUESDAY. IT'S ANYWHERE DEPENDING ON THE LOCATION, A WEEK TO FOUR WEEKS. >> Reporter: HE'S BEEN ELIGIBLE SINCE JANUARY BUT IT TOOK TIME TO HAVE AN APPOINTMENT. >> I COULD HAVE HAD IT SOONER IF THE PANDEMIC WASN'T HAPPENING. >> Reporter: THE DMV HAS BEEN OFFERING VERY LIMITED ROAD TESTS SINCE OCTOBER BUT OBVIOUSLY NOT VERY MANY. JUST LAST WEEK A STATE SENATE HEARD AND APPROVED A BILL THAT WOULD ALLOW THIRD PARTY VENDORS OUTSIDE DMV TO ADMINISTER THE ROAD TESTS AND HAVE THEM COUNT. THAT BILL HAS A LONG WAY TO GO.
