Oxford Animal Donation Drive

Rescued Kitten Prompts City of Oxford to Organize Animal Shelter Donation Drive

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-Press Release, City of Oxford

The sound of faint meowing surprised Allen West and Roger Elliot, of the City of Oxford Street Department, as they were working to fix a damaged storm drain grate off of College Street on Monday, July 13.

After assisting Granville County Animal Control, the kitten, who has been dubbed Juniper, was rescued and taken to the Animal Shelter to be evaluated. He was extremely dehydrated and a bit ill, but all who have met Juniper have described him to be a very friendly kitten. He is currently being fostered until he is well enough to be put up for adoption. 

The City of Oxford has been inspired by Juniper’s spirit and has started a donation drive in his honor. You can drop off items at City Hall located at 300 Williamsboro Street in Oxford. 

Items needed include:

  • Friskies canned food
  • Cat litter
  • Kitten formula
  • Kitten food
  • Dog and puppy food
  • Chew toys (please no raw-hides)
  • Laundry soap
  • Dish soap
  • Fabuloso cleaning products
  • SMALL aluminum pans

All donations collected will go to the Granville County Animal Shelter. The donation drive will run from August 3 – September 3, 2020. 

It is essential to look after all of our neighbors, including the furry ones. Help the City of Oxford take care of Juniper and all the cats and dogs currently at our local shelter. 

If you’re looking for a new addition to your family, consider adopting Juniper or one of his new friends at the shelter. Make sure to contact the Granville County Animal Shelter through their Facebook page Granville County Animal Shelter Friends to set up appointments for any adoptions. 

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Board of Education to Hold Special Meeting on School Re-Entry Options

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools

The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a Special Meeting on Thursday, July 23, 2020, at 2 p.m. The purpose of this meeting will be for the Board of Education to discuss School Re-Entry options and updates for the upcoming school year.

Due to the current statewide State of Emergency, and in order to protect the health and safety of board members, staff and the public, this meeting will be conducted electronically, with members of the public invited to view the live stream.

To join the live stream meeting, please use the following link: https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=MDhkZj

To view the agenda for this meeting, please click here.

Ridgeway Cantaloupe Festival

Ridgeway Cantaloupe 5k Run/Walk Scheduled for July 25; Annual Festival Canceled

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-Information courtesy Tommy Tucker, Ridgeway Cantaloupe 5k

The seventh annual Ridgeway Cantaloupe 5k Run/Walk will be held this Saturday, July 25, 2020, at 8 a.m. The rural and flat 5k route, a USAT&F certified course, starts and ends at 101 Ridgeway-Drewry Road in Norlina, near the Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Department.

Registration is $30, limited to 100 participants, required by July 24 and available online only at clockworkracetiming.com.

There will be no race-day registration, and packet pickup will be held on Saturday morning only beginning at 6:30 a.m.

Race day:

  • Refreshments *may be* provided, but race parking is at the finish, so bring your favorite post-race food/drink
  • Results will be based on net (chip start to chip finish) time
  • Runners will start in groups of 10 or less at intervals sufficient to space out on the course
  • Race organizers hope to have T-shirts available for pick-up at the race, but if not, an email will be sent
  • As in previous years, bib numbers will have disposable timing chips affixed to the back of them (do not remove this)
  • The festival has been canceled for this year, so the race is the only event

At this time, face coverings will be required pre-and-post event should social distancing not be possible.

Vance GOP

Vance County GOP to Hold Grand Opening of Headquarters

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-Information courtesy Vance County GOP

Chairman Dwight Fraizer and the Board members of the Vance County GOP cordially invite Vance County Republicans and all/any like-minded people to the official opening of the 2020 Vance County GOP Headquarters, located at 1700 Parham St. in the Corbitt building (between Cruzers and the Corbitt Depot) in Henderson.

The event will take place outside to provide for social distancing from 4 – 8 p.m. on Friday, July 31, 2020. Meet, Greet & Mingle time is designated from 4 – 5 p.m.

Free hot dogs and drinks will be available as long as supplies last, starting at 5 p.m. Music will be provided by Jimmy Barrier and the Cabin Pickers.

Featured speakers at the event will be:

* Sandy Smith, GOP candidate for the NC District 1 Congressional Seat
* Bruce LeGates, Pastor of Joy Christian Center Ministries
* Other GOP candidates (or their representatives)

Tents will be set up with GOP items and for voter registration if you have not yet registered to vote in Vance County or if you would like to switch your party affiliation to the Republican Party.

Free Meals for Kids

Town Talk 07/21/20: GRRO Offering Free, Healthy Meals to Local Youth

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Lucette Mercer, deputy director of the Green Rural Redevelopment Organization (GRRO), appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

The GRRO, started by Henderson residents Henry Crews and Ardis Crews, is a part of the NC Rural Center’s Rural Food Business Assistance Project. This program offers technical training to agribusinesses and builds networks to support local farmers, value-added processors and foodservice businesses.

Partnering with city and federal agencies, the GRRO connects unemployed individuals to construction jobs that restore dilapidated homes and turn vacant lots into micro-farms that feed the community.

Mercer discussed Wellness on Wheels, the most recent initiative of the GRRO, in partnership with Vance County organizations to offer free, healthy meals for local children every Tuesday – Friday through at least August 31, 2020.

“We provide hot, healthy meals to kids 18 and younger in the community, free of charge, no questions asked and no issues,” explained Mercer. “You simply show up at the times and locations promoted and tell us how many kids you’re picking up meals for. We’re trying to find meals that are healthy, that kids want to eat and that parents feel really good about giving their kids.”

Grab-and-Go meals will be available Tuesday-Friday at the following locations and times:

  • Franklin Vance Warren Opportunity ~ 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ~ Location: 180 S. Beckford Drive, Henderson
  • Oasis of Hope Ministries ~ 12 – 1 p.m. ~ Location: 2495 US Hwy 1/158, Henderson
  • Cotton Memorial Presbyterian Church ~ 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. ~ Location: 511 N. Chestnut St., Henderson
  • Knoll Terrace Mobile Home Park ~ 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. ~ 1261 Americal Rd., Henderson

Mercer said what started as 150 available meals has turned into 500 distributed daily as of this afternoon. That number will soar to 2,000 meals at this Friday’s event as organizers distribute enough meals to feed participating youth for Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

“As more and more people are made aware of this resource in the community and, importantly, realize that it is a healthy food resource, more people are coming to us to fill that gap of getting good meals for their kids,” said Mercer.

For more information on the GRRO, and to stay up-to-date on its programs and events, please visit its Facebook page (click here).

To hear the interview with Mercer in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Henderson Vance Recreation & Parks

Athletic Drills, Scavenger Hunt & Virtual 5K Among Upcoming H-V Rec. & Parks Events

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-Information courtesy Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department

The Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Department announces several upcoming events, including:

Elite Skills & Drills: Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are so many restrictions placed on youth athletics. Our number one priority is the safety of our citizens. While we don’t recommend partaking in group competition, we also understand the importance that staying physically active has on your overall health.

Because of this, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks will be working with coaches to put together skills and drills videos that your child can use to help develop their skills right at home. We will post links to our videos regularly on the Henderson-Vance Athletics page starting Friday, July 24, 2020.

For more information, please contact Darius Pitt at (252) 438-3408 (dpitt@ci.henderson.nc.us).

Recreation Rocks Scavenger Hunt: Registration extended to Friday, July 31:  Participants ages 17 and under will design and submit rocks to participate in the scavenger hunt. Registration and rocks must be submitted at Aycock Recreation Center (307 Carey Chapel Rd., Henderson, NC) Monday –Friday between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. The deadline to submit rocks is Friday, July 31, 2020, by 5 p.m.

Participants will receive an e-mail at 8 a.m. on Saturday, August 1, 2020, with clues to find the location of the decorated rocks. Participants take pictures with each rock and submit to Lauren Newlin by email (lnewlin@ci.henderson.nc.us) or any HVRPD social media (Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram). The FIRST participant to submit ALL pictures with rocks will win a gift basket filled with goodies from HVRPD!!

For more information, please contact Lauren Newlin at (252) 438-3160 (lnewlin@henderson.nc.us).

Virtual 5K– Join our Virtual 5K Run & Walk on Sunday, July 26, 2020. Run or walk your own 5K and tag the Henderson-Vance Athletics Facebook page with your photos or videos.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

GVPH: Local COVID-19 Update as of 7/20/20 – Hospitalizations, Deaths Holding Steady

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health

The following is an update for COVID-19 spread and response in Granville and Vance County as of July 20, 2020. Granville Vance Public Health numbers correlate with the NC Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NCEDSS) data.

The county case numbers reported on the NC county map from the NC Department of Health and Human Services may differ from the ones reported locally as they are updated at different times and may change once residence is verified.

Granville County

1,035 positive test results for COVID-19.

Of those 1,035, 535 are community-spread cases located across Granville County, Of those 535, 397 have been released from isolation and seven are hospitalized.

Of those 1,035, 486 cases are affiliated with the prison system in Granville County. Of those 486, 95 have been released from isolation.

Of those 1,035, 11 are associated with an outbreak at long term care facilities including six at Murdoch Development Center, two at Central Regional Hospital, one at Brantwood Nursing and Rehab Center, and two at Universal Health Care in Oxford, NC.

Of the 11 cases in long term care facilities in Granville County, five have been released from isolation.

There have been a total of 25 deaths in Granville County, three in the community, one at Central Regional Hospital, and 21 of whom were associated with the Bureau of Prisons Federal Correctional Complex.

Vance County

607 positive test results for COVID-19.

Of those 607, 484 are community-spread cases located across Vance County. Of those 484, 383 have been released from isolation.

Of those 607, 123 are associated with outbreaks at congregate living facilities including 48 cases associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home and 17 associated with Senior Citizens Home. The outbreak at Pelican Health nursing home is no longer active.

Of the 123 cases in congregate living facilities in Vance County, 44 have been released from isolation.

Three individuals in Vance County are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 40 deaths in Vance County, 14 of whom were associated with the Pelican Health nursing home outbreak, 11 of whom were associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home, and two of whom were associated with Senior Citizens Home.

WIZS Note: There are 101 total active cases in the Vance County community at large at this time. This is an increase of 13 active cases since Monday, July 13, 2020. Fortunately, COVID-19 related deaths and hospitalizations are holding steady.

Additional Information

The number of those who have been ‘released from isolation’ is determined by the CDC Guidance for discontinuation of isolation for persons with COVID-19.

Please visit www.gvph.org/COVID-19/ for the latest information from Granville Vance Public Health and to sign up for daily email updates.

Families Living Violence Free

Families Living Violence Free Continues Lunch & Learn Sessions, Introduces Puppet Show

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-Information courtesy Families Living Violence Free

Families Living Violence Free (FLVF) invites the public to join its Domestic Violence 101 Lunch & Learn weekly series online via Zoom. Sessions will be held from 12 until 1 p.m. each Wednesday through August 12, 2020.

Remaining Sessions Include:

July 22, 2020 – Domestic Violence and the Effects on Children

July 29, 2020 – When Loving You is Hurting Me

August 5, 2020 – Healthy Relationships

August 12, 2020 – Personal Boundaries

Families Living Violence Free also invites you to Kids Corner, an online puppet show that addresses issues children may face. Please visit https://flvf.org/kids-corner/ for upcoming shows.

Please visit FLVF’s website at www.flvf.org or call (919) 693-5700 to register for the Lunch & Learn sessions. The link to each week’s Zoom session will be available on the FLVF website.

Warren Co. Flag

Local Agencies Partner to Provide Care to Sick and Injured Pets

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

Warren County EMS, Warren County Animal Ark and Vance County Animal Services recently partnered to ensure that all residents of Warren County are able to receive emergency care in their time of need – including four-legged residents.

Through a partnership created by Vance County Animal Services and Mona Pants Foundations, an area non-profit whose goal is to provide ballistic vests to law enforcement K-9s and oxygen masks to local first responders, Warren County EMS and Warren County Fire Departments have received 25 pet rescue oxygen mask kits. 

The 501(c)(3) organization, based in Zebulon, received a request on behalf of Warren County EMS to facilitate receiving the pet-oxygen rescue masks after noting recent animal fatalities in fires. In less than four hours, Mona Pants Foundation raised enough funds to procure the oxygen mask kits through donations only. 

A mask kit will be placed on every Warren County EMS unit as well as given to every Warren County Fire Department.

Masonic Home for Children

Town Talk 07/20/20: Masonic Home Ready to Help Families Through Challenging Times

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Kevin Otis, administrator for the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford (MHCO), appeared on WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.

While MHCO has weathered many events in its 147-year history, COVID-19 has brought a unique set of challenges. “This pandemic has exacerbated a lot of issues that the community faces, including domestic issues, poverty and homelessness,” said Otis. “Many are struggling with what they are going to do with their child during the school year. We want to let folks know that we might be an option for their families.”

Otis said MHCO elementary and middle school students will be educated via virtual instruction through Granville County Public Schools (GCPS) when the 2020-2021 academic year begins August 17. MHCO high school students will attend school in-person for two days, remotely for three.

GCPS announced last week that its Board-approved version of Plan B will consist of two separate groups of students alternating between two consecutive days of face-to-face school each week, with Wednesday being a remote learning day for all students.

With the distinction of being the first children’s home in North Carolina, MHCO continues its tradition of helping young people ages birth to 22 with its Group Cottage Foster Care and Independent Living programs.

As part of its Group Cottage Foster Care program, children reside in cottages with live-in house parent child care workers. Supports are provided to help children with academics, obtain transportation, participate in extracurricular activities, manage trauma and obtain employment.

The Independent Living Program (ILP) provides apartments for young adults, as well as coaching and assistance to obtain employment. Independent living skills are taught relating to a variety of topics including cooking and cleaning, driver’s education, budget management and tax preparation. ILP residents continue education at Vance-Granville Community College, trade schools and four-year universities.

According to Otis, families maintain guardianship, stay involved and have a say in their child’s MHCO experience. “We don’t replace anyone’s family. We co-parent with them to try to address any issues the family or child may be facing.”

Otis said long term goals for MHCO residents include returning home and independence. Scholarships are available to help cover the cost of care.

To learn more about referring a child in need, please call (919) 693-5111 or visit MHCO’s website at www.mhc-oxford.org.

To hear the interview with Otis in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.