-Press Release and photos, Granville County Government
Through personal visits to each precinct and law enforcement station, Granville County Crime Stoppers honored the 2020 Law Enforcement Officers of the Year during the month of October, which is Crime Prevention Month.
Nominated by their superiors for outstanding job performance and work ethic, officers recognized represented the Town of Butner, the City of Creedmoor, the Granville County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Oxford, the Town of Stem and the Town of Stovall.
Due to COVID-19 mass gathering restrictions, the plaque presentations, usually held during the annual Crime Stoppers Banquet, were made at each site by Granville County Crime Stoppers President Frank Sossamon.
Law Enforcement Officers of the Year for 2020 included:
Andrew Spritzer, Butner Public Safety;
Thomas A. Wallace, Creedmoor Police Department;
Joshua Coppock, Granville County Sheriff’s Office;
Lynn Curl, Oxford Police Department;
Jay Long, Stem Police Department; and
Steven Hayes, Stovall Police Department.
The purpose of Granville County Crime Stoppers is to help make Granville County a safer place to live, work, and raise a family by assisting law enforcement in the fight against crime.
Crime Stoppers is comprised of members of the community, law enforcement agencies, the media and businesses, working together to help solve crimes. Citizens are encouraged, through cash rewards and a promise of confidentiality, to provide information leading to the arrest and indictment of criminals. Each law enforcement agency in Granville County is an important part of the local Crime Stoppers organization.
To provide helpful, anonymous information regarding crime in Granville County, call the Crime Stoppers tip line at (919) 693-3100 or the Granville County Sheriff’s Office at (919) 693-3213.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Granville-Crime-Stoppers-Officers-of-Year.jpg265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2020-11-23 11:12:442020-11-23 11:12:44Granville County Crime Stoppers Honors Officers of the Year
The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center and its director, Sheri Jones, recently received the 2020 Innovation Award for Programs/Seminars from the North Carolina Small Business Center Network (SBCN). The award specifically recognized VGCC for creating and offering an eight-part, online webinar series entitled “Doing Business Remotely – Tools for the New Normal,” to help local small businesses respond to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Small Business Center collaborated with the Warren County Economic Development Commission and a local small business, Tabletop Media Group, LLC, on the series, which educated small businesses and individuals on technological tools that were mostly new to them, empowering them to communicate effectively with customers as well as employees.
The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center and its director, Sheri Jones, recently received the 2020 Innovation Award for Programs/Seminars from the North Carolina Small Business Center Network (SBCN). (Photo courtesy VGCC)
“The Small Business Center of Vance-Granville Community College is fortunate to have wonderful community partners in our four-county Chambers of Commerce, economic development offices, downtown development organizations and libraries,” Jones said. “They relay community training needs that we then try to address, and they get the word out about our programs and counseling opportunities.”
In this case, Jones recalled, the community need was first brought up by Warren County EDC Director Stacy Woodhouse. “Stacy called and asked if Kristen Baughman Taber [founder of Tabletop Media Group and a Warren County resident] and I could meet with him to talk about what we could do to help small businesses in the early days of the pandemic shutdown,” Jones said. “This webinar series was born from that conversation.”
The partners moved quickly to help businesses in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties adjust to a rapidly changing situation. The state’s stay-at-home order went into effect on March 30, and the webinar series began on April 7.
Baughman Taber took the lead on creating content and then teaching the interactive class. The eight parts of the series included: Zoom Video Communications; Google Suite; Basecamp & Other Project Management Systems; Dropbox & Other Storage and File-sharing Tools; Scheduling Tools; Mailchimp, Constant Contact & Other Contact Management Tools; Slack & Other Collaboration Tools; and Virtual Team Building.
“Teaching the ‘Doing Business Remotely’ series brought me so much joy as an instructor during such an uncertain time in our world,” Baughman Taber said. “I was able to help so many small business owners learn how to use virtual tools to make them more effective in a world that had suddenly gone almost 100% online due to COVID-19. I believe these skills – like how to use Zoom for video conferencing, Google Drive for organizing and collaborating on documents and files, and Basecamp for project management, to name a few – will be helpful well into the future for these small business owners who attended.”
“I am appreciative of Sheri Jones and VGCC for partnering with Warren County EDC to make this timely series possible,” said EDC Director Stacy Woodhouse. “’Doing Business Remotely’ provided critical information in the midst of so much uncertainty and gave businesses the tools to move forward. We were able to utilize Warren County’s own Kristen Baughman of Tabletop Media as the instructor which gave attendees another valuable resource to follow up with post-class.”
“We congratulate and applaud Sheri for this award and for all her hard work to support the small businesses in our service area,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, president of VGCC. “This year, our Small Business Center and other college departments have partnered with the community to solve practical problems and meet the unique demands of the pandemic. We will continue to be here as a resource for our communities to promote economic recovery.”
The VGCC Small Business Center, part of a network of centers found at all 58 North Carolina Community Colleges, was created to provide the small businesses of the community with a focal point for training, education, counseling and referral. Jones has served as director since 2019.
For more information about Small Business Center seminars and services, contact Sheri Jones at joness@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3240.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Sheri-Jones-VGCC.jpg265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2020-11-23 09:29:052020-11-23 09:29:05VGCC Small Business Center Recognized for Innovation
-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health
According to information provided by Granville Vance Public Health (GVPH), six recent COVID-19 related deaths associated with the current outbreak at Senior Citizens Home in Henderson, NC have been reported. A 90-year-old female, an 86-year-old female and an 88-year-old male passed away on November 17, 2020. A 97-year-old female, a 99-year-old female and an 80-year-old female passed away on November 18, 2020.
Additionally, GVPH provided the following update for COVID-19 spread and response in Granville and Vance County as of November 19, 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.
Vance County
Total Cases: 1,494
Active Cases: 335
Total Cases in Community: 1,329
Active Cases: 299
Cases Off-Isolation: 1,010
Total Cases at Long-Term Care Facilities: 165
Active Cases: 36
Cases Off-Isolation: 95
There is currently an outbreak at Senior Citizens Home.
Total Hospitalized with COVID-19: 12
Total Deaths: 54
Community: 20
Pelican Nursing Home: 14
Kerr Lake Nursing Home: 12
Senior Citizens Home: 8
Granville County
Total Cases: 2,361
Active Cases: 249
Total Cases in Community: 1,648
Active Cases: 218
Cases Off-Isolation: 1,422
Total Cases at Federal Prison: 531
Active Cases: 4
Cases Off-Isolation: 505
Total Cases at Long-Term Care Facilities: 182
Active Cases: 27
Cases Off-Isolation: 130
There are currently outbreaks at Central Regional Hospital, Murdoch Development Center and Granville House.
Total Hospitalized with COVID-19: 4
Total Deaths: 55
Community: 8
Central Regional: 1
Granville House: 1
Murdoch Development Center: 2
Universal Health Care: 21
Federal Prison: 22
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/wizsfbresize_0001s_0061_granville-vance-public-health.png.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2020-11-20 11:39:072020-11-20 11:39:07Six Deaths Reported in Second COVID Outbreak at Senior Citizens Home
Classic Toyota of Henderson, part of the Mills Automotive Group, is partnering with The Salvation Army to provide food boxes for families in need during the Mills Automotive Group Day of Service drive-thru food giveaway.
Dealership employees will work alongside The Salvation Army and city officials to load food boxes into cars and provide a gift card for every household. 250 food boxes have been sponsored by Mills Automotive Group for the food giveaway. The Salvation Army is working with community social service providers to identify and invite families in need.
WHERE: Classic Toyota of Henderson, 205 Toyota Lane Henderson, NC 27537
For more information, please contact The Salvation Army of Henderson at (252) 438-7107 or email derrick.smith@uss.salvationarmy.org.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/The-Salvation-Army-1.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2020-11-20 10:48:532020-11-20 10:48:53Classic Toyota of Henderson Partners With Salvation Army for Day of Service
UPDATE: North Carolina continues to prioritize increased access to testing, along with expanded contact tracing capacity to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Granville Vance Public Health (GVPH) offers testing for community members who have symptoms of COVID-19; for those who have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive; or for those who believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19, whether or not they have symptoms.
As a reminder, although many have and can spread COVID-19 with no symptoms, symptoms of COVID-19 can include one or more of the following: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, sore throat, new loss of taste or smell, headache, muscle pain, fatigue, and congestion or runny nose.
A close contact is defined as anyone who was within six feet of an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more. Given the incubation period of Coronavirus, if you are a contact and are not experiencing any symptoms, it is recommended that you wait at least six days after your first known exposure to COVID-19 to get tested.
Additionally, you may have been unknowingly exposed to COVID-19 if you’re a frontline or essential worker; if you’ve attended a gathering with family, friends, or others who live outside your home; if you’ve dined indoors at a restaurant; or if you’ve attended large public or private events. If you believe you may have been exposed, we recommend you get tested. We can bill your insurance, or, if you are uninsured, we can provide a medical evaluation and testing for COVID-19 at no cost.
GVPH conducts testing every morning. In order to make an appointment for testing, please call us in Granville at (919) 693-2141 or Vance at (252) 492-7915. If someone has symptoms, we can offer telemedicine visits to provide a medical evaluation which would be recommended at that time.
Additionally, GVPH continues to work with our partners to support community-based testing events and other targeted efforts to help us reach historically marginalized populations and groups at higher risk of exposure. There are several other providers offering testing in our communities. To find out more about available testing locations near you, visit the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Find My Testing Place tool and the Check My Symptoms tool to determine if you will be recommended to be tested, both of which can be found at covid19.ncdhhs.gov/about-covid-19/symptoms.
If you test positive for COVID-19 or believe you might have it, you should stay home and separate yourself from other people in the home as much as possible. If you test negative for COVID-19, that does not mean you will not get sick in the future, as you could turn positive within 14 days of exposure. You could also be exposed to COVID-19 after the test and then get infected and spread the virus to others. Therefore, the most important thing you can do to slow the spread of COVID-19 is to follow the 3 Ws: wait 6 feet away from others, wear a cloth face covering and wash your hands.
In response to an outbreak of COVID-19 at the Vance County Courthouse, the Hon. Henry Gupton informed WIZS News that court sessions are canceled for next week. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, this would include Monday, November 23, Tuesday, November 24 and Wednesday, November 25, 2020.
Gupton said, “I met with Granville Vance Health Department officials late yesterday afternoon concerning the current situation in my office, which is now considered by them to be a cluster. My office is currently open with limited staffing for filings that are required by North Carolina General Statute, and the courthouse remains open. However, after a conversation late yesterday afternoon with our Chief District Court Judge John W. Davis and our District Attorney Mike Waters, a decision has been made to cancel all courts in Vance County scheduled for next week, which would be Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, in order to protect our staff as well as the citizens of Vance County.”
On Wednesday, the decision was made to cancel court for the rest of this week due to “two or three positive COVID tests of those who work in or around the courthouse and the courtrooms.” A thorough cleaning of the courthouse will be performed.
WIZS will bring you additional information on this situation as it is released.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Vance-County-Courthouse.jpg265504Kelly Bonduranthttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngKelly Bondurant2020-11-20 09:48:422020-11-20 09:48:42Vance County Court Sessions Canceled Through Nov. 25
Vance County’s Public Safety Committee (Wilder, Brummitt, Taylor) is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, December 1, 2020, at 4 p.m.
The meeting will be held in the Administrative Conference Room of the Vance County Administration Building located at 122 Young Street, Henderson, NC.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss an ambulance franchise application from North State Medical Transport.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Vance-County-Logo.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2020-11-20 07:28:352020-11-20 07:28:35Vance Public Safety Committee to Meet on Ambulance Franchise Application
Mark Pace, local historian and director of the NC Room at the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.
In an ongoing Town Talk series focusing on the history of Henderson, Vance County and the immediate four-county vicinity, Pace and WIZS’ own Bill Harris discussed the importance of railroads on the emergence of local communities and towns.
The first railroad in the area was the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad that opened in 1840 between Raleigh and Gaston, NC.
“After 1840, some of the local communities that came into existence as a direct result of the railroad include Littleton, Vaughan, Macon, Norlina, Ridgeway, Manson, Middleburg, Henderson, Franklinton, Kittrell, Youngsville, Bullock, Stem, Creedmoor, Virgilina, Bunn, Hollister, Wise, the Watkins Community, Dabney and Stovall,” said Pace.
“The coming of the railroad to our area was one of the most significant events since the settlement of this area by Europeans and their descendants,” Pace stated. “It profoundly changed things on so many levels.”
To hear the interview in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.
The Warren Plains Depot, originally part of the Raleigh and Gaston Railroad, remains in use for the sale of antiques today. Its appearance has remained relatively unchanged for over 150 years. (Photo courtesy Betsy and Billy Frazier)
Locomotive in front of J.J. White’s store in Townsville, NC circa 1908-1918. (Photo courtesy the North Carolina Room – Thornton Library)
Wood-fired engine of the Roanoke Valley Railroad at Townsville, NC circa 1918. (Photo courtesy the North Carolina Room – Thornton Library)
The Roanoke River Railway near Townsville, NC – March 1918. (Photo courtesy the North Carolina Room – Thornton Library)
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Townsville-Railroad.jpg265504Kelly Bonduranthttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngKelly Bondurant2020-11-19 15:29:002020-11-20 10:04:08Town Talk 11/19/20: Historic, Local Significance of the Railroad
