Granville Fire Departments Get $5,000 Grants From NC Dept. Of Insurance

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Two area volunteer fire departments have received $5,000 grants from the NC Department of Insurance that will be used to buy additional equipment for their departments.

Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Causey presented $5,000 grants to Granville Search and Recovery and to the Virgilina Volunteer Fire Department on Monday, Apr. 18. These grants are the result of contributions made by the North Carolina Surplus Lines Association (NCSLA) to help firefighters and rescue squads in North Carolina.

“It is an honor for me to personally be able to present these surplus lines checks to hard-working units in Granville County. This money will help needy fire and rescue departments to better protect their communities,” Causey said in a press statement.

Jared Tuck with the Virgilina Volunteer Fire Department and Trent Brummitt representing Granville Search and Recovery accepted the checks on behalf of their organizations. The grants will be used to purchase equipment to aid with for fire protection and rescue operations at both departments.

TownTalk: Noel, Purvis, Burnette Discuss Ward 2 Candidacy

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Two challengers – Lamont Noel and Dr. William R. Purvis – will face incumbent William Burnette for the Ward 2 at large seat of the Henderson City Council. All three candidates spoke recently with John C. Rose as part of WIZS’s coverage of the upcoming May 17 primary election; their recorded interviews aired on Monday’s Town Talk.

Economic development, combatting crime, increased salaries for city employees and beautification are among issues that the candidates discussed and shared ways they would work with city staff and fellow council members if elected.

Lamont Noel

Noel said he wants what’s best for the citizens of Henderson. “My ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Henderson,” he said. “We have to find a way to make the city of Henderson more appealing and attractive” so businesses will want to locate here, he said.

Noel said he has been serving the community in numerous ways long before he decided to toss his hat into the ring and run for office. He has a long partnership with Vance County Schools,  and has created community gardens for the public to enjoy. He also worked with Police Chief Marcus Barrow a few years ago to co-author a city ordinance and has been on the city’s redevelopment commission for more than a year.

“I’m not just becoming visible because I’m running for office,” he said.

Noel said he would work with city department heads to figure out how to get additional resources to the sanitation department to clean up empty lots that have become unsightly dumping grounds. Private property owners must be held accountable, he said.

“We have to figure out a way to clean up this town – it cannot be that hard,” Noel said.

Improving pay for police officers and other city employees may be one way to increase the retention rate, he said.

Henderson’s residents need more choices for affordable housing, he said. Although there are more options for lower income housing, the city needs “safe and decent housing for…people of all incomes.”

Henderson, he said, is the largest city between Raleigh and Petersburg, VA. That puts the city in a unique position to be ready for economic growth. “We have to invest in this city,” Noel said. “If we don’t, we’re going to have some problems.”

As he contemplates working as a member of the city council, Noel said he would work hard to be a voice for all citizens.

His vote is only one of eight, but it is a vote that he looks forward to making.

Dr. William Earl Purvis

Purvis hold a doctorate degree in ministry and his study of transformational leadership has served him well in his ministry and in his career working in the probation and parole field with formerly incarcerated individuals as they re-enter society.

“I want to be a voice for the people,” Purvis said, and added that lowering crime, improving the city’s image and creating new initiatives are just a few issues he would tackle as a member of the city council.

“We need to wake our downtown up,” Purvis said. Promoting downtown businesses and making downtown more user-friendly would be a plus as the proposed passenger and commuter rail planned for the city would bring additional visitors downtown.

Having so many shuttered storefronts in the the downtown area make the city look bad, he said. The community needs to find ways to support local business owners and enhance their efforts to revitalize the downtown district.

One way would be to attract or create festivals to come to the downtown area – whether it’s a motorcycle rally, Christian events or parades, Purvis said more events for diverse groups held downtown would help.

He said he looks forward to working with other members of the city council to bring positive change to Henderson. “I’m only one person,” he said, but it is important to reach out to people where they are to make change happen.

One tactic he said he would employ involves collecting information from city residents before voting on issues before the council.

“I will call a town hall meeting…and sit down with citizens…and we’ll have a parking lot discussion,” Purvis said. “I will voice what the people come to agreement with – this city belongs to all of us who live here. He said he would use citizen input to guide his voting.

Purvis cited youth development as an important need. A focus on young people’s mental health needs, as well as education and access to recreation as ways to invest in the youth of the city.

“I am a community leader,” he said. “I want to lead the community and get the people organized. If they live in Henderson, North Carolina, it’s my job to activate their voice.”

Purvis said he would bring experience as a team builder to his role as a council member. He said he believes in holding others accountable for their actions, but he also believes in giving second chances. “We need to stand together,” he said, to bring unity to Henderson.

William Burnette

The incumbent Burnette is completing his first term as a council member, and he said the council has laid some good groundwork for a number of projects to make a positive change within the city.

The West End URA is one project that has tremendous potential, but Burnette hopes for much more. “We don’t have enough single-family housing under $150,000,” he said. “We need that very badly in Henderson.”

In addition to affordable housing, jobs is another big-ticket issue. Henderson, once home to textile and other manufacturing facilities, has seen a rise in distribution facilities.

“We need jobs,” Burnette said. “We need somebody to come in here and employ 150 to 200 (people)- we don’t have that right now.”

The industrial park shell building project is one way the city can attract new industry. Having an attractive, unfinished structure just waiting to be modified to meet the needs of a specific business or industry, is a big plus.

Another plus for the city and its residents is a higher retention rate of police officers. “We have stepped up, as a council, about pay,” Burnette said. The chronic challenge seems to be that the city invests in training of new officers, only to have them leave for better-paying agencies nearby.

Burnette said the Chief Barrow has “really stepped up to bring that info” to the council. “We are completely behind that…we just can’t keep losing officers to other agencies.”  But it’s not just police officers, he said – it’s all city employees. “Retention is a big thing with me,” Burnette added.

He gives credit to City Manager Terrell Blackmon for his role in offering guidance to the council. As a result, he said, the last four years have seen no increase in taxes by the city. “That’s a tribute to the council,” he said, and to Blackmon. “He’s doing a super job for the city of Henderson.”

Burnette said he’s enjoyed his term on the city council and would like four more years to continue helping to bring projects along. Projects like the water improvements, the splash park and downtown redevelopment.

“I’d like to continue to be a part of that,” he said. “I take pride in Henderson…I just think it’s a great place to live.”

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Lamont Noel begins at 0:25; William Earl Purvis begins at 16:40 and William Burnette begins at 33:40.

Cooperative Extension with Paul McKenzie: What Works in the Garden

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Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

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Small Business Nominations Due Wednesday

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— from Sandra Wilkerson, Director of Programs, Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce

Wednesday, April 20th is the deadline to submit your nominations for small business of the Year for 2021. Please consider nominating a deserving business based on the criteria:

• Employs 1 – 50 people
• Member of the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce and business must be located in Vance County
• Must be a viable, on-going business for three or more years, experiencing growth or stability over its business life
• Provides a critical service or products, fills a void in the business community, or has a unique approach to delivery of goods and services
• May have overcome diverse or extraordinary circumstances to remain in business – please explain on application
• Business is supportive of community growth and sustainability
• Is not a governmental agency, municipality, school or non-profit

These nominations will be given to a committee to review and select a winner for 2021 and an award ceremony luncheon will be held in May announcing that winner. Thank you for partnering with the Chamber and for being dedicated to our community. If you have any questions, please call the Chamber at 252-438-8414.

Citizens, not just other businesses, may nominate a local small business.

West End Baptist

Donate Through Wednesday to Help Children

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Time is running out to help.

The congregation of West End Baptist Church on Dabney Drive continues to be a collection point for the N.C. Baptist Children’s Homes. Volunteers are one hand to accept donations of food, non-perishable household items and gift cards.

Anyone can make a donation to the Food Roundup. Volunteers will be at the church, located at 619 Dabney Drive, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  through Wednesday.

Contact the church at 252.438.6306, Will Flowers at 252.432.0787, or Jerry Parrish at 252.492.6353 for more information.

The most needed items are:

• Paper products (paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, Kleenex)
• Hand sanitizer
• Clorox wipes
• Household cleaning products (i.e. bleach, Comet, Lysol spray and wipes, Clorox spray, Windex, Pinesol, Pledge, Tilex, etc.)
• Canned fruits
• Fruit juice (apple, orange, grape, cranberry)
• Laundry detergent

Gift cards will especially help children pick out clothing that fits and that they want to wear.

Please don’t miss this opportunity to show these children God’s love by providing gift cards, food and needed items.

Cooperative Extension With Paul McKenzie: What Works in the Garden

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Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

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City of Oxford

TownTalk: Arts And Wine Festival Coming To Downtown Oxford

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The organizers of the upcoming Main Street Arts and Wine Festival hope it will give downtown Oxford some additional “street cred” for those interested in finding family-friendly activities to enjoy.

Pierre Gagne and Charlie Vaughan are part of the group putting together the event, which will take place on Saturday, Apr. 23 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event is free; tickets to participate in the wine-tasting are available for purchase now for $30. Gagne, owner of The Hub on Main, told John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk that organizers came up with the idea a couple of years ago, and now that COVID-19 restrictions have eased, they felt the time was right to put the plan into action.

“We’d been playing around with concepts,” Gagne said. “Just folks gathering together, things that people like to do.” Combining art and wine tasting, he said, “will get families to come and spend time together.”

Gagne also is president of the Downtown Oxford Economic Development Commission, said it takes teamwork. The group represents all the downtown businesses, who choose to participate in a variety of ways. The annual Hot Sauce Contest envelops most of the downtown area, but this afternoon festival will have a smaller footprint just around Main Street.

“Isolating small sections of town on a more consistent basis” is a way to invite  participants in to enjoy what Oxford has to offer. “They see a significant increase in foot traffic,” Gagne said, referring to the business, restaurant and shop owners during events that are held in the downtown area.

Vaughan is the director of the Oxford Arts Council and she is organizing the art portion of the festival. She said folks will get a chance to see the artists at work. “They see everything that goes into it before they purchase a piece of art – and realize it’s not something that’s done in five minutes,” she said.

Artists will showcase handmade bags, paintings, drawings, jewelry and more, Vaughan said. There also will be children’s art activities throughout the afternoon.

There will be live music throughout the afternoon, as well as food trucks offering “gourmet” hotdogs, barbecue and ice slushies. The majority of wines to be shared by the vendors during the festival will be available by the bottle at The Hub on Main. Tobacco Wood Brewing Co. also will be on site with some beer tastings as well, Gagne said.

“(Oxford’s) been hanging out under the radar for the last couple of years,” Gagne said. “We like to say we’re one of the best kept secrets of the Triangle – maybe that secret’s starting to get out.”  First-time visitors may come for a particular event, but “once they come and see the charm of downtown Oxford, we usually see them come back,” Gagne said.

Find out more on The Hub on Main’s Facebook page, Oxford Arts Center Facebook page or email oxfordartscenter@gmail.com.

 

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$118M Expansion Planned For Oxford CertainTeed Plant

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CertainTeed will add 37 new jobs as part of an expansion project at its Oxford plant that makes roofing shingles.

The expansion represents a $118.8 million investment in the Granville County facility, according to an announcement made Wednesday by Gov. Roy Cooper.

A performance-based grant of $125,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help with CertainTeed’s expansion in North Carolina. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All One NC grants require matching participation from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

CertainTeed produces a portfolio of exterior and interior building products that includes roofing materials, siding, fence, decking, railings, trim, insulation, gypsum wallboard, and ceilings. The 122-year-old company will add 225,000 square feet of manufacturing space to their existing shingle manufacturing plant, enhancing their ability to serve customers in a time of unprecedented demand.

CertainTeed is the North American building products subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, one of the largest manufacturing companies in the world.

“This historic investment, made possible with support from the state of North Carolina, will create new jobs and allow our company to support our customers with more of the industry-leading roofing materials that our team has been making in Granville County since 1978,” said Mark Rayfield, President and CEO of Saint-Gobain North America and CertainTeed. “We thank the community for their continued support, and we look forward to many more years of state-of-the-art manufacturing in Oxford.”

Although wages will vary for each position, the average annual salary for the new positions is $66,930, exceeding Granville County’s overall average annual wage of $45,096. The new jobs have the potential to create an annual payroll impact of more than $2.4 million, according to the press statement from the Governor’s office.

“Global brands can operate anywhere in the world, but they continue to choose North Carolina for its workforce,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “CertainTeed’s commitment to our state highlights the importance of a well-prepared workforce to meet industry demands. As the manufacturing industry advances, we are committed to advancing our workforce training systems to prepare North Carolinians to help companies meet those demands.”

“This announcement is outstanding for our community,” said N.C. Sen. Mike Woodard. “CertainTeed has been a great corporate partner for our community, and we are grateful for the company’s continued investment here in Oxford.”

“We are excited to bring these great paying jobs to Granville County,” said N.C. Rep. Larry Yarborough. “These new jobs will have a positive impact on our capable workforce that stand ready to fill roles.”

In addition to the N.C. Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in the project include the North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Community College System, Vance-Granville Community College, Kerr-Tar Council of Governments, Granville County, Granville County Economic Development, Granville County Chamber, Granville County Public Schools, the City of Oxford, the NCWorks Career Center Oxford, Dominion Energy and Duke Energy.

The Local Skinny! Around Old Granville: Louise Sneed Hill

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Louise Sneed Hill was the daughter of a very prominent family that came to the Townsville/Williamsboro area in the late 1700’s. She was educated at an elite boarding school in New York City. She was accustomed to the finer things in life, and she spent her adult married life establishing that culture and high society in her new home of Denver, Colorado.

For all her accolades and accomplishments, there’s something else that Hill did: She snubbed the “unsinkable” Molly Brown, of Titanic fame. Mark Pace recounted the story on Thursday’s Around Old Granville segment during The Local Skinny!, and he and Bill Harris discussed her family’s importance in the area.

Louise’s mother died just 11 days after Louise was born, Pace said, apparently of complications from the birth. Louise was baptized on the same day that her mother’s funeral was held; both ceremonies took place at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Williamsboro.

Although Sneed’s Mansion still stands today beside the church in Williamsboro, it is in a general state of disrepair, Pace said. Louise Sneed is a good example of someone from a locally prominent family who moved away from North Carolina and made a big difference somewhere else.

For Louise, that “somewhere else” was Denver, in a state that had just joined the United States a few decades earlier.

“She kind of set the standard for high society in Colorado at the time,” Pace said. “She brought a lot of culture to Denver,” Pace said. Hill created the first published record of members of society and provided instructions on how to get one’s name on the list – chief among them were having lots of money, knowing how to entertain properly and knowing when to pay a visit to someone.

As for her limited interaction with Margaret “Molly” Brown, the story goes like this: Molly and her husband had struck gold – literally – and were fabulously wealthy, but Molly was not accepted into Hill’s circle of society. Only when she became famous for her role in helping fellow Titanic passengers to safety did Hill change her mind about Molly.

Historical documents, including court records,  chronicle the goings-on around Sneed’s Mansion, Pace said, which include entertaining and lavish parties to horse racing and general carousing.

“When the court adjourned to Sneed’s Mansion,” Pace said, it meant that partygoers would arrive at 6 p.m., have supper at 10, then dance from 1 a.m. to dawn. Then, if anyone remained standing in the morning, they’d have brunch and head home sometime around noon.

Hill never returned to North Carolina and she spent her last years occupying an entire floor of a nursing home that serves as a hotel today.

And sometimes, Pace said, come reports that the phone from Room 904 mysteriously rings, although no one has inhabited that space since Hill’s death in 1955.

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