Tuesday Is National Voter Registration Day; Register By Oct. 8 To Vote In November

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Today is National Voter Registration Day and the state board of elections has issued a statement to remind eligible individuals to register to vote and for current voters to make sure their information is up-to-date.

The voter registration deadline for the November elections is Friday, Oct. 8.

“Voting is a critical way to make an impact in your city or town, county, state and country,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the state board. “If you’re eligible, we hope to see you at the polls this fall.”

In Vance County, although Henderson’s municipal elections have been rescheduled for next year to address the redrawing district lines to comply with Census data, Kittrell and Middleburg will have elections on Nov. 2.

Eligible residents have options to register, including downloading a voter registration application and returning the form to their county board of elections. Applications can be emailed, faxed, mailed or returned in person to your board of elections office.

Eligibility requirements and other information about registering to vote can be found at NCSBE.gov. Voters can check their registration status and information via the State Board of Elections’ Voter Search tool.

National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday raising awareness for voter registration and encouraging Americans to register to vote. Since the first Voter Registration Day in 2012, more than 4.5 million voters nationwide have registered to vote on the holiday.

Franklin County Logo

Gena Mccray Appointed County Attorney For Franklin

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— press release courtesy of Franklin County

Franklin County, September 22, 2021: Franklin County Commissioners unanimously appointed Gena McCray of the firm of Gena Walling McCray, PLLC, to serve as County Attorney on September 20, 2021. McCray’s appointment is effective September 27, 2021.

McCray received her undergraduate degrees in English and Psychology from South Carolina College (University of South Carolina’s Honors College). She graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Law in Columbia, South Carolina with a Juris Doctor Degree. She was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina but has been a citizen of Franklin County since 2006 when she opened her practice in Louisburg.

While attending law school, McCray served as Clerk for the Honorable Judge C. Tolbert Goolsby at the South Carolina Court of Appeals and interned one summer in Raleigh for the North Carolina Family Policy Council gaining intimate knowledge of the legislative process in North Carolina. In her third year, she served as Clerk for the respected law firm of Sweeny, Wingate & Barrow, P.A. After law school graduation, she married Michael McCray and moved to Raleigh to practice family law, criminal law, parental rights cases, estates and civil litigation. In addition, McCray supervised Wake County’s Wills and Estates Division for the Clerk of Superior Court and gained valuable insight into Estate Administration, Special Proceedings and operations of the Clerk’s Office. McCray is licensed to practice law in North Carolina and South Carolina and a member of the North Carolina Bar Association, South Carolina Bar Association, and the 9th Judicial District.

McCray has experience in Franklin County Government having served as attorney for the Department of Social Services since 2016. She said, “I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the people of Franklin County and look forward to working in this new role.”

McCray and her husband, Michael, currently reside on a small farm in Louisburg.

For additional information, please contact Kim Denton, Franklin County Manager, at (919) 496-5994.

Franklin County Logo

Franklin’s $11.4 Million Wastewater Treatment Plant Project Gets Underway With Sept. 24 Groundbreaking Ceremony

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The official ground-breaking for a $11.4 million rehabilitation project to Franklin County’s wastewater treatment plant will be held Friday at 10 a.m., according to information from the county’s public utilities department.

The treatment plant, located at 1099 Lane Store Rd. in Franklinton, was built in 1987 and has had two capacity upgrades – one in 1997 and a second in 2004. This rehabilitation project has a price tag of $11,479,000 and should be completed by February 2023.

The project is made possible through a loan from the N.C. Division of Water Infrastructure, which offered a 20-year, zero-interest loan with $217,083 in principal forgiveness.

The wastewater treatment facility serves more than 4,500 residential, commercial and industrial customers.

Call the public utilities department at 919.556.6177 to learn more or visit www.franklincountync.us.

Four-County 4-H Poultry Show Flies In To Vance Regional Farmer’s Market Oct. 23

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The 2021 Four County 4-H Poultry Show and Sale will be held Saturday, Oct. 23 at the Vance County Regional Farmer’s Market.

Check-in for youth and poultry will begin at 3 p.m. and the show will start at 4:15 p.m., according to information from Meg Wyatt, Franklin County 4-H agent.

Following the presentation of awards, the auction is scheduled to begin around 6:30 p.m. This year, Easter Eggers and Barred Rocks will be available at the auction.

The farmer’s market is located at 210 South Park Drive, Henderson.

Contact your county’s 4-H agent to learn more.
Read more at https://franklin.ces.ncsu.edu/2021/09/2021-four-county-4-h-poultry-show-and-sale-2/

Maria Parham Health

Local Covid Q & A with Maria Parham Health

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WIZS 1450 AM/ 100.1 FM News reached out to Maria Parham Health with several local covid questions. Maria Parham quickly responded through its public information officer and provided the following answers:

Q1 – How many people are currently hospitalized at Maria Parham with COVID?

A1 – We are currently treating fewer than 20 COVID-positive patients. 90% of those people are NOT vaccinated.

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Q2 – What COVID-related restrictions are placed on patients? On visitors?

A2 – We are limiting visitors to only one per day, but no visitors are allowed for COVID-19 patients with the exception of end of life circumstances. No one who is COVID-19 positive, exhibiting symptoms or has a recent exposure is permitted as a visitor at this time.

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Q3 – Is there any other relevant information you would like to share with the public?

A3 – Numbers don’t lie. The overwhelming majority of our hospitalized COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated, and vaccination is still our best defense against serious illness, hospitalization and death. We urge citizens to protect themselves, protect their families and protect our community by rolling up their sleeves and getting vaccinated against COVID-19 if they have not already done so. Maria Parham Primary Care in Henderson and Maria Parham Multispecialty Clinic in Louisburg are offering the vaccine and can be contacted directly for vaccine needs. Maria Parham Primary Care, 252.436.0440. Maria Parham Multispecialty Clinic, 919.497.8380.

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Q4 – Are you experiencing staffing issues due to the latest COVID surge?

A4 – Staffing is an industry-wide issue, and we are experiencing the same relative resource pressures in this regard as most other healthcare providers. Given the increase in volume we are experiencing, patients may expect extended wait times as our staff do their very best to provide each individual the appropriate level of care they need. We know the community understands this dynamic, and we appreciate their continued support.

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Q5 – Will an employee’s vaccination status have an effect on his or her employment status at some point?

A5 – At this time, Maria Parham Health is strongly encouraging and supporting all of our team members to become fully vaccinated against COVID-19, but vaccination is not currently required. We are aware of President Biden’s recent announcement about new federal COVID-19 vaccine requirements, and we agree that the vaccine is our best defense against this virus. Right now, we are working to understand the details of this development and the impact it will have for employees and providers at our facility.

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Maria Parham Health is an advertising client of WIZS. This is not a paid ad.

Franklin County Begins Process To Redraw Districts For Commissioners, School Board

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Franklin County is beginning the process of redrawing existing districts for the board of county commissioners and the board of education, based on the recently released 2020 Census results.

As this process gets underway, the county’s management team is creating a resource for information for residents to stay informed and involved, according to a press release from Franklin County Manager Kim Denton.

All redistricting information can be found at https://www.franklincountync.us/commissioners/franklin-county-redistricting-alternatives.

This resource contains various information including instructions on how to submit suggested district maps for consideration.

Denton suggests that interested persons monitor the county government’s webpage at https://www.franklincountync.us/commissioners/franklin-county-redistricting-alternatives for updates and next steps, including dates for any scheduled upcoming public hearings.

To learn more, contact Denton at 919.496.5994.

Town Talk: Kerr-Tar Loan Programs Help Homeowners With Repairs

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Homeowners in the five-county area that the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments serves can apply for a couple of loan programs for repairs or improvements to their residences.

The deadline to submit applications is early November, and Kerr-Tar finance assistant Katie Connor said the loans are completely forgivable, provided the home remains the property of the homeowner for the life of the loan.

That’s free money, folks.

Kerr-Tar serves Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person counties and the Urgent Repair Loan Program that it is offering provides up to $10,000 over five years – $2,000 a year, Connor told John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk. Applications are due in the Kerr-Tar office by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5.

As the name indicates, the repairs do need to be of an urgent nature – a leaky roof,  unsafe floors, ramp installation for the disabled, and HVAC repairs are just a few of the examples of acceptable repairs.

“There’s definitely some flexibility in the (type of) repair that can be done,” Connor said, “but they must be urgent.” The main goal of this loan program is to keep people in their homes, she added.

Visit kerrtarcog.org to see program criteria. There’s money for up to 20 houses in the five-county area, Connor said. This loan is considered an unsecured loan.

In general, homeowners need to be older than 62, and the home must be a stick-built structure – mobile homes and manufactured homes do not qualify. Veterans, disabled persons and families of five or more also would qualify, Connor said. Household income must be less than 50 percent of the median income in North Carolina, she added.

The other loan program is currently available for homeowners in Warren County. The Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation program offers $30,000 for repairs. This is a secured loan, Connor said, which means that qualified applicants would have a deed of trust placed on their property for the duration of the six-year loan. This also is a forgivable loan, which means that no money has to be repaid, provided the homeowner doesn’t sell the property during the life of the loan.

The criteria for both loan programs are very similar, but Connor said household income for ESFR program applicants must be 80 percent of the median income for the state.

Because of the larger amount of the loan, Connor said projects would have to be substantial enough to bring a home up to acceptable standards. “We can’t just do one thing for this house.” There is money for five houses, she said.

The deadline to submit applications for the ESFR program is Monday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. All applications should be submitted to the Kerr-Tar office, located at 1724 Graham Ave., Henderson.

The applications and related information are available at kerrtarcog.org. Connor said applications also can be mailed to interested applicants. Simply call 252.436.2040 ext. 6071 and leave your name and mailing address and Connor said she will put the paperwork in the mail. They also are available at area Senior Centers as well as county government offices.

As is often the case, demand usually exceeds the amount of money available, Connor said. And the Kerr-Tar COG must apply each year to receive the funds.

Click Play for complete details and audio.

 

Franklin County Logo

Finance Celebrates 22 Years of Financial Reporting Excellent

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— press release from Franklin County, NC Government

Franklin County’s Finance Department holds a 22-year record of excellence in financial reporting. The team has achieved the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting. The Finance Department was recently notified by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) that its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report was awarded the Certificate of Achievement of Excellence. The Certificate of Achievement is awarded by the GFOA of the United States and Canada for its comprehensive annual financial report. Attainment of the certificate of the achievement represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

The report has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the report.

For additional information, contact Franklin County Finance at (919) 496-3182 or visit www.franklincountync.us. The Finance Office is staffed by Director Jamie Holtzman, Deputy Finance Director Mattie May, Christy Henson, Jan Wright, Claire Fuller and Tonya Pearce.

Franklin County Government is committed to effective and innovative public services for all Franklin County citizens and businesses.

Volunteer Fire Depts in Warren/Franklin Counties Receive Funds

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Volunteer fire departments in Warren County received $213,576.50 and Franklin County departments were awarded $73,454.55, according to the complete listing from N.C. Department of Insurance.

The Volunteer Fire Department Fund was created to assist North Carolina’s volunteer fire departments with purchasing equipment and making capital expenditures. It is administered through the N.C. Department of Insurance/Office of the State Fire Marshal. Eligible volunteer fire departments must be rated/certified by the N.C. Department of Insurance.

Here’s a breakdown for Warren and Franklin County, by department:

Warren County:

  • Afton-Elberon Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. – $7,400
  • Arcola Rural Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. – $10,950
  • Churchill-Five Forks Volunteer Fire Department Inc. – $30,000
  • Hawtree Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. – $22,717.50
  • Lake Gaston Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. – $25,010
  • Long Bridge Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. – $9,918.50
  • Macon Rural Fire Department, Inc. – $5,315
  • Norlina Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. – $28,272.50
  • Palmer Springs Volunteer Fire Department, Inc. – $30,000
  • Ridgeway Volunteer Rural Fire Association – $9,992
  • Soul City Volunteer Rural Fire Association – $8,560

Franklin County:

  • Gold Sand Rural Fire Department, Inc. – $23,495.50
  • Justice Rural Volunteer Fire Association, Inc. – $29,463.00
  • White Level Rural Fire Department, Inc. – $9,367.93

TownTalk: The Story Of The Epsom Community

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The way the story goes, Mr. Simon W. Duke wanted to establish a post office in the store he opened in the area where he lived, referred to by some as Duke’s Corner or Duke’s Crossroad. He had already sent several suggestions to the federal government, but each one was rejected. Seems there already were post offices with the names he proposed.

He shared his failed attempts to Dr. Bennett Perry Alston one day while the two men were in the store. Looking around, Alston suggested the name that ultimately would be approved by the federal government – Epsom.

Mark Pace, area historian and North Carolina Room specialist at Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford, shared this story and more about the area on the Vance-Franklin border during the tri-weekly Town Talk history segment Thursday.

Alston supposedly saw a box of Epsom Salts and perhaps somewhat on a whim said, ‘Why don’t you just apply and call it Epsom?’ Pace told co-host Bill Harris. The year was 1887.

There were already many post offices scattered across the area at the time – Bobbitt, Gillburg, Kearney, Pugh’s Hill (in the general area where Corinth-Trinity Church now stands along Highway 401), to name a few, Pace said. But Duke’s post office put Epsom on the map, as it were, thanks to Dr. Alston’s suggestion.

Alston was from the Alston family from Warren County, and Pace said he was probably the most prominent farmer in the area at the time. A veteran of the American Civil War, Alston’s daughter, Margaret, was the last living descendant of a Civil War soldier in this vicinity. She died about 20 years ago.

The area around the Epsom crossroads included about 500 acres that belonged to Simon Duke’s father. It was basically a farming, agricultural community, Pace said, and the families that lived in the area were working-class, middle-class people who went to church on Sundays and raised their families. There were few large plantations, and, consequently, there was not a huge African American presence there, Pace noted.

There are several prominent African American churches in the area – Dickies Grove, Mitchells Baptist and Rowlands Chapel, which Pace said dates back to the late 1800’s.

The Dukes and Alstons were instrumental in establishing a private academy that was in Epsom in late 1800s. Some references to the school includes names Punga Academy and Epsom High School, and the Duke and Alston families brought Elon College alumnus J.T. Cobb to run it.

Other families have with long ties to the community, including the Ayscue family. Pace said he’s seen seven different spellings of that surname in documents he has reviewed. Benjamin Franklin Ayscue, born in 1847, fought in the Civil War and was one of only three soldiers left in his company when they surrendered in Appomattox.

The story goes that Ayscue “made a deal with the Lord” when he was a soldier. If he got back home safely, he would “devote himself to living right for the rest of his life,” Pace recalled.

It seems that family back home presumed he had not survived the war, so he surprised them upon his return. As for that deal he’d made on the battlefield?

He became a deacon at Liberty Christian Church, right there in Epsom.

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For complete details and audio click play.