Nicholas Adam Hughes

Louisburg Man Arrested on Second Degree Kidnapping, Weapons Charges

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-Information courtesy the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office

On November 12, 2020, at approximately 9:15 p.m., the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division and Domestic Violence Unit responded to 888 Fuller Road in Louisburg in reference to a domestic with weapons call.

As a result of the incident, Nicholas Adam Hughes, a Franklin County resident, was arrested and charged with: one (1) count of Felony Discharge Firearm within Enclosure to Incite Fear, one (1) count of Felony Second Degree Kidnapping, one (1) count of Misdemeanor Assault with a Deadly Weapon, one (1) count of Misdemeanor Communicating Threats, one (1) count of Misdemeanor Injury to Real Property, and one (1) count of Misdemeanor Resisting a Public Officer.

Hughes is currently in the Franklin County Detention Center under an $80,000 secured bond.

Nicholas Adam Hughes – 39 years of age – 888 Fuller Road, Louisburg, NC 27549

Nicholas Adam Hughes (Photo courtesy FCSO)

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Releases County Action Plan

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-Information courtesy Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

Cardinal Innovations County Action Plan

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare is wholeheartedly committed to helping the people we serve and are invested in supporting the counties and communities where our members live. In the spirit of transparency, ongoing improvement and partnership, and together with the NC Department of Health and Human Services, Cardinal Innovations has committed to a detailed plan of action, effective immediately.

Contained in this plan are concrete measures and specific steps for improvement to address county concerns and hold us accountable to our members and our communities.

Supporting Children Entering DSS Custody

• We recognize that even with all deliberate speed, change will take time and will not resolve all pain points overnight. For this reason, and in addition to the steps outlined in our plan of action, we plan to invest an additional $30 million to help our counties take care of children in foster care.

Effective immediately, Cardinal will enter into a subcapitation agreement with its county DSS partners to provide a Per Member Per Month (PMPM) payment for every Medicaid-eligible foster child in its care. Counties will be able to use these Medicaid funds to cover the cost of some preliminary or transitional care or to address social determinants of health (e.g., housing, transportation, food insecurity).

Payments will begin retroactively from March 2020 due to additional constraints caused by the pandemic and extend through June 30, 2022.

Access to Care

• Cardinal will remove authorization requirements for a broad category of outpatient and community-based services. For services that still require a Treatment Authorization Request (TAR), Cardinal will issue a decision within 72 calendar hours for foster children/juveniles and individuals with two or more occurrences in the Emergency Department within 60 days.

• Cardinal will co-locate Cardinal staff at county DSS offices to work directly with DSS staff to identify high-needs cases sooner, help to resolve emerging issues, and assist in identifying care needs earlier.

• To increase the availability of immediate access to care, Cardinal will partner with preferred Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC) providers to enhance the delivery of TFC by creating an emergency/transitional setting option, as well as pairing the service with evidence-based support and high-fidelity wrap-around services.

Emergency Department Utilization

• Cardinal will develop a transition of care program, which will include both hospital inpatient and ED discharge planning program with the goal of reducing the length of stay and improving access to services post-discharge

Improved Processes

• Effective immediately, Cardinal will eliminate site-specific contracting with TFC provider agencies

• Within 30 days, Cardinal will eliminate site-specific authorizations for TFC or Level II Family Type homes

• To increase provider accountability for timely authorizations, Cardinal will expand its provider monitoring activities to include tracking the length of time between a provider’s receipt of an assessment and the date the provider submits a completed TAR

Outreach and Education

• Cardinal will conduct in-depth trainings with DSS staff around the adult service continuum, including the state-funded registry, the Transitions to Community Living Initiative (TCLI), the Registry of Unmet Needs (Innovations waitlist), Medicaid services, (b)(3) services, and non-Medicaid services

• Cardinal will provide at least quarterly webinar trainings on the state-funded eligibility criteria and service array for DSS partners and other community stakeholders and will conduct pre/post surveys to assess the level of understanding pre/post to adjust content as needed

• Cardinal will develop updated member resources to improve ease of navigation and raise awareness of the service array offered by Cardinal

• Cardinal will begin implementation of a new service model that raises awareness of the Cardinal service array, simplifying the process for members to issue and resolve complaints and ensuring that members have access to services

For more information on Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, please visit www.cardinalinnovations.org.

VGCC Logo

Reminder: VGCC to Hold Open Air Job Fairs This Week

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Information courtesy Tanya Weary, VGCC Dean of Business & Industry Solutions

Open air job fairs featuring hundreds of local positions will be held at all four Vance-Granville Community College locations this week. These events are in response to the dramatic need for employees across the service area.

The job fair begins at the college’s Warren County Campus (Warrenton) on November 17, 2020; at Main Campus (near Henderson) on November 18, 2020; at South Campus (Creedmoor/Butner) on November 19, 2020; and at the Franklin County Campus (Louisburg) on November 20, 2020.

VGCC’s Career Services, Small Business Center and Customized Training have teamed up to offer the first open air job fair event in our service area. Employers from across Granville, Franklin, Vance and Warren Counties will be there seeking to fill jobs from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

“We’re really just trying to connect the businesses and employers with our job seekers throughout the counties that we serve. There are a lot of jobs and we are sure we can help you find one,” said Tanya Weary, VGCC Dean of Business & Industry Solutions.

This event is free and open to the public. Participants will meet employers from across the service area who will be hiring and eager to fill jobs with competitive wages, benefits and more. Job fair seekers will also be able to gain tips on getting the job they are after.

“We are excited to offer job fairs at each of our campuses,” Linda Fletcher, Director of Career Services said.  She continued, “The college is committed to developing strong communities and improving the quality of life for our community members. Jobs are the key. Local employers have jobs and need good candidates ready to work. We welcome both VGCC students and community job-seekers at each of our open air job fairs.”

Attendees are expected to adhere to social distancing guidelines, and capacity levels will be observed and mandated throughout each event. Job fair participants are reminded that health screenings and masks or face coverings are required for everyone while on campus.

VGCC Career Services encourages job seekers to consider adding to their skill set through additional training and/or education. We can help with career exploration for career-changers or determining the next step in developing an established career. In addition, our students receive assistance with resumes, interview preparation, and job search skills. Take the next step with us toward a better future.

For more information, visit: https://www.vgcc.edu/career-fair/, or contact Linda Fletcher, Director of Career Services, at (252) 738-3466 or fletcherl@vgcc.edu.

Darryl Lamont Jones

Suspect Arrested in Bunn Car Wash Homicide

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-Press Release, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office

On November 10, 2020, at approximately 2 p.m., law enforcement personnel from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Unit, State Bureau of Investigation and the Raleigh Police Department arrested Darryl Lamont Jones on an outstanding warrant for First Degree Murder. 

Darryl Lamont Jones

Darryl Lamont Jones allegedly shot and killed Mariano Palacios Hortelano at the Bunn car wash on October 27, 2020. Jones is currently in the Franklin County Detention Center without bond. 

The joint efforts of the Franklin County Sheriff‘s Office, the Bunn Police Department, the Raleigh Police Department and the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) led to Jones‘s identification and subsequent arrest. 

Darryl Lamont Jones, 20 years of age, 25 Monarch Court Youngsville, North Carolina.

This matter remains under investigation, and no further information will be released at this time.

If anyone should have any additional information pertaining to this investigation, please call Detective Wayne Daniels with the Franklin County Sheriff‘s Office at (919) 340-4343.

NC Governor Logo

NC Lowers Indoor Gathering Limit to 10 to Slow Spread of COVID-19

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-Press Release, Office of Governor Roy Cooper

Governor Roy Cooper announced today that North Carolina’s indoor mass gathering limit will be lowered to 10 people in an effort to drive down North Carolina’s key COVID-19 metrics. Executive Order 176 will go into effect on Friday, November 13 and will be in place through Friday, December 4, 2020.

“This reduction in our indoor gathering limit aims to slow the spread and bring down our numbers,” Governor Cooper said. “It also sends a serious signal to families, friends and neighbors across our state. Success in slowing the spread will help our businesses.”

As the weather gets colder, more people will be gathering indoors. Science has shown that indoor gatherings increase the risk of transmission of COVID-19, and this Executive Order seeks to limit indoor gatherings that could rapidly and dangerously spread the virus.

The Order does not change the reduced capacity limits for certain businesses that have already been laid out. For more on this, read the Frequently Asked Questions document.

Governor Cooper and NC DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen also underscored the need for people to wear a mask anytime they gather with people outside of their immediate household. As the holiday season approaches, NCDHHS released health guidance to help people celebrate as safely as possible without spreading the virus.

“Let’s keep our friends, family, and loved ones safe this holiday season. If you are going to travel or get together, plan ahead to reduce the risk to your family and friends,” said NCDHHS Secretary Cohen. “Remember, it’s not how well you know someone when it comes to wearing a mask. If they don’t live with you, get behind the mask.“

Dr. Cohen also provided an update on North Carolina’s data and trends.

Trajectory in COVID-Like Illness (CLI) Surveillance Over 14 Days

  • North Carolina’s syndromic surveillance trend for COVID-like illness is decreasing but still elevated.

Trajectory of Confirmed Cases Over 14 Days

  • North Carolina’s trajectory of cases is increasing.

Trajectory in Percent of Tests Returning Positive Over 14 Days

  • North Carolina’s trajectory in percent of tests returning positive is level but above 5 percent.

Trajectory in Hospitalizations Over 14 Days

  • North Carolina’s trajectory of hospitalizations is level but high.

In addition to these metrics, the state continues building capacity to adequately respond to an increase in virus spread in testing, tracing and prevention.

Testing

  • Testing capacity is high

Tracing Capability

  • The state is continuing to hire contact tracers to bolster the efforts of local health departments.
  • There have been almost 350,000 downloads of the exposure notification app, SlowCOVIDNC.

Personal Protective Equipment

  • North Carolina’s personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies are stable.

Mortgage, Utility and Rent Relief Program Expands

Also today, Governor Cooper announced that full-service restaurants are now eligible for assistance through the Mortgage, Utility and Rent Relief Program (MURR) administered by the NC Department of Commerce.

These businesses may apply for up to four months of rent or mortgage interest capped at $20,000 per location for up to two locations. Businesses can learn more and apply by visiting www.nccommerce.com/murr.

Franklin County Logo

COVID-19 Outbreak Reported at the Franklin County Detention Center

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-Press Release, Franklin County Government

The Franklin County Health Department (FCHD) reports that as of Friday afternoon two (2) staff–members and thirty (30) inmates have tested positive for COVID–19 at the Franklin County Detention Center in Louisburg, NC. 

Staff from the Franklin County Health Department and the Franklin County Sheriff‘s Office are working together to address this outbreak for the safety of inmates and staff. 

Working in consultation with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), the FCHD and the Sheriff‘s Office quickly implemented testing of inmates and Detention Center staff, contact tracing, quarantine/isolation measures and enhanced cleaning protocols. 

The FCHD will continue regular testing of inmates and staff, contact tracing and the use of quarantine and isolation protocols in response to this outbreak. 

Sheriff Kent Winstead stated that “the safety of our staff and inmates are our top priority and we will continue to work with the Health Department and follow CDC guidelines and all safety protocols as we move forward.” 

Local Health Director, Scott Lavigne, stated that “the early testing of inmates and staff, contact tracing, the use of quarantine/isolation measures and the wearing of face coverings and other personal protective equipment (PPE), will greatly assist us in resolving this outbreak.” 

The Franklin County COVID–19 Emergency Operations Center will issue additional statements as more information becomes available.

NC State Board of Elections

Guidelines for Assistance to Voters

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-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

Recently, questions have arisen about the law pertaining to assistance to voters at voting sites. The State Board of Elections will investigate credible allegations of improper assistance.

The following are guidelines regarding assistance to voters:

State and federal law provide disabled and illiterate voters the right to request assistance from a person of the voter’s choice, except for the voter’s employer or agent of that employer or an officer or agent of the voter’s union.

There are no legal restrictions on the number of times a person can assist different voters if the voters qualify for assistance and proper procedures are followed.

Who may receive assistance

Any voter, regardless of whether they have a disability, may receive assistance from a near relative. Elections officials should avoid prying questions about the voter’s preference for assistance.

A voter whose disability prevents him or her from entering the voting booth or marking a ballot without assistance, or a voter who is illiterate, may get help from any person, except for the voter’s employer or agent of that employer or an officer or agent of the voter’s union. Not all disabilities are immediately apparent, but a voter who requires assistance entering the voting booth or marking a ballot due to a mental disability is just as entitled to assistance as a voter whose disability may be easily seen. N.C.G.S. § 163-166.8.

Requesting assistance

A voter who needs assistance must request it from the chief judge upon entering the voting place and identify the person the voter desires to provide such assistance. Certain disabilities may affect voters’ ability to vocalize their request, but federal law still provides that such a disabled voter is entitled to assistance. Elections officials will exercise their best efforts to understand and respond to individual requests for assistance however communicated. State administrative law provides that an election official may prompt the voter if needed if it appears the voter may be requesting assistance.

In many cases, a voter in need of assistance will be accompanied into the voting place by an assistant. Alternatively, the voter may—but is not required to—request the assistance of an election official. If the assistant helps mark the ballot, the assistant is required to mark the ballot as directed by the voter.

Assistants are prohibited from persuading or inducing any voter to cast a vote in any particular way or to vote for any particular candidate. They are also prohibited from communicating to others about how the voter voted.

Script for requesting assistance

The State Board of Elections provides a script for elections officials to use when a voter is accompanied by someone who appears to be an assistant. Elections officials are prohibited from asking the voter to identify or explain the nature of the voter’s disability. The script should be modified if the voter’s disability limits their ability to communicate. See Numbered Memo 2020-16 for the script.

Intimidation of voters

Voters have a right to freely enter the voting enclosure without fear of intimidation or harassment. It is a federal crime to intimidate, threaten, or coerce a voter with the purpose of interfering with the right of the voter to vote. Photographing or videotaping voters for the purpose of intimidation is prohibited. Observers will be ejected from the polling place if they interfere with or communicate with voters. See Numbered Memo 2020-30 for additional information.

Authority of county board of elections

It is the duty of the chief judge or one-stop site manager to ensure peace and good order at the voting place, which includes the duty to remove observers who intimidate or harass voters, and persons who unlawfully attempt to assist voters. If the chief judge or one-stop site manager needs additional support, they are to contact their county board of elections.

Franklin County Logo

Franklin Co. Announces New Convenience Site Hours

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-Press Release, Franklin County Government

With the ending of Daylight Savings Time on November 1, 2020, Franklin County Convenience Sites will close at 6 p.m. beginning Monday, November 2, 2020.

All sites are open during these hours on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, with the exception of the Timberlake Road site, which is open on Thursday as well.

The updated schedule of 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. will be observed until Monday, March 15, 2021, when Daylight Savings Time resumes. For reference, the schedule can be located online at https://www.franklincountync.us/services/solid-waste.

For additional information, please contact Lee Bodenhamer, Solid Waste Director, at (919) 496-5002.

Franklin County Logo

Kim Denton Appointed Franklin County Manager

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-Press Release, Franklin County Government

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners appointed Kim Denton as County Manager at their October 19 meeting. Denton has served as Assistant County Manager since December 2017 and will take the lead as County Manager November 1, 2020, upon the retirement of long-time County Manager Angela L. Harris.

“I appreciate the confidence the Board of Commissioners has placed in me,” Denton said. “My knowledge of the County’s important objectives will help ensure continuity.”

As Assistant County Manager, Denton has led the County’s Broadband Action Team, as well as directly supervised several departments and worked with Department Heads on accomplishing a number of Departmental projects. She has worked with the County Manager as a member of the Budget Team and helped interpret and shape policy. Denton directed the Facilities Review and Space Assessment Study to assess the condition and future objectives for County facilities.

“I look forward to working with the Board of Commissioners and County staff to address the opportunities and challenges ahead,” said Denton.

Prior to service with Franklin County Government, Denton served over six years in the Franklin County Clerk of Court’s Office as Assistant Clerk working in the Estates and Civil Departments. Her previous experience includes over ten years in the telecommunications industry working with the company now known as CenturyLink, holding positions in Accounting, Marketing and Regulatory departments. She is also an avid supporter of a number of volunteer organizations in Franklin County.

Denton graduated from Peace College in Raleigh, North Carolina and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from UNC-Chapel Hill and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from East Carolina University. She is a native of Franklin County where she currently resides with her husband, Thomas. She has two sons, Mark and Edward.

For additional information, please contact Angela L. Harris, Franklin County Manager, at (919) 496-5994.

Franklin County Logo

C. Boyd Sturges, III Appointed Lead Franklin County Attorney

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-Press Release, Franklin County Government

The Franklin County Board of Commissioners unanimously appointed C. Boyd Sturges, III as lead County Attorney from the firm of Davis, Sturges & Tomlinson Attorneys at Law of Louisburg on October 19, 2020.

Mr. Sturges’ experience with the County includes work on special projects, most notably Maria Parham’s expansion into Franklin County after the unexpected closing of Novant Health in 2015. As a result of negotiations, Maria Parham Franklin opened in October 2018 to serve Franklin County residents.

In addition to his private law practice, he is currently serving his fourth term on the Louisburg Town Council. Mr. Sturges has been lead counsel for the Franklin County Board of Education since 2005 and also serves on the Board of Trustees of Louisburg College and the Tar River Land Conservancy.

Mr. Sturges received a B.A. from Wake Forest University in 1991 and graduated from Wake Forest University School of Law in 1995 with a Juris Doctor Degree. He is a native of Franklin County where he currently resides with his wife, Cindy Sturges, North Carolina Superior Court Judge. He has one daughter, Olivia.

For additional information, please contact Angela L. Harris, Franklin County Manager, at (919) 496-5994.