Sheri Jones VGCC

VGCC Small Business Center Recognized for Innovation

/by

THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

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.

NC State Board of Elections

County Boards of Elections Complete Post-Election Audits

/by

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

-Press Release, NC State Board of Elections

As a statewide recount for a North Carolina Supreme Court contest begins in North Carolina, all 100 county boards of elections recently completed hand-to-eye audits for the 2020 general election, an important step in confirming accurate election results.

Pursuant to state law, the bipartisan county boards conduct a hand-to-eye audit of ballots from randomly selected voting groups. In a presidential election like 2020, the audited contest is always the president of the United States.

The audit is a comparison of the machine counts of ballots with hand-to-eye counts to ensure voting equipment recorded voters’ choices accurately. The voting systems and software of two companies – ES&S and Hart InterCivic – are certified for use in North Carolina. All counties use voting equipment from one of those companies.

Statewide, more than 150 Election Day precincts and 30 early voting sites were audited. Also, more than a dozen counties conducted a hand-to-eye audit of all mail-in absentee ballots.

Of the 200 voting groups audited, only 13 audits found any difference between the machine count and the human count, and all discrepancies were three votes or fewer. Most differences were attributed to human error, such as a voter marking outside of the bubble, or to human error during the hand count itself.

“We are glad to see that no significant issues were found during the audit,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “This successful audit is a testament to our elections officials and to the elections equipment used throughout the state. North Carolinians can be confident that their votes count.”

The State Board of Elections office conducts a series of post-election audits and investigations, where necessary, to ensure the integrity of election results. For more information on election security and audits, visit Post-Election Procedures and Audits.

The State Board will certify statewide results for most federal, statewide, multi-district and judicial contests during the state canvass at 11 a.m. Tuesday, November 24. Results in each contest are not considered official until certified by the State Board.

After state canvass, the board of elections with jurisdiction over each contest will issue a certificate of election to the prevailing candidate.

Green Rural Redevelopment (GRRO)

GRRO Announces Free COVID-19 Testing, Food Box Distribution This Week

/by

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

-Information courtesy Green Rural Redevelopment, Inc.

Green Rural Redevelopment, Inc. (GRRO), along with partners Cardinal Innovations and Groundwater Solutions, is hosting a series of COVID-19 testing events this week.

Testing times and locations are as follows:

Franklinton

Wednesday, November 18 ~ 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Franklinton Middle School Parking Lot
224 Rams Way
Franklinton, NC 27525

Rocky Mount

Thursday, November 19 ~  9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Word Tabernacle Church (Impact Center Building)
821 Word Plaza
Rocky Mount, NC 27804

Oxford

Friday, November 20 ~ 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Granville County Expo & Convention Center
4185 U.S Highway 15
Oxford, NC 27565

Henderson

Tuesday, November 24 ~ 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Elks Lodge
326 W. Rockspring St
Henderson, NC 27536

Like GRRO’s testing events last month, these events will be conducted as low/no contact drive-up services. People who get the free COVID-19 test will also receive a free family box of food, PPE and information on resources to help them through the pandemic.

Nicholas Adam Hughes

Louisburg Man Arrested on Second Degree Kidnapping, Weapons Charges

/by

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

-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

/by

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

-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

/by

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

/by

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

-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

/by

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

-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

/by

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

-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

/by

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

-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.