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Franklin Co. Reports Discharge of Untreated Wastewater From Two Pump Stations

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-Press Release, County of Franklin

Notification of Discharge of Untreated Wastewater

General Statute 143-215.1C requires that the owner or operator of any wastewater collection or treatment works to issue a press release when an untreated wastewater discharge of 1,000 gallons or more reaches surface waters.

In accordance with that regulation, the following news release has been prepared and issued to media in the affected county:

Franklin County Public Utilities experienced a discharge of untreated wastewater from the Youngsville Regional pump station in Youngsville. The spill was a result of rain generated by Hurricane Michael. The spill occurred at 4:15 p.m. on October 11, 2018, and discharged until 8:30 p.m. The discharge of wastewater was estimated to be 7,650 gallons and it entered into an unnamed tributary of Richland Creek which is a tributary of the Neuse River Basin. Franklin County Public Utilities staff was dispatched to the site and started clean up after the overflow stopped.

Franklin County Public Utilities experienced a discharge of untreated wastewater from the Franklinton Regional pump station in Franklinton. The spill was a result of rain generated by Hurricane Michael. The spill occurred at 4:15 p.m. on October 11, 2018, and discharged until 7:30 p.m. The discharge of wastewater was estimated to be 9,750 gallons and it remained on the pump station site. Franklin County Public Utilities staff was dispatched to the site and started clean up after the overflow stopped

The division of Water Quality was notified of these events on October 12, 2018, and is reviewing the matter. For additional information concerning this event, please contact Chris Doherty, Franklin County Public Utilities Director at (919) 556-6711.

Additional information can be obtained by visiting Franklin County’s website at www.franklincountync.us and our Facebook Page, search Franklin County Public Utilities.

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

UPDATE: All Campuses of VGCC CLOSED Today

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-Information courtesy Vance-Granville Community College

Updated message from VGCC:

This message updates the announcement posted earlier about VGCC opening later today.

As of 8:30 a.m. all classes are canceled at all campuses, the Child Care Centers are closed and employees have an optional workday.

All Campuses of VGCC to Open at 9 a.m.

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-Information courtesy Vance-Granville Community College

All campuses of Vance-Granville Community College open at 9 a.m. today, Friday, October 12.

Cardinal Innovations Healthcare

Cardinal Innovations Collecting School Supplies for Students Affected by Florence

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Elliot Clark, senior community executive for Cardinal Innovations Healthcare, and Amanda Burrafato, marriage and family therapist and substance abuse counselor with Recovery Innovations, were the guests of honor on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program.

Clark announced that Cardinal Innovations has partnered with Trillium Health Resources in eastern NC to purchase 1,000 bookbags for special education students affected by Hurricane Florence. Today through Tuesday, October 16, the organization is requesting the public’s help in filling these bookbags with much-needed school supplies.

Requested supplies include pencils, wide-ruled notebooks, markers, crayons, glue sticks and prepackaged snacks. Donations may be brought to the Cardinal Innovations office located at 134 S. Garnett St. in Henderson on weekdays from now until Tuesday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

In regard to their decision to focus efforts on students in the Exceptional Children’s program, Clark responded, “Relief efforts across the state have been impressive, but there are certain pockets of the population that need a little more concentration and this is one of them.”

The local five-county branch of Cardinal Innovations works with the Vance, Granville, Franklin, Warren and Halifax communities and providers to cover mental health, developmental disabilities and substance abuse services for Medicaid.

“Large in part, we cover services and we pay providers to do the work. We do the work as far as community service, care coordination, advocacy and education, but the treatment component depends on the providers,” said Clark.

One such valued provider, according to Clark, is Recovery Innovations located at 300 W. Parkview Dr. in Henderson. Recovery Innovations offers facility-based crisis and non-hospital detox services to residents on a 3-7 day stay basis.

“We are step number one,” said Burrafato. “We’re the mental health/substance abuse version of a hospital stopping the bleeding. We’re keeping people safe, restarting medication and allowing them to get sober. We get you safe and get you connected to the next stop.”

According to Burrafato, addiction is often the result of the addict battling depression or using inherited coping strategies. “A lot of times when we see someone who is addicted, it is someone who has gone through traumatic events or they are trying to run from depression.”

“Often times it is also hereditary,” Burrafato said. “What we see are generations of people learning to cope using substances and using patterns that have been ingrained.”

Burrafato said each person’s case is different and her organization prides itself on offering a choice. “People are meeting with doctors, our RN, our peer support workers and people who are in recovery themselves. Throughout, they are developing a plan that is unique to them.”

To further assist with the area’s mental health and substance abuse needs, a Wellness Alliance associated with Vance, Granville and Franklin community partners has been established. The group meets every other month on the fourth Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the Cardinal Innovations Healthcare office in Henderson.

“Leadership from Recovery Innovations – Amanda in particular – has helped put together a more outreaching Wellness Alliance. They go out to different organizations and county departments to get a sense of the needs and respond to those needs with training or particular services,” said Clark.

One such area of need is additional assistance battling the crippling opioid crisis. “The conversation [on opioids] is not discriminating against who it is reaching anymore,” said Burrafato. “It can start with a car accident or a doctor’s prescription and before long it is spiraling out of control.”

“It doesn’t discriminate against age, race or creed. Shining a spotlight on the opioid crisis has made the conversation more available to the community.”

Franklin County Logo

Franklin Co. Government Offices to Close Today at 3 p.m.

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-Information courtesy Kristen G. King, Clerk to the Board, Franklin County

Due to Hurricane Michael, Franklin County Government offices will close today, October 11 at 3 p.m.

The Franklin County Board of Elections office will remain open for their scheduled poll worker training.

Franklin County Schools

Franklin County Schools Closed Thurs., Oct. 11

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-Information courtesy Franklin County Schools

Due to the impending inclement weather, all Franklin County schools are closed for students and staff tomorrow, October 11.

All school-related activities and events are also canceled Thursday.

Friday, October 12 will remain a teacher workday. There is no school for students on that day.

Please monitor the district website and our social media channels for further weather-related announcements including updates to this week’s schedule and make-up days.

Maria Parham Op-Ed: Support Our Hospital, Patients and Community – Go Vote

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Letter to the Editor – courtesy Bert Beard, CEO, Maria Parham Health

On Tuesday, November 6, our country will once again have the opportunity to select the next group of elected officials who will lead our country in Washington, D.C., our state capital and right here in our local communities. I encourage you to take time on that date to exercise your right to vote and also join me in voting for leaders who support community hospitals.

We at Maria Parham Health know firsthand the direct link between success of a hospital and the support that it receives from elected officials. Regularly, our hospital engages with elected officials at all levels of government and across party lines to help demonstrate the work of the hospital and the importance of healthcare to our community. We believe it is important for us to come together as a community to champion the health issues that directly affect the well-being of our citizens.

In this spirit, the time is now to vote for leaders who will tackle the pressing healthcare challenges facing rural hospitals. These include inadequate funding and growing numbers of people in communities, like ours, who don’t have access to insurance. Support from our federal, state and local elected officials is essential for Maria Parham Health to continue advancing our mission of Making Communities Healthier® – and you can help by heading to the polls.

You may be asking yourself, “where do I vote?” or, “am I registered to vote?” If you are unsure, please contact our local county election office. They can inform you of both where you should go to vote and also confirm if you are a registered voter.

As always, thank you for entrusting your health to Maria Parham Health. It is our great privilege to serve you and your family, and we look forward to continuing to serve the health needs of our communities long into the future.

Bert Beard

Chief Executive Officer

Maria Parham Health

(Maria Parham Health is a paid advertising client of WIZS. This letter is not a paid advertisement.)

U.S. Navy Band to Perform at Louisburg College

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-Press Release, Kayla Turnbow, Navy Office of Community Outreach

America’s Navy is coming to Louisburg, North Carolina, one of 19 cities in four states to host a performance by the United States Navy Band during its 2018 tour — one of the signature outreach programs of the U.S. Navy.

The U.S. Navy Band Commodores jazz ensemble performance is scheduled for October 25, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. at Louisburg College’s Seby B. Jones Performing Arts Center.

(Photo Credit: Navy Office of Community Outreach)

Jazz is America’s music and the Commodores, the Navy’s premier jazz ensemble, has been performing the very best of big band jazz for the Navy and the nation for almost 50 years. They have appeared on TV shows, played nearly all major jazz festivals and toured across the United States and abroad. This vibrant, dynamic group is constantly striving for musical excellence and the pursuit of new and exciting ways to communicate with their audiences.

One of the U.S. Navy Band’s primary responsibilities involves touring the country. All of the band’s primary performing ensembles embark each year on concert tours throughout specified regions of the country, allowing the band to reach audiences in areas of the country that do not have opportunities to see the Navy’s premier musical ensembles on a regular basis. The concerts are family-friendly events, entertaining to veterans, families, individuals and those interested in joining the Navy.

All Navy Band performances are free and open to the public.

U.S. Department of Justice

Help Florence Victims, NOT Scammers

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— courtesy of The United States Department of Justice and The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina

Department of Justice Reminds the Public to Be Aware of Fraud When Disaster Strikes and Report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud – (866) 720-5721

RALEIGH – The Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region, which opened opportunities for criminals to exploit people during vulnerable times. The NCDF, a national coordinating agency within the Department’s Criminal Division, operates a call center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and serves as a centralized clearinghouse for disaster fraud complaints and information relating to both natural and man-made disasters. The NCDF seeks to improve and further the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of fraud related to natural and man-made disasters, and to advocate for victims of such fraud. More than 20 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the NCDF, which allows them to forward complaints to the appropriate agency for investigation.

“In the aftermath of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Florence the affected communities and citizens of Eastern North Carolina should be on guard against disaster fraud schemes,” said Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “As FEMA and other federal, state, and local relief agencies work tirelessly to support those who have suffered losses as the result of this natural disaster, we can be certain that criminals will target those impacted and attempt to profit from the suffering of others. The Department of Justice is committed to detecting and stopping this type of fraud. Through the National Center for Disaster Fraud, and in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, we are working to aggressively prosecute the offenders.”

While compassion, assistance, and solidarity are generally prevalent in the aftermath of natural disasters, unscrupulous individuals and organizations also use these tragic events to take advantage of those in need. Examples of illegal activity being reported to the NCDF and law enforcement include:

FEMA fraud;
Identity theft;
Contractor fraud;
Charity fraud; and,
Impersonation of government officials.

The NCDF reminds the public to be aware of and report any instances of alleged fraudulent activity related to relief operations and funding for victims. Members of the public are reminded to apply a critical eye and do their due diligence before trusting anyone purporting to be working on behalf of disaster victims and before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations on behalf of disaster victims. The public is also reminded to be extremely cautious before providing personal identifying or financial information to anyone, especially those who may contact you after a natural disaster.

Unfortunately, criminals can exploit disasters, such as Hurricane Florence, for their own gain by sending fraudulent communications through email or social media and by creating phony websites designed to solicit contributions. Tips should be reported to the NCDF at (866) 720-5721. The line is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, e-mails can be sent to disaster@leo.gov, and information can be faxed to (225) 334-4707.

Learn more about the NCDF at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud and watch a public service announcement from United States Attorney Higdon here (link is external). Within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Deputy Criminal Chief Felice Corpening serves as the Disaster Fraud Coordinator. Working with the NCDF and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, Deputy Criminal Chief Corpening oversees the federal prosecution and investigation of disaster fraud matters impacting Eastern North Carolina. Violations of North Carolina state disaster fraud laws are handled by the North Carolina Department of Justice’s (NCDOJ) Consumer Protection Division. The NCDOJ Consumer Protection Division may be contacted at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM (1-877-566-7226) or by visiting www.ncdoj.gov/complaint.

Tips for the public on how to avoid being victimized by fraud are available at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/tips-avoiding-fraudulent-charitable-contribution-schemes.

First Nationwide Presidential-Level Emergency Test to be Conducted Wed., Oct. 3

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-Information courtesy Lynn Allred, Public Information Officer/Grants Coordinator, County of Granville

IPAWS National Test

• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system on October 3, 2018.

• The test will assess the readiness to distribute an emergency message nationwide and determine whether improvements are needed.

• The test messages will be sent using FEMA’s IPAWS, which enables authorities to send emergency messages to multiple communications networks, including the EAS and WEA as part of the nation’s modern alert and warning infrastructure.

• Sending the WEA test message will begin at 2:18 p.m. EDT. The EAS message will be sent at 2:20 p.m. EDT.

• This will be the first nationwide Presidential-level WEA test and cannot be opted out.

• Originally planned for September 20, 2018, the test has been postponed until October 3, 2018. A back-up date is always planned in case of severe weather or other significant events.

Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) Test

Cell towers will broadcast the WEA test for approximately 30 minutes beginning at 2:18 p.m. EDT. During this time, WEA-compatible cell phones that are switched on and within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless carrier participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message. Cell phones should receive the message only once.

The WEA test message will be a Presidential Alert and will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

WEA messages are sent by public safety officials to warn the public about dangerous situations in other critical emergencies. The national test will use the same special tone and vibration as with all WEA messages (e.g. tornado warnings and AMBER Alerts).

The EAS test message is distributed to radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers.

The test message will be similar to regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar and interrupts programming for approximately one minute.

The EAS message will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency, an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. A similar Wireless Emergency Alert test message has been sent to all cell phones nationwide. Some cell phones will receive the message; others will not. No action is required.”

For additional information, please visit the FEMA website by clicking here.