VGCC Graduates Second Class from Truck Driver Training Program, Prepares for a Third

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Vance-Granville Community College recently celebrated the graduation of the second class in the short history of its Truck Driver Training, or CDL, program.

The program includes a combination of classroom instruction, range driving and road driving. With the end of training, students have successfully completed their DOT exams, making them eligible for their “Class A” Commercial Driver’s Licenses (CDL-A) and fully employable as truck drivers.

Students in the second graduating class of the VGCC CDL program pose on the college campus.

Kyle Burwell, Director of Occupational Extension for VGCC, said that college officials were “thrilled” to see the 15-member second class of students complete the program. “Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we have to keep our enrollment numbers at a minimum, but even with pandemic delays, we still had 15 successful students,” Burwell said. “We continue to appreciate all of the efforts of our lead partner school, Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, which provides the DOT examiner-certified instructors for the program.  To date, we have a 100% pass rate with our Truck Driver Training Program.”

One of the recent graduates, Antwoine Huntley of Durham, reflected that “the truck driver training program at Vance-Granville Community College was just simply excellent. I learned so much, and the instructors were wonderful and knowledgeable about everything we needed to know to help us be successful and get our CDL-A licenses.”

“I would recommend this program for recent high school graduates just starting out or those seeking a career change,” added graduate Leslie Starner of Franklinton. “It is an accredited school with knowledgeable, personable, seasoned educators who themselves have been long-distance truck drivers. There is such a range of resources from the instructors that can help prepare people for success, from start to finish. In addition, the tuition costs are much more reasonable than other private trucking schools in the area and across the region.”

VGCC is scheduled to offer another such nine-week class in early 2021, starting with a mandatory orientation session on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 10 a.m.

The program, certified by the Professional Truck Driver Institute (PTDI), is considered essential to meeting the needs of many companies who need drivers to move goods across the country. Local employers have shown strong support for VGCC’s program and have spoken to students about job opportunities.

To enroll in the program, students must be at least 18 years old, have a valid North Carolina driver’s license, and be able to read and speak English well enough to take instructions from highway signs, to converse with officials, and to complete the required reports.

For more information on the Truck Driver Training Program, please visit www.vgcc.edu/cdl/ or contact Kyle Burwell, Director of Occupational Extension, at 252-738-3276 or burwellk@vgcc.edu.

Youngsville Christmas 2020

Town of Youngsville Moves Forward With Annual Christmas Parade

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The Town of Youngsville posted the following message via its Facebook page regarding the annual Christmas parade:

Dear Youngsville Residents:

The town board of commissioners would like to communicate its intention to move forward with its annual Christmas parade, which is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. this Saturday, December 5, 2020. We would also like to share we have consulted with the Franklin County Health Department and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and will incorporate a variety of COVID-19 mitigation measures into our parade operations plan.

While some have advised us to cancel our parade (including county and state health officials), we have received overwhelming support from the community to continue. Please know we do not take this decision lightly, and that we have carefully weighed many factors in our decision to proceed. The most overwhelming factors in our decision are the sheer number of individuals that wish us to move forward, and our confidence that residents will make responsible choices for themselves and their families.

Regarding responsible choices, we’d like to communicate to all those considering enjoying the parade this Saturday with us. First, if you or anyone in your household is at-risk and/or has any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, we encourage you to quarantine at home until your individual situation permits you to safely be in public. Second, if you will be attending the parade we encourage you to practice physical distancing, use hand sanitizer, wear a face covering, and adhere to all other public health best-practices. The town will also be posting signage along the parade route to remind everyone of these guidelines.

To those with continued reservations, we would like to share that – when using the standards established in our governor’s executive orders regarding the square-foot-per-person limits for retail stores – the “capacity” of our 18.2-acre parade route would be over five times the population of Youngsville. Thus, we’re confident that when parade-goers observe physical distancing and spread-out along the parade route (along with observing all other guidelines), we will have a safe and successful parade.

Additional information regarding the parade may be found by visiting the following website: tinyurl.com/youngsville-xmas

Thank you for making Youngsville the best place to live in North Carolina!

Yours truly in public service,

Mayor Flowers and the Youngsville Board of Commissioners

NC Dept of Agriculture

Peak Season Soil Testing Fees Begin Dec. 1

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-Press Release, NCDA&CS

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Agronomic Services Lab announces its peak-season testing fee effective Dec. 1 through March 31, 2021. Samples must be delivered by 5 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 30, to avoid being charged peak-season fees.

During this peak-season time period, the cost of soil testing is $4 per sample. The fee originated in 2013 to encourage earlier sampling in the fall, one of the busiest times of the year for the lab. By submitting samples before Dec. 1, users can avoid peak-season fees and get results back quickly. Outside of the peak-season, soil testing is free to growers.

Samples with completed soil sample information forms must be delivered and received by the Agronomic Services Division prior to Dec. 1 to avoid the fee. Samples will not be accepted without completed paperwork.

“Despite the pandemic, the agricultural industry has marched forward and continues to be our number one economic driver in the state. Soil fertility is critical to crop success, and soil testing can help ensure optimal plant growth,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “I encourage growers to try to get samples submitted early to avoid the fee; however, the fee does help our Agronomic Division continue to provide one of the best soil testing services in the United States.”

Growers are reminded that all money collected during the fee period is dedicated to improvements in the soil testing lab as well as hiring additional staff for the peak-season.

Due to the pandemic, the Eaddy Building is closed to the public, but growers still have access to the loading dock seven days a week, 24 hours a day until Monday, Nov. 30, at 5 p.m. at which time the gate to Agronomic Division property will close.

During the fee period, sample drop-off times will be between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except during state holidays. There will be no after-hours drop-off times for samples during peak season.

Growers who visit the loading dock will find new signage and directions of where to unload and pick-up sample supplies. If interaction with clients is necessary, a new protective kiosk can be used.

“The division has taken a lot of precaution in delivering safe, customer-friendly service during the pandemic,” Troxler said. If growers need supplies, they are advised to call a day or at least several hours ahead of arrival so supplies will be ready for pickup.

As to submitting samples, growers are encouraged to submit sample information forms online, so their information can be accurately and quickly uploaded into the database system. Peak-season fees can be paid with a credit card using a secure online payment service called PayPoint. Online submission can be accessed through the PALS homepage at www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/PALS/ after a user account is established under the Utility link.

Up-to-date turnaround times can always be found at www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/PALS/. If a faster turnaround time is needed, the lab offers an expedited soil testing service on a limited basis.

Growers can purchase expedited shippers, which can hold up to 36 soil samples, for $200 each while supplies last. The service guarantees a seven-business-day turnaround time if the lab is contacted and notified 24 hours in advance of the quantity being delivered. Otherwise, the guaranteed turnaround time of two weeks upon delivery at the lab is offered. These guarantees exclude the Christmas season. Unused expedited shippers can be used in the following years. Currently, only a small supply of expedited shippers is available.

Contact the Agronomic Services Division at (919) 733-2655 for questions regarding the peak-season soil testing fee, online sample submission or the purchase of expedited shippers.

Cherrelle Lawrence

VGCC Names Lawrence Dean of Corporate Learning & Professional Development

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College recently named Cherrelle Lawrence as its new Dean of Corporate Learning & Professional Development. In this role, Dean Lawrence will identify and develop corporate training and external professional development offerings for companies, local government agencies and civic organizations.

Lawrence will also serve as the lead administrator (Dean) for the VGCC Franklin Campus and work with Franklin Campus faculty and staff to ensure successful implementation of the mission of the satellite campus.

Vance-Granville Community College recently named Cherrelle Lawrence as its new Dean of Corporate Learning & Professional Development. (Photo courtesy VGCC)

Lawrence is a certified Global Career Development Facilitator & Trainer (GCDF) and has worked in Career Services & Employer Relations in higher education and the non-profit sector for over five years.

Lawrence most recently served as Assistant Director of Employer Relations at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. During her time there, she led the Undergraduate Business Program’s Diversity & Inclusion initiatives and fostered strong working relationships with over 200 companies across a variety of sectors.

Prior to working at UNC-Chapel Hill, Lawrence served on the TAACCCT & TechHire grant teams at VGCC, where she built relationships with local companies and directly engaged with VGCC students, staff and faculty.

“It has always been my vision and plan to grow in Higher Education, with a specific interest in Training & Development,” Dean Lawrence said. “I look forward to being able to share my expertise, learn from others and ultimately help cultivate our Workforce and Community Engagement Department.”

Lawrence holds a master’s in Business Administration from East Carolina University and a bachelor’s in Business Education & Marketing from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University.

“We are glad to welcome Cherrelle Lawrence back to VGCC in this new capacity, and we are excited about the leadership she will provide to help our area’s employers succeed through training and to continue the outstanding services and programs available at our Franklin Campus,” said Dr. Jerry Edmonds, VGCC’s Vice President of Workforce Development and Community Engagement.

Sheri Jones VGCC

VGCC Small Business Center Recognized for Innovation

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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

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-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

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-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

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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.