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Franklin Co. Public Utilities Reports Discharge of Untreated Wastewater in Youngsville

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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.

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 on Friday, December 28, 2018. The spill occurred at 4 p.m. on December 28, 2018, and discharged until 6 p.m. on December 28, 2018. The discharge of wastewater was estimated to be 3,600 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 were dispatched to the site and started clean up after the overflow stopped.

The division of Water Quality was notified of these events on December 29, 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.

VGCC’s Welding Technology Program at Franklin Earns Vanguard Cup

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College’s interim president, Dr. Gordon Burns, has honored a team of faculty members in the Welding Technology program at the Franklin Campus by awarding them the “Vanguard Cup” for excellence in education.

The department became the fourth recipients of the cup, an honor created by the President’s Office to recognize “exceptional team performance toward the college mission, vision and strategic plan.” The Vanguard Cup is awarded to a department that meets or exceeds the targets on improvement strategies designed to further department or instructional goals, Dr. Burns said in making the presentation on Thursday, Dec. 13, at a college event in the Civic Center.

Above: Members of the VGCC Welding Department faculty pose with the “Vanguard Cup,” awarded to the Welding program at Franklin Campus for educational excellence by Dr. Gordon Burns, interim president of the college. From left are Dr. Burns; Rusty Pace, program head/instructor for Welding Technology; Allen Tharrington, instructor for Welding at Franklin Campus; and Luke Gravel, instructor for Welding at Main Campus. (VGCC photo)

Rusty Pace, program head and instructor for Welding, and Allen Tharrington and Luke Gravel, instructors, were honored for the Franklin Campus achieving a student course success rate of 100 percent, the president noted.

“The Welding program at the Franklin Campus achieved this superior student course success rate by advancing student skill development through increased repetition and by working more closely with local employers,” said Dr. Burns. “The local employers provided student tours of their respective campuses, served as guest lecturers and hired program graduates.”

In addition to the cup, the department receives up to $10,000 for use on equipment, professional development, adjunct instructors, or other approved purposes for state funds, as well as a luncheon for the area.

Runners-up for the cup were announced as the Math Department faculty who increased the student success rate of Math 171 students by 8 percent by offering supplemental instruction and maintaining performance rates in Math 172; and the Accounting/Business Administration/Entrepreneurship faculty who increased retention rates by connecting with students during registration periods and over the summer

VGCC offers degree, diploma and certificate programs in Welding Technology. In addition to the classes at Franklin, classes are offered on the Main Campus in Vance County. For more information, contact Rusty Pace at (252) 738-3375 or pacer@vgcc.edu.

U.S. Department of Justice

Five Aliens Indicted on Illegal Reentry Charges; One Found in Franklin Co.

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-Press Release, U.S. Dept. of Justice

Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned indictments charging BRAYAN ALEXANDER FUNEZ-ESPINOZA, age 28, of Mexico, ROMERO FLORES-AGUILAR, age 30, of Mexico, JESUS GARCIA HERNANDEZ, age 43, of Mexico, RODOLFO ROA-SAUCEDO, age 35, of Mexico, and JUAN ZARAGOZA-ZARAGOZA, age 36, of Mexico, with Illegal Reentry of a Deported Alien.

If convicted of illegal reentry of a deported alien, FUNEZ-ESPINOZA, previously deported twice and found in Wake County, FLORES-AGUILAR, previously deported twice and found in Johnston County, GARCIA-HERNANDEZ, previously deported three times and found in Franklin County, ROA-SAUCEDO, previously deported twice and found in Pitt County, and ZARAGOZA-ZARAGOZA, previously deported four times and found in Beaufort County, would face maximum penalties of two years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release following any term of imprisonment.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

The cases are being investigated by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Homeland Security Investigations.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_ENDC.

VGCC Announces Four New Classes for Food Truck Entrepreneurs

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College’s Mobile Food Truck Entrepreneurship classes return to the college’s Main Campus in Vance County starting in January with four new seminars on food service.

Sponsored by VGCC’s Small Business Center, students can take all or as many of the classes they choose. Each of the free classes is scheduled in Building 7 on Main Campus on a Monday evening in the months of January through April.

Above: Ray Chow is the founder of Hibachi Xpress and Catering by Ray.

Ray Chow, founder of Hibachi Xpress and Catering by Ray, will again serve as the instructor for the series. A graduate of N.C. State University, Chow started Hibachi Xpress restaurant in Cary and expanded to three locations, as well as managing some of his family’s other restaurants in the Raleigh and Wilmington areas. He has worked in restaurants since he was seven years old.

Seven years ago, Chow expanded his restaurant and catering business with the addition of a food truck to participate in different festivals and large gatherings. The popularity of food trucks has grown, and, in 2014, Hibachi Xpress shifted focus towards catering and the food truck business, moving away from the brick and mortar stores.

Chow is also a co-founder of “foosye,” a startup tech company building innovative technology applications tailored to the food truck industry.

The first in the series — “Let’s Get Cooking:  Food Truck or Restaurant?” — will explore the differences in what it takes to start a food truck or a restaurant and continue operating one successfully. The Jan. 14 seminar is designed for those who want to realize their passion to be a small business owner in the food service industry.

The second seminar — “The 10 Hats of a Food Service Entrepreneur” — is being held on Feb. 11. Just because a person has a passion for cooking doesn’t mean he or she will be successful at owning a food truck or restaurant business, Chow said. This seminar will detail the many roles or “hats” entrepreneurs have to be able to juggle to succeed in business.

Above, the Hibachi Xpress food truck is owned by Ray Chow, who will be the instructor for the four VGCC Mobile Food Truck Entrepreneurship classes in January through April.

The March 11 workshop will be devoted to “Food Service Marketing: Your Customers Can’t Buy From You If They Can’t Find You.” Those exploring the food service industry will have an opportunity to learn various ways to market their food business to improve their chances of success.

On April 8, the topic of “Keeping Your Food Truck Business Running” will take a closer look at the need for flexibility and proper planning. “Imagine putting wheels on a restaurant you built,” said Chow. “There are things that will fall, slip, break down, move or not work when you add in the mobility of a food truck operation. Learn how things will end up on the floor when you arrive at your destination when not properly secured or planned.”

Participants in the program will also be required to sign up as clients of the VGCC Small Business Center, which is free of charge.

The deadline to register for each class is one week prior to the date of the class. For more information and to register, contact the VGCC Small Business Center at (252) 738-3240 or smallbusiness@vgcc.edu.

Waste Industries Christmas & New Year’s Pick Up Schedule

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-Information courtesy Esther J. McCrackin, City Clerk, City of Henderson

Waste Industries will be closed Tuesday, December 25, 2018, in observance of Christmas and Tuesday, January 1, 2019, in observance of New Year’s Day. For the time period of December 25-28, 2018, and January 1-4, 2019, regularly-scheduled pick up will be delayed by one day.

For additional information on the holiday schedule for the Vance Granville branch,  please visit the Waste Industries website by clicking here.

NC Dept of Agriculture

NC General Assembly Approves Deadline Extension for Agricultural Disaster Program 

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-Press Release, N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services

The N.C. General Assembly has approved extending the deadline for the agricultural disaster relief program to Dec. 20. The bill now awaits Governor Roy Cooper’s signature.

Eleven additional North Carolina counties have received secretarial disaster declarations based on agricultural losses from Hurricane Florence or Tropical Storm Michael. These counties are Anson, Avery, Dare, Person, Tyrrell, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Watauga and Yadkin. With these additions, 65 counties are now eligible for agricultural disaster relief through this program.

Six counties are still awaiting a secretarial disaster declaration, which would make them eligible to participate in the disaster assistance program. These counties are Davie, Franklin, Forsyth, Rockingham, Stokes and Surry.

“We don’t want to miss any farmers that are eligible for help through this program,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “To qualify for assistance, a farmer only needs to farm in a disaster-declared county. Payments from this fund will be based on county averages for loss and yield rather than individual losses.”

This assistance is available to farmers who suffered crop losses including apples, barley, corn, cotton, hay, industrial hemp, nursery crops, specialty crops, tobacco, peanuts, sweet potatoes, livestock, aquaculture and more.

“I urge farmers to go online and fill out an application as soon as possible,” Troxler said. “You can find the application as well as other information about the program at www.ncagr.gov/agriculturaldisasterprogram or call 1-866-645-9403.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy Down to Fewer Than 30 Outages in Aftermath of Winter Storm Diego

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-Information courtesy Tanya Evans, District Manager, Duke Energy

The sun is shining (finally!) in NC, and that means this should be a great day for MELTING SNOW and ICE! We are wrapping up the few remaining outages in our region. At this time, we are down to fewer than 30 outages affecting 250 customers across my 10-county district.

Estimated restoration times for the remaining customers have been posted to our website.

We deeply appreciate the patience our customers have shown, and we’re doing all we can to restore every customer as fast as possible. Unless conditions change dramatically, this will be my final update regarding Winter Storm Diego.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy Outage & Safety Info

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From Duke Energy Progress

Safety reminders

· If you plan to use a generator due to a power outage, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to ensure safe and proper operation. Operate your generator outside. Never operate it inside a building or garage.

· Don’t use grills or other outdoor appliances or equipment indoors for space heating or cooking, as these devices may omit carbon monoxide.

· Check and restock your emergency kits with flashlights, batteries, bottled water, non-perishable foods, medicines, etc. Also, ensure a portable, battery-operated radio, TV or NOAA radio is on hand.

· Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all lines energized as well as trees or limbs in contact with lines. Please report downed power lines to Duke Energy.

· If a power line falls across a car that you’re in, stay in the car. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.

· If you are driving and encounter emergency responders or other roadside work crews, remember to MOVE OVER, it’s the law in North Carolina and South Carolina, and a good practice for all drivers.

· Don’t use outdoor appliances or equipment indoors for space heating or cooking, as these devices may omit carbon monoxide. The following are symptoms of CO poisoning:

· Flu-like symptoms

· Headache

· Drowsiness

· Ringing sensation in the ears

· Nausea

· Blurred vision

· Chest pains

· Light-headedness or dizziness

· If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, open doors and windows, leave your home / business and consult a physician.

Reporting outages

Customers who experience an outage during the storm have multiple ways on how to report it:

· Text OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply)

· Call the automated outage-reporting system at 800.POWERON for Duke Energy Carolinas customers and 800-419-6356 for Duke Energy Progress customers.

· Report an outage or view current outages online at www.dukeenergyupdates.com

· Duke Energy also will provide updates on its social media channels to keep customers informed if significant outages occur:

· Duke Energy on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DukeEnergy

· Duke Energy on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DukeEnergy

Stay inside, safe and warm.

National Weather Service

Forecasters Predict ‘Significant Snowfall’ for Area; When & How Much Still Uncertain

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-Information and weather chart courtesy Brian K. Short, Director of Emergency Operations, Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations and Ready NC

Below is a briefing slide from the National Weather Service regarding a significant storm system that will affect our area over the weekend. The storm is still a few days away, making a definitive forecast difficult, but all indications are that we could receive significant snowfall before the system moves out on Monday.

A mixture of rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow are possible depending on the timing and where exactly the low pressure tracks along our coast. Again, while nothing is certain, confidence is high that we could see a significant winter event with this storm.

We will continue to forward along additional information as it is received. Please visit www.weather.gov/raleigh anytime for updated information.

 

‘Home for the Holidays’ to Help First Responders & Veterans Affected by Florence

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-Press Release, Carolina Loggers Association

When Hurricane Florence slammed into North Carolina on September 14, 2018, as a category 1 rainmaker, it was clear that damage to the already rain-soaked state would be immense. As the state continues the recovery process, two groups – the Carolina Loggers Association’s Logs for the Cause and NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation’s United2gether – have joined forces with the St. Bernard Project (SBP) to help first responders and veterans impacted by the storm get one step closer to a Home for the Holidays.

“Every gift given through both the Logs for the Cause and United2gether campaigns between now and January 31, 2019, will go toward SBP’s efforts to rebuild homes for first responders and veterans throughout North Carolina who were impacted by Hurricane Florence,” said Ewell Smith, executive director of the Carolina Loggers Association. “While those affected have long since returned to work, the impact from this storm will be felt for years to come. The logging community in NC – one that was hit especially hard by the storm – is close-knit; we believe in giving back and paying it forward, and helping to kick-start the rebuilding process is the perfect place to start.”

“Recovery is a collaborative effort,” noted SBP co-founder and CEO Zack Rosenburg. “Through this partnership, SBP will be able to provide a predictable path home for disaster-impacted families of veterans and first responders in North Carolina. This is a great example of Americans rallying together for other citizens during times of great need.  We believe that this partnership is an example of the seldom discussed, but ever-present ties that bind us together.”

“Growing up in Eastern North Carolina and seeing first-hand the devastation of Hurricane Florence was heartbreaking,” commented Paige Keselowski. “Immediately following the storm, we created the United2gether campaign to support first responders in affected areas. Teaming up with the Carolina Loggers Association and SBP USA on the Home for the Holidays program is a great way for us to continue our support of first responders and veterans that are still dealing with the impact of the storm.”

The Home for the Holidays program is actively seeking building products partners to assist in the rebuilding efforts. Please contact Carolina Loggers Association executive director Ewell Smith at esmith@ncloggers.com for more information.