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.

Maria Parham Franklin to Hold Open House on Wed., Oct 3

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-Information courtesy Maria Parham Health

Maria Parham Health, a Duke LifePoint Healthcare hospital, will celebrate the upcoming grand opening of Maria Parham Franklin in Louisburg. The community is invited to join the Maria Parham leadership team on Wednesday, October 3, 2018, for a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house from 3:30 – 7 p.m.

Located at 100 Hospital Drive in Louisburg, Maria Parham Franklin will celebrate the grand opening of the emergency room and geriatric behavioral health unit.

For more information, please visit www.mariaparhamfranklin.com

 

I Voted Sticker

NC Voter Registration Tips & Deadline Reminders

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-Information courtesy the State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement website

With Election Day quickly approaching on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, WIZS would like to take the opportunity to remind you of the upcoming deadlines and the steps to take to register to vote in North Carolina:

Register to Vote

In order to register to vote in North Carolina, a person must meet the legal qualifications to vote and complete a voter registration application. When completing the application, applicants must provide their full name, residential address, date of birth, and citizenship status. After completion, the application should be mailed to the board of elections office in the county in which the applicant resides. You can find the address of your county board of elections office by clicking here.

If the application is complete and the applicant meets all qualifications to vote, the county board of elections will mail a voter registration card to the applicant to provide notice of the registration.

Voter registration applicants who have met the voter registration deadline should expect to receive their voter card within 1 to 2 weeks. Applicants should contact their county board of elections if they do not receive their voter card within two weeks. Note: The applicant must have transmitted the registration application by the registration deadline; otherwise, the voter card will not be mailed until after the completion of the election.

Qualifications to Vote

To register to vote in North Carolina, a prospective voter must meet all of the following qualifications:

  • Must be a citizen of the United States.
  • Must live in the county of his/her registration, and have resided there for at least 30 days prior to the date of the election.
  • Must be at least 18 years old. A prospective voter can submit a registration form up to two years before his/her 18th birthday, if and only if he/she will be 18 at the time of the next general election.
  • Must not be serving a sentence for a felony conviction (including probation or parole). If a prospective voter has previously been convicted of a felony, his/her citizenship rights must be restored. For more information on voting rights for those in the North Carolina criminal justice system, click here.
  • Must rescind any previous registration in any other county or state.

Voter Registration Deadline

The deadline to register to vote in North Carolina is 25 days before the date of an election. The voter registration application must be received by the applicant’s county boards of elections by this date. If an application is received after the deadline, the application may still be timely if it was mailed and it is postmarked on or before the voter registration deadline; otherwise, the application will not be processed until after the election.

For more detailed NC voting information, including One-Stop Early Voting and Same-Day Registration, click here.

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VGCC Inducts Five New Apprentices in Signing Ceremony

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Five Vance-Granville Community College students were among 14 who committed to participate in the North Carolina Triangle Apprenticeship Program (NCTAP) at a signing ceremony in Wake Forest in August.

In addition to the signings, five students were honored as the first graduates of the program, which was held in the Wake Forest Renaissance Center on August 14.

“This evening marks the beginning of 14 new careers and the next chapter of the careers of our first five apprentices,” said Mark Bertoncino of Bühler Aeroglide Corp. of Cary, chairman of NCTAP and master of ceremonies for the ceremony. “It is the culmination of years of hard work by the many people in this room and the first real living proof that our program is not only a success but that our apprentices are destined for great things.”

The students are now apprentices with nine industries in Granville, Franklin and Wake counties as they finish high school and earn their associate’s degrees at either VGCC or Wake Technical Community College. VGCC students Jacob Pitts of Durham will be working at Dill Air Controls Products LLC in Oxford; Marshall Cook of Youngsville, Jared Gladki of Roxboro and Joseph Peace of Oxford will be working with Revlon Inc. of Oxford; and Isaac Wier of Franklinton will be at Superior Tooling in Wake Forest.

Above: The five latest VGCC apprentices inducted to the North Carolina Triangle Apprenticeship Program joined with representatives of their new employers and Vance-Granville Community College officials on Aug. 14 at a signing ceremony in Wake Forest. From left are Dr. Gordon Burns, VGCC interim president; Vanessia Alvarado of Dill Air Control Products; Ken Wilson, TechHire grant project manager for VGCC; Jacob Pitts, Dill apprentice; Steve Tsotsoros of Dill; Marshall Cook, Revlon apprentice; Jared Gladki, Revlon apprentice; Mike Jones of Revlon; Joseph Peace, Revlon apprentice; Isaac Weir, Superior Tooling apprentice; Craig McLean of Superior Tooling; and Tiffani Polk, TechHire academic and career coach for VGCC. (VGCC Photo)

Working through Wake Tech, the signees and the other companies were: Lariston Pierce, Accu-Fab Inc. of Raleigh; Grace Leapley, Josey Baker, Jacob Ganzzermiller and Greg Smith, Bühler Aeroglide Corp. of Cary; Marc Dickerson, CaptiveAire Systems of Youngsville; and Michael Benjamin and Brian Sublette, Schunk Intec Inc. of Morrisville.

As each made a commitment to follow the program, the students were joined on stage for the signing ceremony by their parents and employers from the participating industries.

“Because of our collective efforts, these students have a new seamless career pathway to better futures,” said VGCC Interim President Dr. Gordon Burns. “While in school, these apprentices have the opportunity to receive real-life, on-the-job training skills and related training, and simultaneously to earn high school credits and college credits toward a degree. Following their graduation, they are offered opportunities for continued workforce learning as they progress towards their journeyman’s credential and advance in their careers.”

“Students win and so do parents,” he added. “Businesses and industry representatives certainly win. Having this apprenticeship program is a pipeline for new workers.”

The program gives industry a chance to train the young workers on the latest equipment, to use their employees as mentors and to develop future leaders in the companies and in the communities, Dr. Burns said.

NCTAP is a partnership that seeks to provide new opportunities for local students and to prepare a skilled workforce. Typically starting in the junior year of high school, NCTAP is a four-year program that leads to a student obtaining an associate degree at the community college and paid, on-the-job training at the participating employer. Eligible students’ tuition is covered by a waiver from the state of North Carolina. After they graduate from high school, students in the program will be employed full-time by the company.

In the graduation portion of the ceremony, Wake Tech students Luke Fouts, Alex Gaither, Mason Hurlbut and Simon Mitchell, apprentices at Bühler Aeroglide, and Dylan Beckwith, at Schunk Intec, were recognized as the first graduates of the apprenticeship program.

Also on the program were N.C. Sen. Chad Barefoot, R-Wake; Dr. Stephen Scott, president of Wake Tech; and Maureen Little, vice president of economic development for the North Carolina Community College Systems.

Sen. Barefoot, who has announced his plans to retire from the North Carolina Legislature, was presented with a special recognition for his support of the apprenticeship program statewide. He has been praised for helping in getting legislation changed to boost the apprenticeship program. Whereas companies previously had to pay the state to have an apprentice, Barefoot helped enact legislation that now has the state providing reimbursement for tuition.

Representing VGCC’s NCTAP participating industries at the ceremony Steve Tsotsoros and Vanessia Alvarado of Dill Air Controls and Mike Jones of Revlon. Also present from the VGCC TechHire program were Ken Wilson, project manager, and Tiffani Polk, academic and career coach. All schools participating in NCTAP can send students to the educational partner institution that best meets the needs of the industrial partner, Wilson said.

More photos: Check out VGCC’s album on Flickr!

FGV Smart Start Announces Winners of Ducky Derby Drawing

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Garry Daeke, development coordinator for Franklin-Granville-Vance (FGV) Smart Start, was on Monday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to announce the winners of the 9th Annual Ducky Derby Fundraiser.

The Ducky Derby race, originally scheduled for September 15, 2018, was canceled due to expected inclement weather from Hurricane Florence. Instead, a drawing for prizes was held on Friday, September 21 at the FGV Smart Start office. Those that could not attend in person were able to view the drawing live on FGV’s Facebook page.

According to Daeke, this marks the first year in the organization’s nine years of holding the event that the outdoor rubber ducky race had to be canceled. “This is the first year that we haven’t been able to do it,” Daeke said. “We’ve always had in our contest – it’s in the rules – that if we aren’t able to have our race determined by the ducks that we’d have a random drawing the next week.”

Contest winners include First Place – $1,000, Gayla Currin of Creedmoor; Second Place – $500, Dorothy Branch of Youngsville; Third Place – $250, Edna Jarrett of Lawrenceville, VA; and Fourth Place – $100, Brian Scott of Raleigh.

Charlotte Evans of Oxford won the prize of 52 free meals courtesy Chick-fil-A.

As far as putting a damper on overall money raised, Daeke said Smart Start still did pretty well despite the canceled race. “We’re going to do pretty well; haven’t seen final numbers yet. I think we’ll do as well as we generally do, somewhere in the six to seven thousand dollar range. That money all goes back into our programs for young children.”

While approximately 250 – 300 fewer tickets were sold this year due to the loss of day-of ticket sales, the cost savings from the canceled race helped cover the difference.

Though pleased with the overall outcome, Daeke said Smart Start staff were a little disappointed not to watch the ducks flood downtown Henderson this year. “We’re pretty happy with how things went, although we were sad not to get out and run the duck race because it’s a highlight for all of us too!”

Five VGCC Students Join RIBN Program in NC A&T Ceremony

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Five Vance-Granville Community College students were formally inducted into the North Carolina Piedmont “Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses” (RIBN) program in a ceremony in August at North Carolina A&T State University’s Union Square Campus in Greensboro.

RIBN is a partnership involving the university, VGCC, Davidson County Community College (DCCC) and Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC).

This year’s inductees from VGCC are Jolina Chiong of Henderson, Madison Hetrick of Henderson, Jaslin Renteria of Henderson, Chris Trotman of Durham and April Zuniga-Trejo of Henderson.

At the induction ceremony, the A&T School of Nursing welcomed students from VGCC and the other community colleges who will be simultaneously enrolled at the university. RIBN students earn associate’s degrees in nursing over three years (while also taking A&T courses online) and then continue for one year of additional courses at A&T required for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

Above: Shown celebrating the induction of five new students in RIBN at NCA&T in Greensboro, from left, are VGCC Academic/Career Coach Seletha Pherribo, VGCC Dean of Health Sciences Angela Thomas, RIBN student inductees Jolina Chiong, Madison Hetrick, Chris Trotman, Jaslin Renteria, and April Zuniga-Trejo, VGCC Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Levy Brown, and Nursing Department Chair Erica Jastrow. (VGCC photo)

Erica Jastrow, the Nursing department chair for VGCC, presented each college’s student inductees with a certificate of induction as part of the ceremony, while Academic/Career Coach Seletha Pherribo read a brief biography of each one.

With five out of the 11 students selected for this year’s cohort, VGCC again had the most inductees among the three community colleges in the partnership. In 2017, VGCC had 11 of the 18 students selected, more inductees that the two other community colleges combined. In the first year of the partnership, 2016, the initial cohort consisted of three students, one from each community college.

The North Carolina Piedmont RIBN initiative is one of nine such partnerships that have been launched in North Carolina since 2008 under the direction of the Foundation for Nursing Excellence (FFNE) to increase the educational preparation of North Carolina’s nursing workforce.

In addition to recognizing the RIBN Advisory Board members, Jastrow thanked employers who have met with RIBN students to outline employment opportunities that lie ahead for graduates. “This really shows how desirable our RIBN students are,” she said. “The employers are seeking them out, wanting to come and talk with them.” She also thanked the community and university administrators for providing the fiscal and human resources to support the RIBN students.

Dr. Terry Ward, director of the A&T School of Nursing, praised the students for enrolling in RIBN. “You are going to reduce the impact on the financial debt for our country by saving money and creating a bridge to your education,” she said. “That’s extremely important in today’s times.”

Citing the rising cost of education for young people and the impact it is having, she added, “It’s amazing to see that so many people are doing what they need to do to create the future nurses that we need, to create people who will have economic stability and power. You are showing people it can be done.”

In addition to RIBN, VGCC has a partnership with A&T to allow graduates of its Associate Degree Nursing program to transition easily to the university’s four-year Bachelor’s program. For more information about Nursing at VGCC and bachelor’s degree options, contact academic/career coach Seletha Pherribo at (252) 738-3518 or Nursing department chair Erica Jastrow at (252) 738-3457.

More photos: Check out VGCC’s album on Flickr!

VGCC Health Sciences Clubs Conducting Second ‘Prom Attire’ Drive

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

The Vance-Granville Community College Health Sciences clubs are collecting donations at all four VGCC campuses for a “Prom Attire” collection drive through February 28, 2019.

All donations will be collected for a giveaway event to provide local high school students free attire to fulfill their prom dreams, according to Stacey Soles, VGCC’s program head for Medical Assisting and clinical coordinator for Radiography.

The drive is the second for the Health Sciences Clubs in Radiography, Human Services, Pharmacy, Histotechnology, Medical Assisting and Nursing.

Dozens of prom dresses were donated for the first “Prom Attire” collection drive held earlier this year on Vance-Granville Community College’s four campuses. A drive is now underway through February 2019 to collect suits, shirts, dresses, shoes and accessories to be donated to high school students for free to fulfill their prom dreams. Donations can be dropped off at any VGCC campus. (Photo Credit: VGCC)

The club leaders are asking that only clean, gently-used or new items be donated. All sizes will be accepted. The clubs also request that no dated items be donated.

Items that will be accepted are:
• Suits & Shirts: Tuxedos, suits, suit separates, dress shirts, slacks, vests;
• Ties & Shoes: Neck ties, bow ties, dress shoes;
• Dressy Dresses: Gowns, prom, party, formal; and
• Accessories & Shoes: Jewelry/hair accessories, handbags/clutches.

Soles said that the clubs could use more items for males. “In our initial drive, we received a good number of dresses that are available for distribution next year,” she said. “We are especially in need of suits, dress shirts and slacks for men.”

Drop-off locations are located at:
• Main Campus, Building 5, Room 5225: Audrey Stainback;
• South Campus, Building 2, Room G2212: Stacey Soles;
• Franklin Campus, Building 1, Room F1101: Priscilla Lewis; and
• Warren Campus, Building 1, Room W1101: Ruthie Davis.

For more information, donors should contact Stacey Soles at (252) 738-3515 or soless@vgcc.edu.

Franklin Co. Sheriff’s Office Arrests Lynch for Multiple Drug Violations

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-Press Release, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Terry M. Wright – Chief of Staff

On September 20, 2018, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit, Community Action Team, Special Response Team and US Drug Enforcement Administration, arrested Franklin County resident, Hayward Therbert Lynch for multiple drug violations. In addition to the arrest, a search warrant was executed at 520 Earlie Collins Road, Castalia, NC.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit received information that Hayward Therbert Lynch was involved in the illegal sell of controlled substances in and around Franklin County. An investigation into these allegations led Detectives to 520 Earlie Collins Road where a search warrant resulted in the seizure of Crack Cocaine, Prescription Pills, US Currency and other items related to drug activity.

Sheriff Kent Winstead stated, “The focus of our Drug Unit continues to be on making a difference in our communities. This arrest is another example of how our drug enforcement strategies and priorities are paying off.”

On September 20, 2018, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit, Community Action Team, Special Response Team and US Drug Enforcement Administration, arrested Franklin County resident, Hayward Therbert Lynch for multiple drug violations.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit was assisted in this investigation by the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement Branch of the State Bureau of Investigation.

Hayward Therbert Lynch

520 Earlie Collins Road

Castalia, NC 27816

Hayward Therbert Lynch was charged with the following:

Possession of Crack Cocaine

Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Substance

Possession of a Schedule II Controlled Substance

Possess with the intent to Sell and Deliver Crack Cocaine (4 Counts)

Sell and Deliver Crack Cocaine (4 Counts)

Maintain a Dwelling for the purpose of Selling Controlled Substances (5 Counts)

Hayward Therbert Lynch is currently in the Franklin County Detention Center under a $100,000 secured bond.

For more information regarding this investigation, or to provide information regarding drug activity in your community, please contact Sergeant Ken Pike at (919) 496-2186.

Drug Activity Complaints Lead to Arrest of Franklin Co. Man

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-Press Release, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Terry M. Wright – Chief of Staff

On September 19, 2018, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit and Community Action Team arrested Franklin County resident, Mark Thomas Kemmerzell, Jr. for multiple drug offenses.

This investigation was the result of citizen complaints alleging that Mark Thomas Kemmerzell, Jr. was involved in illegal drug activity throughout Franklin and surrounding counties. As a result of these complaints, Narcotics Detectives initiated an investigation and was able to validate the information provided.

During the investigation, multiple purchases of Controlled Substances were made from Mark Thomas Kemmerzell, Jr.

Sheriff Kent Winstead stated, “The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office is committed to aggressively pursuing illegal drug activity and we will continue to make these investigations a priority. The citizens of our county continue to be proactive in providing information that is useful to our investigators and their tips are paying off.”

On September 19, 2018, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit and Community Action Team arrested Franklin County resident, Mark Thomas Kemmerzell, Jr. for multiple drug offenses. This investigation was the result of citizen complaints alleging that Kemmerzell, Jr. was involved in illegal drug activity throughout Franklin and surrounding counties.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit was assisted in this investigation by the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement Branch of the State Bureau of Investigation.

Mark Thomas Kemmerzell, Jr.

52 Wilson Fuller Road

Louisburg, NC 27549

DOB: 03/09/1988

Mark Thomas Kemmerzell, Jr. was charged with the following: Possess with the Intent to Sell and Deliver Heroin (2 Counts), Sell and Deliver Heroin (2 Counts), Maintain a Vehicle for the purpose of Selling Controlled Substances (2 Counts), Possession of a Schedule Ill Controlled Substance.

Mark Thomas Kemmerzell, Jr. is currently in the Franklin County Detention Center under a $100,000 secured bond.

For more information regarding this investigation, or to provide information regarding drug activity in your community, please contact Sgt. Ken Pike at (919) 340-3432.

Franklin County Logo

Tar River Below Flood Levels; No Road Closures in Franklin Co.

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

According to Franklin County Emergency Services Director Jeff Lewis, there are no reports of road closures in Franklin County due to flooding at this time.

As of 9 a.m. Thursday morning, the Tar River in Louisburg was below minor flood levels.