Franklin County Sheriff

Johnston Co. Resident Arrested in Franklin County – Suspect in Shooting


— press release from the Office of Franklin County Sheriff Kent D. Winstead

(Franklin County Sheriff Office Photo)

On March 19, 2018, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Investigative Unit arrested Dustin Gregory Oldham, a Johnston County resident. Dustin Gregory Oldham was charged with one (1) count of Discharging a Weapon into an Occupied Vehicle Inflicting Serious Injury and two (2) counts of Assault with a Deadly Weapon with Intent to Kill Inflicting Serious Injury.

These incidents are alleged to have occurred during the night of March 18, 2018 on Pearces Road in Franklin County, NC.

Dustin Gregory Oldham is currently being held in the Franklin County Detention Center under a $250,000 secured bond.

Dustin Gregory Oldham
2038 Brogden Road Apt. B
Smithfield, NC

This matter remains under investigation and no further information will be released at this time. If anyone should have any additional information pertaining to this investigation, please call Detective Garrett Stanly at 919-340-4310.

VGCC instructor’s children donate pieces of history to library

— courtesy VGCC

The children of a longtime Vance-Granville Community College instructor who qualifies as one of the “founding mothers” of the institution recently donated historical records and other items to the college library.

The late Frieda Bender Haun of Kittrell, who passed away in 2010 at the age of 95, became well-known in the community in part for the “personal enrichment” classes she taught at VGCC. Her involvement in the school started long before it opened in 1969, however. In 1965, Haun was appointed to what was then called the “Vance County Community College Steering Committee,” a group formed to research establishing a local two-year college and to gather support for it.

Documents related to that steering committee are among the papers and items that one of Haun’s daughters, Erika H. Rosenberger of Raleigh, inherited. She organized them and offered them to VGCC Director of Library Services Elaine Stem, to become part of the college archives. Stem noted that the items provide unique glimpses into the history of how the college was founded.

Seated, from left, in the VGCC Library are siblings Betsy H. Stuart of Fayetteville, Harold W. Haun of Raleigh and Erika H. Rosenberger of Raleigh, along with some of their mother’s handmade baskets and a scrapbook of materials their mother kept. Standing, from left, are VGCC Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson and Director of Library Services Elaine Stem. Another sibling, Veronika H. Marquoit, lives in New York State and was unavailable for the photo. (VGCC photo)

 

“Our VGCC Library scrapbooks only begin with 1969,” Stem said. “What is significant about this collection is that Mrs. Haun had documents dating back to May 6, 1965. The VGCC history book (‘Vance-Granville Community College: The First Thirty Years’) references the 1965 Steering Committee, and now we have some of those original letters.”

The earliest letter in the collection is from Emily Whitten, clerk to the Vance County Board of Commissioners. Whitten wrote to Haun, “Considerable thought has been given by the Board of Commissioners to the establishment of a Community College in Vance County…. We hope we can be in a position to request State funds for this project in the 1967 session of the Legislature. In order to be in this position, many things must be accomplished on a local level. Therefore, the Board has appointed certain citizens of the County to serve on a Community College Steering Committee…. You have been appointed to serve on this committee. We hope you will agree to serve in this capacity to help assure a Community College for Vance County.” Of the 36 people appointed at that time to the Steering Committee, Haun was among just five women.

“She was very proud of the opportunity to serve in that capacity,” Rosenberger said. “She was probably selected to be on the steering committee because she was active in the Kittrell community and people knew that she was interested in education.”

Haun was quickly chosen to be a member of a three-person nominating committee to select the leaders of the new Steering Committee. She was later appointed to serve on the “General Survey Committee.”

The steering committee later changed its focus to seeking a Technical Institute, when it became apparent that the state was not going to approve a community college in Vance County. Local leaders knew they could always seek community college status at a later date, which they eventually did. Haun continued serving on the steering committee to form a technical institute, an effort which succeeded in 1969. One record shows she was involved in discussions of where to locate the initial campus for the technical institute. “I think about the people she served with on the committee back in the 1960s, and I think they’d be pleased to see how the college has grown,” Rosenberger said. “It was just a dream back then.”

A Warren County native, Frieda Bender married Walter Haun, and the couple raised four children. She led an active life, becoming involved in the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, Home Demonstration Clubs, 4-H Clubs, the Kittrell Community Club and Delta Kappa Gamma. She was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

“She took advantage of every opportunity to learn and to pass knowledge along to others,” her son, Harold W. Haun, recalled. “She always aimed higher.” Proud of her work at VGCC, he and his siblings remembered that their mother was, for whatever reason, the only one of her siblings who did not have the opportunity to go to college. “But she often said that, despite that fact, she was the only one of her siblings who taught at a college,” Rosenberger added.

When Vance County Technical Institute was still fairly new, Rosenberger said, her mother enrolled to take a continuing education class. “Someone in the class said they would like to learn about chair caning or making baskets, and my mother knew how to do that. She had been teaching things like that for the Home Demonstration Club,” Rosenberger recalled. “So she approached the college in the early 1970s about teaching such classes, and they agreed.” Haun continued teaching arts and crafts classes for VGCC through around the year 2000, when she was 85.

In the 1980s, it became difficult for Haun to leave her ailing husband at home for extended periods of time. With the permission of college officials, she started holding her classes in the basement of her own home. “VGCC became a great vehicle for her,” Rosenberger said. “Having the ability to teach in her basement really enriched her life in her later years.”

Along with letters, the records Haun kept about VGCC included meeting minutes and newspaper clippings. In addition, Rosenberger and her siblings have donated some of Haun’s handmade baskets to represent her artistry. Haun made baskets and stools and was particularly adept at chair caning. A chair she made was selected to represent VGCC in the N.C. Community College System’s art exhibition and sat for one year in the office of Robert Scott, the former governor of North Carolina, then serving as president of the system.

“Our mother would be glad that the college appreciates her collection and delighted that all those clippings she kept will be maintained here,” said her daughter, Betsy H. Stuart. “I’m glad she’s being remembered in this way.”

“We’re so grateful to the children of Frieda Haun for thinking of VGCC and for preserving their mother’s legacy,” said VGCC Endowment Fund Director Eddie Ferguson. “The unique items they have donated will be invaluable to us as we prepare to celebrate our college’s 50th anniversary in 2019.”

For more information on donating items related to VGCC history, contact Elaine Stem at steme@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3340 or Eddie Ferguson at fergusone@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3264.

–VGCC–

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s 2018 Grant Cycle opens March 15

— press release

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation is seeking partners to help measurably improve health in Vance, Warren, Franklin, and Granville counties, with the opening of the grant funder’s sixth grant cycle on March 15, 2018.

To be considered for a grant with Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, you must represent a nonprofit organization, school, or governmental agency that serves the Triangle North region— Warren, Vance, Granville, and/or Franklin counties, according to the Foundation’s executive director Val Short. “Your project should fall into one of our five funding priorities, which are Chronic Disease, Mental Health & Substance Abuse, Nutrition & Physical Fitness, Success in School as related to Health & Fitness, and finally, Reproductive Health,” said Short.

The first step in the grant application process is the Letter of Interest, which will be due May 1st. The Letter of Interest form is available on the online Grant Portal, which can be accessed via the Foundation’s website, www.tnhfoundation.org “We strongly suggest that anyone interested in applying for a grant should contact us first to request a meeting,” said Short. “We can discuss the details of a project and determine if it falls within our funding guidelines.” To schedule a meeting to discuss a potential grant project, call 252-598-0763.

Since its first grant cycle in 2013, Triangle North Healthcare Foundation has awarded over $1 million in grants to a variety of programs and projects throughout the region, including the Henderson YMCA’s Save Our Kids and Girls on the Run programs, Boys & Girls Clubs’ healthy teen programs, N.C. MedAssist’s free pharmacy for the uninsured, Smart Start, and many others. A full listing of TNHF grant programs is available on the Foundation’s website.

The mission of the Foundation is “to encourage, support, and invest in quality efforts that measurably improve health in the Triangle North region.” The Foundation cannot accomplish this alone. “Through our partnerships with community organizations, formed through grantmaking, this Foundation can make a difference in the health status of our communities,” said Mrs. Short. “Please let us hear from you!” she added.

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation is a nonprofit regional grantmaking organization based in Henderson, NC, which supports and invests in health and wellness initiatives and programs that will impact health in a positive way in Warren, Vance, Granville, and Franklin counties. Funding for the Foundation’s grantmaking was made possible by the endowment established after the merge of Maria Parham Medical Center and Duke Lifepoint.

Franklin County Sheriff

Franklin County Sheriff Makes Meth Lab Arrest 3-10-18

PRESS RELEASE

On March 10, 2018, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit, partnering with the NC Department of Public Safety  division of Probation and the State Bureau of Investigation, arrested Christopher Dufrasne, a Franklin County resident on multiple drug charges. Christopher Dufrasne was charged with the following: one (1) count of Possession of Methamphetamines, one (1) count of Manufacture Methamphetamines, one (1) count of Maintain a Vehicle/Dwelling for the Purpose of Manufacturing Methamphetamines and six (6) Counts of Possessing Methamphetamine Precursors for the purpose of Manufacturing. These charges came as a result of a search warrant that was executed at Dufrasne’s residence located at 105 Timberline Drive, Franklinton, NC.

During the search, Detectives discovered evidence of a Meth Lab and precursors associated with the manufacture of Methamphetamines. The State Bureau of Investigation Clandestine lab Team was called to the scene to dispose of the hazardous materials.

Sheriff Kent Winstead stated, “This is another example of the continued emphasis that the Sheriff’s Office is putting on eliminating illegal drug activity in our county. We appreciate the continued partnerships with outside agencies and will
continue to utilize these relationships to make our county safer.”

Christopher Dufrasne is currently being held in the Franklin County Detention Center under a $500,000 secured bond.

The investigation is on-going. For more information, contact Sgt. Ken Pike at 919-496-2511.

— submitted by Terry M. Wright, Chief of Staff

VGCC scholarship endowed by Ardagh

— courtesy VGCC

Ardagh Group, a global leader in packaging solutions with a facility in Henderson, has established a new scholarship at Vance-Granville Community College. Once fully endowed, the Ardagh Academic Achievement Scholarship will be awarded to a VGCC student each year.

Ardagh Group manufactures packaging for some of the world’s biggest brands. The company operates 109 glass and metal manufacturing facilities in 22 countries, employing approximately 23,500 people. Ardagh has won over 100 international awards related to innovation and has been granted over 50 worldwide patents. The company, which was once known locally as Saint-Gobain Containers, has collaborated with VGCC for many years, utilizing the college’s industry services, including customized training. Ardagh also partners with the college on Work-Based Learning opportunities and programs related to advanced manufacturing.

Pictured, from left, at the Ardagh plant in Henderson are VGCC President Dr. Stelfanie Williams, Ardagh Operations Manager Todd Concienne, Plant Manager Stephane Jean, Human Resources Manager Todd Glawe, VGCC Endowment Specialist Kay Currin and VGCC Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson. (VGCC photo)

The manufacturer has supported the VGCC Endowment Fund Golf Tournament for several years and was one of the premier sponsors for the record-breaking 33rd annual Golf Tournament in 2017.

“We send our employees to various VGCC programs, and it’s been a seamless process for us,” said Todd Glawe, human resources manager for the facility in Henderson. “The manufacturing world is changing, with much more sophisticated equipment, so we need the training provided by technical programs at the college in order to help us be efficient and successful.”

Ardagh’s Henderson plant manufactures glass bottles and jars, and counts North Carolina’s own Mt. Olive Pickle Company among its longstanding customers. That company holds a special place in the history of Vance-Granville Community College, as college Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson noted, because the largest single gift in VGCC history came from the estate of Robert B. “Bob” Butler of Warrenton, a retired executive with Mt. Olive.

“We have been pleased to be able to assist Ardagh for many years by meeting their needs for training, and we are delighted by their generous support in the form of a scholarship that will help local students achieve career success while also enhancing workforce development,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, president of VGCC.

Ferguson added, “Ardagh is not only a leading manufacturer on the international level, but is also one of our great local employers and partners, so we are honored by their investment in the future of our college and our community.”

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 9,100 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information about the Endowment Fund, call (252) 738-3409.

–VGCC–

Researcher explores “Your Brain on Its Own” in VGCC lecture

— courtesy VGCC

To deal with change, manage stress and gain insight into making good decisions, it’s best to understand yourself and how your brain works, neuroscience researcher Phil Dixon shared with an audience at Vance-Granville Community College on Feb. 27, for his second of three sessions on “Using Your Brain for a Change.”

“In all of these situations, if you don’t understand yourself, you’re not going to be able to understand others,” Dixon said. A resident of Oxford, N.C., who is originally from England, Dixon has worked in a variety of industries around the world, including a time with Apple. His passion for neuroscience led to the series of lectures that are being sponsored by VGCC’s Office of the Endowment. The first was held in January, and he’ll conclude with a session later this month.

In the February session, “Your Brain on Its Own,” Dixon focused on various profiles, tendencies, influences and contexts that help persons understand who they are and how they are likely to react. His research about the brain is driven by a desire to help individuals become better leaders and make better decisions in their daily lives.

Dixon explored a variety of “profiles” designed to help individuals better understand themselves. The “Five Ps” profile, for example, reveals that we are all different. “What is a threat to one person may not be a threat to another,” Dixon noted.

“Character Profile,” meanwhile, begins with distinguishing individuals by whether they have an “ask” or a “tell” orientation. “To what degree do you tell people what to do, versus asking people what should be done?” he asked. From that vantage point, individuals are seen in one of four categories: Analytical (being correct vs. wrong), Driver (wanting results vs. fearing failure), Amiable (valuing relationships vs. fearing rejection) and Expressive (feeling exhilaration vs. a fear of not being good enough).

Meanwhile, knowing your tendencies — biases, habits, patterns of behavior, the triggers that may cause reactions, and paradigms — will help you better understand how to maintain your focus, Dixon explained.

He also noted the importance of understanding those things that have an influence on your life — beliefs, values, familiarity, memories, available choices, intelligence, etc. — and the context in which you view the world — your personal experiences, life cycles and recent events. “Your genetics make a difference,” he added. “The current data says that your genetics give you about 40 percent of your character.”

In discussing the dynamics of how the brain reacts to change, Dixon explored the learning process required should a person decide to go through a change — feasibility, appeal, agreeableness, resistance to change, readiness to change, and the celebration of small successes, among other points.

He recalled the character, “Yoda,” from the “Star Wars” movies, who said, “Do. Or do not. There is no try.” Dixon noted, “When we say that I’ll ‘try’ and do that, what happens in your brain? You set yourself up with an excuse. I only said I’ll try and do it. I didn’t say I’d do it.”

Dixon also explored strategies for dealing with stress, ways to prevent stress and how important it is to get enough sleep and maintain positivity in your life.

Decision making, he said, needs to be carefully planned. Making decisions is only sometimes logical, rational, conscious and data-based, he said. It’s often based on emotion and is nonconscious and irrational, clouded by tendencies such as bias, habits and patterns.

“To make good decisions, understand yourself. Be aware of what your tendencies are around decision making,” he offered. “Prepare the process of making decision before you have to make decisions.” For many people, the time of day for deciding is paramount. “If you have tough decisions to make, make them in the morning,” he said.

The best insights come when you are at your freshest, he said. “When do you have your best ideas?” he asked. “The conditions for having insight tend to be when you are relaxed, first thing in the morning, when you are jogging, when you are in the shower, when you are doing something repetitive that doesn’t require your pre-frontal cortex to be taking control, and when you’re not too happy. If you are only happy, those signals override it. When you are slightly reflective, slightly far away and when you are not thinking about the problem, those are the times you are likely to have your biggest insights.”

The concluding session in Dixon’s series, “Your Brain with Another Person,” scheduled for Tues., March 27, will explore bias and the nonconscious brain, communication, coaching, influencing and negotiating, encouraging innovation in others and helping others change. The lecture is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. to noon, in the small auditorium in Building 2 on VGCC’s Main Campus in Vance County. The public is invited. For more information, contact VGCC Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson at (252) 738-3264 or fergusone@vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–

Franklin County Sheriff

Milton Ray Reid Arrested by Franklin County Sheriff; Over $2 Million Bond

— press release from Franklin County Sheriff Kent Winstead

On March 6, 2018, the Franklin County Sheriffs Office Drug Unit and Community Action Team arrested Milton Ray Reid, a Franklin County resident on 29 Felony Drug charges. Milton Ray Reid was charged with the following: one (1) count of Trafficking in Cocaine by Delivery, one (1) count of Trafficking in Cocaine by Transportation, one (1) count of Trafficking in Cocaine by Sale, one (1) count of Trafficking in Cocaine by Possession, five (5) counts of PWIMSD Marijuana, nine (9) counts of Maintain Vehicle/Residence to Keep Sell Drugs, five (5) counts of Possess/Sell Drugs within 1000′ of Elementary School, six (6) counts of Sell and Deliver Marijuana, one (1) count of Possession of NTPL and one (1) count of Possess for Sale W/0 Permits.

This three month investigation began as a result of Detectives receiving information alleging Reid was involved in illegal drug activity in Franklin County. The Franklin County Sheriffs Office Drug Unit and Agents with the NC Alcohol law Enforcement Branch of the State Bureau of Investigation began investigating the complaint and validated that Reid was involved in illegal drug activity. During the investigation, officers purchased 29 grams of Cocaine and 526 grams of Marijuana. The possession and/or sale of these controlled substances occurred within 1000 feet of Cedar Creek Middle School.

In addition to the arrest of Reid, a search warrant was executed at his residence located at 40 Holding Young Road in Youngsville. The search and arrest yielded an additional 563 grams of Marijuana, prescription pills packaged for sale and $5,945.00 in cash. The street value of all controlled substances seized was $24,607.

Sheriff Kent Winstead stated, “This is a continued effort and an emphasis of the Sheriffs Office to address and eliminate illegal drug activity in Franklin County. The Sheriffs Office is and will remain committed to making our communities safer by finding and arresting individuals who choose to sell drugs in our county.”

Milton Ray Reid is currently being held in the Franklin County Detention Center under a 2,020,000.00 secured bond.

VGCC Culinary Arts program accepting reservations for lunch March 15

— courtesy VGCC

The Culinary Arts program at Vance-Granville Community College is inviting the public to enjoy a gourmet lunch prepared by students on Thursday, March 15, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The luncheon will be held at the Masonic Home for Children on College Street in Oxford, where the Culinary program is based.

Tickets are $9, plus applicable taxes and Eventbrite fees, and can be purchased online at tinyurl.com/culinaryMarch15. Note that the Eventbrite ticketing website works best in the Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome web browsers.

“The successful planning and execution of the luncheon will give our students the opportunity to practice and demonstrate both front and back of the house skills,” said Chef Teresa Davis, the VGCC Culinary Arts program head.

She said the buffet menu is set to include Spinach Dip Stuffed Mushrooms, Northwest Apple Walnut Salad, Beef Roulade with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce, Shrimp Penne Pasta, and Roasted Root Vegetables. There will also be a Bananas Foster Crepes “Live Action” Station.

For more information about the Culinary Arts program, contact Chef Teresa Davis at davist@vgcc.edu or (919) 690-0312.

–VGCC–

(This is not a paid advertisement.)

VGCC schedules tax seminar for small businesses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 28, 2018

 

VGCC schedules tax seminar for small businesses

The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center, in partnership with Woodforest National Bank and the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, is offering a “Lunch Break to Educate” seminar on “Tax Planning & Reporting for a Small Business” on Wednesday, March 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The seminar, which is free of charge, will be held at the Chamber of Commerce office at 414 South Garnett Street in Henderson.

After completing this seminar, attendees will be able to identify the federal, state and local tax reporting requirements of a small business and its owner, and to establish a plan to account and pay for those taxes. They will also learn how to identify methods for researching the local, municipal, and county reporting/licensing requirements for a small business.

Lunch will be provided by Woodforest National Bank to the first 20 participants who register.

The seminar is part of a series, called “Preparing for a Healthy Business in 2018,” being offered by the VGCC Small Business Center periodically throughout the year.

Registration can be completed online at www.vgcc.edu/schedules/small-business-center. The deadline to register is March 2.

For more information, contact Tanya Weary at smallbusiness@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3240.

–VGCC–

Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market

Registration Underway for the 2018 Master Gardener Symposium

By: Kelly Bondurant, Freelance Writer/Editor for Hire

The Master Gardner volunteers invite the public to attend the annual Master Gardner Symposium, sponsored by NC Cooperative Extension. This year’s symposium will be held Saturday, March 24, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market at 210 Southpark Drive in Henderson.

The cost of attendance is $30 if registration is received by Wednesday, February 28, 2018. After this date, the cost of registration increases to $35 per person. The price of registration includes snacks, beverages and lunch.

There will also be an optional, hands-on workshop in the afternoon for participants to make, and learn how to use, their own rain barrel with supplied materials. The workshop is limited to 25 pre-registered participants for an additional fee.

According to Paul McKenzie, area agent for the Vance County Cooperative Extension Office, space is limited and tickets often sell out prior to the day of the event. Those interested in attending the symposium are urged to register as early as possible to guarantee entry.

The theme for this year’s symposium is “Backyard Gardening: Changing Times, Changing Conditions.”

The symposium will feature four speakers, including keynote speaker Sam Pearsall, the retired director of the North Carolina Natural Heritage program. Pearsall will explain how climate change impacts natural ecosystems and personal gardens.

Additional speakers include educators from NC State University:

  • Elsa Youngsteadt, Research Associate and science writer, will discuss various species of bees and the role they play in the ecosystem. Specific focus will be given on how to protect bees and attract them to gardens.
  • Barbara Fair, Associate Professor, Landscape Extension Specialist and Certified Arborist, will discuss plant selection, water conservation efforts and rain gardens.
  • Joseph Neal, Professor of Weed Science, will discuss landscape weed management.

“This year’s speakers will address pollinators-how to protect them and get them to visit your garden, plant selection for drought resistance, water conservation and weed management,” said McKenzie. “You will be hearing facts and unbiased, researched-based information, not just the latest, greatest trend.”

Those interested in attending the symposium are encouraged to join the Master Gardner Volunteer Program. Volunteers are provided with 40 hours of gardening training in exchange for 40 hours of volunteer work. “The volunteer program is an amazing opportunity to learn and to give back through community outreach at local schools, farmers markets and other areas,” McKenzie said.

The registration form for the symposium may be downloaded from https://go.ncsu.edu/vancegarden. For more information, contact the Vance County Cooperative Extension office at (252) 438-8188.