TownTalk: Rural Health Transformation Program from Congress Impacts On Local Programs, Health Providers

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The Rural Health Transformation Program, created by Congress through what has become known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, will provide $50 billion over the next five years to help states transform rural health – both how rural residents access services as well as how health care providers deliver care and treatment.

It’s going to trickle down to local health care providers, from doctors’ offices and hospitals to health departments.

Granville-Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison said it’s both an exciting and a daunting time, as providers await details from the state about just how to go about implementing particulars of the program.

The program comes at a time when deep cuts to Medicaid are looming, and skyrocketing insurance premiums have created worry among individuals who can’t afford the big jump in costs.

All states will get money over the next five years as they come up with ways to improve sustain rural health – through improving access to care and strengthening the rural health work force, for instance.

North Carolina is poised to receive $213 million in this first round of funding.

The second portion of the funding will be more subjective, with states hoping to get funding for the particular areas of focus they identify.

“Each state has to show some early wins and good effort around workforce, technology and rural health sustainability before they’ll get the second year,” Harrison explained. “You have to jump in and do your work pretty fast early on.”

That’s something that Harrison and the GVPH team are already working on, given the fact that health departments are “safety nets” for patients by offering health care services regardless of their ability to pay.

Medicaid is especially helpful for children and for disabled people, Harrison said, as well as being an insurance program for those workers who meet income and household requirements and who don’t get health insurance through their job.

“There are lots of people who need Medicaid – it’s an important program to keep the costs down for all of us, for sure,” Harrison said.

“All of us benefit from Medicaid being available for people because it lowers everybody’s insurance rates.”

Things in the health care world are changing “mighty quickly,” she said, and GVPH is among the providers preparing for less funding in the future.

“My hope is we can find some new and sustainable approaches that get our system to work better and differently together,” Harrison added.

North Carolina leaders have zeroed in on six key strategies to transform its rural health care systems. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services lists the strategies in a project summary found at https://www.ncdhhs.gov/ncrhtp-project-summary/open

  • Launching a locally governed “NC ROOTS” Hub to connect medical, mental health, and social supports
  • Expanding prevention, chronic disease management, and nutrition programs
  • Increasing access to mental health services, including substance use disorder treatment
  • Investing in the rural health care workforce
  • Supporting rural providers in transitioning to value-based care models
  • Enhancing technology in health care

“The thing that makes me so excited about this opportunity is  all things we’re already trying to figure out and do at Granville-Vance Public Health with our partners – we don’t do these things alone,” Harrison said.

GVPH has a strong network of partners it collaborates with, which points to its readiness to continue to do the transformative work and make access to health care in rural areas as effective as it can be.

“We’re really good in this region of taking care of our neighbors and finding new ways to do this effectively and efficiently,” Harrison said. Future grant funding will allow for more of that collaboration to strengthen programs for rural residents.

Plenty of questions remain, but for now, Harrison said she’s focusing on the energy surround the RHT program to move forward.

“I’m pretty excited about what we could accomplish because I know folks around here are really supportive of making sure that we improve access to care for everybody.”

Learn more about the Rural Health Transformation Program at www.ncdhhs.gov/rhtp. A project summary can be found at https://www.ncdhhs.gov/ncrhtp-project-summary/open

Visit https://www.gvph.org/ to learn about the services and programs available at the local health department.

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Granville Case Management Session Of District Court Yields Numerous Pleas To Active Cases

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 — From the office of District Attorney Michael D. Waters

PLEAS TAKEN DURING THE GRANVILLE COUNTY CASE MANAGEMENT SESSION OF COURT THE WEEK OF JANUARY 12, 2026

Sabrina Bass pleaded guilty to two (2) counts of 2nd Degree Murder w/o Regard for a May 17, 2022, vehicle collision that killed Erica Cozart, and Ms. Bass’ four-year-old son, Bryan Clippard. Ms. Bass was driving a motor vehicle on Tar River Road when she crossed the center line and struck Ms. Cozart’s vehicle head-on. Young Mr. Clippard was in Bass’s car in a car seat which was not properly installed, nor was he secured. Ms. Bass was found to have impairing substances in her system, and to have had 5 vehicle collisions within the previous 20 months. Ms. Bass received an active sentence of 110 months minimum to 144 months maximum in the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction (NCDAC). The case was investigated by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Adam Brooker.

Marquise Bass pleaded guilty to one (1) count of 2nd Degree Murder w/o Regard for the October 30, 2023, hit-and-run death of Jessica Doucet on Bruce Garner Road in Granville County. Ms. Doucet was walking along Bruce Garner Road when Mr. Bass struck and killed her with the Dodge Charger he was operating. Mr. Bass left the scene of the collision. He was arrested the next day when troopers with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol located his car with damage consistent with the collision, and with missing car parts that could be matched to parts found at the scene. At the time of the hit and run, Mr. Bass was on supervised probation for a Felony Flee/Elude Arrest, among other felonies, which suspended his driver’s license. He had two (2) pending DWIs at the time of the collision, which also suspended his driver’s license. Mr. Bass received an active sentence of 124 months minimum to 161 months maximum in the NCDAC. The case was investigated by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Allison Capps.

Jerome Bumpass pleaded guilty to two (2) counts of AWDWIKISI and one (1) count of AWDWIK for his role in the March 13, 2025, shooting of two juveniles, and for shooting at Laquasha Hatcher on Maple Drive in Oxford. Officers responded to 200 Maple Drive to find two juveniles with gunshot wounds. Witnesses on scene indicated that two men drove up to the house with several others, got out the car, and began shooting at the juveniles and others standing in the yard. A subsequent investigation indicated that Bumpass was one of the masked men shooting. Mr. Bumpass received an active sentence of 110 months minimum to 144 months maximum in the NCDAC. The case was investigated by the Oxford Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Allison Capps.

Earl Tillman Bradley pleaded guilty to First Degree Kidnapping, AWDWISI and Felonious Restraint for events occurring on August 9, 2025, and August 14, 2025, involving the kidnapping and assault of his mother, Katheryn Bradley. Mr. Bradley forced Katheryn Bradley against her will and at knifepoint from her home on Rock Creek Circle in Oxford. He repeatedly assaulted her and eventually drove her to Raleigh to utilize her to kidnap his young son, who resides in Raleigh with Mr. Bradley’s ex-wife. When Katheryn Bradley did not comply with Mr. Bradley’s demands to lure his son outside, Mr. Bradley continued to assault her while driving her back to Oxford. Mr. Bradley was apprehended later the next day by the Raleigh Police Department with a knife in his possession. Mr. Bradley received an active sentence of 58 months minimum to 82 months maximum in the NCDAC. He also pleaded guilty to Felony Breaking or Entering for an offense he committed on July 26, 2025, at 2150 Eagles Wings Lane, Oxford, the home of Patricia Palabricia. He received a sentence of 6 months minimum to 17 months maximum. This sentence will run consecutively with the active sentence, and Mr. Bradley will be on supervised probation once he serves his active time. The case was investigated by the Oxford Police Department and the Granville County Sheriff’s office and was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Allison Capps.

Chason Harris pleaded guilty to one (1) count of 2nd Degree Murder w/o Regard for the March 27, 2024, death of Ka’Ron Siplen. Mr. Siplen’s death was the result of Mr. Harris passing a school bus on Belltown Road around 8:00 am. Mr. Harris passed right after another car did; however, Mr. Harris never returned to his lane of travel and continued to pick up speed in the wrong lane. Mr. Siplen’s vehicle was in his correct lane of travel and Mr. Harris’s vehicle struck him head-on causing his death. Mr. Harris was 17 years old at the time of the offense and was originally charged as a juvenile. Mr. Harris received a split sentence of 94 months minimum to 125 months maximum. Mr. Harris will serve active time for 12 months of this sentence and will then be on supervised probation with numerous conditions, including 100 hours of community service. This case was investigated by the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Allison Capps.

NC State Board of Elections

Need To Register To Vote? Deadline Is Friday, Feb. 6 To Vote In March 3 Primary; Same-Day Registration And Voting Still An Option

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 — From the N.C. State Board of Elections

Friday, Feb. 6 is the deadline to register to vote in the upcoming March 3 primary election.

Officials from the N.C. State Board of Elections state that eligible voters may still register and vote during the early voting period at any early voting site in their county. The early voting period is from Feb. 12-Feb. 28.

These “same-day registrants” must attest to their eligibility, provide proof of where they live, and show an acceptable form of photo ID. For more information, see Register in Person During Early Voting.

Early voting schedules are available at the Early Voting Sites Search.

Voter registration is prohibited on Election Day, unless an individual becomes eligible after the deadline by becoming a U.S. citizen or having their rights restored following a felony conviction.

“Eligible North Carolinians still have time to register to vote in these important primaries that will determine which candidates from each political party move on to the November election,” said State Board Executive Director Sam Hayes.

To check your voter registration information at any time, use the Voter Search tool.

Individuals with a North Carolina driver’s license or other NCDMV identification may submit a voter registration application online. Learn more at Complete Your Registration Online Through the DMV. Eligible individuals may also register in person at NCDMV offices.

Eligible residents may complete a Voter Registration Application in English or Spanish on paper and return it to their county board of elections by 5 p.m. the day of the deadline:

NC Voter Registration Application in English (fillable PDF)

NC Voter Registration Application in Spanish (fillable PDF)

Eligible individuals may also register to vote when applying for services at certain state agencies. Learn more at National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).

If an application is received after the deadline, it will be timely if postmarked on or before the deadline. If using the paper application and registering for the first time in your county, you must mail or deliver a signed application to your county board of elections.

The United States Postal Service recently clarified that postmarks are applied when the mail is processed at a processing facility, and this may not necessarily match the date on which the mail was collected by a letter carrier or dropped off at a post office. If an individual is mailing a voter registration form close to or on the deadline, they can ensure the postmark is applied the day they put their form in the mail. To do so, the individual should follow the USPS recommendation to request a manual postmark at the retail counter at the post office when dropping off their mail.

To register to vote, a person must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen.
  • Live at the residence they list on their registration form for 30 days before the date of the election.
  • Be at least 18 years old or will be by the date of the general election. Seventeen-year-olds who will be 18 by the general election — November 3 — may register and vote in the primary.
  • Not be serving a felony sentence, including any probation, post-release supervision, or parole.

To update a voter registration, voters may use the NCDMV online service or a North Carolina voter registration application. Registered voters may also update their registration, except for their party affiliation, at an early voting site.

Voters with a North Carolina driver’s license or other NCDMV ID may update their address and party affiliation through the NCDMV online service. They may not change their name through that service.

If using the paper application to update a registration, it must be signed and mailed to the voter’s county board of elections by Feb. 6. Updates to name, address (if within the county), and party affiliation must be signed, but can be provided by fax or email to the voter’s county board of elections.

For more information on registering to vote in North Carolina, visit https://www.ncsbe.gov/registering.

TownTalk: Kerr-Tar Senior Games Coming Soon

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Did you know that North Carolina has the largest Senior Games competition in the country? Now’s the time for senior adults to sign up to be a part of the 2026 games, which has individuals 50 and older in friendly competition in such popular games as cornhole and table tennis, just to name a few.

For one registration fee – $15 Early Bird registration goes up to $20 after Feb. 16 – participants can play in as many of the games as they’d like, according to Michael Patterson, Kerr-Tar Region Senior Games co-coordinator.

Patterson is teaming up with Kerr-Tar COG’s Crystal Allen to make sure the five counties in the Kerr-Tar region have a great experience with the Senior Games, which take place Mar. 15-May 15 throughout the region. Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person counties comprise Kerr-Tar.

The culminating activity, which includes a Silver Arts showcase, will take place at Aycock Rec Center on May 15. Silver Arts gives craftspeople, writers and performing artists a chance to display their interests in everything from quilting and art to line dancing and cheerleading.

Patterson is the Kerr-Tar COG’s Family Caregiver Specialist, and he said the Senior Games is a great event for those in the 50-plus age bracket.

“It’s a holistic approach to keeping the body, mind and spirit fit while enjoying friendly competition,” Patterson said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

Participants must be 50 on Jan. 1, 2026, to be eligible to compete, so those who turn 50 during 2026 have to wait until next year to sign up, he explained.

A lot of people play for fun and to be in fellowship with others their age, he said.

And then there are those who take it to a more competitive level.

Whether you’re a former athlete who wants to stay active playing sports you love or whether you’re learning new games in retirement, the Senior Games has something for every level of participant.

Local winners can move to state competition that takes place in the fall, and every two years, there’s a national Senior Games.

Granville County’s Ronnie Norwood represented North Carolina at the most recent national event in Idaho to play cornhole. A two-time national champion, the Stovall resident brought home the bronze from the Idaho games.

“He had the opportunity to represent North Carolina on a national level,” Patterson said.

“He loved it so, he took the competition to the state and then to the national” level.

Any time people can come together to participate in physical activity and have some fun at the same time is wonderful, Patterson said.

Playing games, having fun and socializing with friends, he said, is just one way “to ignite and inspire that passion again.”

May 1 is the deadline to submit items for the Silver Arts competition; details are available in the registration packet, Patterson said. They will be judged before the May 15 showcase, so winning entries will be displayed with ribbons for all to enjoy.

Registration is available online at www.torch.ncseniorgames.org, and Patterson also suggests that individuals contact the senior center in their county to find out more about the Senior Games, but also about the various programs and classes that they can participate in at the various locations across the Kerr-Tar region.

Here’s a list of the eight Senior Centers in the Kerr-Tar region:

Vance County- 252.430.0257

Warren County – 252.257.3111

Granville County:

Creedmoor – 919.528.0848

Oxford – 919.603.1930 A

Stovall: – 919.693.3383

Franklin County:

Louisburg – 919.496.1131

Franklinton – 919.494.5611

Person County: 336.599.7484

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Oxford Police Dept

Oxford Police Arrest Juvenile In Connection With Report Of Gun Fired Into An Occupied Vehicle

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-Information from the Oxford Police Department

On January 30, 2026, Oxford Police officers responded to the area of Granville Street and Spring Street after receiving a report of gunshots. Upon arrival, officers located and made contact with two individuals who reported that they had been shot at by an unknown juvenile male. The victims’ vehicle sustained visible damage, including two bullet holes.

While canvassing the area, officers obtained information indicating the suspect had entered a residence on Orange Street. Officers made contact with the occupant of the residence and, following a brief investigation, determined the suspect was inside.

The suspect, a 16-year-old juvenile, was taken into custody and transported to the Oxford Police Department for processing.

During the investigation, officers recovered a stolen 9mm handgun. The juvenile was charged with two counts of assault with a deadly weapon, shooting into an occupied vehicle  and possessing a stolen firearm.

NC Coop Extension

NE Piedmont Grain Production Meeting Feb. 5 At Vance County Regional Farmers Market

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The NE Piedmont Grain Production Meeting will be held Thursday, Feb. 5 at 5 p.m. at the Vance Regional Farmers Market, 210 Southpark Dr. in Henderson.

Supper is included.

Registration is required and can be completed at go.ncsu.edu/nepiedmont2026.

Participants also will have the chance to earn a 2-hour N,O,D,X pesticide credit.

For more information, contact Matthew Place, Warren County Cooperative Extension Agriculture Agent for more information at 919.496.3344 or via email at matthew_place@ncsu.edu.

TownTalk: Around Old Granville – Stories Of The American Revolution From Old Granville County

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The phrases “Fourth of July “ and “Independence Day” are used interchangeably to note THE date when the American Colonists declared formal independence from Great Britain.

This year marks the 250th anniversary of that official Declaration of Independence, with ongoing celebrations marking the historic moment.

But it took eight years for the 13 Colonies – including North Carolina – to gain independence from Great Britain. What began in New England in April 1775 made a slow march south. Famous battles that took place in North Carolina include those at Guilford Courthouse near present-day Greensboro and Moores Creek near Wilmington.

And while there weren’t any battles fought in Granville County, local historian Mark Pace and WIZS’s Bill Harris agree that the area contributed mightily to the effort.

Indeed, there were folks who lived in North Carolina in the 1760’s and 1770’s who had grown weary of British rule. In 1771, these “Regulators” took up arms against Gov. Tryon and his troops. They didn’t prevail, but Pace said the effort helped establish a pattern in North Carolina where the people didn’t like an overbearing and authoritative government.

“By the time the unrest from New England came, they were ready,” Pace said.

The colony was fairly evenly divided between Patriots and Loyalists – a third were loyal to the Crown of England, a third supported independence and a third were going to wait to see which side prevailed and then side with the winner. Not surprisingly, wealthy landowners tended to side with Loyalists, with smaller farmers feeling a greater economic pinch from all the taxes imposed on them by the British.

The way Pace and Harris figure it, there were about 600 individuals from the original Granville County that served in the American Revolution. Of that number, about 35 lost their lives in the war.

But “service” isn’t limited to donning a uniform and seeing action on the battlefield.

There were key figures from North Carolina who played integral roles during this eight-year struggle for freedom, among them Thomas Person, Gen. Jethro Sumner, Col. Robert Burton and Col. John Williams, just to name a few.

Person was a general in the militia and Pace called him a “driving force” behind independence.

Although he didn’t see much action on the battlefield, Person was in charge of training troops and, as quartermaster general, provided food, weapons and lodging. He ponied up a lot of his own money to the war effort, Pace said, and had a training facility at Goshen, his plantation near what is now Berea in Granville County.

Like Person, Sumner, who lived in present-day Warren County, trained troops. With his “regular army” background, Gen. Nathanael Greene sought his help and Sumner’s brigades fought in South Carolina at the Battle of Eutaw Springs in 1781. Sumner missed out on the famous Guilford Courthouse battle in March 1781, but his remains were re-interred there in 1891 to commemorate his contributions to the Revolution.

Burton hailed from Williamsboro and lived in a home called Blooming Hope, later changed to Cedar Walk. Pace said he was a significant figure in establishing Patriot troops and getting them organized.

Incidentally, Burton ran a distillery and sold livestock, Pace said. There’s a ledger entry from 1774 that notes the sale of a gray mare to a member of the Transylvania Company that helped to settle Tennessee and Kentucky. Who was it? A fellow named Daniel Boone.

Williams, for whom the Vance County community of Williamsboro is named, was one of the signers of the Articles of Confederation, which was used as a framework for governance between 1775 and 1789, when the U.S. Constitution was finally in place.

The Articles of Confederation focused on keeping a federal style of government weak – there was no president, no executive branch, no national army or national tax as part of these articles, Pace explained.

For the period around the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, the government of North Carolina was moved temporarily from Hillsborough to Williamsboro and legislators stayed at Williams’s house.

Williams’s home, Montpelier, was supposed to be “the nicest old home in Williamsboro,” Pace said.

The home burned in 1885, when it was owned by the Bullock family. The home was rebuilt and that home burned around 2000. Williams, Burton and Leonard Henderson, for whom the city of Henderson is named, are all buried on the property.

If you’d like to research your family tree to find out if your ancestors fought in the American Revolution, check out the North Carolina Room at Thornton Library in Oxford. In addition to online research tools like ancestry.com, the North Carolina Room has a five-volume set of the Daughters of the American Revolution that includes information on every soldier they know of who fought in battles between 1775 and 1783.

 

 

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Triangle North Healthcare Foundation 2026 Grant Funding Cycle Open

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Triangle North Healthcare Foundation has announced the launch of its 2026 grant cycle and is accepting Letters of Interest through March 31, 2026.

The Foundation seeks programs and projects that will provide positive impact in one or more of the five focus areas:

  • Child Well-Being
  • Chronic Disease
  • Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders
  • Nutrition and Physical Activity
  • Reproductive Health

 

Nonprofit organizations, government agencies and schools serving individuals in Franklin, Granville, Vance, and Warren counties are eligible to apply.

The link to the Foundation’s online grant portal is available at: http://www.tnhfoundation.org

The Foundation’s mission– to encourage, support and invest in quality efforts that measurably improve health in the Triangle North area– is achieved through funding programming and organizations that focus on improving health.

Since beginning its grantmaking in 2013, the Foundation has invested more than $6.7 million in programs that serve the four counties in the region: Franklin, Granville, Vance, and Warren. The Foundation Board’s hope is that through grantee organizations and the people they serve, the Board’s vision for the future of our region will be realized… “to live in a healthy community.”

The Foundation’s grants coordinator, Elise Frederick, is available to discuss ideas for grant projects or to assist with grant writing. First-time applicants are encouraged to contact the Foundation prior to submitting a Letter of Interest. Call 252.430.8532 to schedule an appointment. Information about current and previously funded programs and projects is also available on the website.

 

2026 Senior Games Registration Opens Feb. 2

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Senior athletes in the Kerr-Tar Region, it’s time to start thinking about which games you’d like to enter in the Senior Games 2026, which begin later this spring.

Early bird registration runs Feb. 2 through Feb. 16 and is $15; the registration goes up to $20 after Feb. 16. The registration deadline is Mar. 2, according to information from Michael Patterson, with the Kerr-Tar COG’s Family Caregiver Specialist.

The dates for the games are Mar. 20 – May 15, 2026. The Silver Arts date is scheduled for May 15, 2026.

The games include:

badminton, basketball, billiards, bocce, bowling, cornhole, croquet, cycling, disc golf, discus, running and standing long jumps, football throw, golf, horseshoes, mini golf pickleball, shuffleboard, softball throw, swimming, table tennis, tennis and track events.

Individuals compete for awards in their own gender and age category with 5-year increments.

50-54, 55-59, 60-64, etc.

There are additional fees for bowling ($5), mini golf ($3) and golf ($40)

Register at your local senior center or visit https://torch.ncseniorgames.org.

For more information, contact Michael Patterson at 252.436.2040 ext. 6072 or Crystal Allen at 252.436.2040 ext. 2036.

Find more information at www.kerrtarcog.org or www.facebook.com/KerrTarAAA/

SportsTalk: Oxford Prep Winds Down Bowling Season

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John Hammett, Athletic Director at Oxford Prep, joins SportsTalk with Scout Hughes and George Hoyle to talk about how the Triangle North Bowling League came about. The guys also talk about the future of Oxford Prep with expansion to its school.

High School Basketball Games on Wednesday – Boys

  • Vance Charter @ South Granville
  • Henderson Collegiate vs. Excelsior
  • Falls Lake vs. Bunn
  • Franklinton vs. Wake Forest
  • Wake Prep vs. Nash Central

High School Basketball Games on Wednesday – Girls

  • Vance Charter @ South Granville
  • Falls Lake vs. Bunn
  • Franklinton vs. Wake Forest
  • Wake Prep vs. Nash Central

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