Thornton Library Welcomes New Adult Services Librarian

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 -Press Release, Granville County Government

The Granville County Library System welcomes Melanie Baldwin to the Richard H. Thornton branch in Oxford.

As Adult Services Librarian, Baldwin will be responsible for developing, promoting, presenting and evaluating programs and displays for adult patrons, as well as assisting in the development of the materials for the collection of books/resources and other duties.

Baldwin began work in her new role on April 1.

The Granville County Library System welcomes Melanie Baldwin to the Richard H. Thornton branch in Oxford. Baldwin began work in her new role on April 1, 2020. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt)

A native of Vance County, Baldwin lived in Ann Arbor, Michigan for seven years before returning to the area. She is a graduate of the North Carolina School of Science and Math and attended the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and North Carolina State University, where she earned her undergraduate degree. While working at the college library at UNC Wilmington, she decided to pursue a career as a librarian, later earning her Masters degree in Library Science from North Carolina Central University.

“I wish I had been able to meet our patrons in person,” Baldwin said, “but, unfortunately, we are all doing our best to slow the spread of COVID-19. I hope everyone is taking care at this time, and I hope to be able to bring some library services to you over the internet.”

A fan of young adult fiction and fantasy books, Baldwin is married and resides in Henderson. She can be reached online through “Ask a Librarian” on the Granville County Library System website (https://granville.lib.nc.us) and at melanie.baldwin@granvillecounty.org. A new “chat” option is also available at https://granville.lib.nc.us/chat/.

While the four branches of the Granville County Library System continue to be closed to the public, Baldwin offers a reminder that curbside pickup service has again been made available from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at the Thornton Library in Oxford and at the South Branch library in Creedmoor.

Those wishing to reserve materials can simply call in or message either library branch with a list of requested materials, park at a curbside library space and give the library a call. Your materials will be placed on an outside table to be conveniently retrieved. (Limit five books, five DVDs and five audiobooks.) Contact the Thornton Library at 919-693-1121 and the South Branch at 919-528-1752 to make your materials requests.

NCDHHS

Food & Nutrition Services Participants Now Authorized for Online Grocery Purchases

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-Press Release, NCDHHS

As of May 6, 2020, North Carolina Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) participants will be able to purchase groceries online using their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards at authorized online EBT retailers. North Carolina is the 10th state to implement this flexibility, which will remain permanently in place beyond the COVID-19 emergency.

The new flexibility will allow participants to buy food while also promoting social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and helping families with transportation and mobility barriers.

“People need to feed their families while also practicing social distancing,” said NC Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen, M.D. “This will allow families to order groceries at home and lower their risk of getting sick.”

Currently, Amazon and Walmart are the only authorized retailers approved for online FNS purchases nationally. The U.S. Department of Agriculture must approve other retailers who wish to participate in the FNS online purchasing program. NCDHHS encourages other EBT retailers to pursue USDA approval to become authorized online retailers.

All EBT retailers in North Carolina have received information from USDA about how to become approved for online FNS purchases and other retailers are encouraged to seek approval for online purchasing. More information for retailers is available on the USDA website.

More information about North Carolina Food and Nutrition Services can be found at https://www.ncdhhs.gov/assistance/low-income-services/food-nutrition-services-food-stamps.

North Carolina individuals and families can apply for FNS at https://epass.nc.gov/CitizenPortal/application.do

Oxford Logo

Oxford Board of Commissioners to Meet Via Zoom Tues., May 12

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-Information courtesy Cynthia Bowen, City Clerk, City of Oxford

The City of Oxford Board of Commissioners will hold their regular monthly meeting online via Zoom on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, at 7 p.m.

If you would like to participate in the public hearing/comment section of the meeting, please reach out to City Clerk, Cynthia Bowen, before the meeting. She can be reached by email at cbowen@oxfordnc.org.

Zoom Meeting Instructions:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87289743640pwd=RW1mWldjQVVTWXRVQmJVdVNXS1FRQT09

Meeting ID: 872 8974 3640

Password: 755973

Dial by your location

+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

Meeting ID: 872 8974 3640

Password: 755973

Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kcyUIASYs9

Agenda items include:

Public Hearing to hear citizen input on annexing and assigning a zoning classification to the property off Hwy 158 at the corner of the l-85 on-ramp. The zoning classification should be a B2 (highway business) if the property is annexed into the city limit.

Consider accepting the Sufficiency of Petition certified by the City Clerk on a noncontiguous annexation of 2 parcels of land totaling 4.91 acres of land located off of Hwy 158 by Land Seitz. LLC. Consider annexing and assigning the zoning classification.

Consider accepting the Sufficiency of Petition certified by the City Clerk and calling for a Public Hearing for the May 12, 2020, regular board meeting to hear citizen input to annex 2.89 additional acres for Oxford Preparatory School.

Receive Proposed Budget from City Manager Thornton. (A copy will be available on meeting night.)

Consider calling for a Public Hearing for the June 9, 2020, meeting to hear public input on the FY 2020-2021 Budget.

Consider request from Patricia H. Watkins for approving a one-lot subdivision requiring a fivefoot variance from section 81.42 of the subdivision ordinance.

Consider adopting a demolition ordinance in order to demolish structure located at 501 Henderson St. owned by Fellow Lewis of 8340 Perrypine Drive Apt. 102 Raleigh, NC 27616.

Consider adopting the 2017 B Water Line Resolution that accepts a loan offer in the amount of $2,855,562 and the associated Capital Proiect Ordinance for the 2017 B Water Line Replacement Project.

Consider authorizing the City Manager to sign a Task Order Amendment for additional engineering services for the 2017 B Water Line Replacement Project with McGill Associates.

Consider adopting the Water and Sewer System Development Fee (SDF).

Please click here for the full meeting agenda.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

GVPH COVID-19 Update: 17 Deaths in District, Three Congregate Living Outbreaks

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-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health

As of May 7, 2020, there are 145 known COVID-19 cases in Granville County, 140 cases in Vance County, and 13,397 confirmed cases in North Carolina.

There are currently three outbreaks at congregate living facilities in the district – one at the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, NC, one at Pelican Health in Henderson, NC, and one at Kerr Lake Nursing Home in Henderson, NC.

Of the total positive cases in each county, 81 in Granville County are associated with the prison, 46 in Vance County are associated with Pelican Health nursing home, and 10 are associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home.

Of the 64 community-based cases in Granville County, 36 have been released from isolation and 58 of the 81 cases at the prisons have been released from isolation.

Of the 140 cases in Vance, 22 have been released from isolation and 12 are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 17 deaths in the health district – 11 in Vance County and six with the Bureau of Prisons in Granville County.

GVPH updates its website daily with Vance and Granville COVID-19 statistics. Please visit www.gvph.org/COVID-19/ for the latest information.

Golden LEAF Receives $125M to Support COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Loan Program

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-Press Release, Golden LEAF Foundation

The Golden LEAF Board of Directors took action this week in response to House Bill 1043. The bill includes $125 million to provide grants to entities for the purpose of making loans to assist small businesses affected by the economic impact of COVID-19.

The Board modified the terms of the existing NC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Loan Program to align with the provisions of the bill. Loans made from the program to small businesses will include a limit on the number of employees per business, a minimum interest rate for the first six months of the loan term, and an increased time for repayment.

The NC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Loan Program was launched on March 24 with an initial allocation of $15 million provided by Golden LEAF. Applications were quickly submitted well in excess of the available funding. Golden LEAF worked with the Office of Governor Roy Cooper and leadership of the North Carolina General Assembly to appropriate the additional funds to support this program and address identified demand. With this additional funding in place, applications will continue to be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Golden LEAF Board Chair Bo Biggs said, “The Golden LEAF Foundation Board of Directors thanks the Governor and General Assembly for their leadership. We are honored that Golden LEAF can serve as a trusted conduit for much-needed resources to assist small businesses during this crisis.”

“The significant volume of applications in the pipeline is indicative of the severity of the statewide economic impact COVID-19 has had on North Carolina’s small businesses,” said Golden LEAF Foundation President Scott T. Hamilton. “Today’s action will enable the program to continue to provide much-needed support to the State’s small businesses, especially those most at risk for permanent closure.”

“Today, North Carolina’s small business owners are facing an unprecedented economic challenge–and it will take a sustained statewide effort to support them through this crisis,” said NC Rural Center President Patrick Woodie, whose organization manages the program in partnership with Golden LEAF. “The NC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery program would not have been possible without the quick response and ‘can-do’ attitude of our partners, Golden LEAF’s ongoing support, and the confidence of the North Carolina General Assembly.”

The NC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Loan Program offers low-interest loans of up to $50,000 with no payments for six months to businesses affected by COVID-19. If not repaid in six months, the loan will automatically convert to a term loan.

The Rural Center acts as a program administrator, managing the flow of loan applications to lending partners for underwriting and servicing. Lending partners include Business Expansion Funding Corporation (BEFCOR), Carolina Small Business Development Fund, Mountain BizWorks, Natural Capital Investment Fund, Piedmont Business Capital, Sequoyah Fund, and Thread Capital.

Small-business owners affected by Coronavirus (COVID-19) can learn more about the NC COVID-19 Rapid Recovery Loan Program and apply for a loan at https://ncrapidrecovery.org/ or to speak with someone about this program or other resources available to small businesses, contact Business Link North Carolina (BLNC) at 800.228.8443.

VGCC Logo

Reminder: VGCC Students to Present ’26 Pebbles’ Play Online Today, Tomorrow

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Going out to see a play may be impossible due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, but the Drama program at Vance-Granville Community College is trying an innovative approach to bring the theatre to the community.

VGCC, like all community colleges across North Carolina, has temporarily shifted all classes online. Betsy Henderson, the college’s Department Chair/Instructor of Humanities and Fine Arts, and her Drama students decided they wanted to somehow put on a play online, as well. After consulting with VGCC’s Information Technology department, plans were made to use the online video-conferencing service, Zoom (available at zoom.us), to both rehearse and present the production.

“We are not physically able to tell the play in the traditional way,” Henderson explained. “This way will allow the students to tell the story and keep everyone safe. It will also provide the community with a much-needed outlet during this time of quarantine.”

The college will present two performances, via Zoom “meetings,” of the play “26 Pebbles” by Eric Ulloa, on May 7 and May 8 at 7:30 p.m.

This documentary-style drama is set at a town hall meeting in Newtown, Connecticut, six months after December 14, 2012, when a gunman walked into Sandy Hook Elementary School and killed 26 people (including 20 children) before taking his own life. The play likens these 26 deaths to “pebbles thrown into a pond,” which created ripples and vibrations that were felt far beyond the initial impacts.

The playwright conducted interviews with members of the community in Newtown and crafted them into an exploration of gun violence and a small town shaken by a horrific event. “26 Pebbles” premiered in Dayton, Ohio, in 2017, and has since been performed around the country.

“It is a very powerful story,” Henderson said. “It paints a picture of what the community was like before that terrible day, the confusion and frenzy on the day of that attack, and the chaos of the aftermath.”

The cast includes students Miranda Brown as “Georgia,” Ashley Ayscue as “Julie,” Rose O’Malley as “Yolie,” Brian Johnson as “Rabbi Praver” and “Mike,” Daniel Thorpe as “Joe” and “Chris,” Cheyenne Guerrant as “Jeriann,” Blake Lee as “Michael” and “Darren,” Kelli Baker as “Carrie,” Matthew Varker as “Father Weiss” and “Bill,” Amanda Cease as “Carole,” Kathleen Zoldos as “Jenn,” Eiley Cook as “Starr,” Mary Parish as “Sally,” and Chelsea Benjamin as “Carla.”

Kelli Baker and Chris Nicholson serve as the “virtual” stage managers, while Kristen Ham is a crew member and will serve as a pianist.

All these students will be in their own homes on their own computers during the performance. With the Zoom service, when a particular actor begins talking, the image automatically switches to an enlarged video of that actor, making it easy for the audience to follow the dialogue.

Henderson thinks that giving students this opportunity to present the play to the community is important. “I think we need the arts and artists at a time like this,” she said. “Entertainment, happiness and joy are important. The arts touch you in ways you may not realize at first. The Arts, and theatre especially, have a way to elevate the everyday and bring light to our world. In times like this, we need connection. We need meaning, and we need artists to help us all feel.”

Anyone interested in experiencing either performance should contact Betsy Henderson at hendersonb@vgcc.edu. She will provide each “attendee” with the Zoom meeting ID.

U.S. Department of Justice

Butner Federal Inmates Indicted for Inciting Riot, Assault on Federal Officers

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-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice

A federal grand jury returned an indictment on Wednesday charging two inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina (“FCI Butner I”) with assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers, as well as inciting or participating in a mutiny or riot within a federal penal institution.

According to the indictment, on April 22, 2020, Rene Moreno-Castillo and Javier Tijerina allegedly assaulted, resisted, or impeded federal officers during the performance of their official duties at FCI Butner I.

Specifically, Moreno-Castillo is alleged to have pulled a fire extinguisher from the wall during an open disagreement with staff about housing assignments and sprayed them with its chemical contents.

Additionally, the indictment alleges that on the same day, prior to the discharge of the fire extinguisher, Tijerina, expressing the same perceived disagreement, incited and attempted to cause or assisted in a mutiny or riot within FCI Butner I by openly yelling, gesturing, and threatening “action” by the inmates if housing assignments did not change.

According to the indictment, after spraying staff, inmate Moreno-Castillo barricaded the unit door with lockers which he ripped from the wall and slid against the door, tied the door shut with a bedsheet, and continued to spray the fire extinguisher, filling the unit with the powder contents. FCI Butner I staff, including a tactical Complex-wide Quick Response Force, were emergently called to the scene to regain control of the unit.

Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina commented: “Effectively managing a federal prison is a complex and difficult job but is one that is critical to the enforcement of our criminal laws and to ensuring the safety of people in every community across the country.  The men and women who serve us from behind the walls of facilities like those at Butner deserve our support and swift enforcement when prisoners take any action that impedes their work or, as here, threatens the security of those officers and risks the proper order and management of the prison.  This indictment deals with the offenders who tried to incite a riot within the Butner facility but is also designed to send a message to anyone else who might consider this type of action; there will be consequences if you jeopardize the security of our prisons or endanger the brave officers and employees who serve us from within the facility.”

Moreno-Castillo is charged with the violation of 18 U.S.C. § 111 and 18 U.S.C. § 1792. If convicted, he faces a maximum potential penalty of eight or ten years in prison, respectively. Inmate Tijerina is charged with a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1792, he faces a maximum potential penalty of ten years in prison.

U.S. Attorney Higdon made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Brooks Storus is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

GVPH COVID-19 Update: Outbreak Reported at Kerr Lake Nursing Home

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-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health

As of May 6, 2020, there are 149 known COVID-19 cases in Granville County, 135 cases in Vance County, and 12,758 confirmed cases in North Carolina.

There are three outbreaks at congregate living facilities in the district – one at the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, NC, one at Pelican Health in Henderson, NC, and one at Kerr Lake Nursing Home in Henderson, NC.

Of the total positive cases in each county, 87 in Granville County are associated with the prison, 47 in Vance County are associated with Pelican Health Nursing Home and 10 are associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home.

Of the 62 community-based cases in Granville County, 36 have been released from isolation and 47 of the 87 cases at the prisons have been released from isolation.

Of the 135 cases in Vance, 20 have been released from isolation and 8 are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 16 deaths in the health district – 10 in Vance County and 6 with the Bureau of Prisons in Granville County.

GVPH updates its website daily with Vance and Granville COVID-19 statistics. Please visit www.gvph.org/COVID-19/ for the latest information.

N.C. Air National Guard Flyover ‘Operation American Resolve’ to Include Butner, NC

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-Press Release, North Carolina Air National Guard

The 145th Airlift Wing, North Carolina Air National Guard will be conducting a one aircraft C-17 flyover of various North Carolina cities, hospitals, and food banks on Thursday, May 7, 2020, as part of Operation: American Resolve.

The flyover is to demonstrate the Department of the Air Force’s continued readiness during the national COVID-19 response while saluting the American heroes at the forefront in our fight against COVID-19. These flyovers will incur no additional cost to taxpayers and are being conducted as part of regularly scheduled training.

The C-17 will depart the Charlotte Douglass International Airport at 10 a.m. and travel to the locations listed below.

Please remember proper social distancing and protective measures while viewing.

Questions can be directed to the 145th Airlift Wing, Public Affairs Office at 910-916-0868.

Route of Flight:

All times are subject to change.

Asheville, NC (10:50 a.m.) – Mission Hospital, Manna Food Bank, Black Mountain Neuro-Medical Treatment Center
and J.F.K. Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center

Morganton, NC (11:02 a.m.) – Broughton Hospital, J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center

Hickory, NC (11:07 a.m.) – Frye Regional Medical Hospital

Statesville, NC (11:12 a.m.) – Iredell Memorial Hospital

Winston Salem, NC (11:21 a.m.) – Wake Forest Baptist Hospital, Bowman Gray Campus, Second Harvest Food Bank of NW, NC

Greensboro/Burlington, NC (11:30 a.m.) – High Point Regional, Moses Cone Memorial Hospital, Lab Corp Burlington Corporate Headquarters

Chapel Hill, NC (11:39 a.m.) – UNC-Chapel Hill Hospital

Durham, NC (11:42 a.m.) – Durham VA Medical Center, Duke University Hospital

Butner, NC (11:46 a.m.) – Central Regional Hospital, Murdoch Developmental Center, R.J. Blackley Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center

Raleigh, NC (11:50 a.m.) – UNC REX Hospital, NC National Guard JFHQ, Wake Med Hospital, Food Bank of Central and Eastern NC, Duke/Raleigh Hospital, Downtown Raleigh

Goldsboro, NC (12:09 p.m.) – Cherry Hospital, O’berry Neuro-Medical Treatment Center

Wilson, NC (12:15 p.m.) – Longleaf Neuro-Medical Treatment

Greenville, NC (12:21 p.m.) – Vidant Medical Center, Walter B. Jones Alcohol & Drug Abuse Treatment Center, Greenville Veteran’s Health Care Center

Kinston, NC (12:28 p.m.) – Caswell Development Center

Jacksonville, NC (12:35 p.m.) – Onslow Memorial Hospital

Wilmington, NC (12:48 p.m.) – New Hanover Regional Medical Center

Charlotte, NC (1:25 p.m.) – Harris Teeter Distribution Center, Novant Health Presbyterian Med Ctr, Atrium Health Charlotte, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina

MISSION COMPLETE

Are You Ready? May 3-9 Hurricane Preparedness Week 2020

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-Information courtesy Granville County Government

This week is Hurricane Preparedness Week! Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, but most storms hit from mid-August to mid-October.

All residents are encouraged to take this time to update emergency supply kits with enough non-perishable food and water to last each person in your family a minimum of one week. Kits should also include:

• First-aid kit
• Weather radio and batteries
• Prescription medicines
• Sleeping bag or blankets
• Changes of clothes
• Hygiene items such as toothbrush, toothpaste, soap and deodorant
• Cash
• Pet supplies including food, water, bedding, leashes, muzzle and vaccination records.

If you live in a storm surge hurricane evacuation zone or if you’re in a home that would be unsafe during a hurricane, figure out where you’d go and how you’d get there if told to evacuate.

“Know Your Zone” is a cooperative effort of North Carolina Emergency Management and county emergency management partners and is a tiered evacuation system that highlights areas most vulnerable to impacts from hurricanes, tropical storms and other hazards.

After being piloted during the 2019 hurricane season, state and county emergency management will partner to officially launch the Know Your Zone initiative prior to the peak of the 2020 season. In preparation for the launch and the coming hurricane season, visit http://knowyourzone.nc.gov for an interactive lookup tool, FAQ, and other educational resources.

More information on severe weather and hurricane preparedness is located at www.ReadyNC.org.