Local News - WIZS

Rescued Kitten Prompts City of Oxford to Organize Animal Shelter Donation Drive

July 22, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Press Release, City of Oxford

The sound of faint meowing surprised Allen West and Roger Elliot, of the City of Oxford Street Department, as they were working to fix a damaged storm drain grate off of College Street on Monday, July 13.

After assisting Granville County Animal Control, the kitten, who has been dubbed Juniper, was rescued and taken to the Animal Shelter to be evaluated. He was extremely dehydrated and a bit ill, but all who have met Juniper have described him to be a very friendly kitten. He is currently being fostered until he is well enough to be put up for adoption.

The City of Oxford has been inspired by Juniper’s spirit and has started a donation drive in his honor. You can drop off items at City Hall located at 300 Williamsboro Street in Oxford.

Items needed include:

Friskies canned food
Cat litter
Kitten formula
Kitten food
Dog and puppy food
Chew toys (please no raw-hides)
Laundry soap
Dish soap
Fabuloso cleaning products
SMALL aluminum pans

All donations collected will go to the Granville County Animal Shelter. The donation drive will run from August 3 – September 3, 2020.

It is essential to look after all of our neighbors, including the furry ones. Help the City of Oxford take care of Juniper and all the cats and dogs currently at our local shelter.

If you’re looking for a new addition to your family, consider adopting Juniper or one of his new friends at the shelter. Make sure to contact the Granville County Animal Shelter through their Facebook page Granville County Animal Shelter Friends to set up appointments for any adoptions.

Granville Board of Education to Hold Special Meeting on School Re-Entry Options

July 22, 2020/by WIZS Staff

THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools

The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a Special Meeting on Thursday, July 23, 2020, at 2 p.m. The purpose of this meeting will be for the Board of Education to discuss School Re-Entry options and updates for the upcoming school year.

Due to the current statewide State of Emergency, and in order to protect the health and safety of board members, staff and the public, this meeting will be conducted electronically, with members of the public invited to view the live stream.

To join the live stream meeting, please use the following link: https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=MDhkZj

To view the agenda for this meeting, please click here.

GVPH: Local COVID-19 Update as of 7/20/20 – Hospitalizations, Deaths Holding Steady

July 21, 2020/by WIZS Staff

THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

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-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health

The following is an update for COVID-19 spread and response in Granville and Vance County as of July 20, 2020. Granville Vance Public Health numbers correlate with the NC Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NCEDSS) data.

The county case numbers reported on the NC county map from the NC Department of Health and Human Services may differ from the ones reported locally as they are updated at different times and may change once residence is verified.

Granville County

1,035 positive test results for COVID-19.

Of those 1,035, 535 are community-spread cases located across Granville County, Of those 535, 397 have been released from isolation and seven are hospitalized.

Of those 1,035, 486 cases are affiliated with the prison system in Granville County. Of those 486, 95 have been released from isolation.

Of those 1,035, 11 are associated with an outbreak at long term care facilities including six at Murdoch Development Center, two at Central Regional Hospital, one at Brantwood Nursing and Rehab Center, and two at Universal Health Care in Oxford, NC.

Of the 11 cases in long term care facilities in Granville County, five have been released from isolation.

There have been a total of 25 deaths in Granville County, three in the community, one at Central Regional Hospital, and 21 of whom were associated with the Bureau of Prisons Federal Correctional Complex.

Vance County

607 positive test results for COVID-19.

Of those 607, 484 are community-spread cases located across Vance County. Of those 484, 383 have been released from isolation.

Of those 607, 123 are associated with outbreaks at congregate living facilities including 48 cases associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home and 17 associated with Senior Citizens Home. The outbreak at Pelican Health nursing home is no longer active.

Of the 123 cases in congregate living facilities in Vance County, 44 have been released from isolation.

Three individuals in Vance County are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 40 deaths in Vance County, 14 of whom were associated with the Pelican Health nursing home outbreak, 11 of whom were associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home, and two of whom were associated with Senior Citizens Home.

WIZS Note: There are 101 total active cases in the Vance County community at large at this time. This is an increase of 13 active cases since Monday, July 13, 2020. Fortunately, COVID-19 related deaths and hospitalizations are holding steady.

Additional Information

The number of those who have been ‘released from isolation’ is determined by the CDC Guidance for discontinuation of isolation for persons with COVID-19.

Please visit www.gvph.org/COVID-19/ for the latest information from Granville Vance Public Health and to sign up for daily email updates.

Families Living Violence Free Continues Lunch & Learn Sessions, Introduces Puppet Show

July 21, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Information courtesy Families Living Violence Free

Families Living Violence Free (FLVF) invites the public to join its Domestic Violence 101 Lunch & Learn weekly series online via Zoom. Sessions will be held from 12 until 1 p.m. each Wednesday through August 12, 2020.

Remaining Sessions Include:

July 22, 2020 – Domestic Violence and the Effects on Children

July 29, 2020 – When Loving You is Hurting Me

August 5, 2020 – Healthy Relationships

August 12, 2020 – Personal Boundaries

Families Living Violence Free also invites you to Kids Corner, an online puppet show that addresses issues children may face. Please visit https://flvf.org/kids-corner/ for upcoming shows.

Please visit FLVF’s website at www.flvf.org or call (919) 693-5700 to register for the Lunch & Learn sessions. The link to each week’s Zoom session will be available on the FLVF website.

Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments Receives $1.2 Million CARES Act Grant

July 20, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Information courtesy U.S. Department of Commerce press release

On Friday, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $8.4 million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants to capitalize and administer Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) that will provide critical gap financing to small businesses and entrepreneurs in North Carolina that have been adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

“These investments come at a crucial time to help North Carolina’s and our nation’s economy come roaring back and provide hard-working Americans with new opportunities,” said Dana Gartzke, Performing the Delegated Duties of the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development. “Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities, and EDA is pleased to invest these CARES Act funds to help North Carolina businesses with their capital needs as they respond to coronavirus.”

Locally, the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments, Henderson, North Carolina, will receive a $1.2 million EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to assist small businesses by providing much-needed capital through a RLF that will serve coronavirus impacted businesses in Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance, and Warren counties.

The CARES Act, signed into law by President Donald J. Trump, provides EDA with $1.5 billion for economic development assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus pandemic.

On May 7, Secretary Ross announced that EDA is accepting applications for CARES Act Recovery Assistance funding opportunities.

EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance, which is being administered under the authority of the bureau’s flexible Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) program, provides a wide range of financial assistance to eligible communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

For complete information, please visit EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance page.

Granville Chamber Seeking Donated Items for New Teacher Welcome Bags

July 20, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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The Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s 2020 recognition and welcome for new teachers to the county will be a gift bag filled with donations from Chamber members.

The 100 gift bags will be distributed to Chamber member school systems Falls Lake Academy, Granville County Public Schools and Oxford Preparatory School. Large gift bags are being provided by Granville Health System.

Chamber members are encouraged to provide gift bag donation items by Tuesday, July 28, 2020. Please call or email to request staff to pick up items, or items may be delivered at either Chamber office location – 124 Hillsboro St., Oxford, (919) 693-6125, wanda@granville-chamber.com or 1598 NC Hwy 56, between Butner and Creedmoor, (919) 528-4994, tawheeler@granville-chamber.com.

Chamber staff will prepare the gift bags with the many goodies members will donate. Donor businesses will be recognized on a sheet included in the gift bags.

In past years, members have donated items such as business swag, pens, pencils, note pads, coupons, gift cards, key chains, rulers, tape measures, hand sanitizer, health and beauty products, candy/microwave popcorn/small bag of coffee/small snack bag of crackers or chips with a business card attached.

Granville’s new teachers are always very appreciative of these efforts!

Oxford Man Indicted by Federal Grand Jury on Gun and Drug Charges

July 20, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice

A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging an Oxford man with illegally possessing a firearm and crack distribution.

According to the indictment, Connell Clayton Lester, 55, is charged with possessing a firearm while subject to a domestic violence protective order, possessing a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine base (crack).

According to the indictment, on March 5, 2020, Lester, a convicted felon, possessed a Hi-Point 9mm handgun while subject to a domestic violence protective order from New York. It is alleged that the order restrained Lester from harassing, stalking, assaulting, or threatening an intimate partner and prohibited him from possessing a firearm.

Additionally, the indictment alleges that Lester possessed with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and distributed crack cocaine. If convicted, he faces up to twenty years imprisonment for the drug charge and ten years for the firearm count.

Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Dodson is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities.

For more information about Project Guardian, please see https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.

Information Sought for Two Persons of Interest in Berea Mini-Mart Robbery

July 17, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Information and photos courtesy Granville County Crime Stoppers

Information about two persons of interest is being requested after a July 13, 2020, robbery of the Berea Mini-Mart, located off Hwy 156 W in Oxford, NC.

During late evening hours, $1,000 was criminally removed from the cash drawer. The Granville County Crime Stoppers Board of Directors has authorized the payment of a reward for information leading to the arrest/indictment of those responsible for this crime.

If you can help identify the men pictured below or have any information to share about this incident, please contact Granville County Crime Stoppers at (919) 693-3100 or the Granville County Sheriff’s Office at (919) 693-3213.

NCHSAA Delays Start of Fall Sports Season Until at Least September 1

July 17, 2020/by WIZS Staff

THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Press Release, NCHSAA

On Tuesday, Governor Cooper announced the reopening plan for the 2020-2021 school year. He also indicated that the NCHSAA would be making the decisions relative to sports. The NCHSAA Board of Directors approved the following rule and calendar changes:

The start of NCHSAA fall sports is delayed until at least September 1.
The first five (5) student days of the 2020-2021 school year will be designated as a “dead period” for ALL sports, allowing school staff to focus on the start of school.
NCHSAA Phase One of the summer conditioning and workouts will continue until further notice.

Commissioner Que Tucker provides the following statement at this time.

“For now, we believe these steps provide hope for our student-athletes, and the possibility for playing fall sports We know that many decisions are being made relative to the reopening plan your school(s) will follow. After each LEA has had an opportunity to formalize and finalize those reopening plans, the NCHSAA Staff will survey the membership to determine how sports should and/or can fit into the various models that will exist across the state. Please understand this delayed start date is not “in cement” and can be delayed even further if we do not have improved data from DHHS, or some other reason exists for delaying further into September or beyond.

We acknowledge that playing certain sports are more problematic at any time without a vaccine; however, we remain in consultation with our Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) members, and they believe we can and should offer a sports program, with all necessary modifications, delays, etc. In the coming weeks, we will continue working with the SMAC as we plan our next steps for the fall, as well as determining when equipment could be shared—i.e. balls— and/or if we can move into Phase 2 of the summer workouts/conditioning.

Each NCHSAA Board Member believes in the value of education-based athletics and is committed to SAFELY offering a fall, winter, and spring sports program during this school year; however, there is also a commitment to the health and safety of students and coaches. Towards this end, we all will continue to follow the guidance of the Department of Health and Human Services relative to the data and how we all safely move forward.

Granville Co. Board of Commissioners to Hold Special Meeting July 20

July 17, 2020/by WIZS Staff

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-Information courtesy the County of Granville

Special Meeting Notice

Please take notice that the Granville County Board of Commissioners will hold a special meeting on Monday, July 20, 2020, at 7 p.m.

In order to adhere to the COVID-19 restrictions, members of the Board will participate via simultaneous communication. Members of the public may only attend via simultaneous communication using call-in information.

The Board anticipates going into closed session pursuant to G.S. §143-318.11(a)(3), (5) and (a)(6).

Public Dial-in Information

1-866-423-8755

Passcode is 583341

To view Granville Co. Board of Commissioner meeting agendas and minutes, click here.