Sheriff Charles Noblin

Charles R. Noblin, Jr. Appointed Granville Co. Sheriff

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This is a joint statement of the Granville County Board of Commissioners and the Granville County Sheriff’s Office.

The Granville County Board of Commissioners appointed Charles R. Noblin, Jr. sheriff this evening to fulfill the unexpired term of Brindell B. Wilkins, Jr. Mr. Noblin will take the oath of office at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday, January 8, 2020. Mr. Noblin is an eighteen-year veteran of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office. He is currently the sergeant in charge of the Civil Division.

The Granville County Board of Commissioners appointed Charles R. Noblin, Jr. sheriff to fulfill the unexpired term of Brindell B. Wilkins, Jr. Mr. Noblin will take the oath of office at 5:15 p.m. on Wednesday, January 8, 2020. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt.)

The Granville County Board of Commissioners wants to thank Chief Deputy Sherwood Boyd for his leadership in fulfilling the duties of the office of the sheriff since Mr. Wilkins was suspended on September 23, 2019. The decision to name Mr. Noblin was taken in consultation with Mr. Boyd.

Mr. Boyd is eligible to retire in early 2021. While he has not made a decision to retire at this time, he believes that the men and women of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office deserve an assurance of continuity for the balance of Mr. Wilkins’ unexpired term which ends in December 2022. Mr. Noblin has advised me that he intends to swear Mr. Boyd in as his chief deputy.

The order suspending Mr. Wilkins remains in effect at least until the resolution of the two felony charges of obstruction of justice with which he has been indicted. As Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman has publicly announced, there is a continued, ongoing state and federal investigation into the activities of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office during Mr. Wilkins’ tenure.

The Commissioners’ action recognizes that it could be months or years before the issues involving Mr. Wilkins are resolved.

The ongoing investigations are focused on individuals and not the Granville County Sheriff’s Office as a whole. The Commissioners appreciate the dedicated and honorable service of the vast majority of the employees of the Sheriff’s Office and wish to publicly thank them for the outstanding job they have done under difficult circumstances.

We look forward to and expect to continue and enhance cooperation between the Granville County Sheriff’s Office and its state and federal prosecutorial and law enforcement partners. The various law enforcement agencies can only operate effectively where there is open communication and respect between those offices that focus on the safety, security, and rights of the people served.

We wish to remind the public that Brindell B. Wilkins, Jr. remains innocent until proven guilty. No action taken by the Commissioners should be read to be a judgment as to his guilt or innocence. Rather, the actions taken are to ensure the continued, effective operation of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office until the ongoing investigations are finished and the legal proceedings against him are concluded.

Mr. Noblin’s appointment as sheriff gives him full authority over the Granville County Sheriff’s Office. The Commissioners give Mr. Noblin their full support to make any changes reasonably necessary for the effective organization of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office including taking steps to reconstitute a drug investigations unit.

The Commissioners pledge the support needed to ensure the Granville County Sheriff’s Office can provide professional law enforcement, detention, court security, school security, and civil process services in a fair and impartial manner that protects and preserves the Constitutional Rights of the people it serves.

Due to personnel issues and the ongoing state and federal investigations, no further statements will be issued.

James C. Wrenn, Jr., Attorney at Law, provided WIZS News with the following clarification after publication of the above press release:

Due to questions received, I want to add that Mr. Wilkins remains suspended. He has not been permanently removed from office. It is possible that he could return to office if he is not convicted of a felony or if no other grounds for removal exist. Please see the statute below:

  • 128-19. Suspension pending hearing; how vacancy filled. Upon the filing of the petition in the office of the clerk of the superior court, and the presentation of the same to the judge, the judge may suspend the accused from office if in his judgment sufficient cause appear from the petition and affidavit, or affidavits, which may be presented in support of the charges contained therein. In case of suspension, as herein provided, the temporary vacancy shall be filled in the manner provided by law for filling of the vacancies in such office.(P.L. 1913, c. 761, s. 23; 1919, c. 288; C.S., s. 3211.)

Town Talk 01/07/20: Girl Scout Cookie Sale Begins This Weekend!

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Teresa Wimbrow, membership director for Franklin, Granville, Vance and Warren County Girl Scouts, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m. Wimbrow discussed the 2020 Girl Scout cookie sale and benefits to the girls involved in the program.

This year’s sale begins Saturday, January 11 at 9 a.m. Wimbrow said the local area should be prepared for “girls ringing your doorbell with cookies in hand.” Cookies will also be available in the coming weeks at booths set up by girl scouts and adult volunteers at local participating businesses and restaurants.

Cookies are available for $4 a box with proceeds being used for trips and activities for the scouts.

Flavors available locally this year include Thin Mints, Caramel deLites, Peanut Butter Patties, Peanut Butter Sandwich, Lemonades, Thanks-A-Lot, Girl Scout S’mores, Shortbread and a gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip.

According to Wimbrow, this is expected to be the last year that the Thanks-A-Lot shortbread and chocolate fudge cookies will be available, so if they are your favorite, make sure you stock up. A new cookie will be introduced next year to join the tried and true originals.

Wimbrow, a former educator and basketball, volleyball and softball coach, has been with the Girl Scout organization for 11 years and says she enjoys fulfilling the organization’s motto by helping to “build girls of courage, confidence and character.”

“I love young people and I love this area,” said Wimbrow. “Girl Scouts is a great organization that offers a positive alternative to some of the other things that are happening that get so much negative publicity.”

The four-county area is part of the larger Girl Scout NC Coastal Pines, a council consisting of 41 counties. For information on the Girl Scout cookie program or testimonials from girls and volunteers alike, please visit www.nccoastalpines.org.

If you know someone interested in joining Girl Scouts, have questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Teresa Wimbrow at (252) 438-8103 or email twimbrow@nccoastalpines.org.

To hear the interview with Wimbrow in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

‘Into the Woods’ to Bring Modern Fairy Tale Twist to McGregor Hall

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-Information courtesy McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center

McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center is gearing up for its presentation of “Into the Woods,” a fully staged Broadway-style musical presented with a live, professional orchestra.

Evening performances include Sat., February 1, Fri., February 7 and Sat., February 8 at 8 p.m. Matinee performances will be offered at 2 p.m. on Sun., February 2 and Sun., February 9, 2020.

Stephen Sondheim’s masterpiece “Into the Woods” is a modern twist on the beloved fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, entwining the classic stories of Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, and Little Red Riding Hood with an original story about a baker and his wife wishing to start a family and live a more wonderful life. The moral of this story? Be careful what you wish for!

Tickets for this event may be purchased by:

DROP-IN: 201 Breckenridge Street, Henderson, N.C. Monday – Friday 1:30 – 5:30 p.m

CALL: (252) 598-0662 (M-F 1:30 – 5:30 p.m.)

CLICK HERE: www.McGregorHall.org  (Use the eTix official site, online fees apply)

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Reminder: New Horizons Baptist Stew Sale This Sat. Jan. 11!

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-Information courtesy Pastor Cam Ford, New Horizons Baptist Church

New Horizons Baptist Church in Oxford will be having a Brunswick Stew Sale this Saturday, January 11, 2020.

Quarts are $8 apiece, and you’ll be able to pick these up from the Granville County Shrine Club located at 706 Roxboro Rd. in Oxford from 9 until 11 a.m. that morning.

Pastor Ford and the congregation look forward to seeing you there!

Senior Center’s ‘Rock Steady Boxing’ Staves Off Parkinson’s Progression

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

Seniors with a New Year’s resolution to improve overall health and fight against the progression of Parkinson’s disease are being offered a conditioning program that increases flexibility, as well as improving agility, speed, muscular endurance, hand-eye coordination and core strength.

Bill Cheatham (left) and Reginald Weaver (right) rotate among several stations of the Rock Steady Boxing session held Monday at the Senior Center. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt.)

“Rock Steady Boxing” (RSB) was introduced to the area in late summer, with the Granville County Senior Center in Oxford becoming one of 852 affiliates of the nationwide program. Approximately 15 local participants are already enrolled in RSB sessions each week, says Senior Services’ Fitness Program Coordinator Justin Waller, and more are welcome to attend.

Parkinson’s is a long-term degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that can cause deterioration of motor and sensory skills, impacting balance, movement and speech. According to “Parkinson’s News Today,” a news and information website, vigorous exercise such as running, riding a bicycle – or even boxing – is key to disease prevention.

Fitness Program Coordinator Justin Waller demonstrates how to “throw a punch” at a recent Rock Steady Boxing session held at the Senior Center in Oxford. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt.)

For the more than 60,000 patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year, exercise such as the regimen provided through the Rock Steady Boxing method, studies show, can ward off changes in the brain caused by aging while increasing oxygen delivery.

Every Monday at 1:30 p.m., participating seniors learn boxing basics as Waller facilitates these non-contact fitness sessions to help seniors improve daily activities and “fight back” against the disease.

“Granville County Senior Services became a RSB affiliate in 2019 after Justin traveled to Colorado to attend the Affiliate Training Camp program,” explains Kathy May, Senior Services Director. “This specialized training included hands-on classes for Justin to learn to conduct a class and scale for every ability level.”

May adds that Waller was already “ahead of the game” when he attended the training camp since he has an undergraduate degree in exercise science from UNC-Chapel Hill, as well as a master’s degree in exercise physiology from UNC-Greensboro. He also has years of experience in the field of exercise and nutrition.

Rock Steady Boxing’s goal is to educate as many people as possible about the benefits of intense exercise and to establish safe and welcoming programs in every community.

Through RSB training, Granville County has joined ongoing nationwide efforts to meet fitness levels at all stages – from preventative measures to those who have been living with Parkinson’s symptoms for decades – as well as developing a sense of unity in the fight against the disease.

To learn more about the Rock Steady Boxing program offered by Granville County Senior Services – or to register – please call the Senior Center, located at 107 Lanier Street in Oxford, at 919-693-1930.

Kacey Johnson, Columbine Survivor, to Speak at Granville Chamber Banquet

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— Information courtesy Granville County Chamber of Commerce | Ginnie Currin, Executive Director ~ 919-693-6125 ~ ginnie@granville-chamber.com

In celebration of 78 years in operation, the Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Committee and Board of Directors announces the Annual Banquet will be held Monday, January 27, 2020, at 6:30 p.m., at Vance-Granville Community College’s Civic Center/Main Campus.

Banquet sponsors are BB&T, CertainTeed, LLC, Duke Energy, Granville Health System, Hicks and Wrenn LLP, Vanness Chevrolet and The School of Graphic Arts.

Kacey Johnson, Columbine shooting survivor, will share her inspiring story at the Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Banquet on January 27, 2020. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Chamber)

Twenty years following “the devastation of Columbine,” Kacey Johnson shares her inspiring story with audiences across the U.S., as a speaker and an author. Her newly-released book, “Over My Shoulder” coincides with the 20th anniversary of the Columbine shooting. Johnson says it took her nearly that long to come to terms with what happened to her that day and to finally be able to reclaim her life.

The evening will once again include the presentation of the Chamber’s most prestigious award, the John Penn Citizen of the Year Award, recognizing outstanding community service.

A buffet dinner will be prepared and served by Chamber member Simply Delicious Catering of Creedmoor.

Tickets are $40 each. Corporate tables of 8, with reserved seating, are available for $300. Corporate tables of 10, reserved seating, are available for $380. Tickets/reservations are REQUIRED prior to the event. Invitations have been sent via email this year, rather than via the postal service.

Checks or credit card payments are accepted by contacting one of the Chamber’s offices – 919.693.6125/Wanda, wanda@granville-chamber.com or 919.528.4994/Toni Anne, tawheeler@granville-chamber.com. Reservation information should include the name of business/individual, email and phone contact.

Granville Board of Commissioners to Meet Mon., Jan. 6

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-Information courtesy Debra A. Weary, Clerk to the Board, Granville County

The Granville County Board of Commissioners will meet Monday, January 6, 2020, at 7 p.m. at the Granville Expo and Convention Center, 4185 US Highway 15 South, Oxford.

Agenda items include:

Consent Agenda 

Contingency Summary

Budget Amendment #5 

Approve Bonds for Finance for 2019-2020

Transfer of Sheriff Office Accounts to County Finance Department

Appointment of Members to Board/Committee/Liaison Assignments

Minutes

Tax Releases and Refunds

Authorizing Resolution – Project Adam

Authorizing Resolution for Project FNP

National Radon Action Month Proclamation

Introductions, Recognitions and Presentations 

Recognition of Service – Warren Daniel 

Recognition of Service – Douglas P. Logan

Recognition of Service – Donnie L. Boyd

Recognition of Service – Francine M. Hart

Recognition of Service – Willie S. Richards

Public Comments 

Public Comments

Finance Matters 

FY 2018-2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) Audit Presentation

School Matters 

Surplus Property Request from the Board of Education

Appeal Request from Oxford Preparatory School

Tax Matters 

Present Use Value – Continued Use Late Applications

Emergency Services Matters 

Proposed Ordinance to Franchise Ambulance Service

Solid Waste Matters

Emergency Purchase – Landfill Leachate Tank Mixer

Contracting of Services for Litter Removal Services

Purchasing 

9-1-1 Back-up Center Additional Phone Position

Law Enforcement Center Inmate Food Service Contract

Granville County Animal Shelter’s Floor Finishes

DSS New Vehicle Purchase

COTT System Software Renewal

Appointments 

Granville County Economic Development Advisory Board

Orange Street Community Center

Emergency Services Committee

KARTS

Granville Health System Board of Trustees 

Granville-Vance District Board of Health

Senior Services Advisory Committee 

Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments’ Advisory Council on Aging

Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments’ Board of Directors

County Manager’s Report 

Use Federal Funds for Employee Recognition Award

Conversion of Full-Time Position to Part-Time Positions

Draft Retreat Agenda

Appeal of Exemption Application for Centre for Homeownership and Economic Development Corporation

County Attorney’s Report 

County Attorney’s Report 

Extension of Exclusive Solid Waste Collection Franchise

Presentations by County Board Members 

Presentations by County Board Members

Any Other Matters 

Any Other Matters

Closed Session 

Closed Session as allowed by G.S. 143-318. 11(a)(3) – Attorney-Client Matter

Closed Session as allowed by G.S. 143-318.11(a)(5) – Property Acquisition

Closed Session as allowed by G.S. 143-318.11(a)(6) – Personnel

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

NC Cooperative Extension, Granville County Welcomes New 4-H Agent

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

A new 4-H agent has been hired for N.C. Cooperative Extension, Granville County. Lina Lue Howe begins work on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020, coming to the Granville County Center with previous experience as a 4-H Agent in Vance County.

On Jan. 2, 2020, Lina Lue Howe joined Granville County’s NC Cooperative Extension Center as the new 4-H agent. Howe comes to the Granville County Center with previous experience as a 4-H Agent in Vance County. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt.)

“We are very happy that Lina is joining the Granville County team,” says Paul Westfall, County Extension Director for Granville County Extension. “She brings experience and passion for 4-H to Granville County, plus she is a Granville County resident. We are looking forward to her work with 4-H members and leaders in her home county.”

Ms. Howe’s primary duties will be to manage and lead the 4-H program in Granville County, including recruiting and working with 4-H leaders, establishing and maintaining community 4-H Clubs, conducting school enrichment programs such as 4-H Embryology, and planning and conducting 4-H Summer Fun programs for youth.

Ms. Howe was active in Granville County 4-H as a member and graduated from the J.F. Webb School of Health and Life Sciences. She went on to study Agriculture Extension Education with a minor in Animal Science at N.C. State University, earning her Bachelor’s degree in May 2018.  She served as a 4-H Intern in Wilson County while at N.C. State.

A “Meet and Greet” is planned for Friday, Jan. 3 from 3 until 5 p.m. 4-H leaders and members, community leaders and the public are invited to stop by the N.C. Cooperative Extension Center, located at 125 Oxford Loop Road, to welcome Ms. Howe to her new position.

Granville County Public Schools

Surplus Property of Former Schools Topic of BOE’s Called Meeting

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-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools

The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a Special Called Meeting on Thursday, January 2, 2020, 1:30 p.m. at the Central Office Building, 101 Delacroix Street, Oxford, North Carolina.

The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the Board’s surplus property on the site of the former Joe Toler-Oak Hill Elementary School. The board may also meet in Closed Session to discuss confidential matters and consult with its attorney in accordance with N.C. General Statutes 143.318.11 (a)(1) and (a)(3).

The next regular scheduled Board Meeting will be held on Monday, January 6, 2020.

Granville County Logo

Granville Board of Elections Hosting Regional Mandatory Compliance Training

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-Information courtesy the Granville County Board of Elections

The Granville County Board of Elections will be hosting a Regional Mandatory Compliance Training Class on Wednesday, January 22, 2020, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center meeting room located at 4185 US Hwy 15 South, Oxford, NC.

It is not being held at the Richard H. Thornton Library as listed in the State and Regional Training Schedule.

The State Board of Elections staff will be conducting the training. Any candidate or treasurer in Granville County or from any other North Carolina county can attend this training.

Pursuant to North Carolina law, training is required within three months of appointment and once every four years thereafter for all NC Treasurers, including those under the $1,000 threshold.

To register, please sign up at https://www.ncsbe.gov/Campaign-Finance/training. You will need to register for this class prior to attendance.

Please note that this training is for NC Candidate, Party and Referendum Committee Treasurers and/or candidates. This training is not for PACS or Independent Expenditure Committees.