VGCC Dr. Levy Brown

VGCC’s Dr. Levy Brown Selected to Attend Prestigious Thomas Lakin Institute

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Dr. Levy Brown, vice president of learning, student engagement & success at Vance-Granville Community College, has been selected to participate in the prestigious Thomas Lakin Institute for Mentored Leadership presented by the Presidents’ Round Table.

Dr. Levy Brown, vice president of learning, student engagement & success at Vance-Granville Community College, has been selected to participate in the prestigious Thomas Lakin Institute for Mentored Leadership presented by the Presidents’ Round Table. (VGCC photo)

Dr. Levy Brown, a resident of Youngsville, North Carolina is responsible for leading and working collaboratively with faculty and staff in the areas of academic programs, teaching and learning, student success, student services, enrollment management, K-12 partnerships and other areas at the Vance-Granville.

Prior to joining Vance-Granville, he served as Dean of Arts and Sciences at Lenoir Community College located in Kinston, North Carolina. Brown has a Bachelor of Science in communication from East Carolina University, a Master of Library Science from North Carolina Central University in Durham, North Carolina and an earned Doctorate in Education with a concentration in Higher Education Administration from East Carolina University.

Hosted October 20-25, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri, The Lakin Institute seeks African-American participants whose experience and credentials indicate they are ready to attain the highest academic positions. The program is an opportunity for open dialogue with chancellors, presidents, and CEOs. It covers all aspects of academic leadership.

More than 300 participants have attended The Lakin Leadership Mentoring Program since its inception in 1994. The Institute has the highest graduate placement rate of any leadership institute in the United States. It is named in honor of Dr. Thomas Lakin, former Chancellor of the Ventura County (CA) Community College District.

NC Coop Extension

Pesticide Collection Day Scheduled for Warren, Surrounding Counties

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Paul McKenzie, Agricultural Extension Agent, Vance/Warren Counties

NC Cooperative Extension will offer a Pesticide Collection Day for residents in Warren and surrounding counties on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the NC Cooperative Extension office located at 158 Rafters Ln. in Warrenton, NC.

NC Cooperative Extension will offer this service in collaboration with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The local site manager will be Matthew Place, Agricultural Extension Agent for Warren County.

Nearly all pesticide products will be accepted, including herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, etc. For liquid pesticide containers larger than 5 gallons or for unlabeled pesticides, please contact the NC Cooperative Extension office for information before bringing to the collection event. Although no gas cylinders will be accepted, assistance information can be provided.

For more information, contact Matthew Place at the NC Cooperative Extension office at (252) 257-3640.

U.S. Department of Justice

Dept. of Justice Awards $5 Million to Address NC School Violence

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice

The Department of Justice announced it has awarded more than $85.3 million to bolster school security—including funding to educate and train students and faculty—and support first responders who arrive on the scene of a school shooting or other violent incident.

“These federal resources will help to prevent school violence and give our students the support they need to learn, grow, and thrive,’ said Attorney General William P. Barr. “By training faculty, students and first responders, and by improving school security measures, we can make schools and their communities safer.”

“Preventing violence in our schools is critical to the safety and security of all of our communities,” said Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “These funds authorized by the Department of Justice will be used to better prepare school faculty, students and law enforcement to prevent, detect, and respond to security threats.”

The grants award more than $5 million in funding to prevent violence in schools in North Carolina. President Trump signed the STOP School Violence Act into law March 2018, authorizing grants that are designed to improve threat assessments, train students and faculty to provide tips and leads and prepare law enforcement officers and emergency professionals to respond to school shootings and other violent incidents.

The grant programs are managed by OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance and the Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance, within the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services manage the programs and administer the grants, which include funds to:

  • Develop school threat assessment teams and pursue technological solutions to improve reporting of suspicious activity in and around schools;
  • Implement or improve school safety measures, including coordination with law enforcement, as well as the use of metal detectors, locks, lighting and other deterrent measures;
  • Train law enforcement to help deter student violence against others and themselves;
  • Improve notification to first responders through the implementation of technology that expedites emergency notifications;
  • Develop and operate anonymous reporting systems to encourage safe reporting of potential school threats;
  • Train school officials to intervene when mentally ill individuals threaten school safety; and
  • Provide training and technical assistance to schools and other awardees in helping implement these programs.

For more details about these individual award programs, as well as listings of individual 2019 awardees, visit https://go.usa.gov/xVJuV.

Granville Chamber’s ‘Cluck ‘N Shuck’ Postponed Until Spring

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, Granville County Chamber of Commerce

Late last week, the Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Committee was notified by the event chairman of their annual Cluck ‘N Shuck event that the event caterer had contacted him regarding the very limited supply of oysters.

The recent storms in the Gulf and Atlantic have drastically limited the availability of fresh oysters. All oyster bottoms are closed in North Carolina, and all of the Gulf oysters have been drenched as a result of wind from storms. The water is too fresh, and the bottoms are closed.

Rather than move forward with an alternate menu for the Friday, October 25 Cluck ‘N Shuck event, the Chamber’s Executive Committee thought it prudent to postpone the event until spring.

The new date for Cluck ‘N Shuck is being planned for March 2020.

Ticket holders for the October 25, 2019, event may return their tickets to the 124 Hillsboro St., Oxford Chamber office for a full refund of the purchase price or they may retain and use their tickets in the spring of 2020.

The Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors apologizes to our ticket holders and sponsors for any inconvenience this may cause.

Reminder: ‘Shrek the Musical’ Coming to McGregor Hall This Weekend!

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center

Everyone’s favorite movie is coming to McGregor Hall’s stage! DreamWorks Classic’s SHREK THE MUSICAL is the story of dreams becoming reality for a group of misunderstood fairy tale creatures who learn that our differences are what make us strong.

This Broadway-styled musical will feature glamorous costumes, a magical set, and a LIVE, professional orchestra.

The six performance dates include:

  • October 25-26, November 1-2, 2019, at 8 p.m
  • October 27, November 3, 2019, at 2 p.m.

“Soiree in the Swamp”

In addition to the performance, kids can join Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and all of their friends for a “Soiree in the Swamp.”

Children of all ages will enjoy yummy delicacies, entertainment by Shrek and his friends and pictures with their favorite characters.

Activities will be held on McGregor Hall’s stage in the swamp set on Saturday, October 26 and Saturday, November 2, 2019, at 2 p.m.

All children must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Tickets for both “Soiree in the Swamp” and McGregor Hall’s October 25 – November 3 production of Dreamwork’s “Shrek The Musical” are available 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)

Granville Commissioners to Hold Joint Public Hearings With Planning Board

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

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

The Granville County Board of Commissioners will meet Monday, October 21, 2019, at 7 p.m. at the Granville Expo and Convention Center, 4185 US Highway 15 South, Oxford.

Agenda items include:

Joint Public Hearings

1. Adoption of FEMA FIS and Flood Insurance Rate Maps

2. Land Development Code Text Amendment Petition

Recess

3. Recess

Consent Agenda

4. Contingency Summary

5. September 2019 Tax Refunds and Releases

Public Comments

6. Public Comments

Public Hearings

7. 5310 Transportation Grant – In-town Oxford Fixed Route

8. Public Hearing Notice for Economic Development – Project Sunrise

Grant Matters

9. Emergency Management Performance Grant Program (EMPG) FY 2020

Economic Development Matters

10. CDBG Planning Documents

Purchasing

11. Granville County Law Enforcement Center

Appointments

12. Granville County Human Relations Commission

13. Granville County Economic Development Advisory Board

14. Tourism Development Authority

County Manager’s Report

15. Thank A Vet Program Request

16. Update on Use of Granville County ID Badges

County Attorney’s Report

17. County Attorney’s Report

Presentations by County Board Members

18. Presentations by County Board Members

Any Other Matters

19. Any Other Matters

Closed Session

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

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

VGCC to Hold 8th Annual Small Business Summit

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Sheri Jones, Director, VGCC Small Business Center

Vance-Granville Community College’s upcoming 8th Annual Small Business Summit entitled “It’s All About the Path You Choose – Using the Right Strategy to Make the Best Moves.” will be held on Tuesday, October 29 from 6 to 9 p.m., with registration starting at 5:30 p.m., at the Warren County Armory & Convention Center.

Cost is $1o and includes dinner; attendance limited to the first 300 that register.

The registration deadline is Thursday, October 24. To register, visit https://warrencountync.tix.com.

Maurice Ashley, the first African – American International Grandmaster in Chess, will serve as the speaker. He is a commentator for the biggest chess events in the world including the World Chess Championships, the US Chess Championships, the Grand Chess Tour and the legendary Man vs. Machine matches between Garry Kasparov and IBM’s Deep Blue.

He is also the co-organizer of the Millionaire Chess Open, the highest stakes Open chess tournament in history and was inducted into the US Chess Hall of Fame in 2016. His motivational speeches look at the character-building effects of chess and how the strategies used in the game translate into strategies for life.

The presenting sponsor for this year’s event is NC IDEA, a private foundation with a mission to maximize the economic potential of the people of North Carolina by supporting the formation and fruition of high-growth entrepreneurial endeavors in the state.

NC IDEA President and CEO Thom Ruhe will give a brief presentation on Ice House Entrepreneurship – an experiential, problem-based program designed to empower learners by exposing them to entrepreneurial thinking while immersing them in entrepreneurial experiences that will enable them to develop creativity and critical thinking, effective problem solving, teamwork, and other entrepreneurial skills – skills that will enable them to succeed regardless of their chosen path.

The event is brought to the area by the VGCC Small Business Center, the Warren County Economic Development Commission, Chamber of Commerce of Warren County and the Lake Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center.

Granville County Public Schools

Granville BOE to Discuss School Improvement Plans, Possible Meeting Relocation

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

The Granville County Board of Education will meet on Monday, October 21, 2019, at 5 p.m. at the Granville County Public Schools Central Office, 101 Delacroix Street, Oxford, North Carolina.

The purpose of the meeting will be to receive and discuss information regarding School Improvement Plans and possible relocation of Board of Education meetings.

The Board will also enter into closed session pursuant to G.S. 143-318.11(a)(3) to consult with the Board’s attorney regarding the matter of Granville Board of Education v. New Atlantic Contracting, Inc., and Johns Manville, Inc., Granville Superior Court 19-CVS-442 and 19-CVS-656.

To view Granville County Board of Education agendas, please click here.

American Flag

Granville Co. Senior Center to Host Annual Veterans’ Breakfast

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy the County of Granville

The Granville County Senior Center in Oxford, in partnership with Amedisys Home Health and Hospice, will host the annual Veterans’ Breakfast on Thursday, November 7, 2019. The event is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center, with all branches of the military invited to attend.

Speakers and a pinning ceremony are planned, along with a catered meal. Those interested in participating should register by Friday, November 1.

For more details, contact the Granville County Senior Center in Oxford at 919-693-1930.

The Granville County Expo and Convention Center is located at 4185 US Hwy. 15 South in Oxford.

Great Southeast Shakeout: World’s Largest Earthquake Drill Set for Tomorrow!

/by

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, NC Department of Public Safety

At 10:17 a.m. tomorrow, more than 2.3 million people will participate in the Great Southeast Shakeout, the world’s largest earthquake drill, including more than 350,000 school children in grades K-12.

Any individual, family, organization, school, agency, or business can register for the event. However, if you or your group haven’t registered you can still practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On, the recommended actions for people to take during an earthquake.

DROP – Get down on the floor when shaking starts before the quake drops you.

COVER – Take cover under a sturdy desk, table or other furniture. If you cannot find something to get under, crouch against an inside wall. Keep your head and neck safe by using your arms. Stay away from windows, hanging objects, mirrors or anything that might fall.

HOLD ON – Hold on to a desk, table or piece of furniture. Be ready to move with it during the quake

These simple steps allow you to get down before you’re thrown to the ground, provide protection from falling or flying items, and increase your chances of surviving a building collapse. If you are trapped, stay calm and tap on hard or metal parts of the structure to try and attract attention.

By identifying places you can shelter safely in your home or workplace and by practicing going to those places, you increase the likelihood of surviving an earthquake.

Visit https://www.shakeout.org/southeast/register/ where you can register, find fact sheets, drill manuals, drill broadcast recordings, flyers, videos and other materials that make it easy for your group to participate in the drill and be prepared.

North Carolina has its share of earthquakes, but large, damaging quakes are infrequent in our state, where severe weather and hurricanes are more common threats. Earthquake risk is highest in Western North Carolina, where small quakes occur regularly but are usually too mild to be detected without special instruments.