Granville’s ‘Recycle Right’ Campaign Launched

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

Granville County has joined statewide efforts to help residents learn more about recycling more and recycling right.

“Recycle Right NC” officially launched on September 9, 2019, with a ten-week awareness campaign that will help inform citizens of the importance of single-stream recycling.

Did you know, for example, that plastic bottles, tubs, jugs and jars – as well as metal cans, glass bottles and jars – can be collected together, after being emptied and rinsed?

Or that all paper cartons and cardboard boxes should be flattened before adding to your recycle cart?

Weekly messages and helpful reminders are available on the Granville County Government Facebook page.

To learn more, you can also visit www.granvillecounty.org.

Be “Cart Smart!” Recycle more and recycle right!

NC Opens 24/7 911 Network Monitoring & Assistance Center

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-Press Release, NC DIT

The N.C. Department of Information Technology on Thursday officially opened the Network Monitoring and Assistance Center (NMAC), which will help support an uninterrupted flow of communication for emergency call centers that have adopted next-generation 911 technology.

NC DIT Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Eric Boyette and N.C. 911 Board Executive Director Pokey Harris were joined by 911 board members and staff in Raleigh for a ribbon-cutting unveiling the center. The first of its kind in the nation, it is staffed 24/7 and equipped to monitor service and performance on North Carolina’s new digital emergency services network, called ESInet.

N.C. 911 Board Members watch as members of the N.C. Department of Information Technology cut the ribbon on the N.C. 911 Network Monitoring & Assistance Center. From left: network engineer Gerry Means, NMAC manager Stanley Meeks, NC DIT Secretary Eric Boyette and N.C. 911 Board Executive Director Pokey Harris. (Photo courtesy NC DIT)

Sixteen of the state’s 127 911 centers – including those in Cumberland, Durham, Forsyth, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Martin, Polk, Robeson, Richmond, Scotland, Vance, Wake and Wilson counties – have already migrated to ESInet.

Under state law, the remainder must develop and fully implement plans to migrate no later than July 1, 2021.

“As more and more 911 centers across the state upgrade their technology to support next-generation 911 services, the Network Monitoring and Assistance Center will play an important role in making sure services run smoothly across the state,” Boyette said.

For example, technicians monitoring ESInet can quickly reroute emergency calls to other 911 centers as they identify increased trends in emergency calls – particularly in cases such as severe weather or major events that draw large volumes of people to a particular area.

During Hurricane Dorian, technicians at the NMAC were prepared to assist in rerouting calls from the coast to counties farther inland, however, it was not necessary.

“The NMAC can immediately troubleshoot network issues and help behind the scenes to provide seamless 911 coverage, so emergency personnel can focus on helping North Carolina residents get the assistance they need as quickly as possible,” Harris said.

ESInet, or the Emergency Services IP Network, makes that possible.

It enables call centers to connect through high-speed internet-based routing services to more quickly and effectively communicate with callers as well as other 911 centers.

The ability to reroute emergency calls is one important capability. Call centers also have the option to let users send photos and videos, in addition to voice calls and text messages.

ESInet is a core function of Next Generation 911 – an upgrade to the current 911 system, which was developed in the 1960s – to ensure residents can access 911 services regardless of their location or how their communicating.

“Although reliable, our current 911 system can no longer accommodate how we communicate today,” Boyette said. “Fewer people are using landline phones, and the popularity of wearables and other digital communication services are on the rise. Our residents expect to be able to communicate these ways. And that’s where NC DIT comes in.”

‘Tar Heel Traveler’ Mason, Children’s Author Pendergraft to Present at Granv. Libraries

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

On Saturday, September 21, local and statewide authors will present programs at two branches of your local public library.

“Tar Heel Traveler” Scott Mason will present “Stories from the Road” at the South Branch Library in Creedmoor. Author and journalist Mason is well-known across the state for his televised reports from some of North Carolina’s most interesting places and landmarks.

Mason is the recipient of more than 100 journalism awards and recently published his fourth book, “Tar Heel Traveler: New Journeys Across North Carolina” in May of this year, which has been called “a blend of oral history and memoir with a good dose of quirky humor.”

The program is scheduled for 3 p.m. and the public is invited to attend.

Also on Saturday, the Richard H. Thornton Library welcomes local children’s author Cameron Pendergraft. Pendergraft, who resides in Granville County, has penned two works, “The Story About Tigger” and “The Story About Tigger and Elsa,” both of which tell the story of adopted shelter dogs and the life-changing love of a family.

Therapy dogs will also be on hand at the library for 15-minute reading sessions during the “Paws to Read” event scheduled from 1 until 4 p.m. Online registration is required for the reading sessions with visiting dogs.

The meet and greet author’s program is open to the public as Pendergraft reads one of her children’s books to interested participants.

There are four branches of the Granville County Library System, which are located in Oxford, Creedmoor, Stovall and Berea. For a listing of upcoming events at each location, please visit https://granville.lib.nc.us.

For more information about this weekend’s events, contact Penelope Mason at the South Branch Library, located at 1550 South Campus Drive in Creedmoor, at 919-528-1752 or Amy Carlson, Children’s Librarian at the Thornton Library, 210 Main Street in Oxford, at 919-693-1121.

VGCC Gearing Up for Medical Assistants Recognition Week Celebration

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

The Vance-Granville Community College Medical Assisting Program is gearing up to celebrate Medical Assistants Recognition Week, October 21 – 25, 2019, as designated by the American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA). Medical assistants across the country will be recognized during this special week and honored on Medical Assistants Recognition Day, October 23, 2019.

In celebration of Medical Assistants Recognition Week, the Vance-Granville Community College Medical Assisting Program has planned the following special events and activities:

MED Mini Health Fair to be held at Vance-Granville Community College’s Franklin Campus Student Lounge, 8100 NC 56 Hwy, Louisburg, NC on Monday, October 21, 2019, from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m.

“Medical Assistants are at the heart of healthcare and we support our community,” says Tonia Boyd, Vance-Granville Medical Assisting Class President of the 2020 graduating class.

Medical assisting is an allied health profession whose practitioners function as members of the health care delivery team and perform administrative and clinical procedures. With their unique versatility, medical assistants are proving to be the allied health professional of choice for this decade and beyond. Medical assisting is one of the nation’s careers growing much faster than average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The American Association of Medical Assistants is the only organization devoted exclusively to serving the professional interests and educational needs of all medical assistants. The association provides numerous services that help medical assistants put their careers on a successful and rewarding track and keep them there.

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Granville Environmental Affairs Committee’s Oct. Meeting Canceled

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

The Granville County Environmental Affairs Advisory Committee meeting on October 14, 2019, has been canceled.

Members of the Environmental Affairs Advisory Committee have been invited to tour Product Recovery Management on October 7, 2019. A quorum of this committee may be present for the tour.

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Candidate Forums Scheduled Throughout Granville County

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

The Granville County Human Relations Commission, in partnership with the Sunrise Forum of the Granville County Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters of Granville County, will sponsor a series of Candidate Forums for the upcoming municipal elections.

Beginning Monday, September 23, candidates running for office in the Town of Butner, the City of Oxford, the Town of Stem, the Town of Stovall and the City of Creedmoor have been invited to attend these forums and to answer questions presented by a moderator from each community.

Dates and times for each event are listed below:

  • Town of Butner, Monday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m., Butner Town Hall (Camp Butner Room);
  • City of Oxford, Monday, Sept. 30 at 7 p.m., Oxford City Hall (Commissioners Meeting Room);
  • Town of Stem, Thursday, Oct. 3 at 6:30 p.m., Stem Fire Department;
  • Town of Stovall, Thursday, Oct. 10 at 6 p.m., Stovall Library;
  • City of Creedmoor, Tuesday, Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m., Creedmoor City Hall.

All of these forums are open to the public. Election day is scheduled for November 5, 2019.

Granville County Public Schools

GCPS is ‘On The Move’ With Technology in Schools

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

The Granville County Public Schools Technology Department is excited to share some updates regarding student devices, a special cohort of teachers, online professional development for our teachers, and some exciting enhancements to the Boardroom.

We are thrilled that with Northern Granville Middle School going one-to-one, take-home student devices this year, all secondary schools in our district are now 1:1. Every student in a middle or high school within Granville County Public Schools is issued a Chromebook to be used at school and at home. We are so excited to offer this to our students as we extend learning through digital technologies.

When asked what technology devices they value and why, one teacher said, “One-to-one in the classroom. It makes teaching so much easier if everyone has their own device. Plus, with EOGs online, it just gets the students more prepared and comfortable.” Another added, “We are finally one-to-one with computers in the classroom. It is wonderful! There are so many more things you can do with the students when they all have access to technology.”

We also want to share with you about a special group of teachers that was made possible by an NCDPI Digital Learning Initiative Grant in the amount of $150,000 over the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 school years. This cohort consists of thirty teachers and administrators who are committed to transforming their teaching and learning to a digital-age culture where classrooms are student-centered and students exhibit digital literacy skills focused on collaboration, critical thinking, creativity and communication.

Our cohort participants were given the opportunity to visit model classrooms in Wake County and Rowan-Salisbury, attend NCTIES (a well-renowned technology conference in Raleigh) in March and participate in a digital immersion lesson by Beyond the Chalk in April. They also earned at least one micro-credential on a 4C awarded through Bloomboard.

Participants were asked to video themselves teaching a lesson aligned to the NC Digital Learning Competencies (DLCs).  These videos are compiled in an online repository to be shared out with other school districts across the state. These experiences allowed our STARS to increase their digital skillset. Each GCPS Digital STAR could earn up to $450 in stipends for their hard work and be provided $1,000 to spend on emerging technologies for their classroom.

Our STARS are working toward their classrooms becoming five-star digital-aged classrooms where technology runs seamlessly in the background. They will be available for site visits in the spring. We hope you’ll come by! To see pictures from our journey so far, please visit: https://goo.gl/mmpJn2

Our Instructional Technology department has worked hard to meet the needs of our GCPS staff members who are required to earn 20 hours of technology professional development CEUs in each five-year license renewal cycle. After surveying our staff and learning of their desire for more online options in addition to what we offer face-to-face, we have written over 20 online modules that range from two hours to ten hours and cover topics such as Seesaw: Student Driven Portfolios, Student and Staff Feedback Through the Use of Google Forms, Ways to Use QR Codes, and Connecting Students to Curriculum Through Google Tour Builder. These modules can be completed by educators any time during the school year, at their own pace and at a time and place of their choosing.

Finally, we have invested in some technical improvements to the County Office Boardroom which include improved audio with mixer board, amplifier, microphones and speakers in the gallery and integrated audio and video with new video cameras for recording or streaming events.

Our next phase of improvement plans include replacing the existing projector screen with an LCD panel. Board Meeting meetings are currently recorded and available for access after the meeting, but starting in October, Dr. McLean hopes to have our Board Meetings live-streamed. Be looking at our district webpage for more information on how to access these live-streamed events.

 

District Attorney Waters Addresses Granville Sheriff Investigation

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-Press Release, Office of District Attorney Michael D. Waters

Statement of District Attorney Michael D. Waters 

As reported, the Grand Jury of Granville County returned indictments on Monday, September 16, 2019, against Sheriff Brindell Wilkins for felony obstruction of justice. The investigation that led to these indictments has been led by Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman at my request, beginning in November of 2018. My request of Ms. Freeman came following conversations with the State Bureau of Investigation and Ms. Freeman, with the intent of avoiding any conflict that may arise by my being involved in this matter as a witness. 

In 2014, while I was still in private practice, a client provided to me a recording that I immediately turned over to investigators with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and subsequently provided to the State Bureau of Investigation.

At all times since then, I have cooperated with investigators, and once Ms. Freeman opened a criminal investigation, have urged that this matter be given investigative priority. I understand it is a matter of great importance to the people of Granville County, and it has been a point of frustration that the investigative process has not been more expeditious. 

As District Attorney for Granville County, I am concerned with the allegations set forth in the indictments against Sheriff Wilkins. Any allegations of wrongdoing by law enforcement are troubling, especially when they involve the elected Sheriff in whom the community has placed its trust. The justice system must be fair and impartial. No one is above the law. 

Over the next few months, my office will continue to aid the ongoing investigation as requested, while we continue to do our daily work of protecting victims, prosecuting those who violate the law, and seeing that justice is administered.

Murder Plot of Former Granville Co. Deputy Results in Indictment for Sheriff

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In a move that has shocked the local community, Granville County’s Grand Jury returned indictments Monday against Sheriff Brindell Wilkins for two counts of felony obstruction of justice.

Sheriff Wilkins, who has served as Granville County Sheriff since 2009 and was recently reelected in 2018, will now stand trial on charges stemming from a recorded conversation in 2014 with an unidentified individual regarding the potential homicide of former Granville County Sheriff’s Deputy Joshua Freeman.

The outcome of the indictment follows an investigation that began in November 2018 when the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) received a recording provided by District Attorney Michael D. Waters. DA Water serves the 9th Prosecutorial District, including Granville, Vance, Warren, Franklin and Person counties.

In a letter to the Honorable N. Lorrin Freeman, district attorney of Wake County, dated November 14, 2018, DA Waters states that while still in private practice as an attorney in 2014, he received a recording believed to involve Sheriff Wilkins, while representing Joshua Freeman as a client.

Believing he had a conflict in the matter, DA Waters requested that DA Freeman adopt the case.

In response, DA Freeman stated in a letter to the SBI that the recording “contains a conversation between two individuals, one of whom appears to be the Granville County Sheriff, about a former deputy sheriff and culminates in a discussion about committing a homicide.”

The discussed homicide was not carried out.

According to a press release provided by DA Freeman’s office, Sheriff Wilkins was voluntarily served with the indictments by agents with the SBI, assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and processed on the charges.

The Bill of Indictment, which is now a matter of public record, indicates that on or about August 12, 2014, Sheriff Wilkins “unlawfully, willfully and feloniously did obstruct public and legal justice by withholding knowledge of credible threat made by an individual known to the Sheriff to imminently kill Joshua Freeman at a certain place and time in Granville County.”

“Defendant failed to properly execute his duties because of his personal animosity towards Joshua Freeman, who defendant was told had expressed an intention to publicly disclose to authorities a purported audio recording of the defendant using racially offensive language.”

The indictment bill further states that Sheriff Wilkins expressly encouraged the individual also involved in the conversation to “take care of it” and “if you need to take care of somethin’, you just take care of something” and that “the only way you gonna stop him is kill him,” in regards to Joshua Freeman.

Sheriff Wilkins further appears to counsel the individual on how to commit the murder in a manner as to avoid identification including informing him that “you ain’t got the weapon, you ain’t got nothing to go on” and “the only way we find out these murder things is people talk. You can’t tell nobody nothin’, not a thing.”

Sheriff Wilkins then appeared to provide assurances to the individual that he would not reveal to any investigation authorities, thought to be the Granville County Sheriff’s Office investigators, any prior knowledge he had as to the individual’s expressed intention to kill Joshua Freeman, according to the bill.

Following the indictment, Sheriff Wilkins appeared before a magistrate and was released on a $20,000 unsecured bond.

Granville County Manager Michael Felts and County Attorney James C. Wrenn, Jr. were notified by Sheriff Wilkins of his indictment on two counts of obstruction of justice Monday afternoon after 5 p.m., according to a press release issued by Wrenn’s office.

The press release also states that Wrenn was called by DA Freeman yesterday at approximately 5:30 p.m. and briefed on the charges.

The Granville County Board of Commissioners, though lacking supervisory authority over the Sheriff, were also notified yesterday evening and held an emergency called meeting at 7:30 a.m. this morning to discuss the matter.

“As this situation unfolds, the Board hopes that all parties involved remember that the focus must remain on the welfare of the citizens of Granville County. All involved must prioritize the need to maintain the public trust and faith in the effective and unbiased enforcement of laws and administration of justice in Granville County. Like all people charged with a criminal offense, Sheriff Wilkins is entitled to a presumption of innocence,” the release states.

Sheriff Wilkins first court date will be October 9, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. in Granville County.

Decisions about Sheriff Wilkin’s position, particularly if he will remain on-duty, remain unknown at this time. As would be the case in this incident, a change to an elected official’s status is subject to a judiciary process.

A second investigation into allegations concerning the Granville County Sheriff’s Office’s accounting practices and controlled substance interdiction efforts remains pending.

A press conference will be held by Attorney Wrenn today (Tuesday, September 17, 2019) at 4 p.m. at the Granville Expo & Convention Center in the auditorium. The Granville Expo & Convention Center is located at 4185 Highway 15 South, Oxford, NC  27565.

WIZS will provide additional information as it becomes available.

Granville Co Sheriff

Wilkins, Granville Narcotics & Interstate Interdiction Under Investigation

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A recent indictment of Granville County Sheriff Brindell Wilkins for his alleged role in the potential homicide plot of a former sheriff’s deputy is not the only concern for the man who has been sheriff since 2009.

In a second, pending North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) matter, Sheriff Wilkins, the Granville County Narcotics Division and the Interstate Interdiction Team are under investigation for allegations of financial wrongdoing, according to a letter sent by District Attorney Michael D. Waters to the SBI in March.

Waters serves as DA for the 9th Prosecutorial District which includes Granville County.

WIZS will provide additional information as it becomes available.