Ducky Derby

VGCC Students Help With Ducky Derby

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College students volunteered at Franklin-Granville-Vance Smart Start’s 10th Annual “Ducky Derby” fundraiser in downtown Henderson on Saturday, September 21.

The Ducky Derby festival, the local Smart Start program’s signature fundraiser, was a sell-out event, with record-setting attendance. Young children and their families watched over 2,250 yellow rubber ducks, purchased by supporters, swim down the “river” on Garnett Street and race to the finish line.

VGCC student Simone Rose assists with F-G-V Smart Start’s 10th Annual Ducky Derby fundraiser in downtown Henderson. (VGCC photo)

A part of the festival included providing entertainment and games for the children, such as corn hole and ring toss, face painting and balloon animals.

Students from VGCC’s Early Childhood Education degree program assisted with implementing the games and helped to make sure that all the ducks had a safe journey down the “river.” Additionally, students assisted with the setup and cleanup of the event.

Participating VGCC students included Tiffany Bailey, Debi Brotherton, Brittaniana Channell, Cornisha Mitchell, Simone Rose and Ashley Wright.

“This event was an excellent example of our instructors and students serving as stellar representatives of VGCC and collaborating with the community we serve and was particularly appropriate since these students are in training to teach and nurture children,” said Antoinette C. Dickens, the college’s Department Chair of Public Service and Work-Based Learning Coordinator.

VGCC’s Early Childhood Education curriculum prepares students to work with children from birth through eight in diverse learning environments. Employment opportunities include child development and child care programs; preschools; public and private schools; recreational centers; Head Start Programs; and school-age programs.

The program is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

For more information, contact Dr. Tracey Bennett Carter at (252) 738-3471 or cartert@vgcc.edu.

Hometown Debate Series to Tackle Delivery of Medical Services – Oct. 17

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

The NC Institute of Political Leadership and the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce present the 2019 Hometown Debate Series: A Conversation on the Delivery of Medical Services.

The event is free to the public and will be held at the Civic Center of Vance-Granville Community College’s Main Campus in Henderson on Thursday, October 17, 2019. The discussion begins at 7 p.m.; doors open at 6 p.m.

State Representatives Donna McDowell White and Maryann Black will speak at the occasion, along with Gregory Griggs, with the NC Academy of Family Physicians and Jordan Roberts, with the John Locke Foundation.

The debate is sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, Humana, IIANC: Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina, NC Rural Center and the NCAHU: North Carolina Associate of Health Underwriters.

Town Talk 10/07/19: Granville’s Fall Season Full of Festivals, Farms, Shows & More

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Angela Allen, director of the Granville County Tourism Development Authority, was on Monday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the many upcoming fall activities planned for the community.

To hear more details on events such as the Granville Haunt Farm, 9th Annual Oxford Masonic Homecoming, Cedar Creek Gallery’s Fall Pottery & Glass Festival, City of Creedmoor’s Fireman’s Day, Granville Co. Chamber of Commerce’s Cluck ‘N Shuck, 4th Annual Military History Show and Granville Little Theatre’s upcoming dinner theatre performance, please click the play button below.

Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

NC Dept of Agriculture

Fire Officials Urge Caution Ahead of Expected Busy Fall Wildfire Season

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-Press Release, USDA&CS

As we enter the start of the fall wildfire season, the N.C. Forest Service and the USDA Forest Service urge visitors and North Carolinians to be cautious with campfires and when burning yard debris. This reminder coincides with National Fire Prevention Week, which runs October 6 – 12.

The fall wildfire season typically lasts from mid-October until mid-December, the time of year when people do a lot of yard work that may include burning leaves and yard debris. The leading cause of wildfires in North Carolina is debris burning. When left unattended, debris fires can escape and start wildfires.

“We will not forget the 2016 fall wildfire season that burned more than 59,511 acres across North Carolina,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “As we head into this fall fire season facing similarly dry weather conditions, let’s remember that each of us can do our part to prevent wildfires. It is important to exercise extreme caution while burning debris of any kind.”

There are many factors to consider before burning debris. The N.C. Forest Service encourages residents to contact their local county forest ranger before burning debris. The ranger can offer technical advice and explain the best options to help ensure the safety of people, property and the forest. To find contact information for your local county ranger, visit www.ncforestservice.gov/contacts.

For people who choose to burn debris, the N.C. Forest Service offers the following tips to protect property and prevent wildfires:

  • Consider alternatives to burning. Some types of debris, such as leaves, grass and stubble, may be of more value if they are not burned, but used for mulch instead.
  • Check local burning laws. Some communities allow burning only during specified hours. Others forbid it entirely.
  • Make sure you have a valid permit. You can obtain a burn permit at any N.C. Forest Service office or authorized permitting agent, or online at www.ncforestservice.gov/burnpermit.
  • Keep an eye on the weather. Don’t burn on dry, windy days.
  • Local fire officials can recommend a safe way to burn debris. Don’t pile vegetation on the ground. Instead, place it in a cleared area and contain it in a screened receptacle away from overhead branches and wires.
  • Household trash should be hauled away to a trash or recycling station. It is illegal to burn anything other than yard debris.
  • Be sure you are fully prepared before burning. To control the fire, you will need a hose, bucket, steel rake and a shovel for tossing dirt on the fire. Keep a phone nearby, too.
  • Never use kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel or other flammable liquids to speed up debris burning.
  • Stay with your fire until it is completely out.
  • Burning agricultural residue and forestland litter: In addition to the rules above, a fire line should be plowed around the area to be burned. Large fields should be separated into small plots for burning one at a time. Before doing any burning in a wooded area, contact your county ranger, who will weigh all factors, explain them and offer technical advice.

The USDA Forest Service also reminds campers to be cautious when burning campfires. Use existing fire rings if possible and clear a safe area around them of at least 15 feet. Never leave campfires unattended, and ensure they are completely out before leaving.

The U.S. Forest Service offers the following guidelines for safely extinguishing campfires and helping to prevent wildfires:

  • Allow the wood to burn completely to ash, if possible.
  • Pour lots of water on the fire, drown ALL embers, not just the red ones.
  • Pour until the hissing sound stops.
  • Stir campfire ashes and embers with a shovel.
  • Scrape the sticks and logs to remove any embers.
  • Stir and make sure everything is wet and that embers are cold to the touch.
  • If you do not have water, use dirt. Pour dirt or sand on the fire, mixing enough dirt or sand with the embers to extinguish the fire.
  • Continue adding or stirring until all remaining material is cool.
  • Do NOT bury the fire as the fire will continue to smolder and could catch roots on fire that will eventually get to the surface and start a wildfire.

Always exercise caution with any outdoor burning. Even when burn bans are not in effect, weather conditions may not be favorable for outdoor fires. Outdoor burning is discouraged during periods of low humidity or high winds.

Studies have shown that taking these and other measures can reduce the possibility of wildfires. To learn more about fire safety and preventing wildfires and loss of property, visit www.ncforestservice.gov and www.smokeythebear.com.

McGregor Hall is Going ‘Shrek’ Green With Children’s ‘Soiree in the Swamp’

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-Information courtesy McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center

Join Shrek, Fiona, Donkey and all of their friends for a “Soiree in the Swamp” at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in Henderson.

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.

If you or your children enjoyed last year’s “Tea With Belle” event, then you’ll love Shrek and Fiona’s “Soiree in the Swamp!”

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)

Loaded Agenda for Granville Board of Commissioners’ Oct. Meeting, Closed Session

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

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

Agenda items include:

Consent Agenda

1. Contingency Summary

2. Budget Amendment #2

3. Project Ordinance Amendment – School Facility Repair Project

4. Project Ordinance Amendment – GHS Doctors’ Office

5. Minutes

6. August 2019 Tax Refunds and Releases

7. Resolution Adopting Transportation Plan for Involuntary Commitments

8. Change of Meeting Schedule – Granville County Economic Development Advisory Board

Introductions, Recognitions and Presentations

9. Recognition of Service – Cora L. Chavis

10. Presentation – Thank A Vet Program

11. Introduction – Irene Johnson, Executive Director of KARTS

12. Introduction – Scott Schroyer, Executive Director of SGWASA

13. Presentation – RecycleRightNC

14. Waste Industries Presentation

Public Comments

15. Public Comments

Grant Matters

16. Hazard Mitigation Grant Funds Available as a Result of Hurricane Florence

Tax Matters

17. 2019 Late Application for Rushing Wind Outreach

Recreation Matters

18. Granville Athletic Park Phase III Expansion

Surplus Property

19. Surplus Property Request

Appointments

20. Research Triangle Regional Partnership Board of Directors

21. Granville County Human Relations Commission

22. Granville County Economic Development Advisory Board

County Manager’s Report

23. Local Area Crisis Services Plan

24. Pay and Classification Study Comparisons

County Attorney’s Report

25. County Attorney’s Report

Presentations by County Board Members

26. Presentations by County Board Members

Any Other Matters

27. Any Other Matters

Closed Session

28. Closed Session as allowed by G.S. 143-318.11(a)(3) – Attorney-Client Matter

29. Closed Session as allowed by G.S. 143-318.11(a)(4) – Economic Development

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

31. 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. 

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Board of Education to Hold October Meeting

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a regular board meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, October 7, 2019, at the Granville County Public Schools Central Office, 101 Delacroix Street, Oxford, North Carolina.

The Board will also meet in a Closed Session with the Board’s attorney in accordance with N.C. General Statute 143.318.11 (a)(6), 143-318.11 (a)(3), 143.318.11 (a)(5) and Section 115C-321 on this evening.

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

Author With Granville Co. Roots to Discuss Her Latest Book at Thornton Library

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

The Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford welcomes Dr. Cheryl Gooch, author, genealogist and historian, on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. Dr. Gooch will discuss her latest book, “Hinsonville’s Heroes: Black Civil War Soldiers of Chester County, Pennsylvania” at 2 p.m. and will be available to sign copies of her work.

“Hinsonville’s Heroes” tells the story of 18 African-American men who served as Union soldiers in the Civil War, ten of whom are buried at the Hosanna Church Cemetery in Pennsylvania.

The Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford welcomes Dr. Cheryl Gooch, author, genealogist and historian, on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019. Dr. Gooch will discuss her latest book, “Hinsonville’s Heroes: Black Civil War Soldiers of Chester County, Pennsylvania” at 2 p.m. and will be available to sign copies of her work. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt.)

After being named Dean of the School of Humanities and Graduate Studies at Lincoln University in 2012, Dr. Gooch took notice of the cemetery, located on the edge of the college’s campus, and became curious as to who was buried there. Over the next few years, she began to research the lives of some of the men who lost their lives more than a century ago.

What were once just names on tombstones – George Duffy, Isaac Hollingsworth, Abraham Blake, Lewis Palmer and others – slowly became more real as Dr. Gooch learned more about their backgrounds and their service, connecting the relationships between Hosanna Church, the cemetery and the college campus in the process.

“This is an inclusive, historical narrative,” Dr. Gooch has said about her latest book. “These were people who would otherwise be forgotten, who transformed the state and the country through their service and their sacrifices.”

Through this book, Dr. Gooch tells the story of brothers Wesley, William and George Jay, who survived the bloody battle at Fort Wagner, SC and were part of the only black regiment to lead President Lincoln’s funeral procession in Washington, DC.

Also featured are William B. Fitzgerald, Abraham Stout, Samuel H. Blake and Isaac A. Hollingsworth, who fought during the last battle of the Civil War, forcing Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. Another member of the 5th Massachusetts Cavalry later settled in Durham, NC – Dr. Gooch’s presentation will cover aspects of his life, as well as several others from the free black community of Hinsonville, PA who served as members of the United States Colored Troops.

Other publications by Dr. Gooch include the books “On Africa’s Lands” and “The Forgotten Stories of Two Lincoln-Educated Missionaries in Liberia,” as well as numerous articles about the African-American experience.

Over the past 20 years, Dr. Gooch has been researching her own family history for a book she eventually hopes to add to her list of published works. A descendant of the Gooch family of Granville County, her genealogical search for information led her to the Thornton Library’s North Carolina Room, where she learned she was descended from Silas Gooch, who was born in 1814. According to the death certificate that was located, Gooch lived to be 113 years old. Additional information about her family, however, has been difficult to find, as the same death certificate indicated that her ancestor’s parents were “unknown.”

“His ancestry is invisible, discarded,” she has said about her findings. “I wrote this book (Hinsonville’s Heroes) to put the lives of these men back into the historical narrative.”

Since its release, “Hinsonville’s Heroes” has sparked a new interest in the Civil War, as told from a different perspective.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase at Saturday’s discussion and book signing. The public is invited to attend.

For more details about the book or the author’s presentation, contact Stefani Perry, Adult Services Librarian, or Mark Pace, North Carolina Room Specialist, at 919-693-1121.

Oxford Prep PTO to Hold Community Yard Sale This Sat.

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-Information courtesy Tina Roberson, Oxford Preparatory School

Oxford Preparatory School’s PTO is holding a community yard sale on Saturday, October 5, 2019, from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m.  There will a wide variety of items for sale by multiple families.

The school is located at 6041 Landis Road in Oxford.

The public is encouraged to come out, enjoy browsing a large selection of items and support the school!

(Photo courtesy Cindy Clark, Music & Art Teacher, Oxford Prep Lower School)

Camping Season at Kerr Lake’s Hibernia Extended to Dec. 1

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-Press Release, Kerr Lake Park Watch

It’s been a long time coming and it’s only a little over a month, but in the immortal words of Fred Flintstone, “YABBA DABBA DO!”  That’s the reaction to this week’s announcement by NC State Parks & Recreation that the camping season at Hibernia will be extended for the first time.

Kerr Lake is getting its first west bank winter (actually late fall) camping in an NC State Recreation Area. Winter camping has previously been restricted to certain areas of Nutbush and Satterwhite, but for the first time Hibernia’s Area 2 will be open this year until December 1. Hibernia usually closes around October 25 and reopens between March 15-20.

Campers may call Reserve America or go online to book. For nine years Kerr Lake Park Watch has advocated extending the camping seasons as more and more RV’s are equipped for cold-weather camping. You can see the extended camping area in the map below.

“We see this as the tip of the iceberg,” said a jubilant Frank Timberlake, Lead Public Affairs for Kerr Lake Park Watch, “and additional camping time should be added. We agree with state parks folks that December could be slow, so why not add a month earlier in the Spring. We hope the state will publicize this; we surely will.”

Kerr Lake Park Watch Steering Committee member Larry Matthews added, “It’s refreshing and rewarding to know that our state parks leaders are hearing and responding to the campers or moreover to the pleas of their customers; and customers we are because while there may be some tax revenues involved, we pay for every stay.”

Kerr Lake Park Watch has maintained that the salaries for rangers, maintenance and support staff for the seven state recreation areas go year-round, so more of the parks should be open for longer seasons. Campers continue to want more; and in some cases, demand or pass campgrounds by, that don’t build and rehab sites for RV’s with eight-foot bodies, three-foot slides, and eight-foot awnings with at least water and 50-AMP electrical service.

More and more of the RV’s today have enclosed bellies, heated lower sections and even heated water, sewer and grey water tanks. The folks who own those RV’s are looking for close-by facilities for “winter escapes,” not to mention there’s the added bonus of promoting and seeking out tourists passing through the Kerr Lake region.

“This is a long-awaited event for those of us who have winter-camped at Kerr Lake for many years, to now have another option on the west side of the lake,” commented long-time Kerr Lake Park Watch Steering Committee Member Tom Elmore, who’s camped at Kerr for over fifty years. “There are those of us who know the value of Hibernia and believe that this change will be an exciting opportunity for both the campers and the park system, plus the local businesses. On a personal camping basis, being year-round campers, we’ve been limited in the past and have not stayed, and get this, spent money locally, as much as we’ve wanted to.”

Timberlake added, “I would think that the tourism people in Vance and Warren, and even Granville counties would see what a monumental occasion this is as the park seasonal operations haven’t been changed or upgraded with the times in decades. It’s a small step, but certainly one in the right direction, and just 300 or so extra tourists in the area can really add to the community coffers.

I would think that some regular hours at the entrance station will need to be held, maybe at all three parks with extended seasons. Hopefully, we should be fairly cool in November, but in a recent stay, I had nine campers tell me that they could not buy stacked firewood at the entrance station because no one was there.”

Pointing to continued needed improvements, Timberlake, who’s been visiting many of the parks since he was a young child and camping at the SRA’s since he was 14, said, “The next thing we need to do at the seven state recreation areas is to standardize the open/close times for the gates. The other day a seasonal employee told me the gates closed at 10 p.m. Luckily, we were back before 9 p.m., where shortly after the camp host told us that the gate closed at 9 p.m. Mishaps like that can cause problems for staff and certainly inconvenience visiting customers of the parks, possibly leading to bad reviews and no returning campers.”

“We’ve had numerous requests for extended camping, so here it is,” said Timberlake.”If we get a high response, we can see getting the Division of State Parks to extend more time in more parks. Please share this new extended camping season with your Kerr Lake friends!”