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Granville Co. Board of Commissioners to Meet Nov. 4

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

The Granville County Board of Commissioners will meet Monday, November 4, 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. Minutes

3. Resolution of Notice to Reduce Salary of Elected Official

Introductions, Recognitions and Presentations

4. Recognition of Service – Luanne O. Cox

5. Presentation – NC Education Lottery

Public Comments

6. Public Comments

Solid Waste Matters

7. Landfill Scale and Scale House

Purchasing

8. Granville County Law Enforcement Center Detention Furnishings

Appointments

9. Granville County Human Relations Commission

10. Granville County Economic Development Advisory Board

11. South Granville Water & Sewer Authority

County Manager’s Report

12. County Manager’s Report

County Attorney’s Report

13. County Attorney’s Report

Presentations by County Board Members

14. Presentations by County Board Members

Any Other Matters

15. Any Other Matters

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

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Board of Education to Hold Regular Monthly Meeting

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-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools

NOTICE TO PUBLIC AND PRESS

The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a regular board meeting on Monday, November 4, 2019, at 6 p.m. 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.

VGCC to Offer Enrollment Night on November 19

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Vance-Granville Community College will hold an Enrollment Night on Tuesday, November 19, 2019, from 5 until 7 p.m., at all four of its campuses.

VGCC staff members will be available during those hours to provide information on the enrollment process, academic programs, student support services and financial aid. Advisors will be available to help students register for Spring classes.

Students may visit any campus beginning November 4 to register for Spring Semester. Classes for the Spring 16-week and first 8-week terms start on Monday, January 13, 2020, and a 12-week term starts on Tuesday, February 11.

VGCC’s Main Campus is located at 200 Community College Road, Henderson (Exit 209 on Interstate 85 about midway between Henderson and Oxford).

The Franklin County Campus is located at 8100 N.C. 56., Louisburg (just west of Louisburg).

South Campus is located at 1547 South Campus Drive, Creedmoor (off of N.C. 56, between Creedmoor and Butner).

The Warren County Campus is located at 210 West Ridgeway Street (U.S. 158 Business) in Warrenton.

For more information on enrolling, call (252) 738-3234 or visit any VGCC campus.

Brides on Wheels (BOWs) Interest Meeting Scheduled

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

An interest meeting for local wedding vendors is scheduled for Sunday, November 10 from 1 until 5 p.m. through the Granville County Tourism Development Authority (TDA). Participants will have an opportunity to network as they learn more about the annual “Brides on Wheels” (BOWs) tour, now entering its third season.

Previous Brides on Wheels participants tour Granville County. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt.)

The meeting will include a visit to a new wedding venue in Oxford, Shadowing Oaks, located on John Watkins Road. Those in attendance can sample refreshments from area wedding vendors, with a presentation scheduled for 3 p.m. to share information about the BOWs tour which will take place next spring.

Also discussed will be another marketing opportunity, participation in the “Forever Bridal Show” in Raleigh, scheduled for January 2020.

“We want to ensure that the BOWs tour grows and will be a successful event for venues and wedding vendors in Granville and surrounding areas,” said Angela Allen, TDA Director. “This meeting will not only offer a chance to network with other vendors but is a great way to learn more about avenues for marketing and for showcasing Granville County as a choice wedding location.”

Those interested in participating in this meeting should contact Director Allen by November 4 at 919-693-6125 or at angela.allen@granvillecounty.org.

Jerry Edmonds

VGCC Names Edmonds to Lead Workforce and Community Engagement

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

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Jerry E. Edmonds, III, was recently named Vice President of Workforce Development and Community Engagement at Vance-Granville Community College. In this new position, he will oversee training programs that respond to community needs and prepare students for workforce success, including apprenticeship programs, and support economic development for the region.

In addition, Edmonds will lead the development of partnerships with businesses and government agencies, and coordinate outreach and marketing for the entire college.

Jerry Edmonds, VP of Workforce and Community Engagement. (VGCC photo)

“With the combination of private sector and community college experience that Jerry brings to our college, we look forward to his leadership enhancing VGCC’s ability to serve our communities and build a job-ready workforce,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, the college president.

Edmonds most recently served as Dean of Workforce and Economic Development at Halifax Community College. Prior to his role as Dean, he served as the Small Business Center Director at Halifax Community College, from 2014 until 2017. In 2016, Edmonds was a National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) award recipient. In addition, he achieved North Carolina Community College System level three certification, in recognition of the highest level of Small Business Center Network proficiency.

Before entering the higher education field, Edmonds held a variety of executive leadership positions within Johnson & Johnson and IBM, where he was the recipient of numerous training, recruitment, marketing and leadership awards.

Edmonds earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree, with an emphasis on Marketing, from Marshall University in 1985 and his Master of Science degree in Human Services Management from Springfield College in 2001. He is currently working toward a doctoral degree in Higher Education Leadership from Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin.

Edmonds is active on a variety of community boards including Working Landscapes, a non-profit agricultural organization based in Warrenton; the North Carolina Community College System Workforce Development Leadership Council; and the Roanoke Rapids chapter of Rotary International, where he served as President from 2017 – 2018 and as a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow.

“The role of Vance-Granville Community College, and specifically the department of workforce and community engagement, is to educate and train students to perform well in existing and future jobs in our service area and beyond,” Edmonds said. “I am excited to join such a talented team of faculty, staff and administrators dedicated to student success and advancement.”

Weather Forecast Prompts Date Change for Downtown Oxford Trick-or-Treating

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-Information courtesy Mary Yount, Downtown Development Director, Oxford

Due to the amount of rain expected via weather forecasts, Downtown Oxford leadership has moved the day for the Spooktacular Candy Stroll trick-or-treat event to Friday, November 1, 2019, from 3:30 – 5 p.m.

Trick-or-treat was originally scheduled for Thursday, October 31.

Children ages 12 and under only and in costume, please!

Town Talk 10/30/19: Tourism Director Talks Halloween Fun in Granville

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Angela Allen, director of the Granville County Tourism Development Authority, was on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk to discuss Halloween happenings in the area.

“We are going out of October and heading into November with a bang,” Allen said. Halloween events include:

  • Downtown Oxford’s Spooktacular Candy Stroll trick-or-treat event Friday, November 1, 2019, from 3:30 – 5 p.m. Trick-or-treat was moved from its original date of Thursday, October 31 due to rainy weather forecasts.
  • Downtown Creedmoor Trick-or-Treating will be held Thursday, October 31 from 6 until 8 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Creedmoor Police Department and downtown merchants.
  • Covenant Life Church will hold Trunk-or-Treat at Butner Athletic Park from 6 until 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 31. The park is located at 1105 West B Street in Butner, NC. This event is open to the public.
  • The Granville Haunt Farm will be open on Halloween from dusk until 9:30 p.m. Activities include a corn maze, haunted trail, zombie paintball and an escape room. This weekend is the last weekend of the season. The farm is located at 4534 US-15 in Oxford, NC.

These are just a few of the many Halloween activities taking place in Granville County. With inclement weather forecasted, it is recommended that you check to see if events have been rescheduled or canceled before heading out tomorrow.

For more information on Granville County events, please visit www.visitgranvillenc.com.

To hear Allen’s interview in its entirety, including information on upcoming November events, 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

Wildfire Risk Remains High in North Carolina

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-Press Release, NCDS&CS

The N.C. Forest Service is urging people across North Carolina to remain vigilant in reducing wildfire risk. While recent rainfall brought immediate and temporary relief to much of the state, warmer, drier days combined with winds could quickly dry forest fuels, increasing the risk of wildfire.

Many tourists come to Western North Carolina to see the changing leaves or for extended stays to hunt. Some of these visitors will use campfires as a source of heat. Where there is fire, there is the risk of that fire escaping into areas where fuels are dry and readily available.

“During dry and windy periods of weather with little rainfall, everyone needs to be extra cautious when burning. It takes very little to start a damaging wildfire,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Dry forest fuels are right there, ready to burn if ignited by the tiniest of sparks.”

The N.C. Forest Service offers the following tips:

  • Anyone building campfires in an established campground should 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.
  • Always check the weather prior to burning and follow state and local regulations if you plan to burn yard debris such as leaves, grass, sticks and stubble. There are many factors to consider before burning. Make sure you have a valid burn permit.
  • Use care when removing ashes or coals from wood-burning stoves, fireplaces or pellet stoves. “Often, homeowners will dispose of ashes in their yards, at the edge of the woods, or in landscaped and mulched areas such as flower beds. When ashes or coals are not completely extinguished and fuel conditions are favorable for fire due to dry weather and wind, ashes can reignite and start a wildfire,” said Greg Smith, Mountain Regional Forester with the N.C. Forest Service. “It is best to put the ashes in a metal or steel bucket or barrel and douse them with water while stirring the mixture until the ashes and coals are completely drenched and cold.”
  • Be attentive and cautious when burning backyard fire pits during the fall and winter seasons. Homeowners should handle a fire pit as they would handle a campfire. Clear a safe area around the fire pit of at least 15 feet. Use properly seasoned, dry, split wood for fuel, and do not use flammable fluids, such as gasoline and lighter fluid, to light or relight fires. Use a metal screen to prevent embers from flying out of the fire pit. Keep children and pets at least three feet away from the fire. Make sure you have a hose, bucket and shovel nearby. Keep a phone nearby, too.
  • 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.

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, go to the forest service website. To learn more about fire safety and preventing wildfires and loss of property, visit www.ncforestservice.gov.

Granville Co. Public Schools to Hold Safety Summit; Offers Online Survey

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-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools

Granville County Public Schools invites you to a School Safety Summit to be held on Thursday, November 7, 2019, at 6 p.m. in the South Granville High School Auditorium.

GCPS staff, law enforcement and elected officials will be present. Take an online, anonymous safety survey and submit your comments/concerns in advance by visiting https://cutt.ly/zexUXHd.

Open to the public!

South Granville High School is located at 701 North Crescent Dr., Creedmoor, NC.

NC Coop. Extension to Hold Chainsaw Safety Workshop

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-Information courtesy Paul McKenzie, NC Cooperative Extension Agent

While chainsaws are a valuable and important tool for farmers and woodland owners, they expose the operator to significant hazards. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, hospital emergency departments treat about 36,000 people annually for injuries related to chainsaw use.

In order to help users better understand and manage the risks, the NC Forest Service and NC Cooperative Extension have partnered to offer a chainsaw safety workshop on Friday, November 15, 2019. The event will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Granville Expo Center near Oxford and will feature classroom instruction as well as live demonstrations.

This workshop is designed to provide a basic level of safety instruction to farmers and woodland owners who may be using a chainsaw for general farm and woodland maintenance.

The Granville Expo Center is located at 4185 Highway 15, which is just south of Oxford (take exit 215 off of I-85 and head south).

Additional details are available at https://go.ncsu.edu/manageyourwoods. Registration is requested, which can be done online at the aforementioned website, by phone at 252-438-8188 or 919-603-1350, or via email paul_mckenzie@ncsu.edu or johnny_coley@ncsu.edu.