Honey Samples, Demonstrations Await at 4th Annual Bee Jubilee

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-Information courtesy Angela Allen, Director, Granville County Tourism Development Authority

The Granville County Beekeepers Association will host the 4th Annual Bee Jubilee on Saturday, June 22, 2019, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Granville Expo Center located on Highway 15 in Oxford, NC.

Learn about bees and native NC pollinators ~ Taste many kinds of honey ~ Food Truck Rodeo ~ Cooking With Honey Contest ~ Check out honey bees in an observation hive ~ Learn what it takes to become a beekeeper ~ Cool down, listen and learn with hourly speakers in the Auditorium ~ Shop small and local ~ Hand-made and homegrown goodies ~ Purchase bee supplies from your favorite bee companies ~ Hands-on demonstrations and things to do ~ Goats and chickens ~ Silent Auction ~ Kidzzzz Corner with games, entertainment and education ~ Beer Garden with Tobacco Wood Brewing Co.

This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Christi Henthorn at 907-738-9047 or log onto the Facebook event page – Bee Jubilee.

Vendor Applications, Sponsorships Available for Upcoming BBQ Competition

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-Press Release, Helping All People Excel (HAPE)

Mark your calendars and get ready for the Tri County BBQ Competition on Saturday, August 10, 2019, at the Kerr Lake Country Club, hosted by Helping All People Excel – HAPE, a 501c3.

This fun-filled, family-friendly event will feature 10 – 15 teams competing in the BBQ Competition, along with vendors, raffles and lots of fun for the residents of Vance County and surrounding areas.

Through this event, we want to help build a stronger community while also giving back to the community. Proceeds from the Tri County BBQ Competition will be used to provide college essentials to twenty-five (25) recent high school graduates from Vance County and surrounding areas.

These items will include laundry detergent, soap, toothpaste and twin extra-long sheet – items that are essential for college but in most cases not covered by financial aid or scholarships. As we all know, getting to college is a major accomplishment. We cannot allow this accomplishment to be overshadowed by the struggle of not having what’s needed to survive while living on a college campus.

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. If you would like more information on this event, sponsorship opportunities, a vendor application or how to make a donation, please contact Tracy Mosley at 252-432-1131 or email tmosley@helpingallpeopleexcel.com.

Granville County Logo

Granville County Board of Commissioners Agenda 06-17-19

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June 17, 2019 – Regular Meeting

Consent Agenda

1. Contingency Summary (p. 1)
2. Budget Amendment #8 (p. 3)
3. Project Ordinance Amendment #3 – Law Enforcement Center (p. 8)
4. School Facility Roof and HVAC Roof Repair Project Ordinance Amendment (p.10)
5. Tax Releases and Refunds (p. 12)
6. Closing of BB&T -DSS/AFDC Checking Account (p. 13)

Recognitions and Presentations

7. Recognition of L.C. Adcock (p. 15)
8. Summer Civic Leadership Program-Intern Introductions (p. 17)

Public Comments

9. Public Comments (p. 18)

Public Hearings

10. Preliminary Assessment Roll – Fieldstone West Subdivision (p. 19)
11. Land Development Code Text Amendment Petition Subdivision Definition (p. 42)
12. Land Development Code Text Amendment Petition Cluster Subdivisions (p. 49)
13. Land Development Code Text Amendment Petition Streetscape Buffer (p. 57)

Grant Matters

14. Home & Community Care Block Grant (p. 66)

Animal Management Matters

15. County Ordinance – Chapter 11: Animals – Second Reading (p. 70)

Human Resources Matters

16. Pay and Classification Study (p. 105)

Appointments

17. Oxford Planning Board – Extraterritorial Member (p. 120)
18. Aeronautics Authority of the City of Henderson, City of Oxford, County of Granville and County of Vance (p. 121)
19. Fire Services Committee (p. 122)
20. Granville County Jury Commission (p. 123)
21. Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees (p. 124)

County Manager’s Report

22. Broadband Contract (p. 126)
23. NACo Voting Delegate (p. 162)
24. Board of Education Property Offer (p. 170)

County Attorney’s Report
25. County Attorney’s Report (p. 173)

Presentations by County Board Members
26. Presentations by County Board Members (p. 174)

Any Other Matters
27. Any Other Matters (p. 175)

Closed Session
28. Closed Session as allowed by G.S. 143-318.11(a)(3) – Attorney-Client Matter (p. 176)

July 15th Forum About Autism Identification Changes

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— courtesy Vance County Schools

A forum for interested parents will be held for the North Central Region, which includes Vance County Schools, on the proposed Policies Governing Services for Children with Disabilities, specifically, the changes in the evaluation and identification of Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The forum will be held on Monday, July 15, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Butner-Stem Middle School at 501 East D Street in Butner.

All interested parents are invited to attend.

Granville County Public Schools

Candidate Interviews for Vacant Dist 1 Board of Ed Seat

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NOTICE TO PUBLIC AND PRESS from Dywanda Pettaway, Clerk to Board of Education

The Granville County Board of Education will hold a special meeting to interview candidates for the vacant District 1 seat on the Board of Education on Wednesday, June 19, 2019, at 2:30 pm, at the Granville County Public Schools Central Office, 101 Delacroix Street, Oxford, North Carolina.

 

Granville County Chamber of Commerce

Granville Chamber: HR Meeting June 20 at Noon

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According to information from the Granville County Chamber of Commerce, the HR meeting for June is Thursday, June 20th, 2019 at 12 noon.

The host for the meeting will be the Granville Vance Public Health Dept. (101 Hunt Dr., Oxford, N.C.). Lindsey Bickers Bock, Health Educator will be speaking on the educational programs that are offered through the Health Education Dept.

RSVP to wanda@granville-chamber.com or 919-693-6125 by Monday, June 17th, if you would like to attend.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy Progress Wants To Pass Fuel Savings On To NC Customers

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-Press release and additional information courtesy Tanya Evans, District Manager, Duke Energy

In an email to WIZS News and other media outlets, Evans said, “I am sharing a bit of good news regarding electric rates. Due to fuel savings achieved from the joint dispatch of our generation fleet (one of the advantages of the merger several years ago), we are proposing an adjustment to our fuel rate in order to pass those savings along to our customers.”

Duke Energy Progress files annual adjustments with North Carolina Utilities Commission for customers in North Carolina

If approved, typical residential customers will see their monthly bills go down $4.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Duke Energy Progress today made its annual filings with the North Carolina Utilities Commission (NCUC) for costs associated with fuel, compliance with the state’s renewable energy portfolio standard (REPS), cost recovery under the Joint Agency Asset Rider (JAAR), and implementation of energy efficiency (EE) and demand-side management (DSM) programs.

In its filing, Duke Energy Progress is proposing a decrease in monthly fuel costs as part of an annual adjustment of the actual cost of fuel used to power North Carolina homes and businesses through renewable, natural gas, nuclear and coal-fired generation. By law, the company makes no profit from the fuel component of rates.

The fuel rate is based on the projected cost of fuel used to provide electric service to the company’s customers, plus a true-up of the prior year’s projection. The NCUC is responsible for reviewing the actual fuel costs required to serve customers to ensure an accurate adjustment is made each year.

The percentage change on a typical bill would be an average decrease of 3.3 percent for residential customers, 4.4 percent for commercial customers and 1.9 percent for industrial customers. The total monthly impact of all rate changes for a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per month would be a decrease of $4, from $120.95 to $116.95.

The new fuel, REPS and JAAR rates would go into effect Dec. 1, 2019, and the new EE and DSM rates would go into effect Jan. 1, 2020.

Helping customers save

Duke Energy Progress works to actively manage its fuel contracts to keep fuel costs as low as possible for customers. Savings achieved from the joint dispatch of Duke Energy’s generation fleet in the Carolinas also help to minimize the company’s fuel costs.

Duke Energy Progress is also committed to helping customers take control of their energy use and manage their bills. The company offers energy-saving tips and innovative efficiency programs for every budget to help customers realize additional savings.

For example, the Home Energy House Call is a free in-home energy assessment, valued at $180, designed to give Duke Energy customers more information about how they use energy in their home and strategies to save money on their monthly bill.

To learn more about these programs, visit duke-energy.com/savings.

Duke Energy Progress

Duke Energy Progress, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns nuclear, coal, natural gas, renewables and hydroelectric generation. That diverse fuel mix provides about 12,700 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 1.6 million customers in a 32,000-square-mile service area of North Carolina and South Carolina.

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of the largest energy holding companies in the U.S. It employs 30,000 people and has an electric generating capacity of 51,000 megawatts through its regulated utilities, and 3,000 megawatts through its nonregulated Duke Energy Renewables unit.

Duke Energy is transforming its customers’ experience, modernizing the energy grid, generating cleaner energy and expanding natural gas infrastructure to create a smarter energy future for the people and communities it serves. The Electric Utilities and Infrastructure unit’s regulated utilities serve approximately 7.7 million retail electric customers in six states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. The Gas Utilities and Infrastructure unit distributes natural gas to more than 1.6 million customers in five states – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio and Kentucky. The Duke Energy Renewables unit operates wind and solar generation facilities across the U.S., as well as energy storage and microgrid projects.

Duke Energy was named to Fortune’s 2019 “World’s Most Admired Companies” list, and Forbes’ 2019 “America’s Best Employers” list. More information about the company is available at duke-energy.com. The Duke Energy News Center contains news releases, fact sheets, photos, videos and other materials. Duke Energy’s illumination features stories about people, innovations, community topics and environmental issues. Follow Duke Energy on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

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Triangle North Healthcare Foundation Buys Garnett Street Station

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— press release from Triangle North Healthcare Foundation

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation Announces Community Investment

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s Board of Directors has announced the acquisition of the historic Henderson landmark, Garnett Street Station.

Through its newly formed limited liability company, Garnett Street Station, LLC, the Foundation closed on the property purchase on June 10. The property was purchased from Restoration Associates.

“We consider this an excellent investment for the Foundation, since it is an income-producing property,” said Val Short, Executive Director for the Foundation. “We can also ensure this important historic treasure will be maintained and preserved for future generations,” she added.

Current tenants at Garnett Street Station will continue to lease office and parking spaces. The Foundation is planning some renovations and improvements to the building, including replacing the platform at the back of the building, painting the exterior trim, and repairing mortar on the brick.

Built around 1885 as a railroad freight station and depot, the building stands on land that was originally deeded to the Raleigh & Gaston Rail Road Company by Lewis Reavis in 1837. The depot building was restored and converted to an office building in 1989 by Restoration Associates.

The Foundation will occupy the office on the south end of the building, according to Short. She expects the Foundation will be able to relocate to Garnett Street Station by the end of the summer. “We are very excited about having a permanent home for the Foundation, especially in this iconic symbol of Henderson’s history and development,” said Short.

Located in Henderson, Triangle North Healthcare Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, and schools in Vance, Warren, Granville, and Franklin counties. The Foundation’s grant funding mission has been made possible by the endowment that was established after Maria Parham Health merged with the for-profit Duke-Lifepoint in 2011. For more information about the Foundation, call 252-598-0763 or visit the website: www.tnhfoundation.org

GCPS: Summer Book Bus 2019

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— cover photo and press release courtesy of Granville County Public Schools

Did You Know….

Granville County Public Schools – We’re Going Mobile Again this Summer! Look for the Book Bus in a neighborhood near you.

Did you know?

Reading for pleasure makes a big difference to children’s educational performance. Evidence suggests that children who read for enjoyment every day not only perform better in reading tests than those who don’t, but also develop a broader vocabulary, increased general knowledge and a better understanding of other cultures. In fact, reading for pleasure is more likely to determine whether a child does well at school than their social or economic background.1

Did you also know?

Regardless of ethnicity, socioeconomic level, or previous achievement, children who read four or more books over the summer fare better on reading comprehension tests in the fall than their peers who read one or no books over the summer.2

The lack of reading books over the summer often results in what is commonly called “summer slide”. No, “summer slide” is not referring to a piece of playground equipment kids will play on at the park this summer. “Summer slide” is a decline in reading ability and other academic skills that can occur over the summer months when school isn’t in session.3 When students experience “summer slide”, it usually means that teachers will have to back-up at the beginning of the school year and reteach skills and strategies that children have lost over the summer.

Did you know?

GCPS is doing something to combat “summer slide” and to build early literacy skills?

The Granville County Public School System is keenly aware of the importance of developing early literacy skills and the gaps that occur when children enter school without having encountered many books. We also are aware of the dreaded “summer slide” that happens when students are not engaged with texts while on summer break. In order to maintain and increase those early literacy skills and to help children develop a love of reading, GCPS is operating the mobile Book Bus for a second year. Families can expect a visit from the Book Bus at a variety of sites around the county on a regular schedule. Once parked at each site, children and families will have an opportunity to board the bus and choose a book! Staff and volunteers will be on hand to help and provide snacks and encouragement. Books are also available to ‘check out’ for families to share and exchange.

What a wonderful opportunity we have here in Granville County to help kids participate in reading books they choose and enjoy. The payoff is huge. Round up the kids! Join us for a summer snack and a bus load of good books. Look for the GCPS mobile Book Bus in a neighborhood near you beginning in July.

1 “Why is Reading so Important?” Pearson UK, Retrieved from https://www.pearson.com/uk/learners/primary-parents/learn-at-home/help-your-child-to-enjoy-reading/why-is-reading-so-important.html

2 Kim, J.S. (2004). Summer reading and the ethnic achievement gap. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 9(2), 169-188

3 Rippel, M. “How to Beat Summer Slide”. All About Learning Press, Retrieved from https://blog.allaboutlearningpress.com/summer-slide/

Town Talk: June is Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month; #ENDALZ

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More than 5 million Americans live with Alzheimer’s, but less than half are ever diagnosed.  Acknowledging why your loved one is acting differently is hard, but early detection and care can make a significant difference, according to a public service announcement recently received at WIZS.

Today’s edition of Town Talk featured Lisa Roberts, Executive Director, of the Alzheimer’s Association of Eastern North Carolina and Bethany Wood, Manager, Walk to End Alzheimer’s of the Eastern NC Chapter.

Click here or on the WIZS logo below to listen to the show.

6 Tips for Approaching Alzheimer’s

If you notice any of the 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s in yourself or someone you know, don’t ignore them. Early detection makes a world of difference, and so does the way you approach the conversation with a family member or a friend. If you notice a pattern of memory loss or behavioral issues that are affecting one’s ability to function, it’s essential to talk about it so they can be evaluated. The Alzheimer’s Association offers these tips:

1. Have the conversation as early as possible – Ideally, it’s best to talk about the Alzheimer’s warning signs with a family member or friend before they even occur, so that you can understand how someone would want you to approach them about it. However, many people aren’t planning for Alzheimer’s before it happens. If you’re noticing signs of dementia, start a conversation as soon as possible, while mental functioning is at its highest and before a crisis occurs.

2. Think about who’s best suited to initiate the conversation – There might be a certain family member, friend or trusted advisor who holds sway. Consider asking this person to step in and plan around how to have the most supportive and productive conversation.

3. Practice conversation starters – The following phrases can help broach the conversation.
a. “Would you want me to say something if I ever noticed any changes in your behavior that worried me?”
b. “I’ve noticed a few changes in your behavior lately, and I wanted to see if you’ve noticed these changes as well?”
c. “Lately I’ve been considering my own long-term care plans, and I wanted to see if you’ve done any advance planning you can share with me?”

4. Offer your support and companionship – Seeing a doctor to discuss observed warning signs of Alzheimer’s may create anxiety. Let your family member or friend know that you’re willing to accompany them to the appointment and any follow-up assessments. Offer your continuous support throughout the diagnosis process.

5. Anticipate gaps in self-awareness – It can be the case that someone showing the warning signs of Alzheimer’s is unable to recognize those signs in themselves. Be prepared to navigate confusion, denial and withdrawal, as people may not want to accept that their mental functioning is declining.

6. Recognize the conversation may not go as planned – Despite your best intentions, a family member may not be open to discussing memory or cognitive concerns. They may get angry, upset, and defensive or simply refuse to talk about it. Unless it’s a crisis situation, don’t force the conversation. Take a step back, regroup and revisit the subject in a week or two. If they still refuse to get help, consult their physician or the Alzheimer’s Association for strategies that may help.

10 WAYS TO LOVE YOUR BRAIN
START NOW. It’s never too late or too early to incorporate healthy habits.

BUTT OUT: Smoking increases risk of cognitive decline. Quitting smoking can reduce risk to levels comparable to those who have not smoked.

FOLLOW YOUR HEART: Risk factors for cardiovascular disease and stroke – obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes – negatively impact your cognitive health.

HEADS UP: Brain injury can raise risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Wear a seat belt and use a helmet when playing contact sports or riding a bike.

FUEL UP RIGHT: Eat a balanced diet that is higher in vegetables and fruit to help reduce the risk of cognitive decline.

CATCH SOME ZZZ’S: Not getting enough sleep may result in problems with memory and thinking.

TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH: Some studies link depression with cognitive decline, so seek treatment if you have depression, anxiety or stress.

BUDDY UP: Staying socially engaged may support brain health. Find ways to be part of your local community or share activities with friends and family.

STUMP YOURSELF: Challenge your mind. Build a piece of furniture. Play games of strategy, like bridge.

BREAK A SWEAT: Engage in regular cardiovascular exercise that elevates heart rate and increases blood flow. Studies have found that physical activity reduces risk of cognitive decline.

HIT THE BOOKS: Formal education will help reduce risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Take a class at a local college, community center or online. Growing evidence indicates that people can reduce their risk of cognitive decline by adopting key lifestyle habits. When possible, combine these habits to achieve maximum benefit for the brain and body. Visit alz.org/10ways to learn more.