Riggan, writer, producer and director of the musical comedy “A Waffle House Christmas,” announced that the play will be performed at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in downtown Henderson for one night only – Saturday, December 1, 2018 – at 8 p.m.
According to Riggan, approximately 600 of the 1,000 available tickets have already been purchased, and he hopes to see it become a sold-out performance. “I hope it happens for McGregor Hall and for downtown Henderson. That’s our crown jewel!”
The musical, which was first commissioned by the Metro Nashville Arts Commission in 2006, will feature five of the principal actors for the December performance, including Dewitt as Waffle House waitress Rita and country singer T. Graham Brown. Auditions for local actors to round out the cast were held last week.
Dewitt, most well-known for her role as Janet on the sitcom “Three’s Company,” said she was excited to return to this role. “In this case, I had done the play before with Kaine and I know that he is a very wonderful director and I know that he gathers terrific actors together. So the idea of coming back and doing this with a number of wonderful people that I did it with in Nashville was thrilling.”
The setting for the musical is a Waffle House in both the middle of nowhere and in the middle of a blizzard on Christmas Eve. The regular staff and customers are stranded there along with outside visitors. What unfolds are a few secrets, surprises and heartfelt human connections.
“The wonderful thing about these characters that Kaine has written is that they are so human, but what’s going on in their personal story is so meaningful,” said Dewitt. “The audience can relate to each of them.”
“It’s my favorite kind of material – funny, funny, funny – but also, at times, catching and poignant.”
According to Dewitt, when she is first approached about a role she asks herself if she believes in the material and if she can deliver the material in a way that will relate to the audience. She is pleased to have found both in this role.
“When the audience is walking out of the theater, what have we given them? What is in their heart? I genuinely believe this play is a perfect Christmas gift to give the audience.”
To give the gift of this play to yourself and/or a loved one, purchase tickets by:
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/A-Waffle-House-Christmas.png265504Kelly Bonduranthttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngKelly Bondurant2018-11-12 16:57:512018-11-12 16:57:51Joyce Dewitt ‘Thrilled’ to Return to Role in ‘A Waffle House Christmas’
-Information courtesy Brian K. Short, Director of Emergency Operations, Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations and the National Weather Service
The National Weather Service is forecasting a very wet start to the week with upwards of 3 – 4 inches of rain expected in most locations through Tuesday. Urban and small stream flooding is possible. There is a chance for an isolated thunderstorm particularly in the east. Main stem rivers will need to be monitored for potential river flooding later this week.
A second system on Thursday appears to be all liquid at this point despite predicted temperatures very close to freezing in the Triad and VA border counties. Sunny and cool for the weekend. The potential tropical system in the Atlantic poses no threat to central NC at this time.
At this time there is NO threat for impactful winter weather in central NC this week. Triad and VA border counties will have temperatures near freezing for a couple of hours Thursday morning around sunrise. This may possibly be enough to get a pellet or two of sleet on the windshield mixed in with the rain but otherwise should remain all liquid. Even if temperatures do briefly touch 32 degrees, any ice accrual is unlikely because of warm antecedent conditions. Warm ground temperatures and air temperatures prior to the onset of the precipitation would prevent any freezing rain accrual. Temperatures will quickly rise through the 30s after sunrise, further mitigating any chance of winter weather.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/national-weather-service-logo.jpg266504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2018-11-12 16:57:182018-11-12 16:57:18Heavy Rain Expected Early This Week, No Threat of Winter Weather
-Information courtesy Debra A. Weary, Clerk to the Board, County of Granville
PUBLIC NOTICE
A quorum of the Granville County Board of Commissioners may be present on November 15, 2018, for a bus tour of the Granville County Commissioner District 5. The bus tour will begin at 9 a.m. or shortly after and leave from the Granville County Administration parking lot located at 141 Williamsboro Street, Oxford, NC.
For more information, please contact the County Manager’s Office at 919-693-5240.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/wizsfbresize_0001s_0062_granvillecountyseal.png.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2018-11-12 16:54:532018-11-12 16:54:53Reminder: Granville Co. Board of Commissioners to Tour District 5
Registration for classes has begun for the Spring 2019 semester at Vance-Granville Community College, which starts Monday, Jan. 7, 2019.
In addition to the traditional 16-week semester session, VGCC is offering a 12-week term, two 8-week terms and two 4-week terms for the Spring.
“We know that our students have busy lives, going to college, taking care of a family and working, in most cases,” said Jeff Allen, VGCC’s dean of enrollment and outreach. “Vance-Granville wants to meet students where they are and help them get to where they need to be. We recognize that flexibility in scheduling is more important than ever.”
The full 16-week semester, starting on Jan. 7, concludes on May 6. Hundreds of courses are being offered on each of the college’s four campuses in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties, and online courses are available, including eight curriculum programs offered totally online.
The four-week “Spring Forward” mini-term begins Dec. 17 with a registration deadline of Dec. 13. Classes for this session will end on Jan. 15. The session is designed for students who are home for the holidays and want to pick up extra classes to help them get ahead in their studies, Allen said. Most of the courses have credits that are transferable to other colleges and universities, but students are always encouraged to check with their advisers to guarantee transferability to other institutions. Course offerings include computers, criminal justice, American history, music appreciation, American government, psychology and sociology, among others.
A second four-week mini-term, labeled “March Forward,” is scheduled for March 5 through April 1, with a registration deadline of March 1. The course list for this mini-term includes management, criminal justice, success and study skills and college transfer success.
The first of two 8-week sessions will begin on Jan. 7 and run through March 5. The second 8-week session starts March 5 and concludes May 6, with a registration deadline of Feb. 28. These two mini-terms offer dozens of courses.
A 12-week mini-term also offering dozens of classes begins Feb. 5 and runs through May 6, the registration deadline coming Jan. 31.
All of the courses offer the full credits a student normally receives. The schedules for the mini-terms are compressed to allow students to complete the coursework in less time.
In addition to the curriculum courses are continuing education opportunities for those wanting job training or new skills or personal enrichment and basic skills for those seeking a high school equivalency or an adult high school diploma.
Registration for the 16-week Spring classes opened Thursday, Nov. 1, and closes on Thursday, Jan. 3. College officials advise students to apply for admission and financial aid, request transcripts from high school or other colleges and schedule a placement test. Students will then meet with an academic coach to register for classes, followed by an orientation session. Students are advised to register for classes as early as possible to secure the classes they need to take.
The upcoming semester’s course schedules and a link to ARCHES, the latest edition of the college’s guide to enrollment, are now available online at schedules.vgcc.edu.
The tuition payment deadline for the 16-week semester is Thursday, Jan. 3, by 5 p.m., if paying in person, or by midnight, if paying online through the college’s online WebAdvisor.
For more information, contact VGCC at studentsuccess@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3234, or visit any campus.
FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE
Prospective students interested in seeking financial assistance are encouraged to immediately complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.gov and to visit the VGCC Financial Aid Office.
Eligible students may receive Pell Grants ranging from $343 to $3,047 per semester. Students may also qualify for other college or state funds. The Financial Aid Office recommends completing the FAFSA and all financial aid documents by Wednesday, Dec. 12. In order for a student to charge tuition, fees, and books to financial aid awards, the student’s entire financial aid file must be completed prior to the tuition payment deadline of Thursday, Jan. 3. Students with preschool-age children may receive financial assistance to help pay for child care, and applications for this help are also available at the Financial Aid Office.
For more details regarding financial assistance, visit the Financial Aid Office in Room 8215 on Main Campus or call (252) 738-3280.
HELP FOR VETERANS
Military veterans who wish to use their Veterans’ Education benefits may contact the Financial Aid Office at (252) 738-3522. Veterans should check with Financial Aid to see if the programs in which they are interested are covered.
(This is not a paid advertisement)
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/vgcc.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2018-11-09 16:57:282018-11-09 13:50:42Registration Underway for Spring Semester at VGCC
-Information courtesy Dr. Stan Winborne, Public Information Officer, Granville County Public Schools
You are invited to a “School Safety Summit” to be held in the Northern Granville Middle School auditorium – 3144 Webb School Rd., Oxford – on Thursday, November 15 at 6 p.m.
Join Granville County Public Schools staff, law enforcement and elected officials as we discuss what is being done to keep our schools safe.
The event is open to the public. Submit your comments in advance by clicking here.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/GCPS-School-Safety-Summit-2018.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2018-11-09 16:55:242018-11-09 13:49:39Granville Co. Public Schools to Host School Safety Summit
The county-wide fall recycling event will be held on Saturday, Nov. 17 from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Granville County’s Expo and Convention Center. This annual “clean out” offers an opportunity for residents to rid themselves of items that can be collected for recycling or properly disposed of in one convenient location. On site will be the N.C. Department of Agriculture, Veolia, TT&E Metals, the Granville County Sheriff’s Office and other organizations and agencies.
Items accepted – during these hours only – include paint, household cleaners, old gasoline, drain cleaners, household batteries, pesticides, weed killers, computers, electronic devices, telephones, outdated prescriptions, inhalers, diabetic supplies, ammunition, flares, broken appliances, junk lawnmowers and many other items that are no longer used or needed.*
This annual event has been taking place for the past six years and occurs every November as a way to dispose of materials that cannot go into the landfill or regular trash. Since there is currently no other means of collecting these hazardous materials at other sites, this has proven to be a successful way to keep them out of the environment each year.
“Residents have seemed appreciative of the opportunity to dispose of such hazards properly,” said the county’s Recycle Coordinator Teresa Baker. “Keeping such toxins out of our soil and water supply is of the utmost importance to me, and having the resources to be able to collect and handle these items properly should make everyone proud to be a responsible citizen of Granville County.”
Also on site will be the Granville County Humane Society, accepting donations of dog and cat food, leashes and collars, crates, pet beds, towels and kitty litter.
The Granville County Expo and Convention Center is located at 4185 US Highway 15 in Oxford. For more information about this event, contact Baker by phone at 919-725-1417 or by email at bakertd@gcs.k12.nc.us.
*Not all household items will be accepted. The agencies on-site reserve the right to refuse certain materials.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Recycle-Logo.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2018-11-09 16:54:562018-11-09 13:49:10Granville Co. Fall ‘Clean Out’ scheduled for Nov. 17
Vance-Granville Community College’s partner in apprenticeship programs, Youngsville-based Frigi-Temp, has donated a large rooftop air conditioning unit to benefit students enrolled in the college’s Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Technology curriculum program.
“This industrial size unit will provide our students with hands-on skills training that will prepare them at a new level as they work to become HVAC technicians,” said Michael Whittemore, VGCC’s program head for the applied technology program.
A commercial HVAC and refrigeration service provider and licensed mechanical contractor serving central North Carolina since 2001, Frigi-Temp (www.frigitemp.com) joined forces with VGCC a year ago on the VGCC “Vanguard Apprenticeship Collaborative,” designed to cultivate highly skilled workers for large and small companies in a number of industries.
Vance-Granville staff and faculty gather with Frigi-Temp representatives to celebrate the donation of a 12.5-ton rooftop commercial air conditioning unit to the Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration (ACHR) program at the college. From left are Ken Wilson, TechHire grant project manager; Eddie Ferguson, director of the Endowment Fund; Michael Whittemore, ACHR program head; Angela Gardner-Ragland, dean of Business & Applied Technologies; Dawn Michelle Tucker, dean of Continuing Education & Basic Skills; Kyle Burwell, director of Occupational Extension; Cory Thornton, chief operating officer for Frig-Temp; Tim Gray, president and owner, Frigi-Temp; and Kyle Hooss, organizational development manager for the Youngsville company. (Photo Credit: VGCC)
Cory Thornton, chief operating officer of Frigi-Temp, has demonstrated his company’s interest in Vance-Granville’s curriculum program as well as the apprenticeships for the benefits he sees it provides his business.
The system is a three-phase 12.5-ton Lennox commercial gas package unit with two stages for heating and two stages for cooling. When installed, the equipment would be valued at more than $20,000. The equipment includes an economizer, enthalpy control and a biometric relief damper, Thornton said.
“We wanted this unit to be a very good representation of what one can expect when they walk on a commercial rooftop,” said Thornton.
“Vance-Granville is our local vocational resource,” he added, noting that he has five team members who have attended VGCC in their educational pursuits. “Frigi-Temp, as a member of the Advisory Committee for the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration program and as the college’s only commercial apprenticeship partner, would not dream of donating the equipment to any other program.
“This donation will hopefully be the first of many as Frigi-Temp strives to do our part in updating the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) labs at VGCC,” said Thornton.
The equipment, which is the only commercial piece of equipment in VGCC’s lab, will give students an opportunity to experience three-phase compressors and motors, multiple stages of heating and cooling, and belt-driven blower assemblies, Thornton added. “They will have a chance to learn about the difference in maintaining a micro-channel coil and cycling condenser fan motors, among other exciting features,” he said.
Thornton said his company desires to make sure all students, especially their apprentices, have an opportunity to have a diverse list of equipment in the lab. “The more comfortable all the students can become with various types of equipment, how it functions, and how it is maintained the better position they will be in to start their careers with confidence,” Thornton said.
Over the next few years, there is estimated to be a shortage of more than 100,000 HVAC skilled labor workers, he said. “The August jobs report indicated a 3.9% unemployment rate across occupations,” he noted. “The drill down on that report indicated a 2.5% unemployment rate for skilled labor positions. The unemployment rate for skilled commercial HVAC/R (heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration) technicians is something less than 2.5%. Every company out there is going to be competing for the same workers.
“Frigi-Temp also wants to be sure we are making investments in the generation of technicians which will be stepping up to fill the void. Frigi-Temp is making these investments now because we want to be sure that we always have a stream of new talent joining our team ensuring our customers’ needs are always met.”
It’s a matter of economics, the Frigi-Temp leader said: “The demand for HVAC/R equipment is increasing at the same time that the supply of those capable of meeting the demand is decreasing. Basic economics dictate that the price for HVAC/R services must go up. This also means that the wages of those capable of delivering those services will go up.
“This is the best time I have ever seen to get into the industry. There is a massive amount of opportunity for someone to join the trade, become a true professional, and be very successful,” he said.
Dr. Gordon Burns, Vance-Granville interim president, praised Frigi-Temp for its support of the college’s students. “This industry represents the partnerships critically needed with area industry and businesses to help our students gain valuable knowledge and the skills training to be job ready. As Frigi-Temp demonstrates so well, their donation of this equipment and their support of our apprenticeship program will not only help them find the technicians they need but also will guarantee to our students that they can meet the demands of industry. It’s truly a win-win for all.”
Students interested in enrolling in the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Technology program can contact program head Michael Whittemore at whittemorem@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3214. Employers interested in partnering with VGCC on apprenticeships are encouraged to contact Ken Wilson, project manager for VGCC’s TechHire grant program, at wilsonk@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3259 for more information.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/VGCC-and-Frigi-Temp.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2018-11-08 16:59:362018-11-08 16:59:36Youngsville Company Frigi-Temp Donates Equipment To VGCC
The Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Thanksgiving Breakfast will be held at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 21 at Oxford Baptist Church’s Family Life Center – 147 Main St., Oxford. The event-sponsor is Bridgestone. The speaker will be John W. Turner, executive director of Veterans Life Center.
A Southern buffet breakfast will be served. There is no charge to attend, but please bring canned/nonperishable food items for Area Congregations In Ministry (ACIM).
RSVP by Friday, November 16 to a Chamber office:
919.693.6125 ~ wanda@granville-chamber.com
919.528.4994 ~ tawheeler@granville-chamber.com
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Granville-County-Chamber-of-Commerce-Logo.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2018-11-08 16:58:412018-11-08 16:58:41Granville Co. Chamber’s Annual Thanksgiving Breakfast to be Held Nov. 21
Vance-Granville Community College and The College at Southeastern have entered a partnership to provide a “ready-made pathway” for students to be dually enrolled on their way to a Bachelor of Science degree at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
In VGCC’s Civic Center, colorfully decorated with banners displaying the various applied technology, business and health sciences academic programs offered by Vance-Granville, a ceremony was held on Monday, Oct. 22, for the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the two colleges.
“Partnership is very important as you think about higher education today,” said Dr. Levy Brown, Vance-Granville’s vice president of academic affairs. “We hear about pathways. We hear about multiple entry points for students. We hear about collaboration. Today we are very excited to join Southeastern in this opportunity to provide more training opportunities for their students.”
Dr. James Dew of The College at Southeastern, left, and Dr. Levy Brown of Vance-Granville Community College sign a memorandum of understanding officially launching a partnership that provides a “ready-made pathway” for students to be dually enrolled at the two colleges on their way to a Bachelor of Science degree at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. (Photo: VGCC)
The partnership opens a new door for students at The College at Southeastern (C@SE) in Wake Forest to earn additional credentials in the career and technical education areas, nearly 40 curriculum programs, at Vance-Granville, Dr. Brown noted, citing the significance of the regional collaboration.
With plans for the partnership in the works for several years, Dr. James Dew, Vice President of Undergraduate Studies and Distance Learning and the Dean of The College at Southeastern, said he was pleased to see two institutions working together rather than being competitive in their recruiting efforts. Students have had to choose between schools when pursuing their college educations, he said, “either here or there but not both.”
“We can do far more together than we can do apart from each other,” he said. “I think the days are gone, or should be gone, when we compete against each other in unnecessary ways.”
“As we sat down to think about the possibilities,” Dr. Dew added, “what we began to realize is that there are actually ways that we can serve each other. You have students in your vocational programs who ultimately desire to do something for the Lord. And we have students who very much want to do something for the Lord but are going to need along the way various kinds of vocational training to get there.”
At C@SE, he said, they refer to the situation as the “Tentmaker’s Paradigm.” Citing Acts 18:1-4, he described how the Apostle Paul had a vocation of making tents. “He would go from place to place, and as he went he would build tents and that would give him a platform to preach the Gospel to the nations,” Dr. Dew said.
“That ultimately is our vision,” he added. “We are training a generation of people at Southeastern to go into the darkest places in the entire world, places where there is no hope, places where the darkness is thick and depression is strong. And there in those places shine their light of Jesus Christ to those places and to those nations. But to get there … they are going to need the kinds of programs that we see represented here in this room.”
He said C@SE wants their students to have these kinds of programs that VGCC offers, but “I also understand that they need the kinds of theological and ministerial training that we can offer them at Southeastern as well.”
C@SE began in 1994 as an undergraduate school of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS) in Wake Forest. Students who are pursuing their Bachelor of Science degree from SEBTS have had the option to transfer in an associate’s degree from another college, dually enroll in a vocational program at another college or complete a business minor at C@SE.
The partnership will provide a clear pathway, the college officials noted.
Among the highlights of the partnership:
C@SE students may enroll in as many as 12 credit hours per semester at VGCC and have those hours count towards their status at C@SE.
Southeastern students who complete an associate’s degree, diploma or certificate of study in a VGCC-approved vocational and/or applied technical program will receive full credit for courses taken in which a grade of “C” or better was earned.
C@SE will also accept credits from high school and early college high school students enrolled in an approved Career and College Promise (CCP) track through VGCC.
VGCC will allow students to dual enroll in a Bachelor of Science degree program at C@SE.
The partnership also allows for a seamless integration of recruitment initiatives between both colleges.
Dr. Dew recognized Cory Thornton of the Youngsville-based Frigi-Temp commercial heating, air conditioning, ventilation and refrigeration service provider for being a part of a three-way meeting with VGCC and C@SE last year that eventually led to the partnership. Thornton is the chief operating officer of the licensed mechanical contracting company which is now a partner in VGCC’s Vanguard Apprenticeship Collaboration.
Dr. Dew added, “We began to think together about what your curriculum looks like, what ours looks like and the various ways that we can partner broadly by taking the diplomas, the certificates and the associate’s degrees offered here in vocational trainings at Vance-Granville and let the students either come to Southeastern after they finish here by way of transfer or to work on those degree programs concurrently.”
“It is a unique day in the life of Southeastern when I can begin saying to our students, ‘Hey, you should also go to this school,’” he said. “Praise God for good things that He has brought. I’m excited for this day.”
VGCC’s Interim President Dr. Gordon Burns applauded the “efforts, insights and wisdom” of Dr. Brown and Dr. Dew “and all of those colleagues who supported them in our two institutions.”
“Thank you for making this day possible,” he added. “I think it’s especially important that we allow the doors to be open for further higher education. By accepting our credits at your college, you open the door to new opportunities to advance study, and for that, we are most grateful,” Dr. Burns said.
Also instrumental in the creation of the partnership is VGCC’s project manager for the TechHire grant, Ken Wilson, who also spoke to the staff and faculty from both institutions who gathered for the signing. “We look forward to wonderful times ahead for this great partnership,” Wilson said.
Questions about the partnership can be directed to Ken Wilson at VGCC by phone at (252) 738-3259 or by e-mail at wilsonk@vgcc.edu or Dr. Brent Aucoin at The College at Southeastern by phone at (919) 761-2286 or by e-mail at baucoin@sebts.edu.
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-Information courtesy Debra A. Weary, Clerk to the Board, Granville County
During a regular meeting on November 5, 2018, the Granville County Board of Commissioners took the following action:
Approved the proclamation request from the United States World War One Centennial Commission to call on all Americans across the nation to pause at 11 a.m. on November 11, 2018, and recognize, commemorate, and give thanks for the service and sacrifice of those who served in World War I to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended the fighting in World War I at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 – the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
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