Schedule Released for Saturday’s Bee Jubilee in Oxford

-Information courtesy Bee Jubilee Coordinator Christi Henthron

The Granville County Beekeepers Association (GCBA), will hold their 3rd Annual Bee Jubilee this Saturday, June 23, 2018, from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Granville County Expo Center, 4605 US-15 in Oxford.

The Bee Jubilee is held in conjunction with National Pollinator Week, June 18-24, and is a day-long event filled with bee and pollinator-related speakers and demonstrations, local arts and handmade crafts, non-profits, children’s activities, a silent auction, honey, North Carolina-grown produce and more.

Kids activities will be available and over 65 vendors will offer information or selling homegrown, handmade, bee or agriculture items. A silent auction and a drawing for the winner of the Year of Honey Raffle will be held.

Schedule of Events:

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Vendors & Kids Area Open – Expo Center & Arena

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Year of Honey Raffle Tickets for Sale at $1 each or 6 for $5 – Expo Lobby

9 a.m. – Silent Auction Begins – Granville County Beekeepers Association – Expo Lobby

9 to 11 a.m. – Breakfast is Served – Gavin’s Grub Hub Food Truck – Front of Expo

10 a.m. – Herbalist & Beekeeper Maria Hristova-Kazmierski – “Pollinator, Garden Design & Plant Selection: Propolis 101”- Expo Auditorium

10:30 a.m. – Honey Extraction Demonstration – Granville County Beekeepers Association – Arena (North)

11 a.m. – Goat Milking Demonstration – New Dawn Homestead – Arena (Paddock)

11 a.m. – Chris Apple, Master Gardner, Journeyman Beekeeper – “Pollinators A Plenty” – Expo Auditorium

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Ricky Manning, Journeyman Beekeeper – “Starting a New Top Bar Hive” Workshop – Arena (Training Room)

12 p.m. – Keith Rogers, Certified Beekeeper – “So You Want to be a Beekeeper?” – Expo Auditorium

12:30 p.m. – Honey Extraction Demonstration – Granville County Beekeepers Association – Arena (North)

1 p.m. – Adolphus Leonard, NC Apiary Inspector – “NCSBA and the State Fair, Entering Honey Into Competitions” – Expo Auditorium

1:30 p.m. – Goat Milking Demonstration – New Dawn Homestead – Arena (Paddock)

2 p.m. – Year of Honey Raffle Winner Drawn – Expo Auditorium

2 p.m. – Greg Taylor, Certified Beekeeper – “Mead” – Expo Auditorium

2:15 p.m. – Silent Auction Ends – Granville County Beekeepers Association – Expo Lobby

3 p.m. – Volker Borneman, President & CEO of Avazyme, Inc. – “Honey, Bees and Science: The Good, the Bad and the Toxic” – Expo Auditorium

Please call Bee Jubilee Coordinator Christi Henthron at 907.738.9047 or email granvillebeejubilee@gmail.com with any questions, comments or ideas.

For more information, visit the Bee Jubilee Facebook page by clicking here.

Learn more about Pollinator Week at www.pollinator.org!

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Granville Co. Chamber’s 2018-19 “Granville Today” Hot off the Press

— courtesy Granville County Chamber of Commerce | Ginnie Currin, Executive Director ~ 919-693-6125 ~ ginnie@granville-chamber.com

The Granville County Chamber of Commerce has just received the printed 2018-19 edition of their annual “Granville Today” publication.

“Our Chamber is exceptionally proud of the incredibly interesting feature stories in this edition and is grateful to the business community for their support of this project.,” said Executive Director Ginnie Currin.

Copies of “Granville Today” may be obtained from the Chamber’s offices – 124 Hillsboro St., Oxford and 1598 Hwy 56, between Butner and Creedmoor.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s Executive Committee previews the just-received “Granville Today” 2018-19 publication. (Left to right):  Larry Wilson, Lewis Electric/Chamber Vice-President; Tanya Evans, Duke Energy/President-elect of the Chamber; and Hal Muetzel, Express Employment Professionals/Chamber President. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Chamber of Commerce)

 

 

Granville County Logo

Granville Co. Board of Commissioners to Meet Mon., June 18

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

The Granville County Board of Commissioners will meet Monday, June 18 at 7 p.m. at the Granville Expo and Convention Center, 4185 US Highway 15 South, Oxford.

Agenda items include:

– Contingency Summary

– Budget Amendment #8

– Capital Project Ordinance – 2018 GAP Phase III

– Capital Project Ordinance – Oxford Landfill Closure/Post Closure 2018-2019 – Budget Amendment #1

– Grant Project Ordinance – CDBG Scattered Site Program – Closeout

– Recognition of Service – Susan L. Cottrell

– Presentation – Opioid Litigation

– Granville County 2018-2019 Agreement with the NC Department of Health and Human Services

– Agreed-Upon Procedures to Confirm Medicaid Eligibility

– VARONIS Datalert Software Permanent License

– NACo Voting Delegate Designation

– Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Request

– FAA Tower Site on Mountain Road is Available for Public Benefit Conveyance

– City of Creedmoor Resolution Requesting County Inspection Services

– Granville County Veterans Affairs Committee Request

Heavy Equipment Operator Course Returns to VGCC’s Warren Campus in July

-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

WARRENTON — The Heavy Equipment Operator course will be offered by Vance-Granville Community College starting Tuesday, July 10, at the college’s Warren County Campus.

A Short-Term Workforce Training Grant from the N.C. Community College System will be available to cover the cost of tuition and books for qualified students taking the nine-week course, according to Kyle Burwell, VGCC’s director of occupational extension.

“This course presents an excellent opportunity for students to learn the techniques and safety aspects of operating heavy equipment while exploring the various types and functions of the equipment,” Burwell said. “Students completing the course come away from it with the general understanding to secure a job for a company preparing a site for the construction of buildings, roadways and other structures.”

The college has worked with the North Carolina Department of Transportation to help course completers find jobs with companies that contract with the State.

“This is a new career opportunity that Vance-Granville began offering just a few years ago with training that previously had not been available in our service area,” Burwell said. Classes will be held on Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays, July 10 to Sept. 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with a one-hour lunch break.

Above: Matthew Paynter trains on a motor grader simulator in a classroom on the college’s Warren County Campus during a previous Heavy Equipment Operator course. (VGCC photo)

The Heavy Equipment Operator training program has three computerized training simulators, offering a safe and efficient way to train new operators in a risk-free environment, Burwell said. Highly detailed and realistic lessons teach proper operator technique, machine controls, and safe operation. The simulators feature real-world situations, job site hazards, safety violations, hand signals, equipment damage, budget-based scoring, and replica machine controls.

Each simulator allows students to train virtually on different types of equipment: a motor grader, a four-wheel drive loader and a backhoe. Students use foot pedals, joysticks and steering wheels that mimic those found in actual heavy equipment, while large computer monitors in front of them display a virtual job site in the first-person style of a video game. VGCC students use the equipment not only for practice and experience but also for testing that is required to pass the course.

The instructor for the course will be Steve Buus, who earned his diploma in Heavy Equipment Operation from Wake Technical Community College. Buus has held various positions with Caterpillar and similar companies as an operator and manager of heavy equipment. He has 30-Hour OSHA Certification in Construction Training from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

To register for the course, students may visit www.vgcc.edu/schedules/occupational-extension-schedule.

Students interested in applying for the grant should contact Kyle Burwell at (252) 738-3276 or burwellk@vgcc.edu.

NCDOT Seeks Public Comment on Transportation Projects

WIZS Note: The Division 5 meeting, including Durham, Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance, Wake and Warren counties will be held Tuesday, June 19, 2018, from 4 – 6 p.m. at the NCDOT Division 5 Office, 2612 N. Duke St., Durham.

-Press Release, NCDOT

RALEIGH – Starting June 4, North Carolinians are invited to express their opinions about which regional and local transportation projects should be top priorities in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) – a 10-year plan that identifies funding for projects and schedules them for construction.

The N.C. Department of Transportation combines data and local input to determine which projects will get built, using a formula established in the Strategic Transportation Investments (STI) law to focus funding on projects that will reduce congestion, improve safety and promote economic growth.

During a public comment period that runs from June 4 through July 9, NCDOT will collect feedback from citizens who express their views at public meetings, online, by phone or in writing.

Public Meetings

NCDOT’s 14 local transportation divisions will host informal meetings to present proposed projects and to receive public comment. The first meetings are Monday, June 4, in Winston-Salem (Division 9) and Thursday, June 7, in Aberdeen (Division 8).  See below for the schedules and locations of all the public meetings.

At each meeting, citizens are invited to stop in and provide input on how the division plans to rank its project priorities. Please note that these meetings are not for maintenance projects, such as patching potholes, resurfacing roads or improving ditches.

NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for anyone with disabilities who wants to participate in the public meeting. Anyone requiring special services should contact Lauren Putnam, Public Involvement Officer, at 919-707-6072 or by email at lnputnam1@ncdot.gov as early as possible so that these arrangements can be made.

Other Ways to Participate

In addition to the public meetings, NCDOT is offering other options for citizens to provide input starting Monday, June 4, through the STI website (ncdot.gov/sti).  Citizens can complete a short, interactive survey to identify priority projects, or send a message to their local division planning engineer.

The online survey features an interactive state map with the proposed projects up for funding.  Citizens can review project information and provide feedback on which projects they think are important.

The STI website provides the phone numbers and postal addresses of local division planning engineers, for citizens who want to comment on transportation projects by telephone or mail.

In April, NCDOT released data scores for more than 2,100 transportation improvement projects across the state, in the first round of an evaluation process to determine which projects will be scheduled for construction.  Also in April, NCDOT identified 77 high-scoring Statewide Mobility projects that will be programmed for funding over the next decade.

Next Steps

After the comment period ends on July 9, NCDOT will combine the data scores and local input to produce the total project scores. A draft list of the top-scoring Regional Impact projects is scheduled for release in August. A similar process for local input will take place in the fall for local Division Needs projects.

Once all project scores are finalized, the top-scoring projects will be programmed for construction based on available funding. Other factors may determine whether a project ultimately moves to construction, including the completion of environmental and engineering plans, corridor spending limits prescribed by law, and other federal and state funding restrictions.

This information will be used to create the next STIP for the years 2020-2029. NCDOT will release a draft STIP for public comment in January 2019. The final 2020-2029 STIP is expected to be adopted by the N.C. Board of Transportation in June 2019.

The STI law, enacted in 2013, established a data-driven process that allows NCDOT to invest transportation dollars more efficiently and effectively.  NCDOT updates the STIP approximately every two years to ensure that it accurately reflects the state’s current financial situation.

Meeting Dates and Locations

  • JUNE 14, 5-7 P.M. – EDENTON
    (DIVISION 1: Camden, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Bertie, Hertford, Northampton, Chowan, Hyde, Martin, Tyrrell and Washington counties)

    NCDOT Division 1 Office
    113 Airport Drive
    Edenton, N.C.  27932
  • JUNE 12, 4-6 P.M. – KINSTON
    (DIVISION 2: Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Pamlico and Pitt counties)

    NCDOT Division 2 Office
    2815 Rouse Road Ext.
    Kinston, N.C. 28504
  • JUNE 12, 5-7 P.M. – CASTLE HAYNE
    (DIVISION 3: Brunswick, Duplin, Onslow, New Hanover, Pender and Sampson counties)

    NCDOT Division 3 Office
    5501 Barbados Blvd.
    Castle Hayne, N.C. 28429
  • JUNE 12, 5-7 P.M. – WILSON
    (DIVISION 4: Edgecombe, Halifax, Johnston, Nash, Wayne and Wilson counties)

    NCDOT Division 4 Office
    509 Ward Blvd.
    Wilson, N.C.  27895
  • JUNE 19, 4-6 P.M. – DURHAM
    (DIVISION 5: Durham, Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance, Wake and Warren counties)

    NCDOT Division 5 Office
    2612 N. Duke St.
    Durham, N.C. 27704
  • JUNE 18, 5-7 P.M. – FAYETTEVILLE
    (DIVISION 6: Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Harnett and Robeson counties)

    NCDOT Division 6 Office
    558 Gillespie St.
    Fayetteville, N.C. 28301
  • JUNE 11, 5-7 P.M. – GREENSBORO
    (DIVISION 7: Alamance, Caswell, Guilford, Orange and Rockingham counties)

    NCDOT Division 7 Office
    1584 Yanceyville St.
    Greensboro, N.C.  27415
  • JUNE 7, 5-7 P.M. – ABERDEEN
    (DIVISION 8: Chatham, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Randolph, Richmond and Scotland counties)

    NCDOT Division 8 Conference Room
    902 N. Sandhills Blvd.
    Aberdeen, N.C. 28315
  • JUNE 4, 4-6 P.M. – WINSTON-SALEM
    (DIVISION 9: Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Rowan and Stokes counties)

    NCDOT Division 9
    Conference Room
    375 Silas Creek Parkway
    Winston-Salem, N.C.  27127
  • JUNE 19, 5-7 P.M. – ALBEMARLE
    (DIVISION 10: Anson, Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Stanly and Union counties)

    Stanly County Commissioners Meeting Room
    1000 N. First St.
    Albemarle, N.C. 28001
  • JUNE 11, 4-6 P.M. – NORTH WILKESBORO
    (DIVISION 11: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yadkin counties)

    NCDOT Division 11 Office
    802 Statesville Road
    N. Wilkesboro, N.C.  28659
  • JUNE 25, 5-7 P.M. – MAIDEN
    (DIVISION 12: Alexander, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell and Lincoln counties)

    Maiden Town Hall
    19 N. Main Ave.
    Maiden, N.C. 28650
  • JUNE 14, 5-7 P.M. – BLACK MOUNTAIN
    (DIVISION 13: Buncombe, Burke, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Rutherford and Yancey counties)

    Lake Tomahawk Park
    Lakeview Clubhouse
    401 Laurel Circle Drive
    Black Mountain, N.C.  28711
  • JUNE 11, 5-7 P.M. – HAYESVILLE & JUNE 12, 5-7 P.M. – MILLS RIVER
    (DIVISION 14: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Polk, Swain and Transylvania counties)
    June 11: 
    Hayesville First United Methodist Church
    989 U.S. 64 Business
    Hayesville, N.C. 28904

Oxford’s The Hub on Main to Hold Trivia Night Fundraiser

-Information courtesy Jennifer Grimes, Financial Development Assistant, The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, Inc.

The Hub on Main, 100 Main St. in Oxford, to hold a Trivia Night Fundraiser on Thursday, July 12, 2018, from 7 – 8:30 p.m.

Teams should consist of six players ($10 per person or $50 for a team of six).

Trivia will go five rounds with 10 questions in each round.

Winning teams will be awarded trophies.

Proceeds raised are designated toward building repairs at the Oxford Masonic Lodge.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Granville Vance Public Health Releases 2017 Report

Granville Vance Public Health (GVPH), a provider of public health services related to communicable diseases, primary care, maternal health, child health and family planning, recently released their annual report for 2017.

According to the report, GVPH’s status as a health district allows greater flexibility to procure grant-based funding; however, overall state and federal funding has decreased in recent years. The agency has “worked hard to partner with local, state, and federal entities that can support and expand community health efforts in Granville and Vance counties.”

During the July 2016 – June 2017 fiscal year, GVPH managed over $2,500,000 in grant-funded projects. These funds helped support valuable community-based projects in both counties while also maintaining critical staffing. These grant dollars help ensure that evidence-based care and health promotion practices extend into rural communities in Granville and Vance counties.

GVPH reported $5,984,265 in revenues and $6,072,389 in expenses for fiscal year 2017, an increase of $683,672 and $103,848, respectively, from fiscal year 2016.

A major undertaking for 2017, GVPH was subject to the North Carolina Local Health Department Reaccreditation process and was recognized as an accredited health department with honors. Local health departments receiving the honors designation excelled in their accreditation assessment, missing one or fewer within each of the five standards set by the accreditation program, a total of 147 activities.

The next reaccreditation assessment for GVPH will occur in the fall of 2021.

Notable statistics from the January 1 – December 31, 2017 reporting term include:

  • 4,529 unique patients seen for 9,743 individual clinical care visits
  • 1,914 uninsured patients totaling 3,705 clinical care visits
  • 1,636 patients rely on Medicaid for medical care received during 3,037 Medicaid clinical care visits
  • 3,994 immunizations given to 2,409 individuals
  • 1,989 immunizations were given to 720 children and adolescents under 18 years of age
  • 1,799 flu vaccines provided
  • 2,408 WIC participants served
  • Child Health Program conducted 1,034 visits for 715 children
  • 12 CenteringPregnancy® groups conducted in 2017 with 109 women participating

In a letter recently sent to healthcare professionals and other parties, Lindsey Bickers Bock, health education supervisor for GVPH, stated “In our role providing safety net services for vulnerable populations, GVPH sees the clear impact of social determinants of health and the necessity of protecting and promoting health by facilitating policy, system and environmental changes to prevent disease, address health equity issues and improve population health.

For more information on the services offered by GVPH, visit their website at www.gvph.org. To view more detailed information on the 2017 report, specifically, click here.

Rebuilding Hope, Inc. to Participate in Servants on Site Event

-Information courtesy Don Dunlin and the monthly Rebuilding Hope, Inc. Newsletter

Servants on Site Event – June 23 – 30, 2018

Participants in this year’s Servants on Site (SOS) will repair 12 roofs and build six wheelchair ramps. The June 23-30 event will be our sixth annual week of witnessing and sharing Christ and serving people in need in our communities.

As the May 1 deadline for registering passed, 153 participants had signed up.

Project Coordination

Leigh Humphries is once again project coordinator, a job she’s had since the first SOS week in 2013.

Leigh, who lives in Person County, has sorted through the registrants and organized the crews according to the types of jobs scheduled. Before the work begins, she will assign encouragers for the crews at the work sites, which she visits during the week.

Leigh’s duties continue once the day’s work is done as she helps chaperone the youth overnight at Crossroads Christian School.

“It’s a big job and a huge responsibility,” says Leigh, a member of Theresa Baptist Church.

“This time of year I get a little anxious,” she said, “but when the kids get here there’s a lot of joy.”

Materials Coordination

Without a steady supply of materials, the jobs would not be completed. And that’s where Walt Slaton, a member of Central Baptist Church, comes in as materials coordinator.

With a worksheet describing each job, Walt assembles shingles, tar paper, lumber, nails, bolts, nuts, washers, tools, compressors, hoses and more the week before SOS. Materials are on-hand, donated or purchased locally. Where possible, materials are delivered to sites before the work week begins.

Throughout the week, Walt says he has runners ready at the RHI warehouse to resupply workers through a chain that begins with a job’s crew chief who notifies a multisite supervisor. The supervisor notifies Walt who dispatches a runner.

Destination SOS

In addition to participants from Vance, Granville, Warren and neighboring counties, teams will be coming from a number of communities, such as Roxboro, Windy Gap and Otto, reports Martha McGowan, SOS secretary and a member of West End Baptist Church.

And it’s also Destination SOS for teams from Alabama and South Carolina.

Breakfast and Supper

Breakfast and supper are served at Central Baptist Church, beginning with Sunday breakfast before the work week begins.

Central Baptist member Roger Bibee does most of the cooking.

Supplies, Roger says, include 4-5 cases of liquid eggs, 300 chicken quarters, 10 gallons of spaghetti sauce and noodles, 40-45 pounds of bacon, sausage, hash browns and more. Supper includes a full salad bar. A team of six helps with serving and cleaning up.

Lunches

Fifteen churches will provide lunches for the teams at the work sites. The churches are Fuller’s Chapel, Gardner Baptist Church, First Baptist Church (Creedmoor), West End Baptist Church, Raleigh Road Baptist Church, Liberty Christian Church, New Bethel Baptist Church, New Life Baptist Church (Henderson), North Henderson Baptist Church, New Sandy Creek Baptist Church, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Carey Baptist Church, Oxford Baptist Church, Island Creek Baptist Church, and Norlina Baptist Church.

Week’s Theme is “Fixed”

The theme for the week this year is “Fixed.” The meaning of the theme will be explained by guest speakers at each of the evening worship services during the week.

The services and their emphases will be: Sunday, “Need Fixing,” based on Romans 3:9-18; Monday, “Can Be Fixed,” based on Romans 1:16; Tuesday, “All Eyes Fixed on Jesus,” a panel discussion; Thursday, “God’s Plan is Fixed,” based on Matthew 28; Friday, “God is Fixing a Place – Eternity,” based on John 14:1-11. On Wednesday afternoon, participants have free time.

The public is encouraged to attend the worship services at 7 p.m. at Central Baptist Church, except Wednesday night.

Needs for SOS

Volunteers – Adult/college-age volunteers are needed to serve as staff during the week. Staff assists with setting up the rooms, posting signs and schedules and for chores such as cleaning bath and restroom facilities.

Financial Support for SOS Projects

A roofing project costs approximately $2,000, but any amount is appreciated. A church sponsoring a project will “adopt” the crew for the week and serve lunch each day. Your crew will attend your church for worship and lunch on Sunday and meet your congregation. Afterward, the crew will visit the homeowner.

How to Bring a Group to Rebuilding Hope, Inc.

RHI has a number of volunteer opportunities throughout the year and will work with you or your group (youth or adult) to not only meet the needs of homeowners but also to meet the needs of your group in its effort to put its faith into action serving others.

We provide job locations and materials for hands-on experience and will arrange for one-day projects or projects for more than one day. Overnight accommodations can be arranged. E-mail us at rwilson@rebuildinghopeinc.org or call 252-438-5132 for more information or registration.

Please visit Rebuilding Hope’s website at www.rebuildinghopeinc.org for additional information on the organization and the upcoming SOS event.

 

Have You Heard the Buzz? Annual Bee Jubilee Sat., June 23

-Information courtesy Bee Jubilee Coordinator Christi Henthron

On behalf of the Granville County Beekeepers Association (GCBA), you are invited to the 3rd Annual Bee Jubilee on Saturday, June 23rd, 2018 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Granville County Expo Center in Oxford, NC.

As usual, the Bee Jubilee is held in conjunction with National Pollinator Week, June 18-24.

The Bee Jubilee is a day-long event filled with bee and pollinator-related speakers and demonstrations, local arts and handmade crafts, non-profits, children’s activities, silent auction, honey, North Carolina-grown produce and more!

The Oxford Farmers Market will be joining us and we will have two honey extraction demonstrations.

There are kids activities and over 65 vendors offering information or selling homegrown, handmade, bee or agriculture items. We will have a silent auction and draw the winner of our Year of Honey Raffle.

Our focus is on homegrown, handmade, and local. And of course, we love bees, agriculture and nature too! We can’t make it happen without you!

We have made three major changes for this year’s event:

1- Parking – We will have parking attendants and marked areas to improve traffic flow and safety.

2- Outside space – We will be making use of the livestock arena behind the building. This is a large covered area and use of it will provide a more comfortable and safer vendor and attendee experience than last year. We will have the food trucks and trailers remain in the front of the building.

3- Improved sponsorship opportunities

We hope you join us for a vibrant and fun-filled Bee Jubilee event, to be held at the Granville County Expo Center, located at 4605 US-15, Oxford.

Please call Bee Jubilee Coordinator Christi Henthron at 907.738.9047 or email granvillebeejubilee@gmail.com with any questions, comments or ideas. We are hoping to make 2018 the best Bee Jubilee yet!

For more information, including updated schedules, visit the Bee Jubilee Facebook page by clicking here.

Learn more about Pollinator Week at www.pollinator.org!

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Henderson Police Department

“Operation Thunderstruck” Nets 11 Vance & Granville Defendants

-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice

As part of the “Take Back North Carolina Initiative,” the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announces that “Operation Thunderstruck,” a heroin and opioid centered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force Operation (OCDETF) resulted in the arrest of twelve (12) defendants for outstanding federal charges in a coordinated warrant enforcement operation. In addition, at least one defendant related to this operation was found to be in the custody of the North Carolina Department of Corrections. A federal detainers has been filed against this subject. Also, one subject was arrested on state charges.

This operation was conducted as part of the Eastern District of North Carolina’s “Take Back North Carolina Initiative” as part of the federal focus on the alarming level of opioid use and the deaths associated with it. This initiative is bringing the full weight and resources of the federal court system in the fight against crime in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren Counties in partnership with District Attorneys’ Offices and federal, state, and local law enforcement.

The following individuals were charged by way of Criminal Indictment. The individual charges for each defendant are contained in the parenthesis following the personal information.

Lorenzo Alston, 28, of Henderson, NC (Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin)

Jermill Keith Blacknall, 30, of Henderson, NC (Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Maintaining a Place for Manufacture & Distribution of Heroin)

Odell Terrance Burrell, 40, of Vance County, NC (Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base (Crack) and Marijuana & Maintaining a Place for Manufacture and Distribution of Cocaine Base (Crack) and Marijuana)

Kyle Victor Fisher, 29, of Granville County, NC (Felon in Possession of a Firearm & Ammunition)

Roy Lee Fowler, 53, of Vance County, NC (Felon in Possession of a Firearm)

Dominique Renna Russell, 30, of Henderson, NC (Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Aiding and Abetting, Maintaining a Place for Manufacturing & Distributing Heroin, aiding and abetting, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.)

Daryl Russell, 31, of Henderson, NC (Felon in Possession of a Firearm)

Mario Jamal Steed, 29, of Henderson, NC (Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Felon in Possession of a Firearm)

James Edward Downey, 41, of Oxford, NC (Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base (Crack))

Markest Foye, 32, of Oxford, NC (Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base (Crack))

Jamal Kendale Watson, 27, of Fayetteville, NC (Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base (Crack))

Toney Fields, 42, of Oxford, NC (Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base (Crack)

The charges and allegations contained in the Indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

The enforcement operation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, (ATF), the United States Marshal Service, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, Henderson Police Department, Oxford Police Department, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Vance County Sheriff’s Office, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Granville County Sheriff’s Office, North Carolina Ninth Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Probation Office.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s webpage at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_EDNC

Listen to Friday’s news conference held at the Henderson Police Department here: