Duke Energy

Duke Energy Provides Tips for Surviving Days, Possibly Weeks, Without Power

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-Information courtesy Tanya Evans, District Manager, Duke Energy

Based on NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft observations, Hurricane Florence is now a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph. Further intensification will occur over the next 24-36 hours and the forecast calls for Florence to remain a category 4 hurricane until landfall. We anticipate significant widespread outages from a storm of this magnitude based on current projected tracks. Historical data and our company experience show that complete restoration from a major hurricane could take multiple days to several weeks depending on the extent of the actual damage, resources available and conditions following the storm such as flooding.

Speaking of resources, Duke Energy has a detailed storm response plan, which is based on information from our meteorologist, and power restoration crews are now preparing to travel. We are also procuring materials and supplies and staffing plans are underway. Additionally, each power plant has a storm prep checklist that helps ensure we take the appropriate protective actions. At our coal ash plants, we have already been taking steps to prepare our ash basin and cooling pond sites for Hurricane Florence.

As we review our plan and safety protocols, it’s important to note that our crews cannot restore power in bucket trucks during high winds. Heavy rains could lead to flooding which further impacts damage assessment and restoration. Duke Energy is encouraging customers to be prepared for multi-day outages as Hurricane Florence rapidly intensifies and pushes towards the North Carolina coast.

Nursing homes, assisted living facilities and long-term care businesses should be prepared with their own, individual facility emergency plans and to take the necessary actions to ensure the safety of their patients in the event that they are without power. Again, if the forecast holds true, this will likely be a multi-day – possibly multi-week – restoration effort, and we will not be able to include them in a priority restoration plan.

We have several options for our customers to stay informed and report an outage:

*         Access outage maps online at www.duke-energy.com/outages

*         Customers can text OUT to 58801 to report an outage from their mobile phone. Be sure to use the mobile phone associated with your account.

*         Calling the automated outage-reporting system at 800-769-3766 for Duke Energy Carolinas customers and 800-419-6356 for Duke Energy Progress customers.

*         For storm or power restoration updates, follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/duke.energy).

Thursday’s Alive After Five Event Postponed Due to Hurricane Forecast

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

The forecast for Hurricane Florence has necessitated the POSTPONEMENT of the Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s ALIVE AFTER FIVE event, originally scheduled for this Thursday, September 13, 2018, in downtown Oxford.

Just as soon as dates are cleared with several partners in this project/event, the Chamber will release the rescheduled date.

Thank you for your understanding and please stay safe!

Please call the Chamber office at 919-693-6125 or email wanda@granville-chamber.com with any questions or concerns.

Pope Foundation Honors Retired President Sawyer With New VGCC Award

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

The Pope Foundation has created a new Academic Achievement Scholarship at Vance-Granville Community College in honor of retired Variety Wholesalers, Inc., President Wilson Sawyer of Raleigh.

The scholarship will award $500 per year to a deserving student enrolled at Vance-Granville. Priority will be given to students who are employees of Variety Wholesalers (home store, distribution center or retail stores) and members of the families of those employees. Preference will be given to students who are pursuing a degree in Business Administration.

“Our business roots in the area go back many years and we are proud to call Henderson and Vance County ‘home,’” said James Arthur “Art” Pope, chairman of Variety Wholesalers. “Wilson never lost sight of our customers and our promise to deliver great value and prices. We’re grateful for his friendship and dedication over these many years. We hope this scholarship inspires a new generation of leaders who share Wilson’s commitment to service.”

Wilson Sawyer, center, the retired president of Variety Wholesalers, Inc., in Henderson, has been honored by the Pope Foundation with the creation of an Academic Achievement Scholarship to benefit students of Vance-Granville Community College. With him, from left, are Eddie Ferguson, director of the VGCC Endowment Fund, and Kay Currin, endowment specialist. (VGCC Photo)

“There are two reasons I’m excited about this scholarship,” said the honoree, Sawyer. “Number 1, if it helps folks in the company that helped me for many years, that’s a plus. Number 2, I’m a big supporter of the community college program and I think it’s important to encourage folks to start their education here.”

Sawyer knows about the community college experience first-hand, he said. His daughter was a student at Central Carolina Community College in Sanford before transferring to a four-year institution when the family moved to Raleigh. “She excelled in college and I think it’s because of the basis that she got at the community college.” His daughter is now a school teacher, he said.

Following a lifelong career in retail, Sawyer retired as president of Variety Wholesalers in February.  He started his career in the Maxway store management program, rising to hold various roles. When Variety Wholesalers acquired Maxway in 1990, Sawyer stayed with the company as president of the Maxway division. After years of leading multiple store brand divisions, he was named president and chief operating officer of Variety Wholesalers Stores in 2003. When Bruce Efird joined Variety Wholesalers Stores as president in 2017, Saywer moved to holding company leadership. He remains on Variety’s board of directors and is assisting the company in an advisory capacity.

“We are excited that the Pope Foundation and Variety Wholesalers have chosen to honor Mr. Sawyer with this new scholarship,” said Eddie Ferguson, director of the VGCC Endowment Fund. “Both have been stalwart supporters of our students and the college through contributions to scholarships and activities such as our golf tournament which also benefit students.”

“I’ve been so impressed with the community support that has come to my attention since becoming Vance-Granville’s interim president,” added Dr. Gordon Burns, who assumed the new role in mid-August while VGCC searches for a permanent president. “This gift from the Pope Foundation will continue to honor Mr. Sawyer and help students each and every year, serving as a reminder of the importance of a community and its institutions getting involved in the education of our citizens. We are so grateful.”

Founded in 1986 and located in Raleigh, the Pope Foundation makes grants to advance individual freedom, personal responsibility and encourage opportunity for all North Carolinians. The Pope Foundation’s lifetime giving totals more than $145 million directed to over 400 nonprofits. The Pope Foundation receives its support from the Pope family, owner and operator of the Henderson-based Variety Wholesalers, Inc.

The new scholarship will add to the more than 9,000 scholarships that have been awarded to students since 1982, funded by interest earned on the Endowment Fund and Scholarship Program. Scholarships have been established by individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff to assist deserving students. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business, industry or organization with a lasting gift to education. In the Fall of 2017, Vance-Granville awarded scholarships to 306 students.

For more information, the Office of the Endowment can be reached by calling Endowment Specialist Kay Currin at (252) 738-3409.

Brassfield Fire Dept. to Hold Annual BBQ Fundraiser This Sat.

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

The Brassfield Volunteer Fire Department will hold their Annual Home-Cooked BBQ Fundraiser this Saturday, September 8, 2018, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. BBQ pork and chicken will be served for $10 a plate. Eat-in is all-you-can-eat or take-out available.

Come out and support the Brassfield FD Station 16 located on 1680 Hwy 96 South. All proceeds go directly to the fire department.

For more information, please contact Asst. Chief Hymiller at (919) 906-7828.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Granville County Emergency Management

Granville Co. Emergency Management Urges Preparedness During Peak Hurricane Season

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-Press Release, County of Granville       

You can’t predict when weather-related emergencies will occur, but you can plan on how to respond when disasters strike. September is National Preparedness Month and Granville County Emergency Management urges all residents to follow these helpful tips:

Make a plan and practice it routinely with family members or employees – know where to meet, how and when to evacuate and how to reconnect if you become separated.

Put together a disaster supply kit with items needed during an emergency.

Remember to plan for your pets as well – include them in your readiness plan to keep them safe.

For more information, go to readync.org or visit granvillecounty.org for a complete list of tips to help prepare for any emergency.

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Public Schools Continues to Make Progress in Improving Student Achievement

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

On Wednesday, September 5, 2018, the NC State Board of Education released standardized test data for all public schools across the state for the 2017-2018 school year. The results for Granville County Public Schools (GCPS) show that overall, the district continues to make progress in improving students’ academic success. Generally speaking, 15 schools met or exceeded growth: 7 of 19 schools “exceeded growth”, and 8 of 19 “met growth” as measured by the state.

Additionally, students’ proficiencies increased in 9 out of 17 EOG and EOC tested grade level and content areas. Furthermore, 9 schools achieved double-digit increases in proficiency in at least one tested area, and 4 schools experienced 20+ point gains in proficiency in at least one tested area.  Finally, our 12th-grade students across the district also outperformed other students from across the state by six percentage points on the ACT WorkKeys Assessment, which is designed to measure workplace readiness. GCPS students performed at 74.2% on the assessment while the state average was 68.2%.

Letter grades assigned by the state fluctuated slightly compared to previous years.  The following graph shows letter grade distribution for all schools since the state began assigning letter grades:

 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18
A  –  0 A  –  1 A  –  1 A  –  1  A  –  1
B  –  2 B  –  1 B  –  3 B  –  4 B  –  4
C  –  9 C  –  8 C – 10 C  –  9 C  –  7
D  –  6 D  –  6 D –  6 D  –  4 D  –  6
F – 2 F – 3 F – 0 F – 0 F – 0

As reported by the NC Department of Public Instruction, “school grades continue to correlate closely with the poverty levels of schools. Among schools where more than 81 percent of students come from low-income families, 69 percent of the schools received a D or F.”  This correlation also held true for all of the schools in Granville County that received a letter grade of “D”.

Superintendent McLean provided her perspective on the results, “While I am certainly pleased to see many positive areas in this data, there is still much room for improvement. Our goal is for every student to experience significant growth in every area. We believe that ALL students are capable of reaching their full potential, and we will not rest until this goal is achieved.”

With changes in school leadership and modified instructional supports in place, academic improvements are expected in the coming school year. For additional information, please visit the NCDPI Accountability website, which provides detailed data.

https://www.ncpublicschools.org/accountability/reporting/

Rezoning/Revitalization Among Topics of Upcoming Oxford Commissioners’ Meeting

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

The City of Oxford Board of Commissioners will hold their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 11, 2018, at 7 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room, City Hall.

Agenda items include:

Recognition – September Yard of the Month.

Public hearing and consideration for a request by T. Chase Massey, PE and Eddie Caudle Jr., landowner for rezoning of 2309 NC Highway 96 consisting of 88+/- acres from I-1 (prime-industrial) to R-8 (1 & 2 family residential).

Public hearing to hear input with regards to the City of Oxford submitting an application for the 2018 Neighborhood Revitalization CDBG Project.

Adopt a resolution authorizing the City of Oxford to submit an application for the 2018 Neighborhood Revitalization CDBG Project.

Consider calling for a public hearing at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 9, 2018, in the Commissioners’ Board Room, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 300 Williamsboro Street, Oxford, NC, to receive input from the public regarding the City of Oxford seeking a $500,000 loan in order to repair City streets.

Approve the final listing of streets to be repaired in conjunction with the DOT repairs that are scheduled to begin in 2019.

Consider applicants for the Henderson-Oxford-Granville-Vance Airport Authority Board for a 2-year term expiring July 2020.

Consider applicants for the Oxford Housing Authority for a five-year term that expires September 2023.

Adopt a resolution for the City Clerk to investigate the sufficiency of the petition for a contiguous annexation of 37 acres located on New Commerce Drive and certify its sufficiency. The requested petition for annexation is for a site that abuts the City of Oxford’s wastewater treatment facility. The request is required for connecting to the city’s water and sewer.

 

Tickets on Sale Now for Granville Chamber’s Annual ‘Cluck ‘N Shuck’ Seafood Event

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

The Granville County Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring their eighth annual fall seafood event – “CLUCK ‘N SHUCK” – to be held Friday, October 26, 2018, from 5:30 until 8 p.m. at The Red Barn – Golf Course Road, off Lake Devin Road, in Oxford.

Caterer Leon Nixon’s dinner menu offerings include steamed oysters, fried shrimp, fried fish, fried chicken tenders, slaw, buttered potatoes, hushpuppies, tea, Pepsi-Cola products and cold beverages.

The event will be held at the venue – The Red Barn – where it has been held the past five years. This location provides an incredible setting for those desiring to eat on the decks overlooking Lake Devin. Inside seating on the ground floor of The Red Barn is also available.

Advanced ticket sales – $40 per person or 2 tickets for $75 – includes all-you-can-eat on premises. As this is a limited ticket event, those wishing to attend are encouraged to purchase tickets early from one of the Chamber offices – 124 Hillsboro Street in Oxford (8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.) 919.693.6125 or the South Office – 1598 NC Hwy 56, between Butner and Creedmoor (8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 8:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. Thursdays) 919.528.4994.

Event t-shirts are also available at the Chamber offices for $10 each.

Event sponsors: Duke Energy, Granville Health System, Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Roxboro, Carolina Sunrock, Touchstone Bank, The Pegram Agency, Shalag Nonwovens, Vino Oasi, For Your Occasion Party Rentals, Butner-Creedmoor News, Oxford Public Ledger, The Daily Dispatch, US 98.3FM and WIZS 1450AM.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Sept. is National Preparedness Month: Does Your Small Business Have a Disaster Plan?

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-Information courtesy the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce’s “Focus” newsletter – July/August 2018

September is National Preparedness Month. For small business owners, being prepared can mean the difference between staying in business or not following a disaster. The Small Business Administration can assist your business from the planning stages to recovery. Below are the steps they list for Emergency Preparedness. These are each covered at a more in-depth level on the SBA website at www.SBA.gov.

Disaster Planning

Small business owners invest a tremendous amount of time, money and resources to make their ventures successful, yet many owners fail to properly plan and prepare for disaster situations. According to the Institute for Business and Home Safety, an estimated 25 percent of businesses do not reopen following a major disaster. You can protect your business by identifying the risks associated with natural and man-made disasters, and by creating a plan for action should a disaster strike. By keeping those plans updated, you can help ensure the survival of your business. A great place to start is the SBA’s Small Business Disaster Preparedness Guide on the web.

Disaster Assistance

Disaster can strike at any time, and even the most prepared businesses can be adversely impacted. If your business has been impacted by a disaster, the SBA can help by providing disaster assistance.

Disaster Cleanup

Taking the proper cleanup precautions means you can get back to business sooner. Explore some important tips and advice to help you get back on your feet safely.

SBA’s Disaster Preparedness and Recovery Plan

This plan lays out an overall plan for the Disaster Loan Program, both for smaller scale events when ODA resources easily meet demand and for larger scale ones requiring greater participation from all agency resources.

State Government Information

State governments relay pertinent information to businesses affected by disasters and offer a number of services to help businesses prepare and recover from disasters. Learn more about your state.

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Board of Education Meeting Scheduled for Mon., Sept. 10

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-Information courtesy Dr. Stan Winborne, Public Information Officer, Granville County Public Schools

The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a regular board meeting Monday, September 10, 2018, at 6 pm at the Granville County Public Central Office, 101 Delacroix Street, Oxford, North Carolina.

The board will also meet in a Closed Session for Personnel/Attorney-Client Privilege 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.