H-V Emergency Operations

Jan 3rd Snow and How Much

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UPDATE 6 p.m.

Click here for the latest briefing from the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service has expanded a Winter Weather Advisory westward, and it now includes Vance and Granville Counties.  Warren and Franklin Counties also remain in the advised area.

The latest update also indicates a slight westward shift in the “up to an inch” category for the snowfall forecast.

Black ice will be possible on roads and walkways Thursday and Friday (mornings especially) across the parts of central North Carolina that receive snow accumulation.

Regarding cold temperatures: Expect temperatures to remain below freezing across most of central North Carolina right through Sunday morning.

The heaviest snow continues to be forecast for the area east of I-95.

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UPDATE Noon — (Click here for latest National Weather Service Briefing.)

From Brian Short, Director of Emergency Operations for Henderson and Vance County:

“Attached is the latest from the NWS. Nothing has really changed from the previous release.

“We still expect this to be a very light event for us.”

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UPDATE 8:45 a.m. — (Click here for latest National Weather Service Briefing.)

Snow appears likely for Henderson/Vance County and the surrounding WIZS listening area, but exactly how much remains a mystery.  Forecasters say the storm system is still developing that will produce snow and frozen precipitation in the area this evening, but how far the system tracks westward will determine how much snow and mixed precipitation will fall.

Henderson-Vance is on the dividing line right now, with Winter Weather Advisories being pushed westward overnight to now include Warren and Franklin Counties plus Wake County and points south.  Go another county to the east into Halifax, Northampton, Nash, Wilson and points south and east and it’s a Winter Storm Warning.

Even with brined roads in our area, what falls could cause some travel difficulties because it has been so dreadfully cold.

Brian Short, Director of Emergency Operations for Henderson and Vance County, said:

“Attached (click here) is the latest from the National Weather Service regarding the winter weather that is headed our way. As you can see not much has changed for us. Light snow is anticipated but like any event of this nature it is very hard to predict.

“Presently, the peak of our snowfall is expected to be between 6PM tonight and midnight.

“We will continue to keep an eye on it as it heads our way.”

Granville County Schools Early Release Jan 3, 2018

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From Dr. Stan Winborne
Executive Director of Operations, Human Resources,
Communications, and Safety
Public Information Officer
Granville County Public Schools

Due to the winter weather forecast, all schools will dismiss ONE HOUR EARLY today, Wednesday, January 3.

This early dismissal will allow time for our buses to complete their routes before dark and give all students, staff and parents an opportunity to prepare before the storm is forecasted to arrive.

Rapidly changing and conflicting weather reports are being made, so we are erring on the side of caution with this decision.

After school day care programs will remain open until 4:00 pm, and all other evening activities are cancelled.

Any additional changes to our schedule will be provided as those decisions are made. Please be safe and stay warm.

Thank you.

National Weather Service

Snow Update Wed, Jan 3

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Click here for the latest briefing from the National Weather Service.

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UPDATE Wednesday 8:45 a.m. —  (Click here for latest National Weather Service Briefing.)

Snow appears likely for Henderson/Vance County and the surrounding WIZS listening area, but exactly how much remains a mystery.  Forecasters say the storm system is still developing that will produce snow and frozen precipitation in the area this evening, but how far the system tracks westward will determine how much snow and mixed precipitation will fall.

Henderson-Vance is on the dividing line right now, with Winter Weather Advisories being pushed westward overnight to now include Warren and Franklin Counties plus Wake County and points south.  Go another county to the east into Halifax, Northampton, Nash, Wilson and points south and east and it’s a Winter Storm Warning.

Even with brined roads in our area, what falls could cause some travel difficulties because it has been so dreadfully cold.

Brian Short, Director of Emergency Operations for Henderson and Vance County, said:

“Attached (click here) is the latest from the National Weather Service regarding the winter weather that is headed our way. As you can see not much has changed for us. Light snow is anticipated but like any event of this nature it is very hard to predict.

“Presently, the peak of our snowfall is expected to be between 6PM tonight and midnight.

“We will continue to keep an eye on it as it heads our way.”

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UPDATE Tuesday:

Snow is possible over eastern North Carolina, mainly east of Highway 1, Wednesday afternoon and evening.  Amounts are likely to be highest along and east of I-95 according to the National Weather Service.  Expected snowfall amounts for the immediate WIZS area are less than one inch.  Some forecast models show significantly higher amounts, and while unlikely, the high solution amounts can’t be ruled out entirely according to the National Weather Service.

Brian Short, Director of Emergency Operations for Henderson and Vance County said:

“Attached is the latest from the National Weather Service regarding the potential for light snow in our area tomorrow.

“As you can see from the graphic, there is wide range of possibilities for snow accumulation with this system ranging from nothing at all to several inches. The most likely scenario calls for less than 1 inch.

“At this time, we do not anticipate any significant hazards with this storm but we will continue to watch it and will keep everyone informed as it heads our way.”

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UPDATE Monday:

The latest National Weather Service briefing indicates a good chance of light now over eastern portions of central North Carolina, east of Highway 1 on Wednesday and Wednesday night.  Discussion so far is for accumulation to mostly be under a half inch.

Brian Short, Director of Emergency Operations for Henderson and Vance County said:

“Please see the attached from the National Weather Service (click here) regarding the possibility of snow in our area on Wednesday of this week.

“For now, accumulations are expected to be just east of us, however the impact will be determined by where exactly the low pressure system that is feeding the storm tracks along the southeast coast. A shift in that track could change our outcome significantly, so for now just be mindful of it.

“We will continue to watch the system with great interest and will forward along additional information as it is received.”

John Penn Citizen of the Year Nominations Due Jan. 3

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— courtesy of Granville County Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber’s Meetings/Recognitions Committee requests that individuals and businesses give careful consideration to nominating an outstanding citizen to receive the 2018 JOHN PENN CITIZEN OF THE YEAR AWARD.

The nomination form is available on our website by clicking here, or at one of the Chamber’s offices – 1598 NC 56, Butner or 124 Hillsboro St., Oxford. Nomination forms must be received by January 3rd at one of the office locations or via email to ginnie@granville-chamber.com.

Presentation of the John Penn Citizen of the Year Award, as well as other community services awards, will be presented at the Chamber’s annual banquet – Monday, January 29, 2018.

Magician Lozoff at McGregor Hall Jan. 6

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— courtesy McGregor Hall

The New Year Kicks Off With Magic & Mystery As Celebrity Joshua Lozoff Brings His ‘Life Is Magic’ Act To McGregor Hall On Jan. 6, 2018

HENDERSON, N.C. (DECEMBER 28, 2017) — Prepare to have your mind blown on Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, as McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in Henderson, N.C., kicks off the New Year with a magical performance theater goers will never forget — Joshua Lozoff: Life Is Magic.

Audience members will likely remember Lozoff from his days acting on the TV show “Cheers” or performing on the big screen in movies like “Clueless.” After his show at McGregor Hall, you’ll never forget Lozoff for his sleight-of-hand mastery.

Lozoff has been studying and sharing magic around the world for nearly 20 years. Today, Lozoff is regarded as one of the top magicians and recently had the honor of being one of only two magicians to receive an invitation to perform at the World’s Fair in Japan. He spent two weeks as a featured performer for the USA Pavilion, entertaining visitors from around the globe.

The award-winning documentary Metacarpus, about the power of the human hand, featured Joshua’s sleight-of-hand mastery alongside an orthopedic surgeon and sign language interpreter.

Joshua’s motto is “Life is Magic,” and he walks his talk by performing everywhere from penthouse suites to the slums of Guatemala City; sharing magic with Fortune 500 CEOs, folks on the street, and everyone in between. Joshua says, “the most beautiful thing about magic is how it appeals to everyone. I can go from a black-tie gala to a backyard barbeque, and everyone has a few moments in time which transcend our ordinary reality; moments of awe, of astonishment, and just a flat-out fun time.”

His performances combine his love for the art of magic, and his fascination with psychology as well as the powers of observation and influence. In one moment, he makes a drawing come to life just by pointing; in the next, he predicts an audience members choices even before they know it themself. “Audience members will be amazed by Joshua’s magic and mental demonstrations,” said Mark Hopper, Vice President of McGregor Hall’s Board of Directors. “We are honored to kick off the New Year at the hall with his caliber of magical, jaw-dropping entertainment.”

Tickets are on sale for $17 or $20 plus sales tax. Group and student rates are available.

Tickets can be purchased directly at the McGregor Hall Box office, which is open Monday through Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Box Office is located at 201 Breckenridge Street in downtown Henderson. The Box Office can also be reached by phone by calling (252) 598-0662. Tickets can also be purchased online at www.McGregorHall.org by using the secure and trusted purchasing platform, eTix. Online fees apply.

Joshua Lozoff: Life Is Magic is the first of several performances to be held in 2018. The lineup through April includes:
Daddy’s Boys: Broken Promises – January 13, 2018
Al Stewart and The Empty Pockets – February 17, 2018
Karen Peck & New River – February 23, 2018
Masters of Soul – March 3, 2018
Hotel California –  March 16, 2018
The Talleys with Tribute – April 7, 2018
Rod of God – April 14, 2018

For more information on these performances, visit www.McGregorHall.org.

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(McGregor Hall is an advertising client of WIZS.  This is a press release from McGregor Hall.)

Extreme Cold Can Break Plumbing Lines

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Not only has it been cold, but multiple days ahead at the start of the new year are forecast with daytime high temperatures below freezing.  High temps Monday and Tuesday may not crest the freezing mark with lows in the teens, and the extreme cold can break plumbing lines.

Exposed water and sewer lines and improperly installed lines that don’t drain properly along with well pumps and garden hose spigots are at risk among other things.

Larry Satterwhite, owner/plumber of RK&B Plumbing in Henderson, said a big thing folks fail to do is unscrew the garden hose from outside spigots.  As water freezes in the exposed hose it transfers the cold back into the spigot and into the pipe which can then freeze.  Depending on your spigot type, water can go everywhere.

Photo by Larry Satterwhite. He recently replaced an above ground sewer pipe that froze and cracked because it was originally installed with an improper fall.

Satterwhite said even frost-free outdoor fixtures are at risk if the hose is not disconnected because the water is unable to drain from the buffer portion of the spigot.  On a frost-free spigot, the water actually cuts off 8-12 inches back from the handle, but if the water can’t drain and freezes, then the next time the water is turned on the tubing will leak.  “If a garden hose is attached and water in it is already frozen, the draining can’t occur and every spring when you go to water your plants, you will see water shooting down the bricks on the inside foundation or out by the spigot hole,” he said.

As far as other water and sewer lines, Satterwhite said, “As long as direct air doesn’t get to it, it usually has to be about three or four days of below freezing, and the key is daytime doesn’t get above freezing.  When day and night stays below freezing, it’s trouble.”

Make sure if you have a well house that the well pump and lines are covered, shielded from the wind and remember that a single 100 watt light bulb inside the well house works wonders at preventing a freeze.

(RK&B Plumbing is an advertising client of WIZS.  This is a news article and not an advertisement.)

Animals Need Your Care

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When it’s this cold outside, animals need your care no matter where you live.  Bedding, water and shelter from the wind are critical.

Vance County Chief Animal Control Officer, Frankie Nobles, told WIZS, “The key thing is keeping shavings in the dog houses or blankets.  One thing about blankets is blankets get wet, then they do get cold, so make sure you change them our regularly if you’re going to have a blanket.  Make sure you keep fresh water to the animals.  This time of year, of course, it’s going to freeze.  Get that ice out and get them some fresh water.”

Nobles said stray animals that are out all the time tend to be “street smart” in that they know where to find shelter.  Domestic animals are dependent on their owners.  He said, “The wind is the biggest thing that hurts them.  If that wind is blowing, if they can get somewhere where they can keep it blocked off, they can pretty well survive, but that wind really gets them.”

Animals at the Vance County Animal Shelter need supplies and care too, and despite the shelter being a new and warm facility, it is full of dogs at this time.  Nobles said, “Well, right now we are at capacity with the dog situation pretty much — big dogs, adult dogs you know.   What people don’t realize or understand is we have somebody on call 24 hours a day 365 days a year so animals are constantly coming into that shelter no matter if the doors are closed to the public, they’re still coming in.  But, this time of year, the community always supports us and we always get donations, so the community is real good about standing behind us this time of year.”

Nobles appeared on WIZS TownTalk on Thursday, Dec 28, 2017 from 11 a.m. until 11:25 a.m., and the full show can be heard by clicking here.  He praised the community, individuals and larger organizations here in this area for fantastic support.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Granville Vance Public Health Reopens Dec 28

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Granville Vance Public Health will reopen on Thursday, December 28th.  The health department was closed for the Christmas holiday December 25 – 27.

To learn more, visit Granville Vance Public Health online at https://gvph.org

Granville County – 101 Hunt Drive, Oxford – (919) 693-2141

Vance County – 115 Charles Rollins Road, Henderson – (252) 492-7915 phone

Jan 2 and Jan 9 City of Oxford Board of Commissioners’ Meetings

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The City of Oxford Board of Commissioners will hold an agenda meeting on Tuesday, January 2, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. It will take place in the Commissioners’ Board Room at City Hall.

Oxford Commissioners will hold a regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, January 9, 2018 beginning at 7 p.m. in the board room at City Hall.

At the agenda meeting on January 2, consideration will be given to adopting the franchise ordinance with Waste Industries as the second of two required adoptions.  The term of the ordinance will be January 2, 2018 until December 31, 2022.  Oxford’s present agreement for solid waste collection, transportation and disposal with Waste Industries expires December 30, 2017.  The first adoption was passed in a 6 to 2 vote during the December 12th regular board meeting.

The agenda meeting will also serve to set the proceedings for the January 9th regular meeting.

A couple of known agenda items for the January 9th regular meeting include considering acceptance of the annual financial report for FY 2016-2017 as well as considering renewal of on-call engineering contracts.

VGCC Pharmacy Technology program leads service projects

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— courtesy VGCC

The Pharmacy Technology program at Vance-Granville Community College has continued its tradition of community involvement with a pair of recent service projects during the fall semester.

First, Pharmacy Technology faculty and students, with help from their colleagues in other VGCC Health Sciences programs, spearheaded a relief drive to help people in the Caribbean who had been affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Pharmacy Technology Program Head Dr. Erica Fleming grew up on the Caribbean island of Anguilla and has family there. Students and faculty set up stations at each of VGCC’s four campuses on two days in late October, where they collected various items and accepted cash donations.

From left, in front, Center for Innovative Learning student Anthony Dixon, VGCC Pharmacy Technology student Tommy Hicks, Pharmacy Technology Program Head Dr. Erica Fleming, Pharmacy Technology student Malissa Chandler and CIL student Jonathan Manzo; and from left, in back, CIL Principal Calvin Timberlake, CIL student Eric Sapp and School Resource Officer Elliott Carver of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office.

“I would like to thank all of the Health Sciences students who participated,” Fleming said. “We brought all the bags of collected items to the Pharmacy Tech lab on Main Campus, where we sorted and packaged them to provide food, clothes, personal care items and household items to four families in the ‘NC for Puerto Rico’ relocation support network. Cash donations will go to provide support for families on my home island of Anguilla.”

During the hurricane relief drive, Fleming said, her program also forged a new community partnership with Granville County Schools’ Center for Innovative Learning (CIL) in Oxford. “Students at the CIL donated items they collected in their own drive to support our event,” Fleming noted. “The CIL supplied us with new books, folders and school supplies, winter items, socks, undergarments and household cleaning supplies. We want to say a very special ‘thank you’ to Mrs. Louise Terry, school counselor, for coordinating the drive at CIL.” She added, “To everyone who gave to this effort, we say ‘thank you’ for showing our neighbors both here in North Carolina and in the Caribbean that you care.”

Seated, from left, VGCC Pharmacy Technology students Tommy L. Hicks of Franklinton and Malissa S. Chandler of Durham use smartphones to identify and classify medications while Pharmacy Technology program head Dr. Erica Fleming (standing at right) sorts through medications during the “Operation Medicine Drop” event at Walgreens in Creedmoor.

The Pharmacy Technology program also partnered with the Creedmoor Police Department and Walgreens of Creedmoor on “Operation Medicine Drop,” a drug collection event, on Oct. 28. Within four hours, 6,377 dosage units/pills of non-controlled substances and 365 dosage units/pills of controlled substances were collected, according to the police department. The collection consisted of outdated or unused prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, syringes and veterinary prescription drugs.

“This is the third year that the Pharmacy Technology program has participated in the event, and the fourth year for me,” Fleming explained. “Each year, we have collected numerous ‘C-II’ controlled medications and have safely disposed of thousands of prescription and no prescription medications. The community is reminded that flushing of medications is never advised, because we want to avoid contamination of our local water sources.”

For more information on the VGCC Pharmacy Technology program, call Dr. Fleming at (252) 738-3482.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.)