Oxford Prep Set to Host 4th Mattress Sale Fundraiser

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The following is a press release from Andrew Swanner, Executive Director of the Oxford Preparatory School.

Oxford Prep Set to Host 4th Mattress Sale Fundraiser

On Saturday, March 3 Oxford Prep will host its 4th annual mattress sale fundraiser. Once again the sale is sponsored by The Mattress Center of Winston Salem. The Mattress Center is owned by Paul Smith, a 2006 graduate of J.F. Webb High School and former deputy sheriff with the Granville County Sheriff’s Department.

There will be two important changes this year. For the first time, the Mattress Sale will be held in Oxford Prep’s new gymnasium, located at 6041 Landis Road in Oxford. In addition, one-half of the proceeds will be benefit OPS athletics and one-half will benefit the school’s academic needs through PTO grants.

Once again, The Mattress Center will bring a full line of top quality mattresses and accessories that will be offered at great prices. The lineup will feature Sealy Hybrid, Sterns & Foster, Simmons Beautyrest, adjustable beds, Cool Gel memory foam beds, flat pack bed base pillows, and mattress protectors. These mattresses are some of the best available in market right now. You can even get the review of the best orthopaedic mattresses online. In addition to accepting cash or check, a number of financing options will be offered including zero percent financing, no credit financing, and free layaway.

The fundraiser will be held at the Oxford Prep gymnasium from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 3rd. “This is my way of giving back to the community that has done so much for me over the years,” Smith said. “Anyone who is not satisfied with the bed they are sleeping on can get a top-quality mattress at a really low price, and help some of our students at the same time.”

(This is not a paid advertisement.)

NC Dept of Agriculture

NCDA&CS schedules a public meeting Feb. 21 in Bullock on proposed gypsy moth treatments

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The original copy of this press release is available online if you click here.

NCDA&CS schedules a public meeting Feb. 21 in Bullock on proposed gypsy moth treatments

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is seeking input from residents and other interested parties in Granville and Vance counties concerning planned treatment activities for the non-native, highly destructive gypsy moth.

The meeting will be held Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m. at the Bullock Volunteer Fire Department, 8677 U.S. Highway 15, Bullock. Information on proposed treatment options for the 16,967-acre site will be discussed.

Field monitoring activities conducted by the department have determined that reproducing populations of the gypsy moth exist in the Bullock community, north of Stovall, and the surrounding area. US Highway 15 North passes through and intersects Townsville Road in this block. Several waterways, including Spewmarrow Creek, Lick Branch, Beaver Pond Creek and Island Creek, flow into the James H. Kerr reservoir, the southern edge of which is within this block. The block is comprised of rural woods, farmland and 613 houses. The proposed treatment involves one application of mating disruptant.

In 2016, as many as 17 moths per trap were captured. In 2017, as many as 14 moths per trap were captured, indicating a persistent population.

In early spring, gypsy moth caterpillars feed on the leaves of hundreds of plant species, predominantly oaks and other hardwood trees. In heavily infested areas, trees may be completely stripped of foliage, leaving entire forests more susceptible to attacks from other pests.

Gypsy moths can also be a nuisance to the general public. In heavily infested areas, caterpillars may crawl on driveways, sidewalks, outdoor furniture, into homes, or end up in pools. Heavy defoliation can affect parks and recreation areas. Some people can have allergic reactions to the caterpillars’ tiny hairs if inhaled.

Options for dealing with gypsy moth infestations include aerial spraying of biological pesticides or gypsy moth mating disruptants. Trapping grids will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of these treatments.

The department has addressed spot introductions of the gypsy moth in several areas across North Carolina since the 1970s. The department is working with nine other states through the Gypsy Moth Slow the Spread Foundation and with other state and federal agencies to reduce the expansion of the gypsy moth into uninfested areas of the country.

GRANVILLE CHAMBER HOSTING CASINO NIGHT – DENIM & DIAMONDS

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NEWS RELEASE

GRANVILLE COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

GRANVILLE CHAMBER HOSTING CASINO NIGHT – DENIM & DIAMONDS AT VINO OASI

The Granville County Chamber of Commerce is hosting its first annual Casino Night ~ DENIM & DIAMONDS ~ Saturday, March 3, at Vino Oasi.  Guests may begin arriving at 7:30 pm, with the games beginning at 8:00 pm and running until 11:00 pm that evening.

Game tables will include:  Blackjack, Roulette, Craps and Poker.  The $50 ticket entitles each attendee to 2 beverage tickets, hors d’oeuvres and $5,000 in funny money.

During the evening, there will be drawings for additional funny money and the opportunity to win a prize.

Tickets may be purchased via Eventbrite – www.eventbrite/e/casino-night-denim-and-diamonds-tickets.  They may also be purchased at one of the Chamber’s office locations – 124 Hillsboro St., Oxford or 1598 NC Hwy 56, between Butner and Creedmoor.  FMI:  Contact Wanda, 919.693.6125, wanda@granville-chamber.com or Toni Anne, 919.528.4994, tawheeler@granville-chamber.com.

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(This is not a paid advertisement.)

VGCC Honors Retired Faculty and Staff

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— courtesy VGCC

VGCC honors retired faculty and staff

Vance-Granville Community College celebrated employees who had retired from the college — and particularly those nine who retired in 2017 — during a holiday social for faculty and staff, held in December in the Civic Center on the college’s Main Campus.

Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of VGCC, thanked all employees, past and present, for their dedicated service to students and the community. “Our employees make VGCC such a special place,” Dr. Williams said, adding that this year’s retirees included a “super scientist,” a “duo of dynamic directors,” a “talented techie,” an “awesome administrative assistant,” a “creative cosmetologist,” a “champion child care specialist” and the “greatest of all time groundskeepers.” She noted that these nine retirees served VGCC for a combined 136 years.

She called upon various college leaders to make presentations to their departments’ newest retirees.

Dean of Arts and Sciences Cynthia Grissom-Young recognized Dr. Gail Ruby, who, as part of a long career in education, taught Physics, Math and other courses at Main Campus, South Campus and online for four years.

Director of Plant Operations Jack Puckett honored John Allen for his seven years of service as the Groundskeeper on VGCC’s Main Campus.

Puckett likewise praised Dennis Hodge, who was retiring after 12 years. Hodge joined VGCC as a Groundskeeper and eventually became Coordinator of Grounds Maintenance. Puckett recognized both Allen and Hodge for their commitment to excellence that kept the campus grounds beautiful.

Vice President of Institutional Research and Technology Dr. Ken Lewis recognized Chuck Tulloch, Senior Computer Technician/Telecom Administrator in the Information Technology department, who retired with 10 years of service. He also graduated from VGCC with an associate degree in Networking Technology.

Myra Poole, interim dean of continuing education and basic skills, praised Jean Blaine, another 10-year veteran, who retired as director of Occupational Extension and was previously an administrator in VGCC’s Prison Programs. She was VGCC’s Staff Member of the Year in 2010.

Vice President of Finance & Operations Steve Graham recognized Jack Puckett, who, he said, wore “a number of hats” in his 16 years of service at VGCC. Puckett retired as Director of Plant Operations.

Registrar Kathy Ktul lauded Deborah Sullivan, a longtime administrative assistant in Student Services, as organized and a “workhorse” who took on numerous vital tasks. She retired after 18 years, many of those years in the Career Center.

Cosmetology Program Head Tomeka Moss saluted Iris Richardson, a Cosmetology instructor who taught at three VGCC campuses during her 18 years. She graduated from VGCC with an associate degree, a diploma and a Cosmetology Instructor certificate.

Finally, Dean Grissom-Young paid tribute to Deborah Harris, Child Care Specialist in the Child Care Center on Main Campus, and, with 41 years of service, VGCC’s longest-serving full-time employee upon her retirement. Harris was also surprised at the social when Dr. Williams presented her with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine on behalf of Gov. Roy Cooper.

–VGCC–

VGCC names Farmer to lead programs

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— press release courtesy VGCC

VGCC names educator to lead programs

Vance-Granville Community College recently named Delton Farmer of Durham to head three academic programs: Accounting, Business Administration and Supply Chain Management. Farmer has been a VGCC faculty member since 2007.

Farmer is a veteran of the U.S. Army, in which he served as a logistical specialist. He earned an associate degree at the University of Maryland, College Park, a bachelor’s degree at North Carolina Wesleyan College, and master’s degrees in both Business Administration and Health Administration at Pfeiffer University.

After completing six years of military service, Farmer entered the business world, working as an accountant, financial analyst and manager, primarily in the health-care and clinical research industries in the Research Triangle area. In his more than a decade at VGCC, he has taught a variety of Business Administration and Supply Chain (formerly known as Global Logistics) courses at multiple campuses and online. Farmer is also the pastor for Covenant Presbyterian Church in Durham, and he has completed his Master of Divinity degree from Shaw University.

The three curriculum degree programs that Farmer will oversee prepare students for a variety of careers in business, accounting and logistics industries. Students may complete the Business Administration and Supply Chain Management programs completely online if they choose. Supply Chain Management has two degree track options: Global Logistics Technology and Trucking Operations Management.

The VGCC Accounting program, meanwhile, was recognized as one of the ten best associate degree programs in its field across the United States by Accounting.com in 2017.

“Delton brings a wealth of real-world experience from the military and the private sector to his position, along with his many years in the classroom, educating, inspiring and supporting VGCC students,” said Angela Gardner-Ragland, VGCC’s Dean of Business and Applied Technologies. “We look forward to his leadership in continuing to grow our programs in these exciting fields that offer numerous employment opportunities for our graduates.”

For more information on the Accounting, Business Administration or Supply Chain Management programs, contact Farmer at (252) 738-3295 or farmerd@vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–

City of Oxford Commissioners Meeting Tues, Feb 13, 2018

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The City of Oxford Commissioners meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 13, 2018.  Please click here for the agenda.

One of the items WIZS News will be following up on is agenda item number eight, unified development ordinance, and its local impact.  In speaking with Mayor Jackie Sergent, she was not ready to offer full comments prior to the meeting or before speaking with the boards and committees.  However, the gist of what she did say to WIZS News was many communities already have this and that it’s a modern-day times thing to do.

Item 8 reads:

Consider contracting with McAdams out of Durham NC in creating a UDO (unified development ordinance). The purpose of the City creating a Unified Development Ordinance is to combine the zoning, subdivision and all other regulations into one user-friendly set of development regulations. This will be an 18-month process involving various boards and creation of a Steering Committee. The current zoning ordinance was last revised in 2003. With the downtown revitalization efforts as well as the other projects moving forward, it is necessary to have a Unified Development Ordinance that is clear and easily understood, while also creating standards that uphold the community’s vision for the future. Recommended action: Staff & Planning Board recommends moving forward with McAdams in creating a Unified Development Ordinance.

Two VGCC students are first apprentices in new HVAC partnership

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— courtesy VGCC

Two VGCC students are first apprentices in new HVAC partnership

Jared Akers of Franklinton and Cyrus Jover of Henderson, both students in the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Technology program at Vance-Granville Community College, recently became the first participants in the college’s new apprenticeship partnership with Youngsville-based Frigi-Temp.

The apprenticeship model involves a combination of formal education with on-the-job training at Frigi-Temp, a commercial HVAC and refrigeration service provider and licensed mechanical contractor that has been serving central North Carolina since 2001. The program takes approximately four years for an apprentice to complete. Not only are apprentices paid, but their college tuition is free.

Akers and Jover were already enrolled in the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Technology program when Frigi-Temp CEO Cory Thornton spoke to VGCC students about the new opportunity to become apprentices. Akers, a South Granville High School graduate, said that the program appealed to him “because it meant I could go to school and get experience in the field at the exact same time.” He had looked for apprenticeships before and was thrilled that VGCC had started the program.

“I went into the HVAC field because I researched, on websites like austinductcleaning.us, and found out that it’s a growing field with a large shortage of technicians, so the opportunities are really wide-open for younger technicians,” Akers added. “Frigi-Temp is a quality company, outstanding in customer service and awesome with their employees, so I’m very glad that this is the first company I get to work for. The experience so far has been amazing.” He said that in just one month, he has learned a great deal through hands-on experience.

Jover had already worked in the HVAC field for almost four years before he became an apprentice, but he had only worked in residential installation. He jumped at the chance to gain a new type of experience. “Commercial HVAC is fun and opens me up to a whole new world of possibilities,” Jover said. “It’s something new every day. Frigi-Temp lets their apprentices become immersed in many different specialties, not just one type of service.” Jover is originally from the Philippines, where he earned a college degree in Biology before coming to the United States seven years ago, at age 20. Here, he found that the HVAC field had numerous job openings. He enrolled at VGCC, first as a part-time and then a full-time student. Now, he is done with almost all of his classwork and spends most of his time working at Frigi-Temp.

Both apprentices sometimes work a full 40 hours per week at the company while continuing their studies.

Students interested in enrolling in the Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Technology program can contact program head Wesley Smith at smithw@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3214. Employers interested in partnering with VGCC on apprenticeships are encouraged to contact Ken Wilson at wilsonk@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3259 for more information.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.  This is a press release from VGCC.  It is not a paid advertisement.)

Tickets On Sale Now for The Boys & Girls Club of Granville County’s Mardi Gras Bash Fundraiser

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By: Kelly Bondurant, Freelance Writer for Hire

The second annual Mardi Gras Bash Fundraiser to benefit the Granville County Unit of the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central North Carolina (BGCNCNC) will be held Saturday, February 10 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Vino Oasi, an event center located in Stem, NC.

According to Jackie Sergent, mayor of the City of Oxford and an advisory council member of the Granville Boys & Girls Club, the fundraiser will be a celebratory event for all full of “lots of beads, lots of masks, and lots of color.” Participants are encouraged to dress in their finest Mardi Gras attire.

The fundraiser will include a dinner of a signature drink, appetizers, soup, salad, bourbon chicken, shredded beef and onions, vegetables and four-cheese macaroni followed by a traditional Mardi Gras dessert of king cake. In addition to great food, guests will enjoy the look, feel and sounds of New Orleans’ Bourbon Street with jazz music, festive décor and a photo booth.

A 50/50 raffle will be held as well as a wine pull. For $20, participants will be able to pull a wine with a value up to $70. Also for $20, a purchaser can select a person of their choice to sing karaoke. The selected person then must sing a song or will have the opportunity to pay $25 to decline the offer.

Tickets are on sale now for $50 a person and may be purchased at The Hub on Main or Uptown 101 in downtown Oxford, online by visiting the BGCNCNC Facebook page or by calling the Granville Boys & Girls Club office at (919) 690-0036.

A van will depart from The Hub on Main every 15 minutes beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 10 and will shuttle Mardi Gras Bash participants to the Vino Oasi location at 3220 Bliss Trail in Stem, NC free of charge. Parking is available behind The Hub.

All proceeds go to support the Granville County Unit of BGCNCNC. Money raised supports the mission of the club and allows for expansion opportunities and a potential cost savings to participants.

“The Boys & Girls Club is the single most nimble way to make an impact on child performance and support the local school system,” said Sergent. According to Sergent, 100% of recent Boys & Girls Club participants in the local five-county area graduated from high school, with 95% advancing to places of higher education or serving in the military.

The club offers after-school and summer break care to area youth up to five days a week until 6:30 pm. For $10 a week, children are provided snacks, homework assistance, fun activities, social interaction, dinner and a safe place to stay.

DeLauren White, unit director for the Granville Boys & Girls Club, explains that the club focuses on three main components with youth-academic success, good character and leadership and healthy habits. “There seems to be a misconception that the Boys & Girls Club is like a daycare. We are much more active and much more hands-on. We are really trying to change the lives of young people and I truly believe we are doing that,” White said.

With the majority of the youth being children between the ages of 5-12, the club aims to increase the number of teenagers they serve. Teen nights are now available on Friday nights from 6:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. and on Saturday nights from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m.

Fundraising events such as the Mardi Gras Bash help make expansion projects such as teen nights possible and ensure continued coverage of current program offerings. The public is invited to attend Saturday night’s bash to celebrate Mardi Gras and support the Granville County Boys & Girls Club. Those that cannot attend the event are also welcomed to make a donation.

(This is not a paid advertisement.)

Legacy of Martin Luther King discussed at VGCC

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— courtesy VGCC

Vance-Granville Community College hosted a program to discuss the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Jan. 24, after being postponed due to winter weather. The discussion was sponsored by the college’s Minority Male Success Initiative and was held in the Civic Center on VGCC’s Main Campus.

VGCC Counselor Cathy Davis made remarks about the purpose of the event and the King holiday. She quoted the King Center, which said the observance commemorates Dr. King’s actions and words that “answered our collective longing to become a country that truly lived by its noblest principles.” Davis added, “The Minority Male Success Initiative invites you to commemorate this holiday by making your personal commitment to serve humanity, promote Dr. King’s teachings and carry forward his legacy.”

The program then featured VGCC student Angelica Bridges of Oxford presenting a powerful rendition of the song, “Rise Up.”

The featured speaker for the event was Roberta Scott, a longtime public school teacher and retired Adult High School coordinator for VGCC. Scott is currently a member of the Warren County Board of Education, an officer of the N.C. School Boards Association, and an advisor to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. In 1963, she participated in the March on Washington, at which Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.

First, Scott described growing up in Washington, D.C, in an era when the nation’s capital was racially segregated, recalling the practices that restricted her access to certain restaurants, playgrounds, schools and even seats on trains. She then put the 1963 march in its political and historical context.

“Dr. King met with President John F. Kennedy, and he told the president about the severity of the injustices in the country,” Scott recalled. “Dr. King said we needed a civil rights bill. President Kennedy told him, ‘I understand, but we have so other many things going on’ and said it couldn’t get done right now.”

Scott said that, after that somewhat disappointing conversation with the president, King’s next move was “to organize a nonviolent march in Washington, the march to the Lincoln memorial, which Dr. King felt would be a fitting place.”

She remembered, “There were 250,000 people who marched that August 28 — people marching cheerfully, having conversations, and there was no violence whatsoever. You saw whole families, children marching with their parents. My husband and I were there, and our four-year-old daughter marched right along with us. It was a sight that you will never forget.”

“I don’t think President Kennedy expected Dr. King to really go back and organize such a march,” Scott noted. With many national civil rights groups working together to organize the massive demonstration, the event was effective in galvanizing public support for a federal civil rights bill, which ultimately was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson after Kennedy’s assassination.

Scott said that young people today typically cannot imagine what the era of segregation was like, because of the work that was done by King and other leaders to make change happen. “You can go anywhere to eat, you can sit where you want to on the bus or the train, go to the college you want to go to, you can do all of these things without even having to think about it,” Scott said. “But there was a day when you couldn’t do that. It’s hard for you to realize.”

She emphasized the importance of rejecting hatred and of voting. “We need to become passionate in a nonviolent way, and we need to encourage everyone 18 years or older to vote,” Scott said. “Do whatever you can in your community to help, to make a difference, and to keep Dr. King’s dream alive, the dream of equality and freedom.”

The program was one of two organized by the VGCC Minority Male Success Initiative in honor of the King holiday. The other was a trip for students to the International Civil Rights Center & Museum in Greensboro.

–VGCC–

Granville County Public Schools

Granville County Board of Education Retreat Meeting Sat, Feb 10, 2018

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NOTICE TO PUBLIC AND PRESS

The Granville County Board of Education will meet in a Board Retreat on Saturday, February 10, 2018 at the Masonic Children Home, 600 College Street, Oxford, NC 27565 at 9:00 a.m. The Board will meet in 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.

Dywanda Pettaway
Clerk to Board of Education