Dr. Howard Retires from role at Granville County Superintendent

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After over 30 years of service, our Superintendent, Dr. Dorwin Howard has made the decision to retire.  Dr. Howard assumed the leadership role during a tumultuous time and must be commended for calming any concerns in our Granville County Public School system.  Now the school board is in the process of identifying candidates and hiring the next leader of our schools.  The school board is using a variety of communication methods to get your input.

This letter is merely a request of our residents to stay engaged, and to provide the school board with your input on this important search process.  You can do this in a variety of ways: complete the online survey on the school district website https://www.gcs.k12.nc.us/; or, obtain a paper copy at any of our schools; and/or, attend the Granville County School Board meeting on March 6 and share your comments.

Please keep in mind the deadline for this process is March 27.  The results of the survey and community input will be presented at the April 3 Board of Education meeting.

Selection of new leadership is crucial to moving our county forward.  We want your input.  Make your voice heard.

 

Sincerely,

The School Board Members of Granville County

Falls Lake Academy Still Accepting Applications for 2017-2018

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Press Release

Creedmoor, NC– Falls Lake Academy is a tuition-free public school. Any child who is qualified under the laws of North Carolina for admission to a public school is qualified for admission to FLA. FLA does not limit admission to students on the basis of intellectual ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, athletic ability, disability, race, creed, gender, national origin, religion or ancestry. Children must be 5 (or older) on or before August 31, 2017 to be eligible for Kindergarten during the 2017-2018 school year.

Falls Lake Academy will be taking applications beginning January 3rd, 2017 and ending at 5:00 p.m. on March 3rd, 2017. Applications will be accepted for Kindergarten through 11th grade for the 2017-2018 school year. We are excited to continue our expansion into high school with the first graduating class to be the Class of 2019!

We will host open house/tours on Wednesday, February 22nd for prospective new students and parents interested in learning more about our school.  During the open house, there will be a brief information and question session followed by an opportunity to tour the building and classrooms.  Elementary families should arrive at 6:30pm and Middle and High School families should arrive at 7:30 p.m.

Visit www.fallslakeacademy.com and click on the “Join Us” tab to enroll.  Or stop by the school for paper applications.  Spanish translation assistance is available at school if needed.

Falls Lake Academy, Exceeding Excellence!

GCPS School Board Seeks Public Input on Superintendent Search

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Press Release

Granville County Board of Education

February 7, 2017

The Granville County Board of Education has hired the North Carolina School Boards Association (NCSBA) to help facilitate its search for the next Superintendent of Granville County Public Schools (GCPS). To that end, the board is seeking direct input from interested members of the staff and community to help shape the search process and assist in defining the qualities and characteristics of the next GCPS superintendent.

The board invites parents and community members to participate in a short community survey that can be accessed and completed online by clicking the survey link on the main GCPS webpage: https://www.gcs.k12.nc.us/. All surveys must be completed by Monday, March 27, 2017 with results to be compiled, summarized, and presented by NCSBA at the regular board meeting on April 3, 2017.

In addition, all employees of GCPS will have an opportunity to complete a separate online staff survey. Details about completing the employee version of the search survey will be communicated via school system email.

Citizens may also sign up to address the board during the public comment period at any of the upcoming regular board meetings, scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on March 6 and April 3. All meetings will be held in the main board room at the GCPS Administrative Offices, located at 101 Delacroix Street, Oxford, NC. Citizens must sign up to speak before the meeting begins and must otherwise comply with board policy.

In addition to input received from the surveys and public comment, written statements from any local groups or organizations may be submitted to Allison Schafer via mail at NCSBA, P.O. Box 97877, Raleigh, NC 27624, via email at aschafer@ncsba.org, or via fax at 919-841-4020. These statements should be received no later than Monday, March 27, 2017.

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Stan Winborne, Ed.S.
Director of High Schools
Director of Career & Technical Education Program
Public Information Officer
Granville County Schools

City of Oxford to hold Personnel Committee Meeting

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CITY OF OXFORD

FEBRUARY 9, 2017

PERSONNEL COMMITTEE MEETING

The Personnel Committee for the City of Oxford will meet on Thursday, February 9, 2017 at 10:00 AM in the Training Room, 1st Floor, City Hall, 300 Williamsboro Street.  The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the hiring process, code enforcement position, career development and personnel policy.  All those interested are encouraged to attend.

 

Barb Rote, CMC

City Clerk,

City of Oxford

300 Williamsboro Street – PO Box 1307

Oxford, North Carolina  27565

Boys and Girls Club fundraiser brings a taste of New Orleans to Granville County

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OXFORD – Mardi Gras festivities begin a few days early in Granville County this year when a local venue transforms into a New Orleans-style party spot.

The inaugural Mardi Gras Bash, set for Saturday, Feb. 25, 2017, is a fundraiser to benefit the Granville Unit of the Boys and Girls Club. Event organizers, most of them members of the local club’s advisory committee, say they expect this to become an annual “signature” event for the community.

“We are excited for the community and for the club,” said Irene Nichols, a member of the planning committee. “When you step through those doors, you’re going to feel like you are right down on Bourbon Street,” she said.

The fundraiser will be held at Thorndale Oaks in Oxford. “Thorndale Oaks is such a beautiful spot,” said Jackie Sergent, another committee member. “We are delighted to be able to have our event there,” Sergent said. Thorndale’s chef has created a New Orleans-inspired menu for the occasion. The event is from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., with special recognitions and other activities during the evening. Music will be provided by DJ Jay.

Boys and Girls Club members are creating and decorating Mardi Gras masks for the occasion, which will be available for purchase at the event. Local artist Linda Edwards will lead a workshop at the club to help the children create the masks in colorful Mardi Gras fashion.

The local club is in its fourth year of operation in Oxford. It is part of the North Central North Carolina region, which operates clubs in Granville, Vance, Franklin, Warren and Halifax counties. Each local club has an advisory committee which is responsible for local fundraising annually. The club began at Mary Potter Middle School, but soon needed extra space. Elementary school-aged club members spent part of the afternoons at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church. Then the BGCNCNC accepted building space, formerly used by  Santa Fe Natural Tobacco. The club officially moved to its new spot in summer 2016.

“This is what true community collaboration is all about,” said Laura Gabel, a local advisory committee member. “We got help from the schools and from a local church when we needed it most,” she said. Advisory committee Chairman Xavier Wortham agrees. “This community identified a need for a Boys and Girls Club,” he said, “and now we need to make sure that this community continues to support everything that the club provides.”

Tickets are $50 a person and are available in downtown Oxford at Stovall’s Gifts, Java Dave’s Cafe, Harvest restaurant and The Purple Bird. Tickets also are available from BGC  advisory committee members and online at bgcncnc.com.

For more information, contact Resource Development Director Mary Ann Avery at the BGC corporate office, 919.690.0036.

 

Mary Ann Avery

Resource Development Director

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA

Sixth Annual Great Landscape Day Planned at the MHCO

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6th Annual Great Landscape Day at MHCO – March 18, 2017

It’s that time of year again, March 18, 2017 will mark our 6th Annual Great Landscape Day at the Masonic Home! Thank you for your participation in the past as part of this successful Masonic Home for Children’s event.  This day of service and charity has grown from one single Girl Scout Troop to over 120 individuals representing families, businesses, churches, Lodges, and civic organizations.  The beauty that you and others have given to this Home continues today.  Our thanks again for your help in the past and for your consideration of this year’s event.  We hope you can join us and will invite others to share in this day of help and fellowship!  Come and join us for a good meal (two in fact) and the chance to bring beauty, comfort, and security to the home of a child.

When:           Saturday, March 18, 2017 – (NO RAIN DATE THIS YEAR – CALL FOR UPDATES!)

Where:          Campus of Masonic Home for Children, 600 College St., Oxford, NC

Schedule:      7:30am – 9am – Continental Breakfast for participants

8:30am – 12:00pm – Landscaping Event on Campus

12:00pm – Lunch and Conclusion of Event

Groups can start after 8:30am and/or leave before 12 noon if needed.  Please bring shovels, gloves, wheelbarrow, rakes, and other landscaping implements for your personal use.  A needs list of items that can be given as part of the event is available at www.mhc-oxford.org.  You must RSVP and sign-up on or before March 10, 2017 to participate and must include the number attending.  This is very important to make the most of this day. To RSVP or for more information contact MHCO at 919-603-3930 or jgrimes@mhc-oxford.org.

Thanks,

Jennifer Grimes

Financial Development Assistant & Database Manager

The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, Inc.

600 College Street

Oxford, NC 27565

Granville County Animal Management Survey

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Granville County Animal Management and Granville County Senior Services are collecting information about pet ownership in Granville County. We will use this data to better understand pet owners in Granville County and where services are needed.

This survey is anonymous.

Please only take it once.

 

Single Owner Request: If you co-own a pet, please only complete one survey per household.

The link to complete the survey online: https://tinyurl.com/hqzrkpz.

 

 

 

Charla Duncan

Grants Coordinator

141 Williamsboro St.

P.O. Box 1286

Oxford, NC  27565

Multiple B&E Cases Reported in Granville County

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TO:                         News Media

FROM:                  Granville County Crime Stoppers  

DATE:                   January 25th, 2017

SUBJECT:           BREAKING and ENTERING/BURGLARY/LARCENY

Sometime between Wednesday, December 28th, 2016 early evening hours and Tuesday, January 3rd, 2017 early morning hours an unknown person or persons unlawfully went upon private property located off Highway 15 North, Oxford, NC and forced entry of a storage building, which caused criminal property damage and removed one Stihl BR700 blower, four Stihl BR600 blower, one Stihl FC95 edger, one Stihl HS81 30” hedge trimmer, seven Stihl FS90 trimmers, and one Stihl MM55 Tiller.

On Thursday, January 1st, 2017 during late evening hours an unknown person or persons unlawfully went upon private property and criminally entered the garage of a residence located off Tabbs Creek Road, Oxford, NC and removed one Remington 700 30-06 rifle with a leupold vari X2 scope, one black Gamo .177 caliber air pellet rifle, one Bow-Tech Compound bow with quiver arrows and sight, and one wood grain handled Bear Compound bow with sights, quiver and arrows.

On Saturday, January 21st, 2017 during early evening hours an unknown person or persons unlawfully went upon State maintained property of Northside and Cash Roads in Creedmoor, NC and set fire to a four door “2015” Honda Civic-EX, which is registered out of the county of Durham, NC.

On Saturday, January 21st, 2017 during early evening hours an unknown person or persons unlawfully went upon private property of Hasty Mart Convenience store located at 1633 Williamsboro Street, Oxford, NC and criminally forced entry by throwing a brick through the window of the property and removed several cartons of Kool King, Kool 100’s, Newport Blue King, New Port Men Gold King, Newport Men Gold, Newport NM King, Newport NM Gold 100’s, and Newport Smooth select King and Newport Smooth select 100’s- cigarettes, several packages of Game, Swisher, and Optimo cigarette wrapping papers, along with several White Owl Cigars of various flavors and 12 cans of Bud Light beer.

 

If you have information concerning these incidents, please contact the Granville County Sheriff’s Office at 919-693-3213 or call Crime Stoppers 919-693-3100.

 

THE GRANVILLE COUNTY CRIME STOPPERS BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS AUTHORIZED THE PAYMENT OF A REWARD OF UP TO $1,000 FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST/INDICTMENT(S) OF PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE CRIMES.  IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION CONCERNING THESE CRIMES OR ANY OTHER SERIOUS CRIME(S) IN GRANVILLE COUNTY.  YOU ARE ASKED TO CALL THE GRANVILLE COUNTY CRIME STOPPERS IN OXFORD AT 919-693-3100.

NCSWIA awards Oxford $10 Million in Water and Sewer Infrastructure Funds

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For Immediate Release

In February of 2016 City Engineer Amy Ratliff recommended that the City apply for NC Connect, North Carolina State funds. Faced with aging water and sewer infrastructure that in places dates back to 1907, the Commissioners approved the recommendation and ordered a plan to proceed.

 

In September of 2016, The Board of Commissioners approved a water and sewer rate increase to meet minimum rates required by the State of North Carolina to apply for the water and sewer grants and loans to allow Oxford to be in a better position to maintain both existing and new infrastructure well into the future.

 

City Engineer Ratliff led the team that developed a $96 million Ten Year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) that was adopted by the Board in regular session on September 13th, 2016. Project planning on the improvements is already underway and construction is slated to start on the water and sewer infrastructure as early as this summer.

 

On January 18th 2017, the North Carolina State Water Infrastructure Authority, voted unanimously to grant the City of Oxford over $6 Million in state grants and nearly $4 Million in 0% interest loans to replace over nine miles of water and sewer infrastructure within the Oxford city limits.

 

Securing this funding is the first step in fortifying the water and sewer infrastructure in Oxford. Residents will notice work on these infrastructure improvements in the coming months. The completed system will pave the way for continued residential and commercial growth in our community.

 

Much of the water and sewer infrastructure upgrades need to be completed in time for the City to piggy-back on the North Carolina Department of Transportation resurfacing project scheduled to begin in the spring of 2018. By working with DOT, The City of Oxford will be able to resurface about four times as many road-miles as they have in the past.

American Legion Post 99 News Release

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The American Legion Post 99 and the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 99 meets every 2nd Monday of the Month at Post 99 located at 1034 Mallard Lane Halifax, Va.

Auxiliary starts at 6:30 p.m. and the Legion begins at 7:00 p.m.

We welcome eligible men and women desiring to assist veterans and/or their families.

Call 434-575-5401 or 434-476-1268 for more information.

(This information came to WIZS via mail)