“Hog Farmer: The Trials Of Joey Carter” Showing At Granville Expo Center Feb. 3

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It takes a couple of hours to reach Duplin County from here, and many may recognize it as the home of Duplin Winery, or from road signs along I-40 you pass on the way to the beach.

But Duplin County also is the home of a former hog farmer named Joey Carter.

The Carter family farm became caught up in a federal lawsuit brought by neighbors against Smithfield Foods, and a recently released documentary recounts his story.

The film “Hog Farmer: The Trials of Joey Carter” will be shown on Friday, Feb. 3 at the Granville County Expo Center, 4158 US Hwy 15, Oxford, and then on Friday, Feb. 10 in the auditorium of the Person County Office Building, 304 S. Morgan St., Roxboro.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. and the film begins at 6:30, according to information from Kim Woods, livestock extension agent for Granville and Person counties.

Admission is free to the event. Donations will be accepted for the N.C. Agromedicine Institute in support of farmer mental health awareness and suicide prevention. There will be snacks and drinks available to purchase, with any profits also going to the N.C. Agromedicine Institute.

For more information, contact N.C. Cooperative Extension, Granville office at 919.603.1350 or Person office at 336.599.1195.

NJ-Based Food Company Opens Distribution Warehouse In Granville County

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A New Jersey-based provider of quality meats, produce and other delicacies to high-end hotels and restaurants has officially opened a distribution site – its largest outside New Jersey – in Granville County.

Local, regional and state officials gathered last week at D’Artagnan Inc.’s new warehouse and distribution facility, located in a section of the former Burlington Mills complex on Lewis Street, just outside Oxford.

The facility will create 23 new jobs and invest more than $4 million in the county.

“We are thrilled to have D’Artagnan expand into the southeastern United States with their Granville location,” said Russ May, chairman of the Granville County board of commissioners. “We want all our residents to know how important it is to have industries like D’Artagnan locate here.”

Glenn Livi, general manager and vice president of operations for the company, said he’s pleased with the experience so far. “I have never encountered a warmer welcome than we received when we first started investigating Granville County as a prospective expansion site,” Livi told the gathering. “From our first phone calls with the Granville County Economic Development Office through all the other stops along the construction process, we could not have asked for anything more. Granville County and the City of Oxford were nothing but professional and accommodating to our needs. What was originally projected to be a nine-month construction timeline was shortened to six thanks to all the local help and support we received.”

Founded by French food pioneer, Ariane Daguin, in 1985, D’Artagnan has three business segments that cover food service, retail and e-commerce in all 50 states.

“I would like to thank the members of the Granville County Board of Commissioners, the Granville County Economic Development Advisory Board, Wills Hancock and his team at Century 21 Hancock Properties, and the City of Oxford for their hard work and support to attract a company like D’Artagnan to our county,” said Granville County Economic Development Director Harry Mills.

For more information about D’Artagnan, please visit their website: https://www.dartagnan.com.

Duke Energy

Granville Gets $30K From Duke Energy Foundation

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-information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

Granville County has received $30,000 from the Duke Energy Foundation’s Emergency Preparedness fund, most of which will be used to purchase automated external defibrillators and supplies used to operate emergency shelters.

Granville is one of 24 organizations across the state to share $750,000 from the Duke Energy Foundation, according to information from Terry Hobgood, the county’s public information officer.

The county’s emergency management office will use $25,000 to purchase the AEDs and other materials that shelters need in the event of a natural disaster. The AEDs will be placed at numerous county facilities. The remaining $5,000 will be used to make trail safety improvements at Granville Athletic Park.

“We are thankful to the Duke Energy Foundation for recognizing the importance of providing equipment for life-saving measures made by possible by AEDs, supplies for our county’s emergency shelters, and trail improvements at the Granville Athletic Park,” said Assistant County Manager Korena Weichel. “All of these projects will make a huge impact in Granville’s emergency preparedness and the safety of our citizens.”

The Duke Energy Foundation focuses grant funds on helping emergency preparedness organizations respond and recover more quickly from weather events and disasters through advanced preparation and planning. The Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders. For more information about Duke Energy and the Duke Energy Foundation, visit www.duke-energy.com or follow Duke Energy on social media.

Tobacco Trust Fund Grant Cycle Open To Receive Proposals Through Mar. 3

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The Tobacco Trust Fund Commission’s grant cycle is open and is now accepting grant applications through Mar. 3, 2023. Access the application, guidelines and other information about the funding opportunity by clicking here.

Federal, state and local governments can apply for grant funding, as well as economic development groups, educational institutions and nonprofits

Individuals can also apply, but the commission’s executive director, William Upchurch, Jr. said trust fund officials encourage individuals to work with a cost-share partner: NC AgVentures at N.C. State University, AgPrime at the University of Mount Olive, and WNC AgOptions at WNC Communities. Upchurch said that the Tobacco Trust Fund is open to talking with folks who have questions about the grant cycle and its cost-share partners.

The Tobacco Trust Fund grant cycle focuses on the priorities of community economic development, skill and resource development, increasing farm profitability, diversification of crops and development of natural resources. They look for projects that support the following outcomes: farmers assisted, jobs created and retained, acreage impacted, new crops planted, funding leverage and new education opportunities.

The trust fund commission was created in 2000 to assist current and former tobacco farmers, former quota holders, persons engaged in tobacco-related businesses, individuals displaced from tobacco-related employment, and tobacco product component businesses in North Carolina that have been affected by the adverse effects of the Master Settlement Agreement.

Granville County Public Schools

Granville School Board Votes to Close Creedmoor Elementary And Shift Hawley Students To Creedmoor Campus

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Public school students who live in the Creedmoor area will be facing some changes next school year, following a decision Monday by the Granville County Board of Education to close Creedmoor Elementary School and relocate G.C. Hawley students to the elementary school campus in the 2023-24 school year.

“This action follows extensive research and analysis of a wide variety of information and data, which were included in a formal study as well as input from a variety of stakeholders, including opinions provided at a recent public hearing held on January 17, 2023,” said Dr. Stan Winborne, GCPS public information officer and assistant superintendent.

The elementary school was built in 1975, with a lower grade wing completed in 2000 and a two-story building for upper elementary grades completed in 2005.

According to information included in the study, close to a half million dollars in upfitting and renovations will have to be made to the elementary campus in order to accommodate the older students next year.

Next steps include:

  • Creation of a transition plan for the reassignment of Creedmoor Elementary School students;
  • Creation of a transition plan for the reassignment of Creedmoor Elementary School faculty and staff;
  • Development of new southern area elementary school attendance zones;
  • Development of a facility transition plan with specific tasks for the renovation of facilities and relocation of furniture, equipment and supplies.

Regular meetings will be held in the coming weeks and months to share progress and updates with all stakeholders.

The board made the decision Monday during a special called meeting. The vote was 6-1 to close Creedmoor Elementary and relocate Hawley students to the elementary school campus.

View the study here.

Golden LEAF Scholarship, Internship Opportunities

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-information courtesy of the Golden LEAF Foundation

The Golden LEAF Colleges and Universities Scholarship application window is now open for the 2023-2024 academic year. Applications are available at CFNC.org. A total of 215 awards will be offered to first-time recipients from qualifying rural and economically distressed counties. Applications are due March 1, 2023.

The awards are valued at $14,000 ($3,500 per year for up to four years) for North Carolina high school students attending a participating North Carolina college or university. North Carolina community college transfer students can receive $3,500 per year for up to three years.

“The Golden LEAF Scholarship Program is an important component of the Foundation’s workforce preparedness strategy,” said Golden LEAF President, Chief Executive Officer Scott T. Hamilton. “Our goal is for Golden LEAF Scholars to gain the talent, knowledge and skills necessary to help North Carolina’s rural communities thrive by returning home to live, work and raise families.”

To be eligible, students must be a graduating North Carolina high school senior or a currently enrolled North Carolina community college transfer student, enrolling full-time in the fall at a participating North Carolina public or private college or university. Recipients are selected based upon multiple factors including an intent to return to a rural North Carolina county after graduation. Applicants must also fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and demonstrate financial need as determined by the application process; have a cumulative GPA of no less than 2.5; and be a resident of a rural, economically distressed North Carolina county. Click here for the full list of eligible counties.

For more than 20 years, the Golden LEAF Scholarship Program has provided more than 6,000 scholarships to help rural students attend the state’s colleges and universities.

The Golden LEAF Scholarship Program is administered by the North Carolina State Education Assistance Authority and funded by the Golden LEAF Foundation. A complete list of program requirements, participating campuses and qualifying counties can be viewed at CFNC.org. Call 1-800-700-1775 or send an email to information@ncseaa.edu, for more information.

Learn more about the scholarship at https://scholars.goldenleaf.org/.

 

Scholarship recipients may also apply for the Golden LEAF Rural Internship Initiative. The Rural Internship Initiative provides Golden LEAF Scholars with professional work experience related to their career field in a rural North Carolina community. The application window closes Jan. 31.

The Golden LEAF Foundation provides funding to pay interns $15/hour for up to 400 hours of work. Internships take place over 8-10 weeks, between June and August.

Bids Open Now For Army National Guard Project In Stem

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The North Carolina Military Business Center is reaching out to local contractors who may be interested in submitting a bid for a Granville County project for the Army National Guard Bureau.

The Army National Guard has an open request for proposals for building materials for a construction project in Stem. The deadline to submit proposals is Jan. 27, 2023.

Reena Bhatia is the business development specialist for the NCMBC‘s RTP region, which includes Granville County and several other surrounding counties.

NCMBC is a state agency with 15 offices across the state. The organization has helped businesses win more than 4,000 contracts since 2005.

Bhatia’s role is to support the mission by helping North Carolina-based businesses identify and obtain federal contract opportunities, as well as navigate the solicitation and proposal processes, she said in a press statement.

“We would like to bring those federal dollars to Granville County by helping a local company bid on the requirements,” Bhatia said.

NCMBC is available to help with proposal efforts if needed.

“We hope we can partner together to help local businesses win and bring federal dollars to our communities,” Bhatia said.

To learn more about the project, contact Bhatia at reena@ncmbc.us or 919.314.7317.

Truck Fire On I-85 Near Oxford Snarls Thursday Afternoon Traffic; Driver Taken To UNC Burn Center

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Northbound traffic on I-85 was backed up for miles Thursday afternoon after a tractor trailer loaded with rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide caught fire near mile marker 199. The driver of the truck was transported to the UNC Burn Center. His condition is not known at this time.

Granville County Public Information Officer Terry A. Hobgood Jr. said Friday the incident was reported at 2:46 p.m. and emergency crews were on the scene within 10 minutes. By 3:08 p.m., both northbound lanes were closed to all traffic. One lane reopened about 4 p.m. and both lanes were clear by 8:30 p.m.

Mile marker 199 is just south of the Oxford rest area near the Bryan’s Hill Road overpass/Tar River bridge.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Hobgood said, but he stated that witnesses reported that the trailer caught fire while driving on I-85. The trailer was carrying a full load of 70% Isopropyl alcohol as well as hydrogen peroxide. Some of the spilled load did run-off into the Tar River but there has been no update on how much.

Granville County Emergency Management/Fire Marshal’s Office and the Granville County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene first, followed by Granville Health System EMS and Providence Volunteer Fire Department.

Other responders included the Corinth Volunteer Fire Department, Stem Volunteer Fire Department, Oxford Fire Department, Butner Public Safety, NC State Highway Patrol and the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

Oxford Man Sentenced to 10-Year Statutory Maximum After Shooting Two People and Leaving One for Dead

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— press release —

William Brian Coghill was sentenced this past Friday to 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon after shooting two acquaintances and leaving one for dead at his home in Oxford, North Carolina. This is the statutory maximum sentence available for this offense. Coghill also pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree attempted murder in state court and was sentenced to 15 to 19 years.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on August 14, 2021, Granville County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) responded to a 911 call regarding a gunshot victim located at Fredrick Road, Oxford, North Carolina. Upon GCSO’s arrival, the first victim, who had a gunshot wound to his right arm, advised that he had been at the residence next door when he was shot. He was then transported via EMS to a local hospital. As deputies tried to find a blood trail to ascertain the first victim’s direction of travel, they heard a male voice groaning from the front porch area of Coghill’s home that he shared with his mother. A second male victim was located on the porch, doubled over, writhing in pain. Victim two had two gunshot wounds to his lower right side/back area and the front lower left abdomen area. The second victim was transported via Life-Flight to a local hospital.

Minutes after knocking at the doors and windows of the residence, Deputies were permitted inside by Coghill’s mother, and he was found hiding in the attic of the home with a shotgun. Deputies discovered two spent 9mm shell casings on the porch of the residence. Coghill’s mother later told deputies she witnessed her son take the shotgun in one hand, and a black pistol in his other hand, to the porch where the two victims were sitting and began pointing both the shotgun and the pistol at the victims. She stated that both victims begged Coghill not to shoot them. Coghill’s mother stated she was able to take the shotgun away from her son and took the shotgun to her bedroom. She returned to the porch and watched as her son pulled the trigger of the pistol, shooting the first victim, then turned the pistol toward the second victim, and fire again, striking him. Coghill then went into the house, turned out the lights, and forbid his mother from calling for help. The second victim spent several weeks in the hospital and was close to death at one point. He also underwent several surgeries.

Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II presided over the sentencing. Granville County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer May-Parker prosecuted the case.

TownTalk: BGC Granville Club Kicks Off Phase 1 Of Major Facility Facelift

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Community leaders and other interested individuals gathered at the Granville Boys & Girls Club in Oxford Monday to witness the Construction Kickoff that will transform the Granville County club from a cavernous warehouse to a state-of-the-art facility.

Five club members, each sporting blue t-shirts with the familiar Boys & Girls Club logo, gave up their day off from school for the MLK holiday to take part in the celebration. They posed for photos with officials as they stood behind a paper banner decorated for the event. Then they got a running start and broke through the banner to officially kick off the project, to applause from the grownups assembled.

CEO Donyell “DJ” Jones told those gathered that if all goes well, the project will begin in early February and should be completed by the end of May. H.G. Reynolds is in charge of the project.

The Granville club is located in a building formerly occupied by Santa Fe Natural Tobacco. The administrative offices for the BGC North Central North Carolina also is located at the West Street facility, having moved from Vance County when the building was donated a few years back.

The construction project will create a dedicated art space, computer lab and more. Renderings by Intrepid Architects of Greenville, N.C. flanked the seats at the construction kickoff event to showcase the proposed design.

“As we look at this space,” Jones said, he described as “priceless” the time and resources that have been committed to bring the project to fruition. “This investment will have a positive impact on the community,” he said.

Among the special guests on hand Monday were Richard Moore and Julia Blaine, and Jones recognized them both for their significant contributions. Moore’s foundation provided a “transformational” investment to get the project off the ground and Blaine, along with husband Thomas and their Strong Arm Baking Co., issued a challenge in late 2021 to raise money for the project. This challenge raised awareness and added more than 200 new donors to BGC.

Jacqueline Robinson is the chief development officer for the regional organization, which has clubs across the four-county area. In her remarks Monday, Robinson talked about the history of the Boys & Girls Club, which officially celebrated 100 years in 2006.

Today, the staff of Boys & Girls Clubs work with club members, focusing on three priority areas: academics, good character and citizenship and healthy lifestyles.

This project will provide club members increased access to technology as well as a stable internet connection, in addition to more space for tutoring sessions and many different types of programs.

“This is the place where you come so you can grow into a professional,” Robinson said. She said that the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions curtailed BGC activities, and the new renovated space will be a real plus as club members continue to return to the Oxford unit.

Michael Currin, chairman of the BGC corporate board, said the transformed space will be a kid-friendly space and will provide a “first-class environment that will meet the needs of our kids.”

Follow the progress at https://www.facebook.com/BGCNCNC/

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