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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Tobacco Trust Fund Grant Cycle Open Now

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The North Carolina Tobacco Trust Fund Commission is accepting applications for the 2023 grant cycle. The key objectives for 2023 are supporting the agricultural industry, impacting rural communities and stimulating economic development. Funds will be awarded in the fall of 2023 for selected innovative projects, according to Jeff Camden NCTTFC program officer.

“North Carolinians are great at innovation and creating jobs. We produce outstanding agriculture products and market them to the world. Providing funds for projects in current or former tobacco-dependent regions that enhance these efforts is our 2023 priorities,” said William H. “Bill” Teague, NCTTFC chairman. Applications will be accepted online for innovative projects within North Carolina. Selected projects should expect to start in November of 2023.

 

The NCTTFC was established in 2000 by the N.C. General Assembly to help members of the tobacco community including farmers, tobacco workers and related businesses. Its original funding was established through tobacco industry annual payments as a result of the Master Settlement Agreement. Funding is now appropriated to the NCTTFC which then reviews, selects and disperses the funds to grant projects.

 

Past NCTTFC projects includes fair and farmers market improvements, cost-share grant programs for farmers, commodity marketing, researching alternative crops and support of agricultural education programs.

Qualifying organizations can access the online application here: www.tobaccotrustfund.org.

For more information, contact Jeff Camden at 919.733.2160 Ext 1. The deadline to submit application is Friday March 3, 2023.

Granville Tourism Kicks Off ‘Project Uplift’ Partnership At Jan. 26 Event

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The Granville County Tourism Development Authority, in partnership with Uplift North Carolina, invites the public to attend a kickoff meeting on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 5:30 p.m. at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center (4185 US Highway 15  South, Oxford) to begin Project Uplift.

“We are excited to work with Uplift North Carolina to boost tourism and support local businesses in Granville County,” said TDA Director Angela Allen. “We know that visitors to are not concerned with exactly where county lines fall, and we know we can work with Person and Caswell counties as a team to boost all local tourism in this region and across rural North Carolina. We believe Granville is ‘Uniquely Carolina’ and we know anyone who comes to visit us will agree.”

Project Uplift is a collaborative effort between Appalachian State University, NC State University, and NatureScapes. Its goal is to boost tourism in rural North Carolina by working across county borders to support local tourism leaders and practitioners to realize their unique vision for tourism in their communities. Project Uplift will work to boost tourism connections in Granville, Person and Caswell counties, as well as four other county cohorts spread throughout the state.

Uplift North Carolina’s goals for each region are to provide more than 200 businesses with strengthened skills, products or operational models that ultimately will reach more than 3 million people about tourism in rural North Carolina.

The Jan. 26 session will begin with refreshments at 5:30 p.m. followed by a presentation from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Anyone interested in attending should RSVP by Friday, Jan. 20 to angela.allen@granvillecounty.org or 919.693.6125.

To learn more about Project Uplift, visit www.uplifttourism.com.

The Local Skinny! Valentines For Veterans

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Gentiva Hospice in Oxford is hosting a Valentine’s For Veterans event later this month to make Valentine’s cards that will be shared with veterans in five different are counties.

This is the third year that Gentiva, formerly Kindred Hospice, has sponsored the activity, and Patient Care Coordinator Whitney Allen told WIZS’s Bill Harris on The Local Skinny! that she invites people of all ages to come out and show support for the veterans.

Allen said she’s not quite sure just how many cards will get made, but the group will make as many as it can.

“It’s not just for kids,” she said, “it’s for anyone who wants to come out and help our veterans.”

Volunteer Coordinator Brittany Wilson had the idea a few years ago to have a card-making party and open it up to the community to participate.

Gentiva employees bring their children, she said, and a Girl Scout group has participated in the past. But it’s not just for groups – any individual who wants to come and put their art skills to work as they enjoy some pizza and music are welcome.

Gentiva has about 20 clients who are veterans and they will get cards, but they’ll also be distributed at the VA in Durham, Allen said; cards will end up in the hands of veterans in Vance, Granville, Person, Durham and Wake counties.

“They just love it,” Allen said of previous card distribution program.

The event begins at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28 at Gentiva Hospice, located at 136 Roxboro Road in the Food Lion shopping center.

Individuals also can purchase cards and drop them by the Gentiva office. Before Feb. 1.

Call Gentiva at 919.603.0126 to learn more or find details on Gentiva’s Facebook page.

 

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