Granville Fire District Set Up To Help Fund Local Departments

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Granville County residents will be paying an extra tax that will be used to provide financial help to fire departments across the county.

The Granville County Fire Protection and Rescue Service District was established with the passage of the new county budget that went into effect July 1, according to information from Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood.

Fire departments throughout the county will now receive funding from this dedicated funding  stream, and the money must be spent on fire and rescue services. The newly formed district includes all unincorporated areas of the county, as well as the town of Stovall. It took effect after several months of public meetings and deliberation by the board of county commissioners following the completion of an in-depth study by the N.C. Fire Chiefs Consulting firm.

Anyone who lives within the municipal limits of the Town of Butner, City of Creedmoor, City of Oxford and Town of Stem are not in the Fire Protection and Rescue Service District and are not subject to the applicable district tax.

The tax rate is $0.06 per $100, which means that a homeowner with a home valued at $100,000 would see a rise of $60 in his or her annual tax bill.

The tax is expected to generate $1,875,733 in fiscal year 2022-2023.

“The district will help protect the health and safety of all Granville County residents by providing a dedicated and sustainable funding  source for the county’s volunteer fire departments and ensure that all residents receive professional fire  protection services when needed no matter where they live in the county,” the press release stated.

Before this district was established, there was not a dedicated funding source for fire departments in Granville County, which made it difficult for individual fire departments to plan for capital expenses like trucks and stations, not to mention annual expenses such as standard equipment, training, utilities and other routine costs to keep a fire department operational.

Departments will receive a base funding level and the volunteer fire departments will also be eligible to receive additional enhancement funding. Fire departments with “first responder” designation will receive $85,454  and include Berea, Brassfield, Bullock, Cornwall and Stem. Antioch, Butner, Corinth, Creedmoor, Granville Rural, Oxford, and Providence departments will get $80,192. South Virgilina will get $53,377 since they also get funding from Halifax County, VA.

Although final authority rests with the county commissioners, the fire and rescue services district will have an advisory board – the Granville County Fire Commission – whose  members will be appointed by the county commissioners and will have members who reside in the north, central and southern portions of the county as well as the president of the Granville County Fire Chief’s Association.

 

The Board of Commissioners recognized that fire departments throughout the county are facing a host of distinct challenges that would need sound and thoughtful financial planning. One of these future challenges is staffing, which may be required by the NC Department of Insurance to keep fire insurance affordable and have firefighters ready when emergencies occur.

To learn more, contact the Granville County Tax Administration Office at 919.693.4181 or visit the office at 141 Williamsboro  St., Oxford.

State Highway Patrol

Campaign To Reduce Speeders In Effect Through July 24

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Most drivers, whether they admit it or not, have driven at speeds higher than the posted limits.

You’re late to an appointment or to pick the kids up at school or a sports practice – the excuses may vary, but the results of speeding remain the same – the increased risks of crashes, injury and loss of life.

Law enforcement officers across the state are participating in a “Speeding Wrecks Lives” campaign through July 24, part of a national initiative in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

“Speeding-related crashes are at all-time high levels across the country, including North Carolina, and one proven way to prevent speeding is an increased law enforcement presence on the roads,” said Mark Ezzell, director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program. “Campaigns like these are key pieces to decreasing crashes, even as we work on more long-term solutions such as safe road design, safer cars and quality driver education.”
Speeding is a major cause of injuries and deaths on North Carolina roadways. Last year, 424 people died in speeding-related crashes across the state. Moreover, speed was a contributing factor in nearly a quarter of all fatal crashes in 2021. Males under 39 account for nearly half of all speeding-related crashes.
To be safe, drivers should always avoid speeding. Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to negotiate curves, makes it more difficult to stop a vehicle and increases the risk of crashes and injuries because other vehicles and people might not be able to judge distance correctly.

View more statistics on speeding in NC here.

Terry Garrison

Rep. Garrison Notes Funding For Local Projects In New State Budget

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The newly approved $27.9 billion budget that Gov. Roy Cooper signed into law this week includes funding for several local projects, according to a press statement from Rep. Terry Garrison, who represents District 32 that comprises Vance, Warren and Granville counties.

  • The City of Henderson will receive $5 million for water and wastewater infrastructure projects;
  • Vance County will receive $500,000 for local government projects;
  • Warren County will receive a $6 million grant from the Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund.

“I am glad to see this level of funding returning to the district,” Garrison said in the statement. “Water and sewer infrastructure is essential and this money will be well spent by Henderson. I am also excited that Warren County will receive a grant from the Department of Public Instruction to improve our public schools. Investments in education are one of the most important priorities I have.”

GEF’s 7th annual Pig ‘n A Raffle Fundraiser Aug. 8

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-Information courtesy of Granville Education Foundation

 

In partnership with event sponsors, the Granville Education Foundation is hosting the 7th Annual Pig ‘n a Raffle Dinner and Raffle fundraiser on Monday, Aug. 8, 2022, at Tobacco Wood Brewing Company in downtown Oxford.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 each and include a catered meal by Tobacco Wood Brewing Company, 2 beverage  tickets (a cash bar will be available), and entry into a raffle with the chance to win more than 40 items, each valued at least  $100. Tickets can be purchased from any GEF board member.

“We are looking forward to another exciting raffle event this year. There are a lot of great items – cash prizes and gift cards, Adirondack chair and table (given by Guy Breedlove), a week stay in Clarksville valued at $2,400 (given by Buck & Scotti Moore), beauty baskets, weekend getaways, and items for backyard fun – just to name  a few. Check out our Facebook page for a full list of items. This list will be continuously updated until the event” said GEF Executive Director Jennifer Cufalo Carpenter. “As a unique feature of Pig ‘n a Raffle- if you are unable to attend, you can still support the event by purchasing raffle tickets – you do not have to be present to win.  There is also the option of purchasing additional raffle tickets for $50 each, to increase your chances of winning,”  according to GEF President Dr. Linda Frederickson.

“This event is a great way to gather with others from the community, enjoy a great meal, and have the added benefit of possibly winning some really great items. It’s a casual, fun way to spend a Monday evening,” said GEF Vice President, the Hon. Caroline Burnette.

Special thanks to our 2022 Event Sponsors: Whitco Termite & Pest Control, The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford and Tobacco Wood Brewing Co.

For more information on how to support, please contact the Granville Education Foundation at 919.693.7047 or  GranvilleEdFoundation@outlook.com.

The Granville Education Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing student performance. Funds raised through the Granville Education Foundation are used to provide resources and enrichment programs for the students of Granville County Schools. Visit www.GranvilleEdFoundation.org to learn more.

 

TownTalk: The Red Cross And International Humanitarian Law

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Whether it’s conducting a blood drive to ward off a summer shortage at local hospitals or providing aid to civilians caught up in the turmoil of armed conflict, one of the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross is to reduce human suffering.

And Thomas Harper, senior legal advisor for the American Red Cross in international humanitarian law, told guest co-host Phyllis Maynard that the Red Cross/Red Crescent doesn’t take sides; rather, it works to protect civilians and civilian property by upholding international humanitarian law, which Harper described as “the law of armed conflict, the rules that govern warfare.”

It may sound strange that warring factions are supposed to comply with certain international rules, but thanks to an array of agreed-upon rules among nations throughout the world such as the Geneva Conventions that were established after World War II, Harper said it’s a role of the Red Cross and Red Crescent to help ensure those rules are followed.

Harper was the guest on the regular monthly “Former Active Duty, Still Boots on the Ground” segment of TownTalk Tuesday.

Harper, a North Carolina native, needed his parents to sign for him to enlist in the Army at age 17. He was in the Army ROTC at NC State, where he earned his commission as a lieutenant. The Army gave him some time to complete law school at Campbell University and he was a JAG (Army attorney) for about seven years before transitioning to the Army Reserve in 2018. During his active duty, he served in Afghanistan as a prosecutor, special victim counsel and an operational law attorney during Operation Enduring Freedom.

Harper currently holds the rank of major and is a deputy regional defense counsel. “I still wear the uniform, just part-time, nowadays,”he said.

Harper advises the Red Cross on international humanitarian law, a specific subset of policies enacted during wartime.

The evolution of International humanitarian law is the result of “repeated carnage and destruction and just lack of humanity that’s in warfare and saying ‘enough is enough,’” Harper said. Through global treaties like the Geneva Conventions, nations across the globe strive for ways to rein in the destruction that war inevitably creates, while protecting innocent civilians and civilian property.

As international humanitarian law has evolved over time, it has put in place protections and a series of rules that serve to protect the innocent in warfare.

Since February, the world has been focused on the events in Ukraine. Reports of shelling shopping areas, apartments and other civilian areas surface regularly, and it’s instances such as these that come to the attention of the International Red Cross.

The Youth Action Campaign is a Red Cross program that introduces students in the 13-23 age range to the basic tenets of international humanitarian law.

The youth advocates as they are called, form teams in their schools and then are given the task of creating and designing public awareness campaigns to educate others about the ins and outs of IHL.

Just in the past year alone, the youth action campaign has reached more than 40,000 individuals, Harper said. “That’s 40,000 individuals who (now) know more about IHL  and how those protections work today,” he said. “It wasn’t the work of some lawyer in DC or some official at a school somewhere – that was the work of students in a classroom and going out and making an impact in their communities.”

Youth who participate in programs like the Youth Action Campaign are helping to support IHL in everyday, real time.

Harper said it’s grass-roots programs like the YAC, as well as stories, interviews and even radio shows that help the country comply with the Geneva Convention of 1949 – whether it’s a group of teens developing a social media campaign to share in the community or participating in a discussion about current IHL issues.

“These rules have to be respected by all sides,” he reiterated. “Every single person’s voice matters.”

“We don’t take sides, we don’t get into the mix of who’s right or wrong because the goal at the end of the day is to reduce suffering. We’re impartial, we’re neutral, because we have to be.”

CLICK PLAY!

 

To the Moon and Beyond: James E. Webb Program Coming To Perry Library

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The public is invited to attend a special program, To the Moon and Beyond: James E. Webb, on Monday, July 18 at Perry Memorial Library to learn more about the life of James E. Webb, a Granville County native whose role in the early days of NASA propelled the country’s race to the moon and for whom the giant telescope in the news recently is named.

Local historian and Thornton Library’s North Carolina Room Specialist Mark Pace will lead the discussion of Webb, which will begin at 6:30 p.m. The hourlong program will be held in Perry Library’s Farm Bureau Room.

Webb ran NASA from 1961-1968 and did more for science that perhaps any other government official, according to an information flyer promoting the event.

Come learn about the life and legacy of this local figure.

Sponsored by the two libraries and NASA@My Library, a program based upon work funded by NASA, but opinions, conclusions or recommendations don’t necessarily reflect the views of NASA.

Houlihan Resigns From Granville Board Of Education

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Granville County Board of Education member Dr. G. Tom Houlihan last week submitted his resignation, effective July 31.

Houlihan represents District 2 and has been on the board since 2014.

In his letter, Houlihan expressed his gratitude to the community during his time as on the school board. “Best wishes to all and thanks to the voters for electing me to represent District 2 for 7+ years,” Houlihan stated, according to a press statement from Dr. Stan Winborne, GCPS public information officer. Houlihan cited the difficulty of school reorganization and closures as reasons for his resignation.

Houlihan has a long, distinguished career in public education, having served as a teacher, principal and as superintendent for both Granville and Johnston counties.

He also served as the senior education advisor for Gov. James B. Hunt in the 1990’s, and led the Council of Chief State School Officers in Washington, DC during the 2000’s.  During his retirement, he continued to serve children both as a mentor and volunteer in the Oxford area schools. Houlihan is also an author and has served his community through various charitable and service organizations, Winborne noted.

After the resignation goes into effect, the Board will begin the process of appointing an interim board member to fill the vacant position for District 2, Winborne explained. “The details and timelines of this process will be shared with the public and qualified candidates will be encouraged to apply and be interviewed,” he said, and the finalist will be appointed to serve out the remainder of Houlihan’s term, which ends in December 2024.

Corn, Soybean Field Day Set For Aug. 9 At Oxford Tobacco Research Station

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A corn and soybean field day will be held next month at the Oxford Tobacco Research Station.

The daylong workshop is set to begin at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 9 and will feature Ryan Heiniger and Drs. Ron Heiniger and Rachel Vann, according to information from the Warren County Cooperative Extension office.

A breakfast and trade show are just part of the day’s program, sponsored by partners including AgVenture, Granville Farm Bureau, Southern States, the Corn Growers Association of NC, NC Soybean Producers Association and FarmPLUS insurance services.

At least one hour N, O, D and X pesticide recertification credit is available for producers that need it.

Register at  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/corn-and-soybean-field-day-tickets-377404516067 or call 336.599.1195.

 

Find A Blood Drive And Donate In July To Help Avoid Summer Shortage

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There are several blood drives scheduled for the area, and the American Red Cross could use your help. June’s donations were down by 12 percent, and donations are desperately needed to prevent a blood shortage this summer, according to information from Cally Edwards, regional communications director for the American Red Cross Eastern North Carolina.

Following is a list of upcoming blood drives in the four-county area:

Vance

Thursday, July 21

  • 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.,Raleigh Road Baptist Church, 3892 Raleigh Rd., Henderson
  • 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., Kerr Lake Country Club, 600 Hedrick Rd., Henderson

Granville

Friday, July 22

  • 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Creedmoor United Methodist Church, 214 Park Ave., Creedmoor

Warren

Friday, July 22

  • 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Norlina Fire Department, 102 Center St., Norlina

Franklin

Saturday, July 23

  • 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Maple Springs Baptist Church, 1938 NC Hwy 56 E, Louisburg

 

There are several ways to register to give blood, Edwards said in a press release. Donors can download the American Red Cross Blood Donor app, visit http://RedCrossBlood.org  or call 1.800.REDCROSS (800.733.2767).

Save time at the appointment by completing the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online. Before you arrive. Visit

https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/manage-my-donations/rapidpass.html

or use the blood donor app to complete the pre-donation checklist.

Individuals who donate blood during the month of July are entered into a chance to win a Shark Week merchandise package, thanks to a partnership with Discovery. The package includes a beach bike, smokeless portable fire pit, paddle board, kayak and a $500 gift card to put toward additional accessories.

All donors who come in between July 21-24 get a Shark Week t-shirt while supplies last, she said.

New Horseshoe Road Nature Preserve Offers 2.4 Miles Of Hiking Trails

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Another 2.4 miles of hiking trails has opened up in Granville County, thanks to the Tar River Land Conservancy and a lot of hard work by volunteers and other partners.

The Horseshoe Road  Nature Preserve officially opened on Friday, June 17, with a ribbon cutting that included local officials, funding partners, volunteer and neighbors of the tract, located at 3018 Horseshoe Road in Creedmoor.

“This trail project is the culmination of a lot of planning, hard work, and investment by our staff,  volunteers, and partners,” said Derek Halberg, TRLC Executive Director. “We are excited to  open the Horseshoe Road Nature Preserve for the community to explore and enjoy.”

Most of the nature preserve trails were cleared and constructed with hand tools by crews with the Conservation Corps North Carolina, a nonprofit group that partners with land trusts and governmental agencies to expand public trail access across the state.

Work began September 2021, with 80 volunteers contributed 400 hours of service to build trails, construct footbridges and install benches and signs at the preserve. TRLC received generous funding for the trail project from Granville County, the City of Creedmoor, the towns of Butner and Stem, the Jandy Ammons Foundation and the Universal Leaf Foundation, according to a press statement.

Trail brochures are available for visitors at message boards located at the trailhead parking  area. The trail network includes two loops. Red directional signs mark the 1.1-mile Pine Trail while blue signs mark the 1.3-mile Beaver Trail. Both trails wind through scenic pine and hardwood forest and across numerous streams. The highlight is a large wetland along the Beaver Trail where more than 100 bird species have been documented since last fall.

The 241-acre Horseshoe Road Nature Preserve was acquired by TRLC to protect wildlife habitat and drinking water. TRLC purchased 158 acres in 2018 with funding  from Granville County, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, the City of Raleigh Watershed Protection Program, and the Wake County Open Space Program. In 2021, Mark and Tara Rein of Raleigh donated 83 acres to TRLC to be added to the nature preserve.

In addition to the Horseshoe Road Nature Preserve, TRLC maintains hiking trails at the Ledge Creek Forest Conservation Area and the Roberts Chapel Conservation Area near Butner and Stem. The three preserves offer a total of seven miles of hiking trails that are accessible to visitors year-round during daylight hours.