Granville School Board Work Session Set For April 25

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The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a work session on Monday, Apr. 25,  at 4 pm at The Mary Potter Center for Education, 200 Taylor Street, Oxford, NC 27565.  The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the Exceptional Children Program overview and sporting event payments, as well as receive updates regarding the 2022-2023 budget and an Athletic Grant.  Members of the public are invited to view livestream. To join the livestream meeting, please use the following link: https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=MDhkZj.

There will be limited seating available.  However, we have partnered with the county and made arrangements for anyone without access to WiFi who wishes to livestream the meeting. They may visit the Oxford Public Library, 210 Main Street, Oxford, NC 27565, or the South Branch Library, 1550 South Campus Drive, Creedmoor, NC 27522, and use the libraries’ WiFi services.

The Local Skinny! Granville Gardeners Expo

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Stop by the Granville Gardeners Expo in Oxford on Saturday for a fun-filled day of plant and garden workshops, from beekeeping to composting. There will be more than 60 vendors on site at the Granville County Expo Center on Hwy. 15 south of Oxford, selling all types of plants and shrubs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Christi Henthorn is one of the the event organizers and she said this year’s event is more like a home and garden festival. And, she noted, it’s “a happy accident” that the expo will take place so close to Earth Day – which is tomorrow.

“We have a ton of stuff for everyone,” Henthorn told Bill Harris on Thursday’s The Local Skinny! segment. There is face painting, a petting zoo for the children, in addition to a wide variety of demonstrations and workshops scheduled throughout the day.

Local agriculture extension agent Johnny Coley will have a Gardening 101 class at 11 a.m. to dispel fears and encourage would-be gardeners to get a garden going. Whether they are vegetables, herbs or flowers, developing a green thumb is not that difficult, Henthorn said.

Coley will offer tips and tricks for the novice gardener, but even veteran gardeners are sure to pick up a thing or to, she said.

The event is free and open to the public. Visit www.thegranvillegardeners.com to see a complete schedule of events.

The parking lot in front of the expo center is reserved for those attendees who aren’t able to walk long distances and for those who are picking up pre-ordered plants. Henthorn said all others should park in the adjacent parking lot located in front of the former tobacco facility.

Henthorn said she expected a couple thousand people for the annual event. Come early for best plant selection!

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Angela Allen Highlights Granville County Events

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The events range from gardening to Scottish games, but families looking for some upcoming outdoor entertainment need look no further than Granville County for some fun and unique activities.

Granville Tourism Director Angela Allen joined John C. Rose and Bill Harris on Tuesday’s The Local Skinny! and reeled off a variety of activities teed up for the next couple of weeks.

Here are some highlights:

• Saturday, Apr. 23: 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. art and wine festival, downtown Oxford. The event is free and will feature artists demonstrating their art for onlookers to watch and learn about various media, from painting to jewelry making.

• Saturday, Apr. 23: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Granville Gardeners Expo, held at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center on Hwy. 15 south of Oxford. Shoppers can pick up herbs and other plants for sale, as well as participate in classes to learn about beekeeping, native plants and backyard composting, to name just a few. View the complete schedule at thegranvillegardeners.com.

• Saturday, Apr. 23: 4 p.m. Country and swing dancing at Cedar Grove Acres. Beginner two-step dance classes and beginner swing lessons at 6:30 p.m.

• Thursday, Apr. 28: 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., downtown Oxford, sponsored by the Granville Chamber of Commerce. Music by Carolina Soul Band.

• Saturday, Apr. 30: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Granville County’s version of the Scottish Highland Games is coming to town. All proceeds from the event benefit the Central Children’s Home of North Carolina, which will be the site of the games. Dozens of athletes from across the country are coming to demonstrate a variety of classic Scottish games, thanks to organizer Buck Buchanan, owner of Lumpy’s Ice Cream in Wake Forest. He also happens to be an announcer for Scottish games and he wanted to do something to benefit the local children’s home, Allen said. Tickets are $20 for people $16 and older; younger attendees get in free. There will be bagpipe bands, Highland dancers and vendors specializing in Scottish food.

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Granville Fire Departments Get $5,000 Grants From NC Dept. Of Insurance

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Two area volunteer fire departments have received $5,000 grants from the NC Department of Insurance that will be used to buy additional equipment for their departments.

Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Causey presented $5,000 grants to Granville Search and Recovery and to the Virgilina Volunteer Fire Department on Monday, Apr. 18. These grants are the result of contributions made by the North Carolina Surplus Lines Association (NCSLA) to help firefighters and rescue squads in North Carolina.

“It is an honor for me to personally be able to present these surplus lines checks to hard-working units in Granville County. This money will help needy fire and rescue departments to better protect their communities,” Causey said in a press statement.

Jared Tuck with the Virgilina Volunteer Fire Department and Trent Brummitt representing Granville Search and Recovery accepted the checks on behalf of their organizations. The grants will be used to purchase equipment to aid with for fire protection and rescue operations at both departments.

City of Oxford

TownTalk: Arts And Wine Festival Coming To Downtown Oxford

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The organizers of the upcoming Main Street Arts and Wine Festival hope it will give downtown Oxford some additional “street cred” for those interested in finding family-friendly activities to enjoy.

Pierre Gagne and Charlie Vaughan are part of the group putting together the event, which will take place on Saturday, Apr. 23 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The event is free; tickets to participate in the wine-tasting are available for purchase now for $30. Gagne, owner of The Hub on Main, told John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk that organizers came up with the idea a couple of years ago, and now that COVID-19 restrictions have eased, they felt the time was right to put the plan into action.

“We’d been playing around with concepts,” Gagne said. “Just folks gathering together, things that people like to do.” Combining art and wine tasting, he said, “will get families to come and spend time together.”

Gagne also is president of the Downtown Oxford Economic Development Commission, said it takes teamwork. The group represents all the downtown businesses, who choose to participate in a variety of ways. The annual Hot Sauce Contest envelops most of the downtown area, but this afternoon festival will have a smaller footprint just around Main Street.

“Isolating small sections of town on a more consistent basis” is a way to invite  participants in to enjoy what Oxford has to offer. “They see a significant increase in foot traffic,” Gagne said, referring to the business, restaurant and shop owners during events that are held in the downtown area.

Vaughan is the director of the Oxford Arts Council and she is organizing the art portion of the festival. She said folks will get a chance to see the artists at work. “They see everything that goes into it before they purchase a piece of art – and realize it’s not something that’s done in five minutes,” she said.

Artists will showcase handmade bags, paintings, drawings, jewelry and more, Vaughan said. There also will be children’s art activities throughout the afternoon.

There will be live music throughout the afternoon, as well as food trucks offering “gourmet” hotdogs, barbecue and ice slushies. The majority of wines to be shared by the vendors during the festival will be available by the bottle at The Hub on Main. Tobacco Wood Brewing Co. also will be on site with some beer tastings as well, Gagne said.

“(Oxford’s) been hanging out under the radar for the last couple of years,” Gagne said. “We like to say we’re one of the best kept secrets of the Triangle – maybe that secret’s starting to get out.”  First-time visitors may come for a particular event, but “once they come and see the charm of downtown Oxford, we usually see them come back,” Gagne said.

Find out more on The Hub on Main’s Facebook page, Oxford Arts Center Facebook page or email oxfordartscenter@gmail.com.

 

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$118M Expansion Planned For Oxford CertainTeed Plant

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CertainTeed will add 37 new jobs as part of an expansion project at its Oxford plant that makes roofing shingles.

The expansion represents a $118.8 million investment in the Granville County facility, according to an announcement made Wednesday by Gov. Roy Cooper.

A performance-based grant of $125,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help with CertainTeed’s expansion in North Carolina. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All One NC grants require matching participation from local governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

CertainTeed produces a portfolio of exterior and interior building products that includes roofing materials, siding, fence, decking, railings, trim, insulation, gypsum wallboard, and ceilings. The 122-year-old company will add 225,000 square feet of manufacturing space to their existing shingle manufacturing plant, enhancing their ability to serve customers in a time of unprecedented demand.

CertainTeed is the North American building products subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, one of the largest manufacturing companies in the world.

“This historic investment, made possible with support from the state of North Carolina, will create new jobs and allow our company to support our customers with more of the industry-leading roofing materials that our team has been making in Granville County since 1978,” said Mark Rayfield, President and CEO of Saint-Gobain North America and CertainTeed. “We thank the community for their continued support, and we look forward to many more years of state-of-the-art manufacturing in Oxford.”

Although wages will vary for each position, the average annual salary for the new positions is $66,930, exceeding Granville County’s overall average annual wage of $45,096. The new jobs have the potential to create an annual payroll impact of more than $2.4 million, according to the press statement from the Governor’s office.

“Global brands can operate anywhere in the world, but they continue to choose North Carolina for its workforce,” said North Carolina Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “CertainTeed’s commitment to our state highlights the importance of a well-prepared workforce to meet industry demands. As the manufacturing industry advances, we are committed to advancing our workforce training systems to prepare North Carolinians to help companies meet those demands.”

“This announcement is outstanding for our community,” said N.C. Sen. Mike Woodard. “CertainTeed has been a great corporate partner for our community, and we are grateful for the company’s continued investment here in Oxford.”

“We are excited to bring these great paying jobs to Granville County,” said N.C. Rep. Larry Yarborough. “These new jobs will have a positive impact on our capable workforce that stand ready to fill roles.”

In addition to the N.C. Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in the project include the North Carolina General Assembly, North Carolina Community College System, Vance-Granville Community College, Kerr-Tar Council of Governments, Granville County, Granville County Economic Development, Granville County Chamber, Granville County Public Schools, the City of Oxford, the NCWorks Career Center Oxford, Dominion Energy and Duke Energy.

TownTalk: Timberlake Organizes JF Webb Class Of 1970 Reunion

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The students who graduated from J.F. Webb High School in 1970 are the last students to be known as Webb Wildcats. Beginning the next year, the Oxford high school mascot became the Warrior.

Frank Timberlake is a member of the Class of 1970 and he is putting the word out to fellow Wildcats about the 50th reunion celebration that is scheduled to take place – after a 2-year delay – in early June.

Timberlake still lives locally and he said he has the “wonderful – or dubious – job” of trying to reach out to classmates to spread the word about the reunion, which is set for June 4, 2022.

“This year, the Class of “70 is turning 70,” Timberlake told John C. Rose on Town Talk Wednesday. He said many classmates have remained in touch over the years, but he wants to try to reach those folks who may have moved away from the immediate area to let them know about the reunion.

He also would like to know about classmates who have passed away, because there will be a special tribute during the reunion to remember them.

For the group that does convene for the reunion, Timberlake said, it will be just a low-key time. There will be cornhole boards and barbecue, he said, but mostly, the attendees “just want to spend quality time visiting.”

Contact Timberlake at frankt@rftimberlake.com or give him a call at 919.805.0055 to learn more about reunion details.

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Tree Dedication Ceremony Apr. 29 At GAP In Memory Of Commissioners

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The Granville County Board of Commissioners and county staff will gather at the Granville Athletic Park on Friday, April 29 to make a special dedication to remember three former commissioners in conjunction with National Arbor Day.

A grove of four maple trees will be dedicated in memory of former commissioners Dave Currin, Owen Roberts and Edward Smoak, according to a press statement from Terry Hobgood, Granville County public information officer.

The ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. “All members of the community are invited to attend and are especially encouraged to submit names of those they would like to see honored at this event. Granville County intends to make this a recurring recognition to honor the service and memory of former commissioners while also adding to our beautiful tree canopy at the GAP in conjunction with National  Arbor Day,” the press statement read.

The commissioners approved the idea at their February 2022 meeting and the plan is to install a plaque to dedicate this area of the GAP as a special place dedicated to deceased commissioners honored for their service to the county.

To submit a name of a former official to be considered for recognition at the April 29 event, contact Hobgood at 919.693.5240 or terry.hobgood@granvillecounty.org. The memorial grove and dedication ceremony will be located near the main entrance of the GAP (4615 Belltown Road, Oxford) near the walking path and butterfly garden at the large soccer fields adjacent to the main parking lot.

TownTalk: Veterans Find Assistance with Butner Organization

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The Veterans Life Center in Butner is a nonprofit agency that helps 21st century veterans with the skills and support necessary to become self-reliant and to become productive members of the community.

As part of the ongoing series “Former Active Duty, Still Boots on the Ground” segment of Town Talk, Phyllis Maynard and John C. Rose spoke with two men who work at the VLC to learn more about what it offers former military personnel.

VLC Executive Director John Turner is a veteran of the U.S. Army and Coast Guard. Martin Woodard is the VLC program director who served in the U.S. Air Force and has a long career in counseling and is affiliated with the UNC School of Medicine and the NC Division of Mental Health.

The VLC services offer a unique approach in several ways, Turner said. Firstly, it’s designed especially for 21st century veterans – which is defined as those who served in Iraq or Afghanistan. Secondly, the veterans receive care, counseling and other support from fellow 21st century veterans, who understand the particular challenges those vets face. And thirdly, the services are provided in a caring environment that cares for the whole veteran. We talk about goals, and opportunities and the future,” Turner said. “That’s what sets us apart.”

The VLC is a residential program that helps veterans be proactive in their recovery. Woodard said by beginning with a culture of respect and a holistic approach to care, veterans experience a positive support system that promotes that self-reliance.

“We strive to build a foundation,” Woodard said, that incorporates physical health, behavioral health and mental health. A veteran who suffers from PTSD, for example, may also have other underlying health concerns that need to be addressed as well. Or a veteran with substance abuse problems may also need counseling for having suicidal thoughts.

That’s another unique asset that the VLC has – it’s located just a few hundred yards from the R.J. Blackley Alcohol and Drug Treatment Center.

Having partnerships with other agencies, from substance abuse treatment centers and the VA is key to helping veterans get back on the right path, the men noted. The facility also is close to the South Campus of Vance-Granville Community College, where participants can take classes and find a career.

Woodard said the investment comes from all sides, including from the residents, who are learning how to deal with untreated or unresolved issues that stemmed from the military. They are learning how “to re-engage in society in a way they deserve,” Woodard said. Having support from the larger community is a tangible way to say “Thank you for your service.”

Just five years ago, the VLC was nothing more than an idea, Turner said. A working group met a couple of times a month, put together a vision for a facility whose primary goal would be to give veterans an outcome of self-reliance.

Then it was a matter of working backward to get all the pieces to come together. The result is a nonprofit VLC is a collaboration of state and local groups and the VA to be able to provide resources alongside the other existing services – all with a similar goal: serving the veterans who have served their country.

“We value partnerships,” Woodard  said. “No one program can meet the needs by itself.”

The VLC program is for veterans with honorable discharges. But whether they ultimately are accepted into the program or not, Woodard said he wants veterans to know two things: they will not be judged and their diagnoses don’t have to define them or affect what they can achieve.

According to Turner, “If they’re calling in, they want to be heard and understood.”

“If they call us, we’re going to do our best to give them hope,” Woodard said.

Visit www.vlcnc.org to learn more. Call VLC at 919.803.5516.

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Granville County Sheriff

Man In Custody In Connection With Weekend Car Theft, House Fire

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A 21-year-old man is in custody under a $1 million bond after a weekend incident involving an armed robbery, auto theft, a house fire and the shooting death of a dog in the Franklin County K9 unit.

William Darius Eichelberger was charged with nine felonies. He originally was placed under a $250,000 bond, but that amount was increased to $1 million after a court appearance on Monday, according to information from the Granville County Sheriff’s Office. No law enforcement officers were injured, but a dog was struck and killed by gunfire as events played out.

No law enforcement officers were injured in the incident. The Granville County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident along with the NC State Bureau of Investigation.

Deputies from Granville County Sheriff’s Office, along with other local law enforcement officials, responded to a report of an armed robbery involving the theft of a motor vehicle on Saturday afternoon about 3:15 p.m.

The car and the suspect, described as a black male about 6-foot-2 wearing a gray sweatshirt and black shorts, were later seen in the Antioch community of Granville County. The vehicle was recovered, but the suspect fled on foot.

Law enforcement officers canvassed the area into Saturday evening, but did not locate the individual, according to a press statement from Terry Hobgood, Granville County public information officer.

Sunday morning, sheriff’s deputies and fire department officials responded to a report of a suspicious fire in the Antioch community and upon arrival, determined that the suspect – possibly still armed – may be hiding in the crawlspace under the house.

Granville County requested assistance from Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team, which came under gunfire as it attempted to determine if the suspect still was in the crawlspace. Franklin County deputies returned fire and then retreated to a safe position, according to the press statement. Additional help from other law enforcement agencies was requested, including the State Bureau of Investigation.

A crisis negotiator from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office was called to the scene and made contact with the suspect, who was still under the house. The suspect did come out from under the house, at which time he was taken into custody and transported by EMS for medical attention. His injuries were minor, however, and medical professionals released him into the custody of law enforcement.

An assault-style rifle was recovered from underneath the residence.

Following is the list of charges against Eichelberger:

  • Assault on a law enforcement agency K9, NCGS 14-163.1(A1)
  • Assault on law enforcement officers w/firearm, NCGS 14-34.5(A)
  • Breaking and/or entering, NCGS 14-54(A), two counts
  • Breaking and entering a motor vehicle, NCGS 14-56
  • Larceny after breaking and entering, NCGS 14-72(B)(2)
  • Possession stolen firearm, NCGS 14-71.1
  • Robbery with dangerous weapon, NCGS 14-87
  • Possession of stolen goods/property, NCGS 14-71.1
  • Larceny of motor vehicle, NCGS 14-72(A)