NC Dept of Agriculture

NC Reports Second Bird Flu Case; Backyard Flock Owners Should Use Biosecurity Precautions

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A commercial turkey operation in Sampson County has tested positive for High Path Avian Influenza.

This is the second case of high path avian influenza in commercial poultry in North Carolina this year. The first case was in a commercial layer operation in Hyde County. Prior to this case, North Carolina has had 12 affected commercial flocks and eight backyard flocks.

“Since 2022, HPAI has impacted more than 141 million birds across all 50 states,” said State Veterinarian Mike Martin. “With HPAI being pervasive in some wild bird populations and the recent cases around the country, all flock owners, commercial and backyard, should remain vigilant with their biosecurity.

If your birds are sick or dying, report it right away to your local veterinarian, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Division, 919.707.3250, or the N.C. Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System 919.733.3986.

A positive sample in the Sampson County case was first identified by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Veterinary Diagnostic Lab in Raleigh and confirmed by the USDA APHIS National Veterinary Services Lab in Ames, Iowa.

Biosecurity reminders for anyone who owns backyard flocks include:

  1. Keep chickens, turkeys, quail, guineas and other poultry separately from ducks. Ducks are known reservoirs for HPAI virus and can carry the virus without signs of illness.
  2. The HPAI virus lives for a long time in cool, moist conditions, so eliminate standing water (which might attract wild birds and waterfowl) in your flock’s pen. Also, make certain your birds do not have access to other water sources that might be visited by wild waterfowl: ponds, streams, lakes. Commingling of domestic poultry with any wild waterfowl creates a real possibility for the spread of HPAI virus.
  3. Place a cover over your flock’s pen, if possible, to prevent introduction of wild waterfowl droppings into the area your flock inhabits. The droppings of infected waterfowl have very high levels of infectious HPAI virus.
  4. Feed and water your birds in a protected area to prevent attracting any wild birds. The virus infects many species of birds and can be spread to your poultry through contact with birds carrying the virus on their feet or feathers, though they may not be infected.
  5. Wear shoe covers or clean boots each time you enter your birds’ pen. This will prevent tracking HPAI virus into the birds’ pen if it is present on your grounds.
  6. Keep feeders and waterers clean and sanitized often. Wild birds infected with HPAI virus that drink or eat from your flock’s equipment can spread the virus to your flock.
  7. Do not share equipment with other flocks. If you must share equipment, be certain it is cleaned and disinfected before moving from one premises to another.
  8. If you purchase new birds, buy only from a reputable dealer. Keep the newly purchased birds separate from your existing flock for at least 3 weeks to rule out any infection that might be present, but not showing signs of illness when the birds were initially purchased.
  9. Watch your flock closely and know the signs of illness. Poultry infected with HPAI can have various signs of illness, but the most consistent sign of an infected flock is having many birds die within a short timeframe.
  10. If your flock suddenly becomes depressed and begins dying, please contact NCDA&CS, your cooperative extension office, your local veterinarian or USDA APHIS and report these deaths immediately. You can reach NCDA&CS Veterinary Division at 919.707.3250, or USDA APHIS at 1.866.536.7593.

More information on HPAI and a listing of all NC cases since 2022 can be found at

https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/veterinary/AvianInfluenza.

Granville Appoints Carlos Landrau Interim Director Of Animal Management Dept.

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Granville County has appointed Carlos Landrau to serve as the interim director of the Animal Management Department following the departure of former Director Matt Katz.  Landrau brings nine years of experience to this role after previously serving as the deputy manager of Animal Services.

Landrau began his work with Animal Services in 2016 as a Granville County Animal Control Officer; a role he held for five years before being promoted to Animal Control Supervisor in 2021. Since 2024, Landrau has served as the deputy Animal Services manager. He is a certified Animal Control Investigator, with accreditations from the National Animal Care & Control Association, North Carolina Animal Control Federation, American Animal Cruelty Investigation School, Humane Society of the United State and American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Landrau is a graduate of Cape Fear High School in Fayetteville and studied Mass Communications at UNC Pembroke. He is also a graduate of the Granville County Chamber of Commerce Leadership Granville program.

The Granville County Animal Shelter is located at 515 New Commerce Dr., Oxford. The public hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday from 12 noon to 4:30 p.m. Adoptable pets are available to view on the Animal Shelter’s Petfinder site: https://www.petfinder.com/search/pets-for-adoption/?shelter_id%5B0%5D=NC135&sort%5B0%5D=recently_added 

For more information about Granville County Animal Management, visit the Granville County website:  https://www.granvillecounty.org/180/Animal-Management 

 

 

N.C. Main Street Programs Plans Feb. 12 Workshop In Oxford

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Downtown business owners and others looking for ways to revitalize, re-develop or otherwise preserve their downtown spaces can attend a daylong workshop in Oxford presented by the N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning program,

The workshop will be held in the city hall auditorium on Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. Register online at MS&RP, according to information from Sabrina M. Richards, communications specialist for the City of Oxford.

The workshop is titled “Small-Scale Development and Historic Tax Credits” and will offer participants ways to use historic preservation as a tool for economic development, while boosting investment, creating jobs, fostering business growth and enhancing quality of life.

The workshop is open to anyone with an interest in revitalizing their downtown districts, including directors of Main Street programs, economic developers, historic preservationists, city staff like building inspectors and fire marshals, accountants, architects, engineers, neighborhood commercial district property owners and small-scale developers working in small to mid-sized communities.

Henderson and Oxford are members of the N.C. Main Street program, which operates under the N.C. Dept. of Commerce.

11th Annual “Granville Ambulance Chase” Mar. 15

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— courtesy of Lauren B. Roberson, Granville Health System Marketing & Foundation Director

The 11th Annual Granville Ambulance Chase and Food Truck Rodeo is headed to Oxford on Saturday, Mar. 15, 2025, in the heart of downtown Oxford. Sponsored by Granville Health System, this event combines fitness, family fun and community celebration and features races for all skill levels – not to mention live music and a diverse lineup of food trucks.

The races begin at 11 a.m. and include a 10k, 5k, 5k Fun Run, 1-Mile Family Walk, and a Kids Dash.  A Food Truck Rodeo and live music will be at the finish line, ready for racers and onlookers to enjoy.

Race Schedule:

  • 11 am: 10k Competitive Race Starts on Main Street
    • This is a USA Track & Field Certified Course Race
    • Participants must maintain a 12 minute / mile pace

 

  • 11:20 am: 5k Competitive Race Starts on Main Street
    • This is a USA Track & Field Certified Course Race

 

  • 11:25 am: 5K Fun Run starts on Main Street
    • perfect for those prioritizing enjoyment over race time.

 

  • 11:40 am: 1-Mile Family Walk begins on Main Street
    • Bring the entire family for a walk through beautiful downtown Oxford.

 

  • 12:30 pm:  Kids Dash begins at Littlejohn Street
    • A quick dash down Littlejohn gives your little ones the chance to cross the finish line.
    • Free of charge for children.

 

  • 11 am -2 pm: Food Truck Rodeo in Littlejohn Parking Lot
    •  **Free Admission**
    • Live music will begin at 12 noon

Registration Costs:

  • 10K: $45 pre-registered, $50 same-day registration
  • 5K: $35 pre-registered, $40 same-day registration
  • 1-Mile Family Walk: $25 pre-registered, $30 same-day registration

Group rates available for groups of 10 or more.

Registration fee includes a race T-shirt for the first 400 registered participants and awards for top finishers. Online registration can be found at www.ghsAmbulanceChase.org.

Sponsorship opportunities are available. For details, contact Lauren Roberson, GHS Foundation Director, at 919.690.2148.

Proceeds from the event benefit the Granville Health System Foundation, supporting its mission to enhance healthcare services and resources in Granville County.

 

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation Creates VGCC Presidential Scholarship With $25K Donation

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– information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

 

The Triangle North Healthcare Foundation has established a Presidential Scholar Award with a $25,000 donation to the Vance-Granville Community College Foundation.

As a result of this donation to The VGCC Foundation, a $1,250 scholarship will be awarded to a student each year, beginning with the Fall 2025 semester. This is the fifth scholarship that the Triangle North Healthcare Foundation has established at VGCC to support a well-educated healthcare workforce, according to VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel.

“We are immensely grateful for the generosity of the Triangle North Healthcare Foundation,” said Tanya Weary, Executive Director of The Vance-Granville Community College Foundation. “This newly created scholarship will make a significant impact on the lives of students by enabling them to pursue their educational dreams at Vance-Granville Community College.”

The Triangle North Healthcare Foundation is a non-profit regional grant-making organization that supports and invests in initiatives that result in immediate and long-term improvement in the health status of the region. The organization focuses on Vance, Warren, Franklin and Granville counties – the same four counties served by VGCC. It was established in 2011 as the successor to the Maria Parham Healthcare Foundation.

The VGCC Foundation has more than 300 endowed scholarships for students—awarding more endowed scholarships than any other program of its kind in North Carolina. In addition to providing scholarships and emergency assistance to deserving students, VGCCF supports a broad range of special projects involving education, training, and economic development in our community.

Individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups and churches have endowed scholarships, as well as VGCC faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the Foundation have been used to honor or remember a person, group, busines or industry with a lasting gift to education.

To learn more about The VGCC Foundation, contact 252.738.3264 or foundation@vgcc.edu. For information about other scholarships available to Vance-Granville Community College students, please visit www.vgcc.edu/fao/scholarships.

Alzheimer’s Association Offering Free, Virtual, Weekly Education Series in Feb. 2025

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The Alzheimer’s Association – Eastern North Carolina and Western Carolina Chapters, in partnership with Isaac Health, a leading national provider of brain health and dementia care, are offering a free virtual weekly education series called The Empowered Caregiver to help caregivers navigate the responsibilities of caring for someone living with dementia.

“Our latest Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report shows that dementia caregivers in North Carolina face significant emotional, physical and health-related challenges as a result of caregiving,” said Christine John-Fuller, executive director, Alzheimer’s Association – Eastern North Carolina Chapter. “Our goal with this collaboration with Isaac Health is to offer tools and education to help caregivers feel supported and see pathways forward.”

The Empowered Caregiver education series will be offered via live webinar each Thursday in February from 6:00-7:30 p.m.  Caregivers can register for individual courses or the entire series. Each week will cover a new topic with expert speakers:

  • Understanding Dementia and Foundations of Caregiving – February 6 

Discover the differences between Alzheimer’s and dementia, understand the evolving role of caregivers, and learn how to build a support team and manage caregiver stress. Speaker: Joel Salinas, MD, co-founder and chief medical officer, Isaac Health

  • Supporting Independence – February 13

Focuses on helping the person living with dementia take part in daily activities, providing the right amount of support and balancing safety and independence while managing expectations. Speaker: Debbie Prouty, assistant professor, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Wingate University

  • Communication and Behavior Changes and Strategies – February 20

Teaches how dementia affects communication, including tips for communicating well with family, friends and health care professionals. Also, common behavior changes and how they’re a form of communication, non-medical approaches to behaviors and recognizing when help is needed. Speaker: Nancy Swigert, speech-language pathologist and Alzheimer’s community educator

  • Care and Support Services – February 27

Examines how best to prepare for future care decisions and changes, including respite care, residential care and end of life care. Panelists include: David Fisher, MD, retired physician and Alzheimer’s community educator, Joel Salinas, MD, co-founder and chief medical officer, Isaac Health, Venitra White Dean, founder, Frankie Mae Foundation

There is no charge to participate, but registration is required to receive the Zoom link for the series. To sign-up, visit tinyurl.com/TheEmpoweredCaregiver  or call 800-272-3900.

TownTalk: Guardian ad Litem Program Provides Advocates To Children In Court System

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Eight hours a month doesn’t sound like much, but it could make all the difference in the life of a child.

Eight hours is what most Guardian ad Litem volunteers can expect to spend in their advocacy role for young people who are involved in the court system because of abuse or neglect.

Ruth Griffin, recruitment and retention lead for the statewide GAL program based in Raleigh, said there are roughly 3,200 volunteers in North Carolina, but there’s always a need for more.

In Vance County, for example, there are 77 children in care, but 21 do not have an advocate, Griffin said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

Of 23 in Granville County, three are without advocates at this time.

“We have some awesome, awesome volunteers who are active in other cases,” Griffin said, “but we want more folks from the community to step up and to speak up for these kids in court – our goal being that every child should have an advocate.”

There is some training involved with becoming a guardian ad litem volunteer, and the winter training sessions begin Tuesday, Jan. 21. The virtual sessions will be held on Tuesdays from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. through Feb. 25. Apply at volunteerforgal.org.

As Griffin explained, it is a district court judge who begins the process of involving the Guardian ad Litem program when there’s a case of abuse or neglect of a child. A local advocate will be assigned and that person begins gathering information from adults in the child’s life – parents, teachers, physicians, etc. With support from an attorney and from GAL staff, the advocate creates a report with recommendations for what’s best for the child going forward.

For some children, their GAL advocate is the only constant in their lives. Social workers change, foster homes change, but a GAL advocate can remain with a child to provide emotional support as the case moves through the courts.

Advocates can visit with the children in familiar settings like their foster home or school, said Sarah Sattelberg, an advocacy specialist who works in the Raleigh office. “You’re never meeting them alone,” Sattelberg said.

Griffin said most of the cases that are referred to GAL involve neglect, but every case and every child is different. Some could be “situations that the average person just can’t imagine,” she said. “Oftentimes, we are meeting these kids at their worst moment.” The goal is to advocate for the best interests of the child as he or she moves through the court system.

Aside from the specific training that all advocates must complete, there’s no special background or expertise needed to become an advocate.

“You just have to have a heart to care,” Griffin said. “If you have that, you can begin to change a child’s life.”

Samantha Branch is the local contact for the Judicial District 11, which includes, Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person counties. Below are the addresses and phone numbers for the offices in the WIZS listening area:

Vance County
156 Church St., Henderson, NC 27536
252.430.5121

Granville County
147 Williamsboro St., Oxford, NC 27565
919.690.4921

Warren County
113 S. Main St., Louisburg, NC 27549
919.497.4244

Franklin County
113 S. Main St., Louisburg, NC 27549
919.497.4244

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The Local Skinny! Bryan Cohn Sworn In NC House 32

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Bryan Cohn was sworn in last week to begin his term as District 32 representative in the N.C. House, which includes Vance and Granville counties.

Cohn edged out incumbent Frank Sossamon by a final total of 228 votes in one of several close races in the Nov. 5 general election.

Following appeals and challenges, the N.C. State Board of Elections certified the results on Jan. 6.

Although he officially took office Jan. 8 during a swearing-in event that was part of the legislature’s opening day activities, Cohn told WIZS News Monday that a ceremonial swearing-in will take place at McGregor Hall in Henderson Sunday, Jan. 19 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

“It is an honor and privilege to serve the people of District 32 in the North Carolina House of Representatives,” Cohn said in a press statement. “This community has placed its trust in me, and I am committed to working tirelessly on behalf of all residents to ensure our district’s voice is heard and our needs are met.”

“The electoral process demonstrated the resilience of our democracy, and I am proud to represent a district that values fairness and integrity,” Cohn added. “Now it is time to focus on what matters most—working together to create a brighter future for all North Carolinians.”

As the new representative for District 32, Cohn’s legislative priorities include expanding access to affordable healthcare, investing in public education, supporting small businesses, and protecting the natural resources of the Kerr Lake region.

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N.C. Safety Awards Recognize Businesses For Workplace Safety

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The N.C. Department of Labor is taking applications now for 2024 Safety Awards which highlights businesses, local governments and other agencies for excellence in safety in the workplace.

Businesses and other organizations are encouraged to submit applications to be recognized for meeting safety requirements for employees.

The annual awards banquet, jointly sponsored by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce and the Granville County Chamber of Commerce, will take place in Granville County this year, according to H-V Chamber President Sandra Wilkerson.

In a written statement, N.C. Labor Commissioner Luke Farley said the department presented 2,058 safety awards last year – 1,737 gold and 321 silver. Gold award recipients achieved a rate of days away from work, job transfer or restriction that is at least 50 percent below the industry rate. The silver award criteria include lost workday cases but not restricted work activity and the applicant must attain a rate of cases with days away from work that is at least 50 percent below the industry rate.

Applications are due by Saturday, Feb. 15. The application can be found at

2024 Safety Award applications as well as  instructions for completing the application, according to NCDOL Safety Awards Coordinator Kiley Willard.

 

In addition to the gold and silver safety awards, Million-Hour Safety Awards are presented to companies that accumulate one million employee hours with no cases of injury or illness that involve days away from work. Million-Hour Awards are also presented during the local annual safety awards ceremony. Access the online application at million-hour safety awards.

 

For help completing the applications or to find out more, call 919.707.7855 or email safety.awards@labor.nc.gov.

Granville Human Relations Commission Hosts Annual MLK Jr. Program Jan. 20

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The Granville County Human Relations Commission will host its annual fellowship breakfast and program to honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at 9:30 a.m.  on Monday, Jan. 20 at Oxford Baptist Church, 147 Main St., Oxford.

Tickets are free, but are required for entry. Contact the Granville County Administration Office at 919.693.5240 to request tickets to the event or email jessica.todd@granvillecounty.org.

In addition to the breakfast, a program titled “Continuing the Dream: How Has Dr. King’s Legacy Inspired Me Today?” will feature readings by the winners of the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. essay contest. This year’s contest entries came from G.C. Hawley Middle School, Granville Early College, and J.F. Webb High School.

Town of Butner Mayor Dr. Linda Jordon will serve as the keynote speaker and there will be musical performances by Tim Johnson and Benaiah Adesoji.

The event will also serve as a donation drive for Area Congregations in Ministry and attendees are encouraged to bring high-need items like deluxe-types of macaroni and cheese, tuna, peanut butter, cereal, oatmeal, granola bars, packaged meals, canned soup, spaghetti sauces,  tomato products, crackers, lunch-box items, condiments, personal care items, paper products, diapers,  cleaning products or any non-perishable food items.

The Granville County Human Relations Commission invites the community to celebrate diversity and unity while honoring the academic achievement and writing talent of local students.