Coats for Kids!

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The first chill of fall is in the air, which means that colder weather is surely on the way. The Drug-Free Coalition of Granville County has launched its second annual Coats for Kids campaign to help area families in need.

The goal is to collect 200 new coats, hats, scarves and gloves for children and teenagers by Dec. 11. Donations may be dropped off at the coalition office, 912 College St., Oxford or at the office of the Granville Chamber of Commerce, 120 Hillsboro St.

The winter outerwear donations will be collected and delivered to the Flat River Baptist Association for distribution.

In addition to clothing, monetary donations also are welcomed. Make checks payable to Drug-Free Coalition of Granville County, Inc. or use the cash app $TeamDFC.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Latest CV19 figures from Granville Vance Public Health

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In the seven day period ending Friday, there were 64 new cases in Vance County. The percent positivity rate in Vance County is 5.2%.

In the seven day period ending Friday, there were 62 new cases in Granville County. The percent positivity rate in Granville County is 3.5%.

Granville County has a total of 102 deaths as a result of CV19 and Vance County has a total of 102 deaths.

In Vance County, 66% of those over the age of 12 have received at least one dose of their CV19 vaccine and 61% are fully vaccinated.

In Granville County, 71% of those over the age of 12 have received at least one dose of their CV19 vaccine and 67% are fully vaccinated.

71% of the adult population in NC is at least partially vaccinated and 67% of the adult population is fully vaccinated.

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Granville School Board, Commissioners To Meet Monday, Nov. 8 To Discuss Draft Voting District Maps

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The Granville County Board of Education and Board of Commissioners will hold a special joint session next week to discuss – as required by law – the revision of voting districts.

The meeting is set for Monday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center, 4815 US-15, Oxford, NC 27565.

The meeting, which will include an opportunity for public input, will be recorded and the video will be made available on the GCPS website, according to Dr. Stan Winborne, associate superintendent of curriculum & instruction and student services and public information officer.

Visit https://www.granvillecounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Granville-County-Plan-5.pdf to view a draft of the district revisions. Maps are available for in-person viewing at the Richard H. Thornton Library, 210 Main Street, Oxford, the South Branch Library, 1550 South Campus Dr., Creedmoor and at the Granville County administration building, 141 Williamsboro St., Oxford.

Persons who wish to speak at the meeting must sign up prior to the start of the meeting in the Expo Center lobby.  Each speaker may address the boards for up to three minutes. Comments on topics other than revision of county voting districts will not be permitted at this meeting.

South Granville HS Campus Converts To Middle School In 2022-23; SGHS, Granville Central Merging

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The Granville County Board of Education made some moves toward school reorganization and consolidation by voting Monday to move the campus of G.C. Hawley Middle School to the current South Granville High School campus. The move will be effective for the 2022-23 school year. The board chose not to close any other schools, according to information from Dr. Stan Winborne, associate superintendent of curriculum & instruction and student services and public information officer.

The decision effectively merges the two southern-end high schools at the current Granville Central High School location in Stem. In a written statement to WIZS Tuesday, Winborne said the southern-end high school would have its own identity, which implies that it will be called neither South Granville High nor Granville Central.

The decision to move Hawley was not unanimous; the board voted 5-2, with Dr. Tom Houlihan and Leonard Peace, both former school board chairmen, voting against the motion. The motion to shift the middle school students to the campus of South Granville and the high school students to Granville Central’s campus was made by Chairman David Richardson and seconded by Dr. Gregory McKnight.

The school board has been considering different options for reorganization and consolidation for the past couple of years; some of the options included closing Wilton and Creedmoor elementary schools and converting Tar River Elementary to a middle school so the Hawley students could be relocated there.

County commissioners recently nixed the renovation of Hawley Middle School when the estimated costs were shown to be upwards of $25 million.

In the past several years, enrollment in Granville County Public Schools has trended downward, due in part to families choosing to send children to charter schools. The district has faced schools with more empty classrooms and teachers taking jobs in larger districts nearby in search of higher pay and supplements.

There have been opportunities for the public to comment on the various options that the school board was considering; at a public hearing on Oct. 18, parents and staff of Tar River Elementary spoke strongly against making the K-5 school a middle school.

In addition to the votes mentioned above, Winborne outlined the different motions that passed and failed during Monday’s board meeting:

  • A motion to leave open Wilton and Creedmoor schools passed unanimously.
  • The motion to close Creedmoor Elementary and keep Wilton open failed 3-4. Glenda Williams, Amanda LaBrecque and Houlihan voted yes and Anderson, McKnight, Richardson and Peace voted no.
  • The vote to make Tar River a middle school also failed. Williams, Peace and Houlihan voted yes and Ethel Anderson, McKnight, Richardson and LaBrecque voted no.
  • The motion to take Tar River off the closure list passed 5-2; Williams and Peace voted against the motion.
  • The motion to take Wilton off the closure list failed 3-4; Anderson, McKnight, Richardson and Peace voted no.

Granville Economic Development Director Appointed To Regional Foreign Trade Zone #93 Board

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Granville County Economic Development Director Harry Mills has been appointed to the Rates, Tariff, and Legal Review Board for the Research Triangle Area Foreign Trade Zone #93. Mills will serve a three-year term, beginning Jan. 1, 2022, along with eleven others representing Granville, Chatham, Durham, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Moore, Orange, Person, Sampson, Vance, Wake, Warren and Wilson counties, according to a statement from Granville County’s public information officer Terry Hobgood.

The Foreign Trade Zone #93 Board’s job is to review and recommend applications for zone status; adopting a zone schedule including rates, rules and regulations; and ensuring the Grantee operates the zone as a public utility.

Triangle J Council of Governments is the grantee of the Research Triangle Area’s full-service, multi-site Foreign Trade Zone #93, which allows companies importing and exporting products to reduce or delay custom duties or taxes on products received within the zone. All zone activities must result in public benefit and a net positive economic effect. Triangle J Council of Governments views the Foreign Trade Zone as a benefit to member organizations through its ability to stimulate international trade in the region, create jobs engaged in international trade, and encourage job creation in the larger market.

Granville County is the home of two companies conducting operations as approved sites in Foreign Trade Zone #93: one is Revlon Consumer Products in Oxford, and the second is AW North Carolina in Butner.

To learn more, visit https://www.tjcog.org/focus-areas-community-economic-development/foreign-trade-zone .

 

 

I Voted Sticker

Municipal Elections in Granville County Nov. 2

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Update 10:20 p.m. Tuesday, Nov 2 — Local Municipal Election Results in Granville County

All election results are unofficial until canvassed by the Board of Elections.

Incumbent Mayor Jackie Sergent of Oxford defeated challenger Sherry Harris. Sergeant received 964 votes to 363 for Harris.

The four candidates for City of Oxford Commissioner who received the most votes were S. Quon Bridges with 928 votes, Patricia Fields with 768 votes, Bryan Cohn with 710 votes and B. Seth Lumpkins with 699 votes. Otherwise, Cortney Crudup received 573 votes, John Oliver with 453, Walkiria Jones with 304, and there were 24 write-in votes.

Town of Stovall Mayor – Mike Williford over Curtis Pugh with Williford receiving 81 votes and Pugh receiving 19, and there were two write-in votes.

Town of Stovall Commissioner – The top two candidates receiving votes were Carl Roberts with 73 and Douglas Lunsford, Jr. with 63; Tonya Sneed received 43 votes.

Town of Butner Mayor – Terry Turner 273 votes; Nine write-ins.

Town of Butner Council, where voters could choose three – Michel Branch 232 votes; Judy Cheek 225; Thomas W. (Tom) Lane 217; five write-ins.

City of Creedmoor Mayor – Bobby Wheeler 162 votes; 17 write-ins.

City of Creedmoor Commissioner, where voters could choose two – Robert Way 136 votes; Emma Albright 128; 22 write-ins.

Town of Stem Mayor – Casey Dover 35 votes; one write-in vote.

Town of Stem Commissioner – With voters selecting three, Susan Cope received 32 votes; Kevin Easter 31 votes; Frank N. Shelton III 31 votes; five write-ins.

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Update Monday, Nov 1 —

In Oxford, incumbent Mayor Jackie Sergent is being challenged by Sherry Shavon Harris.

For City of Oxford Commissioner, citizens may vote for four of the following: S. Quon Bridges; Bryan K. Cohn; Courtney Crudup; Patricia T. Fields; Walkiria Jones; B. Seth Lumpkins; John L. Oliver.

In the Town of Stovall, for mayor, Curtis S. Pugh and Mike Williford are running to fill the vacancy created by retiring Mayor Janet Parrott. She did not file for re-election.

Parrott told WIZS News in July she was retiring from her role as mayor after 42 years. She was first elected in 1979 when she was 24 years old, she added, but will continue to work as administrator for the town of Stovall.

Town of Stovall voters are also to choose two from the following for commissioner: Douglas Lunsford, Jr.; Carl T. Roberts; Tonya N. Sneed.

The three other incumbent mayors of Butner, Creedmoor and Stem are running unopposed and they are Terry Turner, Bobby Wheeler and Casey Dover respectively.

For Town of Butner Council Member, there are three names and votes are to choose three. Michel Branch, Judy Cheek and Thomas W. (Tom) Lane appear on the ballot.

City of Creedmoor citizens vote for two for City of Creedmoor Commissioner, and there are two names on the ballot, Emma L. Albright and Robert Way.

Similarly, for Town of Stem Commissioner there are three names on the ballot, including Susan Cope, Kevin Easter and Frank N. Shelton III, and Stem residents are to vote for three.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

CV-19 Local Data from Granville Vance Public Health

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In the seven days ending this past Friday, there were 82 new cases in Vance County. The percent positivity rate in Vance County is 5.2%.

In the seven days ending Friday, there have been 81 new cases in Granville County. The percent positivity rate in Granville County is 3.0%.

In Vance County, 66% of those over the age of 12 have received at least one dose of their CV-19 vaccine and 61% are fully vaccinated.

In Granville County, 71% of those over the age of 12 have received at least one dose of their CV-19 vaccine and 67% are fully vaccinated.

71% of the adult population in NC is at least partially vaccinated and 67% of the adult population is fully vaccinated.

Granville County Sheriff

Granville Sheriff Resigns; Former Sheriff, 3 Deputies Indicted Tuesday For Falsifying Training Records

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Granville County Sheriff Charles R. Noblin Jr. has submitted his resignation effective at 5 p.m. today (Wednesday), citing recent revelations as part of an ongoing investigation into actions of former Sheriff Brindell Wilkins. Wilkins and three deputies were indicted Tuesday with falsifying training certificates dating back to 2012.

County Attorney Jim Wrenn provided WIZS News with a copy of the resignation letter that Noblin sent Wrenn Tuesday afternoon. “Due to personal reasons beyond my control and newly discovered information brought to my attention concerning the ongoing investigation, I feel that it is in my best interest and betterment of Granville County Sheriff’s Office that I inform you of my resignation effective October 27, 2021, at 5:00 p.m.”

The ongoing investigation involves the former sheriff and three deputies who were indicted by a Wake County grand jury Tuesday afternoon on multiple felony charges of obtaining property by false pretense and felony obstruction of justice “based on allegations of falsifying and submitting training and firearm qualification records,” according to a letter from Wake District Attorney N. Lorrin Freeman to the N.C. Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Division in Raleigh.

In the letter addressed to Division Director Diane Konopka, Freeman named Wilkins, Sherwood Boyd, Chad Coffey and Edward Keith Campbell as the individuals alleged to be involved, which Freeman stated is an ongoing criminal matter.

The letter further stated that Noblin and Russell “Rusty” Corley may also hold falsified certifications. This information surfaced during the course of the investigation, Freeman said. Both men “signed firearm qualification forms indicating that they had completed the mandated course of fire and received passing scores when in fact they had not. Both individuals were on medical leave at the time, and in lieu of completing the necessary waiver, participated in their agency submitting fraudulent information to the Division at the direction of the others within the department,” Freeman’s letter continued.

“Inasmuch as these allegations, if proven true, would be a basis for action by your Commission as to these individuals’ justice officer certification, I am notifying you of this,” Freeman said of the indictments returned for Wilkins, Boyd, Coffey and Campbell. “There may be grounds to summarily suspend certifications for one or more of these individuals, I am willing to allow you, or an investigator with your Division, to review the investigation in this matter if you so wish.”

But she said it was determined that Noblin and Corley should not be subjects of a criminal prosecution because the actions were deemed “isolated incidents.” Rather, the individuals should be reported to the education and training standards division, as well as the agency head or employer and to the district attorney “for determinations as to these individuals’ status of employment, certification and capacity as a witness in other criminal matters,” the letter stated.

In a follow-up email from Freeman today (Wednesday), she said that because Noblin tendered his resignation he is “not subject to a criminal investigation or prosecution based on this singular incident” and it is “a matter that is appropriately handled administratively.”

County Attorney Wrenn told WIZS News today (Wednesday) that Chief Deputy Chris Smoot will step in until the county commissioners appoint someone to fill the unexpired term of sheriff. The commissioners have, as yet, made no decision on appointing anyone to fill the unexpired term, Wrenn stated.

“In resigning and not pursuing law enforcement employment, Mr. Noblin has put his agency above his personal ambition,” Freeman told WIZS News. “This now gives this department and the people of Granville County a chance to start a new era for the Granville County Sheriff Office through an election that is upcoming. Law enforcement have difficult jobs within our communities and it is critical that they work to maintain the public trust.  A strict commitment to maintaining credibility and adhering to qualification requirements is essential to being able to do this,” she stated.

The Granville County Commissioners appointed Noblin to fill the unexpired term of Wilkins, and he assumed the duties of sheriff in January 2020.

Granville County Tourism

TownTalk: Granville Tourism Heats Up With Fall Events

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Anyone who lives in or near Granville County has plenty of opportunities to celebrate Halloween this year, and Tourism Director Angela Allen couldn’t be happier to run down the list of activities – from trick-or-treat events to art galleries and costume contests, folks can stay busy all weekend long.

“What a difference a year makes,” Allen said. Last year at this time, COVID-19 restrictions had things running at a bare minimum or non-existent, she recalled during Wednesday’s Town Talk with John C. Rose and Bill Harris.

And although the weather seems to be cooling off, “things are really heating up in Granville County, as far as events go,” she said. Everybody seems ready to celebrate a holiday again, and Granville is offering numerous and varied activities for the whole family.

For starters, tonight (Thursday) is pizza night at Thorndale Oaks. There’s a whole buffet, she said. Call 919.603.3701 for more information. There are pasta and dessert stations, and lots of yummy pizza options cooked in a wood-fired pizza oven. The price is $18.95 per adult; and $9.95 per child.

Here’s a list of some of the events taking place:

  • Friday, Oct 29 – Spooktacular Candy Stroll in downtown Oxford from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in downtown Creedmoor – come in costumes and collect candy from area merchants.
  • Saturday, Oct. 30 – The Orpheum in downtown Oxford will host a Halloween costume dance and contest. From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., the event will be geared to families; from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., it’s adults only. Judges will select winners of the costume contest for cash prizes, Allen said. Tickets are $5 per person and $15 per family.
  • Friday-Sunday – Oct. 29-31 – Granville Haunt Farm on Hwy. 15 South opens at sunset. This drive-through event recreates scenes from some of the great scary movies and horror films. It’s set up like a giant drive-in movie, Allen said to think of the haunt farm as appropriate for anyone who would watch a PG-13 film. Check Granville Haunt Farm’s Facebook page and Instagram for details about ticket prices and times and “to get an idea of what you’ll feel and experience,” she added. taste of what awaits.
  • Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 30-31 – last chance to pick a pumpkin at William Lyon’s farm outside Creedmoor. The pumpkin patch is open each day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. There’s also a corn maze and hay rides to participate in, making it a really good daytime outing for families.
  • Saturday, Oct. 30 – the local farmers’ market is open from 7 a.m. to noon near downtown Oxford and has seasonal produce and other handicrafts for sale.
  • Daily through Nov. 7 – Cedar Creek Gallery near Creedmoor has its own pumpkin patch, but this patch is full of the glass variety by local and regional artists.

 

Following on the heels of Halloween is Veterans’ Day and Allen said the Oxford Veterans’ Parad is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 3 at 3 p.m. This is a time to celebrate and honor area veterans, and to thank them for their service, Allen said.

Any veteran who wishes to participate in the parade can contact Rebekah Olivares, city event coordinator at 603.1101.

The Town of Butner also will honor veterans at Soldiers Memorial Sports Arena at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 11.

For a complete listing of other events in November across Granville County, search visitgranvillenc.com, find visitgranvillecounty on Facebook or Instagram.

(Granville Tourism is an advertising client of WIZS. This is not a paid ad.)

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GCPS Students Get Extra Day Off On Nov. 12 Following School Board Work Session

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Students in Granville County Public Schools will get a break on Friday, Nov. 12, following a work session today (Monday) of the Granville County Board of Education.

The day also be a non-instructional day for students and will be a remote optional workday for staff, according to information from Dr. Stan Winborne, associate superintendent of curriculum & instruction and student services and district public information officer.

The school board voted unanimously to make the calendar change at a work session on Monday, Oct. 25. All GCPS students, including Granville Early College High School, will have the day off.

Veterans’ Day is Thursday, Nov. 11, which is normally a day off for students and staff. By making the calendar adjustment, Winborne said it will allow the district “to avoid a potentially unsafe shortage of staff on a day that falls between a holiday and a weekend, and it would give our students, families and staff an opportunity to focus on their mental health and personal well-being.”

All employees will have the option to either work remotely on this day to engage in professional development sessions, or take appropriate leave.

 

The district will implement this change by using surplus instructional time to ensure the required 1025 minimum instructional hours are delivered for the 2021-22 school year.