City of Oxford Thanksgiving Food Drive Underway; Donate Non-Perishable Items Through Nov. 17

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The City of Oxford has launched its third annual Thanksgiving Food Drive and invites all members of the community to participate by donating non-perishable food items to fight hunger.

This year, the city is partnering with The Help Center NC to fight hunger in the community. Donations are being accepted until Nov. 17 at numerous locations throughout the city, including:

  • Public Works
  • Parks & Recreation
  • Fire Department
  • Police Department
  • Oxford City Hall

Folks who want to combine a little aerobic activity to their donation can join a Zumba class that will be held in Hix Meeting Room on Nov. 3 and on Nov. 17 at the Public Works meeting room. The classes will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Hix Meeting Room is located at 313 E. Spring St., Oxford.

Participants should bring three non-perishable food items per class, according to information from city administrative assistant Alyssa Blair. For more information, contact Blair at 919.603.1102 or socialmedia@oxfordnc.org.

Commissioners, School Board Set To Meet To Continue Redistricting Discussion

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The Granville County Board of Education and Board of Commissioners will hold a joint meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 27 beginning at 2 p.m. at the Granville County Expo Center.

The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss redistricting, according to a press statement from Dr. Stan Winborne, associate superintendent of curriculum & instruction and public information officer.

This meeting is open to the public, and masks and social distancing protocols are recommended.  A recording of the meeting will also be available to view on the GCPS website following the meeting, Winborne stated.

The Wednesday meeting of the two groups follows public hearings that have been held recently to hear from community members about several options regarding school reorganization and consolidation.

A public hearing was held at Tar River Elementary on Oct. 18 and school board members heard from teachers and parents about the idea of making Tar River Elementary a middle school to replace G.C. Hawley Middle in Creedmoor.

Speakers voiced their opposition to the idea and cited numerous reasons why it would be a bad idea, from splitting up school staff and losing teachers to other districts and charter schools to spending money to make the newest school campus appropriate for middle school students.

A called meeting of the school board is set for Monday, Oct. 25 at 4 p.m., Winborne stated, at which time the board will continue its discussion of school reorganization and consolidation. The meeting will be held at the Mary Potter Center of Education, 200 Taylor St., Oxford.

The meeting will be livestreamed at: https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=MDhkZj.
Winborne said that anyone who attends this meeting must wear a face covering and cooperate with social distancing requirements.  Anyone without a face covering will not be permitted to enter the building.  Face coverings must be worn at all times while inside the building.  Anyone who chooses not to comply with the above will be asked to leave the property.  There will be limited seating available.

GVPH Director Lisa Harrison In President’s Role At National Association Of Health Officials

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Granville-Vance Public Health Director Lisa M. Harrison is the 2021-22 president of the board of directors of the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), which represents nearly 3,000 local health departments across the country.

“It is a privilege to serve as NACCHO’s board president while public health continues to work so diligently during the pandemic to prevent disease and promote health,” Harrison said in press release from the national organization. “I have been in awe of our public health workforce for a long time, but these last two years have been a constant reminder of their tireless dedication to and focus on community.   We are fortunate in the United States to have hundreds of thousands of public health workers across nearly 3,000 local health departments fighting a hard fight at the tip of the spear against COVID-19, against underfunded and outdated systems that can hinder more than help get the job accomplished, and against misinformation that spreads more quickly than fact.  I look forward to working with our partners at all levels to ensure the critical public health system receives long-term sustainable solutions.   In the meantime, you can count on your local health department for vaccines, case investigation, contact tracing, outbreak investigation, data management, education, outreach, infection control, and a host of important partnerships to leverage local community health efforts.”

“On behalf of the Board of Directors and our county and city health departments, we welcome and look forward to Lisa’s strong leadership of local health departments as we continue to respond to COVID and address the myriad of public health priorities facing our communities and our country at this crucial time in our history,” said NACCHO Chief Executive Officer Lori Tremmel Freeman.

Harrison has been the director of the GVPH since 2012. Her previous roles in North Carolina public health have been in research, practice, and policy development.

Harrison has served as the performance improvement manager for the North Carolina Division of Public Health (NCDPH), where she worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on a public health infrastructure grant for performance improvement. Prior to that, she participated in the North Carolina 2020: A Better State of Health initiative with the North Carolina Institute of Medicine.  In addition, she worked on the development of the Quality Improvement 101 curriculum for local public health agencies; and established a quality improvement training program for the North Carolina public health workforce.

Harrison has been a member of the public health field for more than 20 years. She has served as the director of the Office of Healthy Carolinians and Health Education at the NCDPH, led the Public Health Incubator Collaboratives Program at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill, and directed the Southeast Public Health Leadership Institute (SEPHLI) at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health where she continues to stay connected as adjunct faculty in the Public Health Leadership Program.  In 2015, Harrison served as the North Carolina Public Health Association president where she continues to stay involved connecting public health research and practice.

About NACCHO’s Board of Directors

NACCHO is governed by a 22-member board comprising local and tribal health officials who are elected by their peers, as well as three ex-officio members representing partner organizations.

As the governing body, NACCHO’s Board of Directors establishes the association’s strategic direction and initiatives, sets the annual legislative agenda, approves official policy statements, ensures that annual goals are met, and provides financial oversight. The Board is NACCHO’s public face, and represents members in matters of policy, public health practice, and collaboration with health partners in the public and private sectors.

NACCHO’s Board is led by four executive officers. In addition to Ms. Harrison, this includes:

  • President-elect Margaret Jahn, MS, MPH, Director, Freehold Area Health Department, Freehold, NJ
  • Vice President Pramod Dwivedi, DrPH, MS, MSW, MA, Health Director, Linn County Public Health Department, Cedar Rapids, IA
  • Immediate Past President Jennifer C. Kertanis, MPH, Director of Health, Farmington Valley Health District, Canton, CT

Granville Tourism Director Angela Allen Completes 3-Year Program To Be ‘Travel Marketing Professional’

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Granville Tourism Director Angela Allen has completed a three-year program to become officially designated as a travel marketing professional from the Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College.

Allen was among about 60 other tourism professionals recognized for completion of the program recently at the STS Connections Conference in Spartanburg, SC.

Allen has been in her role as tourism director since April 2015. She is responsible for administrative and marketing work in the promotion of travel and tourism in the county. In 2017, Allen was named a “Rising Star” in the tourism industry when she received Visit NC’s Destination Marketing Award for bringing statewide attention to the county she serves, according to a press release from county public information officer Lynn Allred.

(Left to right) Angie Zok of the Miles Partnership; Monica Smith, President and CEO of the Southeast Tourism Society; Granville County Tourism Director Angela Allen; and Berkeley Young, Provost, Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College.

From seasonal attractions like strawberry picking and Haunt Farms to annual events like the Hot Sauce Contest and Brides on Wheels, Allen is ready to provide information about events and destinations in Granville County.

The STS Marketing College Program provides tools and working knowledge to travel and tourism professionals that can be used to promote destinations, attractions and events. Topics covered in the training include online marketing strategies, effective print publications, research strategies, community engagement, economic impact and budgeting.

As a newly minted travel marketing professional, Allen joins a network of more than 1,200 colleagues from 13 states and the District of Columbia who have completed the program, which was established in 1992.

To learn more about Granville County tourism, visit www.granvillecounty.org.

Hilltop Lumber Recognized

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The lumber and other products sold at Hilltop Lumber for the past 60 years are no doubt found in homes and other building across Granville County – and beyond. Waverly Critcher opened Hilltop in 1961, and the Granville County Chamber of Commerce sent a shout-out to the family-owned business to celebrate its presence in the community for six decades. Critcher’s daughter, Audrey, her husband Mike Duke and their four sons continue the tradition of quality customer service that Audrey’s father considered his number one priority.

Hilltop Lumber was recognized as the Chamber’s Business Spotlight of the Week.

Oxford, NC’s Roundabout

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The much-anticipated roundabout in downtown Oxford is set to officially open Friday morning, following a ribbon-cutting at 9 a.m.

State crews began the project in early June, and it has been the topic of some discussion – pro and con – during the construction phase.

The roundabout replaces a two-way stop at the intersection of Main and Spring streets in downtown Oxford. Original cost projections put the construction at about $200,000 over a period of eight weeks’ time. The project did take longer than expected to complete.

Roundabouts have cropped up recently in towns and in more rural areas. State DOT officials produced a video showing how roundabouts work and how they improve overall safety. More details can also be found by visiting the department’s roundabout webpage.

Finishing Touches – A roundabout traffic sign about to be added to Oxford’s roundabout

Granville Residents Can Voice Opinions On School Closure, Consolidation at Oct. 18 Public Hearing

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The Granville County Board of Education will hold a public hearing on Monday, Oct. 18, 2021 at 6:30 p.m. in the gym at Tar River Elementary School. The purpose of the hearing is to receive comments regarding the idea of transforming the elementary school into a middle school.

Tar River Elementary is located at 2642 Philo White Road, Franklinton, just off Hwy 96 near the Wilton community. Members of the public who wish to speak before the school board on the idea of moving students from G.C. Hawley Middle School to the Tar River campus may sign up beginning at 5:30 p.m. Monday, according to information from district public information officer and associate superintendent for curriculum & instruction and student services Dr. Stan Winborne. In a press statement, Winborne said each speaker who has signed up before 6:30 p.m. will be given the opportunity to address the board on this topic for up to three minutes.

The hearing will be livestreamed at https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=MDhkZj.

Everyone is required to wear face masks and cooperate with social distancing protocols. Persons without face coverings will not be permitted inside the building, and anyone who chooses not to comply will be asked to leave the property. In addition, seating is limited.

Before the public hearing, the board of education will hold a work session to discuss school improvement plans. The work session will begin at 4 p.m. The work session will begin following a closed session, during which there will be a discussion of personnel and attorney/client privilege. The closed session will begin at 3:30 p.m.

The same requirements regarding face coverings and social distance protocols are in effect for the 4 p.m. work session, too, Winborne stated.

ReplyForward

Butner’s Polk Correctional Facility Gets New Name – Now Granville Correctional Institution

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The former Polk Correctional Institution in Butner has been officially re-named Granville Correctional Institution on Monday, Oct. 4. Warden Johnny Hawkins cut the ribbon to mark the occasion, which was held at Gazebo Park in Butner. Representatives of the Granville County Chamber of Commerce were on hand with other officials to witness the name change ceremony.

The Butner facility opened in 1997 to replace the Polk Youth Center in Raleigh. Originally designed to house youthful offenders between the ages of 18 and 21, it evolved to become a detention facility for those between 19 and 25.

 

Granville School Board Approves Weekly COVID-19 Screening For All Unvaccinated Staff

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The Granville County Board of Education approved at its meeting Monday night the weekly COVID-19 screening for all staff who are non-vaccinated or who choose not to report their vaccination status.

The testing likely will begin in December, according to Dr. Stan Winborne, GCPS public information officer and associate superintendent of curriculum & instruction and student services.
Winborne told WIZS News Tuesday that details will be shared as logistics are worked out with Mako, the third-party testing company.

The board also voted to approve the current mask guidelines for students and staff. Masks are required for all students while indoors, but they may be removed when outdoors, as long as the students maintain social distancing. Students who congregate outside and are closer than six feet to one another must continue to observe mask guidelines.

A public hearing is scheduled for Oct. 18, as part of the continuing discussion on school consolidation and possible school closure. Details will be made available about the public hearing soon, Winborne said.

Mark Pace

The Local Skinny! The History Of Old Granville Co. To Be Presented At Oxford Senior Center

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If you’ve ever been curious about the history of our area then an upcoming four part series will be a great opportunity to learn. Local historian Mark Pace of the North Carolina Room, Thornton Library in Oxford will be going in depth on the area’s history from pre-historic times to the present. The series will be held on Thursday’s from 10 until 11:30 on the mornings of Oct. 7, 14, 21 and 28 at the Senior Center in Oxford. The cost is only $15 for the entire series.

Old Granville County, as historians refer to the area, encompasses present day Granville, Vance, Warren and Franklin Counties. Franklin and Warren were split off in 1764 as Bute County which was divided in 1779 into Warren and Franklin Counties. In 1881 parts of Warren, Franklin and Granville were used to make Vance County.

The Four Part series will detail these changes. Part 1 will focus on the pre-historic era through the American Revolution. Part 2 will cover from the end of the Revolution through the Civil War. Part 3 will pick up at the end of the Civil War and continue through the Great Depression and part 4 will cover from the end of the Depression until today.

Pace said the 90 minute length will allow him to go deeper into the history of Old Granville County than most programs do.

The programs are open to the public and are part of the Senior Center’s Lifelong Learning Program. For more information and to sign up for this and other offerings contact the Senior Center at 919-693-1930.