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TownTalk 05-25-21 There’s Lots Going On In Granville County – For Locals and Tourists

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From farmer’s markets and flock swaps to sports tournaments and bee extravaganzas, Angela Allen says there’s something for everyone to enjoy in Granville County.

Allen is the county’s tourism director and talked with John C. Rose Tuesday on Town Talk about a variety of upcoming events of interest to anyone looking for ways to get out and enjoy the springtime – and looser COVID-19 restrictions.

All during the pandemic, Allen said she was getting the word out about supporting local businesses. “Now, they can really get out and support them,” she said. And it’s not just local folks supporting local businesses, she said. People from outside the area “want to get on the road and explore neighboring counties – they want to get away,” Allen said. Advertising with a statewide reach has helped her help local businesses, she said.

“We’ve laid the groundwork for people to come and explore the area as we slowly but surely open back up,” Allen added.

It may be something of a new phenomenon, but in the post-COVID world “people are really starting to search in their own backyards to see what they can ‘get into’ and how they can support local businesses,” Allen said.

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The Creedmoor Farmers Market is open on Wednesdays from 1-5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is located at the American Legion building, 50 Legion St., Creedmoor. The Oxford Farmers Market is open on Saturday mornings 7 a.m. to noon. It is located at the corner of McClanahan and Lanier streets, near the police station.

If you’d rather go visit the farm itself, check out Lyon Farms in Creedmoor, Christmas Place Farms in Bullock or Dixon Farms outside Oxford for fresh strawberries, plentiful right now.

For a complete list of farms close by or across the state, download the Visitncfarms app, Allen said.

There are a couple of Memorial Day events – one at the Veterans Memorial at City Hall in Oxford and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Butner Gazebo at 10 a.m.

Although traditional media outlets continue to be effective ways to reach a wide audience, social media outlets have also become popular when it comes to “getting the word out” about events. Allen said she used to get information 3-6 months in advance of an event so she could promote it, “that window has gotten a lot shorter” since COVID, she said.

“As soon as I get the information, I try to put it up on website and social media,” Allen said. Sometimes, the event comes together in just a couple of weeks. “It’s a little bit ‘off trend’ now, but in the era of COVID, it can almost be on the day of the event” that people decide to attend.

Creedmoor’s new recreation center will kick off a “First Friday” event for families on June 4 at 7 p.m. The theme for the first event is “Wildlife” – a wildlife expert will show off some special animals and then have a “meet and greet” session, Allen said. There will be food trucks and other activities.

Southern States in Oxford is the site of a June 20 Flock Swap, where folks can find small farm animals, as well as other farm products like eggs, honey, plants. This event is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Granville Beekeepers will host its annual Bee Jubilee on June 26 at the Expo Center on Hwy. 15 south of Oxford. The event will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and beekeepers will share information about bees and pollinators. There will be a bevy of bee products available, as well as a kids zone and a farmers market.

Also on June 26, Dogs Deserve Better of Piedmont will host a Family Fun Fair at The Barn at Vino in Stem. There will be food trucks, live music, outdoor games and more than 40 vendors.

Learn more at visitgranvillenc.com.

(Granville Tourism and specifically visitgranvillenc.com is a sponsor of WIZS and wizs.com.  This is not a paid ad.)

Dr. Michael Myrick Named Superintendent of Weldon City Schools

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Dr. Michael A. Myrick, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction & student services in Granville County Public Schools, has been selected to become the new superintendent of Weldon City Schools. Myrick will begin his new job on July 1, 2021, according to a press release from Granville County Public Schools.

“It comes as no surprise that Dr. Myrick has been selected to lead another school district as superintendent, said GCPS Superintendent Dr. Alisa McLean.

Myrick’s career spans 14 years in GCPS; he has been a principal and program director, and has been an assistant superintendent for the past seven years, according to information released by Dr. Stan Winborne, public information officer and assistant superintendent of operations & human resources.

According to its website, Weldon City Schools has four schools and almost 700 students. Weldon is located in Halifax County in North Carolina.

Myrick puts children first, McLean said, and is “always thinking of their best interests. We wish him all the best as he takes the next step in his career continuing to serve children,” she stated.

School board chairman David Richardson expressed the board’s appreciation to Myrick for his time with GCPS. “The board is grateful for Dr. Myrick’s service to the students and community in Granville County,” Richardson said.  “He has worked hard to be a champion for children…I know that the students, staff and community of Weldon City Schools are fortunate to have him as their new leader,” he said.

Myrick was chosen from a field of 39 candidates, according to the GCPS release, based on his “experience, leadership and dedication to students, staff and community.”

With his extensive experience in curriculum and instruction, the board is confident Dr. Myrick will lead the school system to high levels of academic achievement, the statement continued.

Myrick is a past president of the Oxford Rotary Club and is a member of the advisory board for Vance-Granville Community College School of Arts & Sciences. He also is a board member of the N.C. Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development and the North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center.

NCDOT

Oxford’s Roundabout Construction Set To Begin In June; Drivers, Plan For 2-Month Detour

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Preliminary work has been completed at the Oxford intersection that soon will be the site of the city’s first traffic circle, or roundabout.

N.C. Department of Transportation contract crews will start building the roundabout on June 7 at the intersection of Main and Spring streets, located near the post office and the Richard Thornton library.

The $200,000 project will take a couple of months to complete, and the first vehicles should be able to use it in August, according to a statement from DOT spokesman Marty Homan. During construction, drivers will follow a posted detour along Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., Hillsboro Street/Williamsboro Street and Gilliam Street.

“Roundabouts improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. They also help reduce the congestion and backups more typically found at traditional intersections with stop signs and traffic signals,” according to the DOT statement. The intersection currently has stop signs on Spring Street but not Main Street.

NCDOT has produced a video showing how roundabouts work and improve overall safety. More details can also be found by visiting the department’s roundabout webpage.

VGCC Logo

VGCC “Boot Camp” Offers Skills To Get Jobs, Plan For Careers

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Vance-Granville Community College is offering a job readiness “boot camp” for anyone interested in learning valuable skills to get employed and stay employed.

All four campuses are having the four-day sessions, designed to provide 24 hours of instruction, according to information from Tanya S. Weary, dean of business & industry solutions at VGCC.

The class is limited to 10 students, and will focus on several key topics, from interviewing and resume writing to goal setting and communication.

Participants should be at least 16 years old, according to Kyle Burwell, VGCC’s director of occupational extension. This type of employability skills class has been offered in the past by VGCC, but this is a new format designed to provide students with skills necessary to obtain and maintain employment.

Find the location to fit your schedule:

  • Main Campus: June 7-10
  • Warren Campus: June 21-24
  • South Campus: July 12-15
  • Franklin Campus: Aug. 2-5

For more information, contact VGCC at 252.738.3276 or visit https://www.vgcc.edu/coned/hrd/

Spring Recycling Event Diverts 22,000 Pounds of Materials To Proper Disposal

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The annual Spring Clean Out and Collection Event May 15 netted more than 22,000 pounds of material – from shredded paper to ammunition. That’s 11 tons of stuff that will not languish on a tractor barn shelf, be stacked in a storage shed in the backyard or clutter up someone’s garage. Granville County’s Environmental Services Department hosted the event, held at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center, and event organizer Teresa Baker said she appreciated everyone’s efforts to make the event a success.

Baker, who is recycling and sustainability coordinator for Granville County and for Granville County Public Schools, said the event went smoothly, thanks to volunteers who removed items from vehicles at the drive-through event, to the vendors who were on hand to accept the items and safely dispose of them.

Vendors included Veolia, Shred Ace, RMR Recycling, the N.C. Department of Agriculture/Pesticides Division, Recency Technologies, DART Containers, the Granville County Sheriff’s Office and Interstate Batteries.

Here is a breakdown of materials that were collected:

  • Shredded paper: 5,460 pounds
  • Latex paint: 5,000 pounds (6 pallets)
  • Electronics: 4,132 pounds
  • Oil-based paint: 2,000 pounds
  • Books: 1,720 pounds
  • Pesticides: 1,624 pounds
  • Toxic compounds: 1,000 pounds
  • Flammable compounds: 1,000 pounds
  • Aerosols: 420 pounds
  • Fluorescent lamps: 150 pounds
  • Outdated prescriptions: 110 pounds
  • Ammunition: 25 pounds
  • Mercury devices: 5 pounds
  • Polystyrene: 1,000 pieces
  • Car/vehicle batteries: 30
  • Household batteries: Three (3) five-gallon buckets
  • Power tool batteries: One (1) pallet

“These numbers reflect thousands of pounds of materials that will not be harming our environment,” Baker said. “Thanks to the vendors who were on site, the many volunteers who came to help, and all the residents who participated by bringing items to the Expo Center.”

Oxford Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison on Gun and Drug Charges

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Press Release —  Department of Justice, Eastern District of NC

An Oxford man was sentenced yesterday to 169 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Quantities of Heroin, Fentanyl, Cocaine, Cocaine Base (Crack), and Marijuana, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Jaleel Duncan, 29, was a passenger in a car that was the subject of a traffic stop by the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) in Oxford, North Carolina. When the car stopped, Duncan jumped and ran from the vehicle carrying a bag. An ALE agent chased Duncan through a neighborhood and saw him throw several items from the bag as Duncan ran. Duncan then threw the entire bag over a fence. ALE agents eventually apprehended Duncan and recovered the bag, which contained a loaded 9mm pistol and marijuana. Along Duncan’s flight path, agents found heroin laced with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and quinine, as well as quantities of cocaine, cocaine base (crack), and marijuana. On February 2, 2021, Jaleel Duncan, pled guilty to the charges.

G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, and the Oxford Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Dodson prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-202-M.

South Granville Rotary Busy With Projects, Fundraiser

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The Rotary Club of South Granville County has been busy lately with projects and fundraisers.

Buy a duck for the June 5 “Rubber Duck Race” and you could win a vacation package, a round of golf, an iPad, gift cards and more, according to club President Angela Allen.

“Buying a duck can support the local and international service projects on behalf of the club,” Allen stated. The race will be at 10 a.m. at West Point on the Eno. It is not necessary to be present to win, she added; winners will be contacted if not present.

On May 7, the club distributed more than 100 “care packages” to senior adults at the Creedmoor Recreation Center. The packages were filled with snacks, personal hygiene, household, and entertainment items collected and donated by club members and others in the community. Allen offered a special thank you to Christian Faith Center, Altec, CertainTeed, Southern Snow Company, First Horizon Bank of Oxford, KARTS, ACIM and The Help Center.

The club participates in other community projects throughout the year, including providing meals to homebound seniors, building and maintaining “Little Free Libraries,” and donating items for children in foster care. The club also provides electrical systems and vocational skills to underserved communities overseas, Allen added.

For more information on the Rotary Club of South Granville County and its projects, please contact Allen at 919.725.6486 or angela.allen@granvillecounty.org.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy Grants Available To Support Downtown Revitalization; Submit by May 31

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Local non-profit organizations in the community still have time to submit grant proposals to a Duke Energy program poised to give $500,000 to help downtown communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hometown Revitalization Grant program (click the link for details) is designed to award non-profit/small business partnerships in 20 communities in North Carolina grants of $25,000 that can be used to help small businesses pivot and continue to succeed as changes to “business-as-usual” practices have been implemented because of pandemic restrictions.

Applications are due May 31; funding decisions will be made in July and announced in August.

Whether modifying physical spaces, improving e-commerce site for online sales or purchasing specific items to comply with public health measures, the grants will be administered by the non-profit agency in the form of a small business support microgrant program, according to information from Tanya Evans, district manager for Duke’s local government and community relations. The microgrants will range from $500 to $2,500. The non-profit may use up to $2,500 of the $25,000 for administering the microgrants.

The small business support awards also may be used to reimburse small businesses for expenses already incurred. The programs must be started by Sept. 30, 2021 and the award recipients must announce the recipients by Nov. 30.

Churches and governmental agencies may not apply for the grant, neither fraternal nor lobbying groups, according to the website. Please visit Hometown Revitalization Grant program for details about the program and submitting a proposal.

(Duke Energy-Progress is an advertising client of WIZS.  This is not a paid ad.)

Memorial Day Event To Honor Fallen Heroes In Service To Their Country

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The Memorial Day holiday is a welcome day off for many, shortening the week by a day for many workers and schoolchildren. On this Memorial Day, May 31, Kindred Hospice in Oxford is offering a way for area residents to honor those whose lives have been lost in service to their country.

The public is invited to submit applications to have names included on the “Walk of Remembrance” that will be open all day on May 31 at Hix Recreation Complex in Oxford. Remembrance signs with the names of those being remembered will be posted along the walking trail at the recreational complex, located at 313 E. Spring St., Oxford. The deadline to submit “Fallen Hero” applications is Friday, May 28, said Britany Wilson of Kindred Hospice.

The Fallen Hero stories are a way to honor and remember the sacrifice of fallen military, fire, EMS and law enforcement members, she said.

Wilson said the Walk of Remembrance is for any veteran who has died, not just those who died in active duty.

Applications are available at the Kindred Hospice office, located at 136 Roxboro Rd. The office is open Monday-Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contact Wilson at 919.609.3403 to learn more.

Completed applications may be delivered to the Kindred Hospice office, or submitted by email to Britany.wilson@kindredhospicecare.com or mail to:

Britany Wilson

Attn: Fallen Hero Story

P.O. Box 70

Oxford, NC 27565

GCPS Considers School Closings at May 17 Work Session

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The fate of a couple of school campuses may become clearer during a work session of the Granville County Board of Education next week.

The work session will be held Monday, May 17 at 4:30 p.m. at the Mary Potter Center of Education. The purpose of the meeting is to hear a first draft of staff presentations on studies regarding the reorganization of schools, according to Dr. Stan Winborne, assistant superintendent of operations & human resources and public information officer for GCPS. Members of the public are invited to view via livestream. Join at https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=MDhkZj.

The school board is considering several different options that include closing schools and consolidating campuses in the southern end of the county. Wilton Elementary and Creedmoor Elementary are being looked at for possible closure. Also being studied is closing Granville Central High School in Stem and repurposing the campus to house either South Granville High School or G.C. Hawley Middle School.

Seating at the work session is limited for those who attend, and all participants will be required to wear face coverings, undergo health screenings before entering the building, and follow social distancing protocols.

Mary Potter Center of Education is located at 200 Taylor St., Oxford, NC.