Vance, Granville, Warren Masks

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Visitors to any indoor Warren County facility must wear masks while conducting business, effective Monday, Aug. 2. As of this publication, there are no mask mandates in Henderson or Vance County buildings, but officials told WIZS that they continue to monitor updates regarding mask recommendations from the state.

All visitors entering a Granville County facility should wear a face covering effective Tuesday, August 3, according to Lynn Allred, public information officer/grants coordinator. In a written statement, Allred said, “Employees should wear a face covering when engaging with the public; Employees – whether vaccinated or unvaccinated – should wear a face covering inside the workplace when within 6 feet of other people. (Face coverings are not necessary if the employee has a private workspace); Social distancing should be practiced wherever possible.”

Vance County Manager Jordan McMillen acknowledged that guidance changes, and “at the current time, we are not planning to require masks within the county buildings,” McMillen said in a statement to WIZS News. He added that officials are “highly encouraging the use of masks within the common areas and courtrooms at the courthouse due to the large concentration of individuals within these areas.” According to McMillen, Chief District Court Judge John Davis issued a memo requesting the recommended use of masks in these areas.

“We … continue to watch the guidance as it changes daily. Our intent is to follow state mandates as it relates to social distancing, mask wearing and other precautions if they are implemented again,” McMillen said.

Henderson City Manager Terrell Blackmon said city officials currently are assessing the situation. “As we solicit additional feedback from the health department, a similar announcement may be forthcoming,” Blackmon told WIZS in reference to what Warren County is doing.

In Warren County, County Manager Vincent Jones and Health Director Dr. Margaret Brake issued a statement concerning the updated mask requirement. Warren County is among the 92 N.C. counties with a high or substantial transmission of COVID-19, the statement read. The CDC recommends that residents of those areas need to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status. County staff also will be wearing masks indoors.

As of this publication, Warren, Vance and Granville counties are considered “substantial” spread areas. Franklin County is a “high” spread area.

HOPE Program now accepting tenant referrals from landlords, increasing assistance

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— press release courtesy North Carolina Department of Public Safety

The Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions (HOPE) Program has announced program changes to accept referrals of tenants from landlords and increase financial awards to North Carolina households that apply for pandemic-related rent and utility assistance. The new guidelines aim to help even more renters get back on their feet while also assisting landlords that have lost income due to the economic impacts of COVID-19. Since opening last fall, the HOPE Program has awarded more than $305.5 million to ​81,039 households, with ​$219.2 million already paid to landlords and utility companies statewide.

“We established the HOPE Program to keep low income tenants hit hard by COVID-19 in their homes with the lights on,” said Governor Roy Cooper. “HOPE has already assisted more than 81,000 families, and these program changes will make sure even more people get the help they need while our state recovers.”

Landlords whose tenants are struggling to pay rent due to the pandemic can submit names and contact information using the HOPE Program website or by contacting the HOPE Call Center at 888-9ASK-HOPE (888-927-5467). A program specialist will then follow up with the tenant to help start the application process.

Additionally, starting Aug. 1, the HOPE Program monthly rent award limit will increase by 30%, which will allow the program to cover approximately 95% of all rent awards requested by tenants. Similarly, the utility award limit will increase by 100%, a change that will cover nearly 90% of all past-due amounts requested by program applicants. The new limits will apply to all new applications received, including applicants reapplying for assistance.

The HOPE Program promotes housing stability by providing rent and utility bill assistance to prevent evictions and the disconnection of utilities. The program currently serves 88 North Carolina counties, with 12 counties and five Native American tribes receiving direct federal funding to operate their own emergency rent and utility programs. A complete list of the counties served by the HOPE Program, county programs and tribal government programs can be found using the online NC HOPE Interactive Map.

Information about the HOPE Program, including eligibility requirements, program benefits and an online application, is available at www.HOPE.NC.gov. Applicants who cannot access the website should call 888-9ASK-HOPE (888-927-5467) for help with the application process. The HOPE Call Center is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Both English- and Spanish-speaking representatives are available to assist callers. Applicants who applied for assistance during the first phase of the HOPE Program are eligible to reapply for additional help.

Funding for the HOPE Program is provided to the state through U.S. Department of Treasury Coronavirus Relief Fund allocations and the Emergency Rental Assistance Program established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021. The HOPE Program is managed by the N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency, a division of the Department of Public Safety. To learn more about the HOPE Program, visit www.HOPE.NC.gov.

 

Blood Drive Aug. 24 At Oxford Public Works Building

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The City of Oxford is hosting a blood drive on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021 at the Public Works Building, 127 Penn Ave.

The event will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Schedule an appointment at www.redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code Oxford, download the Blood Donor app or phone 1.800.RED.CROSS.

Granville Board of Education Set To Meet Aug. 2 At South Granville High

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The Granville County Board of Education will hear public comment at the beginning of its regular monthly meeting on Monday, Aug. 2. The meeting will be held in the South Granville High School auditorium and will begin at 6 p.m.

All persons who wish to address the board must sign up between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. A signup sheet will be posted outside the school and include their names and the topic they wish to speak about, according to Dr. Stan Winborne, GCPS associate superintendent and public information officer.

Speakers will comment in the order they signed up, and each speaker will be limited to no more than five minutes. Per board policy 2310, public comment is limited to 30 minutes.

The meeting is open to the public, but all in attendance must wear a mask and undergo a health screening before entering the building.

The meeting also will be livestreamed via the link https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=MDhkZj.

 

Granville County Observes National Night Out on August 3rd

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Granville County municipalities are observing National Night Out Against Crime on Tuesday, Aug. 3. Events are planned in Oxford and Creedmoor and residents are invited to come out and enjoy food and activities.

The Oxford event will be held from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at D.N. Hix Field, located at 313 E. Spring St. There will be free hotdogs, chips, cupcakes, lemonade and tea available, and attendees can participate in lots of activities, from a 3-on-3 basketball tournament to visiting with McGruff the Crime Dog.
In addition, there will be a public safety vehicle display, a food truck rodeo and music at the Oxford event.

The Creedmoor event will be held at South Granville High School from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and includes children’s activities and free hotdogs, popcorn, sno-cones and beverages, according to information from the Granville Chamber of Commerce.

“National Night Out is a unique opportunity for the police department and our community members to bond and build relationships while having a little fun,” said Creedmoor Police Chief Keith King.
Activities include an inflatable obstacle course, impaired-vision course, several emergency vehicle displays and a visit from Duke Life Flight. The Creedmoor Volunteer Fire Department will be on hand to provide water activities, so children are encouraged to wear play clothes and to bring a towel!
Friendly competitions will pair police officers with kids for an obstacle course challenge as well as the ever-popular sixth annual doughnut eating contest.

This year marks the 38th annual National Night Out. More than 16,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases around the world are involved. In all, more than 40 million people are expected to participate in “America’s Night Out Against Crime.”
Volunteers are still needed for the Creedmoor event. If you or your community group would like to volunteer and support this family-friendly event, call Angie Perry, Event Coordinator, at 919.764.1013 or email events@cityofcreedmoor.org.

South Granville High School is located at 701 North Crescent Drive.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

TownTalk: Latest Granville Vance Public Health Guidance

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Granville-Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison was Wednesday’s Town Talk guest and discussed COVID-19 updates with John C. Rose, from the most recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about mask-wearing in schools as well as vaccinating children over the age of 12.

The CDC issued updated guidance Tuesday that recommends all students, staff and visitors of K-12 schools wear masks indoors.

“It’s important to take a layered approach to safety for schools,” Harrison said. A universal indoor masking policy for K-12 schools, regardless of a person’s vaccination status, is one way to ensure children’s health and wellness. Harrison said that currently 32 percent of children ages 12-18 are vaccinated.

Students need to return to full-time, in-person learning, she said. The health department is working closely with school nurses in the two counties to make sure they have the most current information to share and answer questions that may arise. In addition, Dr. Shawna Guthrie hosts regular webinars with school leaders to review any changed guidance as well as vaccination opportunities.

In response to the new guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, area schools officials said Wednesday that they will be considering the recommendation that all students, teachers, staff and visitors wear masks at school.

Vance County Schools public information officer Aarika Sandlin said district leaders will announce its plan by the end of the week; Dr. Stan Winborne, public information officer for Granville County Schools, told WIZS News that the school board would be receiving recommendations at its regular monthly meeting scheduled for Monday, Aug. 2. Winborne said the plan is to approve a policy for the upcoming school year at that time. The current policy for GCPS requires everyone to wear a mask while on school property.

Wear a mask, even if you are fully vaccinated, she said, if “you just want to be extra kind and protective and ensure that nobody feels uncomfortable. It’s just the polite thing to do.”

Harrison said she is pleased that Vance and Granville counties are NOT among the 80 N.C. counties that have been identified as “areas of substantial and high transmission” of COVID-19. But this data is updated every week using data from a two-week trend line.

“We know over the last two weeks, we have had more cases, and we know 90 percent of the cases in North Carolina are testing positive for the Delta variant. I fully suspect that our color will change, from yellow to orange to red in the coming weeks – if people don’t take those precautions,” she said.

“We need everybody out there to do their part,” she said, noting that demand for the vaccination has slowed in both counties.  Vance County currently has 42 percent of its population fully vaccinated; Granville County is slightly higher at 44 percent. But Harrison said she wants to get to at least 50 percent by fall – and 70 percent fully vaccinated would go a long way to reduce spread of new variants.

“If we have tools that prevent our children from getting COVID, we need to use every tool we have.” And, she added, a vaccine is the best tool in the toolkit.

While it’s true that the long-term effects of the vaccine simply are not known, Harrison said health experts know more about the long-term effects of COVID-19. “It’s really clear where the risk lies – the risk lies in getting COVID.”

“We have a lot of evidence and true, scientific factual information from experts that say long-term effects of the COVID virus are a lot more dangerous and prevalent and likely than any long-term effects of a vaccine.”

To hear Lisa Harrison, GVPH Director, click play.

 

‘National Night Out’ In Creedmoor Has Food, Fun For Families

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Join the Creedmoor Police Department for National Night Out on Tuesday, Aug. 3 at South Granville High School.

The event will be held from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and includes children’s activities and free hotdogs, popcorn, sno-cones and beverages, according to information from Granville Chamber of Commerce.

“National Night Out is a unique opportunity for the police department and our community members to bond and build relationships while having a little fun,” said Creedmoor Police Chief Keith King.

The event in Creedmoor coincides with thousands of participating communities nationwide to heighten awareness of crime and drug prevention.

Activities include an inflatable obstacle course, impaired-vision course, several emergency vehicle displays and a visit from Duke Life Flight.

The Creedmoor Volunteer Fire Department will be on hand to provide water activities, so children are encouraged to wear play clothes and to bring a towel!

Friendly competitions will pair police officers with kids for an obstacle course challenge as well as the ever-popular sixth annual doughnut eating contest.

The 38th annual National Night Out event is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch and is co-sponsored by the City of Creedmoor. More than 16,000 communities from all 50 states, U.S. territories, Canadian cities and military bases around the world are involved. In all, more than 40 million people are expected to participate in “America’s Night Out Against Crime.”

Volunteers are still needed for the event. If you or your community group would like to volunteer and support this family-friendly event, call Angie Perry, event coordinator, at 919.764.1013 or email events@cityofcreedmoor.org.

South Granville High School is located at 701 North Crescent Drive.

TownTalk: VGCC Student Enrollment Day to Take Place on All Four Campuses

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The four campuses of Vance-Granville Community College will be open from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 31 for Enrollment Day, a time when prospective students can drop in, learn more and get help as they plan their next steps in education.

Dr. Antonio Jordan, director of admissions and enrollment services and Kali Brown, dean of student access and support, spoke with John C. Rose on Monday’s Town Talk about the upcoming event. Fall semester classes begin on Aug. 16.

“There’s something special about a face-to-face interaction,” Brown said of the in-person event. It’s an opportunity to have students come to campus, have access to the offices they would need for the enrollment process in a face-to-face setting. Both the VGCC application and the financial aid application are accessed and completed online, and Saturday’s event is a time for students and their parents or family members to questions or get help navigating the process.

Jordan said he looks forward to having students back on campus. “We’ve done a great job virtually, but like Dean Brown mentioned, there’s just something special about having them on that campus, having them in tone of those computer labs, having them in the admissions or enrollment center and being able to talk with them and work with them,” he said.

Having weekend events to meet students’ needs is probably going to become more routine, he added. Increasingly, the 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours just aren’t convenient for those who have full-time jobs or other commitments, so VGCC leaders are “thinking outside the box” by offering the Saturday opportunity, he said.

For complete details and audio click play.

In addition to the two applications, the enrollment process includes a new student orientation.

Jordan will be at the main campus in Henderson to facilitate the new student orientation, which will be from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. During the orientation, students will have an opportunity to learn about majors and careers, complete their own career assessment and then figure out the best way to achieve their goals.

Although VGCC uses social media, email and other methods to share information, Brown said it’s critical for students to be able to have a face-to-face conversation with college representatives to guide them. The Enrollment Day is a chance to set up student accounts, as well as set up meetings with advisors to select classes.

There is, of course, the matter of paying for classes. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a first step, but there also are grants like the Long Leaf Commitment grant that can help, as well as numerous VGCC scholarships through the VGCC Foundation, Brown said.

The VanGuarantee is a program that helps students pay for fees and books that financial aid may not cover. This program is available for students who take a minimum of six credit hours, Brown added.

Granville Ed Foundation Fundraiser Set For Aug. 9 at Tobacco Wood Brewing Company

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The Granville Education Foundation has announced plans for its annual fundraiser, including dinner and the chance to win prizes – all to benefit education in the county.

The 6th annual Pig ‘n a Raffle is set for Monday, Aug. 9 at Tobacco Wood Brewing Company in downtown Oxford, according to GEF Executive Director Jennifer Cufalo Carpenter.  Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 each and include a catered meal, 2 beverage tickets (a cash bar also will be available), and entry into a raffle with the chance to win over 40 items, each valued over $100.

Tickets are available from any GEF board member. This year, Carpenter said, the event will feature a special musical performance by Andrew Rice.

“We are looking forward to another exciting raffle event this year,” she said. In addition to cash prizes and gift cards, other items to be raffled include a Blackstone Griddle, donated by Union Bank, and an Adirondack chair and table donated by Guy Breedlove.

Visit the GEF Facebook page for a complete list of items. Carpenter said the list will be updated as more items are added.  “As a unique feature of Pig ‘n a Raffle – if you are unable to attend, you can still support the event by purchasing raffle tickets,” she said. Winners need not be present to win.

“This event is a great way to gather with others from the community, enjoy a great meal, and have the added benefit of possibly winning some really great items,” said Kevin Breedlove, GEF treasurer. “It’s a casual, fun way to spend a Monday evening.”

Event sponsors include Whitco Termite & Pest Control, the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford and Wilkinson & Carpenter, Attorneys at Law.

The Granville Education Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing student performance.  Funds raised through the Granville Education Foundation are used to provide resources and enrichment programs for students in Granville County schools.

Contact the Granville Education Foundation at 919.693.7047 or GranvilleEdFoundation@outlook.com.

Hearings Set For Public To Comment On Granville Schools Reorganization Plan

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Granville County residents will have the chance to voice their opinions about school reorganization and consolidation during two public hearings that will be held early next week.

The county’s board of education will hear public comment on Monday, July 26 regarding the possible closure of Creedmoor Elementary or Wilton Elementary, according to information received from Dr. Stan Winborne, associate superintendent and public information officer for GCPS.

Then on Tuesday, July 27, the school board will receive comments about the reorganization of secondary schools in the district.

The board voted at a called meeting on Thursday to present two options in advance of the Tuesday meeting regarding secondary school reorganization, according to Winborne:

(1) Closure of Hawley Middle School, reassignment of 7th and 8th grade students from Hawley Middle to other schools, and relocation of all Granville County sixth-grade students to elementary schools; OR

(2) Relocation of Hawley Middle School to the South Granville High School campus and consolidation of South Granville High School and Granville Central High School into one high school on the current GCHS campus.

Both meetings begin at 6 p.m. and will be held at Tar River Elementary School, 2642 Philo White Road, Franklinton, NC. The school is located off Hwy 56 South in Granville County. In addition, Winborne said anyone wishing to address the board may sign up beginning at 5:15 p.m. on the day of the hearing. Each person who has signed up before 6 p.m. will have up to three minutes to  speak.

Written comments also may be submitted electronically to publiccomment@gcs.k12.nc.us or may be hand-delivered to GCPS Central Office at 101 Delacroix Street, Oxford, NC 27565.

Members of the public wishing to attend the meeting will be required to wear face coverings, undergo health screenings before entering the building, and cooperate with social distancing requirements. There will be limited seating available, Winborne stated.

The hearings will be available online as well via the following link: https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=MDhkZj.

Holding public hearings was a next step for the board as it continues to discuss options for the district, which faces a $1.7 million budget deficit and many empty classrooms in its schools. The board discussed in its called meeting Thursday afternoon results of a survey that was created to get feedback from the community about the possible closings and consolidation.