TRLC Adds 83 Acres To Create Horseshoe Road Nature Preserve

/by

More than 80 acres of land has been donated to Tar River Land Conservancy (TRLC) in recognition of Earth Day, which was April 22, the preservation group announced.

The new tract – 83 acres along Smith Creek in southern Granville County – adjoins a 158-acre tract purchased by TRLC in 2018, according to Derek Halberg, TRLC Executive Director. The property, now 241 acres in size, will be managed by TRLC as the Horseshoe Road Nature Preserve.

“It is very timely,” Halberg said of the donation. “This land plus a significant financial contribution were gifted by Mark and Tara Rein of Raleigh.” The plan is to start building hiking trails on TRLC’s Horseshoe Road property in the fall of 2021.

“This gift will ensure that the land remains permanently undeveloped,” Hallberg said in a press release to WIZS News.  He described the property as a combination of hardwood and pine forest and marshy wetlands, which offers refuge for waterfowl and water birds.

In addition to wildlife benefits, the land donation will protect drinking water for downstream communities.

The property has 0.6 miles of frontage on Smith Creek, one of several large Granville County streams that flows into the Falls Lake Reservoir. Falls Lake supplies drinking water to the City of Raleigh and six nearby communities.

The newly donated tract allows the conservancy to expand the trail network currently planned for public use. Trail construction at the Horseshoe Road Nature Preserve is expected to begin in October 2021 and to be completed in time to open two miles of trails to the public in June 2022.

TRLC will begin publicizing opportunities for the community to get involved with the project this summer. To receive notices about volunteer opportunities, individuals are encouraged to contact TRLC at volunteer@tarriver.org or 919-496-5902.

Tar River Land Conservancy is a nationally-accredited land trust that preserves natural resources across an eight-county region of North Carolina – Edgecombe, Franklin, Granville, Halifax, Nash, Person, Vance, and Warren counties.

Since 2000, TRLC has protected 22,267 acres of land and 190 miles of streams. To learn more, please visit www.tarriver.org.

Gifts from Pruitts Create VGCC Scholarships

/by

— press release courtesy of VGCC

Before his recent passing, W. Leonard Pruitt and his wife, Dr. Dorothy Pruitt, both of Oxford, established two scholarship funds at Vance-Granville Community College to support students preparing for careers in health care.

First, a gift from the Pruitts will create the Leonard and Dorothy Pruitt Presidential Excellence Award, a full VGCC scholarship, which will cover a student’s tuition, books and fees. In awarding this scholarship, preference will be given to students in Health Sciences programs at the community college, as well as students from Granville County.

Second, a planned bequest will fund the Dr. Dorothy Jean Gooch Pruitt and Mr. William Leonard Pruitt Endowed Scholarship Fund for the ECU Medical and Health Sciences Foundation, a unique scholarship that will take students through the community college and then to East Carolina University.

When fully endowed, this fund will provide scholarships for multiple full-time VGCC students each year, who are planning to transfer to study health sciences at East Carolina University. This scholarship will also target students from Granville County. Future student recipients, to be called “Pruitt Scholars,” will receive funds to cover all their tuition, books and fees at VGCC. After they transfer to ECU, these scholars will have many of their educational expenses covered by a similar scholarship that the Pruitts have established there.

Dorothy Jean Gooch enrolled at East Carolina in 1953 to study Home Economics. After moving back to her native Granville County to teach — first at Oxford High School and later at J.F. Webb High School — she met Leonard Pruitt. Together, the couple has made an indelible impact on their community.

Mr. Pruitt was a tobacco buyer for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company for 40 years, and raised beef cattle, fruits and vegetables for many years, as well. Along the way, he became well-known in Oxford for helping his neighbors, delivering produce (especially strawberries) to friends, and regularly lending a hand at the school where his wife, Dorothy, worked. He served on the Jury Commission of Granville County and was recognized for community service by the Granville County Chamber of Commerce in 2006. Pruitt was also an active member at Oxford Baptist Church, where he was named “Deacon Emeritus.” He died on March 31, 2021, at the age of 95.

Likewise, Dr. Pruitt has been active in her community, serving Granville County and the state of North Carolina for a total of 46 years as a teacher, principal, Department of Public Instruction consultant and Granville County Board of Education member. She was the first woman elected to that board, which she eventually chaired. Among her many honors, Dr. Pruitt accepted a national model school award from President George H.W. Bush while she served as principal at C.G. Credle Elementary School, received the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service, and was inducted into the ECU College of Education Educators Hall of Fame. Recognized as an “Incredible ECU Woman” in 2010, she is a member of the ECU College of Health and Human Performance Cornerstone Society.

The Pruitts have already established several scholarships at VGCC in honor of Mr. Pruitt’s late sister: the Myrtle Jane Pruitt Presidential Scholar Award and five Myrtle Jane Pruitt Academic Achievement scholarships.

“A true team in every sense of the word, Dr. Dorothy Pruitt and Mr. W. Leonard Pruitt were partners for 58 years, and we join Dr. Pruitt in mourning the loss of her husband,” said Eddie Ferguson, executive director of the Vance-Granville Community College Foundation. “They shared a belief in education and together, they have established innovative scholarship funds that will provide life-changing educational opportunities for deserving students, particularly those with a desire to transfer to Dr. Pruitt’s beloved alma mater.”

“We are grateful to the Pruitts for their incredible generosity and their passionate support for education, which will help our students prepare for their own careers of service,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, the president of VGCC. “The success of future ‘Pruitt Scholars’ will serve as a lasting tribute to Dr. Pruitt and Mr. Pruitt’s love for their community, for our college and for our partners at ECU.”

The VGCC Foundation (formerly known as the Endowment Fund) has enabled more than 9,700 scholarships to be awarded to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Foundation have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information, call (252) 738-3409.

–VGCC–

Granville Gardeners’ Herb and Plant Sale – Order Soon!

/by

Whether you’re interested in improving the pollinator habitat in your backyard or growing some tomatoes, peppers and culinary herbs, the Granville Gardeners Herb and Plant Sale has something for everyone who likes to dig in the soil and add beauty to the landscape.

Online orders are still being taken, according to club president Brenda La Fayette, but place your orders soon, she said.  Find the link at www.thegranvillegardeners.org or on the club’s Facebook page. There is a complete list online of plant offerings, as well as suggestions for how to use the culinary herbs.

The organic herbs, the majority of which are in 4.5-inch pots, are locally sourced from J & B Herb and Plant Farm in Person County and are $4.50 each.

Tomato and pepper plants, also organic-certified, are $2.50 each and there are additional miscellaneous gallon-sized pots of popular perennials for $9.

Drive-thru pickup is 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 8 at the Granville County Expo Center, 4185 Hwy. 15 South, Oxford.

The plant sale is the club’s fundraiser which supports scholarships at N.C. State University and Vance-Granville Community College.

 

City of Oxford

Register Now For Oxford 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament April 24

/by

The Isaiah Hicks Basketball Court in Oxford will be the site of a free 3 on 3 basketball tournament next Saturday, April 24. Participants can register by calling 919.603.1135 or online at https://oxfordnc.recdesk.com/Community/Home.

Teams should consist of players 16 years and older; participation will be limited to the first 20 teams that register. Teams can have four players.

Hicks Basketball Court is 313 E. Spring. St. The tournament tips off at 11 a.m. and is scheduled to end at 2 p.m.

Bodyworx and Northern Point Realty are sponsoring the event, which is hosted by the City of Oxford, Oxford NC, Historic Downtown and Oxford Parks and Recreation.

The Local Skinny! April 19; Lisa Harrison, Granville Vance Public Health

/by

JCR:  Can people just show up for vaccine now?

LMH:   Sometimes we are able to host walk—up clinics like we did on Friday last week at VGCC but not every day yet.  We will advertise walk-up clinics when we have those.  As for daily clinics in Oxford and Henderson,  we are aiming to offer walk-up options each day in each health department location, but not yet this week.  It’s still important for us to be able to plan how to use all 10 doses of vaccine in each vile, so we need to ensure we can see people in groups of 10 in order to use all our vaccine well.  For now, the hotline is still the best way to register, get an appointment, and ensure your spot to get your shot, but we are moving as quickly as we can to easy-access walk-up clinic options.   As our staff adjusts to getting back to daily clinics we are working on how to do this and not waste a single dose of vaccine.

JCR: How many vaccines do you expect to do per week?

LMH: We are seeing demand for a few hundred first doses per week now, and we have access to that easily. We have access to enough (Moderna) vaccine each week to meet demand for both first and second doses so nobody needs to worry that we will not be able to get more vaccine.  That’s great news.

JCR:  When everyone is fully vaccinated who has received a 1st shot as of today, what percentage of fully vaccinated adults will we have?

LMH:  I estimate approximately 45% of ADULTS in the two-county district will be vaccinated in the next four weeks.

  Granville Vance District
% Partially Vaccinated 34.2% 32.1% 33.3%
% Fully Vaccinated 25.1% 23.7% 24.5%
% ADULTS partially vaccinated 43% 41.9% 42.6%
% ADULTS fully vaccinated 31.6% 30.9% 31.3%

JCR: Will the GVPH reach herd immunity?  How long will it take at present rates?

LMH:  This is a good question and a tricky one to answer given the pause in demand we seem to be seeing right now and the research that’s still needed.  Herd immunity occurs when enough people become immune to a disease to make its spread unlikely. As a result, the entire community is protected, even those who are not themselves immune. Herd immunity protects the most vulnerable members of our population.  Herd immunity is usually achieved through vaccination, but it can also occur through natural infection.  The percentage of people who need to be immune in order to achieve herd immunity varies with each disease. For example, since it’s so transmissible, herd immunity against measles requires about 95% of a population to be vaccinated. The remaining 5% will be protected by the fact that measles will not spread among those who are vaccinated.  For polio, the threshold is about 80%. The proportion of the population that must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to begin inducing herd immunity is not yet known.  In Epidemiology, which is the study of diseases in populations, ‘Ro’ (pronounced “R-naught), is a way to measure transmissibility of a disease.  The R0 tells you the average number of people that a single person with the virus can infect if those people aren’t already immune.  The higher the R0, the more people need to be resistant to reach herd immunity.  For COVID-19 it is between 2 and 3. This means that one person can infect two to three other people who aren’t already protected. It also means 50% to 67% of the population would need to be resistant before herd immunity kicks in and the infection rates start to go down.  Therefore, we hear often from doctors in the media this notion that 70% of the population should be vaccinated before we reach a level of herd immunity that we seek for COVID-19, but that data won’t be proven for some time – for now, it seems a logical goal for us to aim for.

JCR:  When can we vaccinate children?

LMH: Pfizer applied and began the process for Emergency Use Authorization for the 12-15 year old age group on Friday, April 9th, 2021.  Pfizer is already approved for those 16 and older.  The EUA process takes a number of weeks, so my hope is that by May we should have new opportunities to vaccinate those 12 and older with this vaccine.   The New York Times reported the following:  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/09/world/pfizer-covid-vaccine-young-teens.html

  • “Pfizer and BioNTech requested on Friday (April 9)  that the Food and Drug Administration expand the emergency use authorization for their coronavirus vaccine to permit its use in children ages 12 to 15. If broadened, young adolescents could start getting vaccinated before going back to school in the fall. The companies plan to request similar authorizations from health agencies around the world in the coming days, they said in a joint statement. “These submissions represent a critical step in Pfizer’s and BioNTech’s ongoing efforts to support governments in broadening global vaccination efforts,” the statement said. Clinical trial results found the vaccine highly effective in that age group, the companies said last month. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is approved for use via emergency authorization in people 16 and older. Granting approval for its use in the younger age group would also speed the country’s efforts to reach herd immunity, which will depend on vaccinating children.  More than 2,000 young adolescents participated in the vaccine trial’s third phase. Among those who received it, none developed symptomatic coronavirus infections or exhibited serious side effects, the companies said last month. The vaccinated 12- to 15-year-olds also produced higher levels of antibodies, on average, than older adolescents and young adults did. The trial results have not yet been published in a scientific journal. The Covid-19 vaccine trials for children got off to a slow start, in part because it took time to find participants. Vaccine makers initially focused on adults, partially because children were proving far less likely to die from Covid-19. A child’s biology differs from that of an adult, which can affect the way vaccines work. Moderna is also testing its vaccine in children. Results from its study of 12- to 17-year olds, which began in December, are expected soon. A separate trial consisting of children under 12 began last month. In March, Pfizer began testing its vaccine in children under 12, with results expected during the second half of the year.”

2 Yellow, 2 Orange in 4-County Area

/by

North Carolina is experiencing a leveling trend following declines in covid spread.

Younger adult groups are experiencing increases, according the NC Dept. of Health and Human Services.

In the 4-county area, Vance and Warren Counties are identified in the recent covid County Alert System update as yellow.  Granville and Franklin Counties are orange.

More…

NCDHHS Updates County Alert System, Shows COVID-19 Trends Leveling

— NCDHHS Press Release

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today updated the COVID-19 County Alert System, which shows one red county — an increase from zero on the previous April 1 County Alert System.

Today’s update also lists 20 orange counties (previously 21 counties in the April 1 report), 48 yellow counties (previously 47), 30 light yellow counties (previously 31) and one green county (previously one). These updates account for 18 counties having moved up a tier (toward red) since the last report, 19 counties having moved down a tier (toward green) and 63 counties remaining in the same tier.

North Carolina’s key metrics show a leveling of COVID-19 trends after several weeks of decline. Although levels are far below the post-holiday peak in January, most of the state continues to experience significant or substantial community spread with concerning increases in younger adult age groups.

“We want to see our trends in new cases, hospitalizations and percent positive of tests decline again,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. “The best way we can do that is by having as many people get vaccinated as quickly as possible and keep wearing our masks when out in public.”

To slow the spread of the virus, people should get vaccinated and continue adherence to the 3Ws until most people have a chance to get vaccinated. Regardless of what tier your county is currently in, individuals, businesses, community organizations and public officials all have a responsibility to take these recommended actions and others outline in the County Alert System.

The COVID-19 County Alert System gives individuals, businesses and community organizations, and public officials a tool to understand how their county is faring and to make decisions about actions to take slow the spread of the virus. The COVID-19 County Alert System uses metrics informed by North Carolina’s key metrics to categorize counties into five tiers:

  1. Green: Low Community Spread
  2. Light Yellow: Moderate Community Spread
  3. Yellow: Significant Community Spread
  4. Orange: Substantial Community Spread
  5. Red: Critical Community Spread
VGCC Logo

VGCC Joins #CCMonth Celebration

/by

Vance-Granville Community College added its name to the list of community colleges across the country to participate in #CCMonth, a month-long campaign to raise awareness about advantages of attending a community college and how they influence economies, academics and equity.

The campaign, coordinated by the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), coincides with April’s designation as Community College Month. It’s a way to showcase that public community colleges are “a uniquely American educational model that was designed to guarantee access to affordable, high-quality higher education for all people,” according to a press release from VGCC’s Director of Communications Chris LaRocca. From nursing programs to trade certifications, community colleges “also serve as an onramp to bachelor’s, master’s and higher-level degrees for many students, and particularly for the most demographically and socioeconomically diverse students,” he stated.

Community college can accommodate adult students who work and go to school at the same time, and also make education accessible for many students who otherwise would not be able to access higher education.

“Community colleges are engines of diversity, equity and inclusion,” said ACCT President and CEO J. Noah Brown. “They give opportunities to all students, and they support all students throughout their educations, whether they attend to attain an associate degree or certificate, intend to transfer on for a bachelor’s or higher degree, or they take one or a few courses to learn a new skill or expand their horizons.”

The campaign is expected to have strong participation from community colleges and their supporters throughout the country.

NC Dept of Agriculture

COVID-19 Fund Helps Offset Quarantine Costs of H2A Workers

/by

Local farmers who employ H2A farmworkers can apply for some financial relief if any of those workers have to quarantine during the 2021 growing season.

N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said Wednesday that his department has $2 million of federal COVID-19 funds that can be used to offset quarantine expenses.

“Farmworkers have always been critical to agriculture, but the pandemic has shown how essential a healthy workforce is to agriculture and our food supply,” Troxler said. “While it is a priority for all farmworkers to get vaccinated, this program will enable employers to safely quarantine workers who test positive for COVID-19 and hopefully minimize spread to their coworkers and others.” 

Under this program, employers that have farmworkers with valid H2A visas will be eligible for reimbursement of the cost of meals and lodging for the duration of the quarantine period, not to exceed the per diem rates for federal employees.  The employer on record for the farmworker with a valid H2A visa may submit reimbursement request on behalf of any farmworker requiring to be quarantined following a positive test for COVID-19, provided the employer covered the initial eligible expenses out-of-pocket on behalf of the farmworker. The program will be for expenses incurred from March 11, 2021 through the 2021 growing season.

The application period will open on April 14 and will continue through Dec. 15, 2021 or until program funds are exhausted. These funds are provided through CARES Act funding and subject to any changes to the federal legislation.  

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in serious and substantial impacts on the food supply chain, including migrant farm labor in North Carolina. The H2A program is a critical component in planting and harvesting of North Carolina commodities. This program will help offset the financial burden of quarantine accommodations for workers that test positive for COVID-19 in off-site locations.

Details regarding the NCDA&CS COVID-19 Farmworker Quarantine Reimbursement Program will be available at http://www.ncagr.gov/QuarantineReimbursementProgram.htm.  Please contact H2Acovidprogram2021@ncagr.gov with any questions regarding this program.

Granville County Public Schools

Granville School Board Work Session April 19 To Review Budget, Get Task Force Update

/by

The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a work session on Monday, April 19, 2021 at the Mary Potter Center of Education. The board is expected to receive and approve the 2021/2022 budget proposal that will be presented to county commissioners and hear a task force update related to further school consolidation.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. To join the livestream meeting, please use the following link: https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=MDhkZj. 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. The Mary Potter Center of Education is located at 200 Taylor St. in Oxford.

Board Chair David Richardson convened a strategic task force last year to navigate the process of increasing efficiency of current facilities. Dr. Stan Winborne, GCPS public information officer and assistant superintendent of operations & human resources, said more details should be available in the next couple of months and perhaps a decision about school mergers or closings could come in the summer.

“The board of education realizes that we have a problem with empty classrooms. We’ve got more space than we do students and so they’re trying to increase our operational efficiency with our facilities,” Winborne told WIZS News.

The board of education held a joint meeting with county commissioners on Mar. 29 to discuss the issue, which included a $ 23-30 million proposal for construction and renovation at Hawley Middle School in Creedmoor.

Winborne said both boards have the basic information needed to continue the decision-making process.

“The real obstacle is trying to find the best solution for children – that we can afford,” he said.

Joe Toler Oak Hill School Building Sold

/by

Granville County Public Schools announced the sale of the former Joe Toler Oak Hill School today (Monday). The brief written statement said the buyer, Tae Joo Rim, paid $305,000 for the property, which was closed at the end of the 2018-19 school year. It has been vacant since then, although the board entertained the idea of leasing the property for a time before ultimately deciding to sell.

“While we do not know of any definite plans for the property, the buyer’s agent mentioned the possibility of using the property for an adult day-care facility,” according to Dr. Stan Winborne, assistant superintendent of human resources & operations and public information officer for the school district.

No further information was disclosed about the sale of the property.

Residents of northern Granville County rallied to keep the school in operation, but the school board agreed to close the school in 2019.