Granville Vance Public Health Logo

GVPH COVID-19 Update: Vance Nears 2,000 Confirmed Cases

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health

GVPH provided the following update for COVID-19 spread and response in Granville and Vance County as of December 7, 2020. Granville Vance Public Health numbers correlate with the NC Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NCEDSS) data.

The county case numbers reported on the NC county map from the NC Department of Health and Human Services may differ from the ones reported locally as they are updated at different times and may change once residence is verified.

Vance County

Total Cases: 1,949
Active Cases: 600

Total Cases in Community: 1,768
Active Cases: 595
Cases Off-Isolation: 1,153

Total Cases at Long-Term Care Facilities: 181
Active Cases: 5
Cases Off-Isolation: 136

There is currently an outbreak at Senior Citizens Home and Kerr Lake Nursing Home.

Total Hospitalized with COVID-19: 25

Total Deaths: 60
Community: 20
Pelican Nursing Home: 14
Kerr Lake Nursing Home: 12
Senior Citizens Home: 14

Granville County

Total Cases: 2,798
Active Cases: 551

Total Cases in Community: 1,972
Active Cases: 436
Cases Off-Isolation: 1,526

Total Cases at Federal Prison: 533
Active Cases: 7
Cases Off-Isolation: 504

Total Cases at Long-Term Care Facilities: 293
Active Cases: 108
Cases Off-Isolation: 157

There are currently outbreaks at Universal Health Care, Murdoch Development Center, Granville House, RHA Health Services – Stem and Polk Correctional Institution.

Total Hospitalized with COVID-19: 9

Total Deaths: 60
Community: 10
Central Regional: 1
Granville House: 2
Murdoch Development Center: 3
Universal Health Care: 22
Federal Prison: 22

Unfortunately, another death has been reported from the community: a 57-year-old female passed away on December 4, 2020.

Additional Information

The number of those who have been ‘released from isolation’ is determined by the CDC Guidance for discontinuation of isolation for persons with COVID-19.

Please visit GVPH’s COVID-19 Data Dashboard (click here) for tables and graphs that are updated daily.

Oxford Logo

Oxford Board of Commissioners to Hold Regular Meeting This Evening

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-Information courtesy the City of Oxford

The Oxford Board of Commissioners will hold a regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, December 8, 2020, at 7 p.m. online via Zoom.

Please click here to register in advance. Advance registration is required to attend the virtual meeting.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

If you have trouble accessing the meeting, please call (919) 603-1100.

Please click here for the full meeting agenda.

Granville County Public Schools

Granville County Public Schools – Return to “Plan C”

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— courtesy Granville County Public Schools

GCPS Makes Winter Shift to Full Remote Instruction – Return to “Plan C”

At their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, December 7, 2020, the Granville County Board of Education voted unanimously to shift all students back to remote learning effective Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Superintendent McLean, working closely with officials from the Granville Vance Health Department, recommended this shift due to the surge in the pandemic, which has negatively impacted the readiness indicators for the school district.

Dr. McLean explained, “We have been closely monitoring the metrics that impact our ability to provide in-person learning to our students. The recent trends have made it increasingly difficult to do so in a safe and effective manner. Therefore, in order to keep our students and staff safe, we will be shifting to full virtual learning to bridge us through the winter holiday season.”

In person learning, or a shift back to “Plan B”, could resume as early as Monday, January 25 if the readiness indicators improve. The Board will review updated metrics at their next regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, January 11, 2021. Until then, all students will be served remotely, with the exception of traditional calendar high school students, who are required to take NC standardized final exams in person on December 16 – 22. These high school students’ individual schedules are being shared with students and their families for each school.

Since all students will be shifting to remote learning during this time, families are encouraged to take advantage of the various services offered by the district. Additional support with laptop repairs, free MiFi hotspots and paper learning packets are available for students. In addition, the district will also be giving away a limited number of student desks to families just before the winter holiday break. These desks are being provided to partner with our families in providing productive home learning centers. Also, the meal service program will provide enough meals for students to have breakfast and lunch for each day during the winter break. More information about these programs will be provided to families via email, phone calls and letters home.

Chairman David Richardson offered his perspective on the change in instructional services, stating, “We know that this shift to Plan C will create some new challenges for our families. However, based on the recommendations from our local health experts, we feel that the safety of our students and staff must be our top priority. We will do all we can to continue to keep students’ learning the focus during this time while remembering that grace and flexibility should be practiced by all.”

Written and provided to WIZS Radio by Dr. Stan Winborne, Assistant Superintendent of Operations & Human Resources, Public Information Officer, Granville County Public Schools

Elizabeth City State University

VGCC Forms New Partnership With Elizabeth City State University

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Faculty, staff, and leaders from Vance-Granville Community College and Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) recently attended a virtual signing ceremony to formalize an agreement that creates new opportunities for students from the community college to complete bachelor’s degrees.

The co-admission agreement, which is designed to improve transfer student access and success through a collaborative baccalaureate degree program, was signed by ECSU Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon and VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais.

“ECSU continues to collaborate with North Carolina community colleges to afford transfer students a greater opportunity to earn their undergraduate degrees,” Chancellor Dixon said in a statement from the university. “We are excited to work with President Desmarais and her staff to provide these students with a clear path to ECSU so they can continue their education.”

VGCC is the fourth community college to sign such an agreement with ECSU, a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system offering more than 30 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

“This strong new partnership with Elizabeth City State University will help VGCC students achieve their academic and career goals,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, president of the community college. “We look forward to supporting Vanguards who choose to continue their education as Vikings.”

Under the agreement, VGCC students can choose a “co-admission” transfer pathway in which they can take ECSU degree programs without actually leaving the community college. Students will receive special joint academic advising services and virtual support. There will also be assistance for active-duty military and veteran education benefits and resources available to qualifying students. Students will receive either on-site or virtual classroom presentations; joint virtual financial aid counseling; access to the ECSU library online resources; and access to programming through the university’s Office of Student Activities and other campus organizations.

Alternatively, eligible students can complete the Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, or Associate in Fine Arts degree programs at VGCC, and if they maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA), they will be guaranteed admission to ECSU. Application fees for these transfer students will be waived.

“We are excited about creating opportunities for our students that will assist them with long-term success!” said Dr. Levy Brown, VGCC’s vice president of learning, student engagement & success. “Our team has worked diligently to create multiple pathways for students, including non-credit to credit, and from our institution to four-year institutions. A special thanks to Kali Brown, Dean of Student Access and Support, and Dr. Antonio Jordan, Director of Admissions and Enrollment Services, for partnering with me on this important work for our students. Further, I appreciate the visionary leadership of Dr. Rachel Desmarais, as we continue to strategically seek partnerships that will benefit our students.”

For more information, prospective students can apply for admission online at www.vgcc.edu or call (252) 738-3234.

Dr. Shauna Guthrie

Dr. Shauna Guthrie of Henderson NCAFP Secretary/Treasurer

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The North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians (NCAFP) installed Dr. Shauna Guthrie of Henderson as the organization’s secretary/treasurer.

According to information sent to WIZS News by NCAFP Executive Vice President Greg Griggs, who is also from Henderson, Guthrie’s term is one year, and the installation took place during the NCAFP’s virtual annual meeting.

Guthrie, MD, MPH, FAAFP is a Henderson family physician and is presently the medical director at Granville Vance Public Health, the local health department.  She provides full scope outpatient primary care services, according to Griggs.

Griggs said, “She also contracts to provide services locally including correctional health, inpatient adult medicine, and hospice care. She previously practiced at Vance Family Medicine, a Rural Health Clinic, where she did full-spectrum family medicine, including inpatient medicine and obstetrics.”

Dr. Guthrie has served on the board of the NCAFP for the past five years.  This year she served as the at-large member of the NCAFP Executive Committee.  Griggs said in his information release, “She enjoys giving back to the profession by teaching medical students.”

Dr. Shauna Guthrie

Shauna Guthrie, MD, MPH, FAAFP, a Henderson family physician, was installed as Secretary/Treasurer of the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians (NCAFP) for a one-year term during the organization’s virtual annual meeting.

More than 400 family physicians, family medicine residents and medical students attended the NCAFP’s Virtual Annual Meeting.

(WIZS RADIO IN HENDERSON PRESENTS LOCAL NEWS ON THE AIR AT 8AM, 12 NOON AND 5PM M-F.  100.1 FM / 1450 AM.)

Granville County Logo

Granville Commissioners To Hold Regular Meeting Via Zoom Dec. 7

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-Information courtesy Debra A. Weary, Clerk to the Board, Granville County

The Granville County Board of Commissioners will meet remotely by Zoom conference call on Monday, December 7, 2020, at 7 p.m. for the regular scheduled meeting. Please contact the County Administration Office at (919) 693-5240 to receive the registration link.

Public comments will be accepted in written format and must be received by Monday, December 7 at 12 p.m. by mail to P.O. Box 906, Oxford, NC 27565 or email to grancomrs@granvillecounty.org

To view Granville Co. Board of Commissioner meeting agendas and minutes, click here.

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Board of Education to Hold Regular Meeting Dec. 7

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a regular Board meeting on Monday, December 7, 2020, at 6 p.m. at the Mary Potter Center of Education, 200 Taylor Street, Oxford, NC. Members of the public are invited to view via livestream. To join the livestream meeting, please use the following link: https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=MDhkZj.

The Board will also meet in Closed Session in accordance with N.C. General Statute 143.318.11 (a)(6), 143-318.11 (a)(3), 143.318.11 (a)(5) and Section 115C-321 for Personnel, and Attorney/Client Privilege.

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.

NC State Board of Elections

Counties Complete Recount in Supreme Court Race; Newby Leads by 401 Votes

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All 100 North Carolina counties have completed the statewide recount in the North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice contest.

After the machine recount, Republican Paul Newby leads Democrat Cheri Beasley by 401 votes out of nearly 5.4 million cast in that race.

“The recount showed minor differences from canvassed vote totals, but did not change the outcome of the contest,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “We appreciate the hard work of the county boards of elections throughout the recount process.”

When the recount was requested, the margin between the candidates stood at 406 votes, favoring Newby. Several counties subsequently recanvassed, at which point the margin was 416 votes, favoring Newby.

After the recount, the margin is now 401 votes, favoring Newby.

Minor differences are expected with any recount, as different machines may read stray marks differently.

Pursuant to state law, within 24 hours, Beasley, as the second-place candidate, may demand a hand-to-eye recount in a random sample of 3% of voting sites in each county. The State Board will hold a drawing to determine the random samples.

If the results of a hand-to-eye recount differ from the previous results within those precincts to the extent that extrapolating the amount of the change to the entire state (based on the proportion of ballots recounted to the total votes cast for that office) would result in the reversing of the results, then a statewide hand-to-eye recount of all ballots would be conducted.

Meanwhile, both Supreme Court candidates have filed a total of more than 100 election protests that are either scheduled for consideration by the county boards of elections or have already been heard at the county level and appealed to the State Board. The State Board plans to hear the appeals once the county boards have completed the proceedings.

Here are the protests: https://dl.ncsbe.gov/?prefix=Requests/2020/2020 General Protest Filings/

Here are the appeals: https://dl.ncsbe.gov/?prefix=Requests/2020/2020 General Protest Filings/

For 2020 election results, go here: NCSBE Contest Results.

For recount results, go here: 2020 Statewide Recount Results.

Ballot Count Changes by County

County Beasley Newby
ALAMANCE +14 +15
ALEXANDER 0 0
ALLEGHANY 0 0
ANSON +1 +1
ASHE 0 -2
AVERY +1 -3
BEAUFORT +1 -6
BERTIE -2 0
BLADEN 0 0
BRUNSWICK -2 0
BUNCOMBE +2 +2
BURKE +1 +2
CABARRUS -3 -2
CALDWELL -3 -3
CAMDEN +2 +2
CARTERET +1 -1
CASWELL 0 +4
CATAWBA -21 -22
CHATHAM +1 +5
CHEROKEE 0 0
CHOWAN 0 0
CLAY 0 -1
CLEVELAND 0 0
COLUMBUS -2 0
CRAVEN 0 -6
CUMBERLAND -4 0
CURRITUCK 0 0
DARE 0 +1
DAVIDSON +9 +5
DAVIE -1 0
DUPLIN +2 +1
DURHAM -3 +1
EDGECOMBE -3 0
FORSYTH +30 -26
FRANKLIN 0 0
GASTON -1 -2
GATES 0 +1
GRAHAM 0 0
GRANVILLE -1 -1
GREENE 0 0
GUILFORD +2 +5
HALIFAX -2 +3
HARNETT +3 -2
HAYWOOD +1 -4
HENDERSON 0 -2
HERTFORD 0 0
HOKE -5 -3
HYDE 0 +1
IREDELL -3 -2
JACKSON 0 0
JOHNSTON -6 +4
JONES +1 -1
LEE -2 -2
LENOIR -4 -1
LINCOLN -1 0
MACON -3 -2
MADISON -1 0
MARTIN +6 0
MCDOWELL 0 -1
MECKLENBURG -8 -1
MITCHELL -1 0
MONTGOMERY 0 -2
MOORE 0 +5
NASH +2 0
NEW HANOVER 0 0
NORTHAMPTON 0 0
ONSLOW -3 -2
ORANGE -2 -3
PAMLICO +1 0
PASQUOTANK -2 0
PENDER +2 0
PERQUIMANS +7 +8
PERSON +7 +9
PITT 0 -3
POLK 0 0
RANDOLPH -2 -2
RICHMOND 0 0
ROBESON 0 0
ROCKINGHAM -3 -1
ROWAN -6 -5
RUTHERFORD +6 +13
SAMPSON -1 -1
SCOTLAND 0 +1
STANLY +2 -1
STOKES 0 0
SURRY 0 0
SWAIN -2 -2
TRANSYLVANIA -1 +2
TYRRELL 0 0
UNION +1 -1
VANCE -1 0
WAKE -13 -6
WARREN -1 +1
WASHINGTON -1 0
WATAUGA -2 +5
WAYNE -1 +2
WILKES +1 -5
WILSON -5 -7
YADKIN +1 +3
YANCEY 0 0
Grand Total -20 -35

Values in each column represent [County’s Recount # minus County’s Final Canvass #].

Note: Some counties recanvassed after November 13.

Granville Fall Clean Out

‘Fall Clean Out’ Results in More Than 26 Tons of Materials Collected

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

Granville County’s annual “Fall Clean Out,” held on Nov. 21, 2020, resulted in the collection of more than 26 tons of materials for recycling and proper disposal. According to Recycling and Sustainability Coordinator Teresa Baker, this year’s drive-through event was the most successful yet, with some vendors at full capacity before the end of the collection day.

The following totals have been reported:

  • Oil-based paints for fuel blend – 15,120 pounds
  • Aerosols for fuel blend or incineration – 700 pounds
  • Assorted household chemicals for incineration – 5,455 pounds
  • Latex-based paint for secure landfill – 11,000 pounds
  • Fluorescent lamps for recycle – 265 pounds (377 each)
  • Gasoline/water mixture – 200 pounds
  • Mercury switches – 10 pounds
  • Scrap metal – 5,380 pounds
  • Electronics -5,109 pounds
  • Batteries – 259 pounds
  • Pesticides – 685 pounds
  • Medicines and sharps – 175 pounds
  • Ammunition – 30 pounds
  • Paper for shredding – 7,800 pounds

In addition, the Granville County Humane Society collected crates, carriers, blankets, flea shampoo, dog/cat food, pet toys and cash donations.

The “Fall Clean Out” is one of two annual collection events held at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center. The spring event is typically held in May.

For more information about recycling and hazardous waste collection in Granville County, please contact Baker at (919) 725-1417 or at bakertd@gcs.k12.nc.us.

Oxford Christmas Parade

Holiday Events This Week: Oxford Reverse Parade, Butner Christmas Drive-Thru

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-Information courtesy Granville County Chamber of Commerce

A reminder of upcoming Granville County holiday events:

BUTNER

Butner Christmas in the Park – Drive-Thru

Date: Friday, December 4, 2020
Location: Gazebo Park
Time: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Load up the kiddies with their letters to Santa and participate in a guided drive-thru at Butner’s Gazebo Park for a celebration of Christmas music and beautiful lights. Visit Santa safely from your car and drop off those letters! Please stay in your car at all times. Sponsored by the Butner Community Association.

The annual Butner Christmas Parade is canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

CREEDMOOR 

The City of Creedmoor has canceled all events for the remainder of 2020.

OXFORD

Virtual Lighting of the Greens
Date: Thursday, December 3, 2020
Time: 6 p.m.

This year, the Lighting of the Greens will take place virtually, with a video release. Tune in on the Oxford NC, Historic Downtown Facebook page (click here) to watch downtown come to life with festive lights and Christmas music!

2020 Reverse Christmas Parade
Date: Friday, December 4, 2020
Time: 6 p.m.

Parade entries are STATIONARY. All spectators must keep moving! No stopping for pictures or videos! MOTOR TRAFFIC will line up on Belle Street, and WALKING TRAFFIC will start on Lanier Street. Follow signs for walkers.

The City of Oxford’s Tis the Season for Giving! Holiday Toy Drive runs thru December 18.

For more information on these events, call Mary Yount at (919) 603-1164 or Christine Luscavich at (919) 603-1101

The MASK-arade (Virtual) Gala

Date: Saturday, December 5, 2020
Dinner delivered to your door – Online auction closes on December 5 at 9 p.m.
$125 per person ~ Black tie (or not).

For more information and to register online, visit ghsFoundation.org/Gala2020

Proceeds to benefit the Granville Health System Foundation, a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.

STEM

Stem is hosting a town-wide Christmas decoration contest with prizes.

STOVALL

The Town of Stovall has no Christmas activities or events planned.

Area Congregations In Ministry (ACIM) is in need of any non-perishable goods, especially canned goods. For more information, visit www.acimgranville.org or call (919) 690-0961.