Granville Area Bridal Tour Coming Up; Register Now

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The 4th annual “Brides on Wheels” is set to hit the road in Granville County next month, but prospective brides need to say “I Do” soon to register for the March 28 event, according to Granville County Tourism Director Angela Allen.

“Go ahead and get your tickets now, because they might not be available closer to the event,” Allen said to WIZS TownTalk. “This is a great opportunity in a very relaxed atmosphere,” she said. Feedback from previous participants was always positive, she continued. “They never felt pressured, they never felt like they had to make a decision that day,” Allen said. “They really got time to just ride around or drive around, see some very beautiful places, talk to some wonderful professionals, and it really kickstarted their whole wedding planning process. And we are happy to do that here in Granville County.”

Another important component to this event is vendor participation, Allen said. She invites vendors to contact her if they’d like to take part in the event, which begins at noon and should end by 6 p.m. She’s looking for deejays, wedding photographers, caterers, event planners, florists, and transportation and bridal wear specialists from Granville County, but vendors from the surrounding area are welcome to participate as well. Email angela.allen@granvillecounty.org or contact he office 919.693.6125 to learn how to take part. The original Feb. 5 deadline has been extended to Feb. 22 for vendor registration, Allen noted.

Check out the full scoop by listening to Angela Allen on TownTalk. Click play…

This year’s tour begins in the southern part of the county at Cedar Grove Acres near Creedmoor. Brides and a guest will have a contact-less check-in there, tour the facilities and then either hop on a chartered bus or follow along in their own vehicles to the other three locations: The Barn at Vino, Carlee Farms and the Orpheum in Oxford.

Each venue provides unique indoor and outdoor spaces for weddings and receptions, Allen said. Restrictions on gathering can affect how a bride and groom can have a wedding, and outdoor venues could be a perfect solution to those solutions. At this time, the venues must follow the 30 percent occupancy restriction, Allen said.

Those restrictions limit attendance at the BOWS event, too, Allen said. Space is limited to between 20 and 25 participants, she said. If the statewide restrictions loosen between now and March 28, she could make room for additional people to attend.

The first three stops have indoor and outdoor spaces for wedding ceremonies and receptions. The last stop on the tour is in downtown Oxford. “The Orpheum is a refurbished old movie theater,” Allen said. “I love seeing the lights on the building light up,” she added, noting that there’s a mezzanine where brides can have a reception or simply allow for additional guests. This tour, Allen said, shows off the variety of options that Granville County has to offer bridal parties. “There are ways you can have your wedding, even during times like we’re going through now,” she said. “We’re happy to be able to offer this tour to brides, grooms, to engaged couples.” Each venue is currently booking for the 2021 season, Allen said.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, all tickets must be purchased through the website Eventbrite. Each ticket is $20, and covers the cost for the bride and one guest.

Visit www.brides-on-wheels.com to stay up-to-date on all things BOWS, Allen said.

Register to take part in the bridal tour at www.granvillebows2021.eventbrite.com.

Granville County Public Schools Back to Plan B March 1

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— Press Release

At their regularly scheduled meeting on February 1, 2021, the Granville County Board of Education voted (6-0 with one member absent) for students to return to Plan B, or in-person learning on a modified schedule, beginning March 1, 2021.  The approved motion directed staff to prepare for students to return to their schools under the same Plan B schedule that was in place prior to December 16, 2020.  Students will be assigned to the same 2 cohorts (A or B), each physically reporting to school two days a week.  Group A will attend school on Mondays and Tuesdays, and group B will attend schools on Thursdays and Fridays.  Both groups would attend school virtually for the other three days they are not physically in school.  All families who previously chose to have their students remain on full virtual learning will do so for the remainder of the school year.  When students return on March 1, they will begin their Plan B schedule immediately and will not follow the staggered entry that was previously shared.

Superintendent McLean offered her perspective, stating, “We stand ready to serve our students and look forward to them returning.  We will be vigilant in making sure that all screening and safety protocols are followed meticulously.  It is imperative that we put the health and safety of our students and staff as a priority as we shift back to Plan B.  We ask our families and community to support us in this effort and to please follow the guidelines and directives provided by our health experts.”

During a presentation shared at the meeting, Lisa Harrison, MPH, Health Director of GVPH and Dr. Shauna Guthrie, MD, MPH, and Medical Director of GVHP, provided data on the spread of COVID in our community.  In addition, they provided updates on the progress of the efforts to vaccinate the public.  Progress continues to move forward in this effort yet is limited by the amount of vaccine doses made available by the state.  Discussions are already underway to plan mass vaccination events in the community, some of which could be targeted to educators, who are considered “frontline essential workers” and part of phase 3 of the state’s vaccination plan.

Throughout the pandemic action report, Dr. McLean, Board members and senior staff urged community members to join the ranks of substitute teaching to help the district maintain safe levels of staffing. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Stan Winborne explains, “If you love children, are 18 years or older, have a GED or high school diploma and can pass a full background check, then please consider becoming a substitute teacher.  We need you and will train you prior to entering the classroom.”  The need for substitutes varies by school, with elementary schools typically experiencing higher demand.  All schools currently need additional substitutes.  Starting pay is $82 a day for those with minimal experience.  Compensation can be as high as $105 a day for those with teaching experience and credentials.  Interested candidates must complete an application which can be found on our district website.  Questions can be directed to Kathy Bradley, HR Specialist at bradleyk@gcs.k12.nc.us.

Chairman Richardson offered his thoughts on the shift to Plan B, saying, “It is my hope that we can meet the needs of the students, educators and families while keeping safety a top priority.  We are thankful for the support of Granville County Public Schools and its students as we continue to finish out this year successfully.  The Board remains committed to hearing feedback from all points of view of our stakeholders and encourages our citizens of all ages to stay engaged with us. ”

— by Dr. Stan Winborne
Assistant Superintendent of Operations & Human Resources
Public Information Officer
Granville County Public Schools

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation Community Response Grants

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Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s annual grant program opens today, Feb. 1, 2021. The Community Response Grants provide up to $20,000 to nonprofits, governmental and educational organizations for programming that responds to the effect COVID-19 has on families and communities, according to Val Short, the foundation’s executive director.

Organizations that serve counties in the Triangle North Region comprised of Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties are eligible to submit applications, Short said in information provided to WIZS. Individuals are not eligible to submit an application.

Find the link to the grant application at www.tnhfoundation.org. New applicants must register for an account. Any organization interested in submitting a grant application should schedule a meeting with Triangle North Healthcare to discuss the project. Virtual meetings via Zoom will begin next week, Short said. Call TNH at 252.430.8532 to learn more about the grant process. Completed applications are due no later than July 31, 2021.

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation began funding projects in 2013. To date, more than $2 million has been awarded to fund more than 80 health projects serving the four-county region.  The grants support programs in the focus areas of child well-being, chronic disease, mental health and substance use disorders, nutrition and physical fitness, and reproductive health.

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation is a regional healthcare grantmaking organization, established in November 2011 after the merge of Maria Parham Medical Center with the for-profit Duke LifePoint.  The foundation has been funded by an endowment that was created from the assets of the former nonprofit hospital.

Camp Oak Hill, Summer Camp, Early-Bird Rates, But What You Get is What Counts

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Although the recent snowfall and cold temps scream winter, parents may already be thinking about how their children will spend at least some of their summer. And parents with an eye toward saving money can check out nearby Camp Oak Hill – it has early-bird rates for reservations made before the weekend is over.

Camp Oak Hill, located in northern Granville County, is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year. Current Board President Missy Edlin said the goal is to have 400 campers over the course of the summer.

In a normal summer, the camp could handle up to 200 campers a week. “We have a heavy protocol for COVID,” she said Friday. The camp follows guidance from the Centers for Disease Control as well as the American Camp Association, of which it is a member. “We want to make sure we’re well prepped for…this summer,” she said. There are different camp sessions, which begin in mid-June, for elementary, middle and high school students.

Registration opened in October, she said, for the 2021 summer camp offerings. The reduced rates end Sunday, at which time she said the rates would go up. Visit campoakhill.org to learn more.

Repeat campers enjoy the variety of activities the camp offers, from campfire singalongs to swimming and arts and crafts. Edlin is excited about a new program for rising high school seniors called Servant Leadership Training. She is putting the finishing touches on the curriculum. That camp is scheduled for July 11-23.

Edlin was herself a camper at Camp Oak Hill, starting in 1986. She was later a counselor and in charge of the aquatics program. As an adult, her ties to COH remain strong. She has been a board member and is now board president.

Her son has been attending the camp for 7 years, she said. There are many others like her family – former campers who now send their own children as campers or counselors.

There are some positions still to be filled for the upcoming summer camp season. Although most, if not all, of the female staff positions have been filled, Edlin is still looking to hire male counselors and staff. Visit the website to learn how to apply.

“I just love the family, and love the community” feel at Camp Oak Hill, which has its roots in traditional Christian values, Edlin said. “Also building that personal relationship with Jesus,” she added. It’s part of what makes Camp Oak Hill such a special place – the sharing and nurturing of faith.

Pandemic restrictions have taken a physical and emotional toll on everyone, but especially children, Edlin said. Children’s spiritual selves also have been affected, she said. We can go to church online, but it’s just not the same thing as being in community, Edlin said. She would like to create ways to be in touch virtually with campers, she said, so “at least they can feel like camp is kind of caring for them.”

VGCC Logo

New Production Technician Class; Real Skills, Better Pay, Certifications

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— press release

Vance-Granville Community College is excited to announce a new Production Technician program. The program is designed to provide fast, hands-on training to learn job skills in safety, math, quality practices, teamwork, communications, problem solving, production processes and basic bio-processing. Our 96-hour program will prepare workers to help increase productivity, performance, competitiveness and enhance value/profit. The program will start February 15 and runs for only 16 days.

Learn skills needed to be effective contributors in production operations and achieve credentials that get employers’ attention. If you are already in the industry, improve your performance and obtain a higher-paying job within the industry. The Production Technician program is a competency-based training program designed to provide students with enhanced career opportunities in manufacturing. Students will be introduced to the concepts of process improvements and emphasizing the importance of quality and its role in company profitability and job sustainability.

This course prepares people to enter careers as a production technician, machine operator, packaging machine operator, assembly-line worker or assembly-machine operator. Often, entry-level production technician positions are the starting point for a new employee to advance within the company.  In this role, you need to understand and perform tasks based upon setup or job sheets, processes and the use of technology. According to Career Coach, new workers could start around $41,000. Entry-level compensation typically varies between $30,000-$40,000 per year.

Students completing the course:

  • are guaranteed a job interview.
  • receive the North Carolina Manufacturing Certificate.
  • are certified as a Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt.
  • are certified forklift operators.
  • are certified in OSHA 10 safety.

Tuition scholarships are available. Full scholarships will be provided to the first eight applicants.

Act now, because class capacity is limited. To register for this course, visit

https://www.vgcc.edu/coned/productiontech/.

Dale Folwell

Treasurer Folwell Recommends Improved COVID Vaccine Distribution Plan

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— from the office of North Carolina State Treasurer Dale Folwell

For weeks North Carolina lagged behind much of the nation in administering the doses of COVID-19 vaccinations it received, and state Treasurer Dale R. Folwell, CPA, will outline the consequences of the state not being prepared for the rollout during his monthly “Ask Me Anything” conference call for members of the media on Tuesday, Feb. 2.

Treasurer Folwell is advocating for a “PPP” approach to execute rapid, efficient supply chain delivery. Rather than concentrating immunizations in local health departments and more expensive hospitals, he believes it makes greater sense to expand availability of the shots to primary care physicians, pediatricians and pharmacies – the three Ps that have been reliably and professionally administering vaccines for more than 100 years.

The Department of State Treasurer has amassed about 26,000 health care providers in the State Health Plan’s Clear Pricing Project network. Many of them are willing and qualified to provide the shots but state health officials have kept them on the sidelines.

The treasurer contends the shaky rollout likely is contributing to more deaths, will increase poverty because business lockdowns will remain in effect until the vaccines can be more widely administered to contain spread of the virus, and students will continue to fall further behind in their education and suffer increased mental health problems because most schools remain closed.

Another topic the treasurer will discuss is the potential community harm from the pending sale of county-owned New Hanover Regional Medical Center to health care giant Novant Health.

Treasurer Folwell contends the acquisition is the latest in a series of hospital consolidations that have inflicted negative consequences on North Carolina taxpayers and health care consumers. An article in Fortune magazine supported his position that increased hospital concentration and monopolies lead to higher costs, lower quality and decreased access. The article noted 74% of North Carolina general hospitals belong to mega-health care systems. Only three other states have a higher percentage.

SNOW Totals for Henderson and Vicinity; 5 INCHES

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A National Weather Service web page reporting snow totals shows that Henderson received 5 inches.

Oxford received 5 inches as well.  Littleton saw 5 inches.  Roxboro got 4.9.  RDU airport had 1.6.

Where did it snow the most in our area?  5.9 inches was the highest total according to the National Weather Service, and it was reported 3 miles WSW of Oxford along Lake Devin Road.

There is more snowy and icy weather in the forecast.  Some of the TV meteorologists have been talking about it already, and it does show up in the NWS forecast as well over the weekend.

Free Alzheimer’s Association Workshops in NC in February; Diagnosis, Care Plans, Living With

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The Alzheimer’s Association’s chapters in North Carolina are joining forces to host a three-part virtual education series on Wednesdays in February.

The Alzheimer’s Association, Eastern North Carolina Chapter and the Alzheimer’s Association, Western Carolina Chapter will present different topics designed to help families learn more about the disease and how to help themselves and their family members suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s.

According to a press release from the Alzheimer’s Association, the workshops are open to individuals who have received a recent diagnosis or are in the early stages of dementia-related diseases, including Alzheimer’s. In addition, anyone interested in learning more about planning, resources, and services that are available may also attend.

There is no charge to attend the workshops, and participants can sign up for any or all three. Registration is required, however. To sign up, visit tinyurl.com/NavigatingALZFeb2021 or call 1-800-272-3900.

“The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is life-changing and leads to many questions so this program is invaluable for recently diagnosed individuals and their care partners,” said Lisa Roberts, Executive Director of the Eastern North Carolina Chapter. “We want them to know that they are not alone and that we are here for them from the beginning of a diagnosis and throughout their journey with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.”

The first workshop is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 10 from noon – 1:15 p.m. Dr. Mark Pippinger, a behavioral neurologist with Novant Health, will lead the session titled “Navigating a Dementia Diagnosis: What does this diagnosis mean?” and will help participants understand the disease and the diagnostic process, as well as symptoms and approaches to managing care with professionals.

The second workshop is scheduled for Feb. 17 from noon-1:15 p.m. A panel of experts will discuss care plans and care teams, as well as provide a legal and financial overview and how a diagnosis can affect relationships with family and friends. The program is titled “Navigating a Dementia Diagnosis: The Power of Planning” and panelists include Corinne Auman (family caregiving and aging expert), Alyssa Botte (psychotherapist in memory counseling), and Marjorie Brown (elder law attorney).

The final workshop is scheduled for Feb. 24, again from noon to 1:15 p.m. Alzheimer’s Association Early-Stage Advisors will share their experiences of living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. This workshop is titled “Navigating a Dementia Diagnosis: Live Well.”

According to statistics from the Alzheimer’s Association, 180,000 North Carolina residents are living with Alzheimer’s disease and 479,000 family members and friends provide unpaid care to their loved ones suffering from this disease. Visit http://www.alz.org/facts/ to learn more.

The Alzheimer’s Association’s mission, through accelerating global research and early detection, is to end Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

The Eastern North Carolina chapter provides patient and family services, information and referral, education, and advocacy in 51 eastern North Carolina counties. It offers opportunities to get involved and to make a difference, in addition to a variety of services including: a 24/7 Helpline, support groups, educational programs, and MedicAlert®.

For more information about Alzheimer’s disease, or the Alzheimer’s Association, Eastern North Carolina Chapter, visit www.alz.org/nc or call 800-272-3900.

School Choices in Vance County and Granville County

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Two local school districts have announced virtual events to share information with families about the variety of choices available for students in the 2021-22 school year. The Vance County Schools event is scheduled for Feb. 4; Granville County Public Schools will host a Choice Fair Saturday to showcase its school options.  (See both graphics at bottom of page.)

Vance County Schools Innovative School applications will be available beginning Monday, Feb. 1, said Aarika Sandlin, public information officer for Vance County Schools. Interested parents or students can download the application from the district website www.vcs.k12.nc.us. Printed copies also are available at the district office, located at 1724 Graham Avenue, Henderson. The virtual event is set for Thursday, Feb. 4 at 6 p.m. Interested participants can find information about how to attend by visiting the district social media sites or the district website, Sandlin said.

Completed applications are due no later than February 28 and should be returned to the district office, Sandlin said in a statement provided to WIZS.  February 28 is a Sunday, so applications should be returned to the district office no later than Friday, Feb. 26. Schools included in the Innovative Schools are EM Rollins STEAM Academy, STEM Early High, Vance County Early College and Advance Academy. The Vance Virtual Village Academy has an online application, Sandlin said, so those completed applications should be returned online no later than Feb. 28.

The Granville County Public Schools Showcase will be held virtually from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Jan. 30, according to Dr. Stan Winborne, Assistant Superintendent of Operations & Human Resources and public information officer for the district. “We invite the community to come and meet the administrators and staff,” Winborne said, giving individuals “an opportunity to explore, chat and ask any questions that you have to learn about the many choice programs our schools have to offer.” The virtual event will help families choose which program best meets their educational needs, he added.

Registration is required, Winborne said. Visit the GCPS website at www.gcs.k12.nc.us to find a link to the registration page.

NCDOT

NCDOT Plans $4.5 Million in Resurfacing in Four County Area

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More than 70 miles of area roads are on the schedule to be resurfaced, according to information from the N.C. Department of Transportation. The cost of the four projects totals nearly $4.5 million.

The work is set to begin this summer and must be completed by August 2022, according to Marty Homan of the NC DOT communications office.

The largest project involves 27.9 miles of state-maintained roads throughout Granville and Vance counties. ST Wooten Corporation won the contract, which will include milling and resurfacing pavement and making shoulder improvements. Roads to see improvements include Fairport Road in Vance and Granville counties, and Belltown, Sanders and E. Tally Ho roads, all in Granville County.

Under a $700,414 contract, Fred Smith Company of Raleigh will mill and resurface pavement and improve shoulders along 16.3 miles of state-maintained roads throughout Granville, Vance and Warren counties. Roads slated for improvement include Plum Nutty, Ross Mill and Dick Faines roads in Vance County, Tar River Road in Granville County and Lady’s Lane in Warren County.

Roads in Franklin County will get similar improvements under a $663,670 contract with Whitehurst Paving of Richmond, Va. Almost 18 miles along Duke Memorial and Gardner roads will be improved.

In Person County, 8.1 miles along Zion Level Church Road/Skylark Drive, and Wagstaff, Royster-Clay and Ralph Winstead roads will be milled and resurfaced, as well as receive shoulder improvements under a $338,714 contract with Carolina Road Solutions of Center Valley, Pa.