In Honor of Black History Month, FLVF Recognizes Shamecka McNeil of Slice 325

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— submitted by Families Living Violence Free

In honor of Black History Month, Families Living Violence Free would like to recognize Shamecka McNeil, CEO and Executive Director of Slice 325.  (https://slice325.org/ and facebook.com/Slice325)

Shamecka founded Slice 325 to educate low-income people on the many creative ways to serve healthy meals using affordable ingredients.

Shamecka believes that families are unique as plates, and she is passionately committed to meeting the challenge, one appetite at a time.

(FLVF is a paying advertising client of WIZS.  This is not a paid ad.)

Shamecka McNeil will join WIZS for TownTalk on Tuesday (Feb. 16) at 11 a.m.  Tune in!!

Rob Montague, N.C. Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Services 2020 Employee of the Year

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(Rob Montague will join WIZS for TownTalk at 11 a.m. Monday (Feb. 15).

— courtesy of the NC Forest Service

Rob Montague, NC Forest Service area ranger for Granville and Vance counties, has been recognized as the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 2020 Employee of the Year. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler presented the award during a virtual online meeting last week. Montague was honored for going above and beyond in his daily work, for personally responding to many of the emergency calls in his area and for being a valued resource in the local community. His commitment and service to the community also earned him the November Employee of the Month Award.

Montague is always eager to help people with their forest resources. Management plans help citizens responsibly care for their land while potentially creating a financial resource too – giving Montague a sense of pride to know it’s a way to make a difference in people’s lives.

“Rob’s commitment to helping people is evident in the number of forest management plans he helps create. Many area rangers prepare an average of 10 to 30 plans each year, but last fiscal year he wrote a plan for 96 tracts,” said Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Rob knows those plans help people use their forest resources to pay for things like their retirement or their children’s educations. So, I’m proud to know it’s one of the many ways he serves the people of his community.”

Photo Courtesy of N.C. Forest Service

Montague also responds to wildfires and many other local emergency calls where he can help – often during nights and weekends. As a result, local emergency responders have come to count on him for assistance. For example, a local sheriff’s office recently called on him to provide maps needed in the search for a missing person.

“Rob is such a valuable part of our NCFS workforce. He brings enthusiasm and dedication to his role as the area ranger in Granville and Vance counties. He is extremely proactive, personally responding to 65% of emergency response calls in those counties, and he leads a sharp team of NCFS professionals who serve and fulfill the mission of this agency. I’m proud of Rob for achieving this well-deserved recognition as Employee of the Year and for his outstanding leadership as an NCFS area ranger,” said Assistant Commissioner Scott Bissette.

Outside of forest management and emergency response, Montague holds a great number of education and outreach events to inform the community of how the N.C. Forest Service can assist them. Additional details are included in a post on the department’s blog at ncagr.gov/blog.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

TownTalk 2-8-21 Lisa Harrison, Granville Vance Public Health director

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Lisa Harrison, health director for Granville Vance Public Health was on Town Talk Monday and provided an update on current COVID-19 vaccination deployment throughout the two counties.

In addition to staying on top of the medical side of the vaccination rollout, Harrison and her team have had deep-dive lessons into the basics of supply and demand. And right now, there is more demand than supply.

Harrison said it is important that the community understand that vaccine continues to be available, but once the doses come in, it is imperative that they be administered as quickly as possible. There have been several mass vaccination clinics in the two counties, she said. But those clinics are set up only when large doses come in to the health department. The two counties administer, on average, 160 doses per county per day in the daily clinics that the health department operates.

To hear Lisa Harrison on TownTalk, click play.  Written story continues below.

The mass drive-in clinics, some held on hospital or school campuses in the local area, require cooperation across agencies, Harrison said. For example, the Jan. 25 clinic set up at Maria Parham Medical Center was organized because Harrison learned “sort of last-minute” that 975 extra doses of the Phizer vaccine would be headed to Maria Parham – for immediate use. “We don’t want to waste a single dose,” she said.

Harrison and the team sprang into action upon learning of the vaccine shipment. “It takes a lot of partners and a lot of energy to do that well,” she said. From hospital staff to EMS, law enforcement, and nurses from Vance County Schools, the health department was able to orchestrate the coordinated effort. We didn’t have a lot of lead time to put it all together, but we’re really proud of our partners for working together to make that happen.

Generally, there’s a 6-hour window for a mass clinic like the Jan. 25 event, she said, because of the need to keep the vaccine adequately refrigerated.

“We were lucky we got 975 extra (doses) not originally allocated,” Harrison said. The shipments are based on population, she said, but the local health officials had done such a good job of getting the vaccines in peoples’ arms, they were able to show they could use more.

Simply put, the vaccines create a way for our bodies to recognize the COVID-19 virus, which leads to our bodies being able to identify and fight off the virus if or when a person is exposed to the real thing.

The Phizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses given three and four weeks apart, respectively, and her team has enlisted the aid of key community leaders to help with outreach, especially into underrepresented segments of the population. If there happens to be extra doses at a clinic, these community leaders have a way to get the word out to ensure that all doses will be used.

That being said, Harrison explained that if there are extra doses at a Dose 1 clinic, a network of community leaders has been identified to help get the word out. Reaching out to key community leaders, she said, helps “to ensure an equitable distribution of vaccine (to those) who may not have the ability to access the hotline. This community outreach approach to public health is vital to get people on our list who otherwise are having a hard time. Visit gvph.org or phone the COVID-19 hotline at 252.295.1503 to learn how to register for the vaccine.

Graphic prepared by Granville Vance Public Health. Shows vaccine distribution as of February 5, 2021.

Each shipment of vaccine is identified as a Dose 1 or Dose 2. She said she wants to reassure the community about Dose 2 availability. “We always have Dose 2 for every Dose 1,” she said. But that second dose is only used for second doses. It’s all about supply management, she said. “We’re just extremely careful” with those second doses. “We only pull up into syringes the exact number of doses of people we have appointments for and are coming (to get their booster),” she said. Any extra doses from the Dose 2 shipment are better used by other health care providers who may be short of vaccine for some reason.

While the logistics may seem complicated, Harrison noted that the last thing she and her team want to do is call a client to cancel an appointment because of insufficient vaccine.

“If we have 800 vaccines for the week,” she said, we’ll open up 800 appointments. When those are filled, we won’t take any more appointments until we get more vaccine.

“We’re getting rid of (the vaccine) as quickly as we receive it, but we don’t receive enough to have a full clinic 5 days a week in both locations,” Harrison said. If the weekly shipment contains 200 or 400 doses, she said, those can be administered in the regular clinics the health department operates.

One local organization is offering help to the community with getting registered for the vaccine. Lucette Mercer, deputy director of Green Rural Redevelopment Inc. (GRRO) told WIZS Monday that the organization has 30 community health workers who can assist people getting registered online for COVID-19 vaccines.

In addition to Granville and Vance counties, GRRO also serves Warren, Franklin, Nash, Wake, Durham and Pitt counties. These community health workers have remote online access and can help with online registrations. Call 252.430.7999 for more information.

Granville County Board of Education Financial Committee Meeting Wednesday

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The Granville County Board of Education Financial Committee will meet virtually on Wednesday, February 10, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss Consideration of Adjustment to Sub Pay, 2020-2021 Budget Update, Update on Covid Funding and Other Financial Topics. For more information or a link to the virtual meeting, please contact Elizabeth Day, Assistant Superintendent of Finance at dayb@gcs.k12.nc.us or Mrs. Lisa Preddy at preddyl@gcs.k12.nc.us to receive a link to the meeting.

GCPS NOTICE TO PUBLIC AND PRESS

Granville County Public Schools

South Granville and JF Webb Create Sharp Business Plans

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Two Granville County high schools scored big in a statewide contest of the Virtual Enterprise International (VEI) Business Plan Competition. South Granville High won first and third place honors, and JF Webb High placed second in the recent competition.

The VEI teams create, compose and present a ‘real world’  business plan to a panel of business and industry professionals, according to information from Dr. Stan Winborne, GCPS Assistant Superintendent for Operations & Human Resources and public information officer. These teams of students ‘pitch’ their virtual firm’s ideas and compete with other groups of students from across the state.  Based on strict international criteria measuring the quality and effectiveness of the plan, the volunteer judges determine the winners, Winborne explained.

South Granville took first-place honors with the virtual firm, “Adrenaline Rush,” which operates much like a virtual Airbnb. The firm developed and marketed virtual vacation rental properties around the country.  The team of students has purchased (with virtual money) and renovated six properties in the United States:  two in Niagara Falls, two in Yosemite Park, and two in the Grand Canyon.

Second-place honors went to the team at JF Webb, which presented the business plan for its virtual firm, “AceIt.” This plan involved the design, creation and marketing of a variety of virtual printing and promotional products.  This team, under the direction of teacher Marcy Winborne, has recently begun translating some of their designs into real-world applications for its school.

Third place also went to South Granville for its firm’s plan called “Carnava”, which runs a virtual carnival-food themed food truck.  Virtual menu items include deep-fried Oreos, ice cream and a selection of pies.

Mark Jones teaches VE at South Granville High School. “Of the many courses I’ve taught in my 15 years in education, Virtual Enterprises is truly my favorite,” Jones said. “The students who enroll in VEI have the opportunity to not only travel to different states, but also to interact with other students around the globe who are doing exactly what they are doing daily.”

GCPS has partnered with VE since 2010. In that time, more than 500 students have participated in the program, which is offered at all three high schools.

Funding and support for VE is provided through the Career and Technical Education (CTE) led by Assistant Superintendent Dr. Myrick and Angela Salisbury, secondary coordinator and CTE instructional management coordinator. February is Career and Technical Education month.

Superintendent Dr. Alisa McLean said she is proud of the teams’ accomplishments at the competition. “I am so incredibly proud of our talented students’ performance in this incredibly rigorous and cutting-edge program,” McLean stated. “Congratulations to our students and the wonderful teachers and administrators who helped make this possible,” she added.

The Virtual Enterprise International program is guided by an industry-driven, educational framework in which students launch and manage the growth of a company in a digital, international economy of 7,000+ student-run businesses in 40+ countries. Students learn how their skills, knowledge, and mindset as employees, workgroup members, and department teams contribute to the success and challenges in meeting company goals.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Covid Info Granville Vance; Vaccine Info

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— submitted by Lisa Harrison, Granville Vance District Health director

Since Jan. 26th, there have been 260 new cases of COVID-19 in Granville and 284 in Vance.
Unfortunately, there have been 4 additional deaths reported this week. A 69 year old male from Vance County passed away on Jan. 24th, a 57 year old male from Vance County passed away Jan. 26th, a 45 year old female associated with the outbreak at Central Regional passed away on Jan. 23rd, and a 71 year old male from Granville County passed away on Feb. 1.
The GVPH data dashboard is currently under construction. As we shift our priority to COVID-19 vaccines, we are reevaluating what data we are able to share and how we share it. We appreciate your patience during this time. In the meantime, we encourage you to visit the NCDHHS COVID-19 Dashboard. Relevant graphs from these dashboards are available on our website at https://gvph.org/covid-19_dashboard/.
We want to reiterate a few points as we do our best work in a tough environment and answer some questions we’ve been receiving.
We only receive a few hundred doses of vaccine each week – that’s true for the hospitals and our health department locations alike. The state asks those of us providing vaccine to be sure to use all of our vaccine allotment each week – they want us to run out before we get more in the next shipment sent to the state from the federal level. If we don’t use it all we risk losing more shipments. For now, we can easily vaccinate more than 200 people per day in our clinics, and at that rate, we are easily all out of vaccine each week and have to wait for the next shipment. For that reason, we cannot keep doing mass vaccination clinics because there isn’t enough vaccine supply for those unless we get a transfer from another area of the state (like last week – that’s why we could have a last-minute effort in Henderson on Sunday).
It is important for people to know when we run out this week, we’re not out for good – we’re just out for this week and more will come in its place next week. I don’t want people to panic when they hear we’re out of vaccine because more is on the way. But, it does make it hard to plan any additional mass vaccine clinics or schedule appointments too far into the future.
Here are some answers to a few additional questions we have heard lately:
Q: How do we get registered in the COVID-19 Vaccine Management System (CVMS) and how did people sign up for the clinic on Sunday at the High School?
  • If you are currently eligible to receive a vaccine, please call the GVPH COVID Vaccine Hotline at 252-295-1503. This hotline is the source for ALL GVPH clinics for vaccine whether they are in Vance County, in Granville County, or even for the clinic we held with Maria Parham and Vance County Schools in Henderson – all appointments are made via the hotline. We receive tens of thousands of calls a day so I know it’s hard sometimes to get through, but we are always increasing the number of people working the hotline and we have to have a fair and equitable approach to the vaccine appointments.
Q: Why didn’t we know about the vaccine clinic on Sunday at Vance County High School? (people entered the traffic line at Clarke Elementary School in Henderson and proceeded through informational stations to Vance High School across the street for the flow of things – but it was all the same vaccine clinic in the same general area).
  • We do not advertise vaccine clinics when we host these because we host what we call ‘closed pod’ clinics which means people must already have an appointment and must already be registered in our Covid Vaccine Management System (CVMS) to streamline the process. The places across the state that have opened up their mass clinics to people who did not have appointments have been over-run with miles-long waits of cars coming from everywhere so we only do closed pods, people must pre-register, and traffic is restricted. As I mentioned, we book all appointments through our hotline so community members should call for an appointment and will be informed of the location at that time. For this clinic, Maria Parham was able to receive a transfer of 975 doses of another hospital’s allotment so it all came together quickly – we all found out about the doses being available on Thursday, January 21 at 9am and the clinic was held on Sunday, January 24 – it came together that quickly strictly based on vaccine availability.
Q: Do I still need to wear my mask after I get my first vaccine shot?
  • Yes! The virus is still spreading in our communities and it takes a few weeks after each dose of the vaccine for your body to build up immunity and be ready to fight it off well. It is still important to practice the 3 Ws – especially with new strains of the virus being discovered, we must stay protected with wearing our mask, washing our hands, and waiting six feet or more apart from others.
Q: How will the public be notified of the timing for their second dose? 
  • Notification comes by way of the COVID Vaccine Management System (CVMS) in which everyone who gets the vaccine must register in NC. In addition, we will be handing out a reminder card for the second dose as well as scheduling people for their second dose when they come for their first dose. It’s important for people to return to their same location for their second dose that they went to for their first dose.
Q: When will frontline essential workers be vaccinated?
  • Soon! Teachers, court system employees, grocery clerks, county and city employees, and so many others are important frontline essential workers. Many have reached out to ensure we don’t forget about them – I promise we won’t forget anyone in this important vaccine initiative. We want EVERYONE who wants a vaccine to get one, and there are some key infrastructure and front line workers who have been very patient. We believe we will get to these groups around the end of February or beginning of March. Front line essential works is a different phase (Group 3 below) than what some have called ‘frontline HEALTH CARE workers.’ So far, we have been focused on those MOST at-risk for severe illness and death from COVID-19 and that includes our health care workers, long term care staff and residents, congregate living facilities (like group homes and homes for the intellectually and developmentally disabled), and other places where we see tremendous outbreak activity and know that we need to focus vaccine administration first. Also, those most at risk of dying from COVID-19 are over age 65. Between these two counties of Granville and Vance, more than 25,000 people in these first two groups alone. Since we are only receiving a few hundred doses of vaccine each week, it’s taking a longer time than we would like to reach the most high-risk groups. As soon as we and the state feel like we have done a good job with the high risk groups 1 and 2, we will be able to move on to group 3. Everyone is important and everyone needs a vaccine, but with vaccine doses coming out slowly as they are produced and going around the country and around the world at the same time, it calls for patience before we can get to some really important groups that we know are all at some level of risk.  Thank you for understanding and for being patient. Again, we will get to EVERYONE who wants a vaccine, just not all at one time. More information and frequently asked questions can be found online here: https://gvph.org/covidvaccines/.
Be Well,
Lisa Macon Harrison,
Health Director
NC SBI

SBI Special Investigations Unit Investigating Shooting of Suspect Involving Agent After Hours-Long Standoff

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— press release

At approximately 5:00 pm on Tuesday, February 2, 2021, special agents from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation’s (SBI) Computer Crimes Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force along with deputies from the Granville County Sheriff’s Office attempted to serve an arrest warrant and search warrant at a residence located at 3147 Cannady Mill Road, Franklinton, North Carolina, in Granville County.  The arrest warrant was for:  1st degree statutory sex offense (1 count); 1st degree sexual exploitation of a minor (4 counts); disseminating obscenities to a minor (1 count).  The search warrant was for the production of child pornography.

Upon arrival, the suspect named in the arrest warrant, who was armed, retreated into the home.  The Franklin County SWAT, Wake Forest Police SWAT and SBI Special Response Team were called to assist with taking the suspect into custody.

After an 18-hours long standoff, at approximately 11:00 am on Wednesday, February 3, 2021, the suspect approached the door entrance from inside the home, armed with a long gun.  An SBI agent fired a shot striking the suspect.  The suspect was pronounced deceased on the scene.  The SBI’s Special Investigations Unit is now investigating and pursuant to standard operating procedure, the SBI agent has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

The SBI always seeks to preserve life and to use the minimum amount of force necessary.  Rarely, there are those occasions where the use of deadly force is exercised by our agents.  As with every officer involved  shooting the case will be fully investigated and reviewed with the District Attorney.

Names of the suspect and agent will be released at a later time.

Virtual Hiring Event Tuesday, Feb. 9th, Sunrock

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According to information obtained from the Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments and NC Works, Carolina Sunrock will hold a virtual hiring event Tuesday, February 9th.

It will start at 11 a.m. To register, go online to events.kerrtarworks.com.

You are invited to join in for this virtual hiring event at Carolina Sunrock. Jobs opportunities are included for equipment operators, CDL A and CDL B drivers, pipe and grading foreman as well as others.

Call 919.693.2686 for more information or email joseph.jung@ncworks.gov or lonnda.brothers@ncworks.gov.

City of Oxford Executive Assistant Blair Organizes Masonic Home Donations

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The community has an opportunity to show a little love to two Granville children’s homes in February. Donations chosen from the homes’ wish lists are being accepted through Feb. 24, according to an employee of the City of Oxford who is organizing the event.

Alyssa Blair devised the plan to support Central Children’s Home and the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford. Blair has organized similar events for other groups and wanted to do something to help these two organizations.

There is a dropbox for donations located just inside the front door at Oxford City Hall, 300 Williamsboro St.

Each home created a wish list that includes basic household items such as dish cloths, batteries, bath towels, among other items.

Central Children’s Home: (https://www.oxfordnc.org/Central%20Children’s%20Home%20Wish%20List.pdf)

MHCO at: (https://mhc-oxford.org/current-needs-2/?fbclid=IwAR0PRQSvCMrIf-MeMOaKIxpI1yPl_S0COfqzAdc1PVHUGQd91lJS32PuRVU)

“Alyssa said she wanted to do another drive and this is the first one for the year,” said MHCO administrator Kevin Otis. 2020 was a tough year and 2021, Otis told WIZS, is looking like it is going to be rough, too. “She asked ‘what better way to spread love and joy…(than) to help others,’” he added.

“We are humbled and honored to share the love and joy from the community with Central Children’s Home,” Otis said, and reiterated that his residents really do need the items on their wish list.

Otis said houseparents and children have a case of cabin fever because of pandemic restrictions, but the “Kids are doing great in school thanks to all the support and encouragement from our houseparents and tutors.”

About 20 employees have received their first COVID-19 vaccination, he said. “Once we can get all our direct care staff vaccinated, we will be able to mingle more on campus, take in admissions more readily, and provide support services in person and directly with the children.  It’s been a lot.  We feel blessed and appreciate everyone’ prayers,” he added.

Contact Alyssa Blair at 919.693.1102 for more information about donating to this event.

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.