Kerr-Tar COG Schedules Info Sessions On Local Food Systems

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What do you think about when you hear or read the phrase “food chain?”

Some folks may think back to elementary school Science lessons that talked about little fish getting gobbled up by bigger and bigger fish. But the Kerr-Tar region Council of Government is scheduling a series of meetings – one in each of the five counties it represents – for regional policymakers to hear from folks in the community about what’s working and what’s needed when it comes to our local “food chain.”

One of the outcomes of the meetings is the development of a food policy council, according to information publicizing the events.

If you think about it, we’re all part of the “food chain” whether we grow and market vegetables locally or simply prepare meals for ourselves and our families.

Everyone is welcome to share experiences, successes and challenges – from the consumer to producer, as well as food pantry partners and other agencies in the community.

The meetings begin next week in Roxboro and continue through March. Each session will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.  To register for one of the meetings, email crobinette@kerrtarcog.org or phone 980.389.3446.

Here’s the list of meetings:

  • Wednesday, Mar. 6 in Roxboro, Person County Cooperative Extension Center
  • Wednesday, Mar. 13 in Louisburg, Franklin County Cooperative Extension Center
  • Tuesday, Mar. 19 in Warrenton, Warren County Library
  • Tuesday, Mar. 26 in Henderson, Vance County Regional Farmers Market
  • Wednesday, Mar. 27 in Oxford, Richard Thornton Public Library

 

 

 

TownTalk: Granville County Features Weddings, Ambulances And Vikings In March

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Whether planning a wedding, family reunion or a party to celebrate one of those “milestone” birthdays, Granville County Tourism Director Angela Allen said there will be something for everyone at Saturday’s Wedding and Special Event Expo.

The event will be held on Saturday, Mar. 2 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Creedmoor Community Center and Allen said it’ll be “one-stop shopping” to learn about everything from like venues and photographers all the way to music, caterers and gifts for the bride and groom.

This year’s expo features a formalwear shop in Durham, who will have information about not just wedding attire, but also for proms, dances and other special occasions.

Allen told WIZS’s co-host Bill Harris the expo evolved – thanks to COVID – from the original Brides on Wheels event to an expo that houses a variety of vendors under one roof.

The BOW event began in 2015 as a way to showcase the different wedding venue options. But when COVID restrictions were in place by 2020, Allen said it wasn’t feasible to load a bus and then visit the different featured venues.

When one door closes, another door opens.

“Because of COVID, we aren’t taking life for granted anymore,” Allen said. So whether you’re a bride-to-be or you’re “going over the top” to plan a birthday party, the expo is for you.

“We’re trying to give you the perfect day – whatever you want that day to look like,” Allen said.

“We jam pack a lot in three hours.”

The Creedmoor Community Center is located at 116 Douglas Drive in Creedmoor.

The Granville Ambulance Chase and food truck rodeo is set for Saturday, Mar. 16 at Granville Health System. There are races for the serious runners as well as fun runs and a kid dash during the morning and the food truck rodeo will last from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A group of health system employees calling themselves Trippin’ Breakers will provide live music at the event.

Visit www.ghsAmbulanceChase.org to register and find details about the different race options.

“The Viking Experience” returns to Granville County’s The Barn at Vino in March for a weekend of immersive entertainment. Allen said this is the third year of the event, and there will be plenty of excitement for adults and young people alike on Saturday, Mar. 23 and Sunday, Mar. 24.

There are a few upgrades for this year’s event that should streamline parking and check-in at the two-day event at 3200 Bliss Trail in Stem, Allen said.

“All tickets for the event are going to be bought online,” she said, adding that there will be NO gate or cash sales. A 100 percent online purchase option should speed things up this year.

Having said that, Allen strongly suggests that anyone interested in attending this year’s “experience” should get tickets now before they sell out.

Visit www.thevikingexperience.com to purchase tickets.

There will be an after-hours show on Saturday from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This is a ticketed event and takes the place of the popular dinner theatre event, Allen explained.

Not to worry, this popular offering is set to become a stand-alone event in the fall, she added.

To learn more about these events and more, check out www.visitgranvillenc.com and social media channels.

 

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TownTalk: Tax Prep Help Available

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The IRS is offering assistance to eligible tax filers during special Saturday hours at a couple of locations in Granville County beginning this Saturday, Feb. 24.

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly programs are available to offer free tax help for taxpayers who qualify.

Representative of the two programs will be at Richard Thornton Public Library in Oxford from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.  on Feb. 24; if evening hours are better, make plans to go to the library’s South Branch Monday, Feb. 26 between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. to request help.

The next closest location for the free tax help offered by VITA and TCE is at the Taxpayer Assistance Center, 7751 Brier Creek Parkway, Suite 102, Raleigh. At this location, in-person help is available from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

No appointment is required for any of the sites offering the help.

The VITA program has operated for more than 50 years. VITA sites offer free tax help to people who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns, including:

  • People who generally make $64,000 or less
  • Persons with disabilities; and
  • Limited English-speaking taxpayers

Before going to a VITA or TCE site, see Publication 3676-B for services provided and check out What to Bring to ensure you have all the required documents and information the volunteers will need to help you.

Visit www.irs.gov to find out more, including what types of information you’ll need to bring, including a government-issued photo ID, Social Security numbers or ITIN for all household members and more.

Additional resources are found below:

 

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N.C. Rep. Sossamon Plans Forums In Vance, Granville To Raise Awareness About Human Trafficking

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Human trafficking continues to be a concern in North Carolina, with the state consistently ranking within the top 10 for the highest number of trafficking cases. To address this pressing concern, N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon is scheduling a couple of forums for his District 32 constituents to raise awareness and foster community engagement.

Sossamon said, “The more we know about human trafficking, the lower the number of trafficking cases.” With this in mind, he emphasizes the importance of community involvement in recognizing and reporting suspected instances of trafficking. “When it comes to human trafficking, vocalizing suspicions is essential to saving lives,” he said.

The forums will be held Tuesday, Mar. 12 at Perry Memorial Library and Thuersday, Mar. 14 at the Granville County Expo Center. Members of the North Carolina Human Trafficking Commission will facilitate the meeting, which will feature local highway patrol, victim advocates and community leaders, who will provide insights into the prevalence of human trafficking, its impact on communities and ways individuals can help prevent and address it. Both sessions will feature a 4 p.m. session tailored for law enforcement professionals and a 6 p.m. session open to the general public.

Upcoming Blood Drives

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Recent inclement weather across the country has hampered blood drive efforts, and demands for blood and plasma and blood donations continues to be greater than supply. There are several local opportunities to give blood in Vance and Granville counties through February.

The American Red Cross urges donors to give blood or platelets now to continue to strengthen the national blood supply.

Book a time to give by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-RED CROSS. People of all blood types – especially type O blood donors, the most needed blood group by hospitals – and platelet donors are needed daily to ensure blood products are available for hospitals at a moment’s notice.

As February continues, so does the potential for additional weather systems to disrupt blood drives and the ability to provide critical blood products to hospitals. While thousands of donors have answered the call to donate in recent weeks to combat a significant drop in the blood supply, more donors are needed now to ensure the blood supply remains ready for those in need of lifesaving medical procedures.

 

As a way to say thanks for helping, all who come to give in February will get a $20 Amazon.com Gift Card by email. Details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Heart.

Upcoming blood drives:

Vance

Henderson

2/20/2024: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Vance Granville Community College, 200 Community College Road

2/20/2024: 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Kerr Lake Country Club, 600 Hedrick Road

 

Granville

 

Butner

2/29/2024: 12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Butner Town Hall, 415 Central Avenue

 

Creedmoor

2/16/2024: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Creedmoor Community Center, 116 Douglas Drive

 

Oxford

2/23/2024: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Oxford United Methodist Church, 105 W McClanahan St

2/28/2024: 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., Thornton Branch, 210 Main Street

Oxford Prep School

SportsTalk: Oxford Prep Softball Looking For Back To Back Championships

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It’s never easy to repeat as a champion, but Oxford Prep Softball Coach Tommy Anstead feels as though his team has a pretty good chance to win a conference championship in 2024.  “We have 12 or 13 girls returning including all of our starters except one,” Anstead said on Thursday’s SportsTalk.

The team is counting on another strong performance from pitcher Addison Faucette.  Last season, as a freshman, Faucette was 16-3 on the year with an earned run average of 1.79.   Oxford Prep can hit the ball too.  “We had seven players with a batting average of over .300 and of the seven, four were over .400,” Anstead said.

Anstead expects tough competition this season citing Roxboro and Vance Charter as teams that could cause problems for Oxford Prep this season. Anstead also says the team has a tougher schedule this season.  Oxford Prep opens the season on March 1st against county rival J.F. Webb.

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SportsTalk: UNC Baseball Starts Friday

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Former Kerr-Vance Academy standout and Granville County native Daniel Wilkerson is excited about Friday!  Wilkerson, assistant to the head coach for UNC Baseball, is ready to get the 15th-ranked Tar Heels on the field for the first game of the season Friday.  “I can’t sleep the night before.  It’s like Christmas morning,” Wilkerson said.

The Tar Heels open the season with a three-game series against Wagner.  The first game is Friday afternoon at 4 p.m.  The Tar Heels are just one of six ACC teams ranked in the top 15 nationally including No. 1 ranked Wake Forest.  “We didn’t play them last year and I can’t wait to go to Winston-Salem this year,” Wilkerson said.  “The rankings are meaningless.  I ignore the rankings.  We still have to go win baseball games,” Wilkerson added.

Wilkerson is also excited about his team’s prospects.  “We’ve got young arms and a good pitching staff.  We are deep in the bull pen,” said Wilkerson.

Daniel Wilkerson joined the UNC baseball program as Assistant to the head Coach and Clubhouse/Equipment manager during the 2022 fall semester.

 

Early Voting Information For Granville Voters

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One-stop early voting for the Mar. 5 primary begins in less than two days and the Granville County Board of Elections reminds voters to bring a photo ID to make your trip to the polls smooth and simple.

The early voting begins Thursday, Feb. 15 and continues through Saturday, Mar. 2. The polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on each day and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 2. Granville County have three options to cast their vote before the Mar. 5 primary:

  • Oxford Public Works building meeting room 127 Penn Ave., Oxford
  • South Branch Library multipurpose room, 1550 South Campus Dr., Creedmoor
  • Tar River Elementary School gymnasium, 2642 Philo White Rd., Franklinton

*Philo White Road is located off Hwy. 96 before the intersection with Hwy. 56 and is within Granville County, despite the Franklinton mailing address

To learn more about the upcoming elections, visit https://www.granvillecounty.org/government/board-of-elections/2024-primary-election/ or call the Board of Elections at 919.693.2515.

Openings On Several Boards, Committees In Granville County

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Live in Granville County and want to volunteer in some capacity? There are openings on several citizen advisory boards and committees, and the board of commissioners is accepting applications now.

Most positions will be filled by citizens who reside in the district listed, but final appointment decisions are at the discretion of the board, according to information from Clerk to the Board Debra Weary. Some positions must be filled by residents that reside within the Extra-Territorial  Jurisdiction of a municipality, which is roughly a one-mile radius outside of the municipal limits. These appointees serve as county representatives on those municipal advisory boards.

Vacant seats are available for the following boards and committees:

  • Butner Board of Adjustment (ETJ, should reside in District 7). The Butner Board of Adjustment meets monthly on Thursdays at 7 p.m.
  • Butner Planning Board (ETJ, should reside in District 7). The Butner Planning Board meets monthly on Thursdays at 7 p.m.
  • Granville County Planning Board (District 7). The Planning Board meets monthly on Thursdays at 7 p.m.
  • Granville County Social Services Board (At-Large County Appointment). The Social Services Board meets monthly on Tuesdays at 5 p.m.

Applications, as well as details about the various boards and committees, are available on the Granville County website:https://www.granvillecounty.org/government/other-boards-commissions/

Completed applications should be returned to Debra Weary, Clerk to the Board of Commissioners, by email at debra.weary@granvillecounty.org, hand delivered in person to the county administration office located at 104 Belle St. in Oxford, or by mail to P.O. Box 906, Oxford, NC 27565 to the attention of Debra Weary.

To verify your district, please visit the N.C .State Board of Elections website: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/  and look for the district number beside “County Commissioner” under “your jurisdictions.” If you need additional assistance, contact the Granville County Addressing and GIS Mapping Coordinator at 919.692.1278.

 

Granville County Public Schools Leadership Changes

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-information courtesy of GCPS Public Information Officer Courtney Currin

The Granville County Board of Education approved several changes in district leadership positions at its Feb. 5 meeting and, in doing so, reduced the number of central services staff by two positions.

Vickie Hines was named the district’s Chief Financial Officer. She has been serving as an interim in that role since March 2022. Hines has worked with GCPS since 2007, and has held roles as Early Childhood Education coordinator, grants program coordinator and assistant finance officer.

Courtney Currin was named assistant superintendent of Human Resources and Operations and will begin that role July 1, 2024. She currently is the executive director of Human Resources and public information officer; Currin will continue as public information officer for the district, but will be succeeded by Latisa McKnight as the new executive director of Human Resources, also effective July 1, 2024.

Currin has close to 20 years of experience in public education – all in GCPS. She began her career as an English teacher at J.F. Webb High School and has served as an assistant principal and principal at multiple grade spans. She has served in the Human Resources department since July 2021.

McKnight, currently the personnel coordinator within the Human Resources department, will assume the director duties in the new fiscal year. McKnight came to Granville County School as a principal intern at Butner-Stem Elementary and went on to be assistant principal for five years and then principal for six years at Creedmoor Elementary.

The role of personnel coordinator will not be filled, according to the press release. The second position that will not be filled is executive director of Operations, currently held by Bill Graham, who announced his retirement after 36 years in education, including terms as principal of South Granville High School, Granville Central High School and Granville Academy.

“I am very confident that these proven leaders will do an exceptional job in their new roles. As we continue to address the upcoming budgetary challenges, we will maximize efficiency and target our resources to where they matter most, closest to our schools, serving our students,” said Superintendent Stan Winborne.

“By consolidating services at the Central Office level and reducing positions, we will save approximately $118,600,” Currin said in an email to WIZS News.