NC Coop Extension

NC Cooperative Extension to Offer Backyard Agriculture 101 Online Workshop Series

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-Information courtesy Paul McKenzie, Agricultural Extension Agent, NC Cooperative Extension

Want to learn more about raising your own food, or about taking care of your small farm? NC Cooperative Extension will offer Backyard Ag 101, an eight-part online course to show you the basics.

This series is free and will be offered via the Zoom video conferencing platform. It will include topics such as vegetable gardening, managing backyard poultry, small fruit production, managing small woodlots, small-scale livestock & pasture management, landscape basics, and IPM (bugs, weeds, and plant diseases).

This is an 8-week series beginning Wednesday, April 15 and continuing each Wednesday through June 3 from 10 – 11:30 a.m. The course will be taught by Agricultural Extension Agents from the Vance, Warren, Granville, and Person County offices.

To see the full schedule with dates and times and to register for this FREE series visit https://go.ncsu.edu/BackyardAg101. Please note that space is limited and registration is required.

If you have questions, please call 252-438-8188 or email paul_mckenzie@ncsu.edu.

Town Talk 04/06/20: NC811 Director Reminds Public to ‘Call Before You Dig’

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Louis Panzer, executive director of North Carolina 811, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.

Known for its “Call Before You Dig” slogan, NC811 has provided the public with a communications link between local utility providers since 1978.

With April being recognized as Safe Digging Month, Panzer said now is the perfect time to discuss the legal requirement of having utilities marked before digging.

Panzer explained that NC law requires anyone engaging in excavation or demolition activities to contact NC811 at least three working days prior to starting the work. NC811 will then notify the member facility owners within your area of excavation or demolition requests.

The member facility owner then has three working days to provide a response and to mark any underground facilities that may be in conflict with the work area. Only publicly owned lines will be marked by the facility owner; private lines will not be indicated.

NC811 services are provided to residents free of charge and are designed to protect both the safety of those digging as well as the integrity of the telecommunication and utility networks underground.

“So many people rely on services that we sometimes take for granted,” said Panzer. “Telecommunication has increasingly become important, especially during this time where more people are working from home. People are sheltered in place and their children are at home being educated online.”

With an average of five conflicting utilities around your home or business, Panzer said it is better to contact NC811 and ask questions before engaging in even commonplace outdoor projects such as gardening or planting shrubbery.

Steps in the 811 utility location process include:

  1. Call 811. Before calling, have information ready such as your address, property specifics, the area you wish to have located, any special considerations, etc. For a full listing of the required information, click here.
  2. Wait the required time. NC law requires that a three working day notice be given to the utility owners before you dig. Member facilities have three full working days, beginning the first working day after the notice is given, to mark the area requested for underground utilities or to notify the excavator of no conflict in the area.
  3. Check Positive Response. Positive Response is both a by-phone and online means for the utility members of NC811 to provide information regarding the status of your location request. Click here for more information.
  4. Respect the marks. The underground facilities located on your property will be identified by color-coded paint, stakes or flags and should not be disturbed.
  5. Dig with care. If damage occurs, notify the facility owner directly. You can also dial 811 to report damage to underground facilities. In the event of a gas release, remove yourself from the area immediately and call 911 to report.

For more information on NC811, call by simply dialing 8-1-1, download the 811 app or visit www.nc811.org.

To hear the interview with Panzer in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program for Small Businesses Launches

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-Press Release, U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Jovita Carranza launched the Paycheck Protection Program, a $349 billion emergency loan program created last week with the President’s signing of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES).

The program provides forgivable loans up to $10 million to small businesses left financially distressed by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The loans, which will be administered at the local level by a national network of banks and credit unions, are designed to maintain the viability of millions of small businesses struggling to meet payroll and day-to-day operating expenses.

“These loans will bring immediate economic relief and eight weeks of financial certainty to millions of small businesses and their employees,” SBA Administrator Carranza said. “We urge every struggling small business to take advantage of this unprecedented federal resource – their viability is critically important to their employees, their community, and the country.”

The loans, which are 100% backed by SBA, are being provided to small businesses without collateral requirements, personal guarantees, SBA fees, or credit elsewhere tests. Those eligible for the program include small businesses, certain non-profits, veterans’ organizations, self-employed individuals, independent contractors, and other businesses meeting size standards based on their North American Industry Classification System code.

The Paycheck Protection Program’s maximum loan amount is $10 million with a fixed 1% interest rate and maturity of two years.

The loans are available to cover up to eight weeks of average monthly payroll (based on 2019 figures) plus 25% and payments are deferred for six months (interest does accrue). The SBA will forgive the portion of loan proceeds used for payroll costs and other designated operating expenses for up to eight weeks, provided at least 75% of loan proceeds are used for payroll costs. Eligible expenses for the eight-week forgiveness include:

  • Payroll costs (excluding the prorated portion of any compensation above $100,000 per year for any person. Payroll costs include salary, commissions, tips; certain employee benefits including sick leave and health care premiums, and state and local taxes;
  • Mortgage interest (not prepayment or principal payments) and rent payments on mortgages and leases in existence after February 15, 2020;
  • Utilities such as electricity, gas, water, transportation, phone and internet access for services that began before February 15, 2020; and
  • Additional wages paid to tipped employees.

Visit www.SBA.gov/Coronavirus for additional resources about protecting your business, employees and customers.

Granville NC Cooperative Extension Announces New Office Hours

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-Press Release, NC Cooperative Extension

The Granville County Center of North Carolina Cooperative Extension has announced new office hours, which went into effect April 1, 2020. The Granville County Extension Center is now open from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday of each week. This action is being taken due to policy changes through NC State University and the UNC Board of Governors that have been made due to the COVID-19 crisis.

“In keeping with the new work policies and mandates to utilize good social practices to slow the spread of COVID-19, NC Cooperative Extension employees are being encouraged to work at home and to limit contact in the office,” said Paul Westfall, Granville County Extension Director. “Those policy changes, combined with school closings and some families with members at a higher severity risk of COVID-19 should they contract the disease, have limited the people available to be in the office.”

The Granville County Cooperative Extension team is still available to work with clients and will continue to provide research-based information to farmers, families, and youth. “Look for a lot more use of electronic delivery methods, including webinars and use of social media,” Westfall said.

Extension Agents are available to make field visits and will be using social distancing while working with clients. Field visits are especially critical for Agriculture, as crops will soon be planted and hay will soon be cut. Agents will be using the precautions required to prevent transmission of COVID-19 while dealing with the public.

People should follow the recommendations of health professionals and follow all recommended practices to slow the spread of COVID-19. Check with NC Cooperative Extension Granville County, the Granville-Vance Health Department, or your health professional for information on COVID-19.

Congressman Butterfield to Hold Teleconference for Small Business Owners

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-Information courtesy the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce

Congressman G.K. Butterfield will host a teleconference on Tuesday, April 7, 2020, at 10 a.m. for any small business owner in North Carolina’s First Congressional District.

Butterfield will provide a brief update on the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act designed to provide emergency assistance and health care response for individuals, families and businesses affected by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.

Representatives from the Small Business Administration will also be available to answer any questions. The dial-in number for the teleconference is (646) 558-8656 and the access code is 257 939 448 #.

Granville County Public Schools

Volunteers Step In to Offer Meals to Granville Children April 10 – 17

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-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools

Granville County Public Schools’ child nutrition staff have been working hard to provide meals to students during this difficult time. During the week of April 10 – 17, staff will not be working, so the community will be stepping in to provide some options for our hungry children.

Instead of the normal meal locations, there will be six sites open this week:

  1. CG Credle Elementary School

  2. The Oxford Housing Authority

  3. Stovall Shaw Elementary School

  4. The Highway 15 Trailer Park Neighborhood

  5. Butner Stem Middle School

  6. Mt Energy Elementary School

Volunteers will be on these sites between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to distribute meals that have been generously donated by members of the community.

In addition, the owner of the Oxford and Butner McDonalds has also generously donated meal vouchers for children during this same time. These vouchers may be received at one of the six sites. Children must be present to receive these meals.

If you are interested in volunteering to help distribute meals during this time, please click here for more information. If you would like to make a monetary donation to support this effort, please visit the Union Bank branch in Oxford or Creedmoor. Just tell the drive-thru teller you’d like to make a donation to support the Community Children Meal Program.

The school district plans to resume our child meal services on Monday, April 20 with a modified schedule of three days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) as long as our staff can safely do so. We will provide updates for that program as needed.

We thank you all for your support of our children and the community. Together, we will get through these difficult times.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy’s Work Continues During Stay-at-Home Ordinance

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-Information courtesy Tanya Evans, District Manager, Duke Energy

The health and safety of Duke Energy customers, our employees and the communities where we operate is our top priority. As one of the many essential services responding to this national emergency, our work continues even while there is a stay-at-home ordinance.

We continue to respond to power outages and other emergencies. Our company technicians are also completing service orders such as new electric connections, lighting repairs and tree trimming around our lines and substations, but we are doing it in ways that follow the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s safety guidelines.

Here is how one of our lineworkers explains the changes in their routine as a result of the virus. Click here to see it on our Twitter page or you can find it on YouTube.

Equipping Nonprofits to Weather the Pandemic

The NC Center for Nonprofits and Duke Energy have teamed up with the Nonprofit Risk Management Center to offer a FREE four-part webinar series, Building Organizational Resilience, to help nonprofits take the necessary steps to prepare for a crisis. The webinar series begins on April 8. Click here to learn more.

Also, in addition to providing support to hunger relief efforts across the state, the Duke Energy Foundation is reaching out to our non-profit grant recipients and providing flexibility in using existing grants to respond to their changing needs as a result of COVID-19.

Working in Your Community

As one of the many essential services responding to this national emergency, our work continues – even in those areas with stay-at-home ordinances. You may still see some of our field technicians working in and around your neighborhood. Their work is helping to ensure that residential communities, businesses and critical facilities have the power they need throughout this time.

As a precaution, if you do see our workers, please avoid approaching them and their work areas. If there is a need to speak with them, be aware that they will be maintaining at least 6 feet of separation. We’ll also be keeping this recommended distance anytime direct interaction for essential services is required on customer properties, inside homes and businesses, consistent with CDC and other public health guidelines.

Financial Relief for Customers

We realize that many of our customers are facing unusual financial hardships as a result of the pandemic. That’s why we’ve taken several measures to help lessen the strain on those most vulnerable. We’ve suspended disconnections for nonpayment and we’re waiving fees for late payments, credit card payments and walk-in pay centers. We’ve also relaxed our timelines for payment extensions.

We encourage all customers to stay as current as possible with their payments to avoid building up a large balance that may be difficult to manage later. If you or anyone you know needs help paying, a number of assistance programs may also be available.

Finally, if spending more time at home is affecting your budget, consider these quick tips to help keep energy use in check:

  • Wash full laundry loads rather than multiple, small loads. You’ll save water, detergent and energy.
  • Cover liquids and wrap foods before putting them in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods release moisture and force your appliance’s compressor to work harder.
  • Choose “sleep” over “screen saver.” While effective in preserving your computer monitor, screen savers require the same amount of energy as when a computer is in full use.

Throughout this challenging time, we will continue to provide you with more energy-saving ideas and ways to save. And remember, customers with smart meters can monitor their daily consumption online to gain better insight into new usage patterns.

Customer Service

You can take care of most routine service and account issues via our automated phone system and pay your bill online or through our mobile app.

If you have a more complex issue and need to speak with a customer service representative, we are available to help you Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. In an effort to keep our employees healthy and safe without compromising availability, our specialists are now working remotely and are able to provide all the same services as usual.

Stay Alert to Scams

Sadly, we all must stay alert to the possibility of criminal activity, especially during times of uncertainty. Remember that Duke Energy never asks for personal information over the phone and never demands payment using money orders or gift cards. If you are unsure if a call or visit is legitimate, hang up or decline service and call us directly.

We will continue to look for ways to help you negotiate these difficult times. You can keep up with our preparations as circumstances change by visiting dukeenergyupdates.com.

VGCC Small Business Center Offering Eight-Part ‘Doing Business Remotely’ Series

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-Information courtesy the VGCC Small Business Center

The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center is offering an eight-part series to teach small business owners and employees how to use the various tools needed to make working remotely easier and more efficient.

Sessions will be led by Kristen Taber, founder of the local Warren County business Tabletop Media and members of her professional team. All sessions are from 10 – 11:30 a.m., including time for Q & A.

Sessions include:

April 7 – Zoom Video Communications

April 9 – Google Suite

April 14 – Basecamp & Other Project Management Systems

April 16 – Dropbox & Other Storage and File-Sharing Tools

April 21 – Scheduling Tools

April 23 – Mailchimp, Constant Contact & Other Contact Management Tools

April 28 – Slack & Other Collaboration Tools

April 30 – Virtual Team Building

Register no later than twenty-four hours prior to each session at www.vgcc.edu/coned/small-business-center/#schedules

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Board of Education’s April 6 Meeting to be Conducted Electronically

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-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools

NOTICE TO PUBLIC AND PRESS

The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a regular board meeting on Monday, April 6, 2020, at 6 p.m.  However, in observance of the Governor’s “Stay-at-Home” Order, this meeting will be conducted electronically, with members of the public invited to view via live stream. To join the live stream meeting, please use the following link:

https://live.myvrspot.com/player?udi=Z3Nj&c=Z3JhbnZpbGxlMQ%3D%3D

Public comments for this meeting will be accepted in writing by using the link below. Comments entered into this form between the hours of 2 and 4 p.m. on April 6, 2020, will be distributed to the Board of Education members prior to the meeting and the first two minutes of each comment will be read aloud during the meeting.

A maximum of 30 minutes in total will be allotted for public comment.

https://forms.gle/wjRRsVRpJvcrwfFs8

To view the agenda for this meeting, please click here.

Town Talk 04/02/20: NCAFP’s Greg Griggs Discusses Coronavirus Challenges

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Greg Griggs, executive vice president of the North Carolina Academy of Family Physicians (NCAFP), appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

With a membership of over 4,200 family physicians, family medicine residents and medical students, the mission of the NCAFP is to advance the specialty of family medicine to improve the health of patients, families and communities in North Carolina.

In light of the current COVID-19 health crisis, the NCAFP’s communication with its members is more important than ever. “It’s certainly unprecedented times in healthcare – for the physicians as well as the patients,” said Griggs.

One of the greatest challenges physicians are facing with coronavirus, according to Griggs, is knowing who to test and when to test, especially with recommendations and testing capabilities changing almost daily.

“Initially, the protocol was to test as many people as possible,” Griggs explained. “With community spread increasing, that recommendation changed. Now, if you have mild symptoms and think you have it, you’ll be told to stay at home, not get tested and to treat it like any other virus.”

The reason for the change is two-fold: if you are not infected with COVID-19, physicians and hospitals do not want you to become exposed to the virus from others via an in-person visit; if you do have it and come in-person, you risk exposing other people who may not have it.

For those showing symptoms including fever, cough and shortness of breath, Griggs recommended contacting your doctor’s office for guidance, “but don’t be surprised if they say you don’t need to get tested; that’s part of the CDC and NCDHHS guidelines. It’s taking social distancing to the nth degree.”

Another challenge for patients with existing health conditions is to know when to keep doctor appointments, when to reschedule and how to get the medical help they need while minimizing their exposure risk.

Even with Governor Cooper’s Stay At Home Executive Order in place until at least April 29, NC residents are still able to visit their healthcare provider, pick up medication from a pharmacy, buy groceries and engage in other travel deemed “essential.”

The general rule of thumb for rescheduling procedures and appointments during this national shutdown is to consider the long-term health consequences. For example, many patients and physicians are rescheduling elective surgeries that are not life-threatening.

“Putting off surgeries and procedures where the health risk of postponement is minimal keeps you healthy and keeps resources available for the sickest,” Griggs stated.

What physicians are most concerned about, he said, are patients with chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and heart conditions.

“We don’t want people with chronic conditions to ignore or put off their appointments,” said Griggs. “Before being seen face-to-face, call your doctor’s office and talk about alternative methods such as telehealth virtual visits or even the possibility of being assisted in the parking lot.”

For more information on the NCAFP, please visit www.ncafp.com.

To hear the interview with Griggs in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.