Oxford Logo

City of Oxford: Planning, Public Safety Committees to Meet Mon., June 10

/by

-Information courtesy Cynthia Bowen, City Clerk, City of Oxford

The Planning, Business & Community Development Committee for the Oxford Board of Commissioners will meet on Monday, June 10, 2019, at 12:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the First Floor Training Room, City Hall, 300 Williamsboro Street in Oxford.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the City’s procedures for public hearings related to planning and zoning issues.

All those interested are invited to attend.

—————————————————————————————————————————————————-

The Public Safety Committee for the Oxford Board of Commissioners will meet on Monday, June 10, 2019, at 1:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the First Floor Training Room, City Hall, 300 Williamsboro Street in Oxford.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the disposition of a 1989 Fire Cat truck.

All those interested are invited to attend.

New VGCC Scholarship Endowed in Memory of Local Couple

/by

-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Dr. M.W. Wester, III, and his wife, Sara Wester, of Henderson have endowed a new scholarship at Vance-Granville Community College in memory of Dr. Wester’s parents.

The new Presidential Merit Award-level scholarship honors the legacy of the late Dr. and Mrs. M.W. Wester, Jr., better known as “Wes” and “Dee Dee” to their friends.

The late Dr. M.W. Wester, Jr. and Dee Dee Wester. (Photo contributed by the family)

The Westers met and married at Duke University, while he was a medical student and she was studying physical therapy. After completing school, they returned to his hometown, Henderson, where he opened a family medicine practice. He brought in a partner, Dr. Reg Tucker, and later Dr. Beverly Tucker, Dr. Roddy Drake, Dr. Randolph Mills and Dr. Franklin Mills.

The practice eventually became known as Henderson Family Medicine Clinic and is now Duke Primary Care Henderson. Dr. Wester was always interested in the education of new physicians and served as an adjunct faculty member at Duke and at UNC-Chapel Hill. He brought a number of medical students to the clinic in Henderson to complete their family practice rotations.

Mrs. Wester, born Eleanor Clardy, practiced physical therapy at Maria Parham Hospital for many years. Her hobby, however, was teaching ceramics, china painting and doll making at VGCC. She started teaching when the college was still a technical institute that was housed in the former Maria Parham Hospital in downtown Henderson, and she continued until 2008. Mrs. Wester also served on the VGCC Endowment Fund Board while she was serving as president of the Hospital Guild.

Sara Wester has continued her mother-in-law’s tradition of involvement with VGCC, as a member of the college’s board of trustees since 2004.

The new scholarship will be awarded to a student in a Health Sciences program.

VGCC Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson, Endowment Specialist Kay Currin and President Dr. Rachel Desmarais join Sara Wester and Dr. M.W. “Buddy” Wester, III, to celebrate the creation of the new scholarship in memory of Dr. Wester’s parents, during the 35th annual VGCC Endowment Fund Golf Tournament at the Henderson Country Club. (VGCC photo)

“This scholarship is a fitting tribute to the Westers’ lifetime of service and will inspire the students who receive it, as they pursue their own careers serving others through health care,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, VGCC’s president. “At the same time, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vance-Granville, we are reminded of the important role of continuing education classes like those taught by Mrs. Wester, which have provided not only skills but also joy to members of the community throughout our history.”

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 9,400 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information, call (252) 738-3409.

Granville County Public Schools

Leadership Changes Announced for Granville Co. Public Schools

/by

-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

At their regularly scheduled meeting on Monday, June 3, 2019, the Granville County Board of Education approved recommended changes to numerous leadership positions at the school and district levels. These positions will become effective July 1, 2019, and will be in effect for the 2019-2020 academic year.

Superintendent McLean offered these remarks regarding these changes, saying, “We have made tremendous progress in the past two years. I am so proud of the amazing opportunities our staff provide for our students day in and day out. With these new appointments, it is my hope we will continue our trajectory of excellence and be poised for an even brighter future for our pupils.”

New Principal Assignments:

Billy Moore – Mt Energy Elementary School

Bethany Bonnemere – West Oxford Elementary School

Ashley Clark – Butner Stem Middle School

David Hackney – JF Webb School of Health and Life Sciences

 

New Assistant Principal Assignments:

Sophelia McMannon – Butner Stem Elementary School

Donald Johnson – CG Credle Elementary School

Benjy Downing – Wilton Elementary School

Charmain Day-Heggie – Butner Stem Middle School

Nancy Russell – GC Hawley Middle School

Sherria Grubbs – Northern Granville Middle School

Ashley Lloyd – Northern Granville Middle School

 

District Assignments:

Bill Graham – Principal of Granville Academy & District Disciplinary Coordinator

Angie Salisbury – CTE IMC & Secondary Coordinator

Shelby Hunt – Title I Instructional & Grants Coordinator (Elementary MTSS)

Gwen Loftin – Interim Technology Director

Vickie Hines – PK & Early Childhood Day Coordinator

Lauren Curtis – STEAM and Code Coordinator (Secondary MTSS)

All district-level staffing represent placements or re-assignments of pre-existing positions and duties that were previously held by other individuals.

I Voted Sticker

Granville Board of Elections to Conduct Seminar on Voter ID Requirement

/by

-Press Release, Granville County Board of Elections

The Granville County Board of Elections will hold an educational seminar about voter photo identification requirements at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 18, 2019, at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center,  4185 US Highway 15 South, Oxford, NC 27565.

The seminar is free and open to the public.

Beginning in 2020, voters will be required to provide photo identification before they vote. This includes both in-person and by-mail voting, with some exceptions. In November 2018, North Carolina voters approved an amendment to the N.C. Constitution to require voters to present photo ID at the polls.

Session Law 2018-144 requires each county board of elections to hold at least two voter ID seminars before September 1, 2019. Attendees also will receive information about voting options, including absentee-by-mail, One-Stop early voting and Election Day voting. Information about provisional voting, the availability of free North Carolina voter ID cards and residency requirements for voting also will be provided.

For more information on the voter ID requirement in North Carolina, please go to www.ncsbe.gov/Voter-ID.

Questions? Please contact the Granville County Board of Elections at 919-693-2515 or Granville.boe@granvillecounty.org.

NC Dept of Agriculture

Flying Drones Near Wildfires Could Result in Felony Charge

/by

-Press Release, NCDA&CS

An increased use of drones, or unmanned aerial systems, around active wildfires are putting wildland firefighting operations at risk. These devices fly within the same altitude as aerial firefighting aircraft, which is between ground level and 200 feet.

Firefighting aircraft do not have any methods of detecting drones other than by seeing them. Visually detecting drones is nearly impossible due to their small size.

“To put it simply, drones and firefighting aircraft don’t mix,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “If you fly, the firefighters can’t. Aerial collisions between drones and aircraft could occur. Due to these safety concerns, when drones are spotted near wildfires, aircraft must land or move away to other areas. This means no fire retardant or water can be dropped, no tactical information can be provided to firefighters from above, and homes or other property could be put at risk if wildfires grow larger.”

The N.C. Forest Service is requesting the public’s help to keep wildland and aerial firefighters safe by not flying drones anywhere near a wildfire. N.C. General Statue 14-208.3 states that drone operators may not damage, disrupt the operation of or otherwise interfere with manned flights. Anyone in violation of this law can be found guilty of a Class H felony.

For more information, contact your local N.C. Forest Service office or visit www.ncforestservice.gov.

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation Endows Third VGCC Scholarship

/by

-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

The Triangle North Healthcare Foundation recently endowed a new scholarship specifically designed to support Vance-Granville Community College Nursing students who are enrolled in a program to complete bachelor’s degrees.

In awarding the “Triangle North Healthcare Foundation RIBN Presidential Scholar Award,” preference will be given to students in the “Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses” (RIBN) program. RIBN students are simultaneously enrolled at the community college and North Carolina A&T State University. They earn associate’s degrees in nursing through VGCC over three years (while also taking A&T courses online) and then continue for one year of additional courses at A&T required for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

From left, Triangle North Healthcare Foundation (TNHF) executive director Val Short, VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais and Arline Richardson, a TNHF board member and chair of its Scholarship Committee, celebrate the creation of the new scholarship. (VGCC photo)

The new endowment marks a continuation of the partnership between the college and the foundation, which has already created two VGCC Academic Achievement Scholarships, one of which is also designed to be awarded to students in the RIBN program. The Presidential Scholar Award is the college’s second-highest scholarship tier.

“Triangle North Healthcare Foundation is pleased to support the RIBN program, which enables a local student to achieve a bachelor’s degree in nursing at a university while remaining in the community,” said Val Short, the Foundation’s executive director.

Based in Henderson, the Triangle North Healthcare Foundation provides grants to nonprofits organizations, governmental agencies, and schools in Vance, Warren, Granville and Franklin counties. The Foundation also provides scholarships to students in the region who are pursuing health care careers.

“We are grateful for the Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s partnership with our college to further strengthen the RIBN program,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, VGCC’s president. “This scholarship will be a new source of support to help outstanding Nursing students prepare for rewarding careers in health care and meet employers’ need for highly-trained professionals.”

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 9,400 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information, call (252) 738-3409.

Oxford Logo

Tickets to be Issued for U-Turns, Semi-Circle Turns in Downtown Oxford

/by

-Press Release, City of Oxford

The City of Oxford is reminding the citizens of Oxford that on February 13, 2018, the Oxford Board of Commissioners voted to make the following changes to Chapter 20 Section 56 of the Traffic Ordinance for the City of Oxford’s Code of Ordinances.

§ 20-56 Paragraph A – No driver shall make a semicircular turn or U-turn at the intersection of Spring and Main Street, nor shall a driver make a U-turn or semi-circle turn to reverse direction or to park on the opposite side of the street within the business district.

To aid the citizens of Oxford in recalling this change in Oxford’s ordinance, the Board has decided that from Wednesday, May 15 through June 30, 2019, the Oxford Police Department will only issue warning tickets.

If you have any questions, please contact the Oxford Police Department at 919-693-3161 or the City Clerk’s office at 919-603-1100.

NC Dept of Agriculture

Ag. Commissioner Troxler: ‘Farmers Should Prepare for Hurricane Season’

/by

-Press Release, NCDA&CS

Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler’s annual plea for farmers to prepare for hurricane season is especially poignant this year in light of Hurricane Florence’s destruction in 2018.

“So many of us are still suffering from the effects of Hurricane Florence. This storm has been a disastrous reminder of just how important it is to have an emergency plan for your farm, food company or agribusiness,” Troxler said. “Take precautions, think through your plan now and discuss it with your employees and family.”

Scientists at N.C. State University are predicting 13 to 16 named storms in the Atlantic basin this year, which is the average as of recent years. Of those storms, five to seven could become hurricanes. The Atlantic hurricane season typically runs June 1 to Nov. 30.

Planning helps farmers protect their families, workers, equipment and buildings, Troxler said. “Livestock operations should maintain emergency plans that address power needs and on-site feed capabilities,” he said. “Also, identify places to relocate animals from low-lying areas. We need farmers to take these precautions to reduce animal losses from the storm.”

Farmers and businesses should review insurance policies to ensure they have proper coverage, including wind, hail, flood and catastrophic coverage if necessary. Some coverage takes 30 days to go into effect.

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has a website, www.ncagr.gov/disaster, with links and resources for different types of agribusinesses to plan and recover from a disaster. A Farm Emergency Plan Template is available on the site to help organize information that is needed after a disaster.

City of Oxford Operating New Street Sweeper; Offers Yard Waste Reminders

/by

-Information courtesy the City of Oxford’s E-Newsletter

The City of Oxford recently placed a new street sweeper into service. Citizens and visitors to Oxford will once again see the City’s streets clean and free of debris. The new sweeper will continue to follow the route previously established by the City of Oxford.

A Friendly Reminder Regarding Yard Waste

All grass, leaves, hedge trimmings and small items should be bagged, boxed or containerized in some manner, with the exception of city leaf collection when they can be placed at the curbside during the city’s designated leaf season: Mid-October through Mid-January.

  • Limbs should not exceed 4 feet in length.
  • Yard waste should not exceed 200 lbs. per week. Where brush is in excess of 2 inches in diameter, please cut into 2-3 feet lengths. NO stumps will be picked up.
  • Brush and limbs are to be tied or bundled. If not, please stack all ends the same way in a neat pile. Each bundle should not exceed 50 lbs.
  • All leaves, grass, hedge trimmings and small items should be bagged, boxed or containerized in some manner and should not exceed 50 lbs.
  • Leaves may be left loose (un-bagged), at the curb, during leaf season: Mid-October through Mid-January for collection by the City.
  • Do not blow mowed grass into the street. This can clog storm drains and add nitrogen and phosphorous to creeks.

Do not park your vehicles on, in front of, or near leaves. The crews need to be able to easily reach the leaves for pick up. Please do not place leaves in the street, block drainage basins, or drainage ditches. Leaves must be within 8-10 feet of the street for collection.

Please visit the City of Oxford’s website (click here) to identify which day of the week your yard/brush debris, garbage and recycling are collected.

If you have any questions, please contact Oxford’s Public Works Department at (919) 603-1151.

Reminder: Southern Appalachian Chamber Singers to Perform This Sunday!

/by

-Information courtesy McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center

The McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center will feature The Southern Appalachian Chamber Singers on Sunday, June 9, 2019. Show starts at 2 p.m.

A Part of the Music at McGregor Series

The Southern Appalachian Chamber Singers, founded in 1998 by Joel F. Reed, promote choral artistry by modeling the highest quality choral standard and performing a breadth of literature, including music from the southern Appalachian region.

The McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center will feature The Southern Appalachian Chamber Singers on Sunday, June 9, 2019. Show starts at 2 p.m. (Photo courtesy the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center)

The Southern Appalachian Chamber Singers are currently 25 singers who rehearse monthly in preparation for the ensemble’s performances. Many of the members are professional musicians, working in public and private schools, colleges and churches. Others are professionals from the business and medical communities who reside in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, and are, for the most part, alumni and retired faculty of Mars Hill University.

The ensemble has performed regularly in the North and South Carolina areas including conferences of North Carolina American Choral Directors Association and National Association for Music Education.

Tickets may be purchased by:

DROP IN: 201 Breckenridge Street, Henderson, N.C. Monday – Friday 1:30 – 5:30 p.m

CALL: (252) 598-0662 (M-F 1:30 – 5:30 p.m.)

CLICK HERE: www.McGregorHall.org  (Use the eTix official site, online fees apply)

(This is not a paid advertisement)