Join Downtown Oxford for Music & Movies on Main St.

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-Information courtesy Angela Allen, Director, Granville County Tourism Development Authority

Come to Historic Downtown Oxford to dine, shop and explore Main Street this summer for:

Music on Main Series: 

“The Konnection Band” on Friday, June 21 at 6 p.m.

“Carolina Soul Band” on Friday, July 26 at 6 p.m.

“Wood & Steel” on Friday, August 23 at 6 p.m.

FREE Community event where you can bring the family, a lawn chair and dancing shoes to show off those dance moves!

Movies on Main:

Thursday, June 6 – 8:30 p.m. – Ralph Breaks the Internet (PG)

Thursday, July 11 – 8:30 p.m. – 1981 Raiders of the Lost Ark (PG)

Thursday, August 8 – 8:30 p.m. – Small Foot (PG)

For more information, visit Downtown Oxford’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/VisitOxfordNC/

Granville County Principal Named N.C. School Hero

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-Press Release, NC Education Lottery

Michael Allen, principal at Joe Toler-Oak Hill Elementary School in Oxford, is known for always going above and beyond for his students. He helps to create a safe, nurturing school environment where every single child feels special.

Allen is rarely in his office. He can usually be found in the cafeteria serving food, or at the gym leading a game with the students. Whether he’s giving out gifts as Santa for Christmas or greeting each student at the drop-off area, Allen always finds a way to bring joy to his students.

Michael Allen (shown holding checks), principal at Joe Toler-Oak Hill Elementary School, was selected as one of the 10 winners of the Education Lottery’s School Heroes program. (Photo courtesy GCPS)

“Mr. Allen is an outstanding N.C. School Hero,” said Trina Vaughan, a parent at the school. “He is an unselfish, compassionate individual who cares very deeply about the youth in our community.”

Allen’s dedication to his job and his school led to his selection as one of the 10 winners of the Education Lottery’s School Heroes program.

“I feel honored and humbled. I don’t think I do any more than anyone else,” said Allen. “This is what I do. I’m here for the kids. If we make it hard for the kids to come to school and enjoy school, we’re not doing our jobs. I hope we will continue doing what’s good for the children.”

The North Carolina Education Lottery created the N.C. School Heroes program to showcase the positive impacts teachers, principals, and other school workers have in public schools every day. From 6,000 nominations, ten heroes were chosen with each receiving a $10,000 award and $10,000 for their school.

Students and teachers filled the bleachers in the school’s gym, opening the presentation with the Pledge of Allegiance. Then, they cheered and applauded as their hero received his award.

“There are thousands of heroes like Michael Allen doing amazing work in our public schools,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “Teachers, cafeteria workers, custodians, school resource officers, all make a big difference for our students every day. We’re glad our School Heroes program shines a spotlight on their great work.”

Money raised by the lottery assists many of those School Heroes, including $386 million this year that supports the work of school support staff such as office assistants and custodians. Additional money will help build and repair schools, support the N.C. Pre-K program for “at-risk” four-year-olds, provide college scholarships and grants based on financial need and help meet school transportation needs.

For details on how funds made a difference in Granville County, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website, www.nclottery.com.

Granville County Logo

Granville Commissioners to Hear on Proposed Budget – June 3

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-Information courtesy Debra A. Weary, Clerk to the Board, Granville County

The Granville County Board of Commissioners will meet Monday, June 3, 2019, at 7 p.m. at the Granville Expo and Convention Center, 4185 US Highway 15 South, Oxford.

Agenda items include:

Consent Agenda

1. Contingency Summary

2. Budget Amendment #7

Recognitions and Presentations

3. Juvenile Crime Prevention Council Update

Public Comments

4. Public Comments

Public Hearings

5. Land Development Code Text Amendment

Animal Management Matters

6. County Ordinance – Chapter 11: Animals – Proposed Revisions

Grant Matters

7. JCPC County Plan for FY 2019-2020

Appointments

8. Oxford Planning Board – Extraterritorial Member

9. Kerr-Tar Regional Economic Development Commission – Triangle North Board

County Manager’s Report

10. DHHS Memorandum of Understanding

11. ABC Resolution Request

County Attorney’s Report

12. Interlocal Agreement Between Creedmoor and Granville County – 122 Pecan Street

Budget Matters

13. FY 2019-2020 Budget

Presentations by County Board Members

14. Presentations by County Board Members

Any Other Matters

15. Any Other Matters

Closed Session

16. Closed Session as allowed by G.S. 143-318.11(a)(3) – Attorney-Client Matter

17. Closed Session as allowed by G.S. 143-318.11(a)(4) – Economic Development

To view Granville Co. Board of Commissioner meeting agendas and minutes, click here. 

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Board of Education to Meet Mon., June 3

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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, June 3, 2019, at 6 p.m. at the Granville County Public Schools Central Office, 101 Delacroix Street, Oxford, North Carolina.

The board will also meet in a Closed Session for a consultation with the Board’s attorney and Personnel/Attorney-Client Privileges in accordance with N.C. General Statute 143.318.11 (a)(6), 143-318.11 (a)(3), 143.318.11 (a)(5) and Section 115C-321 on this evening.

To find a copy of the agenda for the meeting, please use the following link: https://go.boarddocs.com/nc/gcsd/Board.nsf/Public

Corbitt Preservation Association Establishes Annual VGCC Scholarship

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-Information courtesy Vance-Granville Community College

On behalf of Vance-Granville Community College, Endowment Fund Director Eddie Ferguson recently accepted a check from Mr. Tom Burleson of the Corbitt Preservation Association.

The check is for an annual scholarship to be awarded to a second-year Mechatronics student holding the highest GPA. The scholarship recipient will also receive a one-year membership in the Corbitt Preservation Association.

On behalf of Vance-Granville Community College, Endowment Fund Director Eddie Ferguson (left) recently accepted a check from Mr. Tom Burleson (right) of the Corbitt Preservation Association. The check is for an annual scholarship to be awarded to a second-year Mechatronics student holding the highest GPA. (VGCC photo)

25th Annual Butner Chicken Pickin’ Weekend to Offer Food, Music & Fun

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-Information courtesy Angela Allen, Director, Granville County Tourism Development Authority

The Butner Community Association is hosting its 25th Annual Butner Chicken Pickin’ this weekend!

The festival weekend kicks off with the Butner Street Dance, which will be held on Friday, May 31, 2019, from 7 – 10 p.m. in the parking lot at Lifestyle Fitness on the corner of 16th & C Streets in Butner, weather permitting.

In the event of rain, the dance will be held at Soldiers Memorial Sports Arena located on 24th Street in Butner.

The band for the street dance is The Castaways.

The Butner Chicken Pickin’ is always held on the first Saturday in June, so mark your calendars for Saturday, June 1 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.! The day’s events include day-long live entertainment on two stages, a BBQ chicken cook-off contest, lots of food and craft vendors, kiddie activities, rides, a tractor show and a car show.

The featured band for Saturday’s event is The Soul Psychedelique.

The event will be held rain or shine at Gazebo Park on Central Avenue in Butner.

Granville County Library System

Granville Co. Library System: Full Slate of Events for Beginning of June

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

The four branches of the Granville County Library System have a full slate of programming and scheduled events for the first week of June.

On June 1, Dr. Elliott Engel will bring to life “The Inimitable Winston Churchill.” Engel has researched numerous biographies to discover virtually unknown details of the career of this twentieth-century giant. Using large doses of humor, Engel  – a resident of Raleigh and a former teacher at the University of North Carolina, North Carolina State University and Duke University –  will make his presentation at the South Branch at 3 p.m. The award-winning lecturer has published several books and magazine articles and has written four plays, which have been produced over the past ten years.

Dr. Elliott Engel will bring to life “The Inimitable Winston Churchill” on Saturday, June 1, 2019, at the South Branch at 3 p.m. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt.)

Best known for his service in promoting the life and work of Charles Dickens, Engel has also been inducted into the Royal Society of Arts in England and has been President of the Dickens Fellowship of North Carolina since 1980. The public is invited to attend this presentation to meet Mr. Engel and to learn more about the life and career of Winston Churchill. The South Branch is located at 1550 South Campus Drive in Creedmoor.

Also on June 1, “Teen Time” is scheduled for 2 until 4 p.m at the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford. Participants can enjoy Wii games, board games and refreshments. And immediately following at 4 p.m., those interested in attending a meeting of the recently-formed “Teen Club” will have an opportunity to offer suggestions to make their local library the place they would like for it to be. Anyone interested is asked to contact Amy Carlson at 919-693-1121, ext. 212.

A “Safe Space” for teens is held on the first Monday of each month in the small conference room of the Thornton Library. This mental health support group is offered from 5 until 6 p.m. For more information, contact Teen Librarian Amy Carlson.

Teens who enjoy cooking are invited to participate in the “Iron Chef Teen” Cooking Competition. The “Dessert Edition” of the challenge will be held on June 21 from 2 until 5 p.m., but now is the time to prepare. Those interested are invited to choose a partner and join in the high-stakes cooking competition that will involve cream cheese and cash prizes. All cooking levels are welcome. Register in person or online at granville.lib.nc.us.

Every Friday at 10 a.m., the Thornton Library offers a free computer workshop for those needing assistance with basic computer skills. For more details, contact Ashley Wilson at 919-693-1121.

Story Times are offered for young children at all library branches – The Stovall Library (Mondays), the South Branch Library (Tuesdays), the Berea branch (Tuesdays) and the Thornton Library (Wednesdays). All story times are scheduled for 10:30 a.m.

Students in kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to participate in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) every Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. at the Thornton Library. Hands-on activities and learning experiences are planned each week. Those interested in participating should call the library at 919-693-1121.

And prepare for the Summer Reading Program, which kicks off on June 20 with the theme “A Universe of Stories.” More details will be coming soon.

There are four branches of the Granville County Library System, which includes the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford, the South Branch in Creedmoor, the Berea branch and the Stovall Branch. For a complete listing of events for the month of June, visit https://granville.lib.nc.us/.

Salvation Army

Completion Date Nears for New 40-Acre Salvation Army Center

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The Salvation Army’s Captain Rick Langley was on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to provide updates on the organization’s new facility currently under construction on Ross Mill Road in Henderson.

With a focus on serving youth in the five-county area, the facility will be located on a 40-acre lot near Mako Medical Laboratories and Vance Charter School. According to Langley, completion is expected by October of this year with outside work being finalized over the next two weeks.

To emphasize the religious aspect of the organization, the building will feature more traditional church aesthetics. “The new building will have stain glass windows and a cross to make it look more church-like than institutional-like,” said Langley.

In a previous interview with WIZS, Langley stated that the facility will include a community center, gym, full-size commercial kitchen and two ball fields – baseball and soccer. A variety of programs will be provided including band lessons, drama classes, cooking lessons and Christian dance classes.

In addition to hosting Salvation Army-related games, the ballfields will double as the home field of the neighboring Vance Charter School Knights.

“I think it will be a great partnership with Vance Charter School,” said Langley. “They are a wonderful school and we look forward to sharing the facility and learning from their students, teachers and mentors.”

While construction is underway on the new building, the Salvation Army will continue to operate from its 355 Alexander Avenue location in Henderson. According to Langley, the Alexander Avenue property was recently sold to Tiff McCarter with “The City Ministries” based out of Durham, NC, and the two Christian-based organizations currently share the facility per their agreement.

In addition to the planning of a new facility, Langley has also been busy with the new Salvation Army Store located on Raleigh Road across from Supply Line in Henderson.

“The new store is doing better and better each week,” Langley reported. “People are starting to find out about us and discover some of the great deals we have. We get an unbelievable amount of stuff from Henderson and are able to sell it at very discounted prices. You can find some good deals and treasures if you’re there at the right time.”

With a large variety of items including clothing (some name brand), pictures, wall décor, vases, rugs, appliances and plenty of knickknacks, Langley said the store is a must-see.

According to Langley, the previous Salvation Army Store located at 222 W. Montgomery Street in downtown Henderson is currently used for storage and for the baling and sell of old rags at a price of 15 cents per pound.

“Our original intention was to open two stores, be we just couldn’t work that out,” explained Langley.

While Langley is proud of all the work he and wife Angie have put into the organization since being relocated to Henderson from South Carolina in 2012, he announced that the duo will be retiring in mid-June to Greenville to spend more time with family and grandchildren.

When asked to describe his experience working with his wife, Langley responded, “It has been wonderful. She’s the brains of the outfit for sure. She’s a go-getter and has done a lot for this community and its people.”

While leaving the area is bittersweet for Langley, he has faith in the Salvation Army’s new husband-and-wife team taking the helm, Derrick and Odessa Smith. “The Smiths are a wonderful couple transferring from Burlington,” said Langley. They are going to be program-minded and wide open. The community is really going to love them, I promise you that.”

To hear the Town Talk interview with Captain Rick Langley in its entirety, click here.

Granville County Logo

Granville County Considered for New DHHS Location

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-Press Release, Granville County Government 

Granville County Administration learned Tuesday that a proposal was included in the N.C. Senate budget for site selection in Granville County for the relocation of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS).

Section 39.2(1) of the Senate Budget directs the Department of Administration to “select land located in Granville County suitable for the relocation of the Department of Health and Human Services facilities at the Dix Campus in Raleigh.” The Dix campus was sold to the City of Raleigh in 2015 and is to become a park. The proposal authorized $250 million to build a new facility.

To show support for the project, Granville County responded quickly by preparing a letter that was sent to Governor Roy Cooper, DHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen and a number of legislators. While the State of North Carolina currently owns land in the southern area of the county, the letter of support highlights the Triangle North – Granville site. Triangle North Granville is a 527-acre business park located in Granville and Vance Counties with approximately three miles of frontage on Interstate 85. If selected, DHHS will be the first tenant on the site, which is marketed as a Life Science and Technology Park.

“This state office would be a great addition to the park,” County Manager Mike Felts remarked, “and the project would be transformative to Granville County and to the region. We are excited about the prospect of DHHS locating in Granville County.”

An emergency meeting was scheduled by the Granville County Board of Commissioners for further review and discussion of the proposal. The meeting was held on Wednesday, May 29 at 5 p.m. at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center.

Servants on Site Leaders Ready for 2019 Projects, Activities

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-Information and photos courtesy Rebuilding Hope, Inc. 

This year’s Servants on Site event will be held June 22-29, 2019, with a total of 163 participants. Junior high and senior high school students will repair 12 roofs and build up to six wheelchair ramps. The event will be Rebuilding Hope, Inc.’s seventh annual week of witnessing and sharing Christ and serving people in need in our communities.

Those leading and planning for every phase of this week of projects and ministry include:

Project Coordination – LEIGH HUMPHRIES

Leigh Humphries is once again project coordinator, a job she’s had since the first SOS week in 2013.

Leigh, who lives in Person County and is a member of Theresa Baptist Church, has sorted through the registrants and organized the crews according to the types of jobs scheduled. Before the work begins, she will assign encouragers for the crews at the work sites, which she visits during the week.

Leigh’s duties continue once the day’s work is done as she helps chaperone the youth’s overnight at Crossroads Christian School.

Construction Coordination – VANN WESTER

Before participants head to their jobs, each site – whether ramp or roof – must be evaluated.

Vann visits each site, meets with the homeowner and determines the condition of an existing roof or the terrain where a ramp will be built, and the number of materials needed for each job. Finally, Vann, a member of New Sandy Creek Baptist Church, recruits crew leaders and secures the necessary permits for each job.

Materials Coordination – WALT SLATON

Without a steady supply of materials, the jobs would not be completed. And that’s where Walt Slaton, a member of Central Baptist Church, comes in as materials coordinator.

With a worksheet describing each job, Walt assembles shingles, tar paper, lumber, nails, bolts, nuts, washers, tools, compressors, hoses and more the week before SOS. Materials are on-hand, donated or purchased locally. Where possible, materials are delivered to sites before the work week begins.

Throughout the week, Walt says he has runners ready at the RHI warehouse to resupply workers through a chain that begins with a job’s crew chief who notifies a multisite supervisor. The supervisor notifies Walt who dispatches a runner.

Theme is “I.D. Identity Defined” – JOHN MARKS SANDERS

The theme for the week is “I.D. Identity Defined,” John Marks reports. The meaning of the theme will be explained by guest speakers at each of the evening worship services during the week.

The services and their emphases will be:

Sunday, “You Are KNOWN,” based on Psalm 139:13-14. Speaker is Mitch Smith, pastor at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church.

Monday, “You Are DISTINCT,” based on Gen. 1:26-27. Speaker is Garrett Barneycastle, member of and former student pastor at Open Door Church.

Tuesday, “You Are CHOSEN,” based on 1 Peter 2:9-19. Speaker is Michael Nunn, member and former youth and campus pastor at Mercy Hill Church.

Thursday, Guys and Girls Break Out.

Friday, “You Are HOW OTHERS KNOW,” based on 1 Samuel 17:46-47. Speaker is John Sanders, member and former youth and lead pastor at Open Door Church.

The public is encouraged to attend the worship services at 7 p.m. at Central Baptist Church in Henderson, except Wednesday night when participants will have free time.

Destination SOS for 163 students – MARTHA MCGOWAN

Martha, who is the SOS secretary and a member of West End Baptist Church, reports that 163 have registered for the week.

In addition to participants from Vance, Granville, Warren and neighboring counties, teams will be coming from a number of communities, such as Roxboro, Windy Gap and Otto, Martha reports.

And it’s also Destination SOS for a team from South Carolina.

Breakfast and Supper – ROGER BIBEE

Breakfast and supper are served at Central Baptist Church, beginning with Sunday breakfast before the work week begins.

Central member Roger Bibee does most of the cooking.

Supplies, Roger says, include 4-5 cases of liquid eggs, 300 chicken quarters, 10 gallons of spaghetti sauce and noodles, 40-45 pounds of bacon, sausage, hash browns and more. Supper includes a full salad bar. A team of six helps with serving and cleaning up.

Lunches

Sixteen churches will provide lunches for the teams at the work sites. The churches are Fuller’s Chapel, Gardner Baptist Church, First Baptist Church (Creedmoor), West End Baptist Church, Raleigh Road Baptist Church, Franklinton Baptist Church, Mountain Creek Baptist Church, New Bethel Baptist Church, New Life Baptist Church (Henderson), North Henderson Baptist Church, New Sandy Creek Baptist Church, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Carey Baptist Church, Oxford Baptist Church, Island Creek Baptist Church, and Norlina Baptist Church.

A church that sponsors a project “adopts” a crew and serves lunch each day. The crew on Sunday attends the church’s worship service, has lunch and later visits the homeowner.

Needs for SOS

Volunteers – Adult/college-age volunteers are needed to serve as staff during the week. Staff assists with setting up the rooms, posting signs and schedules and for chores such as cleaning bath and restroom facilities.

Financial Support for SOS Projects

A roofing project costs approximately $2,000, but any amount is appreciated!

For more information, call the RHI office at (252) 438-5132.