The Local Skinny! Granville Humane Society To Hold Fund Raising Event

The Granville County Humane Society is sponsoring Paws for Granville next month as a fun way for the community to help dogs and cats in the area.

Paws for Granville is a free event that will be held on Saturday, Sept. 30 at the Granville County Expo Center on US Hwy 15 just south of Oxford, according to Angela Gooch, a Humane Society volunteer helping to spread the word about the upcoming fundraiser.

Gooch talked with WIZS’s Bill Harris on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny! and said it’s been a tough year for shelters all over the state.

“It’s been a very difficult year with all the surrenders and sick animals that have come in,” Gooch said.

Paws for Granville is one of two fundraisers sponsored by the local humane society each year to help pay for local spay/neuter programs.

Although the event is free, there will be a truck on site to accept donations of dog and cat food to stock the pet pantry, which is used to help low-income clients provide food for their pets.

More than 80 vendors are scheduled to bring an array of handcrafted items, from jewelry to fishing lures, Gooch said. Participants can enjoy browsing among the vendor booths from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A variety of food trucks are driving in as well, she said. And Next Level Kennels, one of the main sponsors for the event, will have its mobile grooming van on site.

All across the area, animal shelters report being at capacity, and Gooch said rescue groups and foster agencies are working hard to get adoptable animals into homes.

In Granville County alone, the shelter has spent $15,000 to spay and neuter dogs and cats.

Gooch said that, typically, there are more cats that get turned in to shelters, but that has not been the case in Granville County lately.

“Dogs have been coming in great, great numbers,” she said, adding that “rescues are full and (they) have no place to go.”

The group needs volunteers to help with the event, and are always looking for foster families for the animals.

There are about 30 animals available now through the humane society. “It is a labor of love and it takes a lot of time and patience,” Gooch said of her work and the work of other rescuers and fosters.

To learn more, call 919.691.9114, follow the group on Facebook, email hsgcncinfo@gmail.com or visit www.hsgc.nc.org.

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Donate Blood In August, Get $10 To See A Movie

There are several blood donation clinics popping up in the area through the end of the month, and the American Red Cross has issued an appeal to donors to help keep hospital shelves stocked with lifesaving blood products.

Right now, the Red Cross especially needs type O negative, type O positive, type B negative and type A negative blood donors, as well as platelet donors.

Don’t know your blood type? Making a donation is an easy way to find out. The Red Cross will notify new donors of their blood type soon after they give.

Just to sweeten the pot, everyone who comes to give during August will get a $10 e-gift card to use at a movie merchant of their choice.

Find details at RedCrossBlood.org/Movie.

Schedule an appointment to give by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Here’s a list of upcoming blood donation clinics in the area:

Vance

Henderson

8/30/2023: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Maria Parham Health, 566 Ruin Creek Rd.

Franklin

Franklinton

8/31/2023: 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Solid Rock Bible Way, 2 Risen Way

Granville

Butner

8/23/2023: 12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Butner Town Hall, 415 Central Ave.

Sewer Line Project To Detour Traffic Along Oxford’s Hillsboro Street

Oxford drivers are reminded to pack a little patience as they maneuver around a downtown detour that will be in place in the upcoming weeks.

According to information from City of Oxford Communications Specialist Sabrina Richards, H.G. Reynolds Co. will be installing sewer lines along a portion of Hillsboro Street, making a detour necessary.

The work will be conducted from Lewis Street to MLK/ Broad Street. There will be barricades at Lewis/West Spring Street, Orange Street, Granville Street, Hillsboro/Broad Street and then in one lane at Hillsboro/ West Spring Street to block traffic headed into town.

The detour will only be up during working hours from Monday through Thursday, stretching into Fridays if inclement weather delays work.

The barricades will be removed at the end of each workday for two-way traffic to resume.

There was no word on how long the detour will be in place or how long this part of the sewer line installation will take.

VGCC Logo

Franklin County’s Novozymes Endows VGCC Scholarship

  • information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

A global biotech company with a facility in Franklin County has endowed a new scholarship at Vance-Granville Community College.

Novozymes and VGCC recently announced the $15,000 gift, which currently could be up to $500 based on the level of investment income generated. Current VGCC students or newly enrolled students are eligible to receive the scholarship award based on their academic achievement.

“This scholarship presents another wonderful opportunity to expand resources that will allow us to educate, inspire, and support a diverse community of learners to achieve professional and personal success,” stated Tanya Weary, VGCC Foundation executive director.

Darren Alfano, head of People & Organization for Novozymes North America, made the presentation to VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais, Weary and other school officials during a recent visit to the VGCC Franklin Campus

“The biotechnology industry is growing at a record pace as biosolutions continue to be developed for more applications every day,” Alfano commented. “From the food you eat to the clothes you wear, biosolutions are part of all of our daily lives. We are excited to partner with Vance-Granville Community College in providing high quality education to the future biotech workforce in our local communities.”

Considered a world leader in their field, Novozymes’ biosolutions enable everything from more drought-tolerant crops to cold water laundry washing to advancements in renewable energy. The company has expanded to serve 30-plus industries across 130 markets with enzymatic, microbial, advanced protein and digital solutions.

While the roots of international parent organization Novo Group reach back a century to the 1920s, Novozymes has had a presence in Franklin County since 1979, when the company arrived in North Carolina to establish its North America headquarters along with a manufacturing plant in Franklinton. Novozymes quickly formed a relationship with Vance-Granville Community College when the college’s Franklin Campus opened at its current location, and the company was instrumental in the construction of the campus’s biotech lab in 2001.

The VGCC Foundation offers over 300 endowments for scholarships VGCC students—more endowed scholarships than any other program of its kind in North Carolina. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, and churches, as well as the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Foundation have often been used to honor a person, group, business, or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information, call 252.738.3409.

Local Elections Office Ready To Provide Voter ID Cards For Those Who Need One

UPDATED Aug. 10 – 12:30 p.m.

Registered voters who do not have an acceptable identification for voting in NC can now go to their county board of elections office to get a free photo ID.

Vance County Board of Elections Director Melody Vaughan said Wednesday afternoon that her office is ready to help voters who find they need one of the cards. There is an application that voters must complete before they will be issued an ID, Vaughan stated.

“We can provide this service Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 noon and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.,” Vaughan said in an email to WIZS News, with the exception of Friday, Aug. 11 and Aug. 14 and Aug. 15. Staff will be attending a conference out of town and no ID cards will be processed on those days.

Most voters have a driver’s license, which is an acceptable form of photo ID to present to poll workers in order to cast their votes.

If you have a driver’s license – or other acceptable form of photo ID – you don’t need to get one from the board of elections office.

If however, you need a photo ID, you can come to your county’s board of elections office during business hours to request one. In most cases, the cards can be printed and issued right then and there, according to information from the North Carolina State Board of Elections office. Some counties, however, may need to mail the cards or let voters know when the card is available for pickup.

Find a list of acceptable forms of photo ID here: https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id

A voter need only provide his or her name, date of birth and last four digits of their Social Security number to get the ID. With that information, they’ll have a photograph taken and the process is complete.

In addition to the photo, the card will have the voter’s name and registration number. It will expire 10 years from the date of issuance.

County boards of elections can issue cards during regular business hours, except for the period following the last day of early voting through Election Day.

 

State Fair 2023 Taking Applications For ‘Farm Family Of The Day’

-information courtesy of the N.C. State Fair Office

 

The N.C. State Fair is looking for 11 farm families to recognize during the fair for its Farm Family of the Day, presented by Tractor Supply Company. Nominations are being accepted through Sept. 15.

If you are proud to be an N.C. farmer, work hard to contribute to the state’s No. 1 industry and love both farming and the N.C. State Fair, your farm family could be one of the lucky ones selected.

Families recognized as Farm Family of the Day honorees will be awarded an N.C. State Fair gift basket including fair tickets to use on any day of their choice during the 2023 N.C. State Fair, ride passes and additional swag from Tractor Supply Company and the N.C. State Fair.

Families will be chosen by both nomination and application. Applications can be found at https://www.ncstatefair.org/2023/Attractions/FarmFamilyOfTheDay.htm.

The “Farm Family of the Day” program, sponsored by Tractor Supply Company, is returning for its third year to recognize and celebrate more of our state’s rich agricultural heritage and the farm families that are behind our $103.2 billion agriculture and agribusiness industry.

“The State Fair’s earliest beginnings sought to elevate the understanding of new agricultural practices and technology. Helping people make the connection between farming and the food that they enjoy is one of our top missions at the N.C. State Fair each year,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.

“Thanks to Tractor Supply Company, we can help tell the story of our farmers because they are the individuals out there every day working to grow the food, fiber and fuel that we need to survive.”

The 2023 N.C. State Fair will run Oct. 12-22 at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. The fair offers an experience unique to North Carolina for all who attend, and is an unparalleled value with free entertainment, thrilling rides and games, thousands of animals, endless family activities, competitions, vendors and creative deep-fried delights.

For more information, visit www.ncstatefair.org.

VGCC Protocols Help Maintain Safety

Campus safety is a priority at all educational institutions.

Thursday morning at Vance-Granville Community College, the protocols in place helped maintain safety and order on the main campus in what was a real situation that turned out to involve a BB gun.

Law enforcement responded to the Poplar Creek Road location shortly before 9:30 a.m.

VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais described the situation to WIZS about two hours after it happened, and she said, “There was no threat to the campus … We determined that but we didn’t know to begin with … I am proud that our systems held up, that we responded appropriately.”

Two parents were using the campus as a halfway point to exchange custody of a child. The offending parties, including a dad and his two minor-age children, were in fact trespassing. While they were waiting for the mom, some horseplay broke out along the tree line towards Poplar Creek Road, and a BB gun was in plain view.

Desmarais used a couple of words while talking to WIZS News such as “astounding” and “inappropriate” and “harrowing.”

She said, “I was one of the people who observed it and you don’t know that that’s play acting.”

Neither parent nor the children were affiliated with the school at all. Desmarais said campus was a “halfway point for them so it had nothing to do with us. Unbeknownst to us they had used the campus previously to make this transfer between the children, but obviously not when school is in session.”

Of the protocols, Desmarais said, “They were followed, and they worked.”

Sheriff Curtis Brame told WIZS that no charges would be filed.

Apparently the parents were told not to be on campus again.

“Safety is really important to us,” Desmarais said.

Oxford Prep School

SportsTalk: Oxford Prep Prepares For Fall Sports

Fall sports are beginning to ramp up at schools around the area, and Oxford Prep is no exception.  The school’s athletic director, John Hammett, has a full plate as the school’s varsity volleyball team will be scrimmaging twice next week ahead of opening the season.  Also, Coach Kevin Grant’s soccer team kicks off the season on August 14th against Granville Central.  The volleyball team will have no seniors meaning that the team will have, ideally, no changes over the next two seasons.  The soccer team will only have two seniors out of 21 players.

In addition, other fall sports are also gearing up.  “Cross Country, women’s golf and middle school teams all start next week,” Hammett said on Thursday’s SportsTalk.

While academics come first at Oxford Prep, Hammett hopes sports can play a role in the lives of students.  He added that when it comes to expectations, his biggest goal is for the students at Oxford Prep enjoy the experience.

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Educators: ‘Bright Ideas’ Grant Application Period Runs Through Sept. 15

Most educators take a break from lesson planning and other classroom duties during the summer, but as August approaches and the beginning of another school year draws near, you can bet your bottom dollar that teachers are beginning to percolate ideas about how to make learning more engaging for students.

Got any bright ideas?

Wake Electric does.

Applications for Wake Electric’s Bright Ideas grants are being taken through Sept. 15 for the upcoming school year.  The early bird submission ends Aug. 15.

Teachers in seven counties – including Vance, Granville and Franklin – that the electric cooperative serves are eligible to submit applications, according to information from Wake Electric.

Since 1994, Wake Electric has given more than $1.13 million in grants to classroom-based projects throughout the area it serves. These grants help to finance innovative classroom projects that would otherwise not be funded by the school district, from a variety of content-based hands-on projects to career planning and information technology.

Grants are awarded in amounts of up to $3,000.

Visit https://www.ncelectriccooperatives.com/community/bright-ideas/ to determine if your school is eligible.

To learn more, email communications@wemc.com, call 919.863.6440 or 1.800.474.6300 or go to https://wemc.com/bright-ideas-grants/.

Cynthia Ratliff Takes The Reins At Granville Chamber Of Commerce

Cynthia Ratliff has been named executive director of the Granville County Chamber of Commerce, effective Tuesday, Aug. 1.

Ratliff, a Henderson native, was chosen to replace Lauren Roberson, who announced her resignation in late June to join Granville Health System. Thursday was Roberson’s last day with the Chamber. Ratliff has served as office manager for the Chamber; a search will begin soon to fill that position.

“Cynthia Ratliff has been a valuable asset to the Granville County Chamber of Commerce and has become the “face of the Chamber” over the past two years,” said Ruth Ann Bullock, president-elect of the Chamber board. Bullock said Ratliff and Roberson worked closely together and have grown the Chamber membership and strengthened Chamber ties across the county.

“The connection between Cynthia and Lauren combined with the positive direction in which they have moved our Chamber, placed us in the best position when searching for the next leader of this great organization,” remarked current Chamber board president Reba Bullock. Bullock noted Ratliff’s considerable knowledge and skills gained from previous positions she has held, including director of membership for the Henderson Family YMCA as well as having been a small business owner. “We look forward to the continued expertise, vision and leadership Cynthia will bring into this role,” Reba Bullock added.

The Chamber board issued a joint statement thanking Roberson for her dedication to the organization. “She came in and never looked back as she devoted her time and efforts in moving the Granville County Chamber of Commerce to exponential growth in membership and overall vision throughout the Chamber organization,”the statement read in part.

The office manager supports the executive director and manages day-to-day operations of the Chamber. The ideal candidate should have skills of fiscal management and be proficient in Microsoft Office, QuickBooks and social media platforms. The candidate should have experience with event planning and organization, be self-motivated with excellent time management and have excellent communication skills. Interested candidates can submit their resume to cynthia@granville-chamber.com.