U.S. Department of Justice

Thomas Pleads Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Fraud Scheme & Tax Evasion

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-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice

Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that today, in federal court, TREYTON LEE THOMAS, age 62, pled guilty to wire fraud, affecting a financial institution, and income tax evasion. In pleading guilty, THOMAS, agreed to pay restitution to all the victims of his fraud scheme and to forfeit more than seven million dollars.

On November 22, 2016, THOMAS was charged in a 21-Count Indictment with wire fraud, bank fraud and money laundering. This Indictment charged THOMAS, who represented himself as a successful Harvard educated investment advisor, with defrauding his father’s used car warranty company, NC&VA Warranty of Roxboro, N.C., several of its customers, his wife, and his father-in-law. THOMAS claimed he was conservatively investing their money in U.S. Treasury Bills. Instead, through an on-line brokerage firm, THOMAS used these funds to conduct risky trades in the commodities and futures market.

To conceal this fraud scheme, THOMAS provided these victims and various financial institutions with false information and fabricated bank and brokerage statements. To obtain additional funds, the Indictment charged THOMAS with using the same false information and fabricated statements to defraud financial institutions out of approximately 1.9 million dollars in loan proceeds.

In addition to losing the victims’ money in risky trades, the Indictment charged THOMAS with spending more than 1.6 million dollars to pay personal expenses.

On March 15, 2018, THOMAS was charged in another Indictment with six counts of income tax evasions for the calendar years 2010 – 2015 and two counts of failing to disclose his interest in and authority over foreign bank accounts. In entering his guilty plea, THOMAS agreed that he concealed his income from the Internal Revenue Service by, among other things, concealing his interest in foreign corporations and using offshore bank accounts to pay his personal expenses.

The applicable total maximum statutory penalty for these crimes is 35 years imprisonment, a $1,100,000 fine, and 3 years supervised release.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, and the United States Secret Service. Assistant United States Attorneys Melissa Kessler and Susan Menzer are representing the government in this case.

News releases are available on the U.S. Attorney’s webpage at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.

Families Living Violence Free

Families Living Violence Free to Hold Event in Honor of Domestic Violence Victims

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-Information courtesy Peggy Roark, Sexual Assault Advocate & PREA Coordinator, Families Living Violence Free

Domestic Violence Awareness Month begins October 1.  Families Living Violence Free’s signature event each year is the time we come together as Granville County to honor those North Carolinians and fellow Americans who were murdered during a domestic violence incident. It is also the time that we celebrate those brave individuals who are survivors.

Each year, many citizens join us for this event, and we are inviting you to please do that again this year. This year’s event will be held on Thursday, October 18, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. at 125 Oxford Outer Loop Rd in Oxford.

For information or questions, please call (919) 693-3579.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Board of Education to Meet Mon., Oct. 1

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

NOTICE TO PUBLIC AND PRESS

The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a regular board meeting Monday, October 1, 2018, at 6 p.m. at the Granville County Public Central Office, 101 Delacroix Street, Oxford, North Carolina.

The board will also meet in a closed session for Personnel/Attorney-Client Privilege 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.

First Nationwide Presidential-Level Emergency Test to be Conducted Wed., Oct. 3

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-Information courtesy Lynn Allred, Public Information Officer/Grants Coordinator, County of Granville

IPAWS National Test

• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system on October 3, 2018.

• The test will assess the readiness to distribute an emergency message nationwide and determine whether improvements are needed.

• The test messages will be sent using FEMA’s IPAWS, which enables authorities to send emergency messages to multiple communications networks, including the EAS and WEA as part of the nation’s modern alert and warning infrastructure.

• Sending the WEA test message will begin at 2:18 p.m. EDT. The EAS message will be sent at 2:20 p.m. EDT.

• This will be the first nationwide Presidential-level WEA test and cannot be opted out.

• Originally planned for September 20, 2018, the test has been postponed until October 3, 2018. A back-up date is always planned in case of severe weather or other significant events.

Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) Test

Cell towers will broadcast the WEA test for approximately 30 minutes beginning at 2:18 p.m. EDT. During this time, WEA-compatible cell phones that are switched on and within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless carrier participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message. Cell phones should receive the message only once.

The WEA test message will be a Presidential Alert and will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

WEA messages are sent by public safety officials to warn the public about dangerous situations in other critical emergencies. The national test will use the same special tone and vibration as with all WEA messages (e.g. tornado warnings and AMBER Alerts).

The EAS test message is distributed to radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers.

The test message will be similar to regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar and interrupts programming for approximately one minute.

The EAS message will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency, an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. A similar Wireless Emergency Alert test message has been sent to all cell phones nationwide. Some cell phones will receive the message; others will not. No action is required.”

For additional information, please visit the FEMA website by clicking here.

Oxford’s Masonic Home to Hold 8th Annual Homecoming Festival

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-Information and flyer courtesy the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford website

Please plan to join The Masonic Home for Children in Oxford for the 8th Annual Masonic Homecoming Festival October 12 – 14, 2018. This celebration of North Carolina’s first Home for children honors those who have lived here and those who have made it possible – our Masons.

The weekend kicks off Friday, October 12 with the Oxford Orphanage/Masonic Home for Children Alumni Association’s annual golf tournament, Chipshots for Children. Spend Friday evening at MHCO’s Yard Party featuring music from The Moonlighters Orchestra.

Join us again on Saturday, October 13 to enjoy the state’s best Shrine parade, dance to the music of Bryan Mayer, and enjoy delicious BBQ and chicken on campus, courtesy of our cooking teams or participate as your own BBQ team.

While at our Home, celebrate our Masonic history of charity and visit the Sallie Mae Ligon Museum and Archives, take a tour of the children’s cottages, and see the School of Graphic Arts.  Make this a weekend trip, enjoy all the activities and support our Masonic Home for Children at Oxford.  Hope to see you there!

Visit www.mhc-oxford.org for more information and updates.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Granville County Logo

Granville Co. Board of Commissioners Release Agenda for Oct. 1 Meeting

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

The Granville County Board of Commissioners will meet Monday, October 1, 2018, at 7 p.m. at the Granville Expo and Convention Center, 4185 US Highway 15 South, Oxford.

Agenda items include:

Consent Agenda

  1. Minutes
  2. Contingency Summary
  3. Granville County Conservation Easement for Smith Creek

Recognitions and Presentations

4. Recognition of Service – Yvonne A. McQuaig

5. Recognition of Service – Julie Anne Brockman

Public Comments

6. Public Comments

Grant Matters

7. ROAP Transportation Funding

Purchasing

8. Inspections Vehicle

9. Consider approving the Construction Manager at Risk GMP for the Law Enforcement/Detention Center & Animal Shelter            Project

Appointments

10. Granville County Industrial Facilities and Pollution Control Financing Authority

County Manager’s Report

11. Consider adoption of the Resolution Providing Final Approval of Terms and Documents for 2018 County Installment                     Financing

12. Guardian ad Litem Furniture Request

County Attorney’s Report

13. Granville Central High School Lease Modification

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

City of Oxford Commissioners to Hold Agenda Meeting Oct. 1

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

The City of Oxford Board of Commissioners will hold an agenda meeting on Monday, October 1, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room, City Hall.

Among the agenda items:

  • Gift certificate drawings for the 2018 Yard of the Month
  • Set the agenda for the Tuesday, October 9, 2018, Regular Session

The Board of Commissioners will meet Tuesday, October 9, 2018, at 7 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room, City Hall for their regular October meeting.

Children to Benefit From New Technology at Granville Public Library System

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-Press Release, County of Granville

Young library patrons will soon be able to access the latest in technology with the ‘Playaway Launchpad,’ a secure, durable and easy-to-use learning tablet created especially for children.

The ‘Playaway’ is a brand of portable media players designed by Findaway World, LLC and is the only tablet of its kind intended for library circulation. Each device includes high-quality, ad-free learning applications grouped by age, grade level, subject area and theme. Tablets are interactive and are fun to explore, with subjects ranging from math and science to language learning and critical thinking. Themed learning packs include princesses, animals, transportation, dinosaurs, space and more, with each pack preloaded to hold at least 10 apps for hours of educational play.

“The ‘Playaway Launchpad’ is a big hit with other libraries,” Granville County’s Interim Library Director Will Robinson explained. “What we are working towards is digital literacy, starting at a young age. This tablet should be very popular with our Granville County kids and families.”

Each tablet has been built to last, with tough plastic cases and an easy-to-grip rubber bumper. Content has also been designed to last for three to five years, without a constant need for updating, so that the devices can be circulated for a longer period of time. While the “Playaway checkout policy” is still being developed, Robinson says, each family who checks out a tablet will be able to keep it for one week before its expected return date, with one renewal allowed per family – due to the limited number of devices initially available.

Robinson further explains that families will appreciate the continuous play feature the tablet offers. The battery lasts for 4.5 hours and is easily recharged through a wall charger or USB cord. It can even be charged in the car, adding more educational play time during long drives and family vacations.  Children using the tablet can also continue their learning fun while the device is charging.

“We are continuing to advance our technology,” Robinson noted. “We’re not just for books and magazines anymore. We know that children who use the library will grow into adults who use the library. That’s what we want to see.”

The Pew Center for Internet and American Life has done extensive research into how libraries are evolving, and how communities perceive libraries in the modern world.

“As more people pick up e-books instead of their ‘paper and glue’ predecessors, libraries are expanding to include digital literacy as well,” said Lee Rainie, executive director of the Pew Center for Internet and American Life. “It’s not just the well-off or tech-savvy that can tap into these pathways of knowledge. What people celebrate about libraries is that they are resources everyone gets access to.”

For more information about the ‘Playaway Launchpad’ and how to reserve one for your family, as well as other products, programs and services offered by the Granville County Public Library System, contact your local library in Oxford, Creedmoor, Stovall or Berea, or visit www.granville.lib.nc.us.

Volunteers Needed for Rescheduled ‘Alive After Five’ Event

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— courtesy Granville County Chamber of Commerce | Ginnie Currin, Executive Director ~ 919-693-6125 ~ ginnie@granville-chamber.com

The “Alive After Five” event originally scheduled for September 13, 2018, with the “Jim Quick and Coastline” band and postponed due to weather, has been RE-SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2018, IN DOWNTOWN OXFORD.

Volunteers are needed for this event!

Please contact the Granville County Chamber at (919) 693-6125 or (919) 528-4994 or wanda@granville-chamber.com or tawheeler@granville-chamber.com if you would like to volunteer.

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Public Schools is ‘WOW’ About Wellness

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

This year, families in Granville County Public Schools may ‘CATCH’ their kids exploring healthy habits as a part of an expanded effort to use the Coordinated Approach To Child Health in all district elementary schools.  The C.A.T.C.H. program has been used in schools across the country to encourage good nutrition and physical activity among students. Stovall-Shaw Elementary School piloted use of the program during the 2015-2016 academic year.

Last year, the CATCH program expanded to Butner-Stem Elementary School and West Oxford Elementary School. This summer nearly 100 teachers and administrators received training on the CATCH program to enable every elementary school in the district to utilize the coordinated school health program. Granville County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Alisa McLean offered her perspective on the initiative, stating, “The CATCH program is so vitally important to our work in educating children. Increasing our focus on the health and well-being of our students will only help improve their academic success.  It’s a true win-win for everyone!”

The Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) unites multiple school-based players to create a community of health. CATCH teaches children to identify healthful foods and increase the amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity they participate in each day. In-class lessons on nutrition and physical activity are supported by coordinated messaging throughout the school community, with the ultimate goal of changing the school environment and policies to support these healthy choices.

Principal Mary Ann Crews of Mt Energy Elementary School explains how these activities are implemented on a daily basis. “There may be some days when instead of children having free time at recess, our teachers may instead lead them through a structured yoga class, with a focus on mindfulness and core physical fitness. Other days there may be a 5 or 10 minute structured mini-lesson during recess. It is amazing the impact it has on how they feel during the school day.”

The Working on Wellness (WOW!) Coalition has been an integral part of the effort to bring the CATCH program to Granville County Public Schools. The WOW! Coalition brings together organizations and people to help kids stay healthy. The WOW! Coalition is one of ten North Carolina coalitions funded through Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas to implement and evaluate the impact of evidence-based interventions.

Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas is a bold initiative of The Duke Endowment, which aims to improve community health outcomes with a focus on nutrition, physical activity and prevention of chronic disease.  “Right before the start of the school year, we were able to train our teachers across all nine elementary schools. I have heard so many positive comments about CATCH – and not just how it is helping our students, but also our staff too. It’s starting to change the entire conversation at school about health, wellness, exercise and diet. It’s been wonderful”, says Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Dr. Michael Myrick

The WOW Coalition has adopted the overarching goal of improving child health and well-being in Granville County, North Carolina, through health promotion efforts targeting nutrition and physical activity.  Poor nutrition, obesity, and physical inactivity have been connected to poor school performance as well as chronic conditions that impact health across the lifespan.

By targeting interventions during childhood, health-promoting behaviors are more easily adopted and maintained, thereby improving health across the lifespan and avoiding adverse health outcomes in adulthood.  One 5th grader described CATCH in this way, saying “I think it is good to know which foods are best for us. I also tell my mom about this and we try to do this at home too. Being healthy is good.”

Principal Courtney Currin offered her perspective on its impact on academics, saying, “CATCH makes a difference in the academic achievement and overall discipline of students.  We saw double-digit growth the first year when we implemented the program with our third graders!”

Want to get involved?  Consider joining the effort by attending one of the upcoming WOW Coalition meetings held at Granville Vance Public Health in Oxford on the 4th Wednesday of each month.