Oxford Personnel Committee to Discuss Board-Approved Employee Incentives

/by

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

The Personnel Committee for the Oxford Board of Commissioners will meet on Wednesday, October 17, 2018, at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held in the 1st Floor Training Room of City Hall, 300 Williamsboro Street, Oxford.

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss funding of the employee incentives approved by the Board of Commissioners at the October 9 Board Meeting. All those interested are invited to attend.

New Parade Time, Route for Masonic Home’s 8th Annual Homecoming Festival

/by

Kevin Otis, administrator with the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, was on Monday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the upcoming 8th Annual Masonic Homecoming Festival.

The two-day event kicks off Friday, October 12 at 9 a.m. with the 20th Annual “Chip Shots for Children” golf tournament at South Granville Country Club. Sponsored by the Masonic Home’s Alumni Association, the shotgun start tournament raises funds for the Home’s current youth.

Food preparation gets underway at 5 p.m. on Friday as the BBQ teams begin cooking “under the oaks.” Teams will compete in best BBQ categories and prepare food for the masses expected to attend events on Saturday.

New to the homecoming festivities this year, The Moonlighters Orchestra, an 11-piece brass and string ensemble, will begin playing at 6 p.m. on Friday evening. While BBQ teams are cooking, the orchestra will entertain with “everything from big band, to rock and roll and beach music.”

The fun continues on Saturday, October 13 with the annual homecoming parade, BBQ feast, live music, campus tours, games and activities for the entire family.

The popular scrap exchange sponsored by the South Granville Rotary Club will allow visitors to repurpose old items into something new. “They have stuff that most people would throw away. Instead of throwing it away, they bring it all together and give you ideas of how you can take scraps and turn them into something fun,” Otis said.

This year’s parade will have both a later start time and a different route than previous years. The parade will begin at 11 a.m. in front of the fire station on McClanahan St. and run down College St. to the front gates of the Masonic Home.

“Saturday is our big day,” said Otis. “School groups, Masonic groups and Shriners all come together. It’s a lot of fun for the whole family.”

Following the parade, the pit will open at noon for a $10 lunch of BBQ, fixings and a drink. Tickets can be purchased on-site.

At 12:30 p.m., Bryan Mayer, country music’s “biggest performer” at 6 foot, 8 inches tall will take the stage.

With questions or if you are interested in playing in the golf tournament or hosting a BBQ team, please call the Masonic Home at (919) 693-5111.

Advanced Ticket Purchase Encouraged for ‘Cluck ‘N Shuck’ Seafood Event

/by

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

The Granville County Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring their eighth annual fall seafood event – “CLUCK ‘N SHUCK” – to be held Friday, October 26, 2018, from 5:30 until 8 p.m. at The Red Barn on Golf Course Road (off Lake Devin Road) in Oxford.

Caterer Leon Nixon’s dinner menu offerings will include steamed oysters, fried shrimp, fried fish, fried chicken tenders, slaw, buttered potatoes, hushpuppies, tea, Pepsi-Cola products and cold beverages.

The event will be held at the venue – The Red Barn – where it has been held the past five years. This location provides an incredible setting for those desiring to eat on the decks overlooking Lake Devin. Inside seating on the ground floor of The Red Barn is also available.

Advanced ticket sales – $40 per person or 2 tickets for $75 – includes all-you-can-eat on premises. As this is a limited ticket event, those wishing to attend are encouraged to purchase tickets early from one of the Chamber’s offices – 124 Hillsboro Street in Oxford (8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.) 919.693.6125 or the South Office – 1598 NC Hwy 56, between Butner and Creedmoor (8:30 am until 5 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays and 8:30 until noon Thursdays) 919.528.4994. Event t-shirts are also available at the Chamber’s offices for $10 each.

Event sponsors are Duke Energy, Granville Health System, Pepsi-Cola Bottling Company of Roxboro, Carolina Sunrock, Touchstone Bank, The Pegram Agency, Shalag Nonwovens, Vino Oasi, For Your Occasion Party Rentals, Butner-Creedmoor News, Oxford Public Ledger, The Daily Dispatch, US 98.3FM and WIZS 1450AM.

Granville County Public Schools

GCPS to Use Technology to Help Improve Attendance During Flu Season

/by

-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

As schools everywhere go back in session, all elementary schools in GCPS hope to stay one step ahead of illness this year, keeping more kids healthy and in school with the help of Kinsa Smart Thermometers. As one of the districts accepted into the Lysol + Kinsa FLUency health program, all GCPS elementary families will receive free Kinsa Smart Thermometers, priced at $19.99 retail, and will be able to see aggregated, anonymous information on any symptoms and illnesses going around the school through an accompanying mobile phone app.

This FREE product for families is made possible through a research grant. GCPS was invited to participate with one other school district in the country as part of a larger study on how school facility cleanliness can impact student health. Our team of five School Nurses will be charged with implementing and monitoring this program in all 9 elementary schools in our school district.

“Our top priority is keeping our students in class learning,” explained Superintendent Alisa McLean. “With this innovative program, we hope to see the trends affecting our classrooms so that we can help contain the spread of illness, increase attendance, and continue giving our students the education they deserve.”

The FLUency program, now in its 4th year, has already helped over 60,000 families, and 90 percent of participating school nurses believe FLUency kept them more informed of illnesses going around their school.

The deadline for elementary school families to order their FREE thermometer is Friday, October 26. No orders will be accepted after this deadline. The research grant will be renewed at the beginning of next school year for any new families who wish to participate.

Elementary school parents should be on the lookout for additional information coming soon via phone calls, emails, paper brochures, GCPS websites, and more!

Applications, Nominations Being Accepted For New VGCC President

/by

-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

The Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees is now inviting applications and nominations for the position of President of the college.

A website has been launched with a presidential profile and the details of the application procedure. The site can be reached at www.vgcc.edu/presidentialsearch.

General inquiries about the college and application materials can be directed to April Perkinson, search liaison to the board, at (252) 738-3227 or perkinson@vgcc.edu.

To be assured consideration, resumes and cover letters must be received by Friday, November 9, 2018, according to the website. Resumes with cover letters and nominations will be accepted until the position is filled.

The Trustees are working with the firm of Executive Leadership Associates (ELA) LLC of Emerald Isle to assist in the search for a replacement for Dr. Stelfanie Williams who left the college in August to take a job with Duke University. The new president will be the seventh in the history of the college.

ELA, described as “a consortium of former North Carolina community college presidents who are committed to ensuring that our internationally recognized community college system continues its proud tradition of excellence,” was selected by the Board of Trustees at its September 17 meeting.

The firm is helping the Trustees by creating the presidential profile of the ideal candidate needed, guiding the search process, and recruiting and screening applicants as needed.

The trustees are expected to present finalists to the State Board of Community Colleges for evaluation early in 2019, said Dr. Gordon Burns who is serving as interim president for the college. The board plans to have the new president in place in March 2019. Dr. Burns served as president of Wilkes Community College in North Wilkesboro for 18 years before retiring in 2014.

Serving on the Trustees’ presidential search committee are Trustees Deborah Brown, chair; Herb Gregory, vice chair; N. Annette P. Myers, Abdul Sm Rasheed, Donald C. Seifert, Sr., and Sara C. Wester.

Oxford Board to Discuss Increased Benefits for Employees at Oct. 9 Meeting

/by

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

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

Among the agenda items:

Recognition – October Yard of the Month – Karen Keeton, 511 Harris Street

Recognition – Grand Prize Yard of the Month winner

Presentation by Mobil 311

Public Hearing to receive public input on the City seeking a $500,000 loan to repair city streets.

Consider accepting Certificate of Sufficiency for petition of voluntary, contiguous annexation by Granville County and consider adopting a resolution calling for an annexation.

Consider a request from Barbara and Ronald Harris to subdivide the property located on the corner of Broad and West Street.

Consider adopting a more uniform bereavement policy.

Consider adopting a longevity pay policy.

Consider adopting an employee annual leave buy-back policy.

Consider adopting an updated tuition assistance program policy.

Consider approving a request for an extension/amendment to audit contract.

Consider approving the 2018-2028 beverage agreement for Oxford Park Athletic Complex.

City of Creedmoor & Granville Chamber Present Govt. Sunrise Forum, Oct. 12

/by

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

The Granville County Chamber’s Sunrise Forum will be hosted by the City of Creedmoor on Friday, October 12, 2018. A light breakfast will be served at 7:45 a.m.; program to officially begin at 8 a.m.

The forum will be held in Creedmoor City Hall’s Boardroom located at 111 Masonic St., Creedmoor.

Those in attendance will discover how the City of Creedmoor is working to make life better for those who live and work there.

Respond to Toni Anne Wheeler – 919.528.4994, tawheeler@granville-chamber.com or Wanda Garrett – 919.693.6125, wanda@granville-chamber.com.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

J.F. Webb Public Hearing Guidelines

/by

Granville County Public Schools would like to make sure certain guidelines are in place and met at the upcoming J.F. Webb High School and J.F. Webb High School Health and Life Sciences Public Hearing scheduled for Tuesday, October 9, 2018.

It will take place at the J.F. Webb High School cafeteria.

In a news release, the following guidelines were provided:

-Guest speakers must “Sign up” to speak (up to 30 minutes prior to the 7pm Public Hearing start time);

-The guest speaker sheet will be pulled to close sign-up at 7pm;

-Guests will have 4 minutes to speak;

-The hearing is scheduled to last until 8:30 p.m. If there are still guests who signed up waiting to comment at 8:30 p.m, the Board can decide by majority vote whether to extend the hearing or make some other accommodation;

-The Board of Education will only listen to guests, as no responses or decisions will be provided that evening;

-The Board of Education will take the public input and study information under advisement and will deliberate and make a final decision at a later public meeting.

Granville County Logo

Granville County Library System announces staff changes, new hires

/by

— press release

GRANVILLE COUNTY LIBRARY SYSTEM: Granville County Government announces that Interim Director Will Robinson has been named Director of the Granville County Library System, effective Oct. 1. Robinson has been serving as Interim Director since June of 2018, previously serving as Manager of the South Branch Library in Creedmoor.

Robinson earned his Masters degree in Library Science from the University of South Carolina in 2012 and has previous experience with the Wilson County Library System, where he served as librarian in the Local History Library and later was the library’s Head of Reference. He worked in Wilson, NC for five years before assuming the role of Manager of the South Branch in December of 2017.  He also holds a B.A. degree in Anthropology from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Penelope Mason, former Children’s Librarian for the Richard H. Thornton Library, was named Manager of the South Branch Library in August. Mason has worked for the Granville County Library System since March of 2011 and holds a Masters Degree in Library Science from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, as well as a Bachelors degree in Education from the University of Mount Olive. In her new role, she will perform supervisory, administrative and customer service duties in support of the Library System’s operations.

Hired as the new Children’s Services Librarian at the Richard H. Thornton Library is Amy Carlson of Maryville, TN. Carlson has experience working with children and teens through previous employment as a church ministry assistant, through missionary work on the International Mission Board in Kenya, through work with the Boys and Girls Club and other youth-related programs. She holds a Masters degree in Information Sciences, as well as a Bachelors degree in English from the University of Tennessee.

Carlson begins her role as Children’s Librarian on Oct 16.

Ashley Wilson will also begin work with the Granville County Library System on Oct. 16, serving as Adult Services Librarian at the Thornton branch.

A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a Masters degree in Library Science, Wilson recently completed a one-year internship with the Point Park University Center Library as a reference librarian. With an extensive background in customer service – which includes classroom instruction, research, promotional events and technology – Wilson also holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology. A current resident of Chapel Hill, Wilson replaces former Adult Services Librarian Carly Cox, who resigned in June to pursue a teaching career.

There are four branches of the Granville County Library System, which includes the Richard H. Thornton branch in Oxford, the South Branch in Creedmoor, the Stovall Branch and the Berea Branch Library. For more information about services and programs offered through the Granville County Library, visit www.granville.lib.nc.us.

###

Granville Shriners Fish Fry (Oct. 10)

/by

In the cover photo – Bob Hair, with the Burlington Shrine Club, brought his club’s hospital transport van affectionately known as “the roadrunner” to the 55th annual Henderson Shrine Fish Fry in 2018.

According to Hair, the roadrunner has traveled many a mile to bring children to the closest Shriner’s hospital in Greenville, SC. “Two Shriners ride in the van to take sick children to the hospital,” said Hair. “We stay with them until they get through it [procedure] and then we bring them back home.”

Now it’s time for the Granville County Shrine Club’s Annual Fish Fry.  It’s coming up this Wednesday, Oct 10th and will take place at the Shrine Club on Roxboro Road, Hwy 158 in Oxford.

See more – click here – on the Granville County Shrine Club’s Facebook Page.

The club’s Facebook page, which is where this information was obtained, also says:

“THE EVENT IS FROM 11 AM TILL 7 PM, EAT IN OR TAKE OUT, TICKETS AT THE DOOR.  IF YOU LIVE OR WORK IN THE OXFORD CITY LIMITS AND ORDER 10 OR MORE PLATES, WE’LL DELIVER. LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING ALL OF YOU.”

JIM ADCOCK PRESIDENT
DOUG LOGAN CHAIRMAN

(Click here for the original Granville Shrine Club post.)