TownTalk: Repair Cafe Is This Saturday In Oxford

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Give new life to that coffee maker taking up space on your pantry shelf – you know the one, the one with a broken switch. And pull out that vacuum cleaner from the back of the closet. Yeah, the one that needs a new belt.

Bring them to the Repair Café Saturday in Oxford. Don Fick says chances are, you – with the help of a knowledgeable coach – will be able to fix those small household appliances that need some attention, but aren’t quite ready for the landfill.

Repair Café is setting up shop at Oxford United Methodist Church, 105 W. McClanahan from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Please sign up for an appointment at https://www.repaircafenc.org/events/oxford-june24; the last check-in is at 4 p.m., he said.

Fick joined WIZS’s Bill Harris on Wednesday’s TownTalk and said the workshop is free to attend – they ask for reimbursement on the parts that may be used to fix whatever you bring in.

Usually, folks bring in things like lamps that need a new socket, small kitchen appliances or even stereo equipment – items for which repair shops often don’t exist.

The coaches and volunteers take a look at newer devices like flatscreen TVs, and if they don’t have the parts, the coaches can at least recommend where to find them. They don’t usually tackle cell phones or computers since there are places where those items can be taken for repair.

But the Repair Café is not limited to electronics or things that need to be plugged in – there are volunteers who can help with repairs from everything from clothing and jewelry to furniture more, Fick said.

“The rule of thumb is, if you can pick it up with two hands,” it’s ok to bring in for an evaluation.

Fick first learned of the Repair Café concept when he lived in New York, and when he moved to North Carolina he got involved with the “movement” in the Raleigh and Durham area.

“We want to push back against that temptation” to chuck something in the trash at the first sign of malfunction or failure.

Often, a quick fix or replacement part is all that’s needed “to prolong the life of the item, save money and save the trouble of going out and buying a new one,” he said.

Sometimes, the coaches will see a family heirloom that needs a little TLC.

“We can breathe a little new life for the next generation to enjoy,” Fick said.

Walk-ins are always welcome. Interested guests and prospective volunteers are encouraged to contact the organizers with any questions by email repaircafenc@gmail.com.

 

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TownTalk: Bee Jubilee Coming Saturday

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The 7th annual Bee Jubilee will be held Saturday, June 24 at the Granville County Expo Center. Whether you’re an experienced beekeeper or just like the taste of honey, the Bee Jubilee has something for everyone – from educational workshops and tasty treats to just plain ol’ fun.

Christi Henthorn is one of the event organizers and she said as the event has grown over the years, the Granville County Beekeepers group strives to focus on local vendors and artisans.

“Everything is homegrown, handmade bee and agriculture-related,” Henthorn told WIZS’s Bill Harris on Monday’s TownTalk.

“We have some really awesome vendors,” who will have all sorts of bee-themed inventory for sale. The Bee Jubilee will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There will be a food truck rodeo on site as well, so participants will be able to enjoy some food and beverages while they’re walking among the vendors.

This year, the event will feature a Honey Show, and Henthorn encourages anyone who uses honey or other bee products in cooking or baking to enter. She said there will be mead (a beverage made with honey), as well as beeswax entered in the honey show.

Anyone can enter the honey show, but Henthorn said entries should contain local honey.

A list of rules is available on the event Facebook page.

There will be an auction inside the expo center to help raise funds to establish an endowed professorship in apiculture at N.C. State University.

There are more than 80 county beekeepers’ associations across the state and they’re all working in concert with the state beekeepers group to help raise more than $600,000 needed to make the professorship a reality.

“We are on that track to get that money over the next several years,” Henthorn said.

Auction items should be brought to the expo center no later than Friday evening; entries for the honey show should be delivered between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. on Saturday.

One lucky raffle ticket holder will win a year’s worth of local honey. The winner will be announced about 2:30 p.m. before the Bee Jubilee concludes.

Several workshops will be offered, including a beginner bee workshop at 9:30 a.m., followed by a workshop presented by a group of Master Gardeners about planting your landscapes with pollinators in mind.

The Facebook event page will be updated this week with the latest and newest information about the upcoming Bee Jubilee.

Find it at https://fb.me/e/4PAfZcPce.

 

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FSU Bronco Roundup Set For July 11 At Fox Pond Park

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Attention, Fayetteville State University alumni in the four-county area:

The annual Bronco Roundup & Sendoff is just a few weeks off and organizers hope alums will join in the fun!

The FSU Alumni Chapter representing Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin counties is hosting the free event on Saturday, July 22 beginning at 2 p.m. at Fox Pond Park Shelter #1.

Please RSVP by texting 252.213.5977 by July 10, so organizers can plan appropriately.

This event is open to any FSU alumni in the area, according to contact person Tannis Jenkins.

Granville Animal Shelter Gets $10K Grant From Petco Love

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-information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

Granville County Animal Management has received a $10,000 grant investment from the national nonprofit Petco Love in support of their lifesaving work for animals in Granville County.

Petco Love is a national nonprofit leading change for pets by harnessing the power of love to make communities and pet families closer, stronger and healthier. Since its founding in 1999, Petco Love has invested $350 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. And Petco Love helps find loving homes for pets in partnership with Petco and more than 4,000 organizations across North America — like the Granville County Animal Shelter — with 6.7 million pets adopted and counting.

“Our investment in Granville County Animal Management is part of more than $15M in investments recently announced by Petco Love to power local organizations across the country as part of our commitment to create a future in which no pet is unnecessarily euthanized,” said Susanne Kogut, president of Petco Love. “Our local investments are only part of our strategy to empower animal lovers to drive lifesaving change right alongside us.  We recently launched Petco Love Lost, a national lost and found database that uses pet image technology to simplify the search for lost pets.”

“We are so thankful for the continuing support provided by Petco Love to help the Granville County Animal Shelter in its mission to protect the animals of our community,” said Commissioner Sue Hinman, who also serves on the Animal Control Advisory Committee. “Our staff will utilize this generous grant to enhance our spay/neuter program, provide heartworm treatment to dogs, and pay for emergency veterinary care. This is such an awesome gift from Petco Love and we hope they know how grateful our community is to be included in this grant award.”

The Granville County Animal Shelter operates Tuesday through Saturday, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. for all services. For more information, call 919.693.6749 or visit https://www.granvillecounty.org/residents/granville-county-animal-management/animal-shelter/.

Learn more about Petco Love by visiting https://petcolove.org/.

SportsTalk: Oxford’s Adcock Called Up to the Majors

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Oxford’s Ty Adcock has been called up to pitch for the Seattle Mariners.  The South Granville High School Graduate made his Major League Baseball debut Monday night in relief during the Mariners 8-1 win over the Miami Marlins.  Adcock pitched two innings and gave up no hits, no runs and no walks.  The 26 year old pitcher is the son of Keith Adcock and Jennifer Strickland Adcock. He played college ball at Elon.

The road to the majors has been a long one for Adcock. While at Elon, Adcock developed a back injury in his freshman year, fracturing his L5 vertebra, and shoulder issues hampered his senior season.  After being drafted by the Mariners, the team kept him off the field in 2019 to rehab.  In 2020 Covid took care of the season. In 2021 Adcock tore his UCL ligament in his elbow while facing his 6th batter of the season during a stint in the Mariner’s farm system.  That injury resulted in Tommy John surgery and 17 months of rehab.

Adcock was called up to the Mariners after an injury to pitcher Penn Murfee.

Granville Chamber Members Can Nominate Students For Quarterly Spotlight Selection

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Members of the Granville County Chamber of Commerce have a couple more days to show support for local students and make them eligible to apply for a scholarship in June 2024 from the Chamber.

Lauren Roberson, the Chamber’s executive director, said the Education Committee has launched an initiative to recognize quarterly local students who work with Member businesses. Nominations for the first quarter are due by June 15. There are three attributes to keep in mind when considering a student to nominate:

  • Attendance: Student comes to work when scheduled without excuses. Student is prompt and prepared to execute necessary job duties upon arrival.
  • Work Ethic: Student is a hard worker and takes responsibility for their duties. They take initiative to reach organizational goals and are self-directed.
  • Character: Student is approachable, friendly, and a team player. If student works directly with the public: they have a pleasant demeanor and a positive attitude. If student does not work directly with the public: they are respectful to management and fellow employees.

 

“Nominating a Granville County student who works for your organization will not only spotlight them, but your business as well,” Roberson said. The Chamber will notify the business when one of its nominees has been selected and will gather more information about the nominee.

To be eligible, the student employees must attend one of the following schools: Granville Central High School, JF Webb High School, South Granville High School, Oxford Preparatory School, Falls Lake Academy, Granville Early College, Granville Academy, or Phoenix Academy, or be a resident of Granville County.

Every student who is nominated will have the opportunity to apply for a scholarship that will be awarded in June 2024 from the Chamber.

If you would like to submit a nomination, please email Lauren@granville-chamber.com. The first round of nominations are due by June 15.

Find the nomination form HERE.

Repair Café Coming To Oxford June 24

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Let’s face it: we’ve probably all got some item in our homes that just doesn’t work like it used to – it’s broken, but it’s not SO broken that you’re ready to throw it away.

Mark June 24 on your calendar and bring that item to the Repair Café workshop in Oxford.

Repair Café is bringing its free workshop to Oxford United Methodist Church from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on June 24, according to Don Fick, a resident of Oxford who is organizing the event.

The idea is simple: Individuals bring common household items and receive repair assistance from volunteer coaches. Items commonly seen at Repair Café are lamps, tabletop appliances, furniture, toys and jewelry. A wide variety of tools and talented repair coaches are on-hand to demonstrate repair techniques in collaboration with item owners. With only basic repair parts and no assistance from manufacturers, Repair Cafés typically see 65 percent of items go home fully repaired.

“As we emerge from the challenges of the pandemic, people are recognizing that basic repair skills are essential to building resilience, saving money, and conserving natural resources,” Fick said.

The global repair movement has embraced the Repair Café concept of community members freely helping their neighbors learn to repair and maintain common household items, extending their useful life, and reducing the burden of unnecessary consumption and waste. Recent appearances on NBC’s Today, NPR’s Weekend Edition, and the New York Times’ Wirecutter are raising awareness of the work being done in communities large and small across the US and around the world.

Online registration is recommended at https://www.repaircafenc.org/events/oxford-june24. Walk-ins are always welcome. Interested guests and prospective volunteers are encouraged to contact the organizers with any questions by email (repaircafenc@gmail.com).

Oxford United Methodist Church is located at 105 W McClanahan St.

See the full list of upcoming events at https://www.repaircafenc.org/upcoming-events.

Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging Helping Sponsor Walk Against Elder Abuse

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In observance of international Elder Abuse awareness & prevention day, several local and regional agencies are partnering to sponsor a walk in Creedmoor on June 15 to show support for the safety of senior adults everywhere.

This annual observance occurs between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and helps to focus on the particular needs and issues surrounding care for the elderly.

The motto for the international observance is “Don’t stand for elder abuse.” And Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging invites the community to come out and walk – not stand around – to observe this important day.

The walk will be held at the Creedmoor Community Center, 108 E. Wilton Ave. in Creedmoor, and there will be free t-shirts, refreshments and more for all participants.

Everyone is asked to wear purple and silver to show the world you care about ending elder abuse and neglect. Don’t want to stop at a t-shirt or sneakers? You can also decorate your vehicle, organizers said.

Prizes will be awarded to the three participants that best display their support for elder abuse awareness and prevention.

To learn more, contact any of the partnering agencies listed below:

  • Granville County DSS – Tyeisha Hewett at 919.693.1511
  • South Granville Senior Center – Christy Southhall – 919.528.0848
  • Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging – Kimberly Hawkins – 252.436.2050
  • Regional Long-term care ombudsman – 252.425.5396

June Blood Drives in Henderson and Oxford

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There’s just no way to say it any plainer: The American Red Cross needs donors to sign up and give blood. The need is great and ever growing.

June 14 is World Blood Donor Day, a day that focuses on raising awareness of the need for a safe, diverse and stable blood supply. This simply is not possible without blood donors.

Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion.

The Red Cross collected 26,000 FEWER blood donations than it needed last month alone to meet patients’ needs. Platelets are especially needed at this time.

Please take a moment to find a donation site in your area and sign up to give the gift of life.

In thanks for taking time to help, all who come to give blood, platelets or plasma June 1-30 will receive a $10 gift card by email to a merchant of their choice. Those who come to give throughout June will also be automatically entered for a chance to win a backyard theater package. Details for both offers can be found at RedCrossBlood.org/June.

Download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS 1.800.733.2767 to schedule a time to give now.

Upcoming drives are listed below:

Oxford

6/16/2023: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Oxford United Methodist Church, 105 W. McClanahan St.

Henderson

6/23/2023: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Maria Parham Health, 566 Ruin Creek Rd.

6/29/2023: 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Kerr Lake Country Club, 600 Hedrick Rd.

Auction Direct USA Driving Into Granville County

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-information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

Auction Direct USA announced plans to expand its regional operations to Granville County, which is expected to bring more than 170 new jobs for the new vehicle refurbishment and wholesale facility.

State and local officials welcomed the company executives during an event in Oxford on Tuesday. Auction Direct USA will occupy a portion of the former Santa Fe Tobacco production center located on Knotts Grove Road. The company’s project in Granville County will establish a high-volume location to recondition vehicles and prepare them for wholesale.

“We see our company becoming a part of the Granville County community,” said Auction Direct USA CEO Tim Frank. “Auction Direct has become the company it is today by investing in our employees and preparing them for success with our company and for the future. We know that the culture we build is the most important part of our business model and the monetary success we have as is just a byproduct of creating a place that our employees want to be a part of.”

“Granville County works every day to build a culture of success for our citizens” said Harry Mills, Granville County Economic Development director. “Announcements like this show that Granville is ready to lead the way for our region as we attract new growth, that includes more jobs and opportunities for our citizens. Auction Direct USA has proven that they are committed to ‘Growing with Granville,’ by bringing investment that cultivates success for their customers and our community as a whole.”

“We are always pleased to welcome a new business to Granville County, but we are truly excited to welcome a company known across the country for success and innovation,” said Chair of the Granville County Board of Commissioners Russ May. “The board of commissioners takes great pride in ensuring that Granville County is a place that promotes success for our existing businesses and welcomes new investment. I am confident that today’s announcement will have a positive effect on our community for years to come. Auction Direct USA is the exact type of company we hope to attract to Granville; one that will bring in stable, high-paying jobs and become ingrained in our community.”

As a result of Auction Direct USA’s investment with its Granville County facility, the company is eligible to receive a  $2,076,300 Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) over the course of 12 years from the North Carolina Department of Commerce and a $500,000 Building Reuse Grant from the NC Rural Infrastructure Authority. In return, by 2024 Auction Direct USA will invest $2.9 million in facility improvements and create 173 jobs with an average salary of $88,258 – nearly double the current median salary in Granville County.

“Auction Direct USA choosing Granville County as its expansion location shows North Carolina has secured a foothold in the automotive industry,” said Jordan Whichard, deputy secretary of the North Carolina Department of Commerce. “North Carolina continues to see economic development success in the automotive sector, and we are thrilled that Auction Direct is showing a commitment to Oxford, Granville County and the State of North Carolina with this major expansion and investment.”

Auction Direct USA was formed in Rochester, New York in 2004 by a group of automotive professionals who loved the car business, but not the way vehicles were sold to customers. This group used their combined 70 years of experience to develop a new approach to car sales that focused on fun and letting customers “drive” the process. This new location in Granville County will provide a base of operations to refurbish incoming stock and allow direct sales to vehicle wholesalers with a new subsidiary called “a.i.m.” This subsidiary will allow Auction Direct to expand into supply chain solutions, providing both wholesale and retail-ready vehicles to the  entire automotive industry, including dealers and digital channels.