TownTalk: Oxford Gets Ready For Hot Sauce Festival

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There’ll be a hot time in O-Town this weekend as the 18th annual Hot Sauce Contest and Festival takes over downtown streets for an expanded two-day event.

Granville County Tourism Director Angela Allen said this year’s festival kicks off Friday, Sept. 6 and continues for a full day of activities the next day that includes live music, food vendors, crafts and more.

Vendors will be set up Friday evening from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. to showcase their goods, Allen said on Tuesday’s TownTalk. There will be live music by Gump Fiction, which she describes as a cover tribute band playing tunes from the 1990’s and 2000’s. There also will be an 18-hole glow-in-the-dark miniature golf course set up near Little John Street.

If that’s a little too staid for your tastes, step right up to the Flying Hatchet and try your hand at ax throwing.

There will be more live music throughout the day on Saturday, and all eyes – and taste buds – will be focused on the pepper-eating stage from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. to see which pepper-eating contestant can outlast other competitors.

This year, the local cooperative extension agency is getting in on the action by sponsoring a pepper decorating contest, Allen said. It’s just another example of how the community comes together to support the festival.

“At the root of it, it’s all about community,” she said.

But it’s also about the peppers. Granville County’s own Bailey Farms is the largest pepper distributor on the East Coast, so when Julia Overton originally hatched the idea of a pepper festival almost two decades ago, the pepper was an easy choice.

It’s gone from a small gathering in the basement of Stovall’s (now The Hub on Main) to a two-day street festival that brings pepper-loving people from all over to sample, shop and enjoy sauces that range from mild to wild.

“We’ve gotten over 200 entries of sauces,” Allen said, and judges have narrowed down their choices. In addition to the traditional categories of sauces, bbq sauces and spices and rubs, this year’s competition includes a category for salsa.

More than 50 of the sauce-related vendors will be at the festival, so folks can sample different products to find the perfect one for them.

Allen said this annual gathering is really becoming an event for foodies and for producers not just from Granville County, but from across North Carolina.

“It’s going to be a pretty awesome weekend in Granville County,” Allen said.

Visit www.nchotsauceandfestival.com for a complete schedule of events.

 

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Granville County Library System

Summer Reading Program Participants Log 4,873 Hours

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– information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

 The 2024 Summer Reading Program was a huge success at all four branches of the Granville County Library System. Hundreds of Granville County residents of all ages participated in this annual program with the goal of lessening the summer learning gap and ensuring that there are opportunities for fun, educational activities during the summer months between school academic years.

During the 2024 Summer Reading program, 468 kids registered to participate and track their reading hours. Of those who registered, the total reading hours logged was 4,873; more than 10 hours of reading per participant. In total, the library checked out over 5,000 children’s and young adult books. The library system also offered 112 children’s programs this summer attended by 3,327 people. Adult programming was also a big hit this summer with 879 adults attending 52 programs and events.

“We are always thinking of ways to keep our community engaged and the summer provides a unique challenge and opportunity,” said Will Robinson, Director of the Granville County Library System. “The Summer Reading Program is a great way to continue learning and keep kids active and engaged while school is out. We know that everyone is busy with family and community activities, but these statistics show how much Granville County residents value their library and are eager for activities to participate in. A special thank-you goes out to our Children’s Librarians, Amy Carlson and Amy Kemp, for the time and effort they spend planning and carrying out this program. Their hard work certainly has paid off!”

Some of the featured programs this summer included the Star Lab Mobile Planetarium, Mario Kart Tournaments, Japanese Taiko Drumming, Girls in STEM, and a “truck rally” at the Granville Athletic Park. Many of these events attracted hundreds of attendees each.

Even though the Summer Reading Program is over, there are programs for all ages nearly every day at the Granville County Library System’s four branches, located in Oxford, Creedmoor, Stovall and Berea.

For more information about services and programs offered by the Granville County Library system, visit the library website at https://granville.lib.nc.us.

Granville Senior Center To Host ‘Nifty 90s’ Event Sept. 18

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Calling all nonagenarians! The Granville County Senior Services wants to honor YOU at the upcoming Nifty 90s event at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center.

The annual celebration, which will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 18, includes dinner and entertainment as a way to honor Granville County residents who are 90 years of age or older.

Doors open at 4:15 p.m. and dinner will be served at 5:15 p.m.

Please register no later than Monday, Sept. 9 if you’re planning to attend. The Nifty 90s event is free for all those who are 90 or older; guests under 90 may attend for a cost of $10.

Call the Granville County Senior Center to register at 919-693-1930.

For more information about all of the programs offered by Granville County Senior Services, visit the Granville  County website at https://www.granvillecounty.org/residents/senior-services/ or follow Granville County Senior  Services on Facebook.

Duke Energy

TownTalk: Duke Energy and VGCC Foundations Support Small Business

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The Vance Granville Community College Foundation has received a $50,000 grant award from Duke Energy Foundation to support small business growth in the four-county area it serves.

And community college officials have come up with a creative way to make sure that the money is equitably distributed to do the most good.

The VGCC Foundation was one of 21 community organizations from across the state to share in $700,000 in this round of funding, said Beth Townsend, Duke Energy local government and community relations manager. Since it was established in 2020, the program has given more than $2 million in grant funds to small businesses across the state.

Townsend was a guest on Wednesday’s TownTalk, and was joined by VGCC’s Carolyn Perry, director of the Small Business Center, and Kyle Burwell, dean of Business and Industry Solutions, who provided details about how the money would be used.

The VGCC Small Business Center will select grant fund recipients through a series of workshops, one based in each of the four counties the college serves. Each workshop session will be comprised of four evening classes for a total of 10 hours of instruction. The sessions will culminate with a five-minute pitch contest, after which five of the session’s 10 participants will receive a $2,500 award to support their small business.

Workshop dates and locations are as follows:

  • 16–19: VGCC South Campus, Creedmoor
  • 30 – Oct. 3: VGCC Main Campus, Henderson
  • 7–10: VGCC Warren Campus, Warrenton
  • 14–17: VGCC Franklin Campus, Louisburg

Perry said there are just a few requirements to participate – applicants must be 18 years old and must be residents of the county of the workshop they sign up for. Only one participant per household is allowed and anyone associated with VGCC is not eligible to take part, she said.

If you do a little quick math, $50,000 divided by 4 equals $12,500. There will be 20 awards – 5 per county – which means that each grant will be $2,500.

The first three days of the process will involve coaching and developing a plan that will be pitched on day 4, Perry said, sort of like TV’s “Shark Tank.”

VGCC leaders have devised a creative way to help small business owners come up with innovative ways to infuse capital into their endeavors.

“When you start off with some capital,” said Burwell, you increase a business’s survival rate, not to mention provide stability and create additional employment opportunities. She said it’s a way to help businesses learn how to use funding and market themselves, which creates “a true impact for all of our communities.”

Perry said the Number One question she gets from entrepreneurs who seek advice and help from the Small Business Center is “Can you tell me where there are some grant dollars for my business?”

Owners of retail shops, restaurants and other small businesses looking to expand, their business, upgrade technology, improve marketing or downtown storefronts are just the kind of participant VGCC’s Small Business Center is looking for.

“We want to see how creative they’ll be,” Perry said. The timing right before the holidays could prove extra helpful; some small businesses depend on a brisk holiday sales season to boost their bottom line.

“Small businesses remain the backbone of the U.S. economy, and in rural areas, they also serve as the heartbeat of our local economies,” noted VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais. “This monetary commitment enables Vance-Granville Community College to promote the entrepreneurial mindset and support budding small business ideas into real businesses within our larger community.”

To learn more about this program and participant requirements, contact Perry at 252.738.3240 or perryc@vgcc.edu.

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Granville Health System Announces 2024 Sam Perry Scholarship Winners

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 – information courtesy of Granville Health System

The Granville Health System Foundation has announced names of three recipients of the 2024 Sam Perry Scholarship, awarded to high school graduates who are pursuing careers in the field of health care.

Jenna Radford, Caelyn Bunn and Gracie Bullock, all of Oxford, have been selected to receive the award, now in its 14th year, according to Granville Health System Communications Specialist Dori Koinis.

Radford, daughter of John and Lisa Radford, is headed to East Tennessee State University with plans to pursue a career as a mental health nurse practitioner.

Bunn, daughter of Brian and Christy Bunn and a graduate of Vance Charter School, will attend UNC-CH  to major in Sports Science with plans to pursue a career as a physical therapist.

Bullock, daughter of Kenneth and Kristi Bullock, is a graduate of Oxford Preparatory School and Vance-Granville Community College and will attend UNC-CH to major in Nursing with plans to pursue a career as a family nurse practitioner.

In 2009, the Granville Health System Board of Trustees and the GHS Foundation Board of Directors established a scholarship fund in honor of Sam Perry, a physician’s assistant whose specialized medical care earned him deep respect from both patients and peers throughout his career at Granville Health System.

The Sam Perry Scholarship is awarded to Granville County residents who have been accepted into a two-year or four-year allied health program at an accredited school and who intend to pursue a career in the health care field. Programs eligible for this scholarship include various health-related specialties including, but not limited to, clinical laboratory sciences, physical therapy, occupational therapy, radiological science, pharmacy, RN, BSN, ADN, LPN, dentistry and related careers, physician, physician assistant, and nurse practitioner.

Xavier L. Wortham, GHS Foundation Board president, said this year’s winners are most deserving of the scholarship. “Each of these recipients embodies the qualities of leadership, community service and academic discipline necessary to pursue their aspirations in health care,” Wortham said. “The Scholarship Committee was highly impressed by their academic excellence, extensive extracurricular involvement, and significant community engagement, all of which surpassed the criteria for this award.”

Granville School Board Names Gwen Roulhac Principal At Early College

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The Granville County Board of Education named Dr. Gwen Roulhac as the principal of Granville Early College High School. Roulhac has more than 20 years of experience in education and has previously served schools in Orange and Durham counties as a principal, assistant principal, testing coordinator, school counselor and teacher, according to information from GCPS Public Information Officer Courtney Currin.

In a written statement, Roulhac said she was “ecstatic and humbled” to be the school’s new principal.  “I cannot wait to join the Spartan family and, together, engage in the important work that will sustain and enhance the legacy of academic and cultural excellence for which Granville Early College High School is celebrated.”

Roulhac has four degrees, all from UNC-CH – a bachelor of Arts in English, master’s in Teaching, a master’s in Guidance and Counseling and a doctorate in Educational Leadership.

She succeeds Jackie Harris, who retired at the end of the 2023-24 school year.

Earlier in the summer, the board named Kellye Walton as the district’s recruitment and retention coordinator. Walton is a former North Carolina Teaching Fellow and member of the first cohort of CCP3 Principal Fellows at N.C. Central University. She earned national board certification during her 16 years in education, 10 of which have been in Granville County. In addition to being a classroom teacher, Walton has been a reading specialist, instructional coach and assistant principal. Walton holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from UNC-Chapel Hill and a master’s in School Administration from N.C. Central.

VGCC Logo

VGCC Health Sciences Programs Has Dual Pinning Ceremony for 14 Graduates

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-information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

The Vance-Granville Community College School of Health Sciences’ Medical Assisting and Practical Nursing programs honored 14 students at their very first joint pinning ceremony on July 24. Family, friends, faculty and VGCC leaders attended the ceremony, which took place at the Civic Center on the Main Campus.

VGCC Vice President Kim Sepich offered a welcome and congratulations to the students upon successful completion of their programs. Dr. Mercedes Kamoru, program head for Medical Assisting, had five students honored at the ceremony. Nursing instructor Leslie Parrott had nine students honored.

Both programs had a student speaker who spoke on behalf of their peers, reflecting on their shared journey. Normalejandra Avila-Velazquez represented the Medical Assisting program, and Taushua Alston-Eaton represented the Practical Nursing program. The graduates expressed their gratitude to the faculty for their dedication and mentorship. They also thanked their families and friends for their unwavering support throughout their educational journey. The atmosphere was filled with emotion as graduates shared personal stories of their experiences and the impact of their loved ones’ encouragement.

The pinning ceremony is a rite of passage in the medical assisting and nursing profession, symbolizing the completion of rigorous training and the beginning of a career dedicated to caring for others. Each graduate was called to the stage, where they received their pin from a family member with faculty assisting them. The pins, shining brightly, represented not only the graduates’ academic achievements but also their readiness to serve with compassion and excellence.

Dr. Angela Thomas, dean of Health Sciences, led the Medical Assisting students through the Medical Assisting Creed; Dr. Brande McIlroy led the Nursing students through the Nursing Pledge and the traditional lighting of the lamps.

The pinning ceremony marks the end of one journey and the beginning of another. The Class of 2024 is now ready to take on the challenges and rewards of the Medical Assisting and Practical Nursing professions, armed with the education, experience and passion to make a meaningful impact on their patients’ lives.

Those who could not attend may view the event’s livestream on the College’s YouTube page.

 

VGCC Medical Assisting Class of 2024:

  • Normalejandra Avila-Velazquez
  • Kimberly Ayscue
  • Amber Bolton
  • Amaya Sneed
  • Yolanda Taylor

VGCC Practical Nursing Class of 2024:

  • Taushua Alston-Eaton
  • Alexus Barnes
  • Susan Chebet
  • Evelyn Faucette
  • Regina Nderitu
  • Enock Tanui
  • Toshiba Valentine
  • Dawn Williams
  • Jennifer Young

 

Visit www.vgcc.edu to learn more.

Granville County Public Schools

Granville County Public Schools Start Date Pushed To Aug. 13 To Allow For Open House

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Granville County Public Schools has pushed back by one day the opening of its 2024-25 school year in the wake of Tropical Storm Debby. The first day of class for students on the traditional calendar is now Tuesday, Aug. 13.

The school district cancelled Open House activities that had been scheduled for Thursday afternoon and evening because of the adverse weather conditions.

Open House activities have been rescheduled for Monday, Aug. 12 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and the school year will begin the next day, according to information on the school district’s social media page.

“We know this decision might be disruptive to some of our families,” the post stated, adding that the district leaders “greatly appreciate” parents’ flexibility to ensure the safety of students and staff.

Visit https://www.gcs.k12.nc.us/ or follow Granville County Public Schools on Facebook for the latest updates.

New Warden At Granville Correctional Institution

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– Information courtesy of N.C. Department of Adult Correction

 

Secretary of Adult Correction Todd Ishee has named Isaac Rogers as warden of Granville Correctional Institution in Butner.

Rogers previously served as warden of Dan River Prison Work Farm.

“Warden Rogers is a veteran leader with 27 years of experience in North Carolina corrections,” Ishee said. “He has a track record of success as a warden, and his background in rehabilitative programs will be a benefit for offenders who will someday transition back into their communities.”

As warden, Rogers is responsible for all operations at the Butner facility, which houses approximately 900 close-custody male offenders. Besides housing some of the state’s most violent offenders in high-security units, Granville Correctional is also one of four adult correctional facilities in the state with a school for young offenders.

Rogers began his career in 1997 as a correctional officer at Caswell Correctional Center. He advanced at Caswell, becoming a case manager in 2003, program supervisor in 2010 and programs director in 2017. He was promoted to assistant warden of programs at Dan River PWF in 2018, director of North Piedmont Confinement in Response to Violation Center in 2021 and warden of Dan River in 2022.

Rogers earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Elizabeth City State University. He holds Intermediate and Advanced Corrections Certificates from the N.C. Criminal Justice Training and Standards Commission and has completed training in Peak Performance, Advanced Leadership and New Wardens.

 

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

The Local Skinny! Granville Vance Publilc Health Updates Social Media

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Granville Vance Public Health Director Lisa Harrison and her team maintain a laser focus on community health and providing services that improve residents’ well-being. But there’s a newly formed team within the health department that has the task of tweaking the ways that people in the community learn about the wide scope of services available at the health department.

As a result of that teamwork, the GVPH social media presence is going to have a new look in the next week or so, and Harrison said it’s just one way she and her staff are working to be effective community partners.

“We want to make sure that we’re in lockstep in communicating in our two counties,” Harrison said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny! “Social media is how we do that these days.”

Over the course of the next week or so, they’ll be finishing up the final details before the launch, Harrison said. For those who already follow GVPH on social media, there’s nothing special that needs to be done. The address won’t change, despite the fact that the health department will be using a new hosting site.

And for that younger demographic that prefers Instagram over Facebook, no worries – GVPH has you covered.

“We’re trying to do both and connect them in real time,” Harrison noted.

There are always lots of exciting things happening at the Vance and Granville locations, and it’s important to share them with the public.

Whether it’s a reminder to get a flu shot, the latest COVID-19 booster or any number of other programs the health department offers, Harrison said social media platforms are a way to push that information out.

Visit https://www.gvph.org/ to learn more.

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