Granville Names Charla Duncan Economic Development Director

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Charla Duncan has been selected to be Granville County’s Economic Development director. Duncan returns to Granville County government with more than 10 years of experience in economic development and local government administration. She is set to begin in the new role May 1.

In her new role, Duncan will lead the county’s economic development recruitment and retention efforts, with a particular focus on the development of the Triangle North Granville Business Park, according to information from Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood.

For the past six years, Duncan has held various positions in Warren County, including most recently as director of Community & Economic Development. She was Warren’s interim economic development director after initially being appointed to the position of Senior Assistant to the County Manager.

During her time in Warren County, Duncan was instrumental in securing more than $5 million in development grant funding and identifying and acquiring three county-owned sites for future development.

She spearheaded the update to that county’s 2022 Comprehensive Plan and established a board of directors and hired staff for the Warren County Tourism Development Authority.

Duncan was the county’s lead on the NC Department of Transportation S-Line passenger rail project, led efforts to expand local broadband internet access and oversaw efforts to cultivate the expansion of Glen Raven fabric manufacturing – a project that invested more than $80 million and created more than 30 new jobs at its Norlina plant.

Named a Trailblazer by Business NC in 2022, Duncan also was named Emerging Leader of the Year in 2023 by the N.C. Economic Development Association. She currently is a member of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina and represents the North Central Prosperity Zone – a 15-county region that includes Granville County – Economic Development Advisory Council.

Duncan is also no stranger to Granville County Government. Before her time in Warren County, Duncan spent more than three years in the Granville County Administration Office as Grant Coordinator and Management Analyst.

“I cut my teeth on county government with Granville County, and I’m truly excited to come back to an organization and a community that feels like home in many ways,” said Duncan. “I developed a lot of great relationships while I was a public servant here from 2016-2019, and I look forward to building on that history. As a native of Warren County, I’m grown from Kerr-Tar soil, and I bring with me a deep respect for our rural communities and what we have to offer, as well as protect. I believe in responsible development, and I’m eager to work with Granville County residents, businesses, and leaders on a thoughtful, creative, and intentional pathway forward for the community.”

Duncan is an NC Certified Economic Developer and a graduate of the UNC School of Government Municipal and County Administration program. She received her bachelor’s degree in English with a Secondary Education Licensure from UNC-Greensboro and a master’s degree in public and Nonprofit Management from New York University.

Mobile Home Owners Will Pay More For Fire, Casualty Insurance Beginning Sept. 1

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The N.C. Department of Insurance has ended its legal dispute with the North Carolina Rate Bureau over a proposed rate increase for two types of insurance policies for mobile home owners.

The two policies are Mobile Home Fire and Mobile Home Casualty, and the settlement calls for a statewide average increase of 11 percent per year over the next two years for the fire policy and an average of 8 percent over the same time period for the casualty policy.

The first set of increases will take effect on new and renewed policies beginning on or after Sept. 1. The second set of increases will take effect on Aug. 31, 2026. The agreement prevents the insurance companies from seeking an increase before Sept. 1, 2027.

Although the cost will go up, the increase is much less than the proposed 82.9 percent and 49.9 percent increase in fire and casualty policies that companies asked the Rate Bureau for about one year ago, according to information from the N.C. Dept. of Insurance.

“I am happy to announce that North Carolina mobile homeowners will save more than $10 million a year in premium payments compared to what the insurance companies requested, Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey said. “I am also glad the Department of Insurance and insurance companies have avoided a lengthy, expensive administrative legal battle.”

The increases affect approximately 148,000 policyholders in North Carolina.

Unlike standard homeowners’ programs, both the MH-F and MH-C programs include flood coverage. The two programs are similar. However, the MH-F program provides coverage for a broader range of perils.

The agreement means a hearing on the issue scheduled for May 21 has been canceled.

Upcoming Community Resource Festival Shaping Up To Be Largest Yet

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With more than 100 vendors already registered, the Community Resource Festival 2025 is shaping up to be the largest resource gathering in two counties, and organizers are eager to provide the community with valuable information and a fun day of networking.

The third annual event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Apr. 16 at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center. In addition to VGCC, sponsors include Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, Granville County Chamber of Commerce and Huff Consulting, LLC

Michele Walker with Huff Consulting, LLC is one of the volunteer organizers. Interest in the event has been great, she said – so much so that some vendors have been placed on a wait list. If previously registered vendors know they cannot attend, Walker asks that they contact organizers as soon as possible to allow as many vendors as possible to take part.

“Thank you so much for making it happen and breaking records, yet again!” Walker said in a written request to vendors for door prizes and other donations.

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Walker asks vendors to share on social media outlets counts as the participation/registration fee, she said. Vendors are asked to “tag” the resource partners to help get the word out to as many people as possible.

Facebook users can add “Shelli Walker” to their tags for verification as well. Walker said she will accept all “follow” requests and she will be showcasing random vendors as a way to further promote the event’s activities and participants.

“Again, we can’t thank you enough for being a part of this Community Resource Festival and we hope you all have an amazing time yourselves! Network, Network, Network!” Walker said.

This year, vendors are eligible to win door prizes, she said. Vendors who are donating prizes are asked to inform organizers no later than Monday, Apr. 7 of the type and quantity of door prizes they’ll be providing.

There will be a table by the entrance to the Civic Center to drop donated items on the day of the event. That’s also where the winners will be announced. Previous door prizes have been gift cards, gift baskets, books and donated services.

Please send the following information to michele.walker@huff-consulting.com.

  1. Item (description)
  2. Quantity
  3. Name of Organization

Please include on each item the name of the donor organization as well as accurate contact information.

Local DMV Offices To Open At 7 A.M. Beginning Monday, Apr. 7

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–information courtesy of N.C. Dept. of Transportation

The N.C Division of Motor Vehicles is set to again extend service hours at its driver license offices beginning next week.

On April 7, 42 offices – including the DMV offices in Henderson, Oxford and Louisburg – will join 50 others that will be opening an hour early at 7 a.m. to offer an extra hour of appointments and service time.

“I am ecstatic that we are able to further expand our service hours,” said DMV Commissioner Wayne Goodwin. “Beginning April 7, 80 percent of our 115 driver license offices will be open for 10 hours a day, Monday through Friday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.”

NCDMV has continued to work to provide customers with more service hours to address the state’s growing population.

In September 2022, the division increased the number of offices that opened at 7 a.m. from 25 to 35. That number grew to 40 in May 2023, and then to 45 in August 2023. Five more offices were added in September 2024 to get to 50.

 

Granville County’s Summer Civic Leadership Program For High School-Aged Residents

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Granville County government is seeking local students to participate in the 2025 Summer Civic Leadership program. Selected students will have the opportunity to learn more about careers in public service by working in various county departments.

Students who successfully complete this program will gain valuable insight into how their local government operates while exploring possible career paths. Summer Civic Leadership is a nine-week program and students must complete 120 hours to be eligible for an educational stipend. Selection to the program is based on a competitive application and interview process.

Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors that live in Granville County are encouraged to apply.

To learn more about the program and to access the application, visit the Granville County website: https://www.granvillecounty.org/168/Summer-Civic-Leadership-Program

Applications are due Friday, Apr. 25. Interviews will be held on the afternoons of Apr. 30 and May 1.

For additional information, please contact the Granville County Administration Office at 919-693-5240 or email Karen.Evans@GranvilleCounty.org and Jessica.Todd@GranvilleCounty.org.

 

 

Granville County Schedules May 17 Spring Clean Out Event

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Granville County residents have an upcoming opportunity to recycle and properly dispose of a variety of household hazardous waste materials at the Spring Clean Out event on Saturday, May 17 at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center.

Granville County Solid Waste Management holds this event each year to give residents the opportunity to safely recycle or dispose of hazardous waste that cannot be accepted at the county landfill or the solid waste convenience sites.

This year, the event will be held from 8 a.m. to 12 noon, according to information from Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood.

Accepted items at the May 17 clean out event include:

  • Ammunition
  • Prescription drugs
  • Pesticides/herbicides
  • Batteries
  • Household cleaning supplies
  • Aerosols
  • Painting products
  • Documents for shredding (maximum of 3 bags per person)

Prohibited items include:

  • waste generated by businesses
  • gasoline
  • explosives
  • biohazardous/biomedical waste

The event is free and open to Granville County residents to dispose of personal household waste.

For more information about the event, contact Jason Falls at 919.691.0928 or jason.falls@granvillecounty.org.

Event sponsors include GFL Environmental, Granville County Sheriff’s Office, Iron Mountain, North  Carolina Cooperative Extension, N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Shred Ace and Veolia.

Local Airport Authority Role Is To Manage, Protect Land, Flight Patterns

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Although Henderson gets top billing in the name, the Henderson-Oxford Airport is actually located in Granville County, and the Airport Authority that oversees its operation is owned by both Vance and Granville counties and by both cities.

David Thomas of Henderson is the current chair of the Airport Authority and Jon Carver of Oxford is vice chair.

Carver and District 2 Granville County Commissioner Rob Williford explained the authority’s role and the value of having a regional, public airport as counties and municipalities compete for industry, manufacturing and other types of economic development.

Anyone interested in developing property within a 5-mile radius of the airport is supposed to file a form with the Federal Aviation Administration – Form 7460 – which allows the FAA to provide feedback about the proposals as well as point out any effects that development could have on the airport.

There are height restrictions for structures that may be in a plane’s flight path or gliding pattern near the airport, for example, Williford pointed out.

“All the owners of the airport have to be good stewards of the airport,” Carver said, adding that if the form isn’t submitted, the airport authority could be found in violation of grant assurances. And worse still, the FAA could ask for money back. In the case of the local airport, that would be about $9.5 million.

Carver said he explained this procedure to Oxford city commissioners at a recent meeting during which there was discussion of a rezoning request for 527 acres of land located within that 5-mile radius of the airport.

The FAA is not going to stop the development, Carver said, but without that Form 7460, the FAA could come back to the airport authority and say it isn’t being a good steward.

“They don’t have the jurisdiction to stop the development,” he continued, but added that the authority could incur a penalty and face further consequences.

The airport is in Williford’s district, and he said he has learned a great deal about the airport since he’s been on the county board of commissioners. He said the authority is doing all the proper things for the airport, which relies on FAA funding. “We can’t afford to have that cut out,” he said.

He said he is confident that the city and the county “will come together and work things out and we will be fine.”

Williford said the airport is an asset to both Granville and Vance counties and said as the counties continue to grow and attract business and industry, the airport will play a vital role.

“When we can (say that) we have an airport that can handle corporate jets, that’s a plus,” Williford said.

People coming to check out the area for locating their business or industry are going to fly in, he said. They want something even closer than RDU – and the Henderson-Oxford Airport fits that bill.

But others use the airport for recreational purposes – a lot of people now enjoy flying in for hunting, he said, and even keep a vehicle on the airport grounds for their comings and goings.

In fact, the wait list for hangar space is 49-people long. The airport authority is in a holding pattern waiting for the water lines to extend to the airport that will accommodate the required sprinkler system for fire suppression.

And then the Henderson-Oxford Airport will be ready for takeoff.

Granville Health System Foundation’s Sam Perry Scholarship Application Window Now Open

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The application window is open for the Granville Health System Foundation’s annual Sam Perry Memorial Scholarship. The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. on April 30, 2025.

The GHS Foundation will name the 2025 recipient of the $1,000 award by the end of May, according to information from Marketing & Foundation Director Lauren B. Roberson. The scholarship will be pair toward the recipient’s tuition in August 2025. It’s a one-time scholarship, but recipients may reapply for as many years as they are in school.

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.

Every year, the GHS Foundation awards its Sam Perry Memorial Scholarship to a Granville County resident who has been accepted into a two-year or four-year Allied Health Program at an accredited school with the intention to pursue a career in the healthcare field. Programs eligible for this scholarship include clinical laboratory sciences, physical therapy, occupational therapy, radiological science, pharmacy, RN, BSN, ADN, LPN, dentistry and related careers, physician assistant, and nurse practitioner.

Visit www.ghshospital.org/ghs-foundation to find the application and to review the criteria for submission.

‘Pink With A Passion’ Event Saturday, Apr. 12 In Warrenton

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The 4th annual Pink With A Passion Cancer Walk will take place on Saturday, Apr. 12 and the public is invited to come out and be a part of this inspiring community event, whose theme is “Walk With Strength: Fight Cancer In All Colors.”

The activities will take place beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Warren County Recreational Complex, located at 840 US-158 bypass in Warrenton.

The Mammogram Bus will be onsite again this year, offering 25 free 3D mammogram screenings, according to Evelyn Tunstall Smith, one of the event organizers. Reserve a spot here: https://appointments.invisiondiagnostics.com/appoinment/

A Tree of Hope ceremony will provide a special moment of remembrance and strength for those who have lost their lives to cancer as well as survivors of the disease.

There will be a live band, a DJ, food trucks, vendors and plenty of kid-friendly activities – bring the whole family for a day full of fun, connection and celebration.

Register at  https://forms.gle/nqyZuxN9fDgayDM86

Event t-shirts are available, too. Order online and pick up on the day of the event, or contact Amena Wilson at 252.213.5735 before April 5 to arrange pickup before the event.  Purchase t-shirts at
https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/5EJMZKDZ5DTWS

To learn more about Pink With A Passion, visit: www.pinkwithapassion.org

(This story was originally published March 14, 2025 on WIZS Radio and WIZS.com)

The Local Skinny! Aviation Academies at the Henderson-Oxford Airport

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The Henderson-Oxford Airport is one of a dozen airports to get state funding to host summer academies for students in grades K-12 who want to learn more about aviation and the aerospace industry.

The N.C. Dept. of Transportation’s Division of Aviation has awarded grants of up to $5,000 for these smaller airports to have programs for young people, according to information from NCDOT.

“We’re thrilled to partner with airports across the state to offer these academies,” said Nick Short, interim director of the NCDOT Division of Aviation. “Not only do students have an incredible time learning about aviation, but they also gain valuable insight into the career opportunities available in this dynamic and growing industry. It’s about sparking curiosity and showing them that the sky really is the limit.”

The academies are designed to engage students in hands-on activities, interactive lessons and behind-the-scenes experiences that bring the aviation industry to life. Participants can look forward to flight simulator sessions, airport tours, aircraft demonstrations and opportunities to connect with aviation professionals who share their passion for the skies. Triangle North Executive Airport in Louisburg is also participating in the summer academy program.

The ACE Academy Grant Program is a key component of the Division of Aviation’s mission to support aerospace and aviation workforce development. By funding these academies, the Division is helping to cultivate a pipeline of skilled professionals who will contribute to the state’s robust aviation sector.

Parents and students interested in participating in this year’s ACE Academies can learn more by visiting the NCDOT web page devoted to the academies, which contains contact information for each.

James N. Brown, Jr., director of Customized Training at Vance-Granville Community College, is the contact person for both local airports. Contact Brown at 252.738.3520 or brownj@vgcc.edu.

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