J.F. Webb Students Complete Art Project For Display At “Bonnie’s House”

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Two J.F. Webb High School art students recently completed a special project commissioned by Families Living Violence Free (FLVF). The artwork has been completed and will be displayed in the FLVF safe house for domestic violence victims.

Sofia Serba-Davis and Brim Royster each received a $100 gift card in appreciation for their efforts, according to Dr. Stan Winborne, public information officer and assistant superintendent of operations & human resources.

FLVF board member Jackie Harris worked with JFW’s art teacher Ophelia Staton to commission the work. Staton received a $50 gift card for her assistance and support of the project, Winborne said.

Both pieces of art depict Bonnie Hawley, a Granville County resident who was killed in a domestic violence incident. The safe house is known simply as “Bonnie’s House.”

L to R: Brim Royster, Mrs. Staton, Sofia Serba-Davis

“Their artwork is phenomenal,” Harris said. “The FLVF board and I are extremely honored to hang their artwork in this special location.  It speaks volumes of the students and their teacher.”

Families Living Violence Free is Granville County’s domestic violence and rape crisis center. All services are free and confidential. Learn more at  https://flvf.org/

Coach's Corner Logo

SportsTalk 05-27-21 Barry Moore, Granville Central Baseball

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UPDATE 9:30 P.M. THURS –

FINAL SCORE GRANVILLE CENTRAL 7 TO 3 OVER LOUISBURG.

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The Granville Central Panthers Varsity Baseball team started off 0-3 but have since put together five consecutive wins and look for a sixth tonight as the school welcomes the Louisburg Warriors for a 6pm game.

Head coach Barry Moore said freshman Brenden Chamberlain will pitch. The team has struggled with pitching this season and have walked too many batters which he attributes to the youthfulness of the team. “Our team is still young,” Coach Moore said. He said the team has three seniors that are big contributors as well as a couple of freshman who have helped out. Despite the pitching struggles Coach Moore says that aspect of the team is improving.

“Now is a lot better than it was several weeks ago. It feels like over the last couple of weeks that we are where we should have been at the beginning of the season,” Coach Moore said.

He feels the team missed some opportunities to beat Roanoke Rapids in the season opener but are now dialed in to where they should be. The team currently has a .306 batting average and their on base average sits at .455 this season.

Coach Moore expects a big turnout for tonight’s game as the Granville Central Panthers look to improve to 6-3 against Louisburg.

For complete details and audio click play.

 

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TownTalk 05-25-21 There’s Lots Going On In Granville County – For Locals and Tourists

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From farmer’s markets and flock swaps to sports tournaments and bee extravaganzas, Angela Allen says there’s something for everyone to enjoy in Granville County.

Allen is the county’s tourism director and talked with John C. Rose Tuesday on Town Talk about a variety of upcoming events of interest to anyone looking for ways to get out and enjoy the springtime – and looser COVID-19 restrictions.

All during the pandemic, Allen said she was getting the word out about supporting local businesses. “Now, they can really get out and support them,” she said. And it’s not just local folks supporting local businesses, she said. People from outside the area “want to get on the road and explore neighboring counties – they want to get away,” Allen said. Advertising with a statewide reach has helped her help local businesses, she said.

“We’ve laid the groundwork for people to come and explore the area as we slowly but surely open back up,” Allen added.

It may be something of a new phenomenon, but in the post-COVID world “people are really starting to search in their own backyards to see what they can ‘get into’ and how they can support local businesses,” Allen said.

Click Play or Continue Reading Below.

The Creedmoor Farmers Market is open on Wednesdays from 1-5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is located at the American Legion building, 50 Legion St., Creedmoor. The Oxford Farmers Market is open on Saturday mornings 7 a.m. to noon. It is located at the corner of McClanahan and Lanier streets, near the police station.

If you’d rather go visit the farm itself, check out Lyon Farms in Creedmoor, Christmas Place Farms in Bullock or Dixon Farms outside Oxford for fresh strawberries, plentiful right now.

For a complete list of farms close by or across the state, download the Visitncfarms app, Allen said.

There are a couple of Memorial Day events – one at the Veterans Memorial at City Hall in Oxford and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Butner Gazebo at 10 a.m.

Although traditional media outlets continue to be effective ways to reach a wide audience, social media outlets have also become popular when it comes to “getting the word out” about events. Allen said she used to get information 3-6 months in advance of an event so she could promote it, “that window has gotten a lot shorter” since COVID, she said.

“As soon as I get the information, I try to put it up on website and social media,” Allen said. Sometimes, the event comes together in just a couple of weeks. “It’s a little bit ‘off trend’ now, but in the era of COVID, it can almost be on the day of the event” that people decide to attend.

Creedmoor’s new recreation center will kick off a “First Friday” event for families on June 4 at 7 p.m. The theme for the first event is “Wildlife” – a wildlife expert will show off some special animals and then have a “meet and greet” session, Allen said. There will be food trucks and other activities.

Southern States in Oxford is the site of a June 20 Flock Swap, where folks can find small farm animals, as well as other farm products like eggs, honey, plants. This event is from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Granville Beekeepers will host its annual Bee Jubilee on June 26 at the Expo Center on Hwy. 15 south of Oxford. The event will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and beekeepers will share information about bees and pollinators. There will be a bevy of bee products available, as well as a kids zone and a farmers market.

Also on June 26, Dogs Deserve Better of Piedmont will host a Family Fun Fair at The Barn at Vino in Stem. There will be food trucks, live music, outdoor games and more than 40 vendors.

Learn more at visitgranvillenc.com.

(Granville Tourism and specifically visitgranvillenc.com is a sponsor of WIZS and wizs.com.  This is not a paid ad.)

Dr. Michael Myrick Named Superintendent of Weldon City Schools

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Dr. Michael A. Myrick, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction & student services in Granville County Public Schools, has been selected to become the new superintendent of Weldon City Schools. Myrick will begin his new job on July 1, 2021, according to a press release from Granville County Public Schools.

“It comes as no surprise that Dr. Myrick has been selected to lead another school district as superintendent, said GCPS Superintendent Dr. Alisa McLean.

Myrick’s career spans 14 years in GCPS; he has been a principal and program director, and has been an assistant superintendent for the past seven years, according to information released by Dr. Stan Winborne, public information officer and assistant superintendent of operations & human resources.

According to its website, Weldon City Schools has four schools and almost 700 students. Weldon is located in Halifax County in North Carolina.

Myrick puts children first, McLean said, and is “always thinking of their best interests. We wish him all the best as he takes the next step in his career continuing to serve children,” she stated.

School board chairman David Richardson expressed the board’s appreciation to Myrick for his time with GCPS. “The board is grateful for Dr. Myrick’s service to the students and community in Granville County,” Richardson said.  “He has worked hard to be a champion for children…I know that the students, staff and community of Weldon City Schools are fortunate to have him as their new leader,” he said.

Myrick was chosen from a field of 39 candidates, according to the GCPS release, based on his “experience, leadership and dedication to students, staff and community.”

With his extensive experience in curriculum and instruction, the board is confident Dr. Myrick will lead the school system to high levels of academic achievement, the statement continued.

Myrick is a past president of the Oxford Rotary Club and is a member of the advisory board for Vance-Granville Community College School of Arts & Sciences. He also is a board member of the N.C. Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development and the North Carolina Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education Center.

NCDOT

Oxford’s Roundabout Construction Set To Begin In June; Drivers, Plan For 2-Month Detour

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Preliminary work has been completed at the Oxford intersection that soon will be the site of the city’s first traffic circle, or roundabout.

N.C. Department of Transportation contract crews will start building the roundabout on June 7 at the intersection of Main and Spring streets, located near the post office and the Richard Thornton library.

The $200,000 project will take a couple of months to complete, and the first vehicles should be able to use it in August, according to a statement from DOT spokesman Marty Homan. During construction, drivers will follow a posted detour along Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., Hillsboro Street/Williamsboro Street and Gilliam Street.

“Roundabouts improve safety for drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists. They also help reduce the congestion and backups more typically found at traditional intersections with stop signs and traffic signals,” according to the DOT statement. The intersection currently has stop signs on Spring Street but not Main Street.

NCDOT has produced a video showing how roundabouts work and improve overall safety. More details can also be found by visiting the department’s roundabout webpage.

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VGCC “Boot Camp” Offers Skills To Get Jobs, Plan For Careers

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Vance-Granville Community College is offering a job readiness “boot camp” for anyone interested in learning valuable skills to get employed and stay employed.

All four campuses are having the four-day sessions, designed to provide 24 hours of instruction, according to information from Tanya S. Weary, dean of business & industry solutions at VGCC.

The class is limited to 10 students, and will focus on several key topics, from interviewing and resume writing to goal setting and communication.

Participants should be at least 16 years old, according to Kyle Burwell, VGCC’s director of occupational extension. This type of employability skills class has been offered in the past by VGCC, but this is a new format designed to provide students with skills necessary to obtain and maintain employment.

Find the location to fit your schedule:

  • Main Campus: June 7-10
  • Warren Campus: June 21-24
  • South Campus: July 12-15
  • Franklin Campus: Aug. 2-5

For more information, contact VGCC at 252.738.3276 or visit https://www.vgcc.edu/coned/hrd/

Spring Recycling Event Diverts 22,000 Pounds of Materials To Proper Disposal

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The annual Spring Clean Out and Collection Event May 15 netted more than 22,000 pounds of material – from shredded paper to ammunition. That’s 11 tons of stuff that will not languish on a tractor barn shelf, be stacked in a storage shed in the backyard or clutter up someone’s garage. Granville County’s Environmental Services Department hosted the event, held at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center, and event organizer Teresa Baker said she appreciated everyone’s efforts to make the event a success.

Baker, who is recycling and sustainability coordinator for Granville County and for Granville County Public Schools, said the event went smoothly, thanks to volunteers who removed items from vehicles at the drive-through event, to the vendors who were on hand to accept the items and safely dispose of them.

Vendors included Veolia, Shred Ace, RMR Recycling, the N.C. Department of Agriculture/Pesticides Division, Recency Technologies, DART Containers, the Granville County Sheriff’s Office and Interstate Batteries.

Here is a breakdown of materials that were collected:

  • Shredded paper: 5,460 pounds
  • Latex paint: 5,000 pounds (6 pallets)
  • Electronics: 4,132 pounds
  • Oil-based paint: 2,000 pounds
  • Books: 1,720 pounds
  • Pesticides: 1,624 pounds
  • Toxic compounds: 1,000 pounds
  • Flammable compounds: 1,000 pounds
  • Aerosols: 420 pounds
  • Fluorescent lamps: 150 pounds
  • Outdated prescriptions: 110 pounds
  • Ammunition: 25 pounds
  • Mercury devices: 5 pounds
  • Polystyrene: 1,000 pieces
  • Car/vehicle batteries: 30
  • Household batteries: Three (3) five-gallon buckets
  • Power tool batteries: One (1) pallet

“These numbers reflect thousands of pounds of materials that will not be harming our environment,” Baker said. “Thanks to the vendors who were on site, the many volunteers who came to help, and all the residents who participated by bringing items to the Expo Center.”

Oxford Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison on Gun and Drug Charges

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Press Release —  Department of Justice, Eastern District of NC

An Oxford man was sentenced yesterday to 169 months in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Quantities of Heroin, Fentanyl, Cocaine, Cocaine Base (Crack), and Marijuana, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Jaleel Duncan, 29, was a passenger in a car that was the subject of a traffic stop by the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) in Oxford, North Carolina. When the car stopped, Duncan jumped and ran from the vehicle carrying a bag. An ALE agent chased Duncan through a neighborhood and saw him throw several items from the bag as Duncan ran. Duncan then threw the entire bag over a fence. ALE agents eventually apprehended Duncan and recovered the bag, which contained a loaded 9mm pistol and marijuana. Along Duncan’s flight path, agents found heroin laced with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and quinine, as well as quantities of cocaine, cocaine base (crack), and marijuana. On February 2, 2021, Jaleel Duncan, pled guilty to the charges.

G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, and the Oxford Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Dodson prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-202-M.

South Granville Rotary Busy With Projects, Fundraiser

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The Rotary Club of South Granville County has been busy lately with projects and fundraisers.

Buy a duck for the June 5 “Rubber Duck Race” and you could win a vacation package, a round of golf, an iPad, gift cards and more, according to club President Angela Allen.

“Buying a duck can support the local and international service projects on behalf of the club,” Allen stated. The race will be at 10 a.m. at West Point on the Eno. It is not necessary to be present to win, she added; winners will be contacted if not present.

On May 7, the club distributed more than 100 “care packages” to senior adults at the Creedmoor Recreation Center. The packages were filled with snacks, personal hygiene, household, and entertainment items collected and donated by club members and others in the community. Allen offered a special thank you to Christian Faith Center, Altec, CertainTeed, Southern Snow Company, First Horizon Bank of Oxford, KARTS, ACIM and The Help Center.

The club participates in other community projects throughout the year, including providing meals to homebound seniors, building and maintaining “Little Free Libraries,” and donating items for children in foster care. The club also provides electrical systems and vocational skills to underserved communities overseas, Allen added.

For more information on the Rotary Club of South Granville County and its projects, please contact Allen at 919.725.6486 or angela.allen@granvillecounty.org.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy Grants Available To Support Downtown Revitalization; Submit by May 31

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Local non-profit organizations in the community still have time to submit grant proposals to a Duke Energy program poised to give $500,000 to help downtown communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Hometown Revitalization Grant program (click the link for details) is designed to award non-profit/small business partnerships in 20 communities in North Carolina grants of $25,000 that can be used to help small businesses pivot and continue to succeed as changes to “business-as-usual” practices have been implemented because of pandemic restrictions.

Applications are due May 31; funding decisions will be made in July and announced in August.

Whether modifying physical spaces, improving e-commerce site for online sales or purchasing specific items to comply with public health measures, the grants will be administered by the non-profit agency in the form of a small business support microgrant program, according to information from Tanya Evans, district manager for Duke’s local government and community relations. The microgrants will range from $500 to $2,500. The non-profit may use up to $2,500 of the $25,000 for administering the microgrants.

The small business support awards also may be used to reimburse small businesses for expenses already incurred. The programs must be started by Sept. 30, 2021 and the award recipients must announce the recipients by Nov. 30.

Churches and governmental agencies may not apply for the grant, neither fraternal nor lobbying groups, according to the website. Please visit Hometown Revitalization Grant program for details about the program and submitting a proposal.

(Duke Energy-Progress is an advertising client of WIZS.  This is not a paid ad.)