Granville County Manager Plans Listening Sessions To Hear From Residents

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–information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

Granville County Manager Drew Cummings is planning a series of listening sessions across the county during the fall to share information about what’s going on and to give residents a chance to ask questions and provide feedback.

Cummings will hold a session in each district in the county, beginning Sept. 14 and continuing through mid-November.

The listening sessions will provide the opportunity for members of the public to learn more about county government, the role of the county manager, as well as give feedback about county operations in a less formal atmosphere. Cummings will be joined by members of the Granville County Board of Commissioners and other county staff.

“We have had an eventful year since I began as county manager and I thought it was time to get out in the community and make sure that I’m getting face-to-face time with our residents,” Cummings said in a press statement. “I have spent time in all corners of Granville during my tenure as county manager, but I’m really looking forward to getting to know some of these communities better and to having the time to sit down and talk with our residents. I think it’s critical to my performance that each citizen can inform me about the issues that are truly important to them.”

The listening sessions will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the dates and locations listed below:

  • Thursday, Sept. 14 at Stem Ruritan Club – 3595 Old NC 75, Stem
  • Thursday, Oct. 5 at Granville County Senior Center – 107 Lanier St., Oxford
  • Thursday, Oct. 12 at Tar River Elementary – 2642 Philo White Rd., Franklinton
  • Tuesday, Oct. 17 at Camp Oak Hill, 1528 Oak Hill Rd., Oxford
  • Thursday, Oct. 26 at Creedmoor Community Center – 116 Douglas Dr., Creedmoor
  • Monday, Oct. 30 at Butner Town Hall – 415 Central Ave., Butner
  • Tuesday, Nov. 14 at Stovall Library – 300 Main St., Stovall

For more information, contact the Granville County Administration Office at 919.693.5240.

Vance County Early College Alums Invited To Come Share In Homecoming Festivities Sept. 22

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-information courtesy of Aarika Sandlin, VCS chief officer of Communication & Innovative Support

Attention, all graduates of Vance County Early College High School! You’re invited to come back and enjoy Homecoming festivities later this month, alongside current students and others.

Things “kick off” with a tailgate experience on Friday, Sept. 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Vance County High School. It’s a time to mingle with old friends, make some new memories and enjoy some food and drinks.

The fun continues at 7 p.m. at the football field – come cheer the team to victory. The highlight of the evening will take place at halftime when the Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned.

Aarika Sandlin, VCS chief officer of Communication & Innovative Support, explained that each high school – Vance County High and the Early College High School – crowns its own king and queen for Homecoming. “”It worked great last year, so continuing that excitement” is the goal for this year, she said. Students from all the schools play as Vipers for athletics, she continued.

Her favorite tagline is “In Vance County, we are all Vipers.”

If you need to find something special to wear that shows your VCEC spirit, look no further than VCEC Spirit Wear.

Before the big game, make sure to gear up in style! Explore the collection of spirited merchandise, specially designed for current students, proud alumni, and more. Grab your favorite items to showcase your VCEC pride wherever you go.

Mark your calendars, spread the word, and let’s make this Homecoming event a truly unforgettable event. Whether you’re a former student, a current attendee, or part of our wonderful community, we can’t wait to see you there!

To learn more, contact Vance County Early College at 252.738.3580.

Deputies Arrest Two On Drug Charges, More Following Traffic Stop

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-information courtesy of Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame

Two people face a variety of charges following a motor vehicle stop made early on Friday, Sept. 1.

Deputies from the Vance County Sheriff’s Office stopped a car about 3:30 a.m. on Southerland Mill Road for a revoked license plate, according to information from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.

A search of the vehicle resulted in drug charges for the driver,

Devonte Venable, 26,  and passenger Kiana Epps, 22, Brame said in a statement to WIZS News on Tuesday.

Venable and Epps were each charged with possession of heroin. Venable also was charged with driving while license revoked and displaying a revoked registration plate, in addition to having outstanding warrants for failure to appear in court and for violating probation.

Epps also was charged with two counts of failure to appear in court, one count of second-degree trespass, resisting a public officer and assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. She was placed under a $51,000 secured bond and has a court date of Sept. 22, 2023.

Venable was placed under a $90,000 secured bond and is scheduled to appear in court on Sept. 19, 2023.

Both were transported to the Vance County Detention Center.

 

 

TownTalk: Hot Sauce And More Coming To Granville County In September

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Things are heating up in Granville County, and it’s not all because of the weather.

Granville County Tourism Director Angela Allen said this weekend’s Hot Sauce Festival is shaping up to be the best one yet.

This year, contestants entering their creations and concoctions have more than 100 categories and sub-categories to choose from, Allen said on Tuesday’s TownTalk. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9 in downtown Oxford.

Judges will review all different types of sauces, rubs and other products that get slathered on pork, chicken and more. There’s not just hot sauce, she said. There’s mild, hottest hot and verde, just to name a few.

Oxford has become the destination for hot sauce aficionados and foodies on the second Saturday in September. This is the 16th annual festival, and Allen said thousands of folks come to experience the festival, complete with music, arts and crafts vendors and much more.

“There’s a lot of good food,” Allen said. “We’re going to have judges who have this awesome job” of sampling products and deciding which ones get recognized. You can sample many of those products as you stroll along the streets of downtown Oxford, she added.

Of course, there’s a lot more to the Hot Sauce Festival than just hot sauce – Bailey Farms again is sponsoring the pepper eating contest, which begins at 1:30 p.m. Top prize is $1,000.

There will be plenty of live music on a couple of different stages throughout the day, including On The Border, an Eagles tribute band.

Visit www.nchotsaucefestivalandcontest.com for a complete schedule of events and vendor lists.

For those interested in getting the party started early, check out The Orpheum’s “night before” party. Find details at visitoxforddowntown on Facebook.

If the live music performances during the Hot Sauce Festival gets your toes tappin’ for more, head down to Creedmoor on Saturday, Sept. 16 for the Creedmoor Music Festival, now in its 30th year.

The town turns into a multi-genre sound stage to provide a wide range of music, from gospel to bluegrass and beyond.

The festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and music will be performed on two stages. There will be plenty of “fair food” fare for listeners, as well as vendors with arts and crafts and a classic car cruise-in.

Those folks who want to create their own music can pop in to The Orpheum in downtown Oxford on Wednesdays at 8 for karaoke.

And if listening is more your thing than making music, visit Oxford Oaks Distillery for dinner and local live music on Wednesdays for “Verdigris Vibes.”

September goes out with a bang on Saturday, Sept. 30 with two events in the Oxford area.

Paws for Granville is an annual fundraiser held at the Granville County Expo Center to benefit spay/neuter projects of the Humane Society of Granville County and the Granville County Animal Shelter. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is a must-attend for animal lovers who want to make a difference.

The Central Children’s Home is hosting a cross-country event from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. that will include fun runs for locals and other track and field events sanctioned by USA Track and Field.

Bring along a can or two of food, because the event also is sponsoring a fundraiser for ACIM, the county’s food bank.

Find more information about these events and more at https://visitgranvillenc.com/

 

CLICK PLAY!

 

The Local Skinny! Baskerville Funeral Home Hosts Mental Health Community Info Series

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The community is invited to attend an informational session on Sept. 12 to learn more about programs offered by Greater Outreach Services.

Charlie Baskerville has held numerous community info events to share resources with people in the area, and the one scheduled for next week will provide information about mental health and other programs and counseling services.

The meeting will take place at Baskerville Funeral Home, 104 S. Chestnut St., and Baskerville said it’s a way for him to give back to his community. It begins at 6 p.m. and will last about an hour, with time for questions afterward, as well as light refreshments.

His experience as a pastor and a military veteran contributed to his idea about providing and serving.

“Those things enlightened me about service,” Baskerville said on Tuesday’s The Local Skinny!

He’s a retired pastor now, but he considers the community info series a type of ministry.

It’s a way to “inform the community of the resources available…to make the community a better place.”

Call 252.430.6824 to learn more.

CLICK PLAY!

 

N.C. Symphony To Perform Sept. 9 At JPAC In Louisburg

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The Seby Jones Performing Arts Center in Louisburg is the place to be this Saturday evening to hear the N.C. Symphony perform a concert called A Little Night Music.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m. at the JPAC, located on the campus of Louisburg College.

In addition to Mozart’s “A Little Night Music,” the symphony will perform other selections, including works from Rossini’s’ “The Barber of Seville” and Bizet’s “Carmen” as well as Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma.”

Tickets are $40 for adults. Seniors and teens, $35 children 6-12 are $10 and children 5 and under get in free.

Purchase tickets online at www.jpacarts.com,  by phone at 919.497.3300 or 866.773.6354 or stop by the box office Monday-Friday between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The Jones Performing Arts Center is located at 501 N. Main St., Louisburg.

N.C. Rep. Sossamon To Sponsor Sept. 18 Meeting To Learn About Broadband Progress In The Area

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Want to learn more about the state of broadband internet access in your area?

Rep. Frank Sossamon has organized a community forum to share information about what may be in store for the area with regard to broaband internet access.

The meeting will take place on Monday, Sept. 18 at Perry Memorial Library, 205 Breckenridge St. and will begin at 6 p.m.

Staff from the N.C. Department of Information Technology are scheduled to be present to provide residents with the most up-to-date information about this issue.

 

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VGCC To Host Community Engagement Nights

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Vance Granville Community College has scheduled a series of “Community Engagement Nights” through its four-county service area to allow individuals to partner with school leaders and plan for the future. The first one is Thursday, Sept. 7 in Warrenton; please RSVP to let college officials know you’re planning to attend.

The discussions will be from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., according to information from VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel.

VGCC strives to be a catalyst in developing strong communities where everyone can experience a fulfilling quality of life, which comes “through educating, inspiring and supporting a diverse community of learners to achieve professional and personal success.”

 

VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais and attendees of the events will engage in strategic planning activities, which will help leaders make recommendations about various areas of the institution. Light refreshments will be served.

Attendance at each event is limited; sign up at www.vgcc.edu/events.

Below is a list of the Community Engagement Night sessions:

 

  • Thursday, Sept. 7 – Warren County Armory Civic Center, Warrenton
  • Tuesday, Sept. 12 – Perry Memorial Library, Farm Bureau Room
  • Wednesday, Sept. 13 – VGCC Main Campus Civic Center
  • Thursday, Sept. 14 – Wake Electric Operations Facility, Youngsville
  • Thursday, Sept. 19 – Karl T. Pernell Public Safety Complex, Louisburg
  • Wednesday, Sept. 20 – Mary Potter Center for Education, Oxford
  • Wednesday, Sept. 27 – VGCC South Campus, Room G1131, Creedmoor