Granville Ed Foundation Fundraiser Set For Aug. 9 at Tobacco Wood Brewing Company

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The Granville Education Foundation has announced plans for its annual fundraiser, including dinner and the chance to win prizes – all to benefit education in the county.

The 6th annual Pig ‘n a Raffle is set for Monday, Aug. 9 at Tobacco Wood Brewing Company in downtown Oxford, according to GEF Executive Director Jennifer Cufalo Carpenter.  Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 each and include a catered meal, 2 beverage tickets (a cash bar also will be available), and entry into a raffle with the chance to win over 40 items, each valued over $100.

Tickets are available from any GEF board member. This year, Carpenter said, the event will feature a special musical performance by Andrew Rice.

“We are looking forward to another exciting raffle event this year,” she said. In addition to cash prizes and gift cards, other items to be raffled include a Blackstone Griddle, donated by Union Bank, and an Adirondack chair and table donated by Guy Breedlove.

Visit the GEF Facebook page for a complete list of items. Carpenter said the list will be updated as more items are added.  “As a unique feature of Pig ‘n a Raffle – if you are unable to attend, you can still support the event by purchasing raffle tickets,” she said. Winners need not be present to win.

“This event is a great way to gather with others from the community, enjoy a great meal, and have the added benefit of possibly winning some really great items,” said Kevin Breedlove, GEF treasurer. “It’s a casual, fun way to spend a Monday evening.”

Event sponsors include Whitco Termite & Pest Control, the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford and Wilkinson & Carpenter, Attorneys at Law.

The Granville Education Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing student performance.  Funds raised through the Granville Education Foundation are used to provide resources and enrichment programs for students in Granville County schools.

Contact the Granville Education Foundation at 919.693.7047 or GranvilleEdFoundation@outlook.com.

Vaccination Requirements for Healthcare Workers

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Maria Parham Health on Friday issued a statement to WIZS News concerning the vaccination of its healthcare workers.

The statement said:

“At this time, Maria Parham Health is strongly encouraging and supporting all of our team members to become fully vaccinated. There is significant evidence that grows daily indicating that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Understanding that the situation changes daily, we are committed to carefully evaluating the research and the level of COVID-19 activity in our communities as we make this very important decision independent of approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). We will continue to evaluate our procedures and closely follow guidance from our local, state and federal partners in public health.

“We are aware of Duke University Health System’s decision to require the COVID-19 vaccine for its team members, and we respect this position. Like the majority of hospitals and health systems in the country, we are continuing to discuss this complex issue and determine best next steps for the communities we serve. Maria Parham Health remains committed to strongly encouraging and supporting all of our team members to become fully vaccinated.”

On Thursday the North Carolina Healthcare Association (NCHA) announced its position approved by the association’s board of trustees supporting COVID-19 vaccination requirements for healthcare workers. In a press release issued by the State of North Carolina, the NCHA also announced several of its member health systems intend to be first in the state to require COVID-19 vaccination for their employees, including Atrium Health, Cone Health, Duke University Health System, Novant Health, Wake Forest Baptist Health and the following UNC Health hospitals – UNC Medical Center, UNC Rex, UNC Johnston, UNC Chatham, UNC Rockingham and UNC Southeastern.

In response, Mandy K. Cohen, M.D., Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said in the press release:

“I am so grateful to our hospitals and health systems who have been tremendous partners as we’ve worked together to respond to the pandemic. We owe an incredible debt of gratitude to our healthcare workforce who have selflessly given so much of themselves to protect and care for us and put us on a path to recovery. Thank you to the North Carolina Healthcare Association, and the health systems that are leading the way requiring vaccination for employees, for taking action to protect the health care workforce, their patients, our communities and the state. Vaccinations are our way out of the pandemic. Don’t wait to vaccinate.”

Hearings Set For Public To Comment On Granville Schools Reorganization Plan

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Granville County residents will have the chance to voice their opinions about school reorganization and consolidation during two public hearings that will be held early next week.

The county’s board of education will hear public comment on Monday, July 26 regarding the possible closure of Creedmoor Elementary or Wilton Elementary, according to information received from Dr. Stan Winborne, associate superintendent and public information officer for GCPS.

Then on Tuesday, July 27, the school board will receive comments about the reorganization of secondary schools in the district.

The board voted at a called meeting on Thursday to present two options in advance of the Tuesday meeting regarding secondary school reorganization, according to Winborne:

(1) Closure of Hawley Middle School, reassignment of 7th and 8th grade students from Hawley Middle to other schools, and relocation of all Granville County sixth-grade students to elementary schools; OR

(2) Relocation of Hawley Middle School to the South Granville High School campus and consolidation of South Granville High School and Granville Central High School into one high school on the current GCHS campus.

Both meetings begin at 6 p.m. and will be held at Tar River Elementary School, 2642 Philo White Road, Franklinton, NC. The school is located off Hwy 56 South in Granville County. In addition, Winborne said anyone wishing to address the board may sign up beginning at 5:15 p.m. on the day of the hearing. Each person who has signed up before 6 p.m. will have up to three minutes to  speak.

Written comments also may be submitted electronically to publiccomment@gcs.k12.nc.us or may be hand-delivered to GCPS Central Office at 101 Delacroix Street, Oxford, NC 27565.

Members of the public wishing to attend the meeting will be required to wear face coverings, undergo health screenings before entering the building, and cooperate with social distancing requirements. There will be limited seating available, Winborne stated.

The hearings will be available online as well via the following link: https://live.myvrspot.com/st?cid=MDhkZj.

Holding public hearings was a next step for the board as it continues to discuss options for the district, which faces a $1.7 million budget deficit and many empty classrooms in its schools. The board discussed in its called meeting Thursday afternoon results of a survey that was created to get feedback from the community about the possible closings and consolidation.

Vance County Sheriff's Office

Case of Female’s Body Near I-85 North and Flemingtown Road Being Investigated as Homicide

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Update 3:45 p.m. Friday –

Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame issued a press release Friday afternoon, and it indicates a description of a possible suspect and vehicle and interagency cooperation have led to a suspect being in custody.

The press release indicates the victim in the case is Cierra Jackson of Richmond, VA.

The Vance County Sheriff’s Office responded to the I-85 exit ramp Thursday afternoon at 3:26.  A female was observed laying on the roadside, and it was believed she had been stabbed.

Additional investigation has revealed the victim, Jackson, suffered numerous gunshot wounds to the body.  EMS pronounced her deceased at the scene.

The suspect has been identified as Tikeise Kenshaun Johnson, black male age 20, of Richmond.  Sheriff Brame’s press release said, “Johnson is being held in Dinwiddie, Virginia without bond and has several charges pending in Virginia. Johnson will be charged in Vance County with 1st Degree Murder.”

Vance deputies on scene took a description of a possible suspect and vehicle, which led to a “Be On The Lookout” throughout North Carolina and Virginia.

Brame said in the press release, “Virginia Law Enforcement apprehended the possible suspect in an unrelated incident in Dinwiddie, Virginia. With the information received in the BOLO, Dinwiddie officials made contact with Vance County in reference to this being a possible suspect in (the) homicide.”

Additional details remain under investigation.

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Update 10:50 p.m. Thursday –

According to a press release from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame, deputies received a call about 3:25 p.m. Thursday regarding a black female at the I-85 northbound exit 220.  The press release indicates that deputies were advised before arriving that the victim had possibly been stabbed.

Brame said in the press release, “Upon law enforcement’s arrival, the female had apparent injuries to her left leg and neck area. CPR was initiated. She was pronounced deceased on scene by EMS.”

The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations has been called to assist with the investigation, and the investigation is ongoing at the time of this publication.

More information will be provided when it is available.

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SportsTalk: Khalil Watson to be a highlight of Saturday’s Home Run Derby

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If you love baseball then Saturday’s Home Run Derby is for you! Wake Forest’s Fungo baseball team, part of the NC Amateur Basball Club, is putting on the event beginning at 1pm on Saturday at Heritage High School in Wake Forest. Fungo General Manager and Oxford native Brad Mize says he hopes “to put on a show and earn fans,” during the event. The NC Amateur Baseball Club consists of 16 youth teams from North Carolina and Virginia including Granville County’s Carolina Thunder.

This is the first home run derby and, according to Mize, the germ of the idea was to do something special for the players, something for them to remember. Mize hopes this will become an annual event. With that in mind, Mize has done everything he can to make the event a special one. Khalil Watson will be attending. Watson was the 16th overall pick in the recent Major League Baseball draft. Watson attended Wake Forest High School and NC State. He was drafted by the Marlins and he will be available for autographs and photos at the event. Additionally, Mize says concessions will be available and a raffle will also be held for everyone in attendance.

While a lot of fun is to be had on Saturday, baseball still has to be played and Mize’s Fungo team has compiled a 21-10 record this season which is good enough to propel them to the league’s Western Division championship and will be heading into the playoffs next week. Many of the players who have passed through the NC Amateur Baseball Club have moved on to the major leagues including Oxford’s Ky Adcock who was drafted by the Mariners in 2019.

The NCABC organization is unique to Wake County as the only travel community to provide diamond time and professional training from ages 7 through college. Not only does NCABC provide Baseball and Softball travel teams for young athletes (7U-15U), it is home to two Legion affiliate teams at the HSU level (Post 187 & Post 297 Senior), 3 Legion Lady affiliate teams (Post 187 Jr & Sr and Post 297 Jr), and boasts the CVCL College FUNGO woodbat team. All levels of NCABC athletes are professionally coached with a hybrid professional/parent coach model at the younger levels. In addition to travel teams, NCABC’S mission is to provide athletic and character development to all area baseball and softball athletes through professionally coached academies, camps/clinics, consulting, and private lessons. Based in Raleigh, NC, NCABC is the full package travel and development organization for athletes and their families.

For more information email them at ncabcfungo@gmail.com.

For complete details and audio click play.

 

The Local Skinny: Recycling On The Rise In Granville

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In the 12 years since Teresa Baker has been recycling and sustainability coordinator for Granville County and Granville County Public Schools, she has seen a lot of things change. And most of it is because of her efforts to get the community onboard with recycling.

“It’s improved tenfold,” Baker told Bill Harris on Thursday’s The Local Skinny! “It‘s just been amazing.”
When the county started this program 12 years ago, residents were separating newspaper from aluminum cans from glass bottles. Now, residents can simply collect all their recyclables in a single container, what the industry calls “single stream.”

Among her many job duties, Baker collaborates with GFL, formerly Waste Industries, to make sure all residents have the service they need so their recycling efforts are optimized.

By informing the community about events like the fall and spring household recycling events she hosts, Baker said Granville residents are keeping a lot of harmful items out of the environment.

“We can reuse a lot of stuff, we can repair and recycle” to keep things out of the landfill. She said the upcoming RepairCafé workshop is just another way to keep items from being added to the landfill. She and Oxford resident and RepairCafé organizer Don Fick have teamed up to have a workshop at the Granville Expo Center on Sept. 18.

Golden Leaf changes approved for Open Grants Program

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– courtesy of Golden Leaf and goldenleaf.org –

The Golden LEAF Foundation Board of Directors approved changes to the Open Grants Program at its June 2021 meeting, guided by the recently adopted strategic plan. Historically, the Open Grants Program has awarded $200,000 or less in funding for projects. While most applications will continue to be for $200,000 or less, the Board approved funding for up to $500,000 for projects that meet certain additional criteria.

The Golden LEAF Foundation is committed to using the funds entrusted to it for projects that show the most potential for strengthening North Carolina’s economy, especially in tobacco-dependent, economically distressed, and/or rural communities. The Open Grants Program allows eligible applicants to apply for Golden LEAF funding throughout the year. The Open Grants Program is for economic development projects aligned with Golden LEAF priority areas.

For projects that possess some additional characteristics, Golden LEAF may make awards of up to $500,000 from this program. To determine which projects will be eligible for consideration for an award of more than $200,000, Golden LEAF requires that the project include one or more of these characteristics:

  • Higher level of funding will lead to significant outcomes
  • Result of a planning process involving multiple organizations and members of the community
  • Building on a history of success that allows a project to scale and significantly increase outcomes
  • Funding will enable or encourage compelling collaboration, including uncommon or innovative approaches or organizations in more than one county
  • Funding will leverage significant funding from other organizations
  • Applicant has limited resources
  • The project cannot be implemented in phases without compromising its outcomes

Applicants who wish to apply for more than $200,000 in funding from the Open Grants Program must complete a required consultation with Golden LEAF staff.

More information is available on the website at goldenleaf.org on how Golden LEAF evaluates Open Grants Program proposals, including detailed characteristics of exceptional projects.

The Golden LEAF Foundation, headquartered in Rocky Mounty, was established in 1999 to administer a portion of the tobacco settlement agreement monies back into North Carolina’s rural and economically distressed communities. For almost 20 years, the nonprofit has partnered with state and local governments and other foundations to build economic opportunity across North Carolina through leadership in grantmaking, collaboration, innovation, and stewardship as an independent and perpetual foundation.

VGCC Logo

VGCC, myFutureNC, Belk Endowment Work Together To Support Adult Learners

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Vance-Granville Community College, John M. Belk Endowment, and myFutureNC are working together to better address the needs of local employers and adult students

Dr. Rachel Desmarais, President of Vance-Granville Community College called on adults across the region to visit BetterSkillsBetterJobs.com as a first step to gain the skills they need to secure the jobs they want.

“After a year of challenges like no other, we know many adults are examining their work situations and even considering career changes,” said Desmarais. “So we are making an extra push this summer to connect adults to a variety of fast, flexible, and affordable programs at VGCC which lead to current open jobs in our communities.”

“From biomanufacturing to warehousing, mechatronics to supply chain and logistics, emergency medical training to truck driving certificates, and many more, our courses are a direct pipeline to many of our region’s top employers,” Desmarais said. “That’s why we hope everyone will visit BetterSkillsBetterJobs.com today to quickly connect with us and explore all of the opportunities we offer that can lead to better skills, a better job, a bigger paycheck, and an even brighter future.”

Vance-Granville Community College (VGCC) is the local source for higher education and training in Vance, Granville, Franklin, and Warren counties with four attractive campuses, one in each county. Established in 1969, VGCC offers more than 40 curriculum programs, in which students work toward certificates, diplomas and degrees. Area residents and businesses can also take advantage of a variety of Continuing Education opportunities, as well as the High School Equivalency and Adult High School Diploma programs.

For more information about Vance-Granville Community College’s Better Skills. Better Jobs. Initiative, please visit: BetterSkillsBetterJobs.com/VGCC/

TownTalk: Soul City: Race, Equality And The Lost Dream Of An American Utopia

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Thomas Healy was born in 1969, the same year that Floyd McKissick launched Soul City, his dream to build a new town in Warren County that would boast 50,000 residents and pump life into a historically poor area of North Carolina.

Healy, although born and raised in North Carolina, only learned about Soul City when he was a reporter in the 1990’s at The News & Observer in Raleigh, he told Bill Harris and Mark Pace on Thursday’s Town Talk.

And now, the Seton Hall law professor has written a book about the spot where McKissick had envisioned Black people living, working and thriving. But Soul City: Race, Equality, and the Lost Dream of an American Utopia also looks examines misperceptions surrounding Soul City.

One glaring misperception is that McKissick wanted to build an all-Black city an hour north of Durham, Healy said. Then, with the backdrop of protests in Ferguson, Missouri, Healy decided to take a closer look at the story of Soul City and “to tell people about this history and, to some extent, set the record straight.”

McKissick, a Democrat, had some unlikely allies when he was trying to build Soul City, from James Holshouser, the Republican elected governor in 1972 all the way to the White House and Richard Nixon. Although initially skeptical and hostile, Healy noted, the nay-sayers realized what Soul City could do, they were on board.

But not Jesse Helms, newly elected senator from North Carolina. “Helms was hostile to Soul City from the very beginning,” Healy said. Ironically, The News & Observer, no friend of Helms ordinarily, “sort of tag-teamed with Jesse Helms in a way” in opposition to Soul City.

That combined opposition of the newpaper and Helms “was really devastating” for Soul City. Healy opined that if one or the other had not been such vocal opponents, then maybe Soul City would have had a fighting chance at survival.

Unlike suburban areas that grew up around urban areas as bedroom communities, Soul City was plopped in the middle of a rural county with little industry nearby. McKissick was trying to build a city of 50,000 people in a county that had a total population of 16,000 – he would have to clear the land, pave the roads, bring in electricity and then build homes, parks, amenities that would attract residents. And then there would need to be jobs.

It was a classic chicken-egg theory – which would come first, jobs or the city? Industry would demand a skilled workforce to draw from, and residents would have to have a way to make their livelihood in order to relocate, Healy said.

It was a strategic, yet pragmatic move that McKissick made in the summer of 1972 to switch political parties. He became a Republican and supported Nixon. Healy said he felt like this was insurance that would assure Soul City would get the federal dollars from HUD to become a reality.

Soul City got the money, but it wasn’t enough, Healy said. And that type of idealistic thought doesn’t exist today. “It was a super ambitious, audacious project,” Healy said. “If you proposed something like this now, I think people would look at you like you were crazy.”

McKissick did not see his dream come to full reality. He died in 1991, after Soul City had closed. But Healy said he felt McKissick would be heartbroken today to see that spot in Warren County where his dream began.

For complete details and audio click play.