Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Local COVID-19 Statistics; GVPH Updates Online Data Dashboard

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-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health

GVPH has updated the way data is shared on its website. Please visit GVPH’s COVID-19 Data Dashboard (click here) for tables and graphs that will be updated daily.

The following is an update for COVID-19 spread and response in Granville and Vance County as of August 25, 2020. Granville Vance Public Health numbers correlate with the NC Electronic Disease Surveillance System (NCEDSS) data.

The county case numbers reported on the NC county map from the NC Department of Health and Human Services may differ from the ones reported locally as they are updated at different times and may change once residence is verified.

Granville County

1,470 positive test results for COVID-19.

Of those 1,470, 834 are community-spread cases located across Granville County. Of those 834, 663 have been released from isolation.

Of those 1,470, 514 cases are affiliated with the prison system in Granville County and 366 of those 514 have been released from isolation.

Of those 1,470, 122 are associated with outbreaks at long term care facilities including 19 at Murdoch Development Center, two at Central Regional Hospital, one at Brantwood Nursing and Rehab Center, 92 at Universal Health Care and eight at Granville House.

Of the 122 cases in long term care facilities in Granville County, nine have been released from isolation.

12 individuals in Granville County are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 40 deaths in Granville County: four in the community, one associated with Central Regional Hospital, one associated with Murdoch Development Center, 13 associated with Universal Health Care, and 21 associated with the Bureau of Prisons Federal Correctional Complex.

Unfortunately, a recent death associated with Murdoch Development Center has been reported: a 71-year-old female passed away on August 25, 2020.

Vance County

836 positive test results for COVID-19.

Of those 836, 711 are community-spread cases located across Vance County. Of those 711, 577 have been released from isolation.

Of those 836, 125 are associated with outbreaks at congregate living facilities including 49 cases associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home, 17 associated with Senior Citizens Home, and one with Alliance Rehabilitative Care (ARC). The outbreak at Pelican Health nursing home is no longer active.

Of the 125 cases in congregate living facilities in Vance County, 44 have been released from isolation.

Five individuals in Vance County are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 42 deaths in Vance County: 14 associated with the Pelican Health nursing home outbreak, 12 associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home, two associated with Senior Citizens Home, and 14 in the community.

WIZS Note: According to the provided data, there are 134 total known active cases in the Vance County community and 171 in the Granville County community at this time (excluding congregate living numbers).

Additional Information

The number of those who have been ‘released from isolation’ is determined by the CDC Guidance for discontinuation of isolation for persons with COVID-19.

Please visit www.gvph.org/COVID-19/ for the latest information from Granville Vance Public Health and to sign up for daily email updates.

Henderson Vance Recreation & Parks

HVRPD: Fortnight Deadline Extended; Virtual Painting & Youth Outreach Programs Offered

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-Information courtesy the Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Department

The Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department announces a few upcoming events, including:

Virtual Project Youth Outreach: Project Youth Outreach focuses on interpersonal skill-building, life skills, and guided growth activities that will contribute to a more positive self-image, enhanced academics, better decision-making and acceptable behavior.

Join us by logging on to Facebook Live on the Henderson Vance Youth Services page. Classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4 p.m. beginning Tuesday, August 25, 2020, and ending Thursday, October 22, 2020.

For more information, please contact Shantel Hargrove at (252) 430-0382 (shhargrove@ci.henderson.nc.us) or Jaleel Johnson at (252) 431-6099 (jjohnson@ci.henderson.nc.us).

Fortnite Tournament-Extended Registration: Want to win some V-Bucks? Play in the first Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks online single-elimination Fortnite tournament. Youth ages 7-17 team up with three of your friends in a Battle Royal match. Each player on the winning team of the tournament will win 2,800 V-Bucks.

Registration has been extended until Sunday, September 6, 2020, online at https://hvrpd.recdesk.com/. The cost is $8 per team. For more information, please contact Darius Pitt at (252) 438-3408 (dpitt@ci.henderson.nc.us).

DIY Fluid Painting: Join HVRPD Live on the Henderson Vance Facebook page on Tuesday, September 22, October 6, October 20 and October 27, 2020, at 11 a.m. Each Live session will walk you through each step of a different style of fluid painting.

Tune in to Henderson Vance Facebook Live on Tuesday, September 1, 2020, at 11 a.m. for a complete list of supplies or contact Tyler Terry at (252) 438-2670 (tterry@ci.henderson.nc.us).

GAP Quilt Square

Granville Athletic Park Site of Newest Addition to Regional Quilt Trail

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

With the installation of a quilt block on a historic tobacco barn, the Granville Athletic Park (GAP) is now included on the Quilt Trails of the Tar and Roanoke Rivers.

The block was installed this past Saturday by the Franklin County Arts Council, connecting the GAP and Granville County to a heritage trail that meanders through eastern North Carolina. A description of the block and a brief history of the park will now be included on a travel guide that takes visitors on a cultural journey from one block to the next, county by county.

“Quilt blocks blend history, culture and community, and help tell the stories of the sites where they hang,” says Franklin Arts Council Director Ellen Queen. “Each block has been carefully designed or chosen to trigger the story of the family home, business or historical site where it resides.”

Pictured with the new quilt block at Granville Athletic Park are Michael Felts, County Manager; Angela Allen, Granville Tourism Development Authority Director; Sue Hinman, County Commissioner; Ellen Queen, Director, Franklin Arts Council; and Zelodis Jay, Granville County Commissioner. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt.)

The trail includes Franklin, Vance, Warren, Wake, Nash, Martin, Pitt and Granville Counties. This is Granville’s second block to be included on the trail. One has also been installed at a private residence in Oxford but is not available for public viewing.

The barn quilt featured at the Granville Athletic Park is easily visible from the main parking lot and walking trail, with a design that reflects the community’s efforts to preserve the property where the block now hangs.

In 1989, the state of North Carolina had joined a multi-state compact with a goal of building five hazardous waste incinerators for private company ThermalKEM. The following year, a list of 18 potential locations had been narrowed to two, with one being in Granville County.

When concerned citizens learned of the state’s intentions, they took action. Oxford attorney John Pike secured a loan from Adams Tobacco Company to purchase the 48-acre Ellok Jones farm, a tract of land in the middle of the proposed 580-acre incinerator site off Belltown Road.

“Barrister’s Block” has been added to the Quilt Trail of the Tar and Roanoke Rivers and can be seen on the barn along the GAP’s walking path. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt.)

Pike then sold $5 ownership shares to thousands of local residents as well as to shareholders around the world. Future negotiations with approximately 8,000 property owners, some living as far away as the Soviet Union and South America – in addition to public protests and the possibility of multiple lawsuits – resulted in the eventual elimination of Granville County as a possible site.

On May 21, 2004, the acreage once proposed as the location for a hazardous waste incinerator was dedicated as the Granville Athletic Park and Jonesland Environmental Preserve. Encompassing 69 acres, today’s GAP is the largest recreational park in the county and provides a wide variety of recreational opportunities for residents and for visitors.

The fitting “Barrister’s Block” quilt design is a tribute to the successful community campaign to preserve the land on Belltown Road. As the role of a “barrister” is to serve as a courtroom advocate, Attorney John Pike – with the support of Granville County citizens – was an advocate for preserving the land. The red and white colors of the quilt block are a nod to the Granville County flag.

This project was partially funded through a mini-grant provided through the Granville Tourism Development Authority.

“The Quilt Trails are a great way for visitors to find Granville County,” said Granville Tourism Director Angela Allen, “and, once they are here, they can explore local restaurants, shops, galleries and more. We’re proud to be a part of this heritage trail and to be able to tell the background story of this part of our county.”

To learn more about the Quilt Trail of the Tar and Roanoke Rivers, which is the only trail of its kind in the eastern part of the state, please visit granvillecounty.org for a link to the Franklin Arts Council’s online trail guide and to their website.

Corbitt Preservation Association

Corbitt Preservation Association’s Annual Truck Show & Reunion Canceled

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-Information and flyer courtesy Kenneth Stegall, The Corbitt Preservation Association

The Corbitt Preservation Association’s 19th Annual Corbitt Truck Show and Reunion scheduled for October 17, 2020, has been officially canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This is the first time in 19 years that the show will not be held.

Kenneth Stegall, with the Corbitt Preservation Association, asked everyone to stay safe and said, “Let’s beat this COVID so that we can continue life as we used to know it.”

Please note that the annual Show, Shine, Shag & Dine, and East Coast Dragtimes Hall of Fame & Reunion that was originally scheduled for October 16 and 17 in downtown Henderson has also been canceled for this year.
Local News Audio

Local News Audio 8-25-20 Noon

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Illegal Drug Awareness and Issues

Overdose Awareness Event in Memory of Heaven Leigh Nelson, Other Victims

HPD: Three Arrested in Large Heroin Bust

Sixty Dosage Units of Heroin Found in Vehicle Stop; Chavis Arrested

 

Franklin County Logo

Franklin Co. Finance Celebrates 21 Years of Excellence

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-Information courtesy Franklin County Government

Franklin County’s Finance Department now holds a 21-year record of excellence in financial reporting. Once again, the team has achieved the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting.

The Finance Department was recently notified by the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) that its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) was awarded the Certificate of Achievement by the GFOA of the United States and Canada. Attainment of the certificate represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including the demonstration of a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR.

For additional information, contact Franklin County Finance at (919) 496-3182 or visit www.franklincountync.us.

The Finance Office is staffed by Director Jamie Holtzman, Mattie May, Christy Henson, Jan Wright and Claire Fuller.

Granville County Public Schools

GCPS to Study, Share ‘Readiness Indicators’ Before Transitioning to Plan B

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

Granville County Public Schools is committed to our students returning to school as soon as it is safe to do so. In order to begin a safe transition from Plan C (all remote) to Plan B (partial remote/partial face-to-face), the Board of Education and administration are closely monitoring a variety of “Readiness Indicators.” These indicators measure a variety of data points which include state and local COVID data trends, physical readiness of our facilities, and survey data from families and staff.

We will also be closely monitoring the ever-changing research as it relates to children and their exposure to and transmission of COVID.

In addition, the district has asked to join with Duke University in a clinical guidance research study with other public school districts in our area, the results of which may also help inform our reentry plans.

To track all of these data points, GCPS is developing a “Readiness Dashboard” that will be shared with the public in the coming weeks. This dashboard will list the data sets for each area and provide weekly trends and analysis.

The Board of Education will hold its next regular meeting on Monday, September 14, 2020. At that time, the Board will review the data for each of the readiness indicators and determine the next steps for reentry.

When the decision is made to shift toward Plan B, the district will implement a ‘staggered entry’ return in which certain groups of students and grade levels of students will return before others on certain days of the week. The staggered re-entry plan will be finalized soon and shared with all families prior to the September 14 Board Meeting.

GCPS believes strongly that school is the best place for our students to learn and thrive. We will continue to work towards getting our children back into classrooms when it is safe to do so.

Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market

Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market to Hold Special Twilight Market Today!

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-Information courtesy Vance County Regional Farmers Market

Back by popular demand, the Vance County Regional Farmers Market (VCRFM) will hold a “Twilight Market” today, August 25, 2020, from 3:30 until 7:30 p.m. This will be in lieu of an open market on Wednesday, August 26.

VCRFM requires all vendors and customers to wear face coverings/masks. Don’t have a face mask? No worries. The VCRFM has several craft vendors making unique, comfortable, washable and reusable masks. There are lots of great colors and designs to choose from including college team logos.

Available Produce

The market will feature fresh and local summer produce including squash, tomatoes, zucchini, peppers, cucumbers, cantaloupes, corn, peaches, blueberries, blackberries, watermelons, potatoes, okra, beets, cabbages, strawberries, radishes, greens and more.

Vendors with pasture-raised beef, pork and free-range hen eggs will also be on-site.

In addition, you will find a variety of canned vegetables, pickles, chow-chow, sauces and local honey. Complete your meal with delicious pies, cakes and cookies – including cheesecakes. Don’t forget the fresh cut flowers!

Largest Watermelon Contest
The VCRFM is challenging you to grow the largest watermelon in the area. The winner will receive a $100 gift certificate to Franklin Brothers Nursery (courtesy of JASM Farms). The entry deadline is Saturday, September 5, 2020.

Remaining 2020 Market Schedule:

Through September 30  

Wednesdays & Saturdays ~ 7:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Closed Wed., August 26 and Wed., September 30Special Twilight Market(in lieu of Wednesday market that week)
Tuesday, August 25 ~ 3:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, September 29 ~ 3:30 – 7:30 p.m.

October 1 – December 5   
Saturdays ~ 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Handcrafted Holiday Market  
Saturday, November 21 ~ 8 a.m – 2 p.m.

Market closes for the season on Saturday, December 5

Pre-orders and curbside pick up will remain available throughout the season.

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr. in Henderson, NC.

Contacts:
Market Manager: Tracy Madigan (252) 598-0814
Extension Agent: Paul McKenzie (252) 438-8188

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Vance County Schools Logo

Vance County Schools Makes America’s Best-in-State Employers List

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools has been named to the annual list of America’s Best-in-State Employers. Forbes partnered with market research company Statista for its second annual ranking of America’s Best-in-State Employers.

Selections were based on an independent survey of more than 80,000 U.S. employees working for companies employing at least 500 people in their U.S. operations. The surveys were administered using a series of online panels and provide a representative sample of the U.S. workforce.

The America’s Best-In-State Employers 2020 title serves to reinforce VCS’s reputation as an employer of high quality. We are extremely proud of the continued progress of our district through the hard work and dedication of our employees. As one of only five school districts in the state to receive this honor, we are thankful for this prestigious recognition and truly Vance County Proud!

The Vance County Schools district is comprised of 10 elementary schools, two middle schools, three high schools and a K-12 virtual school. We serve over 5,000 students from Pre-Kindergarten through year 13 seniors at our Early College, committing to the success of every student.

The district is led by Superintendent Dr. Anthony Jackson who is also the 2020 North Carolina A. Craig Phillips Superintendent of the Year.

The ranking is live on the Forbes website and available by clicking here.

Local News Audio

Local News Audio 8-24-20 Noon

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Vance County Schools Meal Box Distribution Postponed Until Tuesday

Local Retail Sales Up, June Record Month

Granville County Teacher Arrested

Local Economic Development Grant Requests Approved

Click Play Below For Full Details…