Reminder: H-V Chamber’s Annual Reverse Raffle This Saturday!

/by

-Information courtesy the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce’s September/October newsletter

The Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce, along with the Henderson Police Department (HPD) and the Vance County Sheriff ’s Department, are partnering again to host the third annual reverse raffle. Presenting Sponsor is Maria Parham Health.

This annual event benefits a program serving local underprivileged children called “Shop With a Cop” along with the Chamber of Commerce and its efforts to help local business. The event is scheduled for Saturday, November 10 and will be held at Henderson Country Club beginning at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and include dinner for two, a chance at the $5,000 grand prize and a dance at the completion of the raffle. Throughout the evening, guests will be given opportunities to bid on various silent auction items as well as two reserved tickets which will be auctioned toward the end of the ticket drawing. Three reserved tickets will also be raffled during the course of the evening.

The “Shop With a Cop” activity will take place in December at which time members of the HPD and Sheriff ’s Department will take local underprivileged children shopping with local retailers for Christmas. A certain dollar amount of the proceeds raised will be set aside for each participating child. There has been a great turnout for the past two years and we are expecting no less this year. “This fundraiser allows us to do a lot of good for the local community with the proceeds and the HPD and Sheriff ’s office are always anxious to do what we can to help local children”, said Police Chief Marcus Barrow.

There are still opportunities for local businesses to donate silent auction items. If you or your business would like to purchase tickets, donate items or get more information, contact the HPD, Vance County Sheriff ’s Department or the Chamber office at 252-438-8414.

West End Baptist

West End Community Watch to Meet Tues., Nov. 20, No Dec. Meeting

/by

-Information courtesy Claire Catherwood, West End Community Watch

West End Community Watch will meet on Tuesday, November 20, 2018, at 6:30 p.m., in the Fellowship Hall of West End Baptist Church on Dabney Drive. We welcome your attendance regardless of where you live.

The speaker will be Val Short, Executive Director of Maria Parham Health, Triangle North Healthcare Foundation. Law enforcement will be present to hear concerns and to report recent police activity.

West End Community Watch will NOT meet in the month of December. In January, the speaker will be a representative from Mako Labs.

Do plan to join us on November 20!

American Flag

Granville Co. Approves Proclamation Honoring 100th Anniversary of End of WWI

/by

-Information courtesy Debra A. Weary, Clerk to the Board, Granville County

During a regular meeting on November 5, 2018, the Granville County Board of Commissioners took the following action:

  • Approved the proclamation request from the United States World War One Centennial Commission to call on all Americans across the nation to pause at 11 a.m. on November 11, 2018, and recognize, commemorate, and give thanks for the service and sacrifice of those who served in World War I to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended the fighting in World War I at 11 a.m., November 11, 1918 – the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

Granville County Library to Host Folklore Author Sharyn McCrumb

/by

-Press Release, County of Granville

 New York Times’ best-selling author Sharyn McCrumb will make a special presentation at the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford on Thursday, November 15 at 5:30 p.m.

Best known for her Appalachian “ballad novels” set in the North Carolina/Tennessee mountains, McCrumb’s body of work includes “She Walks These Hills,” “The Rosewood Casket,” “The Songcatcher” and “Ghost Riders,” as well as “The Ballad of Tom Dooley” and “King’s Mountain,” which take place in North Carolina. Her most current novels include “Prayers the Devil Answers,” the story of the last public hanging ever carried out in the United States, and “The Unquiet Grave,” the story of West Virginia’s Greenbrier Ghost.

New York Times’ best-selling author Sharyn McCrumb will make a special presentation at the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford on Thursday, November 15 at 5:30 p.m. (Photo courtesy the County of Granville)

“I find that the more I write, the more fascinated I become with the idea of the land as an intricate element in the lives of mountain people, and of the past as prologue for any contemporary narrative,” McCrumb has said of her work. “This connection to the land is personal as well as thematic.”

Awards and honors McCrumb has garnered include the Patricia Winn Award for Southern Fiction from the Clarksville/Montgomery County Arts and Heritage Council of Clarksville, TN; the Mary Frances Hobson Prize for Southern Literature by North Carolina’s Chowan University; the Achievement in Literature Award from the Edward Buncombe Chapter of the N.C. Daughters of the American Revolution; and the Perry F. Kendig Award for Literary Arts from Blue Ridge Arts Council of southwest Virginia, as well as other prestigious recognitions. In 2006, McCrumb was named the winner of the Book of the Year Award from the Appalachian Writers Association.

McCrumb’s work has been studied in universities around the world and her novels have been translated into eleven languages. She has lectured at Oxford University, the University of Bonn-Germany and at the Smithsonian Institution, as well as teaching a writers’ workshop in Paris.

The author will be discussing these award-winning Appalachian “ballad novels,” as well as her other books, during this presentation. The Richard H. Thornton Library is located at 210 Main Street in Oxford. For more information, contact the library at 919-693-1121 or visit www.granville.lib.nc.us.

Warren Co. High School to Host Curriculum Night – Thurs., Nov. 15

/by

-Information courtesy Tannis Jenkins, Warren County High School

Warren County High School will host a curriculum night on Thursday, November 15, 2018, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Participants will have the opportunity win door prizes and a turkey give away.

If you have any questions, please contact Tannis Jenkins at 252-257-4413 or email tjenkins@warrenk12nc.org.

Vance County Sheriff General Election Results 2018

/by

Congratulations to Curtis Brame.  He was elected as the next Vance County Sheriff earning just shy of 53 percent of the votes cast in a high voter turnout of just over 47 percent of eligible voters in Vance County.

The results broadcast and listed below are unofficial until canvassed by the Vance County Board of Elections.  Final results show Curtis Brame with 7,517 votes, Charles Pulley with 3,810 votes and Allen Simmons with 2,905.

Each candidate was interviewed live on WIZS following the announcement that Brame had won.  Those interviews will be reviewed and transcribed into a news story for publication later this week.

The race for Vance County Sheriff was the only contest that was decided completely within the borders of Vance County, that is where there was any opposition.  The remainder of the local candidates, who’s contests were purely local, had no opposition in the general election, and those races were essentially decided in the May primary.

Thanks to everyone who listened live (Listen Live) on WIZS.com or simply Listened Local to WIZS at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM.

Vance County Logo

Economic Dev. Director Jarvis Talks Phase III of H-V Industrial Park

/by

Dennis Jarvis, II, director of the Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission, was on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss, among other topics, updates to the development of the Henderson-Vance Industrial Park.

Earlier this year, Vance County received a $2.45 million grant from the Rural ReadySites program for development of phase III of the industrial park located at the intersection of Bear Pond Road and US-1 Bypass in Henderson.

The grant money will cover development costs to include construction of a new roadway and extension of water and sewer infrastructure through the site. The land will be zoned for light industrial and general commercial use.

The Henderson-Vance Industrial Park began in 1988 with the purchase of 150 acres for development. According to Vance County officials, the site has been filled since that time with nine businesses contributing approximately 600 jobs, $5.5 million in tax revenue to the county annually and a total value of over $62 million.

“Commissioner Hester and the Vance County Commission, both, as a team, understand that having available product – pad-ready, building-ready product – makes you more competitive regionally, nationally and globally,” said Jarvis.

The park’s development has been a priority for Vance County Commissioners and Jarvis is pleased to see it come to fruition in a short period of time.

“At Monday’s Commissioners’ meeting, we received an update that the engineering firm had been awarded and they are now going through a design phase,” said Jarvis. “Potential contracts for water, sewer and road development should be met by the mid-point of next year. We’re about nine months away from being complete.”

Along with the perks of access to rail and natural gas and the close proximity to US-1 and I-85, the park is expected to draw industries that seek to be near Raleigh without the Wake County price tag.

“If you want an RTP address, you pay RTP prices,” Jarvis said. “If you want to be in the Raleigh market, there are opportunities in the region – especially in our Kerr-Tar region with Franklin, Granville, Warren and Vance – to cut that operating cost by almost half.”

 To listen to the interview in its entirety, please click here.

H-V Chamber Logo

H-V Chamber to Host ’15 Under 40′ Reception for Emerging Leaders

/by

-Information and flyer courtesy Sandra Wilkerson, Director of Admin and Events, Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce

The Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce will host a “15 Under 40” reception at the Henderson County Club on Tuesday, November 27, 2018, from 6 – 8 p.m. This reception honors Vance County’s recently nominated emerging leaders age 40 or younger.

Recipients include Nathan Baskerville, Bert Beard, Joel Beckham, Kristen Boyd, Amanda Walker Ellis, Trevei Foreman, Cara Boyd Gill, Turner Pride, Carice Sanchez, Eric Sanchez, Tremanisha Taylor, Josh Towne, Kendrick Vann, Jessica West and Daniel White.

Tickets are $15 per person and include hors-d’oeuvres and beverages. There will be a cash bar.

Please reserve your tickets by calling the Chamber at (252) 438-8414 or emailing sandra@hendersonvance.org. Tickets should be picked up at the Chamber office by Tuesday, November 20.

 

Granville County Logo

Granville Co. Animal Control Confirms 12th Case of Rabies

/by

-Press Release, County of Granville

Granville County Animal Control reports the pickup of two wild animals in the past several days which tested positive for rabies.

The first case involved the pickup of a raccoon on Nov. 1 near the intersection of Tump Wilkins Road and Piney Creek Lane. Once the rabies test was confirmed, notices were provided to residents of that area. While there was no exposure to people in this incident, there are feral cats located in this vicinity. Animal Control has been coordinating with Granville Vance Public Health and the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to determine actions to be taken regarding the feral cats in that area, as well as their possible exposure.

The second rabies case (skunk) was reported on Nov. 6, with the animal being collected near the intersection of Old Roxboro Road and Walnut Creek Road in Oxford. Animal Control officers have provided notices to nearby residents about this incident.

According to Granville County’s Animal Management Director Matt Katz, a dozen confirmed rabid animals have been reported so far this year.

North Carolina law (NCGS 130-A-185) requires that all owned dogs, cats and ferrets be vaccinated for rabies by four months of age and that all rabies vaccinations be kept current. Katz offers a reminder that the Granville County Animal Shelter provides one-year rabies vaccinations for only $6, and that one shot is not enough. If any pet owner is unsure as to when their animals need rabies booster shots, they are asked to contact their local veterinarian. Residents are also urged to stay away from wild animals, as they may be rabid or carry additional diseases.

The Granville County Animal Shelter is located at 5650 Cornwall Road in Oxford and is open to administer rabies vaccines Monday through Friday from noon until 4:30 p.m. For more information, call the Shelter at 919-693-6749.

Small Business Summit Promotes Importance Of Online First Impression

/by

-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Dozens of area entrepreneurs, small business owners, and business and non-profit leaders discovered the importance of having a powerful digital presence to create a positive first impression online at the seventh annual Small Business Summit.

Martin Brossman, a leading social media authority and business consultant to many IT companies in Boston, delivered the keynote address at the summit organized by the Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center on Monday, Oct. 15. Under the theme of “Recipe for Success: Making Your Dream a Reality,” the summit was held in the Warren County Armory & Convention Center in Warrenton.

Social media authority Martin Brossman delivers the keynote address at the summit organized by the Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center in October in the Warren County Armory & Convention Center in Warrenton. He told those in attendance that digital first impressions will lead to more sales and referrals for a business. (Photo: VGCC)

“Your future customers want to know more about you than just what is on your website, and they may trust you less if they don’t,” said Brossman. “We all are looking for secondary validation for everything from credible information for a product, business, person or service. This session is going to show you the free and low-cost ways to make the best digital — web-based — first impression that will lead to more sales and more referrals for your business.”

“As more professionals and businesses go online to gain a traction on outsourced lead generation and to expand their markets, they are looking for ways to become more effective,” Brossman said. The keynote address was designed not only for small business owners but also professionals of all types, he said. “They need to understand the value of a positive online reputation as well as the cost of having none at all,” he added.

Brossman was joined on the program by Kristen Baughman of Warrenton, the founder of the Tabletop Media Group in Raleigh, who presented “Top 10 Tips: How to Work with Media,” and a panel of four local and regional leaders who answered questions from the audience on the topics of planning and zoning, insurance, accounting and legal services in a discussion titled “Stock Your Pantry with the Right Business Resources.” The panelists had stressed on the complete utilization of resources like Marketing Heaven for social media proliferation and as a consolidation measure. On the panel were Ken Krulich of Warren County Planning & Zoning, Jennifer Burton with O.L. Meek Insurance in Warrenton, Certified Public Accountant Susan Bersch of Littleton, and Volunteer Attorney Kate McCullough with the North Carolina Lawyers for Entrepreneurs Assistance Program (NCLEAP) of the North Carolina State Bar. The discussion was moderated by Tanya Weary, director of the VGCC Small Business Center.

Duke Energy was the presenting sponsor for the summit. Local partners working with the VGCC Small Business Center to organize the event were the Chamber of Commerce of Warren County, the Warren County Economic Development Commission and the Lake Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center. In-kind sponsors of the summit were the Lake Gaston Gazette-Observer of Littleton, The Daily Dispatch of Henderson, The Warren Record of Warrenton, WARR 1520 AM of Warrenton, and WIZS 1450 AM/100.1 FM of Henderson. Centerpiece arrangements were provided by Lola G of Oxford.

From left: Volunteer Attorney Kate McCullough with the North Carolina Lawyers for Entrepreneurs Assistance Program (NCLEAP) of the North Carolina State Bar, Ken Krulich of Warren County Planning & Zoning, Jennifer Burton with O.L. Meek Insurance in Warrenton, and Certified Public Accountant Susan Bersch of Littleton. (Photo: VGCC)

Brossman was described by Weary as a dynamic trainer known for his insight and humor. As a member of the National Speakers Association, he is a popular speaker on many professional development and business topics, including Online Reputations: Reputation Enhancement, Monitoring, and Management; Transforming Conflict Into Enhanced Relationships in Business; Creating Raving Fans and Repeat Business; Customer Service in a Customer Empowered World; Overcoming the Fear of Public Speaking; Communication That Gets More Results; Beyond Ordinary Networking; Being Effective as an Entrepreneur and Business Owner; Referral Marketing; Dragonfly Thinking Training: How to Integrate Effective Problem Solving Into Your Work to Get Superior Results (taught with Dr. Bruce Oberhardt); and LinkedIn for Professionals.

Brossman teaches across North Carolina, including a certification program through N.C. State University’s Technology Training Solutions. He is a leading authority on LinkedIn, Reputation Management, and building a positive digital presence. He has co-hosted a leading podcast on Social Selling for since 2009, “Linking Into Sales.”

A Flickr album of photographs from the Business Summit is available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/vancegranvillecc/albums/72157701580003271.