Littleton Lions New Year’s Good Luck Brunch

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— courtesy The Chamber of Commerce of Warren County | Craig Hahn, Executive Director ~ 252-257-2657 ~ info@warren-chamber.org ~ Facebook

— by Craig Hahn

Littleton Lions Club will be hosting their annual New Year’s Day Black-eyed Peas & Hog Jowls Brunch, on Monday, January 1st from 11 – 2 p.m., at the Lions Den, 103 Ransom St, Littleton, NC 27850 – located on the west end of town on the corner of Hwy 158 & Ransom St.

Eat In or Take Out. $8 per plate, $4 for children, includes black-eyed peas with hog jowls, Sally’s famous cornbread, collards, stewed tomatoes, cookies, ice tea & coffee.

Proceeds will be used to aid the visually impaired and for other community service projects.

If you have unneeded eye glasses at your home, please bring them to the brunch. As a worldwide project, Lions clubs collect over 4 million eye glasses per year. They are cleaned, graded, repaired and provided free to people who need them.

Also, if you have unneeded hearing aids and empty printer ink cartridges, bring those to the brunch as well because they get recycled too.

Bring a friend, visit with your neighbors and enjoy the meal while the Littleton Lions club does the cooking and cleaning up.

Thank you for helping the Littleton Lions Club to help others. For further information contact (252) 586-5959.

VGCC honor society students collect supplies, books for local kids

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— courtesy VGCC

(VGCC Photo)

The Vance-Granville Community College Alpha Sigma Chi chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society recently conducted a service project by collecting school supplies and books for children in grades K-12 who are affected by domestic violence. Children in such situations may be forced to relocate suddenly, leaving their school supplies at their former homes and putting them at an educational disadvantage. Donation boxes were placed at all four VGCC campuses. The donations were delivered to Infinite Possibilities, Inc., a domestic violence organization that serves Vance and Warren counties. Pictured above with some of the collected items are, from left, chapter advisor and VGCC English instructor Maureen Walters, chapter Vice President of Leadership Pamela Campbell of Littleton, advisor and art instructor Isaac Talley and chapter President Brenda Ellis of Durham. For more information on Phi Theta Kappa, contact Maureen Walters at 252-738-3406 or waltersm@vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–

DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S SCHEDULE JANUARY 2018

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DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S SCHEDULE JANUARY 2018

Mon, Jan 1 HOLIDAY

Tues, Jan 2 Vance Trial Court (O’NEAL) – Waters, Pelfrey, Louis, Erdmann, Allen
**Franklin District Court (Davis) – Olivieri, Roberson
##Vance District Court (Hunter) – Capps, Watson/Hargrove
Granville Juvenile Court (Thompson) – Putney
Granville County Clerk’s Office Hours – Attorneys – 2:00 – 4:00 pm – Sellars

Wed, Jan 3 ##Granville District Court (Burnette) – Gregory, Dickerson
##Warren District Court (Stevenson) – Fuller, Raymond
Granville County Clerk’s Office Hours – Public – 2:00 – 4:00 pm – Capps

Thurs, Jan 4 Franklin Juvenile Court (Hunter) – Olivieri
##Vance District Court (Thompson) – Erdmann or Louis, Watson/Hargrove
Granville Dispo Court (Burnette) – Gardner, Gregory, Fuller, Dickerson, Brickhouse
Granville Trial Prep – Capps, Sellars, Putney

Fri, Jan 5 Vance Juvenile Court (Keith) – Louis
Granville Trial Prep – Capps, Sellars, Putney

Mon, Jan 8 Granville Trial Court (O’NEAL) – Capps, Sellars, Putney, Garrett
Franklin District Court (Hunter) – Erdmann, Roberson
Vance District Court (Burnette) – Gregory, Watson/Hargrove
Granville District Court (Stevenson) – Gardner, Dickerson

Tues, Jan 9 Franklin District Court (Thompson) – Olivieri, Gregory, Roberson
Vance District Court (Stevenson) – Gardner, Watson/Hargrove
Warren Juvenile Court (Davis) – Fuller

Wed, Jan 10 Granville District Court (Thompson) – Gregory, Dickerson
Warren District Court (Hunter) – Fuller, Raymond

Thurs, Jan 11 Vance District Court (Davis) – Gregory, Watson/Hargrove
Franklin Trial Prep – Gardner, Olivieri
Warren CMS Prep – Fuller

Fri, Jan 12 Franklin Trial Prep – Gardner, Olivieri
Warren CMS Prep – Fuller
Vance Probation Prep – Gregory

Mon, Jan 15 HOLIDAY

Tues, Jan 16 Franklin Trial Court (HOBGOOD) – Gardner, Olivieri, Johnson
Warren CMS Court (O’NEAL) – Fuller, Pendergrass, Raymond
Franklin District Court (Stevenson) – Putney, Sellars, Roberson
Vance District Court (Hunter) – Louis, Capps, Watson/Hargrove
Granville Juvenile Court (Burnette) – Gregory
Vance County Clerk’s Office Hours – Attorneys – 2:00 – 4:00 pm – Gregory
Vance CMS Prep – Pelfrey, Louis, Erdmann

Wed, Jan 17 Vance Probation Court (O’NEAL) – Gregory, Pendergrass
Granville District Court (Burnette) – Sellars, Dickerson
**Warren District Court (Davis) – Fuller, Capps, Raymond
Vance County Clerk’s Office Hours – Public – 2:00 – 4:00 pm – Erdmann
Franklin County Clerk’s Office Hours – Attorneys – 2:00 – 4:00 pm – Putney
Vance CMS Prep – Pelfrey, Louis, Erdmann

Thurs, Jan 18 Vance CMS Court (O’NEAL) – Pelfrey, Louis, Erdmann, Pendergrass, Allen
Franklin Juvenile Court (Hunter) – Sellars
Vance Dispo Court (Keith) – Gregory, Fuller, Capps, Watson, Hargrove
Franklin County Clerk’s Office Hours – Public – 2:00 – 4:00 pm – Putney
Warren Trial Prep – Fuller
Granville CMS Prep – Capps, Sellars, Putney

Fri, Jan 19 Vance CMS Court (O’NEAL) – Pelfrey, Louis, Erdmann, Pendergrass, Allen
Franklin Dispo Court (Davis) – Gardner, Olivieri, Gregory, Tart, Roberson
Warren Trial Prep – Fuller
Granville CMS Prep – Capps, Sellars, Putney

Mon, Jan 22 Warren Trial Court (HOBGOOD) – Fuller, Raymond
Granville CMS Court (O’NEAL) – Capps, Sellars, Putney, Pendergrass, Garrett
Franklin District Court (Stevenson) – Louis, Roberson
Vance District Court (Davis) – Erdmann, Watson/Hargrove
Granville District Court (Hunter) – Gregory, Dickerson
Franklin CMS Prep – Gardner, Olivieri

Tues, Jan 23 Granville CMS Court (O’NEAL) – Capps, Sellars, Putney, Pendergrass, Garrett
Franklin District Court (Keith) – Erdmann, Roberson
Vance District Court (Stevenson) – Olivieri, Gregory, Watson/Hargrove
Warren Juvenile Court (Davis) – Louis
Franklin CMS Prep – Gardner, Olivieri

Wed, Jan 24 Franklin CMS Court (O’NEAL) – Gardner, Olivieri, Pendergrass, Johnson
##Granville District Court (Davis) – Gregory, Dickerson
Warren District Court (Thompson) – Erdmann, Capps, Raymond

Thurs, Jan 25 Franklin CMS Court (O’NEAL) – Gardner, Olivieri, Pendergrass, Johnson
**Vance District Court (Stevenson) – Gregory, Watson/Hargrove

Fri, Jan 26 Vance Juvenile Court (Keith) – Louis

Mon, Jan 29 Franklin District Court (Hunter) – Olivieri, Roberson
Vance District Court (Thompson) – Erdmann, Watson/Hargrove
Granville District Court (Stevenson) – Sellars, Dickerson

Tues, Jan 30 Franklin District Court (Burnette) – Louis, Pelfrey, Roberson
Vance District Court (Stevenson) – Gregory, Watson/Hargrove

Wed, Jan 31 Granville District Court (Keith) – Gardner, Dickerson
Warren District Court (Burnette) – Putney, Raymond

**mediator available**
##9:30 am regular docket, PLUS POSSIBLE 2:15 pm DWI docket##

Christmas Music 2017 on WIZS and WIZS.com

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WIZS Christmas Special

“Listen Live” to WIZS 1450 AM or by clicking “Listen Live” at WIZS.com.

If non-stop Christmas music is your thing, or you want Christmas music at your home Christmas party, be sure to tune in or listen live each night this week from 7 p.m. until 11 p.m. plus all day Christmas Day.

We’ll have all your traditional favorites, and the music in the evenings will be commercial free.

SBI Develops New Hand-held Fingerprint Technology

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— courtesy NC SBI and North Carolina Department of Public Safety

The State Bureau of Investigation has deployed a mobile fingerprint scanning application for local and state law enforcement officers that instantly searches state and national databases for a positive identification.

The process is simple. A suspect places his or her finger on a small portable device, about the size of a smartphone and the fingerprints become digitized and sent to the SBI’s Statewide Automated Fingerprint Identification System and to the FBI for a search of their databases for any matches.

The Rapid ID System allows law enforcement officers to capture fingerprints remotely using the mobile fingerprint scanner. An officer quickly receives the results of a search on the hand-held device. If a fingerprint match is made, the device provides a person’s name, photo (if available) and other relevant information allowing for a quick assessment of a potential threat level.

“All of this happens in seconds,” said Wyatt Pettengill, SBI’s special agent in charge of the Criminal Information and Identification section. “Once the fingerprint image is received at the SBI, the image is compared against the SBI’s entire biometric database and sent to the FBI for a search of the Repository of Individuals of Special Concern, a combination of many different FBI databases that house sensitive law enforcement information.”

Officers who participated in SBI’s pilot program saw how valuable the technology is in correctly identifying individuals who had given them fictitious information or who had outstanding warrants in North Carolina.

A national fingerprint search through the Rapid ID System also provides officers access to outstanding warrants in other states, national sex offender registry subjects and known or suspected terrorists. Several states are already using this remote identification technology and are experiencing great success, according to Pettengill.

“The SBI tries to provide its law enforcement partners with the most current, cutting edge technology in the effort to apprehend criminals and make North Carolina safer,” said Pettengill. “It’s an amazing investigative and officer safety tool.”

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“Santa’s Christmas List” Needs Your Help

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— courtesy The Chamber of Commerce of Warren County | Craig Hahn, Executive Director ~ 252-257-2657 ~ info@warren-chamber.org ~ Facebook

“Santa’s Christmas List” Needs Your Help — Final Week For Gifts For Warren County Children

We need your help! As you’re out and about this week, could I ask you to please pick up a toy here and a book there for children in Warren County? We have a great many children in need of presents for Christmas Morning…

Thanks to your overwhelming generosity last year, Social Services was able to hand out toys, books and other gifts that guaranteed Christmas Morning smiles for more than 733 children. This year we’d like to help at least that many children.

The donation locations are easy to find…just look for the very LARGE wrapped box at a number of Warren County locations…and our thanks to David Gardner at Warrenton Furniture Exchange for once again supplying us with these boxes! We’re looking for toys (both fun & educational), clothes/hats/gloves, stuffed toys, books, candy, gift cards for 13-16 year olds…really, anything new and unwrapped that you think would bring some joy to a child.

Then, just drop them by one of the following locations in the big wrapped boxes in Warrenton: Chamber of Commerce of Warren Office, Warren Record, WARR 1520 AM, First Citizens Bank, BB&T, Warrenton Town Hall, Milano’s, Firehouse Biscuits & Burgers and Pete Smith Tire & Quick Lube. In Norlina: White’s Barber Shop, Norlina Town Hall, Norlina Auto Parts and The Whistle Stop Cafe. If you’re up at the Lake, you can drop your gifts by The Lake Gaston Chamber Office on Eaton Ferry Road.

Oxford Prep School 2nd Annual Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament

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— courtesy Rick Kenneer, AD Oxford Preparatory School

Oxford Preparatory School will host their 2nd Annual Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament on December 27th, 28th, and 29th. This year it will be a middle school boy’s only event with 6 schools participating: Oxford Prep, Henderson Collegiate, Hawley MS, Warren County MS, Butner-Stem MS, and Northern Granville MS.

Admission is $8/day or $16 for all 3 days.

Game 1: Oxford Prep vs Henderson Collegiate 12/27 @ 1:00 pm
Game 2: Hawley MS vs Warren County MS 12/27 @ 2:30 pm
Game 3: Butner Stem MS vs Winner Game 1 12/28 @ 1:00 pm
Game 4: Northern Granville MS vs Winner Game 2 12/28 @ 2:30 pm
Championship Game: Winner Game 3 vs Winner Game 4 12/29 @ 2:00 pm

12/27 12:00 pm 3-point shootout

12/28 12:00 pm Free Throw contest

New Human Services club formed at VGCC

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— courtesy VGCC

The newest club for students at Vance-Granville Community College focuses on the Human Services Technology (HST) field. The college offers three Human Services degrees – a General HST track, a Substance Abuse track, and a Gerontology track – although interested students in any major are welcome to join the new club.

The HST Club held its first organizational meeting in November at VGCC’s South Campus, the home of the HST program. VGCC Human Services instructor Sharon O’Geary conducted the meeting and said she hopes that the new venture will increase the program’s visibility on campus. “Human Services students are passionate about helping people,” O’Geary observed. “We hope that this club can participate in a variety of special service projects that relate to our field and hold fundraisers that help our community. At the same time, we may be able to represent VGCC, attend conferences and help students obtain jobs in this field through networking.”

Seated, from left: Human Services Technology Club faculty advisor Sharon O’Geary, club Vice President Melissa Jackson, Secretary Caitlyn Rudd and President Pamela Campbell; standing, from left: Student Government Association (SGA) representative Feliciana Hernandez and Treasurer Sonya Barnes.

Students at the meeting elected the first officers to lead the HST Club. They included President Pamela Campbell of Littleton, a Gerontology major; Vice President Melissa Jackson of Oxford, a Substance Abuse major; Secretary Caitlyn Rudd of Franklinton, a Gerontology major; Treasurer Sonya Barnes of Henderson, who is completing both the General and Gerontology tracks; and Student Government Association (SGA) representative Feliciana Hernandez of Henderson, a Substance Abuse major.

The HST curriculum program prepares students for entry-level positions in institutions and agencies which provide social, community, and educational services. VGCC’s program is nationally accredited by the Council for Standards in Human Service Education (CSHSE).

For more information on joining the HST Club, contact Sharon O’Geary at 252-738-3529 or ogearys@vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.)

BEEF Marketing and Herd Health Meeting Dec. 19

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— courtesy NC Cooperative Extension

Warren County / BEEF and Herd Meeting

December 19, 2017 | 6:00 pm
Franklin County Cooperative Extension Center

Area cattle producers are invited to participate in a Beef Cattle Marketing Trends and Updates program, along with a Basic Herd Health Program, on Tuesday, Dec. 19, in the Annex meeting room at the Cooperative Extension Center in Louisburg. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m., followed by the educational and informative programs. Will Hargett, of East Carolina Stockyards, is sponsoring the meal and will also be speaking on marketing trends and how to get the most from your calves in 2018. In addition, Dr. Harrison Dudley, NCSU Extension Veterinarian, will speak on herd health updates. To participate in the evening’s meal and program, call the Franklin County Cooperative Extension office at 919-496-3344 before Friday, Dec.15, or email martha_mobley@ncsu.edu. This program is open to area cattle producers.

$300,000 Gift Will Help Girl Scouts; Camp Graham

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The gift is about a commitment made a long time ago to make the world a better place, and it’s that same commitment that Girl Scouts instilled in Margaret Pickard Sirvis, according to her daughter Barb Sirvis.

Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines (GS-NCCP) recently notified WIZS News that a $300,000 gift from the Margaret Pickard Sirvis Fund will go towards revitalizing Camp Graham, just north of Henderson.  Be sure to click here for Camp Graham details.

A lifelong Girl Scout and advocate for women, Margaret Pickard Sirvis, or “Peggy” as she was known by her Girl Scout friends, passed away on April 8, 2017 at 93 years old.  Peggy’s daughter Barb worked with GS–NCCP staff to create a legacy gift to support improvements to Peggy’s beloved Camp Graham.

Information provided by GS–NCCP indicates the $300,000 gift will go towards much needed facilities renovations that will enable Camp Graham to continue providing valuable outdoor leadership opportunities to girls across North Carolina, just as it had for Peggy 80+ years earlier. Renovations will include things like a new HVAC, a full-enclosed bathhouse, updates to cabin units, and much more.

Barb Sirvis told WIZS News in a phone interview that her mother Peggy was very clear she wanted to make sure the Girl Scouts received a generous gift at her death, so the $300,000 came from Peggy’s estate.  Barb said Girl Scouts had always been very important to her mother Peggy, as she was in scouting some 75 years.

“She loved camp,” Bard said.  “She wanted to make sure her gift would continue to provide camp opportunities for Girl Scouts today and into the future.”

When asked how Camp Graham was chosen, Barb said, “My mother was born and raised in Chapel Hill, and she went to camp as a girl at a camp that no longer exists, but she did go to Girl Scout camp as a girl, and she also watched the power of Girl Scouting to shape my life and the camp experience and the life-long friendships that I made at camp.  Then, when she moved back to North Carolina in 2006, a local Girl Scout friend took us to an event with Girl Scouts of North Carolina Coastal Pines, and there (Peggy) had a chance to talk to some of the staff about her interests, and they were doing a new project at Camp Graham building tree houses.  She said she wanted to see them, and she went to camp, and she fell in love with Camp Graham.”

Peggy told her daughter Barb she wanted to spend some money on this council, that she wanted to leave money to make sure the camp stays here for girls in the future.

It turns out that Peggy was very quiet about her ability to leave a gift like this for Girl Scouts, so by all accounts it had a wow effect, just by the amount alone of $300,000 if nothing else.

It’s the personal side that tells the rest of the story.

Barb Sirvis said, “She and my dad met in 1944 and were married in 1945.  They each had a dream.  His dream was to be an entrepreneur, and her dream was to make the world a better place.  They brought those two dreams together.  He eventually started his own business, and she was the home and corporate treasurer.  They managed wisely and lived modestly their whole life.”

As far as how the money will be used, GS–NCCP went to Barb with a proposal with several options in it.  Barb said the renovations and improvements mentioned “were the ones that spoke to me.”  She said these priorities were on the top of their list, and “I thought they would be on the top of my mom’s list.”