Warren County Seeks Community Emergency Response Team Volunteers

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— Information courtesy of Warren County Manager’s Office

Disasters can be enormous or small, affecting entire cities or significant areas that straddle state lines. After a natural disaster or catastrophic event, first responders, utility workers, and emergency service workers are inundated with emergencies and recovery efforts.

But having an active Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program allows residents to be more self-sufficient which, in turn, lets emergency personnel attend to the recovery efforts promptly.

Warren County is looking for volunteers to be certified in the CERT program to learn how to prepare for natural and man-made disasters that may affect their community. The program provides a consistent approach to disaster preparedness training and organization that first responders can rely on during a disaster. CERT members receive training in the following areas to help them care for themselves, their families and their communities:

  • Disaster Planning
  • Damage Assessment
  • EOC assistance
  • Team Organization
  • Disaster Psychology
  • Disaster Simulation

Volunteers must be 18 or older, agree to comply with Warren County Emergency Management ethics policies, complete a 21-hour CERT training series and obtain the FEMA online training certificates, take an American Heart Association CPR class, and complete 16 volunteer hours annually in emergency management, training and outreach and community involvement programs and sign a Code of Conduct certificate.

Any class participant and certified CERT member who is unable or unwilling to meet or maintain the Public Safety CERT program requirements, including the background check criteria, will be removed from the program and lose their CERT membership.

If you are interested in joining Warren County CERT Program, please call or contact Lewis Mustian 804.512-3045  lmustian@verizon.net or contact Chris Tucker  252. 257.1191  christucker@warrencountync.gov.

S-Line Rail Corridor

June 16 Workshop, Open House Set For Warren Residents To Discuss S-Line Rail Corridor

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-information courtesy of Warren County Community and Economic Development Director, Charla Duncan

As plans continue for rail service through North Carolina, Warren County and the NCDOT’s Integrated Mobility Division will host a design workshop and public open house next month to allow the community to provide input toward a vision for the transit-oriented development in the area.

The proposed S-Line is a rail line that involves about 95 miles in North Carolina and will connect  Richmond, Virginia and Tampa, Florida, with stops in Norlina and Henderson, according to information received from the office of Warren County Manager Vincent Jones.

The design workshop will be held Thursday, June 16  between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Warrenton Armory Civic Center, 501 U.S. Hwy 158 Business East in Warrenton. Members of the community are invited to come any time during the three hours to provide their own ideas, suggestions and feedback as they learn more about the vision for the S-Line rail corridor in Norlina.

The public open house will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., also at the Warrenton Armory. Families are invited and there will be a “kids zone” with children’s activities.

In addition to Norlina and Henderson, the S-Line project includes Apex, Franklinton, Raleigh, Sanford, Wake Forest and Youngsville along the 95-mile stretch of rail line.

Transit-oriented development has a goal to connect communities and public spaces by increasing accessibility without having to rely on a personal vehicle. An important aspect of this study is public engagement.

More information about the S-Line Transit Oriented Development Study can be found online at https://www.ncdot.gov/divisions/rail/s-line-study.

For more information, contact Charla Duncan, director of community and economic development, at 252.257.3115 or by email at charladuncan@warrencountync.gov.

NC Forest Service

Forestry Field Day June 24 In Oxford

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-information courtesy of Vance County Cooperative Extension

A Forestry Field Day is scheduled for Friday, June 24 to help area landowners with best practice strategies to enhance their woodland resources. Participants will learn first-hand about the possible benefits of forest management techniques of herbicide application and prescribed fires.

This free event will begin at 2 p.m. at the N.C. Forest Service office in Granville County, located at 911 Hillsboro St, Oxford.

From there, the group will proceed to two different field sites that show the results of the respective practices. Transportation to the field sites will be available, or participants may travel in personal vehicles.

The sponsors of the Field Day are the N.C. Forest Service office for Granville County, along with the N.C. Cooperative Extension County Centers in Granville and Vance counties.

Registration is required.

For more information, visit http://go.ncsu.edu/manageyourwoods or call 252.438.8188 or 919.603.1350.

The Local Skinny: KARTS Makes Getting From Here To There Easy

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People use KARTS for a variety of reasons – to get to work or doctor’s appointments, to go food shopping, keep dialysis appointments and even get to the local community college campus. Whatever the reason, KARTS buses crisscross the four-county area to provide transportation to people who need it.

And that’s something that make KARTS Executive Director Irene Johnson happy.

Each day, schedulers make appointments for residents and the Kerr Area Regional Transportation Authority buses are dispatched throughout the counties they serve.

“We are here to serve the community,” Johnson told John C. Rose on Thursday’s The Local Skinny! “We do so much transportation now,” she said. She said a daily tally could be in the hundreds of routes.

The buses run hundreds of routes each week and even operate on Saturdays to transport people to their jobs or to their dialysis appointments. Drivers are on the road as early as 2:30 in the morning to make sure folks make their 4:30 a.m. appointments at area dialysis centers.

But Johnson has a suggestion for anyone thinking about calling for a ride from KARTS: Call as soon as possible. “As soon as you know you have a trip planned, we need you to call as early as possible,” she said.

And while it’s not mass transit like city buses or subway trains, KARTS buses are considered public transportation, Johnson noted. And for that reason, the use of masks is recommended. And even though the COVID-19 restrictions have eased, she assures riders that the buses are thoroughly cleaned to help keep everyone as safe as possible. There also are cameras with live feeds mounted inside and outside the buses for an additional layer of safety

The last couple of years have been hard on everyone, but especially hard on those without a means of transportation. Johnson said she has enjoyed seeing those folks who found themselves confined at home being able to get out and enjoy life without having to worry about transportation.

The main dispatch center is in Henderson on Ross Mill Road, but each county has its own fleet of buses that remain in those counties, she explained.

And KARTS is not immune to the labor shortage that everyone is talking about. If you’re looking for a job, KARTS is always looking for drivers. Retirees who may just want a part-time job could be prime candidates, she said, inviting others to join the hard-working staff of drivers.

“They are dedicated and want to make sure people get (to their destinations) safely,” Johnson said.

Contact KARTS at 252.438.2573 to learn more.

CLICK PLAY!

 

Business Owners: Still Time To Apply For NCDOR Recovery Grant

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There’s still time to apply for the Business Recovery Grant Program through the N.C. Department of Revenue (NCDOR). This second phase of applications has approximately $200 million left in funding for eligible businesses. While there is a June 1 deadline, all applications will be considered after June 1, according to information from the local Chambers of Commerce.
Two types of grants, up to $500,000 per business, will be available to eligible business owners that suffered substantial economic loss during the pandemic:

  • A hospitality grant will be available to eligible arts, entertainment, recreation, and accommodation or food service businesses such as a hotels, restaurants, and bars.
  • A reimbursement grant will be available to an eligible business not included in the hospitality program.

Grants are not awarded on a first come, first served basis.  No grant money in this Phase II has been given out yet.  This is not a difficult application process. Visit

https://www.ncdor.gov/business-recovery-grant to learn more.

Keep Road Safety At Top Of Memorial Day To-Do List

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Even with today’s high gas prices, the State Highway Patrol expects about 35 million folks to be on the road during the long Memorial Day weekend. And although the following safety suggestions aren’t new, they do bear repeating as a way to ensure safe travels on the state’s 80,000 miles of roads, highways and interstates.

This time last year, the average prices of a gallon of regular gas in North Carolina was $2.91, compared to $4.36 this year, according to AAA. But families are apparently ready to get out of town for the four-day holiday, some long overdue for even a short vacation.

This weekend traditionally kicks off the unofficial start to summer, and AAA predicts an increase of almost 5 percent in the number of people who will travel by car compared to last year, when COVID-19 precautions still had people sticking close to home.

The Highway Patrol will be out in full force, taking steps “to monitor driver behavior in an attempt to reduce collisions that occur from speeding, impaired and distracted driving, as well as reducing the severity of collisions through seat belt use enforcement.  Using the Vision Zero approach, law enforcement officials hope to report zero fatal collisions throughout the holiday weekend,” according to a press release from the North Carolina Dept. of Public Safety.

The Highway Patrol is again teaming up with the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission to participate in the annual “On the Road, On the Water” campaign. The same rules apply to boat operators as apply to drivers of motor vehicles – don’t drink and drive.

Additionally, the SHP is partnering with the NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program’s “Click It or Ticket” campaign.  This campaign began Monday, May 23 and continues through June 5, with an emphasis being placed on seat belt violations.

Motorists are encouraged to follow these suggestions while traveling:

  • Plan Ahead – Plan routes in advance to include secondary routes, detours and possible road closures.  Up-to-date information regarding delays and closures can be found at www.DriveNC.gov.
  • Slow Down – Obey the posted speed limit and be mindful of speed limit reductions within work zones.
  • Use Restraint Devices – Seat belts must be worn in both front and back seats if available.  Children should be properly restrained in compliance with child passenger safety laws, www.buckleupnc.org.
  • Don’t Drive Distracted – Avoid any distraction(s) while driving that reduces your ability to drive safely.
  • Plan Ahead if Consuming Alcohol – Have a predetermined plan to arrive home safely by identifying a designated driver or by utilizing one of the many ride sharing services.
  • Reporting Dangerous Drivers or Other Emergencies – Motorists are encouraged to dial *HP(47) or 911 if they encounter a situation needing a law enforcement response.

Click It Or Ticket Campaign Underway To Promote Seatbelt Use

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Information courtesy of Governor’s Highway Safety Program

The statewide Memorial Day Click It or Ticket enforcement campaign kicked off Monday and for the next couple of weeks, law enforcement officers in all 100 counties will be keeping an extra eye out to make sure everyone riding in vehicles is buckled up for safety. “Although citizens could face a citation and fines for not wearing their seatbelt, the real goal here is saving lives,” said Governor’s Highway Safety Program Director Mark Ezzell. “Your chances of being killed or seriously injured in a car crash are reduced by nearly half when you wear a seatbelt.”

In 2021, 555 North Carolinians who were not wearing seatbelts lost their lives in vehicle crashes, including nearly 30 over last year’s two-week Click It or Ticket enforcement period.

North Carolina law requires all passengers in a vehicle to be properly restrained and violations are punishable by fines of up to $180. Children younger than 8 years and under 80 pounds must be properly restrained in an approved child safety seat or booster seat. If a passenger under 16 is not properly restrained, the driver faces a $266 fine.

When North Carolina launched the Click It or Ticket initiative in 1993, only 64 percent of North Carolinians used their seat belts. Today, that number hovers around 90 percent.

In addition to increased enforcement statewide, the campaign will include a paid media component, including an influencer campaign where Tik Tok and Instagram influencers will share their own seatbelt messages with North Carolina audiences.

The Governor’s Highway Safety Program, which is an arm of the N.C. Department of Transportation, provides grants to law enforcement agencies for various traffic safety initiatives, including campaigns like Click It or Ticket.

NC Coop Extension

CPR Workshop En Español For Farmworkers

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-Information courtesy of Warren County Cooperative Extension Service

The N.C. Cooperative Extension in Warren County is hosting a CPR workshop for Spanish-speaking farmworkers in the area.

The workshop will be held Tuesday, May 31 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Warren County EMS building, located at 890 U.S. 158 Bypass in Warrenton.

The workshop will provide instruction in Spanish to farmworkers that will teach them the basics of CPR and resuscitation procedures.

For more information, contact Matthew Place, Warren County livestock agent, at 252. 257.3640.

Warren County Gets $500,000 Grant To Assess “Brownfields”

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Warren County has been awarded an EPA grant of $500,000 to conduct a community-wide assessment of properties that may contain hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants, adversely affecting their future use or development.

The county is one 13 entities from across the state for funds from the EPA’s Brownfields Assessment Program, according to information from the office from County Manager Vincent Jones.

The money will be given over a three-year period beginning Oct. 1, 2022 and does not require a local match, according to a press statement.

A brownfield is defined by the EPA as a property, the expansion, redevelopment, or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.

“This grant from the EPA is tremendous for Warren County. It falls right in line with the discussion the board of commissioners had earlier this year related to the work needed so that our potential sites for development or redevelopment are ready when opportunities arise,” Jones said in the statement.

“These funds will now allow us to move forward with identifying and conducting assessments on sites throughout the County, so we will be ready when development opportunities are presented,” he said.

Included in the project budget is funding for community meetings to engage citizens on possible brownfields identification as well.

“We can assess approximately 20 sites throughout the county,” said Charla Duncan, director of community & economic development for Warren County. “We will also be able to build out an inventory of sites for possible future funding, and work on a brownfields redevelopment plan, but also we can better understand concerns involving our land and community,” Duncan said.

For more information, contact Duncan at Warren County Community & Economic Development at 252.257.3115.

Mail Carriers’ ‘Stamp Out Hunger’ Event May 14

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Postal carriers deliver all sorts of mail to boxes near and far every day. But there’s a special-delivery postcard that found its way into area mailboxes recently to promote the “Stamp Out Hunger” campaign, which takes place the second Saturday in May.

That day is THIS Saturday, May 14.

The request is simple: Leave healthy, non-perishable food items by your mailbox and the person who delivers your mail will pick up your donation.

Since 1993, the National Association of Letter Carriers, along with various national partners, has worked to collect food items that are donated to local food pantries.

Visit www.stampouthungerfooddrive.us to learn more.