The Local Skinny! Warren County Tops State In Growth Of Visitor Spending – Two Years Running

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Pandemic or no pandemic, the numbers don’t lie – for the second year in a row, Warren County has grabbed the top spot in the state for growth in visitor spending, according to an annual report released by N.C. tourism officials.

The data comes from an annual study commissioned by Visit North Carolina, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.

Warren County Community and Economic Development Director Charla Duncan points to several reasons why her county has shown positive growth when other counties are posting negative figures, not the least of which is Warren County’s relative proximity to major cities like Richmond, VA and the Raleigh-Durham area, she told WIZS News.

“Warren County has opportunities for day trippers, weekenders, and repeat visitors, and our local economy benefits from that,” continued Duncan.

People tend to overlook the quality of life in a rural county, she said. It’s not less quality of life, but it is a different quality of life that Warren County offers, Duncan said. “I think that people have looked for that a little more over the past year or so. Folks are having a chance to understand what we know to be true.” There’s a lot going on, she said, “it’s just a different kind of thing going on around here.”

“We are fortunate that Warren County’s travel and tourism industry has been able to demonstrate such resilience during a difficult year,” Duncan said. “Individually, many of our businesses have certainly experienced similar challenges as other small businesses across America during this pandemic. The strength in Warren County, particularly during 2020, is that our natural and cultural assets are a stable, safe, and desirable resource for visitors.”

It may be challenging to discern whether the $49.6 million spent in Warren County in 2020 is from visitors, tourists or simply residents who are spending more time within Warren County, Duncan noted. It’s probably a mixture of all three groups.

Duncan said a quick look at sales tax figures show that spending in the county is going fairly well. Gas sales, food and beverage sales, as well as retail and certain recreational spaces all contribute to the numbers, but whether those sales can be tied to a true tourist or a true visitor may be more difficult to track, she said.

Despite this, Duncan said, “this is our second year in a row topping the state in growth. We saw a lot of growth between 2018 and 2019, and the pandemic wasn’t in play.”

Warren County was the only county in its region to see growth; all other counties in the North Central region saw a decrease in visitor spending. The region includes Chatham, Durham, Franklin, Granville, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Orange, Person, Vance, and Wake counties, according to a press release from Warren County Manager Vincent Jones.

Of the $49.6 million related to visitor spending, $12 million came from lodging, $15.5 from food and beverage, $6.7 from recreation, $4.8 from retail, and $10.6 from transportation, according to the statement.

In addition, people who have vacation homes or retirement homes on both Kerr Lake and Lake Gaston may figure in the positive numbers for Warren County since the onset of the pandemic. “If they were going to be allowed to work from home, they were going to do it from their lake house,” Duncan said.

The appeal of agritourism and agribusiness also contributes, she said. For example, Seven Springs Winery near Norlina opened for business right about the time that the pandemic was shutting everything down.

“That business has been incredibly successful, despite challenges that face small businesses. People were looking for more things to do outside, she said, and Seven Springs provides that opportunity. “They opened up at a time when that was a sought-after thing,” she added. “They’re a great asset for us. They are achieving their dream – they have a great story to tell.”

“It is great to see this positive news, as we adjust to the long-term impact of the pandemic,” stated County Manager Vincent Jones. “We hope that this new energy we are seeing as people discover and rediscover the charm of Warren County is sustained going forward.”

According to Visit NC date, the Warren County travel and tourism industry directly employees 231 people; this is an increase in employment related to visitor spending since 2019. The total payroll generated by the tourism industry in Warren County in 2020 was $10.1 million.

In 2020, state tax revenue generated in Warren County totaled $1.6 million through state sales and excise taxes, and taxes on personal and corporate income. Approximately $3.4 million in local taxes were generated from sales and property tax revenue from travel-generated and travel-supported businesses.

The breakdown by county is available at partners.visitnc.com/economic-impact-studies. The study was prepared for Visit North Carolina by Tourism Economics in collaboration with the U.S. Travel Association.

Warren County has seen an increase in visitor spending every year since 2016.

Warren County Ag Fest Set For Nov. 5 At Cooperative Extension Center

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Farmers, families and gardeners in the area are invited to stop by the Warren County Center of the N.C. Cooperative Extension for the first-ever Ag Fest, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 5.

Paul McKenzie, agriculture extension agent for Vance and Warren counties, said folks can drop in between 9 a.m. and noon to learn about low-cost and no-cost resources available through the extension service, among other things.

In addition to services like consultation services for home gardeners and farmers, the center handles soil analysis for farms, lawns and gardens. There also are different types of farm and garden equipment available for rent. A schedule of equipment demonstrations is available at http://go.ncsu.edu/warrenagfest.

Ag Fest is a free event and participants can learn more about 4-H activities for youth while there, as well as visiting the display gardens maintained by Master Gardener Volunteers.

Refreshments and door prizes will be available and McKenzie said there will be a few giveaways as well. The Warren County Center is located at  158 Rafters Lane, Warrenton, NC 27589

An optional registration form is available at http://go.ncsu.edu/warrenagfest. For more information call 252.257.3640, or email mbplace@ncsu.edu or paul_mckenzie@ncsu.edu.

#Every1KnowsSome1

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— submitted by Erin Carter, domestic violence and sexual assault victim’s advocate with Infinite Possibilities

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM)! Every year, Infinite Possibilities, Inc. remains committed to raising awareness, urging leaders, communities, and individuals to use their voice to speak up and out against Domestic Violence. In honor of victims and survivors, we pause and stand in solidarity against domestic violence until change is evident. Domestic violence increased around the world during this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Domestic violence is still happening and is a pervasive and life-threatening crime affecting millions of individuals across our nation regardless of age, socioeconomic status, race, religion, and education.

This DVAM 2021,it is important that we are still doing our part to bring about change in our world to stop intimate partner violence. What is one thing that you can contribute to help end Domestic Violence? It will take collective unification to see change. Let’s all do our part to bring awareness to this worthy cause.

This year’s campaign theme, #Every1KnowsSome1, strives to highlight how common domestic violence is and that it is more than physical violence. If you would like to participate, wear purple for Domestic Violence Awareness Day, also known as #PurpleThursday, will be observed Thursday, October 21, 2021. Use wearing purple as a conversation starter and share why ending domestic violence is important to you. You can also use the hashtags #DVAM21 and #Every1KnowsSome1 when utilizing social media platforms.

Join us in making a difference not only this month, but every day. Infinite Possibilities, Inc. will provide follow-up outlining an upcoming event to safely engage advocates, partners, and the public to help bring awareness during DVAM2021. Remember, Domestic Violence not only severely impacts victims, but the entire community. Domestic Violence Awareness is NOW! It is my hope that you will forward this and other important information received regarding DVAM 2021 to colleagues, friends and family as well.

(This is not a paid ad.)

North Carolina’s August County and Area Employment Figures Released

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Not seasonally adjusted unemployment rates decreased in 93 North Carolina counties in August and increased in two. Five remained unchanged.

Vance County came in 98th out of 100 counties, being third worst, and Warren County was just behind at 97th.

Granville County was 16th best with Chatham at the top spot and Orange, Wake and Durham in this immediate area higher in the list as well.

Franklin County was listed in North Carolina Department of Commerce information at 51st.

Vance improved 0.3% from July to August. Granville improved 0.1% in the same period. Franklin was 0.2% percent better, and Warren was unchanged.

Vance is suffering from a 7.4% unemployment rate as it’s shown in the commerce documents because, of a workforce of 16,668, there are 1,229 without work.

Warren – 468 of the eligible 6,645 labor force are without a job.

Granville – 1,128 of 29,922 have no job.

Franklin – 1,409 of 32,183 are unemployed.

The August not seasonally adjusted statewide came in at 4.4 percent.

Easley Nominated For U.S. Attorney for Eastern District Of N.C.

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Raleigh attorney Michael F. Easley, Jr. has been nominated by President Joe Biden to be a U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

Easley is the son of former N.C. governor Mike Easley, who served from 2001-2009.

The younger Easley is a litigation partner at the law firm of McGuireWoods LLP, where he has practiced since 2010. His practice at McGuireWoods LLP has focused on government investigations and a range of civil and criminal matters in both state and federal courts. Easley also is a member of the Criminal Justice Act Panel for the Eastern District of North Carolina, through which he has provided legal representation to indigent clients under federal indictment or investigation. He currently serves as a Council Member for the Criminal Justice Section of the North Carolina Bar Association and a member of the Board of Visitors of the University of North Carolina. He has served on the board of directors for North Carolina’s Tenth Judicial District Bar and Wake County Bar Association.

Easley graduated with honors from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2007 and earned his juris doctorate from the 2010 UNC School of Law, from which he graduated with honors and distinction.

Warren Senior Center Offers Sweet Thank You To Local Law Enforcement

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As the saying goes, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” But when the picture includes the words “Thank You,” it just adds value.

Representatives of Warren County law enforcement got some special recognition during the recent National Thank a Police Officer Day. Staff and volunteers from the Warren County Senior Center delivered cupcakes and thank you cards to local law enforcement agencies to thank them for their service to the community. Thank you cards and dozens of cupcakes were delivered to the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, the Warrenton Police Department, and the Norlina Police Department on Friday, Sept. 17 as an acknowledgement of appreciation.

Warrenton

Sheriff

Norlina

Tuesday Is National Voter Registration Day; Register By Oct. 8 To Vote In November

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Today is National Voter Registration Day and the state board of elections has issued a statement to remind eligible individuals to register to vote and for current voters to make sure their information is up-to-date.

The voter registration deadline for the November elections is Friday, Oct. 8.

“Voting is a critical way to make an impact in your city or town, county, state and country,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the state board. “If you’re eligible, we hope to see you at the polls this fall.”

In Vance County, although Henderson’s municipal elections have been rescheduled for next year to address the redrawing district lines to comply with Census data, Kittrell and Middleburg will have elections on Nov. 2.

Eligible residents have options to register, including downloading a voter registration application and returning the form to their county board of elections. Applications can be emailed, faxed, mailed or returned in person to your board of elections office.

Eligibility requirements and other information about registering to vote can be found at NCSBE.gov. Voters can check their registration status and information via the State Board of Elections’ Voter Search tool.

National Voter Registration Day is a nonpartisan civic holiday raising awareness for voter registration and encouraging Americans to register to vote. Since the first Voter Registration Day in 2012, more than 4.5 million voters nationwide have registered to vote on the holiday.

Four-County 4-H Poultry Show Flies In To Vance Regional Farmer’s Market Oct. 23

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The 2021 Four County 4-H Poultry Show and Sale will be held Saturday, Oct. 23 at the Vance County Regional Farmer’s Market.

Check-in for youth and poultry will begin at 3 p.m. and the show will start at 4:15 p.m., according to information from Meg Wyatt, Franklin County 4-H agent.

Following the presentation of awards, the auction is scheduled to begin around 6:30 p.m. This year, Easter Eggers and Barred Rocks will be available at the auction.

The farmer’s market is located at 210 South Park Drive, Henderson.

Contact your county’s 4-H agent to learn more.
Read more at https://franklin.ces.ncsu.edu/2021/09/2021-four-county-4-h-poultry-show-and-sale-2/

Town Talk: Kerr-Tar Loan Programs Help Homeowners With Repairs

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Homeowners in the five-county area that the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments serves can apply for a couple of loan programs for repairs or improvements to their residences.

The deadline to submit applications is early November, and Kerr-Tar finance assistant Katie Connor said the loans are completely forgivable, provided the home remains the property of the homeowner for the life of the loan.

That’s free money, folks.

Kerr-Tar serves Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person counties and the Urgent Repair Loan Program that it is offering provides up to $10,000 over five years – $2,000 a year, Connor told John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk. Applications are due in the Kerr-Tar office by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 5.

As the name indicates, the repairs do need to be of an urgent nature – a leaky roof,  unsafe floors, ramp installation for the disabled, and HVAC repairs are just a few of the examples of acceptable repairs.

“There’s definitely some flexibility in the (type of) repair that can be done,” Connor said, “but they must be urgent.” The main goal of this loan program is to keep people in their homes, she added.

Visit kerrtarcog.org to see program criteria. There’s money for up to 20 houses in the five-county area, Connor said. This loan is considered an unsecured loan.

In general, homeowners need to be older than 62, and the home must be a stick-built structure – mobile homes and manufactured homes do not qualify. Veterans, disabled persons and families of five or more also would qualify, Connor said. Household income must be less than 50 percent of the median income in North Carolina, she added.

The other loan program is currently available for homeowners in Warren County. The Essential Single-Family Rehabilitation program offers $30,000 for repairs. This is a secured loan, Connor said, which means that qualified applicants would have a deed of trust placed on their property for the duration of the six-year loan. This also is a forgivable loan, which means that no money has to be repaid, provided the homeowner doesn’t sell the property during the life of the loan.

The criteria for both loan programs are very similar, but Connor said household income for ESFR program applicants must be 80 percent of the median income for the state.

Because of the larger amount of the loan, Connor said projects would have to be substantial enough to bring a home up to acceptable standards. “We can’t just do one thing for this house.” There is money for five houses, she said.

The deadline to submit applications for the ESFR program is Monday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. All applications should be submitted to the Kerr-Tar office, located at 1724 Graham Ave., Henderson.

The applications and related information are available at kerrtarcog.org. Connor said applications also can be mailed to interested applicants. Simply call 252.436.2040 ext. 6071 and leave your name and mailing address and Connor said she will put the paperwork in the mail. They also are available at area Senior Centers as well as county government offices.

As is often the case, demand usually exceeds the amount of money available, Connor said. And the Kerr-Tar COG must apply each year to receive the funds.

Click Play for complete details and audio.

 

Deadline To Get Help To Remove Abandoned Manufactured Homes Extended To Feb. 2022

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Warren County residents who want help getting rid of abandoned manufactured homes have some extra time to do so – the deadline to participate in the grant program has been extended until Feb. 25, 2022.

The current grant cycle opened on March 1, 2020.  Cost to eligible property owners is $305.00 for a singlewide unit ($35.00 demolition permit and $270.00 landfill tipping fees) or $575.00 for a doublewide unit ($35.00 demolition permit and $540.00 landfill tipping fees).  County-approved contractors will be reimbursed through the state grant program, which is administered by the county.

The NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), through the State Solid Waste Trust Fund, previously awarded Warren County a $10,000 grant to assist in the deconstruction of abandoned manufactured homes as part of the enforcement of the County’s abandoned manufactured home ordinance.

The county commissioners adopted the original ordinance in May 2008 and then adopted an amendment in September 2009. From 2010 to 2017, Warren County was awarded three grants in three separate cycles through this program to aid eligible property owners in the legal deconstruction and disposal of abandoned singlewide or doublewide units.  These grants totaled $89,500 over the seven-year period and resulted in the removal of approximately 50 units from the county.

For more information or to apply to the County program please contact Planning and Zoning Administrator Ken Krulik at 252.257.7027 or KenKrulik@warrencountync.gov. Forms also are available at the Planning/Zoning and Code Enforcement Department, 542 West Ridgeway Street Warrenton, NC 27589.