New Process to Get “Work Permit” in NC

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— press release courtesy NCDOL

NCDOL today announces the rollout of a new process for obtaining youth employment certificates that aims to streamline the process and better ensure youths are working in safe jobs. After a soft launch in April, the new process takes effect today, May 3.

The NCDOL Wage and Hour Bureau administers youth employment certificates, which are required under the N.C. Wage and Hour Act. The certificates, commonly referred to as a work permit, are designed to alert parents, teens and employers of certain prohibited jobs and hour limits for workers under the age of 18.

“We changed the process for obtaining youth employment certificates to better ensure that our state’s young employees end up working in safe and acceptable jobs,” Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson said. “We understand this will be a big change for employers, but we are ready to assist any employer, parent or youth who have questions about the new process.”

Any questions about the new process should be directed to the Wage and Hour Bureau Call Center at 1-800-625-2267. To learn more about youth rules and regulation, please visit the NCDOL website.

NCCare360 Works To Match Clients With Providers, Resources

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It sounds ambitious, but doable: NCCare360 is a public-private partnership designed to provide streamlined support for those who are looking for help with finding resources for everything from health care to housing, access to transportation and other challenges that people are faced with.

Quinny Sanchez Lopez, community engagement manager, spoke to the Vance County Community Collaborative earlier this week and shared information about joining the partnership.

Attending the monthly meeting were representatives from education, governmental and non-profit agencies, according to information from Triangle North Healthcare Foundation.

Executive Director Val Short welcomed the group, which convened to learn more about the public-private partnership between the NC Department of Health and Human Services and the Foundation for Health Leadership and Innovation.

There is no fee to register to join the partnership, Sanchez Lopez said, which reaches all 100 counties in the state.

NCCare360 is “the first statewide network that unites health care and human services organizations with a shared technology that enables a coordinated, community-oriented, person-centered approach for delivering care in North Carolina,” according to the statement.

The idea is to have a group of health and human services providers in one network to connect clients with community resources. Unite Us powers the technology platform, which is used for feedback and follow-up and ensuring accountability of service delivery.

Included in the model is a community engagement team that works with local organizations such as social service agencies to independent providers to get resources to those who need them.

Referrals can be made by providers or by the client himself or herself. A NCCare360 “navigator” connects the client to resources in their area. A resource directory is available at www.nccare360.org.

Agencies that partner with NCCare360 receive training and are responsible for responding to referrals and reporting outcomes.

Granville Vance Public Health is a NCCare360 partner and Director Lisa Harrison said Thursday that it is exciting to see technology evolve in a way that can further the mission of public health.

“We are eager to incorporate NCCare360 technology as our social workers and nurses at the health department continue to connect people in our communities to needed resources,” Harrison said in a statement to WIZS News.

Improving the health of people in the community goes beyond a doctor’s office or making good food choices at the grocery store. “For decades… health department staff have valued working with children and families to navigate opportunities for improved transportation, housing, child care, health care services including mental health services, healthy food resources, small business support, and community outreach,” she said.

But it takes more than a computer network to be successful. It also takes people who know about the local community to be involved and informed as well.

“While this technology is robust and transformative, technology is just technology unless all network partners are trained and empowered to use it to better serve their patients and clients,” Harrison said.

For more information about joining the partnership, contact Sanchez Lopez by email quinny.sanchezlopez@uniteus.com.

Visit www.nccare360.org to learn more.

Kerr Tar Workforce and NCWorks

Employment for Graduating Seniors, Class of 2021 Career Expo

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High school seniors who will graduate in a little over a month have choices to make, whether it’s choosing a college or university to attend or beginning a career. A regional career expo targeting the Class of 2021 will be held next week and it is designed with the Gen Z’er in mind.

The virtual event is scheduled for Wednesday, May 5 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., according to Desiree Brooks, business services manager of the Kerr-Tar Council of Governments workforce development board.

Brooks told WIZS News Tuesday, April 13 that several area workforce development boards, along with NC Works and the NC Department of Public Schools’ Career Technical Education (CTE) program have collaborated to put on the event.

“We have been coordinating with the CTEs in the five counties and they are working on getting students ready for the event,” Brooks said. “They are targeting students who are ready to enter the workforce upon graduation – we are all very excited about this event.”

The expo – tagged as the “Gen Z Edition” – will allow students and employers to communicate using a platform that young people are comfortable and familiar with, according to a flyer promoting the event. Students who have developed technical skills, have hands-on experience and earned credentials through their high school CTE program can use the expo as a way to showcase those skills for prospective employers. Employers can share job descriptions and other details of their business in interviews using text or video chat.

“One of our goals is to make sure the parents of seniors see the importance of this so they can encourage them to take part in this event,” Brooks noted. “Another goal is to get employers that are willing to hire graduating seniors with little or no prior work experience.”

Sign up for the event at trianglecareerexpo.com.

TownTalk 04-27-21 VGCC 9th Annual Small Business Summit

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Niche crops, innovative practices and agritourism may not be the first things that come to mind when people think about farming, but participants in an upcoming daylong workshop will learn more about these topics and more.

Vance-Granville Community College will present the 9th Annual Small Business Summit on Thursday, May 20, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The event will be held outside, at Seven Springs Farms and Vineyards, 332 Axtell Ridgeway Road, Norlina, NC. All CDC-recommended social distancing and mask protocols will be followed.

This year’s theme is Ag Alternatives & Legacy Farms. VGCC’s Tanya Weary and Sheri Jones spoke with John C. Rose on Town Talk Tuesday about the event, which will provide attendees with a day of agriculture education, including discussions of niche farming, agritourism and farm modernization. The workshop will be led by a diverse group of successful farmers and business owners. Attendees will also learn about agriculture-related grants and financing options.

Register by May 10 by visiting www.vgcc.edu. Or contact Jones  via email joness@vgcc.edu or call 252.425.8385. Lunch is included with registration and will be provided by The Meat Up Spot, a regional food truck (a vegetarian option will be available).

It is “quite fitting” to hold the workshop at Seven Springs, Weary said. Agritourism is growing, and Weary said “we’re excited that Seven Springs has agreed to host us, and to share their knowledge with those in attendance that day on what agritourism has done for them and for Warren County.

Jones, director of VGCC’s Small Business Center, said the outdoor venue will allow for social distancing for participants. “The owners have been so cooperative in making sure that everything stays in compliance and will keep everybody safe. It is a beautiful venue and I think people will really enjoy it.”

“Agriculture is an important part of our local economy, with many of our small businesses being involved in food and farming, so we are excited to focus on this sector,” said Weary, VGCC’s Dean of Business & Industry Solutions.

Derrick Jackson of Grass Grazed Farm in Durham will serve as the keynote speaker, discussing “A New Farming Model.” Jackson and his wife, Paige, operate a 60-acre farm, where they focus on sustainable pastured livestock, ethical practices and regenerative agriculture.

Other sessions include a panel on “High Tunnel Production,” led by N.C. Cooperative Extension including Dean’s Greens Farm, Rocky Ridge Farms and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; “Land of Opportunity: Heir Property, Startups, and Finding Your Niche” with Patrick Brown of Brown Family Farms/Hempfinity; a session on “Agritourism, Partnerships and Building Community,” featuring Seven Springs Farms & Vineyards and Lake Gaston Outfitters; and a presentation on “Finding Resources: Cost-Share, Grants, and Financing Your Agribusiness.”

The event is hosted by the VGCC Small Business Center, with co-sponsors including Warren County Economic Development, The Meat Up Spot, Sweet Delights, Grass Grazed, and Seven Springs Farms & Vineyards.

“I think the main goal that Tanya and I have had as a team is to listen and to hear what each community needs that may be specific to their community and we try to meet them there,” Jones said.

Learn How To Fly a Drone With 4-H Project

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Is your child interested in drones and learning how to fly them? Registration is free and open now for young people between 12-18 years to participate in the 4-H Drone Pilot Program.

Over the course of the two-week program, participants will receive a kit that includes the Parrot Mambo mini-drone, 2 drone batteries, battery charging cord and a tracphone, according to Stephen Misenheimer, Warren County 4-H agent.

Families will use the curriculum login instructions in the kits to access the course and will have regular access to a flight instructor should questions arise. Contact Misenheimer 252.257.3640 or scmisenh@ncsu.edu by April 30, 2021.

Read more about the drone program at https://warren.ces.ncsu.edu/2021/04/4-h-drone-program/

Warren County Native Named EDC Director

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Charla Duncan has been appointed permanent executive director of the Warren County Economic Development Commission, according to information from County Manager Vincent Jones.

Duncan has served for the past seven months as interim director, but the county’s board of commissioners approved Jones’s recommendation in a work session April 21.

A Warren County native, Duncan brings private sector and public sector experience to the position. She has chaired the county arts council and previously served on the tourism committee and is past executive director of the local Chamber of Commerce. She was grants coordinator and management analyst in Granville County before becoming interim EDC director.

She has a bachelor’s degree from UNC-Greensboro and a master’s of public administration from New York University.

She said she looks forward to helping her home county realize value-added economic development.

“I am excited to bring a perspective to the economic development team that is a new one for us—born and raised here, graduate of Warren County public schools, female, millennial, daughter of a small business owner,” Duncan stated. “It’s a new combination of perspectives for this role in our community, and I look to be an asset to our county’s progress.”

Duncan added, “I am looking forward to not just building an environment for successful business attraction and growth, but also working to grow the economic health and vitality of our residents.”

In her free time, Duncan enjoys renovating her family home in Wise, riding her bike or going to the gym, spending time with family and friends, and volunteering in the community.

Warren County Man Sentenced to Federal Prison on Gun and Drug Charges

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— press release

A Norlina man was sentenced today to 108 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (crack) and a quantity of cocaine and marijuana, maintaining a dwelling for the purpose of manufacturing, distributing, and using any controlled substance, and felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, William Leon Mayfield, 60, also known as “Moon,” sold crack cocaine to a confidential informant out of a residence in Norlina on multiple occasions.  Following those controlled purchases, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for the residence and executed it on June 13, 2019.  During that search, deputies found a loaded firearm, quantities of cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, and U.S. currency.  Mayfield is a convicted felon, having been convicted of numerous drug and gun charges in and around Warren and Vance Counties.

Mayfield pled guilty to the charges on November 5, 2020.

G. Norman Acker, III, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers, II. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Warren County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Dodson  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:20-CR-230-M.

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2 Yellow, 2 Orange in 4-County Area

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North Carolina is experiencing a leveling trend following declines in covid spread.

Younger adult groups are experiencing increases, according the NC Dept. of Health and Human Services.

In the 4-county area, Vance and Warren Counties are identified in the recent covid County Alert System update as yellow.  Granville and Franklin Counties are orange.

More…

NCDHHS Updates County Alert System, Shows COVID-19 Trends Leveling

— NCDHHS Press Release

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services today updated the COVID-19 County Alert System, which shows one red county — an increase from zero on the previous April 1 County Alert System.

Today’s update also lists 20 orange counties (previously 21 counties in the April 1 report), 48 yellow counties (previously 47), 30 light yellow counties (previously 31) and one green county (previously one). These updates account for 18 counties having moved up a tier (toward red) since the last report, 19 counties having moved down a tier (toward green) and 63 counties remaining in the same tier.

North Carolina’s key metrics show a leveling of COVID-19 trends after several weeks of decline. Although levels are far below the post-holiday peak in January, most of the state continues to experience significant or substantial community spread with concerning increases in younger adult age groups.

“We want to see our trends in new cases, hospitalizations and percent positive of tests decline again,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D. “The best way we can do that is by having as many people get vaccinated as quickly as possible and keep wearing our masks when out in public.”

To slow the spread of the virus, people should get vaccinated and continue adherence to the 3Ws until most people have a chance to get vaccinated. Regardless of what tier your county is currently in, individuals, businesses, community organizations and public officials all have a responsibility to take these recommended actions and others outline in the County Alert System.

The COVID-19 County Alert System gives individuals, businesses and community organizations, and public officials a tool to understand how their county is faring and to make decisions about actions to take slow the spread of the virus. The COVID-19 County Alert System uses metrics informed by North Carolina’s key metrics to categorize counties into five tiers:

  1. Green: Low Community Spread
  2. Light Yellow: Moderate Community Spread
  3. Yellow: Significant Community Spread
  4. Orange: Substantial Community Spread
  5. Red: Critical Community Spread
VGCC Logo

VGCC Joins #CCMonth Celebration

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Vance-Granville Community College added its name to the list of community colleges across the country to participate in #CCMonth, a month-long campaign to raise awareness about advantages of attending a community college and how they influence economies, academics and equity.

The campaign, coordinated by the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), coincides with April’s designation as Community College Month. It’s a way to showcase that public community colleges are “a uniquely American educational model that was designed to guarantee access to affordable, high-quality higher education for all people,” according to a press release from VGCC’s Director of Communications Chris LaRocca. From nursing programs to trade certifications, community colleges “also serve as an onramp to bachelor’s, master’s and higher-level degrees for many students, and particularly for the most demographically and socioeconomically diverse students,” he stated.

Community college can accommodate adult students who work and go to school at the same time, and also make education accessible for many students who otherwise would not be able to access higher education.

“Community colleges are engines of diversity, equity and inclusion,” said ACCT President and CEO J. Noah Brown. “They give opportunities to all students, and they support all students throughout their educations, whether they attend to attain an associate degree or certificate, intend to transfer on for a bachelor’s or higher degree, or they take one or a few courses to learn a new skill or expand their horizons.”

The campaign is expected to have strong participation from community colleges and their supporters throughout the country.

NC Dept of Agriculture

COVID-19 Fund Helps Offset Quarantine Costs of H2A Workers

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Local farmers who employ H2A farmworkers can apply for some financial relief if any of those workers have to quarantine during the 2021 growing season.

N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said Wednesday that his department has $2 million of federal COVID-19 funds that can be used to offset quarantine expenses.

“Farmworkers have always been critical to agriculture, but the pandemic has shown how essential a healthy workforce is to agriculture and our food supply,” Troxler said. “While it is a priority for all farmworkers to get vaccinated, this program will enable employers to safely quarantine workers who test positive for COVID-19 and hopefully minimize spread to their coworkers and others.” 

Under this program, employers that have farmworkers with valid H2A visas will be eligible for reimbursement of the cost of meals and lodging for the duration of the quarantine period, not to exceed the per diem rates for federal employees.  The employer on record for the farmworker with a valid H2A visa may submit reimbursement request on behalf of any farmworker requiring to be quarantined following a positive test for COVID-19, provided the employer covered the initial eligible expenses out-of-pocket on behalf of the farmworker. The program will be for expenses incurred from March 11, 2021 through the 2021 growing season.

The application period will open on April 14 and will continue through Dec. 15, 2021 or until program funds are exhausted. These funds are provided through CARES Act funding and subject to any changes to the federal legislation.  

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in serious and substantial impacts on the food supply chain, including migrant farm labor in North Carolina. The H2A program is a critical component in planting and harvesting of North Carolina commodities. This program will help offset the financial burden of quarantine accommodations for workers that test positive for COVID-19 in off-site locations.

Details regarding the NCDA&CS COVID-19 Farmworker Quarantine Reimbursement Program will be available at http://www.ncagr.gov/QuarantineReimbursementProgram.htm.  Please contact H2Acovidprogram2021@ncagr.gov with any questions regarding this program.