TownTalk: Spring Activities Are Bustin’ Out All Over Granville County

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Granville County is cultivating a variety of springtime activities, with some first-time events sprinkled in amongst others that have become perennial favorites.

County Tourism Director Angela Allen said that, once again, there’s something for everyone in the offerings over the next few weeks and beyond.

Allen shared details about some of the events but recommended a visit to the www.visitgranvillenc.com website for a full listing of what’s coming up in Granville County.

One unique event is The Viking Experience, which has blossomed since its inception four short years ago, Allen said.

Each year, the event has grown – from basically a backyard event when COVID-19 restrictions affected gatherings to a two-weekend event expected to bring folks from across the state and the country, Allen said on Thursday’s TownTalk.

The first weekend is Mar. 22 and 23; the second weekend is Mar. 29 and 30. The “experience” outgrew two other area venues and the mother/daughter duo from the Creedmoor area ended up buying 15 acres that will serve as the host site for this year’s activities.

Those activities include interacting with re-enactors in period dress, as well as music, games and all types of vendors who will be on hand for both weekends.

“You can truly escape into a whole other world,” Allen said. She said folks really get into the whole “other world” where history meets fantasy, but those not into the “culture” who just are curious about what the Viking experience is all about, come on out and take a look.

“They have their own community,” Allen said. “The could have chosen anywhere in North Carolina but they wanted to start at home…this is a way of life for them.”

Visit https://www.thevikingexperiencenc.com/ to find schedules of events and more.

The Bunny Hop Bash is a brand-new event this season, Allen said. It will take place at Clement Farms Saturday, Mar. 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This is a family-friendly event – “a wonderful collaboration” between a wedding venue and a couple of local businesses.

Modeled after the wildly popular “Jingle Bell Bash,” Allen said Saturday’s event will take advantage of the milder weather and will have carriage rides, a bouncy house, talented local vendors and, of course, a big ol’ Easter Egg hunt and a visit from the Easter Bunny.

Check out https://visitgranvillenc.com/whats-happening/ to find a link to tickets.

Allen has become somewhat synonymous with Granville tourism, having been in the role for a decade. She said she’s witnessed a healthy collaboration grow out of relationships that sometimes get started at local events.

All the networking before and after events allow vendors to learn from – and support – others. It also shows visitors that this area north of the Triangle region is a great place to live and to visit.

“We are all here to lift each other up,” she said.

Other upcoming events and activities include:

  • Saturday, Mar. 29 – Paws for Granville, a dinner and silent auction fundraiser of the Humane Society of Granville County and the Granville County Animal Shelter. Tickets are $40. Deadline to purchase is Monday, Mar. 24. Event will be held at the Barn at Vino in Stem.
  • Sunday, Mar. 30 – Fashion Show at Carlee Farm, 1003 Carlee Farm Rd. Visit vendors for clothing, jewelry, food, beverages and more from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fashion show will be from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and includes area boutiques Kissing Booth and Tilly Outfitters, C squared, Rustic Barn among others.
  • Friday, Apr. 4 – Cedar Creek Gallery’s Spring Festival. The gallery has its annual festival, featuring live music, food and drinks, as well as tours of workshops to see artisans as they are creating works from glass, wood, clay and more. Check out https://cedarcreekgallery.com/ for a complete schedule of festival events, which runs through Apr. 13.
  • Sunday, Apr. 13 – EGGstravaganza at Carlee Farms. Allen calls this a “full on spring celebration.” The Easter Bunny will be on site and visitors can enjoy shopping with more than 30 vendors, food trucks and more. This event sponsors a local nonprofit, Families Living Violence Free.
  • Saturday, Apr. 19 – Bullock Beach Music Blast – Williamson’s Country Store, 9023 Hwy. 15 N. in Bullock hosts an evening of music with Jim Quick and Coastline and the Konnection Band, hosted by Mike Brooks and Big Allen D. Gates open at 5, music starts at 6 and lasts until 10 p.m. Bring a lawn chair and your dancin’ shoes to this one.
  • Saturday, Apr. 26 – the Granville Gardeners Expo will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center at Hwy. 15 outside of Oxford.
  • Saturday, Apr. 26 – the Central Carolina Highland Games return to Central Children’s Home for a daylong immersion into various traditional Scottish activities – from foods to music from bagpipes and those unique throwing contests where contestants throw things called cabers. It’s all to benefit the Central Children’s Home. Suggested donation is $20 a car.

For a complete listing of events coming up in Granville County, go to https://visitgranvillenc.com/

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TownTalk: N.C. District 32 Rep. Bryan Cohn Introduces HB 269

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Just a couple of months into his term in the N.C. House representing District 32, Bryan Cohn has introduced a bill and co-sponsored another. In between crafting bills and acclimating himself to the workings of state government, Cohn has been crisscrossing the district to talk with constituents.

House Bill 269 is called the Workforce Freedom and Protection Act, which Cohn introduced just a couple of weeks ago. He said so far, it’s gotten some bipartisan compliments – from none other than the newly elected Speaker of the House Destin Hall.

The bill, briefly described as a workers’ rights bill, focuses on removing some restrictions on employees in jobs with salaries under $75,000. Those restrictions could include non-compete clauses, for example, that could affect an employee’s ability to move within their industry.

“They should have the freedom to do so,” Cohn said on Wednesday’s segment of TownTalk.

He said non-competes might be expected in a high-income, high-impact field for doctors or lawyers or company executives.

But the practice has begun to creep into everyday jobs, he said, and that could limit an employee’s freedom to find a better paying job within the same industry.

If the bill is signed into law, Cohn said it would make existing non-competes null and void for workers who make less than $75,000.

“It would immediately give that worker the ability, if they choose, to seek employment that best suits them,” he said.

Another Bill that Cohn has co-sponsored calls for raising the minimum wage to $18 an hour.

North Carolina follows the federal government’s minimum wage, which has been $7.25 since July 2009.

Cohn advocates for having a stairstep increase over a period of time “to reach an agreeable and reasonable” level.

“You can’t shock the system,” he said. “I strongly believe in a tapered minimum wage.” Workers who earn minimum wage often have multiple jobs just to make ends meet. North Carolina’s minimum wage is “not even close to being a livable wage.”

The idea is to put more money in the pockets of workers, of course, but also to invigorate the economy. Right now, many workers in lower pay bands, Cohn said, don’t have extra money left to put into the economy after they’ve paid for rent and groceries.

They’re spending less money because of inflationary pressure, he asserted, which doesn’t do local economies and local businesses any good.

During his visits throughout the district, Cohn said he’s been particularly pleased to learn more about a key community partner – Vance-Granville Community College.

The trades program, for example, Cohn said, is “phenomenal.” He said until he visited the campus recently, he wasn’t aware of just how successful the college’s trades programs have been.

With District 32 positioned so close to the burgeoning Triangle area, Cohn said the growth will continue.

“I’m excited for the growth that this region is going to see over the coming years and decades,” he said.

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TownTalk: Maria Parham Health Wall Breaking Ceremony and Staff Recognition

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Maria Parham Health has embarked on a construction project that will make trips to the Emergency Department safer and more efficient, especially for individuals with behavioral health challenges or substance abuse issues.

The project to transform the ED area will take months to complete, but the hospital can’t just shut down while construction is going on, so officials and staff have had to make some adjustments to precisely how folks in the community access the Emergency Department area.

With directional signs in place, staff and other community leaders took part in a “Wall Breaking” ceremony on Monday. Typical ground-breaking ceremonies may call for officials turning over small piles of dirt with a golden shovel, but Monday’s wall-breaking involved gloves, hammers and protective eyewear. MPH Chief Executive Officer Bert Beard welcomed participants to take a swing at a wall inside the hospital that is marked for demolition.

The lead-up to the actual renovation has taken a few years. What began as a roundtable discussion with stakeholders that included law enforcement officials, mental health and public health leaders, the District Attorney and our state representatives has been translated into a multi-million-dollar project to reshape the ED’s physical setup to better and more safely care for patients that come in seeking help, Beard said in remarks to those gathered on Monday morning.

As the MPH hospital chaplain for 36 years, Pastor Frank Sossamon shares a unique perspective on the project. As N.C. State Representative Sossamon, he helped secure $5 million in state funding to make the project a reality.

The renovation will create designated spaces within the ED specifically designed to meet the needs of behavioral health patients and patients facing social challenges.

Sossamon called the project a “win” for patients, staff and the community.

Although the hospital’s Emergency Department area is undergoing a significant transformation, the day-to-day activities that go on behind the scenes remain in place and hospital officials used the occasion on Monday to recognize several individuals for their exemplary work that keeps the hospital humming and patient care top-of-mind.

Kim Smith, chair of the Maria Parham Resilience Committee, announced the winner of the Employee of the Year and called James Boyd up to receive the honor.

Smith said Boyd always goes above and beyond what is expected and offers his considerable expertise – along with a positive attitude and with humility – that creates a true collaborative effort.

The 2025 Clinical Director of the Year is Crystal Hobgood, director of Surgical Services.

Dr. Darius Divina read some of the comments about Hobgood, including “champion of patient care,” “example of integrity to all” and “encourages team camaraderie.”

The 2025 Ancillary Director of the Year is Tracy Moseley, Market Director, Materials Management.

Moseley is a key member at both the Henderson hospital and the Person County hospital, Divina said. She demonstrates leadership qualities and comes in and covers at either hospital when someone calls out and she steps in to receive and deliver supplies where they are needed. And she does her job “with excellence and integrity,” Divina said.

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TownTalk: Vance County Animal Shelter Receives Grant for Spay and Neuter

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Thanks to a collaboration that involves non-profit agencies, Vance County Animal Services and the Vance County Board of Commissioners, Animal Services Manager William Coker and his staff have $20,000 to spend on a spay/neuter program for dogs and cats.

When the folks at Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society passed along information about a $10,000 matching grant opportunity from Community Partnership for Pets, Coker asked the board of commissioners to participate. The board approved spending the $10,000 and – just like that – county residents can make an appointment to have their dogs and cats undergo the procedures that will render them unable to reproduce.

Spaying females is a little more expensive than neutering a male, Coker said on Monday’s TownTalk. A spay is in the $150 range under this program. But that $20,000 will go a long way to reduce the number of unwanted animals that end up at the shelter.

Coker said there are spay/neuter funds available to residents who already receive some type of state or federal assistance.

“I wanted to be able to offer that same service to anybody – the working class – just anybody that needed assistance,” he said.”We’re excited about it. We’re hoping that we can continue this program next year.”

Spaying and neutering dogs and cats is the best way that pet owners can help the shelter manage the unwanted pet population. “We’re trying to get ahead of the breeding season,” Coker said. “We’re going to have to stop it at the spay/neuter stage.”

One feral cat hanging out in an outbuilding on your property may seem fine, and there’s no harm in feeding it. But it doesn’t take long for one female cat to birth an average litter of six and before you know it, there are dozens of feral cats prowling around.

If this sounds familiar, and you’d like help to keep the cats you have without adding litters each year, give the Animal Services staff a call at 252.492.3136. It could take a few weeks to get an appointment, so please be patient. “We’ve got so many that we’re trying to do,” he said. “The first step is that initial phone call.”

Visit https://vancecounty.org and find Animal Services under the Departments menu to learn more about the services and hours of operation.

 

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TownTalk: Around Old Granville – Historical Markers

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The state’s very first official historical marker was erected in 1936 – just a year after the Highway Historical Marker Commission was established. But where was it placed? Any ideas?

If you said Granville County, you’d be correct. The first marker honors John Penn, one of North Carolina’s three signers of the Declaration of Independence.

But Old Granville County – that four-county area that includes Vance, Warren and Franklin along with Granville – has a total of 57, said Mark Pace, local historian and North Carolina Room specialist at Oxford’s Thornton Library.

The state’s 100 counties are divided into 17 regions; Vance and Granville counties each boast 15 markers and are in Region G; Franklin and Warren, both in Region E, have seven and 20, respectively.

Pace and WIZS’s Bill Harris are tackling the topic of historic markers for the next few “Around Old Granville” segments of TownTalk. First up, Granville County.

The John Penn marker, located along Highway 15 in Stovall, was issued along with four others in the inaugural group, Pace said.

Interestingly, Granville County has the oldest marker, but also two of the newest: Camp Butner got a marker in 1989 and James E. Webb, who was instrumental in the creation of NASA and the space program, got a marker in 2018.

The commission started its work with the marker program as the country was emerging from the economic devastation of the Great Depression, which Pace said showed the state’s commitment to history. There are criteria for getting a marker approved and placed, he said, including placement in a prominent location on official state highways.

Webb’s marker, for example, is located along College Street in Oxford. He grew up a block away, Pace said.

Thomas Person has a historical marker in Granville County. He was probably the wealthiest person who ever lived in Granville County and owned 80,000 acres. But that’s not what got him a marker along Highway 158 back in 1972. His marker reads “Leader of popular movements: Regulation, Revolution and Antifederalism. His home in Goshen stood five miles north.”

Pace observes what he called “commemoration fever” when it comes to remembering historical figures or events. There seems to be renewed interest in history 50 or more years after an important event, he said.

“It’s kind of like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame,” he said. Rockers aren’t considered until 25 years after their first record is released.

Horner Military Academy got a marker in 1939. It was known nationally because of the prominent people who attended the private school, which was established in 1851 by James JH. Horner.

There’s a marker for Henry Plummer Cheatham, who was born into slavery and served in the U.S. Congress from 1889-1893. Cheatham also was the superintendent of what is now Central Children’s Home for close to 30 years until his death in 1935. His marker can be seen on N.C. 96 at Eighth Street in Oxford.

Central Children’s Home – and the Masonic Home for Children, the other orphanage in Oxford, also have markers, placed in 1965 and 1936, respectively.

A marker for Mary Potter Academy was erected in 2005 along College Street, also known as U.S. 158 Business. Its inscription reads: “Founded by G.C. Shaw 1889 to educate African Americans. Named for a Presbyterian benefactor. Later a public school. Operated one block E.”

Bullock has one of five markers in Region G that identifies the Native American Trading Path that was subsequently used by colonists and settlers between Petersburg, VA and well into North Carolina – Hillsborough and beyond. There’s also a Trading Path marker in Vance County, but that’s a story for another day.

Check out all the historical markers in Granville County and across the state at https://www.dncr.nc.gov/about-us/history/division-historical-resources/nc-highway-historical-marker-program

 

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TownTalk: GVPH Director Lisa Harrison Keeps Eye On Health Issues, Funding For Federal Programs Like Medicaid, WIC

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In addition to all the health-related issues that Granville Vance Public Health Director Lisa M. Harrison monitors, lately she’s been keeping a close watch on what’s happening in Washington, DC as politicians consider cost-saving measures to address a focus on government efficiency and tax cuts.

For Harrison, what happens in Washington has a direct effect on what happens right here in North Carolina – and specifically in rural areas like the area her department serves.

“People don’t often realize that our federal tax dollars are so closely tied to programs and local jobs,” Harrison said on Wednesday’s TownTalk. There are many connections to the work done here in Vance and Granville counties that are federally funded, she said.

“It’s important to pay attention and give people advance notice” if funding cuts are recommended.

As health director, she’s especially interested in Medicaid and the WIC program. So far, so good, she said, adding that she’s hopeful both programs will be spared from cuts.

“If Medicaid goes away, we all pay the price,” Harrison said. Medicaid is not a handout, she said; rather, it’s an insurance option that enables the working poor, children and disabled individuals to have access to health care. She said it also helps keep premiums and costs down for those who have private insurance.

“The way we make payroll is by billing Medicare and Medicaid,” Harrison said. They take private insurance and self-pay clients as well, but about 50 percent of the health department’s clients use Medicaid.

Cuts in Medicaid and WIC – which provides vouchers to women with infants and children for nutritious foods, baby formula and more – would be felt sharply and quickly, she said.

But federal funds also make it possible for GVPH to administer programs like THRIVe, a grant-funded program that addresses behavioral health services from licensed clinical social workers to Vance County Schools and Granville County Public Schools for students from5-18 years of age.

There’s a licensed clinical social worker based at the health department who provides one-on-one counseling for children and families. In addition, Harrison said THRIVE connects with behavioral health professionals from UNC and Duke to help school staffs better understand how to assist or help students with behavioral health, including training teachers about trauma-informed care.

Children come to school and need a lot more than facts, Harrison said. The $4 million federal grant for THRIVe allows adults to help children with the resources they need to be their best selves, she said.

Grant funding has increased dramatically over the 50 years that GVHD has been in existence, Harrison said.

The health department published a report to celebrate and reflect on its 50 years of service to the two counties. In those 50 years, Harrison is only the third director. Dr. Charles Rollins was the first director and served from 1974 to 1991. Dr. Roddy Drake was the second director and served until 2012. Harrison became the director when Drake retired.

Harrison called Rollins “a passionate advocate” for bringing the WIC program to rural areas in the 1970’s. The health department oversaw seven programs and had a couple of dozen employees for both counties. Today, there are close to 60 programs and almost 100 employees.

“Our team is amazing,” Harrison said, “making a difference in the lives of others and health outcomes.”

Visit www.gvph.org to learn about all the programs GVPH offers and to read the 50th anniversary annual report.

 

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TownTalk: Rodeo This Weekend at Franklin Brothers Nursery Sunday, March 16

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Franklin Brothers Nursery is hosting a rodeo this weekend, featuring barrel racing and more. Thomas Franklin said it’s wholesome entertainment for the whole family to enjoy.

And Franklin has plans for more shows in the future – it’s all part of an overall vision to make the best use of the property.  This is just the beginning, he said on Tuesday’s TownTalk.

Barrel racers of all ages are invited to come out and take part in the show, which will begin at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Mar. 16 at 9 a.m. with a barrel racing exhibition. Cowboy Church starts at 11 a.m. and the different classes – including barrels, pole bending, speed barrel goat tying and dummy roping – begin at 12 noon.

This show is part of the Taylor Digh Series and barrel racers compete at various TD-sanctioned shows to earn points.

Digh is a trainer from Benson who trains a lot of horses and trains a lot of kids to be competitive in the classic rodeo event that involves horses and riders speeding around a set of three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern.

His own daughter, Bailey, participates in the TD series and Franklin said as a parent, he couldn’t be happier about seeing her go do her best at what she loves to do in a competitive environment and then step back and be able to socialize with others in a healthy, outdoor setting.

“We’re looking forward to a wonderful show,” he said, adding that he expects anywhere from 50 or 60 to as many as 100 competitors to attend. Some competitors are competing for points and prizes that will be awarded at the end of the season, but anyone with a horse is welcome to trailer it over and compete on Sunday.

There will be additional prizes – saddles and other tack, and more – that will be given as prizes in each division of the barrel race classes: PeeWee, Elementary, Middle School, High School and Open (which is for youth of any age as well as adults).

Admission is $3 and there’s a $5 entry fee for riders.

Franklin said it’s thrilling to watch the riders “ripping through an arena, spinning around barrels.”

For the uninitiated, barrel racing involves a horse and rider running around three barrels set up in the shape of a triangle. The horse/rider team runs around each barrel to create the cloverleaf pattern. The team that does it the fastest without knocking over a barrel is the winner.

There will be food trucks on site as well on Sunday, and Franklin said the plan is to have more shows in the future.

For more information about the TD Series, contact Dye at 704.689.3013.

For more information about Sunday’s event, contact Franklin at 919.702.3839.

Franklin Brothers Nursery is located at 3193 Vicksboro Rd.

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TownTalk: Fuqua Receives Recognition from City Council

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Henderson’s Finance Director Joey Fuqua received some special recognition at Monday’s City Council meeting for excellence in financial reporting.

And though it was more a formality than anything else, Fuqua was officially sworn in as finance director – before Council Member Tami Walker read a proclamation expressing gratitude on behalf of the Council for the work done by Fuqua and his staff. He’s been the city’s finance director for about 10 years.

“Thank you for your financial leadership and your excellence in financial reporting for the last eight years,” Walker said in remarks before she read the proclamation.

The 2023 budget marks the 8th year that Fuqua and his department have received a certificate of excellence in financial reporting from the Government Financial Officers Association.

In addition to preparing the city’s annual budget, Fuqua and his team provide financial services and support city departments, manage revenue collections and disbursements and oversee purchasing functions, Walker noted.

Fuqua also has “emphasized commitment to addressing budget constraints,” Walker said, and helps the city by planning with long-term financial responsibility in mind.

Fuqua accepted a certificate, a bouquet of cut flowers and a standing ovation from the City Council members, Mayor Melissa Elliott and city staff at the meeting.

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TownTalk: Vance County Board of Commissioners; Economic Development Incentives

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners on Monday approved putting up more than $43,000 in matching funds as part of an economic incentive package for a company that recently announced its plans to locate in Triangle North Campus near I-85 and Poplar Creek Road in Vance County.

The commissioners’ meeting included a public hearing about the proposed incentives; no members of the public spoke either for or against the plan, which was presented by Vance County Economic Development Director Ferdinand Rouse.

“Project Pinpoint” involves a commitment from Syntec Precision Technology Corp. within five years of locating in the county to invest $10 million in business personal property and create 61 new full-time jobs, with an average salary of just over $46,000.

In support of this investment, Vance County is offering several incentives, according to information in the agenda packet:

  • Vance County tax incentive grant based on taxes paid for business
    personal property, not to exceed $166,390.86;
  • $200,000 Building Reuse Grant with a required $10,000 Vance County match; and
  • $100,000 One NC grant with a required match of $33,333.33 Vance County match.

The matching grants come from N.C. Department of Commerce. The arrival of this company is expected to stimulate significant investment in the local economy, generate new jobs with competitive wages, and foster economic growth and development opportunities for the county.

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TownTalk: Maria Parham Health’s Open House For RNs, Allied Health Fields

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Maria Parham Health will host an open house for prospective nurses and others who may be interested in a job in nursing or any of a range of careers in the allied health field.

The event will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Mar. 13 at the hospital, located at 566 Ruin Creek Rd., according to Nathan Johnson, MPH market director, People Services.

People Services is what used to be known as Human Resources, Johnson said.

Snowy weather postponed an earlier event to be rescheduled, and Johnson said the open house is for anyone looking for a job in the nursing field, but also for individuals to learn more about openings in the various labs, as well as physical therapy, speech therapy, respiratory therapy, CNA and many more.

Maria Parham isn’t a large hospital system, Johnson said, but it’s a place with “a hometown feel” where employees are known by their name and not as a number.

“Our focus here is on making our community healthier and being able to serve the needs of our patients,” he said.

Although this open house is primarily for openings at the Henderson location, Johnson said representatives can talk to participants about openings at the Franklin and Person locations as well.

It’s best to RSVP online at mariaparham.com, or call Ryan Randall at 252.436.1125, just to give organizers an idea of how many to prepare for, but walk-ins are also welcome.

Johnson said participants can expect to learn about the various positions that are available and share their experience and skills with MPH representatives. There will be an opportunity for additional breakaway sessions to go a little more in depth, which could lead to a job offer, he said.

Come right in to the hospital’s main entrance and follow directional signs to the Open House location.

 

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