Class A Business Park Being Developed In Youngsville

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-information courtesy of Franklin County

A new industrial development has been announced in the southwestern side of Franklin County.

Summit Real Estate Group – a private commercial real estate company – intends to build a five-building business park near 2380 Long Mill Road in Youngsville. The multi-phase project, known as U.S.-1 North Commerce Center, brings the potential for more than $160 million in investment to the county and more than 400 jobs.

“We are excited to have a project in Franklin County located off US-1,” said Mark Billeaud, founding partner and head of investments at Summit. “We are committed to Franklin County, as they have been an exceptionally skilled and resourceful team with whom to partner on this project.”

The U.S.-1 North Commerce Center is located near the county’s existing industrial user base in Youngsville and within 30 minutes of the Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Summit intends to develop a Class A business park that can accommodate a wide variety of manufacturing and distribution companies that could include light assembly, research and development, office/warehouse, and e-commerce.

“We are very excited to be a part of the first-Class A industrial development in Youngsville, NC,” said Jackson Rives, principal of industrial services at Foundry Commercial. “These traits, along with the support of a strong EDC in Franklin County, give this park the opportunity to service existing companies in the market and bring new tenants to a great county.”

The site is extremely efficient and allows for versatile designs that will be a great place for manufacturers and distributers to grow and serve the region.

“The kind of industrial development that Summit is committed to bringing to Franklin County is vital to the economic success of the region,” said representative Matthew Winslow.

The industrial buildings are estimated to range from 170,000 to 505,000 square feet and the project is expected to progress over a seven-year period.

“We are very happy to have Summit working with Franklin County on developing an industrial complex that will bring jobs and investment to Franklin County,” said Franklin County Manager Kim Denton.

 

Summit Real Estate Group has decades of experience in acquiring, developing and managing institutional-grade real estate throughout the United States in several economic cycles.  Summit is currently focused on industrial real estate development in select markets in the Southeastern U.S. including Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina.  Modern, well-located industrial real estate has become increasingly important for U.S. companies seeking competitive advantages and growth within the goods-producing and distribution industries.  For more information on Summit, visit https://summitstl.com/.

Two Arrested In Connection With Larceny At Kittrell Dollar General

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Two people have been arrested and charged with larceny in connection with the theft of merchandise from the Dollar General store in Kittrell.

Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame said that Takara Chanel Cozart, 22, of Henderson was arrested Jan. 20 on three counts of larceny by an employe and two counts of aiding and abetting felony larceny.

According to a press statement issued by Brame Thursday, Cozart’s boyfriend, James Darnell Branch, 35, also of Henderson, was charged with one county of misdemeanor larceny and two counts of aiding and abetting felony larceny.

Cozart was released after posting a $10,000 bond.

Branch was released after posting a $7,500 bond.

Brame said the case remains under investigation. Anyone with information regarding the theft of merchandise form the Dollar General, 1297 US-1 Hwy, Kittrell, is urged to contact the Vance County Sheriff’s Office at 252.737.2200.

Duke Energy

Granville Gets $30K From Duke Energy Foundation

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-information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

Granville County has received $30,000 from the Duke Energy Foundation’s Emergency Preparedness fund, most of which will be used to purchase automated external defibrillators and supplies used to operate emergency shelters.

Granville is one of 24 organizations across the state to share $750,000 from the Duke Energy Foundation, according to information from Terry Hobgood, the county’s public information officer.

The county’s emergency management office will use $25,000 to purchase the AEDs and other materials that shelters need in the event of a natural disaster. The AEDs will be placed at numerous county facilities. The remaining $5,000 will be used to make trail safety improvements at Granville Athletic Park.

“We are thankful to the Duke Energy Foundation for recognizing the importance of providing equipment for life-saving measures made by possible by AEDs, supplies for our county’s emergency shelters, and trail improvements at the Granville Athletic Park,” said Assistant County Manager Korena Weichel. “All of these projects will make a huge impact in Granville’s emergency preparedness and the safety of our citizens.”

The Duke Energy Foundation focuses grant funds on helping emergency preparedness organizations respond and recover more quickly from weather events and disasters through advanced preparation and planning. The Duke Energy Foundation provides more than $30 million annually in philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The foundation is funded by Duke Energy shareholders. For more information about Duke Energy and the Duke Energy Foundation, visit www.duke-energy.com or follow Duke Energy on social media.

Info Session On 4-H Poultry Project Set For Feb. 21

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The spike in egg prices has gotten everyone’s attention lately. Just a couple of years ago, a dozen eggs cost less than $1. Today, that same dozen will set you back close to $5 – or more.

Inflation, coupled with avian flu outbreaks affecting the poultry industry, are the chief culprits, analysts say.

Could this price surge create more interest in backyard flocks? Maybe so. And that’s just fine with local 4-Hers, who are getting ready for the 2023 poultry show and sale.

Children ages 5-18 are invited – with their parents – to join a Zoom meeting on Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m. for an information session about the upcoming Four County Poultry Show and Sale.

Participants will get 10 birds to raise, show and then sell at auction. The auction proceeds go to the participant and the local 4-H group. Trophies and awards will be given.

Register at https://go.ncsu.edu/4countypoultry2023 or contact your county extension agent or 4-H agent.

Vance County High School

SportsTalk: Hoops, Swimming And Wrestling Keeps Noel Busy At Vance Co. High

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“Busy, busy, busy,” is how Vance Co. High School Athletic Director Ray Noel sums up the last couple of months.  “We have two to three games a week,” Noel said and that’s just for basketball.  When you add to that wrestling and swimming it’s easy to understand just how busy Noel must be.

Swimming has just finished it’s season and wrestling is getting close to being over with regionals next week.  Noel describes both as being successful this year but injuries have been a problem for the wrestling team.

Basketball is also nearing tournament time with the men’s team in the middle of the pack but the women’s team is making great improvements. “They’ve won four of the last five,” Noel said on Thursday’s SportsTalk. The women’s team, with a win over Carrboro this week, could capture the number two seed in the tournament.  Even so, both the men’s and women’s team will have to contend with Southern Durham which is undefeated in both divisions.

Once all of this ends Noel says it will be time for baseball, softball, track and soccer but his focus now is on basketball.  The Vipers will begin conference play on February 13.

 

Crossroads Christian School

SportsTalk: Crossroads Christian Preparing for Conference Tournament

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According to Crossroads Christian Athletic Director and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Scottie Richardson, his team has entered the part of the season known as “The Grind.”  This occurs near the end of the regular season but before tournament time as teams try to grind their way through schedules.

For Crossroads the grind will include a lengthy road trip to Erwin to play Cape Fear next Tuesday night before finishing of the schedule later next week with two non-conference games including one against Kerr Vance Academy.

The season has been a good one for the team as they are currently ranked third in the state behind two teams from the Charlotte area.  “We are peaking at the right time,” Richardson said, adding “you don’t win championships in December and January.”

Conference tourney play for Crossroads begins Thursday of next week.

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The Local Skinny! St. Paul’s Lutheran Food Minsitry

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The kickoff event for the “Feeding the 5,000” food ministry is set for this Saturday, and Corey Brooks, pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church near Ridgeway, said volunteers will be ready to serve a hot meal between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

“Come in, sit down, have a hot meal…and enjoy a time of fellowship,” Brooks said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

During the colder months, the meal will be served in the church fellowship hall, but when the weather’s nicer, the plan is to “meet people where they are” and go to different places in the community to serve food.

Thanks to funding from the Mid-Atlantic Lutheran Mission and other local folks interested in helping with food insecurity issues in the community, Brooks said the project has taken shape.

He also said a “Blessing Box” is built and ready to be installed across from the Norlina post office. The weather hasn’t cooperated for installation, but Brooks said it should be up and running by the weekend.

The idea is simple: “Take what you need and leave what you can,” Brooks said of the box, which will be stocked with food items. And Bibles, too.

“We’re excited to have others from other churches in the community that are going to help and volunteer to make this come together,” Brooks said of the meal program. They are brothers and sisters in Christ, he said, “here to serve our neighbors in need.”

Monetary donations can be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, with “Feeding the 5,000 food ministry” in the memo line.

The church is located off the Ridgeway-Drewry Rd., 114 Poplar Mt. Rd., Norlina, NC 27563.

 

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TownTalk: Maria Parham Recognizes Employees During Leapfrog Event

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People working in hospitals hear the word “contagious” and their minds may go straight to thoughts of how to react to an adverse medical situation.

But during a celebration Wednesday at Maria Parham Hospital, the mood was nothing but positive as staff and other officials took time to honor employees for their hard work and dedication to their jobs and to celebrate receiving an “A” safety rating from Leapfrog, a hospital watchdog agency.

It was Cancer Center Director Kimberly Smith who used the word “contagious” to describe the attitude and positivity of Efia Kearney, who was honored as Employee of the Year.

Kearney works in the Emergency Department, and she is always picking up extra days to help out. “She provides a positive outlook for Maria Parham,” Smith said, reading from some of the comments on the nomination form. “She is our ace-in-the-hole to solve needs,” read another nomination.

Top left frame – Efia Kearney and Kim Smith; Top center – Josh Banks

Smith herself was presented a director award, along with Josh Banks, director of facilities management.

In remarks to the group, both Smith and Banks spoke about the high level of teamwork involved in getting their jobs done each and every day.

Stephanie Allen, director of quality and patient safety, attributes the Leapfrog “A” rating to the same teamwork across the hospital. “It’s something for us to be very proud of,” Allen said during the gathering.

The hospital previously had earned “B” ratings from Leapfrog, and CEO Bert Beard said this is the first “A” rating.

As a community hospital, Maria Parham doesn’t have the size or resources that other, larger facilities enjoy, but it “can still be excellent and give quality of care,” Beard said.

Eight out of 70 Lifepoint facilities earned an A rating from Leapfrog, Beard noted. Just over 1 in 4 of the 2200 hospitals rated by Leapfrog received an A rating.

“Once you set the bar this high, you want to keep it there,” said Allen.

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Cooperative Extension With Jamon Glover: Reducing Stress Pt. 3

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Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

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