Vance County’s percent positive rate for COVID-19 stands at 11.5 percent, more than double Granville County’s rate, according to information provided by Granville-Vance Public Health from the CDC COVID Data Tracker. Vance’s positivity rate also surpasses the state’s overall daily percent positive rate, which currently is 10.5 percent.
Health officials from Dr. Anthony Fauci to GVPH Health Director Lisa M. Harrison continue to urge everyone who is eligible to be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, especially with the holidays looming and omicron cases surging.
In the past seven days, there have been 168 new cases in Vance County. According to the CDC COVID Data Tracker, that represents high community transmission, Harrison wrote in the GVPH update.
Similarly, in Granville County during the same period, 141 new cases have been reported. Granville’s percent positivity rate is 5.2 percent, but Harrison noted that still represents high community transmission.
Recent discussion in Granville County centered around the rationale for including inmates of the Butner federal prison in the totals for Granville County. Harrison’s report included a breakdown of inmates versus community residents with COVID-19. According to the update, there are 13 inmates at the Butner facility who have tested positive for COVID-19 and also 13 county residents who work at the prison who have tested positive.
“All data we report are in residents of each of our two counties only, and regardless of where those residents lay their head down at night within our county jurisdiction, those cases represent community spread. All outbreaks and clusters are reported through the NC Electronic Disease Surveillance System and are available for review on the state’s data dashboard here: https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/,” the update stated.
There have been 7,454 cases of COVID-19 in Vance County and 8,685 cases of COVID-19 in Granville County for a total of 16,139 across the health district.
Granville County has documented 106 deaths as a result of COVID-19 and Vance County has a total of 104 deaths for a total of 210 deaths across the health district.
For those who may want to calculate percentages, the total population of Granville County according to the latest census, is 60,443 and the population of Vance County is 44,535.
While health experts are encouraged that the omicron variant doesn’t seem to be as severe as the Delta variant, the transmissibility rate is quite high.
“The omicron variant of COVID-19 is upon us across NC and the US,” Harrison stated. “We know how to protect people from severe illness and we have the tools needed to do it. They include: vaccination, boosting, masking, testing, distancing, hand-washing and improved ventilation when we are in enclosed spaces with others.”
Those things all work best in a layered approach. No one thing is perfect, but added up together, lives are saved and respect is shown to our valued health care system workforce who are very much hoping for a little holiday rest here and there – we have the power to give them a break if we follow these public health mitigation approaches.
“We do expect cases to go up significantly in the coming weeks from omicron, and so far, it is still true today at least, that all indictors are pointing to omicron causing less severe illness than Delta,” Harrison said. However, since omicron is still so much more contagious than other forms of COVID-19, there will be larger case numbers but we will still likely see increases in hospitalizations and death as well – those hospitalizations and death continue to occur mostly in unvaccinated individuals. Omicron is also reaching younger populations more easily, so we need to keep an eye on that, too.”
To date, GVPH has administered 35,286 vaccines including 18,219 first doses and 17,067 second doses.
Vance County details:
- 63 percent of those over the age of 5 have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 58 percent are fully vaccinated.
- 13 percent of those ages 5-11 years old have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 7 percent are fully vaccinated.
- 46 percent of those ages 12-17 years old have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 40 percent are fully vaccinated.
Granville County details:
- 67 percent of those over the age of 5 have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 vaccine and 63 percent are fully vaccinated.
- 14 percent of those ages 5-11 years old have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 Vaccine and 9% are fully vaccinated
- 44 percent of those ages 12-17 years old have received at least one dose of their COVID-19 Vaccine and 40 percent are fully vaccinated.
Stay informed about trends across the state and nation by visiting the CDC Data Tracker by County and the NCDHHS COVID-19 Dashboard. Relevant graphs from these dashboards are available on the GVPH website at https://gvph.org/covid-19_dashboard/.
WIZS Radio Local News Audio 12-27-21 Noon
/by WIZS StaffClick Play to Listen. On Air at 8am, 12pm, 5pm M-F
WIZS Radio ~ 100.1FM/1450AM
TownTalk: The End Of The Year, Desmond Tutu Remembered and Covid
/by John C. RoseAudio Only
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Vance Citizen Of The Year Nominations Due By Jan. 6, 2022
/by Laura GabelThere’s still time to nominate a resident of Vance County to be considered for the 2021 Citizen of the Year, and Henderson-Vance Chamber officials encourage the community to consider making a nomination by the deadline of Jan. 6.
“This distinguished award is presented at the Chamber membership meeting and banquet held each year in January,” according to Chamber official Sandra Wilkerson.
This year’s meeting is scheduled to b be held Jan. 27, 2022 at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center. Invitations and more information on the banquet will be emailed out to chamber members in January.
Contact the chamber office to get a nomination form, which also lists criteria for candidates. Call 252.438.8414, visit the website https://hendersonvance.org/ or drop by the office 414 S. Garnett St., Henderson to get more information.
Granville Chamber Announces Slate Of Officers for 2022
/by Laura GabelThe Granville County Chamber of Commerce nominating committee has announced its proposed slate of officers and board of directors for 2022, according to Chamber Executive Director Lauren B. Roberson. The bylaws allow for additional nominations by petition, but if none are received within the required time frame, the nominations will be closed and the slate of candidates will be considered elected.
Installation of the executive committee will take place at the annual banquet and the new officers will begin their roles in February.
Below are results of the nominating committee’s report:
Following are the board of directors slate:
Terms expire 2022: Andrew Swanner, Oxford Preparatory School; John Snow, Granville Health System
Terms expire 2023: Sandra Pruitt, Granville Insurance Agency; Stan Winborne, Granville County Public Schools
Terms expire 2024: Ruth Ann Bullock, Legal Shield; Eddie Caudle, Oxford Car & Truck
Warren County Government Holiday Schedules
/by Laura GabelWarren County government offices, facilities, and services will be closed for the holidays and announce the following schedules regarding hours of operation:
Visit warrencountync.com to learn more.
This information comes from Charla Duncan, community & economic development director and senior assistant to the Warren County manager.
GVPH Posts COVID-19 Update, Guidance For Vance, Granville As Holiday Weekend Nears
/by Laura GabelVance County’s percent positive rate for COVID-19 stands at 11.5 percent, more than double Granville County’s rate, according to information provided by Granville-Vance Public Health from the CDC COVID Data Tracker. Vance’s positivity rate also surpasses the state’s overall daily percent positive rate, which currently is 10.5 percent.
Health officials from Dr. Anthony Fauci to GVPH Health Director Lisa M. Harrison continue to urge everyone who is eligible to be fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, especially with the holidays looming and omicron cases surging.
In the past seven days, there have been 168 new cases in Vance County. According to the CDC COVID Data Tracker, that represents high community transmission, Harrison wrote in the GVPH update.
Similarly, in Granville County during the same period, 141 new cases have been reported. Granville’s percent positivity rate is 5.2 percent, but Harrison noted that still represents high community transmission.
Recent discussion in Granville County centered around the rationale for including inmates of the Butner federal prison in the totals for Granville County. Harrison’s report included a breakdown of inmates versus community residents with COVID-19. According to the update, there are 13 inmates at the Butner facility who have tested positive for COVID-19 and also 13 county residents who work at the prison who have tested positive.
“All data we report are in residents of each of our two counties only, and regardless of where those residents lay their head down at night within our county jurisdiction, those cases represent community spread. All outbreaks and clusters are reported through the NC Electronic Disease Surveillance System and are available for review on the state’s data dashboard here: https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/,” the update stated.
There have been 7,454 cases of COVID-19 in Vance County and 8,685 cases of COVID-19 in Granville County for a total of 16,139 across the health district.
Granville County has documented 106 deaths as a result of COVID-19 and Vance County has a total of 104 deaths for a total of 210 deaths across the health district.
For those who may want to calculate percentages, the total population of Granville County according to the latest census, is 60,443 and the population of Vance County is 44,535.
While health experts are encouraged that the omicron variant doesn’t seem to be as severe as the Delta variant, the transmissibility rate is quite high.
“The omicron variant of COVID-19 is upon us across NC and the US,” Harrison stated. “We know how to protect people from severe illness and we have the tools needed to do it. They include: vaccination, boosting, masking, testing, distancing, hand-washing and improved ventilation when we are in enclosed spaces with others.”
Those things all work best in a layered approach. No one thing is perfect, but added up together, lives are saved and respect is shown to our valued health care system workforce who are very much hoping for a little holiday rest here and there – we have the power to give them a break if we follow these public health mitigation approaches.
“We do expect cases to go up significantly in the coming weeks from omicron, and so far, it is still true today at least, that all indictors are pointing to omicron causing less severe illness than Delta,” Harrison said. However, since omicron is still so much more contagious than other forms of COVID-19, there will be larger case numbers but we will still likely see increases in hospitalizations and death as well – those hospitalizations and death continue to occur mostly in unvaccinated individuals. Omicron is also reaching younger populations more easily, so we need to keep an eye on that, too.”
To date, GVPH has administered 35,286 vaccines including 18,219 first doses and 17,067 second doses.
Vance County details:
Granville County details:
Stay informed about trends across the state and nation by visiting the CDC Data Tracker by County and the NCDHHS COVID-19 Dashboard. Relevant graphs from these dashboards are available on the GVPH website at https://gvph.org/covid-19_dashboard/.
Granville County Manager Reappointed To State Risk Management Board
/by WIZS StaffGranville County Manager Michael Felts has been appointed to another term on the Risk Management Board of Trustees of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC). Felts joined new and returning members at the quarterly meeting held in Wake County on Dec. 9 to be sworn in for a three-year term.
In a statement to the press, Felts said he is honored to be returning to serve another term on the risk management board. “In today’s environment, local government leaders are looking for ways to better anticipate and mitigate risks,” he said. “This organization is the largest provider of risk management services to county governments in the state of North Carolina and the board has a true passion for assisting counties.”
During the meeting, the board reviewed and approved the annual audit report for last fiscal year and heard updates on NCACC and legislative developments. The board also discussed the upcoming renewal season for risk pool members and new programs under consideration.
The NCACC Joint Risk Management Agency provides risk management services to North Carolina counties. It is managed and operated by NCACC, and is the largest provider of risk management services to county governments in North Carolina. It is governed by an appointed board of trustees made up of elected county commissioners and senior management staff.
The NCACC is the official voice of all 100 counties on issues being considered by the General Assembly, Congress, and federal and state agencies. The Association provides expertise to counties in the areas of advocacy, research, risk management and education and leadership training.
In addition to Felts, the board includes Bladen County Manager Gregory Martin, Transylvania County Manager Jaime Laughter, Stanly County Commissioner William Lawhon, Stokes County Commissioner Rick Morris, and Scotland County Manager Kevin Patterson. Edgecombe County Commissioner Viola Harris was re-elected as Chair and Tyrrell County Commissioner Tommy Everett remains the Vice-Chair of the Risk Management Board.
Agricultural Extension to Offer Classes For Fruit Growers
/by Bill HarrisFruit production has been a recent topic of conversation by both Wayne Rowland and Paul McKenzie on recent Cooperative Extension reports this week on WIZS. If those reports have got you thinking about having a back yard fruit crop then there is an upcoming class you may want to attend. The Extension Service will be offering the same class over two day, January 7th and 8th. The January 7th class will be in Oxford at the Expo Center at 2pm and the Saturday class will be in Warrenton at the Warren Co. Armory Civic Center at 9am. The class is free but registration is required. Visit the Extensions Service’s website or call 252-438-8188 to learn more.
McKenzie will be partnering with Johnny Coley of the Warren County Extension Service for these classes. “You can’t beat the flavor and can’t beat the fun,” McKenzie said of growing back yard fruit crops. He also recommends that anyone thinking about planting a fruit crop to research the various cultivars in order to make sure that it is appropriate for this area. “Research is the first step in having success with fruit crops,” Mckenzie said. He said it is vitally important to do cultivar research if you are planning a back yard fruit crop.
Home And Garden Show 12-22-21
/by Bill HarrisOn the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.
TownTalk: Henderson Fire Dept. Puts The Boot In For Maria Parham’s Angel Fund
/by Laura GabelIt is generally not recommended for pedestrians to walk out in the middle of traffic for any reason – especially Dabney Drive. But when firefighters do it, with their boots in their hands instead of on their feet, rest assured it’s for a good cause.
And on Tuesday, Henderson Fire Chief Steve Cordell presented the result of the 2021 fundraiser to the staff at Maria Parham Health’s Cancer Center – a check for $25,000. WIZS’s Trey Snide was on hand Tuesday for the check presentation and John C. Rose shared highlights on Wednesday’s Town Talk.
“It’s a great honor for us to be here with you today to present you with another donation from the wonderful residents of the city of Henderson and Vance County and the visitors that come down Dabney Drive,” Cordell said during the presentation ceremony.
He recounted that the first fundraiser to support the cancer center’s “angel fund” was back in 2014. Through t-shirt sales to fight breast cancer, the fire department was able to raise about $3,400 for the oncology department.
Since then, the annual fundraiser – except for last year when it was cancelled because of the pandemic – has netted more than $77,000.
This year’s total of $25,000 almost doubles the combined efforts of previous fundraisers, and Cordell credits the generosity of the community and the willingness of all three shifts of firefighters with this year’s success.
“This year’s total – I was blown away,” he told the group assembled at the hospital for the presentation. The original goal for Day 1 of the project was $4,700, but they’d gotten that by lunchtime, Cordell recalled. By the end of Day 1, folks had put $11,000 in those boots.
Cordell said he remembered thinking, “Man, that’s good. The rest of the days will be pretty slow, but the people just kept on giving.”
“If it wasn’t for these men and women that go out there, very unselfishly, and stand out there in the middle of Dabney Drive and hold a boot,” Cordell said, the donation to the cancer center simply wouldn’t have been possible.
Kimberly Smith is director of the hospital’s cancer center and she said the angel fund helps cancer patients with basic needs, from transportation to medicines to help with their treatment.
“We thank you very much,” Smith said. “We appreciate you…this money will go to great use for our patients and our community here.”
She likened the work of firefighters to the work that the staff at the cancer center, saying that every day, each group of workers does an amazing job and, every day, they find ways to help people in the communities they serve.
Hope Breedlove is a social worker at the cancer center and offered her thanks as well.
“I’m so thankful. I’m so proud right now of you, of the community.” Through the angel fund, patients can receive funds that remove barriers, Breedlove noted, and if it weren’t for the angel fund, “we couldn’t do some of the things that we’re able to do” for the patients.
“This angel fund is truly a godsend,” Breedlove said. “From the bottom of my heart, from the bottom of our hearts, and from the bottom of our patients’ hearts, we just thank you so much.”
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