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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College
Vance-Granville Community College is getting ready for its 36th Annual Endowment Fund Golf Tournament, which is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15, 2020, at the Henderson Country Club. The tournament was delayed from its traditional spring date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, Gupton Services, Inc., of Henderson will serve as the event’s presenting sponsor for the first time.
All proceeds from the tournament support the mission of the college and fund student scholarships.
“Thanks to the incredible generosity of golfers and sponsors from our community, the VGCC golf tournament has raised more than a million dollars since its inception in 1985,” said VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais. “With the strong support of Gupton Services leading the way, we can look forward to another successful event that will give us more resources to support VGCC students.”
Gupton Services is a commercial roofing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) company that traces its origins back to 1921 when C.P. Tanner established a sheet metal working plant in Henderson. The business became known as Tanner Roofing and, later, Owen Gupton Roofing. Greg Etheridge, a Henderson native, became its owner and president in 2019.
“As a local small business, we are happy to take a leadership role in the community and to support Vance-Granville Community College,” Etheridge said. “If you look at the research, the benefits of postsecondary education and skills training to both the individual and our community are enormous. The VGCC Endowment Fund helps make education affordable and accessible to this region, and we must encourage that, in order to promote economic mobility and job security for our citizens.”
Other businesses and individuals supporting the tournament include: Kilian Engineering, the morning round sponsor; Altec, the afternoon round sponsor; MR Williams of Henderson, the scoreboard sponsor; Mast Drug Company, the pharmacy sponsor; Glen Raven of Norlina, the breakfast sponsor; First Citizens Bank Investor Services of Raleigh, the lunch sponsor; Duke Energy, the dinner sponsor; Charles Boyd Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC, the car sponsor; Wester Insurance Agency of Henderson, the driving range sponsor; John Nelms, Jr., of Raleigh, the trophy sponsor; Private Wealth Management of NC of Henderson, the putting green sponsor; Durham Coca-Cola Bottling Company, the soft drink sponsor; “Vanguard Sponsors” Bridgestone Bandag Tire, Carolina Commonwealth, CertainTeed, Coldwell Banker Advantage, Henderson Fruit and Produce, K-Flex, Novozymes North America, Inc., Robling Medical, Rose Oil Company and Universal Leaf North America U.S., Inc.; “Platinum Sponsors” Core & Main, Henderson Collegiate, Union Bank and Variety Wholesalers; and Vanco Outdoor Equipment, the tractor sponsor.
Businesses and individuals can still take advantage of sponsorship opportunities at various levels. Businesses may also donate products or premium items featuring the company’s logo to be placed in golfers’ gift bags or to be given as door prizes.
This year’s morning and afternoon rounds will begin with shotgun starts at 8 a.m. and at 1 p.m. The afternoon round is sold out, but there are openings in the morning round.
The format is four-person “Captain’s Choice Super Ball.” Golfers can form their own teams of four, or sign up and be put on a team. Teams will be handicapped based on handicaps supplied by each player. Trophies will be awarded for first net, second net and first gross. Other awards will be given for “closest to the pin” and “longest drive.”
A hole-in-one on Hole 9 will be rewarded with a car, courtesy of Charles Boyd Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC. A player who hits a hole-in-one (with a $10 donation) on Hole 16 will win $5,000, while another $5,000 will be awarded to the VGCC Endowment Fund.
The cost for one golfer to enter the tournament is $150. That fee includes greens fees, cart, meals, gift bag and practice balls.
A light breakfast, lunch and dinner (immediately following the afternoon round) will be served in the HCC clubhouse. A silent auction and door prize drawings will be held in conjunction with dinner.
For more information, contact Kay Currin at currink@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3409.
WIZS Local News 07/01/20 Noon
/by John C. RoseWIZS – YOUR COMMUNITY VOICE
Local News 8am, 12 Noon, 5pm; M-F
COVID-19 Update: Current Numbers; Outbreak at Brantwood Nursing & Rehab
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health and the Warren County Health Department
As of June 30, 2020, there are 813 known COVID-19 cases in Granville County, 502 cases in Vance County, 160 in Warren County and 64,670 confirmed cases in North Carolina.
Granville County:
There are three outbreaks at congregate living facilities in Granville County: Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, NC, Murdoch Development Center in Butner, NC, and Central Regional Hospital in Butner, NC.
Of the cases in Granville County, 403 are associated with the prisons, five are associated with Murdoch, and two are associated with Central Regional Hospital.
Of the 403 cases in the prison system, 92 have been released from isolation and two individuals with Murdoch have been released from isolation.
Of the 403 community-based cases in Granville County, 247 have been released from isolation and six are hospitalized.
There is an outbreak at Brantwood Nursing and Rehab Center. Two staff members have tested positive but neither reside in Granville County, so they are not included in the Granville County numbers. The center is testing staff and residents regularly.
There have been a total of 21 deaths in Granville County, 19 of whom were with the Bureau of Prisons and one with Central Regional Hospital.
Vance County:
There are two active outbreaks at congregate living facilities in Vance County: Kerr Lake Nursing Home in Henderson, NC, and Senior Citizens Home in Henderson, NC.
There was also an outbreak at Pelican Health in Henderson, NC that is no longer active.
Of the cases in Vance County, 117 are associated with outbreaks at congregate living facilities including 46 cases associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home and 13 associated with Senior Citizens Home.
Of the 117 cases in congregate living facilities in Vance County, 44 have been released from isolation.
Of the 385 community-based cases in Vance County, 171 have been released from isolation.
Eleven individuals in Vance County are hospitalized.
There have been a total of 37 deaths in Vance County, 14 of whom were associated with Pelican Health and 11 of whom were associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home.
Warren County:
There are 160 confirmed positive COVID-19 cases with one known result currently pending. Of the known positive cases, 140 are considered recovered.
No known individuals in Warren County are currently hospitalized with COVID-19.
There have been a total of five deaths in Warren County.
Health Department Information:
GVPH updates its website daily at approximately 5 p.m. with Vance and Granville COVID-19 statistics. Please visit www.gvph.org/COVID-19/ for the latest information.
GVPH also emails updates about COVID-19 in Granville and Vance counties each evening. You can sign up to receive these emails at www.gvph.org/covid-19.
Warren County Health Department provides COVID-19 updates on its Facebook page (click here). You can also view more information online at www.warrencountyhd.com.
State Launches Testing Initiative for Nursing Homes
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Press Release, NCDHHS
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) will partner with Omnicare, a CVS Health company, to make facility-wide testing available to residents and staff in all North Carolina skilled nursing facilities. There are over 400 nursing homes in the state with approximately 36,000 residents and more than 30,000 staff. Testing will begin in July and continue through August.
“We are using every tool we have to respond to COVID-19,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen, M.D. “Building on North Carolina’s early and aggressive actions to protect residents who live in long-term care settings, DHHS will pay for proactive testing of staff and residents in all nursing homes to slow the spread of COVID-19.”
NCDHHS already recommends that nursing homes with one or more cases test all staff and residents. This initiative further makes testing available to all nursing homes to conduct a baseline test of all residents and staff.
“While testing is a key component of our COVID-response strategy, it is important to remember that the actions we take as a result of that testing are most important,” said NCDHHS Section Chief of Chronic Disease and Injury, Susan Kansagra, M.D., MBA. “Testing will enable our skilled nursing facilities to identify positive cases earlier and better determine additional infection prevention and control measures necessary to contain spread.”
“At CVS Health, our testing efforts in nursing homes are just one example of the support we provide to states like North Carolina to help respond to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Jim Love, President of Omnicare. “With our expert understanding of the long-term care industry, we are deploying solutions to help these critically important health care facilities address their most significant challenges arising from the pandemic.”
CVS Health will bill insurance as possible, and NCDHHS will cover any additional costs for testing. Facilities should continue to follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for repeat testing and work with the community and private vendors to support ongoing testing needs.
“We continue to work closely with the state to protect the residents and staff in our skilled nursing facilities. This testing initiative is another example of how the state is providing our facilities with valuable tools and resources,” said Adam Sholar, President and CEO of the NC Health Care Facilities Association.
These actions build on earlier measures North Carolina has taken to protect residents and staff in long-term facilities, including:
A list of additional guidance for long-term care facilities can be found here: https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/guidance#long-term-care-facilities.
For more information about North Carolina’s response to COVID-19, visit nc.gov/covid19.
Sheriff Noblin Offers Tips for Safe July 4th Weekend
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Press Release, Granville County Government
With the approach of the July 4th weekend, Granville County Sheriff Charles Noblin asks all residents to join him in making this holiday a safe and enjoyable one.
Traditionally, highways experience one of the highest traffic flows of the year during the July 4th holiday. Sheriff Noblin reminds all Granville County residents to be mindful of these safety tips when driving:
“I would like to remind all drivers to also practice the ‘Golden Rule’ when driving,” Sheriff Noblin said. “Be courteous and tolerant of other drivers. Let’s make this summer a safe one on our roads.”
Vance Commissioners Vote 4-3 To Remove Confederate Statue
/by John C. RoseIn a special called meeting of the Vance County Commissioners Tuesday, June 30, a motion was made and voted on 4-3 to remove, store and preserve a Confederate statue located in front of the County Administration Building.
County Manager Jordan McMillen told WIZS News by email, “The board voted 4-3 this evening to remove, store and preserve the statue and monument.”
The Chairman of the Vance County Commissioners, Gordon Wilder, told WIZS News by phone the removal was being done for safety reasons.
Wilder said, “That is very simply how the motion went.”
Carolyn Faines, Yolanda J. Feimster, Leo Kelly, Jr. and Archie B. Taylor, Jr. voted in favor of the motion. Dan Brummitt, Tommy Hester and Wilder voted against the motion. The motion carried, and the Confederate memorial will be taken down at an undisclosed time.
Apparently there were credible threats for the forcible removal of the statue. Wilder said, “Any attempt by any group to take it down unprofessionally would be a safety issue and so therefore it was found by the board to be unsafe, and so there was a motion to take it down.”
For similar reasons of safety, it remains undisclosed and will remain undisclosed as to the time and date the statue and monument will be taken down and removed.
Wilder said, of himself and Brummitt and Hester, “We did not want to break the law. The letter of the law says it cannot be removed.”
NCGS 100-2.1. Protection of monuments, memorials, and works of art. Part (a) reads, “Approval Required. – Except as otherwise provided in subsection (b) of this section, a monument, memorial, or work of art owned by the State may not be removed, relocated, or altered in any way without the approval of the North Carolina Historical Commission.” Part (b) and (c) list limitations on removal and exceptions respectively. You can click the NCGS above or anywhere here in this paragraph to see the full statute.
The monument and statue are owned by Vance County, and the monument and statue sit on Vance County owned property.
###
Benny Finch Named Interim H-V Economic Development Director
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
In a statement to WIZS News, Vance County Manager Jordan McMillen announced that Benny Finch has been named the interim director of the Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission (HVEDC). Finch begins his new role next week.
Dennis Jarvis II, director of the HVEDC since November 2017, recently accepted a position as the executive director for the Jefferson County Development Authority in his home state of West Virginia. Jarvis’ last day with the HVEDC will be July 3.
Finch served as the director of the HVEDC for 25 years before retiring in 2009.
“I will recommend to the Vance County Board of Commissioners at their Monday meeting that an executive search firm be brought in to hire Dennis’ full-time replacement,” said McMillen. “I anticipate the process could take six months.”
Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 06/30/20
/by CharleneListen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 2 PM Monday – Thursday.
Town Talk 06/30/20: School Plans, Masks, Inconsistencies & Politics
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
To hear today’s Town Talk segment in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk or push the play button below.
Listen live to Town Talk every Monday – Friday at 11 a.m. at 100.1 FM, 1450 AM or online at www.wizs.com.
VGCC’s 36th Annual Golf Tournament Set for September
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College
Vance-Granville Community College is getting ready for its 36th Annual Endowment Fund Golf Tournament, which is scheduled for Tuesday, September 15, 2020, at the Henderson Country Club. The tournament was delayed from its traditional spring date due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, Gupton Services, Inc., of Henderson will serve as the event’s presenting sponsor for the first time.
All proceeds from the tournament support the mission of the college and fund student scholarships.
“Thanks to the incredible generosity of golfers and sponsors from our community, the VGCC golf tournament has raised more than a million dollars since its inception in 1985,” said VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais. “With the strong support of Gupton Services leading the way, we can look forward to another successful event that will give us more resources to support VGCC students.”
Gupton Services is a commercial roofing and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) company that traces its origins back to 1921 when C.P. Tanner established a sheet metal working plant in Henderson. The business became known as Tanner Roofing and, later, Owen Gupton Roofing. Greg Etheridge, a Henderson native, became its owner and president in 2019.
“As a local small business, we are happy to take a leadership role in the community and to support Vance-Granville Community College,” Etheridge said. “If you look at the research, the benefits of postsecondary education and skills training to both the individual and our community are enormous. The VGCC Endowment Fund helps make education affordable and accessible to this region, and we must encourage that, in order to promote economic mobility and job security for our citizens.”
Other businesses and individuals supporting the tournament include: Kilian Engineering, the morning round sponsor; Altec, the afternoon round sponsor; MR Williams of Henderson, the scoreboard sponsor; Mast Drug Company, the pharmacy sponsor; Glen Raven of Norlina, the breakfast sponsor; First Citizens Bank Investor Services of Raleigh, the lunch sponsor; Duke Energy, the dinner sponsor; Charles Boyd Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC, the car sponsor; Wester Insurance Agency of Henderson, the driving range sponsor; John Nelms, Jr., of Raleigh, the trophy sponsor; Private Wealth Management of NC of Henderson, the putting green sponsor; Durham Coca-Cola Bottling Company, the soft drink sponsor; “Vanguard Sponsors” Bridgestone Bandag Tire, Carolina Commonwealth, CertainTeed, Coldwell Banker Advantage, Henderson Fruit and Produce, K-Flex, Novozymes North America, Inc., Robling Medical, Rose Oil Company and Universal Leaf North America U.S., Inc.; “Platinum Sponsors” Core & Main, Henderson Collegiate, Union Bank and Variety Wholesalers; and Vanco Outdoor Equipment, the tractor sponsor.
Businesses and individuals can still take advantage of sponsorship opportunities at various levels. Businesses may also donate products or premium items featuring the company’s logo to be placed in golfers’ gift bags or to be given as door prizes.
This year’s morning and afternoon rounds will begin with shotgun starts at 8 a.m. and at 1 p.m. The afternoon round is sold out, but there are openings in the morning round.
The format is four-person “Captain’s Choice Super Ball.” Golfers can form their own teams of four, or sign up and be put on a team. Teams will be handicapped based on handicaps supplied by each player. Trophies will be awarded for first net, second net and first gross. Other awards will be given for “closest to the pin” and “longest drive.”
A hole-in-one on Hole 9 will be rewarded with a car, courtesy of Charles Boyd Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC. A player who hits a hole-in-one (with a $10 donation) on Hole 16 will win $5,000, while another $5,000 will be awarded to the VGCC Endowment Fund.
The cost for one golfer to enter the tournament is $150. That fee includes greens fees, cart, meals, gift bag and practice balls.
A light breakfast, lunch and dinner (immediately following the afternoon round) will be served in the HCC clubhouse. A silent auction and door prize drawings will be held in conjunction with dinner.
For more information, contact Kay Currin at currink@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3409.
Coach’s Corner 06/30/20: Hunter Jenks Named New VCHS Head Football Coach
/by WIZS Staff100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL
-Press Release, Vance County High School
The Vance County Board of Education has approved Hunter Jenks as the new head football coach at Vance County High School. He will also teach physical education at the school.
Coach Jenks makes his way to Vance County with an impressive background as both a player and a coach. A Wake Forest native, Jenks was a standout four-sport letterman at Wake Forest-Rolesville High School before playing college football as an offensive lineman at Elon University. At Clayton, Coach Jenks took over for a Comets program coming off a 3-8 season and recorded a 28-10 record over three seasons including a 13-1 record in 2017. That season, he led the Comets to an undefeated regular season and a Greater Neuse 3A Conference Championship before falling 38-31 to Eastern Guilford in the third round of the NCHSAA playoffs.
Coach Jenks was recognized as the Greater Neuse Conference and Johnston County Coach of the Year in 2017 for his efforts. He has also coached 31 players who have earned athletic scholarships and multiple participants in the Border Bowl, Shrine Bowl, East-West All-Star Game, USA Bowl, Under Armour All-American Game, and U.S. Army All-American Game.
“We had many outstanding candidates, but it became clearly apparent that Hunter Jenks is the right person to lead our football program,” Athletic Director Joe Sharrow said of the coaching search. “Coach Jenks is a great leader and a proven coach who will serve as a tremendous role model for our students. He is football savvy, has a passion for teaching, and has demonstrated the ability to establish positive relationships with students, staff, parents, and community members. I have no doubt he will be a strong addition to the Viper family.”
Jenks will replace Darry Ragland, who resigned in January after leading the Vipers to a 13-10 record over two seasons. The Vipers graduated seventeen seniors and are expecting many new contributors at key positions.
“I am excited and honored to be the next head coach at Vance County,” Jenks said in a statement. “Growing up and coaching in the area, I know the potential Vance County has in football. When it’s safe and allowed, I very much look forward to developing relationships with the players, families, and community members.”
The Vipers are hopeful to open the 2020 football season as scheduled on the road at Bunn High School on August 21.