Tag Archive for: #franklincountynews

The Local Skinny! Louisburg College To Host Alumni Event

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Alumni of Louisburg College are invited to the first of what, hopefully, will be many alumni socials in Durham this Saturday from 12 noon to 4 p.m. at Hope Valley Country Club, 3803 Dover Rd. in Durham.   The school’s Alitha Palich, Vice-President of Institutional Advancement and Kristen Hanzer-Powell, Director of Alumni Engagement and Community Outreach, joined Bill Harris on Tuesday’s The Local Skinny to talk about the event and the college.

“The event was started by alumni who wanted to be able to have events that were a little more localized,” Palich said.  “We have included folks from Vance, Granville, Franklin Counties and the surrounding area,” Palich continued.  Louisburg College has traditionally been the destination for many students in rural areas, and this event will give former students across several decades a chance to come to enjoy an afternoon of food, drinks, festivities and to have a great time with old and new friends who all shared the Louisburg College experience.

Other alumni events coming up are Homecoming in October on the 27th and 28th at the college on Main St. in Louisburg and the Golden Anniversary Club event next spring. The latter event is geared towards those who graduated fifty or more years ago but both events are open to everyone.

Smaller events do take place as well. “It’s a work in progress and we are trying to see where we can go with it, post-covid,” said Hanzer-Powell.

For those alumni here in Vance County as well as Granville, Warren and Franklin counties and all who would like to attend the event on Saturday, you should contact Kristen Hanzer-Powell at Louisburg College at 919-497-1244.

CLICK PLAY!

 

Franklin County On Track For $98M From NCDOT Over Next Decade

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-Information courtesy of James Hicks, Franklin County Public Information Officer

 

Franklin County is set to receive $98 million from the NC DOT’s  Transportation Improvement Program over the next decade, which translates into numerous transportation and bridge improvement projects, as well as at least one rails to trails project for pedestrians and bicyclists.

The NC DOT adopted the plan last month and Franklin County Manager Kim Denton said Franklin County’s $98 million piece of the pie will provide an economic boost.

“These transportation projects will help increase mobility in Franklin County and update the county’s transportation infrastructure,” Denton said. “Funding in the STIP will improve transportation in Franklin County and attract more economic development to the county.”

Following is a description of the projects and an anticipated date of completion:

U.S. Highway 401 widening between Flat Rock Church Road/Clifton Pond Road to Fox Park Road in Louisburg

This project will widen the existing two-lane road to four lanes and connect the four lanes at Fox Park Road in Louisburg to the newly constructed four lanes at Flat Rock Church Road and Clifton Pond Road in the Royal community. This nearly $55 million project has been given prioritization in the STIP with a projected Right-Of-Way schedule of 2028. Commonly referred to as Section D, this project will complete the widening of Highway 401 which began many years ago south of Rolesville in Wake County. The current widening project from NC 96 to Flat Rock Church Road/Clifton Pond Road is expected to be completed in the summer of 2023.

Triangle North Executive Airport runway extension with relocation of utilities, navaid and roadways

Fulfilling goals in the Triangle North Executive Airport Master Plan, this project will extend the existing airport runway as well as realign Airport Road to allow for hangar expansion along the runway.  This $25 million project will aid in the expansion of Triangle North Executive Airport – which drives an annual economic impact of more than $28 million – and has been given prioritization in the STIP with a Right-Of-Way schedule of 2026.

Bickett Boulevard lane improvements from Burke Boulevard to Nash Street

This project will enhance mobility and improve safety by converting Bickett Boulevard from a five-lane section to a four-lane median divided roadway with accommodations for bicycle and pedestrian traffic. This $20 million project has been given prioritization in the STIP with a projected Right-Of-Way schedule of 2028.

Franklinton to Novozymes Rails to Trails

A joint project between Franklin County and the Town of Franklinton, this project converts an old railway corridor into a walkable and rideable trail. Spanning from the Franklinton Train Depot to Novozymes on Perry’s Chapel Road, this rails to trails project will increase mobility and provide a nice outdoor amenity to Franklin County. This $3.7 million project is expected to begin in 2023.

Bunn Road lane improvements from Kenmore Avenue to Bickett Boulevard

This project will reduce the lanes on Bunn Road from Kenmore Avenue to Bickett Boulevard from four lanes to two lanes. It will also make bicycle and pedestrian improvements. This project is expected to cost just over $600,000 and some improvements to that stretch of road began in 2022.

Bridge Replacements

  • Replace East River Road bridge over Sycamore Creek which is under construction in 2023.
  • Replace Highway 401 bridge over Sandy Creek with a Right-Of-Way schedule of 2027.
  • Replace Baptist Church Road bridge over Tar River with a Right-Of-Way schedule of 2030.

Highway 56 West lane widening from Peach Orchard Road to Highway 401

This project will widen Highway 56 West from two lanes to four lanes from Bickett Boulevard/Highway 401 to Peach Orchard Road. The nearly $37 million project was included in the STIP for prioritization, but funds have not been identified to begin Right-Of-Way acquisition.

Franklin County is in NCDOT Division 5 which also includes Granville, Vance and Warren counties, among others.  The County is also a part of the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO) and the Kerr-Tar Regional Planning Organization which submit projects to NCDOT for its planning areas.

The complete STIP for the state can be viewed here: https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/Transportation/stip/Pages/about.aspx

Now’s The Time To Think About Entering A State Fair Exhibit

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-information courtesy of the N.C. State Fair Press Office

October seems a long way off, but for anyone interested in entering any of the competitions at the annual N.C. State Fair, fall is just around the corner.

The fair is slated for Oct. 12-22 in Raleigh and its Competitive Exhibits Coordinator John Buettner wants to make sure all prospective exhibitors have plenty of time to check out rules and deadlines for all the different exhibit categories.

Whether it’s culinary arts, handicrafts and hobbies, livestock exhibitions, horticulture or something else, there probably is a competition for most everyone to enter.

“We have a lot of classic categories and even a few new categories for competitions, and only a few require an entry fee” Buettner stated. Now is the time to read about competition rules and deadlines.

“With 4,027 classes of competitions available for entry, there is truly something for everyone. We love to see all of the talent in our state, so don’t miss this opportunity to be a part of one of North Carolina’s most cherished traditions,” he added.

To enter a competition, go to ncstatefair.org and click on competitions. The website offers a guide to all competitions, events and attractions visitors can expect during this year’s fair. Entrants can start registering online now. The deadline for submitting entries is Sept. 15, but don’t hesitate to enter in your preferred competitions early.

All contest entrants are required to submit W-9 forms along with their entry submissions. This ensures that necessary tax-related information is collected from participants. Guides and sample forms can be found on the Fair’s official website, ncstatefair.org.

The N.C. State Fair works with ShoWorks, a data management software, to compile entries. Entry forms can be mailed in or entered using the ShoWorks website or app.

“We are always excited to see what competitiors bring each year,” Buetnner said. “Whether it’s your first time entering or you’re a seasoned pro, it’s a great idea to get started early on your entries.”

Granville Hosts Five-County Beef Tour July 21

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Granville County is hosting the 2023 Five County Beef Tour on Friday, July 21. Participants will visit several spots across the county to learn about different aspects of cattle production.

Registration is open until July 14, according to information from Kim Woods, livestock agent for N.C. Cooperative Extension’s Granville Center. The counties that rotate hosting the tour are Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Wake, but participants from other counties are welcome to attend.

The tour will begin at 8 a.m. at the Butner Bull Test Station, 8800 Cassam Rd., Butner. The second stop will be Mill Creek Farm, owned by Randy and Barbara Guthrie. The Guthries have a heifer development program.

The final stop will be High Rock Farm, owned by Beth and David Hollister. The Hollisters have a stocker/finisher operation.

The group will have lunch at High Rock, during which

Evan Davis with NCDA&CS Farmland Preservation Division is scheduled to discuss farmland preservation. The tour should conclude around 2 p.m.

Carpooling is encouraged.

Pre-registration is required. Contact Woods at kim_woods@ncsu.edu or 919.603.1350 to learn more.

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/5-county-beef-tour-tickets-650768063797.

Gov. Cooper Releases Info On County Boards Of Elections Chairs

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The office of Gov. Roy Cooper has released a list of chairmen and chairwomen of the state’s county boards of elections.

James Baines has been named chairman in Vance County. Baines has previously served as the board secretary.

James Wall, Sr. continues as chair in Granville County, according to information from the governor’s office.

Esther Terry has been named chair in Warren County and Bobbie Richardson will begin a term as chair of the Franklin County board.

North Carolina’s 100 county boards of elections conduct local elections, operate voting sites, maintain voter registration lists and handle many other aspects of elections administration. The State Board works with county boards of elections offices to ensure elections are conducted lawfully and fairly.

TownTalk: Cats And Kittens Need Your Help

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Animal rescue organizations – especially those that focus on felines – are feeling the ripple effects of COVID-19 restrictions that shuttered spay and neuter clinics.

Lawanna Johnson, president of Franklin County-based Purr Partners, said the number of kittens being born this year is mainly due to the fact that those clinics couldn’t perform spay and neuter procedures.

Johnson spoke with WIZS co-host Bill Harris Wednesday during the People and Pets segment of TownTalk. She estimated that more than 3 million of the spay/neuter surgeries weren’t able to be done because the clinics were, at the time, deemed non-essential services.

Now, even with pandemic restrictions largely removed, “clinics are so backed up you can’t get appointments,” she noted.

There simply aren’t many low-cost spay and neuter options in the four-county area, and Johnson estimates that she gets 50 calls a day from folks in the community asking for suggestions or help with cats that have shown up in their area.

Originally started as a not-for-profit cat adoption program to assist high-kill shelters in the area, Purr Partners has shifted some of its attention in the wake of this continuing crisis and has started a program in Franklin County it calls “Wandering Whiskers.”

This program focuses on a three-step process called trap/neuter/release, or TNR, for short.

“We have shifted our budget to start trying to deal with this problem,” Johnson said, and the word is getting out.

Purr Partners can help Franklin County residents get feral colonies or community cats spayed or neutered through Wandering Whiskers. The only caveat, Johnson said, is that the residents have to agree to take the cats back and continue to feed them.

Right now, they’re able to help 30-40 cats each month. The program has a Facebook page and can be contacted at Wanderingwhiskers21@yahoo.com.

Unlike dogs that come into heat twice a year, cats can come into heat every couple of months, which exacerbates the problem, Johnson said.

Purr Partners always needs volunteers to help out, whether it’s by fostering cats or simply educating the public. Johnson said the current mantra is “spay one stray.”

At any given time, Purr Partners has up to 250 cats available for adoption. There are about 50 volunteers dedicated to help foster the animals, socialize them and get them ready for adoption. There are another 10 or so who agree to be temporary fosters.

Three PetSmart locations across Wake County serve as adoption centers for Purr Partners and volunteers have meet and greets on the weekends for prospective cat owners at the PetSmarts in Wake Forest and in Raleigh on Capital Boulevard and Six Forks Road.

Visit www.purrpartners.org to learn more about becoming a volunteer or to make a donation.

Franklin Continues Expansion Of Broadband Network

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-information courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James Hicks

 

The Franklin County board of commissioners approved in May spending more than $430,000 to get a matching grant from Brightspeed to bring high-speed internet service to more than 1,400 homes throughout the county.

The money – $437,650 – will be coupled with $437,651 from Brightspeed as part of a $4 million Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) Grant Phase II, according to information from Franklin Public Information Officer James Hicks.

The county will use ARPA funds to fulfill its commitment.

“This is an important milestone to celebrate,” said Franklin County Manager Kim Denton. “Five and a half years ago, the County began very focused efforts to improve broadband access and that work continues to move forward.”

Increased broadband access expands opportunities for education, healthcare, economic development and personal enrichment and entrepreneurship.

The locations of this deployment are in areas around Franklinton, Youngsville, to the east and north of Louisburg and in several areas along Highway 401 near Royal and to the west of Bunn.

A previous $3.9 million GREAT Grant – Phase I – provided high-speed fiber internet to nearly 2,000 homes in underserved areas of Franklin County. That project deployed fiber internet to 1,978 homes in the unincorporated areas of Franklinton, Centerville, Wood, Justice, Bunn, Green Hill, Laurel Mill, Montgomery, Firetower, NC 561, NC 56 East, Alert and Perry.

GREAT grants, established by N.C. legislature and awarded by N.C. Broadband Infrastructure Office, are provided to private broadband service providers to “facilitate the deployment of broadband service to unserved areas of North Carolina,” according to the Broadband Office’s website. For more information, please visit https://www.ncbroadband.gov/grants/great-grant.

Franklin County residents can find out more about broadband efforts in the County and see a map by visiting https://www.franklincountync.gov/community/broadband.php

 

NC Cooperative Extensions Offer Pesticide Application Recertification Hours June 27

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Anyone who needs recertification hours to stay certified for pesticide application can register to attend a class offered June 27 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Participants can earn two recertification hours for categories A, B, D, G, H, I, K, L, M, N, O, T or X.

Class locations are listed below.  Registration is required. Sign up by calling the Person County Extension Center 336-.599.1195 or by visiting https://go.ncsu.edu/2023multicredit.

This will be an in-person class only.

Be sure you have all your credit hours to remain certified for applying the pesticides you need. If you have any questions regarding this information or about requirements needed for your current licensure, contact Mikayla Berryhill at 336.599.1195 or 919.603.1350 or by email mikayla_berryhill@ncsu.edu.

 

CLASS LOCATIONS:

  • Vance County Regional Farmers Market, 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson
  • N.C. Cooperative Extension, Granville County Center, 125 Oxford Outer Loop, Oxford
  • N.C. Cooperative Extension, Person County Center, 304 S. Morgan Street, Roxboro
  • N.C. Cooperative Extension, Warren County Center, 158 Rafters Ln, Warrenton

Planning & Inspections Dept. Launches New Process To Ease Building Permit Review

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-information courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James Hicks

Franklin County has announced a new process for building plan reviews aimed at expediting plan approval.

With an eye on providing better customer service, the county’s Planning & Inspections Department has created an Expedited Residential Plan Review process to facilitate the building permit review process for residents for residential additions, renovations and accessory structures – like decks, pools, garages and sheds.

“This new process is aimed to facilitate the permitting process for those unfamiliar with building code requirements as well as assisting entities desiring an expedited permitting timeline,” said Planning & Inspections Director Scott Hammerbacher.

Interested applicants can schedule an appointment to meet with permitting staff but must have received zoning approval from the appropriate jurisdiction and applied for a septic re-check, if applicable, prior to the scheduled appointment. Appointments may be scheduled on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

Applicants should bring proposed building plans for the plans examiner to review and make modifications as necessary for building code compliance.

To schedule an appointment or find out more information, call 919.496.2281, email malford@franklincountync.gov or hheston@franklincountync.gov or visit the Planning & Inspections Department at 127 Shannon Village, Louisburg.

Franklin Health Dept. Starting Programs For New Moms and Moms-To-Be

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– information courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James Hicks

Franklin County Health Department is launching two new programs for new moms and moms-to-be.

“Ready, Set, BABY” and “Safe Sleep Baby” are new initiatives from Franklin County’s Health Department designed to help mothers prepare for the birth of their baby by offering free classes – taught by certified instructors — on infant safe sleep and breastfeeding basics. The programs are funded through a three-year Reducing Infant Mortality in Communities grant from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services that was awarded to Franklin County in December 2022.

Classes begin in July and will be conducted at multiple locations in Franklin County and are open to all women who are pregnant or postpartum and their support persons.

The Reducing Infant Mortality Program aims to educate and support mothers on how to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and other sleep-related causes of infant death. The program will also help mothers learn the basics and benefits of breastfeeding as well as overcoming common challenges. Participants will receive free items like Boppy pillows, Pack ‘n Plays, breast pumps and much more. The program also provides resources and referrals to other services that can help mothers and their babies.

Sign up at http://www.franklincobaby.as.me or call 919.496.2533. For more information about this grant or the health department, contact Allison Saad at 919.496.2533 or asaad@franklincountync.gov.

Visit www.franklincohealth.org to learn about all its programs and services.