Tag Archive for: #franklincountynews

Alyssa Blair Joins Franklin Co. Economic Development Dept.

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Alyssa Blair is joining Franklin County’s Economic Development Department as an economic development specialist.

Blair begins her new role in Franklin County on Feb. 5, following more than four years with the City of Oxford, where she had most recently worked as the city’s downtown development director.

“I am thrilled to join a strong, developing team and to not only work alongside dedicated individuals but to also serve the Franklin County community,” Blair said in a press release issued Tuesday by Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks, III.

In her role as downtown development director, Blair oversaw the NC Main Street Program in Oxford and had also been executive director of the Downtown Oxford Economic Development Corporation. Before that, she was a communications specialist for the city.

“The diverse experience Alyssa brings will be of great value to our business community and the economic development initiatives for Franklin County,” said Franklin County Economic Development Director Barbara Fiedor. “We are excited she will be joining our team and look forward to her arrival.”

Blair has a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a dual master’s degree in public administration and conflict management from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the University of Konstanz in Germany. She is also pursuing a master’s degree in public administration from the UNC School of Government in Chapel Hill.

Franklin Health Dept. Gets Grant $ For Women’s Health Services

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-information courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks, III

More grant money is coming to Franklin County to bolster women’s health services.

Franklin County Health Department is set to receive $460,000 in grant funding from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services over the next four years to provide women’s health services in a variety of ways. The health department will provide expanded clinical hours, home visits for post-natal assessment and integrate community health workers into department programs to bridge the gap in health care access, enhance cultural competence and provide essential support to our community.

The department will receive $115,000 annually over the course of four years.

“Receiving these funds from the state will allow us to enhance birth outcomes and reduce infant mortality by expanding our services beyond our current programs to pregnant and postpartum women,” Franklin County Health Director Scott LaVigne said.

Funding is expected to begin in February 2024.

For more information about this grant or the Health Department, contact LaVigne at 919.496.8111 or slavigne@franklincountync.gov.

Franklin County Names Matt Masters As New EMS Director

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-information courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks III

Franklin County has named Matt Masters as Emergency Medical Services director. He will begin his new job on Jan. 2, 2024.

Masters has close to three decades of experience with emergency medical services in Wake County.

“I am excited to join Franklin County as the EMS Director and use my more than 29 years of EMS experience to navigate our team into the future,” Masters said in a press statement from Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks III.

Masters was District Chief, Field Training Officer and Paramedic for the Wake County EMS System – supervising daily EMS operations within the department and field operations throughout the county. Prior to that, he served as a Shift Supervisor and Paramedic for Six Forks EMS from 2002-2007 and as an Assistant Chief and Paramedic for Knightdale EMS. In each of his previous positions, he provided supervision, directed operations and assisted in annual budget preparation.

“Matt brings a wealth of supervisory EMS experience which will be extremely valuable to Franklin County,” said County Manager Kim Denton.

Masters graduated from Lenoir Community College with an associates degree in Emergency Medical Services and an associates degree in Emergency Management. He has also obtained a Paramedic certification from Wake Technical Community College.

 

TownTalk: Get Into The Holiday Spirit With Louisburg Christmas Tour

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Dorothy Cooper and her fellow organizers have done everything possible to plan for the second annual Old Towne Louisburg Candlelight Christmas Tour through the Louisburg Historic District, and it seems like even the weather is going to cooperate by providing winterlike temps for Saturday’s walking tour.

Cooper, historian for the local historic district, said there are 10 locations on this year’s tour, which features a combination of residences and other historic structures.

Tickets are $50 each and can be purchased online at https://www.louisburghistoricdistrict.com/. The tour will be held Saturday, Dec. 16 from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Last year’s event was a great success, with people coming from Orange and Guilford counties, as well as counties closer to Franklin, she said.

“It was really interesting to have people come in and say ‘I never knew this little town was here!’” Cooper said on Wednesday’s TownTalk with WIZS co-host Bill Harris.

Person Place, located at Louisburg College, is where the tour begins. Participants will get a booklet complete with a map of the locations and information about each spot.

The sanctuary of Louisburg Baptist Church will be open, and organist Brian Miller will be providing seasonal music during the tour. Another stop is the Louisburg Fire Department museum – the lone location that folks may want to drive to, Cooper noted.

The majority of the tour stops are within walking distance of Person Place and the parking, which will be on the Louisburg College campus. And there’s one surprise location that ticketholders will learn about when they check in and get their booklets.

Participants also have the chance to book a horse and carriage ride for an additional fee. Bookings can be arranged when purchasing tickets for the tour, she added.

All proceeds support events and workshops of the historic group, including repair and restoration work at the city’s Oakwood Cemetery.

On Jan. 6, the group is sponsoring a Twelfth Night Luminary Drive-Through event at Oakwood Cemetery. Details are available on the website.

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Franklin County DSS Gets $2,500 From Food Lion To Address Food Insecurity

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– Information courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James Hicks

Franklin County Department of Social Services has received a $2,500 gift from the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation to address food insecurity needs across the county.

“We are excited to receive the funds provided by the Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation as it will enrich our efforts to address food insecurity in our county,” said Franklin County Director of Social Services Andrew Payne.

The county’s Care and Share Center staff and volunteers provide nutritious food items to county residents in need of emergency assistance. The Care and Share Center, located at

at 110 Industrial Drive in Louisburg, is open to the public on Wednesday mornings.

The Food Lion Feeds Charitable Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the Salisbury-based grocery store.  Established in 2001, the foundation provides financial support for programs and organizations dedicated to feeding local neighbors in the communities it serves. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $18.1 million in grants.

 

NC DOT

NCDOT Awards $3.5 Million Contract For Road Improvements in Franklin County; Work Begins Spring 2024

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More than 21 miles of local roadway will be updated across Franklin County beginning next spring.

The N.C. Department of Transportation recently awarded the work to Carolina Sunrock LLC of Raleigh. The $3.5 million contract includes milling, resurfacing and reconstructing shoulders along portions of seven roads. Work should start in March 2024 and will be completed in October 2025.

The following roads are included in the project:

  • C. 96 from U.S.1 to the Granville County Line
  • S. 1 Alternate North/South Main Street from just east of U.S.1 to south of N.C. 56
  • Ronald Tharrington Road from N.C.56 to Seven Paths Road
  • Allen Road from N.C. 561 to Leonard Road
  • Tarboro Road/East Main Street from U.S. 401 to Youngsville
  • East Jewett Avenue/Baptist Church Road from Sledge Road to N.C. 39
  • East Main Street in downtown Youngsville

The Local Skinny! Franklin County Releases Historic Architecture Book

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The much-awaited Franklin County architectural history book has been published and is ready for purchase, just in time for Christmas.

The books are $60 and feature more than 400 photos and list 800 properties of interest throughout the county.

There will be a special book release party at the Louisburg Senior Center, 279 S. Bickett Blvd.,  on Monday, Dec. 4 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Books will be on sale at the event, and also will be available for sale at the various library branches in the county, said WIZS’s own Bill Harris, who also serves as chair of the Franklin County Historical Preservation Commission.

The book is the result of a comprehensive survey conducted before the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, which slowed the process of completing the book.

The previous survey undertaken by the state preservation office was completed in the 1970’s, but didn’t result in a book, he said.

Now, half a century later, this most recent survey includes properties that would not have been considered historically significant back in the 1970’s, Harris explained.

There also was an effort to focus on the southern part of Louisburg, which had not been thoroughly considered in the previous survey, he noted.

The book’s main editor is J. Daniel Pizzone, but there were numerous others who contributed to the completion of the book, Harris said. It was published in Oxford by BW&A Books.

Copies of the book are available now at the following locations:

 

  • Central Library, 906 North Main St., Louisburg
  • Bunn Branch Library, 610 Main St., Bunn
  • Franklinton Branch Library 9 West Mason St., Franklinton
  • Youngsville Branch Library, 218 US-1A Hwy. South, Youngsville
  • Franklin County Planning & Inspections Department, 127 S. Bickett Blvd., Louisburg

 

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NC Forest Service

Veterans Can Get Seedlings At Discount From N.C. Forest Service

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The N.C. Forest Service is offering a 20 percent discount on tree seedling orders placed by active, honorably discharged or retired military personnel during the month of November. Beginning Nov. 13, the discount applies to the first $500 of all new orders, up to a $100 discount.

“Many forestland owners in this state are veterans and current military members who choose country before self to the benefit of us all,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “I am proud to offer a discount that not only shows appreciation for their brave service but that also assists them with keeping forests healthy, another act that provides us all with numerous benefits.”

To be eligible, veterans must show a valid military ID, Department of Defense Form 214/215 or National Guard Bureau Form 22/22A is acceptable. Standard shipping rates still apply. Tree seedlings may be ordered by calling 1-888-NCTREES or by visiting www.buynctrees.com.

The N.C. Forest Service Nursery and Tree Improvement program ensures that residents of North Carolina have access to the best native trees and genetics available for use on their land. Current available inventory includes southern yellow pines, native oaks and hardwoods, native understory grasses and Christmas tree species. For a complete list of available species and pricing, visit https://www.ncforestservice.gov/nursery/NurseryandTreeImprovement.htm.

China Company Set To Make Hemp Food Products In Louisburg

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-information courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks III

 

Franklin County is the site for a new plant that will produce hemp food products, representing a $10 million investment and the creation of dozens of jobs.

China-based Q-power Inc. is in the final phase before it begins operation at 3959 NC-39 S in Louisburg, according to a press release from Franklin County Public Information Officer James F. Hicks III. The plan is to begin production before the end of the year. The project, initiated in 2018, was slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Company Chairwoman Zhiyi Zhang led a tour of the facility Thursday. The company is investing in this new plant in Louisburg to produce hemp food locally.

“I am excited about Q-power opening its operations here in the county,” said Franklin County Manager Kim Denton.  “Franklin County continues to grow and is well positioned for companies like Q-power to thrive.”

Q-power has been in business for more than 20 years and is an industry leader in hemp food production, including hemp seed, oil and protein.

“Q-power is committed to investing and exploring the market in the United States to meet our American customers’ needs,” said Zhiyi Zhang, Chairwoman at Q-power. “We are excited about opening this plant in Franklin County.”

 

VGCC Logo

VGCC To Offer Students Access To Virtual Textbooks, Course Materials Beginning Spring 2024

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-information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

Vance-Granville Community College is making course materials more affordable and accessible for students. November 3 the college announced the launch of the new VGCC Textbook+ initiative, which lowers the cost of learning materials through a partnership with textbook publisher Cengage. Beginning in the spring 2024 semester, students will be able to access digital Cengage course materials through the Moodle platform starting on the first day of class.

“With textbook prices rising every year, VGCC wants to help students with the cost as much as possible,” said Dr. Kim Sepich, vice president of Learning, Student Engagement & Success at Vance-Granville. “We want our students to have what they need as quickly and as economically as possible, and VGCC Textbook+ makes this happen.”

VGCC’s Textbook+ initiative provides Cengage Unlimited Institutional subscriptions to students, which allows first-day access to a virtual library of thousands of e-books, online learning platforms and study materials covering hundreds of college-level subject areas in one place at a single price. Vance-Granville is helping its students save hundreds of dollars per semester on textbooks and course materials with the addition of the Cengage Unlimited Institutional program.

“Cengage has made a significant commitment to lowering course materials costs for students,” said Edwin Robles, senior vice president and general manager of U.S. Higher Education and Canada at Cengage. “Vance-Granville Community College shares this commitment. Working together, we will support VGCC students by making education more affordable and accessible for all.”

Since its August 2018 launch, Cengage Unlimited has helped more than 5.2 million students save nearly $630 million on the cost of course materials, with $230 million of that savings coming directly from institutional partnerships. For more information on institutional partnerships for Cengage Unlimited, visit www.cengage.com/institutions.