Tag Archive for: #granvillecountynews

TownTalk: MHCO Homecoming Oct. 11-13

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The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford has been in the business of caring for children for more than 150 years. Coming off last year’s sesquicentennial celebration, MHCO Administrator said Year 151 shines just as brightly as last year.

“It’s been an incredible journey and it’s just getting started,” Otis said on Thursday’s TownTalk.

Alumni, Shriners, pit masters and more will converge on the historic campus next weekend for the annual Homecoming, which runs Oct. 11-13.

“This whole event is (a way) for the home to say ‘thank you’,” Otis said. Thank you to the community, thank you to alumni, Shriners and all the people who support the mission of the home.

Things kick off on Friday, Oct. 11 about 5 p.m. when the barbecue team get organized for the next day’s featured food. One team travels from Delaware each year to support MHCO, Otis said.

The community is invited to come out and mingle and then stay to hear music by Brightest Light, which takes the stage about 6 p.m.

Come back early the next day, Otis said, because everything kicks off about 10 a.m. There will be amusement rides for the kids – free of charge – and then the anticipated parade begins at 11 a.m.

This year’s parade route is different, so anyone who wants to watch needs to park on the MHCO campus and find a space along the main campus drive area – the parade will NOT take place on College Street, he noted.

He encourages parade watchers to bring a chair. There will be parking attendants and golf cart shuttles for those who need a ride from their cars to the middle of campus.

The barbecue pit opens at the conclusion of the parade and folks can sample meats and sides from the teams who’ve been cooking and preparing for hours.

“You give us a donation, we’ll give you a plate,” Otis explained.

Other activities include tours through the museum galleries at Cobb Center and one of the residential cottages, too. Cory Luetjen & the Traveling Blues Band performs in the afternoon and the day’s activities will conclude about 3 p.m.

There are so many things to see and experience during the course of the weekend’s activities, which Otis said is the result of a lot of work and preparation from staff and residents alike.

“Having the kids involved is an experience for them,” he said. They can enjoy all the fun of the weekend, but they can also take pride that they helped get things ready.

Just like the Shriners Hospital, the children’s home provides care for children without asking families to pay for anything, Otis explained.

Donations of any kind – from school supplies and money to fund a weekend excursion to remembering MHCO in your estate – Otis said it’s all put to good use to help provide children with the tools they need to be successful – in school, in their career and in life.

Otis said he’s always interested in hearing from married couples who think they want to be cottage parents.

Visit https://mhc-oxford.org/ to learn more.

 

TownTalk: Granville County Gears Up for Fall

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Take a sip of that pumpkin spice latte, a bite from that pumpkin spice doughnut or a whiff of that pumpkin spice air freshener – fall is in the air and that means all things pumpkin in and around Granville County.

Just ask Granville Tourism Authority Director Angela Allen: She’s on a mission to celebrate pumpkins and everything else that goes along with fall, whether it’s the Granville Haunt Farm, glass pumpkins at Cedar Creek Gallery and everything in between.

The Granville Haunt Farm kicks off its 2024 Horror Safari season this weekend – purchase tickets in advance for Friday or Saturdays throughout October at https://www.granvillehauntfarm.com/.

Allen said the spooky fun gets started right around dark and continues through until the last tickets are sold at the 11 p.m. time slot.

Granville Haunt Farm is located at 4534 U.S. Hwy 15 South, about one mile from I-85 Exit 202 at Hwy 15 just outside Oxford.

Just up the road is Dixon Farms, located at 3025 Dixon Farm Rd., which celebrate pumpkins in a more traditional style. They’ll be open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. For a $15 admission price, you’ll get to take home a pumpkin and enjoy all kinds of entertainment for children and adults alike, including a corn pile, general store and more!

Allen said Cedar Creek Gallery in Creedmoor is all set to have folks wander through a pumpkin patch of a different sort – the whole front of the gallery is filled with beautiful glass pumpkins created by local artisans.

The gallery is open seven days a week. Visit https://cedarcreekgallery.com/ to learn more.

This coming weekend, come out to the Lord Granville Harvest Show in Butner to see all kinds of farm implements, wander among local vendors and sample lots of good food, including homemade ice cream and sherbet.

There will be an antique tractor show, live demonstrations and a cake baking contest – a little something for everyone.

Admission is $5.

To learn about all the events upcoming in Granville County, visit https://visitgranvillenc.com/.

(This is not a paid ad.)

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Vance Commissioner Carolyn Faines Named Vice-Chair Of Kerr-Tar COG Board

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– Information courtesy of Kerr-Tar COG Administrative and Program Assistant Christa Hight

Vance County Commissioner Carolyn Faines was named vice-chair of the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Government’s board of directors at the group’s annual awards banquet Thursday evening.

About 160 attended the event from across the five-county area that comprises the KTCOG. Betty Wright of the town of Louisburg was named board chair and Warren County’s John Alston will serve as treasurer, according to information from KTCOG Administrative and Program Assistant Christa Hight.

The following awards were presented:

  • Kerr-Tar Outstanding Board Member – John Alston, Warren County
  • Outstanding Municipal Elected Official – Butner Mayor Linda Jordon
  • Outstanding County Elected Official – Granville Commissioner Russ May
  • Outstanding Manager – Franklinton Town Manager Zachary Steffey
  • Outstanding Clerk to the Board, Lynda Clayton, City of Roxboro

Derrick Sims, current chair of board of directors presided over the meeting, which was held at Festival House at the Homestead Steakhouse in Timberlake.

 

American Red Cross: October Blood Drives In The Area

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According to the American Red Cross, only three out of 100 Americans donate blood. With the blood supply still at critical levels, every single donation is key to making sure all patients relying on lifesaving transfusions, including car accident victims and those living with sickle cell disease, get the care they need.

The Red Cross needs blood donations and platelet donations. Find an upcoming blood drive near you at

RedCrossBlood.org, by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App.

Those who come to give Oct. 1-31 will receive a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card by email, plus be automatically entered for a chance to win one of three $5,000 gift cards. For full details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/Treat.

Here’s a list of upcoming blood drives in the four-county area:

Vance County:

  • Thursday, Oct. 3 – 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Raleigh Road Baptist Church, 3892 Raleigh Rd.
  • Monday, Oct. 21 – 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. – Henderson Family YMCA, 380 Ruin Creek Rd.
  • Monday, Nov. 4 – 12 noon to 5:30 p.m. – South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church, 905 Americal Rd.
  • Tuesday, Nov. 12 – 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Kerr Lake Country Club, 600 Hedrick Dr. 130-6 p.m.

Granville County:

  • Saturday, Sept. 28 – 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., New Grassy Creek Missionary Baptist Church, 8182 Cornwall Rd., Oxford
  • Friday, Oct. 11 – 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., Ernest F. Hart American Legion Post 90, 914 Williamsboro St., Oxford

Warren County:

  • Saturday, Oct. 5 – 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Haliwa-Saponi Tribal School, 130 Haliwa Saponi Trail, Warrenton

Visit https://www.redcrossblood.org/ to learn more.

Red Cross: September Is National Preparedness Month

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As meteorologists along the East Coast track the season’s next predicted hurricane, the American Red Cross of North Carolina reminds residents during National Preparedness Month that taking a few minutes to plan ahead can have a big impact on how you, your family and your household fare during weather events.

Whether it’s a hurricane with storm surge and flooding or wildfires and extreme heat, families across the country need to make sure they’re ready in case of an emergency.

“Disasters can happen at any time, often without warning, changing lives forever in just minutes,” said Rebecca Pittman, Regional Disaster Officer for the North Carolina Region. “As we experience more extreme weather, it’s critical to help protect your loved ones and National Preparedness Month is the ideal time to get your household ready for emergencies.”

Pittman said individuals can get ready for disasters by making a plan to stay safe, gathering important supplies and knowing how you’ll stay connected in case family members become separated for one reason or another.

Follow these steps to prepare for emergencies:

  1. Depending on the emergency, you may need to stay where you are or go somewhere else to stay safe. If you may need to leave, think about where you will go, how you will get there, where you will stay and what you’ll take with you. Plan well in advance if you’ll need help leaving or use public transportation.
  2. Next, gather and organize critical supplies — like food, water and medicine — into a go-kit and a stay-at-home kit. Your go-kit should include three days of supplies that you can take with you. Your stay-at-home kit should have two weeks of food and water, and a one-month supply of medications, if possible.
  3. Customize your kit to meet your household’s specific needs. If you have young children, don’t forget formula and diapers. If you have pets, include leashes, carriers, food, bowls, litter and a litterbox.
  4. Make a plan to reconnect with loved ones if you are separated or if the phone or internet is down. Write down important phone numbers on a contact card and carry it with you.
  5. Finally, download the free Red Cross Emergency app for real-time weather alerts and expert advice in both English and Spanish. And don’t forget to sign up for free emergency alerts from your local government to get critical information during local emergencies.

This year, experts forecasted active wildfires and hurricanes — predictions that are proving to be true. In July, Hurricane Beryl broke records as the earliest Category 5 storm ever recorded and in early August, Hurricane Debby brought widespread flooding to much of the East Coast. So far in 2024, 2.7 million more acres of land have been burned by wildfires compared to all of 2023. Plus, 2024 is on track to be the hottest year on record according to experts. Altogether in 2024, the U.S has experienced 19 climate disasters, each with losses of over a billion dollars — more than double the average from the last 40 years.

When these disasters happen, the Red Cross is there providing food, shelter and comfort to ensure no one faces such a difficult time alone. To help families better cope with increased extreme weather, the Red Cross is also enhancing our support for those who need it most and increasing our capacity to respond to non-stop disasters.

“The best defense during an emergency is to be prepared, and that’s true for both our individual families and our entire community,” said Pittman. “During National Preparedness Month, consider donating to help people affected by disasters big and small, or making an appointment to give blood. If you have the time, take a first aid class or put on a red vest and join us as a volunteer.”

Visit redcross.org or call 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767) to learn more today.

Families Living Violence Free

TownTalk: Families Living Violence Free To Hold Quarter Auction

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Families Living Violence Free is based in Granville County, but Executive Director Amy Langston said the nonprofit agency is just a phone call away – 24/7 – for individuals who find themselves in need of help because of domestic violence or sexual assault.

Although their physical location is on the campus of Central Children’s Home in Oxford, Langston said they are available for anyone in and around Vance County as well.

Langston said the trained staff and volunteers bring distinct skill sets to their roles with the organization, which celebrated its 20-year anniversary in May. But what they all share, she added, is a passion for helping the community and the drive and compassion to serve those who find themselves in difficult situations.

Although they do get grants that help provide emergency services like shelter, food and relocation, Langston said FLVF relies on the community for support, too.

The FLVF annual Quarter Auction is coming up Friday, Oct. 4 at Carlee Farms in Granville County, and it’s the perfect time to enjoy an evening while knowing that the proceeds go to help the organization.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., dinner begins at 6:15 and the auction starts at 7 p.m., Langston said. A $25 ticket will get you dinner and a bidding paddle; remember to bring your rolls of quarters, as well as some extra money to shop with a host of vendors that will be on hand.

There will be a silent auction taking place that evening, and a 50/50 raffle, too.

“It is fun, but we know the cause” that we’re supporting, Langston said. Sponsorships are available for the event – Bronze for $50, Silver for $100 and Gold for $200 and up.

“All the support we receive will help victims of domestic violence and sexual assault,” Langston said.

Call 919.693.3579 to purchase a ticket. A special unlimited bid paddle is available for $50, but Langston said there will be a limited number for sale, and tickets are going fast.

Proceeds from fundraisers like the Quarter Auction help support FLVF efforts, which not only involves helping people in crisis but also includes educating the community.

Staff members complete 20 hours of intense training, Langston said, and the numerous volunteers undergo similar training, all to ensure clients’ safety and confidentiality.

Langston said she hopes to continue sponsoring community workshops like one held last week to share information about human trafficking.

“We had a full house,” Langston said, adding that details about future workshops would be forthcoming.

Volunteer applications are available at www.flvf.org or at the office, located at 211 Antioch Dr. Oxford. Volunteers help with donations, accompany clients to court for support, help at community events and more. There are two part-time staff openings – a youth advocate position and an outreach advocate position, Langston said.

“We’re growing and we hope to have more full-time positions,” she said.

If you are in crisis as a result of domestic violence or sexual assault, call the crisis line at FLVF at 919.693.5700. Spanish speakers can call 919.690.0888.

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2025 Leadership Granville Class Applications Available Now

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The 2025 class of Leadership Granville is forming now, and individuals interested in participating have until the end of November to submit applications.

Applications and payment should be received no later than Nov. 30, 2024, according to information from Granville County Chamber of Commerce Director Cynthia Ratliff. Applications are available online. Class participants will be notified at the beginning of 2025.

Partnering with Granville County Schools and Vance-Granville Community College, the Chamber offers the class to strengthen participants’ engagement with and create a deeper understanding of the county where they live and work.

Through this program, participants gain insights into the county’s structure, history and key issues while building connections within the community. The program fosters personal and professional growth by offering unique opportunities to become more involved and informed citizens.
The Leadership Granville Steering Committee will kick things off in February 2025 and the class will culminate with a graduation ceremony in the fall. The program primarily consists of field trips and presentations held during work hours. Participants will also complete a class project by the program’s end. Individuals interested in taking on leadership roles within their organizations or the community are strongly encouraged to apply.

Participants must agree to and accept the program’s commitment requirements and guidelines as part of their enrollment. Please refer to the 2025 schedule to help you make an informed decision about joining the LG Class of 2025.
To access the application or learn more about the program, visit the Chamber website.
There also are sponsorship opportunities for Chamber members interested in supporting Leadership Granville. These sponsorships provide a unique way to invest in our community’s future leaders while gaining visibility for your organization.

City of Oxford

Portion Of Hillsboro Street In Oxford Getting Resurfaced

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Part of Hillsboro Street in Oxford is getting a facelift, and city staff have said the improvements will take several weeks to complete.

Beginning on Monday, Sept. 23, Hillsboro Street, from Lewis Street to College Street will be affected, so drivers in and around that area can expect detours. No street parking will be allowed between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., but city staff said nearby public parking is available.

Vehicles parked on the street within the work zone during the day may be subject to towing.

H.G. Reynolds is in charge of the project, which begins with the milling of the existing asphalt followed by resurfacing.

“While we aim to minimize disruptions, some road closures and detours will be necessary. However, one lane will remain open for through traffic,” according to a statement issued by City Communications Specialist Sabrina Richards.

 

TownTalk: Area Congregations In Ministry

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Since 1985, Area Congregations in Ministry has been helping Granville County residents who find themselves facing hardship – and its new executive director, Ann Riley, has seen firsthand faith, through action, in the few short weeks since she’s had the job.

ACIM’s mission has long been to relieve hunger, Riley said on Thursday’s TownTalk. These days, the phrase “food insecurity” is being used to describe how many people find themselves needing the help that ACIM offers.

Any Granville County resident who needs help can come once a month to the 634 Roxboro Road facility on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to get food and other household and personal hygiene items that may be available.

The warehouse shelves contain a variety of items like canned goods, non-perishables and household supplies, Riley said. The walk-in coolers hold fresh produce and the freezers are for meats and other products that are donated.

“We just never know from day to day, from week to week, what’s going to be in those boxes” of food that volunteers wheel out to clients’ vehicles.

She has spent her first few weeks on the job putting some finishing touches on her office and learning the role that so many volunteers play to keep the food bank doors open. She said she is struck by the level of support from the community – from businesses and corporations who donate goods to church congregations who send food, money and people to help out.

It seemed like a natural fit for Riley, who said she has always had a desire, a “want” to help people.

“I have been blessed in my life through many changes and I feel like I can be a blessing to others,” she said.

Volunteers are welcome to help during the hours that ACIM is open, but they also are needed on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

“That’s when we do some of our stocking and preparing our boxes for the next day,” she said.

Riley is the only full-time employee of the nonprofit, but Kristine Williford is the warehouse manager and she’s the one who keeps things rolling.

“She is such a vital team member at ACIM,” Riley said. Williford keeps the pantry running smoothly and lines up pickups and deliveries. “She’s invested in what ACIM does,” Riley added.

The Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot is one of the biggest donation events of the year, and she looks forward to an upcoming planning meeting with host church Oxford United Methodist.

“We have a lot of good things coming up,” Riley said, including a planned Open House to allow everyone in the community a chance to come and see the operation first-hand.

“You don’t have to be on food stamps to come and get food boxes,” Riley said. ACIM provides food and other items to anyone facing a hardship – senior adults on fixed incomes, families struggling to make ends meet or someone who’s lost a job or is between jobs.

Although ACIM’s mission is to serve clients who live in Granville County, Riley said she would try to help anyone find resources.

“We want to see them get help, whether we can provide it or someone else can provide it.”

Call 919.690.0961 or visit https://www.acimgranville.org/ to learn more.

 

NC State Board of Elections

State Board of Elections: Sept. 20 Deadline For Counties To Send Absentee Ballots For Military, Overseas Voters

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  • Information from the N.C. State Board of Elections

All 100 county boards of elections must send absentee ballots to eligible military and overseas citizens who requested them for the 2024 general election on Friday, Sept. 20, under a new schedule released by the State Board of Elections.

The board also set Sept. 24 as the date to start sending absentee ballots to other voters who have requested ballots by mail, including those who use the Visually Impaired Portal to request and return their ballots.

This schedule ensures that North Carolina will meet the federal law requirement to distribute ballots to voters under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) by the 45th day before the election – Sept. 21.

County boards were prepared to send absentee ballots out on Sept. 6, the deadline for absentee ballots to be sent under state law. However, rulings by the N.C. Court of Appeals and N.C. Supreme Court required election officials to remove the We The People party line from the presidential contest on the ballot, including the party’s presidential nominee, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and vice-presidential nominee, Nicole Shanahan.

In North Carolina, any registered voter can vote using an absentee ballot after submitting a request for the ballot. Voters can request their absentee ballot at votebymail.ncsbe.gov. The deadline for absentee requests is Oct. 29. However, election officials urge voters who wish to vote by mail to request their ballot soon, so it can be completed and returned to the voter’s county board of elections by 7:30 p.m. Election Day – Nov. 5.

Through Thursday, more than 166,000 voters – including more than 13,600 military and overseas voters – have requested ballots in North Carolina.

During the past week, State Board staff, county boards of elections staff and voting system and printing vendors have worked to code, design, proof and print new ballots without the We The People party line. Staff have worked to devise contingency plans to ensure that ballots could be delivered as soon as practicable.

Due to the timelines for the printing, delivery and assembly of all absentee ballots in every county, the State Board concluded that the only way to meet the federal deadline for military and overseas citizens was to establish separate dates for distributing absentee ballots.

Election officials will first focus on distributing the military and overseas citizen ballots, which is a smaller group of ballots. Currently, about 8 percent of 2024 absentee requests are from military and overseas citizen voters.

State Board staff have arranged for special on-demand ballot printers to be positioned around the state to fulfill any orders for military and overseas citizen ballots for counties whose orders from their print vendors will not arrive in time for those ballots to be prepared for mailing by next Friday. These special printers can print any ballot style approved for use in the state. There are nearly 2,350 different ballot styles statewide for this election.

Meanwhile, staff will work over the weekend and through next week to prepare the online portal for electronic delivery and return of ballots that is available for military and overseas citizen voters. Nearly 90 percent of military and overseas citizen voters opt for this electronic ballot delivery feature.

This plan allows time for the much larger orders of absentee ballots for all other voters to be printed and delivered to the county boards in time for counties to prepare their outgoing absentee ballot packages for mailing on Sept. 24.

“This schedule is only possible because of the hard work of elections professionals across this state that will continue throughout the next week,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “Because of them, we expect to meet the federal deadline for ballot delivery, and North Carolinians can finally start voting in this important election.”

The State Board has received many questions about the statewide cost of reprinting ballots. Preliminary estimates show the costs vary widely by county, depending on how many ballots must be reprinted and other factors. Estimates range from a few thousand dollars in some smaller counties to $18,000 in Caldwell County, $55,100 in Durham County and $300,000 in Wake County, home to the most registered voters in the state.

Here are key dates and deadlines for the 2024 general election in North Carolina:

Sept. 20: Ballots distributed to military and overseas citizen voters who have requested them.

Sept. 24: Absentee ballots distributed to all other voters who have requested them.

Oct. 11: Voter registration deadline (5 p.m.).*

Oct. 17: In-person early voting begins; same-day registration available.

Oct. 29: Absentee ballot request deadline (5 p.m.).*

Nov. 2: In-person early voting ends (3 p.m.).

Nov. 5: General Election Day.

Nov. 5: Absentee ballot return deadline (7:30 p.m.).*

*Voter registration and absentee voting deadlines are different for military and overseas citizen voters.