NC Cooperative Extension is conducting a blueberry workshop on Saturday, February 16, 2019, from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. at 2292 US 158, Oxford, NC (watch for signs). This workshop will cover topics such as site analysis and soil preparation, variety selection, proper pruning techniques and other cultural practices used to grow blueberries.
You will have the opportunity to practice your blueberry pruning techniques, so bring your pruners. Bill Cline, NCSU Blueberry Specialist, will present the program and be available to answer any questions you have about blueberry production.
If you have any interest in growing this wonderful fruit in your home garden, do not miss this opportunity to learn how to get started correctly. If you already have blueberry plants, learn how to get the best fruit production. To register or for more information, please contact Johnny Coley (919) 603-1350 or Paul McKenzie (252) 438-8188.
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Thanks to two N.C. Department of Transportation contracts, a short bridge located just south of Creedmoor will be getting some much-needed repairs and nearly 36 miles of Granville County roads will be resurfaced.
As early as February 25, contractors from National Bridge Builders will be able to start repairing the Northside Road bridge extending over Ledge Creek. Built in 1956, the bridge is due for upgrades, as its average daily use is expected to increase by nearly 100 percent by 2039.
The contract was awarded for just over $1 million and crews will have until September 15 to complete work and reopen the bridge for traffic.
The posted off-site detour will utilize Cash Road, South Durham Avenue, West Hillsboro Street and South Elm Street.
In a separate project, several roads in the county will see surface improvements. They include portions of N.C. 50 and N.C. 56, as well as Rock Springs Church Road between Bruce Garner Road and the Wake County line.
This $4.4 million contract was awarded to Carolina Sunrock of Raleigh. The contractor can begin the roadway resurfacing as early as June 1 and must be finished by June 30, 2020.
These projects are two of 14 highway and bridge projects recently awarded by the Department. As required by state law, the contracts went to the lowest qualified bidder. They are worth $144.4 million.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/NCDOT-Logo.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2019-02-01 16:56:592019-02-01 16:56:59Rehab Work Coming for Bridge and Roadway in Granville County
-Information courtesy Debra A. Weary, Clerk to the Board, Granville County
The Granville County Board of Commissioners will meet Monday, February 4, 2019, at 7 p.m. at the Granville Expo and Convention Center, 4185 US Highway 15 South, Oxford.
Agenda items include:
Consent Agenda
1. Contingency Summary
2. Budget Amendment #5
3. Resolution to Approve School Bus Lease-Purchase Agreement for Granville County Public Schools
Recognitions and Presentations
4. Recognition – Volunteer Service Awards
Oaths of Office
5. Reappointment of Tax Administrator and Oath of Office
Public Comments
6. Public Comments
Animal Management Matters
7. Free Rabies Vaccines
8. Updated Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Program for Granville County Citizens
9. Animal Control F250 Truck and Chassis Mounted Kennel
10. Animal Control Staff Development Day
Appointments
11. Senior Services Advisory Committee
12. Granville County Library System Board of Trustees
13. Animal Control Advisory Committee
14. Granville County Human Relations Commission
15. Oxford Zoning Board of Adjustment
16. Granville County Veterans Affairs Committee
17. Agricultural Advisory Board
County Manager’s Report
18. Consent to Assignment of Contract
County Attorney’s Report
19. County Attorney’s Report
Presentations by County Board Members
20. Presentations by County Board Members
Any Other Matters
21. Any Other Matters
Closed Session
22. Closed Session – Property Acquisition
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-Information courtesy Dywanda Pettaway, Clerk to Board of Education, Granville County
NOTICE TO PUBLIC AND PRESS
The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a regular board meeting Monday, February 4, 2019, at 6 p.m. at the Granville County Public Schools Central Office, 101 Delacroix Street, Oxford, North Carolina.
The board will also meet in a Closed Session for a consultation with the Board’s attorney and Personnel/Attorney-Client Privileges in accordance with N.C. General Statute 143.318.11 (a)(6), 143-318.11 (a)(3), 143.318.11 (a)(5) and Section 115C-321 on this evening.
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-Information courtesy Rep. Terry E. Garrison, District 32, NC General Assembly
Yesterday, Representative Terry E. Garrison co-sponsored House Bill 5 (HB 5), a proposal to expand Medicaid in North Carolina and increase access to affordable health care for more than 500,000 North Carolinians, including approximately 1748 in Vance County; 759 in Warren County; and 1,672 in Granville County alone.
“I am proud to co-sponsor HB 5 which would expand Medicaid and increase health care coverage for families combined across District 32. This bill would help more than 4179 families in District 32 gain access to coverage, but the full effects would be felt by our entire community. North Carolinians shouldn’t be forced to put the health of themselves and their families on the back burner because they can’t afford insurance. We can and should ease that burden this year,” said Representative Garrison.
By introducing a bill to expand Medicaid as the first bill of the 2019 legislative session, state Democrats are signaling their number one priority is helping working families. In addition to making health care more affordable for hundreds of thousands of our people, this proposal would boost our economy and create jobs. According to an analysis prepared by the Center for Health Policy Research at George Washington University, if Medicaid expansion had occurred by 2016, then its impact by 2020 would have been:
• Created 86 jobs in Vance County; 24 jobs in Warren County; 80 jobs in Granville County
• Created $79.9 million in new business activity for Vance County; $11.6 million in new business activity for Warren County; and $87 million in new business activity for Granville County.
• Created $52.1 million in new county revenue for Vance County; $7.1 million in new county revenue for Warren County; and $49.7 million in new county revenue for Granville County.
According to state estimates, expanding Medicaid will overwhelmingly be paid for by the federal government. Any remaining costs would be funded by a small assessment on hospitals and other health care providers.
“Expanding Medicaid is good for our people, good for our economy, and good for our Rural Veteran families or those struggling with addiction, and I look forward to speaking with people across my district about why this is such a critical step we must take together,” Representative Garrison concluded.
Rural North Carolina has the most to gain from Medicaid expansion. Rural hospitals are struggling. Since 2010, five rural hospitals in North Carolina have closed and two have lost critical services like maternity and labor wards. But rural hospitals located in states that have expanded Medicaid are 84% less likely to close. Expanding Medicaid will keep the doors open on rural hospitals, providing vital health care to our communities.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/NCGA-Rep-Garrison-120417.jpg265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2019-01-31 16:56:072019-01-31 16:56:07Rep. Terry E. Garrison Co-Sponsors Bill to Expand Medicaid in NC
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler announced today that the first round of checks from the state’s $240 million Agricultural Disaster Relief Program of 2018 have been sent to farmers.
“More than $15.2 million in payments were mailed today, and a second batch will go out Friday, Feb. 1,” Troxler said. “By week’s end, we anticipate having around 2,000 applications processed.”
Nearly 7,000 applications for assistance were submitted to the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services as part of the program. The N.C. General Assembly unanimously approved funding in response to more than $1.2 billion in estimated agricultural losses from Hurricane Florence and Tropical Storm Michael. Gov. Roy Cooper signed the legislation into law.
The applications are being processed randomly and are not being done on a county-by-county basis. Complete applications, not missing any information or documentation, are being processed first. Applications missing information will require follow-up calls in order to be verified and approved.
“This is the most important thing I have worked on since becoming Ag Commissioner,” Troxler said. “Agriculture is the backbone of our economy and it was absolutely pummeled in 2018. Many farmers are hurting and may not be able to secure funding to start the 2019 growing season. While this money does not come close to making whole the crop losses, I hope it will help farmers get financing for the coming year and help jump-start the economies of rural North Carolina.”
A total of 70 of the state’s 100 counties received a presidential or secretarial disaster declaration, qualifying farmers for the program.
The federal government shutdown created some delays in getting applications processed, but work is continuing to verify and approve the remaining applications.
Applicants had to submit the Farm Service Agency form 578 with their applications, which includes acreage being grown.
Other information considered in determining payments includes the five-year average price for commodities, the county average yield and the county estimated losses, which were determined by an ad-hoc committee made up of county FSA officials, cooperative extension agents, forest service staff and soil and water conservation district staff.
Checks will continue to be processed weekly as they are verified and approved.
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-Information and photos courtesy Granville County Government
Please SAVE THE DATE for Tuesday, March 12, 2019, for a “groundbreaking” ceremony for Granville County’s new Law Enforcement Center/Animal Shelter.
The ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. at the construction site, 525 New Commerce Drive in Oxford. The public is invited to attend.
History of Law Enforcement Center/Animal Shelter:
Granville County closed on 35 acres at 525 New Commerce Drive, Oxford in August of 2017. Situated just off of I-85, the location is easily accessible from Butner, Creedmoor and Oxford and is a short drive from the Granville County Courthouse.
For economies of scale, the Board also approved the addition of an animal shelter the following month, to be constructed on the same site.
Rendering of Granville County Law Enforcement Center – designs by Moseley Architects.
The new Law Enforcement Center will include the Sheriff’s Office, the 911 Call Center and the 176-bed Detention Center.
The new Animal Shelter will include additional kennel space and administrative offices for Animal Shelter staff and Animal Control – all under one roof – as well as a spacious outdoor exercise area for the animals housed there.
The building which will house the Law Enforcement Center totals 88,231 square feet. Almost 50,000 square feet will be dedicated to the detention center/sally port. A Sheriff’s office and 911 call center will adjoin this portion of the building and totals 24,790 square feet. A separate pre-engineered Sheriff’s vehicle storage and warehouse facility of approximately 6,000 square feet will also be provided on site. (The building now used for the Sheriff’s Office/911 Call Center is approximately 4,900 square feet, with the current Detention Center at less than 5,000 square feet.)
Rendering of Granville County Animal Shelter – designs by Moseley Architects.
Due to space limitations, many of the intakes taken to the current detention center are often sent to other counties each month. The new detention center will initially include 176 beds for both men and women, with an ultimate capacity of 250 beds if additional housing units are added to meet future needs.
The Animal Shelter facility will be approximately 8,500 square feet, more than doubling its current 3,800 square footage. In its new facility, the Animal Shelter will be able to provide kennel space for 40 to 60 dogs and 40 to 60 cats, an increase in the number that is presently housed.
In addition, the new shelter will have more outdoor room for any “roaming” livestock that is picked up from Animal Control until the animal’s owners are located. The goal is to increase adoptions and to decrease the number of animals euthanized due to space restrictions.
Construction is expected to be completed by June 2020 with the Sheriff’s Office and Detention Center to transition into their new respective buildings in the months following.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Granville-Co.-Law-Enforcement-Center.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2019-01-30 16:57:462019-01-30 16:57:46Groundbreaking Ceremony Planned for Granville’s Law Enforcement Center/Animal Shelter
The Granville County Library System announces that the Wilton Express Library is now back in service after being temporarily out of operation.
There are three Express Library locations – in Wilton, Oak Hill and Stovall – which consist of lockers, a computer kiosk with access to the library catalog and a book return. Materials can be placed on hold from home or from the Express Library site and delivered to a locker at the site by choosing this option when placing your “hold” request. Transit deliveries are made on Monday and Thursday evenings.
The Wilton “Express Library Center” is located at 2547 Hwy. 96 South, on the same property as the Wilton EMS Station, next door to Wilton Elementary School.
For more details, contact the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford, the main branch of the Granville County Library System, at 919-693-1121 or visit https://granville.lib.nc.us.
The Granville County Library System announces that the Wilton Express Library is now back in service after being temporarily out of operation. The express library is located at 2547 Hwy. 96 South, on the same property as the Wilton EMS Station, right next door to Wilton Elementary School. (Photo Credit: County of Granville)
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After more than 15 years of service to the Granville County Sheriff’s Office and to local citizens, the retirement of Detective Doug McFee has been announced.
“Doug has been a vital resource to the Granville County Sheriff’s Office,” Sheriff Brin Wilkins said about Friday’s presentation. “He will be missed, but we wish him well in his retirement.”
McFee was recently presented a plaque from the Granville County Board of Commissioners for his work and for his dedication to the job. Zelodis Jay, Chairman of the Board, made the presentation at the Granville County Manager’s office on Williamsboro Street in Oxford.
McFee’s retirement is effective January 31, 2019.
Pictured left to right: Zelodis Jay, Granville County Board of Commissioners Chairman; Detective McFee; and Sheriff Brin Wilkins. (Photo courtesy the County of Granville)
– Video link provided courtesy Granville County Public Schools
Dr. Alisa McLean, superintendent of Granville County Public Schools, speaks to the community in a “State of the Schools” address on Thursday, January 24, 2019.
Please click the play button on the video below to hear her address:
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