Tag Archive for: #granvillecountynews

Dr. Rachel Desmarais Chosen as Next President of VGCC

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Dr. Rachel M. Desmarais has been chosen as the next president of Vance-Granville Community College. With the final approval of the appointment by the State Board of Community Colleges on Dec. 18, she becomes the seventh president in the 49-year history of the college.

The VGCC Board of Trustees selected Dr. Desmarais on Wednesday, Dec. 5, following presentations by three finalists in a series of public forums from Nov. 30 through Dec. 4.

“The Board of Trustees has concluded Dr. Desmarais possesses the key attributes of an outstanding president that were identified in our search process,” said Danny W. Wright, chair of the board. “We are confident that Dr. Desmarais will provide: the visionary leadership to help our college expand and to promote economic development in our four counties, a powerful commitment to student recruitment and retention, the dedication to improving the lives of the people in our service area, the attention to facility planning and sustainability, and the articulation of our mission and vision to the college’s employees and the communities we serve.”

Dr. Rachel M. Desmarais, chosen as seventh president of Vance-Granville Community College.

The selection comes after a nationwide search that produced 89 applicants. She will begin work early in 2019.

The executive vice president and chief operating officer of Forsyth Technical Community College in Winston-Salem since 2015, Dr. Desmarais has been with Forsyth Tech in a variety of roles since becoming a department chair in 2002. Once a student at Forsyth Tech, taking Information Technology and Programming courses in 1994-1995, Dr. Desmarais became an adjunct instructor at the community college from 1996 to 1999 while also working in the private sector. She became the vice president of information services at Forsyth Tech in 2008 and moved to vice president of planning and information services in 2010 before assuming her current position.

She earned her doctorate of philosophy in instructional design and technology from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., in 2015 after getting her masters of science in information technology management from the University of North Carolina in Greensboro in 2003. She earned a bachelor of music degree in voice performance from Mars Hill College in 1992.

She was also among fewer than 40 aspiring and emerging community college presidents nationwide who were chosen for the Aspen Institute Presidential Fellowship for Community College Excellence in 2017-2018.

“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve and lead Vance-Granville Community College as its seventh president,” said Dr. Desmarais after being given the news on Wednesday night. “VGCC is a special place with students, faculty, staff, and board members who care for and take great pride in the college and community. I look forward to building on the strong value and culture already present in the college to cultivate a new shared vision for VGCC and its communities. Together, we will truly be Vanguards!”

Born in Sumter, S.C., while her father was stationed at Shaw Air Force Base, she moved to Alabama when her family returned home after the Vietnam War.

“I got to watch my dad march across the stage at Auburn University as an electrical engineer,” Dr. Demarais said. “My mother was a preschool teacher. I got exposure to education at a young age, and I saw the value of it.”

Her family found a new home in Orangeburg, S.C., for her father’s first job after college and then eventually Rock Hill, S.C., where she attended middle school and completed her secondary education.

Since her move to Mars Hill, N.C., at the age of 18 to attend college, she has remained in North Carolina, noting that her career has taken her from music education to an administrative assistant in manufacturing to information technology and ultimately to community college administration.

She still has a desire to teach and said she now blends that desire with her love of information and technology to help students find success in the classroom.

“I have a real passion for using data from our students to help them learn how to learn,” she said. “Students have jobs. They have their lives to lead while going to college. They have much to juggle. We have a responsibility to make sure that the education we offer them is as efficient and effective in its delivery as it can be.

“I’m really a strong believer in institutional effectiveness,” she added. “The data can be used as a tool to help our students succeed. We need always to use it as a positive tool. An educated society is a happier, more fulfilled society.”

Her work in the private sector includes a period from 1999 to 2002 when she worked with the Womble Carlyle Sandridge Rice law firm and later a subsidiary, FirmLogic, in Winston-Salem as a systems support manager and, later, project manager. She was assistant to the director of manufacturing and a systems analyst for Highland Industries in Kernersville in 1997-1999.

She also has been actively involved in community projects in the Winston-Salem area, including the United Way; Boy Scouts of America; Forsyth Futures, a non-profit community data research organization; WinstonNet Inc., a non-profit community technology initiative; the Center for Design Innovation; and the Board of Cooperative Ministries for the Southern Province of the Moravian Church.

Dr. Desmarais has an adult son, Ian, who is currently a biotechnology major at Forsyth Tech. Her younger son, Conall, who will be completing the eighth grade, is interested in attending an early college high school. Her husband, she said, plans to retain his job in the Winston-Salem area as he is able to do the majority of his work off-site.

The search process for the new president began in September when the Trustees selected the firm of Executive Leadership Associates (ELA) LLP of Emerald Isle to help the board create a profile of the ideal presidential candidate needed for VGCC, to guide the search process and to recruit and screen applicants. Applications and nominations were accepted beginning Oct. 8 with a deadline of Nov. 9.

Serving on the VGCC Trustees’ presidential search committee were Trustees Deborah Brown, chair; Herb Gregory, vice chair; N. Annette P. Myers, Abdul Sm Rasheed, Donald C. Seifert, Sr., and Sara C. Wester.

With the guidance of ELA, a consortium of former North Carolina community college presidents, the list of candidates was narrowed to five by the board’s search committee. On Nov. 19, at the regular bimonthly meeting of the board, the Trustees trimmed the list to three finalists who were invited to the college to meet with staff and faculty, county officials, chamber members and the public to participate in individual forums. Attendees were given the opportunity to provide input on each finalist via a form distributed at the forums or verbally to representatives of ELA in attendance.

The board met on Dec. 4 following the last of the interviews with candidates. A final decision on the selection was made at a continuation of that meeting, on Dec. 5, following the results of a vetting process conducted by the State Board of Community Colleges.

“After this carefully executed selection process, we believe Dr. Desmarais has the background and the experience to move us and our communities forward,” Trustee Wright said. “We do appreciate our two other finalists who showed such a strong interest in helping our college advance, and we owe much to the members of the public sector who also attended the forums and assisted us in this search process as well.”

The two other finalists were Dr. Quentin Johnson of Mooresville, vice president of Student Support Services at Guilford Technical Community College in Greensboro, and Dr. Melanie Thornton of Albany, Ga., vice president of academic affairs at Columbus Technical College in Columbus, Ga.

The new president succeeds Dr. Stelfanie Williams who left in August to become the vice president for Durham affairs at Duke University. Dr. Gordon Burns, retired president of Wilkes Community College, is serving as interim president for VGCC until Dr. Desmarais takes office.

New Operators Hope to See Increased Traffic at Henderson-Oxford Airport

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Chris and Amanda Welsh, with the Henderson-Oxford Airport, were on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss their recent hiring as the local airport’s newest fixed-base operators (FBOs).

Hired in October to manage day-to-day operations such as fueling, hangaring and maintenance, the Welsh family brings a lifelong love for aviation and their years of experience working at the Triangle North Airport in Franklin County with them on this new venture.

“I’ve been involved with airplanes basically my entire life,” said Chris. “My father got his pilot’s license when he was in college, so I’ve been exposed to them, literally, since birth.”

With aviation in his blood, Welsh began working with a mechanic at the Louisburg airport after his own graduation from college and has spent the past six years there honing his skills.

Upon learning that the Henderson-Oxford Airport was in need of a new FBO, Welsh said he and his family put together a presentation for the airport’s Board Authority and the rest is history.

From people forming big lines to board flights to people walking freely who charted private jets using the Jettly website, he has seen it all and met those people. He has asked the airport authority to put forth a proposal to make the terminal bigger with longer runways so that there can be a separate allocated runway strip for both private and commercial planes.

The Welshes’ main goal for the airport, located on the aptly named Airport Rd. in Oxford, is to increase the general aviation traffic and to make businesses and corporations more aware of its existence and amenities.

“General aviation has ebbed and flowed [recently], said Amanda. “We are just at an ebb. Right now, we have a great condition runway at a good length [5,500 ft]. We just had our apron redone and are having work done on our lights to get them up to LED spec.”

“The facilities of the airport have outpaced operations,” she further explained.

The Welshes anticipate that continuous growth in Raleigh and the Research Triangle Park will help push business their way. “I think Raleigh’s going to come north and that the people of Henderson and Oxford are going to see growth from those who want to get just outside of North Raleigh,” Amanda said.

Proximity to the interstate is another plus for aviation traffic, according to Chris. “This airport has good access, via I-85, to the Durham area. As RDU grows and becomes less friendly to very small aircraft – piston/propeller-type, you’re seeing the movement of these traffic operations go to the Sanford or Louisburg airports. We’re hoping to draw some of that traffic to the Henderson-Oxford Airport.”

The airport is also increasing awareness by participating in events such as the annual military history show. Celebrating its third year this past October, the event coordinated by Harry Coombs features various military displays from the Revolutionary War, World War II, Vietnam and more. The Welshes hope to make the event even bigger next fall with the addition of rides and games for the whole family.

The airport also offers flying lessons for all interested potential pilots. Instructor Paul Hesse with Empire Aviation runs the flight school and can be contacted by clicking here.

To hear the interview in its entirety, please click here.

National Weather Service

Forecasters Predict ‘Significant Snowfall’ for Area; When & How Much Still Uncertain

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-Information and weather chart courtesy Brian K. Short, Director of Emergency Operations, Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations and Ready NC

Below is a briefing slide from the National Weather Service regarding a significant storm system that will affect our area over the weekend. The storm is still a few days away, making a definitive forecast difficult, but all indications are that we could receive significant snowfall before the system moves out on Monday.

A mixture of rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow are possible depending on the timing and where exactly the low pressure tracks along our coast. Again, while nothing is certain, confidence is high that we could see a significant winter event with this storm.

We will continue to forward along additional information as it is received. Please visit www.weather.gov/raleigh anytime for updated information.

 

City of Oxford Breaks Ground on Water Line Replacement

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-Information and photo courtesy the City of Oxford website

The City of Oxford held a groundbreaking ceremony for its 5.8-mile water line replacement on Friday, November 30, 2018, at 210 Coleman Street.

City of Oxford Mayor Jackie Sergent, City Manager Alan Thornton, City Engineer Amy Ratliff and Division of Environmental Quality’s Division of Water Infrastructure Director Kim Colson spoke about the $5.8 million project which was funded by the Division of Water Infrastructure and approved by the State Water Infrastructure Authority.

The undersized water lines, some more than 100 years old, will be replaced by this project which began in 2016. The new lines will correct water quality, low system pressure, and will help in reducing outages and water loss.

The City of Oxford held a groundbreaking ceremony for its 5.8-mile water line replacement on Friday, November 30, 2018, at 210 Coleman Street. (Photo Credit: City of Oxford)

Increased Alzheimer’s Funding, Expanded Research Methods Offer Hope for a Cure

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Alice Watkins, a 27-year member of the NC Alzheimer’s Association, called into Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

While only one of several types of dementia, Alzheimer’s is, according to Watkins, “certainly the most prevalent.” Typically affecting those age 65 to 85, the currently irreversible disease is characterized by a progressive loss of memory and ability to complete everyday tasks.

“The two things that I always try to get people to understand about Alzheimer’s is that it is a form of dementia and that it is not a normal part of aging,” said Watkins. “We have found, through research, that the disease can start 20 years before noticeable symptoms appear,” Watkins said.

As the disease progresses, the afflicted may forget how to engage in tasks such as brushing their teeth or taking a bath. “Getting them to take a bath and taking their license away are two of the most critical things children of parents with Alzheimer’s have to deal with,” said Watkins. “They are accustomed to their parents being in charge and telling them what to do.”

Watkins cautions that not all issues with memory or the completion of tasks lead to a diagnosis of dementia. “Things that can be fixed, such as a vitamin B-12 deficiency or a urinary tract infection can often mimic signs of dementia.”

While deficiencies and infections can often be cured, currently Alzheimer’s cannot. “Alzheimer’s is the third leading cause of death and the most feared of the diseases in the United States,” Watkins said. “There is currently no cure.”

Watkins remains hopeful that one day a cure will be discovered and is encouraged by upcoming research efforts. “We are seeing more young researchers getting involved, exploring new avenues of research and examining how diseases link. We are also seeing more of an international effort to find answers.”

One branch of dementia research is currently focused on traumatic brain injury and its effect on the military, specifically. “Researchers are finding that more and more returning military personnel are suffering from traumatic brain injury and PTSD, and many of these cases are progressing into Alzheimer’s,” said Watkins.

Increased research, additional funding and getting people into clinical trials is the key to speeding up the process of finding both a cause and cure, Watkins believes.

“We are getting better with diagnostic tools. If we find one tool that can definitively say ‘this is Alzheimer’s disease,’ then we will be one big step ahead. Right now, there is not such a tool; instead, everything else is ruled out.”

Even with a “ruling out” diagnosis made, the only way to know for sure that the disease was Alzheimer’s is with an autopsy after death, said Watkins.

According to Watkins, groups such as UsAgainstAlzheimer’s based out of Washington, D.C., are responsible for Congress’ recent allocation of $425 million to Alzheimer’s research. “That brings the disease, for the first time, to $2.3 billion in research.”

That figure, while staggering, is still well below funding allocated for heart disease and cancer research.

“The part that is desperately needed in all of this is funding,” Watkins explained. “I encourage people to stay on top of this by checking in with Congressional leaders. Encourage them to look at acts like the Change Act that focuses on care being provided to these patients by families and the costs they incur.”

To hear the interview in its entirety, please click here.

Granville County Commissioners Sworn Into Service

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-Press Release, County of Granville

At the December 3 meeting of the Board, three Granville County Commissioners were sworn into service. With the November election of David Smith, Tim Karan and Edgar Smoak, the makeup of the Board remains unchanged as all incumbents were re-elected to represent their respective districts.

Comm. David Smith, District 2, is pictured with his family as Granville County’s Clerk to the Board, Debra Weary, administers the oath. (Photo Credit: County of Granville)

Comm. David Smith, representing District 2, is a retired Granville County Sheriff. He will continue to serve on the Audit Review Committee, the Board of Equalization and Review, the Human Relations Commission, the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments Board, the Oxford Downtown Economic Development Commission Board, the Senior Services Advisory Committee and the Triangle North Board. In addition, he will continue to serve as Finance Liaison for the Board and is an ex-officio member of the Granville Health System Board of Trustees.

Comm. Smith was sworn into office by Debra Weary, Granville County’s Clerk to the Board, with his family by his side.

Comm. Karan, District 6, is a “stay at home dad.” His committee/liaison assignments include the Board of Equalization and Review, the Digital Infrastructure Planning Committee, the Economic Development Advisory Board, the Extension Leadership Advisory Council, the Greenway Advisory Council, the Fire Services Committee, the Opioid Advisory Council, the Granville Health System Board of Trustees, the South Granville Water and Sewer Authority (SGWASA) and the Private Industry Council.

Representing District 6, Comm. Timothy Karan is shown with his family as he is sworn in by N.C. House Rep. Larry Yarborough. (Photo Credit: County of Granville)

Comm. Karan also serves as a School Administration Liaison and the Granville Athletic Park/Recreation Committee Liaison and is an alternate for the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO).

N.C. House Representative Larry Yarborough officiated the swearing-in ceremony for Comm. Karan, as Karan’s family looked on.

District 7’s representative, Comm. Edgar Smoak, is the former Board Chairman. Retired from military service, his committee/liaison assignments include the Area Mental Health Board, the Audit Review Committee, the Board of Equalization and Review, the Opioid Advisory Committee, the Granville Health System Board of Trustees, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO), the South Granville Water and Sewer Authority (SGWASA) and the Transportation Plan Work Group. He will also continue to serve as Public Safety Liaison, as well as a liaison for the Soil and Water Board and for Water Sewer Matters.

Comm. Edgar Smoak, District 7, is pictured taking the oath from Rep. Larry Yarborough as his family looks on. (Photo Credit: County of Granville)

With his family alongside, Comm. Smoak was also sworn in by N.C. House Representative Larry Yarborough.

All three Commissioners have served since 2010.

Comm. Zelodis Jay, District 1, was elected to serve as Chairman for the upcoming year and Comm. Smith was elected to serve as Vice-Chair.

To reach any member of the Board of Commissioners, call 919-693-4761.  A County Commissioner Directory is available at https://www.granvillecounty.org/government/county-commissioners/commissioner-directory.

 

Oxford Board of Commissioners to Hear on Potential Rezoning at Dec. 11 Meeting

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-Information courtesy Cynthia Bowen, City Clerk, City of Oxford

The City of Oxford Board of Commissioners will hold their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, December 11, 2018, at 7 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room, City Hall.

Agenda items include:

Presentation by the Oxford Police Department – Crime Rate.

Recognize Janice Murphy – Officer of the Year.

Public hearing to hear citizen input on the potential rezoning of 5015 Highway 96 of the approximately 44-acre parcel from R-A (Agriculture) to R-8 (1 & 2 family residential). The applicant is requesting to rezone the 44+/-acre parcel of land in order to develop the property for a residential subdivision which will be added to the 88 +/- parcel that was rezoned in September 2018.

Consider approving a rezoning request of an approximately 44-acre parcel from R–A (Residential Agriculture) to R-8 (1 & 2 Family Residential). The applicants T. Chase Massey, PE, and Mark D. Wells parcel owner would like to rezone the property which will be added to the previously approved 88-acre parcel for a residential subdivision adjacent to the Rolling Wood Subdivision off of Hwy 96. The Planning Board reviewed the request at the October meeting and find that the requested rezoning of the property is consistent with the City of Oxford’s comprehensive land use map.

Oxford Police Dept

Oxford Man Sentenced on Firearms Charge

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-Press Release, U.S. Dept. of Justice

The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, United States District Judge Malcolm J. Howard sentenced JAMAAL RAY CURTIS, 36, of Oxford to 188 months’ imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. CURTIS pled guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on January 11, 2018.

In 2016, investigators with the Oxford Police Department (OPD) received information that CURTIS was selling narcotics from his residence in Oxford. CURTIS was on post-release supervision arising from state charges, so on December 13, 2016, members of the North Carolina Department of Probation and Parole Services conducted a compliance check at CURTIS’s residence. Finding that CURTIS was not home, OPD learned that he was at the Oxford residence of his child’s mother.

When investigators responded to that residence and knocked on the door, they spotted CURTIS attempting to leave through a side door. Officers entered the residence and found CURTIS attempting to hide in a back bedroom. After CURTIS admitted that he had a firearm in a nearby coat, officers found and seized a .25 caliber pistol from a coat pocket. On CURTIS’s person, officers found over an ounce of cocaine and $3,000.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.

The investigation of this case was conducted by the Oxford Police Department, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF).

News releases are available on the U.S. Attorney’s webpage located at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_EDNC

‘Home for the Holidays’ to Help First Responders & Veterans Affected by Florence

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-Press Release, Carolina Loggers Association

When Hurricane Florence slammed into North Carolina on September 14, 2018, as a category 1 rainmaker, it was clear that damage to the already rain-soaked state would be immense. As the state continues the recovery process, two groups – the Carolina Loggers Association’s Logs for the Cause and NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation’s United2gether – have joined forces with the St. Bernard Project (SBP) to help first responders and veterans impacted by the storm get one step closer to a Home for the Holidays.

“Every gift given through both the Logs for the Cause and United2gether campaigns between now and January 31, 2019, will go toward SBP’s efforts to rebuild homes for first responders and veterans throughout North Carolina who were impacted by Hurricane Florence,” said Ewell Smith, executive director of the Carolina Loggers Association. “While those affected have long since returned to work, the impact from this storm will be felt for years to come. The logging community in NC – one that was hit especially hard by the storm – is close-knit; we believe in giving back and paying it forward, and helping to kick-start the rebuilding process is the perfect place to start.”

“Recovery is a collaborative effort,” noted SBP co-founder and CEO Zack Rosenburg. “Through this partnership, SBP will be able to provide a predictable path home for disaster-impacted families of veterans and first responders in North Carolina. This is a great example of Americans rallying together for other citizens during times of great need.  We believe that this partnership is an example of the seldom discussed, but ever-present ties that bind us together.”

“Growing up in Eastern North Carolina and seeing first-hand the devastation of Hurricane Florence was heartbreaking,” commented Paige Keselowski. “Immediately following the storm, we created the United2gether campaign to support first responders in affected areas. Teaming up with the Carolina Loggers Association and SBP USA on the Home for the Holidays program is a great way for us to continue our support of first responders and veterans that are still dealing with the impact of the storm.”

The Home for the Holidays program is actively seeking building products partners to assist in the rebuilding efforts. Please contact Carolina Loggers Association executive director Ewell Smith at esmith@ncloggers.com for more information.

‘Journey Back to Bethlehem’ With Delrayno Baptist Church’s Drive-Through Nativity

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-Information courtesy Allan Daniel, Delrayno Baptist Church – Oxford

Delrayno Baptist Church, 1315 College St., Oxford, will have a drive-through nativity titled “A Journey Back to Bethlehem” this coming weekend – Saturday, December 8 – 10, 2018,  from 6 until 8:30 p.m. each night. Live actors and animals, along with Chesny the Camel, will tell the story of the birth of Jesus.

Follow the Star to Bethlehem!