Tag Archive for: #granvillecountynews

Upcoming Blood Drives

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Recent inclement weather across the country has hampered blood drive efforts, and demands for blood and plasma and blood donations continues to be greater than supply. There are several local opportunities to give blood in Vance and Granville counties through February.

The American Red Cross urges donors to give blood or platelets now to continue to strengthen the national blood supply.

Book a time to give by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-RED CROSS. People of all blood types – especially type O blood donors, the most needed blood group by hospitals – and platelet donors are needed daily to ensure blood products are available for hospitals at a moment’s notice.

As February continues, so does the potential for additional weather systems to disrupt blood drives and the ability to provide critical blood products to hospitals. While thousands of donors have answered the call to donate in recent weeks to combat a significant drop in the blood supply, more donors are needed now to ensure the blood supply remains ready for those in need of lifesaving medical procedures.

 

As a way to say thanks for helping, all who come to give in February will get a $20 Amazon.com Gift Card by email. Details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Heart.

Upcoming blood drives:

Vance

Henderson

2/20/2024: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Vance Granville Community College, 200 Community College Road

2/20/2024: 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Kerr Lake Country Club, 600 Hedrick Road

 

Granville

 

Butner

2/29/2024: 12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Butner Town Hall, 415 Central Avenue

 

Creedmoor

2/16/2024: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Creedmoor Community Center, 116 Douglas Drive

 

Oxford

2/23/2024: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Oxford United Methodist Church, 105 W McClanahan St

2/28/2024: 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., Thornton Branch, 210 Main Street

Oxford Prep School

SportsTalk: Oxford Prep Softball Looking For Back To Back Championships

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It’s never easy to repeat as a champion, but Oxford Prep Softball Coach Tommy Anstead feels as though his team has a pretty good chance to win a conference championship in 2024.  “We have 12 or 13 girls returning including all of our starters except one,” Anstead said on Thursday’s SportsTalk.

The team is counting on another strong performance from pitcher Addison Faucette.  Last season, as a freshman, Faucette was 16-3 on the year with an earned run average of 1.79.   Oxford Prep can hit the ball too.  “We had seven players with a batting average of over .300 and of the seven, four were over .400,” Anstead said.

Anstead expects tough competition this season citing Roxboro and Vance Charter as teams that could cause problems for Oxford Prep this season. Anstead also says the team has a tougher schedule this season.  Oxford Prep opens the season on March 1st against county rival J.F. Webb.

CLICK PLAY!

 

Early Voting Information For Granville Voters

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One-stop early voting for the Mar. 5 primary begins in less than two days and the Granville County Board of Elections reminds voters to bring a photo ID to make your trip to the polls smooth and simple.

The early voting begins Thursday, Feb. 15 and continues through Saturday, Mar. 2. The polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on each day and from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 2. Granville County have three options to cast their vote before the Mar. 5 primary:

  • Oxford Public Works building meeting room 127 Penn Ave., Oxford
  • South Branch Library multipurpose room, 1550 South Campus Dr., Creedmoor
  • Tar River Elementary School gymnasium, 2642 Philo White Rd., Franklinton

*Philo White Road is located off Hwy. 96 before the intersection with Hwy. 56 and is within Granville County, despite the Franklinton mailing address

To learn more about the upcoming elections, visit https://www.granvillecounty.org/government/board-of-elections/2024-primary-election/ or call the Board of Elections at 919.693.2515.

Openings On Several Boards, Committees In Granville County

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Live in Granville County and want to volunteer in some capacity? There are openings on several citizen advisory boards and committees, and the board of commissioners is accepting applications now.

Most positions will be filled by citizens who reside in the district listed, but final appointment decisions are at the discretion of the board, according to information from Clerk to the Board Debra Weary. Some positions must be filled by residents that reside within the Extra-Territorial  Jurisdiction of a municipality, which is roughly a one-mile radius outside of the municipal limits. These appointees serve as county representatives on those municipal advisory boards.

Vacant seats are available for the following boards and committees:

  • Butner Board of Adjustment (ETJ, should reside in District 7). The Butner Board of Adjustment meets monthly on Thursdays at 7 p.m.
  • Butner Planning Board (ETJ, should reside in District 7). The Butner Planning Board meets monthly on Thursdays at 7 p.m.
  • Granville County Planning Board (District 7). The Planning Board meets monthly on Thursdays at 7 p.m.
  • Granville County Social Services Board (At-Large County Appointment). The Social Services Board meets monthly on Tuesdays at 5 p.m.

Applications, as well as details about the various boards and committees, are available on the Granville County website:https://www.granvillecounty.org/government/other-boards-commissions/

Completed applications should be returned to Debra Weary, Clerk to the Board of Commissioners, by email at debra.weary@granvillecounty.org, hand delivered in person to the county administration office located at 104 Belle St. in Oxford, or by mail to P.O. Box 906, Oxford, NC 27565 to the attention of Debra Weary.

To verify your district, please visit the N.C .State Board of Elections website: https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/  and look for the district number beside “County Commissioner” under “your jurisdictions.” If you need additional assistance, contact the Granville County Addressing and GIS Mapping Coordinator at 919.692.1278.

 

Granville County Public Schools Leadership Changes

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-information courtesy of GCPS Public Information Officer Courtney Currin

The Granville County Board of Education approved several changes in district leadership positions at its Feb. 5 meeting and, in doing so, reduced the number of central services staff by two positions.

Vickie Hines was named the district’s Chief Financial Officer. She has been serving as an interim in that role since March 2022. Hines has worked with GCPS since 2007, and has held roles as Early Childhood Education coordinator, grants program coordinator and assistant finance officer.

Courtney Currin was named assistant superintendent of Human Resources and Operations and will begin that role July 1, 2024. She currently is the executive director of Human Resources and public information officer; Currin will continue as public information officer for the district, but will be succeeded by Latisa McKnight as the new executive director of Human Resources, also effective July 1, 2024.

Currin has close to 20 years of experience in public education – all in GCPS. She began her career as an English teacher at J.F. Webb High School and has served as an assistant principal and principal at multiple grade spans. She has served in the Human Resources department since July 2021.

McKnight, currently the personnel coordinator within the Human Resources department, will assume the director duties in the new fiscal year. McKnight came to Granville County School as a principal intern at Butner-Stem Elementary and went on to be assistant principal for five years and then principal for six years at Creedmoor Elementary.

The role of personnel coordinator will not be filled, according to the press release. The second position that will not be filled is executive director of Operations, currently held by Bill Graham, who announced his retirement after 36 years in education, including terms as principal of South Granville High School, Granville Central High School and Granville Academy.

“I am very confident that these proven leaders will do an exceptional job in their new roles. As we continue to address the upcoming budgetary challenges, we will maximize efficiency and target our resources to where they matter most, closest to our schools, serving our students,” said Superintendent Stan Winborne.

“By consolidating services at the Central Office level and reducing positions, we will save approximately $118,600,” Currin said in an email to WIZS News.

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Board Of Education Approves 2024-25 Calendar With Aug. 12 Start Date

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Parents with children in Granville County Public Schools, take note: The first day of the 2024-25 school year is inching forward a couple of weeks after the Granville County Board of Education approved the traditional-year calendar Monday.

Students will return to school on Monday, Aug. 12, according to information from GCPS Public Information Officer Courtney Currin. The earlier start date means an earlier end date, with the school year coming to a close before the Memorial Day holiday. Students returned to school this year on Aug. 28.

Another bonus comes for high school students, who will complete exams and first semester before the winter break.

Currin said the the calendar committee incorporated feedback from parents and significantly reduced the number of early release days to better meet the needs of the district’s families. This calendar also includes a small fall break in mid-October and puts the district’s calendar in line with local charter schools, she said.

The Granville Early College High School’s calendar is closely aligned with Vance-Granville Community College’s calendar to facilitate cross-enrollment for its students. The first day of class for Early College students is Wednesday, Aug. 7.

View both calendars at https://www.gcs.k12.nc.us/.

 

 

VGCC Logo

VGCC Partners With FTCC To Give Students Access To Funeral Service Education

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– Information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

Vance-Granville Community College is teaming up with one of its sister schools on an innovative hybrid program, paving the way for new career opportunities in its four-county service area.

VGCC has partnered with Fayetteville Technical Community College to bring FTCC’s Funeral Service Education program to students in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties. FTCC runs the only funeral service program of its kind in North Carolina, which is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education and led by licensed funeral professionals.

“This is extremely relevant to our area,” said VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais. “We really want to open this up as a possibility.”

The agreement allows VGCC students to take general education courses close to home before applying to transfer into FTCC’s funeral service program. Much of the program’s specialized instruction is offered online and can be completed remotely. Students must complete certain practical requirements in labs at FTCC or during work-based learning at a local funeral home, and they will be required to visit FTCC in person a few times to demonstrate or learn key funeral service skills.

FTCC President Dr. Mark Sorrells noted that the program offers VGCC students the opportunity to accomplish much of their education without having to travel the distance to Fayetteville. “We think that’s a tremendous advantage and a way that we, as the only funeral service program in the state, can extend that service out into the rural areas and the small- to medium-sized colleges that have a lot of employment demand and need,” he said.

N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon, who owns three funeral homes in Vance and Granville counties, was one of several industry professionals to attend the partnership’s signing ceremony in Henderson. “The more people locally we can get who consider going into this industry, the more likely funeral homes will stay family-owned,” Sossamon said. “I think that’s a valuable thing.”

Vance-Granville is the fifth community college in the North Carolina Community College System to partner with Fayetteville Tech’s funeral service program.

 

 

 

VGCC Logo

Youth Honor Band Concert Friday, Feb. 2 At VGCC Civic Center

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Vance Granville-Community College will host its second annual Youth Honor Band concert on Friday, Feb. 2 at the college’s Main Campus Civic Center in Henderson.

Last year’s inaugural event was for musicians from local high schools, but it was so successful that this year’s concert will include musicians from several local middle schools as well, said VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel.

The participants, representing schools in Vance, Granville and Franklin counties, were nominated by their respective band directors for their musical talent and passion. They will gather for the first time to rehearse Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. They’ll come together for the concert at 6:30 p.m.

The performance is free and open to the public; family, friends, and community members are encouraged to come support these talented students and the schools they represent, Cissel stated.

This event was planned by a committee comprised of faculty and staff from VGCC, area band directors, area school administrators, local business owners and other community members. Brian D. Miller, VGCC music instructor and Community Band director, will lead the high school band; Sherri M. Damon, music instructor at Oxford’s Credle Elementary School, will lead the middle school band.

The student musicians will learn new songs especially for this event. Music selections had not yet been finalized at the time of publication, but event organizers offered a preview of what songs attendees might hear: “The Tempest” (Robert W. Smith), “Bach: Two Joyous Chorales” (arr. Anne McGinty), “Military Escort march” (Harold Bennett), “American Youth Overture” (Floyd St. Clair), and “Air for Band” (Frank Erickson).

To learn more about the VGCC Honor Band or Fine Arts at Vance-Granville Community Colleg, contact  Betsy Henderson, department chair of Fine Arts & Humanities, at hendersonb@vgcc.edu or 252.738.3371.

TownTalk: Events In Granville County

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Most coffee and tea drinkers have a favorite cup they reach for each day, but there’s a good chance they’re always looking for that “next” perfect vessel for a morning brew or afternoon cuppa. Cedar Creek Gallery in Creedmoor has an exhibit called “CUPful – Celebrating the Daily Ritual” that will run through Feb. 25 to showcase handcrafted pottery from near and far.

Granville Tourism Director Angela Allen shared a laundry list of upcoming events in the area, from Creedmoor and Stem to Oxford.

Visit https://cedarcreekgallery.com/ to learn more.

On Friday, Feb. 9, the Orpheum in Oxford will transform to host a local version of Mardi Gras, a fundraiser for the Granville County unit of the Boys & Girls Club.

“It is a party with a purpose,” Allen said. Things crank up at 6:30 p.m. to welcome partygoers for an evening of fun, complete with heavy hors d’oeuvres, music and a silent auction.

Tickets are $75.

Wear your favorite cocktail attire, a Mardi Gras mask, she said, “and you know there’s gonna be some beads there,” she said.

The next evening, Saturday, Feb. 10, Thorndale Oaks is hosting a murder-mystery dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m. The evening’s theme is “A Country Fried Caper,” Allen said, and the evening will include a cast of characters that could best be described as a group of “ off-the-wall country music stars,” one of whom will not make it through the evening.

Tickets are $65 and includes a full dinner. Allen said the evening’s events unfold throughout the different dinner courses.

Call Thorndale Oaks at 919.603.3701 to reserve your seat at the table.

If whodunits aren’t your style, perhaps a quarter auction to support the local Dogs Deserve Better organization is more to your liking. The “Puppy Love” fundraiser will be held at The Barn at Vino on Feb. 24 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

This event has proved to be quite popular, Allen said, and she recommends getting your tickets soon. Find a link to purchase tickets at https://visitgranvillenc.com/

“It’s a wonderful organization and every year, they show these fur babies some love,” she said. In addition to a couple of food trucks on site to satisfy everyone’s appetites, there will be 65 different raffle baskets available, a 50/50 raffle and additional vendors who will be selling different items through the evening.

Some upcoming events in March include:

  • Saturday, Mar. 2 – Spring Granville Wedding and Event Expo – Creedmoor Community Center. Donations for ACIM food bank will be accepted during this event, so bring a can of food or other shelf-stable food to contribute to this worthy cause.
  • Saturday, Mar. 16 – Granville Ambulance Chase and Food Truck Rodeo – After a hiatus due to COVID-19, Granville Health System is bringing this fun event back to Oxford. Walk or run and then kick back for food and live music. Visit ghsambulancechase.org for all the details.
  • Saturday, Mar. 16 – Head over to Thorndale Oaks to catch comedian Dan Grueter. Visit the Thorndale Oaks Facebook page to get tickets. There will be appetizers available and a cash bar.
  • Saturday and Sunday, Mar. 23, 24 – the third annual Viking Experience, which will take place at The Barn at Vino from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Participants can immerse themselves in all things Viking. People have come from all across the country to attend this two-day event, Allen said. Visit https://www.thevikingexperiencenc.com/
  •  for details about ticket prices, schedules and more.

The county’s tourism website, www.visitgranvillenc.com has a complete listing of all the events happening in and around Granville County.

 

 

Granville Chamber Banquet Mar. 11

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The Granville County Chamber of Commerce annual membership meeting and banquet is coming up on Monday, Mar. 11, 2024.

This year’s banquet will be held at The Barn at Vino in Stem, according to information from Chamber Executive Director Cynthia Ratliff. The recipient of the annual John Penn Citizen of the Year and the Small Business of the Year will be announced at the banquet – the deadline to nominate is fast approaching – submit completed forms before 5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 8.

Tickets for the banquet are $60 each for Chamber members and $70 for prospective members; Tables of eight are available for $460. Reserve your spot now by purchasing tickets at

https://granville-chamber.chambermaster.com/eventregistration/register/4901

Here are links to the nomination forms:

2023 John Penn Citizen of the Year Award

 2023 Small Business of the Year Award 

Submit completed forms to the Chamber via email at   cynthia@granville-chamber.com or drop them off at the Chamber office, 124 124 Hillsboro St., Oxford, before 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 8.