Tag Archive for: #granvillecountynews

First Nationwide Presidential-Level Emergency Test to be Conducted Wed., Oct. 3

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-Information courtesy Lynn Allred, Public Information Officer/Grants Coordinator, County of Granville

IPAWS National Test

• The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system on October 3, 2018.

• The test will assess the readiness to distribute an emergency message nationwide and determine whether improvements are needed.

• The test messages will be sent using FEMA’s IPAWS, which enables authorities to send emergency messages to multiple communications networks, including the EAS and WEA as part of the nation’s modern alert and warning infrastructure.

• Sending the WEA test message will begin at 2:18 p.m. EDT. The EAS message will be sent at 2:20 p.m. EDT.

• This will be the first nationwide Presidential-level WEA test and cannot be opted out.

• Originally planned for September 20, 2018, the test has been postponed until October 3, 2018. A back-up date is always planned in case of severe weather or other significant events.

Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) Test

Cell towers will broadcast the WEA test for approximately 30 minutes beginning at 2:18 p.m. EDT. During this time, WEA-compatible cell phones that are switched on and within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless carrier participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message. Cell phones should receive the message only once.

The WEA test message will be a Presidential Alert and will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

WEA messages are sent by public safety officials to warn the public about dangerous situations in other critical emergencies. The national test will use the same special tone and vibration as with all WEA messages (e.g. tornado warnings and AMBER Alerts).

The EAS test message is distributed to radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers, and wireline video providers.

The test message will be similar to regular monthly EAS test messages with which the public is familiar and interrupts programming for approximately one minute.

The EAS message will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Emergency Alert System. This system was developed by broadcast and cable operators in voluntary cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Federal Communications Commission, and local authorities to keep you informed in the event of an emergency. If this had been an actual emergency, an official message would have followed the tone alert you heard at the start of this message. A similar Wireless Emergency Alert test message has been sent to all cell phones nationwide. Some cell phones will receive the message; others will not. No action is required.”

For additional information, please visit the FEMA website by clicking here.

Oxford’s Masonic Home to Hold 8th Annual Homecoming Festival

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-Information and flyer courtesy the Masonic Home for Children at Oxford website

Please plan to join The Masonic Home for Children in Oxford for the 8th Annual Masonic Homecoming Festival October 12 – 14, 2018. This celebration of North Carolina’s first Home for children honors those who have lived here and those who have made it possible – our Masons.

The weekend kicks off Friday, October 12 with the Oxford Orphanage/Masonic Home for Children Alumni Association’s annual golf tournament, Chipshots for Children. Spend Friday evening at MHCO’s Yard Party featuring music from The Moonlighters Orchestra.

Join us again on Saturday, October 13 to enjoy the state’s best Shrine parade, dance to the music of Bryan Mayer, and enjoy delicious BBQ and chicken on campus, courtesy of our cooking teams or participate as your own BBQ team.

While at our Home, celebrate our Masonic history of charity and visit the Sallie Mae Ligon Museum and Archives, take a tour of the children’s cottages, and see the School of Graphic Arts.  Make this a weekend trip, enjoy all the activities and support our Masonic Home for Children at Oxford.  Hope to see you there!

Visit www.mhc-oxford.org for more information and updates.

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Granville Co. Board of Commissioners Release Agenda for Oct. 1 Meeting

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-Information courtesy Debra A. Weary, Clerk to the Board, Granville County

The Granville County Board of Commissioners will meet Monday, October 1, 2018, at 7 p.m. at the Granville Expo and Convention Center, 4185 US Highway 15 South, Oxford.

Agenda items include:

Consent Agenda

  1. Minutes
  2. Contingency Summary
  3. Granville County Conservation Easement for Smith Creek

Recognitions and Presentations

4. Recognition of Service – Yvonne A. McQuaig

5. Recognition of Service – Julie Anne Brockman

Public Comments

6. Public Comments

Grant Matters

7. ROAP Transportation Funding

Purchasing

8. Inspections Vehicle

9. Consider approving the Construction Manager at Risk GMP for the Law Enforcement/Detention Center & Animal Shelter            Project

Appointments

10. Granville County Industrial Facilities and Pollution Control Financing Authority

County Manager’s Report

11. Consider adoption of the Resolution Providing Final Approval of Terms and Documents for 2018 County Installment                     Financing

12. Guardian ad Litem Furniture Request

County Attorney’s Report

13. Granville Central High School Lease Modification

Presentations by County Board Members

14. Presentations by County Board Members

Any Other Matters

15. Any Other Matters

Closed Session

16. Closed Session as allowed by G.S. 143-318.11(a)(3) – Attorney-Client Matter

City of Oxford Commissioners to Hold Agenda Meeting Oct. 1

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

The City of Oxford Board of Commissioners will hold an agenda meeting on Monday, October 1, 2018, at 5:30 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room, City Hall.

Among the agenda items:

  • Gift certificate drawings for the 2018 Yard of the Month
  • Set the agenda for the Tuesday, October 9, 2018, Regular Session

The Board of Commissioners will meet Tuesday, October 9, 2018, at 7 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room, City Hall for their regular October meeting.

Children to Benefit From New Technology at Granville Public Library System

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-Press Release, County of Granville

Young library patrons will soon be able to access the latest in technology with the ‘Playaway Launchpad,’ a secure, durable and easy-to-use learning tablet created especially for children.

The ‘Playaway’ is a brand of portable media players designed by Findaway World, LLC and is the only tablet of its kind intended for library circulation. Each device includes high-quality, ad-free learning applications grouped by age, grade level, subject area and theme. Tablets are interactive and are fun to explore, with subjects ranging from math and science to language learning and critical thinking. Themed learning packs include princesses, animals, transportation, dinosaurs, space and more, with each pack preloaded to hold at least 10 apps for hours of educational play.

“The ‘Playaway Launchpad’ is a big hit with other libraries,” Granville County’s Interim Library Director Will Robinson explained. “What we are working towards is digital literacy, starting at a young age. This tablet should be very popular with our Granville County kids and families.”

Each tablet has been built to last, with tough plastic cases and an easy-to-grip rubber bumper. Content has also been designed to last for three to five years, without a constant need for updating, so that the devices can be circulated for a longer period of time. While the “Playaway checkout policy” is still being developed, Robinson says, each family who checks out a tablet will be able to keep it for one week before its expected return date, with one renewal allowed per family – due to the limited number of devices initially available.

Robinson further explains that families will appreciate the continuous play feature the tablet offers. The battery lasts for 4.5 hours and is easily recharged through a wall charger or USB cord. It can even be charged in the car, adding more educational play time during long drives and family vacations.  Children using the tablet can also continue their learning fun while the device is charging.

“We are continuing to advance our technology,” Robinson noted. “We’re not just for books and magazines anymore. We know that children who use the library will grow into adults who use the library. That’s what we want to see.”

The Pew Center for Internet and American Life has done extensive research into how libraries are evolving, and how communities perceive libraries in the modern world.

“As more people pick up e-books instead of their ‘paper and glue’ predecessors, libraries are expanding to include digital literacy as well,” said Lee Rainie, executive director of the Pew Center for Internet and American Life. “It’s not just the well-off or tech-savvy that can tap into these pathways of knowledge. What people celebrate about libraries is that they are resources everyone gets access to.”

For more information about the ‘Playaway Launchpad’ and how to reserve one for your family, as well as other products, programs and services offered by the Granville County Public Library System, contact your local library in Oxford, Creedmoor, Stovall or Berea, or visit www.granville.lib.nc.us.

Volunteers Needed for Rescheduled ‘Alive After Five’ Event

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— courtesy Granville County Chamber of Commerce | Ginnie Currin, Executive Director ~ 919-693-6125 ~ ginnie@granville-chamber.com

The “Alive After Five” event originally scheduled for September 13, 2018, with the “Jim Quick and Coastline” band and postponed due to weather, has been RE-SCHEDULED FOR THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2018, IN DOWNTOWN OXFORD.

Volunteers are needed for this event!

Please contact the Granville County Chamber at (919) 693-6125 or (919) 528-4994 or wanda@granville-chamber.com or tawheeler@granville-chamber.com if you would like to volunteer.

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Public Schools is ‘WOW’ About Wellness

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

This year, families in Granville County Public Schools may ‘CATCH’ their kids exploring healthy habits as a part of an expanded effort to use the Coordinated Approach To Child Health in all district elementary schools.  The C.A.T.C.H. program has been used in schools across the country to encourage good nutrition and physical activity among students. Stovall-Shaw Elementary School piloted use of the program during the 2015-2016 academic year.

Last year, the CATCH program expanded to Butner-Stem Elementary School and West Oxford Elementary School. This summer nearly 100 teachers and administrators received training on the CATCH program to enable every elementary school in the district to utilize the coordinated school health program. Granville County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Alisa McLean offered her perspective on the initiative, stating, “The CATCH program is so vitally important to our work in educating children. Increasing our focus on the health and well-being of our students will only help improve their academic success.  It’s a true win-win for everyone!”

The Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH) unites multiple school-based players to create a community of health. CATCH teaches children to identify healthful foods and increase the amount of moderate to vigorous physical activity they participate in each day. In-class lessons on nutrition and physical activity are supported by coordinated messaging throughout the school community, with the ultimate goal of changing the school environment and policies to support these healthy choices.

Principal Mary Ann Crews of Mt Energy Elementary School explains how these activities are implemented on a daily basis. “There may be some days when instead of children having free time at recess, our teachers may instead lead them through a structured yoga class, with a focus on mindfulness and core physical fitness. Other days there may be a 5 or 10 minute structured mini-lesson during recess. It is amazing the impact it has on how they feel during the school day.”

The Working on Wellness (WOW!) Coalition has been an integral part of the effort to bring the CATCH program to Granville County Public Schools. The WOW! Coalition brings together organizations and people to help kids stay healthy. The WOW! Coalition is one of ten North Carolina coalitions funded through Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas to implement and evaluate the impact of evidence-based interventions.

Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas is a bold initiative of The Duke Endowment, which aims to improve community health outcomes with a focus on nutrition, physical activity and prevention of chronic disease.  “Right before the start of the school year, we were able to train our teachers across all nine elementary schools. I have heard so many positive comments about CATCH – and not just how it is helping our students, but also our staff too. It’s starting to change the entire conversation at school about health, wellness, exercise and diet. It’s been wonderful”, says Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Dr. Michael Myrick

The WOW Coalition has adopted the overarching goal of improving child health and well-being in Granville County, North Carolina, through health promotion efforts targeting nutrition and physical activity.  Poor nutrition, obesity, and physical inactivity have been connected to poor school performance as well as chronic conditions that impact health across the lifespan.

By targeting interventions during childhood, health-promoting behaviors are more easily adopted and maintained, thereby improving health across the lifespan and avoiding adverse health outcomes in adulthood.  One 5th grader described CATCH in this way, saying “I think it is good to know which foods are best for us. I also tell my mom about this and we try to do this at home too. Being healthy is good.”

Principal Courtney Currin offered her perspective on its impact on academics, saying, “CATCH makes a difference in the academic achievement and overall discipline of students.  We saw double-digit growth the first year when we implemented the program with our third graders!”

Want to get involved?  Consider joining the effort by attending one of the upcoming WOW Coalition meetings held at Granville Vance Public Health in Oxford on the 4th Wednesday of each month.

I Voted Sticker

NC Voter Registration Tips & Deadline Reminders

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-Information courtesy the State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement website

With Election Day quickly approaching on Tuesday, November 6, 2018, WIZS would like to take the opportunity to remind you of the upcoming deadlines and the steps to take to register to vote in North Carolina:

Register to Vote

In order to register to vote in North Carolina, a person must meet the legal qualifications to vote and complete a voter registration application. When completing the application, applicants must provide their full name, residential address, date of birth, and citizenship status. After completion, the application should be mailed to the board of elections office in the county in which the applicant resides. You can find the address of your county board of elections office by clicking here.

If the application is complete and the applicant meets all qualifications to vote, the county board of elections will mail a voter registration card to the applicant to provide notice of the registration.

Voter registration applicants who have met the voter registration deadline should expect to receive their voter card within 1 to 2 weeks. Applicants should contact their county board of elections if they do not receive their voter card within two weeks. Note: The applicant must have transmitted the registration application by the registration deadline; otherwise, the voter card will not be mailed until after the completion of the election.

Qualifications to Vote

To register to vote in North Carolina, a prospective voter must meet all of the following qualifications:

  • Must be a citizen of the United States.
  • Must live in the county of his/her registration, and have resided there for at least 30 days prior to the date of the election.
  • Must be at least 18 years old. A prospective voter can submit a registration form up to two years before his/her 18th birthday, if and only if he/she will be 18 at the time of the next general election.
  • Must not be serving a sentence for a felony conviction (including probation or parole). If a prospective voter has previously been convicted of a felony, his/her citizenship rights must be restored. For more information on voting rights for those in the North Carolina criminal justice system, click here.
  • Must rescind any previous registration in any other county or state.

Voter Registration Deadline

The deadline to register to vote in North Carolina is 25 days before the date of an election. The voter registration application must be received by the applicant’s county boards of elections by this date. If an application is received after the deadline, the application may still be timely if it was mailed and it is postmarked on or before the voter registration deadline; otherwise, the application will not be processed until after the election.

For more detailed NC voting information, including One-Stop Early Voting and Same-Day Registration, click here.

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Granville Co. Chamber Announces New Date for Rescheduled ‘Alive After Five’

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— courtesy Granville County Chamber of Commerce | Ginnie Currin, Executive Director ~ 919-693-6125 ~ ginnie@granville-chamber.com

Thank you for your understanding during the time that the Granville County Chamber of Commerce has worked to determine a re-scheduled date for our September 13 Alive After Five event.  Members of the band, “JIM QUICK AND COASTLINE” were affected by Hurricane Florence. The band and their team have been a  pleasure to work with – even as they have been getting their lives back in order.

Please join our Chamber in promoting and publicizing that the re-scheduled date for the Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s Alive After Five, featuring “JIM QUICK AND COASTLINE BAND” is Thursday evening, October 18, 2018, 5:30 – 8:30 pm, in Oxford’s downtown parking lot.  Everything will be the same, except for the date.

The Chamber is grateful for the opportunity to be able to still offer our popular outdoor concert. October is a beautiful fall month! Plan to come out and enjoy concessions and visit with friends while listening and dancing to the incredible music and talents of the “JIM QUICK AND COASTLINE” band.

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VGCC Inducts Five New Apprentices in Signing Ceremony

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Five Vance-Granville Community College students were among 14 who committed to participate in the North Carolina Triangle Apprenticeship Program (NCTAP) at a signing ceremony in Wake Forest in August.

In addition to the signings, five students were honored as the first graduates of the program, which was held in the Wake Forest Renaissance Center on August 14.

“This evening marks the beginning of 14 new careers and the next chapter of the careers of our first five apprentices,” said Mark Bertoncino of Bühler Aeroglide Corp. of Cary, chairman of NCTAP and master of ceremonies for the ceremony. “It is the culmination of years of hard work by the many people in this room and the first real living proof that our program is not only a success but that our apprentices are destined for great things.”

The students are now apprentices with nine industries in Granville, Franklin and Wake counties as they finish high school and earn their associate’s degrees at either VGCC or Wake Technical Community College. VGCC students Jacob Pitts of Durham will be working at Dill Air Controls Products LLC in Oxford; Marshall Cook of Youngsville, Jared Gladki of Roxboro and Joseph Peace of Oxford will be working with Revlon Inc. of Oxford; and Isaac Wier of Franklinton will be at Superior Tooling in Wake Forest.

Above: The five latest VGCC apprentices inducted to the North Carolina Triangle Apprenticeship Program joined with representatives of their new employers and Vance-Granville Community College officials on Aug. 14 at a signing ceremony in Wake Forest. From left are Dr. Gordon Burns, VGCC interim president; Vanessia Alvarado of Dill Air Control Products; Ken Wilson, TechHire grant project manager for VGCC; Jacob Pitts, Dill apprentice; Steve Tsotsoros of Dill; Marshall Cook, Revlon apprentice; Jared Gladki, Revlon apprentice; Mike Jones of Revlon; Joseph Peace, Revlon apprentice; Isaac Weir, Superior Tooling apprentice; Craig McLean of Superior Tooling; and Tiffani Polk, TechHire academic and career coach for VGCC. (VGCC Photo)

Working through Wake Tech, the signees and the other companies were: Lariston Pierce, Accu-Fab Inc. of Raleigh; Grace Leapley, Josey Baker, Jacob Ganzzermiller and Greg Smith, Bühler Aeroglide Corp. of Cary; Marc Dickerson, CaptiveAire Systems of Youngsville; and Michael Benjamin and Brian Sublette, Schunk Intec Inc. of Morrisville.

As each made a commitment to follow the program, the students were joined on stage for the signing ceremony by their parents and employers from the participating industries.

“Because of our collective efforts, these students have a new seamless career pathway to better futures,” said VGCC Interim President Dr. Gordon Burns. “While in school, these apprentices have the opportunity to receive real-life, on-the-job training skills and related training, and simultaneously to earn high school credits and college credits toward a degree. Following their graduation, they are offered opportunities for continued workforce learning as they progress towards their journeyman’s credential and advance in their careers.”

“Students win and so do parents,” he added. “Businesses and industry representatives certainly win. Having this apprenticeship program is a pipeline for new workers.”

The program gives industry a chance to train the young workers on the latest equipment, to use their employees as mentors and to develop future leaders in the companies and in the communities, Dr. Burns said.

NCTAP is a partnership that seeks to provide new opportunities for local students and to prepare a skilled workforce. Typically starting in the junior year of high school, NCTAP is a four-year program that leads to a student obtaining an associate degree at the community college and paid, on-the-job training at the participating employer. Eligible students’ tuition is covered by a waiver from the state of North Carolina. After they graduate from high school, students in the program will be employed full-time by the company.

In the graduation portion of the ceremony, Wake Tech students Luke Fouts, Alex Gaither, Mason Hurlbut and Simon Mitchell, apprentices at Bühler Aeroglide, and Dylan Beckwith, at Schunk Intec, were recognized as the first graduates of the apprenticeship program.

Also on the program were N.C. Sen. Chad Barefoot, R-Wake; Dr. Stephen Scott, president of Wake Tech; and Maureen Little, vice president of economic development for the North Carolina Community College Systems.

Sen. Barefoot, who has announced his plans to retire from the North Carolina Legislature, was presented with a special recognition for his support of the apprenticeship program statewide. He has been praised for helping in getting legislation changed to boost the apprenticeship program. Whereas companies previously had to pay the state to have an apprentice, Barefoot helped enact legislation that now has the state providing reimbursement for tuition.

Representing VGCC’s NCTAP participating industries at the ceremony Steve Tsotsoros and Vanessia Alvarado of Dill Air Controls and Mike Jones of Revlon. Also present from the VGCC TechHire program were Ken Wilson, project manager, and Tiffani Polk, academic and career coach. All schools participating in NCTAP can send students to the educational partner institution that best meets the needs of the industrial partner, Wilson said.

More photos: Check out VGCC’s album on Flickr!