TownTalk: November Events In Granville County
Angela Allen, Tourism Director for Granville County, discusses upcoming events.
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Tag Archive for: #granvillecountynews
Granville: ‘Operation Green Light’ Shines Light On Veterans During November
In advance of the upcoming Veterans Day holiday, Granville County announced plans to participate in Operation Green Light for Veterans, a nationwide effort uniting counties to support military veterans.
The initiative, led by the National Association of Counties, raises awareness around the unique challenges faced by many veterans and the resources available at the county, state, and federal levels to assist veterans and their families.
Now in its second year, Operation Green Light is spearheaded by NACo and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers, building upon successful efforts by the New York State Association of Counties and the NYS County Veteran Service Officers’ Association in 2021. In 2022, more than 300 counties participated in Operation Green Light across the United States.
In addition to lighting county buildings, residents and businesses are encouraged to participate by simply changing one light bulb in their home to a green bulb. This can be an exterior light that neighbors and passersby see, or an interior light that sparks a conversation with friends. By shining a green light, we let our veterans know that they are seen, appreciated, and supported.
“This simple gesture shows Granville veterans and their families that they are appreciated and supported,” said Russ May, chair of the Granville County Board of Commissioners. “Our local Veterans Services Office, Veterans Affairs Committee, and all of Granville County government truly value and appreciate their service and sacrifice. We hope they know that they are seen and appreciated.”
Granville County Veterans Services will also participate in the upcoming Operation Green Light event and Veterans Parade in partnership with the City of Oxford. The event will be held in downtown Oxford from 12 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4 with the parade beginning at 3 p.m. along Williamsboro and College streets in Oxford.
Counties and residents across the country are sharing their participation on social media using the hashtag #OperationGreenLight. For more information on Operation Green Light, visit the NACo website: https://www.naco.org/program/operation-green-light-veterans.
Granville Committees, Advisory Board Openings
The Granville County Board of Commissioners is looking to fill a number of vacancies on various citizen advisory boards and committees.
Most positions will be filled by citizens who reside in the district listed, but final appointment decisions are at the discretion of the board of commissioners. Additionally, 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.
The application is available here: www.granvillecounty.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Boards-and-Commissions-Application.pdf
Return completed to Debra Weary, clerk to the Board of Commissioners, by email at debra.weary@granvillecounty.org, or deliver in person to the county administration office at 104 Belle St., Oxford. Applications may be mailed 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/
Look for the district number beside “County Commissioner” under “your jurisdictions.” If you need additional information, contact the Granville County Addressing and GIS Mapping coordinator at 919.692.1278.
Detailed information about each committee can be found on the Granville County website: https://www.granvillecounty.org/government/other-boards-commissions/.
Vacant seats are available for the following boards and committees:
- Adult Home Care Community Advisory Committee (two at-Large seats). New members must complete a 36-hour training course completed in three phases.
- Butner Board of Adjustment (ETJ Alternate, 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. • Human Relations Commission (Districts 6 and 7). The Human Relations Commission meets monthly on Mondays at 7 p.m.
- Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (District 7). The Juvenile Crime Prevention Council meets monthly on Fridays at 10 a.m.
- Nursing Home Community Advisory Committee (At-Large). New members must complete a 36-hour training course completed in three phases.
- Oxford Planning Board (ETJ – two seats). The Oxford Planning Board meets monthly on Mondays at 5:30 p.m.
- Social Services (one appointed by Granville County and one appointed by the NC Social Services Commission). The Board of Social Services meets monthly on Tuesdays at 5 p.m.
Granville Medical Announces Selection Of Adam McConnell As New CEO
Granville Health System has named Adam McConnell as its new Chief Executive Officer, according to information released earlier this week by GHS Marketing & Foundation Director Lauren B. Roberson.
The board of trustees selected McConnell, who has been the hospital’s chief financial officer for the past five years, following a comprehensive search process, according to information in a press statement.
McConnell said he looks forward to his new role. “I am profoundly grateful for this new responsibility. My commitment remains steadfast to the ideals and objectives that position GHS as a pillar of trust in healthcare for our community. Alongside our passionate team, our focus will be unwavering on patient-centric care, and active community involvement,” McConnell stated.
GHS Board of Trustees Chair David Smith welcomed McConnell. “Adam’s extensive experience within our organization, coupled with his strategic vision for healthcare delivery, made him the clear choice to lead us into the future. We have full confidence that his leadership will enhance our ability to provide top-quality care to our community,” Smith stated.
In his role as CFO, McConnell has brought innovative financial strategies to the forefront, bolstered hospital operations, and consistently championed the pursuit of excellence in Granville County’s Health System. His tenure is marked by visionary leadership complemented by a consistent record of achievements within the organization.
Visit www.ghsHospital.org to learn more.
SportsTalk: Vipers Tangle With Warriors For Final Regular Season Game
With the Vance Co. Vipers assured of a playoff spot and at least a share of the conference championship, one could think that the Vipers would be taking it easy in the final regular season finale Friday night against the J.F. Webb Warriors. One could also be wrong. Coming off a dominant performance last week at a rain soaked Carrboro, the Vipers want to finish the regular season at 10-0 and not share the conference championship but win it outright. “We’ve had a good week of practice,” head coach Aaron Elliott said on Thursday’s SportsTalk. That may be a bit of “coach speak” that one expects but Coach Elliott isn’t letting the Vipers relax. “We needed to clean some things up on defense,” Elliott said referring to how Carrboro was able to use a short passing game to move the ball. Win or lose, the Vipers are in the playoffs. “We won’t know who we are playing until lunchtime on Saturday,” Elliott stated. The Vipers can’t look past an improved J.F. Webb team though. “They are disciplined, it’s Senior night and it’s a rivalry,” said Elliott.
J.F. Webb Head Coach Keionte Gainey echoes Elliott’s feelings about the rivalry. He knows, even in his first year at Webb, that the rivalry is important. Gainey only has a handful of seniors on his team and has, much like Coach Elliot has done at Vance County, turned the J.F. Webb program around. Webb is 5-4 this season. “It’s the most wins we’ve had since 2010,” Gainey said on Sports Talk Thursday. While that is impressive, what may be more impressive is that his players have increased their GPA from 1.9 to 3.0. He credits the team’s improvements both on and off the field to players, teachers, administration and community buying into his program.
Expect a packed house Friday night at J.F. Webb High School in Oxford. WIZS’ live coverage will begin around 6:50 p.m. immediately following the Joy Christian Center broadcast with Bill Harris and Doc Ayscue on Vance County Friday Night Football.
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TownTalk: Around Old Granville: North Carolina Furniture
North Carolina is world-renown for many things, including its contributions to tobacco production, textiles manufacturing and the furniture industry. And while much has been written about tobacco and textiles, Granville County native and author Eric Medlin said he was somewhat surprised to learn that nobody had written a book on the history of the North Carolina furniture industry.
So he set about writing one.
“Sawdust In Your Pockets” came out last week and Medlin was a guest on TownTalk’s Around Old Granville segment Thursday to talk about how the beginnings of the furniture industry and its continued presence across the state and what the future may hold in store.
Medlin said the problem with writing the first book about a topic means that there aren’t many secondary sources to delve into when doing research. “I had to dive in and start with company records, newspapers, and things like that,” he said. He said he was fascinated to learn more about the rise of the furniture industry, the increased sophistication of the pieces that were produced and then sent all over the globe.
In the early days, the state had the three key ingredients that fueled the rise in the industry: cheap labor, access to cheap woods and access to railroad connections. Medlin cited small towns that had small furniture operations – Goldsboro and Dunn, for example – but they were overshadowed by the competition of agriculture to become leaders in the industry.
And although the manufacturing operations were called “factories,” the furniture factories weren’t like the giant textile factories with mechanized looms, Medlin said. And assembly lines weren’t the rage yet, either. The workers were equipped with basic tools like electric saws and staple guns to produce the furniture.
North Carolina, Medlin said, remains the leading furniture-producing state in the U.S., but mammoth local furniture manufacturers have scaled back in recent years, thanks to outsourcing to other countries where labor costs are lower.
The future of the state’s furniture industry, Medlin predicted, lies in the production of customized, bulky pieces – things that are not cost-effective to put in shipping containers and load on ships to sell back in the U.S.
Medlin’s book can be found on Amazon, at Barnes & Noble, the University of Georgia Press and Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh.
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Granville Chamber’s Annual Cluck ‘N Shuck Set For Nov. 3
The annual Granville County Chamber of Commerce Cluck ‘n Shuck is coming to the Granville Expo Center on Friday, Nov. 3.
Leon Nixon Catering is bringing the food, and we’ll provide the fun from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Be prepared for a feast of all-you-can-eat steamed steamed oysters and shrimp, as well as fried fish, fried chicken and all the fixin’s. There will be beverages and music as well, so come hungry and ready for some fun and fellowship.
If you or your business would like to be a sponsor, there’s still time – contact Chamber Executive Director Cynthia Ratliff at 693.6125 or email cynthia@granville-chamber.com
Tickets are $50. Purchase at the Chamber office, 124 Hillsboro St., Oxford. Call 919.693.6125 to reserve tickets.
State Retirees Get One-Time Bump In This Month’s Check
Retired state employees may have noticed a slight bump in their retirement checks that hit their bank accounts today. It’s not an error; rather, it’s a one-time supplement to benefit recipients who retired on or before Oct. 1, 2023, and who are members of the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System, Consolidated Judicial Retirement System and the Legislative Retirement System.
For most retired state employees and teachers, the Oct. 25 payment includes an additional 4 percent of their annual benefit – that amounts to $40 for a $1,000 retirement check.
These funds did not come from the Plan itself, N.C. Treasurer Dale Folwell said in a press statement. The money was appropriated by the General Assembly as a part of the budget passed earlier this month. The one-time payments will not reduce the funded ratio of the State System, Folwell noted.
This one-time supplement does not apply to benefit recipients of the Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System, where a benefit increase may be granted by the LGERS Board of Trustees within certain statutory limitations.
Online 911 Telecommunicator Program A New Option For VGCC Students
Information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel
Vance-Granville Community College (VGCC) has teamed up with Richmond Community College to offer a new 911 telecommunications program to residents of Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties.
The two community colleges recently signed an agreement which allows VGCC students to enroll in RichmondCC’s online associate degree program in 911 Communications & Operations. VGCC students will complete a majority of the core courses and the work-based learning portion of the program through RichmondCC while completing other general education requirements at VGCC.
“VGCC is pleased to partner with Richmond Community College to offer the 911 operator degree. Collaborations like these allow us to offer needed training and credentials to our community while being fiscally responsible,” said VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais.
The online degree program provides a pathway for individuals who are interested in starting a career in this field, as well as providing skills enhancement for those already working as 911 telecommunicators.
The college curriculum program was developed when the NC 911 Board reached out to RichmondCC about a need for standardization in training 911 telecommunicators, plus a need to help elevate this career field. The college worked closely with the NC 911 Board and the NC Department of Information Technology to construct the online program.
“We appreciate Vance-Granville coming on board in this collaborative career training partnership to give 911 telecommunicators, who are true public servants, better educational opportunities and career growth,” said Dr. Dale McInnis, president of RichmondCC. “We look forward to working with our neighbors in the Piedmont.”
Unique in the state of North Carolina, RichmondCC’s 911 Communications & Operations program welcomed its first class of students during the fall 2023 semester.
RichmondCC has been reaching out to other community colleges in the state to make the 911 telecommunications program and its resources available to more students. VGCC is the fourth NC community college to create such a partnership with RichmondCC; Bladen Community College, Gaston College, and Stanly Community College will also be extending the program to their students.
Richmond County is located near the South Carolina border; RichmondCC’s main campus is located in Hamlet, located roughly between Fayetteville and Charlotte.
For more information about the online 911 Communications & Operations associate degree, call RichmondCC at 910.410.1700. For more information about VGCC, visit https://www.vgcc.edu/.
Upcoming Blood Drives To Support American Red Cross
The American Red Cross needs donors to sign up to give blood to help meet their goal of 10,000 weekly blood and platelet donations. To sweeten the pot, all donors who come out between Oct. 21 and Nov. 9 will get a $10 gift card by email to a restaurant of their choice. Donors also will be automatically entered to wins a $5,000 gift card; one winner will be chosen at random each week during Oct. 21-Nov. 7, Red Cross officials said. See details at RedCrossBlood.org/Lunch.
As cold and flu season quickly approaches, the Red Cross reminds donors that they can still give blood or platelets after receiving a flu vaccine, as long as they are feeling healthy and well on the day of their donation. Likewise, there is no deferral or wait time for those receiving the updated COVID-19 vaccine.
Donors have been stepping up lately, which is good, but demand continues to outpace donations and the Red Cross has several upcoming blood drives in the four-county area.
Upcoming events are noted below:
Henderson
10/23/2023: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Henderson Family YMCA, 380 Ruin Creek Rd.
11/7/2023: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Maria Parham Health, 566 Ruin Creek Rd.
11/7/2023: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Vance Granville Community College, 200 Community College Rd.
11/8/2023: 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Kerr Vance Academy, 700 Vance Academy Rd.
Stem
10/31/2023: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Granville Central High School, 2043 Sanders Rd.
Louisburg
10/21/2023: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Rock Spring Baptist Church, 34 Rock Springs Church Rd.
A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
To make an appointment, use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).