Tag Archive for: #granvillecountynews

Granville Health System Gets 4 Stars From Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services

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Granville Health System has received a four-star rating by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for delivering exceptional patient-centered care and ensuring their well-being.

“The Hospital Compare ratings evaluate crucial facets such as patient experience, safety protocols, care efficiency, and clinical outcomes and are paramount for healthcare institutions nationwide,” according to information from GHS Marketing & Foundation Director Lauren Roberson.

Adam McConnell, GHS Interim CEO, expressed pride in the achievement. “Our medical staff and the entire Granville Health System team have shown unwavering commitment to ensuring excellence in patient care,” McConnell said in the press statement. “This four-star rating validates the tireless dedication of our medical professionals, administrators and support staff, all united in our mission to positively impact the lives of our valued patients every single day.”

Granville Health System has implemented various initiatives to enhance patient safety, optimize treatment outcomes, and elevate the overall patient experience. Investments in medical technology, as well as fostering a compassionate environment and placing a strong emphasis on patient-centered care all contribute to the hospital’s overall quality.

The Granville Health System main campus is located at 1010 College Street, Oxford. Visit www.ghsHospital.org to learn more.

AAA Offers Reminders About Sharing The Road With School Buses

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-information from N.C. Department of Insurance and AAA

More than 1.5 million students across the state started a new school year today and AAA and the N.C. Department of Insurance have some important reminders when it comes to sharing the roads with buses transporting their precious cargo – schoolchildren.

It’s not new information, but the reminders bear repeating this time of year, with school bells ringing in Vance, Granville and Franklin counties. Schools on year-round calendars, charters  and Warren County schools have been in session for a few weeks, but many other young people have enjoyed summertime for a bit longer.

N.C. Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey also serves as Chair of Safe Kids N.C.,  and he reminds everyone to keep safety in mind when walking, driving or riding the bus to school.

“We all have an important role to play in keeping our children safe,” said Causey. “Drivers need to be on the lookout for crowded crosswalks and school buses on the road and parents need to talk to their children about the importance of traveling to school safely. It only takes one mistake to cause a tragic injury or death to a child.”

Statistics highlight the need for a call to action. On a typical day, more than 14,000 school buses carrying nearly 800,000 students operate on North Carolina roads. According to DOT, there were 1,075 crashes involving school buses in 2022. A total of 786 people were injured and eight people died.

There were also 5,189 charges for speeding in a school zone and 968 charges for failure to stop for a stopped bus.

In addition to the safety concerns these charges carry, they also hold repercussions to motorists’ auto insurance premiums. Passing a stopped school bus can result in the motorist adding four insurance points to their policy and potentially doubling their auto insurance premiums.

As part of  its School’s Open Drive Carefully campaign, AAA reminds motorists to:

  • Slow down. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 mph faster.
  • Come to a complete stop. Research shows that more than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods. Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.
  • Eliminate distractions. Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing.
  • Share the road with bicyclists. Children on bicycles are often inexperienced, unsteady and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least three feet of passing distance between your vehicle and a bicyclist.
  • Talk to your teen. Car crashes are one of the leading causes of death for teens in the United States, and nearly one in four fatal crashes involving teen drivers occurs during the after-school hours of 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Get evidence-based guidance and tips at TeenDriving.AAA.com.

Motorists are required to stop when approaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing and STOP arms extended. The only exception is on a divided highway with a raised divider. Here’s a breakdown of the rules of the road as they relate to buses:

  • Two Lane Street – All drivers moving in either direction on a two-way street must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children AND the school bus stop arm is withdrawn.
  • Multi-Lane Paved Median – All drivers moving in either direction must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children AND the school bus stop arm is withdrawn.
  • Divided Highway – Traffic approaching an oncoming school bus does not need to stop if there is a raised barrier such as a concrete divider or at least five feet of unpaved space separating the lanes of traffic. However, these motorists should slow down and watch for students loading or unloading from the bus.

Students who are walking or riding their bikes to school have some important safety reminders as well.

Walkers:

  • Pay attention at all times. Avoid texting or wearing headphones, so you can detect nearby traffic.
  • Use sidewalks where available. If not, walk against the direction of traffic so you can see oncoming vehicles.
  • Make yourself easier to be seen by wearing reflective, bright colored clothing.

Bicyclists:

  • Wear a helmet and neon or bright colored clothes.
  • Ride in the same direction as traffic and stay as far to the right as possible. Use bike lanes when you can.
  • Do not wear headphones so you can detect approaching traffic.
  • Cross the street at intersections. Do not pull into the roadway from between parked cars.
VGCC Logo

TownTalk: VGCC Community Engagement Sessions Begin Sept. 7

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A slight turn of phrase can provide a whole different perspective on things, and Vance-Granville Community College President Dr. Rachel Desmarais is looking forward to hearing from the wider community as plans for the future develop.

Take the phrase “community college” for example. Change that to “community’s college,” and you gain some insight into plans for an upcoming series of community engagement nights the college is planning.

“We really want to listen to our community,” Desmarais said on Wednesday’s TownTalk. As a way of implementing its new theme, “Your Community, Your College,” Demarais said the meetings are a way to be intentional about creating a plan that will be the best fit for the communities that VGCC serves.

There’s always room for improvement, she said, and getting feedback from these meetings is a good start.

“We don’t want to stop doing something that is helpful,” she said, adding that “feedback is part of the learning process.”

As students in a classroom need feedback on their activities and work, so does an institution like VGCC, she said.

“If you don’t know what you’re doing right or wrong, you’re not learning anything,” she said.

Individuals interested in participating in the meetings are encouraged to RSVP. A link to the sessions is expected to be available on the www.vgcc.edu website Thursday.

Each session will begin at 6 p.m. and will last until about 7:30 p.m. Small groups – each with a VGCC rep and a person taking notes – will discuss various issues related to their community’s needs.

With the understanding that different people and different communities need different things, Desmarais said she wants VGCC to “be a convener and a catalyst” that brings different organizations together to work for common good.

“Little nudges that we each do can have a wonderful ripple effect in the end,” she said.

And that’s the point of the meetings – to point the community’s college in the direction that the community needs and wants in order to grow.

Below is a list of sites and dates for the community meetings: 

  • Thursday, Sept. 7 – Warren County Armory Civic Center, Warrenton
  • Tuesday, Sept. 12 – Perry Memorial Library, Farm Bureau Room, Henderson
  • Wednesday, Sept. 13 – VGCC Main Campus Civic Center, Henderson
  • Thursday, Sept. 14 – Wake Electric Operations Facility, Youngsville
  • Thursday, Sept. 19 – Karl T. Pernell Public Safety Complex, Louisburg
  • Wednesday, Sept. 20 – Mary Potter Center for Education, Oxford
  • Wednesday, Sept. 27 – VGCC South Campus, Room G1131, Creedmoor

N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon Plans Sept. 16 Meeting To Discuss Future Of Broadband Internet In Granville

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N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon will be in Oxford on Saturday, Sept. 16 to have a dialogue about broadband internet access – how to improve it, why it’s important and its future role in daily life.

The town hall-style meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Granville County Expo Center, 4185 U.S. 15 South, Oxford.

“In today’s interconnected world, access to reliable and high-speed internet has become an essential utility, impacting education, healthcare, business and communication,” according to a press release from Sossamon’s office.  “Unfortunately, many members of our community still face challenges in accessing quality broadband services, hindering their ability to fully participate in the digital age.”

Representatives of the N.C. Dept. of Information Technology will be present to share information during the meeting, whose purpose is to facilitate an open and informed discussion about the state of broadband internet access in Granville County and to explore potential solutions and opportunities for improvement.

The meeting will feature informative presentations and will allow those in attendance to voice concerns, ask questions and contribute their perspectives.

Emergency Department RN Receives DAISY Award For Patient Care

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A registered nurse in the emergency department at Granville Health System is the first recipient of the DAISY award, an honor given to healthcare professionals who provide professional, compassionate care to patients.

Mckenzie Porterfield received the award last month, according to information from Granville Health System Marketing and Foundation Director Lauren Roberson.

Porterfield was nominated by a patient, Roberson stated.

“I recently received care in the Emergency Department of Granville Health System for vertigo/nausea and Mckenzie was my nurse,” the nomination read in part. “She was very nice, respectful and helpful, which made my visit at this hospital uneventful. Thank you, Mckenzie, so much for your wonderful care!”

The DAISY Foundation gives the awards as part of its mission to recognize the extraordinary, compassionate nursing care that health professionals provide patients and families every day.

“It is my honor to present our first DAISY Award to Mckenzie,” said Ann Marie Holtzman-Wheeler, chief nursing officer for Granville Health System. “She has demonstrated exceptional nursing care and we are grateful for her commitment to care for our patients in the communities that we serve.”

Nurses are nominated by patients, families, and colleagues from Granville Health System. To submit an online nomination form, click here, or visit the GHS website at https://ghshospital.org/

Rep. Sossamon Selected For Hunt Institute Elevate NC 2023 Cohort

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Rep. Frank Sossamon is among a group of individuals that form the Hunt Institute Elevate NC 2023 Cohort, a group that brings together leaders work on making positive impacts on education across the state.

In a press statement, Sossamon said it was an honor to be selected. “Education is the cornerstone of our society, and I am committed to exploring innovative solutions that will empower our students to reach their full potential. By collaborating with like-minded individuals, I am confident that we can create meaningful change that will positively impact our educational system,” he stated.

The Elevate NC program provides a platform for Sossamon and the others in the cohort “to engage in constructive dialogue, share insights, and collaborate with a diverse group of individuals who are equally passionate about the future of education,” the statement read.  The cohort will have interactive sessions, workshops and discussions to address pressing educational challenges, allowing the members to work together to identify actionable strategies that can be implemented at the state and local levels

Learn more at : https://hunt-institute.org/news/the-hunt-institute-announces-third-cohort-of-elevatenc/

NC State Board of Elections

North Carolina Voters Will See ‘No Labels’ On Future Ballots

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North Carolina is now among a group of 10 states that has recognized the No Labels movement.

The State Board of Elections voted 4-1 over the weekend to allow the No Labels party to appear on ballots alongside the more traditional descriptors of Democrat, Republican, Independent and Unaffiliated.

In a June 2023 interview with WIZS, Pat McCrory, one of the national co-chairs of the movement, said he is in favor of more choices for voters.

“And if No Labels does come up with a President/Vice President team as an alternative for voters, dissatisfied with the options from traditional parties, make no mistake: “It’ll be to win, not to be a spoiler,” the former N.C. governor said on the June 20 TownTalk segment.

North Carolina joins nine other states – Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota and Utah – that have approved No Labels to appear on ballots.

“The No Labels movement has achieved a significant milestone, winning ballot access in 10 states,” said civil rights leader Dr. Benjamin J. Chavis, national co-chair of No Labels. “This is a historic victory for Americans who have said loud and clear they want more choices at the ballot box. The spirit of democracy is winning in America today.”

During that TownTalk interview, McCrory said No Labels seeks to provide a common-sense approach to address challenges that mainline parties find little on which to compromise.

“I’m a conservative who believes the more competition, the better.” Divisions and failure to find compromise among political parties only create chaos, he said back in June.

With a focus on common-sense policy solutions, practical compromise and cross-party collaboration, the No Labels movement has spent the past 13 years working to give voice to America’s commonsense majority.

Visit https://www.nolabels.org/ to learn more.

The Local Skinny! Granville Humane Society To Hold Fund Raising Event

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The Granville County Humane Society is sponsoring Paws for Granville next month as a fun way for the community to help dogs and cats in the area.

Paws for Granville is a free event that will be held on Saturday, Sept. 30 at the Granville County Expo Center on US Hwy 15 just south of Oxford, according to Angela Gooch, a Humane Society volunteer helping to spread the word about the upcoming fundraiser.

Gooch talked with WIZS’s Bill Harris on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny! and said it’s been a tough year for shelters all over the state.

“It’s been a very difficult year with all the surrenders and sick animals that have come in,” Gooch said.

Paws for Granville is one of two fundraisers sponsored by the local humane society each year to help pay for local spay/neuter programs.

Although the event is free, there will be a truck on site to accept donations of dog and cat food to stock the pet pantry, which is used to help low-income clients provide food for their pets.

More than 80 vendors are scheduled to bring an array of handcrafted items, from jewelry to fishing lures, Gooch said. Participants can enjoy browsing among the vendor booths from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A variety of food trucks are driving in as well, she said. And Next Level Kennels, one of the main sponsors for the event, will have its mobile grooming van on site.

All across the area, animal shelters report being at capacity, and Gooch said rescue groups and foster agencies are working hard to get adoptable animals into homes.

In Granville County alone, the shelter has spent $15,000 to spay and neuter dogs and cats.

Gooch said that, typically, there are more cats that get turned in to shelters, but that has not been the case in Granville County lately.

“Dogs have been coming in great, great numbers,” she said, adding that “rescues are full and (they) have no place to go.”

The group needs volunteers to help with the event, and are always looking for foster families for the animals.

There are about 30 animals available now through the humane society. “It is a labor of love and it takes a lot of time and patience,” Gooch said of her work and the work of other rescuers and fosters.

To learn more, call 919.691.9114, follow the group on Facebook, email hsgcncinfo@gmail.com or visit www.hsgc.nc.org.

CLICK PLAY!

 

Donate Blood In August, Get $10 To See A Movie

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There are several blood donation clinics popping up in the area through the end of the month, and the American Red Cross has issued an appeal to donors to help keep hospital shelves stocked with lifesaving blood products.

Right now, the Red Cross especially needs type O negative, type O positive, type B negative and type A negative blood donors, as well as platelet donors.

Don’t know your blood type? Making a donation is an easy way to find out. The Red Cross will notify new donors of their blood type soon after they give.

Just to sweeten the pot, everyone who comes to give during August will get a $10 e-gift card to use at a movie merchant of their choice.

Find details at RedCrossBlood.org/Movie.

Schedule an appointment to give by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Here’s a list of upcoming blood donation clinics in the area:

Vance

Henderson

8/30/2023: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Maria Parham Health, 566 Ruin Creek Rd.

Franklin

Franklinton

8/31/2023: 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Solid Rock Bible Way, 2 Risen Way

Granville

Butner

8/23/2023: 12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Butner Town Hall, 415 Central Ave.

Sewer Line Project To Detour Traffic Along Oxford’s Hillsboro Street

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Oxford drivers are reminded to pack a little patience as they maneuver around a downtown detour that will be in place in the upcoming weeks.

According to information from City of Oxford Communications Specialist Sabrina Richards, H.G. Reynolds Co. will be installing sewer lines along a portion of Hillsboro Street, making a detour necessary.

The work will be conducted from Lewis Street to MLK/ Broad Street. There will be barricades at Lewis/West Spring Street, Orange Street, Granville Street, Hillsboro/Broad Street and then in one lane at Hillsboro/ West Spring Street to block traffic headed into town.

The detour will only be up during working hours from Monday through Thursday, stretching into Fridays if inclement weather delays work.

The barricades will be removed at the end of each workday for two-way traffic to resume.

There was no word on how long the detour will be in place or how long this part of the sewer line installation will take.