Tag Archive for: #granvillecountynews

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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.

 

 

 

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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.

 

Hiring Event Jan. 31 At Butner’s C.A. Dillon Juvenile Detention Center

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The North Carolina Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention will host a hiring event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31 at C.A. Dillon Regional Juvenile Detention Center, located at 100 Dillion Dr., in Butner.

The division is seeking applicants to fill juvenile justice officer positions at C.A. Dillon. Applicants for these positions may qualify for a $3,000 sign-on bonus and are eligible for inclusion on a step pay plan that includes annual salary increases.

JJDP will be conducting in-person interviews and making on-the-spot recommendations for hire. Applicants will be able to apply on-site; applicants also can apply online prior to the event.

To learn more about juvenile justice careers available statewide, visit www.ncdps.gov/jjdpcareers.

More High-Speed Internet Coming To Granville County

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-information courtesy of Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood

The Granville County Board of Commissioners recently approved a partnership with the N.C. Department of Information Technology and Spectrum under the Completing Access to Broadband program that will provide more than 1,500 addresses across the county that currently don’t have high-speed internet access.

Granville County will pay $10,000; the state will provide $4 million and Spectrum will kick in $7.9 million to fund construction of the fiber-optic broadband infrastructure.

The locations serviced with broadband internet as part of the CAB program will be in addition to the previously announced partnership with Brightspeed under the Growing Rural Communities with Access to Technology program that will provide service to at least 1,914 addresses and the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund project currently underway by Spectrum that will service an additional 1,120 addresses.

Once all three projects are completed, more than 4,564 homes and businesses will have gained access to broadband internet in rural Granville County because of funding from federal, state, and county governments combined with partnership agreements with Internet Service Providers. Additional information about these projects and a full map of the awarded addresses can be found at https://www.granvillecounty.org/government/administration/broadband-initiative/ or the NC One Map at https://www.nconemap.gov/pages/broadband.

“This partnership showcases the ongoing effort made by Granville County to ensure that our citizens have access to high-speed broadband internet,” said Granville County Board of Commissioners Chair Timothy Karan. “We are pleased to partner with Spectrum on this project that with minimal use of county tax dollars will service over 1,500 homes and businesses across the county. We will continue to work with internet service providers to ensure this vital resource is available for all who choose to live or work in our community. There are many parts of the county yet to be served and we will exhaust every possibility to make it happen.”

The areas served by the CAB project with Spectrum are spread throughout the county, with notable areas serviced including northern and western Granville County in the Berea, Cornwall, and Oak Hill communities along NC Highway 49, NC Highway 96, US Highway 158, Old NC 75, Grassy Creek-Virgilina Road, Oak Hill Road, Cornwall Road, Mountain Creek Road, Goshen Road, Old Roxboro Road, Sunset Road, Pine Town Road, Hobgood Road, Moriah Road, Range Road, Culbreth Road, and Enon Road among many others. The project will also service areas east of Oxford including Tom Parham Road and Salem Road and in southern Granville County including US Highway 15, NC Highway 50, Bryans Hill Road, Tar River Road, Smith Road, Lyon Station Road, Cash Road, Will Suitt Road, Brassfield Road and Lawrence Road among others.

 

 

SportsTalk: Local Coaches Prep For Basketball Tournaments And Spring Sports

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John Hammett and Scottie Richardson may be athletic directors for different schools in different counties but they are both facing the same things: a basketball season that is winding down and the start of spring sports.

Hammett, Oxford Prep’s athletic director, says his boys’ basketball team is having a real strong year despite a loss this week to Vance Charter.  “We’ve got some real good shooters,” Hammett said.  They take on Roxboro Charter Friday night. “Roxboro is young but they have a couple of good player,” Hammett said of the team’s opponent. The girls team is currently 7-9. “They have been getting better throughout the year,” said Hammett.  Oxford Prep has five games remaining before they start the conference basketball tournament.

Meanwhile, at Crossroads Christian, athletic director Scottie Richardson says his girls team will be the second seed for their upcoming tournament. The boys could be.  “We control our own destiny,” Richardson said.   It will take a few more wins in the remaining four games for Crossroads to secure that second seed.

One of the problems both men face is an overlap between basketball and baseball.  “I would like to see both basketball and baseball seasons shortened to eliminate the overlap,” Hammett said on Thursday’s SportsTalk.  Richardson said it is difficult to coordinate with coaches when players play multiple sports.

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Mike Waters

Two Men Sentenced During Recent Granville County Criminal Superior Court Session

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-information courtesy of District Attorney Mike Waters

Two men were sentenced last week during a session of Granville County Criminal Superior Court, one receiving an active sentence of between 21 months and 35 months for driving while impaired and the other one between and 5 and 7 years for trafficking cocaine and related offenses.

According to a press release from District Attorney Mike Waters, Jose Antonio Guillen was found guilty by a Granville County jury of driving while Impaired, driving while license revoked for an impaired driving offense. After that verdict, Guillen pleaded guilty to habitual DWI, in that he had three prior convictions of DWI within 10 years before this date of offense. Guillen was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Josephine Davis to an active sentence of 21 to 35 months in the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction.

On Sept. 24, 2022, Guillen approached a checking station set up by members of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. After an investigation, it was determined that he was in fact impaired while operating the car, and his license was revoked because of a previous Driving While Impaired conviction from Wake County. The North Carolina State Highway Patrol investigated that case. The State of North Carolina was represented by Assistant District Attorney Allison Capps.

Orlando Latta faces up to 7 years after pleading guilty to two counts of trafficking in cocaine and possession of a firearm by a felon for offenses that were discovered after a traffic stop on I-85 in Granville County on Dec. 14, 2021.

Latta pleaded to possession of a handgun by a convicted felon,and 30 grams of cocaine. This incident was investigated by a deputy with the Granville County Sheriff’s Office.  Latta also pleaded guilty to two counts of trafficking in opiates or heroin, and possession of a firearm by a felon, for offenses that were discovered after a traffic stop on Gate #1 Road in Butner on Apr. 4, 2022.  During that stop, Latta was found to be in possession of two firearms as a convicted felon, and over 8 grams of Fentanyl. This incident was investigated by Butner Public Safety, Judge Davis sentenced Latta to an active sentence of 70 months to 93 months in the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction. The State of North Carolina was represented by Assistant District Attorney Allison Capps.

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VGCC Hosts FAFSA Day Jan. 27

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-information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

Vance-Granville Community College’s Financial Aid Office invites high school students, current college students, families and adult learners to attend FAFSA Day on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 9 a.m. – 12 noon.

The event will take place at VGCC’s Main Campus in Henderson; attendees should check in at the Building 7 front lobby upon arrival.

Organized by the College Foundation of North Carolina, this free event provides one-on-one or small group help with FAFSA completion and submission, according to information from VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel.

The college welcomes anyone in the community seeking financial aid for college, not just current or prospective Vance-Granville students.

There is no requirement to accept any aid offered, but the FAFSA can help you understand your options. By filling out the FAFSA, you could access:

  • Grants and scholarships that you do not have to pay back
  • Work-study programs that allow you to earn money working at the school you attend
  • Student loan options

Completing the FAFSA is more important than ever this year for North Carolina students. It’s the process through which eligible students could receive the Next NC Scholarship, which awards a minimum of $5,000 for those attending a public state university or at least $3,000 for those attending community college. Students with the greatest need for financial aid could qualify for even more funding to help make paying for college more manageable.

Learn more or RSVP for Vance-Granville’s FAFSA Day event at www.cfnc.org/pay-for-college/fafsa-day. For additional questions, please contact VGCC’s Financial Aid Office at fao@vgcc.edu or 252.738.3280.

Red Cross To Host Volunteer Open House Jan. 25 In Granville County

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Granville County doesn’t currently have a chapter of the American Red Cross, but a group of local organizers are planning a Volunteer Open House to share information about what it will take to form a volunteer team there.

The open house will take place Thursday, Jan. 25 at The Venue at HighRock Farm, located at 2317 Enon Rd., Oxford from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Red Cross is known for blood drives and disaster relief efforts across the globe. But did you know that the organization also needs volunteers to help deliver the blood that gets donated and that most of the U.S. disasters are house fires?

“Just knowing that someone is there to lend a helping hand during these trying times provides a light of hope for Granville County residents,” said Laurie Hughes, Executive Director of the Greater Triangle Area Chapter, American Red Cross of North Carolina. “Please join us by resolving to help as a Red Cross volunteer and ensure no one faces life’s emergencies alone.”

The open house is free and all ages are welcome. There will be Hands Only CPR training, and participants can learn more about all the volunteer opportunities available with the Red Cross.

Light refreshments will be served, and organizers would like anyone interested in attending to RSVP by contacting Lesley Ireland at 919.709.8129 or Lesley.Ireland@redcross.org.

The need for volunteers is constant. Visit redcross.org/volunteertoday to learn more, including the most-needed positions:

  • Blood donor ambassadors and transportation specialists: Blood donations are essential to the health of our communities, and blood donor ambassadors are a vital part of this work by welcoming visitors and taking their temperatures before entering Red Cross facilities and blood drives. Visitors could include potential blood donors, people seeking help, training course participants, and Red Cross employees and volunteers. We also have a high need for transportation specialists in Durham and Wake Counties to help deliver blood from our facilities to local hospitals.
  • Disaster response volunteers: Most of the U.S. disasters that the Red Cross responds to every eight minutes are local home fires, which can destroy nearly everything a family owns in a matter of minutes. Partnering with local fire departments, Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers connect with families by video or phone call to provide emotional support, emergency financial assistance and information to help families begin to recover.
  • Volunteer from home (virtual positions): Help from the comfort of your own home through a wide range of virtual opportunities.